Ray Christman named to lead Livable Communities Coalition
ATLANTA - Ray Christman, former president and chief executive officer of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta and a longtime civic leader, has been named executive director of the Livable Communities Coalition effective August 31.
He succeeds Jim Durrett, who has resigned to become executive director of the Buckhead Community Improvement District.
The Livable Communities Coalition is metro Atlanta?s nonprofit advocate for smart growth and development in the region. It works to improve quality of life in the region by encouraging the adoption of innovative transportation development policies and practices in the region.
?Jim has guided the Coalition since its founding in 2005, and his enthusiastic and effective leadership has created an important role for the organization as it works to strengthen communities and address traffic concerns. Jim will be greatly missed,? said David Allman, chairman of the Coalition?s board of trustees.
?But we couldn?t ask for a better choice to assume direction of the Coalition. Ray?s leadership on numerous growth-related initiatives in the region and his passion for building and enriching our region have made him a vital player in metro Atlanta?s civic life. He is the right person to ensure that the Coalition continues to help metro Atlanta become a more livable and successful community,? Allman said.
?Working to improve the quality of life in Metro Atlanta is a passion of mine, and the Coalition?s mission is vital to the future of our region. With its emphasis on promoting efficient, sustainable growth and better transportation solutions, the Coalition can have an impact that will last for generations,? Christman said. ?I look forward to being part of that effort.?
Christman retired in 2007 after eight years as president and chief executive officer of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. He is very active in local and national civic and charitable affairs, particularly in the fields of affordable housing and community development. He is past chair of both The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership. He served in 2008 as interim president and CEO of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and is also past chair of that organization. Christman chaired the Peachtree Corridor Partnership, and he also serves on the board and executive committee of Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., a nationally recognized affordable housing and community development non-profit.
Christman was a founding board member of the Coalition and currently serves as its vice chair.
Based in downtown Atlanta but serving communities throughout the greater Atlanta region, the Coalition tackles a wide variety of needs not met by other organizations, including:
- Studies such as the influential 2007 Survey and Analysis of Tax Allocation Districts in Georgia.
- Advocacy, such as its work this year to monitor and influence state spending of federal transportation stimulus money.
- Education, including a handbook on development law and practices and a suite of publications. explaining smart growth principles and practices.
- Promotion of innovative growth ideas through presentations featuring nationally recognized experts.
- Public outreach and facilitation of public meetings having to do with growth, planning, and development.
- Independent research.
Formed in 2005, the Livable Communities Coalition is the Atlanta region?s smart growth advocate and catalyst. It unites 50 organizations working to change the way metro Atlanta grows by focusing on land use, transportation, housing, and conservation of open green space and natural resources. Member organizations include regional leaders in the areas of aging, building and development, business, urban and landscape design, government, housing, planning, sustainable development, the environment, and transit and transportation alternatives. For more information on the Coalition, please visit its Web site at livablecommunitiescoalition.org.
