Happy R. Perkins
Happy Ray Perkins (born October 4, 1955) is an American lawyer and past vice-president of the General Electric Company and GE Energy.
Early life and education[edit]
Perkins was born on October 4, 1955, in Jessamine County, Kentucky, to Cecil and Louise Perkins.[1] Happy earned his undergraduate degree (B.A., political science, with highest honors; Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Kentucky,[2] and graduated at the top of his class (Order of the Coif) from the Duke Law School where he was an editor of the Duke Law Journal.
Career[edit]
Following his admission to the Kentucky Bar Association, he served as a judicial law clerk to the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals. He practiced corporate, tax, and business law at Frost Brown Todd (formerly Brown Todd & Heyburn) in Louisville and was an equity partner.[3]
Perkins became an officer (vice president) of the General Electric Company in 1997, while serving as General Counsel of GE Appliances.[4] He later joined GE Energy as its Vice President and General Counsel in 2002.[5] He retired from the General Electric Company in 2012.
Perkins was a member of the Atlanta Pro Bono Partnership for seven years and the recipient of the 2011 Founders award.[6][7] The organization later created the "Happy Perkins Award" in his honor in 2013.[8][9]
Perkins currently serves on the Duke Law Board of Visitors as a senior member.[10] He and his wife have established the Happy R. and Cheri W. Perkins scholarship at the Duke Law School.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ "Jessamine County Kentucky Families". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
- ^ "Voices of Alumni: Happy Perkins - College of Arts & Sciences". University of Kentucky.
- ^ "ESQ Symposium 2006: Panelists" (PDF). 2006. p. 7.
- ^ General Electric. "GE Names Four New Vice Presidents". PR Newswire.
- ^ "In the Beginning: The Alumni" (PDF). Corporate Counsel. ALM Properties Inc. April 2006. p. 6.
- ^ "2011 Attorney Awards". Atlanta Pro Bono Partnership. 11 February 2012.
- ^ "Roundtable: How GE Does It - The Outside Counsel Perspective". The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel.
- ^ "2013 Attorney Awards". Atlanta Pro Bono Partnership. 24 February 2014.
- ^ Powell, Anne Randolph (18 February 2014). "Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta Honors Volunteers and Donors at Appreciation Reception". East Atlanta Patch. Patch Network.
- ^ "Leadership Boards". Duke University School of Law.
- ^ "Supporting Students" (PDF). Duke Law Advocate. Duke University School of Law. Spring 2012. p. 6.