Author: peggy

Bio Statement for Cynthia D. Klemmer, Ph.D. (Cindy)

Dr. Klemmer has had a lifelong love of plants, gardening, and nature.

Dr. Klemmer earned a B.S. in Horticultural Sciences from Texas A&M University (Gig ‘em!), where she was lucky enough to do an internship at the Dallas Arboretum and another in Horticultural Therapy. These focuses on the ‘people’ side of horticulture shaped her career, leading her to focus on public horticulture. She continued her studies by earning her M.S. in Public Horticulture Administration from the Longwood Graduate Program at the University of Delaware. In her master’s studies, Dr. Klemmer’s research focused on the planning and creation of exhibits for youth and family audiences. After working at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in Boston, where she served as ‘The Plantmobile Lady’, she returned to Texas A&M University, where she earned her Ph.D. in Horticultural Sciences with a focus on People-Plant Connections. Her research area focused on STEM/science achievement of students involved in school gardening programs.

Dr. Klemmer has been fortunate to work at a number of botanical gardens around the country over the past 35+ years: the Chicago Botanic Garden, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden (Charlotte, NC), Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and Bok Tower Gardens (both in Florida), and the San Antonio Botanic Garden. Most recently she served as the Public Gardens Manager for the City of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department, where she managed the Zilker Botanical Garden as well as the historic Mayfield Estate, and the City’s community gardens program comprised of 26 gardens around Austin. She was thrilled to come to Mobile where it actually rains, resulting in the lush and lovely plant palette that we enjoy here.

Dr. Klemmer has worked in the interface of plants and people throughout her career, and has a passion for creating nature-based programs, events, and exhibits that create engaging and meaningful experiences and cultivate a passion for nature in the community.

Greg Reed was appointed to serve as the first Secretary of Workforce by Governor Kay Ivey on February 1, 2025, after fourteen years of service in the Alabama Senate representing Senate District 5.

Greg Reed grew up in Walker County and graduated from Walker County public schools. He attended Walker College, which is now Bevill State Community College, before earning his bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama. He married his high school sweetheart, Mitsy Harbison of Cordova and raised three sons in Jasper.

In 2010, first-time candidate Greg Reed was elected to the Alabama Senate. In 2014, he was re-elected, without opposition, by the voters of Senate District 5. At the start of the new legislative term in 2015, his Republican colleagues elected him Majority Leader of the Alabama Senate and continued to serve until 2021.

In 2021, the Alabama Senate unanimously elected Senator Greg Reed to serve as the President Pro Tempore of the Alabama State Senate where he served with distinction until his appointment from Governor Ivey.

Speaker Bio – Mike Sledge

Mike Sledge began his career in the hardware and industrial supply business as a teenager, working as a stock boy in a small, family-owned hardware store in the late 1980s. That early experience sparked a lifelong passion for the industry. He went on to build a successful career with a Fortune 500 industrial distribution company, managing locations across the Southeastern United States.

At age 39, Mike took a leap of faith and, alongside his wife Suzy, founded Coastal Industrial Supply in 2010. Today, their company supplies materials to companies and job sites across the country. A Baldwin County, Alabama resident since 2003, Mike is proud to work alongside his children, Jake and Maggie, who help run the family business. His youngest, Marley, is currently attending the University of Montevallo. Mike and Suzy are also the devoted owners of Woody, their lovable (and slightly dopey) golden retriever.

The Sledges split their time between Alabama and New Orleans, where they recently purchased a small shotgun home in the St. Roch neighborhood, allowing them to stay connected to a city they fell in love with decades ago.

Mike joined Rotary in 2017 and has been an active and dedicated member ever since. He has served as Club President and Assistant Governor and currently serves as District PolioPlus Chair and District RYLA Chair for Rotary District 6880 for the 2025–2026 Rotary year. His commitment to leadership development and global service reflects his deep belief in Rotary’s mission.

Outside of work and service, Mike enjoys restoring vintage automobiles, especially classic Volkswagens, and traveling in search of new adventures. In the summer of 2024, he spent 18 days riding a Royal Enfield motorcycle through the Himalayan Mountains of Northern India as part of the International Fellowship of Motorcycling Rotarians. Along the way, he survived harrowing roads, questionable food, unforgettable hospitality, and some of the most breathtaking scenery on Earth, all while raising funds for The Rotary Foundation.

A little-known fun fact: Mike has two cocktails named after him. If you find yourself at C’est Le Vin in Foley, Alabama, order a “Sledgehammer,” or at The Gemstone in Amory, Mississippi, try the “Mike Sledge.” They are entirely different, equally memorable, and guaranteed to be enjoyed.

 

Karen Poth was named Executive Director of the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf in 2023. In that role, she’s led a reimaging of the museum – increasing visitor counts and developing landmark exhibits on the Mobile River Delta and Jimmy Buffett.

Karen is an innovative storyteller and thinker with a proven track record of building and leading teams, developing organizational strategy, crafting interactive experiences, branding and marketing. Before her time in Mobile, Karen was the creative director for the Museum of the Bible, in Washington, D.C., and has held senior roles at Walt Disney World, Hallmark Cards, and the VeggieTales franchise.

Karen holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Missouri as well as a “Mousters” and a “Ducktorate” in Theme Park Management from Disney University. She is a published author of more than 30 children’s books and has designed and produced more than 45 museum exhibitions.

A storyteller at heart, Karen believes any creative organization’s ultimate duty is to tell stories and create experiences that bring joy and inspiration to the human spirit.

David serves as the Executive Vice President of Economic Development at the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. He joined the economic development department in January 2015. David’s department is the lead economic development agency for the City of Mobile and Mobile County. Under his role, David oversees the day-to-day operations of the department, which consists of business recruitment and expansion, international trade, foreign direct investment, workforce development, talent attraction, existing industry relations, and investor relations. Prior to his role as Executive Vice President, David served as the Vice President, Senior Project Manager, and Project Manager, where he managed lead generation, project recruitment activity, and industrial site development for the Mobile area. David has led his team in announcing 10,211 new direct jobs and more than $8.4 billion of new investment in the Mobile community. David serves on various local boards, including the Board of Directors for the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission and the Board of Directors for the USA Research and Technology Park. He completed the University of Alabama Economic Honors Program and Oklahoma University’s Economic Development Institute. In 2022, David earned the designation of CEcD, the highest certification for economic development practitioners. David was born and raised in Mobile and attended the University of Southern Mississippi. He and his wife, Lauren, have two young sons.