Richard A. Guthman Jr., IE 56, of Atlanta, on Nov. 22. Guthman was a successful businessman and generous supporter of Georgia Tech and the Atlanta community. After graduating from Tech, Guthman served in the U.S. Army for two years followed by six years of reserve duty. He began his career as a purchasing agent and manager for Montag Brothers in 1959. In 1969, he became the secretary/treasurer of Montag & Caldwell, a position he held until 1980. In 1982, Guthman accepted a position as senior vice president of government and public institutional banking with First American Bank of Georgia, where he worked until he retired in 1991. Guthman was also an Atlanta City Councilman. First elected in 1974, Guthman served just shy of four terms for a total of 14 years on the City Council. As a councilman, he was the chairman of the finance, public safety and public transportation committees. He also served on the Public Works Commission and as an adviser to Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson on MARTA. Guthman was an avid supporter of Georgia Tech. He served two terms as a board member for the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. Along with his wife, Margaret, he served on the advisory board of the Georgia Tech Council for the Arts. In 1998, he founded the Margaret Guthman Keyboard Competition as a tribute to his wife under the auspices of the Georgia Tech School of Music. Initially a jazz piano competition, it was restructured in 2009 as the Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition and today attracts innovative musicians from around the world. Guthman was also active in many other organizations, including the Appalachian Education and Historical Society, the Metro Atlanta YMCA, the Visiting Nurse Health Systems of Metro Atlanta, the Home Health Council of National League of Nursing, the Atlanta Historical Society, the National League of Cities, The Temple of Atlanta, the American Jewish Committee and Zoo Atlanta.
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