James March-April 2024 online - Flipbook - Page 31
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MICHAEL “SULLY” SULLIVAN
DAVID THOMAS
MICHAEL THURMOND
PRESIDENT & CEO, AMERICAN COUNCIL OF
ENGINEERING COMPANIES OF GEORGIA
PRESIDENT, MOREHOUSE COLLEGE
CEO, DEKALB COUNTY
The first order of business for
Thomas upon becoming Morehouse’s 12th president in 2018 was
to kick off the most successful
capital campaign ever for the historically
black men’s liberal arts college in downtown
Atlanta. The award-winning author also
launched the school’s first online degree
programs, amplifying its position as a center
of intellectual discourse.
This former Democratic state
legislator and Georgia labor
commissioner has restored trust
in an oft-troubled DeKalb County
government since taking the reins in 2016.
Thurmond’s priorities have included adopting a balanced budget, getting rid of blight
and working to offer more summer youth
employment in one of the Southeast’s most
diverse counties.
LEE THOMAS
ERIC TOLER
DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, GEORGIA FILM, MUSIC
& DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GEORGIA CYBER CENTER
An attorney and lobbyist by trade,
Sullivan brought his government
relations know-how to ACEC Georgia in 2012, where he advocates
for more than 200 engineering firms in the
vital, rapidly-growing industry. He lends his
expertise to statewide and regional boards
including the Georgia Chamber, Georgia
Transportation Alliance, and Council for
Quality Growth.
ERIC TANENBLATT
PRINCIPAL, DENTONS
This well-connected mover and
shaker once served as a top aide to
the late U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell, was chief of staff to former
Governor Sonny Perdue and has assisted
campaigns for various presidential candidates. He lends his expertise and influence
to Dentons as head of the firm’s public
policy practice team.
BEN TARBUTTON, III
If there is one name most associated with Georgia’s rise to the top
of the film industry it is Thomas’.
She has effectively overseen the
state’s Film, Music & Digital Entertainment
office since 2010. Back then the state had
just 45,000 square feet of stage space. It now
has close to seven million, with the industry
contributing billions of dollars per year to the
state’s economy.
A distinguished Army career as
an intelligence officer and at the
Department of Defense made Toler
the perfect choice in 2018 to direct
the Georgia Cyber Center in Augusta. He and
his team have created an ecosystem of collaboration between government, academia and
private industry that has made the Center
become one of the most prestigious cybersecurity institutes in the world.
PRESIDENT, SANDERSVILLE RAILROAD COMPANY
For more than 100 years the Tarbutton family has been a fixture in
Washington County as the Sandersville Railroad established itself
as a key cog in the state’s kaolin industry.
This proud Georgia Tech grad is a past chairman of the Georgia Chamber and University
System of Georgia Board of Regents, and
currently serves on the board of the Georgia
Ports Authority.
ALEX TAYLOR
CHAIRMAN & CEO, COX ENTERPRISES
The great grandson of founder
James M. Cox has embarked on a
modernized approach to the company’s core operating businesses in
broadband, automotive services and media.
And Cox’s business holdings have expanded
into everything from clean technology to advanced recycling. It owns the liberal Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, which critics say all too
often veers away from balance and objectivity
in the newsroom.
GREG TEAGUE
CEO, CROY ENGINEERING
Taking over the reins from founder
Jim Croy two years ago, Teague
leads an award-winning engineering firm that takes on major
projects throughout the Southeast. With deep
roots in Cobb County, he recently stepped
down as chairman of the board of directors
for the Cobb Chamber.
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Tracy Brundage
Ángel Cabrera
Albany State University
Georgia Southern University
Marion Fedrick
Kyle Marrero
Atlanta Metropolitan State College
Georgia Southwestern State University
Ingrid Thompson-Sellers
Neal Weaver
Augusta University
Georgia State University
Brooks Keel
Brian Blake
Clayton State University
Gordon State College
Georj Lewis
Donald J. Green
College of Coastal Georgia
Kennesaw State University
Michelle Johnston
Kathy Schwaig
Columbus State University
Middle Georgia State University
Stuart Eddings Rayfield
Christopher Blake
Dalton State College
Savannah State University
John Fuchko
Cynthia Robinson Alexander
East Georgia State College
South Georgia State College
David Schecter
Gregory Tanner
Fort Valley State University
University of Georgia
Paul Jones
Jere Morehead
Georgia College
University of North Georgia
Cathy Cox
Michael P. Shannon
Georgia Gwinnett College
University of West Georgia
Jann Joseph
Brendan Kelly
Georgia Highlands College
Valdosta State University
Mike Hobbs
Richard Carvajal
