Former Auburn University and National Football League star Ron Stallworth will be the featured speaker at this year's Achiever Award banquet.

The award, which honors the top male and female leader/athletes in Butler County, will be held at First Baptist Church in Greenville on May 3rd. Tickets to the event are $10 each and will go on sale to the public April 2nd at the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce. The Achiever Award is jointly sponsored by the Chamber and the Greenville YMCA.

Stallworth is a 1984 graduate of Woodham High School in Pensacola, Florida where he was one of the top recruits in the nation, earning USA Today Player of the Year honors. He signed with Auburn University in 1985 where he was a member of some of the Tigers' most successful teams under then head coach Pat Dye. Stallworth's NFL career spanned three years including stints with the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs.

After his playing days ended, Stallworth took a job with Colonial Bank in Montgomery where he was a commercial loan officer. He currently works as a financial consultant for Merrill Lynch at its Montgomery office.

Stallworth earned his MBA from Troy State University-Montgomery in 1994. He is a state board member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and on the Auburn University School of Business Advisory Board. Stallworth is a member of the Capital City Kiwanis Club and treasurer of Union Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church

"We are excited to have a speaker the caliber of Ron Stallworth," Chamber President Carol Lee said. "In addition to being a great athlete, he is an outstanding person who has achieved success off the playing field. We are honored that he has accepted our invitation to speak at this year's banquet."

Lee, who serves as co-chairman of the Achiever Award committee along with YMCA Director Tim Dunsford, said that there are a limited number of tickets available for this year's banquet and she expects them to go fast. "The last three events have all been sellouts and we anticipate the same response this year," she said.

For more information call 382-3251.