Local leaders recognized for contributions to Atlanta business community

More than 700 guests were in attendance to honor Frank Blake and Dan T. Cathy as they were inducted into the Junior Achievement Atlanta Business Hall of Fame.

ATLANTA (February 24, 2018) – Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia inducted Frank Blake, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Home Depot, and Dan T. Cathy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Chick-fil-A, Inc., into the JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame on Sat., Feb. 24, 2018 at the InterContinental Hotel Buckhead. More than 700 guests were in attendance to honor Blake and Cathy as they joined the ranks of 91 influential Atlantans who hold a spot in the hall of fame for their significant contributions to Atlanta’s civic and economic vibrancy.

Blake and Cathy were welcomed by members of the JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame Laureate Society and Co-Chairs of this year’s Laureate Host Committee, Paul Bowers, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Georgia Power and Hala Moddelmog, President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro Atlanta Chamber.

Since 1989, the JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame has been held to honor dynamic business and civic leaders who have shaped Atlanta into the vibrant city it is today. This year’s event was marked by poignant introductions and passionate speeches from students at the JA Academy at Banneker High School, that exemplified the compelling momentum that is currently underway at JA of Georgia.

“As a leader and role model for those around him and the next generation, Mr. Blake had some great advice to give,” said Courteciya Price, Junior, JA Academy Student, while introducing Blake. “When thinking about your career and future, try to land somewhere where the following things converge: what you’re good at, what you’re passionate about, what you love, and what will people pay you for.”

Frank Blake’s professional career didn’t begin in home improvement, or anything of the sort. But after being named Chairman and CEO of The Home Depot in 2007, his unrelenting focus on their core values during the trying time of the recession helped guide the company out of the economic downturn and into an even better position than before it. Since his retirement from The Home Depot, Blake continues to play a critical role in advancing the economic landscape of Atlanta and the quality of life for those who call the city home. Blake is currently board chairman of two other Atlanta mainstays: Delta Air Lines and Grady Hospital. Frank Blake may be a transplant of Atlanta, but he now calls Atlanta home and we are a stronger city because of it.

“As a future leader, I often look up to current entrepreneurs and marketplace leaders and admire their bold, innovative, and ambitious leadership, all while still holding fast to their morals,” said Logan Crump, Junior, JA Academy Student, while introducing Cathy. “Mr. Dan Cathy is one such individual.”

Dan T. Cathy’s position as Chairman and CEO of Chick-fil-A, Inc. came after a lifetime, literally, of working at the company. Decades of watching and learning from his father, S. Truett Cathy, helped to cultivate his own personal drive and entrepreneurial mindset – a characteristic he classifies as one of the most essential elements in keeping the private sector a robust environment. Giving back to the community – or stewardship – is what Dan says gives purpose and significance to the work that Chick-fil-A does. His passion for supporting and lifting up communities trickles down throughout the entire business model, making the impact that much greater. Cathy’s unconventional approach to leadership proves that when you are true to yourself and maintain steadfast focus on the mission, a good business model can flourish; and in the case of Chick-fil-A, become one of the nation’s largest family owned businesses.

The keynote speakers of the evening highlighted their own personal transformation as Juniors in the JA Academy at Banneker High School. The three young men, Apollo Gunn, Octavious Taylor and Daniel Abladey, shared their stories, and reminded everyone in the room to never doubt the capabilities of a driven, empowered and passionate individual.

“The only expectations we have not achieved yet are our own,” said Apollo Gunn, Junior, JA Academy at Banneker High School.  “We are all aspiring for a future that is beyond what we once imagined. Before JA Academy I had hope. Now, I would say I have a path to success and friends and mentors who will continue to hold me accountable until I achieve my dreams.”

Photographed from Left to Right: Logan Crump, Junior, JA Academy at Banneker High School, Dan T. Cathy, JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame Laureate, and Chairman and CEO, Chick-fil-A, Inc., Courteciya Price, Junior, JA Academy at Banneker High School, and Frank Blake, JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame Laureate, and former Chairman and CEO, The Home Depot.

Photographed from Left to Right: JA Academy at Banneker High School Juniors: Apollo Gunn, Daniel Albadey, and Octavious Taylor, Jack Harris, President and CEO, JA of Georgia.

Rising above expectations : JA Academy

Apollo’s motivation to join JA Academy was fueled by the influence of his grandfather – a successful businessman who created a sustainable platform for himself and his family members to thrive.

But when Apollo shared his interest of attending Banneker High School, the reactions he got were far from motivating or encouraging.

Apollo’s willingness to try something new and different exemplifies his entrepreneurial spirit and drive to succeed. After taking that risk, he found that the hesitations his friends and family had about Banneker, and the JA Academy in particular, were overpowered by the culture of success that he became a part of.

Hear Apollo and his classmates’ stories below.

Atlanta businesses help prepare students with real-world skills and confidence through an innovative approach to high school

By: Steve Voorhees, CEO, WestRock. Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Our world is faster, more connected and more complex than it’s ever been. Today’s students are part of the first digitally native generation and are poised to enter the most technology dependent economies to date. Businesses will rely on this generation to help them seamlessly transition through new technologies and needs – some of which have yet to be imagined. 

So, why are companies continually concerned about an ever-growing skills gap in the upcoming work force?

Because while we focus so much on technological advancements and its impacts, we begin to overlook the human element. The soft skills – effective communication, a solution-oriented mindset, collaboration – that are just as important than the technical ones. These are competencies businesses need individuals to obtain before they enter the workforce.

With 90 percent of American children in the public education system, it seems that’s exactly where the groundwork should begin. How can we support our schools to effectively provide students with the resources and opportunities to develop these skills so they are primed to excel in careers of today and tomorrow?

Across our country businesses are independently meeting to determine ways they can meaningfully engage in education. And, what I have discovered through WestRock’s most recent involvement in this space, is that schools and school systems are having the same conversations.

As CEO of a Fortune 500 company with strong ties to Atlanta, as well as my longtime commitment to help students  succeed in a global economy, I am confident that a solution is on the horizon and that it’s is being incubated right here in Atlanta.

Developed as joint ventures with school systems, and strategic partnerships with the business community, JA Academy  has the potential to systematically transform high school education. This approach integrates real-world business connectivity into the everyday learning experience to create a highly engaging and relevant learning environment.

Transformation has already begun within various schools. Since 2015, the inaugural JA Academy class of students has demonstrated a dramatic improvement in engagement and, as a result, elevated academic outcomes.

The students at JA Academy are building higher-order transferable skills like communication, collaboration and creativity. The unique JA Academy approach provides students opportunities to discover their strengths and passions, while exploring future possibilities. This was evident when more than 100 freshmen from JA Academy at Norcross High School visited WestRock to present their prospective solutions around communication, culture and employee engagement.

The innovative approach being practiced at the JA Academy can transform our schools and empower students to graduate as the most knowledgeable, skilled and confident generation to enter the workforce.

The first JA Academy class will graduate from Banneker High School in 2019. They will be the first cohort of students with four years of real-world experiences, business backgrounds and an unstoppable drive for success that will have prepared them to take on all the challenges of today’s economy.

The second JA Academy at Norcross High School will graduate its first class in 2020, and the most recent location, JA Academy at Douglass High School will graduate in 2021. Implementation plans to expand the footprint to provide many more graduates from JA Academies will follow closely behind.

We all know that Atlanta is unique – our community is marked by our ability to cross sectors, come together and unite efforts for the common good. And because of what’s taking place right now at the JA Academy, I believe Atlanta will soon have another title to be proud of: The hub for innovation in education.