William W. Brooke (born April 5, 1957) is the executive vice president and managing partner of Harbert Management Corporation in Birmingham, Alabama. He was one of seven candidates who ran for the Republican Party nomination in the 2014 US House of Representatives primary in the Alabama's 6th district, placing fifth. Early life and education A native of Alabama, Will Brooke grew up around Birmingham and attended public schools. He graduated from the University of Alabama in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. He then continued his education, receiving a Juris Doctor degree in law from the university in 1981. Since completing his education, Brooke has been a visiting lecturer at the MBA and undergraduate programs at the University of Alabama, where he is a member of the Alabama Entrepreneurship Council as of 2014. Career Legal career After graduating from the University of Alabama, Brooke practiced law in the Birmingham and Homewood areas for 10 years. He was the founder and managing partner for Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff and Brandt (originally, Wallace, Brooke & Byers). Business career In August 1991, Brooke joined the Harbert Corporation as vice president and general counsel. In 1993, along with Raymond Harbert, he co-founded Harbert Management Corporation, an asset management firm, where he served as chief operating officer from 1995 to 2001. As of 2014, he was serving as the firm's executive vice president and managing partner, and was responsible for its venture capital funds. Brooke is also the chairman of Harbert Management Corporation's Birmingham-based Harbert Realty Services. Politics In 2014, Brooke ran for the Republican Party nomination in the 2014 US House of Representatives primary in the Alabama's 6th district. He ran on a platform of cutting spending, specifically targeting "the planned economy disaster called Obamacare". When Brooke entered the race, he was expected to be a strong contender due to his fundraising experience and personal wealth. A few days before the primary, he was endorsed by former governor Bob Riley. Even so, Brooke was unable to separate from the pack and placed 5th of the 7 candidates. He won 14% of the vote, short of the 20% he would have needed to finish second and advance to a runoff for the nomination. While he had not previously pursued an elected office, Brooke had been active in political and civic activity in the state of Alabama. In the 1990s, he was involved with