Reviewed by: Pat Byington
George Barber remembered as inspirational business leader + motorsports icon
Reading time: 7 minutes
Lives across the world were touched by George Barber, Jr., a local businessman, real estate developer, philanthropist and founder of Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Park who died at 85 on Sunday, Feb. 15.
He leaves behind an extensive legacy and impact that is immeasurable in several different sectors, including motorsports, real estate, conservation and the arts.
From his early days driving a milk truck to his acquisition of the historic Birmingham Realty Company — the successor to the city’s founding land developer — Barber’s influence is deeply etched into Birmingham’s physical and economic landscape.
Today, his legacy is most visible in his $200 million investment in the Barber Motorsports Park and Museum, a 880-acre development widely considered the largest single philanthropic project in Alabama’s history.
Humble beginnings
Born and raised in Birmingham, Barber began developing his business acumen at just 8 years old, when he began learning the ropes from his grandfather’s dairy business established in 1921.
At 29, Barber was racing cars in Europe when his father passed suddenly in the 1970s. This wasn’t just any old hobby; his track record included 63 first-place wins.
He shifted his life to take the helm of Barber Dairies, which was already considered a local staple.
“When my dad died, I had to start racing the milk business, and it was a lot more dangerous than racing cars, I can tell you that.”
George Barber to WVTM in 2014
Rather than remain content with the success that came with being the largest dairy corporation in Alabama, he built the family business into a regional industry leader.
He had worked in nearly every possible role within the company, making the way for his servant leadership style to blossom.
From dairy to land deals
Barber went on to make his name as an entrepreneur with big-name acquisitions, including the Dairy Queen franchisor for Alabama and the Florida panhandle and Birmingham Realty Company, the historic successor to the Elyton Land Company, which founded the City of Birmingham.
The Birmingham Realty acquisition gave him a unique stake in Birmingham’s downtown development, breaking him out of the dairy industry.
Some of his other notable business moves included:
- Establishing a Porsche and BMW dealership
- Constructing the Century Plaza Mall in 1975
- Developing a commercial landscape supply company + a premier marina in South Alabama
After the sale of Barber Dairies in 1998 to Dean Foods, he began consolidating and merging his ventures, which was formalized in the early 2000s as Barber Companies. The company was specifically designed to centralize his diverse range of investments.
A legacy of giving back
That massive liquid capital led to what was just the beginning of his philanthropic efforts in Alabama.
Just some of the 90 entities and causes that he supported — both through donations and service — include:
- UAB endowed scholarships
- UAB Health System healthcare initiatives
- 500 college scholarships to students in every community Barber Dairies operated in across Alabama, Florida + Mississippi
- McWane Science Center, formerly known as Discovery Place
- Boy Scouts of America
- The Birmingham Museum of Art
- The Birmingham chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association
- Forever Wild Land Trust board (and he even used his dairy’s milk carton marketing power to help pass the Forever Wild Act in the ’90s)
- The Nature Conservancy
- Alabama Wildlife Federation (named him Alabama Conservationist of the Year)
His philanthropic interests clearly spanned further than just dairy, real estate and (what most people knew him for) motorsports. Even so, he remained humble throughout his giving.
“I know of two Hall of Fames where he was invited to be inducted, and he politely declined. It was the Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. George did not chase the limelight. He did not want it. To him, it was about his team and about his community.”
Gene Hallman, Chairman + CEO of Eventive Sports
Back to his motorsports roots
Money may not buy happiness, but it sure can drive a hobby.
Barber rediscovered his passion for motorsports in the late ’80s, and he began collecting and restoring classic cars.
As he had already shown the world, Barber liked to be the best. The world’s largest car collections had already been established by 1988, so thanks to advice from Dave Hooper, his friend, a motorcycle enthusiast and the 27-year director of his delivery fleet, he decided to shift his interests to motorcycles.
Hooper gifted Barber with two of his own motorcycles, including a 1952 Victoria Bergmeister, which gave him an appreciation of motorcycles as works of arts in addition to feats of engineering.
The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
In 1995, he established the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum as a nonprofit in Southside Birmingham to showcase his extensive collection that was constantly growing.
Meanwhile, his “Barber Racing Team” won seven national championship titles in the 1990s.
The turning point for the museum and park as it exists today was a Guggenheim Museum exhibit, to which Barber loaned 21 motorcycles to the New York museum.
He was steadfast in believing that Birmingham could do the same thing: creating a one-of-a-kind, world-class facility showcasing motorsports and art.
“George did not own anything out there. Quite the contrary, he donated in excess of $125 million of his own money to build it and gift it to our community. It is his give-back to a city that he was born in, lived in his entire life, and loved dearly.”
Gene Hallman, Chairman + CEO of Eventive Sports
A sprawling park for a big dream
After selling Barber Dairies in 1998, he donated about $54 million to purchase a massive tract of land in Leeds. The track was designed to accommodate the rolling hills while making it a challenge for world-class drivers.
The park opened in 2003 and became the new site for the museum, which was designed in a spiral — many may assume it was inspired by the iconic Guggenheim, but it was instead designed to reflect a downtown Birmingham parking deck.
“You drive around in a circle to go up or down, and you can peel off and go to various floors on the way. So I thought, ‘Why don’t I do it a little bit smaller, made for people not cars, and they can peel off and go to the various floors they want to visit.’
“I also love the idea of it being staggered so that when you sit here, you can look into three different floor levels, and wonder how to get there, and what awaits you.”
George Barber to Motorcycle.com in 2024
In contrast to the gritty atmosphere of traditional American road courses, Barber insisted that his grounds resemble a botanical garden or country club, earning the park the title “The Augusta National of Motorsports.”
For the opening, Barber commissioned sculptor Ted Gall to create stainless steel monuments on the front lawn of the museum. This was just the beginning of “art in the park,” displaying his appreciation for artistic expression beyond motorsports.
A legacy to aspire to
Though his 501(c)(3) foundation is reportedly funded to sustain the park for another century, Barbers true legacy wasn’t just financial. It was found in his daily presence at the museum, where he spent his final years overseeing the living museum he created.
He was a man who preferred the company of mechanics and the quiet of the gardens to the roar of the limelight, leaving behind a world-class monument that will, as he intended, operate in perpetuity for the city he loved.
“George Barber will forever be a Birmingham legend. Through his businesses, he employed tens of thousands of people in our community over the years and created untold economic activity.”
Gene Hallman, Chairman + CEO of Eventive Sports
He leaves behind a city that is more vibrant and iconic because he chose to stay where he was born, building a legacy that will continue to roar like an engine for generations.
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