Georgia CommonsSR 1052: Cottrell, Don Michael "Mike"; condolences
Last action March 27, 2026 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Senate resolution honors the life of Don Michael "Mike" Cottrell, a Dahlonega businessman and philanthropist who died in February 2026, and expresses condolences to his family.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This resolution is a formal statement from the Georgia Senate recognizing the life of Don Michael "Mike" Cottrell, who led Cottrell, Incorporated, a Gainesville truck transport company, and served the North Georgia community through several civic and philanthropic roles. It recounts his military service, his business career, his local government service, and his major gifts to the University of North Georgia, including the naming of the Mike Cottrell College of Business. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally states the Senate's recognition of Cottrell's life and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to his family as a gesture of condolence.
What the bill does
- Formally recognizes and honors the life and memory of Don Michael "Mike" Cottrell through an official Senate resolution.
- Extends the Senate's sympathy to Cottrell's family, friends, and community.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Cottrell's family.
Who it affects
The resolution directly names and affects the family of Don Michael "Mike" Cottrell, including his wife, children, sisters, and grandchildren, as well as institutions connected to his life such as the University of North Georgia and Cottrell, Incorporated.
Why it matters
While the resolution carries no legal or regulatory effect, it provides an official public record of the Georgia Senate honoring Cottrell's business and philanthropic contributions and offers his family a formal expression of the legislature's condolences.
Key provisions
- The resolution's whereas clauses recount Cottrell's birth, military service, business career at Cottrell, Incorporated, and civic and philanthropic contributions.
- The first resolving clause states the Senate's recognition of Cottrell's life and extends sympathy to his family and community.
- The second resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to Cottrell's family.
From the bill
“the members of this body recognize and honor the life and memory of Don Michael "Mike" Cottrell and extend their deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his remarkable life”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
- Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
- Max Burns (R, SD-023)
- Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
Topics
- condolence resolution
- North Georgia business
- University of North Georgia
- Lumpkin County