Jami Hardin
Hoover,AL
Summary
Dynamic Sr. Director of Executive Administration at Milo's Tea Company, Inc., adept at C-suite partnership and strategic planning. Spearheaded initiatives that elevated the CEO's profile nationally, while managing an $8M budget and leading a high-performing team. Recognized for fostering cross-functional alignment and driving impactful governance support.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Sr. Director of Executive Administration
Milo's Tea Company, Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama
11.2025 - Current
- Elevated to senior leadership role serving as strategic partner to the CEO and Executive Team for a leading CPG company known for its #1-selling ready-to-drink tea brand.
- Facilitated alignment between board priorities and executive strategy to enhance organizational execution.
- Collaborated with Corporate Communications to enhance CEO's national profile through strategic board placements and high-profile recognitions such as EY Entrepreneur of the Year National Winner and Progressive Grocer's Top Women in Grocery.
- Led executive operations with a focus on board relations, structured leadership meeting cadence, and tracking of strategic initiatives.
- Serve as a trusted advisor and gatekeeper, enabling the CEO to focus on highest-impact decisions.
- Managed logistics for high-profile Board Retreats in Knoxville, TN and Kohler, WI, coordinating travel, networking sessions, executive dinners, area tours, and spouse programming for 25–35 attendees.
- #1 Ready-to-Drink Tea Brand in the U.S.
Director of Administration
Milo's Tea Company, Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama
01.2023 - 11.2025
- Promoted to establish and lead the Office of the CEO/Chair, building scalable systems and team infrastructure during a high-growth phase.
- Built and led an executive support function of 2 direct reports; established training standards and growth pathways adopted across the administrative organization.
- Owned business rhythm management, coordinating annual planning, quarterly strategic meetings, monthly leadership forums, and weekly executive syncs to ensure alignment and strategic focus.
- Own forecasting and reconciliation for four budgets (Board of Directors, Owners, Executive Team, Administration) totaling $8M annually.
- Partnered with Corporate Communications and PR to enhance CEO's visibility on regional and national stages, contributing to recognitions such as Birmingham Top 40 Under 40 of the Decade and EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Southeast winner, National Finalist).
- Collaborated with People and Legal teams to develop and implement policies affecting executive operations.
- Served as Chair Assistant, managing deliverables and coordinating with Corporate Secretary on governance matters.
- Led post-COVID corporate retreat for 300 attendees over 3 days and coordinated 600-guest gala, managing $750K budget and achieving $680K total while overseeing speakers, A/V production, and cross-department learning sessions.
- #1 Ready-to-Drink Tea Brand in the U.S.
Executive Assistant to CEO, Patricia Wallwork
Milo's Tea Company, Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama
12.2015 - 01.2023
- Joined as the CEO's first dedicated EA and grew alongside the organization through a period of extraordinary scale—from 96 employees to nearly 1,000, and from $90M to $628M in gross revenue.
- Built and led CEO Culture Team (5 direct reports) for 18 months, driving engagement strategy, creative production, and corporate events before transitioning to dedicated VP of Corporate Communications.
- Facilitated strategic planning sessions with executives; translated and communicated strategy across all associate levels to ensure alignment during rapid growth.
- Led cross-functional Executive Assistant team to ensure consistency with company strategy and culture across departments.
- Managed complex executive calendar, commitments, and travel with discretion and precision during a 7x revenue growth period.
- Enhanced CEO's brand and visibility within Alabama, securing local speaking engagements (Rotary, Rotaract) and positioning for awards such as Woman Who Shapes the State of Alabama and Birmingham Executive of Influence.
- #1 Ready-to-Drink Tea Brand in the U.S.
Office Administrator & Billings Specialist
Volkert, Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama
10.2000 - 12.2015
- Managed daily operations and executive support for multi-office engineering firm, expanding responsibilities across HR, finance, marketing, and risk management over 15 years.
- Oversaw office administration and executive support while supervising clerical staff to ensure smooth office operations.
- Managed client invoicing, accounts payable, and contract generation, conducting risk management reviews to maintain compliance.
- Created custom MS Access database to manage 40+ vehicle fleet for eight years.
- Developed proposals, qualifications packages, and presentations supporting business development efforts.
- Engineering & Infrastructure Services
Marketing Consultant / Office Manager
Ray, Oliver & Ward, PC
Birmingham
07.1999 - 09.2000
- Developed targeted marketing strategies to increase brand visibility and strengthen client engagement.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Commerce & Business Administration
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL01.1999
Associate of Science - Business Administration & Management
Shelton State Community College
Tuscaloosa, AL01.1996
Skills
- C-suite partnership
- Board meeting coordination
- Governance support
- Executive communication
- Confidentiality management
- Strategic planning
- Initiative tracking
- Cross-functional alignment
- Business rhythm management
- Goal cascading
- Team supervision
- EA leadership
- Training design
- Career development
- Culture stewardship
- Budget management
- Vendor management
- Process improvement
- Risk management
- Policy development
- Microsoft 365 Champion, Site Builder and Customizer
- PowerPoint & Word, Advanced
- Excel, Intermediate
- Prezi, Canva
- Claude, Copilot, Gemini
Websites
Certification
Certified Administrative Professional (CAP), Organizational Management Specialty
Timeline
Sr. Director of Executive Administration
Milo's Tea Company, Inc.
11.2025 - Current
Director of Administration
Milo's Tea Company, Inc.
01.2023 - 11.2025
Executive Assistant to CEO, Patricia Wallwork
Milo's Tea Company, Inc.
12.2015 - 01.2023
Office Administrator & Billings Specialist
Volkert, Inc.
10.2000 - 12.2015
Marketing Consultant / Office Manager
Ray, Oliver & Ward, PC
07.1999 - 09.2000
Bachelor of Science - Commerce & Business Administration
University of Alabama
Associate of Science - Business Administration & Management
Shelton State Community College