By Maria Saporta
EarthShare of Georgia, which has been building employee-based giving campaigns for environmental organizations, recently announced that it has added three new groups to benefit from their fundraising in 2012.
The three groups are:
· the Flint Riverkeeper, which aims to restore and preserve habitat, water quality and flow of the Flint River for future generations and dependent wildlife;
By Maria Saporta
Elected leaders in the Atlanta region are becoming increasingly concerned in the direction of a Regional Transit Governance Task Force established by Gov. Nathan Deal.
“There’s no question that the state is still struggling with wanting to control everything,” said Mike Bodker, mayor of Johns Creek, adding that “you have every right to control what you pay for.”
By Maria Saporta
Friday, December 2, 2011
The high-profile boutique law firm of Dillard & Galloway is dissolving as real estate attorney Doug Dillard and two other partners are joining the firm of Weissman, Nowack, Curry & Wilco.
At the same time, Dillard’s law partner for 28 years — Woody Galloway — is forming the Galloway Law Group, which
By Maria Saporta
It’s time for Atlanta to lead again.
That was the message that Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed delivered Monday at a Commerce Club speech. The mayor thanked the audience of mostly Commerce Club members for their support of the city, but he clearly was trying to re-energize Atlantans to believe in the city once again.
By Maria Saporta
Friday, December 2, 2011
After 100 days in Atlanta as the new president of CredAbility, Phil Baldwin is a study in contrasts — rural versus urban, rich versus poor, local versus national and international.
Baldwin is welcoming his new role of leading the Atlanta-based national nonprofit credit counseling organization as a way to help change the economic equation for Americans living on the financial edge.
By Maria Saporta
Transit is in the spotlight as metro Atlanta marches toward the July 31, 2012 referendum on a one-cent regional transportation sales tax.
The Urban Land Institute is bring a national forum to Atlanta Dec. 6 to Dec. 7 — to be held at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel in Cobb County — a place that has been debating the merit of transit investment over roads.
By Maria Saporta
The founding headmaster of the Atlanta International School lived just long enough to see his beloved school break ground on a building that will be named in his honor.
Miles “Alex” Horsley died Dec. 1 at his home after a “spirited” battle with cancer, according to an email that the school sent out on Friday. A memorial service in Horsley’s honor is planned for Jan. 14, 2012.
By Maria Saporta
The Atlanta History Center has selected the architectural team for its “Re-Shape History” redesign — Pfeiffer Partners of New York City.
The history center’s Properties & Capital Projects Committee made the selection, according to Jackson McQuigg, vice president of properties for the center.
“We’re all very excited by the decision,” McQuigg said about the Dec. 1 announcement of the architectural team.
By Maria Saporta
The City of Atlanta has a new sustainability director — Denise Quarles — formerly vice president of environmental affairs and director of business development in the energy division of Southwire, a Carrollton-based manufacturer of electric wiring.
In a release, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said:
“Denise comes to the city from the private sector with an outstanding track record of leading successful sustainability initiatives. I am pleased that
By Maria Saporta
A new organization — Better Georgia — is launching a statewide campaign beginning today, Dec. 1, to organize voters across the state who are disappointed with the current direction at the capitol.
Better Georgia specifically is focusing on Gov. Nathan Deal and leaders of the General Assembly and urging them to work on schools and jobs instead of political wedge issues, like immigration, which divide the state and make it unattractive to business investment and
By Maria Saporta
Efforts to get rid of Atlanta Housing Authority executive director Renee Glover are at a complete standstill.
That appears to be a total change of direction for the Atlanta Housing Authority board, which last month seemed intent on moving as quickly as possible to negotiate a separation agreement with Glover.
By Maria Saporta
Friday, November 25, 2011
The perception of downtown is rising, according to a new survey commissioned by Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District.
The perception of public safety has shown strong improvement with 69 percent of the respondents saying that downtown was either “very safe” or “somewhat safe.” In 2002, only 61 percent felt that way; and in 1996, that number was only 55 percent.
Thanks to a $3.1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has established an “Innovation Delivery Team” to work on improving customer service for city residents as well as to help reduce chronic homelessness.
Kristin Canavan Wilson has been tapped to serve as the new director of Atlanta’s Innovation Delivery Team. When Reed has spoken about establishing this initiative, he said he wanted to hire a “super star.”
By Maria Saporta
The current stalemate in Washington, D.C. between Democrats and Republicans is perhaps the worst situation for the economy, according to John Rice, vice chairman of General Electric and president and CEO of GE Global Growth and Operations.
Rice, who is currently based in Hong Kong, had been living in Atlanta as president and CEO of GE Technology Infrastructure. While in Atlanta, Rice became deeply involved in the
By Maria Saporta
Living Room Inc., the leading provider of supportive housing services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Georgia, is expanding its service area to include the cities of Rome and Dalton.
Living Room, which has been serving metro Atlanta for 16 years, wanted to fill a need for a part of the state that was underserved. That 20-county area in northwest Georgia will now have access to services and programs that include
By Maria Saporta
Friday, November 25, 2011
It’s a tale of the two Woodruffs — a relationship that spans the past five decades.
The latest chapter of the tale culminated with a $15 million gift from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation to the Woodruff Arts Center as a “vote of confidence” in the cultural organization’s transformation in governance and financial management.
By Maria Saporta
Friday, November 18, 2011
Southwest Airlines is sending a signal about its role as a civic player in Atlanta by accelerating and expanding AirTran Airways’ pledge to the Grady Health Foundation and Grady Memorial Hospital.
AirTran had made a five-year, $250,000 pledge to Grady in 2009, and it had already fulfilled $100,000 of that pledge when it was acquired by Southwest Airlines in May.
Southwest now is not only honoring AirTran’s pledge, but it is adding another $50,000 to the pot. It also is providing the entire gift at one time.
“AirTran did have this commitment to Grady, and we knew how important Grady is to Atlanta,” said Debra Benton,
By Maria Saporta
The Rotary Club of Atlanta could not have found a more fitting speaker for its Thanksgiving message than Bill Bolling, founder of the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
What the folks at Rotary did not know is that Bolling will be receiving the top honor from Georgia Trend’s 100 Most Influential Georgians in January, 2012. Bolling probably is the first nonprofit leader to receive the magazine’s “Georgian of the Year” award.
Bolling began his talk by giving thanks for our freedom and our ability to agree to disagree. He thanked Rotary for being “one of those containers that holds the energy” to make Atlanta a stronger
By Maria Saporta
Fort McPherson’s officials are seeking Requests for Qualifications for firms interested in become the master developer for a 113-acre site south of downtown Atlanta.
The McPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Authority will select a firm or a team of firms that will be able to guide the project through its development phases and provide professional services within the project’s scope.
Fort McPherson, a 488-acre military facility, was closed earlier this year. Planning for the redevelopment of the property has been underway for years.
By Maria Saporta
The Consulate General of France in Atlanta has reason to celebrate.
The second-annual France-Atlanta two-week gathering brought together a wide variety of people — elected officials, professional experts, scientists, diplomats, humanitarian leaders and performing artists to forge a closer relationship between the French and Georgians.
The theme of the 2011 conference was: “France-Atlanta: Together Towards Innovation,” a partnership between the French government, Georgia Tech and numerous other French and American organizations.
