The Board of Visitors at The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce launched the Alabama Business Hall of Fame (ABHOF) in 1973 to recognize and preserve the incredible entrepreneurial accomplishments of professionals from the state. The inaugural class of 1974 featured Mildred Warner, Gulf States Paper; Frank Samford Sr., Liberty National Life Insurance; Benjamin Russell, Russell Manufacturing Company; Edward Roberts, Waterman Steamship Corporation; Thomas Martin, Russell Manufacturing Company; and Braxton Comer, Avondale Mills. There are now more than 230 inductees, seven of whom were inducted at a black-tie ceremony at Haven on October 7, 2021.
Bob Baron was one of the seven inductees at the 2021 event. The University of Tennessee alumnus founded Baron Weather in 1990 and currently serves as CEO of the weather forecasting and warning systems enterprise. He was selected by the National Weather Service in 2007 to equip its 171 radar installations with dual-polarity capabilities. His company also offered its patented warning system technology free of charge to the state of Alabama in 2011 following an outbreak of tornadoes.
Cecil Batchelor, a two-time Citizen of the Year in Russellville, is best known for his role as chairman of CBS Banc-Corp. Through more than five decades as chairman of the board for CB&S Bank, Batchelor helped grow its assets under management from $5 million to more than $2 billion. He passed away 2 months prior to his induction. His children, Greg Batchelor and Rebecca Reeves, accepted the honor on his behalf.
The other five 2021 inductees into the ABHOF were Dr. Marcus Bendickson, Dynetics, Inc.; Jay Grinney, HealthSouth Corporation; serial entrepreneur Dr. Lonnie Johnson; entrepreneur and attorney Joe Ritch; and Stan Starnes, ProAssurance Corporation.
Dr. Bendickson guided Dynetics, an IT and engineering services provider to commercial and government clients, to become the second-largest employee-owned business in the state. He has also served on the boards of directors for the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce, HudsonAlpha Foundation, and BB&T Greater Huntsville Advisory Board. Grinney, meanwhile, formerly served as director, CEO, and president at HealthSouth Corporation, which has since been rebranded as Encompass Health. He oversaw unprecedented growth during his time with the company.
Dr. Johnson is an innovator who developed advanced technologies for aerospace and defense clients, in addition to the Super Soaker water gun. Ritch has been involved with business ventures such as Cybex Corp, Boneal Aerospace, and Perkins Technical Services, Inc. He is also the first Alabamian to serve as chairman of the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Finally, Starnes was the CEO at ProAssurance Corporation from 2007 to 2019 and currently serves as president pro tempore of The University of Alabama System Board. The accomplished attorney graduated from The University of Alabama at 20 years old and launched a law firm with his father in 1975. He authored the Alabama Medical Liability Act and was named among the “Best Lawyers in America” for more than 20 consecutive years.
Prospective ABHOF inductees are first proposed by the 24-member nominating committee. The 14-member Board of Directors then serves as the selection committee to induct worthy candidates. Those up for nomination must either be retired for at least 3 years, deceased, or over 65 years old if they’re still working.
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