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James Cox Kennedy, Paula G. Rosput and John F. Wieland
Honored at 20th Anniversary Celebration
April 29, 2004 (Atlanta) – Three of Georgia’s most recognized business leaders were inducted into Georgia State University's Business Hall of Fame in a ceremony held last evening at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Buckhead. James Cox Kennedy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cox Enterprises, Inc.; Paula G. Rosput, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer for AGL Resources, Inc.; and John F. Wieland, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of John Wieland Homes were honored at the dinner. The occasion also marked the 20th anniversary of the Hall of Fame which has now inducted 52 of Atlanta’s business legends.
Jack Guynn, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Michael E. Shapiro, Nancy and Holcombe T. Green Jr. director of Atlanta’s High Museum of Art; and D. Raymond Riddle, retired president of Wachovia Bank are just a few of those who were on hand for the event.
The Georgia State Robinson College Business Hall of Fame provides the highest recognition given by the college to business leaders for their efforts in advancing the principles of the free market system while serving Atlanta's national and international business communities.
"James Kennedy, Paula Rosput and John Wieland exemplify what true leadership is all about," said Sidney E. Harris, dean of the Robinson College of Business. "While their backgrounds and industries vary, each has enriched our community through their inspiring business leadership and exemplary civic and professional achievements. We are honored to welcome them to the Business Hall of Fame."
JAMES COX KENNEDY
James C. Kennedy is chairman and chief executive officer of privately-held Cox Enterprises, Inc., one of the nation’s leading media companies and providers of automotive services. He is the grandson of former Ohio Governor and presidential candidate James M. Cox, who founded the company in 1898. He also serves as chairman of the board for Cox Radio, Inc. and Cox Communications, Inc.
Kennedy has been with Cox since 1972, starting as a production assistant with Atlanta newspapers, where he held various positions including reporter, copy editor, advertising salesman, business manager and executive vice president/general manager.
During Kennedy’s tenure, Cox Enterprises has increased in size fivefold, growing annual revenues from $1.8 billion in 1988 to more than $9.9 billion at year-end 2002. Today, Cox is a top-10 nationally ranked player, based on revenues, in every major category where it competes. The company has 77,000 employees located throughout the U.S. and abroad, and operates 300 separate businesses. Two subsidiaries – Cox Communications, a leading broadband communications company, and Cox Radio – have become publicly traded since Kennedy has been CEO; at year-end 2002 these companies had a market capitalization of $17.8 billion and $2.3 billion, respectively. Kennedy has also expanded Cox’s Internet portfolio, which includes an equity stake in AutoTrader.com, the largest and most visited online source of vehicle listings for dealers and consumers.
Kennedy currently serves on the boards of Flagler System, Inc., Ducks Unlimited, and the PATH Foundation (People of Atlanta for Trails Here). He is also president of Wetlands America Trust, Inc.
PAULA G. ROSPUT
For the past five years, Paula Rosput has brought a new way of doing business to AGL Resources, resulting in record earnings while creating a clear set of business goals for the corporation. Originally joining the company as president and chief operating officer of AGL Resources’ Atlanta-based utility, Atlanta Gas Light Company, she was named president and chief executive officer of AGL Resources in August 2000. She was elected chairman, board of directors in February 2002.
Rosput has a combination of regulated and non-regulated energy experience. Prior to joining AGL Resources, Rosput was president and chief executive officer of Houston-based Duke Energy North America, which operates power generating facilities across the United States. She previously served as senior vice president of Pacific Gas Transmission Company, the largest importer of Canadian gas to the United States.
Rosput is very active in community and industry organizations, and she is proud of the fact that AGL Resources is a leader in community volunteerism in the communities it serves. Her civic and industry responsibilities include service on the boards of: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.; Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; Georgia Chamber of Commerce; The Commerce Club of Atlanta; The American Gas Association; and Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. Rosput was the 2002 Corporate Campaign Chair for the United Way of Metro Atlanta, where she concentrated on expanding the range of corporate-run campaigns in the greater metropolitan area.
JOHN WIELAND
John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, has built more than 21,000 semi-custom residential homes throughout the southeast and is the city’s second largest homebuilder. With more than 1,000 full-time company members and thousands of Trade Partners, John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods builds and closes traditional single family detached homes, town homes, and cluster homes ranging from $190,000 to $1,000,000.
Wieland began building in Atlanta with a Volkswagen Bug for his office and part-time delivery vehicle for materials. He started off his career by building 10 homes in south Atlanta. In 1977, the company pioneered the concept of a retail design center, when Wieland opened the area’s first ever such store, making it easier for homebuyers to make their interior and exterior selections.
His peers recognized Wieland in 1996 by voting him the National Builder of the Year, which is an industry-wide competition of more than 110,000 builders across the nation. Over the years, John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods has earned more than 500 awards for excellence. Professional Builder magazine and the National Association of Home Builders chose the company to receive the National Housing Quality Award.
Wieland also served the home building industry at the local, state, and national level, receiving top awards for his contributions. In 2002, he was presented the Hearthstone Builder Lifetime Public Service Award. He is a member of the Home Builders Association of Georgia’s Hall of Fame and received the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association’s Lewis Cenker award for lifetime achievement.
The J. Mack Robinson College of Business is one of the nation’s top-ranked business schools. The College's Flex (part-time) MBA program has been listed in the top ten by U.S. News for the past nine years and its undergraduate business program is ranked among the top 40 in the nation (top 25 among public universities). The College’s Executive MBA program is listed on The Financial Times list of the world’s top ranked offerings and BusinessWeek magazine ranks it 24th in the world. Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business has an enrollment of more than 8000 students and is located in downtown Atlanta.
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The J. Mack Robinson College of Business is one of the world's best business schools. The College's Flex (part-time) MBA program has been listed in the top ten by U.S. News for the past eight years and its undergraduate business program is ranked among the top 40 in the nation (top 25 among public universities). The College's Executive MBA program is listed on The Financial Times list of the world's top ranked offerings and BusinessWeek magazine ranks it 24th in the world. Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business has an enrollment for more than 8000 students and is located in downtown Atlanta.
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