When it comes to industrial recruiting, Tony Riley has a unique perspective.
As human resources director and general counsel for Tiffin Motorhomes, Inc., Riley has been on the receiving side of local governments and development authorities courting Tiffin to their communities.
And Riley hopes to use that experience to more effectively recruit business and industry to House District 18.
Riley is seeking the Republican nomination for the seat that's been held since 1990 by Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow (D-Red Bay). Riley will face Russellville businessman Jamie Kiel in the June 5th Republican primary. Retired educator Eddie Britton is unopposed in the Democratic primary for House District 18 and will face the Republican nominee in the November 6th general election.
“I've been on the other side of recruiting efforts and it's been my experience that a lot of things that governmental entities think are attractive to businesses actually are not,” Riley said. “They're often things we're not even looking at. If you invest a few million dollars on infrastructure, you can't do it based on the hope that a labor force will appear.
“You have to do it on facts because of the money involved. Frequently, companies are recruited based on what recruiters think would be important rather than the hard numbers and facts based on the reality of their situations,” Riley added.
Riley grew up in Muscle Shoals. After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in political science and history and a minor in English, he attended the University of Alabama School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate. Riley had a private practice in Colbert County for 18 years until he was hired by Tiffin in 2007.
Riley has three daughters. He attends church at New Beginning Church, where he has served as a Sunday School teacher and been a member of the church board of directors for 16 years.
Having operated a small business, Riley knows the importance of small business in Alabama, but he also sees an important nexus between small business and larger employers.
“Small business is the backbone of the community. But if you take Tiffin Motorhomes out of Franklin County, how many small businesses would go under? If you don't have a few anchor businesses to prime the economy, small business would disappear,” Riley said.
When it comes to Republican politics and ideology, Riley is no Johnny-come-lately. He was a charter member of the Shoals Republican Club and has been active in the Republican Party since the 1980s.
“I was always a Republican based on principle and not because it was politically expedient,” Riley said. “I had the opportunity to run for political office as a Democrat in the 1990s when a Republican could not win locally.
“I chose not to do that because that was not what I believed. I've showed I'm consistent in what I believe over a long period of time. There's very little in campaigns I haven't done for other people, from knocking on doors to putting up signs,” Riley added.
House District 18 includes the majority of Franklin County, and portions of Colbert and Lauderdale Counties. Although Riley isn't a Franklin County resident, he works for Tiffin, Franklin County's largest daytime employer, and he shares the dedication the Tiffin family has to Franklin County.
“I work for a family absolutely committed to Franklin County and who has been in business here since 1972. I don't think living in Colbert County and representing the people of Franklin County is mutually exclusive,” Riley said.
“It's not an either/or. There are very few times that Colbert and Franklin Counties are in competition. In reality, what's good for Franklin County is almost always good for Colbert County. There's rarely a situation where they are in conflict. I look at it the other way. If you assume conflict then you assume if it's good for Franklin, it's bad for Lauderdale or Colbert and that's not what I believe,” he added.
When it comes to education, Riley said he will focus on training the northwest Alabama work force with marketable skills they can use to land quality jobs that will allow them to remain at home in District 18.
“Education is always an issue. They've been talking about education in Alabama all my life, 54 years, and we're still 49th, so obviously what we're doing is not working,” Riley said. “ We need programs outside the box. We need to train our work force appropriately for jobs here. A significant portion of kids in Franklin County won't go to college. They need to be trained for an economy completely different than the economy we are in today.
“With the unprecedented economic growth that parts of Alabama have experienced over the past few years, it is now more important than ever that we, in the more rural areas of the state, concentrate on improving education.This must be our goal so that our children have the advantage for opportunity, success, and the ability to stay and thrive in their hometown,” Riley added.
Riley said another asset he can take to Montgomery is his legal background and the experience of representing a diversity of clients over his 18-year career in private practice.
“I know the practical way laws passed by the legislature are implemented. There aren't too many attorneys in the legislature anymore,” Riley said. “There's a disconnect at times from the way laws are intended when passed and how courts interpret them. As an attorney, I know and understand that.
“And representing people from all walks of life gives me a different perspective because I realize how our laws affect them. When you're a small town lawyer, you represent all kinds of people,” Riley added.
Finally, Riley said a cooperative effort among the legislature, law enforcement, treatment facilities and community support is needed to tackle Alabama's opioid crisis.
“There's not a family not touched by this issue. There's not an employer who doesn't deal with it every day. New employees can't pass drug screens because it's such a big problem,” Riley said. “And it can only be addressed by the legislature in a limited way. It requires a cooperative effort beyond that.”
For more information on the Riley campaign, visit his Facebook page @TonyRileyHouseRepresentativeDistrict 18.
