State Representative Sanderford to retire

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A man who has served at the Alabama State House for 33 years will retire, according to a press release from his office.

State Representative Howard Sanderford announced on Monday his plans to retire. He has represented the Huntsville area in Montgomery since winning his seat in the 1989 special election.

“Representing the citizens of Huntsville and Madison County for almost 33 years has been the honor of a lifetime, but my heart tells me this is the time to step aside and allow someone else to take the reins of leadership,” Sanderford said. “I will leave the Legislature with the knowledge that Alabama is a better place to live, work, and raise a family than it was when I first took office more than three decades ago.”

Sanderford currently serves as chairman of the House Boards, Agencies and Commissions Committee. He also co-chairs the Joint Legislative Sunset Committee, which is tasked with overseeing, reviewing and renewing roughly 100 occup[national licensure boards across the state.

The retiring representative most recently passed House Bill 561, which has helped small businesses that require occupational licensures to better react to staffing shortages and other unexpected personnel issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to his election win in 1989, Sanderford made a career in the computer industry working with IBM and served as the corporation’s manager of the General Systems Division in Huntsville until his retirement in 1987. He later founded and operated Computer Leasing Company, Inc. in Huntsville.