WGOL
Listen Live
Local Weather
Russellville, AL
59°

Pounders feted with Hall of Fame Award

Barry Pounders didn't expect to win the 2017 Hall of Fame Award at Thursday's Franklin County Partnership Awards Banquet.

Pounders said he wasn't asked to provide a biography, so he didn't think he'd won. And with a field including Alan Bostick, Mollie Hamilton, Johnny Mack Morrow, Troy Oliver, Donnie Roberts and Jane Williams, Pounders didn't believe he would be the one selected.

In both instances, he was wrong.

Pounders, a 1970 graduate of Phil Campbell High School and a University of Alabama alumnus, was named as this year's Hall of Fame recipient at the event jointly sponsored by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and the Franklin County Development Authority.

There are some great people who have received this award. I'm not sure I was deserving but it's an honor to receive it,” Pounders said.

Pounders and his wife Joyce own Ambulance Billing Service, LLC, a Phil Campbell business with 22 employees. They have two sons, Michael and Andy. Pounders has owned his business for more than 35 years.

He is an active member of the Phil Campbell Rescue Squad dating back to his days at Phil Campbell High School. He's served as president of the rescue squad for 35 years. Pounders shared his secret on maintaining a successful volunteer organization, which he's done with the rescue squad for nearly four decades.

Keep people engaged. Give them something to do and then back out of the way and let them do it,” Pounders said. “The key is not to micromanage every task. You've got to trust the people you work with.”

Pounders was an original member of the Franklin County Emergency Communications District Board of Directors and has served as its chairman or co-chairman for 16 years.

He's served six terms on the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as both secretary and president.

Barry is a wonderful person and volunteer,” said Cassie Medley, Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. “He also holds the lifetime appointment as the 'official judge' of the largest watermelon at our annual Franklin County Watermelon Festival.”

The Phil Campbell Rescue Squad serves Phil Campbell and East Franklin communities with ambulance service.

In terms of response time, we're 10-15 minutes better with our response time than an ambulance coming from somewhere else. And our people are more committed I believe because they live and work with the residents they serve. They are their neighbors, family and friends,” Pounders said.

Other award winners at the 2017 banquet included:

--Beautification Award: Community Spirit Bank's Tiger Branch at Red Bay High School, Red Bay; Ambulance Billing Service, Phil Campbell; Cultura Garden Club, Russellville.

--Business of the Year Award: G&G Steel.

--Franklin County's Best Kept Secret Award: Destination Restaurant.

--Distinguished Service Award: Mike Shewbart, Red Bay; Danny Brown, Phil Campbell; Martha Sibley, Russellville.

--Volunteer of the Year Award: Susie Hovater Malone.

--Roger Bedford Unsung Hero Award: Chris Ozbirn.

--Excellence in Industrial Growth Award: Mar Jac Poultry.

--Industrial Support Award: Brett Bendall, Sustainable Safety Solutions.

--Industry of the Year: Tiffin Motorhomes.

--Robert I. Rogers Award: David Grissom.

comments powered by Disqus
Copyright © 2024 Franklin Free Press All Rights Reserved.
Designed and Hosted by RiverBender.com
113 Washington Ave. NW | Russellville, AL 35653 | 256-332-0255