Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday announced the retirement of Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm, saying he is leaving “following his successful and transformative tenure,” according to a news release.
Ivey also said she is appointing corrections and law enforcement veteran Greg Lovelace to lead the department through the remainder of the quadrennium.
“Running the Department of Corrections in any state is a heavy task, and Commissioner John Hamm has been exceptional for Alabama. No doubt Corrections is better today than when I took office in 2017. I certainly give John a ton of credit for our progress across the spectrum,” Ivey said. “Our work is not done, which is why I am especially proud to have Greg Lovelace take the role of commissioner through the remainder of my time as governor. He is as good as they come and an expert in Corrections. Tackling challenges that come with any correctional system is multilayered, and I look forward to building on the progress we are making in the months ahead.”
Hamm took the post in January 2022 with more than 35 years of law enforcement experience.
According to the release, “under the leadership of Governor Ivey and Commissioner Hamm, the ADOC experienced significant improvements. The construction of two new men’s prisons is well underway. More corrections officers have been recruited and retained than ever before. The Department has also effectively held a zero-tolerance policy for misbehavior and violence among both the inmates and the staff.”
Greg Lovelace
“It has been the honor of my life to serve in Governor Ivey’s administration, and I thank her for giving me that opportunity and empowering me to lead the Department of Corrections forward,” Hamm said. “Governor Ivey’s unwavering support for the Department has been outstanding. When I started at Corrections in 2022, Governor Ivey gave me the charge of making the Department better and with her support, as well as the support of her staff and the hardworking men and women of ADOC, we have accomplished that.”
The Governor Kay Ivey Correctional Complex in Elmore County, one of the two new men’s prisons under construction, is already being supported by Lovelace, who serves as chief deputy commissioner. Beyond construction, staff training is underway and inmates eventually will be moved to the new complex.
“Having Lovelace serving at the helm of Corrections during this major undertaking will greatly benefit ADOC, its staff and inmates, as well as the general safety of the public,” the release said.
“There has not been another governor in my lifetime who has done as much for the Alabama Department of Corrections as Governor Ivey,” Lovelace said. “There have been longstanding challenges facing Corrections, and Governor Ivey decided she would tackle those head on, and we have made progress because of it. I am honored to serve under Governor Ivey’s leadership and am grateful also to Commissioner Hamm for all that he has poured into ADOC. Governor Ivey instructed me to finish strong to ensure Corrections seamlessly transitions to the next administration, and I look forward to helping lead the ADOC team in doing just that.”
Lovelace has more than 30 years of corrections experience. During his tenure with ADOC, he has overseen maintenance and construction projects and managed all prisons in the system. His law enforcement career began in 1975 with the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office.
Ivey called Lovelace a “true public servant.”
Lovelace will begin serving as commissioner on May 1, 2026.
