Atlanta Downtown Announces 2025 Award Recipients

Tom Bell, Carter, and Camille Russell Love will be recognized for their significant contributions to Downtown Atlanta.   

Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) will honor three Atlanta business leaders at their 2025 Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta on January 28, 2025. 

A highlight of every CAP/ADID Annual Meeting for more than two decades, the awards program pays tribute to the people and institutions that are shaping the next chapter in Downtown's dynamic growth. The recipients of the 2025 awards are:  

• Dan & Tally Sweat Award: Tom Bell 

• Marcus Downtown Economic Impact Award: Carter 

• Warner Bros. Discovery Community Leadership Award: Camille Russell Love 

Tom Bell came to Atlanta in 2002 and immediately began making his mark on the city and its Downtown. As Chairman, CEO, and President at Cousins, he led the company through the acquisition of 191 Peachtree Street, where he increased leasing from 51% to 87%. He also played a major role in the move of Norfolk Southern’s headquarters to Downtown Atlanta. Not satisfied with simply improving the economy of the city, Bell also worked hard to ensure its health; he led the creation of the Greater Grady Task Force in 2007, which prevented the closure of the city’s crucial safety net hospital right in Downtown. Bell has also served on the Boards of Central Atlanta Progress, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the YMCA, the Woodruff Arts Center, the Georgia World Congress Center, Southern Company Gas, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Emory University, and many other organizations. 

Carter is a leading national real estate investment and development firm headquartered in Atlanta. In 2015, they were selected to redevelop the Summerhill Neighborhood in partnership with Georgia State University after the Atlanta Braves moved to Truist Park. Since then, Carter has transformed the 83-acre site into a bustling mixed-use community with restaurants, retail, multifamily housing, for-sale townhomes, corporate office space, banking and health offices, and more. The shining star of the Summerhill project is the Publix grocery store, providing the community of long-time residents and GSU students access to fresh food in what was considered a food desert for many years. In total, over $1 Billion in investment is constructed or planned in the area. Carter’s work in revitalizing the Summerhill neighborhood has created a pocket of vibrant growth next to Downtown that has attracted everything from new residents to Michelin-recognized dining experiences. 
 
Camille Russell Love started working for the City of Atlanta's Office of Cultural Affairs in 1998 and has since served under five different mayoral administrations. Over her transformative career, she played major roles in the development and growth of the city’s Public Art Program, Gallery 72, Elevate, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, and more. Her legacy can literally be seen all over the city, from the proliferation of public art installations like murals and sculptures, to the excitement the Elevate festival creates in the many neighborhoods of Atlanta. Her quiet leadership has added vibrancy and life into every corner of Downtown, culminating in Atlanta being named #2 Emerging Art Capital to watch in 2024. 
 

The 2025 CAP/ADID Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration presented by Georgia-Pacific is made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors:   

Presenting Sponsor
Georgia-Pacific

Downtown Luminary
Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena, Centennial Yards Company

Downtown Partner
PNC, Coca-Cola

Downtown Booster
Bank of America

Downtown Devotee
Jacobs, Grady Health Foundation

Downtown Friend
The University Financing Foundation, Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association, Rough Draft

 
Interested in sponsorship? Contact Alex Bauer, Senior Membership Manager at abauer@atlantadowntown.com.   
 
The Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration is open to the public. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit AtlantaDowntown.com.  
 
Stay connected with Downtown Atlanta on social media at @DowntownAtlanta and online at AtlantaDowntown.com.