George Bowman

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George Bowman

George F. Bowman (born February 16, 1948) is a retired two-star general in the United States Army, a branch manager for Liberty National Life Insurance Company, and represented District 1 in the Jefferson County Commission from 2007 to 2008 and from 2010 to 2018.

Bowman grew up in Sumter, South Carolina and is a 1969 graduate of South Carolina State College with a bachelor's degree in history, after which he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army. He also has a master of arts in public administration from Shippensburg University. He has received extensive signal corps training through the army and, as a major general, commanded the 311th Theater Signal Command in Fort Meade, Maryland from 1999 to 2003. He retired from the Army in 2005 and took a job with Liberty National. He has also been a consultant to the National Museum of the United States Army.

He is the grandson of Brooks Bowman and the son of Tuskegee Airman Leroy Bowman. Bowman resides in Center Point. He is married to the former Yolanda Young and has three sons from a previous marriage and three stepchildren.

Jefferson County Commission

On November 21, 2007 Bowman was appointed by Governor Bob Riley to fill the unexpired term of Jefferson County Commission member Larry Langford, who resigned the Commission to take office as Mayor of Birmingham. He was sworn in the same day by Judge Scott Vowell.

Upon Langford's resignation, the Commission set a February 5, 2008 special election to choose a new Commissioner. Fred Plump of Fairfield filed a lawsuit in November challenging Riley's authority to make an appointment. Plump also declared himself a candidate for the special election.

Following the special election, the Alabama Supreme Court blocked certification of the results while legal challenges continued. Unofficial returns showed William Bell soundly defeating Bowman and all other challengers for the seat.

A Jefferson County Circuit Court upheld the Election Commission's decision to hold the February special election, but was overturned by the Alabama Supreme Court, which ruled that Bowman would keep his seat until after the November 2008 general election. Bell was sworn in on November 12.

In 2010 he defeated 13 other candidates to win a special election to fill the District 1 seat left vacant when Bell became Mayor of Birmingham. He also defeated Johnathan Austin in the Democratic runoff for the election for the full term beginning in November.

On the commission, Bowman has opposed the sale of the Jefferson Rehabilitation Health Center and suggested creating a new authority to combine its operations with Cooper Green Mercy Hospital to make it more efficient.

In 2014 Bowman stood for re-election. He was challenged in the Democratic primary by Earl Hilliard Jr and Roderick Royal.

Preceded by:
Larry Langford
Jefferson County Commission District 1
20072008
Succeeded by:
William Bell
Preceded by:
William Bell
Jefferson County Commission District 1
June 20102018
Succeeded by:
Lashunda Scales

References

  • Wright, Barnett (November 21, 2007) "Alabama governor appoints retired Lt. Gen. George F. Bowman to replace Larry Langford on Jefferson County Commission." The Birmingham News
  • Wright, Barnett (November 24, 2007) "Riley choice for Jeffco takes office." The Birmingham News
  • Wright, Barnett (July 1, 2008) "Alabama Supreme Court rules that George Bowman can serve on Jefferson County Commission through November." The Birmingham News
  • Bryant, Joseph D. (January 17, 2011) "Jefferson County Commissioner George Bowman has cost-saving plan for county home." The Birmingham News
  • Wright, Barnett (May 29, 2014) "Jefferson County Commission candidate profile: George Bowman, District 1." The Birmingham News