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By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

The Alliance for Alabama’s Infrastructure recently announced officers and its first executive director, Drew Harrell formerly of Hayneville, whose mission is to continue advocating and guiding grassroots efforts to enhance Alabama’s road and bridge infrastructure.

In a recent meeting, the AAI board of directors elected a slate of officers to lead AAI efforts in 2017. And Business Council of Alabama (BCA) deputy chief of staff Harrell, a graduate of Lowndes Academy and former resident of Hayneville, was named the first executive director of the AAI and will manage the organization, communication, and advocacy efforts of the Alliance.

Harrell, who now makes his home in Montgomery, is the son of Leanne and Sandy Harrell of Hayneville. He is a 2007 graduate of Lowndes Academy and is married to Christian Harrell, a doctor of physical therapy at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Montgomery.

Harrell earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Huntingdon College in 2011 and a Master of Business Administration from Auburn University Montgomery in 2013. Harrell was a four-year letterman in baseball and football at Huntingdon College and he is a member of the National Football Foundation’s 2011 Hampshire Honor Society. Harrell is a member of the Huntingdon College National Alumni Association Board of Directors.

“With infrastructure investment becoming a top issue at the federal level and in a majority of states across our nation, the AAI remains focused on raising awareness within the Legislature and local communities on the critical nature of Alabama’s transportation system and the immediate need to improve and invest in transportation infrastructure at the state and local levels,” Harrell said.

He also said, “I am honored to represent such a great group of business and community leaders from all across the state. This is an issue I am extremely passionate about because I have seen the infrastructure needs in Lowndes County all of my life and it’s imperative for rural counties such as it to enhance its infrastructure in order to grow economically.”

Harrell said, “I’m excited to be able to advocate for an issue that will directly benefit my hometown.”

Harrell came to the BCA in 2011 as executive assistant to the president and later was given expanded duties as deputy chief of staff and strategic operations coordinator responsible for helping manage the daily activities of BCA including overseeing the operations of the BCA executive committee and the 100-plus member BCA board of directors consisting of the top business leaders in Alabama. He is also a member of BCA’s Advocacy Team and serves a key role in implementing BCA’s legislative agenda.

The Alliance for Alabama’s Infrastructure (AAI) is a grassroots advocacy coalition formed in December 2015 with the mission of uniting the business community and like-minded groups behind the common goal of properly investing in and enhancing Alabama’s transportation infrastructure in order to ensure that the safety and economic needs of Alabama’s citizens, businesses, and other organizations are properly met.

For more information regarding the Alliance for Alabama’s Infrastructure’s efforts, please visit the AAI website at www.alabamaroads.org.