Ron Sparks Didn’t Walk Away From Alabama. He Kept Serving It.

Guest Opinion by Lisa Ward

I recently read the Lagniappe article about Ron Sparks and his campaign to return as Alabama’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.

It got me thinking about something that often gets lost in political campaigns.

Leadership isn’t just about holding an office. It’s about what you do when the office is no longer yours. Campaigns tell us what candidates hope to do. Time tells us who they really are.

I remember Ron Sparks as our Agriculture Commissioner. What I remember most isn’t a political party or a campaign slogan. I remember his confidence. He knew what he was doing. I remember his leadership.

Ron served two terms as Alabama’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries from 2003 through 2011.  But Ron’s story didn’t end when he left that office. That’s one of the things I respect most about him.

He didn’t just go away.

Under Governor Robert Bentley, Ron continued serving Alabama through rural development. He didn’t draw a political line in the agricultural sand simply because his elected service had ended. He kept working with all of Alabama in rural communities and continuedserving the people of Alabama until he retired.

I’ve known Ron long enough to know that wasn’t for a show. It’s simply who he is. When his Ag gig was up, he didn't walk away. He didn't leave us.

A true leader keeps serving. 

Ron kept working. He kept showing up. He kept serving Alabama’s communities because serving people was never just a job to him. Now he’s coming back, and I don’t believe it's because he needs a job or has a higher political ambition. I believe he’s coming backbecause he still believes he has something to give to Alabama. Knowing Ron, that’s exactly what I would expect. That distinction matters to me.

Experience Matters When the Job Is Statewide

This election presents voters with an important question. What kind of experience do we want in the person responsible for leading Alabama’s Department of Agriculture and Industries?

I respect what Corey Hill has accomplished. He is a farmer, businessman and the mayor of Douglas. His experience leading a community and working in agriculture is relevant, and those accomplishments deserve recognition. But being a mayor and being Alabama’sAgriculture Commissioner are two very different jobs.

A mayor leads a municipality. The Agriculture Commissioner leads a statewide department with responsibilities that affect farmers, consumers, businesses, rural communities and agriculture across Alabama.

That’s where Ron Sparks brings something very different to this race. Ron isn’t asking Alabama to give him his first opportunity to lead at the state level.

He has already done it. He didn’t just campaign for the office. He already led it. For eight years.

He knows what it means to lead the department because he has already carried that responsibility. He understands the relationships, the challenges and the decisions that come with serving Alabama’s agricultural community.

That’s an experience you simply cannot manufacture overnight. Corey Hill brings experience as a mayor, farmer and businessman. But Ron Sparks brings experience as a former Agriculture Commissioner who has already sat in the chair, carried responsibility forthe entire state and built a proven record of leadership.

For me, that distinction matters. This isn’t about saying one man’s experience has no value. It’s about asking which experience most directly prepares someone for the job Alabama is asking them to do. When the job is Agriculture Commissioner, I believe havingalready served successfully in that office carries tremendous weight. Especially the proven record of working across the aisles. He never once served at the will of a political party. He served at the will of the people regardless of which party was leadingthe state. THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES IN THIS CURRENT CLIMATE!

His Service Didn’t Stop When His Term Did

There is another part of Ron Sparks’ record that deserves more attention. When his time as Agriculture Commissioner came to an end, he didn’t simply walk away from public service. He continued working for Alabama through rural development, helping communitiesand staying engaged until he eventually retired. That’s important to me because leadership isn’t measured only by what you accomplish while you hold a title. It’s measured by what you choose to do after the title is gone.

Ron Sparks kept serving. To me, that says everything about his motivation.

Now, after retirement, he’s willing to step back into public life because he believes Alabama still needs experienced leadership. I find that significant.

Alabama Has Changed

The Alabama Ron Sparks is coming back to serve isn’t exactly the Alabama he left.

The questions surrounding agriculture, rural communities, water, development, technology and the future of Alabama’s land are very different than they were years ago.

In the recent Lagniappe interview, Sparks talked about issues including data centers, water, cannabis, farming and the broader responsibilities of the Agriculture Commissioner. Those issues aren’t simply politically speaking points. They affect Alabama’sfarmers, landowners, consumers, businesses, and communities.

That’s why I believe experience matters even more today. Alabama is facing decisions that could shape our state for generations. We don’t have the time or the resources for on the job training.

We need someone who understands that the Agriculture Department isn’t just about agriculture in the narrow sense.

It’s connected to the people who grow our food, the businesses that depend on agriculture, the consumers who rely on inspections and protections, and the rural communities that remain the backbone of so much of Alabama.

Why I'm Paying Attention to Ron Sparks

Besides the fact that Ron fully understands and supports our vision for H2O Energy, I've watched too many politicians treat public office like a destination. Ron has always struck me differently.

I've had the opportunity to spend countless hours talking with him about H2O Energy, rural Alabama, agriculture, and where our state is headed. Those conversations were never just about politics. They were people, jobs, farmers, water, and creating opportunitiesthat could strengthen Alabama for generations.

To me, public service was never just a position for Ron. It was always about the work. He served as an Agriculture Commissioner, and he served Alabama well. When that chapter ended, he didn't stop serving. He stayed engaged, continued working with rural communities,and kept giving back until he retired.

Now he's coming out of retirement. That tells me something BIG.

He isn't starting from scratch. He isn't learning Alabama for the first time. He isn't learning what the Agriculture Commissioner's office does for the first time.

He's returning to the work, he already knows. There's something else I believe voters should consider. Experience alone doesn't automatically make someone the right person for a job. Character does.

When experience is paired with a record of service, knowledge of the agency, an understanding of the state and a demonstrated willingness to keep serving after leaving office, I believe it deserves serious consideration.

That's what Ron Sparks brings to this race.

Alabama doesn't need another politician looking for the next title.  We need leaders who understand that government is supposed to be about people, not positions and who understand that rural Alabama matters. That farmer and consumers matter.

Alabama's future requires us to think beyond today's headlines and beyond party lines.

Sometimes getting Alabama back on track doesn't mean electing someone who needs time to learn about the job. It means electing someone who can get to work on day one.

Sometimes it means bringing back someone who has already done the job, understands the responsibility, continued serving after leaving office and now has the experience and perspective to do it again.

That's how I see Ron Sparks.

I've watched him continue serving when there was no election to win, no campaign to run and no title to hold. To me, that says more about the man than any campaign speech ever could.

For me, that's what leadership looks like.

Not the title. Not the spotlight. And certainly not the politics. When I look at this race, that's the difference I see.

Corey Hill has experience leading a city, running a business, and working as a farmer. Ron Sparks has experience leading the statewide department Alabama is asking him to lead again. For me, that isn't a small distinction.

It's the question this election deserves to be about. Who is ready to take the job? And who has already proven they can do it?

For me, the answer is Ron Sparks. He isn't coming back to Alabama to learn how to lead. He's coming back because he's already led.

Lisa Ward is a former Democratic nominee for the Alabama State Senate, a political leader and advocate with more than three decades of experience advancing justice, equity, and community empowerment. She is known for grassroots organizing and coalition-building across the State, and is committed to policy solutions that uplift marginalized communities and strengthen democracy. She previously served as a senior advisor to the Will Boyd for Alabama campaign.

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