Howard Rubenstein

Dr. Howard Rubenstein received his BS degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign and his Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of Illinois, College of Medicine, in Chicago. He then traveled to Pensacola, Florida, where he completed his residency training in Family Medicine.

He has resided in Saraland since 1985 and is co-founder of the Saraland Medical Arts Clinic and Rubenstein Family Medical Associates. In 2018, his practice merged with Alabama Medical Group. He is a past president of the Saraland Lions Club, the Saraland Area Chamber of Commerce, the Saraland Civic Forum, and the Delta School Association, which led to the formation of the Saraland City School System. For 21 years, Dr. Rubenstein volunteered as the team physician for the Satsuma High School Gators and retired from this same service for the Saraland Spartans after last year’s football season. (Go Spartans!) He was honored as the Saraland Civic Forum’s Citizen of the Year in 1995.

Dr. Rubenstein recently completed a three-year term as Chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at Springhill Medical Center. He holds the rank of Associate Professor at the University of South Alabama, College of Medicine and helps train medical students and residents for careers in primary care medicine. Dr. Rubenstein serves as medical director for Saads Hospice and serves as principal investigator for the Center for Clinical Trials in Saraland.

In 1996, Dr. Rubenstein began his service to the City as a Councilmember. He was chosen as Saraland’s first Council President when a change in the form of government occurred in 2004 and was re-elected to that position in 2008. He has served as the City’s liaison to the Saraland Board of Education from its inception. Dr. Rubenstein was serving his fourth term on the Council when he transitioned into the position of Mayor in January 2011 due to the unexpected passing of former Mayor Ken Williams. Dr. Rubenstein was re-elected as Mayor of Saraland in 2012, 2016 and 2020. Dr. Rubenstein has earned the Emeritus Certified Municipal Official status from the Alabama League of Municipalities and was elected to the Executive Committee of this prestigious organization in June 2011. He was elected to serve as Vice-president of the League in 2016 and elected President in 2017. He is the first elected official from Mobile County to lead the ALM since 1978. In 2019, Dr. Rubenstein was chosen Alabama Star Mayor of the Year by the Alabama Communities of Excellence.

Dr. Rubenstein has been married to his wife, Tamara, for 38 years. Their elder son, Cody, died tragically from a rare heart defect at age 27 in 2012. Their younger son, Kelby, and wife, Jessica, are the proud parents of a three-year-old daughter, Alexandra Joye.