About paula Marshall
The Bama Pie Company’s story began in 1927 in the kitchen of Cornelia Alabama “Bama” Marshall, Paula Marshall's grandmother. As the third-generation owner of the Bama Companies, Inc., Paula learned at an early age that keeping an eye on quality and a focus on the people, would grow her family’s company and maintain the long-established foundation of success. She also learned that giving back to her community and being deeply committed to her employees would carry on the traditions of her heritage.
The Bama mission is “People Helping People Be Successful,” and Paula has created loyalty, prosperity and FUN for all of her employees and stakeholders while growing the family business. Paula assumed responsibility as CEO of the Bama Companies in 1984, which now includes Bama Pie, Bama Foods, Bama Frozen Dough, Base, and Beijing Bama. Under her leadership Bama has expanded to provide a wide variety of frozen desserts and baked goods to fast food chains and casual and family dining restaurants.
Paula received her Bachelor of Science in Business from Oklahoma City University (OCU) in 1982, and her Ph,D. in Commercial Science, from OCU, in 1993. In 2000, Paula was voted one of the countries outstanding Entrepreneurs, by Ernst and Young. In addition, she was bestowed by Stephen Covey, an award for Principle Centered Leadership. In 2003, Bama was awarded the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award from the Department of Commerce. The award is given to organizations who achieve world class levels of quality and employee engagement.
There are less than 200 companies in the United States who have been chosen to be a recipient of the Baldrige Award. In 1997, Paula was elected to the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce, as one of the 10 outstanding Young Americans. She has served her country by volunteering her services to the Kansas City Federal Reserve Board from 1994-2000. In the community, she has served the Chamber of Commerce in multiple capacities. In 2001, she chaired the Tulsa Chamber. She served as a fundraiser for Tulsa’s Ronald McDonald’s Children Charities, DVIS, YWCA, and 12 & 12, a rehabilitation center serving the indigent population in Tulsa. In 2001, she chaired the Salvation Army, Northeast Oklahoma Division.
Serving the Food Industry, she has served as Chairperson of the largest women’s leadership development organization in the United States, The Women’s Foodservice Forum. This year, she was voted by the citizens of the state of Oklahoma as one of the top CEOs in Oklahoma. Paula loves to spend time with her family, and in her spare time, she stays active in many sports. She is extremely interested in fitness, and she takes a holistic, spiritually based, approach to life. She recently published a book Sometimes Being A CEO Looks Pretty Tough, based on her journey through life and how learning to draw and sketch has given her a new perspective on life. This year she will publish her second book, Finding the Soul of Big Business: One Company’s Ego Elimination Strategy, which is based on Bama’s application of W. Edward Deming’s theories of Profound Knowledge, and the her personal belief that by utilizing Deming’s theories, management can lead American business away from the brink of extinction.
The Bama Pie Company’s story began in 1927 in the kitchen of Cornelia Alabama “Bama” Marshall, Paula Marshall's grandmother. As the third-generation owner of the Bama Companies, Inc., Paula learned at an early age that keeping an eye on quality and a focus on the people, would grow her family’s company and maintain the long-established foundation of success. She also learned that giving back to her community and being deeply committed to her employees would carry on the traditions of her heritage.
The Bama mission is “People Helping People Be Successful,” and Paula has created loyalty, prosperity and FUN for all of her employees and stakeholders while growing the family business. Paula assumed responsibility as CEO of the Bama Companies in 1984, which now includes Bama Pie, Bama Foods, Bama Frozen Dough, Base, and Beijing Bama. Under her leadership Bama has expanded to provide a wide variety of frozen desserts and baked goods to fast food chains and casual and family dining restaurants.
Paula received her Bachelor of Science in Business from Oklahoma City University (OCU) in 1982, and her Ph,D. in Commercial Science, from OCU, in 1993. In 2000, Paula was voted one of the countries outstanding Entrepreneurs, by Ernst and Young. In addition, she was bestowed by Stephen Covey, an award for Principle Centered Leadership. In 2003, Bama was awarded the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award from the Department of Commerce. The award is given to organizations who achieve world class levels of quality and employee engagement.
There are less than 200 companies in the United States who have been chosen to be a recipient of the Baldrige Award. In 1997, Paula was elected to the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce, as one of the 10 outstanding Young Americans. She has served her country by volunteering her services to the Kansas City Federal Reserve Board from 1994-2000. In the community, she has served the Chamber of Commerce in multiple capacities. In 2001, she chaired the Tulsa Chamber. She served as a fundraiser for Tulsa’s Ronald McDonald’s Children Charities, DVIS, YWCA, and 12 & 12, a rehabilitation center serving the indigent population in Tulsa. In 2001, she chaired the Salvation Army, Northeast Oklahoma Division.
Serving the Food Industry, she has served as Chairperson of the largest women’s leadership development organization in the United States, The Women’s Foodservice Forum. This year, she was voted by the citizens of the state of Oklahoma as one of the top CEOs in Oklahoma. Paula loves to spend time with her family, and in her spare time, she stays active in many sports. She is extremely interested in fitness, and she takes a holistic, spiritually based, approach to life. She recently published a book Sometimes Being A CEO Looks Pretty Tough, based on her journey through life and how learning to draw and sketch has given her a new perspective on life. This year she will publish her second book, Finding the Soul of Big Business: One Company’s Ego Elimination Strategy, which is based on Bama’s application of W. Edward Deming’s theories of Profound Knowledge, and the her personal belief that by utilizing Deming’s theories, management can lead American business away from the brink of extinction.
