Morgan County
Keith Jackson owns Jackson Plumbing, Heating & Cooling in Decatur, which was named the 11-50 Employee Small Business of the Year in 2022. Jackson was named the Raymon Baker – John Cook – Ralph Jones Small Business Person of the Year by the Decatur-Morgan Chamber of Commerce in 2022. A Hartselle native, Jackson is a Calhoun Community College. He is president of the Decatur Kiwanis Club and on the boards of Decatur-Morgan County Chamber and the North Alabama Better Business Bureau.
Lemzel Johnson is a motivational speaker, trainer, author and goal coach and the owner and CEO of LifeVersation LLC. He also is the lead coordinator for the City of Decatur Youth Services Department. He studied economics and business administration at Tougaloo College and leadership education at Mid-America Christian University.
Jacob Ladner grew up in Decatur and graduated from the University of North Alabama. After working with Interstate Billing Service, in 2021 he became chief executive officer for Thirdmark Capital in Decatur. He is president of the Decatur City Council and a member of the Kiwanis Club of Decatur. He is a recipient of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce 2022 Small Business Award.
Kent Lawrence owns TVW Electrical Supplies in Decatur. Lawrence received the Raymon Baker – John Cook – Ralph Jones Small Business Person of the Year award from the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce in 2021 and his business won the 1-10 Employee Small Business of the Year award that same year from the Business Council of Alabama and the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama. Lawrence is Chamber treasurer, chair of the Decatur Planning Commission, treasurer of the Greater Morgan County Homebuilders Association and vice chair of the Decatur-Morgan County Entrepreneurial Center board.
Jamie Reeves is chair of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Community activities include the Morgan County Child Advocacy Council, the Decatur Charity League, Parents & Children Together board, CASA of North Alabama board, Morgan County Association of Realtors and the Morgan County Residential Task Team. A graduate of Athens State University, Reeves ran a family portrait photography business in downtown Decatur for more than 10 years before switching to real estate. In 2020, she formed MeritHouse Realty.
Cheyenne Sanchez is a community educator for Affinity Hospice and Palliative Care. She is a Decatur native and earned a degree in public health at UAB with a global health minor. In 2021 Sanchez founded Young Professionals of Decatur, a nonprofit that connects young people and provides opportunities for them to grow professionally and personally through volunteer projects and community outreach. The organization has almost 300 members.
Mayte Sanchez owns M&M Servs LLC, a concrete construction company in Decatur. She is a member of the Commodore program, a group of professionals that serve as the public relations arm of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce.
Limestone County
Traci Collins, MSN, RN, is president of Athens-Limestone Hospital. The Limestone County native received her nursing degree from Calhoun Community College and a master’s from the University of Alabama. Collins is a member of Alabama Hospital Association, the University of Alabama alumni board of visitors, the nursing advisory boards at Calhoun Community College and the University of North Alabama. She also is a member of the Athens-Limestone County Chamber and the Athens Rotary Club.
Tracy Compton is mayor of Elkmont. During his tenure, Elkmont has seen some notable improvements, including a new town hall, the relocation and renovation of the Elkmont Senior Center and the implementation of a large infrastructure project to improve traffic flow and access to the downtown. Compton also is a member of the Elk River Development Agency board.
Collin Daly is chair of the Limestone County Commission, after a 17-year career at the Limestone County Water and Sewer Authority. He serves on the boards of the Limestone County Chamber of Commerce and ACCA and is active in TARCOG, the Library Foundation, Tennessee Valley Youth Services, NACO Agricultural Rural Affirmation, ATVG, Limestone County Economic Development Association and Elkmont FFA and chairs the Limestone County Solid Waste Authority.
Yolandia Eubanks is director of the Greater Ardmore Chamber of Commerce. A University of Alabama graduate, she worked 33 years as director of field experiences for the university’s college of education and with the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching for 15 universities across the country. She is a member of the Athens Rotary Club and serves on the board of Christians Helping Others Food Pantry and the Ardmore Public Library and is director of Neighborhood Bridges-Ardmore.
Jimmy Hodges is president of Calhoun Community College. Earlier, he was regional workforce director for the Alabama Community College System and dean of applied technologies at Wallace State. A Calhoun graduate, he holds two bachelor’s degrees from Athens State University, a master’s and a doctorate from the University of Alabama. Hodges serves on the boards of the American Technical Education Association and the National Coalition of Certification Centers.
Pammie Jimmar is president of the Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce. She serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Board of Regents, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Board, the State of Alabama Public Health Office of Women’s Health Steering Committee, and boards of the Alabama Small Business Development Council, the Alabama Microenterprise Network, Alabama Main Street, Athens-Limestone Hospital Foundation and Athens-Limestone Council on Aging. She is a member of the Women’s Economic Development Council, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executives Diversity Roundtable, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourism board, Limestone County Economic Development Board, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and the Athens Rotary Club.
Ronnie Marks is mayor of Athens. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of North Alabama and a master’s from the University of Tennessee. In 2012, Marks established the Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission to teach high school students about their local government and their role as citizens through city-related jobs and community service projects. He is active with the planning commission, Foundation on Aging, Veterans Museum and Beautification Board.
Beth Patton is superintendent of Athens City Schools. A graduate of Athens State University, she has a master’s from Alabama A&M. She is a member of Education Solution’s Transformative Leadership Academy and the Athens Rotary Club. She serves on boards for Athens City Schools Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, Kids & Kin, the Limestone County Economic Development Association, Mission Athens and United Way.
Tere Richardson is executive director of Athens Main Street, leading team efforts to make downtown more inviting. She is a graduate of Athens State University and Troy State University. She serves as the Limestone County Churches Involved board president and is a member of the community board of the First National Bank of Pulaski and the Athens Rotary Club board.
Randy Shearouse is Limestone County Schools superintendent. Shearouse holds bachelor’s, master’s and specialist degrees from Georgia Southern University and earned his Ph.D. from Capella University. In Limestone County, he has worked with Ready to Work and other student-centered initiatives.
Bethany Shockney is president and CEO of the Limestone County Economic Development Association. She is an architecture graduate of the University of Tennessee with a master’s from Alabama A&M University. She serves on the boards of Committee of 100, Limestone County United Way, Athens-Limestone Hospital, River Valley Habitat for Humanity and the Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce.
Catherine Wehlburg is interim president at Athens State University, after a 30-year career as professor, dean and provost. She is the editor-in-chief for “New Directions for Teaching and Learning” and serves on editorial boards for several higher education journals. Wehlburg received her Ph.D. from the University of Florida.
