Robert Woodruff President of the Coca-Cola Company from 1923 to 1954 Date of Birth: 06.12.1889 Country: USA

Biography of Robert Woodruff

Robert W. Woodruff was born on December 6, 1889, in Columbus, Georgia. He was the son of Ernest Woodruff, a businessman from Atlanta who led a group of investors that purchased the Coca-Cola company in 1919 from Asa Griggs Candler. Woodruff attended the Georgia Military Academy and later enrolled in the Georgia Tech. However, he was expelled from both institutions.

Woodruff began his career as a laborer for the General Pipe and Foundry company in Atlanta, where he eventually became a vice president. During World War I, he joined the United States Army Artillery Corps and contributed to the development of a new truck that could only be produced by White Motors. This helped White Motors become a leading sales company in its sector during the war.

In 1923, when Coca-Cola faced financial difficulties, Woodruff was elected as the new president at the age of 33. Under his leadership, Coca-Cola transformed into an international company with a huge turnover. He stepped down as the head of the company in 1954 but remained on the board of directors until 1984.

Woodruff was not only a successful businessman but also a prominent philanthropist. Many educational and cultural institutions in Atlanta, Georgia, bear his name. In 1979, he and his brother George donated $105 million to Emory University, and in total, the university received $230 million from the Woodruff Foundation. Woodruff also supported other colleges and universities.

Woodruff played an important role in organizing a special dinner in Atlanta to honor Martin Luther King Jr., who had received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. The event had initially struggled to sell tickets until Woodruff announced his support for the banquet.

It is known that Woodruff's personal chauffeur was Luther Cain Jr., the father of businessman Herman Cain, who ran as a Republican candidate for president in 2012.

Robert Woodruff passed away on March 7, 1985, and was buried at Westview Cemetery in southwest Atlanta. His legacy as a successful businessman and generous philanthropist continues to impact the city and its educational institutions.