Elizabeth “BJ” Mathis, Chairman of the Henry County Board of Commissioners, urges everyone to be tenacious. Do not be limited by what others say you can or cannot do. Do not be afraid to take risks and reach for your dreams. Rise up to your potential and accomplish everything you set your mind to.
Now in her third year as Chairman, Elizabeth “BJ” Mathis began her service as Henry County District Two Commissioner in January of 2005. After serving in various ministry positions for 14 years, and working with numerous faith-based agencies, she felt politics was simply another way to serve the people in the community.
Under her leadership, an Economic Development Plan has been completed for Henry County that will help guide economic development decisions for years to come. Acknowledging the link between education and economic development, Chairman Mathis is now working to assist the school system in raising the graduation rate, encourage higher education, and make Henry County a Work-Ready Certified Community.
Henry County Commission Chairman Elizabeth ‘B.J.’ Mathis is one of the five elected officials selected to serve on the Atlanta Regional Transportation Roundtable Executive Committee for the proposed regional SPLOST program. The Executive Committee will be responsible for creating a draft investment list of projects that is both fiscally constrained by the projected revenue of the ten-year sales tax and deliverable within that ten year time frame. Her service on this committee will ensure Henry County and the entire south metro has a strong voice in the process.
With her strong focus on families and conservation, Chairman Mathis more than doubled the park land in District 2 while preserving an historic civil war battlefield that had been slated for a large development. Her desire to provide unique places for citizens to gather led one of District 2’s parks, North Mt. Carmel Park, to be ranked #5 among all parks in metro Atlanta by accessatlanta.com. In fact, the oversized playground surrounded by a kid-sized “highway” for bikes and trikes coupled with the only dog park in the County has made that park one of the most popular destinations for Henry County’s families. She has also led the fight against gang involvement among Henry County’s youth.
For all these reasons and more, Chairman Mathis was one of 45 women from Clayton and Henry counties to receive Senator Gail Buckner’s Legacy of Leadership Award for their contributions to their communities.
She and her husband John, a retired police Lieutenant with the City of Atlanta, have been married 28 years and have three children and three grandchildren.
In this episode, BJ Mathis joins Inside the Winner’s Circle to talk about Henry County’s economic development, green initiatives & how it’s poised on the brink of greatness.
We sat down to talk with Ann Cramer, Director IBM Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs for the Americas. Listen in to the interview to hear about how a transformational leader truly aligns the work they do with their core passion and purpose and get her tips on how to influence powerfully without direct authority.
Ann Wilson Cramer, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, graduated from Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with a degree in mathematics and serves on its board. She is with IBM Corporation as its Director for IBM Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs for the Americas. Ann and her husband, Jeff, their two children, Megan and Wil, are all active at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, where Ann has served as Senior Warden of the Vestry. Ann started with IBM as a Systems Engineer in Jacksonville. After being “retired” from IBM for ten years, Ann returned to IBM in External Programs, now Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs.
Ann’s commitment to and involvement with children and youth has been a lifelong journey. Her current job with IBM allows her to continue her work with the improvement of conditions for families, because of IBM’s historic involvement with and investment in local communities.
IBM is committed to K-12 education, job training and employment, community and family services, literacy programs and support for the disabled and disadvantaged through its people and technology. IBM employees are considered its strongest philanthropic asset in its approach to improve the communities in which they live and work. IBM’s primary emphasis is focused on education reform, especially related to the powerful use of solutions including services, software and technology as tools for learning.
In support of IBM’s primary focus areas, Ann currently serves as chair of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE), the Carter Center Board of Councilors, Atlanta Partners for Education and the Council on Foundations Public Policy Committee and is on the Council’s board and past chair of Communities in Schools-Georgia, and the Georgia Chamber’s Education Committee, Voices for Georgia’s Children, and is on the Executive Committee for the US Chamber’s Institute for Competitive Workforce and BCLC, the Conference Board’s Business and Education Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber Education Committee and Project GRAD Board. She serves on several non-profit organization boards including the Woodruff Arts Center, the Alliance Theatre Company, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, the Georgia Center for NonProfits, Public Broadcasting Atlanta (PBA), the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Georgia Chapter of the International Women’s Forum, UGA Board of Visitors, the Hands-on-Atlanta Advisory Board and the Atlanta Cities of Service board. And currently chairs the Advisory Councils for the Alliance Theatre and Imagine-It the Children’s Museum of Atlanta.
In 2009, Ann was the first to receive the “Essence of Atlanta” Award at the 41st Anniversary of Outstanding Atlanta. She was recently honored with the Georgia Center for Non-Profits 2011 Revolution Legendary Philanthropist Award and named by Atlanta Woman Magazine as the Power Woman of the Year,”25 Atlantans to Watch,” inducted into the Business Hall of Fame and awarded Georgia’s 1st Visionary Leadership Award, Leadership Atlanta’s Legacy of Leadership Award, the Lexus Leader of the Arts, the Shining Star recognition from the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, the first Narrowing the Digital Divide Award, the Andrew Young Public Policy and Faith award, Leading Ladies and Women Making the Mark distinctions, the Georgia Council for Economic Education’s prestigious VanLandingham Award, the Urban League’s 2000 Distinguished Community Service Award, the LifeTime Achievement in the Arts, Outstanding Achievement in Child Advocacy and she has received the 1988 11-Alive Community Service Award, the 1983 Georgia Volunteer of the Year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Public Service Award; 1991 Alumnae Leadership Award for Salem College, and the 1990 DECA Award, one of ten outstanding business women in Atlanta.
Ann is past chair of the United Way of Metro-Atlanta, Research Atlanta, the Arts and Business Council; the WorldClass Schools Foundation; past president of the Junior League of Atlanta, Inc. and was selected by the YWCA for its first Outstanding Women of Achievement Recognition in 1984. She has participated in Leadership Atlanta, Leadership Georgia and the Regional Leadership Institute, is a member of Outstanding Atlanta, and chaired Leadership Atlanta’s 25th Anniversary Celebration. Also, she chaired the Volunteer Task Force for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG), was appointed the public member and has served as the Chairman of the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.
Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP, CPBS is an internationally distinguished leadership development mentor, executive presence coach, image and branding consultant, public speaker and presenter, and the founding CEO of her own successful company, Illustra Consulting.
A career acceleration expert, she created the innovative Predictable Promotion System, a 10-step proprietary process she uses to coach managers aspiring to be directors, directors seeking vice presidential promotions, and VP’s eager to ascend to the C-suite.
In response to the devastating personal experience of being turned down for a prized promotion early in her career, Sarah developed her own system for enhancing her marketable value and executive leadership presence. She designed a step-by-step process for quickly acquiring practical value-adding performance skills, and then developed efficient strategies to gain the positive recognition of influential decision makers. Meanwhile she creatively enhanced a variety of priceless intangible qualities that companies specifically look for in high potentials ready to rise to the top of the succession planning list.
A few years ago Sarah left her prestigious Fortune 100 position to follow what she considers her true professional calling and personal passion. She launched her own consulting company which now offers the Predictable Promotion System through intensive one-on-one executive coaching of private clients, developmental workshops for large corporations, and various customized consulting programs and interactive speaking engagements.
For the past 30 years Sarah has used her vision and insight to help promote leaders at all levels, and many of her clients and former protégés now occupy the highest positions within Fortune 500 companies. Her client list is a virtual “Who’s Who” of elite companies and top executives.
Holland R. “Dutch” Earle is the Managing Director of Executive Strategies, Inc., a national general management, retained executive search firm that he founded in 1994. Prior to forming ESI, Dutch had over twenty years’ experience in corporate human resources management. Additionally, Dutch is a partner at Career Synergies, a resume and career coaching business established by his wife, Kathleen.
His last corporate position was Vice President, Human Resources for ADP National Accounts Division. He started his career at NCR Corporation in human resources and then joined RCA Corporation where he worked in a series of management positions in labor relations, compensation and employment. Immediately prior to ADP, he worked for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company where he was responsible for corporate staffing and established a temporary service business.
Dutch is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Relations from Saint Francis College. He is active in numerous community and professional organizations, and volunteers considerable time to help individuals in career transition.
Since 1992 Georgia Sales Development, a Sandler Training affiliate has been helping companies increase their sales, management and customer service effectiveness by focusing on the people and the processes. Our approach centers around using a systematic sales process throughout a company. To increase sales and sales management effectiveness, we focus on the whole person – attitude, behavior and techniques.
Prior to acquiring her Sandler Training franchise, Georgia Sales Development, Inc., Lissa had 19 years of sales and management experience in corporate America. Her experience ranges from direct sales at a local then national level, to sales management of a $40 million Region for a national managed care company. Today Lissa works with Presidents, CEOs and Business Owners helping them acquire and retain sales teams with consistently superior performance. This is done through a combination of evaluation tools, trained sales and management methodology based on a reinforcement model, and accountability based coaching. Her Psychology degree from the University of Georgia coupled with her leadership experience makes her uniquely qualified to help companies increase sales and management effectiveness using the Sandler System.
Lissa currently is involved in several networking and philanthropic groups in the Atlanta area and serves on the Board for Georgia Executive Women’s Network. She and husband Ron are blessed with a beautiful 10 year old son, Garrett.
Please join us at 10 AM on November 30th for our inaugural broadcast of Make A Difference Radio. On our first show we will be featuring Mr. Edward Powers, Executive Director of HOPE Atlanta.
To listen to the program please tune in at 10 AM and click the “ON” button on the radio in the upper right hand corner. A recording of this show will be available within 24 hours of the live broadcast.
According to Gaurav Marya over 200 million Indians consume brands today and the demand is growing each year. India went from 3 malls in 2003 to almost 700 in 2011 with another 600 currently in development. The market is ripe for brand licensing. That is why Franchise India is hosting their annual brand licensing conference this week.
Listen to Gaurav’s tremendous insights on the state of the Indian economy and how his company is helping companies around the globe invest in India’s future.
Gaurav Marya is a born entrepreneur. He started his first business at 16 and has started and sold some 15 other businesses ranging from mobile phones, career advisory, restaurants to entertainment business etc. At 24, Gaurav discovered his real passion in life — Franchising. He was first exposed to it while on a business trip to the US in 1998 when franchising was the buzzword there and Gaurav dreamt of replicating its success in India. In 1999, Gaurav started Franchise India Holdings Limited which spearheaded the franchise revolution in India and has gone on to become India’s largest integrated franchise and retail Solution Company.
The passion to share his learnings from his rich experience with would-be entrepreneurs prompted him to start his consulting career. He has interacted with over 25,000 budding entrepreneurs with the aim of helping them select and meet the challenges of start-ups businesses. His chief forte in consulting focuses in creating a win-win partnership between channels and large organizations. He has consulted over 250 large and small corporations including Gitanjali Group, Emami, Videocon, Landmark Group, Tata Steel, Unilever India, Levis, Welspun amongst others and has helped them make informed decisions about their business growth. He considers himself to be very fortunate for aiding start-ups and large businesses.
Shiv Khera, the noteworthy motivational speaker once dubbed him as the “Father of Indian franchising” in 2004 at one of India’s biggest franchise forum and it is this title which has remained with him ever since.
Gaurav is widely admired for his non-conformist operating style and aggressive marketing tactics. He has got several accomplishments to his name: none of them have come the conventional way. Today he has also been retained by several private equity funds who invest in business projects.
Gaurav has also chaired several Global Business Forums on Franchising and Retail. He is often quoted by the press in leading dailies and business journals. He has guest starred on several television shows on entrepreneurship. He is also the author of the bestselling book in franchising “The Science of Reproducing Success”, which has proved a milestone in his illustrative career.
Join us as Gaurav Marya shares his stories about what is important in growing a successful licensing program in India.
To learn more about brand extension tools that can help your business click here.
Health care & insurance costs are still out of control. What’s next? Listen to our experts.
Doug Field is the CEO and Founder of the Institute for HealthCare Consumerism and a serial entrepreneur particularly in the industry of media. He is also the CEO and Founder of Field Media. Mr. Field has held roles since 1980 in the publication industry such as interm CEO for Merco Media, President and COO of Enterprise Communication. Mr. Fields is a graduate from Ohio State University with a BA in journalism. Doug Field Segment
W. Thomas Haynes is the Executive Director of The Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Association, a U. S. based trade association that represents and serves all of the licensed Coca-Cola bottlers in the United States. He previously served as General Counsel of Coca-Cola North America and a member of the Executive Leadership team for the Coca-Cola business in the Western Hemisphere.
In addition to his Coca-Cola work, he serves in a variety of capacities with organizations committed to free markets and limited government, including as a member of the Board of Directors of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a member of the Board of Practitioners of The Federalist Society and a member of the Board of Advisors of The Transatlantic Law Forum. He previously served as the President of the Association Health Care Coalition and has testified before Congressional Committees on four separate occasions on the unique challenges posed by regulation of U. S. health care insurance on efforts by private businesses to access affordable health care insurance alternatives. W. Thomas Haynes Segment
John Linss has over 29 years of experience in a variety of business & technology arenas. A serial entrepreneur, John has often provided executive coaching and has spoken and consulted on topics ranging from sales & marketing to technology, healthcare, and business strategy related to both business and government. He also has served as an adjunct professor in the Emory University Goizueta School of Business.
John’s professional career has focused on establishing, acquiring, growing, or turning around innovative business ventures. His formal education includes Bachelor of Science majors in Economics and Interpersonal Communications at the University of Georgia. He writes occasionally for various publications and is a contributor to the 1st and 2nd edition of Patients Beyond Borders.
Now, as the Chairman and Founder of MedServ Global, he and the team are defining and driving the emerging global health care market. John Linss Segment
Al Simon, President of Simon Inc., an authorized licensee of Sandler Training, reminds us that the focus in sales should always be on the prospect and not the salesperson. Once you create a genuine connection with the prospect, getting the sale comes easily.
Al Simon is President of Simon Inc., a sales performance training and coaching firm with training facilities in Norcross and Marietta, and is an authorized licensee of Sandler Training. Mr. Simon specializes in training and coaching business professionals to be effective and consistent with their selling strategies and tactics. He is the author of the “Simon Says” weekly sales tip and numerous articles for various publications, websites and blogs.
A 1977 graduate of Georgia Tech, Mr. Simon has 34 years of direct sales experience using many different sales strategies and approaches. Consistently the top performer in sales volume in his corporate career before starting Simon Inc., he has mastered the art of selling in both simple and complex sales cycles. Mr. Simon has also successfully managed salespeople in highly competitive, high-risk situations.
Sandler Training is the world leader in sales performance training and coaching, sales management training and coaching, and customer service training, with over 280 locations in 29 countries. Sandler-trained professionals have developed their skills and acumen in the world of person-to-person deal-making. They are productive and effective is keeping control of the sales deal while keeping and growing the trust level with their prospects and clients.
Join Al Simon & the Inside the Winner’s Circle team as they discuss Sandler Training, Simon Inc. and the unconventional yet effective concepts and approaches they bring to sales.
