ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
\nCedric Hollis\, Operating Partner
\nCedric Hollis grew up in Guin\, Alabama with five brothers and sisters. He learned a strong work ethic working on his family'\;s farm and assisting his parents with pastoring three small local churches. During his time in church\, he learned how to play the drums and became an accomplished musician. He took his first job working in a local grocery store where he began learning about inventory management as well as learning how to lead others. During his tenure in college\, he left school to pursue a position in full time ministry with Karen Wheaton as a drummer and facilities manager for 10 years. After the birth of his first child\, he decided to leave ministry and pursue another career. He worked for Target for 3 years and came back to ministry as a youth pastor. At the end of his time as a youth pastor\, he pursued a new direction with Chick-fil-A as an Operations Director in Florence\, Alabama in 2012. He has remained employed with Caleb Mathis at Chick-fil-A since then and holds the position of Operating Partner where he has served as an integrator of a collective vision of Building Community \;in Columbia. He has been a crucial part of the significant growth of Chick-fil-A since 2014 watching the business grow from $2 million to $10 million in 2023. He is established in Mount Pleasant with a beautiful wife (Kelly Grace) and four Children.
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\nBethany Pugh\, HR Director
\nBethany Pugh grew up in Pulaski\, Tennessee as a pastor'\;s daughter with four brothers and sisters. She began working at Chick-fil-A in Decatur\, Alabama at the age of 15 and fell in love with the brand and the people in the business. After high school\, she went to school for phlebotomy while continuing to work for her brother-in-law at Chick-fil-A in Huntsville. During her time in college\, she realized that she really loved Chick-fil-A and decided to pursue a greater role in the business instead of joining the medical field. She served as a Marketing Director in the restaurant where she managed city wide partnerships and events - including the Huntsville Stars baseball organization and coordinating with multiple Chick-fil-A'\;s for city-wide leadership and team member events. She moved to Culleoka in 2016 and left Chick-fil-A for 3 years and became a certified insurance agent with Shelter Insurance in Pulaski. In 2019 she came back to Chick-fil-A in Columbia and took a new role in the business as the HR director. She has been a crucial part of the continued growth and success of Chick-fil-A and an integral part of the team member journey and leadership processes for the business. She is now part of the executive leadership team and excited about the future of Building Community in Columbia.