Blankenship Named CAP, Coastal 150 Executive Director

The Coastal Alabama Partnership (CAP) and its partner organization, Coastal 150, announced the appointment of Chris Blankenship as executive director, effective October 19. Blankenship served as commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources since 2017 under Gov. Kay Ivey. In more than 30 years with the department, he rose from conservation enforcement officer to lead an agency of more than 1,250 employees and a $470-million annual budget. George Talbot, president of the Coastal 150 board, said Blankenship "is coming home to lead CAP and Coastal 150 with a renewed focus on the priorities these organizations were built to serve—uniting our business, government and community leaders around one voice for this region.” CAP’s mission is to enable and unify business and political leadership in their pursuit of improving quality of life across the region, collaborating on infrastructure, education and governmental services in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Coastal 150 is a group of business and community leaders working to advance the priorities of Coastal Alabama.