Gov. Kay Ivey announced that she has appointed Rep. Bill Poole to serve as Alabama’s finance director, effective August 1. Current director Kelly Butler is retiring. He announced his retirement in June, stating it was due to complications of Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Ivey stated, “Bill Poole is one of the most gifted public servants Alabama has seen in many years, and his exceptional leadership qualities, and the respect he commands on both sides of the aisle in the Alabama Legislature, makes him uniquely qualified to serve as Alabama’s next finance director. His detailed focus on education funding demonstrates a depth of knowledge in our state’s budget process that few can match and his passion for advancing good public policy gives him an added platform to help me and my administration continue to seek out new solutions to solving many of Alabama’s long-neglected challenges. I’m more than pleased he agreed, once again, to serve our state in this new role, and I know he will do a bang-up job.”
Poole is a member of the Alabama House of Representatives and has served as the House Ways and Means education chairman. He also serves as chairman of Innovate Alabama, a statewide commission charged with developing a long-term strategy to expand Alabama’s economy.
Poole was first elected to House District 63 in 2010. He graduated from the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama School of Law. He has worked in private practice since 2004.
“I am deeply thankful to Governor Kay Ivey for offering to me the opportunity to serve as finance director for the state of Alabama,” Rep. Poole commented. “My service in the Alabama House of Representatives has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I extend my sincere thanks to the citizens of House District 63 and the entire Tuscaloosa community for electing and trusting me, and I have always worked hard to honor that trust and fulfill my responsibilities at the highest standard. I also extend my sincere thanks to my colleagues in the Alabama House of Representatives, and particularly my colleagues on the House Ways and Means Education Committee.”
“I am excited to accept this new role and embrace this new challenge, and I will continue to do my very best on behalf of the state of Alabama,” Poole continued. “As the governor and others have said, Kelly Butler set a high bar for dedicated service, integrity, and transparency during his 30-plus years of public service. “I am grateful to have Kelly’s full support going forward, which will help ensure a smooth transition.”
Poole helped to pass Rebuild Alabama, which in two years, has appropriated $295 million to the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) projects on the state highway system. He was also the Alabama Incentives Modernization Act sponsor, a law that aimed to make the state more attractive to tech-based companies and entrepreneurs. He currently serves as chair of the Tuscaloosa County Legislation Committee.
Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon released a statement, “Rep. Bill Poole’s tremendous success as the House education budget chairman is evidenced in successive years of record classroom spending, expanded programs on both the K-12 and higher ed levels, and improved academic measures. Universally respected and trusted by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Chairman Poole has proven to be a responsible and pragmatic steward of taxpayer dollars.
“The same skills and talents that allowed him to enjoy great success as a committee chairman and lawmaker will also serve him well as state finance director,” he continued. “Though the House will miss his leadership, Gov. Ivey was right to recognize that Bill Poole is the right man for the right job at the right time, and Alabama will benefit greatly from his service.”
