Jay Lamar was appointed Executive Director of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission in early 2014. She previously worked at Auburn University, most recently as the director of Special Programs for the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies and managing editor of Auburn Speaks, an annual publication of the Vice President for Research. Before moving to Special Programs,…
Greg Lein was raised in Huntsville, AL, and attended Auburn University, where he received a bachelors’ degree in Wildlife Science in 1991, and a masters’ degree in Fisheries Science in 1995. During his career, Greg has worked as a field biologist in the southwest and southeastern U.S., working with rare and endangered mammals, amphibians, and…
April Boone is the president/CEO of Global Marketing Solutions, a marketing company specializing in tourism and hospitality. April founded GMS as a one-woman show in 2005. Today, the full-service marketing firm has grown to include more than 30 team members fulfilling services including website design, social media marketing, mobile app programming, content marketing, reputation management…
Robby Melvin, the face of the Southern Living Test Kitchen – “the South’s most trusted kitchen” – worked under James Beard Award winning Chef Frank Stitt at Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega and Chez Fon Fon, where he served as Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine. He also worked with James Beard Award winning Chef…
Joanie Flynn, Vice President of Marketing for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, has spent her entire career promoting travel and tourism. Over her career she has actively marketed leisure travel, meetings travel, vacation rentals and now destination marketing management. The underlying thread has been promoting to the needs of travelers and linking their interests…
Julie Prendergast Magee was appointed Alabama Revenue Commissioner by Gov. Robert Bentley in January 2011, overseeing the collection of $9.8 billion in revenue annually. During her tenure as Commissioner, Magee has had the distinction of serving in leadership roles in the Federation of Tax Administrators, the Multistate Tax Commission, and the Southeastern Association of Tax…
Jason Wilson is a 5th Generation Alabamian, and the first member of his family to graduate college. In 2005, after receiving a degree in Logistics & Supply Chain Management from the Auburn University College of Business, Wilson joined current Back Forty Beer Company COO, Tripp Collins, as a logistics analyst for Georgia Pacific. In 2008,…
Darienne Mobley is a national tourism expert who specializes in strategic planning, tourism assessments, leadership and board development, training and marketing. Darienne’s more than 30-year career in the tourism industry includes the distinct honor of having served as the Director of Tourism for both the states of Mississippi and Louisiana. She has worked in a…
Bill Geist is the Chief Instigator at DMOproz (aka Zeitgeist Consulting), a firm specializing in strategic planning, governance, marketing and legislative issues for convention and visitor bureaus, tourism-focused chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and communities. Bill is the author of the acclaimed Destination Leadership for Boards and a contributor to Fundamentals in Destination Marketing. He has provided…
George Martin is the Chief Operating Officer of Lucy Buffett’s LuLu’s in Gulf Shores, AL and Destin, FL. Employing over 700 employees in a summer season, between the two locations, George will stress the importance of “Training a Winning Team” from first hand experience. George’s professional career in Food and Beverage Management stems from the…