Get to Know Our Judges
Get to know our Judges
Mystery Judge, CEO
Our Mystery Judge has lived in Cartersville for 20+ years. They are an award winner on multiple levels from various community organizations. They have an entrepreneurial spirit and is a Co-Owner of one local company as well as CEO of another. Their passion for people and community is seen in everything they do.
Harry Pierce, CEO, President
An 18-year veteran and former president of The Home Depot. In his most recent endeavor, he founded Big Time Products, the world's largest distributor of work gloves with annual revenue of $425m.
Matt Friedman, Wing Zone Founder
Matt Friedman and Adam Scott founded Wing Zone in their fraternity house kitchen in 1991 with a $500 investment. Matt launched the Wing Zone Franchise System in 2000. As CEO of Wing Zone, Matt led a talented team to successfully open over 150 restaurants in the US and six countries.
Brady Reiter, Cloud Computing Expert at IBM & Founder of Renegade Hard Lemonade
Brady is a senior executive at IBM with expertise in creating and selling multi-cloud solutions focusing on scalability, resiliency, security, and compliance. His clients include IBM's top-tier Financial services customers, including three of the top 10 US Banks, three of the top 10 Insurance companies, and the leading global payment processors.
In 2020, Brady and his wife Alex turned their passion for wine into a new entrepreneurial venture by creating Renegade Lemonade, bold and refreshing wine with the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Renegade Lemonade can now be found at several local restaurants in the Northwest Georgia area.
Marsha Bourdeau, Supply Chain Operations Associate, Enablement Team, Employee Resource Lead & GHC Alumnus
Marsha received both her Associate and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees at GHC. Prior to being hired at Flexport, she was the Floral Manager at several area Krogers.
Upon accepting her position at Flexport, Marsha quickly rose through the ranks because of her innovative thinking and problem-solving skills. Today, Marsha is a valued team member who not only performs her primary duties but is also the Employee Resource Lead in charge of promoting Flexport's culture, growth, career progression, and professional development. .
Brad Hawkins*, Director, Aviation History & Technology Center
Brad is a firm believer in turning your passion into your career. After operating a small business for 13-years, he honed his knowledge of military and aviation history by first serving as a volunteer of the AHTC. After finishing his Graduate Research Assistantship and completing his graduate degree, Brad was offered a position as the Center's project coordinator.
Since 2019, Brad has served in his current role as the director where he is focused on continuing to build first-class assets for the community, about the community, and with the help of the community. His passion for the community can be seen in the special projects he opens up to college students, teaching the soft skills needed for both business and community stewardship.
*Brad will be serving as an alternate judge on Pitch Day