William Eugene (Gene) Davenport served for 30 years as an officer of Russell Lands, Inc., the last thirteen of which were as President and Chief Operating Officer. Russell Lands is a highly diversified company located in Alexander City and is recognized as Alabama’s largest recreational developer. Born in Kentucky, Davenport grew up in Yazoo City, Miss. After graduating from Millsaps College with a bachelor of science degree, he attended the University of Mississippi where he earned a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning. Early in his career, he worked in Huntsville with Rust Engineering, coordinating planning for NASA physical installations. He then transferred to Rust headquarters in Birmingham to help develop a City Planning Division. It was through his work in this division that he met Ben Russell and ultimately became the ninth employee of Russell Lands on Jan. 1, 1973.
As you may imagine, Ben Russell didn’t have a difficult sales job in convincing Davenport to relocate his young family from Center Point in Birmingham to Lake Martin. A strong life-long bond developed between these two men as they nurtured company assets, strategically and intentionally growing Russell Lands into the great company that it is today.
During his 30-year tenure with the company, it grew to include 13 residential land development projects, condominium developments, 5 marina operations, 11 building supply centers, over 400 rental lake houses, several real estate offices, a renewable fuel energy business, and many commercial properties on and around Lake Martin. One operation that may be particularly familiar is Willow Point Golf and Country Club, professed by many to be America’s most beautiful lakeside golf resort.
Additionally, the company owns and operates 25,000 acres of timberland, which includes some 200 plus miles of shoreline, in the three-county area around Lake Martin. This timberland is carefully managed for production and improvement to assure the quality longevity of a prime company asset, all in full consideration of our natural environment.
Davenport has served and continues to serve on many boards including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, former Chairman of Dolt Best Corporation, BBVA Compass Bank, The Baptist Health System, Chairman of the Baptist Health System Foundation, UAB Liver Center, UAB Leadership Cabinet, Auburn University Presidents Advisory Board, on the Board as Vice-Chairman of Children’s Harbor since its inception, founding director of ARISE, an Alexander City community program for the elderly, founding director of the local Rotary Club and past President, Society of International Business Fellows, Lake Martin Economic Development Alliance, Chaired the Board of the Alabama Forestry Association, and was a founding member of the board of the Alabama Water Resource Commission.
In addition to business pursuits, Davenport has been a lifelong philanthropist. He is the founder of the Alexander City Rotary Golf Challenge, a charity event that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to benefit Children’s Harbor and Camp ASCCA-Easter Seals. He co-chairs with David Dixon the “Davenport-Dixon” Golf Challenge as an additional fundraiser for Children’s Harbor. He was awarded Rotary’s International Four Venues of Service Award, has been successful in raising money for UAB’s Liver Center, and was named Philanthropist of the year by the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Eight years ago he underwent a liver transplant at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., where he and his wife, Sandra, established and funded, in perpetuity, a program for research in all areas of transplantation. He also serves on Mayo’s National Development Committee’s Advisory Board. He and Sandra have also established a fund for research in the field of Neurology at UAB.
His hobby, which he shares with his son, Will, is collecting antique and classic automobiles and he managed to parlay the hobby into serving on two additional boards: the Board of the Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg National Museum and as a Partner in WORLDWIDE AUCTIONEERS, which specializes in the sale of antique and classic automobiles.
