CUMBERLAND — Mike Plant is no stranger to leading major organizations into uncharted waters.
The head of development for the Atlanta Braves, Plant, 64, is the new chair of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce in a county that will consider a 30-year transit tax expected to collect $11 billion in a referendum this November.
For now, the chamber is taking the education route instead of endorsing or opposing the tax.
It’s “not for us to take a position one way or another,” Plant said. “It is a little bit of a hot potato.”
As Greg Teague, the chamber’s outgoing chair, made clear before his year-long term finished, Cobb’s business community is opting to educate the public about the tax and its implications – something Plant reaffirmed.
“Our (position) is neutral, to educate people so they understand when they’re making the decision,” Plant told the MDJ in a recent interview.
During the chamber’s annual dinner at the Cobb Galleria Centre Saturday, an event that saw a turnout of 1,100 people, Teague formally passed the leadership torch to Plant in an evening filled with awards, music and dancing.
“I’m honored tonight to join you as your 2024 chairman,” Plant told the audience. “In my career, I’ve learned way back when the value of asking smart questions and building the right team. If you want to drive results, you need to ask yourself a simple question. Are you built to win? Like the legend John Schuerholz in his great leadership book, which was named ‘Are You Built to Win?’ — that’s from my experience based on the performance of Cobb County and this chamber. We are built to win.”
Sports from the start
Mike Plant was born in a town synonymous with its favorite football team: Green Bay, Wisconsin, home of the Packers.
Plant is “a proud cheesehead,” and much of his family, including his oldest daughter and her children, still…
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