Ronnie Bruno
Encyclopedia
Ronald G. Bruno is the former Chairman (1991-1995) and Chief Executive Officer
(1990-1995) of Bruno's, Inc., a large Birmingham
, Alabama
-based supermarket chain. He is a co-founder and chairman of the Bruno Event Team, a Birmingham
, Alabama
-based sports marketing and event management company. He was a founder of the Bruno's Memorial Classic, now known as the Regions Charity Classic
, a Champions Tour
golf tournament. The tournament was founded in December 1991 as the Bruno's Classic, but several day later on December 11, a corporate jet carrying two of the founders of Bruno's, Ronald's father Angelo Bruno and his uncle Lee Bruno, five of Bruno's top executives and two pilots were killed when the plane flew into the side of Lavender Mountain during heavy fog upon its departure from an airport in Rome, Georgia
. The group had been on an annual Christmas tour of its 241 supermarkets and was headed to its stores in Huntsville
, Alabama when the crash occurred. Soon after the tournament's name was changed in memory of recently passed family members and Bruno's employees. In May 2009, Ronnie Bruno was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
as a Distinguished Alabama Sportsman.
In addition to his duties with Bruno Event Team, Ronnie has served as the President of Bruno Capital Management Corporation, a family investment company, since September 1995 and has served as a director of the Company since September 1992.
Ronnie graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. As an alumni, Ronnie has served on the University of Alabama President’s Cabinet and as the Chairman of the Board of Visitors at the College of Commerce and Business.
He currently serves on the corporate board of Books-A-Million
. He has been determined to be independent by the Board as defined by the listing standards of The NASDAQ
Stock Market, Inc. ('NASDAQ').
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
(1990-1995) of Bruno's, Inc., a large Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
-based supermarket chain. He is a co-founder and chairman of the Bruno Event Team, a Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
-based sports marketing and event management company. He was a founder of the Bruno's Memorial Classic, now known as the Regions Charity Classic
Regions Charity Classic
The Regions Charity Classic, formerly known as the Bruno's Memorial Classic, was an American golf tournament on the Champions Tour. It was held at Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa, one of ten courses on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, located in Hoover, Alabama . The tournament was founded in...
, a Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
golf tournament. The tournament was founded in December 1991 as the Bruno's Classic, but several day later on December 11, a corporate jet carrying two of the founders of Bruno's, Ronald's father Angelo Bruno and his uncle Lee Bruno, five of Bruno's top executives and two pilots were killed when the plane flew into the side of Lavender Mountain during heavy fog upon its departure from an airport in Rome, Georgia
Rome, Georgia
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...
. The group had been on an annual Christmas tour of its 241 supermarkets and was headed to its stores in Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, Alabama when the crash occurred. Soon after the tournament's name was changed in memory of recently passed family members and Bruno's employees. In May 2009, Ronnie Bruno was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is a state museum located in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to communicating the state’s athletic history...
as a Distinguished Alabama Sportsman.
In addition to his duties with Bruno Event Team, Ronnie has served as the President of Bruno Capital Management Corporation, a family investment company, since September 1995 and has served as a director of the Company since September 1992.
Ronnie graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. As an alumni, Ronnie has served on the University of Alabama President’s Cabinet and as the Chairman of the Board of Visitors at the College of Commerce and Business.
He currently serves on the corporate board of Books-A-Million
Books-A-Million
Books-A-Million, Inc., also known as BAM!, is a company that owns the second largest U.S. bookstore chain and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The company operates over 200 stores in the South, Midwest, Northeast...
. He has been determined to be independent by the Board as defined by the listing standards of The NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
Stock Market, Inc. ('NASDAQ').
"Our mission is very simple," said Ronald Bruno, chairman of Bruno Event Team, which is managing the tournament. "We want to create a Kentucky Derby-type of event here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast."