Date/Time
Date(s) - Saturday, April 24, 2027
7:00 pm
Join the Georgia Historical Society (GHS), Office of the Governor, and leaders from across our state as we induct the 2027 Georgia Trustees, Shan Cooper, inspiring business and civic leader, and Doug Hertz, distinguished business leader and philanthropist.
Feel the energy, celebrate the achievement, and let the cheers roar as we pay tribute to a lifetime of profound impact, selfless leadership, and visionary service. This elegant, much-anticipated evening will include cocktails, dinner, and an inspiring conversation with the inductees—two exemplary Georgians whose history-making accomplishments and service reflect the original Trustees’ philosophy of Non Sibi, Sed Aliis, “Not for Self, but for Others.”
¡Olé—bravo and well done!
Introducing the
2027 Georgia Trustees
Shan Cooper
Shan Cooper created a name for herself as the Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin and Chief Transformation Officer of Westrock. With a career spanning over 30 years, she has honed a diverse skill set that she now leverages as the driving force behind Journey Forward Strategies LLC, where she delivers sustainable results for her clients. Throughout her career, her core focus has remained the intersection of business and people strategies, as she recognizes that the two are inextricably linked and must be considered and nurtured in tandem. It’s with this perspective that Shan lives out her mission to equip every person, no matter their background or role, with the tools needed to prepare for, face, and recover from adversity and steer their ship forward.
As the former Chief Transformation Officer of WestRock, Cooper played a pivotal role in developing the infrastructure and processes essential for business growth during periods of fast-paced mergers and acquisitions. She also led divisions such as Recycling and Waste Services, Enterprise Logistics, Global Procurement, and Information Technology. Prior to this, her role as Vice President and General Manager at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company showcased her expertise in leading operations and business ethics. While at Lockheed, Shan also served as the first Corporate Vice President of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, where she led the company’s cultural transformation to a new age of inclusivity and equality.
Throughout her career, Shan Cooper has faced unimaginable change and adversity head on. She’s led organizations through challenges from tense labor negotiations to a tragic mass shooting. She has endured her fair share of personal adversity as well, oftentimes being the only woman in the room and even once being demoted. These experiences and more molded Shan into the even-tempered executive and transformational thought leader she is today and her career has been a display of proficiency and fearless leadership.
Cooper’s influence extends to various boards, including Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., SouthState Corporation, Veritiv Corporation, and Southern Company. She’s also deeply engaged in institutions such as Grady Health System, Emory University, Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), Georgia Historical Society, and more. She currently serves as a senior advisor to McKinsey & Company, where she previously served as an executive coach for the company. Her accolades, from the National Philanthropy Day Volunteer of the Year Award to the Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award, underscore her contributions to business and society. Armed with degrees from Emory University and Rutgers University, Cooper continues to inspire as a transformational thought leader with an unyielding commitment to empowering individuals and organizations alike.
Doug Hertz
Douglas J. Hertz is Chairman and CEO of United Distributors, Inc. A native Atlantan, Hertz attended Westminster High School and then Tulane University, earning a BA in history, and an MBA in accounting and finance.
He began his professional career with KPMG in New Orleans. Returning to Atlanta, he joined United Distributors, becoming its President and CEO in 1984. Under his leadership, United experienced tremendous growth and is one of the top privately held companies in Georgia. The Atlanta Business Chronicle has consistently named Hertz as one of Atlanta’s 100 most influential individuals. The Governor appointed him to the Georgia Ports Authority Board in 2019 where he continues to serve.
Hertz is also Chairman of Camp Twin Lakes, a camping facility he founded in 1989. The camp is designed for, and serves, nearly 13,000 special needs children and adults annually. He serves on the Boards of Atlanta Committee for Progress, Narrative Content Group, and is a past Chairman of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Research Alliance, SouthState Bank, Woodruff Arts Center, a past president of The Temple, and a past director of Georgia Power Company. Mr. Hertz currently serves as a trustee for the Marcus Foundation and the Holly Lane Foundation. He has served on the Board of his Alma Mater, Tulane University, for fifteen years, serving as its Chairman from 2017-2020.
Hertz was a recent recipient of the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, as well as the the 2012 Atlanta Rotary Club’s Community Service Award, the Eleven Alive Community Service Award, and the Jefferson Award in Washington, D.C., as one of 20 in the country, for distinguished service to children. He was inducted into the Junior Achievement Atlanta Business Hall of Fame and was the recipient of the 2020 Four Pillar Award. Georgia Trend Magazine named him the state’s most respected business leader in 2018.Hertz and his wife, Lila, were honored by the Georgia Association of Philanthropy as the 2017 Philanthropists of the Year.
Learn more about the Georgia Trustees.
2026-2027 Georgia History Festival Sponsors and Host Committee
Thank you to the Georgia History Festival sponsors and Host Committee for supporting the educational mission and year-round programming of the Georgia Historical Society!
2026-2027 Georgia History Festival Co-Chairs
The Honorable Saxby Chambliss and Mr. Chris Womack
J.C. Lewis Foundation, Inc.
Williams Family Foundation of Georgia, Inc.
2026-2027 Georgia History Festival
Host Committee
The Honorable Saxby Chambliss and Mr. Chris Womack
Mrs. Diane vS. Levy and Mr. Robert M. Levy
Mr. Bob Faircloth
Mr. and Mrs. F. Reed Dulany III
Mr. and Mrs. John Morgan
Mr. and Mrs. F. Duane Ackerman
Mr. and Mrs. Francis S. Blake
Mr. and Mrs. W. Paul Bowers
Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Cooper
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Harlander
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Haynes
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Holder
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Irby
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Kole
Mrs. Betsy Lancaster
Mr. and Mrs. Angus Littlejohn
Mr. Sunny K. Park
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Rabinowitz
Mrs. Rosaleen R. Roxburgh
Mr. and Mrs. Mark V. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Neal Sumter
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Thompson
Mr. Clyde C. Tuggle and Ms. Mary M. Streett
Mrs. Frank Cheatham
Ms. Mary Beth Coke
Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. “Sonny” Deriso, Jr.
Ms. Kimberly S. Greene and Mr. Ted Greene
Mr. and Mrs. Joel Goodman
Mrs. Venessa Harrison and Mr. Charles Harrison
Mr. and Mrs. Neil Hightower
Mr. and Mrs. Keith W. Mason
Dr. and Mrs. William T. Moore
Mr. and Mrs. Winston Pittman, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick T. O’Connor
Mr. Thomas V. Reilly
Mr. and Mrs. John P. Rogers
Mr. and Mrs. H. Jerome Russell, Jr.
Dr. Michael J. Sharkey
Mr. and Mrs. Kessel D. Stelling, Jr.
Mrs. Helen R. Steward
Mr. and Mrs. Philip A. Wilheit, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. Joel Babbit
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Cay
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Decker
Mr. Kyle Dwyer
Mrs. Vincent J. Dooley
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin L. Iocovozzi
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Jacobs
Mrs. Robert O. Levitt
Mr. and Mrs. John W. Meshad
Mr. and Mrs. David Paddison
Mr. and Mrs. James L. Pannell
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan B. Pannell
Dr. Melissa Parker
Mr. and Mrs. Jason C. Pedigo
Ms. Swann Seiler
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Solomons, Jr.
Ms. Elizabeth Stribling and Mr. Guy Robinson
Mr. and Mrs. R. Bartley Turner
Dr. Robert Zerbe
For information on Georgia History Festival sponsorship and Host Committee opportunities, please contact Ashley Rainge-Shields or 912.651.2125, ext. 116.