Category: Past Speakers

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.

BARRY CAVAN
District Governor
District 6880
Rotary Club of Montgomery-Sunrise, AL
Barry began his Rotary relationship in the mid 1970’s when joining the Montgomery Rotary Club. In 1995 he helped charter the Montgomery Sunrise Rotary Club. Over his many years in Rotary, Barry served his club and district. He has served on all the clubs committees and was president of the Club in 2007-08. As chairman of the fund raising committee, he created the Commitment to Service Roast and Recognition Event and was Chairman of the event its first 6 years. This event is now in its12th year .He is a charter member of the Montgomery Sunrise Foundation and served as its first chairman. He was awarded the District 6880 Outstanding Club President in 2007-08.
On a district level he worked district wide with the Interact Clubs. Barry has served as Assistant Governor and Governors Aid. He has chaired the District Simplified Grants Committee and District Grants sub-committee chair, District Governor Nominee and District Governor Elect. He attended Rotary Leadership Institute, multiple PETS, Training the Trainers, Visioning, and the emerging Leaders’ Summit and several Rotary Zone 30 & 31 Institutes. Barry is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and he and Joan are members of the Bequest Society.
A native Floridian, Barry moved to Alabama in 1966. Barry began his first career with Easter Seals Alabama in 1973. He was named President and CEO of Easter Seals Alabama and Executive Vice President of the Alabama Society for Crippled Children and Adults, Inc. in 1986. He retired after 31 years. His second carrier began in 2006 as the Director of Catholic Social Services Montgomery. He retired from Catholic Social Services in August, 2015.
Barry is an active member of St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church. He has served his parish on the Pastoral Council having served as its Chairman. He has chaired the Catholic Charities Drive for his parish and spoke annually at various parishes for this appeal. He has also served on the St. Bede School Board.
Barry married the former Joan Walker of Montgomery. They have three daughters Kathleen, an Audiologist working with Auburn University; Kristin, Project Manager-Clinical Operations, Becton Dickinson; and Kelly, Director of Marketing, Power Tools Division TechTronic Industries of North America. They have two granddaughters – Emma and Anna and three grandsons Cavan, Luke and Jack (John Bradford)
Mr. Cavan served on multiple boards dealing with senior housing, FEMA and the food bank.