A Deep and Meaningful Life: Endowed Chair Honors Bob Stone, Advances Academics at UWGShare this page
The Stone family has been a steadfast collaborator not only with the University of West Georgia but the entire region for over half a century. Their company, Systems & Methods, Inc. (SMI), has recently deepened its commitment to higher education and family businesses by establishing the Robert Stone Endowed Chair of Family Business through a $1 million investment.
The chair is a distinguished position established to advance excellence in teaching, research and community engagement in the field of family enterprise. The chairholder will serve as an academic leader and thought partner within the Stone Center for Family Business, Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Richards College of Business.
"Our family is incredibly proud to honor my dad, Bob Stone, and his legacy through the Robert Stone Endowed Chair of Family Business. He believed deeply in the power of education, entrepreneurship and strong family businesses to create opportunities and strengthen communities,” said Bill Stone, chief executive officer of SMI. “His connection to the University of West Georgia began as a faculty member and grew into a lifelong commitment to the university and the west Georgia community he called home. We hope this endowed chair carries that legacy forward by equipping future generations of family business leaders with the knowledge, relationships and values they need to build businesses that make a lasting difference in their communities.”
The Robert Stone Endowed Chair of Family Business is named in honor of Bob Stone, the founder of SMI and patriarch of the Stone family who passed away in November 2025.
Bob created a deep and meaningful life in the west Georgia region. He served as a faculty member at West Georgia College before founding SMI in 1971, and he was a co-founder of A Day to Give West in 1982, believing in the need for the town to connect to the university and its students in a more meaningful way. His well-known philanthropy and service awarded him an honorary doctorate in humane letters by UWG in 2012.
The generosity of the Stone family and SMI made possible the establishment of the Stone Center for Family Business in 2021, and he was posthumously awarded the inaugural President’s Medallion for his accomplishments and contributions to the university and greater community.
“The lasting impact that SMI and the Stone Family have had on UWG and the west Georgia region cannot be overstated,” said Dr. Michael Johnson, UWG’s president. “By establishing the Robert Stone Endowed Chair of Family Business, the Stones are paving the way and creating opportunities for the next generation of family business enterprises. I am deeply grateful for the legacy they are continuing to build and our shared belief in the power of education to strengthen families, businesses and our region.”
The holder of the endowed chair will serve as a recognized thought leader, conducting impactful research on topics such as succession planning, governance, innovation, leadership and multigenerational wealth stewardship while developing and delivering high-quality academic programs and learning experiences for students.
“I am incredibly thankful for SMI and the Stone family’s generosity and commitment to advancing family enterprise education,” said Dr. Christopher Johnson, dean of the Richards College of Business and Sewell Chair of Private Enterprise. “The Robert Stone Endowed Chair of Family Business will elevate the research and academic portfolio of the Richards College, enhance student learning, and deepen our partnerships and engagement with family businesses throughout the region. We are honored to carry forward Bob’s legacy through this important work.”
For more information about how you can make an impact by supporting UWG, please visit UWG’s Give West page.