Sparking an Interest

In response to what some are calling a “STEM crisis,” or the shortage of young people pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and math in college, companies, both locally and nationally, are turning to school robotics programs to spark an interest in these fields of study. Shan Cooper, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Marietta, says it takes time to grow leaders in STEM careers, and as a nation, the United States is falling behind, which puts technical leadership roles at risk. “For instance, almost half of the Lockheed Martin employees around the world are engineers or have critical STEM skills, and about half of our employees are eligible for retirement over the next five years,” Cooper says. “This means we are facing a serious shortage of qualified people with STEM educations and skills to keep us competitive in the world market.”

According to the U.S. Department of Education, only 16 percent of American high school seniors are proficient in mathematics and interested in a STEM career—and only half of those ever pursue a career in this area. And Cooper says this is not just a concern they have at Lockheed. “Competition for qualified STEM-educated talent will be intense across all business sectors—manufacturing, cyber, defense industries and many more,” Cooper adds. “Our colleagues in the business community all worry about this issue. It directly affects us all as we face the prospect of diminishing STEM skills in the workforce. So I encourage—and challenge—all business leaders to help us build tomorrow’s workforce, strengthen our nation’s technological advantage and help create a constant supply of highly trained, highly capable technical talent.”

Stepping Up to the Challenge

In addition to Lockheed, companies like Novelis, General Electric, Cobb EMC, UPS, The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Aquarium and Kennesaw State University, just to name a few, have partnered with local schools to support STEM-related programs. Specifically, Novelis has supported Kell and Walton high school’s programs for three years—both are close to the company’s Global Research & Technology Center in Kennesaw. “Novelis has been so impressed with the achievements and future potential of the young individuals comprising these two teams,” says Jack Clark, senior vice president and chief technical officer at Novelis, adding that they believe their partnership could inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists and technologists. “Who knows?” he asks. “We might have a few of the students we mentor currently on Novelis teams who end up joining our talented workforce one day.”

Novelis provides funding for the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) teams, which helps students pay for registration and travel fees for their competitions year-round, and their employees give their personal time helping students build robots. FIRST is an international youth organization that operates the FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Lego League, Jr. FIRST Lego League and FIRST Tech Challenge. Nationally, there are about 37,000 FIRST teams, including several here in Cobb, and the ages of student participants ranges from kindergarten to 12th grade. “Programs like FIRST are really adept at developing the leaders of tomorrow within our community,” Clark says. “Contributing time, talent and funding to FIRST is a smart investment for any business wishing to secure its talent base for years to come.”

GE supports programs at Wheeler, Kell, Walton, McEachern, Pope and Lassiter high schools, as well as teams at Dodgen, Dickerson, Mabry, Daniell and Simpson middle school and at Bells Ferry Chalker and Sedalia Park elementary schools. The international company provides mentors, sponsorship and opportunities for students to visit GE to share their experiences and learn a little about the company. Nearly 20 GE mentors are involved in robotics, providing more than 2,000 hours of mentoring annually, by way of engineering guidance, as well as help with the design process, outreach activities and coaching students to be more effective leaders.

Eric Kauffman, software product manager with GE, says their partnership began in 2008. “GE has long recognized the shortage of engineers in the future,” he says. “Mentoring and sponsoring is also a great way for GE and its employees to give back and support the local communities in which we work and live.” He adds that it also connects area students to GE. For example, a recent Walton graduate will do his internship at GE’s aviation business in Cincinnati this summer. “It is very rare for a student to get an internship after only their freshman year, but GE specifically made the exception because of the student’s involvement in FIRST,” says Kauffman, adding that increasing support for programs like FIRST is a great way to build the future pipeline of the country’s engineers.

Developing an Interest

One of the oldest FIRST programs in Cobb, and one that’s won several national awards, is Kell Robotics. The team is now independent of the school but was founded a little more than a decade ago as a club and includes students from a number of area high schools. Ed Barker, assistant director of Advanced Computer Services at KSU, joined the team as its director shortly thereafter. He personally believes that FIRST is one of the most powerful informal ways to educate young people about STEM. “We have to come up with a model for STEM activities, where the students can try things out in the informal space; and they have the time and room, whether it’s in science or robotics,” Barker says. “Once they try that out, they develop an interest and build their confidence, and confidence is crucial for many students in making a good career choice.”

Like many robotics programs countywide, Kell’s team is funded by dozens of private businesses, but Barker encourages school districts and the state department to invest more in programs like these. “Get behind the teachers, support the funding mechanism,” he advises. “We need these informal learning opportunities … There’s close to zero support from the school systems and that has to get fixed. Why? Because there is a financial burden, but they also haven’t discovered how important this is.” He went on to say that teachers, like athletic coaches, should be paid extra to teach clubs or programs after or during school. “If you want to get economic development going in this state and you want to create a lot of jobs, we have to get that done,” he explains.

A testament that students and the community are interested in STEM was clear at last year’s FIRST Atlanta Science Festival, which was attended by about 30,000 people. “There’s plenty of evidence floating around that says that if these students have the opportunities to try these things out … that large pools of students are academically qualified for a STEM career today, we just don’t harvest them,” Barker says. “There’s a connection between engineering and health care, national security, energy, public safety, many things … many good things in life come out of engineering and if we don’t support that, we are going to be in a world of hurt. There are a lot of issues to solve, so we have to communicate to the public why engineering is important.”

Other Successful Programs

Started by Walton’s engineering teacher and current team coach, Brian Benton, the Walton Robotics Team was founded in 2008. Senior Rishi Raj is one of 39 members on this year’s team. “The overall goal of our team and FIRST is to spread recognition of the importance of STEM and prepare our students for a future in STEM,” he says. “The country needs more people in STEM to meet its needs. This starts with programs like our team. Our team also aims to increase the number of girls interested in joining the STEM workforce as well.”

In their continued efforts to show others the significance of STEM, Walton’s team participates in nearly 50 outreach events annually to promote it in his community. Raj’s team has also been awarded for their designs and builds, winning the most prestigious award in FIRST, the Chairman’s Award, twice in 2013 and 2014, in addition to qualifying for the World Championships for four years in a row.

Thomas Cooper, technology integration specialist and upper school technology department chair at The Walker School, a private pre-K3 through 12th-grade school in Marietta, started Walker School Robotics six years ago. “I believe that computational thinking, programming and robotics give students the opportunity to do more critical thinking than traditional technology fluency courses,” he says. “Animatronics gives students the opportunity to also incorporate principles of art and design into their electrical engineering and programming projects.”

In the past three years, Walker has added a full-year class in the upper school and various class units in each grade starting in preschool. The school has also hosted a regional tournament each January to support VEX, a robotics competition program similar to FIRST, and STEM. Previously, Walker has won many regional competitions in Georgia, made it to the VEX World Championships and placed in the first VEX state competitions.

One of the newest FIRST robotics teams in Cobb was formed at Pope High in 2013, although there had been teams in Pope’s feeder middle and elementary schools. “This was seen by students, parents and the community as a distinct gap that needed to be filled,” says Jeff Cobb, Pope’s program director. After getting the green light from the administration and staff, who were enthusiastic about the addition, Cobb says they are now serving nearly 30 students. “During our rookie year’s regional competition, we were honored with the Gracious Professionalism award for demonstrating the guiding principles of the program,” he says. “This year, we won the Outreach Award for promoting STEM and recruiting new members.”

Jeff Cobb, who has worked in telecommunications for more than three decades and has seen first-hand the incredible advances in technology that allows programs like FIRST, adds that the allure of this program for him has been to help students develop well-rounded, practical experience in STEM, business, marketing and community service. “It helps them to experience and evaluate STEM as a viable future, and gives them an appreciation of how technology shapes our future,” he concludes. “Too often, children take today’s technology for granted, not recognizing how much farther we can go, and that they can be a part of those advancements.”

Marietta’s Most Romantic Eateries

Jacqueline Frasca

Lucky for Marietta residents, you never need to head to the big city for a beautiful meal. Featuring every type of cuisine imaginable, Marietta has no shortage of petite cafes, alluring bistros and locally inspired kitchens available. As we near one of the most romantic days of the year—Valentine’s Day—some of the county’s best restaurants are getting ready for menu specials, prix fixe meals and lots of reservations. While a home-cooked dinner for two always makes for a great night in, here are some snapshots of some of the area’s most romantic eateries to check out.

Common Quarter
1205 Johnson Ferry Road, #101
Marietta, GA 30068
(678) 809-4040; commonquarter.com

If you’re looking for a gorgeous bar with inventive drinks and modern American comfort food, look no further than east Cobb’s own Common Quarter. Beyond the gorgeous interior, the menu at Common Quarter is inspired by all things Cobb: Locally supported and seasonally driven, Executive Chef Jeffrey Gardner focuses on comfort and savory. Their menu details that they are in the business of saying “yes;” any dietary or allergy restrictions are happily accommodated.

On the restaurant’s back wall is a giant map of the Georgia coast, inspired by owner Chris Talley’s childhood. Growing up in Georgia and planning trips along the Georgia coast, Southern comforts and culture were part of his heritage, and ultimately inspired Common Quarters simple, delicious focus: Food inspired by the Southeastern coast, farms and travel. The atmosphere is invitingly unpretentious; designed for comfort instead of speed, every corner of the restaurant has its own feel, from the marble bar to the rustic-chic patio filled with light.

On Valentine’s Day, a prix fixe menu will be available. More information will be available closer to the date at commonquarter.com or at facebook.com/commonquarter. Their day-to-day menu includes classic foods like crispy chicken livers, “loaded” tater tots, collard greens and creamy mac and cheese, as well as some unique and seasonal specials like butternut squash risotto with kale, pecans, apples, pomegranate and lemon; Scottish salmon tartare with truffle aioli, capers and house potato chips; or their “Look West” grass-fed burger complete with their “secret” sauce.

Seed Kitchen & Bar and
Stem Wine Bar
1311 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 504
Marietta, GA 30068
(678) 214-6888; eatatseed.com

What first hits you walking into Seed Kitchen & Bar is the amount of natural light that floods the space. White accents and natural wood surfaces lend to the elegant atmosphere that’s homey, modern and inviting. The booths feature comfortable loveseat-like cushions, large art featuring natural subjects decorate the walls and floor-to-ceiling curtains and bookshelves make the space feel like you could be in someone’s very stylish (and very large) dining room. Seed features all-things boutique and modern American, from the setting to the mixology. Chef-driven by chef/owner Doug Turbush, the expansive wine program, vintage and modern cocktails and American and international craft beers on tap welcome all tastes.

Seed is ideal for both dining couples and large groups alike—their private dining area accommodates up to 25 guests, while their semi-private dining is available for 10–25 guests and the patio comfortably seats 30. This year may be the one to try out a couples’ outing with all your friends and family to see what their group menus are all about. The attached Stem Wine Bar inspires dinners with its interpretation of travels to wine and tapas bars in Spain, Italy, France, San Francisco and New York. From boards of artisan cheeses and charcuterie to tapas plates and some truly great wines, food and drink pairing is considered an art here.

On Valentine’s Day, Seed goes all out: Chairs are decorated and Turbush’s wife Pranee completes beautiful flower displays on every table. A prix fixe menu will be available at both Seed and Stem, and diners will leave accompanied by chocolate covered strawberries. Their regular dinner menu features inspired dishes for all types of diners, so whether you’re craving oysters or mussels, a veggie grinder or sweet potato ravioli, the fresh flavor innovations crafted by Turbush and chef du cuisine Brendan Keenan are sure to fit the bill.

Douceur de France
French Baker and Café
277 South Marietta Parkway SW
Marietta, GA 30064
(770) 425-5050; douceurdefrance.com

The art of true French patisserie is alive and well in Marietta, and Douceur de France French Bakery and Café is a fine romantic dining destination if you’re looking for something sweet to share over a cup of coffee. Highlighting recipes from all of the regions of France, the level of sophistication these delectable treats are elevated to are sure to delight any palette. Combining local ingredients and a passion for French pastries, chef Luc Beaudet learned his cooking skills and interest in dessert-making from his mother, leading him to train formally at the Art of Patisserie. After cooking in France, Japan and Texas, Beaudet settled down in Marietta with the opening of Douceur de France in 2000.

The full menu is available until 3:30 p.m. and features brunch favorites that are truly decadent, both savory and sweet. Panini breakfasts include the panini benedict and the panini salmon, both with poached eggs. The eggs ratatouille is a true chef signature and their Le Pain Perdu (French toast) is made with brioche dipped in crème brûlée. In true café style, hot and cold sandwiches, as well as soups and salads, are featured with lots of fresh ingredients, as well as open-faced sandwiches (Les Tartines) with tuna, chicken and vegetarian options. With specialties like chicken pot pie and beef bourguignon and desserts galore (including crêpes, of course) you and your sweetheart have the world of French cuisine at your fingertips.

Valentine’s Day at Douceur de France is complete with heart-decorated macarons with fresh raspberries, heart-shaped cakes, cookies and mousse and, of course, their confiture de l’amour—apple, raspberry and rose petal jam.

Resolve to Change Your Lifestyle

Jacqueline Frasca

The New Year’s resolution circuit is a strong one: Year after year people of all ages and walks of life resolve to change or introduce something in the new year, be it a bad habit like smoking or a positive upgrade like volunteering with a charity. One thing that is always at the top of the resolutions list is losing weight. Due to yo-yo and crash dieting, the latest weight loss pill or eating fad, people who try to break into a healthier way of life in the New Year tend to fail every time. What’s the secret to living well and feeling your best? It’s all about ditching dieting—for good. It’s your lifestyle that has to change.

“Lifestyle changes take time and are found to be more effective if expectations are realistic, timing is right, there is a commitment to change and there is a supportive environment,” says Lisa Mize, a supervisor at Northside Hospital Behavioral Health Services. “Resolutions often fail because they tend to be made more impulsively without a clear plan for success in place.” This year, instead of saying you’re going to cut out carbs or finally lose 20 pounds, resolve to start changing your eating and exercise lifestyle right now. The timeline for positive life changes doesn’t begin January first—it starts when you make the decision to change.

Taking the First Step

Tami Drotleff, M.Ed., exercise physiologist at Northside Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation, says, “One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to begin an exercise program to become healthier. It is true that a regular exercise program consisting of both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training can lead to positive changes in cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels—it can increase one’s energy and assist in decreasing stress. Yet, with all of these positive outcomes, it always seems to be such a daunting task to initiate and continue a regular exercise program.”

Often the first step is the toughest, and for some, habits come quickly after that. For others, old habits die hard, especially involving food, which affects everything about us internally from blood sugar and energy to mood.

Among Drotleff’s recommendations for staying on track with a lifestyle change in exercise is to be realistic and flexible. Know yourself and what you absolutely will and will not do and sustain. “Review your lifestyle, including your likes, dislikes and schedule,” she says. “Try to find an activity that you enjoy. If you are a solitary person, an exercise class is not for you. If you don’t have time to do a 30-minute walk four days each week, break it up into three 10-minute segments throughout the day. One day of exercising is better than none at all!”

For Andrea Addington, RD, LD, system clinical nutrition manager at Northside Hospital, resolutions are as effective as they are realistic. “Resolutions are a good ‘starting place,’ but must be seen as more than a quick fix, short-term goal,” she says. “A resolution would be ‘lose 20 pounds,’ whereas a lifestyle change would be to exercise three times per week and increase water intake to 64 ounces per day; the lifestyle change would hopefully help support the resolution of weight loss, but it’s more specific and tangible.”

Sometimes it takes a village, and change from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one can often necessitate in support from those around you. Write down your goal and share it with your family, friends and co-workers who can help keep you on track in times of need. Getting a friend involved can also be wildly beneficial in keeping both of you motivated on the healthy track you’ve started. “We all have days where we are not motivated to exercise,” Drotleff says. “Having someone else expecting us to be there aids in keeping one on track and motivated to achieve our intended goal.”

And, of course, reward yourself—every exercise routine you complete is one more than you had previously been doing, and it matters. When the numbers on the scale won’t move or you feel it’s all for nothing, remember that weight loss that stays off is a lifetime achievement and every effort towards it counts.

Everything in Moderation

There’s a deceptively simple formula for weight loss, and yet losing weight and keeping it off eludes most. That’s where complicated diets like Nutrisystem and Atkins come in, when all that’s really required is knowing what you’re eating and consuming in moderation.

“A lot of times it’s worse to yo-yo- diet. That’s how people fall off the wagon—they don’t eat in moderation,” says Adriane Larson, owner of Adriane’s Delectables, a full-service catering company in Marietta. Foods that are traditionally unhealthy—pizzas, refined carbohydrates like pastries, fried foods—can be made with healthier substitutions to be more nutritious and eaten much less frequently to get you started on a healthier overall lifestyle. “If you implement more vegetables and fruits into your diet it will not only make you more satisfied, but it’s healthier for you,” says Larson.

While one calorie will always equal one calorie, the foods you eat are not at all equivalent. Fat, salt and refined carbohydrate percentages vary greatly from food to food, and making healthier choices rather than cutting out entire food groups will help you sustain weight loss once you’ve achieved it; cutting out all carbohydrates, for example, rather than significantly limiting high glycemic index carbohydrates like breads, pastas and rice will make it more likely that you will gain weight back when you eventually reintroduce those foods.

For the Whole Family

“There’s no time like the present to take stock of where you want your family’s health to be in 2015 and further down the road,” says Wendy Palmer, MS, RD, LD, CHES at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). “As part of taking stock, we suggest parents consider ways to take simple steps toward healthier habits, like eating better and getting more exercise. It’s easier for kids to set realistic goals if we help them keep it simple.”

Focus your family on being active and eating well together by planning dinners and lunches and making activity fun and consistent. Call exercise fun time or play time and get the kids involved in new activities like dancing, hiking and long walks. “When it comes to eating better, instead of setting rules or limits on what you can’t eat, focus on what you can eat more of—the healthy stuff!” Palmer says. “Pick a new fruit or vegetable to try as a family and come up with new ways to prepare it. I bet your kids will enthusiastically try something they had a part in making.”

Dieting often increases restriction of foods and nutrients that growing bodies and brains need—plenty of fats like coconut and avocado have numerous health benefits and react differently with the body than the saturated and trans fats found in junk and fast foods. “As adults who have tried fad diets before, we know they don’t work,” Palmer says. “We need to role model more consistent healthy behaviors for our children such as eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more water, being more active and limiting screen time. Everyone in the family will benefit.”

In the new year, “Figure out what’s getting in your way; you might be surprised to find you can do something about it!” Palmer adds. “As parents, it’s our job to teach our children healthy habits, so choose something that you think your family could get started on and take one small step. For example, if it’s your family’s habits with screens (TV, computer, smart phones, etc.) that prevent you from being physically active, then set a screen-free hour each night (more on the weekends), where you can do something fun together.”

It Takes a Village: Ending Domestic Violence

Lindsay Penticuff

Cobb County is rich with organizations, professionals and law enforcement whose goals are ending domestic violence and supporting the victims of these heinous crimes locally and at the state level.

In fact, Cobb resident Holly Tuchman, CEO and executive director of YWCA of Northwest Georgia that delivers programs and services that increase the awareness and reduce the occurrence of domestic violence and sexual assault in our communities, was recently named chair of the Georgia Commission on Family Violence (GCFV). The state committee is tasked with multiple duties, including studying and evaluating the needs and services related to family violence in Georgia, monitoring the effectiveness of family violence laws and developing models for community task forces on family violence. “I am honored to be part of the commission and have a small role in impacting how this state addresses this very important issue as well as have a part in advocating for very important legislation, such as HB911 which was passed last year and signed by [Gov. Nathan Deal] to add language to the existing aggravated assault statute to make strangulation a felony offense,” Tuchman says.

She has worked with victims of domestic violence since getting involved in the YWCA in the late 1980s. “I volunteered for the rape crisis hotline at the time—one of my first volunteer experiences in Marietta,” Tuchman recalls. “Then, I was honored as a Academy of Women Leader and served on the Tribute to Women Committee when I was back in the for-profit world. In 2007, the executive director decided to retire and I was approached about taking the position and the rest is history, as they say.”

Tuchman adds that ending domestic violence cannot be achieved by one system alone. “Family Violence Task Forces are an important component to addressing family violence at a local level,” she says. “GCFV provides technical assistance and support to the 38 Family Violence Task Forces across Georgia.” It is made up of victim advocates, law enforcement, the local Department of Family and Children Services, judges, prosecutors and many other systems responding to family violence victims and offenders. Recently, the Cobb County Family Violence Task Force was awarded “Task Force of the Year” by the GCFV.

Domestic Violence Unit

In his continued efforts to support domestic violence victims, Cobb District Attorney Vic Reynolds is working to create a unit within his office that is specially designed to handle domestic violence cases. “It is important to have a specialized unit handling these cases because of the nature of domestic crimes,” Reynolds says. “Frequently, the victims of these incidents are often reluctant witnesses, there are usually children involved, and the family dynamics separate these prosecutions from any other crimes.”

The unit would consist of a prosecutor, investigator, victim-witness advocate and support staff. Reynolds says, “All cases would be assigned to the unit, and that is the only type case the unit would handle. The unit would be comparable to our existing special units, such as Narcotics, White Collar and Crimes against Children.” Since being elected as DA, Reynolds’ office also now tracks the number of victims they work with—2,992 in Fiscal Year 2012; 1,127 in 2013; and 1,481 in 2014. The office has a victim-witness advocate assigned to the Cobb County Police Department who works with these victims at the initial onset of the case as well.

In addition to his role with the DA’s office, Reynolds and his wife, Holly, will chair the annual YWCA 100+ Women Against Domestic Violence Fundraiser set for Feb. 7 at Jim R. Miller Park. The “Boots, Blue Jeans & Country Music” event kicks off at 6 p.m. and raises money for the battered women’s shelter. Learn more at ywca.org. The couple is also involved with fundraising events for Marietta-based SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center.

Ending Child Abuse

SafePath, which has existed since 1996, is a nonprofit that offers a comprehensive, professional and child-friendly approach to the intervention and investigation of alleged child abuse by bringing law enforcement, the DA’s office, DFCS, mental health and healthcare professionals and other agencies together to help solve a child abuse case. The Marietta location provides a neutral and safe environment for children and families. In 2013, SafePath served more than 750 children and provided services for their caregivers and siblings. Of the over 750 children SafePath served, almost 200 of those children were involved in family or domestic violence.

“Some people may think family and domestic violence is not prevalent, just because it’s not happening in their home or in their neighborhood,” says Jinger Robins, executive director at SafePath. “If you are concerned that a child is being abused, maltreated or neglected, call the police or local child protective services. Suspicions of child abuse, including family violence, should be reported.”

In cases where SafePath is called in to help, professionals with the organization will conduct a forensic interview with a child at their kid-friendly location and meet with caregivers to help them find necessary resources, including safe housing or domestic violence support groups, all at no cost. Robins says SafePath is able to do this because of the financial support they receive from generous donors in the community, as well as competing for federal and local grants. “Monetary gifts truly help to carryout and fulfill SafePath’s mission,” she adds.

To enhance the mission of SafePath, they utilize the expertise, talents, resources and charitable acts of volunteers. If you are interested, please contact their volunteer coordinator at volunteer@safepath.org.

Business Community Taking  a Stand

Kim Gresh, president of S.A. White Oil Company, Inc., in Marietta and one of many local professionals advocating for domestic violence victims in Cobb, believes that if she and others in the community didn’t get involved, no one would. “Why wouldn’t I want to get involved, if I could help the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault?” she asks. “As a business leader, I know that domestic and sexual assault have an effect on everyone in our community. The more people who get involved can only help us reach our goal to put an end to domestic violence and sexual assault.”

She recommends business leaders reach out to groups like the YWCA or SafePath and how they can get involved. Gresh has personally been associated with the YWCA for six years, specifically helping the organization transition from what it had historically been known for, to focusing solely on domestic violence. She has served as the capital campaign manager for the past five years, and this year, she is board chair. “After talking with [Tuchman] and realizing the focus of the YWCA was very different from what it was when I was young, I understood how important the struggle against domestic violence was and felt that I could do something to help,” Gresh adds. She also serves as a member of the WellStar Board of Trustees, which partners with the YWCA to provide services for victims of sexual assault.

7 Common Abusive Tactics

physical violence
sexual violence
isolation
economic abuse
emotional abuse
intimidation
reproductive coercion
stalking

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Need help or know someone who does?

YWCA 24-hour  Crisis Line (770) 427-3390
24-7 Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 33-HAVEN (42836)
Child Protective Services (855) GA-CHILD  (422-4453)
National Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 799-SAFE (7233)

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Domestic Violence in Georgia (2013)

118 deaths as a result of domestic violence
58,955 crisis calls made to domestic violence agencies
7,807 victims and children who were provided refuge in Georgia domestic violence shelters

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Myths and Facts About Domestic Violence

MYTH: Victims have done something to cause the abuse.

FACT: Abusers choose their actions. Abuse is never the fault of the victim.

MYTH: Domestic violence is rare.

FACT: Domestic violence affects one out of four women at some point during her lifetime. Men can also be victims of domestic violence, but women make up about 97 percent of domestic violence survivors. Domestic violence happens equally in heterosexual and homosexual relationships.

MYTH: Domestic violence is not a serious problem in the U.S. or in Georgia.

FACT: Battering is the single largest cause of injury to women in the United States—over mugging, automobile accidents and rape, combined.

MYTH: Victims of abuse are crazy if they choose to stay in an abusive relationship.

FACT: Many survivors do not exhibit behaviors that, to those of us outside the intimate relationship, may seem unusual or even bizarre. It is important to remember that, as an outsider to the abusive relationship, we are not living with the daily threat and fear of abuse or death. What may appear to be bizarre behaviors are often survival strategies women use to keep themselves safe.

MYTH: Middle-class women do not get battered as frequently or as violently as poor women.

FACT: Domestic violence occurs in all socio-economic groups. In fact, middle-class women often face barriers to get public assistance when they decide to leave because of their family’s above-the-poverty-line financial status.

MYTH: Drinking and/or drug abuse cause battering.

FACT: There seems to be a correlation between alcohol and battering. Although alcohol abuse may increase the likelihood of violent behavior, it does not cause or excuse it.

MYTH: Domestic violence only affects the adults in the household.

FACT: According to a recent American Bar Association report, experts estimate that 3.3 to 10 million children witness domestic violence annually.

Source: Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, gcadv.org

De-mystify a Merger or Acquisition

Pamela A. Keene

Is a merger or acquisition in your business’ future? What can you do to prepare your company to be purchased or sold? While the process can be complex, mergers and acquisitions are a very real—and positive—part of the life cycle of the growth for many successful businesses.

A sale or purchase may start over a casual lunch conversation or after months of research by a firm seeking to broaden its market reach. The key is planning and building the right team to assist with legal and human resources aspects of what can be a complicated pathway to growth. Once the leadership of the respective entities identifies their desired results of the transaction, involve professionals in the contract negotiations.

“A cobbler sticks to his trade, and most business owners are good at their industry,” says Adam Slipakoff, a Cobb-based attorney who specializes in mergers and acquisitions. “That being said, it’s important for business owners to bring in attorneys and accountants in the process, because they can be excellent resources to help structure and formalize the transaction. I advise business owners to bring professionals in early to make the merger or acquisition smoother.”

Experts also recommend building a strong communications strategy directed toward employees—many businesses’ chief asset—from the onset of the negotiations. “It’s much better for employees to hear about possible upcoming changes from their employer than from the media or the grapevine,” says Lisa Hughes, vice president of human resources for Nobis Works of Marietta and an instructor in Kennesaw State University’s College of Countinuing and Professional Education. “Get ahead of the curve to retain valuable employees because they are an important part of the business—whether they’re concerned about further employment, new leadership or continuation of benefits, it’s crucial to keep them informed as much as you can.”

In two recent business transactions involving Cobb-based businesses, the proper planning and consideration for each firm’s stakeholders—customers, employees and shareholders—accomplished the transactions with minimal interruption of business processes, customer service and staffing. By involving legal and human resource expertise from the beginning of the process, executive leadership was able to successfully move their companies into the next level of growth.

Broadening a Vision Through Acquisition

As owner of the largest Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) in the Southeast, Thomas Huff realized that his vision for Cobb County’s McCollum Field in Kennesaw had reached a plateau. “When we began developing Atlanta Executive Jet Center almost a decade and a half ago at McCollum Field, there was only one public bathroom for the entire airport,” he says. “Now, $42 million and 14 years later, there’s 500,000 square feet of hangar space, 65,000 square feet of office space and a restaurant. And we plan to have a U.S. Customs operation here by the middle of 2015. We’ve worked hard and brought direction and vision to the airport with excellent encouragement from the county. I realized that I had taken the vision for the airport as far as it could go.”

Enter Hawthorne Global Aviation Services, a national FBO looking to expand into the Southeast. After nearly a year of negotiations and transition, Hawthorne Global finalized an asset purchase acquisition of portions of Atlanta Executive Jet Center last summer. “We kept some hangar space that Hawthorne manages for us, the aircraft charter business and the restaurant,” Huff says. “We were able to sell the part of the business that Hawthorne was interested in and kept the parts of the business that we wanted to focus on. It was an excellent transition for everyone concerned.”

Huff attributes the success of the acquisition to planning and vision, then involving the attorneys to execute the plan that he and the leadership at Hawthorne conceived. “It’s wise for both sides to involve attorneys to ensure that there are no misunderstandings. Once we had our plan in place, the attorneys formalized it,” he says. “Also, it was important for us to consider our employees and our customers as we moved forward.” Representatives from Hawthorne came to Cobb to manage the transition of employees. “We had a great team in place and Hawthorne did too, so all of them kept their jobs,” Huff continues. “Some went with me in the new business and the others went with Hawthorne. It worked out really well.”

Hawthorne Atlanta’s General Manager Tom Auten took over management of the newly opened FBO late last summer, having spent nearly 50 years in the aviation business, most recently as general manager of the FBO at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. “The acquisition is Hawthorne’s foray into the metro Atlanta market,” he says. The firm now has FBOs in five markets; in addition to Atlanta, locations in New Orleans, Chicago, New York and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, provide a network of aviation services.”

“Our goal is to honor the commitments to the people who were formerly doing business with Atlanta Executive Jet Center and to grow our business,” Auten adds. “We’ve been standardizing policy and processes as we move forward and have also offered extra training for employees. We’ve already upgraded and purchased new equipment as we continue to improve this part of Hawthorne’s market plan, making it an even stronger company.”

Strength in ‘A Merger of Equals’

For the leadership of two north Atlanta financial institutions, a merger of equals made perfect sense from a number of aspects. Both Midtown Bank & Trust Company and First Landmark Bank operated as community banks; Midtown had branches in Atlanta and Sandy Springs, and First Landmark served customers in Cobb. “We blended our management teams and used the best of both of our institutions to create something that’s even greater,” says Terrence DeWitt, former First Landmark president who now serves as the new entity’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Talks began in the summer of 2013, with DeWitt and Midtown Bank’s then-President and CEO Stanley Kryder meeting to discuss a possible merger. “The more we talked the more we realized that the sum of the parts was worth much more if we combined the businesses,” Kryder says. “Both entities have strong community roots and are well capitalized with clean balance sheets. A light bulb went on for both of us how similar we were and what the potential could be by bringing our specific lines of business together.”

The process included extensive work by attorneys for both entities with executive leadership involved from the outset. Separate counsel, who first fashioned a document called a merger proxy that was distributed to all shareholders, represented each bank. Once shareholders approved the merger proxy, attorneys also worked as liaisons with regulatory agencies, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance to navigate the complex compliance issues related to financial institutions.

The merger, announced last spring, resulted in each of the banks retaining individual branding under the umbrella of First Landmark Bank, which was named the acquiring institution and surviving charter. “There was really not a compelling reason to rebrand the institutions because of their already-strong presence in their own communities,” Kryder says. “Each is operating as a division of First Landmark Bank, but we agreed early on in the process that the local community connections for our customers and shareholders were very important in each of the three markets.”

Once again, consideration for employees was an important part of the process. “There was not a great deal of overlap in our business lines,” DeWitt says. “No customer-facing staff changed, and we were able to enhance our services and achieve something unique while using the talents that were available to maintain our community presence and confidence.”

In all, mergers and acquisitions can be challenging. No matter the size of your company, reaching out to legal and human resources experts can help assure that the process considers all parties, stakeholders and customers as a new entity is born.

Roasted Beet Salad

Marietta.com

By Executive Chef Jeffrey Gardner,
Common Quarter

YIELD: 4 servings

Ingredients for roasted beets

2 large red beets, washed and peeled
2 large golden beets, washed and peeled
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup honey
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
6 sprigs thyme
4 Tbsp. black peppercorns
4 Tbsp. kosher Salt
4 Tbsp. olive oil
Water, as needed

Ingredients for goat cheese mousse

1/2 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup cream cheese or mascarpone
1/2 cup milk

Ingredients for vinaigrette:

2 oranges, juice and zest
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sprigs thyme, stripped and chopped
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Remaining ingredients:

1 baby candy striped beet, washed and thinly shaved
1/2 bulb fennel, thinly shaved
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1 cup arugula, washed

In a medium saucepan, add red beets, red wine vinegar and half of the honey, garlic, thyme, pepper, salt and olive oil. Cover beets completely with water, and cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil. Simmer over medium heat until beets are fork tender. Allow to cool in the cooking liquid, then dice into bite-sized pieces. In a separate saucepan, add golden beets, apple cider vinegar and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook the same way as the red beets, until tender. Dice the golden beets into bite-sized pieces. For goat cheese mousse, combine all ingredients in a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer until completely smooth and spreadable. In a blender (you can also do this in a bowl by hand), combine all ingredients for vinaigrette except for olive oil. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until mixture is emulsified. To assemble, place a smear of the goat cheese mousse down the center of your plate, in a straight line. In a small mixing bowl, combine gold beets, fennel, arugula and about two tablespoons of vinaigrette. Toss until all are lightly coated, and lightly season with kosher salt. Place all ingredients onto the goat cheese mousse. In the same bowl, toss the red beets with another two tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Gently place throughout the salad, so as to not allow colors to bleed together. Top each salad with chopped pecans and a few slices of candy-striped beet.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts And Cauliflower

Marietta.com

By Chef and Owner Doug Turbush,
Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar

YIELD: Serves 4–6

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
24 heads of Brussels sprouts, cut into 1/4’s,
outer leaves discarded
3 oz. vegetable oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
24 leaves each of Thai basil, mint and cilantro

Ingredients for Thai herb vinaigrette

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Thai chili, minced (remove seeds if you would like it less spicy)
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup fish sauce

For the vinaigrette, dissolve all liquids and sugar, then add garlic and chili. Preheat oven to 350. Roast cauliflower—toss cauliflower with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 350 for 10 minutes and reserve. Bring pot of water to a boil, add Brussels sprouts and cook for four minutes. Shock in ice water bath, drain well and reserve. Heat vegetable oil in a pan, add sprouts and cook until color is deep golden brown on one side, turn over and add cauliflower. Toss sprouts and cauliflower with red onion, Thai basil, mint, cilantro and Thai herb vinaigrette.

The Awaken Cocktail

Marietta.com

By Chef Tiffany Gray, A Little Bit of Heaven

Ingredients for Heaven’s green juice

Spinach
Kale
1/4-inch ginger
pineapples
water
2 oz. of vodka (ex: Titos’s)
A splash of mango juice

Blend 1/2 cup of spinach, kale, pineapples and 1/4 inch ginger with water. Add 1/2 cup of the Heaven’s green juice mixture with 2 oz. of vodka to a shaker with ice. Pour into a glass with a splash of mango juice and garnish with a pineapple slice.

Vodka Cranberry ‘Caipirinha’

Marietta.com

By Bartender Tim Langenberg,
Chicken and the Egg

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. Tito’s vodka (or Leblons)
6 fresh cranberries, chopped
1 Tbsp. stevia (or turbinado sugar)
1 lime wedge

Muddle cranberries, stevia and lime in a mixing tin. Add ice and vodka, shake and strain into a glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Molasses Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pomegranate And Hazelnuts

Marietta.com

By Chef Marc Taft, Chicken and the Egg

Ingredients

1 1/4 lbs. Brussels sprouts, halved
2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
3 Tbsp. molasses
Seeds from one pomegranate
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
1 Tbsp. orange zest
salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Place Brussels sprouts in a roasting pan; toss with oil and season with salt/pepper. Roast in the oven until light golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add molasses, pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts and orange zest. Season to taste.

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