2nd Annual 25 Most Influential Women in Atlanta g to j

nicole garner-
a movement by herself

President and CEO, The Garner Circle

From
star-studded boutique openings to glitzy black tie galas, Nicole Garner
has been the force behind some of Atlanta’s most exclusive events.
Although she’s mostly known for her ability to fill a room with the
city’s trendiest sets, Garner initially got her Jimmy Choos wet when
she took on one of her most ambitious projects – the Congressional
Black Caucus.

“I was still fairly new,” explains the publicist and CEO of The Garner
Circle. “There were a lot of officials and high dignitaries there. Once
I knew I could handle something of that magnitude. I thought, ‘OK, I’m
going after every contract now!’ ”

Garner is currently working with Grady Memorial Hospital on its ‘I Am
Atlanta’ campaign to bring attention to the hospital’s financial
crisis.
–adam jones

gail hudson-
brand innovator

CEO, My Favorite Inc. & Sweeteen Inc.

Brunswick-born Gail Hudson, can see trends. While the cosmetic world
worried about a maturing target market, Hudson filled the void by
introducing My Favorite and Sweeteen beauty products in March 2008.

“With males and females there is a gap in that market as far as the
teens,” she says. “That market is completely open … I’m tapping into.”

Hudson’s client roster includes names like Mary J. Blige,
Beyoncé and Monica. Although she’s a MIZANI Icon Award recipient for
humanitarianism in the beauty industry, she says she is proudest of the
fact that her children have grown into proud adults. “One of the
greatest accomplishments I’ve made is being a single parent, just
focusing, trying to lead and guide [my children] in the right direction
and I’m happy,” she says. –gavin p. godfrey

kim harris johnson-
piloting success

General Manager of In-flight Field Support, Delta Air Lines

The daughter of educators, Kim Harris Johnson grew up believing
education is power. Johnson’s parents asked without hesitation at her
graduation ceremony from Georgia Tech, “So, when are you getting your
master’s?” Not long after, she enrolled at Emory University.

“Getting my MBA a few years ago was a positive experience that gave me
increased knowledge as well as increased confidence to compete in the
corporate arena,” explains Johnson.

Johnson is general manager of in-flight field support for Delta and is
responsible for programs and policies for a flight attendant force of
over 12,000 employees.

This organized mother of four says, “My husband is a really great
supporter of me and my career goals and objectives … for women, it’s so
important to have a strong support system.” –adam jones

marla jones-
in charge

Senior VP & GM, Matlock Advertising and Public Relations

Fifteen years of working in multicultural marketing prompted Marla
Jones to transition from the client-side of the business to the
agency-side when she joined Matlock Advertising & Public Relations,
as senior vice president and general manager.

The Memphis-born executive is responsible for the overall profitability
of the company and maintaining relationships with corporate giants like
Chase, BMW and Dell. “I’ve been able to manage the agency from a
holistic business standpoint by understanding both the agency and the
client perspective,” she says proudly.

Jones enjoys working in a role traditionally held by men, but says
there’s no progress to be made by competition between the sexes. “I
think it’s more important to have communication,” says the Kentucky
State University graduate.
–gavin p. godfrey

rosemary jones-
supply and demand

Director of Supplier Diversity, Turner Broadcasting System

Turner Broadcasting System, which revolutionized the way the world
viewed the news when it launched CNN, has been at the forefront of the
global news community for close to 30 years. As the director of
Turner’s supplier diversity program, Rosemary Jones has helped bring in
more minority vendors and diverse suppliers, and in turn, has bolstered
the company’s standing in the marketplace by building long-term
relationships.

“I think building the brand is all about knowing your customer and
listening to what your customer is saying they want. We’re constantly
interacting through surveys or multicultural markets, and we’re really
reciprocating to the point that if you have anything to say, we [are
going to] make sure that we abide by your wishes,” explains Jones.
–jason thompson