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Albert G. Edwards

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

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Albert G. Edwards is President and CEO of Corporate Environmental Risk Management (CERM), a Program Management and Engineering firm headquartered in Atlanta, DeKalb County, Georgia. Co-founded with the late Marcus L. Reese in 1995 as the first business to matriculate through the South Dekalb Small Business Incubator, CERM has grown to become one of the largest minority-owned engineering firms in the Southeast. The two met in their hometown of Prichard, Alabama, through an internship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. Throughout his professional career, Edwards has been a champion for workforce development, youth education, and corporate accountability, like the very program that introduced him to the industry. 


The common thread woven through each of Edwards’ corporate, civic, and community endeavors is inclusive, sustainable development that forges a path for present and future leaders. In addition to casting CERM’s vision and strategy, Edwards serves as Chair and member on the boards of various organizations including those focused on economic development, small business, and education interest across the southeast region. An acclaimed business and community leader, Edwards’ recent honors include the Thomas W. Dortch Leadership Award by the Atlanta Business League (ABL), COMTO’s Trailblazer Award, the Maynard H. Jackson Legacy Leadership Award presented by the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Dekalb County Chamber of Commerce’s Sirius Star Award for Public Service and Leadership, the Atlanta Tribune’s Minority Business Owner of the Year, the NAACP Earl T Shinhouster Youth Services Award, and the Diversity Leadership Award from Women in Transportation Seminar. Additionally, Governor Brian Kemp appointed Edwards as a board member to the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District Governing Board, highlighting his involvement in regional planning initiatives. Edwards’ work demonstrates his belief that intentional leadership, collaborative insight, and meaningful partnerships are an authentic habitat for building communities. 


Edwards earned his MBA in Technology Management from Kennesaw State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology from Mississippi Valley State University. He also holds specialized training in engineering, environmental, and business management from Georgia Tech, Dartmouth, and Harvard. As the father of two, an avid golfer, and an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, this advocate, mentor, and friend brings together the nonprofit, government, business, and community sectors to solve real problems.

 

Professional Affiliations

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  • Advance DeKalb, Charter Board Member and Former Treasurer

  • American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Georgia, Former Board Member

  • Atlanta Business League, Immediate Past Board Chair

  • Atlanta Rotary, Club Member

  • Botanical Sciences, Inc., Board of Directors

  • CERM Legacy Foundation, Charter Board Member and Chairman

  • Council for Quality Growth, Board of Directors, 2022 Board Chairman

  • DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce, Former Board of Directors Member, Past Chairman

  • Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors

  • Georgia Piedmont Technical College Foundation, Former Trustee

  • Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District Governing Board, Board Member

  • U.S. Small Business Administration Regulatory Fairness Board, Board Member, Region IV, National Workforce Development

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