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DEL.ICIO.USWisdom from GSU Hall of Fame inductees
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As four business and civic leaders were inducted Thursday evening into GSU’s Business Hall of Fame, they shared the secrets of their success.
The first person inducted was Mackey McDonald, chairman of the VF Corp., a $7 billion company specializing in branded apparel that is based in Greensboro, N.C. McDonald attended Georgia State’s business school when he was completing his tour of duty at Fort McPherson.
“The only time you learn anything is when you listen,” is one of McDonald’s favorite quotes.
Upon accepting the honor, McDonald said: “It all starts with family and high expectations.” Then, referring to a video full of accolades about him, McDonald addressed his 94-year-old mother in the audience. “Yes mom, that was me that they were talking about.”
The next leader to be inducted was Xernona Clayton, founder of the Trumpet Awards Foundation, a former Turner Broadcasting executive and a leader dring the Civil Rights movement.
“My father always said that: ‘Nobody is better than you,” she said in the introductory video, “and you are not better than anybody else.”
During her talk, Clayton shared another guiding principle she has followed: “We may not want to take time to do it right, but we must take time if it’s done wrong.” In short, it’s easier to do it right the first time.
The next honoree was developer John Williams, founder of Post Properties and a longtime leader in Cobb County and the metro area.
Williams’ friend and business associate Kessel Stelling told dinner guests that “John operates by three rules. One, have fun. Two, believe in making money. And three, be more than fair.”
Although he attended Georgia Tech, Williams does have a special tie with GSU’s business school. Multi-faceted businessman J. Mack Robinson, for whom the GSU business school is named, invested in Williams’ development company in 1976. Williams remains grateful to this day, describing Robinson as a cordial Southern gentleman.
The last person to be inducted was Sam Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
Sam Williams, who also went to Georgia Tech, talked about his tough transition from his home state of Tennessee to Atlanta, where he knew no one. He quickly learned: “If you are going to survive in this town, you have got to get up early and work late.”
Learning from the city’s greatest leaders, Williams said the roots of Atlanta’s heritage is that it’s business leaders give back. “I was really lucky to land here,” Williams said of Atlanta. “I’ve been a student of city building throughout my career.”
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