Community
ALABAMA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL APPOINTS NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
After a yearlong national search process, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival Board of Directors has appointed Arkansas-native Rick Dildine as ASF’s new Artistic Director. ASF Board Chairman Dr. Laurie Weil said, “A son of the South, Rick Dildine understands and appreciates what a unique treasure the Alabama Shakespeare Festival is to Montgomery, to the River Region, to Alabama and to the Southeast. He came to the search interviews having carefully studied the challenges and opportunities of our professional, producing theatre.” Under Dildine’s leadership at Shakespeare Festival St. Louis over the past eight years, the organization has grown attendance by 55 percent and contributed revenue by 38 percent. Dildine’s “Shakespeare in the Streets” program has received national attention for its distinctive storytelling style that uses Shakespeare and the words of everyday St. Louis residents to create original plays that are performed in the streets — a model so successful the concept has been replicated at theatres in Germany and South Africa. He has also developed numerous educational and community initiatives, for communities with little to no arts programming. Dildine replaces Geoffrey Sherman, who retired in July after serving as Producing Artistic Director of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival for the past 12 years.
DIRECTOR OF MMFA RETIRES
The Board of Trustees of the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and Mark M. Johnson, Director of the Museum, announced his retirement effective August 15, 2017. Johnson served for 23 years, by far the longest tenure of any director in the Museum’s history. He joined the staff of the MMFA as Director in August of 1994. MMFA is Alabama’s first art museum, founded in 1930. It is nationally recognized for its collections of American art, Old Master Prints, and regional works from the American South. During Johnson’s tenure, the museum welcomed more than 3 million visitors and acquired 1,700 works of art. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees in June, the Board acknowledged Johnson’s long tenure and accomplishments, and accorded him the honorary title, Director Emeritus. At a subsequent meeting, the Board announced the appointment of Edwin C. Bridges, Ph.D., as the Interim Director of the Museum. Dr. Bridges is the former Director of the Alabama Department of Archives and History, serving in that position from 1982 until his retirement in 2012. He has agreed to serve as Interim Director while the Museum’s Board of Trustees conducts a national search for a permanent director of the Museum.
MMFA WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts has named Emily Flowers as its new Director of Development. Flowers will direct and execute fundraising, manage donor relations, lead visitor services staff dedicated to engaging audiences and oversee public relations and marketing. As an experienced managing, marketing and communications professional, Flowers has spent the past seven years serving as the managing director and development director at The Cloverdale Playhouse. “Emily Flowers will bring a new level of leadership to MMFA. She brings a depth of experience in organizational strategy, audience development and revenue enhancement with a focus on cultural nonprofits,” said Mark Johnson, past Director of the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. “Her background at the Cloverdale Playhouse and John Stanley & Associates makes her an ideal choice as we prepare for the new Sculpture Garden opening next year.” Flowers earned her undergraduate degree in English at the University of Alabama. She also earned certifications from the American Society Appraisers, Pratt Institute, New York, and CCIM Institute, Atlanta. “As a native of Montgomery, Alabama, I am excited and honored to join MMFA because it is such an important cultural and educational resource for the Southeast.” Flowers said, “I am invested in helping enrich the museum’s reputation and attracting guests from the capital city and around the globe.”
BEASLEY ALLEN ATTORNEY NAMED PRESIDENT OF ALABAMA ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE
Frank Woodson, who practices in Beasley Allen’s Mass Torts Section, was inducted as the President of the Alabama Association for Justice (ALAJ). It is the mission of ALAJ to make sure any person injured through another’s misconduct or negligence can get justice. ALAJ works to eliminate civil justice restrictions and to strengthen the civil justice system so that everyone can have their day in court and equal access to justice. “As a 33-year member and now in my sixth year as an officer of the Alabama Association for Justice, I know the importance of the work we do, not only for members, but for the citizens of the State of Alabama. As President, I will work closely with our staff, lobby team, officers and board of directors to keep the doors of the Courthouse open for clients, educate and assist our members and fight to uphold the 7th amendment rights of the citizens of our state,” Woodson said.
CLOVERDALE PLAYHOUSE ADDS NEW STAFF
The Cloverdale Playhouse, Montgomery’s community theater, is currently in its 6th season of plays, classes, special events and more, and its success has led to growth and exciting changes. This summer, the Playhouse attracted two new staff members: a new Managing Director and its first full-time Technical Director. Melaine Bennett, an Alabama native who recently returned home, is Managing Director and Scott Grinstead, who moved to Montgomery from Chattanooga, is Technical Director. They join current Artistic Director Sarah Walker Thornton to complete the 2017 Season and make plans for the 2018 Season.
Achievements
SYNOVUS RANKED MOST REPUTABLE BANK
Synovus, Sterling Bank, has been named “Most Reputable Bank” in the United States in the annual Survey of Bank Reputations conducted by Reputation Institute and published by American Banker. Of 42 banks included in the survey, Synovus ranked first overall, first among non-customers and in the top ten among customers. Synovus ranked second overall in 2016. “We are proud to be named as the country’s most reputable bank, and I am deeply grateful to the entire Synovus team for making this recognition possible,” said Kessel D. Stelling, chairman and CEO of Synovus. “This year’s ranking demonstrates that who we are, what we stand for, and how we do business resonate strongly with customers and non-customers. It also validates the strength of Synovus’ service-focused culture as we transition to a single brand in 2018.” The annual Survey of Bank Reputations, which began in 2010, provides a detailed analysis of the components that together formulate corporate reputations, and how different banks rate on those measures.
“The most reputable banks in 2017 recognize that perceptions of good governance—inclusive of ethics, openness, honesty, and fairness—carry the most weight of importance,” said Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, vice president and U.S. consulting director for Reputation Institute. “Highly reputable banks such as Synovus also realize that beyond the table stakes of delivering on high quality products and services, that perceptions of innovation are increasingly important, accounting for 13.5 percent of the weight of reputation.” The list of America’s most reputable banks is compiled annually by American Banker and Reputation Institute, the world’s foremost research and advisory firm focused solely on corporate reputations.
TURENNE PHARMEDCO CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
For a quarter century Turenne PharMedCo has been committed to strengthening the long-term health-care industry by providing quality solutions and exceptional service. The pharmacy and medical supply distributor celebrated 25 years in business this summer. Turenne PharMedCo’s 25th anniversary offers employees and customers an opportunity to reflect on the company’s growth and impact on the long-term health-care industry. In 1992, Turenne was established in a small office with a handful of dedicated skilled nursing professionals to provide a few products to a limited customer base. Over the years, it has grown to serve longterm health-care facilities throughout the nation with a wide range of medical supplies and has three pharmacies in Alabama and Tennessee. PharMedCo now employs about 200 people at its approximately 100,000-square-foot home office in Montgomery.
GILPIN GIVHAN IN TOP SEVEN FINALISTS FOR “LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR”
Gilpin Givhan announced that Captive Review named the firm in the top seven finalists for “Law Firm of the Year” in its 2017 U.S. Captive Review Awards. Judged by a panel of captive owners and risk managers and presented by the leading trade publication focused on risk management and captive insurance, the awards celebrate innovation, commitment and those firms that demonstrate the highest levels of excellence in the captive insurance field. “We are extremely pleased to be in the running for Captive Review’s ‘Law Firm of the Year,’” said Gilpin Givhan Managing Partner Davis Smith. “We are proud of our team for their dedication to client service, continuing leadership and significant contributions to the industry. It is always a great honor to be recognized with a nomination for meeting the highest standards of service by peers and clients.” Gilpin Givhan’s Health Care and Regulated Industries practice group advises our clients on creative solutions to manage risks and realize business objectives through captives.
CADDELL PRESIDENT AND CEO FEATURED IN BUSINESS ALABAMA
Caddell Construction President and CEO Eddie Stewart was selected as the cover feature for the June 2017 issue of Business Alabama magazine, one of the largest and most influential business publications in Alabama with a multi-state regional distribution. The article highlighted Stewart’s selection as the 2018 president of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the largest U.S. construction industry association and a strong advocate for thousands of large and small construction-related businesses nationwide. He will be the first Alabamian to serve in this prestigious role, which coincides with the AGC’s centennial celebration. Stewart is currently the national AGC vice president and has been an active member and officer for more than 25 years. “I am very honored by this privilege to serve an organization that has and will continue to do so much for our industry,” he said. The article explored Stewart’s perspective on some of the benefits of AGC involvement. “AGC has a great relationship with many Caddell clients, including federal agencies. Having the opportunity to work one-on-one with the policy and decision makers of those agencies was a tremendous benefit to Caddell. We’ve also formed many successful joint ventures because of the companies and individuals we met through AGC.” Stewart will be officially sworn in as AGC President in February 2018 at the AGC National Convention in New Orleans.
Awards & Honors
BEASLEY ALLEN PRINCIPAL NAMED “RISING STAR”
Danielle Ward Mason, principal with Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., has been included for the second consecutive year in the Law360 Rising Stars rankings. Law360’s Rising Stars profiles the top legal talent nationwide, younger than 40. The winners are comprised of top litigators and dealmakers practicing at a level usually seen from veteran attorneys. “We congratulate Danielle on her continued success and hard work,” said Beasley Allen Principal & Managing Attorney Tom Methvin. “Her drive to obtain justice for her clients epitomizes our firm’s bedrock principle to put our clients first and ensure their access to justice.” Mason, a Montgomery, Ala. native, became the first African-American female principal at the Beasley Allen Law Firm by age 37 where she proudly focuses her practice on health-related cases and is particularly motivated by cases that have the potential to advance women’s health issues. She has helped win millions of dollars in verdicts for those suffering because of reprehensible corporate conduct. These verdicts have provided a platform for raising public awareness about unsafe medical devices and drugs. They have also led to corrective action by regulators and drug manufacturers. Nationally, Mason was also named to the 2014 and 2015 Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list, which recognizes the top up-and-coming attorneys.
LOCAL MED STUDENT HONORED
Caroline Sellers Fuller has been recently named as one of The Dean’s Primary Care Scholars at the UAB School of Medicine. Sellers is a member of the Class of 2020 assigned to the Montgomery Regional Medical Campus of the UAB School of Medicine. Seven first-year medical students from the Birmingham campus and one each from the three regional campuses were selected for the honor. As a high school student, Fuller participated in the St. Hugh’s Summer Program at the University of Oxford in England. She is a native of Birmingham and was a Dean’s Honor Graduate in the College of Natural Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin where she received her BS degree. Previous Montgomery campus Dean’s Primary Care Scholars were Xavier Baldwin, Paylee Myrex and Russell Marsh.
BEASLEY ALLEN ATTORNEY AWARDED
Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C. Principal Andrew E. Brashier was selected as a 2017 recipient of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Wiedemann & Wysocki Award. The award is presented annually to lawyers who demonstrate a deep commitment to the highest standards and who are passionately committed to the principles of the civil justice system and the mission of AAJ, which is to “promote a fair and effective justice system and to support the work of attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests.” Brashier has practiced in the Consumer Fraud section since joining the Beasley Allen Law Firm in September 2010. He has focused primarily on consumer class actions along with qui tam litigation under the False Claims Act and was recently named by The National Trial Lawyers to the Alabama Top 40 Under 40 list.
