Richard Guthman Jr.

(1934 – 2014)

Richard Guthman attended Grady High School and Cornell University for two years, then transferred to the Georgia Institute of Technology where he graduated with a degree in industrial engineering. He served in the U.S. Army for two years on active duty and six years of reserve duty.

Guthman began his career as a purchasing agent and manager for Montag Brothers in 1959, later serving as the secretary and treasurer of Montag & Caldwell until 1980. In 1982, he accepted a position of senior vice president of Government and Public Institutional Banking with First American Bank of Georgia until 1991.

Guthman was elected to the Atlanta City Council representing District 8. He served for 14 years and during that time chaired committees of Finance, Public Safety and Public Transportation, and served on the Public Works Commission. Guthman’s numerous positions included the Board of Appalachian Education and Historical Society; chair of the Metro Atlanta YMCA Finance and Investment Committee; president and member of the Advisory Board of the Visiting Nurse Health Systems of Metro Atlanta; chair and member of the Board of the Home Health Council of the National League of Nursing; trustee of the Atlanta Historical Society; member of the Board and Executive Committee of the National League of Cities; chair of the Board of Zoo Atlanta; advisor to Mayor Maynard Jackson on MARTA; and member of the Georgia Tech Council for the Arts.

In 1998, he founded the Margaret Guthman Keyboard Competition as a tribute to his wife, Margaret. What began as a jazz piano competition has expanded to become the Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, an annual event that brings together musicians from all over the world competing for the prize of “best new musical instrument.” He married several times and had three children.