Our Team
Get To Know The Friendly Faces At Front Porch Alabama
The people behind Front Porch Alabama are bringing you a new way to Shop The State
Here at Front Porch Alabama we are highly invested in delivering a state-wide, top quality shopping experience. We focus on connecting retailers, artists and makers throughout the state with a wider community of shoppers.
Front Porch Alabama Is Our Passion
The team gathered around our “front porch” is dedicated to making our marketplace the best shopping experience for our vendor partners and our shoppers! We work day in and day out to deliver the best of Alabama from Main Street to Your Front Porch.
What do you love most about Front Porch Alabama?
This is like choosing your favorite child (side note to my three children: there are no favorites). It’s a toss up between Apparel and Home—I’ve discovered some truly unique products that fit my personality perfectly!
Darcie Plowden
Director, Front Porch Alabama
The question “Where are you from?” does not illicit a quick answer from Darcie. Born in Decatur with moves around the southeast plus a short stint in Puerto Rico, she found her way back to the state to attend The University of Alabama where she met her husband of 25 years. Three kids later, they call Birmingham home.
From the moment Darcie heard the concept of “shopping the state,” she fell in love with Front Porch Alabama! She has always sought ways to build community whether it be through work or volunteer projects. As the director of Front Porch Alabama, Darcie steers the look and feel of our community ensuring vendors and shoppers alike feel connected and welcome on our virtual Front Porch. Have an idea for our marketplace? Reach out to Darcie, she loves hearing from you!
What do you love most about Front Porch Alabama?
Food and Beverage calls my name every time I’m shopping on the site! It’s great to find so many of the delicious foods made in Alabama all in one place—I buy long-time favorites and branch out for new things too!
William Finney
Marketplace Ambassador, Front Porch Alabama
William’s words of wisdom are “It’s not the heat that gets you, it’s the humidity.” From this statement alone, you know he is a tried and true Alabamian born and raised in Montgomery. It’s not surprising to hear that his favorite vacation spot in Alabama is Lake Martin after spending childhood summers at his grandparent’s lake house. These days he loves taking his wife and two daughters back to the lake every chance they get.
William brings a unique perspective to his role as Marketplace Ambassador as he is a retailer himself. Fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a small business owner, he owns The Whole Dog Market in Homewood. He brings his shop owner experience to bear in his relationships with merchants on Front Porch Alabama providing them with exceptional guidance and service.
What do you love most about Front Porch Alabama?
The Beauty and Wellness category is my absolute favorite on Front Porch Alabama. I have discovered some wonderful all-natural skin care products plus the workout gear in the Wellness section is awesome!
Susanna Shivers
Marketplace Ambassador, Front Porch Alabama
Originally from McDonough, Ga., Susanna came to Alabama to attend Samford University in Birmingham. A relative newcomer to our great state, Susanna has been traveling across Alabama as our Ambassador discovering the distinct shopping districts where each town’s personality is showcased. One of her favorites is Huntsville with its beautiful scenery, restaurants with healthy options and of course the wonderful shopping!
From her first job in high school at a health and nutrition shop, Susanna found a passion for supporting local business owners. You can see why she’s a perfect fit for Front Porch Alabama where you can shop local on a statewide basis.
What do you love most about Front Porch Alabama?
I find myself gravitating to all the food products—I guess that tells you something about me! Lately I’ve been loving all the art. We are lucky to have so many talented people showcased on our marketplace.
Scott Swoger
President, Due North Media
Born and raised in Birmingham, Scott’s ties to our state run deep—in fact his first job was a counselor at Camp Mac in Mt. Cheaha. Most weekends you’ll find Scott at one of four places—playing golf in Birmingham, enjoying Lake Martin with his wife of 25 plus years, sipping a beer in Orange Beach or visiting his college-aged twins in Auburn (even though he’s a huge Crimson Tide fan).
It’s this deep connection with and love of Alabama that were the inspiration behind Front Porch Alabama. As president of Due North Media, the parent company of Front Porch Alabama, Scott draws on his experience leading the 20-plus year-old media and marketing company to guide and build our marketplace community.
What do you love most about Front Porch Alabama?
The Tailgate collections are my favorite. I love the variety of products and the new ideas that people come up with to make a football day into a great day. Of course I throw in plenty of stuff from our Food section for the finishing touch!
Carl Benson
Sr Director Digital Media, Due North Media
As a native plainsman, Carl has deep ties to Auburn. Growing up in the “loveliest village,” Carl was active in sports, with a particular talent in baseball. His ideal weekend is spent attending an Auburn sporting event and relaxing at Lake Martin.
An unquestioned sports enthusiast, Carl is also a self-described nerd who geeks out on tech, science, and history. He’s been with Due North for almost 20 years, leading the company through the ever-changing digital landscape. Carl is one of the architects of Front Porch Alabama who understood the potential to bring the community together in a meaningful way through technology.
What do you love most about Front Porch Alabama?
The Children and Tweens section really tugs at my heart with such creativity and Southern Charm. I love that there is so much variety, and with my grandbabies growing up there are so many cute outfits for all occasions!
Valerie Chavez
Sr Director Digital Marketing, Due North Media
As a kid, do you remember the house where everyone hung out? That was Val’s home as she raised her five children. That sense of family exists in everything she does, whether it’s game night with her neighbors or work meetings. In her spare time, you can find Val laughing with friends or sipping a Vodka soda with her husband listening to music.
Val brings that same zest to digital marketing where she combines her knowledge of all things Google and Meta with a sense of creativity and community. “We don’t laugh because we feel good, we feel good because we laugh,” is her favorite quote from Bob Ross, and it describes Val to a tee.
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