Community
Montgomery Zoo Director Retires; Assistant Director Will Continue His Legacy
After 20 years of dedicated service to the Montgomery Zoo, Doug Goode has retired, leaving a legacy of tremendous growth and expansion. Deputy Zoo Director, Marcia Woodard, was named as Goode’s successor, effective April 20, 2018.
Goode began his career at the Montgomery Zoo in January of 1994 as a zookeeper. He briefly left the zoo in 1997 to further his management skills by becoming the Assistant Zoo Director of Zoo World in Panama City Beach, Florida. Eight months later, he made his way back home to become the Deputy Zoo Director and was promoted to Zoo Director in June 2001. Under Goode’s leadership, the Montgomery Zoo has seen tremendous growth, including the addition of several attractions.
New Zoo Director, Marcia Woodard, is also a longtime zoo employee. She began her career at the Montgomery Zoo in October 1994 as the Marketing and Public Relations Director and was promoted to Assistant Zoo Director of Administration in 1998 before becoming Deputy Zoo Director in 2001. She is a member of Zoological Association of America and sits on the conference board and participates in many animal management programs. “Because of her long-term service and understanding of zoo management, Marcia was the logical choice to lead the Zoo following Doug’s retirement,” Scott Miller, Director of Leisure Services said. “Under her leadership, the Montgomery Zoo will continue to grow and build on the legacy Doug leaves behind.”
Faulkner University Recognized
Faulkner University was recently ranked among the top six schools in the nation for the Best Online Master’s in Ministry Programs in 2018 according to The Best Schools. Faulkner’s Master of Arts in Christian Counseling and Family Ministry program was ranked sixth in the listing based on, “the quality of the program and range of courses provided, as well as school awards, rankings and reputation.” The Best Schools is an independent educational research publisher and is an organizational member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Their team reviewed all accredited online Master’s in Ministry degree programs in the U.S. to select the top six programs in the nation. They assessed each school’s characteristics, academic excellence in curriculum, strength of faculty scholarship, reputation, financial aid, range of degree programs and strength of online instruction methodology.
Achievements
Partners Realty VP Earns Coveted Designation
Partners Realty Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Reg Mantooth has earned the Certified
Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation. It is considered the gold standard in commercial real estate. A Certified Commercial Investment Member is a recognized expert in the disciplines of commercial and investment real estate. Mantooth was awarded the CCIM designation in April at the mid-year governance meetings in Tampa Bay. Mantooth has been with Partners Realty for eight years and the last six years as vice president of commercial real estate.
Bradley Attorneys and Practice Areas Recognized
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that 35 attorneys in the firm’s Birmingham office, two attorneys in the firm’s Huntsville office and eight firm practice areas have been highly ranked in Alabama in the 2018 edition of Chambers USA, the prestigious, independent referral directory for the legal industry.
ASU Board of Trustees Elects New Officers
The Alabama State University Board of Trustees has a new chairman and vice chairwoman. On May 11, Darrell Hudson was elected by a vote of 9 to 5 to serve as head of the Board. The vote came as former chairwoman Alfreda Green’s term ended. Just minutes after being elected as chairman, Hudson assumed his new position and presided over the rest of the board meeting, which included the election of Trustee Brenda Brown Hunter as vice chairwoman.
Four Star Freightliner Apprentice Program Welcomes Grads
Two Montgomery trainees are officially Four Star Freightliner diesel technicians after graduating from the company’s apprentice program. Timothy Bibb and Nicholas Smith spent three months in training that included classwork and supervised, hands-on work in the shop. The pair received guidance from experienced senior technicians as they applied their recently taught skills. After completing the program, trainees are offered a job at a Four Star dealership. Bibb and Smith now work at the Montgomery dealership.
Faulkner Law Ranked Among Nation’s Best
Faulkner Law’s trial advocacy program recently moved up in the rankings of the nation’s best programs by US News and World Report for 2019. Faulkner Law’s advocacy program moved up two positions from last year’s rankings and is now tied with Stanford Law School. The program is ranked 15th among the nation’s 204 ABA Approved law schools. Faulkner Law’s Advocacy Program, directed by Professor Joe Lester, earned its ranking by cultivating a reputation of excellence in advocacy training among educators, practitioners and judges.
Local PR Pro Wins Statewide Award
Lori M. Quiller, APR, recently received the 2018 Philip R. Forrest Jr. Professional Achievement Award during the Public Relations Council of Alabama’s annual conference in Huntsville. The Forrest Award is the highest annual honor bestowed by the organization to a single practitioner. The Forrest Award is given to recognize public relations practitioners who are outstanding in the field of public relations. This is the first year the Forrest Award has been received by a professional in Montgomery since 2009. Quiller is the director of communications and social media for the Medical Association of the State of Alabama. She has been in public relations for more than 20 years. As PRCA’s 2018 Forrest Award recipient, she will now move on to the regional competition, SPRF’s Professional Achievement Award.
Girl Scouts Announce 2018 Honors
Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama (GSSA) announced Jannah Bailey, Executive Director of Child Protect as the 2018 Leading Lady and Valley National Bank (formerly USAmeriBank) as the 2018 Leading Workplace for Women. More than 170 people gathered to honor the 12 Leading Ladies and four Leading Workplaces who were nominated by the community at Wynlakes Country Club on April 17.
Awards & Honors
ASU Faculty Honored
The Society for Advancement of Management (SAM) recently presented two Alabama State University faculty members with its 2018 Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. The winners are Dr. Sara Bliss Kiser, chapter advisor of the Alabama State University student chapter of the Society for Advancement of Management, and Dr. Tammy Prater, co-advisor. According to the society presenting the award, both Kiser and Prater have demonstrated a commitment to management excellence, mentoring and the development of their chapter members.
Baptist South Receives Award for Achievement
Baptist Medical Center South has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. Baptist South earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. “Baptist South is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our stroke patients by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke initiative,” said Debbie Cardwell of the American Heart Association. “The tools and resources provided help track and measure our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient outcomes.”
Montgomery Catholic Names 2018 Service Award Winner
Col. Jack Lauer (Retired) was honored by Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School on May 7 as the 2018 Charlie Harbin Distinguished Service Award winner for his service to the school. The Award was established by the Harbin family and is awarded by the school to recognize those selfless individuals who have significantly served Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School and exemplified its values in their lives. The 22nd recipient of the Harbin Award, Col. Lauer has served Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School in a variety of ways over the last 10 years.
River Bank & Trust Named an Auburn University “Top Tiger” Business
River Bank & Trust was honored at a luncheon in April, where Auburn University recognized the bank as one of 2018’s “Top Tiger” companies, the fastest-growing companies founded, owned or led by Auburn University alumni. The “Top Tiger” program is presented by Auburn University’s Harbert College of Business and Business Alabama magazine. River Bank & Trust was formed and is led by 1985 Auburn University graduate Jimmy Stubbs. Founded in 2006, the bank has grown to be one of the largest community banks in Alabama. This is the fourth year the company has been recognized. “Being named to the 2018 class of Auburn’s “Top Tigers” is a proud moment and is the result of a great team, a supportive board of directors, and our commitment to always putting our clients’ interests first,” said Stubbs.
