December 2020 Features

• City of Atlanta Continues to Support Atlanta’s Art Community During Economic Challenges Resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic

  December 18, 2020

  The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) announces the recipients for the 2020-2021 Contracts for Arts Services (CAS) awards. Each year, the CAS program provides general operating and project support to non-profit arts and community organizations, as well as project support to individual artists based and producing work in the City of Atlanta.

• Synovus Announces 2021 CEO Transition

  December 18, 2020

  Synovus announced that Chairman and CEO Kessel Stelling will move into the role of executive chairman of the board on or about April 21, 2021, in conjunction with the company’s annual shareholders meeting. President and COO Kevin Blair has been named to succeed Stelling as CEO on that same date and has also been named to the Synovus Board, effective immediately.

• Georgia Chamber CEO Chris Clark: The Facts About Vaccine Distribution in Georgia

  December 18, 2020

  2020 has certainly been a year for the books; one that has challenged our health, our thinking, and our collective willpower as a global society. And though there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel with the first vaccines arriving in Georgia, I wanted to briefly address the thousands of inquiries that we are receiving about vaccine distribution in our state.

• Deloitte: In Wake of COVID-19, 61% of Executives Now Focused on Transforming Work, Double Pre-Pandemic Levels

  December 18, 2020

  Amid unprecedented workforce disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations are enacting radically new ways of working and operating – and the C-suite is taking action to reimagine the future of work with human capital issues at the top of their agenda.

• HUD Secretary Ben Carson Visits Atlanta To Announce Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant Award for Bowen Redevelopment

  December 17, 2020

  HUD Secretary Ben Carson came to Atlanta Tuesday with check in hand to begin the redevelopment process for the former Bowen Homes site after Atlanta Housing was awarded one of ten planning grants for FY 2020.

• IHG Hotels & Resorts and Explore Georgia Invite Visitors to Go Beyond the Headlines, Where True Hospitality meets Southern Hospitality

  December 17, 2020

  In 1960, the soulful, Georgia-born singer Ray Charles hit the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time with the song “Georgia On My Mind.” To this day, that iconic tune is one of his most-loved recordings. Fast forward to present day, and Georgia, it seems, is on everyone’s mind.

• Delta’s First COVID-tested Flight Departs Atlanta, Charting Path to Global Recovery

  December 16, 2020

  Delta customers with essential travel needs can now fly from Atlanta to Amsterdam without having to quarantine after arrival, and with the knowledge that their fellow passengers and crew are COVID-19 negative after undergoing pre-flight testing protocols.

• MacKenzie Scott Makes Record $5 Million Gift to Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs

  December 16, 2020

  Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE) announces today it has received a $5 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This is ACE’s largest contribution received in its 20-year history.

• First Shipments of COVID-19 Vaccine Arrive in Georgia

  December 15, 2020

  The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) received the first shipments of COVID-19 vaccine for administration in Georgia.

• Atlanta Named in Top Ten Real Estate Markets During & In Post-COVID Environment by National Association of REALTORS

  December 14, 2020

  The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) held its second annual Real Estate Forecast Summit on Thursday, December 10th. In their virtual summit, NAR identified Atlanta, GA in the Top Ten Real Estate markets that have shown resilience during the pandemic period and are expected to perform well in a post-COVID-19 environment in the next two years.

• Marta Board Elects 2021 Leadership, Welcomes New Members From Fulton, Clayton, City of Atlanta

  December 14, 2020

  The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) board of directors elected officers for 2021 and announced the addition of three new members to represent Fulton and Clayton Counties and the City of Atlanta.

• UPS To Support Distribution Of Approved Vaccine As Part Of Operation Warp Speed

  December 14, 2020

  UPS announced its involvement and full support of distribution efforts for Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine as part of Operation Warp Speed. Pfizer’s and BioNTech’s vaccine, approved through a U.S. Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization (EUA), is the first to be deployed in a months-long global race to develop safe vaccines to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

• Year-end Report Card Gives Georgia Employers a B Grade for 2020, Clarity on Earning an A in 2021

  December 11, 2020

  In a November survey of employed Georgians, goBeyondProfit found they gave their employers a solid B grade on addressing the challenges of 2020. The research shows employees would give an A grade – and likely greater employee productivity and retention – for companies and leaders demonstrating empathy and care.

• Georgia Power’s Doug Jenkins Named Chairman of 2021 Board of Directors for Council for Quality Growth

  December 11, 2020

  Georgia Power Metro North Regional Director Doug Jenkins has been named the 36thchairman for the 2021 Board of Directors for the Council of Quality Growth, an advocacy organization that operates broadly across county and municipality lines to represent the growth and development industry of the entire metro Atlanta region.

• Shepherd Center Receives $80 Million Grant from The Marcus Foundation

  December 11, 2020

  Shepherd Center announced an $80 million grant from The Marcus Foundation that will be the cornerstone of the specialty rehabilitation hospital's most significant, transformational expansion since its founding in 1975.

• As Companies Opt for Stability Amid Pandemic, 2020 Could Be Record-Low Year for CEO Turnover

  December 11, 2020

  Once the economic fallout from COVID-19 began, CEO turnover in the Russell 3000 began seeing a marked slowdown as boards opted for continuity. For this reason, 2020 could shape up as a record-low year for CEO turnover.

• Aflac Pledges $1 Million to Morehouse School of Medicine

  December 10, 2020

  Aflac, a leading provider of supplemental insurance and products in the U.S., has pledged $1 million to Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM). The funding will support the institution's research and education programs related to the ongoing opioid crisis in rural America.

• Georgia Hospitality Leaders: Better Days Ahead

  December 10, 2020

  It’s not exactly breaking news that the hospitality industry was one of those hit the hardest by COVID-19. But Georgia leaders have not rested on their laurels, working to secure economic relief and provide support until traffic picks back up.

• Georgia Power Foundation Invests $500,000 in Support of Atlanta BeltLine Communities’ Longstanding Residents

  December 09, 2020

  The Georgia Power Foundation has announced a $500,000 donation over the next three years to support the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership’s (ABP) Legacy Resident Retention Program. The donation will help seniors and working families, who are longstanding residents in these historic neighborhoods, afford to stay in their homes and continue to access the Atlanta BeltLine, which also helps revitalize the area for the city.

• Truist Highlights History, Commitment to Atlanta Community on its One-Year Anniversary

  December 09, 2020

  To help celebrate its teammates’ hard work and collective commitment to the diverse Atlanta-area communities it serves, today, on the one-year anniversary of the merger of equals, Truist published its Atlanta Community Impact Report.

• Partnership for Inclusive Innovation Announces First $250,000 Grant for Pilot Program to Advance Entrepreneurial Opportunities Throughout Georgia

  December 09, 2020

  The  Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, with the support of Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, has announced its first funded pilot program, theClubhou.se: Mesh Network. This organization aims to empower entrepreneurs and provide resources to create new businesses in traditionally under-resourced communities.

• Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Announces $50 Million in New Bond Funding for Affordable Housing

  December 09, 2020

  Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will issue an Executive Order to invest $50 million in new bond funding to advance the goals of creating or preserving 20,000 affordable homes by 2026 and investing City-controlled public sources in the production and preservation of affordable housing.

• Intercontinental Exchange Elects Shan Cooper & Mark Mulhern to the ICE Board of Directors

  December 08, 2020

  Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., a leading operator of global exchanges and clearing houses and provider of mortgage technology, data and listings services, announced today that its Board of Directors has elected Shan Cooper and Mark Mulhern as new Directors.

• Tis the Season! Chick-fil-A Brings Back Two Seasonal Menu Favorites and Offers Giftable Ideas for the Holidays

  December 08, 2020

  Chick-fil-A is serving holiday cheer with the return of two wintertime favorites. Beginning this week, the festive Peppermint Chip Milkshake and Chicken Tortilla Soup are back for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide. Guests will also be able to deck the halls and spark some joy with limited-edition Chick-fil-A holiday merchandise, available for the season at select restaurants.

• Atlanta BeltLine Becomes a Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Program Recipient

  December 07, 2020

  The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership is pleased to be a recipient of the Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Program. This program is one of the nation’s largest philanthropic investments in nonprofit leadership development. The $200,000 award will support the Legacy Resident Retention Program.