From Service to Success: Navigating Entrepreneurship for Veterans

Moderator

Donna Lowry is an award-winning journalist who combines a passion for storytelling and a desire to empower others with communication and critical thinking skills surrounding political, educational, and financial  issues.

Through her firm, Donna Lowry Communications, she provides consulting, writing, and producing services for educational, media, professional, and business outlets.

Donna serves as host for several programs, including Lawmakers on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Donna is an eight-time Emmy award winner, a three-time national Gabriel Award recipient, and has garnered honors from countless organizations, including the National Association of Black Journalists, Atlanta Association of Black Journalists, Georgia Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists, Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE).

Her media peers inducted Donna into the prestigious NATAS Southeast Silver Circle to recognize her lasting contributions to the broadcast industry.

Donna has a master's in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Bachelor's in Mass Communications and Administration and Management from Chatham University.

Her professional affiliations include the Atlanta Press Club, the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Southeastern Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS SE). 

In her 15th year as a Girl Scout Leader, Donna has led girls ranging in age from kindergarten through 12th grade. Her community service affiliations also include Magnolia (GA) Chapter of Links, Inc., and Nu Lambda Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.  

Donna and her husband, Army Major (Ret) Bennet W. Reid, Jr., are the parents of three daughters. 

Director of Business Development for the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce

Tim, the Director of Business Development for the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, is a 20-year honorably retired veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Tim’s leadership skills were honed during his six-year tenure at the Georgia Veterans Education Career Transition Resource (VECTR) Center, where he served as the Director for the SBA’s Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC). In this role, he was responsible for delivering the SBA’s Boots-to-Business program at the 13 military installations in Georgia and South Carolina, managing a team of four to assist transitioning active-duty members, veterans, guards, reservists, and their spouses desiring to start, grow, and expand a business. His experience as a business owner and entrepreneur, with a background in real estate, mortgage finance, and teaching, further underscores his leadership abilities. He and his wife opened a real estate company in 2004, and he worked in mortgage finance for two years and in the Technical College System of Georgia for over ten years. He is currently a doctoral student at Liberty University.

Financial Journalist

Kimberly Lankford has been a financial journalist for more than 20 years. As the “Ask Kim” columnist at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine, she received hundreds of reader questions every month about insurance, taxes, retirement planning and other personal finance issues. She now writes primarily for AARP.org, AARP the Magazine, Military Officer Magazine and U.S. News & World Report. Her financial articles have also appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, PBS Next Avenue and Bloomberg Wealth Manager, and her syndicated columns were published regularly in the Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, Baltimore Sun and other papers.

She received the personal finance Best in Business Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, and she has written three books: The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance – and Still Get the Coverage You Need, Rescue Your Financial Life, and Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions.

One of her favorite projects was writing The Financial Field Manual: Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Guide for Military Families, which is in its 4th edition and is distributed to military bases throughout the world. As a military spouse -- her husband retired from the Army after 21 years as an Army doctor – she is particularly interested in writing about special financial issues for military families.

Community Engagement Lead, Better Business Bureau^®

With over 25 years of experience in customer service, including 10 years with the Better Business Bureau, Crystal McPherson focuses on fostering meaningful relationships and driving impactful outcomes through genuine communication and strategic insight.

In her role, she concentrates on identifying and capitalizing on growth opportunities, developing strategic initiatives, and building strong partnerships. Her approach emphasizes understanding market dynamics and customer needs to create effective solutions and achieve business goals.

Crystal is dedicated to enhancing market presence and driving business growth by leveraging her experience to support and empower her team, craft strategic plans, and deliver transformative results.

Director, Georgia Veterans Business Outreach Center (GA VBOC), Georgia VECTR Center

Reginald "Reggie" Thompson (Retired USA SGM), hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, is the Director/Program Manager for the Georgia Veterans Business Outreach Center (GA VBOC), which is strategically located at the Georgia Veterans Education Career Transition Resource (VECTR) Center in Warner Robins, Georgia. His unwavering dedication to the military community is evident in his role. After a distinguished 32-year career in the United States Army, specializing in Logistics, Reggie retired as a proud Paratrooper and former member of the 82nd Airborne Division, where his service was exemplary.

Reggie is married to Kristie Lynn Thompson, a fellow veteran and United States Air Force retiree. Together, they are successful veteran entrepreneurs in Warner Robins, having founded "Moo Moo Lawn Care Service, LLC," an SBA-certified Veteran-Owned, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and Woman-Owned Small Business (VOSB, SDVOSB, WOSB). Their business has not only provided quality lawn care services but also served as a model for other veteran-owned businesses.

As a key member of the Georgia VBOC, Reggie is part of a dedicated four-person team that travels to nine military installations across Georgia to deliver U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Boots to Business (B2B) workshops and participate in Community Outreach events. These workshops, which have a profound impact on the military community, also extend to National Guard and Reserve installations, Military Spouses Pathway to Business (MSP2B) programs, Georgia Technical Colleges, and the Georgia State Men's and Women's Detention Centers offering B2B Reboot workshops.

The workshops, designed to be inclusive, provide free one- and two-day sessions on entrepreneurship, open to transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. Additionally, for those who cannot access military bases or prefer remote learning, the Georgia VBOC team regularly offers online and virtual B2B and B2B-Reboot workshops, ensuring widespread access to SBA entrepreneurial resources and partnerships.