2025 Citizens Business Summit
The 2025 Citizens Business Summit is scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, at the Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge. Check back soon for full details!
Register Here
2025 Summit Agenda
Check-in and Breakfast | 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Summit Introductions & Welcome | 8:15 a.m.
Charlie Williams | President/CEO, Citizens Bank & Trust
Cyber Security Threats to Businesses Today | 8:25 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Rich Simpson | CEO, NavisPro
Break | 9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
On the Economic, Political, and Business Climate | 9:45 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
Dr. Roger Tutterow | Professor of Economics, Kennesaw State University
Break | 10:50 a.m. - 11:05 a.m.
Everyone Communicates, Few Connect | 11:05 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.
Jason Parks | The Parks Group, LLC
Closing Remarks & Lunch | 12:15 p.m.
The Citizens Business Summit
Fostering awareness in a challenging economic landscape
The Citizens Business Summit ("Summit") takes place in September of each year at the Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge. Since its inception in 2016, the Summit has brought the business community of North Alabama together for a "mini-conference", hosted by our Bank, and filled with economic, small business, and industry experts. The thought and effort behind the Summit arose from the desire of our institution to be much more than a Bank in the communities we serve. To be leaders, with a servant-hood corporate agenda that extends much further than simply accepting deposits and making loans. Each year over 200 attendees come together to learn, grow, and network. Our goal continues to be to provide them with something to take away, that can be helpful in their daily business or professional lives, and in their personal lives as well. Previous Summit speakers include: Lt. Col. Robert J. Darling who was the highest ranking military official in the White House on 9/11 and is author of 24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker, small business expert, Gene Marks; New York Times best-selling author, Andy Andrews; economists Loren C. Scott and Dr. Ed Seifried and more.
Meet Our 2025 Speakers
Jason Parks
Jason Parks is known for his visionary leadership and his anything is possible attitude. With 20 years experience in corporate communications, professional development and non-profit management, Jason is a sought after motivational speaker and professional trainer. He’s spoken to over 2,200 audiences, from professional development workshops to public diplomacy with world leaders, and frequently speaks on leadership, effective communication, and conflict resolution.
Jason is the President of The Parks Group, LLC, Senior Pastor of Refuge Church and CEO of The Possible Project. He is a subject matter expert in leadership at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, teaches executive education at the University of Alabama and has earned the designation Certified Maxwell Leadership Speaker, Coach & Consultant. He's earned a BS in Communication Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Divinity and was awarded a Honorary Professional Doctor of Leadership
Rich Simpson
Rich has worked in the Information Technology (IT) field as a Network Engineer, Consultant, and Information Systems Auditor since 1992. His practice includes information systems audits; cybersecurity incident response, forensics and recovery; server and network design and support; and cybersecurity best practice consulting. Rich has significant expertise in the following areas: information security, cybersecurity, intrusion detection, remote access, network infrastructure, and contingency planning/disaster recovery procedures. He also has extensive experience implementing, training, and supporting numerous accounting solutions.
Rich holds the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification, which recognizes his knowledge and extensive experience in conducting IT audits. He also holds both the CRISC certification (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control) and the CDPSE (Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer) all from the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. Additionally, he has extensive experience with SSAE SOC2 internal control audits, IT General Control audits, as well as FDICIA ITGC control design. Rich has been on the faculty of the Alabama of the Alabama Banking School since 2012 instructing students in Information Security and Cybersecurity. He has presented Information Security and Cybersecurity courses and classes to bankers and banking organizations since 2003. Most recently, he has become a subject matter expert in the recovery from a ransomware event by shepherding many businesses and business types in rapid efficiency recovery. He has taught "best practices" classes and guided recovery exercises to numerous entities and organizations to improve their preparations for a ransomware event.
Roger Tutterow, Ph.D.
Roger Tutterow is Professor of Economics at Kennesaw State University where he holds the Henssler Financial Endowed Chair.
His analysis of the economic, business and political environments have been featured in a variety of media including Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Business Week, Forbes, USA Today, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Arizona Republic, Florida Times-Union, Kansas City Star, New York Times, Orlando Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Wichita Eagle and on CNN, CNBC, NBC, Bloomberg Television, NPR’s “Marketplace” and “All Things Considered,” CNN-Radio as well as by regional electronic and print media.
In addition to his work in academia, Dr. Tutterow has served as a consultant on financial economics and statistical modeling for corporate clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to closely held businesses. He has provided expert testimony on economic, financial and statistical matters in state and federal court, before the Georgia General Assembly and before the Georgia Public Service Commission. Dr. Tutterow has given several hundred speeches to professional groups in over 40 states and Canada on topics in the economic, business and political arenas.
Dr. Tutterow served on the Council of Economic Advisors, under three Georgia Governors. In 2010, he was named to the Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians, which conducted a comprehensive review of Georgia’s Tax Code. In addition, Dr. Tutterow serves on the Georgia Child Support Commission, the Cobb County Public Employees’ Pension Board and the Board of Trustees of Berry College. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vinings Bank, on the Board of Managers for PrimeARCapital LLC, on the Southern Region Board of Directors for the American Red Cross Blood Services and the Board of Directors for Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Atlanta. He was selected by Georgia Trend magazine as a “notable Georgian” and as one of “Georgia’s Most Influential” by James magazine.
A Georgia native, Dr. Tutterow holds a B.S. in Decision Science from Berry College and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from Georgia State University. Prior to joining Kennesaw State University, Dr. Tutterow held faculty and administrative appointments at West Virginia University, Georgia State University and Mercer University. He has also served as a visiting professor at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and at the Institute for Industrial Policy Studies in Seoul, South Korea.
Contact
Kasey C. Culbert
VP/Marketing
[email protected]
Citizens Bank & Trust
P.O. Box 250
Guntersville, AL 35976
256-505-4600