Sam Massell

Sam Massell, President of the Buckhead Coalition and Former Mayor of Atlanta, received the 1992 Civic Leadership Award from BOMA Atlanta. Below is an article about Sam published in the February 1993 BOMA Atlanta Newsletter.

The Civic Leadership Award represents the highest honor BOMA can give to an Atlanta area citizen who has made an outstanding continuing contribution to the progress and growth of this city and its people. This award was presented to Sam Massell, a life-long resident of Atlanta, who has been a successful realty broker, public official and travel agent, and is now in the field of association management.

While in real estate (spending 20 years as a Realtor), Sam Massell became extremely active in a wide range of civic work, which eventually led to the political arena. He served 8 years as President of Atlanta’s Board of Aldermen (now called City Council) and 4 years as Atlanta’s Mayor. While holding that office, he was also chosen as President of the 15,000-member National League of Cities.

Among other achievements, his administration as Mayor is credited with establishing MARTA, with developing the Omni Coliseum and with providing the Central City Woodruff Park, all with no call on ad valorem taxes.

After leaving full time public service, Massell entered the travel business in Buckhead where he operated for 13 years under the name of Your Travel Agent Sam Massell. He is a Certified Travel Counselor and a former President of the Travel Industry Association of Georgia.

Mayor Massell now manages a civic organization as President of the Buckhead Coalition. This is a high level association of chief executive officers of major businesses in the area on the north side of Atlanta who have pooled their leadership to guide the orderly growth of Buckhead’s “special way of life.”