2024 Speaker Bios
Brian Snitker
Brian SnitkerManager, Atlanta Braves
Snitker who enters his 48th season in the Braves organization began his coaching career as a roving instructor in 1981, originally hired by Hank Aaron. He was named interim manager on May 5, 2016, taking over for Fredi Gonzalez and was formally announced as the manager on October 11, 2016. Snitker began the 2016 season as Triple-A Gwinnett's manager, after being named the interim skipper, he joined the Braves in Pittsburgh for his first game, on May 5, 2017 and earned his first win the next day against the Pirates.
Snitker has led Atlanta to a National League East division title in each of the last six seasons. Hall-of-Famer Bobby Cox is the only Braves skipper with a longer streak. He is the first manager in franchise history to lead the team to the postseason six times in his first seven full seasons.
In 2018, he guided the Braves to 90 wins and the N.L. East title, an 18-win improvement from the previous season. He was voted by the BBWAA as the National League Manager of the Year, with 17-of-30 first-place votes and 116 points. Prior to Snitker, Bobby Cox was the only other Braves manager to win the award.
Named Sporting News' N.L. Manager of the Year in consecutive seasons, 2018-19, he became the fifth manager in history to win in back-to-back seasons. The award has been given out annually since 1936.
In 2021, Snitker led Atlanta to its fourth World Series title after capturing the Braves' fourth consecutive National League East crown. Following the World Series victory, Atlanta exercised Snitker's option for 2024.
In 2023, he led the Braves to a 104-58 (.642) record and the 23rd division title in franchise history. The club sat in first place in the division every day beyond April 2. The 104 regular-season victories matched the 1993 club for the second-most wins within a single-season in club history; bested only by the 1998 team (106). Paired with 2022 (101 wins), Atlanta has won 100 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2002 (101) and 2003 (101).
He skippered the 1,000th game of his managerial career, April 6, 2023 vs. San Diego and is one of five managers in franchise history to do so. Snitker earned the 600th win of his managerial career, July 5, 2023 at Cleveland. His 646 managerial wins rank third in franchise history. Among those to manage at least 500 games with the club, Snitker's winning percentage (.559) ranks third.
Snitker had three other stints on the major-league staff. He was the third base coach for seven seasons, from 2007-13, under Bobby Cox and Fredi Gonzalez. He also had two separate stints as the bullpen coach, first in 1985 and then from 1988-90.
He served 20 seasons as a minor-league manager, compiling an overall record of 1,301-1,309 (.498) managing at all levels of the system. Snitker has two league titles, with High-A Myrtle Beach in 1999 & 2000. He was named Manager of the Year both seasons. He also served as a coach in the Braves farm system for three seasons, from 1993-94 with Danville and in 1995 with Durham.
As a player, Snitker was a catcher and appeared in four seasons (1977-80) and 236 games in the minors.
He Graduated from Macon High School(Illinois) and played baseball at the University of New Orleans.
Snitker and his wife, Veronica, reside in Marietta, GA. They have two children, Erin and Troy, and three grandchildren. Troy currently serves as one of two hitting coaches for the Houston Astros.
Steven Murphy
CPA Partner, Moore Colson CPAs and Advisors
Steven Murphy, CPA, is a Partner in Moore Colson’s Tax Services Practice. He currently is the Practice Leader for the Transportation Industry and also serves as the Tax Practice Leader for the Retail Industry. Steven works with the coordination of tax services for clients, planning and organizing engagements, managing the progress of work, maintaining and expanding good client relations, suggesting and implementing tax planning ideas, performing research, and supervising staff.
Steven’s professional background in public accounting, along with his strong interpersonal and team-oriented skills, complement Moore Colson’s already diversified tax team. With expertise in federal and state tax planning, Steven’s successful business background includes serving clients in the transportation, retail, manufacturing, and technology industries.
Steven started his professional career at Arthur Andersen LLP, where he worked in the Mergers and Acquisitions group. He then worked at Deloitte & Touche LLC, where he was a senior in their federal tax practice. Finally, he worked as a Tax Manager assisting closely held businesses at a local firm before joining Moore Colson in 2007.
Steven holds a B.B.A. in Accounting and a M.A. of Accounting, Tax Specialization from the University of Georgia
Luke Hugel
President Mobility Platform & Solutions, Bosch
Responsible for the strategic direction, vision, growth and performance of Bosch’s logistics and transportation domain in North America.
As a seasoned professional with more then 20 years of logistics and strategy experience, I lead our team to drive brand growth, maximizing operational excellence, and delivering financial performance. With over 20 years of experience in the mobility and transportation industry, I am passionate about creating value for customers, partners, and stakeholders by leveraging data connectivity and transparency. As the President of Bosch Mobility Platform & Solutions, I am responsible for leading the regional business strategy, operations, and growth of Bosch's logistics service integration platform, L.OS, which connects the logistics-related products, services, and technology offerings of our strategic partners to solve our customers' critical pain points that reduce cost and improve profitability across the logistics ecosystem.
I most recently served as head of Mobility Strategy at Bosch Americas where he also led marketing and managed cross-domain product management driving growth in areas around connected services and fleets. Before that I acted as Chief of Staff for the President of Bosch North America. I have lived and worked internationally as well as led teams across many aspects of the North American Logistics industry in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Additionally, I hold a MBA from Michigan State University, specializing and a BBA from University of Michigan. I am based Bosch’s North American headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Phil Kent
Phil KentCEO & Publisher, JAMES Magazine
Phil Kent, a graduate of the University of Georgia with an ABJ in Journalism & Mass Communication, is the CEO & Publisher of JAMES Magazine and JAMES Magazine Online (an Atlanta-based daily internet news agency) as well as a sister company InsiderAdvantage which conducts polling.
He is also president of Phil Kent Consulting Inc., a public relations/media communications company he founded in 2003.
A regular panelist on Fox5 Atlanta WAGA-TV’s Sunday public affairs program “The Georgia Gang,” he is a former president of the Atlanta-based Southeastern Legal Foundation and previously was a longtime columnist, editorial writer and editorial page editor of The Augusta, Ga., Chronicle. In 1981-82 he also worked on Capitol Hill as press secretary to the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond.
Phil Kent also served as a 1st Lieutenant, U.S. Army Military Police Corps, Honorably Discharged, with active duty at Fort Gordon, Ga. He resides in Sandy Springs, is married to the former Bonnie Lever of Augusta and has one son Philip Jr. of Evans, Ga., and three grandchildren.
Nic Sallis
Nic SallisChief Operations Officer, Fleet Drive 360
Nic Sallis serves as Chief Operations Officer at FleetDrive 360, a cloud-based solution provider for FMCSA compliance, driver onboarding, and drug and alcohol testing programs. Sallis’ background crosses between sales and operational roles, blending experiences from international supply chain management, manufacturing and fabrication, product management and software development. Through this diverse background, Sallis provides a unique perspective on overcoming the challenges facing businesses in both growth and recessionary markets.
Sallis, a husband and father of four children, spends his free time competing in a variety of endurance sports including Ironman Triathlons. He holds a dual degree in Marketing and Spanish from the University of Georgia.
Roger Tutterow, Ph.D.
Henssler Financial Endowed Chair, Director of the Econometric Center and Professor of Economics, Kennesaw State University
Roger Tutterow is Professor of Economics at Kennesaw State University. He also serves as Director of the Econometric Center, an applied research center housed in KSU’s Coles College of Business.
His analysis of the economic, business and political environments have been featured in a variety of media including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Arizona Republic, Florida Times-Union, Kansas City Star, Los Angeles Times, 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 also serves as Chief Economic Advisor for the Henssler Financial Group, an Atlanta-based investment advisory firm and as a strategic advisor to Georgia Oak Partners, a Georgia-focused private equity firm. 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 30 states and Canada on topics in the economic, business and political arenas.
For the last four years, he has been selected by Georgia Trend magazine as a “notable Georgian." In 2003, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Dr. Tutterow to serve on the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors, a capacity that he continues to serve in for current Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. 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 has served on the Georgia Child Support Commission, on the Board of Trustees of Berry College, the Board of Directors of Vinings Bank, 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.
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 rejoining 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.