Georgia Trust President Named to Georgia Trend’s 2019 Notable Georgians

ATLANTA, Jan. 8, 2019—Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation President and CEO Mark C. McDonald has been named to Georgia Trend magazine’s 2019 list of Notable Georgians. This is the second time that McDonald has made the list that “represents the best qualities of leadership, power, character and influence the state has to offer.”

Mark C. McDonald has served as President and CEO of the Georgia Trust since June 2008. Since that time, the Georgia Trust has undertaken a $2.3 million capital campaign to fund a sustainable rehabilitation of its Atlanta headquarters, Rhodes Hall; created the country’s first green building certification program for historic buildings; and most recently, kicked off the West Atlanta Preservation Initiative, a project where the Trust will rehabilitate two historic Beltline properties in West Atlanta and sell back to the community as affordable housing.

McDonald has over 30 years of professional involvement in historic preservation and a strong business background. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in history and English from Emory University and a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. 

Previously, McDonald served as executive director for three preservation organizations in the Southeast, including the Historic Salisbury Foundation in North Carolina from 1986-1990, the Mobile Historic Development Commission in Mobile, Alabama from 1990-1998, and Historic Savannah Foundation from 1998-2008. During his tenure at Historic Savannah Foundation, the organization became a strong advocate for quality urban design; reinvigorated its revolving fund program by selling nearly 75 endangered properties with preservation easements, building the fund’s capital from $30,000 to approximately $1 million; and helped gain architectural design review in three historic districts.

Founded in 1973, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation works for the preservation and revitalization of Georgia’s diverse historic resources and advocates their appreciation, protection and use. As one of the country’s leading statewide, nonprofit preservation organizations, the Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for endangered properties acquired by its Revolving Fund and raises awareness of other endangered historic resources through an annual listing of Georgia’s “Places in Peril.” The Trust offers a variety of educational programs for adults and children, provides technical assistance to property owners and historic communities, advocates for funding, tax incentives and other laws aiding preservation efforts, and manages two house museums in Atlanta (Rhodes Hall) and Macon (Hay House).  

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