J. Alan Peoples currently serves as the Mayor of Tryon. He was elected to this position in 2001 and is serving his 6th term. He served as a Polk County Commissioner. He was elected to that position in 1996 and served for 1 term. He ran again for Polk County Commissioner in 1999, but he did not win. He also served as chairperson of the board of commissioners.

Alan works as a cross country and track & field head coach. He previously worked as an English teacher at Polk County Schools. He served in the U.S. Army.

Alan is from Franklinton. He attended Louisburg College. He holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a master's degree in administration from the University of South Carolina at Columbia. He lives in Tryon. He is married.