Blog

March, 2017 Meeting

At our March 16h meeting, we’re honored to have as speaker, Margaret “Marjy” Stagmeier, a founding partner of TriStar Investments. Ms. Stagmeier has received considerable attention for her innovations in providing and managing affordable housing. A recent AJC article describes her concept of caring capitalism that transforms communities and still makes a profit for investors.

Her topic will be “Stabilizing Failing Schools Through Housing”.

Ms. Stagmeier has over 25 years of experience providing asset management and fund development for European and U.S. high net-worth individuals and institutions. She is the author of the book Real Estate Asset Management: Executive Strategies for Profit-Making, a landmark book in its third printing.

Ms. Stagmeier has Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Finance from Georgia State University. She is a Distinguished Toastmaster, past board member of the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors, and serves on the board of the Atlanta Food Bank. She lives in Midtown with her husband, John.

February, 2017 Meeting

We’re honored to have as speakers, Louise Blais, Consul General of the Canadian Consulate, and Javier Díaz de León, Consul General of the Mexican Consulate. The Consuls General will conduct a panel discussion on trade and NAFTA.

Ms. Louise Blais has served abroad as Counsellor at the Embassy in Washington and Tokyo and as Minister-Counsellor for Political Affairs at the Embassy in Paris. In Ottawa, she has held the position of Director of the Public Diplomacy Division and Executive Director of the Rotational Staff Division before being appointed Consul General of Canada in Atlanta. She holds a B.A. from McGill University in Montreal.

Sr. Javier Díaz de León has served 25 years in the Mexican Foreign Service and currently holds the rank of Minister. He has held consulate positions in San Diego, New York and Raleigh, NC, where he was Consul General. In 2016, he was appointed by President Enrique Peña Nieto as Consul General for Atlanta. His undergraduate degree is from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and he holds a Masters in International Conflict Analysis from the University of Kent in England.

January, 2017 Meeting

The next meeting of the Roundtable is at noon Thursday, January 19th, at the Capital City Club downtown. RSVP whether you plan to attend.

We’re honored to have as speaker Ambassador Mary Ann Peters, CEO of the Carter Center. Before taking over the Carter Center responsibilities in 2014, she was provost of the U.S. Naval War College and dean of academics at the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Ambassador Peters spent more than 30 years as a career diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. From 2000 to 2003, she was U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, leading the mission’s efforts in support of the war on terrorism and other key U.S. foreign policy goals. She received a Presidential Meritorious Service Award in 2003 for her work there.

Ambassador Peters holds a Bachelor of Arts from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Her formal education also included courses at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris.

Cedric Suzman wins Lifetime Achievement Award

cedric-suzman-bs3-750xx3280-4373-0-0Cedric Suzman is the recipient of the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award in the Governor’s International Awards sponsored by Atlanta Business Chronicle in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the World Trade Center Atlanta. This award recognizes a significant individual who has dedicated a lifetime to fostering and growing international business in Georgia.

See the article in Atlanta Business Chronicle.

November, 2016 Meeting

The next meeting of the Roundtable is at noon Thursday, November 17th, at the Capital City Club downtown.  RSVP whether you plan to attend.
Our speaker is criminal defense lawyer William “Bubba” Head.  Mr. Head has won scores of cases for Georgia residents (including several high-profile clients) ranging from misdemeanor DUI to felony cases like drug possession, vehicular homicide, serious injury by vehicle and murder. 

The title of his presentation is “The Seven Great Myths about Drunk Driving in America”.

Mr. Head has been practicing law in Georgia since 1976 and has handled thousands of DUI cases in Atlanta Municipal Court.  His undergraduate history degree and his law degree are from the University of Georgia.
Mr. Head is recognized by colleagues and peers as one of the leading DUI defense attorneys in the State. In 2003, he was voted the best DUI lawyer in America by the National College for DUI Defense, with 600 attorneys voting.
 
He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, a Life Member of NACDL, and GACDL. He was just named Best DUI Lawyer in Atlanta by Best Lawyers in America. Mr. Head has written 12 books on DUI Law, is Board Certified by DUI Defense through the ABA, plus has been a speaker in more than 300 legal seminars.

October, 2016 Meeting

The next meeting of the Roundtable is at noon Thursday, October 20th, at the Capital City Club downtown.  RSVP whether you plan to attend.

We’re pleased to have as speaker Alicia Philipp, President of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.  The Foundation donates $100 million annually, making it one of the largest service organizations in the Southeast.  Knowledgeable observers say that this foundation is changing the philanthropic landscape in metro Atlanta.

Ms. Philipp has led the foundation for almost 40 years.  Under her leadership, the Community Foundation has grown from $7 million in 1977 to more than $920 million.  She was named to Georgia Trend’s “100 Most Influential Georgians” list, one of the “100 Most Influential Atlantans” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the ninth most powerful Atlantan by Atlanta magazine and one of 175 “Emory History Makers” by Emory University.

She explains “What is the Community Foundation?” in the video at http://metroatlantaceo.com/video/2016/09/alicia-philipp-community-foundation-greater-atlanta/.

Ms. Philipp received a bachelor’s degree from Emory University and her MBA from Georgia State University. She lives in Decatur and has two adult children, both of whom live in Europe.

We look forward to seeing you on the 20th.

 

September, 2016 Meeting

The next meeting of the Roundtable is at noon Thursday, September 15th, at the Capital City Club downtown. RSVP whether you plan to attend.

We’re pleased to have as our speaker Sheffield Hale, CEO of the Atlanta History Center (and former Roundtable member). In his four-year tenure at the Center, he has initiated major changes. “Sheffield is creative in constantly pushing it forward. He’s not satisfied with the status quo.” says Sam Massell.

Among many projects at the Center, Mr. Hale will oversee the relocation and restoration of the 15,000 square-foot Cyclorama painting to a new building on the grounds of the Center.

Prior to joining the Atlanta History Center, Mr. Hale served as Chief Counsel of the American Cancer Society, and was a Partner practicing corporate law in the firm of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP.

Mr. Hale serves as a Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Robert W. Woodruff Library of Atlanta University Center, Fox Theatre, Inc., University of Georgia Press, and the Georgia Humanities Council. He is a Past Chair of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the Atlanta History Center, St. Jude’s Recovery Center, Inc., and the State of Georgia’s Judicial Nominating Commission.

Mr. Hale received his B.A. in History from the University of Georgia summa cum laude in 1982, and received his J.D. in 1985 from the University of Virginia School of Law. He is a member of the American Law Institute.