Richard H. "Dick" Rich

(1901 - 1975)

Richard "Dick" Rich was an Atlanta merchant and business executive. His father was a shoe manufacturer in Savannah, and his mother was the daughter of Morris Rich, founder of Rich's department stores in Atlanta. Rich legally changed his name from Rosenheim to Rich in 1920 at the urging of his grandfather. In 1930, he married Virginia Lazarus, and they had three children (Sally Rich Rose Adolph, Virginia Rich Barnett, and Michael Peter Rich).

Rich graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1923 and completed post-graduate studies at Harvard University in 1923-1924. After spending a year at L. Bamberger and Company's store in Newark, New Jersey, Rich joined M. Rich and Bros. as a full-time employee in 1924. While a teenager, he lived with his grandparents in summer months and worked as a bundle-wrapper and stock boy at Rich's. For the next five years, he worked in various positions at Rich’s and became a director in 1929. He continued his rise through management ranks and was elected company vice-president in 1937, treasurer in 1947, and president in 1949.

Twelve years later, he became Chairman of the Board, a position he held until 1972 when he entered semi-retirement as Chairman of the Executive Committee. He oversaw the store's tremendous expansions of the mid-twentieth century and served Rich’s from 1924 to 1975 with the exception of three years during World War II when he joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. Rich actively participated in civic and charitable organizations and business associations, including serving as founding chairman of the Atlanta Arts Alliance, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), and the Greater Atlanta Expressway Committee. He was president and life trustee of the Rich Foundation, a charitable non-profit corporation, and a member of The Temple, the Standard Club, and the Atlanta City Club. Rich’s numerous awards included Georgia's Citizen of the Year and the National Retail Merchants' Association Gold Medal for outstanding retailer of the United States in 1963.

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