Wright (’47) named 2013 Distinguished Alumnus

As Darlington School kicks off its Alumni Weekend celebration today, the Alumni Office is pleased to announce that W. Gardner Wright (’47) is the recipient of the 2013 Distinguished Alumnus Award.

“It is an honor to be able to introduce this year’s Distinguished Alumnus, a graduate who truly exemplifies the Darlington Motto – Wisdom more than Knowledge, Service beyond Self, Honor above Everything,” said Jere Drummond (’57), chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Wright was born Dec. 18, 1929, to Mary Lynn Brogdon Wright Tarpley and William Gardner Wright Sr. He is the great, great grandson of Daniel R. Mitchell, one of the five founding fathers of Rome, Ga., and the man who named the city.

Wright enrolled at Darlington in the sixth grade, which was – at that time – part of the Lower Forms. From an early age, he was recognized as a leader among his peers and was, therefore, awarded the J. R. McCain Award. He served on the Honor Council for six out of his seven years at Darlington, and as vice president for two of those years. He also lettered in football and baseball.

“This is the biggest honor I’ve ever had in my life,” Wright told the audience of students, faculty members, trustees and fellow alumni after receiving his award. “I’ll be forever grateful.”

After graduating from Darlington in 1947, Wright went on to pursue his B.S. in Textiles at the Georgia Institute of Technology. There, he was a member and president of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and served on the Student Council for two years. He was also a Cadet Lt. Col. in ROTC, serving as Battalion Commander. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1951 and joined the U.S. Army, where he served until 1953.

Wright began his very successful career in the carpet industry with Anchor Rome Mills in 1953. He became a partner and president of Modern Fibers Sales, which grew to be the largest importer of jute carpet backing from India and Bangladesh. In 1983, he was named vice president of sales and marketing and general partner of Synthetic Industries Inc., the second largest producer of polypropylene fabrics in the world. During his career, he twice served as chairman of the Georgia Textile Manufacturers Association, the first to serve two consecutive terms, and was also named director of Carpet and Rug Institute. In 1996, he was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni of Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering. He retired in 2002.

“The harder I worked, the further I got,” Wright said, sharing some of his favorite quotations about leadership, hard work and success. “I’ve always had a quote of my own – everybody ought to have a little fun every day.”

Wright is probably best known as a civic leader. He has been active and held numerous leadership positions with the American Cancer Society, Berry College Campbell School of Business, Boy Scouts of America, Coosa Country Club, First Presbyterian Church, the founding committee of Floyd Junior College (now Georgia Highlands) and the Floyd College Foundation Board, the Floyd County Republican Party, the Floyd Healthcare Foundation, Rome Area History Museum, Rome Rotary Club, and SunTrust Bank of Northwest Georgia.

For his contributions to these organizations, Wright has been recognized with the American Cancer Society’s 1995 Egie Huff Award; the Boy Scouts of America’s 1984 Silver Beaver Award as well as the council’s Distinguished Citizen Award in the early 1990s and in 2011; the Floyd Healthcare Foundation’s 2002 Good Samaritan Volunteer Award; the 2011 Rotary International District 6910 W. Lee Arrendale Vocational Award for excellence in vocation, achievements in the community and academic achievements; and the 1997 Heart of the Community Board of Governor’s Award. In 2013, Wright was honored, along with Congressman Phil Gingrey, for his service to the Floyd County Republican Party, and recently, he was honored by the Georgia House of Representatives by House Resolution 767 for his outstanding accomplishments.

He has been married for 61 years to the former Jeanne Brown of Marietta, Ga. They have two daughters – Suzanne (Wright) Protz (’71T) of Alpharetta, Ga., who is married to Steve Protz, and Mary Helen (Wright) Heaner (’77) of Sandy Springs, Ga., who is married to Andrew Heaner (’77) – and two grandchildren, Mary Elston Heaner and Gardner Heaner. He is the brother of Kathleen Tarpley Temple and her husband, Brooke Temple.

“Darlington prepared me for the future in so many ways – academically, socially, spiritually,” Wright said. “What still stands true for me today is the Motto – Wisdom more than Knowledge, Service beyond Self, Honor above Everything.”

Wright remains an active member of the Darlington Community. He is a life trustee, a longtime class agent, and a member of the J.J. Darlington Society and the J. Daniel Hanks Heritage Society. He has also served as chairman of the Annual Fund and as a member of the Board of Visitors.