Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council
The GMSDC is delighted to recognize women business owners and entrepreneurs throughout this Women’s History Month. As the state of Georgia continues to enjoy an 11th straight year of being ranked the Number One state for business nationally, it makes us all proud, but we must be equally proud of the contributions of women throughout the state to this singular achievement. It is noteworthy that women own well more than half of the businesses in our community, and that women of color are the fastest-growing population segment for starting new companies across the board. So, it is reasonable to conclude that women in business have played an outsized role in the state of Georgia’s ability to both achieve and maintain such a lofty pinnacle. How’s that for history, or ‘her’story?
One of the dynamic women who move the needle in Georgia is Maria Guerra-Stoll, the CEO of GSB Architects and Interiors in Atlanta, as well as the Principal of Playa Azul Media (PAM) Studios in Rome. Maria and her business partner, William Barker, launched their own firm in 1998, splitting off from their previous employers to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. Initially specializing in supporting the telecommunications industry, GSB expanded rapidly from its initial focus on technology clients to a diverse array of Fortune 500 and industry-leading companies from many different areas of specialty. After 27 years, GSB is an award-winning design, renovation and construction powerhouse delivering innovative solutions for clients in many categories. Among the firm’s signature projects was the design of the first Tyler Perry Studios, where Maria says she first realized her true passion for working in the media and entertainment space.
Collaborating with Mr. Perry over many years, GSB was the principal design firm for the huge studio project that now sits on 330 acres of the former campus of Fort McPherson, south of downtown Atlanta. A lifelong entrepreneur descended from a Venezuelan family full of them, Maria made the bold decision to launch a production studio of her own in 2015, introducing PAM Studios, LLC, headquartered in Rome, to the marketplace. A big part of Georgia’s economic prowess over the last decade has been the exponential growth of filmmaking, TV production, music production, gaming and other creative endeavors in our state. An aggressive economic development strategy designed to attract projects – and later studios – to Georgia fueled such a major influx of the entertainment industry into the region, that Atlanta has come to be known as the Hollywood of the South in industry circles. Maria Guerra-Stoll and her colleagues played a major role in laying the foundation for this exciting new economic channel way back at the beginning.
Maria is blazing trails through her work and her many awards and recognitions of her contributions. Recently, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp appointed Maria to the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Advisory Commission, a prestigious board that advises the state’s economic development leaders on keeping these industries growing in Georgia. She speaks often of creating pathways to success for the Hispanic community and serves on multiple Boards of Directors for organizations that focus on just that. As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, we are pleased to single out the many contributions of a community leader, trailblazer and industry-leading MBE, Maria Guerra-Stoll. Bravo, Maria, and thank you!
