Staff Report
Alabama Political Reporter
Wednesday, December 21, 2016 the Aspen Institute, a Colorado-based, non-partisan think tank devoted to addressing some of the world’s most complex problems, announced that State Representative Bill Poole (R from Tuscaloosa) has been selected as one of the top 24 “rising political stars” in the nation and has been awarded a prestigious Rodel Fellowship.
Rep, Poole said in a statement, “I believe Alabama is best served when its leaders surround themselves with the best information, the most innovative ideas, and leading experts in their fields to solve the important issues that face our state.”
Poole said. “The Rodel Fellowship provides an incredible opportunity to communicate with leaders from across the nation regarding problems that we all face. I’m honored to have been selected for this prestigious program and I expect our work will provide me with useful information and materials that will have an immediate impact on my work as a State Legislator and on behalf of the citizens of Alabama.”
Poole and the 23 other scholarship recipients from around the country were selected for the honor based upon their “ability to work responsibly across partisan divisions and bring greater civility to public discourse.”
The group will gather in Aspen, Colorado next year to hear presentations from nationally renowned experts in a variety of fields and to work across party and political divides in order to brainstorm solutions to the problems that ail the nation.
Former Congressman Mickey Edwards (R from Oklahoma) said, “These men and women represent the very best among the new generation of America’s political leadership.”
Rep. Edwards is the program’s director. He said, “They have each won the notice and praise of their constituents and their colleagues and have shown a dedication to public service that is an encouraging sign in a time of great challenge.”
Poole was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2010 with the Republican class that took GOP control of the legislature for the first time in 135 years. Poole is currently serving his second term in office. He became chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Education Committee in 2013. Poole is a practicing attorney in Tuscaloosa. He and his wife, Niccole, have three children. They attend First United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa.
