2024 Atlanta 500: Business

Photograph by Getty/Allan Baxter

Banking & Finance | Investment Advisors & Funds | Private Companies | Public Companies | Retail | Technology | Legends

BANKING & FINANCE

Garrett M. Alton
Executive Vice President, Head of National Sales, Chair Southeast Region, Interim President West Region
Wilmington Trust, N.A.

With over 30 years of experience in the wealth management industry, Garrett Alton is responsible for managing Wilmington Trust’s Atlanta and Southeastern region, including all administrative and business development functions for personal trust, investment management, and private banking. In this role, he oversees the development and coordination of wealth management services for prominent individuals, families, family offices, endowments, and foundations.

EDUCATION Augusta University
HOMETOWN Augusta
HOBBIES Time with my wife Jenny and our two fur babies, hunting, off-roading, hiking
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Fighting cancer and winning
BUCKET LIST Asia and Africa

Kevin Blair
President and CEO
Synovus

Kevin Blair joined Synovus in August 2016 as executive vice president and chief financial officer. He was appointed senior executive vice president and chief operating officer in December 2018 and was named president in December 2019. Blair was elected to the board of directors in December 2020 and became president and CEO on April 22, 2021. He was appointed chairman of the board on January 1, 2023. His financial services career began at Signet Bank in Richmond, Virginia, in 1995 and has included leadership in such areas as corporate strategy, line management, strategic finance, and credit risk management.

EDUCATION James Madison University, George Washington University (MBA)
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Becoming CEO of Synovus Bank, the largest bank headquartered in Georgia. Father of four amazing children. Led $7.2 million United Way annual fundraising campaign in 2020, a record for the Chattahoochee Valley region.
WHY I CHOSE THIS WORK Banking is a noble profession. I feel we have the opportunity each day to help our clients achieve their financial goals and objectives.

Photograph courtesy of individual

Raphael W. Bostic
President and CEO
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Raphael W. Bostic is president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and a member of the Federal Open Market Committee, the monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System. In 2017, he was recognized as a Planning Pioneer by the American Planning Association’s Los Angeles section, and he received an Urban Leadership Award from the Penn Institute for Urban Research in 2011. He was the chair of the Metro Atlanta Chamber in 2022. Bostic is a native of Delran, New Jersey.

EDUCATION Harvard University, Stanford University (PhD)
HOBBIES Birdwatching, sports
NONPROFITS Affordable housing, Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, Human Rights Campaign
BUCKET LIST Visiting the state capitol in Honolulu to complete goal of visiting the state capitol buildings in all 50 states

Cynthia N. Day
President and CEO
Citizens Bancshares Corporation and Citizens Trust Bank

Cynthia Day provides the vision and strategic direction for Citizens Trust Bank as well as serving on the board of directors of Citizens Bancshares Corporation, the parent company for Citizens Trust Bank. During her tenure, the bank continues to reach milestones including achieving record-level earnings since the inception of the institution. These achievements continue to receive recognition as Citizens Trust Bank has been consistently named one of the top African American–owned commercial banks in the country. Prior to her banking career, Day was an audit manager at KMPG and is a certified public accountant with over 35 years of experience and leadership in the banking and financial sectors.

EDUCATION University of Alabama
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta board of directors (2023); Boy Scouts of America Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award (2022), Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award (2020)

Photograph courtesy of individual

Mike Donnelly
Branch Banking Regional Executive
Wells Fargo

Mike Donnelly is branch banking regional executive for Wells Fargo in north Atlanta, one of the company’s top three markets in total consumer households served. An active civic leader, he’s held leadership positions with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, the Buckhead Coalition, the Woodruff Arts Center, and the University of Georgia Board of Visitors. Donnelly chaired the 2016-2017 campaign for United Way of Greater Atlanta. He is the past chair of Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and is a past chair of Leadership Atlanta.

EDUCATION Radford University

Kathy S. Farrell
Head, Commercial Real Estate
Truist Financial Corporation

Kathy Farrell has more than 25 years of experience in real estate finance and banking, including origination, underwriting, capital markets, workout strategies, and risk management. Currently the head of commercial real estate at Truist, Kathy held the same title with SunTrust prior to the closing of the SunTrust-BB&T merger that formed Truist in December 2019. Farrell has also served at SunTrust as chief risk officer for commercial real estate, head of the REIT banking group, and REIT senior credit officer. Previously, she was executive vice president and credit executive of commercial real estate for PNC Bank.

EDUCATION College of the Holy Cross
HOMETOWN Bridgeport, Connecticut
FIRST JOB Stuffing and rolling jelly doughnuts at Devore’s Bakery in my hometown
WHAT I’D TELL A RECENT GRADUATE Be patient and work hard at your current job. Careers are a marathon and not a sprint.

Chanel H. Frazier
Managing Director, Global Head of Business Strategy for the Portfolio Management Group and Head BlackRock Atlanta

As managing director, Chanel H. Frazier is the global head of Business Strategy for the Portfolio Management Group and the head of the BlackRock Atlanta Innovation Hub. She designs strategic solutions and leads global teams to identify and capture market opportunities for one of the firm’s largest investment teams, representing $4.3 trillion in assets under management, over 50 percent of the firm’s global gross revenue in fiscal year 2022. As head of the Atlanta Innovation Hub, Frazier is responsible for establishing the firm’s local presence and growing its newest strategic business, driving innovative solutions for BlackRock and its clients. Frazier’s philanthropic commitments enabled Frazier to deliver keynote addresses at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. She spoke during the 54th session of the Commission for Social Development and during the 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. In 2023, Frazier, who serves on boards for the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Georgia Chamber of Commerce, was recognized as a top CEO in Georgia Titan 100.

EDUCATION Dartmouth College, University of Virginia School of Law (JD), New York University School of Law (LLM)

Ryan Glover
Chairman
Greenwood LLC

Ryan Glover, chairman and cofounder of the digital banking platform Greenwood, has more than 20 years of experience delivering products focused on the African American community. Glover, a seasoned entertainment industry vet, started Bounce TV in 2011. Bounce was the first African American nationwide broadcast network. The Richmond, California, native also founded Noontime Records, a label responsible for more than a dozen Billboard No. 1 hits. He co-founded Greenwood in 2020, intending to help solve the generational wealth gap problem for the Black and Latinx communities. The digital banking platform’s name pays homage to the Tulsa, Oklahoma, district of Greenwood, which was known as “Black Wall Street” in the 1920s.

EDUCATION Howard University
FIRST JOB Gas station attendant
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED With God all things are possible.
HIDDEN TALENT Amazing chef
HOBBIES Coaching youth sports
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION Africa
WHAT I’D TELL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep working.

Berwyn James “BJ” Green
Executive Vice President
Cadence Bank

As executive vice president and Georgia commercial banking executive at Cadence Bank, BJ Green oversees the strategic development, growth, quality, and profitability of commercial activities in Georgia. With over 25 years of experience in investment banking, corporate, and commercial banking (Banc of America Securities, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Wachovia), the Greensboro, North Carolina, native provides oversight and direction to the commercial banking team, which is focused on meeting the banking and financing needs of clients in a variety of industries. Green is an alumnus of Leadership Georgia’s class of 2012 and is either an active or past board member of the Buckhead Coalition, Rotary Club of Atlanta, Trees Atlanta, Woodruff Arts Center, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Metro Atlanta Chamber, Kenan-Flagler Business School Alumni Council, and St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP Georgia – Poverty Alleviation).

EDUCATION University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Emory University (MBA)
FIRST JOB Mowing yards in my neighborhood for $10
FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT Lake Rabun

Thomas P. Hackett
Chairman and CEO
Truist Securities

Thomas (Tom) P. Hackett serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Truist Securities, Truist’s full-service corporate and investment bank. Based in Atlanta, he joined Truist Securities in 2008 and has more than 30 years of corporate and investment banking experience. He has been one of the primary architects of a growth strategy that has led Truist Securities to establish itself as a leading player in corporate and investment banking. Hackett has served many leadership roles at Truist Securities and, from 2020 to 2023, was president and chief operating officer, responsible for the Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, M&A, Capital Markets, and Asset Finance organizations. Before Truist, he was managing director of Healthcare at Citi and head of the London office for Prudential Capital Group and held various roles at First Union. He now serves on the Georgia Research Alliance Board of Trustees.

EDUCATION Auburn University, Emory University (MBA)
HOMETOWN Minneola, New York
MOST INSPIRING PERSON Paul Liedberg (maternal grandfather)
FAVORITE MOVIE The Last Samurai

Hank Halter
CEO
Delta Community Credit Union

Hank Halter is an accounting and finance professional with nearly 30 years of experience overseeing finance and accounting operations at Fortune 100 companies. Since 2013, he’s served as CEO of Delta Community Credit Union, one of Atlanta’s largest financial institutions and Georgia’s largest credit union. Halter, a CPA, came to the credit union from Delta Air Lines, where he held a variety of roles including chief financial officer. Previously he worked at American Airlines and Ernst & Young. Additionally, Halter serves as chair of the board of directors of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions &
Affiliates, which advocates for the betterment of nearly 300 credit unions in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

EDUCATION Villanova University, Duke University (MBA)
HOMETOWN Savannah
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Consistently running six miles a day in the Atlanta summer heat
FAVORITE TV SHOW House of Cards
BUCKET LIST Convincing every consumer to find a credit union to join

Randy Koporc
President and CEO
Fifth Third Bank Georgia

Randy Koporc serves as president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank in Georgia, responsible for the growth and strategic alignment of the bank’s commercial, wealth and asset management, and consumer businesses. Under his leadership, the bank has accelerated its growth in the region and worked with many local organizations to strengthen communities in the Atlanta area and beyond. Koporc has been with Fifth Third Bank since 2010; before joining the company he worked for more than two decades for Wells Fargo. He serves on the boards of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Westside Future Fund Development committee, Rotary Club of Atlanta, the Buckhead Coalition, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and other local groups.

EDUCATION University of Florida, University of Central Florida (MBA)
HOMETOWN Orlando, Florida
FIRST JOB Runway flight crew member for Delta Air Lines in Orlando
HOBBIES Coaching my kids in baseball, golf, traveling
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Chattahoochee River

Aron Levine
President, Preferred Banking
Bank of America

Aron Levine is the president of Preferred Banking as well as a member of the company’s executive management team. Responsible for the growth of the Preferred Banking business—one of Bank of America’s eight lines of business, which provides banking, investing, and lending solutions to U.S. mass affluent customers—Levine also leads through the Consumer Investments Group, which provides access to the investment insights of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and the banking convenience of Bank of America. He serves on the Global Board of Advisors for Operation HOPE and is also a board member for both the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta and Horizons Atlanta.

EDUCATION University of Rochester
HOMETOWN New York, New York
INSPIRING PERSON I recently had the opportunity to interview one of my lifelong heroes, Magic Johnson. I am guided by this wise insight he shared: “We will not be measured by how much success we have, but by how many people we have helped to become successful.”
NONPROFITS Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Horizons Atlanta, Operation HOPE

William H. Linginfelter
President
Regions Bank

Bill Linginfelter oversees commercial revenue growth, business model execution, and strategic planning in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina for Regions, a Birmingham-based bank that operates throughout the South, Midwest, and Texas. Throughout his more than 40-year career, Linginfelter has held various management positions in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Regions in 2008, the Saint Simons Island native served as Georgia CEO for Wachovia, and before that was director of SouthTrust Bank’s Enterprise Banking Division. He serves on many boards, is chair of the Georgia Allies, and is a past chair of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and the Georgia Research Alliance.

EDUCATION University of Georgia
FIRST JOB Paperboy on Saint Simons Island
INSPIRING PERSON Ronald Reagan
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION The beach
BUCKET LIST Italy

Alfred L. McRae Jr.
President
Bank of America Atlanta

Alfred “Al” L. McRae Jr. serves as Bank of America’s leader in the local market, responsible for delivering growth for shareholders, clients, and communities. His leadership includes driving business integration by connecting Bank of America’s capabilities across its eight lines of business to people and companies, and deploying Bank of America’s resources to build strong communities. A native of Dublin, Georgia, McRae came to Atlanta to attend Georgia State University. He stresses Bank of America’s commitment to serving the community and is especially concerned with racial equity. In 2021, Bank of America committed $1.25 billion toward advancing racial equity and economic opportunity nationwide over a five-year period. Locally, the bank has supported organizations such as Georgia Justice Project and the Grove Park Foundation. In 2023, McRae received a Men of Influence award from the Atlanta Business League.

EDUCATION Georgia State University
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED Proactively seek out those situations and positions that make you most uncomfortable; that’s where the opportunity for growth and development will reside.

Eddie Meyers
Regional President, Georgia
PNC Bank

Eddie Meyers serves as executive vice president and Georgia president for PNC Bank, and is PNC’s first regional president of African American and Latino descent. Named to his current position in 2011, Meyers previously served as executive vice president of PNC Business Credit and as senior vice president and national investment manager of Harris Williams, PNC’s investment banking unit. In 2008, he helped facilitate the successful integration of National City Bank after its acquisition by PNC. A former Marine Corps captain who was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon for his service in the Gulf War, Meyers was also a running back for the Atlanta Falcons in the 1980s. He currently serves as an executive board member for the Metro Atlanta Chamber and was a former chairman for Central Atlanta Progress and board member and officer of the Rotary Club of Atlanta.

EDUCATION U.S. Naval Academy, National University (MBA)
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS 1982 College Player of the Year, running back for the Atlanta Falcons, awarded the Combat Action Ribbon for  Service in Gulf War

Photograph courtesy of individual

David Preter
President and CEO
Georgia’s Own Credit Union

Dave Preter is president and CEO of Georgia’s Own Credit Union, a $4.8 billion financial services institution. Before assuming his current role in 2011, Preter facilitated growth in the credit union industry by bolstering and executing the strategic plans of several organizations in the Midwest and Southeast. Under his leadership, Georgia’s Own has seen membership grow by 24 percent and assets nearly double. Georgia’s Own Foundation, which Preter created, amplifies the organization’s commitment to the community by empowering local youth.

EDUCATION University of Missouri
FEW PEOPLE KNOW Delivering papers at age 13, I learned that if you work harder and longer than others, you get more opportunities and better pay. That worked for my next three student jobs: caddie, fast food cook, and exterminator. It worked in my professional career too.
FAVORITE MOVIE The Marvel movies
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT The Varsity

Jai Rogers
Vice President, Business and Community Development
Delta Community Credit Union

Jai Rogers joined Delta Community Credit Union in 2012 as vice president of business and community development, overseeing a team responsible for identifying and developing business strategies with leading corporations throughout metro Atlanta and at multiple out-of-state branch locations. Rogers leads the execution of a comprehensive community-engagement strategy to strengthen civic, high school, and corporate collaborations. Prior to joining Delta Community, Rogers launched and directed the corporate development department at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Rogers is also a recipient of the 2023 Atlanta Business Chronicle Corporate Citizenship Award, which highlights people who have embraced corporate social responsibility in their business strategies.

EDUCATION California State University, Long Beach
INSPIRING PERSON My mother always encouraged me to pursue my love of travel by telling me that I “can always come home” if my plans did not work out.
FEW PEOPLE KNOW My twin sister and I have the same first name.

Katie Saez
Executive Vice President and Georgia Regional President
Truist Financial Corporation

As executive vice president and Georgia regional president for Truist Financial Corporation, Saez serves as the senior leader in the Georgia Market, responsible for direction and integrating client management business development efforts with privately held companies operating in business banking, commercial, middle market, and commercial real estate, as well as nonprofit and governmental entities. Through her service on Truist’s diversity, equity, and inclusion council and in company-wide business resource groups, Saez seeks to promote a more purpose-, mission-, and values-centered working environment at Truist. A 22-year veteran of the financial services industry, Saez joined Truist (formerly SunTrust) in 2000. Saez is a member of Leadership Atlanta’s class of 2024.

EDUCATION University of Florida, Georgia State University (MBA)
FEW PEOPLE KNOW As a child, I earned a black belt in karate.
INSPIRING PERSON My grandfather who immigrated from Cuba and graduated from the University of Florida
WHY I CHOSE THIS WORK I was always the banker playing Monopoly as a child.

Jack Sawyer
Partner and Managing Director
Cresset Capital

A partner and managing director for Cresset Capital in the Atlanta region, Jack Sawyer is a fiduciary attorney, specializing in trust and estate management, charitable planning, private foundation administration, and family office services. Sawyer is on the boards of several private foundations and nonprofits, including Andee’s Army, the nsoro Foundation, the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, Open Hand, the Georgia Museum of Art, and the High Museum of Art. He received the American Jewish Committee’s National Human Relations Award in 2011 and has been honored by the Atlanta History Center Swan House Ball, the National Black Arts Festival, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the United Negro College Fund Mayors’ Masked Ball, Tiffany’s Blue Angels, and more.

EDUCATION University of Georgia, Mercer University School of Law (JD)
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED From Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “If you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself; something to make life a little better for people less fortunate than you.”

Wendy Stewart
President, Global Commercial Banking
Bank of America

Wendy Stewart is president of global commercial banking for Bank of America and a member of the company’s executive management team. In this role, Stewart oversees one of the firm’s eight lines of business, which delivers integrated financial solutions to public and private companies with annual revenues of $50 million to over $2 billion across middle market banking; real estate; healthcare, education, and nonprofits; and dealer financial services. From 2000 to 2007, she served as chief operating officer at the YWCA of Greater Atlanta, where she was responsible for streamlining the functions of the organization, solidifying its financial position, and orchestrating ongoing growth. Stewart serves on the board of directors and executive committee for the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the board of directors for Grove Park Foundation, as a director of the Buckhead Coalition; and is a member of the Atlanta Committee for Progress. American Banker named Stewart as one its Most Powerful Women in Banking in 2023.

EDUCATION Presbyterian College (BS, BA)
HOMETOWN Raleigh, North Carolina

Justin A. Sullivan
Senior Vice President and Market Leader
PNC Private Bank

Justin A. Sullivan helps ensure that clients benefit from a full complement of investment, trust, financial planning, and private banking services to help them achieve their financial goals. He has regularly been featured on local television, national radio, and in multiple written publications sharing advice on investments and financial planning and has been recognized and awarded by PNC for six consecutive years as a top-performing investment professional. In 2018, he was recognized by InvestmentNews magazine as one of the top 40 financial professionals under 40 years of age across the country. He currently serves on the board of the Midtown Alliance.

EDUCATION University of Pittsburgh
HOMETOWN Philadelphia
FAVORITE BOOK Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Center for Civil and Human Rights

Todd Tautfest
Market Managing Director and Wealth Advisor
Cresset Capital

Todd Tautfest is market managing director and wealth advisor for Cresset’s multifamily office in Atlanta. Tautfest has 30 years of experience in wealth management focused on the unique needs of high-net-worth families and individuals. Prior to Cresset, Tautfest was managing director, Southeast Region, for Wilmington Trust, where he worked with high-net-worth clients, business owners, foundations, and endowments. He is a member of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council and the advisory board for Open Hand Atlanta. He previously served on boards of the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia.

EDUCATION The University of Oklahoma
HOMETOWN Weatherford, Oklahoma
FIRST JOB Sweeping the floor at Tautfest Furniture & Appliance in Weatherford
HIDDEN TALENT I cook amazing fried chicken and fried okra.
FAVORITE BOOK The Tipping Point How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
FAVORITE GEORGIA PRO SPORTS TEAM Atlanta United FC

INVESTMENT ADVISORS & FUNDS

Neal Aronson
Founder and Managing Partner
Roark Capital Group

Neal Aronson is founder and managing partner of Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm that focuses on consumer and business service companies, with a specialization in franchised and multiunit business models in the restaurant, specialty retail, consumer, and business services, and health, wellness, and beauty sectors. Affiliates of Roark have acquired 98 franchise/multi-location brands which generate approximately $77 billion in system revenues from 69,000 locations in 50 states and 89 countries. Prior to founding Roark, Aronson was cofounder and chief financial officer of U.S. Franchise Systems. Previously, he was a principal of Odyssey Partners, a principal and general partner at Acadia Partners (now Oak Hill Partners), and subsequently a managing director of a successor company, Rosecliff. He began his career in the corporate finance department at Drexel Burnham Lambert.

EDUCATION Lehigh University

Andy Berg
Principal and CEO
Homrich Berg

In September 2023, Andy Berg announced his transition from principal and CEO to chairman effective January 1, 2024, with Thomas Carroll moving from president to CEO. In 1989, Berg and David Homrich cofounded the wealth management firm Homrich Berg with the belief that high-net-worth individuals need access to conflict-free financial planning and investment advice. Today, Homrich Berg manages over $14 billion for more than 3,000 family relationships nationwide. A member of the Financial Planning Association, the North Atlanta Tax Council, the Georgia Planned Giving Council, the Atlanta Estate Planning Council, and the board of the Atlanta Police Foundation, Berg is also a contributor to financial media and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and elsewhere.

EDUCATION Purdue University
HOMETOWN Milwaukee, Wisconsin
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Barron’s top independent advisor and Hall of Fame advisor and Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors for high net worth for Atlanta
HOBBY Golf

Deborah Cicatelli
Senior Vice President
Regional Director, Mid-South Region
Raymond James & Associates

As the regional director, Deborah Cicatelli provides strategic direction and management to branch managers, financial advisors, and branch associates across Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia. She began her career with Raymond James in December 2018 as the divisional sales manager of the Southern division. She was promoted to her current role one year later and serves as an active member of the executive council at Raymond James. Cicatelli joined the financial services industry in 1995 through Morgan Stanley’s financial advisor training program. After building a successful solo practice in Southwest Florida, she transitioned to a management role. Since then, she has held a variety of leadership positions as district sales manager, branch manager, regional sales manager, and national strategic partnership director.

HOMETOWN Mount Vernon, New York
EDUCATION St. Thomas Aquinas College, New York

Michael Fierman
Managing Partner and Co-CEO
Angel Oak Companies

Michael Fierman is managing partner and co-CEO of Angel Oak Companies, a firm focused on credit opportunities within asset management, capital markets, and mortgage lending. The Atlanta native provides strategic direction and leadership to Angel Oak’s various businesses, with a focus on mortgage lending and asset management. Previously, Fierman was a cofounder of SouthStar Funding, a national wholesale mortgage lender specializing in non-agency mortgage products that funded as much as $6.5 billion annually in non-agency mortgages.

EDUCATION University of Georgia
INSPIRING PERSON My mother
HIDDEN TALENT I am an instrument-rated pilot.
WHAT I’D TELL MY 18-YEAR-OLD SELF Don’t chase money. Find your passion and surround yourself with the smartest people you can find. Good things will happen.

Aziz Hashim
Founder and Managing Partner
NRD Capital

Aziz Hashim is the managing partner of NRD
Capital, a private equity firm he founded in 2014 that invests in companies that offer compelling unit-level economics, as well as in technologies that improve the profitability of operators. Its portfolio includes iconic brands such as Ruby Tuesday and Frisch’s Big Boy, and fast-growing concepts like the Captain’s Boil.

EDUCATION University of California, Irvine
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS UCI Samueli School of Engineering Hall of Fame (2020), Nation’s Restaurant News Power List (2018), Restaurant Business Magazine Power 20 (2018)
FIRST JOB Burger King
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED Think beyond your current situation and project to where you wish to be.

Christine Hurtsellers
CEO
Voya Investment Management

Christine Hurtsellers is CEO of Voya Investment Management, the asset management business of Voya Financial, which helps Americans plan, invest, and protect their savings. In this leadership role, Hurtsellers drives the strategic direction and operational performance of Voya Investment Management, which manages approximately $310 billion in assets as of Sept. 30, 2023, for both affiliated and external institutions as well as individual investors. The firm, which has a more than 40-year history, is a top-25 manager of U.S. institutional and defined contribution assets across equities, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies and solutions. Hurtsellers also serves on Voya Financial’s executive committee.

EDUCATION Indiana University
HOMETOWN Fort Wayne, Indiana
WHY I CHOSE THIS WORK I participated in Junior Achievement, and I was the CFO of our JA company. I fell in love with finance as a result.

Donte Miller
Cofounder and President
Village Micro Fund

Donte Miller is president of the nonprofit Village Micro Fund, which he founded in 2014 with Nathan Jones and Robin McKinnie. The organization offers support and classes to entrepreneurs in underserved communities and uses crowdfunding to invest in small businesses. VMF also created a Worker’s Equity Fund that uses equity investments to turn small businesses into worker-owned cooperatives by selling shares back to employees. Previously, Miller has had work experience at Goldman Sachs, Google, and the Atlanta Micro Fund, and he’s been featured on WABE and in the Bitter Southerner. In 2022, Miller was included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

EDUCATION Morehouse College
FIRST JOB My first unofficial job was sweeping up hair at a local barbershop in the mall. My first real job was as an intern at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco right in the midst of Occupy Wall Street—so, a fun time.

David Nicholas
President and Founder
Nicholas Wealth Management

David Nicholas is the CEO and founder of Nicholas Wealth Management, a private wealth management firm that helps clients—from families to corporations—navigate the world of financial markets and economics. A sought-after commentator on financial and economic matters, Nicholas has been featured on CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Fox & Friends, and CBS News.

EDUCATION Kennesaw State University, University of Georgia (MS)
HOMETOWN Kennesaw
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT Member of the Buckhead Coalition’s Diplomatic Leadership Corps, a one-time honor given in recognition of the coalition’s 25th anniversary
FIRST JOB My lawn company I started at 15 years old

David Panton
Managing Partner
Navigation Capital Partners

David Panton is managing partner of Navigation Capital Partners’ SPAC Operations Group, which is focused on building a diversified portfolio of investments in special-purpose acquisitions companies using three strategies providing sponsor capital, leading investments in SPAC initial public offerings, and investing in and pricing private investments in public entities for SPACs. Panton is also a cofounder of Navigation Capital Partners and the chair of Panton Equity Partners, a private family office he founded in 2012. A former member of Jamaica’s Senate, Panton is also senior advisor–private equity for CEA Group and an adjunct professor of finance at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

EDUCATION Princeton University, Oxford University (PhD), Harvard Law School (JD)
HOMETOWN Mandeville, Jamaica
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Chef Rob’s Caribbean Cafe & Upscale Lounge

John Wright II
CEO and Managing Partner
Northwestern Mutual
Goodwin, Wright

John Wright II is CEO and managing partner of Northwestern Mutual Goodwin, Wright, which consistently ranks as a leading national financial planning firm focused on mitigating risk and growing generational wealth. The firm’s commitment to service has catapulted it to the number one slot among life insurance providers and number nine among financial planning and advisory firms in Atlanta. Today, Northwestern Mutual Goodwin, Wright has over $61 billion of life insurance in force. Under Wright’s leadership, assets under management have grown to more than $8.5 billion. Most notably, he is committed to a culture of respect and has earned meaningful awards including Most Admired CEO, Best Places to Work, Atlanta’s Healthiest Employers, and national and local diversity and inclusion corporate champion awards. Working closely with key company leaders, he is successfully changing the “face” of the financial planning industry through his commitment to attracting diverse professionals to the career.

PRIVATE COMPANIES

Photograph courtesy of individual

Arthur M. Blank
Owner and Chairman
Blank Family of Businesses
Founder
AMB Group

Best known as cofounder of the Home Depot, Arthur Blank is now widely recognized for his diverse businesses. The Arthur M. Blank Family of Businesses portfolio includes the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, PGA Tour Superstore, the Blank Family Foundation, Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, West Creek Ranch, Paradise Valley Ranch, the Ranch at Dome Mountain, and AMB Group, the parent company of Blank’s for-profit businesses. Blank and the Falcons, in partnership with the City of Atlanta and the State of Georgia, are the private funders of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The stadium is operated by Atlanta Falcons Stadium Co., a company also owned by AMB Group, and is home to the Falcons and Atlanta United. In 2023, Blank added Atlanta Drive GC to his portfolio. Atlanta Drive GC is Atlanta’s team in the new golf league TGL, which launches in early 2024 with a 15-match regular season, followed by semifinals and finals matches.

EDUCATION Babson College

Photograph courtesy of individual

Paul Brown
Cofounder and CEO
Inspire Brands

Paul Brown is cofounder and CEO of Inspire Brands, a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes approximately 32,000 Arby’s, Baskin-
Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and Sonic locations worldwide. Inspire is supported by more than 650,000 company team members and franchise employees.

EDUCATION Georgia Tech, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (MBA), Northwestern University McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science (MA)
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS International Foodservice Manufacturers Association Silver Plate Award (2018 ), Restaurant Business Restaurant Leader of the Year (2017), Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Southeast (2016)
NONPROFITS Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Tech Foundation, Metro Atlanta Chamber, Woodruff Arts Center, Buckhead Coalition, Commerce Club, Atlanta Police Foundation

Andrew T. Cathy
CEO
Chick-fil-A Inc.

Andrew T. Cathy became the third CEO in the history of Chick-fil-A Inc. in 2021, following in the footsteps of his father, current chairman Dan T. Cathy, and his late grandfather, founder S. Truett Cathy. With extensive experience working in Chick-fil-A restaurants and serving in multiple support center roles, Cathy is committed to ensuring the future of Chick-fil-A as a healthy, purpose-driven, global organization devoted to making a lasting, positive impact on the people and communities it serves. He is a member of Leadership Atlanta’s class of 2020.

EDUCATION University of Georgia
MOST INSPIRING PERSON My high school track coach. He made a significant impact on many lives including mine.
FAVORITE BOOK The Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

Dan T. Cathy
Chairman
Chick-fil-A Inc.

Dan T. Cathy is chairman of Chick-fil-A Inc., one of the nation’s largest family-owned businesses. He was previously the company’s chief executive officer, serving as CEO from 2013 until November 1, 2021, when his son Andrew T. Cathy became the third CEO in Chick-fil-A history. The son of Chick-fil-A Founder S. Truett Cathy, Cathy continues to build on his late father’s legacy as chairman, helping guide the business and supporting Chick-fil-A’s executive leaders. Cathy is the Atlanta Business Chronicle 2023 Most Admired CEO Lifetime Achievement Award winner. With Rodney Bullard, he recently founded the Same House, Inc., which hosts the annual Beloved Benefit in Atlanta and seeks to establish similar efforts in major cities throughout the U.S.

EDUCATION Georgia Southern University
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Sixteen years ago, I was significantly burned in an accident at my home. Through this I learned that our most difficult times in life can teach us profound things, that you’re never too busy for what’s important, and that it’s important to lead and live with gratitude.
HIDDEN TALENT I’m an avid trumpet player.

Susana Chavez
Executive Vice President and Partner
Park Place

Susana Chavez is executive vice president and partner at Park Place, a national transportation and real estate company with a strong presence in 18 markets across the United States. With her exceptional leadership and deep understanding of the revenue drivers in the niche market of parking assets, she has been instrumental in steering the company toward growth and success in an industry that is consolidating and rapidly evolving in the technology field. One of her notable achievements was spearheading a corporate initiative to update the technology of the urban markets and become an industry leader in innovative technology. Her strategic approach resulted in a 50 percent increase in revenues within her sector. Formerly, as general manager of parking operations, Chavez managed teams of up to 550 employees at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Throughout this period, her team won numerous awards, including four Top of Flight awards in her final year.

EDUCATION University of California, Berkeley
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Freedom Park Trail
BUCKET LIST Machu Picchu

René M. Diaz
President and CEO
Diaz Foods

René Diaz is president and CEO of Atlanta-based Diaz Foods, a specialty-foods distributor to restaurants and grocers in 28 states, with 400 employees and sales of $200 million. Diaz Foods was founded in 1980 and is a privately owned company. Diaz has served on the boards of Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, United Way of Greater Atlanta, Leadership Atlanta, and Emory Center for Ethics, among others. Born in Cuba, he came to the U.S. at age six.

EDUCATION Georgia State University
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 50 Most Influential Latinos in Georgia (2018), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta Legacy Award (2003), Leadership Atlanta class of 1994
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION Paris
HOBBIES Art collecting

Christian Fischer
President and CEO
Georgia-Pacific

Born and educated in Germany, Christian Fischer became president and CEO of Georgia-Pacific in 2017. He previously served as executive vice president of the packaging and cellulose segment, responsible for GP’s containerboard and kraft paper, corrugated packaging, bleached board, and cellulose businesses. He began his career with the company in 1989 as a market pulp sales manager in Europe. Fischer currently serves on boards for the American Forest & Paper Association, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and the Carter Center.

EDUCATION University of Hamburg, University of Düsseldorf
HIDDEN TALENT I once wanted to become a writer.
HOBBIES Listening to music, reading, watching movies, traveling, food

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S. Taylor Glover
President and CEO
Turner Enterprises

Taylor Glover is president and CEO of Turner Enterprises, a private company that manages Ted Turner’s business affairs. Glover has oversight of Turner Enterprises’ landholdings, financial investments, and business interests, and works closely with Turner’s philanthropic and charitable organizations, serving as an adviser to the boards of the UN Foundation, Nuclear Threat Initiative, and Turner Foundation. Previously Glover, a native of Newnan, was a senior vice president at Merrill Lynch, where he retired after nearly 30 years.

EDUCATION University of Georgia
HOBBIES Hunting, fishing, golf
NONPROFITS Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Woodruff Arts Center, Nature Conservancy of Georgia

Joe Guith
CEO
Church’s Texas Chicken

Named as CEO of Church’s Texas Chicken in 2022, Joe Guith brings over 30 years of experience in food service, consumer products, and retail. Church’s Texas Chicken is one of the world’s largest quick-service chicken restaurant chains with over 1,500 locations in 26 countries and global markets with systemwide sales of more than $1 billion. Guith was formerly restaurant category president for Focus Brands responsible for overseeing a portfolio of over 1,500 restaurants across the Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli, and Schlotzsky’s brands. Previously, he held brand president positions at McAlister’s Deli and Cinnabon. Additionally, Guith serves on the national board for Goodwill Industries International Inc.

EDUCATION University of Michigan (MBA)
HOMETOWN Troy, Michigan
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I’m a former child actor.
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION New York City, the most culturally diverse city in the world

Jim Hannan
President and CEO
Koch Industries Inc.

Named president and CEO of Koch Industries Inc. in 2023, Jim Hannan serves on the boards of Koch Industries and other Koch subsidiaries. Previously, he was executive vice president and CEO of Enterprises for Koch Industries, overseeing Georgia-Pacific, Infor, Molex, Koch Engineered Solutions, and Koch Investment Group as well as Koch Communications and Marketing, Koch Logistics, and Koch Public Affairs. His career with Koch began in 1998 in Koch Mineral Services, where he was chief financial officer, prior to being named president of INVISTA Intermediates in 2004. He joined Georgia-Pacific in 2005 as chief administrative officer and was promoted to CEO and president in 2007, leading one of the world’s top manufacturers and marketers of tissue, packaging, pulp, paper, cellulose, nonwovens, building products, and related chemicals.

EDUCATION California State University, East Bay

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Doug Hertz
President and CEO
United Distributors

Doug Hertz has been CEO of United Distributors since 1984. Under his leadership, the beverage distribution business has grown to be listed as one of the top 25 private companies in Atlanta. Hertz has demonstrated his commitment to community, having served on many boards including the boards of Atlantic Capital Bank, Camp Twin Lakes, Georgia Power, Georgia Ports Authority, Holly Lane Foundation, and the Marcus Foundation. In 2022, Morehouse College elected Hertz to its board of trustees. He has also served as chairman of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and is a minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. A native Atlantan, Hertz began his career with KPMG in New Orleans, working in the accounting and consulting services area.

EDUCATION Tulane University (MBA)
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT Hertz is chairman of Camp Twin Lakes, a facility he founded in 1989 for chronically ill and disadvantaged children.

Natalie Morhous
President
RaceTrac

As president of RaceTrac, Natalie Morhous is a third-generation leader in a 90-year-old, family-owned business. Founded in 1934 by Morhous’s grandfather Carl Bolch Sr., RaceTrac is one of the largest family-owned and operated convenience-and-fuel retail businesses in the South. Morhous joined the company in 2012, serving in a variety of roles including vice president of energy dispatch before becoming president in 2019. Previously, she worked as a strategy and management consultant in Washington, D.C.

EDUCATION Connecticut College, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (MBA)
HOMETOWN Atlanta
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT Convenience Store Products Retail Leader of the Year (2023)
FIRST JOB Camp counselor at Westminster Summer Camps in Atlanta

Farooq B. Mughal
Chairman and Managing Partner
Mughal Strategies Global Partners
Representative, District 105
Georgia House of Representatives

As chairman and managing partner of Mughal Strategies Global Partners, Farooq Mughal focuses his practice on government relations, business advisory, and public engagement. Since founding the firm in 2008, Mughal has built it into a government relations powerhouse that has come to be regarded as one of the state’s best. Mughal has worked with clients in nearly every sector of the economy, developing and executing business and government strategies on a diverse range of issues including international trade, agriculture, aviation, and technology. In 2022, Mughal, who is a member of Leadership Gwinnett’s class of 2021, was elected to represent District 105 in the Georgia House of Representatives. The first Muslim man to be elected to the state House, Mughal focused on veterans, law enforcement, and small business owners during his first legislative session.

EDUCATION Mercer University

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Gregg Paradies
President and CEO
Paradies Lagardère

Gregg Paradies is president and CEO of Paradies Lagardère, a leading airport travel retailer and restaurateur in North America with more than 850 stores and 170 restaurants and bars in more than 100 airports. With expertise in international, national, and local brands, Paradies Lagardère works with airport, brand, and supplier partners to create memorable and positive experiences for travelers. Gregg Paradies is responsible for the company’s overall business and ensuring that it continues its strong tradition of providing exceptional customer service, superior design, and award-winning store and restaurant operations and management

EDUCATION University of Texas at Austin
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED You cannot do wrong by doing right.
HOBBIES Outdoor sports

Donata Russell Ross
CEO
Concessions International

Donata Russell Ross is the CEO of Concessions International, a national food and beverage concessionaire that currently operates and manages facilities in eight major airports across the country. Russell Ross has been an integral part of Concessions International’s management team for more than 38 years and previously served as president. She’s also president of the Herman J. Russell Foundation—a family foundation named for Russell Ross’s father, the legendary Atlanta builder—which supports community initiatives and programs focusing on entrepreneurship, youth development, and mentoring. Russell Ross currently serves on the boards of Early Learning Property Management, Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), and H. J. Russell & Company.

EDUCATION University of Pennsylvania
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT One of a handful of African American women leading a food and beverage company

Tyler Scriven
Cofounder and CEO
Saltbox

Tyler Scriven is cofounder and CEO of Saltbox, an end-to-end logistics enablement network for small businesses. Some of Saltbox’s core offerings include a growing network of modern co-warehousing facilities and a broad range of small to medium-sized business friendly logistics services. Saltbox opened its first co-warehousing facility in December 2019 and now has 15 facilities across the country. Prior to founding Saltbox, Scriven served as the founding managing director of Techstars Atlanta, a global early-stage venture capital investment fund and chief of staff at Palantir Technologies, a big data analytics software provider. Scriven is a member of the board of directors of the Serenbe Land Corporation.

EDUCATION University of Virginia
HOMETOWN Jacksonville, Florida
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I’m an amateur interior designer.
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION Jamaica

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Alexander C. Taylor
Chairman and CEO
Cox Enterprises

Alex Taylor is chairman and CEO of Cox Enterprises, a broadband, media, and automotive-services company with nearly $20 billion in annual revenues and 50,000 employees worldwide. He has empowered company leaders to invest in Cox’s businesses to better serve customers, while championing new investments and mergers and acquisitions in companies focused on connectivity, mobility, and sustainability. Taylor is the great-grandson of former Ohio governor James M. Cox, who founded the company in 1898. The Georgia First Amendment Foundation, a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization, honored the Cox family with the 2022 Charles L. Weltner Freedom of Information Award, recognizing their more than eight decades of dedication to high-quality local journalism and open government in Georgia.

EDUCATION Vanderbilt University
FIRST JOB Reporter for the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel in Colorado

PUBLIC COMPANIES

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Mark Begor
CEO
Equifax

Mark Begor was named CEO of Equifax and a member of its board of directors in April 2018. He served previously as a managing director in the industrial and business services group at Warburg Pincus, a $40 billion private equity firm with more than 120 portfolio companies. Begor spent 35 years at GE, most recently as president and CEO of its $8 billion energy management business, and prior to that as president and CEO of GE Capital Real Estate. He also served as president and CEO of GE Capital Retail Finance (Synchrony Financial). Begor was a senior vice president and member of GE’s corporate executive council for 10 years, and a GE officer for 19 years. He also served as the chief financial officer at NBCUniversal Media and as GE’s Investor Relations leader, overseeing many acquisitions and dispositions.

EDUCATION Syracuse University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (MBA)

Ted Decker
Chair, President, and CEO
The Home Depot

Ted Decker is chair, president, and CEO of the Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer with more than 2,300 stores and approximately 475,000 associates. He is also a member of the company’s board of directors. From 2020 to 2022, Decker served as president and chief operating officer and was responsible for global store operations, global supply chain, outside sales and service, and real estate, as well as merchandising, marketing, and online strategy. While he was in this role, the company enhanced capabilities to blend the online and in-store worlds. Decker joined the Home Depot in 2000 as director of business valuation and has held several strategic positions across the company. Previously, Decker worked in business development, strategic planning, and finance at Kimberly-Clark Corp. and Scott Paper Co. and held various corporate finance, lending, and credit positions at PNC Bank. He has extensive international experience, having lived and worked in England and Australia. He currently sits on the Atlanta Committee for Progress board.

Paul Donahue
Chairman & CEO
Genuine Parts Company

Paul Donahue currently serves as chairman and CEO of Genuine Parts Company (NYSE GPC), a Fortune 200 global distributor of automotive and industrial parts. GPC serves its global customers from an extensive network of more than 10,000 locations in 17 countries and generates annual revenues of approximately $20 billion. Donahue was named chairman in April 2019 after being elected CEO in May 2016. He is a 20-year veteran of GPC and has held several key management positions, including executive leadership roles at S. P. Richards Company, Genuine Parts Company’s business products group, and the U.S. automotive parts group. His board memberships include Truist Bank’s board of directors, the Shepherd Center Foundation board of trustees, the Carlyle Fraser Heart Center advisory committee, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber.

EDUCATION University of Northern Iowa
NONPROFITS United Way and City of Refuge

Rob Lynch
President and CEO
Papa John’s International

Rob Lynch became president and CEO of Papa John’s International in August 2019. Prior to that, the Pittsburgh native had been brand president and chief marketing officer of Arby’s Restaurant Group Inc. before being named that company’s president in August 2017. He has also worked in marketing for Taco Bell, the Kraft Heinz Co., and Procter & Gamble. He was named Marketer of the Year by AdAge in 2015 and Outstanding Marketer of the Year in 2017 by PRWeek. In 2020 he was named Executive of the Year by Restaurant Dive and Most Transformational Brand by QSR Magazine. In 2021, Forbes named his company a Top Employer in the Pizza Industry.

EDUCATION University of Rochester (BA, MBA)
FIRST JOB Making pizzas
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I played college football.
HOBBIES Golf, reading, coffee drinking
FAVORITE TV SHOW Ted Lasso

Jennifer Mann
President, North America
The Coca-Cola Company

In January 2023 Jennifer Mann became the first woman to serve as president of the Coca-Cola Company’s North America operating unit. In her new role, Mann also serves as corporate senior vice president. Mann formerly served as president of Global Ventures, responsible for globally scaling acquisitions and brands, including Costa Coffee and Coca-Cola’s investment in Monster Beverage Corp. Mann has held a variety of leadership and operational roles, having joined Coca-Cola in 1997 as a manager in the National Customer Support division of North America.

EDUCATION Georgia State University
HOMETOWN Atlanta
FIRST JOB Chick-fil-A
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION The Bahamas
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Fox Theatre

Chris Peterson
President and CEO
Newell Brands

Chris Peterson is president and CEO of Newell Brands and a member of its board of directors. With an extensive background in corporate strategy, financial planning, operations, and management, and a deep understanding of the consumer goods industry, Peterson joined Newell in December 2018 as chief financial officer. He was named CFO and president, Business Operations, in February 2020 and president and CFO in May 2022. He assumed the position of president and CEO in May 2023. Since joining Newell, Peterson has played an integral role in the company’s turnaround by strengthening financial performance, building operational excellence and a culture of productivity, reducing complexity, and transforming Newell’s supply chain capabilities. Before Newell, Peterson held top roles with Revlon Inc., Ralph Lauren, and Procter & Gamble. Peterson is a board member of BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc.

EDUCATION Cornell University
HOMETOWN Cincinnati, Ohio
FIRST JOB Lawn mowing business in high school
BUCKET LIST A trip to New Zealand

Dimitris Psillakis
Head of Marketing and Sales North America and CEO
Mercedes-Benz USA

Dimitris Psillakis is head of marketing and sales North America and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Atlanta. Psillakis has overall responsibility for Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans in the United States and leads over 1,600 employees throughout the U.S. Previously, Psillakis was president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada, and before that served as president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea. Under his leadership, the South Korean market grew to become the fifth largest market in the world for Mercedes-Benz cars.

EDUCATION University of Kent at Canterbury, University of London (MBA)
HOMETOWN Athens, Greece
FAVORITE MOVIE Finding Nemo
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Coming to terms with the fact that I’m not German after working at a German company for over 30 years.

James Quincey
President and CEO
The Coca-Cola Co.

James Quincey is chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Co. Before becoming CEO in 2017, he led the company’s worldwide operating units as president and chief operating officer. Previously, Quincey was president of Coca-Cola’s Europe Group, comprising 38 countries including the EU, the European Free Trade Association countries, and the Balkans. The United Kingdom native also played a leading role in the merger that formed Coca-Cola European Partners, now the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler based on net revenues.

EDUCATION University of Liverpool
HOBBIES I love skiing. My family and I have been going to Colorado for over 25 years.
FAVORITE MOVIE The Matrix
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Atlanta BeltLine

Jeffrey Sprecher
Chairman and CEO
Intercontinental Exchange
Chairman
New York Stock Exchange

Jeff Sprecher is founder, chairman, and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE ICE) and chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. Formed in 2000, ICE is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds, and operates digital networks to connect people to opportunity. Through ICE’s exchanges, including the NYSE, and clearinghouses, they help people invest, raise capital, and manage risk. ICE’s comprehensive fixed income data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics, and platforms to help customers capitalize on opportunities and operate more efficiently. Sprecher has served as CEO since 2000 and chairman since 2002 and continues to transform, streamline, and automate industries. In 2005, ICE completed its initial public offering on the NYSE and today has a market capitalization of over $75 billion.

EDUCATION University of Wisconsin-Madison, Pepperdine University (MBA)

Carol Tomé
CEO
UPS

Carol Tomé was named CEO of UPS in 2020, becoming the 12th chief executive in the company’s century-plus history as well as the first woman to hold the top job. Previously, Tomé was executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Home Depot, which she joined in 1995 as vice president and treasurer. A native of Jackson, Wyoming, Tomé began her career as a commercial lender with United Bank of Denver (now Wells Fargo) and then spent several years as director of banking for the Johns Manville corporation. She serves on the boards of Grady Hospital, Atlanta Botanical Garden, and other local organizations.

EDUCATION University of Wyoming, University of Denver (MBA)
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS At the Home Depot, Tomé helped increase sales almost eightfold to more than $110 billion, and delivered a 450 percent increase in shareholder value.

RETAIL

Ann Mashburn
Chief Creative Officer
Mashburn

Ann Mashburn, chief creative officer of Mashburn LLC, began her career in New York in 1984 as an assistant to Vogue fashion editor and stylist Polly
Mellen. She subsequently served as an editor and stylist for Glamour, then as a stylist for J.Crew—where she met her husband, Sid. The couple moved to Atlanta in 2007 and opened the Sid Mashburn men’s shop. Ann served as chief financial officer and chief operating officer during the first three years, and in 2010 she opened the Ann Mashburn shop as a women’s counterpoint. Ann and Sid shops are also in Houston, Dallas, New York City, and Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

EDUCATION University of Colorado Boulder

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Sid Mashburn
Executive Chairman and Designer
Mashburn

Sid Mashburn serves as executive chairman and designer of Mashburn LLC. He began his career in New York as the first men’s designer at J.Crew and was subsequently recruited to Polo Ralph Lauren. Mashburn went on to serve as vice president of design at Tommy Hilfiger and senior vice president of design at Lands’ End. In 2007 Mashburn and his wife, Ann, moved to Atlanta, where they opened the men’s shop Sid Mashburn. In 2010, they expanded the business with Ann Mashburn, a women’s line and shop, followed by the launch of e-commerce sites in 2011 to serve the brand’s expanding customer base outside of Atlanta. Ann and Sid shops are also in Houston, Dallas, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

EDUCATION University of Mississippi

TECHNOLOGY

Romil Bahl
President and CEO
KORE

Romil Bahl serves as president and CEO of KORE, bringing nearly 30 years of experience delivering high growth among SaaS and IoT companies. His passion for bringing strategy and innovation together has fueled a long list of leadership accomplishments in the technology sector. Prior to KORE, Bahl served as president and CEO of Lochbridge, a leading technology consulting and solutions provider in the IoT and digital enablement space. Before that, as executive vice president and general manager of Global Industries for CSC, Bahl led the industry go-to-market dimension across the $9 billion commercial business unit, creating global growth strategies and expanding CSC’s global footprint into offerings such as cloud, cybersecurity, and big data.

EDUCATION Directorate of Marine Engineering & Technology, The University of Texas at Austin (MBA)

Kabir Barday
Founder, President, and CEO
OneTrust

Kabir Barday is the founder and CEO of OneTrust, a privacy, security, and third-party risk technology platform utilized by 14,000 customers around the globe. Headquartered in Atlanta and London, OneTrust employs over 2,000 people in North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. Barday, who founded the company in 2016, oversees all aspects of OneTrust’s product development, operations, and sales internationally. Since its founding, the company has been awarded over 200 patents and acquired nine companies. In 2022, OneTrust was recognized in the Forbes Cloud 100 list. Barday sits on the advisory boards for the Future of Privacy Forum, the Center for Information Policy Leadership, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, the Cloud Security Alliance, and Shared Assessments. Additionally, Barday is a member of the Aspen Institute’s 2023 class of Henry Crown Fellows.

EDUCATION Georgia Tech

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Mark Buffington
Managing Partner
BIP Ventures

Mark Buffington is the founder of BIP Capital and the managing partner of BIP Ventures. Since its founding in 2006, Mark Buffington has led the venture capital firm to its position as the region’s most active venture capital firm and one of the most recognized brands in venture capital outside of Silicon Valley. He has led investment rounds in more than 80 companies in numerous industries: healthcare, digital media, ed tech, enterprise SaaS, fintech, and advanced computing. Notable investments include Vendormate, Ingenious Med, QA Symphony/Tricentis, PlayOn! Sports, Huddle Tickets, Tropical Smoothie Café, Cypress.io, ConnexPay, REACH Health, Trella Health, Shareholder InSite, and Aspirion Health Resources.

EDUCATION Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, Tulane University (MBA)
FIRST JOB International business analyst for Total System Services

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Eddie Capel
President and CEO
Manhattan Associates

Eddie Capel serves as president and CEO of Manhattan Associates and is a member of its board of directors. Prior to assuming his current role in 2013, Capel helped lead the company as president and chief operating officer, and previously served as COO and executive vice president. Before joining Manhattan Associates in 2000, he held various positions at Real Time Solutions, leading teams that supported the supply chain strategies of companies such as Walmart, Amazon, and J.C. Penney. In 2023, Capel was elected to serve as chair of the board of Skyline Champion Corporation.

FIRST JOB Pumping gas
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Managing through the Covid-19 pandemic
INSPIRING PERSON Bill Dixon, A former boss
BUCKET LIST Learning to pole-vault

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David Cummings
Partner
Atlanta Ventures

David Cummings is an Atlanta-based tech entrepreneur who has founded 10 companies collectively valued at nearly $1 billion, including Pardot, SalesLoft, and Terminus. He’s also the founder of the Atlanta Tech Village—the U.S.’s fourth-largest tech hub—and the largest investor in Calendly, the world’s most popular scheduling app. After selling Pardot, he was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and one of the 100 Most Influential Atlantans by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Cummings is a partner in Atlanta Ventures, which invests in subscription companies in the Southeast.

EDUCATION Duke University
HOMETOWN Tallahassee, Florida
FIRST JOB Mowing yards
LESSON LEARNED The importance of corporate culture and building a great team
HIDDEN TALENT Wakeboarding and wakesurfing

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Allyson Eman
CEO
Venture Atlanta

Allyson Eman has more than 30 years of experience in marketing, communications, sales leadership, and business development. In 2007, she became executive director for the newly created Venture Atlanta annual conference and was promoted to CEO in January 2020. Eman has worked with key business leaders across the country and founding organizations—the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Atlanta CEO Council, and the Technology Association of Georgia—to build Venture Atlanta, which is now the largest venture capital conference in the Southeast, with over 1,200 attendees including venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and senior business executives. Previously, Eman was senior vice president of marketing and communications for SouthStar Funding, an Atlanta-based wholesale mortgage lender.

EDUCATION University of Florida
FAVORITE MOVIE Legally Blonde

Justin Ferrero
President and Chief Financial Officer
Sharecare

Atlanta native Justin Ferrero has led financial operations at digital health company Sharecare since its founding in 2010. He’s responsible for technology, finance, corporate development, and strategic partnerships. In 2021, he co-led the execution of the company’s public offering, resulting in its Nasdaq debut. For the past 21 years, Ferrero has worked closely with serial entrepreneur Jeff Arnold, Sharecare’s executive chairman, overseeing all matters related to finance and corporate development for Arnold’s businesses—raising an estimated $2 billion and buying, integrating, and building approximately 30 businesses.

EDUCATION University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
FIRST JOB Dishwasher at OK Cafe
HOBBIES Spending time with my kids, Finn and Banks
NONPROFITS Casa de Amoro, which supports those affected by child abuse and neglect

JP James
Founder and Chairman
Hive Financial Systems

JP James is the founder and chairman of the financial technology company Hive Financial Systems, which provides end-to-end financial automation software including marketing, underwriting, loan management, and analytics architecture to a closely held portfolio of lenders. Under James’s leadership, Hive grew almost 8,000 percent in revenue between 2017 and 2020. The coauthor of two patents and a visiting lecturer at Georgia State University and Georgia Tech, he is also chair of Libreum International, a multinational conglomerate with multiple global offices and hundreds of employees serving in advisory capacities for capital markets, IT and software development, accounting and bookkeeping services, and operational consulting.

EDUCATION Georgia Tech
FIRST JOB Computer teacher at 12 years old at Peters Township Public Library
HOMETOWN Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Paul Judge
Chairman
Open Opportunity Fund

Paul Judge is a technology entrepreneur and investor. He has co-founded three companies that were acquired and has invested in over 100 companies. Paul is chairman of Open Opportunity Fund, a venture fund focused on Black- and Latinx-founded companies. Judge is also cofounder of Greenwood and Pindrop. Previously, he cofounded Purewire, which was acquired by Barracuda Networks in 2008. Prior to this, he was the chief technology officer at CipherTrust, which was acquired by Secure Computing in 2006. Additionally, Judge is a member of the 2016 class of Henry Crown Fellows and the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.

EDUCATION Morehouse College, Georgia Tech (MS, PhD)

Lynne Laube
Operating Partner
Valor Ventures

Lynne Laube joined Valor Ventures as operating partner in 2022. Valor is a growing venture capital firm supporting B2B SaaS businesses. In her role, Laube focuses on advising business founders, serving on portfolio company boards, leading Valor’s venture partner network, and attracting new talent. Laube was the cofounder and director of Cardlytics, an advertising platform in banks’ digital channels. After taking the company public in 2018, Laube led Cardlytics through numerous accomplishments, including partnering with some of the largest banks in the country, increasing the platform’s reach to over 150 million monthly active users, and bolstering the leadership team and board of directors. Before cofounding Cardlytics in 2008 with Scott Grimes, Laube held many positions with Capital One.

EDUCATION University of Cincinnati, University of Virginia Darden School of Business
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Laube earned honors from Business Insider as one of the key executives driving the country’s most promising start-ups and from Inc. as a top-10 venture-backed female founder.

Stephen Pair
Cofounder and CEO
BitPay

Stephen Pair is the CEO of BitPay, the world’s leading provider of bitcoin payment technology. In 2011, Pair cofounded BitPay with Tony Gallippi because he saw bitcoin’s potential to transform payments for businesses and consumers. As CEO, he directs the day-to-day operations as well as the long-term vision of BitPay, from research and engineering to product development and information technology. Pair has over 20 years of experience building software systems in the financial and telecommunications industries. Before founding BitPay, he held various roles including entrepreneur, architect, manager, team lead, and developer. He holds two patents in the field of streaming analytics.

EDUCATION Georgia Tech
HOMETOWN Cumming, Georgia
FIRST JOB Fry cook at Captain D’s
HIDDEN TALENT Wake-surfing
FAVORITE MOVIES Star Wars
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Georgia Aquarium

Heather Rocker
President and CEO
Women in Technology

Heather Rocker served as the organization’s first executive director from 2007 to 2011. Since then, she has served as CEO of Girls Inc. of Greater Atlanta, where she significantly expanded volunteer recruitment and fundraising. She later transitioned to corporate leadership as managing principal at SEI-ATLANTA. And in 2019, she returned to the nonprofit sector as executive director of the Drupal Association. Most recently, she served as the Global Head of Operations for Amazon’s Alexa Prize program, an AI competition for universities. She returned to WIT as president and CEO in 2023.

EDUCATION Georgia Tech
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Board president, Georgia FIRST Robotics; board member:Tech Association of Georgia Diversity & Inclusion Council, TAG Education Collaborative, and Georgia Tech Alumni Association; Leadership Atlanta Classof 2019; Inspirator Category Winner, Turknett Leadership Character Awards

Justin E. Samuels
Founder and CEO
Render-Atlanta

Justin E. Samuels is a technologist and influencer of all things software engineering and underrepresented groups in technology. Having started one of the fastest growing multicultural conferences in the country, Render-Atlanta (RenderATL), Samuels amplifies the presence of technology in the southern United States while emphasizing culture and inclusion. Launched in 2021, RenderATL is described as a software engineering experience featuring good vibes, great music, and expert speakers on tech, leadership, inclusion, and accessibility. Samuels is also a full-time senior engineer and tech lead at Intuit Mailchimp, where he helps empower small and medium-sized enterprises on their marketing platform.

EDUCATION Mississippi State University
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT Created an economic impact of $2.1 million to the local Atlanta economy during the second year of RenderATL; 98 percent of which included local and Black service providers
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I’m a first-generation immigrant by way of my father who is from Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Sanjay Sehgal
Founder and CEO
MSys Technologies

Sanjay Sehgal is the founder and CEO of MSys Technologies—which designs, develops, and manages modern distributed systems and complex integrations. An entrepreneur, start-up adviser, and motivational speaker with more than two decades of tech experience, Sehgal also founded Pramana and cofounded FarCare and Scentric, and successfully acquired tech companies including Clogeny and DigiFutura. In 2022 and 2023, Sehgal was recognized as a top CEO in Georgia Titan 100. Additionally, Sehgal is a member of Forbes Business Council.

EDUCATION University of Delhi
HOMETOWN New Delhi, India
HOBBIES Meditation
HIDDEN TALENT I love singing and dancing.
FAVORITE BOOK Designing Destiny: Heartfulness Practices to Find Your Purpose and Fulfill Your Potential by Kamlesh D. Patel

Nashlie Sephus
Principal AI Tech Evangelist
Amazon

Nashlie Sephus is the tech evangelist for Amazon Artificial Intelligence (AI) focusing on fairness and identifying biases at Amazon Web Services AI. She formerly led the Amazon Visual Search team as an applied scientist in Atlanta, which launched visual search for replacement parts on the Amazon shopping app in June 2018. This technology was a result of former Atlanta startup Partpic, for which she was the chief technology officer, being acquired by Amazon. Prior to working at Partpic, she worked for Exponent, an engineering and scientific consulting firm, in New York City. Her core research areas were digital signal processing, machine learning, and computer engineering.

EDUCATION Mississippi State University, Georgia Tech (MS, PhD)
HOMETOWN Jackson, Mississippi
FIRST JOB Playing the piano for my church
FAVORITE ATLANTA PLACE TO VISIT Piedmont Park

Rania Succar
Chief Executive Officer
Intuit Mailchimp

Succar is Intuit Mailchimp’s chief executive officer and senior vice president of the QuickBooks Money Platform. A strategic leader with a proven track record in driving growth, Succar came to Intuit to build and grow the QuickBooks Capital business, leading the successful launch in November 2017. Today, Succar leads a comprehensive portfolio of money movement businesses at Intuit, including QuickBooks Payments and Mailchimp. In 2021, Intuit acquired Mailchimp, and in 2022, Succar was named CEO after Mailchimp cofounder Ben Chestnut decided to step back from his role. Prior to joining Intuit, Succar oversaw product commercialization and go-to-market strategy for YouTube’s multibillion-dollar advertising business in North America. Succar began her career as an investment banker with Merrill Lynch advising technology companies.

EDUCATION Harvard University (MBA, MPA)

Michael E. Tabb
Director, Corporate Real Estate, Americas
Google

Tabb is responsible for developing all of Google’s corporate real estate strategies in the Americas, and for executing real estate transactions in a manner that maximizes the technology leader’s ability to create value while optimizing the company’s real estate portfolio. Before Google, Tabb founded Red Rock Global, making it one of the most creative and successful full-service commercial real estate firms in the United States. Previously, Tabb served as director of real estate asset services for the Coca-Cola Company, where he was responsible for the company’s real estate activities worldwide. Prior to entering commercial real estate, Tabb proudly served the country in the United States Navy as a lieutenant commander in public affairs, and as a surface warfare officer. He deployed to the Mediterranean twice, supporting Operation Desert Storm and serving as an assault boat group commander.

EDUCATION United States Naval Academy, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (MBA)
HOMETOWN Oxon Hill, Maryland
FEW PEOPLE KNOW I am a Lake Charles- trained gumbo maker and lover

Dawn Whaley
President and Chief Marketing Officer
Sharecare

Dawn Whaley has been at digital health company Sharecare since its founding. She participates in the development of the overall corporate strategy and is directly responsible for marketing, strategic partnerships, and business development. Previously, Whaley was executive vice president of marketing and strategic relationships for the website HowStuffWorks, where she helped manage operations and corporate development efforts, including business development and marketing strategy. Selected as an Atlanta Business Chronicle Women of Influence honoree in 2022, Whaley currently serves on the boards of Forbes Travel Guide and Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

EDUCATION University of Georgia
NONPROFITS Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research and Walk to Defeat ALS, for which “Team Queen B,” honoring Dawn’s late mother, Betsy, holds the record for the largest amount ever raised by a team in Georgia.

Larry Williams
President and CEO
Technology Association of Georgia

Larry Williams is president and CEO of the Technology Association of Georgia, bringing to the job more than 25 years of experience in global branding, international trade and finance, public and industrial policy, and administration and management. In 2023, TAG launched its Bridge Builders program, a new training partnership designed to enable employers to access a more diverse pool of qualified tech talent. Additionally, the initiative includes a scholarship program aimed at bridging career opportunity gaps for Black professionals. As former president and CEO of the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County’s official economic development partnership, Williams helped create a new development framework to help the area grow and secure investments in today’s innovation economy, resulting in $687 million in new investment, 119 company relocations or expansions, and more than 4,500 new jobs. From 2011 to 2014, Williams was vice president of technology development at the Metro Atlanta Chamber.

EDUCATION North Carolina State University

Joey Womack
Founder and CEO
Goodie Nation

Joey Womack is the founder and CEO of Goodie Nation, a nonprofit that accelerates relationships for social entrepreneurs and diverse founders, and the founder and CEO of Amplify 4 Good, a mission-driven agency that helps large companies, nonprofits, and government agencies create social impact. With a goal to positively affect 1 billion people by 2039, Womack has worked with clients including Google, Coca-Cola, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Ford Motor Co. He is also the cofounder of the Atlanta Black Tech initiative, serving as co-lead for the start-ups and K-12 divisions. In 2023, Mayor Andre Dickens presented Womack with the Community Icon Award from Google For Startups. The first recipient of this award, he also received $100,000 to further his work to support Atlanta’s community of entrepreneurs.

EDUCATION Florida A&M University (MBA)
FIRST JOB Sears call center customer support

Jason W. Young
CEO
MindBlown Labs Innovation Partners

Jason W. Young is the cofounder and CEO of MindBlown Labs, an Atlanta-based financial wellness innovation lab whose mission is to empower Americans to make better financial decisions and achieve enduring financial wellness as a result. The company partners with financial institutions to develop digital solutions that connect with users on an emotional level, driving positive saving and investing behaviors. A member of the board of trustees of the National Endowment for Financial Education, Young was appointed by Barack Obama in 2014 to serve on the newly created President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans.

EDUCATION Harvard College
WHY I CHOSE THIS WORK My family struggled with money. During college, those struggles came to a head when, the day after Christmas, my family was evicted. That experience impressed upon me the need to make better financial decisions and help others do the same.

LEGENDS

Jeff Arnold
Arnold founded WebMD and grew it into a $1 billion revenue company. Next came the Convex Group, a media and internet investment organization that acquired HowStuffWorks, then sold it to Discovery Communications, which helped launch his next venture, Sharecare. In 2021, the company went public. Today, he is Sharecare’s executive chairman and chairman of Forbes Travel Guide. Brent Layton, formerly of Centene Corporation, replaced him as Sharecare CEO this year.

J. Veronica Biggins
Biggins is the managing partner of the Atlanta office of Diversified Search. Previously, she served as director of presidential personnel and assistant to President Bill Clinton. She was also vice chair of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.

Michael J. Coles
After a career in the clothing business, Coles founded the Great American Cookie Co. with Arthur Karp in 1977. They grew an initial $8,000 investment into the nation’s largest cookie store franchise. He has chaired the Georgia Film Commission and served on the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, the Kennesaw State University Foundation Board, and the Walker School Board.

Alan Dabbiere
Dabbiere has more than 20 years of experience in building successful software companies, holding more than 25 patents or patent applications on supply chain, logistics, and enterprise mobility software. He’s a founder and past chairman of AirWatch, an enterprise mobility management provider. He also founded Manhattan Associates, the world’s leading supply chain execution software company.

David Dabbiere
Dabbiere has helped guide numerous technology startups and was chief operating officer at enterprise mobility management provider AirWatch, where he played a key role in the company’s 2014 sale to VMware. Dabbiere was previously senior vice president and chief legal officer for Manhattan Associates, where he assisted the company’s successful initial public offering.

Lonnie G. Johnson
Johnson earned his master’s degree in nuclear engineering from Tuskegee University and went on to work for the U.S. Air Force and the NASA space program. Experimenting with high-powered water guns, he invented the bestselling Super Soaker.

Kevin Knaus
Knaus is an accomplished fashion-industry professional with expertise in trend forecasting, retail management, event planning, marketing, education, and international public speaking. He’s achieved success in developing and capitalizing on emerging trends in fabrics, apparel, home, luxury, and entertainment.

Sig Mosley
As president of Imlay Investments and then managing partner of Mosley Ventures, Mosley has invested in 120 start-ups since 1990—making him one of Atlanta’s most active angel investors. He helped nurture the city’s technology industry.

Tripp Rackley
Rackley is an accomplished technology entrepreneur. He’s founded multiple successful companies, including nFront, Firethorn, Experience, and Clutch Technologies. He has been inducted into the Bank Technology News Innovators Hall of Fame, the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia, and the Technology Association of Georgia’s FinTech Hall of Fame.