Journalist. Editor.
A Trusted Voice.

Susan Percy is an award-winning Metro Atlanta-based journalist and columnist, who has covered Georgia business, politics, and government. She was executive editor and editor of Georgia Trend Magazine from 2001 through 2013 and a regular contributor for another 11 years.

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"I’m fortunate that I’ve had a long, interesting, and varied career, doing work that I care about. It hasn’t always been easy, but I have loved just about every minute of it."

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Highlights

Chosen for their impact, insight, or personal significance, each item offers a glimpse into the moments and stories that have defined her work and voice as a journalist.

Georgia Trend

The Apostle of Democracy

When Jimmy Carter was inaugurated in 1971 as Georgia’s 76th governor, he famously announced, “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over. No poor, rural, weak or Black person should ever again have to bear the additional burden of being deprived of the opportunity of an education, a job or simple justice.”

Photo courtesy of
The Carter Center
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Interviews & Profiles

Over the course of her career, Susan Percy has interviewed a wide range of influential figures—from elected officials and business leaders to artists, educators, and advocates shaping life in Georgia and beyond. Her conversations go beyond headlines, offering thoughtful, well-researched questions and space for reflection.

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From the archives

Drawn from Susan Percy’s personal collection, this section features scanned articles originally published in print outlets that are no longer available online. Each scan is presented as it first appeared—part of a living archive that honors both the journalism and the era it captured.

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America West Magazine

Manuel’s Tavern

October 0994
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From the Archives
Schoolbook: A Journal of Education

Empty Nester Blues

January 1999
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From the Archives
Atlanta Magazine

Second Time Around

October 1988
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Digital Articles

This collection features Susan Percy’s published work that remains accessible online, spanning topics from politics and public policy to culture, health, and leadership. Each article reflects her clear-eyed reporting and thoughtful analysis, offering a window into the issues and individuals shaping Georgia and the region.

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Business Casual

When Teachers Drop Out

March 1, 2016

Georgia’s 2016 Teacher of the Year, Ernie Lee, is an engaging, upbeat guy – just the kind of educator whose classroom you’d like your children to spend time in every day. He’s a social studies teacher at Windsor Forest High in the Savannah-Chatham district, and his top teacher designation gives him a ready platform from which to speak on behalf of all public school teachers.

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State of Mind

A Shot in the Arm

June 28, 2021

The trajectory of the COVID-19 vaccines fromneedtodone dealwas a near-miraculous achievement. In less than a year, the global scientific community developed and tested the vaccines, and business and governmental entities effected their production and distribution – all despite some pretty formidable obstacles.

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Business Casual

A Bubble Wrap Conspiracy

October 1, 2015

I can’t help wondering if certain candidates and political office-holders are the recipients of top-secret but plentiful supplies of bubble wrap – invisible to the rest of us – that they use to insulate and isolate themselves from the world beyond their advisers and supporters and consultants. You know, the world made up of ordinary people with jobs and kids and mortgages and car pools and soccer practices and doctors’ appointments. To say nothing of ears and eyes and brains and even BS detectors.

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Business Casual

Welcome Season

November 1, 2019

For me, there are two official harbingers of the oh-so-welcome, what-took-you-so-long? fall season: the first UGA football game and the scent of cinnamon brooms in my local supermarket.

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Awards & Recognition

Over the course of her career, Susan Percy has been honored by peers and professional organizations for her journalism, commentary, and contributions to the field. These awards reflect her commitment to clear-eyed reporting, fearless commentary, and a deep respect for the role of journalism in public life. From national press associations to regional honors, each recognition marks a chapter in her legacy.

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2022

Green Eyeshade Gold Award

Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) – Green Eyeshade Awards
2013

Commentary Award (Finalist)

Atlanta Press Club
2016

Best Bylined Commentary

Alliance of Area Business Publications (AABP)
2017

Green Eyeshade Award

Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) – Green Eyeshade Awards
2015

Best Body of Work, Single Writer

Alliance of Area Business Publications (AABP)
2016

Green Eyeshade Award

Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) – Green Eyeshade Awards
2013

Best Serious Commentary

Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
2016

Best Small Magazine Feature Story

Alliance of Area Business Publications (AABP)
2010

Best Column

Magazine Association of the South (MAGS)