Tom Bradford

Thomas Elred Bradford Sr (born February 18, 1909 in Sweetwater, Marengo County; died February 24, 2002) was a food broker, chair of Birmingham's Community Affairs Committee in the 1960s, and a long-time member of the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board.

Bradford completed a bachelor of science at Birmingham-Southern College in 1932. While there he worked as business manager on the staff of La Revue yearbook and performed with the Glee Club quartet. He went on to earn his business degree at Harvard University in 1933. He founded Bradford & Co. food brokers in 1939. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy, rising to the rank of Lieutenant.

After the war, Bradford built up his company, which distributes Sunbelt Sweeteners, and also served as a director of the Marengo Corporation, Southtrust Bank, Allied Products, and Mrs Stratton's Salads.

Bradford was also involved in civic service through the United Way, the Alabama Board of Corrections, the Eye Foundation, the Metropolitan Development Board and the Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce.

Bradford married the former Mary Johnson on July 1, 1933. They had two sons, Thomas Jr and John.

Bradford was honored as "Birmingham Man of the Year" in 1965 and as a "Distinguished Alumnus" of Birmingham-Southern in 1966. Tom Bradford Park in Huffman was dedicated in his honor in 1978. He was listed in Who's Who in America, and was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor in 1983 and the Birmingham Business Hall of Fame in 2001.

Bradford died in 2002 and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery.

External links

• Thomas E. Bradford, Sr at the Alabama Academy of Honor