Photo courtesy of Leadership Hoover.
The Leadership Hoover Class of 2020-21 poses for a photo outside of Topgolf in Birmingham, where the group had a team-building activity in September.
The fourth class of Leadership Hoover is well under way with 34 people from a variety of organizations and industries.
The group held an opening retreat in September at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham – The Wynfrey Hotel, with team-building activities the second day at Breakout Birmingham and Topgolf, said Lori Leonard, executive director for Leadership Hoover.
The goal of Leadership Hoover is to gather together a group of leaders and emerging leaders who are interested in expanding their leadership skills, deepening their sense of civic responsibility, becoming more involved in helping the community and learning about Hoover’s issues and needs.
The group meets the second Tuesday of each month, focusing on a different topic each month.
In October, the group learned about public safety, hearing from police Chief Nick Derzis, Fire Chief Clay Bentley and 911 Center Director Linda Moore and touring places such as the Hoover Jail, 911 Center and the Fire Department’s training center.
In November, they focused on small businesses and entrepreneurs, hearing from a variety of small businesses from different parts of the city and touring The Village at Brock’s Gap.
In December, class members plan to focus on economic development, learning about the effort to draw more technology companies to Hoover, tourism and events in the city and the office market.
In January, the plan is to hear from a variety of government officials at the city, county and state levels, as well as department heads for the city of Hoover. In February, they will have a “one community day,” focusing on diversity. The topic in March is education, which likely will include a visit to schools, including the Riverchase Career Connection Center, and presentations from Faulkner University and Jefferson State Community College.
In April, the group will have a “quality of life day,” learning about health care in Hoover and the various amenities and facilities, such as Hoover parks, Aldridge Gardens, Hoover-Randle Home & Gardens and Hoover Public Library.
The nine-month program concludes in May with graduation and presentations about projects the group will undertake this year.
Projects last year included starting a program to create murals in different spots around Hoover, creating a new scholarship for worthy students who may not be at the top of their class, establishing an international food district and fair, improving the city’s webpage devoted to city parks, and creating positive signs to help young people struggling with bullying, depression or suicidal thoughts.
The members of the Leadership Hoover Class of 2020-21:
- Cristina Almanza, business development coordinator, Buffalo Rock Co.
- Jeannine Bailey, talent and employee engagement manager, Alabama Power Co./Southern Co. Operations
- Yolanda Barbour, commercial account manager, Alabama Power Co.
- LaVeeda Battle, owner, Battle Law Firm
- Clint Blackmon, lieutenant, Hoover Police Department
- Orunda Bryant, senior manager for claims litigation, Kemper Corp.
- Danielle Buchanan, human resources supervisor, Regions Bank
- April Collins, owner and attorney, Collins Law
- Patricia Davis-McCulland, deputy compliance officer, Encompass Health
- TJ Dolan, financial advisor, Edward Jones Investments
- David Eberhardt, vice president for student development, Birmingham-Southern College
- Traci Fox, owner, T. Fox Salon
- David Galbaugh, vice president of sports sales and marketing, Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Jennifer Hall Harris, director of client relations, Weber Mortgage
- Yolanda Hicks, senior dealer sales consultant, Cox Automotive
- Nick Hoard, owner, Nick the Marketer
- Phil Hutcheson, interim executive director/legal counselor/chief financial officer, Alabama Public Television
- Terry Lamar, director of equity and educational initiatives, Hoover City Schools
- David LeCompte, financial planner, Bridgeworth Wealth Management
- Rush Letson, president, Letson & Associates
- Jennifer Maye, director of professional learning, Jefferson County Board of Education
- Jeff Maze, partner, Sovereign CPA Group
- Tanveer Patel, co-founder and president, Concertcare
- Kristin Powell, psychologist, Blankenship & Seay Consulting
- Regis Ramos, chief financial officer of investments division, BBVA Compass Investments Solutions
- Debbie Rutherford, fashion consultant/model/public relations representative for Town & Country Clothes
- Samat Shah, president/owner, Kopri Signs & Graphics
- Mary Smith, vice president for treasury operations, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
- Jonathan Spann, project manager/electrical engineer, Edmonds Engineering
- Carrie Steinmehl, technology manager, Hoover Public Library
- Michelle Torbor, owner and licensed professional counselor, Cardinal Wellness
- Gerard Truesdale, attorney, The Morton Law Firm
- Kimberly Nash White, principal, Gwin Elementary School
- Tahara Evans Wood, director, Hoover-Randle Home & Gardens
