The Roots of Friendship

Alumni often say that a key benefit of Leadership Birmingham is getting to know people they might not have met otherwise—and finding common ground despite differences in age, race, profession, address, religion, socioeconomic status, and political views. For some members, those interactions have blossomed into treasured, lasting friendships. Enjoy a few of their stories, and then take a moment to reconnect with someone you met through Leadership Birmingham. That connection could change your life and our community.

Easy Conversations

Alesia Jones (LB ’12)
Chief Human Resources Officer (Retired), UAB
Principal Consultant and Owner, AMJ HR Solutions

Greg and I were in the same small group. Mike and I were seatmates on the buses.

Mike, Greg, and I share the same core values of faith, family, friends, and a commitment to the betterment of our community. The best parts of our friendship are the conversations that range from deep and intelligent to silly. Both Mike and Greg bring such a positive energy that there is no room for differences. They keep me grounded and help me navigate differences I have with others.

Whenever we get together or talk, we easily pick up like there has not been a gap. Whatever the topic of the day is, we jump all in and stick with each other until the topic is exhausted.

Greg Curran (LB ’12)
Chair of the Board, Maynard Nexsen

Mike and I met during a break at one of the Leadership Birmingham monthly meetings. We got together for dinner one night and have been close ever since. We talk every week, and often more than that. Sometimes it is just to check in and say hello. Alesia and I finished Leadership Birmingham as friends and stayed connected through Rotary and other events. When Alesia decided to retire from UAB and think about setting up her own consulting practice, she reached out to me. We have remained connected and have found a number of ways to work together. Whenever we talk, it is always easy.

We all generally see the world similarly, although we sometimes come at things from a different perspective. When my perspective differs, Mike has a way of nodding his head, being thoughtful, and asking a few pertinent questions that lets me know what he thinks. With both Mike and Alesia, my level of respect for them and their perspective, style and demeanor, and wisdom is so high that I will always be influenced by what they think, even if it is not exactly what I think.

Mike Kemp (LB ’12)
President and CEO, Kemp Management Solutions

Alesia and I hit it off immediately. We had many things in common from business to community connectivity. Greg and I met during Government Day. Both of us had heard from mutual friends that we needed to connect. We talked about everything from business to family.

We all share a passion for our great city and the people that live here, and we look for the best outcome for those around us. We also share the idea that relationships really matter. We have all been intentional about staying connected over the years.

Greg and I are both early risers so we often talk early in the mornings. He and I have done business together for the last 11 years so we have a lot to cover. Alesia and I have met for lunch or breakfast at various times over the years. Most of the time when I connect with either of them, we are working on something in the community or an issue in business. I respect both of them a lot and value their opinions so I often call for advice or guidance.

Linked Through Laughter

Priscilla Hancock Cooper (LB ’11)
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (Retired)

Dave and I first met during orientation for Leadership Birmingham, and we were in the same small group. We share an optimistic view of life, and we appreciate the power of laughter to bring people together. I was pleasantly surprised by Dave’s wicked and witty sense of humor. He makes people at ease with his often unexpected one-liners.

We share common values: an abiding faith, love of family, and deep affection and great expectations for Birmingham, the city that we both call home. We both raised children here and enjoy time with our grandchildren. We are of the same generation and have both now retired.

We reach out to each other when there’s a community event that we think the other might be interested in. Most recently, we attended the 2024 Leadership Birmingham Opening Retreat to see the film I’m Still Here. Dave had already seen it, but he came with me anyway. Now we’ve decided that the Opening Retreat will be an annual date.

Dave Wood (LB ’11)
Chairman (Retired), Wood Fruitticher Grocery Company

It all started when Priscilla and I met in that first session of Leadership Birmingham in September 2010. We both recognized that we were so much alike—I mean, two intellectual giants and Olympic-class athletes! She is also a gifted and creative writer and poet, and I am not.

We kinda evolved, became friends, valued each other’s opinions, mostly agreed on a lot of things. We both will tell you that without being classmates, we most likely would have never met each other. That would have been my loss. I really needed exposure to leaders like Priscilla—exposure to her history, her trajectory, her aspirations, her community. We were and are from very different places. This I know and can affirm from my friendship with Priscilla: We all walk among priceless experiences in unencountered points of view every day—and miss chances to expand and learn and share.

It does not take effort to value and remember sweet souls you encounter in your daily walk. This woman is a keeper and rock solid, and I count her a blessing for coming into my life.

 Making Time to Listen

Jason Eppenger (LB ’18)
President and CEO, Alamerica Bank

We were assigned to the same small group. Our friendship was not immediate; we had conflicting viewpoints on the initial discussion topic. The difference in perspective is what led us to mutually seek out and learn about one another. Ultimately, we found out that while we may have varying views on certain subjects, we actually have a lot of similarities in thought and life experiences. We have committed to truly listening to and attempting to understand each other’s point of view. We have created a safe space for one another that is free of judgment and full of love and respect.

Bob introduced a concept of intentionality to me and to this friendship. As a result, we both have decided that this relationship means enough to each of us to be diligent in making time for each other. Initially, we lived within a quarter mile of each other, and now Bob lives nearly 500 miles from here. Despite the physical distance, we talk and text and always make ourselves available if the other one needs anything.

Bob Crutchfield (LB ’18)
Managing Director, BrightEdge Ventures

My initial reaction to Jason was that he was one of those people who is strongly opinionated with little interest in what others may think. With that said, I found him to be highly intelligent, and I admired his work in minority banking. We began to see we had quite a bit in common, even though we viewed the world through different lenses. Jason and I shared a desire to make a difference. At the time, I was leading Innovate BHM, which was developing a strategic roadmap to accelerate tech start-up growth, [which included] attempting to bring more access to capital for entrepreneurs and founders of color and gender. Jason also had a passion for this. As transparency between us increased, trust formed, and we were able to discuss deep social issues in a direct and intimate way that most people avoid. We are both curious and trust the other.

Significant friendships develop; they are rarely spontaneous in my experience. When Jason got married, I was at his wedding. When my dad passed away, Jason knew that I had a difficult upbringing and that my relationship with my dad was strained. On the day of the funeral, as I was preparing to deliver my dad’s eulogy, I saw Jason come into the chapel. I was deeply moved. I had not told Jason anything about the funeral arrangements, or even that my dad had died. He simply did an act of selfless service.  Our friendship has continued to deepen and grow over the years, and I consider him to be one of my closest friends.

This article was originally posted in the Leadership Birmingham Winter 24/25 magazine. See the full magazine here.