Jason Alexander serves as the CEO for the St. Vincent’s Health System where he oversees operations across multiple facilities, including the St. Vincent’s One Nineteen campus in Shelby County. Alexander has held leadership roles in health care for many years, including positions at Baptist Health System before joining Ascension St. Vincent’s. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Alabama and master’s degrees in health administration and business administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also has completed a post-graduate program on strategy for health care delivery through the Harvard Business School Executive Education Program.
Jackie Batson is executive director of Calera Main Street where she has led the transformation of downtown Calera by advancing site development for the Calera Courtyard, enhancing storefronts of Main Street business owners and hosting events for the community. Batson also serves as board chair for Fowler Davis 4 Change and is a member of the leadership team for Collectivus Church. She is a University of Georgia graduate.
Crystal Bennett was appointed dean of the College of Nursing at University of Montevallo in March 2024. She played a pivotal role in establishing the University of Montevallo’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, which launched Fall 2024. Earlier, Bennett held various faculty and administrative positions at University of West Florida. A University of West Florida graduate, she earned her master’s at the University of South Alabama and a Ph.D. in nursing science from the University of Florida.
Leah Bigbee is dean of workforce education at Jefferson State Community College and has more than a decade of experience with strategic corporate engagement and workforce development. Earlier, she held leadership roles at UAB and Generation USA, a global workforce development nonprofit. Her career began as an Ameri-Corps VISTA volunteer in workforce development at a local nonprofit serving senior citizens displaced in the workforce. Bigbee is an Alabama native with a degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is a graduate of Leadership Birmingham, Leadership Shelby County and Leadership St. Clair County.
Scott Brakefield is mayor of Alabaster and serves as the chairman of the Shelby County Mayors’ Association. He graduated from the University of Montevallo in 1998 with a degree in education. After teaching physical education from 1998-2000, he began a career in the health care industry as a pharmaceutical salesperson. He currently sells pathology services to dermatologists in several states.
Kevin Maddox is superintendent of Hoover City Schools. Maddox brings 29 years of educational experience, with 20 years in administration. Prior to his appointment, he served as the assistant superintendent for Homewood City Schools. He studied at Jacksonville State University, the University of Montevallo and Samford University, where he earned his Doctor of Education degree.
Tom McLeod is president and chief executive officer of McLeod Software, which he founded in 1985. The 600-employee software company serves 1,200 transportation companies. He attended Samford University and received a bachelor of music degree cum laude in piano performance. McLeod served three years as board president of the Birmingham Boys Choir, three years as chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association Scholarship Board of Trustees and two years as chairman of the Alabama Trucking Association from 2019 to 2021.
Angélica Meléndez is program manager for the Strong Families Program at ¡HICA!, working to support Latino families and crime victims, with a focus on domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. She chairs the board of Community of Hope Health Clinic in Pelham, serves on the Shelby County Department of Human Resources board and on advisory committees for the Shelby HIPPY Program and the Elder Justice Alliance Center. She coordinates the Alabama Language Access Coalition. She received the 2021 ICE Director’s Award for her efforts in human trafficking and victim support. She is part of the Leadership Shelby Class of 2025.
Alan Miller is the CEO of American Village. The Chelsea native previously served as chief assistant district attorney for the Eighteenth Circuit District Attorney’s Office in Columbiana. His prior work included establishing and serving as executive director of Shelby County Compact 2020. A Tulane University graduate with a law degree from the University of Alabama, Miller is a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, with varied experience in Europe and the U.S.
Kevin Morris has served as the District 1 representative on the Shelby County Commission since 2017. In August 2024, Morris was named as the incoming CEO of America’s First Federal Credit Union, slated to succeed Bill Connor effective March 1, 2025.
William “Mitt” Schroeder is the CEO of Central State Bank, which is headquartered in Calera. Schroeder serves on the board of directors for Central State Bank, the Alabama Bankers Association, the University of Montevallo Foundation, Briarwood Christian School, the Industrial Development Board of Calera, 58 Inc., SCEIDA, the Shelby County Hall of Fame, the Shelby County Historical Society, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors Bankers Advisory Board and the Security For Alabama Funds Enhancement. Schroeder holds both undergraduate and MBA degrees from Troy University.
Lee Styslinger III is co-chairman and CEO of Altec Inc., a global company headquartered in Birmingham that designs and manufactures equipment for electric utilities, telecommunications, and other industries. A philanthropist, he played a pivotal role in funding the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building at UAB, which advances genomic research and economic growth in Alabama. He is a graduate of Northwestern University with an MBA from Harvard University.
Mechelle Wilder is a founding partner of ARC Realty. She has been honored among Top 50 Women Leaders for Alabama for 2024, Top Birmingham Woman 2022, Birmingham Business Journal’s Women to Watch 2019 and Women Who Shape the State of Alabama 2018. A Samford University graduate and trustee, with a law degree from Birmingham School of Law, she serves on the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and Cornerstone Schools of Alabama boards. Earlier she chaired the Shelby County Chamber and led the Birmingham Association of Realtors MLS Board. She is active with anti-sex trafficking organization More Too Life and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Jesslan Wilson joined Shelby County as deputy county manager in May 2024, and joined the 58 Inc. board in December 2024. She also serves on the board of Cawaco Resource Conservation and Development District. Wilson earned her bachelor’s degree at Jacksonville State University and a master’s at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
This article appears in the February 2025 issue of Business Alabama.
