Sam Massell to receive 2012 Four Pillar Award for leadership from Council for Quality Growth Thursday

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The Council forQuality Growth will pay tribute to Sam Massell,, former Mayor of Atlanta and presidentof the Buckhead Coalition, with its 23^nd annual leadership award atthe Four Pillar Tribute at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Georgia Ballroom of the Georgia World Congress Center. 

The theme of theevening and title of the Video Tribute is, “Public Service, Civic Pride.”

Sam Massell speaking in September to the
Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods meeting. 

Paying tribute toMassell and the “Four Pillars” of leadership and success—Quality, Responsibility,Vision and Integrity—are former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes, former U.S.Senator David Gambrell, Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens and CEO of AtlantaFine Homes Jenny Pruitt. 
Along with them,Juanita Baranco, CEO of Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead; Dr. Mark Becker, presidentof Georgia State University, and Bernie Marcus, chairman of the MarcusFoundation, will serve as co-chairs of the dinner.  Atlanta CityCouncil President Ceasar Mitchell will act as emcee and Mayor Kasim Reed willgive welcome remarks.    
Massell, a life-longresident of Atlanta and resident of Buckhead has had successfulcareers in real estate brokerage, elected office, the field of tourism andassociation management. 
He spent 20 years as arealtor as vice-president of Allen-Grayson Realty Company, one of the City’slargest commercial brokerage firms.  During that time, Massell becameextensively active in a wide range of civic work which eventually led to thepolitical arena.  He served eight years as president of Atlanta’s Board ofAldermen (now Atlanta City Council) and four years as mayor.
Following his years inpublic service, he opened a tourism business in Buckhead called Your TravelAgent Sam Massell which he ran for 13 years.
He currently isfounder and president of the prestigious Buckhead Coalition.  Thisorganization of CEOs of major businesses in Buckhead pooled their strengths tonurture the quality of life and guide the orderly growth of Buckhead.
“Sam Massell isresponsible for many of the programs that have left a lasting legacy on ourregion,” said Michael Paris, president and CEO of the Council for QualityGrowth. “His administration is credited with establishing MARTA, buildingthe first enclosed arena in Atlanta (the Omni) and improving the Five Pointsdistrict with Central City Woodruff Park, all without raising taxes,” Parisadded.
“Buckhead has becomethe ‘Jewel of the South’ and that’s due, in no small part to the creation ofthe Buckhead Coalition and having Sam Massell as its steward.” Council ChairmanDoug Dillard adds. 
Massell served asPresident of the National League of Cities, and on the Board of the AtlantaCommittee for the Olympic Games.  He is currently on a number of Boardsincluding Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, Atlanta Historical Societyand Atlanta Speech School. 
In addition, Massell isin the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau “Hospitality Hall of Fame”;International Civil Rights Kings Center “Walk of Fame”; Georgia StateUniversity Robinson College “Business Hall of Fame”, and Georgia Trend Magazine“Most Influential Georgians Hall of Fame.”