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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
Friday, October 2, 2026
Egbert Perry Honored with Council for Quality Growth’s 37th Four Pillar Tribute
Atlanta Celebrates Egbert Perry’s Visionary Leadership and Community Commitment
ATLANTA, GA – On October 1, 2026, the Council for Quality Growth held its 37th annual Four Pillar Tribute in honor of Egbert Perry for his commitment and lasting contributions to metro Atlanta, Georgia. His chosen theme for the evening, Integrity. Innovation. Impact., was inspired by the principles that have shaped Egbert Perry’s leadership, business philosophy, and body of work over more than four decades in real estate development. The 2026 Four Pillar Tribute was presented by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Delta Air Lines, Georgia Power, and Norfolk Southern. Egbert received the Four Pillar Award among friends, family, and 1,300 other guests in the Georgia Ballroom of the Georgia World Congress Center.
Gerald McDowell, 2026 Chair of the Council for Quality Growth and Executive Director of the ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts, presented Egbert with the Four Pillar Award. “Egbert Perry’s impact on metro Atlanta extends far beyond the communities he’s helped build — it can be seen in the opportunities he’s created, the partnerships he’s fostered, and the countless lives he’s touched,” said McDowell. “His visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to building stronger communities have helped shape our region’s growth and continue to inspire the next generation of leaders.”
[From left to right: Gerald McDowell, Larry Gellerstedt III, Renee Lewis Glover, Egbert Perry, Rian Smith,
Miguel Southwell, T. Dallas Smith, and Michael Paris]
In his acceptance remarks, 2026 Four Pillar Honoree Egbert Perry expressed deep gratitude for being recognized among the distinguished leaders who have received the award before him. Reflecting on his journey from Antigua to Atlanta, Perry spoke about the people, experiences and opportunities that have shaped his life and career, while emphasizing the responsibility of leadership to expand participation and opportunity for others.
Perry’s message centered on the importance of transformational leadership and the role that expanding access to opportunity has played in Atlanta’s growth. He reflected on the lasting impact of leaders like Maynard Jackson, whose efforts to broaden economic participation helped reshape the city and create pathways for future generations. “Atlanta became stronger because more people were allowed to participate in building it,” said Perry. He challenged the audience to recognize that Atlanta’s continued influence depends on each generation’s willingness to confront systems of exclusion, support integrity in leadership, embrace innovation and continue widening participation.
He credited his family, friends, colleagues, mentors and the Integral team for their roles in his journey, offering special recognition to his wife of 46 years, Renee. Drawing inspiration from Bob Marley’s message of shared humanity and interconnectedness, Perry encouraged attendees to consider who remains outside the rooms where power, opportunity and prosperity are distributed—and their own responsibility for changing that. He concluded by reminding the audience that Atlanta, the region and the world are shared projects, and that each generation inherits a responsibility to continue the work of those who came before them. “So, it is time for us to get back to work on our group projects.”
Michael E. Paris, President & CEO of the Council for Quality Growth, added, “Tonight is a celebration of Egbert Perry’s extraordinary contributions to Atlanta and the lasting impact of his leadership. His commitment to creating opportunity, strengthening communities, and expanding economic participation has helped shape our region into what it is today. Egbert’s legacy reminds us that the true measure of growth is not just what we build, but the opportunities we create for others.”
[Left: Overhead view of the 2026 Four Pillar Tribute; Council for Quality Growth’s 2026 Chair Gerald McDowell presents Egbert Perry with the 2026 Four Pillar Award]
The Four Pillar Tribute recognizes leadership and how the recipients display the ‘Four Pillars’ of leadership – Quality, Responsibility, Vision, and Integrity – through their work and in their everyday lives. A distinguished group of speakers paid tribute to Egbert Perry. On Quality, Renee Lewis Glover, Chief Strategy Officer & Co-Founder at Coretto Associates, LLC, spoke to the standard Egbert has brought to building communities where people can live well. “For Egbert, quality begins with one fundamental truth: Every human being has God-given value, and for Egbert, quality begins with understanding that value. It shapes the standard he brings to what we build, how we lead, and what we ask of ourselves,” she shared.
On Responsibility, T. Dallas Smith, Founder and CEO of T. Dallas Smith & Company, reflected on how Egbert Perry has carried a deep sense of responsibility throughout his career—to his word, his relationships, and the communities he has helped build. Drawing on their shared connection to H.J. Russell & Company and Egbert’s longstanding commitment to Centennial Place and Centennial Academy, Smith emphasized how Egbert has remained invested in the people and communities impacted by his work long after a project is complete. Smith described Egbert as a friend, business partner, and “big brother” whose example taught him that responsibility in business and responsibility to the community are inseparable.
On Vision, Rian Smith, Chief Legal Impact Officer at The Integral Group and Egbert’s daughter, highlighted her father’s ability to challenge accepted limitations and envision what could be possible. “My father’s vision is about refusing to accept that the future must be limited by what we inherited. Not simply seeing what does not yet exist, but believing, and then proving, that what exists today does not have to define what comes next,” Smith shared, emphasizing how Egbert’s vision has shaped his approach to building communities, creating economic value, and expanding opportunity.
On Integrity, Larry Gellerstedt III, Partner at Sweetwater Holdings, spoke about the character and values that have guided Egbert Perry throughout his career and shaped his approach to leadership. Gellerstedt reflected on how Egbert’s integrity is evident in the way he conducts business, builds relationships and serves his community, emphasizing the consistency between the values he holds and the impact he has made throughout his life and career.
The evening’s program highlighted Egbert’s impact on the Atlanta community through carefully curated performances. The Four Pillar Tribute opened with A Celebration of Home, featuring PanSonics Steel Band and the Caribbean Dancers of Atlanta in a nod to his Caribbean roots and Antiguan heritage, and later featured a Cultural Tribute, Building Community Through Art, presented by NEXT Atlanta. The tribute featured NEXT Co-Founder and Creative Director Faith Carmichael and artists Jon Goode, Kenny Banks Jr., and Bria Anai through live performances celebrating Egbert’s decades-long support of Atlanta’s creative community and his role as NEXT’s first patron.
Miguel Southwell, President and CEO of Brakkam Aviation Management, served as the Tribute’s Master of Ceremonies. The evening also featured video remarks from Georgia’s 83rd Governor, Brian Kemp, and Atlanta’s 61st Mayor, Andre Dickens, welcomed guests to the City of Atlanta. “The Council understands that growth is not simply about what we build. It is about how we build, who we serve, and what kind of region we want to leave for the next generation. That is why the Four Pillars remain so meaningful. Tonight, we celebrate a leader whose career reflects those pillars, Egbert Perry,” said Mayor Dickens. Video presentations were provided by presenting sponsors Delta Air Lines, Georgia Power, and Norfolk Southern.
The evening concluded with a special Tribute Film for Egbert, titled “Integrity. Innovation. Impact.,” which told his story of leadership and impact on our Atlanta region. The Tribute Chairs and sponsors who helped make the evening possible can be found in the 2026 Four Pillar Tribute program.
[Left: Egbert Perry with the 2026 Four Pillar Award; Right: Mayor Andre Dickens; Bottom: Egbert Perry delivering his acceptance remarks]
[Left: former Four Pillar Award recipients; Right: Rian Smith and Egbert Perry]
The prestigious Four Pillar Tribute annually recognizes an outstanding individual who demonstrates the ‘Four Pillars’ of leadership – Quality, Responsibility, Vision, and Integrity – and exemplifies the Council’s mission of promoting balanced and responsible growth. The Council for Quality Growth is proud to add Egbert Perry to its list of Four Pillar Award recipients.
The full recording of the event, the Tribute Film, and the photo gallery will be posted to www.FourPillarTribute.com as soon as they are available.
A digital program from the event can be downloaded here: https://www.fourpillartribute.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-Four-Pillar-Tribute-Printed-Program-FINAL-1.pdf
About the Council’s Four Pillar Tribute:
For 37 years, the Council for Quality Growth has paid tribute to an outstanding individual in the metro Atlanta region who exemplifies the Council’s mission of promoting balanced and responsible growth through an annual leadership tribute gala that recognizes the ‘Four Pillars’ of leadership – Quality, Responsibility, Vision, and Integrity.
The Four Pillar Award and Tribute is an unparalleled honor that allows the opportunity for the metro Atlanta region and State of Georgia to celebrate the recipient’s significant contributions to quality of life, community leadership, and economic development. The gala and award have come to be known as the highest honor bestowed for the contributions. The event provides a platform to align the honorees’ impacts on the region and the state with the Council’s ambitions and serves as a beacon of inspiration to perpetuate our economic prosperity. More information about the annual Four Pillar Tribute can be found at www.FourPillarTribute.com.
Past recipients of the Council’s Four Pillar Award include:
|
1990 Steve Reynolds |
2002 George Busbee | 2014 Steve Selig |
| 1991 Wayne Shackelford | 2003 F. Wayne Hill | 2015 Dan Cathy |
| 1992 J.W. Benefield | 2004 Charlie Brown | 2016 Jenny Pruitt |
| 1993 D. Scott Hudgens | 2005 Senator Johnny Isakson | 2017 Governor Nathan Deal |
| 1994 Wayne H. Mason | 2006 John Wieland | 2018 Paul Bowers |
| 1995 Virgil R. Williams | 2007 John A. Williams | 2019 Larry Gellerstedt |
| 1996 Paul A. Duke | 2008 Tom Cousins | 2020 Doug Hertz |
| 1997 Jim Cowart | 2009 Mayor Shirley Franklin | 2021 Amb. Andrew J. Young |
| 1998 J.D. Caswell | 2010 Arthur M. Blank | 2022 Carol B. Tomé |
| 1999 A. Ray Weeks | 2011 R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr. | 2023 Ed Bastian |
| 2000 Richard L. Tucker | 2012 Sam Massell | 2024 The H.J. Russell Family |
| 2001 Louise Radloff | 2013 John Portman | 2025 Tommy Holder |
About the Council for Quality Growth:
The Council for Quality Growth is a trade organization that works to ensure continued growth and economic success for generations to come by providing advocacy, information, and education to its members. In its 41st year, the Council is committed to the mission of promoting balanced and responsible growth and is proactively involved in the formulation of policy and legislation critical to the growth and development industry. The Council addresses, head-on, strategic economic planning, infrastructure needs, and tough quality-of-life issues throughout the metro Atlanta region and state. For more information, please visit http://www.councilforqualitygrowth.org.
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