Pictured : Tennyson Smith Jr., Keynote Speaker;  Carrie Logan giving Citizens of the Year Award to Danny Cooper

The Eutaw Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting and dinner on March 24, 2025, in the newly renovated street level of the original Greene County Courthouse in downtown Eutaw. The Chamber serves and promotes the business and community improvement organizations in Eutaw and surrounding areas of Greene County.
This gave many business and community leaders a chance to see the results of a renovation grant provided by the State of Alabama, to the Greene County Historical Society, for the renovation of the street level of the original Greene County Courthouse. The upstairs level, which was the historic courtroom, still needs to be renovated to complete work to make the old Courthouse into a welcome center, museum and community space.
Carrie Logan, Director of the Chamber, gave a welcome. Rev. Julia Lyons gave an invocation, and a catfish dinner was catered from the Southfresh Fish Truck.
Teresa Atkins, a former classmate of the keynote speaker, introduced Tennyson Smith Jr., Director of Student and Community Outreach at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, and a native of Greene County. Tennyson Smith Jr., spoke mostly from his PhD dissertation at the University of West Alabama on access by low-income rural students to higher education.
In his talk, Tennyson Smith Jr., urged the Chamber of Commerce members to take more interest in supporting K-12 education in Greene County, to be able to train and retain a skilled workforce in the county. He urged businesses to visit schools, provide internships and mentorships for students ,and to encourage  parental involvement in the schools. “We need to make sure our schools are teaching and exposing our low-income rural children to the skills and mindset they will need to pursue a career in the future,” said Smith.
Carre Logan reported on the work of the Chamber during the past year, highlighting a mural on Greene County near the Eutaw City Hall, work on the Christmas Parade and other community-wide activities.
Logan then presented awards. Danny Cooper, former Alabama Power District Manager, Chair of the Greene County Industrial Development Authority and leader of the Eutaw Garden Club as the Chamber’s “Citizen of the Year”. Judy Jarvis was honored as the Chamber’s “Volunteer of the Year”. Phillis Belcher, Executive Director of the Greene County Industrial Development Authority was recognized as the Chamber’s “Business of the Year”.