GENERAL MANAGER & CEO MICHELE SWANN TO STEP DOWN FROM THE COBB-MARIETTA COLISEUM & EXHIBIT HALL AUTHORITY
ATLANTA – Michele Swann, General Manager & CEO of the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority, has announced that she will leave her leadership position effective December 31, 2024.
In her role with the Authority since 1995, Swann has been responsible for the administrative oversight and strategic growth of the Cobb Galleria Centre, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Galleria Specialty Shops and ArtsBridge Foundation. An announcement about a new General Manager and CEO will be made in early December.
“Michele deserves all the credit for her steady leadership and execution of the Authority’s vision – among other things – to develop the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, create the ArtsBridge Foundation, launch the capital plan to construct the performing arts center, guide the operations through a pandemic and oversee the design and programming for the renovation and expansion of the Cobb Galleria Centre,” said Jerry Nix, Chairman of the Authority. “She has been a watchful steward of the Authority’s assets, and the longevity and tenure of her staff is a testament to her quiet, humble leadership.”
Connie Engel, Chairwoman of the Authority’s Personnel Committee, said, “I struggle adequately finding the right words, but we at the Authority (and moreover those of us in Cobb County) are extremely grateful to Michele for the dedication and heart she has put into everything she has done over the last 29 years, including the years spent integrating the Cobb Galleria campus and parking with the new Braves development. Her leadership has resulted in a successful partnership with the Atlanta Braves, Cobb County and other area stakeholders.”
A 40-year veteran of the venue management industry, Swann has opened, operated, and expanded a variety of facilities including convention centers, arenas and performing arts centers in Atlanta, College Park, Ga., Augusta, Ga., and Niagara Falls, N.Y.
About Cobb Galleria Centre
The Cobb Galleria Centre is located in the beautifully landscaped 88-acre Galleria complex in prestigious northwest Atlanta. Cobb Galleria Centre is Atlanta’s premier convention facility with 320,000 square feet of event space, four exhibition halls, 20 meeting rooms, four executive boardrooms and a grand ballroom. Cobb Galleria Centre had more than 221,000 visitors to 213 events in 2023, resulting in an overall economic impact of $145 million. For more information, visit cobbgalleria.com and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/CobbGalleria, on Twitter at @CobbGalleria and on Instagram at instagram.com/cobbgalleria/.
About Cobb Energy Centre
The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre is located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway in northwest Atlanta, inside the Perimeter. Cobb Energy Centre is a premier venue for opera, concerts, Broadway shows, ballet, educational shows, family shows and corporate meetings and events. The Centre hosts two resident companies, the Atlanta Ballet and The Atlanta Opera. The facility includes the 2,750-seat John A. Williams Theatre, 10,000-square-foot Kessel D. Stelling Ballroom and full-service food and beverage capabilities. For more information about the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, visit cobbenergycentre.com and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/CEPAC, on Twitter at @CobbEnergyPAC and on Instagram at instagram.com/cobbenergypac/.
About ArtsBridge Foundation
ArtsBridge Foundation provides quality arts education and community programs that engage, motivate, inspire, and elevate the next generation of artists and arts supporters. ArtsBridge provides arts education opportunities to K-12 students through programs at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, including field trips, professional development, family programs, and the annual Shuler Awards®. Since 2007, ArtsBridge has served more than 425,000 students and educators from 70 Georgia counties, plus students from five bordering states. ArtsBridge Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. ArtsBridge Foundation and Georgia Public Broadcasting’s GPB-TV live broadcast of The Shulers® won the Southeast Emmy® Award in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024 —and was a 2022 Emmy nominee —for special event coverage, indicative of the superb quality and high production value Georgia students bring to the stage. For more visit ArtsBridgeGA.org.
The Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority owns and operates Cobb Galleria Centre, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, ArtsBridge Foundation and Galleria Specialty Shops.
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