Gray elected as vice chairperson of Alabama Community College System Board

Published 10:52 am Saturday, May 11, 2024

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At its regular board meeting on Wednesday, May 8, the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Board of Trustees elected Mr. Goodrich ‘Dus’ Rodgers as Chairperson and Mrs. Valerie Gray as Vice Chairperson.

Rodgers, who Gov. Kay Ivey appointed in 2021 to serve District 5, is a retired Colonel of the Army National Guard and Army Reserves and works for the Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative in Rainsville as Executive Vice President, Customer Support and Business Development.

Gray, who Ivey appointed in 2021 to serve District 3, serves as the board’s first female vice chairperson. She is a lifelong resident of Chambers County and retired as the Executive Director of the Chambers County Development Authority, where she was employed for more than 22 years.

The Board is the governing body of the ACCS, created by the Alabama Legislature in Act No. 2015-125 to create a “unified system of community colleges and programs to deliver excellence in academic education, adult education and workforce development” to meet the needs of citizens, businesses and industries. Board trustees are business leaders who know the day-to-day experience and challenges of recruiting and training a skilled workforce.

The Board of Trustees is comprised of the state Governor, seven members appointed by the governor, one state-at-large member and one ex officio, nonvoting member appointed by the governor and serving on the State Board of Education. The governor serves as President of the Board.

In addition to Ivey, Rodgers and Gray, the ACCS Board of Trustees include: J.E.B Shell, District 1; John Mitchell, District 2; Britton Lightsey, District 4; Ron Houston, District 6; Llevelyn Rhone, past chairperson; District 7; Tim McCartney, Member-at-Large; and Dr. Yvette Richardson, Ex-Officio Member.

For additional information on the ACCS Board of Trustees, including member bios, please visit: https://www.accs.edu/about-accs/board-of-trustees/.