JAMES CEO Phil Kent presents the ‘Georgian of the Year’ Award to Georgia Ports Authority CEO Griff Lynch
The Atlanta History Center’s Draper Room in McElreath Hall was the venue on the evening of May 21st for the annual James Magazine “Influential Georgians” reception. Over 100 attendees– ranging from various state and local elected officials to prominent business, political, legal and cultural leaders– were welcomed by James CEO/Publisher Phil Kent.
Kent presented the James “2026 Georgian of the Year Award” to Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch, who he called “a highly respected public servant who oversees Georgia’s important deep water coastal and inland terminal operations that are renowned not just nationally but around the world.” Georgia Ports Authority Chairman and prominent businessman Alec Poitevint assisted in presenting Lynch his award, recalling their friendship and reminiscing about his job interview and bringing him aboard the GPA in 2011. He praised Lynch’s work ethic, calling him “highly qualified and particularly deserving of the high honor to be named James Magazine’s Georgian of the Year.”
Part of the crowd watches on
Three “2026 Exceptional State Lawmaker of the Year” awards were also bestowed by Kent. One recipient was state Senate Pro Tempore Larry Walker III, R-Perry, who Kent praised for his leadership and public service while chairing and serving on a wide range of important Senate committees. He was assisted in the presentation by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who noted Walker was recently instrumental in implementing important policies ranging from tax reduction to reducing bureaucratic overregulation.
The second honoree was state House of Representatives Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus, who Kent said is the “respected leader of the loyal opposition in the House and the longest serving female member of that chamber.” Former Democratic state Rep. CaMia Jackson thanked James for presenting the award to her longtime friend and noted that “Leader Hugley worked across party lines to craft policy issues ranging from tax relief to education to healthcare.”
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones with JAMES 2026 ‘Exceptional State Lawmaker’ Sen. Larry Walker III
A third honoree was state Rep. Soo Hong, an attorney first elected in 2022 to represent parts of Gwinnett and Hall counties and who Kent noted “especially made a mark for herself after becoming a House floor leader for Gov. Brian Kemp during the 2023 legislative session.” State Rep. Rey Martinez, elected the same year as Hong, accepted the award in her absence. He praised her work ethic and noted that she appropriately serves on the House Judiciary Committee as well as on other key committees.
A special guest was James’ “2025 Georgian of the Year” state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. Other attendees included prominent Georgia CEOs and businesspeople, various Georgia General Assembly members, Republican and Democrat activists, along with lawyers and high-powered lobbyists of government affairs firms.
The event’s premier sponsor was the Atlanta-based Hall Booth Smith law firm. Other event sponsors were Gateway Terminals, Georgia Power, Georgia Ports Authority, Norfolk Southern, Alec and Doreen Poitevint, Balentine, Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, AECOM, Moffatt & Nichol, Hussey Gay Bell, Carroll Daniel, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, Lexicon Strategies and the Insurance Company of America.
