Bryan Moss
President, Emeritus
Former CEO, Gulfstream Aerospace
Peacemaker, ramblin’ wreck

Bryan Moss became President Emeritus of Gulfstream Aerospace on April 9, 2007, following a four-year appointment as President of the company and Executive Vice President, Aerospace Group, General Dynamics Corporation.

During his tenure as Gulfstream’s CEO, when you saw Moss in his office, or ducking under primer-green airplanes on an early-morning plant stroll, you probably didn’t see a world statesman – at first.

But Moss, who’s spent time with President Mubarak of Egypt and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdullah (among other Mid-East leaders), sees his contacts as an opportunity to “give something back.”

John Patterson
Managing Director and CEO, J.C.Bamford Excavators, Ltd. (JCB)
Big digger
British import

When JCB opened its Savannah-area plant, there was huge excitement. In fact, the earth moved. Literally.

The international firm, which makes earthmoving and other construction equipment, already had a U.S. customer base. But it saw a chance to expand its clientele and save import costs with a new stateside factory.

Rob Demere
CEO, Colonial Group
Savannah scion
Fishing fiend

“One great thing about Savannah is, how nice the leadership is,” says Rob Demere. “It’s not like some Southern cities, where they wonder about your pedigree.”

Paradoxically, Demere himself would impress anyone into pedigrees. His family came to Georgia in 1733 (when the colony was founded). He now runs the family business, Colonial Group, a multi-national fuel, chemical and terminal conglomerate.

Sylvester Formey
President, Vanguard Distributors
River denizen
Jewish philosopher

Sylvester Formey has the world on a string. And (except when he’s traveling) holds his end from Savannah.

His company, Vanguard Distributors, Inc., handles integrated supply management for national corporations, many in the Fortune 500. The company has been named National Minority Business Council Supplier of the Year, and repeatedly featured in Black Enterprise magazine on its top 100 minority-owned business list.

Paula Wallace
President, Savannah College of Art and Design
Pacesetter
Powerhouse

The Savannah College of Art and Design, the largest art and design college in the nation, was founded in 1978. Today, it has more than 7,300 students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries and offers master’s and bachelor’s degrees in dozens of fields, many online.

Co-founder and President Paula S. Wallace says SCAD chose Savannah in part because of its “natural beauty and historic cityscape. The urban environment inspired students daily, and the balmy climate enables them to work outdoors year-round.”

Jim and Jimi
High-tech honchos
Outdoor enthusiasts

Sometimes you fall in love with Savannah right away. And sometimes she grows on you, like silvery Spanish moss.

It took little time for Jim Goodlett and his wife Jimi Meuse to fall in love with this iconic city. The newlyweds met here, lured to town separately by jobs.

He is Chief Technology Officer at Morris Technology, which manages eCommerce businesses and provides back-end systems and infrastructure to media companies. She is a senior manager at Verisign’s Communication Services regional headquarters, which provides key applications to wireless and wire-line companies worldwide.