W. Edgar Welden of Birmingham, Alabama As a retired Birmingham businessman, Mr. Welden is actively involved in various non-profit organizations, and Will Publishing, L.L.C., a small publishing firm he founded in 1998. In 2002, Mr. Welden created and served as President of the Birmingham Athletic Partnership, a position he still holds. The partnership serves to enhance the athletic and other extra curricular program offerings of Birmingham’s inner city public high schools to ensure students have opportunities to excel in their sports and related activities. Mr. Welden’s publishing endeavors include Time Out! A Sports Fan’s Dream Year, a book that chronicles his travels in 1997 when he attended 250 sporting events and toured all 50 state capitols to explore his interest in politics and history. That combined interest is also evident in his current project to publish a book series called Alabama Roots. Targeted to middle school students, Alabama Roots will help students understand their state’s history and the people who shaped it.