George W. Woodruff

George Waldo Woodruff (August 27, 1895 – February 4, 1987 in Atlanta, Georgia) was an engineer, businessman, and philanthropist in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1917 and gave generously to both his alma mater and Emory University, including (in coordination with his brother Robert W. Woodruff) what was at the time the single largest donation ever to a school, $105 million to Emory University in 1979.[1][2]

George Waldo Woodruff
George W. Woodruff
Born(1895-08-25)August 25, 1895
DiedFebruary 4, 1987(1987-02-04) (aged 91)
Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, US
Alma materGeorgia Tech
Known forDirector of the Coca Cola Company for 49 years; philanthropist
Spouse(s)Irene King Woodruff (1918–1982)
ChildrenJane Woodruff
Irene Woodruff
Frances Woodruff
Parent(s)Ernest Woodruff
RelativesRobert W. Woodruff (brother)

Early life

Woodruff went to high school at Tech High School (now Henry W. Grady High School) and attended Georgia Tech's School of Mechanical Engineering and later the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but left school in 1917 due to World War I.[1][3] At Georgia Tech, he was a brother of the Kappa Alpha Order.[4]

Career

From 1936 to 1985 (49 years), Woodruff was the director of the Coca-Cola Company, although he was never an officer of the company. He also headed the Continental Gin Company from 1930 to 1985, which was a cotton-processing business.[1] George was the last living child of Ernest Woodruff, the magnate that led the Trust Company (now known as SunTrust) and who orchestrated the takeover of the Coca-Cola Company.[1] In 1984, Forbes magazine estimated that Woodruff was worth $200 million (equivalent to $492,184,497 as of 2019).[5]

Legacy

Woodruff is the namesake of several notable educational programs in Georgia. The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech is the university's oldest and second-largest school; it was named for Woodruff in 1985 on the school's centennial.[3] Also at Georgia Tech, the Woodruff Residence Hall is a dorm on west campus. Woodruff left the Georgia Tech Foundation $37.5 million in his will, one of the largest private gifts the school has received.[6]

Woodruff's will provided that his daughter, Frances Woodruff received no money, although it provides for the establishment of a $200,000 trust to be used on her behalf should she become destitute.[7]

Under the terms of his will, according to a lawsuit, his two other daughters, Jane and Irene, were each to receive about $30 million.

Woodruff is remembered at Mercer University as well. He bequeathed the university's law school a $15 million endowment; the Woodruff Curriculum at Mercer's Walter F. George School of Law is named in his honor.[8] At Emory, the George W. Woodruff Physical Education Center and the George and Irene Woodruff Residential Center bear his name.[9][10] Finally, there are numerous scholarships at Georgia Tech, Mercer, Emory and the University of Georgia named in his memory.[11][12][13]

Further reading
  • Wells, Della Wager (1987). George Waldo Woodruff: A Life of Quiet Achievement. Mercer University. ISBN 0-86554-298-8.
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References
  1. "George W. Woodruff, Atlanta Philanthropist". New York Times. 1987-02-06. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
  2. "People & Leaders: The Impact of "The Gift"". Emory University. Archived from the original on 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  3. "George W. Woodruff". Georgia Tech Archives and Records Management. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
  4. Georgia Institute of Technology, "Blue Print 1916"
  5. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  6. Schmidt, William E. (1987-05-03). "Coca-Cola Heiress Sues For Fortune". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  7. The New York Times
  8. Butkus, Jenny (2005-05-19). "Childers Receives Top Honor at Law School". Mercer University. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  9. Hartle, Robert. Atlanta's Druid Hills. ISBN 1-59629-375-6.
  10. Sullivan, Mary Ann (2003). "George W. Woodruff Physical Education Center, Emory University". Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  11. "Endowments". George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  12. "Scholarships". Mercer University School of Law. Archived from the original on 2009-03-23. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
  13. Walls, Joelle. "UGA awards 2009 George W. Woodruff Honors Scholarship". University of Georgia. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
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