In honor of Black History Month, we are celebrating with our Atlanta A/E/C community and highlighting three Black American leaders we feel exemplify a spirit of excellence. Black stories in A/E/C are essential to growing equity and inclusion industry-wide. Cheryl McAfee, Albert G. Edwards and David Moody exemplify the spirit of excellence and tell the reflections of their journeys in our community. Read on for their stories.
Cheryl McAfee is the CEO of McAfee3 Architects and the architectural principal of the Atlanta office. Cheryl received her undergraduate degree in Architecture from Kansas State University and was the first African-American woman in Kansas history to receive her license in Architecture. Cheryl went on to receive her Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University and has served on the board of directors of the Alumni Association for both universities. From 2000 - 2013, she served as Principal Architect on a master planning and design joint venture for the $7 billion expansion of the Hartsfield-¬Jackson Atlanta International Airport and owner's representative for the construction of the International Concourse and Terminal. She was the Senior Program Manager of design and construction for all 33 sports venues of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. The former chair of the Atlanta Urban Design Commission, Cheryl was a 2018 Atlanta Business Chronicle "Women Who Mean Business" honoree, a 2018 National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) Georgia Chapter Hard Hat Awards recipient, and the 2018 recipient of AIA Atlanta’s most prestigious award for overall career excellence, the Ivan Allen Sr. Trophy recipient for her commitment to her profession's community.
Albert G. Edwards is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Corporate Environmental Risk Management, a Program Management, Environmental Services, and Engineering firm headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1995, CERM has grown to become one of the largest minority-owned engineering firms in the Southeast. Throughout his professional career, Al has been a champion for workforce development, youth education, and corporate accountability. The common thread woven through each of Al’s corporate, civic, and community endeavors is inclusive, sustainable development that forges a path for present and future leaders. With his work as Chairman of the Atlanta Business League and the first African American Chairman for the Council for Quality Growth, Mr. Edwards works to champion others in the community to give back.
David Moody established C.D. Moody Construction in 1988, which is now one of the largest African-American-owned construction companies in the U.S. His firm has safely built and delivered more than 150 commercial projects valued at more than $2 billion. Moody also founded the C.D. Moody Foundation which has awarded more than 80 individual scholarships. He also devotes his time with K-12 students, serves on the Morehouse College Board of Trustees, supports non-profits, authors books, and inspires through his blogsite, MoodySpeaks.com.
