Gene Gilliland and his wife Ella have just celebrated their 42 wedding anniversary and have lived in Benton for 26 years. He preached for the Benton church of Christ for 14 years before beginning his work with CFSB. His wife Ella has worked in the Marshall County School System for 19 years as a Speech Language Pathologist. They have 3 children. Their son Bradley and his wife live in Oklahoma City where he is a high school science teacher and football coach. Their daughter Bethany lives in the Sharpe area with her husband and two daughters and is an attorney. Their daughter Cindy lives in the Draffenville area with her husband and is a third grade teacher at Christian Fellowship School.
Gene is the Assistant Vice President for Strategic Planning and Public Relations for Community Financial Services Bank and has worked there since 2004. He has been very involved in the economic development of Benton, Marshall County, and West Kentucky. He continues to serve on the Benton Partnership which has provided such events as the Benton Cruise In, the Benton Progressive Dinner, and Benton’s Dicken’s Christmas which has brought a number of visitors into the city. He has also been very active in the Marshall County/Kentucky Lakes Chamber of Commerce where he served as chairman from 2010 to 2011. Some of his most recent efforts have been as a member and former chairman of the West Kentucky Regional Chamber Alliance, which is an association of the 14 western most counties in Kentucky. Through the regional chamber he has been able to promote the expansion of the Kentucky Dam Lock, and the development of I-69 along with several other regional projects.
Along with his focus on economic development, Gene has also been very interested in maintaining and even improving the quality of life in the area. As a member of the Benton Lions Club he has helped to provide eye screenings for children and eye care for older adults who are struggling financially. He is Vice Chairman of Marshall County Caring and Needline providing food and resources for people in need. He is a member of the Advisory Board for Hope Clinic which ministers to young people who are struggling with unwanted pregnancies. He has served on the board of directors for the Morgan-Trevathan Apartments which provides housing for low income seniors. The late Judge Executive Mike Miller appointed him as one of the representatives in Marshall County for the Purchase Area Development District Aging Committee. He is the founder and Chairman of “Character Counts in Marshall County” which promotes moral and ethical conduct in our school system and community. He has served on the planning committee of Family Week since its beginning. He is a member of the Marshall County Health Coalition which promotes healthy living in the county and through it and similar organizations has published the Marshall County Quick Reference Directory of Community Services for over 20 years. He also has helped to preserve the historical tradition of the Big Singing by serving as the president of the Society for the Preservation of Southern Harmony Singing.
“It is my hope by serving on the Benton City Council I will be able to contribute even more to the economic development and quality of life that makes Benton and Marshall County so special.”