Meet The Three 2025 Tuscaloosa Civic Hall Of Fame Honorees

The mission statement by the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame describes its importance in recognizing some of the most impactful residents in west Alabama.

“The mission of the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame is to honor citizens of Tuscaloosa County who have made broad and lasting contributions to the betterment of the community. By recognizing these individuals and portraying them as role models, the Hall of Fame will (1) stimulate an interest in and an appreciation for the value of the history of this community, and (2) stimulate an interest in community service on the part of others.”

Three more deserving citizens have been selected as the Civic Hall of Fame Class of 2025. D. Bradley Cork is President of Phifer, Inc., Walter Gary Nichols served as President and COO of McAbee Construction, and Sarah Patterson brought national fame to Tuscaloosa as Head Gymnastics Coach at the University of Alabama.

Organizations, businesses and individual citizens from across the county submitted nominations for the 2025 class. A committee reviewed these, and the three honorees were selected.

D. Bradley Cork was born in San Francisco but decided to return 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.

According to the hall’s press release, after a brief career in banking, Cork joined the family business in 1974, Phifer Inc., and has served as company president since 2013.

He 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.

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 to attend the University of Alabama and made the community his home. He was hired to be a summer laborer at McAbee Construction while still a student at UA. He worked into a full-time position with the company when he graduated with a degree in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Nichols worked his way up through the company, eventually being named President and COO of McAbee in 1998, a position he held until 2021, when he was named president emeritus.

Nichols has had active community involvement throughout his career. 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 work has brought extensive recognition to Tuscaloosa.

Sarah Patterson was brought to Tuscaloosa by Alabama Football Coach and Athletics Director Paul “Bear” Bryant, where she symbolized his desire to be “nothing but a winner.”

Along with her husband David, Patterson coached the University of Alabama gymnastics team for 36 years, winning six NCAA championships and eight SEC titles. She won more than 1,000 meets and 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.

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.

Patterson retired in 2014 and became actively involved in the 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 the 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.

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

Congratulations to these civic giants!