Following his discharge from the Air Corps in 1945, Hatcher returned to Atlanta and to GPC, and subsequently was transferred to Birmingham as service manager of the distribution center. In 1952 he moved to New Orleans where he entered GPC's executive

ranks as vice president of the company and president of New Orleans operations. In 1961 Hatcher returned to Atlanta as president of the Atlanta operations. In 1963 he was elected to GPC's Board of Directors; the following year, he was named vice president of operations for the entire company and served as president and chief operations officer of GPC from 1974 thru 1986 and retired as vice chairman of the board in 1987.

Hatcher has been active in the business and civic communities. He served as president and chairman of the Board of NAPA (National Automotive Parts Association) and served on the boards of directors for Echlin Inc., National Services Industries, Munich American Reinsurance Company, Atlantic Steel Company and the Canadian-American Society of the Southeast.

Additionally, Hatcher served as chairman of the Board of Trustees at Northside United Methodist Church and as chairman of the finance committee at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. He was a board member and served as chairman of the finance committee at Young Harris College. Hatcher was a charter member of the Morehouse College School of Medicine Board of Trustees, a member of Emory University's Board of Visitors and chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Schenck School. Hatcher was president of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, and active in the United Way fundraising campaigns for many years. He served as trustee of Wesley Woods and a board member for the Shepherd Center as well as on the boards of Peachtree Golf Club, Capital City Club and the Georgian Club. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.

Hatcher was honored as the distinguished alumnus for the Georgia State University College of Business in 1982. He received the distinguished service award from the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit in 1991. In 2004, he was awarded the President's Medallion for outstanding service to Young Harris College. In 2006, he received an honorary doctorate from Georgia State University.