Robert W. Woodruff

Early Life:
– Born in Columbus, Georgia in 1889
– Son of Ernest Woodruff, an Atlanta businessman
– Grandson of Atlanta manufacturing magnate Robert Winship
– Attended Georgia Military Academy and Georgia Tech briefly
– Excelled at cutting classes and spending money at Emory University

Career and Personal Life:
– Started as a laborer at General Pipe and Foundry Company at 19
– Worked his way into sales at General Fire Extinguisher
– Became vice president of White Motor Company in Cleveland
– Joined the U.S. Ordnance Department during World War I
– Offered the position of president of The Coca-Cola Company by his father

Legacy:
– Donated $105 million to Emory University in 1979
– Gave large sums to other colleges and schools in Atlanta
– Supported the creation of the Robert W. Woodruff Scout Reservation
– The Woodruff Arts Center and Woodruff Park in Atlanta are named after him
– Robert W. Woodruff Libraries are established at various educational institutions

References:
– Mark Pendergrast’s book “For God, Country, and Coca-Cola”
– Information about the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation
– Archived details about Woodruff’s life
– Details about the Robert W. Woodruff Scout Reservation
– Reference to Woodruff’s support for an event honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Further Reading:
– Frederick Allen’s book “Secret Formula”
– Mark Pendergrast’s book “For God, Country, and Coca-Cola”
– Doris Lockerman Kennedy’s book “Devotedly, Miss Nellie”
– Biographical tribute to Nell Hodgson Woodruff
– Various ISBN numbers for the recommended books

Robert W. Woodruff (Wikipedia)

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Robert Winship Woodruff (December 6, 1889 – March 7, 1985) was an American businessman who served as the president of The Coca-Cola Company from 1923 until 1985. With a large net worth, he was also a major philanthropist, and many educational and cultural landmarks in the U.S. city of Atlanta, Georgia, bear his name. Included among these are the Woodruff Arts Center, Woodruff Park, and the Robert W. Woodruff Library.

Robert W. Woodruff
Woodruff in 1944
Born	(1889-12-06)December 6, 1889 Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Died	March 7, 1985(1985-03-07) (aged 95)
Resting place	Westview Cemetery
Spouse	Nell Kendall Hodgson
Parents	Ernest Woodruff (father) Emily Carolyn Winship (mother)