CAP Welcomes 2021 with Annual Meeting, New Leadership, and Focus on Mission
January 18,2021
I approach the end of two-year term as Chairman of the Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) Board reflecting on the immense challenges the organization, our members, and our community at large have weathered over the last year.
As we enter 2021, CAP’s 80th year, I am reminded of the endurance of this organization. Founded in 1941, CAP has witnessed the peaks and valleys of the 20th century, the New Millennium, and all that lies ahead. In my two years of service, I’ve learned firsthand just how important a cog CAP is in the space between business and government in Atlanta.
When COVID-19 and ensuing 2020 events forced us to reimagine how to continue our work, CAP did what it has done for decades: convene, and then act. And while we have not been able to gather in the traditional sense of the word, we have offered members and community partners virtual opportunities to hear regularly from thought leaders, access the most up to date information on the economy, dissect public health trends, and retain a “seat at the table” as we continue to envision and steward a vital Downtown.
In 2020 alone, the CAP Membership team produced 20 of these Member Briefings, with an average attendance of 140 people. These virtual events will continue in 2021.
And speaking of virtual events, I hope you’ll join us on Wednesday, January 27 for CAP’s Annual Meeting & Awards Tribute, reimagined as an hour-long news special hosted by the organization’s leaders and staff. The program will reflect on 2020, celebrate the people and institutions impacting our community, and explore trends to anticipate in the year ahead. CAP’s new chairperson will also be announced—I look forward to sharing the good news about my predecessor with you all.
The Annual Meeting, themed Good Morning Downtown, is free and open to the public. We hope you’ll register and encourage those in your network to tune in for a special blend of entertainment and information that’s sure to get you buzzed about Downtown.
Many have said, and I agree, that now is the time for courageous, innovative civic leadership. The CAP team will continue to provide that, as it has done for the previous eight decades, and your support means more and matters more than ever. Thank you for sticking with us as we forge ahead to tackle the hard work that remains.