GwinnettForum | Number 25.18| March 4, 2025
COLOR GALORE! Is this the most colorful photo in GwinnettForum in recent years? It probably is and it is also the Mystery Photo for this issue. See details below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Partnership Gwinnett brings 1,600 new jobs in 2024
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Trump people throw monkey wrench into our system
SPOTLIGHT: Lail Family Dentistry
FEEDBACK: Don’t be a mindless tool. Think.
UPCOMING: GBC completes merger with Primary Bankshares
NOTABLE: Jackson EMC donates $100,000 for empowering individuals
RECOMMENDED: Horse, by Geraldine Brooks
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Goizueta Foundation has assets of $424 million
MYSTERY PHOTO: Look at these amazing bright balanced rocks!
CALENDAR: Chairwoman to give state of the county on March 6
Partnership Gwinnett brings 1,600 new jobs in 2024
CEO President of Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett Nick Masino and Vice President Operations of Green Boom Parker Pruett.
By Rebecca Reis
DULUTH, Ga. | Partnership Gwinnett, the region’s local economic development initiative, recently noted that more than 1,600 new jobs, representing $275 million in capital expenditures, chose Gwinnett in which to locate or expand in 2024.
Reis
This year’s event welcomed companies across the initiative’s target sectors, each playing a pivotal role in driving economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing the local business ecosystem. Among those local companies honored were Elemaster of Duluth; GreenBoom, Duluth; maeirAMERICA; McKesson, Buford; NanoLumens, Peachtree Corners; OFS, Norcross; RealTruck, Lawrenceville; Sortimo, Buford; and Thermacell, Buford
Andrew Hickey, director of Economic Development at Partnership Gwinnett, says: “When companies choose to locate in Gwinnett, they are choosing to grow in a community known for its global access, a labor draw of 2.6 million people, globally renowned educational institutions, and an inclusive quality of life. We are excited to have these companies growing and expanding in our community and look forward to building on this year’s success in 2025.”
In addition to celebrating corporate achievements, the event recognized key nonprofit partners that collaborate with Partnership Gwinnett, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, Explore Gwinnett, Home of Hope GCS, and Positive Impact International. These organizations play a crucial role in supporting the economic development efforts and overall well-being of Gwinnett County.
As Gwinnett continues to attract top-tier businesses and foster a pro-growth environment, Partnership Gwinnett remains committed to supporting corporate expansions, workforce development, and economic sustainability.
Looking ahead, the award-winning initiative will host the annual Economic Outlook on March 27 featuring Dr. Alfie Meek with the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute. Registration and sponsorships for the Economic Outlook are available at PartnershipGwinnett.com.
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Trump people throw monkey wrench into our system
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MARCH 4, 2025 | Think of a complex machine going about its paces, humming along beautifully. It might be an internal combustion engine, with its many moving parts speeding you along the roadway. It might be as simple as a vacuum cleaner, scooping up dust and grime. Or it might be a complicated bottler spurting Coca-Cola into glass bottles or cans on an assembly line, then even packaging them, ready for shipment.
But drop even a paper clip into most any machine, and it might as well be a monkey wrench. Everything stops because you dropped this object among those moving parts. The machine stops, no longer running smoothly.
Mankind has developed these machines to solve many of its everyday tasks to make it easier on us. It has taken ages to get to this point to help our society function.
Have you ever thought of our American way of life as a giant machine? Consider our country of 340 MILLION people, spread across this vast nation, all going about our lives, and dependent on one another in our daily living.
Our food goes through many cycles before it is placed before us, from field, to processor, to the trucker, to our supermarkets. All along the way, small incidents might interfere which could halt food getting to our table. Yet somehow, it gets here, on time. Think of how many people and the twists and turns involved before we consume it!
Recognize that all this takes place within a framework of free enterprise system and government. Our entire nation churns along with no central figure directing it.
It is really amazing. It’s nothing less than continual just-in-time delivery every day. We never think about it, but as vast as it is, it is a well-oiled system, coasting along with no conductor.
Yet something is amiss today that seeks to abruptly disrupt this vital national system and our people. The Trump Administration seeks to throw monkey wrench after monkey wrench into first one element after another of our well-worn and dependable American governmental system.
You can’t keep a country going when you undermine its inner workings of industry, or of government. You can’t fire people who provide framework and internal functioning and expect matters to continue like normal. You can’t blindly undercut the financial welfare of people by taking away the Social Security they have paid into. (That’s not just unfair. It’s larceny.) You can’t insult the other countries of the world and not expect payback.
Americans should demand better. We can’t allow third-rate newcomers to government, many even without experience in our systems, to try to thrust their untested ideas upon a nation which has hummed along nicely for over 250 years.
While this machine of government has safeguards built in, it will take steadfast, tough men and women in the Congress and in the judiciary to stand up and defy a wild president, and show him our country is not his kingdom.
So far this hasn’t happened. Congress and the judiciary must protect our system, and must move soon, or else our time-honored experiment in reprehensive democracy may be doomed. It must happen sooner or later, or our nation is down the tubes.
We’ll look forward to returning to our quieter days of a smoothly-running republic without monkey wrenches being thrown in, which will eventually return us to normal, and relieve us of the antics of a madman.
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Lail Family Dentistry
Dr. Slade Lail and his team
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Lail Family Dentistry has been serving the community in Duluth and Gwinnett County for 53 years. Being the longest serving dental practice in the county, our roots run deep within our community and will continue to do so for generations to come. The doctors at Lail Family Dentistry are all members of the Lail family and are here to provide for you and yours. If you are in search of a traditional, hometown dentist that utilizes the latest dental techniques and technology while also exemplifying the utmost sense of professionalism, timeliness, and hospitality, we would be glad to welcome you to our practice. For more information, please visit our website at drlail.com or phone (770) 476-2400.
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Don’t be a mindless tool. Think.
Editor, the Forum:
The words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer should be heard today describing what led to the rise of Hitler. He said:
“Upon closer observation, it becomes apparent that every strong upsurge of power in the public sphere, be it of a political or a religious nature, infects a large part of humankind with stupidity. …The power of the one needs the stupidity of the other.
“The process at work here is not that particular human capacities, for instance, the intellect, suddenly atrophy or fail. Instead, it seems that under the overwhelming impact of rising power, humans are deprived of their inner independence and, more or less consciously, give up establishing an autonomous position toward the emerging circumstances.
“The fact that the stupid person is often stubborn must not blind us to the fact that he is not independent. In conversation with him, one virtually feels that one is dealing not at all with him as a person, but with slogans, catchwords, and the like that have taken possession of him. He is under a spell, blinded, misused, and abused in his very being. Having thus become a mindless tool, the stupid person will also be capable of any evil and at the same time incapable of seeing that it is evil. This is where the danger of diabolical misuse lurks, for it is this that can once and for all destroy human beings.”
The phrase “slogans, catchwords and the like” really resonates with me about the extremes and talking heads on the right and the left. It seems to me to be creeping towards more and more of the population. Really smart people that I know are caught up in this trap.
Don’t be a mindless tool. Think.
– Robert Richardson, Peachtree Corners
Here’s another cat, baffled by a printer
Editor, the Forum:
Bob Hanson’s Clyde the Cat sounds like a fun character.
I have a cat named Rocket, who I call my fuzzy secretary. Whenever I’m printing more than two sheets of paper, there she is on the arm of the couch near the printer waiting. She will wait patiently when the paper comes out, but then all of a sudden it goes back into the printer.
This baffles her because she doesn’t realize I’m trying to save on paper by printing on both sides of the page. Sometimes if I’m not watching her, she will bat at the pages coming out of the machine, shredding them. If I didn’t love her, I would fire her and cut off her treats. But knowing her and how loud she gets; I would never get away with taking away her treats.
– Sara Rawlins, Lawrenceville
Dear Sara: Bob tells me that Clyde has a sister. Yep, Bonnie. –eeb
Now doesn’t want daughter to take her cat back
Editor, the Forum:
Thanks for a nice tale about a cat this morning.
I dreaded watching my daughter’s cat for a month while she visited Ireland. Now, I don’t want her to take the cat back. If I sit down for a moment, the cat is in my lap and purring like a Ferrari V-12. Does the soul good.
Asking current politicians to stand up for ethics and morals is like asking them to walk through fire, without their MAGA hats and hopefully without their cats.
– Mike Eberlein, Peach Tree Corners
Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: ebrack2@gmail.com.
GBC completes merger with Primary Bankshares
Georgia Banking Company, Inc. (“GBC”), the parent company of Georgia Banking Company, and Primary Bancshares Corporation (“PBC”), the parent company of Georgia Primary Bank, have announced the completion of their merger and the merger of their subsidiary banks, effective March 1, 2025.
Bartow Morgan, Jr., chief executive officer of GBC and Georgia Banking Company, reports: “We are excited to welcome Georgia Primary Bank’s customers and employees to Georgia Banking Company. The merger represents a pivotal moment for us, as it allows us to combine our strengths and continue delivering exceptional service and innovative financial solutions to metro Atlanta. Together, we will provide even greater value for our customers and communities.”
The combined organization now has approximately $2.43 billion in total assets, and $2 billion in deposits, positioning it as a top three deposit market share holder among banks headquartered in the Atlanta MSA. The merger expands Georgia Banking Company’s footprint across metro Atlanta, adding two branches in Fulton and Forsyth Counties.
David Coxon, chief executive officer of PBC and Georgia Primary Bank, adds: “Partnering with Georgia Banking Company opens up new avenues for growth and will build upon our history of service excellence. Our customers will benefit from a wider range of financial products and services, and we are excited about the opportunities the merger brings for our communities and stakeholders.” Coxon will serve as executive vice president and director of Community Banking and Small Business Banking.
Evercore Inc. acted as the exclusive financial advisor, and Troutman Pepper Locke LLP served as legal counsel to GBC in connection with the transaction. Performance Trust Capital Partners served as the exclusive financial adviser, and Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough LLP served as legal counsel to PBC in connection with the transaction
Braselton seeks 20 applicants for Citizens Academy
The Town of Braselton Government Citizens Academy Program is a unique opportunity for citizens to develop a better understanding about the Town of Braselton Government. Each month covers a different topic related to Town service provision.
The Citizens Academy begins in April and is held for eight months on the third Thursday of each month from 6-8 p.m. or later. Details are on the application. Applicants must agree to attend all sessions.
There are also extracurricular activities such as a guided trolley tour of town and ride-alongs with the police department.
Space is limited to the first 20 qualified applicants and the classes fill quickly, so don’t delay.
- More information is available on the application.
Jackson EMC donates $100,000 for empowering
Jackson Electric Membership Corporation has donated $100,000 to esp Inc., to support the nonprofit’s mission of empowering individuals with disabilities and fostering inclusive communities. This contribution will help expand esp’s programs, which provide vital resources, support and transformative experiences for people of all abilities across Georgia.
Chip Jakins, Jackson EMC President and CEO, says: “Jackson EMC has been a longtime supporter of esp, and we are proud to continue investing in their mission. The organization plays a transformative role in the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families by creating a community that celebrates abilities, fosters independence, and provides opportunities for personal growth.”
Dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities, esp provides year-round programs, camps and family support services. The non-profit’s commitment to inclusivity ensures that individuals of all abilities build confidence, make connections, and feel valued in a supportive environment.
Laura Hope Whitaker, CEO of esp of Watkinsville, says: “The generosity of Jackson EMC allows us to continue expanding our impact and making dreams possible for the families we serve. This donation will help us provide more opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in our life-changing programs.”
The nonprofit also has locations in Athens, Atlanta, Rome and Savannah.
GGC recognized safe by Campus Prevention Network
Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) has initiated several ounces of prevention to make its campus a place where students, faculty, staff and visitors feel safe. As a result, the Campus Prevention Network (CPN) named GGC a 2024 Honoree. The CPN recognizes colleges that are committed to programming focused on areas that include student safety, well-being and community building.
Dr. Matthew Robison, associate provost for Student Affairs, says: “These are ongoing efforts to continually empower students to have the tools so they make good decisions.”
One of those initiatives is the Protecting the Grizzly Den project. Its focus includes programming to educate students about the dangers of impaired driving.
In addition, GGC has safety training available, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a required part of all GGC students’ physical education courses. Thousands of students, faculty and staff have received CPR training. GGC also has an on-campus counseling and psychological services center that offers counseling and referral services for students.
Horse, by Geraldine Brooks
From Sue Baum, Hoschton: This is a marvel of a book that weaves together three storylines. The horse is Lexington, born in Lexington, Ky. in 1853. This is historical fiction, some of the characters are real, and others are imagined by the author. The heart of the story is the relationship between Lexington and a young enslaved man, Jarret, from birth the horse’s caretaker and trainer. The second story line is in the 1950s, involving the real wife of artist Jackson Pollock, Martha, and her housekeeper, Annie, seeking the origin of a painting. And the third storyline set in 2019, involves Jess, who works for the Smithsonian as a horse historian and Theo, an art history graduate student, who are also investigating a famous racehorse. The author is a master at keeping all the threads together which ends with three ‘full circle’ moments. Horse is a masterpiece I could not put down.”
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Goizueta Foundation has assets of $424 million
The Atlanta-based Goizueta Foundation is an independent private foundation established by Coca-Cola executive Roberto Goizueta in 1992. Its mission is “to assist organizations that empower individuals and families through educational opportunities to improve the quality of their lives.” In 2003 the Goizueta Foundation reported assets of more than $424 million, which placed it third in a list of Georgia’s top 50 foundations. It also ranked seventh in terms of total giving.
As an immigrant, Roberto Goizueta was appreciative of the freedom that the United States offered him as well as the opportunities for advancement that he enjoyed. He believed that America’s future was in its youth and that the strength of youth depended on the strength of families. He wanted the foundation to reflect these values, as well as the values of civic involvement and philanthropy that were a tradition for the Coca-Cola Company’s leadership.
Since Goizueta’s death in 1997, the work of the foundation has been managed by his widow, Olga, and their three children, along with Joseph W. Jones (until his death in 2005), who was a senior vice president of Coca-Cola and a member of its board of directors. The trustees have aimed for the foundation to follow Goizueta’s philanthropic vision, and they have aimed to support efforts that bring about sustainable change and have a long-term impact in the community.
Unlike some other private foundations, the Goizueta Foundation works closely with potential grantees as they develop proposals and project plans. This partnership and close communication comes after a two-step screening process by which the foundation identifies organizations whose missions and programs meet the goals of the foundation. Of the many organizations that contact the foundation about support, very few are invited to submit full proposals.
Funds from the Goizueta Foundation support program expenses as well as endowments. A particular area of interest in recent years has been funding scholarships for Hispanic students. Georgia higher education institutions that have received such grants include Emory University, University of Georgia, Georgia Southern University, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Brewton-Parker College, Reinhardt University, and Oglethorpe University. Other nonprofit organizations that have received major Goizueta Foundation grants include the Girl Scouts and Junior Achievement.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Look at these amazing bright balanced rocks!
Wow! Look at the vivid color of these balanced rocks. Ever see this before? We haven’t. Now, can you tell us where and why these rocks are located? Send your answer to ebrack2@gmail.com, and include your hometown.
The last Mystery Photo was of a bygone era, and came from Rick Krause of Lilburn. George Graf of Palmyra, Va., latched on this vintage photo and told us: “This is the historic Susie Agnes Hotel located in Bostwick, Ga. (This is the hotel in the movie My Cousin Vinny that Vinny kept getting woken up by the train. However, there are no train tracks here.)
“The Susie Agnes Hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is an intact example of a turn-of-the-century commercial and hotel building typically constructed in a small Georgia community. The building was originally used as both hotel and commercial space and as a meeting space for the local Masonic Lodge.
“Expecting continued growth and prosperity in the city, founder, John Bostwick, Sr. constructed the Susie Agnes Hotel in 1902 to house the growing number of traveling salesmen, or “drummers,” who came through town, visiting the supply company, and also the oil press. The hotel was reportedly named for Bostwick’s wife, Susie, and his sister, Agnes.
“Bricks for the hotel were made from clay from Bostwick’s own property. Two stories in height, the hotel followed the convention of smaller hotels of the era. Apparently, only the upper floor was used for hotel rooms. Nine rooms opened off the central hallway. The original kitchen, dining area, and lobby were located on the ground floor along the northwest side. Additional rooms, apparently used for an apartment for the hotel manager and his family, were also on the ground floor. Bathrooms were located at the rear on both the ground and upper floors. The rear of the second floor was devoted mainly to a Masonic Hall, which Bostwick, an active Mason, provided for the local lodge. A separate staircase provided access from the alley to the southeast.
“The store was conceived of by John Bostwick, Sr. as a provision store – a use that continued under various owners through the 1970s.”
Allan Peel, San Antonio, Texas: also told us: “The hotel is located 17 miles southwest of Athens. Bostwick’s prosperity declined in the 1910s as a result of the drop in cotton prices, and he was forced to sell some of his property, including the hotel. Over the years it was used as a residence, store and boarding house. In 1993, the building was sold and given to the city, and today it serves as the Bostwick City Hall.”
Addendum: the photo of Brownie, the dog, in the February 25 edition was from Chuck Paul, in Norcross.
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Chairwoman to give state of the county on March 6
Snellville Commerce Club meets Tuesday, March 4, at noon at City Hall. Speaker will be Deketa Tranae, CEO of Pure Necessity.
Gwinnett State of the County presentation will be presented on March 6 at 8:30 a.m. at 12 Stone Church, 1322 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville. Commission Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson will reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and share the vision for the upcoming year and beyond.
Empowering Women-Owned Small Businesses will be the subject on March 13 at 11 a. m. at the Norcross Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Celebrate Women’s History Month by starting or expanding your small business.
The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber will host Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger at the next Thought Leaders event on March 13 at 8 a.m. Raffensperger will share updates from the Gold Dome and provide information on critical topics, including advancements in election administration, securities enforcement and other key initiatives. Breakfast buffet is included. Advance registration is required and open now.
Hear local author Dan Leonard at the Robert D. Fowler Family YMCA in Peachtree Corners on March 14 at 12;15 p.m. He will have a Q&A session and book signing of his memoir.
Hear Author Colleen Oakley at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library in conversation with Mary Kay Andrews. This will be March 15 at 6 p.m., as they discuss Oakley’s newest book, Jane and Dan at the End of the World. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra will perform From Screen to Stage on March 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Mount Pisgah Church in Johns Creek. Music Director finalist Howard Hsu will conduct this concert, which will feature music from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Mission: Impossible, and others. For audience members who would like to come dressed as their favorite movie character, there will be a costume competition at intermission, with prizes.
Shamrocks, Carts, and Clues: Join the Paddy’s Day PathFest, which will be March 15 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in downtown Braselton. Get ready for the wackiest parade in town! Join the festive lineup of decorated golf carts and strut your stuff along the Braselton LifePath. Spectators, bring your cheers and enjoy the spectacle! After the parade, the quest begins—teams will search for clues and complete challenges for a chance to win prizes. Register early for extra points!
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