Hummingbird & South expands into Birmingham

Mobile-based Hummingbird Ideas and Daphne-headquartered Southern View Media recently announced a new partnership between the companies, creating Hummingbird & South located in Hummingbird›s former 3,000 square foot office space at 1102 Dauphin St. in Mobile. Southern View Media’s 1,050 square foot former headquarters, situated at 6384 Bay Front Drive in Daphne, is now serving as the new firm’s Baldwin County branch.

The combined venture now employs 19, with 12 coming over from Southern View and the remainder from the former Hummingbird’s office pool of seven. The rapidly growing local business also recently hired two more workers to staff a new office that recently opened up in Birmingham.

“The new venture of the two agencies are working together to fill the need as a local advertising solution, offering the power and flexibility of digital media with the sophistication and creativity associated with boutique agencies,” Michelle Murrill, co-owner and partner of Hummingbird & South said.

“With over 14 years of experience, Hummingbird Ideas has established and maintained a reputation for elegant execution, creativity and dynamic strategy throughout the southern regional market. Southern View Media’s ascendancy in social media and digital tactics, in the past few years has established a reputation as one of the leading agencies in a competitive and very crowded marketplace” Murrill said.

Per a news release, the digital side is run by the husband and wife team of  Michelle Murrill and Brad Murrill. The creative side of the new agency is managed by Crawford Binion and Tim Dozie.

 Lewis H. Golden with Hamilton & Company recently represented Hansen Heating & Air in leasing a new location for their new home division. The 6,000 square foot office and warehouse building is located at 3800 Abigail Drive just off Rangeline Road. John Delchamps with Merrill P. Thomas Co. worked for the building owner.

“Hansen Heating & Air is continuing to expand their business with a new home division. This is in addition to their HVAC service, plumbing and electrical divisions,” Golden said.

USA Health Marketing and Communications hires Mans  

Per a news release, Gary Mans has been selected for the position of associate vice-president for USA Health Marketing and Communications and will begin work at USA effective January, 2019. This role encompasses marketing for the entire USA Health System.

Prior to his position at South Alabama, Mans has had a long career of leadership in healthcare marketing and communications. Since March 2009, he has been director of communications and marketing at the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, an academic health system, where he led a staff that supports a physicians group, multiple hospitals, a cancer center and four academic schools with research centers, including a nationally recognized School of Medicine.

During his time at University of Louisville, Mans developed and executed multiple strategic marketing campaigns and created a communications program for a campaign that raised more than $1 billion in funds for local area nonprofits and charities.

Prior to joining University of Louisville, Mans worked at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he was director of public relations for over a decade, leading a staff that developed and executed strategic, integrated communications for the university’s campus and health system.

Additionally, over a 30 year career in marketing and communications, Mans has held positions at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Shands Hospital at the University of Florida.

A native of Gainesville, Florida, Mans holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and a master’s in public administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“We’re very much looking forward to Gary joining USA Health, and with his leadership we anticipate continued great success in our marketing and communications initiatives,” Mike Haskins, USA vice-president for marketing and communications said.

Baldwin Realtors donates to local charities

Baldwin Realtors, a professional trade organization supporting upward of 2,300 members in the area reportedly donated over $21,000 last month towards local and regional nonprofits.

During the association’s annual Thanks & Giving lunch, $15,000 was donated to local charities: South Alabama Out of the Darkness Walk-American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Ecumenical Ministries, Mary’s Shelter, Home of Grace, The Shoulder, The Baldwin County Trailblazers for The Walking School Bus, Prodisee Pantry, Habitat for Humanity of Baldwin County and Feeding the Gulf Coast’s Backpack Program. Baldwin Realtors also donated $6,000 to the Florida Realtor Relief Foundation for victims of Hurricane Michael.

“Baldwin Realtors recognizes the impact these organizations have on our area, and we want to support these causes because they create strong communities,” Kandy Hines, 2019 Baldwin Realtor president said. “Realtors believe in strong communities, and we will do anything we can to support what they do.”

Thanks & Giving is an event for association members to recognize local charities in the community for their work as well as the group’s affiliate members, committee chairs and Omega Tau Rho Inductees — realtor emeritus members who have been in the industry for at least 40 years.

This year, four Baldwin County members were inducted into the Omega Tau Rho fraternity of the National Association of Realtors. Membership is represented by the Medallion of Service which is awarded to inductees and symbolizes recognition accorded to them for contributions to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and its institutes, societies and councils.

Members recognized by NAR included Sonny Nichols, associate broker of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Nichols Real Estate; Bernice Lindsey, associate broker of Bellator Real Estate and Development-Eastern Shore; Sherry Bell-Headrick, associate broker of Roberts Bros. Gulf Coast and Ann Gordon, broker with Atmore Realty and Baldwin Realty Brokers.