Willie Pittman

Willie Pittman (born 1957) is a former aircraft mechanic with Lockheed Martin. He grew up in Georgia and joined the U. S. Navy, where he learned to work on aircraft. He went to work for Lockheed Martin in Marietta in 1984 and retired 21 years later.

After retiring he and his wife, Myrna moved to Greystone so she could take a job as vice president of customer service at Alabama Power. Since moving to Birmingham, Pittman has taken several jobs, including management of the Wine Loft on 1st Avenue North for a short while.

He has more recently gone into the business of pruning and caring for shrubs for individual clients. Going by the name The Hedge Doctor, he wears surgical scrubs and listens to jazz from his BMW while he works. In January 2009, Pittman announced plans to open Magicity Pedicabs, pending approval of the Birmingham City Council. The pedicabs would provide alternate transportation opportunities in downtown Birmingham and Five Points South as well as during special events such as City Stages. Pittman first saw pedicabs while working in Marietta.

The Pittmans have five children (Jada, Jasmine, Jocelyn, Joya and Jeremiah). Willie also has an adult daughter, Takisha, from a previous marriage.

References

• Kemp, Kathy (June 10, 2007) "Willie Pittman leaves his Greystone home, hops into his sleek BMW, and heads to work -- shaping up shrubs in the neighbor's yards. The retired aircraft mechanic is just happy doing what he loves." Birmingham News
• Ray, Tiffany (January 22, 2009) "Birmingham, Alabama entrepreneur wants to launch a rickshaw service in downtown and Southside." Birmingham News