Hammond Burke Nicholson III

Hammond Burke “Nick” Nicholson III passed away March 6, 2018. Born on October 8, 1941 in Greenfield, Massachusetts to Hammond Burke Nicholson, Jr. and Juliet Duncan Nicholson, Nick was part of a great Coca-Cola family legacy and lived an extraordinary, international life. Growing up in 7 countries as his father, a Coca-Cola executive and pioneer in the European business, moved throughout the continent expanding the brand, Nick went on to have a 46 year career with the Company himself. In 1962, he began working for the Brussels bottling plant. Two years later, he moved to the regional marketing operation in charge of military sales, advertising and brand management for Sprite and Fanta. In 1971, he relocated to Paris, where he was the personnel manager for France, Belgium and Holland. In 1976, Nick was transferred to Corporate headquarters in Atlanta to work in the Orientation Programs Department, later the Executive Bottler & Customer Relations Department. As part of this organization, he created and oversaw programs for overseas executives who came to the U.S. to study the various aspects of the beverage industry. For the last 30 years of his career, Nick was the face of the Company to more than 2,000 visitors a year from all over the world, providing hospitality and personal interaction for guests, while educating them on the history of The Coca-Cola Company. In 1979, Nick met his future wife, Jo Ann, on a blind date, set up by his colleague at Coke and her colleague at Delta. They were married in 1981 and blessed with a daughter, Mary Juliet, 3 years later. During their 36 years of marriage, they entertained guests, Coca-Cola executives and dignitaries from every continent except Antarctica. Especially since his retirement, Nick has been very active in the community and has served on the Board of Directors of the Mercer University Press and the Atlanta Branch of the English-Speaking Union. He has also been involved with the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta History Center, ACIR, and Kiwanis. The family will receive friends at noon on Saturday at H.M.Patterson and Son Spring Hill, with a service to follow at 1pm. Interment at Westview Cemetery. For friends wishing to make memorial gifts, the family suggests the Atlanta Humane Society.