Jacksonville native Peggy Hair has been named major gifts officer for Alabama Public Television, Birmingham. Hair has 17 years of fundraising experience in higher education. Most recently, she served as associate vice president for development and director of Alumni Affairs at Birmingham-Southern College. Prior to that, she was director of foundation and corporative giving for Gettysburg (Pa.) College.
Hair says in her position at APT, she will garner charitable contributions that help APT fulfill its mission of providing educational programs free to Alabama residents, particularly children, caregivers, teachers and parents.
“Many people would be surprised to learn that through its on-air, on-line and face-to-face learning programs, APT touches more than one million children and educators annually,” she said. “It’s a wonderful feeling to be part of such an organization.”
Hair said it was only natural that she would choose higher education for a career. Her parents, the late George and Eleanor Haywood, were educators. Her father taught for a number of years in Jacksonville State University’s Department of Education. Her mother was a librarian at JSU. Her aunt and uncle, Miriam Haywood and the late James Haywood, were associated with JSU, as employees and financial supporters.
Hair said she and her brother, the late Dr. James L. “Scooter” Haywood, naturally gravitated to professions that were tied to the health and education of children. “I think that if I were asked why I do what I do, the answer would be simple: I am the child of my parents and a Haywood,” she said.
Hair’s late husband, David, was from Phenix City. She resides in Birmingham and keeps in touch with her brother’s widow, the former Paulette Logan, and her sons, Logan and Mac Haywood.
Hair says she enjoys attending art festivals, antique auctions and shows, and film festivals. She visits art and history museums and sites and volunteers with environmental and historic groups. She also likes to read and garden.
She has a bachelor of science degree from the University of Alabama, a master’s degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., and a master’s of business administration from Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Va.
