The University of Montevallo honored deserving UM staff, faculty and alumni during the celebration of the University’s 122nd Founders’ Day on Oct. 11.
Mike Meadows ’79 was named the recipient of the 2018 Mary Lou Elder Williams Alumnus Loyalty Award. Each year, this distinguished honor is bestowed to a UM alumnus who has demonstrated loyalty and dedication to the University through contributions of their time, talents and resources.
Meadows, originally from McCalla, Alabama, graduated from UM with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree with a concentration in marketing and management. He later attended the Scheller College of Business Executive program with a focus on marketing, business strategy and finance at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2000.
After graduating from UM, Meadows began his professional career with Georgia-Pacific Corporation and progressed through a variety of assignments with increasing responsibility. He has been a sales and operations executive with Fortune 500 and private equity enterprises.
After 34 years with Georgia-Pacific Corporation and predecessor company, Meadows retired in 2003 from the building products organization where his last assignment was senior vice-president of national accounts, multi-family and marketing.
His wife, Sue, of 33 years and current senior vice president at Rooms To Go jokingly told him after he retired the first time to get a job. “I love you, but not for lunch.” Following her advice, Meadows served as the interim CEO of American Copper & Brass headquartered in Hillsdale, Michigan.
Following the completion of that project, Meadows joined PrimeSource Building Products where he currently serves as a vice president.
Through all his success in the business world, Meadows has never lost sight of UM. Since 2011, he has served as a board member for the UM Foundation and previously served as a member on the University of Montevallo National Alumni Association Board.
These positions have allowed him to use his skills as an executive to give back to the University. In addition to his service on the Foundation and Alumni Boards, his involvement with the University includes outreach to prospective UM students and scholarship funding.
Meadows’ faithfulness and dedication to UM were the first things that came to mind when Scott Dillard, vice president for University Advancement and External Affairs, described him.
“Mike demonstrates his faithfulness and dedication to the University of Montevallo by his generosity to many different program, his continual recruitment of students, his service on the UM Foundation Board and his attendance at athletic events,” said Dillard.
His continued dedication to the University is also exhibited by the scholarship fund that he and Sue established in 2003.
Today, the John and Bettie Meadows Scholarship serves to assist deserving incoming freshmen from McAdory High School.
In 2016, the Alumnus Loyalty Award was renamed to honor Mary Lou Elder Williams ’69, who served as the director of development and alumni relations at UM for more than 23 years. She passed away later that year. Williams’ legacy lives on with this award which recognizes continued dedication and service to the University by alumni.
“It is so fitting that Mike is receiving the award dedicated to our dear friend Mary Lou Williams,” said former UMNAA President, Kit Coburn Waters. “I know how much she thought of him and him of her, and she must definitely be smiling at the UMNAA’s decision to choose Mike.”