Published on September 17, 2026 at 4 p.m.  
2026TrusteesRossRedden

Two new members have joined the Samford University Board of Trustees. Chuck Redden and Ruthann Ross were elected during the university’s Board of Trustees meeting in September.

Chuck Redden is the chief executive officer of AutoTec and its affiliate companies: Auction Insurance Agency, AutoCheck Auctions, VIN CrossCheck, Centennial Casualty Company and AuctionACCESS. Redden joined AutoTec in 2000.

Redden previously was a commercial loan officer with AmSouth Bank and served as navigator aboard the U.S.S. Harry W. Hill (DD-986). 

Redden holds a bachelor’s and an MBA from Vanderbilt University.  Locally, he has served on the boards of Baptist Health System, the Monday Morning Quarterback Club and McWane Science Center, and as president of the Rotary Club of Birmingham. 

He is a deacon at Mountain Brook Baptist Church. He and his wife, Britt, have four children.   

Ruthann Ross of Nashville is a design industry professional known for her work with Eric Ross Interiors, a nationally recognized luxury interior design firm. As business manager of the firm, she oversees operations, client relations and organizational strategy, helping support the company's reputation for timeless inspired interiors and refined residential design.

She earned the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

She has been married to Eric Ross for 30 years, and together they have one daughter, Julianne Ross, a 2026 Samford graduate.  

Ruthann and Eric are active members of Brentwood Baptist Church. She also serves as secretary on the board of "Friends of Adziwa,” a ministry supporting a Christian school for orphan children in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Honorary Trustees and Officers

Two members were elected honorary trustees and left active service after 35 years on the board: Rev. Charles Carter of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, and Earl Dove of Vestavia Hills, Alabama. 

Two members completed their terms after 24 years of service: Rev. Jay Wolf of Montgomery, Alabama, and Ronnie Watkins of Gadsden, Alabama.

Finally, four trustees were elected officers of the board for the 2026-2027 term, including Judge Karon O. Bowdre ’80, chair; Drew Cundiff ’95, vice chair; Sherri Foyt ’90, secretary; and Brent Fielder ’08, assistant secretary.

 

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls 6,522 students from 46 states, Puerto Rico and 12 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 35 Most Beautiful College Campuses, Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and boasts one of the highest scores in the nation for its 97% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.