Karen Evans-Smith, In Memoriam
Steering Committee Special Tribute

On November 25, 2008, Project Corporate Leadership lost one of its founding Steering Committee members, Karen Evans-Smith, after a courageous and inspirational battle with cancer.

For eighteen years, Karen dedicated her time to and shared her talents with PCL. A natural educator, Karen helped to design and perfect PCL's curriculum and program content through the years. Her expertise in training and delivery helped to shape our program days and provided our current and former facilitators with invaluable guidance. Early in her career, after obtaining undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Karen served as a teacher then a guidance counselor before her transition to the business community. Karen joined BBVA Compass in 1984, where she served as Senior Vice President, Director of Training & Development, until her death.

Karen's mark on PCL was profound and is immeasurable. On behalf of the entire Project Corporate Leadership family and the hundreds of PCL graduates who are the beneficiaries of her efforts, we offer our most sincere and heartfelt thanks by continuing to include her, if now only in memory, as part of our advisory board.

Mark Bennett, Lead Human Resources Consultant, Alabama Power
mbennet@southernco.com

Mark Bennett is a Lead Human Resources Consultant at Alabama Power and is responsible for leadership development, talent management, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and consulting leaders on HR strategy and tactics.

Prior to his current role, Mark served in a similar capacity for other Southern Company organizations. He has over 15 years of experience in Human Resources with interests in organizational development, cultural change, and diversity and inclusion. Early in his career, Mark worked as a communications and public relations specialist for a U.S. Senator and for several marketing/public relations firms.

Mark graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.S. and later earned a M.S. degree from Georgia State University. mark is a graduate of Leadership UGA. He is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), a member of the Organizational Development Network, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Kathy Carlisle, Carlisle & Co., LLC
carlisle.kathy@gmail.com

Kathy Carlisle is the owner of Carlisle & Co., LLC. Previously she was a Director of Capital Strategies Group, specializing in communication strategies and techniques. Kathy has over twenty years' experience in Human Resources consulting and benefits, with Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Right Management Consultants and William M. Mercer, Incorporated.

Kathy serves on the Allocations Committee for United Way, chairs the Board of Project Corporate Leadership and is a member of The Women's Network and the International Association of Business Communicators. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Montevallo in 1979.

Kathy is married to Jeff Wallace and has two sons, Michael and Mark. Kathy pursues her hobbies in music and theatre.

Kristi Hart, Asst. Director, Human Resources, Southern Progress Corporation
kristi_hart@timeinc.com

Kristi Hart is the Assistant Director of Human Resources at Southern Progress, one of the largest lifestyle publishers in the country. A division of Time Inc., the publishing arm of Time Warner, Southern Progress produces Southern Living, Cooking Light, Southern Accents, Coastal Living, and Health magazines. She joined Southern Progress in 2000 as a Staffing Specialist, and has expanded her role over the years to include employee relations, professional development, management development, employee orientation and establishing and maintaining company policies.

Before joining Southern Progress, Kristi was a Lead Recruiter with Strategic Search Consultants, an executive retained search firm, and a Recruiter with Adecco Temporary Staffing, both in Atlanta.

Vickie Saxon, Vice President, Human Resources, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama
vsaxon@bcbsal.org

Vickie Saxon is Vice President Human Resources at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. She is responsible for all aspects of Human Resources. This includes Payroll, Training and Development, Associate Resources, Corporate Staffing, Associate Health, Benefit Administration, and Compensation. Vickie has been with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama for 27 years. She has over 20 years experience in Human Resources.

She began her career with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama in the Finance division. She transferred o the Human Resources Department as the Performance Management Coordinator. In this role, she trained new managers on Performance Management and consulted with managers to implement performance improvement plans.

Vickie graduated from Jacksonville State University with two degrees, a BS in Accounting and Management. Vickie is an alumni of the Momentum Program. She is a volunteer for United Way and a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).

Jeffery Hill, Director of Training, O’Neal Steel, Inc.
jhill@onealsteel.com

Jeff is a 26 year veteran in the Steel Service Center Industry and a 15 year employee with O’Neal Steel serving as their Corporate Training and Employee Development Manager and directs the training efforts across all of the O’Neal owned subsidiary companies. In addition to the PCL Steering Committee, Jeff serves as the Chairman of the Jefferson State Manufacturing Technology Advisory Board and the Alabama Steel and Iron Education Committee. He is a proud PCL Class of 2009 Alumni. Jeff is certified in Training and Development from the University of Alabama with accreditations in Delivering, Developing and Design, Needs Assessment, Evaluating and Managing the Training Process as well as Delivery, Development and Assessments from Achieve Global in the Sales and Leadership curriculum.

His professional memberships include the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), American Management Association (AMA), and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Robert Palmer, Network Technical Manager, AT&T Services, Inc.
rp5906@att.com

Robert Palmer is a member of the AT&T management team in its Network Services division. Mr. Palmer was responsible for the BellSouth Dynamic IP Addressing Strategy and deployment resulting in significant cost savings for the company. Robert currently serves as the subject matter expert for dynamic IP configuration in the Southeastern region.

Mr. Palmer was founder and CEO of Problem Solvers Interactive, a software and multimedia development company. Prior to Problem Solvers, Mr. Palmer was co-founder and Vice President of Natural Selection, Inc., a provider of software for the insurance industry. Mr. Palmer holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Birmingham-Southern College and is a shareholder and Associate Broker for Commercial Property Services, Inc. Mr. Palmer currently provides technology consulting services for several local non-profit organizations including WBHM Public Radio 90.3 FM, and most recently the Project Corporate Leadership as its Technologies Chairperson. Robert is a past graduate of PCL, Class of 2001-2002.

Connie Pruett , Executive Director, HRM Consultants, The University of Alabama at Birmingham
pruett@uab.edu

Connie Pruett is currently the Executive Director, HRM Consultants for UAB. Connie has been at UAB for almost 21 years and has been a member of the HRM team serving in various roles for her entire career. Her most recent assignment was as the Director of HRM Relations. In addition to Relations, Connie had the responsibility for the Child Development Center, the On-the-Job injury Program, and the RAVE Program (Retaining a Valued Employee). Before joining UAB, Connie worked as a Generalist at Stonewall/Dixie Insurance Company for three years. Connie has a B.S. Degree in Human Resource Management from Jacksonville State University.

At UAB, Connie chairs the Employee of the Month Committee, sits on the ADA Committee and Campus Safety Committee. Connie is active in both SHRM and CUPA. Connie is married to Don Pruett and they have one daughter, Lindsay.

James E. Robinson, Manager Commercial / Institutional Food Services, Alabama Gas Corporation
jrobinson@energen.com

James E. Robinson is Manager of National Accounts and Commercial Foodservice Marketing for Alabama Gas Corporation, the state's largest natural gas utility. In this position he is responsible for all national account and commercial foodservice activity in Alagasco's seven divisions.

Active in several industry related and community organizations, Robinson is past Chairman of the Southern Gas Association's (SGA) Commercial Marketing Committee and a founding member of the Gas Foodservice Equipment Network (GFEN). Robinson is also an active member of the Jefferson State Community College Culinary and Hospitality Institute Advisory Board. In addition, he serves on the Education Committee of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE), the Board of Project Corporate Leadership (PCL) and the Advisory Committee of Youth Leadership Forum (YLF). Robinson is a member of the 2005-2006 class of Leadership Vestavia Hills and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Leadership Vestavia Hills.

A graduate of Tuskegee (Institute) University, he represents Alagasco on the Energy Solutions Center National Accounts Consortium.

James and his wife Debra reside in Vestavia Hills and are the proud parents of three sons, Mauri, a 2008 Morehouse College Cum Laude graduate and twins Myles and Malcolm, honor students at Vestavia Hills High School.

Richard L. (Dick) Stanford, Director, Compensation & Compliance, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc.
dstanford@ccbcu.com

Dick Stanford is the Director of Compensation and Compliance at Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc., which is the parent company of Birmingham Coca-Cola. He has been with Coke United since 1985, initially serving as the Director of Human Resources for Birmingham Coca-Cola, then in the same capacity for the company's Central Region, which included both the Birmingham and Chattanooga Divisions.

Dick has over 30 years of professional and managerial experience in Human Resources, beginning as an Assistant Personnel Officer throughout his three years of active duty in the United States Coast Guard, and continuing through his subsequent experiences with GAB Business Services, Inc. in New York City, Continental Grain Company in New York and Chicago, and Coke United.

He received his undergraduate degree in History and Political Science at Birmingham-Southern College, and his Masters in Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. He is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), and serves as a Board member for the Homewood City Schools Foundation, and as Treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of Homewood-Mountain Brook. Dick has been on the PCL Board since 1991, serving as its chair from 1996 until 2000.