By Maria Saporta
After serving as a high-ranking member in the campaign to re-elect President Barack Obama, Tharon Johnson is joining McKenna Long & Aldridge (MLA) as a managing director of its National Government Affairs practice working in the law firm’s Atlanta and Washington, D.C. offices.
Most recently, Johnson served as the National Southern Regional Director for the 2012 Obama for America Presidential Campaign.
But Johnson is no stranger to Atlanta and Georgia politics.
A new center to promote cultural and economic exchange with the 55 nations of Africa is being promoted for the Centennial Olympic Park area of downtown Atlanta.
Sen. Donzella James (D-Atlanta) advocates the idea of establishing such a center in Senate Resolution 9, which she has pre-filed for consideration by the General Assembly once it convenes Jan. 14.
The proposed center is part of James’ much broader push for the state Department of Economic Development to foster relations with the 55 nations of Africa. The resolution outlines specific roles for Atlanta, Atlanta’s airport, the state port in Savannah, and the state of Georgia to play in the proposed relationship.
By Maria Saporta
Long-time economic development professional Maceo Rogers is back in Atlanta.
Rogers has just been hired to be president of the Development Authority of Fulton County by the agency’s board.
For the past two years, Rogers has been executive director of the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority.
Before that, Rogers served in a couple of different roles for the DeKalb County Office of Economic Development — first as deputy director and then as interim director.
By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Friday, December 21, 2012
As this year comes to a close, several key Atlanta civic leaders will be retiring from positions that have permitted them to make an imprint on our community.
Although they might be retiring, it is expected that they will continue to contribute in their post-retirement.
One of the most enthusiastic civic players — Ann Cramer — is retiring as IBM’s director for corporate citizenship and corporate affairs for the Americas. Cramer has been involved in almost every major community initiative that has been underway in metro Atlanta and Georgia for decades — from education, economic development, the arts, social services and public policy.
Many things have changed since Schroder PR begin 10 years ago; many have not Ten years ago this week, Schroder PR opened its doors to provide writing and media relations services to a few select clients. Since then, a lot has changed in the business of public relations, but a few enduring principles remain more […]
Two matters that will affect the future of transportation options in DeKalb County and other eastern counties of the metro region are likely to rise in debate when Legislature convenes.
One involves the fate of the 432,000 commuters who use Xpress buses to travel through DeKalb. Funding for the commuter bus system is slated to end in June unless Gov. Nathan Deal and the General Assembly provide operating funds.
The other issue is DeKalb’s proposed sales tax to pay for road and sidewalk improvements. The Legislature has to authorize the tax before voters could cast their ballots.
The holidays have passed and our focus is now on the year ahead. At this time, many people begin hitting the gym more, eating healthier, or making other lifestyle changes — a result of New Year’s resolutions. Studies show that on average, nearly 80 percent of those who set a New Year’s resolution fail. A […]
By Maria Saporta
Gary Stokan stood at the back of an Omni Hotel ballroom Monday morning as dignitaries celebrated the announcement that the ground-breaking for the new College Football Hall of Fame would happen on Jan. 28, 2013.
It’s been a long day in coming for a project that has had a series of starts and stops. But now it’s all hands on go for one of Atlanta’s newest attractions, which is expected to open by Aug. 29, 2014 — just in time for the college football season.
Call it a honeymoon.
From the looks and sounds of it, we’re witnessing a honeymoon between MARTA and the legislative oversight committee — MARTOC.
The reason for this thawed relationship is Keith Parker, MARTA’s new general manager. During his first month at the helm, Parker is making many of the right moves. He has spent time with State Rep. Michael Jacobs, MARTOC’s chair, as well as other legislators on the committee.
Carter’s Inc. will face clawback penalties if it does not create at least 200 jobs in Atlanta that pay certain wages and benefits, according to terms of the $350,000 grant Carter’s received from Atlanta’s development authority.
Meanwhile, Carter’s will receive at least $30 million in assistance for its corporate relocation to the Phipps Plaza area. Funding sources cited in the terms of the city’s grant to the apparel maker include one that’s unnamed, “and other sources from State of Georgia.” Carter’s market cap is $3.2 billion.
The grant from Atlanta provided just enough incentive to convince Carter’s board to approve the relocation to Atlanta from Shelton, Ct., according to Tom Carroll, Carter’s vice president for real estate and construction.
So much of the South is misunderstood by outsiders, and a trustworthy guide like Susan Puckett helps the rest of us understand where we live. Her new book, “Eat Drink Delta: A Hungry Traveler’s Journey through the Soul of the South” (University of Georgia Press), takes readers on a trip into the complicated culture and food of a strip of Mississippi often maligned for its poverty, obesity and backwardness.
Her ground-level stories of the people and crops, their traditions and dishes, bring to life the coexistence of different races and classes in one of America’s most fertile areas. The Delta is synonymous with blues, and Puckett, a Decatur author of six previous books who served as food editor for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for 18 years, explored the connection between the hard stories and soulful food.
By David Martin, President and CEO of VeinInnovations Happy New Year! As 2013 kicks off, I’m sharing the final three clips from my interview with Matt Gove. In the above clip, Matt and I discuss Grady Memorial Hospital and the integral role the hospital plays in the Atlanta health care system. Matt is a “refuge from […]
Georgia’s governor has practiced a pragmatic ebb and flow on a number of public policy issues during his first term.
Since the summer of 2011, Gov. Nathan Deal and the state have been quietly tackling an issue Republicans have historically ceded the floor on –— criminal justice reform, particularly for juveniles. It’s a problem too expensive to ignore, and conservative groups across the country are now championing such reform in the name of smarter and smaller government spending.
“This Is 40” isn’t the worst movie I’ve ever seen, but it’s certainly somewhere within that black hole’s gravitational pull.
Writer/director Judd Apatow calls it a sort-of sequel to “Knocked Up.” Translation: Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen’s characters aren’t even mentioned as far as I remember.
Our leads now are Pete and Debbie, played so amusingly in the first film by Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann (Mrs. Apatow in real life).
By Guest Columnist TERRY LAWLER, executive director of the Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta
As we approach 2013 and the potential “fiscal cliff”, the metro Atlanta region is facing some challenges and opportunities during the coming year.
Regardless of what Congress does, here are some of the challenges the Regional Business Coalition (metro Atlanta’s chambers of commerce), local businesses, employees and metro Atlanta residents will be experiencing in 2013.
It’s that time of year when we feel compelled to enumerate things. The annual tallies of the biggest stories and the best movies and books have grown into a jungle of lists – everything from the most annoying words (“Whatever” won for the second year in a row this year) to the biggest media stories (Rush Limbaugh’s tiff with Sandra Fluke took the top spot in a Politico Top Ten story).
Arguing with the selections is a big part of this New Year’s fun. (Why isn’t “proactive” ever singled out, and how could a Rush tantrum top Karl Rove’s election night performance?) We don’t really expect these year-end reckonings to bear up to historical scrutiny.
By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Friday, December 21, 2012
Habitat for Humanity International is going from building homes to developing its own retail business.
The international nonprofit known for building and renovating affordable single-family homes since 1976 is now in the social enterprise business.
It is developing a national chain of stores — ReStore — that is selling discount building products, furniture and appliances as a way to generate new revenues so it can build more houses around the world.
By Maria Saporta
An amazing array of leaders and followers paid homage to Jesse Hill Jr. Friday at his memorial service at Big Bethel AME Church on Auburn Avenue.
Hill, 86, passed away on Monday, Dec. 17 after a long illness.
But Friday’s memorial service demonstrated that Hill’s contributions to Atlanta, Georgia and the nation will continue to live on.
Atlanta may end the year with no final resolution of questions raised by the federal government about some of the $3 billion in airport concessions contracts Mayor Kasim Reed signed March 12.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it may appeal a ruling that favors the vendors chosen by the city, which was issued late Thursday by the state Department of Transportation. The FAA had ordered GDOT to review its decision to award four winning vendors a federal preference that may have helped them win their contracts.
Reed’s administration did not respond to either the GDOT ruling or the FAA response. Instead, the administration issued a statement concerning the decision by a losing concessionaire to stop its litigation. The company was not part of the FAA’s review.
Check back for updates
The four companies at risk of losing their concessions contracts at Atlanta’s airport will not lose an important certification that helped them win their contracts.
The Georgia Department of Transportation determined the companies will not be decertified as disadvantaged business enterprises, GDOT spokesperson Jill Goldberg said Thursday.
The Federal Aviation Administration had ordered GDOT to review the certifications, contending the companies did not deserve the federal preference. The FAA was notified of GDOT’s decision Thursday afternoon.
