Cullman’s St. John gets approval as permanent UA System chancellor

Cullman native Finis “Fess” St. John IV’s long involvement in the University of Alabama System reached the pinnacle Friday when he accepted the permanent role as chancellor.

Serving as interim since 2018, St. John, a highly successful attorney through his St. John & St. John Associates law firm in Cullman, has served on the Board of Trustees since 2002, including three terms as president pro tempore (2008-2011). 

During his tenure, the three universities and the UAB Health Systems have enjoyed sustained growth. He has chaired numerous standing committees and played a key role in the recruitment of senior campus leadership as well as assisting in the management of more than 450 major capital projects exceeding $3 billion on the campuses.

Trustee Karen Brooks led the search for the new chancellor, noting that it became clear St. John was the most qualified to serve as chancellor, according to a report by AL.com.

St. John graduated from UA in 1978 and earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

St. John expressed his gratitude for being selected to serve as chancellor during an interview Friday.

“I’m honored at having been selected,” St. John said. “We’re trying to be accountable to the public. We know what a sacrifice it is to put a child through college.”

He said the University System is a large, complex system that requires continuous commitment to quality and accountability by the leadership not only in the University System, but at each institution.

“We have made tremendous strides. The quality gets better and better at each institution and we want to continue that,” St. John said. “We’re more in touch with the workforce needs in the state and we want to play a stronger role in providing capable employees and retaining more talent for our economy.”

As part of the initiative to improve workforce development and the available pool of employees, St. John said recruiting out-of-state students and convincing more of them to remain after graduation is high on the University System’s mission.

St. John’s family has a long history of service to the state, beginning with Finis Ewing St. John, who was admitted to the bar in 1892 at the age of 18. He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives from Walker and Cullman counties in 1922. During his three terms, Representative St. John served as a speaker pro-tem and chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He was also a member of the Code Committee which drafted the Alabama Code in 1923.

Finis E. St. John Jr. served two terms in the Alabama Senate (1939-47). He was author of the bill creating the Pardon and Parole Board. He was appointed to the Code Committee and subsequently helped write the revised Code of Alabama(1940). 

Finis E. St. John III served one term in the Alabama House of Representatives and two terms in the Alabama Senate, and served as President Pro Tem of the Senate. While in the Legislature, he served on the committee which revised the Alabama Code as had his father and grandfather.