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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
Friday, October 17, 2025
Tommy Holder Receives Council for Quality Growth’s 36th Annual Four Pillar Award
Atlanta Celebrates Tommy Holder’s Visionary Leadership and Community Commitment
ATLANTA, GA – On October 16, 2025, the Council for Quality Growth held its 36th annual Four Pillar Tribute in honor of Thomas M. “Tommy” Holder for his commitment and lasting contributions to metro Atlanta, Georgia. His chosen theme for the evening, Opportunity – Empowerment – Integrity, was inspired by the principles that have quietly shaped his career and civic life. The 2025 Four Pillar Tribute was presented by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Delta Air Lines, Georgia Power, and Norfolk Southern. Tommy received the Four Pillar Award among friends, family, and 1,400 other guests in the Georgia Ballroom of the Georgia World Congress Center.
Clyde Higgs, 2025 Chair of the Council for Quality Growth and President & CEO of Atlanta Beltline, Inc., presented Tommy with the Four Pillar Award. “Tommy’s impact can be felt all across metro Atlanta — in the projects he’s built, the people he’s mentored, and the partnerships he’s helped strengthen,” said Higgs. “He’s played a major role in shaping the growth of our region and continues to set an example of leadership and integrity for all of us.”
[From left to right: Reverend Sam Candler, Beth Lowry, Clyde Higgs, Tommy Holder, Doug Hertz,
Donna Hyland, Dr. Ángel Cabrera, and Michael Paris]
In his acceptance remarks, Four Pillar Honoree Tommy Holder expressed deep humility and gratitude for being recognized among leaders he has long admired. He spoke about the privilege of contributing to Atlanta’s continued growth and the responsibility that comes with success, both as a builder and as a community leader.
Holder’s message centered on the Four Pillars of leadership – Quality, Responsibility, Vision, Integrity – four values that have guided his life and career. These pillars have also defined Holder Construction’s reputation as one of the nation’s premier builders. “I simply see myself as a contractor who wants to be known as an honest, dependable builder and a strong leader to an exceptional group of individuals at Holder Construction,” said Holder.
He credited his success to the people around him, including his family, colleagues, and mentors, emphasizing that none of it was achieved alone. “If I’ve excelled at anything,” he shared, “it’s been surrounding myself with people so much smarter and more capable than I am.” Holder concluded by encouraging others to give back through service, reminding the audience that true fulfillment comes not only from professional achievement but also from investing in the community that makes it possible. “No matter how much you give,” he said, “you always receive more in return.”
Michael E. Paris, President & CEO of the Council for Quality Growth, added, “Tonight is a testament to the incredible impact Tommy Holder has had on Atlanta. His leadership has shaped skylines, strengthened communities, and inspired countless others to build with purpose. The success our region celebrates today is due in no small part to Tommy’s commitment to quality and excellence.”
[Council for Quality Growth’s 2025 Chair Clyde Higgs presents Tommy Holder with the 2025 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 Tommy Holder. On Quality, Beth Lowry, President & CEO of Holder Construction and Tommy’s successor, spoke to the values that have defined his leadership. “From the beginning, Tommy demonstrated that quality starts with character. He believed that what we build reflects who we are — that our word matters, that relationships are sacred, and that excellence is achieved through care, not chance,” she shared.
On Responsibility, Donna Hyland, CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, reflected on how Tommy approaches every role with purpose, whether leading a major organization, mentoring young professionals, or supporting the community he loves. She noted his sense of responsibility extends beyond business—it’s about improving lives and creating opportunities for others to succeed. “When you look at the many definitions of responsibility—thoughtful decision making, reliable, integrity, fulfills commitments, contributes positively to communities and the well-being of others, sets a positive example, and is mindful of the impact you have on the world—Tommy Holder represents all of those attributes,” she said. Hyland worked closely with Tommy during his recently concluded tenure as Board Chair at Children’s Healthcare, in which he oversaw the building of the new Arthur M. Blank Hospital.
On Vision, Dr. Ángel Cabrera, President of the Georgia Institute of Technology, highlighted Tommy’s exceptional foresight and problem-solving skills. “Tommy has always had the rare ability to see problems coming and chart the right course to turn them into opportunities. He is a true business mind and problem solver. Whether it is in business, or his philanthropic endeavors, Tommy has a gift for making the most out of any challenge before him,” Cabrera said, emphasizing how Tommy’s vision has guided both his professional leadership and his impact on the Atlanta community. Tommy is a Georgia Tech alum and currently serves as Chair of the Georgia Tech Foundation Board.
On Integrity, the Very Reverend Sam Candler, Dean at the Cathedral of St. Philip, where Tommy has been a lifelong member, spoke about how Tommy’s faith and character have shaped his leadership and his life’s work. Candler reflected on how Tommy’s integrity is evident in every aspect of his life, from his relationships to his leadership in business and community. “Tommy Holder holds things together,” said Candler. “He holds his family together, his community together, and held his company together,” said Candler.
The evening’s program highlighted Tommy’s impact on the Atlanta community through carefully curated performances. The Four Pillar Tribute opened with a performance by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Marching Band, a nod to his alma mater, and later featured a musical tribute by Slater Nalley, 2025 American Idol finalist, Atlanta native, and Lovett School graduate. Slater Nalley performed four pieces selected for Tommy, featuring songs he performed on American Idol Season 23 and his debut single, “Foolish Pride,” which was just released today (October 17).
Doug Hertz, 2020 Four Pillar Tribute recipient and Chairman & CEO of United Distributors, 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 Four Pillar Tribute is reserved for those leaders who have moved the needle for this region, and I am so pleased to see Tommy join the ranks of some of Georgia’s most accomplished business executives and community champions,” said Mayor Dickens. Arthur Blank with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and Deon Tucker with Georgia Power spoke on behalf of their companies, and video presentations were provided by presenting sponsors Delta Air Lines and Norfolk Southern.
The evening concluded with a special Tribute video for Tommy, titled “Opportunity – Empowerment – Integrity,” which told his story of leadership and impact on our Atlanta region. An esteemed group of Tribute Chairs were selected to pay tribute to Tommy and his lasting impact on our region and state, including:
| John Ahmann | Dr. Ángel Cabrera | Jonathan Goldman | Donna Hyland | Michael Russell Sr. |
| Ed Bastian | Dan T. Cathy | Kim Greene | Phil Jacobs | Bill Schwartz |
| Liz Blake | Shan Cooper | Ernest Greer | Katie Kirkpatrick | Alana Shepherd |
| Arthur M. Blank | Sonny Deriso | W. Todd Grace | Hala Moddelmog | T. Dallas Smith |
| Jim Borders | Elise Eplan | Doug Hertz | C. David Moody Jr. | Clyde C. Tuggle |
| Paul Bowers | J. Rex Fuqua | Bob Holder | Tom Noonan | Kathy Waller |
| Paul J. Brown | Larry Gellerstedt III | Hilton H. Howell Jr. | Norman Radow | |
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 Tommy Holder to its list of Four Pillar Award recipients.
Top Left: Holder Family; Top Right: Slater Nalley; Bottom Left: former Four Pillar Award recipients;
Bottom Right: Dr. Ángel Cabrera and Tommy Holder
The full recording of the event, the Tribute Video, 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/2025/10/2025-Four-Pillar-Tribute-Program-FINAL.pdf
About the Council’s Four Pillar Tribute:
For 36 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. For 40 years, the Council has been 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. Visit www.councilforqualitygrowth.org for more.
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