Two new members have joined the Samford University Board of Trustees. Jay Love and Curt Stokes were elected during the university’s Board of Trustees meeting in September. Robert Holmes Jr. was appointed to a lifetime term on the board.
A glimpse at their bios:
Jay Love is a political consultant specializing in legislative and governmental relations advocacy. Possessing extensive experience working with Alabama’s state legislative leadership, the governor’s office and Alabama state agencies, he served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2002-2013.
During his legislative service, Love served as House Minority Whip and chaired the influential Ways and Means Education Committee, which was responsible for allocating almost $6 billion in funding to K-12 public schools, community colleges and public universities throughout Alabama. As chairman, Love drafted three education budgets that funded essential public education programs. As a state representative, he drafted and passed multiple pieces of legislation dealing with taxes, education and public policies.
A graduate of Auburn University at Montgomery with a degree in finance, Love has owned and successfully operated multiple small businesses.
Love is married to the former Cheri Walker, and they are members of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery. They have four children—Caroline Love (Samford University ‘25), Rachel Finkelstein, Addison Love and Rebecca Love—and four grandchildren.
Curt Stokes ’95, MAcc ’99, MBA ’00, currently serves as chief financial officer at Fairway Investments, LLC, where he has been a key member of the leadership team since 2007. His career began at SouthTrust Bank (1995–1999), followed by a tenure at Warren, Averett, Kimbrough & Marino, LLC, where he started in the Healthcare Division and later became a manager in the Real Estate Division.
Beyond his professional achievements, Stokes is deeply engaged in the Birmingham community. He serves on the Samford University Brock School of Business Dean's Advisory Board, the Mountain Brook Baptist Church/James D. Moebes Foundation Board, and the Central Alabama Market Board of Oakworth Capital Bank. At Mountain Brook Baptist Church, he is an active member and deacon.
Stokes is married to Samford alumna Tammy McClendon Stokes ‘95, JD ‘98. Together, they have two adult children and remain committed to faith, service and family.
Robert Holmes Jr. was appointed to a lifetime term on the Board of Trustees upon completing 24 years as an active trustee who consistently rendered outstanding service, leadership, and stewardship. Holmes is a former vice chair of the board who also served as chair of the executive committee, the operations and planning committee, and the student life and enrollment management committee. He is the current chair of the academic affairs committee and a member of the executive committee and the committee on trustees. He was a member of the presidential search committee in 2021 and participated in many other university-wide committees.
After earning a mechanical technology and mathematics degree from Alabama A&M University and an engineering degree from UAB, Holmes emerged as a leader at Alabama Power for more than 40 years. He mentored engineers and served as vice president of human resources and vice president of ethics and corporate concerns. He retired from Alabama Power in 2011 and subsequently was inducted into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame. He and his wife Camelia established the Robert & Camelia Holmes Scholarship at Samford in 2002.
Honorees and officers
Two trustees were honored in completion of their allotted terms on the board:
Sheri P. McKean of Montgomery, Alabama
Robert Holmes Jr. of Birmingham, Alabama
Trustee officers re-elected for the 2025-2026 term are:
Judge Karon O. Bowdre '80, chair
Drew Cundiff '95, vice chair
Sherri Foyt '90, secretary
Brent Fielder '08, assistant secretary
