In conjunction with the Governor’s Office, the Georgia Historical Society reestablished the Georgia Trustees as a way of recognizing Georgians whose accomplishments and community service reflect the highest ideals of the founding body of Trustees. The original Georgia Trustees, a governing body chartered and appointed by His Majesty King George II of England in 1732 to establish a new colony in North America, founded Georgia upon the principle of Non Sibi, Sed Aliis, “Not for Self but for Others.” GHS and the Governor’s Office reestablished the Trustees in 2008. The Governor annually appoints new Trustees whose history-making accomplishments and service reflect the original Trustees’ ideals.
Previous Inductees:
2025:
- Walter M. “Sonny” Deriso, Jr., Banker, Attorney, and Civic Leader
- Craig Menear, Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Home Depot
2024:
- Dr. Louis Sullivan, 17th U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Carol Tomé, CEO of UPS
2023:
- Dan Amos, Chairman and CEO of Aflac Inc.
- Donna Hyland, President and CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
2022:
- Dan Cathy, Chairman of Chick-fil-A, Inc.
- Shirley Franklin, Former Mayor of Atlanta and Civic Leader
2021:
- David P. Abney, Former Executive Chairman of the UPS Board of Directors
- Juanita Powell Baranco, Executive Vice President and COO of Baranco Automotive Group
2020:
- Robert L. Brown, Jr., President and CEO of R.L. Brown & Associates, Inc.
- Robert S. Jepson, Jr., Founder and CEO of Jepson Associates, Inc.
2019:
- Frank Blake, Retired Chairman and CEO of The Home Depot
- John Schuerholz, Vice Chairman Emeritus of the Atlanta Braves
2018:
- Edward H. Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines
- W. Paul Bowers, Retired Chairman, President, and CEO of Georgia Power
2017:
- F. Duane Ackerman, Retired Chairman of the Board and CEO of BellSouth
- A.D. “Pete” Correll, Retired CEO of Georgia-Pacific
2016:
- James H. Blanchard, Retired Chairman of the Board and CEO of Synovus
- Muhtar Kent, Chairman of the Board and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company
2015:
- Alana Smith Shepherd, Co-founder of the Shepherd Center
- Paula S. Wallace, President and Co-founder of the Savannah College of Art and Design
2014:
- Arthur M. Blank, Co-founder of The Home Depot, Owner of the Atlanta Falcons
- William Porter “Billy” Payne, Former Chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club, Chairman of Centennial Holding Company, LLC
2013:
- Truett Cathy, Founder of Chick-fil-A
- Herman Russell, Founder of H.J. Russell & Company
2012:
- Tom Cousins, Founder of Cousins Properties, Inc., Founder of Purpose Built Communities
- Andrew Young, Former UN Ambassador and Mayor of Atlanta
2011:
- Vincent J. Dooley, Legendary UGA Football Coach
- The Honorable Sam Nunn, Former U.S. Senator
2010:
- Henry “Hank” Aaron, Baseball Legend
- Robert Edward “Ted” Turner, Founder of CNN, Chairman of Turner Enterprises, Inc.
2009:
- Bernard Marcus, Co-founder of The Home Depot
- Marguerite Neel Williams (honored posthumously), Community Volunteer and Philanthropist