Athens business owners, nonprofit leaders and professionals among 2021 honorees
The Athens area is home to more than 10 percent of the top 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni. In the UGA Alumni Association’s annual Bulldog 100 ranking, the Class of 2021 included the following Athens-area businesses:
5Market Realty is a full-service real estate firm with expertise in residential, commercial and investment properties. The 5Market honoree is Scott Talley (AB’04).
ADD’s Personal Care Pharmacy specializes in long-term care support for nursing homes, assisted living centers, and home-bound patients, focusing on personal, face-to-face interactions with customers and their families. The ADD’s Personal Care Pharmacy honorees are Christa Bailey (BSPH ’91, PHARMD ’08) and Kevin Florence (PHARMD ’09).
Agora Vintage is a woman-owned business selling authentic designer items and estate jewelry by labels including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Hermès. Agora offers high-quality customer service and maintains a commitment to the Athens community. This is the 6th time Agora has been named to the Bulldog 100. Agora Vintage honorees are Airee Edwards (AB ’99) and Russell Edwards (JD ’10).
Books for Keeps improves children’s reading achievement by removing barriers to the accessibility and appeal of reading material. The organization gives books to children whose reading opportunities outside school might be limited due to geography, income or other factors. This is the 3rd time Books for Keeps has been named to the Bulldog 100. The Books for Keeps honoree is Leslie Hale (MPA ’13).
Greater Athens Properties is a full-service real estate firm servicing first time buyers, seasoned homeowners and investors. Their 70+ agents specialize in land, plus sales and management for commercial, residential and investment properties throughout Georgia. The Greater Athens Properties honoree is Bob Allen (BBA ’81).
Hardeman Hobson Waste Services LLC is a waste transport company, providing roll off waste containers to large commercial construction sites, home builders, renovation projects and private homeowners. The Hardeman Hobson Waste Services LLC honoree is Mitch Hardeman (BSFCS ’93).
Heather McElroy Real Estate serves the Athens area. Nearly eight out of every ten clients are repeat customers or represent a referral. The business consistently maintains a 98-99% sales price to list price for all listings. Heather McElroy (BSFCS ’03) is the honoree.
Milestone Construction LLC is a commercial contracting company providing preconstruction, construction management, general contracting and design-build services. Milestone builds exceptional structures and even better relationships with clients on projects like office, retail, health care, industrial and more. The Milestone Construction LLC honorees are Samuel McElreath (BS ’03) and Miles Dunstan (M ’05).
oneRepSALES believes one sales representative can double the size of a company. It boasts “the best of the best” sales professionals who have knowledge of products and are customer-oriented. Headquartered in Athens, oneRepSALES covers over 48 states as well as territories in Mexico. The 2021 Bulldog 100 honors oneRepSALES’s Suzanne Meers (MS ’03, PHD ’08).
The Sign Brothers is a commercial sign company that helps organizations build compelling brand experiences. Whether it’s a single sign or an entire environment, we build things that make our clients look great. This is the 2ndtime The Sign Brothers has been named to the Bulldog 100. The Sign Brothers honoree is Justin Seibert (BSA ’02).
W&A Engineering is a multidisciplinary engineering firm with offices throughout the Southeast. It is the trusted partner of community leaders and developers and is used by a mix of creative and analytical engineering and deep experience. The W&A Engineering honoree is Jon Williams (BLA ’96).
Other Athens-area businesses honored in the 2021 UGA Alumni Association Bulldog 100 are Christopher’s Bridge Home Care, Millstone Homes Inc. and the Smith Planning Group.
The UGA Alumni Association will host the annual Bulldog 100 Celebration virtually Feb. 11, 2021, to celebrate these alumni business leaders and count down the ranked list to ultimately reveal the No. 1 fastest-growing business. We are proud to honor these alumni who have leveraged their education and experiences at UGA to build successful enterprises and engage in service to our community. The UGA community is grateful for your dedication and proud to call you alumni of our University.
