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Former Alabama Finance Director Bill Poole announced three new ventures after leaving state government: he will join Harrison Construction as vice president of finance, legal and external affairs; work as an operating partner at Accelerated Partners; and form a policy consulting firm called Poole Growth Strategies. The announcement was reported by Alabama Political Reporter on October 6, 2026.
What are Bill Poole’s new roles?
| Organization | Role | Stated focus |
|---|---|---|
| Harrison Construction | Vice president of finance, legal and external affairs | Help grow the company’s Tuscaloosa and Mobile offices |
| Accelerated Partners | Operating partner | Help identify and scale private companies in the Southeast |
| Poole Growth Strategies | Planned consulting firm | Fiscal, education and economic development policy |
These are three distinct ventures, not roles at one employer. The announcement did not give start dates, compensation, ownership details, clients for the planned consulting firm, or detailed contractual terms.
What is known about each venture?
Harrison Construction
Harrison Construction is based in Tuscaloosa. Poole’s announced title combines finance, legal and external affairs responsibilities, with a stated role in helping expand the company’s Tuscaloosa and Mobile offices. Harrison Construction President Tim Harrison called Poole “a trusted attorney, advisor, and friend to Harrison Construction for many years,” according to the October 2026 report.
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Accelerated Partners
At Birmingham-based Accelerated Partners, Poole is slated to serve as an operating partner. The reported scope is helping identify and scale private companies in the Southeast. The announcement does not identify particular companies or investments he will work with.
Poole Growth Strategies
Poole plans to form Poole Growth Strategies as a consulting firm focused on fiscal, education and economic development policy. The announcement provides no launch date or client list, so the firm should be described as planned rather than as an established operation.
When did Poole leave Alabama state government?
The October 6, 2026 report says Poole left state government about a week before announcing the new ventures. He served as Alabama’s state finance director beginning in 2021. The Governor’s Office announced his appointment effective August 1, 2021, describing him as the former chairman of the House Ways and Means Education Committee. See the Office of the Governor of Alabama’s 2021 appointment announcement.
Before becoming finance director, Poole represented House District 63 and spent 16 years in public office, including eight years chairing the House education appropriations committee, according to Alabama Political Reporter’s 2026 account. The Governor’s Office says he graduated from the University of Alabama and its School of Law and had practiced law privately since 2004. It also credits him with work on Rebuild Alabama and the Alabama Incentives Modernization Act.
What did Poole oversee as finance director?
Alabama Political Reporter reported in 2026 that Poole helped oversee distribution of more than $2 billion in federal COVID-19 relief and helped steer more than $7 billion in public bond financing, including financing for the Mobile River Bridge. These are figures reported by the outlet, not independently re-audited figures.
The Governor’s Office’s 2021 appointment announcement described Alabama’s Education Trust Fund as a nearly $8 billion budget at that time. That figure is historical and should not be read as the state’s current education budget.
Will Poole remain chair of Innovate Alabama?
The 2026 report says Poole planned to remain chair of Innovate Alabama, subject to future approvals. The sources reviewed do not confirm whether those approvals were later granted.
What has Poole said about the move?
Poole said, “I don’t view my next chapter as leaving public service so much as changing the way I contribute,” according to Alabama Political Reporter’s October 2026 report.
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