Samford University selected five distinguished individuals as its 2026 alumni award recipients. The honorees will be celebrated during Homecoming weekend Nov. 13-14.
Adam Graves: Alumnus of the Year
Adam Graves '01, a graduate of Samford University's Brock School of Business, has built a global career defined by principled leadership, strategic growth and a commitment to serving others.
In 2026, he was appointed CEO of McIlhenny Company, maker of the iconic Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce, becoming the first non-family CEO in the company's 158-year history. Prior to joining McIlhenny Company, Graves spent more than two decades with Nestlé, leading teams across multiple functions, product categories and international markets on three continents.
Graves credits much of his leadership philosophy to lessons learned at Samford, particularly in Brock School of Business' Managerial Values course taught by former faculty member Ed Felton. The course reinforced the responsibility business leaders have to positively influence the communities they serve and challenged students to view business as a force for good. Graves adopted that mindset early in his career and continues to lead with a philosophy of servant leadership.
Now he brings those values to his role as CEO of McIlhenny Company, where he is responsible for stewarding the iconic Tabasco brand while guiding the organization through its next chapter of growth.
“I learned at Samford that business leaders have both an opportunity and a responsibility to positively influence the communities they serve. That lesson shaped how I lead today, and I believe a thriving business can be a tremendous force for good.”
The Alumnus of the Year award honors Samford University graduates of true distinction in their careers, making significant contributions through their professions. The honoree is widely known and acknowledged as a person of national or global distinction who displays substantial leadership and embodies the Samford University mission.
James Graham: Young Alumnus of the Year
During the 12 years since graduating from Samford, James Graham has fortified his relationship with the university and grown to fully appreciate its impact. He endowed two scholarships in honor of his grandfathers, became integral in alumni relations and joined the Brock School of Business Advisory Board.
Currently a senior partner at The LiveOak Group Strategic Financial Partners, Graham cherishes the foundational lessons learned at his alma mater.
“I loved my time at Samford,” said Graham ’14. “As a student, it was really cool to connect with a bunch of alumni when we had frequent guest speakers come to our classes.
“Now, as an alumnus myself, I sponsor a class each semester and teach general principles of financial planning. It’s enjoyable to give back.”
A double major in finance and accounting, Graham competed in track and field at Samford, running the mile, the 3,000 meters and steeplechase.
“It was very challenging, because most semesters I took 17 or 18 hours, and one semester I took 19,” he said. “Most importantly, I made some amazing relationships with the professors and several of them are friends now. So much of what we learned remains applicable to life.”
Graham is helping more students seize the opportunity to study business at Samford. He established the Walter Graham Sr. Endowed Scholarship to recognize his paternal grandfather. Graham also funds the Edwin L. Trowbridge Endowed Scholarship, honoring his maternal grandfather.
Along with contributing to the Accounting Department Chair Endowment at Brock School of Business, Graham spearheaded the campaign to memorialize Samford’s track in honor of Cameron Bean, the late SoCon champion distance runner.
The Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Year award honors alumni between the ages of 21 and 39 who have made significant contributions through their professional careers, display true distinction in leadership and embody the Samford University mission.
T. Bob Davis: Humanitarian of the Year
For the past 49 years, T. Bob Davis ’63 has led dental missions to Mexico, Central America and India, galvanizing more than 1,600 dental students, 550 dentists and 650 hygienists and staff to treat impoverished populations and spread the Gospel.
“Seeing the smiles of the patients we treated and influenced for Jesus by word and deed, that has been so rewarding,” Davis said. “Observing the dentist mentors as they impact the younger generation, and seeing the dental students grow in their faith and walk, all these moments make this 85-year-old Christian a thankful, happy old guy.
“God works visibly with these dental students who are empowered to become mission-minded. When they see the raw needs of the underdeveloped world, there is a transformation of their thinking. They become highly motivated to give back and not just make lots of money as a professional.”
A native of Troy, Alabama, and a former Captain in the U.S. Air Force, Davis was chosen for the American Dental Association’s Humanitarian Award in 2018. The Christian Medical and Dental Associations honored him in 2020 with its Servant of Christ Award, and the Academy of General Dentistry selected him as Humanitarian of the Year in 2025.
An accomplished pianist, Davis has been heavily involved in music missions since entering the Air Force in 1967. He began playing the piano on weekends for First Baptist Church of Dallas and traveled for 12 years with the church’s Chapel Choir for their international tours of Europe.
He and his late wife, Janis, lived in Dallas for more than a half-century. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
The Humanitarian of the Year award honors Samford University graduates of true distinction, wide respect and acknowledged leadership. Nominees embody the mission of Samford and are recognized for giving selflessly and working tirelessly to better the lives of others and society at large.
Kimeran and Bill Stevens: Philanthropists of the Year
Kimeran Stevens was an English major at Samford in 1966 when she met her future husband, Bill. More than a half-century later, the Stevenses’ spirit of generosity continues to lift the university and their community.
“Like so many others, I fell in love with Samford the moment I arrived on campus,” said Kimeran. “The physical beauty appealed to me, but I also noticed the atmosphere. I wasn’t able to verbalize it then, but now I recognize that God’s presence is what makes Samford unique. He is present in the students, the faculty and the staff.”
The Stevenses, both 1970 graduates, served as co-chairs of the Forever Samford Campaign—the most successful comprehensive capital campaign in university history—and took pivotal leadership roles instrumental to numerous initiatives.
Kimeran was named 2018 Samford Alumna of the Year and Bill became the 2010 Alumnus of the Year. He was elected a Life Trustee at Samford in 2025, recognizing his completion of 20 years on the board. He served on the advisory board for the Brock School of Business, the selection committee for the Samford Athletics Hall of Fame, and the university’s most recent presidential search committee. The William J. Stevens Board Room in Samford Hall and the Bill and Kimeran Stevens Plaza are named in the couple’s honor.
Bill attended Samford thanks to a basketball scholarship.
“People who never knew us gave sacrificially that Samford might be here when we came,” Kimeran said. “We are beneficiaries of their generosity and their obedient giving. We think about our support as a kind of stewardship for future generations. We want Samford to be here for generations to come. We value our Samford education and experience, and we want to be a part of that same experience for generations of students to come. God has blessed us, and we want to bless others as much as we are able.”
Longtime residents of Vestavia Hills, they serve on the board of the Salvation Army and as members of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church.
The Philanthropist of the Year award honors a Samford constituent who has made significant impact through generosity to the university and embodies its mission.
