MADISON – Michael ‘Mike’ McCollum made a major decision after spring semester 1999 at Auburn University.

“I decided I needed to get as far away from my father as possible, once my grades arrived in the mail,” McCollum said. “The National Guard recruiter tried to sell me on the benefits, such as the GI Bill, but I cut him off and said, ‘Buddy, I just need to sign some papers and get on the first bus you have leaving town.'”

McCollum entered Alabama Army National Guard in June 1999. Currently, he holds the rank of Staff Sergeant.

At Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., McCollum completed Basic and AIT as Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Warfare Specialist and later graduated from U.S. Army Military Police School as MP.

“I deployed to Giessen Army Depot, Germany for a 14-month, law-and-order mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and performed a security mission in Cairo Egypt for Operation Bright Star 2007,” he said.

Currently, McCollum is serving as Military Police Instructor for 1st BN MP 200th RGT at Fort McClellan.

Originally from Gadsden, he moved to Madison in June 2016. “I needed to be in North Alabama for my job. After looking around at different cities, we fell in love with Madison,” McCollum said. “We absolutely love our neighbors in Heritage Provence. The school system was probably what had the greatest influence on our decision.”

At Auburn, he studied criminology. In 2002, he graduated from Montgomery Police Academy and served as class vice president.

“I’m currently employed by White Oak Transportation in Decatur as Business Development Manager,” he said. “As owner of Magnolia South Properties, I am also a real estate investor buying distressed properties and rehabbing them. To further that business, I’m in the process of receiving my Alabama Home Builders License.”

His wife Melanie is a Realtor with Keller Williams Madison. Their sons are five-year-old Cole and two-year-old Luke, who attend the RISE school at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The McCollums attend Asbury United Methodist Church.

Mike is a member of Alabama Real Estate Investors Association and Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States.

In free time, he is Pitmaster of the award-winning professional barbecue cooking team, The Four Porksmen. “My family and I love to travel. We enjoy being on the water in the summer and snow skiing in the winter,” McCollum said.