“We are thrilled to bring one of the world’s best sporting events back to Atlanta for a fifth time. There will be plenty of activities for everyone to take part in, whether or not you have a ticket to the games, or even if you’re not a basketball fan. Once again, it’s going to be an incredibly exciting time for the community and we look forward to working with our partners once again in Atlanta.” — Dan Gavitt, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball
“We are dedicated to serving Atlanta through volunteer projects and community initiatives like the Final Four Legacy Project presented by AXE as Atlanta plays host to the Final Four. The NCAA Final Four is the perfect opportunity to give back to the communities our student athletes call home and support community organizations, like the Boys & Girls Club, that support youth basketball and other activities.” — Ellen Lucey, NCAA Director of Championships and Alliances, Corporate Relations, Marketing and Branding
“Today, sports in Atlanta continue to energize the entire community from cheering on our home teams and hosting major sporting events. Atlanta is amid an epic run, and we continue to look ahead. It’s just the beginning here.” — Dan Corso, President, Atlanta Sports Council
“Georgia has had an amazing surge of both game development studios and eSports events. We also had some of the world’s most watched eSports events, including ELEAGUE, HRX (Hi-Rez Expo) and BCX (Brawlhalla World Championship). ” — Andrew Greenberg, President, Georgia Game Developers Association
“There is a great employee base in Atlanta. We have a broad interest in the wide assortment of skills in the region… Georgia won the #1 state for business in the U.S. It’s not complicated to see why we work in Atlanta.” — James Quincey, Chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company
“Atlanta is a great place to do business. It’s also important for us to be in a place that has talent and a business-friendly environment.” — Elie Maalouf, CEO of the Americas region at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
“The success I’ve had could have only emerged out of the City of Atlanta. Why? Atlanta has been home to me and my family for many years. From my early days as a young man, I recognized that I wanted to build something special in Atlanta. Before the world caught on, I realized that Atlanta had a special quality and was on the cusp of a transformation.” — Ted Turner, Founder, CNN
“Atlanta is built on cool and a beat. That’s how the city flows.” — Jermaine Dupree, Musician, Atlanta Native
“Companies want to be here where they can have access to the talent and the human capital that’s available at Georgia Tech, where they can have access to the creative ideas, that are being developed in the research laboratories and certainly the energy that our young, bright, wonderful students bring to the table.” — Bud Peterson, Former President, Georgia Institute of Technology
“Atlanta employees stand out from other regions through creativity, hard work and team orientation. Atlanta companies act for the betterment of the community because they understand the community is the foundation for good business and always will be. Is there an Atlanta business spirit? Yes, it is entrepreneurial and built to last. Customer satisfaction comes first, second and third.” — Terrence Hahn, Chief Executive Officer, Axalta Coating System
“In order for us to serve all the patients around the world, we needed to expand our manufacturing footprint. Georgia impressed us with their commitment and collaboration to develop a cutting-edge training center like this. We’ve taken the best thinking and best practices from other facilities and really made this the state of the art best-in-class version.” — Jacopo Leonardi, Chairman and CEO, ActivCore
“The reasons Tripwire was founded in Georgia are lost in the mists of time. But 10 years in, it is easy to justify. Apart from low costs, superb transport hub and a continuous flow of high-quality graduates from the schools, you also have a state legislature that is firmly behind a growth agenda in technology in general, supporting the surging growth in the entertainment industry with the best incentive programs in the country, if not the world.” — Alan Wilson, Vice President, Tripwire Interactive
“Atlanta has a confluence of digital media companies, startup culture, top-notch higher education and city size unmatched anywhere in the world. Atlanta was our choice because we valued the ability to network with technology and video game industry innovators, to recruit top tier talent and access to a major travel gateway.” — Stephen Johnston, Founder/CTO, Launch Media Network
“It’s great to be an exporter here in Atlanta. We’ve found that there is a tremendous amount of resources available for small- and medium- sized businesses to help you learn how to export and grow your sales. We’ve gained access to a wealth of resources and expertise that have really helped to not only encourage but also facilitate our growth in exporting.” — Jim Hall, CEO, Triatek
“I would absolutely encourage local start-up companies here in Atlanta and Georgia to consider exporting their services and products abroad. With the number of resources that are available, including global corporations and the relationships and resources that they have available for local companies, it makes Atlanta a prime place to spring into the global market place” — Alex Valdez, CPA, CMA, CFO & Business Development Leader, Trust Stamp
“Having spent my career in California, New York and overseas, I have been pleasantly surprised by the desire and willingness of the local business community in Atlanta to aid other local businesses. I have never seen this sense of community purpose, and it is quite refreshing.” — Adam Roseman, Co-Founder & CEO, Steady
“Atlanta is a vibrant and growing international city with a diverse culture. We will use the region’s transportation network and deep pool of talent to deliver ASOS’ best-in-class service to U.S. customers.” — Brent Dorfman, Vice President of Logistics, ASOS.com
“I have noticed that supporting the various communities across ATL is ‘baked in’ to the way that people do business here. It’s refreshing to see companies giving back on a regular basis, be that in monetary terms or in time or services. Truly a sight to behold! The ATL business spirit is like no other I’ve experienced. Colleagues, and in most cases, competitors are always on hand to lend a hand, give advice and also pass over some of the energy which encapsulates this wonderful city. Our experience of setting up our U.S. HQ here in ATL has been wholly positive and one to recommend. The customer or user is at the heart of every decision we make as a company. Be that in the boardroom or our operations. Without our customers and users, we cannot continue to progress as a vibrant and forwardfacing company.” — Jamie Clarke, COO, SKignz
“Show me another major U.S. city that has quick access to a large number of highly talented, creative people and a 30% tax break.” — Matt Thompson, Principal/Executive Producer, Archer
“I’m always asking, ‘Where is my current workforce 10 years from now?’ Our key partner was [Georgia] Quick Start (the no. 1 workforce training program in the U.S.). We put our heads together and packaged a 1.5-year maintenance certificate program. This puts Georgia in a lead position to say, ‘Now we have something nobody else has – workforce availability with that [specific] skill set.” — Randy Jackson, Senior Vice President, HR and Administration, KIA Motors
“Atlanta offers us access to some of the brightest and most innovative software talent in the U.S. Honeywell is thrilled to be launching a state-of-the-art agile software-driven product development center in Georgia to create leading-edge software offerings based on the latest Cloud, Mobility and Analytics technology.” — Krishna Mikkilinen, Senior Vice President of Engineering Operations and IT, Honeywell
“In Atlanta, there's no limitation to where you can take your music. You can be as creative as you want to be.” — Future, Musician, Atlanta Native
“Atlanta's my musical home. It really was the place where I really came alive.” — John Mayer, Musician, Atlanta Native
“Atlanta's a great city to cultivate your own thing - from fashion to music to food.” — Brian Tyree Henry, “Atlanta” Actor
“Coming from a small town it was tough to dream big. When I grew up in a small town in Georgia, my biggest dream was one day to be able to go to Atlanta.” — Herschel Walker, former NFL football player
“Atlanta is uniquely situated in these times. Government, philanthropic business and other resources are all working hand-in-hand.” — Rodney Slater, Former United States Secretary of Transportation
“Working as a CNN Studios tour guide, I think about customer service every day. It’s different for every job, but CNN is not just a media company, it’s an Atlanta institution – I try to work in a great deal of history and insight into why we started in Atlanta, and why those of us who work here love this city. Atlanta is a city powered by media, though you might not know that if you didn’t live here. Every morning, I drive in knowing I’ll be working in the vicinity of a number of incredible creators, writers, journalists, musicians and artists.” — Joe Youorski, CNN Studios
“We have the best workforce in the world right here in Georgia. As a result of [our] expansions, we can now say that our flagship, the new G650, was designed and built in Georgia. We started with 100 employees, and today, more than 9,200 of our 14,000 employees are in Georgia.” — Ira Berman, Senior Vice President, Administration and General Counsel, Gulfstream
“[Being in Atlanta and Roswell] gives us a great ability to attract highly skilled talent that want to be here and want to be a part of the GM transformation. Clearly Atlanta has a number of those, and that’s what we’re really looking at where the talent is and where are the people who have already been recognized as having great graduates. We want to make this a great place for them to work.” — Randy Mott, SVP, Global Information Technology and CIO, General Motors Company
“The city of Atlanta has always had a good spirit.” — Ivan Allen, Jr.
“Atlanta is known in the Southeast for having a major tech presence, and not just for the region – the ecosystem here has an international impact. I work as a software developer at Tin Roof Software. Being around my peers there as well as at Tech Square and Atlanta Tech Village is a great feeling. I feel secure in building a career here because of just how welcoming it is to innovators large and small.” — Yaw Agyepong, Tin Roof Software
“Today’s the day where we bring our 127-year history, and we plant our flag here in Atlanta, Georgia. People ask me why and I say, ‘Well really it’s not just one thing, it’s all the things added up. It’s the business environment, it’s the quality of life, it’s the infrastructure.’ Atlanta is a premier city which provides the perfect foundation to write the next chapter of our success story here in the U.S.” — Steve Cannon, Chief Executive Officer, AMB Group, LLC
“As we find that we’re recruiting people here in Georgia, the fact that we’re doing mobile and security and cloud technologies, that’s triple word score for these employees. This is keeping Atlanta’s best, brightest and best educated. The investments that Georgia is making into the school systems, Georgia Tech and the hope scholarships are keeping these bright and talented people here in Georgia so that the investments that are made in their education are paying dividends during their career, building great technologies and creating high-paying jobs here in Georgia.” — Alan Dabbiere, Chairman, OneTrust, Founder, Manhattan Associates
“I’ve noticed that there are less obstacles to getting things done in Atlanta. It is a city with a lot to prove and wants to compete with the cities on the East Coast and West Coast, so the little things that can get in the way aren’t a factor in Atlanta. It is a city that has been on a tremendous growth curve for decades and is not making the mistakes that usually cause a city to lose its edge. The diversified economy, the acceptance of newcomers, positive views towards business and business success, and strong leadership from local business leaders go a long way towards preserving that. My wife and I keep spreading the word to our friends in New York, San Francisco, Boston, etc.” — John Cote, CEO, Industrial Inspection & Analysis, Inc.
“Having previously built two successful technology companies in this city, I believe Atlanta has the top technology talent pool for building a leading, successful software company to serve our global customer base.” — Alan Dabbiere, Chairman, OneTrust, Founder, Manhattan Associates
“IHG chose to locate to Atlanta because of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and it was important for us to be in the Eastern time zone. Atlanta has a strong workforce and a good business community.” — Elie Maalouf, CEO of the Americas region at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
“I’ve learned that being an Atlantan – like being an American – is not something others confer on you. It’s something you claim for yourself, and that is enough. It is more than enough.” — Soon Mee Kim, Executive Vice President, Global Diversity and Inclusion Leader, Porter Novelli
“Atlanta has great talent, a great business community and strong connectivity. Atlanta is a dynamic environment that allows enthusiastic companies to succeed.” — Elie Maalouf, CEO of the Americas region at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
“The Atlanta market is booming – the quality of life, the cost of living, the ability to attract companies. It’s extraordinary in terms of growth in the metro Atlanta market.” — Tony Ressler, Principal Owner and Chair, Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club, and Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Ares Management L.P.
“We want to celebrate the arts not only with Morehouse by also with Spelman, with Clark Atlanta, with Morris Brown – It all happens here in the Atlanta University Center.” — Henny Tha Bizness, Grammy-winning Record Producer
“"I came to Atlanta from New York City forty years ago, and found that it is the greatest city in the entire world. I truly believe that cosmic forces brought me here - it is the birthplace of ideas. I’m here for a premiere of a film we made called One Life, about saving the planet.” — Joey Reiman, Brand New World Studios
“We love ATL because of the hospitality and the culture. We're here from Halifax with 902HipHop, so the partnership with Atlanta just makes sense.” — Melissa MacMaster, Founder and Owner, 902HipHop
“I'm working on a brand new podcast division right here in Atlanta - so excited to talk about everything that’s happening in Atlanta's creative community and what kind of stories can we tell right from the heart of our awesome city.” — Jason Hoch, Imperative Entertainment
“I ended up going to Georgia State University and really falling in love with the city, the culture and the music. I got to see Atlanta really grow around me.” — Christian Zimmerman, Co-founder and CEO, Qoins
“I'm the co-founder of Georgia Music Partners. We're working to grow the music economy in Atlanta. Our mission is to help Georgia’s music industry grow to become one of the country’s biggest and best, which promotes both job growth and culture in our state. It's an exciting cause. We're merging art, sciences, and business and we've got some big things in the works.” — Tammy Hurt, Co-founder, Georgia Music Partners
“I'm a restaurant and retail broker. I love Atlanta's diversity. It's an invigorating time for Atlanta right now. I just talked about the BeltLine for an hour! I'm really excited about West End trail coming soon. I've been here 19 years and it just gets better.” — Lily Heimburger, Restaurant and Retail Broker, SRS Real Estate Partners
“Anything is possible in Atlanta. I've been here for my entire life, and the city just keeps getting bigger and better but still has the feeling.” — Brandon Butler, Dagger Agency
“Atlanta is so focused on philanthropy and community service. There’s such a commitment by the business community about giving to others. It’s really impressive. It easily could be taken for granted. I see that as significant.” — Leocadia I. Zak, President, Agnes Scott College
“Atlanta has been amazing for my growth and feels welcoming to everything and everyone. The film community is blooming into something so beautiful.” — Barkley Harper, Actor and Acting Coach, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“There has been an emergence of growth in Atlanta’s startup community over the past five years, and that is the exact time I entered the scene. I feel that my growth is attributed to Atlanta’s startup tech scene becoming more noticeable and recognized on a larger scale than ever before. ” — Justin McLeod, Business-Savvy Visionary, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“Esports contributes to the overall sports culture in Atlanta because it unifies and connects our communities.” — Allie Young, Founder and CEO, Axis Replay
“Atlanta has provided me with a perspective that I would not have received anywhere else. Atlanta at its core is the intersection between startups, hip-hop, film, and corporations. These unique elements have given me the chance to interact with people from so many different backgrounds and learn from them.” — Sneh Parmar, Tech Entrepreneur, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“Atlanta has been everything to my growth because it's the city that raised me. My entire outlook on creativity, business, history and life was fostered in these streets. I've been a student of Atlanta's curriculum before I even knew what it was. I travel the world often and have lived in other cities. Nothing has fed my soul and prepared me to win like Atlanta. ” — Satchel B. Jester, Writer, Editor, Media Maven, Social Savant, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“Atlanta has fostered me and made me who I am today. Being born the year before the 1996 Olympics set the tone, and I've always had a since of city pride. That city pride transforms to my artwork, and I want people to understand what’s going on in the city - art, music, the culture as a whole. My passion is to keep that culture as authentic and true as possible for generations to come.” — Adam Crawford, Artist, Designer, Curator, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“Being in Atlanta has given me the opportunity to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond and to have the opportunity to stand out and be a part of a bigger picture. I wouldn't have had that opportunity (and access that I do here) if I was in NYC or LA.” — Emma Loggins, Founder and Director of Strategy at Excite Creative Studios, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“Atlanta has been unique to my growth through its rich culture and innovation. There are always opportunities in this city for people to learn, grow and create. Specifically, Atlanta's music and entertainment industries are unmatched and constantly setting the bar for urban music throughout the country.” — Anisa Pennie, Entrepreneu’HER’, Radio Personality and Entertainment Host, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“Because I grew up in the metro-Atlanta area, I have a vested interest in the city. It has shaped who I am as a career woman and in my personal life. Its diverse population has given me a unique outlook on the world as a whole, and having the opportunity to watch the changes occur throughout the decades has forced me to be innovative, adapt to change, and place a priority on being forward-thinking.” — Shirlynn Brownell, Director of Economic Development at the City of Brookhaven, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“Atlanta has been unique to my growth because it shaped my perspective as an adolescent. I grew up experiencing both the east and west side of Atlanta, and I have lived in both lower and upper middle class settings. Because of this, I am able to relate to diverse groups and individuals. ” — Ebone Williams, Founder of With Ease Strategic Agency, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“Atlanta has a vibrant music scene, a growing tech community, and the talent to staff any type of venture you can think of. ” — Carlos L Gonzalez, Founding Managing Director of Latinos in Tech ATL (LiT ATL), ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“Atlanta possesses an infectious energy beckoning all who care to listen, to become a better version of themselves and pursue their wildest dreams.” — Stefanie Jewett, Founder and CEO of Activvely, ChooseATL Influencer 2019
“The hot spot to be is in Atlanta. … There's just a young, diverse population here, very tech-savvy. It's just the perfect environment.” ” — Brad “Sephy” Rajani, Head Coach, Atlanta Reign
“Esports is outpacing any other sport—traditional or not—by a wide margin. You’re seeing a huge number of eyes in a demographic that, traditionally, has been hard to reach.” — Paul Hamilton, President and CEO, Atlanta Esports Ventures
“There are so many opportunities in Atlanta, it’s only going to get bigger and bigger. Starting with this Overwatch League, I’m only waiting to see what’s to come.” — Mustafa Aijaz, Chief Operating Officer of SoaR Gaming
“Atlanta is becoming a hub for eSports, with developers like Hi-Rez and indie game development coalescing around events like DreamHack. There’s a huge desire among eSports players to be social and face-to-face with each other, a place where they can have high-five moments in person. That’s the environment we’re trying to create at Axis Replay.” — Lee Merwin, Chief Operating Officer, Axis Replay
“That sense of community is what makes Atlanta special, because you’re always able to connect and cultivate and build relationships.” — Brandon Boykin, Professional Athlete and Keynote Speaker
“Even in Georgia, major colleges, University of Georgia, Georgia State are starting to offer scholarships to esports teams.” — Cody Bonds, New Manchester High School Esports Program Coach
“In prior years the competitors [of SMITE and Paladins] played mainly online over the internet, but this year [2019] Atlanta becomes home court for the league. The best players from around the globe will be traveling or relocating to our city to compete all year long.” — Todd Harris, Founder and CEO of Skillshot Media
“We created the category for high-performance gaming controllers almost a decade ago, and our vision was for all controllers of the future to include back functions and trigger control mechanisms. Fast forward to where we are today, it is very humbling to see how large the professional gaming controller market and esports industry have become. With SCUF Prestige, we’ve not only built on our institutional knowledge, but have listened to the Xbox community and incorporated new features to deliver what we believe is the best Xbox controller experience to date.” — Duncan Ironmonger, Founder and CEO, Scuf Gaming (Atlanta-based company)
“I went to Georgia Tech and studied industrial engineering. I took full advantage of everything that Georgia Tech had to offer, including the City of Atlanta.” — PJ Bain, CEO, Prime Revenue
“Choosing to go to Georgia Tech wasn’t a tough choice for me. I knew I would study within one of the nation’s premier engineering schools in a city that has a melting pot of diverse individuals and influences.” — Norman Harris, Graduate, Georgia Tech
“I like to say that Spelman chose me, and that means Atlanta chose me. Additionally, I knew I wanted to attend an HBCU, so why not attend #1 in this amazing city?” — Kristina Echols, Graduate, Spelman College
“I chose to attend Emory University and work full-time in Atlanta because the city has great weather, food destinations, job opportunities, and I am close to family.”” — Liliana Zha, Graduate, Emory University
“My favorite memories of being at CAU would have to be homecoming and election week. Homecoming is always a family reunion and unforgettable. Election week at an HBCU? Nothing compares to it.” — Yasmyne Fisher, Graduate, Clark Atlanta University
“I’m small city girl that moved to metro Atlanta to become the first physician in my family. Atlanta afforded me the opportunity to experience personal growth and an overflow of career opportunities.” — Taylor McCLendon, Graduate, Kennesaw State University
“Going to school in metro Atlanta has afforded me the opportunity to connect and gain mentors with people working in my field.” — Taylor Moreman, Gradute, Georgia State University
“Atlanta owes me nothing. I’m forever indebted to this place, because Atlanta is the reason why I have one of the most successful businesses in the country.” — Pinky Cole, Owner, Slutty Vegan
“The experience I had working at Turner Broadcasting will stick with me forever.” — Alyssa Alves, Graduate, The University of Georgia
“The diversity of metro Atlanta, in my opinion, speaks to the city’s uniqueness. There is no place like Atlanta.” — Kirsten Jackson, Graduate, Agnes Scott College
“Atlanta is earning its reputation for being an international city. The diversity of offerings makes Atlanta stand out and feeds my soul!” — Nadia Theodore, Consul General of Canada to the Southeastern United States
“I’m proud to graduate from a prestigious University System of Georgia School -- Atlanta Metropolitan State College -- as a Gates Millennium Scholar.” — Chantil Coleman, Graduate, Atlanta Metropolitan State College
“MomoCon 2019 hosted 20 console tournaments, 11 retro game tournaments, and 9 PC tournaments for a total of 40 competitive events. And had nearly 40,000 unique people in attendance or over 120,000 total attendance.” — Chris Stuckey, C-Chairman, MomoCon, 2019
“There are more than 60 professional salaried esports players living in metro Atlanta.” — Todd Harris, President, Skillshot. Co-founder of Hi-Rez Studios
“With more than 150 production studios, Georgia’s video gaming industry is one of the hottest in the region, accounting for approximately $750 million in economic impact a year. The esports community, led by companies like Atlanta Reign, is creating business opportunities and jobs for a new generation of digital innovators in the city. We are excited to see Atlanta Reign growing with a new facility and look forward to seeing the team blow away the competition in upcoming matches.” — Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President and CEO, Invest Atlanta
“Atlanta is a top esports city because we have the venues and infrastructure required to host major events plus all the elements unique to the esports ecosystem: local game publishers, tournament organizers, over a dozen salaried professional esports teams and, most importantly, a community that
games.” — Todd Harris, founder and CEO of Skillshot Media
“Metro Atlanta is unique from other regions in that we are known for more than one or two industries; we’re one of the top 10 most industry diverse metro areas in the nation. From FinTech, to health, logistics, esports and music, Atlanta is a beautiful mix of complementary and competing industries that create unique, inspiring innovation when they collide.” — Alex Gonzalez, Chief Innovation Officer, Metro Atlanta Chamber
“Atlanta is a city powered by innovation where some of the world's best and brightest entrepreneurs are turning new ideas into businesses of the future. We are home to a thriving startup ecosystem with more than 25 early stage capacity building programs, over 20 corporate innovation centers, and the third most Fortune Global 500 headquarters. Through organizations like Invest Atlanta and Startup Atlanta, we continue to build our pipeline of talent and help open doors for the next generation of startup leaders. It's a great time to be an entrepreneur in Atlanta.” — Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President and CEO, Invest Atlanta
“The beauty of Atlanta is that Atlanta embraced us. We’re not from Atlanta, and the city opened its arms to us and it didn’t have to. You made us feel so welcome and as a result we were able to give that back by giving opportunities to young aspiring artists and incredible producers like Jermaine Dupri and Dallas Austin.” — L.A. Reid, Record Executive (LaFace Records)
“There’s no place like Atlanta, and I don’t think there ever will be again.” — Babyface, Singer/Songwriter
