IN MEMORIAM
J. Paul Raines
IE 85, of Southlake, Texas, on March 4 RAINES WAS A RENOWNED BUSINESS EXECUTIVE and active supporter of
Georgia Tech. As the CEO of GameStop, Raines diversified the video game retailer into digital businesses and expanded it into other retail technology stores through acquisitions. In 2013, GameStop started buying AT&T and Cricket stores, becoming the largest AT&T store operator. Later, GameStop also purchased collectibles retailer ThinkGeek and Apple-authorized reseller Simply Mac. Raines was determined that Ga m e S to p wo u ld l ea r n f ro m the mistakes of other retailers affected by the internet. He bristled at comparisons to now-defunct Blockbuster Video and always took the time to explain why GameStop was different. In 2014, Raines had a brain tumor removed and later resigned as GameStop CEO following a medical reoccurrence. “Paul was a brilliant man and r e m a rk ab l e v i s io n a r y, a s we l l as a compassionate, caring and
Editor’s Note: For this issue of the Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine, we have changed the format for the In Memoriam section. We will include an abbreviated version of each obituary in print, while publishing the full obituaries on our website. To read more, please visit gtalumni.org/magazine.
inspirational community leader who was beloved by many,” says GameStop CEO Mike Mauler. Raines came to GameStop in 2008 as chief operating officer from Home Depot, where he spent eight years in various management jobs that included executive vice president and president of the more than 2,000-store Southern division of the Atlantabased company. Before joining Home Depot, h e s p e n t fo u r yea r s in global sourcing for L.L. Bean and 10 years with the Kurt Salmon Associates consumer products group. His career included stints in Mexico, as well as Central and South America. Raines also served on the board of J.C. Penney until he resigned in January.
1940s M. R. “Andy” Anderson, EE 47, of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., on Jan. 9. Gilbert Bachman, ME 46, of Boca Raton, Fla., on March 4. William Edward “Bill” Counts, CerE 43, of Orange, Calif., on Feb. 2.
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He is survived by his wife, Claudia, and children Victoria, BA 16, and Julian, Cls 20.
Marvin William Blumberg, IM 40, of Dallas, Texas, on March 12. Philip I. Emmer, CE 49, of Gainesville, Fla., on March 12. Robert Ferd “Bob” Engeman Sr., IE 48, of McDonough, Ga., on March 6. Alden C. “John” Flint, MS IM 48, of Charleston, S.C., on March 13.
Walter Hamilton Foster, Jr., EE 49, of Forest Park, Ga., on Feb. 4. Sam N. Glass, EE 45, of Atlanta, on Jan. 18. Jean Raymond Dietrich Hecht, Cls 45, of Toms River, N.J., on Jan. 23. Charles Edwin Hodges, ChE 45, of Portland, Maine, on Jan. 14.