Photo courtesy of Vestavia Hills City Schools.
Superintendent Todd Freeman greets faculty at new teacher orientation for Vestavia Hills City Schools on July 21.
As part of our Vestavia at 75 series, Vestavia Voice compiled a list of leaders and influencers who could shape Vestavia Hills as it heads toward its centennial:
Keri Bates: Chamber board chair and Rocky Ridge Drug owner; small-biz voice in commerce and civic lifeTaylor Burton: Builder and chamber chairman-elect; development focus on housing, infill and corridor reinvestment
Laura Casey: VHCS athletic director; steward of youth sports culture and community facilities
Kimberly Cook: Council member with education and annexation expertise
Ashley Curry: Mayor; leader on safety, parks and balanced growth across a long, narrow city
Jeff Downes: City manager; oversees budgets, capital projects and Liberty Park integration
Robert Evans: VHHS head football coach; former Rebel carrying Buddy Anderson’s legacy forward
David Faulkner: State Rep., House District 46; conduit for education and infrastructure funding
Todd Freeman: Superintendent; maintains VHCS as the “golden goose” driving growth and identity
Marvin Green: Fire chief; ensuring coverage as the city stretches east and densifies around The Bray
Rocky Harmon: Soccer club executive; shaping youth sports and field use
Photo courtesy of Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce.
Michelle Hawkins.
Michelle Hawkins: Chamber president/CEO; connects six business districts across Old Vestavia, Liberty Park and Cahaba Heights
Jamie Lee: Parks and leisure services director; sidewalks, fields, tournaments and 6,000 kids in programs
Faith Lenhart: Arts Council president; leads art and cultural programming linking city districts
Cinnamon McCulley: Assistant city manager; communications lead and corridor project implementer
Katherine McRee: Cahaba Heights Merchants leader; business owner and placemaking advocate
James Parsons: Liberty Park Joint Venture president; investor guiding LP’s growth and amenities
Mike Shaw: State Rep., House District 47; VHHS alum, voice in Montgomery with tech-policy expertise
Photo courtesy of city of Vestavia Hills
Shane Ware was appointed the new police chief for Vestavia Hills on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.
Vaughn Sparks: Leadership Vestavia Hills president; builds civic leadership pipeline
Tait Stoddard: VHCS Foundation executive director; channels private dollars into classrooms, technology and teacher support
Taneisha Tucker: Library director; keeps the Library in the Forest as Vestavia’s cultural hub
Shane Ware: Police chief; strategy and coverage as population nears 50,000
Jabo Waggoner: State Senate Rules chairman; succession could reshape Vestavia’s clout in Montgomery
Rusty Weaver: Mayor pro tem; council voice on zoning, planning and policy
VESTAVIA AT 75: THE SERIES
The official birthday is Nov. 8, but October makes more sense — better weather, fewer conflicts, and a chance to gather before the holidays take over.
For the past year, Vestavia Voice has been telling the stories behind that milestone. The people who shaped the city. The schools that built it. The decisions that set its future. What follows is a collection of those stories — one place to revisit 75 years of Vestavia Hills.
Commemorating 75 years of Vestavia Hills
From wolves on Shades Mountain to the vision of developer Charles Byrd, this story traces the journey from rugged ridge to thriving community of 37,000. Read the story here.
The vote that built Vestavia Hills
On Oct. 24, 1950, just 96 residents cast ballots on whether to incorporate. Eight voted no, 88 voted yes — and Vestavia Hills was born. Read the story here.
A historian’s front-row seat: Pat Boone unleashed
For more than two hours, longtime city attorney and civic leader Pat Boone recounted the city’s defining moments — from incorporation to desegregation battles, from annexations to his partnership with Sara Wuska. Read the story here.
Road to prosperity: How two boundary-crossing annexations reshaped Vestavia Hills' map and set its future
The annexations of Liberty Park in 1992 and Cahaba Heights in 2002 didn’t just expand the map — they secured Vestavia Hills’ path to growth, influence, and stability. Read the story here.
Schools that built a city: Vestavia system lives up to founders' dreams
Born in the turbulence of desegregation in 1970, Vestavia Hills City Schools have become the city’s soul — driving growth, identity, and achievement for generations. From federal scrutiny to national acclaim, the system has lived up to the vision of its founders. Read the story here.
Vestavia Hills City Schools: Key dates in the system's history
From the opening of East Elementary in 1948 to the district’s national honors in 2025, this timeline traces the milestones that defined Vestavia Hills City Schools. Read the story here.
From scrapbooks to the cloud: Shelia Bruce’s legacy of preservation
After nearly four decades with the Vestavia Hills Historical Society, Shelia Bruce has stepped back from leadership — but not before digitizing decades of archives to safeguard the city’s memory for future generations. Read the story here.
Grand Lady of Vestavia Hills: Sara Wuska broke barriers, built institutions
At 94, Sara Wuska remains one of the most influential figures in Vestavia Hills history — the city’s first and only female mayor, a founding member of its school board, and a leader whose imprint can still be felt today. She reflects on a life of public service and the legacy she helped shape. Read the story here.
Pillars of the Community: 75 for 75
A list of 75 key people and groups that helped make Vestavia Hills the city it is today. Read the story here.
