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The Carter Center is planning for a centennial celebration and they need your help!

Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday will be on October 1st and the center is working to make a mosaic of photos and videos with birthday messages.

Read More At: WTOC11

New research from talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half suggests hiring will keep pace for the remainder of the year. According to the company’s State of U.S. Hiring Survey, 52% of companies report plans to add new permanent positions in the second half of the year. Another 43% plan to fill for vacated positions, and 57% said they plan to increase the number of contract professionals on staff, down 10 percentage points from the first half of 2024.

View a breakdown of hiring plans by specialization and city.

Hiring Challenges Persist
According to the survey, the top factors influencing hiring decisions include company growth (57%), employee turnover (47%) and project-based work requiring skilled talent (42%). However, most employers (86%) report hiring challenges, and their major areas of concern include: 

• Lack of applicants with the required skills (48%)

• Hiring quickly enough to land the best talent (48%)

• Meeting candidates’ salary expectations (48%)

Given these challenges, nearly two-thirds (62%) of managers said they’d be willing to bend on years of experience if the candidate possessed the skills needed for the open role.

Read more about The Demand for Skilled Talent. 

“Today’s workers are more selective when it comes to making a career move,” said Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half. “Employers should have a strategic hiring plan in place and remain flexible in order to land in-demand talent and keep projects on track and workloads in check.”

Attracting Talent Requires a Strategic Approach
To land the best talent and stand out from the competition, hiring managers are implementing proactive strategies and offering:

• Hybrid jobs where workers can spend time at home and in-office (41%)

• Windowed work, allowing teams to work outside of typical business hours (41%)

• Higher starting salaries (38%)

Fay emphasized, “While hiring remains a priority, employers shouldn’t lose sight of their current workforce. Skilled talent is still in high demand, so it’s crucial to prioritize retention strategies to keep your best employees on board.”

Atlanta Ballet’s 2024|25 season offers one-of-a-kind opportunities to immerse the whole family in the world of dance. The fall season will kick off on Sunday, July 21, 2024 with the Centre for Dance Education’s annual Open House, where participants will have the opportunity to take free dance classes and sign up for brand-new class offerings for the fall. The season will also bring to the stage two beloved productions catered to all ages, with The Nutcracker in December and Atlanta Ballet 2’s The Swan Princess in February.

Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education to Host its Annual Open House

The Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education will host its annual Open House on Sunday, July 21, 2024, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at its Michael C. Carlos Dance Centre in Atlanta. Families are invited to visit the West Midtown studio to take free dance classes and meet the talented instructors from the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education. The Open House will allow adults and children of all ages to experience the art form of dance, participate in fun activities, such as learning how to build the perfect ballet bun, and enroll in Fall classes offered at all three Centre locations (West Midtown, Buckhead, and Virigina-Highland). This year, the Centre will introduce brand-new class offerings, such as “Silver Swans”, a beginner-friendly 55+ adult dance program exclusively for those looking to learn about the art of ballet as an adult.

The Open House is free and will be held at the Michael C. Carlos Dance Centre at 1695 Marietta Blvd., NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 in West Midtown, Atlanta. Classes will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

For more information, including the schedule of classes, visit https://centre.atlantaballet.com/ or call 404.873.5811.

Atlanta Ballet to Present Annual Performance of The Nutcracker at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

Under the artistic direction of Gennadi Nedvigin, Atlanta Ballet will premiere its annual production of The Nutcracker from December 7-26, 2024. The immersive family performance will feature original choreography by award-winning choreographer Yuri Possokhov, who reimagined the holiday classic exclusively for Atlanta Ballet in 2018. With intricately designed costumes, larger-than-life sets, high-tech lighting, and state-of-the-art life-like video projections, the production has been acclaimed as one of the most technically advanced versions of the show. The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra is also set to perform the iconic Tchaikovsky score, upholding Atlanta Ballet’s tradition of being one of the few regional Nutcracker ballet productions with live music. 

“Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker offers an enchanting and memorable experience,” said Gennadi Nedvigin, artistic director of Atlanta Ballet. “We are proud to create a lasting tradition with our reimagined version of the beloved classic production.”

For more information about Atlanta Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.atlantaballet.com/performances/nutcracker.

Atlanta Ballet 2 to Present the Short Family Ballet – The Swan Princess by Bruce Wells

Atlanta Ballet 2, the highest level of the Centre for Dance Education’s and a training ground for the next generation of dancers, will present The Swan Princess on February 15-16, 2025 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. The show was created to be an introduction to the adored classic Swan Lake, the tale of Princess Odette who meets and falls in love with Prince Siegfried, only to fall under the spell of the wicked Count Von Rothbart and be turned into a beautiful swan. It is the story of Odette and Sigfried’s journey to true love.

The production will feature original choreography by acclaimed choreographer Bruce Wells, who has created over 50 ballets, including the previous captivating productions of Atlanta Ballet 2’s Beauty & the Beast and Cinderella.

“We are thrilled to bring The Swan Princess back to stage as it tells the classic Swan Lake story in a charming and delightful way,” said Wells. “The narration and condensed one-hour timeline of our reimagined version of the iconic three-act ballet provides an excellent way for younger audiences to engage with the performance and be introduced into the world of dance.”

For more information about Atlanta Ballet 2’s performance of The Swan Princess and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.atlantaballet.com/performances/swan-princess.    

 Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today announced the findings of its inaugural Business Decision Maker Survey, which found that 72 percent of business decision makers feel their businesses aren’t moving fast enough to address risks associated with global megatrends across Trade, Technology, Weather and Workforce.

The survey, which gathered insights from C-suite and business executives in North America, UK and Europe, found that 86 percent believe it is important to address the challenges and opportunities presented by these megatrends. However, it is getting harder to make the right decisions amid their growing complexity and volatility.

“These findings confirm what we’re hearing from our clients every day – the world is more volatile and complex, creating uncertainty and need for new solutions across our global economy,” said Aon CEO Greg Case. “Business decision makers recognize the enormity of the challenges presented by the megatrends of Trade, Technology, Weather and Workforce and they are looking for actionable insights and innovative tools to more quickly address critical risk and people issues.”

KEY MEGATREND FINDINGS

The majority of the survey’s respondents identified all four megatrends as extremely important to their organizations. However, the survey also revealed that Trade, Technology and Workforce ranked as bigger priorities (with 80-plus percent of the respondents rating them as “extremely important”) while 70 percent of those surveyed ranked Weather as a top-priority risk. Other highlights of the survey include:

• Trade: Business decision makers say that risks linked to trade are some of their top concerns — both physical and financial. The survey results highlight that supply chain risks are top of mind in the C-suite, with 74 percent of business decision makers saying that their responsibility for supply chain or distribution functions has increased over the last year. On top of that, economic and financial concerns remain a focus for business decision makers, with exchange rate fluctuations and commodity price risk among the top three trade risks.

• Technology: While advancements in AI and data and analytics offer businesses a significant competitive edge, they also generate new and evolving risks. Business decision makers recognize the importance of fully analyzing and assessing risks associated with technology, with 63 percent reporting that they have measured the ROI of cyber security initiatives and 61 percent auditing IT suppliers to manage third-party risks and IT sprawl in the last year.

• Weather: Extreme weather and a changing climate are impacting many of the risks businesses face today. Sixty-six percent of business decision makers understand that climate issues raise new risks and vulnerabilities that require a significant change in how businesses think about the future. However, compared with the other three megatrends, decision makers are slower to act on weather risk. While 59 percent of those surveyed are quantifying the financial impact of extreme weather, 72 percent are carrying out the same exercise for cyber.

• Workforce: Organizations are increasingly balancing costs with the ability to provide a compelling employee experience. Rising workforce costs are among the largest challenges business decision makers face, the survey finds, with 57 percent saying their company has materially changed benefit or health care offerings for employees to improve affordability and improve outcome. Business decision makers also ranked adjusting their talent strategies to account for changes in technology as their top workforce concern. Meanwhile, 52 percent of decision makers have taken action over the last year in reskilling or upskilling workers for the new demands of green technology and renewable projects and 45 percent say that climate issues are helping create a mission-driven culture that attracts and retains talent.

The survey also revealed key differences in risk preparedness between organizations in the U.S. and those in Europe and the UK. For example, 48 percent of U.S. business decision makers select supply chain disruption as a top Trade risk, compared with 27 percent in the EU and UK. Meanwhile, 44 percent of decision makers in the EU and UK see war and political instability as a top Trade risk, compared with 28 percent in the U.S.

Regarding Weather risks, 47 percent of business decision makers in Europe and the UK are prioritizing decarbonization and clean energy, compared with only a third (33 percent) in the U.S. However, U.S. leaders are paying more attention to workforce safety related to heatwaves (45 percent in the U.S., compared to 40 percent in the EU and UK) and property damage caused by natural disasters (37 percent in the U.S., compared to 33 percent in the EU and UK).

THE NEED FOR BETTER DECISIONS

Building on the results of the firm’s recently released 2024 Client Trends Report: Better Decisions in Trade, Technology, Weather and Workforce, Aon’s Business Decision Maker Survey found that as risks grow more interconnected, business decision makers feel pressure to take on more responsibility to manage the challenges found within these trends such as artificial intelligence and climate risk.

Responding to these megatrends risks is made more difficult by continued concern about macroeconomic and financial conditions. Seventy-seven percent of business decision makers are concerned about interest rate fluctuations and 73 percent are concerned about asset price volatility impacting their business in the next year.

“It’s clear that without taking action, business decision makers will not be able to effectively manage their exposures to these megatrends over the next year,” said Aon President Eric Andersen. “As the megatrends grow more interconnected, businesses which adopt a comprehensive, data-driven, forward-looking approach to risk management will more confidently address challenges and seize opportunities amid uncertainty.”

Data and analytics play a vital role in building executive confidence amid this increased pressure. Of those business decision makers who feel “very confident” their company will be able to effectively manage risk exposures over the next year, 60 percent say they have the data and analytics they need to address challenges, while just 41 percent of less confident decision makers feel the same. Modeling climate and weather risks is a particular concern, with only 39 percent of decision makers very confident they have accurate data, analytics and insights to protect their businesses.

Confident business decision makers also benefit from effectively sizing and pricing risk exposures and event scenarios. Fifty-nine percent of decision makers who are “very confident” have quantified the profit-and-loss of supply chain, cyber risk, and weather-related scenarios and events in the last year, compared to just 36 percent of leaders less confident they are effectively managing risk exposures.

Aon’s inaugural Business Decision Maker Survey was conducted through online interviews with 812 business decision makers between April 24 and May 5, 2024. Respondents included C-suite executives, senior executives, and executives of companies with more than 500 employees in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Additional information about the Business Decision Maker Survey can be found here.

Hayden Herrick has been named executive director of assisted living and memory care at The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place, which provides assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and short-term rehabilitation in a luxury residential community for those 55 and older in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta. As such, Herrick will be responsible for daily operations, including management, staffing and regulatory compliance. Herrick will report to Greg Heath, who served as interim executive director of assisted living and memory care for The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place concurrently to his permanent role as vice president of health care for parent company Isakson Living, and will work side-by-side with Heath through the month of July to ensure a smooth transition.

Previously serving as a human resources generalist for Peachtree Hills Place, Herrick ran the daily functions of the human resources department, including determining appropriate recruitment strategies, administering compensation and benefits, maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, and adhering to recommended best practices. Prior to that, he developed a deep understanding of patient care as assistant director of rehabilitation in the skilled nursing facility (SNF) at The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place, where he was an integral part of the management of a full-service therapy program.

“Throughout his tenure at Peachtree Hills Place, Hayden has has shown a tremendous dedication to the Peachtree Hills Place mission, exceptional leadership, and a commitment to go above and beyond to provide excellent service and care to our members,” stated Heath. “As executive director at The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place, Hayden will lead his team in providing outstanding care to members to ensure the highest standards of care and support. 

The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place features a person-directed emotions-based household model of care to provide individualized care for every member and ensure physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Households are designed to meet members where they are in their health journey and provide both lifestyle and supportive services to sustain whole-person wellness, including social programming, spa and health services, a Mediterranean diet prepared by personal chefs and mindfulness exercises to promote memory health, and a dedicated health services team comprised of physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and a full-time in-house doctor specializing in geriatric medicine.

“My journey from physical therapy to human resources and now to executive leadership has created a passion for providing our members with excellent services, engaging programming and personalized care,” said Herrick. “The team of healthcare professionals at The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place is second-to-none, and I look forward working with them to ensure that our members’ physical, mental and emotional needs are met every day through our unique model of care.”

Herrick holds a Bachelor of Science in exercise science from the Life University in Marietta, Georgia. A licensed assisted living administrator, he is certified in CPR and first aid, and holds several professional certificates from the Academy to Innovate Human Resources (AIHR).

Equifax® (NYSE: EFX) has launched a new solution, All Employers Within 90 Days^TM, in support of its commitment to providing an extensive set of verification solutions for the mortgage industry.

Powered by The Work Number^®, All Employers Within 90 Days^TM allows credentialed lenders to verify a borrower’s income and employment information from the previous 90 days. Developed in response to customer feedback, the new solution — which provides a narrow verification period — may be particularly useful for situations when a borrower has been employed at the same job for a long period of time and therefore employment records beyond 90 days are not needed.

“Lenders have many choices when it comes to verifying income and employment information, from in-house or consumer-provided options to working with external companies,” said Joel Rickman, Senior Vice President, Verification Services, Equifax Workforce Solutions. “At Equifax, we offer a variety of tailored verification solutions that were developed specifically with mortgage lenders in mind. By offering different types and levels of data at various price points, many lenders are able to find an Equifax solution that meets their specific requirements.”

In addition to launching All Employers Within 90 Days^TM, Equifax has introduced modifications to its existing All Employers Within 12 Months^TM and All Employers Within 24 Months^TM offerings. Those modifications support lenders with a smoother billing process for those services, resulting in more aligned processing.

With these enhancements and modifications, lenders can choose the solutions they need and the time frame that is most effective for both the borrower and the lender, helping provide a faster time to close and more lender flexibility. Each solution also benefits from the industry-leading security capabilities of Equifax, helping ensure that both borrowers and lenders can be confident their information is protected.

“In today’s mortgage market, our customers need solutions that drive speed and reduce fallout,” said Chris Mock, Vice President, Mortgage Verification Services at Equifax Workforce Solutions. “Lenders that utilize automated mortgage verification solutions can better provide the type of fast and seamless purchase process that homebuyers have come to expect. And with the variety of solutions available from Equifax, lenders can choose just the records they need to lend confidently.”

Through The Work Number database, Equifax is the industry-leading commercial source of consolidated employment information in the United States. This data can help credentialed verifiers with a permissible purpose — such as mortgage lenders — instantly verify potential borrowers’ employment and income, enabling a streamlined mortgage process.

To learn more about mortgage verifications or other verification solutions powered by The Work Number from Equifax, please visit our website.  

As if the typically perfect weather weren’t reason enough to visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden in fall, there’s a smorgasbord of fun exhibits and events on tap to boot.

October ushers in not only cooler temperatures but also plenty of fan-favorite fun like Scarecrows in the Garden, Fest-of-Ale, Goblins in the Garden and the Great Pumpkin-Carving Festival:

Check out hundreds of sculptures designed and created by families, schools, businesses and artists at Scarecrows in the Garden from October 1 – November 3 at the Midtown garden and September 21 – October 31 at the Gainesville location. Entries compete in various categories for prizes.
The scarecrows get a little creepier after dusk during Fest-of-Ale when guests can enjoy craft beers and live entertainment Thursday – Saturday , Oct. 3 – 26 from 5 – 8 p.m.
Let the little ones get the most out of their Halloween costumes during a preview of the big night at Goblins in the Garden on Sunday, Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Enjoy fall-themed games and activities during this fun family outing.
Finally, celebrate all things autumn at the Great Pumpkin-Carving Festival on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 5 – 9 p.m. Enjoy exciting entertainment, live music, crafts, festive ales and teams of talented amateur pumpkin carvers competing for great prizes at this ticketed special event.
For details, visit atlantabg.org.

Equitable Economic Development Program Manager for Decide DeKalb Development Authority Geoffrey Loften talks about the challenges facing south DeKalb and how they are working to help businesses through the South DeKalb Pop-Up Business Incubator.

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce announced the nominations process for the inaugural Georgia Chamber Rural Awards. These awards recognize the outstanding efforts of individuals, businesses, organizations, programs, and communities that have implemented innovative strategies and mission-based initiatives to address challenges and promote prosperity in Georgia’s rural areas. The winners will be celebrated at an awards luncheon during the Rural Prosperity Summit in Tifton, on October 3.

More information about the awards and links to the nominating documents can be found below.

Tiffany Holmes, Director of the Center for Rural Prosperity, said:

“Countless people and organizations are making a difference in our rural communities. The 2024 Rural Awards is an opportunity to recognize all they have accomplished over the last year. I am looking forward to celebrating with the entire Georgia Chamber of Commerce, all that is being done to increase long-term economic prosperity in rural Georgia.”

Award Categories:

• Rural Champion: This award honors a person, business, organization, or program actively addressing challenges in a rural community. Areas of impact may include healthcare, transportation, community development, economic development, education, agriculture, preservation, infrastructure, housing, placemaking, workforce development, and entrepreneurship.

• Rural Community of the Year: This award recognizes a rural community that has been successful in addressing challenges and promoting prosperity for its citizens. The winning community will host the Rural Prosperity Council (RPC) for a quarterly meeting the following year.

 Important Dates:

• Nominations Due: August 15, 2024

• Award Notification: On or around August 31, 2024

• Awards Luncheon: October 3, 2024

Eligibility: Nominations are open to individuals, businesses, organizations, programs, and communities located or operating within Georgia’s rural counties as identified by the Georgia Chamber Foundation.
 
Nomination Process: Nominations can be submitted by a staff member of a local chamber of commerce in one of the eligible counties or by a member of the Georgia Chamber’s Rural Prosperity Council. To submit a nomination, please visit the following links:

• Rural Champion Award

• Rural Community of the Year Award

Click here for the Georgia Chamber’s Rural Awards Overview document which provides a detailed list of eligible counties.
 
Click here for more information about the awards or nomination process.

The 15th Anniversary Celebration for the BronzeLens Film Festival takes place August 21 through August 25 in Atlanta, Georgia. Films produced or directed by well-known members of the legal, entertainment, film, and television industry are in the 2024 BronzeLens Official Film Selections line-up. Among those of note:

Jamie Foxx is a producer for directors Nikki Lenette’s and Roger Ellis’ HAPPY SONGS ABOUT UNHAPPY THINGS;
Ben Crump is a producer of director Ben Beder’s HOW TO SUE THE KLAN, and director Coke Daniels’ The WaterBoyz
Jamie Lee Curtis is a producer of director Russell Goldman’s BURN OUT
Deborah Riley Draper is co-director with Sabaah Folayan of RATIFY
BronzeLens selected three films by Directors Ryan Justin Horne and Tyson Alan Horne, A HERO AMONG US, THE DANCER: THE BEAUTIFUL AND TRAGIC LIFE OF GERAUD ALEXANDER, and THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, and;
Morris Chestnut is a producer of director Jorge Sanchez’s THE ORIGIN
Festival Official Film Selections are comprised of over 140 films in categories that include short narratives, feature narratives, documentaries, short documentaries, dance, arts, web series, music videos, and students’ films from France, Spain, Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Iran, the Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria, Jordan and, Brazil. “The quality of our 2024 film submissions exceeded our expectations,” said Kathleen Bertrand, BronzeLens Film Festival Executive Producer. “We are poised for an extraordinary 15th Anniversary Celebration for attendees to see masterfully produced films and partake in an elevated programming experience.”

For a full list of the 2024 BronzeLens Official Film Selections go to https://bronzelens.com/official-selections/.