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Chapter News: Spotlight: Atlanta
- Welcome Letter
- Atlanta Area Attractions
- Atlanta Area Statistics
- Alumni Advisory Board Task Forces
- Thank you
- Get Involved
Hello from Atlanta, the Capital of the New South!
With more than 25 Fortune 1000 companies, a young population, a comparatively
low cost of living and a strong business climate, Atlanta provides a
plethora of opportunities for McCombs graduates. Whether you are on
a tour of duty with a consulting firm or settling down on your way to
the top at Coca-Cola, Atlanta offers all the benefits of a big city
served with a side of a southern hospitality.
The Atlanta chapter of the McCombs MBA Alumni Network has enjoyed a
rebirth in recent years, sparked by a handful of graduates from the
Class of 2001 with support from the Alumni Affairs office. Essentially,
several of us got an e-mail list of all Atlanta-area contacts in the
alumni association database and took a divide-and-conquer approach to
contact them. Our first event was a simple happy hour. Now, a strong
core of alumni serves as a base to expand the chapter functions.
Given Atlanta’s legendary traffic and dispersed business hubs, finding
a location that is convenient to all alumni for an after-work gathering
can be tough. Despite that challenge, attendance has grown at every
one of our biannual events, thanks in part to Atlanta’s growing popularity
as a destination for new McCombs graduates.
We’re extremely excited about the growth in attendance at the Atlanta
alumni chapter events. We plan to move from two functions a year to
four. In addition to continuing the successful winter and summer happy
hours, we plan to introduce a breakfast or a speaker event in the fall
and a cultural event in the spring. We are always looking for volunteers
and would not be enjoying the success we are today without the wonderful
support of Atlanta-area alumni.
We hope to hear from you!
George Connell, MBA ’01
georgeconnell@yahoo.com
Jim Zook, MBA ’01
jimzook@comcast.net
Whether you are a long-term resident or just visiting for the weekend, Atlanta has the activity for you.
A devoted news junkie, for example, might want to start the day with a tour of CNN’s global headquarters in
downtown Atlanta. Buy your tickets in advance, as the tour frequently sells out.
Talking heads giving you a headache? Maybe you’re more of a history buff. If so, head to the King
Center, established in 1968 by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s widow, Coretta Scott King, as the
“living memorial and institutional guardian of his legacy.”
To figure out how some fizzy sugar water became a global powerhouse, stop by the Coca-Cola Company’s
World of Coca-Cola. Don’t miss the “Tastes of the World” room, in which you can sample
every beverage Coca-Cola makes from around the world, most of which are not available in the United States.
Mango Cola, anyone?
Sports fans can catch a game every season, since Atlanta is home to Major League Baseball’s Braves,
the National Football League’s Falcons, the National Hockey League’s Thrashers and the National
Basketball Association’s perennial doormat, the Hawks. With the exception of the Falcons, tickets are
readily available for most home games. Pick up the nearest copy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to
figure out game time.
Atlanta’s tourism sector is on a building binge. Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot, is now
at work on a “Fish Depot.” His Georgia Aquarium will feature more than 55,000 animals from 500
different species in about five million gallons of water.
The Woodruff Arts Center anchors midtown as the cultural hub of the city. It includes the High Museum of
Art, which is now in the final stages of a major expansion. The High’s most recent temporary
exhibition, Feast of Color, included works from Picasso, Manet and Pissarro that have seldom ventured from
their adoptive home, a private collection in the Netherlands. The Woodruff is also home to fabulous
symphony orchestra, ballet, opera and theatrical companies. Nearby, an exhibit featuring the works of glass
sculptor Dale Chihuly brought more than 350,000 visitors to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in 2004.
Attendance was just shy of 200,000 in 2003.
If you think all the world’s a stage—Atlanta’s no exception—the Shakespeare Tavern,
which has a rotating schedule of all of Shakespeare’s plays, is the place for you. Enjoy a glass of
wine while Hamlet makes a pass at his mother. Alternatively, head to Whole World Theater for improv
comedians at their best. Although no show is the same, it’s a consistently good time.
With all this activity, you must be getting hungry. Luckily, you’re in a culinary hot spot. Before
dinner, head to the bar at the Capital Grille. It has the best view of the city at sundown. After that,
Zagat’s will never steer you wrong if you want the best steakhouse (Bone’s or Chops) or a
fantastic slice of pizza (Mellow Mushroom). But since you’re in Atlanta, you need to put a little
south in your mouth. Barbecue—and yes, it is pork BBQ in Georgia—is served up with a side of
country music at the Swallow in the Hollow in the nearby town of Roswell. Over at Fat Matt’s Rib
Shack, on the other hand, the blues set the mood. For Southern comfort food like fried chicken and sweet
potato french fries, check out the Colonnade: this 1950s roadside motel might not be the Ritz, but the
food sure is good.
Sometimes, city life gets to be too much. Should that happen to you, head to the hills—literally.
While the Appalachian Mountains are only about an hour north of Atlanta, they feel a world away. You can
escape for the weekend to a quaint B&B in the North Carolina mountains, go water skiing on a mountain lake
or hike some of the thousands of mile of trails, including the southern end of the Appalachian Trail.
If a mountain trip is too much of a commitment, Atlanta has some of the best public and public/private golf
courses in the country. Greens fees are reasonable, so make sure to pack your clubs!
–George Connell
| Atlanta Employers with MBA Alumni | |
| Many area employers have McCombs MBA alumni on board: | |
| Coca-Cola | 10 |
| Deloitte | 6 |
| BellSouth | 5 |
| Delta Airlines | 5 |
| IBM | 5 |
| Home Depot | 5 |
| Georgia-Pacific Corporation | 4 |
| Bank of America | 4 |
| AMVESCAP | 3 |
| Accenture | 3 |
| American Airlines | 2 |
| Earthlink | 2 |
| Ford Motor Company | 2 |
| Monsanto Chemical Company | 2 |
| Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. | 2 |
| Siemens Energy & Automation | 2 |
| Strategic Solutions Group | 2 |
| SunTrust Bank | 2 |
Alumni Advisory Board Task Forces
The Advisory Board of the McCombs MBA Alumni Network supports many initiatives, including several dedicated
task forces:
Annual Giving
Fundraising is underway for an innovative fund sponsored by the Annual Giving Task Force. The MBA Alumni
Endowed Excellence Fund gives alumni a new way to support the most important school-wide initiatives and
offers alumni, students and administrators the rare chance to submit suggestions for uses of the fund. A
committee composed of administrators, alumni and students will then make recommendations to the dean of the
MBA program. If the target donation is met for this year, the MBA Alumni Endowed Excellence Fund will
qualify for McCombs Matching Funds. To make a donation or learn more, e-mail Annual Giving Chair Jason
Downie, MBA ’99, at jdownie@hmtf.com or David Lotz, assistant dean for resource development, at
david.lotz@mccombs.utexas.edu.
Membership
Charged with recruiting new members for the McCombs MBA Advisory Board, the Membership Task Force seeks
alumni from all backgrounds, locations and graduating classes. This year, a primary objective is to recruit
pre-1995 alumni, whose perspectives are critical to the network and the program. Alumni interested in
taking an active role with the advisory board should contact Membership Chair Tom Stephenson, MBA
’95, at tstephenson@vergefund.com or Robin Vallilee in the McCombs Alumni Office at
robin.vallilee@mccombs.utexas.edu.
Career Networking
The Career Networking Task Force recruits experienced alumni in all cities and industries to mentor newly
minted MBAs. The ideal mentor knows a range of professionals within his or her own company and industry. It
is not necessary for mentors to have hiring authority or available positions. Alumni are also needed to
counsel students about interview prep, specialty selection and other areas. Interested alumni should e-mail
Career Networking Chair David Gordon directly (and confidentially) at david.gordon@bus.utexas.edu.
Recognition
Fighting false modesty wherever it appears, the Recognition Task Force highlights noteworthy achievements
of McCombs MBAs with awards, such as the Rising Star. The task force is working on comprehensive criteria
and a nomination process to scout possible candidates. Please start thinking about those
“old-classmate-turned-superstar” types whose recognition may be long overdue, and e-mail
Recognition Chair Roland Galang, MBA ’99, at
roland@urbanspacecommercial.com with any suggestions.
Experienced Alumni
The Experienced Alumni Task Force reaches out to alumni who graduated prior to 1995. Involvement activities,
such as speaking at local alumni chapters and mentoring current students, provide a variety of ways to stay
connected. Currently, the task force is at work on a new Distinguished Alumni Mentor Program, giving
distinguished alumni a way to take on a leadership role in the network—without committing too much
time. For more information, contact Experienced Alumni Chair Reggie Cobb, MBA ’94,
at rcobb@alldata.net.
As the new chairman for the McCombs MBA Alumni Advisory Board, I’m delighted to share my excitement
about the McCombs MBA Alumni Network.
Do you keep in touch with your friends and classmates from McCombs? Have you ever received assistance in a
job search from a business school contact? Would you like to reconnect with professors who taught you while
you were in Austin?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you understand the reasons to be an active part of the
McCombs MBA Alumni Network. Simply put, the value of a McCombs degree increases as the strength of our
alumni network grows.
Already, thousands of alumni use our online directory to reconnect with classmates or update their own
information. Our Advisory Board is working on several exciting projects, including alumni recognition awards
and an alumni excellence fund for donations to the McCombs School. Regional chapters plan regular events
that connect alumni with faculty members and current students.
We have been lucky to work with some great alumni leaders over the past few years. I particularly want to
recognize our outgoing MMA Network chairman, Chris Johnson, MBA ’95. He has been an incredible leader
for us over the past two years.
Many thanks are also due to the outgoing heads of our regional alumni chapters: Cuatro Groos, MBA
’00, and Melissa Foester, MBA ’02, in Austin; David Douglass, MBA ’97, and Colleen Kerr
Douglass, MBA ’98, in Chicago; Leigh Allbritton, MBA ’02, in Dallas; Marcy Hall, MBA ’98,
in Los Angeles; Anne McLain, MBA ’00, in San Francisco; Matt Knopf, MBA ’99, in Washington, D.C.;
and Leonel Perez, MBA ’98, in Mexico City.
As these alumni move on, others have taken on their leadership roles. I want to thank them now for the work
ahead: Mayuresh Masurekar, MBA ’01 in Austin; Alan Stein, MBA ’94, in Dallas; Nick Parks, MBA
’00, in Denver; Holly Goodrich, MBA ’04, in New York; Mona Elibiary, MBA ’98,
in San Diego; Joe Lazarus, MBA ’03, and Alex Fox, MBA ’03, in San Francisco; Michelle Desmond,
MBA ’97, and Dave Moore, MBA ’98, in Seattle; Linda Montgomery, MBA ’97, and Hunter
Montgomery, MBA ’98, in Washington, D.C.; and Namrata Nayyar, MBA ’02, in India.
Whether you’re MBA ’40 or MBA ’04, I encourage you get involved with the ever-growing
McCombs MBA community. Let us know what you want to get out of your alumni association. We are a vital
part of the future of the McCombs School of Business.
Sincerely,
Michael Bacon, MBA ’98
The MBA Alumni Advisory Board would like to extend a special thank
you to our chapter presidents who have stepped down this year. It is
in great part due to their dedication and energy that we have been able
to extend the reach of the McCombs School of Business MBA across the
country and the world.
Thank you for your service.
Kevin Boardman, MBA 95, Dallas
Lisa Walvrood, MBA 96, Denver
David Hendrix, MBA 97, San Diego
Eric Strasser, MBA 00, San Francisco
Jesse Zimmer, MBA 98, San Francisco
Alex Von Frankenberg, MBA 92, Germany
- Volunteer at the local level to host events, secure speakers, or serve on the local chapter steering committee.
- Serve as an Alumni Admissions volunteer to recruit and interview potential candidates for the MBA program.
- Participate in our new Plus Program by offering hands-on opportunities through projects and/or mentoring a student group.
- Volunteer to be a mentor for a student organization or an individual student.
See more opportunities to get
involved.
