25th AnniversaryCelebration

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Table of ContentsANNIVERSARY REFLECTIONS 2

CENTRAL ALABAMA CHAPTER: A HISTORY 2

CHARTER MEMBERS 5

SPONSORS & CONTRIBUTORS 39

CHARTER MEMBER NARRATIVES 6

Hatched under the most challenging circumstances, the Toc-queville Society of Central Alabama – as if to thumb the steep recession that had turned Birmingham’s economy

into a state of upheaval – flourished anyway.

This achievement, earned despite rampant unemployment and a general sense of hopelessness lingering over the city, is a credit not only to the charter families involved, but also to the “yes we can” leadership style of General Ed Friend and Mr. Emil Hess.

For Ed, the roots of Central Alabama’s Tocqueville Society were first established back in 1982, when he chaired the annual campaign.

“The 1982 campaign came at a terrible time,” remembers his son, Eddie. “Unemployment was about 25% in the western section. People were hungry.”

With Birmingham struggling through a tough recession, traditional sources of giving were impacted as well.

“Ten percent of giving had evaporated because of the closure of U.S. Steel,” says Eddie.

“A good number of those out of work had been dedicated donors to United Way,” recalls Alice McSpadden Williams. “As long as they had been employed, they had checked ‘Fair Share.’ So,

HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY, TOCQUEVILLE SOCIETY!

THE TOCQUEVILLE SOCIETY OF CENTRAL ALABAMA: A HISTORY

S ilver Anniversary Reflections[we had] a double whammy. Not only [were] some of our most dedicated donors out of work and unable to contribute; they [were] out of work and for the first time, they became those people that we needed to be helping.”

With community needs greater than they had ever been before, Ed and Emil took the proactive step to take a meeting with Dr. Tommy Frist of Nashville, who was in the process of initiating a new level of leadership giving.

In creating the Tocqueville Society, Tommy wrote that the purpose of the Society was to “recognize and honor those concerned individuals who accepted a leadership role in making major financial contributions to United Way.”

Following the meeting, Ed and Emil came home with renewed vigor not only for the 1982 campaign, but for what would soon follow.

“People just really rallied, which is a great characteristic of this community,” says Eddie. “The 1982 campaign still has the record for the greatest amount of money raised above goal as a percentage. It was bold, but people really rose to the occasion.”

“The theme was, ‘I’m lucky’,” remembers Eddie. “Dad wore that button everywhere. [He would tell us], ‘We have a roof and food and the good fortune to be employed.’

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United Way forms The Tocqueville Society, with a $5,000 investment

and 36 charter members.

United Way creates the Teen Pregnancy Task Force, to provide information and to assist teens that have not

received assistance from other organizations.

United Way makes a significant contribution to the Domestic Violence Project Task Force.

United Way creates the Family Trouble Center.

United Way funds a substance abuse task force through the Alethia House.

United Way funds and organizes the Community AIDS Partnership.

1986 1987 EARLY 1990S

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S ilver Anniversary ReflectionsThat became the theme of the campaign. Everyone was wearing the green ‘I’m lucky’ stickers around, and that was a reminder to help those who were not.”

Given the financial straits facing many in the community, Ed and Emil harnessed their enthusiasm for launching a Central Alabama Tocqueville chapter at that time. Instead, they created a Builders Society, which required a minimum investment of $5,000. Crawford Johnson III served as the first chair of the Builders Society.

“They thought it was unrealistic in the wake of a near Depression to go from folks not giving as much as $5,000 all the way up to $10,000 dollars,” says Eddie. “[At that time], we had one person – Hugh Kaul – giving at the $5,000 level.”

With Hugh as its charter member, The Builders Society grew expo-nentially from 1982 to 1985.

At that point, the notion of launching a Birmingham-area Toc-queville Society seemed less like a dream, and several community leaders, including Emil, Crawford and others, felt emboldened that they could step up to an even greater level of giving.

“We had great trepidation about it at first,” says Emil’s wife, Jimmie. “We didn’t think we could pull it off. It was too much to ask of people then. There were only a handful of people in that category of giving.”

Even so, they pressed onward, hosting an event to test the waters.

“We had a luncheon at The Relay House and Emil went around to talk to everyone he thought was a possible member,” she adds.

Shortly afterward, Emil and Jimmie sat down with Tommy Frist to discuss best practices. What followed is the reason we are sitting here today.

Through a board resolution and an investment of only $5,000, the Central Alabama Tocqueville Society was created on March 27th, 1986. At that time, William J. Rushton Jr. was the Board President.

Of the initial response, Jimmie says, “I was flabbergasted at the number of new members we had meet this category.”

Today, there are more than 700 families as members of the Toc-queville Society, making the Central Alabama chapter the 5th larg-est Society in the world. The generous contributions of the Society account for 28% of all dollars generated for the annual campaign of the United Way of Central Alabama.

Apart from the numbers, Eddie describes the Tocqueville Society as a powerful embodiment of his late father’s prevailing philosophy of life: “One does not pursue happiness. Happiness is a byproduct of helping others and leading a meaningful life.”

United Way of Central Alabama coordinates Welfare to Work, designed to help those in

career transition find sustainable employment.

United Way coordinates with the Central Alabama Task Force for Self-Sufficiency.

United Way implements the national Financial Stability Partnership Initiative, designed to provide

tax advice and assistance in purchasing a home.

United Way adds the 211 Service.

United Way merges with Hands on Birmingham.

Celebrating its seventh birthday, the Central Alabama Tocqueville Society. achieves

notoriety as the 36th largest chapter in the nation. Today, it is among the top five.

United Way makes a significant contribution to the Domestic Violence Project Task Force.

United Way creates the Family Trouble Center.

United Way helps fund the A.G. Gaston Boys and Girls Clubs Teen Center.

United Way helps fund Success by 6.

Tocqueville funding positions United Way to add 37 new partner agencies.

United Way, thanks to the leadership of Tocqueville members, creates the

Endowment Fund.

1993 LATE 2000SEARLY 2000S

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CHARTER MEMBERS

Mr. and Mrs. Harold L. AbromsMr.* and Mrs. Houston W. BlountMr. and Mrs. Herman BoldenMr. and Mrs. H. Jack Breard Jr.Mr. and Mrs. F. Dixon Brooke Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Angelo BrunoMr. and Mrs. Anthony J. BrunoMr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Bruno*

Mr.* and Mrs. Lee J. BrunoMr. and Mrs. William J. Cabaniss*

Mr. and Mrs. Edwin M. Dixon* Fig Tree FoundationMr. and Mrs.* Henry C. GoodrichMr. and Mrs. M. Miller GorrieMr. and Mrs.Victor Hanson IIMr. and Mrs. Donald E. HessMr.* and Mrs. Emil C. HessMrs. C. Barney Ireland*

Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Ireland II

Mrs. Fay B. IrelandMr. William R. Ireland*

Mr. John S. Jemison Jr.*

Mr. Thomas E. Jernigan*

Estate of Caroline and Crawford JohnsonMr.* and Mrs. Crawford T. Johnson IIIMr. and Mrs. Hugh Kaul*

Mr. and Mrs. Jack D. McSpadden*

Mr. and Mrs.* John C. PittmanMr. and Mrs. Jon RotenstreichMr. and Mrs. William J. Rushton IIIMr. Morris K. Sirote*

Mr. Elton B. Stephens*

Mr. James T. StephensMr.* and Mrs. Hall W. ThompsonSusan Mott Webb Charitable TrustMr. James W. Wilson*

( *deceased)

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“...it is absolutely possible toreach out and touch the life of another human being.”

Mr. & Mrs. Harold L. Abroms

Hal Abroms’s leadership giving “lightbulb moment” took place in 1960s Paris, and it came from the words of a Tunisian refugee.

“I was with a group visiting Europe and Israel,” he says. “Immediately after the Six-Day War, in which Israel defeated a lot of the Arab countries, the Jews living in countries in North Africa were being asked to leave – thrown out. We stopped in Paris and went to a dormitory where there were Jewish people from Tunisia with anything they could bring with them, waiting for transport to Israel.”

“This lady came up to me and said ‘Thank you, thank you for making it possible for me to live in a country where we can live with dignity.’ I thought about that and realized it is absolutely possible to reach out and touch the life of another human being.”

Nearly 20 years later, Hal’s business mentor and close friend Emil Hess was in the early stages of forming Birmingham’s Tocqueville chapter.

“Parisian had always been a supporter of United Way and we contributed to United Way in every community in which we have stores. We felt that we cannot be any more successful than the community in which we operate.”

Following in Emil’s footsteps, Hal agreed to join, a decision he says to this day has given both he and his wife Judy much pleasure.

“Emil was my compass more than anyone,” says Hal. “He taught me the joy of giving.”

Twenty-five years after the birth of Birmingham’s Tocqueville chapter, Hal and Judy are still experiencing – and sharing that joy. And while their philanthropy extends outside the arc represented by United Way and its partner agencies, Hal emphasizes his belief that the organization today still functions as the heartbeat of all charitable giving.

“In my view, if a person wants to give to charity and doesn’t know where or how, United Way is always the best place to go. Beneficiaries have to apply for a grant and then they are held accountable. That accountability is transacted by volunteers who belong to United Way and contribute to it. It’s an organization that any person can contribute to and feel confident that the money is being spent wisely.”

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Mr. & Mrs. Houston W. Blount

“His meetings were so much fun to go to; he had a lot of wit and humor, and he always had music and fun going on for the whole group,” remembers Frances. “It was fun to work with him on those kinds of things because he was so full of enthusiasm. It never entered his mind that [the fundraising goal] wouldn’t happen quickly. He never worried about it. He had such confidence that everybody, once they knew the situation, would be as eager to give as he was.”

Of her own involvement, Frances recalls serving on a budget committee under the leadership of Herb Stiles. “He was so strict! You felt like the money was well looked after. They were careful with it. It wasn’t extravagantly spent.”

Today, decades after the Blount family first became involved with the organization, Frances notes that United Way will always have a special place in her heart.

“What they do truly touches the whole community.”

With apologies to Mark Twain, the clothes do not, as it turns out, make the man. For Houston Blount, it had much more to do with merit badges.

A fervent supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, Houston lived out a critical component of the Boy Scout Promise, “to help other people at all times,” right up until the day he died at the age of 89.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Vulcan Materials, Houston brought a level of dedication to community involvement that can be credited to the example set by his father, Red Blount.

“Houston grew up understanding that wherever you lived, you just became a part of it,” says his wife Frances. “He believed the United Way was one of the fastest and best ways to give money because it affects so many agencies.”

In 1975, Houston was general chairman of the General Fund Drive for the United Way.

“What they do truly touches the whole community.”

Mr. & Mrs. Jack H. Breard Jr.

As a young man growing up in Dallas, Texas, Jack Breard was exposed very early on to the subscription services business. Applying the skills he’d watched his father

employ training and managing a team of direct sales staff as the Southwestern franchise owner of Keystone Reader’s Service, Jack spent his summers selling magazines door-to-door, earning enough money to cover his tuition at Washington and Lee University.

After graduating in 1961, Jack returned home to run the family business, which represented many flagship titles, including Ladies’ Home Journal and the Saturday Evening Post. Five years later, Jack sold the business to longtime family friend Elton B. Stephens, who tapped him as general manager for the company’s Southwest Division. It was a fateful move for Jack, who eventually relocated to Birmingham in 1986 as Vice President and Director of Marketing for EBSCO.

Following Elton Stephens’ shining example of the importance of philanthropic giving, Jack and his wife, Barbara Northcutt Breard, quickly assimilated to their new city, joining the Tocqueville Society but also making an impact of their own.

Perhaps most noteworthy is the family’s hands-on approach. Not content merely to sit on a board or write a check, Jack and Barbara have created a long and fruitful history of giving generously and whole-heartedly.

Barbara is the founder of the Mad Hatters, an organization that, since its inception in 1991, has raised more than half a million dollars for the American Cancer Society. As an active stakeholder in the Prescott House, Jack has played an instrumental role in helping turn into a reality the dream of former Jefferson County District Attorney David Barber – to create a safe haven for child abuse victims.

After a 40-year career with EBSCO, Jack retired in 2006. He and Barbara relocated back to Dallas, where they enjoy spending time with grandchildren Jackson and Reneau.

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Mr. & Mrs. F. Dixon Brooke Jr.

Dell and Dixon Brooke are natives of Birmingham. In 1986, they joined with others as founding members of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of Central Alabama.

“Dell and I decided to join de Tocqueville because Steve (Dell’s father Elton B. Stephens) asked us to consider following his lead,” says Dixon. “We had supported United Way [for] a number of years so this was an easy decision.”

Dixon has been active in community affairs, education and banking, and in addition to serving on EBSCO’s Board of Directors, he currently serves on the Boards of First Commercial Bank (Chairman), Alabama Wildlife Federation, Greater Alabama Council Boy Scouts of America, and the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Birmingham Business Alliance.

Dell serves as EBSCO’s Corporate Secretary. She also sits on EBSCO’s Board of Directors and is on the Boards of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), and the Lakeshore Foundation. Dell is also actively involved with the Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center.

“Dell and I share in our commitment to do what we can to make the Birmingham Region a better place to live for all its citizens,” says Dixon. “We couple this with our belief in giving back to the community and helping those in need. We feel supporting the United Way of Central Alabama enables us to efficiently and effectively have a positive impact across a broad range of needs, and in a small way, this makes our community a better place to live.”

Dixon has served EBSCO Industries, Inc. in a variety of capacities over the past 38 years and currently serves as President and CEO. EBSCO has 5,800 employees worldwide and is ranked in the top 200 of the nation’s largest privately held corporations, based on revenues and number of employees, according to Forbes magazine.

Dell and Dixon enjoy travel and spending time with their three grown children and two grandchildren.

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“...supporting the UnitedWay of Central Alabama enables us to efficiently and effectively have a positive impact across a broad range of needs.”

Ann & Angelo Bruno

Long before he was Chairman of the Board of Bruno’s, Inc., Angelo Bruno was already cutting his teeth on the family business, as he

helped promote the very first Bruno’s grocery store, at the corner of 8th Avenue and Tenth Street in Birmingham, by distributing handbills after school.

For Angelo, the fourth youngest of the six Bruno brothers, the company’s formative years and its subsequent success, became a reinforcement of the lessons he’d learned watching Mama Theresa.

“My late husband strongly believed in helping the less fortunate, because he and I both came up in humble beginnings,” says Ann. “I just think that our Lord expects us to share with people who don’t have much, whether it be directly to the poor, through our church or through organizations such as United Way.”

For the Bruno family, the emphasis on leadership giving resonates strongly with United Way’s community impact.

“My mother’s particular focus has been on giving back to the poor,” says Ann and Angelo’s son, Ronnie. “A lot of folks focus on higher education – and we have to in a lot of respects – but the main focus my mother has always had is about indigent care. She’s instilled that in us as we’ve grown.”

“United Way...is thecenter of our giving.”

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“The United Way gives to so many different agencies around the community,” he adds. “It is the center of our giving.”

“Giving is just something you do. This [belief] has been passed down from our parents. We’ve been blessed and successful to make our living here in Birmingham; giving back is just something we expect ourselves to do.”

Mr. & Mrs. Anthony J. Bruno

For most of us nowadays, the sound of a railcar racing down the tracks is a nuisance, a lot of noise and a realization that you either a) find an alternative route

to your destination or b) brace yourself for a long wait. But for 84-year-old Anthony Bruno, locomotive steam and steel are the portals of a time machine, transporting him back to the sticky summer of 1932 in post-Great Depression stricken Thomas, Alabama.

The would-be CEO of Big ‘B’ Drugs, then a five-year-old growing up rough-and-tumble with seven siblings and a father who made no more than 10 dollars a week in his job at Republic Steel, remembers vividly how often hobos would stop at his parents’ door. Just as vividly, he recalls the sweet and herbaceous aromas of fresh Italian bread baking.

Anthony would watch as these transients were welcomed by his mother, who was known for filling the empty hands of those that stopped at her door with homemade bread and cheese. With each knock, she would turn to her children and tell them, “That could be Christ knocking at the door.”

“We should always give to those less fortunate than we are. We have always done that, and we always will.”

Years later, as Anthony and his siblings found success in the grocery and drugstore business, the legacy lived out by their mother continued to influence them.

For Anthony, charitable giving is but a close second to his wife of 56 years, his four children and his seven grandchildren, all of whom he will quickly describe to you as his life’s greatest accomplishment. From the life lesson learned in his formative years through his mother’s own selfless sense of community, Anthony’s philanthropy is rooted in a desire to share what he calls his occupational fruits.

It is why, when he and his brothers took a meeting in 1985 with General Ed Friend, during which they were asked to join the ambitious effort of the would-be Tocqueville Society, Anthony answered the call with a resounding “yes.”

“We should always give to those less fortunate than we are. We have always done that, and we always will.”

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Mr. & Mrs. Joseph S. BrunoAs of the oft-recited business phrase goes, “People like

doing business with people they like.” And rarely was there a more likeable man than Joe Bruno.

While he had many “isms,” and quotable quotes, a family favorite was this: “First and foremost, everything we have comes from God. He has blessed us all more than we deserve…all the wonderful things that have happened in our family are only because we believe and have faith in one man.”

“First and foremost, everything we have comes from God. He has blessed us all more than we deserve…”

It’s a phrase he uttered so often that granddaughter Marian Phillips recently commissioned a local artist to create hand-painted wall art from it, which became a cherished Christmas gift to family members.

A consummate family man, Joe was happiest while in the company of loved ones, on whom he lavished attention – and the occasional practical joke. One for which he was particularly known was The Pitcher – a mixture of 7-Up, Fanta, Grapico, even prune juice – that he would mix up and deliver poolside to a gaggle of thirsty grandkids, amusing himself with the creative ingredient guesses they’d shout out after briefly taste-testing “Paw-Paw’s” latest concoction.

Family traditions were very important to Joe, who hosted an annual fishing trip down to Louisiana for the Bruno men. From the requisite one-mile after dinner walks to their misadventures and memories of fishing on the boat, the Bruno men came to embrace this annual pilgrimage to the Louisiana fishing coast so much that, upon Joe’s passing, they each wore their favorite fishing shirts under their funeral suits in tribute.

A man who touched the lives of many, Joe’s philanthropic gifts throughout the city of Birmingham still have a profound impact today, 15 years after his death. One of Joe’s final financial gifts illustrates a particularly poignant example. Upon his grandson and namesake being named chief resident of Children’s Hospital, Joe wanted to make a donation in his honor. Although the family had no history of endocrinology-related illness, Joe requested the funds be used in that area. Four days before his death, Joe’s great-niece was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.

Whether it was supporting the interests of a loved one, aiding an employee experiencing difficulty, or stepping up as a leadership giver with United Way, Joe just knew what he was supposed to do. More importantly, he did it.

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Mr. & Mrs. Lee J. Bruno

On any given day in 1945, at an hour when most were still slumbering peacefully, 25-year-old Lee Bruno could be found chatting up those selling their wares

throughout the produce stalls of the downtown Birmingham farmer’s market.

Warm-hearted and well-liked, Lee established rapport quickly with the farmer’s market regulars, becoming a fast favorite for his easygoing demeanor and effortless business acumen. This led eldest brother Joe to assign him the role of produce purveyor and supplier across the family’s growing grocery chain, which then represented a five-store footprint across Central Alabama.

Even in the wake of her sons’ success, and perhaps because of it, Mama Theresa, as she is affectionately remembered, insisted that the entire flock assemble each and every Sunday for a weekly family supper. For Lee, those gatherings represented one aspect of the family business of which his family is most proud, and that is the importance of charitable giving.

“That was the nucleus of the way everything worked,” recalls Lee’s son, Vincent. “They never had anything, so whatever they got, they taught us to appreciate and take care of it.”

Much more than a feel-good statement of the moment, this belief is firmly-rooted in the family’s value system, and still exerts a strong influence on second and third generations of the Bruno family.

“Uncle Joe would say it all the time: ‘The community is being good to us. We need to be good to the community,’” says Vincent.

It’s the same reason why, in 1985, when General Ed Friend, in his capacity as United Way Chairman, asked for a joint meeting with the Bruno brothers, during which he requested a larger level of support from them, the collective answer was an enthusiastic and immediate “yes.”

“Philanthropic giving was a big part

of what he felt was important.”

Mr. & Mrs. William J. Cabaniss

F or William J. Cabaniss, education was the great equalizer – and what propelled him to lead the Community Chest in 1946.

The former CEO of Southern Cement Company, Cabaniss, along with Hugh Kaul, was instrumental in the merger of the former Brooke Hill School and the former Birmingham University School (BUS) to create what currently is known as The Altamont School.

Education is a core component of United Way, with more than 50% of its agencies receiving support from the organization.

The mission spoke personally to Cabaniss, who had received the gift of a solid education himself as a young man attending The Lawrenceville School just outside Princeton, New Jersey.

Cabaniss was also a firm believer in the importance of meaningful, character-building play for children – another key area central to the mission of United Way.

“My father was the youngest of five brothers, with 25 years separating them,” says Bill. “When Dad came back from the Navy, his second oldest brother, Jelks, was looking to sell his wife’s family farm down in Lowndes County. He offered it to his brothers, and the only taker was Dad.”

“It was wonderful,” Cabaniss recalls. “At the age of 10, I had Dad putting a shotgun in my hands, as he taught me to hunt quail. I was a lucky young man who’d had the opportunity to fish and hunt with my Dad beginning at a very early age.”

Cabaniss believed all children should have the opportunity to benefit from such experiences, regardless of financial barrier.

“He did a lot of it very quietly,” says Bill. “It was never a big show. It was done very unassumingly, but I always knew that philanthropic giving was a big part of what he felt was important.”

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Mr. & Mrs. Edwin M. DixonA transplanted Southerner, by way of Grand Forks,

North Dakota, Edwin M. Dixon developed a deep and abiding affection for his adopted hometown of

Birmingham, Alabama.

In 1946, Ed came to the Magic City upon graduating from The University of Michigan. Along with the skills he’d acquired in the United States Navy, and his degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Ed began work with Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation. This was his first experience in the South and he never looked back.

Eventually joining Harbert Corporation, Ed served as Director, Executive Vice President and Secretary over a 40-year career. Not only did he work with John and Bill Harbert, but they were close friends as well. It was during this time that Ed participated in the Harvard Graduate School of Business Advanced Management Program. Nearing his retirement from Harbert, Ed began exploring ideas about how he could most meaningfully impact the city that had given so much to him.

In 1986, Ed set forth to follow in the footsteps of two philanthropic groups he greatly admired, United Way and the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. With the support of his wife Peggy, Ed established the Dixon Foundation with a singular focus in mind – to give back to Birmingham in a way that was both measurable and sustaining.

With the support of his wife Peggy, Ed established the Dixon Foundation with a singular focus in mind – to give back to Birmingham in a way that was both measurable and sustaining.

The creation of the Methodist Educational Leave Society, which supports the continuing education of Methodist ministers, was one of the first programs to launch from the Dixon Foundation. In a beautiful example of one charitable act leading to another, the Methodist Educational Leave Society fortuitously led to the establishment of the Institute for Clergy Excellence, which supports ministers of all denominations throughout the United States.

In a matter particularly close to his heart, Ed initiated the Dixon Fellows program at Children’s Hospital in 1989, following the death of his first grandson. In 2000, UAB honored Ed by establishing the Edwin M. Dixon Endowed Chair in Neonatology. Ed was a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham, and a 2006 inductee into the Alabama Road Builder’s Hall of Fame. It must not go without being said how much the Auburn Tigers meant to Ed. Years ago when Auburn was adding a club level addition onto the stadium, he was there in person, choosing the exact location and views for his grandchildren so they would be able to experience the full effect of Tiger football.

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Fig Tree Foundation

When JoAnn Hess Morrison created the Fig Tree Foundation in 1983, she did so under the principle of tikkun olam, which is Hebrew for “repairing the world.”

“She was incredibly philanthropic throughout her life,” recalls her brother, Donald. “[Although] she ended up living the last 10 years of her life in Israel, she was instrumental in funding a lot of programs in Birmingham through the Fig Tree Foundation, and through her own philanthropy.”

JoAnn supported the Chabad House, and funded numerous scholarships for young people interested in visiting Israel. JoAnn also funded a major chair in Judaic Studies at Connecticut College, her alma mater.

In keeping with her family’s legacy, JoAnn joined The Tocqueville Society as a charter member 25 years ago.

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Mr. & Mrs. Henry C. GoodrichFor Henry Goodrich, the path to philanthropy began

in post-Depression era Fayetteville, Tennessee, and it was paved with... ham.

Henry’s father, Charles Goodrich, a 1900 graduate of Vanderbilt Medical School, set up practice in Fayetteville as the community doctor at a time when the bartering system was the order of the day.

Charles would accept ham, chicken, produce – even stove wood – as payment for services, but never land. “If you take the land, you take the livelihood,” he would tell his son Henry, even as he had to take out a second loan on the Goodrich home in the absence of patient receivables.

As a young man, Henry would survey the Goodrich property, stacked high with more stove wood than the family could possibly have use for, and sit at his parents’ supper table, seeing ham for dinner – again – and reflect on his father’s compassion for the community.

Years later, at his father’s funeral, Henry found himself shaking the hands of many who introduced themselves as “Charles,” having been named in honor of Henry’s father, so touched were the families who found themselves lucky enough to be in the care and company of a man with such remarkable character. These events shaped a profound legacy of philanthropic giving for Henry, who came to describe community involvement as “paying one’s civic rent.”

“You don’t do anything withoutpaying your civic rent.”

This notion of civic rent has remained in the forefront of Henry’s mind, even after his appointment as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SONAT, Incorporated. Despite balancing a demanding career and being a dedicated family man to wife Billie Grace and children Mike, Bill and Sydney, Henry gave generously of his time to the Boy Scouts of America, of which he was particularly passionate, as well as the United Way and Southern Research Institute, among many other organizations.

For other generations of the Goodrich family, the notion of civic rent is alive and well.

“It is such a core family value,” says daughter Sydney Green. “The example that my parents, particularly my Dad, set is that you have your family, you have your professional work, but you also have your community. You don’t do anything without paying your civic rent.”

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Mr. & Mrs. M. Miller Gorrie

Economical with his words, Miller Gorrie describes his involvement as a charter member of the Tocqueville Society succinctly: “I’ve

always felt that you need to put your money where your mouth is.”

And in 1985, when he found himself on the receiving end of a pitch from longtime friend and mentor Emil Hess, Miller did exactly that.

“You need to do your part. Don’t just talk about it.”

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“Emil definitely got me started and along the path of Tocqueville,” he says. “It was a considerable sum, and it sort of knocked me back in the chair a little bit. But I agreed to do it, and that made me think about giving at a higher level.”

A lifelong advocate of United Way, Miller first became involved with the organization in the 1960s. As a young engineer and advocate during the United Appeal, Miller would canvass neighborhoods in support of the campaign.

“I’ve never been one to talk a lot,” he says. “I try to do more than I say. I’ve just always felt like you need to do your part, and don’t just talk about it.”

In this spirit, Miller has consistently strengthened his commitment to United Way. From his United Appeal days through the period of his acquisition of Thomas C. Brasfield’s construction assets, and today, under the umbrella of Brasfield & Gorrie, Miller is proud to be a charter member of the Tocqueville Society.

“The United Way was formed to increase philan-thropy and to make it more efficient. It organizes community-wide support [and] draws on everyone to participate. It’s a training ground for a lot of young people to get started.”

Mr. & Mrs. Victor Hanson ll

After meeting his wife outside a Chaucer class at The University of Alabama, Victor Hanson moved back to Birmingham, working as an ad salesman for WAPI radio

and TV before he joined the Air Force.

When he got out of the service, Victor started full-time with The Birmingham News, eventually working his way up to the rank of publisher. Under his leadership, the paper opened a $30 million dollar separate press and production facility, celebrated its 100th anniversary, moved into the digital age with a Web presence that was the precursor to al.com, and also won a Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing.

Throughout his 21-year run at the helm of The Birmingham News organization, Victor remained active in United Way of Central Alabama, as he also observed firsthand how the organization was directly impacting the lives of local citizens.

In 1986, when Dave Orrell, former Executive Director of United Way, approached Victor with the idea of starting a Birmingham chapter Tocqueville Society, he was naturally met with much enthusiasm.

Reflecting on his ties to the organization, Victor has quipped, “I was the second chairman. [I was] the first guy to have a party, which is probably regretted by all the other chairmen!”

“It encourages people to give greater amounts than theyordinarily might have done. I thought it was a great idea.”

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Mr. & Mrs. Donald E.Hess

Reflecting on this, he adds: “We were always major believers in United Way; we felt it was the foundation. You can have a lot of things to provide for the well-being of those less fortunate. You can have your favorite philanthropy or charity, but United Way is the foundation of all of that.”

For Ronne, who grew up in a tradition of philanthropy, the Hess family’s commitment to United Way through the Tocqueville Society has been an affirming experience.

“I remember the first Tocqueville event was at Miller and Frances Gorrie’s house. Just seeing that small group of people and knowing that we all shared those values, and then to see the amazing growth of the group since then, it’s very inspiring that Birmingham has one of the largest Tocqueville groups in the country. I wish we could publicize that. That should be what the New York Times says about Birmingham!”

Seldom will you find a family unit that walks its talk moreso than that of Donald and Ronne Hess.

“It’s just our belief that we have a responsibility to leave the world a better place than we found it,” says Donald, an integral part of the beloved former Parisian department stores. “Whether in a business environment or with people who couldn’t afford to shop with us but [who are nevertheless] a part of the fabric of our community, we felt strongly about supporting all of them and we do to this day.”

Even though the business was eventually sold to Proffitt’s, the Parisian philosophy, cultivated by his father, Emil Hess, still influences Donald significantly today.

“A big quote from Dad was, ‘Our business depends on our customers being able to shop with us. The stronger the community, the better our business will be, the stronger the element is in the community, the more we do to take care of the weaker elements of our society, the better off we will be, from a social perspective and throughout the community.”

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“...United Way is the foundation of all of that.”

Mr. & Mrs. Emil C.HessAgainst a backdrop of double-digit unemployment,

it would seem ill-advised to start a fundraising campaign where the minimum commitment level

includes lots of zeros.

But for Emil Hess, a committed businessman with a heart the size of Texas, this was a goal from which he could not be dissuaded.

And chalk one up for commitment. Thanks in part to Emil and Jimmie’s vision and their exemplary follow-through, the Tocqueville Society of United Way of Central Alabama is among the top five most successful chapters in the nation.

Considering the early days of the campaign, Jimmie says: “We had great trepidation about it at first. We didn’t think we could pull it off. We thought it was too much to ask of people then.”

For Jimmie, who arrived in Birmingham in 1945 from

Washington, D.C., the United Way has since proven to be the most efficient organization through which she can help heal the world.

Reflecting on her early impressions of her new city, Jimmie says: “I saw things [here that] I hadn’t ever seen before. I went down to the hospital to give out food stamps and there were people that couldn’t write their name and people who hardly had shoes on. So your mind starts working in a different direction. I saw that there was much that needed to be done.”

Very much a pioneer for women playing an active role in philanthropy, Jimmie served as Chair of the Women’s Division, during which time she and her team collected money door-to-door.

“It was very hard to convince women to be their own persons and to give hopefully out of their own resources,” she says. “In the beginning it was just reaching out to women to say ‘You can give five dollars of your own money and think of what that would keep you from having.’ It was an educating experience for many women.”

Reflecting on the Tocqueville Society’s growth, progress and 25th birthday, Jimmie adds, “It was sort of fantastic to realize we could have done that – just to have a good idea and then taking off with it.”

“If you don’t set a goal, there is nothing there to work for,” she says. “This was an astonishing goal, but it worked! Emil would be very proud, but I don’t think he would be surprised.”

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“This was an astonishing goal, butit worked!”

Mrs. C. Barney Ireland

The saying is particularly apropos for Mrs. C. Barney Ireland, who first became acquainted with the Tocqueville Society through the involvement of her

sons, William and Glenn, both of whom were already longtime supporters of United Way’s mission.

Without a doubt, the culture of compassion that their mother cultivated in the Ireland home influenced William and Glenn considerably, both of whom went on to become staunch advocates for quality access to mental health care.

Admired for her philanthropic spirit, Mrs. Ireland was equally adored for her charming competitive streak.

“My grandmother would give you the shirt off her back, but if she beat you in [a game of] bridge or gin and you owed her 83 cents, then you had better pay her,” recalls her granddaughter Mallie. “You owed her.”

“She was so outgoing and just had loads of friends who were all ages,” says daughter-in-law Mallie. “On her 90th birthday, she had a pink party – everyone came in pink. There were people of all ages there – from 19 to 90!”

“She was just a fascinating person, and she loved to give.”

An oft-referenced phrase about parenting tells us that, “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”

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Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Ireland llFor Glenn Ireland II, the United

Way represents the convergence of community change and thoughtful

stewardship.

It is a mission deeply personal to Glenn, who, in 1973, founded Glenwood, an agency devoted to providing treatment, education, and research in the area of children’s mental health.

The idea to develop a facility like Glenwood, one of United Way’s 84 partner agencies, was inspired by his sister, Kathy, who battled schizophrenia.

“We had so many friends who had similar issues facing their families, and there was nowhere for these children to go,” remembers his wife, Mallie. “We put an ad in the paper to promote a meeting we were having for anyone interested in creating a facility for this purpose. Over 200 people showed up.”

Starting with five children and only $5,000, Glenwood has grown tremen-dously. It now serves more than 2,000 children and adults annually.

A lifelong supporter of mental health advocacy, Glenn also served for four years under Governor Fob James as the Commissioner of Mental Health.

As an individual, and a leadership giver within United Way, Glenn is a passionate believer in the organization’s mission.

An oft-referenced phrase about parenting tells us that, “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”

“Many of my friends havebeen aware of and supported and volunteered for United Way for years. When Tocqueville came along, it was natural to become involved.”

“If it wasn’t for United Way, someone like me would not [have the time to] look into the organizations requesting funds. The volunteers who do this take a lot of the burden off of those of us who would like to support various organizations. We know that our dollars are being well spent and that the recipients really deserve it.”

And he took that involvement quite seriously. Not content just to take a leadership role within the Birmingham chapter, Glenn and Mallie went on to initiate a United Way Tocqueville Society where none previously existed in Vero Beach, Florida.

“We started it with just six people in it,” recalls Mallie. Glenn adds that the Vero Beach Tocqueville chapter has since grown considerably in membership, vastly enhancing the effectiveness of the Vero Beach United Way within the greater local community.

“Particularly in Birmingham, United Way has always had the most successful, busiest people in

town head it up and get behind it,” he says. “It’s been a wonderful community thing. Moreover, United Way of Central Ala-bama far exceeds the [participation levels in] towns with much larger populations.”

Perhaps Glenn and Mallie’s greatest source of pride is the legacy they have given their children and grandchildren. One of the couple’s three daughters, Mallie, is the 25th Anniversary Toc-queville Society chair, and a revered local philanthropist in her own right.

“We have been taught to give out of the abundance of the blessings that God has given us,” she says. “God has been so good to our family that he has even used the hard things in our life to benefit others.”

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Mrs. Fay B. Ireland

In post-Depression Birmingham, a young Fay Ireland watched as her mother, with compassion and purpose, helped a young woman who was down on her luck take

the first step to getting her life back on track.

“This woman was living beside the highway in paper boxes, having one baby after another,” recalls Fay. “Mother took her on a streetcar over to Hillman [Hospital] to get birth control.”

And so it was that the foundation of Fay’s professional future – as a World War II cadet nurse – was set.

Fay credits her husband for encouraging her to recognize the United Way as one of the best agencies in Birmingham...

“My mother was very generous, even though we didn’t have a whole lot of money,” says Fay. “She used to collect books for the schoolchildren that couldn’t pay for them. Anyone who was sick, she just took care of them.”

After her cadet nursing days, Fay worked for the Jefferson County Department of Health as a senior public health nurse. Since then, Fay has kept her ties to the nursing community strong, remembering a piece of wisdom her mother gave her many years ago.

“The reason I had a profession was [that] my mother thought everyone should have something to fall back on – you don’t know what will happen,” she says.

This view is particularly fitting in light of Fay’s philanthropic giving, much of which supports higher education programs at UAB, including the funding she has provided for an endowed chair in UAB’s School of Nursing.

“I married a giving husband. He was a giver by nature, and I think he learned to give mainly when he got back to Birmingham.”

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Mr. William R.IrelandVulcan Materials Executive Vice President William

Ireland, Sr. had an irrepressible knack for seeing the best in everybody.

He also saw his home state for what it could become, leading him to earn the distinction of being known as “one of the best friends the environment of Alabama has ever had.”

Locally, William was an active leader in United Way of Central Alabama, one in a long list of civic groups to which he lent his time and talents. Others included the American Cancer Society, Boy Scouts of America, Alabama Sheriffs’ Boys and Girls Ranches, and Big Brothers of Greater Birmingham.

“Bill did whatever he thought was good for Birmingham.”

“I married a giving husband,” says his wife, Fay. “He gave to everything. He didn’t want to say no. Everybody loved him.”

William was also a friend of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he served the Lurleen Wallace Memorial Foundation as board member and president, and was also active in the Comprehensive Cancer Center Supporters Group, the UAB Capital Fund Drive, the President’s Advisory Committee and the President’s Development Advisory Committee.

“Bill did whatever he thought was good for Birmingham – and Auburn,” says Fay.

Indeed, Bill was a loyal, dedicated alumnus, serving on Auburn’s Foundation Board as well as being a member of the Auburn Advisory Council in the College of Mathematics and Sciences.

“He never in all the 61 years I was married to him ever said anything bad about anybody. He was a giver and I think he learned to give mainly when he got back to Birmingham.”

It is certainly to Birmingham’s benefit that he did so. The accomplishments of the 1986 Tocqueville Society charter members are due in large part to the selfless generosity ofthe Ireland family.

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Mr. John S. JemisonJr.

One of the most valuable lessons we are taught as youth is to remember we came from.

And for John S. Jemison, Jr., who found success early on in his career as a financier with both Chase Manhattan Bank and Goldman Sachs, this statement rings especially true.

“What he really cared about was Birmingham,” says son-in-law Corbin Day. “He cared deeply about the community and helping in every way that he could.”

And rather than helping from a distance, John ultimately left his New York business career behind to return home, where he spent the next several decades shaping the business landscape of the city of his birth.

“In the fifties and sixties, he was involved in nearly every merger that took place with family businesses, and other businesses,” recalls Corbin. “Everybody trusted him. He was the ultimate man in the middle.”

Known for his diplomacy skills and sound business acumen, John quickly cultivated a reputation as Birmingham’s most sought-after dealmaker.

“He could come up with a plan that satisfied everybody,” says Corbin. “Many times, he would go into somewhat tense situations [with a family business] where the sons were taking over from mother. He could work it all out to where everybody emerged, thinking, ‘Well, that sounds good.’ He was very proud of that.”

His ability to achieve consensus out of opposition resulted in John cultivating many of the building blocks upon which Birmingham’s business sector is built.

John’s love and support of the city created a natural segue for his role as a member of the initial class of leadership givers through the 1986 Tocqueville Society.

“In many ways, his life was about the city of Birmingham,” says Corbin. “He supported this city and loved this city.”

“In many ways, his life was about the city of Birmingham. He supported this city and loved this city.”26

Mr. Thomas E. Jernigan

Tom Jernigan was an innovator, an entrepreneur, and a visionary.

As the founder of several companies, including United Chair Company, Quick Marts, Winston Furniture, Marathon Equipment Company and Marathon Corporation, Tom was truly a living example of the late American philosopher Joseph Campbell’s notion of following one’s bliss.

But for the ambitious Atmore native, who got his first taste of business success at the age of 35 with the founding of his first company, bliss meant much more than the accumulation of professional achievements.

In 1990, the Central Alabama Chapter of the Tocqueville Society, albeit thriving, was still in its infancy. Dan Dunne had little more than a week on the job as United Way Executive Director when he found himself sitting across from Tom during an introductory meeting.

With little fanfare, Tom leaned across his desk, looked squarely at Dan and asked candidly, “Well, newcomer to Birmingham. What are you going to do for our community to help people?”

“I shared with him our vision of starting an endowment program,” recalls Dan. “We needed a visionary, and he was that kind of man. A few days later, he gave us $100,000 for the program. This was all over and above what he was doing in the normal course of giving.”

Today, United Way’s endowment program is supported by 350 members and assets worth 15 million.

Over the years, in response to Dan’s status reports about the performance of the endowment seed money, Tom would remark, “This is the best investment I ever made. I wish all my investments had the kind of results United Way has achieved.”

Quietly compassionate, Tom had no interest in notoriety for his charitable contributions.

“He just wanted to help people and do it in a low-key way.”

“This is the best investment I ever made. I wish all my investments had the kind of results United Way has achieved.”

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Estate of Caroline & Crawford Johnson &Mr. & Mrs. Crawford T. Johnson lllTo commemorate the completion of his term as 1960

chairman of the Community Chest, Crawford Johnson, III received a “Chestie,” which then

took up permanent residence in the Coca-Cola Bottling Company United CEO’s home office.

A seemingly insignificant chotchkie, the five-inch tall, metal statue, complete with a red feather sticking out of its cap, this “Chestie” eventually came to represent what a change agent the United Way can truly be. It is a symbol that, even today – 51 years after it was given – has left a lasting impression on all four of the Johnson daughters. Each of them now serves in a leadership role within their respective communities, all at the crossroads of community voluntarism and philanthropic giving.

“This ‘Chestie’ was always on prominent display at our house,” says daughter Walker. “Whenever I think of voluntarism and my father’s involvement, I still rememberthat this statue was front and center at our house, symbolizing his belief that United Way is so important to our community.”

And while Crawford has certainly influenced his daughters’ giving spirit, it is a tradition that actually began decades before, when Crawford’s grandparents, Caroline and Crawford Sr., first settled in Birmingham in the early 1900s.

“There was a tradition within Coca-Cola bottler families that they became committed to the community in which they did business,” remembers Walker. “And so my great-grandparents took that very seriously. Within 10 years, Crawford Johnson Sr. became the first president of the predecessor of United Way.”

Caroline and Crawford Sr. believed so strongly in United Way’s mission that they both left bequests in their wills for the organization.

“Even as an early pioneer in Birmingham, even with Birmingham being a fledgling city, my great-grand-father was committed to making a difference in his new city.”

And what a difference it has been.“Whenever I think of voluntarism

and my father’s involvement, I still remember that this statue was front and center at our house, symbolizing his belief that the United Way is so important to our community.”28

Estate of Caroline & Crawford Johnson &Mr. & Mrs. Crawford T. Johnson lll Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Kaul

Just try to find one organization or program in Birmingham that is not tied to the name Hugh Kaul. It’s almost impossible to do.

And as is the case today, so it was then.

In the six decades prior to creating the Hugh Kaul Foundation, Hugh impacted his community as a skilled businessman, as a politician who “walked his talk,” as a passionate advocate for education, and as a citizen who worked tirelessly to enhance the quality of life for all who call Birmingham home.

With a Yale undergraduate degree and law degree under his belt, Hugh skillfully accepted the reins of running his family’s business, the Kaul Lumber Company, upon his father’s death in 1931.

By 1938, he’d been elected to the Alabama State Legislature, where he served four non-consecutive terms and was also Chairman of the Jefferson County Delegation.

“Hugh went down there and changed the whole tenor of the way they looked at the laws,” remembers his lifelong friend and fellow Altamont School Board Member Margaret Livingston.

“He just improved the whole fabric of the state of Alabama.”

With the same meticulous and accountability-driven nature that he took to Montgomery, Hugh also played an instrumental role in the merging of Brooke Hill School and Birmingham University School, to create what is now known as The Altamont School.

“He was very active in those days with education,” says Margaret. “[He recognized] it was moving away from girls’ schools and boys’ schools to co-education. He saw the writing on the wall and urged the board to merge the two schools and how important it was for the future.”

During the school merger, it was suggested that the new school be named Kaul School. Much preferring to work behind the scenes, Hugh respectfully declined.

“He would be amazed [today] to see his name on everything. He never wanted anyone to know what he was doing,” says Margaret. “The only time he ever accepted anything was at Brooke Hill when we had a gold key made for him of the school door. He wore it on his watch chain and he was very proud of that.”

“He was very meticulous, always looking ahead and planning ahead,” she says.

Even in his philanthropic giving, Hugh – the first United Way leadership giver in Birmingham to donate at the $10,000 level – was ahead of his time.

“You can look all over the community and see his hand,” says Margaret. “He just improved the whole fabric of the state of Alabama.”

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Mr. & Mrs. Jack D. McSpadden

As early foot soldiers of United Way, Louise and Jack McSpadden were also at the forefront of the Tocqueville Society’s formative years.

During her term as chair of the Women’s Division, Louise was not above going door-to-door, and did just that, determined to help the Division meet its fundraising goal. For his part, as co-chair and chair of previous United Way campaigns, and as United Way Board Chairman, Jack weathered more than one lean fundraising year. Together, they quickly realized that Birmingham needed to broaden its base of community support.

“In addition to broadening community support, Mom and Dad also realized that we needed

a more efficient way of doing it,” says their daughter, Alice McSpadden Williams,

also a member of the Society.

Their natural passion for the work, inherited from his corporate-related philanthropy and voluntarism, and her upbringing as the daughter of one of the first-ever chairs of the Women’s Division, made them an effective catalyst for fundraising change in the city of Birmingham.

“Dad was actually in one of the small groups that came up with the list of suggested charter members,” says Alice. “People responded almost instantly and very excitedly. This is an incredible community. It was a success from the get-go.”

With Tocqueville Society gifts now representing more than 25% of the United Way’s annual fundraising budget, it is clear that that historical commitment initiated, in part, by Jack and Louise, has today become the lifeblood of the organization.

“It has had a tremendous, stabilizing effect for fundraising in this community,” says Alice. “How blessed we are because of the ability and willingness of this community to give and come through time and again.”

“It’s why this is home and why I am proud to call it home.”

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“...that historical commitment initiated, in part, by Jack and Louise, has today become the lifeblood of the organization.”

Armed with the discipline he learned as a rifle platoon leader in the U.S. Marine Corps, and the entrepreneurial spirit he honed as a general agent

for the John Hancock Company, John Pittman struck out in 1968 as an independent financial investor.

Launching Pittman Financial Partners proved to be a fortuitous move for John, whose life has intersected time and again with United Way of Central Alabama.

One of John’s biggest clients was Mr. Emil C. Hess. In 1985, when Emil and wife Jimmie began recruiting individuals for Tocqueville membership, John was an obvious choice.

“From the time I came back from the service, I was involved in the United Way Appeal, as we called it back then,” John recalls. “I started in the street division where we called on people and little businesses where we asked them for five or 10 or 15 dollars.”

“In 1979, I was asked to chair the three-county area of Jefferson, Walker and Shelby,” he recalls, adding that the call to become a leadership giver was in keeping with values instilled during childhood.

“From the time I was a kid, when my dad first gave me an allowance, I was taught to be a tither in the Baptist church – 10 percent. I was taught that part of what I had – Godowned it all – and I was supposed to give some of it back.”

“I always believed that if you’re blessed, you ought to share. There never came a time in my life when I thought about it as, ‘Is this something I am going to do or not do?’ It was an evolutionary thing. It was just something you did.”

“I grew in my belief during that time that the more I was blessed the more I would give,” he adds. “It got to be way more than 10% with me. God blessed me and I figured the reason he did [that] was for me to share.”

Mr. & Mrs.John C.Pittman“I always believed that if you’re blessed, you ought

to share. There never came a time in my life when I thought about it as, ‘Is this something I am going to do or not do?’ It was an evolutionary thing. It was just something you did.”

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“I knew the importance of beginning this effort, having had experience in leadership roles with United Way in other locations.The leadership role sets the model and example for sponsorship and giving.”

Mr. & Mrs. Jon Rotenstreich

Jon Rotenstreich, born in Birmingham, Alabama, began his professional career in New York City as a partner in the investment banking firm of Salomon Brothers.

In 1987, Frank Samford, Liberty National Life Insurance Board Chair, asked Jon to create a holding company, Torchmark, when Liberty National merged with Oklahoma City-based Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company.

Jon was named President of Torchmark, coinciding with the inaugural year of the Central Alabama Tocqueville chapter.

“I knew the importance of beginning this effort, having had experience in leadership roles with United Way in other

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locations,” says Jon. “The leadership role sets the model and example for sponsorship and giving.”

With his strong business sense and personal philanthropy, Jon agreed to become a charter member of the Tocqueville Society, following its early champions, Emil Hess and General Ed Friend.

“I’ve long believed that the private sector, the government and the philanthropic sector need to come together in order to effectively serve the community,” he says. “Charities need to give money on a sustainable basis but also need to innovate and invest in their future efficiency and vision. If the leadership of the community is galvanized, the goal can be achieved.”

Mr. & Mrs. William J. Rushton lll

Billy Rushton will quickly tell you that generosity has little do with how much is in your bank account.

“I have friends that inherited a lot of money, and some are generous, some are not. I’ve known some that did not inherit a lot of money but made a lot of money and some are generous and some are not. And I think the strongest correlation in giving probably comes from your parents. I grew up in a family that had that culture. We are the lucky ones to have grown up in a family like that.”

When Billy was asked to chair the United Appeal campaign in 1977, he wholeheartedly agreed, bringing a family mentality to his leadership role.

For Billy, in his role as campaign chair, it was a necessary endeavor to make one-on-one site visits with each of the United Way agencies for which he’d be advocating. At that time, United Way represented well over 50 agencies. Carving out 20 minutes to spend with each, particularly for the president of a thriving company like Protective Life Corporation, was no small feat. Impressively, Billy was able to visit 40 of them.

“Those agencies are so committed. They would give any-body a lift that needed it. That was a lasting impression.”

Seven years later, as Billy was about to renew his pledge at the fair share amount for his income level, the phone rang.

On the other end was General Ed Friend. Buoyed by the contagious can-do spirit of Tommy Frist, and the fact that Birmingham already had one donor at the $10,000 level in Hugh Kaul, Ed recruited Billy on the spot to increase his commitment and join the Tocqueville Society as a charter member.

“It was the most important thing I gave to,” he says. “It still is. [In terms of] what Tocqueville has meant nationwide, it is almost all of the growth of United Waygiving, and Birmingham is a leader in that group.”

“It was the most important thing I gave to. Tocqueville...is almost all of the growth of United Way giving.”

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Mr. Morris K. Sirote

Scholar. Zionist. Mensche. All words that describe beloved community leader and legendary attorney Morris K. Sirote.

One of the founders of Sirote & Permutt, Morris was faithful and family-oriented, a regular in the pews at Temple Beth-El and so devoted to his brother and sister that one lived with him while the other lived across the street. It was not uncommon for the Sirote clan to enjoy family dinners at Morris’s home as frequently as five nights a week.

After earning his law degree, Morris entered solo practice for several years, eventually partnering with James L. Permutt, who managed the law firm while Morris served as a lieutenant during World War II.

A vigorous litigator, Morris was known for his perseverance. He was constantly active in the Supreme Court of the State of Alabama, and also with the Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. He filed applications for appearance before the Supreme Court of the United States. He was indeed a feared opponent, to the point that concern about his deliberations and commitments frequently resulted in early settlements of cases.

It is most certainly this same perseverance – even stubbornness – that led Morris, along with firm partner General Ed Friend, to join the call to action in support of United Way as a charter member of the Tocqueville Society.

Of his commitment as a leadership giver, Betty Goldstein, a longtime companion of Morris, has said, “United Way served so many wonderful people and did so much good. It encompassed so many wonderful needs. [There were] so many things that otherwise could have been overlooked.”

“United Way [giving] is one way to do something for your community that is so important. You can give to that and know that your money is being well spent.”

“United Way [giving] is one way to do something for your community that is so important. You can give to that and know that your money is being well spent.”

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Mr. Elton B. StephensFrom humble beginnings in Barbour County, Alabama, to his

1993 interview with Forbes’ magazine, Elton B. Stephens’ life story beautifully exemplifies the American Dream realized.

“I never dreamed that we would accomplish anything like what we have,” he told Forbes as he reflected on the company’s then 50-year history.

Education was one of Elton’s most passionate pursuits. Working his way through college at Birmingham-Southern by selling magazine subscrip-tions door-to-door during the summers, Elton took advantage of every opportunity to advance his formal academic training. In 1936, he earned his law degree from The University of Alabama. And in 1960, some 17 years after Elton founded his first business, Military Service Company, he went on to attend Harvard, completing the Advanced Management Program.

Over the years, as he launched other businesses and the company, renamed EBSCO, truly began to flourish, Elton never lost sight of the vital role higher education had played in his own success. Throughout his career, he supported it generously. In 1986, EBSCO funded the nation’s largest endowment for a chair of library science at The University of Alabama, also thought to be the first of its kind in the United States.

Throughout the 1970s and 80s, EBSCO experienced explosive growth. This was aided in no small part by one of the organization’s conservative guiding business principles – to reinvest in its own growth. It is a principle that also guided Elton personally.

Investing in his community was of particular importance to Elton, who also founded the Alabama “%” Club, whose member companies donate two, five, or ten percent of their pre-tax income to foundations or other charitable projects, including United Way.

“I had a good tutor in my father,” says Jim Stephens, EBSCO’s Chairman of the Board. “We have always given 5% of before tax profits to charity and for many years put United Way first in that giving. It’s very easy and important to put what United Way does in first place.”

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“It’s very easy and important to put what United Way does in first place.”

Mr.JamesT. StephensWith a deeply humanitarian heart, Jim Stephens

acknowledges that the United Way conforms to his ideals of what our community, and our

country, can be.

“United Way reaches out to many who, through no fault of their own, through circumstances or otherwise have really strong fundamental basic needs to be able to cope with a decent life.”

For Jim, who was indoctrinated into the pleasures and responsibility of philanthropic giving at an early age through his father, Elton B. Stephens, leadership giving is an investment he can’t imagine not making.

“I am uncomfortable living in a nation that has the disparity in household income and welfare that we have in our country, and I believe that if we had less of a gap and a higher welfare and standard of living for many of our people who don’t enjoy that, we would have a better society and a stronger nation.”

This philosophy permeates the culture of EBSCO Industries, Inc., where Jim is Chairman of the Board, and also where United Way fair share participation levels among employees are remarkably high.

“We have always given 5% of before tax profits to charity and for many years put United Way first in that giving. We match our employee gifts [by giving] $2 from the Company for every $1 that an employee personally gives.”

“It’s very easy and important to put what United Way does in first place,” he says. “I put that first and it’s not a hard decision to make.”

“I put [United Way] first and it’s not a hard decision to make.”

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Mr. & Mrs. Hall W. Thompson

Before his World War II deployment to the Pacific for the U.S. Army Air Corps, Hall Thompson wandered into a USO Dance in Warner Robins,

Georgia, and found that he was dancing with the prettiest girl in the room.

“We were obviously meant for each other,” says his wife of 66 years, Lucy.

Upon his return from the war, Hall and Lucy settled back in Nashville, where Hall ran General Truck Sales, the country’s largest privately-owned GMC truck outlet. Hall’s brother ran the Caterpillar dealership in Nashville. In 1957, when his family was asked to expand the Caterpillar business into Alabama, Hall moved to Birmingham and opened Thompson Tractor Co., Inc.

He eventually expanded the footprint of the business into Anniston, Decatur and Tuscaloosa. The explosive success of Thomson Tractor allowed Hall to fulfill his longtime desire to bring a world-class golf course to Birmingham.

“Hall was an excellent golfer, always critiquing different golf courses and always saying he would build a golf course,” says Lucy. “I said fine, if you want to do it, do it. He started building the course before he retired from the company. The day he died he spent the whole day on the course with Jimmy Simmons, the golf course superintendent, getting Shoal Creek ready for next May’s Champions Tour Event. He loved golf and enjoyed working on the course.”

Hall is also remembered for fostering an enthusiasm for leadership giving that many found contagious.

“As early as 1957, they had a United Way campaign, and my father made a contribution,” says Hall’s daughter, Judy. “Not long after that, he had at least two people from the United Way come visit him on different occasions and say, ‘Mr. Thompson, you’re giving too much money.’ He just said, ‘We had a United Way campaign in Nashville, and I know what my fair share is.’ He was ahead of his time. He taught the city how to give.”

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“He was ahead of his time. He taught the city how to give.”

Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust

Loveman’s fashion model, tennis aficionado and civic change agent, Susan Mott Webb brought many talents to her adopted city of Birmingham.

Daughter of General Motors executive Charles Stewart Mott, Susan grew up in a family that emphasized frugality, personal accountability and philanthropy.

She lived out this legacy, donating her time to several civic organizations, including the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Women’s Committee of 100 and the Junior League of Birmingham. Through her ties to the League, Susan became involved with their International Indoor Tennis Tournament, which drew the likes of such players as Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg and others. Susan hosted a brunch for the players every year.

Susan passed away in 1977, bequeathing a charitable trust to benefit the Birmingham community. Since her untimely death, the Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust has contributed more than 20 million to Birmingham-area organizations, including United Way.

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“We started giving money to the United Way Community Food Bank way back when and just continued that every year as a tradition,” says her son, Stewart Dansby. That tradition ultimately led to the family’s participation in charter membership of the Tocqueville Society.

“As a child of privilege, she felt it important to give back to others in need. I think she’d be very proud of what United Way is doing today and what it represents.”

“I think she’d be very proud of what United Way is doing today and what it represents.”

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Contributing writer: Rebecca Cybulsky WaldenContributing designer: Ginny Foote Boothe

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