By Staff
Birmingham
Mr. James P. Hayes Jr. died Friday, June 6, 2008. He was a native of Brewton and graduated from T.R. Miller High School. He received his bachelor's and master's degree in industrial engineering from the University of Alabama where he was a member of the Tau Beta Pi honor fraternity and the Delta Kappa Epsilon social fraternity. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Patrick Hayes, and a sister, Mary Hayes (Stewart) Campbell of Franklin, Tenn.
A longtime public servant, he was President of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama,. Prior to his work with the EDPA, he held several positions for the State of Alabama including Senior Advisor to Gov. Don Siegelman, Director of the Alabama Development Office, Revenue Commissioner and Land Commissioner. He also served as Director of Planning and Acquisitions for the Louisiana Land and Exploration Company. He served as a director of First Commercial Bank in Birmingham and BancTrust Financial in Mobile.
An active civic leader, He was a member and past president of the Supporters Board of The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, and also supported the Lakeshore Foundation, the Crippled Children's Foundation, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, and numerous other charitable organizations. He led the ongoing capital campaign for the University of Alabama, and also served on UAB's most recent capital campaign. In 2007 he received the Oustanding Civic Leader Award on National Philanthropy Day.
The University of Alabama named Jim Hayes its Alumnus of the Year in 1994. In 2004 he received an Honorary Doctorate from the institution and was named a Distinguished Engineering Fellow. He is a recipient of the Dean's Medal from the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences, and was recently honored when the University's James P. Hayes Moral Forum was endowed in his name.
He is survived by his wife, Ann Beauchamp Hayes of Birmingham; two sisters, Margaret Hayes (James) Brunstad of Birmingham, and Susan Hayes (King) Curry of Tuscaloosa; five nieces and a nephew.
A memorial service was held Monday, June 9, at 2 p.m. at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Birmingham with Ridout's Valley Chapel in Homewood directing.