Birmingham lost one of its great citizens Saturday with the passing of Crawford Toy Johnson III. The longtime chairman of Birmingham's Coca-Cola Bottling Co. was 78.
"He was a man of outstanding character, dedicated to this business, to this company, and above all, to his many associates," said Claude B. Nielsen, Johnson's son-in-law and the chief executive officer of CocaCola United. "Always he admonished us, both personally and professionally, to act justly, act humbly and with respect and integrity. He lived that and led with those principles."
Mr. Johnson's grandfather founded Birmingham Coca-Cola in 1902. Mr. Johnson was the third generation of his family to head the company, serving as chairman from 1974 to 2002.
His business stature alone was impressive. Birmingham Coca-Cola is the third-largest bottler of Coke products in North America, and serves franchises in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee.
But as important as his business accomplishments was the work Mr. Johnson did to better the lives of others and to serve the community in which he lived.
He was instrumental in organizing the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a scholarship program for high school students. In addition, he had served as president of the Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Central Alabama and the Birmingham Rotary Club; as chairman of the United Appeal Fund, the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the United Negro College Fund; and as a board member at Alabama Power Co., Protective Life, Russell Corporation and AmSouth.
He had been inducted into the Beverage World Hall of Fame and the State of Alabama Academy of Honor, and had received the Greater Birmingham Community Service Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Soft Drink Association.
Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife of more than 50 years as well as four daughters and 11 grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with those he left behind.
But they can take comfort in the legacy he left, not just to his family but to his community.
-- Published September 23, 2003 in the Birmingham News
"He was a man of outstanding character, dedicated to this business, to this company, and above all, to his many associates," said Claude B. Nielsen, Johnson's son-in-law and the chief executive officer of CocaCola United. "Always he admonished us, both personally and professionally, to act justly, act humbly and with respect and integrity. He lived that and led with those principles."
Mr. Johnson's grandfather founded Birmingham Coca-Cola in 1902. Mr. Johnson was the third generation of his family to head the company, serving as chairman from 1974 to 2002.
His business stature alone was impressive. Birmingham Coca-Cola is the third-largest bottler of Coke products in North America, and serves franchises in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee.
But as important as his business accomplishments was the work Mr. Johnson did to better the lives of others and to serve the community in which he lived.
He was instrumental in organizing the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a scholarship program for high school students. In addition, he had served as president of the Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Central Alabama and the Birmingham Rotary Club; as chairman of the United Appeal Fund, the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the United Negro College Fund; and as a board member at Alabama Power Co., Protective Life, Russell Corporation and AmSouth.
He had been inducted into the Beverage World Hall of Fame and the State of Alabama Academy of Honor, and had received the Greater Birmingham Community Service Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Soft Drink Association.
Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife of more than 50 years as well as four daughters and 11 grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with those he left behind.
But they can take comfort in the legacy he left, not just to his family but to his community.
-- Published September 23, 2003 in the Birmingham News
Birmingham lost one of its great citizens Saturday with the passing of Crawford Toy Johnson III. The longtime chairman of Birmingham's Coca-Cola Bottling Co. was 78.
"He was a man of outstanding character, dedicated to this business, to this company, and above all, to his many associates," said Claude B. Nielsen, Johnson's son-in-law and the chief executive officer of CocaCola United. "Always he admonished us, both personally and professionally, to act justly, act humbly and with respect and integrity. He lived that and led with those principles."
Mr. Johnson's grandfather founded Birmingham Coca-Cola in 1902. Mr. Johnson was the third generation of his family to head the company, serving as chairman from 1974 to 2002.
His business stature alone was impressive. Birmingham Coca-Cola is the third-largest bottler of Coke products in North America, and serves franchises in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee.
But as important as his business accomplishments was the work Mr. Johnson did to better the lives of others and to serve the community in which he lived.
He was instrumental in organizing the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a scholarship program for high school students. In addition, he had served as president of the Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Central Alabama and the Birmingham Rotary Club; as chairman of the United Appeal Fund, the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the United Negro College Fund; and as a board member at Alabama Power Co., Protective Life, Russell Corporation and AmSouth.
He had been inducted into the Beverage World Hall of Fame and the State of Alabama Academy of Honor, and had received the Greater Birmingham Community Service Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Soft Drink Association.
Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife of more than 50 years as well as four daughters and 11 grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with those he left behind.
But they can take comfort in the legacy he left, not just to his family but to his community.
-- Published September 23, 2003 in the Birmingham News
"He was a man of outstanding character, dedicated to this business, to this company, and above all, to his many associates," said Claude B. Nielsen, Johnson's son-in-law and the chief executive officer of CocaCola United. "Always he admonished us, both personally and professionally, to act justly, act humbly and with respect and integrity. He lived that and led with those principles."
Mr. Johnson's grandfather founded Birmingham Coca-Cola in 1902. Mr. Johnson was the third generation of his family to head the company, serving as chairman from 1974 to 2002.
His business stature alone was impressive. Birmingham Coca-Cola is the third-largest bottler of Coke products in North America, and serves franchises in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee.
But as important as his business accomplishments was the work Mr. Johnson did to better the lives of others and to serve the community in which he lived.
He was instrumental in organizing the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a scholarship program for high school students. In addition, he had served as president of the Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Central Alabama and the Birmingham Rotary Club; as chairman of the United Appeal Fund, the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the United Negro College Fund; and as a board member at Alabama Power Co., Protective Life, Russell Corporation and AmSouth.
He had been inducted into the Beverage World Hall of Fame and the State of Alabama Academy of Honor, and had received the Greater Birmingham Community Service Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Soft Drink Association.
Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife of more than 50 years as well as four daughters and 11 grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with those he left behind.
But they can take comfort in the legacy he left, not just to his family but to his community.
-- Published September 23, 2003 in the Birmingham News
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