Fred Shaefer

Fred Shaefer served as BOMA Atlanta’s Executive Secretary from the founding of the association in 1913 to 1948. According to an announcement printed in the July 16, 1913, Atlanta Georgian, when Fred was selected as Secretary and Treasurer for the Atlanta Association of Building Owners and Managers, he was also working for the Empire Life Building, which was later renamed the Flatiron building. An article in the he October 6, 1912, issue of The Atlanta Journal further clarifies that Fred served as manager of the Empire Life Building. 

According to the August 13, 1918, issue of The Atlanta Journal, Fred “tendered his resignation as manager of the Flatiron building, and secretary and treasurer of the Atlanta Association of Building Owners and Managers, to enter the work of the war Y. M. C. A. He will report to the ‘Y’ training school at Blue Ridge, N.C., on August 28 and after a three week’s course will be assigned duty in one of the home camps.” With World War I ending a few months later, Fred was soon welcomed back to his position serving the Atlanta Association of Building Owners and Managers.

Fred was instrumental in creating the infrastructure of BOMA Atlanta. Maintaining effective and timely communication among BOMA members was one of his top priorities. As a result, he wrote and distributed the association’s first newsletter. In the August 1940 newsletter, he wrote, “Atlanta continues in the eyes of the business world as the ideal location to reach the south’s territory. In the heart of the south, with unexcelled climate conditions, 15 trunk line railroads reaching out into all sections, and the best of office building accommodations are attractions that’s winning new firms from every section of the nation.” This quote also highlights the interconnectedness between BOMA Atlanta and the economic development of the metropolitan Atlanta region.  

During the February 25-26, 1946, BOMA Southern Conference, held in Jackson, Mississippi, Fred was presented with life membership in the conference. The inscription on his life membership sterling card, read, “For Extraordinary Service to the Southern Conference of Building Owners and Managers, Fred Shaefer is Elected a Life Member.” Fred was instrumental in organizing the Southern Conference in 1922 and consistently maintained active involvement in it until his retirement. 

Fred was further recognized by the BOMA Southern Conference three years later. During the twenty-seventh annual Southern Conference of Building Owners and Managers, held March 13-15, 1949, at the Biltmore Hotel in Atlanta, the Monday, March 14 Banquet was named “Fred Shaefer Night” in his honor.  

When Fred retired as BOMA Atlanta Executive Secretary at the end of 1948, it was written in the December 5, 1948 issue of The Atlanta Constitution, “He has worked very closely with this, the largest taxpaying industry in our State, and has rendered the service of his office in many civic undertakings, in addition to working closely with the National Association of Building Owners and Managers in which he made a host of friends throughout the country for himself as well as Atlanta. Mr. Shaefer has seen the office building industry grow steadily from a very humble beginning to its present membership of forty-odd office buildings. As a matter of fact, Atlanta has more office space per capita than any city in the country, New York’s and Chicago’s giant skyscrapers notwithstanding. The membership and hundreds of other friends throughout the country join in wishing Fred Shaefer all the pleasures and comforts that reward a man’s retirement from a job well done.” 

In an article written by William C. Clonts, BOMA Atlanta President, and published in the December 5, 1948, issue of The Atlanta Journal, William wrote, “Thirty-five years ago when Atlanta’s sky line was beginning to take the shape of a metropolitan city, the Atlanta Assn. of Building Owners and Managers was formed to represent the interests of this essential segment of a city’s makeup. Fred Shaefer was then manager of the Georgia Savings Bank Bldg., which still stands as a familiar landmark known as Atlanta’s Flatiron bldg.

“Mr. Shaefer, who was instrumental in the formation of the Building Owners and Managers Assn., became its first executive secretary, a position which he has served well and continuously for these 35 years. He has worked very closely with this, the largest taxpaying industry in the State, and has rendered the service of his office in many civic undertakings, in addition to working closely with the National Assn. of Building Owners and Managers in which he made a host of friends throughout the country for himself as well as Atlanta.

“Mr. Shaefer has seen the office building industry grow steadily from a very humble beginning to its present membership of 40 odd office buildings. Atlanta has more office space per capita than any city in the country, New York’s and Chicago’s giant skyscrapers notwithstanding.”

After his retirement, Fred was recognized again by BOMA Atlanta during the May 11, 1949, BOMA Atlanta annual dinner meeting at the Capital City Club, as reported in the May 15, 1949, issue of The Atlanta Constitution. During the meeting, BOMA Atlanta President William C. Clonts honored Fred by saying, “Our most important task, of course, was occasioned by the loss of the services of perhaps the association’s best friend, faithful Fred Shaefer. Much to the credit of this group, satisfactory retirement provisions were made, and an excellent replacement has been provided. It is indeed encouraging that we still have the presence and counsel of Fred, whose help and confidence we cherish very highly.”   

Prior to joining the Atlanta Association of Building Owners and Managers, according to the May 4, 1910, issue of The Atlanta Journal, he was advertising manager for Empire Life Company. The article says, “For many years Mr. Shaefer has been interested in advertising in Atlanta and is regarded as one of the best advertising writers in the city. For six years he was advertising manager of M. R. Emmons company, and during the past two years has been associated with an Atlanta store as manager of the clothing department, having retired from advertising work for a short time. For 18 years Mr. Shaefer has been a resident of Atlanta, during which time he has made friends by the thousands. He was born and raised at West Point, Ga., moving to Atlanta in early manhood.”

According to an obituary in the October 12, 1954, issue of The Atlanta Constitution, Fred died on October 10, 1954, at the age of 86. In the obituary, it is written, “He was a charter member and deacon emeritus of the First Baptist Church of College Park and for many years he was secretary of its Sunday school. Mr. Shaefer had at one time served on the College Park City Council. Born in West Point, he had moved to college Park 50 years ago. He was a member of the College Park Thirty Club, a charter member of the Secretaries Club and a member of the Masons.”

He was survived by his wife, who’s madden name was Eleanor Brooks and several nephews and nieces. One of his nephews was named Fred Shaefer, in his honor. Fred is buried in Westview Cemetery.