(828) 526-0173 | [email protected] | Copyright 2024 – All Rights Reserved.
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
The Mountain Moguls | Highlands NC History
Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: 2021/09 – September
A trio of innovators made their way to Highlands and enriched the Plateau.
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
Many rich and famous folk hung their hats in Highlands.
Let me introduce you to a trio of amazing migratory magnates who at one time or another called Highlands home.
Billionaire John Murdoch Harbert launched his career with the $6,000 he won gambling as a WWII Army private.
Lady Luck wasn’t always kind however. His firm went under three times before a gamble on a Kentucky coal mine paid off. With those profits, Harbert bought a controlling interest in Amoco during the energy crisis. He rocketed to Forbes 400.
His wife, Wita, summered in Highlands, thus the connection to the Plateau. Together the Harberts were celebrated for their generous contributions to charity. What is life if not a gamble? The risk is made even better if the winner is willing to share the returns.
Seasonal resident William H. “Bill” Flowers, was born into an entrepreneurial family. His father and uncle opened the first ice cream shops in Thomasville, Georgia. But they decided what the town really needed was a bakery business. When Bill’s father unexpectedly passed, Bill, just 20 years old, took over. Today Flowers Bakery serves much of the Southeastern, Southwestern, and Mid-Atlantic states. It exceeds $1.5 billion dollars in annual sales. Flowers to flours . . . a well-bread family indeed.
Dr. Robert Sandor, native of Hungary, was an acclaimed mechanical engineer. During the 1980s and 90s he summered in Highlands. His specialty was automated (robotic) high-quantity mass production. He designed the first color press for Life Magazine. He also did a working prototype for an autonomous, unmanned exploration vehicle that would one day be used on Mars.
Energy. Bread. Robotics. These are the products of just three exceptional entrepreneurs who have made their way to our Highlands retreat, sharing their celebrity along the way.
To learn more about Highlands’ luminaries, reference Ran Shaffner’s Heart of the Blue Ridge. Local history is much more than a trivial pursuit, so visit highlandshistory.com or email [email protected] and meet those who contributed to the Plateau’s colorful past.
LnRiLWJ1dHRvbltkYXRhLXRvb2xzZXQtYmxvY2tzLWJ1dHRvbj0iOWQ0NzE3ODZhYmMwMjlmZThjYTExNzM0NTMyYTc2ODUiXSAudGItYnV0dG9uX19saW5rIHsgYmFja2dyb3VuZC1jb2xvcjogcmdiYSggMTU5LCA4MiwgNTcsIDEgKTtib3JkZXItcmFkaXVzOiAwO2NvbG9yOiByZ2JhKCAyNTUsIDI1NSwgMjU1LCAxICk7Zm9udC1zaXplOiAxMnB4O2xpbmUtaGVpZ2h0OiAxMHB4O3RleHQtdHJhbnNmb3JtOiB1cHBlcmNhc2U7Y29sb3I6IHJnYmEoIDI1NSwgMjU1LCAyNTUsIDEgKTsgfSAudGItYnV0dG9uW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtYnV0dG9uPSI5ZDQ3MTc4NmFiYzAyOWZlOGNhMTE3MzQ1MzJhNzY4NSJdIC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2ljb24geyBmb250LWZhbWlseTogZGFzaGljb25zO21hcmdpbi1yaWdodDogNXB4OyB9IC50Yi1idXR0b25bZGF0YS10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1idXR0b249IjlkNDcxNzg2YWJjMDI5ZmU4Y2ExMTczNDUzMmE3Njg1Il0gLnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9faWNvbjo6YmVmb3JlIHsgY29udGVudDogJ1xmNTA4JzsgfSAudGItY29udGFpbmVyW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtY29udGFpbmVyPSIwZDE0OTNjMGNlYzVjNDIyZGIzM2U5NzY2ZmNhMWZkNyJdIHsgcGFkZGluZzogMTBweCA0MHB4IDEwcHggNDBweDsgfSAudGItY29udGFpbmVyW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtY29udGFpbmVyPSJlZDM4MzJhYTYyMDFjYmVjNWIxZTViOTAyZGMwNjdlMiJdIHsgcGFkZGluZzogMjVweDsgfSAudGItYnV0dG9uW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtYnV0dG9uPSJlNWQwYzBhZmNlYzVlZGI5MDkxYTAwZTdmNzZmYmM4OSJdIC50Yi1idXR0b25fX2xpbmsgeyBiYWNrZ3JvdW5kLWNvbG9yOiByZ2JhKCAxNTksIDgyLCA1NywgMSApO2JvcmRlci1yYWRpdXM6IDA7Y29sb3I6IHJnYmEoIDI1NSwgMjU1LCAyNTUsIDEgKTtmb250LXNpemU6IDEycHg7bGluZS1oZWlnaHQ6IDEwcHg7dGV4dC10cmFuc2Zvcm06IHVwcGVyY2FzZTtjb2xvcjogcmdiYSggMjU1LCAyNTUsIDI1NSwgMSApOyB9IC50Yi1idXR0b25bZGF0YS10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1idXR0b249ImU1ZDBjMGFmY2VjNWVkYjkwOTFhMDBlN2Y3NmZiYzg5Il0gLnRiLWJ1dHRvbl9faWNvbiB7IGZvbnQtZmFtaWx5OiBkYXNoaWNvbnM7bWFyZ2luLXJpZ2h0OiA1cHg7IH0gLnRiLWJ1dHRvbltkYXRhLXRvb2xzZXQtYmxvY2tzLWJ1dHRvbj0iZTVkMGMwYWZjZWM1ZWRiOTA5MWEwMGU3Zjc2ZmJjODkiXSAudGItYnV0dG9uX19pY29uOjpiZWZvcmUgeyBjb250ZW50OiAnXGY1MDgnOyB9IC50Yi1maWVsZFtkYXRhLXRvb2xzZXQtYmxvY2tzLWZpZWxkPSJlOTU0MThmODFiZmYyMWMzNDU5NmRiNjYyOGY0NWViMiJdIGEgeyB0ZXh0LWRlY29yYXRpb246IG5vbmU7IH0gIFtkYXRhLXRvb2xzZXQtYmxvY2tzLWltYWdlPSJmMjkxMmI4MzNkMzUyMTNiY2I4YzczOGVkYzBmNTllNyJdIHsgbWF4LXdpZHRoOiAxMDAlOyB9IC50Yi1maWVsZHMtYW5kLXRleHRbZGF0YS10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1maWVsZHMtYW5kLXRleHQ9IjhiYWFmMGY5NmVkZjMzMmRlODgyZGZkMjM0NWRmNjMyIl0geyBtYXJnaW4tdG9wOiAwO3BhZGRpbmctdG9wOiAwOyB9IEBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNzgxcHgpIHsgLnRiLWZpZWxkW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtZmllbGQ9ImU5NTQxOGY4MWJmZjIxYzM0NTk2ZGI2NjI4ZjQ1ZWIyIl0gYSB7IHRleHQtZGVjb3JhdGlvbjogbm9uZTsgfSAgIH0gQG1lZGlhIG9ubHkgc2NyZWVuIGFuZCAobWF4LXdpZHRoOiA1OTlweCkgeyAudGItZmllbGRbZGF0YS10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1maWVsZD0iZTk1NDE4ZjgxYmZmMjFjMzQ1OTZkYjY2MjhmNDVlYjIiXSBhIHsgdGV4dC1kZWNvcmF0aW9uOiBub25lOyB9ICAgfSA=
Share this article:
