Early Life, Education and Career
Sparks is a graduate of Fort Payne High School. His parents were divorced, and he was raised by his grandmother. He worked in Fort Payne's sock mills. While staying with his father in Merritt, Florida, in 1971, Sparks joined the United States Coast Guard. Initially stationed in Puerto Rico, he transferred to work on the Tennessee River. He earned a Coast Guard Commendation Medal for his service. Following his discharge from the service, Sparks graduated from Northeast Alabama Community College in 1978.
In 1978, at the age of 24, Sparks became a County Commissioner for DeKalb County, Alabama, one of the youngest elected in the State of Alabama. He defeated a two-term incumbent. At first, Sparks could not find anyone to donate to his campaign; he sold his furniture and gun for initial funding.
Sparks returned to the private sector, operating the Scooper Duper Ice Cream Parlor in Fort Payne. In 1993, Sparks was appointed Director of the newly-created DeKalb County 911 System. As director he was responsible for overseeing the construction of the headquarters office, procuring equipment, hiring and training staff, and field verifying street addresses for over 30,000 homes and businesses. Sparks was elected the President of the Alabama chapter of the National Emergency Number Association in 1998.
Read more about this topic: Ron Sparks (politician)
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