Who's new: A look at leadership changes in Tuscaloosa during 2023
A handful of Tuscaloosa County institutions welcomed new leadership during 2023.
The changes came at Shelton State Community College, Stillman College, the city of Northport, the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama and the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority.
Here's a look at these new leaders:
Brian C. Davis
Brian C. Davis assumed duties in April as the new executive director and CEO for the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority.
Davis, a 1994 University of Alabama graduate, came to PARA after serving as director of engineering and public works for the city of Vestavia Hills in Jefferson County.
Davis replaced Gary Minor, who retired as PARA's executive director on Dec. 31, 2022, after nearly a dozen years in that role and a total of 18 years at PARA.
PARA has almost 2,000 acres of green space including 35 parks, boat landings, seven activity centers, an 18-hole golf course, a tennis facility, recreation and leisure for all age groups and special events, such as the West Alabama Christmas Parade.
Kyle South
Kyle South, a Fayette native, 2004 University of Alabama graduate, businessman and state representative, became the new president and CEO for the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama in July.
After he graduated from UA, he worked as president and general manager of West Alabama TV Cable Co., founded by his late grandfather, Stephen Vaughan, in 1965. The $5 million business sold in 2019.
He was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 2014, running as a Republican, representing District 16, which includes parts of Fayette, Lamar, Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties. He served three terms in the Alabama Legislature before taking the Chamber CEO/president role.
South replaced Jim Page, who resigned March resignation to take a job as executive vice president of MartinFederal Consulting in Huntsville, after just more than a decade with the Chamber.
The Chamber has an annual budget of more than $2.1 million, not including its financial management of West AlabamaWorks! and the West Alabama Chamber Foundation.
Yolanda W. Page
Yolanda W. Page was named the eighth president of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa in July.
Page came to Stillman College after serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Savannah State University in Georgia.
Over more than 30 years in higher education, Page worked also as vice president in the division of academic affairs, and as a professor of English at Dillard University, a private college nationally ranked among the top 15 HBCUs, where she also earned a bachelor’s degree in English, with a minor in business management. She earned a master of arts and doctor of philosophy degree in American and African-American Literature from Louisiana State University.
Page succeeded Cynthia Warrick, who had served at Stillman since 2017 and was the historically Black college's first woman president.
Jonathan P. Koh
Jonathan P. Koh assumed the role of Shelton State Community College’s new president in November. Koh is a Mobile native and University of Alabama graduate who previously served as Shelton State’s dean of workforce and economic development.
He served as Shelton State’s director of grants and governmental relations before his appointment as dean of workforce and economic development.
Koh has led several strategies designed to expand the reach of the college’s 16 technical services and adult education programs, including co-enrollment pathways, nationally recognized work-based learning programs and on-demand incumbent worker training initiatives. He also oversaw the Shelton State’s pre-K program.
He came to Shelton State after serving as research coordinator for the University’s Education Policy Center from 2012-15.
He replaced Chris Cox, who accepted a position with the Alabama Community College System as systemwide vice chancellor of instruction, research and development.
John Hinton
Former Northport City Councilman John Hinton took the oath of office in January, becoming the city's new mayor.
Hinton replaces Bobby Herndon who abruptly resigned from the mayor's office on Nov. 7, 2022, roughly two years into his term. Herndon's resignation was effective Dec. 31, 2022, and Hinton assumed the mayor's office at midnight on Jan. 1 with the support of his fellow Northport City Council members.
He was appointed to the Northport City Council in January 2019 after the District 3 seat to run for the District 61 seat was vacated.
In August 2020, Hinton was elected to a full term as Northport's District 3 council member.
Hinton is a retired assistant superintendent of personnel and general services for the Tuscaloosa County Schools System. He now serves as minister of music at Northport Baptist Church, a role Hinton said he's held for nearly 60 years.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Northport has a population of more than 31,000 people.
Reach Ken Roberts at ken.roberts@tuscaloosanews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Changes in 2023: A look at new Tuscaloosa County leaders
