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Amol Naik, 404-668-7493

SENATOR KASIM REED ANSWERS THE CALL, ANNOUNCES "ONE ATLANTA"
MAYORAL CAMPAIGN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE
Exploratory Committee Brings Together 33 of Atlanta's Most Respected Community Activists,
Civic and Business Leaders; Senator Reed Set To Launch Community Conversations in
Neighborhoods Across the City

ATLANTA, March 3, 2008-- Georgia State Senator Kasim Reed (D-Atlanta) today announced the creation of ONE Atlanta, a campaign exploratory committee for the 2009 Atlanta mayoral election. ONE Atlanta brings together 33 of Atlanta's most respected civic leaders, ranging from elected officials to community activists to prominent members of the business community.

“ONE Atlanta represents the diversity of our great city, and demonstrates the breadth and depth of enthusiasm behind our effort,” said Senator Reed, the youngest Democratic State Senator in Georgia. “Atlantans in every part of our city have encouraged me to take this step, and today, I answer that call.”

ONE Atlanta is chaired by Peter Aman, Partner, Bain & Company, DeKalb District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming and Daniel Halpern, President, Jackmont Hospitality, Inc.

“As a member of the Georgia General Assembly, Senator Reed has a well-established track record of legislative excellence and is a proven leader on the issues important to Atlantans,” Aman said. “Kasim is a unifying force and I am confident that he will bring that experience to City Hall.”

In the coming days, Senator Reed will launch a city-wide community listening tour. The Senator will visit with individuals, families and community groups in neighborhoods across the city-- from Edgewood to Buckhead, from Cascade Heights to Inman Park.

“I have great faith in the citizens of Atlanta,” said Senator Reed. “I believe Atlantans are looking for strong leadership that delivers on the promise of safe neighborhoods, new job creation, smart growth, and open government. I want them to know that this is their campaign, and I look forward to listening to them as we have a conversation about moving Atlanta forward together.”

A partner at Holland & Knight LLP, an international law firm with offices in Atlanta, Senator Reed's civic leadership and service have been nationally recognized in publications such as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , Washington Post , New York Times , Ebony and Black Enterprise . He was selected as one of Georgia Trend magazine's "40 under 40 Rising Stars" in 2001, as one of the Fulton County Daily Report 's "Lawyers on the Rise" and as one of "10 Outstanding Atlantans" by Outstanding Atlanta. Senator Reed is a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 1998, and the Leadership Georgia Class of 2000. He is a Board Member of the Howard University Board of Trustees, the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, the National Black Arts Festival and the Midtown Alliance. Most recently, he was selected as a Rodel Fellow by the Aspen Institute.

In addition to the three co-chairs, the members of the ONE Atlanta Exploratory Committee include:

Elaine Alexander, Civic Leader

Hon. Kathy Ashe, Georgia State Representative

Constance Barkley-Lewis, Partner, Constance Change, LLC

Justin Berman, Vice President, Goldman Sachs

Phillipa B. Brown, Senior Managing Partner, MobilizingPeople.Org

Jan P. Bryson, Managing Partner, BenchMark Management, LLC

Lawrence E. Cooper, M.D., President and CEO, Bentley Investments, Inc.

Brenda Cornelius, Principal, The Cornelius Group, Inc.

Rhudine Crawford, Civic Leader

Hon. Karla Drenner, Georgia State Representative

Eugene Duffy, Partner, Paradigm Asset Management Company

Susan E. Edlein, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP

Cabral Franklin, Partner, CK Franklin LLC

Jerry L. Gray, Director, Chitwood & Harley LLP

Virginia Hepner, President, GHL, LLC

Robert S. Highsmith, Jr., Partner, Holland & Knight LLP

Stephen R. Leeds, Partner, Rogers & Hardin LLP

Billy Linville, Vice President Public Affairs, AT&T

Amol S. Naik, Associate, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

Larry Pellegrini, Executive Director, Georgia Rural Urban Summit

Amy Phuong, Operations Manager, McMaster-Carr Supply Co.

Nancy Rafuse, Partner, Ashe, Rafuse, & Hill, LLP

H. Jerome Russell, President, Russell New Urban Development

Shelley A. Senterfitt, Partner, Senterfitt & Knight, LLC

Sachin Shailendra, Project Manager, The Shailendra Group

Shakir Stewart, Senior Vice President, Island/Def Jam Records, Inc.

Lovette Stovall, Civic Leader

Andrew “Bo” Young, III, President, Young Solutions, Inc.

Joseph D. Young, Partner, DLA Piper LLP

William K. Whitner, Partner, Paul Hastings LLP

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