James November-December 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 29
Our first cover was a simplistic
rendition of the Republican candidates for the 2004 U.S. Senate
seat, ultimately won by one of my
beloved friends Johnny Isakson.
Everyone asked, “What’s James?”
It was not well known, unlike the
magnificent James we know today.
But then, it had no advertisers!
As the old 1960s ad proclaimed,
“You’ve come a long way, baby!”
Both InsiderAdvantage and
James have enjoyed a slew of great
journalists passing through our
doors that rivals most major newspapers. We started with columnist
Dick Yarbrough and the late Bill
Shipp (the then-dean of Georgia
journalists) along with the great
former legislator and talented
writer Larry Walker, Sr. And our
bedrock editor and yeoman writer
Gary Reese put it all together.
Over the years several other
staffers ranging from the late Dick
Pettys of Associated Press fame
(missed to this very day) and Walter Jones of the Morris newspapers
to former Atlanta-Journal Constitution political editor Tom Baxter
were part of our team.
James grew into its own when
one of the greatest businessmen
and leaders I have ever known,
the late John Williams, decided
to invest in the magazine’s holding company. John passed away
suddenly and far too early in life
several years ago. He was not only
a great corporate leader, but a kind
and loyal friend. And we proudly
dedicate this issue of the magazine
in memory of John.
I would be remiss without
remembering others who were
driving forces in our earlier years
like the talented Emmy Award winner CB Hackworth (and his equally
talented artist father Lee), and longtime publishing leader Scott Bard. It
was Scott who led us to our current great graphic designer Burtch
Hunter. And of course, all the staff
who worked at InsiderAdvantage
and James. That includes Office
Manager/Circulation Director Patrick Hickey who is now a mainstay
at our company.
In 2014 I started my move to
Florida, where I had attended law
school years earlier. There was
only one person I wanted to be
our day-to-day CEO of InsiderAdvantage and James— Phil Kent.
Phil had worked over two decades
for my longtime pal Will Morris
and his father Billy as editorial
page editor of The Augusta Chronicle (Phil was also an early columnist for James).
And here’s a secret few know.
Will was part of the start of InsiderAdvantage and remains on
our Board of Directors. Along the
way he bought a magazine (he
owns lots of them) as well . . . it’s
Georgia Trend. To say we are the
friendliest of rivals would be an
understatement.
A 2018 JAMES REUNION. L-R: DOLLE TOWERY, JAMIE AYRES, RAYNA CASEY,
NICK AYRES AND JAMES CHAIRMAN MATT TOWERY.
N OV EM B E R /D EC E M BER 2024
29
