Flatt was born in
Newbern, Tennessee, the son of Carl Flatt. He attended Trimble High School, graduating as a
valedictorian in 1948. After graduating, he briefly attended
Bethel College, before transferring to the
University of Tennessee, earning his
BS degree in
animal science in 1952. He also attended
Cornell University, earning his
PhD degree in 1955, which after earning his degrees, he worked as a
postdoctoral fellow in
Aberdeen from 1967 to 1968. Flatt served as a professor in the department of
nutritional sciences at the
University of Georgia from 1969 to 2020. During his years as a professor, in 1994, he was named the D.W. Brooks
distinguished professor by the
University System of Georgia. As a
major donor to the University of Georgia, he established the
named endowed chair Bill and June Flatt Professorship in Foods and Nutrition in 2024, named in honor of his deceased wife. == Personal life and death ==