James Harrison Jr. to Address UA Winter Commencement Exercises Dec. 16

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – James I. Harrison Jr., longtime Tuscaloosa businessman and philanthropist, will be the featured speaker for The University of Alabama’s winter commencement ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 16 at 9 a.m., in Coleman Coliseum on the UA campus.

Harrison, former chair of Harco Drug Inc., is a partner with Harrison Investments Limited Partnership, and president of The James I. Harrison Family Foundation. Harrison will also receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters during the ceremony, when approximately 1,000 degrees will be conferred.

The ceremonies will be broadcast live over the Internet. Those who wish to view the ceremonies on the Internet can go to the main UA web page at http://www.ua.edu/ to find the Web cast link. The Web cast will require the free Windows Media Player and a broadband connection. The Web cast will be archived on UA’s Web site and will be available for viewing until Jan. 16.

In 1967, Harrison founded Harco Drug, after working for more than 10 years as a pharmacist in his father’s drugstore in downtown Tuscaloosa. Under his leadership, Harco grew into a chain of more than 150 stores before merging with Rite Aid in 1997. Chain Drug Review named Harco the nation’s top community drugstore chain in 1995.

Harrison is a member of the UA President’s Cabinet and the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration Board of Visitors. He also served as chair of the RISE Center’s endowment fund.

He was a founding member of the Alexis De Tocqueville Society of Tuscaloosa and was instrumental in developing Tuscaloosa’s Children’s Hands On Museum and in the growth of Holy Spirit Catholic Church and School.

He has served on the boards of numerous community, regional, and state organizations including the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, United Way of West Alabama, Tuscaloosa Heart Association, Druid City Hospital Foundation, West Alabama Rehabilitation, Hospice of West Alabama, and the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind Foundation.

His awards and honors include the Alabama Business Hall of Fame, Alabama Health Hall of Fame, Tuscaloosa Citizen of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Samford University Outstanding Alumni Award.