Leadership and Staff

President, The Tipping Point
Montgomery, Alabama

• Chairman since 2024

President, Bromberg & Co. Inc
Birmingham, Alabama

• Trustee since 2020

Owner, The Pants Store
Leeds-based, Alabama

• Trustee since 2024

President, The Locker Room
Montgomery and Auburn, Alabama

• Trustee since 2018

Owner, Palm Beach Tan Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama

• Trustee since 2020

Vice President, Jimmy Smith Jewelers
Decatur, Alabama

• Trustee since 2013

President, Buffalo Phil’s
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

• Trustee since 2014

Cahaba Crest Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama

• Chairman since 2013

(334) 551-0641
bjohnson@alabamaretail.org

Brett became the fund manager for Alabama Retail Comp in March of 2022 and vice president of Alabama Retail Association in 2024. He previously served as business solutions manager for Alabama Retail Association since joining the staff in 2008.

As fund manager, Brett oversees the daily operations of the self-insured fund, including managing the team responsible for sales, claims and premium administration, underwriting and accounting. 

A graduate of Auburn University, he has a degree in Public Administration and Communications.

(334) 551-0645
rbrown@alabamaretail.org

Rick joined the Alabama Retail Association in 1989 with a background that included sales and banking. He served 16 years as Alabama Retail’s vice president. In 2005, the board of directors chose Rick to serve as president of the association.

Under his leadership, membership in Alabama Retail has grown exponentially from 200 members to a membership today of 4,500. Rick is also fund administrator of Alabama Retail Comp, a self-insured trust that provides workers’ compensation coverage to Alabama’s retailers. In this capacity, Rick is a member of the Alabama Self-Insurers Association board of directors and is chairman of COMP PAC, the official political action committee of the Alabama Self-Insurers Association.

A graduate of the University of Alabama, Rick is a certified association executive as designated by the American Society of Association Executives. In addition, he is a graduate of the Institute for Organization Management at the University of Delaware and of Leadership Montgomery.

Rick serves as president of the Business Associations’ Tax Coalition, a group of business and trade associations representing every major business group in Alabama. He also serves as vice chairman of the Alabama Civil Justice Reform Committee, a coalition of businesses and pro-business organizations committed to restoring legal fairness in Alabama. He is a past president of the Alabama Council of Association Executives.

(334) 551-0639
mandi@alabamaretail.org

Mandi is responsible for coordinating, planning and reporting the financial activities of the Alabama Retail Association and Alabama Retail Comp. She also serves as human resources director for both organizations

Mandi came to Alabama Retail in August 2011 with more than 12 years of accounting experience. She previously worked for six years for Jackson Thornton, a Montgomery accounting and business consulting firm. She served as manager for the firm immediately before becoming Alabama Retail’s chief financial officer. Mandi also previously worked as an accountant for The Retirement Systems of Alabama.

She holds both a master’s of business administration (2005) and a bachelor’s degree in accounting (2002) from Auburn University Montgomery. She attained certified public accountant status in 2006 and chartered global management accountant in 2012.

Mandi is a member of the Montgomery chapter of the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants, for which she served as president in 2009; is a former ambassador for the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce; and is a member of the Young Montgomery Business Club. She also is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta social sorority.

She and her husband, Chris, reside in Pike Road.

(334) 481-0094
toni@alabamaretail.org

Toni joined Alabama Retail Association in 1992 as the association bookkeeper. One year later, she was promoted to premium administrator for Alabama Retail Comp. Her duties include premium invoicing, payroll revisions, annual audits, management of premium collections and policy revisions.

(334) 481-0095
mlamar@alabamaretail.org

Melissa joined the Alabama Retail Association in 1995 as secretary. In 1997, she became a customer service representative for Alabama Retail Comp and also handled accounts receivable and payroll audits.

In 1998, Melissa became the Underwriting Manager for Alabama Retail Comp and continues to serve in that capacity. Her duties include reviewing accounts submitted by ARC’s network of independent insurance agencies to determine eligibility for the workers’ compensation program and underwriting existing accounts for continued eligibility. Melissa issues quotes and binders for workers’ compensation coverage and oversees the processing of new accounts.

Melissa earned the Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation in 2005 and the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation in 2015.

(334) 481-0096
gillian@alabamaretail.org

Gillian joined the Alabama Retail Association in 2000 as receptionist. She was promoted to member services representative in 2001 and joined Alabama Retail Comp in April 2005 as an Underwriting Assistant. She is responsible for processing new accounts, issuing binders, policy revisions and handling monthly broker commissions.

Gillian graduated from Troy University-Montgomery in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. In 2006, she received the Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation.

(334) 551-0629
tessa@alabamaretail.org

Santessa “Tessa” began working full time as claims clerk for Alabama Retail Comp in June 2006 after working part time with the organization for several months. In 2008, she began working as a medical claims analyst and support for the claims department. In 2013 she was promoted to business process manager. Tessa assists the policy and claims departments with workflow management and training. She is also responsible for the safety and loss control program for the members of Alabama Retail Comp.

She earned the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation in 2017. The year prior, she received the Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation.

Tessa enjoyed a brief career working as an account manager for an independent insurance agency in Montgomery in 2021-2022 before rejoining ARC in June 2022.

She is a 2010 magna cum laude political science graduate of Auburn University Montgomery and a 2001 graduate of Wetumpka High School.

(334) 551-0707
boyd@alabamaretail.org

Boyd joined Alabama Retail Comp as marketing and agency relations director in June 2006. His ARC duties include recruitment of new members for the Alabama Retail Association by promoting its workers’ compensation program through its network of independent agents.

He came to ARC from Sunbelt General Agency where he had worked since 2005 marketing independent insurance agents. Prior to his employment with Sunbelt, Boyd was director of the Alabama Public Employees’ Action League, or APEAL, for Alabama Retired State Employees Association. He also worked in member recruitment with ARSEA.

A native of Selma, Edwards attended Auburn University, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, serving as its treasurer. The Pike Road resident and 1999 graduate of Trinity Presbyterian School is a member of Wesley Church.

(334) 263-1915
ea@alabamaretail.org

Elizabeth Anne joined Alabama Retail Comp as a marketing and agency relations representative in February 2022, becoming the fifth generation of her family to enter the insurance industry. She promotes the workers’ compensation program through ARC’s network of independent agents.

She graduated magna cum laude in 2021 from the University of South Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in composite sciences. She is currently working to obtain her Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation.

Elizabeth Anne is a junior board member for The Exceptional Foundation, which hosts the Annual Chili Cookoff every spring. She is also a member of the Junior League of Birmingham. She lives in Vestavia Hills.