BREAKING: David Nast receives Huntsville's first Star of Sports Award

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Sports Star Award — David Nast (center) was named the first-ever recipient of Huntsville’s Star of Sports Award. (City of Huntsville)

One of Huntsville’s most recognizable residents received the inaugural Star of Sports Award from the City of Huntsville today. David Nast, a businessman and community leader here in the Rocket City, was honored with the award Wednesday morning at City Hall.

Here’s more on Star of Sports Award winner David Nast:

Inaugural Star of Sports Award winner David Nast

Nast is best known in the business world as a founder and longtime CEO of Progress Bank. He holds a B.S. and M.B.A. from Jacksonville State University and banking certificates from LSU and Georgia State. These attributes alone are enough to warrant recognition, but his civic involvement is an impressive resume by itself.

He has served on the following boards in the Huntsville area:

Junior Achievement
Land Trust of North Alabama
Boys and Girls Club of Huntsville
North Alabama Boy Scouts
Huntsville Hospital Foundation (former Chair)
Committee of 100
Huntsville City Schools Foundation

Nast also is an alumnus of Leadership Huntsville and Leadership Alabama.

Currently, Nast is involved with:

Huntsville Rotary Club
Alabama Bankers Association Board
Huntsville Sports Commission
Leadership Alabama
Huntsville Museum of Art

His community contributions are also augmented by his involvement with local sports. He was a past Chair of the Huntsville Sports Commission, but has also been actively involved in youth sports here in the Rocket City.

“I first met David when he was coaching youth sports and I was an official. It always stuck out to me that he stressed sportsmanship, teamwork and dedication to the young athletes he coached and mentored.”

Mark Russell, Director of the Huntsville Sports Commission

Those of you who are runners here in the Huntsville area likely know Nast as an avid marathon runner. In addition to distance running, he is also a duck hunter and golfer.

In essence, David Nast is about as well-rounded a Huntsvillian as one can find and certainly a worthy recipient of this new award.

About the Huntsville Star of Sports Award

This new award will be given annually to Huntsville residents who display exemplary performance, sportsmanship, service, contribution and leadership, and must be an individual or team that:

Has a unique or memorable moment, experience or career in sports
Makes the Huntsville community better through sports
Advances the mission of the Huntsville Sports Commission

“This award is incredible. I am humbled and gracious to receive it, and to continue to contribute to the success and growth of Huntsville.”

David Nast, Star of Sports Award winner, 2025

The award itself was designed by local artist Jesse Andrews, and as Huntsville Sports Commission Director Mark Russell said, “A star shines bright like the recipients whose accomplishments differentiate them from others and is a nod to our city. The color changes as you pass by to reflect the ever-evolving growth of our recipients and sports.”

About the Huntsville Sports Commission

The Huntsville Sports Commission was established in 2000, and since then has organized, recruited and managed numerous tournaments, events and competitions here in the Rocket City. Led my Mark Russell, the organization has brought tourism dollars into the city through hosting these events.

The organization helped nring in more than $50 million in revenue in 2024 alone.

Huntsville has hosted a wide array of sporting events through the HSC, including: