R. Carl Chandler Award
The R. Carl Chandler Award was established in 1996 on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Board of Counselors as a memorial to R. Carl Chandler, the first chairman of the Board. It is awarded each year to a person who has demonstrated outstanding leadership through a lifetime of service to Oxford College.
Reuben Carl “hap” Chandler was born on October 25, 1917 in Lawrenceville, GA. He experienced adversity from an early age when his mother died when he was only nine years old. Mr. Chandler recalled many years later that he started out in life with nothing but, with the opportunities in America, he ended up with something.
Mr. Chandler graduated from Marist School in 1935 and attended Georgia Tech on a music scholarship. He transferred to Emory University in 1937 and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 1941.
A Navy lieutenant in World War II, he participated in 11 invasions on landing craft in the Southwest Pacific islands. Mr. Chandler was later awarded a Commendation Medal and a citation from Admiral T.C. Kincaid, Seventh Fleet Commander.
Returning stateside, Mr. Chandler graduated from Harvard Graduate Business School in 1943 and Atlanta Law School in 1948. He received a Doctorate from Detroit Institute of Technology in 1960.
At the May 18, 1985 Marist Commencement he told graduates: “You have the opportunity to be the best and you have the opportunity to be the worst, but thank God you have the right to the opportunity.” Mr. Chandler certainly made the most of his opportunities. Widely known in business circles, Mr. Chandler was primarily recognized for his amazing rise from humble beginnings, his boundless energy, gregarious nature, and commitment to service. He exemplified “rags-to-riches” and was honored in 1965 as one of eleven Americans to receive the Horatio Alger Award, showcasing those who achieve greatly despite inauspicious beginnings.
In business, he started as production manager for the Atlanta Paper Company (now Mead Packaging). In 1948 he joined Union Camp Corporation in New York as a salesman and quickly rose to the position of Vice President. In 1955 he founded Standard Packing Corporation in New York which became a Fortune 500 company in only eight years. As President of Perkins Goodwin Management Company, Mr. Chandler participated in confidential negotiations with Chinese officials and succeeded in 1975 in securing for the U.S. government to become a supplier of pulp and paper to China. After serving as President with other corporations, Chandler joined Deerfield Specialty Papers, Inc. of Wellesley, Massachusetts in 1984 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. He also served on the Board of Directors for more than 30 other corporations as well as on the Board of Trustees for numerous institutions of higher learning. He was a member of Georgia Tech’s National Advisory Board.
An enthusiastic and devoted Emory alumnus, he was involved in Emory’s development on many levels. He conceived of and founded the Oxford College Board of Counselors, serving as the board’s first chairman. He also served as Emory’s New York area alumni president in 1964, President of the Alumni Association from 1965-66, was a member of the Board of Visitors, and was a member of Emory’s Board of Trustees from 1972-78. He was honored with the Alumni Association’s Award of Honor (now the Emory Medal) in 1968. However, he developed a special interest in Oxford College, where one of his sons served for a time as instructor and another son finished in 1976. He provided funds to restore the historic Old Chapel at Oxford and continued his generous donations of time and money until his death.
Mr. Chandler is survived by his wife Sarah and three of his four children: Carla, David and Craig Chandler (76Ox). Son Robert Chandler (70B 71G) died in July 2012.
Mr. Chandler graduated from Marist School in 1935 and attended Georgia Tech on a music scholarship. He transferred to Emory University in 1937 and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 1941.
A Navy lieutenant in World War II, he participated in 11 invasions on landing craft in the Southwest Pacific islands. Mr. Chandler was later awarded a Commendation Medal and a citation from Admiral T.C. Kincaid, Seventh Fleet Commander.
Returning stateside, Mr. Chandler graduated from Harvard Graduate Business School in 1943 and Atlanta Law School in 1948. He received a Doctorate from Detroit Institute of Technology in 1960.
At the May 18, 1985 Marist Commencement he told graduates: “You have the opportunity to be the best and you have the opportunity to be the worst, but thank God you have the right to the opportunity.” Mr. Chandler certainly made the most of his opportunities. Widely known in business circles, Mr. Chandler was primarily recognized for his amazing rise from humble beginnings, his boundless energy, gregarious nature, and commitment to service. He exemplified “rags-to-riches” and was honored in 1965 as one of eleven Americans to receive the Horatio Alger Award, showcasing those who achieve greatly despite inauspicious beginnings.
In business, he started as production manager for the Atlanta Paper Company (now Mead Packaging). In 1948 he joined Union Camp Corporation in New York as a salesman and quickly rose to the position of Vice President. In 1955 he founded Standard Packing Corporation in New York which became a Fortune 500 company in only eight years. As President of Perkins Goodwin Management Company, Mr. Chandler participated in confidential negotiations with Chinese officials and succeeded in 1975 in securing for the U.S. government to become a supplier of pulp and paper to China. After serving as President with other corporations, Chandler joined Deerfield Specialty Papers, Inc. of Wellesley, Massachusetts in 1984 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. He also served on the Board of Directors for more than 30 other corporations as well as on the Board of Trustees for numerous institutions of higher learning. He was a member of Georgia Tech’s National Advisory Board.
An enthusiastic and devoted Emory alumnus, he was involved in Emory’s development on many levels. He conceived of and founded the Oxford College Board of Counselors, serving as the board’s first chairman. He also served as Emory’s New York area alumni president in 1964, President of the Alumni Association from 1965-66, was a member of the Board of Visitors, and was a member of Emory’s Board of Trustees from 1972-78. He was honored with the Alumni Association’s Award of Honor (now the Emory Medal) in 1968. However, he developed a special interest in Oxford College, where one of his sons served for a time as instructor and another son finished in 1976. He provided funds to restore the historic Old Chapel at Oxford and continued his generous donations of time and money until his death.
Mr. Chandler is survived by his wife Sarah and three of his four children: Carla, David and Craig Chandler (76Ox). Son Robert Chandler (70B 71G) died in July 2012.