Newly appointed Revenue Commissioner Randall Petty knows he has big shoes to fill, but said he feels qualified for the job.

Former Revenue Commissioner Sherry McSwean, who served in the capacity for years, recently retired.

“I am honored to have this opportunity to serve as Crenshaw County revenue commissioner,” he said, at Monday’s Rotary Club meeting. “I never thought about it until I heard Sherry was going to resign. I never thought about politics.”

Though he hadn’t put much thought into a political position, Petty feels his experience makes him qualified.

“I have an accounting degree from the University of Alabama,” he said. “I have worked in accounting and worked as a real estate appraiser for 12 years. I think that will definitely be beneficial in dealing with a lot of numbers and appraisals.”

Petty grew up in Greenville and attended Greenville Academy before going to UA.

“I worked in a hospital for seven years,” he said. “I worked for St. Margaret’s and then Humana in the accounting and financial end of it.”

He then spent 12 years helping in his father’s retail business before getting into real estate appraisals.

It was there that Petty honed his customer service skills and experience dealing with the public.

Having been an appraiser, Petty said he thinks knowing that side of the things, will be helpful in helping people understand their tax evaluations.

Petty said he had been seeking a career change when he found out McSwean was going to retire.

“I have a lot to learn,” he said. “And our office is starting to get busy. Sherry did a great job and did a lot of work herself, while other revenue commissioner sit back and watch what goes on. She had a lot of hands on, and I like that. You are ultimately responsible for all the money that goes through there. She’s done a great job.

“When I interviewed at the governor’s office, they asked what I was going to do change,” he said. “As far I as I know, Sherry has done a great job. I’m not going to change for the sake of change. I have big shoes to follow.”

Petty is married to Debbie and the couple has three children Will, Rebecca and Josh, who attend Highland Home.

Petty fills the unexpired term of McSwean and will have to run in the June primary.