UA College of Communication and Information Sciences Honors Outstanding Alumni

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – University of Alabama Head Basketball Coach Mark Gottfried and Associated Press Editor Phil Rawls are among six UA alumni to be presented with Outstanding Alumni Awards from the University’s College of Communication and Information Sciences during Honors Week activities on April 12.

Award winners also include Dr. Amanda Borden, dean of freshmen at Samford University; David DuBose, vice president and market manager for Cox Radio Inc. in Birmingham; M.D. Smith IV, president and CEO of HiWAAY Information Services, a subsidiary of Smith Broadcasting Inc. in Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa businessman Estan J. Bloom.

The annual awards will be presented along with outstanding student awards at C&IS’s Honors Week program at 10 a.m., Friday, in Reese Phifer Hall on the UA campus. The C&IS Outstanding Alumni Awards are as follows:

Outstanding Alumnus in Advertising and Public Relations — UA Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mark Gottfried earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations in 1987. As a student-athlete, he was awarded the 1986 Bryant Award as the top UA scholar-athlete. Gottfried’s coaching career began as an assistant coach at UCLA from 1987-1995. From 1995-1998, he served as head basketball coach at Murray State University before returning to his alma mater. Gottfried has received numerous coaching honors including the 2002 AP &Coaches SEC Coach of the Year and 2002 NABC District Coach of the Year.

Outstanding Alumna in Communication Studies — Dr. Amanda Borden earned her bachelor’s degree in speech pathology in 1974 and her master’s in rhetoric and speech communication in 1975, both at UA. She earned her doctorate at the University of Illinois. Borden joined Samford University in 1989 and received Samford’s Speech Professor of the Year Award in 1996. She currently serves as dean of freshmen at Samford.

Outstanding Alumnus in Journalism — Phil Rawls received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism at UA in 1973 and 1974, respectively. He served as a political reporter and state editor for the Montgomery Advertiser before joining the Associated Press in 1979. As editor at AP-Montgomery, Rawls’ primary responsibility is reporting on state government, where he has covered 64 regular, special and organizational sessions of the Alabama Legislature.

Outstanding Alumnus in Telecommunication and Film — David DuBose earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication in 1980 and 1981. Early in his career, DuBose served as news director for WUAL-FM and launched the National Public Radio affiliate for UA. He also served as president/general manager of WDBB-TV where he developed a top-rated newscast and was responsible for national sales efforts. In his current position with Cox Radio, he is responsible for seven Birmingham radio stations. His success includes operating the top three stations in Birmingham Arbitron 12+ rank and operating five of the top 10 stations in the Birmingham market. In 1997, the Birmingham Business Journal, named Dubose “One of the Top 40 Under 40.” He is a member of the C&IS Board of Visitors.

Distinguished Achievement Award — A 1963 UA graduate in telecommunication and film, M.D. Smith IV has had a long and distinguished career with Smith Broadcasting, founded by his grandfather, M.D. Smith II, in 1928. Smith has held a variety of positions for WAAY Radio, WAFG Channel 31 and WAAY Channel 31. In 1969, he became president and general manager of WAAY Channel 31. Under his leadership, the television station was for many years the dominant news leader in Huntsville. In 1994, Smith founded HiWAAY Information Services, which offers Internet access, website hosting and web design services throughout the state.

Distinguished Service Award — A 1947 UA graduate in speech communication, Estan J. Bloom is retired CEO of Coed Collar Co. Inc., a manufacturer of ladies’ apparel. For more than half a century, Bloom has provided distinguished service to UA and the Tuscaloosa community. At UA, he has been a member of the President’s Cabinet, a regent with the Museums, a charter member of the Society of Fine Arts and chair/founder of Friends of International Students. As president of the Tuscaloosa Rotary Club, he established the Rotary International Student Center in a former fraternity house on campus. Bloom has received the Rotary Rose Award, the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award and the Alabama Library Association’s Humanitarian Award, among other honors.