Glenn Ireland II
Glenn Ireland II (born April 5, 1926 in Montgomery; died February 7, 2015) was an executive with Vulcan Materials and the founder of the Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center.
Ireland was the son of Charles B. and Katharine Reynolds Ireland. He attended the Baylor School in Chattanooga and earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia in 1947. He went on to attend Virginia's Graduate School of Business Administration and to complete management programs at the University of Illinois and Harvard University.
Ireland began working at Birmingham Slag Company in 1947 and was appointed assistant to the vice president of sales in 1958. After a year he was named director of marketing services. In 1961 he moved to become assistant to the vice president for finance. After that he held positions as vice president and senior vice president. He also served on the company's board of directors from 1957 to 1979. Ireland was also a shareholder in the Clintone Record Company.
Ireland was a long-time supporter of medical charities, including the Crippled Children's Clinic, and became specifically interested in mental health research and treatment after his sister, Kathy was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He founded Child Mental Health Services (now Glenwood) in 1973 and served on its board of directors. In 1979 he was appointed Commissioner of Mental Health by Governor Fob James. The Glenn Ireland Developmental Center in Tarrant was named in his honor.
In 2011 Ireland supported a $4.7 billion hostile bid by Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. to take over Vulcan Materials. When the deal was stopped, he and his brother, William C. Ireland Jr, accused the board of directors and CEO Don James of "gross mismanagement."
Ireland was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor in 1982 and the Birmingham Business Hall of Fame in 2011. He was a past president of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club, an officer of the Relay Club, and a member of several country clubs.
Ireland died in 2015. He was survived by his wife, Mallie, three daughters, and 10 grandchildren.
References
- "Alabama Visionaries: Mallie and Glenn Ireland – A Shared Vision for a Better Alabama" (November 3, 2006) Glenwood.org
- Church, Steven (May 30, 2012) "Vulcan Materials Founding Family Sues Over Sale Halt" BloombergBusiness
- "Glenn Ireland II" obituary (February 9, 2015) The Birmingham News