Career Connections Helps Job Seekers Make Meaningful Connections

Career Connections, previously the Career Assistance Network for Birmingham (CAN-B), is working hard to help area professionals connect with resources, professional expertise, and other motivated job seekers to share stories and helpful tips during tough job transitions.

Gayle Lantz of WorkMatters, Gerriann Fagan of The Prism Group, and Lou Thibodaux, deacon in the Episcopal Church of Birmingham, founded CAN-B two years ago as a website. The initial goal of CAN-B was to bring together information from local church career ministries and monthly meetings for job seekers to find in one centralized website, and for job seekers to use this as a resource for networking opportunities and advice from job transition experts.

The Career Connections website has grown to a blog format with information on monthly meetings, other opportunities for networking, resources, and information on speakers for their monthly meetings. Their monthly meetings are not only opportunities for motivated job seekers to network and learn new tips from experts, though. These meetings have turned into a time for people to share their stories and experiences as they work through the sometimes difficult roller coaster that is a job transition. This was never a defined goal for Career Connections, but the leaders are happy to see that their work is offering support to others.

Career Connections is not the only group that has been formed to support the long-term unemployed during their job transitions; Career Builders, Career Assistance LLC, and others are just some that were highlighted in this article written by Roy L. Williams from The Birmingham News.

Career Connections meetings are held on the 4th Monday of every month. Join them this month at their meeting to hear from Glenn Phillips of Forte` Incorporated.

Tornado Disaster

God bless all those affected by the Tornadoes that impacted the Birmingham region and the rest of Alabama.

PUI: New Arrivals

LeNa` Powe – Project Manager

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, LeNa` Powe received a B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Community Development, and a M.A. degree in Communication Studies from The University of Alabama. LeNa` is a graduate of John Carroll Catholic High School.

In 2007, LeNa` received the University Of Alabama College Of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Award of Merit for academic and community service excellence. As a local title holder under the Miss America Organization, LeNa` has raised over $29,000 for diabetes related initiatives throughout central Alabama through partnerships with the City of Birmingham, Children’s Hospital, the Diabetes Association of America, and the City of Prattville. In addition, LeNa` has also raised funds and volunteered for the Children’s Miracle Network, The Greater Birmingham Cultural Alliance, and the Holy Family Education Foundation.

As a former Alabama State Senate intern for Senator Linda Coleman of Birmingham, LeNa` has been involved with several community service and development projects throughout the state. LeNa` has also completed internships with The Alabama Ballet, The University of Alabama, CBS 42, and has written several articles for The Birmingham Times. During the 2009 and 2010 holiday seasons, LeNa` toured as a principle dancer with National Tour of The Chocolate Nutcracker.

LeNa` has been a critical team member since her first day with PUI and serves as the point person for our work with the Birmingham Business Alliance.

Julie Turner – Project Manager

Julie is a May 2010 graduate of Clemson University with a B.S. degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management and a minor in Business Administration. While a student at Clemson, Julie gained two valuable years of fundraising experience with Fund Raising Management and Counsel, Inc. Over the two years she worked with this company, Julie moved from an administrative fundraising role to a supervisory position that supported as many as ten managers and helped with major fundraising campaign development for universities, hospitals and other national clients.

In the summer of 2010, Julie  volunteered with the City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Special Events. Her primary duty was to concentrate on their largest event, Freedom Over Texas, a July 4th event in downtown Houston. As a volunteer, she supported sponsorship fulfillment functions for the event and pitched in with on-site volunteer coordination for over 600 individuals.

Julie’s spring 2010 internship with the Kansas City Chiefs focused on corporate sponsorship development and the implementation of three large-scale events: the annual Draft Day party with over 2,000 attendees; the “After the Draft” party featuring the team’s general manager, coaches, and players; and the 2010 Kansas City Chiefs cheerleading try outs, a weekend-long event. She worked closely with sponsorship coordinators and the multiple Fortune 500 level sponsors who support the team. In addition to these responsibilities, Julie also collaborated with the game day production team to research themes and to begin planning for the 2010/2011 season kick-off, which featured the grand opening of the new Arrowhead Stadium.

Julie moved to Birmingham in the Fall of 2010. Since her time in Birmingham Julie has served as the point person for three of PUI’s valued clients, including the Alabama Weatherization Association, TechBirmingham and Magic Moments.

Business and Pleasure

“I do” is no longer reserved for couples at the altar. It’s also popping up at the office when couples agree to work together in their own businesses.

No business talk allowed on Saturday ‘Date Nights’

ED AND CHERIE FIELDS:

BUSINESS: Projects Unlimited, 1500 First Ave. North. www.relaxitshandled.com
YEARS MARRIED: 4
YEARS WORKING TOGETHER: 1

When Ed and Cherie Fields got married on Valentine’s Day 2004, they vowed to love, honor and cherish.

Finally, A Real Social Media Success Story

As the newly minted president of Projects Unlimited, Inc., Cherie Fields is already proving how she helps her nonprofit and association clients become more marketing and outreach oriented.

Calling for backup – Birmingham Business Journal

Ed Fields of Projects Unlimited, left, meets with Kevin Katechis, CEO of Advanced Skin Technology, at the Innovation Depot to talk administrative issues for nonprofit Southside Ball Association.

 

Kevin Katechis relies heavily on volunteers to run a small nonprofit sports organization during the summer with a razor-thin budget.

Birmingham Magazine Projects Unlimited: Overseeing details for non-profit entities

By Blake Tommey Photo by Jason Wallis

Partners: Husband Ed Fields and wife Cherie Fields.

What is it? Projects Unlimited is an association management company based out of the Innovation Depot on First Avenue North. Ed and Cherie Fields are expert guns-for-hire by multiple non-profit organizations, and they provide public relations, event planning, day-to-day administration, a board of directors, membership and accounting.