most influential issue -...
TRANSCRIPT
A BUSTLING
COBB COUNTY PAGE 26
GEORGIA LOTTERY CORP. CEO
DEBBIE ALFORD
THE 2017 MOSTINFLUENTIAL ISSUE
AN INSIDE VIEW INTO GEORGIA’S NEWS, POLITICS & CULTURE
COLUMNS BY KADE CULLEFER KAREN BREMER MAC McGREW CINDY MORLEY GARY REESEDANA RICKMAN LARRY WALKER
MARCH/APRIL 2017
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CEO & PUBLISHER PHIL [email protected]
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DEPARTMENTS Publisher’s Message 4
Floating Boats 6
FEATURES James’ 2017 Most Influential 8 Saluting the James 2016 “Influentials” 18
Georgian of the Year, Debbie Alford 24
Development on the Rise in Cobb County 26 by Cindy Morley
2017 Legislators of the Year 29
COLUMNS Language Matters: How We Talk About Georgia Schools 21 by Dr. Dana Rickman
Georgia’s Legal Environment on a Consistent Downward Trend 23 by Kade Cullefer Georgia Restaurants Deliver Significant Economic Impact 31 by Karen Bremer Spring Forward Financially 33 by Mac McGrew 6th Congressional Race: Litmus for Georgia’s Political Future 35 by Gary Reese Georgia’s Most Influential Citizen, Ever? 37 by Larry Walker
JAMES
P U B L I S H E R’ S M E S S A G E
this year’s recipients: state Rep. Earl Ehrhart, stateRep. Calvin Smyre and state Sen. John Kennedy. Overall, this roll call of accomplished men andwomen who are the guiding lights of our state’s busi-ness, political, legal and media circles is a good snap-shot in time. Their ideas and actions impact allGeorgians. That’s why we inform you about them. Also, a heads-up: The next James is the “Politicaland Law” issue and we’re continuing a popular fea-ture that debuted last year. Check the website of ourparent company www.insideradvantage.com for a fun“Top 20” exercise. Click on the “Vote HERE” icon toselect your favorite metro Atlanta restaurants that arehot spots for politicos and political conversations.We’d also like you to share your favorite memories orstories from your favorite spots around Georgia’s capi-tal city. The Top 20 vote-getters will be featured in ournext magazine. And we are especially excited to bepartnering with Taste of Atlanta, the city’s premierefood and drink festival that attracts foodies fromacross the Southeast, as well as with the GeorgiaRestaurant Association, the state’s premiere advocatefor the restaurant industry. Of course, don’t forget to read our “regular”columnists ranging from Larry Walker to Dr. DanaRickman. Finally, we have a special report on what’shappening in the bustling Cumberland/SunTrustStadium area of Cobb County where the AtlantaBraves have a new home. Check out staff writer CindyMorley’s article on page 26.
WE’VE DONE IT AGAIN. This year our staff has addedeven more influential individuals in their fields ofendeavor for our “Most Influential” edition. As you goover our listings, perhaps you’ll discover the additionof some of these first-timers who have “risen throughthe ranks” to influence public policy and impact ourquality of life. And, of course, you’ll see a lot of familiarnames and faces that have been around— some forquite awhile. Yes, our list is incomplete. We fear that we haveleft out some important people in various parts of thePeach State who wield significant overt or covert influ-ence that we don’t know about. However, just as hasbeen the case in years past, readers will remind us ofomissions and submit their names for consideration fornext year’s James. As for our “Georgian of the Year,” we believeGeorgia Lottery Corp. CEO Debbie Alford is an espe-cially appropriate choice. Former Gov. Zell Miller’svision of a lottery to fund the expansion of educationalopportunities for all Georgians is a legacy that will lastgenerations. With Mrs. Alford’s leadership since 2010,coupled with her team’s hard work, this legacy isbeing effectively fostered. You can gain insights onone of the nation’s best-run lotteries with our exclusivequestion-and-answer interview with the CEO. Longtime readers know that James annually salutesstate “Legislators of the Year” for their exceptional pub-lic service. In recent years we have honored such titansas House Speaker David Ralston, Senate President ProTem David Shafer, Senate Majority Leader Bill Cowsert,former House Majority leader Larry O’Neal, HouseSpeaker Pro Tem Jan Jones and House MinorityCaucus Chair Stacey Evans. We commend to readers
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The Peach State’s newest team, Major League Soccer fran-chise Atlanta United FC, kicked off its season on March 5at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium. The team will playthere until its permanent home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium,is ready later in the summer. The team’s raucous seasonopener was sold out and it was obvious that metro Atlantahas caught soccer fever. For the team and owner ArthurBlank, their ships are… RISING
Atlanta’s Pinewood Studios has become a big name infilm-making in recent years, but it never has hosted any-thing quite this big. An unnamed movie (Marvel’sAvengers: Infinity Wars) that has been filming at the stu-dio is the world’s most expensive production EVER, with abudget reaching a staggering $1 billion. That’s well overtwice as much as the next most expensive film, JamesCameron’s Avatar in 2009. Pinewood Atlanta co-owner,(and Chick-fil-A CEO) Dan Cathy boasted the news at aMarch event, and his ship along with Pinewood’s and thestate they both call home is… RISING
The much-ballyhooed state Senate Bill B 79 authored bySen. Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta, and its House compan-ion bill by Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, which wouldhave allowed for a pair of “destination resort” casinos to bebuilt in Georgia, died early March in the General Assembly.The legislation— a constitutional amendment that has tobe coupled with an enabling bill— will undoubtedly beback in 2018, but the first real attempt at legalizing casinosin Georgia… SANK
According to INRIX Inc., a transportation analytics firm,Atlanta ranks 4th in the U.S. and 8th in the entire world inthe list of “most congested urban areas.” Traffic costs the cityan estimated $3.1 billion annually in direct and indirect costs.Transportation is always a big issue under the Gold Dome andlegislators have been working toward solutions, but when thecapital city is found to be one of the top ten worst cities in theworld for traffic congestion, its ship is badly… Drifting
Georgians rejoiced recently when a special master in a casethat will go to the U.S. Supreme Court recommended thatno water consumption cap be put on Atlanta’s water usefrom Lake Lanier and the river basin downstream, as Floridahad asked for. The nation’s high court could still make a dif-ferent ruling, but this recommendation (a cap would devas-tate Georgia’s economy) so far has Georgia’s ship… RISING
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta plans for a new hospi-tal in Brookhaven, and it’s going to be a big one. The $1 bil-lion facility will replace the current Egleston Hospital atEmory, and will form the centerpiece of the new NorthDruid Hills medical area that will also feature the AtlantaHawks’ training facilities. A new world-class hospital hasthe state’s heathcare community… RISING
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed adamantly denies anyinvolvement in the bribery case at city hall where twocontractors have already pleaded guilty to paying millionsof dollars in exchange for government contracts. Reedproduced 1.4 million paper pages of public records pertain-ing to the case for investigators to pore over in a show ofgood faith. But after that the city’s procurement officerwas hastily fired, and it appears the federal probe iswidening. This ugly scandal has the mayor’s legacy andthe reputation of city hall… SINKING
New Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields declared at herfirst press conference that she is committed “to clean upthis violent crime.” She is referring to the fact that in 2016Atlanta’s murder rate soared to be the deadliest in a decade.The city recorded 111 murders— and that number is a 39percent increase from when Mayor Kasim Reed took officein 2009. In fact, Atlanta’s homicide rate has jumped 17 per-cent since 2015. “We’re developing new strategies to dealwith the rise in murders, carjackings… crimes that shake thepublic’s confidence,” the mayor says. Shields so far has beenshort on details, so the city’s crime fight is… Drifting
Computer hacking has been a hot topic in the nationalmedia, but now it is hitting close to home here in Georgia.The FBI is investigating a hack at the Center for ElectionSystems at Kennesaw State University, which aids theSecretary of State’s office with elections across the state.Sources say the hackers may have made off with millionsof voter records. More trouble for Georgia SoS BrianKemp— this troubling case has his and every voter whomay have been compromised… Drifting
David Perdue was among the first to join the “Trumptrain,” and that loyalty is paying off now that it has rolledinto the White House. The junior Georgia senator and fel-low Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas had a closeddoor meeting with the President to discuss their RAISEAct, an immigration reform bill which seeks to returnlegal immigration to historical levels. The bill has a way togo before it becomes law, but Perdue securing private timeto discuss it with the commander-in-chief shows that hisship is… RISING
WHO’S RISING AND SINKING IN GEORGIA BUSINESS AND POLITICS
F L O A T I N G B O A T S
magazine’s 2016 “Influential Georgian of theYear” due to his wide-ranging business, civicand charitable service, and he currently serveson the University System’s Board of Regents.
STEVEN R. BRIGGSPresident, Berry College
President of Berry for the past tenyears, Briggs has overseen growth inboth academics and athletics at theRome college. Under his leadership
the school has opened or renovated over adozen buildings, added six new varsity sports,and constructed one of the nation’s largest ten-nis centers. Fortunes continue to trend up onthe nation’s largest campus.
MARK BUTLERCommissioner of Labor
Georgia’s 9th Labor Commissioner,and the first Republican to hold theposition, has led the state’sDepartment of Labor since 2011. He’s
helped Georgia’s job seekers with new pro-grams such as GeorgiaBEST, which certifieshigh school students as “work ready,” andCustomized Recruitment, which streamlinesthe recruiting and hiring process for employers.
CASEY CAGLELieutenant Governor
Georgia’s first Republican lieu-tenant governor has a laundry listof accomplishments he’s compiledthroughout his more than 20 years
in public service, and he is currently focusingon education reforms. The Gainesville native,so far, is considered the favorite for the 2018GOP gubernatorial nomination.
STEPHEN CANNON CEO, AMB Group
It was just two years ago when theformer CEO of Mercedes-Benz USAassumed control of the Arthur BlankGroup— putting him in charge of
company business operations that include theAtlanta Falcons, Atlanta United FC, MercedesBenz Stadium, and more. So far he’s gettinghigh marks for a job well performed.
CHRIS CARRGeorgia Attorney General
Appointed to the position inNovember, the former chief of stafffor U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson hasalready compiled an impressive list
of supporters and donors. After securing a $40million victory for Georgians from rogue pay-day lenders in one of his first acts as AG,Carr’s position seems secure as he lookstoward a (re)election bid in 2018.
MERIA CARSTARPHEN Superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools
The superintendent is in her thirdyear of trying to turn around a sys-tem which the state says has atleast two dozen “low-performing”
schools. It is a system still recovering from astudent test cheating scandal which led tosome administrators and teachers going tojail. Carstarphen, though, continues a reform
effort by closing some schools and transform-ing others into charter schools— all of whichhave garnered opposition from the GeorgiaAssociation of Educators teachers’ union.
MICHAEL CASSIDY President/CEO, Georgia Research Alliance
Cassidy & Co. has been assistinguniversities over the years expandtheir research, which in turn trans-lates into more companies coming
to Georgia that create additional private sec-tor jobs. Its venture fund has been especiallysuccessful in helping to finance promisingfirms, and its work has expanded over thepast couple of years.
DAN CATHYChairman/CEO, Chick-fil-A
Known for spending more time outamong his chain’s 2,000 storesthan in the office, Cathy heads upthe second generation of a leg-
endary Georgia family that runs one of thenation’s most prominent and most loved fastfood restaurants.
CHRIS CLARK President/CEO, GA Chamber of Commerce
As head of the state’s largest busi-ness organization, Clark worksalongside prominent business lead-ers to, in his words, “continue to
put forward proposals they believe will keepGeorgia at the top of the nation’s ‘Best forBusiness’ lists for years to come.”
ROOSEVELT COUNCILGeneral Manager, Hartsfield-JacksonInternational Airport
Following the messy forced resig-nation of his predecessor byAtlanta’s mayor, Hartsfield-Jacksonwelcomed the elevation of Council
from his former position as CFO. Alreadyoverseeing a record-breaking $6 billion capitalimprovement program that will bring theworld’s busiest airport into the future, thenew GM is a key figure at the head of one ofthe city’s crown jewels.
NATHAN DEAL Governor
Under the leadership of the second-term governor— always one of thetop “influential Georgians”— thePeach State continues to be named
by the prestigious Site Selection magazine asthe No. 1 state in the nation in which to dobusiness. Through the public-private effortsof the governor and his economic develop-ment team, thousands of jobs continue to becreated and countless millions of dollars incommunities continue to be invested. Despitevoter disapproval last Nov. 8 of hisOpportunity School District amendment, Dealcontinues to work with legislators to turnaround low-performing schools or turn theminto charters. The GOP governor has alsoreshaped the state’s judiciary away from dom-inance by liberal judges with a series of quali-ty appointments to the Court of Appeals,Supreme Court and many lower courts.
SANDRA DEAL First Lady of Georgia
Georgia’s popular and charmingfirst lady continues to cut a largeswath all across the Peach State,most notably in her efforts to
improve childhood literacy. Her continuedpresence in the “Read Across Georgia” pro-gram has aided an entire generation ofGeorgia’s youth.
BEN EASTERLINChairman, Judicial Qualifications Commission
The retired King & Spaulding attor-ney and former State Bar presidentpresides over a watchdog agencythat has conducted probes in recent
years that have resulted in the dismissals orresignations of dozens of judges who abusedtheir public offices. The agency has had arocky cruise over the past couple of years, butEasterlin and fellow panelists are committedto smoother sailing.
RANDY EVANSAttorney, Dentons
Partner at the world’s largest lawfirm is just one of many hats wornby this Atlanta lawyer. A close con-fidante of former U.S. House Speaker
Newt Gingrich, Evans once chaired theRepublican National Lawyers Association andis Georgia’s GOP National Committeeman.Evans is close to the new president as well aswith White House Chief of Staff ReincePriebus, and he also co-chairs the state’sJudicial Nominating Committee which recom-mends judgeship applicants to the governor.
DIETMAR EXLERPresident & CEO, Mercedes-Benz N. America
The Austrian born Exler becamePresident and CEO of Atlanta’snewest automobile maker inJanuary of 2016. In his new role as
head of Mercedes-Benz North America he isresponsible for nearly 3,000 North Americanemployees, 400 dealerships, plus the distribu-tion, marketing, and customer service of theluxury automobiles.
TOM FANNING Chairman/President/CEO, Southern Company
Fanning has piloted the South’slargest utility company since 2010through good times and bad. Duringthat span the company has commit-
ted itself to an impressive mix of energysources that meet the demands of an expand-ing population as well as pressure from thoseconcerned about the environment.
LARRY GELLERSTEDTPresident/CEO Cousins Properties
Not just a power player in theSoutheast’s real estate scene,Gellerstedt is also well known for hiscivic accomplishments, including
presiding over the merger between Eglestonand Scottish Rite children’s hospitals to formChildren’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
DAVID ABNEYCEO, United Parcel Service
Working his way up from a packageloader to CEO of one of the world’slargest delivery companies is a featworthy of recognition on its own.
Under Abney’s leadership the UPS now has aground fleet of nearly 100,000 trucks operat-ing in over 220 countries.
DEAN ALFORD Businessman, Board of Regents member
This proud Georgia Tech booster,civic leader, businessman, philan-thropist and Board of Regents mem-ber continues to speak out on cut-
ting-edge education issues. The CEO of AlliedEnergy Services and a one-time state lawmak-er, Alford has also served on the state Board ofEducation and chaired the state TechnicalCollege System. (He’s also married to GeorgiaLottery Corp. CEO Debbie D. Alford.)
SPIRO AMBURN Chief of Staff, Georgia Speaker of the House
The energetic Amburn, often seenaround the Gold Dome and at manya dinner and reception, enjoys avery strong and trusted relation-
ship with House Speaker David Ralston. Likeany chief of staff, he is the watchful gate-keeper— in this case, for those interested inlegislation and how it could proceed, beamended, or die in the state House.
DAN AMOS Chairman/CEO, AFLAC
AFLAC is cited continually byFortune as one of the “100 BestCompanies to Work For” in thecountry— and all due to his contin-
ued stewardship of the Columbus-based corpo-rate insurance giant famous for its quacking“Duck” commercials. Philanthropist Amosserves on various boards and is a former chair ofthe University of Georgia Foundation.
KERRY ARMSTRONGChairman, Atlanta Regional Commission
Now in his second stint as chair-man of the ARC, Armstrong is alsochairman of the North FultonCommunity Improvement District,
serves as director of the Council for QualityGrowth, and is a director for the Greater NorthFulton Chamber of Commerce. The ARC over-sees planning and coordination between the10 counties that make up Metro Atlanta.
ED BASTIANCEO, Delta Air Lines
Named CEO last May, Delta veter-an Bastian has overseen a produc-tive year at the helm of the one ofthe world’s premier airlines. Even
as fuel prices continue to increase, Deltaposted a profit of nearly $4.5 billion over thepast fiscal year.
ROY BARNESFormer Governor, Attorney
Georgia’s last Democrat governor(1999-2003), he is one of Georgia’smost prominent attorneys head-quartered at his Barnes Law Group
in Marietta. Barnes— always the great story-teller and passionate advocate— still dabblesin Democratic Party politics, gives speeches,offers advice to candidates and potential can-didates and doles out campaign contributionsto those individuals and organizations hedeems worthy.
GARY BLACK Commissioner, Georgia Dept. of Agriculture
Many observers cite the commis-sioner as an impressive stewardnot only of Georgia’s $74 billionagribusiness industry but for his
work overseeing everything from food safetyand animal health to licensing pest controlcompanies. A farmer who raises cattle, Blackhas also effectively retooled the depart-ment’s “Georgia Grown” program— a promo-tional effort of locally-grown products.
SARA BLAKELYFounder, Spanx
The world’s youngest self-madefemale billionaire built Atlanta-based undergarment giant Spanxnearly single-handedly. Named one
of the world’s 100 most influential peopleby Time magazine in 2012, Blakely has alsogained praise for her philanthropic effortswhich include the Sara Blakely Foundationand the “Giving Pledge.” She became the firstfemale billionaire to pledge to donate half ofher wealth to charity.
ARTHUR BLANKOwner, Atlanta Falcons
While his Falcons came up short inthe Super Bowl, Blank has securedhis place as one of the city’s mostpopular figures by working to con-
struct the world class Mercedes-Benz Stadiumand by bringing Major League Soccer toAtlanta. Also renowned for his charity work,the Arthur Blank Family Foundation is one ofthe biggest drivers of the revitalization of theneighborhoods around downtown.
MIKE BOWERS Lobbyist/Lawyer
The prominent Balch & Binghamlawyer, a former state attorney gen-eral especially known as a corruptionfighter, carries heavy political and
legal clout. He and investigator Richard Hydeare perhaps best remembered in recent years forinvestigating and highlighting public corruptionin DeKalb County.
PAUL BOWERS President and CEO, Georgia Power Co.
Before becoming chairman andCEO of the Georgia Power Co. in2010, Bowers previously worked aschief financial officer of the parent
Southern Company. Among his many compa-ny endeavors is facilitating completion ofGeorgia’s largest construction project: thebuilding of two nuclear power units at PlantVogtle near Waynesboro. Bowers was James
MOSTINFLUENTIAL
This is our popular annual comprehensive collection of our electedofficials as well as major players from across the state.
JAMES’ 2017
KELLY LOEFFLER Sr. Vice President, Intercontinental Exchange
One half of James’ 2015 “MostInfluential Georgians,” Loeffler con-tinues to work with her husbandJeff Sprecher in expanding the
Intercontinental Exchange company. She alsoco-owns Atlanta’s WNBA team, the Dream,and is periodically rumored to have an inter-est in running for high elected office.
GRIFF LYNCHExecutive Director, Georgia Ports Authority
After taking over as ExecutiveDirector in July, Lynch immediatelyfound himself in the middle of oneof the most ambitious periods of
growth in Georgia ports history. Between thedeepening of the Savannah harbor and con-structing new roads and railroads that willincrease capacity, under the new Director’swatch look for the $85 billion in annual portrevenue to soar in coming years.
BERNIE MARCUS Co-Founder, Home Depot
While the Home Depot co-founder isa major philanthropist (the $250 mil-lion he donated to build the GeorgiaAquarium is a great testimonial to
that reputation), he made headlines in 2016 bybeing one of Georgia’s biggest contributors tothe Donald Trump presidential campaign. Hiscontinued involvement in Autism Speaks, theSalvation Army and many other charities natu-rally earned him recognition in The Chronicle ofPhilanthropy list of top charitable donors.
SAM MASSELL The Buckhead Coalition
At age 89, the unofficial “mayor” ofthe Buckhead business section ofthe city of Atlanta shows no signs ofslowing down. He founded the
Buckhead Coalition and has remained at itshelm for the better part of three decades. A
tireless booster of Georgia’s capital city (he wasits mayor from 1970 to 1974) he remains deeplyinvolved in Atlanta philanthropic efforts.
RICH McKAYPresident/CEO, Atlanta Falcons
One of the NFL’s most powerfulexecutives, McKay was key in thedeal to construct Mercedes-BenzStadium and is the Chairman of the
influential NFL Competition Committee.Arthur Blank’s right hand man was alsoresponsible for the hiring of Falcons coachDan Quinn, who took the team to the SuperBowl in only his second season.
RUSSELL McMURRYCommissioner, Georgia Department ofTransportation
Starting his career with the GDOTall the way back in 1990, McMurryworked his way up to the top of theorganization, being named com-
missioner in 2015. The Hart County nativeoversees more than 4,100 employees whowork to build, maintain, and upgrade thenation’s 10th largest road system.
CEASAR MITCHELLPresident, Atlanta City Council
Mitchell has served as City Councilpresident since 2010, and helpedMayor Kasim Reed foster pensionreform, but he now has his sights
set on winning the 2017 Atlanta mayoral race.The Morehouse and UGA-trained lawyer isnaturally calling for reform and transparencyin light of the current city hall bribery scan-dal. And he is already running in a crowdedfield of candidates.
HALA MODDELMOG CEO, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
Three years ago this successful busi-nesswoman became the first femaleto be president and CEO of thisimportant business & political play-
er in Georgia’s capital city. Previously, sheheaded the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foun-dation and Church’s Chicken. The chamber’sreputation had become tarnished in the latteryears of her predecessor, but that is ancienthistory as Moddelmog continues to oversee aneffective marketing campaign which is attract-ing more businesses and people to Atlanta.
ALLISON MORANCEO, RaceTrac
Moran took over as CEO for herfather, Carl Bolch, in 2012. With over650 stores across the Southeast,RaceTrac is Georgia’s third largest pri-
vate company and has been consistently namedas one of the top places to work in the country.
PAUL MORRISCEO, Atlanta Beltline
With more than 30 years of trans-portation and urban developmentexperience, Morris was the perfectcandidate to lead the development
of the 22-mile loop of pedestrian and biketrails that has become an anchor for the city’shottest real estate.
LAMAR NORTONExecutive Director, GA Municipal Association
Director of the GMA since 2012 butwith a much longer history in thefield of governmental relations,Norton makes sure that his mem-
ber-cities have the tools they need to dealwith local and state governments.
KEITH PARKERCEO & GM, MARTA
The nation’s 9th largest transit sys-tem has undergone quite the resur-gence since Parker took the reins in2012, and the city has taken notice.
With additional funding on the way and morecounties considering buying into the system,MARTA’s star has never shined brighter.Parker’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed, he wasnamed to the National Infrastructure AdvisoryCouncil by President Obama last year.
STEFAN PASSANTINODeputy White House Counsel
President Donald Trump in Januarynamed this Atlanta-based Dentonsattorney (who headed its politicallaw practice) to the position of
deputy assistant to the president and deputycounsel. At the White House, the Georgian isfocusing on compliance and ethics matters.Passantino also served as campaign counselfor U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson as well as counselto the state GOP.
BILLY PAYNEChairman, Augusta National Golf Club
For almost a decade Payne has revo-lutionized things around the once-staid club, which hosts the famedMasters Tournament every April.
The Atlanta businessman and attorney, a keyfigure in bringing the Olympics to Atlanta in1996, allowed the admission of women andlooked beyond the club’s fabled greens to pre-side over a massive land buy of adjoining neigh-borhoods. This resulted in expanded free park-ing, easier pedestrian and vehicle access, beauti-ful landscaping and more entertainment ven-ues. And working with the U.S. Golf Association
JEFF HAIDET U.S. Chairman, Dentons
He is the U.S. Chairman of thelargest law firm in the world.Perhaps little more needs to be said.His Dentons position makes the
affable, well-connected Atlantan one of thenation’s most influential lawyers. He alsoserves as chief legal counsel to several of thefirm’s highest profile clients.
DAVID HANNACEO, Atlanticus Holdings Corporation
Beyond his work as CEO and co-founder of Atlanticus HoldingsCorporation, an international con-sumer credit firm, Hanna is also
deeply involved in local philanthropy. Servingon the boards of Piedmont Healthcare, theLumen Institute, Catholic Charities of Atlanta,and more, his influence reaches far beyondthe business world.
FRANK HANNACEO, Hanna Capital
The brother of David listed above,Frank Hanna is heavily involved inthe Roman Catholic Church inaddition to his role as CEO of pri-
vate equity and venture capital investing firmHanna Capital. He has been key in the found-ing of eight different Catholic educationalinstitutions and served as a co-chair of aPresidential Commission on Education underPresident George W. Bush.
JOHN HEAGY IIIChairman, Perimeter CID
A Senior Managing Director at Hines,an international real estate firm,Heagy leads the DeKalb PerimeterCommunity Improvement District
that aims to improve transportation and otheraspects of the Perimeter’s infrastructure byusing money from property taxes. He alsoserves on the Board of Directors for such groupsas the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerceand the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors.
DOUGLAS HOOKERExecutive Director, Atlanta RegionalCommission
Voted in as head of the ARC in 2011,Hooker oversees the regional plan-ning agency responsible for the 10-county, 70-city Atlanta region, one
of the nation’s fastest growing. The GeorgiaTech and Emory grad also serves on the boardof another half dozen local organizations,including the Council for Quality Growth andthe Georgia Tech (President’s) Advisory Board.
RALPH HUDGENS State Insurance Commissioner
A one-time GOP state senator andrepresentative, Hudgens is nowknown as a consumer advocate aswell as one of the chief opponents
to Obamacare in Georgia. If you havequestions about filing a claim, experiencingdifficulty reaching your insurance companyor other issues, he and his staff established ahelpful Consumer Helpline at 404-656-2070.
JOHNNY ISAKSONU.S. Senator, Georgia
The popular Isakson cruised to re-election for a third term inNovember and is the only senatorwho chairs two committees— the
Ethics and Veterans’ Affairs panels. Neverafraid to reach across the aisle but likewisenever compromising his core conservativeprinciples, the Cobb County Republican givesGeorgia a high-profile voice in Washington D.C.
BRIAN KEMPGeorgia Secretary of State
Kemp continues to eye higher officein 2018 even after the damaging2015 data leak that still lingers in theminds of many Georgian voters. He
did score points with many Republicans,though, by pushing to implement the success-ful 2016 “SEC presidential primary” that gaveGeorgia and other Southern states increasedclout in the 2016 presidential primaries.
MUHTAR KENTChairman/CEO, The Coca-Cola Company
Kent will step down from his role asCEO of Atlanta’s best known com-pany later this year but will remainas chairman to help facilitate the
transition. Under his watch Coca-Cola hassecured its position as the world’s premierbeverage company, expanding its reach intonearly every corner of the earth.
ROSS KINGExecutive Director, Association CountyCommissioners of Georgia
Working for the ACCG since 1987,King is well versed in public policyand how best to advocate forGeorgia’s county officials under the
Gold Dome. As the 1st Vice President of theNational Council of County AssociationExecutives, he is in line to become the head ofthat prestigious national organization.
TAD LEITHEADChairman, Cumberland CommunityImprovement District
With a background in commercialreal estate, Leithead oversees theCumberland CID as it pushes for-ward on a new era of growth,
anchored by the Braves’ Suntrust Park. A for-mer Chairman of the Atlanta RegionalCommission, his expertise in connecting gov-ernment and real estate has helped make theCumberland area one of the fastest growingparts of the city.
CRAIG LESSERManaging Partner, The Pendleton Group
The former commissioner of theGeorgia Department of EconomicDevelopment has served in manyhigh profile positions in both the
public and private sectors before becoming amanaging partner at government affairs firmThe Pendleton Group. Lesser is also currentlychairman of the board of Georgia PublicBroadcasting and recently finished a stint aschair of the Atlanta Regional Commission’sCompetitiveness Initiative.
BRIAN LIVESAYManaging Partner, Atlanta Metro Studios
This Sandy Springs businessmanis a founder and managing partnerof Atlanta Metro Studios in UnionCity, which has the two largest
sound stages in North America and is hometo large-scale productions. Livesay hasworked tirelessly to advance educationalopportunities in Georgia to support thegrowing job market that is fundamental tothe growth of the film and television indus-try locally.
GEORGIA SENATELEADERSHIP
PresidentCasey Cagle Chestnut Mountain
President Pro TemporeDavid Shafer Duluth
Majority LeaderBill Cowsert Athens
Majority Caucus ChairWilliam Ligon, Jr. Brunswick
Majority WhipSteve Gooch Dahlonega
Democratic LeaderSteve Henson Tucker
Democratic Caucus ChairHoracena Tate Atlanta
Democratic WhipVincent Fort Atlanta
GEORGIA HOUSELEADERSHIP
Speaker of the HouseDavid Ralston Blue Ridge
Speaker Pro TemporeJan Jones Milton
Majority LeaderJon Burns Newington
Majority WhipChristian Coomer Cartersville
Majority Caucus ChairMatt Hatchett Dublin
Minority LeaderStacey Abrams Atlanta
Minority WhipCarolyn Hugley Columbus
Minority Caucus ChairStacey Evans Smyrna
GEORGIA STATEWIDEELECTED OFFICIALS
GovernorNathan Deal Gainesville
Lt. GovernorCasey Cagle Chestnut Mountain
Secretary of StateBrian Kemp Athens
Attorney GeneralChris Carr Atlanta
Labor CommissionerMark Butler Carrollton
State School SuperintendantRichard Woods Tifton
Agriculture CommissionerGary Black Commerce
Insurance CommissionerRalph Hudgens Winterville
GEORGIA PUBLICSERVICE COMMISSION
District 1H. Doug Everett Albany
District 2Tim Echols Bogart
District 3Chuck Eaton Atlanta
District 4Lauren “Bubba”
McDonald, Jr. Clarkesville
District 5Stan Wise Marietta
HOUSE COMMITTEES & CHAIRMEN
Agriculture & Consumer AffairsTom McCall Elberton
AppropriationsTerry England Auburn
Banks & BankingGreg Morris Vidalia
Budget & Fiscal Affairs OversightChuck Martin Alpharetta
Code RevisionBuzz Brockway Lawrenceville
Defense & Veterans AffairsBill Hitchens Rincon
Economic Development & TourismRon Stephens Savannah
EducationBrooks Coleman Duluth
Energy, Utilities, & TelecommunicationsDon Parsons Marietta
EthicsRandy Nix LaGrange
Game, Fish, & ParksDavid Knight Griffin
Governmental AffairsEd Rynders Albany
Health & Human ServicesSharon Cooper Marietta
Higher EducationRick Jasperse Jasper
Human Relations & AgingTommy Benton Jefferson
Industry & LaborBrian Strickland McDonough
Information & AuditsDarlene Taylor Thomasville
InsuranceRichard H. Smith Columbus
Interstate CooperationMatt Dollar Marietta
Intragovernmental CoordinationJan Tankersley Brooklet
JudiciaryWendell Willard Sandy Springs
Judiciary Non-CivilRich Golick Smyrna
Juvenile JusticeMandi Ballinger Canton
Legislative & CongressionalReapportionment
Johnnie Caldwell Thomaston
MARTOCTom Taylor Dunwoody
Motor VehiclesBubber Epps Dry Branch
Natural Resources & EnvironmentLynn Smith Newnan
Public Safety & Homeland SecurityAlan Powell Hartwell
Regulated IndustriesHoward Maxwell Dallas
RetirementPaul Battles Cartersville
RulesJohn Meadows Calhoun
Science & TechnologyEd Setzler Acworth
Small Business DevelopmentChad Nimmer Blackshear
Special RulesBuddy Harden Cordele
State Planning & Community AffairsJimmy Pruett Eastman
State PropertiesGerald Greene Cuthbert
TransportationKevin Tanner Dawsonville
Ways & MeansJay Powell Camilla
VIC REYNOLDS District Attorney, Cobb Judicial Circuit
This hard-charging prosecutor hasestablished a no-nonsense court-room reputation. He has performedyeoman work with state legislators
to enact laws giving prosecutors strongerpowers to combat the growing criminal gangmenace. Reynolds delivers a forceful PaulRevere-like warning that criminal gang vio-lence is now “a statewide crisis.” He also creat-ed an effective “cold case” unit of retired, vol-unteer law enforcement experts.
ED RICHARDSON Managing Partner, Atlanta Metro Studios
Also the owner of Atlanta produc-tion company R&R ProductionsWorldwide, Richardson is currentlyproducing a feature film adaptation
of Georgia’s own Flannery O’Connor’s “A GoodMan is Hard to Find.” Atlanta Metro Studios isat the heart of Union City’s revitalization (onthe site of the former Shannon Mall.) In part-nership with Clayton State University and theGeorgia Film Academy, Atlanta Metro Studios’scholarship program is fast tracking youngGeorgians to local film careers.
CHRIS RILEYChief of Staff, Georgia GovernorThe governor’s longtime right-handaide is effective in helping to craftpublic policies and messaging, as
well as cajoling lawmakers and other high pub-lic officials to march in line with the Deal
administration. Usually working behind thescenes, this key Deal loyalist is especially adeptin putting out fires and ensuring that the exec-utive branch’s “trains run on time.”
EARL ROGERSPresident/CEO, Georgia Hospital Association
The longtime lobbyist now headsup the GHA, one of the state’s mostpowerful associations representing179 hospitals statewide. Rogers
relies on his decades of experience to advocatefor his members on a wide variety of health-care issues at the Capitol.
CANDICE SAUNDERSPresident/CEO, WellStar
Beginning her career with WellStaras President of Kennestone Hospitalin 2007, Saunders rose to Presidentand CEO of the entire company in
2015. The former chair of the Georgia HospitalAssociation has received national recognitionfor the work she has done in growing thesprawling Georgia-based health system.
JOHN SCHUERHOLZPresident, Atlanta Braves
The longtime baseball executiveoversaw the Braves’ epic run of suc-cess on the field in the 1990s and2000s, and after transitioning to an
administrative role has become the public faceof one of America’s premier franchises.Schuerholz was instrumental in securing thenew stadium deal that will see the Braves play-
ing in the new world-class stadium that is CobbCounty’s Suntrust Park later this spring.
ALANA SHEPHERDCo-Founder, Shepherd Spinal Center
Among the first of its type when itwas developed in the 1970s, the cen-ter has grown into one of thenation’s biggest rehabilitation hospi-
tals— treating over 7,000 patients annually.Alana Shepherd’s impact has been felt through-out the city, advocating for increased accessibil-ity for the disabled and receiving dozens ofawards for her various civic involvements.
and the Professional Golf Association, he fos-tered a national junior competition called Drive,Chip & Putt.
DAVID PERDUEU.S. Senator
Few U.S. senators in recent timeshave risen to prominence as quick-ly as Perdue, who has emerged as arespected conservative voice. An
often-vocal ally of President Trump, the for-mer Fortune 500 CEO’s constituent serviceearns high marks. He enjoys influential posi-tions on the Judiciary, Banking, Budget andAgriculture committees.
SONNY PERDUEFormer Georgia Governor
Some were surprised when the for-mer Georgia governor jumped backinto the political scene to help gethis cousin David elected to the U.S.
Senate in 2014. But those paying attentionknow that the Perdue machine still has cloutin Peach State politics. He was a no-brainerto be nominated for Agriculture Secretary bythe president, especially since he is an expe-rienced politician/businessman with afarmer’s background. (He awaits Senate con-firmation as this is written.)
EGBERT PERRY Chairman, The Integral Group
The West Indies-born Perry startedreal estate development and invest-ment firm Integral in 1993. Nowoperating in 12 cities and boasting 5
separate offices, the company’s expertise in
urban development and revitalization can beseen in downtown Atlanta’s Centennial Place.
TYLER PERRYActor, Director, Playwright, Producer
Perry seems to do it all. He and hisfoundation donate millions of dol-lars to organizations ranging fromFeeding America to the NAACP to
help alleviate homelessness, foster civil rightsand aid survivors of natural disasters. In 2011Forbes called him “the highest paid man inentertainment,” and he presides over aGeorgia-based film development/productioncompany that boasts two massive studio lots.A big supporter of (and fundraiser for) formerPresident Barack Obama, Perry’s political cloutisn’t something to be overlooked.
FRANK POEExecutive Director, GA World Congress Center
The man at the helm of the GeorgiaWorld Congress Center Authoritypresides over a huge Atlanta cam-pus. It is an economic engine that
sustains over 15,000 jobs, hosts 550 eventsand welcomes 2.3 million visitors annually.Progress moves forward under Poe, who washonored by the International Association ofVenue Managers with a 2016 lifetimeachievement award. New projects include arevitalized Atlanta Centennial Park that willbecome a pedestrian model.
MICHAEL POLKPresident/CEO Newell Brands
With a long career in the industry,Polk has overseen a period of greatgrowth for Newell Brands sincebeing named President and CEO in
2011. The company reported over $16 billion insales in 2016, making it one of the world’slargest consumer goods companies.
TOM PRICEU.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
The former orthopedic surgeonstarted his political career in thestate Senate, followed by a suc-cessful 12-year stint in Congress
where he rose to the lofty position ofChairman of the Budget Committee. Afterconsidering a bid for Governor he emergedas the top candidate for Secretary of Healthand Human Services, and as a key member ofPresident Trump’s cabinet now overseesnearly 80,000 employees with an annualbudget of over $1 trillion.
KASIM REEDMayor, City of Atlanta
Never one to shy away from con-frontation, since 2010 the brashReed led the city into a period oftremendous economic growth. He
fostered needed pension reform and becamean ally of Governor Deal and the state’s busi-ness community— but he is term-limitedand will be replaced in the 2017 mayoral elec-tion. His legacy is currently taking a hit dueto an ongoing city hall bribery/contract scan-dal, and because the city’s murder rate hasrisen in recent years.
RALPH REED Faith & Freedom Coalition Chairman
The one-time Christian Coalitionhead, former Georgia GOP chairmanand political strategist continues togrow the traditional religious-ori-
ented Faith and Freedom Coalition. FFC mem-bers in Georgia are a major force in promotingor opposing legislation at the state level and, atthe national level, FFC helped motivate count-less conservative Christians and Jews to electDonald Trump as president.
GEORGIA CONGRESSIONALDELEGATION
UNITED STATES SENATORS Senior Senator Junior Senator Johnny Isakson David Perdue Marietta Sea Island
US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESD-1 Buddy Carter Pooler
D-2 Sanford Bishop Albany
D-3 Drew Ferguson West Point
D-4 Hank Johnson Lithonia
D-5 John Lewis Atlanta
D-6 vacantD-7 Rob Woodall Lawrenceville
D-8 Austin Scott Tifton
D-9 Doug Collins Gainesville
D-10 Jody Hice Monroe
D-11 Barry Loudermilk Cassville
D-12 Rick Allen Augusta
D-13 David Scott Atlanta
D-14 Tom Graves Ranger
GEORGIA MAYORSTOP CITIES
Atlanta Kasim ReedAugusta Hardie Davis
Columbus Andrew GintherBrookhaven John ErnstAthens Nancy DensonSandy Springs Rusty Paul
Alpharetta David Belle IsleMacon Robert ReichertJohns Creek Mike BodkerAlbany Kathy Sheehan
Smyrna Max BaconSavannah Eddie DeLoach
PAT WILSONCommissioner, Georgia Department ofEconomic Development
A former staffer for Gov. SonnyPerdue, Wilson was appointedCommissioner of the GDEcD in2016 after having been a top offi-
cial in the department for years. The newpublic face of Georgia’s economic develop-ment agency, he is a key player in the state’sattempts to draw new industries and invest-ments to the state.
STEVE WRIGLEYChancellor, University System of Georgia
Predecessor Hank Huckaby left somebig shoes to fill. But with a strongbackground in education and gov-ernment affairs that includes work-
ing as chief of staff to former Gov. Zell Millerand being a key figure in the creation of thestate lottery and the HOPE scholarship, Wrigleyseems to have big feet.
ANDREW YOUNGFormer Atlanta Mayor, Former U.N. Ambassador
All of the names on this list are influ-ential, but only a select few will windup in history textbooks. Young’s isone of those, with his background as
a leader of the 1960s civil rights movement andlater as a U.S. congressman, mayor of Atlanta,and ambassador to the United Nations. A keyfigure in Atlanta’s rise as the South’s mostprominent city, Young’s legacy can be felt andseen nearly everywhere you look.
KLAUS ZELLMERCEO, Porsche Cars of North America
Zellmer oversees a sprawling Atlantacomplex that includes a drivingtrack, corporate offices, and a techni-cal training center. The former CEO
of Porsche Germany is also responsible for theimportation and distribution of vehicles viafour ports of entry and nearly 200 dealershipsnationwide.
DAVID RUBINGERPublisher, Atlanta Business ChronicleDAVID ALLISONEditor, Atlanta Business Chronicle
Since 2015 when Rubingertook over, the Chroniclehas become one of thelargest business journals
in the country. In Atlanta its influence and cir-culation clout rivals that of the daily newspa-per— in no small measure because veteran edi-tor Allison knows his readership and has forgeda newsroom staff with impressive contacts thatoften scoops every other Georgia media outlet.
OTIS BRUMBY IIIPublisher, Marietta Daily Journal
A third generation of Brumbys aresuccessfully striving to grow thecompany and improve the newsproduct during a tough time for tra-
ditional print media generally. Otis Brumby IIIserves as the publisher of the Marietta DailyJournal (which has a center-right editorialbent, in contrast to the Atlanta newspaper),Neighbor Newspapers & Cherokee Tribune—making him, like his father and grandfather,one of Georgia’s foremost newsmen.
LEWIS W. DICKEY, JR.Chairman/President/CEO, Cumulus MediaDAVID DICKEYPresident, Dickey Broadcasting Company
Atlanta-based CumulusMedia is the secondlargest owner and opera-tor of AM and FM radio
stations in America. Dickey Broadcasting Co.,a subsidiary of Cumulus, is credited withlaunching sports talk radio in Atlanta twodecades ago. Dickey also recently locked upan extension with the Atlanta Braves thatkeeps it as the teams flagship radio partnerfor the next decade.
ANDRE JACKSONEditorial Page Editor, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The editorial/opinion pages areseparate from the AJC newsroom.And while the editorials still usual-ly echo the liberal “party line,”
Jackson writes some that can be thoughtfullycentrist and sometimes pro-private enter-prise. To his credit, the veteran journalist hasadded far more political balance to the previ-ously hard-left opinion pages— especiallywith letters to the editor.
KEVIN RILEYEditor, Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionBERT ROUGHTONPrint Managing Editor, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
These ideologically-dri-ven liberal editors greatlyinfluence news storyslants and, just as impor-
tant, decide what news is to be omitted ordownplayed by reporters and feature writers.Anti-Trump news stories, justified or not, aredominant of late. However, they do presideover an award-winning newsroom thatincludes fine investigative and beat reporterswith good sources who perform excellentwatchdog research and reporting on politi-cians and public institutions.
HILTON HOWELLPresident/CEO Gray Television, Inc.
As president of Gray Television,which owns and operates morethan 100 TV stations in over 50markets nationwide, Howell clearlywields considerable influence in
the media industry. He also serves on theboard of a half-dozen other companies and hasa history in public service as well.
JEFF SPRECHERCEO, Intercontinental Exchange
The Sandy Springs-based founder/CEO of Intercontinental Exchange,who engineered the purchase of theNew York Stock Exchange in 2013,
continues to score numerous strategic acqui-sitions. He has cemented a reputation as aGeorgia civic and philanthropic leader, andremains active as a board member of Atlanta’sBuckhead Coalition of business leaders.
CLAIRE STERKPresident, Emory University
The Netherlands-born Sterk becameEmory’s first female President earlierthis year, when she took over fromJames Wagner. With an impressive
background in public health, her first challengewas dealing with demands to protect illegalimmigrant students and the backlash that mayfollow from both local and federal governments.She wisely announced that the college wouldobey all federal law and that there would be no“sanctuary” campus.
ERIC TANENBLATTPrincipal, Dentons
With an extensive background inpolitics that includes stints as chiefof staff to Gov. Sonny Perdue andnational finance co-chair for Gov.
Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign,this Atlantan brings his experience and rela-tionships to work as one of Dentons’ promi-nent Georgia public policy gurus.
LEE THOMASDeputy Commissioner, Georgia Film, Music &Digital Entertainment
Georgia born and Georgia trained,Thomas has been a key figure indrawing Hollywood’s biggest starsto the Peach State. By helping
movie studios with their connections in thestate and by making sure they take advantageof the tax credits that draw them here, she isan instrumental part of what is amongGeorgia’s most visible rising industries.
CHRIS TOMLINSONExecutive Director, Georgia RegionalTransportation Authority
Named as Executive Director in2014, Tomlinson uses his back-ground as a lawyer for transporta-tion agencies to lead the GRTA to
new and exciting heights. With the state legis-lature making big investments in transporta-tion infrastructure, expect to see Tomlinson’sname even more in coming years.
WILLIAM UNDERWOODPresident, Mercer University
Now in his 11th year as Mercer’s18th president, Underwood hasoverseen a period of incrediblegrowth including a 22 percent
increase in enrollment, two new medicalschool campuses, and a huge expansion ofPhD programs and students.
NEIL WARRENSheriff, Cobb County
Now in his fourth term following aconvincing victory last year, Warrenis one of the state’s most well-known sheriffs. With over 800
employees and an annual budget approaching$75 million, his duties go well beyond those ofa typical lawman. Warren was named “Sheriffof the Year” by the Georgia Sheriffs’Association in 2014, and the Fox NewsChannel once named him one of America’s“top 10” anti-illegal immigration sheriffs.
J. ALVIN WILBANKSGwinnett County Schools CEO/Superintendent
Head of this nationally-recognizedpublic school system for over 20years, Gwinnett has twice receivedthe prestigious Broad Prize, which
honors school districts making the greatestprogress in raising student achievement andreducing achievement gaps among low- andnon-low income groups. He is also familiar withthe political side of education, serving as chair-man of the Board of Trustees for the GeorgiaTeacher Retirement System and was the firstchairman of the Georgia Education Coalition.
PHILIP WILHEIT SR.President/CEO, Wilheit Packaging Materials
A close ally of Gov. Nathan Deal,Wilheit has 40 years of experiencein the packaging business includingas president of Gainesville-based
Wilheit Packaging. His resume doesn’t endthere though— with stints as chairman of theGeorgia Chamber of Commerce, former chair
of Deal’s gubernatorial campaign, chair of theGeorgia Board of Regents, and a slew of otherboard memberships.
JOHN A. WILLIAMSReal Estate Developer
Founder of Atlanta’s Post Properties,Williams left in 2001 and deter-mined to create a similar culture tothe one he developed at Post. So in
2009 he and attorney Lenny Silversteinlaunched Preferred Apartment Communities,which ended 2016 with $2.6 billion in assets.But there’s more. This visionary, back in thelate ‘80s, teamed up with then-state lawmakersJohnny Isakson and Roy Barnes to pass legisla-tion creating the successful public/private CID(Community Improvement District) to assistgrowth and address traffic congestion. Georgianow has 26— and they help fund everythingfrom street/infrastructure construction tomaintenance of water and park systems.
GEORGIABOARD OF REGENTS
D-1 Don WatersD-2 Doreen PoitevintD-3 Thomas Hopkins Jr. Chair
D-4 Dean AlfordD-5 Sarah ReedD-6 Kessel Stelling Jr.D-7 Richard TuckerD-8 Rusty Griffin Jr.D-9 Philip WilheitD-10 Ben TarbuttonD-11 Neil Pruitt Jr.D-12 Laura MarshD-13 Sachin ShailendraD-14 E. Scott Smith
At-Large Paul BowersAt-Large Don Leebern Jr.At-Large James Hull Vice Chair
At-Large T. Rogers WadeAt-Large Larry Walker
GEORGIASUPREME COURT
Chief Justice P. Harris HinesPresiding Justice Harold Melton
Justice Robert BenhamJustice Carol HunsteinJustice David NahmiasJustice Keith BlackwellJustice Michael BoggsJustice Nels PetersonJustice Britt Grant
GEORGIACOURT OF APPEALS
Chief Judge Sara Doyle
Presiding Judge Anne Elizabeth Barnes
Presiding Judge Yvette Miller
Presiding Judge John Ellington
Presiding Judge Stephen Louis Dillard
Presiding Judge Christopher McFadden
Judge Gary Blaylock
Judge William Ray
Judge Lisa Branch
Judge Carla Wong McMillan
Judge Brian Rickman
Judge Amanda Mercier
Judge Clyde Reese
Judge Tripp Self III
Judge Charlie Bethel
SENATE COMMITTEES & CHAIRMEN
Administrative AffairsDavid Shafer Duluth
Agriculture & Consumer AffairsJohn Wilkinson Toccoa
AppropriationsJack Hill Reidsville
Banking & Financial InstitutionsWilliam Ligon Brunswick
Economic Development & TourismMike Dugan Carollton
Education & YouthLindsey Tippins Marietta
EthicsDean Burke Bainbridge
FinanceChuck Hufstetler Rome
Government OversightBill Heath Bremen
Health & Human ServicesRenee Unterman Buford
Higher EducationFran Millar Atlanta
Insurance & LaborBurt Jones Jackson
Interstate CooperationDonzella James Dalton
Judiciary Non-CivilJesse Stone Waynesboro
Natural Resources & the EnvironmentFrank Ginn Danielsville
Public SafetyTyler Harper Ocilla
Reapportionment & RedistrictingBen Watson Savannah
Regulated Industries & UtilitiesRick Jeffares McDonough
RetirementEllis Black Valdosta
RulesJeff Mullis Chickamauga
Science & TechnologyBruce Thompson White
Special JudiciaryCurt Thompson Tucker
State & Local Governmental OperationsJohn Albers Roswell
State Institutions & PropertyEd Harbison Columbus
TransportationBrandon Beach Alpharetta
Urban AffairsLester Jackson Savannah
Veterans, Military, & Homeland SecurityHunter Hill Atlanta
MOST INFLUENTIAL MEDIA
JIM COX KENNEDYChairman, Cox Enterprises
The grandson of Cox Enterprisesfounder James Cox, Kennedy cur-rently serves as chairman to themedia empire. A renowned philan-
thropist and nature enthusiast, his reachdoesn’t stop with his family’s business. Whenyou’re worth over $6 billion, it’s hard not tobe influential.
TIM McVAYVice President/General Manager, WSBMISTY TURNBILLNews Director, WSB-TV
As the flagship station ofCox Media Group, WSBand its five sister radiostations have more view-
ers, (and listeners) than any other local sta-tion in America. The hard-working McVay,who has been with Cox his entire career,ascended to the post of WSB general managerin 2011 and has partnered with Turnbill tomake WSB the state’s top rated station.
WILLIAM S. “BILLY” MORRIS IIIChairman, Morris Communications CompanyWILLIAM S. “WILL” MORRIS IVPresident/CEO, Morris CommunicationsCompany
Morris corporate head-quarters is based inAugusta, but its mediaholdings include three
Georgia newspapers— The Augusta Chronicle,The Savannah Morning News and the AthensBanner-Herald. Billy Morris last year celebrat-ed 50 years as Chronicle publisher (he assumedthe position from his father) and now sonWill Morris presides over an impressiveempire. In fact, the latest addition to its mag-azine division is Georgia Trend.
DINK NeSMITHPresident/Co-owner, Community Newspapers
NeSmith’s Community Newspaperspublishes more than two dozenpapers both in Georgia and sur-rounding states. He also boasts an
impressive civic service resume, includingstints as chairman of the Georgia Board ofRegents, president of the Georgia PressAssociation, and emeritus trustee of theUniversity of Georgia Foundation.
BILL SCHNEIDERVice President/GM, Fox5/WAGA-TVMIKE McCLAINVice President/News Director, Fox5/WAGA-TV
The dynamic duo ofSchneider and McClainhave turned the local Fox5news operation into a
power to be reckoned with due to expandednews coverage and ever-climbing ratings. Thestation now runs a strong second in Atlanta,with its 10pm broadcast in particular the mostpopular in its time slot.
GEORGIA’SPUBLIC UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS
Dr. David Bridges Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Arthur Dunning Albany State University
Linda M. Bleicken Armstrong State University
Dr. Gary McGaha Atlanta Metropolitan State College
Brooks Keel Augusta University
Dr. Stuart Rayfield Bainbridge State College
Tim Hynes Jr. Clayton State University
Dr. Greg Aloia College of Coastal Georgia
Chris Markwood Columbus State University
Margaret Venable Dalton State College
Robert G. Boehmer East Georgia State College
Paul Jones Fort Valley State University
Steve Dorman Georgia College & State University
Dr. Stanley “Stas” Preczewski Georgia Gwinnett College
Donald Green Georgia Highlands College
Bud Peterson Georgia Institute of Technology
Jaimie L. Hebert Georgia Southern University
Charles E. Patterson Georgia Southwestern State University
Mark Becker Georgia State University
Max Burns Gordon State College
Sam Olens Kennesaw State University
Christopher Blake Middle Georgia State University
Cheryl Davenport Dozier Savannah State University
Dr. Virginia M. Carson South Georgia State College
Jere Morehead University of Georgia
Bonita Jacobs University of North Georgia
Kyle Marrero University of West Georgia
Richard Carvajal Valdosta State University
tlanta’s Commerce Club was the venue onJanuary 18th for an InsiderAdvantage/JamesMagazine “2016 Influential Georgians” recep-tion sponsored by the Atlanta law firm Hall
Booth and Smith. Approximately 70 attendees— rang-ing from various state and local elected officials toprominent business, judicial and political leaders—were welcomed by InsiderAdvantage/James CEO andPublisher Phil Kent and Hall Booth Smith ManagingPartner John Hall. Kent presented the “2016 Influential GeorgiansAward” to Georgia Power Company CEO Paul Bowers. Bowers became chairman, president and CEO ofGeorgia Power in 2010 having previously served aschief financial officer of the Southern Company. Hisbusiness, civic and charitable service is wide-rangingan impressive— which is why James chose him forthe award. His board memberships include serving onthe University System Board of Regents, the GeorgiaResearch Alliance, the Georgia Historical Society, theAtlanta Committee for Progress and the policy adviso-ry board for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.He was also the 2015 chairman of the GeorgiaChamber of Commerce.
A special guest was Georgia House ofRepresentatives Speaker David Ralston, who pre-sented three InsiderAdvantage/James “2016Lawmakers of the Year” awards. The recipientswere state Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, whowas elected majority whip of the Senate GOPCaucus in 2014 and has been a key policy-maker inthe critical area of transportation; state Rep. StaceyEvans, D-Smyrna, a lawyer known as a voice for,among other issues, restoring and preserving theHOPE Scholarship; and state Rep. Barry Fleming, R-Harlem, an attorney who has sponsored numerouscriminal justice bills. Ralston commended Kent along withInsiderAdvantage/James Magazine “for presentingfair and balanced information necessary to allGeorgians— and I don’t usually praise the media.” Attendees included prominent businesspeople,members of the state Supreme Court and Court ofAppeals, various judges and lawyers, the state’sattorney general, Republican and Democrat activists,high-powered lobbyists of government affairs firms, abipartisan group of state legislators and formerAtlanta Mayor Sam Massell.
Saluting the2016 JAMES ‘INFLUENTIALS’
AGeorgia Power Co. President and CEO Paul Bowersaccepts the 2016 Georgian of the Year Award from
InsiderAdvantage & James Magazine CEO Phil Kent.
The 2016 Lawmakers of the Year Award went to (L-R) Reps. BarryFleming, R-Harlem, Stacey Evans, D-Smyrna and Steve Gooch, R-
Dahlonaga. Pictured with James Magazine CEO Phil Kent and GeorgiaHouse of Representatives Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr (L) catch-ing up with former state Economic Development
Commissioner Craig Lesser (right).
Clayton State University President Tim Hynes (L)networking with Georgia’s Power's John
D’Andrea (M) and Atlanta attorney Cary Ichter.
Georgia House Speaker David Ralston, R-BlueRidge, compares notes with state Sen. Steve
Gooch, R-Dahlonega
Hall Booth Smith attorney John Hallholding court.
Former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell (L) talkingabout— guess what?— the 2017 mayoral race.
Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, greeted bywell-wishers after receiving his award.
Hall Booth Smith’s Alex Booth giving Jamesmagazine’s CEO free legal advice.
State Rep. John Wilkinson, R-Toccoa, holdingforth on weighty legislative issues.
Cobb County Assistant District AttorneyMichael Carlson (L) chats with Rep.
Barry Fleming, R-Harlem.
Georgia Power’s Todd Terrell (L) and FultonCounty Superior Court Judge Craig Schwall
witnessing the awards ceremony.
James magazine CEO Phil Kent talks politicswith state Reps. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus,
and Stacey Evans, D-Smyrna.
Special thanks tothe
hall booth smith
firm
for sponsoring
our reception
I RECENTLY SAW A PRESS RELEASE with some excitingnews. The headline read “1000+ Georgia Schools ‘beatthe odds’ in 2016!” The same release stated thatGwinnett County was named a College Board AdvancedPlacement (AP) District of the Year as well as 10 addi-tional districts receiving an honor for increasing theirAP scores while simultaneously maintaining or increas-ing the percentage of students earning a “3” or higher.These are all proud accomplishments. I think about educational outcomes a lot. It’s my job.As I pondered these results, the announcements struckme as different from the normal reporting and discus-sions I hear about public education in Georgia. The oldtrope “Thank goodness for Mississippi, otherwiseGeorgia would be last” comes to mind. In fact, over the past decade, educational outcomeshave been steadily improving as Georgia has raisedexpectations around standards and instructional sys-tems to ensure that students are college- and career-ready when they graduate high school. Georgia hasimplemented some of the highest graduation require-ments in the country, including four credits of both sci-ence and math. Georgia is seeing the results of these changes. Thehigh school graduation rate has increased nearly 10 per-centage points since 2012 and student readiness for post-secondary work has improved. Since 2010, the number ofgraduates requiring remediation upon entering post-sec-ondary has dropped over six percentage points forEnglish and nearly 10 percentage points in math. These changes have also increased Georgia’s ranking
nationwide acrossmultiple measures. Onthe AP exams, Georgia has the 16th high-est AP pass rate in the nation. The per-centage of Georgia graduates scoring a“3” or higher on AP exams hasincreased over seven percentagepoints since 2006, while nearly dou-bling the number of students par-ticipating in the program.Georgia students continue to outperform the nationalaverage on both the SAT and ACT. Despite these gains and achievements, considerablepublic discourse involving the K-12 public schools ishow they are “failing.” While much of this narrativebegan under the No Child Left Behind era, it has mostrecently been fueled by debate over the OpportunitySchool District (OSD). The public attention has primarilybeen focused around schools on “the list,’ which schoolsreceived an “F” and for how long have they been failing. That narrative needs to change. This is not to sug-gest that addressing the needs of schools, especiallyschools that are chronically underperforming expecta-tions, is not a real and pressing issue. There are in factstudents who attend schools for their entire academiccareer that are unable to provide the teaching andresources needed for them to be successful. This isnot acceptable. However, labeling these schools, andby extension the students, educators, families andcommunities that make-up the school, as failures
It’s elementary, actually. See, every time you play the Lottery, you’re helping our kids get one step closer to their dreams. For over 20 years the Georgia Lottery has contributed more than $18.1 billion to education. On top of that, more than1.7 million HOPE scholars have gone to college and more than 1.4 million four-year-olds have attended a Lottery-funded Pre-K Program. Add those numbersup and, well, let’s just say that’s a hair-raising number of happy kids.
TAKE A GENIUSTO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU PLAY,
IT DOESN’TGEORGIA’S KIDS WIN.
galottery.com
IT DOESN’T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTISTTO HELP KIDS WITH THEIR EDUCATION.
continued on page 22
inaccurately identifies the problem and hinders theability to find a solution. Much of the root problems around chronically low-performing schools can be found in the impacts ofpoverty and a history of disinvestment in local com-munities. In an excellent Atlanta Journal-Constitutionarticle examining the costs of educating low-incomestudents, reporter Ty Tagami profiled a ‘failing school’in DeKalb County. This elementary school had morethan 50 students living in an abandoned apartmentbuilding, with no electricity or water. When the build-ing was demolished, educators struggled to help theirsuddenly homeless students and families find newhousing and MARTA passes. They provided luggageand clean clothes, among addressing other needs ofhomeless children. Knowing this, I ask: Is this a schoolthat is failing its students? The existence of chronically struggling schools is buta symptom of a larger problem. The problem is thatmany schools are being overwhelmed by issues ofpoverty and community disinvestment at a time whenexpectations around student achievement are beingraised exponentially. Yet still, on average, studentachievement is rising. It’s not where we ultimately wantit. But educators are getting impressive results under
difficult circumstances. As I ponder Georgia’s public education system, Ithink about all the students and the educators whoserve them. Educators, particularly those who work inimpoverished communities, need support and encour-agement. They need resources and training to serve allthe growing needs of their students. These needsinclude the gaining of knowledge, to be sure. But theirneeds also run the gambit of social, emotional, andphysical health supports. Sometimes that need is asbasic as a winter coat and breakfast. There is much to celebrate in Georgia’s schools.Georgia is no longer ranked in the cellar but has movedup to the middle of the pack. There are pockets of excel-lence and success across the state. However, those pock-ets are not available to all students. And, in some com-munities, they have never been. That is the issue. Weneed new language around communicating ourimproved education rankings. We also need languagethat helps identify the problems, lifts up solutions, andprovides support to help communities improve theirschools. That will build a stronger Georgia.
Dr. Dana Rickman is the Policy and Research Director at the GeorgiaPartnership for Excellence in Education.
WHEN GEORGIANS THINKabout what is good for their communities, the economyand quality of life, we’re proud to tout the state’s compet-itiveness, business friendly practices and innovation.Georgia has become a diverse global marketplace with avibrant economy. Unfortunately, the state’s competitiveglobal presence will diminish if we don’t address ourunhealthy legal system. According to the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for LegalReform, Georgia’s legal climate has ranked 31 out of 50nationally— with a significant drop of seven places inthree years. There are several reasons for Georgia’s poorranking, with the primary one beginning and ending withpersonal injury attorneys. The business model is designedto maximize their profits by creating and taking advantageof a civil justice system that tilts unfairly in their favor. Georgia’s unhealthy legal environment is caused byuncertainty. Without clarity, businesses are unable todetermine their needs— from hiring employees, to invest-ing in the development of new products or improvingservices provided to consumers. The objective of personalinjury attorneys is to create enormous uncertainty in thesystem because it directly benefits their financial inter-ests. To level the legal playing field, the business commu-nity has created a new organization: Georgians forLawsuit Reform (GLR). Established to improve Georgia’sincreasingly expensive and ambiguous civil justice sys-tem, GLR will focus on streamlining the decision makingability of Georgia businesses, nonprofits, and public enti-ties. GLR will also focus on ensuring a fair, balanced, andefficient civil justice system for all citizens; and improv-ing Georgia’s competitiveness for small businesses,expanding companies, and new industries. The business community recognizes the inherent chal-lenges that currently exist. Recently, settlement factorieshave begun to pop up all over Georgia simply to extractmoney from businesses. These firms sue parties to extractsettlements quickly; if the party being sued decides to liti-gate, these firms often outsource the claims filed to otherfirms. In many cases, individuals who appear with attor-neys and claim injuries on television, over the radio or onbillboards have never been a client of the attorney.
Georgia is the No. 2 market for personal injury adver-tising in the country. Any Georgian who watches daytimetelevision or listens to the radio is guaranteed to see orhear aggressive advertising strategies to solicit individu-als to bring unnecessary litigation which inevitably clogsthe courts and delays the timely administration of justicefor all citizens. To make matters worse, many cases arebrought without concern for potentially bankrupting smallbusinesses no matter how ridiculous the claim. For example, a doughnut shop in Columbus wasrecently sued for something that had nothing to do withtheir products, services or premises— one of theiremployees who was driving one of the owners’ vehiclescaused a motor vehicle accident resulting in nolong term injuries to the plaintiff. The plaintiff in thecase demonstrated medical expenses that totaled$49,000 and could have potentially totaled $100,000.Despite the actual expenses incurred, the jury returneda staggering verdict of $7 million against the doughnutshop placing it on the verge of bankruptcy. Confusinglegal standards and an unfair legal climate are contribut-ing to runaway verdicts like these being levied everyday in Georgia. Furthermore, the American Tort Reform Association’s“Judicial Hellholes” report placed the Georgia SupremeCourt on its Judicial Watch List. In recent years, therehas been an expansion of civil liability, a lack of clear dis-missal standards in litigation, eagerness to certify classactions and record breaking verdicts— all issues GLRaims to tackle. Georgia’s unhealthy legal environment doesn’t exclu-sively impact big business, it also impacts industries suchas agriculture, transportation, education and innovation.This great state must have a legal infrastructure that is fair,balanced, and accessible. Georgians for Lawsuit Reformlooks forward to leading the way in making our civil justicesystem one that makes all Georgians proud. For Georgia tomaintain its top ranking as the No. 1 state to do business,we must aggressively reverse the current imbalance.
Kade Cullefer is the executive director of Georgians for Lawsuit Reform
22 JAMES SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
GEORGIA’S LEGAL ENVIRONMENTON A CONSISTENT DOWNWARD TREND
by Kade Cullefer
attending a high-quality, lottery-funded, Pre-K Program.To put things in perspective, the GLC raises approxi-mately $3 million each day for these programs. Withevery dollar raised by the GLC, the Georgia lottery’s ulti-mate winners are the studentsand families of Georgia. And not only is the lotterygood for education, it’s good forbusiness. Prizes paid to playersand commissions earned byretail partners are reinvestedback into Georgia’s communi-ties, providing economic bene-fits to the local and to thestate’s economy. Lottery funds helped elevateacademic standards acrossGeorgia’s higher educationinstitutions and have had a pos-itive impact on economic devel-opment in the state. Businessesand employers looking toexpand or relocate to Georgiaknow that, thanks to HOPE,they will have access to askilled, educated workforce and that their employeesand their children can benefit from lottery-funded edu-cational programs.
JAMES What role does the GLC play in managing theexpenditure of lottery-funds?
ALFORD The Georgia Lottery Corporation does notappropriate lottery funds nor administer the educationalprograms funded with lottery proceeds. We simply helpmake them possible. The Georgia Student Finance Commission, whichadministers HOPE, and the Department of Early Careand Learning, which administers Georgia’s Pre-KProgram, are outstanding partners. We work collabora-tively with both agencies to raise awareness for theseimportant educational programs. The Governor andLegislature appropriate dollars raised by the GeorgiaLottery Corporation.
JAMES You’ve been presiding over the introduction ofnew and fun games in recent years. What’s the key to
maintaining player interest?
ALFORD The Georgia Lottery competes fora consumer’s discretionary dollar against:(a) other forms of entertainment, such asmovies, sporting events, video rentals
and concerts; (b) other impulse driven consumer prod-ucts, such as soft drinks, convenience foods, and candy;and (c) other lotteries, particularly in neighboring Florida,South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee.
The Georgia Lottery team ismade up of committed individu-als with industry-leading skillsand experience. Working withour vendor partners, we activelydevelop and introduce newgames to attract a broad spec-trum of players. On average, theGeorgia Lottery offers 50-60instant ticket games at anygiven time, has 11 draw games:CASH 3, CASH 4, Fantasy 5,Jumbo Bucks Lotto, GeorgiaFive, Cash4Life, All or Nothing, 5Card Cash, Mega Millions,Powerball, KENO! and a suite ofinteractive and mobile games. The marketplace haschanged dramatically in 25years, as have customer expecta-tions. In response, we have
focused on innovation at retail and beyond. We createfun promotional campaigns to stimulate market demandstatewide for lottery products and were one of the firstlotteries in the United States to offer its products throughthe internet and mobile sales channel.
JAMES What’s next for the Lottery?
ALFORD We understand the demand for HOPE and Pre-K continues to grow, and so we are focusing on oppor-tunities to grow our business. Maintaining product relevance at retail as a mature lot-tery is critical and a reason why we introduce new gamesevery month and are always conducting game promotions. Additionally, the expansion of our corporate busi-ness development— especially at non-traditional loca-tions— will allow us to reach more consumers wherethey visit and shop. And we are growing our interactive and mobilechannel that started in 2012. Players can now go onlineor download the Georgia Lottery’s app to play some ofour games, scan their ticket to see if they have won,check winning numbers, or find a Lottery retailer. A final thought: We are especially appreciative ofGov. Nathan Deal and the Georgia General Assembly fortheir support of the educational programs funded withlottery-dollars and share their ongoing commitment toensuring the long-term viability of HOPE and Pre-K.
JAMES Since Georgia voters passed the Lottery forEducation Act in 1992, more than 1.7 million Georgia stu-dents have attended an in-state college with the merit-based HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships. Over a millionGeorgia four-year-olds have benefited from the pre-kindergarten program. You have been president and CEOsince 2012. Please explain the Lottery business model.
DEBBIE ALFORD The Georgia Lottery Corporation(GLC) was established as a public benefit corporation toeffectively respond to an ever-changing marketplace.The Georgia Lottery’s mission is to operate and managelottery games to maximize revenues for educational pro-grams in Georgia. We have over 8,600 retail partners across the statethat offer our products— and 75 percent of those aresmall businesses. We have approximately 350 lottery employees inseven district offices across the state. These dedicatedprofessionals are the reason the GLC is ranked globallyas a top performing lottery. Currently, the GLC rankssecond of 44 U.S. Lotteries in per capita sales, third of 44U.S. lotteries in per capita government transfers andfifth in the world in per capita sales. In total, 96 cents of every dollar spent on a lottery tick-et is returned to Georgia citizens in the form of prizes paidto players, educational dollars and commissions to GeorgiaLottery retailers. Of the remaining 4 cents, approximately2 cents is paid contractually to vendor partners, 1 cent tomarketing and 1 cent to operating expenses. Last year alone, players won more than $2.7 billionin prizes, $1.1 billion was raised for Georgia’s HOPE &Pre-K Programs, and retailers earned more than $270million in commissions.
Also, back in April of 2013, the Georgia LotteryCorporation assumed the regulatory duties of complianceand enforcement of Coin Operated AmusementMachines (COAMs) in Georgia due to the passage ofHouse Bill 487. To date, the Georgia Lottery Corporationregulates over 21,000 COAMs at 5,000 locations.
JAMES Let’s focus just on HOPE for a minute. HOPE—–Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally— has award-ed more than $8 billion in scholarships and grants. Put inperspective how this has contributed to impressive addi-tional progress for Georgia.
ALFORD Gov. Zell Miller’s vision for HOPE was to pro-vide an incentive for Georgia’s best and brightest stu-dents to attend college in state. Generations of Georgiastudents have and will continue to benefit from the edu-cational opportunities provided by Governor Miller’sextraordinary efforts. The Georgia Lottery’s real success is measured byits impact on the state’s education system. Since thelottery began in 1993, the GLC has transferred morethan $18.1 billion in lottery proceeds to thestate treasury’s Lottery for EducationAccount. Georgia’s lottery proceeds supple-ment the state’s education budget. Today, almost everyoneknows of someone who hasgone to college on a lottery-funded HOPE Scholarshipor Grant, or jump startedtheir education by
AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
DEBBIE ALFORDDebbie D. Alford once led the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, once headed Georgia’s virtual technical college and beforethat was deputy director of the state budget office. Now the Atlantan is president and CEO of the Georgia Lottery Corp. When tak-ing the Lottery helm five years ago, Gov. Nathan Deal said: “(S)he’s one of the most intelligent, hardest-working and committedgovernment employees with whom I’ve ever worked. She’ll go to work every day fighting to increase revenues for our HOPE andpre-k students.” Indeed, Alford leads one of the nation’s most successful lotteries, so it was an easy choice for James to salute heras “Georgian of the Year” and we’re pleased to publish this insightful interview for our readers.
Georgian of the Year
The county isn’t having to comeback and take care of the infra-structure. It’s already in place,and the county can now focuson future plans. “This has been a true public-private partnership. And as aresult of pre-planning that hastaken place between the countyand the CID, we are able to putthe density and the people wherethe infrastructure already exists.We aren’t reacting the growth.We have a plan.” That, Ott says, includespreparing for over 10,000 newresidents, and nearly 625,000square feet of new and re-developed retail. “We’re not just talking aboutnew retail and commercial com-ing in, but we are looking at a lotof re-development,” he said. “Alot of the businesses and restau-rants that were already are re-designing and re-opening.” According to the CumberlandCID website, “of the established$5 billion in new investment tobe realized in Cumberland by2018, approximately $3 billionwill go towards enhancements inpublic infrastructure. Many ofthese projects are beingadvanced by the CID and will goa long way to ensure the com-munity proactively addresses itsinfrastructure needs ahead ofgrowth in the market.” Ott says most of the new
development is actually follow-ing master plans that weredeveloped several years ago. Thisincludes the areas of JohnsonFerry, Powers Ferry and Vinings.All three plans were developedthrough much communityinput. “The community support-ed the initial plans as they weredeveloped. And now they are
27
ucked in the eastern edge of Cobb County, sittingbetween I-75 and I-285 and anchored by the newhome of the Atlanta Braves, SunTrust Stadium isin the midst of what is being billed as the “South’s
Preeminent Lifestyle Destination.” Welcome to The Battery Atlanta— future home to550 modern residences, more than 40 fashion retailersand boutiques, unique restaurants and eateries, theOmni Hotel featuring luxury accommodations and eventhe new home of Atlanta’s famed Roxy Theatre. No doubt it is a great time to be in Cobb County. “There are definitely some great things going on inCobb County right now,” said District 2 CommissionerBob Ott, whose district is home to SunTrust Park, TheBattery Atlanta and more than $4.5 million in develop-ment and re-development. “And it’s not all about theBraves and Sun Trust Park.” As this area of Cobb County prepares for the Braves’opener in their new home in April, the rest of District2— that runs from Smyrna to the tip of northeastCobb, is preparing for an economic boom. Five Class A
office buildings are being built in District 2. Nearly5,000 residential units are being built in and aroundthe stadium. More than 3,000 full-time and part-timejobs are being created around the stadium complex andThe Battery Atlanta. “A lot of things stalled during the recession,” saidOtt, who has served eight years on the Board ofCommissioners and another four years on the PlanningCommission. “Everything is back in action again. Retailshopping centers are filling up— there are no vacantbuildings in the commercial and retail centers. BoneFishGrill and Chuy’s Tex Mex have opened, and great thingsare happening at Cumberland Mall. Everything is boom-ing around here.” Planning has been the key, Ott says, as well as thepartnership with the Cumberland CommunityImprovement District (CID). “Twenty-five years ago, when the Cumberland CIDwas formed, they began making plans for this,” saidOtt. “Because of 25 years of work, the infrastructure isin place for everything that is taking place here now.
M A R C H /A P R I L 2017
supporting the developmentthat’s taking place within theguidelines of these plans. Theseare truly community generatedplans,” he says. Traffic has obviously been amajor concern for some as thedevelopment boom continues ineast Cobb. “I understand that wehave asked for a lot of forgive-ness with all the roadwork that iscurrently going on,” said Ott. “Iunderstand this has been a biginconvenience. But as everythingcomes together this will allmakes sense, and everything willbe worthwhile. Is everythinggoing to be perfect? No. But thecounty staff, the Braves’ organi-zation and the CID are workingtogether to come up with thebest plan possible.” As opening day for theBraves approaches— the firstregular-season game atSunTrust Park is on April 14against San Diego— officialshave begun releasing timelinesfor the projects. Two of the biggest and high-est-profile parts of the develop-ment— a Comcast office build-ing and an Omni hotel— areexpected to open late this yearand early next year, respectively. The three apartment commu-nities within The Battery are slat-ed to open to residents in April,May and June. Information on the progressof Sun Trust Park, the Battery,and road improvements can befound on the county website athttps://cobbcounty.org/ or atbravesupdate.com
Cindy Morley is a staff writer for James.
Scenes from The Battery Atlanta
REP. EARL EHRHARTA 1981 graduate of the Universityof Georgia (majoring in politicalscience), Earl Ehrhart is thelongest-serving Republican mem-ber of the Georgia House ofRepresentatives. His district lies
in northwest Cobb County and he is the co-CEO ofLakepoint, a large sports tourism destination. Representative Ehrhart was first elected in 1988 andis a member of the Appropriations Committee (where hechairs the Appropriations/Higher Education panel thatoversees University System funding). He also is a mem-ber of numerous other committees, including Rules. The National Federation of Independent Businessnamed him a “Guardian of Small Business” due to hisyears of yeoman work on behalf of fostering businessgrowth. The Powder Springs lawmaker also has receivedthe “Champion of the Free Enterprise System Award”from the Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgiaalong with many other awards for his legislative service. The unabashed constitutional conservative is alsonot one to shy away from a legislative battle. In his earlylegislative years (as a Republican in the legislativeminority) he made a name for himself battling racialquotas. Just this year he has pushed bills ranging frombanning colleges from being “sanctuaries” for illegalaliens to ensuring due process on college campusesregarding sexual assault allegations.
REP. CALVIN SMYREThe Columbus native became theyoungest member of the GeorgiaHouse of Representatives whenhe was elected in 1974. Always theenergetic go-getter and cageynegotiator, the Democrat now
known as the “dean of the House” embodied the rise ofa younger generation of black leadership succeeding,and sometimes conflicting with, the generation that hadled the 1960s civil rights movement. Then-Gov. Joe Frank Harris appointed Smyre afloor leader for the 1987 session, making him the first
black House leader since Reconstruction. Heeffectively carried legislation for the governor andcontinued to forge bipartisan friendships. In 1998 hewas elected the first black head of the Democrats’legislative caucus and in 2001 he was appointed tolead the state Democratic Party. Five years later “thedean” was elected president of the National BlackCaucus of State Legislators— a signal honor. Smyre serves as executive vice president ofcorporate external affairs at Synovus and is president ofthe Synovus Foundation. As one veteran Democratlawmaker told James: “Nothing happens in theDemocratic House caucus without Calvin’s input.”
SEN. JOHN KENNEDYAttorney John F. Kennedy waselected to the state Senate in 2014to represent six Macon-areacounties. Three years later he isnow the Senate’s Majority Caucuschairman. And, in that short timespan, he became the vice chairmanof the Science and Technology
Committee, secretary of the Judiciary Non-CivilCommittee and was named a member of the Judiciaryand Banking and Financial Institutions Committees. He earned an undergraduate degree in economicsfrom Mercer University and, in 1990, obtained his lawdegree at Mercer’s School of Law. The senator has alsoserved as president of the Macon Bar Association and isa State Bar board member. Before his election, Kennedy was a member of thestate Immigration Enforcement Review Board. As a floorleader for Gov. Nathan Deal in the Senate, hesuccessfully carried much of the criminal reformlegislation that is now law. A staunch defender of theSecond Amendment— he supports current “campuscarry” legislation— Kennedy is also a leading proponentof expanding the state’s transportation infrastructure.
2017 Legislators oF the YearT H E J A M E S
id you know that the restaurant industry isAmerica’s second-largest private sector employ-
er? Restaurants are truly a driving force in our nation’seconomy. They provide jobs and build careers for mil-lions of people, and play a vital role in local communi-ties throughout the United States. The industry’s anticipated numbers for this yearare staggering. According to the National RestaurantAssociation’s 2017 restaurant industry forecast, restau-rant-industry sales will reach $798.7 billion in 2017, a4.3 percent gain over the industry’s estimated sales of$766 billion in 2016. Restaurants are projected toremain the nation’s second-largest private-sectoremployer, providing jobs and careers for about one in10 working Americans. Georgia’s restaurant industry works closely with thefirst largest private sector, which is agriculture. Theirindustry grows the food and our industry cooks it forpeople to consume. Anything affecting our industry,whether it be legislation or the economy, has a hugeimpact on business. Our state currently has over 17,900eating and drinking place locations that employ 446,600people, which accounts for 10 percent of Georgia’s
workforce. The number of jobs Georgia restaurants pro-vide is projected to grow to 516,600 by 2027.Restaurants can expect to see a 5.4 percent growth insales from 2016 to 2017, with a projected total salesamount of $19.6 billion this year. The Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA),Georgia’s only not-for-profit representing the state’sfoodservice industry, takes immense pride in ourindustry’s economic contribution on a national andstate level. By acting as the voice of the restaurantindustry in advocacy, education, and awareness,restaurant owners and operators can spend their timeand efforts focusing on their employees, guests, andoverall business performance. The GRA continuously works on building andmaintaining relationships with elected officials toincrease the advocacy efforts of our association. Weare dedicated to protecting the bottom line for thefood service industry. We work hard to fight any legis-lation that will have a negative effect on our industryand we work hard to support any legislation that willhave a positive effect on our industry. The GRA appreciates when legislators support
small business and help mini-mize red. More than half ofrestaurants in the U.S. are inde-pendently owned and operatedand 80 percent of those restau-rant owners started their indus-try careers in entry-level posi-tions. Indeed, the restaurantindustry exemplifies how hardwork and dedication can lead toa huge impact on our economy.
Karen Bremer is the CEO of the GeorgiaRestaurant Association. For more informa-tion on the NRA 2017 Restaurant IndustryForecast, visit www.restaurant.org/Forecast.For more information about the GRA, visitwww.garestaurants.org.
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M A R C H /A P R I L 2017
LIKE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, Spring is a time forrebirth and renewal. If you haven’t yet scheduled a yearlyfinancial review it is as important for your financial health asan annual checkup is for your physical health. A lot can happenin a year; whether it’s external like a change in governmentleadership or personal like a major life event, take the time toevaluate your current financial situation so that you can beprepared for what may lay ahead this year. Below are four key areas that you— along with yourspouse or partner— can examine with your professionaladvisors to help you stay on track.
Asset allocation. Review your current investmentstrategy and evaluate if the current portfolio of stocks,bonds, cash and other assets (real estate or alternativeinvestments) is on target. Depending on how certainasset classes have performed, you may need to realignyour allocation. However, be aware that some aspects ofrebalancing your portfolio can result in tax implications,especially for non-tax-deferred accounts. If you do needto rebalance, you can either sell existing assets and usethe proceeds to bring your portfolio closer to the desiredmix or you can leave the portfolio as is and focus newinvestments on areas you want to increase.
Estate planning. Disputes over a last will and testa-ment can be costly, so be sure to keep your documentsupdated and clear to avoid any conflicts. Ideally, youshould explain your wishes to family members andchoose a wise executor(s) and alternates. Also, makesure the beneficiary designations on all of your retire-ment accounts are in sync with your intentions andyour current will. Otherwise, you could unintentionally
leave much more— or less— to somebeneficiaries than others.
Retirement funding. People are living longer and thecost of health care has been rising steadily. A primaryfinancial concern should be ensuring that you are ontrack to accumulate the assets you and your spouse orpartner will need as you age. If your employer offers a401(k) plan, invest as much as you can afford. If you donot have access to an employer-sponsored plan, considerfunding an IRA. Keep in mind that if you didn’t make ayearly IRA contribution in 2016, per the IRS, you haveuntil the tax-filing deadline— April 18, 2017— to con-tribute for 2016.
Insurance coverage. It’s important to review howmuch insurance you will need every one to two years.That’s because a life insurance policy is not a one-size-fits-all or a once-and-done proposition. As life changesand major events occur (e.g., marriage, birth of a child,divorce, work promotion), so should your policy.Forgetting to update your policy to mirror large lifeevents may result in insufficient coverage for you andyour loved ones when compensation is needed.
Finances are usually on our minds during tax seasonand therefore it is an excellent time to think about whereyou are in terms of achieving both short- and long-termfinancial goals. What is it that can be improved upon fromlast year? Although the definition of success varies foreach individual, you can continue to make positive choic-es and take informed actions today for a better tomorrow.
Mac McGrew is a wealth advisor with The Harrison McGrew Group atMorgan Stanley in Atlanta.
Spring Forward Financiallyby Mac McGrew
t was nip and tuck inGeorgia’s 6thCongressional Districtbetween Hillary Clinton
and Donald Trump on electionnight last November. To the shockof many, Trump won it by just apercentage point over Clinton. With the resignation of incum-bent Congressman Tom Price totake the Health and HumanServices Cabinet position in theTrump administration, the 6th’sseat in the House ofRepresentatives opened to manywho have ambitions to move toWashington. The unexpected open-ing in Congress has attracted bothold hands and faces to the non-par-tisan April election to replace Price. Longtime politicians like stateSen. Judson Hill and formerSecretary of State Karen Handelhave jumped into the mix, as hasformer state Sen. Dan Moody. Allthree are veteran Republicans.Handel entered with the mostexperience as a candidate for highoffice. She had captured theSecretary of State job before laterlosing tight contests for governorand U.S. senator. Hill and Moodyhave enjoyed popularity withintheir districts. These three would appear to bethe top contenders for the seat. Buta crop of new GOP names and faces,ranging from businessman BobGray to Dunwoody jeweler BruceLeVell, have dived into the race.And because of the district’s seem-
ing new bent towards becomingmore competitive for Democrats,several from Georgia’s minorityparty have joined the race. Democrat candidate JonOssoff, who worked for liberalCongressmen John Lewis and HankJohnson and is endorsed by thefar-left MoveOn.org group, is beinghailed by the political Left assomeone who could squeak intothe runoff if enough Democratsvote for him. Former state legisla-tor Ron Slotin is another Democratwho thinks he could gain sometraction. (Although, remember thatPrice won re-election lastNovember with 61 percent of thedistrict's vote— and that was fromRepublicans and independents ofall stripes.) With our publication date run-ning far ahead of the April 18 vote,an analysis of who might win, orhow, is tricky. What is clearer asthis is written is a more generallook at the trends in Georgia poli-tics that this special election atleast partially reveals. The 6th will likely remain aRepublican district, especially con-sidering the likely lighter voterturnout that comes with a specialelection or mid-term contest.Absent the Trump factor— whichmay have driven some usual, mod-erate GOP voters into the ranks ofthe Democrats in the presidential
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Eric Tanenblatt
Gordon Giffin
Thurbert Baker
Mark Burkhalter
Steven Labovitz
Sharon Gay
Randy Evans
Edward Lindsey
Ben Vinson
Dan Baskerville
Jeremy Berry
Buddy Darden
Virgil Fludd
Jeff Hamling
Randy Nuckolls
Scotty Greenwood
Amy Odom
James Richardson
Alex McGee
Lem Ward
Brian McGowan
6th Congressional Race:Litmus for Georgia’s Political Future
by Gary Reese
JUDSON HILL
KAREN HANDEL
DAN MOODY
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I
his edition of James is about Georgia’s mostinfluential people. I’ll bet there will be lots ofpoliticians named. Well, what I want
to submit is the name of a person whom I feelmight have been the most influentialGeorgian of all time, and this includes somegreat people like James Edward Oglethorpe(the namesake for this magazine), Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr., President JimmyCarter, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatis Lamar(that threw you, didn’t it?), Eli Whitney,Margaret Mitchell, Bobby Jones,Crawford W. Long, Zell Miller, SamNunn, etc. Richard Russell served in publicoffice for 50 years. He was a member and speak-er of the Georgia House of Representatives, the20th and youngest governor of Georgia, and a 38-year member of the United States Senate. HisSenate colleagues named his old office buildingthe Richard Brevard Russell Senate OfficeBuilding. Russell’s name was twice put forward asthe Democratic candidate for president, and heprobably could have been our president exceptfor his stands on civil rights legislation. Still, hisinfluence was unprecedented in the Senatebody that he loved so much and over whichhe strode like The Colossus of Rhodes. I want to share with you something Iwrote about him in October 2001. I wrotein that article titled “Senator RichardRussell and the Kennedy Assassination”that when Senator Russell spoke, every-one in Washington, even presidents, lis-tened. And they did! Here it is:
Last week, I wrote about Herman Talmadge.For many years, Talmadge was the juniorsenator to Georgia’s senior Senator RichardB. Russell. Russell was arguably the mostpowerful politician during his “time” in the
United States. Presidents came and went, but SenatorRussell was a constant. When Senator Russell
spoke, everyone in Washington, even presi-dents, listened. He was “the man.”
Let me tell you about a day in 1964that I spent with Senator Russell. I believeit was 1964 because President Kennedyhad already been killed and I have a letterfrom Senator Russell dated February 22,1964 which refers to our meeting. I was in
law school at Georgia in Athens. RichardRussell, IV, the Senator’s nephew, was a goodfriend of mine. He invited me to go with himto the Russell home-place in Winder,
Georgia. Winder is 30 or 40 miles fromAthens. We had a lunch at the Russell homewith Senator Russell, my friend Dick, the sena-tor’s aide (I believe her name was Martha Tate)and the Russells’ cook whose name was Modene(I don’t recall her last name)— just the five ofus. It was a typical Southern cooked dinner(“dinner” is what we used to call the meal in themiddle of the day that was usually the mainmeal of the day). After lunch, Senator Russell drove Dickand me all over Winder and Barrow County. I
remember that we visited the Russell ceme-tery and one or two businesses inWinder, but what I remember most iswhat Senator Russell told us that day. Iwill never forget it.
First, a little background. SenatorRussell was not only Chairman of theSenate Armed Services Committee, hewas also Chairman of the CIA “watch-dog committee” in the Senate. If anyonein the United States government knewwhat was going on in the world as far as
election— the district is still viewedas leaning GOP.
A Look atthe Bigger Picture
Overall, demographics arechanging in longstandingRepublican strongholds such asCobb and Gwinnett counties. Forexample, Cobb County for manyyears was a centerpiece of thestate’s GOP emergence in the1980s and 90s. But the county’swhite population, which comprisedthe vast majority of its Republicanvotes, has slipped from being wellmore than 70 percent of the popu-lation to a narrow 52 percentmajority today. With all the newapartments and multi-family hous-ing units sprouting up all over,Cobb is attracting a rush of bothAfrican-American and Hispanicvoters, along with a heavy dose ofyounger voters who skewDemocrat. The reality is that Cobb may bedrifting toward a future politicalprofile akin to south Florida’smuch-mentioned Broward County.Broward is known to the nation asa heavily Democratic county. Butwhat isn’t as widely known is thatbecause of its huge population,Broward in sheer numbers suppliesone of the largest populations ofRepublican votes in statewideFlorida elections. Cobb is a long way fromBroward’s status, but there’s nodenying that the power base of theRepublican vote in Georgia has drift-ed north of Atlanta and its once-vaunted metropolitan demographic“doughnut” of predominantly whitemiddle-class voters.
If there is any doubt that thischange is afoot, one need merelyexamine the “technical” changes madeduring the most recent Georgia leg-islative session to help add GOP-inclined white voters to the stateHouse district of Republican Rep. RichGolick of Vinings. The need for more “adjustments”in Republican-held state Senate andHouse districts will present themselvesafter the next census of Georgia, whichwill reflect a substantial growth ofminority voters in the state. But all of these changes havepotential candidates, consultants andpundits transferring their attention inthe wrong direction as they calculatetheir chances of a candidate capturing astatewide Republican nomination infuture years. The focus of much oftheir focus now is the southern half ofthe state, which is indeed a sea of redcounties, and solidly Republican. Thatsea of red can be deceptive, however,given that it lacks substantial popula-tion to fill the vast space. Democrats see the growing “blue”areas of metro-Atlanta as evidencethat the state is now a “blended pur-ple.” And perhaps by the next presi-dential contest the Peach State couldbe a purple one indeed. But for gubernatorial races, whichlack the heavy turnout of presidentialelections, and for special contests likethe looming 6th contest, the resultswill still lean GOP at least for now.The north of the state, including CobbCounty— Georgia’s potential future“Broward County”— still holds most ofthe votes in determining statewideGOP nominees and general electionwinners.
Gary Reese is the associate editor of James.
GEORGIA’S MOSTINFLUENTIAL CITIZEN, EVER?
b y l a r r y w a l k e r
TBOB GRAY
BRUCE LeVELL
JON OSSOFF
RON SLOTIN
continued on page 38
surveillance, intelligence and counter-intelligence wasconcerned, it was Senator Russell. This is what he told us:That we (the United States government) had put over 80CIA agents into Cuba and all had either been captured orkilled by Fidel Castro and his people; and, that we hadtried, without success to assassinate Castro. I was flabbergasted and astounded by Senator Russell’sstatements. I had no direct contact with Senator Russell
after that day in Winder. I heard no confirmation of hisstatements for years. Then, a few years ago, in storiesabout President Kennedy, and otherwise, his statementswere confirmed. What he told Dick and me that day—which I never doubted— was true! Now, bear this in mind. Senator Russell was a member ofthe Warren Commission that investigated PresidentKennedy’s assassination concluding that Lee Harvey Oswaldshot and killed President Kennedy acting alone. All membersof the Commission signed the report except one. You guessedit— Senator Russell! The one person on the Commission whoknew more about what was going on than any other. Since that 1964 day in Winder, Georgia— which wasone of the most interesting days of my life— I have beenintrigued by what Senator Russell knew and what he took tohis grave that we will never know. Could it be that he knewof a conspiracy or involvement of other governments? Couldit be that he knew that Lee Harvey Oswald did not actalone? Perhaps what he knew we will never know.
And, now you know why I was listening so hard toSenator Russell on that day.
Larry Walker is a practicing attorney in Perry. He served 32 years in the GeorgiaGeneral Assembly and serves on the University System Board of Regents.
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President Lyndon Johnson and Russell confer in the Oval Office.
