This week, over 150 leaders from across Georgia’s Community Improvement District (CID) network gathered to honor Dan Buyers and Joe Allen at the Council for Quality Growth’s 15th Annual CID Recognition Event.
The event, hosted at the Jewel Box in Atlanta’s Assembly Studios, highlighted Buyers’ and Allen’s impactful contribution to their respective CIDs and the greater community at-large.
Buyers, partner at McWhirter Realty Partners and long-time board member of Town Center CID, received the John Williams CID Leadership Award.
Serving on the Town Center CID board since its establishment in 2012, Buyers’ achievements include guiding projects such as the South Barrett Reliever and the Skip Spann Connector (which aims to reduce traffic congestion in key areas), pioneering Georgia’s first CID bikeshare program, along with developing a study regarding the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the Town Center area.
Buyers, who was presented with the honor by Natalie Tyler-Martin (past chair of the Airport West CID and the previous recipient of the John Williams CID Leadership Award), expressed his appreciation to everyone in-attendance.
“This award is outsized,” said Buyers. “Being recognized with any award that is named for such an exceptional leader, businessman, and philanthropist like John Williams is truly an honor. I am deeply honored.”
Joe Allen, executive director of Gwinnett Place CID, garnered the 2024 CID Professional Excellence Award for his commitment to improving his CID region.
Since helping to establish the CID in 2006, Allen has driven initiatives to redevelop the vacant area of the former Gwinnett Place Mall into a vibrant urban center with housing, retailers, offices and green space.
Recently, Allen’s redevelopment plan made local headlines with the announcement that an additional 23 acres would be bought by Gwinnett County to expand and accelerate the area’s revitalization efforts.
“CIDs have no official power,” said Allen. “But we have the ability to bring people to the table, facilitate conversation, and prime the pump to make great things happen.”
Allen is the fifth recipient of the CID Professional Excellence Award, with past winners including Gerald McDowell, Ann Hanlon, Emory Morsberger and Jim Durrett — who presented Allen with the honor at this year’s event.
The 2024 CID Recognition Event marked the ninth year straight that the Council for Quality Growth has handed out CID Awards for “deserving leaders,” according to a release.
Since their establishment over 35 years ago, CIDs have contributed “year-round to enhance the quality of life here across metro Atlanta and Georgia,” said the Council for Quality Growth.
Among the areas in which CIDs have supported their respective communities include infrastructure improvements, transportation initiatives, beautification and trail projects, public safety support, among other projects.