- Our Board of Directors
Experienced Professionals Behind Every Decision
The Craig Field Airport and Industrial Authority Board of Directors oversees the strategic growth, governance, and economic development efforts of Craig Field in Selma, Alabama. Comprised of regional leaders and public servants, the board focuses on strengthening the airport’s role in aviation, industrial development, workforce training, and regional investment opportunities. Through infrastructure improvements, business attraction, and collaboration with local and state leadership, the board continues working to position Craig Field as a valuable economic asset for the region.
Dr. James Mitchell
Board Chairman
Amos E. Moore
Vice Chairman
Sen Henry “Hank” Sanders
Connel Towns
Judge Kimbrough “Kim” Ballard
- Board Members
Meet The Board
Board Chairman – Dr. James Mitchell
Dr. James M. Mitchell-
Is a longtime educator, administrator, and community leader who served as President of Wallace Community College Selma (WCCS) in Selma, Alabama, from August 2000 until his retirement in September 2025.
Early Life and Education
A native of Ahoskie, North Carolina, Mitchell is the son of Sallie Austin. He served in the United States Army from 1970–1973 and received an Honorable Discharge. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science from Shaw University, a master’s degree in Educational Administration, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Fayetteville State University.
Vice Chairman – Amos E. Moore
Amos Moore was born in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from Brantley High School in Selma, Alabama in 1965. During the Civil Rights Movement, he was an active member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) under the leadership of the late John Lewis and was arrested nine times while participating in voter registration efforts. After attending Knoxville College, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served four years in logistics before beginning a distinguished 20 year career with United Parcel Service in New York. Amos became the first African American promoted to UPS Operating Center Manager in the West Long Island District, overseeing operations across Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties before retiring and returning to Selma, where he married his wife, Bernice, and raised their two daughters, Stephanie and Allison.
Since returning to Alabama, Amos has remained deeply committed to public service, leadership, and community involvement. He joined the Alabama Air Force Reserve unit in Montgomery and rose to the rank of Command Chief Master Sergeant, becoming the highest ranking enlisted Air Force Reservist in the state before retiring in 2007. Throughout the years, he has served on the Selma Arts Council, helped found F.A.C.E. (Fathers Active in Children’s Education), led multiple PTA organizations within the Selma City School System, worked as a substitute teacher for 13 years, and supported political campaigns at the local, state, and national levels through the Alabama Democratic Committee. Today, Amos continues to serve the community as Vice Chair of the Craig Airport and Industrial Authority Board of Directors, a Sunday School teacher, and Chairman of the Deacons Ministry at New Macedonia Baptist Church in Valley Grande, Alabama.
Sen Henry “Hank” Sanders
Henry "Hank" Sanders (born October 28, 1942) is a longtime Alabama attorney, civil rights advocate, author, and Democratic politician from Selma. He represented Alabama Senate District 23 (covering the Black Belt region, including Selma) from 1983 to 2018, becoming the first African American state senator from that area.
Notable Accomplishments:
Education and Early Career: Born one of 13 children in Baldwin County, AL, he overcame poverty and racism to graduate from Talladega College (BA) and Harvard Law School (JD). He co-founded Chestnut, Sanders, Sanders, and Pettaway (later LLC), once one of the largest Black law firms in the U.S., focusing on helping poor and Black clients save land, protect constitutional rights, and challenge corporate abuses. He also served as lead counsel in the major Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation.
Connel Townes
Connel Townes is the Dallas County Commissioner for District 1 in Alabama covering several communities including East Selma, Selmont, Tyler, Sardis, Minter, Pleasant Hill, Carlowville, and Brooklane. He has served for many years, including from 2000 to 2016, and was re-elected in 2020 (running unopposed in recent cycles). As of late 2024, he was sworn in for another term and named Vice Chair of the Dallas County Commission. In 2016, he received the Tenure in Office Award from the Association of County Commissions of Alabama (ACCA) for 16 years of service.
He is a long-time public servant focused on local leadership, community issues (such as meetings in Selmont), and county development in the Selma area. Contact info from the county site includes home phone (334-875-4571), work cell (334-412-9866)
Judge Kimbrough “Kim” Ballard
Judge Kimbrough “Kim” Ballard is a longtime public servant and former Probate Judge of Dallas County, Alabama (Selma).
Born Kimbrough Ballard (named after Dr. Cecil Kimbrough), he moved to Selma in 1967 and began his career as a door-to-door insurance salesman and later manager. He did not initially plan a career in politics but entered public service after winning election to the Selma City Council.
Political and Judicial Career
Ballard’s public service spanned more than 30 years and included:
Two terms as Selma City Councilman
Three four-year terms as Dallas County
Commissioner (and Chairman of the County Commission)
Two six-year terms as Dallas County
Probate Judge and Chairman of the County Commission (serving from approximately 2007 until his retirement on January 14, 2019)
As Probate Judge, he also oversaw significant county administrative responsibilities. He was known for his accessibility to constituents, fiscal conservatism (maintaining balanced budgets even through the Great Recession), and dedication to regional development across Alabama’s Black Belt. Colleagues and community members praised him as a fair, firm, and well-liked leader who always prioritized service to the people of Dallas County