After more than three decades with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Commissioner Chris Blankenship is preparing to retire, and Gov. Kay Ivey has named Ben Stimpson Jr. to take his place.
Ivey announced Tuesday that Blankenship will retire from state service at the end of September. Stimpson will take over as commissioner Oct. 1 and lead the department through the remainder of Ivey’s tenure.
Blankenship’s career with ADCNR began in 1994, when he joined the Marine Resources Division as a Conservation Enforcement Officer. Shortly after taking office in 2017, Ivey appointed him to lead the department, a position he has held throughout her administration.
“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 benefitting from his contributions in the years ahead.”
During Ivey and Blankenship’s time leading the state’s conservation efforts, more than $525 million has been invested in outdoor recreation improvements across Alabama, including more than $350 million in upgrades to Alabama State Parks.
The state has also undertaken more than 50 boating access improvement projects on waterways across Alabama. According to the governor’s office, more than $318 million from the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, or GOMESA, has been directed to 143 projects in Mobile and Baldwin counties.
Blankenship and his team have also managed restoration and recovery efforts stemming from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Gov. Ivey’s office reported that more than $1.27 billion in oil spill recovery projects have been completed, are underway or have been approved in coastal Alabama.
“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.” said 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 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.”
Other conservation efforts cited by the governor’s office include the acquisition of more than 110,000 acres of land in Alabama, improvements at the Lodge at Gulf State Park and Cheaha State Park and research advancements.
The administration has also made changes involving hunting and fishing, including expanding Alabama’s red snapper season from three days to almost 200. The state also increased the deer limit to two does per day in most areas. ADCNR has described Alabama’s deer season as the longest in the country.
With Blankenship preparing to leave the department, Ivey has turned to Stimpson to continue that work.
“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 most recently served on the Conservation Advisory Board and has resigned from that position to become commissioner. He previously served as director of corporate operations for Scotch Gulf and Canfor Southern Pine.
“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,” 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 Governor 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 several organizations, including the Alabama State Port Authority, where he served as chairman in 2023. He has also been part of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and Southeastern Lumberman’s Manufacturers Association.
Ivey has appointed Gulf Coast Truck & Equipment Co. Inc. owner and CEO John “Bo” Cross to fill Stimpson’s seat on the Conservation Advisory Board. Cross’ appointment is effective immediately.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
