Decatur, Ala. (August 20, 2020) – The Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) is pleased to announce its hiring of Justin Graves, who will serve as tournament director. Graves will be responsible for working with ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson to promote the state of Alabama as a year-round fishing destination and coordinate all events held by the ABT while serving as the main contact for anglers. He will assume responsibilities on November 1, 2020.

“I am very excited to welcome Justin to the Alabama Bass Trail staff. Having worked in Division I athletics for numerous years, he is no stranger to large event logistics and execution. Justin is an avid angler who has a passion and love for the outdoors, and we are excited to see what new energy and ideas he brings to the role of tournament director,” said Program Director Kay Donaldson.

Graves comes to the ABT with 19 years of professional communications and marketing experience. He spent the previous three years working in Division I college athletics as the Director of Sports Information at Alabama A&M University. While at Alabama A&M, he served as the primary media contact for the university’s athletic programs while overseeing gameday operations for football, men and women’s basketball, women’s soccer and baseball. During 2018, he oversaw a rebranding campaign for Alabama A&M athletics, which included the redesign of the department’s website, aamusports.com. He also oversaw the operations of the Alabama A&M athletics media platforms, which includes the digital streaming of all football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball games.

Prior to arriving at Alabama A&M, Graves spent seven years as a sportswriter at The Decatur Daily and five years as the sports editor at The Cullman Times.

A Florence native and a graduate of the University of North Alabama, he is an avid outdoorsman who has fished competitively since he was a teenager in high school. He now resides in Cullman with his wife and daughter.

“I am extremely excited about this opportunity with the Alabama Bass Trail. As someone who has competed as an angler in this tournament series, I know from experience that the Alabama Bass Trail is an outstanding organization that creates millions of dollars in tourism revenue for the state of Alabama while providing its anglers an elite tournament experience. I would like to thank ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson for providing the opportunity to work with this great organization which helps promote the state’s outstanding fisheries,” said Graves.

Graves replaces Clay Baldis who resigned July 29, 2020, but will remain on contract through October 2020.

“The Alabama Bass Trail’s board of directors graciously accepted the resignation of Clay Baldis effective July 29th. We want to recognize the countless hours he dedicated to the Alabama Bass Trail and wish him well as he begins a new chapter. The Alabama Bass Trail will continue to contract with Clay through the 2020 season where he will be training the new tournament director, Justin Graves,” said ABT Board of Directors Chairwoman Thereasa Hulgan.

For more information, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.