In Memoriam: J. Mack Robinson
J. Mack Robinson, Atlanta business leader, philanthropist, and namesake of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business died Friday, Feb. 7 after a long illness.
Robinson was born in Atlanta in 1923. His connection to Georgia State University extends back to 1941, when he enrolled in the Evening School of Commerce, which would later become GSU. During World War II he left college to enlist in the United States Army. Upon returning from the war, he embarked on a remarkably successful business career that spanned several decades and many areas of business including car sales, banking, insurance, high fashion, and horse racing. While he never finished his studies at Georgia State University, his ties to the school and the Atlanta community remained strong throughout his life. In 1994 he was recognized as a Georgia Philanthropist of the Year. Four years later he donated $10 million to the Georgia State University College of Business Administration, which would soon bear his name.