By Maria Saporta
A new central theme for Atlanta is emerging — showcasing the role of women and human rights around the world.
Take three different globally significant events occurring in Atlanta within a two-week period.
The first one has already happened. More than 700 women from more than 30 countries were in Atlanta from Oct. 29 to Oct. 31 to attend the International Women’s Forum.
By Maria Saporta
The United States could find great return by focusing more of its attention on developing economic ties with Latin America in addition to its regular relations with China, Russia and Europe.
That was the underlying message that Charles Shapiro, the new president of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, shared Monday with the Rotary Club of Atlanta.
Shapiro began his new role at the World Affairs Council in September after a long career in the foreign service where he held numerous positions, including as the U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela.
By Maria Saporta
For nearly 40 years, Doug Allen played a pivotal role in Georgia Tech’s College of Architecture – a trained landscape architect who joined the faculty in 1977 – later becoming a key member of the administration.
Allen, born in 1947 at Emory University Hospital, died on Oct. 26 from brain cancer.
During his life, the impact and influence Allen had on his students, colleagues, friends, the college and the community was deep and broad.
By Maria Saporta
After 15 years as director of the High Museum of Atlanta, Michael Shapiro, will be stepping down from that position at the end of July.
Shapiro has been a major force in the growth of the Museum’s collections, endowment, membership and international collaborations over the past two decades that he has served in leadership positions at the High. He also oversaw the the expansion of the campus by architect Renzo Piano.
By Maria Saporta
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation released today its 2015 list of 10 “Places in Peril” in the state.
Sites on the list varied from a hospital to a City Hall to a County Courthouse to fanciful Victorian houses to a Federal Road-Trading Path that travels through 14 Georgia counties.
“This is the Trust’s tenth annual ‘Places in Peril’ list,” said Mark C. McDonald, president and CEO of the Trust. “We hope the list will continue to bring preservation solutions to Georgia’s imperiled historic resources by highlighting ten representative sites.”
By Maria Saporta
The Atlanta Hawks organization has disbanded its “board of ambassadors” — a one-year-old coalition of business and civic leaders aimed at generating community support for the city’s professional basketball team.
The group – which included about three dozen leaders from all walks of life – was hoping to build stronger bridges between the business community and the Atlanta Hawks.
By Maria Saporta
At long last, the Atlanta Hawks have retained an investment banking team to sell the team.
The only problem is no one is exactly sure how much of the team is for sale.
Bruce Levenson, the managing partner of the Atlanta Hawks who represented an ownership group with 50.1 percent interest in the team, is definitely selling that share.
By Maria Saporta
The City of Atlanta has three distinct choices when it comes to selecting a new CEO for its economic development arm – Invest Atlanta.
“We have narrowed down the search for President and CEO of Invest Atlanta to three results-oriented professionals who have extensive experience in economic development and job creation,” said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, in a statement. “All three candidates have the leadership abilities to continue the important work of the agency by creating jobs and opportunity for the people of Atlanta.”
By Maria Saporta
The King Center is on track to have another stellar fund-raising event at its annual Salute to Greatness dinner on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 when it will honor former President Bill Clinton.
Clinton, founder of the Clinton Global Initiative and the Clinton Foundation, will receive the Salute to Greatness Award – traditionally the King Center’s highest honor.
By Maria Saporta
The Georgia Association of the American Institute of Architects has a new executive director.
David L. Southerland, who has a strong nonprofit background in transportation, sustainability and community design, joined AIA Georgia on Oct. 14.
By Douglas Sams and Maria Saporta
City officials are seeking proposals to redevelop the 20-acre Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center, with goals of turning the campus into the heart of a “24-hour urban environment” featuring a mix of housing, stores, offices and film and TV studios.
The city’s economic development arm, Invest Atlanta, issued the request for proposals, or RFP. It plans to pick a finalist to buy and redevelop the Civic Center in December. It wants to reach an agreement to sell the site by next April.
By Maria Saporta
Cool Girls has named a new executive director – Tanya Egins, succeeding Sandy Welfare, who is stepping down after five years of leading the organization. Welfare volunteered for Cool Girls for more than 20 years, and she will continue to serve as a mentor to a “cool girl.”
Egins has served as deputy director of Cool Girls since 2010.
By Maria Saporta
After serving as president and CEO of CARE since April 2006, Helene Gayle has informed her colleagues that will be stepping down on July 1, 2015 – at the end of the international organization’s fiscal year.
Gayle wrote an email to her staff late last week explaining that she wanted to give the board enough time to begin a search “and avoid any long lapses in leadership for CARE.”
By Maria Saporta
We did it!
The Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series has successfully received confirmation from every candidate it has invited to participate in its general election debates.
It is the first time for as long as I can remember that we have had 100 percent participation from every candidate – a welcome and rewarding development for our debate series.
As we were in the early stages of our general election debate planning, we issued a 100 percent participation challenge.
By Maria Saporta
Organizers of the 2015 Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Atlanta next November were celebrating today’s news that Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan and Kailash Satyarthi of India were awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.
Both of the globally-respected human rights activists will be invited to be part of the 2015 Summit in Atlanta.
“We have been celebrating this,” Mohammad Bhuiyan, CEO of the Atlanta Summit Organization for the Nobel Peace Laureates. “This is a great decision by the committee.”
By Maria Saporta
Georgia Tech’s Master of City and Regional Planning is building its national stature.
Planetizen, an online publication that caters to urban and regional planning professionals has just released its top schools for urban planners.
Georgia Tech has climbed from No. 8 to No. 5 in the country since the last edition was published in 2012.
By Maria Saporta
U.S. District Judge Richard Story’s ruling to dismiss the case that Ubiquitous Entertainment Studios had filed against the McPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Authority (MILRA) and Tyler Perry Studios is not dissuading Ubiquitous’ executives from their challenge.
In fact, Dan Meachum, the founder and CEO of Ubiquitous who is also an attorney, said he was “ecstatic” with Judge Story’s ruling because it left the door open for his company to continue to argue its case.
By Maria Saporta
A group of well-respected political observers said Monday there was a strong possibility that both Georgia’s U.S. Senate race and governor’s race could end up in run-offs after the Nov. 4 election.
In the U.S. Senate race, Michelle Nunn is the Democrat, David Perdue is the Republican and Amanda Swafford is the Libertarian.
Now if Georgia’s U.S. Senate race ends up in a run-off and control of the Senate is on the bubble after Nov.4, Georgia could be the most closely-watched state in the nation until the Jan. 6 run-off.
Jonah McDonald and his hiking shoes are reinventing our deep-rooted image of a traffic-choked city smothered in asphalt and concrete.
By Maria Saporta
Halting the demolition of 20 Hilliard St., the 1910 building in the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic District, was just the first half of a victory for preservationists.
Now the real work for a complete victory begins with the formation of a community and advisory group that will work with the Atlanta Housing Authority to save what is also known as the Trio Laundry building.
The nine-member advisory group met for the first time on Oct. 1, when it heard from AHA officials about the property’s history, about efforts that are currently under way to save the building as well as potential uses for affordable housing if the building can be saved.
