Georgia's Power List

January 1, 2012

This 14th edition of Georgia Trend’s 100 Most Influential Georgians includes some familiar names, some new to the list and a few that are retuning after an absence.

The process of developing the list is, for all practical purposes, a yearlong effort, but the editorial staff of the magazine begins deliberation in earnest in the summer months and comes up with the final slate of names in the late fall – subject, of course, to hirings, firings, retirements and the occasional fall from grace.

Individuals on the list – some who are very much in the public eye and some who choose to work behind the scenes – are selected for the power and influence they wield. These are the people who affect the lives and livelihood of all Georgians in one way or another.

Over the years, the number of women on the list has steadily, if slowly, increased, reflecting the realities of leadership in Georgia. The number of minority listees fluctuates, but is generally trending up.

One notable change: Just a few years ago the elected officials on the list, especially at the state level, were overwhelmingly Democratic; now they are mostly Republican.

Profiles were written by Linda M. Erbele, Jerry Grillo, Karen Kennedy, Bobby Nesbitt, Don Sadler, Christy Simo and Ben Young. Simo also assisted in the editing process.