Wesley Woods and the Heroes, Saints & Legends Awards
Three distinguished Atlantans will be honored at the 36th annual Heroes, Saints & Legends Awards dinner at Flourish on Sept. 18. The gala is the largest fundraiser for The Foundation of Wesley Woods.
The honorees are:
Doug Hooker, the retired executive director of the Atlanta Regional Commission and current Special Professor of Practice at Georgia State University’s Urban Studies Institute. Hooker also chairs the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.
Patrise M. Perkins-Hooker is the City Attorney for Atlanta. She is also a former County Attorney for Fulton County and an administrative partner at Johnson & Freeman, LLC. Perkins-Hooker, who is married to Doug Hooker, is a trailblazer in the legal community, serving as the first person of color to be elected President of the State Bar of Georgia.
Nancy Gordy Simms is the board chairman and retired CEO of Varsity Restaurants. Simms is in the Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame, and she is an emeritus member of the Reinhardt University Board of Trustees.
“Patrise Hooker’s outstanding service to our city and the legal profession, along with Doug’s impactful work in urban development and public policy, and Nancy Simm’s legacy in hospitality truly embody the ideals of our annual honors,” said Diane Vaughan, president of the Foundation of Wesley Woods.
The foundation serves 1,800 older adults in its residential communities across North Georgia. Since its inception in 1990, the HS&L event has honored 117 leaders and raised over $8.7 million for the Foundation of Wesley Woods.
— Maria Saporta
Lois Reitzes to retire
For 45 years, Lois Reitzes has been the voice of arts, music and culture in Atlanta.
Reitzes recently announced her retirement in June from WABE 90.1 FM, where she has shared her distinctive voice and cultural expertise with listeners for 45 years.
Jennifer Dorian, president and CEO of WABE, moderated a discussion with Reitzes at the April 7 lunch meeting of the Rotary Club of Atlanta.
“What a privilege it has been,” Reitzes told Rotarians. “We have extraordinary people in this city. I think that’s why it’s so important to support our arts institutions and public media.”
Reitzes, who described herself as a lover of the great indoors, talked about the need for “spiritual nourishment” that comes from the enjoyment of arts and culture. She said that in Finland, students can graduate from high school without being able to read music.
Reitzes joined WABE in 1979, serving in various capacities. In 2015, she launched the daily show, City Lights.
Dorian announced that City Lights will continue to air after Reitzes’ retirement. Also, Reitzes is expected to be an occasional contributor to the program.
— Maria Saporta
Howell Adams: 50 years of perfect Rotary attendance
Talk about a streak. Howell E. Adams attended his first Rotary meeting on April 7, 1975.
Exactly 50 years later, Adams was recognized by the Rotary Club of Atlanta for having perfect attendance over the past five decades. Adams is the retired owner and CEO of Georgia Trane Cos. He has also been a major philanthropist in Atlanta.
“Over these 50 years, I’ve had some wonderful experiences in the life I’ve led largely because of my friendship with Rotarians,” Adams told family, friends and fellow Rotarians at the April 7 meeting. “All of you here today are representing all the Rotarians who have enriched my life over the years.”
Then Adams laughingly added: “When I joined Rotary, I had no idea I would still be around at 93, so I’m thankful for that.”
— Maria Saporta
Kennesaw State physics student awarded Goldwater Scholarship
Kennesaw State University junior Siam Sarower of Norcross has been awarded the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, one of the highest honors bestowed on undergraduate STEM students.
Sarower, who researches light-matter interactions in condensed matter physics, is Kennesaw State’s first physics major and sixth student overall to be recognized as a Goldwater Scholar. He was chosen from a pool of more than 5,000 college sophomores and juniors representing 445 institutions nationwide.
“It’s a sign you’re heading in the right direction with research, but one award doesn’t define us,” said Sarower, a physics major with a mathematics minor. “It’s indicative of hard work over a number of years that really contributes to this research project, and we have to keep pushing the limits of our knowledge and constantly innovate to understand more about the physical world.”
— Derek Prall
Chattahoochee Nature Center celebrates groundbreaking after receiving donation to build new volunteer operations center
The Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC), a nonprofit organization providing environmental education as well as the conservation and rehabilitation of native plant and wildlife surrounding the Chattahoochee River region, recently announced a substantial donation to enhance its volunteer experience, marking the first major project for the nature center from its Growing Tomorrow’s Nature Enthusiast capital campaign.
The donation from former board member Tony Parker and his wife Elieen will help to fund building the Parker House, a new volunteer operations center that will serve as a premier training and educational space for the nature center’s annual volunteers.
“Thanks to the Parkers’ generous support, a new volunteer operations center will be constructed to ensure that the thousands of CNC volunteers receive the necessary resources to stay safe and healthy while working on projects in the greenhouses and the Unity Garden,” Natasha Rice, chief executive officer of Chattahoochee Nature Center, said.
As longtime supporters of CNC, the Parkers have been proud members for more than 40 of its nearly 50 years. When they learned about the need for a dedicated space to support volunteers and the nature center’s continued growth, they knew exactly how they wanted to make a difference with their donation.
“We saw this project as a great opportunity to give back to a place that has given us so much,” said Tony Parker during his speech at the groundbreaking. “We’re proud to be involved with this new operations center, which once completed, will provide CNC’s staff with additional office and storage space, as well as the much-needed break room for all the Unity Garden volunteers to utilize and enjoy for many years to come.”
— Derek Prall
City of South Fulton Women in Business Mixer celebrates female entrepreneurs and leaders
The City of South Fulton’s District Two Councilwoman Carmalitha Gumbs is hosting the 4th Annual Women in Business Mixer on April 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Fresh from Earth Herb & Tea Shop, located at 3220 Butner Road.
The event will recognize and commend the contributions of women who are driving the future of the City of South Fulton through innovation and leadership. It also serves as a platform for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals to engage, collaborate, and inspire one another, all while partaking in an elegant tea experience.
“The Women in Business Mixer highlights the invaluable contributions women make to our community and to the business world,” said Councilwoman Carmalitha Gumbs. “We are proud to provide a space where women can come together to learn, grow, and support each other.”
Click here for more information or to register for the event.
— Derek Prall
Leadership changes at Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific recently announced Julie Howard, vice president and general manager, GP PRO Towels and Napkins, has been named president of Georgia-Pacific’s Gypsum business. In this role, she will oversee the more than 3,000 employees and 12 gypsum mills across the United States that manufacture approximately five billion square feet of gypsum panels annually.
“We are excited to welcome Julie to the Building Products leadership team. She will be leading our operations and commercial capabilities and brings invaluable experience and expertise,” said David Neal, executive vice president, Building Products. “At Georgia-Pacific, Julie has been recognized for her development of talent, market insights, and principled leadership, I believe she embodies the qualities we need to drive transformative and profitable growth in our business.”
— Derek Prall
Open Hand welcomes new board members
Open Hand, a non-profit organization that provides home-delivered meals and nutrition services in the U.S., is pleased to announce its 2025/26 officers and the addition of four new members to its board of directors.
The four new board members include:
- Eldridge Banks
- Tyler Edgarton
- Tracy Field
- Billy Grace
They join the current Board of Directors, including: Tom Abrams, Cromwell Baun, Michele Blondheim, Dr. Debra Carlton, Alec Frisch, Sudevi Ghosh, Julie Hagedorn, D.O., Sandra Harris, Robert Joseph, Jr., Jonathan Karron, Shirley Powell, Johanna Ellis Reisinger, Carmen Titelman, Bernard Wedge, Jr., Dennis White and Katherine Williams.
“We are thrilled about the passion and scope of knowledge our new Board members bring to our mission of delivering delicious, nourishing meals and nutrition education to thousands of neighbors who are at risk for or have a disability or medical illness,” said Matthew Pieper, CEO, Open Hand. “In 2024, our experienced team cooked and delivered over 1 million nourishing meals to the community; and we moved into a new, expanded space that will ultimately allow us to grow delivery to serve hundreds more in the years to come. We are proud to make a difference in the lives of so many individuals and families made possible by the contributions of community leaders like these.”
— Derek Prall
please proof before you publish – at least 2 typos, so far…
Lois Reitzes actually said “in Finland, students CAN’T graduate from high school without being able to read music.” The quote wouldn’t even be significant if she had said “can” instead of “can’t”, since most students in most countries around the world “can graduate from high school without being able to read music.” Proofreading is a key aspect of “reporting”.