Category: Past Speakers

Dr. Tony G. Waldrop, President, University of South Alabama
Dr. Tony G. Waldrop was named the third president in the history of the University of South Alabama following a vote on February 6, 2014, by the University’s Board of Trustees.
Under Dr. Waldrop’s leadership, the University has achieved a record enrollment of more than 16,000 students, along with significant increases in student diversity, academic standards, and successful retention of first-year students. Dr. Waldrop’s tenure has included new partnerships with community colleges and enhanced advising for freshman and transfer students.
In his inauguration address, Dr. Waldrop outlined five priorities that now form the foundation for the University’s strategic plan: Student Access and Success, Enhancement of Research and Graduate Education, Global Engagement, Excellence in Health Care and University-Community Engagement. These priorities also are the framework of Upward & Onward, a $150 million fundraising campaign that was publicly launched in 2015.
An accomplished researcher, teacher and administrator in higher education for more than 30 years, Dr. Waldrop came to USA after serving four years as provost and executive vice president at the University of Central Florida, with previous stints as vice chancellor for research and economic development at the University of North Carolina and vice chancellor for research at the University of Illinois.
Dr. Waldrop has a bachelor’s degree in political science, a master’s in physical education and a Ph.D. in physiology, all from the University of North Carolina. Waldrop also attained athletic success at North Carolina, winning two NCAA championships as a mile runner on the track and field team and, in 1974, setting a world record for the indoor mile.
After earning his doctorate, he continued his training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in 1982 as a Research Fellow in the Cardiopulmonary Division, receiving a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Moss Heart Center.
In 1986, he joined the faculty in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Illinois, advancing to professor, earning the school’s Arnold O. Beckman Research Award, and recognition as a University Scholar and an American Heart Association Established Investigator.
Waldrop is a native of Columbus, N.C., and is married to Dr. Julee Briscoe Waldrop, who holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Duke University. She has been a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of North Carolina and the University of Central Florida. She is a published clinician and researcher and is also an accomplished athlete. They have two adult sons, Cabe and Dallas.

Biography of Dr. Timothy L. Smith
Dr. Timothy L. Smith serves as the 4th President of University of Mobile. He has an earned diploma in nursing from Baptist Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Memphis State University, Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Philosophy from University of Tennessee Health Science Center, diploma in nurse anesthesia from University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, and Master of Arts in Theology and Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been married to Penney Manae Smith for 29 years and has two children, Ashley Manae Wainscott, who resides in Jackson, Tennessee with her husband Alex, and Blake, who is a mechanical engineering student at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina.
Dr. Smith comes most recently from Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina where he served as Provost with prior service at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee and University of Tennessee system. Over the last 19 years, he has been engaged in leading the development of health care programs with a focus in Christian higher education for the last 11 years. In this time, Dr. Smith has published articles related to the practice of anesthesia and Christian higher education, led several medical mission trips and performed many community services through the church. Dr. Smith enjoys the opportunity to mentor students through the acquisition of academic preparation in fulfilling their professional calling and grateful to become part of the Mobile community.

James H. Barber
Chief of Police
Mobile Police Department
Chief James Barber has served with the Mobile Police Department for 27 years. During his career he has been assigned to various specialized units within the department, including Narcotics and Vice, Intelligence, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement, and Internal Affairs. He has commanded the Field Operations Bureau, Support Services Bureau, and the Administrative Services Bureau. He attended the University of South Alabama where he received his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice in 1996, and Troy State University where he received his graduate degree in Public Administration in 1997. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2004 and the National Executive Institute in 2014. Chief Barber served on the adjunct faculty with the University of South Alabama from 2002 through 2013.

Dr. Christopher Puto ’64 was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2003. He is a well-known leader in business education and has held management positions in the private sector. He most recently was the Dean and Opus Distinguished Chair of the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas. Prior to that, he served as Dean of the Robert Emmett McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. Puto’s academic specialties are marketing strategy, consumer and managerial decision-making and advertising. He was the first person to receive a Ph.D. in business administration from Duke University. Puto has an M.B.A. from the University of Miami (Fla.) and a B.S. in economics from Spring Hill College. He has won several research and teaching awards, including the Sheth Foundation/Journal of Consumer Research Award for significant long-term contributions to consumer research, and the Anderson Consulting Professor of the Year at the University of Arizona.

Paul Giardina Bio
• Paul Giardina (Jar – D- na)
• Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mobile since November 2010
• Native of Birmingham but moved to Mobile in 2003
• Has spent his entire career in non-profit management and fundraising before becoming director of Ronald McDonald House of Mobile as Campaign Director for the United Way of Southwest Alabama. Also worked for United Way of Central Alabama before moving to Mobile.
• Holds a degree in business administration from the University of Montevallo
• Recently got married to wife Alissa
• Between them they have 3 children: Mallory 11, Caroline 9, and Liam 5 who all attend St. Mary’s Catholic School

Commander Dan Straub grew up in Womelsdorf, PA, graduated from Conrad Weiser High School, and joined the Navy in 1983. CDR Straub earned his Bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University, a Master’s degree from Boston University, and a PhD from Naval Postgraduate School.
After boot camp and follow-on advanced electronics training, he reported to his first ship, the USS MANITOWOC (LST-1180) home-ported in Little Creek, VA. As a Fire Control Technician, he operated and maintained the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. He was promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 1991.
After commissioning as an Ensign at Penn State in 1996, Commander Straub’s first assignment as an officer was as First Lieutenant in charge of Deck Department on USS FORD (FFG 54), home-ported in Everett, WA. Following FORD, he was transferred to USS ARCTIC (AOE 8), home-ported in Earle, NJ, where he served his second division officer tour as Damage Control Assistant.
After his first two division officer tours, he was transferred to Boston University as an NROTC Assistant Professor, teaching basic and advanced navigation. While at BU, he earned his Master’s degree in International Relations. Following his tour at BU NROTC, he was assigned to USS SHOUP (DDG 86), home-ported in Everett, WA, as Weapons Officer and Combat Systems Officer.
Following his Department Head tours, he served as Executive Officer, Afloat Training Group, Pacific Northwest, charged with operational and combat training for seven U.S. Navy ships and 15 U. S. Coast Guard Cutters. After his position as XO ATGPNW, he attended Naval Postgraduate School as a Doctoral Candidate and earned his PhD in National Security Affairs, Security Studies.
Commander Straub’s most recent assignment was as Commanding Officer in USS INGRAHAM (FFG 61). While in command he executed a Combating-Transnational Organized Crime deployment in support of Operation Martillo, UNITAS, SIFOREX, & Fourth Fleet Theater Security Cooperation activities. Commander Straub is currently assigned as Commanding Officer of LCS Crew 208 “Paladins,” who will commission and assume command of the Navy’s newest warship, USS MONTGOMERY (LCS 8), in Mobile, Alabama.
Commander Straub has deployed to the Atlantic, Pacific, & Indian oceans, the Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, South China Sea, and Arabian Gulf, among other places. Commander Straub’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (7 Awards), Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 Awards), and various command and campaign awards. CDR Straub is married to Janet Hayes of Tabernacle, NJ, and they have two sons, Mark (23) & Sam (19)

Anna Katherine Ray is the Sponsorship and Community Outreach Chair for Girls on the Run South Alabama. In this position, she is tasked with harnessing the time, talent and treasure in our community in order to build a sustainable Girls on the Run Council in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Anna Katherine has called Mobile home since graduating from the University of Alabama, moving and meeting her husband Doug here 20 years ago. She is a wife, mother and owner of ARK Designs, a residential construction and design consulting firm. In her spare time she and her husband Doug and their two children enjoy traveling and outdoor and physical activities, especially those that involve the water.

Amanda Sibert
Amanda Sibert attended Auburn University and is the COO of The Kalifeh Media Group, a full service advertising agency in Mobile specializing in brand building. She is the executive board director of the Mobile Young Entrepreneurs and an active member in the community development of creative business professionals.

Johnny Gwin loves his many lives. One life is being the Creative Director and Partner at Hummingbird Ideas Digital Advertising & Design Studio. Another life is learning to be the Content Creator at Deep Fried Studios, a podcast creation and media production studio dedicated to creating the most compelling and entertaining podcasts possible. And embarking on another life, Johnny is just co-founded and launched Mobile’s newest creative Downtown Co-working Club called – Container Yard.
After 15 years of his love affair with advertising and design, he, met the much smarter, taller and prettier Stacy Wellborn and luckily for Johnny, she cautiously agreed to marry him.
Johnny’s new career purpose is to successfully combine creativity, art, commerce, and the power of the entrepreneurial spirit. He believes everyone has an amazing story to share and that we can all be creative thinkers. Currently, when he is not hosting the Fan of Podcast podcast, Crusader of Cool and Pulpit To Pew, Johnny is working on a Joe Cain children’s book and – Infinite Pilgrim. Infinite Pilgrim is a book and a podcast that explores the freedom of not being a guru but explores the joy of always striving to be one.