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The Hank Aaron Terrace at The Battery Atlanta’s Truist Park was the venue on the evening of May 27th for the annual James Magazine “Influential Georgians” reception. Approximately 100 attendees– ranging from various state and local elected officials to prominent business, political, judicial and cultural leaders– were welcomed by James CEO/Publisher Phil Kent. 

Kent presented the James “2025 Georgian of the Year Award” to Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, who he called “a highly respected manager with an outstanding work ethic who oversees Georgia’s No. 1 industry. He ensures Georgia’s food supply chain stays intact and that our food supply is safe.” Lt. Gov. Burt Jones assisted in presenting Harper his award, recalling their friendship and service together in the state Senate and calling him “highly qualified and particularly deserving of the high honor to be named James Magazine’s Georgian of the Year.”   

Three “2025 Exceptional State Lawmaker of the Year” awards were also bestowed by Kent. One recipient was state Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, elected in 2018 and who he praised for “his work serving on a wide range of important committees including chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.” Kent emphasized that Dolezal is known for exceptional constituent service, typified by having recently helped keep several state parks open after a sudden announcement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that they would be closed.

The second honoree was state Rep. Patty Stinson, D-Butler, who Kent noted served on the Taylor County Commission before winning a House District 139 seat, which she represented from 2013 to 2023, and who now represents House District 150. “This well-respected lawmaker has worked across party lines to craft policy issues ranging from tax relief to education to healthcare,” Kent said. A special guest— former longtime Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus– assisted in presenting Stinson her award. 

A third honoree was state Rep. Jesse Petrea, R- Savannah, first elected in 2014 and who Kent noted is “a business entrepreneur who serves on Appropriations Committee and is passionate about many issues.” He said Petrea especially “led the effort to ensure Georgia law enforcement cooperates with ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) to remove criminal illegal aliens, pushed to exempt military retirement income from the state income tax and is one who protects the Georgia coastline.”  

A special guest was James’ “2024 Georgian of the Year” Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry. Other attendees included prominent Georgia CEOs and businesspeople, various judges, lawyers and mayors, Republican and Democrat activists, high-powered lobbyists of government affairs firms and several political candidates. 

The event’s main sponsor was the Atlanta-based Hall Booth Smith law firm, whose prominent chairman John Hall has just had his second high stakes legal thriller novel published. He writes under the name “Everette Hall,” and attendees left with complimentary copies of his Murder at the Yacht Club set in 1970s Georgia. Event co-sponsors were Coca Cola, the Georgia Crown Distributing Company and Georgia Power.