Native Son

Alabama Senate Pro Tem Greg Reed reflects on his love for Walker County

Words by Greg Reed | Images by Ryan McGill

In February 2021, Alabama State Senator Greg Reed was elected by his legislative colleagues as Senate Pro Tempore. “I believe we're all here for the same reason: that is to move things forward for our state in a positive way. I'm going to continue to work with each of you to make sure we do just that,” Reed said. Prior to this election, Reed served as Senate Majority Leader in the Alabama State Legislature from 2014-2021. A native of Jasper, Reed has been serving Walker County in the Alabama Senate since 2010.

There is much in my life that I am deeply grateful for.

I’m am blessed with the finest parents I could ever ask for, a wife that is my best friend and life partner, and three sons who make me very proud.

I am thankful for my church family and Christian upbringing, which has been such an important part of my life.

I’m thankful to be able to represent Senate District 5 and serve as President Pro Tem of the Alabama Senate, a responsibility given to me by my senate colleagues earlier this year.

And I am particularly fortunate to be able to call Walker County my home.

My parents are from Walker County. My wife’s parents are from Walker County. Our grandparents are from Walker County. My wife, Mitsy, and I have been able to give our children the same opportunity to grow up in this community as we have had.  

Walker County is home to some of the finest people in the world. Those who call Walker County home are hard-working, Christian Americans who love their families and have pride in our country. I am proud to have been able to spend my life living in a place with such fine people— it has made a profound impact on who I am today.

The ability to represent Senate District 5 and the values our people hold dear is what inspired me to dedicate myself to public service in the first place. People back home who have elected me to serve have high expectations for their elected leaders, and my goal is and always has been to not only meet but exceed those high expectations.

To meet this goal, one area that is particularly important is working to use my position in state government to bring resources back to our community. This is the most direct way that I can bring immediate results to our area. Working in my capacity in the state legislature and using my strong relationships with the governor, her office, and her administration, I’ve worked to secure millions of dollars for our area so that we can make Walker County, and all of Senate District 5, a better place to live and work for our residents.

Another area of focus for me is to drive innovation and create an environment in our state that will be pro-business, encourage entrepreneurship, and create high-quality jobs. The Governor recommended a commission be put together to look at ways our state could encourage this kind of economic growth, and asked for me to serve on that commission as its vice chairman.  

This commission—called the Alabama Innovation Commission—has been hard at work since its inception, and I am proud to see the progress we have made in exploring ways that communities, particularly rural communities, can drive economic growth and increase quality of life for our residents. I will continue as vice chairman of this commission to explore ways that we can strengthen and grow Walker County’s economy, and I look forward to seeing the benefits that these efforts will bring to Senate District 5.

In my service as President Pro Tem of the Alabama Senate, I am motivated and encouraged to help make our state a better place. I love Alabama, and to be able to serve its people from the Gulf Coast in the South to the mountains in the North is a great honor.

Another motivation for me is to ensure that Christian, conservative, pro-American values are represented in our state capitol.

And finally, it is to be a representative of and a fighter for the great people in my district.

Walker County is my home, and I have a great sense of pride knowing I have an opportunity to use my post in Montgomery to make it a better place. At the end of the day, I work for the people of my district, who have seen fit to elect me to serve them in the Senate.

That is a responsibility I take seriously, and I will continue to do all I can to help Walker County and my full district accomplish all of our goals. 78