Presley Boswell
Presley Boswell has lived in 16 countries, worked in 27, and was able to schedule his work in ways that allowed him to visit international points of interest.
Of all those places, he likes Andalusia, Alabama, the best.
The Weogufka, Alabama, native first came to Andalusia in 1978 and said he just fell in love with the place.
Andalusia became home base for him while working for Santa Fe Drilling, which at the time employed about 200 people from the Covington County area.
“I got to know a lot of people from here,” he recalled. “And most of them didn’t know I wasn’t originally from Andalusia.”
In 1980, in a break from the oil fields, he purchased a small radio station in Andalusia, WCCG. Boswell said he ran the radio station for nine months and only lost $20,000. That was when he decided to go back to the oil fields.
It turned out to be a good career decision, affording him many opportunities for travel. He retired in 2004, but continued in a consulting role until 2006.
He was appointed to fill an a vacant District 4 Council seat in March of 2023. Prior to his appointment, he had attended almost every council meeting since retiring in 2006.
“Presley has kept up with city business as well as anyone I know,” Mayor Earl Johnson said. “He won’t have a learning curve, because he has witnessed most of the decisions the council has made in the past 17 years.
“And he’s not just supportive at the city government level,” the mayor said. “You will see him at the ballet, the Chamber banquet, Candyland, and JulyJamz. He supports local businesses, and generally wants what is good for Andalusia and her residents.”
As a young man, Boswell moved to Pell City and went to work in the steel mills in Birmingham. During that time, he also published “Hills and Hollers,” an outdoors publication which he distributed free in outdoors shops and venues. He also started the Alabama Federation of Bass Fisherman, which was a bass tourney trail.
“I’ve loved the town ever since I’ve seen it,” Boswell said. “And I’m humbled and honored to receive this appointment.”
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