Joins Saban, others as 2013 inductees

Former Alabama Speaker of the House Seth Hammett of Andalusia will be among the four 2013 inductees into the Alabama Academy of Honor.

Hammett, who currently works as vice president of business development at PowerSouth, represented Covington County in the state House of Representatives from 1978 until 2010, and served three terms as Speaker.

Gov. Robert Bentley nominated him for inclusion in the Academy.

While Speaker, he served as president of the National Speakers Conference and chaired the 16-state Southern Legislative Conference.

He is a former president of LBW Community College and was the founder and first president of First National Bank (Now Wells Fargo) of Andalusia.

Other 2013 inductees include Fournier J. “Boots” Gale III, senior executive vice president and general counsel of Regions Financial; John . Johns, President and Chief Executive Officer of Protective Life Corp.; and Nick Saban, head football coach at the University of Alabama.

The Alabama Academy of Honor, established by the state legislature in 1965, recognizes individuals whose services are a credit to the state. Membership is limited to 100 living individuals, and the current roster includes members with a wide range of backgrounds. Current and living governors are included in the Academy, but their numbers don’t county toward the 100-member limit.

Current members of the Academy include such noted Alabamians and Alabama natives as Henry L. “Hank” Aaron, Harper Lee, and Condoleezza Rice.

Gov. Albert Brewer appointed the 16-member committee to nominate the first class in 1969. Among the nominating committee members was Jake Merrill of Andalusia.

The ceremony is set for October, in the old House Chambers of the Capitol.