TWENTY-TWENTY SIX
Government Affairs Conference
AUGUST 7 - 9
The premier gathering for Alabama business and state leaders to network, learn, and discuss current topics of interest.
The Place to be
The BCA Government Affairs Conference welcomes a wide range of speakers including state and federal leaders, business experts, and political pundits.
This annual event offers a unique opportunity to be part of the conversations shaping Alabama’s future during a pivotal election year and the beginning of a new legislative quadrennium, all while connecting with business and state leaders at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear.
Conference Schedule
Friday, August 7
8:00 AM
Check-In
10:00 AM
ProgressPAC Board Meeting
11:00 AM
BCA Executive Committee Meeting
2:00 PM
BCA Board Meeting
3:00 PM
BCA Policy Discussions
Regulatory Panel
Moderator: Jason Isbell
Panelists:
• Scott Shamburger, President & CEO, The Highland Group
• Paul Kavinoky, President, Alabama Mining Association
• Kyle South, President, West Alabama Chamber of Commerce; former state legislator
Economic Development Panel
Moderator: Robin Ricks
Panelists:
• Robert La Branche, Director of State & Local Government Relations, Lockheed Martin
• Vince Perez, Director of Economic Development, Southeast Gas
• Lee Lawson, President, Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance
4:00 PM
Committee Cocktail Hour
Grand Ballroom Patio
5:00 PM
Welcome Celebration
Grand Ballroom
Saturday, August 8
8:15 AM
Doors Open for Breakfast
Grand Ballroom
9:00 AM
BCA Government Affairs Forum
Grand Ballroom
12:00 PM
Golf Outing
Lakewood Golf Club
Presented by GMC and Brasfield & Gorrie
1:00 PM
Pool Networking Social
Presented by Southeast Gas
Sunday, August 9
9:00 AM
Networking Jazz Brunch
Presented by Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Lagoon Room
11:00 AM
Hotel Check Out
BCA '26 SPEAKERS
Kay Ivey
Governor
Growing up in the small town of Camden in Wilcox County, Alabama, and working on her father’s farm taught Kay Ivey to value hard work and living within one’s means. Her parents instilled values of faith, family, and community. After graduating from Auburn University in 1967, Kay worked as a high school teacher and a bank officer. She served as Reading Clerk of the Alabama House of Representatives under Speaker Joseph C. McCorquodale and was Assistant Director of the Alabama Development Office, where she worked to spur job creation and economic development across the state. In 2002, Kay became the first Republican elected State Treasurer since Reconstruction and she was re-elected in 2006. As Treasurer, Kay was committed to making the office more open, transparent, and efficient. Kay was elected Lieutenant Governor in 2010, becoming the first Republican woman to hold the office in Alabama’s history. She again made history on November 4, 2014, by becoming the first Republican Lieutenant Governor re-elected to the office. The Lieutenant Governor’s primary Constitutional duty is to preside over legislative proceedings of the upper house as President of the Senate. Kay has been honored to receive numerous awards for her service to the State of Alabama, including the 2015 ALFA Service to Agriculture Award, Newmax’s 50 Most Influential Female Republicans in the country and, most recently, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) 2016 Public Service Award; 2017 Citizen of the Year, by River Region Living Magazine. In September 2019, the Alabama-Florida Council of the Boy Scouts of America distinguished Governor Ivey as a Golden Eagle for her ‘scout like service’ and being a trailblazer for women. On April 10, 2017, Kay was sworn in as the 54th Governor of the State of Alabama in the Old Senate Chamber in the Alabama State Capitol by Acting Chief Justice Lyn Stuart. Following a successful nineteen months in office, the people of Alabama made history again in November 2018 by electing Governor Ivey to a full term. She is the first Lt. Governor of Alabama elected to a full term after taking over as governor due to a vacancy in the governor’s office. On January 14, 2019, Governor Ivey was officially sworn in for her full term by Associate Justice Will Sellers. Kay will continue to bring conservative leadership with effective results to make this generation more productive and the next generation more prosperous. She is a member of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery, the Montgomery Rotary Club, and the Board of Directors of the Montgomery YMCA. Kay is also the first Girls State alumnus to be elected to an Alabama Constitutional Office.
Katie Britt
U.S. Senator
In 2023, U.S. Senator Kate Boyd Britt (R-Ala.) made history as Alabama’s first elected female Senator. She is also recognized as the youngest Republican woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate and currently the sole Republican mother of school-aged children serving in the Senate. Senator Britt is dedicated to advocating for hardworking families, striving to expand opportunities and safeguard the American Dream for future generations. In the 118th Congress, she holds pivotal roles on the Committees on Appropriations, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Rules and Administration. These committee assignments strategically position her to effectively champion Alabama’s interests and values, tackling pressing challenges with practical solutions. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Britt prioritizes national defense, ensuring that American military personnel are well-equipped and trained to uphold safety and security for all families. She is committed to restoring fiscal responsibility in government spending and advocating for a return to regular order to curb wasteful expenditures contributing to inflationary pressures across the nation. In her role as Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, she places significant emphasis on border security, aiming to protect American citizens and defend the homeland. On the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Britt advocates for sensible consumer protections and policies that foster economic freedom and prosperity for families, small businesses, and retirees in Alabama and nationwide. She champions Main Street businesses and policies that facilitate their growth and success. Her membership on the Rules Committee allows her to uphold Senate traditions and principles, defending the Constitution, the rule of law, and the Senate’s commitment to robust debate and civil discourse. Born and raised in Enterprise, Alabama, Senator Britt learned the values of faith, family, and freedom from her small business-owning parents. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and a J.D. from the University of Alabama. A devout Christian, wife, and mother, Senator Britt resides in Montgomery with her husband Wesley and their two children, where faith and family remain central to her life and work.
Tommy Tuberville
U.S. Senator
Senator Tommy Tuberville was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 and is currently serving his first term representing Alabama. However, his constituents still know him as Coach Tuberville, following his 40-year career coaching college football. His career in higher education as a college football coach includes stints as an Assistant Coach and Defensive-Coordinator at the University of Miami and Texas A&M, before being named the Head Coach at the University of Mississippi. In 1998, Tuberville was named Head Coach at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, where he coached for 11 years. Tuberville was inspired to serve in Congress by his father, a World War II veteran and recipient of five Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart, who instilled in him the values of patriotism, work ethic, and grit. Tuberville has been called the “common-sense conservative,” focusing on battling against government overreach, fighting for the unborn, and passionately supporting the nation’s law enforcement and military. He has earned the reputation of a fighter for Alabamian’s values and will be an accessible, responsive, and vocal leader in the U.S. Senate. Tuberville lives in Auburn, Alabama, with his wife Suzanne, and they have two adult sons, Tucker and Troy.
Robert Aderholt
U.S. Representative
On January 7, 2023, Congressman Robert B. Aderholt took the oath of office to serve his 14th term representing Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District. Aderholt is a member of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations, which has jurisdiction over funding the operation of the federal government. Congressman Aderholt serves as the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education. This subcommittee is responsible for the largest non-defense portion of spending in the entire federal budget. Aderholt also serves as a member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee and the Defense Subcommittee. An advocate of fiscal responsibility, truth in budgeting and a federal government that operates within its means, Aderholt tries to bring common-sense solutions to the Appropriations Committee. Congressman Aderholt also serves as Chair of the Values Action Team. The Values Action Team (VAT) is a registered Congressional Member Organization in the House of Representatives focused on promoting families, communities and religious freedoms. Aderholt also serves as a commission member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (commonly known as the Helsinki Commission). Founded in 1976, the Helsinki Commission is comprised of 56 countries around the world that together monitors human rights in Europe and Central Asia. A staunch supporter of his community, district and the state of Alabama, Aderholt believes the federal government serves a critical role in assisting state and local projects regarding economic development. He continues to support pro-growth initiatives that create jobs, strong immigration standards, and robust national security. He also puts a strong emphasis on constituent services. Prior to his election to Congress, Aderholt served as Assistant Legal Advisor to Governor Fob James as well as Municipal Judge for the city of Haleyville, Alabama. Educated through Alabama's public school system, Aderholt went on to receive his B.A. from Birmingham Southern College and his J.D. from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. Born on July 22, 1965, and raised in Alabama, Aderholt and his wife, Caroline, have their residence in Haleyville. Their daughter Mary Elliott works for a consulting firm in Washington and son Robert Hayes attends Auburn University.
Shomari Figures
U.S. Representative
Congressman Shomari C. Figures represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. For Shomari, Alabama is home. It’s where he was raised in his grandfather’s church and educated from kindergarten to law school. His parents inspired him to dedicate his life to advocating for the people of Alabama. Shomari’s father, the late Michael Figures, was a state senator and lawyer who fought to expand rights for Black people in Mobile and across Black Belt Alabama for over two decades. He worked to protect property rights and ensure fair representation for Black people, and successfully brought the lawsuit that bankrupted the Klan after they lynched a Black teenager in Mobile in 1981. Shomari’s mother, Vivian Figures, served on the Mobile City Council, currently serves as State Senator, and has worked to protect women’s rights and improve health and education in Alabama. After graduating from John L. LeFlore High School, Figures attended the University of Alabama and then followed in his father’s footsteps and attended law school at the University of Alabama. He served as a law clerk on the federal court, worked on President Barack Obama’s campaign, and then went on to work in the White House, serving as the Domestic Director of Presidential Personnel. Shomari worked closely with senior leadership at the Departments of Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Justice. Figures supported the implementation of policies and legislation like the Affordable Care Act from the ground up, improving the lives of thousands in Alabama. Figures went on to serve as the White House Liaison at the Department of Justice alongside Loretta Lynch, the first Black woman to serve as Attorney General, and then as a Counsel in Congress, where he served as an advisor on issues including civil rights, immigration, homeland security, child welfare, and policing. He worked on the Biden-Harris Transition Team and then returned to the Department of Justice, where he most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Counselor for Attorney General Merrick Garland. With his vast experience, Figures will improve the quality of life for everyone. Shomari is married to Dr. Kalisha Dessources Figures, an impact strategist who works across research, policy, and politics to advance gender and racial equity and strengthen civic engagement and leadership. They have four children.
Barry Moore
U.S. Representative
Born and raised on a family farm in Coffee County, Alabama, Barry Moore is a veteran, small business owner, and former member of the Alabama State House. After high school, Barry joined the Alabama National Guard and Reserves, serving for six years. During that time, he also pursued a degree in Agricultural Science at Auburn University, and joined the Auburn ROTC Army Ranger Challenge Team. Barry's first job out of college was in the animal pharmaceutical industry, but Barry returned to his hometown of Enterprise to start Hopper-Moore Inc., an industrial waste hauling company, which has also been an Alabama general contractor for more than two decades. In 2010, Barry was recruited to run for the Alabama State House to represent District 91 and served for eight years, including as Chairman of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and Vice-Chair of the Small Business and Commerce Committee. Barry’s Congressional office was selected as the winner for the outstanding achievement of the Congressional Management Foundation's "Life in Congress" Workplace Environment award and was nominated for the Constituent Accountability & Accessibility award in 2023. Barry and his wife and business partner, Heather, are the proud parents of four children - Jeremy (married to Brittany), Kathleen (married to 1LT Jack Whitfield), Claudia, and Jeb. They are active members of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Enterprise.
Gary Palmer
U.S. Representative
Mr. Palmer, who grew up in Hackleburg, a small town in Northwest Alabama, now represents Alabama’s 6th Congressional District. Mr. Palmer attended the University of Alabama and was the first person on either side of his family to attend college. In addition, he was a walk-on member of the football team under legendary football coach Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant. After earning a B.S. in Operations Management, he worked in the private sector for 12 years; including nine with two major engineering construction companies, before involvement with Focus on the Family led him to start the Alabama Family Alliance which later became the Alabama Policy Institute. Palmer served as President of the Alabama Policy Institute for 24 years. During his tenure, the Alabama Policy Institute became a full-spectrum public policy research organization that engaged in virtually all policy issues that affected Alabamians. It is considered the premier conservative think-tank in Alabama. Palmer also was a founding member of the board of directors of the State Policy Network, an umbrella organization for various state-based think-tanks. He served on the State Policy Network board for six years, the last two as chairman. Leading this broad coalition of policy thinkers gave Palmer exposure and knowledge of policy problems that confront all 50 states. Palmer served on four different state commissions on behalf of three different Governors. He was appointed to the Welfare Reform Commission by Governor Fob James. He also served as an advisor to Governor James’ Aerospace, Science and Technology Task Force. He was appointed to the Task Force to Strengthen Alabama Families by Governor Bob Riley, and the Alabama Commission on Improving State Government by Governor Robert Bentley. In 2014, he was elected to the 114th Congress, having never served in office before. In Congress, Palmer is focused on securing our borders; combatting inflation to reduce the cost of living; regulatory reform by reducing the number and expense of federal regulations; lowering energy costs and spurring economic growth and job creation by accessing America’s vast energy resources; developing a new health care plan that puts people back in charge of their health care decisions and that will truly make health care affordable and accessible; paying down the national debt by cutting spending; and protecting life in all its forms. Palmer serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Subcommittees on Energy; Oversight and Investigations; as well as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment. Palmer also serves on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and on the Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs. Palmer previously served as the Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee for three terms. In addition to his B.S. degree, Palmer also received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Mobile.
Mike Rogers
U.S. Representative
Mike Rogers is a sixth generation East Alabamian. He is a conservative, a Christian, the father of three and married to his wife, Beth, for over 40 years. Since he was first elected in 2002, Mike has been known for his tireless advocacy for the people and interests of Alabama’s Third Congressional District. He currently serves as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and previously served as the Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security in the 116th Congress, both vital to Alabama’s interests. Nationally, Rep. Rogers has built a reputation as a recognized leader on national security and a strong advocate for national defense. As Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, he works to ensure that our military is properly funded, that our warfighters have the resources and weapons they need to succeed on current and future battlefields, and that the military is focused on deterring and combatting threats coming from China and our other adversaries. During his tenure on the House Armed Services Committee, Mike saw a need to realign our resources and efforts toward countering our adversaries in space. With bipartisan support in Congress – Mike initiated and oversaw the creation of the U.S. Space Force. In Congress, Mike works to defend Alabama’s interests and pushes for policies that will boost our national security and protect our homeland.
Terri Sewell
U.S. Representative
Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell is in her eighth term representing Alabama’s 7th Congressional District. She is one of the first women elected to Congress from Alabama in her own right and is the first Black woman to ever serve in the Alabama Congressional delegation. Congresswoman Sewell sits on the exclusive House Ways and Means Committee where she serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight She also sits on the Committee on House Administration where she serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Elections. Sewell has held several leadership positions during her time in Congress, including Freshman Class President in the 112th Congress. In the 119th Congress, she was selected by Democratic leadership to serve as a Chief Deputy Whip, and sits on the prestigious Steering and Policy Committee which sets the policy direction of the Democratic Caucus. Congresswoman Sewell is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus where she is Chair of the Voting Rights Task Force. She is a member of the New Democrat Coalition; Co-Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus; Vice-Chair of the Congressional HBCU Caucus; and Co-Chair of the Rural Caucus. A proud product of Alabama’s rural Black Belt, Congresswoman Sewell was the first black valedictorian of Selma High School. She is an honors graduate of Princeton University and Oxford University in England and received her law degree from Harvard Law School.
DAle Strong
U.S. Representative
Representative Dale W. Strong was sworn in to serve Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District in January 2023. Representative Strong serves on the House Appropriations Committee, where he is on three key Subcommittees: Commerce, Justice, and Science, as Vice Chair; Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development; and Legislative Branch. Strong also serves as the Chairman of the Homeland Security Emergency Management and Technology Subcommittee. Before going to Washington, DC, Strong served as the Chairman of the Madison County Commission, the second-largest county in the state. He served in local government for 26 years, starting as the youngest Republican elected official in Alabama and eventually earning the title of the Madison County Commission’s first-ever Republican chairman. Strong took a business-minded approach to local government. He reduced the county workforce, improved department efficiency, and implemented sound financial management—without raising taxes. Strong brings the same common-sense approach he used in local government to Washington, D.C. A true public servant, Strong has spent his entire adult life as a committed first responder. Starting as a junior volunteer firefighter and 911 dispatcher, Strong has 35 years of service as an EMT and 41 years as a volunteer firefighter, and he still answers calls to this day. He has been married to Laura Toney Strong for 25 years and has two children: Whitney and Harrison.
Paul Finebaum
Sports Commentator
Paul Finebaum, who grew up in Memphis and attended the University of Tennessee, began his career as a muckraking newspaper journalist in Birmingham Alabama, caught the wave of talk radio in the nineties and ultimately landed his show in 2010 on Sirius-XM radio. Finebaum has often said the portion of his career he is most proud of is his early newspaper career at the Birmingham Post-Herald, something he often lectures about on college campuses around the nation. He captured more than 250 sportswriting awards, both on a state, regional and national basis, including 1st place in investigative reporting by APSE early in his career. Since joining ESPN in 2013, he has appeared on College GameDay and is a regular, in addition to his own daily show on the SEC Network and simulcast on ESPN Radio, on Sportscenter, Outside the Lines, Get Up and First Take. Finebaum’s career has not gone unnoticed in Hollywood either as there is currently a sitcom script, “King of the South,’’ bought and being developed for ABC about his daily show as well as a documentary in the works on his career. He has also developed a stand-alone interview show on the SEC Network and has done sit-downs with the likes of Apple Chairman and CEO Tim Cook, former Augusta National chairman Billy Payne, Lockheed-Martin chairman and CEO, Marilyn Hewson, retired Admiral William McCraven, who led the raid that captured and killed Osama Bin Laden, author John Grisham and country star Darius Rucker. Bryan Curtis, the editor-in-chief of the The Ringer featured Finebaum in a piece title, ‘’How Sports Radio Hosts Became America’s Grief Counselors,’’ writing, ‘’For years, we’ve heard that people who distrust American institutions can be reached by Joe Rogan or the hosts of Chapo Trap House. The coronavirus has shown that The Paul Finebaum Show is at least somewhere on the list.’’ Dan Wolken did a similar piece in USA Today under the heading: “College football fans seek comfort in familiar voice, Paul Finebaum.’’ Finebaum has been honored countless times and most recently was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by the University of Tennessee, the Mel Allen Award by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and his October, will be enshrined in the University of Alabama’s School of Communication Hall of Fame. Finebaum has spoken all over the country and at various colleges including the law-school commencement in 2015 at the University of Mississippi.
Jo Bonner
President, University of South Alabama
Josiah (Jo) Robins Bonner, Jr. was selected the fourth president of the University of South Alabama in November 2021 with a commitment to establishing South as the Flagship of the Gulf Coast. Under his leadership, South has positioned itself as a top destination for a quality education and the region’s fastest-growing academic medical system. Bonner has visited with students, teachers and college counselors representing more than 100 high schools throughout Alabama and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast; he has helped tell South’s story to more than 8,500 prospective students. With a focus on engagement, Bonner initiated Jag Days, bringing high school students to campus on Jaguar Athletics buses for spirited VIP tours to see all South has to offer. His upbeat message builds on South’s journey of progress and renews its promise to students and their families: A degree from the University of South Alabama is a first-class ticket to a brighter future. Previously, Bonner served as chief of staff to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. For more than a decade, he represented Alabama’s First District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he earned a reputation as a respected and influential voice of reason in both Alabama and Washington. He was a member of the House Appropriations Committee and chaired the House Ethics Committee. During Bonner’s time as chairman, the bi-partisan Ethics Committee always had a unanimous vote. His crowning Congressional accomplishment came in 2012 when Airbus announced plans to build its first U.S. Final Assembly Line in Mobile. He secured a $2.8 billion contract for Austal to build 10 Littoral Combat Ships for the U.S. Navy. President Bonner is an inductee to the Alabama Academy of Honor, the state’s premiere recognition of 100 living Alabamians for their outstanding accomplishments and service. He is also a 2023 graduate of Leadership Alabama, where he serves on their board. In 2016, the Business Council of Alabama created the inaugural Congressman Jo Bonner Spirit of Leadership Award and honored Bonner as its first recipient. He also received the Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor the U.S. Navy bestows on a civilian, and has been named the 2023 Patriot of the Year by Mobile Bay Area Veterans Council. President Bonner is married to the former Janée Lambert, of Mobile, and they are the parents of a daughter, Lee, and a son, Robins.
DAryl Taylor
Senior Vice President of U.S. Commercial Aircraft Operations, Airbus
As Senior Vice President of U.S. Commercial Aircraft Operations for Airbus, Daryl Taylor oversees all commercial aircraft production and operations across the United States. He joined Airbus in 2015 to lead the ramp-up of the company’s U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama, which began with a single A320 Final Assembly Line. Under his leadership, Airbus’ U.S. manufacturing footprint has experienced continuous growth, marked by the addition of an A220 assembly line in 2019, the opening of a second A320 assembly line in mid-2025, and the delivery of more than 600 commercial aircraft to date. Today, his scope of responsibility encompasses the Mobile assembly lines; the Airbus Aerosystems facility in Kinston, North Carolina, which manufactures advanced composite structures for the A350 aircraft; Airbus Robotics in Seattle, Washington; and the Airbus North America Procurement team. Prior to joining Airbus, Daryl held significant leadership roles across the aerospace sector. He served as Vice President and General Manager at GKN Aerospace, managing machining and subassembly facilities, and as General Manager of the Q400 Program at Bombardier Aerospace. His previous experience also includes key directorial roles at Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, including Director of Operations H4000 and Director of Six Sigma & Performance Excellence. Daryl began his career as a Certified Engineering Apprentice at Airbus in the UK. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Aeronautical Engineering from North East Wales Institute and a B.S. degree in Manufacturing Technology from Southwestern College, Kansas.
Daniel J. Wahby
Associate Vice President of State Government Affairs,
Eli Lilly and Company
Daniel J. Wahby is Associate Vice President of State Government Affairs at Eli Lilly and Company, where he has worked for nearly three decades. Based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Dan plays a key role in shaping healthcare public policy across all 50 states, drawing on extensive experience in federal, state, and local government affairs. Before joining Lilly, Dan held roles at the Tobacco Institute and worked extensively in state and local government, gaining firsthand knowledge of legislative processes and advocacy. At the Tobacco Institute, he led state-level efforts on ballot initiatives and referenda, including statewide campaigns related to tobacco issues. At Lilly, Dan has also collaborated with Federal and International Government Affairs on health policy initiatives. Dan is recognized for his hands-on, strategic approach to policy development and for engaging directly with legislators, governors, regulatory agencies, providers, and patient stakeholders. His work covers a broad range of issues, including Medicaid reform, price controls, tort reform, pharmaceutical access, illicit compounding, and public health initiatives. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Dan spent time in the Washington, D.C., area and lived in several states across the U.S. before settling in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where he lives with his wife, Robin, and daughter, Olivia. Outside of work, he is active in charitable organizations and enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.
Clarence Mingo
Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Government Relations,
The Marzetti Company
Clarence Mingo serves as Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Government Relations at The Marzetti Company, an Ohio-based publicly traded specialty food manufacturer. In this role, he leads the company’s enterprise performance reporting and regulatory disclosure efforts, as well as its government relations and stakeholder engagement strategy. He oversees the governance, measurement, and external reporting of environmental, supply chain, and regulatory performance. Prior to his corporate career, Clarence held elected and appointed positions in Ohio, including Auditor of Franklin County (Columbus), Commissioner of the Ohio Court of Claims, and Commissioner of the Ohio Lottery. These roles provided experience in public policy, public accountability, and regulatory governance. Clarence is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he earned both his bachelor’s and law degrees. He is a U.S. Army veteran and served with the 1st Infantry Division during the Persian Gulf War. Clarence resides in New Albany, Ohio, with his wife, Angela, and their two daughters.
Federico Kochlowski
President and Chief Executive Officer, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc.
Federico Kochlowski became the new President and Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. (MBUSI) effective May 1, 2024. In this role, he leads MBUSI’s 5,800+ Team Members in the assembly of the GLE, GLE Coupé, GLS and Mercedes-Maybach GLS in Alabama. MBUSI is also the assembly location of the all-electric SUV versions of the EQS and EQE and the Mercedes-Maybach EQS produced exclusively in Tuscaloosa for the U.S. and global market. Plant Tuscaloosa’s second campus in Bibb County, Alabama houses several logistics operations and a Battery Plant, which produces battery systems for the plant’s electric models. More than 4.5 million vehicles have been produced in Tuscaloosa since 1997. The plant was the first major automotive manufacturing location in the State of Alabama—serving as the catalyst for additional OEMs, and automotive suppliers. It has also encouraged other businesses to come to the area. In addition to those MBUSI employs, the plant secures more than 55,000 additional jobs with suppliers and service providers in the region. So far, Mercedes-Benz has invested a total of more than $7 billion in Alabama, $1 billion earmarked for production of electric passenger cars, expanding the plant’s logistics activities and for its battery factory. In 2026, in connection with the World Premiere of the 2027 GLE and GLS, Mercedes-Benz announced another $4 billion for the Tuscaloosa plant and future products. Kochlowski’s experience is extensive, spanning several leadership production roles at Mercedes-Benz, and across several regions including the U.S., China and Mexico. Kochlowski joined MBUSI as Vice President of Operations at MBUSI in 2023. Mr. Kochlowski holds an Engineering Degree from Catholic University Cordoba and an Executive MBA from Michigan State University. Mr. Kochlowski and his wife live in Hoover, Alabama. They have 4 children.
For More Information
ON BCA '26 OR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES,
PLEASE EMAIL MADELINE GREEN AT
MGREEN@bcatoday.org OR CALL 334.240.8740