Governor Robert Bentley, President of the Board of Trustees
Governor Robert Bentley is founder of Alabama Dermatology Associates and managed the practice's growth into one of the largest dermatology practices in the Southeastern United States, employing 30 Alabamians in the process. As a small business owner, he understands that being a business owner is about more than simply providing services to clients; it is also about taking care of the employees who rely on you for their livelihoods, health insurance and retirement plans. In 2002, Bentley was elected to the Alabama State House Representatives from Tuscaloosa County with almost sixty-five percent (65%) of the vote. In the State House, he established a record fighting for fiscal conservatism, strong traditional family values, and limited government. In 2006, he ran unopposed for re-election to the State House. During his time in Montgomery, he has served on the Education Appropriations Committee, the Boards and Commissions Committee, the Agriculture and Forestry Committee and has been a member of the Tuscaloosa County Legislative Delegation. He also served as the Vice-Chairman of the Internal Affairs Committee.
Mr. Odysseus M. Lanier, President Pro tempore
Alumnus and Trustee Odysseus Lanier has led the board of trustees since October 2010. He is one of the four founding partners of McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy LLP (MJLM) and leads the firm’s Federal Services Group, with primary responsibility for MJLM’s Engineering & Technical Services Division located in Huntsville, Ala., with over 90 employees. With over 180 full-time employees firm-wide, MJLM is the third largest African American-owned accounting and consulting firm in the United States, the largest African American-owned accounting and consulting firm in the southern and southwestern United States, and the 19th largest public accounting firm in Houston, Tex., as reported by the Houston Business Journal’s 2010 Book of Lists.
Lanier is a certified public accountant (CPA) and has amassed more than three decades of professional experience. In addition to working with federal, state and local agencies, Lanier lists among his numerous specialties the provision of assistance to colleges and universities, school districts, and municipalities by providing expert consultation in governance, strategic planning, business process improvement, procurement strategies, and financial management. He also leads MJLM’s business process outsourcing and co-sourcing initiatives, including large-scale administrative, financial, engineering and management support services contracts, as well as internal audit co-sourcing and outsourcing projects.
Ms. Chasidy Privett
Chassidy Privett of Cullman, Alabama, is President/CEO of Action Technologies Defense Group in Huntsville, Alabama. The company Action Technologies Defense Group is a women-owned certified small business that provides the federal government and commercial entities with immediate access to highly experienced engineers and logisticians for various customer programs.
Privett earned the B.S. degree in accounting from Alabama A&M University. She was appointed by Governor Bob Riley to fill the fourth congressional district seat.
Mr. Lucien B. Blankenship
Lucien B. Blankenship is a senior partner with the law offices of Blankenship and Associates in Birmingham, Ala. He is franchise majority owner and managing partner of Sports Strategies, the parent company of the Birmingham Power women's pro-basketball team. He is also president of Blankenship Sports Management and Marketing.
Trustee Blankenship is a professor at Miles College Law School in Birmingham, Ala., and serves as City Attorney for the Alabama municipalities of Brighton, Colony and Lipscomb. He recently became a minority owner of Birmingham's new ABA professional men's basketball team. The 1989 graduate of Alabama A&M University served as Student Government Association president.
Dr. Chris I. Enyinda
Dr. Chris I. Enyinda is a Professor of Logistics & Supply Chain Management and International Business in the College of Business and Public Affairs, Alabama A & M University. He received a Ph.D. in Applied Economics and Marketing/Price Analysis from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1995. He also received a second Ph.D. in Transportation/Logistics and Supply Chain Management from North Dakota State University, Fargo in 2008. He is a graduate of Alabama A&M University where he obtained an MS in Economics, an MBA in Management, and a BS in Agribusiness Management.
He serves as the President of the Faculty Senate, Alabama A & M University. Also, he serves as the President of the International Academy of African Business and Development. His affiliation with Alabama A & M University extends nearly 30 years.
Mr. Norman D. Hill
Trustee Norman D. Hill is a native Mobilian who serves as vice president for Volkert and Associates, Inc. He began his career with Volkert in 2001 as a Land Acquisition Specialist. His responsibilities include marketing Volkert’s engineering and program/construction management services. Prior to beginning his career with Volkert, he was president and owner of Gulf Coast Safety Products. He later became Vice President for Small Business Development at the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and was also the first director of the Mobile Housing Board’s Clinton Johnson Center for Economic Development.
Hill is a trustee for Prichard Preparatory Academy. He also is a member of the 100 Black Men of Greater Mobile, Exploreum Board, and former founding member of Gulf Federal Bank, Mobile Planning Commission and the MLK Redevelopment Corporation. He is a graduate of the University of Mobile, a 1986 graduate of Leadership Mobile, and a 2007 graduate of Leadership Alabama. Hill played second base as a professional baseball player in the Milwaukee Brewers Organization.
Mr. Chris Robinson
Huntsville, Alabama native Chris Robinson holds a B.A. degree in mass media arts-public relations from Clark-Atlanta University, and an M.A. in management from Florida Institute of Technology.
Robinson’s experience in human resources (HR), public relations, and leadership development spans over 20 years. He has served as a Senior HR development specialist for NASA where he managed leadership development programs. He currently works for the U.S. Army Material Command G-1 (Human Resources Management), leading a team in strategic planning and integration.
Robinson’s community involvement is extensive. He serves on the boards of Leadership of Huntsville-Madison County, Huntsville Botanical Garden, The ARTS Council, and First Missionary Baptist Church Board of Trustees. He has served on the boards of the Huntsville Hospital Development Council, Public Relations Council of North Alabama (PRCA), and Girl Scouts of North Alabama. His membership affiliations are with the Association for Strategic Planning, Society for Human Resource Management, PRCA, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., and (The Boule') Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity Inc.
Mr. Robinson currently serves as the Athletics Committee Chairman.
Mr. James Montgomery
James D. Montgomery, Sr. is President/CEO of Aliza’s Cookies, Inc. Montgomery served as Systems Analyst, Management Analyst, Interim Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, General Manager, Chief Organizational Development Consultant and interim Comptroller for the Department of Army prior to retiring in 1994. He served eight years on the Anniston City Council and has been appointed to several national and international boards.
Trustee Montgomery received his B.S. degree from Alabama A&M University and M.S. Degree from Jacksonville State University. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force’s prestigious Military Comptroller School (Montgomery, AL) and the Army’s graduate level Organizational Effectiveness Program (Ft. Ord, CA). He has attended Gestalt Institute located in Cleveland, OH. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.
Mr. Andre Taylor
Andre’ Taylor earned a B.S. degree in journalism from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 1973. After graduation, he worked in radio and television around Alabama. Taylor joined the Alabama Gas Corporation in 1984 serving most recently as vice president of communications. In this capacity, he was the spokesperson for Alagasco and planned community affairs activities.
Taylor currently serves on the boards of The Lakeshore Foundation, The Alabama Veterans Memorial Foundation, The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Foundation, and the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations. At The University of Alabama, he is a member of the Board of Visitors for the College of Communication and Information Services, a member of the President’s Cabinet, a Board Member of the Capstone Foundation, and is past President of the University of Alabama National Alumni Association.
In 1989, he was awarded the University of Alabama School of Communications’ Most Outstanding Alumni Award in Advertising and Public Relations. A Vietnam veteran, Taylor was awarded the Purple Heart for outstanding service to the country. He was also a feature personality in the inaugural edition of “Who’s Who in Black Birmingham”. Currently, Taylor resides in Bessemer, Alabama. He and his wife Vivian have five children.
Dr. Jerome Williams
After graduating from Tuskegee University with a degree in animal science in 1968 and a doctorate of veterinary medicine in 1969, Dr. Jerome B. Williams moved to Chicago and worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He moved to Birmingham in 1975 and established the Red Mountain Animal Clinic, where he continues to practice today.
He is a national news reporter for VNN, the Veterinary News Network, and holds a license to practice veterinary medicine in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Louisiana.
Ms. Velma Tribue
Trustee Tribue heads the Velma J. Tribue State Farm Insurance Agency. She is a graduate of both Alabama State University and The Ohio State University.
Tribue also serves on several boards such as the Dothan Chamber of Commerce Executive Board of Directors, the Wiregrass United Way Board of Directors, and the Southeast Alabama Medical Center's Women's Advisory Council.