Cobb In Focus July August 2023

We are a well-rounded community alive with community spirit, a touch of urban chic and plenty of down-home natural charm.

Nestled among lush trees, you’ll feel at home in our diverse neighborhoods. Residents and visitors enjoy access to indoor and outdoor amenities, from boating on the Chattahoochee, to biking, walking, or running along our trails, watching baseball at the Battery, or catching good vibes in our downtown.

Surfing in Cobb County... We Make It Easy!

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No matter where you are, you can now access up-to-date information about what’s going on around the county. With local news, events calendars and the latest issue of Cobb In Focus, you can be instantly connected to your community.

For advertising opportunities in Cobb In Focus magazine and these Cobb County websites, contact Jamie Ryan at 770-650-1102, ext. 142 or jamie@cobbinfocus.com.

People With A Passion

ETS Solutions helps turn profits into purpose through core values and a mission to change lives.

6 SHARPER FOCUS

Find out what’s going on throughout Cobb County with our news updates and calendar of events.

8 BUSINESS

How Symphona is adding value to each relationship it creates in today’s tech-driven landscape.

12 HEALTH

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors explains how pedestrian-friendly transportation planning can improve lives in Cobb.

16 LEADERS OF COBB

Connect with a local leader who strives to make Cobb County a better place.

18 EDUCATION

The Cobb Collaborative works to promote literacy in Cobb County through a community-wide reading initiative.

28 ARTS AND RECREATION

Brumby Hall & Gardens is a beautiful, outdoor venue that’s ready to host your next event.

31 IN YOUR COMMUNITY

The Atlanta Braves recently released a report detailing the team’s impact on our community — from its economic effect on the field, including winning a national championship, to its many charitable works and community grant programs.

32 FINAL FOCUS

These days, you can’t watch the news or read a newspaper without finding at least one story related to artificial intelligence (AI).

foreSight

New South Publishing Inc.

President

Larry Lebovitz

Vice President

John Hanna

Publisher Jamie Ryan

Account Executive

Sherry Gasaway

Editor Cory Sekine-Pettite

Associate Editor

Amy Meadows

As we were putting this issue to bed, metro Atlanta was hit with a powerful thunderstorm that knocked down trees and cut the power to many homes and businesses throughout Cobb County. Fortunately, I only lost power for a few moments, but these instances always have me making sure that I’m ready for a longer outage. I make sure my flashlights have batteries, that my devices are fully charged (and that my spare chargers themselves are at full charge), etc. I also keep a well-stocked pantry of non-perishable food items and water. I like to be prepared.

It occurred to me around this time that being prepared is a common theme among the articles in this issue. Our cover feature (p. 22) is about how ETS Solutions prepares its clients to have the most affordable and secure connectivity services. And the company’s foundation prepares the less fortunate for better lives through multiple programs. Our business profile on Symphona and its leader, Matt Baldwin (p. 8), focuses on how the IT company prepares its clients for a secure future, as well as how Baldwin prepares his staff for a better work environment and a long, fruitful career.

In our health feature (p. 12), the author asks, is Cobb County prepared to become a more walkable — and therefore, healthier — community? In our Arts and Recreation article (p. 28), we show you how Brumby Hall & Gardens has been preparing to host more events. And our In Your Community article (p. 31) shines a spotlight on how the Atlanta Braves has been serving the under-privileged and preparing folks for a brighter future. Finally, in Final Focus (p. 32), I wonder if any of us are prepared to co-exist with artificial intelligence. So, sit back, relax, and prepare yourself to read a great issue from cover to cover!

Contact Cobb in Focus

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Graphic Designer Jack Simonetta

Contributors

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Michael J. Pallerino, Writer LaRuche Photo, Photography

Production Coordinator/Circulation

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Cobb in Focus™ is published six times a year by New South Publishing Inc., 9040 Roswell Road, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA, 30350. Direct all editorial queries to (770) 650-1102, ext. 100. Direct all circulation queries to (770) 6501102, ext. 130. Direct all advertising queries to (770) 650-1102, ext. 142. All information herein has been checked for accuracy to the best of the publisher’s ability. No responsibility is accepted for deletions, omissions, errors and/or inaccuracies. Material in this publication may not be reprinted without written permission from the publisher. Copyright 2023 by New South Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

Photo by LaRuche Photo

COBB

Credit Union of Georgia Welcomes New CUGA Financial Services Representative

Credit Union of Georgia announces a new CUGA Financial Services Representative to the Credit Union of Georgia family. Cathy Genty has over two decades of experience in financial services and uses her knowledge and experience to address the specific financial needs of individuals and families. Genty is proficient in Credit Unions and LPL Financial Services as she has worked in and with credit unions prior to accepting a position with Credit Union of Georgia. “We are thrilled to bring Cathy into our organization,” said Brian Albrecht, president/CEO. “We know that Cathy has the knowledge and tools to help and support our members throughout their financial journey!”

Walk, Run or Ride on New Kennesaw Mountain Park Trails

Cobb County and other local leaders officially opened Kennesaw Mountain Trail Pedestrian Improvements with a ribbon-cutting in June. These Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax improvements added three new multi-use trail segments to complement the almost 20 miles of existing trails used for hiking, running, dog walking, and horseback riding within Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. The nearly four miles of trails were funded by a combination of Federal Highway, National Park Service, Cobb County Marietta Water System, City of Marietta, and Cobb County contributions

Construction Underway on First Home in Marietta Public Service Housing Program

On Saturday, June 10, volunteers from Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta, City of Marietta, Marietta School System and Berkadia teamed up to raise the walls on the first house for the Marietta Public Service Housing Program. Habitat is partnering with City of Marietta to build six homes for Marietta public servants. Berkadia is also sponsoring the first home located on Griggs Street. The house is the future home of Methany, a Social Emotional Learning Teacher at Marietta Middle School where she has taught for more than for six years. The City of Marietta donated a total of six lots and $500,000 in funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for this program. Three homes will be constructed in 2023 and another three in 2024.

Meet Mableton’s New Mayor

The newly formed City of Mableton recently elected its first city officials: Mayor Michael Owens and City Council members, Dami Oladapo, Keisha Jeffcoat, Patricia Auch, TJ Ferguson, Ron Davis, and Debora Herndon. Mableton is the largest city in Cobb County. To learn more, visit mableton.org.

Town Center Community’s Tracy Styf and Alisha Smith Named Among Georgia’s Most Influential Women

Each year, Engineering Georgia, the official statewide magazine of Georgia’s engineering industry, names the “100 Most Influential Women In Georgia Engineering.” For 2023, two Town Center Community staff made the list: Tracy Styf, executive director, and Alisha Smith, director of projects and planning. According to the March/April article, the women who appear on the list “are making Georgia a better place to live, work, and play through their notable achievements.” Learn more at engineeringga.com.

Cobb EMC Receives Anvil Award

The marketing and communications team at Cobb EMC has earned a Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The Silver Anvil Award recognizes and honors the best strategic public relations campaigns each year nationally. “To receive this recognition as a small but mighty team really means so much to us,” said Kris Delaney, VP of marketing and corporate communications at Cobb EMC. “From tackling some of our utilities’ biggest challenges to delivering member events and engagement programs throughout the year, this team accomplishes so much, and we are so appreciative to receive this award.”

Cobb Executive Women Names Stacey Chapman ‘2023 Woman of Distinction’

The Cobb Chamber’s Cobb Executive Women named Stacey Chapman, senior VP of CROFT & Associates, the winner of the 2023 Woman of Distinction Award. The award is given annually to recognize a woman who has demonstrated exceptional leadership through her professional endeavors, community involvement, and social responsibility in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, thereby supporting and advancing her community and her field. As the only woman on the CROFT leadership team, Chapman has a unique perspective on the needs of the staff and uses this insight to help drive the visioning strategy that she knows will lead the entire company. To learn more about Chapman and the award, visit cobbchamber.org.

Chattahoochee Tech Announces 2023 SPARK Workforce Awards

LGE Community Credit Union Forms Partnership with Cobb Veterans Memorial Foundation

LGE Community Credit Union recently announced its support of the Cobb Veterans Memorial Foundation as the organization’s first founding partner. The partnership is aimed at honoring veterans and their families, while also strengthening the community. The Foundation’s goal is to build a permanent memorial that will serve as a place of reflection, healing, and remembrance for veterans and their families. “As a community-focused credit union, we believe it is our responsibility to support the organizations that make our community stronger, and the Foundation’s work is a testament to that,” says Chris Leggett, president and CEO of LGE Community Credit Union.

The Chattahoochee Tech Foundation presented the 2023 SPARK Workforce awards to the college’s top alumni, volunteer, and benefactor of the year in a ceremony held this past May at the college’s Marietta Campus. The SPARK Workforce Alumni of the Year award was presented to Mattie Harris, a graduate of the college’s Radiography program. Win-Tech, Inc. received the SPARK Workforce Volunteer of the Year award, and Georgia Power was recognized as the SPARK Workforce Benefactor of the Year. “These individuals and businesses are all helping to build a thriving workforce in our community,” said Chattahoochee Tech Vice President of Advancement Jennifer Nelson. More information on the awards program is available at ChattahoocheeTech.edu.

JULY

Editor’s note: Due to evolving community needs, these events are subject to change or cancellation.

7/11

– 9/26

Food Truck Tuesdays

Join your fellow foodies at TaylorBrawner Park in Smyrna from 5-9 p.m. for the best Food Truck event series around!

More info: smyrnaga.gov

7/15

– 8/5

Art At The Avenue

National juried exhibit, featuring the art of middle and high school students. Over 150 pieces on display at The Avenue West Cobb. More info: southcobbarts.org

7/22

MUST Dance 2023

Celebrity Ballroom

Dance Studio presents MUST’s own “Dancing with the Stars” event, benefiting programs that help people escape poverty and homelessness. More info: mustministries.org

8/4

– 10/6

First Friday Concert Series

From 7-9:30 p.m., the community is invited to stroll through the Historic Downtown Kennesaw and enjoy an evening of shopping, dining, and live music. More info: kennesaw-ga.gov/ first-friday-concert-series

8/18-19

Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival

Now in its 22nd year, the festival at Adams Park in Kennesaw features two days of nonstop music, good eats, cold beer and interactive family-fun.

More info: pigsandpeaches.com

7/14

BASSH 2023

The 5th annual Business Association Summer SHowdown! BASSH! will be held on July 14 from 1-4 p.m. at Swift Cantrell Park. More info: piedmontinjurylaw.com

7/18

Family Fun Safety Day

Cobb County Safety Village hosts Family Fun Safety Day with exciting and educational activities from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. More info: cobbcounty.org/safety-village

7/22

Outdoor Movie Series

The free Outdoor Movie Series concludes with “Finding Nemo” at Swift-Cantrell Park at 6 p.m. Attendees are welcome to bring blankets, chairs, etc. for their own comfort. More info: kennesaw-ga.gov

8/4-5

We CARE Veterans Fair

7/15

July Concert

Head to downtown Smyrna for a great night of dance music featuring Platinum Band from 7-10 p.m. Admission is free. More info: smyrnaga.gov

7/22

Railroad Rendezvous

7/15, 8/19

Pop-In at the Marietta History Center

Pop-In’s provide children and their families the opportunity to interact with the museum through themed activities and crafts.

More info: mariettahistory.org

Railroad Rendezvous at the Southern Museum features a variety of activities celebrating the railroad and other industrial enterprises are taking place throughout the day. More info: kennesaw-ga.gov

7/28

Glover Park Concert Series

The Marietta community will again be “dancing in the street” during the Glover Park Concert Series. The series features local and national acts on the last Friday night of every month through September. More info: mariettacalendar.com

7/29

Summer Classic Car Cruise

Main Street in downtown Acworth will be lined with classic cars from days gone by and some of today’s best-looking cars. More info: Acworth.org

AUGUST

8/5

First Responder 5K

United Military Care hosts the 2023 We CARE Veterans Fair at the Cobb Civic Center. There is no charge to attend or receive services, and everyone is welcome. More info: wecarevetfair.com/ marietta-ga

8/25

Glover Park Concert Series

The Marietta community will again be “dancing in the street” during the Glover Park Concert Series. The series features local and national acts on the last Friday night of every month through September.

More info: mariettacalendar.com

Sign up for the 2nd Annual First Responder 5k Run/Walk and run to help those who help you. The race begins at The Battery Atlanta. More info: runsignup.com

8/5

Dog Days Run

The East Cobb Rotary Club’s 17th annual Dog Days 5K Run starts and finishes at the East Cobb YMCA. More info: DogDaysRun.com

8/26

2023 International Festival

The Cobb County International Festival is a celebration of our community’s best traditional food, music, and art from around the world.

More info: cobbcounty.org

8/12

Hearing Children’s Voices

SafePath’s 20th annual Hearing Children’s Voices event will be held at Truist Park from 6-10 p.m. This year’s theme is “Corral for the Cause!” More info: safepath.org

8/30

Golf Fore Heroes

Have a fun day on the greens at Creekside Golf Club to benefit Cobb, Austell, Powder Springs, Paulding, Haralson, and Polk first responders. More info: honoring-heroes. org/golfforeheroes

Human Touch

By Michael J. Pallerino

Before every meeting, Symphona team members begin by reviewing the firm’s mission statement. The tenets that drive the team of advisory focused CPAs and IT professionals are as succinct as they are powerful. Professionalism. Exceptional customer service. Trustworthiness. Continuous improvement.

Its mission statement: To be the leading professional services firm by creating value in each relationship. “Creating value in each relationship” is what truly sits at the heart of the Symphona story. For example, in those meetings, team members are encouraged to share stories about peers who exhibited one of the company’s four core values or how they added value to a relationship.

With offices throughout Georgia — including Atlanta, Dublin, Savannah, and Marietta — Symphona provides access to innovative business tools, advanced technology, and focused solutions — all designed to deliver high-quality services in everything from audits to IT. Operating under the direction that companies of all sizes should have access to strategic financial service and innovative tools, Symphona offers large-firm resources with a small-firm culture. The company provides CPAs with tax advisory services, accounting services, auditing, and HR outsourcing. Symphona’s IT-focused division, Symphona Technology, is a managed services provider or MSP.

Formed in 1945, it embarked on a strategic and methodical growth plan, including 20 acquisitions. One of those came in 2019 when Vertisys LLC joined the mix to help expand the company’s service offerings to include technology solutions. Founded by Matt Baldwin in 1992 in Marietta, Vertisys had more than 20 IT solutions experts who provided

customer service, product upgrades, and support to businesses across the Southeast.

As part of the acquisition, Baldwin, a Jacksonville State University and Kennesaw State University attendee, was named Technology Partner and Service Line Leader of Technology (SymTech, as it is known internally). Today, he leads a team of IT professionals he affectionately refers to as a “house full of nerds.” The entire team — from staff accountants and IT Professionals to CPAs — are incentivized to deliver complete, end-to-end solutions for technology strategies, financial guidance, and tax advice.

“As your technology and financial partner, we can put you on the right trajectory with our ‘white glove’ lifecycle tax consulting and IT strategies,” Baldwin says.

The Vertisys and TJS Deemer Dana (a similar acquisition made at the time) additions to the family gave the company an edge in the ever-evolving world of technology. The overall breadth of business experience delivered by Baldwin and his team has helped contribute to more business growth and creation of additional service lines, thanks to more than 30 years of experience in the field.

Shortly after the acquisitions, the company was rebranded as in 2022, encompassing the company’s portfolio of services, office locations, and team members. In part, exemplifies a stark contrast from traditional accounting industry norms, where firms typically are named after current or former founders. Integral to its rebrand was the visual representation of a “music tie” and a relation to the word “symphony,” which is meant to represent working together in a simple and beautiful concert.

For Baldwin and his Vertisys team, the new relationship was exceptional. From an

How Symphona is adding value to each relationship it creates in today’s tech-driven landscape.

employee perspective, Baldwin says the transition was seamless. His employees now have a dedicated HR team to assist with benefits, health, retirement, payroll, etc. The most difficult part of the process was changing the company name with all its distributors, modifications to its banking relationships, changing partnership agreements, and updating its Master Services Agreements (MSA) and Statement of Work (SOW) contracts with its clients.

From a management perspective, the transition was perfect for Baldwin. “I now have 11 partners and a steering committee that assist me with difficult business decisions, along with tax guidance and resource sharing,” he said. “From a financial perspective, the cash flow funnel is much wider, allowing us to hire Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) resources, and focus on building new products and services.”

For example, shortly after joining the fold, Baldwin and his team worked with the Symphona accounting group to develop a QuickBooks hosting offering. The solution added what he calls a “stickiness” to its accounting clients, in addition to showcasing some of its technical offerings.

Pillars of Strength

These are interesting days in the accounting profession, where many firms are acquiring companies to add value as professional services organizations. As you would expect in a landscape where computer and data hacking are becoming the norm, the call for increased cybersecurity requirements (especially in the accounting audit space) continues to emerge.

That’s where Symphona Technology is making its mark. Led by Baldwin, the

The Symphona Way

SecOPs team (security operations) provides third-party assessments, policy review, and remediation and consulting services to its clients. Baldwin and his team also help keep Symphona ahead of the curve when it comes to the ever-changing technological waves hitting the industry. That means making areas like data integrity a priority for its clients.

The strategy falls into a three-pillar approach. The first is backup/recovery. Symphona offers a product called SymBackup — a backup service or disaster recovery system. The product is a combination of hardware, software, and services. “We ensure that each SymBackup client gets a good backup every day,” Baldwin says. “We validate backups by restoring files routinely and we perform disaster recovery tests to ensure recovery time objectives are within each clients’ tolerances.”

The second pillar is endpoint security, which includes PCs, laptops, and servers. Baldwin

The core values the Symphona team live by:

Trustworthiness — Integrity combined with competence, respect for commitments, forthright, fair and ethical in all its relationships.

Exceptional Customer Service — Anticipating and exceeding the needs of its clients with consistent, high quality services.

Professionalism — Compliance with all professional standards and adherence to all applicable laws and regulations related to the services it provides.

Continuous Improvement — Providing a learning environment for all team members to grow professionally and personally to increase and enhance its skill, its services, and its relationships.

and his team are constantly reviewing and evaluating the best security solutions on the market. As such, they have found SentinelOne, in combination with its 24/7 Security Operations Center, to be a superior endpoint security solution. “A good product will use AI [artificial intelligence] to quickly identify suspicious activity, then hand it off to a security analyst to correlate and eliminate false positives,” Baldwin says. “Our SecOps team delivers such a solution at a very competitive price.”

The third pillar is social engineering. “Human curiosity is the biggest point of exposure and the weakest part of a security plan,” Baldwin says. “Our security team works with our clients to develop programs consisting of security awareness, phishing simulation, and policy development/enforcement.”

Amid the scope of technical strategies, implementations, and jargon that surround Symphona every day, the mission statement is key: to be the leading professional services firm by creating value in each relationship. “Most tech companies build too much automation into their ticketing and dispatch systems,” Baldwin says. “We use high-tech automation for menial systemic maintenance tasks, which saves our clients money. What sets us apart is our ability to integrate that ‘human element’ into our resolution process. This starts with a live dispatcher, who routes trouble tickets to the right team. Our sales team is trained to call each client when they make a sales request. When appropriate, our techs will call to follow-up with clients, ensuring we resolve issues the first time.”

Symphona Technology also employs a dedicated team of dispatchers that assist its clients when they need support. The dispatch

“Human curiosity is the biggest point of exposure and the weakest part of a security plan. Our security team works with our clients to develop programs consisting of security awareness, phishing simulation, and policy development/enforcement.”

–Matt Baldwin, Technology Partner and Service Line Leader, Symphona Technology

team follows up with each client to ensure completeness and customer satisfaction. The management team, which consists of a service manager, project manager, and technical account managers, is tasked with building quarterly business reviews for every client.

“Our goal is to work strategically with each client to better understand their business needs and goals,” Baldwin says. “For every member of my team, and the company as a whole, our core values are critical. Showing professionalism, employing exceptional customer service and trustworthiness, and exhibiting continuous improvement are the core tenets of our business. And we live by them.”

There is a video that outlines the benefits and synergy of Vertisys and TJS Deemer Dana acquisition. The black-and-white video, beautifully tracked by the symphonic sounds of an orchestra playing in the background, relays the connection the companies (all of them) have with each other and the clients they serve. The message is clear: Companies, people, communities, and technology all working together provide opportunities for success — opportunities that can help improve overall financial well-being.

It is music to clients’ ears.

Welcome Home , Where Opportunity Meets Community

Marietta is a city people have loved calling home for nearly 200 years. Rich in diverse culture and historic charm, Marietta offers a thriving scene with an abundance of parks, safe and welcoming neighborhoods, a vibrant town square, and an award-winning school district. Come see us; you will find out why Marietta just feels like home.

Cobb Chamber Names Small Businesses Of The Year

The Cobb Chamber recently named CDH Partners as the 2023 Small Business Of The Year. CDH Partners was founded in 1977 as an architectural and interior design firm with a commitment to serve those who serve others. The CDH Partners team seeks to create environments with a sense of place, impacting communities by creating for real people and giving businesses tools for their success.

Additionally, the Chamber celebrated the achievements of multiple local businesses, including the Top 25 Small Businesses Of The Year, Business To Watch Award, Minority-Owned Business Of The Year, Community Service Award, and Woman-Owned Business Of The Year.

Business To Watch Award

CyberData Pros

Minority-Owned Business Of The Year

Yalo!

Community Service

Award

Poultry Partners, LLC dba

Zaxby’s

Woman-Owned Business Of The Year

Modo Agency

Top 25 Small Businesses Of The Year

1885 Grill Acworth

41 South Creative About You Family Medicine

BIOLYTE

CDH Partners

Credit Union of Georgia

DynamiX

Eclipse Networks

Four Hats Inc.

Gaston Street Eats Co.

Governors Gun Club, LLC

GreenMellen Media

Honeysuckle Biscuits & Bakery

HR Knowledge Source

Johnson & Alday, LLC

Manay CPA Inc.

Modo Agency

The Music Studio Atlanta

Peachtree Hearing

Perfect Image

Poole’s Pharmacy

Proda Technology, LLC

SK Commercial Realty

SpeedPro Marietta Yalo!

Top 3 Businesses To Watch

CyberData Pros

FruiTea Bubbles Café

Georgia Drainage Specialists

How Walkability and Movability Can Impact People, Place, and Prosperity in Cobb County

By Karma E. Edwards, MSPH, NACDD Public Health Consultant

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 25 percent of adults meet the minimum physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening1. The lack of physical activity can lead to poor health, debilitating diseases and conditions, some cancers, poor academic and job performance, and even an early death. At the National Association of Chronic Disease

Directors (NACDD), we realize that exercise alone is not enough to make demonstrable gains in population health, but rather that communities must be built and designed for active living and active travel, where people can actively navigate to and from places by walking, rolling, biking, or taking public transit to the amenities they need for surviving and thriving.

This means we must encourage physical

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Exercise or Physical Activity, 2022.

activity through the ways we design our communities, so that everyday destinations such as where people live, learn, work, play, pray, or receive care can be safely and actively accessed through people-centered environments2. This also means that we must create better “places” for people to live, where all people regardless of race, ethnicity, ability or disability, social or economic class, age, or sexual orientation can live in affordable

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Priority Strategy: Increasing Physical Activity through Community Design, 2023.

homes located in safe neighborhoods near well-funded schools and parks, where they are socially connected and have access to good healthcare, doctors, and places of recreation and worship3.

Making our locations and places more active, walkable, movable, and economically viable is not just the responsibility of public health; it must involve colleagues in other disciplines. Healthy community design and re-design is a shared responsibility by the many different sectors that comprise a community and the many different disciplines that sustain a community. This is why NACDD’s Walkability Action Institute (WAI) intentionally recruits the involvement of public health’s counterparts like planning, transportation, parks and recreation, economic development, advocacy groups, academia, community-based organizations, elected officials, education, business and industry leaders, and many others.

The WAI is an innovative and proactive multi-day course designed to train interdisciplinary teams using some of the nation’s top experts to create pedestrian-friendly locations

NACDD

Headquartered in neighboring Decatur, Georgia, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) exists as a national non-profit professional association for chronic disease prevention for state, tribal, and territorial health departments across the United States, associated Territories, and Pacific Islands. More than 7,000 professionals participate with NACDD to address upstream factors in preventing disease and promoting health.

by addressing walkability, movability, and community and transportation design in the local community setting. Now in its 9th project year, the WAI has become a marquee project of NACDD’s Center for Advancing Healthy Communities after having provided training and assistance to interdisciplinary teams from 96 locations across 35 states and two island territories.

Participant teams not only learn about allthings walkability, movability, and built design, but also discuss upstream factors like housing and transportation access and get to explore

related aspects of equity and social justice, such as racial/ethnic equity, disability inclusion, preventing gentrification, rethinking accessibility through Universal Design concepts, and how to invest in locations that are traditionally not invested in. We embody a “pilots-to-policy” approach, where we work with teams to implement low-cost demonstration and quick-build urbanism projects to recreate placemaking, increase community awareness, and gain the buy-in needed to make the permanent changes that can redesign locations for people, prosperity, and health. Additionally, participants get

Coming in 2024!

3 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Life Expectancy: Could Where You Live Influence How Long You Live, 2023.

to engage in experiential learning activities during the course, occurring through outdoor walk/move audits, scavenger hunts, and photovoice homework assignments, which allows participants to observe and “feel” the tenets being taught through the course in a real-life setting.

Following course participation, the attending interdisciplinary teams develop unified action plans with goals for pursuing peoplecentered community changes through new plans and policies, improved systems, and onthe-ground changes to the built environment. Participants are also privy to join NACDD’s National WAI Alumni Network where they gain access to the shared WAI online warehouse, the latest innovative implementation strategies, and the ability to share, mentor, and network with the nation’s most successful adopters of the walkability movement.

What are the benefits of the WAI?

The WAI is a short-term investment of time and resources for the long-term gain of refabricating communities for people, place, and prosperity, bringing transformative impact and lasting benefits to participating locations.

Health and well-being. By enhancing walkability and movability, the WAI promotes physical activity, better health, and eventual improved health outcomes. Places and neighborhoods that are universally accessible and people-centered encourage residents to incorporate walking, biking, and other forms of active travel into their daily routines, reducing sedentary behaviors and promoting healthier lifestyles.

Improved sense of “place,” belonging, and social connection. Communities that are inherently more walkable and movable create opportunities for social interaction, fostering a sense of community and belonging among residents. Increased pedestrian activity can lead to more vibrant and inclusive public spaces, where people can gather, connect, and build relationships.

Economic development and vitality. People-centered design attracts more business and increases support of local economies. The long-term dividends of the WAI can stimulate smart economic growth and development, as people are more likely to visit and patronize local shops, restaurants, and services, thereby boosting local business and employment opportunities.

WHY should Cobb County be part of the WAI?

g Receive guidance from the nation’s foremost team of experts

g Explore new and improved relationships with traditional and non-traditional partners

g Improved understanding of true and inclusive community engagement

g Opportunity to identify common ground and collective impact to positively affect people, place, and prosperity

g Ability to receive customized and groundbreaking training specific to Cobb County needs and growth and development goals

g Be better positioned for grant acquisition and diversifying funding portfolios for community infrastructure design and development.

What does success look like in Cobb County?

The WAI can help communities in Cobb County reimagine and recreate how people and places healthfully interact in ways that

WHO needs to be involved in the WAI?

g Residents from all community sectors, such as where people live, learn, work, play, pray, and receive care

g People representing a variety of ages, races, ethnicities, abilities and disabilities, sexual orientations, incomes, and neighborhoods

g People who work across all disciplines: health, economic development, planning, engineering, transit and transportation, housing, elected officials, public works, parks and recreation, education, business and industry leaders, non-profits, and other community organizations.

are mutually beneficial and universally welcoming.

Downtowns can be filled with people from all different backgrounds enjoying and coexisting in public spaces or at town events

together. Sounds of laughter and comradery can pervade; people of all ages and abilities can move about the town to the destinations they most need or want to visit; and a robust and vibrant existence of people, place, and prosperity can permeate economic vitality and establish a sense of belonging for all town members.

For municipalities in Cobb County, this vision could be made possible by bringing about new or updated plans or policies, such as Complete Streets policy adoption and implementation, or Bicycle/Pedestrian, Comprehensive Growth, or Master plan establishment. It could involve new smart growth development requirements, establishing overlay districts, transit-oriented development, or revitalizing local parks and trail plans.

Local systems improvements may take place, like development of shared performance measures by interdisciplinary partners, shared budgeting and funding acquisition responsibilities, creation of new project prioritization criteria, improved local permitting practices, and refining how all community

members are considered and incorporated into community walkability, movability, and revitalization efforts.

The WAI could lend eventual, permanent, and sustainable changes to the physical built infrastructure, so that roads and public spaces are reconfigured to prioritize people over cars, promoting movement over being sedentary. New pedestrian treatments like roundabouts, bike boulevards, crossing islands, improved crosswalks, and sidewalks could be constructed. Spaces and places of business and convening could be made more inviting through improved beautification, signage and wayfinding, and colorful and effective use of paint and public art.

NACDD’s WAI teams have leveraged more than $284 million dollars to collectively achieve nearly 1,000 walkability and movability-related outcomes, reaching nearly 48 million people. This success exemplifies how modest investments in cross-disciplinary partnerships and necessary training events like the WAI can help communities leverage even more funds to recreate their built environment and benefit their community.

How can Cobb County get involved?

We must immediately transform our communities into walkable environments. By planning and implementing walkable communities, we can improve the quality of life for residents, enhance public health, and create sustainable, vibrant neighborhoods. To achieve this goal, we urge Cobb County to explore the possibilities offered by the NACDD WAI.

To cater to different needs and preferences, NACDD’s WAI provides customizable options, such as a four-day in-person course model, a virtual academy, or a hybrid combination of in-person and virtual learning. This flexibility ensures that Cobb County can effectively participate in this transformative initiative.

To learn more about how Cobb County can become involved in this crucial endeavor, please contact WAI project manager, Karma Edwards at kedwards_ic@chronicdisease.org.

Let’s seize this opportunity to create healthier, more livable communities. Please act now to be a catalyst for change. n

Leaders of Cobb

Since its establishment more than 180 years ago, Cobb County has been defined by its people. Some of these individuals have made their mark by becoming pioneers of business, captains of industry and heads of state.

And if you’re reading this, you likely know why Cobb is attractive to so many. It hosts exceptional schools, is within close reach to the world’s busiest airport, has all of the convenience of proximity to the

big city and is fertile ground for entrepreneurship. The list goes on, but it always comes back to the people who have built this county into what it is.

On the following page we have profiled an individual who is among Cobb’s premier leaders. We wanted to find out about her job, delve into her personal life, and gain some words of wisdom. And of course, we asked: Why have you picked Cobb County?

THE STORY: I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I enjoyed jazz, Mardi Gras, Cajun foods, and more. After school, my brothers and I worked in our family’s business, seeing examples of exceptional customer service and care. It started with my grandparents; they owned a dry-cleaning business and several residential properties. My parents took over the business and managed one of the inherited rental properties. This motivated me to take a special interest in entrepreneurship and real estate.

After I completed my degree in marketing from Southern University in Baton Rouge in 1997, I relocated to Atlanta with 3M Office Supplies Division. I specialized in consultative selling as an account representative, but I couldn’t ignore the calling to residential real estate. I started the process to become a Realtor and was licensed in 2001 in Georgia. Today, I am a Realtor with Atlanta Communities Real Estate Brokerage where I assist clients in Cobb County and surrounding counties. I have cultivated a hands-on process around values of integrity, open communication, and exceptional service.

WHY

I

CHOSE TO LIVE IN COBB:

My husband, Del, and I fell in love here in Cobb, and blended our family together. Outdoor activities in Cobb are ideal to get our kids to “unplug” and enjoy a little nature. We explore the parks, trails, restaurants, festivals, and small downtown areas. Some of our favorite trails are Kennesaw Mountain, the Silver Comet trail, and the Chattahoochee River trail. Our Shih Tzu mix dog, Kody, gets so excited on the trails; we love to bring him along. Schools also were a deciding factor. Our kids did great in school here and our youngest daughter excelled in the toprated JROTC Harrison/North Cobb program. Our youngest just graduated from North Cobb with honors, and I can’t say enough good things about our experiences with this school district.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? My career allows me to be a part of the process to help my clients build wealth through home ownership, as well as provide a place to make into a home for their family and I love that. I cater my process to the needs of my clients to guide them each step of the way. As a result, most of my business comes from past clients and referrals. After each closing, it is with pleasure that I donate to Children’s Health Care of Atlanta in my client’s honor.

LEISURE TIME: I enjoy spending time with my family. Going on nature walking trails, vacations to the beach, the North Georgia mountains, and Tennessee.

BEST ADVICE: You never know what another person is going through so give each other some grace. You just might be the bright light they desperately needed at that moment. My mom is the shining example of this, and I aspire to be as gracious as she is.

WHAT’S NEXT? I’ve seen over the years that the homes that are staged well will normally sell faster and for more money. So, to help my clients who are selling a home, I’ve just launched a program “Stage to Sell faster” to encourage home sellers to do home staging. The stager also gives a personalized check list for them to follow for each room. If my seller client invests in a two-hour, in-home staging consult with a recommended professional home stager, then I will reimburse the fee back to the homeowner at closing. I’ve also partnered with a lender and investment broker to start offering “lunch-n-learns.” They are designed to help educate people and give helpful tips in the areas of residential real estate, mortgage loans, and investments.

Photo by LaRuche Photo

Kendra R. Sanders Realtor, Atlanta Communities Real Estate Brokerage

Nourishing Children’s Imaginations

By Irene Barton, Executive Director of Cobb Collaborative

As the local point of contact for the Get Georgia Reading Campaign, the Cobb Collaborative works to promote literacy in Cobb County through a community-wide reading initiative that unites families, educators, and community partners. Data reveals that children who read proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to graduate from high school — paving the way to higher education, better employment opportunities, and improved health outcomes. As one of many solutions geared toward improving outcomes

for children and families, proficient literacy and language skills have been proven to directly influence the opportunities and successes of their lives.

We are beyond thrilled to serve as the local point of contact for the Get Georgia Reading Campaign and to build a partnership of engaged stakeholders in order to move the needle on access to reading materials in our community. There is a direct link between reading skills and high school graduation rates, which of course leads directly to employment opportunities, economic stability and ultimately, the health of our communities. It’s not an exaggeration to note that proficient readers become engaged citizens.

Early Learning Work: The Basics

Incredibly, the human brain doubles in size in the first year. It keeps growing to about 80 percent of adult size by age 3 and 90 percent — nearly full grown — by age 5. That’s why the earliest years are critical to developing strong readers and engaged students. Our commitment to literacy begins with our youngest residents and their families and is anchored by The Basics.

The Basics consists of five principles that were distilled from scientific literature by the Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University to create equity across all backgrounds for every child. The framework uses a public health approach called socioecological Reprinted and updated from Sept/Oct 2022 issue.

saturation to achieve this. We know that parents and caregivers want the best for their children, yet all kids today are subject to stress and competing demands on their time and resources. We also acknowledge that parents give care and attention within their own contexts, whether that is cultural or experiential. In the spring of 2021, the Cobb Collaborative was selected as one of only 10 sites across Georgia to bring The Basics collective impact model to our community. The five principles support social, emotional, and cognitive development of children up to 5 years old, helping to boost brain development

and improving kindergarten readiness. The principles combine scientific rigor with a broad coverage of key domains of early-childhood development and are simple enough to commit to memory for efficient program implementation:

1. Maximize Love, Manage Stress

2. Count, Group and Compare

3. Talk, Sing and Point

4. Explore through Movement and play

5. Read and Discuss Stories

The Collaborative offers training to community partners and shares print and digital

resources supporting The Basics. We also offer interactive and engaging parent/caregiver workshops and distribute Basics Bundles, which include tactile objects that support the five principles along with a tip sheet. Our Basics resources are available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Learn more at thebasicscobbcounty.org.

Little Free Libraries

Driven by the motivation of increasing access to books, the Collaborative has helped to establish 22 Little Free Libraries across Cobb County. Little Free Library (LFL) is a non-

profit organization dedicated to putting books in the hands of children and adults in communities around the world. These book-sharing boxes remove barriers to book access by being available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day with free accessibility. They operate under the “Take One, Leave One” theory which encourages readers to not only take a book, but to leave one for others when there is an ability to do so. Research tells us that starting from birth, frequent and interactive book reading is associated with cognitive and language development. One of the most successful ways to improve the reading achievement of children is to increase access to books, especially at home. This is a quintessential collaborative effort, with additional partners including the Cobb County School District, United Way of

Greater Atlanta Northwest Region, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, businesses, civic associations and private foundations.

Any community benefits from the addition of a Little Free Library, but we have an intentional focus on under-resourced neighborhoods because we know that children in low-income households have approximately ONE book per 300 children versus middle income households who enjoy approximately 13 titles per child. We are grateful for support that helps us install and maintain LFLs in order to grant free access to books across Cobb County.

Literacy and Justice For All

We are honored to work alongside Marietta City Schools to create a language-centered ecosystem and learning environment for children from birth to third grade. The goal of the “Literacy and Justice for All” grant is to use a community-wide commitment to the Science of Reading to empower every child in Marietta to be a proficient reader by the end of third grade. This work is critically important as schools address both the significant learning loss resulting from the pandemic and the gaps in opportunity that often

occur around literacy in our communities. Marietta-based investments from the United Way includes teaching resources, traumainformed training, professional development, social-emotional learning, community programming, early learning opportunities, personnel, and evaluation.

The collective goal is not to “beat the odds” for a small number of children, but to change the odds for every child. The Cobb Collaborative leads “Literacy Ambassador” volunteers from each of Marietta City Schools elementary campus. Ambassadors share their unique perspectives as parents, family members, and caregivers of current students and are a “trusted voice” to their peers. Ambassadors are champions for their school, Marietta City Schools, and the Literacy & Justice For All initiative. They are an integral piece of the process of bringing educators and community leaders together to tackle the issue of literacy and helping every child be on a path of reading proficiency and ultimately to leading a life of self-determination.

“Pop Up” Book Giveaways

We enjoy collecting gently loved books and distributing them at community events, restocking our Little Free Libraries and building classroom libraries for teachers. The Collaborative distributed 5,123 books in the past year. We invite anyone who is cleaning out bookshelves to keep us in mind if you have children’s books. We’ll be happy to redeploy those! Many low-income neighborhoods are “book deserts,” meaning that it is difficult to access children’s books. Books develop and nourish children’s imaginations, expanding their worlds. They create questions and provide answers. Books inspire us. n

The Cobb Collaborative is a membership of nonprofit organizations, local government, businesses, faith-based organizations, educational institutions, professional organizations, associations, and residents who share ideas, expertise, and resources to improve outcomes for children and families in Cobb. Visit www.cobbcollaborative.org to learn more.

One of the most successful ways to improve the reading achievement of children is to increase access to books, especially at home.

Little Free Library

The Collaborative has helped to establish 22 Little Free Libraries across Cobb County.

People With A Passion

By Jennifer Morrell

ETS Solutions helps turn profits into purpose through core values and a mission to change lives.

Pictured left to right: Managing Partner Thomas Collie III (seated), Client Experience Specialist Sal Thomas, Vice President Amy Russell, President Mike Russell, Technology Consultant Adam Clark, Client Development Manager Emily Snyder, and Strategic Advisor Kylah King (seated).

Mike Russell’s journey in starting Kennesaw-based ETS (Elite Telecom Services) Solutions began in 2002, when he was told that his son — then age 5 — had a brain tumor. This led to a decision to become a business owner to spend more time with his family. It also led to a serious consideration of his purpose as a company leader and as a father, which he refers to as his “why.”

Russell was more than prepared for the business end of this endeavor. A Salisbury, North Carolina, native, he attended UNCChapel Hill and then received a master’s in accounting and finance from Kennesaw State University. He was able to apply his degree and 15 years of law firm management experience to create ETS. The mission: to implement the sturdy principles of family values, customer service, technical expertise, and community service.

“I needed to own a business, so I could spend as much time as possible with my family,” Russell says. “I looked at franchises and restaurants but was intrigued when I reconnected with a high school friend who had just purchased an internet company. He

offered me a job selling residential DSL [digital subscriber line], which I rejected, but this meeting led me to an agency who told me they would train me and provide the resources needed for me to do technology consulting.”

With no experience, no capital, no training in consulting or sales, Russell took a leap of faith. Long hours spent networking and branding the ETS name during the company’s first five years paid off and rapidly grew the business’ voice and presence in internet markets.

Today, Russell leads his team through the core values of faith, family, community service, client experience, and trust. These values reflect what he considers most important to guide the actions and decisions of his company. He says he is “blessed to be a blessing,” and this philosophy drives his business.

Rather than hiring based on talent, Russell says he now hires people based on their alignment to the culture. The pandemic and economic recession helped him realize that the people he hires need to share a culture with the ETS Solutions team. “When I started hiring for culture, it turned profits into purpose, and I found people with a passion,” Russell

“When I started hiring for culture, it turned profits into purpose, and I found people with a passion.”

–Mike Russell

helped so far. We have funded grants for two underprivileged kids to go to Georgia Trade School for full tuition of $10,500 to become professional, certified welders. We are here to change lives.”

Founded in 2019, The ETS Foundation is designed to provide grants to underprivileged people for educational expenses, primarily in the trade industry and is an extension of ETS Solutions commitment to serving the community. Russell shared that the vision of the ETS Foundation is to transform the landscape of educational support to ensure every individual has the opportunity to meet their full potential.

One of those students, Robin, is well on their way to a great career. “I’m planning on going to Trinity Rails; they repair and make train carts,” Robin said. “My career path has been impacted by the ETS Foundation because without their generous funding, I wouldn’t be able to be in this career path at all!”

The ‘why’

Russell’s answer to the “why” has evolved over the last 20 years. Living in Kennesaw and learning of his son’s diagnosis, he discovered that his “why” was his family. He writes about

in 2,000 locations. One might assume the achievement is in these strong numbers. But the “why” Russell was seeking came from a different source — the integration of faith.

“The largest evolution in our company was adding faith to our core values,” he says.

“We now market ourselves as a faith-based technology consulting company whose mission is servant leadership. We do this through daily guidance with our ETS family such as a company prayer board and encouraging spiritual growth, coupled with contributing twenty percent of our annual revenue to community non-profit organizations and The ETS Foundation.”

Twenty percent of a company’s annual revenue is nothing to sneeze at, and Russell and his team take great pride in the ability to serve various organizations. ETS partners with CURE Childhood Cancer, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Inspiredu, TechBridge, High Tech Prayer Breakfast, and Atlanta Technology Professionals. Russell used his experience and networking opportunities from Leadership Atlanta to form The ETS Foundation.

During the last two years, the foundation has helped high school graduates with expenses in the culinary, automotive, and welding industries, partnering with

The ETS group has a purpose-driven focus on their “why,” every day.

organizations such as The Georgia Trade School, Marietta High School Career and Technical Education Program, and the Cobb Innovation & Technology Academy. ETS Solutions’ goal is to fund the foundation with a $1-million endowment to help hundreds of underprivileged people every year.

The business of business

“The first ten years focused on phone bill auditing, saving clients on their phone and internet services,” Russell says. “Ten years into business, I rebranded to ETS Solutions to include cloud and security consulting. Five years ago, we added technology project management, technology expense management, and M&A technology due diligence.”

Russell credits a six-step ETS UserXperience® with separating his company from other technology consulting businesses. The six-step system provides a well-rounded technology consulting solution approach for any size client. He also credits core values — faith, family, community service, client experience, and trust — in the building of a solid foundation for his clients.

“ETS Solutions specializes in multi-location technology consulting helping clients consolidate vendors, increase services, and save monthly costs,” he says. “While we have clients of all sizes and industries, our primary focus is on the following vertical markets: senior living and multi-family communities, non-profit organizations, and medical, legal and construction companies.”

Applying values

Russell realized during his first year in business that community service would be a major key to success. He joined all the Cobb County business associations and area chambers to give back to his community. “While I realized my participation was making a difference, my company was not completely meshed into the community service spirit,” he says. “Over the past few years, we have incorporated nonprofits into our technology events, so we are always giving back. We will be holding our 3rd Annual Servant Technology Concilium (www.etsconcilium.com) in August. We will donate the proceeds of $10,000 to The ETS Foundation and Inspiredu.”

The accolades are plentiful: Russell is a Leadership Cobb 2006 and Leadership Atlanta 2017 alumnus. He also was honored with the Technology Service Provider of the Year Award from Atlanta Technology Professionals,

“The largest evolution in our company was adding faith to our core values. …We do this through daily guidance with our ETS family such as a company prayer board and encouraging spiritual growth, coupled with contributing twenty percent of our annual revenue to community non-profit organizations and The ETS Foundation.”

–Mike Russell

The ETS Foundation board (L-R): Amy Russell (standing), Haley Moyer, Richard Hicks, Deanna Anderson, Mike Russell, and John Berry (not pictured).

as well as the TechBridge Sig Mosely Entrepreneurial Leader Awards in 2021.

Russell’s nature of giving back seemingly never ends. Having worked so hard and seen such success, he can offer advice to any business owner. “Every business owner should have a Business Maturity Date,” he says. “This isn’t a date to sell the business, to retire or to hand over leadership. It is the date when your business gives you the time, money, and significance you want. Each of these come in various forms and fashions, but if you have that date set with your goals, you will hit them.”

Looking ahead

Today his son is cancer-free and Russell enjoys spending time with his family and traveling to see his North Carolina Tarheels. He has enjoyed giving back to the community through his past membership and participation in Marietta Kiwanis, Leadership Cobb, The Bill Thrash Kennesaw Teen Center, Cobb Relay For Life and serving on three boards at Kennesaw State University.

In addition, Russell enjoys his everyday engagement with his ETS family of

employees. He and his entire team are dedicated to filling the ETS Foundation Grant Wall with grant recipients. The “why” is well understood: helping people as a result of the hard work put into ETS Solutions. On that Foundation Grant Wall, each team member has his or her name on a plaque to symbolize the moment when a life is changed forever through work at ETS.

Russell says the futures of the company and The ETS Foundation are unlimited. He and his team will continue to build successful client relationships focused on the company’s core values, keeping them updated with current technologies. Moreover, the ETS group has a purpose-driven focus on their “why,” every day.

Editor’s note: In celebration of 20 years success leading to 20 more years of servant leadership for the Foundation, ETS Solutions is honored to waive technology consulting fees for all new clients over the next 12 months. Contact Russell at mike@etssolutions.com for more information on how ETS can help your business and receive your complimentary written Technology Assessment at www.etssolutions.com or www.theetsfoundation.org.

JULY 15 AUG 5 (FRIDAY SUNDAY)

National Juried Exhibit, Blending of the Arts, Middle and High School Juried Exhibit and Community event opening July 15 to August 5 at the Avenue West Cobb. Bringing public art to our communities . Come see why SCAA was nominated for 2023 Best Art Gallery and Best NonProfit.

Over 150 pieces of artwork on display. Artisan Market; activities for all ages; book readings, art panel discussions, performing arts. A visual delight– no entry fee. Website Event details.

Brumby Hall & Gardens

A hidden gem — and Scarlett O’Hara — await…

By Cory Sekine-Pettite

Residents of Cobb County know that it is a special place with a seemingly endless variety of parks and other green spaces, entertainment and sports venues, museums and other cultural institutions, a major university, and much more. It is a mission of this publication to inform locals and visitors about all that our great county has to offer. It is especially rewarding to share the news on so-called “hidden gems,” places that deserve a little more recognition. One such locale is Brumby Hall & Gardens.

Picture it: You’re standing in a brick-paved courtyard; there’s a calming fountain on one end and an historic, impeccably maintained home on the other end. This intimate and peaceful setting is lined with trees and floral splendor. As you stroll slowly through the greenspace, taking in the sounds of the birds and fragrant flora, your destination is just ahead — a cozy, romantic gazebo.

Doesn’t this sound like the perfect location for a wedding, a baby shower, or even a corporate event? Well, what if I told you this hidden oasis not only was nearby, but in fact, is just minutes from Marietta Square? There is, indeed, an almost magical atmosphere to Brumby Hall & Gardens, so we asked representatives Deborah Koss and Lindsey Wiles to tell us all about it. But first, here’s a brief

history lesson on the property (which is now cared for by the City of Marietta).

Brumby Hall & Gardens

According to the city, Brumby Hall is a preCivil War home built by Colonel Arnoldus V. Brumby in 1851 while he served as the first superintendent of the nearby Georgia Military Institute (GMI), which was located where the Hilton Marietta Hotel & Conference Center stands today. The house was used as a makeshift hospital during the Civil War, and survived Gen. Sherman’s torch during the burning of Atlanta as an apparent courtesy to Col. Brumby since the men had attended West Point at the same time (U.S. Military Academy).

The Moore/Trezevant family owned the house for many years, with daughter Matilda “Tilly” Trezevant its final occupant until 1995. A group known as Friends of Brumby Hall became overseers for the house for several years, holding meetings in the home and furnishing the interior with period antiques. In 2018, the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum, a popular tourist attraction on the Marietta Square for decades, needed a new home. With the Tara-like facade and large front porch, Brumby Hall seemed to be the perfect location. After the move, the Hilton Atlanta Marietta Hotel and Conference Center, which

had previously overseen the almost 15,000 square feet of gardens, relinquished caretaker duties to the City of Marietta. Thanks to the city’s Parks & Recreation Department, the gardens have become a virtual wonderland of floral delight. A favorite venue with bridesto-be due to the beauty and tranquility that permeates the house and gardens, it appears that nature’s “perfect spot for a wedding” will

not remain a hidden gem very long.

Since the city took over, officials have been overseeing a series of updates and improvements to both the home and the gardens. According to Wiles, who is communications manager for the City of Marietta, there are four total gardens that are available for facilities or for event rentals, She says that with recent enhancements “it’s easier for visitors

to walk [around] and see the spaces, and it’s more inviting for weddings and any other kind of events — more so than it has been in the past.”

If you’re planning a wedding or another type of event soon, place Brumby Hall & Gardens on your list. Koss, facilities coordinator, says they can accommodate just about anything for up to 200 guests. “We’ve had a

number of baby showers, engagement parties, birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, so we even had a reception after a funeral,” she said. “So, yes, we have all sorts of events in the gardens.”

Additionally, you may choose your own vendors, or work with the vendors approved by Brumby Hall. There’s a full list of approved providers on the facility’s website, as well as a thorough FAQ page to answer most questions related to bookings. Visit brumbyhallmarietta. com for details.

All the gardens can be rented year-round, and they can be both tented and heated for slightly inclement weather. Plus, if your event includes guests from out of town, the adjacent Hilton Atlanta Marietta Hotel and

Conference Center (and its golf course) are a convenient option for overnight or weekend stays. “I think we’re lucky that we are right next to the Hilton,” Wiles said. “We have the use because the city of Marietta owns the conference center and also owns the museum. We have the use of that parking lot right there, so that’s convenient. Also, if you were to get married at the gardens, you could have your guests stay at the Hilton right there. So, convenience is a big thing.

“We are very close to the Marietta Square and everything that the square has to offer,” she continued. “I think the gardens are just a lovely place to get married. In one of our bigger gardens, we have a pavilion and a gazebo

already, and those are structures people can utilize for ceremonies and receptions. So, I think it’s just a good outdoor experience, and it doesn’t feel like you’re in the middle of a city, but you have the convenience of being right here.”

Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum

According to museum officials, the Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum has been a mainstay in Marietta since 2003, when it opened in the historic Old Thomas Warehouse Building near the Marietta Square. The museum moved to its new home (Brumby Hall) in April of 2018. Following a series of upgrades, officials held a grand reopening this past June.

“Making that move, there was a lot of improvements and repair work that needed to be done to the house before that. Our facilities crew did a lot of repairs — HVAC work, repairs to the siding, the roof, and that took up a good deal of funds. After that, over the last couple of years, we’ve worked slowly to enhance the gardens in the back,” said Wiles.

With an extensive collection of memorabilia relating to the book and movie, you do not have to be a die-hard fan of the film to enjoy the vast history surrounding one of the world’s most beloved books and movies. The book has never left bookshelves since 1936, and the film is the number-one box office movie of all time (when allowing for inflation).

This exclusive exhibit is owned by Vicky Lynn Rogers who has been collecting these items for more than 30 years. Mrs. Rogers currently owns and operates the Gone With the Wind Remembered Museum in Cleburne, Texas. It features several original pieces as well as items that are extremely rare, including one of the most iconic costume pieces from the movie, the mourning bonnet worn by Scarlett O’Hara, played by Vivien Leigh. Additionally, there are one-of-a-kind pieces including, the Shantytown dress, and Rhett Butler’s (Clark Gable) jacket. The collection also includes the original Dan Sayre Groesbeck painting which hung in Loews Lobby during the premier of Gone With the Wind on Dec. 15, 1939. The museum is also home to the six original Walter Plunkett costume sketches which include Scarlett’s iconic green BBQ dress.

To learn more about the museum and to plan your visit, go to gwtwmarietta.com. n

All-Star Impact

The Atlanta Braves are champions on and off the field

By Cory Sekine-Pettite

The Atlanta Braves recently released a report detailing the team’s impact on our community — from its economic effect on the field, including winning a national championship, to its many charitable works and community grant programs. The full report is available at braves.com/give but here are a few of the highlights.

Braves by the numbers

According to the report, the Atlanta Braves Foundation invested $500,000 last year in Cobb County non-profits and schools. Additionally, Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta generated more than $38 million in combined tax revenue during the 2022 fiscal year. Nearly $10 million of that revenue was allocated to the Cobb County Board of Education. And it should be noted that Truist Park is now net positive for Cobb County taxpayers. Additional impacts “by the numbers” include the following:

• 17, 656 game tickets were donated during the 2022 season.

• 1,150 veterans served through The Warrior Alliance Home Base at The Battery Atlanta.

• 45,000-plus pounds of fresh produce and 2,100 hot meals were distributed through the Home Plate Project presented by Chick-fil-A.

• $1.4 million-plus in community grants and sponsorships were provided to 92 nonprofit organizations.

• Two wishes were granted at Truist Park with Make-A-Wish Georgia.

Community partnerships

In addition to its partnership with MakeA-Wish Georgia, the Atlanta Braves have joined forces with Northside Hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Susan G. Komen Georgia, Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression, and the American Red Cross among many other charitable organizations. According to the report, the Braves are “committed to supporting the health and well-being of our fans across Braves Country through a variety of efforts and initiatives.”

Moreover, in 2022, Braves staff volunteered at non-profit organizations and local projects across the metro area, accumulating more than 1,100 hours of service to the community. Among their many efforts, they hosted holiday events, planted a community orchard, served at the Hank Aaron All-Star school, and sorted holiday gifts for foster children.

Growing the game

The Braves continue to help grow the sports of baseball and softball through multiple efforts

that create access to playing opportunities in under-served communities. The team’s recent efforts include assisting in the construction of a new park and turf fields in Gresham Park in south Atlanta, which is considered a hub for growth and development of Black baseball and softball players.

Additionally, the Braves and 7G Foundation hosted the first-ever Native American All-Star Baseball Showcase at Truist Park featuring top high school baseball players of Native American descent for a workout and showcase game in front of pro scouts and college coaches.

A lasting impact

Both the team and the Atlanta Braves Foundation do more for the community than can be summarized on one page in this magazine. But from the above, one can conclude that Cobb County and metro Atlanta are impacted deeply by this team and their efforts. One final initiative of note: After the passing of Braves legend Henry “Hank” Aaron, the team created the Henry Louis Aaron Fund in his honor. The fund pledges to continue Aaron’s passion for creating more opportunities for minorities in baseball — both on the field and in the front office. To learn more about the Atlanta Braves Foundation and the ways you can support our community, visit braves.com/give. n

The AI Debate

By Cory Sekine-Pettite

These days, you can’t watch the news or read a newspaper without finding at least one story related to artificial intelligence (AI). Recent developments in machine learning technology and the release of open-sourced coding have led to a plethora of so-called generative AI programs (ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, and DALL-E, to name a few) that have dominated the headlines over the past year. And if you believe the alarmists, AI systems are coming for our jobs.

But while AI truly has helped to transform or improve many industries — for example, in healthcare it is being used to improve medical diagnosis and drug discovery, and in finance, AI is being used for credit scoring, fraud detection, and risk assessment — honestly, you don’t need to fear for your job. In many professions or industries, AI may assist us in our work but it won’t take over. Machines can’t do everything. Human imagination, creativity, emotional intelligence, and flexible decision-making cannot be duplicated. Yet, the world seems divided on the potentials of AI largely because I think it is misunderstood.

It’s human nature to fear the unknown. All of us can think of at

least one thing we feared until we tried it, right? The best way forward to understand and accept AI is civil discourse, argues author Milan Kordestani, whose book, “I’m Just Saying: A Guide to Maintaining Civil Discourse in an Increasingly Divided World,” could provide some insight on this divisive issue.

“The stakes are undeniably high when it comes to AI,” says Kordestani. “The fear-driven perspective believes that the very survival of humanity hangs in the balance, while the unregulated development camp emphasizes the limitless possibilities and potential for progress. Such deeply entrenched positions make it difficult to find common ground, and discussions often devolve into heated exchanges and stubborn resistance to opposing viewpoints. Moreover, the rapid pace of AI advancements and the complex nature of its implications exacerbate the challenges, leaving little time for informed discourse and reflection.”

Whether or not we are witnessing a renaissance in artificial intelligence development, one thing is undeniable: AI is here to stay. How and where we deploy it is up to us. But the real question we need to ask is: Can we have a civil debate? n

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