Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) —  Orange Beach City Schools Superintendent Randy Wilkes has announced plans to retire, marking the end of a 38-year career in public education. Wilkes served as the district's founding superintendent, guiding it from its first day of operation. During his tenure, the district grew into one of Alabama's highest-performing school systems. He said the decision comes down to a simple priority — family.

His retirement is effective July 1, 2027, aligning with a contract timeline agreed upon in December 2025 by the Orange Beach Board of Education and Wilkes. Wilkes formally announced the news during the Orange Beach City Schools Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026. His contract concludes on June 30, 2027.

Orange Beach City Schools opened on July 1, 2022, with Wilkes as its first superintendent. In just a few years, the district earned a second-place ranking statewide on the 2025 Alabama State Report Card. It also recorded 100% graduation rates for the Classes of 2025 and 2026. The district built roughly 10 months of operating reserves without receiving state Foundation Program funding.

"Together, we built a high-performing school system," Wilkes said in his remarks to the Board. "We established a vision, mission, and belief system around what we wanted Orange Beach City Schools to become. We put systems, structures, and processes in place that created consistency, accountability, and, most importantly, a new level of academic excellence for our students."

Wilkes said his motivation for retiring is to spend more time with his family. "For most of my adult life, I have balanced work on one side and family on the other," he said. "When I leave Orange Beach City Schools on June 30, 2027, family wins. At this point in my life, I would rather be known as Pops than Superintendent."

Despite announcing his retirement, Wilkes made it clear he has no plans to slow down before his final day. "There is still work to do, and I intend for these remaining months to be productive, positive, and focused on continuing to move this school system forward," Wilkes said. "I have no intention of coasting to the finish line."

One of the district's ongoing priorities is Graduate by Design, a strategic initiative to ensure that future graduates have the knowledge, skills, experiences, and character needed to succeed beyond the classroom. Wilkes said that this work will remain a focus through the end of his tenure.

Wilkes began his education career in 1989 as a mathematics teacher and coach at Charles Henderson Middle and High Schools in Troy. He later taught and coached at Luverne High School before moving into administration. He served as assistant principal and principal at Highland Home School before taking a district-level role with Crenshaw County Schools.

He became superintendent of Crenshaw County Schools in 2011 and served until 2014. He then led Phenix City Schools for eight years, during which the district earned its first-ever A on the Alabama State Report Card and achieved districtwide STEM certification. In 2022, he was selected to lead Orange Beach City Schools.

Wilkes holds a bachelor's and master's degree from Troy University and an education specialist degree from Auburn University at Montgomery. He was a member of Troy University's 1987 National Championship football team and was named the university's Alumni of the Year in 2021. He also received the Alabama Superintendent of the Year award in 2019.

Wilkes and his wife, Cathy, a retired sixth-grade science teacher, have been married since 1988. They have two sons, Haden and the late Ryan Wilkes. Haden and his wife, Kaylee, have two children, Hadley and Will. Kaylee teaches at Orange Beach Elementary School.