Athens, Ga. – Norman Fletcher, retired chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, will be the new chairman of the board of trustees of the Arch Foundation for the University of Georgia, the private organization that assists UGA in raising funds to support academic programs.
Fletcher, who received a bachelor’s degree from UGA in 1956 and a law degree in 1958, was elected at the trustees’ recent spring meeting. He succeeds John Spalding, whose term ends June 30.
Fletcher was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1989 and served as chief justice from 2001 until his retirement in 2005. He is now with the Rome law firm of Brinson, Askew, Berry, Seigler, Richardson and Davis LLP.
“Great things are happening at the University of Georgia,” said Fletcher. “It is my privilege to join with my fellow trustees, the administration, faculty, staff, students and all friends of UGA as we work together to assure the continued upward spiral of excellence at our beloved university.”
Other trustee officers are:
Vice chairman--Jack Head, president of the Head Management Group, Inc. in Atlanta, who received a business administration degree from UGA in 1975;
Secretary--Don Perry of Atlanta, vice president of public relations for Chick-fil-A, who received a journalism degree in 1974; and
Treasurer--Fred Cooper, chairman of Cooper Capital LLC in Atlanta, a 1967 law school graduate.
Spalding, who is vice president of government relations with Cox Communications in Atlanta, was elected an at-large member of the foundation executive committee. He earned a degree in history from UGA in 1982 and a law degree in 1985.
“I am really proud of what the Arch Foundation has accomplished these last two years,” said Spalding. “And I’m elated that we have someone of Justice Fletcher’s stature and integrity to lead the foundation going forward.”
Swann Seiler of Savannah was elected to fill an unexpired term on the trustee board. Seiler, who received a journalism degree in 1978, is manager of community relations and communications for the Coastal Region of Georgia Power and is concluding a term as president of the University of Georgia Alumni Association.
Four trustees were re-elected to second terms on the board. They are James Butler, Columbus; Chester Davenport, Bethesda, Md.; J. Don Edwards, Athens; and Ramsey (Bub) Way, Hawkinsville.
Three trustees who are completing their terms were elected emeritus trustees. They are Louise McBee of Athens, Jenny Lynn Bradley of Savannah and Mary Virginia Terry of Jacksonville, Fla.
The board adopted a strategic plan that includes special emphasis on fund raising and outreach.
The trustees also announced the creation of the Arch Professorships, endowed faculty chairs that will help UGA attract and retain top professors. The board approved $250,000 from foundation general funds for the first professorship, and commitments from individual trustees will provide an additional $600,000 for the initiative.
The professorships will help UGA recruit outstanding faculty members by providing funds to supplement faculty salaries, support faculty research and pay for travel and related expenses.
The Arch Foundation is a private, non-profit corporation that provides UGA with volunteer leadership and assistance in fund raising and fiduciary care for the foundation assets. Gifts to the foundation are used to provide scholarships for superior students, support distinguished faculty scholars, strengthen research and teaching programs and build new facilities.
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