Bobby Lowder

Robert E. "Bobby" Lowder (b. ca. 1944 in Alabama) is an American banking executive. Lowder is an Auburn University trustee and alumnus, graduating with a B.S. in Finance in 1964. [cite web|url=http://www.auburn.edu/administration/univrel/news/archive/02_03news/02_03trustees.html|title=Board of Trustees|publisher=Auburn University] The Lowder Business Building on Auburn's campus is sometimes thought to be named after him, but according to the AU website, the building is named for his parents, Edward L. and Catherine K. Lowder. [ [http://www.lib.auburn.edu/architecture/buildings/business_building.htm Lowder Business Building :: AU ] ]

Lowder founded The Colonial BancGroup, a financial institution based in the state of Alabama. [ [http://ir.colonialbank.com/directors.cfm The Colonial BancGroup, Inc. - Directors ] ] He is Chairman of the Board and CEO of the company, positions he has held for 25 years. As of 2006, his total compensation was $2.77 million and his five-year compensation total is $11.23 million, making him one of the top 50 highly compensated banking executives in the United States. [ [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/12/Banking_TotComp_1.html CEO Compensation - Forbes.com ] ]

Board of Trustees controversy

In 2001, the Board of Trustees at Auburn summarily dismissed President William V. Muse, inspiring a widespread campus vote of no confidence in the Board. The widespread belief on campus was that Lowder exerted tight private control over the Board, and thus over the ostensibly public university, using his clout to place some of his close friends in positions of power. [Basinger, Julianne. " [http://chronicle.com/errors.dir/noauthorization.php3?page=/weekly/v47/i27/27a03402.htm Trustees' Ouster of President at Auburn Fuels Widespread Anger.] " "The Chronicle of Higher Education", March 16, 2001, p. A34. Last accessed [http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:lv8uL6zI2TgJ:chronicle.com/weekly/v47/i27/27a03402.htm by cache] March 23, 2007.]

Jetgate Scandal

Lowder has long been regarded as one of the nation's most powerful college boosters and power-behind-the-scenes trustees at Auburn. [cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2285976|title=A Tiger of a trustee|last=Fish|first=Mike|publisher=ESPN.com|date=2006-01-13] [cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2285986|title=Most Powerful Boosters|last=Fish|first=Mike|publisher=ESPN.com|date=2006-01-12] In 2003, when then-University President William Walker Jr. and athletic director David Housel secretly spoke with University of Louisville football coach Bobby Petrino about taking over Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville's job, it was Lowder's private jet which they flew to Louisville. [cite web|url=http://apse.dallasnews.com/contest/2003/writing/100-250/100-250.news.first.html|title=Petrino says no to Auburn|coauthors=Crawford, Eric and Forde, Pat|publisher=Dallas Morning News]

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