Why Yale?

A unique "hybrid approach" is why John chose Yale for his graduate studies. Yale's School of Management brings together students of the public, private and non-profit sectors. John believed early on that the nexus of all three sectors is the key to making an impact.
Worth noting

One of John's most noteworthy accomplishments on the School Board is facilitating a partnership between Ben Franklin Academy and Decatur High School.

Through the partnership, seniors from Decatur High who fall behind in school can attend the Ben Franklin Academy as a second chance to catch up. Underwritten by a local foundation in 2006, the program helped 19 of its 20 participating seniors graduate from high school.
Two examples: Transportation and Quality of Life

One key initiative was a forward-looking answer to transportation needs. John led the launch of the Southeast High Speed Rail Coalition, a collaboration of chamber of commerce leaders from seven states to advocate a high-speed rail corridor in the Southeast.

He also spearheaded the effort to unite government, civic and community leaders to serve on the Metro Atlanta Quality Growth Task Force, which led to the Livable Communities Coalition. Chaired by Tom Bell, CEO of Cousins Properties, and funded by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, this group looked at how Atlanta could accommodate its next 2 million residents while maintaining and improving its quality of life.
The ACP job description: Get it done

As Executive Director of the ACP, John works to unify leaders in business, philanthropy and government to help grow Atlanta's economy. His real mission is to maximize the impact that these leaders have on the city, through their financial contributions, mindpower and leadership.

Not only does John advise elected officials, he is one himself. And he believes his office, a seat on the Decatur City School Board, is an important one, especially because his two young daughters are in Decatur City Schools. Since he doesn’t run the Board, however, John is left to run a company that focuses on the nexus between private enterprise and public cause.

With Ahmann, John is able to do what he does best – support leaders in accomplishing their vision. He does this on a day-to-day basis, serving as Executive Director to the Atlanta Committee for Progress, as well as advising several clients in the private industry that want to “do well AND do good,” as John puts it.

Prior to the establishment of Ahmann, John was a principal in a local public affairs firm. For nearly four years previous to that, he was Senior Vice President of the Public Policy division for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, where his responsibilities included managing the Chamber’s quality of life and public policy initiatives.

John has also served as Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Planning and Research for what is now the Georgia Department of Economic Development, where he was responsible for strategic planning, policy development, information technology, market research, and legislative affairs. Before that, he was with the public affairs firm Edington, Wade & Associates, which had offices in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. The nation’s capitol is also where John began his public policy career – as a staff aide on Capitol Hill, where from 1987-1991 he worked for two members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

John’s professional career includes nearly four years as Manager of Government Relations for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG). At ACOG, he developed and implemented a public policy strategy that resulted in government funding and operational support critical to the areas of transportation and assisting athletes’ families in entering the U.S. His efforts at ACOG earned John the “Hammer Award” from Vice President Al Gore, an award that honors creating efficiency in government processes.

John holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Emory University and a master’s degree in public-private management from Yale University. He serves on the board of the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, Inc. He is a graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute and member of the Urban Land Institute, Atlanta Downtown Rotary, Commerce Club and 191 Club.

In 2001, Georgia Trend magazine named John one of the “40 under 40, Georgia’s brightest young stars.”

Contact John at john@ahmann.com.