ACCOUNTING
Jackson Thornton has promoted Crystal Striepe to senior manager.
Riley Davis and Emma Estes have joined Wilkins Miller LLC.
BANKING & FINANCE
Bank Independent has promoted Blake Burns to AVP – loan review, Hillary Logan to AVP – customer service, Amy Martin to AVP – risk analytics, Corey Thomaston to AVP – talent, Dustin Wear to AVP – facilities project officer, Kelley Williams to AVP – professional development and Will Young to AVP – deposit operations. In addition, the bank has hired Justin Taylor as a sales officer for Franklin County and Roland Adams as AVP – sales officer for Madison County.
Pinnacle Financial Partners has hired Shane White as senior manager of residential construction lending.
ServisFirst Bank has promoted Lee McKinnon to executive vice president, Birmingham sales manager.
CHAMBERS
The Mobile Chamber has hired Veronika Miranda as economic development coordinator and John Adams as business development specialist. In addition, the chamber has promoted Denise Curtis to senior director of communications, Layton Little to senior director of government affairs and Lauren Pennington to membership operations coordinator.
CREDIT UNIONS
MAX Credit Union has promoted Tara McDowell to chief talent officer, Brantley Leverette to chief financial officer and Lori Sellers to vice president of finance/controller. Sandra Branch, former chief talent officer, retired in May after 35 years. In addition, the credit union has hired Josh Myers as market president for the Lee County and Tallassee markets.
EDUCATION
Spring Hill College has named Michael Ferry its new vice president for academic affairs.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville has named Eric Smith dean of the Honors College and Srinath Ekkad dean of the College of Engineering. In addition, Professor Emeritus Ramón Cerro has been inducted into the Latin American Academy of Science.
ENGINEERING
Birmingham-based SARCOR LLC has named Robert Portera as its transportation design practice lead.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Convenience Store News has honored Jennifer Crawford, director of marketing for Chester’s Chicken, as a Top Woman in Convenience.
HEALTHCARE
Andrea Rosler, vice president of human resources for Infirmary Health, has been recognized for a second consecutive year by Becker’s Healthcare as one of the 2026 Hospital and Health System CHROs and Chief People Officers to Know.
HOSPITALITY
The Hyatt Regency Birmingham – The Wynfrey Hotel has named Brett DeLoach general manager.
INSURANCE
Palomar Insurance has promoted Connor Couch to account executive, personal lines in Troy and Corbin Peterson and Stro Gibbs to account executives in Birmingham. The insurer also has hired Erin Boutwell as vice president of marketing in Troy, Griffin Smith as vice president in Birmingham, Bryden Berryman as account executive in Town Creek and Daviston Payton as account executive in Birmingham.
LEGAL
Cunningham Bounds attorney Lucy Tufts has been elected president of the Alabama Association for Justice for the 2026-2027 term.
MANUFACTURING
Austal USA has named Michael Pruitt vice president of surface ship programs, Michael Oberdorf vice president of submarine programs and Andrew Hinkebein director of state and local government relations.
MEDIA
WVTM 13 has named Crawford Miller digital sales manager. He succeeds Dennis Elkin, who has been promoted to local sales manager.
REAL ESTATE
Deborah McGill Smith, executive vice president and partner of Cushman & Wakefield/EGS Commercial Real Estate, has been elected to a two-year term as south regional director of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Velox, of Huntsville, has appointed Paul Sulisz president. Tom Counts will move into the role of executive chairman and James Hall will assume the role of CEO.
Erica Joiner West is editor of Business Alabama.
This article appears in the August 2026 issue of Business Alabama.
