North Atlanta Business Post, May

May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Tee time

We profile the top courses north of Atlanta. PAGES 10 – 11

Tourism has big impact on Ga. Industry accounts for 425,000 jobs, even more in revenue. PAGE 20

Volume 2, Issue 5 • Cherokee • Cobb • Forsyth • Fulton • Gwinnett • Hall • An Appen Media Group Publication

Festival season

North Fulton’s cities host numerous events. PAGE 12

Seeing stars in Cherokee

Three motion pictures to be filmed in county. PAGE 21

Eric dixon

Kickstart the food

PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Atlanta, GA Permit #3592

Restaurant looks to crowdfund addition. PAGE 30

Karl Moore

GIBBS GARDENS

Sit back, relax and enjoy

Appen Media Group 319 North Main Street Alpharetta, GA 30009

From national music acts to national sports teams to nationaly-recognized outdoor activities, the counties north of Atlanta have plenty to offer in terms of tourism and leisure. Pictured above clockwise from top; The Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre in Alpharetta; Gibbs Gardens in Cherokee County; Gwinnett Braves’ mascot Chopper entertains fans at Cool Ray Field in Lawrenceville.

See more, Pages 16 – 18.

Introducing Roswell Coffee Connect For more information see page 26

2 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Celebrating 85 years of Success!

E X PERT ISE | I NTEGRIT Y | RE SU LTS

Call one of our offices for help from an experienced REALTOR® today. ®

®

W W W. H A R R Y N O R M A N . C O M AT L A N TA N O RT H O F F I C E 10305 Medlock Bridge Road Johns Creek, GA 30097 770-622-3081 EAST COBB OFFICE 4651 Olde Towne Parkway Marietta, GA 30068 770-977-9500

AT L A N TA PE R I M E T E R O F F I C E 4848 Ashford Dunwoody Road Atlanta, GA 30338 770-394-2131

FORSYTH/LAKE LANIER OFFICE 1664 Market Place Boulevard Cumming, GA 30041 770-497-2000 | www.hnrforsyth.com

C O B B M A R I E T TA O F F I C E 776 Whitlock Avenue Marietta, GA 30064 770-422-6005

N O RT H F U LTO N O F F I C E 7855 North Point Parkway, Suite 100 Alpharetta, GA 30022 678-461-8700

SANDY SPRINGS OFFICE 5290 Roswell Road Atlanta, GA 30342 404-250-9900

WELCOME

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 3

Letter from the publisher, Hans Appen hans@appenmediagroup.com

The warm weather and bright sun is finally here, and it reminds me of one of the best reasons to live in North Atlanta: golf season.

I am not a good golfer, but I love the sport. It is a great way to get outside, enjoy time with friends, and take in some of the beautiful landscapes our local courses have to offer. I have found it is also an effective way to network in the business community. We can get to know clients or prospects better, or meet new people and learn about their business and how we can help each other.

I recently played with someone who had relocated from “up North.” He was raving about the wide variety of courses we have north of Atlanta, and the level of competition these courses offer. He told me he was about a 10 handicap.

“Where I grew up, that was good enough to win a few charity tournaments and be the ringer on just about any team,” he said.

“Down here…everyone beats me. The skill you see here in North Atlanta is incredible.”

One component of golf season is the wide variety of charity and non-profit tournaments that are put on in our market.

My job exposes me to a number of them, and I try to play in as many as I can. It is a great way to learn more about and support these organizations; but it is also a great way to play different

courses. I recently enjoyed playing in a tournament at Brookfield Country Club in Roswell benefiting The Cottage School, and look forward to playing in one this month at the Alpharetta Athletic Club benefiting Georgia Ensemble Theatre. This year, through my role with the Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce, I will actually be putting on my own tournament at Atlanta National Golf Club on June 30. Come join us!

For more information about golf in North Atlanta, Mike Blum does a fantastic overview and history of our golf community on pages 10-11. We really do have a lot to offer the golf community, both locally and to a national audience.

Another great reason to live in this market this time of year is the wide variety of events and tourism venues we host. I just enjoyed my first concert of 2015 at my favorite venue – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre.

My wife and I saw the Doobie Brothers in action and had a great time. Having grown up in Alpharetta, it’s still hard for me to believe we have a venue like VWA right here in the middle of the city. It is a tremendous draw for visitors and citizens alike.

On pages 16-18, Pat Fox details some of the highlights for each of our counties’ primary venues and draws. It is a great read and reason to get out the calendar and do some planning.

Next month, in addition to the Hall County Market Report, we will chronicle companies who are making tomorrow’s technology right here in North Atlanta, and how companies are leveraging the internet to grow their global brand. Should be a great edition.

Until then,

QUICK GLANCE:

Taxes & Tourism How much did your county receive in tax relief per household as a result of the taxes generated by tourism economic activity?

Cherokee: $240.86 Cobb: $376.30 Forsyth: $169.10 Fulton: $1,469.31 Gwinnett: $267.80 Hall: $288.84 SOURCE: GEORGIA.ORG

What’s inside this issue: News

[4] J ohns Creek, Peachtree Corners join in Ga. 141 study

Hans Appen, Publisher

Education

[6] Student finds niche in tutoring [7] Though more common than ever, an MBA can pay its way

Technology

[8 - 9] T ellermate fills the bill for cash retail market

A.J. McNaughton Production/Newsroom Manager

Tourism & Leisure

subscribe today 770-442-3278 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET

[10 - 11] G olf is big business for Atlanta and all of its northern suburbs [12] N orth Fulton offers wide array of outdoor festivals [14] Attractions abound in and around Lake Lanier [16 - 18] Big attractions draw big crowds north of Atlanta [20] H ard numbers reveal tourism’s impact on Georgia economy

Correction

A story about real estate’s recovery in the April Post misidentified the speaker at GSU’s quarterly Economic Forecast. The information should have been attributed to John Hunt, founder and president of ViaSearch Inc. and a senior analyst with Smart Numbers.

Sound Advice

[19] • Balancing work and home •The secret sauce of land values

Cherokee County

[21] Cinematic Cherokee: Hollywood shooting three films

Hall County

[22] Chamber group launches public arts initiative

Forsyth County

[24] F orsyth named second fastestgrowing county

Fulton County

[26] Eaves: Fulton County f uture ‘bright’

Gwinnett County [27] G winnett Tech celebrates top student achievement

Women in Business [28] M ary Ellen Garrett talk obstacles, triumphs of her professional careers

Movers & Shakers [29] T he people on the move, new hires and promotions

Restaurants [30] Local restaurant seeks to Kickstart new nightclub

Pat Fox Editor

319 North Main Street Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 Published by Appen Media Group Advertising: All advertising published in North Atlanta Business Post is subject to current rate card; copies available from the advertising department. To obtain a copy contact your sales representative at 770-442-3278 or email advertising@appenmediagroup.com.

Newsroom: All press releases and editorial information can be sent to business@appenmediagroup.com Visit northatlantabusinesspost.com for more information.

NEWS

4 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Johns Creek, Peachtree Corners join in Ga. 141 study Will jointly seek GDOT funding

By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Johns Creek and Peachtree Corners have agreed to a joint study of the Ga. 141/ Medlock Bridge corridor to map a long-term strategy to manage the most heavily traveled Black road in both cities.

By enlarging the scope of the study, both cities stand to gain not only in the quality of the planning, but more state support as well.

Johns Creek and Peachtree Corners have applied for $400,000 from the Atlanta Regional Commission to study traffic on the Ga. 141 corridor. Each city is also contributing $50,000 for their share. It is typical of such grants that applicants put up 20 percent of the study costs.

ARC likes to see local governments have “skin in the game.”

“We have some [ARC] money, and now Peachtree Corners has applied for some study money as well. So what we are going to do is combine with them to see what we can do,” said city Public Works Director Tom Black. “I’ve got all kinds of ideas about what we can do, but first we need to get in there and get current traffic counts on all of the intersections.”

Black’s counterpart, Peachtree Corners Public Works Director Greg

Once some concepts are studied, there will be public hearings on the ideas and then a plan will be submitted to GDOT for implementation.

Ramsey, said much the same thing.

“It just makes a lot more sense for Johns Creek and Peachtree Corners to partner on this since the [Ga.] 141 corridor extends through both cities. It doesn’t do a lot of good to analyze and assess or improve just part of it,” Ramsey said. “We’d like to look at it as a whole, and that obviously requires both cities to participate.”

But the goal is to see the results of the planning in both cities.

“We’d like to see operational improvements if they are recommended.

We’d like to see increased traffic flow to reduce congestion. It just makes sense to do these things as a whole,” he said.

“We want to see joint solutions and joint analyses.”

The cities should hear back from the ARC by midsummer if the request has been accepted. Action would follow quickly. When the study is completed, then the cities can approach the Georgia Department of Transportation with the study recommendations in-hand to apply for state funding.

Long-term, Black said he would like to see Ga. 141/Medlock Bridge be a

“smart corridor.” He wants to reduce the number of traffic signals and as many different traffic movements as possible at intersections.

For instance, eliminating left turns and keeping the traffic moving reduces the congestion. Black suggests using the “Michigan U-turn” to circumvent an intersection that comes to a stop for leftturns in each direction. Black said that creates a lot of the backup.

Instead, cars will enter a stacking lane that runs past the intersection. This lane will direct them to a left-turn past the intersection further down. A signal will allow those cars to then turn left and return to the original intersection to turn right.

It has been shown in northern states that it actually does reduce times for all cars getting through an intersection by as much as 70 percent, Black said. It is something GDOT has not studied yet, but will in this study.

“But it does me no good to improve just that intersection if I don’t have a place for them to go,” he said.

“That’s why we want to go into this with Peachtree Corners.”

The study will allow them to study other ideas such as flex lanes. These lanes are open only during rush hours.

The other times they are reserved for bicycles. It adds a lane each way during peak times.

“It is a way to get people to work when they need to and provide space for recreational vehicles in the non-peak times,” he said.

With the growth that has come to this area of North Fulton-Gwinnett, the days of “going it alone” are done, he said. To be truly effective, a regional approach is needed.

“I can’t get any improvements on the

“Peachtree Corners and Gwinnett are looking at adding another lane on the controlled access of 141 from Holcomb Bridge down to I-285 [at Peachtree Industrial], which I would like to see. That would help some.”

Tom Black, Johns Creek Public Works Director edges of my city without the cooperation of the other city,” Black said. “So we will be working in cooperation with Gwinnett County, GDOT and Peachtree Corners in this.

“Peachtree Corners and Gwinnett are looking at adding another lane on the controlled access of 141 from Holcomb Bridge down to I-285 [at Peachtree Industrial], which I would like to see,” Black said. “That would help some.”

EXECUTIVE HOMES FIND THE PERFECT HOME FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

Entertain in this luxurious, state-of-the-art, awardwinning farmhouse estate, nestled on 12 acres in the heart of Cherokee County’s equestrian community.

Exceptional appointments and upgrades include a full patio kitchen overlooking the pool and spa in this magnificent home. Relax in a private setting designed for easy living. FMLS# 5092515 | Offered at $1,297,000

Marie Sir, REALTOR®

The above information is believed to be accurate but not warranted. Offer subject to errors, changes, omissions, prior sales and withdrawals without notice.If your home is currently listed for sale, this is not intended as a solicitation. Equal Housing Opportunity.

404-520-5263 Forsyth/Lake Lanier Office 1664 Market Place Blvd., Cumming, GA 30041 O: 770-497-2000 | www.HarryNorman.com

Advertise in Executive Homes today!

Deadling to advertise in our next issue is May 28!

For more information or to reserve space in the next issue, contact email advertising@appenmediagroup.com.

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 5

JOIN US

EDUCATION

6 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

From dorm room to board room:

Student finds niche in tutoring

By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com

Growth industry Since 2006, C2 Education has opened 15 locations in metro Atlanta, evidence of the growing market for educational tutoring.

• Buckhead • Cumming • Roswell • Sandy Springs • Alpharetta • Dacula • Suwanee (two locations) • Duluth • Johns Creek • Peachtree City • Snellville • Duluth • Lilburn • East Cobb • Marietta

NORTH FULTON, Ga. – As the world grows more technology dependent, the scramble for college degrees promising high-paying jobs grows more intense.

With Georgia, and particularly north metro Atlanta, as a technology hub, corporate interest in skilled training has given rise to an explosion in the private tutoring industry.

Competition for classroom seats at the best universities has spurred parents and their children to seek paths outside the traditional education system to provide higher SAT scores and extra Advanced Placement classes.

“I don’t think the schools are failing, per se; it’s a matter of resources and demand,” said David Kim, chief executive officer of C2 Education, which operates some 150 tutoring facilities in the United States, 15 in metro Atlanta. “You know, the main goal of a high school is to make sure the student graduates. It’s not necessarily to get them into the best college.”

A GSV Education report estimates the U.S. private tutoring market at about $13 billion, up 6 percent in the past three years. Forbes Magazine estimates

the industry is in excess of $102 billion globally.

Kim began his company operating out of a dorm room at Harvard in 1997 and incorporated the business two years later.

From the first, Kim said he saw signs of the pending explosion in the tutoring

market.

He saw a growing number of at-home tutors that were providing subject tutoring, test prep providers for the SAT and independent college counselors.

“But what was really missing was an organization to put all those things together,” Kim said. “So, the thing that parents are coming to us about is how to get their child into a certain university and where do they find guidance, coaching and counseling.”

C2 opened its first four schools in Georgia in 2006, all in north metro Atlanta. Its most recent schools opened in Johns Creek, Buckhead, Roswell and Sandy Springs, and plans are under way to open a new facility in Dunwoody later this year.

Kim said he targets the centers for areas where he sees strong housing growth and highly rated schools. It’s in those areas, he said, that parents show the strongest interest in their children’s education.

There are limited college counseling resources at public and private schools, he said. A study by the National Association of College Admissions Counselors found that the ratio of counselors to students at most public schools is 1,000

to 1.

“There’s no way, in realistic terms, you’re going to help prepare and navigate a student through all the college choices,” Kim said. “The ratios are so ridiculous.”

C2 provides free college counseling services to students, helping them determine the best career track for their interests and the academic preparation needed to enter into some of the best colleges, Kim said.

The company also provides them with a best-guess estimate on the costs of college, including opportunities for financial aid and scholarships at specific schools, he said.

Following the consultation, students are under no obligation to enroll in classes at C2, Kim said.

Tutoring at C2 runs anywhere from $35-$75 an hour, depending on the level of study. An advanced session on calculus, for example, will cost more than an entry-level college algebra class, he said.

“What we really do a great job of is helping parents and students pick and choose what the best college might be for them based on what their interests are and based on affordability,” he said.

Employment Based Immigration Specialists Lee Immigration Law Group is a Team of Professionals Solely Engaged in the Practice of Immigration and Nationality Law.

George E. Lee, Attorney

Super Lawyers

®

2014

Super Lawyers

®

2015

CALL NOW: 404-892-8300 or email glee@leelawusa.com www.LeeLawUSA.com

2520 Northwinds Parkway, Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30009

Our team of attorneys, paralegals and assistants has over seventy years of combined experience in the field.

Due to our small size and focused representation we are able to deliver extraordinary personalized service to both individuals and corporations.

Although our primary focus is on employment based immigration, we also service individual family based immigration and handle removal work for deserving cases.

• Temporary & Permanent Visas • Family Based Immigration • Green Cards

• Student Visas • EB-5 Investor Visas • Removal/Deportation

EDUCATION

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 7

Though more common than ever, an MBA can pay its way

By PATRICK FOX pat@northatlantabusinesspost.com While the number of MBA degrees has grown annually for decades, the value of a master’s in business administration is not as highly valued as it once was.

The National Center for Education Statistics reports more than 150,000 MBAs are conferred each year, 50 percent more than in 2000 and 300 times as many as in 1960.

That explosion in numbers means more candidates for upper-level management positions.

And while an MBA is not for everyone and may not be what it was in the past, the degree still carries considerable weight in certain jobs.

“It all depends on the type of job certainly,” said Tom Jayroe, founder and manager of Management Recruiters of Atlanta Peachtree North in Woodstock.

Georgia has 24 business schools that offer full- or part-time MBA programs ranging from intense, streamlined coursework to a more traditional twoyear path. Regardless of the program, students can expect a rigid curriculum of courses in accounting, economics, marketing and organizational behavior.

Jayroe said his firm concentrates on medical device sales positions. In that industry, he said, companies want people who have a degree, but they generally don’t care what kind of degree, as long as it’s a four-year degree from an accredited college. For that level job, he said, the MBA is not really required, and he’s never had somebody ask for it.

“When somebody goes into the next level – into management or into a marketing product management kind of role, there, an MBA is a huge advantage, and it is often requested,” Jayroe said.

“Say you’ve got 10 candidates at that level at a good company, then five to eight of them are going to have MBAs,” he said. “So, it’s not necessarily required, but to compete, you pretty much need to continue down that path.”

Furthermore, in some of the higher end companies in the industry, like a Johnson & Johnson, they certainly look at the MBA as a differentiating factor for the candidates, Jayroe said.

“If it’s one of those companies that are looking for people who can be trained and promoted, then that MBA is probably going to help them get hired, certainly help them get promoted,” he said.

Nathan Bennett, an instructor of upper-level business curriculum at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, said even with the growth in candidates, the degree has maintained its luster.

“The MBA has been and continues to be the degree that is appreciated because it suggests the holder has a broad understanding of the way a business works and the way a business needs to be operated in order to be successful,” he said.

Most MBA programs require that

“The MBA has been and continues to be the degree that is appreciated because it suggests the holder has a broad understanding of the way a business works and the way a business needs to be operated in order to be successful.”

Nathan Bennett, an instructor of upper-level business curriculum at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business

More information MBA admissions statistics are available from most business schools and can give applicants a picture of the competition they face and the likelihood of being accepted. The statistics usually profile the previous entering class within a specific MBA program.

Some of the information you can obtain includes: Average age: This informs you of the average age of students entering the program.

Average work experience: This lets you know how long the average enrollee has spent in the professional workforce before entering the program.

Average GPA: This shows you the grade point average the average person received in their undergraduate coursework.

Average GMAT: This lets you know the Graduate Management Admissions Test score for the average applicant to the program.

Source: MBAadmissions.com

Georgia’s MBA programs ranked by popularity 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

individuals have some amount of work experience before they come back to school, he said. As a result, it isn’t exactly apples to apples to compare an MBA to someone with an undergraduate in business. The individual with the MBA has an education that has been earned based on the wisdom that their experience gave them – the experience they learned from before returning to school, Bennett said.

“Someone who has an undergraduate degree, then has gone to work for a few years, then comes back to get an MBA has a very different appreciation for the kinds of problems companies face,” he said. “As a result, they’re able to really understand how and when to apply the different tools you learn in school.”

As the economy has improved over the past year, Bennett said there has been an uptick in interest for MBAs. The reason, he said, is because if one enrolls in a full-time program for an MBA, they likely will have to quit their job. And, people seldom quit their jobs at a time when the economy is weak.

There is a gradation in MBA degrees, but Bennett said students need to be careful in selecting the program best suited to their needs.

“There is certainly variation in how good an educational experience a program provides, but it wouldn’t be correct to assume that that was a function of whether it was full- or part-time,” he said.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

Georgia State University – J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Atlanta Emory University – Goizueta Business School, Atlanta Kennesaw State University – Michael J. Coles College of Business, Kennesaw University of Georgia – Terry College of Business, Athens Georgia Institute of Technology – Scheller College of Business Clark Atlanta University – Atlanta Mercer University – Stetson School of Business and Economics, Atlanta Georgia Southern University – College of Business Administration, Statesboro Brenau University – Gainesville Georgia College and State University – The J. Whitney Bunting School of Business, Milledgeville Columbus State University – D. Abbott Turner College of Business, Columbus Clayton State University – Morrow Southern Polytechnic State University* – Marietta University of West Georgia – Richards College of Business, Carrollton Savannah State University – Savannah Georgia Regents University – Hull College of Business, Augusta Valdosta State University – Harley Langdale Jr. College, Valdosta University of North Georgia – Mike Cottrell School of Business, Dahlonega Georgia Southwestern State University – Americus Piedmont College – Harry W. Walker School of Business Administration, Demorest Albany State University – Albany Thomas University – Thomasville Berry College – Campbell School of Business, Mount Berry Shorter College – Rome *Merged with Kennesaw State University in 2014

The best way to gauge a program, he said, is to look at the placement of graduates.

“That tells you something about how the market values the degree,” he said.

Another factor individuals should consider is their classmates.

“You’d be wise to pay considerable attention to the quality of your fellow students because a lot of the learning you’re going to do is going to be in teambased projects,” Bennett said. “It’s going to be a function of class discussion. The smarter your classmates, the better your experience is going to be.”

Bennett also offered a caution to

students shopping for a school.

“I would want someone who is shopping to be very aware of the tradeoffs involved in the different sorts of programs, make sure they pick one that they’re comfortable with the value that’s being offered by the school,” he said.

“Even though all the degrees say MBA, the experience of earning them is not the same at every school.”

Finally, Bennett said, a potential student must weigh the expense of quitting a job and paying for tuition against what he or she will get in return.

“The individual has to make a business decision himself,” he said.

TECHNOLOGY

8 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2015 Issue Date

Space Reservation Date

Materials Deadline

June 3

May 28

June 1

June 25

June 29

June 2015 – Technology • Business Post’s 2015 Hall Market Report special focus • Companies that make tomorrow’s technology – right here in North Atlanta • How to protect your company from a cyber attack • How North Atlanta businesses are going global with their online presence

July 2015 - Health and Medical • By the numbers: Top hospitals/best practices • Behind the medical trends and the companies leading the industry • Best managed hospitals • Taking charge of your office health, what wellness programs are businesses offering workers

July 1

The Tellermate T-iX 3500 has an integrated numeric keypad allowing balances and reference numbers to be entered and reported against. Count data can be sent in report format to a Tellermate printer or a PC.

August 2015 – Banking and Finance • Business Post’s 2014 North Fulton Market Report special focus • U.S. Amateur at Atlanta Athletic Club • Improve your company’s cash flow • The evolution of the banking industry

Aug. 5

July 30

Aug. 3

By PATRICK FOX pat@northatlantabusinesspost.com

September 2015 – Real Estate (commercial) • Top brokers “By the numbers” • Top deal-makers, industry trends and the story behind the biggest transactions in the region • Construction: Top 30 construction projects of the year, by dollar value • Tips for buying real estate for the small business owner

Sept. 2

Aug. 27

Aug. 31

Oct. 7

Oct. 1

Oct. 5

October 2015 – Retail • Business Post’s 2014 Forsyth Market Report special focus • The Design: Unique approaches and solutions to design challenges – new ideas in design from buildings, brand identity to technology • B2C: Marketing strategies and retail realities • What local leaders are doing to develop a retail district in their community

Tellermate fills the bill for cash retail market

Call 770-442-3278 to reserve your ad space today! www.NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Cash is still king for one international company operating in the heart of Georgia’s technology and e-commerce hub.

After posting a record of 132 percent year-over-year growth in North America, Tellermate recently announced plans to expand its sales and service organizations at its North American headquarters in Alpharetta. The company develops and markets a range of cash-counting systems to retailers around the world.

“There are people who are always going to use cash, and that requires the company to count it and make sure it’s managed,” said Liz Smith, product marketing manager at Tellermate. “Unfortunately, in the United States, there’s a big problem with employee fraud and tracking that cash all the way from the customer to the bank.”

A 2014 study published by the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank reported that cash accounts for 72 percent of the transaction value for general merchandise retailers in the United States. That has been good for business at Tellermate and its line of cash-counting systems.

“It’s a very quick return on investment,” Smith said. “It averages about a three- to six-month return. The most recent one we did was one month before

it paid for itself.”

The company opened its first Georgia office in Roswell, then moved to its current Mansell Road headquarters two years ago, Smith said.

Because of the growth in business, Tellermate has appointed two new strategic account managers to work with existing customers.

“We have customers that have counted on Tellermate for over 20 years, and the account managers will focus on our customer’s continued success,” said Chad Jones, vice president of sales for North America.

Those customers include close to 250,000 businesses worldwide, from Fortune 500 companies like Wal-Mart, Apple and McDonald’s to small retailers who see a bulk of their business transacted in cash. Tellermate systems process more than $2 billion daily in over 20 currencies and across 30 countries.

Tellermate is headquartered in Newport, Wales.

“Cash accounts for about 70 percent of the world’s transactions, and here in the U.S., it’s about 40 percent,” said Jim Stone, vice president of marketing for Tellermate. “The United States government has actually got more money in circulation now than it ever has.”

With the growth in e-commerce and

See TELLERMATE, Page 9

TECHNOLOGY

Tellermate: Continued from Page 8 the expansion of the credit card industry, Tellermate has kept a close eye on the spending habits of the consumer market, compiling research to target those businesses where cash still prevails.

“The Millennials have a growing distrust of the credit card systems that are out there today, and they tend to use cash quite a bit,” Stone said. “Boomers and Millennials are the two predominant groups that use cash.”

Market research also shows that consumers are more likely to use cash in retail transactions of $20 or less, he said.

Restaurants in general would have more of a cash business than a department store, he said.

In January, Tellermate announced the North American version of T-ice, its intelligent system that counts the contents of a cash drawer every time it is closed. To support this new product

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 9

line, the company is also expanding its technical team that works directly with customers’ IT teams.

Representatives also conduct audits to measure the amount of time a company has saved through the use of their equipment.

“Typically, we’ve had anywhere from 65 to 80 percent time reduction,” Stone said.

The company has an array of cashcounting products from base level bill counters to sophisticated drawers that determine the amount of bills and coins based on weight to Wi-Fi systems that track cash flow from the customers’ hands to the bank vault.

Although they deal in a business that has been around for thousands of years, Stone says he’s proud of the technological advances his company has made in the field of counting currency.

“Most people, when they see the machines operate, even some of my colleagues in high tech, are just absolutely amazed by our technology,” he said.

Chad Jones (left), vice president of sales, and Jim Stone, vice president of marketing for Tellermate.

EXECUTIVE MARKETPLACE FIND ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN

Advertise in Executive Marketplace today!

BUSINESS COMPUTER PROBLEMS? “Carmichael manages our IT. I have never worked with a more client-centric business before – ever. They return calls fast. They listen exceedingly well. They know what they are doing. They are honest, professional, and local. They are partners with Appen Newspapers / Appen Media Group in the truest sense of the word.”

– Ray Appen, Publisher Media Group Appen Med Newspapers Appen New

North Atlanta Business Post EXECUTIVE MARKETPLACE Reservation deadline: Thursday one week and a half prior to publication date Art deadline: Monday one week prior to publication date Ex. Friday July 13 is publication date; Reservations are due by Friday July 3, artwork due Monday, July 6

Executive marketplace – Print Advertising Ads will appear within a border and include an Executive Marketplace masthead.

Deadling to advertise in our next issue is May 28!

For more information or to reserve space in the next issue, email advertising@appenmediagroup.com.

Call today for your free IT assesment.

– Tyler Jones, Principal

678-224-8000 | www.CarmichaelConsulting.net

A great advertising option for profesional services: IT • Telecommuncations Learning Services • Insurance

10 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

TOURISM & LEISURE

Par-5 18th hole, TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth

Golf is big business for Atlanta

By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com NORTH ATLANTA – Atlanta’s northern suburbs are home to some of the country’s top golf courses, with a number of clubs in the area serving as hosts of major professional and amateur events that draw golf fans from outside the state.

The biggest draw among the metro Atlanta-based tournaments is the PGA Tour Championship, which has been played annually at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club since 2004. The club first hosted the event in 1998.

East Lake, known as the home of golfing legend Bobby Jones, was the original home of the Atlanta Athletic Club. As the area around it changed, the club began to deteriorate, and Atlanta Athletic Club moved in the 1960s to its current home in Johns Creek, where it constructed two championship courses on its new site.

Atlanta developer Tom Cousins restored East Lake to its former glory in the 1990s, and the club has sparked a community revival since then, becoming

a national model for how to transform a once blighted urban area into a thriving, diverse community.

Since moving to the northern suburbs, Atlanta Athletic Club has become a prominent host for national events in both golf and tennis. The club has hosted the U.S. Open, the U.S. Women’s Open, three PGA Championships (most recently in 2011), the U.S. Junior Championship and most recently the 2014 U.S. Amateur.

The Highlands Course is Atlanta Athletic Club’s primary tournament course, but Riverside was the host venue for the U.S. Women’s Open. It was also was the course used for the Georgia Amateur in the 1990s and shared host duties with Riverside for last year’s U.S. Amateur.

Atlanta’s only other annual tour event is the Greater Gwinnett Championship, a Champions Tour tournament that has been played the last three years at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth. Sugarloaf hosted a PGA Tour event from 1997-2008, and has proven to be a popular tour stop with players from both tours.

The community surrounding the golf course is among the most upscale and successful of all Atlanta-area residential golf communities, with spectators attending the tournament marveling at the homes that line many of the holes at Sugarloaf.

Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta hosted a Champions Tour tournament from 1995-2000, and was one of the top events on that tour during its stay. The club has not hosted a major professional tournament since the Champions Tour left, but has continued as a tournament host at the amateur level.

Each year, the club hosts the Georgia Cup, matching the current U.S. and British Amateur champions in a match played just before the two players compete in the Masters.

The club has also been the site of a college tournament hosted annually in recent years by Georgia Tech, with the U.S. Collegiate Championship quickly becoming of the biggest tournaments in college golf. Golf Club of Georgia’s Lakeside course, one of the club’s two

outstanding layouts, recently served as the site of qualifying for the U.S. Open.

Ansley Golf Club’s Settindown Creek has also been a popular host for professional and amateur events at both the national and state level.

The Roswell course, which was acquired by Ansley Golf Club more than a decade ago, has hosted the Nike (now Web.com) Tour Championship and numerous U.S. Open qualifiers, as well as the U.S. Women’s Amateur, NCAA sectionals and championship events for the Georgia State Golf Association and Georgia PGA. Those five clubs are among many in the north metro area that have served as hosts for top professional and amateur events over the years.

Atlanta Country Club in East Cobb was the original home of the PGA Tour event sponsored for many years by BellSouth. The tournament was played there from 1967 to 1996, but since the PGA Tour left for Sugarloaf, Atlanta Country Club has been out of the tournamenthost role.

TOURISM & LEISURE

Par-3 6th hole, Ansley Golf Club's Settindown Creek, Roswell

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 11

and all of its northern suburbs The Capital City Club Crabapple Course is emerging as one of the more popular Atlanta tournament sites, first hosting a World Golf Championship event in 2003, but turning more toward junior, college and amateur events in recent years.

The club, the second course of Brookhaven-based Capital City Club, hosted the 2013 NCAA Championship and will be the site of the 2015 U.S. MidAmateur Championship, a tournament that awards its winner with a Masters berth the following year.

Both Horseshoe Bend and Country Club of the South in Roswell hosted Champions Tour events in the 1980s and ‘90s, with Roswell’s Brookfield Country Club the site of an LPGA tournament in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The Country Club of Roswell currently hosts an event that combines college golfers and members of the LPGA’s Legends Tour in honor of former club members Jim and Beth Judson, whose daughter Lauren was a recent college golfer.

Par-3 13th hole, Golf Club of Georgia's Lakeside course, Alpharetta

TOURISM & LEISURE

12 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Brew Moon festival in Alpharetta.

Crabapple Fest in Milton.

Old Soldiers Day Race and Parade in Johns Creek.

North Fulton offers wide array of outdoor festivals Taste of Alpharetta • Thursday, May 7 from 5 – 10 p.m.

• Across from Alpharetta City Hall, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Ga. • www.alpharetta.ga.us

Old Soldiers Day Race and Parade • Aug. 1 at 10 a.m.

• Downtown Alpharetta, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Ga. • www.alpharetta.ga.us

Named a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event for 2015, the Taste of Alpharetta has become an annual tradition for festival-goers, families and food connoisseurs for 25 years. Over 50 restaurants from Historic Downtown Alpharetta are in one place for one night.

Guests can sample appetizers, entrees and desserts from the top menus in town. Culinary demonstrations, activities and entertainment will please every palate.

The music stage will have harmonic rock/folk/ R&B bands. A separate culinary stage will pair top area chefs against one another in contests. Party with metro Atlanta radio stations or play at the fun zones.

Admission is free. Food tickets are 50 cents each and restaurants participating in the Taste will charge $1-3 per food sample.

Gather on Ga. 9/ Main Street for the 63rd annual Old Soldiers Day Parade and Road Race, attracting over 8,000 people each year. The 5K and 10K road race rolls through town and finishes right before the downtown ceremonies and parade that recognizes the living memory of all veterans of war. Along with the program and parade, this celebration also features floats, high school bands, entertainment, children’s activities and prizes. Free hot dogs and soft drinks will be available at the American Legion at 201 Wills Road at the end of the parade.

Brew Moon Festivals

The Wire & Wood Alpharetta Songwriters Festival is free to the public and is guaranteed to be an unforgettable night featuring local and nationally touring songwriters. Music will flow through the streets as talented artists perform their own songs with soulful melodies, magnificent vocals and expressive lyrics while interacting with the audience. Listeners will learn the stories behind each song and may recognize some of the tunes that are played by their favorite musicians.

Now in its third year, the festival is a one-day celebration of music and those who write it. Two outdoor stages and performances at nearby downtown venues will host more than 25 performers throughout the day.

• June 6 and Oct. 3 from 6:30 – 11 p.m.

• Milton Avenue, Alpharetta, Ga. • awesomealpharetta.com Gather your friends and celebrate the season with beer, wine and food from some of Alpharetta’s top restaurants.

This outdoor event fills Milton Avenue each year with plenty of local and craft beer on tap along with plenty of live music.

Blue Moon White, Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, Sweetwater 420, Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA, Miller Lite and more drinks will be poured.

A table of eight costs $130; a table of six is $100 and individual tickets are $10.

The Brew Moon Countryfest is June 6. The Brew Moon Octoberfest is Oct. 3.

Wire & Wood Songwriters Festival • Oct. 17 from 4 – 10:30 p.m.

• Downtown Alpharetta • awesomealpharetta.com

Alive After 5 Roswell • April 16 – Oct. 15, monthly. Begins at 5 p.m.

• Canton Street, Roswell • www.aliveafterfiveroswell.com

Known as the best street party in the metro Atlanta area, Roswell’s Alive After 5 is a large block party encompassing all of Canton Street. Live music, food, displays and shopping make this event a fun and familyfriendly event. Trolley shuttles run from the parking lot of City Hall to Canton Street, free of charge. Shops and restaurants offer discounts and specials, and live music plays throughout the district.

Each month, the event is held on the third Thursday beginning at 5 p.m.

Johns Creek Founders Day • Dec. 5 at 10 a.m.

• State Bridge Road between Kimball Bridge and West Morton roads • www.johnscreekga.gov Founders Day is the annual celebration of Johns Creek’s official incorporation on Dec. 1, 2006. It provides a point of pride, remembering the efforts of all those who have worked hard to make incorporation a reality and celebrating Johns Creek’s continuing progress.

It’s a fun-filled, family-oriented way to kick off the holiday season with floats, high school bands and Santa Claus on a city firetruck.

Crabapple Fest • Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

• Crabapple, 765 Broadwell Road, Milton, Ga. • www.crabapplecommunityassociation.org Held in historic downtown Crabapple, the Crabapple Fest has been a tradition since 1969. It will again see the city of Milton and nonprofit Crabapple Community Association combine to put on one massive destination festival.

Thousands of antiques from dozens of vendors as well as hundreds of pieces of art from around the country will be on display for purchase. Add to this music, drinks, food trucks and games, and the community will have a blast.

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 13

We Have Exciting News!

In the last five years (2008-2013) which media use is increasing?

47% 48%

17%

Survey Question: “Which of the following news sources would you say that you rely on the most for news about issues and problems in Johns Creek?

18%

15%

13% 5% 5%

Atlanta Journal Constitution

5/2/2013

10/1/2008

Johns Creek Herald

Johns Creek Patch*

9%

7% 3%

Johns TV Stations Creek From Neighbor** Atlanta

1%

Internet

4% Other

4%

5%

Unsure or Refused

APPEN MEDIA newspapers reach 40% more (over 30,000 more homes) in North Fulton / South Forsyth than the next closest competitor and is by far the preferred source for local news. If your business depends on reaching buyers in North Fulton or South Forsyth, we deliver. Why settle for less? Let us connect you. Call now for more advertising information 770-442-3278.

Circulation Comparison

AppenMediaGroup.com Survey of Voter Attitudes in Johns Creek, Georgia conducted from April 30 - May 2, 2013

by The Tarrance Group for the City of Johns Creek. Question #QD7. *Listed as Johns Creek Post in 2008 survey. ** Not included in 2008 survey.

AJC WEEKDAY 16,481

AJC SUNDAY 29,241

NEIGHBOR 43,250

APPEN 75,000

Data based on the following: 2013 CVC Audit for Appen, 2013 ABC Audit for the AJC, 2013 CAC Audit for the Neighbor. Comparison only of circulation in Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Johns Creek, and Forsyth county.

TOURISM & LEISURE

14 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Fun in the sun:

Attractions abound in and around Lake Lanier in addition to the trail rides and lessons.

Visit http://www.lanierislands.com/activities/equestrian for more information.

By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com BUFORD, Ga. – When the summer days start getting hot, many people flock to water. For residents in and around Atlanta, that may mean a trip to Lake Lanier.

Located about 20 minutes off Ga. 400, and 45 minutes from Atlanta, Lake Lanier can be a fun location to visit during the summer.

While the lake offers swimming and boating, it also has a vast array of activities on land, including a water park, resort and outdoor activities.

Lanier Islands Resort runs alongside the lake and has 1,500 scenic acres. No matter what you’re looking to do, Lake Lanier may offer it.

Lanier Islands This 1,500-acre resort on Lake Lanier has something to offer every visitor, and is Georgia’s most visited lakeside destination.

The resort offers multiple pavilions, piers and points to view and enjoy the lake. The resort also offers many activities such as LanierWorld waterpark, stables, a spa and a beach with a board-

Zip-line canopy tour For the more adventurous, Lake Lanier Canopy Tours offers an unforgettable zip-lining experience. Riders must weigh between 50 and 250 pounds and be at least 8 to 12 years old, depending on the tour. There are seven different tours to choose from and they range in length of time, price and number of zip lines. Visit http://lakelaniercanopytours. com/ to book a tour.

Marina Bay Zipline over Lake Lanier at Lanier Islands in Georgia.

walk.

There also areas for camping and lake houses available. At the heart of Lanier Islands is Legacy Lodge, which offers 216 guests rooms, elegant amenities and a lake view. It is also the place to host a meeting, wedding or to stay after playing on the lake all day. Plus, it offers pet-friendly rooms. Visit http://www. lanierislands.com/ for more information.

Horseback riding Lanier Islands offers summer camps for beginning and intermediate riders ages 7 to 14, trail and pony rides as well as riding lessons. The Equestrian Center can help accommodate any plans including a ride and romance package. Prices vary depending on activity, and the center has other horse-related activities

If you’re looking to make Lake Lanier home, Marina Bay offers resort-style living. The gated community offers a clubhouse, marina, tennis village and outdoor life. There is also a private boat dock for residents. The community has 399 homes and is located on 314 acres along the shores of Lake Lanier. Homes are available as lakefront, lake view, mountain vista, park front, courtside, village, cottage and forested. Prices range from $95,000 to $640,000. Visit http://marinabayonlanier. com/index.php for more.

Satisfaction.

Our promise when it comes to your business IT.

• Mobile Device / Laptop / Desktop / Server acquisition, support and repair • Network design, implementation and management (LAN, WAN, and wireless) • Disaster Recovery planning and testing, including off site data backup • Cloud services strategy and deployment • Systems and applications training • Asset discovery and management Call today for your free IT assessment. – Tyler Jones, Principal • IT Project Management for engagements of any size 678-224-8000 | www.CarmichaelConsulting.net

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 15

16 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

TOURISM & LEISURE

Big attractions draw big crowds north of Atlanta Counties see growth in tourism, revenue

By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com The North Atlatna Business Post talked to local convention and visitors bureaus about the impact of tourism, and some of the biggest draws to their counties.

NORTH FULTON Fulton County is the state’s epicenter of tourism, generating almost $8 billion annually in direct visitor spending. While separate figures for the northern part of the county are not broken down by cities, the area does draw its share of visitor spending.

Roswell is the only city that has commissioned its own study to measure tourism’s impact on the local economy.

The report, compiled by an independent research group and released in April, shows tourism-related activity brought in $91.1 million in spending to the city, not including property taxes and jobs. Based on the results of the survey, $55.6 million, or 61 percent of local tourism spending, can be directly attributed to marketing efforts by the Roswell Convention and Visitor Bureau’s tourism program, Visit Roswell, said Dotty Etris, executive director.

As such, for every dollar invested in the Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau’s tourism budget, the city of Roswell reaps $110.76 in tourism related economic activity, she said.

“Roswell is very fortunate in that we have the three historic homes that are attractions, the Chattahoochee Nature Center and the Chattahoochee River where people can raft and canoe,” she said. “We have all kinds of attractions, but Roswell is also known as an arts community and we have so many galleries and individual working artists.”

Part of the reason for the study was to come up with calculations that could be used exclusively for Roswell, she said.

“Prior to this, we had to rely on information on areas that included all of Fulton County. Roswell does not have the hotel rooms one would find in Sandy Springs or Alpharetta, so individual figures are important,” she said.

Etris said the city has amenities other than its 11 hotels to keep visitors in the city: the parks, the covered pedestrian bridge and Old Mill Trail and Village are all draws in and of themselves.

The city also has more than 30 sites that get regular use hosting weddings and receptions, she said.

“I don’t have a study for that, but I did find that, back a year or so ago, the average cost of a wedding in Fulton County was right at $30,000,” Etris said.

Figures for the other major cities in

North Fulton are less exact, but Alpharetta can lay claim to Avalon, the area’s newest tourist attraction.

Matt Simon, senior general manager of Avalon, said, based on traffic studies performed in March and April, estimates are the development will have between 9-9.3 million visitors this year.

“That is showing up in the retailer sales, movie attendance and restaurants,” he said. “So we’re actually converting it into sales, which is really nice.”

Avalon has no customer intercept studies, so there are no figures for visitors’ originations.

“I can’t tell you where those cars are coming from, but I can tell you our draw is all the way south to Buckhead,” Simon said. “We are seeing a good pull from inside the Perimeter.”

Simon said the guest stays are exceptionally long, which has created the need for additional parking guidance.

“I only have a certain number of parking spaces, just over 2,000 spaces. So, we’re going to break ground on our new 650-space parking deck starting in early summer,” he said.

The new deck is the first part of Avalon’s Phase II development, which will add another 256 residential units, rentals, add a new office tower, a hotel and conference center and another 150,000 square feet of retail.

The Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau is funded by collecting a 6 percent occupancy tax from visitors who stay in one of Alpharetta’s 23 hotels. That occupancy tax is paid to the city monthly.

The city keeps 56.67 percent of the tax to spend on enhancements for its citizens and distributes 43.33 percent to the CVB to market and promote the city.

According to Smith Travel Research, Alpharetta’s visitor numbers are up for 2015. The numbers below are for March 2015 compared to March of last year.

• ADR, which is the average daily rate across all 23 hotels in the Alpharetta market, is at $111.56, which is up $8.78 from March 2014.

• OCC, which is the percentage of hotel rooms that are occupied on average, is at 75.68 percent, which is up 1.43 percent from March 2014.

• REVPAR, which is the average revenue per available room, is at $87.11, which is up $8.77 from March 2014.

Alpharetta is also home to numerous festivals and one of the key concert venues in the area, the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. The venue attracts between 200,000 and 240,000 guests a year, said Verizon spokeswoman Holly Clausen.

The largest draw to the city is corporate business travelers, many of whom stay in the city’s 23 hotels Sunday through

The Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre will see around 200,000 and 240,000 guests a year.

Inside the Cobb Energy Center in Cobb County.

Thursday, said Janet Rodgers, president and CEO of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau. On weekends, the hotels fill with visitors attending weddings, sports events or religious meetings.

The American Girl Store is a big draw for weekend business from around the Southeast, Rodgers said.

“All of these visitors generate an economic impact for Alpharetta because they spend money paying for hotel rooms, dining in restaurants, shopping in stores, attending events and attractions and buying gas at our stations,” she said.

Alpharetta’s hotels have recorded a 73 per-

BEN ROSE/BENROSEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

cent occupancy rate from the time period of July 1, 2014-March 31, 2015.

Johns Creek draws a large share of its tourism dollar from major sporting events like the 2011 PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club, which brought in tens of millions of dollars to the local economy.

The city has a regular sporting draw by hosting the annual Southeastern Lacrosse Conference Championship that just concluded in April.

“The SELC Championships – similar to last year’s U.S. Amateur Championship – have an economic impact based on the participants that come to our city to par-

TOURISM & LEISURE

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 17

Cities struggle to nail down tourism numbers

By PATRICK FOX pat@northatlantabusinesspost.com ROSWELL, Ga. – Local convention and visitors bureaus, particularly those in cities, rely on the state to cull economic data for tourism. However, that data is usually presented as totals for the county, so individual cities, like those in North Fulton, have no way of separating their numbers from those of Atlanta.

Cities can count hotel beds and occupancy rates, but it’s hard to extrapolate a complete picture from those figures alone.

Roswell is the exception.

The Roswell CVB just released a return on investment report it commissioned through an independent auditor, giving city leaders some idea of how tourism affects the local economy. “Let me tell you what we’re all up against in north Fulton County,” said Dotty Etris, Roswell’s CVB executive director. “Johns Creek, Roswell

Chris Lee

visitors to enjoy festivals, concerts and sporting events. The on-site museum is located within an 1869 plain style farmhouse and has two traveling exhibits along with one permanent exhibit displaying the history of Sandy Springs.

The Anne Frank in the World Exhibit, located just above the Sandy Springs Welcome Center, features 600 photographs with more than 8,000 words telling the story of young Anne Frank. The exhibit provides visitors a chance to learn, explore, share and remember the history and lessons of the Holocaust and its continued relevance.

GWINNETT COUNTY

KARL MOORE

The Gwinnett Convention Center features a 50,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall, 23 versatile meeting rooms and a 21,600 square foot Grand Ballroom and on the same grounds he Arena at Gwinnett Center, home to the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL. ticipate in the event versus an event like the 2011 PGA Championship of which the spectators generate the majority of the impact,” said Heather Blanchard of the Johns Creek Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Both are fantastic for our economy and we appreciate them equally.”

The SELC is the largest collegiate club lacrosse conference in the United States.

The tournament brings 650 players to the Johns Creek area along with the team coaches, fans and booster clubs from several states for a three-day elimination tournament. The combined direct and indirect economic impact of the three-day

event totals $995,998, Blanchard said.

Sandy Springs, North Fulton’s largest city, has more Fortune 500 corporations per capita than any other city in America, so it’s not surprising the city’s tourism industry caters to the business clientele.

The city has 2,800 hotel rooms to support its flood of local and international business travelers.

The city is not all skyscrapers and parking lots, however. It boasts 20 miles of shoreline for the Chattahoochee River and other recreation sites.

Heritage Sandy Springs is the community gathering point for residents and

State figures show visitor spending just over $1 billion in Gwinnett County, a number that resonated throughout the county.

“That’s a really big deal for us, not just for economic reasons, but we got so much coverage about it because people were so surprised,” said Lisa Anders, executive director of Explore Gwinnett, the county’s newly named convention and visitors bureau. “From our perspective, we think this year will be even better, because 2014 and going into 2015, Gwinnett County is leading the metro Atlanta region in (hotel) occupancy.”

Anders said that because of the county’s diverse population and business make-up, visitors come to Gwinnett for a variety of reasons, from vacations to business to entertainment to sports.

The county’s occupancy rate is currently at 75 percent for its 100 hotels, Anders said. For the entire year of 2014, the rate was 71 percent.

Gwinnett draws it largest crowds to the Sugarloaf Parkway area near Lawrenceville, home to the Gwinnett Convention Center. The center features a 50,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall which can be used as a venue for tradeshows, conventions, concerts and sporting events.

and Alpharetta and Sandy Springs have ZIP codes overlapping. To try to break down jobs and convert the salaries for each jurisdiction is almost impossible because of the way those figures are reported.”

Etris said one would almost have to go business to business to gather correct figures on tourism spending.

Workers compensation numbers are another way to calculate tourism’s impact on local economies, but that has its drawbacks, too.

“It would be so costly to hire a consultant to spend the huge amounts of time that would be required to go business-by-business and break them out,” she said. “Workers comp is one way to calculate many jobs, but when it comes to tourism it can be difficult.

“For example, the Chattahoochee Nature Center is a huge draw to Rowell, but it is a nonprofit operation,” Etris said. “As such, their employment codes will not fall under ‘tourism’ but under ‘educational organization.’”

The convention center also has 23 versatile meeting rooms and a 21,600-square-foot Grand Ballroom.

On the same grounds, the Arena at Gwinnett Center has a seating capacity of 13,000 with a state-of-the-art house reduction system which can quickly convert the space for groups ranging from 3,500 to 13,000. The arena has held political campaign rallies, religious gatherings and is home to the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL. Also part of the complex is the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center, a 708-seat theater suited for dramatic stage productions, musical concerts or as a concert hall for musical performances or as a civic auditorium for corporate presentations.

Also in Lawrenceville is Cool Ray Field, home to the Gwinnett Braves, the AAA farm club of the Atlanta Braves. With a seating capacity of 10,427, the stadium hosts some 70 home games each spring and summer and doubles as a concert venue throughout.

CHEROKEE COUNTY Though one of the fastest-growing counties in Georgia, Cherokee is just rural enough to have a variety of attractions for outdoor-lovers and those more interested in shopping.

The county is home to Lake Allatoona, miles of mountain bike, hiking and equestrian trails and an acclaimed duck hunting preserve.

At the same time, one of the county’s largest draws has been the recent opening of Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta, a 370,000-square-foot complex off I-575 in Woodstock. The major outlet mall features national retailers such as Brooks Brothers, Talbots and Michael Kors, to name a few.

“Visitors to Cherokee County positively impact our community from a financial

See ATTRACTIONS, Page 18

18 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

TOURISM & LEISURE Lanier supplies life blood to north metro economy

By PATRICK FOX pat@northatlantabusinesspost.com

The 6.8 mile Big Creek Greenway Trail runs through Forsyth County.

Attractions: Continued from Page 17 perspective whether through lodging, dining, shopping or fueling their cars,” said Pam Carnes, president and CEO of the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce.

“These typical traveling expenditures don’t include perhaps the actual reason the visitor is in our community, which is to enjoy one of our various attractions.”

Cherokee is also home to Gibbs Gardens where visitors can stroll through 16 world-class gardens. Integrating nature and artistic design provides a canvas for four feature gardens including the nation’s largest Japanese Garden, over 20 million daffodils in the spring and 140 varieties of water lilies from spring to fall.

The Funk Heritage Center on the campus of Reinhardt University in Waleska, is Georgia’s official Southeastern Indian Interpretive Center and is a National Park Service Trail of Tears certified site. The museum has interactive exhibits, educational films, contemporary Native American art and the Sellers Collection of Antique Hand Tools, which includes thousands of tools dating back to the 17th century.

HALL COUNTY Lake Lanier is, by far, the biggest tourism draw in the area, but the county is also home to a number of other attractions that add fuel to the local economy.

Chateau Elan Winery and Resort, a 3,500-acre property in Braselton, attracts half a million visitors a year. The resort, less than an hour from HartsfieldJackson International Airport, has become a premiere location for weekend getaways, weddings and conferences. The 25,000-square-foot con­fer­ence cen­ter has two ball­rooms, 19 con­fer­ence rooms, two board­rooms and a tiered audi­to­rium with stage and fixed seat­ing. Guests can stay at the resort’s inn, which features 275 deluxe guest rooms, includ­ing 22 suites and 17 ADA-acces­si­ble rooms, one hos­pi­tal­ity suite, the 1,832-square-foot Pres­i­den­tial Suite and the 1,333-square-foot Governor’s Suite. In addition, the property offers a host of villas near its golf course, each equipped with a fully equipped kitchen, liv­ing room com­plete with a fire­ place and television.

Another major attraction near Braselton is Road Atlanta, a 750-acre world class racing facility that draws some 320,000 visitors a year. Recognized as

one of the world’s top road courses, the motor sports facility hosts professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams. Road Atlanta is host to Petit Le Mans, Drift Atlanta and The Mitty. It is also home to the Skip Barber Racing School.

FORSYTH COUNTY Home to about one-third of Lake Lanier’s shoreline, Forsyth County is the fastest-growing area of Georgia. While the lake draws the bulk of out-of-town visitors, the county is home to several other attractions that see a fair number of guests.

Sawnee Mountain Preserve provides visitors with 963 acres of scenic passive space, hiking trails and an interactive visitor center, which also serves as administrative home to the outdoor division of the county Parks and Recreation Department. Named after a Native American chief, Sawnee Mountain provides a view to the summit of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range.

The preserve was awarded Most Outstanding Green Space Plan by the Georgia Urban Forestry Council in 2005, and in 2009, the Association County Commissioners of Georgia named Forsyth among the recipients of the fourth annual County Excellence Awards for the preserve.

The Big Creek Greenway Trail, a concrete and boardwalk path through the woods along Big Creek, runs 6.8 miles from McFarland Parkway to Bethelview Road. Future plans call for adding another 8 miles of walking path, and eventually linking up with the Alpharetta Big Creek Greenway Trail in Fulton County.

COBB COUNTY The future home of the Braves, Cobb County is already home to the metro area’s second-highest tourist visits, with $1.4 billion in annual direct tourist spending. The county is resplendent in tourist sites, from convention and performing arts facilities to indoor and outdoor amusement centers.

The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, the first major performing arts facility built in metro Atlanta in four decades, hosts a variety of events, including Broadway shows, ballet, concerts, educational shows, opera and corporate meetings. The center includes the 2,750-seat John A. Williams Theatre, a

LAKE LANIER, Ga. – April’s heavy rains have buoyed the business climate around Lake Lanier.

After a drier than average first quarter, the area received 7.79 inches of rainfall in April, almost twice the average and more than any April in 20 years. That’s important to the hundreds of businesses and thousands of homeowners in south Forsyth and Hall counties who depend on the lake for their livelihood.

“It’s an economic engine unto itself in the North Georgia region,” said Joanna Cloud, executive director of the Lake Lanier Association, a 3,000-member organization dedicated to maintaining the quality of life in and around the lake. “It has such far-reaching impact in terms of the draw of people who come here to recreate and reside.”

Lake Lanier is one of the most visited lakes within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers system, drawing some 7.5 million people a year. The highest months of visitation are from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The wet early spring has put less strain on the state’s waterways and allowed the Corps to maintain Lake Lanier at optimum levels, according to Corps spokeswoman Lisa Parker “Lake Lanier has been above 1,070 (feet above sea level) since January, and generally, weather permitting, we don’t see lake elevations at 1,071 (full pool – or optimum level) until early May,” she said.

The lake has been at 1,071 or higher since April 19 this year, just in time to welcome Memorial Day crowds and usher in the summer.

Those lake levels can mean the difference between prosperity and strife to the surrounding population.

Lanier makes up more than 5 percent of metro Atlanta’s $3.5 billion tourism economy.

A 2010 study commissioned by the 1071 Coalition found that visitation always declines when the lake level is unusually low. During the drought of 2008, when lake eleva-

10,000-square-foot ballroom, courtyard and terrace and full-service food and beverage facilities.

The nearby Cobb Galleria Centre is one of Atlanta’s largest conference facilities. Located at the intersection of I-285 and I-75, the Galleria features a twostory rotunda entrance, 320,000 gross square feet of overall space, 144,000 gross square feet of total exhibition space and connects directly to the 521-room, four-star, four-diamond Renaissance Waverly Hotel.

The Silver Comet Trail in west Cobb is part of a 94-mile-long paved path run-

tions averaged 1,055.8 feet (15.2 feet below full pool) during the entire boating season, the number of visitors fell by 880,000 from the previous year.

But tourism is only part of the economic equation.

The real estate market also relies heavily on a healthy Lake Lanier.

The population of the five counties surrounding the lake, about 1.29 million, grew by more than 40 percent between 2000 and 2010, twice as fast as the combined downstream counties south of Buford Dam. That population swell hasn’t diminished.

The study further revealed that Lake Lanier provides a “premium” of $5.3 billion to $6.4 billion in additional value to nearly 15,500 lakefront homes, generating an additional $52 million to $68 million in county and school property tax revenues annually.

That doesn’t include taxes paid on the more than 26,000 boats owned by residents of the five lake counties.

“Look at the growth of Forsyth County over the last 10-15 years, and the lake has been a big part of that,” Cloud said. “The impact of that is far more than just somebody buying gas and sodas at the local marina. It affects all the local businesses and all the local property values.

When the lake level dropped to 50-year lows in 2008, the fallout was massive.

Economists with the Bleakly Advisory Group estimated the drought brought about an estimated $4.7 million reduction in earnings among commercial marinas and a $35 million drop in purchases of new and used boats in the five lake counties.

Sales of lakefront properties were down 54 percent.

“Even though that was several years ago, that still resonates tremendously with the local community,” Cloud said. “I think now everybody’s so doggone happy that we’re not dealing with low water levels.”

ning from Smyrna to Anniston, Alabama.

It is open to bicyclists, joggers and rollerbladers and is dotted with pocket parks, wooded scenery and trailheads.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is a 2,965-acre national battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign.

Opposing forces from the North and South maneuvered and fought here from June 19 to July 2, 1864.

Cobb County is also home to White Water and Six Flags Over Georgia theme and water parks, which draw more than a million visitors each year.

SOUND ADVICE

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 19

Balancing work and home Ray Appen Owner, Appen Media Group

Pat Fox asked me to write something about balancing work and home life, perhaps because my particular status may appear to make me a poster child for it.

However, I may be the example of how not to keep the two separate.

I have worked in my own business now alongside my wife Christina since 1990. We both work at Appen Media Group full-time. Until just a couple years ago, we worked in adjoining offices about a mile from our home. Our oldest son Hans is our general manager. Some of the other people who work with us are church friends.

We’re in the newspaper and media business, which is pretty much a seven day a week proposition. When one adds up all the publications – four weekly newspapers, two monthly publications, websites, special publications and more – we publish and deliver a product almost every day of the week. The hours are long. The stress is high. The work is very people- and employee-intensive. It never really stops. We are “on” almost always. The idea of leaving the office at 5:30 p.m. or for the weekend and the job being “over” really does not exist for us. I imagine that it is similar for many people who own their own businesses.

Before this, my wife and I worked together for almost 10 years at the Miami Herald.

Ideally we would compartmentalize work and home life to keep it separate, but that concept really does not work in our particular situation except when we actually leave town and go to the beach.

Yes, we usually end up dealing with some work-related issues while we are there,

but we are able to keep that to a minimum.

I believe that everyone has their own personal method for maintaining some sort of separation from the workplace.

My own approach is relatively simple.

Because my work is rather consuming once I get to the office and usually leaves me with limited energy by the time I get home, I use the early morning as my “time.” I get up very early and head to the YMCA, where I usually swim for about 45 minutes and then lift weights for another 30 minutes. That usually leaves me another 30 minutes of quiet time in my car either writing or reading before I head back home and then to the office. It is the only way I have found to create a separation between work and non-work time. It doesn’t happen if I try to do it after the office. Something always comes up or I am too tired. Additionally, the commitment to get up early enough to get my exercise done forces me to leave the work gear behind on a consistent basis, albeit for only short amounts of time.

Christina takes a slightly different approach.

She commits time to people and groups that she wants to spend time with, and those commitments are fairly set in concrete. Basically, she does her “work” work around her non-work commitments and not the opposite. I have seen her put in very long days at the office but when it is time for her book club or her church commitments or her volunteer work, she just stops and shifts gears. She leaves the office and the office gear behind and focuses on the other endeavors.

I think that perhaps the key to having that separation – especially in the crazy times that we live in – is to set aside a very specific amount of time and then do not allow anything or anyone to interfere with that commitment. It is your personal time and it stays your personal time. It is off limits for any other use.

The secret sauce of land values Brian Patton

bpatton@ccim.net

The real estate market is close to being on fire, and land values have bounced back in most areas. If you have land to sell, the following three little secrets might help you gain the most out of its

value.

1. Here’s the gem: Future land use classification is the place that it all starts. Most jurisdictions have comprehensive land use plans that are updated every few years. In the state of Georgia, this is mandated by the state for most governments. Inside this document is usually a “future land use plan.” This map shows each individual property in the jurisdiction and the future land use that the local government envisions for

See VALUES, Page 28

Only in Alpharetta Nation’s #6 Fastest Growing City U.S. Census Bureau (2013)

America’s #1 Best Place to Move Forbes (2009)

#2 Best Place for Job Seekers in Georgia NerdWallet (2013)

Become a member today!

From the simple pleasure of the outdoors to the vast array of events, shops and dining, Alpharetta has it all. The historic downtown district is a favorite destination to explore the quaint boutiques along Main Street and there is certainly no shortage of wonderful restuarants in the area.

www.AlpharettaChamber.com

TOURISM & LEISURE

20 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

$1,500 $1,450

Visitor expenditures

In 2013 Cherokee’s tourism industry:

• Supported 2,990 jobs • Generated $272.94 million in direct tourist spending • Created $10.44 million in state tax revenues • Generated $7.85 million in local tax revenues

$1,400 $1,350

In 2013, Cobb’s tourism industry:

$1,200

• Supported 16,210 jobs • Generated $1.4 billion in direct tourist spending • Created $58.35 million in state tax revenues • Generated $39.51 million in local tax revenues

$1,150

In 2013, Forsyth’s tourism industry:

$1,300 $1,250

• Supported 1600 jobs • Generated $145.74 million in direct tourist spending • Created $5.9 million in state tax revenues • Generated $4.15 million in local tax revenues

$1,100 $1,000

In 2013, Fulton’s tourism industry:

$950 $850

• Supported 58,620 jobs • Generated $7.8 billion in direct tourist spending • Created $338.08 million in state tax revenues • Generated $214.93 million in local tax revenues

$800

In 2013, Hall’s tourism industry:

$750

• Supported 2,510 jobs • Generated $264.47 million in direct tourist spending • Created $9.62 million in state tax revenues • Generated $7.91 million in local tax revenues

$900

$700 $650

In 2013, Gwinnett’s tourism industry:

$600

• Supported 11,330 jobs • Generated $1 billion in direct tourist spending • Created $40.85 million in state tax revenues • Generated $31.06 million in local tax revenues

$550 $500 $450

$0 2013

2013

2012

Cobb

Gwinnett

Cherokee

Hall

Forsyth

Cobb

Gwinnett

Cherokee

Hall

2012

$1,000 2011

2011

$2,000

2010

2010

Visitor expenditures (Fulton)

2009

2009

Forsyth

$0

Cobb

$50

Gwinnett

$100

Cherokee

$3,000

Hall

$150 Forsyth

$4,000

Cobb

$200 Gwinnett

$5,000

Cherokee

$250

Hall

$6,000

Forsyth

$300

Cobb

$7,000

Gwinnett

$350

Cherokee

$8,000

Hall

$400

Forsyth

Both Charts Shown In Millions

$1,050

Hard numbers reveal tourism’s impact on Georgia economy

By PATRICK FOX pat@northatlantabusinesspost.com ATLANTA – Business startups and corporate relocations often dominate the headlines, but Georgia’s tourism industry can lay claim to a fair share of the state’s economic health.

Tourism is one of Georgia’s biggest industries, accounting for $57 billion worth of economic impact in 2014, according to figures released this month by the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

The industry also is responsible for the employment of more than 425,000 Georgians.

“I think most people are surprised to learn that a little over 10 percent of Georgia’s payroll workforce is employed because of the tourism industry,” said Kevin Langston, deputy commissioner of tourism with the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

In terms of tourism expenditures, metro Atlanta is Georgia’s largest region.

Tourists spend a little more than $13 billion a year in the region. Those expendi-

tures support some 136,000 jobs.

In north metro Atlanta, which includes Fulton, Cobb, Cherokee, Gwinnett, Forsyth and Hall counties, tourists spend close to $10 billion supporting close to 93,000 jobs.

“Tourism tends to sort of fly under the radar,” Langston said. “There are a lot of tourists that get out and about in Georgia’s communities, and folks don’t really think about it because, of course, they look just like the rest of us.

But the effect of these visitors should not be underestimated, Langston said.

They bring in outside dollars, then leave them in the community to help pay for schools, roads and public services without actually using many of them.

“They’re a great revenue source, and I don’t think most Georgians realize that yet,” Langston said.

One of the best sources for Georgia’s tourism dollar is foreign guests. Apart from the business and arts attractions that draw people from other countries, metro Atlanta is home to more than 65 consulates or honorary consulates, each with staffs who contribute to the tourism

“I think most people are surprised to learn that a little over 10 percent of Georgia’s payroll workforce is employed because of the tourism industry.”

Kevin Langston, Deputy commissioner of tourism with the Georgia Department of Economic Development trade.

“We love international visitors because they stay longer and they spend more,” Langston said. “Chinese travelers in particular spend over $6,000 each while they’re here in the U.S.” Shopping in particular is a big draw for the metro Atlanta region.

“A lot of our international visitors, in particular from China and Brazil, are looking for outlet shopping like those in Cherokee County and in Locust Grove,” Langston said. “Those are great destinations. Of course Avalon and

Buckhead, with high-end shopping, is also incredibly attractive to those incoming travelers, especially the international ones.”

Because of the spending visitors do here, they leave a lot of tax dollars here in the community. Each household in Georgia pays $840 less in taxes because of it.

“That’s a great tax savings for us. To provide the same level of services here in the community, we’d all have to cough up a little over $840 new a year in taxes,” Langston said.

CHEROKEE COUNTY

Vin Diesel

Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Kristen Stewart

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 21

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Steve Martin

Fernando Leon/Getty Images

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Michael Keaton

Cinematic Cherokee: Hollywood shooting three films Major motion pictures big business in Ga.

By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com CANTON, Ga. – Little Ball Ground in Cherokee County (pop. 1,482) received word last month it has been selected as a location site for the new Tom Cruise movie “Mena” (see the April 2015 Business Post). The town is only the latest Cherokee site to be tapped by Hollywood for location work, and that means windfall dollars coming to local businesses.

Two more movies with Cherokee locations are in the can or slated for shooting.

It is certainly no accident that locations in Georgia are popping up with more frequency in film.

Georgia is a “Camera Ready state,” declares the Georgia Film Commission.

With highly desirable financial incentives, location diversity, production resources and professional support, the state can serve any size production with Hollywood-size capabilities.

Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED) President Misti Martin agrees. She has been working with scouts, producers and location managers for major motion pictures starring such stars as Kristen Stewart, Vin Diesel, Steve Martin and Michael Keaton.

Top marks go to the state’s Camera Ready program, which bundles a number of services including location scouting and permitting needs with local authorities.

Cherokee has seen the value of working with the film industry in bringing business to its hotels, restaurants, catering services and other service companies.

“We have worked diligently since becoming a Camera Ready community in 2011 to build relationships with scouts and to grow the Camera Ready ‘Reel Scout’ database,” said Martin. “Few know there is a committee of community

representatives established by COED to identify unique features of Cherokee that could attract film prospects.”

With three movies locked in, there will be shooting in Cherokee County in the weeks and months to come.

In addition to “Mena” with Cruise, “The Blind Side” director John Lee Hancock will film “The Founder,” the story of Ray Kroc and how he turned McDonald’s into the global fast-food mega-corporation it is today.

Filming will be in downtown Canton.

Keaton has been cast to play Kroc, and in a “The Social Network” sort of film, show the inside story of how he turned a hamburger chain into worldwide icon.

Robert Siegel, who wrote “The Wrestler,” has done the script.

“Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” an adaptation of the acclaimed 2012 satiric novel by Ben Fountain, has wrapped shooting in Cherokee.

It stars Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Steve Martin and Vin Diesel in a story about four Iraq vets sent on a “victory tour” by the Army before they are scheduled to return overseas again.

“Billy Lynn” filmed scenes at the Georgia National Cemetery and through coordination with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, shot a rolling road block scene along I-575. It is slated for a November 2016 release.

COED’s Martin is thrilled with the first films coming to the county.

Now COED is beefing up its presence in Camera Ready’s Reel Scout database.

With this first success, COED folks realize you have to be out front because “it’s a fast moving world.”

Having Ball Ground in the Reel Scout database was key to “Mena” making the call to come to Cherokee. Anyone who thinks their property or structure would

Movies mean money in Georgia Over $5 billion last year ATLANTA – Movies, television, video gaming and all that comes with the production of them means big money to Georgia’s economy.

Last year, the film industry spent $5.1 billion in Georgia. According to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the motion picture and television industry is responsible for more than 77,900 jobs and $3.8 billion in total wages in Georgia, including indirect jobs and wages.

Filming the 158 movies and television productions added another $1.4 billion to the economy.

The Georgia Film Office was founded by then Gov. Jimmy Carter in 1973 after seeing the impact that the film “Deliverance” had on small Rabun County in the northeast Georgia mountains.

If Carter is the father of Georgia’s film industry, Burt Reynolds is the godfather. After the success of “Deliverance,” Reynolds filmed a host of movies at least in part in Georgia: “Smokey and the Bandit” (I & II); “The Longest Yard” (including Reidsville State Prison); “The Cannonball Run” (I & II); and “Stroker Ace” to name some.

But Georgia has a lot more to offer than a couple of good ole’ boys from the 1970s. First there are varied and photogenic locations all

make a good film location can have it listed in the database just by contacting the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

“This is an exciting time for Cherokee. It is through our partnership with

Carter

Reynolds

within a few hours of Atlanta from Georgia’s coastal regions and swamps to the Blue Ridge Mountains with any number of antebellum homes, quaint small towns and urban cities. All of it is within easy access of Atlanta’s international airport, top-flight hotels and restaurants.

Generating $5 billion last year, the film business supports a lot of industry infrastructure from experienced film crews to sound stages and editing equipment, film labs, catering, lighting equipment and a host of other ancillary film-related businesses.

In all, some 30,000 experienced professionals are available to production companies.

Georgia’s Camera Ready program is a free service that provides trained liaisons to help film companies with such varied services as scouting, permitting and other production needs in 136 counties.

— Hatcher Hurd

the state’s Camera Ready program, the cities and the county that attracting major film projects such as these is made possible,” said COED Chairman Marshall Day. “We have great momentum. I can’t wait to see what is next.”

HALL COUNTY

22 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Wisdom Keepers earn national recognition

Chamber group launches public arts initiative GAINESVILLE, Ga. – VISION 2030, a program of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, has launched its public arts initiative for 2015.

The VISION 2030 Public Art Committee is working to enhance the lives of every citizen and the community’s long-term economic vitality through exhibition of public artworks.

Under the leadership of committee chairs LeTrell Simpson of Consen-sus and Frank Norton Jr. of The Norton Agency, the committee has been working on a public art walking tour and map over the past two years.

The tour provides the opportunity to view a selection of more than 30 works in a variety of media using an easy-to-follow map.

More information on the art initiative, the public art tour or other programs can be obtained by contacting Meg Nivens, executive director of VISION 2030, at 770-532-6206, ext.

104 or by email at mnivens@ghcc. com.

Elpida by Jean Westmacott.

vision2030.org

GAINESVILLE, Ga. – The Wisdom Keepers, who are graduates of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce’s VISION 2030 Wisdom Project, were recognized in March as a national leading model at the American Society on Aging Conference in Chicago.

Now with more than 100 members and over 2,000 hours of volunteer service, the VISION 2030 Wisdom Keepers were accepted by the ASA as a visionary program that communities across the country should replicate. The ASA is the largest national aging conference in the country with more than 3,000 in attendance.

Wisdom Keeper representatives Kathy Amos, Larry Preiss, Robert Horne and Erika Walker presented a session on how the organization is emerging as a think tank “strengthening Greater Hall County through action and advocacy.”

To learn, contact Kathy Amos at 770538-4705 or email kamos@brenau.edu.

NEED HOTELS? WE HAVE 23 THINK OF US FIRST!

Choose from 23 modern and affordable hotels that are available for your corporate meetings, training, team building and outings.

Take advantage of the FREE PLANNING SERVICES of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau including checking hotel availability and securing group room rates, direct access to hundreds of professional service providers, welcome bags and insider tips.

• Residential Housekeeping • Move-In and Move-Out Cleaning • Custom Services

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

Reserve rooms for your corporate guests with one call to the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau. Room rates are collected from Alpharetta’s 23 hotels and provided to you as a comprehensive list of options.

We Promise...

Quality, Pride andd Performance

770.475.8700

www.imagemaids.com

to speak with our corporate meeting planning specialist!

#AwesomeAlpharetta @AlpharettaCVB

TO

By A

ER

S

Non-transferable, new customers only, one time special. Exp. 5/30/15

271 North Main St Alpharetta

Call us today

R I N F OR VOT ED

ppen

Med

ia

VICES

AT ION

Purchase 5 consecutive weekly or bi-weekly cleaning and the 6th cleaning is FREE!

Book your hotel rooms with us and your guests will receive complimentary welcome bags with information about shopping and dining, attractions, events, maps, local coupons and more. All for FREE!

M

FREE CLEANING SPECIALL

Every hotel has free parking and the modern amenities for today’s traveler.

Many offer a selection of suites, complimentary breakfast and internet, private meeting rooms and local shuttle service. All hotels are easily accessible with close proximity to shopping, dining and 300 things to do.

HELPFUL VISITOR INFORMATION

I

Leave the Cleaning to Us. Be There When it Matters.

VI S

2014 WINNER FOR BEST MAID SERVICE

COBB COUNTY

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 23

Braves partner with Omni to develop hotel near park ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves announced Tuesday it is partnering with Omni Hotels and Resorts to develop a 260-room high-rise hotel in the mixeduse area near the new Sun Trust Park in Cobb County.

The property will have 16 floors and meeting space, an elevated pool deck and bar overlooking the plaza and ballpark.

Plans call for the facility to be integrated with the development's all-fiber network, which will be the highest-capacity network serving any ballpark and mixed-use community in the nation, capable of delivering multi-gigabit speeds throughout the entire development.

“Our unique brand of hospitality is a big part of the experience of attending an Atlanta Braves game, and we’re thrilled to have a partner that embodies that same feeling with their guests,” said Terry McGuirk, Atlanta Braves chairman and CEO. “Omni Hotels & Resorts only builds and operates iconic properties in premier destinations. Their presence in this community further enhances our belief that this will be a destination unlike anything in professional sports.”

A rendering of the 16 floor Omni Hotel planned to be constructed near the new Sun Trust Park.

BRIEFS & SHORTS: Cobb County

Ultimate Escape Game Atlanta opens COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Cobb County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, May 8 for the Ultimate Escape Game Atlanta, located at Galleria 75 at 3200 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Suite 150. The Ultimate Escape Game Atlanta is a brain-teasing labyrinth of clues and puzzles aimed to bring out participants’ inner detective in a live room escape adventure. For one hour, teams must work together to crack codes, find clues and solve puzzles to find a four-digit pin and escape the room.

Riskonnect, Fusion Risk Management form alliance KENNESAW, Ga. — Riskonnect and Fusion Risk Management announced a strategic alliance to jointly market and deliver a unified solution consisting of Riskonnect’s risk management work platform and Fusion Risk Management’s Fusion Framework Business Continuity Management System and services.

“Our strategic alliance with Fusion Risk Management is a watershed moment in providing the most innovative and comprehensive risk management technologies to our clients,” said Bob Morrell, Riskonnect

CEO and co-founder. “With increasing organizational complexity and persistent operational risks, business continuity management has become a critically important pillar of an organization’s overall risk management program.”

First Data receives veterans’ recognition ATLANTA – First Data Corporation has earned the distinction from Military Times as one of the best employers for veterans on the “Best for Vets: Employers 2015”

Atlanta Braves

submit news to business@appenmediagroup.com

list. The rankings were based on veteran employee on-boarding, company training, Guard and Reserve member policies and military spouse support, among other considerations. First Data was featured among the Top 20 of the nearly 80 firms on the list.

First Data is a global leader in payment technology and services solutions.

Through First Data Salutes – an initiative to embrace the military community by focusing on hiring and retaining veterans and military spouses – the company has increased hires among veterans and military spouses from 2 percent to 13 percent over the past year.

First Data has also created an affinity group to support military-affiliated employees and supports several national coalitions striving to increase recruiting from this premier talent pool.

In 2014, First Data Chairman and CEO Frank Bisignano received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes Leadership Award for Individual Excellence in Veteran Employment.

SG Property Services purchases $11.8 million medical office portfolio ATLANTA —SG Property Services has acquired a 60,000-square-foot portfolio comprising three Class A medical office buildings in metro Atlanta for a total of $11.8 million. The properties include Johns Creek Medical Building in Johns Creek Marble Mill Medical Center in Marietta and Hospital Way in Stockbridge.

“These properties are strategically located and create an appealing environment for health care providers, as all three Class A buildings are located immediately adjacent to hospital anchors and provide direct access and walkability,” said Paul Shailendra, SG Property Services president.

SG Property Services said it has leased over 95 percent and plans to lease-up the remaining vacancies focusing on specialty health care providers.

FORSYTH COUNTY

24 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Forsyth named second fastest-growing county

By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — It’s something that gets brought up at almost all Forsyth County governmental meetings and is commonly talked about among residents — Forsyth’s population growth.

It’s now an even hotter topic since Forsyth’s population has topped 200,000 people.

Findings of a recent study from the U.S. Census Bureau show Forsyth’s population grew from 195,312 in 2013 to 204,302 in 2014, an increase of 8,990 people or 4.6 percent.

While that may not sound like a lot of people, to compare it with Georgia’s overall increase, the state’s population rose 102,584, which is only 1.02 percent.

From April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014, Forsyth’s population rose 16.4 percent, while Georgia’s rose 4.2 percent.

James McCoy, president and chief

executive officer of the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce, said the other top counties are much smaller, decreasing their percentages a great deal.

“Every single day, Mccoy people are making the most important decisions and the simplest of our lives – it’s economics,” McCoy said. “Forsyth County has in all of metro Atlanta the lowest tax rate, the highest quality school system and you get a lot of house for your money. People are making choices to move here because those are the things they value.”

Residents get more bang for their buck than they can in other areas of metro Atlanta and of the country, McCoy said, and not spend as much on those things in terms of taxes.

There’s often backlash to the com-

“At the micro and national levels, there’s no such thing as a static economy.

It doesn’t exist. They either grow or shrink. They may be in transit, but never plateau.”

James McCoy, President and chief executive officer of the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce missioners and chamber because of the rate of growth, but McCoy said it’s purely economics.

“At the micro and national levels, there’s no such thing as a static economy,” McCoy said. “It doesn’t exist. They either grow or shrink. They may be in transit, but never plateau.”

McCoy said he encourages people against growth to look into other communities that aren’t growing and see if they’d

BRIEFS & SHORTS: Forsyth County C.W. Matthews/Infrastructure Consulting winning bidder for Ga. 400 widening

Norman’s Landing partners with Red Cross CUMMING, Ga. — Norman’s Landing presented a check for $1,280 to the American Red Cross. From left are Jim Barco, philanthropy officer of American Red Cross, Norman’s Landing Manager Jenny Thomas and owner Bill Norman.

Businessman recognized for community service CUMMING, Ga. – Local Allstate agency owner Nate Dever received the Allstate Agency Hands in the Community Award for his commitment to helping others and community service.

Because of Dever’s outstanding volunteerism, The Allstate Foundation awarded a $1,000 grant to Camp Kudzu, where he volunteers.

Now in its 63rd year, The Allstate Foundation has given more than $300 million in financial contributions to communities around the country, and in 2013, gave $139,000 in Georgia as part of the Allstate Agency Hands in the Community Program.

ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Transportation opened the sealed bids April 24 for the State Route 400 Widening Project in Forsyth County. The team of C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc./Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering is the apparent successful proposer.

The Department used a variable scope procurement approach, incentivizing competition to provide the most lane miles of widening for the least cost. The team’s proposal for the design-build project includes the maximum scope at a bid of $47,470,406.25.

Funding for the project is made possible through a transportation bond referendum approved by Forsyth county voters November 2014.

The referendum passed by Forsyth County voters included the SR 400 Widening Project, which will widen SR 400 by one lane in the existing inside median both northbound and southbound from McFarland Parkway to at least Bald Ridge Marina in Forsyth County.

Innovative contracting set up for the first time by the Department allowed for Design-Build Teams to bid on ten additional segments northbound and southbound from Bald Ridge Marina up to possibly as far as SR 369. The final bids include all possible segments so that the scope now includes widening work up to SR 369 – or approximately 14 miles from McFarland Parkway. The designbuild contract includes design and construction, permitting, utility coordination and/or utility relocation, and any other necessary services.

It also includes the widening of four bridges – northbound and southbound over the Big Creek Greenway, as well as northbound and southbound over Lake Lanier.

It is anticipated the project will relieve congestion, shorten commute times and encourage more commercial development.

For information about the SR 400 Widening Project visit http://www.dot.ga.gov/BuildSmart/Projects/ Pages/TransPi.aspx?ProjectID=0013367.

want Forsyth County to emulate that.

“We do as a community have to be very thoughtful about planning for that growth and making sure that we have the end in mind,” McCoy said. “We are thinking about how do we grow in a sustainable way so we don’t hit some point and then experience a down turn. It’s unfair to say stop growth, but fair to say let’s be smart about a sustainable growth future.”

submit news to business@appenmediagroup.com

Mills to lead ACCG General County Government Policy Committee ATLANTA, Ga. — Forsyth County District 4 Commissioner and Vice Chairman Cindy Jones Mills was recently named as the 2015-2016 Chairman of the General County Government Policy Committee for the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), Georgia’s county association.

The appointment was made by Mills ACCG President and Gwinnett County Chairman Charlotte Nash during the 2015 ACCG Annual Conference held at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center. Legislative advocacy and public policy development are two of the primary services that ACCG provides to Georgia counties. The association uses a consensus-based policy committee process to bring together county commissioners and county staff to discuss issues of concern to county government that require changes to state and federal laws and agency policies.

Policy committees develop positions on key issues, which become part of the county platform.

The county platform is voted on by the membership at the ACCG Legislative Leadership Conference held annually in October. ACCG policy staff use the county platform to guide advocacy efforts on behalf of counties during the legislative session.

“Policy committee leaders serve an essential function by leading their peers in the discussion of critical issues facing Georgia counties,” said ACCG Executive Director Ross King. “These committees provide a forum for learning more about key policy issues, and our chairs and vice chairs are responsible for helping to lead the discussion and develop consensus.”

The General County Government Committee handles issues involving the structure of county government and intergovernmental relations between counties, constitutional officers, the courts and federal, state and city governments. Other issue areas include elections, ethics, home rule, service delivery, planning and zoning.

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 25

HALL COUNTY MARKET REPORT Special Section, June 2015 Issue Reach the right people

Hall County is the Focus of the June North Atlanta Business Post – industry growth, residential and commercial development, banking, schools, and more. Deadline to promote your business or industry by advertising in the issue is May 28.

Reach the key decision makers in the region that need to know about opportunities in Hall County.

The Post reaches over 20,000 business decision makers and high income individuals in the North Atlanta Region in between I85 & I75 and north of 285.

Also included in the June issue will be the following: Technology, how to protect your company from a cyber attack, how businesses are going global and more.

Ad rates

Deadline: May 28

Special Focus Section

Front Back Page Full 1/2 1/4 1/8

$1,200 $2,500 $1,850 $1,400 $750 $400

770-442-3278 hans@appenmediagroup.com

Online: NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

FULTON COUNTY

26 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Eaves: Fulton County future ‘bright’ Optimism, progress in county

By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – A renewed sense of optimism has grasped Fulton County of late. Long known for dysfunctional politics, the county has turned a corner, says Fulton Commission Chairman John Eaves.

“This is a new day for the county,” Eaves said. “The present is bright, and the future is even brighter.”

He was speaking at the inaugural State of the County address April 30 to a crowd of legislators and local government officials.

Fulton County has 1 million residents and 14 municipalities. It is the most populous county in the state, as well as the largest in size. This can make its challenges unique. Governing can be difficult.

While this has proven true in past years, so far this year, the county commission has already passed several hurdles – a budget was unanimously passed, as was the appointment of a new county manager. Neither have happened in recent memory.

“People are beginning to embrace collaborate leadership,” Eaves said. “We can get a whole lot more done working together than going by ourselves.

“We are a great county, one county,” he said. “Our best days are yet to come.”

Eaves laid out five goals he has for the county in the coming year.

A healthy county – The county spends about $100 million a year on health services, with the majority of that spent on Grady Hospital.

“We are determined to provide services of health and have a greater impact,” Eaves said.

diversion,” Eaves said. “To help with Quality of life this, the county needs to work on mental services – The county health, substance abuse and workforce spends $30 million development.” on library services, An efficient government – An providing services in 34 audit has been commissioned of all libraries. New libraries the county services in an effort to find are being built and the cost-cutting opportunities. Eaves said he collection is expanding. believes $10-15 million can immediately Hours and days that Eaves be trimmed from the budget. were cut last year were “Our hope is the over the next 10 recently restored. years, the county can find $100 million Eaves said one of his goals for the in savings,” he said. “That money could coming years is to get every resident a go back to the taxpayers or be reinvestlibrary card. Currently, about half the ed.” population has one.

Along with this, the In addition, increased county needs a better funding for the arts and public face. The citizens culture is hoped for. deserve to have exemplary “[The arts] add to the customer service, he said, economic robustness of the and better training and county,” he said. technology can aid in this.

A safe community – “Why can’t technolEaves’ own son was robbed ogy be used to make the at gunpoint while at uniinterface between the versity, an all-too common county and the public more crime in Atlanta. friendly?” he said. “[Public safety] is Economic generaimportant to all of us. No tion – “It is no accident one is exempt from crime,” that Fulton County has he said.

JOHN EAVES, Fulton nine Fortune 500 firms The county spends County Commission and 17 Fortune 1,000 40 percent of its budget Chairman companies in its borders,” on criminal justice, he Eaves said. said. The county is makBecause of what Fulton ing strides in making that County is doing, Porsche, Mercedes and money go further.

NCR have recently relocated their headAs a result of partnering and collaboquarters to the county. rating, the government consent decree One way to keep that growth going is on the county jail has been lifted, he to improve the county’s transportation said. The 2006 decree was the result of systems. New roads and public transit opovercrowding in the jail as well as letting tions are needed, he said. A new Transit decline in quality. Since the decree, the portation Special Purpose Local Option county has invested heavily in both the Sales Tax (TSPLOST) could be voted on jail and programs to keep people out of it. and created as early as next year, which Such alternatives to imprisonment, would help pay for the expansion. such as preferring “proactive and diver“We can support greater economic sion” programs, are being pursued by the development with transit and traffic county. solutions,” he said.

“We want to be a model in terms of

“We are a great county, one county. Our best days are yet to come.”

BRIEFS & SHORTS: Fulton County Fulton, Forsyth cited as technology leaders ATLANTA – The Technology Association of Georgia cited Fulton and Forsyth counties among the state’s leaders in technology.

The group’s 2015 State of the Industry: Technology in Georgia Report states that both are among five Georgia counties that have an innovation economy that surpasses the national average.

The report contains key data on Georgia’s technology landscape and serves as a resource for facts, statistics, trends and other insights into the state’s technology industry. The report says Georgia’s tech sector has produced more than 25,000 net new jobs since 2010, and the state’s technology payroll reached $23 billion in 2014.

“TAG’s State of the Industry Report is an important resource for both technologists living in Georgia and businesses contem-

submit news to business@ appenmediagroup.com

plating moving here,” said Paul Carmody, chief executive officer of Atlanta-based software company AchieveIt and chairman of the TAG Thought Leadership Task Force. “The report is a barometer of the robust technology industry that we have in Georgia.”

Custom home builder re-enters Georgia market JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Bonhambuilt International Design is reentering the North Georgia market after a six-year hiatus, building and remodeling properties in the vacation market of Costa Rica.

Designer/builder Nathan Bonham and his wife Cathy Ellis have reassembled their team to take on custom home builds and remodels.

From 1998-2009, Bonhambuilt designed and built more than 100 homes in North Georgia, including sites in Johns Creek and Alpharetta.

Roswell businesses invited to network over morning coffee Jessica Diamond

Communications Coordinator, Roswell Inc

Roswell Inc is excited to offer a new networking program called Roswell Coffee Connect.

Similar to the popular and well attended Roswell Connect events in the evenings, Coffee Connect offers a morning alternative for Roswell business owners and leaders who are unable to attend evening events.

This program will fill a need for businesses who operate after hours, but would still benefit from networking and interacting with other business professionals in the community.

The event is open to all Roswell-based businesses, and those who attend the evening Connect events are equally encouraged to attend.

Coffee Connect will be held every other month from January through September.

Roswell business leaders are encouraged to attend the launch of Coffee Connect on : • Friday, May 15 • At The Mill Kitchen and Bar (90 Mimosa Blvd., Roswell, 30075) • 7:30 – 9 a.m.

• Coffee and light snacks will be provided.

The Coffee Connect series is sponsored by Samantha R. Holowka – Northwestern Mutual, Keller Williams Realty’s Michael and Debra Martino and 1 Source International.

Additional 2015 dates for Roswell Coffee Connect are Friday, July 10 and Friday, Sept. 11. Learn more at roswellcoffeeconnect2015.eventbrite.com.

The growing success of the Roswell Connect, as well as the popularity of the morning Roswell Business Academies inspired the addition of this new opportunity, and the responses have been extremely positive.

Programs like these serve to further Roswell Inc’s mission to foster strong relationships within and among the Roswell business community.

GWINNETT COUNTY

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 27

Tracy Sewell recieves her 2015 Distinguished Student award from Gwinnett Technical College.

Gwinnett Tech celebrates top student achievement GWINNETT/NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Gwinnett Technical College honored hundreds of its high-achieving students recently at its annual awards ceremony, recognizing leaders in academics, program excellence, leadership and community outreach.

Tracy Sewell, an environmental horticulture student, earned one of the college’s most prestigious awards as the 2015 Distinguished Student.

Outstanding students in each Gwinnett Tech program of study were honored, as were members of National

Technical Honor Society, SkillsUSA winners and a host of individual program honorees. In all, almost 300 students were recognized.

On campus, Sewell is a Student Ambassador, a member of Phi Theta Kappa national honor society and the leader of

BRIEFS & SHORTS: Gwinnett County Hisense launches new Chromebook SUWANEE, Ga. – Google is partnering with Hisense on the new Hisense Chromebook. Priced at $149, the Chromebook has a textured lid, a metal palm-rest and weighs 2.5 pounds. It also has up to 8.5 hours of battery life.

“To be able to showcase our hardware through Google’s well-known and respected brand is a key building block in our growth within the U.S.,” said Erin Magee, director of marketing, Hisense.

The Hisense Chromebook will is available on Walmart.com for pre-order.

Comverge appoints Fay vice president, utility sales NORCROSS, Ga. – Shane Fay has been appointed vice president, utility sales for Comverge Inc., a leading provider of demand management solutions for electric utilities. Fay has more than 12 years of experience sell-

ing smart grid solutions to electric utilities.

Fay will be responsible for leading the field sales organization in the ongoing adoption of Comverge’s demand response, energy efficiency and customer engagement solutions.

Fay formerly served as vice president, client solutions, at Simple Energy.

Prior to that, he was vice president, utility sales at Comverge. Before joining Comverge, Fay was a sales executive at Echelon, a provider of smart grid solutions to electric utilities. He began his career with Accenture as a consultant to energy companies.

Intelligent Systems sells ChemFree subsidiary NORCROSS, Ga. – Intelligent Systems has signed a stock purchase agreement to sell its ChemFree Corporation subsidiary to CRC Industries, a privately held company, and simultaneously closed on the transaction March 31. The purchase price is approximately $21.6 million cash, subject to certain post-closing adjustments.

With the sale of ChemFree, Intelligent Systems will consist primarily of its CoreCard Software subsidiary.

The company will focus on the payments industry, which it believes offers

two campus projects for Gwinnett Great Days of Service.

Last month, Sewell earned two national horticulture scholarships, from the Professional Grounds Management Society and from the Professional Landcare Network.

submit news to business@appenmediagroup.com

significant growth potential. Company officials say management will continue to explore various strategic alternatives that may include acquisitions or divestiture.

The company will have approximately $22 million in consolidated cash after certain closing adjustments and transaction expenses. Some of the transaction cash will be held in escrow. The company said it intends to distribute or return in the near term approximately $5 million of the proceeds to its shareholders either as a dividend or stock re-purchase.

Arris to buy U.K. company for $2.1 billion SUWANEE, Ga. — Arris Group, a global innovator in broadband media technology headquartered in Suwanee, and Pace plc, based in Saltaire, U.K., jointly announced April 22 that Arris will acquire Pace for aggregate stock and cash consideration of $2.1 billion (£1.4 billion).

“This transaction is another example of Arris’s ongoing strategy of investing in the right opportunities to position our company for growth,” said Bob Stanzione, Arris chairman and CEO. “We believe this is a tremendous opportunity for Arris and our customers, employees, shareholders and partners around the world as we collaborate to invent the future.”

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

28 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

Women in business: Mary Ellen Garrett Under the direction and leadership of Mary Ellen Garrett, senior vice president of wealth management, The Garrett Group provides its clients with 30 years of solid industry experience. Within Merrill Lynch, The Garrett Group is a leader in the firm’s wealth management practice, offering exceptional capabilities in wealth planning and investment and financial management.

Garrett is a frequent guest speaker at seminars and is recognized for her commitment to professional excellence, client trust and community service. She serves on the board of St. Joseph’s Hospital, as philanthropic advisor to the Atlanta Community Foundation and as a finance committee member for the Atlanta Catholic Archdiocese. She is also a board member for the Woodruff Arts Foundation and is a United Way Worldwide board member.

Garrett has been married to Scott for 30 years and has three children and one grandchild.

What decision did you make that put you on the path to this career in business?

Wealth management was not something I had necessarily planned on pursing early in my career. In the 70s and early 80s, I was working in the banking industry and was introduced to a manager at Merrill Lynch, who explained the company to me. He ended up offering me a position, and I decided to take a chance on it. I liked that the firm had a large presence, and I could tell there were a lot of other employees at the firm who would offer me support along the way. Additionally, being part of a large company like Merrill Lynch provided me with more opportunity to advance my career, which I found to be very important.

What obstacles, if any, did you face on your way up the corporate ladder?

There are always going to be obstacles – it’s just a matter of recognizing them and figuring out how to overcome them. The biggest obstacle I faced when I joined Merrill Lynch 30 years ago was being one of the few women in the industry. I had very few female role models, but knew I needed to find somebody who was willing to take me under their wing and provide sound advice. So, I didn’t have mentors that looked like me, but I always had multiple mentors. And, I still do to this day. My hope is that I am able to mentor as many people as I had willing and open to mentoring me.

What gives you the most satisfaction at work?

When a client says, “I really can’t do this without you,” or when they can’t or won’t make a financial deci-

Values: Continued from Page 19 the property.

The jurisdiction uses this plan to help guide them on future zoning changes. If you want to get a leg up on future zoning changes for your property, then you should contact the government planning office to see when the next future land use plan change will be considered.

Often, these meetings are much less controversial than the public hearings held for zoning changes.

And while they are open to the public, they rarely draw much attention from the public. If you can make a case for it, the municipality may change the “future land use designation” on your property

sion without calling me first, that’s the biggest compliment I could receive. That is what really gives me the most satisfaction. It lets me know I am doing my job well and that my clients are well taken care of.

What keeps you up at night?

I would say the market, because it’s something I can’t control. All I can do is learn to control my reaction and preparation to what happens with the market.

I have to make sure I am giving the best possible advice and that my clients are willing and able to follow that advice. The markets are going to fluctuate, and there will always be downsides and upsides. It’s just really living through the unknown and making sure my clients are prepared and can also live through it. I’d say that’s what keeps me up at night is thinking about how I can best serve my clients.

What advice would you give to young women interested in pursuing a career in business?

Go for it! The financial industry is not gender-based, and neither are the clients. When you have a woman in the financial industry, the most common misconception is that if you are a female financial advisor, you only work with female clients. The great thing about my industry is that it is really flexible for women, especially when you have children. It’s also based around truly caring for your clients, which I think comes naturally for most women. I would tell all young women considering a career in the financial industry to definitely go for it.

What degree do you think might prove most useful to young people today?

I think psychology might be one of the most useful degrees in just about any job or industry. I find that psychology, how people think, is something very interesting to learn about. For me, it would be useful because I am dealing with the psychology of people, their money and their families.

When I work with clients, I have to figure out how they think and process things. If you really think about it, there are so many mental and emotional aspects woven into the relationships I have with a client and their family, and there are a lot of times where I know more about my client than their own attorney, CPA or even their doctor. I even had a client who sent me a copy of her written obituary because she felt I knew her better than anyone else.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for young people today?

without much problem.

This is the first step in the re-zoning process and often the government leaders welcome public input in this process.

2. Strict zoning laws help maintain property values. Strong zoning laws tend to regulate the supply and demand market cycles. A community with strong zoning laws usually has a lot of obstacles for developers to overcome in order to start a development.

As a former zoning guy for 12 years in two different cities, I’ve seen the benefits of strict zoning laws and how they can help maintain and improve land values.

Although at first on a philosophical level, I hated the idea, I now see why it’s necessary.

That government control decreases

Mary Ellen Garrett, senior vice president of wealth management, The Garrett Group.

There are a lot of great opportunities for young people today. Within the past few years, I have brought two young people into my practice. I did this because they keep me young and relevant, and they also keep my clients up to speed on what’s going on with the younger generation.

My advice for young people is to become associated with an older group or industry and share their energy and knowledge. For example, young people have a lot of experience with social media, so it’s a great opportunity for them to share this expertise with those who may not be as up to speed on it. No matter what industry you are in, you have to realize that there will always be new ways to do things. If you’re not flexible enough to learn a new way to do something or a new way to offer a product or service, then you might as well start considering retirement right now.

Young people have a great energy and passion, and for me, it’s important to have them around.

your competition by increasing what we call “barriers to entry.” The jurisdiction will require numerous public meetings, require numerous permitting meetings and will generally put the developer through a hair-pulling-out process before he can build.

It is this slow process that makes it hard to develop in most communities; and this slow process helps act as a governor on overheated land development.

So, the secret here is: the slow government process helps maintain and improve your property values.

3. Real estate life cycles affect value. The lifecycle of real estate is like the face of a clock. At 12:00, the property is born, at 3:00 it begins a growth cycle, at 6:00 stabilization, at 9:00 decline and blight and rebirth at 12:00.

A lifecycle may be around two or three years up to 20 years. Many urban areas go through multiple rebirthings.

Figuring out where an area is in its lifecycle is extremely important. It’s best to sell property around the stabilization time.

Aerial maps of your investment area from years ago will show the growth that the area has undergone, indicating particular directions and along which specific paths real estate has grown.

Within this area, land uses have probably changed from agricultural and residential to office, retail and higher density residential.

This is the natural progression of development, and you should familiarize yourself with these trends to capitalize on your property value.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Movers & Shakers The people turning heads in your backyard

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 29

gar, Jennifer Hodge, Lynda Lewis, Lynn Lusby, Michelle Miles, Gina Rudsill, Robert Shepherd, Amanda Staines, Tamara Stout, Carolyn Watters and Kimberly Yates.

Corkill assumes new role with Renasant Bank

KeyWorth promotes two associates

CANTON, Ga. – The Georgia Division of Renasant Bank has named Lisa Corkill as its Georgia treasury management specialist. Corkill, who has served as commercial relationship manager, will serve a five-county market area including Bartow, Cherokee, Fulton, Forsyth and Pickens counties.

Corkill Corkill participates in the A Day for Reinhardt College Executive Advisory Board and partners with the Marine Corps League of North Georgia Mountain Det. 1280 in the annual Toys for Tots campaign Renasant Corporation, a 112-year-old financial services institution, is the parent of Renasant Bank and Renasant Insurance. Renasant has assets of approximately $5.8 billion and operates over 120 banking, mortgage, financial services and insurance offices throughout Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Neil Stevens, president and chief operating officer of KeyWorth Bank, announced the promotion of the following associPENDLETON CARLSON ates: Kit Carlson, RMA-CRC, vice president, manager of credit analysis department at the Marietta location.

Ryan Pendleton, credit analyst, at the Johns Creek location.

Williams named CEO for Primerica DULUTH, Ga. – Primerica, a leading distributor of financial products to middle income households in North America, has named Glenn J. Williams chief executive officer.

Williams, who previously served as the company’s president, is a 34-year Primerica veteran and has served in a variety of management Williams and leadership roles during his tenure.

Williams and other Primerica executives recently rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange to commemorate the company’s fifth anniversary of its successful IPO. “Our plan is to continue to execute our proven strategy of growing distribution, increasing earnings and deploying capital to drive long-term value for all of our stakeholders,” Williams said. “We are currently experiencing solid momentum.”

Century 21 Results Realty agents receive honors CUMMING, Ga. — Century 21 Results Realty Services announced honors from the 400 North Board of Realtors.

Kimberly Yates/ Yates Estates received top honors for her team’s production for 2014. With over $30 million in sales volume, they received a Workhorse Award for the most transactions and a Top Producer Award.

Tamara Stout received top honors in new home sales with over $14 million in dollar volume for 2014.

She was awarded the Workhorse Award and a Top Producer.

Gina Rudisill and Lynn Lusby received their Phoenix Award for 10 years as Circle of Excellence recipients.

Century 21 Results Realty Services had 17 associates receive the Circle of Excellence Award, including: Phil Baraona, Kelley Barden, Sandy Deaton, Madonna Decker, Mark DiJohn, Elita Dozier, Virginia Henni-

Kipniss earns chartered special needs designation ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Michael S. Kipniss, assistant general agent at MassMutual-The Piedmont Group of Atlanta, has earned the chartered special needs consultant (ChSNC) professional designation from the American College.

A ChSNC can provide expert advice on a broad range of finanKIPNISS cial topics including special needs trusts; wills; powers-of-attorney; guardianships; Social Security and Medicaid; tax deductions and/ or credits that apply to special needs individuals and more.

UNG names Tarnowski as VP for Advancement DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The University of North Georgia (UNG) has selected Jeff Tarnowski to become Vice President for University Advancement, effective June 1.

Tarnowski is currently Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Georgia Perimeter College, a position he has held TARNOWSKI since January 2005.

Tarnowski began working with Georgia Perimeter College in 1999 as Director of Alumni Affairs and was Director of Institutional Advancement from January 2000 through December 2004.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bradley University, in Peoria, Illinois, in 1989 and his MBA at Bradley in 1991.

Tarnowski fills the role vacated in December 2014, when Andrew Leavitt became chancellor of the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh.

McMillan Pazdan Smith hires local office director JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture has hired Joe Alcock as the firm’s new Atlanta Office Director. Alcock brings more than 15 years of experience in adaptive reuse, historic rehabilitation, and urban infill projects to the firm, along with strong knowledge of building codes, zoning and planning regulations.

Alcock founded the award-winning Atlanta design firm of Rutledge Alcock Architects. In 2009, he won the American Institute of Architects’ Emerging Voices Award for the Atlanta Chapter.

His most recent projects include the LEED Gold Certified Inman Green condo development, the ALCOCK design award-winning Troy Peerless Lofts in Midtown, the Pratt-Pullman Yard master plan and the new home of Decatur City Police in the historic Beacon School Municipal Complex.

Matt Simon named Avalon senior general manager ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Matt Simon, the retail operator credited with elevating the profile of The Grove in Los Angeles, has been named vice president and senior general manager of Avalon, the experiential, mixed-use development in Alpharetta.

“When you have something as Simon special as Avalon, it can completely change the way life is lived in a community,” Simon said. “When I got the opportunity to be a part of that, I jumped. My wife and I are thrilled to be living in Alpharetta and beginning this new chapter of our lives.”

First Southern adds to sales force ALPHARETTA, Ga. — First Southern Securities, a broker dealer focusing on municipal bond sales and fixed income trading, has added Broc Spradlin and Alexander Watts to its institutional sales force. The two bring nearly 15 years of industry experience to the firm.

Both men bring with them expertise in municipal bond sales and trading along with a sizeable RIA client base, said W. Heath Hawk, FSS’s chief executive officer.

Spradlin and Watts come to the firm from Crews and Associates in Little Rock, Arkansas

Wash given Platinum Producer and Phoenix Award ROSWELL, Ga. — David Wash at 21 Century Financial was recognized with the Platinum Producer Award and the Phoenix Award.

From left: Tom Parks, managing The Phoe- director, David Wash and Bill Stevens, executive vice president. nix Award is given to the producer that has the most impactful year overall.

The Platinum Award is given to the top three producers in the organization.

Submit your Movers & Shakers We want to hear about your new hire, promotion, board of director changes and recognitions, email a brief and headshot to business@appenmediagroup.com.

RESTAURANTS

Sponsored by

30 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com For more info visit roswellinc.org or call 678.823.4004

Restaurants Local restaurateur seeks to Kickstart new nightclub welcome the season

By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – There comes a question every evening of what to do after eating out. Dinner is done, but it may be too early to return home to the children.

Local restaurateur Oswald Morgan wants to fill that gap in the evening. Morgan owns Kozmo Gastro Pub, on Douglas Road on the border of Johns Creek and Alpharetta.

Now six years old, he wants to expand his business by building a new entertaining area.

Morgan describes the new location, named “Next,” as similar to a speakeasy.

It will have live music and a focus on drinks and relaxing, he said. It will be a place to go after dinner but before heading home. It’s the place you go “next.”

Next aims to be more intimate than the restaurant itself. At only 1,000 square feet, it can fit about 100 people standing, or 44 sitting.

“There is a need for something to do late at night,” Morgan said. “I also get calls for private dining space all the time.”

On Thursday through Sunday nights, it will be open to the public. During the remainder of the week, it will be open for private events.

Next is a way to hit both demands.

Kozmo was one of the first such “urban” and “modern” restaurants in that area of North Fulton, establishing itself in 2009.

Morgan was looking for something else to do after he left another restaurant of his, the Globe, and he was familiar with the area.

“There wasn’t a lot of cool, independent places for lunch or dinner that were not chains,” he said. “We wanted an urban feel or sensibility. A sense of being in the city.”

To help with the build out and fundraising of Next, Morgan has turned to the Internet and the online community.

He has started a Kickstarter fundraising campaign.

Through Kickstarter, projects set a goal and have one month to raise the money though small donations, often of less than $100. If enough people pledge to help, the project is funded.

“This is a chance to tie the community back into the project,” said Morgan.

“We think the community will embrace us and our project.”

Unlike similar crowdfunding websites, Kickstarter does not pay anything out if the project fails to meet its goal. If Next does not get the $69,000 it seeks,

By EMMA VINCOLA Communications intern, Roswell Inc

JONATHAN COPSEY/Staff

Kozmo Gastro Pub owner Oswald Morgan shows off the restaurant’s signature burger. Morgan wants to create “Next,” a speakeasy-style addition to the eatery.

How crowdfunding works To date, there are more than 500 online crowdfunding platforms.

These services orchestrate a campaign, matching entrepreneurs with investors who are willing to contribute money and other resources to fund products, projects or charitable initiatives.

In return, investors are compensated with equity in the project, perks, monetary returns or the satisfaction of helping the campaign succeed.

According to crowdfunding.com, the top five crowdfunding sites, based on data from Alexa and Compete, are: 1. Gofundme

2. Kickstarter

3. Indiegogo

4. Teespring

5. Patreon Sally Outlaw, a crowdfunding consultant and author of the book “Cash from the Crowd,” reports that as these online services have grown over the past four years, so have the costs of submitting a successful campaign to secure funding.

For example, costs for 3-D prototypes can run as high as $1,000. Professionally produced campaign videos can run upwards of $10,000, and public relations firms can charge as much as $5,000 a month.

—Patrick Fox no backer pays anything. The project dies.

The best way to meet those goals is to spread the news.

“The idea of Kickstarter is to share it, to make it go viral. You have to tell your friends,” he said.

“I love the idea of the participation.

You participate and you share.”

If successful, Morgan expects it will take six to eight weeks to build out the

new site, which will be next door to the current location.

The Kickstarter for Next is ongoing and ends May 22. For more on the project or to donate, visit https://www. kickstarter.com/projects/nextatkozmo/ nextkozmo-cutting-edge-music-foodand-drinks.

Kozmo Gastro Pub is located at 11890 Douglas Road, Johns Creek, or online at kozmogastropub.com.

With the summer months approaching, local Roswell restaurants, many of whom use locally grown ingredients, are preparing a new seasonal selection to offer their customers.

Roswell favorites are starting the summer off strong with new, unique creations perfect for the warm Southern weather.

At Table and Main on Canton Street, Chef Woody has introduced an entirely new spring menu.

Plates such as chilled asparagus salad and a grilled trout are now offered, along with a fresh strawberry and rhubarb crisp for dessert.

Another Canton Street favorite, Roux, has released their spring menu as well.

Dishes such as deviled eggs, Brussels sprouts and buffalo shrimp tacos pair perfectly with their craft beer and inviting atmosphere.

Vin 25 will be releasing spring wines, cocktails and dinner menus in the next few weeks for the new season.

The Mill Kitchen and Bar is working on new dishes for their warm weather menu, including fresh veggies like beans, corn, cucumber, eggplant, melon, okra, pepper, pumpkin, Southern peas, summer squash, sweet potatoes and tomatoes.

Greenwoods on Green Street will be reintroducing fresh seafood, fried green tomatoes, strawberry pie and peach pie to their summer menu.

Etris Kitchen and Bar will be including new seasonal items into their menu as well, such as a blackened ahi tuna over fresh greens with a light, citrusy vinaigrette, sourcing many of the ingredients from local vendors.

Foundation Social Eatery consistently offers a vegetable plate that regularly changes to include the freshest seasonal produce. They, like many independent Roswell establishments, take pride in their locally sourced foods.

Roswell restaurants thrive in any season, but the warm spring and summer days always seem to add something special. These artisan chefs take great care in preparing the perfect flavors to compliment the sunshine.

NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com • May 2015 • 31

You Are Cordially Invited to attend the

Leadership Summit

Thursday, May 14th 5-8pm To benefit CURE Childhood Cancer Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Alpharetta We INFORM: Each month North Atlanta Business Post floods the market with all the latest information, 20,000 copies are direct mailed to Business Owners and C-Suite Executives in the N. Atlanta market, stocked at Chamber offices for members, as well as delivered to the highest demographic homes in the market (where the decision makers live).

TITLE SPONSORS

PLATINUM SPONSOR

Now it’s time to CONNECT!!

Come Mix, Mingle and Connect with the Top Leaders of the North Atlanta business community while raising funds to support CURE Childhood Cancer.

EXECUTIVE SPONSOR

Live Music Featuring the FlyCats Heavy Hors d’oeuvres and Spirits Win Fundraising Gift Baskets – valued $500 - $4000 Sponsorship packages starting at $500 Tickets $150 Contact Wendy Goddard for more information at 770-442-3278 x113 or wendy@appenmediagroup.com Mike Stevens

CURE’s mission is to conquer childhood cancer through fundraising targeted research and through supporting patients and their families.

32 • May 2015 • NorthAtlantaBusinessPost.com

ALPHARETTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INAUGURAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

ALPHARETTA CHAMBER’S

GOLF Tuesday, June 30, 2015 Atlanta National Golf Club Registration: Contact Ciara Rubin - 404-277-4930, ciara@alpharettachamber.com Mail form on following page and check made payable to Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce to: Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce 319 North Main Street, Suite 300 Alpharetta, GA 30009

TOURNAMENT and

NETWORKING LEAGUE