Who We Are at Blue Skies Business Group, LLC

In September of 2017, Art retired as the Director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. A position he had held since January 2011. He started off in local law enforcement serving in various capacities to include Police Chief for the Town of Coosada, Alabama. In 1993 Art served as the first 9-1-1 Director for Elmore County. In 1996 he began his service with the State of Alabama serving as the State 9-1-1 Coordinator in the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. While at the Alabama EMA, Art served in various roles to include Acting Director of Operations. 

In 2003 shortly after the creation of the Alabama Department of Homeland Security, Art was transferred to serve as the Assistant to the Director. While continuing his duties as State 9-1-1 Coordinator,he worked as a conduit between local entities and the department on homeland security issue pertaining to funding, strategic planning and other issues like preparedness, prevention, response and recovery. In 2010 Governor Bob Riley appointed Art as the second person to hold the position of Alabama Department of Homeland Security Director. During his time as director he jointly coordinated the inauguration of Governor Robert Bentley. He was appointed by Governor Robert Bentley, on January 7, 2011 to serve as the Director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

A little over 100 days after assuming the role of Director of the Alabama EMA the state faced one of the worst disasters in state history. During a 12-hour period nearly 70 long track tornadoes tracked across nearly 25,500 square miles of the state killing nearly 250 people and injuring several thousand. Over 23,000 structures were destroyed or suffered major damage. Individuals in 39 counties were awarded a Presidential disaster declaration for assistance and all 67 counties in Alabama were awarded a Presidential disaster declaration to pay for disaster response cost, debris removal and repair to infrastructure. While EMA Director for Alabama the state was awarded five major disaster declarations which Art served as the Governor’s Authorized Representative (State GAR) and led the recovery of an additional 12 open disasters.    

During Art's career he has been a member of numerous state and national associations and served on several boards. Some of those positions included; President of the Alabama Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association, the inaugural president of the Alabama Association of 9-1-1 Districts, member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's SAFECOM Executive Committee, member of the Board of Directors for the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) and Chairman of the Mitigation Committee for NEMA. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Elmore County E 9-1-1 District for 21 years. 

In 2012 Art received the Outstanding Contribution to County Governments Award from the Alabama Association of Counties and was the 1995-1996 recipient of the Alabama Emergency Management Councils Distinguished Service Award. He is a former Council Member for the Town of Elmore where he served as Chairman of the Finance Committee.

Art currently serve as Chairman of the Elmore County Industrial Development Authority, the Elmore County Economic Development Authority and the Elmore Water and Sewer Authority. He has served as the Treasurer of Elmore Volunteer Fire Department Administrative Board for over 20 years.

Art resides on his cattle farm in Elmore, Alabama and attends Grandview Pines Independent Baptist Church where he serves as Church Treasurer.