Induction Year: 2006

1st. Lieutenant William J. Cabaniss

  • October 4th, 2021

William J. Cabaniss, Jr. has had successful careers in business, public service, and community affairs, including serving as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

Ambassador Cabaniss was born in Birmingham, the son of William Jelks Cabaniss and Florence Pierson Sanson Cabaniss. He attended The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey where he graduated in 1956 and then enrolled at Vanderbilt University.

After graduating with a bachelor of arts degree from Vanderbilt University in 1960, Ambassador Cabaniss entered the United States Army, having received his commission as a second lieutenant through the U.S.

Army ROTC program. On active duty, he served as an Airborne Ranger first lieutenant. In 1964, after a three-year tour of duty in Germany, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal. After his service in the armed forces, Ambassador Cabaniss returned to his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, where he began his business career with the Southern Cement Company Division of Martin Marietta Corporation.

In 1971, he resigned from his position as director of market development with Southern Cement and acquired the assets of a small metal grinding company. Since then, he has built Precision Grinding, Inc. into a successful steel plate processing and metal machining business.

Ambassador Cabaniss ran for public office in 1978 and served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1978 to 1982 and the Alabama State Senate from 1982 to 1990.

Ambassador Cabaniss has been a leader in the Birmingham business community, having served on the Boards of Directors of the following publicly-held companies: AmSouth Banlc, Birmingham Steel Corporation, the Southern Company, and Protective Life Corporation. He served on the Metropolitan Development Board and was past chairman; served on the Board of the National Association of Manufacturers; and previously served on the Board of the Southern Research Institute. He has held

membership in the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Alabama, Association of Iron and Steel Engineers, and the National Tooling and Machining Association. In 2002, Mr. Cabaniss received the Distinguished Builders of Birmingham Award.

He was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic by Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington, DC on December 9, 2003. He arrived in Prague on January 9, 2004, and presented his credentials to President Vaclav Klaus on January 13, 2004. In community affairs, Ambassador Cabaniss has served on the following Boards: A+ (The Coalition for Better Education), Kings Ranch (a residential ministry for neglected women and children), and the Boy Scouts. He previously served as Board Chairman of Junior Achievement of Jefferson County and is a current member of the Birmingham Rotary

Club where he has served on the Board. He also led the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of United Way in the 2000 campaign; previously served on the Board of Trustees of Sweet Briar College; and is past Senior Warden of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Ambassador Cabaniss received the Community Service Award from the Rotary Club of Birmingham in 1993. In August 2004, Ambassador Cabaniss was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor.

Ambassador Cabaniss and his wife Catherine, an artist, have two daughters, Mary Cabaniss Ballard of Seattle and Frances Cabaniss Johnson of Mobile, and two grandchildren.

Paul R. Flowers, Sr.

  • October 4th, 2021

When the late Dr. Paul Flowers opened his hospital in Dothan in 1950, he was not only the administrator but also served as a surgeon, bookkeeper, anesthetist, and backup cook.

Today, that 12-bed facility, originally named the Woman’s Hospital, is Flowers Hospital, a regional medical referral center for 450,000 people living within a 50-mile, 16-county radius. The hospital has 235 acute-care beds, four intensive care units (medical, surgical, cardiac care, and cardiovascular), and 38 outpatient surgery beds.

The hospital has been a catalyst for change in the Wiregrass area. The growth of Flowers Hospital has established health care as a major local industry. With more than 1200 employees, Flowers Hospital is the second largest employer in Houston County and a major supporter of the tax base.

Dr. Flowers was born in 1915 in Houston County, the son of John Jefferson Flowers, Sr., and Ila McDavid. He lived in Dothan all his life. He graduated from Dothan High School in 1933 and attended Emory University, where he later graduated from medical school. In 1941, he married Grace Dejarnette Tazewell, and the couple had seven children: Paul R. Flowers, Jr., wife Barbara; Grace F. Kiker (deceased), husband Frank; J. McDavid Flowers, wife Jeanie; Robert E. Flowers, wife Carol; Cordelia F. Boone, husband Tom; William T. Flowers, wife Carroll; and George D. Flowers, wife Laura.

He and his wife returned to Dothan in 1943 and he began his obstetrical and gynecological practice. In 1950, he converted a house on West Main Street into a small 12-bed hospital. He used his office as the emergency room and a table in the kitchen as the hospital dining quarters, with his wife, Grace, preparing many of the meals.

The hospital gradually grew, and by 1962, patient needs had exceeded the capacity of the original structure. An addition to the hospital was opened in 1963 which included a new 60-bed unit, two operating rooms, and two delivery rooms. In 1969, a three-story addition was built, adding 60 more beds.

By the summer of 1975, 40 doctors served the hospital, including two cardiologists, marking the first time physicians specifically trained in cardiology were available to the community. After more than five decades, the atmosphere of care that has long permeated the hospital is still in evidence; health care continues to be viewed as a very personal service provided to patients who are treated like family and neighbors. The same spirit that guided its tiny forbearer still fuels the heart of Flowers Hospital.

In committing to establish a cardiology program, Dr. Flowers agreed the hospital should be equipped to meet the physical needs such an undertaking would require. This meant an extensive outlay of capital in order to purchase equipment and supplies for the first cardiac catheterization laboratory in Dothan, to improve existing intensive-care facilities and monitoring capabilities; and to seek out and train qualified registered nurses and technical personnel.

In 1978, the hospital opened an 80-bed, three-story addition and signed a contract with Hospital Corporation of America to oversee the hospital’s operation, management, and planning. As the community grew, more patients were brought in, creating a need for still more doctors to care for them. By 1979, it became apparent the hospital not only needed to position itself to take advantage of this growth but also to try and stay ahead of it. The building on West Main Street had grown as much as possible. Following the advice of hospital management, Dr. Flowers decided to construct a new hospital on the western side of Dothan, in the 0direction of the city’s growth pattern.

In 1992, the Flowers family sold the hospital to Quorum Health Group, the company that had been managing it for many years. Although the ownership changed, the hospital remained a private facility. In October 2000, Quorum Health Group, Inc., signed an agreement withTriad Hospitals, Inc., for Triad to acquire Quorum.

Shortly before he died, Dr. Flowers was asked to reflect on the growth of the hospital. He replied: “I am humbly appreciative of all the many good people who have made all of this possible by the loving service they have given.” That sentiment was surely mutual.

Mayer Mitchell

  • October 4th, 2021

Mobile businessman Mayer Mitchell is known to quote a favorite proverb of his Jewish faith: “When you give when you’re dead, it is lead; when you give when you are living, it is gold.”

For Mr. Mitchell, the saying is a way of life. His name is synonymous with success in business, a generous personal investment in community and faith that extends around the world.

Mayer Mitchell is an American success story. Born in New Orleans in 1933 and raised in Mobile, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in economics with honors at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance in 1953. He then served as an Army first lieutenant in Korea, earning a commendation ribbon with medal pendant for meritorious service.

Returning home with young wife Arlene, Mr. Mitchell recruited his brother Abraham to join him in founding a residential and commercial real estate development firm, The Mitchell Company, in 1958. The firm grew rapidly to one of the largest in the Southeast.

This success, according to Mr. Mitchell, hinged on trust, respect, and an understanding of the ever-changing harmony of residential and commercial real estate.

“We started the company from scratch,” Mr. Mitchell recalls. “We had a good management team, and we diversified by building shopping centers, single-family homes, and apartments.

“We knew that when single-family homes were down, apartments would be up. Add the commercial side, and the company would stand on a three-legged tripod. We were able to truly participate in the Golden Age of Real Estate.” Mr. Mitchell said the company’s management approach was critical to its success.

“We had three senior executives who had clear responsibilities,” he said. “My brother Abe oversaw construction, while our partner Bill Lube! handled the company’s administration. I focused on strategic planning, personnel, finance, and land acquisition.”

After serving as chairman and CEO of the company for nearly three decades, Mr. Mitchell sold his interest in 1986. His brother did likewise. The firm’s final tally under their oversight was prodigious: 25,000 single-family homes, 20,000 apartments, and 175 shopping centers throughout the Southeast.

The modem-day Mitchell Company that descended from a partnership of brothers remains the largest private firm in Mobile and among the top 40 in Alabama.

Since selling his first entrepreneurial creation at age 53, Mr. Mitchell has spent the second half of his business life managing his investments through his current company, MB! L.L.C.

Those who know Mr. Mitchell understand that his business success and philanthropic commitment draw on his intelligence, perseverance, and strong sense of purpose. To fully understand the Mayer Mitchell story, however, one must understand the full path of his life.

Just as his business was hitting full stride, the 36-year-old father of four was given dire news. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and told he had, at best, six months to live. The year was 1969, and young Mayer Mitchell was advised to get his affairs in order. Never one to give up, Mr. Mitchell began a series of trips to Rochester, N.Y., to seek experimental treatment at a cancer research center at the University of Rochester.

After two years of painful treatments, Mr. Mitchell made a rare and remarkable recovery. This personal victory not only shaped his life but shaped the future of the Mobile region as well. Mr. Mitchell gained an even keener sense of public purpose.

“I remember,” recounts wife Arlene, “when we got on the plane to go to New York for Mayer’s treatment, he told me, ‘If the Lord lets me live, I want to someday make sure there’s a cancer center in Mobile for those who are less fortunate.”‘

This brings us back to the “give while you live” proverb.

Mr. Mitchell has been a tireless proponent of education and health care, serving more than 31 years on the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees, including a term as chairman. He has served on the President’s Cabinet at The University of Alabama and has supported UA through his philanthropy and service.

To date, the Mitchell family – Mayer, Arlene, and Abe – has given more than $36.6 million to the University of South Alabama. This includes a recent gift of $22 million to support USA’s cancer research institute, which provides state-of-the-art care to people of the Gulf Coast region. USA’s trustees recently named the “Mitchell Cancer Institute” in the family’s honor. USA’s Mitchell College of Business and Mitchell Center sports arena also bear the family name as testaments to their previous generosity.

In fact, the Mitchell family holds the distinction as having given more to a single public university than any other family in the history of the state of Alabama.

True to his faith, Mr. Mitchell has become an international leader in the protection of Israel and has developed a personal relationship with every U.S. president and Israeli prime minister over the past quarter-century. He has served as president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and has endowed Ramah Darom, a camp for Jewish youth from across the Southeast. He serves on the Board of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, which awarded him an honorary doctorate.

His philanthropic and leadership service has included Alabama Power Company, Wright School, Bishop State Community College, Leukemia Society of America, USA Foundation, AmSouth Bank, Altus Bank, Mobile Area United Way, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Congregation Ahavas Chesed, Mobile Jewish Welfare Fund, Mobile Federation of Jewish Charities, Mobile County Real Estate Association, Archives of American Art, Anti-Defamation League, and The Banc Corporation.

Mr. Mitchell was given the USA National Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2005. Honors also include Outstanding Young Men of America; Jewish Welfare Fund Man of the Year; Prichard Honorary Citizen of the Year; Mobile County Realtor of the Year; and high honors from the

Boy’s Club of Mobile, Bishop State Community College, University of Rochester, New Orleans Chapter of Hadassah, Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, Mobile Kiwanis Club, and the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.

He is a member of The Country Club of Mobile, Bienville Club, Red Elephant Club, and Mobile Quarterback Club. His special interests are art, politics, and sports.

Mayer and Arlene Mitchell, who was the first woman ever chosen for the coveted “Mobilian of the Year” honor, have four children and eight grandchildren. When asked his advice to young people regarding business and life, Mr. Mitchell – known better as “Bubba” by friends, presidents, and prime ministers- offers a simple message.

“It’s about ethics,” he said. “It is very difficult to rebuild character, so never let yours be compromised.”

M. Eugene Moor, Jr.

  • October 4th, 2021

M . Eugene Moor, Jr., better known as Gene Moor, showed early in life that he was going to be a leader and had a strong desire for excellence. He became an Eagle Scout, a rank that only four percent of all Boy Scouts attain. And he did it at age 14.

Mr. Moor was born in Birmingham and attended Ramsay High School, where he was elected senior class president. After graduating from Ramsay, Mr. Moor enrolled at Auburn University. But World War II began, and Mr. Moor left Auburn in 1942 to serve as a pilot in the Army Air Corps until 1945. After the war, he returned to Auburn to finish his studies and graduated with a degree in industrial management in 194 7. After graduating from Auburn, Mr. Moor spent three years working in Alabama’s coal industry until 1950 when he began his legendary banking career at First National Bank of Birmingham which later became AmSouth Bank.

Mr. Moor began as a check sorter, but soon showed his affinity for the banking industry and quickly worked his way through the banking ranks. During the mid-1950s, Mr. Moor served as an assistant cashier, commercial loan department manager, and branch manager. In 1956, he graduated from the School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University. Mr. Moor was promoted to assistant vice president in 1957, vice president in 1959, and senior vice president in 1967. In 1968, Mr. Moor was named executive vice president and served in this position until he was named president in 1972. Mr. Moor served as president until 1978 when he was named vice chairman of the board for AmSouth Bank.

Mr. Moor demonstrated unsurpassed dedication to banking and his customers. That dedication was evident when he landed one of the bank’s largest new accounts after hobbling through New York in a snowstorm on a broken leg to visit the prospective client.

While he was with First National, the bank changed its name to AmSouth and grew from a single Birmingham branch system serving Jefferson County, to a bank with regional influence. AmSouth currently has more than 600 branches in six states.

Mr. Moor retired in 1988, but because of his knowledge, ability, and leadership, AmSouth asked him to assist in the transition of recently acquired banks in North Florida. Mr. Moor graciously agreed and was elected vice-chairman of the board for AmSouth of Florida. Mr. Moor returned to retirement from the banking business for good in 1991. However, Mr. Moor has remained very active in civic organizations, the community, and business efforts.

Mr. Moor currently serves as chairman of the board of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, a position he has held since 1968, after serving on the company’s board for four years. He has played a critical role in Blue Cross’ growth and success and helped increase the company’s membership from less than one million members to 3.6 million. In 2001, Blue Cross recognized Mr. Moor’s service by dedicating its new corporate headquarters to him, naming it the M.E. Moor, Jr. Corporate Center.

Mr. Moor has served as a board member for a number of area businesses, including Alabama By-Products Corporation, Matthews Electric Supply Company, and Engel Mortgage Company. He also served as the president of the Alabama Bankers Association.

Mr. Moor has been involved in a number of civic and philanthropic causes in many leadership positions. He was instrumental in helping Blue Cross establish the Alabama Child Caring Foundation (ACCF), a nonprofit organization that provides medical coverage for disadvantaged and uninsured Alabama children. Since its inception in 1987, the program has served over 50,000 children.

Mr. Moor has served as the United Appeal (now United Way) co-chairman and chairman, president of the Community Chest, corporate chairman of the United Negro College Fund, and treasurer of the Girl Scout Board and Y.M.C.A. In addition, he has served as chairman of the Birmingham Post Office Postal Customers Council and finance chairman CHM, Heart Fund, as well as on The Salvation Army Advisory Board, Boy Scouts Board of Directors, Birmingham Downtown Improvement Association, Birmingham Centennial Corporation, and Downtown Action Committee. Additionally, Mr. Moor dedicated his time to the Alabama Chamber of Commerce, Operation New Birmingham, The Newcomen Society, The Redstone Club, and Rotary Club of Birmingham.

In a lifetime filled with achievement, if you ask Mr. Moor, he would probably say his greatest successes in life include his wife of 61 years, Anne, and his four children and nine grandchildren.

Harvey Frank Robbins

  • October 4th, 2021

Many years ago, Harvey Robbins shared a chocolate milkshake with his high school sweetheart, Joyce Ann McKinney, at the Palace Ice Cream Shop in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Many years later, Mr. Robbins, now a successful and prosperous businessman, turned his sights to renovating the ice cream shop where he and Joyce Ann had shared that famous chocolate milkshake “in a metal container with enough to pour into two glasses.” That was only one step in Mr. Robbins’ revitalization of his hometown.

Harvey Frank Robbins was born in Dayton, Ohio on November 22, 1932, the middle son of three boys born to Stanley and Elise Skinner Robbins. His early years were typical small town, where he attended and graduated from Deshler High School in Tuscumbia. He also attended the University of Florida and the University of North Alabama. A gifted athlete, Mr. Robbins excelled in football, basketball, track, and surprisingly, rodeo events – calf roping, bull riding, team roping, saddlebronc, and bareback events. This began a life-long love of “all things Western.” In 1952, Mr. Robbins married his high school sweetheart, Joyce Ann. Their love of the West is evidenced by their lovely Southwestern-inspired home overlooking Lake Wilson in the Shoals. Their love of the West has been passed down to their three children, Harvey Frank II, Angie, and Beverly, and now on to their six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

In 1957, Mr. Robbins’s father founded National Floor Products Company, Inc. (NAFCO) where Mr. Robbins was part owner. Over the next several decades under Mr. Robbin’s leadership, NAFCO grew to a world leader in high-end residential flooring. In 1994, NAFCO was sold to Domco Industries of Montreal.

In 1960, Mr. Robbins founded Applied Plastics, Inc. which continues to operate today as an innovator in custom industrial coatings for manufacturing machinery in a broad range of industries. Following the sale of NAFCO, Mr. Harvey turned his talents to property development and community support, focusing on the beauty and history of his hometown, Tuscumbia. In the late 1990s, he formed Robbins Property Development and embarked on the largest revitalization and development effort in his hometown’s history. His first endeavor was a makeover of the town’s traditional center, Spring Park, by designing and building a 48-foot-high waterfall; a bronze statue memorializing a Chickasaw princess; a replica train running on 4,000 feet of track; and a choreographed fountain, music, and light show modeled after the dancing waters at Opryland. He also stocked the creek with rainbow trout to lure fishermen. Mr. Robbins then turned his sights to renovating the Palace Ice Cream Shop. Today, the Palace Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop has sold well over 25,000 milkshakes.

In 1995, Mr. Robbins opened Doublehead Resort and Lodge, a 1,000-acre development on the shores of Lake Wilson which quickly became a destination resort attracting national attention. Included among other accomplishments were providing the land to enable the construction of the Retirement System of Alabama’s longest Robert Trent Jones Golf Course and a four-star hotel; renovating more than 100,000 square feet of vacant downtown buildings and turning them into vibrant restaurants, offices, and retail shops, as well as the development of new access roads and Tuscumbia’s first hotel. He has been featured on the “NBC Today Show”, in Southern Living, Inc, Business Alabama, and American Way magazines because of his extraordinary accomplishments.

Mr. Robbins served as chairman of the board for Valley Federal Bank and he took the company from a mutual company to a publicly-traded company which was later sold to Union Planters Bank of Memphis. He is a former board member of Central Bank (now Compass Bank) and the Salvation Anny and currently serves on the boards of First Metro Bank, Helen Keller Hospital, and the University of North Alabama.

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