BHM Biz April/May 2017 by Fergus Media

FLOORED

Robert F. Henry Tile stays young at heart with the latest designs and timeless looks

PARK IT HERE

Local Bicycle Racks are functional works of art APR/MAY2017

STRATEGIC ALLIANCES

Commerce SecetaryGreg Canfield is focused on growing Alabama’s economy through branding and collaboration

JUST WHAT THE

DOCTOR ORDERED Take a tour of the headquarters for American Family Care

ON FIRE Urban Cookhouse’s

devotion to fresh food is a recipe for success

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Greg Canfield, Deparment of Commerce

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content

APRIL/MAY 2017

DEPARTMENTS

16. ON BRAND By Dan Monroe

20. TECH

By Chelsea Berler

22. 10 THINGS

Canine solutions provider iK9

24. COFFEE WITH...

Mike Dunnavant & Michael Mullis Photography by Beau Gustafson

28.

26. HIGH FLYER

Sloss Tech to feature Casey Neistat and Tiki Barber

28. BY THE NUMBERS

Cool facts about the state’s infrastructure

30. PRODUCT PLACEMENT LOCAL Bicycle Rack Co.

62. RESTAURANT

Brandon Cain of Roots & Revelry Photo by Beau Gustafson

64. AND THEN THIS HAPPENED 64.

42.

Big Communication’s John Montgomery

featured 32 .

DESIGN THERAPY

With they embarked on the design for American Family Care’s headquarters, bDot Architecture, Inc. started by simply listening.

38. WHERE THERE’S SMOKE

Having now opened four restaurants in six years, the owners of Urban Cookhouse combine great food with smart business instincts.

32. .

covered

BHM BIZ is published monthly by Fergus Media LLC 1314 Cobb Lane South • Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 202-4182 Printed by American Printing Co., Birmingham, AL

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42. AMPLIFY ALABAMA

Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield is charged with leveraging the partnerships and alliances that will push economic development to the next level.

46. FLOORING FASHION

Robert F. Henry Tile has turned a decades-old business into a modern showcase of flooring style.

Greg Canfield, Dept. of Commerce

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Photo by Chuck St. John

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No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. Contact: Beau Grenier, Esq., 205.521.8355, bgrenier@bradley.com, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, 1819 Fifth Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203.

people EDITORIAL

Joe O’Donnell Editor/Publisher joe@bhmbiz.com D. Mark Singletary General Manager mark@bhmbiz.com Robin Colter Creative Director robin@bhmbiz.com

GIVE SMART. GIVE LOCAL. GIVE TOGETHER. Do you want to make a bigger impact on our community with your giving? Join our community of donors through one of these easy and effective ways to give: 1. OPEN A FUND FOR AS LITTLE AS $15,000 • Discover a simple alternative to a private foundation • Receive personalized philanthropic consulting • Enjoy special experiences with community leaders and partners 2. MAKE A GIFT IN ANY AMOUNT TO THE COMMUNITY FUND • Access unique opportunities for charitable investments • Leverage your impact by combining your gift with others • Ensure a vibrant Birmingham region for you, your children and grandchildren 3. CREATE YOUR LEGACY • Secure permanent resources for causes you care about • Share your values and resources with your family • Benefit from a planned gift today and in the future

THE COMMUNITY’S FOUNDATION

Rosalind Fournier Associate Editor ros@bhmbiz.com

ADVERTISING/MARKETING Cathy Fingerman Associate Publisher cathy@bhmbiz.com Joni Ayers Marketing Specialist joni@bhmbiz.com Holly Saar Marketing Specialist holly@bhmbiz.com Jessica Clement Marketing Director jessica@bhmbiz.com Elizabeth O’Donnell Accounting elizabeth@bhmbiz.com

Contributing Writers

Jen Barnett, Chelsea Berler, Jesse Chambers, Rosalind Fournier, Francis Hare, Brett Levine, Dan Monroe, Carolanne Roberts, Sarah Robinson, Alex Watson

Contributing Photographers

Edward Badham, Marc Bondarenko, Billy Brown, Beau Gustafson, Chuck St. John

Since 1959, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has been a catalyst for change, connecting philanthropists, nonprofits and civic leaders to build a stronger more vibrant future for our community. Contact Brooke Coleman at 205.327.3828 for more information about how you can be a part of the Community Foundation.

Volume 2, Issue 3. Apr/May 2017

BHM BIZ is published six times a year by Fergus Media, LLC. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We’d love your feedback. Send a letter to 1314 Cobb Lane South, Birmingham, AL, 35205, or an email to joe@bhmbiz.com. SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe online, visit bhmbiz.com. To subscribe via telephone or for subscription inquiries, call (205) 202-4182 or email joe@bhmbiz.com.

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The rules of the road. The intersection of business and government can be a pretty rough stretch of road. But it is also one very important corner with plenty of rules attached to it. You can’t take it too Joe O’Donnell fast. You can’t park there for too long. And you can’t ignore the road signs. The role of government in economic development is undeniably massively important to the growth of business interests in this state, as well as the other 49. Recognition of this essential fact sent us knocking on the door of Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield. A Birminghamian by birth as well as a former business executive and state legislator, Canfield punches all the numbers when it comes to a deep background in the machinery that links business to government, commerce to growth. His interview begins on page 42, and I think you will find within a glimpse inside the network of constituents working to move the state, and Birmingham, forward. Elsewhere in this issue, you will discover the listening skills required to pull off a great headquarters design as bDot Architecture did for American Family Care. We are also telling the inspired entrepreneurial story behind Urban Cookhouse, a Birmingham restaurant company that has opened locations throughout the metro and in Tuscaloosa and succeeded with fresh food served in friendly confines. Their story begins on page 38. From a newer company such as Urban Cookhouse to the 85-year-old Robert F. Henry Tile Company (see page 46) the key to success seems to be the ability to stay fresh and exciting. Staying true to that adage, we’ve added a new general manager for BHM Biz. D. Mark Singletary is new to town, but not to regional business publishing. I am excited to welcome Mark to the team and am looking forward to working with him to make this magazine everything it can be. You can meet him on page 14. As always, thanks for reading.

Joe O’Donnell Editor/Publisher

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money quotes

“

What is it about The Masters that makes it so special? It’s not one thing; it’s everything. In fact, it’s impeccable branding.” Page 16

“We have plenty of people who ride bikes in our community, but the cycling infrastructure is not as good as it could be.” Page 30

“Getting our own bias out in the open, almost like a confession, is a critical part to clear the way for the creative process.” Page 32

“To come downtown and see the innovation and technology and the fact people want to live in these districts around the downtown core is very exciting. Birmingham is getting the kind of attention that it has deserved for a long, long time.” Page 42

“Our (tile and stone customers) are better educated than ever before. They’re bringing in pictures from Pinterest or other sites. TV shows are wildly popular. We guide them the best we can in terms of timeless looks and quality.” Page 48

“

edit

SPECIAL PROMOTION

REPORTS

Topgolf already helping lure conventions to Birmingham BJCC director gives an update on the project and the stadium expansion plans. By Michael Tomberlin

The executive director of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex said Topgolf isn’t set to open until later this year, but the entertainment venue’s charms are already working for the Magic City. Tad Snider spoke to BirminghamCREW at its monthly meeting Tuesday, giving an update on Topgolf and how it fits in with current and future BJCC expansion plans. “Just knowing (Topgolf) is coming has helped us land two conventions already,” Snider told the commercial real estate organization. Snider said assembling two city blocks, or more than 10 acres, for the project was no easy feat. Being able to provide 425 dedicated parking spaces was also a challenge. But the hard work is worth it with such a popular attraction, he said. “It’s really exciting for what we see as kind of the next logical expansion of the Uptown footprint and then just as an available offsite amenity, an additional tool for us in recruiting conventions and meetings,” Snider said. “We’re just really excited about what it’s going to bring in terms of creating the growth of the BJCC and a great community asset.” The Topgolf announcement in December followed the release in August of last year of renovation and expansion concepts of the BJCC. The proposed changes would give a major

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facelift to the existing BJCC complex and add a football stadium on the four blocks bordered by Uptown and Topgolf. A decision on the direction of the expansion should come this year, Snider said. “Of course, right across the street (from Topgolf) is the future expansion development site of the BJCC,” he said. “We’re just really hopeful that some of the ideas being talked about for those four blocks are beginning to come together. We’re hopeful that sometime in 2017 we really know what’s going to happen there. It’s going to be really exciting for the community and for the BJCC and our future as well.” He said the reaction from the renovation and expansion plans has been overwhelmingly positive. “Sometimes you have to paint a picture of what can be,” he said. Renovations of the interior and exterior of the BJCC could cost close to $100 million, Snider said. There are no estimates on the proposed open-air stadium because it remains a concept and not an actual construction project. Ongoing improvements to bridges and overpasses of Interstates 20, 59 and 65 at the BJCC will create access problems in the coming months. Snider said it would be wise to use that downtime to make some of the improvements to the existing BJCC.

SPECIAL PROMOTION

WHO IS ALABAMA NEWS CENTER?

Birmingham’s Innovation Depot sets new highs in 2016

Innovation Depot CEO Devon Laney

Business incubator has had a $1.42 billion economic impact the past five years. By Michael Tomberlin A business incubator’s ultimate goal is to help young startups grow so strong that they are able to graduate and leave the nest. By that measure, Birmingham’s Innovation Depot had its best year ever in 2016 with a record 17 graduates. Another good measure of how those companies are doing is their ability to hire workers. There again, Innovation Depot companies set a new high with 870 jobs. While all of the other measures weren’t exactly records, the $126 million in gross sales and $19.9 million in funding among 102 companies were still among the top years for Innovation Depot. The figure that consistently trends upward is the five-year economic impact total, climbing from $1.38 billion in 2015 to $1.42 billion in 2016. “When you combine these companies and you think about 870 jobs in one building, $1.42 billion in economic impact, over $19 million in capital raised, that’s significant,” Innovation Depot CEO Devon Laney said. “That’s a Fortune 500-level organization. To have that kind of impact all driven by early-stage, startup companies, entrepreneurs in the technology space, I think is a real positive for our community.” Another positive sign, Laney said, is that graduates of Innovation Depot want to set up business in Birmingham – most of them in downtown. “The great thing, too, is that so many of these companies now are wanting to stay close,” he said. “They’re wanting to stay in the area around Innovation Depot, which we’ve always known was the case, but to see it now begin to actually happen and to build that critical mass – you’re really seeing the development now of a true technology district around Innovation Depot, which is part of the broader Innovate Birmingham initiative that we’ve been working on over the last number of months.” Innovation Depot also continued to expand beyond incubation – taking a greater role in worker training and development. Its Depot U concept of a boot camp for coding and IT skills not only spawned a new company, Covalence, but was a key component in Birmingham being awarded a $6 million Department of Labor grant. Birmingham Regional Workforce Partnership is using those millions to train young adults for 925 high-paying technology-focused jobs. “We really continued the evolution of our organization,” Laney said. “Business incubation is always the cornerstone of what we do, but we continue to evolve and be a real catalyst in the community for entrepreneurial development, technology-based economic development.” Innovation Depot also launched the Velocity Accelerator program in 2016. More than 100 applicants from across the country and around the world applied for the 10– member inaugural class. The class was announced in December and started the 12week program in January. It concluded with Demo Day at Iron City recently.

Alabama NewsCenter is a credible, direct source of the news and information. Alabama NewsCenter also tells the stories of the people and businesses powering our state, striving to make Alabama a wonderful place to live and work. Alabama NewsCenter aims to promote the good news of this state through original and shared content in the digital age by spotlighting businesses that have found success in Alabama, economic developers who work daily to grow jobs in this state, companies and entrepreneurs doing innovative things, communities that make our quality of life so much better, and people doing things both great and small that make all the difference. For updated news you can use, visit alabamanewscenter.com regularly and bookmark it. We hope this is one of the sites you return to frequently to stay informed and inspired about the state we call home.

SPECIAL PROMOTION

REPORTS

Melt and more: Gourmet grilled cheese helped revive a Birmingham neighborhood Two enterprising women went from running a food truck to drawing people back to Avondale one new business at a time. By Susan Swagler

From grilled cheese to craft cocktails, Harriet Reis and Paget Pizitz offer people plenty of delicious reasons to hang out in hip Avondale. Together and separately, they own four establishments that are invigorating this Birmingham neighborhood with its exciting and fast-growing restaurant and bar scene. The two women are partners in Melt, which specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches of all sorts, and in Fancy’s on 5th, an oyster dive and burger bar. Pizitz also owns Hot Diggity Dogs, home to some of the most inventive hotdogs in town, and The Marble Ring speakeasy with its time-travel 1920s vibe. It all started in 2011 with a food truck named Matilda. Reis’s restaurant experience included Ocean and 26, which she co-founded. Pizitz moved back to her hometown from New York City in 2009 and wanted to follow in her family’s entrepreneurial footsteps and open some sort of retail business. Their first collaboration was a fundraising gala, which Reis was chairing. She Facebook messaged Pizitz asking her to help. “We started talking about our passions and what we wanted to do in life,”

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Reis says. “Come to find out, she wanted to be a restaurant owner, and I wanted to get back into the business.” Figuring that a food truck would let them test a grilled cheese concept without a huge investment, the two teamed up with chef Joey Dickerson, and they all hit the road – Pizitz and Dickerson inside the truck making sandwiches, Reis out front with customers. Dickerson still works with the women today as the executive chef at both Melt and Fancy’s on 5th, and he occasionally drives Matilda, too. “One of the things that I’m most proud of is that Joey, Paget and I are still in partnership together,” Reis says. “We respect Joey tremendously and trust that he’s going to make the most incredible food.” Avondale wasn’t on Matilda’s original route, but the neighborhood has become their home base, and they couldn’t be happier. When they first bought into the area, Avondale Brewing Company and Saw’s Soul Kitchen were about the only businesses there. Reis says she originally was looking to open somewhere over the mountain south of Birmingham. “I made her come down here one day,” Pizitz says. “I knew she would see it, too, when she saw a Saturday. There are people from 1 to 100. You’ve got the mom and the dad and they’re walking around and want to have drinks on a Saturday and they also have kids and they have dogs, so what do you do? You bring them all to Avondale, and everybody’s welcome. It’s a city. It’s a neighborhood. It’s everything.” Their collaborations have resulted in a variety of things for people to love.

To read full story go to AlabamaNewsCenter.com



SPECIAL PROMOTION

ALABAMA MAKERS

MILLER’S POTTERY This Alabama Maker is molding a family tradition in Bibb County Miller’s Pottery has a heritage unlike most artisans in the state. By Tommy Black

Not many families have their own entry in the “Encyclopedia of Alabama” – but the history of Steve Miller’s folks takes up a couple of pages. That’s because they’ve been making some of the South’s best pottery for more than 150 years. The sixth generation of Millers to work with clay, Steve grew up watching his father and grandfather turn pottery wheels and tell family stories. “Francis Lacoste, my great-great-great-grandfather, came from France to the eastern shore of Mobile Bay in the 1830s and started making pottery,” Miller said. “Before plastic came along, folks relied on stoneware pots, cookware and other items, so every community had its own potter.” Lacoste’s daughter married Abraham Miller, and he took the family north to Perry County in the 1880s. There they crafted pottery for another 80 years, until Steve’s grandfather, Hendon Miller, moved the business to its current location just south of Brent in the 1960s. “A natural gas line had just been installed along Highway 5, and my grandfather used the gas to heat the kilns,” Miller said. “That was a lot easier than the old way of doing it by burning pine knots.” Although other modern innovations – including propane heated kilns and electric pottery wheels (replacing the original foot-powered ones) have come along – Miller and his father, Eric Miller, still produce elegant and utilitarian glazed items in much the same way as their predecessors. “It’s very hard work, getting the clay, putting it on a wheel and making a piece,” Miller said. “And you have to keep up with demand. Most of my grandfather’s business was making flower pots for individuals and nurseries. The introduction of cheap plastic pots killed that demand – so my father and I went back to our roots by making things like candle dishes, pitchers, face jugs and collectible pieces. We’re trying to bring Miller’s Pottery back to a full-time business.” The Millers sell their products on Miller’s Facebook page, in their studio (still on Highway 5), and at craft fairs such as Kentuck.

They’ve exhibited their works at galleries around the state, and at the Smithsonian’s American Folk Festival in Washington, D.C., and the Alabama Clay Conference in Birmingham. Miller isn’t the only family member to learn his craft from his father and grandfather. His cousin, Allen Ham, trained in the shop while growing up and now creates and sells his own unique pottery in Marion. “Allen is a master potter. I learned a lot from watching him,” Miller said. And another Miller potter may be in the making. “My wife and I had a baby, Hendon River, a few months ago,” Miller said. “I hope he’ll be the seventh generation. But that’s up to him, because this is a lifelong thing – I’ve been making pottery MILLER’S POTTERY most of my life, and I’m still learnThe Maker: Steve Miller ing.”

THE PRODUCT: Alabama Makers explores the artisans, crafts people, carpenters, cooks, bakers, blacksmiths, designers and others making original and extraordinary items in our state. If you know an Alabama Maker, let us know at alnewscenter@outlook.com.

Glazed pottery, including candle dishes, drinking glasses, shot glasses, face jugs, flower pots and cookware, such as bowls and platters. The cookware is microwave, oven and dishwasher safe.

TAKE HOME:

A one-of-a-kind face jug (from $50 to $200).

THE DETAILS:

2324 Highway 5, Brent AL 35034 www.facebook.com/stevemillerpottery

opinion I moved to Birmingham about a month ago. Moving to a new town isn’t such a big deal for me because I’ve moved a lot in my life. Birmingham is the 12th market that I have lived and worked in during my career. Moving to a new city means getting to meet lots of new people, but I admit there is a time of acclimation and adjustment that goes with any move. There was a time lag from when I first arrived in town and until my job at BHM BIZ started and I needed something to do. So, following the advice of one of my daughters, I applied with Uber to be one of their drivers. The process is simple. A prospective Uber driver must have a valid driver’s license, a decent vehicle, adequate insurance and a smart phone. With all four requirements verified, Uber approved me as a driver, wished me well and challenged me to get out on the streets of Birmingham and be available to pick up fares and deliver them safely to their chosen destination. There was no orientation. There were no warnings. There wasn’t even a primer on how to use the smart phone app. I figured that was part of the strategy. If a new driver isn’t smart enough to figure how to install and use the app, then Uber really didn’t want them ferrying customers all over town. I have to admit I was a bit nervous when I first turned on the app and went online. How long would it take to get my first customer? The answer: about five minutes. When the phone dinged, I knew it was real. Someone was asking me to take them somewhere in my car, in a city I really didn’t know very well. Turns out the Uber folks have things pretty well figured out. They have a direction lady reading the map and giving out instructions; I call her Ubie. My first fare could not have worked out any better. The customer was a very nice lady that was pretty excited when I told her she was my first rider. She wished me well and gave me a five-star rating. I drove steadily for a couple of weeks, but then

D. Mark Singletary General Manager

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I started my job here, so I’ve cut back on Uber time to an evening or two on the weekends. It’s actually pretty entertaining. But, that’s enough about my experience in the new gig economy, let’s concentrate on my new role at BHM BIZ and how excited I am to be a part of this publication. I’ve been involved in business-to-business publishing for almost 20 years. I’ve worked for and manD. Mark Singletary aged business journals and magazines in Oklahoma City, New Orleans, New York and lots of other markets. It’s probably stating the obvious, but the best way to ensure that any local news organization has a vibrant, profitable future is to make certain that the publication is relevant, responsible and vital to the readers and advertisers that it serves. Although simply stated, those goals aren’t easily attained. It takes a lot of work, several good plans and a diligent commitment to make it happen. It also takes a great team. A good business plan funds the effort and makes it possible to hire the best journalists. While we have to have an eye on the future and all the changes that magazines are dealing with, we must develop a current strategy that maximizes existing revenues and prudently manages expenses. Again, that’s a simplistic overview of a complex challenge, but it is really what we have to do to survive. Being a thought leader for our business community is perhaps the purest definition of what a magazine like ours can and should be. I’ll be working hard to ensure we do it well.

SMALL IS BIG AT HARBERT SMALL IS BIG AT HARBERT

NO PROBLEM TOO BIG. NO SOLUTION TOO SMALL. Picture aTOO dotBIG. the NO sizeSOLUTION of a pinhead. NO PROBLEM TOO That’s howPicture small a radio frequency SMALL. dot the size of a pinhead. That’s how (RFID) small achip radio identification is.frequency At the RFID (RFID) chipHarbert is. At the Labidentification at Auburn University, is RFID taking at Auburn University, Harbertthat is taking thatLab chip and solving big problems that and solving big problems that span thechip business spectrum. In healthcare,

HARBERT. WHERE BUSINESS HAPPENS.

span the business spectrum. healthcare, manufacturing and retail – the In entire manufacturing andincreasing retail – theefficiency, entire supply chain – we’re supply chain – we’re increasing efficiency, reducing errors, deterring theft and tracking, reducing errors, deterring theft and tracking, locating, inventorying and identifying products locating, inventorying and identifying products and parts down to a unit level. We work closely and parts down to a unit level. We work closely with one of a handful of research centers with one of a handful of research centers globally to test, set and enforce RFID standards. globally to test, set and enforce RFID standards. Harbert is the nexus where industry meets Harbert is the nexus where industry meets technology solutions. technology solutions.

Bring us us your challenges. Bring your challenges. WeWe have small (RFID) solutions. have small (RFID) solutions.

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w w w. h a r b e r t . a u b u r n . e d u • ( 3 3 4 ) 8 4 4 - 4 8 3 5 • 4 0 5 W M a g n o l i a Av e . • A u b u r n , A L 3 6 8 4 9 w w w. h a r b e r t . a u b u r n . e d u • ( 3 3 4 ) 8 4 4 - 4 8 3 5 • 4 0 5 W M a g n o l i a Av e . • A u b u r n , A L 3 6 8 4 9

on brand

Masterful Branding The method of The Masters By Dan Monroe I recently crossed an item off my bucket list. Thanks to the incredible generosity of friends, my wife and I attended the Saturday and Sunday rounds of The Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Whether you like golf or not, if you have the opportunity to attend, do not pass it up. Before I went, I was talking to my friend, Bruce Lanier, and he voiced the sentiment this way: “I’m not particularly into golf,” he said, “but, I had the opportunity to go and decided, what the heck. Now, I would go every year if I could.” I couldn’t agree more. What is it about The Masters that makes it so…special? It’s not one thing; it’s everything. In fact, it’s impeccable branding. From a marketer’s point of view, I would argue that right up there with Coca-Cola, Nike, and Apple, The Masters is one of the best managed brands in the world. Let’s break that bodacious claim down. Brand equities. Think of brand equities as the recognizable aspects of a brand. Examples: Coca-Cola’s red (so well managed, you will never find anything but that exact color on their branding—and if you’ve ever managed printing, you know just how difficult that truly is), Nike’s swoosh, and Apple’s elegant white packaging. So what are

yellow golf flag with the Masters logo on it—also part of the brand. Azaleas = The Masters. Amen Corner, where the 12th hole is reached only by two exquisite little spandrel arch foot bridges = The Masters. There are many, many brand equities and they range from chicken sandwiches to old-school leaderboards, to the history of the tournament celebrated in informative plaques tucked away on the course. I would even argue that, more than any other golf tournament, The Masters owns the color green. The green jacket is a big part of that. But, if you’re dialed into golf, you know that the physical feature —the greens of Augusta themselves—are notoriously fast. In fact, the frequently irreverent broadcaster Gary McCord was banned from announcing at The Masters after implying one year that the greens hadn’t so much been mowed as bikini waxed. The Masters owns the color and the feature. A n d , What is it about The Masters that makes c l e a r l y, it so… special? It’s not one thing; it’s they don’t everything. In fact, it’s impeccable branding. appreciate irreverence, which brings me to how the brand the brand equities of The Masters? Start behaves. with the logo—instantly recognizable Brand behaviors. The Masters with its green and yellow representation brand doesn’t simply interact with you of our country with a red golf flag rising graphically. I was particularly struck out of Georgia. There’s the coveted by how the brand flows through the green jacket, awarded only to Masters entire experience. Clifford Roberts, champions. Powerful brand mojo. The 16 BHM BIZ

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who co-founded The Masters with legendary golfer Bobby Jones wrote in The Story of Augusta National Golf Club, “The Masters is operated for the single purpose of benefitting the game itself.” And the game is truly honored by the experience. Consider the following. No cell phones are allowed on the course. In fact, it is rumored that if you show up with a cell phone, you lose your right to buy tickets—and that’s a big deal considering that once you’ve secured the rights to purchase tickets via the lottery that governs such things, you may buy them every year until you die. No cell phones means that you don’t see selfies from The Masters, nor are the players interrupted mid-swing by your “Sweet Home Alabama” ringtone. And, if you simply must do business that requires a phone, you are welcome to belly up to one of the banks of telephones tucked away in the woods for that purpose. There are no volunteers on the course holding up “SILENT” signs like you see at other tournaments. There’s no need—reverence for the game is part of the brand. Further, you’ll never hear the ever-moronic “GET IN THE HOLE” cry at The Masters. That would be considered unacceptable behavior. I was particularly amazed at what I would call, for lack of a better term, color control. The grounds are immaculate. Everything is green but for the pristine white of the bunkers and the breathtaking banks of azaleas.

And get this—when you purchase a sandwich (the famous pimiento cheese or egg salad sandwiches will set you back a whopping $1.50, just like they did in 1970) it comes in a green bag. That way, if the packaging were to find its way to the ground and in front of a television camera before one of the Dan Monroe is principal and creative army of groundskeepers had a chance director of copywriting to pick it up, you’d never notice it. at Cayenne Creative. Facilities are tucked away out of sight— after all, we wouldn’t want the viewing of the tournament to be cluttered by unimportant buildings. I distinctly recall wandering through a patch of woods between the second and third holes and coming across a little storybook village with concessions, bathrooms, and business phones. At The Masters, attendees routinely start the day by placing their bag chair at the hole where they want to be as the day ends (we chose #15). Easily 95 percent of those chairs are, you guessed it, Masters green. Oh, and no bag chairs with arms. Again, everything about this brand is controlled. Brand control. If you ever make it to Augusta National, look around. You’ll be hard pressed to find a logo other than that of the tournament. Sponsorship is limited to five major sponsors, each of which is rumored to pay upwards of $6M, and each of which has zero signage at the event. Zero. Continue to look around and you’ll discover something else: virtually every spectator is wearing Masters branded apparel. And let me tell you, while the chicken sandwich only costs two-bucks-fifty and a beer will set you back four, the apparel will cost you a couple of the appendages you hope to drape it over. People come with shopping lists. In the words of our Golfer in Chief, “It’s ‘uge!” So what can we take away from how The Masters treats its brand? 1. Know the reason you exist (your “why”). The Masters exists to honor the game of golf. As a result, players and spectators treat it with immense respect. 2. Understand your equities and leverage them. The Masters controls what you see, whether you’re watching it on your flat screen or hoofing it on the course. 3. Never sell out. The Masters is all about the game. They want you to enjoy the experience free of distraction. Concessions are reasonable bordering on cheap. The tickets themselves are reasonable (if you’re fortunate enough to hit the lottery). The place isn’t trashed up with commercial messaging. And spectators know how to behave. 4. Know the value of your brand. Yep, if you’re going to charge $6M for virtually non-existent branding, and $50 for a logo-bearing ball cap, you have a valuable brand. So valuable, in fact, you just have to protect the hell out of it. And that’s exactly what they do. 

2800 Cahaba Village Plaza | Birmingham, AL 35243 www.diamondsdirect.com

STOP THE RECESSION FREE THE FOLLICLES.COM

www.BHMBIZ.com

Life is Better at The

Ridge.

The Ridge is where lake and life truly meet. Whether you’re looking for a new getaway in the most pristine homes and homesites available in South Ridge Harbor, a rustic-modern design in Russell Cabins, or a classic farmhouse–style home in Ridge Run, The Ridge oﬀers all this and more. The Ridge residents have access to an array of amenities, including The Ridge Marina, Beach Park, and The Ridge Club, a 10-acre recreation complex with tennis, ﬁtness center, swimming, and children’s play park.

18 BHM BIZ APR/MAY RUSSELLLANDSONLAKEMARTIN.COM

| 256.215.7011 |

LAKE MARTIN, ALABAMA

Russell Cabins

HOMES & HOMESITES AVAILABLE

Ridge Run

South Ridge Harbor

www.BHMBIZ.com

tech

8 Tips to Kickstart Your Local SEO

How to get your business in front of Birmingham-area customers. By Chelsea Berler Your prospective customers are looking for local businesses like yours online. When they search for a business to meet their needs or desires, they enter terms into search engines and get a list of relevant results. Whether or not your business is among the top results depends on your local SEO. It’s true that Google knows where a user is when they search. For their convenience, it will skew search results depending on where they’re located. For example, if I’m in Birmingham, Alabama, and I search for a yoga studio, the results will show studios in Birmingham more prominently than stu1. Claim local business listings. One of the most important action steps to take for your local SEO is to claim your business profiles and complete them in full. At the very least, your local business should claim and complete a profile for Google My Business, Bing Places for Business, and Yelp. You should also do some research and identify other online directories that make sense for your business and submit a listing. And while you’re at it, secure a presence for your business on social media and make sure your profiles are optimized for local SEO. It’s critical that in each directory and listing, your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) citations match precisely. Clean and accurate NAP citation consistency factors heavily into your local search ranking. Moz Local is a tool that enables you to check and manage your listings on Google, Bing, and other local search engines. 2. Get customer reviews. Customer reviews also affect your local SEO, because reviews show up prominently in search results. For local businesses, the best organic rankings are generally taken by the businesses with good reviews. For many categories, reviews dominate the search results to the extent that very few individual business pages show up on the first page. Con20 BHM BIZ

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Chelsea Berler is an entrepreneur, coach, author, and motivational speaker based in Birmingham, where she owns and operates Solamar, a boutique marketing agency.

dios in New York City. But that doesn’t mean you can afford to ignore local factors when it comes to SEO. Local SEO is sometimes considered trickier than general SEO simply because additional factors are taken into consideration. Here are eight of my favorite tips if you want to improve your local SEO and make a positive difference in driving traffic to your local place of business or your website. content on your website is optimized for the right keywords, including specific locations when possible. If you have more than one location, create and optimize separate pages for each location.

centrate primarily on getting Google My Business reviews from your customers, and also encourage reviews on the directories that show up highest in organic rankings for your targeted keyword terms. One challenge business owners face in getting reviews is that Google constantly changes their “review us” URL. Use the Google Review Link Generator to create stable call-to-action links for your customers. 3. Identify keywords. Find out what your prospective customers are searching for online and identify what words they are typing into Google search. Don’t just pick keywords that you think are relevant to your business; choose keywords that your prospects would actually use to find a business like yours online locally. Then make sure the

It’s important to use keywords organically in a few strategic places where they naturally fit in your content and that they don’t interfere with your content flow. Avoid stuffing keywords or making the text sound clunky and unnatural. Useful tools for keyword planning include Google Keyword Planner and Keyword Tool. 4. Write quality content. Google favors high-quality, readable content that positions your company and website as an authoritative resource. When using a content strategy to boost your local SEO, be sure to incorporate your location into the text where possible. Your focus should be on creating content that engages your customers and appeals to their needs. So consider questions that your customers may be asking and create content that answers their questions. A good rule of thumb is to keep in mind that you want other local businesses and credible websites to link back to your content, and you want people in your local community to share the content. So make it good. When possible, include images and video that are also

optimized with local keywords. BuzzSumo is a tool that will help you identify top-performing content in your business category, which can serve as inspiration for your own local SEO content. 5. Be mobile friendly. Google has already started ranking websites using a mobile-first approach. If your website isn’t mobile friendly, your SEO will be impacted negatively. Responsive web design and other technical factors are imperative for success. Think about it this way: when users are on the go and searching for a local business, they are likely using a mobile device (tablet or smartphone). So Google rewards websites that prioritize a positive user experience and dings websites with a poor user experience. Use Google’s Mobile Friendly Test Tool to enter your URL and run a mobile-friendly test on your website. 6. Consider voice search. Many people use the voice search option on their mobile devices. For example,

which is the highest rated pizza place nearby? When you are organizing your local strategies, never forget this voice search option. Make sure your name is easy to pronounce so it’s easy to find. 7. Get links. Getting backlinks is important for your overall SEO and also plays a part in your local SEO. For the greatest impact, it’s important to have anchor text optimized for both keywords and your city or location. Your strategy doesn’t need to include getting large numbers of low-quality links, but getting at least one or a few good links with locally optimized anchor text can make a positive difference. Remember, Google favors websites that appear credible and authoritative, so good links back to your site will improve your local SEO. 8. If you work from home, you can’t “play possum” with SEO. Meeting with clients and business acquaintances at coffee shops is an everyday norm for folks that work from home. Google sees things a little dif-

ferently, however, and this has drastically impacted many small business owners’ bottom line when it comes to local SEO. According to Moz, the number-one ranking factor in local SEO is the physical address of the business. But, do you really want customers to know where you live? Maybe not. As a savvy small business owner, you might want to sign up for some type of virtual office. However, in 2016, Google introduced an algorithm named Possum, which can mess with your local SEO and those of other businesses that share phone numbers and/or addresses. If you use shared space, Possum is not fair. So, you might want to rent out a cheap office space somewhere so you have a real address. Or simply use your home address. Effective local SEO requires understanding your customer, putting essential foundational elements in place, developing a strategic plan, and committing to long-term consistent action. Steer clear of anyone promising fast results or guaranteed organic placement on page one of Google. 

CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA IS:

U.S. News & World Report

This icon is not the official U.S. News & World Report best hospitals emblem.

l The third largest pediatric hospital in the United States

2016-17

BEST

l Licensed for 332 beds & 48 NICU bassinets

CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS

l The first LEED-certified hospital building in Alabama l One of the Top 20 employers in Alabama with more than 4,700 employees across the state l The pediatric teaching hospital for the School of Medicine at UAB l Home to the Pediatric & Congenital Heart Center of Alabama, where more than 450 cardiac surgeries are performed annually

Russell Campus

1600 7th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233

Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children Lowder Building McWane Building Children’s on Third Outpatient Center Children’s Park Place

Children’s South

205.638.9100

1601 5th Avenue South 1600 7th Avenue South 1600 7th Avenue South 1208 3rd Avenue South 1600 5th Avenue South

1940 Elmer J. Bissell Road, Birmingham, AL 35243 205.638.4800

Outpatient surgery services, Pediatric Imaging Center, laboratory services, specialty care clincis and After Hours care

l Site of the only pediatric kidney dialysis program in the state — one of the largest in the country l Home to one of the largest burn units in the Southeast l One of the largest pediatric rheumatology programs in the nation and the only one in Alabama l The provider of care for more than 90 percent of Alabama children with cancer and blood disorders

Pediatric Practice Solutions Primary Care Locations Alabaster (Greenvale Pediatrics) Bessemer (Pediatrics West) Birmingham (Midtown Pediatrics) Brook Highland (Greenvale Pediatrics) Clay/Chalkville (Pediatrics East-Deerfoot) Homewood (Mayfair Medical Group) Hoover (Greenvale Pediatrics)

McAdory (Pediatrics West) Montgomery (Physicians to Children/Central Alabama Children’s Specialists) Mountain Brook (Over the Mountain Pediatrics) Pell City (Pell City Pediatrics) Trussville (Pediatrics East) Vestavia (Vestavia Pediatrics)

www.ChildrensAL.org

www.BHMBIZ.com

10 things

1 2 3 4 5 6

ABOUT iK9

WORK LIKE A DOG

iK9 is a comprehensive canine solutions provider for both detection and service dogs, along with professional handler education.

SCREENERS

iK9 holds the largest contract with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as their provider of fully trained passenger screening and detection dogs.

FOLLOW THE SCENT

Each year, iK9 provides the TSA with 50 dogs as part of a five-year contract to deliver 250 dogs trained on detection and odors at the highest level.

AS JUST A SMALL PUPPY

iK9 started as a small joint venture with Auburn University before being purchased by Landon Ash and turned into the multi-million-dollar venture it is today. When public safety and security are dependent on dogs, iK9â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dogs are viewed as among of the top choices in the nation.

DOGS IN HIGH PLACES

iK9 works closely with the elite defense contracting firm Xtreme Concepts, which is a worldwide leader in providing elite security services, instruction and education to government and military entities.

IN SERVICE

iK9 is furthering its commitment to support our veterans through a collaboration with the non-profit The 1st Foundation. This partnership will facilitate iK9â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort to pair service dogs with those in need. The 1st Foundation provides assistance to the members and family members of special ops forces and police special operations through canine adoptions, training services, equipment donations, grants and memorial funds.

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TRAINING DAY

Training of iK9’s dogs is conducted by world-class trainers at McClellan Training Facility, formerly known as Fort McClellan, in Anniston, Alabama. The vast majority of iK9’s dog trainers and staff are veterans.

COMFORT CARE

More than 400,000 service members suffer from PTSD. iK9 is honored to be able to provide our nation’s veterans who suffer from PTSD with capable, highly trained service dogs. Our service and emotional support dogs actively provide comfort and support for the anxieties, stressors, and emotions common to veterans with PTSD, as well as performing key functions in order to assist them in different situations.

MAN’S BEST FRIEND

iK9 is also training and providing service and grief dogs for the VA, so that the company can do its part in preventing veteran suicides and further its work with easing the effects of PTSD and substance abuse disorder. These canines are bred and trained specifically to be well behaved and to provide comfort and companionship.

SECURING THE PERIMETER

Beyond their work with TSA, iK9 works with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in training specialized customs and border dogs for Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and also trains detection dogs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan, Georgia.

www.BHMBIZ.com

Coffee

With...

Mike Dunnavant and Michael Mullis [THE WINE LOFT]

[KELLEY & MULLIS WEALTH MANAGEMENT]

Coffee and conversation at Octane Michael Mullis is the managing partner and wealth manager at Kelley & Mullis Wealth Management. Directly after college graduation, Mullis followed in his father’s footsteps beginning a career in accounting. After two years in public accounting with Arthur Andersen, Mullis made the decision to switch careers after a chance meeting with Oley Kelley, the founder of Kelley & Associates. Kelley & Mullis formed an instant friendship, with Kelley offering him a position with his firm in October of 1999. Under Kelley’s mentorship, along with many hours of training with fellow advisor James Kyzer, Mullis quickly found his place within the firm and was named partner in April 2002. In 2010, Mullis was named managing partner, transitioning the firm to Kelley & Mullis Wealth Management, honoring Oley Kelley—the man who believed in him from the beginning. Kelley & Mullis Wealth Management has been recognized by several organizations for dedication and service to clients. Recognition includes: Ranked in America’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors by Barron’s magazine in 2015, 2016; Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 in 2011; and Top 50 Financial Advisors in Alabama in 2015 and 2016. Mullis holds a Business Administration degree from Samford University and a Masters of Accounting from UAB.

What is your greatest business opportunity and what is your greatest business challenge? “I think one of the greatest opportunities we have is with the middle-class retiree. So many firms are 24 BHM BIZ

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only interested in what is called the high-net-worth individual. But middleclass baby boomers are at retirement age now. This is a group that I have always enjoyed working with and which is very under-serviced in the investment world. Many companies just don’t target this group, but being able to work with an actual financial advisor would be so valuable for them. I view that as a real opportunity for us,” Mullis says. “One of the greatest challenges that we as a small firm face lies in actually running the business from an administrative viewpoint. I need a very good support staff around me to help the business keep up with changes in technology and just everyday administration of the business.” After 24 years in the computer industry working first in the technical area and then in network sales, Mike Dunnavant left technology behind for a seemingly less hectic life, buying Maui Wowi Smoothie and Boardwalk Fries franchises. He describes both of those businesses as very successful but also very labor intensive. “Since my wife and I were married in Napa Valley, when we saw the opportunity to open The Wine Loft in downtown Birmingham, we jumped on it and sold the other businesses. We love The Wine Loft because it is an upscale wine bar, with a sophisticated, relaxed environment,” Dunnavant says. Originally, The Wine Loft was a franchise, but Dunnavant’s location separated from the franchise in 2010 and has been running totally independently ever since. They offer a selection of over 70 wines by the glass and 200+ by the bottle, from around the world, complemented by a gourmet tapas food

menu. The fully stocked liquor bar and selection of beer—both draft and bottle—round out the offerings.

What is your greatest business opportunity and what is your greatest business challenge? “Oddly, I see my biggest opportunity and biggest challenge coming from the same direction, the growth of downtown Birmingham. When The Wine Loft opened in 2007, downtown after dark was pretty much a ghost town. Most of our customers were coming to us as a destination. In the last five or so years, we have seen a tremendous revitalization of our immediate surroundings in the Loft District, and the growth around Railroad Park is mind boggling. As many of our neighbors have noted, it used to be you had to look for something to do. Now, you have to decide what not to do. “All of this activity has greatly increased the foot traffic in and around our business, which is opportunity. Conversely, all of this traffic is seen by others as opportunity and they have seized upon it. When we opened, there were two bars and two restaurants within a two block radius of us. Today, there are six restaurants with two more opening this year, eight bars, and an event hall within that same area. “So the opportunity is increased traffic and the challenge is increased competition. Thankfully, we have a good reputation and a niche in the level of wine offerings. With these attributes that help capture new business, a loyal group of downtown loft dwellers and the growth of our event related business, we are on solid ground,” Dunnavant says. Photo by Beau Gustafson

Mike Dunnavant and Michael Mullis talk over coffee at Octane www.BHMBIZ.com

high flyer

Sloss Tech

Casey Neistat and Tiki Barber to speak at this year’s event. American film director Casey Neistat

CBS Sports Radio’s Tiki Barber

Billed as the Southeast’s Preeminent Technology and Creative Tech Festival, Sloss Tech returns this July with a lineup of nationally known speakers as well as city-based tech execs and entrepreneurs. The one-day event takes place July 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Lyric Theatre downtown. This year’s featured speakers are Casey Neistat and Tiki Barber. Casey Neistat is an American film director, producer, developer, and creator of popular YouTube videos. Neistat attained commercial success with the HBO series “The Neistat Brothers” and indie film Daddy Longlegs. With 10 years of experience in creating TV commercials, Neistat took his storytelling ability and married it with his commercial experience to re-define branded content on the Internet with companies such as Mercedes and Nike. Most recently, Neistat’s technolo26 BHM BIZ

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gy company, Beme, was acquired by CNN. Tiki Barber is a 1997 graduate of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce (Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society), with a concentration in Management Information Systems. He completed a 10 year NFL career with the New York Giants. Tiki Barber joined Marshall Faulk and Marcus Allen as the only players in NFL history with at least 10,000 yards rushing and 5,000 yards receiving in a career. Tiki serves as co-host of CBS Sports Radio’s national afternoon show, Tiki & Tierney, which is also simulcast on CBS Sports Network. He is also an entrepreneur, co-founding Thuzio, Inc., the world’s most comprehensive software and service solution for talent procurement. Julius is Thuzio’s SaaS product providing a complete view of the commercial profiles for celebrities and influencers. Tiki has co-authored, with his twin brother, Ronde, three successful children’s books and eight young-adult novels. He also has published a memoir about his playing days entitled, Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond.  Written by Joe O’Donnell

We’ve got great things in store for you. At its heart, travel is about one thing: getting from here to there. But at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, our heart is in ensuring that your experience here is the best it can possibly be. That’s why our newly modernized terminal is home to passenger favorites like the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Store and Museum and the Ebony Newsstand. Because while you may be focused on your destination, we’re making sure you enjoy the journey.

FLYBIRMINGHAM.COM www.BHMBIZ.com

by the numbers

MADE IN ALABAMA STATISTICS SHINE A LIGHT ON THE STATE’S INFRASTRUCTURE

THE STATE IS HOME TO ALABAMA LIES WITHIN A DAY’S DRIVE TO THE REST OF THE SOUTH AND ITS

150

MILLION RESIDENTS

425

FOREIGN-BASED BUSINESSES FROM MORE THAN

30 NATIONS

THE STATE HAS 3,000 MILES OF

RAIL SERVED BY 25 RAILROAD COMPANIES.

FIVE MAJOR CARGO AIRPORTS AND 90 PUBLIC AIRPORTS ARE SERVED BY SIX COMMERCIAL AIRLINES AND SEVEN COMMUTER AIRLINES

ALABAMA HAS ALABAMA HAS 4,000 ACRES OF PORT FACILITIES 74,000 MILES INCLUDING MOBILE WHICH AFTER A $300 MILLION

EXPANSION WILL BE THE SIXTH BUSIEST PORT IN THE WORLD.

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OF PUBLIC ROADWAYS INCLUDING SIX

MAJOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS

There’s always something good going on. Design Lunch w/ Country Living Style Director Page Mullins June 15th at OvenBird $35 ticket includes lunch from OvenBird, a gift bag and tickets to tour the 2017 Country Living Lake House of the Year on Lake Martin.

DO MORE THAN GRADUATE–LEAD Online graduate business degrees from The University of Alabama BamaByDistance.ua.edu/uabusiness

800-467-0227

The Savannah Sipping Society at Terrific New Theatre June 22nd – July 15th Alabama Outdoors Popup Shop Every Saturday from 8a – Noon The Market at Pepper Place Every Saturday from 7a - Noon

Additional information and tickets available at the new P E P P E R P L A C E . C O M

ONLINE LEARNING

www.BHMBIZ.com

product placement

Park It Here

Locally made bike racks make it cool to reconsider the daily commute. By Rosalind Fournier

When does a piece of bent metal become a friend to the environment?

When it’s a bike rack. Designed for installation almost anywhere, the bike racks made by LOCAL Bicycle Racks are space efficient, functional works of art that encourage people to bike to work, to their favorite coffee shop or anywhere else they might otherwise drive.

The LOCAL2 rack works with any frame and accommodates up to two bikes at a time. Homewood-based industrial designer Foster Phillips first turned his eye to designing bike racks back in 2009. An avid cyclist himself, he started with a selfish goal—to make it easier to park his own bike as he traveled around town. He knew he wasn’t alone. “We have plenty of people who ride bikes in our community,” Phillips says, “but the cycling infrastructure is not as good as it could be.” He could see why. For one, a lot of people associate bike racks with the galvanized behemoths from back in elementary school—not so cool for professionals who commute to work, and not very workable for businesses with limited space to commit. Phillips has also seen a lot of what he considers flawed designs, mainly because they aren’t user friendly.

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“We wanted to make something better,” he says. Phillips spent hours at the Bici Bicycle Cooperative working on designs. Once he was satisfied, he found local craftsmen to build some prototypes—D. Brooks Bending to bend the pipe into the right shapes, Caroll Machine and Welding Company to trim them and weld the racks onto their base plates, and finally Pablo’s Custom Powder Coating to create a smooth finish. The first one was ready in 2010, and LOCAL Bicycle Racks was born. As a side project for Phillips, the business grew slowly, but he found an early supporter in CommuteSmart Birmingham, which was created in 1999 by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham to encourage more environmentally friendly forms of commuting including carpooling, walking, using public transit and—of course—bicycling. Realizing they shared a common mission, CommuteSmart—which is federally funded—has been instrumental in getting LOCAL racks installed at area businesses. “Without CommuteSmart I

To learn more, visit www.localbikeco.com

For the Rotary Trail downtown, Phillips created a series of racks dubbed the “Ridgeline,” a nod to the Red Mountain skyline.

don’t think LOCAL would exist today,” Phillips says. “They have been a great partner for the city and for local bike racks as well.” He says the businesses benefit, too. “They might not need parking for 100 bikes, but they might want to have parking for two or four bikes at a time,” Phillips explains. “And the racks that will hold two bikes or four bikes are easy to place, they’re convenient, and we try to make them very colorful, too. That’s intentional—one, to make them visible, and two, the hope is that if people notice the racks maybe that will plant a little seed in their minds: ‘Oh, I could ride my bike here next time instead of driving and looking for a parking place.’” Still, for years it has been a labor of love for Phillips on a fairly small scale. Then about two years ago, he received a query that has sent production—and exposure of his product— soaring. The client? The University of Alabama at Birmingham. “They had bike racks, but there were maybe 10 different types of racks throughout campus and some were good but some were not as good. So they said, ‘We need a unified experience for bike racks at UAB.’” I worked with them to create a custom design, and they ended up ordering 250 racks to put throughout campus.” It’s all given Phillips a new sense of pride and ownership in his hometown, as he bikes around and enjoys the fruits of his own labor. “Most of the time these are public installations, and they’ll be there for a pretty long time,” Phillips explains. “So it’s neat to go back and be like, ‘Oh yeah, I remember that one.’”

www.BHMBIZ.com

cool spaces

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Design Therapy Listening to the client is just what the doctor ordered. Photography by Dan Taylor

Listening is central to the physician’s art, so when bDot Architecture Inc. designed the headquarters building for American Family Care, listening played an equally crucial role. “Listening to the client at the very beginning of a project, before any work is done, is absolutely the most important part of our process,” says Brian Roberson, AIA LEED BD+C IIDA, principal of the Birmingham architectural firm. “Yes, it’s listening to the functional requirements, budget and needs that the building is required to meet, but equally important is listening for ‘who’ the client is. This type of listening involves more than just hearing words but involves seeing how they work, what they do, but most importantly who they are.” “As a studio, the first thing we do for each project is openly verbalize or draw what our own predispositions are. It doesn’t matter what type of project it is. Whether a building, piece of furniture, a product or piece of www.BHMBIZ.com

artwork, getting our own bias out in the open, almost like a confession, is a critical part to clear the way for the creative process. Another aspect of the process that we have come to realize is that it is not something where we say ok; we are going to meet at 1 p.m. this afternoon to design this project. Once we put all of the information in our brains, there is a time where it simmers in the background of our minds while we work on other things. Then out of nowhere, one 34 BHM BIZ

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of us will grab a pen and paper, piece of cardboard, wood, metal, something from the trash can, whatever, and start the discussion which often turns into a whirlwind of ideas and concepts that are then sorted and parsed for what we’ve heard from the client,” Roberson says. The client in this case has a remarkable record of growth in the healthcare industry. In 1982, D. Bruce Irwin, M.D. opened the first American Family Care Clinic (AFC) in Birmingham.

All AFC clinics are designed, equipped and staffed to provide accessible primary care, urgent care, minor emergency treatment, and occupational medicine. AFC pioneered the concept of non-emergency-room urgent care, resulting in an average patient visit of about an hour from registration to discharge. Underlying this efficiency is a high-tech, high-touch approach—including digital x-rays, on-site lab testing, state-of-the-art diagnostics, electronic

medical records, and well-trained teams of medical professionals. By the end of 2017, AFC will operate more than 200 facilities in 26 states, and care for more than two million patients a year. During the next five years, the company expects to have more than 500 urgent care clinics across the U.S. on its path to becoming one of the most widely known and admired brands in health care. “So for the AFC Corporate Office, we met and listened to Dr. Irwin de-

scribe not only the needs of the building but also listened to his passion about providing a needed medical service to people. It really is more than a business to him. He shared with us AFC’s mission statement which speaks to all of this, so that is where we started,” Roberson says. “Clients are needed for buildings and spaces to be realized, but they also allow every single project we do to have a different ‘voice.’ As a studio, this has

been the most challenging and elusive part of who we are as designers of space and form. We had a client many years ago tell us that they didn’t want a building that was a monument to the architect’s ego. For young architects, that can be a real struggle, as they have all of these random ideas, having spent way too much time reading architectural magazines and thinking that they already know what the world needs. This ‘already knowing’ for both the architect www.BHMBIZ.com

and for the owner is the number one most detrimental part to a creative process. Our studio sums this up with the word preconception. Preconceptions really can destroy the ‘voice’ of a project.” To ingrain the company’s identity into this project, the mission 36 BHM BIZ

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statement and vision of AFC was interpreted in a dot-dash pattern and organized into a DNA profile-type sequence which was then used to guide the design of the reception desk and taken throughout the project (down to the windows, carpet and tile) as a subtle form of ornamentation, thus

allowing the pattern to have both a practical and symbolic language. As another symbolic gesture addressing the company’s commitment to people, the graphic behind the reception desk is created using thousands of individual faces, with employee faces forming the AFC logo. 

SPECIAL PROMOTION

The Power of Women Entrepreneurs When a company provides opportunities for women to collaborate and learn from each other, there is often a positive impact that’s felt throughout the organization. Studies have shown that companies with more women in leadership positions see increased financial returns, and research from the Harvard Business Review has pointed out the strength that women have for relationship building, says career and motivational author Saurabh Tyagi, writing for WomenOfHR.com. With a staff that is more than 70 percent female and a number of women in key leadership and Board positions, USAmeriBank has been a leader in recognizing the growing role of women professionals in the business community. That’s why USAmeriBank created the Women Entrepreneurs program for customers of the bank. The WE program aims to support Alabama businesswomen by enriching their personal and professional lives through networking and educational opportunities. In the WE program, women leaders across various fields and industries can build relationships and do business with each other. And this can be extremely powerful, both for the women involved and for their organizations. Consider: The power of networking. More than simply collecting business cards, meaningful networking can make connections that infuse businesses with new ideas and opportunities for collaboration. WE offers forums that provide the opportunity to network with like-minded, entrepreneurial women, from casual events like wine tastings to large events with dynamic guest speakers, like ones held recently in Birmingham and Montgomery with Allison Black Cornelius, principal of the consulting firm Blackfish.

The power of professional growth. Successful companies prioritize opportunities for employees to hone the skills that will help them individually and help grow the business. Through seminars on timely business topics and panel discussions featuring women who are experts in their fields, WE gives members opportunities to collaborate, exchange ideas and collectively make their businesses stronger. The power of community impact. It’s no secret that when people donate their time and money to organizations that help those in need, it has a positive impact. When businesses get involved in the community, they find that helping out can help the company, too, from boosting employee morale and strengthening connections in the community. WE members will find even more ways to make an impact through WE Give Back, a program that provides opportunities for WE members to volunteer in their communities.

For more information about the WE program, contact WE Director Cami Gibertini at 813-315-3122 or cgibertini@usameribank.com. Follow WE on Facebook at facebook.com/USABWE.

Caryn Hughes is Senior Vice President, Alabama Commercial Lending Executive. She works with WE Director Cami Gibertini, Retail Market Manager, to coordinate WE programming for USAmeriBank’s Alabama markets. The information and opinions above are for general informational purposes and are not intended as an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any security or instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance. USAmeriBank does not assume liability for any loss that may result from the reliance upon the information or opinions herein. The information contained is taken from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed by USAmeriBank as to accuracy or completeness. The opinions expressed are those of the author, they are current as of the date of publication, and they are subject to change without notice

start-up city

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE DAVID AND ANDREA SNYDER ARE ON FIRE WITH THE SUCCESS OF URBAN COOKHOUSE. Written by Edith Parten

Birmingham couple David and Andrea Snyder had dreams of becoming entrepreneurs in the restaurant industry since college, and what better place to make that start than in Alabama’s culinary capital? The two began their journey together as students at the University of Alabama where they were⎯inspired by renowned chefs, professors and other entrepreneurs. Since then, the couple 38 BHM BIZ

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has been on fire developing a business plan—initially using their college textbooks for guidance. They’ve now opened four Urban Cookhouse restaurants in six years. The latest Urban Cookhouse opened in February in Birmingham’s central business district in the historic former Federal Reserve Bank building. “I’m very intrigued by and have always loved history,” David says. “And

I always wanted to have a store in the business district. With this location, I get both.” It’s their third restaurant in Birmingham and their fourth in Alabama since they set their entrepreneurial plan in motion more than six years ago. They opened their first in Homewood in 2010, then the Summit in 2011, and Tuscaloosa in 2016. And they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Andrea, with her marketing background, came up with the name. “I know we called the shed at my dad’s hunting camp a cookhouse. It was a separate, covered, portable detached building for cooking and smoking meats. So, the word ‘cookhouse’ was going to be part of our concept. I thought that was a perfect name,” she says. But Andrea adds that there was a slight problem with just calling it Cookhouse. “We didn’t want people to think it was country food,” she says. “It’s a little bit more progressive than that, and we were definitely going to be opening locations in urban areas. So, I thought Urban Cookhouse had a nice ring to it, and we stuck with it.”

Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha

“We are always looking for new locations,” David says. “I would love to open a restaurant in Hoover or Trussville. I’m also not ruling out the possibility of another Tuscaloosa restaurant.” David’s former business partner, Will Gillespie, has opened Urban Cookhouse restaurants in Nashville, Charleston, Atlanta, Montgomery, and Colum-

bia, South Carolina⎯with one opening soon in Huntsville. The power couple graduated from the University of Alabama’s business school, the Culverhouse College of Commerce. David earned his undergraduate degree in 2002 and MBA in 2003 at Culverhouse while Andrea earned her degree in marketing in 2004.

Andrea proudly says the two relied on their textbooks from college and notes from favorite professors Dr. Lonnie Strickland and Dr. Ron Dulek when the time came to take the first step to becoming entrepreneurs. “We saved our textbook from GBA 490 (Strategic Management) and used it to create the first business plan for Urban Cookhouse,” says Andrea, smiling. “Dr. Strickland and Dr. Dulek’s ability to actually teach the subject matter made the textbook come to life,” adds David. “And the case studies they put us through inspired me to look at that textbook and say, ‘This is gold.’ I still have it, and I make sure that I go back to it. It guides my decisions a lot of the time.” Upon graduating from UA, David went to work for Zoe’s Kitchen, a restaurant chain created by another Culverhouse alumnus, John Cassimus. www.BHMBIZ.com

“I went straight to work for Zoe’s Kitchen right out of college and I moved to Birmingham,” says David. “At the time, there were only about five Zoe’s Kitchens. I was with them from mid2003 to 2009. In that time period, I helped open 13 restaurants for the Cassimus family.” David also worked with Birmingham’s renowned chef Chris Hastings. “Chef Hastings inspired me,” says David. “People don’t understand the detail that goes into preparing food until they have worked in a five-star kitchen like (Hastings’) Hot and Hot Fish Club. I’ve seen and been a part of a process where it took 12 hours just to make a sauce. It’s that level of detail that inspired me to not overlook anything when I’m pre40 BHM BIZ

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paring a meal.” It’s that same level of commitment and attention to detail that David took to create the menu for Urban Cookhouse. From 2004 to 2008 David traveled the U.S. collecting menus from the restaurants he visited. “I wanted fresh food and I wanted to smoke the meats,” David explains. “I got a good idea for combinations of food that were popular in all the places I visited. I would circle things on menus that interested me. My wife and I took all the menus we collected, and on the way to the National Restaurant Association Expo in Chicago in 2009, I wrote out the Urban Cookhouse menu. “While I worked for Chris Hastings during the day, at night I would go

home and make the food that became the Urban Cookhouse menu,” adds David. David reveals the secret to their menu—smoking everything on a Green Egg grill. Whether it’s the pork on the El Cubano sandwich, the Urban Cowboy’s lime marinated steak or the smoked turkey on the Turkey Crunch sandwich, all the meat goes through the smoking process. “I really wanted to combine my knowledge and ability to run a quick-service casual restaurant with that idea,” explains David. “Let’s get the freshest food we can, let’s cook it over hickory wood and charcoal and let’s do it in a setting that’s modern and urban.” The process took about a year to get the business plan and design together prior to opening their first restaurant in downtown Homewood in May of 2010. The restaurants continue to see great success thanks to a simple concept. “It’s local and we buy from local farmers and the food is handmade,” says David. “We also do all that we can to make sure that our customer service is the best in our segment of the restaurant industry.” Since opening in downtown Birmingham in February of this year, David feels confident he made the right decision to locate in the business district. “We’ve seen growth every week that we’ve been open downtown. The success of Urban Cookhouse has exceeded our expectations and we couldn’t be happier,” he says. Although they’ve had great success as entrepreneurs, David and Andrea still remain humble and give credit to those who have helped and inspired them along the way, including their hometown of Birmingham. “None of our success would have been possible without Birmingham and its rise as a culinary destination,” says David. “Also, without the Cassimus family, and Chef Hastings allowing me to work in his kitchen for a year, I would have never learned the culinary side like I have.” “Without Birmingham, there would be no Urban Cookhouse,” he adds. 

Terry Chapman: John Cook:

Director of Sales– Birmingham Barons

President of Business Electronics

The

BUSINESS ELECTRONICS

Birmingham Barons Partnership At Business Electronics you are more than a customer. You are a partner in technology, productivity and success. John Cook and Terry Chapman talk about implementing the BE Partnership. Q.What interested you most about a partnership with BE and The Barons?

Terry: It is easy to see why we wanted to partner with the premier sports club in Alabama. We originally won their business when they were in Hoover, and now they’re really shining as a club downtown and have led the way for a revitalization of a whole section of Birmingham. We have been very excited to see them grow and expand through the years! John: We like knowing that we are working with a local company that has so much to offer in technology solutions. BE is a leader in helping businesses get more out of their technology budget. We’ve really enjoyed the years of support and how they make everything easy!

Q. What sets BE and The Barons apart from other companies in the same fields?

Terry: The Barons games are one of the coolest things to do in Alabama. The vision of their management team is exceptional and their concept of a ballpark with a backdrop of the downtown

skyline is right on target. Everyone who has been to Regions Field to see them play knows what a beautiful experience it is and can’t wait to return! John: BE keeps our behind the scene operations running and that lets us shine on the field as well. Without great printers and copiers our whole organization would come to a halt. That will never happen with BE because of their reliability and expertise.

Q. What has been the best part about working with each other?

Terry: John is very involved with so many community groups and sets high standards for himself and his team. It makes you proud to partner with someone who works so hard and expects nothing less than excellence. John: Terry and the BE team are always there when we need them. And their response time is the tops in town! I am very pleased with the customer service and support that all of his team has provided us. Very timely and extremely professional.

TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS INTERACTIVE/DIGITAL SIGNAGE PRINTING SYSTEMS MANAGED SERVICES WORKFLOW SOLUTIONS TELEPHONE SYSTEMS 219 Oxmoor Circle Birmingham, Alabama 35209 205-942-6007

www.businesselectronics.com

Amplify Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield is charged with developing the partnerships and alliances that can push the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic development efforts to a new level. Written by Alex Watson

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Greg Canfield Photo by Chuck St. John

Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield is charged with developing the partnerships and alliances to push the state’s economic development efforts to a new level. Greg Canfield, Secretary of Commerce for the state of Alabama, spends a great deal of time thinking about the brand of his home state. How is it perceived by others both within and outside of the state? How can perceptions and images be transformed into positives? The rebranding effort Made in Alabama (developed in conjunction with Birmingham’s Big Communications), has pushed Alabama in the right direction, Secretary Canfield says. “Made in Alabama was the offspring of our strategic plan called Accelerate Alabama, which launched in January 2012 after having gone through a series of public meetings all around the state. We heard from businesses and the public about what they felt was good about Alabama and what were our state’s shortcomings and opportunities,” Canfield says. “One of the first things we heard was that Alabama did not always have the best reputation in the national media and did not really have a place for a bookmark in the international media. There was a recognition early on that we should rebrand Alabama.” The campaign was launched in March 2014, aimed at three primary audiences: •C-suite executives from companies both nationally and internationally looking to expand into or create investment in Alabama or nearby states. •Site consultants, a group of third-party professionals that team and partner with companies all over the globe and assist them with decisions about where they are going to locate. •Alabamians themselves. “We often find we are our own worst enemy in how we tell our story. So we wanted to take that brand and have an inward and outward face and tell the great stories and the true stories about what companies are finding when they invest or locate in Alabama,” Canfield says.

“This is an important time in Birmingham. We are moving into a phase where Birmingham is reinvigorated. To come downtown and see the innovation and technology and the fact people want to live in these districts around the downtown core, it is very exciting. Birmingham is getting the kind of attention that it has deserved for a long, long time,” Canfield says. Storytelling is a popular item in marketers’ tool boxes, and Canfield’s efforts make use of that discipline. “We want to tell the story about what a company’s real experience has been. How they found the business climate. Why they made repeated decisions over multiple stages of expanding in the state because they found it to be a great home. It helps us define and shape through the Made in Alabama brand, real stories that tell our audiences what is really happening,” Canfield says. “I think the ultimate goal for the Made in Alabama brand message is to bring to mind a very positive image of Alabama—the image of a state that is more forward facing, that has a vision for its future and is moving in that direction. Every state has issues, and we have a history that we can’t and should not ignore. But we must look forward and move in a positive direction. So I hope that Made in Alabama is the brand that helps create that point of view. We want that to be embraced in executive suites across the nation and the world. So the next time companies are looking to make an investment, they think, ‘Let’s

look at Alabama.’” How does the state’s largest city fit into this brand message about Alabama? Canfield, a native of Birmingham and graduate of Huffman High School and UAB, has more than a few ideas. “This is an important time in Birmingham. We are moving into a phase where Birmingham is reinvigorated. To come downtown and see the innovation and technology and the fact people want to live in these districts around the downtown core, it is very exciting. Birmingham is getting the kind of attention that it has deserved for a long, long time,” Canfield says. From its food and arts scene to its role as a major player in the financial services and healthcare fields, Birmingham is boiling over with a renewed promise. “UAB is the diamond,” Canfield says. “When we talk to companies interested in engineering or innovation they are looking at Birmingham and asking about Birmingham. The city is becoming a destination of choice for companies and their employees. “As we look at Birmingham’s future we are going to continue to see strong growth around medical research and more opportunities for commercialization of research. There is so much there and we don’t want to leave anything on the table.” Knowledge-based companies, particularly in the automotive sector, can build on the manufacturing prowess already in place in the city. But, Canfield cautions, the state can’t do it by itself. “We needed a strategy that allowed us to partner with local economic developers. If we did not have the partnerships with local economic development professionals we simply could not do our job. The state can’t do everything alone. “The Birmingham Business Alliance plays a central role, but we also engage with the county and the city of Birmingham and Mayor Bell’s economic development team. We interface every day with UAB and Southern Research Institute. “It is really about building strategic alliances and doing everything we can to www.BHMBIZ.com

leverage those resources. We are not the largest state with just under five million in population. And we have a relatively small economy compared to some states, so we are going to be most effective when we leverage our partnerships,” Canfield says. Canfield stepped into his role at the Commerce Department in July 2011, after a business career in the freight and insurance industries and five years in the state house as part of the Jefferson County delegation. After he was elected to represent Alabama House District 48 in the 2006 general election and re-elected in 2010, he chaired the House Committees for Commerce and Small Business and served on the Insurance 44 BHM BIZ

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Committee. Governor Robert Bentley appointed him to his present post in July 2011. The next year saw the introduction of the Accelerate Alabama initiative, designed to jumpstart the state’s economic development efforts. A key feature of Accelerate Alabama, the state’s first-ever economic development growth plan, was the identification of 11 target sectors deemed ripe for expansion. Between 2012 and 2016, economic development activities across Alabama attracted more than $24 billion in new capital investment through projects creating nearly 90,000 new and future jobs, according to Commerce data. During the Accelerate time frame,

Alabama has seen massive growth in its automotive sector, which has added around 25,000 jobs and $7 billion in new capital investment, according to Commerce figures. Aerospace, propelled by Airbus’ $600 million assembly plant project in Mobile, and other sectors such as forest products and steel/metals have also seen strong growth in this period. This year the state unveiled Accelerate Alabama 2.0, as it’s called, which aims to amplify the success of the original strategic plan. “Our goal with Accelerate 2.0 is to create a framework for sustainable growth and steer Alabama towards technology-focused, skill-based jobs that re-

Economic development activity across Alabama during 2016, according to Commerce Department data:

•14,707 new jobs created by projects •$4.2 billion in new capital investment •$1.6 billion in foreign direct investment (representing about 40% of $4.2 billion total for year) •High level of activity in automotive and aerospace industries In addition, 2016 was a record year for Alabama exports — $20.5 billion. The Commerce Department’s International Trade Office assists Alabama companies in finding overseas markets for their products and conducts trade missions to connect Alabama companies with potential partners in foreign markets.

Top: Canfield at the Trade Awards. Left Canfield with newly appointed governor, Kay Ivey.

sult i n lasting opportunities for our citizens,” Canfield says. “We’ve built a solid foundation, and now we want to speed up the progress across Alabama.” Accelerate 2.0 streamlines the state’s •Aerospace/Aviation •Automotive •Agricultural and Food Products •Chemicals •Forestry Products •Metals/Advanced Materials •Bioscience

Meanwhile, a new concept —“Foundational Targets’’—has been introduced. These represent vital functions that cut across industry lines and are intrinsic to the core competencies of a wide range of corporate activities. These areas are also seen as ripe for growth: •Corporate Operations •Cybersecurity •Data Centers •Distribution/Logistics •Information Technology •Research & Development Accelerate 2.0 also seeks to build on the broad engagement that Alabama’s economic development team has developed with the state’s education community, Canfield said. The goal is to

Since 2012, economic development activity in Alabama has attracted $24.5 billion in new capital investment and created nearly 90,000 jobs. (Commerce data)

strengthen those bonds through closer collaboration with the state’s seven research universities and two major research organizations. The report outlines the areas of research expertise present at these institutions and includes an extensive database detailing their specific technical capabilities. Economic developers looking for potential research partnerships can utilize this information. “For the first time, we have a road map showing us the technical and scientific resources available at Alabama universities and research institutions,” Canfield said. “These organizations are powerful partners for the state’s economic development team.”  www.BHMBIZ.com

Flooring Fashion

Robert F. Henry Tile has turned a decades-old business into a modern showcase of flooring style. Written by Alex Watson Photography by Chuck St. John A tile showroom is always a fascinating amalgamation of possibilities. From the floors themselves to the displays throughout the showroom, the possibilities are right there in front of you. For the Henry family those possibilities have been the key to a business that has thrived for nearly 85 years now. “My grandfather started the business in 1933 as a tile contractor. Our focus for 30 years was tile contracting and installation. My father came into the business in the early 1960s,” says Fred Henry, company VP who manages the 46 BHM BIZ

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Birmingham location of the company. The company began to diversify, continuing to install tile but adding distribution and sales to the mix. In the early 1990s, partners bought out the installation business and continued as Faulkner Tile in Montgomery. That company remains a Henry Tile customer. Henry’s father at 82 is semi-retired, but he still comes into the Montgomery office, which is headed up by Fred’s brother Rob Henry, who serves as president of the company. Fred has been in

the business about 20 years now working in Birmingham with warehousing and distribution functions. A sister, Lynn, works in outside sales and administration in Montgomery. By keeping the company’s focus on ceramic tile and stone, Robert F. Henry Tile has built unparalleled expertise in their product while staying ahead of the very latest materials and trends as they come on the market. They search the world for the best products at the best value. That means combining the finest products imported from across

Fred Henry, VP of Robert F. Henry Tile www.BHMBIZ.com

the globe as well as products made right here in Alabama. Robert F. Henry Tile has four showrooms in Alabama, one in Florida and two in Tennessee. Out of these seven locations they are able to meet the tile and stone needs of long-time customers across a large footprint. Over the years, this family-owned company has learned three very important keys to creating long-term relationships with their customers. “Provide the absolute best products available. Offer those products at fair prices. And do it in a way that makes people want to return and do business with us again. As the company has transitioned from one generation of ownership to the next, many customers have returned and sent their children into our showrooms. This family atmosphere ensures integrity in the way we do business,” says Henry. At the same time, they are committed to design and innovation in the products they sell and the industry they represent. “We are distributors of ceramic tile and stone through three main avenues,” 48 BHM BIZ

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Fred Henry says. “In the showroom anyone can walk in—designers, builders, customers—to select tiles from our samples. Most often it is end users who may be with a builder or designer, but they are here to see what we have and choose a product that meets their needs and style. “We also service flooring stores and call on architects and designers commercially,” Henry says. About a third of Henry Tile’s work is commercial, about two-thirds residential. “We try to always be aware of the trends. Our business is design oriented. It is really a fashion industry,” says Henry. “We have always been tile and stone focused, but at the same time we are always open for looking at a new avenue of growth in our product lines if it makes sense. So we’ve expanded our product offering to include 20 new mid– to high–end lines, and are renovating our showroom to showcase those new lines. “We try to hire good employees and bring in people who know what is hap-

pening in the design world. We stay involved in designer groups like ASID and stay abreast of the latest trends.” “Styles in flooring don’t change as quickly as clothing styles, but you can tell a tile is 10 years old. Most of the time the style life cycle of tile is about five to seven years. “People are better educated than ever before. They bring in pictures from Pinterest or other sites. TV shows are wildly popular. We guide them to the best we can in terms of timeless looks and quality,” Henry says. Three designers work in the Birmingham showroom. They greet customers and try to help them with what they need and develop relationships with builders and designers. “It can be a little overwhelming, so we try to ask a lot of questions and hone in on the right solutions for each customer. We have been here in Birmingham for 40 years. We try to remind people of all we have to offer. We are a veteran company, but we are on the cutting edge, too.” 

CASH MACHINES OPPORTUNITY Initiative

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These arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t simply warehouse doors. These are portals to commercial profit. At Colliers we regard real estate for its economic potential, not simply its location, size or condition. With seasoned experts, critical analysis and industry-leading research, Colliers helps clients make better business decisions regarding lease, purchase, investment and finance. At Colliers, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see real estate merely as places, but instead an opportunity to realize greater business potential. colliers.com/alabama

SPECIAL PROMOTION

2017

AMERICAN

A DV ERT I S I NG

AWA RDS

A A F B I RM I NG H A M HO NO RED T H E A REAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S B E ST C REAT IV E WO RK AT H AV EN I N B I RM I NG H A M, A L O N F RI DAY, F EB RUA RY 24, 201 7. A C EL EB RAT IO N O F T H E TO P C REAT IV E TA L EN TS I N O U R CO M MU N I T Y T H AT CO N T I NU E TO P U T O U R REG IO N A N D O U R C I T Y O N T H E M A P. V I S I T A A F B I RM I NG H A M.CO M TO L EA RN MO RE A BO U T T H E A M ERIC A N A DV ERT I S I NG F ED ERAT IO N B I RM I NG H A M.

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W H AT A RE T H E A D DYS ? The ADDYs is the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition, attracting over 40,000 entries every year in local American Advertising Federation Club (Ad Club) competitions. The mission of the ADDYs competition is to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising. The 2017 ADDYs were held at Haven on February 24 to recognize the best work, by both professionals and students, in the Birmingham area.

T H E J U DG ES

JOHN SPALDING

AR T C H A N T R Y

T R O Y B U R W ELL

F RE EL AN C E C O P Y W R I T E R & C ON TE N T S T R A T E G I S T

AWARD WINNING GRAPHIC DESIGNER

GADZOOCS AND 4 GUYS INTERACTIVE PRESIDENT/CEO

John is a freelance copywriter

Raised in Tacoma, Art Chantry

Troy is presently the President/

and content strategist based in

worked in Seattle for nearly

CEO of GadZoocs, Incorporated

Atlanta. A former CD at BBDO and

30 years. During that time he

and 4 Guys Interactive,

Ogilvy, John worked on the famous

managed to produce a body of

Incorporated and has also served

“Raising The Bar” campaign for

work that, however unorthodox,

as Advertising Director for Stine

AT&T and has garnered National

still rivals some of the best

Incorporated where he oversaw a

ADDYs for Barnfly, Georgia Lottery

graphic design in the world. He

multilmilliondollar ad budget for

and Zoosk. His work has also been

has won hundreds of design and

print, broadcast, and outdoor. This

recognized in One Show, CA, the

advertising awards, including a

project went out to a demographic

Clios and even the Screen Actors

bronze lion at Cannes, and the

of about 3 million households

Guild Awards.

Poster Laureate of the Colorado

and featured products such as

International Invitational Poster

Skil, Dewalt, Anderson Windows,

Exposition. His work has been

Owens Corning, Olympic Paints,

collected and exhibited by some of

and GE Electrical products.

the most prestigious museums and

Prior to Stine Incorporated, Troy

galleries in the world: the Louvre,

worked for The Newsleader, Inc.

The Smithsonian, The Library of

where he supervised advertising

Congress and the Rock and Roll

development and tested new

Hall of Fame to name a few.

technology. While he was there, he

combined his knowledge in new technologies, advertising sales and development and how to network editorials together into one system for their 7 newspapers.

SPECIAL PROMOTION

B EST O F S HOW - G RA PICO, O2I D EAS Buffalo Rock was born in the south 100 years ago and continues of be a Southern classic today. To celebrate the 100th birthday of this iconic Southern soda, o2 launched a campaign built around the idea that Grapico truly is “a Southern thing.” The campaign started with a complete redesign of Grapico’s cans, bottles and packaging. The new look stayed true to Grapico’s past and distinguished itself from other beverages on the shelves. From there, we took the “southern thing” idea to print ads, outdoor, online ads, social and a new website. The initiative resonated with those who grew up with Grapico, while introducing the brand to a new generation of Grapico fans.

B EST O F S HOW: D IG I TA L B ROA DCAST SW EET HO M E A LA BA M A I N T ERM A RK G RO U P

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CO PY W RI T ER O F T H E YEA R C A RY BYNU M, B LR | FU RT H ER

C REAT IV E D I RECTO R O F T H E YEA R ST EPH EN CU RRY, L EW I S CO M MU N IC AT IO N S

PHOTOG RA PH ER O F T H E YEA R J EF F W I LLI A M S, LEW I S CO M MU N IC AT IO N S

W EB D ES IG N ER O F T H E YEA R A N D REW H A N D LEY, O2I D EAS

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T H I S YEA R'S W I N N ERS SALES KIT / PRODUCT INFORMATION SHEETS

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PACKAGING CAMPAIGN HERE’S THE RUB ODIE AND PARTNERS GOLD ADDY GRAPICO - CAN O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY GRAPICO PACKAGING - 4 PACKS O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY GRAPICO PACKAGING - CAMPAIGN O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY MONTEZ RENAULT BOXES CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

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SINGLE NEWSLETTER BUGLE FY17 VOL 1 EBSCO INDUSTRIES SILVER ADDY

BUGLE FY16 VOL 4 - LEAN EBSCO INDUSTRIES SILVER ADDY

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COMMON BOND “BRAND VOICE” BROCHURE LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY “OUR LIBERTY” BROCHURE LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY FLY FISHING TRUTHS LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

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PUBLICATION COVER DESIGN

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THE BURNING PEPPERMINTS T SHIRT BIG COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY STEEL CITY POPS T-SHIRT SCOUT BRANDING SILVER ADDY

SPECIALTY ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN STEEL CITY POPS GIFT CARDS SCOUT BRANDING GOLD ADDY

PUBLIC SERVICE DIRECT MARKETING & SPECIALTY ADVERTISING AEC RECYCLE LOGO LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY CFCBA T-SHIRTS THE MODERN BRAND CO. SILVER ADDY RAILROAD PARK MEMBERSHIP CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

ADVERTISING INDUSTRY SELF PROMOTION DIRECT MARKETING GRAPICO - SOMEONE SAID SNOW O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY GRAPICO - MASON DIXON O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY GRAPICO - MAC AND CHEESE O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY BNC - BRAND NEUE CHRISTMAS BRAND NEUE CO. SILVER ADDY

MAGAZINE ADVERTISING FULL PAGE OR LESS GATHER DINNER PRINT AD SCOUT BRANDING SILVER ADDY

UAB MEDICINE: WARNING TO CANCER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

SPREAD, MULTIPLE PAGE OR INSERT - SINGLE UNIT

SWEET HOME ALABAMA | BEACH + FOOD INTERMARK GROUP GOLD ADDY SWEET HOME ALABAMA | MUSIC + FOOD INTERMARK GROUP GOLD ADDY

MAGAZINE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN GRAPICO PRINT CAMPAIGN O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY

TIFFIN 2017 PRINT AD CAMPAIGN LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY SWEET HOME ALABAMA | PRINT CAMPAIGN INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY SWEET HOME ALABAMA | PRINT CAMPAIGN INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY UAB MEDICINE: WARNING TO CANCER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING FRACTIONAL PAGE UAB MEDICINE: WARNING TO CANCER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING FULL PAGE BALLOONS NEUROSURGERY PRINT AD LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY

MUSIC NOTES ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY AD LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY VEIN CENTER “NEON LEGS” AD LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY MOUNT SINAI PARTNERSHIP PRINT AD LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY UAB MEDICINE: WARNING TO CANCER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

SPECIAL PROMOTION

NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN BELLIN - KIDS IN CRISIS BLR FURTHER GOLD ADDY

ST. BERNARDS - MISSION BLR FURTHER GOLD ADDY

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BARBWIRE LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY

SWEET HOME ALABAMA FOOD EXPERIENCE INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY

UAB MEDICINE: WARNING TO CANCER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

OUT OF HOME MULTIPLE INSTALLATIONS

SWEET HOME ALABAMA BUS SHELTER INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY

UAB MEDICINE: WARNING TO CANCER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

AUTO & TRUCK EXTERIOR SIGNAGE LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY

PUBLIC SERVICE PRINT ADVERTISING

EXPERIENCE SWEET HOME ALABAMA INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY

AEC GLASS CAMPAIGN LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY MOVE I20/59 PRINT ADS LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

GUERRILLA MARKETING

SWEET HOME ALABAMA BEACH EXPERIENCE INTERMARK GROUP GOLD ADDY SWEET HOME ALABAMA FOOD EXPERIENCE INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY BAM - CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL SUPERHERO BRAND NEUE CO. SILVER ADDY EXPERIENCE SWEET HOME ALABAMA INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY

OUT OF HOME INSTALLATION SLOSS TECH MURAL TELEGRAPH CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

GPBC EXTERIOR BUILDING SIGNAGE LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

POSTER

FINSTER FEST POSTER BIG COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY MMI OPERATION VIGILANT VICTORY CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY JOHN MORELAND POSTER BIG COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY CAHABA BREWING - OKA UBA POSTER O2IDEAS SILVER ADDY

POSTER CAMPAIGN

MOVE I20/59 POSTER CAMPAIGN LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY UAB MEDICINE: THE DIFFERENCE CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY THE BURNING PEPPERMINTS POSTERS BIG COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY VINTAGE POSTER CAMPAIGN INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY GPBC POSTERS LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

OUTDOOR BOARD

UAB MEDICINE: WARNING TO CANCER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY IT’S AWESOME AVONDALE MURAL PLATYPI SILVER ADDY

OUT OF HOME CAMPAIGN

ALAGASCO DIGITAL OUTDOOR CAMPAIGN LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY UAB MEDICINE NATIONALLY RANKED TEAM CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY UAB MEDICINE: THE DIFFERENCE CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY UAB MEDICINE: WARNING TO CANCER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

PUBLIC SERVICE OUT OF HOME NATIONAL LOW CARBON DAY UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM SILVER ADDY DIA DE LOS MUERTOS UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM SILVER ADDY

PUBLIC SERVICE POSTER YWCA MURAL BIG COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

PUBLIC SERVICE AMBIENT MEDIA

RAILROAD PARK ICE SKATING GLOBE CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

ADVERTISING INDUSTRY SELF-PROMOTION AMBIENT MEDIA “BRANDING AND WAYFINDING” LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY CAYENNE CROWBAR CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

CONSUMER WEBSITE COCO AND THE DIRECTOR ODIE AND PARTNERS SILVER ADDY

GRAPICO BILLBOARD O2IDEAS SILVER ADDY

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PUBLIC TRANSIT AD, EXTERIOR

GRAPICO WEBSITE O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY

OUT OF HOME, INTERIOR SITE

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS WEBSITE

BIG SPOON CREAMERY TRUCK TELEGRAPH CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

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HUIE LAW FIRM WEBSITE TATUM DESIGN SILVER ADDY

SPECIAL PROMOTION

MICROSITE

BBVA - 51 THINGS LANDING PAGE O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY AKTION NEWS MICROSITE LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

SOCIAL MEDIA, SINGLE EXECUTION MILOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FRY HIGH DIVE CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY

GRAPICO - POPSICLE GIF O2IDEAS SILVER ADDY

MOBILE APP

ALTEC SOUTHERN PLANT TOUR CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY SATURDAY DOWN SOUTH IOS/ANDROID APP TELEGRAPH CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

TOOLS AND UTILITIES

ALTEC SOUTHERN PLANT TOUR CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY

CAMPAIGN

BARIATRICS WEB BANNER CAMPAIGN LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY

UAB FOOTBALL - GREATER BIRMINGHAM 1 BURTON ADVERTISING SILVER ADDY

GRAPICO CAMPAIGN O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY

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NATIONAL REHABILITATION WEEK 2016 HEALTHSOUTH SILVER ADDY

UAB FOOTBALL - GREATER BIRMINGHAM BURTON ADVERTISING GOLD ADDY AKTION NEWS TELEVISION CAMPAIGN LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

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HONDA - SUPER CIRCLE 5 VIDEO O2IDEAS SILVER ADDY

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TEAM PROMO LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY ELECTION REPORT LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY POST GAME REPORT LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY POLLING DATA LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

LOCAL TELEVISION COMMERCIAL :60 SECONDS

UAB FOOTBALL - GREATER BIRMINGHAM 2 BURTON ADVERTISING GOLD ADDY

MMI OPERATION VIGILANT VICTORY CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY

CITY OF TALLADEGA TELEGRAPH CREATIVE GOLD ADDY

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AUDIO/VIDEO SALES PRESENTATION

DEPT. OF COMMERCE AEROSPACE VIDEO BIG COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

LOCAL TELEVISION COMMERCIAL :30 SECONDS

COMMON BOND CAMPAIGN LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY

MOVIE TRAILER

PUBLIC SERVICE ONLINE/INTERACTIVE

O2 HOLIDAY CARD O2IDEAS SILVER ADDY

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RUSSELL MEDICAL CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY

DEPT. OF COMMERCE AUTOMOTIVE VIDEO BIG COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

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INTEGRATED BRAND IDENTITY CAMPAIGN

VALVOLINE FRANK FITZ VIDEOS BIG COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY

LIAM, CHIP AND STORMY LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

THE AWESOME MARY SHOW NCPAD SILVER ADDY

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BAILOUT1 INFORMATIONAL VIDEO SCOUT BRANDING CO. SILVER ADDY

PUBLIC SERVICE ONLINE FILM, VIDEO & SOUND EVERY MEAL MATTERS 1504 GOLD ADDY

MARKER PROJECT: LOWNDES COUNTY 1504 SILVER ADDY

PUBLIC SERVICE CAMPAIGN RETRO PSA CAMPAIGN OUTPOST PICTURES SILVER ADDY

INTEGRATED ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN - LOCAL - CONSUMER

UAB MEDICINE: THE DIFFERENCE CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY UAB MEDICINE: WARNING TO CANCER CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY ALYS STEPHENS CENTER CAMPAIGN BIG COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY COCO AND THE DIRECTOR ODIE AND PARTNERS SILVER ADDY SHANNON WALTCHACK BRANDING SCOUT BRANDING CO. SILVER ADDY THE MARBLE RING CAMPAIGN PLATYPI SILVER ADDY IRON TRIBE FITNESS CAMPAIGN PLATYPI SILVER ADDY TIFFIN MOTORHOMES 2017 CAMPAIGN LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

87 LEONARD CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

RAILROAD PARK GIVE GIFT OF GREEN CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

INTEGRATED ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN - REGIONAL/NATIONAL CONSUMER

INTEGRATED MEDIA PUBLIC SERVICE CAMPAIGN

SNOOZECUBE BRAND ZEEKEE GOLD ADDY

AEC CAMPAIGN LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY

SPECIAL PROMOTION

ADVERTISING INDUSTRY SELF-PROMOTION INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN O2IDEAS - WORLD COCKTAIL DAY O2IDEAS GOLD ADDY BIG COM BUMPERS BIG COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

COPYWRITING

UAB WARNING TO CANCER - CAMPAIGN 1 CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY

AD PSYCH SNACK TIME ONLINE VIDEO INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY

UAB MEDICINE: THE DIFFERENCE CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY

INTERFACE & NAVIGATION

UAB WARNING TO CANCER: CAMPAIGN 2 CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY

UNITED WAY - SCRIPT BLR FURTHER SILVER ADDY

COLOR THEORY STEPHEN DEVRIES PHOTO SILVER ADDY

MONKEY BARS LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

MANTRY STEPHEN DEVRIES PHOTO SILVER ADDY

LOGO DESIGN

HABITAT BUILDERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BLITZ PHOTOGRAPHY LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

COMMON BOND BREWERS LOGO LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY BAILOUT1 LOGO DESIGN SCOUT BRANDING CO. SILVER ADDY RUSSELL MEDICAL CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY VESTAVIA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL KNIGHT LADY SPORTS GROUP SILVER ADDY

ILLUSTRATION

CFBCA T SHIRT ART - FLORK THE MODERN BRAND CO. SILVER ADDY MMI OPERATION VIGILANT VICTORY MAP CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

PHOTOGRAPHY, COLOR

UAB WARNING TO CANCER - DR. AREND CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY UAB WARNING TO CANCER - CAROLYN CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY UAB WARNING TO CANCER - JOE CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY UAB WARNING TO CANCER - KRISTEN CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY YMCA FREE UNTIL FEBRUARY - KICKER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY YMCA FREE UNTIL FEBRUARY - SWIMMER CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

YMCA - FREE UNTIL FEBRUARY CAMPAIGN CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY RIVERCHASE ART SHOW LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY UAB MEDICINE: THE DIFFERENCE CAYENNE CREATIVE SILVER ADDY

ART DIRECTION

SWEET HOME ALABAMA. TAKE IT ALL IN. INTERMARK GROUP GOLD ADDY TEAM PROMO/HEALTH REPORT/VAN/MICRO LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS SILVER ADDY

CINEMATOGRAPHY FACING THE SILENT KILLER BOB MILLER MEDIA SILVER ADDY

ANIMATION, SPECIAL EFFECTS, MOTION GRAPHICS AD PSYCH SNACK TIME ONLINE VIDEO INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY

MUSIC

HONDA POWER OF DREAMS BOUTWELL STUDIOS GOLD ADDY MUSCLE SHOALS - ORIGINAL MUSIC BOUTWELL STUDIOS SILVER ADDY

VOICEOVER

FEARLESS: GREATNESS TATUM DESIGN SILVER ADDY

BIRMINGHAM RAIL AND LOCOMOTIVE ZEEKEE SILVER ADDY

PHOTOGRAPHY CAMPAIGN AUSTAL EMPLOYEE PORTRAITS LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS GOLD ADDY

SOUND DESIGN

BIRMINGHAM ZOO DINO DISCOVERY RADIO INTERMARK GROUP SILVER ADDY

ALTEC SOUTHERN PLANT TOUR CAYENNE CREATIVE GOLD ADDY

SPECIAL PROMOTION

SNAPSHOT ( A T H A N K YO U T O O U R AT T E N D E E S )

SPECIAL PROMOTION

AAF Birmingham Board Members | 2016-2017 President | David McMath, Martin Retail Group

VP Membership | Lisa Harris, o2 Ideas

President-Elect | Leigh Ann Motley, Lewis Communications

VP Programs | Melissa Ralph, Spectrum Reach

Immediate Past President | George Griswold, Lewis Communications

Executive Director | Dawn Taylor, TaylorMade Productions

VP Print Communications | Hillary McDaniel, Intermark Group

Director, Student Education | Dr. Glenn Griffin, UA Advertising & PR

Secretary/Treasurer | Doug Black, Hill City Marketing

Director of Diversity | Dr. Lindsay Sutton, Intermark Group

VP AAA (ADDY’s) | David Barry, Zeekee

Director of Public Service | Rebecca Smith, America’s First

VP AAA (ADDY’s) | Halley Smith, Martin Retail Group

Director of Government Relations | Satina Richardson, Big Communications

VP Digital Communications | Michael McDonald, Lewis Communications

Director of Job Bank | Justin Adderholt, Books-A-Million

VP Fundraising | Beth McKern, Alagasco

Director of Professional Development | Bobby George, Fast Signs/ AccuPrint

VP Membership | Matthew Conde, American Printing Company

AAF ADDY Committee | 2017 Caperton Gillett, Caperton Gillett Creative

Dawn Taylor, Taylormade Productions

Tyler Hatcher, BIG Communications

Aaron Gresham, BIG Communications

David McMath, Martin Retail Group

Hillary McDaniel, Intermark Group

Kristi Austin, RealtySouth

Pam Sanderson, Infomedia

Kathleen Sharp, Lewis Communications

Michael McDonald, Lewis Communications

Satina Richardson, BIG Communications

Kristi Sasser, Outpost Pictures

Special Thanks Justin Adderholt, Books-A-Million

Events at Haven

Dru Cunningham, Birmingham Mountain Radio

Tre Luna Catering

Lauren Helmer, StyleBlueprint Birmingham

AG Lighting

Martin Retail Group

Christopher Murphy, Cayenne Creative

SPECIAL PROMOTION

59 A T H A N K YO U TO A L L O F O U R S PO N S ERS & CO N T RI B U TO RS

AMERICAN PRINTING S TA R N E S D I G I TA L SPOTI F Y F OR BRAN DS M S PA R K BAC K DOWN SOU TH F I LMS METRO

D AV I S D I R E C T NOHO COLLECTIVE BM ET RO GHOST TRAIN CAHABA BREWING A M E R I C A' S F I R S T OUTPOST PICTURES INFOMEDIA BELL MEDIA M A RT I N A DV E RT I S I NG ZEEKEE

SPECIAL PROMOTION

The mission of AAF Birmingham is to promote excellence in advertising through professional education, networking, community service, ethics, quality and creativity. Since you are reading this, we bet you are someone who is curious about people and what motivates them, a challenge seeker, and one who loves to learn new ways of doing things. In other words you’re in advertising! And, whether you’re a professional or just starting out, we have much to offer you as a member. AAF Birmingham plays a unique role in our local advertising community because we strive to maintain a strong network, through industry knowledge and education, creative recognition, and opportunities for idea exchange, for both the businesses and individuals who make up advertising in the Birmingham area. AAF Birmingham has been recognized on both the district and national levels for its outstanding service to the advertising community. We urge you to consider joining our award-winning organization!

WWW.AAFBIRMINGHAM.COM

W H AT D O E S T H E A A F H AV E TO O F F E R ? »

Industry knowledge and education through informative speakers at meetings and seminars

Opportunities to exchange ideas and network with your peers in the Birmingham ad community

Creative recognition through the American Advertising Federation Awards (ADDYs®)

Student scholarships, community outreach projects, public service campaigns

Recognition of professional achievement and service to the community through the Silver Medal Award & Ten Awards

A Job Center where employers can post jobs and members can post resumes

Protection of your advertising interests both in Alabama and in the nation’s capital through the American Advertising Federation, the lobbying arm of the industry

AAF Birmingham members are automatically members of the American Advertising Federation, entitling them to generous discounts and services

Social events offering you the opportunity to meet other advertising/marketing people

We also welcome you to contribute “handson” time. Here’s the scoop: you get to work with fun, intelligent professionals and help support the Birmingham advertising community…what could be more fulfilling?

restaurant biz

Chef Brandon Cain if you are on the lookout for a hot Birmingham restaurant, follow chef and restaurateur Brandon Cain around. You are likely to find exactly what you are looking for. With Saw’s Soul Kitchen and Post Office Pies in Avondale as notches on his culinary belt, Cain has added a third extraordinary opening with Roots & Revelry, the new restaurant in downtown’s Thomas Jefferson Tower, which underwent a $22 million renovation to become one of Birmingham’s newest residential buildings. Cain was the chef de cuisine at George Reis’ Ocean for seven years before he teamed up with Saw’s BBQ founder Mike Wilson to create Saw’s Soul Kitchen in Avondale. He and Wilson caught lightening again when the pair opened Post Office Pies with chef John Hall in 2014. His new restaurant seats 90 on the second floor of the restored old hotel on the west side of downtown. Here he serves elevated American comfort food and craft cocktails in the classic confines of the 1929 restored hotel. 

62 BHM BIZ

APR/MAY

Photo by Beau Gustafson

THE HOME OF ENTREPRENEURS IN BIRMINGHAM Induron Coatings

Davies Hood

Induron Coatings was formed in 1947 to serve the Birmingham steel industry. Seven decades later, we still stand behind our founders’ original mission: “To produce the right finishes for the best long-term results, and to honestly represent them in a technically correct manner.” Now in its third generation of leadership, Induron’s high performance coatings serve a range of industrial applications broader than our founders ever envisioned. But the core value of Technical Integrity continues to drive the company today. And tomorrow.

3333 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. Birmingham, AL 35234 (205)-324-9584 induron.com

SEPCO

SEPCO, headquartered in Alabaster with a location in Austin TX, is a 100+ employee firm that designs, manufactures, and distributes a sustainable series of fluid-sealing products for industrial pumping systems that help conserve water and energy, reduce maintenance, and streamline productivity in processing industries such as pulp and paper, food processing, and power generation. The company also Chris Wilder has a plastics divisions that focus on thermal and abrasion management applications. For more information visit: www. SEPCO.com 123 Airpark Industrial Road, Alabaster, AL 35007 (205) 403-7500 • sepco.com

Home Instead Senior Care

Home Instead Senior Care is the trusted source of non-medical home care and companionship for the elderly and disabled, providing services such as Personal Care, Bathing/Dressing/ Ambulation/Transfer assistance, Medication Reminders, Meal Preparation, Alzheimer’s Care, light housekeeping,, and Transportation. Daniel Pahos started operations in 1997, and we have been locally owned and operated since then as part of an international franchise system Daniel Pahos that ensures quality care and consistency. Our CAREGivers will care for your loved wherever they may be: in the home, at the hospital, skilled nursing or assisted living facility, or nursing home. 2059 Columbiana Road Ste 105, Birmingham, AL 35216 (205)822-1915 homeinstead.com/bham

Creative Benefit Solutions

Mark Johnson

In 2003, Mark Johnson formed his own insurance brokerage Creative Benefit Solutions, LLC (CBSLLC). CBSLLC was funded by loans from friends, family, Mark’s 401k funds and odd handy -man jobs to keep cash flowing. Fast forwarding to 2014, CBSLLC has been recognized as one of the largest minority owned insurance brokerage firms in Birmingham and the Southeast. CBSLLC is also a certified Minority Business Enterprise by the Southern Regional Minority Supplier Diversity Council and the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council.

1 Perimeter Park S, Birmingham, AL 35243 (205) 445-0701 • creativebenefitsolutions.org

A global, peer-to-peer network of more than 12,000+ influential business owners with 160 chapters in 50 countries. www.eonetwork.org/birmingham THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

and then this happened...

Written by Carolanne Roberts

John Montgomery thinks Big, at his creative agency and in life.

BORN & RAISED

“I’m a West-Side boy, the only man in my family not to work at U.S. Steel. A graduate of Midfield High School.” UAB to study public relations came next.

QUICK START

Clubhouse boy for Birmingham Barons, age 14. Birmingham Bulls front office with announcer/PR director Eli Gold, age 15. Then to legendary concert promoters Gary Weinberger/ Tony Ruffino (first gig: security at a Def Leppard concert). At ad firm Barry Huey Bullock and Cook, age 18, managed the City Stages festival promotions for years.

TAKING CHARGE

Started Big Communications in 1995, age 27. “I worked from my loft on Morris Avenue — and just went after it.”

SCOPE OF WORK

Digital, content marketing, creative, media, public relations, and video.

CHAPTER TWO

Growth starting around 2007 with addition of Ford Wiles, chief creative officer and main partner, and Mark Ervin, chief brand officer. Total team now: 70+.

AWARDS

American Ad Federation Birmingham Chapter Silver Medal, 2011; Ad Age Small Agency of the Year, 2013, among many.

BIG STEP

“The Ad Age award was a coming out party for us with national brands.” As a result, Valvoline found Big, launching an almost three-years-and-counting relationship. “It’s been good for our collective brains, and they’re nice human beings.”

SHARING

On start-up team for Black & White magazine; has donated support to National Veteran’s Day Parade, Vulcan Park, Birmingham Museum of Art, Sidewalk Film Festival, Sloss Fest and others. Big created the names REV and ZYP.

JOHN’S BIRMINGHAM

Second Avenue (home of Big), Feast & Forest, El Barrio (“Big’s cafeteria”), and Chez Fon Fon with its bocce court (“my favorite table in Birmingham”). Also music venues Iron City, Saturn and The Nick.

ESCAPE

His Straight Creek Farm in Dekalb County with wife, Leigh Anne, and young sons, Hans and John. “I seem like a city slicker, but on weekends, I’m not.”

64 BHM BIZ

APR/MAY

*WHAT WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT JOHN “I’m a big Francophile. If I disappear, I’ll be beside the pool at La Columbe d’Or in Saint-Paul de Vence, my favorite place on earth.”