Builder Tommy Holder honored with Four Pillar Award
The Council for Quality Growth bestowed its highest honor on Tommy Holder on Oct. 16 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
The 36th annual Four Pillar Award (Quality, Responsibility, Vision and Integrity) showcased Holder, not only as a builder of buildings but also as a community builder.
Arthur Blank, majority owner of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, spoke of the complex job of building the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Holder Construction as a key partner in building the facility.
“We could not have accomplished it without Tommy by our side,” Blank said, adding that Tommy Holder was continuing the legacy set by his father, Robert Holder. “Tommy, your leadership has built more than landmarks. You have built community.”
The night was filled with tributes.
Beth Lowry, president and CEO of Holder Construction, spoke of Holder growing a company based on character and quality.
Donna Hyland, CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, described Holder as a “foxhole friend,” who was a calm and positive presence during the massive construction of Children’s new Arthur M. Blank Hospital.
Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech, said, “Tommy is truly a legend at Georgia Tech,” who is now serving as the new chairman of the Georgia Tech Foundation.
Rev. Sam Candler, dean at the Cathedral of St. Philip, talked about Holder’s integrity to his church, family, company and community.
Upon receiving the award, Holder said the experience was overwhelming, intense and very uncomfortable. He credited his success to surrounding himself with talented and dedicated leaders and to learning from his father.
“My father taught me that success comes with responsibility,” Holder said. “No matter how much you give, you always receive more in return.”
— Maria Saporta
Jamestown’s Matt Bronfman joins Atlanta Housing board
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has appointed Matt Bronfman, CEO of Jamestown, to the board of the Atlanta Housing Authority for a five-year term.
Atlanta-based Jamestown is the development firm behind Ponce City Market and Chelsea Market in New York City. Other local Jamestown holdings include Buckhead Village and Colony Square.
Terri Lee, president and CEO of Atlanta Housing, said Bronfman’s experience “will be invaluable as we advance our mission to expand affordability, accelerate production and preservation, and build inclusive communities across Atlanta.”
Bronfman has been interested in affordable housing issues for years. He told SaportaReport in January 2022 that he supported inclusionary zoning throughout the city and that he was interested in helping Atlanta develop more affordable housing.
— Maria Saporta
Nuclear Threat Initiative names new CEO
Christine Wormuth has been named as the new president and CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, an organization that was founded in 2001 by Atlantans Ted Turner and former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn.
Wormuth, a defense and national security leader, recently served as U.S. Secretary of the Army. She will begin serving as NTI’s president and CEO on Nov. 17.
“I’m honored to join NTI and follow in the footsteps of both Ernie Moniz and Sam Nunn, whose leadership delivered lasting, tangible results,” said Wormuth, adding that NTI’s mission “is more vital than ever.”
Moniz, who has served as NTI’s CEO since 2017, will stay on as a co-chair of the board — serving alongside co-founders Sam Nunn and Ted Turner.
— Maria Saporta
Georgia Tech names Raheem Beyah as next provost
Raheem Beyah, who has led the Institute’s College of Engineering since 2021, will become Georgia Tech’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs beginning Nov. 1.
Beyah is an Atlanta native and a graduate of the Atlanta Public Schools system. In his new role, he will oversee all academic and related units, including Georgia Tech’s six colleges, its library and professional education. He will also guide the Institute’s academic and budgetary priorities.
“Raheem Beyah’s commitment to students, faculty and staff has always been at the heart of his leadership,” Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera said. “He understands firsthand what they experience — their challenges, aspirations and the drive that defines a Georgia Tech education. That perspective will make him an outstanding provost and a tremendous partner in advancing Georgia Tech’s mission.”
— Maria Saporta
Spelman College Museum opens ‘Repossessions’ exhibition in new gallery
The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art has opened “Repossessions,” the first exhibition in its new Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts Bank of America Gallery. On view through May 1, 2026, the show marks the museum’s 30th anniversary and features works by Chelle Barbour, Marcus Brown, Rodney Ewing, Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle, Curtis Patterson and Shanequa Gay.
“Repossessions” centers on objects from enslavement and the Jim Crow era, transformed by Black artists who reinterpret items once held in white family archives. The exhibition explores themes of reparation, ownership and the enduring legacy of human bondage.
Under the leadership of Director Liz Andrews, Ph.D., the museum continues its focus on art by and about women of the African Diaspora while expanding opportunities for students and the Atlanta community to engage with contemporary conversations on history, identity and repair.
— Derek Prall
Westside Motor Lounge brings back Westside Sleigh Ride for the holidays
Atlanta’s Westside Motor Lounge will again transform into a festive destination as it brings back its holiday pop-up, “Westside Sleigh Ride,” from Nov. 28 through Dec. 31, 2025. The monthlong celebration features seasonal cocktails, fire pits, music and holiday décor throughout the indoor-outdoor venue.
Guests can expect live DJs, bands, holiday performances and pop-up surprises, along with rotating food and drink specials and family-friendly activities. Additional events will be announced in the coming weeks.
For a more intimate experience, the Echo Room will offer high-fidelity vinyl listening sessions and private party options with all-vinyl DJs. “Westside Sleigh Ride” will be open Wednesdays through Sundays, with weekday hours from 5 p.m. to midnight and weekend hours from noon to midnight. Westside Motor Lounge is at 725 Echo St. NW in Atlanta. More information is available here.
— Derek Prall
Students to compete in Kennesaw State’s Fintech Hackathon
More than 200 college and high school students will compete in Kennesaw State University’s Fintech Hackathon on Oct. 24-25, developing innovative solutions to real-world challenges in digital finance. The event highlights Georgia’s growing role in the financial technology industry and KSU’s commitment to workforce development in the sector.
Participants will form 60 teams representing Kennesaw State, the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, the College of Coastal Georgia, Fulton Innovation Academy and Lambert High School.
Prizes of $4,000, $3,000 and $2,000 will be awarded to the top three teams. Industry leaders from Equifax, Global Payments, Fiserv, FIS Global and NCR are expected to attend, along with keynote speaker State Rep. Arlene Beckles, a member of the Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee.
— Derek Prall
Mirae, a modern Asian-fusion restaurant, to open in Brookhaven
Mirae, a new modern Asian-fusion restaurant from husband-and-wife team John and Grace Lee, will open Friday, Oct. 24, at Parkside on Dresden in Brookhaven. Translating to “future” in Korean, Mirae blends traditional Asian comfort food with contemporary techniques and locally sourced ingredients.
The menu features creative dishes such as shrimp toast with white wine emulsion, miso-braised short ribs and aged wagyu don with yuzu cream. The beverage program includes craft cocktails, sakes, sojus and wines designed to complement the menu’s flavors.
The 5,000-square-foot restaurant offers a sleek, serene design with earthy tones, a zen garden and an intimate dining atmosphere. Dinner service will begin with limited reservations via Resy, with walk-in availability and extended hours coming soon.
Mirae adds to Brookhaven’s growing dining scene, connecting the neighborhood’s pedestrian-friendly Dresden Drive to Peachtree Road.
— Derek Prall
KABOOM! and partners to build three new playgrounds across Atlanta area
KABOOM! and its partners will lead three playground builds across metro Atlanta between Oct. 25 and Oct. 28, creating new places to play for more than 3,000 children. The projects will take place in Grant Park, Douglasville and Stone Mountain, supported by volunteers and partners including Delta Air Lines, Amazon, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Georgia Power and Atlanta Falcons players.
The builds are part of KABOOM!’s 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity, which aims to ensure every child has access to safe, high-quality spaces to play. Since 1996, KABOOM! has helped create or transform more than 17,000 playspaces nationwide, benefiting over 12 million children.
Atlanta’s new playgrounds continue the organization’s 30-year legacy in the region, where more than 100 playspaces have been built or renovated through partnerships with local communities and organizations.
Below are the upcoming build dates and locations:
- Friday, October 25: Grant Park Conservancy, Delta Air Lines, and KABOOM!
- Location: Grant Park – 759 Boulevard
- Friday, October 25 – New Manchester Elementary School, Amazon, and KABOOM!
- Location: New Manchester Elementary School – 2242 Old Lower River Road Douglasville
- Monday, October 28 – City of Stone Mountain, Atlanta Falcons Youth Fund, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Georgia Power, and KABOOM!
- Location: Medlock Park – 736 Ridge Ave, Stone Mountain
— Megan Anderson
DreamHack Atlanta returns with record-breaking gaming festival
DreamHack, the world’s leading gaming lifestyle festival, will return to Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center Oct. 31–Nov. 2 for its largest U.S. event yet. The 2025 edition will feature America’s biggest Halloween costume contest with $20,000 in prizes, more than 20 esports tournaments and appearances from over 1,000 guests including 30 voice actors and members of the hololive VTuber group.
The festival will also include Student Friday programming, concerts, cosplay competitions, indie games and LAN parties. More than $6.6 million in esports prizes will be awarded across global championships such as Clash of Clans, Marvel Rivals: Ignite and SNK World Championship.
DreamHack Atlanta will conclude Games Week Georgia, which celebrates the state’s gaming and esports industry. Festival passes start at $49 for single-day entry and $84 for three days. More details are available here.
— Derek Prall
