Interview by Abernathy Cochran Realtor Ricky Lewallen
Meet Shelly Echols! Shelly is the newly elected Hall County Commissioner for the third district. She is married to Drew Echols and the couple have two children; Chloe and Cohen.
“I am born and raised in Hall County and I’ll be 39 years old this year. I’ve worked in Hall County all my life, I’ve taught in Hall County Schools at Johnson High School and East Hall for five years and for the last 11 years Daniel’s Educational Tours,” she said.
We want to thank Shelly for taking the time recently with us and telling us more about her life and love of Hall County.
Question: What inspired you or lead you to run for county commissioner?
A: “I believe in term limits. My opponent served two terms already and I thought it was just time for a new face of fresh perspective. They wanted new ideas and thought I could offer that to Hall County.”
Q: What is something you would like to achieve as commissioner?
A: “Well, I think immediately there’s some employee morale issues that we need to address. I think that the commission and the county are working to address those, but sometimes it might take a new way of looking at things …and we have to make sure that the employees feel appreciated.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County that you just love to go to?
A: “My family loves El Sombrero, we are there all this time. It’s always good and you’re in and out of there in 30 minutes you’d never have to wait long.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person that you have met in Hall County?
A: “Butch Miller, he’s an interesting. I taught his son Kerry at Johnson …we just hit it off and we’ve become really good friends.”

Q: If you could travel anywhere, anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
A: “Gosh, that’s an interesting question. This summer we’re going to Alaska, so we’re looking forward to that one. I think Europe would be a very interesting place to go. I think Alaska would be more scenic, so it just kind of what you’re into there.”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “Be true to yourself. Don’t try to be who they want you to be who you are. And I think that honesty is always so important. Too many times it’s often easy to say what someone wants to hear exactly… instead of saying what the truth is. I think if you always tell the truth and you don’t have to try and remember what you told someone else, but I really just to be true to yourself.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “My daughter makes all these bucket lists all the time with summer bucket list, school year, all these lists. She’s goal oriented. I’m very checklist oriented. As far as a big lofty bucket list goes, I’ve always wanted to go to Alaska.”
Q: What business makes you most nostalgic about Hall County?
A: “I’d have to say Martin Furniture. I love the small town feel and they remember what you bought the last time you were there. I love to go there and Little Lady Bug. I’m trying to remember some of the ones when I was little…my sister would take piano lessons at Lancaster and there was a store next door, so my aunt would come meet us there while my sister was taking lessons. My mom and aunt and I would share a donut. When I was little we would drive down Green Street and I would imagine Scarlett O’Hara on a front porch.”
Q: If you could name three bands, what would be your favorite?
A: “I love it. I like a lot of 80s music, rap music. I love old Aerosmith.”
Q: Choosing anyone dead or alive and not a relative, who would you love to have lunch with and where would you go? 
A: “George W. Bush. He was the first president I voted for and I just always admired him…I really would love to pick his brain and see what really going on. I would take him anywhere on the square or even 2 Dog.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about Hall County?
A: “My favorite thing about Hall County is that it is beautiful. You’ve got mountains and you’ve got the lake, what more could anyone want. Why would you not want to live in Hall County?”
Q: Where do you see yourself and maybe five to 10 years?
A: “That’s a good question. I’ll still be in Hall County. I’ll still be serving my community in some capacity.”
Q: What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know?
A: “I can be shy. I’m an introvert, so being out in a large crowd wears me out. I’m much more comfortable to stand on the sideline and watch everyone else and see how everyone interacts.”
Q: What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: “Farm. Family. Comfortable.”
The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live or work in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.