As Partner, President & COO of the Moore Agency, Terrie leads the strategic direction of The Moore Agency, including key initiatives, partnerships and client and business development. With a passion for collaboration and culture building, Terrie oversees the Moore Team, boasting a 92% retention rate.
Terrie is a specialist in corporate positioning and branding with a keen focus on strategy and creativity. Her expertise includes crisis communications, communications strategy and employee relations. Through Terrie’s leadership, the agency has achieved a 98% client retention rate and is ranked a top 50 agency nationally and top 200 globally. Terrie has been recognized by Florida Trend as one of the top 500 most influential leaders. She is a recipient of the Florida Public Relations Association Stanley Tait Award for Leadership, the American Advertising Federation Silver Medal for outstanding industry contributions and recognized by PR News as a Top Changemaker in the nation.
Terrie is an active community volunteer and was appointed in 2023 as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce in its landmark 100th year anniversary. She also serves on the Hancock Whitney Bank Advisory Board, Lively Technical College Advisory Board, the Talent Development Council and is Chair of the Tallahassee Chamber Foundation.
Shelly Bell, Tallahassee State College
Shelly Bell is a dedicated educator and administrator with deep experience in K–12 and postsecondary education. Her passion for empowering students and expanding workforce and college readiness opportunities has shaped a career defined by innovation, collaboration, and results-driven leadership. She was appointed Vice President for Workforce Development at Tallahassee State College in 2023.
Bell previously served as director of Lively Technical College, overseeing both postsecondary and secondary career technical education programs for Leon County Schools. Under her leadership, Lively experienced significant growth in enrollment and program participation. From 2017 to 2023, enrollment rose by 33 percent, and the number of students enrolled in career dual enrollment tripled. She also spearheaded the launch of the Success for Occupational Area Readiness (SOAR) Program in 2021, an inclusive postsecondary initiative designed to serve individuals with intellectual disabilities. In collaboration with the Florida Department of Transportation, she led the creation of the Lively Paratransit Instructional Program (LPIP), a first-of-its-kind training initiative for paratransit technicians across the state.
Before her tenure at Lively, Bell served as principal of Amos P. Godby High School, where she led the development of new workforce education pathways, including programs in engineering, aviation, and certified nursing assistance. She also partnered with other local high schools to expand access to career-focused learning, supporting the launch of welding at Rickards High School, automotive at Lincoln High School, and nursing programs at Chiles, Rickards, and SAIL High Schools. Bell built strong relationships with industry partners to align programs with regional workforce needs and help develop a pipeline of skilled talent.
She began her career as a classroom teacher at Belle Vue Middle School and later served in school leadership roles, including assistant principal at Wesson Elementary and principal at the Academy of Academics and Technology and Cobb Middle School.
Bell holds both a bachelor’s degree in English education and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Florida State University. She and her husband, Ricky, are the proud parents of two sons, Parker and Taylor.
I am a transplant from Atlanta. I moved to Tallahassee in 2005 to play football at Florida State. Met my wife Jessica in 2006. We have been married for 15 years and have three boys.
I have worked at Synchros for 8 years in Sales and have seen our company grow from a small regional payroll processor, to a national payroll and HR solution.
In my time away from the office, I enjoy coaching my sons’ sports teams, traveling and spending time with my family.
Richard Darabi, Moore Bass Consulting
A Tallahassee native and Managing Partner of the Tallahassee office of Moore Bass Consulting, Richard brings over two decades of experience in civil engineering, land development, and construction management. Since joining Moore Bass Consulting in 2014, he has led a wide range of projects including large-scale mixed-use developments, industrial parks, residential communities, and public infrastructure improvements such as stormwater and roadway systems.
Richard’s leadership extends beyond project delivery. He is deeply engaged in shaping the future of the Capital Region through his community and professional involvement. He serves on the Board and Executive Committee for the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, the Leadership Tallahassee Board of Governors, and has held key roles on several other boards, including the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Capital Region as a former Chair, the Economic Vitality Leadership Council (OEV) as a former Chair, Big Bend Habitat for Humanity, and more.
Known for his collaborative approach and strategic insight, Richard is dedicated to advancing responsible development and fostering growth across the region. His work reflects a strong commitment to both technical excellence and community impact, helping Moore Bass Consulting continue its legacy as a trusted partner in Florida’s built environment.
Blake H. Dowling is the Chief Executive Officer for Aegis Biz Tech headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida. He has worked with the firm for almost 20 years starting as an Account Executive in 2006 and becoming CEO in 2016. He attended the University of Florida and he began his career as an in the entertainment business working as Tour Manager for the Charlie Mars Band as well as working with Platinum selling recording artist Sister Hazel and many other musicians. In addition to his duties with Aegis, Blake is a regional columnist contributing business and technology columns to the Tallahassee Democrat, Florida Politics and others. He hosts a monthly Podcast called Biz & Tech featuring guests from around the state and he also put out a book in 2021 called Professionally Distanced.
Blake also has served as Chair of the Board for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend as well as Board Chair of Tree House of Tallahassee, was a member of Leadership Tallahassee Class 27, is a member of the Capital City Bank Advisory Board, he recently joined the Word of South team as Board Member and serves on the Board of Trustees for Maclay School as well as the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, PLUS he is married to the legendary, beautiful and amazing rock star human being, Jeanne Dowling.
Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Florida A&M University
Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Ph.D., is a Full Professor of Management, the Sybil Collins Mobley Endowed Chair in the School of Business and Industry, and the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development at Florida A&M University (FAMU). Dr. Friday-Stroud is the former Dean of the School of Business and Industry and the Vice President for University Advancement/ Executive Director of the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) Foundation, Inc. She is a former McKnight Doctoral Fellow and a former McKnight Junior Faculty Development Fellow. Dr. Friday-Stroud received her Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from Florida International University in Miami, FL, and her B.S. and MBA from Florida A&M University. She has been recognized in “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” several times. Dr. Friday-Stroud has also taught at Florida International University and Florida Memorial University. Dr. Friday-Stroud has taught Organization Theory, Organizational Behavior, Negotiations, Strategic Management, and other management-related courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Her research interests include issues pertaining to mentoring, intergroup relations, and other organizational behavior topics. She was featured Black Issues in Higher Education (now Diverse: Issues in Higher Education) as a “Standout Scholar.”
Dr. Friday-Stroud has more than 60 publications and presentations, and 30 years of consulting experience in the areas of strategic planning, leadership training, accreditation, course development and training, employee attitudinal assessments, workload analysis, strategic market assessment, team building, computer training, conflict resolution and management, employee-management relations liaison, standards of performance, strategic mentoring programming, and program evaluation. She has provided consulting services for organizations such as the National Bar Association, Frenchtown Credit Union, General Mills, Eli Lilly and Company, Ford Motor Company, Mentor Exchange, Inc., The Houston Chronicle, New Orleans Parish School District, Miami Police Department, United States Tennis Association, Dade County (FL) Beacon Council, and Florida Memorial College to name a few. Dr. Friday-Stroud serves on the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Board, the Leon County Research and Development Authority Board of Governors, and the Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI) Advisory Board. Dr. Friday-Stroud is a consumer member of the Florida Board of Respiratory Care.
Christic Henry, Kingdom First Realty
Christic Henry is a community builder, real estate executive, and lifelong advocate for neighborhoods, youth, and equity. A former AmeriCorps volunteer and Florida State University graduate, she has spent nearly 23 years co-owning and leading Kingdom First Realty as President and Managing Broker. Her love for Tallahassee was shaped by the Southside community she now proudly serves. Christic is a certified foreclosure intervention and residential specialist, a graduate of the Tallahassee Board of Realtors Leadership Program, and a proud Leadership Tallahassee Class 38 alumna, now actively supporting recruitment and engagement for future classes. She continues to lead with heart through civic service, grassroots partnerships, and community-centered innovation.
Dan McGrew, McGrew Consulting Group
Dan McGrew, Founder and Principal Consultant at McGrew Consulting Group, has over 25 years of experience in education and workforce development. He has held leadership roles such as Sr. Vice President at CareerSource Florida, Regional Director for Dynamic Workforce Solutions, College Director of ITT Technical Institute, and various positions at Kaplan, Inc. Dan’s expertise spans federal workforce development, higher education, national operations, marketing, and program development.
Committed to community service, he serves on the Board of Trustees for the Florida Scholars Academy, is a member of the Leon County Sheriff’s Advisory Council, and a board member for the Leon High School Foundation. A Florida State University graduate with a B.S. in Biological Sciences, Dan lives in Florida with his wife Jessica and their four children.
Ana Melendez is the CEO and owner of A&E Wholesale, a distribution company that provides over 3,000 items in the categories of beverages, candy, chocolate, medicine, cigars, automotive supplies, and paper products to over 1,200 convenience stores in North Florida and South Georgia.
Under A&E’s new leadership, Ana has been able to reinvent the company within the last 10 years. They now operate with an Oracle ERP system that empowers the company to streamline operations, enables them to improve order accuracy, manages inventory turn targets, and ensures the highest standards of government compliance. This provides higher service levels to locally owned convenience stores, as well as large chains such as Wawa, Family Dollar and Dollar General.
During her time in Tallahassee, Ana has won awards for her lobbying contributions in the Florida Senate and House of Representatives. In 2017 and 2023, she was invited by the DBPR Secretary to be a panel leader for their annual “Celebrating Women in Business” event. In 2018, she won the Golden Ace Award in recognition of her leadership and commitment to Authentic Community Engagement. She has made contributions to the Red Cross, United Way, AMI Kids, Second Harvest of the Big Bend, Legal Aid Foundation, Seminole Boosters, and The Kearney Center/CESC. Additionally, she currently serves as the President of the Florida Association of Wholesale Distributors Board of Directors, and a Board member of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, the Community Foundation of North Florida, the Capital Area Red Cross, the Tallahassee Museum, the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, and the Governors Club.
Prior to purchasing A&E, Ana was the Director of E-Commerce at Essendant, a $6B Fortune 500 distributor of office products, furniture, and cleaning supplies. As one of their youngest Directors, Ana led the launch of Innovera, a private label brand of technology products available in Walgreens and Costco and grew the brand to $60M in annual sales. This included traveling to countries such as China and Taiwan with her global sourcing and quality teams. She also managed the $300M OEM technology accessories business for Essendant that included brands such as Logitech, Kensington, and Sony.
Ana holds a BSBA in Marketing and an MBA from The Ohio State University. She was also one of 60 Latino CEOs around the country that were accepted into the Stanford Business Scaling Program in 2017 and graduated from the Jim Moran Institute SBEP program in 2022. Her interests include painting, performing on alto saxophone, supercar racing, sports, and traveling. Originally from Mexico City, Ana currently resides in Tallahassee, Florida with her husband Michael and her son Addison.
Chris Mills is the Market President for the Tallahassee & North Florida Region with Truist Bank. Chris has a combined 25 years of consumer, commercial, and corporate banking experience. Prior to being appointed as Tallahassee Market President in 2019, Chris was as a Middle Market, Commercial Banking Advisor for SunTrust Bank’s Commercial segment serving the Florida Panhandle, South Georgia, and South Alabama markets. Prior to SunTrust, Chris was the Senior Commercial Leader for Regions Bank over North Florida. Chris is Certified in Risk Management & Lending by the Risk Management Association. Chris is married to Melinda, and they have three children, Christopher, Lexie, and Hazel Grace. Chris likes to travel, play pickleball, strength training, and FSU Athletics.
Chris is active in the community as a member of The Rotary Club of Tallahassee, the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, and a Class 34 Graduate of Leadership Tallahassee. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the board of directors for the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, as well as on the board for Florida State University College of Business, United Way of the Big Bend (Chair Elect), and Junior Achievement Big Bend (Past Chairman, Vice Chair, and Treasurer).
Chris received a B.S. in Business Administration in Finance from the College of Business at the University of West Florida. Chris is also a graduate of multiple Dale Carnegie Leadership curriculums and Mastering Leadership Dynamics from The Leadership Institute.
Gloria Pugh, AMWAT Moving Warehousing Storage
Since 2005, Gloria Maria Pugh has served as Chief Executive Officer of AMWAT Moving Warehousing Storage, where she leads the company’s strategic vision, drives operational excellence, ensures long-term financial stability, and serves as the organization’s principal brand ambassador. Under her leadership, AMWAT has grown from a regional moving company into a nationally and internationally recognized relocation and logistics enterprise.
Gloria has strategically expanded AMWAT’s service portfolio beyond traditional moving to include specialized Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment (FFE) warehousing solutions such as receiving, distribution, storage, delivery and installation. This diversification has positioned AMWAT as a trusted logistics partner for interior designers, healthcare systems, hospitality groups, retailers, and commercial clients requiring complex, high-touch logistics solutions.
A recognized authority in the moving and logistics industry, Gloria is a trusted advisor to U.S. News & World Report, frequently providing expert insight on consumer protections, industry standards, and best practices. She is widely respected for her leadership in regulatory advocacy and her role in advancing professionalism and accountability within the moving and transportation sectors.
Gloria currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce and is Chair of Florida’s Consumer Council, where she works closely with Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services to ensure balanced consumer protection and fair business regulation. She is also Chair of the Florida Trucking Association’s Moving & Storage Council and serves on the Government Advocacy Committee of the American Trucking Associations, contributing to state and national policy discussions impacting transportation, logistics, and commerce.
Her civic and philanthropic involvement includes active support of organizations such as the Junior League of Tallahassee, Tallahassee State College Foundation, LeMoyne Chain of Parks, Florida State University Opening Nights, and numerous community and economic-development initiatives across the region.
Gloria’s leadership is defined by strategic foresight, industry advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to ethical business practices. Through her work, she continues to shape the future of the moving and logistics industry while strengthening the economic vitality of the communities she serves.
Cari Thro, Tallahassee Democrat/Tallahassee Media Group
Cari Thro is a seasoned Advertising Director with a proven track record in the dynamic realm of the advertising industry. Her professional journey reflects a wealth of experience and expertise in key areas such as Digital Strategy, Advertising Sales, Sales, and Media Relations.
Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree focused on Fashion Merchandising/Marketing from Bowling Green State University, Cari brings a unique blend of creativity and strategic thinking to her role. Her academic foundation, coupled with hands-on experience, positions her as a strong marketing professional who understands the intricacies of the ever-evolving advertising landscape.
Throughout her career, Cari has demonstrated proficiency in navigating digital strategies, driving advertising sales, and fostering effective media relations. Her skill set underscores her ability to not only understand market dynamics but also to capitalize on emerging trends and technologies in the advertising domain.
Beyond her professional achievements, Cari is deeply committed to community service. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Bend for nearly nine years, holding leadership roles including Secretary for four years and Board Chair for two years. She currently serves as Immediate Past Chair, continuing to support the organization’s mission to empower youth and strengthen the community.
As an Advertising Director and dedicated community leader, Cari Thro continues to make significant contributions both professionally and personally. Her dedication to excellence, adaptability, and mentorship mark her as a standout professional in the competitive world of advertising and a trusted guide for emerging leaders.
Erin Tilton, Stearns Weaver Miller
Stearns Weaver Miller Shareholder Erin Tilton represents private and public sector clients before local, regional, and state agencies, courts, and elected bodies on a wide-range of complex land use permitting and entitlement issues. She is particularly skilled in the negotiation of development approvals and implementing litigation strategy to defend those approvals. Erin maintains a broad litigation practice where she represents clients in administrative, circuit court, and appellate litigation in matters relating to complex business, real estate, contract, and private property rights disputes. She also has extensive experience litigating issues under Florida’s Public Records Act.
Erin is committed to serving the Tallahassee Community. She is a member of the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee and Board of Directors; the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Capital Region Leadership Council; the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association Advisory Council; and past President and current Chili Cook-off Co-Chair for the Tallahassee Bar Association.
Becky Tolnay, Tolnay Team Solutions/Vistage Florida
Becky Tolnay is a professional facilitator and the Chair of Vistage in Tallahassee. With 30 years of experience in Performance Improvement at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, she has gained valuable insights into the culture, processes, and strategies necessary for individuals and teams to achieve exceptional results and drive continuous improvement.
During her tenure at The Ritz-Carlton, Becky discovered that delivering superior customer service requires more than just ticking off items on a checklist. To engage customers and employees, it is crucial to have a deeper understanding of what is happening. The obstacles to excellence are not always apparent. She learned that asking questions, gathering diverse viewpoints, and digging deeper to comprehend what’s truly happening are all essential to continuous improvement.
When Becky was introduced to a Vistage peer advisory group, where CEOs from different, non-competing businesses come together one day per month to work on their businesses, she recognized an opportunity to utilize her expertise to support business leaders in the Tallahassee region.
As the facilitator of the Vistage peer advisory group, Becky’s focus is to help the group’s members support each other in becoming better leaders, making better decisions, and achieving better results. She brings all her experience to aid them in working together and enhancing their business performance and personal lives through collaboration, peer learning, and continuous improvement.
Denise Wilson, Capital City Bank
Denise Wilson serves as the Chief Culture Officer at Capital City Bank, where she has proudly worked for 26 years. She is a card-carrying extrovert and loves people. Her happy place is anywhere she can positively impact others and inspire people to learn and grow. She brings creativity, energy, and fun in the classroom, on a webinar, or from the stage! Denise is energized when she works with organizations to improve performance and create a positive culture. She is passionate about helping others reach their full potential. The quote she lives by is, “Work made fun gets done.”
Denise has worked for over 28 years in workplace learning and performance and is a designated CPTD – Certified Professional in Training and Development through the Association of Talent Development.