From left to right: Albert Edwards, Frank Blake, David Abney, Carol B. Tomé, Arthur M. Blank, Virginia Hepner, Kurt Kuehn, and Michael Paris

On Thursday, October 20, 2022, the Council for Quality Growth held its 33^rd annual Four Pillar Tribute and dinner to honor Carol B. Tomé, Chief Executive Officer of United Parcel Service, for her extensive economic and philanthropic contributions to Atlanta and beyond. Tomé’s chosen theme for the evening was LEAD to Inspire, SERVE to Create, and GIVE to Remain, a way she has also framed her personal and professional journey, or as she puts it, her “why.” The 2022 Four Pillar Tribute was presented by the Arthur M. Blank Foundation, Chick-fil-A, Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot Foundation, the New York Stock Exchange, and UPS. Over 1,200 guests filled the Georgia Ballroom of the Georgia World Congress Center in tribute of Tomé.

As the 33^rd recipient of the Council’s Four Pillar Award, Carol joins a prestigious group of individuals who have made significant contributions and philanthropic efforts towards economic development and quality of life in the metro Atlanta region. As made evident by the evening’s speakers, Tomé’s commitment to lead, serve, and give is felt far beyond her professional career. With her husband, Ramon, she established The Tomé Foundation to continue to fuel her purpose-led mission of giving back to communities and enabling opportunities. “We love being part of the Atlanta community,” she said, “and giving back is part of our purpose.”

Carol B. Tomé began making strides in Atlanta with The Home Depot in 1995. She soon held the title Executive VP and CFO, having learned the business from the ground up, donning the orange apron at nights and on weekends. Carol delivered a 450% increase in shareholder value during her tenure and successfully led The Home Depot through the financial crisis of the early 2000s. After nearly 25 years at The Home Depot, it was her “why” again that led her out of retirement to become the first female CEO of UPS in its 115-year history in March of 2020. Today, she leads the global logistics giant, employing over half a million people. As CEO, Carol focuses on what matters most to her customers and her employees while making investments in the innovation required to keep up with an exploding e-commerce market.

Albert G. Edwards, the 2022 Chairman of the Council for Quality Growth and the Founder and CEO of Corporate Environmental Risk Management (CERM), presented Tomé with the Four Pillar Award. In her acceptance, Carol reflected on the individuals who influenced her purpose-led journey and the lessons they taught her along the way. From her initial interview with Arthur Blank at The Home Depot and serving under Craig Menear to hiring Ted Decker 20 years prior, Carol still “stands on the shoulders of these leaders” as she continues to carry their torch of servant leadership in her new role at UPS. Tomé also credits UPS with helping her shape her “why.” While she leads to inspire, she is in turn inspired by her 500,000+ UPSers every day. “What a blessing it is,” she said, “to work for two iconic companies with extraordinary leaders who have had an enormous impact on me.”

The ‘Four Pillars’ represent the four principles on which the Council for Quality Growth was founded – Quality, Responsibility, Vision, and Integrity. A distinguished group of speakers paid tribute to Tomé, speaking to how each of these principles are present in her life. On ‘Quality,’ Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot and current Owner & Chairman of the Blank Family of Businesses, said “Carol married to two best qualities a leader can have – making good decisions and caring about the people who the decisions impact.” David Abney, former CEO of UPS and Carol’s predecessor to the role, spoke about ‘Responsibility’ and recognized the meaningful attention that Carol brought to the social unrest in our community that marked her first couple of years as CEO of UPS. “Carol holds herself responsible before she holds anyone else responsible,” Abney said. Virginia Hepner, former CEO of the Woodruff Arts Center and close friend of Carol’s, spoke to ‘Vision,’ praising her vision to help the next generation succeed through her Tome Foundation. Kurt Kuehn, former CFO of UPS, spoke on ‘Integrity,’ highlighting Carol’s extraordinary authenticity and “infectious leadership.”

Michael E. Paris, President & CEO of the Council for Quality Growth, added “Carol is the embodiment of the Four Pillars, shown through her commitment to the team members she leads, to the communities she serves, and to the corners of the world she impacts.”

Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp joined virtually to welcome the audience and Carol on behalf of the state, and Mayor Andre Dickens attended to welcome her on stage from the City of Atlanta. The night opened with a special tribute from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra String Quartet, playing their rendition of a classic Mozart composition. The evening’s musical tribute was presented by the Atlanta Ballet, performing In Creases, an artistic piece complete with live dueling pianos. An esteemed group of Tribute Chairs were selected to pay tribute to Tomé for her extraordinary leadership and reputation for innovation, including:

• David Abney

• Ed Bastian

• Frank Blake

• Arthur M. Blank

• Dan T. Cathy

• Shan Cooper

• Ted Decker

• Larry Gellerstedt III

• John Haupert

• Virginia Hepner

• Donna Hyland

• William R. Johnson

• Katie Kirkpatrick

• Kurt Kuehn

• Craig Menear

• Hala Moddelmog

• Russell Stokes

• Hans Vestberg

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 is proud to add Carol B. Tomé to its list of Four Pillar Award recipients.