Tim Alford

Tim Alford is a native of Samson, Alabama. He graduated as valedictorian and senior class president from Samson High School. He attended Auburn University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with a double major in English and history. During his undergraduate years, he was inducted into the English and history academic honoraries. He began his teaching career with the Lee County and Auburn City schools and attended graduate school at night and in the summers. He earned a Master’s Degree in School Administration in 1972, and a Doctoral Degree in Education Leadership from Auburn in 1985.

Alford has been a teacher, assistant principal and principal. He also served as assistant superintendent of the Enterprise City Schools and superintendent of the Jasper City and Andalusia City Schools before returning to Enterprise in 1989 to assume the position of Dean of Development at Enterprise State Junior College. In this capacity, he was responsible for writing external grant proposals and administering the ESJC Foundation. Alford also provided leadership and oversight to the public relations, planning, and institutional research functions at the College. He has been involved in several professional organizations and is past president of the Council for Alabama Resource Development

Alford was the founding Executive Director of the Enterprise Economic Development Corporation, which is a public-private partnership that provides leadership for the economic development of Enterprise. The organization has expanded into Coffee, Dale and Geneva counties. He is a past member of the Board of Directors and Vice President of the Economic Development Association of Alabama; he chaired the EDAA Workforce Development Committee during its formation. Governor James appointed him to the State Job Training Coordinating Council and Governors Siegelman and Riley appointed him to the Workforce Investment Act Board. He currently serves on the Auburn University College of Education National Advisory Council, the Council for the New Economy Workforce, the Career Readiness Credential National Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of Auburn University Montgomery Center for Government. He is a graduate of Leadership Alabama.

Alford is President and owner of Impact Consulting Associates, Inc., and has served as a consultant in workforce education and training with a number of Fortune 500 companies including Michelin and UAW-Chrysler.

He was selected Enterprise Man of the Year in 1995, and elected Mayor of Enterprise in 2000. On December 30, 2003, Governor Bob Riley issued Executive Order No. 17, creating the Office of Workforce Development and named Alford as its founding Director. In this position, Alford provided leadership and oversight to the formation of the Alabama Workforce Development Planning Council. This Council, which is composed of the heads of all state agencies with roles in workforce and economic development as well as business representatives, was charged with developing Alabama’s first truly comprehensive and integrated strategic plan for workforce development. This Plan moved Alabama’s workforce development efforts forward, avoided unwarranted duplication and competition, and helped the system become more seamless and demand-driven. In addition, to his coordinating role for the entire system, Alford was responsible for the direct administration of the state’s Workforce Investment Act funds.

In this capacity, Alford oversaw such initiatives as:
-- the development and acceptance of written roles, responsibilities, and relationships of all partner workforce and economic development agencies
-- the total co-location of all Alabama Career Center programs including Employment Services, Rehabilitation Services, Adult Education Services, WIA Services, and Veterans Services
-- the establishment of an state-wide, integrated, comprehensive Career Readiness Certification System
-- the statewide implementation of a Focused Industry Training Program for entry level workers
-- the implementation of a comprehensive Incumbent Worker Training program by the Alabama Technology Network to increase competitiveness by training workers in Lean Manufacturing Processes, Six Sigma, and other Quality Programs
-- the expansion of articulation agreements and 2+2 programs between secondary and postsecondary institutions,
-- the initiation and facilitation of comprehensive strategic planning around regional economies to better understand talent pools and better align supply and demand in critical occupations,
-- the initiation of sector strategies to assist existing industry sectors such as aerospace and automotive manufacturing
-- the securing and administration of eleven (11) High Growth grants, three (3) BRAC grants, and two (2) of the first WIRED grants from the U. S. Department of Labor. Alabama also received two (2) DOL Incentive Grants for meeting all performance measures during Alford’s tenure.

In May of 2006, Worldwide Interactive Network, a level one publisher for ACT WorkKeys, recognized Alabama’s Workforce Development Program as the best in the nation. Alabama’s Industrial Development Training Program (AIDT) has been named the best in the country by site selectors in Expansion Magazine.

Alford retired from the position in May of 2007 and re-activated his consulting business. In this capacity, he has worked with several state and regional groups and has delivered keynote addresses to groups from Florida to New York.