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By admin, July 1, 2010 3:00 pm

With careful planning, loyal employees, and assistance from several area businesses, Robert (Randy) Reed, President of ABC Polymer Industries, has created a thriving company out of a predecessor that was once bankrupt. The group manufactures a wide range of plastic products for local and international customers that have been used in such locations as the Gulf Coast and the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. His accomplishment is made even more laudable, however, considering that in the midst of it all, he had to cope with the illness and death of one of his strongest advocates – his father, the late Robert E. Reed, who was chairman and CEO of RealtySouth, the largest residential real estate service in the state of Alabama.

“My father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2000 and he died in 2002,” Reed says. “It was a very difficult time for our family; he was our hero and our rock.”

Following his diagnosis, the Reed family turned to several top hospitals across the country in an effort to find the best cancer treatment; they consulted with MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and even flew to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. What they found, however, was that the best care lay right here at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

A Ray of Hope

The family accompanied Robert E. Reed to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, but shortly after their arrival his condition worsened.

“We left the hospital to get something to eat, and when we came back the doctor told us there had been complications with my father and he was in a coma,” Reed says. “They didn’t think he would make it through the night. We were in total shock.”

Reed’s father was in a coma for one week when the family decided to sign a ‘do not resuscitate’ document and disconnected all life supports.

But his father didn’t die … in fact, he awoke from the coma.

“Miracles do happen,” Reed said. “But the world-renown doctor at Sloan-Kettering couldn’t operate on him and sent my dad home to die.”

Before dismissing the family, however, the doctor suggested they contact Dr. Martin Heslin at UAB, a former medical fellow who he considered to be his best student. Indeed, Heslin was able to operate on Reed’s father and, as a result, extended his life two more years. During that time, he was able to see the birth of three more grandchildren. According to Reed, Heslin was instrumental in easing his family through this difficult time.

“Not only did Marty handle the clinical side with complete professionalism, he took an interest in my father and our family. He made himself completely accessible. He followed up, came to visit my father, and talked to him over the phone. That is what separates the good doctors from the great doctors. Most of them are clinically very sound but [Heslin] went above and beyond the call of duty.”

A Gift to Others

Reed and his family feel very fortunate to have had a physician like Heslin in their time of need. It became their desire to help recruit and retain first-rate doctors at UAB, provide support for the cancer research they conduct, and alleviate the grief suffered by other families who are in similar situations.

“We felt like we could contribute toward making a difference for somebody else, another family,” Reed says. “We could help raise money to find a cure or to help fund care here in Birmingham at a place where people could have a good experience, as good as you can have.”

Reed’s brother Scott, who is the CEO of Oakworth Capital Bank, a company that offers complete financial services in the areas of commercial banking, wealth management, and private banking, spearheaded the effort to organize and develop the Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Foundation at UAB. Its mission is to raise money for patient care and to further investigate the underpinnings of gastrointestinal (GI)-related cancers.

“Randy and his family have been outstanding supporters of GI cancer research at UAB through the Reed Foundation,” Heslin says. “The Reed Foundation supports basic science and clinical trials in a ‘bench to bedside’ strategy where we have novel clinical trials open that are not available anywhere else in the country.”

The research efforts have uncovered a significant amount of insight into the biology of pancreatic tumors and, in particular, their ability to escape the more common drug treatments. Knowledge about this mechanism is allowing researchers to find alternative therapeutic approaches for pancreatic cancer.

The foundation, currently in its 6th year, holds an annual fundraiser called “Finish the Fight”, an Iron Bowl party named for a final request made by Robert E. Reed. It is scheduled to take place Thursday, Nov 18 at B&A Warehouse. There will be a cocktail buffet, complimentary wine and beer, silent auction, and music from the Fountain City Players.

The Reed family has turned a personal tragedy into hope for others. It’s this type of generosity that characterizes the city of Birmingham and its people

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By admin, July 1, 2010 2:57 pm

Robert (Randy) Reed is grateful for many things in his life. He’s indebted to several local businesses that aided his efforts to resurrect what is now ABC Polymer Industries, a company located in Helena for which he serves as President. He’s grateful for Dr. Martin Heslin, a UAB physician whose genuine concern and expertise in cancer biology resulted in a two-year extension of his father’s life. But perhaps most of all, Reed is thankful for a little piece of advice his father gave him when he decided he was ready to move off to the big city.

“My father told me a long time ago that you can do just about anything you want, short of trading foreign currency, right here in Birmingham. He pointed out that it’s a great place to raise a family and, as for traveling, he said one day I would hopefully have the means to visit some of the more glamorous cities out there.”

After earning a bachelor’s degree in finance from Auburn University, Reed returned to Birmingham and spent several years in the banking industry while completing his master’s degree in management at Birmingham Southern College. But in 1994, at the tender age of 27, he was presented with the ultimate challenge: his family had purchased the assets of a local company that was bankrupt, Allied Flexible Products, and it was Reed’s responsibility to rebuild it.

“There’s something to be said for being young and dumb. I didn’t even have time to think about the endeavor, and I knew failure was not an option.”

In its infantile stage, the company solely produced specialty bags for the explosives industry, picking up where Allied Flexible Products left off, but today ABC Polymer Industries has greatly expanded the number of product lines they offer … and also the market to whom they sell. Currently, one of the most in-demand products is polypropylene yarn, a material that has a high affinity for oil. Truckloads of these pom-pom shaped fibers are being sent to the Gulf of Mexico each day to aid clean up efforts following the BP oil spill. Another of their far-reaching products is the company’s Erosion Control Fibers, which are used to support unstable soil conditions; this material will be a component of the playing field at every stadium participating in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which begins this week.

The road to success certainly wasn’t easy, however. Allied Flexible Products, which had closed its doors 18 months prior to Reed’s undertaking, was best known for making the specialty bags used in the explosives industry. Reed’s strategy was to locate the workers who had been laid off and then offer them their old job.

“We tried to rehire the employees from the predecessor company; these are the people who knew the processes and knew how to make the products,” Reed says. “But at the same time, we had to convince these people who had previously lost their jobs that we could actually make it work this time.”

Fortunately for Reed, Allied Flexible Products had maintained a close family environment within their workforce. The former employees were excited about the opportunity and were ready to come “home”. To this day, Reed credits much of the success of ABC Polymer Industries to the employees.

“The success we have achieved here is directly attributable to our people,” he says. “I believe they are the most important asset we have at the company; I feel fortunate to work with them.”

Another tough component was convincing the former customers of Allied Flexible Products to give the new company a chance. After all, most of these customers had large, regular orders, so when Allied Flexible Products went out of business, they struggled to find other companies that manufactured the same products. Much credibility was given to the new effort, though, through the presence of two investors – Reed’s father, Robert E. Reed, and his father-in-law, James Todd, Jr., who served as Chairman and CEO of RealtySouth and Birmingham Steel, respectively. Their proven success and leadership in the community encouraged many customers to return.

These two men were also instrumental in advising Reed along the way.

“It was invaluable to have the involvement of my father-in-law and, early on, my father because they were great sounding boards; I tried to soak up everything I could from them. These days, I look to my father-in-law and my brother, Scott Reed, for advice or to bounce around ideas. They are always a phone call away, and they deserve a lot of credit.”

Thus, with the support of numerous key citizens of Birmingham, Reed has successfully endured hardship and entrepreneurial challenges, and today enjoys the success of ABC Polymer Industries. He remains keenly aware that he could not have done it alone.

“We’re very indebted to other Alabama companies that helped us get our start,” Reed says. “As I look back at the development of our company, the common denominator has always been other Alabama-based companies that helped us start each product line we have.”

Companies like Nelson Brothers, one of the nation’s largest explosives manufacturers with headquarters in Birmingham; Riverside Refractories, a local company that sells flexible intermediate bulk containers nationwide; Sherman Industries under the leadership of Danny Rogers and Frank Anderson; and local concrete ready mix producers were immensely helpful in making ABC Polymer Industries what it is today.

But that’s how we roll in Birmingham, Alabama. It’s all about people helping people. It’s the coming together of ideas and the community that makes us strong and reinforces our efforts. We hold each other up when the going gets tough.

Read the rest of the story next Monday to learn how the Reed family channeled a personal tragedy into a renowned Birmingham non-profit by founding the Robert E. Reed Gastroenterology Oncology Research Foundation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

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By admin, October 7, 2009 9:03 pm

We are hoping that this blog can help bridge the gap between out of town alumni and brothers back here in Auburn. The chapter is developing a stronger base for alumni support, and we are looking for everyone’s input.

From the new Alumni Advisory Board to the increasing participation in Alumni Weekend over the past few years, the chapter’s relations with alumni are beginning to take off. While alumnus Adam Keeshan is finalizing the blog on the webpage, we want to let you all know of upcoming chapter events.

Most importantly, our Phikeia Pledge Class is standing strong at 26. Their pledge swaps are about to begin, and they have four scheduled throughout October. The intramural football team ended up 3-1, with our only loss to Kappa Sig. We are expecting to start the Playoffs this coming week.

We are tailgating at the Phi House for every home game, and if you haven’t made it down for one yet, I invite you to do so. Also, the Alumni Weekend is scheduled for the Ole Miss game, which is on Halloween. Locust Fork is playing on Friday night before the game, and should be a great time for both brothers and alumni.

We have a group picture being taken 2 hours before kick off on Saturday, and the chapter is looking for a huge turnout so we can all see how far we have come. I am looking forward to the rest of the Fall, and seeing all of you back in Auburn.

War Eagle,
Michael Ramsey

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By admin, September 29, 2009 12:07 pm

Featuring Locust Fork

Saturday, October 31, 2000

Auburn vs. Ole Miss

Chapter Grand Ceremony

J.R. Wright & Spooky Corrigan Will Conduct the Ceremony followed by the presentation of the Booth Malone Alum of the Year

Group Photo – 2 Hours Before Kickoff

Tailgating Before and After Game

RSVP to JKWEBBJR@aol.com

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By admin, September 28, 2009 2:07 pm

Birmingham, Ala., June 24, 2009 – At the ASA awards banquet held Tuesday evening at The
Club, Golden & Associates Construction, LLC received the Contractor of the Year Award
(Category II) for the second year in a row from ASA of Alabama, and the fourth time in the
company’s 12 year history.
Golden & Associates’ H.M. “Bubba” Autry also received the Superintendent of the Year Award.
Autry has over 45 years of construction experience and joined Golden & Associates in 2005.
Geoff Golden states, “Winning this award two years in a row is truly an honor and privilege for
the company. Our subcontractors provide us the tools needed to build successful projects for our
clients, and Alabama is fortunate to have many highly qualified subcontractors that provide
excellence on every job.”
Golden & Associates also received the Contractor of the Year Award from the Associated
Builders and Contractors Alabama Chapter in 2008 and 2007.
Golden & Associates provides general contracting and construction management services to
clients throughout the southeast. Some of Golden’s current projects include Cityville Block 121,
Tarrant Middle/High School, YWCA Interfaith House, and the recently completed Hyatt Place
Hotel in downtown Birmingham.

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By admin, August 5, 2009 12:49 pm

Below is a copy of that article.

Business Alabama (PDF)

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By admin, August 1, 2009 12:43 pm

By Rosalind Fournier

They are young, mostly in their 20s and 30s. They are motivated, with specific career, personal and social goals. They are passionate, many of them donating a remarkable amount of time and energy to various local nonprofits. They come from diverse backgrounds and work in a wide variety of professional fields, working their way up the corporate ladder—one which they themselves are helping to redefine.

Meet Birmingham’s thriving commu- nity of young professionals. Some of them—such as Jaime Primak Sullivan, aka the “Gossip Girl” who makes regular appearances on Birmingham’s FOX 6 to weigh in on the latest Hollywood buzz— are already well known to many of us. Others are flying under the radar, still gaining prominence in their own profes- sional fields but on track to becoming the region’s next generation of leaders.
Joining forces

Recognizing their many common interests, many of these young profession- als (or YPs, for short) joined forces a few years ago to create an official organiza- tion—Young Professionals of Birmingham —to help them further their common interests.

Mary Cash, a young attorney who recently opened her own law firm in Mountain Brook, was one of the group’s founding members along with fashion writer Amy Bailey (aka “The Fashionista”), who no longer serves on the board. Cash comments on YP Birmingham’s evolution.

“What’s interesting,” she notes, “is how our vision has changed and grown. Originally we were mostly focused on the social aspect—hosting great events that also raised money for charities. But now it’s really evolved into more of a profes- sional organization and getting serious about making Birmingham a better place.”
Strength in numbers

Part of that involves recruiting new YPs to Birmingham, as well as convincing those already here to stay. It’s a matter of strength in numbers, says Sullivan, the board’s current president. Raised in the Tri-State region and currently commuting between Birmingham and Los Angeles, working as a celebrity writer and promot- er among other professional endeavors, she is well-positioned to understand the temptation for many YPs to be lured to other cities. “We were constantly hearing of somebody moving to Nashville, Atlanta or even New York in search of new oppor- tunities,” says Sullivan. “We thought, we have got to provide an incentive for people to stay here.”

Creating ways for YPs to get to know one another is one way that YP Birmingham strives to do that. The theory is twofold: By working to improve the city in general—the group recently held a plan- ning session to brainstorm about Birmingham’s most positive assets, as well as areas they see as needing improve- ment—YPs naturally will feel good about the city and want to come and stay.

Meanwhile, YP Birmingham simply wants YPs to have a chance to get to know one another, with the thought that the more contacts and friends they have, the more invested they’ll feel in the community.
Strategic socializing

To that end, the group holds four to six events a year, each of which benefits a dif- ferent local charity and draws a number of corporate sponsors. From the start, the board of directors realized these events had hit a niche: YPs desperately wanted to get to know more of their contemporaries, beyond colleagues and their own personal circles of friends.

Board member and Events Chair Erin Melaney is a perfect example. “My situa- tion is a little different from some of our board members in that I’m not from here,” says Melaney, who grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and serves as devel- opment director for Girls Inc. of Central Alabama. “I came here for graduate school and ended up loving the city, but I found it really difficult to make contacts, whether it’s friends or other professional people near my age or in similar stages of their careers.” She adds that while she enjoys a close group of colleagues at work, the difference is that many of them are at a point in their lives where they’re too busy with family life to meet up and socialize after hours.

Melaney began attending YP Birmingham events and found a ready- made community of peers. She later inter- viewed and was accepted to become a board member and has become so active- ly involved that she, along with other board members, dedicates several hours a week of work to the group and its mission.

Board member and YP Birmingham Public Relations Director Krista Conlin is from Birmingham, though she moved away for six years before returning to her hometown. She says that before becoming involved in YP Birmingham, she already knew a lot of the city’s young profession- als through her own work and personal contacts. But not nearly as many as she thought. “It’s amazing how many people you realize you don’tknow,” says Conlin, who is vice president of business operations at WilbanksAgency Public Relations and Marketing. “What’s beautiful is that withthose already here to stay. It’s a matter of strength in numbers, says Sullivan, the board’s current president. Raised in the Tri-State region and currently commuting between Birmingham and Los Angeles, working as a celebrity writer and promot- er among other professional endeavors, she is well-positioned to understand the temptation for many YPs to be lured to other cities. “We were constantly hearing of somebody moving to Nashville, Atlanta or even New York in search of new oppor- tunities,” says Sullivan. “We thought, we have got to provide an incentive for people to stay here.”

Creating ways for YPs to get to know one another is one way that YP Birmingham strives to do that. The theory is twofold: By working to improve the city in general—the group recently held a plan- ning session to brainstorm about Birmingham’s most positive assets, as well as areas they see as needing improve- ment—YPs naturally will feel good about the city and want to come and stay. Meanwhile, YP Birmingham simply wants YPs to have a chance to get to know one another, with the thought that the more contacts and friends they have, the more invested they’ll feel in the community.
Open membership

Though joining the board of YP Birmingham—there are currently 12 directors serving—involves an extensive process of interviews, becoming a mem- ber requires nothing more than attending an event and putting your name on the mailing list. (Conlin considers YP Birmingham’s well-guarded list of con- tacts one of its most valuable assets.) There are no dues, other than paying an entry fee to the events. Some members attend religiously. Others, such as Anthony Oni, are more loosely involved but still feel they benefit from the con- tacts.

“It’s an organization where no matter what event you go to, you’re always going to meet a new friend and build a new rela- tionship,” says Oni, who works in eco- nomic development for Alabama Power.

“It’s critical to the fabric of the city because that’s where the city gets its vibrancy. I think that organization is absolutely critical to our community’s long-term growth.”
Passion for giving

If there is any one defining thread among the membership of YP Birmingham, it’s their zeal for helping local charities by raising money, serving on various boards and donating their time. Board member Wesley McGugin, a senior licensed financial specialist for Wachovia Bank, believes YP Birmingham does an additional service to its members by introducing them to charities they may not have known much, if anything, about. “Since we partner with several differ- ent charities for each event we host, those charities always have a table set up with representatives available to talk about what they do,” he says. “So not only are we raising funds for them through the admission price, we’re giving our mem- bers a good way to interact with them and really understand what that charity is about.”

McGugin, who was first introduced to YP Birmingham by meeting representa- tives at a separate YP Expo held annually by the Birmingham Business Alliance (which publishes Birminghammagazine) says that interaction often opens the door for people to begin working with those charities. “Often, you find that this is something you want to be involved with,” he says. Clearly this is the case: YP Birmingham members work and serve on boards for groups ranging from Camp Smile-A-Mile to the Rotaract Club of Birmingham. Several are involved with the Greater Birmingham Humane Society as well as the Shelby Humane Society, as well as the Service Guild of Birmingham, the Civiettes, Mitchell’s Place and Gateway, just to name a few.
Tomorrow’s leaders?

It may be too soon to predict whether the leadership and members of YP Birmingham are posed to become the tomorrow’s corporate, civic and profes- sional leaders of our community. But they seem well on track: When one combines their cumulative ambition and energy with a level of across-the- board networking that seems to run like a well-oiled machine—the group plans to double its current membership of about 2,700 members within the next year—it seems likely this could be the case.

“We try to see ourselves as young leaders in each of our respective fields,” Conlin says. “We’re the generation that’s going to be leading the Birmingham later, and if we can con- nect with one another and the commu- nity now, think what we can accomplish down the road.” She adds that the group is also beefing up ability to facilitate net- working through the coming release of the YP Guide to Young Professionals— an online who’s who of local people working in nearly every professional sector, sponsored by ServisFirst Bank.

Brent Barringer, who works in accounting with the Tidwell Group P.C. and serves as YP Birmingham’s vice president of finance, stresses that this is why YP Birmingham works so hard to keep the community’s young talent at home. “Young professionals are the key to sustained growth over time,” Barringer says. “You don’t know who’s going to have the next great idea that might blossom into the next Fortune 500 company, and you want to make sure that person is committed to being here.”

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By admin, July 15, 2009 12:53 pm

Below is a copy of that article

Marshall’s Biscuits

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By admin, July 4, 2009 8:36 pm

We are excited to announce that the Alabama Beta chapter of Phi Delta Theta received three national awards from Phi Delta Theta.

Hayward S. Biggers Ritual Award

House of the year (Large)

Best Exterior Project

We are grateful for all the time and effort put in by countless alumni and members of our house corporation board. Below is a link The Scroll Extra where the awards are presented. The chapter is also nominated for The Phoenix Trophy (most improved chapter nationaly).

National Awards

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By admin, May 1, 2009 11:34 am

Greg spoke to the chapter on April 22. Neil currently serves as the National Sales Director for Cardinal Health (Fortune 19; Global 51 Company), and played an integral part in MedMined being acquired in July 2006.

Greg has spent the last 20 years in the Healthcare Industry leading sales organizations. After leaving Auburn in 1989 with a BS in Economics, Greg spent the 1st 10 years working for Health plans such as MAMSI, Complete Health, PCA Health Plans and Foundation Health. He took his 1st sales management role in 1994 with PCA Health Plans.

His expertise was opening new markets in Baltimore, Atlanta, and the Tampa/Ft. Myers area. As the Market Director at Foundation Health in Tampa/Ft. Myers area, Greg was the 1st employee and was responsible for all aspects of the expansion including Provider Development, customer service, and sales which he helped grow to over $35 million in annual revenue in a crowded market of 18 competitors.

Most recently Greg applied his sales and leadership skills to companies applying technology to solve complex business problems in both the Payer and Hospital Market. He was the Area Vice President for Ingenix which is the leading technology solution provider to Health plans across the country and has spent the last 5 years with Cardinal Health-MedMined Services.

He currently serves as the National Sales Director for Cardinal Health (Fortune 19; Global 51 Company), and played an integral part in MedMined being acquired in July 2006.

Greg currently serves on the Board of Directors for the TUMTUM Tree Foundation and is passionate about investing time and efforts to help children. Greg is also a member of the Auburn University ISMN Advisory Board in the School of Business. Greg is married to Kellie Neil and has 2 children Caitlin (8) and Leo (5) and they currently live in Vestavia Hills Alabama