LOG

SUMMER 2017 NEWSLETTER Members Association Programs The Leadership Birmingham Members Association hosted multiple programs this year focused on a variety of issues in collaboration with other organizations.

In September, Leadership Birmingham and the Leadership Birmingham Regional Council members gathered at the Forum Theater at the BJCC for a Conversation with Mayors. The panel discussion included Tuscaloosa's Walt Maddox, Mobile's Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery's Todd Strange and Birmingham's William A. Bell, Sr. (’97) with Guin Robinson (’05) as moderator. These four mayors, along with Huntsville's Tommy Battle, represent the five most populous cities in the state and meet periodically to exchange ideas on how to improve and resolve issues in their cities.

In December, members joined the current class for a session on the State of Local Journalism that was part of their Government Day program. The panel included two Pulitzer prize winning journalists, Brett Blackledge from the Naples Daily News in Florida and Brant Houston from the Department of Journalism at University of .

In February, Leadership Birmingham partnered with the Birmingham Education Foundation, A+ Education Partnership and UAB to host a welcome reception for the new State Superintendent of Education, Michael Sentance. The reception was held at Vulcan Park & Museum. Superintendent Sentance shared his vision for improving education in Alabama, followed by Q & A.

On June 20, the Birmingham Islamic Society welcomed Leadership Birmingham members to their community center as part of the holy month of Ramadan to observe the evening prayer services, share a meal and learn about Muslim customs and beliefs.

ONLINE MEMBERS DIRECTORY Please take the time to go online and update your profile in the members directory. You can search for members from a drop down list of interests and industries, as well as by organizational involvement.

Filter members by interests such as arts, literacy, domestic violence, transit etc. You can also search by industry such as attorney, social services, healthcare, construction, etc. Interests also show up on each individual profile.

LOG IN: Go to www.leadershipbirmingham.org. Click the sign in button at the top right hand corner of the homepage. Use the email address we have for you on file. Click the “lost password” button to receive a link to create a new password. On the Move Michelle Behr (‘16) is the Chancellor of the Morris campus at Lee Loder (‘02) has been appointed as a Birmingham City the University of Minnesota. Municipal Judge in the new pretrial services division. Rich Bielen (‘07) is the new CEO of Protective Life Linda Lucas (‘03) retired as Provost of UAB. Corporation. Betzy Lynch (‘16) will be the Executive Director of the Chip Bivins (‘03) has been named the Chief Audit Officer for Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla, the University of Alabama System. . Harry Brown (‘88) retired as Senior Vice President of David Nabors (‘15) is the Regional Market Executive for the community initiatives from United Way of Central Alabama. Birmingham metropolitan area PrimeSouth Bank. Priscilla Cooper (‘11) retired from the Birmingham Civil Chris Oberholster (‘12) is the Partnership & Policy Director Rights Institute as Vice President of Institutional Programs. for Birmingham Audubon. Leigh Davis (‘05) is Vice President of Customer Services for Bob Parker (‘13) is the Area Commander for the Metro Atlanta Salvation Army. Alabama Power Company. Tim Parker (‘06) is Senior Vice President of SunTrust Private Marquita Davis (‘07) is the Deputy Director for early Wealth Management in Nashville. childhood learning with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington. Andrew Penman (‘14) is the Chief Technology Officer at Advanced Tear Diagnostics. April Deal (‘04) is the Customer Relations Manager for the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau. Joan Perry (‘01) is working as a collaborator with Fowler Davis, a creative marketing and video production agency. Joe Dean, Jr. (‘01) retired from Birmingham-Southern College and has been named the first Athletics Director Jim Pratt (‘02) is the owner/CEO of James Pratt, LLC. Emeritus. Jane Reed Ross (‘11) is a landscape architect at Goodwyn Jack Drake (‘00) retired as Shareholder from Whatley Drake. Mills & Cawood. Terry Smiley (‘12) joined Alabama Power Company as Shannon Dye (‘01) retired from First National Bank of External Affairs Manager for the Birmingham division. Talladega as Vice President of Commercial Lending. Andrea Smith (‘12) is the Birmingham Market CEO for BBVA Bing Edwards (‘08) has launched his own law firm, Compass. Edwards+Partners LLC. Fred Spicer (‘06) is the Executive Vice President and Cathy Friedman (‘95) retired from City Paper Company as Director of the Gardens at Chicago Botanic Gardens. Vice President of Community Relations. Bunny Stokes (‘98) retired as Alabama division President of Richard Friedman (‘86) will serve as CEO of the Levite Citizens Trust Bank. Jewish Community Center, in addition to his current role as head of the Birmingham Jewish Federation. Joyce White Vance (‘13) retired as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from the Department of Justice. Michael German (‘14) is the new Director of the Georgia She will join the University of Alabama School of Law this Fall State Field Office for U.S. Housing & Urban Development as a distinguished visiting lecturer. (HUD). Pat Hoban-Moore (‘85) replaces him as the Director Gareth Vaughan (‘11) retired as Head of School at Indian of the Alabama State Field Office. Springs School and will become the Head of School for Park Alison Grizzle (‘14) is the Director of Organizational Tudor in Indianapolis beginning this summer. Development at Starnes Media. Trisha Hill Wilkins (‘06) is the Deputy Director of General Joyce Heames (‘01) is the Dean of the Campbell School of Services for the Jefferson County Commission. Management at Berry College in Rome, Georgia. Cathy Wright (‘89) and Kay Kornmeier (‘98) have retired as Sam Heide (‘14) is a Principal for the new Birmingham office founding partners from Clarus Consulting. They will continue of Wicker Park Capital Management. to serve as executive collaborators. John Holcomb (‘94) has transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman at National Bank of Commerce. Richard Murray In Remembrance (‘02) succeeds him as CEO. We mourn the loss of the following graduates: Sandra Koplon (‘92) retired from the Alabama Head Injury Foundation. Jesse Vogtle, Sr. (‘84) Jenny Gauld (‘90) Stan Law (‘14) is the new President and CEO of the Smith Williams (‘95) Anne Arrasmith (‘96) Northwest North Carolina YMCA in Winston-Salem. Naomi Truman (‘10) Jeannine O’Grody (‘12) Helen Shores Lee (‘84) retired as a Civil Judge from the 10th judicial circuit court of Alabama. Page 2 Congratulations

Glyn Agnew (‘12), Barbara Allen (‘09), William Bell (‘97), Benny LaRussa (‘89) was named Vice Chair of the Auburn Houston Brown (‘92), Eric Jack (‘14), and Doug Marshall University Foundation Board of Directors. (‘11) were named Top 50 over 50 honorees by Positive Tondra Loder-Jackson ('07) wrote a book entitled Maturity. "Schoolhouse Activists: African American Educators and the Gail Andrews (‘84) received the Jonnie Dee Riley Little Long Birmingham Civil Rights Movement." The book explores Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alabama State Council the role that African-American educators played in the on the Arts. Birmingham civil rights movement from the late 19th century to the present day. It is available at Amazon.com, Brian Barr (‘03) has been inducted into the Alabama Walmart.com, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. Engineering Hall of Fame. Ray Minor (‘96) co-edited a book titled “Beyond Politics as Jeffrey Bayer (‘02), received the Birmingham Business Usual: Paths for Engaging College Students in Politics.” Journal 2016 CEO award for the large company category. Sheila Montgomery-Mills (‘15) was named to the Dan Carsen (‘17), received the National Award for Education Bizwomen’s “Women to Watch” list for 2016. Reporting in Broadcast, Beat Reporting from the Education Writers Association. Jerome Morgan (‘16) has been elected to serve as the 2017 President of the Hoover Chamber of Commerce. Tom Cosby ('90) received the Vulcan Game Changer award and Odessa Woolfolk ('84) received the lifetime achievement Debra Nelson (‘92) has been elected to the Executive award at Vulcan Park & Museum's annual Community Committee of the Board of Visitors for the College of Awards. Jarralynne Agee (’17) received the Game Changer Communications & Information Sciences at the University of Spear award. Alabama. Keith Cromwell (‘07) and Joyce Spielberger (‘10) received Ruffner Page (‘96) has been appointed Chairman of the the Brotherhood-Sisterhood Award from the National Board of Directors for the Community Foundation of Greater Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ). Birmingham. Mason Davis ('85), Bill Smith, Jr. ('85), and Mike Warren Alan Rogers (‘09) was elected to serve as 2017 President- ('86) were inducted into the Birmingham Business Hall of Elect of the Birmingham Bar Association. Leila Watson (’17) Fame. is currently serving as president. Al Denson (‘04) received the American Association of Graham Sisson (‘05) was named the 2016 Alumni of the Airport Executives’ Distinguished Service Award. Year by the University of North Alabama. Sam DiPiazza (‘86) was named to the Board of Directors of Deborah Alley Smith (‘14) was elected to the American Regions Financial Corporation. Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Mark Drew (‘10) was elected to the Board of Directors of the Ford Wiles (‘14) received the Silver Medal Award from the National Commerce Corporation, the parent company of the American Advertising Federation-Birmingham. National Bank of Commerce. Odessa Woolfolk (‘84) received the first Odessa Woolfolk Donna Francavilla (‘10) received the 2016 Communicator of Community Leadership Award from the Birmingham Civil Achievement Award by the Alabama Media Professionals Rights Institute. She also received the James A. Head organization. Lifetime Achievement award from the NCCJ. Cathy Friedman (‘95) was named the 2017 L’Chaim honoree 2017 Elections by the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center. Congratulations to the Leadership Birmingham Alumni Joyce Greathouse (‘93) received the 2016 Alabama Distinguished Service Award from the College of Social Work who won elections: at the University of . Frank Brocato (‘06) -Mayor, City of Hoover Grayson Hall (‘01) was named to the Federal Reserve Bank Elisabeth French (‘13)- Circuit Judge, Civil Division of Atlanta’s board of directors. Tamara Harris Johnson (‘95)- Circuit Judge, Civil Jim Hughey, Jr. (‘91) was appointed to the Russell Lands Division Board of Directors. Clyde Jones (‘89)- Circuit Judge, Civil Division Bobbie Knight (‘06) received the Presidents award from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Charles Moore (‘15)- Mayor, City of Irondale Bruce Lanier (‘16) and Lara Embry (‘16), along with their Gary Richardson (‘10)- Mayor, City of Midfield partners, were awarded $100,000 in seed money from the Terri Sewell (‘07)- U.S. House of Representatives, Economic Development Partnership of Alabama for their new 7th District of Alabama tree-to-table furniture company, Alabama Sawyer, during the Alabama Launchpad Competition in December. Annetta Verin (‘05) - Circuit Judge, Bessemer Division

Page 7 Highlights from the 2016-2017 Program Year The 34th program year was another great one filled with candid & thoughtful conversation and visiting exciting venues, both new and old. Full agendas of each day are posted on the website under “calendars.”

Participating in an exercise with students at Carver Touring the new Metro Action Crime Center (MACC) in High School facilitated by the Birmingham Education the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office as part of Justice Foundation on Education Day. Day.

Visiting Sixteenth Street Baptist Church on One Community Day.

Enjoying a whiffle ball game on Regions Field in celebration of the final program day, Quality of Life day.

Learning about the significance of the Historic Bethel Baptist Church in Collegeville on One Community Day.

Guided tour of Red Mountain Park on Quality of Life day. Discussing Innovate Birmingham at Southern Research on Economic Development Day. Page 3 Youth Leadership Forum Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) completed its 32nd year on April 14, 2017. The class of 2017 consisted of 44 high school sophomores and juniors from 29 area schools. The students completed a six month program focused on leadership development and community awareness. YLF is offered at no cost to the students.

YLF is patterned after the Leadership Birmingham flagship program. The students begin the year with an opening retreat and then attend four program days focused on arts & culture, government & criminal justice, social services and education & economic development. The year ends with a closing retreat and a graduation ceremony, where they present what they learned throughout the year with parents, school officials and friends in attendance.

YLF is a program of Leadership Birmingham and is sponsored by Birmingham-Southern College, Miles College, Samford University, UAB, YMCA of Greater Birmingham, and the YWCA of Central Alabama. The Junior League of Birmingham also supports YLF with volunteers and funding.

YLF is grateful to all of the Leadership Birmingham alumni who speak to the students, join them for the career breakfast and elected officials lunch, and assist in planning the program days. We appreciate your investment in the future leaders of Birmingham.

2017—2018 Applications Applications for the 17-18 class are available on the website at www.ylfbham.org and through school counselors. They are due on Monday, October 2 by 4pm. Criteria for applying:

• Sophomore or junior enrolled in any public, parochial or independent school in Jefferson County.

• Demonstrates leadership qualities and/or potential for leadership.

• Expresses an interest in furthering their knowledge of the greater Birmingham area.

• Commits to 100% attendance at all sessions.

Participants are chosen by a selection committee that reviews all applications and chooses a group of finalists to be interviewed. After interviewing, the committee selects a class of approximately 45 students.

For questions, contact Susie Abbott at [email protected] or call (205) 252-6559.

Page 6 Class of 2017 & Study Group Projects

The Class of 2017 graduated on June 10. Their group projects, revealed at Closing Retreat, focused on a wide range of issues from workforce development, education, civil rights, and systemic poverty. The descriptions are listed on these pages. The full class list is available in the online directory.

Sitting L to R: Natasha Rogers, Anne Buckley, Emiy Vanlandingham Sitting L to R: Lee Price, Kelly Castlin-Gacutan, Eva Robertson, Meg McGlamery Standing L to R: Tom Davis, Beau Bevis, Rebecca Dobrinski, Jim Smith Standing L to R: Joseph Welden, Chris Leech, Mark Ervin, Van Moody, Not Pictured: Mark Hendricks Kerry McInerney

Birmingham Education Foundation Volunteer Initiative After being inspired to volunteer on Education Day, this group met with the Birmingham Education Foundation to identify an easier way for interested volunteers to engage. They worked with BEF to build a volunteer database to streamline the process of identifying the volunteers who wanted to participate in network nights and career conferences. They also created a volunteer enrollment form to assist in identifying skills and backgrounds needed for particular events in the area of education.

The Leadership Birmingham Chronicles The goal of this project is to preserve the history of Leadership Birmingham by capturing recollections from alumni of their experiences, including the impact the program had on them and Sitting L to R: Jill Deer, Jennifer Hatchett, Tyrone Silmon the community. They gathered information through interviews Standing L to R: Dan Carsen, Wes Smith, Angela McClintock, Martha Bouyer, Danny McKinney; and questionnaires to create an initial short video entitled “Why is Not Pictured: Christy Daniel Lunsford this important?” This video will be posted on the website, but they will continue to gather information from previous participants that can be adapted for a variety of media formats to be used in 40th Anniversary plans and other instructional materials focused on the historical impact of Leadership Birmingham since its inception.

ReVolution Class members often feel overwhelmed by the volume of information presented on program days. ReVolution developed a mapping template that can be used on each program day so participants can organize the information presented into summaries and action items. The intent is to allow them to process information in a way that enhances long-term impact.

Sitting L to R: Teresa Shufflebarger, Lisa Warren, Karon Bowdre, Anthony Hood

Page 4 Class of 2017 & Study Group Projects

Sitting L to R: Leila Watson, Marshall Anderson, Natalie Kelly Sitting L to R: Fran Hogg, Marc Koretzky, Jarralynne Agee Standing L to R: William Nicrosi, Janet Kavinoky, Gary Edwards, Kavita Vasil, Standing L to R: Josh Jones, Josh Petty, Mikah Hudson Terry Sparks

Fresh Start Fresh Start developed a concept for a food truck that functions as a workforce training center for former inmates. Their goal is to address the problem of recidivism with the need for more skilled labor in the growing restaurant/food industry. The truck would provide a 6-9 month program that would allow the participants to obtain a food handler safety license and more readily find a job in the restaurant industry. Participants would also take classes in conflict resolution, money management, marketing and business development. The group spoke with John Hall of Post Office Pies and Frank Stitt (‘93) of Highlands to learn more about running a restaurant business and talked with financial advisors about building a sustainable model for generating revenue. Funding would come from foundations, federal grants and local private Sitting L to R: Nancy Ferren, Laura Clarke, Daagye Hendricks support. They would partner with other re-entry programs such Standing L to R: David Denard, Wayne Carmello-Harper, Charles Robinson, Jonathan Nelson as The Dannon Project and The Foundry Farms to implement the program.

D3: It Began at Bethel This group, inspired by their visit to Historic Bethel Baptist Church on One Community Day, chose to focus on the church where Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth started the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement. In honor of the 61st anniversary of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, they held a re-creation of the Monday Night Mass Meeting at the historic church in Collegeville on Monday, June 5 at 6:00 pm, to a packed audience. Speakers on the program were Mayor William Bell, Pastor Thomas Wilder, Ms. Kyra Wharton, Rev. Dr. J. McPherson, Bishop Calvin Woods, Rev. Dr. Wilson Fallin, Dr. C.T. Vivian and Judge U.W. Clemon. The Carlton Reese Memorial Choir sang throughout the service.

Better Way Financial Better Way Financial is based on a business model for a financial lending company that would provide payday loans at a capped interest rate that is more affordable than traditional payday and title loan businesses in Alabama. The business would duplicate models used in other states that capped rates at 36% and remained profitable. The hope is that it would compete with the predatory lending businesses that currently exist in Alabama and give the marketplace a more ethical way for people to obtain credit. They plan to partner with the corporate, faith-based, and not for profit communities in Birmingham in this attempt to provide a better way to lend money to those in need at rates of return which are not only profitable, but morally and ethically defensible.

Page 5 P.O. Box 2641 NONPROFIT ORG Birmingham, AL 35291 US POSTAGE PAID BIRMINGHAM, AL PERMIT NO. 403

Log is a publication of the Members Association, the alumni organization of Contact Us Leadership Birmingham. The Members Association plans programs and activities to inform and educate members about current issues and challenges facing the community. The Members Association also supports the newsletters, Physical Address: directory and website. 1710 6th Avenue North 12th Floor Share what is going on in your business, civic, and personal life with other Leadership Birmingham, AL 35203 Birmingham members. We would also appreciate your ideas for programs and general suggestions for the Members Association. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2641, Bin 12S Birmingham, AL 35291

Phone: (205) 252-4496 Web: www.leadershipbirmingham.org Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

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