PR2014 Jul 9
By Patrick Rupinski
Business Editor
Wednesday
Jul 9, 2014 at 11:00 PM Jul 10, 2014 at 1:14 AM
Tuscaloosan Gets State Labor Post; Fitzgerald Washington to Succeed Veteran Tom Surtees
Tuscaloosa business and community leader Fitzgerald Washington was named Alabama labor commissioner Wednesday by Gov. Robert Bentley.
Washington's appointment is effective Aug. 4. He succeeds Tom Surtees, who announced his retirement June 24 after serving in the gubernatorial cabinets of both Bentley and Bob Riley.
Bentley, in announcing the appointment of his fellow Tuscaloosan, said in a statement that “Fitzgerald Washington has a strong business background with a wealth of knowledge and experience and is uniquely qualified to serve as labor commissioner. I am honored he is joining us to lead this important state agency.
“Fitzgerald will play a fundamental role as we work to provide employment opportunities for Alabamians looking for a job. I appreciate his willingness to serve in my administration, and I know he will be an honest and dedicated labor commissioner.”
Washington said in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon that he has “a boots-on-the-ground philosophy” and plans to be a frequent visitor at the state's 45 career centers “to talk to Alabamians about the (centers') programs to make sure their needs are being met, whether it is job training or retraining.”
He said the labor department's history has been one of helping people find jobs and prepare for jobs in the new and expanding industries.
Dozens of new industries are coming to the state, he said, so the state must make sure Alabamians have the skills and training needed for success.
The Alabama Department of Labor has about 1,000 employees. About half of them work in the career centers, and about half work out of Montgomery.
The department administers unemployment compensation, employment services and workers compensation. It also gathers labor market information and is responsible for inspecting mines, boilers and elevators and assuring their safe operation.
Washington said he shares the governor's goal of job creation and making sure Alabama reaches full employment.
In April, Washington was one of Bentley's first appointees to the new Alabama Workforce Council, a group of business and industry leaders who advise the chancellor of the state's two-year colleges and the state superintendent of education on policies and programs affecting workforce development.
Earlier, Bentley had nominated Washington as a trustee for Alabama State University in Montgomery. The state Senate's confirmations committee, however, blocked the nomination from going to the full Senate for a vote in early April after some Democratic senators with ties to ASU threatened to shut down the Senate if the nomination advanced.
Washington is well-known in the Tuscaloosa business community. He served as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama in 2013 and in 2012. He led efforts to start the chamber's Minority Business Council, which works to foster growth and competitiveness of minority-owned businesses in West Alabama.
Washington has worked for the Buffalo Rock Co., a Pepsi bottler and distributor, for 15 years. He started there as its human resource coordinator in 1999 and then handled the Birmingham-based company's multicultural marketing initiatives in the three states where it has operations — Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
He returned to Tuscaloosa in 2002 after being promoted to Buffalo Rock's general sales manager with responsibility for maximizing brand portfolio for the company's retail sector.
During his career, Washington also developed a hiring and retention process for the company's Tuscaloosa distribution center.
He also has handled human resource management, marketing strategies, operations management and strategic development.
Washington was born and raised in Tuscaloosa. He is a graduate of Druid High School and earned a management and supervision degree in 1987 from Shelton State Community College, and he worked in a variety of sales and senior management positions before joining Buffalo Rock in 1999.
He and his wife, Peggy, have a daughter, Carla, and a son, Fitzgerald.
In addition to his service with the Chamber of Commerce, Washington also has been active with the Druid City Business League, Black Warrior Council of the Boy Scouts, BB&T Bank advisory board, the board of visitors for the University of Alabama College of Continuing Studies and the DCH Health Systems Foundation board of directors.
He also has served on the Shelton State Community College board and as the Stillman College UNCF chairman from 2006 to 2008.
Washington, a graduate of Leadership Tuscaloosa, was recognized as a notable alumnus of Shelton State Community College and as a Mover and Shaper by Business Alabama Spotlight on Tuscaloosa County in 2013.
He was also was named the Charles H. Land Member of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 2009 and was honored as the 2013 West Alabama Christmas Parade grand marshal.