The Alabama Forestry Association on Thursday announced its endorsement of Republican state Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, who is seeking re-election for state Senate District 3.
“Arthur sets the standard for statesmanship in the Alabama Legislature,” said AFA President and CEO Chris Isaacson. “He has dedicated his life to serving others, whether it be in the Peace Corps or the State Senate. Through his work Arthur has played a critical role in protecting conservative values. We are happy to support him in his bid for reelection.”
Orr thanked the foresters for their support.
“I am humbled and gratified to receive the support of such a respected organization like the Alabama Forestry Association,” said Orr. “For quite some time, AFA has worked tirelessly to get behind conservative leaders in our state and I’m proud to be a part of that effort.”
Orr is a sixth-generation Alabamian. He grew up in Danville. Growing up he learned the values of hard work from working on the nearby Boys Ranch, hauling 55-gallon barrels for his family’s oil distributor business, and loading sand at the Norfolk-Southern Railroad yard in the early morning before high school.
Hard work was an important part of his early years.
Orr received a bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law.
After receiving his law degree, rather than seeking to begin his law practice, Orr joined the Peace Corps and served in Nepal. His service in Nepal led him to start a scholarship fund for village girls that resulted in over 50 children being able to attend college.
Upon returning to the states, he practiced corporate law for five years in Decatur. Then, Orr joined Habitat for Humanity International with the mission to develop the program in Southeast Asia.
After serving four years abroad with Habitat for Humanity, he and his wife Amy returned home to Decatur. Orr now serves as the executive vice president for Cook’s Pest Control.
The Alabama Forestry Association wrote that since his election in 2006, Orr has sponsored numerous bills to make government more transparent and efficient, saving taxpayers money. He has also been instrumental in recruiting businesses to Alabama, resulting in billions of dollars in economic investment and creating thousands of jobs.
Orr presently chairs the powerful Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee, which prepares Alabama’s Education Trust Fund budget each year.
District 3 covers all of Morgan County and parts of Limestone and Madison counties.
SD3, like all of Alabama’s legislative districts, will be reapportioned and redistricted based on the 2020 Census results.
Orr will seek the Republican nomination for Senate District 3 in the primary election on May 24, 2022.
The Alabama Forestry Association is one of the largest state forestry associations in the country with a membership that includes forest products manufacturers, landowners, loggers, wood dealers, foresters, consultants, and others involved in forestry.
AFA is dedicated to protecting and improving the business, regulatory and legal environment for landowners and forest business owners to ensure the sustainable growth of Alabama’s forests and forest industry.
Forests cover more than two-thirds of the state and provide the raw material for Alabama’s second-largest manufacturing industry. Forestry provides a 27.7 billion dollar total economic output to the state’s economy.
