Global Atlanta Publisher Phil Bolton has been named the inaugural recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the Technology Association of Georgia’s International Business Society.
The International Community Partner Award was given to an unsuspecting Mr. Bolton at the society’s networking event in November but was officially announced by TAG Jan. 13.
The organization honored Mr. Bolton for launching Global Atlanta in the early 1990s and spending more than 20 years reporting on Atlanta’s ties with the world.
“After more than 20 years covering international business locally, it’s refreshing to see how the growth of organizations like TAG is helping Atlanta make its mark on the global economy,” Mr. Bolton said. “Technology not only boosts business efficiency and collaboration, but it also brings us together across borders, smoothing the flow of people and ideas.”
Tino Mantella, TAG’s president and CEO, congratulated Mr. Bolton for helping raise Atlanta’s global profile.
“Global Atlanta has been a leading international publication in this market for many years,” he said. “Thanks to Phil Bolton and his team of professionals at Global Atlanta, Georgia and Atlanta continue to grow their international presence on the global scene.”
Senour Reed, outgoing chair of the society, noted Mr. Bolton’s modesty and willingness to provide advice to various organizations and help to business leaders as they connect for their mutual benefit, all while building a journalism brand that focuses on actionable, accurate content.
“If you know him, then you have been lucky enough to appreciate and experience his modesty, enthusiasm, and character,” Mr. Reed said.
Honored that our founder and publisher, Phil Bolton, was selected last night for the Technology Association of Georgia…
Posted by GlobalAtlanta on Friday, November 13, 2015
Mr. Bolton was surprised to receive the honor at the event, a global night of networking at the UPS headquarters where he was called upon to offer a few comments.
“We are very proud, very grateful to receive this, and it’s only through the efforts of people like yourselves that we have anything to write about,” Mr. Bolton said, holding up the crystal award.
More on Mr. Bolton and Global Atlanta from the news release:
Having spent his early years in journalism on local newspapers in Macon and Milledgeville, Ga., Philip Bolton returned from a stint as a banking correspondent in France in the early 1990s with an idea for a publication that would reveal Atlanta’s ties with the global economy. This was before the Olympics had put Atlanta on the world map — when “global” was a foreign concept rather than the buzzword it has become today.
Phil founded the Agio Press Inc. in 1991 and started publishing The Global Business Reporter, a bi-monthly newsletter. In February of 1993, he moved the print newsletter to fax, starting the GlobalFax news service, which was in operation until 2005. In 1995, Phil launched the Global Atlanta website and email newsletter, which has evolved into the full scale the news website of today.
Phil has played a formative role in many bi-national chambers of commerce, covering some from the outside and serving on many boards of directors. He is also the winner of many previous awards for his service to the international community, including the Governor’s International Award.
Last year, Global Atlanta won the President’s E Award for export service, only the second time in the 50-year history that the award has gone to a news publication.
Phil and his team continue to innovate in online publishing, launching new products, building targeted newsletters and both hosting and promoting events to help readers more easily access events and articles that help local and international readers navigate the complexities of international business.
