The Georgia Trustees
The highest honor the State of Georgia can confer.
In conjunction with the Governor’s Office, the Georgia Historical Society reestablished the Georgia Trustees as a way of recognizing Georgians whose accomplishments and community service reflect the highest ideals of the founding body of Trustees.
The original Georgia Trustees, a governing body chartered and appointed by His Majesty King George II of England in 1732 to establish a new colony in North America, founded Georgia upon the principle of Non Sibi, Sed Aliis, “Not for Self but for Others.” GHS and the Governor’s Office reestablished the Trustees in 2008. The Governor annually appoints new Trustees whose history-making accomplishments and service reflect the original Trustees’ ideals.
The 2025 Trustees Gala
On April 26, 2025, the Georgia Historical Society (GHS), Office of the Governor, and leaders from across our state inducted the 2025 Georgia Trustees, Walter M. “Sonny” Deriso, Jr., Banker, Attorney, and Civic Leader, and Craig Menear, Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Home Depot. The history-making accomplishments and service of these two exemplary Georgians reflect the original Trustees’ philosophy of Non Sibi, Sed Aliis, “Not for Self, but for Others.”
Save the Date
The 2026 Trustees Gala
April 18, 2026
Previous Inductees
2025
Banker, Attorney, and Civic Leader
Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Home Depot
2024
17th U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
CEO of UPS
2023
Chairman and CEO of Aflac Inc.
President and CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
2022
Chairman of Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Former Mayor of Atlanta and Civic Leader
2021
Former Executive Chairman of the UPS Board of Directors
Executive Vice President and COO of Baranco Automotive Group
2020
President and CEO of R.L. Brown & Associates, Inc.
Founder and CEO of Jepson Associates, Inc.
2019
Retired Chairman and CEO of The Home Depot
Vice Chairman Emeritus of the Atlanta Braves
2018
CEO of Delta Air Lines
Retired Chairman, President, and CEO of Georgia Power
2017
Retired Chairman of the Board and CEO of BellSouth
Retired CEO of Georgia-Pacific
2016
Retired Chairman of the Board and CEO of Synovus
Chairman of the Board and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company
2015
Co-founder of the Shepherd Center
President and Co-founder of the Savannah College of Art and Design
2014
Co-founder of The Home Depot, Owner of the Atlanta Falcons
Former Chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club, Chairman of Centennial Holding Company, LLC
2013
Founder of Chick-fil-A
Founder of H.J. Russell & Company
2012
Founder of Cousins Properties, Inc., Founder of Purpose Built Communities
Former UN Ambassador and Mayor of Atlanta
2011
Legendary UGA Football Coach
Former U.S. Senator
2010
Baseball Legend
Founder of CNN, Chairman of Turner Enterprises, Inc.
2009
Co-founder of The Home Depot
(honored posthumously), Community Volunteer and Philanthropist
Support GHS
For more information on giving to GHS, please contact Ashley Rainge-Shields, Development Associate.