With a staff of only two full-time employees, TechBirmingham relies heavily on volunteers and interns to help make the association a success for its members and the tech community. This summer, Wade Cline is serving as an intern with us and we thought you might like to learn a little more about him!

Name: Wade Cline

Age: 21

Always lived in Birmingham?: Yes

Education: Senior Marketing major at Samford University

Why Marketing:
I am a people person and just about every job I have held has dealt with customer service. More than just connecting with people though, I have a passion for learning about how they think, and why they make certain decisions when buying or investing into businesses. Also, no matter what business you can think of, there is always a need for marketing personnel, and I can’t wait to have an impact wherever I end up.

What do you want to get out of this internship?
When I was looking for an internship I wanted to find a company that wasn’t too big, something I could put my fingerprint on and leave a lasting impression. Although you can do that in any company, I wanted to be closer to the action. That is ultimately what I want to do with TechBirmingham, have an impact, and of course have them be excited that they hired me for the internship. This plays a large role in what I want to get out of the non-profit. Things like a deeper understanding of business management, marketing, and personal communication. Being with TechBirmingham, there is a ton of room for learning and network opportunities through the monthly events that are held and the constant contact I have with the 250 member companies they’re associated with.

What’s your favorite part of the internship?
I love everything that TechBirmingham is involved with, but being able to start and run the TechAlabama social media sites, and continually getting the word out about the new non-profit, has been the most exciting aspect, personally. Also, it would be ignorant of me not to mention the involvement I am getting to have with Sloss Tech. I had no idea how big of an event this was going to be, and I am honored to be able to work on something this huge with Jennifer, Greg, and all the sponsor companies involved in the planning process. I can’t wait to see what the second half of the summer has in store for the internship.

What career do you plan to pursue?
I aspire to have a career in the business side of marketing and have some part in branding and advertising. The creative juices do not flow through me as much as they do for graphic design people, but I love being involved with creating new things and the thoughts of how to reach the consumer with those ideas. I do not have any company in mind, at the moment, but wherever I’m place, I plan on making the most out of it and continuing to learn.

Hobbies?
I love to golf, hangout with the family, go to the lake (Logan Martin Lake), listen to music, study about science (astronomy mostly), be with friends, camp, and finding food trucks around Birmingham to try out.

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