North Atlanta Business Post, July 2015 by Appen Media Group

July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

New sub in town

Capriotti’s opens first Ga. location in Duluth. PAGE 30

Millennial Meccas

NABP Power Ranks top metroAtlanta cities for Millennials. PAGE 12 Volume

Issue

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Cherokee

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Cobb

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Forsyth

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Fulton

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Gwinnett

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Hall

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Appen

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Hi-tech brain surgery Emory-St. Joseph’s use Gama Knife. PAGE 9

Roswell mixes it up

Mixed-use development looks at Canton St. PAGE 18

Bats, pucks and more

PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Atlanta, GA Permit #3592

Gwinnett home to numerous pro sports teams. PAGE 27

The Perimeter Center Parkway Bridge created in big parts to the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts.

BUSINESSES THAT TAX THEMSELVES?

Appen Media Group 319 North Main Street Alpharetta, GA 30009

Metro Atlanta has proven fertile ground for new cities where residents have taken control of their own tax dollars. But, long before Sandy Springs and Johns Creek came into being, business owners were forming their own taxing districts to raise money for local projects.

So far, close to two dozen of these community improvement districts have accounted for billions of dollars worth of transportation and quality-of-life improvements. Read more, Pages 16 - 17.

Redefining Density for a New Market For more information see page 11

2• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

WELCOME

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 3

Letter from the publisher My parents were recently in Germany visiting my sister Amelia, who has been living in Berlin for the last year-and-ahalf. It was their first visit there, and my dad came back overflowing with ideas. While it is not unusual for him to be inspired by just about anything he sees, he was more excited than usual about what he saw on his trip. So I asked him to give me a short paragraph on what he liked the most about his trip to Berlin. I knew the “short paragraph” part of this would be difficult. So here it is from Ray: Berlin is about the same size as greater Atlanta – over 4 million residents. We spent four days there. What impressed me more than all the museums, the food, the castles and the touristy stuff was the mobility of the city – the clean mobility – and the sensibilities of the people who lived there. It seemed like the majority of the residents were under 30 years old. No one needs to own a car in Berlin. It is 100 percent unnecessary, as one can go anywhere in the city by electric-powered subway, trolley, train or (diesel-powered) bus. Bikes were everywhere, and so were bike baths. We almost witnessed an accident in which one cyclist was “texting while driving” and nearly ran into another bike – just like here, except with bicycles instead of cars. For a large percentage of the population, bikes seemed to be the preferred means of transportation. I am not talking about afternoon leisure bike rides; I am talking about getting to work. Tied to the mass transit orientation of the city and its

residents was an overall concern for the carbon footprint of everything – ranging from the food they ate and the shared housing in which they lived to their leisure activities. Regarding consumer goods, if it wasn’t efficient or didn’t have a conservative and efficient carbon footprint, they didn’t like it – and they didn’t buy it. What I saw was not just limited to the Millennials, but they appeared to be a driving force. If you read Steve Stroud’s column on page 11, he talks about change, adaptation and what the city of Roswell is doing to stay relevant to everyone, but especially to these Millennials. You should read what Steve wrote. He is spot on, and any business, city, company or institution who does not recognize and adapt to what is going on will have an incredibly difficult time in the future. I think that the old adage of “change or die” in so many words may be an appropriate summary. I hope you are enjoying your summer and your Business Post. Let us know if we can do anything to help, and we’ll see you again next month.

Meet the staff OWNERS Ray & Christina Appen

EDITORIAL Jonathan Copsey Hatcher Hurd Hans Appen, Publisher Joe Parker hans@appenmediagroup.com Kathleen Sturgeon Shannon Weaver

PRODUCTION David Brown Suzanne Pacey Pat Fox, Editor pat@appenmediagroup.com

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NEWS

4• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Alpharetta 1st, Cumming 6th best place to start business By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. — Cities in metro Atlanta, including Alpharetta and Cumming, now have reinforcement when they say they are among the best places to start a business in Georgia. Having almost as many businesses as it does residents helped the city of Cumming snag a No. 6 spot on Nerd Wallet’s list of Best Places to Start a Business in Georgia. Alpharetta was ranked first on the list, with Nerd Wallet saying the city has “nearly 9,000 businesses, which average over $6.9 million in revenue per business each year, more than any city on the list.” Nerd Wallet is a free online tool to help customers choose credit cards and other similar products. It released its list June 8 and said Georgia provides a lot to business owners including low tax rates, ample technology infrastructure and affordable cost of living. The company analyzed 126 places in Georgia, each with a population of at least 5,000. Cities with fewer than 500 businesses were excluded, regardless of population. According to the website, they calculated the overall score for each location based on the city’s business climate and economic health using data

from the U.S. Census Bureau. To determine a community’s business climate, they looked at average revenue, percentage of businesses with paid employees and the number of businesses per 100 people. To determine a community’s economic health, they looked at median annual income, median annual housing costs and the unemployment rate. Two of the key takeaways were the suburbs having the most profitable businesses and location along major transportation routes. As for Cumming, the list said it is one of the smallest cities on the list, but it has more business per 100 people than anywhere else in the study. Cumming also has almost as many businesses (5,251) as it does residents (5,504). James McCoy, president and chief executive officer of the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce, said that means Cumming is an important employment center. “Folks are coming here to work and run their businesses that may not necessarily live here,” McCoy said. “They may live in an unincorporated part of the county or live in another part of Atlanta, but they’re coming here to do business.” The website also said being located along the bustling Ga. 400 corridor helps businesses in both Alpharetta and Cum-

“Folks are coming here to work and run their businesses that may not necessarily live here.” James McCoy, president and CEO of the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce

ming benefit from the area’s transportation and technology infrastructure. That isn’t the only reason the city is doing so well, McCoy said. “Certainly, Ga. 400 is a big driver of it,” McCoy said. “No city property tax also helps a great deal. But there are many other drivers. Our school system is a great example of that because they’re really pushing the growth as well.” The website also noted Cumming’s Small Business Services Center offers coaching and roundtable discussions to help local business owners start and

grow their enterprises. “If you dig into the criteria of what they are looking for, it’s reflective of an overall very pro-business environment and community that has worked for a long time to make sure that today we would be able to enjoy the kind of business growth we’re seeing,” McCoy said. “There is an incredible technology infrastructure that exists and that we enjoy the benefits of.” In an effort to continue this positive trend, McCoy said the chamber is in the middle of an important expansion in economic development efforts for the county called Business First. It’s a $3 million initiative. “It’s really going to expand the role of the organization and the influence we have in terms of our abilities to go out and deliver on helping companies to either relocate here or expand,” McCoy said. “We’ve already seen some early results of that. This past year was a fantastic year for us and we expect this year to be our best year ever, in terms of company announcements, relocations and expansions. This is a community of really business-savvy entrepreneurs.” For information on the study, visit http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/smallbusiness/best-places-start-businessgeorgia/.

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NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 5

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NEWS

6• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Woodall talks healthcare, transportation issues By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. — After spending the day traveling throughout Forsyth County, U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.) hosted a town hall meeting June 22 at the Forsyth Conference Center. Woodall represents the 7th Congressional District of Georgia, which includes the majority of Gwinnett and Forsyth counties, and currently serves as chairman of the House Rules Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process, as well as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and House Budget Committee. Woodall spoke about local and national issues, including transportation, and focused often on Georgia and Forsyth County. “Georgia is, in terms of dollars invested in transportation per vehicle mile traveled, at the bottom,” Woodall said. “That’s because we’re doing more with less.” The transportation trust fund is funded by the 18.4 cents per gallon in user fees everyone pays when they buy a gallon of gas, Woodall said. “Over the last 30 years, the government has required cars be more fuel efficient,” Woodall said. “The fuel efficient

trust fund is going to be down 40 percent because folks are getting more miles to the gallon and are buying fewer gallons of gas and bringing less money into the trust fund. We haven’t raised the gas taxes since the 1993 Clinton tax increase. So the value of the tax has gone down from 18 cents down to 11. We haven’t had less of a need to invest in roads. This just means folks are taking on more of this at the local level.” Recalling the transportation bond Forsyth County passed in 2014, Woodall said he did not need to tell the crowd the previous information because they’re $200 million into a bond initiative to widen Ga. 400. “The state didn’t have the money to do it. You didn’t trust the feds to get it done on time and under budget, so you said you’re going to do it,” Woodall said. “It’s amazing. It will be 12 months from the vote to when they break ground on it. That is unheard of in federal cycles. That is an amazing testimony as to how great leaving power where the people are can be.” Woodall said he tells the Forsyth transportation bond story countless times. “In this case, doing nothing to the transportation tax has devolved this responsibility out of Washington and down

KATHLEEN STURGEON/Staff

U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall speaks on local and national issues at the town hall June 22. into locality,” Woodall said. “I argue that gives us more bang for our buck. We can’t build submarines or defeat ISIS out of Forsyth County. There are those things Washington needs to do that only they can do. There are so many other

things Washington is not very good at, doesn’t need to do and simply by doing nothing on some of these tax programs, we are moving back.” Working with Democrats was another topic Woodall discussed, saying he needs their votes on his items and has to work together. “I don’t need you to agree with me, I need you to look me in the eye, know that I love America and I need to be able to cooperate with you on whatever that sliver of thing is that we might have in common,” Woodall said. “I can’t negotiate the big deals without trust.” One of those topics is the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly referred to as Obamacare. “Our district has more folks receiving Obamacare subsidies than another other district in the state of Georgia,” Woodall said. “We have about 45,000 people on it. We have to offer an alternative. Saying no is not enough. I’m not bailing out the president, I’m bailing out families that got stomped on by the president. The damage from the ACA hasn’t even begun yet. We have to put individuals back in charge of their own health care.” Woodall also touched on the issue of immigration, saying 25 percent of the district is made up of first-generation Americans.

Get Your Foot In The Door.

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NEWS

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 7

Global security firm moves headquarters to Roswell By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com ROSWELL, Ga. – Information security company Courion is moving its global headquarters from Westborough, Massachusetts, to Roswell as it works to expand its operations. Rajaji The company says it plans to expand its existing offices in Roswell to accommodate more services and an additional 100 employees over the next couple of years. Courion established an analytical team at the Holcomb Woods office complex off Old Alabama Road in Roswell last month. Plans call for additional positions across a variety of functional areas, ranging from sales to software development. “Currently, we’re in a temporary space, and we’re building out a larger complex to host the rest of the organization as we continue to ramp up our hiring in the area,” said Venkat Rajaji, vice president of product management and marketing. “It’s not a brand new building. The building already exists.” Rajaji said the company’s decision to move to Roswell was based primarily on the access to a talented workforce and the proximity to other tech companies. The area has more than 115 companies and more than 200,000 people employed in the area specifically around information security. “It’s really an exciting place for us to establish our presence, grow our business, giving us access to that talent, access to a lot of really big-name companies,” he said. “While there are competi-

It’s really an exciting place for us to establish our presence, grow our business, giving us access to that talent, access to a lot of really big-name companies.”

August 2015 – Banking and Finance

Venkat Rajaji, Vice president of product management and marketing, Courion

November 2015 – Retail

tors here, a lot of potential partnership opportunities (exist) with companies that don’t necessarily compete with us in identity and access management.” Courion will continue to maintain offices in Massachusetts, the United Kingdom and Pune, India. Rajaji said right now, the company is focused on launching its expansion phase and it’s difficult to predict what happens beyond the next five years. “It’s a little tough to speculate, but I will say we are invested in the Atlanta area,” he said. “As we grow our business, I also see our presence in Atlanta growing in terms of number of jobs, number of people that we bring on board.”

EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2015-2016

• Gwinnett Market Report special focus

ROSWELL, Ga. — Kimberly-Clark Professional received the Innovation and Marketing Awards at NETWORK Services Company’s supplier trade show March 30 in Hollywood, Florida. The Innovation Award was a result of K-C’s GreenHarvest Products, which incorporate rapidly renewable plant-based fiber, such as wheat straw and bamboo. Kimberly-Clark Professional is the first major towel and tissue manufacturer in North America to introduce products made with 20 percent plant fiber in place of tree fiber or recycled fiber. “In a resource-constrained, digital world, with fewer sources of recycled

fiber, and the need to put less pressure on natural forests, it’s important to continue exploring non-tree fibers,” said Iris V. Schumacher, North American sustainability leader at Kimberly-Clark Professional. Kimberly-Clark Professional was also named Supplier Marketing Partner “in recognition of its outstanding sponsorship of NETWORK’s supplier marketing initiatives.” The company works closely with distributors and other partners to engage employees, tenants and guests in adopting behaviors that lead to exceptional workplaces. For more information, visit www. kcprofessional.com. —Malik Jones

Materials Deadline

July 30

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September 2015 – Health & Medical

October 2015 – Higher Education • October – N. Fulton Market Report special focus

December 2015 – Chamber of Commerce spotlight • Forsyth Market Report special focus

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January 2016 – Energy and Resources Jan. 11

February 2016 – Technology (healthcare) • Hall Market Report special focus

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March 2016 – Residential Real Estate March 7

April 2016 – Small Business/Entrepreneurs • Cobb Market Report special focus

Kimberly-Clark lauded for eco-friendly products

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June 2016 – Technology • Cherokee Market Report special focus

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NEWS

8• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

SAVE THE DATE! September 5-12 SPONSORS

For sponsorship information contact Hans Appen at hans@alpharettachamber.com

RAY APPEN/Staff

A $6,000 check was presented to Atlanta-based charity, CURE Childhood Cancer. From left are Kelsey Lynch, sales manager at Ruth’s Chris Alpharetta; Hans Appen, publisher of the North Atlanta Business Post; Paula Collins, development manager with CURE Childhood Cancer; and Wendy Goddard, manager of marketing and innovation for Appen Media Group.

‘CURE’ charity receives $6K donation

North Atlanta Business Post donates By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A night of networking and fun went hand-in-hand with charitable giving, as the North Atlanta Business Post Leadership Summit raised $6,000 for Atlanta-based charity, CURE Childhood Cancer. More than 150 business leaders turned out May 14 at the Leadership Summit at the Ruth’s Chris Steak House Alpharetta location. Paula Collins, development manager with CURE Childhood Cancer, said the money will go a long way to help her organization’s efforts. “This makes a direct impact on research and family programs,” said Collins. “It’s a real significant amount and will make a significant impact.” She said the donation could be used to pay for 60 sessions of professional counseling for families struggling to cope with childhood cancer, or it could provide emergency assistance grants to three families to help with ongoing expenses and bills related to childhood cancer. “Ruth’s Chris Steak House takes great pride in serving the Alpharetta community, and as such, it was our distinct honor to sponsor the North Atlanta Business Post Leadership Summit, which brought together top area business leaders while raising funds to support CURE Childhood Cancer,” said Nancy Oswald, co-owner and franchisee of Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Alpharetta. “Like our partners at Appen Media Group, Ruth’s Chris Steak House is committed to the businesses and residents of North Atlanta, and we

“This makes a direct impact on research and family programs. It’s a real significant amount and will make a significant impact.” Paula Collins, development manager with CURE Childhood Cancer

look forward to many great years of sizzling steaks, legendary hospitality and impactful community involvement in Alpharetta.” The North Atlanta Business Post is committed to bringing business news to the north metro area. Its 20,000 copies are distributed to local businesses and chambers of commerce. “This was the finale to a great business networking event, culminating in a joint effort to make a meaningful impact in the lives of families coping with childhood cancer,” said Business Post Publisher Hans Appen. For more on CURE and ways to help, visit www.curechildhoodcancer.org. For more about Ruth’s Chris, visit them at www.ruthschris.com.

MEDICAL

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 9

Emory-St. Joseph’s wields Gamma Knife in brain surgery Noninvasive procedure uses high-tech precision By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. –A new noninvasive surgical procedure is showing great success at Emory-Saint Joseph’s Hospital for tricky brain surgeries and goes by the name of Gamma Knife. Dr. Peter Rossi, a radiation oncologist at Emory-St. Joseph’s Hospital in Sandy Springs, is trained on one of four Gamma Knife machines in the state of Georgia. This new technology allows for extremely precise radiation surgery that is unattainable through most conventional brain surgeries. It is almost like science fiction than medical science, but Rossi says it is a game-changer for certain types of brain surgeries. He often works with Dr. Shannon Kahn, assistant professor in the Emory School of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology. “The machine is only used on the brain. It allows you to target the precise surgical spot you want to get at without damaging the surrounding areas. It is a great alternative to surgery. It is a half-day outpatient procedure,” Kahn said. The success rate on tumors is about 90 percent to 95 percent. “These are the most advanced machines in the world for many kinds of cranial surgery,” Rossi said. “The gamma rays are specific to treating certain kinds of tumors. The machine gets us to the exact spot we need to be,” he said. Because the Gamma Knife expertise is known to just a few doctors, they act as a peer group of world experts on the device, Kahn said. “The Gamma Knife consortium is on the cutting edge of the most advanced

HATCHER HURD/Staff

Emory-St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Gamma Knife team of Dr. Peter Rossi, left, and Dr. Shannon Kahn extol the virtues of this new noninvasive surgical procedure for radiating brain cancers. techniques in the world,” she said. There are also conditions where a vein and artery grow together, creating a high risk of aneurism (where the vessel just balloons with the catastrophic risk of bursting). “It is virtually the same procedure as surgery but without hospitalization and a longer recovery,” Kahn said. “It’s a halfday outpatient procedure with virtually

What is Gamma Knife surgery? Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a type of radiation treatment performed with the Leksell Gamma Knife, a noninvasive neurosurgical tool. Gamma Knife radiosurgery involves focusing small, highly precise doses of radiation into the brain. This shrinks small brain tumors or blocks abnormal blood vessels and nerves that cause pain or seizures. Gamma Knife surgery can also treat some brain disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. The name is derived from the knife-like precision of the radiation delivered to the target area. The procedure is an effective

alternative to neurosurgery for many patients. Gamma Knife surgery can help patients who cannot tolerate neurosurgery because of a medical condition, age or simply preference. It is less invasive and requires less hospitalization and recovery time than neurosurgery. Most Gamma Knife patients are treated on an outpatient basis and require no overnight stay. Anyone interested in Gamma Knife should discuss all procedures and surgery options with their doctor and consider getting a second opinion about all treatment choices before having the procedure.

“The gamma rays are specific to treating certain kinds of tumors. The machine gets us to the exact spot we need to be.” Dr. Peter Rossi, radiation oncologist at Emory-St. Joseph’s Hospital

the same results as surgery, but [Gamma Knife] is safer and shorter.” The Gamma Knife can operate within a 4-millimeter area that an MRI can’t even “see,” Rossi said. Rossi and Kahn both are part of the Gamma Knife team at Emory-St. Joseph’s. “One of the advantages of the Emory system is the Winship Cancer Institute. Kahn is a clinical member of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute,” said Emory-St. Joseph’s Hospital interim Chief Executive Officer Dane Peterson. Emory University Hospital through Winship is ranked among the top 25 cancer hospitals in the nation, Peterson said. One of Kahn’s research interests includes examining newer technologies

and treatment of breast cancer to minimize cosmetic changes while maximizing long-term tumor control. The use of the Gamma Knife is strictly monitored and controlled, so that it is available to get at brain tumors as soon as possible, Rossi said. The amount of actual time on the device itself is short, but it takes a lot of preparation first. Insurance companies like the Gamma Knife because it keeps costs down. “In a standard case, the patient never opens his checkbook. The costs are covered in most insurance plans,” Rossi said. “It’s a well-established prostate program. It all relates to quality of life issues,” said Peterson. “The radiation kills the cells and there are no residual effects.”

RIBBON CUTTINGS

10• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

New businesses in your area

Did your business recently cut a ribbon? Submit it to business@appenmediagroup.com

Business: Virtual Properties Realty Owners: Steve Wagner and Karen Burks Opened: January, 2015 What: Virtual Properties Realty, an award-winning firm, makes its agents

and clients No. 1 in the business. Address: 11340 Lake Field Drive, Suite 100, Johns Creek Phone: 770-495-5050 x76 Web: www.virtualpropertiesrealty.net

Business: Cherokee County Fire Training Facility What: Phase II of the new Cherokee

County Fire Training Facility opens Opened: June 26 Address: 3985 Holly Springs Parkway

Business: Cashin’s Sculpture Garden LLC Opened: May 9, 2015 Owner: Jack Cashin What: Cashin’s Sculpture Garden is on Chukkar Farm Polo Club and Event

Facility. All sculptures are for sale and will be replaced once a year if not sold. Address: 1140 Liberty Grove Road, Alpharetta, Ga. 30004 Phone: 678-899-0509 Web: www.chukkarfarmpoloclub.com

Business: Discovery Village at Sugarloaf Opened: June 25 What: Senior living with the very best in professional health and wellness services and care with resort-style ameni-

ties in an all-inclusive setting. Address: 1220 Satellite Boulevard, Suwanee 30024 Phone: 770-203-0731 Web: discoveryvillages.com

Business: Sam’s Club Opened: June 26, 2015

Address: 12186 Hwy 92, Unit 107, Woodstock GA 30188

Business: Puckett EMS Opened: May 28, 2015 What: Puckett EMS has quickly grown to a forty ambulance operation specializing in Emergency and Non-Emergency transports. Address: 3760 Tramore Pointe Pkwy Austell, GA 30106 Phone: 770-222-1988 Web: www. puckettems.com

Business: Layer 3 Communications Opened: June 25, 2015 What: A professional services organization and network systems integrator specializing in the design, implementation and support of local and

wide area networks for data, voice and video applications. Address: 1555 Oakbrook Dr #100, Norcross, GA 30093 Phone: 770-225-5300 Web: www.layer3com.com

Business: Edward Jones Opened: May 12, 2015 What: Full-service brokerage firm and a private partnership.

Address: 3331 Hamilton Mill Road, Suite 2204 in Buford Phone: 678-804-9859 Web: www.edwardjones.com

SOUND ADVICE

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 11

Banks’ robust recovery appears to be slowing Frank Norton Jr.

CEO and Chairman The Norton Agency

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of excerpts from Frank Norton Jr.’s “Norton Native Intelligence Report for 2015.”

A rendering of Riverwalk Village in Roswell.

Redefining density for the market of today Steve Stroud

Roswell Inc, Executive Director

Georgia, and more specifically Atlanta with its surrounding cities, is experiencing an economic and cultural boom in a time when many states are still struggling to recover from the recession. Major companies and even entire industries have set their sights on Georgia. While this creates much needed job opportunities for the current residents, it also creates a draw for those in less prosperous areas. As business grows, so does the population. Due to these shifts, growing cities such as Atlanta and Roswell are having to revisit their previous conceptions on housing and development. Once, there was a fairly simple divide between urban and rural. Urban areas had large numbers of residents living in closely packed or stacked units. Rural areas, by definition, maintained low population counts and offered housing that was very spread out and private. Now, things are a bit blurred. Suburban communities such as Roswell claim a rural heritage and culture, but in reality, would be defined as urban based on previous definitions. With more than 90,000 residents, Roswell has not even been close to rural for a while. Residents of all ages and stages, from the Boomers to the Millennials, have expressed a desire to live a more compact, walkable, community-driven lifestyle. Empty nesters are downsizing and moving to areas where they can walk to the shops or to a nice meal. Young professionals are motivated to find high quality rental units where they can stroll down the street and unwind at a local bar. Everyone is invested in keeping their dollars local.

This demand lends itself to a new version of an old concept. Projects such as Roswell City Walk, Avalon in Alpharetta and the proposed Riverwalk Village in Roswell are perfect examples of these new developments. Essentially, developers are taking the urban concept of multi-family housing with denser, multi-use properties that mix office, retail, residential and restaurant and infusing them with all of the charm and amenities of upscale suburban life. These developments create compact mini-villages where residents can live, work, play and dine without ever having to get in a car. The challenge for the creators of these projects is changing the perception when it comes to words like “urban,” “multi-family” and “density.” These terms, for many, conjure images of major cities such as Atlanta, where concrete, steel and traffic reign. In a city like Roswell, where greenspace is so highly valued, the use of these terms can raise some red flags. Developers such as Lennar are working to shift that mentality. Lennar’s Roswell City Walk, the first multi-family project to be approved in Roswell for 30 years, embraces and promotes its suburban amenities such as walking trails, walkable shopping and dining, historic sites and community support within easy reach of their complex. It is also already proving its success through how quickly the units are being leased. In this case, the urbanization of certain areas of North Fulton may actually serve to bring its more rural charms closer to home. The only constant in any community is change. Needs change, populations change and lifestyles change. The key is creating smart growth that fills the need while driving the community forward and maintaining the authenticity and uniqueness of places. These carefully planned developments are designed to enhance the local culture while using space and resources more efficiently.

The real estate markets are tightly coupled with one another due to underlying structural changes in banking and finance. It began with the forced bank consolidation during the savings and loan bailouts of the 1990s and has now reached a critical mass with “too big to fail” institutions resulting from the massive federal bailout of the U.S. banking system in 2008 and 2009. Due to the regulatory changes, small and mid-size institutions remain under extreme cost pressure to consolidate. The number of banks will decrease primarily due to consolidation, not bank failure. The bulk of the refinancing activity from 2012 and early 2014, which fueled the banking recovery, now appears to be slowing. This will likely have negative implications for lending volumes (and hence bank profitability) for 2015 and 2016. Some of this is a healthy correction as asset values have recovered from the recessionary trough in all U.S. markets. The reality is that we’ve climbed the mountain and have celebrated our ascent from the bottom, only to realize the climb is only half over. Now we must keep from falling off the path to the top of the mountain. Norton Native Intelligence is tracking more than a handful of regional and small-town banks sitting on a nest of cracked bad eggs. The “recovery” wave has not reached Georgia’s secondary

markets supported by local industries on second homes. The FDIC relaxed its grip so they have held on, but the reality of a rebound is over and a long winter of discontent is closing the prospects of profits. We believe these troubled assets will

Mom and Pop have become lenders to their children, companies are on the hunt for undervalued expansion opportunities and big companies are buying big companies. be cast off in a slow burn over the next nine quarters. Speaking of finance, cash still controls the world. It is now estimated that individuals and corporations are sitting on stacks of money in excess of a trillion dollars. Mom and Pop have become lenders to their children, companies are on the hunt for undervalued expansion opportunities and big companies are buying big companies. Never in the history of modern business have balance sheets looked so flush.

Housing and construction in the United States Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

March

Housing starts (million units)

1.015

1.081

1.072

0.908

0.926

Existing home sales (million units)

4.950

5.070

4.820

4.890

5.190

New home sales (million units)

0.448

0.496

0.514

0.543

0.481

POWER RANKING

12• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Millennials Top Millennial Cities remake market

Each city was ranked in the five different categories and assigned a value 1 -14. We then added these point values which resulted in the city’s overall score. The city with the lowest point value was ranked first followed by the second lowest and so on.

No. 1, Sandy Springs; Overall score: 21

Impact on economy, by the numbers By HILLARY HUNNINGS news@appenmediagroup.com There are now 83.1 million Millennials, those born between 1982 and 2000, in the United States, surpassing the 75.4 million Baby Boomers, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates released June 25. Data shows Millennials also are more diverse than previous generations, with minority races or ethnic groups composing 44.2 percent of their numbers. The Pew Research Center announced that Millennials have replaced Generation X as the workforce’s largest generational group this year.

The Pew Research Center announced that Millennials have replaced Generation X as the workforce’s largest generational group this year. With their influx comes marketplace change. Particularly interesting is Millennial-geared marketing. Many businesses shifted to new social media and smartphone-directed marketing means to attract Millennial consumers. Millennials are also behind the marketing scene. According to the advertising trade publication Ad Week, Millennials make up 44 percent of the advertising industry’s workforce. While they are affecting marketplace change as both consumers and workers, a significant number of Millennials live at home. Another Pew Research Center study found that in 2012, 21.6 million – 36 percent – of Millennials aged 18 to 31, lived in their parents’ homes. The study also notes there has been a slow yet steady increase of Millennials living at home. Before the 2008 recession, 32 percent of Millennials lived at home. By 2009, that percentage increased to 34 percent. Contributing factors include a decrease in employment and marriage and higher college enrollment. But many Millennials still plan to buy homes in the future. According to the 2015 Norton Native Intelligence Forecast, 75 percent of Gen-Y and Millennials see home ownership as an important long-term goal. Only 24 percent of Millennials already own their own home, but 60 percent say they plan to buy a home in the future.

Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Home Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

19,216 (19.9%) - 1

$63,134 - 7

$1,165 - 6

57.08% - 4

25.2 - 3

No. 2, Alpharetta; Overall score: 30 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

7,342 (12.3%) - 11

$86,355 - 3

$1,324 - 9

62.01% - 3

25.5 - 4

No. 3, Gainesville; Overall score: 33 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

5,926 (17.2%) - 4

$37,212 - 14

$949 - 1

21.09% - 13

21.5 - 1

No. 4 (Tied), Marietta; Overall score: 34 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

11,085 (19.2%) - 2

$42,244 - 12

$1,051 - 4

37.70% - 10

26.7 - 6

No. 4 (Tied), Canton; Overall score: 34 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

4,059 (17.4%) - 3

$47,104 - 10

$985 - 2

24.06% - 11

27.7 - 8

No. 6, Roswell; Overall score: 36 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

12,322 (13.5%) - 10

$79,579 - 5

$1,183 - 11

55.04% - 5

26.4 - 5

No. 7, Milton; Overall score: 37 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

3,792 (11.2%) - 13

$113,000 - 1

$1,691 - 12

66.04% - 1

29.9 - 10

No. 8, Duluth; Overall score: 39 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

4,641 (16.9%) - Tied 5

$60,161 - 9

$1,171 - 7

42.07% - 9

28.6 - 9

No. 9 (Tied), Cumming; Overall score: 42 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

891 (16.2%) - 8

$40,909 - 13

$1,056 - 5

18.30% -14

22.8 - 2

No. 9 (Tied), Peachtree Corners; Overall score: 42 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

4,641 (16.9%) - Tied 5

$62,362 - 8

$1,773 - 13

51.00% - 7

27.1 - 7

No. 9 (Tied), Woodstock; Overall score: 42 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

4,127 (16.7%) - 7

$66,038 - 6

$1,271 - 8

43.03% - 8

33.3 - 13

No. 12, Johns Creek; Overall score: 43 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

6,815 (8.6%) - 14

$109,224 - 2

$1,814 - 14

63.03% - 2

30.6 - 11

No. 13, Suwanee; Overall score: 43 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

2,572 (16.0%) - 9

$80,957 - 4

$1,415 - 10

53.00% - 6

33.9 - 14

No. 14, Lawrenceville; Overall score: 50 Pop. aged 25 - 34*

Median household income

Median Rental Price

Pop. with undergraduate degree

Commute Time

3,819 (13.2%) - 12

$43,494 - 11

$1,044 - 3

23.60% - 12

31.2 - 12

*SHOWN WITH PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL POPULATION. SOURCES: QUICKFACTS.CENSUS.GOV, NEIGHBORHOODSCOUT.COM.

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 13

ES SIN

S POST ’S

NORT

Know someone turning heads in your community?

Do you know someone under 40 years old who is doing great things? Nominate them for North Atlanta Business Post’s “40 under 40.” About the Program North Atlanta Business Post’s “40 under 40” is unique in that the nominees are submitted by the six counties in our coverage including their Chambers of Commerce. These chambers include Cobb Chamber of Commerce, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, Cum-

ming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, Greater North Fulton Chamber, Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. Nominations are open from July 1 and run through September. After the nominations are in, the fun begins. North Atlanta Business Post

will organize an after hours networking event where all the nominees can meet, mingle and let loose. The finalist will be announced in October, and then North Atlanta Business Post will host the awards ceremony at which the finalists will be encouraged to collect their award.

CHEROKEE • COBB • FORSYTH • HALL • NORTH FULTON •GWINNETT

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN For nominations, visit: NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com/40under40 For more information, email aj@appenmediagroup.com

TECHNOLOGY

14• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Alpharetta’s technology community expands growth New innovation center key to tech future ing the growth and prosperity of technology companies and professionals in the greater Alpharetta area. Karen Cashion, president of GATN, said the purpose of these office hours is to let the local startups at the innovation center know that GATN is here to serve them and the greater Alpharetta tech community. GATN seeks input from the tech community on programming that interests them and to make them aware of the local tech events that GATN hosts. The center includes lockable office suites for lease for start-up tech businesses, 24/7 member co-working access to the building, tech accelerator programs and large spaces for meetings and events. “We believe that the innovation center will quickly evolve into a bona fide innovation hub,” Cashion said. “This is precisely the type of gathering and workspace needed for our local tech community.” Businesses that already started leasing offices are Juice Analytics, Basecamp and EMRgence. Juice is a tech company that specializes in designing and build-

By MAGGIE MCDANIEL maggie@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Home to over 600 technological companies, Alpharetta sits as the Technology City of the South and is continuing to improve its status. Opening the new Alpharetta Technology Commission (ATC) innovation center, a facility that provides an area for startup technology and innovation, is just one example of Alpharetta pushing toward being a leader of technology in the state. Mark Hubbard, chief executive officer of the ATC, manages the facility and called it “the center of gravity for innovation.” “The place is meant to be and is a reflection of the folks that are here; there is no specific agenda with it. It is what they want it to be,” Hubbard said. “It can serve as something special to folks when they do not have their own 150,000-square-foot building they built for themselves.” The Greater Alpharetta Tech Network holds weekly office hours at the new innovation center. GATN is a nonprofit technology association dedicated to help-

See TECHNOLOGY, Page 28

MAGGIE MCDANIEL/Staff

James Lytle, lead designer for Juice Analytics, works at the new office in the ATC innovation center.

Health &Wellness We have the prescription for growing you practice.

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May 28, 2014 | northfulton.com | 73,500 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 9, No. 22

School board nixes armed staffers

No weapons allowed on school property ► PAGE 5

First lady touts child immunization Sandra Deal visits Emory Hospital, family ► PAGE 12

JON

How a local restaurant is re-imagining food to table ► PAGE 32

BAMA

OLD ALA

RUNOFF ELECTIONS:

PROJECT DARASANI:

Ga. 9 to be widened to county line

Where would new traffic lights go? • Walmart driveway • Genesis Way/Deerfield Place • Soneley Court/Keyingham Way • Sunfish Bend • Creek Club Drive

Bethany Bend intersection reworked By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com MILTON, Ga. – The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and city of Milton want to make major improvements to Ga. 9 in coming years. Those improvements, however, will not begin for almost a decade. At an open house May 21,

Saloni Sharma sits amid dozens of bags of school supplies donated by families of Sugar Mill subdivision in Johns Creek. The nonprofit she started, Project Darasani, helps needy Tanzanian students acquire the basic school supplies they need to get an education.

See CHANGES, Page 7

TUTORING

See ELECTIONS, Page 5

By HATCHER HURD hatcher@northfulton.com

The red dots indicate new or modifications to existing traffic signals along a section of Ga. 9.

DON’T LET YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING STOP JUST BECAUSE SUMMER STARTS.

SAVE $100*

HO GRAY

JOHNS CREEK

LC OM

BROADBENT

Election results

POST 4 votes: Bob Gray 2,900, 58% Eric Fragoso 2,134, 42% POST 6 votes: Steve Broadbent 3,346, 66% Nancy Reinecke 1,213, 34%

Northview teen’s nonproﬁt City to let Fulton County helps African students Trip to Tanzania inspires Saloni Sharma to start club to support students she met

the public took their ﬁrst look at the proposed improvements, which include widening Ga. 9 from Windward Parkway north to the Forsyth County line into a four-lane road – two in each direction. Included with these improvements will be the elimination of the center lane to be replaced with a center median

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – In a tumultuous year of political bloodletting on the City Council, it ended with neither a bang nor a whimper. Instead, it ended July 22 with a calm, clean runoff election among four candidates for the last two council seats. The runoffs were won handily in the end by Steve Broadbent and Bob Gray for posts 6 and 4 respectively. A season of local politics that had burst on the usually quiet Johns Creek political scene the summer of 2013 ended quietly. Conventional wisdom says turnouts in runoff elections are usually light And this was a special election called in July – just a couple weeks before

BARN WEL

Gray, Broadbent ﬁll last 2 council seats

Milton honors fallen veteran Cpl. Harry Vaughan, inset right, graduated from Milton High School in 1967. Within a year, he was shipped over to Vietnam where he died. Local veterans honored him May 22 at the school. See story, page 28.

RRY

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Then there were seven

July 31, 2014 | northfulton.com | 73,500 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 18, No. 31

OCK

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ROSWELL

Going green

McGIN

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Education Focus

Eagles soar

Baseball team in ip state championship ► PAGE 12

BRID DGE RD

MIL TO

OLD

Helpful volunteers YMSL logs 5,500 hours ► PAGE 9

PA RS

Public art

Milton approves Bell Park art ► PAGE 4

MEDL

ING

ST AT E Sponsored section ► PAGE 21

PEACHTREE R PK KWY

COGBURN RD

HOPEWELL RD

ALP ALPHARETT PH P HARETT H TT TA

17,000 households on Wednesdays Zip Codes: 30040, 30041. Forsyth county’s largest circulation newspaper. Est. 1998

20,000 households on Thursdays Zip Codes: 30022, 30097. Johns Creek’s primary news source. Est. 1997 Education Focus

RD HOPEWELL

BUFO RD R

CIS

FRAN

M LTON MIL

LVIEW EL

CUMMING MI

10,000 households on Wednesdays Zip Code: 30004. Community news for and about the City of Milton. Est. 2006

28,000 households on Thursdays Zip Codes: 30005, 30009, 30022, 30075, 30076. Alpharetta & Roswell’s primary news source. Alpharetta’s paper of record. Est. 1983

BETH

REVUE NEWS

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Alpharetta-Roswell

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – When Rupesh Sharma made the trip to Tanzania to hike up Mount Kilimanjaro, it became more than chance to cross off

a goal on his bucket list. He also saw a lot of poverty and how little the country could do for school-age children. Determined to do something, he knew he would return. When he came home and told his family about

what he had seen, he saw that his then 13-year-old daughter Saloni was moved by what he had seen. They talked about it and she said she wanted to go with him on

See SHARMA, Page 31

administer HUD grants Will still OK CDBG projects By HATCHER HURD hatcher@northfulton.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Johns Creek will turn over administration of the city’s Commu-

nity Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to Fulton County, but the city does not cede control of the projects that are approved for Johns Creek. CDBG grants are federal dollars issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and

SANDY SPRINGS

See CDBG, Page 4

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NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 15

REAL ESTATE

16• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

CIDs allow businesses to tax th By Patrick Fox pat@appenmediagroup.com ATLANTA – More than half a dozen new cities have been carved out of metro Atlanta counties in the past decade. And while the campaign for greater local control of tax dollars has grabbed most of the headlines, the business community has been mounting its own campaign for years. Over the past 25 years, business owners have formed close to 20 metro area community improvement districts (CIDs) that collect taxes for special projects. The taxes are levied against business properties. Residential properties lying within the district do not pay the tax. CIDs use money collected from commercial property owners to promote projects aimed at improving the business climate within their districts, projects like traffic improvements, sidewalks, landscaping and security. Most times, CID money goes toward laying the groundwork for projects – providing impact studies and design blueprints – rather than actual construction. These studies are used to nudge forward projects already under consideration by local governments. Georgia’s first community improvement district, Cumberland CID, was formed in 1988, after the Legislature enabled Cobb County to grant a group of local businesses the authority to tax

North Metro CIDS COBB COUNTY Cumberland CID Founded: 1988 Properties: The CID is composed of 175 commercial owners who represent 35 percent of the land but amount to 72 percent of the real estate assets. The CID encompasses about 6.5 square miles. Tax base: About $3 billion commercial Budget: The CID collects about $5.5 million annually, depending fluctuations in property valuation. While it has some contracts that run on an annual basis, the majority of its efforts are in capital improvement projects that are multi-year, and it has no set budget in an annual sense. Major projects: Over the course of its existence, the CID has poured $100 million into advancing projects resulting in $500 million worth of construction. • Completion of the $300 million Cumberland Boulevard loop road that connects all four quadrants of the district and includes the Kennedy Interchange, Cumberland Boulevard, Windy Ridge Parkway and Mill Green Parkway. • More than $25 million in streetscape and landscape beautification projects. • A transit study that launched the state’s current initiatives to bring transit and high occupancy vehicle lanes to the I-75 and I-285 corridors. Town Center CID Founded: 1997 Property: $601 million value encompassing 6.25 square miles lying roughly within Cobb Parkway to the west, Chastain Road and McCollum Parkway to the north, Bells Ferry Road to the east and Barrett Parkway to the south. Budget: $1.7 million Major projects: The CID recently cut the ribbon on the $11.6 million multi-use trail along seven miles of Noonday Creek. The trail is suited for pedestrians and cyclists and links to several other of the county’s 65-trail network, including those

themselves. “A group of business leaders went to the northern Virginia area and saw that they had what is typically known as ‘business improvement districts’ as a mechanism to raise funds to do infrastructure,” said Malaika Rivers, Cumberland CID executive director. “That idea was brought back here.” Back in the 1980s, the Cumberland business community was 10 years out from opening Cumberland Mall and the area was just beginning to boom as a retail and suburban office market, Rivers said. “The businesses recognized that transportation would be a very impactful factor on the health of this market, so they decided to be proactive at that time,” she said. In order to advance improvements, Cumberland business leaders created the CID to raise money to help shepherd these projects to construction. Most of the funds were used to help fund studies and design work on major road projects. “The specific idea was to get an interchange off of I-75 to provide better access to the core of the market,” Rivers said. Work on Cumberland Boulevard began in the mid-1990s and has since become a portal to one of the busiest commercial centers in the region. Over the course of its existence, Cumat Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. More improvements are planned this year. • The $17 million Skip Spann Connector, a joint project of the CID, Kennesaw State University and Cobb County, will provide a new bridge over I-75 north of Chastain Road to provide direct access from Kennesaw State University to the Town Center economic activity center. The project is expected to provide a 19 percent reduction in daily traffic along Chastain Road at the I-75 interchange and improve access from KSU to I-75. Gateway Marietta CID Founded: 2014 Properties: The CID has 39 commercial property owners owning 75 parcels. Total taxable value is around $65 million. Budget: $300,000 Major projects: Gateway is currently exploring several options aimed at increasing security along the Franklin Road corridor. A new state law, which did not go into effect until July 1, will allow the CID to spend money outside its boundaries for security purposes. Among the ideas under consideration are additional lighting, added police patrols and security cameras. GWINNETT COUNTY Evermore CID Founded: 2003, the first CID in Gwinnett County Tax base: Total value of the CID is $171 million as of 2015 tax digest. Properties: 489 properties, approximately 597 business owners and 4,157 employees. Located primarily along U.S. 78 through Snellville. Budget: $840,000 operating budget in 2015 Major projects: The CID has completed more than 20 major projects in 10 years, including multiple safety, traffic improvement and beautification projects along U.S. 78, the district’s main artery. It has received approximately $8 million in federal funding, $2.3 million in Georgia DOT funding and $5.1 million SPLOST funds. • More than $1 million has been spent in enhancements and upgrades. In 2014, Evermore

berland CID has spent more than $100 million for similar projects, drawing close to half a billion dollars from federal, state and county governments in transportation and beautification projects. The CID estimates that by 2018, it will have invested $130 million. The success of Cumberland soon gave rise to other business groups forming their own community improvement districts. The North Fulton Community Improvement District formed in 2003 when a group of local developers sought to expedite a bridge replacement on Westside Parkway over Foe Killer Creek at the city limits of Roswell and Alpharetta. “A lot of the big real estate developers in the area, including Cousins Properties, Colonial Properties, General Growth Properties (which owns North Point Mall), were very anxious to get that project moving,” said Ann Hanlon, executive director of North Fulton CID. The project involved local, state and federal authorities, including the EPA, she said, so there were “a lot of cooks in the kitchen,” and the project was running behind schedule. Westside Parkway was intended to be an alternative route paralleling Ga. 400 for local traffic. Many businesses and developers considered it a critical artery. “So, the businesses banded together and formed this financing mechanism to CID was selected to receive a $50,000 Gateway Grant from the Georgia DOT for improvements to the entrance of the CID at West Park Place Boulevard. • One of the CID’s most ambitious projects is the Park Place Multi Modal Study, designed to create a specific plan for the Stone Mountain Tennis Center that results in an economically viable mixed-use and special events center that will serve as a focal point of transit service as well as a catalyst for new growth. Gwinnett Village CID Founded: 2006 Properties: 802 properties lying along 14 squares miles near Norcross. Tax base: $1.03 billion valuation of taxable property. Budget: $7.2 million Major projects: The CID was one of the first to step forward to assume mowing duties along state routes during the economic downturn when state and county officials cut back on the service. The CID now maintains 85 miles of roadway throughout the district. The streets and ramps are mowed, trimmed and cleaned once every two weeks to maintain a consistent curb appeal in the area. • Work is in the final stages for a diverging diamond interchange at Jimmy Carter Boulevard and I-85, one of the busiest interchanges in the state. • The CID worked with Gwinnett County to implement major traffic and safety improvements on Indian Trail Road from Beaver Ruin Road to Oakbrook Parkway. The project includes landscaped medians, sidewalks and additional turn lanes for accessing I-85. • The CID has also played major roles in initiating a number of transportation and quality of life studies, including a proposal to add light rail service along the I-85 corridor. A Livable Centers Initiative Study examined land use and transportation improvements along Jimmy Carter Boulevard from Buford Highway to Singleton Road and generated a five-year transportation plan with specific needed projects.

The Perimeter Community Improvement Di plan to install a bridge connecting Hammo on the south of I-285. The $35 million Perim cated in 2007.

try to affect this project,” she said. “It was really a grassroots effort, the developers and businesses saying ‘We are so ready for this bridge project to be done that we’re willing to tax ourselves and pay for it ourselves.’” Once formed, the CID acquired some Gwinnett Place CID Founded: 2005 Properties: 240 Tax base: $587.4 million valuation of taxable property. Budget: $734,528 Major projects: Five new intersection improvement projects are funded and now in design, rightof-way acquisition or beginning construction. They include Breckinridge Boulevard at Pleasant Hill Road (construction begins week of July 6), Gwinnett Place Drive at Pleasant Hill Road (construction begins 2015/early 2016), Club Drive at Pleasant Hill Road (construction begins 2016), Steve Reynolds Boulevard at Venture Drive (in design with construction in 2017) and Day Drive at Venture Drive (in design, with construction in 2017). • Just completed Phase 4 of Pleasant Hill streetscapes including lighting along Gwinnett’s main street, Pleasant Hill Road. In final design for another streetscape project along Satellite Boulevard from Pleasant Hill Road to the Gwinnett Transit Center. • CID-initiated Opportunity Zone in 2014 saw 450 new jobs. • Traffic Responsive System operation went live earlier in June, uses data collected from monitors to adjust signal timings based on real-time traffic flow. • Pleasant Hill Road over I-85 diverging diamond interchange opened last summer, the first DDI in Gwinnett and second in Georgia. The new interchange has cut the average number of stops in half, improved delays by 43 percent and reduced accidents by 20 percent. Lilburn CID Founded: 2010 Tax Base: $117,376,400 (total value) Properties: Approximately 170 parcels 2015 budget: $209,000 Major projects: Realignment of Main Street in downtown Lilburn. The CID obtained an $800,000 SRTA grant, pairing with the city of Lilburn and Gwinnett County funds. This realignment is part of a new town center for Lilburn, which recently broke ground on a new city hall/library project. • The CID has also completed Ga. 29 median landscaping, an access management study to

REAL ESTATE

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 17

hemselves to advance projects

istricts began work to advance the state's ond Drive on the north to Lake Hearn Drive meter Center Parkway Bridge was dedi-

right of way, began paying for the engineering company on behalf of the city of Roswell and engaged in other creative funding efforts to kick-start the project. “Several years later, when the city of Alpharetta needed help on the northern section of Westside Parkway, we sort of give guidance on inter-parcel access (which was funded with a grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission) and is finishing up a place-making study (also funded by an ARC grant), which will be used for transportation and aesthetic design along Ga. 29. • The CID is currently working on a pocket park at the corner of Ga. 29 and Pleasant Hill Road with the city of Lilburn and a multi-use trail along Ga. 29 connecting Indian Trail Road to Postal Way. • The CID recently placed an RFP for a consultant to help it recruit more properties. NORTH FULTON North Fulton CID Founded: 2003 Total assessed value: $835 million Properties: Approximately 400 running from Roswell north through Alpharetta and into Milton. 2015 budget: $2.5 million Major projects: The CID helped complete the Westside Parkway bridge in 2009 as well as the final leg of Westside Parkway near the new Avalon development (northern section). Since the final northern section was opened in 2012, it is now possible to travel from Mansell Road to Windward Parkway on Westside Parkway. • The CID has also contributed millions of dollars to landscape improvements at each of the four Alpharetta intersections on Ga. 400. • The largest project currently under way is the Encore Parkway bridge and streetscape project. The project calls for replacing the current bridge with a new walkable, aesthetically pleasing bridge. An important part of this project is also a connection to the Big Creek Greenway off of North Point Parkway. This project is currently being advertised for bids right now, and construction is set for the fall. The bridge will not be torn down until the beginning of next year, and the bridge will be re-opened before the 2016 holiday season FULTON/DEKALB Perimeter CIDs (2)

came to the rescue again to help get the project over the finish line,” Hanlon said. “We wrote a check for $789,000 to close the gap on funding.” Westside Parkway now runs north past the new Avalon development up to Windward Parkway, allowing local traffic to avoid Ga. 400 and its regular rush-hour snags. “Even if you lived here, Ga. 400 was the only option for most folks, even if you had to go to the grocery store,” Hanlon said. “I can say anecdotally that having Westside Parkway open has changed traffic patterns because now people have an alternate route.” Transportation is not the only reason CIDs are formed, and nearly all do more than transportation projects. In the early stages of the recession, Gwinnett Village CID stepped forward to pay for mowing roadsides when the county and state governments cut back on maintenance. Today, CIDs are a major part of roadside beautification projects, pouring millions of dollars into landscaping islands and exits along thoroughfares. North Fulton CID spent $1.2 million to landscape and install stone walls to beautify the Windward Parkway exit off of Ga. 400. North metro’s newest CID, Gateway Marietta, was formed last year to fight crime along Franklin Road, for the past DeKalb CID (Central Perimeter CID) Founded: 1999 Parcels: 132 Assessed property value: $682,835,332 2015 budget: $2.6 million Fulton CID Founded: 2001 Parcels: 188 Assessed property value: $1 million 2015 budget: $3.6 million Major projects: • Ashford Dunwoody Diverging Diamond – Completed in 2012, the total cost of the Ashford Dunwoody Interchange was $5.6 million, with the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts contributing $400,000. Based on the traffic analysis, the benefits due to reduced travel times and savings in gas costs are worth $35.3 million over the life of the project. This is the equivalent of an overall 29 percent annual rate of return, a 30 percent annual rate of return for the state’s contribution, and a 318 percent annual rate of return for the PCIDs • Hammond Half Diamond – Completed in 2011, the total cost of the Hammond Drive Half Diamond Interchange was $18.6 million, with the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts contributing $6.3 million. The project added a northbound on-ramp to Ga. 400 and a southbound off-ramp from Ga. 400 to Hammond Drive. Based on the traffic analysis, the benefits due to reduced travel times and savings in gas costs are worth $56.5 million over the life of the project. • Perimeter Center Parkway and Flyover Bridge – completed in 2008. The project connects Perimeter market from Perimeter Place to the Medical Center – shopping, dining and lodging. It offers pedestrian and bicycle friendly transportation, with features including decorative pavers and landscaped medians. • The PCIDs are also assisting with the $1 billion I-285 at Ga. 400 interchange improvement project, which is touted for its statewide significance, allowing for expansion of a number of major companies and the addition of more than 10,000 new jobs.

20 years one of the county’s most crimeridden areas. In 2013, the city of Marietta passed a $68 million redevelopment bond with all but $4 million of the funds going toward buying apartment complexes along Franklin. So far, the city has purchased four apartment complexes and is in the process of demolishing them so the land can be sold for redevelopment, drawing businesses looking to relocate. “The city and Cobb Chamber got together and agreed that in order for the redevelopment process to continue, we should form a CID,” said Joe Knight, executive director of Gateway CID. The CID is working closely with the city to attract business, going north of the Town Center CID to the south of the Cumberland CID. “Since the ‘80s, there’s been a giant gap there where there has been little if any economic development,” Knight said. “We’ve got the Braves coming in three miles to our south, we’ve got the city spending $64 million, let’s make sure that we have a group here that is fighting for this area that can capture any development that comes along, because there’s a lot of great stuff going on.” Up until this past legislative session, CIDs in Cobb couldn’t spend any money for public safety outside their geographic boundaries. The law has since been changed and went into effect July 1. “Over our next two meetings, we will be deciding what our focus is as far as public safety,” Knight said. “We going to be doing improved lighting because the No. 1 costeffective way for businesses to fight crime is lighting.” He said the CID will probably end up hiring two off-duty police officers to patrol certain parts of the CID. Talks are currently under way with the city and police department to draw up a plan. The CID is also looking into purchasing cameras to monitor the area, but the expense of monitoring the cameras may be prohibitive, Knight said. As the number of CIDs and other quasi-governmental entities has grown, the availability of public funds to initiate projects has become harder to come by. “Twenty-seven years ago, when we first started doing this, the competition for scarce public funding wasn’t so great,” Cumberland CID’s Rivers said. “These days, public funding is more scarce, which means local communities have to bring more money to the table.” Rivers said CIDs change as the markets and sub-markets change. “Almost 30 years ago, we were an early burgeoning office market, with specific needs focused on road-building,” she said. “Now, we’re becoming a more robust and complete community, so the types of projects we invest in changes.” The Cumberland market has seen a major influx of residents choosing to live near the commercial and office complexes,

Self-taxing districts continue growth Since the 1980s era of “small government,” the number of special purpose districts – governmental units distinct from cities, counties and schools that have taxing authority – has grown by 32 percent to more than 38,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Fire and water districts comprise most of these quasi-government units, but a growing number, especially around metro Atlanta, are keyed to business interests. The North Atlanta region already has over a dozen community improvement districts. These districts are made up of commercial property owners who pay a special tax for the purpose of advancing transportation and quality-of-life improvements within their geographical districts. Residential properties lying within the districts are not assessed the tax. There are currently two more CIDs in the region that are in the early stages of formation. Plans for a Lanier Islands Parkway CID got under way last year to address transportation needs in south Hall County. But the initiative has stalled since the sudden death of Mack Burgess who died in a traffic accident last fall. Burgess had been spearheading the drive. A preliminary list of projects under consideration include: Enhancement and landscaping of the Exit 8 bridge at I-985; major signage program at the exit and along the corridor that describe the attractions in the area, including information about accessing phone and computer apps; landscaping at I-985 interchanges. Farther to the west, plans are moving forward for formation of a South Forsyth CID. The CummingForsyth County Chamber of Commerce, backed by local businesses in the proposed district are working to create a CID to help fund, among other projects, an interchange at McGinnis Ferry Road and Ga. 400. Initiatives also include landscaping at interchanges along Ga. 400 and designing a new traffic plan for the McGinnis Ferry and McFarland roads intersection. she said. “So, building out the trails that lead into the park system has always been a primary focus of ours,” she said. “And we’re not doing it for altruistic reasons because the residents don’t come into our tax base; but those residents attract businesses, which creates a robust community.”

REAL ESTATE

18• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Roswell approves Vicker’s Village Large, mixed-use development faces limits ance was also requested. “The development of Canton Street has caused a significant impact on property values,” said Don Rolader, attorney for the applicant. “[The existing property] is ugly and an eyesore. There are abandoned stores and houses.” Indeed, the development would replace the Vicker’s Automotive store as well as several old and sometimes derelict homes beside it. Despite this, nearby residents organized against the development, seeing it as too large for the corner and too intense for Canton Street. The height of four stories was one issue, as was the sheer size of the development. While it was stepped back from Canton Street, to appear smaller, in the rear the building had no design. This made it look very large, said residents. This concerned members of council. “There’s nothing wrong with change, but we have to be careful about what we put in there,” said Councilmember Kent

By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com ROSWELL Ga. – A proposed mixed-use development in the heart of Roswell’s Canton Street was approved June 23 by the City Council, albeit with restrictions. The Vicker’s Village development is proposed to sit at the corner of Canton Street and Woodstock Street, on the northern edge of the walkable area of Roswell’s heart. A mixed-use development, Vicker’s was proposed to have 80 apartments and feature a mix of retail and restaurants on the ground floor. The retail, commercial and office space would be about 16,000 square feet in size. The development also features a large public plaza at the corner of the streets, making for a gathering place. The developer, King Lowry Ventures, asked the city for variances to allow a fourth story as well as allowing residential multi-family housing. A buffer vari-

The Vicker’s Village proposed mixed-use development at the corner of Canton Street and Woodstock Street in Roswell was approved June 23 with restrictions. Igleheart. “This is just so much.” His fellow councilmember Rich Dippolito agreed. “We are taking six parcels and consolidating them as one building,” said Dippolito. “If this were on Alpharetta Highway (Ga. 9), we would be loving this thing.” Councilmember Becky Wynn suggested approving the development and its multi-family aspect, but denying the

extra story as well as the buffer variance. There will be a minimum size to the homes built. “To put multi-family uses in here is important for the vitality of the area,” said Councilmember Nancy Diamond. “Given what this corner represents in this corridor, it needs to be something special. We need to get this right.” The project was approved 3-2, with Dippolito and Igleheart opposed.

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REAL ESTATE

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 19

Development authorities aid business growth Fulton County draws, retains commerce By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – It’s probably fair to say the Great Recession is far behind us, but the economy is still rebounding and still growing to get back to where it once was. Part of the delay was caused by a lack of capital; the same banks at the center of the recession were responsible for giving loans to businesses who want to start or expand. With no new loans come no new businesses. There are many tools in the economic toolbox for governments to help businesses, and one of those tools in the metro area, especially Fulton County, is through the Development Authority of Fulton County. Since 2012, the DAFC estimates it helped create or save more than 45,500 jobs by issuing or securing bonds worth nearly $5 billion. This money went toward luring new businesses to the county or helping established businesses stay and expand. All this is a benefit to the county, said Rusty Paul, with ISquared Communications, a marketing firm working with DAFC. “[The DAFC’s] primary responsibility is to make sure businesses that want to locate or expand here have the financial resources to do that successfully,” Paul said. “They have done this fairly effectively.” Paul said many large companies headquartered in Fulton County have taken advantage of the DAFC’s services to help expand their footprints. “By helping them get financing to stay, expand or relocate is a huge incentive,” he said. “Without capital for a new facility, the relocation may not occur.” Fulton’s development authority is independently funded, Paul said, using no taxpayer funds. They sustain themselves through interest given on the bonds. Entities such as the DAFC provide bonds and financing that banks may not be able to do and at rates better than the banks. Last year, 2014, was the busiest the DAFC has ever been. With an estimated 29,000 jobs and $2.5 billion in bonds issued, that can mean a lot of new development in the region’s economy. The development authority made their largest amount of financing deals

“By helping them get financing to stay, expand or relocate is a huge incentive. Without capital for a new facility, the relocation may not occur.”

ALPHARETTA CHAMBER’S

GOLF TOURNAMENT and

NETWORKING LEAGUE

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Rusty Paul, with ISquared Communications

The Development Authority of Fulton County bond issues, 2012-2014: 2012: $380 million 2013: $1.7 billion 2014: $2.5 billion

Jobs created or retained 2012-2014: 2012: 1,484 2013: 15,137 2014: 29,175 ever in 2014. In all, 24 bond inducements were issued, totaling $2.5 billion in financing. The prior year, $1.7 billion was issued, helping create or keep an estimated 15,000 jobs. The year before that, 2012, had $380 million in bonds issued, helping 1,500 jobs. All this money translates into plenty of enticement to either keep companies in Fulton County, or lure them into doing business there. Development authorities are a growing tool to spur economic development. In the metro Atlanta area, the counties of Fulton, Clayton, DeKalb, Rockdale and Henry have such authorities and, according to DAFC, often work collaboratively. Together, they cover a quarter of Georgia’s population.

www.AlpharettaChamber.com

REAL ESTATE

20• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Sustained growth carries its own problems for Sandy Springs By Patrick Fox pat@appenmediagroup.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. – Through the recent economic recession, the city of Sandy Springs fared better than most. Because of its commercial makeup – the city is home to several Fortune 500 companies and close to 6,000 businesses – local leaders were able to maintain and improve on services without tax hikes, while other cities imposed major service cutbacks or tax and fee increases. As the U.S. economy continues to rebound, Sandy Springs has not stood still. Just last month, the Atlanta Capitals of the North American Tier III Hockey League announced plans to relocate to the Center Ice Arena on Roswell Road. In addition, Amtrak announced in April it will open an Information Technology Service Delivery Center at the Sandy Springs Concourse Office Park, adding as many as 200 jobs over the next five years. Other recent economic coups include: – Mercedes Benz announced plans in January to move its corporate headquarters, along with some 1,000 jobs from New Jersey to a 12-acre site at Glenridge Hall. – Paper giant Veritiv announced plans in December to move into a 68,000-square-foot space at Northpark Town Center, bringing with it close to 150 senior executives. “We’ve been on a roll for a while,” said Mayor Rusty Paul. “Obviously, the Mercedes announcement was big, along with Veritiv, Amtrak for the first time opening a major facility outside the Northeast. Now we’re on the map with our own hockey team.” Though thrilled by the good news, Paul said he’s not surprised. “We’re living up to the aspirations we thought we could live up to all along,” he said. “With the shift of the metro area northward, the core has shifted into Sandy Springs.” The city’s location makes it a prime location for business, Paul said. Its central location on I-285 between I-75 and I-85 allows companies to recruit up both corridors. Also, the connectivity of Ga. 400 up and down the technology center is another plus, he said. Add to the road network, Sandy Springs also is served by MARTA, giving many Atlanta Millennials easy access to jobs, he said. “We’re in a very convenient place for all those folks to meet,” Paul said. Nevertheless, Paul concedes that, in spite of the multi-modal transportation options, traffic remains a concern among employers. “Traffic is a productivity problem for their employees,” he said. “When employees are stuck in traffic, they’re losing productivity.” A sign of this concern is the fact that many of these large companies are leasing their space, not buying, Paul said. Sandy Springs’ love affair with busi-

jb+a Planning and Landscape Architect

Sandy Springs’ proposed City Center is a public/private partnership calling for incorporating retail with municipal buildings in a pedestrian-friendly environment. ness dates back to its founding in 2005, when it became a national leader in privatizing government services. Instead of a large municipal workforce, most of the city’s services are contracted out through private workers. The city is also completing final designs on a new City Center, a $100 million project to establish a downtown area that will have a mix of public and commercial buildings in an area that promotes pedestrian traffic. For its part, the city has shelled out close to $20 million for the project so far, all paid for in cash. “The City Center itself is just a continuation of our public/private partnerships,” Paul said. The city is partnering with Atlantabased Carter-Selig to develop the retail portions of the City Center and has hired The Retail Coach, a national marketing consulting firm, to guide the city in

developing a retail strategy. Nevertheless, Paul said the city’s growth and prosperity is not guaranteed. He is still concerned about commercial real estate. “If you look at the Perimeter market, which is really hot right now, you’ve got some companies like UPS, Mercedes, Cox and State Farm who have built or are building their own facilities,” he said. “They’re largely tied to this area because of the enormous investment they’re making. “Everybody else is leasing,” he said. One company official recently told him that if the traffic problems become untenable, they can leave as quickly as they came. Paul calls this a pressing issue, and he acknowledges more than a couple of the city’s main arteries are above capacity. “We’re trying to develop some strategies and policies that manage the boom

and bust of the real estate market that has historically plagued Atlanta,” he said. “The issue for us is, how do we maintain a reasonably healthy rate of growth without overburdening the infrastructure to the point these employers … look at new locations?” Paul admits the road network is overburdened, while MARTA rail service is underutilized. “If we could get a 25 percent increase in MARTA ridership in the Perimeter market, we would have no mobility problems, and we could absorb a higher rate of growth,” he said. The city has to find incentives to encourage more use of public transportation, he said. “If we can’t, then we’re going to have to look at what we can do to ratchet it back, because the neighborhoods are not going to tolerate unlimited traffic,” he said.

FULTON COUNTY

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 21

State unveils Ga. 9 upgrades Widening, walkways, intersection improvements planned By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – The state plans to widen and improve the Ga. 9 corridor significantly between Upper Hembree Road in Roswell and Windward Parkway, near Milton. Georgia Department of Transportation officials say the improvements are needed to help with traffic flow. As bad as some sections of the road are now, future population patterns show many more people driving it in the coming years. Widening will help this problem – the road will be made at least two lanes in either direction for the length of the project, with either a median or a center turn lane in the middle. Multi-use paths will also line the streets in either direction, allowing for pedestrians as well as bicycles. These paths vary from 10 feet wide to 12 feet. While much of the improvements are simply widening, some streets will look

different. The intersection of Ga. 9 with Devore Road/ Roswell Street will be completely realigned. The current intersection will be blocked off and a new one installed at a right-angle to Ga. 9 just north of the bank. A roundabout is being considered for the new intersection. Two other intersections – Brady Place and Maxwell Road – will be remade to make them intersect Ga. 9 at 90 degrees. One portion of the road not included in the project is Ga. 9 from Old Milton Parkway to Academy Street; the city of Alpharetta is doing its own improvements to its downtown. “We’re working together on design,” said Annalysce Baker-Wilson, communications officer for GDOT. “The projects will be cohesive.” Not everyone was pleased with the new designs. Some residents of Winthrope Park Drive said their neighborhood was tricky to get out of at the best of times. The new plans do little to address this. They want a traffic light at either Vaughan Drive or Canton Street, north of downtown Alpharetta. Safety is their primary concern. “There are a lot of kids in the neigh-

JONATHAN COPSEY/Staff

Residents look at plans for the widening of Ga. 9 from Upper Hembree Road to Windward Parkway in Alpharetta. borhood,” said Sonia Delgado, a resident of Winthrope Chase. “It’s a safety thing.” She said drivers routinely speed through the curve coming up to her entrance, giving residents little chance to see oncoming traffic. Turning left out of the neighborhood is difficult. Leigh Ann Maloney, who has an office off Vaughan Drive, echoed the sentiment, and said the roads – Vaughan and Canton – should be realigned to meet up with Winthrope Chase’s two entrances. Currently they are staggered. The project will fit in with construction already underway near the Winthrope Chase neighborhood and

BRIEFS & SHORTS: Fulton County Bridge2 Solutions secures $5 million venture loan ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Bridge2 Solutions has secured a $5 million venture loan from Horizon Technology Finance. The company plans to use the proceeds for general working capital purposes. Founded in 2006, Bridge2 Solutions provides marketing and fulfillment solutions for companies’ loyalty rewards programs. Company President and CEO Craig McLaughlin said Horizon’s venture loan provides the company with meaningful liquidity that enhances its financial position and future growth prospects. “As Bridge2 Solutions continues to attract new clients and integrate its unique platform across a widerange of businesses, we appreciate Horizon’s confidence in the long-term outlook of our company,” he said.

Sanuwave receives hydraulic fracturing patent ALPHARETTA, Ga. —Sanuwave Health announced the receipt of U.S. Pat. No. 9,057,232 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office entitled, “Apparatuses and Methods for Generating Shock Waves for Use in the Energy Industry”

Vaughan Drive. Alpharetta planner Eric Graves said the city is placing asphalt down, which will eventually be used by GDOT for their project. The state will then add plantings and sidewalks. “We work well with GDOT and make sure our plans line up,” Graves said. While Alpharetta is managing that project, GDOT is paying for it, Graves said. The total widening and improvement project is expected to cost $54 million. The state will acquire right-of-way in the summer of 2016 and begin construction soon after. They expect to finish in 2020 at the earliest.

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that has a patent life to April 2033. The patent includes twenty claims relating to the use of shock waves, generated with laser systems, for hydraulic fracturing of rock formations, which can be employed in both secondary and tertiary oil recovery. For more information, visit www.sanuwave.com.

“The consolidation is a logical next step in the company’s evolution,” Keil said. “Uniting the internal aspects of our organization allows us to combine the strengths from each division and create an even stronger company and quality experience for our customers.”

HoneyBaked Ham combines U.S. operations

Indiana-based TCC acquires Wireless stores

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The owners of HoneyBaked Ham announced they are consolidating three regionalized operating divisions, previously based in Georgia, Michigan and Ohio. The combined organization, The HoneyBaked Ham Company, is headquartered in Alpharetta and serves customers online and at more than 400 year round locations in 40 states. HoneyBaked Ham, Inc. continues to operate independently in the state of California under a license agreement. As a part of consolidation, HoneyBaked Ham is centralizing management, sourcing and operations for the company nationwide. David A. Keil now serves as both chief executive officer and a company board member. Keil joins HoneyBaked Ham from Ecolab, and spent four years as an independent member of the HoneyBaked Ham board of advisors.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Indiana-based TCC has acquired three Verizon Wireless Communications stores in Alpharetta as part of a major move into Georgia and South Carolina. The company is rebranding 37 stores across the two states, including the three in Alpharetta, two stores in Athens and one store each in Conyers, Marietta, Woodstock, Kennesaw, Cumming, Decatur, Duluth, Gainesville, Holly Springs, Madison, McDonough, Monroe, Perry, Toccoa, Warner Robins and Winder. The TCC stores will retain all current employees. TCC is the largest Verizon Premium Wireless retailer in the United States, operating more than 630 locations across 37 states. It was recently recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies for the fifth consecutive year.

CHEROKEE COUNTY

22• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Photo coutrsey Stars and Strikes

The Cherokee Office of Economic Development is looking for a house that looks haunted around Cherokee County for filming purposes.

Group seeks sites for film locations CANTON, Ga. – The Cherokee Office of Economic Development has launched a program asking residents to identify potential filming locations that may interest movie and television industry scouts. “Film is one of COED’s target industry sectors,” said COED Chairman Marshall Day. “When a project chooses Cherokee, it generates income for local business and increases awareness of our incredible county.” The agency is seeking those with information on interesting houses or landscapes – a house that looks haunted or a fairy tale valley – to add their properties to the Camera Ready Reel Scout database. Email cameraready@cherokeega.org with the subject line “Camera Ready Location” and include a picture and short description of the property. COED will respond with next steps.

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Stars and Strikes opens new location WOODSTOCK, Ga. — Georgia-based Stars and Strikes has opened a new family entertainment center in Woodstock, marking the sixth location in metro Atlanta. The 50,000-square-foot facility located at 10010 Ga. Highway 92 houses eight VIP lanes in the signature Blue Room, 20 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, a twostory laser tag arena, laser maze, bumper cars, game room with prize store, private birthday party rooms, multiple private event spaces, full-service bars, big screen TVs and projection screens in private event spaces.

The company is hiring 115 new employees to staff the center, which was built by refurbishing a vacant grocery store. “Stars and Strikes has seen and heard demand from the residents of Cherokee County and the surrounding area for a while now,” said Jack Canouse, managing partner and co-founder of Stars and Strikes. The Woodstock location features a restaurant that offers fresh, seasonally inspired cuisine including a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, specialty pizzas and other house-made items.

HALL COUNTY

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 23

From left, Anika Applewhite, Jeff Stowe, Billy Powell, Tom Croteau, Casey Keller, Tim Evans, Mike Miller, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Yanick Taylor and Jim FitzGerald cut the ribbon in front of a new Orbit production line.

Wrigley expands, wants more Georgia workers By HILLARY HUNNINGS news@appenmediagroup.com FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The William Jr. Wrigley Company, a subsidiary of Mars Corporation, plans to hire 155 new workers at its Flowery Branch manufacturing plant over the next years. Currently, the chewing gum manufacturing plant employs 670 workers where Juicy Fruit and Extra gum flavors are made. Wrigley was founded in 1891 in Chicago, Illinois, but it also has long held Georgia business ties. The Flowery Branch plant has been in

“The company has been here 44 years. We felt like this is a great place for them to transition to Orbit.” Tim Evans, Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Vice President operation for more than 40 years. The new expansion is to support additional Orbit and Excel chewing gum flavor production.

“The company has been here 44 years. We felt like this is a great place for them to transition to Orbit,” said Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce’s Economic

BRIEFS & SHORTS: Hall County Chamber welcomes new staff members GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kit Dunlap welcomes three new staff members to the chamber team. Elizabeth Jacobs Higgins has joined the chamber as executive director of Vision 2030. Higgins was most recently the director of Core Essential Values, a curriculum and resource company infusing values in public schools across the country. Contact her at 770-5326206, ext. 104 or email ehiggins@ghcc.com. Garrett Wiley has been named a project manager in the economic development and governmental affairs divisions. Prior to joining the chamber, Wiley worked as a regional political director in northeast Georgia. Contact Wiley at 770-532-6206, ext. 110 or email gwiley@ghcc. com. Gerri Collins joins the chamber as executive assistant. Collins most recently served as banking officer and

relationship banker at Independence Bank of Georgia and is a Leadership Hall County graduate.

Chattahoochee Bank names new senior vice president GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Phillip Williams recently joined Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia as senior vice president of commercial banking. He comes to Chattahoochee Bank from Georgia Commerce Bank where he was senior vice president and market executive, leading the commercial and retail team for the Johns Creek market. “Phillip brings over 30 years of banking experience and is a valuable addition to our Gwinnett area market. He has joined Steve Reagin in our new loan production office, which opened Feb. 2 on Sugarloaf Parkway,” said Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia President and CEO Jody Lail. Williams is a graduate of Concord University with a bachelor’s in business administration and computer science.

Development Vice President Tim Evans. “We’re thrilled they chose to be here.” About one-sixth of all food-processing jobs in the state are located in Hall County, he added. But Flowery Branch is not alone. Albany, in southwest Georgia, is also expected to see Mars Corporation job expansion. Mars Chocolate Company, another subsidiary of Mars Corporation, plans to expand its Albany production facility. Currently, about 175 associates are employed. An estimated 20 additional associate jobs are to be added over the next three years.

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Applicants sought for Wisdom Project GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The fall 2015 session of The Wisdom Project, Vision 2030 Senior Leadership Program begins Aug. 13 and includes eight programs. The Wisdom Project is a joint initiative of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and Brenau University’s Center for Lifetime Study. Wisdom Project participants engage in a multi-faceted view of Gainesville and Hall County, explore local issues and opportunities and interact with community leaders. Applicants should be age 55 and older who have volunteer or leadership experience. Graduates of the program may serve on the Wisdom Keepers Council, an advisory group for subsequent programs and advocacy projects. The program fee is $175 per person, including materials and lunches. Information: Kathy Amos, Brenau’s Center for Lifetime Study at 770-538-4705. Email: kamos@brenau.edu.

FORSYTH COUNTY

24• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Second city to get second study Forsyth County researching possibility of Sharon Springs BY KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — After a study done by the Carl Vinson Institute deemed Sharon Springs financially viable in March, the potential city now must undergo a second study. Ken Jarrard, county attorney, asked the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners (BOC) June 9 at their work session if his office could look into the possibility of the city from the county’s perspective and then get a second opinion on that document. The commissioners voted unanimously to authorize Jarrard to write an opinion on the “city light” issue and to have another expert of his choosing review it. Also, the BOC voted unanimously to authorize Jarrard to bring in a qualified individual or firm to do a study of the fiscal impacts on the county related to the proposed new city.

“This BOC has some long range planning to do and you’re in the middle of the budget time,” Jarrard said. “One of the things you have to think about is the potential long term impact of a new city and Jarrard all of its various funding sources on the county’s budget. No one has looked at that.” The study said the city would be a “city light,” Jarrad said, which means it will have three powers: zoning, solid waste management and code enforcement. “While the study does come up with the finding this new city would be financially viable, it doesn’t address nor was it tasked to address what the financial impact is on the county,” Jarrard said. “Basically most of its numbers are based upon almost a reverse engineering of ‘this is what the county may have collected for this.’ We’ll pull this out and it’ll be what the city can collect for. But of course we’re basing it primarily providing those three functions.” Jarrard said he is challenged by the city light concept, which the General As-

“One of the things you have to think about is the potential long term impact of a new city and all of its various funding sources on the county’s budget. No one has looked at that.” KEN JARRARD, Forsyth County attorney sembly approved. “One of the reasons that I get there and get caught up in that is because there’s a Georgia constitutional division that says in addition to any powers inferred by a municipality, it must also have other powers including police and fire protection, garbage, parks and recreation, etc.,” Jarrard said. “I’m a practitioner in this area and I know the constitution is a big document. There may be more I need to look at but I think the notion of a city light needs to be addressed.” The city light version would impact what the government will truly do which impacts which resources it will need to truly do that as opposed to a very limited and confined municipality which the

BRIEFS & SHORTS: Forsyth County Kenneth H. Maloy, SouthCrest president and CEO. “It demonstrates our continuing commitment to provide quality service and build strong, collaborative relationships with local business customers.” SouthCrest Bank has had an office in the Cumming area for the past two years, but this move will exhibit a substantial increase in office size, employees and services offered. The new Cumming business center will specialize in retail and commercial banking services, mortgage banking and small business loan processing.

Ariana Home Furnishings building own shop CUMMING, Ga. — Ariana Home Furnishings is moving across the street from The Collection Forsyth, more than doubling its space by building its own shop. The new location is at 325 Brannon Road at the intersection with Peachtree Parkway. The project is zoned for 4.9 acres and is 213,444 square feet. The estimated completion is the end of August.

SouthCrest Bank plans Forsyth County branch CUMMING, Ga. — SouthCrest Bank is expanding its operations in Cumming by opening a new branch/business center in late July. A grand opening and ribbon cutting is planned for Aug. 5 at the branch, which is at 3275 Market Place Blvd., Suite 100 in Cumming. “This new Cumming business center represents the first of many we plan to open in metro areas,” said

More flex shoulder lanes open on Ga. 400 ATLANTA – Starting Monday, June 15, the Georgia Department of Transportation opemed five additional miles of flex shoulder lanes on Ga. 400. Commuters who travel on Ga. 400 northbound will have four more miles of flex shoulder lanes to use during the morning and afternoon rush hours. The northbound flex shoulder lanes will begin at Abernathy Road to the MARTA North Springs Station; MARTA North Springs Station to Northridge Road; and SR 120/ Old Milton Parkway to Windward Parkway. On Ga. 400 southbound, commuters will have one more mile of flex shoulder lane to use during peak travel hours. The new lane will start at the MARTA North Springs Station and end at Abernathy Road. The Georgia DOT will construct additional flex shoulder lanes from Holcomb Bridge Road to SR 120/ Old Milton Parkway. The total project will cost $850,000. The flex shoulder lanes originally opened in Spring

study was based upon, Jarrard said. The commissioners asked Jarrard questions regarding the potential city light, including Commissioner Jim Boff who questioned if it’s not a city light then it would be a full city. “It can evolve under the constitution that it needs its own SPLOST or LOST, own water and sewer, police, etc. and all the taxing abilities that comes with it,” Boff said. Answering that question and others is one of the reasons Jarrard wants the second study done, saying the commissioners need the answers to their questions. “I think I know where it’s going, but I want to take the top off the constitution and get into it,” Jarrard said.

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2012 on Ga. 400 southbound. Motorists are advised to drive cautiously while driving on the flex shoulder lanes. Motorists should not exceed the posted 45-mile per hour shoulder lane advisory speed limit.

Sawnee Foundation gives extra profits to community charities CUMMING, Ga.— Sawnee Electrical Membership Foundation was able to award $26,126.61 to eight local charities thanks to its Operation Round-Up Program. Operation Round-Up is a collection of Sawnee EMC members who each month voluntarily opt to round their electric bill up to the next highest dollar. The proceeds of these donations are given directly to the Sawnee Foundation and then reallocated within the community. The average annual donation per member is about $6, giving only a few pennies per month. Though miniscule in the beginning, these donations can add up to great sums, allowing the Foundation Board to donate nearly $1.8 million back into local communities since 2003. Interested applicants are required to submit an application to the Foundation Board of Directors for their quarterly review. In order to qualify for a grant, an organization must be located in the area served by Sawnee EMC and provide a service within the local community. Teachers may also apply for grant funds through the foundation’s Bright Ideas Program, which is part of Operation Round-Up. For more information about the Operation RoundUp program, please visit their website at www.sawnee. com/roundup/about .

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 25

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COBB COUNTY

26• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Braves, MillerCoors expand partnership at SunTrust Park COBB COUNTY, Ga. – MillerCoors will be the official beer partner of the Atlanta Braves, as well as a prominent partner within the adjoining mixed-use community starting in 2017. MillerCoors will leverage its portfolio of dynamic brands to engage consumers throughout the new development. The sponsorship will include prominent signage and branded entertainment throughout the development. At the cornerstone, a completely reimagined Chop House will be led by Coors Light. The iconic Chop House will be reinvented within SunTrust Park and will feature three levels, including two party decks and a new field level which can be turned into a large group area directly behind right field. Totaling 10,000 square feet of hospitality space, the Chop House will include a full menu, a variety of beer choices and a burger restaurant concept space. “From the outset of this endeavor, we have sought to create a vibrant and engaging environment for fans attending Braves games, as well as for the visitors to our development. We could not achieve that goal without a premier partner like MillerCoors,” said Derek Schiller, Braves executive vice president of sales and marketing. “MillerCoors has been a longtime partner with our organization and they feature some of the most iconic beer brands in the world. We are excited to have them join us as we work to build a destination that will be unlike anything else in America.” Smith & Forge Hard Cider will be-

Rendering courtsey of the Atlanta Braves

A rendering of the interior at the new Chop House in SunTrust Stadium. come the official hard cider and Peroni Nastro Azzuro will be the official import of the Braves. MillerCoors will bring these and other brands to life through custom packaging, exclusive consumer promotions and Braves-themed retail point of sale throughout the southeast. “We are excited to strengthen our partnership with the Atlanta Braves,” said Andy England, MillerCoors chief

marketing officer. “The team’s tradition of success, vision for the future and the passion of their fans are the reasons we’ve been partners since 2010. We’re thrilled that MillerCoors and our diverse portfolio of beers will be part of this exciting future.” SunTrust Park is being developed by the Braves in partnership with Cobb County, the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and

BRIEFS & SHORTS: Cobb County 2015 top 25 small businesses of the year announced MARIETTA, Ga. – Cobb County is home to some of the fastest-growing small businesses in the nation. As a probusiness advocacy organization, the Cobb Chamber is committed to meeting and exceeding the needs of small business owners. Each year, the Chamber celebrates the achievements of small businesses that contribute to the vitality of the community with the announcement of its top 25 small businesses. The Chamber announced the following businesses as its 2015 Top 25 Small Businesses of the Year: • Aquaguard Foundation Solutions • Blue Sky Exhibits, LLC • Bob Steele Salon • The Bottoms Group, LLC • Buckhead Preparatory School • Casteel Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electrical • Cumberland Diamond Exchange • Deluxe Athletics • Fulfillment Strategies International, Inc. • Gaskins Surveying and Engineering Company • Geo-Hydro Engineers, Inc. • Glory Haus, Inc. • Human Resource Dimensions • IAG Forensics and Valuation • IT interConnect, Inc.

• • • • • • • • • •

K Mike Whittle Designs, Inc. Mopdog Creative + Strategy NGA Staffing Otter’s Chicken Pro Roofing and Siding, LLC The Service Fort SimpleC, LLC Veterinary Products, Inc. The Wendy Bunch Team, RE/MAX PURE Wiser Wealth Management Visit cobbchamber.org/sboy for more information.

Build Georgia honors Baston-Cook projects ATLANTA — Batson-Cook Construction, headquartered at 300 Galleria Pkwy., has won 2015 Build Georgia Awards for two recently completed health care projects: Cancer Treatment Centers of America Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Newnan and Northside Hospital Ground Floor Surgery Renovation and Addition in Atlanta. The awards were presented at AGC Georgia’s annual convention in Amelia Island, Florida. The Northside Hospital project, which was completed in 18 phases, called for a 16,000-square-foot renovation of the hospital’s ground floor surgery space and a 585-square-foot addition to the ground floor waiting

Exhibit Hall Authority and the Cumberland CID, and will be completed by Opening Day 2017. Located in Atlanta at the intersection of I-75 and I-285 in the bustling Cumberland CID, SunTrust Park will flow directly into the surrounding development, creating a vibrant atmosphere with unique shops, restaurants, offices, residences and entertainment venues that are accessible 365 days a year.

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room. The surgery area renovation included the addition of one hybrid and one standard OR; the expansion of an existing OR; renovation of the existing PACU, including four new PACU bays; renovation of the pre-op area, including seven new pre-op bays; and expansion and renovation of the OR satellite pharmacy.

Business launches Community Charity Alliance MARIETTA, Ga. — Advertising Exchange Source LLC is launching a Community Charity Alliance program to help local charities. This campaign is focused on building a national state-of-the-art Wi-Fi network dedicated to helping local and regional charities while providing safe, secure, free Wi-Fi access for businesses and their consumers. Clay Bailey, Advertising Exchange Source president, said this unique fundraising program is another unique way that business owners can help their favorite charity. Advertising Exchange Source supports the Cindy Donald Dreams of Recovery Foundation, which helps individuals who suffer paralysis due to spinal cord or brain injuries. CCA will donate 10 percent of all ad revenue generated from the Wi-Fi marketing campaign budget to local charities.

GWINNETT COUNTY

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 27

Gwinnett seeing economic boost from pro sports boom New NLL lacrosse team latest to move to the county

Meet the Georgia Swarm What: Georgia Swarm Professional Lacrosse Club Introductory Press Conference open to the public When: July 16 from 10 a.m. to noon Where: Lobby, The Arena at Gwinnett Center (Located next to the box office)

BY CAMERON OSBURN news@appenmediagroup.com GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. – After recently landing a professional lacrosse team, the Georgia Swarm, Gwinnett County is undergoing a professional sports “boom” and has become the premier sports destination outside of the city of Atlanta. It is common for big cities to have multiple professional teams, but Gwinnett County, a suburban county not containing a city of even 50,000 residents, has become an outlier. With the relocation of the Swarm to Gwinnett, the county is now home to three professional sports teams as well as a yearly PGA Tour event, all of which have moved to the county in the last 15 years. Gwinnett is currently home to the Gwinnett Braves, Atlanta’s triple-A team, the Gwinnett Gladiators, a hockey team in the ECHL, and the recently moved Swarm, who compete in the National Lacrosse League. The county was also previously the home of an Arena Football League team, the Georgia Force, which folded in 2012. What do these organizations see in Gwinnett that makes it so attractive for them to bring their teams to the county? “I think there are two main factors. One, we are a geographic stone’s throw from Atlanta and have all the interstate

Magnus Manske

The Gwinnett Gladiators hockey team call the Arena at Gwinnett Center home, and will soon share it with pro lacrosse team, the Georgia Swarm.

accessibility to get there and back with ease,” Stan Hall, executive director of the Gwinnett Sports Commission, said. “The other factor is our population. We have a population of close to 1 million in the county, which is the largest in the state outside of Atlanta city limits.” Another aspect in Gwinnett’s favor is the Arena at Gwinnett Center, a 13,000seat multipurpose arena set to house both the Gladiators and Swarm. The arena also hosts several big-name concerts yearly, in addition to sporting events, job fairs and graduation ceremonies.

“Having the Arena at Gwinnett Center is a huge help,” Hall said. “It’s a highly sought after facility for numerous events, and helped us land the first indoor professional lacrosse team in the South.” But what exactly do these teams and events bring to the local economy in Gwinnett? “The impact is tremendous,” Hall said. “The Georgia Gwinnett Championship, for example, brings in between $10-12 million a year, and that is just a weeklong event. In its three-year history,

BRIEFS & SHORTS: Gwinnett County Galectin names Rubin lead independent director

NORCROSS, Ga. — Dr. Marc Rubin has been elected by independent members of the board of directors of Galectin Therapeutics as the lead independent director. “Dr. Rubin has a wealth of experience running early stage biopharmaceutical companies, as well as leading research, clinical and commercial development at large, global pharmaceutical companies,” said James Czirr, executive chairman of the board.

OneWater Marine acquires Captain’s Choice BUFORD, Ga. — OneWater Marine Holdings has acquired Captain’s Choice Marine on Lake Murray in Leesville, South Carolina. Alan and Melanie Giddens, Captain’s Choice former owners, will continue to operate Captain’s Choice as a division of OneWater Marine. “As a long-standing, family-run dealer with many overlapping brands adjacent to our Singleton Marine group of dealerships in Georgia, we’ve known and admired the Giddens and the business they’ve built over the last three decades,” said Austin Singleton, OneWater

we have yet to have a week undisturbed by weather; yet it still brings in that much money to the area annually.” Hall attributes this boost to the economy to a variety of factors. The hotels and retail industry benefit from the professional sporting events due to accommodating all the members of a team, as well as any fan base that travels with the team. On an annual basis, Hall says Gwinnett sees roughly 2,500 hotel rooms being used by these visiting teams. Not to mention the cost for the players to feed themselves. Hall noted that the biggest visiting team fan base turnout comes when the county hosts anything college-sports related. Gwinnett Center has previously hosted the SEC women’s basketball championship, as well as the SEC gymnastics championships. “We want to become a sports destination nationally, not just locally,” Hall said. “I think we are doing a pretty good job of that.”

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Marine chief executive officer. “Captain’s Choice is a perfect complement to our existing portfolio of dealerships and offers a natural geographic expansion for us into the South Carolina Midlands.” Captain’s Choice will continue to operate under its current name and personnel.

in the development of Class III implantable devices and systems.

Medrano joins Sebacia as program manager

SUWANEE, Ga. — John Burnette has been named to the board of directors of Quantum National Bank. Burnette, a licensed insurance professional and principal at Suwanee’s Burnette Insurance Agency, joined the Suwanee-headquartered bank’s board on June 10. Burnette has been a certified insurance counselor since 1996 and an accredited advisor in insurance since 1992. He is a 1989 graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville with a bachelor’s degree in finance/economics. He has been a principal of Burnette Insurance Agency since the late 1990s and is currently the agency’s vice president of commercial lines. He also serves on the board of directors of SecureRisk, a partnership of nearly 100 independent insurance agencies throughout Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, which together are responsible for written premiums in excess of $1 billion. He was the president of the Gwinnett Association of Independent Insurance Agents in 1998-99.

DULUTH, Ga. — Sebacia, a company specializing in dermatology treatments, has hired Pedro Medrano as vice president of engineering and program management. Medrano will lead commercialization readiness for Sebacia Treatment, a potential new in-office procedure for acne. The treatment uses hair removal lasers, already in routine use among dermatologists, in combination with proprietary Sebacia Gold Microparticles, and is designed to deliver lasting results from a few, simple treatments performed at a dermatologist’s office. Prior to joining Sebacia, Medrano was director of the project management office for Philips’ Nuclear Medicine and Imaging. He spent 15 years at St. Jude Medical, where he led numerous global, cross-functional teams

Burnette joins Quantum Bank board

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

28• July 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Women in business: Tricia Dempsey Tricia Dempsey is founder and chief executive officer of the IT recruiting firm Agile, based in Alpharetta. She has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education and taught for five years before entering the IT staffing industry in 1996. She served in a variety of recruiting leadership positions before starting Agile in 2003 while battling breast cancer. Under her leadership, Agile has become one of the fastest growing staffing firms in the nation and has been recognized by Inc. Magazine, Staffing Industry Analysts and the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Additionally, Dempsey is the founder of Agile on the Green, a nonprofit that has raised over $270,000 for Susan G. Komen – Greater Atlanta. She has been married to Jeff for 20 years and has a 15-year-old daughter, Catherine. What decision did you make that put you on the path to this career? I decided after five years of teaching school to pursue my interests in technology and spent the entire summer calling companies to see if I could secure a training job. After many calls with recruiters, I was told by a person that I should consider pursuing recruiting. That summer, I got an opportunity to temp at Brannon & Tully for the day and talked to all of the recruiters and salespeople in the office. Over the next month, I interviewed at three recruiting companies and received offers from them all. Twenty years later, here I am. What obstacles, if any, did you face on your way up the corporate ladder? I quickly rose up the corporate ladder and held almost every position in the company in the first five years. My biggest obstacle was not being recognized for the work I did – it was being resented by my peers for moving up so quickly with so little experience. Since then, I have developed a philosophy that being “senior” has little to do with the number of years in a job and everything to do with your productivity and impact. What gives you the most satisfaction at work? This has evolved over the years so much – I’m at the point in my career where I gain the most satisfaction with seeing others be successful and watching them

achieve things they did not think they were capable of doing. A close second is seeing the impact that we have on the lives of our clients and candidates when we match a great person with a great opportunity – this never grows old. What keeps you up at night? Attracting and retaining the right people who do the right things – right! We have transformed our organization this year by being laser focused on hiring great people. As a result, our 2015 theme is delivering happiness to our clients, candidates and ourselves. I have never been happier coming to work in 20 years. What advice would you give to young women interested in pursuing a career in business? Develop advocates. This is one of our core values at Agile. We define this as partnerships between people who are passionate about one another’s success. I believe when you approach business relationships through the lens of “how can I leave this person better than I found them,” you will succeed. Secondly, do your best – no matter how big or small the task you have been asked to do. Success in the small things leads to success in big things. What degree do you think might prove most useful to students? I talk to my 15-year-old daughter about this often. Unless you are studying to be a doctor, lawyer or CPA, I believe in simply finishing your college degree – in anything. In our profession, eight out of 10 people we work with do not use the degree that they graduated with. In my office, there are education, law, sociology, chemical engineering and pharmacy majors – all of us are now in recruiting or sales. I believe a college degree shows a commitment to finish things…and a discipline around how to think. Where do you see the greatest opportunities for young people today? Careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), especially for women. There will be more than 30,000 new STEM jobs between now and 2020 and there are not enough people to fill them. The greatest opportunity to close this gap is to engage more young

Tricia Dempsey, standing, founder and chief executive officer of the IT recruiting firm Agile, first entered the IT stafing industry in 1996. girls in STEM careers. The benefit for these young people is twofold: 1) There will be more jobs than people so job security is high, and 2) the average income is significantly higher than most professions. I work closely with Women in Technology (WIT), a formidable organization that helps women and girls break through barriers and advance opportunities in STEM. From the classroom to the boardroom, WIT supports, inspires and challenges women so they are prepared to fill half of Georgia’s new STEM jobs by 2020. I encourage women working or studying in STEM fields to get involved with WIT at www.mywit.org.

Technology: Continued from Page 14 ing Web applications that connect people with data. Ken Hilburn, chief operating officer for Juice Analytics, manages the Juice office at the innovation building. Hilburn views the facility as a networking opportunity for his company. “It is great to be around folks that are in the same stage, to learn from and encourage each other,” Hilburn said. “Pretty much on a daily basis there is someone coming through that we haven’t met before and is involved in the tech field in the North Atlanta area.” Plans for the center had been discussed between the ATC and the city’s economic development department for almost three years. When the city’s finance department relocated to the new City Hall, the innovation center had the opportunity to

MAGGIE MCDANIEL/Staff

Alpharetta’s new innovation center aims to encourage tech startups by providing space and resources to grow. take its place. The city’s economic development department put up over $30,000 to repurpose and upgrade the center, and

the ATC serves as a tenant for the center. The ATC is a nonprofit organization made up of Alpharetta’s big and small leading technology companies. The

members are challenged with identifying key investment opportunities and policy decisions for Alpharetta’s technology companies and its growing technology industry. Peter Tokar, economic development director for the city of Alpharetta, believes the innovation center is different from others, because it is not privately run with the goal of creating wealth, opportunity or innovation for the owners of the facility. “This being a nonprofit and in partnership with the city of Alpharetta, gives a more holistic tone to the center,” Tokar said. “The center is there to help businesses grow, find funding and feed the Alpharetta tech ecosystem.” Tokar said he believes the center will do amazing things for the Alpharetta community. “The key to Alpharetta sustaining our position as the tech hub in the region is to evolve ourselves and be a city that is innovative to attract the talent we need to support our businesses,” Tokar said.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • July 2015 • 29

Rawlings runner-up for LLS man of the year BY CAMERON OSBURN news@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. –Bill Rawlings, vice president and managing broker for North Atlanta at Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, took home runner-up status for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) annual “Man of the Year” fundraising contest. Rawlings had been nominated to take part in the contest and had set his goal to raise $100,000 for LLS. Rawlings says that after the ten week scramble to raise money for the cause, he was able to shatter that goal by raising $134,000, earning him the title of a “champion of hope.” The designation is reserved for individuals like Rawlings that are able to top the $100,000 raised mark. The “Atlanta Campaign,” a group comprised of 14 fundraisers, were able to raise over $1 million for LLS, up from

$700,000 last year. “Fourteen strangers met with a common goal,” Rawlings said. “We ended up raising over $1 million, which is remarkable. When asked, people are very generous.” To partake in the fundraiser, a person is nominated by others that believe that person has the connections to raise a significant amount for the cause, but the decision to enter was more than just a nomination to Rawlings. “My father-in-law has CLL, a type of cancer,” he said. “Through research like this, a new drug was developed that can keep it in remission, a drug that wasn’t available until a few years ago. When there is a need and you feel you can make a difference, you do it.” Every dollar counts as one vote and the titles are awarded to the man and woman with the most votes at the end of ten weeks. The top local fundraisers in

the country win the national titles. “I was very excited,” said Rawlings about being runner-up. “It really gives you a sense of pride when you accomplish something like that, and for a great cause.” To date, these dedicated leaders have helped LLS invest more than $1 billion in research to advance breakthrough therapies that are saving lives today and helping everyone achieve the LLS goal of a world without blood cancers. The mission of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS exists to find cures and ensure access to treatments for blood cancer patients. They are the voice for all blood cancer patients and work to ensure access to treatments for all blood cancer patients.

O’Brien joins Mizuno USA as VP of brand marketing

Tadiran Telecom appoints new senior VP of sales

NORCROSS, Ga. — Mizuno USA has named Mark M. O’Brien vice president of brand marketing and management. O’Brien will report directly to Bob Puccini, president of Mizuno USA and director of Mizuno Corporation. “The sporting goods industry is O’brien evolving as consumers’ demands and needs are ever-changing,” O’Brien said. “Opportunity is at an all-time high to reach consumers in authentic, meaningful ways. I feel fortunate to be joining the Mizuno team and be able to champion a brand that I have such a strong passion and belief in.”

KENNESAW, Ga. — Tadiran Telecom has appointed Pamela Strong as senior vice president of sales and general manager. Strong owned Commtek Business Systems, a premier integrator in the Philadelphia area, for 15 years. She has also achieved success in senior leadership roles at NEC Corporation of America and Siemens Enterprise Communications / Unify.

Nofi joins Sun Trust as private client adviser ATLANTA – Cindy Nofi has joined SunTrust as a private client adviser in Private Wealth Management focusing on business owners and high net worth individuals in North Atlanta. Nofi brings more than 15 years of comprehensive wealth management experience, most recently as a Nofi senior private banker at Wells Fargo focusing on custom credit solutions for high net worth individuals and families. Prior to that, she spent 10 years as a wealth adviser for U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management. She began her career in the financial services business in 1984. A Connecticut native and graduate of Southern Methodist University, Nofi has previously served on the Board of Trustees for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Catholic Charities Atlanta.

“Being a realtor in a market as active as Atlanta and associating with an industry-leading brand like Berkshire Hathaway made the decision to switch an easy one,” Snook said. “Providing superior levels of customer service to the residential real estate market is an appealing opportunity.”

Bardis named to Jackson Healthcare advisory board Strong

Keller Williams agent selected for Leadership Forsyth FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. —Christy Scally, Kelly Williams realtor and Alpharetta native, has been selected to participate in the Leadership Forsyth Class of 2016. The purpose of this program is to provide a master’s level leadership training and inspire a network of emerging leaders through an educational exScally perience that increases participants’ knowledge and involvement with community leaders, volunteers and business community. After the yearlong program, participants end with a culminating service project for the residents of Forsyth County. For more information on Leadership Forsyth visit www.leadershipforsyth.org.

Berkshire Hathaway hires new agent ROSWELL, Ga. – Andrew Snook, formerly an industry leader providing commercial mortgages secured by various real property assets, has joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices as a real estate agent.

Photo Courtesy of Bill Rawlings

Bill Rawlings was able to beat his goal and raise over $134,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Snook

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — John A. Bardis, founder of MedAssets, has been named to the board of advisors of Jackson Healthcare, one of the nation’s largest health care staffing companies. Bardis founded MedAssets, a health care performance improvement company, in 1999 and served Bardis as chief executive officer until February of this year. He served as president of the company from its inception until December 2014. He is currently a member of the board of directors and serves as a consultant to the Alpharetta-based company.

Keller Williams adds new agent ATLANTA - Kathy Schmidt has joined Keller Williams Community Partners in Cumming. Schmidt comes to the firm after serving as executive assistant to Atlanta Falcons’ owner and chairman, Arthur Blank. She also served as Falcons Game Day Coordinator. Founded in 1983, Keller WilSchmidt liams Realty is the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count, with approximately 700 offices and more than 110,000 associates in more than a dozen countries around the world. Schmidt can be reached at 678-527-6074 or at KathySchmidt@kw.com.

RESTAURANTS