President's Message - Sept. 5, 2018

“In my experience, in the real-estate business past success stories are generally not applicable to new situations. We must continually reinvent ourselves, responding to changing times with innovative new business models.” – Akira Mori

  

This Weeks Speaker –

 

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Mark Toro founded the Atlanta office of North American Properties in 1996 and now leads an award-winning team of 80 commercial real estate professionals engaged in all aspects of mixed-use development. He has acquired, developed or redeveloped more than 70 properties totaling 25 million square feet in his 35 year career, creating more than $5 billion in value.  Recent projects include the repositioning of Atlantic Station and redevelopment of Colony Square, as well as the development of Alpharetta's Avalon. 

 

An active community builder, Mark is Chairman the Midtown Alliance Board and serves on the Board of Directors of City of Refuge where he chairs the $25.6 million Shining the Light capital campaign. He was the recipient of the 2015 Henry H. Robinson Award for "outstanding contribution to the Atlanta commercial real estate community", voted Most Admired CEO in commercial real estate by the readers of Atlanta Business Chronicle, named one of Atlanta Magazine's Most Influential Atlantans, Citizen of the Year by North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneur of the Year by Hispanic American Business Leaders Association.

 

Mark and his wife, Nancy, reside in Midtown and have two daughters and three grandchildren.

 

Opportunities for Fellowship and to Serve –

  • Dunwoody Rotary Club BBQ Competition – At Perimeter Mall on September 7th and 8th.  They are looking for professional chefs and for amateurs that want to be part of the competition! Think about signing up!
  • Lionheart Grill and Gridiron - North Fulton’s biggest and best tailgate party! Grilling & Gridiron benefitting The Lionheart School is Saturday, September 8. Tastings tailgate starts at 1:30 in the afternoon on food truck alley in downtown Alpharetta and the UGA vs. South Carolina game on the big screen at 3:00. David Belle Isle will be leading our cooking team, and he will make his world-famous brisket. He needs a team of Rotarians to help him set up, serve, and clean up the Rotary booth.
  • 35th Anniversary Celebration for Alpharetta Rotary! - On September 22nd at Chukkar Farms. The party will start at 6:30 p.m. and we will have a heavy hors d'oeuvres dinner. RSVP to Katie Rocco
  • USO Dates – October 4th and December 6th we have an opportunity to support our military servicemen and women at the Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport
  • Fresh Market –If you’ve not participated before, catch the sign-up sheet that’s passed around each meeting. This is an easy way to serve those in need by taking breads and other items from Fresh Market to NFCC to be given to those in need. Contact Lee Doernberg.

 

Have a wonderful week and I hope to see you on Friday morning! 

 

Robin McIntire

President
2018-2019
Rotary Club of Alpharetta