THE MERCEA Publication for Alumni and Friends of Mercer University RIANFall 2002 • Volume 12, Number 2 Hatcher Leaves Footprints of Leadership By Judith Lunsford obert F. Hatcher, BB&T Georgia chairman, is all about School of Banking of the South. development districts. Each council At First National (renamed Trust has 30 to 40 people from the region leadership. He talks it, he walks it, and, fortunately, he Co. Bank and now known as who come together to discuss their SunTrust), Hatcher steadily moved up various business needs. generously provides it as a volunteer. the corporate ladder. In 1988, he was “The role of the Georgia Chamber senior vice president and senior credit is to represent the needs of business in During 2002, the Macon bank executive has filled three top officer at Trust Co. Bank of Middle the legislative session,” explained Georgia when First Liberty Financial Hatcher. “At these regional council Rleadership positions as chairman of Mercer University’s Board of Trustees, Corp. named him presi- meetings, the local mem- dent of Liberty Saving ‘Nothing seems bers are letting us know Macon’s Community Foundation and The Making of a Banker Georgia (UGA). He worked that sum- Bank’s Middle Georgia what they want the state impossible to Bob. the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Born in Kewanee, Ill., he spent his mer in the mailroom of First National Division. Chamber to work on. It has While Hatcher admits holding several formative years there, where his father Bank (owned by Trust Company Bank) A year later, Hatcher He has a realistic been a very beneficial com- major leadership positions at the same owned a Coca-Cola bottling company. in Macon, returning the next two sum- became president and side to him, but munication tool.” time can be challenging, he CEO of First Liberty he is always Charlotte McMullen, wears the responsibilities Financial Corp. & First Macon’s Chamber chair, comfortably. Liberty Bank. In 2000, pushing the sees the regional councils Sitting in his executive Liberty merged with envelope. His as an extension of Hatcher’s office on the first floor of BB&T, the 14th largest chairmanship will style of leadership. “Bob is the BB&T building in down- bank in the country, a very participatory kind of be remembered town Macon, he punctuates and today, Hatcher serves person,” she explained. his sentences with an easy as Georgia chairman for that.’ “He listens very well. He smile. His conversation of BB&T. has the ability to say, ‘What moves effortlessly from if we did this …’ and start a conversa- banking trends to the leg- A Natural Fit tion to bring everyone on board. islative needs of businesses Hatcher sees his involvement with “He understands that we will statewide to the need for the community as being a natural fit accomplish so much more if we are vision and values in busi- for him. “When you’re building a all working together,” said McMullen. ness today. It all reveals why bank, you tend to build a community “The regional councils give people others call upon the Macon at the same time. They work together,” outside of Atlanta an opportunity to get banker for direction and Family plays an important role in Bob Hatcher’s life. He always makes time for his wife, Georgia, left, his he said in a Macon Telegraph article involved in the state Chamber and son, Robbo, right, his daughter-in-law, Betsy, and his grandchildren, Felton, second from left, and Janie. leadership. earlier this year. that’s important for the economic “It is most important for After he graduated from high school, mers as a teller. He has carried his partnership phi- development of the whole state.” companies, particularly CEOs, to have his family moved to his parents’ home- After graduating from UGA in 1964, losophy forward during his year as a vision, to have values, and to live town of Macon. with majors in finance and marketing, Georgia Chamber president. This year His Time as Mercer’s Chairman them and articulate them,” said He discovered his career path he had several offers from banks. But the state Chamber, at Hatcher’s behest, With his current term on Mercer’s Hatcher, who has been chairman of while looking for a summer job after he chose to return to First National, established a regional council in each Board of Trustees coming to an end in Leadership Georgia, Leadership his freshman year at the University of and in 1975, graduated from the of the organization’s 12 economic — Continued on page 9 Macon and Leadership USA. “When they have these qualities, suddenly you don’t have ethics issues anymore University Honors Presented to Kay, Setzer, Withers By Lance Wallace because they are living the kind of values that really make a difference. Kay encourages graduates sessed as children as they set out to of life with refreshing imagination. ever stood before you in a classroom, It’s part of leadership, and it’s part build successful careers. That, more than a degree, will make a that it is perfectly acceptable to to rediscover childhood of success.” “I do not want to talk about who graduate successful, Kay said. reclaim your four-year-old mind, the It would be easy to believe that imagination. you will be, but who you have been,” “As you accept your documents of mind that dazzled you with its power Hatcher comes by his business Kay said. “I want to take you back to a diploma today — signifying success in of exploration, the mind that made acumen naturally as the grandson of ward-winning Georgia nov- time most of you will not remember your fields of study — I can tell you each moment inconceivably vibrant,” Eugene W. Stetson, one of the elist and screenwriter Terry clearly, but was, perhaps, the most on behalf of every person who has — Continued on page 9 country’s legendary business pioneers A Kay told graduates of Mercer important year of your life — back to From left, Terry Kay, Sarah Brown Withers, and one of Mercer’s most noted University’s four undergraduate that time when you were four years Mercer President R. Kirby Godsey and Rev. Bob Setzer alumni. After all, Stetson is credited schools in Macon to not let their edu- old. And I do this not from the with saving Illinois Central Railroad cation stand in the way of their imagi- reference of studies conducted from bankruptcy during the nation and ultimate success during by sociologists, but from my Depression, arranging the merger of commencement ceremonies in May. own observations as a Guaranty Trust Company of New More than 1,500 graduates of the parent of four children York with J.P. Morgan & Co, resulting College of Liberal Arts, Stetson School and four grandchil- in the formation of The Morgan of Business and Economics, School of dren.” Guaranty Trust Co., and brokering Engineering and Tift College of At four years the purchase of the Coca-Cola Education participated in the cere- old, Kay contended, Company from the Candlers by the monies held at the Macon Coliseum. the mind is not hin- Woodruff family. Kay, the author of such notable works dered by rigidity or Yet, Hatcher has blazed his own as To Dance With the White Dog, societal convention. trail that has earned him the trust and Shadow Song, The Runaway and It is the four-year-old respect of both business and commu- Taking Lottie Home, challenged the mind that sees and nity leaders throughout Georgia. graduates to retain the spark they pos- expresses the intricacies THE MERCERIAN CAMPUS TALK Fall 2002 • Vol. 12, No. 2 President R. Kirby Godsey university Executive Vice President Horace W. Fleming Senior Vice President for University Advancement and University Admissions Emily P. Myers By Lance Wallace Senior Vice President for Finance Fleming Named Executive V.P. and Administration Thomas G. Estes Jr. Provost ercer University wel- percent. He managed a university budg- Fleming said. “It is Dr. Horace W. Fleming, Peggy DuBose comed back Dr. Horace et of $240 million and initiated the first, a great time to be former president of Editor University of Southern Judith T. Lunsford W. Fleming Jr. as execu- comprehensive University fund-raising associated with Mississippi and former Production Editor M Richard L. Cameron tive vice president in July after five years. campaign. He led the university to Mercer University.” D.C.-based educational Managing Editor Reporting directly to the president, implement four new doctoral degree While serving consultant, is now chief Lance Wallace Fleming now serves as the senior offi- programs, seven new master’s degree as executive vice operating officer of Assistant Editor Mercer University. Lindsay M. Moss cer of the University and as the programs and eight new undergraduate president and Design Editor University’s chief operating officer. He degree programs while completing a provost at Mercer, Steve Mosley oversees all academic and administra- university-wide comprehensive technol- he was responsible for overseeing Writers Roban S. Johnson, Elizabeth Flader, tive programs of the University as well ogy reorganization and upgrade. the University’s annual budget Sonal Patel, Claude Smith as coordinating all the University’s He also led a $150 million building process and played key roles Photographers Jerry Bass, Tiffany Brown, Rod Reilly planning, program develop- program, which was in the establishment of Tift Dean, College of Liberal Arts ment and budget develop- funded and 50 percent College of Education and Richard C. Fallis ‘I am in awe of ment processes. He will complete as of last fall. McAfee School of Theology. Dean, School of Engineering M.