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DEL.ICIO.USKiwanis honors one of its own
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Kiwanis Club showcased a local business leader who usually keeps a low profile.
But Sam Friedman’s low profile does not represent the role he has played in the Atlanta community.
In recognition of his contributions, Kiwanis on Tuesday awarded Friedman its highest honor — the Golden Rule Award.
Friedman, chairman of AFCO Realty Services, has contributed to the community in numerous ways.
He chaired the Atlanta Housing Authority early in its transformation. He has been active with the Atlanta Union Mission, the PATH Foundation, the Atlanta Kiwanis Club and the Buckhead Coalition.
(In fact, former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell, who is president of the Buckhead Coalition, came to the Tuesday lunch).
Currently, Friedman is developing a new hotel in Columbus near Fort Benning, and he has donated space in the hotel to the USO for its use.
Other people who have received the Kiwanis’ Golden Rule Award include: Chick-fil-A’s Truett Cathy, Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus; developer Tom Cousins; and another Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank.
The keynote speaker at Tuesday’s lunch was Susan Booth, artistic director of the Alliance Theatre.
She made a compelling case as to why business leaders need the arts to remain competitive.
Booth also shared a most interesting statistic from the National Endowment for the Arts. There are two million artists (actors, writers, musicians, etc.) in the United States, which means there are more artists than there are lawyers.
“Chew on that for a minute,” Booth said. And then she added that artists perform a special role in society. “We sell access to humanity.”
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