Seth Hammett

Seth Merrill Hammett
64th Speaker of theAlabama House of Representatives
In office 1999 – November 3, 2010
Preceded by	James S. Clark
Succeeded by	Mike Hubbard
Member of theAlabama House of Representatives from the 92nd district
In office 1979–2011
Preceded by	Frank Jackson
Personal details
Born	(1946-06-24)June 24, 1946 Andalusia, Alabama,U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Nancy
Children	2
Residence(s)	Andalusia, Alabama,U.S.
Website	House Profile

Seth Merrill Hammett(born June 24, 1946) is an American educator, politician, andeconomic developmentprofessional who was a member of theAlabama House of Representativesfrom 1979 to 2011. A member of theDemocratic Party,he served asSpeakerof the Alabama House of Representatives from 2001 to 2010.

Hammett did not seek reelection in 2010.Following his retirement, Hammett was selected byRepublicanGovernorRobert Bentleyto serve as director of the Alabama Development Office, now known as the Alabama Department of Commerce. Hammett later served as Governor Bentley'schief of stafffrom 2014 to 2015.

As of 2018, Hammett is vice president of business development forPowerSouth Energy Cooperativeand chairman of the Energy Institute of Alabama.

Academic and business career

Hammett was born inAndalusia,Alabamaand graduated fromStraughn High Schoolin 1964. That same year, he enteredAuburn Universitywhere he obtained undergraduate andMasters of Business Administrationdegrees. Between earning his undergraduate and business degrees, Hammett served as a pilot in theUnited States Air Force.As a second lieutenant in 1969, he earned his air force pilot wings atLaredo Air Force Base,Texas.In 1971, he returned to Andalusia as an economics lecturer atLurleen B. Wallace Community College,which had opened in 1969. He was madedeanof the college's business school in 1974.

In 1973, Hammett was selected as president of theCovington CountyChamber of Commerce.In 1983 he founded First National Bank of Andalusia (nowWells Fargo). He has since served in numerous business and community positions, most notably returning to Lurleen B. Wallace Community College as its president from 1991 to 2002. In 2002, Hammett was appointed vice president of business development forSouthTrust Bank.In 2004, he was appointed director of economic development for theAlabama Electric Cooperative.Since 2014, Hammett has served as vice president of business development for PowerSouth Energy Cooperative and chairman of the Energy Institute of Alabama.

Family

Hammett continues to reside inAndalusia, Alabamawith his wife, Nancy, where they are members of the First United Methodist Church of Andalusia. They have two children and two grandchildren. He is the second cousin ofMatthew Hammett,also a member of the house for the 92nd district.

Political career

Hammett was first elected to theAlabama House of Representativesin November 1978. He ran against Mike Purnell (now the mayor of Red Level, Alabama) and received 67.7% of the vote. Since 1978, Hammett has run unopposed in three of six elections and never received less than 56% of the vote.

In the 2002 election, he ran againstRoger Broxton,president of the Confederate Heritage Fund and an outspoken proponent for the protection of confederate history. Hammett won with more than 70% of the vote.

Election Results

Year	Opponent	% Vote for Hammett
1978	Mike Purnell	67.7%
1982	Louie Grimes	60.4%
1986	Unopposed
1990	Unopposed
1994	B. Martin and D. Phillips	56.3%
1998	Unopposed
2002	Roger Broxton	70.3%

Hammett also led a delegation on behalf of the governor to South America to encourage trade between Alabama businesses and South American businesses. The trade mission visited Chile and Brazil and was successful in increasing port service and commercial trade between South America and Alabama and in developing educational programs linking South American universities with Alabamian universities (https://web.archive.org/web/20060316071555/http:// ndgi /news/2004/20040927.shtml).

One of the dominant issues in Alabama politics in recent years is the lottery. Hammett supports the idea of a lottery for the state.

Honors

• Citizen of the Year and the Distinguished Service Award in Andalusia
• Guardian of Small Business, awarded by the National Federation of Independent Businesses
• The Legislative Leadership Award, given by the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools
• The Meritorious Service Award, given by The Montgomery Advertiser
• The Service to Agriculture Award, given by the Alabama Farmers' Federation
• The Children's Hero Award, given by the Alabama Department of Human Resources
• The Legislator of the Year Award, given by Alabama Electric Cities
• The Legislative Award given by the Alabama Association of School Boards
• The Legislator of the Year Award, given by the Alabama Independent Insurance Agents
• Alabama Academy of Honor

Affiliations

• The board of directors of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation
• The executive committee of the National Speakers Conference
• The management committee of theSouthern Legislative Conference
• The executive committee of the Southern Legislative Conference
• The executive committee of the Council of State Governments
• The executive committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures
• Chairman of the Energy Institute of Alabama

Positions

• Chairman of the 16-state Southern Legislative Conference
• President of the National Speakers Conference
• Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives
• Founder and first president of the First National (now Wachovia) Bank of Andalusia
• President emeritus of Lurleen B. Wallace Community College
• Director of Economic Development for Alabama Electric Cooperative (Now PowerSouth Energy Cooperative)
• Vice President of Business Development for PowerSouth Energy Cooperative

External links

• https://web.archive.org/web/20070928020727/http:// newsbull /forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=28732