Troutman Sanders Mourns Passing of Gov. Carl Sanders
Troutman Sanders LLP is sad to announce that Carl E. Sanders, who first achieved prominence in Georgia politics by becoming the state’s youngest governor and then in business by founding the law firm that bears his name, died Sunday evening at age 89. To view Gov. Sanders’ full obituary, please click here.
Sanders was just 37 when he was elected governor of Georgia, serving the state from 1963-1967, and was widely hailed as the “New South’s” first governor. His progressive administration focused its efforts on modernizing state government and bolstering higher education, community airports and economic development. At the time, state law did not permit him to serve consecutive terms in the Governor’s office.
Upon leaving public office, Sanders set his sights on the private sector, building the law firm that would eventually merge with Troutman Sams Schroder & Lockerman. Today, that firm is known as Troutman Sanders LLP, a law firm with more than 600 lawyers in offices throughout the United States and Asia.
“Governor Sanders was an extraordinary and rare individual who achieved phenomenal success both in the public and private sectors,” said Troutman Sanders Chairman Robert W. Webb Jr. “He was, in many ways, responsible for helping to build the foundation for success that has made the modern Georgia what it is today. This is a very sad day for our firm, as we join all Georgians in mourning the passing of a great man who was not only a great leader, but also an even better friend to those of us who knew him well.”
Born Carl E. Sanders on May 15, 1925, in Augusta, Ga., he was the oldest of two sons. He won a football scholarship to the University of Georgia, but his athletics and studies were interrupted by World War II. Sanders enlisted in the Army Air Corps and trained as a B-17 bomber pilot. After the war, he returned to UGA and earned a law degree in 1947. It was at UGA that Sanders also met his future wife, the former Betty Bird Foy of Statesboro, Ga., whom he married in September 1947. The couple had two children.
Sanders’ rise in Georgia politics was swift. First elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1954, he went on to serve three terms in the state senate – where as President Pro Tempore from 1960-1962 he acted as then-Governor Ernest Vandiver’s floor leader. He was then elected Governor in 1963 and, shortly after taking office, quickly emerged as a national player in Democratic politics, bringing Georgia national prominence, and working cooperatively with Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson on landmark issues of the day, including Civil Rights.
After leaving office for the private sector, Sanders had a hand in bringing professional sports, including the Braves, Falcons and Hawks, to Atlanta. He ran the day-to-day business of Troutman Sanders until January of 1993, when he named Webb as managing partner. All the while, Sanders remained active in public life in his 70s and 80s, serving on corporate boards, and leading civic and philanthropic causes. A past chairman of the Japan-America Society of Georgia, he was on the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and was an Olympic Torch bearer in Augusta.
In 2006, when Webb took the additional title of chairman, Sanders became chairman emeritus and remained on the firm’s executive committee. He continued to remain active in the firm, attending routine meetings and working from his office each day until the time of his death.
“I was truly fortunate to not only have Carl Sanders as a mentor but also as a dear friend,” said Webb. “One cannot overstate the impact he had not only on our Firm, but also on this state and in the lives of all Georgians. Simply put, Georgia would not be the great state it is today without Carl Sanders.”
Gov. Sanders is survived by his wife, Betty Foy Sanders, who is an accomplished artist; two children, Carl Sanders Jr. of Augusta and Betty (Sanders) Botts of Atlanta; and five grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are pending.
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