Get to Know Gwinnett’s Shining Stars

Ask almost anyone what gives Gwinnett its unique personality and they are likely to sum it up in just two words – our people. We definitely have a top-notch education system and great neighborhoods, but it’s the incredible business, civic and organizational leaders working hard to make Gwinnett a great place to call home that make all the difference. In this year’s People to Know issue, we’ll introduce you to some of the most dynamic people we know, sharing their stories of success and how they contribute to the quality of life in Gwinnett.

John Addison – Primerica, Inc.
Tamela Adkins – Adkins Law
Dale Bailey – Princeton Dental
Sharon Bartels – Gwinnett Technical College
Martin Birkbeck – American Family Insurance
Mary Beth Byerly – Gwinnett Technical College
Carol Danielson, RN, MHA, CNAA-BC, FACHE – Gwinnett Medical Center
Regina I. Edwards – Edwards & Associates, Family Law Attorneys
Roger S. Green, MSFS, CFP® – Green Financial Resources, LLC
Kelly Greer – Gwinnett Magazine
Gary Martin Hays – Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
Matthew Holtkamp – Holtkamp Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.
William (Bill) Johnsa – City of Lilburn
Bucky Johnson – City of Norcross
N. Wallace Kelleman, Esq., LLM, LTCP – Kelleman Law Firm, PC
Scott Keniley, Esq. – Keniley-Kumar, LLC
Mark Lackey – Atlanta Housing Source at Solid Source Realty
H. Durance Lowendick – Lowendick Law Office
PJ Lynch – Gem Shopping Network, Inc.
Mahaffey Pickens Tucker, LLP
Jim Maran – Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
Laurie McClain  – McClain & Company, P.C.
David McCulloch – Gwinnett Technical College
Maria Mendillo – FarraTech, Recharge & Recycle Inc.,
Advanced Equipment Office Systems (AEOS)
Bartow Morgan, Jr. – The Brand Banking Company
Eleanor Morgan – MD&E Clarity
Donny Phillips – Atlanta Flooring Design Centers
Jodi Pierce – AlphaGraphics
Sandi Porter – Start with the Inside
Pam Prengaman – Allstate – Prengaman Insurance Agency
C. Jeffery Pruitt, Jr. – The Pruitt Firm
Martin Richenhagen – AGCO
Spencer Rozin, MD, FACP – Rozin Internal Medicine
Victoria Seals, Ed.D. – Gwinnett Technical College
Rick Strawn – Paradigm Security Services, Inc.
Jennifer Thilo – Delmar Gardens of Gwinnett
Tabitha Aubree Tong – Gary’s Bistro
Chris Townsend – McMullan & Co. CPAs
Phillip Tran – I-Tech Staffing, I-Tech E-Services
Chuck Warbington – Gwinnett Village CID
Margaret Gettle Washburn – Margaret Gettle Washburn P.C.
Attorney at Law
BB Webb – Carl House
Dr. Bill Williams – Suwanee Dental Care
Rick Williams – Primerica, Inc.
Philip R. Wolfe, FACHE – Gwinnett Medical Center
Jason Wood – Keller Williams Realty Chattahoochee North

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CEO   
Gem Shopping Network, Inc.

Our Story: Gem Shopping Network, Inc. is a 24-hour television network in its 15th year. We sell the highest quality colored gemstones and jewelry to clients across the U.S. Our Founder and Chairman Frank M. Circelli, Graduate Gemologist in Residence, was the first person ever to put a colored gemstone for sale on television 20+ years ago. He built this business based on honesty, integrity and education.

How We Help: Once gemstone and jewelry lovers are aware of our unique jewelry offerings, our representatives help them find the perfect addition to their jewelry wardrobe. Our direct sourcing coupled with our manufacturing abilities allow us to create eye-popping jewelry items that will be the envy of all at any event.

Problems We Solve: How do you find that spectacular item? – Simply call us and ask. Gem Shopping Network is always open and it’s an interactive experience. Our sales representatives and show hosts assist you with access to designer, estate and rare jewelry items.

Results We Deliver: Jewelry makes people happy and feel beautiful. Our business has an incredible selection of jewelry and gemstones. Our in-house master gemstone cutters and jewelry manufacturing artisans provide world-class, custom masterpieces that thrill our clients.

What Makes Us Unique: Our Founder started this business based on his true passion for and deep knowledge of precious colored gemstones. Television became a way to share his passion on a larger scale and now live streaming over the Internet makes that even larger. Our gemstone selection is second-to-none.

What’s Next: Named CEO early this year, I have the opportunity and obligation to continue to fulfill our brand promise. With an amazing team, we’ll continue to deliver the most exquisite gemstones and jewelry into new markets.

Phone: 770-622-5505
pj@gemshopping.com
3259 Duluth Highway
Duluth, GA 30096
www.GemShopping.com

Founder and Chairman, Frank M. Circelli, GG leads by example hosting a recent network Special Event.

Starting with a creative idea and a true lifelong passion for gemstones, Frank Circelli, G.G. was motivated to build a business that brought quality jewelry into the privacy of homes across America. Now more than 20 years later, Circelli is Founder and Chairman of the Gem Shopping Network, Inc., a 24hr shopping channel. This exceptional channel showcases rare gemstones and designer jewelry reaching close to 40 million households across the nation.

Gem Shopping Network, which was built upon the brand promise of honesty, integrity and education, aired its first show in Gwinnett on May 10, 1997. Circelli, who was already known for the first and original gemstone show “Gemstones with Frank,” strived to educate viewers on precious stones, deliver unique jewelry pieces and make the show an interactive experience between the client and the host.

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Our Story: Mahaffey Pickens Tucker, LLP provides top-shelf legal representation throughout the metropolitan Atlanta region. We understand how businesses operate and are in a position to provide more than just legal advice in response to legal issues.

How We Help: On the litigation side, we make people and companies take responsibility for their actions. On the transactional side, we make sure the deal gets done on time with solid documentation.

Problems We Solve: In this economy, we deal with many clients that stand to lose everything. We fight for them in every way we can.

Results We Deliver: We use the court system to force people, companies and governments that have wronged our clients to take responsibility for their actions and make our clients whole.

What Makes Us Unique: The talent of our lawyers is what separates us. We hire lawyers that have the credentials to work at any firm in Atlanta, but choose to work here. It is through talent, hard work and loyalty that we achieve results.

What’s Next: We will be right here when our clients’ need us.

Phone: 770-232-0000
Fax: 678-518-6880
1550 North Brown Road, Suite 125
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
www.mptlawfirm.com

Results matter. In a world where the bottom line drives many business decisions, the attorneys at Mahaffey Pickens Tucker, LLP are known for getting results for their clients. Since coming together to form MPT in 2006, Jeff Mahaffey, Steve Pickens, Lee Tucker and Matt Benson have created a firm culture where legal guidance is shaped by accountability. The firm’s mission is to serve clients who demand the very highest level of legal expertise.

The diverse practice experience of the firm’s attorneys allows MPT to provide effective counsel on a wide range of issues. MPT specializes in various aspects of the law including litigation, land use, financial restructuring/workouts, banking and finance, governmental relations, commercial real estate,  condemnation, property tax, business formation, construction and catastrophic injury. This broad focus has allowed MPT to become the go-to law firm in Gwinnett County.

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Chairman of Distribution and Co-CEO   
Primerica, Inc.

Our Story: Primerica is the largest independent financial services distribution company in North America. They help mainstream families solve the fundamental financial challenges that keep them from achieving financial independence.

How We Help: We sell term life insurance to make sure both our clients and their families are adequately protected. We help families by getting them out of debt with fundamental financial solutions and saving money through mutual funds and variable annuities in order to pave the way to financial security.

Problems We Solve: The biggest problem we solve is that most Americans have no financial game plan and if they do, it’s usually a disastrous one. We help families put together a road map to achieve financial independence.

Results We Deliver: We typically serve middle income families with little or no life insurance protection or savings and who have accumulated a lot of debt. We help reverse that course for our clients by recommending savings programs, proper protection and debt management solutions so they can gain greater financial stability.

What Makes Us Unique: Our people make us unique. In Gwinnett, we have an incredibly loyal and long-term staff of 1,700 people, 400 of whom have been with the company for more than 20 years.

What’s Next: One of our biggest accomplishments in these challenging economic times is becoming a Gwinnett-based public company, not just a division of a big New York corporation. Now, we want to take our newfound freedom, build our business and grow our distribution system and sales force.

Phone: 770-381-1000
Fax: 770-564-6110
3120 Breckinridge Boulevard
Duluth, GA 30099
www.primerica.com

Attorney   
Adkins Law

Our Story: Tamela Adkins has been a lawyer for 18 years and specializes in divorce and post divorce litigation. Her firm handles both contested and uncontested divorces as well as post divorce matters. Additionally, she handles traffic violations and misdemeanors in Gwinnett County.

How We Help: I hope to guide clients through the complicated legal arena of divorce in a caring and efficient manner. I hope to consider my client’s psychological and financial well being in domestic lawsuits.

Problems We Solve: The pain of a divorce or a custody battle can be overwhelming. We offer and recommend a wide-range of options to help and support clients in staying focused on the important issues in their case.

Results We Deliver: For nearly two decades, I have dedicated my professional life to helping men and women. My unique experience gives clients the edge they need in family court.

What Makes Us Unique: I offer an affordable uncontested divorce package on no-fault grounds. If parties can divorce and remain friends, everyone wins. Especially the children!

What’s Next: I want to continue to serve the Gwinnett community in offering uncontested divorces, as well as help with divorce and post divorce litigation.

Phone: 770-431-9999
Fax: 770-277-1808
tamela@adkinslaw.us
234 Luckie Street
Lawrenceville, GA 30046
www.AdkinsLaw.us

Founder and President  
Princeton Dental

Our Story: Princeton Dental provides the best oral healthcare in the industry. We have the patient’s best interests in the design of our processes and the way we engage the patient. Our staff understands that no one gets up in the morning wanting to go to the dentist. If we can make that experience better than they expected, everybody wins.

How We Help: We approach your dental health as a team. Our experienced business staff can help you make the most of your dental benefits and work with you on financing. Our General Dentists and Specialists work side by side to provide a level of care beyond what is possible any other way.

Problems We Solve: As technology changes dentistry, treatment planning becomes more complex and communication between the specialists and the general dentist becomes more critical. No technology exists that can beat working in the same office.

Results We Deliver: The patient gets better dental care with less cost and less hassle. From combining appointments, managing the insurance process or arranging financing, we can reduce the amount of time you spend at the dentist.

What Makes Us Unique: Our entire design as well as our culture recognizes the patient relationship is built upon their entire experience. From the first phone call to the way they are greeted when they come through the door, we want them to come back.

What­s Next: We continue to attract the best talent in the industry and grow to better serve our current patients in Sugar Hill and Buford. We plan to open an office in Loganville this year and then expand throughout Gwinnett and the entire Atlanta area.

Phone: 678-730-2005
Fax: 678-730-2008
dbailey@princetondental.com
4700 Nelson Brogdon Boulevard
Buford, GA 30518
www.PrincetonDental.com

President
Gwinnett Technical College

Our Story: At Gwinnett Tech, I believe we change lives – for our students, their families, businesses and employers, and our communities – by providing technically innovative, career-focused education and by creating a highly-skilled workforce. Equipping our students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today’s workplace is our top priority.

How We Help: We work daily with business and industry to understand what their workforce needs will be in the future, so that the programs we develop and deliver to our students are tied to tomorrow’s emerging careers and growing industries.

Problems We Solve: We’re focused on jobs – always have been, always will be. We connect students who need relevant, advanced skills and knowledge with employers who require a trained workforce capable of making an immediate impact.

Results We Deliver: Our graduates are the area’s first responders, nurses, computer programmers, teachers, accountants, designers, network security specialists and more. You’ll also find them at work in bioscience, horticulture, automotive technology and construction – to name just a few areas.

What Makes Us Unique: The diversity and breadth of our programs, the commitment our students have to their chosen careers, and the agility with which we can respond to the needs of the workplace are hallmarks of Gwinnett Tech.

What’s Next: Just weeks ago, we opened the doors of our new Life Sciences Center – symbolizing a major expansion of our health science programs. By next year at this time, I expect that we’ll have seen strong growth in our services to North Fulton.

Phone: 678-226-6603
Fax: 770-338-9218
sbartels@gwinnetttech.edu
5150 Sugarloaf Parkway
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
www.GwinnettTech.edu

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Owner
American Family Insurance

Our Story: Martin Birkbeck opened the first Gwinnett agency office for a Fortune 300 insurance company, American Family Insurance, in 2009. The focus of his agency is to be the most trusted and valued service-driven insurance agency in the industry. They offer home, auto, business and life insurance.

How We Help: We provide an easy hassle-free approach to ensuring that our clients and their assets are properly protected. Our clients know that they have the right amount of insurance at the right price.

Problems We Solve: The typical response that we hear from clients who switch to our agency revolves around the personal service, the great rates and convenience of doing business with us. They are pleased to be treated as a valued client.

Results We Deliver: Many consumers consider dealing with insurance to be a painful experience. The benefit of working with our agency is getting the answers to your questions when you call and getting fast, fair claim service when needed.

What Makes Us Unique: Our agency customizes coverage for each client based upon his or her life circumstances. Listening to what the customer has to say helps uncover the areas that need proper coverage. This is not a unique practice, but unfortunately rare.

What’s Next: Shopping on the Internet for insurance is convenient if you know what you’re getting. I am growing my agency with clients that appreciate having an advisor who can personally help them make the right insurance choices.

Phone: 678-745-9440
Fax: 770-932-8177
martin.birkbeck@amfam.com
991 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Suite 108
Suwanee, GA 30024
www.MartinBirkbeck.com