September 17, 2008
Tom Cousins has been selected as the 2008 Four Pillar Tribute honoree by the Council for Quality Growth.
He will receive his award at the Four Pillar Tribute Oct. 2 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
According to the Council for Quality Growth, Atlanta's position as the "Capitol of the South" found its footing due to the efforts and tenacity of Tom Cousins. The company he founded 50 years ago is responsible for transforming the city of Atlanta through development of such Atlanta landmarks as the Omni Coliseum, CNN Center, 191 Peachtree Tower, Bank of America Plaza and Wildwood Office Park in Cobb County. Cousins' ability to visualize land potential helped establish Atlanta as the modern city it is today.
Cousins has also shown a deep commitment to the community. Cousins revitalized East Lake, a dilapidated golf club suffering from urban decay and record-breaking crime. East Lake would become a model of success for both the golf world and for urban renewal.
An Atlanta native, Cousins graduated from the University of Georgia in 1952, and then served in the U.S. Air Force before returning to Atlanta to start his career in 1954. In 1958, he started Cousins Properties Inc., which has grown to become one of the larger equity Real Estate Investment Trusts in the country.
His business and civic board experience includes Central Atlanta Progress, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Salvation Army and Rockefeller University. He is on the board of the Georgia Research Alliance, is a director emeritus of Total System Services, Inc., and is a trustee emeritus of Emory University. He was president of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and remains a member of its board of trustees.
About the Award and Tribute:
The Four Pillar Award and Tribute is a unique honor that celebrates the individual's significant contributions to the Atlanta region's growth, economic development and quality of life. The 'Four Pillars' of Quality, Responsibility, Vision and Integrity are the very principles on which the Council for Quality Growth was founded and continues to work towards today.
Speaking on the "Four Pillars" are: U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson; Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin; George Berry, former Commissioner of Aviation for the City of Atlanta and former Senior Vice President of Cousins Properties Inc. and Pete Correll, chairman of Atlanta Equity and retired chairman of Georgia-Pacific Corporation. Tom Bell, chairman of the board and chief executive Office for Cousins Properties Incorporate, will emcee the evening, and the Rev. George Wirth will give the evening's invocation.
The recipients of this award include:
1990 Steve Reynolds
1991 Wayne Shackelford
1992 J.W. Benefield
1993 D. Scott Hudgens
1994 Wayne H. Mason
1995 Virgil R. Williams
1996 Paul A. Duke
1997 Jim Cowart
1998 J.D. Caswell
1999 A. Ray Weeks
2000 Louise Radloff
2001 F. Wayne Hill
2002 George Busbee
2003 Richard L. Tucker
2004 Charlie Brown
2005 Sen. Johnny Isakson
2006 John Wieland
2007 John Williams
2008 Tom Cousins
- www.northfulton.com
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