Rainer Steinwandt

Dean, College of Science | University of Alabama in Huntsville

Rainer Steinwandt received his M S and Ph D degrees in computer science, researching topics in computer algebra, from the University of Karlsruhe (Germany) in 1998 and 2000, respectively Since 2021, he serves as Dean of the College of Science at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Before joining UAH, he served as Chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Boca Raton, FL for more than five years, and also as Director of FAU's Center for Cryptology and Information Security Before joining FAU, Rainer was with the University of Karlsruhe in Germany His research has been funded through the Air Force Research Laboratory, the German Federal Office for Information Security, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, and the NATO Science for Peace and Security program He is a recipient of the 2018 NATO Science for Peace and Security Partnership Prize

Brad Walker

President | Torch Technologies

Brad Walker joined Torch Technologies in 2006 and currently serves as President of Torch He recently led the Advanced Concept Engineering (ACE) Group which consists of over 600 employees across 10 locations The ACE Group supports a diverse set of customers and provides a wide range of engineering, scientific, and logistics support throughout the DoD lifecycle in areas such as systems engineering, test and evaluation, requirements, software development, electrical and mechanical system design, metrology, optical sensors, virtual trainers, Joint operations, and obsolescence Mr Walker has over 35 years of experience providing services support and solutions development for DoD programs Mr Walker has expertise in Ballistic Missile Defense programs, development of advanced instrumentation for warhead testing, and development of advanced algorithms for sensor and command and control applications Prior to joining Torch Technologies, Mr Walker held leadership positions at Computer Sciences Corporation and Nichols Research Corporation

Vice President, Commercial Banker | ServisFirst Bank Stuart Whitaker

Stuart Whitaker is an experienced commercial banker with extensive experience in the financial services sector Whitaker is a member of the Committee of 100 Young Professionals, serving on the BizPac Board in 2022, and he is a member of Rotary of Greater Huntsville where he sat on the board as Director of Club Service in 2019 Additionally, he is a graduate of Leadership Huntsville/Madison County’s Connect Class 22 Stuart and his wife Lillie have four children and attend Rivertree Church in Huntsville The Whitaker's are also currently serving as ambassadors for the Lincoln Village Ministry

Sara Beth Wilcox

Vice President & Division Manager | Brasfield & Gorrie

Sara Beth leads our North Alabama office where her primary responsibility is to keep projects running smoothly She supports project teams by monitoring budgets, schedules, progress, and performance; asking questions; anticipating issues; and recommending solutions based on her years of experience

Sara Beth has several years of hands-on construction experience and prides herself on knowing her team members' strengths well She uses this information to staff and provide appropriate resources for North Alabama projects, thus setting them up for success Sara Beth focuses on establishing long-term partnerships that allow us to serve our clients as a trusted resource when they plan for new projects and as their contractor when they are ready to build

Sara Beth enjoys spending time with her husband Sam and their 5-year old son Walter, including taking hikes at Monte Sano and feeding the ducks in Big Spring Park They attend First United Methodist Church in Downtown Huntsville

Chief School Financial Officer | City of Madison Board of Education

LaVerne Williams is the Chief School Financial Officer (CSFO) for Madison City Schools

LaVerne has been a CSFO for 5 5 years (2 5 years at Chilton County Schools and 3 years at Madison City Schools) and enjoys working with the Administrators, faculty, staff, and parents in the system to help the kids of Madison City She also has a personal interest in Madison City Schools because she has two kids in the Madison City School system

She currently holds a B S in Mathematics from Auburn University and two Master’s Degrees (MBA/ Accounting and MPSE

Masters in Post-Secondary Education/Mathematics) from Troy University

LaVerne has over 12 years of experience with the State Department of Education within the SDE Accounting and LEA Accounting Sections

Brian Wylie

Vice President and Chief Growth Officer | Avion Solutions Inc

Brian Wylie serves as Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for Avion Solutions, Inc Over the years, he performed many different roles, from direct technical support to Program Manager for multiple contracts supporting Army Aviation Before his current role, he was Senior Program Manager for EXPRESS, responsible for executing Avion’s primary technical services contract

Prior to Avion, Brian retired as a U S Navy Master Chief Petty Officer in 2008 While serving, he maintained aircraft as an Aviation Electronics Technician, Master Training Specialist, QA Manager, and ultimately Patrol Squadron Maintenance Master Chief

Brian was raised in the Shoals and has a fondness for outdoor activities Growing up in North Alabama his passion to engage our local community aligns well with his Company’s core values of Service, Loyalty, and Integrity

Brian earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia College and a Master of Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Brent Yonk

Assistant Section Chief | Federal Bureau of Investigation

Brent Yonk is the Assistant Section Chief for the FBI Counterterrorism Division’s Technology and Data Innovation Section In this role, he oversees a large technical and analytical workforce and a contract portfolio of over $120M with the responsibility for the development of novel technology solutions supporting international and domestic terrorism investigations and other critical incidents around the world

Prior to his current role, Brent has served in numerous leadership positions to include leading the FBI's technology scouting efforts, overseeing large and complex technical programs that have modernized the FBI's IT infrastructure, and improving the leadership development programs He is a trusted expert in leadership and project management and has been recruited to speak on the FBI's behalf both nationally and internationally

Outside of his work at the FBI, Brent is a certified coach helping clients around the world improve in areas of leadership, emotional intelligence, and career development