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Atlanta Motorsports Park: Jeremy Porter.

Jeremy Porter is a Partner at WMI, a business strategy, organizational development and human capital firm. This is Jeremy’s second stint with this firm, having been recruited back to the firm by the CEO and Chairman. WMI has been recognized in Inc. Magazine’s 500 lists as one of The Fastest Growing Companies in America and is also listed by Kennedy Publications as one of the top 50 firms in the nation. Jeremy is the leading Client Development Executive in the company, achieving 198% of goal for 2007. His primary focus is working with top executives in Fortune 50 and smaller companies in the nation, within various industries. His forte is analyzing businesses, creating structure and efficiencies, and building strong teams. Jeremy manages the Atlanta team, as well as a virtual team in the Greensboro office.

Prior to WMI, Jeremy was the Vice President of Operations for The Corban Group (TCG) for five and half years, a firm that was similar to WMI. At its peak, Jeremy successfully ran the Georgia operation, directly managing 22 employees and reporting to the CEO in Florida. While being promoted through the ranks at TCG, Jeremy was known for growing client relationships at a much higher rate than anyone in the company’s history. While managing and solving client’s challenges, he also worked diligently to improve TCG’s corporate and operational structure.

Prior to TCG, Jeremy was a senior executive consultant at WMI during his first tenure with the firm, reporting to the CEO. He was recruited to WMI by one of the managing partners. During this two and a half year tenure, Jeremy was known for his ability to penetrate practice areas previously untapped by the firm. His base of knowledge spans six industries, including technology, industrial, energy, financial, EPC firms, retail and e- commerce. Jeremy was recognized as a problem solver and troubleshooter for all difficult clients. He exceeded all previously set records for first year employees and surpassed all goals for the second year at the firm.

Previous to WWC, Jeremy was a co-owner of Auto Accents (AA) for three years. AA was a high-end/exotic auto performance/customization facility for street cars. Jeremy approached the owner of this failing company and offered to take it over and turn it around. Within nine months the shop was in the black and repaying old debt.

A consistent theme while at the above companies has been Jeremy’s ability to drive profits, trouble-shoot and improve operations reduce unnecessary headcount, drive teams to their best abilities, and renegotiate contracts with vendors to retain greater profitability and resolve complex challenges. Jeremy is known for his high ethical standards; In addition, he is highly technical with computers, networks, and software. Jeremy also made the “List Makers” two years in a row in the Atlanta Business Chronicle

Effective Strategy Execution: Jennie Rodriguez

Jennie leads innovative, strategic change.  She has been described as one who ‘excels in future reality’.   Jennie specializes in partnering with leaders across the organization to translate growth strategies into disciplined execution programs.

Jennie’s love for change began early:
– Moved around frequently while growing up, which whetted her appetite for change and how people are influenced by change
– Exchange student in India at 17, which showed her the world is a collection of diverse ideas, talents, and philosophies
– Educated at small colleges, which taught her about communities
– Early career:  COO for small, family-owned business – learned about work groups becoming families
– Mid career:   Corporate America – Consulting with small manufacturers, a dive into Lean Six Sigma at GE, and building the Business Transformation group at Coca-Cola Enterprises that created a culture of visible, profitable strategy execution.

Jennie has spent the last 20 months on sabbatical:  travel in a very small trailer (blue highways and small town America), tourist volunteer (India) and LOTS of family time (hubby, kids, parents, siblings).  She is now in active transition, seeking her next opportunity to engage leaders across an organization to make change happen.

Job Doctors International™: Jim Villwock. Ecovie: Bob Drew.Going on Offense with Deliberate Diversity™: James Rodgers

Jim is a former Fortune 500 global executive, the founder of Job Doctors International™ and the creator of Integrated Success™ which is the new model for Organizational and Individual Success. Includes Leadership, Organizational Performance, and Individual Achievement using the new models of Teampreneurship™ and Jobpreneurship™ to help organizations and individuals reach their potential.

Jim thrives on innovation and results. You might call him an intrapreneur, an entrepreneur, and a jobpreneur who also is the author of three books, a speaker, and creator of new paradigms for leadership, organizations, and individuals.

As an entrepreneur, during the last 10 years, Jim created a new company in the U.S. for a European parent and created two companies of his own; including IEM Group, Inc. which puts money into client company pockets through indirect expense management.

Jim now adds Job Doctors International, LLC as his fourth start-up where his focus is on teaching Integrated Success™ worldwide.

Jim holds a MBA from North Texas University, where he graduated magna cum laude; a master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary; and a bachelor’s degree from Golden Gate University, where he graduated magna cum laude.

Bob Drew’s passion for nature and water began during his formative years in Wisconsin. He grew up an avid swimmer, canoeist, kayaker, skier and sailor in the water-abundant great lakes region. Along the way, he spent five-and-a-half years as an engineer in a paper mill in Southern California where water is quite scarce. Paper manufacturing uses copious amounts of water, and Drew led all efforts in running the water portion of the plant while optimizing paper production and quality. Through his conservation efforts, he was able to cut water usage in half while improving production and quality. As a result, the water savings amounted to a million gallons a day, which was enough to supply 12,500 residents. He has taken that passion and know-how to get similar results in Atlanta with its infinite water challenges.

ECOVIE (pronounced ECHO-VEE) Rainwater Collection Systems, founded in 2008, has become one of the leading firms that engineers, designs and installs systems in Atlanta and beyond. Projects range from home installations where smaller basins are needed, to larger scale such as college campuses and apartment buildings. Each system is engineered for the specific project to help maximize conservation efforts.

In addition to founding ECOVIE, Drew has optimized the creation process of paper products in Latin America and Europe, as well as managed large engineering projects. His eye for innovation and his project management orientation are great assets to the design and installation of rainwater systems.

Drew holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and an M.B.A. from UCLA. He is professionally accredited by the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association. He was recently elected to the board of directors of ARCSA and also is the president of SERHSA (Southeast Rainwater Harvest Systems Association). He also serves on the advisory board of DeKalb Tech’s new Green Technologies Academy.

Click here to view recent article on AJC about Ecovie.

James Rodgers is an author, speaker, master facilitator, natural coach, and certified management consultant (CMC). He is known as the leading strategist in the field of diversity management and a strong advocate for using diversity management as a catalyst for superior performance.

Jim is the author of Managing Differently: Getting 100% from 100% of your people 100% of the time, a concept which is gaining popularity around the globe. Managing Differently refers to the 21st century imperative that every manager and leader recognize and acknowledge the unique character of each employee and that they deliberately create a workplace where every employee experiences “dignity at work”.

Following a successful career as a telecommunications executive where he became the youngest and first African American  to achieve top management rank in the Southeast, Jim built an extraordinary 2nd career as executive coach, diversity management expert, master facilitator, author and Certified Management Consultant. He is recognized for his ability to summarize and simplify the most complex business issues and for provoking leaders to “think”.

Jim has also given back by leading numerous community non-profits. He chaired Metropolitan Ecumenical Ministries (Newark, NJ) and returned it from the brink of extinction to a thriving social services agency supported by a dozen large corporations and multiple diverse religious denominations. He chaired the Citizens Committee of the Birmingham Regional Planning Committee and restored its credibility as an advocate for citizen input. He chaired Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta and increased annual builds from 15 to 65 and established Atlanta as the premier Habitat affiliate. He served as Vice-Chair of the High Museum of Art and helped to establish the High as a Top 5 art museum in membership and audience. Now he serves as a Trustee of Literacy Action and is supporting a movement to increase collaboration between literacy providers in order to have greater impact on an increasing challenge (adult functional illiteracy).