In recognition of Acuity Brands' seven-figure lead commitment to the College of Management, Georgia Tech has named the plaza at the corner of West Peachtree and Fifth Streets the Acuity Brands Plaza.

The plaza, which will be renovated this spring, serves as a gateway from Midtown Atlanta into the Management building and Technology Square. Vernon J. Nagel, chairman, president and CEO of Acuity Brands, presented an artist's rendering of the plaza following his January 17 appearance in the College of Management's IMPACT Speaker Series.

"We are excited to have Acuity Brands not only as a key supporter of the College, but also as a neighbor and partner in the dynamic and innovative community that Midtown has become," says Steve Salbu, dean of the business school. "Corporate support is becoming increasingly important in our efforts to educate the technological leaders of tomorrow, and this very generous commitment embodies the principle of good corporate citizenship that is core to Acuity Brands' identity."

Acuity Brands employs 11,000 people and has operations throughout North America, as well as in Europe and Asia. More than fifty Georgia Tech alumni work at Acuity, whose subsidiaries provide internships for Tech students and recruit graduates from the Colleges of Management and Engineering.

Atlanta-based Acuity Brands Lighting, a subsidiary of Acuity, is one of the world's leading providers of lighting fixtures. The company has previously supported Georgia Tech athletics and the Center for Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, in addition to working closely with the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering on lighting research.

To inquire about making a gift to the College of Management, contact development director Phil Spessard at 404.385.1418 or .