Junior Achievement of Georgia (JA of Georgia) has named Mike & Dixie Trulove and The Syfan Family, Jim, Greg, and Steve, as their 2026 JA Northeast Georgia Business Hall of Fame Laureates.
Junior Achievement of Georgia’s Nineteen Under Nineteen Students to Watch 2025 Honorees Announced
Junior Achievement of Georgia (JA of Georgia) is proud to announce the 19 outstanding students from across the state who have been selected for the Nineteen Under Nineteen, a recognition program celebrating students across Georgia who demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and community impact.
Representing schools and communities across Georgia, these honorees stand out for their achievements in entrepreneurship, and leadership. Learn more about the 19 incredible students HERE.
“These 11 students represent the heart of Atlanta’s talent and the promise of Georgia’s future,” said John Hancock, President & CEO of JA of Georgia. “Each one has shown a unique ability to lead, innovate, and inspire. These qualities will serve them well as they shape the world around them.”
JA of Georgia’s Nineteen Under Nineteen Students to Watch, now in its second year, spotlights students from middle school through recent graduates who have made a mark through JA programs like JA BizTown, JA Finance Park, 3DE by Junior Achievement, and JA Summer Camp. Each honoree receives a scholarship to support educational or entrepreneurial endeavors.
More About Nineteen Under Nineteen
Nineteen Under Nineteen celebrates students across Georgia who are already demonstrating the skills, creativity, and resilience that will drive the future workforce. Students were selected through nominations from educators, peers, and community members. Nominations for the next class of Nineteen Under Nineteen will open to the public, statewide, in the Spring of 2026.
JA of Georgia to Induct Arnold and Tatum into the JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame
ATLANTA, GA - Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia is proud to announce the 2026 JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame Laureates, Claire Lewis “Yum” Arnold, Founder and CEO of Leapfrog, and Beverly Tatum, President Emerita of Spelman College.
The 36th annual JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame will take place on February 21, 2026, at Flourish in Buckhead. In addition to the induction ceremony of Atlanta business titans, the evening will include a cocktail hour, a dessert reception, and a tribute to the ground-breaking programs JA of Georgia is bringing to the Greater Atlanta area.
Claire Lewis Arnold is the co-founder and CEO of Leapfrog, a technology services company she launched in 1998 after a distinguished career in business development and strategic growth. Before Leapfrog, she built one of Georgia’s largest privately held companies through a leveraged buyout and spent 15 years leading it as CEO, following nearly a decade in leadership roles with Coca-Cola USA. Beyond her corporate success, Claire has served on the boards of Spelman College, The Woodruff Arts Center, The Carter Center, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and numerous nonprofit and civic organizations. Her leadership and service have been recognized with honors such as the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Most Admired CEO in Technology, the YWCA Academy of Women induction, and multiple lifetime achievement awards. A graduate of Mary Baldwin College, she lives in Atlanta with her husband of 52 years and enjoys time in the North Carolina mountains with their three children and three granddaughters.
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College, is an award-winning psychologist and nationally recognized expert on race relations and higher education leadership. She led Spelman from 2002 to 2015, a tenure marked by innovation and growth that earned her the 2013 Carnegie Academic Leadership Award. The author of several influential books, including the best-seller “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” and her recent “Peril and Promise,” she continues to shape conversations on race and education. Dr. Tatum currently chairs the Tull Charitable Foundation and serves on the boards of Sesame Workshop and Educational Testing Service, with past service including Morehouse College and Georgia Power. Her contributions have been recognized with election to the American Philosophical Society and the American Psychological Association’s Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology.
“JA of Georgia is honored to welcome two extraordinary business leaders into our Laureate Society,” said John Hancock, President & CEO of JA of Georgia. “Yum Arnold and Beverly Tatum exemplify the leadership, vision, and integrity that inspire our students and alumni to dream bigger and achieve more.”
Arnold and Tatum will join the ranks of Atlanta’s most distinguished business leaders - past and present.
To learn more about the JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame, or if you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the event, please email Danielle Wilkes at dwilkes@georgia.ja.org.