Local leader, Columbus State advocate Steve Butler honored by USG for exemplary service to higher ed

August 29, 2026

Stephen Turner “Steve” Butler, a retired corporate executive and dedicated Columbus State University supporter, was honored by the University System of Georgia with its 2026 Regents’ Hall of Fame Alumni & Distinguished Friends Award at the USG Foundation’s annual gala on Saturday, Aug. 22. This award recognizes individuals who exhibit exceptional character, achievement and commitment to higher education in Georgia, serving as role models that uplift the entire university system.

“Steve is a quiet leader by nature, but his influence has been profound, enduring and deeply consequential,” university president Dr. Stuart Rayfield said. “Over decades of service to Columbus State University and to the broader Columbus community, he has demonstrated an unwavering belief in the transformative power of higher education and a rare willingness to invest his time, wisdom and resources to ensure that institutions like ours thrive for generations to come.”

Butler’s ties to the university span generations, with his family’s philanthropic and volunteer history visibly woven into the campus. He has been a trustee of the CSU Foundation Board since 1988 and has served as its chair. Alongside his wife, Kent (pictured above with Steve), he has generously contributed to the university, showcasing a profound dedication to student achievement and the institution’s overall excellence.

Butler is most recognized in Chattahoochee Valley business circles for his impressive 44-year career at the W.C. Bradley Co. By his retirement in 2018, he advanced from positions in employee relations, manufacturing and sales to become the company’s president in 1983, and later chairman and CEO in 1987—marking him as the fourth generation of his family to steer the company.

Through his influence in these roles, W.C. Bradley, its foundation and various Bradley family members have made significant philanthropic investments in the university. They remain among Columbus State’s most influential benefactors and community partners. Butler’s grandparents are honored through the Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center and the D. Abbott Turner College of Business & Technology, both of which serve as important centers for student learning, professional development and community involvement.

Butler and his sisters further invested in the college by endowing the Sarah T. Butler Distinguished University Chair of Business & Finance and establishing the Butler Center for Research & Economic Development. Today, the Butler Center is a trusted resource for business, nonprofit, municipal and community decision- and policy-makers.

A legacy of servant leadership

Throughout his career in business and community involvement, Butler, much like others in his family, is recognized for his servant leadership style—marked by wisdom, faith, humility and selflessness. This approach has garnered respect and trust from colleagues in various industries. His uncle, a prominent leader in Columbus, Georgia, known for his contributions to the city’s development, is honored as the namesake of the university’s William B. Turner Center for Servant Leadership.

Steve Butler and President Stuart Rayfield (center) with Columbus State’s USG faculty award recipients Dr. Reba Wissner (far left) and Dr. Kerri Taylor (far right) at the USG Foundation Gala.

Rayfield noted that Butler embodies the servant leadership tradition linked to his uncle. She is well placed to make this judgment, having served as director of the Center for Servant Leadership while a Columbus State faculty member in the early 2000s.

“Throughout his career and volunteer service, Steve has exemplified servant leadership,” she said. “He places the needs of others first, builds consensus, mentors emerging leaders, and fosters institutions that contribute meaningfully to the common good.”

President Emeritus Frank D. Brown, CSU’s third president who oversaw the creation of the Center for Servant Leadership, agreed. In a nomination letter, he and CSU Foundation Trustee Emeritus Jimmy Yancey ’64 (himself a past USG Regents Hall of Fame award recipient) praised Butler for how Butler’s servant leadership disposition “fostered trust, collaboration and high performance. This enabled [W.C. Bradley] to grow globally and diversify its holdings all while prioritizing the personal and professional development of team members.”

“Steve Butler is a perfect example of the private citizens who have invested their influence and their own personal treasure in the growth and expansion of this university we call our own,” they continued.

A legacy of professional, civic leadership

In addition to his significant impact on higher education, Butler is renowned for his broad accomplishments in business and civic leadership. Over his 35-year leadership of W.C. Bradley, he guided the privately owned company through substantial global growth and diversification. During this period, the company acquired Zebco Brands and Lamplight Farms—home to the Tiki brand—expanding its portfolio, which includes Char-Broil, W.C. Bradley Real Estate, and W.C. Bradley Farms.

Butler’s business acumen also included serving on major corporate boards, such as Columbus Bank & Trust Company and Synovus Financial Corporation. His counsel and governance contributed to the growth of these and other regional and national institutions and were vital to the economic development and financial stability of the Chattahoochee Valley. Rayfield noted that his counsel has also been extremely valuable to her as university president.

“For just about every major decision I make that will impact our community, I call Steve,” she said. “He has been a trusted advisor, mentor and friend to university leadership, always offering thoughtful counsel grounded in stewardship and community responsibility.”

People also seek his advice, which explains why his career success is complemented by a notable record of civic and community involvement. He has held key leadership roles in various nonprofit, healthcare and faith-based organizations. His current and past board service includes the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, St. Francis-Emory Healthcare, Brookstone School, the Pastoral Institute, Teen Challenge Southeast, and the Bradley-Turner Foundation. He also serves as chair of the Church Council of St. Luke Church.

An equally proud and devoted family man, he and Kent are the proud parents of three daughters—Sarah West, Liza Hendricks, and Laura Bankhead—and have eight grandchildren.

While Butler’s educational ties include attending Vanderbilt University, Columbus State University and the Westminster Schools, Rayfield described his legacy as one “not defined by where he studied, but by how he has chosen to serve.”

“His lifelong advocacy for higher education, his belief in universities as engines of opportunity and his personal investment in student success make him an exemplar,” she said. “Steve Butler’s character, humility and steadfast dedication have left an indelible mark on Columbus State University and on the broader academic and civic landscape of our state.”

For more information on all the awards bestowed at the USG Foundation Gala, visit the USG website.

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Media contact: Michael Tullier, APR