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2007 Archives: Top Features
NOVEMBER ISSUE
Larger Than Life
By Hal Lamar & Kamille D. Whittaker
Shortly after proclaiming
he’s “got dreams to remember,” Otis Redding’s life was tragically cut short — leaving the world
to pine over the possibilities of a dream, deferred. But the undeniable impact Redding made to the soul music scene in his
abridged tenure is a testament to the enduring qualities of a true legend — much like Little Richard, who single-handedly
redefined the boundaries of rock ‘n’ roll; Dottie Peoples who pushed the envelope for gospel music; and John Peek,
the African American Philharmonic orchestra founder and conductor who still recalls a tumultuous time when adversity trumped
ability.
The Path to Fortune
By Katrice L. Mines
Few
initiatives promoting diversity in corporate America are more powerful than the institution
of supplier diversity. It is championed as a fundamental strategy and more recently, the “new way” of business
for Fortune 500 companies — though many parent programs that span more than 20 years. Its purpose resonates from the
inside out: growing the communities served through economic inclusion. There is also the bonus of cashing in on expanding
one’s reach amongst consumers.
Bridge Builders
By Audrey Arthur
“I’m
in it to win it,” says Lori Beard-Daily, CEO of LBD Advertising Associates.
Beard-Daily is referring to her goal of becoming one of Atlanta’s
top advertising/public relations agencies. She may well be on her way to achieving that objective having earned a coveted
spot earlier this year as one of 28 companies taking part in the Georgia Governor’s Mentor Protégé Program.
Simply Delicious
By Candace Morrow
Atlanta’s culinary industry showcases restaurants that flourish and those that falter —
every one serving up its recipe for southern charm. This season, we present our choice of forward-thinking restaurateurs who
are behind the city’s trendiest black-owned selection of eateries; not only satiating the most selective appetites,
but also evoking a cultural mood — making for a holistic dining experience.
Read more about November's issue ... |
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OCTOBER ISSUE
A
Prescription for Grady
By
Add Seymour Jr.
Atlanta Tribune thoroughly
examines the fiscally atrophied Grady Memorial
Hospital, and gives a sobering prognosis for the future viability of metro Atlanta’s only trauma center.
The New Cure-all?
By Daryl Hannah
For decades, African Americans
have battled weight-related type 2 diabetes and hypertension. With an estimated 60 percent of African Americans overweight
and 31.1 percent obese, the numbers of diabetic and hypertension cases are exponentially increasing. While many have pumped
millions of dollars into diet foods, fitness programs, supplements and medications, a large percentage of blacks are turning
to bariatric surgeries for a quick-fix to their weight issues.
From
Healthy to Wealthy
By
Keith A. Laing
Despite
the escalating costs of healthcare nationwide, employers in Georgia are boosting productivity by offering attractive and comprehensive
health plans for employees.
Ownership
of Identity
By
Kamille D. Whittaker
In “Against Race,” critically acclaimed British scholar Paul Gilroy posits
the idea of a world without the social construct of race. The book’s tagline: Imagining political culture beyond the
color line, aims to deconstruct the notion of an analogous African identity in the United States or elsewhere in the Diaspora.
Read more about October's issue ... |
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SEPTEMBER
2007
Is Affirmative Action Becoming Extinct?
By Keith A. Laing
At the height of the Civil
Rights Movement in the ‘60s, the U.S.
federal government first enacted affirmative action programs to level the playing field for blacks in the classroom and in
the boardroom. Several decades later, as the first generation of black millionaires near retirement and the first generation
of black and majority white university alumni send their kids to school, the case could certainly be made that the field is
level.
Tool of Change: Companies put diversity education to work
By Sharon Ochoa
Created in 1790 after George
Washington took office as president of the United States,
the U.S. Census was used primarily to estimate how many males would be available for military services. However, today it
is often used as a tool to account for the country’s population growth and changing demographics. One story it unmistakably
tells is that of the constant increase in minorities in the country and subsequently, in the workplace. In the past 20 years,
the racial, ethnical and religious makeup of this country has completely changed.
A Lesson Before Rising
By Kamille D. Whittaker
Morris Brown
College exists
on hallowed ground. The portraits of distinguished alumni line the walls of the seemingly vacant administration building where
the spirits of faculty and students once hustled and bustled. There is no winding, serpentine financial aid line as is characteristic
of Historically Black Colleges and Universities at any given time of the year, or rush to register before classes close. There
are only two degree programs now, with just a handful of students pursuing them and even fewer faculty members — seven
to be exact — to instruct. Yet, there is undeniable history and tradition here — at least enough worth preserving.
Read more about September's issue ...
AUGUST 2007
Generations of Success: Bronner Bros. Thrive After 60 Years
By Sharon Ochoa
La Familia.
It is Hollywood's portrayal of a family that is willing to
do whatever it takes to protect each other and make things work. The family business is powerful in the community and peaks
the interest of all who hear the name. It trains each new generation to continue the family business and be as tough as the
previous generation. They are coached to be cutting edge and business savvy. No one stands in the way of La Familia.
Securing a Dream
By Daryl Hannah
Since they
were boys, John and Cris Carter dreamed of owning a business together. Sons of a construction worker and an educator, hard
work and dedication were instilled in the two Middletown, Ohio,
natives from an early age. "We had a fairly normal childhood,” describes John, the older of the two brothers. "We excelled
in sports and were average students. And we were very close but still tried to find our own way."
Read more about August's issue ...
JULY 2007
The Business of the King Legacy
By Hal Lamar
In August
of 1967, before the 11th annual convention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Martin Luther King Jr. asked the
question: “Where do we go from here?” Forty years after he posed that question, as the text of what would be his
final appearance before the organization he co-founded and as the title of his final book, the question is most appropriate
as attention refocuses on the King legacy via the public release of the King Papers.
AT’s Top 25 Black Businesses
By Katrice L. Mines
Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine,
black Atlanta’s leading source for relevant and progressive news and information on business, has reported the
trendsetting standard-bearing achievements of blacks in the Georgia business sector since 1987. Foreshadowing our annual “Top 25 Georgia Black Businesses” compilation,
we profiled the state’s maverick enterprises — a combination of up-and-coming ventures to multimillion-dollar
empires specializing in health care, social assistance, administrative, waste management, construction, finance, arts and
entertainment.
Read more about July's issue ...
JUNE 2007
A Medley of Men
By Hal Lamar
Valentine’s
Day 1998 will always be a special one for Atlanta poet-laureate
Hank Stewart. While performing at a poetry recital, he happened upon the idea of broadening his presentation and reached out
to local saxophonist-friend Antonio Allen. “It worked so well, that I decided to add additional people for other recitals,”
remembers Stewart. Before long, the one additional talent had become four. He decided to call the aggregation Five Men on
a Stool “because everywhere we performed, we’d all be sitting on those high bar stools. It fit.”
The Anatomy of a Hit Factory
By Kamille D. Whittaker
In a deceptively
quiet neighborhood on the fringes of downtown Atlanta, Curtis Daniel II, the Chief Operating Officer of the legendary PatchWerk
Recordings is perusing the studio schedule to see which artists checked in for recording the previous week. He nonchalantly
rattles off an impressive list of platinum-selling clientele, periodically interjecting the reason they chose PatchWerk. “Some
artists already have quality material from their personal studios and they just want us to make it sound sonically better;
some had their first chart-topping hit here and they want to stick with the formula that works.”
Even more
impressive is the waiting list.
Redefining Black Radio
By Katrice L. Mines
Syndicated
talk shows are taking over the airwaves of black radio. While avid radio listeners have yet to completely forego music for
an exclusively news or talk format, the choice to tune into broadcasts that are centered around commentary concerning the
latest in music, politics and news — as it relates to African-American communities — has become increasingly popular.
There are more than 1,000 talk shows available to radio audiences nationwide, with new hosts shopping their concepts all the
time.
Read more about June's issue ...
MAY 2007
Will Minorities Profit From Alternative Energy Boom?
By Audrey Arthur
Some consider
it a fuel crisis; others call it a wake-up call. Energy dependence on a politically unstable Middle East region, dwindling
fossil fuel sources and environmental concerns have caused significant interest from U.S. consumers, businesses and government
in alternative and renewable energy sources such as wind, hydropower, solar, hydrogen and fuel cells, geothermal and biofuels
(biodiesel and ethanol).
Cruel Gentrification or Urban Revitalization?
Are pricey developments the remedy for urban decay?
By Keith Laing
In the 34
years that Bryon Amos has lived in the Vine City community just
west of downtown Atlanta, he has seen its good, bad and ugly days. “I’ve seen us go from kids on the corner [playing]
and picket fences [in front of houses] to the dark days of drugs and crime,” says Amos, a lifelong resident who now
serves as president of the Vine City Civic Association. “The neighborhood has changed drastically, but I’m happy
to say we’re on the upswing again.”
The Power of Inclusion
By Katrice L. Mines
African Americans
are underrepresented on corporate boards. While a survey of corporate America shows that the inclusion of minorities with the authority of corporate governance has increased over
the past 40 years, a closer review of board rosters reveals that many companies are recycling the same African Americans as
board members.
Read more about May's issue ...
APRIL 2007
Legal Ego or Judicial Hero?
By Katrice L. Mines
Paul Howard
Jr. is arguably Atlanta’s man of the hour. The Fulton
County District Attorney is the chief prosecutor in the widely publicized death penalty case against Brian Nichols. Nichols
is accused of killing Judge Rowland Barnes, court reporter Julie Ann Brandau, sheriff’s deputy Hoyt Teasley and a federal
agent, David Wilhelm in March 2005. The trial virtually encapsulates Howard’s entire career pursuit to rid Atlanta streets of violent crime.
Legislative Round up
By Keith Laing
With
the Georgia General Assembly approaching the end of its 40 constitutionally-required legislative days, the issue that has
drawn the most consensus is the amount of work that has been accomplished: Not much. The 2007 session has been one of the
quietest of recent years. Although some controversy surrounded the Assembly’s funding of its statewide PeachCare insurance
program and a proposal to allow Sunday liquor sales, nothing this year has reached the level of the debate surrounding the
proposed voter ID law last year.
Read more about April's Issue ...
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MARCH 2007
Superwomen
By
Audrey Arthur & Katrice L. Mines
In
celebration of Women’s History Month, AT salutes a group of brilliantly dynamic
women who are transforming the landscape of business. Each a leader in her industry, these Superwomen are also visionaries
in their communities – continuously striving to give and be the best.
Superwomen
in Technology
By
Katrice L. Mines
Technology
has become essential to virtually every field and women are increasingly present at the forefront answering these demands
and powering the technology revolution.
Superwomen
of the Future
By
Alicia N. Ingram
Following
in the path of their predecessors, a new era of talented, driven and civic-minded women have positioned themselves to shape
the world for the better. These six young Superwomen, all under 25, are the promise of tomorrow.
Separate
but Unequal
By
Keith Laing
Fulton County school
officials hope to win the favor of voters in March when the county’s taxpayers are asked to consider the $1.4 billion
Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax III (SPLOST). Despite controversy over earlier initiatives, officials say the taxes
will allow the system to drastically improve its facilities throughout the entire county.
Read more about March's issue ...
FEBRUARY 2007
Power
Couples
By
Hal Lamar
"Love and marriage, Love and
marriage, go together like a horse and carriage." The writer of these lyrics never spoke truer words as they aptly describe
the 2007 Power Couples.
These ambitious duos lead
busy professional lives yet, find time to raise families, engage themselves in civic, religious, and social interests and
to nurture their own relationships. While their accomplished careers and combined clout are impressive, it is the couples’
life-balancing strategies that keep their marriages fresh and their lives fulfilled.
Looking Back: 20 Years of Business
By Hal Lamar
Twenty years ago when the
Atlanta Tribune rolled out its first issue, cell phones were the property of few,
fax machines were practically unheard of, most popular music was still recorded on vinyl and nobody knew how to spell e-mail
and the Internet, let alone utilize them.
Writing
for the People
By
Katrice L. Mines
At 92, William A. Fowlkes
Jr. has transcended from storyteller to history maker! In 1946, William A. Fowlkes Jr. traveled to Walton County, Ga., on a rescue mission. He’d set
out to help recover a witness to one of the most poignant stories of his career – the infamous Moore’s Ford Lynching.
7
Questions with Edward Dubose
By
Cicely Bland
On October 2005, Edward DuBose
was elected to the position of president of the Georgia State Conference NAACP – becoming the first resident of Columbus, Ga., to hold the title. Understanding
the gravity of this undertaking, the United States Army veteran works fervently to move the organization forward under his
leadership.
Read more about February's issue ... |
DECEMBER/
JANUARY 2007
Champion For Equal Opportunity
By Katrice L. Mines
Reginald Williams has had his mind on the subject of “true” diversity in business
for a long time. And for more than 30 years, he has made it his work to inspire others to catch the vision. Williams,
CEO of Procurement Resources Inc., takes his discourse and teachings on supplier
diversity – a term he says his company coined in 1985 – all over the world.
Changing The Culture Of Business
By Katrice L. Mines
Dorethea
Marshall and Greg Robinson came together in business four years ago, with one primary objective: to secure Wal-Mart as the
home of their premier shoe line, Cultured Soles. In October, the two – who formed Robinson and Marshall Trading Company
(R & M) – launched the designer women’s footwear positioning themselves as largest African American supplier
in the chain’s shoe department. And that is no small feat.
Mall
Boom: Luring Black Shoppers and Dollars
By
Keith Laing
With the holiday
shopping season – and the traditional commercial boon that accompanies it – fast approaching, sixAtlanta area
malls are working hard to distinguish themselves from nearby competitors and gain your hard-earned dollar. Being located in
a black hub like Atlanta, each outlet’s bottom line
depends heavily on African American support. But how far can the black dollar stretch?
Executive Gift Guide
By Katrice L. Mines
It’s
that time of year again. Department stores and specialty shops are draped with shades of holiday décor to inaugurate the Christmas
shopping season. The buzz of what’s “hot” for the biggest spending period of the year is in the air, and
malls are likely overcrowded with panicked shoppers. Have no fear, AtlantaTribune: The Magazine’s annual executive gift
guide is here to help you “Ho Ho Ho” your way through your search for well-thought-out gifts.
Read more about December/January's issue ... |
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