CLASSNOTES
ALUMNI PROFILE
A “responsibility” to get involved to raise money in Georgia for Sen. Dick Gephardt’s campaign. When Gephardt left the race, Stolz went to work for Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young as a lobbyist for the city and was actively involved in the city’s successful bids for the 1996 Olympic by Kelly Simmons Games and the 2000 Super Bowl. Robert Stolz had been in In 1989, Tom Perdue, chief Charlotte just a couple of weeks of staff for Georgia Gov. Joe when a group of older men from Frank Harris while Stolz worked the business community came for Young, asked Stolz to help to visit him. him start up a series of small They handed him a list of banks in metro Atlanta counties. organizations—the state DemoStolz found himself again in the cratic party, the state Chamber fundraising role, pursuing invesof Commerce, Leadership North tors to launch the banks. Soon Carolina—and suggested he get after the banks were established, involved with them. they were sold to SouthTrust. It Stolz (AB ’85) told them was time for Stolz to move on thanks, he’d look into it. That once again. wasn’t good enough apparHis wife’s father had a busiently so they made the message ness selling lumber to furniture clearer. makers. He asked Stolz to run “If you live here and do ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER his small branch office in Charbusiness here you don’t just ROBERT STOLZ lotte and expand the company. live here and do business here,” “I knew nothing about the Stolz says he was told. “You have a business, ” Stolz says, “but I knew enough to surround responsibility to get involved.” myself with good and smart folks.” Since then he has been very involved. Currently chair He and wife Anne Gray Howard (BSEd ’85) moved to man of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, Stolz Charlotte and Stolz hit the road once again, opening branch also has served as chair of the State Economic Developoffices of Charlotte Hardwood Center throughout the Southment Board and the board of directors for the N.C. Departeast. In seven years the company grew from one branch ofment of Commerce. He also is a member of the board of fice to nine and from $5 million in revenues to $55 million. directors of Novant Healthcare and Charlotte Country Day In 1999, the Wurth Group, a family-owned company School. out of Europe, offered to buy the company. Stolz liked the Meanwhile he’s helped grow a lumber company into people and agreed to sell, planning to stay on for just a few part of a major conglomerate with subsidiaries in 84 counyears. He has been there ever since, and as the company tries. has continued to grow he has moved from head of U.S. This was not the career he expected when he left UGA operations to overseeing operations throughout North in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. America. He’s now on the company’s management board, “I was going to law school,” says Stolz, whose dad providing the strategic vision for the different companies and grandfather were lawyers and served terms as state within the corporation. judges. His brother is a lawyer and his mom a paralegal. “It’s all about people,” says Stolz, now an advisory “I went to law school. I hated it and dropped out,” he trustee for the Arch Foundation at UGA. “You’re leadsays, adding that the decision was not a popular one at ing people, motivating people. The trick is to hire people home. smarter than you.” It was 1987 and campaigns for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination were in full swing. Stolz signed on
Entrepreneur Robert Stolz isn’t just about his business—he’s also working for the good of North Carolina
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2009
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