About Us

al.com is Alabama's most interactive, comprehensive online source for up-to-date news, sports, entertainment, travel, business happenings and classifieds. With over 1.1 million visitors monthly (ComScore Media Matrix, December 2008), al.com is Alabama's largest website.

al.com is a subsidiary of Advance Internet, which is a unit of Advance Publications, the country's largest privately held media company.

Executive Team

Cindy Martin started al.com at its inception in 1997. Cindy is responsible for overall management of the business including operations, partnerships and strategic development. Cindy was previously Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The McKinley Group of Sausalito, California, publishers of the Magellan Search Engine, where she oversaw marketing, business development and advertising sales for the company. Previous to McKinley, Cindy spent 9 years at AT&T in Florida and New Jersey and was responsible for international marketing for e-mail services and business development for AT&T's WorldNet Internet Service.

Cindy serves on the Board of Directors for The Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, UAB's School of Communication Studies, Cahaba River Society and is President-elect of the Magic City Art Connection. Cindy is a member of the 2006 Leadership Birmingham class. The Birmingham Advertising Federation named Cindy the 2003 Advertising CEO of the year.

A native Alabamian, Cindy grew up in Bessemer and graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA.

Ken is responsible for all aspects of editorial coverage on al.com as well as managing the day-to-day production and upkeep of the site.

Ken has been with al.com since 1999 and was previously Online Editor for orlandosentinel.com in Orlando, Florida. Ken led the team that launched news on the web at orlandosentinel.com. Previous to being Online Editor, Ken worked as an editor and designer at The Orlando Sentinel newspaper.

Ken earned a B.S. in Journalism from The University of Florida and an MBA from Auburn University.

Dee Dee Mathis leads the overall efforts of al.com's advertising sales team with offices in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile.

A graduate of the University of Alabama with a B.S. in Business and Marketing, Dee Dee is responsible for al.com's overall advertising revenue and sales strategy. Dee Dee's 20 years of industry experience includes building successful client campaigns through interactive and digital marketing, broadcast television, radio and outdoor advertising. Dee Dee was awarded the Birmingham Advertising Federation's "Peak Award" for Sales Manager of the Year in 2004.

Erin, who joined al.com in 2002, is responsible for media planning, press relations, content alliances and other marketing duties for al.com.

Erin, a board member of the Birmingham AMA, holds a B.S. in Marketing from The University of Mississippi.