George W. Barber (a.k.a. George Barber Jr.) is an American businessman, real estate developer and philanthropist from Alabama.

George W. Barber
Occupation(s)Business executive, philanthropist
ParentGeorge Warren Barber

Early life

edit

Barber's father, George Warren Barber, founded Barber Dairies in the 1930s.[1][2] It became the largest dairy company in Alabama.[2] His father promoted the use of pasteurized milk in the United States.[2]

Career

edit

Barber was a racecar driver.[1] Later, he was a real estate developer and served as the Chairman of Barber Dairies.[1][3] In 1998, he sold the family business to Dean Foods.[1][4] In 2003, he established Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.[1][5]

Motorcycle collection

edit

Barber started collecting motorcycles in the 1970s.[3] It is "the world's largest collection of motorcycles,"[1] and it is in the Guinness Book of Records with more than 1,400 motorcycles covering all timelines from vintage to modern.[3] He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2014.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f Connor Sheets, Who are the richest Alabamians now that billionaire Marguerite Harbert has passed?, The Birmingham News, March 23, 2015
  2. ^ a b c "AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame: George Barber". Archived from the original on 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  3. ^ a b c d Dawn Kent Azok, Birmingham businessman George Barber elected to AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, The Birmingham News, June 27, 2014
  4. ^ Dean looks South: Dean Foods Co. of Franklin Park agreed..., The Chicago Tribune, August 11, 1998
  5. ^ Kelly Kazek, A skeleton in the elevator: Inside the wacky, wonderful world of Alabama's George Barber, The Birmingham News, December 30, 2014