ABCO has
assembled a strong collection of management personnel for Board and
Company operations. ABCO is uniquely positioned to take advantage of
certain business acquisitions due to the distinctive experience and
competence of its management and outside consultant resources. The ABCO
team has a unique competence in identifying, investigating, acquiring
and managing new business opportunities. The Company also utilizes external
resources in the areas of legal, accounting and tax, and engineering
services. The following is a brief description of the executive management.
THOMAS
E. LOONEY is Chairman of the Board
of Directors and a 1962 graduate of the University of Tennessee with
a B.S. degree in Animal Science. Following his graduation, Mr. Looney
served his country in the United States Army, where he was stationed
in Germany. After this three-year service, Mr. Looney returned to Knoxville,
Tennessee where he served as Farm Director for WATE radio and television
while attending law school. In 1967 he graduated from the University
of Tennesse College of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence and was admitted
to the Tennessee Bar that same year. Since 1967, Mr. Looney has managed
an active private law practice in Crossville, Tennessee. In addition
to this law practice Mr. Looney oversees a commercial cattle-farming
operation and is a commercial and residential real estate developer.
Mr. Looney also serves or has served as director of a bank, medical
practice, university, the National Cattle Association and other local
boards.
ED LEIGH McMILLAN,
II is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company. He
earned his B.S. degree in Forest Management from North Carolina
State College and later earned his B.S. degree in finance from the University
of Alabama. Following his undergraduate studies, Mr. McMillan returned
to his home town of Brewton, Alabama in 1964 where he has been involved
in various business interests. In addition to serving as the Managing
Trustee to D.W. McMillan Trust and D.W. McMillan Foundation, Mr. McMillan
oversees several land and timber companies in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi
and Louisiana that involve well over 348,000 acres. These operations
produce lumber, boxes, utility poles, cattle and mineral products in
the wholesale and retail markets. Mr. McMillan also owns a large personal
cattle and hay farm in Brewton, Alabama.
JESSE A. KELLER
is a member of the Board of Directors and attorney. Mr. Keller received
his Juris Doctorate from the University of Alabama and has practiced
law continuously in Florence, Alabama since his graduation. He has served
as President of the Lauderdale County Bar Association, as well as general
counsel for the University of North Alabama. Mr. Keller was an organizer
of Shoals National Bank, served as its general counsel, and served on
the local Board of Directors of AmSouth Bank when it merged with Shoals
National. Mr. Keller serves or has served as president or trustee of
several community and state organizations, including a medical facility
and a statewide children's homes ministry.
THOMAS E. (TOM EDD) WILSON is a member of the Board of Directors
and President and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. He
received his B.S. degree in accounting from the University of Tennessee,
and is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking and Rutgers
University American Institute of Banking. Beginning his career as senior
auditor with Arthur Young and Company, Mr. Wilson soon joined the Bank
of America, Nashville, Tennessee, and began a 33-year career holding
positions from Senior Loan Analyst to Branch President and CEO. In 2001,
Mr. Wilson left his position as Executive Vice President/President of
the East Tennessee Region of Bank of America to join the Chattanooga
Area Chamber of Commerce as President and CEO. Mr. Wilson serves or
has served as chairman, director, or as a trustee of a hospital, a college,
and many community organizations. Among other accomplishments, Mr. Wilson
was selected for the National Philanthropy Day Leadership Fund Raiser
of the Year Award in 1998 by the Southeastern Tennessee chapter of the
National Society of Fund Raising Executives.
MICHAEL WILSON
is President and Chief Executive Officer for Avalon-Borden Companies,
Inc. Mr. Wilson has a master's degree in healthcare administration from
The George Washington University and a bachelor's degree in Business
Administration from the University of Florida. His twenty-year management
career has ranged from senior management of hospitals and medical care
services to large-scale real estate development. Through these quality
exposures, Mr. Wilson brings Avalon-Borden Companies, Inc. strengths
in leadership development, team building, development of complex projects,
business development and product line management, construction and facility
development, human resource management and recruitment, results-oriented
operations management, marketing and customer service.
JANE SPRINGER
is the Secretary and Assistant Treasurer. Ms. Springer has a degree
in Business Administration and has been assistant to the founder of
Avalon-Borden Companies, Inc. for 29 years. In addition, Ms. Springer
is currently office manager of an affiliated NASD Broker/Dealer firm.
She has over 35 years experience in all phases of office and business
administration/management. She has held various positions with affiliated
and other firms, including COO, treasurer, controller and director of
investor relations. She maintains membership in several professional
organizations.
DAS A. BORDEN
is a Director of the Company. CEO and President of an affiliated NASD
Broker/Dealer firm, Mr. Borden is a registered NASD principal and served
on the NASD District Business Committee as Vice-Chairman. Mr. Borden's
history is filled with business achievements, including having founded
and served as CEO of a Real Estate Development firm which successfully
syndicated over 65 limited partnerships throughout the country with
total assets valued in excess of $350 million. During Mr. Borden's 35-year
career, he has served in various capacities with state and local real
estate boards, as a licensed real estate broker and as past president
of the Home Builders Association of Alabama.
PETER WARAKSA
is a consultant of the company. Mr. Waraksa has been in the cable advertising
business for over fourteen years, having formerly owned and operated
his own cable ad insertion company in Tennessee. Mr. Waraksa has served
in several other management positions, including Branch and Marketing
Manager for Ingram Distribution Group. Mr. Waraksa received his B.S.
degree in Recording Industry Management from Middle Tennessee State
University, with Minors in Marketing Management and Mass Communications.
DR. MICHAEL BUTLER,
Ph.D. is a consultant to the Company. Dean of the College of Business
and professor of economics at the University of North Alabama (UNA).
Having received a Masters and Ph.D in economics, Dr. Butler has taught
in the areas of economic theory, finance and statistics for over 30
years, and has authored numerous professional papers and reports in
the field of economics. A member of several professional organizations,
Dr. Butler is a board certified forensic examiner, registered forensic
economist and is currently editor of the Journal of Legal Economics
and Journal of Economics and Finance.
RICHARD D. CAMPBELL
is a computer consultant and software programmer for the Company. Mr.
Campbell has served as a Senior Computer Scientist for a NASA contractor
in Huntsville, Alabama. Mr. Campbell has written much of the scheduling
and billing software application known as CalPro and continues to advise
the Company on technological issues, serving as the primary software
developer and programmer for various software revisions and upgrades.
SCHREEDER, WHEELER
& FLINT, LLP provides aggressive representation of its clients in
litigation and business transactions, particularly in the areas of corporate
and securities law, commercial real estate, finance, aviation law, zoning
and land use, reorganization in bankruptcy, employment discrimination,
products liability, trade practices and intellectual property disputes,
taxation and contractor liability issues. The firm undertakes to achieve
cost-effective results by appropriate staffing, use of non-judicial
proceedings such as arbitration and mediation and control of firm overhead
expenses. The firm's attorneys have high academic qualifications and
extensive experience in their respective areas of practice to enhance
creative and practical problem solving. Schreeder, Wheeler & Flint engages
in trials, appeals and transactions throughout the Southeast and other
parts of the United States. The firm has attorneys admitted to practice
in virtually all southeastern states and at all levels of the federal
court system. The firm's clients range from individual entrepreneurs,
to major financial institutions, to multinational and international
concerns.
CADE & ASSOCIATES,
P.C., founded in 1986, is a full service Certified Public Accounting
firm providing tax planning and compliance, accounting and auditing,
personal financial planning, estate planning, retirement plan administration,
litigation support, and management advisory services. The Firm's services
are provided in Birmingham, throughout Alabama, and across much of the
United States including Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New York, Washington, Texas,
Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
Client base includes corporations, partnerships, LLC's, LLP's, individuals,
non-profit entities, trusts and estates.
ELECTRONIC SYSTEM
PRODUCTS (ESP)/ ANTEC CORPORATION is a full service contract engineering
research and development firm that provides services on a project or
program basis. ESP has provided services since 1989. ESP is divided
into three departments that are technology based and represent core
competencies. These technical competencies include RF design engineering,
Digital and ASIC development services, and application and embedded
Software capabilities. ESP derives about 75% of its client base from
the cable TV industry. The balance is generated from satellite, telecommunications
and consumer electronics industries.