ACG Atlanta: Embrace the Shift: Thriving through Change and Future Transformation

Allison Dukes is Senior Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Invesco. In this role, she leads all global corporate finance functions, including strategic and financial planning, investor relations, accounting, corporate tax, treasury, procurement, and public policy.

Ms. Dukes joined Invesco in 2020. Prior to joining the firm, she was CFO at SunTrust Banks, Inc., where she led the structuring of the merger of equals with BB&T Corporation, now known as Truist Financial Corporation. Before becoming CFO of SunTrust in 2018, Ms. Dukes served in a series of leadership roles throughout her 20 years with the company, including head of commercial and business banking, president of the Atlanta division, co-head of private wealth management, and managing director and head of syndicated finance originations for SunTrust Robinson Humphrey.

Ms. Dukes earned a BS degree in mathematics from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. She serves on the board of directors for Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. Ms. Dukes is an active member of the Atlanta community, serving as the past board chair for Junior Achievement of Georgia and currently serving on the board of trustees for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University.

Authenticity, breaking the rules, and creating clarity are the core of Benj Miller’s life and work.

He’s founded ten businesses in his eighteen years of entrepreneurial experience. He’s driven by the desire to help small businesses make the greatest possible impact on the communities they serve. He now dedicates his time to helping other business owners catalyze growth through the System & Soul Framework and find game-changing breakthroughs in the process.

As an advocate for all businesses running on System & SoulTM, Benj also co-hosts the System & Soul podcast with Chris White and co-founded the S2 Sync app. He lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife of twenty-two years and their four amazing kids.

Connect at BenjMiller.com
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Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist and behavioral finance expert who helps organizations understand the intersection of mind and markets. Dr. Crosby's first book, Personal Benchmark: Integrating Behavioral Finance and Investment Management, was a New York Times bestseller. His second book, The Laws of Wealth, was named the best investment book of 2017 by the Axiom Business Book Awards and has been translated into 12 languages. His latest work, The Behavioral Investor, was Axiom's best investment book of 2019 and is a comprehensive look at the neurology, physiology and psychology of sound financial decision-making. When he's not decoding market psychology, Daniel is a father of 3, a fanatical follower of the St. Louis Cardinals, an explorer of the American South, and an amateur hot sauce chef. 

Dr. Kevin James is the 19th President of Morris Brown College, a historical Black college in Atlanta, Georgia. Under his leadership, the college regained accreditation after a nearly twenty-year hiatus, becoming the first HBCU to achieve such a feat. Driven by a commitment to Morris Brown's legacy, he initiated the #TheHardReset campaign, successfully restoring the institution to compliance and recognition by the Department of Education.

With a career spanning over 22 years as an educator, administrator, executive business leader, and motivational speaker, Dr. James brings a wealth of experience to his role as the Chief Executive Officer of the college. He has been responsible for stabilizing finances, expanding academic offerings, increasing fundraising, and achieving record-breaking enrollment in the past two decades.

Under Dr. James’ leadership, the institution secured full accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) on April 26, 2022, enabling the college to regain access to federal financial aid programs and Title IV funding. He also solidified Morris Brown College's reinstatement as a participant in the Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities program under Title III.

Recognized for his visionary leadership, Dr. James secured a groundbreaking partnership with Hilton Hotels Worldwide and CGI Merchant Group to develop a $40 million hotel on campus. This collaboration not only contributes to the college's financial stability but also offers valuable training opportunities for students in the hospitality industry.

Throughout his tenure, Dr. James has received numerous accolades and awards for his contributions to higher education and leadership. He has been featured in prominent media outlets, including CNN, Forbes, and Black Enterprise, further highlighting his impact and influence.

In addition to his role at Morris Brown College, Dr. James is actively involved in various organizations and serves on the boards of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Worldwide, the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Historic Oakland Foundation, among others. He is a member of prestigious honor societies and organizations such as Kappa Delta Pi and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

Dr. James holds a bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders and Social Sciences from Winthrop University, a master's degree in Business Management, Leadership, and Organizational Effectiveness from Troy State University, and a Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. He is also a graduate of the Higher Education Institute at Harvard University.

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Dr. James is deeply committed to empowering the community through education and has played a transformative role in revitalizing Morris Brown College. His strategic vision, dedication, and numerous accomplishments have positioned the institution for a successful future.

My NET WORTHWHILETM is helping people find their Net Worthwhile.

Heather is the Chief Executive Office and Chair of the Board of SignatureFD, an integrated and comprehensive wealth management firm with offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina, recently named to the Inc. 5000.

During her twenty-year tenure at the firm, Heather has created and executed strategies that have exponentially grown SignatureFD’s AUM from $250M to over $6B. Her ability to combine strategic oversight in alignment with financial goals and enterprise risk mitigation has led the firm to maintain enterprise valuations, annual growth rates and client retention rates that consistently exceed industry averages. Deftly combining head and heart, Heather integrates operational excellence with strategic innovation and shepherding growth and scale in teams and organizations. Beyond operational expertise, Heather leverages her graduate degree in professional counseling to help uncover and connect people’s passions and talents to build teams that deliver excellent and inspiring client experiences.

Her unwavering commitment to leading and building teams that exhibit excellence in leadership with heart has garnered her national recognition. Among these accolades, Heather has been awarded CEO of the Year by Wealth Management Magazine in 2021 and Most Admired CEO by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in 2022. In 2023, she was selected to the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2023 and named to the Titan 100 List. Heather is recognized as a thought leader in the ever-changing landscape of wealth management and has been widely sought after for her expertise. Her writings have appeared in the likes of Inc.com; she has captivated audiences at large-scale speaking events, and she has been published as a reviewer of the industry book, “G2: Building the Next Generation.”

Heather deeply values service to the industry and community and has extensive board experience, including the TD Ameritrade Operations Panel (2013 – 2016), Charles Schwab’s Technology, Operations and Service Advisory Board (2018 – 2019) and the Orion Advisory Board (2012 – 2017). She currently serves on the Fidelity RIA Leader’s Council, the Goldman Sachs Advisor Solutions Panel, and as a member of the Advisory Board for Mammoth Investors.

She is a longstanding advocate of DEI initiatives both at SignatureFD and within the wealth management industry broadly. Her focus on empowering women to take on leadership positions has helped SignatureFD achieve a 90% female executive leadership team. Her belief that every person has a purpose in life, to which wealth properly aligned can help support, is the cornerstone of SignatureFD’s client promise, Net WorthwhileTM.

Heather received her bachelor’s degree in Finance from Kennesaw State University and earned a master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University. She is a graduate of the Schwab Executive Leadership Program and the G2 Leadership Institute.

Prior to her role as CEO, Heather served as Chief Compliance Officer, President, and Chief Operating Officer of SignatureFD, during which time she led the development of the operational platform and technology stack that helped fuel the firm’s double digit growth year- over-year.

Heather lives in Kennesaw with her husband and two daughters, and Oakley and Willow Grace.