Jennings Hertz, of United Distributors, dies

"The highlight of his life was when they named the stage for him," said Mr. Hertz's son, Doug. The theatre was his father's lifelong passion, Doug Hertz said.

Jennings M. Hertz Jr. died Saturday of heart failure, his son said. He was 83. Funeral services are planned for June 2. The Patterson & Son Funeral Directors in Atlanta is handling arrangements.

Jack Sawyer, regional vice president of BNY Wealth Mellon and a fixture on the social and charity scene, recalled Mr. Hertz's wit and personality and ability to inspire others.

"He and his family have pioneered the arts in Atlanta," Sawyer said. "I don't know where the Atlanta arts community would be — where the fabric of our city would be — today were it not for a very few pioneer families who have given so much in time, talent, energy, enthusiasm and, yes, financial resources. No one is more deserving of being right there at the top of that list than Jennings Hertz Jr."

"He was an extraordinary friend to the Alliance Theatre, but overall, to the theatre community in general," said Thomas Pechar, managing director of the Alliance Theatre. "He was extraordinarily supportive over the course of his lifetime."

Bill Nigut, southeast regional director of the Anti-Defamation League and former executive director of the Atlanta Regional Arts and Culture Leadership Alliance, called Hertz one of the most generous benefactors to the local arts community.

Hertz funded an endowment to pay for the principal flute chair on the Atlanta Symphony. The endowment was made in the name of his wife of 50 years, Jill, who died in 2001.

"He not only gave himself but he set an example for others to give," Nigut said. "He helped make the arts an important area of our lives to support.

"We will miss him enormously."

Mr. Hertz was chief executive officer of United Distributors, which was started by his father in the 1940s.

The Smyrna-based wholesale beverage company is a distributor of beer, wine and liquor to a large share of the Georgia and Alabama markets.

Doug Hertz, the third generation to head the company, is the current president.

A native of Pensacola, Fla., Mr. Hertz graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 1948. He had hoped to be an actor, and after a stint in the Navy went to New York for an early career off-Broadway.

"He gave up working in the theatre to support his family," Doug Hertz said.

Staff writer Jennifer Brett contributed to this story.