John Brooks "J.B." Fuqua (June 26, 1918 – April 5, 2006) was a businessman, philanthropist and chairman of The Fuqua Companies and Fuqua Enterprises.
Born John Brooks Elam, Jr. in Prince Edward County, Virginia

Prince Edward County, Virginia

Prince Edward County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,368. Its county seat is Farmville.-Formation and County Seats:...

 and raised on a small tobacco farm, Fuqua formed a number of successful business conglomerates. After listening to WRVA from an early age, pursued his interest in radio by earning his commercial operator's license at age 17.

Another of Fuqua's philanthropic projects was the Fuqua School

Fuqua School

Fuqua School is a private primary and secondary school located in Farmville, Virginia. It is named after J.B. Fuqua, who made a large contribution to the school in 1992 to save it from financial insolvency...

 in Farmville, Virginia

Farmville, Virginia

Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....

, formerly the Prince Edward Academy. His gift of $10 million in 1993 and a subsequent donation of over $2 million were pledged with the goal of transforming the school from a small private institution on the verge of bankruptcy into a model for rural pre-K-12 education.

From the 1950s to the 1990s, Fuqua developed a sizable business empire: including Snapper

Snapper Inc.

Snapper, Inc. is a United States company that makes residential and professional lawn care and snow removal equipment, based in McDonough, Georgia...

 lawnmower dealerships and multiple media outlets, among them a TV station with his initials — WJBF-TV in Augusta, Georgia

Augusta, Georgia

Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...

.

Fuqua was active in politics for much of his life. He served in the Georgia House of Representatives

Georgia House of Representatives

The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...

 and the Georgia Senate

Georgia Senate

The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly .-Composition:According to the state constitution of 1983, this body is to be composed of no more than 56 members elected for two-year terms. Current state law provides for 56 members...

, and he chaired the Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 of Georgia

Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

 from 1962 to 1966. He also was a close friend and supporter of presidents Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...

 and Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...

, and former Savannah

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...

 Mayor and billionaire Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr.

Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr.

Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr. was an American businessman, philanthropist and Chairman of J.C. Lewis Enterprises, Lewis Broadcasting Corporation, J.C. Lewis Investment Company, and Island Investments...

.
In 2002, Fuqua was inducted into the Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement or JA or JA Worldwide is a non-profit youth organization that was founded in 1919 by Horace A. Moses, Theodore Vail, and senator Winthrop M. Crane. JA focuses on educating kids in K-12 about the free enterprise system...

's U.S. Business Hall of Fame. His great grandfather, John Fuqua, is credited with founding the town of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina

Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina

Fuquay-Varina is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,898 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was estimated to be 17,910. The town is a 30-minute drive south of Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina...

.

External links

• New Georgia Encyclopedia Entry
• Description of Fuqua, J.B. Fuqua's Autobiography (ISBN 1-56352-680-8)