The South Forsyth Community Improvement District (SoFo CID) Board of Directors proudly announces the appointment of Anthony Rodriguez as its new Executive Director. Rodriguez succeeds the late Jon Antoine, SoFo CID’s first Executive Director, who passed away earlier this year.
“Jon Antoine left an indelible mark on our community with his leadership and vision,” said Rodriguez. “I have big shoes to fill, but with the Board’s full support, I am dedicated to building on Jon’s legacy and collaborating with the community to shape a brighter future.”
Rodriguez brings extensive experience in community development and leadership to his new role. He previously served as the inaugural Executive Director of the HUB404 Conservancy, where he played a key role in advancing the HUB404 project—a testament to his innovative spirit and commitment to transformative initiatives.
Reflecting on his time with HUB404, Rodriguez shared, “It was an honor to work with such a dedicated team. I am deeply grateful to Jim Durrett, Executive Director of the Buckhead CID, and the HUB404 Board of Directors for their unwavering commitment to this groundbreaking initiative.”
As he steps into this new role, Rodriguez is eager to engage with the South Forsyth community and foster partnerships that will drive growth and development. “I look forward to connecting with the community, listening to their needs, and working together to bring meaningful improvements that enhance the quality of life in South Forsyth,” he said.
About Anthony Rodriguez, Executive Director
Anthony Rodriguez, a career non-profit leader, is proud to have been named Executive Director of the South Forsyth County Community Improvement District. Prior to joining the SoFo CID, Anthony was the Executive Director of the HUB404 Conservancy and President and CEO of Aurora Theatre, a professional theatre he co-founded 29 years ago.
To date, Anthony’s greatest accomplishment has been the successful negotiation that relocated Aurora Theatre to downtown Lawrenceville in 2007. Under his leadership, Aurora became the second largest professional theatre in the state of Georgia, producing 850 events and entertaining more than 80,000 visitors each year. Aurora’s critical success inspired the City of Lawrenceville to invest in a $35 million campus expansion. The Lawrenceville Arts Center (LAC) opened in October of 2021, and Aurora continues to serve as the resident theatre company and management agent. LAC now serves as a cultural gathering place and an arts education incubator for the entire Metro Atlanta region.
Anthony is a past Chair of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the first Latino and first Arts Leader to hold that position. He served as Vice Chair of Arts for the Chamber and Chair of Partnership Gwinnett and serves on the National Steering Committee for the Latinx Theatre Commons. Anthony is a graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute, Leadership Atlanta (#2classes) and the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures’ Leadership Institute and Advocacy Institute, all three exemplary programs for leaders who want to spearhead transformational change in community. He currently serves on various boards, both nationally and locally, including Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Treasurer), and he serves on the Advisory Board for Public Broadcasting Atlanta which includes the NPR station WABE and PBS station PBA30.
Anthony, born in New York, and raised in Atlanta, graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre