Swimsuit season is around the corner, and you may be wondering how you’re going to get back into that beach body. Toning up can be tough without the right motivation.
The Galleria Athletic Club (GAC), located in Galleria 300, is here to help you out – and to help out some charities along the way. From March 1 to April 26, the club will hold its Gut Blasting Challenge. Contest participation is open to anyone, and the entry fee is only $10. All fees will be donated to a charity chosen by the participant.
The entry deadline is Feb. 27.
Each participant is required to:
Instructors will be tracking weight and BMI. The person who logs the most visits at GAC will be the winner and will receive a three-month free membership to GAC.
If you have any questions, contact Tona at tona.barnes@gmail.com or Jono at jonosenk@msn.com.
The Galleria Chat is a weekly feature that appears on this blog each Thursday. The Chat will provide you with a hearty helping of links to stories and announcements to keep you in the know about the area surrounding the Atlanta Galleria Office Park. So without further ado …
• Letting Go. So, you’re ready to sell your small business. What are your options? You can find out by attending “Business Succession Plans for Small Businesses” a Cobb Chamber of Commerce educational session that will be held on Tuesday, March 13, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Attorney Dennis Summers of Taylor English Duma LLP will outline the differences between selling your firm to a strategic buyer, a private equity buyer and an employee stock ownership plan.
The registration deadline is Monday, March 12, at noon. Admission is $40 for the general public and $25 for Chamber members. Click here to register.
• Let Your Voice Be Heard. Bob Ott, commissioner of Cobb County’s District Two, which includes the Atlanta Galleria Office Park, will hold a town-hall meeting on Wednesday, March 14, at 7 p.m. to provide an update on county projects in the area and to allow constituents a chance to discuss any issues they would like to raise. The meeting will be held at Vinings Estates, located at 655 Crescent Ridge Trail SE in Mableton.
• It’s Alive … and It’s Now on Stage. The stage version of Mel Brooks’ classic comedy “Young Frankenstein” will be at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre from Thursday, March 29 through Sunday, April 1. Winner of the 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award and the Broadway.com Audience Award for Best Musical, the play features songs – including “Transylvania Mania,” “He Vas My Boyfriend” and
“Puttin' on the Ritz” – written specifically for the stage.
For show times and ticket information, visit ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
• Hitting the Road. With a sunny weekend apparently in store, it might be a good time to dust off the bicycle and get some exercise. Each Saturday at 10 a.m., the Atlanta Cycling store, located south of the Atlanta Galleria at 4335 Cobb Parkway, conducts a leisurely paced 22-mile ride around the Vinings area. The ride is free and lunch is provided afterwards. For more information, visit Smyrna-Vinings Patch.
• Crafts as Far as the Eye Can See. If you’re in the market for homemade jewelry, furniture or clothing, the American Craft Council Show will be the place to be. The show will be held at the Cobb Galleria Centre from Friday, March 9, to Sunday, March 11, and will display the works of more than 225 crafters. One- and two-day passes can be purchased for $13 and $20, respectively, onsite. Discounted tickets also are available online.
The Galleria Chat is a weekly feature that appears on this blog each Thursday. The Chat will provide you with a hearty helping of links to stories and announcements to keep you in the know about the area surrounding the Atlanta Galleria Office Park. So without further ado …
• There Is No “I” in Team. For a small business, teaming up with another similarly sized firm can pave the way to compete more successfully for commercial and government contracts. On March 1, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce will conduct an education session called “Creating Business Alliances to Win Procurement Contracts.” The two-hour session will feature Karen Mills of Mills Law Associates and Jone Debnam of the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center. The two will discuss the objectives and benefits of “teaming arrangements,” as well as the legal considerations of the arrangements.
The registration deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 29, at noon. Admission is $40 for the general public and $25 for Chamber members. Click here to register.
• Dinner and a Play? Valentine’s Day may be past, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat your spouse or significant other to a nice night on the town. Laura Davidson, a.k.a. the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Bargain Hunter,” has the lowdown on a package being offered by The Atlanta Ballet and the South City Kitchen in Vinings. For just $53 (plus a surcharge) you get one ticket to “The Princess and the Goblin,” showing at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, and dinner at South City, home to chic Southern food.
• Decrease Your Carbon Footprint. The EcoAction Factory and Green School will hold a free open house from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. this Saturday in Smyrna to preview its year-round calendar of environmental classes. The topics of the classes range from water conservation and energy efficiency to overhauling residential and commercial properties to perform in an environmentally friendly manner. The Smyrna-Vinings Patch has the details on the open house.
• Here Come the Brides. Maybe you got engaged on Valentine’s Day, or maybe you just have an upcoming wedding. If you have no idea about how to even begin planning for the big event, consider attending the Georgia Bridal Show on March 4 at the Cobb Galleria. Exhibitors include photographers, caterers, florists, gown and tuxedo designers, and even reception DJs. Visit the show site for all the details. Tickets are $10 at the door. Discounted tickets can be purchased online.
Today marks the debut of the Galleria Chat, a weekly feature that will appear on the blog each Thursday. The Chat will provide you with a hearty helping of links to stories and announcements to keep you in the know about the area surrounding the Atlanta Galleria Office Park. So without further ado …
• Hungry, Anyone? The Cumberland area offers a lengthy menu of tasty options for Galleria workers looking to eat out for lunch, and the number of choices is set to grow. The Brooklyn Water Bagel Company, Pollo Tropical, Zoë’s Kitchen and Café at Pharr are all set to open in the area in the coming months. The Smyrna-Vinings Patch has the mouth-watering details.
• College Choices. The Black College Expo will be held at the Cobb Galleria from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 11. Tickets are $10 at the door and $8 online. For full details, visit the event’s website.
• Local Dancer Set to Shine. If you’re going to see “The Princess and the Goblin” at the Cobb Energy Centre, keep your eyes peeled for a hometown goblin. Vinings resident Abi Tan-Gamino appears in the production, and The Smyrna-Vinings patch recently got a chance to speak with her about her role.
Of working with renowned choreographer Twyla Tharp, Tan-Gamino said, “On the first week we worked with her we were very nervous because we didn’t know what to expect from (Twyla). It ended up being really nice because she kept pushing us. She’s very pushy in a good way.”
• Scavenging for Love. Until Tuesday (which is Valentine’s Day, guys), Cumberland Mall is conducting a scavenger hunt in which shoppers have the chance to locate and scan QR codes hidden throughout the mall. Scanning the codes offers shoppers a chance to win mall gift cards and enters them in a sweepstakes whose grand prize is a six-night trip for two to Kauai, Hawaii. The Marietta Daily Journal has the full details.
For 30 years, the Atlanta Galleria Office Park has been a great place to work. Now it’s also a great place to go to school.
Four nights a week, Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business holds MBA classes in the 700 Building of the Galleria Park. The classes typically start at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Connie Engel, a partner at Childress Klein Properties who runs the Atlanta Galleria, is attending MBA classes at the park, and said there’s a wonderful cross-section of age groups in the courses. “There are people in the classes who are in their 20s, 30s, 40s or even their 50s, so you really don’t feel awkward,” Engel said.
Engel says the classes are a great way for the Galleria to serve the surrounding community. “The program is an additional service that we can provide for the clients and businesses at Atlanta Galleria Office Park,” she said. “It allows for those working individuals to continue their education on their own time.”
The Coles College of Business is the second largest business school in the state and is accredited in both business and accounting by AACSB International. Only 20 percent of all business schools in the country have earned this achievement.
Concentrations in the MBA program include operations, marketing, finance, human resources, general management, economics, business information systems, international business and entrepreneurship.
For more information on the program, call 770-420-4470 or visit the MBA portion of the Cole College of Business' website.
The statistics are startling: One out of every five people entering a hospital needs blood, and every year five million Americans require a blood transfusion.
Next Tuesday (Feb. 7), workers at the Atlanta Galleria Office Park and members of the surrounding community can do their part to help meet this tremendous need by donating blood. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., a LifeSouth Bloodmobile will be in the visitor parking lot of Galleria 100. Travelport and the Galleria Athletic Club are sponsoring the event.
Appointments for blood donations are preferred, but walk-ups also are welcome. To schedule an appointment, visit this sign-up sheet.
The entire donation process will take approximately one hour, but the actual donation time will only take about 10 minutes. Photo IDs are required to donate. Remember to eat iron-rich foods such as spinach, beans or red meat and to drink plenty of non-caffeinated beverages before donating. Snacks and drinks will be provided to donors to help them refuel.
If you have questions about donating blood in general, visit the “Frequently Asked Questions” page of LifeSouth’s website. If you have questions or comments about Tuesday’s event, email Jim Suess at jim.suess@travelport.com.
February is a good month for area ballet fans, as they will have the opportunity to see two Atlanta Ballet productions at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Below is a preview of February shows at the center, located a mere stone’s throw from Atlanta Galleria Office Park, that you and yours might want to check out.
Tickets for the shows can be purchased in person at the center’s box office, located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway. The box office is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets also can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or at any Ticketmaster outlet. Keep in mind that Ticketmaster will charge service fees in addition to the prices listed below.
Creflo Dollar 30 Years of Ministry and 50th Birthday Celebration
Friday, Feb 3, 8 p.m.
This black-tie affair will celebrate Dr. Creflo Dollar’s ministry and birthday with a theatrical production, celebrity hosts and major performing artists.
Tickets range from $75 to $200.
Atlanta Ballet’s production of Twyla Tharp’s The Princess and the Goblin
Friday, Feb. 10, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 12, 2 p.m.
Friday, Feb 17, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 19, 2 p.m.
Adapted from the 19th Century fairytale by George MacDonald, Twyla Tharp's “The Princess and the Goblin” is a story of courage and forgiveness, and features music by Franz Schubert.
Tickets range from $20 to $135.
Atlanta Ballet’s production of Snow White
Thursday, Feb. 16, 11 a.m.
Friday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m.
This one-hour performance of the classic fairytale “Snow White” features all of the familiar characters - Prince Charming, the wicked Queen, and of course, Snow White – and is designed to help young children begin a lifelong love of the arts.
Tickets range from $10 to 56.
With more than 2,500 member firms, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce plays a leading role in the Cobb business community. Its activities range from offering programs to develop business leaders to advocating for legislation that helps area businesses.
Below is a Q&A with David Connell, president and CEO of the Chamber, about the Chamber’s considerable achievements in 2011 and its ambitious plans for 2012.
A quick look back: What were some of the chamber’s biggest achievements in 2011?
Connell: Last year, under the leadership of chairman Rob Garcia, our economic development team worked with our partners — cities, the county, the state, development authorities and utilities — to attract 26 business relocations and expansions. These projects, which include The Home Depot’s new customer support center in Kennesaw, will create 3,093 jobs and $248 million in new investments in the county.
Working with numerous community partners, we also launched Cobb’s Competitive Edge, which will create and implement an economic development plan that will generate high-wage job growth; strengthen our quality of life as well as our educational assets and infrastructure; and aggressively market our county to the world. We contracted with Market Street Services, one of the leading economic development consultants, to oversee the process, and the plan should be ready for implementation by early February.
We also added more than 500 new members, which means that 2,500 firms now belong to the Cobb Chamber, making it one of the largest chambers in the Southeast. And, we launched a pilot program with Walgreen’s that offers employees of member firms significant savings on prescription drugs.
What are your priorities for 2012?
Connell: Our top priority will be to begin implementing the recommended strategies outlined in the upcoming Competitive EDGE Economic Development Strategic Plan. With that plan, we will strengthen both our business retention and our recruitment efforts.
We will also offer new leadership development opportunities to our members that will build on historically strong programs like Leadership Cobb, Cobb Youth Leadership and Honorary Commanders. For example, to start off the year, we are bringing radio host Dave Ramsey’s one-day course on entrepreneurship to our members, and we are in conversations with several other local and national leadership development experts to create programs for our members and their teams.
Furthermore, we will look to continue to grow our membership with another membership drive.
Another session of the Georgia General Assembly began this month. What’s on your legislative agenda this year?
Connell: Our end goal is to support legislation that creates high-quality jobs at all skill levels in Cobb, the metro Atlanta region and throughout the state of Georgia.
As for some of the specifics, we will advocate for legislation that would allow communities in Georgia to bring before voters a referendum for a fractional (meaning less than a penny) special-purpose local-option sales tax (SPLOST). As Cobb matures, we feel our need for a full penny for both the Education and Transportation SPLOSTs is diminishing. We will also advocate for legislation that would allow a portion of SPLOST funds to be spent on maintenance and operations of existing capital.
The Chamber also supports the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. Each year, $935 million in cargo value moves from Cobb through the port. Its expansion is vital to the future growth of our county, our region and our state. We also support the creation of the Georgia Venture Capital Program, which would be a $180 million venture capital fund to attract high-growth companies to the state.
Some of our other many legislative initiatives include advocating for the July passage by voters of a 1-cent sales tax to fund a wide variety of transportation projects proposed as part of the Transportation Investment Act and supporting the continued tax-exempt status of non-profit community hospitals.
If a business is interested in joining the Chamber or exploring the various events and programs that you offer, what should it do?
Connell: Our website details all the aspects our organization. If they are interested in exploring membership, they can fill out a membership inquiry. To schedule an appointment with the Membership Sales Department, they should call Jeremy Cronemeyer at (770) 859-2337.
