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Charles McKenzie “Mack” Taylor, one of Atlanta’s leading commercial real estate developers passed away peacefully in his Buckhead home on Saturday, January 4, 2008 at the age of 78.
Mr. Taylor was born May 20, 1929 in Opelika, Alabama to Jesse R. Taylor and Margaret Anderson Taylor. He graduated from nearby Auburn University in 1951. An accomplished musician, Mack was the pianist with the Auburn Knights Orchestra, one of the longest-performing college-age big band groups in the country during his college career. In later years, he proudly served on the board of directors of the Auburn University School of Business and was recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University.
From 1951 to 1954, Mr. Taylor served in the U.S. Navy as an officer aboard the submarine USS Argonaut, and was attached to the naval base in New London, Connecticut. His last trip in his own airplane was to visit his former commanding officer and the New London base. He served on reserve duty until 1961.
Taylor began his business career as a cotton broker at Jesse R. Taylor & Company, a family-owned cotton business in Opelika where he spent over a decade and ultimately became a general partner in the company. In 1967 Mack sold his interests in the family business to his brother, Bob Taylor, and moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in real estate. He started his second career at the age of 38 as a broker for Allen-Grayson Realty. Soon thereafter he became a Vice President at Cauble & Company before joining Gearon & Company in 1969. At Gearon & Company, Mack met his future partner, Harvey Mathis. Their friendship and mutual respect grew quickly; they bought the company from Mike Gearon in 1972 and changed the name to Taylor & Mathis.
Cows were still grazing the pastures when Taylor & Mathis closed on the first parcel of land that would soon become Perimeter Center, one of the first suburban office parks in the country, and the award-winning model for large-scale, heavily landscaped, master planned commercial developments across the country. Over the next 25 years, Taylor & Mathis developed many landmark projects throughout the Southeast. Other notable projects developed by the company include Buckhead Plaza, TownPark and Sugarloaf Corporate Center in Atlanta, Inverness in Birmingham, Alabama, and Wachovia Plaza in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In 1986 the company was named ‘Developer of the Year’ by the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP) and became the first non-national recipient of the prestigious award.
Harvey Mathis died in 1991, shortly after being appointed as Chairman of the Metropolitan Atlanta Olympic Games Authority for the 1996 games. Four years later, in 1995, Mr. Taylor retired as President of Taylor & Mathis and was succeeded by his son, Andrew Taylor, who continues to serve as President of the company today. Since its inception in 1972, Taylor & Mathis has developed office, industrial and mixed-use properties totaling approximately 14.5 million square feet and exceeding $1.8 billion in value.
Mack Taylor was recognized for his many business and civic achievements, including The ‘Phoenix Achievement Award’ from the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in 1988 and ‘The Founders Award’ from the Dekalb County Chamber of Commerce in 1991. He was recognized three times by Georgia Trend (’91, ‘92 and ’95) as one of the ‘100 Most Influential’ business leaders in the state. In 2000, Taylor was awarded the ‘Frank Carter Community Achievement Award’ by the Urban Land Institute.
Taylor also served on numerous corporate boards including: First National Bank of Atlanta (and later Wachovia Corporation –as a Director Emeritus), West Point Pepperell, and Dan River Mills. He was a director of Atlanta Gas Light Company (and later AGL Resources) for 14 years.
Mack Taylor was dedicated to Atlanta and to the charities and civic organizations that help to enhance quality of life in this city. He served as a director for the Atlanta Arts Alliance, the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center, the Atlanta History Center, The Carter Center, Zoo Atlanta, MARTA, The Buckhead Coalition, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Because of his love for music, the family has endowed the Associate Concert Master Chair at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in Charles McKenzie Taylor’s name.
Mack Taylor was also an avid sportsman with a great passion for hunting and fishing. He spent many weekends with his family at their quail-hunting plantation at South Georgia.
Charles McKenzie Taylor is survived by his wife, Mary Rose Taylor, and his two children: daughter, Camille Taylor McDuffie and her husband, William Robert McDuffie of New York City; his son Andrew McKenzie Taylor and his wife Gretchen Scruggs Taylor of Atlanta; and grandchildren, Andrew McKenzie Taylor, Jr. and James Ferrell Taylor of Atlanta; Eliza Jane McDuffie and William Robert McDuffie III of New York City; along with nieces and nephews: Dixie Taylor Purvis of Atlanta, and Jesse Robinson Taylor III of Birmingham, and Douglas Hearn Taylor, of Peachtree City as well as Mr. Taylor’s sister-in-law, Mrs. Anne Walker Taylor of Opelika, Alabama. Mr. Taylor’s former wife, Camille Williams Yow survives him and resides in Atlanta.
Pallbearers for the service are: Andrew McKenzie Taylor; Andrew McKenzie Taylor, Jr.; James Ferrell Taylor; William Robert McDuffie, Jr.; William Robert McDuffie, III; Jesse Robinson Taylor, III; and Douglas Hearn Taylor. Honorary pallbearers are: E. H. Avery; Harvey Mathis Cheatham; Thomas C. Cousins; John M. DeBorde III; James D. Fluker; Dr. Charles E. Harrison; Robert S. Jordan; Dr. Allan Levey; Robert Julian McCamy; Raymond Riddle; The Honorable Clement C. Torbert; William C. Warren; Thomas Barry Whatley and Cornelius Sheldon Whittelsey, III.
The family acknowledges with great appreciation the dedication of Mack Taylor’s beloved nurses, who helped to care for his needs during his long-term illness: Moses Olulora, RN; Peter Odiase and Oludare Adebiyi, as well as Mr. Taylor’s devoted executive assistant for over 18 years, Deborah Maxwell Mitchell.
The family will receive visitors from 6PM – 8PM on Monday, January 7, 2008 at H. M. Patterson & Sons, Spring Hill Chapel, 1020 Spring Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30309 and again prior to the service at 1PM, Tuesday, January 8, 2008 in the Fellowship Hall of The First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, 1328 Peachtree St., NE Atlanta, GA 30309. Funeral services will be held at 2PM on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 also at The First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. Charles McKenzie Taylor will be buried at historic Oakland Cemetery at a private, family graveside service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to: The Charles McKenzie Taylor Fund for Alzheimer's Care and Discovery with a $500,000 donation to the Emory Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine.
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