Eugene Talmadge Oswalt, Jr.,
52, was the only child of the late Dr. and Mrs.
Talmadge Oswalt, Sr. Gene graduated from
Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery,
Alabama and is a Summa Cum Laude graduate
of Auburn University, where he served as
Administrative Vice-President of the Student
Government Association and was member of
Spades, Auburn's top honorary organization. This
elite group selects only 10 new members from each
senior class, and its members are nationally known and
respected for their business and political influence.
After graduation from college, Gene served as Chief of Staff for Alabama Lt.
Governor George D.H. McMillan, Jr. until 1981. He then became the managing
partner and Director of Management Training for Entertainment One, an upscale
food and beverage company partially owned by the late NFL football-great Walter
Payton, which launched successful businesses in Chicago, Hawaii, Minneapolis,
Houston, San Diego and Sidney, Australia among other cities. Gene traveled
around the world looking for interesting concepts to weave into the design of the
restaurants and clubs he managed, beginning with Studebaker’s in the early 80s
and culminating with his most unique property, Peter’s Wildlife in Houston, just
before his return to Alabama.
In the mid-1990s, Gene returned home to the State of Alabama where he joined
the special events management firm McMillan Associates, which was working
with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Casino Operators Association, tourism officials
and coast leadership to create the event that would become the inaugural Cruisin'
The Coast, which launched in 1996. After playing a key role in the early growth
of Cruisin’ The Coast, Gene was named Executive Director in November of 1998.
Under Gene’s leadership, Cruisin’ grew from
374 cars to an impressive 5,365 registered car
participants, and he played a pivotal role in
getting the event back up and running despite
the devastating blow received from Hurricane
Katrina. To date, Cruisin’ The Coast is the
largest special event in the state of Mississippi
and it garners millions of dollars in tourism.
Gene tirelessly continued to promote the
Mississippi Gulf Coast nationally through Cruisin’ The Coast, as well as to lead the
charge to create other special events to positively impact the economic development
of our region, including Smokin’ The Sound, which is now hosted annually in
Biloxi. Gene continued to serve as Executive Director of both Smokin’ The Sound
and Cruisin’ The Coast, despite the decline in his health.
Gene is survived by many dear friends whom he considered his family, and he will
be greatly missed. Many will remember Gene for his quick wit, stimulating political
debates, and his sports acumen – to include his great love and support for the
Auburn Tigers… WAR EAGLE!
