The Kiwanis Club of Birmingham is inducting six business leaders who helped shape our city and build a stronger community into the Birmingham Business Hall of Fame.

Over the past 25 years, the Club has inducted 141 prominent Birmingham business leaders into this prestigious Hall of Fame. Inductees can be living or deceased.

Class of 2023

The 540-plus members of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham have annually selected business leaders who have exemplified strong leadership and made extraordinary contributions to the Greater Birmingham area.

The Class of 2023 includes:

Dr. Will Ferniany, UAB Health System
Col. James W. Sloss, Sloss Furnace
Arthur Page Sloss, Sr., Sloss Real Estate
Arthur Page Sloss, Jr., Sloss Real Estate
Carrie Tuggle, The Tuggle Institute
Odessa Woolfolk, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Positive impact on The Magic City

“Business built Birmingham, from mining, manufacturing, and the rail industry,” said John Saxon, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, Hall of Fame committee. “Over the years, we have pivoted from steel and cast iron pipe to health care, financial services and education. It is only fitting that the largest Kiwanis Club in the world—composed of leaders in business, finance, law, medicine, education and nonprofits—recognize and honor these giants of business on whose shoulders we stand.”

This year’s ceremony will be all the more significant because the Kiwanis Club is celebrating the Hall of Fame’s 25th Anniversary. There are many memories about the inductees’ positive impact on the Magic City.

One such story comes from Kiwanis Club of Birmingham Executive Director, Honora Gathings who noted that Dr. AG Gaston was inducted in the inaugural class in 1997 and that one of this year’s honorees, Carrie Tuggle helped educate him.

Saxon described this year’s class of inductees best.

“Our honorees are doers and thinkers. A review of them reveals determined men and women—often through generations of a single family—with vision and purpose who built, nurtured, or ran enterprises or causes which moved this city forward to be the city we are today.”

Details about the event

The 25th Birmingham Business Hall of Fame event, will be held at the Harbert Center on Thursday, August 24 from 6 – 8:30pm.

Tickets include complimentary valet parking provided by Alabama Power, a cocktail reception sponsored by Renasant Bank and a seated dinner followed by the induction ceremony at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available until Tuesday, August 15 for the event.

Current sponsors include Alabama Power, Renasant Bank, First Horizon Bank, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, Brasfield & Gorrie, Bridgeworth Wealth Management, Buffalo Rock Company, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Featheringill Foundation, The FiveStone Group, FORVIS, Medical Properties Trust, Milo’s Tea, Oakworth Capital, Protective Life Corporation, Regions Bank, Spire, Synovus, UAB Medicine and The Welch Group.

For more information about the event, to learn about past honorees, or to purchase tickets and sponsorships, please visit kcob.org/events/bbhof/