On Leadership

As Christine Whitaker sees it, she’s at the center of “technology and innovation powering the global economy.” She is the president of Comcast’s Central Division based in Atlanta. That division spans 12 states, has 21 million customers and about 17,000 employees. While it is massive, Whitaker says she aims to connect with the community through efforts to bridge the digital divide and support small businesses. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Milton Little Jr.’s mother told him as a child to “make sure you help people,” he had no idea how much those words would prove to illuminate his career path. As president and CEO of United Way of Greater Atlanta, Little leads one of the largest United Way chapters in the world. Its focus is helping residents reach their highest potential including the nearly 500,000 youth in metro Atlanta who have been found to have low or declining measures of well-being.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Jeff Call joined Bennett Thrasher in 2002, the company had about 50 employees. Today, that number has increased to 500 nationwide. Call is Managing Partner at the financial services firm. Bennett Thrasher reached a milestone in 2023 of $100 million in revenue. Call credits the company’s taking a “people first” approach to its employees and clients as one reason for the growth. Another factor is the expansion of practice areas to stay ahead in the competitive market.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mentoring helped Helene Lollis move from developing plastics to people. For more than two decades, the former BP engineer has been president and CEO of Pathbuilders, a firm that uses mentorship to transform top female talent “to change people and companies everyday.” Since its founding in 1995, the company has helped to develop 6,000 women from hundreds of organizations including Fortune 500 firms.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From age 11, Jay Bailey knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur. Now as CEO of the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), he leads the nation’s largest hub for developing and scaling Black-owned businesses. Since launching in 2019, RICE has served more than 350 small business owners, which have driven $450 million in economic activity.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s not lost on Morgan Shaw Parker that Atlanta’s WNBA franchise is named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream" speech. When she joined the Atlanta Dream as its president and COO in 2021, she sought to incorporate Dr. King’s values of respect, integrity, and diversity into the franchise. The Atlanta Dream’s staff is the most diverse of all WNBA’s teams. In 2023, the Atlanta Dream led the league with 12 sold-out games.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As president of Atlanta Technical College, Victoria Seals is on a mission—to connect students with industry in a way that leads to greater economic mobility. Now entering her eighth year as president, Seals is well on her way to achieving that goal. Its 2023 annual report shows ATC students have a 99% job placement rate, 79% find jobs in their field of study. The institution’s economic impact on the region, $202 million. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jesslyn Rollins has a deep connection to the company she leads. Not only is she Biolye’s CEO, Rollins’ family started the business as a solution for her mother, who in 2016, was battling breast cancer, and needed medical-grade hydration to endure treatment and overcome the disease. Rollins began selling Biolyte beverages from the back of her car in 2017—generating six-figure revenue. At the time of this taping, Biolyte was on track for 2023 revenue to top $25 million.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pam Shipley has spent more than 30 years in healthcare, and one thing she says she’s learned, “It’s all about the people.” As Georgia Regional President of Kaiser Permanente, Shipley oversees 700 physicians and more than 315,000 members across the 32-county metropolitan Atlanta area.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fay Twersky never sought a career in philanthropy. “I just wanted to do the work,” she said, and that she has, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and in 2021 she became president and director of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Since 1995 it has committed more than $1 billion to support positive change in mental health, democracy, environment, youth development and life on Atlanta’s westside.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former college football quarterback and NFL player Nate Hybl is using lessons learned on the gridiron to now grow his restaurant brand. Hybl is founder and CEO of Gusto, a healthy, fast-casual restaurant chain based in Atlanta. “Competition is fierce,” Hybl says, with competitors that include Sweetgreen and Cava. But the former pro athlete is proving a formidable opponent. Founded in 2014, Gusto has a dozen locations, and has seen 2020-2022 revenue increase by about 82%.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are as many as 200 businesses in the metro Atlanta area that consider themselves advertising agencies. That’s stiff competition for Bill Coontz, CEO of Dalton, a 34-year-old firm with three offices in Atlanta, Nashville, and Jacksonville, FL. Coontz says what sets Dalton apart is its focus on people—its clients and its 100 employees. This year, Dalton has increased its international business, and secured more Fortune 500 companies as clients.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alana Shepherd never planned to co-found one of the nation’s top rehabilitation hospitals. But when her son sustained a spinal cord injury in 1973, Shepherd, her husband, son and an orthopedic surgery specialist, sprang into action. In 1975, Shepherd Center opened with six leased beds. Today, it has treated more than 35,000 patients who survived injuries to the brain or spinal cord, and other neurological disorders. It launched a $350 million campaign to fund new facilities and programs set to be completed by 2025.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jared Belsky is “living his dream job.” He is CEO and Co-founder of Acadia, an Atlanta-based digital marketing agency. He launched the company in 2021 with co-founder Sean Belnick, and hasn’t looked back. Acadia serves mid-market companies including brands such as Red Roof Inn, Message Envy and Atlanta Mission. In the past two years, the company has seen its employee count grow from zero to more than 200.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gary Stokan is as competitive as they come, especially when trying to score sporting events for metro Atlanta. He is president and CEO of Peach Bowl, Inc., the nonprofit organization that owns and operates, among other things, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Aflac Kickoff Game. He helped lure the College Football Hall of Fame to Atlanta in 2014. And is a champion for philanthropic causes. Since 2002, Peach Bowl, Inc. has committed $60.9 million to charity.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As CEO of The Carter Center, Paige Alexander is focused on “doing hard things in hard places.” With the backing of the organization’s founders, President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter, Alexander leads a team of 3,300 who are working on the center’s efforts of “waging peace, fighting disease and building hope,” in nearly 90 countries around the globe.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As president and CEO of the Atlanta Humane Society, Cal Morgan is focused on the organization’s middle name, ensuring that the 150-year-old nonprofit is humane to employees, animals and members of the community. While it continues the work it’s known for, such as pet adoptions, it’s also increasingly collaborating with human services groups to ensure people have the food and resources they need to create a safe home for their furry family members.#See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Garrett Langley is out to change the world, one neighborhood at a time. He is the founder and CEO of Flock Safety, a fast-growing company that makes surveillance products to help law enforcement solve crimes. Its cameras and license plate readers are in 3,000 cities. Nationwide, about 7% of crimes that happen, will be solved because of Flock Safety, Langley said, at that pace the company will reach 10% by the end of 2023.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paul Donahue is only the fifth CEO Genuine Parts Company has had in its 95-year history. The company owns NAPA Auto Parts and also distributes industrial parts to manufacturers. While he admits, it’s not especially sexy, Genuine Parts Company also isn’t stodgy. Donahue says its goal is to be the disruptor in the industry. It’s one of the dominate players with 10,000 locations spanning 17 countries worldwide.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kevin Gillespie has come up with his own recipe for successful leadership. The award-winning chef and founder of Red Beard Restaurants aims for what he calls “honest leadership” where people follow him because they trust him and believe in the mission of the organization. Part of that mission is serving up a top-notch experience for diners. In 2023, his flagship restaurant Gunshow marked 10 years. He’s working on a new restaurant set to open in 2024. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.