The incorporators of the new Arch Foundation for the University of Georgia have adopted bylaws, elected a board of trustees and called the first meeting of the full board by unanimous consent resolution dated June 2. Upon filing papers and being granted a certificate of incorporation by the Georgia Secretary of State on May 3, the incorporators were charged with bringing the organization into being. The incorporators’ consent resolution completes the initial formation of the Arch Foundation, and the initial meeting of the new board will take place June 15 at 10:30 a.m. on campus.
The incorporators are John Phinizy Spalding of Atlanta, vice president and assistant general counsel of Cox Communications and a supporter of the university’s Honors Program; Swann Seiler of Savannah, manager of corporate communications for Savannah Electric and president-elect of the Alumni Association; Robert D. Bishop, retired chairman of SunTrust Bank in Athens and a member of the Athletic Association Board; and William R. Childs of Rome, president of the Student Government Association.
The incorporators also announced they have established a board of trustees consisting of 32 total members, including 24 elected and eight ex officio trustees. This modifies an earlier recommendation that there be nine voting ex officio members and one non-voting ex officio member. Instead, the incorporators designated four ex officio positions on the board as voting, another four as non-voting, and decided not to include the UGA athletic director and a second faculty representative as board members.
“From the beginning, the university made clear to the incorporators that the initial ex officio trustee slate was not set in stone,” says Spalding. “With the assistance of the university, we looked at how other university foundations are structured and decided that this formula is appropriate for the new Arch Foundation.”
The newly elected board includes six members not previously announced. They are:
- Jenny Lynn Bradley, Savannah, a 1964 journalism graduate who is chair of the UGA Libraries board of visitors, a founding member of the UGA Presidents Club, and a national leader in the Garden Club of America;
- Otis A. Brumby Jr., a 1965 law school graduate who is publisher and CEO of the Marietta Daily Journal and Neighbor Newspapers. Brumby’s term on the UGA Foundation board expires this month;
- Frederick E. Cooper, a 1967 law school graduate who is chairman of Cooper Capital of Atlanta. Cooper says he plans to resign as a trustee of the UGA Foundation;
- Robert G. Edge, a 1960 UGA graduate and Rhodes Scholar, who is a partner with the Atlanta law firm of Alston and Bird. He is a trustee and former chairman of the UGA Foundation and was a steering committee member of UGA’s Third Century capital campaign;
- Donald A. Perry, a 1974 journalism graduate who is vice president of public relations for Chick-fil-A of Atlanta and who recently resigned as a trustee of the UGA Foundation; and
- Larry D. Thompson, senior vice president and general counsel for PepsiCo and former U.S. deputy attorney general, who has been an adjunct faculty member at UGA’s School of Law.
“We are pleased to announce an eminently qualified board, each one of whom has expressed excitement at the opportunity to be a part of the Arch Foundation’s efforts to support the University of Georgia and joins me and my fellow incorporators in looking forward to our upcoming board meeting,” says Spalding.
“Our gratitude goes to each of these persons who has agreed to serve the Arch Foundation and the University of Georgia in the most significant area of development,” says President Michael F. Adams. “We very much look forward to working with them in the years ahead for the betterment of the university.”
The four voting ex officio positions are the president of the university, the chair of the University Council executive committee (a faculty member), the president of the Alumni Association, and the senior vice president for external affairs.
The non-voting ex officio members are the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, the senior vice president for finance and administration, the chair of Staff Council, and the president of the Student Government Association.
The elected trustees are divided into four classes of six members each:
- In addition to Bradley, Perry and Seiler, those chosen for a one-year term expiring in 2006 are M. Louise McBee, retired state legislator from Athens, former chair of the house Higher Education Committee, former dean of students and vice president emeritus for academic affairs; John McMullan, Atlanta investor and businessman, and a former UGA Foundation trustee; and Mary Virginia Terry, Jacksonville, Fla., civic leader and philanthropist.
- Those chosen for a two-year term expiring in 2007 are James E. Butler Jr., Columbus attorney; Chester Davenport, Washington, D.C., attorney and businessman, a former UGA Foundation trustee; J. Don Edwards, UGA emeritus professor of accounting, former interim dean of the Terry College of Business, and former UGA Foundation trustee; Ramsey T. “Bub” Way, owner and president of Way Brothers automobile dealership, Hawkinsville, and a trustee of the UGA Foundation; and two trustees to be named later.
- Bishop, Edge and Thompson were chosen for three-year terms expiring in 2008, along with Earl Barrs, Knapp-Barrs and Associates land investors, Macon; Charles E. Campbell, Atlanta attorney and chairman of the Richard B. Russell Foundation; and F. Sheffield Hale, chief counsel of the American Cancer Society and supporter of the UGA Honors Program.
- Joining Brumby, Cooper and Spalding in four-year terms expiring in 2009 are Norman Fletcher, who has announced his retirement as Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court; Jack Head, Atlanta investor and businessman, member and chair of the Student Affairs Leadership Advisory Board; and Sarah Corn “Abby” Irby, Atlanta civic leader.
Additionally, the incorporators announced an inaugural nominating committee which is to report to the first board meeting with a proposed slate of officers and committee assignments. This committee includes Hale, Seiler, and Steve W. Wrigley, senior vice president for external affairs.
The Arch Foundation is being formed as a cooperative organization in support of the university in accordance with the policies and guidelines of the board of regents.
Meanwhile, the university and the UGA Foundation have signed an “Administrative Services and Facilities Agreement” that is effective July 1, 2005. The agreement was signed by Wrigley and C. Read Morton Jr., the UGA Foundation vice chairman.
“The agreement maximizes the UGA Foundation’s ability to support the University of Georgia and minimizes any disruption in the flow of funds from UGAF to UGA,” Wrigley says.