Celebrating Alumni Excellence and Community Impact
Posted on January 1, 2026
The University of South Alabama National Alumni Association recognized an accomplished group of alumni, faculty and community leaders during the 21st Annual Distinguished Alumni & Service Awards, held Thursday, March 5, at the MacQueen Alumni Center.
Established in 2005, the awards celebrate individuals and organizations whose leadership, professional accomplishments and service have strengthened the University and the Gulf Coast region.
“It’s inspiring to celebrate alumni and community partners whose accomplishments and
leadership make such a difference,” said Karen Edwards, associate vice president for
alumni relations. “These honorees reflect the excellence, leadership and dedication
that define the University of South Alabama.”
Videos of each honoree's story were shown at the event. The awardees are:
Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award honors South alumni for exceptional achievements, leadership and contributions in their field or to the University over time.
Roddy Lee McKinney II, co-founder and partner of McKinney Capital in Birmingham, was honored for his leadership in private investment and longstanding support of the University. A former scholarship track athlete at South, McKinney has served on the National Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Jaguar Athletic Fund Board. He has helped support the University’s track and field program, including establishing an endowment for student scholarships, and played a key role in the development of the MacQueen Alumni Center. The McKinney Family Greek Plaza is named in recognition of his family’s support.
Also receiving the award was Dr. Patricia Ann Sanders ’77, who made history as the first African American woman to earn a Doctor of Medicine from the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine in 1977. She later became the first African American female gynecological surgeon in the state of Alabama. Over a 36-year career in private practice in Birmingham, Sanders served as an associate clinical professor of gynecology at Baptist Princeton Medical Center and held staff appointments at Brookwood Medical Center. Her groundbreaking career helped expand opportunities for women and minority physicians across the region.
Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes alumni whose contributions of time, talent and philanthropy have benefited the university, their communities and beyond.
Recipients Carol S. Statter ’94 and James L. Statter ’72 have supported the University for decades through leadership and philanthropy. Jim Statter, a Vietnam veteran and former owner of Dixie Leasing and related companies, returned to South following his service in the U.S. Marine Corps and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1972. Carol Statter earned a bachelor’s degree in human resource management in 1994 and spent 21 years with Infirmary Health, including service as workforce development coordinator.
Together, the Statters have supported numerous initiatives at the University, including
the Jaguar Marching Band Facility Building Fund, the MacQueen Alumni Center Building
Fund and construction of Hancock Whitney Stadium. They also established an endowment
supporting literacy education in the College of Education and Professional Studies.
Both are lifetime members of the National Alumni Association and the Jaguar Athletic
Fund.
V. Gordon Moulton Distinguished Service Award
The V. Gordon Moulton Distinguished Service Award recognizes exceptional service and long-term commitment to the University and the USA National Alumni Association.
Elliot B. Maisel, chairman and CEO of Gulf Distributing Holdings LLC, was honored for his leadership in business and civic engagement. A Mobile native, Maisel began his career working in his mother’s beverage distribution company and his father’s real estate firm. Today he leads Gulf Distributing Holdings, which employs more than 1,300 people across Alabama, Florida and Mississippi and represents more than 120 beverage suppliers.
Maisel has served on numerous civic and philanthropic boards and is chairman emeritus
of the Mobile Airport Authority. In 2024, he made a transformational gift supporting
a new education and research building for the Whiddon College of Medicine. His industry
leadership has also been widely recognized, including being named a MolsonCoors Legend
in 2023, the company’s highest honor for distributor partners.
William J. “Happy” Fulford Inspirational Achievement Award
The William J. “Happy” Fulford Inspirational Achievement Award honors faculty or staff members whose service and professional impact exemplify dedication to the University.
The 2026 recipient, Dr. Alvin J. Williams, served as distinguished professor of marketing and department chair in the Mitchell College of Business. Born in Mobile and raised in Prentiss, Mississippi, Williams began his teaching career at Alabama A&M University before earning a doctorate from the University of Arkansas and teaching for 28 years at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Williams joined South in 2008 and later served as interim dean of the Mitchell College
of Business. Known for connecting academic theory with real-world practice, he organized
international study-abroad programs and delivered more than 350 presentations and
seminars for marketing and supply-chain professionals around the world.
Community Partner Award
The Community Partner Award recognizes organizations whose work strengthens both the University and the Gulf Coast community.
The Hargrove Foundation, the charitable arm of Hargrove Engineers & Constructors, was honored for its philanthropic impact and support of the University. Since its founding following the devastating 2011 tornadoes in Alabama, the foundation has donated nearly $4 million to hundreds of organizations nationwide, with a focus on education, arts and culture, health and human services, and disaster relief.
The foundation’s Crawfish Classic Golf Tournament and Fall Gala raise funds that support community initiatives across the region. The organization has also contributed to several University projects and programs, including infrastructure efforts such as Hancock Whitney Stadium and the MacQueen Alumni Center. In addition, the company has hired nearly 200 South alumni, reflecting its ongoing investment in the University’s students and graduates.
