Three Selected for Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame
August 29, 2024
Each year, The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama honors civic leaders and trailblazers that have made an impact on the quality, livability and economic progress of our community. The Civic Hall of Fame was born during the Chamber’s 100th anniversary year in 2000 and is designed to honor exceptional citizens who have made significant, long-term contributions to the overall development of Tuscaloosa County.
Organizations, businesses and individual citizens submitted nominations for the 2024 class. These were reviewed by a committee and honorees were selected.
Honorees will be inducted into the Civic Hall of Fame on Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. at the Tuscaloosa River Market.
The 2024 Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame honorees are:
Dr. William Nathan Dansby
William Nathan Dansby, son of the late Professor William L. Dansby and the late Mrs. Portia Dorcette Canty Dansby, was born in Mobile, Alabama. Educated in private elementary and secondary schools, including Stillman Institute, Dr. Dansby received a Bachelor of Science degree from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a master’s degree in Chemistry from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. While at Fisk University, Dr. Dansby was a chemistry graduate assistant and was elected to Beta Kappa Chi, an honorary science fraternity. He also matriculated at Howard University in Washington DC. and was initiated into the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, awarded Dr. Dansby the doctorate in dental surgery. After an internship at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York, he practiced dentistry in Tuscaloosa. He was a member of the Alabama Dental Association, the National Dental Association, and the Alabama Dental Society of which he was a past President.
A decorated veteran of World War II, Dr. Dansby served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946. He was appointed by the Tuscaloosa City Commission to the City Board of Education in 1970. He was elected Chairman of the Board in 1985 and served with distinction for many years. He served on the Board of Directors of the Black Warrior Council of the Boy Scouts, the Martin Luther King, Jr. School National Network, the Benjamin Barnes YMCA, and the Maude L. Whatley Health Center. He was also a member of the Kiwanis Club and the Tuscaloosa Reunion. Dr. Dansby also followed in his father's footsteps at Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church as an Elder and served in many capacities including Trustee, Endowment Committee Member, and Officers of the Men of the Church.
Dansby died on his 84th birthday, June 6, 2002.
Robert “Bobby” Lanier Ingram, Jr.
A native of Thomasville, Robert “Bobby” Lanier Ingram, Jr. was born to Robert Lanier and Rosemary Ramsey Ingram. He has made Tuscaloosa his home for the last 25 years.
Bobby received his bachelor's degree from Birmingham - Southern College and a Master of Accountancy degree from Memphis State University. He began his professional career in Memphis and spent the next 12 years with Price Waterhouse and Ernst & Young, living and working in various states. He then moved to Tuscaloosa, joining Bill Jessup to form Jessup, Ingram, Burns and & Associates, LLP. He became Managing Partner prior to a merger with JamisonMoneyFarmer PC, where he now serves on the Executive Committee and as the Chief Financial Officer. Along the way, he earned credentials as a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Global Management Accountant, Certified Financial Planner, Personal Financial Specialist and Registered Investment Advisor representative.
He always planned to return to Tuscaloosa, own a business, and raise his family. He grew up watching his parents donate their time and resources to their community and embraced their sense of responsibility to help make our community and our world better than we found them. He quickly found opportunities to fulfill these responsibilities in civic-minded Tuscaloosa.
Bobby has served in several capacities for the Black Warrior Council of the Boy Scouts of America, including Board Chair. He also helped establish the Black Warrior Heritage Society Foundation, which he currently chairs. He is a Silver Beaver recipient and recently received the National Eagle Scout Association Outstanding Eagle Scout Award, which is presented to Eagle Scouts who demonstrate remarkable achievements well beyond their Scouting endeavors by excelling in their careers/vocations at local, regional, or national levels.
As Chair of the Tuscaloosa Education Foundation for 12 years, Bobby significantly expanded the mission and funding of the Foundation to include support of both the Tuscaloosa City Schools and the Tuscaloosa County School System. Under his tenure, the foundation also helped create key partnerships with Reading Allies, Neighborhood Bridges, the Hope Institute and hired its first executive director. For his contributions, he received the Outstanding Community Spirit Award from the Tuscaloosa City Schools and the Outstanding Service Award from the Tuscaloosa Education Foundation.
Bobby also served as Chair of the AlabamaGermany Partnership, where he led several delegations of Alabama companies and educators to Germany to further business, cultural, and educational relationships. He continues to serve on this board.
He currently serves on the Mayor’s Advisory Council, the Board of Visitors for The University of Alabama College of Commerce, the Culverhouse School of Accountancy Advisory Board, is a Paul Harris Fellow of the Tuscaloosa Rotary Club, and is the upcoming board chair for the Community Foundation of West Alabama. He is an Alumnus of Leadership Tuscaloosa and Leadership Birmingham.
Bobby and his wife, Molly, have four children: Maddy, Lanier, Mac, and Libby. He continues to support a number of local organizations, believing that paying “civic rent” is an important part of everyone’s responsibility to improving the community that supports us all.
Marlin D. “Lin” Moore III
Lin Moore is a native of Tuscaloosa, having graduated from The University of Alabama in 1983. With over 40 years of industry experience, he has worked with a leading national carrier, a wholesale broker and the Pritchett-Moore, Inc. insurance agency. He attained the CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) designation in 1987. He has been the CEO of Pritchett-Moore Insurance, Inc. since 2004. In 2022, he helped lead a merger with two other statewide insurance agencies to form the WRM Group. In the fall of 2023, he helped WRM Group partner with Higginbottham Insurance of Ft. Worth, Texas. This perpetuation assured a continued business legacy in Tuscaloosa, with opportunity for all associates of the firm.
Involved in the Tuscaloosa Community, Lin served 25 years as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Tuscaloosa Housing Authority, Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, chairman of the Boys and Girls Club of West Alabama, board officer of the Tuscaloosa Homebuilders Association, past president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Tuscaloosa, and past chairman and board member of United Way of West Alabama. He has also served as an ex-officio member of Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority, on the Board of Security Bank and Advisory Board of Regions Bank.
He is currently a Board member of the DCH Foundation, Chairman of the Community Foundation of West Alabama, and Board member of the Boys and Girls Club of West Alabama. He is a current member of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society.
Lin received the 2005 Charles H. Land Member of the Year Award and the 2010 Distinguished Service Award awarded by The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama. In 2018 the Tuscaloosa Civitan Club named him the Tuscaloosa County Citizen of the Year.
He serves The University of Alabama as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the Commerce Executive Society and the Alabama Alumni Association.
Lin, his wife Sharon and their daughter McLean are active members of Christ Episcopal Church where he has served on the Foundation Board.
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The 2024 Civic Hall of Fame ceremony is presented by The University of Alabama.
Gold Sponsors: Award Company of America, Lamar Advertising, University Club Alabama
Silver Sponsors: Hudson Poole Fine Jewelers, Robertson Banking Company
Reception Sponsors: Central Mesa, Phifer Incorporated