Leadership Hoover Graduates Its First Class

HOOVER, AL - The Inaugural Leadership Hoover class graduated at the end of June, paving the way for future graduates of the leadership program.

The first class worked on five projects: developing the blueprint for a website to welcome new residents and visitors to Hoover; developing a model for a drug and alcohol abuse education program for middle schoolers; drafting a youth leadership training program for highschool sophomores; creating a video to promote the Hoover school system’s new Riverchase Career Connection Center; and developing a business plan for a business incubator similar to Innovation Depot in Birmingham.

The inaugural Leadership Hoover Class:

• Tim Aho, president, Aho Architects
• Matthew Allen, sales director, Starnes Media
• Dan Blackman, president, Edmonds Engineering
• Kem Bryant, chief legal counsel, Birmingham Airport Authority
• Tom Chelewski, vice president, Iberia Bank
• Susette Clark-Walker, Realtor, RealtySouth
• Jessica Coates, government affairs director, Birmingham Association of Realtors
• Jammie Cowden, director of real estate, U.S. Steel Realty
• Paul Dangel, director of sales and marketing, Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel
• April Danielson, attorney, Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt
• Khristi Doss Driver, director of compliance and concerns, Southern Nuclear
• Josh Etress, business development, Wildsparq
• Toni Herrera-Bast, public relations and marketing manager, Birmingham Airport Authority
• Nathan Hinds, captain, Hoover Fire Department
• Sarah Johnson, marketing manager, High Cotton
• Melinda James Lopez, chief financial officer and information officer, City of Hoover
• Charles Lewis, principal construction manager, FFG Strategic Consulting
• Tynette Lynch, CEO, Aldridge Gardens
• Shannon Maze, news director, WBRC Fox 6
• Van Moody, pastor, The Worship Center Christian Church
• Jerome Morgan, president, Oncort Professional Services
• Derrick Murphy, Hoover City Council and civil engineer, Gresham, Smith & Partners
• Lynn Ray, president, Business Telephones
• Michael Ray, project manager, Plexamedia
• Nathan Reed, program manager, CB Richard Ellis
• Wayne Reid, senior sales director, ABC 33/40
• Lori Salter-Schommer, public information officer, City of Hoover
• Shelley Shaw, 2016-17 president, Hoover Parent Teacher Council
• Michael Staley, principal, Chain Link Solutions
• Ashfaq Taufique, president, Birmingham Islamic Society
• Joe Thomas, partner, Capstone Financial Group
• Janet Turner, executive director, Hoover City Schools Foundation
• Brandon Ward, vice president for business services division, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
• Jennifer Whisenant, president, Birmingham Automobile Dealers Association

(For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Patch morning newsletter.)

Photo by Michael Seale/Patch