Thomas K. Hamall

Earliest dated public record of his professional work; named as educational director of the American Cancer Society.

Served in executive capacities for the American Cancer Society over roughly a decade; later an ACS Fellow at Columbia’s School of Public Health.

Initiated into Kappa Alpha Order as a University of Miami student; recognized in 2005 for fifty years of membership.

First director of development and public affairs; helped launch the clinic’s volunteer group.

Named director of development at the NJ College of Medicine and Dentistry, responsible for college programs with foundations and government agencies; a Plainfield, NJ resident.

Served as a loaned executive to the White House Conference on Children and Youth.

The role that brought the family to Columbus, Ohio. Responsible for the corporation’s state and local government relations, community relations, minority affairs and philanthropic programs.

Fellow in metropolitan governance and finance; senior fellow and director of the Academy’s Design Center for community communications; developed community leadership training. Concurrently special assistant to the president, Capital University.

Chaired the 1975 National Leadership Conference; later an incorporator of the National Association of Community Leadership Organizations (now the Community Leadership Association, Fanning Institute, University of Georgia).

Led a staff of ~60 across economic development, public affairs and membership; publisher of Atlanta Magazine (1974–77). In his own words, “running the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce on a daily basis.” A position equivalent to today’s chamber president. He succeeded Charles Crowder as executive vice president, and on his departure in February 1983 was succeeded by Gerald L. Bartels of the Jacksonville Chamber.

Selected as one of eleven U.S. businessmen to tour Japan (11–25 Jan 1976) as guests of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; authored the essay “Kipling Was Wrong: East & West Can Meet, Intermingle.” Origin of the international-trade work Atlanta credited him with.

Presentation from the forest-products company (the mounted pine cone) during his Chamber years.

Engraved presentation plate from the Atlanta literacy nonprofit.

Elected chairman of ACCE’s Metro Cities Council (the 63 largest U.S. metros) for a second consecutive year; recognized with the ACCE Award of Recognition and presiding gavel.

Regional counterpart to his national ACCE service.

Named a Georgia International Business Fellow. Sources conflict on the host institution: PBA (c.2001) states “University of London”; the Background Summary and Nelms obituary state “London School of Business.” The fellowship is proven; the specific school is contested pending a primary record.

Honored for outstanding contributions to the department and the city. Presented during the Atlanta missing-and-murdered-children crisis, in which the Chamber took an active role; he was quoted by name in national AP coverage.

Led the state association of chamber executives — the leadership tier above his national (ACCE) and regional (SACCE) board service.

Ceremonial groundbreaking (silver shovel) for Lenbrook Square; elected to the original Lenbrook board December 1980; later founding member, president and board chairman of the Lenbrook Foundation.

Honorary Delta Air Lines commission (Garrett-signed, bearing the Atlanta Chamber seal) during his Chamber years.

A working desk object from the strategic-planning thread that ran through his career; kept on the family’s desks for decades.

On leaving the Atlanta Chamber in February 1983, Hamall became regional president and COO of American City Bureau / Beaver Associates — a national fund-raising, consulting, and management firm — directing its operations in the South and West from offices in Atlanta.

Formed the Peachtree City–based consulting firm specializing in strategic planning; clients included the Governor’s (Georgia) Growth Strategies Commission, the City of Jacksonville, Coweta-Fayette EMC, and the U.S. Peace Corps Office of Inspector General.

As president of Arbor Gate, facilitated the Mobile (Alabama) Area Chamber’s goals conference; interviewed community leaders and reported public education as the most critical issue.

Commended for dedication and professionalism assisting the Peace Corps OIG (an Arbor Gate client).

Headed Georgia Tech’s Civic Affairs program from 1989; in April 1991 was named Director of University Partnerships, a new department built to strengthen the Institute’s ties to alumni, industry, chambers of commerce, local governments, and school systems across the state. Retired 1998.

Presented at the GaPIE 4th Annual Meeting for outstanding service in 1992, in his University Partnerships role at Georgia Tech.

Given at the Atlanta Chamber’s annual meeting for his work as chairman of the Partners for Education Strategic Planning Committee.

Thanked (Odie C. Donald, chairman) for the Strategic Planning Team’s work to reposition Atlanta Partners for Education.

Certificate signed by president G. Wayne Clough at his 1998 retirement.

Founding father of AETC, which operates WABE-FM and WPBA-TV; created a unique governance structure credited with putting the stations on firm financial footing.

Honored for many years of distinguished service, in the year of his retirement.

Received the inaugural Louis W. Sullivan Award (named for the Morehouse School of Medicine president and PBA board chairman); recognized as retiring board chairman of Lenbrook and founding father of AETC.

For meritorious service to the Peachtree City Commission on Children and Youth, which he helped found.

Volunteer tutor in the Fayette County (GA) public schools.

Co-chairman of the Southeast Volusia County (FL) schools mentoring council.

Co-created (with Fayette FACTOR) the ENCORE! senior leadership program; went through the first class (Jan 2009) as a participant. Also served on the Development Authority of Peachtree City.

Died of cancer; memorial Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Peachtree City. Survived by wife Barbara; daughters Mary Morales, Eileen Desai, Annette Freeman, Rosemary Martinez and Claire Moyer; son Kenneth Hamall; and 13 grandchildren.