By By Adrienne McKenzie
The Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding its 61st Annual Chamber Banquet Monday, Jan. 29, at 6:30 p.m. at the Atmore Area YMCA Community Center building.
The cost of the event is $22.00 for members and $26.00 for non-members. The RSVP deadline has been extended until Thursday, 5 p.m. RSVP by calling Shelly at the Chamber of Commerce at 368-3305.
"There are still tickets available," Emilie Mims, Executive Director, Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce, said.
The Citizen of the Year award and Lifetime Achievement Award winners will be announced at the banquet. The deadlines for nominations have already passed.
There will be a change of leadership from Dale Hurst, senior vice president and COO of First National Bank and Trust, to Nancy Helton, vice president of business development at United Bank.
"I have heard really good things about Jim Hayes, the speaker," Mims said. "He was highly recommended by the Mobile Chamber."
James (Jim) P. Hayes Jr. is the president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, a private, non-profit organization that is dedicated to the economic growth of Alabama. He held many key positions for the State of Alabama prior to joining the Partnership. These positions include: Senior Advisor to Governor Don Siegelman, Director of the Alabama Development Office, Revenue Commissioner and Land Commissioner. Hayes also served as Director of Planning and Acquisitions for The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company.
Hayes is the director of First Commercial Bank in Birmingham, and BancTrust Financial in Mobile. He is also a member of the Lakeshore Foundation, the Crippled Children's Foundation and is a graduate of Leadership Birmingham.
Hayes graduated from T.R. Miller High School, in Brewton. He then went to the University of Alabama where he received both his bachelor's and master's degree in industrial engineering. He is married to the former Ann Beauchamp of Tuscaloosa.
Mims said that Hayes will be discussing the potential for future economic development in this area of the state at the banquet.
For more information about the 61st Annual Chamber Banquet, please call Shelly at the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce at 368-3305.