The Hospitality Leadership Series of the Restaurant, Hotel and Meetings Management Program at The University of Alabama began in 2002 in an effort to achieve the goal of exposing students to a variety of hospitality leaders and their perspectives of the hospitality industry.

In 2010, Mr. William A. Bowron, Jr., President, Red Diamond, Inc. Birmingham, Alabama, made a generous gift to the Restaurant, Hotel and Meetings Management Program to rename the Hospitality Leadership Series, the Shila Bowron/Red Diamond Leadership Series in honor of his mother.

---

bill bowron

William (Bill) Bowron, Jr. is  Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive officer of Red Diamond, Inc., Birmingham, Alabama.  Prior to his current role, Mr. Bowron was Vice President of Commercial Lending for Trust Company Bank of Savannah, GA and was Executive Vice President for AmeriBank, Savannah, GA.

Mr. Bowron is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, Rutgers University and he received his undergraduate degree from The University of Virginia. He is extremely active in civic affairs as a board member of the Alabama Symphony Orchestrea, The Birmingham Business Alliance, and the Birmingham History Center. 

He is a member of the World Presidents Organization, and in 2009 was named the Executive of the Year for the Birmingham Business Journal.    In 2005, Mr. Bowron began supporting the Restaurant, Hotel and meetings Management program by providing two fully funded scholarships to support two HSM students with tuition and books for an  entire year.  

In 2010 Mr. Bowron provided support to establish the Shila Bowron Leadership Series in honor of his mother.  Due to his generous support, outstanding hospitality leaders now come to campus to speak to HSM students twice a year.