PowerSouth Energy executive Taylor Williams and Casey B. Rogers, the deputy director of the Alabama State Military Department, have been elected as the newest board members for the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA).
The ALBBAA is committed to enhancing outdoor recreation and promoting tourism opportunities in the Black Belt in a manner that provides economic and ecological benefits to the region. The board oversees those efforts.
“We are excited to have Casey and Taylor join our board and help support our mission of helping the Black Belt reach its full potential,” said Thomas Harris, ALBBAA founder and board president.
“All of our board members share a passion for promoting greater outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the Black Belt’s 23 counties, as well as a commitment to attracting visitors to the region’s many cultural and historical sites. Casey and Taylor will be tremendous assets to our organization.”
Williams and Rogers have previously served on the ALBBAA Advisory Council.
They now join a board of directors that features Harris as president, Alabama Wildlife Federation executive director Tim Gothard as treasurer and Alabama Power’s Freddy Padilla as secretary.
Other board members include Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship, Greenville Mayor Dexter McClendon, Fran Pearce, founder of Leadership Selma-Dallas County, and Ellis Terry, President of YHN Media Group.
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Rogers, a Greenville native, currently manages external affairs and strategic communication as the deputy director of the Alabama State Military Department after previously serving as the external affairs director for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. Her professional career also includes stints with the Alabama Farmers Federation, former Congresswoman Martha Roby and Pioneer Electric Cooperative.
Rogers’ community involvement includes past leadership roles, including president, of the Rotary Club, as well as service on the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce Board, Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center and Alabama Black Belt Advisory Council. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama.
“As a proud daughter of the Black Belt, I am excited to continue helping this organization in advocating for such a cherished region of Alabama,” Rogers said.
Williams, a Montgomery resident, leads PowerSouth’s external affairs division, including the company’s economic development and governmental affairs efforts.
He has served PowerSouth in various capacities since 2009 and previously served as the corporate development project manager for the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.
Williams is also a past president of the Economic Development Association of Alabama and past president of the Montgomery Rotary Club. He serves on the board of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and is a member of the University of Alabama Honors College Board of Visitors. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and a master’s degree from Auburn-Montgomery.
“Having grown up in the Black Belt, I cherish the area’s tremendous natural resources, and I understand the importance of thoughtfully protecting it while also exposing more people to all we have to offer,” Williams said.
“It’s an honor to join this organization and lend a helping hand in promoting all of the good things happening throughout the Black Belt.”
The Black Belt includes the following 23 counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.
Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
