In celebration of those individuals who work tirelessly to improve lives throughout greater Atlanta, I’m excited to shine a spotlight on these outstanding citizens and their organizations and bring awareness to their tremendous sacrifices and contributions. The Rising in Community Excellence Award is given to individuals who demonstrate keen awareness about community needs and step into the fray, lending a hand and making things better. These citizens have created organizations that serve metro Atlanta. RICE Award nominees are innovative and charitable visionaries who recognize the importance of their presence and contribution to the greater Atlanta community and beyond. Nominees were selected by a panel of industry professionals, community leaders and everyday citizens. Each category is about a community leader who has used their position to develop or implement programs that have changed the face of our communities and helped people in innumerable ways.