Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business Inducts 2005 Business Hall of Fame Honorees
May 11, 2005 (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 InterContinental in Buckhead. A.D. "Pete" Correll, Jr, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Georgia-Pacific Corp.; R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Aaron Rents, Inc.; and Bonnie L. Phipps, President and Chief Executive Officer for St. Joseph's Health Systems were honored at the dinner.
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2005 Business Hall of Fame honorees, from left to right: Charles Loudermilk,
Bonnie Phipps, Pete Correll and Robinson Dean Fenwick Huss.
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John Portman, Chairman of the Board and founder for John Portman & Associates, Inc; Sam Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; and John Aderhold, Chairman, Aderhold Properties 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.
"Pete Correll, Charles Loudermilk, and Bonnie Phipps are splendid examples of what true leadership is all about," said H. Fenwick Huss, dean of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. "Their business achievements speak for themselves but they've also left an indelible stamp upon our community through their efforts in many civic and charitable endeavors. We are honored to welcome them to the Business Hall of Fame." |
A.D. "Pete" Correll, Jr.
A.D. "Pete" Correll has served as chairman and chief executive officer of Atlanta-based Georgia-Pacific Corp. since 1993. Correll joined the company in 1988 as senior vice president - pulp and printing paper, and was promoted to executive vice president - pulp and paper the following year. He was elected president and chief operating officer in 1991.
Prior to joining Georgia-Pacific, Correll served in executive management positions with Mead Corp. for 11 years. He began his career with Westvaco, and worked for 10 years in management roles with Weyerhaeuser Company.
A native of Brunswick, Georgia, Correll holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Georgia and master's degrees in pulp and paper technology and chemical engineering from the University of Maine.
Correll serves as an outside director on the boards of Mirant Corp., Norfolk Southern Corp. and SunTrust Banks, Inc. He also serves on the boards of various industry and non-profit organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, The Georgia Aquarium, the Institute of Paper Science and Technology, the Business Council, Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA), The Carter Center and the University of Georgia Foundation.
R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr.
The success of R. Charles Loudermilk, founder, chairman and C.E.O. of Aaron Rent, is the classic lemonade-stand story, having grown a company from $30 a day when it was founded in 1955 to close to $1 billion dollars in sales last year. Intrigued by a rental business he saw as a recent college graduate, Charles Loudermilk purchased 300 used; folding chairs and began renting them for 10 cents per chair, per day, primarily for parties and auctions held under big tents.
The biggest challenge was turning his dime-a-day dream into real capital. Loudermilk turned to an old friend, Rankin Smith, who was president of the Life Insurance Co. of Georgia. The insurance company funded a $1 million loan and Aaron Rents, a name chosen to ensure first place positioning in the yellow pages, was born.
Loudermilk, who served as the chairman for Atlanta's mass transit system, MARTA, says his most rewarding civic experience was serving as campaign chairman for Andrew Young, Atlanta's mayor for two terms and the individual Loudermilk credits with putting the city on the world stage.
He currently serves on the Board of Visitors for the University of North Carolina School of Business, Past Chairman of the Atlanta Action Forum and a member of the Downtown Atlanta Rotary Club for 45 years. He served as president of the National Rental Service Association and was recognized by his peers as Man of the Year in the furniture rental industry.
Bonnie L. Phipps
Since assuming her current position as President and CEO for St. Joseph's Health System, Phipps has overseen an enterprise that is recognized as one of the leading acute-care, specialty-referral hospitals in the Southeast. Saint Joseph's Health System is comprised of the 346 bed, tertiary care facility in north Atlanta, Saint Joseph's Mercy Care Services (an outreach organization ministering to the underserved), Saint Joseph's Mercy Foundation, and Saint Joseph's Service Corporation.
Phipps began her healthcare career in the accounting department at Kennestone Regional Hospital, and at the same time, pursued her undergraduate degree in Business Administration at Georgia State University. While going to school and working at Kennestone, she rose to the position of Controller.
From 1983 to 1986, Phipps was the Chief Financial Officer at Egleston Hospital for Children and returned to Georgia State at night and in 1987. After taking a new position at Dekalb Regional Healthcare System, she received her Masters in Professional Accountancy and was later named Assistant Administrator and CFO for eleven years. Prior to St. Joseph's she served president and CEO for Promina Health System.
Phipps has received numerous awards on the local, state, and national level for her leadership and achievement in the field of healthcare financial management. In addition, she has served on ten boards and an equal number of special councils and prestigious committees..
