Vestavia Hills City Schools

Jay Stewart is a partner with the firm Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC and represents individuals and businesses in a broad array of personal injury and wrongful death claims and complex civil litigation matters arising out of motor vehicle collisions, medical malpractice, premises liability, construction, insurance, and business disputes.  Prior to joining Heninger Garrison Davis, Jay was a member and/or shareholder at the firms Gordon, Dana & Gilmore and Carr Allison and served as In-house Corporate Counsel for the Bruno Event Team/Alabama Sports Foundation where he drafted and oversaw the implementation and activation of venue, media and corporate partner agreements for the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) and its championship events.

Jay received a JD/MBA from Cumberland School of Law and the Brock School of Business at Samford University and a Bachelors of Science in Business Management from Samford University.  

Jay is a lifelong resident of Vestavia Hills and a 1991 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School where he played football, basketball and baseball for AHSAA Hall of Fame Coaches Buddy Anderson, George Hatchett and Sammy Dunn.  Jay assisted the City of Vestavia Hills with establishing the Vestavia Hills Sports Hall of Fame in 2010 and served as the co-chairman for the 2010 and 2012 induction banquets. Jay is a current member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee and previously served on the Board of the Professional Liability Defense Federation and was the Honorary Chairman of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Birmingham MS Leadership Class in 2011. 

Jay and his wife, Brooke, have three children, including one student who attends Pizitz Middle School as well as 2016 and 2019 graduates of Vestavia Hills High School. Jay and his family attend Dawson Memorial Baptist Church. 

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Jonathan was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Finance. Upon graduation, Jonathan worked as a manager for two local home improvement companies. There he gained hands-on experience managing construction crews performing residential retrofits and developed his knowledge of homeowners’ energy concerns. He started his business, Eco Three, in the summer of 2010 and continues to grow the company.

Jonathan has served on several local charity boards, including the ARC of Jefferson County, MS Society, and The CF Foundation. He was honored to be part of the Birmingham Business Journal’s 2015 “Top 40 Under 40.”

Jonathan is an active member of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club.  He and his wife have two children who attend Vestavia Hills Elementary East. Jonathan and his family are proud members of Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church.

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Kyle Whittington is the owner and managing partner of Meld Financial, an independent wealth management firm located in Cahaba Heights. Kyle is a Certified Financial Planner and has been with Meld Financial since 2007 serving as an advisor to clients. Meld Financial focuses on personal financial planning, investment management, trusts, foundations, retirement plans and deferred compensation plans.

Kyle attended The University of Alabama where he received an undergraduate degree in Finance and also a Master’s degree in Financial Planning. He has served on various community and professional boards including Leadership Vestavia Hills, VHCS Foundation, Financial Planning Association North Alabama, and Estate Planning Council. Kyle and his wife, Ragan, have two children, including one who attends Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge. Kyle and his family are active members of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, where Kyle serves as a deacon. 

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Amber Terakedis is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in Finance and a minor in Economics. Amber is a Partner at Plante Moran based in Southfield, Michigan. She is a Certified Financial Planner, (CFP ™) and specializes in Wealth Management and holistic financial planning for individuals. Amber has spent 10 of her 16 years with Plante Moran working remotely in Chattanooga and Birmingham as her husband’s career brought their family south. After moving to Vestavia Hills in 2016 with three young children, they decided this was where they wanted to remain and raise their family.

Amber serves on the PTO Board at Liberty Park Middle School and volunteers her time at Vestavia Hills Elementary in Liberty Park. Her civic experience includes serving on the Vestavia City Schools Foundation Board, as a Sustaining Member of Junior League in Chattanooga, and she previously served on the Greater Lansing Food Bank Board in Lansing, Michigan.

Amber is married to her college sweetheart, David, and they have three children attending Vestavia City Schools. You can often find them on the Lacrosse, Soccer and Football fields with their active sports family. They attend Church of the Highlands and the Church at Liberty Park.

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Shelley Gentle is a software developer and co-founder of Anovys, a technology company she and her husband, John, started in 2012 to serve the fresh foods industry. Their software is used by customers across the country. Prior to launching the business, Shelley gained experience in application development, project management, and client solutions, working for organizations ranging from small startups to a large defense contractor. She holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Theatre from Washington & Lee University.

A Birmingham native, Shelley and her family moved to Vestavia Hills in 2009. She and John have four children who attend Vestavia Hills City Schools, spanning from elementary to high school.

Shelley currently serves on the Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation Board, the board of the Birmingham Boys Choir, and the board of Leadership Vestavia Hills. She is a former executive board member of the Junior League of Birmingham, where she was an active member for 14 years. Outside of work and volunteer commitments, Shelley enjoys running, cooking, and traveling with her family.

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