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The Legendary History of Peachtree Corners’ Technology Park

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Technology Park changed the face of Peachtree Corners forever. Thanks to a few key people who dedicated their lives to science, Peachtree Corners has become a technology hub that the rest of the country can look to for ideas and innovation. Residents are familiar with the person who started it all, they see his name on bridges and schools; Paul Duke is known as the “Father of Peachtree Corners.”

Paul Duke’s Mission
Back in the 60s, Paul Duke was on a mission to create a stable environment that would keep
Georgia Tech graduates in the state of Georgia. And because of the influx of technology jobs to the area, “Tech Park” ended up being the catalyst that put Peachtree Corners on the map.

Paul Duke

Duke modeled the idea after the “Technology Triangle” in North Carolina, but he knew that if they wanted to fill up these corporate buildings with engineers and scientists, they had to also build a desirable place for their families to live. So, as a member of the Georgia Tech National Advisory board at the time, Duke managed to raise $1.7 million for his vision.

“Paul was a dynamic and forward-thinking individual,” Jim Gaffney recalled. “He was a visionary who wasn’t any sort of braggadocio, he just wanted to produce good work.” The late Terry Gaffney, who was a secretary to Paul Duke, described him as being a “quiet-spoken” man who worked hard behind the scenes and didn’t seek to find praise for his efforts. Like Walt and his “Carousel of Progress,” Paul Duke went forward into the unknown with nothing but his dreams for the future.

Technology Park and Early Communities
By the late 1960s and into the 70s, most of the major cities were dealing with riots and turmoil while Atlanta was booming. Technology Park, just outside of Atlanta, was thriving too and already housed big names such as Scientific Atlanta, GE and Hayes Micro-computer systems. In fact, the world owes a tip of the cap to Technology Park for the creation of the modem, which was developed right here by Dale Heatherington and Georgia Tech alum, Dennis Hayes.

The Technology Park side of the “Live and Work” idea was headed by another Georgia Tech alumni, Charles Brown. Together they managed the creation of Technology Park and turned the idea of Peachtree Corners from nothing but a whisper into a reality. “Peachtree Corners Inc.” was not only the name of the development corporation created by Paul Duke himself, but it was quickly becoming a household name as well.

The arrival of the 70s meant phase two of Paul Duke’s plan, which was creating a community desirable enough for the families of these great minds to live. Developer Jim Cowart broke ground on the first communities that would later be the modern-day Peachtree Corners; the North Manor, Peachtree Station, Revington, Lynnfield, Riverfield and Amberfield neighborhoods. The area was quickly becoming an attraction for young families and young tech companies alike.

About a decade later, Jim Gaffney successfully blocked the “East Jones Bridge” widening project which would have cut the modern-day North Manor community in half. As you may know from a previous Peachtree Corners Magazine article featuring North Manor, that area is now a thriving community. But what you probably didn’t know is that the same Charles Brown who helped build Technology Park was also one of the key individuals who helped Jim thwart those plans.

A Move for City Independence
By the late 90s, Technology Park’s appeal caught the eye of the City of Norcross, and the city began making moves to acquire it for their own. They tried and failed many times to annex Technology Park right up to route 141, which would have cut the modern-day Peachtree Corners in half.

By the 2010s, all around there were whispers in the air of incorporating Peachtree Corners into a city. Norcross made one final attempt to annex Technology Park and that ended up being the final push that the United Peachtree Corners Civic Association (UPCCA) needed to protect its technology jewel. By 2011, Peachtree Corners not only became a city, but it was the largest city in Gwinnett County.

Over the years, Georgia Tech’s relationship with Technology Park began to wane. The economic recession through the 80s and the subsequent housing crisis in 2008 had dulled the shiny new penny that once was the innovative technology city. So the new Mayor, Mike Mason, along with the new city of Peachtree Corners, looked for a clever way to bring back its luster.

The Seeds of Curiosity Lab
That was where the idea of an incubator hub was first conceptualized: a place where Georgia Tech would attract big name companies to come and research, mentor Georgia Tech students and develop new technologies. The name at the time was the “Prototype Prime Incubator Hub,” which is now a part of what you may know as Curiosity Lab. And who better than to develop such a revolutionary idea, than the man behind “Technology Square” in downtown Atlanta, Wayne Hodges.

Hodges is not only the Vice-President Emeritus for Georgia Tech, but he was also the founder of the very first Technology Incubator in the country back in the 1980s. The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) helped over 120 startup companies in the state of Georgia by developing their technologies and bringing them out of the garage phase. Hodges was serving as the president of the Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures (GATV) when they developed Technology Square in Midtown Atlanta.

Lovingly nicknamed “Tech Square” by the Georgia Tech students and faculty, it expanded the confines of Georgia Tech Campus across the highway and built a strong relationship between the University and big-name tech companies. Tech Square changed the face of Midtown Atlanta, not only making it a safer neighborhood, but also attracting tech giants to the area, exactly the kind of impact Peachtree Corners was looking for.

After his “semi-retirement” in 2009, Hodges was working at The Pendleton Group for Peachtree Corners outreach and economic development. The city approached Wayne, along with City Manager Brian Johnson, to develop the incubator for Technology Park. The idea was that the City of Peachtree Corners would be heavily involved in the project. Throughout his more than 30 years of working with Georgia Tech, Hodges remembers being constantly questioned about why Georgia Tech was not more involved in Peachtree Corners, and now this was his chance to change that.

The Lab and Park Blossom
Curiosity Lab was created in 2017, and in just a few short years, Technology Park zoomed to the forefront as a beacon of technology innovation. Now, Georgia Tech students can take classes there. There are also as STEM programs for the school fondly named after Paul Duke himself. Startups and major tech companies alike flock to Peachtree Corners to perform testing and research. Hodges remarked that he is just happy to be part of it.

“I love working with people who are willing to step up and get things done,” Hodges said.
Johnson and Hodges are excited about a number of new innovations that are the first of their kind in the country and, in some cases, the world, including:

■ A 1.5-mile test track for autonomous vehicles
■ The first driverless shuttle deployment on a city street
■ The first 5G deployment in Metro Atlanta available for testing
The first tele-operated E-Scooters which you can call from an app and they drive autonomously to your location
■ The first “living” laboratory

World’s first e-scooters

In fact, Peachtree Corners now has the first city roads ever to be insured for autonomous vehicles. Aside from the technologies that sound like they came out of a science fiction novel, the Curiosity Lab incubator now hosts about 15 new startup companies and counting. Once again, Technology Park has a thriving relationship with Georgia Tech and is paving the way for a new age of technology production all around the world.

But the bond between Technology Park and Peachtree Corners is far more impactful than most residents might know because the city might never have existed without those special people who were willing to step up and get it done.

Kris Bird is an Atlanta-based freelance writer who specializes in Marketing and Communications. After earning her degree from Stony Brook University, Kris has been working as a science fiction and fantasy novelist for the past decade.

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International Partnerships and Community Improvements Coming to Peachtree Corners

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Israel Innovation Authority

Peachtree Corners (PTC) continues to grow its community through new collaborations internationally and improvements locally. In the latest episode of “Prime Lunchtime with The City Manager,” Brian Johnson shared several updates and plans for the community.

International Business Relationships

The Curiosity Lab continues to create developments in Peachtree Corners, but this time, it’s attracting international attention. Brian Johnson emphasized the significance of Curiosity Lab in drawing international business to PTC.

“Curiosity Lab is merely a magnet to get companies here,” said Johnson. “Once companies get to Peachtree Corners, we attempt to convince these companies that this town is a great place for their company to expand.”

Brandon Branham, CTO of the City, recently traveled to Israel and closed a partnership agreement with Israel Innovation Authority, which fosters and incubates Israeli startup companies into the international market. Israel Innovation Authority will vet Israeli startups to the most successful startups and send them to the United States through the Curiosity Lab, which will assist them in PTC.

This partnership will allow Israeli Government related businesses to work out of Peachtree Corners. Additionally, this partnership agreement is not one-sided, revealing great opportunities for both parties.

Town Center Green

The town center continues to have impressive show outs for its events. The most recent concert from the concert series, “Who’s Bad,” a Michael Jackson tribute show, had an impressive show out of over 5,000 attendees. However, the community center, built for such activities, has new upcoming alterations.

The two-acre oval, which hosts many events year-round, will undergo drainage renovation this coming fall. The current sod sits on Georgia clay soil which is subject to becoming lumpy from rain and traffic on top of the area. On the day after the last concert of the Concert Series, the grass oval’s sod will be removed, and a new drainage system will be installed.

“We’re going to come in, and we’re going to remove the sod and about two feet of all the soil and the clay,” said Johnson. “Then we’re going to put in a drainage bed for it to drain the water better. We’re going to put in good soil, and …we’re going to attempt to put sod back.”

Upcoming Town Center Additions

Additionally, a new TOT area for ages four and under will be going into the Town Center in the green space near Playa Bowls. This area will allow for easier and safer playing for little ones because its equipment is lower to the ground. Construction of the TOT area should begin after the last concert, along with the sod.

Further, new fencing and restrictions of the fitness area will also be coming soon to ensure safer fitness conditions. Also, within a month roughly, construction on the Town Center Dog Park will start.

Many exciting things are on the way, so look out for these advancements and watch out for other announcements made by Brian Johnson on “Prime Lunchtime with The City Manager.”

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Atlas Behavioral Health Celebrates Opening in Peachtree Corners

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City leaders, Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA), healthcare professionals and well-wishers joined Atlas Behavioral Health Co-Founders CEO Daniel C. Martinez, CFO Jason Price and staff in celebrating the opening of its new Peachtree Corners facility with a business reception and ribbon-cutting event.

Suzanna Martinez PCBA Board; Phil Sadd Council City of Peachtree Corners, India Martinez, Social Media Influencer, Daniel Martinez CEO Atlas Behavioral Health; Mike Mason Mayor City of Peachtree Corners; Jason Price CFO Atlas Behavioral Health; Lisa Proctor PCBA Board; Julie River MS, LAPC, NCC Lead therapist Atlas Behavioral Health; Monte McDowell PCBA Community Outreach; Toby Anderson PCBA Board; Dr. Walter Brooks PHD, LPC, CPCS, NCACII, CCS Clinical Director Atlas Behavioral Health


Martinez shared how Atlas provides a map to wellness and provided a tour that demonstrated the level of thought and planning that went into every room and decision at the facility.

“At Atlas Behavioral Health, we value everyone as a dynamic individual and leverage the power of a group setting to build strength, connection and, ultimately, recovery,” stated Martinez. 
 
Price shared the Atlas mission to “provide exceptional, client-centered treatment that empowers our clients to live a life of purpose and meaning. We are committed to removing barriers to care by offering affordable, accessible and evidence-based treatment options that meet the diverse needs of our community,” he said.

 
Mayor Mike Mason and Councilmember Phil Sadd were on hand for the celebration along with PCBA Board Members Lisa Proctor, Toby Anderson, Suzanna Martinez, PCBA Community Outreach members Monte McDowell and Audrey Boyce and business supporters.

Mayor Mike Mason shared, “The city council and I are delighted that you have chosen Peachtree Corners for your business location. We are pleased to have this critical resource available as part of our business-friendly city.”

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Insight Sourcing Group Adds Kane Kiester as VP of Energy Procurement and Management

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Insight Sourcing Group, a leading consulting firm focused on procurement optimization and clean energy, has announced the addition of Kane Kiester as the new Vice President of Energy Procurement and Management at Insight Energy, Insight Sourcing Group’s sustainable energy business.

Bringing more than 20 years of experience as an energy executive and sales leader, Kiester has focused his career on advancing innovative energy solutions for commercial and industrial customers. He comes to Insight Sourcing from NRG Energy, where he was the Vice President and General Manager of the East Region since 2021.

Kane Kiester

“Insight Energy’s mission to guide organizations towards more efficient energy procurement and consumption aligns with my personal commitment to provide clients long-term impact,” said Kiester. “Our team prioritizes the customer experience and is uniquely positioned to deliver full-lifecycle energy management due to our deep procurement and sustainability expertise.”

At Insight Energy, Mr. Kiester leads a team that is currently managing more than $8 billion in client spend and has a 97% client retention rate. Insight Energy’s team provides strategic procurement services to focus on clients’ needs to reduce energy spend.              

“Kane brings a proven track record of optimizing energy procurement for customers, and successfully producing sustainable solutions that reduce cost and manage risk,” said Tom Beaty, Founder and CEO of Insight Sourcing Group. “We are thrilled to welcome him to the team and anticipate that he will guide the continued expansion of our energy practice.”

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