AMA Birmingham

September Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00 UTC
Marketing Strategies For Companies In Their Early Stages
Presented by Devon Laney, President & CEO, Innovation Depot
Innovation Depot, Birmingham’s high-tech/biotech business incubator, was named Technology Incubator of the Year in 2011 by the National Business Incubation Association. As Innovation Depot’s President and CEO, Devon Laney offers a unique perspective on marketing strategies that can help early stage companies succeed on a limited budget and with limited internal resources. Prior to joining Innovation Depot in 2005, Devon worked on a broad range of marketing, I/T and strategic organizational projects with various Fortune 500 companies as an analyst with Accenture LLP in Atlanta. Previously, Devon worked on the development, redesign and launch of Energen Corporation’s intranet, and also served as the Entertainment Editor for nationally distributed Family Issues Magazine. Devon is the youngest member to ever serve on the Executive Committee of the Birmingham Venture Club, and the organization’s only consecutive back-to-back President. Additionally, Devon serves on the Executive Committees of TechBirmingham and BioAlabama, and he also serves on the Local Advisory Board of BBVA Compass Bank and The Alys Stephens Center Young Patrons Board. Devon is a member of the 2008 inaugural class of Leadership UAB, Leadership Birmingham’s 2010 class, and the Rotary Club of Birmingham. In 2009, Devon was selected as one of Birmingham Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40”. Power Networking starts at 11:30 am, Keynote Program is from Noon – 1:30pm REGISTER HERE

September Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Stumbling And Serving: a Trekker’s Guide to the C-Suite
The C-Suite: part myth, part reality. Not a destination harbor, just one more port of call
Presented by: Bill Todd
Bill Todd of o2ideas will share his unique perspective of winding up in the C-Suite and ad agency ownership at our September AMA luncheon. Todd, who originally started as a TV reporter in Birmingham, in April became an owner of Birmingham ad shop o2ideas after being named president more than two years ago. He will offer practical tips on how to make your journey to the C-Suite based on a three-decade odyssey across the high seas filled with stumbles, catastrophes, victories and joy.

October Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Connecting With Customers
Presented by Michele Elrod, Executive Vice President, Head of Marketing – Regions Financial
Join us as Michele shares with us Regions’ mission, the thrill of creating a new brand and the role of the iconic bike, how Regions is better connecting with customers, and Regions’ commitment to communities through financial education and sponsorships.
Michele Elrod has been a marketing professional for nearly 35 years, 30 of those in the ever-changing banking industry. In her words, “Today, marketing offers more opportunities than ever before to support your company and ensure that marketing is a revenue center.”
She earned her master’s degree from the University of Alabama School of Communication and Information Services, where she was recently recognized as the 2014 Outstanding Alumna in Advertising. The Birmingham Business Journal honored Michele as a top CMO in the 2014 C-suite awards. She currently serves in the University Of Alabama Culverhouse School Of Commerce Mentor Program and is a member of the Culverhouse Board of Visitors.

This event is sponsored by the Exact Target Marketing Cloud. The Exact Target Marketing Cloud from Salesforce is the platform for 1:1 customer journeys, connecting companies with customers in whole new ways. Learn more at exacttarget.com.

Sam Capra will discuss the world’s most powerful 1:1 digital marketing platform, the ExactTarget Marketing Cloud. Learn how it helps you make the most of every customer interaction—creating personalized, cross-channel customer journeys that deliver exceptional brand experiences.

October Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Cindy Fisher Crawford- Editor, Birmingham Business Journal
“What News is HOT in Birmingham”
Cindy Fisher Crawford will delve into the numbers of online readership to show which stories get the most interest from Birmingham business leaders. And, she will share how that information can help marketing professionals make smarter branding decisions.
Cindy Fisher Crawford is editor of the Birmingham Business Journal. In a leadership role at the top business publication in the state for eight years, she has gained inside knowledge and outside perspective on the pulse of the business community. Fisher Crawford will share Birmingham business insights with the AMA chapter on Oct. 21.
Fisher Crawford is a graduate of the University of Alabama and has 17 years of experience in newspapers. She started out her career as a government and education reporter at the Birmingham Post-Herald, where she worked for three years, and then moved to Connecticut to work as a reporter at the Waterbury Republican-American. She later worked for five years at the Daytona Beach News-Journal as a reporter covering governments.
Fisher Crawford, a Tuscaloosa native, returned to her home state to join the Birmingham Business Journal as managing editor in 2007 and was promoted to editor in September 2010. She is the mother of two children ages 8 and 5 and a regular contributor to NPR and Fox 6 news.

November Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
You Don’t Have To Wear Wing Tip Shoes To Be An Entrepreneur
Presented by Bud Cason, Owner, Founder and CEO, Bud’s Best Cookies
Join us as Bud Cason shares with us his story of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.
Bud’s Best Cookies is one of the country’s leaders in bite-sized cookie production. Bud’s manufactures several brands of cookies in 30 different flavors and varieties and produces over one million cookies per hour in their Hoover location.
Register by 12 pm November 14: Students $10 Members $20 Guests $30
Register at the door (space permitting): Students $15 Members $30 Guests $40

August Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Keith Richards – A Passion for Cooking and Community
Keith Richards found his passion for Taziki’s and its Greek inspired menu on a 1997 trip to Greece with his wife, Amy. In 1998, they opened their first restaurant at the Colonnade in Birmingham. Today, Taziki’s has 47 locations in 13 states. Today, he is leading the Birmingham-based fast-casual effort, which was recently ranked by Restaurant Business as 13th on their Future 50 List, as well as being named one of the Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchises in both 2014 and 2015.
Earlier this year, the United States Healthful Food Council (USHFC) announced Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe’ is the first national franchise to achieve REAL Certification, the emerging national standard for foodservice nutrition and sustainability. Taziki’s is now the largest chain restaurant to complete the certification process.
In building the Taziki’s brand, Keith employs a grass roots marketing strategy to become an integral part of the community. Taziki’s efforts are focused on building genuine relationships to ensure long-term growth, the importance of small businesses supporting their communities and how pursuing passion is the foundation of growing your company.

January Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Tackling 100+ Unique Markets Through Effective Communications
Presented by Casey Lassiter- Associate Director of Communications, Healthsouth Corporation
Casey will share how her very small staff, handles communications and marketing for more than 100 hospitals in HealthSouth’s nationwide network.
The hospitals are in very different markets – some in small markets with no competitors while some experience the opposite. This creates a challenge for her team, which acts as a resource and support for all HealthSouth hospitals as well as the corporate office.
The presentation will include details on how they tackle public relations, media relations, crisis communications, creative services, online communications (including social media) and internal communications and marketing from a corporate level while still allowing hospitals to customize their message and marketing.
About Casey Lassiter
Casey Lassiter serves as associate director of communications at HealthSouth Corporation where she is responsible for the company’s external communications including public and media relations for both the corporate office and the company’s nationwide network of more than 100 hospitals in 33 states. In this role, she also serves as the media spokesperson for the company. Many of her current tasks include working directly with corporate leadership to communicate current and trending news for the company that involves media outlets in both the local and national markets. Casey has worked with HealthSouth’s development team and other departments to bring more than ten new hospitals and acquisitions to the HealthSouth network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and was part of the team that redesigned the corporate website and the team that redesigned more than 100 HealthSouth hospital websites across the country. Casey’s public relations work on the company’s Amputees Across America program received a Public Relations Council of Alabama Medallion Award and a Public Relations Society of America Award of Excellence Silver Anvil Award.
Early Birds Register and Pay by Friday Noon Jan. 16: Members $20, Guests $30, Students $10
After Friday Noon Jan. 16: Members $30, Guests $40, Students $15
**Early Bird prices accepted at the door for company checks and student cash.

October AMA Halloween Mixer
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00

February Marketing Power Lunch
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Digital Storytelling on Steroids: Branded Content Marketing
Guest Speaker: Libby Romano and Lindsey Sims, Big Communications
Join us as Libby and Lindsey share how great stories have the power to create gravity – effortlessly drawing people into brands, whether written, spoken or seen. But if that information isn’t relevant, exciting, timely, and shareworthy, it is a waste of time. Don’t waste time.
Libby Romano, Director of Digital Strategy, and Lindsey Sims, Media Director, played principle roles in evolving Big’s public relations and digital services to meet this new challenge – effectively creating the agency’s content marketing service offerings from the ground up. They’ve been integral in leading the charge on all things content and implementing effective strategies for clients. What started as brand journalism back in 2012 with Big’s Alabama Gulf Seafood and Alabama Department of Commerce campaigns, evolved into a recipe for creating, developing, and delivering compelling branded content. They call it content marketing: digital storytelling on steroids.
Early Birds Register and Pay by Friday Noon February 13: Members $20, Guests $30, Students $10
After Friday Noon February 13: Members $30, Guests $40, Students $15

**Early Bird prices accepted at the door for company checks and students cash.

November Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Bew White, CEO of Summer Classics Companies will share his experience founding and growing the largest luxury outdoor furniture manufacturer in the United States.
From a textile Engineering Degree at Auburn with an expected future at Avondale Mills, the great grandson of its founder and Alabama Governor, Braxton Bragg Comer, Bew began a life long entrepreneurial pursuit of excellence in home goods leading to the industry’s leading brand.
Bew has opened plants in Chile 1989 to 1995, and Mexico from 1993 to 2000. He has been to China 29 times from 1998 to 2014, and has captive factories in Dalian, Heshan and Shunde. A lifetime of developing innovative materials, his latest is a sustainable product made of rice hulls and mineral spirits called Resysta, made in a plant in Indonesia.
Coupled with how his legacy William White remarkably founded the industry leading Gabby brand in the pit of a crippling recession marks a dynasty of Alabama rainmaker’s.
From a 35+ year legacy of taste, Summer Classics has become the premier manufacturer of luxury outdoor furniture. We innovate with timeless materials like exclusive resin wicker, cast aluminum, teak, and iron. Our beautiful creations enhance the quality of life for our customers and change the way people think about outdoor furniture. Our Purpose: We exist to provide, Life’s best moments… Furnished.™
Alabama’s largest home goods importer, the company houses a full service marketing and PR department, largest internal furniture design department in the industry, and manufactures product in 8 countries. The company is now headquartered in one of Birmingham’s largest buildings, the newly renovated, former Moore Handley building at 487,000 square feet.
Bew recently was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year at the Society of International Business Fellows (SIBF). Don’t miss incredible insight into the ups and downs of leading a fashion driven business.

March Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
The Next Frontier of Marketing: Human Engagement
Presented by John Gardner, Luckie & Company The proliferation of technology, data and connectivity has accelerated and amplified every aspect of the marketing ecosystem, helping us as marketers optimize all our marketing processes. But, is that good news for the customer? In our zeal to serve up highly optimized propositions, have we gone too far? Statistics show that the effectiveness of marketing has never been lower while the attitudes of consumers toward marketers have never been worse. Have we become our own worst enemy in the pursuit of ROI?
John Gardner recognized the need to set his agency on a new path, to pioneer an approach for his clients that would help them recapture the love and support of their customers.
John calls this revolutionary approach “the human experience” because as humans, we all care about the entire brand experience, not just sales or service. Engagement and response are optimized by what is best for the customer – not for the organization. In this new paradigm, brands must first get much closer to their customers and listen to and engage with them over time and across channels and media.
Join us as John shares the new path he has forged for his agency called “the human experience” and how you might start to think about your marketing efforts in a whole new way that will separate your brand from the herd.
About John Gardner
John Gardner was named president of Luckie in 2013. John has worked with some of the top brands in the country, including Regions, Chick-fil-A, Marriott, Kohl’s, Saks, Disney, Liz Claiborne, AT&T, Nestlé, L’Oréal, Lane Bryant, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis and Pfizer.

Early Birds Register and Pay by Friday Noon, March 13: Members $20, Guests $30, Students $10
After Friday Noon, March 13: Members $30, Guests $40, Students $15
**Early Bird prices accepted at the door for company checks and students cash.

April Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Guest Speaker: Hatton Smith, Royal Cup
Join us as Hatton Smith shares the strategies behind Royal Cup’s two-tiered marketing strategy.
Royal Cup Coffee has built a national brand whose coffee and teas are not sold in stores. The company partners with restaurants, hotels, offices and resorts to develop custom blends of coffee and tea that customers recognize as special and unique. From Highlands Bar & Grill to the Waffle House – they’re serving custom blended coffee and/or tea manufactured exclusively by Royal Cup Coffee.
Fifteen years ago the company began offering its products online through EspresShip.com – an easy and convenient way for home consumers and businesses of all sizes to enjoy coffee-house-quality coffee. Royal Cup also recently introduced a customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van with a complete barista bar outfitted with state-of-the-art brewing equipment, a full graphics wrap, and an exterior pop-up digital flatscreen monitor for images and videos.
Early Birds Register and Pay by Friday Noon April 10: Members $20, Guests $30, Students $10
After Friday Noon April 10: Members $30, Guests $40, Students $15

**Early Bird prices accepted at the door for company checks and students cash.

AMA August Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Building An Honest Brand – Stay True To Succeed
Presented by Heidi Elnora Baker, President heidi elnora
From a humble beginning to bridal stores across the world, Heidi Elnora Baker has built the acclaimed wedding gown company heidi elnora from the ground up. Her journey began upon graduation from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2002 where Heidi was taught the couture techniques of the fashion industry.
Heidi’s passion for couture and the creation of timeless pieces resulted in the establishment of heidi elnora in 2006. Following the footprints of great designers before her, Heidi’s gowns are recognized by their quality in construction, fine attention to detail, and feminine relevance. Based in Alabama, the heidi elnora brand is focused on being a personal and honest company as they stay true to their Southern roots.
Today, the heidi elnora brand can be found in 25 stores worldwide. With the launch of Heidi’s reality show on TLC debuting Summer 2014, there is a new layer of the heidi elnora brand to be unveiled.

May Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
The Sales Gap Model: Creating lift by moving McKinsey’s CDJ theory into a practical, sales driven, marketing process.

Guest Speaker: Sean Doyle, FitzMartin
Sean’s thinking, vision and experience are focused on helping clients truly align marketing and sales with one another and jointly with the customer. The FitzMartin process is linear and can be used to create “rational” buying experiences. This is a major “a-ha” for B2B marketers because it has repercussions for more than just tools but also behavior. It puts marketers in a position of serving as counselors/advisors to sales and across the entire enterprise.
Sean will share his lead tool, a sales gap analysis, and demonstrate how the Sales Gap framework was used by one of the 50 largest banks in the world to create marketing and sales alignment. He also will review the efficacy of marketing tools and sales behaviors and explain how that client created $100,000,000’s in sales (fee, loan and deposit growth) using this process.
Sean will share:

How you can identify barriers to sales
How you can advance your professional marketing skills from “I think that will work” to “this will work because…”
How to collaborate with sales in pursuit of today’s revenue (and management in pursuit of tomorrow’s growth)
A quantitative tool to evaluate sales process and behavior
A quantitative way to evaluate creative and predict its efficacy

As a principal of FitzMartin, Sean is a leading mind and voice on B2B sales and marketing strategy. Particularly adroit at applying the science of behavioral change to sales and marketing communications, Sean drives the team at FitzMartin to focus on the needs of business and business leaders. For over 25 years, Sean has worked with businesses to solve the most pressing sales and marketing challenges: planning, positioning, and branding of course, but also growth initiatives, sales optimization, metrics and analytics, high value hard to reach sales programs, customer experience mapping and design, sales technology integration, sales and marketing leadership coaching, even fractional CMO engagements.
Clients include Georgia Pacific, the Southeastern Conference and BBVA Compass. Sean’s first book, Enabling Profit, is a guide for an executive in charge of marketing but not trained to do it!
Early Birds Register and Pay by Friday Noon May 15: Members $20, Guests $30, Students $10
After Friday Noon May 15: Members $30, Guests $40, Students $15

**Early Bird prices accepted at the door for company checks and students cash.

[April 2016 Luncheon] The Absolutely Essential Social Media Tools
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
The Absolutely Essential Social Media Tools
by Wade Kwon, Founder of Y’all Connect conference
Social media is much more than hashtags and apps. It’s about interaction and reach, about conversions and sales.
Crafting a solid social media marketing plan begins with the right tools. Let Wade Kwon, one of the Poynter Institute’s 35 Influential People in Social Media, point you to the best free and paid apps to maximize engagement and minimize stress.
Communications consultant and Birmingham Blogging Academy founder Wade Kwon has written thousands of blog posts and created blogs big and small. He loves to tell stories, in person and in print and online as Birmingham’s Best Blogger.
He is founder of the Y’all Connect conference, yallconnect.com.
The Poynter Institute selected Kwon as one of 35 Influential People in Social Media. Birmingham Magazine readers selected him as Best Tweeter 2 years running in the Best of B’ham 2010 and 2011 online polls. His site, Magic City Post, was voted Best Website in the Birmingham’s Best 2011 readers’ poll by the Birmingham News; it also won 2011 Green Eyeshade Awards for Best Blog and Specialized Site.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wadeontweets

[May 2016 Luncheon] Concentrate and Dominate
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
“Concentrate and Dominate” Find one niche to focus on – do one thing and do it well.
by John Paul Strong, Strong Automotive
Author of two books in the Next Day Traffic series, the first in August of 2011, and second in January 2013, both sold exclusively online and to agency clients. He has written an award winning blog since October of 2008 – also called Next Day Traffic with over 1,000 total posts. In addition, he is a member of the Texas Auto Writer’s Association.
His many accolades and proven experience have given him the opportunity to share his industry knowledge at conferences of various media companies and state automotive dealer associations, as a public speaker on automotive marketing tactics as well as dealer 20 groups to present ideas and concepts. John Paul’s relentless pursuit of excellence in dealership positioning and presentation sets a standard unmatched in the automotive marketing industry.

[June 2016 Luncheon] Live Your Brand in Social Media
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Live Your Brand in Social Media – Tell Customers’ Stories to Engage Prospects and Drive ROI
by Melissa Musgrove VP, Head of Social Media, Regions Financial
Melissa Musgrove is Vice-President and Head of Social Media at Regions Bank and has more than 10 years of experience in Digital and Social Media Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations. At Regions, she directs Social Media vision and strategy and leads a team of Community Managers and Social Customer Care Representatives.
Melissa will discuss creating integrated, cross-channel campaigns that amplify the Voice of the Customer through storytelling. Also, learn how to cultivate brand advocacy by providing advice and guidance to your customers through social. And understand how to capture the attention of your customers in the increasingly noisy and fragmented social media space.
Also, discover how to:
* Implement acquisition tactics and boost results
* Build campaigns around customers’ passion points
* Deliver proactive social customer care
Melissa has her M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University and B.A. from Samford University. Follow her on Twitter @MMMusgrove.

August 2016 Luncheon | Five Ways To Win At Content Marketing
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Five Ways To Win At Content Marketing
Presented by Eric Housh, CMO of TicketBiscuit and Mollie Durbin, TicketBiscuit Marketing Director
Join us and learn proven strategies and processes that have helped TicketBiscuit launch successful new brands and gain massive audiences of fans and ambassadors.
After being named CMO in 2008, Eric immediately redefined the nature of the ticket buyer experience, conceiving and driving the development of several programs aimed at artist discovery and internet marketing. In the years that followed, TicketBiscuit continued its trajectory of relentless innovation, launching what would soon become one of the largest primary ticketing affiliate networks and being of the first companies to offer mobile ticketing, Facebook ticketing, Apple Passbook integration and much more. He was nominated for Alabama CMO of the year in 2012, and helped TicketBiscuit achieve recognition as one of Birmingham’s best places to work in 2013 and 2015. Eric was named TicketBiscuit Director of Sales in late 2013, and has since led the company to consecutive years of double digit year-over-year growth.
Mollie’s background includes more than 15 years of experience in marketing and public relations in a variety of industries, including entertainment/events, healthcare and software. As marketing has become an increasingly technical endeavor, she has been able to draw on her background in web design and coding to help companies “punch above their weight” in the ever-evolving digital world. Her ability to combine content marketing, SEO, paid search and other marketing efforts into one robust marketing engine has made it possible for her to help companies grow in powerful ways.

September Signature Series Luncheon | Rebranding the Bulldog
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Rebranding the Bulldog: Creating New Visual Identity Standards For Samford University
Presented by Betsy Bugg Holloway, Ph.D.
Vice President for Marketing and Communication, Professor of Marketing – Samford University
Samford University recently embarked on a six-month journey to develop new visual identity standards for the university, including a new athletic bulldog logo. This new branding and identity will be revealed to the public in November, but at our September luncheon Dr. Betsy Bugg Holloway will share with us a preview of what’s in store and reveal the processes the University followed to reach its decisions. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how a major rebranding effort was conceived and executed.
In her role as Vice President for Marketing and Communication and Professor of Marketing for Samford University, Dr, Holloway is responsible for all marketing and branding initiatives across the university’s operations. Holloway also teaches courses in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. Prior to her academic career, Holloway lived and worked in Japan and was employed by a global pharmaceutical firm. She most recently served as the company’s director of international business and managed global sales offices in Argentina, Denmark, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Dr. Holloway’s research interests include services marketing, consumer behavior and reputation management. She has published more than 60 academic articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings and regularly presents her research and lectures in the U.S. and abroad. She is a member of the American Marketing Association, the Academy of Marketing Science and the Society for Marketing Advances. Within the community, Holloway serves on the board of directors for the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA), YWCA, Rotary Club of Birmingham, Scholarships for Kids, and as a trustee for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.

January Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Darin White – “Changing the Game – Key Trends Driving the Business of Sports”
Darin White is founder and coordinator of the Sports Marketing program in the Brock School of Business at Samford University. He serves as the Chair of the American Marketing Association Sports Marketing Academic Society (SIG), the leading international scholarly body charged with expanding the knowledge base of the field of sports marketing.
He is a go-to source for media seeking insights into sports business and has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, NPR, ESPN Radio, Saturday Down South and the International Business Times. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Sports Foundation, the primary lobby responsible for bringing sporting events to the state of Alabama.
Recently, Mr. Whites sports marketing program at Samford University made a national impression on the world of sports when his team of seniors pitched their strategic marketing plan to increase fan engagement within the millennial generation to Jason Kaufman, Vice President , Market Research and Analytics for the National Basketball Association.

November Signature Series Luncheon | Warren Averett 360: Organizing Solutions Around The Client
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Warren Averett 360: Organizing Solutions Around The Client
Presented by Todd Decker, CMO and Head of Business Development – Warren Averett
November 16, 2016 | The Harbert Center
Join us as Todd Decker shares how his firm has developed “Warren Averett 360” – a comprehensive marketing approach positioning the firm as more client centered and more focused on meeting client needs than competing firms. With over 40 services to offer, both employees and clients need to be made aware of all the ways the firm can help them. WA 360, organizes solutions around the client from their perspective, making it easier to identify needs and cross-serve clients.
Todd Decker has spent more than a decade in leadership roles at Sterne Agee, Regions, BBVA Compass and Bank of America. Todd began his marketing career at Johnson & Johnson where he was Marketing Director on several leading consumer brands. Todd leads the Firm’s practice development and marketing endeavors presenting the unique value of the Firm, its people and service offerings across multiple regions, service lines and practice groups. He works with executive management on strategic initiatives and also supports the Firm’s efforts in pursuing significant client opportunities. His responsibilities also include growth initiatives, communications and marketing oversight of the Firm’s industry niche teams.
Todd is a graduate of Duke University and earned his Master of Business Administration at the University of North Carolina.

February Power Marketing Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Bill Fox – “Momentum’s Growth, Marketing Challenges & Successes in the Changing Telecom Landscape”
Bill Fox is President and CEO of Momentum Telecom, leading the team in their mission of enabling others to thrive by combining smarter technology with seasoned experts to deliver an unmatched customer experience.
He previously served as Chief Financial Officer of SuccessEHS, Inc., a software and services company for physician offices with approximately 400 employees. Bill has experience as an investment banker with Lincoln International, where he specialized in debt capital financings for middle market leveraged buyouts, and worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, which provides audit and assurance, tax and consulting services.
Bill received an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School and a BS in Business Administration and Accounting from Washington and Lee University. Bill is an active volunteer with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, where he currently serves as the Board President of the Alabama/NW Florida Chapter. He enjoys cycling, golf, fly fishing, and skiing. Bill is married to his college sweetheart, Allyson, and has three children.

October Signature Series Luncheon | Dreamland’s Challenge: Connecting With New Markets While Maintaining Core Identity
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Dreamland’s Challenge: Connecting With New Markets While Maintaining Core Identity
Presented by Betsy McAtee, CEO, Dreamland BBQ
Dreamland Bar-B-Que is an iconic brand with a history that spans over half-a-century. Dreamland’s identity is a result of one man’s dream and guests’ memories and experiences tied to that dream. Now with nine locations across the Southeast, a retail product line available in grocery stores and nationwide shipping from dreamlandbbq.com, Dreamland faces an opportunity (and challenge) every day to connect with new and existing audiences with relevant and compelling messaging while remaining true to their core identity. Dreamland CEO Betsy McAtee will discuss the expansion of the brand, diversification of operations and the marketing strategies that support the goal of creating a mutually beneficial relationship with guests and customers.
With over 20 years of experience in the food industry, Betsy McAtee has spent her career in key positions for regional and national brands. When she joined Dreamland Holding Company in 2000, she brought that vast experience with her. Dreamland BBQ Holding Company owns and operates seven restaurants in the Southeast and is the franchisor of the Dreamland Brand, a nationally recognized restaurant brand. Under Betsy’s direction, Dreamland has not only retained the legendary identity that has created an ever-loyal customer base over the last 50 years, but has also expanded and evolved to meet the needs of the modern customer.
Dreamland has been recognized among the best BBQ in the nation by Southern Living, Men’s Journal, USA Today and more! Birmingham Magazine named Dreamland a Legacy Business in 2012. Dreamland was named the Retailer of the Year Silver Medalist by the Alabama Retail Association in 2014 and Retailer of the Year Gold Medalist in 2015. Prior to her career at Dreamland, Betsy served as District Manager, Area Training Manager, Zone Business Manager and Key Account Manager for the Frito-Lay division of PepsiCo. She was responsible for implementation of a national route sales training program and served as the test market coordinator for a bakery product line extension in the Southeast.

[March 2016 Luncheon] Beyond Brochures – Using Apps To Engage An Audience
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Beyond Brochures – Using Apps To Engage An Audience
Taylor Peake Wyatt, President of MotionMobs, is an entrepreneur and experienced software consultant. Taylor has been involved in building and promoting Birmingham’s growing technology community since 2010.
Through MotionMobs, she has helped entrepreneurs start their first company and experienced business leaders embrace technology to improve efficiency within their firms. As a sitting board member with REV Birmingham and BBVA Compass, Taylor has been able to watch new companies establish a home and grow their brand in the city. Over the last couple of years, Taylor has participated in the revitalization in downtown Birmingham by purchasing a century-old warehouse building and establishing it as the new headquarters for MotionMobs.
In the past, Taylor has served on multiple grant boards for non-profit efforts, including State Farm. With a strong background in programming and an Information Systems degree from UAB’s School of Business, Taylor understands how to build and grow results-driven products, but her biggest skill is consistently bringing the best talent to the table.

January Signature Series Luncheon | O'Henrys Coffee
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Caffeine Powered Marketing
Presented by Randy Adamy | Owner, OHenry’s Coffees and OHenry’s Coffee Roasting Co.
January 18, 2017 | The Harbert Center

O’Henry’s is one of Birmingham’s favorite food & beverage brands. Join us on January 18th as CEO Randy Adamy explains the O’Henry’s approach to marketing – starting with the foundational principles laid by its founder, Dr. Henry Bright, through the brand’s growth and expansion to new markets. If you want to hear how a local brand thrives going head-to-head with a global behemoth – and in an increasingly crowded field of smaller players, this is a luncheon you won’t want to miss!

February Signature Series Luncheon | Lake Homes Realty
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Going after the Giants… Sideways
Presented by Glen Phillips
CEO of Lake Homes Realty / LakeHomes.com
February 15, 2017 | The Harbert Center
Pretend you have business blender. What would you get if you put in that blender – a national traditional real estate company – Zillow – Amazon – and Uber? You’d get Lake Homes Realty, one of the nation’s fastest growing full-service real estate companies.
Join us and learn how Lake Homes Realty created a successful business around the commitment that service, technology, and marketing are inseparable and leverage-able.
Glenn S. Phillips appreciates dark chocolate and a good pun. As CEO of Lake Homes Realty, his work includes major involvement in marketing and technology (which in this day, are intertwined).
An author and speaker, he has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Realtor.com, ABC News Now, Psychology Today, Entrepreneur, and Fortune Small Business. Glenn also occasionally plays a really ugly tuba before an audience of thousands.
Glenn is also founder and Senior Consultant of Forte’ Incorporated, a technology consulting firm, and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Federation of Independent Business.
Learn more about Lake Homes Realty at lakehomes.com

March Signature Series Luncheon
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
The Marketing Evolution

Dan Pahos, CEO of Home Instead and BBJ’s 2014 Small Business Executive of the Year, will share how his marketing strategies have evolved over the past 20 years and leave you with ideas on how you can best market your business in today’s environment.
Luncheon attendees can also get their professional headshots updated at the luncheon! Photographer Eric Gray will be set up in The Harbert Center’s Library from 11:00 am until noon. The price is only $25 for AMA Birmingham members and $50 for non-members.

April Signature Series Luncheon | SEC Network
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
Ben May | Senior Director ESPN Sports Management, SEC-ESPN Network
Join us for a fascinating look into the SEC Network – the most successful cable network launch in history. And learn what ESPN and the SEC Network have planned for the future.
Ben is responsible for oversite of the Southeastern Conference’s official corporate sponsorship program for ESPN in conjunction with the SEC Network, a 24-7 television network dedicated to the Southeastern Conference and the most successful launch of a cable television network in history.
His responsibilities include representing conference assets to corporate America through multi-platform opportunities including conference intellectual property rights and event marketing, broadcast television and digital/social/mobile applications.

May Signature Series Luncheon | Brookwood Baptist Health
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
A Healthcare Joint Venture: What’s My Name Again?
Kate DeWitt Darden | Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Brookwood Baptist Health
The healthcare landscape experienced unprecedented change in 2016. Hospitals moved and changed names while across town two former competitors came together in a joint venture. Brookwood Baptist Health united Brookwood Medical Center, Baptist Health System and Tenet Healthcare. The new brand was launched in April of 2016 and Kate Darden will provide a behind the scenes look at the process, challenges and learnings.
Kate is responsible for brand management, service line marketing, advertising, public relations, content strategy, community engagement, and internal communications at Brookwood Baptist Health. Her career began at Southern Progress, where she led marketing for the Healthy Living Division, including blockbuster brands Cooking Light and Health. Before joining BHS, Kate and two partners with a shared passion for brand strategy and careers devoted to launching, building and re-inventing brands created a full service marketing firm, which served clients in travel, higher education, legal, and commercial real estate.

June Signature Series Luncheon | Taco Mama
2017-02-15 11:30 - 13:00
For The Love of Tacos and People – Standing Out In An Oversaturated Market
Presented by
Will Haver
Restauranteur/Owner of Taco Mama & Otey’s Tavern
There are hundreds of places you can get a taco – so what has Will Haver done to set his Birmingham-based beloved taqueria apart from the pack? Find out how Will’s vision for Taco Mama was guided by setting unwavering high standards of excellence in the décor, the service, its people and, of course, the food.
Will Haver has been in love with fresh ingredients since working in his mother’s garden outside of their Mountain Brook home. His introduction to working with garden-fresh food started there, and his beginnings in restaurant ownership began when he took over Crestline’s Otey’s Tavern in 2007. Haver then opened Taco Mama in December of 2011 and hasn’t looked back since, with his restaurant earning numerous accolades throughout the city and Haver himself even landing in the Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40.
