Georgia Historical Society Board Members Named to James Magazine’s Most Influential Georgians List

Savannah, GA, March 19, 2024—Four members of the Georgia Historical Society (GHS) Board of Curators have been included on James magazine’s 2024 “Most Influential Georgians” list. They are Atlanta business leaders Kevin Blair, Chairman, CEO, and President of Synovus; Kim Greene, Chairman, President, and CEO of Georgia Power; Venessa Harrison, President of Southeast Coastal States at AT&T; and GHS’s President and CEO, Dr. W. Todd Groce.

“This recognition is well deserved,” said Shan Cooper, Board Chair of the Georgia Historical Society. “We are fortunate to have these committed and amazing leaders on our leadership team, allowing us to fulfill our educational and research mission and enhance our reputation as the trusted source for history in Georgia.”

Each year, James magazine publishes a list of “Georgia’s major business, political, legal, and media players,” according to the magazine.

James magazine noted that "Blair steadily rose through the ranks and in 2021 became president and CEO of Columbus-based Synovus [and] later also became chairman of the board, overseeing $62 billion in assets."

James lauded Greene’s rise from engineer to leader of "Georgia's largest utility as it opens the first new nuclear generating units in the U.S. in three decades at Plant Vogtle."

James praised Harrison's rise "up the ranks through the telecommunication giant's career development program all the way to the top, where she oversees operations in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina."

James spotlighted Groce as a "respected student of history [who] has increased annual revenue from $500,000 to over $5 million" and who "understands the power that history holds to learn from the past and to transform the future.”

Several Georgia Trustees were also on the list, including 2024 inductee Carol Tomé, and past inductees Dan Amos, Ed Bastian, Arthur Blank, Donna Hyland, Bernie Marcus, Alana Shephard, Paula Wallace, and Andrew Young. The Georgia Trustees is the highest honor the state can confer. In conjunction with the Governor’s Office, the Georgia Historical Society reestablished the Georgia Trustees in 2008 to recognize Georgians whose accomplishments and community service reflect the noble principle of Non Sibi, Sed Aliis, “Not for Self, but for Others."

For more information, please contact Keith Strigaro, Director of Communications, at 912.651.2125, ext. 153, or by email at [email protected].

To see the full list of the James magazine Most Influential Georgians list, click here.