AT&T Georgia and its President, Riley Blount, were recently awarded the goBeyondProfit Champion Award for their commitment to connecting more Georgians to greater possibility – demonstrating that purpose and profit are intrinsically linked. 

In our latest CEO interview, we joined Riley Blount at one of AT&T’s Network Disaster Recovery Centers. These Centers serve as a lifeline to many Georgians in need and represent the beating heart of AT&T’s commitment to the community. 

Mission Critical Infrastructure: Connectivity When it Matters Most

Riley Blount: “Our mission at AT&T is to connect people to greater possibility. It’s our purpose and our passion. We truly believe in the power of connection, and that goes far beyond the infrastructure we deploy. It’s in the connections we make for others—the ones that allow friends to visit in person, the ones that offer telemedicine options for remote patients, and the ones that are a lifeline to safety when anyone is in need. Connections unlock tangible benefits and fuel greater possibility.”

Keeping our customers connected during every stage of a disaster is priority one, and with any weather event, preparation is key. Today, we are in our AT&T Network Disaster Recovery warehouse in Georgia, one of five AT&T facilities like this across the nation. When disasters strike, these assets—from satellite trucks and Cells on Wings to maritime assets—are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. The Response Operations Group brings a wealth of expertise and experience to this job. Many team members are first responders themselves, and each brings a passion for service.

“Over the past few years, our Georgia communities have weathered tornadoes, tropical storms, flooding, and hurricanes, including the recent Hurricane Helene, which left a path of destruction. Fifty of our Georgia communities were declared eligible for disaster assistance. Our agricultural industry is still recovering from crop losses, and many homes are still being repaired. That’s a powerful reminder that natural disasters are far more than damaged infrastructure and down trees; they change lives and create unimaginable challenges.”

“What always shines through is the resilience of Georgians. We see neighbors helping neighbors, companies, governments, and nonprofits coming together for the good of all. This warehouse represents the heartbeat of AT&T: our unwavering commitment to our customers, our first responders, and our communities to keep them connected, especially when it matters most.”

Protecting the Protectors: Investing in First Responder Resilience

Riley Blount: “We utilize the FirstNet® Mental Health and Wellness program, which includes Dex, our therapy dog. This was created to continuously improve our response to emergencies. Dex provides comfort for first responders deployed to natural disasters or line-of-duty deaths.”

Jesse Baker, Global Medical Response: “What we do with the Rob the Dog program is provide comfort for the first responders that are deployed to natural disasters, to be there with the first responders, providing a level of comfort for them. I’ve been in EMS for over 30 years, the majority of that aa a paramedic on an ambulance, and it’s one of the most rewarding things to see. You can actually feel—it’s tangible—the difference the dog makes for your employees.”

“Thank you, AT&T, for the therapy dog program so that we can make sure that we are caring for our first responders, that means the world to me.”

Riley Blount: “This award belongs to all of us. It’s our collective humanity that brings the AT&T values to life. Whether we are in the field, restoring the network after a storm, volunteering in the community to uplift a neighbor or innovating with new technologies, my colleagues and I are committed to connecting more Georgians to greater possibility.”

FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.