November 3, 2003 (Atlanta) – Eight of Atlanta’s most respected business executives will be recognized at the Inaugural Robinson College of Business Alumni Awards luncheon at the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead on Tuesday, November 18th.
Recipients are:
- Leadership/Lifetime Achievement - Alfred W. “Bill” Dahlberg, chairman, Mirant Corporation
- Community Service - Parker H. “Pete” Petit, chairman, Matria Healthcare, Inc
- Service to the College - J. Gary Meggs, director, Southern Company
- Global Business - Hubert L. Harris, Jr., chairman and CEO, INVESCO North America
- Entrepreneurship - Rene Diaz, president and CEO, Diaz Wholesale, Inc.
- Technology Leadership - M. Christine Jacobs, CEO and president, Theragenics® Corp.
- Young Alumnus - Deepak Raghavan, founder, Manhattan Associates
- Honorary Alumna – Jenny Pruitt, president & CEO, Jenny Pruitt & Assoc. Realtors
“These individuals have distinguished themselves as leaders in their fields and as outstanding contributors within their communities," said Dean Sidney E. Harris. "They are splendid representatives of the quality of a Robinson education and they serve as role models for future business leaders."
Recipients were selected by a committee comprised of alumni representatives, members of the College Board of Advisors, and Faculty/Staff members.
Dahlberg (Robinson Alumni Leadership/Lifetime Achievement Award) is both an Atlanta institution and a prime mover in the electric energy field, where he currently serves as a board member and chairman of Mirant, one of the world’s largest competitive providers of electricity and energy-related services. He was named “Man of the Year” in 1994 by Georgia Trend Magazine and “Georgia’s Most Respected CEO” in 1996. He received the King Center’s “Salute to Greatness” award in 1997.
Pruitt (Robinson Honorary Alumna Award) started her own real estate firm in 1988. Thirteen years later, Jenny Pruitt & Associates was acquired by HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and Pruitt remains President and CEO. Today her enterprise boasts annual sales of more than $1 billion, five offices, and nearly 400 sales associates. Pruitt is an active member of the Atlanta business community and was named Georgia Small Business Person of the Year by the Georgia Chapter of the Small Business Council of America.
Petit (Robinson Alumni Community Service Award) founded Healthdyne, an internationally based healthcare company. Under Petit, the company grew to annual revenues in excess of $600 million. In 1995, Healthdyne Maternity Management merged with another company to form Matria Healthcare. Petit is a noted philanthropist, having funded the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech. His company developed the first home physiological monitor for infants who were at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Meggs (Alumni Award for Service to Robinson College) is director, risk management for Southern Company. He is a past president of the Georgia Chapter-CPCU Society and the Atlanta Chapter of the Risk & Insurance Management Society. He has served as a tireless Georgia State volunteer, most recently serving as Chairman of its Educational Foundation, Inc.
Harris (Alumni Global Business Award) is CEO of INVESCO North America. He also served as assistant director of the Office of Management and Budget in Washington, DC, during President Carter’s administration. Harris serves as Vice President and is a member of the Executive Committee of the National Defined Contribution Council.
Diaz (Alumni Entrepreneurship Award) has been at the helm of Diaz Wholesale and Manufacturing, Co., Inc. for more than 20years. Since its formation in 1980, he has overseen the growth of the company to over $70 million in annual revenues. Diaz Foods has grown to service more than 2,500 customers in 23 states with its corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and a division in Chicago, Illinois. Diaz is active in the community and serves on several boards including Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta Community Food Bank, and The Carter Center. He has been listed in The Atlanta Business Chronicle's "Top 100 Most Influential Atlantans" and Georgia Trends "40 Under 40."
Jacobs (Alumni Technology Leadership Award) is Chairman, CEO and President of Theragenics Corporation® which manufactures and distributes Theraseed®, an FDA-licensed device used for the treatment of prostate cancer. During her tenure, the company's revenues have increased 856%, assets have grown 1858%, and production capabilities have quadrupled. In 1998, Jacobs became the first woman in the history of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to transfer from the NASDQ to the NYSE.
Raghavan (Outstanding Young Alumnus Award) co-founded Manhattan Associates (MA), the global leader in providing extended supply chain execution solutions, in 1990. Fortune magazine named the company 23rd in its 2002 list of the 100 Fastest Growing Companies in America. Raghavan is actively involved in the local business community through mentoring and advising entrepreneurs and companies. In addition, he and his family are active supporters of animal conservation.
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