Community
YMCA OF GREATER MONTGOMERY ANNOUNCES JIMMY HITCHCOCK WINNERS
The YMCA of Greater Montgomery named Mary Conley Teel and Brian Anderson as the recipients of the 2017 YMCA of Greater Montgomery Jimmy Hitchcock Award. Both were honored, along with 51 other area high school seniors, at an awards banquet. Brian Anderson is a senior at Catholic Preparatory School and a star track, football, basketball, and golf player who has won numerous accolades and awards in all sports. In addition to his rigorous sports schedule, he is extremely active in his church, Holy Spirit in Montgomery, and is involved in numerous extracurricular activities. He will be attending the University of North Carolina on a football scholarship. Mary Conley Teel is a senior at Trinity Presbyterian School and a star volleyball and tennis player who has won numerous awards in both sports. She is a star scholar as well with a 4.32 GPA and will be attending Clemson in the fall to study agricultural techniques to help underdeveloped countries and plans to be a missionary. She attends First Baptist Church in Montgomery. The YMCA of Greater Montgomery Jimmy Hitch- cock Committee honors young athletes for Christian leadership. Hitchcock was the first All-American football player at Auburn University. Hitchcock played 3rd base for the baseball team and later signed with the New York Yankees. He also started little league baseball in Montgomery.
AUM COLLEGE OF BUSINESS HONORS ALUMNI
The Auburn Montgomery College of Business recognized some of its most successful alumni last spring during its annual Honors Day ceremony on campus. Ashley Taylor, a 2007 and 2010 graduate, was honored as the 2017 Outstanding Young Alumnus. Taylor began her career at Jackson Thornton in 2008. She received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and her MBA from AUM’s College of Business. She has earned the designations of Certified Valuation Analyst, Accredited in Business Valuation and Certified in Financial Forensics. Tommy Jackson was honored as the 2017 Outstanding Alumni. Jackson is a senior vice president-investments with Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management’s Birmingham office. Jackson attended AUM on academic scholarship and graduated Summa Cum Laude in finance in 1985. Bruce Crawford received the college’s most prestigious award, Outstanding Business Leader of the Year. Crawford is the Chief Executive Officer for Montgomery’s East Region Consumer & Commercial Banking with BBVA Compass. Crawford has served in this capacity since February 2000 after first joining Compass Bank as a Vice President and Commercial Relationship Manager in 1997. Crawford received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from AUM in 1983.
Achievements
FOUR STAR FREIGHTLINER RECEIVES SAFETY AWARD
In April, Four Star Freightliner was selected as the Alabama Trucking Association Workers Compensation Fund Safety Award Winner for the Allied Division. According to ATA, the award is based on the company’s outstanding loss ratio, commitment to safety and willingness to consider and implement loss control recommendations. Four Star Freightliner Dealer Principal Jerry Kocan accepted the award on behalf of his two Alabama dealerships. Four Star Freightliner has operated two dealerships in Dothan and Montgomery for more than 17 years.
BEASLEY ALLEN SECURES THREE OF THE NATION’S TOP 100 VERDICTS IN 2016
The National Law Journal recognized Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., on its annual list of the nation’s Top 100 Verdicts for three separate trial victories on behalf of cancer victims. In 2016, the firm secured jury verdicts of $72 million, $70 million and $55 million, the third, fourth and fifth largest personal injury verdicts of the year, all against Johnson & Johnson for ovarian cancer claims related to the use of talcum powder. The rankings are based on research by ALM’s VerdictSearch, the recognized leader in U.S. verdict information. “We take great pride in achieving justice for those injured by corporate actions, and we try mightily to change negligent corporate behavior to prevent future tragedies,” said Jere Beasley, principal and founder of the firm.
ALABAMA AG CREDIT ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTORS
Alabama Ag Credit stockholders recently elected David Hataway of Montgomery and Tim Tucker of Uriah to the Alabama Ag Credit Board of Directors. The board of directors is responsible for establishing policies, providing strategic direction and overseeing all major institution functions. The two farmer-ranchers began their three-year terms in late May 2017. Alabama Ag Credit, headquartered in Montgomery, provides long-term real estate loans on farms, timberland, recreational properties, home sites, agribusinesses and country homes in the lower 40 counties in Alabama. They also provide short and intermediate-term lending for operating, equipment and livestock. The association is a member-owned, locally controlled cooperative that is part of the national Farm Credit System established in 1916.
REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVES CCIM
SVNJJMottram announced that John Mottram successfully achieved the Certified Commercial Investment Member designa- tion on April 4, 2017 at the Midyear Governance Meetings at the Fairmont Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. CCIM is a global community of 13,000 members, more than 50 chapters and 30 countries that educates and connects the world’s leading experts in investment strategy, financial analysis and negotiation. Through the CCIM signature designation program and topical education courses offered through the Ward Center for Real Estate Studies, the Insti tute has elevated real estate professionals to the highest reaches of the industry. Almost 70 percent of designees hold the title of owner, partner, principal or president, representing an exclusive worldwide referral network. In addition, CCIM offers its members the industry’s best digital toolkit, allowing entrepreneurial and mid-sized business to compete with multinational providers.
JERE BEASLEY ADDED TO LAWDRAGON HALL OF FAME
Jere L. Beasley, Principal & Founder of Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., has been named to the Lawdragon Hall of Fame. He is among 45 top lawyers in the nation who were selected for this honor. The Lawdragon Hall of Fame “celebrates lawyers whose mark on the legal profession is indelible.” “It is quite an honor to be recognized in this manner, realizing there are hundreds of lawyers who are
more deserving,” Beasley said. “God has blessed me, and I have tried my best as a lawyer to bless others. I am proud and also humbled to be a
trial lawyer.” Beasley established a one-lawyer firm that officially opened on Jan. 15, 1979, and he filed his first case on behalf of the practice on Jan. 17, 1979. Today, Beasley Allen is one of the country’s leading firms involved in civil litigation on behalf of claimants, having represent- ed hundreds of thousands of people. In January, the firm opened an office in Atlanta, Georgia, its first expansion outside of its home headquarters in Montgomery, Alabama.
LOCAL CONSULTANT INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
Kenneth B. Heitkamp, a long-standing Chamber advocate, sup- porter and military contributor, was recently acknowledged and inducted into the Air Force Cyberspace Operations & Support Hall of Fame. Lt. Gen. William J. Bender, Chief, Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, announced the selection of Heitkamp and three other former Air Force leaders for induction into this year’s Air Force Cyberspace Operations and Support Hall of Fame (formerly Communications and Information Hall of Fame). The Hall of Fame was established by the Air Force in 1999 to recognize those who contributed high standards of excellence in accomplishing the Air Force mission. During Heitkamp’s 42-year Air Force career, he was recognized by his colleagues and senior executives in the information technology field as a pioneer and innovator. He also earned the AFCEA International Award for Excellence in Information Technology and the GSA Trail Boss Special Achievement Award for his pioneering work.
LOCAL LAWYER MAKES LAWDRAGON 500
Beasley Allen lawyer Ted G. Meadows has been selected for inclusion in the 2017 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. This annual list represents “the most elite distinction in the profession, covering the best of the best in all practice areas.” Speaking about this year’s honorees, Lawdragon notes that Plaintiffs lawyers represent the “plight of individuals who feel powerless and abandoned. Plaintiff lawyers are a powerful army for the injured, and we are proud of their representation on this year’s 500, as every year.” “It’s an honor to be recognized by Lawdragon 500,” said Meadows. “However, the truth is that I wouldn’t be singled out in this way without the help of great lawyers from around the country and the full support of my law partners and staff at Beasley Allen as we’ve litigated talc cases over the past couple of years. With this recognition comes the opportunity to make the public aware of the danger of genital talc use – this is a priority of the ovarian cancer victims we represent.” The Lawdragon 500 guides are selected from a combination of editorial research by Lawdragon staff; submissions from law firms; and an online nomination form that allows visitors to its site to recommend and comment on their favorite lawyers.
Awards & Honors
MONTGOMERY HOTEL HONORED
At a recent industry conference, Homewood Suites Montgomery won the Outstanding Customer Service award for 2016. Also, the property won the Barry Krakowsky C.A.R.E.S. award for its com- munity service. This is the hotel’s second year in a row to win this particular award.
MONTGOMERY AREA REMODELERS EARN AWARDS
Several members of the Greater Montgomery Home Builders Association were among the honorees at the 2017 Alabama Remodeling Excellence Awards Banquet, which took place on April 8 at the Capital City Club in Montgomery. WSC Distinctive Builders’ Cottage by the Lake project earned wins in the categories of Additions $100,000-$250,000 and Exterior Remodel and was named a runner-up in the categories of Residential Specialty and Whole House Remodel over $500,000. Selby Davis Builder, LLC was the winner in the category of Kitchen Remodel under $40,000 for its Gunster Kitchen project. The company was also named a runner-up in the Outdoor Living category for its Back- yard Barbecue Pad. Kimbro Renovations was named a runner-up in the categories of Whole House Remodel under $500,000 (Allendale Project) and Bath Remodel under $20,000 (Wildwood Bath). The Alabama Remodeling Excellence Awards, presented by the Home Builders Association of Alabama, were presented to remodelers, contractors, kitchen and bath designers, and other building professionals who exhibited outstanding craftsman- ship and attention to detail in projects throughout Alabama.
ALFA INSURANCE AGENT RECOGNIZED WITH DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Alfa Insurance® Agent Billy Bradford of Montgomery was recently honored with the 2016 Distinguished Service Award during the company’s annual
awards ceremony in Montgomery. The ceremony recognized the company’s best agents and managers for their dedicated service and commitment to policyholders. Bradford has served as an Alfa® agent since 1989. He represents the company’s full line of insurance for auto, home, life and business.
RONNIE SHAW EARNS PRESIDENT’S CLUB AWARD
Ronnie Shaw of the Shaw Agency in Montgomery earned the number 20 position in Auto-Owners Insurance Company’s 2016 President’s Club. The President’s Club honors the top 25 agents for Auto-Owners whose life, health and annuity insurance production is the highest for the company in a calendar year. Auto-Owners, a Fortune 500 company, currently has more than 20,000 agents authorized to produce life and life-related business in 26 states. This is the first time Shaw has been a President’s Club member. His agency, Shaw Agency, has been in business since 1999 and has represented Auto-Owners Insurance Company for over two years.
CHAMBER AND HMMA HONORED
At the River Region United Way Annual Meeting & Open House in May, The Jean and Adolph “Bucks” Weil, Jr. Award was presented to Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. Originally created in 1977, the award now known as The Jean and Adolph “Bucks” Weil, Jr. Award is the highest honor bestowed by the River Region United Way. It honors the philanthropic endeavors and commitment to community service of the late Jean and Bucks Weil, two long-standing supporters of the United Way. This award recognizes individuals and organizations for outstanding service and contributions to the community through the River Region United Way. Year after year, the Montgomery Area Chamber continues to lead, having 100-percent participation from its employees giving to the United Way Campaign. The Chamber’s continued support of the River Region United Way is an extension of its own mission to build a better community for us all. Since HMMA’s first United Way campaign in 2004, team-member and corporate pledges have approached nearly $2.65 million.
