On May 8, 2025, the Council for Quality Growth and the DeKalb County Chamber hosted over 800 attendees at the sold-out State of DeKalb County Address. The event took place at Assembly Studios Atlanta and was presented by Amazon, the American Heart Association, and the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority. Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, CEO of DeKalb County Government, delivered her inaugural address to the county’s business community.
CEO Cochran-Johnson introduced her address with a video titled ‘Mission: Possible – DeKalb Reimagined.’ She acknowledged taking over from former CEO Michael L. Thurmond and emphasized plans to invest in infrastructure, housing, economic development, and public safety.
She stressed the need for an improved procurement process focusing on equity and efficiency to ensure local businesses can compete effectively. “When DeKalb does business,” she stated, “we want the world to say: ‘They do it right.'”
The CEO also highlighted a significant investment in water and sewer infrastructure through a plan known as the 10×10 Plan. This involves a 10% annual rate increase over ten years, totaling $4.27 billion. It aims to prevent system failures and upgrade facilities while meeting compliance standards.
Cochran-Johnson praised DeKalb’s greenspaces like Stone Mountain Park and Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. She noted that residents have access to more than 145 miles of trails for outdoor activities.
Reflecting on her first 100 days in office, Cochran-Johnson spoke about her commitment to transparent governance and recognized her team’s efforts in executing “Mission Possible” for a reimagined DeKalb.
Michael E. Paris of the Council for Quality Growth expressed pride in partnering with DeKalb County for growth promotion. Clyde Higgs added that DeKalb exemplifies innovation and inclusive growth. Frankie Atwater praised Cochran-Johnson’s leadership in making DeKalb dynamic.
The event featured remarks from various leaders including Justin Campbell from Assembly Studios Atlanta; Michelle Long Spears; Mayor Joseph Geierman; Nick Buford from Amazon; Peter Pimentel from American Heart Association; Jevon Gibson from Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority; Earl Walker of the Chamber of Commerce; Danny Johnson from Atlanta Regional Commission; and Martha Revelo from DeKalb County.
The State of DeKalb is one of eight annual events connecting local government bodies with regional leaders.
A photo gallery and recording will be available soon at https://www.councilforqualitygrowth.org/news-press/
