BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) – One of the nation's largest Baptist universities has named its business school after a local banker who is a longtime supporter.
Samford University has named its business school after Harry Brock, the retired chairman and chief executive of Compass Bancshares and Compass Bank of the South. Brock has served as a trustee of the Birmingham, Ala., Baptist school for 45 years.
“Samford has always been an inspirational part of my life, and this is my opportunity to give back to the school and help influence the lives of young people,” Brock said, according to a statement from the school. He joined his fellow trustees Dec. 4 in announcing the new name. “My desire and vision for the [Brock] School of Business is to be a little different and to find a niche that will help these young people fulfill their dreams.”
Brock, a member of Mountain Brook Baptist Church in Birmingham, was a pioneer in creating holding corporations operating banks in multiple states. His company operated multiple financial institutions in Alabama and Texas.
“The trustees and Mr. Brock have identified an enhanced entrepreneurship emphasis as a key focus for the school of business, and we plan to work on this immediately,” said William Stevens, Samford's trustee chairman, according to the statement. “What Harry Brock did for banking, he is about to do for business education in Alabama and across the nation.”
Brock pledged to help the school build a $100 million endowment. That would place it among the top 25 accredited business schools nationwide in terms of dedicated investment funds.
Brock first became involved with Samford in the 1950s when he moved to Birmingham. He served on a committee that raised funds for the school's current campus in the suburb of Homewood, Ala. He joined the board of trustees in 1962 and has served on it ever since, including a stint as the board's chairman from 1986 to 1991.
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