Fresh Inc
Ribbon Cuttings: Jan/Feb 2023
Take a look at the great businesses and organizations that are making their home in the Central Alabama community!
Take a look at the great businesses and organizations that are making their home in the Central Alabama community!
I love telling the story of Montgomery and providing a vehicle for our local community to share ideas, information and resources.
I split my day doing three different jobs. 1) Director of Sales and Marketing for the Alabama National Fair, 2) Owner Manager of Little Engine Broadcasting which owns two radio brands in Montgomery, Praise 96.5 WMGY and WRBZ and 3) Owner Manager of Little Engine Traffic which performs back office support for radio stations across North America. I enjoy being on the frontline of consumer marketing and behavior. I have been in the broadcasting business for over 40 years and joined the team at the Alabama National Fair in 2021.
I came to Montgomery in 1999 to run a group of radio stations. My wife Margaret and I have navigated 38 years of marriage and raised three sons, Peden, David and Michael. 2023 is a busy year for us as we are adding two additional grandchildren (for a total of 5) and a daughter in law. We will need a bigger mantle this year for our Christmas stockings.
I focus on three primary areas: promoting ASF’s productions throughout the season, from Shakespeare to classical to contemporary and new works, as well as our camps, classes and tours; ensuring our customer experience is top notch, from the moment you buy your ticket, to everything you do and see that’s not on the stage while you’re with us; sharing far and wide, through partnerships and media, ASF’s brand and mission to build community through transformative theatrical experiences.
I grew up in Holtville. I earned my BA at Auburn University at Montgomery and then spent several years living in New York City and building my career in marketing and communications. That’s also where I met my wife, also a Southerner. The pull to be closer to family kept growing, so we moved back to Alabama in 2006 and bought what was always my very favorite house in Wetumpka. It’s been really great to see Wetumpka change and grow over the past few years, and that’s why I’m so excited to be on the editorial board for a magazine that is looking at the region from the intersection of business and community—because change takes all of us.
My job is all about forming and cultivating strong relationships. At some point in everyone’s lives they have a need for a banker. My role is to provide expertise and assistance to them. I enjoy seeing individuals’ short-term and long-term goals be accomplished. There are times I play a major role in seeing those goals to the end, and other times I can witness those successes, which is fulfilling. I have the opportunity to form relationships and connections in the community that I may not have otherwise formed.
My family is originally from the small rural town of Gray Court, South Carolina, with a whopping population of 845. After graduating from Clemson University and living in the Clemson area, my father accepted a job with Russell Corporation in Alexander City in 1991, relocating us from South Carolina to Alexander City. Six years later, we moved to Millbrook. Now, my wife Missy, my daughter Kynleigh, and my son Kai continue to reside in Millbrook.
As the City of Montgomery’s leading economic development practitioner, I promote, develop and implement programs and activities that; provide sustainable economic impact to the City of Montgomery and it’s stakeholders, creates vibrant spaces throughout the City and connect citizens with job opportunities. What I love most about my job is collaborating with various community stakeholders to improve the quality of life and place for our community.
I grew up in Birmingham with a strong and nurturing family and community support system. I graduated from Ramsay High School, received my BA degree in Marketing/Management from Morehouse College and I earned a Masters in Public and Private Management. I’ve worked in the field of Economic Development for over 25 years in Columbus, GA and Birmingham, AL. Prior to joining Mayor Steven Reed’s Cabinet in May 2022, I served as Chief Operating Officer for Urban Impact, a nonprofit contracted by the City of Birmingham to lead the revitalization of Birmingham’s Civil Rights National Monument District.
A few years ago, I wrote down why I do what I do. My purpose is to connect people to people and people to resources. I love it and try to live it every day. I like to say City Council is “full time expectations but a part time job!” It has been very challenging, but it has been an honor and privilege to be a public servant. I have met amazing people doing amazing things in this community. Our family construction firm has been building bridges across Alabama and the southeast for over fifty years. We connect people to people and people to resources.
I moved back to Montgomery after finishing business school at Auburn. I saw a reporter on WSFA and fell in love. I thought to myself, “I really really need to meet her.” Melissa and I have been married 10 amazing years. We have two wonderful boys, Anderson and Edwin, and the coolest dog in town, Bert.
I work with our clients to help them determine the value of their business whether they want to sell, gift for estate planning purposes, or bring on a potential investor. I love this line of our business because the clients get to tell their stories. I get to work in a multitude of industries and typically hear how a close family or entrepreneur brought their dreams to life through their business. On the litigation side, my sister likes to tell people I fight crime with numbers. I provide attorneys with litigation support to determine economic damages in cases related to business interruption, loss in business value, lost profits, marital dissolution, and personal injury to name a few.
I grew up in Katy, Texas. My family relocated to Millbrook, AL when my stepdad received an offer to rebuild a hospital computer system in Montgomery. Based on the initial culture shock, my plan was always to go to college and never come back. However, I took a job offer at Jackson Thornton and got so involved in the community that I just didn’t want to leave. I wanted to do what I could to help tell the story of Montgomery and all the opportunities the community has to offer. Also, I met a boy that was not interested in moving to Texas.
JDB Hospitality municipalities, organizations, and higher ed institutions develop strategic plans to expand their hospitality and tourism efforts. My work allows me to be at the pulse of what’s new and happening in Montgomery. Allowing me to highlight, expose and consult with new restaurants, attractions, and entertainment venues. I am on the state tourism’s board of directors allowing me direct access to national media, statewide tourism professionals, and a statewide master calendar of events where I additionally find ways to tell Montgomery’s unique story and promote what’s happening in the area. All with the intention to increase visitorship to the city.
I came to Montgomery, sight unseen, in 2004 to attend ASU. In fact, I came on scholarship after writing an essay outlining my future goals which essentially explained I would make ASU and Montgomery proud by doing exactly what I am doing today! I met my husband Carl just months after graduation. We have been married for 8 years and have two children, Helena and Ashton, and our black lab, Carly.
I help grow and enhance our local tax base by recruiting new businesses to our community and working on projects that facilitate and improve the quality of life for our citizens. In a smaller city like mine, I don’t necessarily have a lot of resources and staff, so I wear several hats. It’s all about leveraging resources and finding partners to accomplish our goals. The bottom line is that I’m a “connector”. I enjoy my job because I get to meet people, and I derive satisfaction from knowing that I’m helping my city to flourish.
I was born in Ancon, Canal Zone (Panama) but spent my early childhood in Falls Church, Virginia, near Washington D.C. When my dad retired from the Federal Government, we moved to Millbrook. I am a Stanhope Elmore High School graduate and have a BS in Public Administration from Auburn University and a Master of Public Administration from AUM. Prior to working for the City of Millbrook, I worked for the Alabama Wildlife Federation in fund development. I am married to Michael Harper, an attorney, and we have one daughter Aliceann who is 26 years old.
● First job: My first job in high school was working at a movie theater in northern Virginia selling tickets and working concessions.
● Favorite business book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
● Favorite song: I have lots of favorite songs and they all seem to originate from the classic rock genre (the 70s and 80s).
● Best business advice you’ve received: “Do what you say you’ll do.”
We are a creative placemaking organization that provides opportunity and access to marginalized artists. I enjoy what I do because we are one of several community-building arts and culture entities that refused to depend on institutions to accept us but instead created our own infrastructure that facilitates more equitable practices in the art community.
I am a native of Mobile, Alabama. I moved with my wife Nicole and my daughter Kaiya to the Washington Park neighborhood in 2008 to work with Common Ground Montgomery. I have served as Associate Director for Common Ground Montgomery ever since. After receiving art supplies from my family, I re-engaged with the arts after 16 years and was moved to open the King’s Canvas to fill the gap and provide creative opportunities in West Montgomery. I’ve been involved in nonprofit grassroots and advocacy efforts for years and have a genuine connection and love for the community.
I get to lead, motivate, and develop a diverse team of outstanding customer service professionals. In addition to leading the Montgomery Business Office Customer Service team, I also partner with APC and Customer Operations leaders to champion and ensure a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace culture as managing sponsor of the Customer Operations Culture Committee.
Originally from Middletown, Rhode Island in New England, I am an avid New England Patriots fan. In addition to watching football, I enjoy reading, networking, photography, cooking, traveling, and spending time with family. Community involvement is extremely important to me. I am a proud member of the Alabama Power Service Organization. I serve on the Boards of Directors for River Region United Way, Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama, Second Chance Foundation and CASA.
The City Clerk serves as the Chief Financial Officer for the City. I am also responsible for City Council communication through regular council meetings, maintaining all city records, annexations, and municipal elections. I am passionate about Wetumpka, love watching it grow and being part of a great team that strives to make Wetumpka a better place to live, work and play. In Wetumpka, we strive to work with each entity whether it’s the Chamber of Commerce or Wetumpka Main Street to produce quality of life experiences for our community. One of our tag lines is; “together we can”! If the River Region works together, everyone benefits.
I am married to Tucker Robinson and we have two boys, Pierce and Sawyer. Tucker and I met while attending Troy State University. I graduated in 1998 with a major in Journalism and a minor in Public Relations. After graduation and marriage, we planted our roots in Wetumpka, where Tucker is from.
I love collaborating with community leaders, our team, and the editorial advisory board to generate articles and solutions that connect people and promote the amazing businesses in Central Alabama.
I graduated from Georgia Tech with an Industrial & Systems Engineering
degree and later received my Masters of Industrial Engineering from Purdue University. Dave and I have been married for over 30 years and enjoy hanging out with friends and family at Lake Martin with our dog, Lucy. We have 3 sons– Spencer is a software engineer in Atlanta, Mitchell is a Computer Science major at Troy, and our youngest, Trevor, is studying finance at Auburn.
I manage the accounts and the distribution of our magazines.
After graduating high school, I got a job at Napa Auto Parts and eventually found my way into accounting. I married my husband, Corey, who works in the Air Force. Together, we have a four-year-old daughter named Alaina and a one-year-old son named Ridley. Plus our sweet dog, Loki!
I do all things digital– strategizing with the CentrAL Inc! team on digital
advertising, social media, eNewsletters, and more!
I started at exploreMedia as a graphic designer in 2016 after attending Auburn University at Montgomery. As the digital products grew for exploreMedia, I was lucky enough to be able to grow with this exciting part of the company and become Digital Media Manager in 2020. My husband, Ryan, and I got married in 2017 at our favorite place, Lake Martin. We have a golden retriever named Harper.
I work on social media accounts. I enjoy how the social media landscape is
constantly changing.
I graduated from The University of Alabama at Birmingham in August 2021 with a Bachelors of Science in Marketing with a concentration on Digital Marketing. I was born and raised in a small town about 50 minutes from Montgomery. I am the youngest of three children, and while I don’t have any children myself, I do have a miniature poodle, Mac, that I treat like my child. I love to travel anytime I get the chance. One of my goals is to see all 50 states!
I love what I do for CentrAL INC! because I enjoy getting to work with local businesses to express their brand’s voice and connect with their business community through eye-catching, effective design.
I attended The University of Alabama, where I majored in digital media and minored in advertising. I live with my parents and my younger brother. We have a dog, Molly, and four cats– Arya, Winston, Scarlett, and Baxter. I’ve been with my boyfriend, Drew, for nearly 5 years.
Page design has always been my favorite creative project, and working behind the camera for many years gave me a passion for starting with great images. Now, creating images that build a strong base for design is my favorite form of creative collaboration.
I’m a proud Montgomerian. From high school at BTW Magnet to college at AUM, the friends and family I’ve grown to know here are a huge bonus to my daily life.
I am responsible for the overall creative design and layout for CentrAL
INC!, and I’m also responsible for keeping the branding style consistent throughout all print and digital materials.
I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Auburn University at Montgomery. My husband, Chris, and I live in Wetumpka. We have a dog named Cinder that I adopted from the shelter.
I write content for both the physical and digital aspects of CentrAL INC!
This covers everything from the magazine itself to the website to social media posts. I love getting to learn more about what’s happening in the business community and connecting local business owners to helpful resources.
I graduated from LAMP High School. I majored in communications and
graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery in May 2022. I’m the proud mom of two of the most precious shelter dogs you’ll ever meet– Max and Chase.
I work with the sales and editorial teams to collect and create content for the CentrAL INC! magazine and newsletter. I love collaborating with our team to produce the best possible content for our readers!
I majored in English at Faulkner University, where I met my sweet husband. We got married four years later in the midst of the pandemic. We have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Miles. We love to travel any and everywhere and hang out with friends.
I work with the rest of the CentrAL INC! team to plan and create the articles
and content for each issue. I love learning about and sharing the stories of the multiple driven people in Central Alabama who are doing innovative and interesting things that strengthen our community.
I’ve lived all over the South but have been in Montgomery for 24 years. I
graduated from The University of Alabama (Roll Tide!). My CentrAL INC! hat isn’t the only one I wear; I’m a freelance writer and editor, and my writing has been published in national and regional publications including Southern Living, Garden & Gun, and Conde Nast Traveler.
I enjoy strategizing with clients on their marketing plans.
I attended college at Troy University at Montgomery with thoughts of being a
nurse. I joined the Air National Guard to pay for the last year of school, met my husband, married, had babies, raised babies, built an awesome and rewarding career, and never looked back!
I manage the overall strategy for our advertising partners. I enjoy finding
ways to highlight the amazing businessmen and women in Central Alabama.
I studied Business Administration at Auburn University. War Eagle! I am
happily married to my high school sweetheart. Together, we have the two sweetest baby girls and a cat named Butters. When we get some free time, we love going to the beach!
I built the CentrAL INC! website. I also do technical SEO and web automation.
I attended Auburn University at Montgomery, where I received my Bachelor of Finance degree. My wife, Corbin, and I got married in April of 2022 and have a mini goldendoodle.
