An Irish Roundtable in the Magic City

Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting and a MBA from The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Father, Serial Entrepreneur, 2x Startup Founder, Co-founder of Birmingham AI, Contract Professor for the UAB Collat School of Business Entrepreneurship Department, Mentor and Coach for Goodie Nation, a non-profit organization, and crowned “The Birmingham Ambassador”
Areas of focus: Startups, Business strategy, Organizational Design, Market and Consumer Research, Finance, Investing, Growth Strategy, Product and Software Development, AI/ML & NLP, Fundraising, Recruiting, Pitching, and Mentorship.

As President and CEO of Unosquare Giancarlo Di Vece believes software engineering is not only a science, it’s also an art. This refreshing viewpoint, along with his leadership and passion for technology, globalization, and IT recruitment talent, has led to thousands of business projects successfully completing their digital transformation initiatives with Unosquare in creative and pioneering ways.

Giancarlo focuses his organization’s efforts on the financial services and life sciences space, as he trusts that these are the organizations that impact the way people live and interact with one another every day. Under Giancarlo’s direction, he and his team actively seek the best talent and then places them into processes and practices for distributed agile augmentation. His goal? To make today better than the past, and help companies move their projects towards the future.

Always looking for a challenge, Giancarlo started gainfully buying and growing businesses at a young age. At the age of 21, he purchased a small craft company dedicated to the North American market and transformed it into a 100-person operation selling to some of the largest retailers in the US. In 2013, with a background in industrial engineering, he decided to move into the technology industry by joining Unosquare and quickly embraced his role of transforming the organization to align with client needs.

By helping organizations understand their projects, manage their talent, and realize their process, Unosquare has been named one of the 100 fastest-growing private businesses in Oregon for four years in a row and one of the fastest-growing US companies on the Inc. 5000 list for three years in a row. Giancarlo’s enthusiasm and contributions have been sought out as inspiration for others, and he is often invited to write and speak on the topics that influence the industry.

Kathleen Robinson has lived all over Alabama. Raised in Decatur, attended Auburn University, started her HR career in Birmingham, before settling down in Trussville. She is currently the U.S. Director of HR for Unosquare – the lead partner for the Irish Roundtable in the Magic City. The U.S. HR team strives to C.A.R.E for the wider Unosquare team by contributing Counsel, Advocating always, recommending Resources, and elevating their employee Experience.

Kathleen is proud to represent Unosquare as an Honorary Chair for this event and host many Unosquare employees from across the globe here in the Magic City!

Lisa Bollinger has spent most of her time in Huntsville, Alabama being involved in the community supporting schools and art, veteran, and Irish organizations.  Being an event planner at heart, she has been able to support a wide range of events to include serving as the Director of the Huntsville St. Patrick’s Day Parade for ten years.  Lisa is a founding member of the Irish Society of North Alabama and she and her husband Michael host Irish/Celtic music sessions and other Irish and community events at their private Irish pub. Lisa also has spent over a decade in Huntsville working at nonprofit organizations both in the arts and supporting veterans.  She currently serves as the Director of Operations at Broadway Theatre League of Huntsville. Lisa has two teen sons and spent many years holding various PTA and sports booster board positions and leveraged her event planning skills for those organizations by planning successful events. She will be retiring from that area of volunteering in two years when her younger son graduates. She and her husband Michael will then spend more time hiking, traveling (not carpooling) and continuing to care for three cats, a rabbit and bearded dragon. 

Luke Richardson is a seasoned sales professional and consultant with a passion for helping businesses grow. With a proven track record of helping to launch and sell two companies, Luke brings a unique blend of sales expertise and operational insight to the table.

Luke firmly believes that genuine connections are built on trust, respect, and shared goals. By approaching relationships with authenticity and intentionality, he ensures that each interaction is meaningful and productive. This philosophy guides his work as a trusted advisor, where he strives to connect businesses with the resources and opportunities that align with their values and objectives.

As businesses navigate the ever-changing landscape of today’s market, Luke remains steadfast in his commitment to empowering his clients to make informed decisions and forge connections that drive long-term success.

Mark is a native of the Bluff Park Community in Birmingham, Alabama.

Traveling as a child and as an adult has given him a true global view. He has visited 54 countries. As a successful entrepreneur, he founded a teleconference company -Moreson Conferencing-in 1996 in a tool shed in his parent’s driveway. Moreson grew to operate in 65 countries. Having owned Moreson for 27 years, he is currently launching a new global videoconferencing company, BlueDot. The company will compete with Zoom, WebEx and Microsoft Teams. BlueDot has board members on 3 continents and is entering its capital-raise stage now. 

Due to his considerable respect throughout Alabama and around the world, the Japanese government appointed him as Honorary Consul General of Japan in 2014. In this capacity, he has enjoyed a close working relationship with Alabama’s governors, commerce secretaries, business leaders, educators and elected officials across the state. During his tenure, Japan has become one of Alabama’s largest foreign direct investors. Over 80 Japanese companies have located in Alabama and employ almost 10,000 Alabamians.  He has fostered governmental, cultural, business, and educational partnerships between Japan and Alabama. He is currently assisting a project to connect Samford University with several Japanese universities. 

He was elected as President of the Board of the Japan Alabama Society of Alabama in early 2024. 

As Chairman of Birmingham Sister Cities Commission, he worked with Mayor William Bell to connect Birmingham to 18 million people worldwide. He also created the 200^th Sister City between Japan and the United States. The official document was signed at the Birmingham Japanese Garden on July 3, 2017. 

Educated at Jacksonville State University and Auburn University in Montgomery, he received a Doctorate in Politics and International Relations from the University of Hertfordshire (England). He has received Honorary Doctorates from Talladega College and Piedmont International University and holds several diplomas from the Consular Corps College in Washington, DC.

He was elected to serve as the Vice President of the International Thunderbird Club in 2012 and 2024.

A 14^th generation direct descendant of England’s King Henry VIII, he is married to Dr. Allison Jackson. They have 2 sons, Carey and Jordan, and enjoy camping, traveling and unique antique cars. 

PROFESSIONAL

M.J. Connors Consulting: Offers contract services representing corporate clients to industry and governments in the area of marketing, governmental affairs and strategic planning. 

Republic Waste: (Birmingham, solid waste). Interaction with state and municipal governments contracts in the state of Alabama. Legislative action, regulatory.

Momentum Telecom: (Birmingham, Alabama, telephone services). Federal and state lobbying regarding potential changes in Federal Communications Commission rule making. Public Service Commissions in nine southern states.

TracFone Prepaid Wireless: (Miami, Florida, prepaid telephones). Federal and state lobbying regarding Universal Service Fund and the 2006 Telecommunications Act.

Wiser Company: (Nashville, Tennessee, civil engineering, imaging). Market development in Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. Currently a secured subcontractor with SAIC on DOD mapping. Department of Transportation representation across the southeast.

Sweeping Corporation of America: (Nashville, Tennessee, highway and municipal street sweeping contracted). Market development in Alabama, Sweeping Corp. also has extensive contracts in Tennessee and Mississippi.

Malcolm-Pirnie Environmental Engineering: (White Plains, New York) Market and business development. Developed the Mobile, Alabama division, jointly coordinated flood mitigation FEMA grant for the City of Huntsville.

Optimum Solutions: Defense contracting, logistics, re-fitting. Don Taylor principal, Retired four Star General and BRAC Commission member, Lloyd “Fig” Newton, associate.

Mercury Public Affairs: Grassroots lobbying on issues such as “Life Cycle Budgeting” in Alabama and Washington. Passed legislation in Alabama establishing Life Cycle Budgeting and has secured federal co-sponsorship for such.

DCC Consulting: Grassroots lobby support for further funding of the F-35 Lightning II project. Maintained updates and reports of Alabama congressional delegation, especially those on Appropriations, Armed Services and Budget Committees. Other timely projects regarding agricultural mergers, EPA regulations, Banking (SEC) regulations, Supreme Court appointment, Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

American Blast Systems: Marketing of new technology lightweight bullet resistant protective chest plats to Homeland Security, Coast Guard, state and local law enforcement.

Alabama Independent Insurance Association: State lobbying on incentives reform. Passing of 2023 Dram Shop (liquor liability) legislation.

Matt McGuire is a seasoned technology leader with a passion for driving innovation and growth in industries like human resources management, identity theft protection, personal data privacy, and external cybersecurity. With several decades of experience in both individual contributor and engineering leadership roles, he has been fortunate enough to design and implement comprehensive SaaS solutions and build high-performing global development teams. Matt strives to share his knowledge and insights to help others navigate the evolving landscape of data and artificial intelligence, strongly believes in servant leadership, and is always looking for opportunities to learn and grow

Michael Bollinger was born and raised in Texas before joining the Federal Government as a civilian which took him to Kansas, Washington DC, and now Alabama.  As a government civilian for the last 29 years, Michael has supported the Air Force, Office of Management and Budget, Army, Defense Security Service, and the Missile Defense Agency as an accountant focused on developing and implementing internal controls to address deficiencies.

Michael has been a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians since 2005 starting in Virginia and then when his job moved to Alabama he established the Father Trecy Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in 2011 and continues to serve as the President supporting the division’s varied efforts to include its signature Charity fundraiser for St Baldricks supporting childhood cancer research which the division has raised over $135,000 in seven years.  Michael was also the founder of the Irish Society of North Alabama which to this day continues to put on the Huntsville St Patrick’s Parade which is the second largest parade in Huntsville and his lovely wife Lisa is the Parade Director.  In the Irish community, Michael is most known for he and his wife’s private Irish Pub – the Maggie McGuinness Pub – where they host music sessions, meetings, fundraisers, and have had the privilege of hosting Irish dignitaries.

Michael is happily married to his lovely wife Lisa since 2000 and has two wonderful sons he is very proud of as well as several pets that he helps out with to ensure a happy home will be a happy life.

Mike Shaw has a unique blend of technology experience and public service.  His career in Information Technology spans over 27 years. Since 2005, he has been the Chief Technology Officer at Mutual Savings Credit Union. He has held the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification since 2002 and has significantly contributed to the tech community through his roles on the Hoover City Schools RC3 Technology Advisory Committee, the Tech Birmingham board of directors, and the Birmingham Infragard Board of Directors.  While in City Government, Mike formed the Hoover Technology Round Table, a series of meetings fostering collaboration among local tech professionals.

Mike also represents District 47 in the Alabama House of Representatives, including Vestavia Hills, Hoover, and other parts of Jefferson County. Elected in 2022, Mike serves on several committees, including State Government, Financial Services, Ethics and Campaign Finance, and is a co-founder of the Alabama-Japan legislative exchange. Additionally, Mike is a member of the Governor’s AI Task Force and the State Blockchain Study Group, contributing to the strategic planning and implementation of emerging technologies in Alabama.  

Before his state-level involvement, Mike was a prominent figure in Hoover’s local government. He was elected to the Hoover City Council in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. During his tenure, Mike focused on technology and infrastructure improvements, serving as the Council appointment to Planning and Zoning, Annexation chair, Chairman of the Technology and Telecom Committee, and Liaison to the Municipal Court.

Mike graduated from Vestavia Hills High School in 1990 and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Auburn University in 1995. Mike and his wife, Shelley, have lived in Hoover for over 20 years. They have two grown children, Melodi and Canon.  After spending 2 years as an English  teacher in Japan, Melodi is pursuing a career in library science. Canon is studying Computer Science at Auburn University.

Dr. Thompson was the 2013 Engineering Council of Birmingham’s Engineer of the Year. He received a BSE and MSE in engineering from the University of Alabama in Birmingham and a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Vanderbilt University in 1979. He is a registered professional engineer. He is a Lifetime Member of the American Welding Society, a Fellow of the American Society of Materials and a Fellow of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers.

Dr. Thompson taught in the Schools of Engineering at Clemson University from 1978 – 1981 and UAB from 1981 – 2000.  While in these positions he taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in metallurgy, ceramics, engineering design, fracture mechanics, strength (mechanics) of materials, materials testing, welding, nondestructive testing and manufacturing practice. He also conducted award winning research in these areas and has led various national and international committees.

In Dr. Thompson’s private professional practice, he has acted as a consultant for industry in the selection and use of metals, ceramics and plastics, welding, the design and fabrication of products and the processing of materials. He has completed over 500 projects with companies in 14 states and on 3 continents. Dr. Thompson has continued to be active in research through contracts with the Department of Defense, NASA, the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation. He participates in national committees in engineering and reviews articles for technical publications in science and engineering.

Dr. Thompson and his company spent 15 years in R/D incubators including OADI (Office for Advancement of Developing Industries) and Innovation Depot a leading scientific and technology incubator. He has incorporated six companies that have generated 20+ patents that are actively licensed to industry from which over $25,000,000 in products have been sold in the past two years.

Sarah Kavanagh took up her post as Consul General of Ireland in Miami in October 2022 and is leading the establishment of Ireland’s first Consulate General in Florida. 

She comes to Miami from the Human Rights Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin where she served as Deputy Director.  Prior to joining the Department in 2020, Ms. Kavanagh served as Special Adviser to the Minister for Justice and Equality (2017-2020) and Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (2014-2017).  From 2005-2014, she worked for in the Houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament of Ireland) in a range of policy, strategy development and political communication roles.

Ms. Kavanagh is originally from Galmoy, Co. Kilkenny.  She holds a Barrister-at-Law Degree (2012) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Studies (2010) from the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, Dublin.  She also holds Masters Degrees in Political Communication (Dublin City University, 2017) and Politics (University College Dublin, 2021) and a BA Degree in History and Politics (University College Dublin 2020).

DOB                 08-30-57  East Chicago, Indiana

                        (Son of Dr. Sonnie Wellington Hereford III and Mrs. Martha Adams Hereford)

1963                 Became first Black child to integrate the Alabama Public School system

1973                 Won City of Huntsville Unrated Chess Championship

1. Tennis Team Captain at S. R. Butler High School

1. Chess Club President at S. R. Butler High School

1. Elected Student Body President at S. R. Butler High School

1975                 High School Diploma, S. R. Butler High School

1. Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN

1979                 Began career as Software Engineer with General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY

1. Master of Science Computer and Systems Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY

1. Founded Triana Youth Tutoring Program, Triana, AL

1. Founded University of Notre Dame Alumni Association chapter in Huntsville, AL

1993                 Honored for service to Phillips C.M.E. Church, Huntsville, AL

1994                 Elected to University of Notre Dame Alumni Association National Board of Directors

1994-2011          Board of Directors Big Brothers – Big Sisters of North Alabama

1996-2011          Coordinator of the Huntsville, AL Ellen McAnelly Memorial St. Patrick’s Day Parade

2013                 Attended March on Washington Film Festival – Sat on a panel for a discussion of “Race Relations – Then and Now” with Congressman John Lewis

2016                 Sonnie Hereford Elementary School named for my father and me

1986-Present      Participated in many charitable fund-raising activities, including United Way, United Cerebral Palsy, American Heart Association, Leukemia Society, American Cancer Society, Big Brothers – Big Sisters, etc.

                        Children:  Beth Hereford Patin and Catherine Ann Hereford

                        Working for Five Stones Research Corporation (Huntsville, AL) as a Senior Systems Engineer

Timothy Brundle is an internationally recognised leader in research and technology strategy, policy, investment, and management. He holds the position of Director of Research & Innovation at Ulster University, in which role he directs Ulster’s research strategy, governance, and administration, and guides its economic impact through venture capital investment, business partnerships and intellectual property commercialisation. He also holds the position of CEO of Innovation Ulster Ltd, Ulster’s venturing and investment company. As a senior leader at Ulster, he directs a team of 72 research management professionals and manages £1.5m of spend each week on research and innovation.

Tracy DeBerry has dedicated the majority of her engineering career to supporting NASA and other US Federal Agencies, where she crafts innovative solutions to enhance software, processes and communication. Beyond her professional endeavors, Tracy finds immense fulfillment in giving back to her community. She volunteers with Little Orange Fish, a Huntsville-based mental health advocacy nonprofit. In other volunteer roles, she has participated in an animal therapy program with Layla (her beloved Sheltie) and has shared her expertise teaching workshops at a small business incubator. Tracy is committed to empowering others and fostering positive change.

Trent Kocurek is the Founder and CEO of Equip, an innovative software designed to support organizations in managing and tracking the progress of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With a rich background in technology and entrepreneurship, Trent has successfully built and sold multiple companies and is now passionately dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities through technology.