My inspiration truly came from wanting to spread a positive message…

Frater Jeff Burns has created Southern Nice, a line of casual apparel and accessories designed to appeal to all Southerners–natives, transplants and visitors–not just to those that fit the stereotype.

Jeff Burns - Founder of Southern Nice

“Southerners are regarded as some of the nicest/friendliest people in the country,” Jeff wrote, “and I wanted to highlight that personality of the South, not the sweet tea and magnolias.

“I was inspired to start the company while in Mass on a Sunday evening. I wanted something that could be worn on shirts that would spread a positive message, so I went home and listed out tons of words and sayings before settling on Southern Nice–it was a phrase I had grown up hearing.

“I used Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to work around making logos, suggesting rolling hills or the ocean (small ripples) and a moon or sunset, but leaving it up to the customer to see it as what they liked.  I spent weeks testing logos and designs, color schemes, etc on family and friends. Then I bought the domain name and used a WordPress template to create the site.

“However, the first supplier I tried was a disaster!  After 3 weeks and no product, I looked for a company that could supply quickly and found Icebox here in Atlanta.

“Southern Nice offers a variety of t-shirts featuring the skylines of different cities–I wanted the shirts to be indicative of the Modern Southerner, to highlight the vibrancy of the New South, to connect to all the people and cities, and I hope to have a shirt for each major city in the next couple years.  We also offer croakies and koozies featuring the Southern Nice theme and I have launched a blog with sections on music, food, and entertainment from the South.

“In each city we feature, we connect with a local charity and donate 50% of the net profits from sales of that city’s shirt to it.  For example, in Nashville, we help support Hands On Nashville. I have many ideas on how to get the name out there around charities and I’ve even started two other arms of the company. These are still works in progress!

“My inspiration truly came from wanting to spread a positive message.  I believe that even just a passing glance at the shirt can subconsciously make a person want to be nicer. It’s spreading a good thought and representing the Southern kindness behind it.”

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Steve Reinel - Award-winning Architect

Becoming an architect was the fulfillment of a dream I had since I was a kid. There is a lot more to it than I thought in those days. Designing an attractive building is a small part. Understanding the complexities of the way the building will function throughout it’s life to serve for generations while weathering the test of time is what excites me about what I do. Nothing gives me a sense of accomplishment more than a client who uses the building and lets me know that it serves his needs well.

After graduating from Tech in 1984, Frater Steve Reinel took at position at Nix, Mann and Associates in Midtown Atlanta as an intern architect working on health care projects.  A year later, he realized he would like to get experience with various other types of buildings, so he went to work at Hecht, Burdeshaw and Johnson in Columbus, Ga to work on museums, airports, office buildings, banks, etc.

When the recession hit in late1990, Steve found himself out of a job. His job search took him to Jacksonville, Florida where his ties to Nix, Mann & Associates in Atlanta helped him land a position at University Medical Center as their in-house project coordinator.  Steve worked on numerous renovations spun-off by major expansions designed by his previous employer.  During that time, he took the Architect Record Exam and got his license.

The work at UMC lasted for approximately 2 years when Steve was offered a position at Gresham, Smith and Partners as a Project Manager / Health Care Architect.  At GS&P, he worked his way through the ranks to become a Senior Associate and Principal-in-Charge of the Jacksonville Health Care studio.  He had been there for 8 years when he was considered for partnership.

After some serious soul-searching, Steve decided he would rather own a firm rather than be one of many partners at GS&P.  He also wanted the opportunity to work on residential projects which had always been of major interest to him.  He met with Bill Jaycox, a well-known residential architect in Jacksonville who had been a sole-practitioner since 1989.  Bill went to Clemson and he and Steve are the same age.  In 2002, Steve and Bill decided to start working together to diversify Bill’s firm and to give Steve the opportunity to work on Health Care and Residential projects.  In 2004, Bill offered Steve ownership in the firm and Jaycox, Reinel Architects was born.

Private Residence by Jaycox, Reinel

Steve brings more than 25 years of award-winning architectural experience to his projects.  He has served as project executive, project manager and architect for institutional and residential projects throughout Florida and Georgia.  Projects have ranged in size from under one million dollars to more than $60 million in size.  Steve and his projects have been featured in several magazines including Healthcare Design Magazine, Arbus, Water’s Edge, Jacksonville Lawyer Magazine and Florida Architecture.  He has received awards from such organizations as the Brick Association of America, Jacksonville Historic Preservation Society, Riverside / Avondale Preservation and the American Institute of Architects.

Florida Hospital Palm Coast by Jaycox, Reinel

Steve resides in Jacksonville’s Riverside – Avondale Historic District in a 1926 bungalow he restored in 2007.   The work won the Riverside – Avondale Preservation Society’s “Best Home Renovation” in 2009.  He is a member of Jacksonville’s Downtown Rotary Club and the American Institute of Architects.

Doing something interesting?  Submit the information and a photograph to http://betapitke.org/submit-news.

Tim Collins, co-founder of Digital Assent

Frater Tim Collins is the co-founder and CTO of Digital Assent, LLC, which he and CEO Andy Ibbotson started up in Atlanta in 2009.  Digital Assent aims to address the rapidly growing demand for self-service electronic health record (EHR) solutions and to” get rid of the paper clipboard” in the doctor’s office.  Frater Mark Conlin has joined the firm as Chief Software Architect.

Digital Assent’s flagship product is the PatientPad®, which replaces the patient registration forms and clipboard that patients have used for decades with an easy-to-use touch screen solution that guides the patient through the check-in process.  Patients can register online in advance of their visit or use the PatientPad to check in, verify insurance eligibility, and sign any required consent forms at the point of care.  Once a patient has checked-in, the PatientPad delivers targeted health information to the patient while they sit in the waiting room.

Digital Assent is currently housed in the ATDC.

Doing something interesting?  Submit the information and a photograph to http://betapitke.org/submit-news.

Frater Dennis Murray (Beta-Pi 1108) took a long-time interest in photography and early adoption of a Digital SLR Camera into a side career and business in photography.

“I have had a long interest in photography – at first photographing vacations and occasionally at the race track.  When the early consumer Digital SLR cameras appeared on the market at the same time as the birth of our first son, Aidan, in 2003, I started photographing Motorsports more often.  Some connections made on an Internet message board for photographers with interests in Motorsports brought me my first paid work.”

Murray also attributes digital cameras in rapidly increasing his abilities behind the camera.  ”With the digital SLR – the instant feedback of what you are doing right and wrong gives you a fast feedback loop to make corrections and immediately see results.”

Murray started photographing races at Braselton’s Road Atlanta on behalf of SportsCar Magazine in 2004.  Since then, he has broadened into a variety of first High School sports and now youth sports in his Forsyth County community north of Atlanta.  Other customers have included USA Volleyball and Formula Car Magazine.

“Beyond the big investment in camera bodies, lenses, desktop computers, and software – the biggest challenge has been defining my customer and finding the customer.  There’s a limited market of buyers, and they need to be engaged before the event so I can spend a maximum amount of time focused on their athlete’s performance.”

“Most of my work is purchased directly by the parents of young athletes.  I work hard to bring my customers the best possible photographs of their athletes and their performances.”

You can view Dennis’ work at dennismurrayphotography.com, or follow him on Twitter @dennismurray.