Rotary Noon Club of Decatur

Our speakers today at Rotary were our own Rep. Terri Collins and Senator Arthur Orr.

Rep. Collins has served in the state legislature for 16 years and will be retiring as of November 2026. She has done an outstanding job through all the years and Decatur/Morgan County has greatly benefited by her service.

Senator Orr gave an extended list of updates and additions for Decatur. He has worked tirelessly to bring additional funding for the many new projects!

We thank them both for their service!
Terri Collins, Rotary Noon Club of Decatur, Senator Arthur Orr

A new Rotary year is officially underway!

This past week, the Rotary Noon Club of Decatur celebrated the passing of the gavel as we thanked Julia Roth for her outstanding leadership and welcomed Jeffrey Brown as our 2026–2027 Club President.

We are incredibly grateful for Julia’s dedication and service to our club. We are also excited to see the vision and leadership Jeff will bring as we continue living out Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self.

Congratulations to our 2026–2027 Board Officers and Directors. Thank you for stepping up to serve our club and our community. We’re looking forward to another great year together!

Here’s to a year of service, fellowship, and making a positive impact in Decatur and beyond. 💙💛

Rotary Noon Club and their families enjoyed a great evening together at our 4th Annual Trash Pandas outing on Friday night!

Thank you to everyone who came out for an evening of baseball, fellowship, and fun!

Our speaker today was past Alabama governor James E. Folsom, Jr. He was Alabama's governor from 1993-95 and instrumental in bringing the Mercedes-Benz plant to the state which opened the door for other automotive plants and spin off companies to come to Alabama.

Folsom is a great storyteller and shared interesting and funny stories of the process to beat out other states and get the deal for Alabama!
Julia Smeds Roth, Jeff S. Brown

We were honored to welcome mayor Tommy Battle to the Rotary Club of Decatur this week!

Mayor Battle shared perspectives on the growth and success of Huntsville, highlighting the importance of economic development, innovation, and strong community leadership. Under his leadership, Huntsville has become a major hub for technology, business, and job creation in Alabama.

Thank you, Mayor Battle, for joining us and sharing your insights with our club!

Last week, the Rotary Club of Decatur had the pleasure of welcoming Barbie Peek as our guest speaker.

Ms. Peek shared an outstanding presentation on the Port of Huntsville and its tremendous economic impact on North Alabama and beyond. She discussed the Port’s unique role in connecting air, rail, highway, and international trade operations, while highlighting the continued growth and opportunities taking place across the region.

With 36 years of service to the Airport Authority, Ms. Peek has helped lead major expansion efforts involving passenger air service, cargo operations, industrial development, and international commerce. Her leadership has played a significant role in strengthening North Alabama’s economic footprint and positioning Huntsville as a nationally recognized hub for aerospace, logistics, and business growth.

Ms. Peek also brought along a special prize giveaway, which was won by Rotary member Joel Weinbaum.

We sincerely appreciate Ms. Peek for taking the time to speak to our club and for sharing her insight, leadership, and passion for our region’s future. It was an informative and engaging program enjoyed by all.

Monday, we recognized our outstanding Rotary scholarship students and Top Ten Students from Decatur High School, Austin High School and Career Academics of Decatur.

Recipient of the Mark Daniel Maloney Scholarship award was presented by our own Mark Maloney to Ellen Brewer of Austin High School.

Our second recipient, named in memory of Mr. James Rankin was presented by Elizabeth Weinbaum to Emma Hensley McMasters from Decatur High School.

The Dr. Jeanne Payne award was presented to Faith Gremaus by our member Jeanne Payne. Faith attends Career Academies of Decatur.

Our final award was named in honor of Bearl Whitsett. Presenting the Bearl Whitsett Scholarship award was Bonnie Black to Jaidyn Wiley from the Career Academies of Decatur.

Demond Garth, Austin HS principal, Jeremy Mitchell, Decatur HS principal and Leesa Chittam, principal of Career Academies of Decatur proudly presented their top 10 students. Each principal expressed such pride in their students.

Austin High School top ten students:
Charlie Jane Barnes
Allie Catherine Brown
Arden Grace Breedlove
Addison Grace Crumpton
Addison Kate O'Connell
Ellen Elizabeth Brewer
Wittman Ray Ellis
Oscar Chen
Lily Magnolia Hartsfield
Kendal Ryanne Davis

Career Academics of Decatur top students:
Danica Stewart
Corelia Melchor-Rueda

Decatur High School top ten students:
Emma Hensley McMasters
Joshua Bachuss
Annabelle White
Mallory McRee
Nathan Moebes
Harper Douglas
Caroline Coulter
Ella Tourney
Reynolds Ratliff
Sarah "Bes" Botto

We wish all these exceptional students in the Class of 2026 much luck in the next chapter of their life. Seize every opportunity, embrace challenges, and continue to strive for excellence in everything you do.

Lastly, President Julia Roth presented Certificates of Establishment to the principals of Austin HS and Career Academies of Decatur for formalizing an Interact Club. The Rotary Club of Decatur is proud of its relationship with the Interact Clubs of all three high schools, and we look forward to our continued relationship.

A very special thanks to Craig Baker, scholarship committee chairman for coordinating this outstanding student recognition program.
Julia Smeds Roth, Jeff S. Brown, Mark Maloney, Jeanne Duke Payne, Baker

This past week, the Decatur Rotary Club had the pleasure of welcoming our guest speaker, Steve Flowers.

Steve is the voice behind “Inside the Statehouse with Steve Flowers,” Alabama’s leading political column, published weekly in more than 60 newspapers across the state. With 16 years of experience in the Alabama State Legislature, he brings a unique and insightful perspective on Alabama politics.

He shared an engaging look at the current political landscape in Alabama, along with a few stories and reflections that highlighted the state’s rich and colorful political history.

It was a fun and informative program, and we appreciate Steve taking the time to speak with us!

We had the privilege of hearing from Sid Trant, Chancellor of the University of Alabama System, at this week’s Rotary meeting.

A proud Alabama native and first-generation college graduate, Chancellor Trant shared his passion for expanding access to education and the life-changing impact it can have. He leads the University of Alabama System, which includes The University of Alabama System, made up of The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), along with the world-class UAB Health System.

Chancellor Trant spoke about the System’s continued growth and impact across the state, including record increases in student applications, over $1 billion in research expenditures, and an economic impact exceeding $18 billion. His leadership emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and ensuring that students across Alabama have access to exceptional educational opportunities.

We are grateful for his time, leadership, and commitment to shaping the future of higher education in our state.