Gov. Ivey announces Commissioner Chris Blankenship to retire from Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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Ben Stimpson Jr.
Special to the News
Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday announced her Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship will retire from state service at the end of the month. The governor has selected Ben Stimpson Jr. to lead the agency through the remainder of her tenure.
Shortly after taking office in 2017, Gov. Ivey appointed Blankenship to lead the department. Not only has he served as commissioner throughout the Ivey Administration, he has also been at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) for more than 30 years, beginning in 1994 when he worked as a conservation enforcement officer in the Marine Resources Division.
“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,” said Ivey. “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 benefiting from his contributions in the years ahead.”
The Ivey Administration has made historic progress in the area of conservation, which includes generational investments.
Statewide, there has been $525 million funded in outdoor recreation improvements. Under Ivey’s and Commissioner Blankenship’s leadership, Alabama State Parks have seen upgrades of more than $350 million.
The governor and Blankenship have also undertaken 50-plus boating access projects on waterways across the state. From the Gulf of Mexico Security Act (GOMESA), Ivey and Blankenship have steered more than $318 million to fund 143 projects in Mobile and Baldwin counties.
On behalf of Gov. Ivey, Commissioner Blankenship and his team that manage the restoration and recovery from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, there has been more than $1.27 billion in oil spill recovery projects completed, underway or approved in Coastal Alabama.
“I would like to thank Gov. 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.” said Commissioner Blankenship. “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. Truly, I believe there is no governor who has done more for the state’s conservation efforts than Gov. 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 Gov. Ivey’s term.”
From the acquisition of more than 110,000 acres of land in Alabama to the improvements at the Lodge at Gulf State Park and Cheaha State Park to making research advancements, Alabama’s conservation efforts are on the move. Ivey and Commissioner Blankenship have also led on some commonsense reforms in the areas of hunting and fishing, including extending red snapper season from three days to almost 200. The state has now also increased deer limits to two doe per day and has the longest deer season in the country.
As Commissioner Blankenship said, he looks forward to more good work from the Ivey Administration. The governor is thrilled to appoint Ben Stimpson Jr. who will be taking the helm at the department as commissioner beginning October 1.
“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,” added Gov. Ivey.
Stimpson most recently served as a member of the Conservation Advisory Board and has since resigned that position to step into this new role for the state. He is the former director of corporate operations for Scotch Gulf and Canfor Southern Pine.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve Gov. Kay Ivey and the people of Alabama as commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,” said Stimpson. “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 Gov. Ivey for the confidence she has placed in me and look forward to serving her Administration and our state.”
Stimpson has also served on the boards of numerous organizations including the Alabama State Port Authority, where he served as chair in 2023. Additionally, he was a part of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and Southeastern Lumberman’s Manufacturers Association.
To fill Stimpson’s role on the Conservation Advisory Board, Ivey is pleased to appoint Gulf Coast Truck & Equipment Co. Inc. owner and CEO John “Bo” Cross. That appointment is effective immediately.
Ivey is proud of all that has been accomplished by the men and women at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and looks forward to more good work during the remainder of her tenure and beyond.