William Houston Blount of Birmingham was born in Union Springs, Alabama, January 3, 1922, the son of William Madison and Clarabel Chalker Blount. He was educated at Staunton Military Academy, the University of Alabama, and Harvard Business School. He entered the U. S. Naval Air Corps in 1942 and served until 1946, attaining the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

Following World War II, Mr. Blount became a partner in Blount Brothers Corporation, Montgomery, and president and director of the Southeastern Sand and Gravel Company, Tallassee, and vice president of Southern Cen-Vi-Ro Pipe Company, Birmingham. In 1956 he became director of Vulcan Materials Company serving in various executive capacities until 1977, when he became president, chief operating officer, and member of the executive committee. In 1979 he became president and chief executive officer. He also serves as a director of Blount, Inc., First Alabama Bancshares, First Alabama Bank of Birmingham, Statesman Life Insurance Company, and Vulcan Life Insurance Company.

Mr. Blount has been active in the work of the Boy Scouts of America, having served as president of the Birmingham Area Council and as a member of the Executive Board and National Council representative. He is a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award and has also assisted in the work of the Cahaba Girl Scout Council.

Serving as a trustee of Birmingham-Southern College and the Young Women's Christian Association, he has been active in raising funds for their development. He has assisted in the work of the Baptist Medical Center, the Children's Hospital, the Arthritis Foundation, the Heart Hospital and the National Conference of Christians and Jews. In 1975 Mr. Blount was general chairman of the General Fund Drive for the United Way. He is a member of the Finance Committee of the Birmingham Museum of Art and of the Advisory Board of the School of Business at Samford University.

On August 5, 1943, he married Mary Francis Dean and they have five children: David Blount, Barbara Dean Blount King, William Houston Blount, Jr., Beverly Dean Blount McNeil, and Frances Dean Blount Kansteiner.