February 1, 2006 (Atlanta, GA) - "To be successful you must be accountable, you must listen, you need to continue to build on previous success and it doesn't hurt to be memorable," Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin told a group of MBA students from Georgia State's J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Franklin was invited to the College as part of its Atlanta Business Leaders Speakers Series.

During her talk, Franklin said that her first four years in office were spent addressing tough issues like reducing costs in the city government, increasing pay and productivity and balancing the budget. But she said that the project that put her on the map was fulfilling her promise to fix the city's potholes. "During the campaign people wanted to know what I was going to do about the potholes." As part of her inaugural address she promised to fix them and in no time the media encouraged people to hold her to her word. Before long the "pothole posse" was out in full force and Franklin had gained the trust of the people of Atlanta.  "Sometimes it's the simplest things that can give you a boost because if you can't fix the most obvious than no one will believe that you can do anything."

Robinson's Business Speakers' Series brings in executives with Atlanta's top companies and other business and civic leaders. Past speakers have included Ben DeCosta, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson General Manager; Richard Bowers, president of Richard Bowers and Company; Sara Blakely, founder and owner of Spanx; and  David Dodd, president and CEO of Serilogicals Corporation.

For more details on upcoming speakers visit: robinson.gsu.edu/news/06/speaker_series.html

For more information, contact:
Tammy Demel
Office of External Affairs
Robinson College of Business
404/413-7078
404/702-9743 (cell)