The Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) presented the 2013 ACE Star Awards at the annual Alabama Community Leadership Network Conference Award Luncheon on Oct. 8 in Auburn.
The ACE Star Awards recognize those individuals who have performed above and beyond the call of duty and embody the principles of the ACE Program, which is a comprehensive development program designed to assist Alabama’s smaller communities in their efforts to plan, grow and prosper.
The 2013 ACE Star Award recipients are:
ACE said these “rising stars” bring outstanding leadership and a passion for small-town Alabama to all that they do. They are recognized for their commitment to making their communities better places and for their support of the ACE process. ACE offers towns a “one stop shopping” experience-making community development programs and tools needed to insure long term success available through one organization.
The Alabama Communities of Excellence is a nonprofit organization created in 2002 for the purpose of utilizing the collective expertise of its partner organizations. Throughout the ACE process, ACE Partners work with each community to successfully achieve their goals. The ACE program would not be possible without the funding, hard work and participation of the ACE Partner organizations.
ACE Partner organizations include: Alabama Association of Regional Councils; Alabama Department of Commerce; Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs; Alabama Historical Commission; Alabama League of Municipalities; Alabama Municipal Electric Authority; Alabama Power Co.; Alabama Department of Public Health; Auburn University Economic & Community Development Institute; Economic Development Association of Alabama; Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood; Regions Financial Corp.; Southeast Alabama Gas District; Troy University; the University of Alabama Center for Economic Development; and the University of West Alabama.
Twenty-six communities have previously been certified as Alabama Communities of Excellence and are located throughout Alabama. In southeast Alabama, Eufaula, Evergreen, Headland and Valley are certified ACE Towns. In the southwest part of the state, Atmore, Brewton, Demopolis, Foley, Gulf Shores, Jackson, Livingston, Monroeville and Thomasville have completed the process. In central Alabama, Childersburg, Graysville, Millbrook, Leeds, and Montevallo are part of the program. North Alabama boasts the following ACE Towns: Arab, Fayette, Guin, Guntersville, Haleyville, Hartselle, Heflin and Jacksonville.
These select communities are joined by six new towns working through the process of becoming certified as ACE Communities: Alexander City, Elba, Fairhope, Helena, Rainsville and Saraland.
