LEADERS OF COBB

Since its establishment more than 180 years ago, Cobb County has been defined by its people. Some of these individuals have made their mark by becoming pioneers of business, captains of industry and heads of state.

And if you’re reading this, you likely know why Cobb is attractive to so many. It hosts exceptional schools, is within close reach to the world’s busiest airport, has all of the convenience of proximity to the

big city and is fertile ground for entrepreneurship. The list goes on, but it always comes back to the people who have built this county into what it is. On the following pages we have profiled individuals who are among Cobb’s premier leaders. We wanted to find out about their jobs, delve into their personal lives and gain some words of wisdom. And of course, we asked: Why have you picked Cobb County?

THE STORY: I am a chiropractor, educator, passionate healer, author, professional speaker, and certified personal development/executive coach. I was born and raised in Timmins, Ontario, Canada. After earning my Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto in 1975, I went on to earn my Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1979, and moved into private practice in Northern Ontario until 2004. Then I joined the staff at Parker College of Chiropractic (Parker University). In the fall of 2013, I moved to Georgia to join the executive team at Life University as VP of Professional Relations. In December of 2018, I was named VP of University Advancement at Life University. In addition to those duties, I lead LIFE Vision Seminars, nationally and internationally, as well as the Post Graduate Education Dept.

WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE IN COBB: I was recruited to Life University in 2013 and have loved every moment of my life in Cobb County and at Life University. Though the topography and vegetation create an inviting environment, it’s the heart of the people that make Cobb County so great. As a member of Leadership Cobb Class of 2020, this has never been more obvious. As president of the Cobb Library Foundation, I also get to interact with wonderful people focused on Cobb and the value of literacy.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? I love everything about the work that I do at Life University because the mission of the institution is parallel to my personal purpose. Life University was founded on the philosophy of Lasting Purpose — to give, to do, to love and to serve from our own abundance, with no expectation of return. This philosophy is threaded through all of our 20 educational degree programs and makes Life University an almost “magical place” to work. Focusing on service is key. I heard a mentor say: “Service is the rent you pay for taking up space on the planet.” It made sense to me then and continues to make sense to me. Servant leadership is the cornerstone of my existence. We will soon begin a capital campaign that will help us improve our facilities. Our plans are to build a field

house with change rooms, wrestling room, and a strength and conditioning room. A big goal during my tenure will be to raise the capital to build a Sports Performance and Research Center that can serve Cobb County residents and beyond, including professional athletes.

LEISURE TIME: I enjoy cooking, entertaining friends at our home, nature, running, reading, writing, “FaceTiming” with my grandchildren, and serving others.

BEST ADVICE: Strive to always be the best version of yourself from a space of gratitude. I carry a gratitude stone in my pocket and every time I see it or touch it, even during difficult times, I’m reminded that we all have so much to be grateful for, and this habit brings me back to center. It will do the same for you. From a space of gratitude everything is better, no matter our difficulties.

THE STORY: I was born in Austell and raised in neighboring Douglas County. My mother dropped out of college to raise my older brother and me. She eventually became a bookkeeper at a supply company located on Fulton Industrial where she worked until she retired. She finished her college degree in her 50s while working. My dad started a small business when I was in college, which has grown to be a Cobb Chamber Top 25 Small Business of the Year for the last 10 years. My parents, both from humble beginnings, taught me the value of hard work and perseverance.

I was the co-valedictorian of Alexander High School in 1994, and I obtained a degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. After spending a year teaching high school in Hawaii, I joined Teach For America, a service organization that places people in under-resourced areas. I taught middle school math and science in Newark, New Jersey for two years. After teaching, I came home to Georgia to attend Emory Law. I met my wife there, and we were married five days after graduation. We built a home in Cobb while studying for the bar exam. For the past 15 years, I have worked as a public servant here in Cobb. I am currently a Senior Assistant District Attorney and head of the White Collar, Elder Abuse, and Public Integrity Unit in the Cobb DA’s Office. I am also an adjunct professor at Emory Law, where I teach a class on sentencing. I am considered one of the foremost experts in Georgia on the prosecution of elder abuse. All felony cases involving a victim age 65 or older cross my desk. I’ve handled cases of public importance for multiple elected Cobb DA’s over the span of my career. I’m the guy who can be trusted to see a matter through, without fear or favor.

WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE IN COBB: The people of this County are woven into the fabric of my family. Cobb is the perfect combination of small-town feel with big-city amenities. And, we have great schools — something that is especially important to my wife and me, as we are both former teachers.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? When trouble strikes, some people move the opposite direction. I move toward it. I like making hard decisions. My job puts me in the position to alter the trajectory of someone’s life for the better. I get to stand up for other people who have been wronged. I get to name evil when I see it and shine a light on others’ misdeeds.

LEISURE TIME: I am a busy father of three. Most weekends, you can find me coaching soccer for one of my kids, but when I can find the time, I love the opportunity to quiet the noise of the world for a couple of hours while watching a movie.

BEST ADVICE: Stand for something. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

WHAT’S NEXT? I am running for Superior Court Judge here in Cobb. It is an open seat. The election is May 19.

THE STORY: I was born in Augusta, Georgia, but shortly thereafter, moved to north Florida where I was raised, the middle of five children. At age 14, my mother died of cancer and my father became my primary advisor and mentor. A World War II Marine, orthopedic surgeon, poet, and writer, my father was my hero. As far as finding my calling, he always told me to “find a need and fill it.” After receiving my college degree from the University of Florida, I returned to my Georgia roots for law school at Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law in Macon. I graduated in 1989 in the top quarter of my class, having achieved success in Moot Court and having served as Honor Court prosecutor my senior year. I went to law school to help people, not really knowing at the time what that would be. After six years of civil law, including a two-year clerkship with the late Honorable Robert E. Flournoy, Jr. in Cobb Superior Court, I prosecuted misdemeanors and traffic offenses in Cobb County State Court for 11 years. I began my defense practice over 13 years ago, the last five years as a solo practitioner in Marietta. Having observed judges from the prosecution and defense side of the Cobb State Court bench for the past 24 years has given me insight as to what makes a great judge.

Cobb County has been my home for over half my life. Along with my husband of 29 years, I have raised my children in Cobb and have developed truly great friendships here. A member of Mt. Bethel UMC, I have had the privilege of teaching Sunday School and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for over 20 years. For over a decade, I have served as a cabin mom with Cobb County’s nonprofit organization, Kidz2Leaders, Inc, which hosts “Camp Hope” annually. Camp Hope is a summer camp for children of incarcerated parents that has achieved great success in ending generational incarceration within families.

WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE IN COBB: I have always felt that Cobb was “home” from the beginning. It has been a great place to raise my family, practice law, and serve my community of faith.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? As a prosecutor, I achieved my goal of helping those who were victims of misdemeanor crimes. To an even greater extent, as defense counsel, I have helped not only my clients charged with offenses, but oftentimes their families who struggle alongside them as well. So often alcohol and drugs contribute to my clients’ legal situations. Helping the whole family is behind my desire as judge to incorporate Drug, Mental Health, and Family Accountability Courts in Cobb County State Court. LEISURE TIME: My husband and I have always enjoyed mountain biking in the north Georgia mountains, gardening, and water skiing.

BEST ADVICE: Vote! My experience and varied perspective in civil law, prosecution, and defense make me the best choice. WHAT’S NEXT? Being your next Cobb County State Court Judge!

THE STORY: I am originally from eastern Montana. In my youth, I excelled at and was passionate about math, so I knew I wanted to work with numbers in my career. After receiving my undergraduate degree in accounting from Oregon State University, I went to work for Arthur Andersen, performing a variety of jobs in their tax department. After five years there, I transitioned into the dot-com industry where I facilitated the launch of several new software products. It was after a few successful projects that I decided to get my master’s in management information systems. I spent the next 15 years working with Wolters Kluwer developing business, individual, payroll, and state tax software for tax professionals. As my children started preparing for college, I felt the calling to make another leap in my career.

I really wanted to connect to my community in a meaningful way while showcasing my vast experience and skills. This led me to launch a Payroll Vault location here in Cobb County. Payroll Vault is a locally owned and operated, boutique-style full-service payroll company that relieves business owners of the time-intensive tasks associated with processing payroll. In doing so, they can focus on managing and growing their business. In addition to providing expertise in payroll services, we also support businesses with one-to-one personalized client service. This is our most pronounced differentiator among other payroll companies where you can become “a number.”

WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE IN COBB: In 2011, I had the fortunate opportunity to relocate to Cobb County. To-date, it was one of the best moves we have made. The community has welcomed us openly and pulses with a variety of school, church, and community involvement.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? The most rewarding part of my job is building relationships with my clients. By taking the time to understand their business, workforce, or system challenges and helping them deliver their payroll and supporting services effortlessly to their employees is fulfilling on a large scale.

LEISURE TIME: I like to volunteer at my daughter’s high school to support the theater program. There is always a need for set painting, costumes, props, ticket sales, and more. My husband and I love to travel and explore new places to eat.

BEST ADVICE: My advice is to shake up the status quo. In order to evolve, learn, and improve, we need to challenge the way we do things. Both personally and professionally, when we get too comfortable, it means we have stopped evolving and learning. Don’t just ask yourself what you risk if you make changes, ask what you risk if you don’t.

WHAT’S NEXT? Professionally, I will continue to expand my client base while increasing staff to proactively support the community by attending conferences and training sessions to keep up with the frequent changes in payroll taxes, labor laws, withholdings, and compliance requirements. Personally, I will continue enjoying every second with the people I love the most.