Montgomery (AL) –On the 16th th, Alabama Secretary John H. Merrill, will join Waggoner Engineering to serve as Director of Public Policy and Strategic Markets in Alabama. Waggoner’s headquarters is in Jackson, Mississippi, with more than ten offices spread across six states as well as Washington, D.C.
Karen Guthrie will join Waggoner as Administrator of Alabama and Florida.
“I would like to thank Alabama’s people for giving me the opportunity of serving as the 53rd Secretary-of-State for the past eight years. It has been an honor to lead the most secure and safe elections in America as the longest-serving Republican Secretary of State in Alabama’s history. Secretary Merrill stated that Alabama is the Gold Standard in Election Administration by Concerned women for good government, The Heritage Foundation and the University of Southern California. Since I was your Secretary, we have registered over 2.2 million voters. We now have a state record at 3.7 million voters. We have broken all records in voter registration and voter participation. It is now easier to vote in Alabama and less difficult to cheat!
“In the business services area, we have reduced the waiting time from seven to nine months to a 24-hour turnaround over the past six-and-one-half years. We have also done this with 25% fewer employees (49 to 36). Because we are not moving at the pace of government but at the pace of business, we are now moving at the speed that business.
“By refusing to appropriate from the General Fund, and by introducing other efficiencies over the past eight years, we have saved millions of dollars. We are thrilled to be leaving the public service and entering the private sector. We are grateful for your support and encouragement. I have visited your countries every year for the past 10 years. I look forward to seeing you in my new position.
