


HONOREE:
Michael J. Coles
Cofounder of Great American Cookie Company and former CEO of Caribou Coffee, Michael J. Coles is a business expert, serial entrepreneur, education advocate, transformational leader, and well-known public speaker. From starting three businesses, setting transcontinental world cycling records, making two bids for U.S. Congress, and writing legislation for Georgia film tax credit that changed an industry, Coles’ story is one of true grit and perseverance. In his recently-released memoir, Time to Get Tough: How Cookies, Coffee, and a Crash Led to Success in Business and Life, Coles reflects on his notable life and shares a wealth of knowledge and tips that he has gathered over the years as a community and business leader. In the memoir, he recounts the failures and successes that led him from poverty and a near-fatal motorcycle accident to founding a $100-million company and becoming the namesake of the business school at Georgia’s third-largest university—despite never having attended college himself.
After almost two decades in the clothing business, he co-founded Great American Cookies in Atlanta in 1977 and grew it into the largest cookie store franchise in the United States.
Coles story of personal perseverance is as impressive as his business acumen. Following a near-fatal motorcycle accident six weeks after founding the cookie company, he recovered through a self-designed rehabilitation program and went on to set world records in three coast-to-coast bicycle races.
Coles’ commitment to community service led him to run for the House of Representatives against Newt Gingrich in 1996 and for the U.S. Senate against Paul Coverdell in 1998, the same year he sold Great American Cookies. For the next four years, he chaired the Georgia Film Commission and served on the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents, the Kennesaw State University Foundation board, and the Walker School board.
In 2003 he took the helm at Caribou Coffee, where he more than doubled the size of the company, opened a commercial sales division and an international market, and took the company public on Nasdaq under the symbol CBOU in 2005. Today, Michael lives with his wife, Donna, in Jackson Hole and actively lectures about business, giving more than seventy-five talks a year at universities and corporate events nationwide.
CHAIRPERSONS
Event Chairs
Leah & Ted Blum
Lindy & Norman Radow
Linda & Steve Selig
Host Committee Chairs
Stacey & David Fisher
Betty & Alan Sunshine
Sponsorship Chairs
Steve Oppenheimer
Allen Soden
Larry Stevens
HOST COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Kara Adler
Dorita & Hal Arnold
Roy Barnes
Juli & Billy Bauman
Vicki & Gerry Benjamin
Leah & Ted Blum
Shirley & Perry Brickman
Lisa & Ron Brill
Beth & Gavin Brown
Amy & Mark Bubes
Kate & Jason Carter
Lawrence “Doc” Cohen
Carol & Larry Cooper
Ann & Jay Davis
Debbie & David Dermer
Ron Eichel
Lois Kuniansky & Ricky Eichholz
Ellen & Howard Feinsand
Zach Finkel
Stacey & David Fisher
Viki & Paul Freeman
Rebecca & Jonathan Ganz
Ilene & Adrian Grant
Lisa & Seth Greenberg
Keri & Keith Greenwald
Barbara & Jay Halpern
Lila & Doug Hertz
Etta Raye Hirsch
Beth & Tommy Holder
Avery Kastin
Marcy Louza & Michael Kenig
Sarah & Jim Kennedy
Carole & Sid Kirschner
Laurie & Michael Kogon
Eydie & Steve Koonin
Debbie & Doug Kuniansky
Cathy & Steve Kuranoff
Lisa & David Lefkovits
Andrea & Michael Leven
Rita & Michael LeVine
Charlotte & Joel Marks
Sherry & Harry Maziar
Judy & Lester Miller
Martha & Larry Miller
Steve Oppenheimer
Lynn & Mario Oves
Beth & Gregg Paradies
Ellen & Michael Plasker
Lindy & Norm Radow
Hillary & Matt Reiner
Jenny & Mitch Reiner
Evie Sacks & Cary Rodin
Cathy & Art Rollins
Ruth & Mark Rosenberg
Robin & Doug Ross
Joyce & Jay Schwartz
Linda & Steve Selig
Esther & Russ Shulkes
Carly and David Siegel
Linda & Mark Silberman
Michelle & Gary Simon
Judy & Allen Soden
Lynn & Larry Stevens
Betty & Alan Sunshine
Halina & Alek Szlam
Joyce and Ramie Tritt
Arin and Lorne Tritt
Tova and Shawn Tritt
Erica and Jordan Tritt
Mary & Clyde Tuggle
Rebekah & Mark Wasserman
Germaine & Bruce Weinstein
Ava & Bob Wilensky
Riva & Darren Wolkow
Helen & David Zalik
THANK YOU TO
OUR SPONSORS!
Want to be a corporate sponsor? Please contact Renee Harris,
Director of Development at
SPONSOR LEVELS:
Diamond Sponsor: $25,000
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20 VIP General Admission Tickets
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Full-page color ad in the playbill
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Recognition as annual event sponsor & social media mentions
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Name listed on website, playbill, signage in the lobby at event
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Invitation to Sponsorship Reception
Emerald Sponsor: $18,000
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15 VIP General Admission Tickets
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Full-page black & white ad in the playbill
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Name listed on website, playbill, signage in the lobby at event
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Invitation to Sponsorship Reception
Ruby Sponsor: $10,000
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10 VIP General Admission Tickets
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Half-page color ad in the playbill
-
Name listed on website, playbill, signage in the lobby at event
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Invitation to Sponsorship Reception
Sapphire Sponsor: $5,000
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8 VIP General Admission Tickets
-
Half-page black and white ad in the playbill
-
Name listed on website, playbill, signage in the lobby at event
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Invitation to Sponsorship Reception
Gold Sponsor: $2,500
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6 General Admission Tickets
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Quarter-page black and white ad in the playbill
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Name listed on website, playbill, signage in the lobby at event
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Invitation to Sponsorship Reception
Silver Sponsor: $1800
($900 for 40 and under)
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4 General Admission Tickets
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Eighth-page black and white ad in the playbill
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Name listed on website, playbill, signage in the lobby at event
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Invitation to Sponsorship Reception
General Sponsor: $1,000
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2 General Admission Tickets
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Name listed on website, playbill, and signage in the lobby at the event
-
Invitation to Sponsorship Reception
AGENCY SPONSORS
Jewish Federation
of Greater Atlanta
The Marcus Foundation, Inc.
Diamond Sponsors
($25,000)
Sarah & Jim Kennedy
Andrea & Michael Leven
Billi & Bernie Marcus
Lindy & Norman Radow
The Zalik Foundation Fund
Ruby Sponsors
($10,000)
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
The Halpern-Oppenheimer Family Foundation
Holder Construction
Steve Oppenheimer
The Selig Foundation
Linda & Steve Selig
Cathy & Steve Kuranoff
Joyce & Ramie Tritt Family Foundation
Joyce & Ramie Tritt
Arin & Lorne Tritt
Tova & Shawn Tritt
Erica & Jordan Tritt
Carly & David Siegel
Sapphire Sponsors
($5,000)
Kimberly & Joel Babbit
Vicki & Gerry Benjamin
Shirley Blaine
Lisa & Ron BrillCarr
Riggs & Ingram CPA’s and AdvisorsLawrence “Doc” CohenAnn & Jay Davis
Heyman Family Foundation
Ellen & Michael Plasker
Cammie & John Rice-CWC Alliance
Cathy & Art Rollins
Linda & Mark Silberman
Betty & Alan Sunshine
Luci & Stan
Sunshine Family Foundation
Gold Sponsors
($2,500)
Atlanta Gladiators Foundation
Barnes Law Group, LLC
Bennet Thrasher
Amy & Mark Bubes
Cohen-Kogon Families
Ron Eichel Henrickson
Nauta Wealth Advisors
LEGENDARY EVENTS
Kennesaw State University Foundation
London-Rinzler Family
Marcy Louza & Michael Kenig
Barbara & Ed Mendel
Mimi’s Fund on behalf of the:
Grant, Grosswald and Sacks Families.
RefrigiWear
Judy & Allen Soden
Lynn & Larry Stevens
Village Orthodontics
Germaine & Bruce Weinstein
Wilensky & Co., PC.
–The Wilensky Family
Janet Lavine & Rick Williams
General Sponsors
($1,000)
American Jewish Committee
Cherie & Gary Aviv
Belle Isle Animal Hospital
Nancy Apatov & Alan Beychok
Karen & David Birnbrey
Lois Blonder
Elaine & Jerry Blumenthal
Shirley & Perry Brickman
Alan & Sheryl Cohn
Gus Cueto and Dr. Katia Castillo
Dressler’s Jewish Funeral
CareIlene Engel
Elisa & Bobby
EzorJody & Michael Feldman
Claire & Robert Habif
Sylvia & Barry Hyman
Annette & Frank Joseph
Laurie & Michael Kogon
Jill & David Krischer
Sheri and Steve Labovitz
Susan & Jay Levitt
Helene & Dennis Liotta
Sherry & Harry
MaziarIlene & Jonathan Miller
Robyn & Doug Ross
Louise & Edwin Rothberg
Debbie & Phil Rubin
Robin & Doug Shore
Esther & Russ Shulkes
Stewart Mohr Designs
The Temple
Marcia and Stewart Weinhoff
Connie & Robert Zerden
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
















