GENEVA, Ala. (WDNews) — A building that once faced closure as a National Guard armory now bears the name of the lawmaker who helped turn it into a career training center for local students.
Community leaders, educators and state lawmakers gathered to celebrate the naming of G-TECH’s main building in honor of state Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva.
The Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees approved the honor Aug. 12, recognizing Chesteen’s role in creating the Geneva Regional Career Technical Center, according to Enterprise State Community College.
The project began after the Alabama National Guard identified armories for possible closure in 2015. Chesteen, then a state representative, worked with officials to find another use for the Geneva facility.
That effort brought together Geneva City Schools, Geneva County Schools, the Alabama Community College System and the National Guard.
After renovations, the building opened as G-TECH in fall 2017. Students could earn college credit while still in high school and gain hands-on experience in career fields.
More than 100 students enrolled during its first semester. The original programs included education, health sciences, automotive technology, aviation maintenance technology and welding.
The college said the center now serves about 200 students each year through seven dual-enrollment programs.
Enterprise State assumed full ownership of the facility in 2024. It continues working with both local school systems to help students prepare for college and jobs.
