This fund honors William P. “Bill” and Bryon Earl Bushnell, two brothers who contributed a great deal to Florida’s steel industry. Bill was born on November 11, 1906 and was a native of Tampa, FL. Both he and Bryon were UF alumni and Bryon, who received a civil engineering degree around 1919, even served as President of the Student Body. After earning his degree in engineering in 1928, Bill became readily involved in the steel industry and eventually the Director of Bushnell Steel Works, Bushnell Steel Products, Inc., Florida Metals, Inc., Florida Steel Corporation, Bay Largo Investments, Tambush, Inc. and Panell, Inc. He also served as the Town Commissioner of Belleaire Shores in Pinellas County.

Together the pair was a successful team, and, in the late 1930s, the two co-founded a steel fabricating business, which later became Florida Steel. Bill and Bryon did work for the Department of Defense, the Army and the Navy, as well as commercial buildings and barges. Bryon passed away in 1975, and Bill died more than 20 years later in 1998. Bill had been married for 59 years to his wife Jane