MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WDNews) — Alabama will soon have a new leader overseeing the state’s natural resources after longtime Conservation Commissioner Chris Blankenship announced his retirement.
According to Gov. Kay Ivey’s office, Blankenship will retire from state service at the end of September after more than three decades with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Ivey has selected Ben Stimpson Jr. to serve as commissioner beginning Oct. 1 and through the remainder of her term.
Blankenship joined the department in 1994 as a conservation enforcement officer in the Marine Resources Division. Ivey appointed him to lead the department after taking office in 2017.
“For Alabama to remain ‘Alabama the Beautiful,’ we must prioritize our great outdoors and abundant natural resources. The Ivey Administration has made historic progress to do just that, and Chris has been at the front of that mission since day one,” Ivey said.
“God has truly blessed the state of Alabama, and for more than 30 years, Chris has been a part of protecting and enhancing our natural resources. I congratulate him on a job well-done, and I know he has a lot left to give. I am confident our state will continue benefitting from his contributions in the years ahead,” Ivey added.
According to the governor’s office, $525 million has been funded for outdoor recreation improvements statewide during Ivey’s administration, including more than $350 million in upgrades to Alabama State Parks. The administration also cited more than 50 boating access projects and more than $318 million for 143 projects in Mobile and Baldwin counties through the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act.
Blankenship thanked Ivey for the opportunity to serve as commissioner.
“I would like to thank Governor Ivey for giving me the opportunity to serve as Conservation Commissioner. It has been an honor, and I was blessed to be part of the Ivey Administration for the past nine plus years,” Blankenship said.
“I have learned so much from her and the other Cabinet members. Her leadership style has allowed and encouraged me to lead my agency with the freedom to undertake comprehensive and progressive initiatives. I have been deeply blessed to have served with fantastic and passionate people for 32 years in the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, beginning as a Conservation Enforcement Officer in 1994,” Blankenship said.
“Truly, I believe there is no governor who has done more for the state’s conservation efforts than Governor Kay Ivey. I am confident that we are leaving the agency and our resources better than we found them and I will be watching for more good work during the remainder of Governor Ivey’s term,” he added.
The governor’s office also highlighted the acquisition of more than 110,000 acres of land, improvements at Gulf State Park and Cheaha State Park and changes to hunting and fishing regulations during Blankenship’s tenure.
Stimpson most recently served on the Conservation Advisory Board and has resigned from that position to take the commissioner role. He previously served as director of corporate operations for Scotch Gulf and Canfor Southern Pine.
“I am proud to have someone of Ben’s caliber joining the Ivey Administration and know we will continue to make improvements in the area of conservation in the months ahead,” Ivey said.
Stimpson said he is looking forward to taking on the position.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve Governor Kay Ivey and the people of Alabama as Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,” Stimpson said.
“Alabama’s natural resources and outdoor heritage are among our state’s greatest treasures, and I look forward to working with the dedicated men and women of the Department to protect and preserve them for future generations. I am grateful to Governor Ivey for the confidence she has placed in me and look forward to serving her Administration and our state,” he added.
Stimpson has also served on the boards of several organizations, including the Alabama State Port Authority, where he served as chairman in 2023. He has also been involved with the Alabama Wildlife Federation and Southeastern Lumberman’s Manufacturers Association.
Ivey appointed Gulf Coast Truck & Equipment Co. Inc. owner and CEO John “Bo” Cross to fill Stimpson’s seat on the Conservation Advisory Board. That appointment is effective immediately.
