FOLEY, Ala. — Tim Russell, a former three-term mayor, civic leader and well-known Foley businessman, has been appointed as Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Revenue.

The announcement was made by Gov. Bob Riley’s office on Feb. 22. Russell will be filling the vacancy created when Tom Surtees, the former revenue commissioner, became Director of the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations late last year.

“Tim Russell is an outstanding leader and a great addition to our Cabinet,” said Gov. Riley in a press release issued on Feb. 22.

“His commitment to public service, his experience and his strong work ethic will be valuable to all citizens as he serves our state as Revenue Commissioner..”

“I want to thank Governor Riley for this opportunity to serve the citizens of Alabama,” said Russell in the same release.

“The Governor has assembled a world-class Cabinet and I am humbled to be a member of it. As a lifelong Alabamian, I look forward to serving all Alabamians as we move forward.”

Russell also praised the dedication and efforts of Cynthia Underwood, assistant revenue commissioner, who has been serving in an interim leadership role since Surtees’ departure last September.

As Revenue Commissioner, Russell will be overseeing seven offices within the Department of Revenue with 1,250 employees. He will also have oversight of a revenue stream of $8.2 billion annually.

“It was a complete surprise. It was something I hadn’t sought or thought of,” said Russell this week of his appointment.

He said the governor called him by telephone “several weeks ago” about the appointment.

“I’ve kind of been on cloud nine ever since,” Russell said.

Asked about changes that will result for him personally due to the appointment, Russell said the biggest is the fact it will keep him “away from my beloved city more than I’d want to be.”

He describes the logistics as being similar to what legislators experience, namely, working in Montgomery during the week and being home on weekends. But Russell said he will be traveling a lot with the governor and for the governor. Due to his appointment as Revenue Commissioner, he will also join the governor’s Economic Development team, Russell said.

He is quick to point out that he will continue to be involved with Baldwin Mutual Insurance Co., a statewide business of which he has served as president since 1998. He will remain on the Baldwin Mutual Board and have continued involvement with the company for the next two and a half years, he said, noting he is relinquishing the day to day running of the company, not resigning as president.

After Riley leaves office in two and a half years, Russell said he would return to Baldwin Mutual as president if the company board will have him back.

Russell has been a board member and treasurer of the Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association, an organization working on the state insurance crisis precipitated by the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005. He resigned as mayor of Foley in 2006 to work on the so-called “beach pool,” an insurance alternative for coastal areas hit hardest by Ivan and Katrina.

He and Riley often talked on the telephone about the insurance crisis and the beach pool, said Russell. He thought the governor’s call several weeks ago was about insurance.

Russell has resigned his positions with the Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association in light of his appointment, he said.

Russell, 59, will become Revenue Commissioner effective March 3. The position pays approximately $90,000 annually.