Julius Pryor III is a leading edge thinker. General Managing Partner of JPryorGroup LLC. He is a speaker and strategist in high demand. He helps individuals and high performing teams marshal strengths to realize true potential. He talks about conceptual innovation and becoming more comfortable being uncomfortable. He speaks about being relevant in the 21st century.

His new best selling book, 6-THRIVING IN A DISRUPTIVE WORLD, explains 6 key concepts for navigating disruptive environments. In a time of disruption there are huge opportunities – learn to embrace them! The book will be released later this year.

Julius develops strategies that are kinetic and sustainable. His philosophy is results driven and centered on clarity of objectives, and measurable outcomes. The work is grounded in understanding how organizational culture affects individual and team behavior.

Julius has worked as a senior executive in some of the most well known organizations in the world, and brings a wealth of global professional experience. He has held leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson, Russell Athletic, Coca-Cola Enterprises, and TAP Pharmaceuticals.

Julius is a U.S. Navy Captain, qualified Surface Warfare Officer and certified instructor for the Navy Officer Leadership Development Program. He has held operational leadership roles in Pacific and Atlantic Fleets at the shipboard and joint staff level. Julius has been Unit Commanding Officer, Executive Officer, Department Head and Division Officer. He’s completed course work at Naval Postgraduate School and National Defense University.

He was in the re-commissioning crew of the USS Missouri (BB-63) and is proud to be one of a select few individuals who has served as an active duty Battleship Turret Officer.

Julius is a graduate of Morehouse College and The Williston-Northampton School. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, initiated at Morehouse College (Psi Chapter).

Kevin Creel, Managing Principal of Cresa Atlanta, began his real estate career in 1986, even though, he worked on the landlord side early in his career.  Since then, Kevin has focused his career on tenant advocacy providing clients with a full understanding of the entire real estate process, landlord/owner movitations, and the power of leveraging.

His experience includes transaction management, strategic planning, portfolio management, building and land sales/purchases, and build-to-suit projects.

Education:University of Georgia, B.B.A., Marketing, 1976Woodward Academy – College Park, Georgia, 1972

Tom Tindall, founding Principal of Cresa Atlanta, began his real estate career in 1985.  He spent the early part of his career with Rubloff, a corporate real estate company based in Chicago, where he specialized in the evaluation and analyzation of office space requirements and represented tenants in renewals, expansions and relocations.

After a career with Rubloff, Tom joined The Sharp Boylston Companies in 1993 to further his specialization in corporate representation.  Mr. Tindall was consistently honored for outstanding achievement, having been recognized as one of the firm’s “Top Five Producers” in 1994, 1995, and 1996 and named as a Principal of the firm in 1996.

In June 1998, Mr. Tindall became a Principal/Co-Founder of Cresa Atlanta, dedicated to specialization in tenant representation and corporate services.  He has an extensive tenant representative portfolio, which includes assignments on behalf of firms such as AT&T, Motorola, Oracle, Circuit City, Raytheon, Chevron Oil, Aetna, Lotus Development, HCA, The Hartford, Clorox, EMC Corp., Medtronic, Sitel Corp., YAHOO, Platinum Equity, Lanier Healthcare, Humana, Ameriprise and Convergys.

Education:Graduate of the Lovett School in AtlantaUniversity of Georgia, 1984

Akiva Freeman brings a consultative approach to providing his advisory services and solutions to corporate real estate users and commercial property investors. Akiva’s efforts are focused on building and maintaining quality relationships with his clients, going beyond the transaction to align results with expectations.

His diverse commercial real estate experience allows his clients to maximize their leverage in attaining their corporate real estate goals by understanding the owner’s perspective in every transaction.Akiva has been involved in office and industrial transactions throughout the continental United States.  He has won numerous production awards based on his sales and leasing volume, and has been recognized in industry publications for his market knowledge and real estate expertise.

Active in the community, Akiva serves on many professional boards and industry committees, and is an officer of multiple civic and community organizations.  He is also a member of Cresa’s Industrial Services Group.

Education:Bachelor of Arts – Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio

David Shavzin, CMC© (Certified Management Consultant*) is President/Founder of Shavzin & Associates, Inc. (SAI). He excels in guiding the partners and leadership teams of client firms through the complex challenges of strategic planning and decision-making…bringing together solutions that effectively address all areas of the organization. He brings an outside, objective and candid perspective in guiding client firms to success – always gaining an understanding of the organization’s needs and then adapting SAI’s process to their specific situation

David has over 25 years of experience in large corporate environments, small businesses and consulting to management. He has held senior management roles in each of these areas and understands their respective constraints and opportunities. This has provided him a very comprehensive understanding of all functions within an organization and how they relate to each other. David has also created two businesses of his own.His early career was in banking and financial roles, followed by a position on Freddie Mac’s corporate planning team. David then spent 12 years with Aventis.  This included four years in Europe in corporate finance and global mergers and acquisitions work.  He was later appointed Vice President of Operations & Finance for a North American subsidiary.

Consulting since 2000, David has been president of the Institute of Management Consultants (Georgia chapter) and is currently Vice President of Strategic Alliances. He is a member of the World Trade Center – Atlanta and the Association for Strategic Planning. David is on the Advisory Board of the Joshua Brown Foundation and has served on the Board of the Fulton Education Foundation. He is an alumnus of Leadership North Fulton and subsequently served on its Board.

David earned an MBA from George Washington University and a BA in International Relations and French from the University of Wisconsin.  He is fluent in French, conversational in Spanish.  He lives in the Atlanta area with his wife and three children.

Since 1995, the Alpharetta law firm of Morgan & DiSalvo P.C. has been helping individuals and families plan and prepare for the many changes that life brings. Primary practice areas for the firm include protection and distribution of family assets, real estate, tax minimization and business succession planning.

Richard M. Morgan has been practicing law in Georgia for 17 years.   With estate, tax and charitable gift planning as his primary practice areas, Richard prides himself on bringing peace of mind to individuals and families in traditional and special situations related to significant life events.  Richard also specializes in business succession planning, tax controversies and other wealth management and planning needs.

Richard’s work is differentiated by his level of service and detail, technical and analytical capabilities and problem solving approach to estate and tax planning. As a leader in his field, Richard is past president of the Taxation Sections of both the Georgia and Atlanta Bar Associations, the Estate Planning & Probate Section of the Atlanta Bar Association, the North Georgia Estate Planning Council, and the Georgia Planned Giving Council.  Richard also serves in leadership positions with several significant Atlanta based charitable organizations, such as the Jewish Federation, Jewish Family and Career Services as well as his temple, Congregation B’nai Dorot.

Richard received his B.B.A. in Accounting, cum laude, and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Georgia. He received his LL.M. in Taxation from Emory University.  Richard is a frequent speaker on estate planning, charitable gift planning and other tax related topics.

Vince Gurzo is an experienced President/CEO/Board member of several mid-sized general manufacturing and chemical companies.  In these and previous executive positions, he has created value for shareholders leading organizations of $20 million to $600 million through growth, restructurings, M&A, Joint Ventures and globalization.

Vince has held positions at Merck & Co, Inc., Union Carbide Corporation, International Specialty Products, LaRoche Chemical and several Private Equity sponsored companies. His assignments include operating and management roles in Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing and Research and Development prior to general and executive management.

At Laroche Chemical as Corporate VP, he shared COO responsibility and directly managed 4 divisions and 2 JVs. The teams he led revitalized two of those divisions, consistently improving financial and operating performance. Earlier at International Specialty Products he served in senior sales and marketing roles.  At Union Carbide, now Dow Chemical, he was responsible for the U.S. and European manufacturing and R&D for a $100 million subsidiary. He began his career at Merck & Co, Inc. as a manufacturing engineer.

After a successful corporate career, Vince entered Private Equity as President / CEO / Board member. With “hands on” management, he initially stabilized each company’s operations and finances. He then set and successfully implemented the strategic direction for each company; Most recently, Vince raised $25 million in committed capital and was the Founding Partner of a boutique Private Equity firm, Grove & Mercer Chemical Investments, looking to leverage his operating experience in an M&A transaction.

Vince is from Jersey City, and earned a degree in Chemical Engineering at Rutgers University, and an MBA from Pace University’s Executive Program. He is a Certified Six Sigma Green belt and Lean Engineer. He is the named inventor on several patent applications and has received the Key to the City of Baton Rouge Louisiana for revitalizing the Alumina Division while at LaRoche Chemical.

Jim is a 32 year veteran of the industry.  Before the creation of DocuTeam in 1997, Jim was President of two different Atlanta branch offices of major conglomerates in the office machines  industry.   These were big successful operations with a huge turnover, lots of employees and, of course, lots of customers.  Previously Market Place President for Ikon with revenues of $120m per annum, Jim is co-owner of DocuTeam, Inc., one of the largest dealers in the South Eastern States, with current revenues of $30m

Whitney brings over 20 years’ experience in new business development and sales leadership strategies within the Mortgage and Real Estate Industry.  Mr. Fite is Sr. Vice President and Managing Director of Angel Oak Funding, LLC, a full service mortgage company based in Atlanta, Georgia.  He has consistently led highly productive and profitable sales teams, closing over $300 million in loan originations in 2010, alone and continues to hold the same standard.

After his graduation from the University of Georgia, Whitney began his career with the Fidelity Group in 1992.  From Fidelity, he went on to spearhead the development and execution of several expansion initiatives within the in-town Atlanta market.  These included a new sales infrastructure for a top 10 bank holding company, as well as two start-ups and three company acquisitions.  While at the height of his origination career, Whitney consistently averaged over $65 million in annual personal production and was ranked among the top 5 loan originators in Georgia on an annual basis.

Currently, his primary business focus is heading up sales and marketing for Angel Oak Funding.  His plan is to grow the Southeastern marketplace through hiring industry leaders who are committed to providing world-class concierge service to their clients.  “It’s all about providing professional, consistent and proactive communication”, says Whitney.  His dedication to high achievement and customer service as well as his experience in the loan origination business is what sets him apart from other industry experts and makes him one of the Southeast’s most sought after resources for sales leadership.

Whitney is a native Atlantan and currently resides in Marietta with his wife Laura and their 3 children.

Robert brings over 17 years’ experience within finance and startup businesses. Mr. Mulcahy is Vice President of Specialty Lending with AngelOak Funding, LLC a full service mortgage company based in Atlanta, GA. He has over 10 years direct lending experience focused on the Single Family Atlanta housing market. Mr. Mulcahy began his career in New York with Tullett & Tokyo a global financial futures brokerage firm and has held senior management positions over his career.

His extensive financial experience has resulted in Top Sales & Leadership. Over the years Robert has worked to develop a comprehensive approach for his clients that focus on their short & long term financing needs. With a keen understanding of the local Atlanta market; Mr. Mulcahy has consulted with thousands of clients on their home purchasing and investing needs.

His current primary business focus covers residential renovation lending specifically for REO/Foreclosure & distressed properties. His background has allowed him to build an extensive network of contacts within the REO market. These relationships and firsthand experience with in the REO market provide a solid foundation that allow him to be a sought after resource for single family investment financing and acquisition.

Dac Carver has spent more than 17 years in the residential real estate business working for builders, developers, and brokerage companies.

He is currently the Vice President and Managing Broker of Beacham & Company, Realtors based in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. The boutique residential real estate brokerage firm is the #1 office in Buckhead for listings sold since opening its doors in 2006 and has the highest average sales price in metro Atlanta at nearly $900,000 per sale. Dac is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company including coaching and management of the sales team, business development, marketing, and relocation services.

Prior to joining Beacham & Company, Carver was the Director of Marketing and New Home Services for the largest GMAC Real Estate real estate franchise in the United States with more than $2 billion in annual sales and 2,000 agents. During his seven years with GMAC, he directed the company’s corporate marketing efforts, which earned more than a dozen local and national marketing awards. He also managed an on-site sales team of more than 35 agents who specialized in new home sales and closed more than 200 homes a year while also serving in his corporate marketing role.

Dac joined GMAC Real Estate after three years as Director of New Home Marketing for PATHWAY Communities, the developers of Peachtree City, the largest master-planned community in the United States. While at PATHWAY, he was instrumental in the successful opening of three new planned communities, which were the first the company’s first projects outside of Peachtree City in more than 20 years.

Dac has a B.A. in English from the University of South Carolina. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Buckhead and Northside United Methodist Church and is a volunteer for Crohns and Colitis Foundation. He and his wife, Shannon, have two adopted school-age sons, Charlie and Jack.

With 20-plus years of experience in strategy, operations, engineering and marketing, Amanda gives clients powerful new perspectives for profitable growth. As an experienced thought partner, Amanda helps clients leverage their distinct assets and capabilities to produce lasting competitive advantage, zeroing in on key actions that will improve profit, performance and growth. Her work has taken her throughout North America and Asia, including four years in Malaysia, where she helped plant the seeds that grew into McKinsey’s Kuala Lumpur office.

Prior to founding Setili & Associates, Amanda was a senior executive in two successful high-tech start-ups and served as a manager with McKinsey & Company. As an engineer with Kimberly-Clark Corporation, she led the start-up of a new production process and commercialized new components in 20 consumer and industrial products.

Amanda earned her MBA with distinction from the Harvard Business School, and her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, cum laude. She is past President and current Board Chair of the Harvard Business School Club of Atlanta, and is an adjunct professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, ranked number three by Businessweek for undergraduate programs.

Rob Setili has a track record of helping companies clarify their value proposition, and solving problems to improve profits. With a focus on clearly differentiating products and services to meet customer needs, Rob has helped large corporate clients, entrepreneurial, and mid-market companies improve margins while growing sales.

An effective integrator who helps teams reach creative, winning solutions across organizational and functional lines, Rob provides broad expertise and a practical framework that brings out the best in teams and individuals.

With over 20 years of experience in strategy, manufacturing, operations and engineering, Rob gives clients powerful insights to produce profitable growth.

At Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Rob led project, operations and engineering teams in launching innovative new products, improving product performance and reducing manufacturing cost.

Rob earned his MBA at the Harvard Business School and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Jennie leads innovative, strategic change.  She has been described as one who ‘excels in future reality’.   Jennie specializes in partnering with leaders across the organization to translate growth strategies into disciplined execution programs.

Jennie’s love for change began early:

– Moved around frequently while growing up, which whetted her appetite for change and how people are influenced by change

– Exchange student in India at 17, which showed her the world is a collection of diverse ideas, talents, and philosophies

– Educated at small colleges, which taught her about communities

– Early career:  COO for small, family-owned business – learned about work groups becoming families

– Mid career:   Corporate America – Consulting with small manufacturers, a dive into Lean Six Sigma at GE, and building the Business Transformation group at Coca-Cola Enterprises that created a culture of visible, profitable strategy execution.

Jennie has spent the last 20 months on sabbatical:  travel in a very small trailer (blue highways and small town America), tourist volunteer (India) and LOTS of family time (hubby, kids, parents, siblings).  She is now in active transition, seeking her next opportunity to engage leaders across an organization to make change happen.

A Marketing and Communications leader with passion for delivering”marketing magic,” that blend the art & science to bring a company’sportrait to life, specifically in the technology, agriculture & manufacturing industries.

As Director, Corporate Marketing and Brand Communications Worldwide with AGCO, an $8B farm equipment manufacturer, Sue was responsible for the corporate brand and led the global marketing efforts throughout 140countries. Sue was responsible for public relations, digital communicationsand social media, branding, employee communications, sustainability and marketing communications. Sue’s social media efforts have been recognized along with Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines as having a perfect engagement score and has also been recognized by IABC (International Association ofBusiness Communicators), NAMA (National Agri-Marketing Association), DECA Paths in Marketing, and TopView Social Media Series, and her Global Branding project has been recognized by IABC and has evolved into aPersonal Branding training she offers to executives in transition. She is also published in the PR News Media Guidebook as the featured chapter and hasearned her Accredited Business Communicator designation by IABC.

Sue is also a veteran of the computer industry with over 15 years at Apple,where she was responsible for demand generation, solutions seminars,marketing integration, co-marketing partnerships, channel programs, field communications, digital and small business market development.

Sue has also helped other companies with their sales and marketing strategy,as she founded Otten Associates, a consulting and program management firm. Services include sales and marketing strategy, market research, events,team building, demand generation, field marketing, communications, and channel programs. A division of the company, Otten Interactive, focused ondynamic website development and e-marketing initiatives. Her varied client list includes companies from the entertainment, healthcare, software,manufacturing, retail, Internet infrastructure, and technology sectors.

Sue, a graduate of University of Minnesota, has an MBA from Illinois Benedictine University and has taught marketing courses at the MBA level,using real world examples, both good and bad, to challenge her students. She and her husband Ron live with their two children near Atlanta. She is active in her church and her kids’ athletic activities, and is training for her third marathon

Mark B. Fonseca, President of Fonseca Clothiers is a subject matter expert in the area of Executive Image and Professional Attire to leading Executives and Entrepreneurs. He is a member of the Custom Tailors and Designers Association, wardrobe Consultant to CNN / Turner Broadcasting, and conducts Seminars for Vistage International, Fortune 500 companies and has worked with men’s clothing icon and author of “Dressing the Man” Alan Flusser.

As an on-air image consultant to CNN and Turner Broadcasting, Mark Fonseca has developed over a decade of best practices in non verbal communication, most importantly what you should not wear whether it makes you look too short, too heavy, or just outdated!

Mark provides straightforward, honest and objective information about specific suggestions for improvement based on your individual personality, profession and unique motivations, with recommendations on styles, fit, and colors that will enhance your presence and personal effectiveness. His exclusive “Dressing by the Numbers” system makes it “easy” to look your best whether your dress is Business, Business Casual or Casual attire.

Diane Crompton loves all things social and helping people showcase their unique skills.  It made sense that Diane was an early adopter of social media and leveraged her knowledge of social media to help people build their personal brand.  Her multi-faceted career includes experience as an educator and as a nationwide recruiter where she recruited medical specialists nationally for several contingency and retained search firms.

In addition, she has worked for ten years as a Senior Career Consultant with an international human resources consulting group.  In this role she has coached hundreds of professionals from all organizational levels and industry backgrounds, including Fortune 500 firms locally and nationally.  Since 2004 Diane has applied her knowledge to consult with professionals on how to build their personal brand by using social media strategically.  In her consulting practice she partners with organizations to enhance their success through strategic use of social media.

Diane is the co-author of several books including “Seven Days to Online Networking,” (JIST 2008) and “Find a Job Through Social Networking” (JIST 2010).  She has had the opportunity to share her expertise at industry, corporate and academic events and has presented live and web based sessions on this topic to organizations throughout the country.  Diane has also served as a SME (Subject Matter Expert) and is a frequent contributor to media on this topic.

Diane holds a B.S. degree in Education from Springfield College in Massachusetts, combined with graduate studies in Instructional Design. She is a member of ACPI (Association of Career Professionals International), and CDI (Career Directors International).

Debbie Reetz   is co-owner and VP of Sales and Marketing for Media Solutions Partners and specializes in digital sales growth and training, social media, sales management, start-ups, turnarounds, revitalization, business development, marketing strategy, client development and retention, and brand management.

Her sales experience includes success as Director of National Accounts for AutoTrader.com, Classics division, and as Director of National Advertising for The Atlanta Journal- Constitution.

Her responsibilities included leading teams in selling advertising and marketing initiatives to auto manufacturers, and businesses such as those in insurance, financial, travel, consumer products, entertainment, movies, sports, and healthcare.

Debbie resides in Atlanta, Georgia and is an active member of the American Marketing Association, Atlanta Ad Club, the Society of Human Resource Management, and Executives in Sales and Marketing.

Bob Drew’s passion for nature and water began during his formative years in Wisconsin. He grew up an avid swimmer, canoeist, kayaker, skier and sailor in the water-abundant great lakes region. Along the way, he spent five-and-a-half years as an engineer in a paper mill in Southern California where water is quite scarce. Paper manufacturing uses copious amounts of water, and Drew led all efforts in running the water portion of the plant while optimizing paper production and quality. Through his conservation efforts, he was able to cut water usage in half while improving production and quality. As a result, the water savings amounted to a million gallons a day, which was enough to supply 12,500 residents. He has taken that passion and know-how to get similar results in Atlanta with its infinite water challenges.

ECOVIE (pronounced ECHO-VEE) Rainwater Collection Systems, founded in 2008, has become one of the leading firms that engineers, designs and installs systems in Atlanta and beyond. Projects range from home installations where smaller basins are needed, to larger scale such as college campuses and apartment buildings. Each system is engineered for the specific project to help maximize conservation efforts.

In addition to founding ECOVIE, Drew has optimized the creation process of paper products in Latin America and Europe, as well as managed large engineering projects. His eye for innovation and his project management orientation are great assets to the design and installation of rainwater systems.Drew holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and an M.B.A. from UCLA. He is professionally accredited by the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association. He was recently elected to the board of directors of ARCSA and also is the president of SERHSA (Southeast Rainwater Harvest Systems Association). He also serves on the advisory board of DeKalb Tech’s new Green Technologies Academy.

Robert “Tim” Uzar is the Chief Executive Officer of EcoMech, LLC, opened in 2009 in Newnan, Georgia. He is responsible for providing the vision and strategic direction of the company. Under Mr. Uzar’s leadership, EcoMech, LLC., has grown into a successful mechanical contracting company with 100% of its growth reinforced by referrals, and is one of the top company’s in Georgia that is committed to creating healthy environments which serve the needs of the “green minded” clientele.

EcoMech,LLC., specializes in geothermal system installations, spray foam insulation, solar, rainwater collection systems, radiant floor heating and even air quality. As one of Georgia’s leading Geothermal HVAC systems installers, EcoMech offers a team of mechanical industry professionals, skilled and focused in energy efficient systems, an integral part of its sustainable design excellence.

Uzar is a graduate of Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Georgia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, where he founded in 2001, both the Georgia Student Chapter of “MCAA” Mechanical Contractors Association of America and the Specialty Contractor’s Association. He continues EcoMech’s upward growth throughout the south east with expansions in Alabama and Florida. http://www.ecomech.net/

Steve is a founding partner of Inman solar, which is a full service photovoltaic solar system installer and integrator based in Atlanta.  Inman focuses on developing solar solutions that make economic sense and add marketing value for its customers.  Requiring a vast knowledge of solar technological advances, Inman Solar also offers detailed financial analyses for projects.

Inman Solar has been involved with some of the largest solar projects in the Southeast.  One of their latest projects is installing a 1 MW solar farm on the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport.   In addition, they have also done many small residential systems and more intricate architectural projects.

Steve is a Board Member of the Georgia Solar Energy Association, GSEA.  He holds an MBA from Emory University with an undergrad degree in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University.

Darren Horvath, is a member of the Employment, Labor and Immigration Group at Taylor English. He is dedicated to counseling and defending both private and public employers in labor and employment matters. Mr. Horvath has successfully litigated cases for employers in state and federal courts and administrative agencies throughout the country. These cases have included discrimination, retaliation and harassment claims under state and federal employment laws, federal and state leave laws, overtime, minimum wage, and exempt classification claims under the FLSA and state wage and hour statutes, FLSA collective actions, state law tort claims, whistleblower claims, breach of contract claims, and equal protection, due process, first amendment, excessive force, and other constitutional claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Mr. Horvath also has successfully represented litigants in cases involving trade secrets and restrictive covenants, including seeking and defending against requests for temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions

In addition to a successful track record of defending employers in litigation, Mr. Horvath also assists clients with avoiding potential legal claims by providing thoughtful advice on employment-related issues, such as employment contracts, severance agreements, employee policies, handbooks and procedural manuals, restrictive covenants, FMLA, ADA and FLSA compliance, drug testing, background checks, termination and other personnel decisions, and handling complaints of harassment, discrimination or other allegations of misconduct. When providing such advice, Mr. Horvath focuses on developing practical solutions that minimize legal risks without losing sight of the client’s business and operational considerations.

Before joining Taylor English in 2009, Mr. Horvath practiced labor and employment law as an associate and equity partner with Fisher & Phillips LLP, from 1996 through 2009

Scott Porter, is a member of the Employment, Labor & Immigration practice group at Taylor English. He primarily focuses his practice on labor and employment counseling and the negotiating and drafting of employment and severance agreements. Mr. Porter has particular experience representing clients in media, entertainment, sports, and higher education.  Mr. Porter also represents executives with respect to the negotiation of employment-related agreements.

Mr. Porter has extensive experience counseling clients concerning day-to-day employment issues such as hiring, discipline, firing, reductions-in-force, disability accommodations, and requests for leave; preparing employment agreements, restrictive covenants, separation agreements, employee handbooks, supervisors’ manuals, and various employment policies; conducting sexual harassment investigations; and conducting equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment training seminars.

Mr. Porter has also represented employers successfully in a wide variety of employment and other litigation matters in both state and federal courts as well as before administrative agencies in Georgia and throughout the country. These matters have included cases involving state and federal discrimination statutes (including harassment and retaliation claims), employment related state law torts, breach of contract, tortious interference with contractual and business relationships, and unfair labor practice claims.

Prior to joining Taylor English in 2007, Mr. Porter served in-house for eight years as a Senior Employment Counsel for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Prior to joining Turner, Mr. Porter was an associate with the labor & employment group of Powell Goldstein, LLP.

At Turner, Mr. Porter negotiated and drafted executive and on-air talent agreements; provided advice with respect to contracts, policies, procedures, personnel decisions and internal investigations. He ensured compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements created and revised company-wide policies and procedures; and conducted training for supervisors and human resources employees, including helping to create and implement a company-wide harassment and respectful behavior training program. Mr. Porter was the primary employment counsel for CNN for much of his tenure at Turner.

Mr. Porter has twice spoken to the Georgia Bar Association about the ADA Amendments Act and has been a guest lecturer at Georgia State’s Executive MBA Program.

Mr. Porter and his partner have a wonderful daughter and are active at All Saints Episcopal Church.