David Bennett Email & Phone Number

The AMMC is a 100-year-old nonprofit formed to provide opportunity for small businesses to be created and thrive. It operates an 80,000-square-foot public market with a mixture of restaurant and retail spaces, about 30 in total. We are a landlord, a public service agent and we serve a distinct community that we expect to expand in the coming days, weeks and years. The nonprofit runs on more than $1 million in revenue generated per year and maintains a staff of 5. Our 9-member oversight board includes community activists, topic experts and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

Decatur, Georgia, United States

Communications, advocacy, operations consulting for developers, government officials, candidates and trade associations.Atlanta Municipal Market - Executive Director- 2023 -Organization by James - Operations Officer - 2022 - Doug Crawford Inc. - Advisor - 2021 -

Atlanta, Ga

We tell the story of state Labor Commissioner Mark Butler and the work done across Georgia by his team who serve the un- and under employed. A typical month includes promoting 25 events, writing 50+ releases, handling 20+ media requests, crafting 50 social media posts, shooting 35 videos and programming a statewide TV network. My team is responsible for external, internal and executive communications. I believe deeply in analytics. So, we measure everything.

Atlanta

Creating a story line and political path for John Eaves to become the next mayor of Atlanta. Structuring the communications system to tell that story and repeat it consistently. Working with the candidate on city policy, familiarity with city systems and officials and messaging. Assisting candidate with media management, strategy and messaging.

Sandy Springs

Senior team member charged with rebuilding entire engagement system (print, robo-call, text, newsletter, email, social media, video) for members, vendors and others. Connected more than 15,000 national members to each other, vendors and headquarters. Directly responsible for all executive communications for national officers and board as well as expanding media coverage and building brand for national trade group. Led four-person staff. • Scrapped association monthly magazine (AAHOA Lodging Business) and custom publisher in December 2015. Launched new magazine (Today’s Hotelier) in March 2016 at annual convention. Set all design and creative standards with new custom publisher. Actively managed content and production schedule. Met all deadlines.• Renegotiated magazine operating agreement to improve AAHOA control and revenue. Set page and revenue records by increasing both 33%. • Created new association newsletter (Hotelier Weekly) to provide more timely member updates. • Provided all scripting and messaging control for record-setting 2015 convention for 4,800+ members. Completed all convention materials 30 days prior to event to allow for rehearsals for the first time in AAHOA history. • Set marketing plan for 2016 in time for convention to guide all messaging and promotions through 2017 annual convention, a goal AAHOA had never previously met. • Created internal marketing calendar to schedule & control about 20,000 messages to members, vendors, and others. Promoted 175+ national meetings. Distributed vendor messages. Provided industry updates/news. • Exceeded all social media engagement standards in AAHOA strategic plan in less than 6 months. • Shifted $100,000+ annual spend on disconnected, useless archive videos to a comprehensive video strategy that informs and moves members through imagery. Used existing staff to create AAHOA newscast to provide video coverage of 20 regional meetings.

Atlanta City Hall

Cabinet official and senior leader who approached management and problem solving as communication challenges. Provided policy direction, community building, project management, research, lobbying, executive communication support and issue advocacy. Led major initiatives, worked with inside and outside parties, lobbied city council and outside agencies. • Established new connections with advocates on issues from Falcons parking to taxi reform to development reform to jail management to urban blight and abandonment to sustainability to building operations. • Founded and led Proctor Creek initiative, a major partnership using a restored creek and linear park to revitalize northwest Atlanta.• Led sale of City Hall East for $27M, creating more than $1B in reinvestment to revitalize surrounding communities.• Founded Urban Waters Federal Partnership for Proctor Creek, restoring relationships with federal partners after years of acrimony over Atlanta’s poor stewardship of its sewer system. • Refocused Office of Enterprise Assets Management, 82-member department responsible for buildings and properties for Atlanta. Hired new leadership and established new mission as city’s central property management agent. • Developed Atlanta’s first re-stacking plan to reshape use of city buildings after acquisition of new office tower and set new standards for office design. • Earned 100% success rate on legislation before Atlanta City Council, passing more than a dozen pieces of legislation.• Oversaw budgeting and management of projects from $250,000 to $5 million.• Created city’s first internal lease and funded more than $10 million for unbudgeted building improvements.• Proposed creation of new enterprise fund for building permits, creating $25-million surplus.• Raised over $2.5 million in grants. Managed relationships with multiple agencies. Lobbied U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for creation of unique urban mitigation bank.

Greater Atlanta Area

Versatile newsroom leader who served on AJC 2.0 team that directed redesign of newspaper and re-evaluated its practices. Proven and tested writer and editor with ability to juggle daily deadlines and big picture projects. Visionary reporter who drove policy and action through relentless pursuit of truth. • Built and maintained relationships with hundreds of state lawmakers, policy makers, elected officials, neighborhood activists, bureaucrats over more than 20 years. Activated those relationships to gather intel and provide insights that directed reporting and storytelling. • Studied government/political systems and operations with a variety of officials from former Speaker Newt Gingrich to U.S. Rep. Buddy Darden to Gov. Roy Barnes and Sen. Majority Leader Chip Rogers to Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. • Worked with activists in suburban (Cherokee/Cobb) and urban (Atlanta/Fulton) to understand their concerns and bring them before the public, elected officials and policy makers. Wrote daily stories on a variety of topics from the need for a revenue source to pay for stormwater systems to state and federal elections to the loss of community through ubanization and gentrification to healthcare. • Pulitzer Prize submission for Property Tax Meltdown, major AJC initiative on tax system’s failure to accept falling real estate values and foreclosures. The series led to statewide reforms by Georgia General Assembly. • Selected as original member of special projects team and Horizon Section staff.• Named reporter of the month numerous times. • Expert on state and local elections as well as how Legislature’s actions impacted local governments. Daily beat reporter for Atlanta City Hall, Fulton and Cherokee counties.