2023 Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration
About the Event
The Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration is CAP & ADID’s flagship event honoring the people, places, and businesses shaping Downtown’s exciting growth and serving as the stage for presenting three prestigious awards. There’s no better opportunity to influence and inspire new clients, network with business associates, meet new contacts, and stay informed on what’s happening in the heart of the city.
Award Winners
Each year, Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) give three prestigious awards to leaders who have had an impact on Downtown Atlanta in many ways.
Dan & Tally Sweat Award: Designed to honor former CAP President Dan Sweat’s legacy and accomplishments, this award was renamed in 2020 to also acknowledge the accomplishments of Tally Sweat, and is given to those who have become quiet, effective leaders beyond the scope of their positions in the community. Each year, CAP selects an individual who, like the Sweats, demonstrates true leadership and advocates for “doing the right thing” for Downtown.
Arthur Blank is co-founder of The Home Depot, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United FC, and PGA Tour Superstores, and head of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Yet Blank’s influence goes beyond these already large, recognizable organizations; through the AMB Family Foundation, Blank has also made his name synonymous with giving and bettering his community. Among these include significant support for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, establishing the Arthur Blank Family YMCA, and generous donations to the Westside Future Fund and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Warner Bros. Discovery Community Leadership Award: This award, established in 2003, was designed to recognize those in our community who, as individual private citizens, step forward and do good work on Downtown's behalf. Recipients of this award rarely ever show up on the normal radar screen in the corporate and organizational leadership world.
Sally Flocks founded the volunteer-run nonprofit Pedestrians Educating Drivers on Safety (PEDS) in 1996. The scope of PEDS quickly expanded from simply educating drivers to going to the source of many of the issues: the way the roads are built. It was not only drivers needing education, but also a larger category of city planners and engineers. Flocks became what she calls “a self-trained engineer or planner,” organizing training workshops for transportation professionals through PEDS.
Marcus Downtown Economic Impact Award: Created in 2008 and renamed in 2016 to honor Bernie Marcus for his contributions to Downtown, the Marcus Downtown Economic Impact Award recognizes an individual, company, or project that has stimulated revitalization efforts that strengthen and advance Downtown at large.
The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) is a business generator organization, focusing on providing Black-owned businesses with the support to succeed and grow. In their new facility, RICE offers meeting, office, and innovation spaces, as well as opportunities for education, networking, and mentoring. Their goal is to develop Black entrepreneurs and create a strong, supportive business community anchored in Downtown.
ADID Awards: Each year at the event, ADID presents four awards: Ambassador of the Year, Clean Team Member of the Year, Outreach Team Member of the Year, and Atlanta Police Department Zone 5 Officer of the Year. Our 2023 winners are listed below.
Ambassador of the Year: Rozlyn Smith
Clean Team Member of the Year: Edward Kemp
Outreach Team Member of the Year: Lamar Perry
Atlanta Police Department Zone 5 Officer of the Year: Officer Michael Bratton
Sponsors
The 2023 CAP/ADID Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration is presented by Delta Air Lines and made possible through the generous support of our Gold Level sponsors PNC Bank and The Coca-Cola Company, Silver Level sponsors Norfolk Southern, Georgia-Pacific and Selig Enterprises, and Bronze Level sponsors the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, Integral, and Rough Draft.
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact Wilma Sothern, Vice President of Marketing, at 404.658.5910 or wilmas@atlantadowntown.com.