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A Pulitzer Prize finalist in Commentary and member of the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame, Roy S. Johnson is a columnist for award-winning AL.com in Alabama. He writes on issues, people, policies, and trends affecting residents across the state and beyond. He challenges conventional, lazy, misinformed thinking and admonishes actions detrimental to the common good, no matter who the culprit. “If we each do better,” he says, “we’ll all be better.”
A winner of the 2021 Edward R. Murrow Award for Best National Podcast (“Unjustifiable,” a 6-part series co-hosted with Pulitzer Prize winner John Archibald), Roy joined AMG in 2014 as Director of Sports, and later was Editor of Birmingham magazine. He began writing columns in 2016. His work is published on Advance Local platforms nationwide. In 2023, Roy co-hosted the six-part podcast documentary Panther: Blueprint for Black Power.
Prior to AMG, Roy’s journalistic journey spanned the highest levels of magazines, television, and newspapers. He was Editor-in-Chief of Savoy (which he conceived and founded), Men’s Fitness, and History Channel Magazine. He was also a writer and top editor at Sports Illustrated, Fortune, and Money, a reporter for The New York Times, and a sports columnist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Roy was Executive Producer of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Search (NBC), numerous television network specials, and Bernie and Ernie, an ESPN 30-for-30 documentary. He’s also featured in The Last Dance, the much-touted documentary on NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan’s final season.
He co-authored books with Earvin (Magic) Johnson (Magic’s Touch), Charles Barkley (Outrageous), and Avery Johnson (Aspire Higher). Roy is currently co-authoring Bright Eyes with Rosie M. Butler, co-producing a documentary on the 1977 Philadelphia 76ers, and writing his autobiography.
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Roy’s family owned “Kyle’s Sundry” on Greenwood Ave. in the heart of “Black Wall Street.” His father was a survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. He and his wife, Dr. Nadia Johnson, Founder and CEO of the nonprofit Black Women’s Mental Health Institute, live in Birmingham, Alabama.
Jason Tuggle is a native of Birmingham with over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing leadership with stints in Alabama, Arizona, Mississippi, Georgia, Texas, and Florida. He is currently the Senior Director of Sales for Keurig Dr Pepper leading their business in the greater Southeast. Jason was introduced to the Mike Slive Foundation through Keurig Dr Pepper and has developed a passion for the organization and the individuals that it serves. With friends and family who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer over the years, he has been able to witness firsthand the benefits and outreach the foundation provides to the community.
A graduate of the University of Alabama, Jason is a passionate Alabama fan. He and his wife, Morgan, have one son (3) and will be welcoming their second son this summer.
Student at University of Alabama at Birmingham
Jalen Pearson is originally from Birmingham, AL, but he grew up in Calera,AL. Jalen formerly worked at Old Overton Club where he was the Director of Outside Operations. Jalen now serves in a role with Touchdown Alabama where he is a content creator and podcaster. He enjoys giving back to his community in Birmingham where he has spent much of his youth and adulthood. Jalen has served in many different foundations and wants to further the mission of the Mike Slive foundation. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. Among other things Jalen enjoys spending time at Inverness Country Club where he plays tennis, golf, and makes connections with others. You will also catch him running and going for a jog around the city of Birmingham where he enjoys getting positive endorphins in to start his days. Jalen is a sports fanatic and his long term goal is to own a professional sports team one day.
Jalen also serves as a ambassador, trustee, and a committee member for the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. He also is a city coordinator for the nonprofit organization BlexIt who is sponsored by Turning Point USA where he leads and shares their mission throughout the southeast.
Dr. Zachary Burns was born and raised in Pinson, Alabama, and now lives in Trussville with his wife Taylor, their daughter Mary Evelyn, and their dog Ollie. He and his family are active members of their church and community. He is an avid fly fisherman and golfer.
Dr. Burns’ academic path reflects both breadth and depth across clinical medicine, research, and leadership. He began his undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama and later graduated summa cum laude from Samford University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from Samford’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy in 2017. During his time there, he served as class president and was inducted into both Phi Lambda Sigma, the national pharmacy leadership society, and the Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society.
In 2021, Dr. Burns then earned his medical degree from the UAB School of Medicine, where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. His research interests and contributions span a range of urologic topics, including complex reconstruction, kidney stone disease, robotic surgery, and urologic oncology.
He matched into the urologic surgery residency program at UAB, where he currently serves as one of the program’s chief residents. As a third-year resident, he was honored by his peers with the Resident Service and Leadership Award in recognition of his dedication and contributions to the program.
Dr. Burns brings a unique and valuable perspective to the Young Advisory Board of the Mike Slive Foundation. With his diverse background in pharmacy, medicine, and academic research, he is deeply committed to advancing prostate cancer awareness and addressing the challenges patients face throughout their care journey.
Brock Ingmire is an Assistant Vice President and leads the health care policy practice for MultiState Associates, LLC. Working with Fortune 100 and non-profit clients across the country, Brock provides government relations and policy consulting services, primarily recognized as a subject matter expert with state legislative and administrative officials on Medicaid, insurance coverage and provider reimbursement issues. He lives in Mountain Brook with his wife, Emily Spurlin, and his son, Oliver. In his free time, Brock is an avid runner and golfer.
Paul is a Regional Director for Allspring Global Investments and has worked in the financial services industry for over thirty years. Paul has served on the Boards of The Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation and Camp Fire Alabama. Paul is a member of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club has served numerous leadership roles as a member of Independent Presbyterian Church. Paul earned a B.S. in Marketing at Auburn University. Paul has been married to his wife Wendy for 35 years and they have 2 Children. Paul enjoys Golf, Travel and spending time with his Family.
Zack is a Vice President and Private Wealth Advisor for Goldman Sachs in the Asset and Wealth Management Division. He works closely with a select group of high-networth clients and their advisors, including individuals, family offices, foundations, and institutions. Prior to joining the firm in 2015, Zack was employed at Morgan Stanley for 10 years in New York City as an Executive Director in Institutional Sales and Trading. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Zack worked in capital markets at a large regional bank as well as Ernst and Young. Zack serves on the board of the UAB Athletics Foundation as well as a member of the UAB School of Business Finance Advisory Board and is the past president of the New York Chapter of the UAB Alumni Society. Zack also is an active member of the Atlanta Police Foundation. Zack graduated from the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s School of Business with B.S. degrees in Accounting and Finance in 2002.
Jeffrey A. Bayer is the President and CEO of Bayer Ventures LLC in Birmingham, Alabama. Additionally, he serves as Senior Advisor for Capitol Peak Ventures, a real estate investment firm located in Dallas, Texas.
In 1983, Jeffrey founded Bayer Properties, LLC and currently retains an ownership position in the firm and its real estate assets. Under his leadership the organization grew from a local property management company to a national commercial real estate firm with a mixed-use asset portfolio of 10 million square feet.
Bayer currently serves on the board of directors for Leadership Alabama, Leadership Birmingham and the University of Alabama’s Health Service Foundation. He also serves in the following business and civic leadership positions: International Trustee for the International Council of Shopping Centers; member of The University of Alabama’s President’s Cabinet; The University of Alabama’s Board of Visitors; and The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s President’s Campaign Executive Committee.
Jeffrey is a member of the 2018 Alabama Business Hall of Fame, recognized by The University of Alabama Culverhouse College of Business for his outstanding business and civic leadership contributions.
In 2018, Bayer, and his wife Gail, chaired the effort to bring the Violins of Hope Program to Birmingham, which led them to establish the Instruments of Hope Unity Fund. As founding donors of this fund, which is managed by the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, the Bayer’s goal is to build unity and a greater sense of trust and shared fates for people throughout the region.
Paul Simmons, II is a native of Birmingham, Alabama with 20 plus years of experience in the health care field as a Sales Representative at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama.
Paul is currently serving as the Director of Educational Activities and Chairman of the Education Foundation of the Omicron Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He also serves as a board member for the Homewood City Schools Foundation.
Because of his personal experience with prostate cancer, Paul provides a unique perspective, and has become a champion in the fight to end this disease. He is also passionate about bringing awareness to the community at large.
He and his wife, Apryl, have two daughters, Ava and Ashlyn, and a dog named Leo.
Stefanie is the Travel Coordinator for Holly NeSmith Travel, a boutique and highly curated travel planning company, where she specializes in connecting with clients and partners around the world in order to piece together a desired custom experience. Before her career in luxury travel planning, Stefanie graduated from Auburn University in 2006 with a degree in Marketing and began her career in pharmaceutical sales. She believes that medicine, travel, and fundraising all have one thing in common, and that is the capacity to change lives. Her father’s prostate cancer diagnosis in 2021 ignited her passion to spread awareness about the importance of early detection, raise funds for medical advancements, and further highlight The Mike Slive Foundation’s ultimate cause: putting an end to prostate cancer. Outside of work, Stefanie enjoys playing basketball with her son, Stone (7), and dressing up baby dolls with her daughter, Grady (5).
Dr. Hamilton graduated with honors from Vanderbilt University, where she received her Bachelor of Science, majoring in Mathematics and Economics. She then attended the University of Kentucky College of Medicine for her medical education. Following Kentucky, Dr. Hamilton completed an internship at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama, where she then went on to complete her residency. Staying at the University of Alabama School of Medicine she completed her fellowship in the department of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Hamilton joined Urology Centers of Alabama in 2016, where she has led the development of the advanced prostate cancer program.
Dr. Hamilton has lectured as an invited specialist for numerous conferences as a specialist in medical oncology including the UAB ASCO Review and the Tri-State Cancer Congress.
Dr. Hamilton has worked with The Mike Slive Foundation review proposal commitment to find a cure for prostate cancer. The Foundation funds pilot grants for innovative research that allows researchers the ability to show proof-of-concept when applying for larger, highly competitive federal grants.
She is a member of American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Urologic Association, American Medical Association, and the Southern Medical Association.
William Caudell is an account manager with McGriff Insurance Services in their Energy Practice where he specializes in managing insurance programs for public and private utilities and independent power producers. William graduated from the University of Alabama in 2012 with a degree in English and a minor Italian.
William’s volunteer experience includes 5 years as a literacy tutor for Triangle Literacy Council in Raleigh, NC (prior to moving to Birmingham) and 3 years on STAIR Birmingham’s Junior Board where he served as president for the last 2 years.
When he is not working, William enjoys spending time with his wife, Nicole, son, Otto, and daughter, Olivia, hiking and trail running with his husky, Sabre, cooking, and watching the Buffalo Bills.
Lisa Cunningham is Director of Event Management at REVELxp. Lisa’s role in events has allowed her an opportunity to work with the Big 12 Conference, Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference, College Football Playoff and her alma mater, University of Georgia. Lisa graduated from UGA in 2011 with a degree in Marketing. She began working with the Mike Slive Foundation in 2020 on the Beyond Blue Planning Committee which led to joining the Young Advisory Board. She is also a member of the Junior League of Birmingham. Outside of work and volunteering, Lisa enjoys spending time with her husband, Cole, and son, Chip, visiting family, going to the lake, and cheering on the Dawgs!
Morgan Trotter Copes is now in his second stint at Regions Bank and returns after launching and running Birmingham’s professional soccer team, Birmingham Legion FC. He is in commercial banking at the bank but still remains connected to the club and enjoys getting to be a fan. Morgan has been around soccer his entire life and holds a United States Soccer Federation B-License. He played in college at the University of Mobile and earned his bachelor’s degree in management as well as his MBA. After being accepted into Regions Bank’s Management Associate program, he moved to Birmingham in 2012. While working there, he co-founded the amateur soccer team, called the Birmingham Hammers, whose main goal was to help bring professional soccer to the Magic City. During his time as the club’s President and General Manager, he was able to help build it to a successful organization and his efforts earned him the honor of being Legion FC’s first employee as well as a spot in Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2016. Outside of work, Morgan enjoys spending time with his wife, Emily, son, Lane, checking out local breweries, playing live music, wood working and taking his ’84 Jeep CJ 7 for a spin.
Nicole Hardekopf is a licensed realtor at ARC Realty, and was voted Vestavia Hills’ Best Realtor in 2019 by Vestavia Hills Magazine. Nicole graduated from Auburn University in 2011 with a degree in Public Relations, concentration in Marketing, and minor in Spanish. While at Auburn, Nicole was a member of the Student Government Association, Mortar Board, Omicron Delta Kappa, Lobby Board, ADPi, and served as Vice President of the prestigious Cater Society, an organization comprised of the top 10 most influential women at Auburn University.
Nicole’s volunteer experience in Birmingham includes serving on the Junior League of Birmingham and UAB Womens Club. She has served as two-time President for the Birmingham Fashion Week Junior Board, Publicity and New Member Chair for the American Cancer Society Junior Executive Board, and instructor at Steeple Arts Academy of Dance.
C.E. and Bernadine Laborde Professor of Cancer Research
Medical Director, Tulane Cancer Center
Associate Dean for Oncology
Tulane University School of Medicine
Dr. Oliver Sartor is an internationally recognized expert in prostate cancer. His medical practice and research have focused on prostate cancer since 1990 when he finished a medical oncology fellowship at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). He has published over 500 peer-reviewed articles, led or co-led multiple national and international clinical studies, including four phase III studies pivotal for FDA approval (samarium 153 EDTMP, cabazitaxel, radium-223, and PSMA-617 Lu-177). He has lectured widely, and at last count has given invited lectures in 33 countries.He is currently the Associate Dean for Oncology, Medical Director of the Tulane Cancer Center, and serves as the Laborde Professor for Cancer Research at Tulane Medical School with appointments in both the Medicine and Urology Departments.He has served as the past Chairman of the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Integration Panel and is the Medical Oncology Chair of the GU committee of NRG. He is also a past member of the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Counselors (Clinical Sciences and Epidemiology), founding co-Director of the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, and founding Editor-in-Chief for the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Genitourinary Cancer.
Joel Welker has served as market president and publisher of the Birmingham Business Journal since 2008. Prior to moving to Birmingham, he worked at the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the South Florida Business Journal, which are sister publications of the BBJ also owned by American City Business Journals. Before starting his career with ACBJ, he worked for 13 years at Harte-Hanks Communications. He is a 2011 graduate of Leadership Birmingham and a 2014 graduate of Leadership Alabama. He has served on the boards of directors of Lakeshore Foundation and the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. He was also a member of the UAB Athletics Campaign. Welker was born in Connecticut and grew up in Miami. He and his wife, Pam, have four children combined.
Currently serving as CEO of Vituro Health, Clete created the company in honor of his father, who had prostate cancer, and all men who have been affected by prostate cancer. Vituro Health empowers men with comprehensive prostate care during all stages of their lives. With more than 25 years of experience in operating, growing and investing in successful businesses, partnered with his personal experience with prostate cancer, Clete brings a unique perspective to the Mike Slive Foundation.
Lisa is currently the Senior Development Director for the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. Prior to coming to UAB, Lisa was employed for 30 years by the American Cancer Society. In her last position, she served as the National Senior Vice President for Product and Program Management. Lisa’s experience will be instrumental in furthering the fight against prostate cancer.
President and CEO at Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
William Pate is the president and CEO of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB). A native of Atlanta, Pate is respected locally for his leadership and marketing expertise. In 2022, he was named one of Atlanta’s 500 most powerful leaders by Atlanta Magazine. American Marketing Association’s Atlanta chapter awarded him its lifetime achievement award in 2020. Atlanta Business League previously named him Herman J. Russell CEO of the Year. Pate’s involvement in Atlanta’s sports industry includes serving on the boards of Atlanta Sports Council, Cricket Celebration Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame. He served as vice president of the Atlanta Football Host Committee which managed the College Football Playoff National Championship, board member for the Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee for Super Bowl LIII and vice chairman of the Atlanta Basketball Host Committee, which oversaw planning for the 2020 NCAA Men’s Final Four. Pate attended Georgia State University where he received his undergraduate degree in journalism and his graduate degree in communications.
Associate Professor. Director of Robotic Surgery at UAB
Dr. Jeffrey Nix is the Associate Professor & Director of Robotic Surgery in the Department of Urology at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Nix specializes in surgical and non-surgical treatment of prostate cancer, offering robotic surgery for primary or salvage treatment. He also has a very active clinical and research interest in active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer with the incorporation of advanced imaging technology and image guided biopsies of the prostate. Dr. Nix also specializes in the treatment of early-stage kidney tumors by partial nephrectomy (partial removal of the kidney) or active surveillance, as well as radical surgery for locally advanced kidney cancers. Having extensive experience in open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical techniques, Dr. Nix’s surgical approach is based upon individual evaluation of the patient’s tumors and selection of the proper technique for optimal cancer control. While minimally invasive approaches are appropriate for most patients, in those for whom they are not Dr. Nix has great comfort level in offering conventional surgical approaches to maximize the likelihood of successful treatment and minimize the risk of complication. He is also one of two urologists at UAB who leads the Program for Personalized Prostate Cancer Care.
With over 20 years of experience in building relationships across the Atlanta civic, business and philanthropic communities, Kendyl brings an extensive background which includes growing non-profit community initiatives, special events, youth programming, event marketing as well as sponsorship and donations.
Kendyl has worked in collegiate and professional athletics, respectively. She has served as the Assistant Director of the Men’s Basketball Championship and Final Four for the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and most recently as the Vice-President of Community Relations for the Atlanta Falcons.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communications from the University of Texas (USA) as a Division I collegiate track and field student-athlete and a Master of Arts in Corporate Communications from DePaul University (USA).
As a founder of Markstein, a corporate strategy and communications consulting firm, Danny puts his decades of marketing knowledge to work for a vast number of community initiatives. A Birmingham native, Danny attended Highlands Day School and Indian Springs School. He lived in Washington, DC for 10 years after graduating from Trinity College (Connecticut) before returning to Birmingham. Danny brings great expertise to the board of the Mike Slive Foundation. Danny and his wife Eileen are proud parents to two young boys: Max, 10; and Wyatt, 7.
Robert D. Marks, joined Gastro Health in June 1996 and practices at our Grandview and Alabaster locations. Prior to this date, Dr. Marks was an assistant professor of medicine in the division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Marks obtained his undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University and his medical degree from Meharry Medical College (Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society). He performed his internship at St. Mary’s Hospital (Yale School of Medicine Affiliate) and his Internal Medicine residency and GI Fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.
In 1996, Dr. Marks completed his MPH at Yale University School of Public Health with an emphasis on the epidemiology of chronic diseases (colon cancer screening and clinical outcomes). He also completed a post-graduate fellowship at Yale as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar. While on faculty at UAB, Dr. Marks’ clinical research initiatives involving gastroesophageal reflux disease were published in the scientific journal “Gastroenterology” and featured on CNN. Dr. Marks also serves as medical director of the Alabama Digestive Research Center.
Dr. Marks is a Fellow in the American College of Physicians and a member of the State Medical Association, American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Alabama Gastroenterological Society.
He and his wife Frances have two adult children. They worship at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church where they are actively involved as Sunday School teachers and in mission work.
James C. Lee, III, “Jimmy,” currently serves as Chairman of the Board & CEO of Buffalo Rock Company, one of the largest privately held, family owned Pepsi franchises in the United States. Jimmy is the fourth generation Lee to manage the business.
Jimmy began his career with Buffalo Rock Company, working summers, at the age of 12. After graduating from Auburn University in 1970, he spent one year working with Pepsi-Cola Company. He then came to work for Buffalo Rock Company on a full-time basis in 1971.
As a Birmingham resident, Jimmy concentrates his efforts toward community involvement. With his encouragement and support, Buffalo Rock makes significant contributions to the community through sponsorship of charitable events, including donations of time, services and product. In addition, a civic project with which Jimmy has had a passion for is Bent Brook Golf Course. The 27-hole facility was the first privately-owned public course in Birmingham that offers residents an upscale alternative for public golf.
In 2015, Jimmy was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame and received Auburn University’s Jefferson County Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. Jimmy was also the recipient of the 2013 Alabama Newcomen Award and was named the 2011 March of Dimes Citizen of the Year.
Jimmy is currently a member of the Alabama Beverage Association, Board Member of the Mike Slive Foundation, Board Member of the Coach Safely Foundation, Board Member of the UAB School of Medicine’s Board of Visitors, and Board Member of the Lord Wedgwood Charity. Jimmy is also the Past Director of the Birmingham Business Alliance, Past President of Children’s Hospital Foundation Board, Past Chairman of the Board of Children’s Hospital of Alabama, Past President of the Alabama Beverage Association, Past Board Member of the American Beverage Association, Past President of the Vestavia Park Foundation, and Past President of the Auburn University Athletic Development Council.
Charles Latham is a retired Quality Assurance Manager for the Department of Defense (U.S. Navy) with 25 years of honorable service. He is a member of Grenada High School’s graduating class of 1971. In 1973 he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he received two meritorious promotions before being honorably discharged in 1976. He attended San Diego City College earning a degree in Business Management and a Certificate of Completion in Shipbuilding and Blueprint Reading.
During his 25 years of service with the Department of Defense, Charles received numerous Sustained Superior Performance Awards and Excellence Performance Awards. In 1996, he was promoted to Supervisory Quality Assurance Specialist and was assigned to head the Repair Division for Southwest Regional Maintenance Center in San Diego, Ca. The first African American to hold the position. There he was responsible for the quality assurance oversight for every U.S. Navy vessel that required ship repair or overhaul from San Diego, Ca. to Long Beach, Ca. area. In 1999 he became a Certified Quality Manager and a Certified Lead Auditor. He has participated on numerous NAVSEA Inspector General Audit Teams as a Quality Systems Expert and Lead Auditor conducting compliance audits on U.S. Naval activities. and their contractors providing contract required services. After his retirement in December of 2004, he returned to his hometown Grenada, Ms. and began volunteering his service to his community. Some of his volunteer efforts include the following;
Past member of the Advisory Board for the Boys and Girls Club Grenada Unit
Past Chairman of the Grenada Historic Preservation Commission
Member of the Chamber of Commerce Education Committee
Past Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Unity Committee
Past member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
Past Chairman of Central Mississippi Inc. Board of Dircectors
Founding member and current President of the 100 Black Men of Grenada, Inc.
Charles has spoken at all local schools in Grenada county, Piney Woods Academy, and has been the keynote speaker for Fench-Henry Job Corps Center on numerous ocassions. For his contributions to his community, Charles was recognized as one of Grenada’s Good Neighbors of 2008 in a special edition of the Grenada Star Newspaper. In 2008 he was awarded the Magnolia Bar Association and Magnolia Bar Foundation’s Harriet Tubman Award. In February 2010 he received the Chamber of Commerce James “Coach” Edmond Award. In March of 2017 he awarded Man of the Year by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Pi Sigma Lambda Chapter, and in June 2017 he received the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. James T. Black Award.
Charles has been married to Dorothy Latham for 34 years and is the proud father of Charles II, Naomi and Daa’iyah.
Charles Herman graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Accounting. Charles served as a First Lieutenant in the Air Force for 3 years and spent one year in Vietnam as a Medical Supply Officer. For 41 years Charles owned and operated Lamps Fantastic, a lamp store in Vestavia. He and his wife, Gail, have two sons.
Stephen brings over 30 years of experience in the legislative and healthcare arenas as well as a passion for patient advocacy to the Mike Slive Foundation. He has worked with physicians, health systems, payers, and non-profit organizations to find solutions that improve patient care. As the son of a prostate cancer survivor, Stephen is eager to lend his efforts to the Foundation and contribute to the search for a cure.
Prior to his career in the healthcare arena, Stephen spent ten years serving as legislative staff in the Georgia General Assembly and the United States Congress. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs, earning a Masters in Public Administration.
Stephen is a Senior Account Manager for Astellas Pharma, US. He and his wife, Megan, reside in Roswell, GA with their children Maggie and Daniel.
Judd Harwood is a partner at Bradley. He focuses his practice on general and nonprofit corporate transactions and healthcare regulatory issues. His clients include health systems, hospitals and related healthcare facilities, multi and single specialty medical practices, ambulatory surgery centers, dialysis providers, hospice and home health agencies and non-profit healthcare organizations. When he’s not representing clients, Judd spends his time in the community using his passions for healthcare and justice to help advocate for children’s healthcare, and now men’s healthcare through the Mike Slive Foundation for Prostate Cancer Research.
From Miami to Alabama, Howard has been helping his patients breathe a little easier as an Otolaryngologist, currently with ENT Associates of Alabama. A former U.S. Airfoce Major, Dr. Goldberg is a graduate of Emory University School of Medicine and completed residency at the University of Miami. He has practiced for 25 years and has extensive training in Facial Plastic Surgery with Fellowship in The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Founder of Vulcan Value Partners, Retired
Bruce Donnellan received his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Auburn in 1976 and his MBA in Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1978. He was an original partner at Vulcan Value Partners which grew from $20 million in AUM to $13 billion at the time of his retirement in 2018.
Founder of INFLCR
Jim Cavale is the Founder & CEO of INFLCR, as well as the Chief Innovation Officer for their parent company, Teamworks. Made up of more than 200 employees, many of whom are former collegiate athletes, his team is making a direct impact on the sports industry and the lives of athletes. With the success of these timely ventures, Jim was recently named as one of ESPN’s list of “The 11 biggest power brokers and advocates shaping the future of college football,” and in June 2022 was named in the Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40.” Jim is also the proud co-founder of the GLOW, beauty-on-demand, app with his wife, Yazmin. Jim has built both companies all while raising his three children, Savanah, Sofia, and James.
Chris Burrell is a son of Birmingham, AL and one of the city’s brightest young lawyers. He is the founder and lead attorney of The C.Burrell Law Group, LLC, a boutique firm that handles a range of civil and criminal cases. Chris and his wife, Robin make their home in the Oxmoor Valley community of Birmingham.
Harry has served the community since 1967 providing insurance, estate planning and financial services to help his clients achieve a lifetime of financial security. HE was honored as a key member of the Birmingham community when he received the Outstanding Community Service Award from the organization of the National Conference for Community and Justice in Alabama in 2007. Harry has served as active Chairman of many Boards and organizations, now including serving on the Board of the Mike Slive Foundation for Prostate Cancer Research. When he is not in the office or donating his time to the community, you will find him spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Chief Experience Officer (CXO), Autocar Trucks
Craig Antonucci is the chief experience officer for Autocar LLC, carrier of North America’s oldest specialized severe-duty vocational truck brand. As the CXO, Antonucci brings to the Autocar team decades of knowledge in delivering a superior customer experience. He previously spent 12 years at BPA Quality, where he designed customer experiences for some of the best companies in the world, including Apple and Humana. Craig has over 25 years of experience in building businesses large and small.
Larry Templeton became one of the longest tenured athletic directors in Mississippi State history as well as the Southeastern Conference. Born in the shadow of Scott Field, the 2nd oldest on-campus football stadium in America, he never left Starkville. He began work in the athletics department as a junior in high school working in the sports information department until he graduated from Mississippi State in 1969. He became the first assistant sports information director in the school’s history following graduation, was the school’s men’s golf coach in 1973-74 before working his way up through the ranks as business manager, assistant athletic director for facilities, and associate athletic director for administration before being named as the Director of Athletics in 1987 at the age of 41.
Using the tools he learned working his way through the various areas of the department, Templeton started a wave of building for both facilities and teams. During the 21 years he headed the department, intercollegiate athletics finished every single year in the black. An innovator, Templeton added two women’s sports; soccer and softball and hired the first African American football coach in Southeastern Conference history, Sylvester Croom. Mississippi State also recored the highest combined Student-Athlete grade point average and received commendation for all-time high graduation rates. The new $10 Million Templeton Athletic Academic Center is named in his honor. Under his leadership, MSU produced the Southeastern Conference Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year three times each during his tenure.
Templeton’s work also stretches far from the MSU campus. He succeeded Roy Kramer as the chair of the SEC athletic directors in 1990; a position he held until his retirement in 2008. He is a former member of the NCAA Championship Cabinet, the NCAA Bowl Certification Committee and served two terms on the NCAA Baseball Committee; serving as chair three years. It was during his chairmanship that the new baseball facility in Omaha was built. Following his retirement from MSU, Mike Slive appointed Templeton as a special consultant to the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, a position he currently still serves under Commissioner Greg Sankey. He has been involved in both the expansion fo the Southeastern Conference as well as the formation of the SEC television network. He also holds the title of Director of Athletics Emeritus at MSU. He has been inducted into both the Mississippi State Sports Hall of Fame as well as the State of Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
A close personal friend of Mike Slive, Templeton is a prostate cancer survivor.
Charlie was born in Birmingham and attended Washington and Lee University. He is married to his wife Sheri and has three children and five grandchildren. In 1986 Charlie founded Highland Associates, which sold to sold to Regions Bank in 2019. In 2016 he founded the Alabama Capital Network with which he remains involved at present. Charlie holds many board positions with Birmingham-based nonprofits and currently serves as Chair of the Corporate Board for the Alys Stephens Center and a member of the Executive Committee of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center Advisory Board in addition to his service as a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the Mike Slive Foudation. In his free time, Charlie enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors hunting, fishing, and farming.
Sam Miller started Champ Creative, a full service advertising agency, in 2021 following 10 years as a partner at Burton Advertising. Sam and his team have been recognized locally, regionally, and nationally for efforts on behalf of their clients including Regional and National ADDY and Regional EMMY recognitions in 2021. Prior to his time at Burton Advertising, Sam worked for the UAB Athletic Department where he oversaw external communications. Sam serves as a Vice President of the Mike Slive Foundation Board of Directors and as Vice President of the UAB National Alumni Society’s Board of Directors, and is a member of the 2022 Leadership Birmingham class. Sam teaches marketing classes at UAB, and is the proud coach of his daughters’ championship soccer team the Marshmallow Hurricanes. He earned his MBA from UAB after receiving an undergraduate degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Alabama. Sam and his wife, Robin, have three daughters, ages 21, 16 and 15.
Ed concentrates his practice in the areas of construction law, litigation and mediation and arbitration at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC. He has received numerous accolades in his service to law, served on the Board of Directors for the American College of Construction Lawyers, Adjunct Professor at the Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, and member of various boards and committees. Ed attended the University of Tampa and Cumberland School of Law of Samford University. Ed founded the Mike Slive Foundation.
Emmett McLean is a Founder, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary of Medical Properties Trust, a publicly traded healthcare real estate investment trust. Previously, Emmett worked in the healthcare services industry at senior financial positions, and prior to that he worked in investment banking and corporate finance with Dean Witter Reynolds (now Morgan Stanley), Smith Barney (now Citigroup) and Trust Company Bank (now Truist Bank).
He is member of the Board of Directors of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama, Smile-A-Mile, Greater Alabama Council-Boy Scouts of America, UAB Athletics Foundation, United Way of Central Alabama, The World Games 2022, Rotary Club of Birmingham Foundation and The Mike Slive Foundation. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham and has chaired many fundraising events throughout Birmingham.
Emmett earned his M.B.A. at the University of Virginia, and a B.A. in Economics from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
He and his wife Catherine have three children and two grandchildren.
Kermit’s background molded a competitive spirit and commitment to excellence that guides his handling and resolution of complex litigation matters across the Southeast. As an All-American football player at the University of Alabama, Kermit learned the values of hard work, preparation, perseverance, teamwork, and courage.Kermit has successfully tried a number of cases in Federal and State courts and has also handled a number of arbitration matters. Additionally, Kermit serves as the City Attorney for the City of Meridian, Mississippi. In his capacity as City Attorney, Kermit manages the City’s outside counsel at multiple law firms and serves as chief legal adviser to the executive branch of the local government.
While at the University of Alabama, Kermit was a 4-year starter on the football team, was an All-SEC performer in 1987 and, in 1988, was selected as an All-American. Kermit is especially thankful for having been the first winner of the Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award while at Alabama. Kermit later attended the University of Alabama School of Law. During law school, Kermit received the Jerome Hoffman Leadership Award and was a member of the Farrah Law Society. In addition, he was selected for membership in the Bench & Bar Legal Honor Society.
After receiving his Accounting degree, and before going to Law School, Kermit joined Merrill Lynch, where he secured a Series 7 license and worked as a financial consultant. In addition, Kermit served as a compliance officer for approximately two years for the University of Alabama’s Athletic Department before attending Law School.
Kermit’s leadership and his desire to provide support to charities in the Southeast are demonstrated by his involvement in a number of organizations. Kermit’s litigation skills were recognized in connection with being selected as a future lead litigator for CSX Transportation, Inc.
Lee Edwards is President of Edwards Chevrolet. Lee is the third-generation member of his family to run the business, working along with his father Leon Edwards, and he’s hoping the tradition will continue. Last year, the company celebrated its 100th anniversary, thanks to an attitude of treating others well. When not running the family business, Lee gives back to the community by participating on the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Board, the Boards of both the Birmingham and State of Alabama Auto Dealers Association, and the Mike Slive Foundation for Prostate Cancer Research.
Pete Derzis retired from ESPN in April 2021 after a 31 year career with the sports giant. As senior vice president, college sports, Pete led the ESPN Events team and its 35 owned and operated events in ESPN’s Charlotte, N.C., offices. Derzis also was responsible for college sports programming, including oversight of college football, men’s and women’s college basketball, NCAA Championships, school-sponsored sports and rights acquisitions.
Derzis was one of the senior executives in charge of the day-to-day operations in Charlotte, which is home to ESPN Events, ESPNU and SEC Network.
He was instrumental in the creation and acquisition of 35 current owned and operated ESPN events, including four early-season college football games, 17 bowl games, 11 college basketball events, a softball event and two college award shows. ESPN Events accounts for approximately 400 hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year.
Named senior vice president and general manager of ESPN Regional Television (ERT) in November 2005, Derzis joined ESPN in 1994 after the company acquired Creative Sports, for which he served as vice president. In 1997, ESPN combined its OCC division and Creative Sports to form ERT, the nation’s largest syndicator of college sports programming, with Derzis continuing his role as vice president overseeing programming and acquisitions.
Derzis directed ERT into the top syndication rights-holder and producer of national, regional and local shows for college conferences including the BIG EAST, Big 12, Big Ten, Mid-American, Mountain West and WAC, as well as the SEC. ERT annually produced more than 1,200 telecasts of sporting events, including programming of football, basketball, NCAA events, golf and NHRA events accounting for more than 3,400 live and/or original hours of programming.
Before working for ERT and Creative Sports, Derzis was the associate athletic director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) from 1977-1990. While at UAB, Derzis managed various areas of the athletic department, including all sports administration, broadcasting and fundraising, as well as game day management.
Derzis earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Alabama in 1975. He has served multiple terms on the Executive Committee of the Football Bowl Association. In 2017, he was the recipient of the Distinguished American Sportsman Award, presented by the State of Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
Anil Chadha joined Regions Bank in 2011 and serves as Executive Vice President, Head of Shared Risk Services & Analytics within the Risk Management group. In this role, he leads risk data, reporting, testing and analytics. Additionally, he has oversight of the allowance for credit losses, credit risk review, and commercial real estate appraisals. Previously he served as Assistant Treasurer in the Treasury Division. In that role, his responsibilities included managing debt and capital strategies and execution, managing regulatory capital forecasts, coordinating stress testing activities (including Dodd-Frank Act Stress Testing and Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review activities), and leading the funding and liquidity group.
Prior to joining Regions, Anil worked in the Finance & Treasury groups at several financial institutions including Ally Financial, Wachovia / Wells Fargo, and Capital One.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and a master’s in business from the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University.
Anil lives in Homewood, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, with his wife and 3 girls. He is an active supporter of the University of Alabama-Birmingham; serving on the University Athletic Foundation Board as well as the Advisory Board of the Finance Department within the Collat School of Business. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors of REV Birmingham, an economic development non-profit working to make the city of Birmingham a more vibrant place.
Anil was named “Top 40 under 40” by the Birmingham Business Journal in 2018. He was also a member of the 2021 Birmingham cohort of the Young American Leaders Program at the Harvard Business School.
Thomas H. Brigham, Jr. (Tommy) is the Chairman and Founding Partner of ARC Realty and also serves as CEO of ARK Real Estate Strategies and the ARK Real Estate Opportunity Fund I. He founded Brigham-Williams in 1982 and it quickly grew to be the third largest real estate company in Alabama. He merged Brigham-Williams with Johnson-Rast & Hays in 1998 to form Alabama’s largest real estate services company (including RealtySouth, TitleSouth, MortgageSouth and InsuranceSouth) and served as President and COO from 1998 to 2002. RealtySouth was sold in 2002 to HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and Tommy served as Chairman and CEO of RealtySouth from 2002 to 2007.
Brigham was recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal’s List of 2018 as one of the Top Birmingham’s Most Influential Executives, and by AL.com’s The Birmingham News as part of the Gang of 7 as the 7th most influential group in the State of Alabama in sports in 2017. He currently serves as Vice President of the UAB Athletic Foundation and is a member of the Foundation’s Executive Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Cornerstone Schools of Alabama and serves as a member of the Executive Committee. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Addiction Prevention Coalition and The Center for Executive Leadership and is closely involved with The Early Childhood Learning Center in Woodlawn and the Woodlawn Foundation. Tommy is an active member of Mountain Brook Community Church. He is married to Cecile and has 3 children and 7 grandchildren.
Frank is the 10th Mayor of the city of Hoover. Mayor Brocato has a long history of public service and retired from the Hoover Fire Department after 42 years. He and his wife Frances have been married 46 years and have three children and nine grandchildren. Mayor Brocato has been prostate cancer survivor since 2009.
Jenna Bedsole serves as the Office Managing Shareholder for Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz’s Birmingham office. Jenna represents employers in a broad range of employment matters. She has successfully enforced non-compete and non-solicitation agreements and obtained judgments against former employees who took confidential information and trade secrets. Jenna conducts management and employee training relating to workplace issues and regularly counsels employers to ensure compliance with employment and labor laws.
She is also a screenwriter, producer, and director of documentary films. Her first film, Stand Up, Speak Out: the Nina Miglionico Story, premiered at the Sidewalk Film Festival and aired on Alabama Public Television. Two of her films have been nominated for Southeast Emmys. She and her husband, Chess, have two daughters, Helen and Cameron.
Professor of the Practice and Vice President/Director of Athletics, Emeritus, Duke University
Kevin M. White is a professor of the practice and also vice president/director of athletics, emeritus at Duke. White has a Ph.D. in education from Southern Illinois University in 1983 and currently teaches a sports business course at Fuqua as part of the Daytime MBA program. White joined Duke after leading Notre Dame’s athletics program from 2000-08. He led Duke Athletics to unprecedented success in competition, reshaped the organization into a more efficient department and implemented significant diversity and inclusion efforts for Duke Athletics. He has mentored more than two dozen current or former directors of athletics. White and his wife, Jane, a former college track and field coach, have five children and 12 grandchildren.
Kevin Warren serves as the sixth Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference and the first African American Commissioner to lead an Autonomy Five conference. Warren most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League where he worked since 2005. He was the highest ranking African American executive working on the business side for a team in the NFL and was the first African American COO in NFL history.
Warren’s extensive experience in all facets of the Minnesota Vikings organization created the perfect foundation for him to lead the business operations. After being promoted to COO, Warren played a critical role in all business, financial, legal and operational aspects related to U.S. Bank Stadium and was involved in the design, construction, business, legal and operational components of the new stadium. Warren also played a key role in the design, development and planning of Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, the Vikings’ headquarters in Eagan, in addition to the ancillary real estate development of Viking Lakes. Under Warren’s visionary leadership, the Vikings restructured the organization, with an emphasis on broadening the executive team and promoting women to key executive positions.
Ben C. Sutton, Jr. is founder and chairman of Teall Capital, a private equity company with investments in a portfolio of businesses including Riddle & Bloom, Tailgate Guys, Sunshine Beverages, Complex Sports & Entertainment, NICKEL, and Dyehard Fan Supply. Sutton, a graduate of Wake Forest University and law school, was previously Chairman|CEO of IMG College, which he founded as ISP Sports in 1992, essentially inventing the college media business as it’s known today. When he stepped down as CEO in 2015, IMG was the largest college sports marketing enterprise, as well as sports/entertainment sales organization in America. In addition to building the core businesses of IMG College into four national market-leading companies, he was largely responsible for the meteoric growth of IMG Worldwide, engineering the sale of the company in 2014 for $2.4 billion. IMG was the national market leader in Media, Licensing, Ticketing and Stadium Seating, working with over 225 universities, conferences, NCAA and College Football Playoff.
In addition to being named one of the most powerful sports executives in America, Sutton has received numerous awards including the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine, Wake Forest Distinguished Alumni award, NSMA Roone Arledge Award, and is an inductee of the North Carolina Sports, National Football Foundation, NACMA and Sports Business Halls of Fame. He serves on boards of Wake Forest University, White House Historical Association, Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, National Football Foundation, The First Tee and the United States Olympic Committee foundation. The Sutton Family Foundation has invested over $50 million in philanthropic causes.
Actor, Michael O’Neill, just completed starring on NBC’s family drama, Council of Dads (available for viewing on hulu.com and nbc.com), playing “Dad” Larry Mills. His career (to date) spans over 40 years and 120 credits on IMDB. In the past two years alone, he has worked in numerous popular television shows including Messiah (Netflix), Jack Ryan (Amazon), Scandal (ABC), and The Shooter (USA). If you have daughters, they know him as “The Shooter” in Grey’s Anatomy because as grieving husband Gary Clarke he sought revenge against the doctors that pulled the plug on his wife in the season finale of Season 6 of that show. His role as Ron Butterfield on The West Wing, which he appeared on regularly, he marks as the beginning of his most consistent work as a television actor. But he has also worked in many films. The most notable include Seabiscuit, Dallas Buyers Club, Transformers, Green Zone and recently Clemency, which won the Jury Award at Sundance in 2019 and The Stand in Paxton County, which was just released on Netflix.
Michael is from Montgomery and attended Auburn University where he majored in Economics.
He has served on the Board of Directors (Hollywood Division) for the Screen Actors Guild and is a Member of Motion Picture Academy of Arts & Sciences. This past December he gave the commencement address to his daughter Ella’s graduation class at Auburn University and last May he spoke at the University of Montevallo commencement. He and Mary also have twins, Annie & Molly who are rising juniors – Annie at Cal Poly SLO and Molly at Rhodes College. He has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, BookPals (a reading initiative of SAG), and Teach for America. When not acting, his favorite activity is working on the garden – during COVID he has planted his own victory garden.
Following a long and distinguished career as a military officer, men’s basketball coach and administrator, Reggie Minton has announced his retirement as deputy executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Minton joined the NABC staff as associate executive director in 2000 after 16 years as the head men’s basketball coach at the United States Air Force Academy, the longest coaching tenure in the academy’s history. In 2004, Executive Director Jim Haney elevated Minton to deputy executive director. Minton assisted Haney on issues that impacted college basketball and its coaches, legislative actions and other matters with the NCAA, including preparation for the NABC Convention, held annually in conjunction with the men’s Final Four. He has been the NABC liaison in its partnership with the American Cancer Society for the Coaches vs. Cancer program, which has raised more than $100 million since its inception. Minton also chairs the selection committee for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, Minton was active with USA Basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Trustees and the NIT selection committee. He has served on numerous NCAA committees, including a term as chair of the rules committee and as a consultant to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Issues Committee. A Bridgeport, Conn., native, Minton was an all-state selection at Bridgeport Central High and was a collegiate standout at The College of Wooster. Following graduation, Minton served for more than 20 years in the United States Air Force, continuing to earn honors with the All-Air Force and All-Armed Forces teams. He was an alternate for the 1964 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team.
Wherever he goes, Archie Manning is recognized as an ambassador of goodwill and a molder of people. He was born in Drew, Mississippi and was an All-American Quarterback at Ole Miss. In 1971 the New Orleans Saints made Archie their #1 draft choice. During his 14-year NFL career, he set most Saints passing records, played in Pro Bowls, and was the NFC’s most valuable player in 1978. He is a member of several Halls of Fame including the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame and the Mississippi and Louisiana Halls of Fame. As a player, Archie won numerous humanitarian awards and was named one of 10 outstanding Americans by the U.S. Jaycees. He was named Father of the Year by the National Father’s Day Council.
Lawrence (Larry) A. Jones, Executive Vice President, FOX Sports, is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day business operation of FOX Sports. Jones oversees production budgets, business and legal affairs, talent and rights negotiations, administration, and facility and operations management. He played an integral role in FOX’s acquisition of the exclusive network broadcast rights to the National Football League, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, WWE, United States Golf Association Championships, the Big Ten Championship Game and Pac-12 Football Championship Game and regular season packages.
Jones joined FOX Sports in 1994 as Executive Vice President of Business Operations after serving as Senior Vice President, FOX Inc., responsible for developing new business opportunities for the company. He was President and Chief Operating Officer of FX, FOX’s cable television venture, from March 1992 to November 1993 and was in charge of the launch and operational development of FOX Inc.’s then-new 24-hour cable service.
In addition to his employment at FOX Sports, Jones is the owner and President of Golden Hawk Protea, a boutique grower and seller of exotic protea flowers normally found in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Jones earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University and graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law. He resides in Brentwood, Calif., and has two children.
“In Alabama, the saying goes, there are two types of people: those who admit they listen to Paul Finebaum, and liars.”
Thus begins a 5,000-word profile of Paul Finebaum under the heading “King of the South” in the New Yorker magazine. His career changed overnight following the publication in 2012. He would sign a book deal with Harper-Collins which led to subsequent New York Times best-seller as well as a contract with ESPN, where he would become the face of the SEC Network, and ultimately, according to the Wall Street Journal, become known as “the Oprah Winfrey of college football.” Rachel Bachman, who wrote the piece, went on to say: “He is perhaps college football’s best-known voice since Keith Jackson retired.”
Finebaum, who grew up in Memphis and attended the University of Tennessee, began his career as a muckraking newspaper journalist in Birmingham Alabama, caught the wave of talk radio in the nineties and ultimately landed his show in 2010 on Sirius-XM radio. Since joining ESPN in 2013, he has appeared on College GameDay and is a regular, in addition to his own daily show on the SEC Network and simulcast on ESPN Radio, on Sportscenter, Get Up and First Take.
Finebaum’s career has not gone unnoticed in Hollywood either as there is currently a sitcom script, “King of the South,” being developed for a major studio about his daily show as well as a documentary in the works on his career.
He has also developed a stand-alone interview show on the SEC Network and has done sit-downs with the likes of Apple Chairman and CEO Tim Cook, Lockheed-Martin chairman and CEO, Marilyn Hewson, author John Grisham and country star Darius Rucker.
“I’ve been interviewed by Johnny Carson three times, Larry King twice, and Merv Griffin. But that guy Finebaum is the best I’ve ever seen,” said Meadowlark Lemon, the former front man for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Former Big 12 Commissioner
Bob Bowlsby, one of the most respected athletic administrators in the nation, retired last year as Commissioner of the Big 12 Conference after serving in that position for a decade. In his tenure with the Conference, Bowlsby finalized one of the most lucrative television deals in college athletics and oversaw the expansion of the existing ESPN rights agreement with the 2019 debut of Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Bowlsby has been married to his wife, Candice, for over 44 years. They have four children and ten grandchildren.
Hall of Fame member Jim Boeheim has had a remarkable run as head coach at his alma mater, Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided only winning teams in his tenure and has pushed the Orange into the postseason in all but three of his 44 years. Syracuse has made 34 trips into the NCAA Tournament, including Final Four appearances in 1987, 1996, 2003, 2013, and 2016. The Orange won the national championship in 2003.
The architect of numerous remarkable campaigns, Boeheim added another one to the books in 2019-20 in an 18-14 campaign halted by the national pandemic.
Boeheim wrapped up his most recent year as head coach on the Hill ranked second in all-time Division I coaching triumphs. He is also second on the active games coached list, trailing only Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski in the two categories.
Boeheim achieved the ultimate basketball tribute in 2005 when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was honored again in the offseason, receiving the John R. Wooden “Legends of Coaching” Award in April. That spring he and Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun were the “Spirit of Jimmy V” honorees at the annual V Foundation Gala.
Boeheim enrolled at Syracuse in 1962 and was a walk-on with the basketball team. By Boeheim’s senior season, he was a team captain along with the legendary Dave Bing. The Orange were 22-6 overall that year and earned the program’s second-ever NCAA Tournament berth. In 1969 he turned to a career in coaching and was hired as a graduate assistant at SU by head coach Roy Danforth. In 1976, he was named head coach at his alma mater.
A four-time BIG EAST Coach of the Year, Boeheim has been honored as NABC District II Coach of the Year 10 times and USBWA District II Coach of the Year on four occasions. During the 2000 Final Four he was presented with the Claire Bee Award in recognition of his contributions to the sport. In the fall of 2000, he received Syracuse University’s Arents Award, the school’s highest alumni honor. On February 24, 2002, the University named the Carrier Dome court “Jim Boeheim Court.” Boeheim joined a select group of coaches working the sidelines of a court named after them.
A long-time participant in the USA Basketball program, Boeheim was named 2001 USA Basketball National Coach of the Year. He’s served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic teams that won gold medals in 2008, 2012 and 2016, and the World Cup in 2010 and 2014.
A champion of many charitable causes, Boeheim and his wife started the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation. He has lent his time to Coaches vs. Cancer, Crouse Hospital’s Kienzle Family Maternity Center, the Children’s Miracle Network, the Eldercare Foundation, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Pioneer Center for the Blind and Disabled, Lighthouse, People in Wheelchairs, Easter Seals, the Special Olympics, the Rescue Mission and the Jack Bruen Fund, among others.
In the spring of 2016, Boeheim was presented with the Circle of Honor Award, presented annually by the American Cancer Society to a college coach who has shown extraordinary commitment and leadership with the Coaches vs. Cancer program fundraising, education and promotional initiatives. He received the 2019 Court of Honor Award from the NABC Foundation in 2019. The recognition goes to individuals who have roots in college basketball, value those roots, and have gone on to distinguish themselves in their profession, exhibiting the highest standards of leadership.
Jim and his wife, Juli, are parents of Jimmy, and twins Jack and Jamie. Jim also has a daughter, Elizabeth.
Bill Battle is a former college athletics administrator and football coach. He was the athletic director of the University of Alabama from 2013 to 2017. Battle was the head football coach at the University of Tennessee from 1970 to 1976. At the time he began as head coach, he was at 29 the youngest college head coach in the country. A native of Birmingham, Alabama and a graduate of the University of Alabama, Battle was one of many of Bear Bryant’s former players and assistant coaches who would later become head coaches. Battle is the founder and chairman of The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC). In 1981, while working for Golden Eagle Enterprises in Selma, Alabama, Battle signed Paul “Bear” Bryant to a licensing agreement.