The Council for Quality Growth formally announces its 2026 Board of Directors and Officers. The 2026 Board was ratified at the Council’s 40th Annual Meeting & Legislative Reception, held December 18, 2025 at Cherokee Town Club. The Council was joined by over 350 of its members, state legislators, and local elected leaders to welcome the new Council leadership and present legislative priorities to the Georgia General Assembly. Council President-Elect Marci Collier Overstreet provided welcome remarks on behalf of the City of Atlanta and State Representative Matthew Gambill spoke on behalf of his legislative body. Representative Gambill presented a proclamation from Government Brian Kemp and President-Elect Overstreet presented a proclamation from Mayor Andre Dickens, both recognizing and congratulating the Council for Quality Growth on their 40 year milestone of promoting balanced and responsible growth for the region.

The Council’s 40^th Annual Meeting held in late December also celebrated the organization’s successes in 2025 under the leadership of 2025 Chairman, Clyde Higgs, President & CEO of the Atlanta Beltline. The Council reached record-breaking membership numbers and program attendance throughout 2025 and achieved significant policy wins regionally, including work on the City of Atlanta’s Tree Protection Ordinance, Forsyth County’s impact fees, and Cobb County’s stormwater utility fees, to name just a few. At the Annual Meeting, the Council also welcomed incoming Chairman of the Board, Gerald McDowell. McDowell, the Executive Director of the ATL Airport CIDs, is the 39^th Chairman of the Council for Quality Growth. He has been part of the Council’s Board leadership since 2017 and on the Executive Committee since 2022.

Chairman McDowell addressed the full Board of Directors at their first official convening of the year last Friday, January 23^rd and set his strategic priorities and direction for the Council in its 41^st year. As Executive Director of the ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts (CIDs), McDowell has a keen focus on transportation and mobility options, not just for his constituents, but across the region. “Georgia is a leader in emerging mobility technology,” said McDowell. As communities across metro Atlanta look to expand high-capacity transit, McDowell says the Council for Quality Growth is supremely positioned to weave the conversation together and educate public officials on the multitude of solutions that private mobility companies have to offer. “Our public transportation system has to perform,” he said, “and we need to have an honest conversation about what our communities need as we move forward into the future of our region’s mobility landscape.”  McDowell says he is looking forward to serving as Chair of an organization that sits comfortably in the space between public policy and private investment to work on these challenges in 2026.

The Council’s core mission is to promote balanced and sustainable growth across metro Atlanta in a way that provides an economically competitive edge and sets the region up for long-term success. The Council delivers this mission to its members and the regional development industry through advocacy, information, and education.

Gerald McDowell, 2026 Chairman of the Council for Quality Growth, addresses the membership at the 40th Annual Meeting & Legislative Reception on December 18 at Cherokee Town Club

McDowell has served as Executive Director with the ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) since 2015, guiding the organization through a period of strategic growth and innovation. Under his leadership, ATL Airport CIDs has invested in major transportation and mobility solutions, including a relaunch and expansion of the Shift commuting services program to support more than 157,000 area workers and the development of micro-transit and automated transit pilot projects designed to improve connectivity throughout the district. The CIDs also maintain extensive landscaping, public safety enhancements, and infrastructure improvements that help create a safer, more attractive environment across the 15.7‑square‑mile district. Much of McDowell’s work has focused on strengthening partnerships with local governments, transportation agencies, and private sector stakeholders to deliver long‑term benefits for the airport area and surrounding communities. He brings decades of experience in economic development, transportation planning, and organizational leadership to his role as Chairman of the Council for Quality Growth. McDowell’s advocacy has helped position the ATL Airport CIDs as a catalyst for innovative infrastructure projects and workforce mobility solutions that support both quality of life and regional competitiveness.

The Council for Quality Growth is fortunate to have had Gerald McDowell’s service and leadership on its Board of Directors for several years. “Gerald brings a thoughtful and steady leadership style that will benefit the Council as we head into 2026,” said Michael Paris, President & CEO of the Council. “He has a clear understanding of the Council’s role and is focused on positioning the organization to effectively serve its members and the broader region.”

The 2026 Officers of the Board are Rob Garcia of Pinnacle Financial Partners as Vice Chair, Ellen Smith of Parker Poe as Treasurer, and Audra Cunningham of Acre Consultants as Secretary. Clyde Higgs, the outgoing 2025 Chair, will continue to serve among the Council’s executive leadership as Immediate Past Chair. The 2026 Board of Directors will consist of 96 voting members and 2 appointed seats.

The Council also welcomed 6 newly elected Directors that will each serve a two-year term starting in 2026, including:

• Lisa Exley, Assistant Vice President, Regional Business Development Manager, Volkert, Inc.

• Ben Hefner, Project Manager, DCCM

• Michael Hightower, Managing Partner, The Collaborative Firm, LLC

• Greg Mullin, Managing Principal, AECOM

• Anthony Rodriguez, Executive Director, South Forsyth County CID

• Jue Wang, Director, T. Dallas Smith & Company