Powerful Business Model

Despite having never seen an episode, Hala Moddelmog (’79) is no stranger to the AMC TV show, “The Walking Dead.”

“People will literally stop me,” says Moddelmog, “and say, ‘oh, you live where ‘The Walking Dead’ is shot.’” Known for Coke, CNN, “Gone with the Wind”, and now, “The Walking Dead,” Moddelmog is attempting to change many of these common perceptions, and misperceptions, about Atlanta. Moddelmog is President & CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) and the first female leader in the Chamber’s 154-year history. “We have to disrupt the way Atlanta is viewed by the outside world,” says Moddelmog. “But we also have to disrupt the way we see Atlanta.”

The concept of change, or disruption, has never been foreign to Moddelmog. After all, she attended Georgia Southern at a time when it wasn’t exactly the “popular” choice. Moddelmog grew up Hartwell, Georgia, a small town located about an hour and a half northeast of Atlanta. It’s a place that helped shape and mold her early personal values and interests. “My father had exceedingly high expectations,” says Moddelmog. “There was no difference between what he expected of me versus my brother. I learned how to change the oil in the cars at 14 and cut grass as soon as I weighed 97 pounds. He also thought I should know how to bake pound cake because in the south that was ‘important.’ I made maybe one or two and that was the end of my cooking career. And it hasn’t started back yet,” jokes Moddelmog. She says her father believed that if you had the energy and brains it was your responsibility to be engaged in life and really live. The Moddelmogs didn’t have a TV for many years. Her father thought kids needed to be reading, playing, and being involved in the world. “When I was young I used to think I’d like to be the president of something, but I didn’t know of what,” says Moddelmog.

At 17, Moddelmog faced a personal disruption. A senior in high school, her mother died. “My mother had unconditional love for me,” says Moddelmog. Growing up in Hartwell, Moddelmog was about 45 minutes from UGA (University of Georgia). She had friends going to school there and visited the campus often. But with Georgia Southern being three hours away, it really seemed like “I would be ‘going away.’” Moddelmog recalls her older brother trying to convince her to reconsider her decision to become an Eagle and go to a university, not a college. “I was very stubborn,” she says. “I was like ‘my mother just died. I’m just going to go down there by myself.’ It was almost a rebellious act to go to Georgia Southern. I really just wanted to be independent, but I’m so happy I did.”

At Georgia Southern, Moddelmog majored in English because she “loved it.” She calls the Georgia Southern English department “top-notch” and “energizing.” “I would put my English professors at Georgia Southern up against anyone,” says Moddelmog. “They opened up a whole new world for me in terms of literature and studying human behavior.” In addition, she appreciated the diverse student population. “You might think back in the 70s, small college in the south, that there was only one type of student but I really didn’t find that,” she says. “I was surprised at some of the diversity of thought and interests.”

Once Moddelmog left Statesboro, mentors became a larger part of her life. She decided to go to journalism school because she still loved the written word. Her goal at the time was to just get through the program and get a job so she could eat. Within the first few weeks, Moddelmog’s major professor had her start her thesis. Ironically, her research paper would be on cable TV, a luxury she never had growing up. It examined consumer behavior. Afterward, Moddelmog went to Atlanta to interview at Arby’s for a sales analysis job. “Here I was an English and journalism major but the guy in the marketing department who hired me knew that if I’d done a research paper then I could do the math.” Moddelmog remembers the man asking, “do you know why I’m hiring you for this job?” “I said ‘no,’” Moddelmog laughs now. “He said that so many people they hire can’t write, so if I was an English major then he knew I could. At the end of the day, we need people who can communicate and who can write.”

In 1995, Moddelmog became the first woman to lead an international Quick-Service Restaurant brand when she was named president of Church’s Chicken. Since then she has led the Arby’s Restaurant Group as well as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and now the Chamber. “I think it’s an important milestone for the organization (MAC) because Atlanta has been like a lot of other cities, with primarily male leaders. Nineteen ninety-five doesn’t sound long ago, but it shows you how far we’ve come. But I think for this organization to put its trust in a female leader is a good symbol for the region.”

Moddelmog wants to inspire other women to dream, overcome fears and reach their own goals. “I feel I have an obligation to make sure that women are taking the risk that they need to take in order to set higher goals,” she says. “It’s not part of the job description, but if Atlanta is going to be all it can be then we should include everyone in the mix and that certainly means giving women opportunities.” As a CEO for 19 years now, Moddelmog’s other advice: “Try to find something you love to do and do something that you love; feel genuine passion and be engaged in your role. Be eager, enthusiastic and passionate. Set out to solve a problem. Those are the people others want to hang out with. And just be authentic. Also, don’t forget that if you’re not disrupting yourself or disrupting something in your business then there’s a bigger chance that you or your business or nonprofit will become irrelevant. I truly want to disrupt myself so that I’m learning. It’s no fun to stop learning.”

In fact, one of the aspects that Moddelmog enjoys about MAC is their commitment to education advocacy. “One of the wonderful things about the state, and this includes Georgia Southern, is that we have a tremendous amount of superior universities that are turning out smart people that we want to stay in this region,” says Moddelmog. “For example, the construction management program at Georgia Southern is renowned. It’s pretty unique and there’s such a need for it. MAC works with places like Georgia Southern to connect them with the companies that are members of ours… We are definitely givers. We have something called the ‘Atlanta Way,’ which is our way of getting together and trying to solve a problem.”

Telling stories is vital. One of the things MAC is charged with is the marketing of the region and getting to the roots of who we are, says Moddelmog. “Today, there are so many ways to deliver the message to the person the way that person likes to get their information,” says Moddelmog. “An English major will take and get different messages delivered to them to motivate them to move to Atlanta than an engineering major,” she says, “but it still encases the storytelling and the ethos and the purpose of why we’re here and what makes us special.”

The University strives for this mission as well. In 2001, Moddelmog was selected to oversee the University’s own “Campaign for National Distinction,” which went on to surpass its fundraising goal by $13 million. “When I went to Georgia Southern it was a sleepy little college. Maybe 6,000 people? No football team… Then I went out into the world, got married, had kids and got to be president of Church’s. When I got involved in the Campaign, I had a chance to look back at what the College had done… I was awed by the progress and growth. I was really interested in helping the students. It was important to me that Georgia Southern be involved on a global level and not isolated. It could have stayed a sleepy little college if somebody hadn’t had the foresight and get up and go to make it a University and make it what it is today.”

This is what makes being a part of the Eagle Nation unique. The University is focused not only on superior education, but securing jobs for graduates as they enter today’s real world. Georgia Southern is spearheading workforce development, along with organizations such as the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “We talk to companies, find out what they need, share that with colleges and try to do some pairing up,” says Moddelmog. Georgia Southern then makes sure the degrees that they’re turning out match. Moddelmog believes that “getting great professors that fill specific jobs will help raise our national distinction.” She says the University is positioned to fulfill particular skill sets—the construction management piece is just one. “What I’ve learned is a great professor will attract the great students,” says Moddelmog.

In the midst of years of professional success, came another personal disruption with the potential to take the life she loved—her own—when Moddelmog was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I was very fortunate because I discovered it early,” recalls Moddelmog. “I was already loving my life. It was so full. So it (cancer) didn’t make me want to change my life at all. But it makes you want to really be present every day. You realize every day is precious.” Moddelmog says being at Komen and in the chemo room and seeing what other people experienced, that was the hard part. “I had the means and personality to make sure I got the best care. But I realized that there are many people who didn’t have an advocate in the fight… and there’s something about the term breast cancer survivor I don’t like. We’re really all breast cancer thrivers.”

Through it all, her family has been alongside her every step of the way. “I’m extraordinarily fortunate,” says Moddelmog. “I’ve been married for 29 years and my husband is very loving, giving and just so accepting of all the things I want to do and try to get done in the world. And he’s an incredible father.” As far as their children, her son is 28 and her daughter is now 26. She says kids keep you grounded. “If something were to be wrong with my kids that is the only thing that could stop me in my tracks.” Right now, her son is getting his MBA at the Wharton School. “He’s going to come back to Atlanta,” says Moddelmog. “The joke around the Chamber is if I can’t get my two Millennials to come back to Atlanta, then we’re not going to achieve that disruption we’re trying to accomplish.” Her daughter is in Chicago pursuing her Ph.D., working with children on the autism spectrum. “I hope to get her back here as well. I’m just so fortunate with my family… If I have to pick anybody to spend time with, it’s the three of them.”

Moddelmog credits Georgia Southern for giving her her start. She remains proud of having a hand in the University’s growth and admires the special place it’s become in higher education throughout Georgia and beyond. “I have a friend in a nearby state whose daughter wants to go to Georgia Southern,” says Moddelmog. “It’s her number-one choice and that was refreshing to hear.”

Without a doubt, Moddelmog wants to have an impact, not only on the people of Atlanta but within the entire region and beyond, and knows she can do it in her role as MAC president. “I believe wholeheartedly in that diversity of thought I first experienced at Georgia Southern,” she says. “I always want to be engaged. Speaking to young people, I tell them to just do what they want at the time and do it the best way they can and other doors will open… that’s the business model everyone should aspire to.” – Michael J. Soloway