Jeff Cheatwood
Council Member

As the City’s Mayor Pro tem, I preside over the City Council in the absence of the Mayor.  I am a 1968 graduate of Hokes Bluff High School, married to my high school sweetheart, the former Rita Lynn Norris also of Hokes Bluff.  We have 2 daughters,1 granddaughter, and 1 grandson.  Both of our daughters graduated from Hokes Bluff High School and our granddaughter currently attends Hokes Bluff High School.  We attend and are members of the First Baptist Church of Hokes Bluff.

Born in Jefferson County, I attended Birmingham City schools until moving to Hokes Bluff in 1962.  I was active in high school sports including football and track for Hokes Bluff High School for 4 years.   After graduation, I accepted employment with General Motors Assembly Division in Atlanta, Georgia, where I worked for 2 years.  In 1970, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company hired me as a tire builder.  After 3 years, I was promoted to a supervisory position.  In 1977, I completed a management program called “The Squadron” that prepared young managers for future company positions.  It helped prepare me for the many different challenges facing managers running a large industrial plant with a workforce of thousands and an output of thousands of tires daily.  I transferred to Goodyear’s Union City, Tennessee plant in 1999 but returned to a position at the Gadsden plant the next year.

Goodyear allowed and encouraged an on-going leadership journey by providing additional education in professional level management training both on-site through corporate management training and off-site through Gadsden State Community College, Jacksonville State University, and The Bevill Center.  Other training was completed at Talmadge Training Center in Akron, Ohio.  Their philosophy of on-going training to keep their managers equipped and up-to-date allowed me to continue my education and training throughout my 37 years with the company.

I was honored to be inducted into the Goodyear “Top Ten Club,” a club that rewards leadership among the top ten percent of area managers.  Our chapter of the “Top Ten Club” was the first one to have the officer’s position of chaplain, a position I was privileged to hold.

After a very busy and active 37 years with Goodyear, I retired in order to spend time with my family and become more involved in the community.  In addition to my position as Council member and Mayor Pro tem, I am a member of the Hokes Bluff Lions Club, serve on the MPO Citizens’ Advisory Board, and actively participate in the Alabama League of Municipalities.  I am currently working to attain the designation of Certified Municipal Officer and plan to continue training thereafter.

It is my desire to support the Mayor in his goals for the City.  During these difficult economic times, we are working to keep our City solvent and keep the cost City services provided under control.  We want to see that each dollar that is spent affects the most citizens in a positive way.  My campaign slogan was “Working Together For A Better Community.”  This is true now more than ever before.  The Mayor and Council are working together, making some tough choices, to move our City into a comfortable place for years to come.  We want to leave a positive legacy for the next generation as they step into the leadership of City government.