Bradley Currey, Jr., retired chairman and chief executive officer of Rock-Tenn Company, received Troy University’s Don Hines Achievement Award in Water Resource Economics on Tuesday during the Alabama/Georgia Water Resource and Economics Conference in Phenix City.

Named in memory of the former dean of the University’s Sorrell College of Business, the Hines Award recognizes outstanding contributions to water resource management and planning and is presented annually at the conference, which is now in its fourth year. Hines was instrumental in forming the state’s Water Resource Council.

Billy Turner, director of Troy University’s Center for Water Resource Economics, presented the award following the conference luncheon on Tuesday.

“Brad has been very active in the Georgia water planning process since the early 1990s when Zell Miller appointed him to a citizens group to tackle water resources issues,” Turner said. “Fortunately for me, we ended up on the same panel and I had the opportunity to work together with him for a few years. It is my distinct honor and pleasure to present Brad with this award.”

Currey said he was honored to be recognized with the award and praised the expertise of the conference participants.

“Your recognition of my participation and commitment to solving water problems really means a lot to me, and I thank you for the bottom of my heart,” Currey said. “This conference is really wonderful because we have heard about solutions to problems that have bedeviled us for some time. This is very special to me and it is a pleasure to be here with all of you.”

Currey grew up in Chattanooga, Tenn. and graduated from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 1951. After service as a U.S. Army enlisted man and commissioned officer, he joined Trust Company of Georgia in 1953, rising to executive vice president and director of the bank holding company in 1974. In 1976, he joined Rock-Tenn Company, having served as a director since 1967. He was named president and chief operating officer 1978, chief executive officer in 1989 and chairman of the Board in 1993.

Currey served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Rock –Tenn Company and Genuine Parts Company, and currently serves on the Board of Brown & Brown, Inc. He was deputy chairman and chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta 1984-1989. He served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the American Forest & Paper Association and of its predecessor the American Paper Institute for many years.

Currey was a founding member of the Paper Recycling Coalition. He served as a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Paperboard Packaging Council and as Vice Chairman and Chairman.

Currey is an Emeritus Trustee of Emory University, having been an active member of the Board of Trustees from 1980 to 2000, and was chairman from 1994-2000. He served on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and as chairman in 1974, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.

Currey was a trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the Woodruff Arts Center and is an honorary director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He was a Trustee of the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation at Callaway Gardens and served on the Board of Directors of the Commerce Club.

An active member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Currey and his wife, Sally, have four children and 10 grandchildren.