Savannah, GA, July 1, 2025 – The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is pleased to welcome several distinguished business and civic leaders to the GHS Board of Curators: Mary Beth Coke, Ted Decker, Robert M. Levy, and Rosa Tarbutton Sumter. Elected at the 186th Annual Meeting of the Board of Curators held at the GHS Jepson House Education Center in Savannah on June 12, these new board members bring significant experience in finance, corporate leadership, investment management, and community engagement to Georgia’s premier historical institution.
“The level of influence and visibility enjoyed by any non-profit institution is directly tied to the quality and reputation of its board, and non-profits are only as good as the people who lead them,” said Dr. W. Todd Groce, President and CEO of the Georgia Historical Society. “The Georgia Historical Society is blessed to have these outstanding new members that further strengthen our leadership team, allowing us to fulfill our teaching and research mission and enhance our reputation as the trusted source for history in this state. They bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and influence, positioning GHS for success as a nationally recognized research and educational institution.”
Mary Beth Coke joined Regions Bank in 2023 and serves as Atlanta Market Executive and Commercial Banking District Director for Georgia and the Carolinas. Regions is a bank headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, with operations across the South, Midwest, and Texas. Prior to joining Regions, she was Head of Georgia Middle Market Banking at Truist, where she led a team providing strategic banking solutions to local companies. Her previous leadership roles at Truist included positions in Commercial Banking Syndicated & Leveraged Finance, Healthcare Acquisition Finance, and Structuring and Portfolio Management. She brings extensive experience across a range of industries, including healthcare, industrials, business services, and consumer retail.
A graduate of Georgia Tech, Coke holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management with a concentration in International Affairs. She is a committed civic leader and has served as Board Chair of the Georgia Council on Economic Education, promoting financial literacy and economic education for K–12 teachers and students across the state. She currently serves on several prominent boards, including the Rotary Club of Atlanta, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Woodruff Arts Center, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Georgia Allies.
Ted Decker is chair, president, and CEO of The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, with more than 2,300 stores and approximately 475,000 associates. Since joining the company in 2000 as Director of Business Valuation, he has held a range of strategic leadership roles across the organization, including Chief Merchant, Executive Vice President of Merchandising, and president and COO. Over the course of his career, Decker has led key areas such as global operations, merchandising, supply chain, marketing, and online strategy. He now guides the company’s efforts to create a seamless, interconnected retail experience for both Pro and DIY customers, while fostering The Home Depot’s distinctive culture. He also serves on the company’s board of directors.
Before joining The Home Depot, Decker held leadership positions in business development, strategic planning, and finance at Kimberly-Clark Corporation and Scott Paper Company, and earlier in corporate finance and lending at PNC Bank. His career includes international experience in England and Australia. Decker currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Carnegie Mellon University and on the Atlanta Committee for Progress board. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from The College of William and Mary and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University.
Robert M. Levy, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, retired in 2016 following a distinguished career in the investment industry. He was a Partner, Chairman, and Chief Investment Officer for U.S. Equities at Harris Associates LP, a Chicago-based investment firm. He earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Vanderbilt University in 1972 and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania in 1974. At Penn, he has remained an engaged alumnus, serving as campaign chairman for the Power of Penn Campaign, vice chairman of the Penn board in 2005, and chairman of its Investment Committee.
Levy currently serves on the Board of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he was chairman from 2014 to 2021. He is also a member of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trustees, serving on the Investment, Development, and Executive Committees.
Rosa Tarbutton Sumter is a fifth-generation native of Washington County, Georgia, and was raised in Sandersville. She graduated from Salem Academy in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and earned a B.A. in History and Art History from Emory University. She then spent a decade working in marketing at Norfolk Southern Corporation before retiring to focus on raising her family. Since then, she has remained deeply engaged as a community volunteer and philanthropist. Sumter currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Sandersville Railroad Company, her family’s 130-year-old short-line railroad. A member of the Emory University Board of Trustees since 2018, she serves on the Audit and Compliance Committee, the Real Estate, Building and Grounds Committee, and the Campus Life Committee. She previously served on the Emory College Alumni Board.
An active advocate for environmental conservation, Sumter has been a member of the Cherokee Garden Club since 2011 and has served on its Executive Board since 2015, co-chairing the Conservation, Horticulture, and Programs Committees. She has also served for several years as a delegate to the Garden Club of America's National Affairs and Legislation Conference in Washington, D.C., helping to raise congressional awareness of the organization’s legislative priorities.
Officers of the Board include David Abney, Chair; Clyde C. Tuggle, Vice-Chair; Reed Dulany III, Secretary; Larry D. Thompson, Treasurer; and Dr. W. Todd Groce, GHS President and CEO. The officers join fellow Curators Kevin S. Blair, Frank S. Blake (ex-officio), James H. Blanchard (ex-officio), Stephanie V. Blank, Ellen B. Bolch, Mark Burns, Dan T. Cathy, Kimberly S. Greene, Venessa Harrison, Jeff Kole, Dr. William T. Moore (ex-officio), Sam Nunn (honorary), Beatriz R. Perez, H. Jerome Russell, and Carol B. Tomé.
For more information on the Board of Curators or the Georgia Historical Society, please contact Catherine Kilburg, Communications Coordinator, at 912.651.2125, ext. 121, or by email at ckilburg@georgiahistory.com.
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ABOUT THE GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is the premier independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia and American history. GHS houses the oldest and most distinguished collection of materials related exclusively to Georgia history in the nation.
To learn more visit georgiahistory.com.