The state's failure to act on solving the region's transportation crisis has left the metro Atlanta business community fighting mad.

The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce spent most of its recent executive committee meeting talking about its disappointment during this year's legislative session and strategizing about how to make sure there's a different outcome next year.

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And it's not just the metro chamber. The Regional Business Coalition, the Cobb business community and a host of the diverse 50 organizations that were part of the Get Georgia Moving campaign are frustrated by the lack of leadership.

"For the first time, there's more than just disappointment," developer John Williams said.

"There was a lack of action on the important issues of traffic relief, health care and taxes.

"It's apparent that the state government does not have a lot of concern about urban issues. Every year we come up empty-handed. It's almost as if when the business community asks for it, you absolutely don't get it."

AirTran Chairman Joe Leonard, who leads the Metro Atlanta chamber's transportation committee, was slightly more restrained.

"There's intense disappointment and a fair amount of anger," Leonard said. "I think a number of legislators don't understand the amount of anger. We want to make sure that transportation is front and center for the next election cycle."

Some business leaders are talking about targeting specific state senators from the region who voted against a measure that would have allowed residents to vote for a sales tax for transportation.

"We are not going to go away," Leonard said. "We've just lost another year."

Ben Johnson of Alston & Bird was particularly vocal about how state leaders are reluctant to invest in the future. "You would think we could just wait forever."

Coke, SunTrust aren't as joined

In another sign that the relationship between SunTrust Banks and Coca-Cola Co. has changed, this is the first year in recent memory that the companies didn't hold their annual meetings back to back.

Ordinarily, SunTrust would hold its annual meeting on a Tuesday in mid-April, and Coca-Cola would follow with its annual meeting in Wilmington, Del., the next day. Because there was such an overlap of SunTrust and Coca-Cola directors, a corporate plane often would fly executives straight from SunTrust's meeting to Coca-Cola's.

But this year, Coca-Cola held its meeting April 16, and SunTrust is holding its meeting Tuesday.

"It's a coincidence," SunTrust spokesman Barry Koling said.

"The timing of our annual meeting is driven by the timing of the release of our first-quarter earnings. And it's taking longer to prepare the earnings."

Koling did say that both companies do operate more independently now than in the past.

This also will be the first time that a sitting Coca-Cola CEO will not be on the SunTrust board.

Neville Isdell, who is retiring as Coke's CEO July 1, decided not to stand for re-election. And Isdell's successor, Muhtar Kent, has decided not to join SunTrust's board because he wants to give his full attention to his new responsibilities, Coca-Cola spokesman Ben Deutsch said.

There still are lingering ties. Former Coca-Cola CEO Doug Ivester continues to be a SunTrust director. And retired SunTrust CEO Jimmy Williams continues to serve on Coca-Cola's board.

"There's no estrangement," Williams said. "We are as close as ever."

Twin honors for former CEO

Monday was a day to honor and recognize the multiple contributions of Wilton Looney, who served as CEO of Genuine Parts for 29 years until retiring in 1990.

It started out Monday morning at Genuine Parts' annual meeting. Traditionally, at the end of every annual meeting, Looney congratulates the company's management team for a job well done.

But this year, another former Genuine Parts employee, Randy Brown, stood up to say that Looney is "the personification" of the well-run company. He asked everyone to give Looney a round of applause.

"I'll just turn this job over to him in the future," Looney said of Brown.

An hour or so later, Looney again was honored — this time by the Rotary Club of Atlanta, which offered him its top award. Looney, who turned 89 last week, has become a champion for the eradication of polio, a disease that has impacted his wife, Martha.

Last year, Looney challenged his fellow Rotarians to contribute to Rotary's Polio Plus campaign by offering $100,000 if that could be matched by $200,000.

Then Looney doubled his challenge by giving another $100,000. In all, the Atlanta district has increased its goal to $700,000, and Rotary International will match 50 cents on the dollar.

Earth Share makes big strides

Earth Share of Georgia has come a long way since its inception in 1993 as the Environmental Fund of Georgia. In 1993, the organization launched its first workplace campaign and raised $11,000.

This past fall, Earth Share raised about $500,000 from 70 workplace campaigns to benefit 60 environmental organizations in the state, Executive Director Madeline Reamy said.

Earth Share, which held its annual leadership breakfast last week, has set a goal to reach $1 million during the 2010 campaign.