Advanced Technology Development Center Names Entrepreneur in Residence Governor Appoints New Georgia Ports Authority Board Members MedJet Opens Atlanta Marketing Office Habitat for Humanity Elects New Board Member Georgia Council for International Visitors Names New Executive Director
Advanced Technology Development Center Names Entrepreneur in Residence
Ashish Mistry, former director of marketing and international business development at wireless security firm AirDefense Inc., has joined the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) as an entrepreneur-in-residence.
Atlanta-based entrepreneur Jay Chaudry founded AirDefense Inc. in 2002 and within three years the firm had annual revenues of $15 million, according to Mr. Mistry.
ATDC is a science and technology incubator that helps Georgia entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies. The center provides strategic business advice and connects its member companies to the people and resources they need to succeed.
More than 100 companies have emerged from the ATDC, including publicly traded firms such as MindSpring Enterprises Inc., now part of EarthLink Inc. ATDC was formed in 1980 to stimulate growth in Georgia’s technology business base, and now has locations in Atlanta, Columbus, Savannah and Warner Robins.
To learn more about ATCD, go to www.atdc.org or call (404) 894-3575.
Governor Appoints New Georgia Ports Authority Board Members
Gov. Perdue has appointed the following Georgians to the Georgia Ports Authority board of directors:
Clinton M. Day, owner and president of Day Retail Corp. from St. Simon’s Island, who has worked in the real estate business for more than 20 years and has served as Georgia state senator; and Rutledge A. “Rusty” Griffin Jr. of Valdosta, who is former chairman and CEO of Griffin LLC, a manufacturer of crop protection and specialty chemicals.
Maxine H. Burton from Athens has been reappointed to the board. Ms. Burton is founder and president of Flowers Inc. Balloons, the largest supplier of balloons and gift items in the United States.
MedJet Opens Atlanta Marketing Office
Sallie Stearns has opened a local marketing office for Medjet Assist, an international medical insurance program for U.S. and Canadian residents.
The program provides airlift transportation from domestic or foreign destinations back to the member’s hospital of choice in the event of a medical emergency.
Ms. Stearns is an associate of the Jim Munson Contact Design Group, a to-be-incorporated network of professional associates of Mr. Munson, an Atlanta-based international businessman.
To learn more about MedJet Assist, go to www.medjetassist.com/globalatl. To reach Ms. Stearns, call (404) 961-5526 or send an email to SallieStearns@aol.com.
Habitat for Humanity Elects New Board Member
John Gilbert, chair of the board for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a not-for-profit membership organization with offices in Appleton, Wisc., and Minneapolis, Minn., has been elected to the board of Habitat for Humanity International.
Thrivent International and its affiliated companies oversee more than $65 billion in assets under management for the organization’s 2.8 million members.
Americas, Ga.-based Habitat for Humanity International is a Christian ministry dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. By the end of 2005, Habitat will have built its 200,000th house, and more than 1 million people will be living in Habitat homes they helped build and are buying through no-profit, zero-interest mortgages.
For more information about Thrivent, call Paul Kelash at (612) 340-4272 or send an email to paul.kelash@thrivent.com. Contact information for Joedy Isert of Habitat for Humanity is Joedy Isert at (229) 924-6935, ext. 2330, or jisert@habitat.org
GCIV Names New Executive Director
Shellie Stuart, vice chair of Atlanta City Council’s advisory committee on international relations, has been appointed executive director of the Georgia Council for International Visitors (GCIV).
She replaces Astrid Pregel, Canada’s former consul general in Atlanta, who has assumed the position of president of the Society of International Business Fellows, an Atlanta-based network for senior business executives with international interests.
Ms. Stuart has been a member of the council’s staff since 2002.
Founded in 1962, GCIV is a nonprofit, community-based organization that promotes personal and professional connections among the citizens of Georgia and other nations.
Ms. Stuart may be at (404) 965-4333 or director@gciv.org