7 new members announced for Alabama Business Hall of Fame
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The Alabama Business Hall of Fame will welcome seven new members for the Class of 2026.
The Hall of Fame, which was established in 1973, honors individuals who have brought lasting fame to the state of Alabama through their business contributions. This year’s inductees include:
- William P. Ainsworth, Guntersville
- J. Frank Barefield Jr., Vestavia Hills
- Bobby A. Bradley, Athens
- John F. Croyle, Rainbow City
- H. Corbin Day, Birmingham
- J. Thomas Hill, Birmingham
- Scott M. Phelps, Tuscaloosa
The new members will officially become members at an induction ceremony Thursday, Nov. 12 in Birmingham.
Alabama Business Hall of Fame Class of 2026
William (Billy) P. Ainsworth
Ainsworth retired as group president of Caterpillar’s Energy & Transportation business segment at the end of 2020.
He attended Auburn University and graduated in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. After graduation, he began his professional career in the national scrap brokerage business, eventually working for three national brokerage firms.
Ainsworth was president and CEO of Progress Rail after the transaction was finalized and continued in that role at Progress Rail Services until the end of 2018. He held several senior leadership roles within Caterpillar, including vice president, senior vice president, and ultimately group president of the Energy & Transportation segment.
Through Progress Rail’s various ownerships, the company has been able to maintain its corporate headquarters in Albertville, growing globally to 150 locations and 8,000 employees over the years.
J. Frank Barefield Jr.
Barefield Jr. is president of Abbey Residential, LLC, which he co-founded in 1984 and now has assets of $2.5 billion. He has developed and manages over 12,000 units of multifamily properties located throughout the South.
His prior experience includes five years as a Certified Public Accountant with an international public accounting firm and eight years in investment banking at two Birmingham banks, where he earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Barefield graduated from The University of Alabama in 1968 with a degree in finance. He is a graduate of the University of South Alabama Banking School. He received his MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1978.
Bobby A. Bradley
Bobby A. Bradley was a founder and leader of Computer Systems Technology (CST), a company she helped launch in 1989, to provide computer, engineering and management services to the United States Department of Defense and NASA. Under her leadership, CST expanded to 33 locations nationwide before its acquisition by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in 2003. Bradley retired from SAIC in 2004.
Bradley, who earned her degree in mathematics and chemistry from Vanderbilt University in 1971, is currently a partner in two LLCs, Lewis Properties and Genesis II. Her earlier career included roles as a mathematician with Northrop Corporation, a computer programmer with Computer Sciences Corporation and an operations research analyst with the U.S. Army Missile Command, where she worked from 1974 to 1989.
She holds leadership and board roles with organizations including the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Starfish Holdings, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, Madison County United Way, Federal Reserve Bank of Birmingham Branch, the Huntsville Land Trust, the Huntsville Botanical Garden Foundation, Randolph School and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Foundation.
John F. Croyle
Croyle founded Big Oak Ranch Inc., a Christian ministry dedicated to providing a safe, loving and stable family environment for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, abandonment or difficult circumstances.
Since Croyle started Big Oak in 1974, the ministry has served more than 2,000 children. Under Croyle’s leadership, Big Oak Ranch grew responsibly over time, expanding its ability to serve children while remaining grounded in long-term stewardship.
Croyle graduated from The University of Alabama, where he was an All-American defensive end for head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Croyle was a member of the Crimson Tide’s national championship team in 1973 and three SEC championship teams from 1971 to 1973. He has been inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and was the first recipient of the Paul W. Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award.
H. Corbin Day
The late Day began his career at Goldman Sachs & Co. in New York, where he founded and led the mergers and acquisitions department while making partner in 1971.
Day, who passed away in 2021, relocated to London in 1974 to lead the opening of Goldman’s London office. There, he served as the first managing director of the office. He was also heavily involved with the mergers and acquisitions team at the New York office until his retirement from the company in 1986.
Corbin relocated to Birmingham in 1987 to begin the transition of leadership at the family business, Jemison Investment Company. He quickly became involved with several local businesses and organizations.
J. Thomas Hill
Hill is executive chairman of the board for Vulcan Materials Company and previously served as chief executive officer from 2014 through 2025. Hill has been with Vulcan for more than 35. During his tenure as CEO, Vulcan expanded as the nation’s largest producer of construction aggregates. Enterprise value during Hill’s tenure grew from $10 billion to $42.01 billion.
Vulcan, one of two Alabama-based Fortune 500 companies, has 11,000 employees at more than 550 facilities across 23 states and four countries. Vulcan was listed as one of the ‘Best Companies to Work For’ by U.S. News & World Report, and one of ‘America’s Most Responsible Companies’ by Newsweek.
He is actively involved in encouraging careers in engineering and business through his recruiting and other involvement with local colleges, including the University of Alabama at Birmingham, The University of Alabama, Auburn University and Alabama A&M. Hill gives generously of his time and resources to Cristo Rey, an organization focusing on the education and careers of young people in underserved communities. He is also heavily involved with United Way of Central Alabama.
Scott M. Phelps
Phelps serves as vice president and secretary of Greene Group Inc., president of Alabama Life Reinsurance Company Inc., vice president and secretary of Alabama Catfish LLC, and secretary of USA Energy LLC.
A longtime business and civic leader in Alabama, Phelps has played key roles in banking, reinsurance, energy and corporate leadership while remaining active in higher education and community service. He also helped organize Bryant Bank in 2005 and has served on the bank’s board as secretary for more than a decade.
Phelps earned his bachelor’s degree cum laude from Birmingham-Southern College. He received his Juris Doctor from The University of Alabama School of Law in 1979. He currently serves on The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees and the UAB Health System Board.
See full bios for all seven inductees on the University of Alabama website.
