Photograph by Getty/Joel Carillet
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BANKING & FINANCE
Kevin Blair
President and CEO
Synovus
Kevin Blair joined Synovus in August 2016 as executive vice president and chief financial officer. He was appointed senior executive vice president and chief operating officer in December 2018 and was named president in December 2019. Blair was elected to the board of directors in December 2020 and became president and CEO on April 22, 2021. He was appointed chairman of the board on January 1, 2023. His financial services career began at Signet Bank in Richmond, Virginia, in 1995 and has included leadership in such areas as corporate strategy, line management, strategic finance, and credit risk management.
EDUCATION James Madison University, George Washington University (MBA)
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Becoming CEO of Synovus Bank, the largest bank headquartered in Georgia. Father of four amazing children, ages 6 to 22. Led $7.2 million United Way annual fundraising campaign in 2020, a record for the Chattahoochee Valley region.
WHY I CHOSE THIS WORK Banking is a noble profession. We have the opportunity each day to help our clients achieve their financial goals and objectives.
Photograph courtesy of individual
Raphael W. Bostic
President and CEO
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Raphael W. Bostic is president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and a member of the Federal Open Market Committee, the monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System. In 2017, he was recognized as a Planning Pioneer by the American Planning Association’s Los Angeles section, and he received an Urban Leadership Award from the Penn Institute for Urban Research in 2011. Bostic serves on many boards and advisory committees, including Georgia’s Partnership for Inclusive Innovation. He previously served as the chair of the board of directors of the United Way of Greater Atlanta and chair of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Bostic is a native of Delran, New Jersey.
EDUCATION Harvard University, Stanford University (PhD)
HOBBIES Birdwatching, sports
NONPROFITS Affordable housing, Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, Human Rights Campaign
BUCKET LIST Visiting the state capitol in Honolulu to complete goal of visiting the state capitol buildings in all 50 states
Mary Beth Coke
Atlanta Market Executive
Regions Bank
Mary Beth Coke joined Regions Bank in 2023 and serves as Atlanta Market executive and Commercial Banking district director for Georgia and the Carolinas. Regions is a leading regional financial institution serving people and businesses throughout the Southeast, the Midwest, and Texas. Prior to joining Regions, Coke was the head of Georgia Middle Market Banking at Truist. Deeply committed to the Atlanta community, Coke serves as board chair for the Georgia Council on Economic Education, an organization promoting financial literacy and economic education to K-12 teachers and students across Georgia. She also serves on the Woodruff Arts Center board of trustees and the executive committees of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Georgia Chamber of Commerce among other community roles.
EDUCATION Georgia Tech
HOMETOWN Madison, Georgia
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I’m a ninth-generation Georgian.
FAVORITE GEORGIA COLLEGE SPORTS TEAM Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Lullwater Preserve
Cynthia N. Day
President and CEO
Citizens Bancshares Corporation and Citizens Trust Bank
Cynthia Day provides the vision and strategic direction for Citizens Trust Bank as well as serving on the board of directors of Citizens Bancshares Corporation, the parent company for Citizens Trust Bank. During her tenure, the bank continues to reach milestones including achieving record-level earnings since the inception of the institution. These achievements continue to receive recognition as Citizens Trust Bank has been consistently named one of the top African American–owned commercial banks in the country. Prior to her banking career, Day was an audit manager at KMPG and is a certified public accountant with over 35 years of experience and leadership in the banking and financial sectors.
EDUCATION University of Alabama
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta board of directors (2023); Boy Scouts of America Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award (2022), Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award (2020)
Photograph courtesy of individual
Mike Donnelly
Branch Banking Regional Executive
Wells Fargo
Mike Donnelly is branch banking regional executive for Wells Fargo in northern Atlanta, one of the company’s top three markets in total consumer households served. An active civic leader, he’s held leadership positions with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, the Buckhead Coalition, the Woodruff Arts Center, and the University of Georgia Board of Visitors. Donnelly chaired the 2016-2017 campaign for United Way of Greater Atlanta. He is the past chair of Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and is a past chair of Leadership Atlanta.
EDUCATION Radford University
Kathy S. Farrell
Head, Commercial Real Estate
Truist Financial Corporation
Kathy Farrell has more than 25 years of experience in real estate finance and banking, including origination, underwriting, capital markets, workout strategies, and risk management. Currently the head of commercial real estate at Truist, Kathy held the same title with SunTrust prior to the closing of the SunTrust-BB&T merger that formed Truist in December 2019. Farrell has also served at SunTrust as chief risk officer for commercial real estate, head of the REIT banking group, and REIT senior credit officer. Previously, she was executive vice president and credit executive of commercial real estate for PNC Bank.
EDUCATION College of the Holy Cross
HOMETOWN Bridgeport, Connecticut
FIRST JOB Stuffing and rolling jelly doughnuts at Devore’s Bakery in my hometown
WHAT I’D TELL A RECENT GRADUATE Be patient and work hard at your current job. Careers are a marathon and not a sprint.
Ryan Glover
Chairman
Greenwood LLC
Ryan Glover, chairman and cofounder of the digital banking platform Greenwood, has more than 20 years of experience delivering products focused on the African American community. Glover, a seasoned entertainment industry vet, started Bounce TV in 2011. Bounce was the first African American nationwide broadcast network. The Richmond, California native also founded Noontime Records, a label responsible for more than a dozen Billboard No. 1 hits. He cofounded Greenwood in 2020 intending to help solve the generational wealth gap problem for the Black and Latinx communities. The digital banking platform’s name pays homage to the Tulsa, Oklahoma, district of Greenwood, which was known as “Black Wall Street” in the 1920s.
EDUCATION Howard University
FIRST JOB Gas station attendant
HIDDEN TALENT Amazing chef
HOBBIES Coaching youth sports
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION Africa
WHAT I’D TELL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep working.
Berwyn James “BJ” Green
State President, Atlanta Division
SouthState Bank
In 2024, BJ Green joined SouthState Bank as state president for the Atlanta division to oversee the strategic development, growth and profitability of banking activities in the region. Prior to this position, Green was executive vice president at Cadence Bank. The Greensboro, North Carolina native has 30 years of experience in the banking industry (Banc of America Securities, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Wachovia). Green is an alumnus of Leadership Georgia’s class of 2012, and is either an active or past board member of the Buckhead Coalition, Rotary Club of Atlanta, Trees Atlanta, Woodruff Arts Center, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Metro Atlanta Chamber, Kenan-Flagler Business School Alumni Council, and St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP Georgia – Poverty Alleviation).
EDUCATION University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Emory University (MBA)
FIRST JOB Mowing yards in my neighborhood for $10
LESSON LEARNED Every time you get promoted it gets harder, not easier.
FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT Lake Rabun
Thomas P. Hackett
Chairman and CEO
Truist Securities
Thomas (Tom) P. Hackett serves as chairman and CEO of Truist Securities, Truist’s full-service corporate and investment bank. Based in Atlanta, he joined Truist Securities in 2008 and has more than 30 years of corporate and investment banking experience. He has been one of the primary architects of a growth strategy that has led Truist Securities to establish itself as a leading player in corporate and investment banking. Hackett has served many leadership roles at Truist Securities and, from 2020 to 2023, was president and chief operating officer, responsible for the Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, M&A, Capital Markets, and Asset Finance organizations. Before Truist, he was managing director of Healthcare at Citi and head of the London office for Prudential Capital Group and held various roles at First Union. He now serves on the Georgia Research Alliance Board of Trustees.
EDUCATION Auburn University, Emory University (MBA)
HOMETOWN Minneola, New York
MOST INSPIRING PERSON Paul Liedberg (maternal grandfather)
FAVORITE MOVIE The Last Samurai
Hank Halter
CEO
Delta Community Credit Union
Hank Halter is an accounting and finance professional with more than 30 years of experience overseeing finance and accounting operations at Fortune 100 companies. Since 2013, he’s served as CEO of Delta Community Credit Union, one of Atlanta’s largest financial institutions and Georgia’s largest credit union. Halter, a CPA, came to the credit union from Delta Air Lines, where he held a variety of roles including chief financial officer. Previously he worked at American Airlines and Ernst & Young. Additionally, Halter serves as immediate past chair of the board of directors of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates, which advocates for the betterment of nearly 300 credit unions in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.
EDUCATION Villanova University, Duke University (MBA)
HOMETOWN Savannah, Georgia
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Leading the credit union through the Covid-19 pandemic, and navigating the consequential economic conditions that challenged the financial markets
BUCKET LIST Convincing every consumer to join a credit union
Randy Koporc
President and CEO
Fifth Third Bank Georgia
Randy Koporc serves as president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank in Georgia, responsible for the growth and strategic alignment of the bank’s commercial, wealth and asset management, and consumer businesses. Under his leadership, the bank has accelerated its growth in the region and worked with many local organizations to strengthen communities in the Atlanta area and beyond. Koporc has been with Fifth Third Bank since 2010; before joining the company he worked for more than two decades for Wells Fargo. He serves on the boards of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Atlanta Sports Council, the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, the Buckhead Coalition, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and other local groups.
EDUCATION University of Florida, University of Central Florida (MBA)
HOMETOWN Orlando, Florida
FIRST JOB Runway flight crew member for Delta Air Lines in Orlando
HOBBIES Coaching my kids in baseball, golf, traveling
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Chattahoochee River
Aron Levine
President, Preferred Banking
Bank of America
Aron Levine is the president of Preferred Banking and is a member of the company’s executive management team. Levine leads a team of over 30,000 banking employees and financial solutions advisors operating in 3,800 financial centers nationwide and is responsible for providing personalized financial solutions, valuable rewards, and advice and guidance aligned to the more complex banking, borrowing and investing needs of mass-affluent consumers. As president, Levine has expanded the financial center network to 10 new markets since 2014, led the development and growth of Consumer Investments, a leading digital, self-directed and guided investment platform, introduced the Preferred Rewards program designed to reward clients for the ways they save, spend, borrow, and invest, and has been an advocate for investor education. He serves on the Global Board of Advisors for Operation HOPE and is also a board member for both the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta and Horizons Atlanta.
EDUCATION University of Rochester
HOMETOWN New York, New York
Alfred L. McRae Jr.
President
Bank of America Atlanta
Alfred “Al” L. McRae Jr. serves as Bank of America’s leader in the local market, responsible for delivering growth for shareholders, clients, and communities. His leadership includes driving business integration and local market share growth by connecting Bank of America’s capabilities across its eight lines of business to people and companies while deploying Bank of America’s resources to build strong communities. Additionally, McRae serves as managing director and Diverse Segments Business Development executive for Bank of America’s Private Bank. Active in the community, he serves on boards for the Woodruff Arts Center, the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Georgia Bankers Association, and the Georgia State University Foundation. A member of Leadership Atlanta class of 2023, he’s also a member of 100 Black Men of Atlanta.
EDUCATION Georgia State University
HOMETOWN Dublin, Georgia
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED Proactively seek out those situations and positions that make you most uncomfortable; that’s where the opportunity for growth and development will reside.
Eddie Meyers
Regional President, Georgia
PNC Bank
Eddie Meyers served as executive vice president and Georgia president for PNC Bank, and was PNC’s first regional president of African American and Latino descent. Following a successful 25-year career with the bank, Meyers announced his retirement during the fourth quarter of 2024. Prior to his last position, he previously served as executive vice president of PNC Business Credit and as senior vice president and national investment manager of Harris Williams, PNC’s investment banking unit. In 2008, he helped facilitate the successful integration of National City Bank after its acquisition by PNC. A former Marine Corps captain who was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon for his service in the Gulf War, Meyers was also a running back for the Atlanta Falcons in the 1980s. He served as an executive board member for the Metro Atlanta Chamber and was a former chairman for Central Atlanta Progress and board member and officer of the Rotary Club of Atlanta.
EDUCATION U.S. Naval Academy, National University (MBA)
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS 1982 College Player of the Year, running back for the Atlanta Falcons, awarded the Combat Action Ribbon for Service in Gulf War
Photograph courtesy of individual
David Preter
President and CEO
Georgia’s Own Credit Union
Dave Preter is president and CEO of Georgia’s Own Credit Union, a $4.3 billion financial services institution. Before assuming his current role in 2011, Preter facilitated growth in the credit union industry by bolstering and executing the strategic plans of several organizations in the Midwest and Southeast. Under his leadership, Georgia’s Own has seen membership grow by 24 percent and assets nearly double. Georgia’s Own Foundation, which Preter created, amplifies the organization’s commitment to the community by empowering local youth.
EDUCATION University of Missouri
FEW PEOPLE KNOW Delivering papers at age 13, I learned that if you work harder and longer than others, you get more opportunities and better pay. That worked for my next three student jobs: caddie, fast food cook, and exterminator. It worked in my professional career too.
FAVORITE MOVIE The Marvel movies
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT The Varsity
Jai Rogers
Vice President, Business and Community Development
Delta Community Credit Union
Jai Rogers-Thomas joined Delta Community Credit Union in 2012 as vice president of business and community development, overseeing a team responsible for identifying and developing business strategies with leading corporations throughout metro Atlanta and at multiple out-of-state branch locations. Rogers-Thomas leads the execution of a comprehensive community-engagement strategy to strengthen civic, educational, and corporate collaborations. She is also a recipient of the 2023 Atlanta Business Chronicle Corporate Citizenship Award, which highlights people who have embraced corporate social responsibility in their business strategies. Active in the community, Rogers-Thomas serves as board chair for the City Springs Theatre Company and sits on boards for the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, Trees Atlanta, and Kennesaw State University’s Bagwell College of Education.
EDUCATION California State University, Long Beach
INSPIRING PERSON My mother always encouraged me to pursue my love of travel by telling me that I “can always come home” if my plans did not work out.
Katie Saez
Executive Vice President and Georgia Regional President
Truist Financial Corporation
As executive vice president and Georgia regional president for Truist Financial Corporation, Saez serves as the senior leader in the Georgia Market, responsible for direction and integrating client management business development efforts with privately-held companies operating in business banking, commercial, middle market, and commercial real estate, as well as nonprofit and governmental entities. Through her service on Truist’s diversity, equity, and inclusion council and in company-wide business resource groups, Saez seeks to promote a more purpose-, mission-, and values-centered working environment at Truist. A 24-year veteran of the financial services industry, Saez joined Truist (formerly SunTrust) in 2000. Saez is a member of Leadership Atlanta’s class of 2024.
EDUCATION University of Florida, Georgia State University (MBA)
FEW PEOPLE KNOW As a child, I earned a black belt in karate.
INSPIRING PERSON My grandfather who immigrated from Cuba and graduated from the University of Florida
Jack Sawyer
Partner and Managing Director
Cresset Capital
A partner and managing director for Cresset Capital in the Atlanta region, Jack Sawyer is a fiduciary attorney, specializing in trust and estate management, charitable planning, private foundation administration, and family office services. Sawyer is on the boards of several private foundations and nonprofits, including Andee’s Army, the nsoro Foundation, the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, Open Hand, the Georgia Museum of Art, and the High Museum of Art. He received the American Jewish Committee’s National Human Relations Award in 2011 and has been honored by the Atlanta History Center Swan House Ball, the National Black Arts Festival, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the United Negro College Fund Mayors’ Masked Ball, Tiffany’s Blue Angels, and more.
EDUCATION University of Georgia, Mercer University School of Law (JD)
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED From Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “If you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself; something to make life a little better for people less fortunate than you.”
Debbie Smith
CEO
Georgia United Credit Union
Debbie Smith joined Georgia United Credit Union in 2002, serving in several roles before being appointed CEO in 2013. Smith brings over 30 years of experience in organizational, people and cultural development, strategy and policy development, cost reduction, and a storied history in civic and community work. Under Smith’s leadership, Georgia United has grown from $950 million to $2 billion in assets, and the Georgia United Foundation was established. In 2022, the Georgia United Foundation supported the World Council of Credit Unions’ efforts through the Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund. Additionally, Smith cofounded the Georgia Sister Society, bringing together current and potential female executives from Georgia credit unions to provide inspiration, education, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Additionally, Georgia United received the 2021 Top Workplaces Woman-Led Culture Excellence Award from Energage. Smith and her late husband were married for 40 years and have three children, five grandchildren and a great-grandson.
FIRST JOB Accounting clerk operating a Burroughs booking machine posting debits and credits.
Wendy Stewart
President, Global Commercial Banking
Bank of America
Wendy Stewart is president of global commercial banking for Bank of America and a member of the company’s executive management team. In this role, Stewart oversees one of the firm’s eight lines of business, which delivers integrated financial solutions to public and private companies with annual revenues of $50 million to over $2 billion across middle market banking; real estate; healthcare, education and nonprofits; and dealer financial services. From 2000 to 2007, she served as chief operating officer at the YWCA of Greater Atlanta, where she was responsible for streamlining the functions of the organization, solidifying its financial position, and orchestrating ongoing growth. Stewart serves on the board of directors and executive committee for the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the board of directors for Grove Park Foundation, as a director of the Buckhead Coalition; and is a member of the Atlanta Committee for Progress. American Banker named Stewart as one of its Most Powerful Women in Banking in 2024.
EDUCATION Presbyterian College (BS, BA)
HOMETOWN Raleigh, North Carolina
Justin A. Sullivan
Senior Vice President and Market Leader
PNC Private Bank
Justin A. Sullivan helps ensure that clients benefit from a full complement of investment, trust, financial planning, and private banking services to help them achieve their financial goals. He has regularly been featured on local television, national radio, and multiple written publications sharing advice on investments and financial planning and has been recognized and awarded by PNC for six consecutive years as a top-performing investment professional. In 2018, he was recognized by InvestmentNews magazine as one of the top 40 financial professionals under 40 years of age across the country. He currently serves on boards for the Midtown Alliance and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
EDUCATION University of Pittsburgh
HOMETOWN Philadelphia
FAVORITE BOOK Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Center for Civil and Human Rights
Todd Tautfest
Partner and Managing Director
Cresset
Todd Tautfest is a partner and managing director for Cresset’s Multi-Family office in Atlanta. Tautfest has 30 years of experience in wealth management focused on the unique needs of high-net-worth families and individuals. Prior to Cresset, Tautfest was managing director, Southeast Region for Wilmington Trust, where he worked with high-net-worth clients, business owners, foundations, and endowments. He is a member of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council and the advisory board for Open Hand Atlanta. He previously served on boards of the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Botanical Garden and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia.
EDUCATION The University of Oklahoma
HOMETOWN Weatherford, Oklahoma
FIRST JOB Sweeping the floor at Tautfest Furniture & Appliance in Weatherford
FAVORITE GEORGIA PRO SPORTS TEAM Atlanta United FC
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED From my dad: “You spend your life building your reputation and you can destroy it in five minutes.”
INVESTMENT ADVISORS & FUNDS
Charles Andros
President and Chief Investment Officer
Bay Point Advisors
Charles Andros is a founding partner, president and chief investment officer of Bay Point Advisors, a leading hedge fund specializing in asset-based direct lending, which has deployed over $1.6 billion since its inception in 2012. In his roles, Andros focuses on complex transactions and sectors of the economy that mainstream lenders ignore, and under his leadership, Bay Point has expanded into entertainment financing as Bay Point Media with the growth of production facilities in metro Atlanta. In partnership with Trilith Studios, among pivotal projects to come is the construction and development of the United States Soccer Federation’s new national training center and headquarters, now known as the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center, which is expected to open in 2026. Additionally Bay Point, Trilith, and Four Stones Real Estate partnered to form the Trilith Land Fund to develop more partners and projects in the Fayetteville area. Andros began his career working as a clerk on the floor at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange for an S&P futures pit trader.
EDUCATION University of Georgia
HOMETOWN Dalton, Georgia
Neal Aronson
Founder and Managing Partner
Roark Capital Group
Neal Aronson is founder and managing partner of Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm that focuses on consumer and business service companies, with a specialization in franchised and multiunit business models in the restaurant, consumer and business services, and health, wellness and fitness, and education and youth sectors. Roark brands generate approximately $94 billion in annual system revenues from 107,500 locations in 50 states and 118 countries. Prior to founding Roark, Aronson was cofounder and chief financial officer of U.S. Franchise Systems. Previously, he was a principal of Odyssey Partners, a principal and general partner at Acadia Partners (now Oak Hill Partners), and subsequently a managing director of a successor company, Rosecliff. He began his career in the corporate finance department at Drexel Burnham Lambert.
EDUCATION Lehigh University
Andy Berg
Chairman
Homrich Berg
In September 2023, Andy Berg announced his transition from principal and CEO to chairman effective January 1, 2024, with Thomas Carroll moving from president to CEO. In 1989, Berg and David Homrich cofounded the wealth management firm Homrich Berg with the belief that high-net-worth individuals need access to conflict-free financial planning and investment advice. Today, Homrich Berg manages over $14 billion for more than 3,000 family relationships nationwide. A member of the Financial Planning Association, the North Atlanta Tax Council, the Georgia Planned Giving Council, the Atlanta Estate Planning Council, and the board of the Atlanta Police Foundation, Berg is also a contributor to financial media and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and elsewhere.
EDUCATION Purdue University
HOMETOWN Milwaukee, Wisconsin
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Barron’s top independent advisor and Hall of Fame advisor and Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors for high net worth for Atlanta
HOBBY Golf
Deborah Cicatelli
Director of Strategic Initiatives — New Advisor Programs
Raymond James & Associates
As director of Strategic Initiatives–New Advisor Programs for Raymond James, Deborah Cicatelli is tasked with attracting and training new advisors. Prior to this position, Cicatelli was a regional director and provided strategic direction and management to branch managers, financial advisors, and branch associates across Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia. She began her career with Raymond James in December 2018 as the divisional sales manager of the Southern division. Cicatelli joined the financial services industry in 1995 through Morgan Stanley’s financial advisor training program. After building a successful solo practice in Southwest Florida, she transitioned to a management role. Since then, she has held a variety of leadership positions as district sales manager, branch manager, regional sales manager, and national strategic partnership director.
HOMETOWN Mount Vernon, New York
EDUCATION St. Thomas Aquinas College, New York
Michael Fierman
Managing Partner and Co-CEO
Angel Oak Companies
Michael Fierman is the managing partner and co-CEO of Angel Oak Companies, a leading firm specializing in mortgage lending and asset management. Under the Atlanta native’s leadership, Angel Oak has become one of the nation’s top nonbank wholesale and correspondent lender of non-qualified mortgage loans, operating in 46 states and the District of Columbia. Angel Oak Capital Advisors, the firm’s asset management division, manages over $17 billion in assets and has securitized more than $18 billion in non-qualified mortgages. With Fierman’s guidance, Angel Oak Capital Advisors launched a rapidly growing ETF (exchange-traded fund) platform, which has amassed over $1 billion in assets in under two years, with plans to surpass $2 billion by the end of 2025. Fierman also serves as a member of the UGA Terry College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council and the Buckhead Coalition.
EDUCATION University of Georgia
INSPIRING PERSON My mother
WHAT I’D TELL MY 18-YEAR-OLD SELF Don’t chase money. Find your passion and surround yourself with the smartest people you can find. Good things will happen.
Aziz Hashim
Founder and Managing Partner
NRD Capital
Aziz Hashim is the managing partner of NRD Capital, a private investment firm he founded in 2014 that invests in companies that offer compelling unit-level economics, as well as in technologies that improve the profitability of operators. Its portfolio includes Experiential Brands, Altitude Trampoline Parks, The Pickle Pad, Harri, and Qu POS.
EDUCATION University of California, Irvine
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS UCI Samueli School of Engineering Hall of Fame (2020), Nation’s Restaurant News Power List (2018), Restaurant Business Magazine Power 20 (2018)
FIRST JOB Burger King
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED Think beyond your current situation and project to where you wish to be.
Donte Miller
Cofounder and President
Village Micro Fund
Donte Miller is president of the nonprofit Village Micro Fund, which he founded in 2014 with Nathan Jones and Robin McKinnie. The organization offers support and classes to entrepreneurs in underserved communities and uses crowdfunding to invest in small businesses. VMF also created a Worker’s Equity Fund that uses equity investments to turn small businesses into worker-owned cooperatives by selling shares back to employees. Previously, Miller has had work experience at Goldman Sachs, Google, and the Atlanta Micro Fund, and he’s been featured on WABE and in the Bitter Southerner. In 2022, Miller was included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
EDUCATION Morehouse College
FIRST JOB My first unofficial job was sweeping up hair at a local barbershop in the mall. My first real job was as an intern at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco right in the midst of Occupy Wall Street—so, a fun time.
David Nicholas
CEO and Founder
Nicholas Wealth Management
David Nicholas is the CEO and founder of Nicholas Wealth Management, a private wealth management firm that helps clients—from families to corporations—navigate the world of financial markets and economics. A sought-after commentator on financial and economic matters, Nicholas has been featured on CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Fox & Friends, and CBS News.
EDUCATION Kennesaw State University, University of Georgia (MS)
HOMETOWN Kennesaw
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT Rang the Opening Bell on the New York Stock Exchange to celebrate the listing of our Nicholas Fixed Income Alternative ETF (NYSE: FIAX)
MOST INSPIRING PERSON My mother who was a single mom. She taught me that my biggest dreams were possible if you work hard and trust God.
David Panton
Managing Partner
Navigation Capital Partners
David Panton is managing partner of Navigation Capital Partners’ SPAC Operations Group, which is focused on building a diversified portfolio of investments in special-purpose acquisitions companies using three strategies: providing sponsor capital, leading investments in SPAC initial public offerings, and investing in and pricing private investments in public entities for SPACs. Panton is also a cofounder of Navigation Capital Partners and the chair of Panton Equity Partners, a private family office he founded in 2012. A former member of Jamaica’s Senate, Panton is also senior advisor–private equity for CEA Group and an adjunct professor of finance at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
EDUCATION Princeton University, Oxford University (PhD), Harvard Law School (JD)
HOMETOWN Mandeville, Jamaica
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Chef Rob’s Caribbean Cafe & Upscale Lounge
John Wright II
CEO and Managing Partner
Northwestern Mutual Goodwin, Wright
John Wright II is CEO and managing partner of Northwestern Mutual Goodwin, Wright, which consistently ranks as a leading national financial planning firm focused on mitigating risk and growing generational wealth. The firm’s commitment to service has catapulted it to the number one slot among life insurance providers and number nine among financial planning and advisory firms in Atlanta. Today, Northwestern Mutual Goodwin, Wright has over $61 billion of life insurance in force and, under Wright’s leadership, assets under management have grown to more than $8.5 billion. Most notably, he is committed to a culture of respect and has earned meaningful awards including Most Admired CEO, Best Places to Work, Atlanta’s Healthiest Employers, and national and local diversity and inclusion corporate champion awards. Working closely with key company leaders, he is successfully changing the “face” of the financial planning industry through his commitment to attracting diverse professionals to the career.
PRIVATE COMPANIES
Photograph courtesy of individual
Paul Brown
Cofounder and CEO
Inspire Brands
Paul Brown is cofounder and CEO of Inspire Brands, a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 32,600 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’ Donuts, Jimmy John’s, and Sonic locations worldwide. In 2023, its brands achieved more than $32.5 billion in global system sales. Inspire is supported by more than 675,000 company and franchise team members.
EDUCATION Georgia Tech, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (MBA), Northwestern University McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science (MA)
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS International Foodservice Manufacturers Association Silver Plate Award (2018 ), Restaurant Business Restaurant Leader of the Year (2017), Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Southeast (2016)
CHARITIES Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Tech Foundation, Metro Atlanta Chamber
Andrew T. Cathy
CEO
Chick-fil-A Inc.
Andrew T. Cathy became the third CEO in the history of Chick-fil-A Inc. in 2021, following in the footsteps of his father, current chairman Dan T. Cathy, and his late grandfather, founder S. Truett Cathy. With extensive experience working in Chick-fil-A restaurants and serving in multiple support center roles, Cathy is committed to ensuring the future of Chick-fil-A as a healthy, purpose-driven, global organization devoted to making a lasting, positive impact on the people and communities it serves. He is a member of Leadership Atlanta’s class of 2020.
EDUCATION University of Georgia
MOST INSPIRING PERSON My high school track coach. He made a significant impact on many lives including mine.
FAVORITE BOOK The Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder
Susana Chavez
Executive Vice President and Partner
Park Place
Susana Chavez is executive vice president and partner at Park Place, a national transportation and real estate company with a strong presence in 18 markets across the United States. At Park Place, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024, Chavez spearheaded a corporate initiative to update the technology of the urban markets and become an industry leader in innovative technology. Her strategic approach resulted in a 50 percent increase in revenues within her sector. Formerly, as general manager of parking operations, Chavez managed teams of up to 550 employees at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Parking revenue is the single largest revenue generator at the airport. Over a 29-year period, revenues increased from $12 million to $112 million, with over 7 million annual transactions.
EDUCATION University of California, Berkeley
FAVORITE BOOK I’d Like the World to Buy a Coke: The Life and Leadership of Roberto Goizueta by David Greising
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Freedom Park Trail
FAVORITE GEORGIA COLLEGE SPORTS TEAM Georgia Bulldogs
René M. Diaz
President and CEO
Diaz Foods
René Diaz is president and CEO of Atlanta-based Diaz Foods, a specialty-foods distributor to restaurants and grocers in 28 states, with over 400 employees and sales of $200 million. Diaz Foods was founded in 1980 and is a privately owned company. Diaz has served on the boards of Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, United Way of Greater Atlanta, Leadership Atlanta, and Emory Center for Ethics, among others. Born in Cuba, he came to the U.S. at age six.
EDUCATION Georgia State University
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 50 Most Influential Latinos in Georgia (2018), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta Legacy Award (2003), Leadership Atlanta class of 1994
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION Paris
HOBBIES Art collecting
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I used to ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Jim Hannan
President and CEO
Koch Industries Inc.
Jim Hannan was named president and CEO of Koch Industries Inc. in 2023. Hannan serves on the boards of Koch Industries and several other Koch subsidiaries. Previously, Hannan served as executive vice president and CEO of Enterprises for Koch Industries, overseeing Georgia-Pacific, Infor, Molex, Koch Engineered Solutions and Koch Investment Group as well as Koch Communications and Marketing, Koch Logistics and Koch Public Affairs. His career with Koch began in 1998 in Koch Mineral Services where he was chief financial officer prior to being named president of INVISTA Intermediates in 2004. He joined Georgia-Pacific in 2005 as chief administrative officer and was promoted to CEO and president in 2007. In that role, he led one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of tissue, packaging, pulp, paper, cellulose, nonwovens, building products and related chemicals.
EDUCATION California State University, East Bay
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS American Jewish Committee National Human Relations Award (2016), Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry PIMA Executive of the Year Award (2015), Atlanta Business Chronicle Most Admired CEOs (2014)
Photograph courtesy of United Distributors, Inc.
Doug Hertz
Chairman and CEO
United Distributors
Doug Hertz has been CEO of United Distributors since 1984. Under his leadership, the beverage distribution business has grown to be listed as one of the top 25 private companies in Atlanta. Hertz has demonstrated his commitment to community, having served on many boards including the boards of Atlantic Capital Bank, Camp Twin Lakes, Georgia Power, Georgia Ports Authority, Holly Lane Foundation, and the Marcus Foundation. In 2022, Morehouse College elected Hertz to its board of trustees. He has also served as chairman of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and is a minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. A native Atlantan, Hertz began his career with KPMG in New Orleans, working in the accounting and consulting services area.
EDUCATION Tulane University (MBA)
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT Hertz is chairman of Camp Twin Lakes, a facility he founded in 1989 for chronically ill and disadvantaged children. He also helped engineer the merger of Scottish Rite and Egleston pediatric hospitals to establish Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, now one of the largest pediatric healthcare systems in the country.
Natalie Morhous
CEO
RaceTrac
Formerly president of RaceTrac, Natalie Morhous, a third-generation leader in a 91-year-old family-owned business, was named CEO in 2024. Founded in 1934 by Morhous’s grandfather Carl Bolch Sr., RaceTrac is one of the largest family-owned and operated convenience-and-fuel retail businesses in the South. Morhous joined the company in 2012, serving in a variety of roles including vice president of energy dispatch before becoming president in 2019. Previously, she worked as a strategy and management consultant in Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION Connecticut College, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (MBA)
HOMETOWN Atlanta
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT Convenience Store Products Retail Leader of the Year (2023)
FIRST JOB Camp counselor at Westminster Summer Camps in Atlanta
Farooq B. Mughal
Chairman and Managing Partner
Mughal Strategies Global Partners
Representative, District 105
Georgia House of Representatives
As chairman and managing partner of Mughal Strategies Global Partners, Farooq Mughal focuses his practice on government relations, business advisory, and public engagement. Since founding the firm in 2008, Mughal has built it into a government relations powerhouse that has come to be regarded as one of the state’s best. Mughal has worked with clients in nearly every sector of the economy, developing and executing business and government strategies on a diverse range of issues including international trade, agriculture, aviation, and technology. In 2022, Mughal, who is a member of Leadership Gwinnett’s class of 2021, was elected to represent District 105 in the Georgia House of Representatives. The first Muslim man to be elected to the state House, Mughal, who serves on the Georgia Chamber board of directors, focused on veterans, law enforcement and small business owners during his first legislative session from 2023 to 2024.
EDUCATION Mercer University
Photograph courtesy of individual
Gregg Paradies
President and CEO
Paradies Lagardère
Gregg Paradies is president and CEO of Paradies Lagardère, a leading airport travel retailer and restaurateur in North America with 850 stores and 170 restaurants and bars in more than 100 airports. With expertise in international, national, and local brands, Paradies Lagardère works with airport, brand, and supplier partners to create memorable and positive experiences for travelers. Gregg Paradies is responsible for the company’s overall business and ensuring that it continues its strong tradition of providing exceptional customer service, superior design, and award-winning store and restaurant operations and management.
EDUCATION University of Texas at Austin
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED You cannot do wrong by doing right.
HOBBIES Outdoor sports
Donata Russell Ross
CEO
Concessions International
Donata Russell Ross is the CEO of Concessions International, a national food and beverage concessionaire that currently operates and manages facilities in eight major airports across the country. Russell Ross has been an integral part of Concessions International’s management team for more than 38 years and previously served as president. She’s also president of the Herman J. Russell Foundation—a family foundation named for Russell Ross’s father, the legendary Atlanta builder—which supports community initiatives and programs focusing on entrepreneurship, youth development, and mentoring. Russell Ross currently serves on the boards of Early Learning Property Management, Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), and H. J. Russell & Company.
EDUCATION University of Pennsylvania
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT One of a handful of African American women leading a food and beverage company
Tyler Scriven
Cofounder and CEO
Saltbox
Tyler Scriven is cofounder and CEO of Saltbox, an end-to-end logistics enablement network for small businesses. Some of Saltbox’s core offerings include a growing network of modern co-warehousing facilities and a broad range of small to medium-sized business friendly logistics services. Saltbox opened its first co-warehousing facility in December 2019 and now has 12 facilities across the country. Prior to founding Saltbox, Scriven served as the founding managing director of Techstars Atlanta, a global early-stage venture capital investment fund and chief of staff at Palantir Technologies, a big data analytics software provider. In 2024, the Atlanta Business Chronicle recognized Scriven as a Most Admired CEO. Additionally, Scriven is a member of the board of directors of the Serenbe Land Corporation.
EDUCATION University of Virginia
HOMETOWN Jacksonville, Florida
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I’m an amateur interior designer.
Photograph courtesy of individual
Alexander C. Taylor
Chairman and CEO
Cox Enterprises
Alex Taylor is chairman and CEO of Cox Enterprises, a company with 50,000 employees worldwide. Taylor is the great-grandson of former Ohio governor James M. Cox, who founded the company in 1898. As Taylor is charged with guiding the company through some of the most transformative times in its history, core businesses Cox Communications and Cox Automotive lead in the communications and automotive industries. Additionally, Cox Enterprises is a leading investment platform with strategic positions in emerging technologies driving the future of agriculture, renewable energy, healthtech, and public sector software. The private, family-owned company has already invested more than $2 billion in sustainable businesses and technologies.
EDUCATION Vanderbilt University
FIRST JOB Reporter for the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel in Colorado
PUBLIC COMPANIES
Photograph courtesy of individual
Mark Begor
CEO
Equifax
Mark Begor was named CEO of Equifax and a member of its board of directors in April 2018. During Begor’s tenure as CEO, annual revenue has grown from $3.4 billion in 2018 to $5.2 billion in 2023. Additionally, under his leadership, the company has invested over $1.5 billion to change nearly every facet of its infrastructure, has become an industry leader in security, is driving AI innovation, and is on track to become the only cloud-native data, analytics and technology company of its kind. Begor served previously as a managing director in the industrial and business services group at Warburg Pincus, a $40 billion private equity firm with more than 120 portfolio companies. Begor spent 35 years at GE, most recently as president and CEO of its $8 billion energy management business, and prior to that as president and CEO of GE Capital Real Estate.
EDUCATION Syracuse University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (MBA)
BOARD MEMBERSHIPS NCR Atleos, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Foundation
Ted Decker
Chair, President, and CEO
The Home Depot
Ted Decker is chair, president, and CEO of The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer with more than 2,300 stores and approximately 475,000 associates. He is also a member of the company’s board of directors. From 2020 to 2022, Decker served as president and chief operating officer and was responsible for global store operations, global supply chain, outside sales and service, and real estate, as well as merchandising, marketing, and online strategy. While he was in this role, the company enhanced its capabilities to blend the online and in-store worlds. Decker joined The Home Depot in 2000 as director of business valuation and has held several strategic positions across the company. Previously, Decker worked in business development, strategic planning, and finance at Kimberly-Clark Corp. and Scott Paper Co. and held various corporate finance, lending, and credit positions at PNC Bank. He has extensive international experience, having lived and worked in England and Australia. He currently sits on the Atlanta Committee for Progress board.
EDUCATION The College of William and Mary, Carnegie Mellon University (MBA)
Paul Donahue
Executive Chairman
Genuine Parts Company
Formerly chairman and CEO of Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), Paul Donahue was named executive chairman of the Fortune 200 global distributor of automotive and industrial parts, effective June 3, 2024. GPC serves its global customers from an extensive network of more than 10,700 locations in 17 countries and generates annual revenues of approximately $20 billion. Donahue was named chairman in April 2019 after being elected CEO in May 2016. He is a more than 20-year veteran of GPC and has held several key management positions, including executive leadership roles at S. P. Richards Company, Genuine Parts Company’s business products group, and the U.S. automotive parts group. Additionally, he served as the 2023 chair Metro Atlanta Chamber.
EDUCATION University of Northern Iowa
Jennifer Mann
President, North America
The Coca-Cola Company
In January 2023 Jennifer Mann became the first woman to serve as president of The Coca-Cola Company’s North America operating unit. In her role, Mann also serves as corporate senior vice president. Mann formerly served as president of Global Ventures, responsible for globally scaling acquisitions and brands, including Costa Coffee and Coca-Cola’s investment in Monster Beverage Corp. Mann has held a variety of leadership and operational roles, having joined Coca-Cola in 1997 as a manager in the National Customer Support division of North America.
EDUCATION Georgia State University
HOMETOWN Atlanta
FIRST JOB Chick-fil-A
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION The Bahamas
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Fox Theatre
Chris Peterson
President and CEO
Newell Brands
Chris Peterson is president and CEO of Newell Brands and a member of its board of directors. With an extensive background in corporate strategy, financial planning, and operations and management, Peterson joined Newell in December 2018 as chief financial officer. He was named CFO and president, Business Operations in February 2020 and president and CFO in May 2022. He assumed the position of president and CEO in May 2023. Since joining Newell, Peterson has played an integral role in the company’s turnaround by strengthening financial performance, building operational excellence and a culture of productivity, reducing complexity and transforming Newell’s supply chain capabilities. Before Newell, Peterson was the chief operating officer of Operations at Revlon Inc. He also spent four years at Ralph Lauren as senior vice president, CFO and president, Global Brands. Prior to Ralph Lauren, he spent 20 years at Procter & Gamble, where he held various roles. Peterson is a board member of BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. and chair of its audit committee.
Dimitris Psillakis
Head of Marketing and Sales North America and CEO
Mercedes-Benz USA
Dimitris Psillakis is head of marketing and sales North America and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Atlanta. Psillakis has overall responsibility for Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans in the United States and leads over 1,600 employees throughout the U.S. Previously, Psillakis was president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada, and before that served as president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea. Under his leadership, the South Korean market grew to become the fifth largest market in the world for Mercedes-Benz cars.
EDUCATION University of Kent at Canterbury, University of London (MBA)
HOMETOWN Athens, Greece
FAVORITE MOVIE Finding Nemo
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Coming to terms with the fact that I’m not German after working at a German company for over 30 years.
James Quincey
Chairman and CEO
The Coca-Cola Co.
James Quincey is chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. Before becoming CEO in 2017, he led the company’s worldwide operating units as president and chief operating officer. Previously, Quincey was president of Coca-Cola’s Europe Group, comprising 38 countries including the EU, the European Free Trade Association countries, and the Balkans. The United Kingdom native also played a leading role in the merger that formed Coca-Cola European Partners, now the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler based on net revenues.
EDUCATION University of Liverpool
HOBBIES I love skiing. My family and I have been going to Colorado for over 25 years.
FAVORITE MOVIE The Matrix
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Atlanta BeltLine
Jeffrey Sprecher
Chairman and CEO
Intercontinental Exchange
Chairman
New York Stock Exchange
Jeff Sprecher is founder, chairman, and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) and chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. Formed in 2000, ICE is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds, and operates digital networks to connect people to opportunity. Through ICE’s exchanges, including the NYSE, and clearing houses, they help people invest, raise capital, and manage risk. ICE’s comprehensive fixed income data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics, and platforms to help customers capitalize on opportunities and operate more efficiently. Sprecher has served as CEO since 2000 and chairman since 2002 and continues to transform, streamline, and automate industries. In 2005, ICE completed its initial public offering on the NYSE and today has a market capitalization of over $75 billion.
EDUCATION University of Wisconsin-Madison, Pepperdine University (MBA)
BOARD MEMBERSHIPS Buckhead Coalition, Commerce Club, Metro Atlanta Chamber executive committee
Carol Tomé
CEO
UPS
Carol Tomé was named CEO of UPS in 2020, becoming the 12th chief executive in the company’s century-plus history as well as the first woman to hold the top job. Previously, Tomé was executive vice president and chief financial officer of The Home Depot, which she joined in 1995 as vice president and treasurer. A native of Jackson, Wyoming, Tomé began her career as a commercial lender with United Bank of Denver (now Wells Fargo) and then spent several years as director of banking for the Johns Manville corporation. In 2024, Governor Brian Kemp and the Georgia Historical Society inducted Tomé as a modern-day Georgia Trustee, the state’s highest honor recognizing Georgians whose accomplishments and community service reflect the ideals of the founding body of Trustees. The annual honor is connected to the original Georgia Trustees, a governing body chartered and appointed by His Majesty King George II of England in 1732 to establish the colony of Georgia. Additionally, she serves on the boards of Grady Hospital, Atlanta Botanical Garden, and other local organizations.
RETAIL
Ann Mashburn
Chief Creative Officer
Mashburn
Ann Mashburn, chief creative officer of Mashburn LLC, began her career in New York in 1984 as an assistant to Vogue fashion editor and stylist Polly Mellen. She subsequently served as an editor and stylist for Glamour, then as a stylist for J.Crew—where she met her husband, Sid. The couple moved to Atlanta in 2007 and opened the Sid Mashburn men’s shop. Ann served as chief financial officer and chief operating officer during the first three years, and in 2010 she opened the Ann Mashburn shop as a women’s counterpoint. Ann and Sid shops are also in Houston, Dallas, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Nashville.
EDUCATION University of Colorado Boulder
Photograph courtesy of individual
Sid Mashburn
Executive Chairman and Designer
Mashburn
Sid Mashburn serves as executive chairman and designer of Mashburn LLC. He began his career in New York as the first men’s designer at J.Crew, and was subsequently recruited to Polo Ralph Lauren. Mashburn went on to serve as vice president of design at Tommy Hilfiger and senior vice president of design at Lands’ End. In 2007 Mashburn and his wife, Ann, moved to Atlanta, where they opened the men’s shop Sid Mashburn. In 2010, they expanded the business with Ann Mashburn, a women’s line and shop, followed by the launch of e-commerce sites in 2011 to serve the brand’s expanding customer base outside of Atlanta. Ann and Sid shops are also in Houston, Dallas, New York City, Washington, D.C., Nashville, and Los Angeles.
EDUCATION University of Mississippi
TECHNOLOGY
Kabir Barday
Founder, President, and CEO
OneTrust
Kabir Barday is the founder and CEO of OneTrust, a privacy, security, and third-party risk technology platform utilized by more than 14,000 customers around the globe. Headquartered in Atlanta, OneTrust employs over 2,300 people in ten offices throughout the world. Barday, who founded the company in 2016, oversees all aspects of OneTrust’s product development, operations, and sales internationally. Since its founding, the company has been awarded over 300 patents and acquired nine companies. In 2022, OneTrust was recognized in Forbes’s Cloud 100 list. Barday sits on the advisory boards for the Future of Privacy Forum, the Center for Information Policy Leadership, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and Georgia Tech. Additionally, Barday was named to the Aspen Institute’s 2023 class of Henry Crown Fellows.
EDUCATION Georgia Tech
Mark Buffington
CEO
BIP Capital
Managing Partner
BIP Ventures
Mark Buffington is the founder and CEO of BIP Capital and the managing partner of BIP Ventures. Since its founding in 2006, Buffington has led the venture capital firm to its position as the region’s most active venture capital firm and one of the most recognized brands in venture capital outside of Silicon Valley. He has led investment rounds in more than 80 companies in numerous industries: healthcare, digital media, ed tech, enterprise SaaS, fintech, and advanced computing. Notable investments include Vendormate, Ingenious Med, QA Symphony/Tricentis, PlayOn! Sports, Huddle Tickets, Tropical Smoothie Café, Cypress.io, ConnexPay, REACH Health, Trella Health, Shareholder InSite, and Aspirion Health Resources.
EDUCATION Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, Tulane University (MBA)
FIRST JOB International business analyst for Total System Services
Photograph courtesy of individual
Eddie Capel
President and CEO
Manhattan Associates
Eddie Capel serves as president and CEO of Manhattan Associates and is a member of its board of directors. Prior to assuming his current role in 2013, Capel helped lead the company as president and chief operating officer, and previously served as COO and executive vice president. Before joining Manhattan Associates in 2000, he held various positions at Real Time Solutions, leading teams that supported the supply chain strategies of companies such as Walmart, Amazon, and J.C. Penney. In 2023, Capel was elected to serve as chair of the board of Skyline Champion Corporation.
FIRST JOB Pumping gas
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Managing through the Covid-19 pandemic
INSPIRING PERSON Bill Dixon, A former boss
BUCKET LIST Learning to pole-vault
WHO’D PLAY ME IN A BIOPIC Bruce Willis
Photograph courtesy of individual
David Cummings
Partner
Atlanta Ventures
David Cummings is an Atlanta-based tech entrepreneur who has founded 10 companies collectively valued at nearly $1 billion, including Pardot, SalesLoft, and Terminus. He’s also the founder of the Atlanta Tech Village—the U.S.’s fourth-largest tech hub—and the largest investor in Calendly, the world’s most popular scheduling app. After selling Pardot, he was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and one of the 100 Most Influential Atlantans by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Cummings is a partner in Atlanta Ventures, which invests in subscription companies in the Southeast. In late 2023, Atlanta Ventures announced the creation of SoDo Atlanta to revitalize South Downtown Atlanta, reimagining 55 buildings and six acres of parking lots to create a safe, walkable, and livable neighborhood in time for the FIFA World Cup in Atlanta in 2026.
EDUCATION Duke University
HOMETOWN Tallahassee, Florida
FIRST JOB Mowing yards
Allyson Eman
CEO
Venture Atlanta
Allyson Eman has more than 30 years of experience in marketing, communications, sales leadership, and business development. In 2007, she became executive director for the newly created Venture Atlanta annual conference, and was promoted to CEO in January 2020. Eman has worked with key business leaders across the country and founding organizations—the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Atlanta CEO Council, and the Technology Association of Georgia—to build Venture Atlanta, which is now the largest venture capital conference in the Southeast, with over 1,500 attendees including venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and senior business executives. Previously, Eman was senior vice president of marketing and communications for SouthStar Funding, an Atlanta-based wholesale mortgage lender.
EDUCATION University of Florida
FAVORITE MOVIE Legally Blonde
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Ponce City Market
Justin Ferrero
President and Chief Financial Officer
Sharecare
Atlanta native Justin Ferrero has led financial operations at digital health company Sharecare since its founding in 2010. He’s responsible for technology, finance, corporate development, and strategic partnerships. In 2021, he co-led the execution of the company’s public offering, resulting in its Nasdaq debut with a valuation of nearly $4 billion. For the past 21 years, Ferrero has worked closely with serial entrepreneur Jeff Arnold, Sharecare’s former chairman and CEO and current executive chairman, overseeing all matters related to finance and corporate development for Arnold’s businesses. During that time, Ferrero raised an estimated $2 billion and has bought, integrated, and built approximately 30 businesses.
EDUCATION University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
FIRST JOB Dishwasher at OK Cafe
HOBBIES Spending time with my kids, Finn and Banks
NONPROFIT Casa de Amoro, which supports those affected by child abuse and neglect
JP James
Chairman
Hive Financial Systems
JP James is the chairman of the financial technology company Hive Financial Systems. Since its founding in 2017, Hive has grown into a medium-sized financial institution, managing over $120 million in its private credit fund, with commitments of over $250 million. Hive provides balance sheet financing to five lenders across the country, supporting the origination of over 150,000 customers. James is a member of Leadership Atlanta’s class of 2024 and was appointed to The Carter Center’s board of councilors in 2024.
EDUCATION Georgia Tech
FIRST JOB Computer teacher at 12 years old at Peters Township Public Library
HOMETOWN Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Photograph courtesy of individual
Paul Judge
Chairman and Managing Partner
Open Opportunity Fund
Paul Judge is chairman and managing partner of Open Opportunity Fund, a technology venture capital firm focused on investing in software companies founded by outstanding diverse entrepreneurs. A technology entrepreneur and investor, Judge is cofounder and chairman of Pindrop, a provider of voice security for some of the world’s largest banks and enterprises. He previously co-led Panoramic Ventures and TechSquare Labs. He has cofounded three companies that were acquired. He cofounded Purewire which was acquired by Barracuda Networks in 2008. Prior to this, he was the chief technology officer at CipherTrust, which was acquired by Secure Computing in 2006.
EDUCATION Morehouse College, Georgia Tech (MS, PhD)
Lynne Laube
Operating Partner
Valor Ventures
Lynne Laube joined Valor Ventures as operating partner in 2022. Valor is a growing venture capital firm supporting B2B SaaS businesses. In her role, Laube focuses on advising business founders, serving on portfolio company boards, leading Valor’s venture partner network, and attracting new talent. Laube was the cofounder and director of Cardlytics, an advertising platform in banks’ digital channels. After taking the company public in 2018, Laube led Cardlytics through numerous accomplishments, including partnering with some of the largest banks in the country, increasing the platform’s reach to over 150 million monthly active users, and bolstering the leadership team and board of directors. Before cofounding Cardlytics in 2008 with Scott Grimes, Laube held many positions with Capital One.
EDUCATION University of Cincinnati, University of Virginia Darden School of Business
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Laube recently earned honors from Business Insider as one of the key executives driving the country’s most promising start-ups and from Inc. as a top-10 venture-backed female founder.
Stephen Pair
Cofounder and CEO
BitPay
Stephen Pair is the CEO of BitPay, the world’s leading provider of bitcoin payment technology. In 2011, Pair cofounded BitPay with Tony Gallippi because he saw bitcoin’s potential to transform payments for businesses and consumers. As CEO, he directs the day-to-day operations as well as the long-term vision of BitPay, from research and engineering to product development and information technology. Pair has over 20 years of experience building software systems in the financial and telecommunications industries. Before founding BitPay, he held various roles including entrepreneur, architect, manager, team lead, and developer. He holds two patents in the field of streaming analytics.
EDUCATION Georgia Tech
HOMETOWN Cumming, Georgia
FIRST JOB Fry cook at Captain D’s
HIDDEN TALENT Wake-surfing
FAVORITE MOVIES Star Wars
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Georgia Aquarium
Heather Rocker
President and CEO
Women in Technology
Heather Rocker served as the organization’s first executive director from 2007 to 2011. Since then, she has served as CEO of Girls Inc. of Greater Atlanta, where she significantly expanded volunteer recruitment and fundraising. She later transitioned to corporate leadership as managing principal at SEI-ATLANTA. And in 2019, she returned to the nonprofit sector as executive director of the Drupal Association. Most recently, she served as the Global Head of Operations for Amazon’s Alexa Prize program, an AI competition for universities. She returned to WIT as president and CEO in 2023.
EDUCATION Georgia Tech
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Board president, Georgia FIRST Robotics; board member:Tech Association of Georgia Diversity & Inclusion Council, TAG Education Collaborative, and Georgia Tech Alumni Association; Leadership Atlanta Classof 2019; Inspirator Category Winner, Turknett Leadership Character Awards
Justin E. Samuels
Founder and CEO
Render-Atlanta
Justin E. Samuels is a technologist and influencer of all things software engineering and underrepresented groups in technology. Having started one of the fastest growing multicultural conferences in the country, Render-Atlanta (RenderATL), Samuels amplifies the presence of technology in the southern United States while emphasizing culture and inclusion. Launched in 2021, RenderATL is described as a software engineering experience featuring good vibes, great music, and expert speakers on tech, leadership, inclusion, and accessibility. Samuels is also a full-time senior engineer and tech lead at Intuit Mailchimp, where he helps empower small and medium-sized enterprises on their marketing platform.
EDUCATION Mississippi State University
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT In three years, RenderATL has become North America’s largest developer-focused technology conference with over 5,000 annual attendees.
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I’m a first-generation immigrant by way of my father who is from Montego Bay, Jamaica.
FAVORITE BOOK Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
Sanjay Sehgal
Founder, Chairman, and CEO
MSys Technologies
Sanjay Sehgal is the founder, chairman and CEO of MSys Technologies—which designs, develops, and manages modern distributed systems and complex ecosystem integrations. An entrepreneur, start-up adviser, and motivational speaker with more than three decades of tech experience, Sehgal also cofounded Pramana, Scentric, iVivity, and acquired tech companies, including Clogeny, Mobinius, and DigiFutura. In 2022 and 2023, Sehgal was recognized as a top CEO in Georgia Titan 100. Additionally, Sehgal, who is a member of Forbes Business Council, has received a TiE Atlanta Top Entrepreneur Award.
EDUCATION University of Delhi
HOMETOWN New Delhi, India
HOBBIES Exploring nature and beaches
HIDDEN TALENT Being an artist—I enjoy singing and dancing.
FAVORITE BOOK Spiritual Anatomy, Meditation, Chakras, and the Journey to the Center by Kamlesh D. Patel
Nashlie Sephus
Principal AI Tech Evangelist
Amazon
Nashlie Sephus is the tech evangelist for Amazon Artificial Intelligence (AI) focusing on fairness and identifying biases at Amazon Web Services AI. She formerly led the Amazon Visual Search team as an applied scientist in Atlanta, which launched visual search for replacement parts on the Amazon shopping app in June 2018. This technology was a result of former Atlanta startup Partpic, for which she was the chief technology officer, being acquired by Amazon. Prior to working at Partpic, she worked for Exponent, an engineering and scientific consulting firm, in New York City. Her core research areas were digital signal processing, machine learning, and computer engineering.
EDUCATION Mississippi State University, Georgia Tech (MS, PhD)
HOMETOWN Jackson, Mississippi
FIRST JOB Playing the piano for my church
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Piedmont Park
Rania Succar
Chief Executive Officer
Intuit Mailchimp
Rania Succar is Intuit Mailchimp’s chief executive officer and senior vice president of the QuickBooks Money Platform. A strategic leader with a proven track record in driving growth, Succar came to Intuit to build and grow the QuickBooks Capital business, leading the successful launch in November 2017. Today, Succar leads a comprehensive portfolio of money movement businesses at Intuit, including QuickBooks Payments and Mailchimp. In 2021, Intuit acquired Mailchimp, and in 2022, Succar was named CEO after Mailchimp cofounder Ben Chestnut decided to step back from his role. Prior to joining Intuit, Succar oversaw product commercialization and go-to-market strategy for YouTube’s multibillion-dollar advertising business in North America. Succar began her career as an investment banker with Merrill Lynch advising technology companies.
EDUCATION Harvard University (MBA, MPA)
Michael E. Tabb
Director, Real Estate Services, Americas
Google
Tabb is responsible for Google’s real estate services in the Americas. Before Google, Tabb founded Red Rock Global, making it one of the most creative and successful full-service commercial real estate firms in the United States. Previously, Tabb served as director of real estate asset services for The Coca-Cola Company, where he was responsible for the company’s real estate activities worldwide. Prior to entering commercial real estate, Tabb proudly served the country in the United States Navy as a lieutenant commander in public affairs, and as a surface warfare officer. He deployed to the Mediterranean twice, supporting Operation Desert Storm and serving as an assault boat group commander.
EDUCATION United States Naval Academy, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (MBA)
HOMETOWN Oxon Hill, Maryland
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I am a Lake Charles- trained gumbo maker and lover
Dawn Whaley
President and Chief Marketing Officer
Sharecare
Dawn Whaley has been at digital health company Sharecare since its founding. She participates in the development of the overall corporate strategy and is directly responsible for marketing, strategic partnerships, and business development. In 2021, she helped take the company public at a valuation of nearly $4 billion. Previously, Whaley was executive vice president of marketing and strategic relationships for the website HowStuffWorks, where she helped manage operations and corporate development efforts, including business development and creation and execution of the marketing strategy. Selected as an Atlanta Business Chronicle Women of Influence honoree in 2022, Whaley currently serves on the boards of Forbes Travel Guide and the American Heart Association’s Metro Atlanta Division.
EDUCATION University of Georgia
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Raising my wonderful daughter, Spencer
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACES TO VISIT Atlanta BeltLine, Stone Mountain
Larry Williams
President and CEO
Technology Association of Georgia
Larry Williams is president and CEO of the Technology Association of Georgia, bringing to the job more than 25 years of experience in global branding, international trade and finance, public and industrial policy, and administration and management. In 2023, TAG launched its Bridge Builders program, a new training partnership designed to enable employers throughout the state to access a more diverse pool of qualified tech talent. Additionally, the initiative also includes a scholarship program aimed at bridging career opportunity gaps for black professionals in Georgia’s fast-growing tech industry. As former president and CEO of the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County’s official economic development partnership, Williams led the creation and execution of a new development framework to help the area grow and secure investments in today’s innovation economy, resulting in $687 million in new investment, 119 company relocations or expansions, and more than 4,500 new jobs. From 2011 to 2014, Williams helped shape Atlanta’s tech sector as vice president of technology development at the Metro Atlanta Chamber.
Joey Womack
Founder and CEO
Goodie Nation
Joey Womack is the founder and CEO of Goodie Nation, a nonprofit that accelerates relationships for social entrepreneurs and diverse founders, and the founder and CEO of Amplify 4 Good, a mission-driven agency that helps large companies, nonprofits, and government agencies create social impact. With a goal to positively affect 1 billion people by 2039, Womack has worked with clients including Google, Coca-Cola, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Ford Motor Co. He is also the cofounder of the Atlanta Black Tech initiative, serving as colead for the start-ups and K-12 divisions. In 2023, Mayor Andre Dickens presented Womack with the Community Icon Award from Google For Startups. The first recipient of this award, he also received $100,000 to further his work to support Atlanta’s community of entrepreneurs.
EDUCATION Florida A&M University (MBA)
Jason W. Young
CEO
MindBlown Labs Innovation Partners
Jason W. Young is the cofounder and CEO of MindBlown Labs, an Atlanta-based financial wellness innovation lab whose mission is to empower Americans to make better financial decisions and achieve enduring financial wellness as a result. The company partners with financial institutions to develop digital solutions that connect with users on an emotional level, driving positive saving and investing behaviors. Named the 2024 chair of the board of trustees of the National Endowment for Financial Education, Young was appointed by Barack Obama in 2014 to serve on the newly created President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans.
EDUCATION Harvard College
HOMETOWN Inglewood, California
LEGENDS
Jeff Arnold
Arnold founded WebMD and grew it into a $1 billion revenue company. Next came the Convex Group, a media and internet investment organization that acquired HowStuffWorks, then sold it to Discovery Communications, which helped launch his next venture, Sharecare. In 2021, the company went public. Today, he is Sharecare’s executive chairman and chairman of Forbes Travel Guide. Brent Layton, formerly of Centene Corporation, replaced him as Sharecare CEO in 2024.
J. Veronica Biggins
Biggins is the managing partner of the Atlanta office of Diversified Search. Previously, she served as director of presidential personnel and assistant to President Bill Clinton. She was also vice chair of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.
Arthur Blank
The cofounder of Home Depot has become an iconic figure in Atlanta since retiring in 2001. The Arthur M. Blank Family of Businesses portfolio includes the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, West Creek Ranch, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In addition, the Arthur Blank Foundation, along with his family’s personal giving, has granted more than $1 billion to charities, primarily in Georgia and Montana.
Dan T. Cathy
Now the chairman of Chick-fil-A Inc, Cathy was the company’s CEO from 2013 until 2021. The son of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy, he cofounded the Same House Inc., which hosts the annual Beloved Benefit in Atlanta to foster greater economic mobility in communities across Atlanta.
Michael J. Coles
After a career in the clothing business, Coles founded the Great American Cookie Co. with Arthur Karp in 1977. They grew an initial $8,000 investment into the nation’s largest cookie store franchise. He has chaired the Georgia Film Commission and served on the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, the Kennesaw State University Foundation Board, and the Walker School Board.
Lonnie G. Johnson
Johnson earned his master’s degree in nuclear engineering from Tuskegee University and went on to work for the U.S. Air Force and the NASA space program. Experimenting with high-powered water guns, he invented the bestselling Super Soaker.
Bill Linginfelter
Prior to his retirement in 2024, Linginfelter was president of Regions Bank. Prior to joining Regions in 2008, the Saint Simons Island native served as Georgia CEO for Wachovia. He is a past chair of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and the Georgia Research Alliance.
Sig Mosley
As president of Imlay Investments and then managing partner of Mosley Ventures, Mosley has invested in 120 start-ups since 1990—making him one of Atlanta’s most active angel investors. He helped nurture the city’s technology industry.
Tripp Rackley
Rackley is an accomplished technology entrepreneur. He’s founded multiple successful companies, including nFront, Firethorn, Experience, and Clutch Technologies. He has been inducted into the Bank Technology News Innovators Hall of Fame, the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia, and the Technology Association of Georgia’s FinTech Hall of Fame.
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