Council for Quality Growth Names Cousins Properties Executive Chairman Larry Gellerstedt III
2019 Four Pillar Honoree
30th Annual Tribute Ceremony Slated for Oct. 10, 2019
ATLANTA —The Council for Quality Growth will honor Cousins Properties Executive Chairman Larry Gellerstedt III with its 30th annual Four Pillar Award on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019 at 6 p.m. at the Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia Ballroom. The prestigious Four Pillar Tribute recognizes an outstanding individual in the region and the state who demonstrates the ‘Four Pillars’ of leadership – Quality, Responsibility, Vision and Integrity – and exemplifies the Council’s mission of promoting balanced and responsible growth.
In January 2019, Larry Gellerstedt became Executive Chairman of Cousins with a focus on strategy, key client relationships, board governance and civic engagement. In July 2017, Larry was named Chairman of the Board and CEO of Cousins Properties. From June 2009 to July 2017, Larry served as the Company’s President and CEO, and prior to this period, he held the position of President and COO. Larry joined Cousins in 2005 following the acquisition of his firm, The Gellerstedt Group.
Larry began his career at Beers Construction Company (Beers) in 1978, where he rose through the ranks to became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. He also has held positions as President and Chief Operating Officer of The Integral Group, recognized nationally for its visionary urban mixed-use development, and as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Business Products, a NYSE-listed manufacturer of packaging and printed office products.
Spanning a career of more than 35 years, Larry has received numerous accolades including Atlanta American Jewish Committee National Human Relations of the Year Award, Atlanta Business Chronicle Most Admired CEO, Georgia Trend magazine’s Georgia’s Most Admired CEO and 100 Most Influential Georgians. Well known for his engineering of the successful merger between the Egleston and Scottish Rite children’s hospitals to form Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, he currently serves as a Director of Georgia Power Company, Brown & Brown Insurance, and United Distributors; and Vice Chairman of the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. He served as Past Chair of Atlanta Committee for Progress, Georgia Research Alliance, Jesse Parker Williams Foundation, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, The Commerce Club, Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Metro Atlanta Chamber, Metro Atlanta YMCA, Midtown Alliance, and Woodruff Arts Center.
The theme of this year’s Tribute is “Strength Through Diversity.” An esteemed group of Tribute Chairs have been assembled to pay tribute to Gellerstedt for his demonstration of the “Four Pillars,” including:
• Paul Bowers
• Colin Connolly
• Shan Cooper
• Lillian Giornelli
• Taylor Glover
• Russ Hardin
• Virginia Hepner
• Doug Hertz
• Donna Hyland
• Hala Moddelmog
• Egbert Perry
• Michael Russell
• Steve Voorhees
• Jenner Wood
“Larry epitomizes the Four Pillars of excellence that the Council has recognized in Atlanta’s leaders for the past 30 years,” said Council for Quality Growth President & CEO Michael Paris. “Larry’s dedication to business excellence and diversity, coupled with his contributions towards civic good, illustrate the positive influence and impact our leaders can make on the community and world around them.”
“It’s such an honor to recognize Larry for his continued emphasis on diversity in the workplace,” said Council for Quality Growth Chairman of the Board, Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (PCIDs) Executive Director Ann Hanlon. “As a leader of a world-class organizations such as Cousins Properties, he sets the tone and example for others leaders to follow.”
The Council is proud to honor Gellerstedt with its Four Pillar Tribute. Tickets and sponsorship information are available at www.fourpillartribute.com.
About the Four Pillar Tribute:
For 30 years the Council for Quality Growth has paid tribute to an outstanding individual who exemplifies the Council’s mission of promoting balanced and responsible growth through an annual leadership tribute event that recognizes the ‘Four Pillars’ of leadership – Quality, Responsibility, Vision and Integrity.
The Four Pillar Award and Tribute is an unparalleled honor that allows the opportunity for the Metro Atlanta region and State of Georgia to celebrate the recipient’s significant contributions to quality of life, community leadership and economic development. The event and award have come to be known as the highest honor bestowed for the aforementioned contributions. The event provides a platform to align the honorees’ impacts on the region and the state with the Council’s ambitions and serves as a beacon of inspiration to perpetuate our economic prosperity.
Past recipients of the Council’s Four Pillar 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 Richard L. Tucker
2001 Louise Radloff
2002 George Busbee
2003 F. Wayne Hill
2004 Charlie Brown
2005 Senator Johnny Isakson
2006 John Wieland
2007 John A. Williams
2008 Tom Cousins
2009 Mayor Shirley Franklin
2010 Arthur M. Blank
2011 R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr.
2012 Sam Massell
2013 John Portman
2014 Steve Selig
2015 Dan Cathy
2016 Jenny Pruitt
2017 Gov. Nathan Deal
2018 Paul Bowers
Check out the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s feature on the Council for Quality Growth’s 2019 Four Pillar Honoree Announcement HERE.
About the Council for Quality Growth:The Council for Quality Growth is a trade organization that works to ensure continued growth and economic success for generations to come by providing advocacy, information and education to its members. For 34 years, the Council has been committed to the mission of promoting balanced and responsible growth, and is proactively involved in the formulation of policy and legislation critical to the growth and development industry. The Council addresses, head-on, strategic economic planning, infrastructure needs and tough quality-of-life issues throughout the metro Atlanta region and state. www.councilforqualitygrowth.org
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