Background
Woodruff, Ernest was born on May 23, 1863 in Columbus, Georgia, United States. Son of George W. and Virginia (Lindsay) Woodruff.
Woodruff, Ernest was born on May 23, 1863 in Columbus, Georgia, United States. Son of George W. and Virginia (Lindsay) Woodruff.
Education high school and business college.
After relocating to Atlanta, he made his home in Hurt"s Inman Park suburb. "s greatest skill was in re-organizing existing companies to improve value by increased scale: In 1903, he combined three small ice and coal companies into the Atlanta Ice and Coal Company which went on to become Americold. In 1910, with the help of the Trust Company he organized those types of companies from Virginia and throughout the Carolinas into the Atlantic Ice and Coal.
None of these companies were able to make much money on their own with high costs of home and office deliveries but combined made handsome returns to shareholders.
Then he restructured the Atlantic Steel (current site of Atlantic Station) factory and installed Thomas Glenn to get it out of debt. The restructuring of Atlantic Steel would set the table for the biggest move of "s career: the take over of The Coca-Cola Company in 1919, which he negotiated with Asa Candler.
Clubs: Piedmont Driving (Atlanta).
Married Emily C. Winship, of Atlanta, Georgia., 1885.