Friday, U.S. Senator Doug Jones, D-Alabama, announced he has hired former Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Ron Sparks as his regional director for the Middle District of Alabama, which includes Montgomery and Dothan.
“Ron has a long record of distinguished service to Alabama, and I know he’ll be an invaluable asset to my team,” Senator Jones said. “I look forward to having him lead our outreach efforts in the Middle District and to continue to provide first-class constituent service.”
Ron Sparks was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 2010.
Sparks was born and raised in Fort Payne in DeKalb County. Sparks served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1971 to 1975, where he was a member of the Honor Guard. He began his political career in 1977 as a DeKalb County Commissioner, after which he became a small business owner. In 2003, Commissioner Sparks was elected Commissioner of Agriculture for the State of Alabama. In the early 2000s, Commissioner Sparks was elected President of the Southern Association of Departments of Agriculture, and in 2008, Sparks was also elected President of the National Association of Departments of Agriculture.
After losing to State Representative Robert Bentley (R) in the 2010 gubernatorial race, from 2011 to 2016, Commissioner Sparks served in the Bentley administration as Director of the Alabama Rural Development Office.
Commissioner Sparks has three children and five grandchildren.
Doug Jones is a former U.S. Attorney, who was elected Senator in a 2017 special election, defeating former Chief Justice Roy Moore (R). Jones is the only Democratic candidate to win any office in Alabama since 2008.
