06/09/2026
"I was always on the political peripheral."
That's how Madison County Commission Chairman Rex Vaughn described his path to public service when he joined us this week for our second Elected Leader Series luncheon of 2026.
Just 93 days into the role, Chairman Vaughn spoke candidly with our members about the priorities shaping Madison County - public safety, transportation and infrastructure, the courthouse relocation, and positioning our region for continued economic growth and job creation.
But it was that opening idea that stayed with us.
Long before he was appointed, Chairman Vaughn spent decades on what he called the political peripheral. Never the candidate, but always engaged. Helping good people get elected. Raising support. Showing up. The quieter, steadier work that strong communities are built on.
It's a fitting reminder of something we believe deeply at the Committee of 100: you don't have to be on the ballot to shape the future of your community.
Strong leadership rarely begins at the podium. It begins on the periphery - with business and community leaders who decide that local government matters enough to invest their time, their voice, and their support. For 30 years, that conviction has driven our work in cooperative local government, from recruiting and supporting strong candidates for public service to engaging early and intentionally through BizPac.
Every one of us has a role to play. The political peripheral isn't the sidelines - it's where engaged citizens help decide what comes next.
Thank you, Chairman Vaughn, for your service to Madison County and for sharing your first 100 days with our members.
