The Honorable Arthur Gignilliat, Jr.

The Honorable Arthur Gignilliat, Jr.

Term of Award

Fall 1998

Degree Name

Doctor of Humane Letters

Institution Issuing the Honorary Degree

Georgia Southern University

Brief Biography of Degree Recipient

Arthur M. Gignilliat, Jr. was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1933. He graduated from Armstrong Junior College, along with his wife Molly, in 1953. For forty years, Gignilliat worked for Savannah Electric and was named president in 1982. During his term as president, he led talks with Southern Company that resulted in a merger of the two electricity providers in 1988. After fifteen years as President and CEO, Giglilliat retired in 1997.

Gignilliat also served the state of Georgia for many years. He was elected for eight consecutive terms (1966-1981) to the Georgia House of Representatives where he chaired the University System of Georgia Committee and served on the Appropriations Committee. In 1983, he was appointed to the Board of Regents and served as its chairman from 1985 to 1986. He contributed to the development of Armstrong by working with then-President Robert A. Burnett to designate the institution as a health professions education center and expand the resident halls.

Gignilliat continued his service as part of the Board of the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism, the Georgia Ports Authority, and the Foundation Board of Trustees for Armstrong Atlantic State University. Armstrong maintains the Arthur M. Gignilliat, Jr. Distinguished Professorship endowment to retain and honor outstanding faculty. Gignilliat was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Armstrong Atlantic State University in 1998.

Keywords

Georgia Southern University, Honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters

Comments

More information about Arthur Gignilliat, Jr. can be found in the December 2010 Armstrong Commencement Program and the New Georgia Encyclopedia.

Photo by Kat Arntzen, Staff Photographer, 2009.

The Honorable Arthur Gignilliat, Jr.

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