July 17, 2003

Riley Names Bennett to State Labor Post

Montgomery - Gov. Bob Riley today named former Secretary of State Jim Bennett as his new Commissioner of Labor.

"Jim Bennett is an excellent choice to head the Labor Department," said Riley. "As a former legislator and constitutional officer, he has first hand knowledge of the departmental functions and can hit the ground running. I have full faith in his abilities."

Bennett, who is chairman of the Governor’s Commission on Constitutional Reform, will retain those duties in addition to his new activities with the Labor Department.

By accepting this post, Bennett joins the Riley cabinet. Bennett, 63, once served as public affairs director for the Alabama Labor Council, holding this post from 1971-1976.

A fifteen-year legislative veteran, he served in the House of Representatives from Homewood from 1978-1983. Additionally, he served in the State Senate from 1983-1993. Bennett was appointed as Secretary of State in 1993 to fill a vacancy and won election by his own right in both 1994 and 1998.

From 1999-2000, Bennett served as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Jacksonville State University, where he serves as chairman of its Board of Trustees, and obtained a Master of Arts degree in higher education administration from the University of Alabama.

Bennett will succeed former Labor Commissioner Charles Bishop, who stepped down in early July, as announced, in order to travel and spend more time with his wife.

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