Montgomery native James Winfrey Wilson III was born on June 14, 1963. Jim was an Alabama business titan, philanthropist, civic leader, beloved husband, adored father, grandfather and friend and served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jim Wilson & Associates (JWA), a Montgomery-based real estate and investment firm founded by his father, Jim Wilson Jr. Jim, along with his brother, Will, successfully expanded JWA into a company with a farreaching presence across the United States.
JWA developed several notable real estate projects including: Riverchase Galleria in Birmingham; the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge; The Shoppes at EastChase, a 330-acre development that transformed the real estate market in Montgomery, and more. In addition, JWA created two residential communities in Montgomery; Wynlakes, a 1,000-acre golf course community, and New Park Living, a 1,000-acre mixeduse development. Also under Jim’s leadership, Big 10 Tires, a tire retailer, grew from six stores to 101 stores operating in Alabama, Georgia and Florida before it was sold in 2006.
Jim was a dynamic leader and an impactful philanthropist. He used his time and resources to make life better for many. He served on multiple boards including The University of Alabama Board of Trustees, the UAB Health System, the American Liver Foundation of Alabama, the Bryant Jordan Student Athletic Program, the American Sports Medicine Institute, the Business Council of Alabama, the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, Baptist Hospital, Boy Scouts of America, First Baptist Church Foundation, Metro YMCA, Tukabatchee Area Council, the Montgomery Area Council on Aging, the Jackson Hospital Foundation, and as a member of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. Jim also steadfastly supported MANE, an organization that provides lifechanging therapeutic horseback riding opportunities to children and adults in the River Region, where his wife, Susie, is a board member.
He was especially proud of his involvement with groundbreaking research in genomics and precision medicine at the new Styslinger Genomics & Data Sciences Building and in resolving generational health disparities among low-income and underrepresented groups at the UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences.
Jim will be remembered for his unrivaled charisma, unfiltered humor and unfettered love for his family and friends. He was kind, fun, boisterous and an expert in the art of celebration; if you were with Jim Wilson III, you were having a great time. His leadership, service and dedication will continue to have a lasting impact on companies and institutions but most importantly, individuals, and not only in the state of Alabama but across the country. The JWA family will greatly miss Jim’s wisdom, guidance and his uplifting personality, but the Wilson legacy will continue under Will’s leadership.
