Council for Quality Growth Names Speakers & Chairs for the 2025 Four Pillar Tribute honoring Tommy Holder

Staff Report From Georgia CEO

Monday, June 30th, 2025

The Council for Quality Growth will honor Thomas M. “Tommy” Holder, Chairman and Former CEO of Holder Construction, with its 36th annual Four Pillar Tribute on October 16, 2025 at the Georgia World Congress Center. The Council’s prestigious Four Pillar Award 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 2025 Tribute will recognize many lasting and ongoing contributions Tommy Holder has made to our Atlanta region, state of Georgia, and beyond. The 2025 reception and dinner are presented by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Delta Air Lines, Georgia Power, and Norfolk Southern, and will be held in the Georgia Ballroom of the Georgia World Congress Center.

The theme of Tommy’s Four Pillar Tribute is Opportunity | Empowerment | Integrity, inspired by the values by which he ran his company for 30 years. Under Tommy’s leadership, Holder Construction has seen strategic expansion into other major cities and markets. Today, as one of the nation’s premier contractors, Holder Construction operates 8 different offices, has projects in over 30 states, and generates over $8 billion in annual revenues. Tommy has been instrumental in shaping the Atlanta skyline with large-scale projects across commercial, education, aviation, and civic sectors. Among the long list of his projects in Atlanta are the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Cox Enterprises Headquarters, NCR Global Headquarters, the New World of Coca-Cola, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Norfolk Southern Corporate offices, and Georgia Tech Square. Outside of Atlanta, Tommy and Holder Construction have built out Delta Sky Club lounges, the Devon Energy Center in Oklahoma City, the Institute for Building & Home Safety in Richburg, South Carolina, the Clemson University Core Campus, Apple Park in Cupertino, California, and over 400 data centers across the U.S. for clients such as Verizon, Google, Amazon, and State Farm.

At the 2025 Four Pillar Tribute, a special group of Tribute Speakers will speak to the presence of these ‘Four Pillars’ of leadership in the lives and work of Tommy Holder. Tribute Speakers include Dr. Ángel Cabrera, President of Georgia Institute of Technology, Donna Hyland, CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Beth Lowry, President & CEO of Holder Construction, and Reverend Sam Candler, Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip. Doug Hertz, Chairman & CEO of United Distributors, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. The evening will also feature a special musical tribute and entertainment, a video tribute to Tommy, and remarks from other special guests. An esteemed group of Tribute Chairs have been selected to pay tribute to Tommy Holder for his impact and exemplary leadership across Atlanta and beyond, including:

John Ahmann

 

Dr. Ángel Cabrera

 

Jonathan Goldman

 

Donna Hyland

 

Michael Russell Sr.

 

Ed Bastian

 

Dan T. Cathy

 

Kim Greene

 

Phil Jacobs

 

Bill Schwartz

 

Liz Blake

 

Shan Cooper

 

Ernest Greer

 

Katie Kirkpatrick

 

Alana Shepherd

 

Arthur M. Blank

 

Sonny Deriso

 

W. Todd Groce

 

Hala Moddelmog

 

T. Dallas Smith

 

Jim Borders

 

Elise Eplan

 

Doug Hertz

 

C. David Moody Jr.

 

Clyde C. Tuggle

 

Paul Bowers

 

J. Rex Fuqua

 

Bob Holder

 

Tom Noonan

 

Kathy Waller

 

Paul J. Brown

 

Larry Gellerstedt III

 

Hilton H. Howell Jr.

 

Norman Radow

 

 

 

The Council for Quality Growth commends the work of Tommy Holder and his company that has contributed to Atlanta’s success story, making it a better place to live, to work, and to visit. The Council is incredibly proud to continue its annual tradition of recognizing extraordinary leaders in our region and state by adding Tommy to its prestigious list of Four Pillar Award honorees. Sponsorship information is now available at www.FourPillarTribute.com

 

Tickets are required for guests and are available at www.FourPillarTribute.com. 

Read the 2025 Four Pillar Tribute Honoree Announcement Here. 

Download the full 2025 Sponsorship Brochure Here.