GNFCC President Archives - Business RadioX ®

The GNFCC 400 Insider: All Things Sandy Springs, An Interview With Jennifer Cruce, Visit Sandy Springs, and Andrea Worthy, City of Sandy Springs Economic Development

November 19, 2019 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

The GNFCC 400 Insider: All Things Sandy Springs, An Interview With Jennifer Cruce, Visit Sandy Springs, and Andrea Worthy, City of Sandy Springs Economic Development

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**Jennifer Cruce, Kali Boatright, and Andrea Worthy**

“The GNFCC 400 Insider,” Episode 30, All Things Sandy Springs: An Interview with Jennifer Cruce, Visit Sandy Springs, and Andrea Worthy, City of Sandy Springs Economic Development

The dynamic economic activity in the City of Sandy Springs was discussed on this edition of “GNFCC 400 Insider,” as host Kali Boatright interviewed Jennifer Cruce, Executive Director of Visit Sandy Springs, and Andrea Worthy, Economic Development Director for the City of Sandy Springs.

Jennifer Cruce, Executive Director of Visit Sandy Springs

Jennifer Cruce was named Executive Director of Visit Sandy Springs in 2014. Visit Sandy Springs is the Destination Marketing Organization for the North Fulton city. Sandy Springs incorporated in 2005 and prides itself on being a place where residents decided on the development they wanted to see and experience.

As the director of hospitality and tourism, Jennifer showcases Sandy Springs’ restaurants, arts, culture and attractions. Prior to her current role, Jennifer was senior manager of marketing for Inside CNN Studio Tours at Turner Broadcasting for more than 10 years.

For more information go to the Visit Sandy Springs website. Email Jennifer or call 770-206-1447.

Andrea Worthy, Economic Development Director for the City of Sandy Springs

Andrea Worthy has served as Economic Development Director for the City of Sandy Springs since July 2018. For six years prior, she was Vice President of Economic Development for The Collaborative, which managed the city’s Economic Development until June 2018. Andrea is responsible for facilitating the location or expansion of local businesses.

Andrea is a former Redevelopment Director for Smyrna where she implemented the city’s Tax Allocation District. Her past economic development experience includes work as an independent consultant, as well as a manager of policy development at Mirant, an independent power producer and energy trading firm.

For more information go to the City of Sandy Springs website. Email Andrea or call 770-730-5600.

About GNFCC and “The GNFCC 400 Insider”

“The GNFCC 400 Insider” (formerly “North Atlanta’s Bizlink”) is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) and is hosted by Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC. The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of over 1400 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions and individuals. Their service area includes Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell and Sandy Springs. GNFCC is the leading voice on economic development, business growth and quality of life issues in North Fulton County.

The GNFCC promotes the interests of our members by assuming a leadership role in making North Fulton an excellent place to work, live, play and stay. They provide one voice for all local businesses to influence decision makers, recommend legislation, and protect the valuable resources that make North Fulton a popular place to live.

For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806.

For the complete show archive of “The GNFCC 400 Insider,” go to GNFCC400Insider.com. “The GNFCC 400 Insider is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

The GNFCC 400 Insider: All Things Alpharetta, An Interview with Janet Rodgers, Awesome Alpharetta (Alpharetta CVB) and Matt Thomas, City of Alpharetta Economic Development

August 23, 2019 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

The GNFCC 400 Insider: All Things Alpharetta, An Interview with Janet Rodgers, Awesome Alpharetta (Alpharetta CVB) and Matt Thomas, City of Alpharetta Economic Development

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**Kali Boatright, Matthew Thomas, and Janet Rodgers**

Episode 27, All Things Alpharetta

Why does Alpharetta keep achieving such high rankings for quality of life? What makes Alpharetta such an attractive place to do business, particularly for technology companies? What are some of the signature events which draw visitors to Alpharetta? Join Host Kali Boatright as she poses these questions and more to Janet Rodgers, Awesome Alpharetta, and Matthew Thomas, Economic Development Manager of the City of Alpharetta. The “GNFCC 400 Insider” is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

Janet Rodgers, Awesome Alpharetta, the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau

**Janet Rodgers, Awesome Alpharetta, the Alpharetta CVB**

Janet Rodgers is President and CEO of Awesome Alpharetta, the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau. The mission statement of the Alpharetta CVB is “to position the city of Alpharetta as a regionally, nationally and globally recognized premier tourism destination by developing quality programs and facilities to attract overnight visitors.”

The Alpharetta CVB uses innovative and targeted marketing strategies, along with aggressive sales efforts, to attract overnight visitors to the city. They do this in three key areas:

1. Increasing the awareness and identity of Alpharetta as a destination for the leisure and individual traveler and raising awareness of the economic importance of the visitor industry to Alpharetta by placing advertisements, writing press releases, utilizing social media and maintaining a technologically advanced website

2. Employing a variety of sales strategies to increase the number of group room nights booked in Alpharetta’s 26 hotels through attendance at tradeshows, association meetings and conferences as well as sales calls and site visits with event organizers

3. Providing leadership for the visitor industry, coordinating activities, encouraging marketing activities and partnerships, and projecting an appealing image on behalf of the city of Alpharetta

For more information on the Alpharetta CVB and their services, call 678-297-2811 and request their brochure, “A Look at the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau.” You can also visit the Awesome Alpharetta website.

Matthew Thomas, City of Alpharetta Economic Development

Matthew Thomas is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Alpharetta.

There’s a reason why more than 640 technology-based businesses have made their home in Alpharetta, and it’s not just the nice houses and great weather. The city’s fiber-optic network is the most extensive and redundant in the Southeast, and they work closely with state and local economic development agencies to provide tax credits and incentives to complement any brand of business. Some of the biggest and most recognized names in the tech industry are thriving in Alpharetta. With more than 20 million square feet of office space, there’s plenty of room in the neighborhood for you next expansion.

The City of Alpharetta has been recognized nationally in a variety of awards and rankings, including Best Small City to Start Business (Entrepreneur.com), Best Atlanta Suburb (Movoto), Top 25 Best Places to Move (Forbes), 7th Friendliest City (Forbes), and 6th Fastest Growing City (U.S. Census, 2012).

For more information, go to GrowAlpharetta.com, or call 678-297-6024.

About GNFCC and “The GNFCC 400 Insider”

**Kali Boatright, President and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce**

For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806.

The GNFCC 400 Insider: All Things Roswell, An Interview with Andy Williams, Visit Roswell, the Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Steve Stroud, Roswell Inc.

July 19, 2019 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

The GNFCC 400 Insider: All Things Roswell, An Interview with Andy Williams, Visit Roswell, the Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Steve Stroud, Roswell Inc.

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**Steve Stroud, Kali Boatright, and Andy Williams**

Episode 26, All Things Roswell

What makes the City of Roswell so attractive to millennials, families, and empty-nesters? Why is Roswell such an attractive location for business? What are some of the signature events which draw visitors to Roswell? Join Host Kali Boatright as she poses these questions and more to Andy Williams, Visit Roswell, and Steve Stroud, Roswell Inc. The “GNFCC 400 Insider” is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

Andy Williams, Visit Roswell, the Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau

**Andy Williams, Visit Roswell, the Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau**

Andy Williams is the Executive Director of Visit Roswell, the Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau. Visit Roswell and the Roswell Visitors Center is the place for “All Things Roswell.” It is a convenient place to start your excursion whether you are looking for historic attractions, trails to hike, nature, entertainment, breweries, or Roswell’s extensive culinary scene.

Knowledgeable staff can assist with arrangements for a fun filled day, overnight stay, or a several day trip. The Roswell Visitors Center is located at the intersection of Hwy. 9 and Sloan Street in Roswell’s Historic District (just across the street from the Historic Town Square.) at 617 Atlanta Street; Roswell, GA 30075.

You can email info@visitroswellga.com, or call 770-640-3253 or 800-776-7935. The Visit Roswell website can be found at http://www.visitroswellga.com/.

Steve Stroud, Roswell Inc.

Steve Stroud is the Executive Director for Economic Development with Roswell Inc.

As the economic development and business advocacy organization for the City of Roswell, Roswell Inc. serves as a catalyst for a sustainable, innovative and vibrant business community in the city.

Their vision is for Roswell to be the best place in the region for innovative, community-minded businesses and entrepreneurs, and they accomplish this through four main areas of work—business attraction and recruitment, business retention and expansion, industry support programs, and business development.

As a 501(c)6 nonprofit, Roswell Inc. has worked with the City of Roswell through a public-private partnership since 2012 by serving as an advocate for business and economic growth.

For more information, go to https://roswellinc.org/ or call 678-823-4004.

About GNFCC and “The GNFCC 400 Insider”

For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806.

NORTH ATLANTA’S BIZLINK: North Fulton Education Leaders Allison Townsend, 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year, and Dr. Doannie Tran, Fulton County Schools

May 23, 2019 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

NORTH ATLANTA’S BIZLINK: North Fulton Education Leaders Allison Townsend, 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year, and Dr. Doannie Tran, Fulton County Schools

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**Dr. Doannie Tran, Kali Boatright, and Allison Townsend**

Allison Townsend, 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year, Barnwell Elementary School

As the 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Allison Townsend passionately believes each child should have a voice in his or her learning. She is dedicated to helping teachers create transparent classroom environments where, together with their students, they can make connections and have an impact beyond the four walls of their classrooms.

Since graduating from Clemson University in 2012, Allison Townsend has been a teacher in Fulton County Schools in Atlanta, Georgia. She has taught pre-k, 3rd, and 4th grades at Shakerag and Barnwell Elementary Schools. She inspires her students to grow beyond “engagement” to “ownership” by empowering them with a co-planning learning model she has created. She is also an advocate for transparency in education by inviting parents, teachers, and community members into her classroom, coaching teachers at her school, presenting at conferences, and using Twitter as a window into her classroom. Her mission is to inspire students and teachers to take risks, connect with people from around the world, and smile along the way!

In her role as 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Townsend is traveling the state as an advocate for students and teachers and spreading her message of student ownership, transparency in education, and the power of human connection.

Dr. Doannie Tran, Fulton County Schools

Dr. Doannie Tran is the Assistant Superintendent for Innovative Programs for Fulton County Schools. He is also overseeing the launch of FCS’s two innovative STEM schools, including the North Fulton STEM High School located in Alpharetta and to be opened in Fall 2020.

Doannie gradated from North Springs High School in Sandy Springs, GA and earned a Chemistry degree from the University of Georgia before joining Teach For America where he taught middle school science in Oakland, California. After moving to Boston, Doannie taught high school science in Boston before joining the staff of Teach For America to launch the Massachusetts region in 2009. Doannie was responsible for professional development for all new TFA teachers in Massachusetts. He built up their partnership with Boston University, where he has also served on faculty. During that time, the Massachusetts region was in the top 10% of all regions in terms of effectiveness, satisfaction and retention of teachers. The 2014 NCTQ/US News and World Report study of teacher preparation programs gave the program Doannie designed and executed the only high rating given to an alternative certification program.

Doannie received his doctorate in education leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. As a graduate student, he trained extensively in design thinking and Lean Startup methodologies and was sponsored as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at NewSchools Venture Fund. As an entrepreneur, he used design thinking and Lean principles to launch an education company called the Teaching Genome that provided teachers with insight into their teaching styles and used that knowledge to better support coaching and professional learning communities.

Doannie left his startup to join the leadership team of Boston Public Schools as Assistant Superintendent for Academics and Professional Learning. In that role, he focused on ensuring that every educator had high-quality curricular options and were competent in evidence-based instructional practices. He led a team of twenty-two teachers and over seventy central office experts to collaboratively develop the Essentials for Instructional Equity, Boston Public School’s vision for instruction that closes opportunity gaps. He led the collaboration of central office departments and dozens of teacher leaders to develop learning experiences that align to the Essentials, and to date, thousands of teachers have engaged in these courses.

Doannie is married to Holly Gooding, also a UGA alum and adolescent medicine physician at Emory and has two small children, Elliot (7) and Louise (5).

About GNFCC and “North Atlanta’s Bizlink”

“North Atlanta’s Bizlink” is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) and is hosted by Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC. The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of over 1400 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions and individuals. Their service area includes Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell and Sandy Springs. GNFCC is the leading voice on economic development, business growth and quality of life issues in North Fulton County.

For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806.

**Dr. Doannie Tran and Allison Townsend**

ATL Developments with Geoff Smith: Georgia Sen. Brandon Beach

April 29, 2019 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

ATL Developments with Geoff Smith: Georgia Sen. Brandon Beach

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**Geoff Smith and GA Sen. Brandon Beach on “ATL Developments with Geoff Smith”**

ATL Developments with Geoff Smith: An Interview with Ga. Senator Brandon Beach

Host Geoff Smith speaks with Georgia State Senator Brandon Beach on the process of improving transportation infrastructure in the state, how drivers of economic development has changed in recent years, the importance of transportation in economic development, and creating better coordination across local jurisdictions in Metro Atlanta.

Senator Brandon Beach, Georgia Senate District 21 and Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee

Senator Brandon Beach was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2013. He represents District 21 which includes portions of Cherokee and Fulton counties. Senator Beach is the Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. He is also a member of the Economic Development, Higher Education and Science and Technology committees. Sen. Beach served as the Chairman of the Public Private Partnership Committee (P3 Committee). Under his leadership, the P3 Committee was able to acquire key local transportation projects approved for Cherokee and North Fulton.

Sen. Beach was named Executive Director of the North Fulton Community Improvement District (CID) in January 2018. Previously, he was President of the North Fulton CID and President & CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. Under his leadership, the North Fulton CID has invested more than $20 million to help bring more than $100 million in new infrastructure for the District area.

In 2001, Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Sen. Beach to the board of Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA). In 2008, he was selected to chair one of GRTA’s most important committees — The Land Development Committee. In this role, Sen. Beach is responsible for leading a review of every significant development brought before the 16-county area that GRTA serves. Sen. Beach was elected to the Board of the Georgia Department of Transportation by state legislators from the 6th Congressional District in 2008.

Sen. Beach is a member of numerous community boards including the Regional Business Coalition, Grady Hospital Board of Visitors, the Greater Metro Atlanta American Heart Association, the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, Encore Park and the Historic Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau. Senator Beach received an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and a Masters in Business Administration degree from Centenary College. He is also a graduate of the Regional Leadership Institute and a former member of the Alpharetta City Council and the Alpharetta Planning and Zoning Commission. He and his wife, Shuntel, have two children and have lived in Alpharetta for the past 24 years.

Geoff Smith, Host of “ATL Developments with Geoff Smith”

Geoff Smith is the host of “ATL Developments with Geoff Smith” and a mortgage banker with Assurance Financial. Possessed with a strong passion for helping his community, Geoff works closely with people and their families so they may live comfortably in fantastic homes and neighborhoods in the booming Atlanta area.

Geoff is an active member of his community serving on the Board of Directors of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, as well as holding the position of chairman for the Chamber’s Education Committee. He is also Secretary of the Roswell Youth Baseball Association and coaches his sons in football, baseball and basketball. Geoff enjoys golf, camping and traveling with his wife and two sons. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia.