Bill Ricker

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Bill Ricker

William E. Ricker (born c. 1933 in Carbondale, Pennsylvania; died January 2, 2011 in Birmingham) was a former photographer, executive assistant to Mayor George Seibels, and director of Operation New Birmingham

Ricker completed high school in Europe and served in the US Army in Korea. He graduated from the Industrial War College in Washington D.C. before he completed a bachelor's degree in urban studies and a master's in public administration at the University of Alabama.

He went on to work as a freelance photojournalist in Birmingham and was among the first photographers on the scene after the bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963. He later joined the staff of the Birmingham News.

Ricker was hired as an executive secretary to Mayor George Seibels in 1969. In 1970 he took over as executive director of Operation New Birmingham, which was then headquartered at City Hall. He later served as planning director for United Way-Community Chest of Central Alabama.

In 1993 Ricker was hired by Birmingham City Council member Jimmy Blake as an assistant and was hired in the same capacity by Joel Montgomery in 2001. In October 2008 Ricker resigned from his position. Though he intended the resignation to become effective October 29, Montgomery asked him to leave immediately.

Ricker died in 2011 after an extended illness. He was survived by his wife, Frances, four children, and six grandchildren. He is buried at the Alabama National Cemetery near Montevallo. A plaque honoring Ricker was added to the Birmingham Gallery of Distinguished Citizens in 2013.

Preceded by:
Dan Roper 		Operation New Birmingham director
1970–1976 		Succeeded by:
Norman Pless

References

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