Written By: Zak Kimes, Staff Accountant

My summer of 2015 was filled with three summer leadership programs (SLP) and an internship. ZebraFest was the final SLP I attended and it happened to end just days before I moved to Atlanta for an internship. Having attended two SLPs prior to ZebraFest, I thought I knew what to expect when I pulled into the parking lot that Thursday morning, but boy was I wrong.

BMSS does an incredible job differentiating ZebraFest from other summer leadership programs. For starters:
• It’s a legitimate two-day event, and they put you up in a fantastic hotel.
• There are actual team building and leadership activities.
• You visit, ask questions, and share meals with influential BMSS clients.
• You get to have breakfast with the partners and, though it sounds remarkably intimidating… it’s incredibly rewarding

Photo Op on the roof of Innovation Depot with Keith Barfield

Getting the opportunity to walk with Keith Barfield through the halls of Innovation Depot and speak with the startup clients that he is passionate about, or having the privilege to eat lunch with one of the construction companies responsible for revitalizing downtown Birmingham are two of many memories that serve as proof that BMSS truly is a different firm. I saw firsthand at *ZebraFest that even as a potential recruit, I was valued for my thoughts, the questions I asked of the clients, and my character; I was not treated like a number.

*ZebraFest 2017 will take place Tuesday, May 15th and Wednesday, May 16th and it’s not too late to apply! Email Emily Dunlap (edunlap@bmss.com) for more information. Application deadline is Friday, March 31st.

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