Background
James Craig Smith was born on July 23, 1905 in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Son of James Craig and Mignon (Comer) Smith, Grandson of Braxton Bragg Comer, who was the first president of Avondale Mills as well as Governor of Alabama. He took over as the third President and Treasurer of Avondale Mills from his uncle Donald Comer, Sr. in 1951. Donald Comer was president of the Mill from 1907-1951 (44 years).
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, 1925.
Career
Comer. Started as cotton weigher in 1925 with Avondale Mills, a textile manufacturer in Sylacauga, Alabama. He became Vice-President, Director 1935-1941, Vice President, Treasurer, 1941-1945, Executive Vice President, 1945-1951, President, Treasurer, Director, 1951-1970, Chairman of the Board, 1970, Chairman of the Executive Committee, 1975-1977. Chairman 1st Federal Savings & Loan Association Sylacauga.
Director I.C. Gulf R.R., South Central Bell Telephone Company, Southern Bank Corporation, Birmingham Trust National Bank, Protective Life Insurance Company, General Machinery Corporation, Illinois Central Industries. Board of directors, past president Alabama Safety Council. Trustee, past chairman Eye Foundation, Inc., Birmingham.
Chairman Avondale Ednl. and Charitable Foundation. Vice chairman Sylacauga Park and Recreation Board. Trustee Avondale Mills Employees Profit-Sharing Trust.
Honorary trustee Boys' Club of Sylacauga, Southern Talladega County chapter American Red Cross. Board visitors U. Alabama School Commerce. Named Outstanding Layman, Alabama Recreation and Park Society, 1955, Communicator of Year, International Council of Industrial Editors, 1970, Man of South, Dixie Business, 1970.
Recipient Marketing Man of Year award Birmingham chapter American Marketing Association, 1970. J. Craig Smith Community Center, Sylacauga Parks and Recreation Department named in his honor, 1976. Elected posthumously to Alabama Business Hall of Fame, 1977.
Membership
Member American Textile Manufacturers Institute, Inc. (director, past president), Alabama Textile Manufacturers Association (past president, Textileer award 1971), International Federation Cotton and Allied Textile Industries (past president), National Cotton Council American (director, past president), Alabama Chamber of Commerce (director, past president, Newcomen Society North America (Alabama chairman, national trustee), Liverpool Cotton Association (honorary), Alabama Academy Honor, Omicron Delta Kappa (honorary), Phi Psi (honorary). Rotarian (past president, honorary.
Member).; Clubs: Exchange (honorary), Coosa Valley Country (Sylacauga).
James Craig Smith was born on July 23, 1905 in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Son of James Craig and Mignon (Comer) Smith, Grandson of Braxton Bragg Comer, who was the first president of Avondale Mills as well as Governor of Alabama. He took over as the third President and Treasurer of Avondale Mills from his uncle Donald Comer, Sr. in 1951. Donald Comer was president of the Mill from 1907-1951 (44 years).
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, 1925.
Career
Comer. Started as cotton weigher in 1925 with Avondale Mills, a textile manufacturer in Sylacauga, Alabama. He became Vice-President, Director 1935-1941, Vice President, Treasurer, 1941-1945, Executive Vice President, 1945-1951, President, Treasurer, Director, 1951-1970, Chairman of the Board, 1970, Chairman of the Executive Committee, 1975-1977. Chairman 1st Federal Savings & Loan Association Sylacauga.
Director I.C. Gulf R.R., South Central Bell Telephone Company, Southern Bank Corporation, Birmingham Trust National Bank, Protective Life Insurance Company, General Machinery Corporation, Illinois Central Industries. Board of directors, past president Alabama Safety Council. Trustee, past chairman Eye Foundation, Inc., Birmingham.
Chairman Avondale Ednl. and Charitable Foundation. Vice chairman Sylacauga Park and Recreation Board. Trustee Avondale Mills Employees Profit-Sharing Trust.
Honorary trustee Boys' Club of Sylacauga, Southern Talladega County chapter American Red Cross. Board visitors U. Alabama School Commerce. Named Outstanding Layman, Alabama Recreation and Park Society, 1955, Communicator of Year, International Council of Industrial Editors, 1970, Man of South, Dixie Business, 1970.
Recipient Marketing Man of Year award Birmingham chapter American Marketing Association, 1970. J. Craig Smith Community Center, Sylacauga Parks and Recreation Department named in his honor, 1976. Elected posthumously to Alabama Business Hall of Fame, 1977.
Membership
Member American Textile Manufacturers Institute, Inc. (director, past president), Alabama Textile Manufacturers Association (past president, Textileer award 1971), International Federation Cotton and Allied Textile Industries (past president), National Cotton Council American (director, past president), Alabama Chamber of Commerce (director, past president, Newcomen Society North America (Alabama chairman, national trustee), Liverpool Cotton Association (honorary), Alabama Academy Honor, Omicron Delta Kappa (honorary), Phi Psi (honorary). Rotarian (past president, honorary.
Member).; Clubs: Exchange (honorary), Coosa Valley Country (Sylacauga).
Background
James Craig Smith was born on July 23, 1905 in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Son of James Craig and Mignon (Comer) Smith, Grandson of Braxton Bragg Comer, who was the first president of Avondale Mills as well as Governor of Alabama. He took over as the third President and Treasurer of Avondale Mills from his uncle Donald Comer, Sr. in 1951. Donald Comer was president of the Mill from 1907-1951 (44 years).
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, 1925.
Career
Comer. Started as cotton weigher in 1925 with Avondale Mills, a textile manufacturer in Sylacauga, Alabama. He became Vice-President, Director 1935-1941, Vice President, Treasurer, 1941-1945, Executive Vice President, 1945-1951, President, Treasurer, Director, 1951-1970, Chairman of the Board, 1970, Chairman of the Executive Committee, 1975-1977. Chairman 1st Federal Savings & Loan Association Sylacauga.
Director I.C. Gulf R.R., South Central Bell Telephone Company, Southern Bank Corporation, Birmingham Trust National Bank, Protective Life Insurance Company, General Machinery Corporation, Illinois Central Industries. Board of directors, past president Alabama Safety Council. Trustee, past chairman Eye Foundation, Inc., Birmingham.
Chairman Avondale Ednl. and Charitable Foundation. Vice chairman Sylacauga Park and Recreation Board. Trustee Avondale Mills Employees Profit-Sharing Trust.
Honorary trustee Boys' Club of Sylacauga, Southern Talladega County chapter American Red Cross. Board visitors U. Alabama School Commerce. Named Outstanding Layman, Alabama Recreation and Park Society, 1955, Communicator of Year, International Council of Industrial Editors, 1970, Man of South, Dixie Business, 1970.
Recipient Marketing Man of Year award Birmingham chapter American Marketing Association, 1970. J. Craig Smith Community Center, Sylacauga Parks and Recreation Department named in his honor, 1976. Elected posthumously to Alabama Business Hall of Fame, 1977.
Membership
Member American Textile Manufacturers Institute, Inc. (director, past president), Alabama Textile Manufacturers Association (past president, Textileer award 1971), International Federation Cotton and Allied Textile Industries (past president), National Cotton Council American (director, past president), Alabama Chamber of Commerce (director, past president, Newcomen Society North America (Alabama chairman, national trustee), Liverpool Cotton Association (honorary), Alabama Academy Honor, Omicron Delta Kappa (honorary), Phi Psi (honorary). Rotarian (past president, honorary.
Member).; Clubs: Exchange (honorary), Coosa Valley Country (Sylacauga).
James Craig Smith was born on July 23, 1905 in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Son of James Craig and Mignon (Comer) Smith, Grandson of Braxton Bragg Comer, who was the first president of Avondale Mills as well as Governor of Alabama. He took over as the third President and Treasurer of Avondale Mills from his uncle Donald Comer, Sr. in 1951. Donald Comer was president of the Mill from 1907-1951 (44 years).
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, 1925.
Career
Comer. Started as cotton weigher in 1925 with Avondale Mills, a textile manufacturer in Sylacauga, Alabama. He became Vice-President, Director 1935-1941, Vice President, Treasurer, 1941-1945, Executive Vice President, 1945-1951, President, Treasurer, Director, 1951-1970, Chairman of the Board, 1970, Chairman of the Executive Committee, 1975-1977. Chairman 1st Federal Savings & Loan Association Sylacauga.
Director I.C. Gulf R.R., South Central Bell Telephone Company, Southern Bank Corporation, Birmingham Trust National Bank, Protective Life Insurance Company, General Machinery Corporation, Illinois Central Industries. Board of directors, past president Alabama Safety Council. Trustee, past chairman Eye Foundation, Inc., Birmingham.
Chairman Avondale Ednl. and Charitable Foundation. Vice chairman Sylacauga Park and Recreation Board. Trustee Avondale Mills Employees Profit-Sharing Trust.
Honorary trustee Boys' Club of Sylacauga, Southern Talladega County chapter American Red Cross. Board visitors U. Alabama School Commerce. Named Outstanding Layman, Alabama Recreation and Park Society, 1955, Communicator of Year, International Council of Industrial Editors, 1970, Man of South, Dixie Business, 1970.
Recipient Marketing Man of Year award Birmingham chapter American Marketing Association, 1970. J. Craig Smith Community Center, Sylacauga Parks and Recreation Department named in his honor, 1976. Elected posthumously to Alabama Business Hall of Fame, 1977.
Membership
Member American Textile Manufacturers Institute, Inc. (director, past president), Alabama Textile Manufacturers Association (past president, Textileer award 1971), International Federation Cotton and Allied Textile Industries (past president), National Cotton Council American (director, past president), Alabama Chamber of Commerce (director, past president, Newcomen Society North America (Alabama chairman, national trustee), Liverpool Cotton Association (honorary), Alabama Academy Honor, Omicron Delta Kappa (honorary), Phi Psi (honorary). Rotarian (past president, honorary.
Member).; Clubs: Exchange (honorary), Coosa Valley Country (Sylacauga).
Family Members
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