Culverhouse Family Business

On May 3, 2025, when Catherine Anne Gray walked across the stage wearing her red cap to accept her diploma from the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business, she won’t just be joining the ranks of the university’s newest alumni — she added another chapter in a remarkable family legacy.

The Gray family story is one rooted in faith, tradition, and five Presidential Scholarships — all tied together by a deep, decades-long connection to the University of Alabama’s business school.

The Grays went 3-for-3 when it came to sending their children to Tuscaloosa. But, as Brad explains, the decision wasn’t always automatic.

“Our oldest son, Bradley, looked at several SEC schools. He’s also a really talented musician, so he considered Belmont, too,” Brad says. “But we took him on a campus tour in April — just a beautiful day — and a Capstone Woman gave him a great tour. He turned to us and said, ‘I’m going here.’ That was it.”

Bradley graduated in 2018 with a degree in Management Information Systems. Their middle son, William, was never in doubt. “He was always going to Alabama,” Brad laughs. “He’s our most die-hard fan, no question about it.” William earned his degree in accounting in 2021.

Then came Catherine, the youngest, who initially declared she'd be doing something other than accounting. “She said she would never be an accountant — because her mom, dad, and older brother were all accountants,” Brad recalls. “But after she took Accounting 211, she texted us and said, ‘I love accounting.’ That’s when we knew.”

Now graduating with an accounting degree herself, Catherine plans to stay at Alabama one more year to pursue her master’s in taxation — solidifying her place in the family tradition. “Just kind of runs in the family,” Brad adds with a smile.

The Gray legacy started in the summer of 1987, when Brad Gray and Nancy Metcalf first crossed paths as incoming freshmen. Both were Presidential Scholars and first met briefly at a scholarship luncheon. Their real friendship began during their sophomore year when they lived in the same apartment complex behind what is now the Houndstooth Bar. Nancy made her mark on campus as well — she was named Homecoming Queen in 1990, a title that reflected her involvement and leadership.

Both Brad and Nancy held leadership positions with several campus organizations, which Brad stated was instrumental in their future success. The couple graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 1991, both with degrees in accounting, and launched their careers with Arthur Andersen in Birmingham. Brad is now president and chief financial officer for Diversified Energy Company, a publicly traded energy company, in Birmingham.

Brad credits much of his success to the quality of instruction and the opportunities offered through Culverhouse. “I had a great professor for Advanced Accounting — Dr. Rayburn. He really stood out,” Brad says. “The business school was incredibly well-connected with employers. When I was a senior, the Big Six firms came to campus, offering jobs before we even graduated. That type of recruiting and eventual placement rate was hard to beat.”

Bradley lives in Homewood with his wife Charlotte and their new baby girl and works as a technology consultant for Deloitte. William also lives in the Birmingham area with his wife Emily and their new baby boy and works in finance and business development. Catherine, poised to follow in their footsteps, has her eyes set on tax accounting.

During their time at the Capstone, all three Gray children were leaders in numerous campus organizations and earned memberships in several honor societies. And through it all, Brad and Nancy remain closely connected and committed to the University — not only as alumni, but as supporters.

For the Travis family, the University of Alabama isn’t just a college—it’s a cornerstone of identity, a multi-generational tradition, and, quite fittingly, a business. Literally.

When Jeff Travis Sr. ’91, MA ’93 talks about his path to the Capstone, there’s a mixture of reverence and humor. “I was brainwashed, I guess,” he laughs. His mother, June Travis ’63, started her college career at Auburn before “getting saved” and transferring to Alabama, where his father, Ron Travis Sr. ’63, was already at UA studying accounting. Jeff’s brothers (Ron Jr. ’86, MA ’87 and Chris ’90) also graduated from UA in accounting. That legacy set the tone for the Travis family's trajectory.

Now, Jeff’s children—Jeff Jr. ’20, MA ’21, Chase ’24, MA ’25, Brooks (currently attending), and Sarah (a high school senior who plans to attend UA) —are continuing the legacy, all passing through the Culverhouse College of Business. It's not just the University that links them, but the field as well: each has pursued or is pursuing a degree in accounting.

“I told my three boys and 12 grandchildren that they should follow their dreams and do whatever made them happy,” Ron Sr. said. “But, if they were not sure, then I would recommend accounting because it is the language of business and has given me a wonderful and satisfying life.”

Jeff Jr. didn’t need convincing when it came time to choose a college. “I was a huge Alabama fan my whole life—football, basketball, baseball,” he says. “I applied to a few other places just to do my due diligence, but I think I was always going to end up at Alabama.”

That reputation — top 10 in accounting, with alumni leading at firms across the country — was a key factor for the entire family. Even in the earliest days of their academic journey, the Travis’ saw business as more than just numbers.

“We’re all very analytical thinkers,” said Jeff Sr., a recent recipient of the Culverhouse Accounting Alumni Leadership Award. “None of the boys are particularly artistic or creative, but the gifts God gave us — analytical minds, structured thinking — fit naturally with business and accounting. It just works.”

Of course, being a Bama family means sports are a central part of the experience.

“Jeffrey probably follows sports most closely,” says Jeff Sr. “But we’re all pretty big fans.” And their traditions reflect that—tossing a football while walking from the basketball coliseum to Bryant-Denny Stadium, grabbing lunch at the business school, and making a mandatory post-game stop at Krispy Kreme.

“That might not be our healthiest tradition,” Jeff Sr. says, “but it’s a good one.”

The memories pile high. Brooks camped out for 12 hours for ESPN’s College GameDay before Alabama’s electric win over Georgia. Jeff Jr. was in Miami to watch Alabama dominate Ohio State in the 2020 national championship game. He was also there for the legendary 2017 walk-off win against Georgia and the 2009 title win over Texas.

Even their time off the field speaks to the Alabama spirit. Jeff Sr. fondly recalls his own college years, when his intramural flag football team made it to the national tournament in New Orleans—coinciding with the Tide’s 1993 Sugar Bowl matchup with Miami for the national title.

It’s not just the football titles or the game day traditions that keep the Travis family coming back. It’s the people—particularly those in the Culverhouse College of Business.

When Ray White took Lonnie Strickland’s business strategy class at The University of Alabama more than 30 years ago, he never imagined his own children would one day learn from the same legendary professor, listening to the same sharp-witted stories and lessons that helped shape his career.

That’s just one of the special connections the White family has with Culverhouse. It's a connection that runs deep— it’s a legacy of relationships, mentorship, and a place that felt like home.

Ray earned a degree in accounting in 1990 and an MBA in 1992. Ray's sons followed in his footsteps with Sid earning an accounting degree in 2017 and a MACC in 2018, and Grant graduating with a degree in accounting in 2019 and a MACC in 2020. His youngest child, daughter Caroline, graduated with a degree in management in 2022.

While Ray’s time at UA as an undergrad was filled with football heartbreak—Alabama lost to Auburn all four years—his children enjoyed the height of success during the Nick Saban era. Their athletic experiences were different, but the memories of Culverhouse are the same— overwhelmingly positive.

At least Ray got to experience a Bama national title as a grad student.

White remembers moments that stuck with him: a professor giving out his home phone number in case students needed help studying, another hosting the class at his house, and Dean Barry Mason stopping him on campus to offer unsolicited career advice — and an accurate prediction of looming consolidation in the banking industry.

“What really stood out were the professors who took a personal interest in students. It made a difference,” White said. “They saw something in you before you saw it yourself.”

When it came time for his own children to choose colleges, Ray and his wife Lia, a UNA alumna, didn’t push UA and encouraged them to look around. And they did — visiting Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Samford. But each of the three ultimately chose Alabama on their own.

All have launched successful careers — two in consulting and one in healthcare HR — and all married fellow Alabama graduates. Their spouses are now part of a growing Crimson Tide legacy that includes wedding photos, graduations, and shared stories of favorite professors, including Strickland.

Greg Hyde was drawn to The University of Alabama as a kid growing up in Florence, Alabama. He spent several weekends at Bryant-Denny Stadium in the fall and also admiring the beauty of the campus.

When it came time to finally attend UA, Hyde found a deep love and appreciation for the business school. He was the first in his family to attend college, and after two years at what is now the University of North Alabama, he made the leap to Tuscaloosa in 1971. He earned his accounting degree in 1973 and returned for a law degree in 1979.

Hyde is an attorney and shareholder at Dominick Feld and Hyde law firm where his focus is on tax law. He is a past chairman and member of The University of Alabama Planned Giving Advisory Committee and is a member of the President’s Cabinet at the University of Alabama.

Hyde’s Culverhouse story didn’t end with Greg’s graduation. His wife Sharon, who also earned her degree from Alabama, made the Capstone a part of their family’s fabric. Greg’s sons Foster and Harrison followed in his footsteps, each earning business degrees from Culverhouse.

“They were exposed to UA early. We would take them to football games take them to Waysider restaurant. They heard me talk all the time about the business school and its excellent reputation. I obviously wanted them to go there and was tickled to death when they did.

“My wife accused me of brainwashing them.”

Foster, a senior advisor at the Welch Group LLC, a leading wealth management firm in Birmingham, earned his bachelor’s in 2008 and a master’s in 2009. Harrison, recently promoted to lead European acquisitions for a healthcare real estate firm, earned his bachelor’s in 2012 in finance and a master’s in finance in 2013. He will soon move to London—a point of pride and a bittersweet milestone for Greg and his wife.

For Greg, football Saturdays remain a family tradition. His granddaughter attended her first game last year, adding a new generation to the Hyde family’s Alabama memories. From Bear Bryant to Nick Saban, from Bidgood Hall to Alston, the campus may have changed, but Greg’s gratitude for the education, friendships, and Crimson Tide spirit never has.