Republican House member Barry Mask has been named Legislative Leader of the Year by the Economic Development Association of Alabama. He becomes the first Republican legislator to win the award.
Rep. Mask is Chairman of the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee. In that role, he has provided a path through which numerous jobs bills have passed before making their way to the House floor.
He was also tasked with carrying one of the most important pieces of the GOP jobs package in House. The “Alabama Job Creation and Retention Act” is a constitutional amendment that allows voters to give the Governor and the Alabama Development Office the authority to offer incentives like those used on the Mercedes project to recruit new industry to Alabama and prevent existing industry from leaving the state.
“We’re trying to give our state and local economic developers more tools to help grow existing businesses and land new industry, both of which result in more jobs for Alabamians,” Rep. Mask said of the Job Creation and Retention Act. “I was pleased to work with colleagues from both parties to make this bill better so that voters can be confident in the plan we put before them.”
After spending most of the session working behind the scenes, Mask is now getting some well-deserved recognition.
“I’m humbled to receive this award,” Mask told the Wetumpka Herald. “I and the members of the committee know that we have to serve our customers. The first customers are you economic development professionals, because your customers are the people out there looking for jobs.”
One last interesting side note…
Before Rep. Mask was working to develop a stronger economy for the state of Alabama, he did a different kind of development on campus at Auburn University. In 1979, Mask became the first “Aubie” and developed many of the trademark moves and skits of the now famous Auburn mascot.
Be on the lookout after the legislature’s spring break for a video interview with Rep. Mask right here on Yellowhammer Politics.
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