J. Mack Robinson
| J. Mack Robinson | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Jesse Mack Robinson May 7, 1923 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | February 7, 2014 (aged 90) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Businessman and Philanthropist |
| Net worth | $1.0 billion, according to the Forbes 400, based on information from Forbes - 2005. |
| Spouse(s) | Harriet J. Holloway (married 1960-2014) |
| Children | Robin, Jill |
J. Mack Robinson (May 7, 1923 – February 7, 2014) was a Georgia businessman. He has led several of Atlanta's major corporations. Robinson is also a notable philanthropist, having donated millions of dollars to his home state.
Mack Robinson was born in Atlanta on May 7, 1923, and entered the business world at age ten, when he was hired as a "helper" at the Atlanta Journal. Within five years he had become a circulation district manager working out of the newspaper's main office. After graduating from Boys High School and serving in the U.S. Army during World War II (1941–45), Robinson briefly returned to work for the Journal after the war.
While working for the newspaper, Robinson opened up two used-car lots in Atlanta, Baker Street Motors and Robinson Motors. Both proved profitable, and within a short time Robinson left the Journal and began working full-time selling cars. Over the next several years he opened up several more car lots in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, and Macon. This enterprise led him to his next business venture in the finance industry.
As a used-car salesman, Robinson had been financing the purchase of cars through an automobile finance company in Chicago, Illinois. Seeing the potential for profit, Robinson founded his own company, the Dixie Finance Company, in 1948. He quickly discovered that he enjoyed the finance industry more than the used-car business. Robinson sold his car lots and soon started another finance business, Gulf Finance Company. Over the next twenty years, his companies experienced great success, expanding into more than 100 cities across the South.
During this period Robinson dealt closely with numerous insurance companies and, once again seeing an opportunity, decided to enter the insurance business. He formed Delta Life Insurance and, a short time later, Delta Fire and Casualty Insurance Company. The new businesses proved successful. In 1974 Robinson purchased the Atlantic American Corporation, an Atlanta-based insurance company founded in 1937. He has served as its director and chairman of the board and, from 1988 to 1995, actively helped run the company as president and chief executive officer.
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