Birmingham Business Alliance Announces Martina Winston as Chief Business & Member Engagement Officer
The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) is pleased to announce Martina Winston as its new Chief Business & Member Engagement Officer. Effective October 27, 2025, Winston will lead the BBA's efforts to strengthen business relationships, expand member and investor services, and support small business growth throughout the Greater Birmingham Region, all with a focus on collaboration and measurable results. With more than 20 years of experience leading people and community engagement initiatives, Winston brings a proven track record of driving inclusion, workforce development and organizational growth.
As the seven-county Birmingham region’s chamber of commerce and leading economic development organization, the BBA works collectively and collaboratively to create jobs, attract and retain top talent, support small business growth and development, promote regional collaboration and drive growth and prosperity. Being the voice of the business community and at the forefront of strategic collaboration, the BBA creates educational programs, signature events, networking opportunities, legislative priorities and more, offering members and investors the chance to build meaningful relationships across industries, organizations, municipalities and city or county lines.
As Winston takes on this role and further strengthens her already impressive network as a business and community leader, she will ensure BBA’s investors, partners and businesses of all sizes have access to the resources, information and opportunities they need to succeed. She will lead the planning and execution of regional business engagement events that drive business growth and engagement and that connect businesses to each other, elected leaders and community stakeholders, including the BBA’s quarterly networking lunches and monthly First Round events, as well as ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings and other signature gatherings.
“Martina is a connector and a builder, and I know she will excel at translating vision into action in this role,” said Steve Ammons, BBA President and CEO. “Her experience in cultivating relationships, connecting and convening key groups of people, and leading organizations in a transformational way will help us deepen our connection to Birmingham’s business and civic communities and strengthen the value we deliver to our investors.”
Winston will step in as support to the BBA’s small business department, guiding the team throughout the implementation and management of programs such as the Small Business Intensive, Inclusive Procurement Council, one-on-one consultations and more. She will also strengthen partnerships with local business organizations, universities, community colleges, accelerators and service providers to expand resources for entrepreneurs and small enterprises.
Across the Birmingham region’s 34 chambers, the BBA envisions Winston as a unifying voice, fostering collaboration and strengthening the region’s economic vitality. In addition, she will work closely with the BBA’s public policy team to develop innovative solutions to business challenges and advocate for the interests of the regional business community.
With BBA’s five-year strategic economic development plan set to take effect in the coming months, Winston will coordinate her chamber relations efforts to align with the region’s broader growth goals.
“Our region is full of talented people and innovative businesses that truly care about our community,” Winston said. “I’m honored to step into this role, and I’m looking forward to joining the BBA team to help contribute to its mission of advancing prosperity and building a strong, connected business culture across the Greater Birmingham Region.”
Winston previously served at Protective Life in a variety of roles from 2014 to 2025, most recently as Vice President and Head of Talent, Inclusion & Engagement. In that role, she partnered with senior leaders to drive engagement, workforce transformation, and inclusive leadership. She also collaborated with Protective’s parent company, Dai-ichi Life in Tokyo, to manage global talent programs. A former Vice President at Regions Financial and District HR Manager at Best Buy, Winston has been known as a strategic relationship builder, who bridges community, business and government with authenticity and purpose.
Beyond her professional success, Winston is equally committed to serving her community. Winston serves as board chair of the Penny Foundation and president of the Pelham City Schools Foundation. She also sits on the Leadership Shelby County Alumni Board, the Shelby County Arts Council and the City of Pelham Personnel Advisory Board. A past president of the Junior League of Birmingham (JLB), she led one of the largest Leagues in the world through its Centennial year, reengaging membership after the pandemic and launching programs that connected volunteers with new opportunities to serve throughout the Birmingham community.
Her advocacy and leadership have earned widespread recognition, with multiple honors such as Diversity Global Magazine’s Top 15 Influential Women in Diversity (2024), the City of Birmingham Minority Business Awards’ D&I Leader of the Year (2024), Community Service Awards from the State of Alabama Recreation & Parks (2023, 2022), Dai-ichi Way Award – Protective Life (2023), the Birmingham Business Journal’s Leader in Diversity & Inclusion (2022) and its Women to Watch Award (2020). Additionally, she was recognized as a Junior League of Birmingham Women to Watch (2015) and was also named Shelby County Citizen of the Year by the Shelby County Chamber (2021).
A native of Chicago’s South Side, Winston lives in Pelham with her husband, Corey, and their children, Jada and Jordan.