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Representative John Merrill visits UWA campus

WAW Admin
State Representative John Merrill visited the UWA campus on Aug. 30 for a campus tour. Merrill was welcomed by several UWA representatives for his lunchtime visit. Pictured left to right are Director of Development Tom Tartt; Merrill; UWA President Dr. Richard Holland; UWA Provost Dr. David Taylor; Vice President for Institutional Advancement Clemit Spruiell; Development Officer Robert Upchurch; and Center for Business and Economic Services Director Billy McFarland.
State Representative John Merrill visited the UWA campus on Aug. 30 for a campus tour. Merrill was welcomed by several UWA representatives for his lunchtime visit. Pictured left to right are Director of Development Tom Tartt; Merrill; UWA President Dr. Richard Holland; UWA Provost Dr. David Taylor; Vice President for Institutional Advancement Clemit Spruiell; Development Officer Robert Upchurch; and Center for Business and Economic Services Director Billy McFarland.

LIVINGSTON — State Representative John Merrill visited the University of West Alabama on Aug. 30 during the campus celebration of College Colors Day. During his visit, Merrill met with several campus representatives, sporting a UWA red blazer.

Merrill, who announced his candidacy for Alabama Secretary of State in January, was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2010. He serves on four House committees, including Economic Development and Tourism; Constitutions, Campaigns and Elections; Rules; and the Tuscaloosa County Legislation.

Representing District 62, Merrill previously served as chairman of the Tuscaloosa County Republican Party in 2009 and has been an executive committee member of the State Republican Executive Committee since that time.

Over the course of his professional career, Merrill has worked at Randall Publishing Company, Tuscaloosa Industrial Development Authority, Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, and currently for the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education as director of community relations and community education. He was instrumental in the industrial recruitment of Mercedes-Benz North America to Vance in 1994.

After the meeting, Dr. Holland led Representative Merrill on a tour of the growing UWA campus. Going forward, Representative Merrill says he looks forward to working with the University to continue to improve higher education throughout Alabama.