industry/manufacturing people in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, providing wholesale beverage and snack sales, full-line vending, and catering services. Lee began working summers at Buffalo Rock when he was 12. He went to work for the company full-time in 1971, about a year after he finished college. ALMA MATER Auburn University BEVERAGE OF CHOICE Diet Mountain Dew ON MY BUCKET LIST Normandy Beach TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Dealing with being a diabetic FAVORITE MUSICIAN Buddy Holly DESSERT Key Lime Pie
C. Phillip McWane Chairman, McWane Inc.
McWane is the chairman of McWane, Inc. in Birmingham. McWane joined the company in 1980 and has held a number of management positions, including executive vice president and president. He has served on the board of McWane, Inc. since 1986. He is a graduate of Auburn University. McWane currently serves on the board of directors of McWane, Inc., the National Bank of Commerce, National Commerce Corporation, and Children’s of Alabama. He is a member of the Downtown Rotary, Leadership Alabama, and serves on the boards of The McWane Science Center, PreSchool Partners Advisory Board, and The Birmingham Business Alliance Executive Committee. He is married to Heather McWane. They have three children: Laura, Katie, and Will. ALMA MATER Auburn University FAVORITE CHARITY Children’s of Alabama SMARTPHONE APP Flipbook FAVORITE MOVIE The Man Who Would be King PASSION/HOBBY Golf and guitar
Claude Nielsen Chairman and CEO, Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED
Nielsen joined Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED, Inc. in 1979, holding a variety of operational and managerial positions until 1991 when he was appointed CEO. Under his direction as CEO, Coca-Cola UNITED has become the largest privately held Coca-Cola bottler in the United States, third largest Coca-Cola bottler in the nation, and the seventh largest privately held company in Alabama. Coca-Cola UNITED is comprised of 28 franchised Coca-Cola territories operating in 27 sales centers in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In 2014, under Nielson’s leadership, Coca-Cola UNITED assumed territories in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee, increasing the company’s size by 48 percent. A native of Evergreen, Alabama, he earned a BA in economics from Sewanee: The University of the South in 1973 and received his master’s degree in business from The Colgate-Darden School of Business at The University of Virginia in 1975. He and his wife, Kate, attend the Church of the Advent and have three children and four grandchildren.
Mike Oatridge
Vice President of Manufacturing, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC Oatridge began working on the HMA project team in August 2000 and moved to Alabama to support the start up of the new facility in March 2001. Located in Lincoln, Alabama, Honda’s $2.2 billion vehicle and engine operation in Alabama employs more than 4,500 associates. The company produces the Odyssey minivan, the Pilot sport utility vehicle, the Ridgeline pickup truck, the Acura MDX luxury sport utility vehicle, and the V-6 engines that power them. Oatridge started his career with Honda in 1989 at Honda of Canada, where he worked on many new-model vehicle projects, including the Odyssey minivan. Born in Oakville, Ontario, Oatridge now lives in Birmingham. ALMA MATER Ryerson University, 1988, mechanical engineering BEVERAGE OF CHOICE Craft beer ON MY BUCKET LIST Drive an open-wheel race car TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Being a good husband and father FAVORITE MOVIE Blade Runner FAVORITE MUSICIAN Roger Waters of Pink Floyd
Craft O’Neal
Chairman, O’Neal Steel O’Neal, chairman and grandson of company founder Kirkman O’Neal, was born and raised in the steel business in Birmingham. In 1984, he began his career at O’Neal as a member of the Birmingham District’s Inside sales department. After continually increasing positions of responsibility, O’Neal succeeded his father, Emmet O’Neal, as chairman. O’Neal serves on the boards of the American Red Cross, Baylor School, Birmingham Business Alliance Executive Committee, Children’s of Alabama, UAB’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, and UAB’s Athletics Foundation. He is a member of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club and Rotary Club of Birmingham. O’Neal is also an active fundraiser, chairing or co-chairing campaigns for the Birmingham Zoo, Alabama Symphony, American Heart Association, Birmingham International Center, and United Way of Central Alabama. ALMA MATER Birmingham-Southern College ON MY BUCKET LIST Travel to New Zealand and Australia PASSION/HOBBY I love athletics, both as a participant and spectator. TOUGHEST CHALLENGE Loss of my parents and a brother to cancer FAVORITE CHARITY United Way of Central Alabama SMARTPHONE APP Spotify FAVORITE MUSICIAN Chris Martin DESSERT Pralines and cream ice cream
Michael Sellers CEO, Good People Brewing Company
All Sellers set out to do was make good beer to share with friends. He never imagined that a passion for brewing would become a
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