FOUNDER. THE VLASS GROUP. KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Michael B. Vlass was born in Athens, Greece and immigrated to Atlanta, Georgia with his parents in 1955. He received the Bachelor of Arts Degree from Georgia State University in 1974 and joined The Citizens and Southern National Bank (now Bank of America) in its management executive training program.

He initially served as a Commercial Lending Officer in the Corporate Bank of C&S, then joined the Real Estate Division where he was responsible for a $100+ million portfolio of foreclosed properties and problem loans, then served as a construction lender, and finally as Vice President and Manager of the Commercial Mortgage Banking Department.

In March 1981 Mr. Vlass was a founding principal in The Vlass-Fotos Group of Affiliated Entities, whose Company focus was the acquisition, development and management of income producing real estate properties. The Company's portfolio, during its 18 years of operation, included retail, office, industrial, hotel, multi-family residential, both for lease and for sale, and mixed-use land developments throughout the Southeastern United States, totaling in excess of $300 million in value. During the latter half of the 1990's the Company also provided equity venture capital to other developers.

In 2000 Mr. Vlass formed The Vlass Group, LLC which has been involved in dense urban real estate development opportunities such as the $2 billion Atlantic Station brownfield re-development with Jim Jacoby in downtown Atlanta, as Master Developer of Uptown Altamonte, the $300 million mixed-use greyfield development in Altamonte Springs (Orlando) Florida, and Master Developer of the New Downtown Temple Terrace (Tampa) Florida, the City’s $160 million live-work-play community.

In addition to his real estate activities, Vlass has traveled extensively internationally, has conducted business in the Republic of Georgia, originally part of the former Soviet Union, and has provided venture capital to, and served on the board of, several companies based in Atlanta.

FOUNDER. CHAIRMAN. CEO THE JACOBY GROUP. JACOBY DEVELOPMENT INC. GUEST SPEAKER

Jim Jacoby, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Jacoby Development., started his entrepreneurial career in real estate in 1973. Specializing in environmentally sensitive multi-use properties, he developed a strong relationship with Wal-Mart in the late 1970s, leading to the formation of Jacoby Development, Inc. Over his career, Jacoby developed 40 Wal-Mart anchored shopping centers on the East Coast.

Driven by a vision for sustainable development, Jacoby shifted focus in 1997 to transform the former Atlantic Steel mill site in Atlanta, resulting in the creation of Atlantic Station—a LEED certified campus with offices, retail, residences, hotel, and more. In 2001, he acquired Marineland in Florida, redeveloping it into a modern dolphin facility and partnering with the Georgia Aquarium.

In 2008, Jacoby acquired and transformed a decommissioned Ford Taurus assembly plant in Hapeville, Georgia, into Aerotropolis Atlanta. Portions were sold to Porsche and the Atlanta Airport. Other projects include the redevelopment of a former asphalt production site in Whitemarsh, Maryland, and the acquisition of the Norfolk, Virginia Ford Plant in 2009, envisioned as a manufacturing and logistics park.

ARCHITECT, ARTIST, AUTHOR, AND MENTOR. FOUNDER. TURNER ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS & PLANNERS. GUEST SPEAKER

When you look over the skyline of Atlanta, Georgia...you see Oscar. When you walk through Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport...you see Oscar. When you travel through Metropolitan Atlanta’s Rapid Transit Authority stations, including the world’s tallest escalator...you see Oscar. When you see the memorable rings of water and sparkles of light from Centennial Olympic Park...you see Oscar. All of this and much more represent the vision, dream, and accomplishments of Oscar L. Harris Jr., one of the first and most renowned African American architects to break into the industry. The revealing book, Oscar: The Memoir of a Master Architect, follows the remarkable life of Oscar Harris from childhood to becoming one of the most influential minority architects of his time.

Oscar Harris was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he later attended college at Lincoln University. After graduating from Lincoln University, Harris continued his education at Howard University School of Architecture. He later received his Master’s in Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University where he presently serves as a member on the Board of Trustees.

As part of his legacy, Mr. Harris founded Turner Associates Architects and Planners Incorporated in 1977. Turner Associates has since become one of Atlanta’s leading architectural and planning firms with over three billion dollars in completed design/construction work and five million dollars in completed planning and management projects. His innovative work includes Concourse E and Atrium at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, MLK Jr. Visitors Center, Atlanta-Fulton County Courthouse, the legendary Centennial Olympic Park, and hundreds of more iconic structures.

In his gripping memoir, Mr. Harris takes you behind the scenes of crucial negotiations that opened the door for many minority architects and firms. Laying it all on the table, he shares what it took to break into one of the most exclusive professional circles: architecture. In photos and sketches never previously seen by the public, Mr. Harris reveals the process of transforming major projects from concept to reality. Many of the stories are raw and reveal difficult times, but also reflect the passion, aspirations, and determination of a true artist who turned his creative energies into tangible works of beauty and substance.

FOUNDER. CEO. DEBORAH LANHAM CONSULTING, LLC. FORMER PRESIDENT. CEO. ALPHARETTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. GUEST SPEAKER

An accomplished and dedicated professional in the non-profit sector, with a strong foundation in sales, marketing, and communications. Over the past decade, Deborah has excelled in cultivating an extensive network, forging valuable connections at local, national, and global levels. Her industry reach extends to Technology, Healthcare, Financial Services, Education, Film & Entertainment, Media, Telecommunications, Food & Beverage, and Non-profit sectors.

Deborah's expertise encompasses business development and relationship management, sales and marketing, strategic planning, revenue enhancement, public and media relations, creative problem-solving, brand establishment, pivotal partnership cultivation, event marketing, meticulous event planning, skilled negotiations, content creation and strategy, thorough research, and the insightful understanding of business and customer dynamics.

With remarkable communication skills, a talent for public speaking, and a commitment to business advocacy, she is also skilled in people development, budgeting and financial acumen, and exceptional customer service. Deborah's impressive track record demonstrates her unwavering dedication to advancing the goals of any organization.

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Brand Experience Manager. Mercedes Benz Experience Center by RBM of Alpharetta at Halcyon Forsyth

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Investment Principal. Techstars

Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician at Emory Sports Medicine Complex. Advisory Board Member. Breather Foundation

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Architect. Founder. CEO. MOSA Architects

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Principal Consultant . Porter Global Secuity LLC. Expert Witness. Former Homeland Security Personnel & Secret Service To the Presidents of The United States

Business Branding, Brand Awareness, Brand Positioning, & Digital Advertising For Small Businesses, Corporate, Individual, Retail, & Non-Profit.

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