Highlights of the evening include the 2025 Chairman awards presentation and an address by the 2026 Chairwoman.
The Cobb Chamber celebrated its many accomplishments of 2025 at the 84th Annual Dinner celebration, presented by Wellstar, on Feb. 28 at the Cobb Convention Center Atlanta. Over 1,200 business and community leaders attended the black-tie optional dinner affair, including military leaders, economic development partners, and elected officials. Brian Jordan, former NFL and MLB athlete and the President of the Brian Jordan Foundation, served as the event’s master of ceremonies.
The evening included a robust program, including outgoing Chairman, Chris Britton of Brasfield & Gorrie, passing the leadership to 2026 Chairwoman, Melissa Cantrell of CDH Partners. In his address, Britton celebrated the collective efforts of the Chamber and how it served as a champion for businesses and the community over the past year.
He highlighted:
- A record year for the Membership Campaign, raising a historic $1,230,533 and welcoming 336 new members.
- 26 project wins for SelectCobb, bringing more than 2,181 high quality jobs.
- MLB All-Star week, welcoming thousands of visitors to the county.
During the evening, Britton presented several awards to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to enhance the quality of the Chamber’s programming and the quality of life in Cobb.
The 2026 Chairman’s Award was presented to Al Martin of Georgia Power, a dedicated partner to the Chamber since 1996. The award is presented to an individual for outstanding leadership, dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to the Cobb Chamber. Martin is a long-term investor in the Cobb Chamber, serving in the membership campaign as division chair, overall chair, team captain, and the top producer in 2025. He played a vital role in developing the mentoring component of CYP Cultivate, chaired the grants committee for Cobb Community Foundation, served as a long-time Cobb Travel & Tourism board member, and given his time to countless nonprofits like the Center for Family Resources.
The 2026 Dr. Robert A. Lipson Award, was presented to Mike Plant, Atlanta Braves. The award is presented to someone who is a visionary, a friend, a mentor, and a leader. Plant played an instrumental role in bringing the Braves to Cobb and making All-Star Week a resounding success. He also recruited global brands to the county, including Truist Securities, Shake Shack, TK Elevator, Papa John’s, and Comcast.
The 2026 Len Gilbert Award was given to Jeff Fuctio of Mauldin & Jenkins and Bert Reeves of The Georgia Institute of Technology. This award is presented to an outstanding board member who, through his or her leadership, commitment and dedication, achieved new heights for a Chamber initiative, program or event.
Since 2016, Fucito has served as the Chamber’s Finance Chair, extending beyond his own retirement to ensure a smooth transition to his successor. He has shepherded the Chamber through some of its most significant milestones: the sale of its building and move to its new headquarters, navigating the global pandemic while leading economic recovery—including administering $50 million in small business grants—and positioning the Chamber for strong financial sustainability through the Chamber’s strategic plan.
Bert Reeves serves as Vice Chair of Government Relations and Advocacy and has continued to expand the Government Affairs Committee by leading the launch of three impactful new programs. Reeves and the Chamber’s advocacy team led the committee to the state Capitol during session, hosted legislators for an exclusive tour of Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Lockheed Martin, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute, and helped launch Conversations in Democracy—a series designed to foster open dialogue between Chamber members and elected officials, both past and present.
The 2026 Mack Henderson Public Service Award was presented to Dr. Tiffany Barney of the Cobb Innovation & Technology Academy and Rob Garcia III of theMarietta High School College and Career Academy. This award recognizes individuals who embody the philanthropic legacy of Mack Henderson through outstanding commitment and dedication to building a better quality of life for the citizens of Cobb County.
Dr. Barney has led the highly successful Cobb Innovation & Technology Academy at Osborne High School and is leading the second academy at Allatoona High School that broke ground in 2025. She is also a graduate of Leadership Cobb Class of 2023.
Garcia III leads Marietta High School’s College and Career Academy—Cobb County’s first—providing career-ready training that meets today’s job demands. In this role, our Garcia III is helping students navigate their futures – whether it’s to an apprenticeship, to start their career, or to enroll in college.
Britton’s final award of the evening, the 2026 Senator Johnny H. Isakson Leadership Award,was presented to Brigadier General Michael B. Parks, Deputy Commander of the 22nd Air Force at Dobbins. Only awarded under extraordinary circumstances, this award honors an individual whose extraordinary leadership, vision and trailblazing efforts have significantly impacted the Cobb community. General Parks, has provided tremendous leadership at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, guiding the 81st Readiness Division through its new mission set while elevating the Chamber’s partnership with the base and strengthening ties to Cobb’s business community.
The Marietta Daily Journal presented its prestigious 2025 Cobb County Citizen of the Year Award to Jim Rhoden. The Marietta Daily Journal has presented this award since 1963 at the Cobb Chamber Annual Dinner.
The 84th Annual Dinner was presented by Wellstar. The invocation was offered by James Griffin of Crosspoint City Church. Mike Jones Entertainment provided music at the After Party, hosted by Live! at the Battery Atlanta, and JJA Project Management provided audiovisual and event production services.
The rest of the event’s sponsors included: Atlanta Braves, Brasfield & Gorrie, CDH Partners, Freeman Mathis & Gary, Freeman Mathis Decisions, Georgia Power, Lockheed Martin, and MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service as Diamond Sponsors; Cobb EMC as the Reception Sponsor; Cumberland Diamond Exchange and S.A. White Oil Company as Camera Ready Sponsors; AssuranceAmerica as the Award Sponsor; Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as Coffee & Dessert Sponsor; LGE Community Credit Union as Dinner Sponsor; Arylessence as the Floral Sponsor; Cobb Convention Center Atlanta as the Host Sponsor; Pinnacle Financial Partners as the Wine Sponsor; Live! At The Battery Atlanta as the After Party Sponsor; Comcast as the Life of the Party Sponsor; Superior Plumbing as the Membership Campaign VIP Recognition Sponsor; 41South Creative, Croy Engineering, Delta Community Credit Union, Gas South, JJA Project Management, Kennesaw State University, Mauldin & Jenkins, Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio, Summit Legacy Insurance, Waldron & Lee Dentistry, and Wasserman Talent Solutions as Ruby Sponsors; AMB Sports and Entertainment, Capital City Public Affairs, Cobb Community Foundation, Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, CROFT & Associates, Cumberland Community Improvement District, Development Authority of Cobb County, The Doss Firm, Johnson & Alday, Genuine Parts Company, Georgia Banking Company, Georgia’s Own Credit Union, Gillis Law Firm, Henssler Financial, Holder Construction, The Home Depot, IMPACT Development Partners, INCISIVE, Life University, Manning Properties, Marietta Power & Water, The Mazloom Law Firm, RE/MAX PURE, New South Construction, NextEra Energy Services, Philip Morris International, Proda Technology, SouthState Bank, Town Center Community Improvement District, Truist, and Vanderlande as Emerald Sponsors; LAZ Parking as Parking Sponsor; and BRPH Architects Engineers, Inc., ClearVue Glass & Mirror Company, and Hammond Services as Patron Sponsors. Special gifts were provided by Cumberland Diamond Exchange.
For more information about the 2026 Annual Dinner, contact Michele Howard, Executive Vice President of Programs & Leadership Development at 770-859-2345 or mhoward@cobbchamber.org.
