A HOUSE RESOLUTION honoring the life and memory of Alan thomas dickson, business leader.
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson was born April 3, 1931, in Charlotte, to Rush S. Dickson and Lake Simpson Dickson; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson graduated from the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and earned a BS degree in Textiles from North Carolina State University in 1953 and an MBA degree from Harvard University in 1955; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson spent two years in the United States Army before returning to Charlotte and working for American & Efird Mills; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson held a number of positions at American & Efird Mills and became the company's president in 1967; and
Whereas, in 1968, Alan Thomas Dickson and his brother, Stuart, founded Ruddick Corporation; and
Whereas, the Ruddick Corporation purchased the Harris Teeter grocery chain in 1969, and, as the company's holdings grew, the corporation become a Fortune 500 company; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson served as president of Ruddick Corporation and later as the board's chair until his retirement in 2010; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson served as President of the North Carolina Textile Foundation, the first President of American Yarn Spinners Association, and as a director of Combed Yarn Spinners Association and the North Carolina Textile Manufacturers Association; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson was a member of the board of directors of the Bank of America, Lance, Bassett Furniture Industries, Sonoco Products, and Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson distinguished himself in his community as a founding trustee of the Charlotte Latin School and a trustee of the Central Piedmont Community College; as a member of the Foundation for the Carolinas, the Arts & Science Council, the Mint Museum, and the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson served as a trustee of the Morehead‑Cain Scholarship Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1964 to 2006, and during that time served as Chair for 21 years; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson also helped to establish the U.S. National Whitewater Center on the Catawba River and contributed to the development of the UNC Nutrition Research Institute in Kannapolis; and
Whereas, among his many honors and recognitions, Alan Thomas Dickson received the William Richardson Davie Award from the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2006, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the McCallie School in 1997, the Watauga Medal in 1996, and the College of Textiles Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1993 from North Carolina State University, and was granted an honorary degree from North Carolina State University in 2001; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson was elected to the North Carolina Business Hall of Fame in 2002; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson was a faithful member of the Christ Episcopal Church in Charlotte; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson died on May 3, 2012, at the age of 81; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson was preceded in death by his first wife, Lindsay Morehead Dickson; and
Whereas, Alan Thomas Dickson is survived by his wife of 20 years, Mary Anne Dickson; his stepdaughter, Chase Avery Wood, her husband, Hubie, and their children, Catie and Hubert; his stepson, Chris Avery, his wife, Beth, and their children Meg and O'Neal; and his siblings Stuart Dickson, Barbara Scott, and Jane Williamson; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives honors the memory of Alan Thomas Dickson, a successful businessman, entrepreneur, and citizen who made great contributions to his industry, community, State, and nation.
SECTION 2.  The House of Representatives extends its sympathy to the family of Alan Thomas Dickson for the loss of a beloved family member.
SECTION 3.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of Alan Thomas Dickson.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.