Governor Kay Ivey is hiring Drew Harrell, Business Council of Alabama's vice president of Governmental Affairs, to lead her legislative affairs team for her second term.
According to a press release from Ivey, Harrell will begin the role on December 1 as Ivey's Director of Legislative Affairs. Harrell replaces William Fillmore, who recently left the Governor's Office to become director of Governmental Relations at Troy University.
Harrell, a Business Council of Alabama (BCA) staffer since 2011, was also BCA's ProgressPAC executive director since November 2021.
ProgressPAC has donated $225,000 to Ivey's successful re-election campaign since July 2021, according to the PAC's online financial disclosures with the Alabama Secretary of State's Office.
Ivey said in a statement, "Alabama has some major items to tackle, which will require a bold legislative agenda from my Administration over the next four years, and Drew is the right man to help me accomplish our goals."
"I am proud to have Drew join our team as we work to ensure Alabama's best days are yet to come," she added. "Drew cares deeply for our state, is an incredibly hard worker and a great family man. We will certainly miss having William, but sure are proud of him as he brings his skills to his alma mater, and we are thrilled to be adding Drew to the Ivey Administration."
A press release from the Governor's office notes that "throughout his time at BCA, Harrell has held a variety of responsibilities and was a key figure in advancing good policy for the state of Alabama, including the Rebuild Alabama Act, which Governor Ivey championed, in 2018."
The Rebuild Alabama Act raised the state's gas tax by 10 cents to fund infrastructure projects, with automatic future increases built into the legislation.
"I am deeply honored to be joining Governor Ivey's Administration and thankful to her for the opportunity to serve as director of legislative affairs," Harrell said in a statement. "I am excited about helping Governor Ivey advance policies that will move Alabama ahead. I am grateful for the years I have spent at BCA which have more than prepared me for this new challenge."
A spokeswoman for Ivey didn't immediately return a request for comment Thursday.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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