About Us: Ira Drayton Pruitt
Graduate of Marion Military Institute in 1955.
A Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Alabama in 1959, A Juris Doctor from the University Of Alabama School Of Law in January of l96l, A Doctor of Laws Degree from Livingston University in l990.
Profession
Practiced law in Livingston, Sumter County, Alabama since February of 1961.Licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee and practiced as an associate with the Harkavy, Shainberg Firm which has now merged with Armstrong Allan PLLC. Armstrong Allan has law offices in Memphis and Jackson, Tennessee, Jackson, Mississippi and Little Rock, Arkansas.Licensed to practice in Alabama and Tennessee. He is admitted to practice in all state courts in Alabama and Tennessee; United States District Court Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama. United States District Court Western District of Tennessee and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Alabama State Bar Association, Tennessee State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.
Military Service
Served in the US Army Infantry beginning in 1957. He served in National Guard or Reserve Units until 1968. He served as a Military Police Officer at Fort Gordon Georgia during the Berlin crisis. As a Captain he became S3 of the 156th Military Police Battalion headquartered in Linden, Alabama and was federalized during the Selma to Montgomery March.
Political
Elected to the City Council of the City of Livingston in 1964 and served until 1968, was elected as Mayor and served as Vice Chairman of the Utilities Board of the City of Livingston from 1968 - 1980. During term as City Council member and Mayor, Livingston formed an Industrial Development Board which developed three Industrial Parks, the South Heavy Industrial Park, the North Industrial Park and the McDowell Interstate Industrial Park. He was featured in the lead article in Venture Magazine for using Industrial Revenue Bonds as venture capital which assisted in locating many industries to the area.
During the time that he was Mayor, the City of Livingston received more money per capita from the Federal Government that any other city in Alabama. A study done by the economic development subcommittee of Congress concluded that Livingston had the most success and best used the monies it received from the federal grant and loan programs of any City in the Nation. He testified twice before the Congressional Subcommittee concerning the planning and organization needed to accomplish such a successful use of money. The Chairman of that Subcommittee, Jim Wright from Texas came to Livingston and visited the numerous committees which were at work, and upon leaving was quoted in the paper as saying "I see why Livingston is successful, I see Democracy at work."
Served as one of a three member Board of Directors of Governor George C. Wallace's Campaign for President of the United States in the 1972 and 1976 campaigns.
Still actively practices law in Livingston. He and his wife Zina, run the P-Arrow Plantation, a wildlife preserve, which is listed on the quail trail. Its web site is www.parrow.net. It is a commercial hunting and trophy bass fishing destination. People from all over the United States fish and hunt the P-Arrow.
Married to Zina Noto Pruitt, who was originally from Birmingham, Alabama. He has three children by a former marriage, Ira D. Pruitt, IV, Elisa Lynn Pruitt Springer and Murray Milla Pruitt Kelley. He has seven grandchildren.
