Board of Directors
Lee Machen
Founder/Board of Directors
Lee has been in the financial services industry since 1992 working with professionals, executives and business owners.
His prior career was with Unisys Corporation where he served in various management roles including software products and services, quality assurance, and project management.
With his extensive background in financial services, Lee took the initiative to become a leader in the Gwinnett Community when he founded the Gwinnett Leadership Forum in 2013.
Lee holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics/chemistry, and a Master’s degree in Theology. He is married to Renee and has two daughters and three grandchildren.
Clint Thompson
Chairman of the Board
Clint has 30 years of experience building start-up organizations, raising capital and selling businesses in the agriculture, clean energy, environmental and real estate industries. In addition, to his business planning and implementation experience for start-up organizations, Clint has developed National and International Programs for some of the largest organizations in the world.
He is known for developing first of kind programs and first to market organizations. Prior to starting his own company in 1999, Clint culminated a 10- year career managing a 100 person organization for an international environmental sustainability company. Clint graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.S. Degree in Environmental Studies.
Ryan Jones
Board of Directors
Ryan Jones currently serves as Director of Community Development for Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries. After spending 15 years in the banking industry providing support to Georgia companies of various sizes, Ryan decided to pursue his passion for serving others full time by helping families in crisis in Southwest Gwinnett County.
In the community, Ryan serves as the Director of the Pantry @ HMUMC, a food pantry serving an average of 400 families every week. Ryan is the service chair for the Duluth Rotary Club, an advisory board member for the Path Project, and a mentor for Gwinnett County Schools community-based mentoring program. Ryan is married to Loni, a first-grade teacher, and has two young boys Hudson and Grayson.
Daniel Sosebee
Board of Directors
Daniel is an associate member in MSTiller's Gwinnett office. He specializes in assurance and attestation services for closely held businesses and not-for-profit organizations. His expertise includes a variety of industries such as distribution, manufacturing, construction, technology and dealerships, as well as serving on a number of significant non-profit engagements, including our largest private foundation clients.
In addition to assurance and attest engagements, Daniel is passionate about building relationships with colleagues, clients, prospects and networking within the communities we serve. This passion has led Daniel to the position of Director of Business Development where his role is to lead the Firm through organic growth, mergers and acquisitions as well as develop new lines of business.
Secondly, he oversees the Firm’s employee retention and recruiting department in which he works hand-in-hand with the Firm’s retention and recruiting specialist.
Daniel obtained his BBA in Accounting from Georgia College and State University (where he also was a member of the men’s golf team) and completed his Master of Accountancy at Kennesaw State University.
Daniel is a member of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is actively involved with his church and community affairs including the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Gwinnett Chairman’s Club, Partnership of Gwinnett and board member of the Gwinnett Leadership Forum and the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning.
Kam Phillips
Board of Directors
Kameron Phillips is an inspirational speaker and certified Life & Leadership Coach who specializes in developing teens, students, and early career professionals into emerging leaders.
Kam is a native of Gwinnett County who played collegiate basketball at Oxford College of Emory University and graduated with a BA in Economics from Emory University. In his prior career, Kam worked for large banking and investment management companies, including ETRADE, AllianceBernstein, and JPMorgan Private Bank. In these roles, he partnered with high net worth individuals, foundations, & family offices on strategies to build and sustain generational wealth. Kam eventually decided to walk away from his career in finance to pursue his true purpose and use his gifts in full capacity to serve others.
Kam currently serves as a Crew Leader for Gwinnett Young Professionals Journey, a program led by Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, where he coaches high potential early career professionals.
Additionally, Kam is a board member for Talents of Our Generation, Inc, a non-profit organization that provides mentorship, art programs, and resources to help youth impacted by the Juvenile Justice system.
Christie Sims
Board of Directors
Christie Sims has been a business owner in Gwinnett County for 22 years. She is one of three owners of Hayes, James & Associates, Inc., a civil engineering, surveying and land planning firm that began in Gwinnett County over 63 years ago. Christie graduated from North Carolina State University with a B.S. degree in Landscape Horticulture. She is a registered Landscape Architect in Georgia and North Carolina and continues to use that expertise at the firm as well as her role in project management and business development. Christie also oversees many of the firms’ park designs, residential design through construction, commercial/industrial projects and handles environmental impact issues for all projects.
Christie holds several industry related certifications including those from the USACE Wetlands Training Institute, the NC Stream Restoration Institute and completed the Georgia Academy of Economic Development certification course.
She is actively involved in various community organizations including the Greater Hall County Chamber of Commerce, Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce and the Forsyth Chamber of Commerce. Christie has been on the Board of Directors of The Council for Quality Growth, a pro-business organization, for over 16 years.
Christie is heavily involved with Redwine United Methodist Church and is a trustee there.
