About Us

Board of Directors

Ethel Andersen

Board Member

Ethel is a recently retired partner in the law firm of Andersen Tate and Carr which she cofounded with her husband, Tom. They are long-time residents of Gwinnett County and raised their family here. Ethel has been actively involved in many civic and charitable organizations, including the Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia where she currently serves on the grants committee. Ethel enjoys hiking and reading and spending time with friends and family.

Alex Bruce

Board Member

Alex has been a Gwinnett County resident for 25+ years, actively serving and supporting NCM with his family. He and his wife, Tricia, worship at Perimeter Church. With 30 years of Go-to-Market leadership experience, Alex has helped organizations drive growth through technology solutions. His career began in finance and accounting before transitioning into technology sales across enterprise software, outsourcing, and consulting. Currently, Alex is an Executive Advisor to SPARQ after leading its GTM strategy, contributing to its significant growth and two private equity sales. He also serves on Auburn University's Harbert School of Business Board, Circadian Ventures' Advisory Council, and remains an Investment Partner at SPARQ. Alex holds a degree from Auburn University and an MBA from SMU’s Cox School of Business

Kim Civins

Board Member

Kim is a partner with the national law firm, Harrison & Held, LLP. She is an expert on estate planning, estate and gift taxation, and estate and trust administration. She represents families with respect to intergenerational wealth transfers and also advises executors and trustees. Kim has experience in the creation and administration of tax-exempt entities, both public charities and private foundations, and works with individual clients to structure their charitable gifts efficiently. She also spends time on the Georgia State University College of Law Tax Clinic Advisory Board. Kim and her family are 20-year residents of historic Norcross, and her children attend Greater Atlanta Christian School. Kim previously served on Norcross’s Downtown Development Authority. She is a graduate of Georgia Tech and attended law school at Georgia State University.

Mike Corbin

Board Member

Michael has an 18-year career in the communications and technology industry. He has served in a variety of capacities for some of the most renowned corporations in the communications and technology domain. He is currently the Director of Network Integration for Granite Telecommunications and has served in strategic leadership roles at AT&T, Cogent Communications and Windstream Communications. Michael completed his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Affairs, from the University of Georgia. He has been a resident of Gwinnett County for more than two decades and is currently serving as a speaker for Better Ballot Georgia to foster legislation for Instant Runoff Voting, for elected officials at the Local, State and Federal level. He wants to eliminate the financial burden unnecessary runoffs place on the State of Georgia, paid for by taxpayers’ dollars. Michael is married and they have two daughters. Michael and his family are members of Peachtree Corners Baptist Church, where he serves on the Missions Committee for the church body. He has been volunteering as an intake worker since 2018 with Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries and shares the passion for serving the community as the hands and feet of Christ.

Luis Fernandez

Board Member

Having lived in Gwinnett County for about 20 years, Luis is a local entrepreneur. He had a short stint as an artist in the Latin Music Industry until he met his wife and started a family. Graduating from Florida International with a B.S. in Business & Hospitality, he pivoted to the food and beverage industry and moved to Georgia while opening new stores for Rare Hospitality Group. He is the founder and CEO of several local restaurants, including The Crossing Steakhouse in Historic Downtown Norcross, Mojito’s Cuban-American Bistro, Mojitos Bistro at The Forum, and Mojitos Marietta in Cobb County. Luis served as the first president of the Historic Norcross Business association, and brings 25 years of hospitality and commercial foodservice experience.

Weare Gratwick

Board Member

Weare has over 30 years of banking experience and has served as a community leader in Peachtree Corners/Norcross for the past 18 years. Currently, Weare is the Gwinnett Regional President for Tandem Bank, serves as Mayor Pro Tem on the City Council of Peachtree Corners, and is the Chairman of the SW Gwinnett Chamber. He is a graduate of Leadership Gwinnett and a graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute. Weare and his family are members of Simpsonwood UMC.

Elizabeth Gross

Board Member

With a Masters of Management from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, Elizabeth retired as Hasbro VP-Marketing to focus on raising her 4 children. She has also served in various civic and community roles. Elizabeth joined the NCM board in 2017 and currently serves as the Board Chairman. In 2013, Elizabeth and her husband Paul, served as co-chairs for the family division of the NCM Restoring Hope fundraising campaign. Other community involvement: Norcross HS Foundation Board Co-President, Norcross and Pinckneyville School Council Rep., Simpsonwood UMC Administrative Council, Stewardship and Staff-Parish Relations Chair.

Tye Hanna

Board Member

Tye co-founded and served as CEO/President of Galaxy Asset Management until it was sold in 2018. Following this sale, he co-founded Titan Asset Management of which he is CEO/President. Tye is a CPA with a background in audit services. Personally, Tye and his family are very involved in the Norcross, Peachtree Corners and Duluth communities and focus on giving back. Tye and his family attend St. Brigid Catholic Church.

Darcy Harper

Board Member

Darcy graduated from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy. Darcy is a Certified Public Accountant in Georgia and began her career at EY in Tax in Atlanta and then with The Coca-Cola Company in the Finance Department. Darcy worked as an accountant with Ambassadors for Christ, Int’l. – USA, then with Windham Brannon accounting firm specializing in non-profit accounting, and most recently as a Partner with Transportation Tax Consulting LLC. Darcy serves on the Board of Directors of HeartBound Prison Ministries, Gilgal Transitional Center as the Finance chair, and as a partner with One Hundred Shares. She was recently the Rector of a Tres Dias of North Georgia women’s retreat and enjoys serving with the Tres Dias community. With HeartBound, Darcy served as chairman of the Board for almost 20 years and has especially enjoyed serving the pregnant inmates at Metro State Prison and Helms Correctional Facility. Darcy attends Passion City Church.

Jimmy Harper

Board Member

Jimmy graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems. Jimmy has had a 30+ year career with The Coca-Cola Company. Jimmy began his Coca-Cola career at Coca-Cola Enterprises and continues to work at The Coca-Cola Company in the Information Technology Group. Jimmy has managed a wide variety of global technology projects for Coca-Cola’s supply chain operations ranging from Product Labeling, Warehousing and Inventory, Payroll Timekeeping and Tracking, etc. Jimmy currently focuses his expertise managing projects related to Coca-Cola’s financial and accounting systems. Jimmy enjoys gardening, reading, cooking and spending time with family and friends. Jimmy attends Passion City Church.

Les Harper

Board Member

Les is a retired partner at EY. From a community involvement standpoint, Les previously served on the board of Action Ministries (AMI), including service as board chair. Following his time on the board, Les was then active on AMI’s Advisory Council. With Action Ministries’ merger with HOPE Atlanta, Les now serves on the Advisory Council for HOPE Atlanta. Les and his wife Kathy are active members at Perimeter Church.

John Henderson

Board Member

John is a graduate from Central Methodist University in Missouri in 2002 with a B.A. in Communications. In 2013 he moved to the Greater Atlanta Area where he founded his company SEC Industrial. In 2019 he moved his company to Peachtree Corners and now resides there as well with his family. John is a member at Peachtree Corners Baptist Church where he and his wife and their 3 kids attend. He volunteered to serve at NCM because he loves this community and wants to be able to give back where he can.

Josh Hunter

Board Member

Josh and his family have been a resident of Peachtree Corners for 11 years. He has 20+ years of experience in the financial service industry, including public accounting as a CPA, and many years at Wachovia/Wells Fargo Bank. Currently, he works for Gratus Capital as a Senior Wealth Advisor for Ultra High Net Worth Families. Josh is an active Member of Northpoint Community Church where he volunteers with MoneyWise and 2:1 Mentoring. In addition, he is on the Board of Fellowship of Christian Athletes for Gwinnett County. Each Spring Break, the Hunter Family volunteers at Lighthouse Family Retreat in the panhandle of Florida.

Keith Lawder

Board Member

Rev. Keith E. Lawder has served as President and CEO of the Georgia United Methodist Foundation since July 2023. Rev. Lawder retired as an ordained Elder in the North Georgia Annual Conference. Prior to being called to ministry, Rev. Lawder was employed at Wachovia Bank in North Carolina and Georgia. He retired in 2005 as Senior Risk Officer for Georgia with 30 years of service. He has served on numerous nonprofit boards and agencies, including the United Ways of Winston-Salem and Asheville, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Better Business Bureau of Atlanta. He currently serves as a Trustee and Chair of the Development Committee for Gammon Theological Seminary. An avid reader and student of leadership, Rev. Lawder enjoys teaching, preaching, and occasionally fly-fishing. Rev. Lawder has been married to Mary Lottier for over forty years. They are proud parents of three sons (and wonderful daughters-in-law) and grandparents of eight.

Matt Myers

Board Member

Matt is a supply chain professional with more than 15 years of experience. He has lived in the City of Norcross for over 10 years with his wife Raven and young two sons. He attends Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church and has previously served in a leadership capacity in several organizations such as March of Dimes, Junior Achievement, National Society of Black Engineers, and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated. Matt currently sits on the Norcross Development Authority and is on the Norcross City Council where he has served his community as a volunteer and advocate for community engagement.

Beth Strickland

Board Member

Beth is the Chief Human Resources Officer for PDI Software and is responsible for all aspects of people management including talent acquisition, training, rewards and the HR operations function. Beth brings more than 25 years of HR experience to the position having grown her career in the Atlanta area with positions with MedAssets, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Turner Broadcasting System. Beth, her husband and two adult children have lived in Norcross for the past 22 years. Beth and her family attend St. Benedict Catholic Church.

Lee Tucker

Board Member

Lee Tucker is one of the founding partners of Mahaffey Pickens Tucker, LLP, a business law firm with operations throughout the State of Georgia and the southeastern United States. He maintains a broad-based legal practice and acts as “general counsel” for many of his clients. Mr. Tucker serves in fiduciary roles with numerous civic organizations in the northern Atlanta metropolitan area. He received his J.D., cum laude, from the Georgia State University College of Law where he was a member of the Georgia State University Law Review and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Georgia. Lee ad his family attend Johns Creek Baptist Church.

Gary Walderich

Board Member

Gary has lived in Gwinnett County for over 20 years and has served at Victory Church in Norcross since 2003. He spent 14 years as Director of Finance & Accounting before transitioning to his current role as a Pastor in Pastoral Care Ministry, where he supports those in need and collaborates with the Neighborhood Coop. Involved with the Coop for nine years, Gary previously served on the Board of Directors, helping plan and secure its current facility. He and his wife, Paula, are both on staff at Victory Church.

Bryan Weaver

Board Member

Bryan is the Director of Manufacturing for the Georgia Center of Innovation and has over 30 years of experience in manufacturing, supply chain and technology. Bryan also currently serves on advisory boards for Ogeechee Technical College, Paulson College of Engineering at Georgia Southern University, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Next Generation Manufacturing. Bryan and his wife Juliet both grew up in Gwinnett County and currently reside in Peachtree Corners where they have lived for the past 10+ years. Bryan and Juliet enjoy time on the water, traveling, cheering on their college football teams and spending time with their two adult children. Bryan holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Georgia State University.

Julie Williams

Board Member

Julie has been a Community Minister at Campus Church in Norcross for 12 years and has attended Campus Church for 29 years. Her roles at Campus Church is to oversee local outreach efforts, global missions, women’s ministry, and also benevolence ministry. She oversees Project Kids Eat, which feeds children living extended stay hotels and apartments in Norcross, distributing 5,388 meals this past summer. She coordinates a Thanksgiving meal for the community which feeds approximately 1,200 people at Campus Church on Thanksgiving Day. At Christmas time, she coordinates a Christmas Caravan which goes to extended stay hotels distributing food, toiletries, cleaning supplies as well as Christmas toys and baby items for families. Julie is the very proud mom of two daughters, Katie, and MacKenzie. They enjoy spending time together traveling, going to live musical productions, exploring areas around the Atlanta area, hanging out with friends and family and helping serve within the community.

Wendy Willis

Board Member

Prior to joining Tandem Bank as a Business Development Officer in January 2020, Wendy held the positions of Director of Missions & Connections at Simpsonwood UMC, Community Outreach Associate at Perimeter Church, and Membership & Marketing Manager for the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. Wendy currently serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, is a member of Sugarloaf Rotary Club and University of Tennessee Women in Philanthropy, serves as a mentor in Gwinnett County Public Schools, and is a partner in childhood hunger relief with both Action Ministries and Rise Against Hunger. She previously served on the Norcross HS Foundation Board of Directors, held various PTA positions in the Norcross cluster, and helped kickstart the Gwinnett Great Days of Service. Wendy and her husband attend Victory Church.

Charlie Zakas

Board Member

Charlie Zakas is a graduate of Norcross High School and Georgia Southern College with a degree in Building Construction. He is owner of Waterproofing Contractors, Inc., a nationally recognized commercial waterproofing, and restoration construction company specializing in exterior renovation to commercial structures. Developing residential neighborhoods in DeKalb, Fulton, Forsyth, Hall, Green and Gwinnett Counties, Charlie has been active in securing homes for all types of families in Georgia. Growing up in metro Atlanta, he has a continued interest in making the area a great place to work and live and raise families. Charlie and his wife Julie raised their two children in Norcross. Currently residing in Berkeley Lake, Georgia, they are very active in Northpointe Community Church, and serve various local charitable organizations such as Cure Childhood Cancer.org, Waymark Foster.org, and Fully Furnished Ministries.org.