Challenge Gift

Tina N. Corr, who graduated from the University of Alabama in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in computer science, has thrown down the gauntlet.

Ms. Corr, vice president of Corr Group, is currently a mentor in the C&BA Women’s Initiative.  She is gifting $25,000 to create “The Tina N. Corr Endowed Support Fund for the C&BA Women’s Initiative” and is putting a challenge “on the table” to all C&BA alumni and current mentors in the Women’s Initiative to raise another $50,000 in the course of one year for the endowed support fund for the Women’s Initiative at the Culverhouse College of Commerce at The University of Alabama.

“This is a very important initiative and one that is very close to my heart,” Corr said. “Women constitute about half of the students in the University of Alabama business school, and they face a very different set of challenges than their male counterparts. The Women’s Initiative Program provides mentors, guidance, networking and other services that develop successful business women. I would like to see my peers step up, meet the financial challenge, and become involved with the Women’s Initiative to see firsthand what a difference they can make.”

Diane Harrison, director of the Women’s Initiative, said Corr’s challenge gift is already spurring other alumni to join in raising the additional $50,000 in cash and pledges. “All of this money goes to the newly created Women's Initiative Endowed Support Fund that will be used to provide permanent support for the program,” Harrison said. 

“Tina Corr is a terrific example of today’s dynamic and successful business woman and her contributions to the Women’s Initiative already are immeasurable. We truly expect this challenge gift to be the genesis of a major funding effort.”

Corr started her career in the family business as a computer programmer for Oneonta Telephone Company (OTELCO). She was assigned to the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) in Whippany, N.J., for two years. While at NECA, Tina was a part of the IT team building the databases and reporting functions that would aid in the oversight of the divestiture of AT&T.  Upon returning to OTELCO, she served as information systems manager where, she immediately upgraded the antiquated card computer system to online accessible terminals and wrote the underlying computer applications for the company. The databases for toll calculations, accounting, payroll, billing and collections, along with other business functions.

In 1992, OTELCO began offering cellular telephone service for Blount County, Alabama. The name North Alabama Cellular was adopted to describe the new services and Corr’s responsibilities expanded in response to the new demands. Whereas much of the calling data applications remained the same, significant changes for operations and subscriber needs arose. Tina handed off the IT role and as Senior Vice President, took the operations lead opening over 40 retail locations, implementing a customer service call center, handset purchasing and distribution, advertising and marketing efforts, an in-house collections group, sales training and sales staff oversight. During this time North Alabama Cellular became Corr Wireless Communications, LLC, and saw many years of robust growth. Corr Wireless constructed over 250 tower sites, and served over 500,000 voice and data users with an efficient and effective staff of 130 employees.

Corr Wireless was based in Oneonta, Alabama and operated stores in Albertville, Arab, Athens, Boaz, Cullman, Decatur, Fort Payne, Gadsden, Guntersville, Hartselle, Huntsville, Oneonta, and Scottsboro, Alabama; and Rome, Georgia. As of February 3, 2010 Corr Wireless Communications, LLC operates as a subsidiary of Cellular South, Inc.

Accept Tina’s challenge and make a significant difference in the life and career of the next generation of female business leaders.  Make a contribution to the C&BA Women’s Initiative and be a part of the leading executive women who are creating an endowment to ensure the future of professional growth opportunities for young business students.  To participate in this challenge and make a gift to the C&BA Women’s Initiative, please click on “Challenge Gift.”