Wes Allen, Alabama’s 54th Secretary of State, was in Walker County Tuesday visiting with small business owners throughout downtown Jasper.
A lifelong Republican, Allen is responsible as Secretary of State for overseeing Alabama’s business filings and elections process. He was sworn in and assumed office on January 16, 2023.
“During my first eight months in office, we kind of made the decision to really anchor down and get our arms around the office and learn as much as we possibly can,” said Allen, who spent time Tuesday visiting with Rusty Richardson and the staff at Bernard’s Store for Men. He also spent time at Lavish Coffee Bar, Young Jewelers and other local businesses. “At the same time, we wanted to get to moving around and visiting with small businesses around the state. We interact with small businesses and large businesses on a daily basis in our office as the Secretary of State, and we just wanted to get out to see if there’s anything we need to do better in meeting the needs of the taxpayers. That’s what we’re about, and that’s what I’m about.”
“It’s great to get out and visit with guys like Rusty and others in the state of Alabama,” he added.
Allen was formerly a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, where he represented District 89, including Pike and Dale counties. Prior to his election to the legislature, he spent nearly a decade as the Probate Judge of Pike County.
During his first months in office, Allen said he’s learned a lot and grown.
“It’s been good,” he said. “We’ve really kind of dug in to learn — and there’s something new every day that we learn. It’s been exciting, and at the same time we’ve got a great team and I’m excited about where we’re headed.”
So far, Allen said he’s pleased with how his first term in office has progressed.
“It’s a humbling experience to drive up to the Capitol each and every day and know that I represent the great people of Alabama,” he said.
Allen said he’s had limited time to travel across the state in the first few months in office.
“I pushed a lot of my speaking engagements and trips back, because I really wanted to get into the office and learn as much as I could,” he said. “The people of Alabama elected me to do a job, and that’s what I want to do.”
Tuesday’s trip to Jasper marks what he said he hopes are many trips across the state to meet the people of Alabama.
“We’re now starting to get out and move around on trips like this to visit with people across the state,” he said. “It’s been exciting because I love to get out and move around.”
Allen said Tuesday’s trip was not his first stop in the county.
“I campaigned here several times during my campaign,” he said, “and I learned there’s a lot of wonderful things going on here in Jasper. A lot of good, local leadership makes that happen. You can tell there’s some excitement in the air here in Jasper.”
“And I’m seeing that all over Alabama,” he added. “People are putting a lot of blood, sweat and tears into small businesses and working really, really hard. That’s one thing I heard on the campaign trail, that people want responsive, accountable government, and they want their elected officials to be responsive. Any way that we can help the people of Alabama — with any issues they may have — we want them to bring it to us so we can help them solve whatever issues they may have.”
Allen graduated from the University of Alabama, where he was a member of the Crimson Tide football team.
He and his wife, Cae, live in Troy, where they attend First Baptist Church of Troy. They have two children, Davis and DeAnna.
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