2014 Fusion Awards

fusion

Building a more diverse city takes people who see similarities, not differences, and opportunities, not barriers. On the pages that follow are the winners of B-Metro’s 2014 Fusion Awards.

Compiled by Lindsey Lowe Photography by Beau Gustafson

Fusion: a merging of diverse, distinct, or separate elements

into a unified whole. That is the official definition, courtesy of Webster. Our definition is a little bit different. To us, fusion means Birmingham.

A definition is one thing, but in order to really understand a concept, to comprehend something, you need context. The people on these pages represent that context. Together they are building a more diverse city, a place where fusion really happens.

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Karen Musgrove

Executive Director, Birmingham AIDS Outreach Musgrove received her BS and M.Ed. from the University of Montevallo and is a licensed professional counselor through the board of examiners in counseling of the state of Alabama. For 11 years Musgrove has served as executive director for Birmingham AIDS Outreach. The mission of Birmingham AIDS Outreach is to enhance the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS, at-risk, affected individuals, and the LGBTQ community through outreach, age-appropriate prevention education, and supportive services. Birmingham AIDS Outreach serves more than 700 HIVpositive individuals a year, provides more than 1,000 HIV tests to the community, and has opened a new LGBTQ youth center that includes support groups, HIV education, art classes, counseling, and movie nights.

Musgrove has experience in case management, grant writing, grant administration, administrating new programs, management of funding, program development, speaking on a variety of subjects, and natural disaster emergency response.

Musgrove has worked for various nonprofits in the Birmingham community including Gateway, JBS Mental Health Authority, and the American Red Cross. Her honors include Leadership Birmingham, 2014–2015; The Women’s Network; American Red Cross Mental

Health Volunteer, World Trade Center 9/11, 2001; Top 40 under 40, Birmingham Business Journal, 2001; and Smart Woman 2012, The Women’s Fund. Musgrove has served on the following nonprofit boards: The Magic City Choral Society, founding board member, past chair; Crestwood North Neighborhood, board member; Central Alabama Theatre, founding board member, vice chair; Birmingham AIDS Outreach, board member. She is a lifelong resident of Birmingham and lives in the Crestwood North neighborhood.

“Professionally, I am very proud of BAO and how far we have come in the fight against HIV. Ten years ago, many HIV organizations around the United States were closing due to lack of funding, but in this time, BAO has continued to expand, add programs, and increase our community support. BAO is a community-driven agency and the citizens of Birmingham really support BAO and those we serve. I am very proud of BAO’s new LGBTQ youth center, The Magic City Acceptance Center and the programs we are providing to at-risk youth,” Musgrove says. “Personally, I am very proud of my Crestwood North neighborhood. I love living in the city and having an 87-yearold house that I have restored room by room. The neighborhood is a community with neighbors who care and help others and it is a great place to live and thrive in Birmingham.” b-metro.com

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Dr. Sanjay Singh

Partner and Vice President of Community Service, CTS

Sandy Naramore

Executive Director, Mitchell’s Place

Naramore graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in behavior disorders. After teaching at a private school in Princeton, New Jersey, for one year, Naramore joined E.P.I.C. School in Birmingham as a member of the inaugural faculty. She later earned a master of arts in early childhood education of the handicapped as well as certification of administration from UAB. Naramore worked as a special education teacher in a variety of settings, including Allan Cott School, Cahaba Heights Elementary, and Crestline Elementary School. She also served as assistant principal for Greystone Elementary in the Hoover City Schools system.

In 2008, Naramore retired from the Alabama Department of Education in order to pursue her career in the private sector as the educational director of Mitchell’s Place, a nonprofit comprehensive center for children and adolescents diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. After a short time, Naramore moved into the role of executive director, where she remains today. As executive director, she oversees all programs associated with Mitchell’s Place. “In my line of work, we are constantly collaborating with other agencies, local and private schools, and universities to unite efforts in bringing awareness of disabilities throughout the city as well as statewide. I have been a member of numerous committees that meet with local and state politicians addressing issues of concern for children, adolescents, and adults affected by autism,” she says. “It has been most rewarding to see people from different walks of life come together for a common cause.” Naramore grew up in the Birmingham area, where she lives today with her husband, Lane. They have two grown sons, Laney (Katherine) and Wes. Her family will welcome their first grandchild, a granddaughter, in late October.

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Singh holds a Ph.D. in management information systems and strategic management from the University of Georgia and currently serves as partner and vice president of community services at CTS. For 20 years, Singh was a faculty member at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, teaching and supervising theses for masters and doctoral students in the schools of business, engineering, computer science, and healthcare administration.

Further, he has visited, lectured, and studied more than 200 companies in more than 75 countries in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. “We are just getting started in terms of the resurgence of this city. Every day, I meet bright young people who are moving to Birmingham from all parts of the country, starting companies, joining nonprofits, and all striving to make and embrace change,” he says. “There is an air of positive momentum that simply does not exist anywhere else.”

Singh recently joined the President’s Campaign Executive Committee, which is dedicated to raising $1 billion for UAB. Additionally, he serves as the president of the Rotary Club of downtown Birmingham, and is on the boards of the Alys Stephens Center, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham Business Alliance, McWane Science Center, and Founders Investment Bank. He started the Indian Cultural Society at the Birmingham Museum of Art, which is dedicated to promoting Indian art and culture in Alabama. Singh is married to Dora Eugenia and enjoys vacationing with his two children, Vivek Gabriel and Indira Evangelina.

Freddy Rubio Founding Partner, Rubio Law Firm

Originally from Puerto Rico, Rubio has been in Alabama since 1991. He earned a bachelor of science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in accounting and obtained a J.D. from Cumberland School of Law. At Cumberland, he cofounded the Hispanic Interest Law Student Association and was a member of the National Trial Team. While attending Cumberland, he worked as an assistant district attorney for Montgomery County, where he tried his first jury trial.

Rubio founded Rubio Law Firm in 2009 and has focused his efforts in providing legal representation to the Alabama Hispanic community. He works hard to ensure that the immigrant community has the same access to justice as the community at large. His practice focuses on the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, and criminal defense. He was part of the legal team who successfully challenged the constitutionality of HB56. He is a member of the Alabama Bar Association, the Birmingham Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He serves on the national board of directors for the ACLU and many state and local boards. Due to his experience working with immigrants, Rubio is regarded as a preeminent authority on the intersection of civil and criminal litigation and immigration issues. “In recent years, due in part to the immigration law that our state tried to pass, our city has become more aware of the fact that we are no longer only a black and white community,” he says. “We now see Latino-owned businesses throughout Birmingham and we see a strong presence of Spanish newspapers and radio stations. We also have people from many nations employed by our local governments and major corporations.

“At our offices we encourage Latino entrepreneurs and business owners to stay in Birmingham and market to the community at large. We also help individuals resolve legal matters and ensure that they are part of this community.”

Rubio is married to Isabel, the cofounder and executive director of !HICA!, The Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama.

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Rev. Marianne D. Stuart Priest, St. John’s Episcopal Church for the Deaf

For 25 years, Stuart worked as an American Sign Language interpreter in the Birmingham community. She is fluent in American Sign Language and uses voice and sign in the worship services at St. John’s for the Deaf.

She is married to Peter Stuart and between the two of them, they have ten children through adoption and birth. Their home is blissfully quiet now, as all of them are grown. They currently live in Lincoln, Alabama.

She joined St. John’s in 2006. The congregation at St. John’s was growing older and outreach was something that was difficult for the members to handle. When it became clear that the Deaf Ministry in the Episcopal Church nationally was becoming more challenging to maintain because of the aging population and the loss of three signing priests to retirement and death, Stuart began to think outside of the box. The Live Stream ministry was developed to keep the deaf congregations alive and worshipping together with the Lay leadership they presently have and the pastoral attention of their own communities.

After writing a grant to the Episcopal Conference of the Deaf, Stuart began to make available to these deaf congregations and those who are isolated in our communities the worship service from St. John’s using the Internet. They also send their 25 DVDs with the Gospel and sermons recorded, using the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary used across the Episcopal Church.

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Sally Purnell Mackin

Executive Director, Woodlawn Foundation

Mackin is a proven long-term strategic leader. As executive director of the Woodlawn Foundation, she is helping to craft a vision and path forward for one of Birmingham’s great historic neighborhoods.

Woodlawn Foundation was formed in 2010 to serve as the lead organization in the Woodlawn United partnership. “Imagine this…Woodlawn has the bones of its own little town: sidewalks, tree wells, granite curbs, and its own commercial district. When you look across the city, you find community after community like this…23 to be exact. If we can just build on the strong pieces of fabric in each of these neighborhoods and begin to weave them together, Birmingham will be a beautiful tapestry of unique villages,” she says.

Mackin earned a B.S. in economics from the University of Alabama Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration. Her background includes 10 years of experience in marketing and advertising in the retail industry as well as expense and operation management. She has worked in the financial industry as a licensed broker, has participated in extensive fundraising efforts of several local charities, and has served on many nonprofit boards. Mackin is certified as a licensed salesperson through the Alabama Real Estate Commission and as a certified economic development finance professional and has completed the Senior Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals at Columbia University Business School. She is a member of the 2012 class of Leadership Birmingham.

Mackin is married to Brian W. Mackin, and they have five children: Ragland, 26; Brian, Jr., 24; Ferrell, 20; Mary Aileen, 19; and Ella, 18.

Chenoia Bryant

Professor, University of Alabama; Doctoral Student, University of Alabama at Birmingham Bryant is a part-time professor at the University of Alabama, where she teaches sociology, and a research assistant in the department of sociology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is also a doctoral student in the department of medical sociology at UAB and holds a master of public health in health care organization and policy with a maternal and child health concentration and global health studies certification. Her research interests are gender, sexuality, and health, as well as health disparities and social determinants of health in minority and sexually marginalized populations. Her current research proposal examines the effect of health insurance type on transgender persons’ likelihood of being able to make changes to their health insurance records to reflect their current/desired genders.

Bryant is also currently a Sparkman Center for Global Health Fellow, where she is engaged in academic and training initiatives that focus on improving health in the international community and is a published coauthor in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence and the Encyclopedia of School Health. She has been featured in AL.com’s “Agents of Change” series and serves on the junior boards of both the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama and Jones Valley Teaching Farm. She is also actively involved in the Magic City Acceptance Project. Bryant has worked with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and was invited to give a speech during the Rio+20 World Summit preparations. She is currently engaging in policy analysis and evaluation and plans to continue her public health fieldwork through her sociological research efforts and her advocacy for marginalized populations. “We all have something we can do to contribute to the growth of our city, whether it be a small or great thing. Mother Teresa said, ‘We can do no great things, only small things with great love.’ We are all a part of the city’s narrative, and our love for the city not only brings about the change and diversity we are working toward, but also allows us to create a narrative that Birmingham deserves, with a spirit of excellence and compassion,” Bryant says. b-metro.com

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John Paul Taylor Cofounder and Director, Real Life Poets

Taylor is the cofounder and director of Real Life Poets, a 501-(c)3 nonprofit community service organization focusing on mentoring young adults and encouraging good communication and oratorical skills using spoken word poetry and the arts. His passion for the arts and ability to inspire youth of all ages afforded him the opportunity to connect with many community leaders and organizations. Taylor organized the first Alabama youth poetry slam team to be invited to the Brave New Voices International Teen Poetry Festival and finished in the Top 20 in the world. He leads the Teen Poetry Initiative, which is a partnership with the Birmingham Public Library and funded by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

He is the presenter of the 2014 TedxBirmingham Salon Talk “How to Empower our Youth Using the Arts” and vendor for the Better Basics School Wide Enrichment Program. He received his mentor certification from the Department of Human Resources and has served as a JCCEO P3 Career Mentor. In addition, he is a teaching artist for Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham.

Taylor has served as vice president of the board of directors for Youth Towers, a nonprofit aimed to help fight youth/young adult homelessness and is a presenter for Shelley Stewart’s Mattie C. Stewart Foundation’s Choice Bus, traveling the United States talking to young students about the power of education and has a number of other accolades.

Birmingham has been lauded as a burgeoning hub for the arts, and Taylor has enjoyed being a part of that. “I am proudest of the way the arts is playing a major role in redefining my Birmingham. Every time I do a workshop and watch how the different individuals come together to share their truth, it makes me appreciate and applaud the growing multicultural climate we are creating,” he says. “I have traveled throughout the United States and say, ‘I am from Birmingham,’ [and seen] the respect and admiration that comes with that. I am proud to call Birmingham home.”

Rabbi Jonathan Miller Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El

Birmingham is an unlikely place for Miller to have made his home. He was born in New York, grew up in Boston, lived in Jerusalem and New Zealand, and moved with his wife, Judi, and their three children, Aaron, Alana, and Benjamin, (incubating at the time) to Birmingham in 1991 from the land of movie stars (Los Angeles). His father, Rabbi Judea Miller, was a foot soldier in the civil rights struggle in the 1960s, and barely escaped his two trips to the South alive. Alabama was a place of intrigue, unusual accents, a weird focus on college football, and many serious Christians—all of which made this community a foreign place for the Millers. But the welcoming and loving affection of the community and his Temple Emanu-El family have helped them feel at home in this strange land. Judi is a marriage therapist and instructor, and their eldest child, Aaron, has followed in his father’s footsteps to embrace the rabbinate and its life of service.

Miller has had an insatiable curiosity about the world. He has traveled extensively with his family and with groups of Christian clergy, each of whom has served as his “rabbi,” or teacher. The rabbi of the largest Jewish synagogue in Alabama feels himself at home in a Baptist church, Buddhist Zendo, Mosque, or Catholic monastery. God is big, and all those who seek divine wisdom have something to teach Birmingham’s rabbi. He brings these lessons back to his synagogue and Birmingham, the city he has come to love.

“Birmingham has finally embraced its history. Our city is not a city that represents the shame of the past as much as the healing that has taken place,” he says. “We are growing in acceptance of each other and the unique gifts that all of Birmingham’s citizens bring. If we look around the world, religion can be more divisive than any other force to separate people, and more inclusive than any other force to bring people together. I hope that I have been a positive force to enhance the positive gifts that religion can bring to a community.” b-metro.com

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Therese Bynum

Founder and Co-Owner, Team Magic

Bynum has a bachelor of science from the Mississippi University for Women and a master’s in exercise physiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She played collegiate volleyball and then became fascinated with nonteam sports, like triathlons; since 1984, she has raced competitively in more than 500 events, including national and world triathlon and dualthon championships. In 2007, she placed sixth in her age division in the USA Triathlon National Championship and represented the United States at the World Championship in Switzerland by claiming eighth in her age division.

Bynum created Team Magic Professional Multisport Event Management, which has been in business for 29 years. Team Magic produces sporting events, including triathlons, duathlons, and marathons and regularly hosts championship events for USA Triathlon.

Team Magic contributes to local charities wherever its events are held.

Though Team Magic has expanded to Nashville and the Gulf Coast, Bynum, raised in Birmingham, has a distinct pride for the Magic City.

“I have always felt that the ‘melting pot’ image of Birmingham is one of our city’s greatest assets. Growing up in Birmingham and witnessing the horror that was bestowed on many of our citizens, I feel in some ways [that] that has helped us grow and unite,” she says. “We have struggled in our past to get to where we are today. Birmingham is a complete fusion of cultures, nationalities, and ethnicities. We all should be proud of what we have accomplished together.”

Bynum is a vegetarian and has a passion for animals. She currently has five: two dogs, Catfish and Dottie; a cat, Finnick; and two goats, Flanders and Clarine.

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Dr. Mona Fouad

Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion in the UAB School of Medicine

Fouad is also the director of the UAB Division of Preventive Medicine and founding director of the UAB Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center (MHRC). She is recognized nationally as a leader in health disparities research.

Fouad has led major studies to identify variability in cancer care and outcomes based on race, gender, and age. She has developed nationally emulated models for recruitment and retention of minorities in clinical trials and innovative community-based approaches for reducing racial disparities in breast and cervical cancer. As a direct result of her projects, racial disparities in breast cancer screening in Alabama Black Belt counties were virtually eliminated, as were disparities in access to cancer care.

She has played a prominent leadership role in promoting diversity and justice in medical education.

Fouad has led in the efforts to promote minority students, researchers, and leaders through joint programs with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minorityserving academic institutions.

She has trained more than 400 faculty and fellows, graduate and undergraduate minority students, creating a pipeline of minority health practitioners and researchers. Through building coalitions and community capacity, Fouad has created an innovative model for improving minority health and reducing health disparities in underserved communities. She has integrated all sectors of society by creating awareness of health disparities and engaging the community at large with a message of social responsibility. “There are many moments that I have cherished over my years of work: Attending an afterschool Healthy Happy Kids program and seeing the excitement in the eyes of inner-city children preparing a healthy snack; watching the immense joy and pride on the faces of African-American students who got accepted into medical school; or seeing a street and sanitation worker hang out of his moving truck, waving and yelling, ‘Hi Doc. My blood pressure went down!’” she shares.

Fouad has approached the problem of health disparities with the vision, compassion, and integrity of a great leader, philanthropist, and human being. She is an exceptional scientist and educator who embodies the principles of diversity, justice, and equity.

Dr. Bertha Hidalgo

Assistant Professor, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hidalgo was born and raised in South Gate, California, a suburb of Los Angeles County. She is a graduate of Stanford University, and received a master’s of public health in epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of Southern California.

Her doctoral degree in epidemiology is from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in statistical genetics and has since become an assistant professor in the department of epidemiology at UAB. Her work is primarily focused in health disparities research with an emphasis on cardiometabolic diseases and epigenetics. Hidalgo is a mother of two sons and wife to Michael Frymark.

In addition to her familial and professional responsibilities, Hidalgo also writes a fashion blog, Chic In Academia. She began blogging in August of 2013 and has grown her brand to include daily “outfit of the day” (#ootd) posts on Instagram and sporadic posts on Twitter as well. Her blog is an extension of her day-to-day life, featuring posts on ways to dress fashionably on a budget; ideas for office-appropriate outfits; and how to score deals on designer duds. She firmly believes that it should be socially acceptable for a woman to be both intelligent and fashionable, and that those two qualities should not be mutually exclusive. She strives to show the world that a woman can indeed be both, one outfit at a time, on ChicInAcademia. com.

She finds pleasure in attempting to find balance between family, work, and life as a fashion blogger. “Often, I think people tell us that we won’t be able to accomplish something, or that our situation is too complicated to succeed,” she says.

“I got pregnant with my first son at the beginning of my Ph.D. program, and while many would quit or decide they could not do both, I decided I would do both. Same with my second son, who was born just as I was beginning my second year of postdoc. Sometimes, we are our own deterrents. I say, encourage yourself. Believe in yourself. Do the best that you can do with whatever resources you are able to gather. The rest will fall into place. The ‘rest,’ in many cases, is success.” b-metro.com

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Judge Shanta Owens

Presiding Judge of the Jefferson County Adult Drug Court Program Owens is a graduate of Alabama State University, with a bachelor of science degree in computer information systems. After completing her undergraduate studies, Owens attended Louisiana State University School of Law and the Université D’ Aix-Marseille III in Aix-en-Provence, France, where she enrolled in the dual degree program and received her juris doctor and bachelor of civil law degrees.

Owens is a member of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, Alabama Association of Drug Court Professionals, Alabama District Judges Association, Alabama State Bar Association, Judicial Council of the Magic City Bar Association, the Women Lawyers Section, Criminal Justice Section, and Entertainment Committee of the Birmingham Bar Association. The Jefferson Country Adult Drug Court Program is the largest drug court program in the state of Alabama. “As the presiding judge of the Drug Court Program, I see a great deal of people who are struggling with severe drug addiction. When that person has the first clean drug screen, I am fulfilled and I am there to celebrate every milestone, small and 124

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large. Drug Court Graduation days are the most fulfilling for me, because I celebrate and honor those who have struggled with their addiction, but have eventually remained clean and compliant and are graduating from Drug Court,” she says.

“The joy and pride present amongst the graduates gives me the most fulfilling feeling. I get to see drug addicts who have turned their lives around and who have become productive members of our society. That makes this job so fulfilling to me and it makes me the luckiest judge in the world to have a hand in helping to change so many lives and restoring families.”

In addition, she is a member of the Children’s Village Board of Directors. She is a former board member for the Birmingham Public Library Board, Redmont School, and Jones Valley Development Corporation. She is also a graduate of Project Corporate Leadership, a 2011 graduate of Leadership Birmingham, and a 2014 graduate of Leadership Vestavia Hills.

Owens is married to Rahman Owens, and they have two children.

Issam Bajalia Owner, Salon U

Dr. Anabela Simon-Lee

Cardiologist, Alabama Heart and Vascular, PC

Salon U opened its doors in May of 2001 and continues to strive for excellence in the beauty wellness industry. Bajalia has an extensive background in counseling and human behavior and took on this business idea in the spring of 2001 with no knowledge of how massive and successful Salon U would be. His concept started with a 100 percent client-centered approach with no exception.

Bajalia believes that money happens as a consequence of happiness.

The incredibly gifted staff at Salon U are given attention, validation, appreciation, education, support, safety, and love. Bajalia believes that if you create all the right conditions for your team, you empower them with the ability to thrive.

Salon U has grown in double-digit percentages for the past 14 years and has enjoyed many recognitions. For the past three years Salon U was voted “Top Salon in Alabama” by Elle magazine.

What makes Salon U so special is its relentless love and support of the community and local charities. Bajalia believes that we are all individual and unique, and his team of artists works hard to make you the best version of yourself. The U in Salon U stands for utopia, and we continue to build a bridge between mind, body, and spirit.

Born in Panama City, Central America, Simon-Lee received her undergraduate training from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee, graduating with a bachelor of science in biology/chemistry.

She received her master of public health from Tulane University in New Orleans and her medical degree from East Tennessee State University. Simon-Lee completed her internal medicine and cardiology training while on active duty military service. She completed her cardiology fellowship training at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and her post-doctoral fellowship training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Harvard Medical School) in Boston as part of the inaugural training class for the Cardiovascular Imaging Fellowship 2006–2007. She received advanced training in coronary CTA, nuclear cardiology, cardiac MR, and vascular MR. Simon-Lee was the first female to complete this program of training.

Since arriving in Birmingham in 2009, Simon-Lee has quickly become known for her caring and compassionate bedside manner and her genuine love of her patients and career choice. “Being a native of Panama, Central America, I have a multicultural background. There is a richness of culture across Birmingham as a whole that I find to be very tangible and dynamic,” she says. “I’ve had the opportunity to connect with a diverse spectrum of patients from all walks of life and from many different nationalities and economic strata. It is truly an honor and blessing to serve them and their families.” Simon-Lee has particular interest in cardiovascular disease treatment and prevention in women. She practices cardiology with Alabama Heart and Vascular, PC, which she cofounded with her husband in 2011.

She is married to Dr. Timothy C. Lee, MD, an interventional cardiologist and Alabama native. The two have been friends for more 20 years, and they are the proud parents of 6-year-old twin daughters, Jaiden and Lauren. Simon-Lee is proud to be of service to the people of Birmingham and Alabama and considers her practice to be a ministry, which will help improve hearts for longer and better lives. b-metro.com

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Anne LaRussa

Founder, Oasis Counseling for Women

LaRussa went back to school to earn a graduate degree in counseling and later create a counseling center that would be accessible to low-income women and children who were not severely ill but still needed professional counseling. She purchased and then renovated two Victorian homes in Southside to house her new organization, Oasis Counseling for Women and Children, which opened in 1995. As a result of LaRussa’s vision, more than 30,000 women, children, and families have received professional mental health care services to help them recover from depression and anxiety, heal from abuse and trauma, develop healthy relationships, and meet the challenges in their lives. “Through Oasis, I have had more interest in the city. I’ve learned where the needs are in the city,” LaRussa says. “Birmingham is a compassionate city, and we take an interest in other people. I love to meet [Birmingham’s] people.”

LaRussa has a master of arts in counseling and a specialist degree, both from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

She has received a number of honors, including the Hand in Paw Cornerstone Award in 2006, the Mouska Sellers Award for Outstanding Volunteer in 2004, and the Outstanding Alumni Counseling Award from UAB in 1995–1996. She is married to Benny LaRussa, and they have six children: Benny, Jr.; Karen Persinger; Joe; John; Marian Phillips; and David.

Dr. Eric P. Jack

Professor and Management Dean of UAB’s Collat School of Business

Jack is the Wells Fargo Endowed Chair in business administration, professor, and management dean of UAB’s Collat School of Business. He received his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. He earned an M.B.A. with an emphasis on research and development management from Wright State University and a doctorate in operations management from the University of Cincinnati.

Before being named dean, Jack served as interim dean at the UAB Collat School of Business from September 2012 to April 2013. Prior to this, he also served as associate dean for four years and as interim chair of the department of management, information systems and quantitative methods for one year. A passionate teacher, Jack was awarded the 2006 UAB President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Before beginning his academic career, Jack served for 21 years as a U.S. Air Force officer where his responsibilities at various international locations involved facility planning, design, construction, and maintenance. He is a member of Leadership Birmingham Class of 2014. “During that experience we were exposed to a wide variety of people and programs who are working hard to make Birmingham a more inclusive place,” he says. “As the dean of the Collat School of Business, we are creating and disseminating business knowledge that is transforming the lives of our students and stakeholders. So, we are using knowledge to transform others and this is really the first step in transforming our city.” Jack serves on the boards of the Innovation Depot, United Way, and Rotary Club of Birmingham. He is married to his engineering classmate, Ave Parker Jack, from Augusta, Georgia, who is also an instructor at UAB. 126

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Sergeant Noah Galloway

Galloway (retired) is an athlete, a motivational speaker, a writer, a personal trainer, and a father. He is also doing all those things without his left arm or his left leg. After losing those limbs from an IED explosion in Iraq in 2005, Galloway easily could have given up and given in to his injury. Instead, his determination and courage allows him to continually prove that he is able to do anything—and more.

Fitness became the outlet that helped Galloway regain a positive attitude and a healthy body. After joining a 24-hour gym, he would work out at 2:00 a.m. because he was selfconscious, not only about his missing limbs, but also about how he could adapt the equipment to work. As he got more comfortable with his level of fitness, Galloway began pursuing other interests, including mountain climbing and participating in races like the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon, Warrior Dash events, Tough Mudder events, Barbarian Challenge, Spartan events, the Bataan Death March Marathon, CrossFit competitions, and 5K and 10K races. “I’m not going to be the first guy over the finish line,” Galloway says.

“But I am going to finish.”

With a “no excuses” attitude, Galloway is maintaining a rigorous commitment to fitness and health and helping others do the same. “It is my goal to help people see that even though life didn’t turn out the way they expected, they can overcome their challenges. I call it living a Life Reinvented,” he explains. His is truly a life reinvented.

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John Hudson III

President, Alabama Power Foundation

Hudson, an attorney, serves as president of the Alabama Power Foundation, as well as vice president of public relations and charitable giving at the same company, which serves more than 1.4 million customers across the state. Prior to joining Alabama Power, Hudson served as senior vice president for corporate diversity and public affairs at Regions Financial Corporation, and before that, he was engaged in the private practice of law.

Providing leadership in one of the country’s most historic minority-owned businesses, Hudson serves as chairman of the board of directors of A.G. Gaston Enterprises, a privately held investment company with holdings in construction, media, real estate, and financial services. The company, established in 1923, continues the legacy of Dr. A.G. Gaston, a visionary 20th-century African-American entrepreneur. Hudson also serves several civic organizations as a member of their boards of directors, including the Birmingham Museum of Art and Children’s Health System of Alabama, among others. “I am so proud to be a child of Birmingham. I was born and raised here, and I’m fortunate to be in a position to make this community better,” Hudson says.

Hudson and his wife, Nyya, have an 11-year-old daughter, Jordyn.

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Pastor Steve Green

Senior Pastor, More than Conquerors Faith Church

Felecia Etheridge Dovi

Dovi, who was born in Birmingham, was employed at a local bank for 17 years as a loan officer in the student loan department.

A self-described “people person,” Dovi immensely enjoyed that work. After leaving the bank in 1995, she became involved in the family business. Her family owns several barber and beauty salons across the city. “I unfortunately didn’t inherit that gift. I did have business experience from working in the bank, so I put it to work when my dad fell ill and could no longer cut hair,” she says.

To keep busy, her father decided to open a car wash across the street on Third Avenue North and that is where Dovi has been ever since. “His passion was his customers. He figured that while getting your hair cut, you may as well kill two birds with one stone and get your car washed as well,” she says. “This became a lucrative business and now we have customers that come from all over.

“We give jobs to people who could not ordinarily get jobs due to legal or educational problems,” she explains. “In my wildest dream I [did not] think that I would be a business owner and be considered a female minority business owner in Birmingham.”

Dovi is actively involved in religious activities at her church and has been the financial secretary for more than 20 years. She is married to Koffi Dovi and the mother to two daughters, Ashley and April, and a stepson, Thierry, and a grandmother of three: Jadea, Alaylah, and Jalen.

Since 1985, Steve Green has been and continues to be the senior pastor of the More Than Conquerors Faith Church, a growing congregation of more than 3000 members. Green serves as chief executive officer of a multi-million dollar campus located in the inner city area of Birmingham. The campus houses not only the main sanctuary but also the state-of-the-art Family Life Center. Green’s apostolic works include training and mentoring ministers of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in the More Than Conquerors Ministry Training Center. He has more than 33 years of ministry experience and has served as senior pastor for 29 of them.

During his ministry career, he has mentored some 35 pastors and licensed or ordained nearly 300 ministers and pastors.

He is the founder of the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Respect Every Single Person Ever Created Today) Organization (a community-based youth empowerment corporation) and the Annual Backto-School Rally, the nation’s largest such event with documented attendance of up to 20,000 youths. Green is seen locally and statewide on a weekly Conquering Your World television broadcast. He has appeared as a guest on Trinity Broadcasting Network’s (TBN) international Praise the Lord program and is a regular host of the local affiliate TBN broadcast. Green has received the “Distinguished Citizen” Award from the city of Birmingham and the prestigious “Key to the City Award” from the cities of Birmingham, Dothan, and Jasper, Alabama.

Green has also received the high honor of a street renamed Steve Green Drive SW, one of only five in the city’s history. Green and his wife, Deidra, have seven beautiful children: Stephen, Rhema, Aubrey, Megan, Stephon, Stephanie, and Isaac.

A few years ago, Green had the honor of penning a prayer for Birmingham: “I proudly speak of Birmingham. I will favorably speak of our great city always. The nations will see Birmingham’s vindication and will no longer term our land desolate or forsaken. As watchmen on the wall of prayer, both I and our congregation commit to pray consistently for Birmingham, its leaders, and its citizens while offering our continued best in service and ministry.”

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Randall L. Woodfin President, Birmingham Board of Education

Born and raised in Birmingham, Woodfin is a true product of the Magic City. Upon graduating from high school, Woodfin attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he concentrated his course of studies in political science. During his undergraduate career, his civic involvement and abilities to moderate, mediate, and lead won him the respect and admiration of faculty and students where he served as president of the Student Government Association. After graduating from Morehouse College, Woodfin furthered his education by attending Samford University, Cumberland School of Law. Since graduating from Cumberland, Woodfin has served as a field manager, campaign manager, political strategist, and consultant to several Birmingham officials, as well as for state and national candidates campaigning for office across the Southeast.

Although his work is far-reaching, Woodfin nevertheless holds fast to his Birmingham roots; rather, he has always remained plugged into the daily realities through his civic and professional involvement. Woodfin certainly is a “grassroots kind of guy,” with an ear to hear problems and moreover an eye to identify solutions. With his personal experience, education, exposure, training, and most of all involvement in and commitment to the Magic City, Woodfin is a sharp and resourceful young man dedicated, willing, and able to deliver for the youth, schools, and communities of Birmingham. “I’m proud to be an example to the more than 24,000 students in our school system,” Woodfin says. “As a product of Birmingham schools and growing up in some of the same neighborhoods as our current students, I’m proud that I can relate with them, share my story, and help them achieve higher heights in their education journey.”

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Jeh Jeh Pruitt

Anchor/Reporter, FOX6 Pruitt is an eternal optimist. An overcomer, Pruitt stuttered as a young person and now speaks to hundreds of thousands daily as a FOX6 sports anchor/reporter. Pruitt began his television career as an intern at FOX6 WBRC-TV while a student in college. After graduation, he moved west, working as a general assignment reporter at KWES-TV in Midland, Texas.

He worked in the “Lone Star State” for eight months before coming to FOX6 in April of 1996. Pruitt can be seen each weekday morning on Good Day Alabama, reporting on anything from the latest exercise craze to breaking news coverage.

You’ll also catch him at the sports anchor desk each day on FOX6 News at Noon. Sports have always been a part of Pruitt’s life. He played and won a national championship at Jacksonville State University. Now, he gets his fill working with the FOX6 Sports Team on FOX6 Sideline.

Pruitt’s commitment to help others includes him sharing a kidney with his mother when she was diagnosed with kidney disease. And when his baby brother, Dannon, was killed on his short walk from school, Pruitt and his wife, Kerri, took that tragedy and started The Dannon Project, an award-winning nonprofit agency that serves nonviolent men and women returning to their communities from incarceration. Pruitt is thrilled to be able to contribute to his city in such lasting ways.

“Birmingham is old, it’s new, it’s full of energy, and it’s full of disappointment. But most importantly, Birmingham is my home and I love her and all of her diversity,” he says.

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Joel Rivera

President, Mi Pueblo Supermarket, Shelby Construction, and Rivera Communications

As a young man living in Mexico with very little education, it was hard for Rivera to find a good paying job to help his parents and younger siblings financially. At that time, living the “American Dream” was one of the only options, so Rivera did what many other people did—immigrated to the United States. “I was one of the lucky ones in 1986 to fix my legal status and became a United States resident through out the Immigration and Reform Act of 1986 through the Reagan administration,” Rivera says.

In 1992, he married his wife, Isabel, and in 1996, they moved from Texas to Alabama with their three children. Rivera has worked in the framing business his whole life and continues to do so. But he has found a number of other ventures, too. The opportunity to partner in a radio station came about and he thought it was a great tool for the Hispanic community to be informed, so he became the owner of Rivera Communications. He also owned a Tex-Mex restaurant in Pelham, called El Pollo Volador. One day he went out to buy some cactus and was upset by the price. “On my way home, I was so infuriated. I saw a space for rent in Pelham and out of anger for abuse toward the Hispanic community, [I] decided to open up my own supermarket to offer quality groceries at better prices,” he says. He strives to provide the best quality of groceries, homes, music, and information throughout his businesses, which include Mi Pueblo Supermarket, Shelby Construction, Juan 1500 AM, and La Jefa 98.3 FM. “I am very grateful and honored to be able to bring a sense of home to the Hispanic community through the supermarkets and the radio stations,” he says. “I am truly humbled to be able to be a part of the growing community of Birmingham.”

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PHOTO BY CHUCK ST. JOHN

Kyle Pugh

President, Central Alabama Pride

Pugh moved to Birmingham 10 years ago from Tuscaloosa after graduating from the University of Alabama. He is currently the merchandising manager at Macy’s at the Riverchase Galleria and the president of Central Alabama Pride. He alone secured Macy’s as a five-year corporate sponsor for Central Alabama Pride. He is also a participant in the UAB vaccine research for an HIV vaccine.

He and his partner, Shaun, (owner and master stylist at Glam, a beauty boutique in Vestavia) have been together for five years and share a home in Irondale with their two dogs. They are active in the LGBT community as supporters of the Magic City Acceptance Center, Birmingham Aids Outreach, and the Mystic Krewe of Apollo.

Pugh hopes to one day take his journey to the political arena, with an eye on Congress, but for now, he is throwing his energy into reshaping the view of the LGBT community in Birmingham. “The Birmingham government still lags behind many cities of similar size in protection and acceptance of the LGBT community when it comes to nondiscrimination ordinances. A few years ago, the city would not approve the use of rainbow banners along our pride parade route and would not make a proclamation for pride week. Now, the acceptance by the city has changed leaps and bounds. As public opinion changes throughout the country, we at Central Alabama Pride have worked tirelessly to make the community aware that we are not here just for LGBT citizens but for the entire community of central Alabama,” he says.

Sharrif Simmons

Cofounder, Birmingham Arts and Music Festival Simmons became a staple in New York’s cultural art scene in the late 80s and early 90s. The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, CBGB’s, and the Brooklyn Moon Café were just some of the New York venues that found him showcasing his poetry and music on any given night. Poets and emcees like Asha Bandele, Mike Ladd, and Jessica Care Moore, who would eventually publish his first book of poetry, Fast Cities and Objects That Burn, would often share the stage with him, helping to develop what has now become “The Movement.”

Simmons has toured Europe extensively, from 1996 through the present. He has performed in places like Amsterdam, Holland; Berlin, Germany; Toulouse, France; London, and more. He relocated to Birmingham in 2005, and not long after, he made a guest appearance on Russell Simmons presents HBO’s DEF POETRY JAM. His highly anticipated debut CD, the ECHOEFFECT, was released that same year.

Sharrif has appeared in several feature length films. In 2009, he was nominated for an Emmy award for his work on the soundtrack of the documentary Thornton Dial Has Something to Say. The following year, Simmons cofounded the Birmingham Arts and Music festival (BAAMFEST). He resides in Birmingham with his 19-year-old son, Omari Jazz. “I’ve watched Birmingham move in the direction of diversity over the last 10 years. New locations have been a key component.

Regions Field, Railroad Park, Uptown, and the Avondale area have been vital. There’s no going back from the progress it’s making, particularly the arts and culture community,” Simmons says. b-metro.com

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DONNA DUKES

Founder and Director of Maranathan Family Learning Center & Academy

Dukes founded Maranathan Academy some 23 years ago, with a goal of reaching out to children who needed a second chance. “One of the wonderful things about working with critically at-risk tweens, teens, and adults is the enormous amount of truly fulfilling moments you to experience,” she says. “One that always stands out is a young man who came to Maranathan as a 17-yearold seventh grader with multiple suspensions and a budding substance abuse problem. His parents had begun to lose hope.

“Through lots of discipline and patience, we were able to work with him.

He completed middle school, stayed on with us to earn his high school diploma, and attained his lifelong dream of becoming a certified welder. A few months ago, I ran into him and his family—He’s married, owns his own home, and is the proud father of three sons,” she shares.

She says she’s proudest of being able to step in and help these kids, which can change the trajectory of the lives completely. “Maranathan celebrated its 23rd anniversary on Sept. 3, 2014. 23 years of helping critically at-risk tweens, teens, and adults turn their lives around and become contributing, productive citizens,” she says.

Charlie D. Waldrep

Attorney, Waldrep Stewart Kendrick, LLC Waldrep, a 1971 graduate of Jacksonville State University, and a 1976 graduate of Cumberland School of Law, concentrates in representing public agencies throughout the city of Birmingham and the state of Alabama with a primary emphasis in civil litigation. He was born in Gainesville, Georgia, and was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1976. Over the past 30 years, he has become a well-known community supporter, and is a consummate advocate for the advancement of the state.

Waldrep has been recognized by the Alabama League of Municipalities for more than 25 years of service as a city attorney and municipal prosecutor. Some noted accomplishments include being recognized in Birmingham magazine’s 2014 “Top Attorneys” list; U.S. News & World Reports’ 2013 “Best Lawyers in America”; SouthEast Small Business magazine’s “Birmingham’s Top Men of Influence”; and Birmingham Business Journal’s “Best of the Bar” as the best lawyer concentrating in the area of governmental law, among firms with 50 or less attorneys. Likewise, he has been recognized by Alabama Super Lawyers in this same category.

Waldrep has served as a past president of the Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board, a past member of the board of directors for The Leukemia Society, and a top fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Association, and he has been noted as a Red Feather Sponsor for United Way. Waldrep has also been heavily involved in supporting the Central Alabama Chapter of the Sickle Cell Foundation and its gala fundraiser. He has contributed to the city through charitable donations of his time and resources in countless other ways. “[Why Birmingham?] The simple answer is, ‘Why not Birmingham?’ However, it’s even more simple than answering rhetorically. I prefer to respond to such a question by stating that I’ve traveled all over the country and many parts of the world, and there are no finer people than in Birmingham. So, it’s the people. Period.”

In his spare time, Waldrep enjoys devoting his attention to his four grandchildren, Graham, Caroline, Britton, and little Charlie G.

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Mayor William Bell

Bell has become the embodiment of Birmingham’s story of reconciliation and transformation. After a long career in city politics that stretches back to the end of the 1970s, when he won his first City Council seat in the 1979 election, Bell has been in the thick of one of the most transformative periods in the city’s history for the past 35 years.

Today, the city continues to move toward bigger and bigger things; this is no doubt due in part to Bell. From the site visit for Democratic National Convention planners to regular notices of progress in the national and international media, Birmingham is on a roll like never before. The feeling of change is downright palpable and that has translated into real progress on the streets of the city. As mayor, Bell has been a cheerleader and leader for Birmingham’s citizens on the road she has traveled so far and will continue to be as she forges ahead, undaunted.

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

On the pages that follow you will find profiles of companies and organizations that see the tremendous value in understanding and fostering diversity in the workplace and in the community at large. They are truly building a diverse city.

FUSION AWARDS HONORING: Issam Bajalia Mayor William Bell Chenoia Bryant Therese Bynum Felecia Etheridge Dovi Donna Dukes Dr. Mona Fouad Noah Galloway Rev. Steve Green Dr. Bertha Hidalgo

John Hudson III Dr. Eric Jack Anne LaRussa Dr. Anabela Simon-Lee Sally Mackin Karen Musgrove Rabbi Jonathan Miller Sandy Naramore Judge Shanta Owens Jeh Jeh Pruitt

Kyle Pugh Joel Rivera Freddy Rubio Sharrif Simmons Sanjay Singh Rev. Marianne Stuart John Paul Taylor Charlie Waldrep Randall Woodfin

LUNCHEON, OCTOBER 14 AT THE SHERATON BIRMINGHAM

Wave, Inc. b-metro.com

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

CREATING A DIVERSE CITY Weaving a Rich Tapestry Through Diversity and Inclusion at BBVA Compass As part of a global company, BBVA Compass embraces diversity. We believe doing so is critical to our business, from building relationships with customers of different backgrounds, to nurturing our international employee base, to working with minority and women-owned vendors who are suppliers to the organization.

When we envision a better future for people, we mean all people. We value the diversity of our employees, customers, vendors and communities. And we make diversity a competitive advantage.

Our Employees At BBVA Compass, workplace diversity and inclusion is a priority. We view diversity as the collection of similarities and differences we carry with us at all times and we strive to recognize, appreciate and embrace the inherent uniqueness of everyone. We understand that diversity encompasses more than race, gender, age, religion and ethnicity and that a diverse workplace is made up of individuals of different backgrounds, characteristics, experiences, ideas, beliefs, motivations, choices and more.

We recognize and respect diversity of thought, and we believe that the varied backgrounds of everyone lead to unique ideas, opinions and beliefs, all of which add value to our organization. We are proud to embrace a culture of inclusion, and we continuously explore ways to create an environment where everyone is respected and feels valued.

The main objective of our Blending the Best Workplace Diversity & Inclusion effort is to create a better future for our employees by blending the best that each of us has to offer.

We strive to attract, hire and retain a diverse group of talented

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people to help us achieve our vision.

As part of this effort, the bank established a formal Workplace Diversity & Inclusion Council, composed of employees nominated by BBVA Compass’ executive leadership, representing each line of business. Employees across the bank’s footprint also have completed in-person Blending the Best workshops and a customized, interactive eLearning course designed to help them recognize and embrace the uniqueness of each of us.

Our Suppliers At BBVA Compass, we are committed to identifying and expanding effective business partnerships with diverse suppliers. We believe this is the right thing to do, and also smart business. Our goal is to make substantial gains in developing strategic alliances with minority and women-owned businesses in a range of categories.

Our Communities At BBVA Compass, we’re focused on efforts that build better communities, and the work our volunteers do is crucial to that mission. We are committed to helping our communities through efforts like financial education in low- and moderate-income areas and partner with community development organizations to build up the cities where we live, work and play. Our hope is that as our organization flourishes, so will the communities around us. Organizations that have received the bank’s support, through corporate sponsorships and the BBVA Compass Foundation, include the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Girls Inc. of Central Alabama, the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, the United Negro College Fund Birmingham, Magic City Smooth Jazz, PFLAG Birmingham, NAACP, the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, the National Council of La Raza and the Human Rights Campaign, among others.

Building a better tomorrow for our community.

At BBVA Compass we understand there’s more to life than banking, like being involved in the community in which we live and work.

That's why we're proud to support the Fusion Awards.

Together, we can build a better community for all.

1-800-COMPASS • bbvacompass.com

BBVA Compass is a trade name of Compass Bank, a member of the BBVA Group. Compass Bank, Member FDIC. Rev. 09/2014 / #2462

SPECIAL PROMOTION

CREATING A DIVERSE CITY The core strengths of diversity and collaboration have helped propel UAB to international renown for more than four decades. Many different backgrounds, voices and perspectives working in concert, all around campus, towards a more inclusive community—locally and globally.

UAB has been hailed in The Princeton Review as a “Mecca of multiculturalism” and “truly a great American melting pot” and ranked by The College Database among the Top 50 Colleges Advancing Women in STEM Disciplines. Students and faculty represent more than 100 different countries and undergraduates are 37% minority and 58% female.

While numbers and rankings are important, UAB’s diversity runs deeper than the data to form a genuine sense of community and opportunity. Diversity is a daily reality, fostered by a host

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of multicultural organizations and a newly established Institute for Human Rights, and celebrated with annual events such as “Community Week” and the ceremony held each fall called “Umoja”—Swahili for unity.

The campus is united in the pursuit of academic excellence, as diversity is promoted in all areas of UAB’s Mission: Education, Research, Patient Care, Service and Economic Development, Students and faculty bring their own particular perspective and talents to these efforts to realize individual dreams as well as a shared vision for progress and equity.

They are finding on UAB’s exceptionally diverse campus the inspiration to forge a brighter future, and the knowledge that will change their world.

The

core strengths of diversity and collaboration have helped propel UAB

to international renown for more than four decades. UAB’s many different

backgrounds, voices and perspectives work in concert, all around campus, towards a more inclusive community—locally and globally.

SPECIAL PROMOTION

CREATING A DIVERSE CITY

Buffalo Rock- Pepsi

Our long-term approach to a great workforce supported by a diverse community.

At Buffalo Rock Company, we recognize that we operate in richly diverse communities and understand the strategic importance of achieving a diverse workforce, which reflects these communities. We undertake to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people by valuing the varied skills and experiences they bring to Buffalo Rock; by investing in their training and development; by providing them with the tools and resources to be successful; by treating our employee-partners fairly and equitably; by combating harassment and discrimination at work, and by encouraging an honest and open Team Rock Culture, which values the differences between us. We take pride in the fact that we are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer (Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disability), and we pride ourselves in offering performance-driven individuals a place where they can build a career.

The Lee family started the Buffalo Rock Company in 1901 and it has been an iconic part of the beverage industry ever since. James C. Lee, III serves as Chairman and CEO and is a 4th generation Lee family member. Jimmy is a civic-minded leader and involved in the community, things he also expects of his leadership throughout his large company.

The mission of the Buffalo Rock Company is to be the premier provider of beverages and food products. We have 10 divisions inclusive of 2,100 employee-partners who are committed to this mission.

With over 113 years of experience in the beverage industry, the company has been recognized throughout the years as an innovator and has won numerous industry awards; namely in the past decade the Donald M. Kendall Bottler of the Year Award (the highest honor bestowed upon Pepsi Bottlers) as well being named Beverage Industry’s Bottler of the year (the highest rec-

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ognition bestowed in the industry).

Buffalo Rock Company is committed to giving back and positively impacting our communities in which we work and live.

We encourage our employee-partners to participate and involve themselves and their families in organizations that better their lives and the lives of others.

Buffalo Rock Company believes in community causes, and in supporting organizations that help those who cannot help themselves. We are a corporate contributor to many worthwhile organizations including, but not limited to: The United Way, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, The A. G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, The Boy Scouts, The American Cancer Society, Kid One Transport, Sight Savers and The March of Dimes.

We participate and highly encourage organizations that support healthy and active lifestyles. It is our belief that our company and our products are part of a diverse social fabric within our Communities. We want to foster education, bring families together, encourage active and healthy lifestyles, and ultimately give back to our local communities that are in accordance with our company values.

We are a process driven organization with a long-term approach to positive change, which we term internally, “Team Rock”. Team Rock is a perpetually changing culture striving to achieve our company’s mission, vision and values. We are proud to be a neighborhood company, made up of dedicated men and women who strive to be the best each and every day.

Buffalo Rock is the largest independent single shareholder owned Pepsi Bottler in the United States, the 3rd largest Sunkist; the 6th largest Dr Pepper and the 10th largest Canada Dry bottler in the nation.

A city business icon since 1901, Buffalo Rock has grown to become the largest independent single shareholder owned Pepsi bottler in the United States. Above are photos of the company at work.

Company Facts

We manufacture and sell almost a billion containers of product annually Our local facilities include 14 distribution centers that encompass over 1.4 million square feet on approximately 190 acres.

We service a population base of over 6.5 million and have 15,000 retail customers We have 80,000 pieces of equipment (Vendors, Cooler, Fountain units) in the marketplace Our fleet is approximately 1,800 units Our production facility houses 8 production lines under one roof We produce 20 oz. cans at speeds of 1,100 cans per minute and produce 20 oz. bottles at speeds of 900 bottles per minute 85% of everything we sell, we manufacture in Birmingham, Alabama The average tenure within our company is more than twice that of the national average 10% of our Employee-Partners are veterans of the US Armed Forces

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