Family Background o Native of Columbiana in Shelby County;
o Resident of Tuscaloosa;
o Married for over 40 years to the former Dianne Jones of Montgomery;
o Father of John Mark (wife Amy), Paul (wife Melissa), Luke, and Matthew (wife Katy); Grandfather of 5 - Katie, Taylor, Anna Claire, Mary Boyd, and Caroline;
o Member of First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa;
o Deacon and Sunday School teacher.

Military Service o Commissioned as Captain in the Air Force during Vietnam;
o Medical Officer;
o Life Member of Vietnam Veterans of America;
o Member of American Legion.

Professional Career

BACKGROUND

Dr. Robert J. Bentley is running for Governor to grow the economy and create jobs without increasing taxes or spending. He believes there needs to be more transparency and accountability in Alabama's government. He is a pro-life, pro-marriage, and pro-second amendment conservative who believes in smaller and more limited government. Bentley is the only Republican candidate for Governor of Alabama who completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama. 

He will not accept the Governor's annual salary until Alabama reaches full employment. 

Robert is an active member of First Baptist Church (FBC) Tuscaloosa where he serves as a Deacon and Sunday School Teacher. At FBC Tuscaloosa he has been the Chairman of the Board of Deacons four times and a member of the Youth for Christ Advisory Board, as well as the Family Counseling Advisory Board.  Dr. Bentley has also served on the State Advisory Board for Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Currently, he serves on the Board of Trustees for Judson College in Marion, Alabama and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Alabama Medical Education Consortium which he helped found. 

EARLY BACKGROUND 

Robert Julian Bentley is a native of Columbiana in Shelby County Alabama.  His father, David Harford Bentley, worked at his sawmill and instilled within his youngest son the importance of the old-fashioned, All-American work ethic.  His mother, Mattie Boyd Vick Bentley, cared for Robert, his brother and three sisters.  She taught him to be compassionate and to appreciate traditional family values.

Growing up in Columbiana taught Robert the value of hard work and the importance of family.  His parents, neither of whom completed school past junior high, impressed upon him that education and learning were the keys to future success.  Although Robert left Columbiana after graduating high school, he has always remembered his roots and the people who helped shape his life in rural Shelby County. 

EDUCATION AND FAMILY 

Education

After graduating from Shelby County High School, Robert put himself through college at the University of Alabama. While at UA, he majored in Chemistry and Biology and graduated with his Bachelor of Science in just three years. 

From an early age, Robert Bentley knew he wanted to become a doctor. After graduating from UA, he began his studies at The University of Alabama School of Medicine. During his first year of medical school, he met Martha Dianne Jones of Montgomery. They were married on July 24, 1965. He graduated with his M. D. in 1968 and began his one year internship at Carraway Methodist Hospital in Birmingham. 

Military Service

In 1969, during the Vietnam conflict, Bentley joined the United States Air Force where he was commissioned as a captain, and served as a general medical officer. He was stationed at Pope Air Force Base at Fort Bragg where he became hospital commander near the end of his tenure.  While in the service as a general medical officer he treated many military dependants, active duty service members, and wounded soldiers.  He is a life member of Vietnam Veterans of American and a member of the American Legion. 

Following his military service, Bentley began his three year residency at the University of Alabama in Dermatology.  However he has never forgotten his military background, and while serving in the Alabama House of Representatives he has sponsored legislation to improve educational benefits for disabled veterans. 

Family

After completing residency, the Bentley's decided to make Tuscaloosa home to begin their family together and for Robert to start his dermatology practice. They have raised four sons--John Mark (wife Amy), Paul (wife Melissa), Luke, and Matthew (wife Katy).  Robert and Dianne are the proud grandparents of Katie, Taylor, Anna Claire, Mary Boyd, and Caroline.

PROFESSIONAL AND POLITICAL EXPERIENCE 

Business Experience

Robert has founded a number of small businesses, the most successful of which is Alabama Dermatology Associates.  As President of Alabama Dermatology Associates, Dr. Bentley managed the practice's growth into one of the largest dermatology practices in the Southeastern United States, employing 30 Alabamians in the process.  As a small business owner, Robert has firsthand experience meeting challenges and complying with government regulations that hinder a business' ability to prosper and thrive.  He also understands that being a business owner is about more than simply providing services to clients; it is also about taking care of the employees who rely on you for their livelihoods, health insurance and retirement plans.  

Alabama Political Experience

In 2002, Robert was elected to the Alabama State House of Representatives from Tuscaloosa County with almost sixty-five percent (65%) of the vote.  In the State House, Robert quickly established a record fighting for fiscal conservatism, strong traditional family values, and limited government.  In 2006, Robert ran unopposed for re-election to the State House.  During his time in Montgomery, he has served on the Education Appropriations Committee, the Boards and Commissions Committee, the Agriculture and Forestry Committee and has been a member of the Tuscaloosa County Legislative Delegation. He also serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Internal Affairs Committee. 

In the Alabama House of Representatives, Bentley made it a priority to train primary care health care providers and to increase organ donation. He is responsible for two major revisions of Alabama's organ donor laws: one was specific to corneas and the other reinforced the rights of organ donors by making it difficult to challenge their decisions. Because of Dr. Bentley's efforts, more Alabamians are living quality lives due to cornea, kidney, liver and heart transplants. 

He also helped establish the Alabama Medical Educational Consortium which reserves a number of medical school education spots for students committed to one of the primary care fields.  There currently are approximately 100 students in this program.  Additionally, Bentley has sponsored legislation to provide scholarships those individuals dedicated to training more nurses in Alabama.  Finally, he has supported funding for the Rural Medical Scholars program, which trains doctors committed to serving the people of rural Alabama.  

During the 2010 legislative session, Dr. Bentley has sponsored a Constitutional Amendment proposing that no individual, health care provider or business in Alabama has to take part in a national health care system. 

As a member of the Education Appropriations committee, Bentley played a key role in passing a balanced budget each year he served in the Legislature. He also sponsored legislation to cut taxes for Alabama families, and is opposed to raising taxes.  In fact, he has signed the No New Taxes Pledge by the Americans for Tax Reform, which is displayed prominently on his website. 

Bentley also introduced a constitutional amendment to freeze property taxes for homeowners during the current legislative session.  He is the only legislator to ever obtain a vote on the House floor to change the property appraisal from once a year back to once every four years. 

Finally, Bentley is the chief sponsor of the Alabama Reemployment Act of 2010, which is estimated to create at least 5000 new jobs in Alabama without increasing taxes or government spending. 

National Political Experience

In 2008, Robert was elected as a Republican Presidential Delegate for Gov. Mike Huckabee.  At the Republican National Convention he represented Alabama on the Republican Platform Committee, where he helped write one of the most conservative and pro-life party platforms ever.