Natchez &8212; Woody Allen works hard, but he tries to stay out of the limelight.

But last Thursday night, he couldn&8217;t avoid it.

The chairman of the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority was honored as the Natchezian of the Year at the annual chamber of commerce dinner.

Looking back, Allen said, he should have known something was up. Allen spent much of the day in Shreveport for a business meeting but kept getting calls asking if he would be home in time for the chamber dinner.

&8220;Why is everybody so worried about me getting back for this meeting?&8221; he was thinking.

A few minutes into Judge John Hudson&8217;s description of the award winner, Allen caught on to what everyone around him already knew.

&8220;Everybody at the table was staring at me with these big grins,&8221; he said.

Even without giving away his title as EDA chairman, the description of Allen in his nomination was apt, noting he has had a &8220;clear vision&8221; for economic development even before he joined the EDA board.

&8220;He has done so much without the prospect of personal reward,&8221; Allen&8217;s nomination stated.

Why Natchez?

In accepting his award, Allen was quick to give credit to all of the people involved in economic development.

Later, he explained that the work involves many more people than his board.

&8220;Economic development is not the EDA,&8221; Allen said. &8220;It&8217;s about the community.&8221;

When he counts up the people and boards and organizations that have a hand in economic development, it numbers into the dozens, Allen said.

Before joining the EDA, Allen served as a member of the Natchez Planning Commission and the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau board. He continues to be a member of the Britton & Koontz First National Bank board of directors.

Service to his hometown is something that comes easily for Allen, owner of Allen Petroleum Services.

Allen had opportunities to leave his hometown for work, but he and his family chose to stay in Natchez.

&8220;I just want to see Natchez a better place,&8221; he said.

Coming full circle

Allen said that attitude led him to help establish Beau Pre Country Club.

&8220;I just saw a need that needed to be done and tried to go out and do it,&8221; he said. &8220;Right or wrong, the effort is for the community.&8221;

An avid golfer, Allen knew that a private country club surrounded by residential space would be successful. And he knew that the Belwood Country Club site, nestled near the port and the river, would be better served as industrial property.

He pushed the county to buy the Belwood site for an industrial park and found investors for the new country club just south of Natchez.

With Beau Pre a successful club and residential development, the rest of the vision is about to become a reality.

The county has just signed an exclusive agreement with fuel manufacturer Rentech, which hopes to build a plant on the Belwood property.

&8220;It&8217;s a true fulfillment of the whole vision from start to finish,&8221; Allen said.

What&8217;s ahead?

Rentech, which has plans to invest about $650 million in the community, may be the biggest opportunity on the horizon for the EDA and Natchez.

But there are quite a few economic development balls in the air.

&8220;We have more opportunity than we&8217;ve had in the last 25 or 30 years,&8221; Allen said. &8220;We&8217;ve just got to be able to pull some of those things together.&8221;

In addition to Rentech, the EDA continues to work to buy the former International Paper site to use as industrial property.

And Allen noted that the EDA is not the only group with projects in the works. Developers are planning a multi-million dollar condo complex on the bluff, and the city of Natchez is closer than ever to a convention center hotel. &8220;I see lots of activity in the coming year,&8221; Allen said.

Finding time

In January, the EDA will welcome a new director, Jefferson Rowell.

While the entire board is looking forward to welcoming Rowell, it may be of particular relief to Allen.

After the resignation of former EDA director Mike Ferdinand, many of those duties fell to Allen. His office is proof. Pointing out the files covering his desk and other furniture, he notes that only a few concern his personal business deals.

Allen has had to fit much of his personal work in between EDA activities, especially lately.

He credits his wife Cissy and two children, Spencer and Jennie, with much of his success. Enduring everything from the long hours he spends on EDA work to the telephone calls even during family vacations, they have a great deal of patience, he said.

&8220;They&8217;re actually the ones who don&8217;t get anything from it,&8221; he said. &8220;They don&8217;t get time from me, and there&8217;s not financial reward for them either.&8221;

Juggling his own business and EDA work is difficult, Allen said. &8220;You have to find the time,&8221; Allen said. &8220;You have to organize well.&8221;

Other than time away from his family, Allen might have just one other regret about his hard work: &8220;My golf time&8217;s been cut back considerably,&8221; he said with a smile.