Bob Riley | Lobbyist | Riley & Associates

Riley served in Congress for six years before being elected Alabama’s 52nd governor in 2002. Eight years later, his final act on Goat Hill was calling the 2010 special session of the Alabama legislature, the death knell of the Democrats’ long-held majority.

So ubiquitous has the Riley name been in Alabama politics over the last two decades that even Gov. Riley’s son is frequently mentioned as a potential candidate every time a major political office comes open in the state.

Seven months after leaving office, Riley registered as a lobbyist. That’s a rare move for a governor, but it’s proven to be an extremely lucrative one. His client list includes deep pocketed national and international companies, and he remains active in economic development efforts around the state.

Riley could quickly climb up this list in future years, but he’s chosen to pick his spots rather than insert himself into the fray. He’s rarely ever seen in the state house. But in what could be seen as a sign of things to come, his firm recently announced they are opening a Montgomery office.