The Cox Family Enterprise Center, based at the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University, has announced that Patten Seed Company has been named winner of the Cox Century Award, recognizing more than 100 years of successful business. 

The winners and finalists were selected by a panel of independent judges based on criteria such as commitment to both business and family, contributions to their industry and their community, multi-generational family involvement, and innovative business practices and strategies. Other Georgia businesses named in the awards include National Distributing Company of Atlanta (more than 250 employees; Southern Orchard Supply Co. of Fort Valley (50 – 250 employees); and Mimms Enterprises of Roswell (fewer than 50 employees).

“This is a real honor to all of the leaders of Patten Seed Co. over our 113 year history,” said Patten President Ben Copeland.  “Since R.L. Patten opened his general store in Lakeland in 1893, this company has embraced the values that this award embodies.  This recognition motivates us to continue to aspire to these family business values as we move through the 21^st century.”

“For fifteen years, the Cox Family Enterprise Center has honored the best in Georgia-based family businesses,” says Cox Family Enterprise Center Director Joe Astrachan, Ph.D. “Once again we have a great group of winners and finalists who have withstood the test of time, and flourished due to strong values and savvy business sense.”

After thriving as a general store for more than half a century, R.L. Patten’s son Lawson made the decision to open a seed cleaning operation out of the company warehouse.  That decision spawned a business that now employs more than 350 people with operations in four states. Incorporated as Patten Seed Co. in 1954, the company is an unquestioned world-wide leader in the turf industry with brands such as TifBlair® Centipede and Zenith® Zoysia recognized as top of the line warm-season grasses for lawns, athletic fields, golf courses and commercial use. An estimated 90 percent of the common centipede grass in the United States originated from Patten’s stock.

Patten also operates a flourishing pecan and nursery tree business.

With a strong sense of commitment to service, company officials and family members hold numerous political posts and volunteer on public service-related boards. They’ve also raised funds to help Hurricane Katrina victims, volunteered with the Boy Scouts and other organizations, and donated sod to Habitat for Humanity. 

The Georgia Family Business of the Year Awards ceremony, co-hosted by Georgia Trend magazine and the Cox Family Enterprise Center, will be held Wednesday, May 24 at the Cobb Galleria Centre. This year’s keynote speaker is Tony Pritzker of the Pritzker Group, a private investment firm. Pritzker is the grandson of A.N. Pritzker, who founded the Hyatt hotel chain and created the industrial conglomerate Marmon.