George Bowman

Lieutenant General George F. Bowman (born 1948) is a retired three-star general in the United States Army and a branch manager for Liberty National Life Insurance Company.

Bowman 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 keep his seat until after the November 2008 general election. Bell was sworn in on November 12.

References

• Wright, Barnett (November 21, 2007) "Alabama governor appoints retired Lt. Gen. George F. Bowman to replace Larry Langford on Jefferson County Commission." Birmingham News.
• Wright, Barnett (November 24, 2007) "Riley choice for Jeffco takes office." Birmingham News
• Wright, Barnett (July 1, 2008) "Alabama Supreme Court rules that George Bowman can serve on Jefferson County Commission through November." Birmingham News