Leaders Make Wager over Falcons, 49ers Game

With only one game left to win for a shot at the Super Bowl, Atlanta and San Francisco leaders are putting their home team confidence on the line. Fulton County Chairman John Eaves and Supervisor David Chiu, president of the Board of Supervisors for the city and county of San Francisco in California, have made a friendly wager over the outcome of Sunday’s Falcons/49ers NFC Division Championship playoff game, according to a county press release.

“We were so excited to celebrate the Falcons recent victory over the Seattle Seahawks that we wanted to help keep the momentum going for Fulton County and the entire metro Atlanta region by showing our home team that we believe in them and know that they can make it to the Super Bowl”, said Chairman Eaves. ”We are happy to join Supervisor Chiu in supporting our champions on the field and in business. Go Falcons!”

Similar to the wager made between Fulton and Seattle leaders last week, Eaves and Chiu will wager some of the cities' most notable productions.

“I am proud to put some of San Francisco’s finest chocolate on the line to show our confidence in the 49ers as we prepare to take on the Falcons in our quest for a sixth Super Bowl crown,” said Supervisor Chiu. “Go Niners!”

Chairman Eaves will, once again, put up Coca Cola products since Coca Cola is based in Atlanta. Supervisor Chiu is wagering artisanal TCHO chocolate, which is based in San Francisco, as well as reusable water bottles to reflect San Francisco’s environmental leadership.

The Atlanta Falcons will host the San Francisco 49ers at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, Jan. 20, at 3 p.m. It will be broadcast locally on FOX.

ABOUT FULTON COUNTY CHAIRMAN JOHN H. EAVES, PH.D

John H. Eaves, Ph.D. is in his second term as Chairman of the Fulton County Commission, representing District 1, which consists of the entire county. John was born in Jacksonville, Florida but considers Atlanta his home. He attended Morehouse College where he excelled in academics and football and where he fell in love with the Atlanta community and the state of Georgia. In his continued pursuit of education John’s studies led him to Yale University’s Divinity School and the University of South Carolina where he attained a doctorate degree in Education. He was also the recipient of two Fulbright scholarships.

Before entering politics, John’s career took him through the halls of academia and subsequently to a post as the Southeast Regional Director of the Peace Corps. He was afforded the opportunity to travel extensively through these positions. He has visited more than 50 countries and has gained a wealth of knowledge on cultures, ethnicities and religions worldwide. He has brought this knowledge to Fulton County in the form of an economic and cultural partnership with the Brazilian state of Bahia.

As Chairman of the Fulton County Commission, John is a firm believer in fiduciary responsibility, accountability and efficient operations. He plays a highly active role in the Fulton County Budget Commission, enabling the County to maintain over $50 million in reserves. He has not raised the General Fund tax base during his tenure.

Focusing on the diversity and expansiveness of our county, John developed the Fulton County Economic Division to create jobs; and retain, revitalize and attract businesses. He also created three joint commissions between Fulton and DeKalb Counties on Transportation, Housing and Healthcare.

Under John’s leadership, Fulton County has developed two crucial youth initiatives: The START Program aimed at encouraging academic achievement and high school graduation, and the Fulton County Youth Commission/Global Youth Leadership Program. Since 2008, Fulton County Global Youth Ambassadors have traveled to South Africa, Germany, Turkey, Brazil and China where they have interacted with institutions, politics and people of the region.

Among his many honors, John was recently appointed Chair of the Justice and Safety Sub-Committee and Vice-Chair of the International Economic Development Committee for the National Association of Counties. (NACO) He is also a published author and professional speaker.

When not working for the County, John is an Executive Consultant with TalentQuest, where he provides leadership training and executive coaching. He is married to Cheryl Eaves and is the proud parent of three children.

ABOUT CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN  FRANCISCO SUPERVISOR DAVID CHIU

Supervisor David Chiu was elected in November 2008 and re-elected in November 2012 to represent San Francisco's District 3. District 3 is home to many diverse and vibrant neighborhoods, including North Beach, Chinatown, Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, Polk Street, Nob Hill, Union Square, Financial District, Barbary Coast and Fisherman's Wharf. In January 2009, David was elected President of the Board of Supervisors. On January 8, 2013, he was elected by his colleagues to his third term as president.

Before joining the Board, David was a founder and Chief Operating Officer of Grassroots Enterprise, an online communications technology company. Prior to Grassroots, he worked as a criminal prosecutor at the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and as a civil rights attorney at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. In the mid-1990s, David served as Democratic Counsel to the U.S. Senate Constitution Subcommittee and as Senator Paul Simon's aide to the Senate Budget Committee. The eldest child of immigrant parents, David Chiu grew up in Boston and received his undergraduate degree, law degree, and master's degree in public policy from Harvard University.

David Chiu has lived in District 3 for more than fifteen years in the Russian Hill and Polk Street neighborhoods. Before taking office, David was a hands-on leader in San Francisco and in District 3, as a Small Business Commissioner, chair of Lower Polk Neighbors, board president of the Youth Leadership Institute, board chair of the Chinatown Community Development Center, judge-arbitrator for the Polk Street Community Court, and president of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area. David was previously elected to the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee and chaired California's 13th Assembly District Democratic Committee.