Don William Sands, chair emeritus of Gold Kist, Inc., died in Atlanta, Georgia, August 25 at the age of 86. Sands was devoted to the field of agriculture throughout his long career and began his career with the Durant Cotton Oil and Peanut Corporation. In 1958, he was made director of the Gold Kist peanut division. He was named executive vice president and a member of the executive committee in 1978; president and chief operating officer in 1984; and chief executive and chairman of the executive management committee in 1988. He retired in 1991 after 44 years of service.
Under his leadership, Gold Kist surpassed $2 billion in sales volume and expanded into the global arena. Sands became known as the “man who brought U.S. peanuts to Japan and U.S. poultry to the Orient due to the innovations and modifications made to Gold Kist’s products and operations to accommodate and attract the Eastern world’s consumers.
Sands established an MBA Scholarship and sponsored the Sands Lecture Series at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. While CEO, he created the Don Sands – Gold Kist Fund at Auburn University’s College of Agriculture. He served on several national and international agricultural trade councils including the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In addition, he was Chairman of Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, and the Georgia Council on Economic Education.
An avid golfer, Sands served as president and chairman of Atlanta Athletic Club, president of St. Ives Golf Club, president of St. Marlo Country Club, and remained a long-time member in good standing of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews Scotland.
Preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, the former Joan Cantrell, he is survived by his children Susan Hendrix, Steve and Kay Sands, and Stan and Donna Sands, 7 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren. His current wife, TJ Wyatt, resides in Naples Florida. In lieu of flowers, the family request donation in honorarium of Don Sands to the Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church, 3700 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, Georgia, 30096.
