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Lynne Saunders is Founder and Executive Director of Papa’s Pantry, The Master’s Training Center, and Christian Community News. She is also the author of the book “21st Century Keys to Employment,” which will be available this spring.

Born in Miami and raised in South Florida. There she met her husband, Bill, of 30 years. They have three grown daughters and 3 grandchildren, which includes a set of twins. Lynne has Sophie- her beloved dog who is glad to go to work with her every day.

She moved to Woodstock 16 years ago from Charlotte, NC where she was in real estate and magazine publishing. She now lives in Towne Lake, attends Mt. Paran Church of God and sings in the choir.

Lynne founded the non-profit organization, Papa’s Pantry, in 1998 at a time when she still held a full time corporate position with The Home Depot. The pantry was located in her basement during the first 5 years. She delivered the much need groceries to families at their home, but found herself digging in deeper to help families with employment losses, budgetary guidance, nutrition ideas, and much more.

Five years later, Lynne left her job to take Papa’s Pantry from a part-time to a full-time ministry. The mission is to help people get out of financial crisis and into stability using a holistic approach. There are two pantry locations; the main office is in Woodstock, and a satellite in Canton.
 
The formal education division, “The Master’s Training Center” opened Fall of 2009 at the Woodstock location. This made the stability classes available to everyone in the community, not just food recipients.

Lynne has been life coaching for 13 years. One of the most popular workshops she conducts is on employment strategies. Even in a down economy, she has been able to keep up with the many changes within the marketplace to help people continue to find employment.

Lynne also sits on the Board of Directors for Cherokee FOCUS, an organization devoted to at-risk youth. She is a member of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce and the Cherokee County Ministerial Association.

Lynne is a life coach, writer, trainer, business developer and creator of the Life Balance Organizer, a time management and goal setting tool. She loves to inspire others and to make a lasting impact in their lives.

Tom Murphy (“Murph”) is the President of Murphy Custom Builders (MCB), a custom design and remodeling company located in Alpharetta, Georgia. 
MCB specializes in full turn-key design/build services for Kitchens, Master Bath Suites and Basements.  Tom started the company in 2007 after retiring from a successful 29 year career at United Parcel Service (UPS).

While at UPS, Tom held a variety of  positions in Engineering, Operations and  most recently Regulatory Compliance and Internal Audit where he was Corporate Compliance Coordinator
and Internal Audit Coordinator for all aspects of Regulatory Compliance including the areas of Environmental, OSHA, Dangerous Goods and Hazardous Materials, Transportation and more.
Tom served as United Way Campaign coordinator in the Louisiana District, the Indiana District and West Region (10 States) before coming to Atlanta in 2000.  While at the corporate headquarters, Tom served as the corporate-wide coordinator for the United Way Alexis de Toqueville Society (givers of over $10,000 annually) growing the membership from fifteen to over fifty in three years.  He also has participated in more than fifteen Habitat for Humanity builds in 6 cities.

Tom served in the U.S. Army for three years and used the G.I. Bill to graduate from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Thermo-Mechanical Engineering . He remains active in the local community, serving  Habitat for Humanity and most importantly Shamrockin’ for a Cure, Atlanta’s premier event for the benefit of  the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. For he last three years Tom has been both on the committee of Shamrockin and also a generous sponsor where where Murphy Custom Builders  proudly contributes remodeling projects as part of the Live Auction.

Mary Guiney is the Founder and Executive Chairman of ShamRockin’ for a Cure, an annual fundraiser to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Under her stewardship, ShamRockin’ has raised over $270,000 in just 3 years, and expects to exceed more than $250,000 in 2012.

Mary and her husband, Chris, founded ShamRockin’ in 2009 to raise money to fund research for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. Mary’s vision has driven ShamRockin’ to realize the venture philanthropy platform that the CF Foundation pioneered.  Mary leads all aspects of the event, including Sales, Marketing, Accounting and Finance, Operations, Press & Media, Social Media, Logistics, and Sponsor Relations.  Mary & Chris were recognized by the CF Foundation in 2011 for their Leadership, being named Volunteers of the Year.

Prior to ShamRockin’ for a Cure, Mary worked as an executive for Kemper Insurance and American International Group (AIG), in both Atlanta, GA and Washington, DC, where she led marketing, pricing and negotiation of complex insurance contracts and financial instruments. 

Mary graduated from the State University of New York at Albany with a degree in Economics. She is active in the local community, serving as VP of the Birmingham Falls Foundation, benefiting Birmingham Falls Elementary School; Grade Level Chair for Science Lab at Birmingham Falls Elementary School; Director of Nursery Ministries at Stonecreek Church; and Booster Club member for the Alpharetta Youth Football Association and Alpharetta Youth Lacrosse.  Mary is a licensed real estate agent and enjoys competing in triathlons and marathons, tennis, downhill skiing and waterskiing.

Mary and her husband Chris have three boys and live in Milton, Georgia.

For more information on Shamrockin’ For a cure, please visit www.shamrockinforacure.com

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Craig Belnap is an energetic business executive with extensive broad-based experience leading businesses in the US, Asia and Europe.  Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, with shameful French, Craig has an extensive background in global operations, business management, and human resources. He is deeply experienced with Joint Ventures, well versed in Mergers & Acquisitions and enthusiastic about enhancing the competitiveness of global enterprises by developing long-term organizational, operational, and financial capabilities.

Craig joined Alcoa in 1995 and has run global operations with assignments in the US, China and Switzerland. In the late 90’s, Craig held the position of Operations Director for Alcoa’s Equipment Manufacturing division with sales throughout the world. In 2000 he transferred and moved his family to Shanghai, China where he was General Manager of the Foil Manufacturing business and then Managing Director of Operations for Rolled-Products in China. In 2003, he was asked to establish a Human Resource function for Alcoa in Beijing, China, which now serves 24 locations in 9 countries in Asia Pacific. For the past 5 years, Craig was the President of Alcoa Architectural Products (AAP)—a $350M business with operations in the US and France.  Early in his career, Craig worked in the US aerospace industry in roles such as engineering and new product design.
 
Craig is a “Leaders for Manufacturing” Fellow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he obtained two Masters Degrees, one in Management and another in Materials Science and Engineering. He attended Brigham Young University for his Undergraduate Studies.  Additional notable events include being interviewed by Forbes Magazine on the development and launch of EcoClean™ and featured in CHO World (A Chinese Publication) in Feb 2007 on the topic: “Alcoa: Building Diversity, Developing Women Leaders”

Kris Wustrow is the Managing Director of Our Team In China, an action-oriented consultancy helping American firms with their China strategy, specifically market entry, marketing, sales, sourcing and production assurance. With offices in Atlanta and Shanghai, and a soon-to-be-opened office in Beijing,
 
Kris holds an M.B.A. in finance from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, a business school ranked in the world’s top 100 programs by The Economist magazine’s Intelligence Unit. He also earned his B.A. in both political science and history from the University of South Carolina. A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Kris graduated from Wade Hampton High School.
 
For nearly four years, Kris has been living and working in China, first studying both Chinese language and Chinese consumer behavior and now with Our Team In China, LLC. He is conversational and functionally literate in Mandarin Chinese and passed a national Chinese written examination. Prior to his living abroad, Kris served in various management, consultant and specialist positions for multi-national corporations such as Siemens, P&O Nedlloyd, Merrill Lynch, as well as for other smaller, start-up enterprises. At the age of 35, his vast industry experience ranges from political campaign management and governmental lobbying to publishing to finance to supply-chain optimization.

John has more than 30 years of experience in sales, marketing and engineering. That includes executive experience with leading-edge Fortune 500 high-technology companies, and pre-IPO companies where he was an officer of the company and member of the senior management team. He has held P&L responsibility and managed direct and indirect sales channels in North America, Europe and Asia. His teams have consistently enabled profitable revenues, improved customer satisfaction, and increased market share.

John was the Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at Enpirion, Inc. and led a successful turn-around in achieving profitability.  As the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Galvantech, his strategy and management led the company to record sales and a successful acquisition by Cypress Semiconductor Corp. Prior to Galvantech, he was the Vice President of Sales at Equator Technologies Inc, where he captured the company’s first publicly announced design-win with Tektronix, and also managed the due diligence activities for private equity placement from Sony, Canon, Hitachi and others. Previous management positions include Director of Worldwide Strategic Sales at AMD and similar positions at Sharp Microelectronics and Avex Electronics.

Mr. Corbitt holds a BSEE from Florida International University and began his career in biomedical engineering, working with implantable pacemakers at Cordis Corporation in Miami FL. Then he followed his interest in radio communications and designed digital pagers with Motorola in Plantation FL, before making a career change to sales, and joining Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).
Mr. Corbitt has been a frequent author and been published in Electronic News, PC Magazine, Upside, Business Geographics, Electronic Business, TechLINKS, and EDN.  He is a volunteer  with the High Tech Ministry, and active with the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), Executive Sales and Marketing Association (ESMA), The Indus Engineers (TiE), and the Kettering Executive Network (KEN).

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Rob Tamburri, CPA, PFS, MBA  is the Managing Partner for the Atlanta, GA office of the Certified Public Accounting Firm of Balog + Tamburri, LLC. He has been a CPA since 1993.

Mr. Tamburri manages the conduct of the Firms tax and financial consulting engagements. He specializes in Taxation, Accounting, and Virtual CFO consulting.  He also has extensive experience working with chiropractors and personal service companies.
More recently, Mr. Tamburri from 1999 to 2009 was responsible for the finance and investment operations of a leading wealth management firm in Atlanta where he functioned as the CFO and led their investment committee.

Mr. Tamburri holds a Bachelors of Science degree in accounting from the State University of New York at Albany and a MBA from the esteemed Thunderbird School of Global Management in International Finance.    Mr. Tamburri also holds FINRA licenses 4, 7,24,66 and is a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS).

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Gareth Young has extensive experience in business and corporate development, finance, and the nuts and bolts of running a small business.

In 2006, Mr. Young founded finanSight LLC, a professional services providing financial and operational services to start-ups and small businesses, including services such as training, organizational consulting, and assistance with state tax credits.

Prior to his experience with finanSight, Mr. Young was Executive Director of Corporate Development for BellSouth Corporation, a role in which he served in Atlanta for over ten years. In that position, he was responsible for developing and executing business expansion strategies for BellSouth through mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and other transactions. Working closely with BellSouth business units, Mr. Young identified strategic needs and alternative courses of action, and he helped business-unit executives establish priorities and execute on them in efficient, effective ways. Where alliances, acquisitions, or divestitures were required, he selected appropriate targeted candidates; staffed and led teams to negotiate, execute and close transactions that realized immediate improvement in operational and financial performance; and laid the foundation for financially responsible, sustainable growth. He previously worked in a BellSouth special-projects finance group, where he designed, staffed, and managed due diligence for acquisition and divestiture candidates; assisted with transaction strategy; and built operations models.

Mr. Young began his career at Deloitte, where he spent seven years serving diverse clients in industries including banking, retail, paper and printing, and light engineering. Other Deloitte duties included serving as a facilitator in Deloittes United Kingdom national training group before becoming regional training director in the United States. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in the UK and worked as an audit manager in the UK and the US. He has received a number of awards, including the Elijah Watt Sells Award for the C.P.A. exam.

A graduate of Jesus College, Oxford, in the UK, with an M.A. in mathematics, Mr. Young is married and lives in Atlanta with his wife and two teenage children. His is also an author, and his first novel was published in 2009.

Mr. Walter, CFA, ASA, is a Managing Director at HH Advisors LLC, a boutique financial advisory firm
specializing in preparing business appraisals for a variety of purposes, in addition to providing commercial
real estate appraisals and related services through a division called Meridian Advisors.

Mr. Walter, CFA, ASA, is a Managing Director at HH Advisors LLC, a boutique financial advisory firm specializing in preparing business appraisals for a variety of purposes, in addition to providing commercial real estate appraisals and related services through a division called Meridian Advisors.

Prior to joining HH Advisors LLC, Mr. Walter was a Senior Consultant and Business Plan expert for inCode Telecom (2007-2009), a strategy and management consulting firm focused on providing advisory and consulting services for telecommunications and technology companies, as well as Private Equity firms. Mr.Walter founded Digital Media Investigations (2005-2006), a computer forensics firm focused on civil litigation and financial fraud cases.

Mr. Walter was also one of four co-founders and CFO of WireFree Connect LLC, a venture-funded wireless Internet service company. Previously, as a general partner at Valiant Ventures (2001-2005), a venture consulting company, he helped early-stage technology companies develop their business and strategic plans, build-out their senior teams, and raise various rounds of capital. Mr. Walter served as Senior Telecom Analyst with The Robinson-Humphrey Company (1996-2001) (a division of Smith Barney) and he held a similar position with Raymond James Financial (1993-1996) in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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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

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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.

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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).

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Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP, CPBS is an internationally distinguished leadership development mentor, executive presence coach, image and branding consultant, public speaker and presenter, and the founding CEO of her own successful company, Illustra Consulting.

A career acceleration expert, she created the innovative Predictable Promotion System, a 10-step proprietary process she uses to coach managers aspiring to be directors, directors seeking vice presidential promotions, and VP’s eager to ascend to the C-suite.

In response to the devastating personal experience of being turned down for a prized promotion early in her career, Sarah developed her own system for enhancing her marketable value and executive leadership presence. She designed a step-by-step process for quickly acquiring practical value-adding performance skills, and then developed efficient strategies to gain the positive recognition of influential decision makers. Meanwhile she creatively enhanced a variety of priceless intangible qualities that companies specifically look for in high potentials ready to rise to the top of the succession planning list.

A few years ago Sarah left her prestigious Fortune 100 position to follow what she considers her true professional calling and personal passion. She launched her own consulting company which now offers the Predictable Promotion System through intensive one-on-one executive coaching of private clients, developmental workshops for large corporations, and various customized consulting programs and interactive speaking engagements.

For the past 30 years Sarah has used her vision and insight to help promote leaders at all levels, and many of her clients and former protégés now occupy the highest positions within Fortune 500 companies. Her client list is a virtual “Who’s Who” of elite companies and top executives.

Holland R. “Dutch” Earle is the Managing Director of Executive Strategies, Inc., a national general management, retained executive search firm that he founded in 1994.  Prior to forming ESI, Dutch had over twenty years’ experience in corporate human resources management. Additionally, Dutch is a partner at Career Synergies, a resume and career coaching business established by his wife, Kathleen.

His last corporate position was Vice President, Human Resources for ADP National Accounts Division. He started his career at NCR Corporation in human resources and then joined RCA Corporation where he worked in a series of management positions in labor relations, compensation and employment.  Immediately prior to ADP, he worked for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company where he was responsible for corporate staffing and established a temporary service business.

Dutch is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Relations from Saint Francis College.  He is active in numerous community and professional organizations, and volunteers considerable time to help individuals in career transition.

 Since 1992 Georgia Sales Development, a Sandler Training affiliate has been helping companies increase their sales, management and customer service effectiveness by focusing on the people and the processes.  Our approach centers around using a systematic sales process throughout a company.  To increase sales and sales management effectiveness, we focus on the whole person – attitude, behavior and techniques. 

Prior to acquiring her Sandler Training franchise, Georgia Sales Development, Inc., Lissa had 19 years of sales and management experience in corporate America.  Her experience ranges from direct sales at a local then national level, to sales management of a $40 million Region for a national managed care company. Today Lissa works with Presidents, CEOs and Business Owners helping them acquire and retain sales teams with consistently superior performance.  This is done through a combination of evaluation tools, trained sales and management methodology based on a reinforcement model, and accountability based coaching.  Her Psychology degree from the University of Georgia coupled with her leadership experience makes her uniquely qualified to help companies increase sales and management effectiveness using the Sandler System.

Lissa currently is involved in several networking and philanthropic groups in the Atlanta area and serves on the Board for Georgia Executive Women’s Network.  She and husband Ron are blessed with a beautiful 10 year old son, Garrett.

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Building upon his decade of “big law” experience with the reputable firms of Fisher & Phillips and Bryan Cave (formerly Powell Goldstein), and demonstrating the same entrepreneurial drive he admires in his clients, Todd founded Stanton Law LLC in Atlanta, Georgia. Seeking to combine the quality of large firm representation with the flexibility, responsiveness, and cost-effectiveness of a nimbler shop, Todd’s practice remains dedicated to the employer side of the employer-employee relationship. From on-boarding new talent and assisting with the development of workable job descriptions, personnel policies, and compensation plans, to guiding clients through sticky disciplinary, performance, and leave issues, to executing respectful and amicable separations, Todd provides practical bottom line-oriented legal advice to small and medium-sized employers.

When not working to represent the needs of employers, Todd enjoys hiking, landscaping, photography, and coaching youth baseball. He played NCAA baseball while at Washington & Lee University and his love of the game inspired him to coach the next generation of ball players. He’s active in the Georgia Bar Association’s Lawyers Assistance Program, serves as secretary for the board of directors of Buckhead Baseball, Inc. and president of the board of directors of Haygood United Methodist Church Weekday Children’s Ministries, and is a member of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Sports Network board.

Todd lives in the Atlanta neighborhood of Morningside with his wife, Ashley, their two sons, Parker and Griffin, and their rescue setter-collie mix, Hattie.

Brand New You: Austin Thompson

What is your value-added proposition? If asked to name three personal stand-out qualities, would you know how to identify them? What is your BRAND value? Are you aware of how people view you as an individual, or what impression you are leaving with them? What do people like Sir Richard Branson, Warren Buffet, Dr. Ian Smith, and Donald Trump have in common? They are all successful brands, who have their respective loyal following resulting from their knowledge and ability to connect with a base, and also for their aggressive entrepreneurial reputation. People build loyalty with those who they consider having vibrant personalities, a strong character, are responsible, and have something valuable with which they can connect. Whether you are an entrepreneur, corporate professional, college student, retiree, or unemployed, a strong personal BRAND is built on what makes you valuable, and the image you project with those in your everyday life.

Austin E. Thompson, Jr. was born in the village of Lodge, Georgetown, Republic of Guyana, South America, and migrated to the United States in 1977. He spent 15 years in Brooklyn, New York, before relocating to Atlanta, Georgia in 1992. Austin has been in the electronics engineering industry for the past 14 years in a dual role as Project Manager and EMC Compliance Engineer, and now works for Intertek Testing Services in Duluth as a Project Engineer.

Austin is a member of several organizations such as the Guyana Association of Georgia (GAOG), the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Project Management Institute of Atlanta (PMI), and the National Black MBA Association. In his spare time, Austin volunteers actively with the Latin America Association, organizes an annual Youth Symposium and Family Fun Day for the GAOG, serves as a facilitator for the annual 100 Black Men of DeKalb’s Youth Conference, and assists with various political campaigns.

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James C. Anderson

Lieutenant Colonel James C. Anderson was born in Shelbyville, Tennessee, on April 12, 1968.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Human Resource Management from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee in 1990.  He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant from the Reserve Officer Training Corps, as a Distinguished Military Graduate, on 12 May 1989.

 Lieutenant Colonel Anderson most recently served as the Chief of Training Operations for US Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson, Georgia.  His previous assignments span holding key leadership and staff positions at all ranks from Second Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel including Battery Commander of Alpha Battery, 4^th Battalion, 5^th Air Defense Artillery, 1^st Cavalry Division and Battalion Executive Officer of 2^nd Battalion, 44^th Air Defense Artillery, 101^st Airborne Division (Air Assault).  He has served in various positions within the 24^th Infantry Division, 1^st Cavalry Division, US Central Command, 5^th US Army, and the 101^st Airborne Division (Air Assault) where he deployed three times to Iraq.  His travels include numerous locations within the United States, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Lieutenant Colonel Anderson is happily married to married to Dee Zukow and has two children, Michael and Katie.

Marvin Austin

Marvin Austin is a Senior Operations Leader recognized for transforming strategy into profitable reality for consumer service and retail solutions companies.  Marvin led multiple national service companies as General Manager, EVP and Chief Operating Officer.  He currently leads an IT Security Firm as Managing Director.  He holds a BBA and MBA from Oglethorpe University and is a veteran of the United States Navy.  Marvin enjoys volunteering and consequently serves as Co-Chairman of the Veterans Employment Taskforce, a non-profit agency established to help veterans who possess executive leadership potential, transition in to corporate America.