Video from 2023 of Samford renaming its football stadium in honor of Pete Hanna.
Pete Hanna, the former Samford University student-athlete who became an integral philanthropist while leading a regional steel company, died Sunday, May 25, at age 88.
Hanna’s name adorns Samford’s football stadium and basketball arena, a tribute to his long history of funding scholarships and campus projects. While infusing Christian principles into his family business, Hanna Steel, he prioritized a life of charitable kindness. Hanna frequently sponsored nonprofits through anonymous donations attributed simply to “John 3:16,” seeking to spread the Gospel without self-recognition.
“Pete had a loving heart, which was apparent by the way he operated his company, cared for his employees and generously sought to improve the community,” said Martin Newton, Samford’s director of athletics. “The blessings he extended toward Samford athletics and our entire institution won’t be forgotten. Knowing that his impact will stretch for generations, so many of us are grateful for having known and befriended such a wonderful man.”
A standout at Ramsay High School, Hanna played halfback, center and linebacker on Samford’s football teams from 1955-1958, amid the university relocating from East Lake to its current campus in Homewood.
In 1962, he used an $80,000 bank loan to purchase shares of Hanna Steel stock from his father. Two decades later, upon his father’s retirement in 1984, Hannah sought another loan to buy the corporation, matching an outside offer of $18 million. Serving as CEO and chairman, Hanna prioritized elevating employees’ lives as he grew the company’s pre-coated steel business and in-house trucking division. “It was my dream for my employees to have the best car and the best house on their street. Period,” Hanna said.
“The blessings (Pete Hanna) extended toward Samford athletics and our entire institution won’t be forgotten.” — Martin Newton, Samford athletic director
The university’s 5,000-seat basketball and volleyball facility was named Pete Hanna Arena during its 2006 groundbreaking. The Hanna Center also houses athletics administration and coaches’ offices, training rooms, and the Samford Athletics Hall of Fame, along with being used for staging commencement ceremonies.
“I never expected to see my name on a university building,” Hanna said in 2006. “The only person more surprised might be my English teacher, Professor (Lizette) Van Gelder. She would be amazed that one of the ‘ruffians’ she tried to teach had been recognized in this way.”
Hanna served many years as a member of the Samford University Board of Trustees.
“I have been blessed beyond my fondest dreams, and I am pleased that as a steward of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have a part in Samford's future,” he said. “This is a most unusual university, and we want it to continue to be outstanding as an academic university and a Christian university."
Samford bestowed another honor by renaming its football facility Pete Hanna Stadium in October 2023. During a halftime ceremony, the university presented Hanna’s family with a golden key to the stadium.
MORE: Pete Michael Hanna’s obituary
“With a legacy extending beyond the facilities that bear his name, Pete Hanna provided a lasting impact of compassion, humility and service,” said Samford president Beck A Taylor. “While embracing his calling to become an industry leader, he stayed true to the principles of Christian stewardship and inspired others to do the same. The Samford family is grateful for having known Mr. Hanna, and we celebrate the life of a friend who embodied the best our university has to offer.”
He served 14 years in the Alabama Army National Guard and retired as Captain in the 20th Special Forces Group.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to noon at Southern Heritage Funeral Home in Pelham, Alabama, followed by a celebration of life in the chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to The Big Oak Ranch or The Greater Birmingham Humane Society.
