James July-August 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 53
James publisher Phil Kent presents
the 2024 “Georgian of the Year”
award to Russell McMurry.
T
State Rep. Chuck Efstration
receives a 2024 “Legislator of the
Year” award from Phil Kent.
he Chop House at The
Battery’s Truist Park was
the May 9th venue for
the annual James Magazine “Influential Georgians” reception. Almost 100 attendees— ranging from various state and
local elected officials to prominent
business, political, judicial and cultural leaders— were welcomed by James
Founder & Chairman Matt Towery
and CEO & Publisher Phil Kent.
Kent presented the James “2024
Georgian of the Year Award” to Georgia Department of Transportation
Commissioner Russell McMurry, who
he called “a steady, visionary leader with an exemplary record whose
work affects every Georgian.” Loree
Ann Paradise, chief of staff to Lt. Gov.
Burt Jones, presented McMurry with
an official proclamation saluting his
impressive public service career. And
state House of Representatives Speaker Jon Burns assisted Kent in presenting the commissioner his award.
Kent also bestowed three “2024
Lawmaker of the Year” awards. One
Phil Kent presents a 2024
“Legislator of the Year” award to
state Sen. Sonya Halpern.
recipient was state Sen. Sonya Halpern, D-Atlanta, who was elected in
2020 and who Kent praised as “a
pro-business lawmaker who works
across party lines.” She serves on several important panels ranging from
the Banking and Financial Institutions Committee to the Health and
Human Services Committee.
A second honoree was state
House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, R-Dacula, who has served as
a representative since 2013. A former
Judiciary Committee chairman, the
one-time Gwinnett County assistant
district attorney has sponsored and
shepherded a wide range of bills that
were signed into law over the years.
A third honoree was state Rep.
Houston Gaines, R-Athens. Only 29
years-old and described by Kent as
“a rising Republican rock star,” the
one-time University of Georgia student body president is now serving
in his third term. Just earlier this year
Gaines is credited with introducing
and guiding to passage a statewide
prosecutors’ oversight panel.
State Rep. Houston Gaines is
presented with his 2024 “Legislator
of the Year” award.
Another special guest, along with
Speaker Burns, was Senate Democratic Leader Gloria Butler who delivered
remarks. Several other Democratic
and Republican state legislators were
present, along with former U.S. Sen.
Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga. Other attendees
included prominent Georgia CEOs
and businesspeople, various judges
and lawyers, Republican and Democrat activists, high-powered lobbyists
of government affairs firms and several political candidates.
The event’s main sponsor was the
Atlanta-based Hall Booth Smith law
firm, whose chairman John Hall just
had his first novel published. Attendees left with complimentary copies
of his Gnats, Humidity and Murder set
in 1970s Georgia. Event co-sponsors
were Lexicon Strategies, Savannah/
Hilton Head International Airport,
Fralick Bozeman Public Affairs, Georgia Transportation Alliance/Georgia
highway Contractors Association/
Georgia Construction Aggregate Association and Georgia Power.
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