The following biographical sketch was compiled at the time of induction into the Academy in 2015.

 

Raymond J. Harbert has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harbert Management Corporation, an alternative asset investment management firm, since it was organized in 1993.

He began his career with Harbert International, Inc., a subsidiary of Harbert Corporation, in 1982 where he held various positions. Subsequently, Harbert served as Vice President of Business Development and then as President of Harbert Properties Corporation, Harbert Corporation's real estate subsidiary. In December 1988, he was elected Vice President of Harbert Corporation, where he had overall responsibility for the firm's investment portfolio. In July 1990, he was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of Harbert Corporation, which brought the remainder of the firm under his management.

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Harbert serves on the Board of Trustees of Auburn University, where he is the past President Pro Tem. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Robert Meyer Foundation. Harbert serves on the Board of Trustees and is a member of the Executive Committee of Children's Hospital of Alabama. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for Birmingham Business Alliance. He also serves as a member of the President's Advisory Board of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is a member of Chief Executives Organization. Harbert is a past member of the Board of Trustees for the Alabama Trust Fund, Alabama Business Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, Leadership Alabama, and Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), and is a former Alabama State Chairman for YPO.

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In 2006, Harbert was awarded the regional Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Financial Services. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Auburn University. Harbert and his wife, Kathryn Dunn Harbert, have three children.