Posted: Monday, February 15, 2010 11:13 am

The Messenger 02.15.10
Obion County businessmen Kevin Herrell and Jody Kizer are among 32 members of the 2010 WestStar class.
WestStar was created in 1989 at the University of Tennessee at Martin to serve the multi-county area by providing leadership development and training.
Representing 17 counties in the 21-county region, class members have a diverse range of occupations and volunteer leadership experiences.
Herrell is the owner of Higher Ground Coffee Co. and the Growth Coach of Northwest Tennessee. He has served on numerous committees for the Obion County Chamber of Commerce and is currently the chamber’s president.
His honors include receipt of 2008 New Business of the Year for Higher Ground Coffee Co. and being a 2005 graduate of the GM Dealer Management Academy. He is a graduate of Leadership Obion County.
“WestStar will be a great opportunity to connect with others in order to gain a more regional perspective on government, business and industry and to build lasting relationships that will benefit the region well into the future,”  Herrell said.
Kizer is northwest regional president of First Citizens National Bank in Union City. He is immediate past president and current board member for the Obion County Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Joint Economic Development Corp.
He also serves on the board of directors for the Obion County Fair, has been a member of the Union City Rotary Club and Main Street Union City Inc., is a member of the Tennessee Bankers Association Young Bankers board of directors and is a member of the West Tennessee Area Executive Council for the Boys Scouts of America.
In 2007, First Citizens National Bank recognized Kizer as 2007 Northwest Loan Production Officer of the Year.
“Participating in WestStar will help me learn different ways of becoming a more productive citizen and leader in my own community,” Kizer said recently.