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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 2025 class. These were reviewed by a committee and honorees were selected.

Honorees will be inducted into the Civic Hall of Fame on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. at the Tuscaloosa River Market.

The 2025 Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame honorees are Dr. Bradley Cork, Walter Gary Nichols, and Sarah Patterson.

Dr. Bradley Cork

Brad Cork was born Dec. 24, 1950, in San Francisco. His parents returned to their roots and moved back to Tuscaloosa when he was a child. He was educated in Tuscaloosa City Schools and graduated from The University of Alabama with a degree in finance.

In 1974, after a brief career in banking, Cork joined the family business, Phifer Inc., and has served as company president since 2013.

Cork’s list of civic and professional boards reveals his commitment to Tuscaloosa County. He is a longtime board member of the Boys & Girls Club of West Alabama and established the Brad and Susan Cork Scholarship Fund. He was selected as Board Member of the Year for the state of Alabama in 2021.

Cork was a founding board member of the Bank of Tuscaloosa (Synovus). He currently serves or has served on the College of Community Health Sciences Board of Visitors, the Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority, the Alabama Productivity Center Board of Directors, the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, The University of Alabama President’s Cabinet, and the Christ Episcopal Church Foundation. He also enjoys volunteering at the Community Soup Bowl.

In 2015, the United Way of West Alabama’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society selected Brad and Susan Cork as recipients of the Family of the Year honor. In 2023, Cork was recognized as a Pillar of the Community by the Community Foundation of West Alabama.

Cork is a member of Christ Episcopal Church. He and his wife, Susan, are parents of three children: William Cork, Beverly Hobbs and Susanna Whitehead, and 10 grandchildren.

Walter Gary Nichols

Walter Gary Nichols has more than 52 years of industrial experience and is a true example of working his way up the corporate ladder.

In 1967, Nichols moved to Tuscaloosa from Phenix City, Alabama, to attend The University of Alabama and quickly made the community his home. As a college student, he began a summer job with McAbee Construction as a laborer, digging ditches. After graduating with a degree in mathematics and a minor in chemistry, he accepted a full-time position with the company. Over the years, he was promoted to project estimator, fabrication manager and later vice president of fabrication. In 1998, Nichols was promoted to president and COO of McAbee, a position he held until 2021, when he was named president emeritus.

Throughout his career, Nichols has used his success as a platform to strengthen the Tuscaloosa community by serving on numerous community boards, often taking leadership roles. He served as chairman of the board of Junior Achievement of Tuscaloosa County for more than 10 years and continues as a board member. In 2018, Nichols received Junior Achievement’s Bronze Leadership Award, which honors volunteer excellence in supporting and expanding student impact, increasing resources, and strengthening operational excellence and sustainability.

His additional board involvement includes The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama (vice chair of education and workforce development), Go Build Alabama (ex officio), The University of Alabama College of Engineering Leadership Board, Parks and Recreation Authority Facilities Committee, Regions Bank Advisory Board, Tuscaloosa City and County Schools Advisory Committees, Hospice of West Alabama, the DCH Foundation Board, the Shelton State Foundation Board and the Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority.

As chairman of West Alabama Works, Region Three Workforce Development Council, Nichols has been heavily involved in workforce readiness initiatives targeting eighth graders and high school students with trade-skills awareness messaging to expand their career choices. His efforts with West Alabama Works’ outreach programs have brought attention to Tuscaloosa County and the other eight counties that comprise Region Three in the statewide workforce development program. In recent years, Region Three has become the most active workforce development region in the state and has developed programs now serving as models for other areas.

In addition to his board service, Nichols supports many community organizations and encourages his friends, colleagues and employees to take an active role as well. His involvement includes Adopt-A-School (Oakdale Elementary and Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy), the American Heart Association, United Way, March of Dimes, the Junior League of Tuscaloosa and the Druid City Garden Project.

In 2017, The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama recognized Nichols for his accomplishments, involvement and volunteerism by naming him the Charles H. Land Member of the Year, the highest honor given to an individual each year. That same year, he was also recognized as a Pillar of the Community by the Community Foundation of West Alabama, an annual award honoring individuals whose impact and influence have made a significant and lasting difference in the development and quality of life in West Alabama.

Sarah Patterson

Sarah Patterson served as head coach of The University of Alabama gymnastics team for 36 years, winning six NCAA championships and eight SEC titles. Patterson, who coached alongside her husband, David, for their entire careers, also won 29 NCAA regional championships and recorded more than 1,000 wins. She led her teams to an NCAA-best 22 top-three finishes at the national championships. Patterson was the first coach in SEC history, regardless of sport, to win NCAA titles in four different decades, with championships in 1988, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2011 and 2012. 

The Pattersons began coaching at Alabama in the fall of 1978 and quickly turned around a program that had endured four years — and four coaches — without a winning season. Together, they built a program that excelled at the highest levels in competition and academics while making a difference in the Tuscaloosa community.

Under Patterson’s leadership, Alabama gymnasts earned 289 All-America honors and 24 individual NCAA championships. Eight times, a member of the Crimson Tide received the Honda Award, presented annually to the nation’s top gymnast. Alabama gymnasts earned 21 NCAA postgraduate scholarships — the most in the nation — as well as 189 Scholastic All-America and 262 SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades.

Patterson was named National Coach of the Year four times and SEC Coach of the Year four times. In 2003, she was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. She also served as senior women’s administrator at Alabama from 1985 to 1996 and as associate athletics director for community and university relations from 1996 to 2014. Patterson completed stints on the SEC Executive Committee, the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Committee and the NCAA Recruiting Committee during her career.

She became known nationally for her marketing prowess. One of her favorite memories came in 1997, when Alabama hosted rival Georgia in a meet that became the program’s first sellout. More than 15,000 fans packed Coleman Coliseum, and tickets were being scalped outside. Alabama went on to achieve 11 sellouts during Patterson’s tenure.

In 2004, Patterson was the driving force behind the creation of the Power of Pink initiative. The local effort, which partners with Alabama gymnastics to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer, has contributed more than $2.1 million to the DCH Breast Cancer Fund to help women in need prevent, detect and treat breast cancer. The initiative has since grown into a nationwide movement, with college and professional sports teams conducting similar efforts in their communities.

In 2013, The University of Alabama dedicated the Sarah Patterson Champions Plaza in her honor. Located in front of Coleman Coliseum, the plaza celebrates championship teams at the university.

Patterson retired from coaching in 2014. After recovering from two knee replacement surgeries, she found new ways to serve her community. A longtime United Way advocate, she served as chair of the 2017 United Way of West Alabama fundraising campaign, raising a record-setting $2 million. At the request of Mayor Walt Maddox, she also serves on the Elevate Tuscaloosa board and spent eight years on the board of Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission.

In 2022, Sarah and David Patterson were named the West Alabama United Way Family of the Year. In 2023, she was named to the prestigious Alabama Academy of Honor, which recognizes living Alabamians for outstanding accomplishments and service. Membership is capped at 100 living members, along with living former governors.

In addition to her community service, Patterson enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and scrapbooking.

The 2025 Ceremony is presented by The University of Alabama.

For more information, visit westalabamachamber.com/CHOF.