The Rotaract Club of Birmingham believes in an ambitious mission and vision statements, one that requires us to work tirelessly to promote professional development for all of our members.  In doing so, we provide our members an audience with industry leaders and key influencers in the community at each of our bi-monthly luncheons at the Harbert Center. Rotaract meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month at the Harbert Center to interact with and learn from outstanding guest speakers. Guests are welcome to attend our luncheons to learn more about how to become a member of Rotaract.

Our philosophy is and has always been simple: To become an industry leader, you must learn from the best in the industry.  Our speakers certainly have met, if not exceeded, that billing.

Additionally, we expose our members to a professional development series to provide small group coaching on a variety of professional subject matters.

Lunch will be served beginning at 11:45 a.m., and the program will begin at Noon.  Rotaract members will hear from Dr. Lawrence J. Pijeaux, the President and CEO of the BCRI.  Following his presentation, members will be able to tour the museum.

Members must sign up online in order for our club to give the BCRI an accurate headcount for the luncheon.

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a large interpretive museum and research center in Birmingham, Alabama that depicts the struggles of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. The Institute is located in the Civil Rights District, which includes the historic 16th Street Baptist Church, Kelly Ingram Park, Fourth Avenue Business District, and the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame located in the Carver Theatre. The Institute opened in November 1992, and had more than 25,000 visitors during its first week.

The Institute showcases a walking journey through the “living institution”, which displays the lessons of the past as a positive way to chart new directions for the future. The permanent exhibitions are a self-directed journey through Birmingham’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles. Multimedia exhibitions focus on the history of African-American life and the struggle for civil rights. The Oral History Project, one of the museum’s multimedia exhibits, documents Birmingham’s role in the Civil Rights Movement through the voices of movement participants. The museum is an affiliate in the Smithsonian Affiliations program.

Join Rotaract for a luncheon meeting on Thursday, February 2nd featuring President of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Richard Cohen. You may recognize our speaker from his appearances on The O’Reilly Factor and more recently the Birmingham News. Rotaract meets on the first and third Thursdays at the Harbert Center located in downtown Birmingham. Lunch starts at 11:45 a.m. and meetings begin promptly at noon. Lunch is free for members and $10 for guests. A limited number of recruitment spots are available. If you wish to bring a potential member, please email bhamrotaract.membership@gmail.com. To register to attend, please click here.

About Richard Cohen:
A graduate of Columbia University and the University of Virginia School of Law, Richard Cohen came to the Southern Poverty Law Center in 1986 as its legal director after practicing law in Washington, D.C., for seven years. Under his guidance, the SPLC won a series of landmark lawsuits against some of the nation’s most violent white supremacist organizations. He also successfully litigated a wide variety of important civil rights actions – defending the rights of prisoners to be treated humanely, working for equal educational opportunities for all children, and bringing down the Confederate battle flag from the Alabama State Capitol. Prior to becoming SPLC president in 2003, Cohen served as its vice president for programs, which include the Intelligence Project and Teaching Tolerance.

In 1997, the national legal magazine The American Lawyer selected him as one of 45 public sector lawyers “whose vision and commitment are changing lives.” In 1999, he was a finalist for the national Trial Lawyer of the Year Award for his work on Macedonia Baptist Church v. Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, a lawsuit that ended with a record $37.8 million judgment against a Klan group for its role in the burning of a South Carolina church.

Join us for a unique Professional Development Series! Jim Sokol and Lydia Cheney will open their home to 25 Rotaractors who are interested in learning more about collecting art. This special PDS will take place January 24, 2012 from 5:30 – 7:00pm. Space is limited so please register today. Light snacks, beer and wine will be served.

Sokol/Cheney Residence
2920 Redmont Park Circle 500 E
Birmingham, AL 35205

Space is limited so make sure to reserve your spot before it’s too late! Register on our website.

Join Rotaract for a luncheon meeting on Thursday, January 19th featuring Walt Maddox, Mayor of  Tuscaloosa. Walt will speak to our club about his career, the city of Tuscaloosa and the impact of the April 2011 Tornados. Rotaract meets on the first and third Thursdays at the Harbert Center located in downtown Birmingham. Lunch starts at 11:45 a.m. and meetings begin promptly at noon. Lunch is free for members and $10 for guests. A limited number of recruitment spots are available. If you wish to bring a potential member, please email bhamrotaract.membership@gmail.com. To register to attend, please click here.

About Walt Maddox
Walter Maddox was sworn in for his second term as Tuscaloosa’s 36th Mayor on November 2, 2009. Since his first inauguration in 2005, Mayor Maddox has led initiatives to increase economic development, improve customer service and provide quality pre-k education for academically at-risk children.

Mayor Maddox is a Tuscaloosa native and graduated from Central High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public administration from UAB. While attending UAB, Mayor Maddox was a four-year letter-winner on the football team.

The majority of Mayor Maddox’s professional career has been spent in public education. From 1996 to 2001, he served as an Alabama Education Association Field Director. In 2001, he was appointed Executive Director of Personnel for the Tuscaloosa City Schools. In that same year, he was elected as Tuscaloosa City Councilman for the Sixth District.

Mayor Maddox is married to Stephanie Roberts Maddox. He has two children: Trey (21) and Taylor (9) and his favorite hobby is running. Mayor Maddox has completed several marathons and half-marathons.

Join Rotaract for a luncheon meeting on Thursday, January 5th featuring Attorney General Luther Strange. Luther will speak to our club about his career, state politics and the impacts of the new immigration law. Rotaract meets on the first and third Thursdays at the Harbert Center located in downtown Birmingham. Lunch starts at 11:45 a.m. and meetings begin promptly at noon. Lunch is free for members and $10 for guests. A limited number of recruitment spots are available. If you wish to bring a potential member, please email bhamrotaract.membership@gmail.com. To register to attend, please click here.

About Luther Strange
Luther Strange was elected Alabama’s 49th Attorney General on November 2, 2010. As Attorney General, Strange is charged with representing and defending the interests of the people of the State of Alabama and serves as the State’s chief law enforcement officer.

Prior to his election as Attorney General, Strange was an attorney and founder of Strange LLC, a law firm based in Birmingham. Prior to founding Strange LLC, he was a partner with the law firm of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. During his time in private practice, Strange was regarded as one of Alabama’s leading economic development lawyers and frequently advised companies on growth and expansion opportunities in the state. Strange has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America®, named Best of the Bar by the Birmingham Business Journal, and recognized as one of the “Best Lawyers” in Alabama by Birmingham Magazine. Strange LLC was named one of the Top Ten Law Firms that Understand Economic Development by Southern Business & Development Magazine and received a first tier ranking in the 2010 U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” Rankings.

Strange received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Tulane University. While a student at Tulane, Strange was a scholarship basketball player. Active in his church and community, Strange is an Eagle Scout and Rotarian and serves on the Advisory Board of the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Committed to passing on the lessons he learned growing up in Alabama, Strange is passionate about encouraging young people in Alabama to become involved in public service and the political process.

Strange and his wife Melissa are the proud parents of two sons. 

Join Rotaract for a luncheon meeting on Thursday, December 15th featuring J.W. Carpenter, the Executive Director of Teach for America in the state of Alabama. J.W. will speak to our club about Teach For America, his career, and the impact the impact our education system has on Alabamians. Rotaract meets on the first and third Thursdays at the Harbert Center located in downtown Birmingham. Lunch starts at 11:45 a.m. and meetings begin promptly at noon. Lunch is free for members and $10 for guests. A limited number of recruitment spots are available. If you wish to bring a potential member, please email bhamrotaract.membership@gmail.com. To register to attend, please click here.

About J.W. Carpenter:

J.W. Carpenter is the current Executive Director of Teach for America in the state of Alabama.  A graduate of Boston College (’01), Carpenter was a 2001 Mississippi Delta corps member who taught Algebra One, Algebra Two, Trigonometry, and Calculus at Lee High School in Marianna, Arkansas. He also coached Lee High School’s quiz bowl team, which finished first in the state in public schools its size. After completing his two years in the corps, he attended Georgetown University Law Center, graduating in 2006. He then returned to Birmingham to practice law for three and a half years at Walston, Wells, & Birchall in its litigation department. During that time, Carpenter worked in conjunction with both Teach For America and Alabama community leaders to bring Teach For America to Alabama. He was named Executive Director of Teach For America Alabama in February 2010 and has been leading its movement to make educational equality a reality in eight Black Belt counties, Tuscaloosa, and Birmingham ever since.

Join Rotaract for a luncheon meeting on Thursday, December 1st featuring Jim Gorrie , President and CEO of Brasfield & Gorrie. Jim Gorrie will speak to our club about his career at Brasfield & Gorrie and how his company made made an impact in the city of Birmingham. Rotaract meets on the first and third Thursdays at the Harbert Center located in downtown Birmingham. Lunch starts at 11:45 a.m. and meetings begin promptly at noon. Lunch is free for members and $10 for guests. A limited number of recruitment spots are available. If you wish to bring a potential member, please email bhamrotaract.membership@gmail.com. To register to attend, please click here.

About Jim Gorrie:
Jim Gorrie is President and CEO of Brasfield & Gorrie, one of the nation’s largest construction firms, which was founded by his father in 1964.  The company ranks 28th in the nation among Engineering News Record’s “Top 400 General Contractors” for 2011 based on 2010 revenues.  Brasfield and Gorrie is currently ranked 2nd in the nation in providing construction for the healthcare industry, according to the 2010 Construction and Design Survey conducted by Modern Healthcare magazine.

Jim is responsible for the firm’s construction projects within the seven regional offices and 29 operating divisions. Brasfield & Gorrie provides construction and construction management services for a wide variety of projects. Approximately 75% of this work is negotiated. Projects range in value from $1,000 to more than $350 million and include commercial, institutional, healthcare, industrial and treatment plant construction.  Brasfield & Gorrie has performed work in 26 states, and currently more than 2,300 employees serve clients in 15 states with a heavy emphasis on the southeastern United States.

Jim learned the business from the ground up. He began work for Brasfield & Gorrie during the summers while in high school, working at the equipment shop and on various jobsites as a laborer. He has served in many roles since joining the company full-time in 1984, including vice president and manager of the Commercial Division, senior project manager, project manager, assistant project manager and estimator.

Jim graduated from Auburn University in 1984 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Building Science.

Join Rotaract for a luncheon meeting on Thursday, November 17th featuring Alan Register, the City President for BBVA Compass. Alan will speak to our club about BBVA Compass, his career, and the impact that the banking industry has on Birmingham. Rotaract meets on the first and third Thursdays at the Harbert Center located in downtown Birmingham. Lunch starts at 11:45 a.m. and meetings begin promptly at noon. Lunch is free for members and $10 for guests. A limited number of recruitment spots are available. If you wish to bring a potential member, please email bhamrotaract.membership@gmail.com. To register to attend, please click here.

About Alan Register:
Alan Register is the City President for BBVA Compass, overseeing all commercial banking activities for a five-county areas surrounding Birmingham.

 In June 1986, Alan started his career in banking at First Florida Bank (now Bank of America) in Tampa.  In 1992, Alan left banking to join GTE (the former telephone company now known as Verizon) in Tampa.  During his seven years with GTE, Alan and his family lived in Tampa, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Stamford (CT), and Dallas.  After GTE’s acquisition by Bell Atlantic in 1999, Alan joined Fleet Bank as a National Account Manager, working in Dallas.  In May 2000, while still with Fleet Bank, Alan moved his family to Birmingham to be closer to extended family.  Alan joined Compass Bank in April 2001 and has held the positions of Corporate Relationship Manager and Commercial Banking Manager prior to taking on the role of City President in December 2009.

 Alan was born and raised in the Tampa area and attended Samford University, graduating with a Finance degree in 1986.  He and his wife, Karen (from Atlanta and also a Samford graduate), have two sons, Will, age 19 and Dusty, age 17.

Join Rotaract for a luncheon meeting on Thursday, November 3rd featuring Chef Frank Stitt , of Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega, Bottega Cafe and Chez Fonfon. Frank Stitt will speak to our club about the ideas/themes behind each of his restaurants, how they grow their own ingredients, and he will offer cooking tips to our members. Rotaract meets on the first and third Thursdays at the Harbert Center located in downtown Birmingham. Lunch starts at 11:45 a.m. and meetings begin promptly at noon. Lunch is free for members and $10 for guests. A limited number of recruitment spots are available. If you wish to bring a potential member, please email bhamrotaract.membership@gmail.com. To register to attend, please click here.

About Frank Stitt:
Frank Stitt’s fondness for humble southern ingredients comes directly from his roots in rural Alabama. He grew up in Cullman, a leading agricultural county in north Alabama, where there was a great deal of pride in being a small family farmer.

Stitt’s culinary journey began to take shape when he moved to San Francisco where he honed his kitchen skills at various Bay Area restaurants.  Eventually, travels throughout the French countryside led to work in vineyards in both Provence and Burgundy. Stitt made his way back south, to return to the foods and traditions of his childhood.

Today, Stitt is involved with Slow Food (he and his wife, Pardis, founded the Slow Food chapter in Birmingham in 2006) and is a standing board member of the Jones Valley Urban Farm and Pepper Place Farmer’s Market. Recognizing a responsibility to promote sustainable agriculture, Stitt uses produce from area farmers at his restaurants whenever possible.

His flagship restaurant, Highlands Bar and Grill, opened in 1982, and its menu combines simple southern ingredients, such as stone ground grits and country ham, with French sauces and braises. Highlands was an immediate success, and soon after, he opened Bottega (1988), Café Bottega (1990), and Chez Fonfon (2000)—all in Birmingham.

2004 marked the release of Stitt’s first cookbook, Frank Stitt’s Southern Table, Recipes and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill (Artisan Books). Stitt’s second cookbook, Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef’s Love Affair With Italian Food (also Artisan Books), was released nationally in January 2009. 

Most recently, Highlands Bar and Grill was nominated for the third time by the James Beard Foundation for the 2011 Most Outstanding Restaurant. Stitt received the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2001, and was nominated in 2008 for Outstanding Chef. In 2006, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Foodways Alliance and was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor in 2009, the most distinguished award given to an Alabamian.

Stitt lives in Birmingham with his wife and business partner, Pardis. He has two children, Marie and Weston.