The Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce presented LBW Community College President Dr. Herb Riedel with the annual president’s award, and Jim Garner with the annual distinguished service award.

Riedel has served as LBW president since January of 2009. Under his leadership, the college has added new courses, including truck driving and culinary arts. He also has worked with the LBW Foundation to establish a mini grant program and to develop Saints Hall, which provides housing for students.

He helped found the Andalusia Chamber Music Society to provide high-quality, live, classical music to Andalusia.

He is active in the Chamber with the Covington County Economic Development Commission; the Alabama Partnership for Children; the Andalusia Ballet and Rotary International.

He and his wife, Lisa, have two sons, Willie, 17, and Matthew, 14.

The Chamber presented its distinguished service award to Jim Garner.

Garner is a Pleasant Home graduate who lettered in basketball, and went on to play junior college basketball in Mississippi. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Troy University, a master’s degree from Mississippi State, and an education administrator’s certificate from Troy State University – Montgomery.

Garner coached at T.R. Miller in Brewton and in New Hebron, Miss., before joining LBW Community College. In 1984, he became principal of Pleasant Home, where he worked for 24 years.

While at PHS, he was very active in the Alabama High School Athletic Association. From 2010- 2013 he worked in missions with the Covington Baptist Association, and frequently volunteers at the Christian Service Center. He has been a Sunday School teacher, deacon and volunteer music director at Carolina Baptist Church. In 2013, he was inducted in the Wiregrass Sports Hall of Fame.