Alabama: Moving Forward

Alabama: Moving Forward

By Minnie Lamberth with Jennifer Kornegay

Foreword by William J. Canary

Alabama: Moving Forward

Produced in cooperation with The Business Council of Alabama

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Alabama: Moving Forward

By Minnie Lamberth with Jennifer Kornegay

Foreword by William J. Canary

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Alabama: Moving Forward

By Minnie Lamberth with Jennifer Kornegay Foreword by William J. Canary Editorial Direction by Lenore Reese Vickrey Corporate profiles by Jennifer Walker-Journey, Jennifer Kornegay, Ellis Metz and Stephen Potts Featuring the photography of Billy Brown, Michael Clemmer, Barry Fikes, Robert Fouts, Dennis Keim, Charles Seifried and Alec Thigpen Produced in cooperation with The Business Council of Alabama by Ronald P. Beers, Publisher

Beers & Associates, L.L.C. 8650 Minnie Brown Road, Suite 120 Montgomery, Al 36117 Ronald P. Beers, President Terry A. Beers, Vice President Publisher’s Sales Associates: Dahlia Davis and Paula Haider Editor: Jennifer S. Kornegay Designer: Scott Fuller Managing Editor: Erin R. Mohajerin Marketing Coordinator: Catherine Goodwin Accounting Services: Stephanie Perez © 2012 Beers & Associates, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved Published 2012 First Edition ISBN: 978-0-9796601-7-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2012902060 Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information herein. However, the authors and Beers & Associates are not responsible for any errors or omissions that might have occurred.

Gulf Shores | Photo by Charles Seifried

Printed in the USA 5

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Table of Contents Foreword by William J. Canary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Alabama Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 PART ONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Alabama: Open for Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 PART TWO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Destination Alabama: Tourism & Recreation . . . . . . 52 Geared for Growth: Automotive Sector . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Making It in Alabama: General Manufacturing . . . . . 88 Homegrown: Agribusiness & Natural Resources . . . 100 An Incubator of Health: Health Sciences . . . . . . . . . 112 A Legacy of Learning: Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Building Assets: Business Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Moving Ahead: Transportation & Energy . . . . . . . . 148 On the Cutting Edge: Technology & Information Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 PART THREE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Automotive Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Business, Financial & Insurance Services . . . . . . . . . 184 Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Healthcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Information Technology & Telecommunications . . . 234 Legal Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Real Estate, Development, Construction & Project Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Steel & Metal Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 Transportation Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 Corporate Sponsor Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 General Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Photographer Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 Pulpit Rock | Photo by Charles Seifried 7

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Corporations & Organizations Profiled The following organizations have made a valuable commitment to the quality of this publication. The Business Council of Alabama gratefully acknowledges their participation in Alabama: Moving Forward.

Five Rivers | Photo by Charles Seifried

AIDT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Alabama Power Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222-225 Alabama Self-Insured Worker’s Compensation Fund . . . . . . .194-195 ALIANT Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200-201 Applied Chemical Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 AT&T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236-238 Auburn University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Auburn University at Montgomery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Austal USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 Balch & Bingham, LLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Beers & Associates, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Birmingham Business Alliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202-203 Birmingham Southern College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214-215 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196-197 Boyd Bros. Transportation, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242-243 Brownlee-Morrow Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 Burr & Forman LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244-245 Business Council of Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190-193 Calhoun Community College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Capitol Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Children’s of Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Colonial Properties Trust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Cooper/T.Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290 DCH Health Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Doozer Software, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Energen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226-227 F & S Equipment and Supplies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 Henry Brick Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176-177 Huron Valley Steel Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284-285 Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180-181 International Shipholding Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 KBR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266-267 Larry E. Speaks & Associates, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 Maynard Cooper & Gale, P.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 McWane Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282-283 Medical Properties Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204-205 Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182-183 Natural Decorations, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254-255 Neptune Technology Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 O’Neal Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278-279 PCH Hotels & Resorts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Protective Life Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198-199 Redstone Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186-189 Regions Financial Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Saginaw Pipe Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286 Scott Bridge Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268-270 SSAB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280-281 The Dunn Companies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 The McPherson Companies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228-229 Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Alabama, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . .178-179 University of Alabama in Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210-213 Vulcan Materials Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250-253 Wells Printing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 9

Business Visionaries

Alabama Power Company 600 18th Street North Birmingham, AL 35203 www.alabamapower.com

Alabama Self-Insured Worker’s Compensation Fund 813 Shades Creek Parkway, Suite 300 Birmingham, AL 35209 www.workerscompfund.org

ALIANT Bank 1100 Corporate Parkway Birmingham, AL 35242 www.aliantbank.com

AT&T 600 19th Street Birmingham, AL 35203 www.att.com 10

Business Visionaries

Energen Corporation 605 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North Birmingham, AL 35203 www.energen.com

Honda Manufacturing of Alabama LLC 1800 Honda Drive Lincoln, AL 35096 www.hondaalabama.com

Huron Valley Steel Corporation 820 Ware Street Anniston, AL 36201 www.hvsc.net

Kellogg Brown and Root 63 South Royal Street, Suite 200 Mobile, AL 36602 www.kbr.com Photo by Charles Seifried

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Business Visionaries

Natural Decorations Inc. 777 Industrial Park Drive Brewton, AL 36426 www.ndi.com

O’Neal Industries 744 41st Street North Birmingham, AL 35223 www.onealind.com

Protective Life Corporation 2801 Highway 280 South Birmingham, AL 35202 www.protective.com

Redstone Federal Credit Union 220 Wynn Drive Huntsville, AL 35892 www.redfcu.org

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Business Visionaries

SSAB of Alabama 12400 Highway 43 North Axis, AL 36505 www.ssab.com

Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Alabama 1 Cotton Valley Drive Huntsville, AL 35810 www.toyota.com

University of Alabama in Huntsville SKH 370 Shelbie King Hall Huntsville, AL 35899 www.uah.edu

Vulcan Materials Company 1200 Urban Center Drive Birmingham, AL 35242 www.vulcanmaterials.com Photo by Charles Seifried

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Photo by Robert Fouts

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Foreword Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages.

-- General George Washington

M

y future father-in-law had some sage words of advice for me early on. A native New Yorker, I had traveled to the Deep South to meet the family of my future wife, and her father decided it was time for some frank discussion between the two of us. It was one of those cold, clear winter afternoons that we savor in Alabama, and as we took a walk in rural Monroe County on land that their family has owned for decades, I’ll never forget what he said.

“Son, those of us who were born in Alabama are lucky,” he said. “Those who move here are just plain smart.”

He paused and looked at me.

“I hope you’re smart.”

I don’t know if he was accurate in his assessment of my intellect, but I did indeed have the good sense to move to Alabama. And for that, I am and always will be grateful.

This great state is my home, and that of my family. My wife and I have raised our two children here, and as president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama, I am proud to wake up every morning, knowing I work on behalf of the thousands of businesses who represent more than 750,000 working Alabamians. I like to say that we fight every day for businessmen and women to be able to sign the front of a paycheck, so that others can sign the back.

It is a privilege to write the foreword to this book, Alabama: Moving Forward, which has captured in stunning photographs and informative articles the depth and breadth of the progress our state has made since the BCA was founded in 1985. In these pages, you’ll read all about what’s best about Alabama, the perseverance of men and women who keep our state flourishing in every aspect — from voluntary pre-K classrooms to high-tech laboratories, from lush farmlands to thriving manufacturing plants, and the promise for the creation of a true business education alliance!

These are the stories of the entrepreneurial spirit, visionary leadership and corporate citizenship that have advanced Alabama and that make us proud to call our state home.

You will be inspired.

The BCA is honored to partner with Ron Beers of Beers & Associates in the publication of this commemorative book. His company has published two other BCA books, What If No One Were Watching and A Blueprint for Progress, which chronicled our achievements and challenges during the 2010 and 2011 legislative sessions. We are confident that Alabama: Moving Forward will be an outstanding economic development tool to celebrate our existing businesses and attract new ones, and that it will be a treasured keepsake for your office and home for years to come.

Was my father-in-law right? The jury may still be out on whether I am smart, but there’s no doubt I made the right choice by making my home in Alabama. There’s no better place to live and work and just be. As you turn the pages herein, I invite you to join me in grateful appreciation for all that makes our state one that is truly … moving forward.

William J. Canary President and CEO, Business Council of Alabama 15

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1539 1702

1519 Alanzo Alvarez de Pineda of Spain explores the Gulf of Mexico, including Mobile Bay. 1539-41 Hernando de Soto begins exploration of the Southeast.

1600 The rise of the historic native tribes of Alabama that led to the creation of the Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Cherokee tribes begins.

1702 The Le Moyne brothers establish the French fort and settlement Fort Louis de la Mobile, 27 miles up the Mobile River from Mobile Bay. 1711 Mobile moves to its current location at the mouth of the Mobile River.

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* The dates on images correspond to entries in the timeline and do not necessarily represent the date of the image itself.

1703

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1717 Fort Toulouse is constructed by the French on the Coosa River near present-day Wetumpka to trade with the American Indians.

1780 Spanish capture Mobile during the American Revolution.

1798 Mississippi Territory is organized from Georgia’s western land claims, including Alabama.

1805 American Indian cessions are opened up to European settlement, including large portions of western Choctaw and northern Chickasaw and Cherokee lands in Alabama.

1810 West Florida, from Pearl River to Mississippi, is annexed by the United States from Spain.

Moving Forward ...

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1813

1811 The first newspapers in Alabama are established — The Centinel and the Gazette in Mobile and the Alabama Republican in Huntsville.

1812-15 The War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain results in the Spanish surrender of Mobile to American forces.

1813-14 The Creek Indian War is fought largely within the boundaries of present-day Alabama. The following Treaty of Fort Jackson cedes 23 million acres of Creek territory to the United States and opens half of present-day Alabama to white settlement.

1814 Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1817 The Alabama Territory is created when Congress passes the enabling act, allowing the division of the Mississippi Territory and the admission of Mississippi into the Union as a state. The capital of the territory is in St. Stephens.

1817 Cedar Creek Furnace, the state’s first blast furnace and commercial pig-iron producer, is established in present-day Franklin County.

1819 Alabama becomes the 22nd state to enter the Union.

Huntsville, the site of the Constitutional Convention, becomes the temporary capital.

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Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1826

1846

1861 Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1820 The steamboat Harriott reaches Montgomery after 10 days of travel from Mobile. This was the first successful attempt to navigate so far north on the Alabama River, and it opened river trade between Montgomery and Mobile. The Harriott II can be seen today in Montgomery.

1826 The state capital moves to Tuscaloosa.

1849 On the 30th anniversary of statehood, the capitol in Montgomery is destroyed by fire. Construction of the new capitol is complete in 1851.

1831 The University of Alabama formally opens its doors.

1856 East Alabama Male College is established at Auburn by Methodists, later becomes Auburn University.

1833 On November 12-13, a fantastic meteor shower causes this

1861 The Alabama Secession Convention passes an Ordinance of

night to be known as “the night stars fell on Alabama.”

Secession, declaring Alabama a “Sovereign and Independent State.”

Alabama becomes the fourth state to secede from the Union. Jefferson Davis is inaugurated as president of the Confederate States of America on the portico of the Alabama capitol. Montgomery serves as C.S.A. capital until it’s moved to Richmond, Virginia.

1839 Daniel Pratt establishes a cotton gin factory north of Montgomery; his company town, Prattville, would become a manufacturing center in the antebellum South.

1836 -1837 Battle of Hobdy’s Bridge in the Second Creek War marks the last Indian battle in Alabama (1837).

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1846 The Legislature selects Montgomery as the state’s new capital and begins its first session there on December 6, 1847.

Moving Forward ...

1880

1881 Missouri Historical Society, St Louis, Missouri

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1904

1865 Confederate commander Robert E. Lee surrenders forces to Union army at Appomattox, Virginia.

1868 Alabama is readmitted to the Union.

1871 Birmingham is founded and evolves into center of Southern iron and steel industry.

1875 Alabama’s Constitution of 1875 is ratified. The Bourbon Democrats, or “Redeemers,” having claimed to “redeem” the Alabama people from the Reconstruction rule of carpetbaggers and scalawags, wrote a new constitution to replace the one of 1868.

1880 Helen Keller is born in Tuscumbia. Having lost both sight and hearing by illness as a small child, Keller’s life story and activism inspire new attitudes toward those with handicaps.

1881 The Alabama Legislature establishes Tuskegee Institute. Booker T. Washington is chosen as the first superintendent. His leadership makes Tuskegee one of the most celebrated historic black colleges in the United States.

1901 Tallulah Bankhead, star of stage, screen and radio in the 1930s-1950s, is born in Huntsville.

1901 New state Constitution ratified, disenfranchising substantial numbers of black and white voters.

1904 Sculptor Guiseppe Moretti creates an iron statue of Vulcan to represent Alabama Industry and Birmingham at the St. Louis World’s Fair.

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Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1947

1955

1910 Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, establish a “flying school” on land outside Montgomery (present site of Maxwell Air Force Base) seven years after their first flights.

1941 The United States enters World War II. Alabama has new or

1919 The boll weevil monument is dedicated in Enterprise to honor the insect that entered the state in 1909, killing cotton plants and forcing local farmers to diversify by planting more profitable crops such as peanuts.

1944 The state of Alabama grants Hunt Oil Company a permit to drill the A.R. Jackson Well No. 1 near Gilbertown, making it the first oil well in the state.

1919 Nat King Cole is born in Montgomery.

1926 The University of Alabama football team, the first Southern team invited to the Rose Bowl, defeats the University of Washington.

1933 The Tennessee Valley Authority is created to develop resources of the poor Appalachian South, including large parts of north Alabama.

1936 Lawrence County native Jesse Owens wins his first gold medal 20

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1919

at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Owens went on to win four gold medals in Berlin, but German leader Adolf Hitler snubbed the star athlete because he was black.

expanded military bases in several areas. Training of African-American military pilots, the “Tuskegee Airmen,” is underway.

1947 Georgiana’s Hank Williams signs recording contract with MGM and becomes a regular on The Louisiana Hayride radio program.

1955 Martin Luther King Jr. of Atlanta is installed as minister of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery. A little more than a year later, on the first day of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, he is named president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, a role that makes him a national civil rights figure.

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

Moving Forward ...

1967

1963 Alabama Department of Tourism, Montgomery, Alabama

1955 Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, is arrested for refusing to give up her seat for a boarding white passenger as required by Montgomery city ordinance. Her action prompted the historic Montgomery Bus Boycott and earned her a place in history as “the mother of the modern day civil rights movement.”

1956 Army Ballistic Missile Agency is established at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal.

1958 Huntsville-built “Jupiter” rocket places American satellite in orbit around Earth.

1960 The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville is dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

1961 Harper Lee of Monroeville wins the Pulitzer Prize for To Kill A Mockingbird, her first, and only, novel.

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1965

1961 “Freedom Riders” throughout the Deep South challenge racial segregation on public carriers and spark violence in Anniston, Birmingham and Montgomery.

1963 Governor George C. Wallace is inaugurated for the first of four terms in office.

1963 Birmingham bombings of civil rights-related targets, including the offices of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the 16th Street Baptist Church (in which four children were killed), focus national attention on racial violence in the state.

1965 Rev. Martin Luther King leads 3,200 marchers from Selma toward Montgomery in support of civil rights for black Americans, after two earlier marches had ended at the Edmund Pettus Bridge — the first in violence and the second in prayer.

1967 Lurleen Wallace is inaugurated as state’s first woman governor.

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2001

Alabama Department of Tourism, Montgomery, Alabama

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1969

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama

1993

2001

1969 The University of Alabama at Huntsville and the University of Alabama at Birmingham are established.

1969 Talladega Speedway opens with its first running of the Talladega 500, which was won by Richard Brickhouse.

1995 Alabama’s Heather Whitestone becomes the first Miss America

1972 Gov. George C. Wallace is shot in Maryland while

with a disability.

campaigning for the Democratic nomination for president. The assassination attempt by Arthur Bremer left the governor paralyzed from the waist down and effectively ended his chances at the nomination.

2001 Birmingham native Condoleezza Rice is appointed National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush, becoming the first woman to occupy this position.

1983 Alabamians are saddened when retired University of Alabama

2001 Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln, Alabama, begins production.

football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant dies suddenly from a heart attack.

Bryant won six national championships at Alabama. In 1981, he became football’s “winningest” coach with 315 victories.

2002 Hyundai breaks ground in Montgomery, Alabama, for its first U.S. automobile assembly plant, a $1 billion investment opened in 2005 that employs nearly 2,000 people.

1985 The Business Council of Alabama is formed with the consolidation of the Alabama Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Alabama, uniting the state’s business community in a single, strong voice for pro-growth policy and progressive government.

1989 Kathryn Thornton, a native of Montgomery and graduate of Auburn University, becomes the first woman to fly on a military space mission on the Space Shuttle Discovery. Thornton became the second woman to walk in space in 1992.

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1993 In September, Mercedes-Benz announces it will build its first automobile assembly plant in North America in Vance, Tuscaloosa County, creating more than 1,500 jobs.

2003 William J. Canary, former president and CEO of the American Trucking Association and special assistant to President George H. W. Bush, is named president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama.

2003 The Business Council of Alabama and the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama form a unique linkage known as The Partnership to work together on critical issues common to both.

2005 Former President George H.W. Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush headline the BCA Chairman’s Dinner, becoming the first former U.S. president and First Lady to address the annual event.

2006 Carol Gordy, president and CEO, National Decorations, Inc.,

2010

Business Council of Alabama

2003

Business Council of Alabama

2006

Business Council of Alabama

Business Council of Alabama

Moving Forward ...

2011 The Alabama Legislature’s 2011 session is praised for being one of the most productive in history, passing legislation aimed at job creation, education reform, incentives for economic development, legal reform and giving tax breaks to small business.

in Brewton, becomes first female chairman of the Business Council of Alabama.

2011 Former President George W. Bush speaks to a sold-out BCA Chairman’s Dinner crowd in Birmingham.

2007 German steel manufacturer ThyssenKrupp AG announces it

2011 The Business Council of Alabama launches the Manufacturing Advocacy Council to promote and enhance a positive business climate for the state’s manufacturers.

will invest nearly $4 billion in plant construction in Mobile County.

2009 Pesident Barack Obama nominates Dr. Regina M. Benjamin to be Surgeon General of the United States. A graduate of Morehouse college and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Benjamin is founder and CEO of the Bayou Clinic in Bayou La Batre, Alabama.

2010 Coach Nick Saban leads the University of Alabama football team, including Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, to win the BCS National Championship in Pasadena, Calif., against the University of Texas Longhorns.

2011

2011 SEC champion Auburn University, led by Coach Gene Chizik and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, defeat PAC-10 champions University of Oregon in the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, Arizona.

2012 No. 2-ranked University of Alabama defeats No. 1-ranked Lousiana State University 21-0 to earn the BCS National Championship in New Orleans.

2010 For the first time in modern history, a pro-business majority is elected in both houses of the Alabama Legislature.

2010 In a December special session called by Gov. Bob Riley, the Legislature approves a package of strong ethics reform bills, giving Alabama some of the toughest ethics laws in the country.

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Mercedes Plant | Photo by Robert Fouts

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Part One 25

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Alabama: Open for Business A

labama the Beautiful.” The phrase is probably our state’s most-used “branding line” (to borrow a term from the world of marketing). It’s one we’ve collectively declared proudly and prolifically on roadside signs at the state line, on T-shirts and on tourism brochures. The description is no hollow boast; it’s a simple fact. The aesthetic appeal of our diverse landscapes — from sugar-sand beaches and gently rolling plains all the way up to the peaks and valleys formed by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains — is readily evident to all. “Alabama the Beautiful” is wholly accurate. But there’s another truth we should be heralding with just as much enthusiasm: Alabama’s amazing business climate. The argument could be made that an equally accurate line would work well and look pretty nice on those welcome signs, too: “Alabama — Open for Business.” “

above: Whether it is the pristine shoreline and turquoise waters of the ocean or the tranquility of the backwaters and bays, the state’s Gulf Coast gives Alabamians much to brag about.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

opposite page: Alabama’s natural beauty is as diverse as

above: Rivaling the gifts Mother Nature bestowed on

it is impressive. From sparkling white-sand beaches to

Alabama are today’s lovely, modern cities. Four major centers

mountain-top views and all the lakes, rivers, forests and fields

of commerce –Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery and

in between, the state came by its nickname “Alabama the

Mobile— serve as bustling hubs of education, the arts and

Beautiful” honestly. | Photo by Charles Seifried

business, while the state’s smaller communities operate in tandem with the metropolitan areas like spokes on a wheel, all working together to keep our state moving forward.

Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

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Forward Thinking Governor Bob Riley put an incredible business recruitment team in place and was successful in changing the image of Alabama. With a pro-business majority in our state legislature and a fair and equitable Supreme Court, we can build on the foundation that he built. We have a Speaker of the House and a President Pro-Tem of the Senate who are small business owners. They are willing to take risks and make radical changes that will improve our education system and our workforce.

They are joined by a governor who is also willing to take risks and challenge the status quo.

Sandy Stimpson, BCA Chairman 2010

Never has this sentiment been more true than it is today. We have been and still are moving ahead, but in the past few years, the state has picked up some serious speed and seen a sharp increase in new companies locating here while long-established businesses (both large and small) keep thriving, growing and expanding.

The influx of the automotive industry alone is cause for celebration, and other major economic development milestones have only sweetened the previous successes.

"Alabama is poised on the edge of greatness," says Terry Kellogg, 2012 chairman of the Business Council of Alabama. "We are on track to achieve real, lasting reforms. Thanks to our state's large quality workforce, our infrastructure, our low utility costs and a high quality of life, the opportunities for doing business in Alabama are better than they've ever been."

But don’t just take his word for it. Perhaps the best testament to the validity of this statement is the sheer number of companies, many with headquarters across the country and around the globe, that choose to locate in Alabama and view the state as a valuable partner in their continued prosperity. These companies are not here by chance; they’ve not been drawn solely by the afore-mentioned abundance of natural beauty.

They come to Alabama as a part of a strategic plan for success.

This hasn’t always been the case. Despite decades of positive progress in the state, in some circles, even

today, Alabama’s image still bends under the burden of a negative stereotype. Of course, there’s often a nugget of truth in stereotypes, and Alabama can’t and won’t deny the struggles of our past. Working through them and awakening to a better day has shaped who and what we are now.

And who we are is one of the main reasons David Wallace, senior vice president of Huron Valley Steel, believes so strongly in his company’s presence in Alabama. “We came here over 30 years ago to have a location in the South; doing so allowed us to double our business,” he says. “Since I’ve been actively involved in Huron’s business in Alabama what impresses me most about the state are the people — the workforce we find there, the degree of skill, degree of experience, and most importantly, the work ethic.

From our hourly workers up to our vice president, the quality is astounding. I imagine it is safe to say this is why so many other companies are flocking to Alabama.

It is a huge plus.”

Wallace, based at Huron’s corporate headquarters in Trenton, Michigan, travels to Huron’s Anniston plant regularly and often defends Alabama when his opposite page: The opportunities to engage future generations with education that’s also entertaining abound, thanks to cultural gems like Huntsville’s lovely Botanical Gardens, recognized nationally for its innovation and style. | Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Tourism 29

above: Centrally located in the northernmost part of the state, Huntsville is Alabama’s fourth largest city and perhaps best known as home of The U.S. Space and Rocket Center (USSRC), a state-of-the-art NASA visitor center and museum. With the adjacent NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center, “the Rocket City” has played and continues to play a pivotal role in America’s space program and aerospace industries as well as other high-tech industries such as bio-technology and defense. | Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

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above: The U.S. Space and Rocket Center draws approximately half a million people a year from around the state and around the world to discover Huntsville’s place in the nation’s space saga, which started in the city when Dr. Wernher von Braun arrived in 1950.

Photo by Dennis Keim

right: North Alabama sits at the tail end of the Appalachian Mountain Range and offers many breath-taking vistas just like this one.

Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Tourism

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peers question his support of the state. “When I tell people I’m coming down there, they say, ‘That’s too bad.’ I quickly correct them and explain how and why I love it,” he said. “They have a general misperception about the state, but it only persists because they’ve

never been there, because once you visit Alabama, you see beyond all the negatives you may have heard.”

Like Wallace, other business leaders have recognized that doing business in Alabama benefits their companies for a long list of varied reasons.

Forward Thinking The state showed its support of Austal’s developing a subsidiary in Alabama from the moment they saw our interest in moving into the area. After Austal began growing our business on the Alabama Gulf Coast, the state became an even greater supporter than we had originally expected.

Joe Rella, president of Austal USA

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Forward Thinking What impresses me most about the state are the people — the workforce we find there, the degree of skill, degree of experience, and most importantly, the work ethic.

David Wallace, senior vice president of Huron Valley Steel

We The People Wallace is not alone in his praise of Alabama’s residents and its wealth of human capital. CEOs, owners and managers in a wide range of businesses and industries have found a talented and eager workforce in the state, one whose quality and quantity surpasses expectations, and they’re not shy about sharing their thoughts.

Jim Bolte, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, points to Alabama’s workforce as its greatest asset, one that his company has taken full advantage of. “This area is rich in highly skilled manpower. More importantly, we’ve found our team members are willing to learn and are passionate about their work. There are numerous agencies, organizations and institutions making efforts to train Alabama’s workforce for continued success,”

he says. “Our two-year technical colleges have made great efforts in developing curriculum that aligns with the technical skills needed in the automotive industry. Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT) continues to provide new-hire employee training as well as training for existing production and maintenance employees. The Alabama Technology Network conducts numerous training courses to support the automotive industry such as lean manufacturing courses.”

AIDT in particular is one of Alabama’s treasures.

In fact, its efforts and accomplishments give the state a key competitive edge, according to Joe Rella, president of Austal USA. “The great workforce development opportunities afforded Alabama citizens, such as AIDT, have allowed Austal to maintain and grow a strong local workforce and to be competitive with shipbuilders all along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida,” he said. “The AIDT program allows us to take high-school graduates from the classroom right into the workforce and grow them to be competent, responsible shipbuilders and mold them to be some of the best in the country at what they do.” opposite page: As manufacturing grows in the state, Alabama’s workforce stays dedicated to producing quality products so we can all be proud of everything “made in Alabama”. | Photo courtesy of SSAB left: Alabama’s workers are consistently praised by CEOs and business owners for their skill, worth ethic and positive attitudes. | Photo courtesy of Nucor

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above: At the height of the nation’s manufacturing age, Birmingham

opposite page, above: Looking down on Birmingham from his perch

grew so quickly, it was called the “Magic City.” Today, Birmingham

atop Red Mountain, Vulcan, the world’s largest iron sculpture, was

is Alabama’s largest city, home to 40,680 businesses across a wide

once a symbol of the city’s powerful industrial capabilities. After a total

spectrum with an economy based on medical research, banking and

restoration in 2003, this massive statue is now a symbol of the city itself

services. It’s a pretty place, too — Birmingham boasts more green space

and its enduring and imaginative spirit. | Photo courtesy of Robinson Iron

per capita than any other city in the nation. | Photo by Exothermic Photography 34

right: Birmingham is nestled at the very end of the Appalachian foothills and displays some stunning fall foliage among its many parks and wooded neighborhoods. | Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Tourism

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Forward Thinking Alabama is poised on the edge of greatness. With our large quality workforce, our infrastructure, our low utility costs and a high quality of life, the opportunities for doing business here are better than they’ve ever been before.

Terry Kellogg, 2012 chairman of the Business Council of Alabama

Asked what sets Alabama apart from other states when it comes to luring and recruiting business, Rella answered confidently: “I always say that AIDT is the tiebreaker.”

William Brooke, chairman of BCA in 2011 was also quick to recognize Alabama’s residents and the role they play in bringing business here. “We have a stellar, hard-working workforce,” he says. “I consistently hear from so many executives that their employees are as interested in seeing the business succeed as they are.

That is quite unique and important; it’s something that just can’t be faked or duplicated.”

Competitive Advantage For all the accolades heaped on the state’s workforce (and deservedly so), a simple fact remains: Good workers don’t matter much if they can’t work right: Employees at every level of Alabama businesses are routinely recognized for their genuine desire to see their company succeed.

Photo courtesy of MBUSI

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because of restrictions put in place by unions. Many labor unions, once a useful and needed force to protect workers’ rights, have, in recent years, used their collective bargaining power to negotiate costly labor agreements, agreements that hurt companies, put them at a disadvantage in the global marketplace, ultimately costing jobs and slowing or completely stalling new job creation.

Alabama, like 22 other states joining us among the ranks of “right-to-work” locales, defends our citizens’ right to freedom of association by ensuring they cannot be forced to join a union as a condition of employment.

Assuring that employees can decide for themselves whether or not to join or financially support a union works for both employee and employer and adds to the state’s positive business climate, as Rella explained. “As

a right-to-work state, Alabama has supplied Austal and other manufacturing operations within the state with a large industrial employee base,” he says.

Young Deuk Lim, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama based in Montgomery, agreed with Rella, naming the state’s right-to-work status a crucial component in the state’s appeal. “The state offers fair and mutually beneficial incentive programs for companies to make new investments and add good paying jobs,” he says. “The state’s rightto-work law and business-friendly environment could also be considered a competitive advantage versus other states.”

General Charles Krulack, president of Birmingham-Southern College, has traveled the country and the world and also notes “right-to-work” as one of the state’s feathers in its cap. “When you look at Alabama, you see a right-to-work state that is not weighed down by labor and that is open to non-labor organization,” he says. “It is a factor whose impact on business decisions cannot be underestimated.”

left: Auburn University students as well as Auburn residents and visitors benefit from this college town’s culture. The Jule Collins Museum of Fine Art is a shining example of the university’s commitment to supporting the arts.

Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Tourism

Forward Thinking We have wonderful colleges and universities here, including quality state schools and quality private institutions. This creates a pool of educated workers that is second to none.

General Charles Krulack, president of Birmingham-Southern College

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Forward Thinking The state offers fair and mutually beneficial incentive programs for companies to make new investments and create good-paying jobs.

Young Deuk Lim, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama

Smart Start It’s tempting to believe that our state is so special that members of our much-touted workforce are just born great, and actually, some of the attributes that create a great workforce are inherent and pervasive in our area’s culture — things like respect and consideration for others (hallmarks of Southern hospitality) and a recognition of the value and reward found in a hard day’s work.

But in reality, a strong workforce is not born; it is made, and according to General Krulack, the state’s system of stellar colleges and universities can take a lot of the credit for what companies find here in that regard. “We have wonderful colleges and universities here, including quality state schools and quality private right, above & below: Family, friends, good food and football are all a part of the rich traditions at the state’s two largest public universities, The University of Alabama and Auburn University. | Photos courtesy of Kent Gidley, Director of Athletic Photography UA and Auburn Chamber of Commerce

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above: The Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma has become an iconic image

symbol of progress and a march still moving us forward that the state

of the civil rights movement. When everyday Alabamians took a stand

can be proud of. | Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Tourism

against injustice, they changed an entire nation. Today, the bridge is a

institutions,” he says. “This creates a pool of educated workers that is second to none.”

Like Krulack, Dr. Marilyn C. Beck, president of Calhoun Community College in Decatur, knows this first hand. “We have amazingly successful workforce training programs provided through such entities as the Alabama Community College System and AIDT,” she says.

A recent initiative in which Calhoun Community College is a key player provides just one exciting example of the depth and breadth of the training available. Since it was first announced in 2008, the Alabama Robotics

Technology Park (RTP) has quickly become a gem in the state’s economic and workforce development efforts and is a powerful selling point, as Beck explained.

“There doesn’t seem to exist any segment of business or industry that is not impacted in some way by the use of robotics,” she said. “We have enjoyed local, regional, national and international attention about the park. Robot vendors from companies here in the states as well as internationally have placed equipment in Phase I of the RTP as well as providing trainers.”

Additionally, the Robotics Park has been contacted by such prestigious educational institutions as Carnegie

Forward Thinking The state, county and city officials, plus the chambers of commerce and economic development organizations always work together for the common goal of what is best for the state.

Erik L. Johnsen, president of International Shipholding Corporation

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above: Alabama’s affordable and abundant access to air, water, rail

competing to attract new business. | Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce of

and ground transportation sets the state high above other areas when

Huntsville/Madison County

Mellon regarding potential partnership opportunities and in May of 2011 was selected as the host site for the indoor competition portion of the 2011 Spring International Micro Air Vehicle (IMAV) competition, which brought college and university teams from around the world to Calhoun and the park.

of these things, and we have the capability to transport them anywhere.”

Lim agreed with Krulack. “Alabama’s central location in the United States and excellent infrastructure immediately set it apart from other states,” he says. “The state also has a number of light and heavy manufacturing industrial parks available to businesses considering new facilities or expanding their existing capacity.”

Beck agreed as well. “What I feel makes Alabama different from other places is our uniqueness in being able to provide affordable and accessible air, water, rail and ground transportation,” she says.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles For many Alabama companies, success is attained through the creation of a product, and that product, once made, must be moved. Here again, our state more than meets the need. Its spot on the U.S. map and a plethora of roads and railways, a deep-water port and several major airports all combine to form an impressive infrastructure network that helps drive the state’s economic engine. “Alabama has remarkable infrastructure from the standpoint of roads, railway and airports,” Krulack says. “Our interstate system and three major rail providers all crisscross the state. Cars, steel and iron are moved by rail; Alabama produces all 40

Full-Speed Ahead In November 2010, when the last polling station closed and final vote tallies rolled in, the voice of Alabama’s people was heard, and it was no ordinary utterance. It was a shout that said with resounding clarity, “We want a change.” The results of that election

Forward Thinking We have amazingly successful workforce training programs provided through such entities as the Alabama Community College System and AIDT. Dr. Marilyn C. Beck, president of Calhoun Community College

approached epic status, ushering in a completely new age with an almost-complete overhaul of the state’s Senate and House of Representatives. For the first time in more than 180 years, the state was to be led by a pro-business majority in both legislative houses. The implications of this event were instant, and the impact from the policies enacted will have positive effects that last generations. With state leadership committed to an environment that encourages and supports proactive partnerships between business and government and welcomes business with tax incentives and fair regulatory conditions, companies now know that the field is level, and they are ready to play.

William Brooke was chairman of the BCA in 2011 and remembers well the favorable changes that followed the elections. “BCA shifted from defense to offense. We had traditionally worked against bills that would be damaging to business, but with the shift in the legislature, we spent a lot of time figuring out how to best work in the new environment with great results.

We took the opportunity to do some longer range planning and really look at the possibilities for our state and then craft a game plan. Some very important initiatives were enacted, and BCA was a huge part of that,” he says.

Charles Nailen, BCA chairman in 2004, echoed Brooke. “In years past, hundreds of bills were introduced every year in the legislature that were not good for business. We were always playing ‘defense,’ ensuring that no anti-business legislation passed both houses. Now with both a pro-business House and a pro-business Senate, we will be able to get legislation passed that is good for business. And what is good for

business will be good for jobs and for all Alabamians.”

TMMAL’s Bolte stressed the significant connection between a business-friendly political climate and prosperity. “Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama has thrived in Alabama, and we have been fortunate to expand three times, more than doubling our plant size since our start of production in 2003,” he says. “Elected officials and economic development organizations statewide have encouraged our expansions, and our partnerships with them have been a big part of our success so far. We also greatly appreciate the efforts of our local government officials, Chamber of Commerce and community partners in North Alabama, to ensure our company grows and develops.”

Thanks to so many parties’ willingness to work together, Huntsville beat out locations in Japan, China and Australia when Toyota was looking for a home for its newest 4-cylinder engine project. “We have a strong relationship with the Alabama Development Office, and we know that this relationship has served as a critical part of our success. Also, through organizations such as the Business Council of Alabama, Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association and Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, TMMAL has developed valuable business partnerships throughout the entire state,” Bolte says. “We are proud to continue investing in a state that has invested so much in us.”

TMMAL is not the only automotive manufacturer to find a sweet home in Alabama, and its accomplishments made an impression on others who were watching the automotive boom unfold. HMMA is now flourishing in the state as well. “Hyundai 41

above: Established in 1819 at a bend in the Alabama River,

opposite page, below: The Court Street Fountain at the end of

Montgomery today is a thriving capital city, a center of business and

Montgomery’s historic Dexter Avenue. It is topped by a statue of Hebe,

industry. The recent revitalization of Montgomery’s historic downtown

goddess of youth and cupbearer to the gods, and was built in 1885

and riverfront area has created an energetic entertainment district right

over an existing artesian basin. | Photo courtesy of Robinson Iron

in the heart of the city. | Photo by Robert Fouts

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above: Sites and museums such as the Civil Rights Memorial and the Rosa Parks Library & Museum honor and explore Montgomery’s role as the “birthplace of the civil rights movement.” The bus pictured is part of an exhibit highlighting the courage of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery seamstress whose quiet defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the civil rights movement.

Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Tourism

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Motor Company was impressed with Alabama’s track record for attracting automotive manufacturers to the state. The economic development incentive packages, training programs and job placement assistance implemented while recruiting Mercedes, Honda and Toyota were a clear indication that Alabama was a good place to do business,” says Lim. “The State of Alabama, Alabama Development Office, City of Montgomery, Montgomery County, the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce and other organizations involved in recruiting Hyundai to Alabama have met and exceeded our expectations before and after the company chose to locate its manufacturing operations in Montgomery. If anything, Hyundai’s experience with Alabama should be a role model for other states. The partnership that began in 2002 is stronger than ever, and Hyundai has continued to invest in Alabama because of the below: Alabama has a very supportive business climate that is focused on leveraging the state’s assets to enhance the environment for job creation.

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outstanding workforce and pro-business environment.”

Honda, too, found exactly what it required — and more — in Alabama, according to Chuck Ernst, senior vice president of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln. “Starting a new U.S. automotive manufacturing facility for Honda in the Southeast provided an opportunity to discover the potential of this region,” he says. “What we discovered, very quickly, was that Alabama has an abundance of natural resources, an enthusiastic and trainable workforce and strong commitment from state and local governmental leadership to assist a new business in achieving success.

Honda has been rewarded with a great group of business and government partners focused on assisting our company in our quest to make great vehicles and engines. The teamwork between Honda and the Alabama Development Office (ADO) and Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT) resulted in us having the ability to hire and train outstanding associates who are willing to learn and who have a desire and commitment to build exceptional vehicles that our customers demand.”

The state’s over-arching atmosphere only magnifies its other attributes, as Ernst explained. “Alabama has a very supportive business climate that is focused on leveraging the state’s assets to enhance the environment for job creation. In my opinion, Alabama has it all and can provide strong support for any new or expanding businesses.”

Rella at Austal USA commended the state for being a staunch ally of his company from the beginning.

“Our research showed that Alabama, in particular the Mobile area, was rich in shipbuilding history, which meant that its citizens (as a result of the hard work and dedication of their ancestors) would have the experience and qualifications necessary to staff a major shipbuilding program such as Austal. The state showed its support of Austal’s developing a subsidiary in Alabama from the moment they saw our interest in moving into the area,” he says. “After Austal began growing our business on the Alabama Gulf Coast, the state became an even greater supporter than we had originally expected. Their dedication to helping Austal to grow as we take on larger and more complicated DOD contracts became evident with the addition of

Forward Thinking We are proud to continue investing in a state that has invested so much in us.

Jim Bolte, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama

the state-funded AIDT Maritime Training Center, which was established just up the road from Austal’s Module Manufacturing Facility.”

Erik L. Johnsen, president of International Shipholding Corporation in Mobile, succinctly identified what makes Alabama’s business atmosphere so attractive: “It just works,” he said. “The state, county and city officials, plus the chambers of commerce and economic development organizations always work together for the common goal of what is best for state.”

And that’s good for business.

As the articles and corporate profiles in this book prove, Alabama’s roster of the companies and industries that call it home is not only lengthy, it’s also extremely diverse, something Beck believes is a real point of pride. “We’ve shown the ability to attract and support such a vast array of business and industry,” she says.

“Where other states may be known for a particular industry, Alabama is now recognized for our success in such a wide range of industry, from aerospace and defense, to automotive and shipbuilding, to tourism and biotechnology. As someone who has had the opportunity to live in other parts of the country and then to return home to Alabama, I continue to be impressed by just how far we have come in our economic development efforts and in our ability to bring some of the world’s top industry to this state.”

One other key plus? The state’s readily available space. “We’re really just starting down the road of true, modern industrialization,” says Brooke. “There are many areas of the state not yet developed, so we have lots of room to grow.”

Support from both state and local governments as well as collaboration with the private sector have played major roles in bringing world-class companies like Honda and Austal USA to Alabama. And once they’re here, the support continues with programs like Alabama Industrial Development Training. | Photos courtesy of Austal and Honda

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above: On the shores of Mobile Bay, the World War II-era USS Alabama battleship and USS Drum submarine are on display and open for exploration at Battleship Memorial Park. Other exhibits include Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials and a variety of historical military equipment. | Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Tourism

left: Alabama’s only seaport and a coastal jewel, Mobile is the state’s thirdlargest city and is a festive mix of its French, Spanish and Creole roots. The city’s fun-loving attitude is on prominent display during Mardi Gras, the nowfamous festival that was born in Mobile (not New Orleans) in the early 18th century. But the city isn’t all play and no work. Mobile’s deep-water port and its shipbuilding industries are of vital importance to the state’s economy, and it’s also a hub of construction and manufacturing. below: Mobile’s 65-acre Bellingrath Gardens is in full bloom with camellias in the winter, azaleas in the spring, roses in the summer, chrysanthemums in autumn and its Magic Christmas in Lights during the holiday season. | Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Tourism

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Forward Thinking I think there is tremendous opportunity for companies in Alabama. It comes down to the cost of doing business here, which encompasses our transportation system, our job training programs, and our quality of life — our mild climate, proximity to both the beach and the mountains and a relatively low cost of living. These are the kinds of attributes that appeal to companies and their employees alike.

James T. McManus, CEO and chairman of Energen

The Best is Yet to Come CEO and chairman of Birmingham-based Energen James T. McManus II summed up the allure Alabama holds for those searching for the right place to do business: “I think there is tremendous opportunity for companies in Alabama. We have a competitive cost structure, state-sponsored workforce training programs, a comprehensive infrastructure and a supportive corporate community. We continue to work to diversify our industrial base and attract companies that will bring new sectors and jobs to our economy,” he says. “It comes down to the cost of doing business

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here, which encompasses our transportation system, our job training programs, and our quality of life — our mild climate, proximity to both the beach and the mountains and a relatively low cost of living. These are the kinds of attributes that appeal to companies and their employees alike.”

International Shipholding’s Johnsen concurred.

“While we would whisper about the great qualities of the state, the secret is out. Alabama is a right-to-work state with a well-trained workforce. The state has both universities and vocational programs that fuel industry

growth,” he says. “The businesses here, like ourselves, have found quality employees who go the extra mile for their employers. Add to all of this the quality of life aspects, and Alabama is just hard to beat.”

With these glowing reports, it would be easy to get comfortable with our current situation. If you look back down the road that Alabama has traveled over the last decades, the many miles traversed, the hurdles overcome, the victories won are as obvious as they are monumental.

But something else is apparent as well: The journey is not over. There’s still some ground to cover before we reach the summit, and that means we’re headed uphill.

And yet, there’s no anxiety in this knowledge.

Instead, as we have the tools and the support of powerful private-public partnerships necessary to make the climb, there is excitement in the promise of things to come and a brighter future for us all.

Robert “Bubba” Lee, BCA chairman in 1996, has watched the pace of progress in the state for decades and offered this observation. “From what I’ve seen, the right people, in the right places, at the right time usually make for great opportunities. Alabama has the right people and the right places,” he says. And today is undeniably the right time.

The state will keep making great strides in attracting new business and bolstering the growth of those already here. As Alabama diligently continues

on this prosperous path, moving ever forward toward the light on the horizon, we do so holding fast to the belief that the rising tide of business success elevates everyone. It is a lofty vision that is becoming a reality, and that is beyond beautiful.

Mother Nature was more than kind when she bestowed her gifts on Alabama: awe-inspiring sunset scenes, acres and acres of habitat for wildlife to thrive, and miles of unspoiled wilderness. But it’s more than all this that makes Alabama truly beautiful. Hard-working people, committed business leaders and dedicated public officials coming together to create a high quality of life for all are putting the finishing brushstrokes on a work of art that’s still in progress, yet getting closer to ideal every day. | Photos courtesy of the Alabama Department of Tourism

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Little River Canyon | Photo by Charles Seifried 50

Part Two 51

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Destination Alabama: Tourism & Recreation Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

T

above: Dr. David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama | Photo by Robert Fouts

here are a lot of reasons that 21 million or so people visit the state of Alabama in a given year. One of them is the renowned Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Annually, some 550,000 golfers play courses along the Trail, which is a collection of 468 holes of championship golf on 26 courses in 11 different cities — stretching from Huntsville and Muscle Shoals to Mobile and Point Clear and points in between.

The RTJ Trail is a fairly recent development. The idea came from Dr. David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, who was seeking to diversify the state’s pension fund portfolio while strengthening the state itself. The result was a unique vehicle to boost tourism, attract retirees and spur economic growth.

above: RTJ Trail at Capitol Hill, The Judge Course in Prattville | Photo by

opposite page: RTJ Trail at Ross Bridge in Birmingham

Michael Clemmer

Photo by Rich Albright courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

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above: RTJ Trail at Silver Lakes in Anniston/Gadsden Photo by Michael Clemmer

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Courses at the first eight sites were completed in the early 1990s and amounted to the largest golf course construction project ever attempted in the United States. Designed by legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr., The Trail has since staked its claim as the state’s top tourism attraction — for visitors both near and far.

The accolades for the Trail came early and have continued. For example, The Wall Street Journal said it “may be the biggest bargain in the country,” while The New York Times called

it “some of the best public golf on Earth.” In the Golf Digest 2008 Travel & Destination Study, conducted in partnership with the Travel Industry Association of America, the Trail was ranked No. 1 in the country for value and was ranked No. 8 for golf quality.

The Trail “put Alabama on the tourism map internationally,” says Edith Parten, media relations director for the Alabama Tourism Department. It brings tourists to the state from all over the world, she noted.

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Outdoor Adventures Alabama’s temperate climate — with warmth and sunshine during most parts of the year — makes outdoor activities a natural choice. And, there are 22 million acres of forests.

Topography ranges from the Gulf beaches to Appalachian cliffs, making Alabama one of the most bio-diverse states in the country.

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opposite page: Eagle Cliff in Dekalb County | Photo by Charles Seifried

below: A bird’s eye view of the white sand beaches in Gulf Shores | Photo: courtesy of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

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Across the state, visitors have options for all types of outdoor adventures — biking, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, sailing, boating, rock climbing, hot air-ballooning and more. And there are many more “trails” than the one designed for golf. above: Biking at Oak Mountain State Park near Birmingham | Photo by Jeff Greenberg courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

opposite page: Fishing on the Tennessee River in north Alabama | Photo by Charles Seifried left: Hikers can venture through trails lined by house-sized boulders and old-growth trees in north Alabama. | Photo by Charles Seifried

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above: Traditional fox hunting is just one of the many outdoor sports one can enjoy in Alabama. | Photo by Dennis Keim opposite page: Although Bobwhite quail hunting practices have changed over the past few decades, hunters can still enjoy the numerous commercial quail hunting preserves throughout the state. | Photo by Charles Seifried

right: Long seasons, liberal bag limits and a rich diversity of wildlife make Alabama a hunter’s paradise. White-tail deer and Eastern wild turkey are two of the most popular game animals.

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opposite page, above: Rock climbing at Hurricane Creek Park in

above: The Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Festival is held annually

Cullman | Photo by J.W. McCrary courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

in Decatur. | Photo by Dennis Keim

opposite page, below left: The public lakes of Alabama not only

opposite page, below right: Sailing is just one of the many

offer skiing and boating, but they’re also stocked with largemouth

recreational activities one can enjoy in any of the 23 public lakes

bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish and rainbow trout. | Photo

managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural

by Dennis Keim

Resources. | Photo by Dennis Keim

The right people, in the right places, at the right time usually make for great opportunities. Alabama has the right people and the right places.

Robert “Bubba” Lee, BCA Chairman 1996

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The Alabama Scenic River Trail, the longest state water trail in the country, covers 631 miles from the Georgia state line to the Gulf Coast and follows seven rivers and two creeks. Along the way, folks enjoy fishing, as well as canoeing, kayaking and power boating.

The Alabama Birding Trail leads through forests, mountains, meadows, swamps and bays for any number of avian habitats in a state where more than 400 species of birds take to the skies.

All of Mobile County’s Dauphin Island, a 14-mile island in the Gulf of Mexico, has been designated as a bird sanctuary, and thousands come each year to experience the annual migrations.

opposite page, left: Bird watchers at Dauphin Island | Photo by Jeff Greenberg courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

opposite page, right: Kayakers paddle along Whiskey Ditch in south Alabama. The Alabama Scenic River Trail is a 631-mile-long navigable boating trail perfect for canoeing, kayaking, power boating and fishing. | Photo by Charles Seifried below: Pelicans take flight over Wheeler Lake in north Alabama.

From the majestic bald eagle, symbol of our nation’s heritage, to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, over 400 species of birds grace the blue skies above Alabama. | Photo by Charles Seifried

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The Alabama Wine Trail winds through tours and tastetesting in 12 family-operated wineries across the state. The Hank Williams Trail follows significant locations in the brief life of the iconic Alabama-born musician.

There are also trails that reflect Alabama’s unique position in American history. The Alabama Civil War Trail, for example, highlights attractions and sites that reflect on the state’s time as the Cradle of the Confederacy. The Alabama Civil Rights Museum Trail captures the legacies of key figures and pivotal moments in America’s civil rights movement.

Trails are a helpful way to package activities, Parten noted.

“If you’re interested in a certain topic, you can follow this trail to see everything that Alabama has to offer for this topic. It makes it easier for travelers and tourists to find what they’re interested in.” opposite page, above: The Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham | Photo by Jeff Greenberg courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

opposite page, below: The Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery | Photo by Meg McKinney courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

right: Reenactors of the 33rd Alabama Infantry at the Confederate Memorial Park in Marbury | Photo courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism below: The Alabama Wine Trail features more than a dozen local vineyards where you can taste traditional wines and Southern favorites. | Photo courtesy of Ozan Vineyards

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A Mix of Natural Resources, Culture & History In addition to privately owned options, Alabama as a state is committed to recreation. The Forever Wild Land Trust, an official state program, was created in the 1990s to conserve the state’s natural resources while also supporting opportunities for outdoor recreation. On behalf of these goals, since 1992, Forever Wild has acquired more than 200,000 acres in 22 counties across the state.

Public land acquisitions are used to support the goals of the trust: preserving unique animal and plant habitats, establishing recreational areas, securing Wildlife Management Areas for public hunting and expanding state parks. The Alabama State Park System is comprised of 22 state parks where visitors will find beautiful locations for golfing, fishing, boating, swimming, camping and many other options for enjoying the state’s natural resources. above: Monte Sano State Park Scenic Overlook in Huntsville | Photo by Jeff Greenberg courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

opposite page: Lake Guntersville State Park in northeast Alabama | Photo by Terry Martin courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

right: DeSoto Falls of DeSoto State Park in DeKalb County | Photo by Dan Brothers courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

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Alabama also offers many cultural opportunities, including the celebrated, world-class Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery, which is the seventh largest Shakespeare theatre in the United States and offers a variety of classical and contemporary theatrical productions.

Additionally, reflecting Alabama’s role in the birth of America’s space program, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville is one of the most comprehensive U.S. manned space flight hardware museums in the world. Fittingly, it is located in the city were Dr. Wernher von Braun served as director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and where rockets were developed that sent U.S. satellites into orbit and put man on the moon.

Almost 16 million people have visited the Space and Rocket Center since it opened in 1970. It is also the home of Space Camp, a renowned youth science activities program, which began in 1982 and has drawn more than a half-million young people and adults from across the country and other parts of the world. left: The Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF) is the seventh largest Shakespeare festival in the world. Each year, it attracts more than 300,000 visitors from throughout the United States and more than 60 countries to its home in Montgomery, Alabama. ASF operates all year, its professional repertory company producing six to nine productions annually, typically including three works of William Shakespeare. | Photo by Lewis Kennedy courtesy of Alabama Department of Tourism

opposite page, below: Huntsville is home to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, one of the most comprehensive U.S. manned space flight hardware museums in the world.

Visitors to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center will experience Huntsville’s role in the making of the moon rocket, the space race and the Apollo missions as well as learn about the Space Shuttle Program, the International Space Station and NASA’s future missions. | Photo by Dennis Keim

left: Huntsville’s Space and Rocket Center is home to Space Camp, a renowned youth science activities program that has educated and inspired more than a half-million young people from across the country and around the world. | Photo by Dennis Keim

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Gulf Beaches Make a Splash The largest contributor to Alabama tourism is at the state’s southernmost point — the sparkling white sand Gulf beaches. The beach communities in Baldwin County, including Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, in 2011 hosted approximately 4.9 million visitors who spent $2.6 billion and generated more than 40,000 above: Visitors to the area will be pleased with the vast array of accommodations on and near the beach. | Photo courtesy of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

left, above: Alabama’s Gulf is home to a wide variety of fish such as blue marlin, red snapper, yellow fin tuna, amberjack and more. | Photo courtesy of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism left, below: Pristine white beaches and sparkling turquoise waters make Alabama’s Gulf Coast a destination perfect for the entire family. | Photo by Robert Fouts

opposite page, above: Luxury condos along Alabama’s Gulf Coast | Photo courtesy of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

opposite page, below: There is something for everyone at Alabama’s Gulf Coast. | Photo by Robert Fouts

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jobs. “That’s approximately 27 percent of the state’s total tourism dollar per year,” says Herbert Malone, president/CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. During June, July and August, the height of the season, Malone noted, “We’re generating nearly 50 percent of the state’s tourism dollar.”

Most visitors to the beaches — whether from instate, neighboring states or along the I-65 and I-10 corridors — drive to their destinations. “Many of them drive the full length of the state to get here,” Malone says. “The beach is oftentimes the first introduction to the State of Alabama, but because so many drive here, it gives them an opportunity to venture off and see what else the state has to offer.”

Certainly, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that began on the eve of the tourism season in April 2010 had a significant negative impact. “The season got yanked away from us,” Malone says. But by October 2010, the numbers were positive again. “Our beaches are as clean as they’ve ever been. Our waters are clear.

Our physical product is almost totally recovered, and our tourists are coming back in large numbers.”

On top of all this, there’s plenty more to see and do in Alabama, and the Alabama Tourism Department has a full listing of the state’s multiple attractions, festivals and events at www.alabama.travel.

above: Gulf Shores’ Kiva Dunes, the No. 1 rated golf course in Alabama, offers an exceptional and unforgettable golf experience and is definitely to be included on your “must play” list while visiting the Gulf Coast. | Photo courtesy of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

opposite page: The Peninsula Golf Course is a 27-hole championship course located near Gulf Shores and open to the public. | Photo courtesy of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

left: Cotton Creek is an Arnold Palmerdesigned championship course in Gulf Shores.

Photo courtesy of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

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Geared for Growth: Automotive Sector

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ot since the state’s earliest days — when cotton crops covered the countryside — has one industry transformed Alabama’s economic landscape as much as automotive manufacturing. The numbers tell the story.

In 1993, zero cars were manufactured in Alabama.

Then the small town of Vance, population 1,200, was chosen as the location of a $300 million automotive manufacturing plant that would become Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. Production began in 1997 on the Mercedes-Benz M-Class sport utility vehicle for the worldwide market.

A $600 million expansion, announced in 2000, doubled the size of the plant and the workforce as well as the capacity annually for the second-generation M-Class, R-Class and GL-Class.

above: MBUSI operates out of a 3-million-square-foot plant and has a manufacturing capacity of 174,000 new vehicles. | Photo by Robert Fouts opposite page: MBUSI currently employs around 3,000 Team Members and plans to add another 1,400 jobs by 2015. | Photo courtesy of MBUSI below: The Mercedes-Benz second generation M-Class sport utility vehicle Photo courtesy of MBUSI

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The $1.6 billion Honda Manufacuting of Alabama plant employs more than 4,000 people and manufactures the Honda Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV, Ridgeline pickup and V-6 engines. | Photos courtesy of HMA

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In Alabama, we have established a judicial system that is fair and equitable. We would not have had the opportunities to attract our great automotive, shipping and other industries without it. Alabama is a state with incredible natural resources and a workforce that is ready and willing to be the best they can be for the future of their companies.

Carol Gordy, BCA Chairman 2007

By 2011, MBUSI had a manufacturing capacity of 174,000 new vehicles, operated out of a 3-million-squarefoot plant, employed around 3,000 and had an annual economic impact of more than $1.5 billion. Thirty Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers in the state provide thousands more jobs. And another $290 million expansion to the plant was announced in 2009.

But that’s just part of the equation. In 1999, the city of Lincoln had the natural resources, transportation network, workforce support and 1,350 acres of available land that led

to its selection as the site of a 3.5-million-square-foot facility for Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. Along with the plant in this city of 4,500, 25 Tier-1 suppliers set up shop in the state.

Production began in 2001, and today the $1.6 billion plant employs more than 4,000 and manufactures the Honda Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV, Ridgeline pickup and V-6 engines with a capacity for 300,000 vehicles and V-6 engines annually. In 2011, Honda announced $200 million in new investment to increase production and

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engine capacity. In addition, the international automaker will also begin production of the Acura MDX luxury sport utility vehicle at its Alabama plant in 2013.

The selection in 2002 of 1,744 acres of former cattle pasture in western Montgomery County as the location for Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama brought a third automotive manufacturing plant and 35 Tier-1 suppliers to the state. The $1.4 billion, 2-millionsquare-foot plant, which began production in 2005, employs 2,500 people while its suppliers employ another 6,000. HMMA currently builds the Sonata sedan and Elantra sedan and is able to produce 300,000 vehicles annually.

above: Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama’s $1.4 billion, 2-millionsquare-foot plant employs 2,500 people and has a manufacturing capacity of 300,000 vehicles yearly.

Photo by Robert Fouts

opposite top: The 2012 Hyundai Elantra | Photo courtesy of HMMA opposite bottom: The 2012 Hyundai Sonata | Photo courtesy of HMMA 81

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc. manufactures V6 and V8 engines for Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks and the Sequoia full-size sport utility vehicle. The $514 million plant opened in 2001, and after a planned $80 million expansion, will employ some 1,150 and add the V6 engine for the Highlander model to its production line.

Today, motor vehicles produced in the state have become Alabama’s top export. In 2010, more than $3.98 billion worth of cars were shipped to more than 80 countries. Additionally, Alabama ranks fifth in the nation in the number of vehicles manufactured.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama’s $514 million plant employs 750 people and manufactures V6 and V8 engines for Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks and the Sequoia SUV. | Photo courtesy of TMMA opposite top: The 2012 Toyota Sequoia SUV | Photo courtesy of TMMA opposite bottom: The 2012 Toyota Tacoma | Photo courtesy of TMMA 82

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Alabama’s automotive industry also includes two engine plants in Huntsville. Navistar Diesel of Alabama produces Navistar’s line of vee engines, the MaxxForce®5, MaxxForce®7 and 6.4-liter Power Stroke Diesel engine for Ford Motor Company. The plant employs 400 and represents a $350 million investment.

Exceeding a Developer’s Dream

above: Navistar employs 400 people and manufactures the MaxxForce® 5 and the MaxxForce® 7 diesel engines in Huntsville.

opposite page: MBUSI President & CEO Markus Schaefer makes a donation to Tuscaloosa city and county officials for the relief efforts following the 2011 tornadoes. | Photo courtesy of MBUSI 84

No one could have imagined that the state would become home to three automotive manufacturers, two engine manufacturers and 120-plus suppliers in a very short period of time, says Steve Sewell, executive vice president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. “We tend to be optimistic as economic developers. That would have fallen under the category of a dream,” Sewell says.

But none of it happened by accident. The state had many factors in its favor, including an available workforce, great sites located near interstates and highways, a lower cost of operation, a commitment to training, an infrastructure for manufacturing and a pro-business atmosphere. “Alabama as a state welcomes industry,” Sewell says. “Companies can sense whether a state or community is welcoming and supportive of what they want to do. Alabama just hit it out of the park.”

The impact of the automotive industry’s growth reaches far and wide. Certainly, there is the overall economic impact on the state as well as the impact on communities and on the individuals now in highpaying jobs. In addition, the kind of companies that were recruited are known for their manufacturing excellence and for the way they make decisions.

“Those companies brought attention to Alabama that we had never been able to earn before,” Sewell says.

The state’s reputation and the ability to go after marquee projects was enhanced. “We learned how to put together a team effort and focus on a significant project that would make a difference,” Sewell says. This experience came into play when the state recruited other marquee projects, ranging from the Boeing Delta IV rocket manufacturing plant in Decatur, which began production in 2000, to ThyssenKrupp Steel USA and ThyssenKrupp Stainless

USA, which began production in Calvert in late 2010.

“The state learned about being competitive,” Sewell says.

The companies have also had a positive impact on their communities. “They had a real interest in corporate citizenship. They wanted to make sure their impact was positive for the community,” Sewell says. “They’re truly world-class employers that you would want to have in the state.”

These qualities were evident as the state’s automotive industry adjusted to the economic downturn. In the case of Hyundai, for example, the biggest impact was felt in the first six months of 2009 when the plant fluctuated between three- and four-day workweeks. “We had reduced work schedules, but we did not lay off any people,” says Robert Burns, HMMA public relations manager. By July, however, market demand had turned around and the company returned to a five-day workweek. “We are one of the only major automotive manufacturers to have a sales increase

versus 2008 — up 8 percent versus the prior year,” Burns says. “Even though we had a slow beginning, it really took off at the back end of 2009.”

The Navistar Diesel of Alabama engine plant in Huntsville had its own unique response to the downturn.

Instead of layoffs, the company allowed employees to provide valuable services to the local community. Thanks to this employee-to-volunteer effort, the company was recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and awarded the 2010 U.S. Community Service Award.

In another example of community support, after Tuscaloosa and other parts of the state experienced a devastating tornado outbreak in April 2011, Alabama’s automotive industry was quick to respond. For example, the next week MBUSI and parent company, Daimler AG, announced plans to donate $1 million for relief efforts in west and central Alabama. HMMA announced plans to donate $1.5 million to the Governor’s Emergency Relief 85

right: HMMA President & CEO Y.D. Lim presents a check to Governor Bentley for the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund in response to the devastation of the 2011 tornadoes.

Photo courtesy of HMMA

opposite page: Toyota made a generous contribution to the American Red Cross, and its employees joined in the tornado relief efforts. | Photo courtesy of TMMA below: More than 1,500 Honda associates committed more than 12,000 volunteer hours to assist with tornado relief efforts.

Photo courtesy of HMA

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Fund, and Toyota announced that it would contribute $1 million to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts in the South, Midwest and Eastern regions of the United States and match employee contributions to the Red Cross.

It also provided support and assistance to Toyota employees who lost their homes.

Honda Manufacturing of Alabama at the time was experiencing the effects of another natural disaster — the March 2011 tsunami and earthquake in Japan that slowed the supply of parts to the Alabama plant for several months.

While production slowed at the plant, more than 1,500 associates committed more than 12,000 volunteer hours to assist with tornado relief efforts in the communities,

including cleaning up debris, organizing donations and distributing supplies. In addition to a corporate donation, the Honda plant also contributed five vehicles for use in relief efforts.

Not only do these qualities speak well of the companies and their commitment to the state’s communities, the products themselves say even more. “Before the automotive industry, we didn’t make a lot of consumer products that were well known,” Sewell says. Now award-winning, high quality vehicles are made in Alabama and sold worldwide.

“It makes a statement about the ability of the Alabama workforce to produce an obviously complicated product,” Sewell says.

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Made in Alabama: General Manufacturing

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he diversity in Alabama’s manufacturing industries creates a balanced sector that draws on the state’s many profitable qualities, including location and logistics, a competitive business climate, strong workforce training, scientific knowledge and historic opportunity.

It’s fitting that aerospace, for example, would become one of Alabama’s dominant industries. This is, after all, the state where the Wright Brothers opened the nation’s first civilian flying school on what would become Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. And it’s where NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville built the rockets that sent Americans to the moon. “Aerospace is a strength for the state and one that we actively recruit,” says Linda Swann, assistant director of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “We believe that we’re a good match for just about anything aerospace.”

above: Montgomery was home to the Wright Brothers’ first civilian flight school. The famous “fathers of flight” started a long-running story of aviation in Montgomery and the state.

Photo by Robert Fouts

left: Today, Montgomery is the site of Maxwell Air Force Base and Air University, the Air Force’s premier educational institution.

Recognizing the Wright Brothers’ Flying School as the catalyst for so much aviation activity in the state, a statue of the brothers’ bi-plane is a prominent fixture on the base.

Photo by Robert Fouts

opposite page: Alabama’s manufacturing companies are distinct and diverse. There is one common thread: In Alabama they’ve found a positive business climate that leads to growth and success. | Photo by Dennis Keim

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left: NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for the manufacture, assembly and operation of the primary propulsion elements on one of the most complex machines ever built, the space shuttle. Although the shuttle program has ended, Marshall Space Flight Center continues to pave the way for next-generation space vehicles and future exploration missions beyond our orbit to other worlds. | Photo by Dennis Keim

right: Today, leaders in the aerospace industry, including more than 90 companies, call Huntsville, “The Rocket City,” home. | Photo by Dennis Keim below: Starting with the arrival of rocket scientist Dr. Wernher von Braun (middle), Huntsville played a pivotal role in fulfilling the pledge of President John F. Kennedy (far right). | Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Huntsville and its neighbors in Madison County provide a home for more than 90 companies representing nearly every major U.S. aerospace corporation and employing more than 11,000 people. Once home to renowned rocket scientist Dr. Wernher von Braun, the Huntsville area has been a strong draw for the country’s leading aerospace engineers and scientists. The area has one of the highest concentrations of PhD’s per capita in the country and has well earned its nickname “Rocket City USA.”

Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal, an early focal point of the Army’s rocket and science projects, is today a federal campus for some 60 federal agencies and organizations pursuing national defense and space exploration. The Army’s rocket and missile program is housed there. Additionally, the Marshall Space Flight Center occupies a 1,900-acre campus in the heart of Redstone Arsenal. This area includes the test stands and rocket production facilities that were used to build the Saturn V rocket in the 1960s.

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above: Goodrich in Mobile manufactures the TERPROM© Terrain Referenced Navigation system used on the Airbus A400M airlifter. It provides flight crews with low-altitude flight situational awareness and the ability to safely navigate the aircraft where GPS is denied. | Photo courtesy of Goodrich right: EADS North America’s HC-144A Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft for the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard operates the Ocean Sentry out of Mobile, and it is one of several types of aircraft that EADS supports at its maintenance, repair and overhaul facility located at Mobile Regional Airport. The facility was opened in 2009. | Photo courtesy of EADS North America

The “South Alabama Aviation Triangle,” a section of the state that stretches from Dothan to Montgomery to Mobile, is home to more than 65 aviation companies and two military installations.

Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery is known as the Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force, and Fort Rucker, which is located 20 miles northwest of Dothan, is the headquarters for Army Aviation and the largest helicopter training installation in the world.

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In the Mobile area, aerospace companies employ an estimated 3,500 and include such leaders in the aviation industry as EADS Airbus, Airbus Military North America, Goodrich, Star Aviation, Teledyne Continental, ST Aerospace Mobile, Fokker Airinc and Northrop Grumman. “We have a lot of investments in defense and aerospace,” says Win Hallett, president of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, who credited this in part to nearby military installations in northwest

Florida and Mississippi. “There’s a real advantage for people in the same type industry to be in close proximity.”

In addition to aerospace, the shipbuilding industry has also congregated in the Mobile area, thanks to a deep-water port and connection to the state’s river system.

Austal USA, the American branch of operations for the Australian shipbuilder, takes a prominent place

in the Mobile area’s employment opportunities. In 2008, Austal USA was awarded a $1.6 billion, 10ship contract for joint high-speed vessels for the U.S. military. In December 2010, the shipbuilder was awarded a U.S. Navy contract for construction of up to 10 littoral combat ships — with the contract for the first being valued at $432 million. “They will be our largest employer in the next two years,” Hallett says.

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left: Through Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT), manufacturing companies in Alabama receive an unparalled level of industryspecific training, support and resources resulting in a prepared, highly skilled workforce. | Photo courtesy of AIDT

Steel is another strength in the state, Swann says. ThyssenKrupp, the German steel manufacturer, began operations at its $5 billion plant in Calvert in December 2010. At the time of the 2007 announcement, Michael Rademacher, vice chairman and CFO of ThyssenKrupp Stainless, said, “This facility represents the largest investment in the history of ThyssenKrupp Stainless.” It’s also considered the largest manufacturing project in Alabama’s economic development history.

ThyssenKrupp Steel and ThyssenKrupp Stainless currently employ about 2,000 people on a 3,600acre site. That employment figure is anticipated to grow to 2,700 — plus 4,300 indirect jobs — and ThyssenKrupp is expected to have a $965 million annual impact on the state’s economy.

Among other steel-related companies, Nucor, one of the largest steel producers in the U.S., has facilities in Decatur, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. U.S. Steel has steelmaking and finishing facilities in the Fairfield area of Birmingham.

In 2010, Lakeside Steel, a Canadian firm that makes pipes for oil and gas drillers, announced that it would locate a pipe mill in the Thomasville area.

The company continued to expand its plans in 2011, announcing two additional phases that will bring the total investment to $57.5 million and create 280 jobs. left: Vulcan, the world’s largest iron statue, is an colossal symbol of Birmingham’s industrial past. The monument was recently renovated and is now back on display at Vulcan Park. | Photo courtesy of Robinson Iron

opposite page: Australia-based Austal came to Mobile in 1999, taking full advantage of the city’s deep-water port and bringing thousands of jobs to south Alabama. The U.S. military has awarded Austal a contract to construct 10 high-speed littoral combat ships — a $432 million deal.

Photo courtesy of Austal

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Our court system has become balanced and predictable, and we now also have a pro-business House and Senate. The legislature is making positive changes by leaps and bounds. Regulations and taxes will be appropriate, and I feel like that will grow existing business and attract new businesses here. We are on the front end of greatness in this state.

Mike Thompson, BCA Chairman 2003

In addition, nearly 200 chemicals and plastics companies in the state produce a wide variety of products, ranging from fertilizer, pesticides, auto antifreeze and chlorine to bath and body products, cleaning chemicals and solvents, dietary supplements and printing ink. In 2010, the sector employed more than 9,200 Alabamians.

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Many of these companies are clustered in the Decatur and Mobile areas, thanks to access to the state’s waterways, while others are located throughout the state. For example, in Decatur, the 3M Company produces industrial chemicals; BP Amoco Chemical Co. produces plastics and raw materials; and Daikin America manufactures fluoropolymers. Olin

Corporation, in the south Alabama city of McIntosh, is a national leader in the manufacture of chlorine, caustic soda and industrial bleach. BASF, a Germanbased chemical manufacturer, operates plants in McIntosh as well as in Huntsville, while Philadelphiabased Arkema makes a variety of chemical additives in the south Alabama town of Axis. Dupont, an

international company producing insecticides, fungicides and special chemicals is also located in Axis.

Among those companies in other areas of Alabama, Sabic Innovative Plastics, which makes the Lexan brand of polycarbonate resin for such industries as automotive, aerospace and electronics, is located near Montgomery in Burkville. left: The list of items manufactured in Alabama is a long one: aircraft components, rockets, cars, chemicals, steel, ships, plastics, fertilizer, paper and much more. | Photo courtesy of BASF

below: Making strong steel is what ThyssenKrupp Stainless does. Now it does it in Alabama. When the German company located operations in Calvert, it was the largest investment in the history of the company. | Photo courtesy of ThyssenKrupp Steel

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In a state that has about 23 million acres of timberland — about 70 percent of the total land area — the forestry industry has historically been the largest manufacturing industry for the state. Forest products manufacturing operations number around 700 in the state, and forest-based companies employ around 48,000 people, producing an estimated $15 billion in products annually.

Additionally, thanks to the state’s location and supporting transportation infrastructure, one of Alabama’s high growth industries is distribution and logistics. “Alabama is well positioned in the South,” Swann said. “We are in a good position with good highway access to Southern markets.”

In 2011, Dollar General, the discount retailer, selected Bessemer as the location for its tenth distribution center. The $60 million, one-millionsquare-foot facility began operations in February 2012 and will eventually employ 650 people and will serve 500 stores in Alabama and other states.

Other nationally known companies also have major distribution operations in the state, including Home Depot, Wal-Mart and SYSCO. “One of the things we have managed to do in the state is diversify,” Swann says. As traditional manufacturing areas, such as textiles, declined, other areas came along to replace those losses and many times, with higher-paying jobs. International 98

investment, particularly following the U.S. location of the Mercedes automotive plant in Vance in the 1990s, is a key point of focus for the state’s economic development teams.

What else makes Alabama so competitive for manufacturing? “The number one thing in the state is our work ethic,” Swann says. “We are not adverse to shift work. The people have a really strong work ethic.”

Training programs also factor in very favorably.

“We do startup training better than any other state in the nation,” Swann says. Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT) is the first training program in the world to be certified in compliance with ISO 9001:2000, the International Organization for Standardization Principle of Quality Management.

AIDT’s workforce management system, which is provided at no cost to employers or trainees, includes recruitment, assessment and training of potential employees; development and production of job-related training materials; provision of training facilities; and delivery of job-specific services.

“Another thing that makes us competitive is the cost of doing business in the state,” Swann says.

Alabama has one of the most competitive business climates in the nation, and economic development teams work closely with companies to develop incentive packages that are tailored to their location or expansion in Alabama communities.

above: The forestry industry in Alabama employs about 48,000 people and produces an estimated $15 billion in products annually. | Photo courtesy of AFA

left: Hyundai Heavy Industries announced its first U.S. plant in Montgomery in 2010. HHI manufactures large power transformers, some weighing up to 500 tons.

Photo by Robert Fouts

opposite page: Dollar General recently broke ground for its newest distribution center in Bessemer. Local chambers of commerce and economic development authorities are keeping their shovels dirty, with more and more groundbreakings for new businesses coming each year. | Photo courtesy of Dollar General

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Homegrown: Alabama’s Agribusiness and Natural Resources

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labama’s land has a long history of providing an economic foundation and sources of livelihood for its citizens. Today, with 48,500 farms across nine million acres of farmland, the agribusiness sector continues to bring home the bacon.

The poultry industry makes up a sizeable portion of this sector. Statewide, it’s the top farm commodity for cash receipts, and Alabama ranks third nationally in poultry production. The state’s poultry growers market a billion birds each year. Additionally, laying flocks produce more than two billion eggs, ranking the state 14th in egg production.

above and left: The poultry industry provides more than 80,000 jobs and has a $10 billion economic impact on the state of Alabama. | Photo on left by Charles Seifried

opposite page: Alabama farmers currently produce between 150,000 to 200,000 acres of soybeans each year. | Photo by Charles Seifried

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Beef cattle production is also a major player.

According to the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, Alabama cattle producers sold $308 million worth of cattle and calves in 2010, and they provide a $2.5 billion industry for the state. In 2011, the cattle and calves inventory was 1.2 million head, while the state’s livestock inventory also included 130,000 in hogs and pigs.

The green industry — which covers nursery growers, greenhouse growers, landscape operations and retail and garden centers — is another significant player within the agribusiness sector. A 2009 economic impact study showed that the industry contributes $2.9 billion annually to the state’s economy and provides more than 43,000 jobs.

Additionally, Alabama ranks 14th in the nation in nursery and greenhouse sales. opposite page and above: Alabama dairy producers represent a $41 million industry while the $2.5 billion beef industry produces cattle in all 67 counties of the state.

Photos courtesy of Alabama Cattlemen’s Association

left: Nursery growers, greenhouse growers and garden centers employ more than 43,000 Alabamians and contribute $2.9 billion annually to the state’s economy.

Photo by Robert Fouts

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above: Alabama produces more than 480,000 bales of cotton annually.

Cotton also continues to be one of the state’s agricultural strengths. In 2010, Alabama ranked ninth in the nation for cotton production, and the 480,000 bales produced were valued at more than $199 million.

Alabama ranks third in peanut production nationally. Dothan, the county seat of Houston County, has long been known as the “peanut capital of the world.” About half the peanuts grown in the United States are harvested within 100 miles of this city in the southeastern part of the state.

In 2010, Alabama peanut producers harvested a total of 185,000 acres. Baldwin County was the top producer and was joined in the top five by Houston, Geneva, Escambia and Monroe counties.

Chilton County has an especially notable reputation for its peach production. Clanton, the county seat, is the state’s largest producer of peaches.

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According to the Alabama Farmers Federation, the state ranks ninth nationally in peach production, and there’s still much more to Alabama’s agricultural bounty: the state ranks fifth in sweet potato production, seventh in pecan production, 11th in blueberries, 14th in fresh-market tomatoes, 15th in fresh-market watermelons, 26th in sweet corn, 27th in honey and 33rd in Irish potatoes.

Over the last 40 to 50 years, Alabama has also grown its place in the catfish industry and now ranks second only to Mississippi in catfish sales.

The thriving catfish industry has a lot to do with the geography in west central Alabama, said Mitt Walker, who heads Alabama Catfish Producers, a division of the Alabama Farmers Federation. “The soils have a high clay content,” Walker says. “That’s important for building ponds.” The flat topography has been beneficial to

above and below: The average annual yield for peach orchards exceeds 20 million pounds and produces some $7 million from about 3,000 acres. | Photo above courtesy of The Clanton Advertiser

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above: The high clay content of the soil in Alabama’s Blackbelt region plays a major role in the successful catfish industry. Alabama Catfish Producers report a significant growth in the industry that now has an annual economic impact of more than $223 million. opposite page and below: Alabama ranks 3rd nationally in peanut production and 14th in tomato production.

growing this industry, and Walker also pointed to “the pioneering spirit of the Alabama farmers looking for different ways to keep their land productive.”

The channel catfish, a native fish to Alabama, is the species that’s the basis of the industry. “They began to grow these fish in ponds built specifically for the purpose of growing these fish,” Walker says. The results have been significant. Catfish farm receipts grew from $53 million in 1997 to more than $107 million in 2010, and catfish production has an annual economic impact of more than $223 million.

The majority of Alabama’s catfish industry is centered in Alabama’s Black Belt, in such counties as Hale, Greene, Dallas, Perry, Marengo and Sumter.

“Catfish has found a home there and produced quite a bit of jobs for that area,” Walker says.

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The land across Alabama has also given rise to its top manufacturing industry — forestry. In a state where nearly 70 percent of the land mass is forested acres, forestry is an industry that produces more than $15 billion worth of products per year and employs approximately 70,000 Alabamians with an annual payroll of $2.2 billion.

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In 2011, our goals were shaped by the historic elections. BCA shifted from defense to offense. We had traditionally worked against efforts that would be damaging to business, but with the shift in the political landscape, we got an entirely new playing field. We spent a lot of time figuring out how to best work in the new environment with great results. Some very important initiatives were enacted, and BCA was a huge part of that. Combined with the state’s pro-business positives like our tremendous natural resources, a very strong work ethic and an inventive can-do attitude, BCA is now in the position to be a proactive catalyst to shape policy in the state.

William W. Brooke, BCA Chairman 2011

Foresting, logging, sawmills, pulp and paper mills and plywood mills are all part of this far-reaching industry, and it also includes architectural woodworking, cabinetry and furniture. Many Alabamamade products find their way into Alabama homes and businesses via forestry. The list ranges from adhesive labels, ceiling panels, composite decking and interior doors to die-cut paper, fireplace mantels, decorative baskets, particle board and utility poles.

left: Foresters work hard to conserve, protect and sustain the $2.2 billion forest industry. | Photo courtesy of AFA opposite page, above, left: There are 22.7 million acres of timberland in Alabama, accounting for 68 percent of the total land area in the state. | Photo courtesy of AFA

opposite page, above, right: One acre of healthy trees can generate approximately 5,600 pounds of wood in one year. | Photos courtesy of AFA

opposite page, below: There are approximately 650 active forest products manufacturing operations in the state. | Photo courtesy of AFA

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above: Alabama is one of the top 15 producers of natural gas within the United States. Pump jacks like this one owned by Energen can be found in a number of counties throughout the state. | Photo by Billy Brown below: Industrial mineral production contributes more than $1.34 billion to the state’s economy annually. Facilities such as this processing plant in Calera stockpile materials and transport them via railcars for use in construction projects.. | Photo courtesy of Vulcan Materials

Yet there are even more ways the state’s natural resources provide an economic impact. In a report from the Geological Survey of Alabama on minerals in the state’s economy, Alabama was ranked 16th in the nation in the value of industrial minerals produced in 2007, the most recent year studied. “It’s a significant

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component of the state’s total economy,” says Lewis Dean, the geologist who prepared the report.

These industrial mineral resources include limestone, lime, dolomite, crushed stone, marble, building stone, sand and gravel, chalk, common clay and more. Altogether the value of industrial mineral production was $1.34 billion.

The cement-manufacturing industry, one of the major consumers of the state’s raw materials, has relied on limestone or chalk, clay and shale, silica and iron oxide for such uses as ready-mix concrete, concrete products, building materials and highway construction.

And this industry has achieved an annual production value of more than $475 million. Additionally, there are about 150 sand and gravel operations in the state.

As one of the leading industrial mineral commodities, sand and gravel production in 2007 was valued at nearly $88 million.

Among the multitude of companies that have mined the value of Alabama’s industrial minerals, Vulcan Materials Company in Birmingham stands out as the nation’s leading producer of construction aggregates — primarily crushed stone, sand and gravel.

Unlike timber, which is a renewable resource, minerals are non-renewable. However, the state benefits from extensive deposits. “There’s an exceedingly large deposit base,” Dean says. “Clay occurs in every part of the state and so do sand and gravel and crushed stone.

The amount we’re using is pretty small compared to what the reserves are.”

Alabama also has within its natural resources sources of fuel. Alabama produced more than 20 million tons of coal in 2010 — about one third of that in surface mines and two thirds in deep underground mines. The industry employs more than 4,000 people, and the value of coal produced in the state exceeds $1 billion. The generation of electricity is coal’s primary use.

Additionally, Alabama’s oil and gas industry provides economic benefits. According to the Geological Survey of Alabama, more than $2.4 billion worth of oil and gas are produced annually in Alabama.

The state is among the top 10 producers of oil and the top 15 producers of natural gas within the United States, and these vital resources are found in a number of counties as well as Mobile Bay. There’s no question that Alabama’s land and natural resources yield numerous economic assets across the

above: Alabama’s oil and gas industry has an annual production of more than $2.4 billion. The state is among the top 10 producers of oil and has many working rigs like this one, 70 miles off the Gulf Coast.

Photo by Billy Brown

below: The coal industry produces more than 20 million tons of coal annually and has an economic impact of more than $1 billion.

Photo courtesy of Jim Walter Resources

state. The state’s economic history began building within these assets, and the agribusiness and natural resources sectors continue to play a pivotal role in moving the state forward.

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An Incubator of Health: Health Sciences A

labama’s health care sector is a vital component of the state’s quality of life as well as its economic wellbeing. At the top of this sector are two public universities that are preparing future health care professionals, providing quality care, conducting vast amounts of research and generating billions for the state’s economy.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has a $4.6 billion economic impact and with 22,000 employees is the state’s largest employer. UAB has six health professional schools covering medicine, dentistry and optometry, as well as nursing, health professions and public health. “All are preparing practitioners,” says Carol Garrison, UAB president. “The vast majority of those practitioners stay in the state of Alabama.”

As a renowned research university, UAB attracted more than $460 million in external research funding in 2010 and ranks 31st nationally in federal funding and 21st in funding from the National Institutes of Health.

“Over two-thirds of all of the external research dollars that come into the state of Alabama come to UAB,” Garrison says.

The centerpiece of the UAB Health System is UAB Hospital, one of the four largest academic medical centers in the United States. UAB has been listed for 21 straight years in the U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” issue, which ranks only three percent of hospitals nationwide.

above: The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s system of hospitals

opposite page: Doctors at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa

and research facilities has a $4.6 billion economic impact on the state of

perform open heart surgery at one of its state-of-the-art facilities. | Photo

Alabama. | Photo courtesy of UAB

courtesy of DCH

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“One of the great assets we have is world-class faculty,” Garrison says. As an example of the national leadership represented, Garrison added, “We have this year both the sitting president of the American Cancer Society and the president-elect of the American Heart Association, and the U.S. Surgeon General is a UAB graduate (Dr. Regina Benjamin).”

UAB has both a strong statewide connection and a strong international reputation. Patients and students come from every county in the state, as do businesses and vendors. Additionally, students and scholars come to UAB from 60 different countries, and people from all over the world seek care at UAB. UAB’s reputation for quality care is particularly strong in several key areas. For example, the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of only 40 above: Dr. Donna Arnett is President-Elect of the Greater Southeast Affiliate of the American Heart Association and is part of UAB’s world-class faculty.

Photo courtesy of UAB

right: U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

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National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation. “We have an exceptionally strong program in cancer research and cancer care,” Garrison says.

UAB also is recognized for such specialties as cardiovascular, neuroscience, metabolic and infectious diseases. “UAB has been a worldwide leader in HIV research and care,” Garrison added.

left and below: Dr. Ed Partridge serves as president of the American Cancer Society and director of UAB’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The Cancer Center treats an estimated 5,000 new patients each year.

Photos courtesy of UAB

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Additionally, UAB’s Department of Pediatrics staffs Children’s of Alabama, which provides quality, comprehensive health care to Alabama’s pediatric population. With its founding dating back to 1911, Children’s is now the tenth busiest pediatric medical center in America.

In the southern part of the state, the University of South Alabama has a $500 million economic impact on the region and prepares future health care practitioners through three schools — the College of Allied Health Professions, the College of Medicine and the College of Nursing. The university also has a branch campus of Auburn University’s School of Pharmacy. above and right: Children’s of Alabama has been serving Alabama since 1911. It is a private, not-for-profit hospital that serves children and their families throughout Alabama and the nation. | Photos courtesy of Children’s of Alabama

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“The College of Nursing is the third largest graduate program in the country,” says Dr. Ronald Franks, USA’s Vice President of Health Sciences. The program is one of the first in the country to expand to online education for advanced degrees. “This has now allowed the school to leverage resources,” Franks

says. The college also graduates more bachelor’s degree nurses than any other college of nursing in Alabama. above: Children’s of Alabama is the tenth busiest pediatric medical center in the United States. | Photo courtesy of Children’s of Alabama

left: USA’s Children’s and Women’s Hospital has a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the most advanced care for premature and critically ill newborns in the area.

Photo courtesy of Lyle Ratliff/USA

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above: The University of South Alabama is home to the College of Allied Health Professionals, the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing and Auburn’s Harrison School of Pharmacy. These schools represent a $500 million contribution to the state’s economy. | Photo courtesy of AU

opposite page, above: UAB and USA are two public universities that are preparing future health care professionals, providing quality care, conducting vast amounts of research and generating billions for the state’s economy. | Photo courtesy of UAB opposite page, below: Graduates from USA’s College of Allied Health Professionals have an outstanding rate of success on board exams and a 95-percent employment rate upon graduation. | Photo courtesy of Lyle Ratliff/ USA

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The College of Allied Health Professionals has the responsibility of educating those people who staff clinics. “It’s top-notch, very competitive around the country. Our students have an outstanding rate of success in passing their board exams,” Franks says. Graduates from the eight programs — which include physical therapy, speech pathology and occupational therapy — have a 95-percent employment rate upon graduation.

“The College of Medicine is educating future physicians for the Gulf Coast region,” Franks added. “Fifty percent of physicians in this area went through the medical school.” The University of South Alabama Medical Center, the teaching and research facility for the College of Medicine, offers the highest level of care for the Gulf Coast region. It has Mobile’s only Level I trauma center and regional burn center, in addition to centers of excellence in stroke care and cardiovascular diseases as well as a wide range of acute care services. The USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital has a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with the most advanced care for premature and critically ill newborns and the area’s only neonatal transport vehicle. “We’re the only Level III NICU for a 150-mile radius,” Franks says.

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Alabama’s two major teaching facilities for health professions are a part of a larger network of quality care that reaches throughout the state. “Alabama is a blend of small communities, large towns and rural areas, all with access to good health

care,” says Rosemary Blackmon, chief operating officer of the Alabama Hospital Association. “In fact, there are only six counties without a hospital, and residents in these areas are typically within 30 minutes of a nearby facility.”

above: The Imaging Department at Northport Medical Center offers

opposite page, left:The da Vinci® Surgical System at DCH in Tuscaloosa

a variety of services, including ultrasound, CT scans (shown here),

provides surgeons with an alternative to both traditional open surgery

mammography, MRI, bone density and stereotactice needle biopsy, as

and conventional laparoscopy, putting a surgeon’s hands at the controls

well as various portable procedures. Imaging provides procedures used

of a state-of-the-art robotic platform. | Photo courtesy of DCH

in diagnosis and therapy of a wide range of conditions.. | Photo courtesy of DCH

opposite page, below: Cardiologists can diagnose and treat many heart conditions without surgery in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab of DCH. Photo courtesy of DCH

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above: The DCH Cancer Center in Tuscaloosa | Photo courtesy of DCH

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above: Russell Medical Center, located in Alexander City, was proud

Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve

to be named one of the 100 Top Hospitals® for 2011 by Thompson

the cost and quality of health care. | Photo courtesy of Russell Medical Center

I do not think there has ever been a better time to locate a business or expand an existing business in Alabama. Alabama is highly competitive with other states and other areas of the country thanks to low energy costs, a skilled, capable workforce and economic development teams across the state that are ready, willing and able to assist companies and industries looking to locate here. In my time with Energen and now at Children’s Health System, I’ve witnessed firsthand the quality and caliber of our state’s people and how they contribute to our thriving economy.

Mike Warren, BCA Chairman 2002

According to a recent study conducted by the American Hospital Association, Alabama’s hospitals provide almost 9 percent of the total employment in the state. In addition, hospital payroll and benefits account for approximately $6.9 billion of the state’s total labor income, and the total economic impact of hospitals is $16.8 billion.

The state has 99 acute-care hospitals, as well as several specialty hospitals, including 11 dedicated to psychiatric care, seven dedicated to rehabilitation, three federal hospitals dedicated to care for the state’s veterans and one specialty hospital designed to provide only eye care. As a part of this large network of quality care, Alabama has more than 10,000 licensed and practicing physicians, offering a wide range of specialties.

Additionally, HealthSouth, which has its corporate headquarters in Birmingham, is the nation’s largest owner and operator of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals in terms of revenue, number of hospitals, and patients treated and discharged. Operating in 26 states across the country and in Puerto Rico, HealthSouth serves patients through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, outpatient rehabilitation satellite clinics and home health agencies.

Altogether, Alabama’s health care sector — comprised of highly qualified professionals, supported by excellence in academic preparation, strengthened by diverse and cutting-edge research and housed within high-tech facilities — is one of the shining examples of how Alabama is moving forward to serve the wellbeing of our communities and citizens. left: Baptist Health, with locations throughout the state, has been awarded the Thomson Reuters 15 Top Health Systems award for excellence across the health care spectrum.

Photo by David Miller courtesy of Baptist Health

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A Legacy of Learning: Education or Alabama’s business community, the strength of tomorrow’s workforce begins in today’s early childhood education. That’s why the Business Council of Alabama has supported fully funding the state pre-K program in the legislative budgeting process and has also served as a host for a state Business Leaders’ Summit on Early Childhood Investment.

As proponents point out, investments in early childhood development help ensure that children are equipped by the time they reach kindergarten with the emotional and cognitive skills required to perform well and achieve. These investments provide high returns. For example, every $1 spent on high-quality, early childhood programs for a disadvantaged child creates $7 to $9 in future savings to the communities

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and states that invest. Additionally, research shows that disadvantaged children with quality early learning opportunities have fewer special-education needs in later years and are more likely to graduate from high school, earn more money and contribute more tax dollars.

“These simple realities have helped place early childhood investment as an economic development priority among a mounting number of business people in Alabama and across the nation,” says William Canary, president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama.

“More business leaders, economists and policymakers are recognizing that if we do not get child development and education right, it will diminish our potential as a state with a positive record of growth and innovation.”

above: Panelists at the 2009 Alabama Business Leaders’ Summit on Early

and Bob Powers, president, The Eufaula Agency, Inc., and chairman,

Childhood Investment: Lynne Hammond, assistant vice president for

BCA Education Committee. | Photo courtesy of BCA

human resources, Auburn University; Dr. Robbie Roberts, director of

opposite page: Birmingham-Southern College graduates have a

teaching, training & outreach, Harris Early Learning Center, Birmingham;

distinguished record of job placement. | Photo courtesy of BSC 125

In fact, pre-K initiatives were cited as a reason Tuscaloosa was awarded first place in the 2011 City Livability Awards Program conducted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. As the recognition stated, “The mission of the Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative is to advance un-served, academically at-risk 4-year-old children in the City of Tuscaloosa and prepare them for their educational future. Ninety-three percent of children who graduate from the initiative are no longer considered academically at risk. Tests have proven that without the initiative,

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75 percent of Tuscaloosa’s academically at-risk children would never graduate high school.”

The Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative was created in 2006, says Mayor Walt Maddox. “We’ve been able to enroll nearly two-thirds of the 4-year-olds who are academically at risk,” he says. “We’re very proud of this.”

As home to the University of Alabama (UA), Tuscaloosa has been known far longer for its strengths at the other end of the educational spectrum. With

approximately 30,000 students, UA has the largest enrollment among the state’s public universities and is one of the top 50 universities in the nation. The university is part of a system that also includes two other doctoral research universities, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and The University of Alabama in Huntsville, and the three together serve more than 55,000 students. above: The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Photo by Dennis Keim

left: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Photo courtesy of UAB

opposite page, top: The Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative is sponsored by the University of Alabama. | Photo courtesy of UA opposite page, below: The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa 127

above: Auburn University’s iconic Samford Hall | Photo by Robert Fouts below: Auburn University at Montgomery | Photo courtesy of AUM/Frank C. Williams

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With around 25,000 students, Auburn University has the second highest enrollment among the state’s universities and is where students can choose from more than 140 degree options in 13 schools and colleges at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels.

As a metropolitan campus of Auburn University, Auburn University at Montgomery was founded in 1967 and provides excellent academic programs and scholarship while supporting the function of local, state and regional government, as well as the business community. The university offers many areas of study, at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

And these universities are joined by many other public institutions — 14 four-year universities and 26 two-year colleges in all — that provide access to public higher education for every level of student from every corner of the state. The state also has 14 independent colleges and universities.

“Our institutions are responding on a regular basis to economic thrusts,” says Gregory Fitch, executive director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. For example, Jacksonville State University has recently created a doctor of science degree in emergency management, which relates to issues of homeland security as well as natural disasters.

Troy University is widely recognized by the military for focusing on and providing educational services for service personnel through campuses in the state, as well as through distance learning programs and a presence on military installations in the United States and in other countries. “Troy is really rich in innovation and support for military education,” Fitch says.

As another example, Auburn University and the University of South Alabama joined forces in 2006 to address the shortage of trained pharmacists in Alabama, particularly in the Gulf Coast area. The administrations created a satellite campus at USA for Auburn’s Harrison School of Pharmacy. In the spring of 2011, the USA satellite campus graduated its first class of graduates. “It’s really a unique system of partnerships and relationships,” Fitch says.

One aspect that helps Alabama’s higher education institutions strategically meet the needs of business and industry is the availability of a statewide database that tracks students by activity (not by identity) through high school and college. The database, one of the best in the nation, makes it possible to provide vital data for workforce development.

Fitch gave an example: When the steelmaker Thyssen Krupp was considering Alabama as one of its possible locations, the state’s economic development team wanted to be able to verify the number of engineers the state could provide. “We were able to go back and identify the actual numbers of students in two-year and four-year colleges in some type of engineering course or program,” Fitch says. “We can now do that in all areas.”

above: Troy University has four campus locations in Alabama. | Photo by Robert Fouts

above: Auburn’s Harrison School of Pharmacy located in Mobile at the University of South Alabama | Photo courtesy of AU below: Jacksonville State University’s innovative Emergency Management program | Photo courtesy of JSU/Steve Latham

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above and right: Executive Director Ed Castile welcomes Governor Robert Bentley to the Alabama Robotics Technology Park, a threephase workforce training and development facility that targets specific needs in the field of robotics automation.

Photos courtesy of CCC

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left: The future of our state is tied to the future of our students. Investments at every level — from pre-k to post-doctoral — move Alabama forward in pursuit of entrepreneurial innovation, scientific discovery, creative expression, professional training and workforce preparation. | Photo by Robert Fouts

Another type of partnership was created in recent years within the two-year community and technical colleges to prepare workers for the state’s automotive industry. The Consortium for Alabama Regional Center for Automotive Manufacturing, or CARCAM, began in 2005 with a grant awarded by the National Science Foundation. “Graduates of CARCAM college programs are multi-skilled technicians who have the knowledge required to succeed in today’s high-tech job market,” says Beverly Hilderbrand, the CARCAM director at Gadsden State Community College.

“Consortium colleges collaborate with industry to develop and continuously revise curricula to meet manufacturing educational needs.”

Since 2005, CARCAM has grown from five to 11 participating community and technical colleges, and more than 800 people have completed at least four core courses and are employed in automotive-related manufacturing or enrolled in additional education programs.

Alabama’s two-year community colleges are a strong part of the educational mix, providing quality, affordable postsecondary education. More than half of the state’s freshmen and sophomore level students enroll in this sector — some pursuing associate degrees, others transferring later to a four-year institution.

A shining example of what community colleges can do is Calhoun Community College in north Alabama, the largest of the state’s two-year colleges. Calhoun is recognized as one of the region’s most successful economic and workforce development engines, providing educational and training opportunities to over 12,300 credit students and more than 3,500 noncredit students annually.

above: Gadsden State Community College has collaborated with CARCAM to prepare students for success in today’s high-tech job market. | Photo courtesy of GSCC 131

The two-year system also includes workforce assessment and training initiatives through the Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT) Institute and Alabama Technology Network (ATN).

AIDT is a job recruitment incentive program.

“We’ll help you recruit, train and screen at no cost,” says Ed Castile, AIDT’s director. The training program has offices in several parts of the state, while general training is done at the plant site. Additionally, a fleet of mobile training units is deployed on a regular basis.

“We’re pretty well known worldwide for what we do,” Castile says.

AIDT is also part of a new workforce development focus for the Alabama Community College System.

“We’re putting together what we call The Workforce Training System that is an alignment of AIDT, ATN 132

and the system’s Workforce Development Office,” Castile says. The purpose, he says, is for all of these components to work together so that when a company makes a phone call for help, they get it.

Again, Calhoun provides a perfect example of what these productive partnerships bring about. The college is home to the Alabama Robotics Technology Park, a collaborative effort among Calhoun, the state of Alabama, AIDT and robotics industry leaders across the nation that has garnered national and international attention.

AIDT provides quality workforce development for Alabama’s new and expanding businesses. The EMP&CT truck is fully equipped to provide mobile entertainment production training wherever it is needed in the state. | Photos courtesy of AIDT

BCA members are the largest consumers of the educational system in the state. In 2009, we became the leading business advocate in the state for early childhood education, sponsoring the 2009 Business Summit on Early Childhood Education. I am very proud of the role we played and even more proud that we have continued this effort.

The growing interest in the business community to make the kind of systemic changes and reforms we need to make to the education system set us apart from other states that are content with the status quo. Change is never easy, and it’s not going to be easy here either, but it’s going to happen here; I am confident of that.”

Phil Dotts, BCA Chairman 2009

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above: Photo of William K. Weaver Hall on the University of Mobile campus. Weaver Hall was the first building on the Christian college campus, which was founded in 1961 as Mobile College.

Currently, approximately 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled at the 880acre campus in north Mobile County.

Photo courtesy of University of Mobile

right: BirminghamSouthern College’s new Explorations curriculum is designed to offer the skills students need to compete in today’s increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Photo courtesy of BSC

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For their part, Alabama’s independent colleges and universities, located across the state, enroll more than 24,000 students. Among these respected private educational institutions, Birmingham-Southern College is preparing its students for the challenges of today’s everchanging and increasingly complex world with an innovative general education plan that expands the college’s liberal arts mission to provide the skills and perspectives that professional schools, graduate schools and employers are seeking. Known as Explorations, this curriculum stresses the importance of what students learn to do. The unique learning experience at BSC is working. Each year, more than 50 percent of Birmingham-Southern graduates go on to graduate school at some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities. The college consistently ranks No. 1 in Alabama and among the nation’s best in percentage of all graduates accepted to medical, dental and health career programs.

left: The Calhoun Community College and University of Alabama in Huntsville teams prepare for the International Micro Air Vehicle Competition (IMAV). | Photo courtesy of CCC

below: The BEST Robotics Inc. (BRI) is a non-profit organization headquartered at Auburn University that aims to solve real-world science and engineering problems and to provide training that is transferable to all academic

Meeting the needs of business and industry today is one of many important outcomes of the legacy of learning within Alabama’s educational sector. There’s no question that the future of our state is tied to the future of our students. The investments at every level — from pre-k to post-doctoral — are the path to growth in entrepreneurial innovation, scientific discovery, creative expression, professional training and workforce preparation, as well as in quality of life for the communities in our state.

disciplines and career pursuits.

More than 4,000 students, teachers and supporters attend the three-day event each year. | Photo courtesy of BEST Robotics, Inc.

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Building Assets: Business Services

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usinesses and industries in Alabama have an extensive infrastructure to turn to for their basic needs of operation: facilities, financing and investment protection.

One of the nation’s strongest construction industries is among those assets.

“Alabama’s construction industry is unique and known nationally and internationally,” says Jay Reed, president of Associated Builders and Contractors, Alabama Chapter. “Of the top 200 ‘Engineering News Record’ construction companies, 40 of those are based in Alabama,” he says.

The state’s construction companies have been responsible for large and impressive projects. “We’ve got companies that build embassies all over the world,” Reed says.

“Some of the largest hospitals in the United States were built by Alabama contractors.”

Caddell Construction has built embassies and consulates all over the world, such as this one in Tijuana, Mexico.

Photo courtesy of Caddell Construction

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The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal | Photo courtesy of Caddell Construction

The U.S. Embassy in Djibouti | Photo courtesy of Caddell Construction 138

Thanks to the size of construction companies and their bonding capacity, many have fared well during the recent recession, Reed notes. Their size has also given them the capacity to bid on projects for the public sector that overcame a slowdown in the private sector. “There are some large contractors in Alabama,” Reed says. “We’ve been able to bid that work.”

Alabama has 7,000-plus licensed contractors, and the capabilities are here to build facilities of all types.

“We’re meeting Alabama’s own needs and even meeting needs across the country,” Reed says.

Alabama’s construction industry, in fact, is in a hiring-and-training mode to bring more people into the trade. “The construction community in Alabama is so advanced they’ve initiated their own campaign to recruit craftsmen,” Reed says. The campaign, called “Go Build Alabama,” has its own website that shows how and where to learn the skills to be a part of Alabama’s construction trades.

above: From ground-breaking to ribboncutting, Alabama companies such as Burr & Forman are with their clients every step of the way. Attorneys at Burr & Forman worked together to successfully launch ThyssenKrupp’s multi-billion dollar manufacturing facilities in Calvert.

Photo courtesy of Burr & Forman LLP

left: KBR, an Alabama engineering and construction organization, specializes in a wide range of business services that promote economic development throughout the state, but they also make community involvement a priority.

Photo courtesy of KBR

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Regions, headquartered in Alabama, is ranked among the top 15 largest U.S. banks. Alabama banks historically have always had high capital ratios and extremely conservative management. | Photo courtesy of Regions 140

Redstone Federal Credit Union has locations throughout Alabama and the Southeast. Community banks play a pivotal role in the state’s financial sector. | Photo courtesy of RFCU

Business and banking are also integrally tied together, and Alabama’s banking industry is holding its own following a tumultuous time across the nation.

“Alabama banks historically have always had high capital ratios and extremely strong conservative management,” says State Superintendent of Banks John Harrison. During the recession, the banks may have lost capital, but not necessarily the strong conservative management, he notes.

“Overall our banks are very, very healthy. That’s not to say we don’t still have problems,” he said. “Our banks are in so much better shape this year (2011) than they were 12 months ago and continue to show positive improvement in all the sectors we monitor on a daily, monthly or quarterly basis.”

“All in all, the Alabama banking community is in reasonably fine shape,” says John Norris, a managing director with Oakworth Capital Bank and someone who writes frequently on the financial sector.

“Alabama banks got hit just like everyone else did in 2008,” Norris says. “At the same time, bank capital is getting better at our larger banks. We still have a number of smaller, well-capitalized banks operating in our state.”

The majority of the state’s banks are rated threestar, four-star or five-star by rating agencies such as Bankrate and Bauer Financial. Within this sector, there are banks of all sizes. Some of the larger banks include Wells Fargo, BBVA Compass and Regions Financial.

Regions, which is headquartered in the state, is ranked among the top 15 largest U.S. banks by total assets.

Additionally, community banks located across the state play a pivotal role in the state’s financial sector.

Though smaller banks may have fewer branches, technology adds convenience for their customers. For example, in some cases, customers can use a smartphone to make a deposit. “It is sort of ‘back to the future’ – a time when lenders took the time to get to know their clients, but at the same time are using 21st century technology to deliver services,” Norris says.

Though credit conditions are different than they were a few years ago, businesses and industries continue to be served. “If you’ve got a clean balance sheet, banks are practically falling on themselves to lend you money,” Norris says.

The mortgage sector has gone back to traditional lending practices as well. “Qualified customers can get a very attractive rate on a prime mortgage,” Norris says.

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above: Many Alabama businesses take an active role in improving the quality of life for Alabama residents. Burr & Forman’s community involvement includes a program called Legal Eagles, a partnership with local schools that provides students with legal and businessrelated experiences that might not be available to them otherwise. | Photo courtesy of Burr & Forman opposite page, above: The quality of life for Alabama residents is high, while the cost of living in the state remains low. Alabama’s ranking on the Housing Affordability Index was higher than the national index. opposite page, below: This is a buyer’s market, but realtors across the state are not just trying to sell properties. They are also goodwill ambassadors for the state and their communities.

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The affordability of housing in Alabama is also a benefit to anyone locating here. According to a report from the Alabama Center for Real Estate, in the first quarter of 2011, the affordability of Alabama housing was at its highest level since the center started keeping Housing Affordability Index records. The Alabama Housing Affordability Index of 224.3 means that a family earning the statewide median income of $54,600 has 2.24 times the income needed to qualify for a loan to purchase a median-priced home. Alabama’s affordability index was higher than the national index of 198.5 during the same time period.

“Currently the buying opportunity is probably the best it’s been in the state of Alabama in 30 years,” says Robert Scott, past president of the Alabama Association of Realtors® and president and broker/owner of RE/MAX Advantage Real Estate in Birmingham. There are many professionals ready to help make these transactions happen. The AAR has 11,000 members statewide, and there are also 30 local boards of Realtors.

“Every single place in the state of Alabama is represented by a professional and knowledgeable Realtor,” Scott says. Realtors across the state are not just trying to sell properties, Scott noted, but are also goodwill ambassadors for the state and their communities.

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At the beginning of my term, we entered into a strategic alliance known as The Partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama, which represents more than 100 chambers of commerce that have a combined membership of more than 50,000 member businesses throughout the state. This first-in-thenation Partnership continues to be the cement that unifies Alabama’s business community.

C. Charles Nailen, BCA Chairman 2004

The insurance sector is another important business asset, and the state is well represented by major financial services companies. In particular, metropolitan Birmingham serves as a banking and insurance center for the state.

In addition to Birmingham-based Regions, the city is home to Protective Life Corporation headquarters, State Farm Insurance regional headquarters, Infinity Insurance Company headquarters and ProAssurance Corporation headquarters, as well as the corporate headquarters for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama administers health and dental programs for more than three million individuals throughout the state of Alabama and around the country. These individuals represent more than 28,000 companies, including many of the state’s and country’s largest corporations, and small businesses with as few as two employees.

Alfa Insurance Companies, headquartered in Montgomery, are also a part of this sector, providing insurance and other financial services to more than one million customers in 12 states.

opposite page, above & below: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has been serving the state of Alabama for more than 75 years.

Besides its commitment to quality healthcare coverage, the company strives to serve and better the community through volunteering with such organizations as Habitat for Humanity and the United Way. Photos courtesy of BCBS

above: The state is well represented by major financial companies that provide quality insurance and other financial services.

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The companies within Alabama’s services sectors create an infrastructure for economic progress that makes it possible for other companies to grow and

thrive. Though these sectors have been tested and tried during difficult times, they continue to hold steady and keep the state on track. above: Alabama Power is not only committed to economic development, but also community development in cities and towns across the state. The Alabama Power Service Organization volunteers with such organizations as Habitat for Humanity. | Photo courtesy of Alabama Power opposite page, above: Alabama has experienced a boom in the automotive manufacturing sector. None of this growth and progress would have been possible without the strong relationships Alabama companies build with local communities. | Photo courtesy of Honda opposite page, below & left: Alabama companies work together to create an infrastructure for economic growth and progress, but they also care for the community as well.

Volunteers from Mercedes and Toyota work together after the devastating tornadoes of April 2011 tore through the state. | Photos courtesy of MBUSI and TMMA 147

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Moving Ahead: Transportation & Energy labama has two sectors that ably serve business and industry to keep them moving and keep them running. The transportation and energy infrastructures are intertwined in any economic development project and are the lifeblood of the state’s economy.

The transportation infrastructure begins with a strong interstate and U.S. Highway network.

Five interstate highways and one highway nearing completion are a part of a network of 97,000 miles of public roads in the state.

Major markets in every direction — including Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Charleston and Fort Lauderdale — can be reached within an 11-hour drive from the center of the state.

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Birmingham is a hub for one-day shipping to most of the Southeast. Currently, Interstates 20, 65 and 59 all run through Birmingham, as does the I-59 bypass, Interstate 459. Additionally, Interstate 22 is on the verge of completion between Birmingham and Memphis. Montgomery is served by both Interstates 85 and 65, while Mobile is served by Interstates 65 and 10.

Alabama also has seven commercial airports from which six major commercial airlines and several commuter airlines operate. International flights are easily accessible through connecting cities, and the state has 92 public use airports, most of which are lighted and able to accommodate corporate aircraft.

above: Five interstate highways make up Alabama’s network of 97,000

opposite page: Alabama has seven commerical airports, such as this one

miles of public roads. | Photo by Dennis Keim

in Huntsville, from which six major commercial airlines operate. | Photo by Dennis Keim

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above: Alabama is served by five Class I railroads including CSX

above: The International Intermodal Center at the Port of Huntsville

Transportation. | Photo by Robert Fouts

provides a single hub location specializing in receiving, transferring, storing and distributing international and domestic cargo via air, rail and highway. | Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Several cities provide air cargo services and are designated foreign trade zones, including Birmingham, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery. Alabama is also in close proximity to both Memphis and Atlanta, two of the country’s largest air cargo centers.

Alabama is served by five Class I railroads and another 20 short-line railroads carrying cargo over 3,700 miles of track. Rail easily interfaces with other modes of travel and shipping, particularly at such locations as the International Intermodal Center right: The Norfolk Southern Railway Company will add the new Birmingham Regional Intermodal Facility in McCalla to its route. | Photo courtesy of Norfolk Southern

opposite page: Huntsville International Airport is known throughout its 18-county service region for outstanding customer service, state-of-theart technology and customer convenience. | Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County

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at the Port of Huntsville, which provides a single hub location for international and domestic cargo transported via air, rail and highway. The rail portion is serviced by Norfolk Southern Railway Company, which will also serve a new Birmingham Regional Intermodal Facility slated to open in late 2012 in McCalla. BNSF Railway Company, Canadian National Railway Company, CSX Transportation, Inc. and Kansas City Southern Railway Company are the other Class I railroads serving the state.

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above: Vulcan Materials makes use of Alabama’s 1,300 miles of inland waterways to transport materials. | Photo courtesy of Vulcan Materials

Alabama also boasts one of the longest inland waterway systems in the nation. Nearly 1,300 miles of navigable inland waterways connect to more than 15,000 miles of inland and intracoastal waterways, river ports and seaports in 23 states via the Tennessee-Tombigbee and the Gulf intracoastal water systems.

Among all hubs of transportation, one that particularly stands out is the Port of Mobile, which is one of the largest U.S. seaports in total volume. The State of Alabama’s deep-water port facilities are owned and operated by the Alabama State Port Authority.

“We easily recognize that one of our most unique defining elements is the Port,” says Win Hallett, president of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. As an example of its importance, access to a deep-water port was one of the qualifying factors that made the Mobile area a candidate for the ThyssenKrupp project because of the need for carbon steel slabs to be brought in from Brazil. “If the Port hadn’t been working creatively, we would not have been able to land the steel mill,” Hallett says. above: The Port of Mobile is an integral part of the state’s

opposite page: A main hub of transportation in the state, the Port of Mobile

transportation network. The barge-mounted, heavy lift

imports and exports such items as coal, aluminum, iron, steel, copper, lumber, roll

crane, named BIG AL, is a valued asset to the Port. | Photo

and cut paper, cement, chemicals, frozen poultry and soybeans. | Photo courtesy of

courtesy of Alabama State Port Authority

Alabama State Port Authority

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The Port of Mobile has undergone more than $700 million in new infrastructure and port expansions in recent years. New assets include the new Container Terminal, the new Pinto Steel Terminal and the new Rail Ferry Terminal, along with expansions at McDuffie Coal Terminal and at the Port’s General Cargo terminals.

The Port Authority is currently working on additional expansions that would provide shippers with additional investments to expand coal exports and provide for new intermodal services with the construction of the future intermodal container transfer facility (ICTF). The ICTF would provide manufacturers, distribution companies and logistics with intermodal services for domestic shipments as well as connecting the container terminal with five Class I railroads.

In 2010, the Port of Mobile opened a new turning basin to make it easier for ships larger than 900 feet in length to get in and out of three major terminals at the Port. A $32-million federal project sponsored locally by the Alabama State Port Authority, the turning basin measures 1,175 feet by 715 feet. “This new turning basin was vital to serving the larger vessels now servicing containerized, bulk and general cargo shippers,” says Jimmy Lyons, director and chief executive officer for the Port Authority.

above: Pinto Steel Terminal is the Alabama State Port Authority’s newest import terminal. | Photo courtesy of Alabama State Port Authority

opposite page, above: The APM Terminals Mobile opened in September 2008 as the Port of Mobile’s newest, state-of-the-art container terminal. | Photo courtesy of Alabama State Port Authority

opposite page, below: The McDuffie Coal Terminal is the most versatile import/export coal terminal in the nation with an annual throughput capacity of 30 million tons. | Photo courtesy of Alabama State Port Authority

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above: The Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant is located in Dothan and owned by Alabama Power. Since commercial operation began in 1977, Plant Farley has generated more than 330 billion kilowatts of electricity. That’s enough generation to supply every Alabama residential customer with electricity for 25 years. | Photo courtesy of Farley Nuclear Plant opposite page, above: The energy companies and economic partnerships work together to keep the energy supply stable and costefficient. Alabama Power’s ability to provide reliable electricity has played an integral part in attracting businesses to our state.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Power

opposite page, below: Smith Dam was created to provide more reliable power to the state.

Today, it continues to provide flood control, recreation and economic opportunities, irrigation and drinking water, and fish and wildlife habitats. | Photo courtesy of Alabama Power 156

The state’s energy sector is another essential infrastructure for business and industry, and energy companies and economic partnerships work together to keep the energy supply stable and cost-efficient. Alabama Power was actually one of the first utilities in the United States to create an economic development department, and the utility’s industrial recruitment program was for many years the only one in the state.

Throughout its tenure, Alabama Power has been closely aligned with the state’s economic history. Its impact, for example, was seen during World War II when the availability of reliable electricity enabled the federal government to locate several military bases and defense industries in the state, bringing jobs and growth. More recently, Alabama Power was part of the transformation that brought the automotive industry to the state. Alabama Power continues to work closely with companies in their site-selection process as well as helping existing companies to expand.

“One thing all businesses have in common is a need for more electricity,” says Seth Hammett, vice president for business development for PowerSouth, one of the state’s three providers of electrical power.

“PowerSouth, through its member owners, is an integral part of the framework required to attract business to our state,” Hammett says. “Job creation efforts involve working closely with our power supply developers

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BCA is the voice of business in Alabama. Thousands of Alabama businesses — large and small — rely on the good work done every day by Billy Canary and his talented staff to ensure that the business climate and regulatory environment in Alabama strongly support job creation, economic development and prosperity for all of our citizens.

Johnny Johns, BCA Chairman 2005

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to make certain adequate supplies of electricity are available to our current business base as well as to business we bring to our areas.”

PowerSouth shares this effort with its “marketing allies” Alabama Power Company and the Tennessee Valley Authority, as well as the North Alabama Industrial Alliance, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama and the Alabama Development Office. “We work arm in arm with our marketing allies to recruit and attempt to attract business to locate anywhere in our state,” Hammett says.

Alagasco, the state’s largest natural gas distributor, also has economic development services for its service areas in central Alabama and beyond.

Alagasco provides clean-burning, energy-efficient natural gas to more than 435,000 homes, businesses and industries in central Alabama and parts of north Alabama, and the utility continues to pursue growth opportunities as economic development initiatives bring additional businesses and residents to its service areas. Alagasco’s parent company, Energen, is one of the top producers of oil, gas and natural gas in the United States, with a market capitalization that exceeds $3 billion as well as $4.5 billion in assets and approximately 1,500 employees.

Hammett noted a philosophy shared within the state’s energy sector. “Our commitment to a business that locates in Alabama is that we will be a partner for the long term,” he says. “Once you become a part of the Alabama family, you will be a part of the family. The relationship begins when the first contact is made with a new business, throughout the construction of a new facility and throughout the lifetime of their operation.”

above, left: Through 2011, TVA has spent about $5.4 billion on emissions controls at its fossil-fuel plants to help TVA produce power as cleanly as possible, consistent with efficiency. The Colbert Fossil Plant is located in Tuscumbia. | Photo courtesy of TVA above, right: Headquartered in Birmingham, Energen Corporation is a growing oil and gas exploration and production company complemented by its legacy natural gas utility Alagasco. It provides more than 435,000 homes, businesses and industries with cleanburning, energy efficient natural gas.

Photo courtesy of Energen

opposite page: Energen Corporation’s proved reserves of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids at the end of 2011 totaled a record 343 million barrels of oil equivalents; 54 percent of the Birmingham-based company’s proved reserves were located in the oil-rich Permian Basin of west Texas.

Photo courtesy of Energen

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On the Cutting Edge: Technology & Information Services ne of the crown jewels of Alabama’s technology and information services sector dates back 50 years to when Huntsville’s community leaders had the vision to zone a 3,000-acre site for technology industries. Cummings Research Park, founded in 1962, is today the second largest research and technology park in the United States and the fourth largest in the world.

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Home to 285 companies that employ 25,000 people, the research park is the location for an extraordinary mixture of Fortune 500 companies, local and international technology-based companies, U.S. space and defense agencies and more. These industries cover software design, engineering services, aerospace and defense, computers and electronics, research and development as well as biotechnology.

opposite page: The Virtual Interactive Presence, developed at the

above: Cummings Research Park in Huntsville is home to 285 companies

University of Alabama at Birmingham, allows a veteran surgeon to

that employ 25,000 people and is the second largest research and

virtually guide a trainee’s scalpel through a new procedure. In a virtual-

technology park in the United States. | Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce of

presence session, both the expert and the person at the remote site use

Huntsville/Madison County

monitors or visual displays to work in a “shared environment.” | Photo courtesy of UAB

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above: Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile is one of the largest industrial

employing over 3,200 people in a wide range of industries. | Photo by

parks on the Gulf Coast. More than 70 companies are located on site,

Alec Thigpen

I think the state is well-positioned to move ahead. The new makeup of the legislature has helped change our image for the better. We have a relatively low business tax rate. Our unemployment is coming down faster than the national average. We still have things to do, but we are ahead of the game in many respects.

David Muhlendorf, BCA Chairman 2008

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above: The Boeing Company is the largest aerospace company in

above: ADTRAN, Inc. is a leading global provider of networking and

Alabama. The workforce of more than 3,000 employees work on the

communications equipment that is based in Hunstville and employs

leading edge of key space and defense programs. | Photo courtesy of

more than 1,700 people. | Photo by Dennis Keim

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

At 3,000, the Boeing Company is the largest employer in the park. Adtran, a telecommunications firm, is second with 1,700 employees, and SAIC, a scientific, engineering and technology applications company, ranks third with 1,400 employees.

Teledyne Brown Engineering, an aerospace and defense company, is also among the major employers as well as the original tenant that was instrumental in the creation of the park five decades ago. A large part of Huntsville’s economy has been driven by its role in

the development of America’s space program, and the leadership of this company — which was then known as Brown Engineering — worked with support from rocket pioneer Dr. Wernher von Braun to encourage the city of Huntsville to establish this zoning district for high-tech enterprises. The site is adjacent to the Army’s Redstone Arsenal and enables the private sector to serve the public sector represented in the 58 agencies and organizations housed at Redstone.

above: As an emerging development, the Auburn Research Park

based economy and create a mixed-use research and business campus. |

supports the economic development initiative to grow the knowledge-

Photo courtesy of Auburn Research and Technology Foundation

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The University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH) is also located in the research park and has close partnerships with a number of these governmental agencies. UAH’s 15 research centers focus on a variety of specialties such as rotorcraft systems engineering, modeling and simulation, propulsion and earth sciences, among many others. During the past five years, UAH researchers have performed more than $200 million in contracts and grants.

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opposite page, above, left: A research student at UAH sets up a Particle

above: The Marshall Space Flight Center’s Transonic Wind Facility got its

Image Velocimeter for making flow field velocity measurements of a jet

name because it can conduct tests in three speed regimes, from subsonic

at the UAH Propulsion Research Center. The state-of-the-art laboratories

through transonic to supersonic. This means it can test in ranges from

provide detailed assessments of liquid, solid, electric and air-breathing

1.5 to five times the speed of sound. UAH researchers work closely with

propulsion devices — including cryogenic propellants. | Photo courtesy of UAH

the Flight Center as well as a number of governmental agencies in the

opposite page, above, right: A UAH research student uses a Phase

Huntsville area. | Photo by Dennis Keim

Doppler Particle Analyzer to measure the diameters and velocities of

opposite page, below: Thin film deposition in the cleanroom at UAH’s Nano

droplets in a water spray generated from a liquid rocket injector element.

and Micro Devices Center. State-of-the-art facilities coupled with excellent

Photo courtesy of UAH

faculty allow cutting-edge research and development of devices and components that require nano- and microfabrication. | Photo courtesy of UAH 165

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left: All Army unmanned aircraft found in service today have been hand-selected and acquired by the persons assigned to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office (UAS PO), located on Redstone Arsenal. The Army’s fleet of unmanned aircraft continues to prove its worth in combat.

The unmanned aircraft fleet has logged more than 1.2 million flight hours in support of U.S. service members and our allies.

Photo by Dennis Keim

Cummings Research Park has been well-recognized for its success and contributions, including once being named by the Association of University Research Parks as the Most Outstanding Research/Science Park in the World. Rick Davis, director of Cummings Research Park, pointed to several qualities that have led to this level of recognition.

The Huntsville area and Redstone Arsenal have benefited from a continuity of leadership that saw

the future in former cotton fields and continues to maintain a purposeful focus. “That level of leadership was visionary enough to zone 3,000 acres for a research park,” Davis says. Over the years, he added, “They have maintained the integrity of the park by not allowing zoning regulations to be tweaked.”

The prestigious tenant list — which also includes such names as Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin — brings its own type of recognition. “Having those kinds of companies in the park certainly lends an air of excellence,” Davis says. Its proximity is another factor. “It’s right across the street from customers,” Davis says. “The customer is any one of those 58 agencies housed at Redstone Arsenal.” opposite page: The Redstone Test Center in Huntsville specializes in missile and rocket testing, guidance system testing, optical and electro optical systems, air-armament component tests and electromagnetic environmental effects testing of aircraft systems. | Photo by Dennis Keim

left: Alabama native Jan Smith is founder and CEO of System Studies & Simulation, Inc., a Huntsville-based company that provides technical services to government customers such as systems analysis and integration, configuration and data management, modeling and simulation, software development, testing and evaluation, and risk management. | Photo by Dennis Keim

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above, left & right: UAB’s world-renowned research university and

opposite page, above: The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

medical center and affiliated partners employ more than 22,000 people,

is the cornerstone of a 150-acre biotech campus strategically located

conduct vast amounts of research, and develop new technologies for

in Cummings Research Park, the nation’s second largest research park.

virtual reality, robotic surgery and cleaner, greener vehicles. | Photos

The non-profit institute is an integral part of Alabama’s life sciences

courtesy of UAB

community and is devoted to enhancing Alabama’s reputation, economic status and educational resources. | Photo courtesy of HudsonAlpha

Huntsville has long been strong in aerospace and defense industries, but the area also made significant inroads in biotechnology with the launch of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, a 150-acre campus with a focus on genomics and genetics that held its grand opening in 2008. “The diversity that HudsonAlpha brings to our economic base is a huge step forward,” Davis says. “That dramatically raised Huntsville’s profile in the biotechnology sector.”

The biotechnology sector has long been a strong one in the Birmingham area; in fact, almost 70 percent of the members of the Biotechnology Association of Alabama are located in this part of the state. “The technology sector always reflects your economic structure,” says Michael Shattuck, director of research for the Birmingham Business Alliance. “We have major research entities that receive a lot of monies for biotech research.”

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a world-renowned research university and medical 168

center and together with its related companies, is the state’s largest employer at 22,000 employees. Among the vast amount of research conducted through UAB, faculty and students are developing new technologies for virtual reality, robotic surgery and cleaner, greener vehicles.

UAB currently has a $4.6 billion economic impact on Alabama, and a sizeable amount of this impact is generated by technology transfer — transferring research discoveries to the marketplace. One of the means for doing so is through the UAB Research Foundation, which since 1986 has created more than $46 million in royalty and license fees and assisted in the formation of 40 spin-off companies. UAB is also a founding partner of Innovation Depot, the largest business incubator in the Southeast. Named Incubator of the Year 2011 by the National Business Incubation Association, the depot is home to 75 high-tech companies and had a sales impact of $274 million in 2010.

left: HudsonAlpha is dedicated to the the study of genes, gene sequences and their functions — and has yielded unprecedented insight into what makes us, and the world around us, work. | Photo by Dennis Keim below: There are currently more than 90 biotechnology-related companies in Alabama, with more than 12 firms in North Alabama. UAH offers several programs in the field and works closely with many of these firms. | Photo courtesy of UAH

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Southern Research Institute, which was founded in 1941 and also based in Birmingham, has been affiliated with UAB since 1999. An employer of 550, Southern Research Institute conducts basic and applied research in the areas of drug discovery, preclinical drug development, advanced engineering and environmental protection. The Institute has generated $80 million in royalty and licensing fees.

Metropolitan Birmingham’s strengths in banking and financial services are also reflected in its technology sector. “Information processing is a big component,” above: At the Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base Air War College in Montgomery, a guest officer gets a ride in a cockpit simulator of the Air Force’s latest multi-purpose fighter, the F-22, and is taken through the paces by Lockheed-Martin personnel.

Photo courtesy of Maxwell AFB Public Affairs

right: The main entrance of the headquarters of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, the Intellectual and Leadership Center of the United States Air Force.

Photo courtesy of Rick Plaskett/Montgomery Chamber of Commerce

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Shattuck says. For example, the Jefferson Metropolitan Park Lakeshore is an industrial park that was chosen as a home for multi-million dollar data centers for such companies as Wells Fargo, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama and the Southern Company.

Similarly, in Montgomery, with a significant contribution to the state capital’s economy coming from Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, many companies within the technology sector serve the federal government and the military.

above: Major General Suzanne Vautrinot, Commander of the 24th Air

is a national forum for cyber information sharing, technology

Force, giving a keynote address on Cyber Defense to the Air Force

demonstrations and working meetings in the field of Information

Information Technology Conference. The AFITC’s annual conference

Technology. | Photo courtesy of Maxwell AFB Public Affairs

For example, one organization housed at the military installation is responsible for the acquisition and maintenance of software systems for the Air Force. The base is home to an Air Force network operations squadron. The Gunter annex also houses a Department of Defense information systems agency.

“As a result of that, we have a large contractor base that supports those organizations,” says Joe Greene, vice president of military and governmental affairs for the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. Of the 150 IT companies in the Montgomery area, Greene says, “about one third, or 50, do federal government-specific work.”

With the military and defense work creating this strong technological foundation, Montgomery is growing its strength in mass data storage, and the Chamber is working to transfer those capabilities to the commercial side as well.

In the Mobile area, the technology sector is well represented, especially in two prime locations.

Brookley Aeroplex – with four million square feet of industrial space on 1,650 acres – is one of the largest industrial parks on the Gulf Coast. More than 70 companies located on site employ more than 3,200

people in a wide range of industries. For its part, the USA Technology and Research Park, launched in 2002, is a major economic development initiative of the University of South Alabama. It links university resources with the business community, providing educational opportunities for students, new research relationships for faculty and growth prospects for business.

As another example of Alabama’s academic research community connecting with the needs of business and industry, the Auburn Research Park opened in 2008 and encompasses 156 acres of the Auburn University campus. Through its development as a mixed-use campus, the park was created to become the location of high technology companies, university research facilities, business support centers, technology transfer capabilities and more.

Alabama’s technology and information services sector is inseparable from the state’s overall economic success. Indeed, this sector has grown as other of the state’s economic sectors have grown. And through their continuing innovations, the state’s technology industries have created infrastructures for growth in industries across the economy.

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Photo courtesy of UAB

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Part Three 173

Photo courtesy of PowerSouth

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Automotive Industry

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Honda T Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC

Honda Manufacturing of Alabama shares the company’s global leadership in environmental stewardship. The Alabama plant became the first zerowaste-to-landfill auto plant in North America at the outset of production in 2001, setting off an industry-leading trend within the company.

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his Lincoln, Alabama, automotive manufacturer — whose dedicated team of 4,000 associates produces Odyssey minivans, Pilot sport-utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup truck and V-6 engines — has a total investment in the state of $2 billion.

At Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC (HMA), the company’s expectations for building high quality vehicles in a new plant with a new team of associates have been realized. The 3.5 million-square-foot Honda manufacturing facility in Lincoln, Alabama, located 40 miles east of Birmingham, is a state-of-the-art automotive plant using the best and most innovative manufacturing technologies, which are shared by Honda facilities around the world.

HMA has the capacity to build more than 300,000 Honda Odyssey minivans, Honda Pilot sport-utility vehicles, Ridgeline pickups and V-6 engines annually, making it Honda’s largest lighttruck production source. The dedicated HMA team of 4,000 associates is solely responsible for the production of the three popular Honda products. In 2013, HMA will add production of the Acura MDX luxury sport utility vehicle.

From the start of production in 2001, HMA was established as one of Honda’s most vertically integrated manufacturing facilities. Alabama associates take pride in being the caretakers of one of the most advanced manufacturing plants ever developed by Honda. On-site production operations

include steel stamping, welding, painting, plastic injection molding, aluminum casting, aluminum and ferrous machining, engine assembly, vehicle assembly, testing and quality assurance.

The addition of a second assembly line in 2004 more than doubled the company’s total investment and its production capabilities. A 2006 expansion of HMA’s machining capabilities added the precision machining of crankshafts and connecting rods to the plant’s existing responsibilities of casting and machining V-6 engine blocks and cylinder heads.

But the company believes its associates hold the keys to its success—success that rests on Honda’s fundamental belief in respect for the individual.

Honda believes every person is born with the ability to think, to reason and to create. At Honda, all associates are important, respected and have the opportunity for their contributions to be recognized and honored.

This philosophy unites Honda associates worldwide. It bestows the power to look beyond such characteristics as gender, race, age or education by prompting associates to look for the best in each other. With its philosophy of involving associates and encouraging them to be creative, Honda believes no challenge is too great and no problem is too difficult.

HMA shares Honda’s global goal of providing high quality products at a reasonable price. It also shares Honda’s global leadership in environmental stewardship. A companywide commitment to the

The first Alabama-built Honda rolled off the assembly line in Lincoln on November 14, 2001. Today, more than 2.3 million Honda vehicles and engines have been produced in Alabama.

principle of reduce, reuse and recycle has established HMA from the start of production operations in 2001 as a zero-waste-to-landfill facility.

What began in 1999 as a global company’s dream of establishing operations in Alabama is now a successful reality. In the coming years, HMA will remain committed as a reliable and dedicated partner in strengthening relationships with the communities where its associates live and work.

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Toyota Motor T Manufacturing Alabama, Inc.

below: TMMAL is the only Toyota plant in the world to build fourcylinder, V-6 and V-8 engines under one roof. The 750,000-square-foot facility is located in Huntsville.

right: TMMAL team members served more than 26,000 hours for relief efforts directly following the tornadoes that struck Alabama in April 2011. From left to right: Scott Townsend, Rick Dawes, Jay Olson and Jimmy Slate.

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oyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc. (TMMAL) has accomplished many “firsts” in the 10 years since its ground-breaking — the facility was the first “truck-specific” engine plant, the first facility to build a Toyota V-8 engine outside of Japan and the first Toyota plant in North America to achieve zerolandfill status before start of production.

In September 2011, TMMAL marked another “first” when it became the only Toyota plant in the world to produce four-cylinder, V-6 and V-8 engines under one roof. “This was a time for our team members to celebrate the tremendous work they have done to prepare for four-cylinder production,” says TMMAL President Jim Bolte.

“Their commitment to building quality products as safely as possible has helped TMMAL win new business, and we look forward to many more successful years.”

The addition of a four-cylinder model to TMMAL’s production gives the facility more flexibility as market demands change. The company added the Camry, Highlander, RAV4, Sienna and Venza to the line-up of vehicles powered by its engines. Its V-6 and V-8 engines were already going into Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks and Sequoia full-size SUVs.

Team member Jamila Burwell works in the test area for the V-8 engine assembly at TMMAL. The facility has the capacity to build 144,000 V-8 engines per year.

Toyota Motor Corporation Executive Vice President and Representative Director Atsushi Niimi hopes Huntsville will become known as “the engine capital of the world,” and the facility is well on its way to making that goal a reality. Currently, TMMAL’s annual production capacity is more than 500,000 engines. Its investment has increased to $637 million, and the plant employs more than 1,000 people.

When commemorating its 10-year anniversary in 2011, TMMAL also reflected on past milestones.

Toyota announced the Huntsville facility in 2001 and broke ground later that same year. The first Toyota V-8 engine ever made outside of Japan came off the line at TMMAL in 2003. Since then, the facility has expanded three times to add V-6, an all-new V-8 and four-cylinder engines. These expansions have more than doubled the plant’s initial size and production volume.

The company is also committed to developing relationships in the community where its team members live and work. To celebrate 10 years in Huntsville, TMMAL donated 10 gifts of $10,000 to 10 different local non-profits that have been long-standing partners. The company also gave two Toyota vehicles to Hospice Family Care in Madison County and Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. and announced two separate $50,000 gifts to Habitat for Humanity of Madison County and Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center.

However, nothing demonstrated the true character of TMMAL like its service to the community following the string of devastating

tornadoes that struck communities in North Alabama in April 2011. Toyota’s corporate offices pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross for recovery efforts, but it was not the company’s monetary donations that distinguished it during this trying time.

TMMAL team members served more than 26,000 hours for tornado relief efforts in nine different Alabama counties. Projects ranged from clearing debris to unloading and sorting donations at distribution centers, and team members received a full day’s pay for their time. “We had a very unique opportunity to use the greatest resource we have — our team members — to help our community,” Bolte said. “Many of our team members live in areas that were hit especially hard, and we wanted to give them a chance to serve where the need was greatest.”

Whether it is supporting the community with volunteer work and donations or expanding its facility to create new jobs, TMMAL is committed to Alabama’s prosperity. The company and its team members are celebrating its accomplishments and looking forward to the future as they make history in Alabama.

above: Toyota officials and Governor Robert Bentley confirm the superior quality of the first four-cylinder engine built at TMMAL. From left to right: Mark Brazeal, General Manager of Administration at TMMAL; Kelly Keeney, TMMAL team member; Shigeki Terashi, President of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Jim Bolte; President of TMMAL; Atsushi Niimi, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Corp.; Governor Robert Bentley.

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Hyundai I Motor Manufacturing Alabama

above: HMMA Team members assemble the Elantra and Sonata sedans on the same assembly line for delivery to car buyers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. credit: Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC right: Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama’s 3.2-million-square-foot facility in Montgomery is located on 1,744 acres. The company is proud to be in Alabama. The plant manufactures Elantra and Sonata sedans and provides more than 3,000 high-paying jobs for Alabamians.

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n 2002, the partnership between Hyundai Motor Company and Alabama began with a common goal — to create economic prosperity for Alabamians and build the best, highest quality automobiles in the world.

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA), located in Montgomery, is an important part of Hyundai’s growing globalization strategy.

The plant provides additional capacity to meet the growing demand for Hyundai vehicles by U.S. car buyers, who recognize the impeccable quality and value of the brand.

Since first debuting in America in 1986, Hyundai hasn’t just succeeded, it’s flourished. In recent years, Hyundai has focused on quality, not just quantity. It began to meticulously measure product improvement. It worked with engineers and vendors to help produce even better car designs.

Today, more than 6.5 million Hyundai vehicles dot driveways across the United States. Most people are unaware that most of these cars are actually built by Americans for Americans. The majority of Hyundai vehicles sold in the United States are produced at Hyundai’s Montgomery plant, which opened in 2005. HMMA is one of the most technologically advanced manufacturing facilities in North America, employing more than 3,000 Alabamians who are building award-winning Sonata and Elantra sedans. It has been featured on nationally syndicated programs and was most recently named the state’s Large Manufacturer of the Year for 2011.

According to studies conducted by the Harbour Report (an automotive benchmarking study), HMMA is one of North America’s top stamping, engine machining and assembly plants as well as one

of the most efficient assembly shops in the compact and mid-size sedan segment. In November 2010, the plant built its one-millionth vehicle, and in July 2011, it assembled the one-millionth Sonata for the North American market. HMMA is capable of building 350,000 cars a year, or more than 1,300 per day.

While those numbers are impressive, so is HMMA’s commitment to safety and the environment. Its health and safety record is exceptional — well below the national industry average for incident rates. The plant employs advanced manufacturing technologies and ergonomic aids to reduce the amount of physical strain on production team members, and HMMA’s robust safety program includes training, special authorization permits, area-specific safety rules, video monitoring, safety wear and personal protective equipment. HMMA also maintains active safety committees, which provide team members with the opportunity to participate in safety improvements to their work areas. These policies

left: On May 20, 2005, officials gathered to cut the ceremonial ribbon to celebrate the grand opening of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. In the center of the front row are Hyundai Chairman and CEO Chung Mong-koo, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, former South Korean Ambassador Hong Seok-hyun and former Alabama Governor Bob Riley.

and practices have made the plant among the safest automotive manufacturing facilities in the country.

HMMA’s environmental management systems are also among the best anywhere, being ISO 14001 certified. HMMA’s processes and procedures identify and control the environmental impact of its activities, products and services; improve its environmental performance continually; and ensure a systematic approach to setting and demonstrating compliance with environmental objectives and targets.

HMMA was the first automotive assembly plant in the United States to achieve ISO/TS 16949 certification by the International Automotive Task Force. The certification incorporates a set of Quality Management System requirements specific to the automotive industry and is the highest automotive operating standard in the world. The benefits of adopting ISO/TS 16949 standards include improving the quality of processes at the facility along with streamlining supply chains, both of which lead to a better overall product.

To give everyone an opportunity to see the quality work and the smiles on the faces of HMMA team members who are proud of their role in advancing the automotive industry in Alabama, the automotive assembly plant is open for free tours to the general public. HMMA team member pride shines through every day and exemplifies Hyundai’s role in fulfilling the American dream right here in Alabama.

HMMA team members aren’t the only ones benefiting from Hyundai’s presence in the state. A 2010 study of HMMA’s economic impact on the State of Alabama and Montgomery County shows the investments by Hyundai and its supplier base have brought, and continue to bring, measurable prosperity to Alabama and its citizens. The study

showed HMMA and its Alabama-based suppliers generated a total impact of $3.8 billion to the economy of the state in 2010. HMMA and its Alabama-based supplier partners combined accounted for more than $1 billion in payroll and 34,000 jobs in 2010. HMMA and its suppliers generated $53 million in public tax revenue for the state of Alabama, and HMMA was responsible, by itself, for another $8.3 million in tax revenue for Montgomery County.

Hyundai’s momentum in the United States received another boost with the passage of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. This trade legislation will help create American jobs and promote increased economic growth between the United States its staunch ally, South Korea. It ensures that the U.S. market will continue to be an important part of Hyundai’s long-term global development strategy.

Hyundai’s American success story has only just begun. HMMA will continue to play an integral part in Hyundai Motor Company’s future growth in the North American marketplace. The company will continue to invest in new equipment, training and technology to ensure the safest, highest quality cars are delivered to Hyundai car buyers.

below: In welding, some 280 robots weld parts to form a vehicle body.

Hyundai team members then attach hinges, doors, hoods and trunks and inspect each body to ensure that it passes quality checks and that the welding process has been completed correctly. credit: Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC

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Mercedes- I Benz U.S. International, Inc.

above: MBUSI Team member on the production line. below: The plant’s 4 million square feet are all under one roof.

n North America, Mercedes-Benz is the most widely recognized name in the Daimler family, and one of its most successful business units is located in Tuscaloosa County in Alabama, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. (MBUSI).

MBUSI, the main production location for the Mercedes-Benz family of SUVs, began its plant operations in 1997 with production of its first vehicle, the M-Class Sport Utility Vehicle. The original M-Class exceeded Daimler’s expectations, with 570,000 vehicles built during the vehicle’s eight-year life cycle. Today, some 15 years later, the plant has established deep roots in Alabama and the region and is an important contributor to Alabama’s economy, in terms of both jobs and investment.

More than 1.5 million vehicles have rolled off the line at the Tuscaloosa County plant, and the plant’s success has paved the way for multiple expansions over the years allowing for the addition of two more vehicles — the R-Class and the GL-Class SUVs. Most recently, Daimler AG announced plans to invest a total of $2 billion more at MBUSI through 2015, which will bring the plant’s total capital investment to more than $4.4 billion. The new investment will support plans to bring the Next Generation C-Class to Plant Tuscaloosa beginning in 2014 and a fifth vehicle in 2015. MBUSI currently employs about 2,800 Team members, and in 2010, the plant produced 125,393 vehicles for export to more than 135 countries.

Another 1,400 jobs will be added by 2015 to support the new products.

The plant currently has more than 4 million square feet located on 1,000 acres. Besides Body, Paint and Assembly shops, the Tuscaloosa site also has a comprehensive training facility and the

Mercedes-Benz Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is open to the public and houses exhibits detailing the history of Mercedes-Benz. Since opening in mid1997, over 230,000 people have toured the visitor center and plant.

Environmental Stewardship As a globally operating vehicle manufacturer, the plant puts significant focus on improving the environmental soundness of its products and business activities. MBUSI now builds the innovative clean BlueTEC diesel technology into nearly half of the vehicles that roll off the line.

These BlueTEC vehicles combine a smooth, quiet ride with fuel efficiency that delivers 20-30 percent higher fuel economy than a comparable gasoline engine.

And while the facility, the surrounding region and the entire state have seen tremendous growth, it hasn’t come at the environment’s expense. MBUSI Team members believe that ecology and economy should go hand-in-hand. Whether the topic is water consumption, hazardous waste, electricity costs, natural gas consumption or recycling rates, a dozen environmentally relevant parameters are measured monthly and compared with the facility’s aggressive targets. The plant also has achieved “zero landfill” status. Simply put, zero landfill means that no waste is leaving MBUSI and going to a landfill. All of the plant’s waste is recycled or reused.

Family and Community: Important Values at MBUSI Mercedes-Benz believes that family and community are just as important as building a world-class product. MBUSI offers Team members a state-of-the-art childcare and wellness center on the 182

left: Team members pose next to the 1.5 millionth Alabama-built vehicle. below: Team members volunteer after the April 2011 tornadoes struck Alabama.

plant grounds where Team members’ children take advantage of exceptional learning and development activities while their parents work next door. A wellness center, which includes a gym, weight room, aerobics classes and organized team sports, is open to accommodate day and evening shifts.

MBUSI has contributed millions of dollars to organizations within the communities where its Team members live and work. Team members are actively involved with area schools and organizations such as Junior Achievement, the American Cancer Society and Camp Smile-AMile. The plant annually conducts a United Way campaign, with those funds reinvested into programs such as the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity and Easter Seals. MBUSI’s Team members adopt “Angels” through the Salvation Army Angel Tree program to provide presents for children, and MBUSI-built vehicles are used by Kid One Transport System to provide transportation to underprivileged children in Alabama who need medical attention. The plant has established endowments with local colleges and universities to provide scholarships and cooperative education programs through partnerships with institutions such as Shelton State Community College and the University of Alabama.

Daimler AG in 2010 celebrated its 125th anniversary, and the company has enjoyed tremendous success in recent years, despite a very challenging economy. A large part of its success is due to the 256,000 dedicated employees in the NAFTA region, including those Team members who work here in Alabama at MBUSI. As MBUSI begins to build its Next Generation vehicles, and adds completely new products, the plant is again being challenged to implement new projects, set

new records and attain higher levels and standards than ever before. The Team members of MercedesBenz U.S. International are prepared to help the plant meet its goal: To be the best premium vehicle manufacturer in North America.

below: MBUSI President Markus Schaefer gives Team members an update.

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Photo by Robert Fouts

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Business, Financial & Insurance Services

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Redstone I Federal Credit Union

below: The headquarters office in 1975

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n 1951, 11 individuals had an ambitious goal: to start a member-owned financial institution that could make a difference in people’s lives. Each made a $5 investment, which was socked away in a shoebox, to start Redstone Federal Credit Union (RFCU). Over the next 60 years, that investment grew, and today, RFCU boasts over 22 branch locations (and counting), over 350,000 members and over $3 billion in assets, making the Huntsville-based company the largest credit union in Alabama and one of the top credit unions in the nation.

Originally formed to serve the civilian and military personnel of the U.S. Government who either worked for or were stationed at Redstone Arsenal, RFCU now serves nearly 1,300 service groups throughout North Alabama and Middle Tennessee. Many of RFCU’s members have also joined through their membership in The Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama, the Carnegie Visual Arts Center, the Association of the United States Army or one of the many other associational groups.

RFCU has earned its success with hard work and its adherence to a deep-rooted values system that centers on striving to be the ultimate financial solution for members throughout their lifetime.

Like all credit unions, RFCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative, owned by the people who save and borrow there. Every credit union member has one vote, regardless of his or her financial status.

The institution is governed by an unpaid board of directors, each volunteering their time and expertise to serve the organization.

Unlike many other financial institutions, credit unions do not issue stock or pay dividends to outside stockholders. Instead, earnings are returned to members in the form of lower loan rates, higher dividends on deposits and lower fees.

People qualify for membership through employers, organization affiliations like churches or social groups, or through family or household members. In general, credit unions are committed to aiding people in their community, particularly those of modest means.

RFCU takes this concept to a higher level, focusing all 800-plus employees on finding ways to help more people through low-cost financial services and community involvement. This is achieved by tailoring services to meet the financial needs and the lifestyles of its members.

The idea is simple: Credit unions are cooperatives. The more one uses the cooperative, the more rewards one can accrue. For example,

left: RFCU’s expanded headquarters building serving its 350,000-plus membership base today

credit unions have traditionally focused on share or savings accounts. Although members of RFCU have those accounts, RFCU’s team believes that the convenience of a checking account is something everyone needs and should have, regardless of their economic status. Thus, members who have checking accounts at RFCU are rewarded with a menu of generous perks.

One of these perks, Redstone Marketplace, offers members savings and discounts at 600 national retailers based on members’ debit card usage. In 2011, RFCU took the program to local retailers as well. Redstone also strives to offer some of the most competitive rates on deposits, loans and fees to checking account users, and offers members a goal tracking tool called Personal FinanceWorks.

RFCU purposefully seeks to grow in new areas and new demographics. For example, the company has reached out to the “underbanked” population in the Tennessee Valley. This will lead to more services

catered to their needs, such as check cashing, money transfers and money orders.

As an added benefit to all members, RFCU has redesigned its internet services. And the co-op is always looking for opportunities to better serve its current and future members by expanding its branch network. More branch locations are on the horizon for RFCU thanks to expanded membership eligibility by the National Credit

below: Redstone Federal Credit Union’s first branch office on Redstone Arsenal in 1951

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right: Highway 53 branch office — one of 22 locations available to serve members

below: Bringing technology home: RFCU’s first in-house computer system, the Burroughs B-500

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Union Administration, which allows anyone within specific geographic areas who lives, works, worships, volunteers, or goes to school within the designated area the ability to join the cooperative.

By staying true to its mission of enriching the member experience through low-cost financial services and community involvement, RFCU has grown exponentially. For the past several years, the credit union has increased membership by about 1,000 each month.

This type of success can only be achieved if it is the goal of all employees. The RFCU team stays focused on the credit union’s core values by holding “huddle” sessions each day to discuss a major company focus. These employee-led discussions target topics such as mission/vision, strategic goals, RISE (respect, integrity, soundness and excellence) and member experiences.

These sessions empower RFCU employees, as does the company’s support of strength management, which centers on the belief that one

can help people achieve more by focusing on their strengths rather than their weaknesses.

RFCU takes this idea to heart and now selects its teams and committees based on each individual’s strengths. Every employee’s intranet profile includes his or her top five strengths, and all managers display their top five strengths on their desks. When there’s an open position in the company, the hiring manager creates a model of the ideal employee for the job, including knowledge, experience and five strengths they should have. The interview questions are designed to identify candidates with those strengths.

A top priority for any job candidate is his or her willingness to give back to the community.

RFCU has and always will recognize the social responsibility it has to its members and the communities it serves. After all, without the community, there would be no credit union.

Not only is RFCU an active member with the chambers of commerce in each of its communities, but its employees are also active participants in numerous charities and events. Each year, the 22 branch locations serve as drop-off sites for donated food, school supplies, toys and more. In this way, employees, members and the community alike can all join together to support others in their time of need.

Members have also raised funds to aid with disasters worldwide, and RFCU has actively matched those donations. By directly supporting designated efforts of the Red Cross and Salvation Army, RFCU has assisted with relief efforts for natural disasters such as the series of events on 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Tsunami off the coast of Indonesia.

In the spring of 2011, RFCU’s home state of Alabama was hit by a series of tornadoes that caused widespread devastation. From the onset, although without power for the branches, staff was mobilized to begin the effort to provide needed relief. Not

only was RFCU concerned with providing cash to those in need, but also with addressing larger needs.

The company’s Highway 53 branch in Harvest, Alabama, right in the heart of the destruction, was miraculously saved. RFCU turned possession of this branch over to local leaders to use as a command center. Employees stepped in to cook and deliver food for individuals who lost their homes and for workers and law enforcement who were helping to repair the damage.

Once again, donations were accepted for the Red Cross and Salvation Army with RFCU matching funds. RFCU also made a donation to the Credit Union Disaster Relief Fund to help its many employees who suffered personal loss in the storms.

An additional non-designated donation was made as well. And a disaster relief low-interest loan was quickly established accompanied by very minimal underwriting requirements.

The volunteer board of directors for RFCU is very committed to the community and is likewise very supportive of the credit union’s community involvement program. Recognizing the value of community, the credit union has established a community involvement committee to review all requests and report each decision to the board.

Each year, the company supports more than 300 community organizations through sponsorships, advertising, donated items, use of facilities and more. Through these generous community investments provided by RFCU, its members and

employees, the cooperative has become known as a powerful community partner and expects to remain that way for years to come.

With a strong values system more than six decades in the making, RFCU is proud of the road it has traveled thus far and the success that journey has brought. Looking forward, the credit union is focused on growing stronger and healthier while reassuring members of the safety and the soundness of their credit union. But RFCU is also dedicated to staying true to its most important commitment of all — People Helping People.

above: Designed for better service — RFCU updates branch interiors beginning in 2007.

below: RFCU expands to the middleTennessee area; Murfreesboro branch grand opening, November 2011.

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Business S Council of Alabama

above: Fighting for business: BCA President and CEO William Canary and Senior Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs, Advocacy and Communications Anita Archie below: 2011 BCA Chairman Will Brooke, right, met with House Speaker Mike Hubbard to discuss legislation important to Alabama businesses.

ince 1985, the BCA has been the state’s premier advocate for business and free enterprise at the Alabama Legislature and in the halls of the U.S. Congress.

For more than a quarter century, the Business Council of Alabama has been working tirelessly on behalf of business interests in our state and nation.

Established in 1985 with the consolidation of the Alabama Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Alabama, the BCA was created to unite Alabama’s business community and to build a single, strong voice dedicated to effecting progrowth policy and progressive government on behalf of its member companies that together represent more than a quarter-million working Alabamians.

Since that time, BCA has grown to become Alabama’s largest and most well respected business trade association.

The BCA is proud to have a broad, diverse and member-driven organization built upon a foundation of vision, courage, integrity and commitment. Led by a volunteer board of directors representing 11 geographic areas of the state, BCA membership includes businesses of all sizes and virtually every segment of Alabama’s business community, from manufacturing to retail, agriculture to financial services, and many more. BCA is proud to be the exclusive affiliate in Alabama of the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In 2003, an historic agreement was signed linking BCA with the Chamber of Commerce

Association of Alabama (CCAA) and its more than 60,000 members of local chambers of commerce across the state. The two formed an organization known as The Partnership, and together, they have found common ground on the critical issues affecting men and women who make up Alabama’s business community. In the nine years since the formation of The Partnership, the two have held a series of Leadership Exchanges statewide, bringing together business, civic and government leaders for invitation-only regional dinner meetings to exchange ideas on issues of importance to business and industry and Alabama’s long-term economic growth.

Member-Driven Decision-Making Process BCA’s broad makeup requires that it work through a disciplined structure and consistent procedures to ensure all members are able to be active in the decision-making process. It accomplishes this through its nine technical committees in the areas of education and workforce preparedness, environment and energy, health, judicial and legal reform, small business, tax and fiscal policy, labor and employment, federal affairs, and governmental affairs, as well as through its ProgressPAC Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) system. ProgressPAC is the official state political action committee of the BCA and is supported entirely by the voluntary contributions of BCA members. During each state election season, 190

ProgressPAC RACs, the ProgressPAC board of directors and the BCA board of directors work together to devise and approve a slate of endorsed candidates who are supported by ProgressPAC. In recent years, ProgressPAC-supported candidates have been elected to many judicial, legislative and other statewide offices, helping advance Alabama into the 21st century and the global marketplace.

BCA Events Keep Members Informed The BCA presents several events, conferences, seminars and special programs every year to keep its members on the cutting edge of issues important to them. The premier fundraising event for ProgressPAC is the Chairman’s Dinner, which in the past has featured guest appearances by former President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush, political commentators Sean Hannity and James Carville, TV personality Bill O’Reilly and Gen. Colin Powell.

The annual event draws nearly 1,000 persons and is BCA’s salute to its volunteer leadership. “The quality of men and women leading this organization is of such a high caliber that they deserve and expect to hear from accomplished leaders who are held in high regard,” says BCA President and CEO William J. Canary. “It’s always an honor to bring such esteemed individuals to Alabama so they can see for themselves the quality of the people and the leaders of our great state.”

Every year, the BCA teams with the Alabama Technology Network, as well as the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama and the National Association of Manufacturers, to present the Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Awards. This is an annual recognition of state manufacturing enterprises that exhibit excellence in leadership, performance, profitability and workforce relations.

Awards are presented in three size categories — small, medium and large — and if deemed worthy, an outstanding business that has been operating for five years or less is recognized as the “Emerging Manufacturer of the Year.” Past winners have included Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, Steris Corporation, LaFarge, Austal USA, The Boeing Company, 3M Decatur, LLC, Turner Medical Inc., and Jenkins Brick Co. The Business Council also holds a Capital Leadership Day to orient its new board of directors

and a Reception Saluting State Leaders, which gives BCA and chamber of commerce members an opportunity to meet their local legislators and other state officials while the legislature is in session.

During the summer, the BCA Governmental Affairs Conference is a favorite annual event that brings business and governmental representatives together to hear informative talks from guest speakers and to discuss critical issues facing Alabama such as creating jobs and improving education.

BCA’s Healthcare Forums, which are held periodically around the state, bring in nationally recognized experts in the fields of healthcare legislation and policy and give members an opportunity to hear directly from those in the field. In December, the BCA Annual Meeting, held jointly with the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama, is highlighted by the election of officers and a new board of directors for the coming year.

Past guest speakers have included journalist and TV

above: Former President George W. Bush spoke to a packed house at BCA’s annual Chairman’s Dinner in 2011.

left: Former Alabama Gov. Bob Riley was a staunch supporter of The Partnership, which links the BCA and the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama together so the two groups can better work together on common goals critical to the success of Alabama businesses.

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right: Journalist and author Major Garrett spoke to BCA’s 2011 Annual Meeting in Birmingham.

below: BCA joined legislators and members of the education community to announce support for the Students First Act, which overhauled teacher tenure and fair dismissal laws.

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News commentator Major Garrett, commentator and author Fred Barnes, and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Sichan Siv. With more than 25 percent of its members from the manufacturing sector, the BCA launched the Manufacturing Advocacy Council (MAC) in 2011.

This select group of BCA members brings together their experience, skill and innate understanding of the manufacturing process to promote and enhance a positive business climate for Alabama manufacturers.

In October 2011, the BCA organized a Washington Briefing for members of the MAC to hear the inside scoop on issues and policies affecting the state’s manufacturers. MAC members met with Alabama’s congressional delegation and with Jay Timmons, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Manufacturers. They

heard policy briefings from several NAM experts in the fields of government relations, economics, tax and domestic economic policy, energy and resources, human resources and infrastructure, and legal and regulatory policy.

Timmons is grateful for BCA’s support and praises its leadership: “Alabama manufacturers are fortunate to have a strong advocate — and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) a strong ally — in the Business Council of Alabama,” he said. “The BCA leadership and staff are doing an excellent job leading the charge for manufacturing in Alabama.”

In 2011, BCA published its third book, A Blueprint for Progress, chronicling the 2011 session of the Alabama Legislature and documenting the key positions taken by BCA on behalf of business.

The book was made available to key government officials, legislators, BCA board members and Chambers of Commerce. Through an arrangement with Books-A-Million it is also available in BooksA-Million stores and online at www.booksamillion. com.

Subtitled The BCA’s Commitment to Ethics, Job Creation and Education Reform, the book archives, in 15 chapters, each week’s activity inside the Alabama Legislature. The 2011 session was historic because, for the first time, a pro-business majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives was truly committed to addressing the concerns of business. With the help of these legislators, the BCA was instrumental in securing passage of a number of real reforms in the areas of job creation, incentives for economic development, ethics reform, legal reform and positive changes in our public education

system. The book includes analyses of key pieces of legislation, photos documenting BCA’s events and advocacy of the past year, BCA’s 2011 State and Federal Legislative Agendas, several position papers and op-ed columns written for the state’s newspapers.

BCA keeps its members informed regularly through its web site, www.bcatoday.org, on social media such as Twitter and Facebook, through email alerts, and with print and digital publications. BCA’s magazine, The Business Advocate, is published as part of the statewide magazine, Business Alabama. It highlights BCA’s work on behalf of the varied needs of business at the state and federal level, spotlights BCA events and includes information from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. The Manufacturing Advocate, also published inside Business Alabama, features activities of BCA’s Manufacturing Advocacy Council. During the legislative session, BCA publishes for its members the weekly Capital Briefing, a digest of action taken on legislation of interest to business. It also includes a summary of remarks made by speakers at BCA’s Governmental Affairs Committee meetings and often features video interviews with top legislators and state officials.

BCA’s informative publications are only one of many benefits enjoyed by BCA members, including access to the Alabama Self-Insured Worker’s Compensation Fund, which has a retroactive payment feature for workers’ compensation that allows eligible fund participants to share savings that result from good member experience. BCA members also receive discounted shipping rates, members-only discounted pricing on office supplies and access to the BCA membership directory, allowing them to network with similar businesses or those they’d like to do business with.

For nearly 27 years, the Business Council of Alabama has been, and continues to be, the voice of business in the state of Alabama. Former BCA Chairman Sandy Stimpson put it well when, after the results of the game-changing 2010 elections were official, he said, “BCA has worked diligently for many years to see the creation of a pro-business legislature, and that dream is now reality. Now it is time for us to go forward boldly, but humbly, to see Alabama reach its full potential.”

BCA’s newest commitment to unite the business and education communities — for 2012 and

beyond — will significantly help Alabama reach its full potential. 2011 BCA Chairman Will Brooke heralded the concept during his tenure, noting that, “We must begin immediately to address the critical needs in our public education system. The days when political forces in Alabama worked to pit business and education against each other are over. The business community is the number one consumer of the product education, and the time has come for the creation of a true Business Education Alliance in Alabama.”

The BCA believes it is time to fundamentally change how Montgomery operates and leave our children and grandchildren a more prosperous future, along with a more accountable and efficient state government. The BCA is committed and ready to do its part. It’s time for all of us to come off the sidelines and lead. Let’s get to work!

To learn more about BCA and how you can become a part of Alabama’s premier business advocacy organization, visit www.bcatoday.org.

above: BCA 1st Vice Chairman Carl Jamison of Tuscaloosa joined Gov. Robert Bentley, Rep. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, and fellow BCA member Greg Powell (left) of Birmingham to announce BCA support for job creation legislation during the 2011 legislative session.

below: BCA’s Manufacturing Advocacy Council members traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with Alabama’s congressional delegation and with National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons (center). Also attending were, from left, BCA 1st Vice Chairman Carl Jamison, BCA Chairman Terry Kellogg, House Speaker Mike Hubbard and BCA President and CEO William Canary.

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Alabama C Self-Insured Worker’s Compensation Fund (ASIWCF)

above, right: Members have access to an extensive video and safety material library to support their safety efforts. below: A variety of industries are represented including Wholesale, Retail, Construction, Manufacturing and Service.

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ompanies rely on their workforce to make them successful, and they rely on Alabama Self-Insured Worker’s Compensation Fund (ASIWCF) to provide a foundation on which to build that success. The Fund offers its members nearly 35 years of experience as a leader in the work comp industry, sound financial security, reduced claims costs and a Retrospective Return Plan that returns funds back to its eligible members.

These high standards have made ASIWCF the state’s largest writer of workers’ compensation coverage with more than 3,200 employers. The Fund covers more than $7 billion of insured payrolls for employers of all sizes in the manufacturing, construction, wholesale, retail and service industries. This diversified member base reduces risk concentration and helps build long-term stability.

The Fund started in 1978 as a workers’ compensation provider to members of Associated Industries of Alabama (AIA). When AIA and the Alabama State Chamber merged in 1986, the Business Council of Alabama became the Fund’s sponsoring association. The Fund is also affiliated with the Alabama Independent Insurance Agents Association and the Self-Insured Institute of America.

Unlike the traditional market, self-insured groups (SIGs) are not in the business of maximizing profits but are instead focused on minimizing costs to their members. The “equity position” the

members enjoy in the SIG environment creates a stakeholder mentality that aligns the member’s interest with those of the SIG, and the SIG’s interests with those of the member.

In order to produce favorable results for its members, ASIWCF utilizes a team approach. This includes marketing the Fund in order to build and maintain the membership base; underwriting accounts to identify those who are committed to controlling their claim cost; working with members to prevent and reduce on-the-job injuries; and working to get the proper medical care for the injured employee and return that employee to work quickly in order to keep associated costs down.

Key to ASIWCF’s success is its customer service. ASIWCF provides its members with a menu of services that helps them develop and maintain a successful program, including Loss Control Services, Claim Management, Educational Services, Information Services and Drug & Claim Management/Safety Management.

Loss Control Services are crucial components of what ASIWCF offers members. Preventing work environment injuries is the first step in saving companies money. Through Employer’s Claim Management, Inc., a service provider to ASIWCF, members may request on-site risk analysis with the goal of enhancing workplace safety efforts.

Claim Management is another important service. Each claim is assigned to an experienced claim examiner who works closely with the injured worker, the medical care provider and the employer to bring about a favorable resolution. Participation in AlaMed, the state’s largest and most costeffective workers’ compensation preferred provider’s

organization (PPO), helps control medical costs.

And, state-of-the-art claim management software processes claims promptly and automatically pays the lower of billed charges, PPO schedule or state fee schedule.

ASIWCF’s Technical Resource Representatives provide Educational Services at members’ places of business on topics such as Accident Investigations, Forklift Training and Supervisor Training. The claim and loss control departments also conduct annual workshops that cover current workers’ compensation issues and offer claim and loss control techniques. Plus, members have access to an extensive video and safety material library as part of their complete workers’ compensation plan.

ASIWCF’s Information Services ensure that members receive quarterly reports on the status of their workers’ compensation claims, and they may request custom reports based on individual needs. The online resource, CompInfoCenter, allows members to access their claims and account information 24/7 and receive important training for successfully managing workers’ compensation programs.

Safe work environments and swift recovery from injuries require commitment, and ASIWCF aims to reward these efforts. Members who become certified in Drug & Claim Management or Safety Management programs receive special recognition, including financial incentives.

Consistently offering unmatched customer service, strong financials and excellent operating results has enabled ASIWCF to offer a strong Retrospective Return Plan. The plan returns excess contributions to the membership. Since The Fund was established in 1978, more than $206 million has been returned to its members.

Not only has ASIWCF saved its members millions of dollars over the years, allowing them to invest more money in their core operations, these bottom-line savings also have helped boost Alabama’s economy by creating jobs and increasing productivity.

“It has been an honor to serve Alabama’s business community for all these years,” says Freda Bacon, ASIWCF Administrator. “But it wouldn’t have been possible without a Board of Trustees of impeccable integrity and keen vision, a staff unyielding in its commitment to excellent customer service, and member companies dedicated to protecting their employees and their bottom line.”

above: ASIWCF members range from large international corporations to Alabama family owned businesses. below: Members have incentive to prevent workplace accidents.

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Blue Cross and I Blue Shield of Alabama

n June 1936, Hospital Service Corporation of Alabama (HSC), the predecessor of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, began operations with 16 Alabama hospitals agreeing to participate in the uncharted and unique concept of health insurance.

At the end of its first year of operation, HSC was providing healthcare benefits to more than 10,000 Alabamians through 250 group memberships in 17 Alabama towns. This growth was an early indication that providing organized healthcare coverage was the right thing to do. Although the need for healthcare insurance seems obvious today, the decision made in 1936 was based on a need to protect Alabamians from additional financial hardships already experienced during the Great Depression. Since its inception in 1936, Blue Cross has grown from six employees to more than 3,500 employees serving over three million members today. These members have access to Blue Cross’ comprehensive networks of hospitals, physicians, pharmacies and other healthcare providers.

Non-Stop Service to Customers above, center: Employees volunteer to build a Habitat for Humanity house. below: In June 2011, Blue Cross employees celebrate 75 years of service at the company’s headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.

With over 75 years of serving its members and volunteering in the community, Blue Cross continues to move ahead as it offers some of the best health insurance products and customer service in the industry. The staff is proud of its consistent record of processing claims in a timely and accurate manner, its focus on excellent customer service,

and its reputation for high customer satisfaction.

The company returns over 90 cents in healthcare benefits for every premium dollar received, and its administrative expense ratio is one of the lowest in the industry. As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and one of 39 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans throughout the United States, Alabama is the only Plan to win the Association’s Brand Excellence Award (BEA) every year of the award’s 16 years. The BEA recognizes the most highly rated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans in the country based on growth, service and image.

“The Brand Excellence Award reflects Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s commitment to providing superior services and products to its customers, healthcare providers and the marketplace,” says Terry Kellogg, President and CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. “Receiving this award reinforces our commitment to customer satisfaction.”

Tim Kirkpatrick, Executive Vice President, says the company’s success is tied to its steadfast mission. “Since our beginning, our goal has never wavered,” Kirkpatrick says. “We provide employers, families and individuals access to quality, affordable healthcare because we care about our members’ financial security, health and peace of mind.”

Additional Services Cahaba Government Benefit Administrators®, LLC (Cahaba GBA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Cross, administers Medicare Parts A and B claims for Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, under contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Another Blue Cross subsidiary, Cahaba Safeguard Administrators, LLC, contracts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide Medicare Integrity Program functions.

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Committed to More than Healthcare

above: Blue Cross hosts a telethon at its headquarters to raise

In addition to providing the best healthcare coverage possible, Blue Cross places value on community service and educating Alabamians about ways to maximize their health. The company has served as a Pacesetter Company for the annual United Way campaign for 12 years and consistently ranks as one of the top Alabama companies in employee fair-share giving. Blue Cross supports over 300 health and education initiatives statewide through The Caring Foundation; provides employees opportunities to volunteer in the community for programs like Habitat for Humanity, a local food bank and tornado relief; and offers employees, members and the general public programs and resources for improving their health.

Growing its customer base consistently since opening its doors in 1936, Blue Cross has proven to be a solid, stable company that cares about Alabamians’ future, earning it the designation “The Caring Company.” Its sustainability is directly attributed to a core philosophy that is exemplified by employees who are truly concerned about their customers’ well-being, who work to improve the community and who respect each other.

money for those impacted by the tornadoes that hit the state in April 2011. below: Employees help sort items at a local United Way food bank.

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Protective Life E Corporation Protect Tomorrow.

Embrace Today.™

right: John D. Johns, the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Protective is the sixth chief executive to lead Protective. His leadership is characterized both by his fidelity to the company’s core values and by his dedication to community service. below: Protective Life Corporation’s headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama, provides a comfortable and attractive work environment for its employees.

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stablished in 1907, Protective’s flagship company, Protective Life Insurance Company, was built upon a belief in hard work and integrity.

The company’s continued commitment to these timeless principles is reflected in Protective’s mission and values.

Protective’s mission remains boldly alive in its name. The company is committed to helping customers protect their financial future and the futures of those that depend upon them. By helping people protect their tomorrow, it allows them the freedom to embrace today.

Four core values guide the company in all that it does: “Do the Right Thing,” “Serve People,” “Build Trust” and “Simplify Everything.” The first of these, Do the Right Thing, serves as a cultural guidepost for every Protective employee and is an expression of the company’s belief that integrity is based on the simple but essential philosophy to do what is right, always. Throughout its history, a central purpose for Protective has been to Serve People to improve the quality of life for its customers. Protective people Build Trust by listening carefully and caring about customers’ needs. Finally, in an industry that many consumers find to be complex, Protective is committed to finding opportunities to Simplify

Everything, making its products and processes accessible and understandable.

Keeping Promises in Uncertain Times More than ever before, Americans of all ages are looking for financial products and services that deliver security in an often unpredictable world. But

“As we look to the future, we are energized by the opportunities we see before us and inspired by the wisdom of our founder’s vision of a company that can prosper financially, while making the world better and brighter for those we serve.”

John D. Johns

an insurance company’s promises are only as good as its ability to deliver on those promises. Protective’s financial stability and long-term performance provide its customers with the confidence to enjoy the peace of mind and satisfaction that comes with knowing that their protection and retirement products are backed by a company that has been carefully managed to succeed in turbulent times.

A Diversified Financial Services Company— Birmingham-Based with a National Footprint Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Protective Life Corporation is a financial services holding company offering a broad portfolio of protection and retirement products to middle- and upper-middle-income Americans.

Protective’s three main product types include life insurance, asset protection products and retirement savings and investment products. The company markets life insurance and retirement savings and investment products through its Life and Annuity Division under two subsidiaries — Protective Life Insurance Company and Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company.

Protective markets asset protection products through the Lyndon Insurance Group, with an emphasis on service contracts for automobiles, boats and recreation vehicles. The company’s Stable Value Products Division sells guaranteed investment contracts and funding agreements through Protective Life Insurance Company.

Employing over 2,300 employees across the United States, Protective strives to maintain a high quality, engaged workforce that takes pride in its work and feels vested in the mission and core values of the company. Through the Protective Life Foundation, Protective supports a wide range of community initiatives and nonprofit organizations targeted specifically at improving the quality for life of those they serve, whether through the arts,

education or health and human services. From 2006 through 2010, the Foundation has been one of the top five corporate foundations in Birmingham, as ranked by total funds awarded. Each year, the Foundation’s financial contributions combine with thousands of hours of volunteer service provided by Protective employees to support hundreds of worthy causes and touch the lives of countless people in need of help.

Protective’s brand promise, Protect Tomorrow.

Embrace Today.™ is not just a tagline. It is a promise that the company makes its customers. By helping people protect their tomorrow, Protective can help people embrace today.

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ALIANT I Bank

above, right: John Russell Thomas right: Festival Plaza Office in Montgomery

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t takes a firm foundation for a bank to remain strong and stable in turbulent economic times.

For more than a century, ALIANT Bank is proud to have kept its focus on being the bank of choice in all the communities it serves.

The roots of ALIANT Bank were planted in Alexander City in 1900 when it was founded as Citizens Bank by entrepreneur Benjamin Russell.

It was an exciting time in Alabama, when financial, manufacturing and mining industries were shaping the economic landscape of the state. Opportunities were abundant, and even Russell sought to expand by founding Russell Mills in 1902 in an office in the back of the bank.

The state was experiencing explosive growth, and by 1904, the modest Citizens Bank of Alexander City became First National Bank. And its founder’s side venture, Russell Mills, was on its way to becoming Russell Corporation, which would come to be known as one of the leading clothing manufacturers in the 21st century.

While the bank enjoyed prosperity during its early years, it also remained strong in the decades to come, when the economy was weakened by a depression and two recessions. The bank credits this to its deep roots and its leading-edge approach to community banking.

The vision of founder Benjamin Russell continues at ALIANT Bank with a descendant of Benjamin, John Russell Thomas, who for nearly 40 years has served as a key member of the Board of Directors. In 2010, Thomas was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame, and he works

closely with Harlan Parrish, a longtime veteran of Alabama banking, who took the helm at ALIANT Bank in 2010. Parrish is focused on driving growth in business lending, streamlining internal systems, cranking up marketing efforts, and taking internal communication to new levels. “The key to ALIANT’s success is that we do not try to fit a potential customer into a preconceived box. We know that every business and consumer has his own unique situation, and that lending decisions are best made locally as our bankers take the time to fully understand each applicant’s need or potential need,” says Thomas.

“Our focus is on building close, personal relationships with all of our customers. We prefer that business owners do both their business and personal financial business with us, so we can better know the whole picture and be of the most help,” Thomas adds. “We will talk to any business owner, whether they are ready to seek financing or not,

with the aim of offering help and establishing a relationship that will be beneficial both to the client and to the bank.”

ALIANT Bank’s big picture focuses heavily on having a major presence in the Birmingham, Montgomery and Alexander City markets and adding to its growth in business lending by offering cutting-edge technology and service in its treasury management programs and in the retail branches; growing its mortgage business; and making more Alabama residents aware of the bank and its offerings through advertising campaigns and sponsorship of events.

At the same time, the bank is committed to helping educate the community on topics related to business and financial matters. To this end, ALIANT has held informational events in each of its geographic markets, providing valuable information to customers such as how to guard against identify theft, tips for applying for a business loan, and ideas for marketing a company in changing media and economic times Further proof of ALIANT’s commitment to the communities it serves was seen when the April 2011 tornadoes tore through the state. The bank sprang into action and opened a disaster relief account with the City of Dadeville for monetary donations for assistance and relief to tornado victims; served as a drop-off location for clothing, shoes, toiletries, nonperishables, toys and baby items at its Alexander City Main Office, the Mill Square branch and the Dadeville branch; and partnered with the Salvation Army to be a collection point for the “Red Disaster Kettle” program at the Montgomery and Elmore

county branches. Twenty ALIANT Bank employees also volunteered their time to help Habitat for Humanity rebuild several homes in the Birmingham area that were destroyed by the tornadoes.

This dedication to community has earned ALIANT a host of honors and awards including ranking No. 7 out of 57 financial institutions (based on total assets) in Business Alabama magazine’s Alabama Bank Performance Ranks (June 2011). The Birmingham Business Journal has also recognized the bank as a “Best Place to Work,” and the readers of the Alexander City Outlook recently voted the bank the “Best Bank in the Region.”

“Our vision is to be the bank of choice in the communities we serve,” Thomas says. “To be the bank of choice, we must build on our foundation of professionalism, trust, honesty and respect. We have the people, knowledge, services and technology to offer first-rate banking solutions regardless of a customer’s size and needs.”

above, left: Some of the ALIANT Bank Board Members (L-R): Richard Hanan, Harlan Parrish, CEO, John Russell Thomas, Chairman of the Board, Jerry Kyser above, right: Montgomery Zelda Road Retail and Lending Managers – standing – (L-R): Caryn Hughes, Dean Peevy, Draper Stanford, Ron Creel, seated (L-R): Joyce Vaughn, Judi Chumley below: Alabaster Staff with Coach Pat Dye at book signing (L-R): Harriet Sudderth, Coach Pat Dye, Patsy Leach, Jennifer Gordon

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Birmingham B Business Alliance

below: Downtown Birmingham is the perfect backdrop for the growing campus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and is the core of commerce for Alabama’s leading economy. Center in the picture is the UAB campus’ newest addition, the $180 million Women and Infants Center, and the adjacent and colorful new $400 million Children’s of Alabama hospital — strengthening Birmingham’s world-class medical offerings. credit: Birmingham Business Alliance

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irmingham was founded in 1871 at the intersection of two railroads in a valley between two ridges of the Appalachian Mountains. Over the last 140 years, it has become Alabama’s largest and most diverse economy, expanding beyond its nationwide iron and steel dominance to embrace health care, technology, biotechnology and diversified manufacturing.

The city of Birmingham has grown considerably since its founding and now anchors a burgeoning seven-county region that includes Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker counties. Within this enterprising area, strategic partnerships are continually forged, fostering job creation and bolstering the area’s competitiveness as a desirable location with a high quality of life.

With its central location in Alabama and the Southeast, the Birmingham region thrives as a distribution and logistics hub. Six major interstates and three Tier 1 railroads cross in Birmingham, also the site of a major rail intermodal facility built

by Norfolk Southern. In 2014, the BirminghamShuttlesworth International Airport will complete a $200 million terminal modernization, adding 19 gates, increased cargo capacity and the state’s first customs facility.

Businesses from across the globe have realized the Birmingham region’s potential. In the past

10 years, companies have invested more than $2.6 billion to expand or relocate to the region, creating nearly 19,000 new jobs. The region also serves as home base for Alabama’s only Fortune 500 company, Regions Financial Corp., and for Walter Energy Inc., a Fortune 100 Fastest-Growing company. The largest non-government economic engine in the region is found in the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which employs 25,000

opposite page, above: Work conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s department of pathology to cure cancer is just one of many innovative and state-of-the-art initiatives coming out of one of the Southeast’s largest medical research universities.

Not only is UAB the Birmingham region’s largest employer with more than 25,000 employees, it also has an annual economic impact of $4.6 billion on the state of Alabama. That figure is expected to grow to $6.6 billion by 2020. credit: Steve Wood, University of Alabama at Birmingham left: Tourists from around the world flock to Birmingham each spring for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama held at Barber Motorsports Park. The annual race has garnered a number of top tourism awards and is just steps away from the Barber Vintage Motorsports

people and delivers a local economic impact of $4.6 billion — expected to reach $6.6 billion by 2020.

Birmingham’s appealing quality of life includes quick and easy access to mountains or Gulf Coast beaches, ample cultural offerings and the most park acreage per capita of any city in the nation.

The area consistently ranks as one of the most affordable in the nation and one of the least expensive for business travel, holding the 10th best employment record in the nation. Its Ross Bridge residential neighborhood was recently named “Best Community in America,” and the downtown’s newest addition, Railroad Park, was voted the “Best New Park” in the United States.

Leading the charge for the Birmingham region’s continued economic prosperity is the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA). The group was formed through a merger of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and the area’s economic development arm, the Metropolitan Development Board. The organization has worked diligently to improve all aspects of life in Birmingham, including economic development; workforce development; public and private leadership; and community and regional stewardship.

BBA serves as a dynamic advocate, unifying voice and constant catalyst for economic development and business prosperity for the

entire seven-county Birmingham region. As part of this effort, in 2010, BBA launched Blueprint Birmingham, a five-year, economic development strategic plan that charts a course to make the Birmingham region one of the best places to work and live in the United States.

Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of vintage and modern motorcycles and racecars. credit: Bruno Event Team

left: The Birmingham region is located in the heart of Alabama and encompasses commerce and life in seven counties. The Birmingham region remains the economic engine of the state, constituting more than a third of Alabama’s gross domestic product. credit: Birmingham Business Alliance

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Medical E Properties Trust

above, center: North Cypress Medical Center, an acute-care facility in Houston, Texas below: MPT Founders and Executive Leadership Team: Edward K. Aldag Jr. (center), Chairman, President and CEO;flanked by R. Steven Hamner (left), Executive Vice President and CFO; and Emmett E. McLean (right), Executive Vice President and COO.

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dward K. Aldag Jr. had an idea — a vision based on almost 20 years in real estate, finance and health care — that people would always need hospitals. And hospitals would need new capital to take advantage of advances in medical technology and patient care.

He enlisted three others who would not only embrace that vision but would help shape it into a rock-solid business plan that, nearly nine years later, is still being followed today. Despite the rejection of their original plan by numerous venture capitalists, the entrepreneurial idea that became Medical Properties Trust is alive and well. And Birminghambased MPT is now a leading source of real estate investment capital for hospitals nationwide.

“The world certainly didn’t need another company investing only in nursing homes and medical office buildings,” Aldag says. But it did need a real estate investment trust specializing in acute-care hospitals of all kinds to offer successful owner-operators new channels of access to capital.

By unlocking the value of real estate assets for reinvestment in hospital operations at higher returns, MPT’s strategic formula helps experienced operators and investors become more active participants in the largest and fastest-growing segment of the U.S. economy.

According to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, American health care spending is expected to increase 5.8 percent annually through 2020, outpacing GDP growth of 4.7 percent.

Rather than being a drain on the economy, well-

run hospitals contribute significantly to continued growth. Medical Properties Trust not only invests in well-run facilities, its management team possesses the financial and operational acumen to help transform underperforming hospitals into efficient, profitable facilities in which their communities can take pride.

These facilities spur the local economy, create jobs, maintain employment and serve health care needs that, in some communities, would otherwise go unmet. The company also invests with managers who keenly understand the changing demographics of health care demand and an aging population that expects better care.

MPT today continues to bridge the gap between the growing demand for high quality health care and a hospital’s ability to deliver it efficiently and cost-effectively. Since its inception in 2003, MPT has established a proven track record of exceeding expectations in good years and bad.

Listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “MPW” in 2005, Medical Properties Trust had achieved real estate investment assets of more than $1.5 billion by 2011. These assets included 60 health care properties in 22 states leased to 19 hospital operating companies. During the first three quarters of 2011 alone, the company had invested more than $311 million in facilities from New Jersey to Texas, including a medical center in the New York City metropolitan area and three acute-care hospitals in the growing suburban markets of San Antonio, Texas.

“The bottom line is that we have created an investment structure that’s profitable and

care hospitals and the remainder in other types of licensed hospitals where patients are admitted by doctors’ orders.

“While other companies continue to invest in medical office buildings and assisted living facilities, we will continue to invest in licensed hospitals, a market we know and understand,” Aldag says.

“Our company will continue to follow our business model — a model that we continue to perfect and strengthen.”

sustainable,” says MPT’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer R. Steven Hamner.

“And now, we have opportunities to evaluate most of the hospital real estate transactions that occur in any given year.”

Hamner points to MPT’s robust underwriting process that screens out more deals than the company would ever choose to close, because the company doesn’t make a move until all the fundamentals are right — absolutely right. “In underwriting and choosing the deal, we’re looking at fundamentals in the market,” Hamner says.

“We’re examining the mix of services offered by the facility and the operator — the actual people and their backgrounds — and then making a judgment.

Investors see the results of our acquisitions, such as better earnings and dividends, but behind all that is a careful process that ultimately creates sustained financial results.”

“Our job is to assess the risk and get the best possible return for our shareholders,” says Emmett McLean, the company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Like Hamner, McLean is one of the original company founders who has been working side by side with Ed Aldag to turn Aldag’s original vision for Medical Properties Trust into impressive reality.

“When we started this company, all we had was a management team and an idea,” Aldag says, “and it’s a tremendous feeling to see how far we’ve come with some smart planning and a lot of support. Our portfolio mix of property types is very close to where we expect it to be in the future, with approximately 60 percent in general acute-

above: Paradise Valley Hospital, an acute-care facility in San Diego, California below: Reliant Rehabilitation Hospital of Central Texas in Austin

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Regions O Financial Corporation

above, right: Regions Financial corporate headquarters in Birmingham below: John Turner, Central Region President, Regions Financial

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ne of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, trust, securities brokerage, mortgage and insurance products and services, Birmingham-based Regions Financial Corporation is a key part of Alabama’s economy, playing a vital role in the state’s past, present and future success.

In 2008, the company contributed $1.5 billion and 23,810 direct and indirect jobs to the Alabama economy and lent $11.2 billion to businesses and consumers in the state through its more than 240 branches in Alabama. “As the largest bank in Alabama we’re doing our part to encourage sustained economic growth in our home state by creating high quality jobs, purchasing goods and services from local companies and lending to Alabama businesses and consumers,” says John Turner, Central Region President for Regions Bank.

Regions traces its roots back to three Alabamabased banks that became original affiliates of First Alabama Bancshares, Inc., chartered in 1970 as the first multi-bank holding company in the state. Years of growth and changes followed, culminating in a final name change in 1994, when the company became Regions Financial Corporation. The company merged with Union Planters Corporation in 2004, and in 2006, the merger of Regions and AmSouth Bancorporation took place.

While it was founded in Alabama, is headquartered in the state and obviously a major asset to the state’s continued prosperity, Regions has grown far beyond its original borders. Currently, the company is ranked No. 12 nationally in deposit market share, and No. 1 or No. 2 in 11 of its top 25 markets, serving customers in 16 states across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary Regions Bank, has over 1,700 branches.

This size means Regions can offer the stability, strength and wide range of services of a top U.S. financial institution. Yet at the same time, Regions has earned its many loyal customers and clients thanks to its local, community-minded focus, giving people the confidence

and convenience of banking with people at a neighborhood company they know.

“While our financial solutions will help customers get more from their money, it is our purpose to help them get more out of life,” says Turner. According to recent surveys, Regions is fulfilling that goal. In early 2011, TNS recognized Regions for superior performance in consumer banking. And the Temkin Group, an independent market researcher, recently ranked Regions as the top bank and one of the top companies in America for customer service.

The company also strives to enhance every community it serves, as evidenced by its over 1,500 donations to organizations and more than 100,000 hours of volunteer work in 2010 alone as well as its commitment to small businesses. The SBA ranks Regions among the top five banks in the nation for small business lending and the No. 1 SBA 504 lender in Alabama and Florida.

As it looks forward, Regions remains committed to its core mission of providing banking that’s “simple, easy, reliable” to individuals and businesses of all shapes and sizes, a mission that’s reaping benefits for Alabama and beyond.

The Joy of Life Foundation tinted the water of Court Square Fountain pink in honor of Montgomery’s Half Marathon and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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The University of Alabama | Photo by Barry Fikes 208

Education

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University T of Alabama in Huntsville

opposite page: The University of Alabama in Huntsville is among the nation’s top 75 research universities as ranked by the Carnegie Foundation. below: UAHuntsville has one of the largest on-campus clean rooms in the southeastern United States.

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he first-floor science laboratory was small, cramped, and the contents were not particularly impressive. But that tiny room at The University of Alabama in Huntsville would be the site where knowledge, hard work, perseverance and a little luck came together to create a cataclysmic event for the planet’s scientific community.

Jim Ashburn, a young graduate student studying physics, would validate his breakthrough formula that would mark the discovery of the world’s first “high temperature” superconducting material.

The equipment that Ashburn and his research professor Dr. M.K. Wu had at their disposal in the modest laboratory was relatively ill-suited for measuring the 93 K critical temperature of the nowfamous blend of yttrium, barium and copper oxide.

But this set of circumstances mattered little to the motivated and inspired student.

This event best chronicles the brief existence of The University of Alabama in Huntsville. It reveals

a bright student and a mentoring faculty member working together to produce a broad technological advance in spite of a modest environment.

It is this atmosphere in which barriers between teaching and research disappear. Faculty members take their knowledge from cutting-edge research and share it with students in the classroom. Today, students at UAHuntsville, both at the graduate and undergraduate level, participate in hands-on research. It is this combination that provides a learning environment that exists only at unique institutions of higher education, such as the campus of UAHuntsville.

Perhaps that explains why UAHuntsville recently was named one of the top research universities in the nation by the Carnegie Foundation. The campus was cited as a very high research institution, one of only 73 public universities in the nation to achieve this status. Alabama only has two — UAHuntsville and UAB.

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above: A graduate student measures the diameters and velocities of droplets in a water spray generated from a liquid rocket injector.

UAHuntsville’s Propulsion Research Center was named one of the top three “awesome” labs in the U.S. by

Popular Science.

right: A graduate student sets up a particle image velocimeter for making flow field velocity measurements of a jet.

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It also reveals why university researchers have gained international reputations in fields as varied as astrophysics, mechanical and aerospace engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, optics, earth and space science and propulsion.

It is this environment that ensures that UAHuntsville is consistently ranked among the leaders in the nation for NASA-sponsored research and for 14 other research areas is ranked in the Top 20 nationally, including four in the Top 10,

according to the National Science Foundation. At the same time, USA Today and Princeton Review reported that UAHuntsville is one of the top 50 educational values in America.

The vision and dream of UAHuntsville grew from the drive and foresight of the men and women whose rockets carried man into space, to the moon and beyond. Those dreams continue to inspire today. It’s no accident that the university is in close proximity to Redstone Arsenal, home of several major federal research laboratories. The close relationship among industry, government and academia has long proven to be a formula for technological development and innovation. It’s also no accident that UAHuntsville is the anchor tenant for Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the United States.

This is the unique setting that draws more than 7,600 students seeking to advance their knowledge at UAHuntsville, which offers 67 academic programs through its five colleges — Business, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Nursing, Science and School of Graduate Studies.

UAHuntsville is recognized as an affordable and scholastically pre-eminent institution located in a dynamic and attractive region internationally known as a leader in high technology, according to

UA Huntsville President Robert Altenkirch. “This university is the result of the special character of Huntsville,” he says. “The interaction among the university, federal agencies and the community is crucial to our success. And the university’s success is also crucial to the success of Huntsville.

We participate in the economic development of this community by offering not only educational opportunities but also a vast resource of talent that is available for consultation and partnerships.

“The University of Alabama in Huntsville is an institution with remarkable achievements but with even greater potential for the future,” Altenkirch says. “Our faculty and staff are talented and productive, our students rank among the most dedicated and successful in Alabama, and our performance in research is extraordinary.”

He added that the university is committed to generating, disseminating and preserving knowledge. The faculty is dedicated to providing students with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse campus community.

It is just such a surrounding that provided the motivation for Jim Ashburn when he made his world-changing scientific discovery 25 years

ago. These same qualities still exist today on the university’s campus. Students choose UAHuntsville because they seek challenges. They come to the campus excited about discovery in the new century, and they stand ready to use their skills and talents to bring this knowledge to bear on the greatest future challenges facing America and the world.

above: Science and engineering graduates account for half of the majors at UAHuntsville.

left: UAHuntsville faculty members bring their research knowledge into the classroom to meet the scholastic needs of the university’s nearly 8,000 students.

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Birmingham- I Southern College

above, center: BirminghamSouthern’s beautiful and well-kept hilltop campus is just three miles from downtown Birmingham. below: Birmingham-Southern’s new Explorations general education curriculum is designed to offer the skills and perspectives that professional schools, graduate schools and employers are seeking in today’s increasingly complex and inter-connected world.

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n 2011, former Marine Corps Commandant General Charles C. Krulak took the helm as the 13th president of Birmingham-Southern College.

During his introduction, he promised the faculty, staff, students and alumni gathered that together they would move BSC forward to even greater heights. His goal: for BSC to become one of the finest liberal arts colleges in America.

“The world today is full of the unexpected,” he said at the time. “Our young men and women today must be agile — able to react to an ever-changing world. Nothing prepares them for that better than a liberal arts education provided by the world-class faculty here at Birmingham-Southern College.”

“Our history is proud, but our future is even brighter,” he continued. “Our goal is to become one of the finest residential liberal arts colleges in the nation. We have all the tools to reach this goal — a talented and caring faculty and staff, a dedicated Board of Trustees, a wonderful student body, a beautiful and well-kept campus and a hugely dedicated alumni base.”

At the time of Krulak’s arrival, BSC was implementing a bold and innovative general education plan that expands the college’s liberal arts mission to provide students with the skills and perspectives that professional schools, graduate schools and employers are seeking in today’s increasingly complex and inter-connected world.

Known as Explorations, the new general education curriculum builds on the strengths inherent in BSC’s academic program and highlights

these in new ways. It moves general education away from the more traditional “checkbox” approach, which emphasizes disciplinary requirements, to one that stresses the importance of what students learn to do. This new pedagogy of doing is illustrated by requirements that guide students in learning how to: communicate effectively; solve complex problems in creative ways; connect their coursework to the wider world; engage with their social and political world; and engage in self-directed teaching and learning.

Teaching students how to do all of these things well, across academic disciplines, is the core of the philosophy behind Explorations.

A distinctive part of the BSC educational experience is the four-week January Exploration Term, during which each student can develop his or her potential for creative activity and independent study by exploring one topic of interest. This intensive program of experiential learning offers students unique opportunities for on- and offcampus projects, independent study or research, foreign study experiences and challenging and unusual internships.

BSC students’ minds are further broadened through participation in community projects, a backbone of the institution for decades. The importance of service-learning not only helps strengthen the community but also gives students deeper insight into the problems facing society today.

The unique learning experience at BSC develops men and women of character who are prepared to meet the world head on. Each year, more than 50 percent of Birmingham-Southern graduates go

on to graduate school at some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities. The college consistently ranks No. 1 in Alabama and among the nation’s best in percentage of all graduates accepted to medical, dental and health career programs.

The college also ranks high nationally in graduates accepted to law school. And for those who choose to move directly to their professional careers, BSC graduates have a distinguished record of job placement.

Currently, nearly 6,000 Birmingham-Southern alumni live in the Birmingham area and work as educators, doctors, dentists, lawyers, clergymen or women, business leaders and in other professions.

Birmingham-Southern’s future is indeed bright, but it’s a future built upon the foundation of a proud history that began in 1856 as Southern University in Greensboro, Alabama. Southern University was consolidated with Birmingham College on May 30, 1918, to create BirminghamSouthern College.

BSC has grown into a fully accredited, fouryear liberal arts institution that operates under the auspices of the North Alabama and AlabamaWest Florida conferences of the United Methodist Church. The college is now recognized nationally for its quality academics, its service to others and the success of its graduates. Throughout its 156 years, the college has never wavered from the vision first set forth by its founders.

In addressing just the second graduating class of Southern University on July 3, 1861, the institution’s first president William M. Wightman impressed upon his students that studying at

Southern was more than a path to amassing personal wealth and status; rather, the journey was about scholarship to prepare for service. “The great point to be considered is, not so much what you shall get, as what you shall become — what you shall do to bless your generation,” Wightman told those gathered that day.

BSC remains committed to that vision, as it moves forward, ever. “There has never been a better time to be a student at BirminghamSouthern College than right now,” stresses General Krulak. “Our educational experience is unique, and when young men and women graduate from Birmingham-Southern, they are equipped to meet the world head-on and to make a profound difference.”

above: BSC’s low 13-to-1 studentto-faculty ratio allows for personal interaction between students and their professors in the classroom, in the laboratory, in undergraduate research and beyond.

below: Located on a rolling hilltop that overlooks the city skyline, BirminghamSouthern boasts one of the most beautiful and student-friendly campuses in the nation.

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Auburn A University

above, right: Built in 1888, Samford Hall’s clock tower is perhaps the most recognizable and iconic building on Auburn University’s more than 1,800acre campus. The carillon plays the university’s fight song, “War Eagle,” at noon daily. below: Auburn University became a pedestrian campus at the beginning of this century, urging students and employees to seek alternatives to driving and parking a car on campus.

In the background is the College of Sciences and Mathematics’ Sciences Center Auditorium, one of three buildings located in the heart of campus that opened in 2005 and has been devoted to undergraduate classes in chemistry and biology.

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uburn University is one of the state’s greatest assets in the quest to build a stronger Alabama — both economically and educationally.

With its strong research programs in the sciences, engineering, veterinary medicine and education, the university and its many graduates provide better roads, safer foods, healthier pets, more productive natural resources and new technologies.

One recent example is Auburn’s new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Research that is establishing Auburn as a leader in a field that could provide lifesaving technologies to the citizens of Alabama and beyond. The center already houses the most powerful scanner for human use, a 3-Tesla MRI, and will soon house a 7-Tesla MRI, the most powerful MRI available and one of the few in the world. The center brings together Auburn’s expertise in agriculture; engineering; science and mathematics; pharmacy; veterinary medicine; and kinesiology and human sciences with Siemens’ world-renowned expertise in MRI. Auburn University has also entered into a multimillion-dollar partnership with the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization to stop improvised bombs in Afghanistan by providing a powerful detector tool — bombsniffing canines. Auburn was selected to train these IED-detection dogs because of the program’s long history of success with canine olfaction research and detector dog breeding and training. The Auburn University Canine Detection Research Institute and Training Center is the only program in the world associated with a veterinary sports medicine program and a college of veterinary medicine, and it recently made headlines for patenting Vapor Wake technology, with which dogs can detect hidden explosive devices being carried by an individual in a crowded location even after the person has passed by.

In addition to working on the cutting edge of multiple disciplines in an effort to better our country and the world, the university is equally dedicated to its community, and outreach is a hallmark of Auburn’s mission. The prestigious Carnegie Foundation selected Auburn for its 2010 “Community Engagement Classification” for the Advancement of Teaching, recognizing Auburn’s commitment to community partnership and public service. The university was also named to the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction, which recognizes the nation’s leading colleges and universities for their civic engagement, service-learning and volunteering.

Academically, Auburn’s has been ranked in the top 50 public universities nationwide for 19 consecutive years. Programs in place to support student learning include Learning and Living Communities, where students with similar academic interests build support groups for longterm academic development; an expanded Honors College; the new Miller Writing Center to serve all undergraduates; a Learning Commons environment in the main campus library; and the new Village residential community.

Every day Auburn University is hard at work moving forward on issues that matter to you, engaging and supporting its students, and giving back to its communty. And all this activity generates an economic impact of more than $4 billion annually for the state, making life better for us all.

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ocated on 500 acres just seven miles east of the state capitol building, Auburn University at Montgomery was founded in 1967 as the metropolitan campus of Auburn University.

Established at the request of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce on behalf of local and state leaders, Auburn Montgomery blends traditional and contemporary views regarding its role in the community — providing excellent academic programs and scholarship while supporting the function of local, state and regional government, as well as the business community.

The university offers many areas of study, at both the undergraduate and graduate level, training the next generation of business leaders and public servants. Some of these programs include: The Geographic Information Systems program, which trains students to use technology and data to aid businesses, organizations and government agencies in identifying and addressing relationships between geographical entities and attributes; The Hospitality and Tourism concentration, within the marketing major, which prepares students for the growing hospitality industry; The Homeland Security option within the master’s program in Justice and Public Safety, which trains military, public safety and private security professionals in emergency management; The Master of Science in Cybersystems and Information Security program, which prepares students to become leaders in the field of information and network security; and The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, which provides students with the broad skill set needed to manage nonprofit organizations. It is the only program of its kind in the state and was recognized in 2011 as the top program in the nation.

In addition to Auburn Montgomery’s excellent educational programs, AUM University Outreach extends its resources and expertise to the community, enhancing productivity and quality of life for individuals in Alabama, the United States and beyond. Projects include: providing comprehensive management training to hundreds of leaders across Alabama through the Certified Public Managers program under the Alabama Training Institute at AUM; providing consulting services in human resources management for private and public sector clients with an emphasis on individual assessment and testing, performance management, employee training and development and organizational consultation through the AUM

Center for Business and Economic Development; developing and implementing a school safety program through Virtual Alabama, in collaboration with the Alabama Department of Homeland Security, to train faculty and staff at K-12 public schools on school safety issues through the AUM Center for Government and Public Affairs; and producing and disseminating comprehensive data sheets analyzing key issues impacting Alabamians, including population studies and HIV/AIDS through the AUM Center for Demographic Studies.

Auburn Montgomery’s more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 300 full- and part-time faculty and 30,000 alumni are deeply committed to moving Alabama forward and making the world a better place.

Auburn University at Montgomery below: Soaring 10 stories high above the capital city, the Library Tower has come to symbolize the academic excellence of Auburn’s metropolitan campus. Founded in 1967, AUM’s mission is to foster and exemplify excellence in education through instruction, research and service.

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AIDT T “Alabama’s Workforce Resource”

below: Entertainment Media Production and Crew Training (EMPACT) is an AIDT training program created specifically to drive and build interest in the film and television industry in Alabama.

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he key to Alabama’s continued prosperity is economic development. When companies choose to locate in the state, they pump money into the economy with capital investments, and most importantly, new jobs for Alabama citizens. But without an available skilled workforce to fill those jobs, the companies will not come.

Today, those leading Alabama’s business recruitment efforts are armed with AIDT, an institution of the Alabama Community College System that encourages economic development through job-specific training.

AIDT’s Executive Director Ed Castile outlined the organization’s mission. “We work to provide quality workforce development for Alabama’s new and expanding businesses and to expand the opportunities of its citizens through the jobs these businesses create,” he said.

Forty years ago, nothing like AIDT existed, but as state leaders began trying to bring companies to Alabama, it quickly became clear that good workers were crucial to their success and that a separate entity was needed to address this part of the economic development equation.

Thus, AIDT was formed in 1971 and now trains an average of 20,000 workers each year for approximately 110 companies.

Castile explained the major role that AIDT plays.

“Companies can build the buildings they need and can buy technology, but they still need a well-trained workforce,” he says. “And this is still true, even as companies become more automated.”

Automation is just one factor changing the way companies function, yet AIDT has stayed ahead of the

above: The Alabama Robotic Technology Park is a three-phase workforce training development facility that targets specific industry needs in the field of robotics automation. Training classes are taught by Robotic Automation companies and AIDT instructors.

curve as companies’ operations evolve. “Over our 40 years, we continually improve our process and programs based on the kind of companies we are recruiting,” Castile says. “We are very flexible; it is one of our claims to fame.”

This flexibility allows AIDT to tailor its training programs to meet companies’ unique needs.

Its ability to customize programs for specific projects has made AIDT a prominent part of many success stories, those that brought Mercedes, Hyundai and more to the state. “In my time here, AIDT has been involved with every major announcement and expansion of industry in the state,” Castile says. “Ask any major company locating here, and they will tell you that AIDT was a big player in their decision.”

The automotive and missile defense industries are still important components of AIDT’s work, but according to Castile, other businesses like those in research and development, television and film production and biomedical are picking up too. AIDT is also working with corporate offices looking to move to the state, helping recruit engineers, human resource managers and more.

AIDT continues to reap rewards. The return on investment for the program last year was just over $6 billion, and a worldwide site selection magazine ranked Alabama the No. 3 U.S. state for companies to do business, while AIDT was ranked the No. 2 organization of its kind. “We’re very proud of both,” Castile says. “It proves AIDT is fulfilling its purpose.”

Calhoun Community College U

niquely situated in north Alabama’s hightechnology corridor, Calhoun Community College exemplifies the community college mission at its best. The largest of the two-year colleges comprising the Alabama Community College System, Calhoun is recognized as one of the region’s most successful economic and workforce development engines, providing educational and training opportunities to over 12,300 credit students and well over 3,500 non-credit students annually.

Active in the north Alabama community for over 64 years, Calhoun successfully meets the educational and training demands of a unique and highly diverse population. Whether at its 110-acre main campus in Decatur or at its Huntsville campus, situated in Cummings Research Park (making Calhoun the nation’s only community college with a campus located in a major research park), Calhoun’s highly trained faculty dedicate themselves exclusively to passing their knowledge and wisdom on to their students. Close to 80 percent of its faculty possess at least a master’s degree, and 24 percent have earned doctorate degrees.

As a result of this commitment and quality, students at Calhoun have continued to excel. Since 1989, seven of the college’s students have been ranked among the top two-year college students in the nation, and today, Calhoun graduates permeate the community, with many of them having gone on to successfully complete baccalaureate degrees at other institutions in the area or directly entering the workforce after completing programs of study and training at the college.

Led by its president, Dr. Marilyn C. Beck, Calhoun is preparing tomorrow’s engineers, with close to 500 students annually majoring in preengineering, math and science. Additionally, the college’s Nursing and Allied Health programs and facilities are recognized among the region’s best; over 600 nursing students are enrolled at Calhoun each year. The college further supports the region’s workforce development efforts by providing training and education for area business and industry through its Calhoun Workforce Solutions department.

Developed in partnership with the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology, Calhoun offers the state’s first and only associate’s degree in Biotechnology.

And, through a $3.4 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor, the college has created the Alabama Center for Excellence in Clean Energy Technology, the first accredited training center for renewable energy technology in Alabama, serving as the state’s launch pad for renewable energy professionals. Additionally, the college is home to the Alabama Robotics Technology Park, a vision of former Alabama Governor Bob Riley and a collaborative effort among Calhoun, the state of Alabama, AIDT and robotics industry leaders across the nation.

Judging by the success of past graduates and the array of opportunities offered to current and future students, Calhoun Community College can indeed be counted among the jewels in Alabama’s higher education landscape.

above: The main entrance at Calhoun’s Decatur campus; in the background is one of the campus’ major landmarks, the Math/Science/Administration building.

below: Calhoun graduates; the students with the gold tassels and scarves are members of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honors society for community college students.

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Wilson Dam | Photo by Jefferson S. Rogers 220

Energy

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Alabama F Power Company

rom its earliest years, Alabama Power Company has been dedicated to improving the communities it serves by providing affordable, reliable electricity. For more than a century, the company’s mission has paved the way for substantial economic growth and recreational opportunities that have strengthened the quality of life in Alabama.

Today, Alabama Power provides electricity to more than 1.4 million homes, businesses and industries across the southern two-thirds of Alabama. It is one of four U.S. utilities operated

by Atlanta-based Southern Company, one of the country’s largest producers of electricity. More than 81,000 miles of power lines carry electricity to customers throughout 44,500 square miles of the state.

A Vision for the Future

below: Since 1926, Martin Dam has provided clean, reliable energy to Alabama Power customers.

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When the company was founded on December 4, 1906, by William Patrick Lay, the vast majority of Alabama residents lived in rural areas and had no electricity. Those who lived in the city often had only limited electricity for things like streetlights, which at the time operated on a “moonlight schedule” — if the moon was shining, the lights

weren’t on. A lucky handful of folks were able to have electricity from after the sun went down until about 11 p.m., at which time operators would “wink the lights” twice before the current was turned off for the night.

Most Alabamians lived and worked on farms because there was little industry in the state.

Industry growth was reliant on a reliable source of electricity. Most people accepted the conditions without much thought, but Lay found it unacceptable. A third-generation riverboat captain, Lay knew the state’s rivers better than most. He was also a successful businessman, who dreamed of merging his talents to build hydroelectric dams along Alabama rivers. He knew that reliable electricity could make people’s lives easier. It could bring new business and industry — and good jobs — to Alabama. Reliable, affordable electricity would improve the overall quality of life in the state.

Lay had the vision but couldn’t find investors or secure the funds he needed to make it a reality. That kind of investment capital didn’t exist in Alabama at the time, and Wall Street wasn’t interested in financing a dam in an agricultural state like Alabama.

By 1911, it looked as if Alabama Power wouldn’t survive its first decade, much less a century. As fate would have it, James Mitchell came to Alabama in 1911 after 17 years in Brazil helping bring electricity to that country. Mitchell had connections to a London investment house that had financed the development of electrical systems and hydroelectric dams all over the world. But even with his experience and financial backing, until he met Tom Martin, Mitchell had little success in Alabama.

Martin was a Montgomery-based attorney who had helped write the state’s dam laws. Perhaps more importantly, he was familiar with Alabama’s unique political landscape and knew how to get things done. Mitchell and Martin soon joined forces, and in May 1912, Lay sold Alabama Power to Mitchell with these words: “I now commit to you the good name and destiny of Alabama Power. May it be developed for the service of Alabama.”

Mitchell, Martin and later company leaders took Lay’s words to heart. In addition to providing affordable, reliable electricity, the company has been committed to being of service to the state in many other ways, including supporting economic and community development through employee and retiree volunteerism and through charitable giving.

A Culture of Service Alabama Power’s charitable works, and the works of the independent Alabama Power Foundation, connect people to their communities, communities to opportunity, and offer a helping hand when needed. The company’s and the Foundation’s charitable giving efforts are aimed at making the greatest positive impact. From providing grants to nonprofit organizations, to providing tens of thousands of employee volunteer hours annually, Alabama Power believes in building a better Alabama.

The company, the Foundation and company employees and retirees provide support for educational programs across the state including new teacher grants, a hands-on, interactive environmental education museum and a “science suitcase” program featuring more than 300 interactive kits that teachers can check out for use in their classrooms.

The Foundation, created in 1989 with an investment by shareholders, has the goal of strengthening communities across the state. The largest corporate foundation in the state with more

than $120 million in assets, it typically awards more than 1,300 grants annually with non-ratepayer money. Since its founding, the Foundation has given more than $126 million through more than 20,000 grants and scholarships.

above: Alabama Power’s historic headquarters building in Birmingham dates to 1925.

Caring for the Environment Taking care of customers and communities also means being a good steward of the environment.

At the most basic level, it means meeting or doing 223

below: Alabama Power Service Organization volunteers building a Habitat for Humanity home.

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better than required on all standards set by state and federal environmental agencies. But Alabama Power does much more to protect the natural resources that make Alabama beautiful. The company has made significant investments to reduce emissions and help maintain and improve air quality. It has been praised for its efforts to preserve some of Alabama’s most scenic and important lands and protect endangered species. It is a leader in efforts to expand parks and greenways, and works every day to protect the water quality of rivers, lakes and streams.

Alabama Power employees are also trained to help customers improve the energy efficiency of their homes, businesses and communities. A variety of incentives and pricing options help customers better control their energy use, which helps save money, lowers emissions and conserves resources.

Alabama Power’s hydroelectric generating plants have created lakes on the Tallapoosa, Coosa and Black Warrior rivers. These plants provide Alabama Power customers with clean, reliable electricity while the surrounding waters offer abundant recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike.

Land management programs help to preserve the natural beauty of the lakes and surrounding areas.

The company also maintains public access areas around the lakes for boating, fishing, hiking and other recreational activities.

Economic Development From its earliest days, Alabama Power’s vision was to recruit new industry to Alabama. In 1913, the company established a Commercial and New Business Division. In 1920, Tom Martin officially formed a new industries division, the first at any

electric-utility company. Alabama Power’s industrial recruitment program was the only one in the state for decades.

Today, the company continues to work with partners in the public and private sector to lure new industry and jobs to the state, and help existing industries flourish and grow.

Recognition Alabama Power’s commitment to the state and to its customers has brought praise from a spectrum of independent organizations. For example, in 2011, businesses ranked the company No. 1 in the South for customer satisfaction among large utilities in a survey conducted by J.D. Power and Associates.

The company’s rating was the second highest in the nation.

Alabama Power has received numerous Edison Electric Institute Emergency Response and Emergency Assistance awards for its service in responding to natural disasters or assisting other utilities with restoration efforts following a natural disaster. The company has also received national awards from Keep America Beautiful for its Renew Our Rivers cleanup campaign, which has spread from Alabama to four Southeastern states.

With a legacy of service stretching more than 100 years, Alabama Power remains focused on its customers and its communities. It is committed to continuing its efforts to serve the state and its people.

above: Alabama Power is testing the latest in solar energy technology.

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Energen E

right: A military base relocation is providing Alagasco with an exciting opportunity to bring natural gas service to new subdivisions under development in East Alabama. below: The majority of Energen’s natural gas reserves are located in the San Juan Basin in New Mexico and Colorado where Energen is the leader in horizontal drilling.

nergen Corporation is a growing oil and gas exploration and production company with major operations in Texas and New Mexico. But the Birmingham-based energy company is deeply entrenched in Alabama, where its natural gas utility roots span some 160 years.

Energen’s earliest ancestor began lighting the streets of Montgomery in 1852. Through a series of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and name changes, today’s Alabama Gas (Alagasco) emerged in 1948 and remains the premier natural gas utility in the state. Reorganized as a holding company in 1979, Energen took its present name in 1985 to better reflect its focus not only on its natural gas utility but also on its then-small oil and gas exploration and production division, Energen Resources Corporation.

Since the mid-1990s, Energen has transformed itself into a top-20 independent producer of oil, gas and natural gas liquids (on the basis of U.S. proved reserves). The energy company today has a market capitalization that exceeds $3 billion as well as $4.5 billion in assets and approximately 1,500 employees.

Birmingham is home to the headquarters of Energen, Energen Resources and Alagasco. The company’s exploration and production subsidiary has field offices in Midland, Texas; Farmington, New Mexico; and Vance, Alabama, while its utility also has offices in Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, Gadsden, Selma and Opelika.

A Top Oil And Gas Producer Energen Resources’ proved reserves of oil, gas and natural gas liquids totaled 303 million barrels of oil equivalents (MMBOE) at the end of 2010, and the company’s future drilling potential is reflected by its inventory of more than 590 MMBOE of unproved reserves. The bulk of these reserves are in the San Juan Basin in New Mexico and Colorado and in the Permian Basin in west Texas. Its legacy assets are in the Black Warrior Basin in Alabama, where it pioneered the exploration and development of coalbed methane in the mid- to late-1980s. Energen Resources also has operations in north Louisiana and east Texas.

In recent years, Energen has been capitalizing on its balance sheet strength and substantial cash flows to pursue property acquisitions in the oil-rich Permian Basin and, in 2011, embarked on a multiyear drilling program that targets the Wolfberry and 3rd Bone Spring/Avalon/Wolfcamp trends in the prolific west Texas basin.

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Alabama’s Premier Gas Company Alagasco is the largest distributor of natural gas in Alabama, providing clean-burning, energyefficient natural gas to more than 435,000 homes, businesses and industries in central and parts of north Alabama. The utility pursues growth opportunities as economic development initiatives bring businesses and residents to its service area.

Over the next decade, Alagasco plans to add as many as 5,000 to 7,500 new residential customers as well as myriad commercial customers in the booming Fort Mitchell area of east Alabama. A nearby U.S. Army base relocation is expected to attract 30,000 new residents over the next five years, and Alagasco has laid more than 15 miles of pipeline to provide natural gas service to the 12 residential developments currently planned.

Guiding Principles “We will conduct our business and earn a profit based on ethical standards and values that recognize the dignity and worth of all individuals; commitment to excellence in performance; personal and business integrity; and courage of convictions and action.” So states Energen’s enduring Statement of Principles. “Adhering to these principles benefits not only our customers but also our shareholders and employees. I think history shows that if you conduct business in an honorable fashion, you will prosper,” says Energen Chief Executive Officer and Chairman James McManus.

Those same principles help guide the company’s approach to corporate contributions. “In the five states in which we operate, we have a responsibility to give back, to support those causes that will benefit the community as a whole,” McManus says. “Energen’s continued success depends on the strength of our communities. Our business success is connected to our commitment to supporting those who help others. We are grateful we can share our blessings and give back to our community.”

Energen focuses its corporate giving on groups working in four core impact areas: education, health and human services, civic and community, and arts and culture. The Energen Foundation helps fund college scholarships, youth leadership academies, shelters for women and children, health research and the performing arts.

above: James T. McManus, II, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer left: The oil-rich Permian Basin in west Texas is home to 44 percent of Energen’s total proved reserves at year-end 2010 and the focus of a major, multi-year drilling program by the Birmingham-based energy company.

An Exciting Future Over the past 15 years, Energen has enhanced shareholder value in a meaningful way through the growth of its oil and gas exploration and production operations. At the same time, its natural gas utility has retained its solid customer base by focusing on excellent service.

Energen’s healthy balance sheet, strong principles and growth strategy are central to the company’s identity and will remain so as Energen embarks on a period of heightened activity and possibilities both in the oil and gas fields of the United States and here at home in Alabama.

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The McPherson T Companies

above, center: In 2008, TMC built its corporate office adjacent to its distribution facility in Trussville, Alabama. The McPherson Companies now employs over 225 employees and continues to be a leader in the petroleum industry. below: After opening his first office in Oneonta, Alabama, in 1971, Charles McPherson built his first warehouse in the same small town. There, his company grew for over 26 years to one of the largest distributors in the Southeast.

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he McPherson Companies (TMC) has a strong heritage of providing leadership in the petroleum distribution business. With more than 40 years of service, TMC has built a record of delivering quality products and a full line of petroleum services to its customers.

TMC began as McPherson Oil Products in 1971 when lubrication engineer Charles K. McPherson Sr. (Mac) returned to his North Alabama roots and purchased a rural fuel jobber in Oneonta, Alabama. Fuel jobbers are companies that purchase refined fuel and lubricants from refining companies and deliver to retail, commercial and industrial customers. Business boomed, and soon McPherson was awarded lubricant distribution rights with Shell and Mobil in Birmingham and central Alabama, respectively.

In the early years, TMC forged valuable relationships with coal mining companies, which ensured its success as it moved from packaged products to bulk products. This change allowed TMC to offer its customers a more environmentally friendly product and more competitive pricing through lower handling costs and reduction in product losses.

TMC continued to grow both organically and through acquisitions, allowing it to enter new markets throughout the southeastern United States.

New facilities were added in Decatur, Montgomery and Bay Minette, Alabama; Panama City, Florida; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; and Gainesville, Atlanta and College Park, Georgia.

TMC has grown into one of the largest independent lubricant distributors in the country with approximately 15 million gallons distributed on an annual basis. Today, TMC is a multibranded lubricant distributor providing customers

with products from ExxonMobil, BP/Castrol, ConocoPhillips/Kendall, as well as its own private label brand, Proteck. The Company is also one of the largest retail gasoline suppliers in the Southeast, supplying over 100 million gallons to approximately 200 branded and unbranded convenience stores in Alabama and Florida.

The company has diversified into other petroleum-related lines of business as well, including launching a Fuelman fleet card management franchise in Alabama, Georgia and the Florida panhandle, which grew to be the largest franchise in the country. In 2006, TMC sold its Fuelman franchise to FleetCor but continued to market Fuelman in the Southeastern United States. After five years, TMC regained direct control of its fleet card and launched a new, next generation, fleet card named FUELZ. In 2000, TMC entered the used oil business with its acquisition of BAMA Waste and rebranded the business as McClean Fuels, offering an excellent solution for recycling used oil. In 2011, McPherson expanded its oil reclamation services and re-launched this business under the ReNew brand.

TMC believes used oil is not a waste product, but a recyclable product for environmentally friendly processing and continued warranted use.

In 1991, TMC moved its headquarters from Oneonta to Birmingham and in 2006, to its current home adjacent TMC’s regional distribution facility in Trussville, Alabama.

In 2006, after eight years working in all aspects of the business, Mac’s eldest son, Ken, was named president. Mac continues to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

TMC’s success is driven by the McPhersons’ passion of providing great products and superior

service to all of its customers. One of the secrets to the company’s success is its philosophy of Total Petroleum Management, or TPM. TPM ensures that all customers’ petroleum needs are met and that customers need not look to multiple providers or suppliers. TMC is a “one stop shop” and is completely and expertly equipped to deliver quality products and a long list of products and services including: lubricants and greases for commercial and industrial customers; fuel, including gasoline and diesel (for on- and off-road use); transmission fluids and antifreeze; burner fuel and recycled oils; used oil, filter and absorbent disposal; FUELZ Fleet Card fuel management; engineering services; oil analysis; petroleum equipment, including new, used and equipment service; industrial plant services; fuel price hedging products; and petroleum industry education and training.

For more than 40 years, TMC has remained family owned and operated and uses this strength to foster a caring work culture. This family oriented culture is shared by the owners and employees, who are committed to participating in the economic life and vitality of the cities they call home. TMC employees are quick to provide a helping hand or take a leadership role in helping others, whether it is meeting crucial fuel needs during natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and Alabama’s horrific tornados in April 2011 and January 2012, or providing emergency food, clothing and shelter to neighbors and fellow employees, whose lives were personally affected by tornadoes, to sending supplies from home to our troops overseas. The Company also partners with local charitable organizations including Boy Scouts of America, Children’s Hospital of Alabama, United Way of Central Alabama and Life South Community Blood Center.

In a petroleum industry rife with high stakes, high risk and, often, high criticism, TMC has maintained a reputation as a fair, honest company, committed to delivering excellence in all that it does. The McPherson name has become the company’s guarantee of quality products, services and technical assistance. Customers know they can rely on TMC to deliver dependable service, competitive pricing and prompt delivery. TMC is an innovative, reliable and secure source for petroleum products. “Our ability to stand behind our commitments and meet customer needs is not compromised by being dependent on third party resources,” Charles McPherson says. “Our focus is to meet our customers’ needs; our growth and varied capabilities are a result of focused attention on providing unparalleled services and quality fuel and lubricant products. To be different, we must make a difference every day in every way.”

above: In the early 1980s, when Charles McPherson built this tank farm in Oneonta, Alabama, it was considered a state-of-art facility and allowed the company to supply the booming industrial market.

below: The McPherson Companies’ current distribution facility in Trussville, Alabama. With distribution facilities across the Southeast, TMC delivers over 150 million gallons of commercial, industrial and retail products.

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Photo by Dennis Keim

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Health Care

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Children’s F of Alabama

right: A young patient receives a breathing treatment at Children’s.

below: Children’s of Alabama expansion, The Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children, opened in August 2012.

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or a century now, Children’s of Alabama has been caring for our state’s most vulnerable citizens, becoming a symbol of hope in the face of sickness, disease and life-threatening injuries for children from all over Alabama and beyond.

In the early 1900s, Birmingham was overcrowded with newcomers, diphtheria was pandemic, and the city’s hospitals were overflowing with patients. Dr. Carl Henckell, an Episcopal minister, had been concerned about the lack of health care available to the area’s children. Others shared his concern, and together they started a movement to establish a free hospital for children only. From this, the Holy Innocents Hospital Association was formed in 1911. The following year, the hospital opened its doors in a church parish house. Within months, the group had rented a simple frame residence and equipped it with 12 beds. Among the poor the news spread quickly, and the parents came, filling the hospital with their sick children.

The new hospital relied on the community, particularly ladies, to keep it going. Volunteers scrubbed floors, sat with sick children and raised money. Soon the association had enough funds to renovate the house and provide space for 25 young patients. In 1914, the name was changed from Holy Innocents to The Children’s Hospital. In 1921, the hospital moved into an impressive new brick facility, and by 1932, a second building with an outpatient clinic, nurses’ quarters and urgently needed operating rooms was added.

By the 1950s, the hospital was running out of real estate on which to grow. So the board of directors began planning for another new facility, one that would open its doors in 1961. That same year, Children’s entered into a collaboration with the University of Alabama at Birmingham. That partnership continues today, helping the hospital maintain a leadership role in pediatrics nationwide.

As Children’s celebrates its centennial, it stands poised on yet another frontier in medicine, one where new techniques and sophisticated technology promise cures for diseases that still threaten children, as well as new therapies that may prevent devastating conditions from ever occurring.

To meet the challenges of this exciting era, Children’s moved into a new 750,000-square-foot facility in 2012, the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children. This move will make it possible to treat more patients and offer additional services. The new facility will house advanced surgical capabilities and an expanded emergency department. It will be a family centered place, allowing parents to be a part of the healing process.

A lot has changed since Reverend Henckell voiced his appeal for help for the children of the poor. Yet one thing will never change: Children’s of Alabama remains a welcoming respite and place of compassionate care for sick and injured children.

And, like the children entrusted to its care, the hospital will continue to grow and develop well into the future.

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nder local ownership and leadership for almost 90 years, the DCH Health System operates DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Northport Medical Center, Fayette Medical Center and Pickens County Medical Center.

These hospitals serve an 11-county area of more than a quarter of a million people in West Alabama.

In addition to its mission of service, the DCH Health System is one of the area’s largest employers, providing a substantial boost to the economy.

The third largest hospital in Alabama, the Regional Medical Center serves as the regional referral center for West Alabama. Physicians representing every medical specialty and most subspecialties practice at the Regional Medical Center.

The Regional Medical Center operates specialty units for pediatrics, orthopedics, cancer and cardiology, as well as the region’s most advanced trauma center and intensive care units. Physicians at the Regional Medical Center use many of the latest surgical techniques that require less recovery time, including microsurgery, laser surgery, laparoscopic surgery and the da Vinci robot-assisted surgical system.

The DCH Cancer Center, affiliated with MD Anderson Physicians Network®, a supporting organization of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, brings a new level of cancer treatment to West Alabama.

The Phelps Outpatient Center at the Regional Medical Center offers the region’s most comprehensive range of outpatient services in one convenient location. The Regional Medical Center also operates a home health agency, the SpineCare Center pain clinic and a bloodless medicine and surgery program.

Northport Medical Center offers a full range of inpatient and outpatient services as well as several important specialty services. The DCH Rehabilitation Pavilion at Northport Medical Center uses the latest advances in rehabilitative care to help patients with spinal cord injuries, head injuries, strokes or other neurological or orthopedic disorders regain their independence. North Harbor Pavilion offers inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services for adult and geriatric patients. Northport Medical Center and the Regional Medical Center both also offer family oriented childbirth and intensive care for critically ill newborns.

Fayette Medical Center and Pickens County Medical Center are among the top-ranked rural hospitals in Alabama. Both offer many of the services found at urban hospitals, and FMC’s 122bed nursing home facility is fully accredited and licensed for intermediate and skilled nursing care.

The DCH Health System is proud to continue the tradition of community-owned facilities offering West Alabama advanced and compassionate care into the 21st century. DCH. Caring. For life.

DCH Health System

left: The DCH Cancer Center’s affiliation with MD Anderson Physicians Network®, a supporting organization of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, brings a new level of cancer care to West Alabama.

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Information, Technology & Telecommunications

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AT&T F

or more than a century, AT&T has consistently provided innovative, reliable, high-quality products and services and excellent customer service in Alabama. It’s part of the company’s vow to “Rethink Possible,” from its revolutionary smartphones to next-generation TV services and sophisticated solutions for businesses of all sizes.

“Rethink Possible is more than just a tagline, ” says Fred McCallum, president of AT&T Alabama.

“It’s an invitation to challenge perceptions of what can be done and what remains possible. At AT&T, we believe that together we can realize new breakthroughs in how we live, work, plan and educate future generations.” It’s a philosophy that has helped advance communications technology since the very first telephone.

A Storied History

below: South Central Bell Headquarters, circa 1973

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AT&T Alabama’s history is woven into the fabric of AT&T’s history, whose roots can be traced back to 1875, when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Since that time the company has operated in Alabama as Southern Bell, South Central Bell and BellSouth. When the Telecommunications Act of 1996 became law, it ushered in a whole new competitive environment that gave customers new choices for technologies, products, services and vendors. Since BellSouth’s merger with AT&T and name change in 2006,

AT&T has continued to expand its offerings, growing into a global networking leader, focused on delivering IP-based solutions to residential, business and government customers.

Today, AT&T is recognized as one of the leading worldwide providers of IP-based communications services to businesses. It also has the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network and the largest international coverage of any U.S. wireless carrier, offering the most phones that work in the most countries. AT&T is also the proud operator of the largest Wi-Fi network in the United States, based on branded and operated hotspots. AT&T is the only national U.S. TV service provider to offer at 100-percent IP-based television service. It’s part of the company’s “three-screen” integration strategy to deliver services across the three screens people rely on most — the mobile device, the personal computer and the TV. AT&T Alabama is proud to be part of a global company, but it hasn’t lost sight of its local roots and the important role it plays in the success of the communities that make up Alabama. With over 16,000 employees and retirees living in the state and over $490 million in payroll, AT&T’s people are a vital part of Alabama’s economy.

AT&T Alabama is committed to doing its part to help Alabama’s economy recover and grow.

This is achieved in two different ways: through its

left: Through philanthropy and collaboration, AT&T supports initiatives to promote academic and economic achievement to address community needs.

continued investment in the state and through its customers’ use of communications services that advance commerce, connect Alabamians to each other and to the rest of the world and stimulate economic prosperity.

Investment in Alabama AT&T Alabama continues to aggressively build and expand its broadband and wireless networks to meet customer demand for new and better connectivity. From 2008-2010, AT&T invested more than $1.2 billion in its wireless and landline networks and other capital projects in Alabama.

This investment supports plans to enable 4G speeds over an increasing portion of the country throughout the year. The company also offers AT&T U-Verse TV, U-Verse Internet and U-Verse Voice services, which are all delivered over the company’s advanced Internet-Protocol platform in many areas of Alabama.

In addition, AT&T is engaged in building and upgrading cell sites across the state designed to increase network speed, coverage and reliability for both mobile voice and broadband services. This includes enhancing its wireless network forecasting capabilities in order to track trends and build better network capability.“ A more advanced mobile broadband experience drives economic growth, stimulates jobs and equips Alabama businesses to meet the network demands of today and tomorrow,” McCallum said.

A Community Partner AT&T Alabama carries on AT&T’s philanthropic and charitable works right here in Alabama. These programs include AT&T Aspire, a four-year national initiative to address high school success, college preparation and workforce readiness. AT&T Aspire is the largest initiative in the company’s history and is carried out in Alabama through grants, including a $400,000 grant to Auburn University’s Truman Pierce Institute for mentoring programs for at-risk eighth graders; an $82,070 grant to Alabama State University to benefit at-risk students in Escambia County Schools; and an $89,509 grant to Madison County Schools to support a district-wide strategy for high school redesign to allow students who have fallen behind to catch up. In addition, AT&T employees volunteered more than 75,000 hours in Alabama in 2010.

AT&T Alabama also supports a company-wide job-shadowing program that enables employees to team up with high school students to help them better understand firsthand the benefits of staying in school. More than 2,400 students have participated in the AT&T Junior Achievement Job Shadow initiative in Alabama from 2008-2010.

“Based on the tremendous success of last year’s Job Shadow events, we are committed to helping future generations in Birmingham by showing them the importance of staying in school,” McCallum says.

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above: On April 27, 2011, powerful storms packing tornadoes up to EF-5 strength tore through Alabama. AT&T crews worked to rebuild the network to nearly full capacity within days.

Photo by Padraic Major

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Disaster Recovery AT&T’s commitment to community can be best seen when disaster strikes. The company goes beyond just rebuilding the network; it provides resources to help recovery efforts. Such was the case in April 2011, when powerful tornadoes ripped through Alabama and left a trail of devastation throughout the state. Thousands of homes were destroyed, and hundreds of people lost their lives.

As the tornadoes were ravaging Alabama, AT&T crews from other states were headed to damaged areas to help the Alabama AT&T team start rebuilding the network as soon as the storms passed.

At one point during the storm, more than 200 cell sites were off the air. Within one week, that number dropped to four cell sites. As part of the restoration efforts, temporary cell sites were deployed to more than half a dozen different locations, and more than 1,000 generators were deployed to keep power to network facilities.

At the Birmingham city command center at Scott School in the devastated Pratt City area,

AT&T deployed an Emergency Communications Satellite Vehicle that provided Wi-Fi and landline support for this key operational center. The company also provided phone banks and/or mobile office RVs in the hardest hit areas of Pratt City, Tuscaloosa and Pleasant Grove to help customers charge their phones, use cell phones for free and access the Internet.

AT&T contributed more than $250,000 to disaster relief efforts in Alabama, and AT&T employees put in countless hours working behind the scenes to provide network support for a storm assistance telethon run by a local TV station that raised well over $600,000.

“As we move forward,” adds McCallum, “we are committed to providing innovative communications solutions for Alabama businesses and residents while also giving back to the communities where we live, work, invest and serve our customers.”

D

oozer Software, Inc., was founded in 1997 with one mission in mind — to advance businesses through technology. Since then, the software development company has grown to fit the needs of a diversified field of clients, mitigating their risks and delivering successful results. Doozer Software achieves these goals by offering clients a blend of services including fulllifecycle outsourced software development, a range of IT staffing solutions, client project hosting and oversight.

Doozer Software caters to a wide range of industries that includes utilities, insurance companies, medical facilities and financial institutions, among others. Its software solutions manage millions if not billions of dollars for clients.

This success didn’t come overnight; it was earned through years of hard work and dedication.

Since its inception nearly 15 years ago, Doozer Software has grown from a core group of three programmers to an employer of more than 40 full-time employees and an army of independent contractors. The company is committed to retaining and recruiting top IT talent and does this by fostering an environment for learning, growth and training. As a result, its team consists of several senior-level developers who have a deep pool of knowledge for newer developers to draw from.

With years of experience under their belts, the experts at Doozer Software have learned that every company has different software needs, and meeting those needs cannot be done with the same formula. It requires understanding what each client is about, learning the company’s language, and then collaborating on an appropriate and carefully created solution. Doozer Software can provide business analysts for its clients to drive out requirements; design, estimate and build a new system; or even design thorough test plans and perform quality assurance for new or existing systems.

In the ever-changing field of information technology and software development, longevity is key. Doozer Software has consistently produced profits while organically growing its business.

The company is also committed to supporting the community that has helped make it a success.

Doozer Software contributes time, money and support to many community charities, including Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham, National Society for Black Engineers, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Oak Mountain High School Track Team, Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure, Information Engineering Masters/UAB, Ignite Birmingham, Special Equestrians and others.

In addition, the company is an active member of the Business Council of Alabama with an officer serving on its board.

Doozer Software, Inc.

Doozer Corporate Headquarters

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Tuscaloosa Federal Courthouse | Photo courtesy of KBR 240

Legal Services

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Bradley Arant B Boult Cummings LLP

below: Tracing its roots to 1871, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP has over 138 years of client-driven experience.

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radley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is a regional law firm with a global perspective. The firm has approximately 400 attorneys serving individuals; emerging businesses; and established regional, national and international companies. Clients rely on BABC for innovative legal services that reflect a deep understanding of their business realities.

BABC is one of the largest firms in the Southeast, with offices strategically located in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and the District of Columbia. These offices provide an extensive geographic base from which to serve clients on a regional basis, as well as clients located elsewhere in the country and the world.

The firm frequently serves as national coordinating counsel, regional counsel and statewide counsel for clients in various industries. Its lawyers work for major construction companies in Europe and Asia; multinational pharmaceutical companies in New York and California; major insurance and financial clients in Texas, Indiana and Alabama; as well as for national tire manufacturers in Tennessee and Georgia.

BABC’s clients work in a broad range of industries, including accounting, automotive, banking and finance, biotechnology, construction, economic development, education, emerging business, energy, equipment leasing, forest products, health care, insurance, manufacturing, materials and aggregate production, media and communications, mining, municipal, project and public finance, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, private equity, public utilities, real estate, retail, steel, technology, telecommunications, textiles, transportation and venture capital. Each of these sectors presents unique challenges and opportunities that demand specific legal and business experience.

BABC and its attorneys meet those challenges with client and industry teams combining the talents of seasoned legal professionals from a variety of disciplines. These teams provide strategic solutions tailored specifically to clients’ industries and operations.

BABC attorneys possess particular strengths and core competencies in the areas of construction, economic development, emerging and family-owned businesses, financial institutions and services, health care, intellectual property, litigation, private equity and real estate. Whether they are helping their clients acquire real property, defend lawsuits, raise capital, comply with regulatory requirements, enter new markets, obtain and defend intellectual property rights, develop and distribute products and services, or merge or divest businesses, they treat clients’ problems as their own. When BABC clients are faced with disputes, the attorneys help them find the fastest and most effective solutions.

To BABC, it is the opinions of its clients’ that matter the most. So the firm is proud to be in the top 25 percent in the BTI Client Relationship 100, which ranks law firms for client service and value based on recommendations from in-house counsel at the Fortune 1000. BABC is also ranked No. 19 in the BTI Client Service A-Team 2011, another recognition of the superior service and efficiency consistently provided for its clients. Likewise, American Lawyer Media’s annual surveys of in-house counsel have listed Bradley Arant Boult Cummings as a “Go-To Law Firm” for leading financial services and technology companies. The quality of BABC lawyers distinguishes it from other firms: 153 (41 percent) of its lawyers are listed in The Best Lawyers in America; 63 (17 percent) of its lawyers are

left: Bradley Arant Boult Cummings combines the talent and experience of its lawyers into multi-disciplinary client and industry teams to better identify and resolve clients’ legal and business needs.

recognized in Chambers USA; 26 (7 percent) of its lawyers are members of the prestigious American Colleges in their respective practice areas; and four of its lawyers are former United States Supreme Court clerks. In each of these cases, the percentages and relative number of lawyers recognized are among the highest in the nation.

The firm also boasts a long and distinguished history of involvement in and strong commitment to the communities where its lawyers live and practice. This commitment to civic, charitable and community service is of vital importance to the firm and all of its attorneys and staff.

Part of this commitment is recognized and encouraged through the firm’s Pro Bono program.

All lawyers have an ethical obligation to help address the unmet legal needs of indigent individuals and charitable institutions. Accordingly, the firm expects its lawyers to devote a significant amount of time to pro bono work. The firm is the only Alabama-based firm that is a member of the Pro Bono Institute and is a challenge member of the Pro Bono Institute’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project. As such, the firm aspires to devote three percent of firm billable hours to pro bono matters.

The firm has adopted a Pro Bono policy to encourage all of its lawyers to do pro bono work and to provide formal administrative support for that work, which includes representation of indigent individuals and non-profit organizations and

involvement in matters of broad public concern.

The firm’s pro bono activities are overseen by its Pro Bono Committee, which is charged with promoting participation in pro bono activities, coordinating those activities and approving pro bono representations.

With a long-standing tradition of caring for the communities in which it is deeply rooted, combined with an expanded regional reach, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is perfectly positioned to provide clients with quality legal services in the fastest-growing region of the United States and beyond.

below: BABC’s commitment to civic, charitable and community service is of vital importance to the firm, which has a long and distinguished history of involvement in and commitment to the communities where its lawyers live and practice.

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Burr & M Forman LLP right: Burr & Forman believes in fueling interests and supporting passion at a young age. Through the firm’s partnership with Cornerstone Schools of Alabama, the Legal Eagles Program was developed to provide middle school students with legal and business-related experiences and contacts, which might not be available to them otherwise. below: From ground-breaking to ribbon-cutting, Burr & Forman is with their clients every step of the way.

Pictured is client ThyssenKrupp’s development site and its team and Burr attorneys who worked together to successfully launch its multi-billion dollar manufacturing facilities in Calvert, Alabama.

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ore than a century ago, the firm that would ultimately become Burr & Forman LLP was established by Walker Percy, a Mississippi native and grandfather of the prized novelist of the same name.

He was later joined by Augustus Brenners, and the two brought on Borden Burr to fill the need for a strong trial lawyer. James R. Forman, a University of Alabama star athlete, joined the firm in 1918. Over the years, it evolved to include other partners and mergers, and in 1986, the name Burr & Forman was adopted and institutionalized.

In its earliest days, the firm’s founders began building its reputation as a strong partner with the industries that were putting Birmingham on the map, including railroads, banking, mining and real estate development companies. Percy, one of the leaders in the local bar, represented U.S. Steel Corporation when it was under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for violation of antitrust laws. He was also counsel for the Birmingham Southern Railroad and the Illinois Central Railroad, and his services were invaluable to DeBardeleben Enterprises, the Ensley Land Company, the Republic Steel Corporation and the Birmingham News.

“That legacy has never left us,” says Lee Thuston, managing partner of Burr & Forman. The firm continues to serve clients representing industries that help drive Alabama’s economic success, including financial institutions, manufacturing companies and automotive plants. Over the years,

Burr & Forman has expanded its reach not only in width but also in depth. The firm’s 250-plus attorneys offer a long list of services including business law, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy, tax planning, litigation and real estate to a diverse group of clients with local, national and international interests.

Today, Burr & Forman offers a forward-thinking approach to legal counsel by crafting innovative solutions for the challenging situations encountered by its clients. The firm’s attorneys serve business clients of any size — large or small — and put emphasis on corporate, financial, tax, intellectual

property, employment, environmental and real estate activities. They also dedicate substantial resources to broad-based litigation and labor law, earning a national reputation for work in complex areas of conflict resolution.

The firm’s success is rooted in strong relationships, many of which have spanned decades.

Building and maintaining these relationships involves a commitment of time, talent and resources as well as a willingness to understand clients’ needs in order to ensure those goals are met. The firm’s attorneys also stay abreast of changes in the law and how economic, political, financial and technological developments can affect clients’ goals, focusing on a collaborative relationship with clients in order to ensure their success.

The key to these collaborative relationships is making themselves available to listen to clients, which has led the firm to open additional locations in other cities. “Our regional and national clients want us to be where they are,” Thuston says. “We listen and make a financial commitment in the surrounding states so we can continue to serve clients as we have for the past 100 years.”

As a result, the firm has grown to include seven offices located in five states — Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida. Further growth could even be on the horizon as the firm moves into its second century, Thuston says. “What we’re doing is letting the clients direct where we expand. If there is demand, then we will expand,” he says.

In all cities where Burr & Forman has set up an office, its employees have become involved in the

community, and its professional, civic and charitable actions are focused on the betterment of these communities.

This commitment to not only its clients but also to their communities has earned Burr & Forman much recognition. The firm is included in the Best Law Firms list published by U.S. News & World Report in conjunction with Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. The firm received national recognition in nine practice areas and received 38 “Metropolitan Tier-One Rankings” in 30 practice areas and 32 “Metropolitan Tier-Two Rankings” in 24 practice areas.

Burr & Forman is also listed on the national “The BTI Client Service A-Team 2012,” a survey based on client rankings of law firms that deliver superior client service; was named a “Top Ranked Law Firm” by Martindale-Hubbell; and was recognized as a “Go-To Law Firm” for litigation, financial services companies and technology companies by American Lawyer Media. Southern Business & Development magazine also highlighted Burr & Forman as one of the “Top 10 Law Firms that Understand Economic Development” for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Yet Burr & Forman is not resting on these many laurels. The firm is looking ahead to more success.

“In the future we will continue to grow,” says Thuston. “We have a strategic plan, and that plan is to be a solid middle-market law firm and to always put our clients first.”

below: Burr & Forman welcomes new companies to Alabama with open arms and a helping hand. Pictured at the Burrsponsored Birmingham Business Alliance CEO Welcome Reception from left to right are, Lee Thuston, Burr’s Managing Partner; Gail Andrews, Director of the Birmingham Museum of Art; Tom Shoupe, new president and CEO of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama; Birmingham Mayor William Bell; Charles “Chuck” Krulak, new president of BirminghamSouthern College; and Brian Hilson, new president and CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance.

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Balch & O Bingham LLP

utstanding expertise and service were the goals of former Alabama Attorney General Judge William Logan Martin when, in 1922, he opened a private practice in downtown Birmingham. His goal was to grow by providing efficient, top-level service to clients. It proved to be a solid base. Nearly a century later, Judge Martin’s one-lawyer operation is now Balch & Bingham — a team of 250 attorneys and lobbyists with six offices in the centers of government and commerce in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Washington, D.C. Balch & Bingham offers expertise in energy; financial services; health care; corporate; environmental and natural resources; labor and employment; litigation; and government relations.

Business insight and legal excellence are used to

address client issues before they become expensive problems. The firm prides itself on helping clients build strong, profitable companies. As stated by one client: “The depth of industry and legal expertise and the commitment to efficiency and predictability make Balch a go-to firm.”

Balch & Bingham has lawyers from many backgrounds. Diversity and inclusiveness are pursued by the firm in hiring and retaining highly qualified attorneys, in maintaining legal expertise for counseling with diverse clients, and in making meaningful contributions to the civic and charitable fabric of the communities it serves.

Attorneys and staff members are involved in community projects. From serving meals at local shelters to sitting on the boards of directors for nonprofit and charitable organizations, civic involvement is valued. The firm also is well represented in leadership positions within professional and trade associations across the country.

The firm has earned a wealth of honors, including recognition as one of the Best Economic Development Law Firms in the South by Birmingham-based Southern Business & Development magazine and The Randle Report (www.RandleReport.com), an online site focusing on business and the industrial recruitment in the American South. Twentyfive firm attorneys were ranked in Chambers USA for 2011, 51 attorneys were recognized as Super Lawyers in 2011, and 87 attorneys were listed in Best Lawyers in America 2012. Balch & Bingham also is recognized as “One of the Best Places to Work” within its footprint.

From its six offices across the South, Balch & Bingham focuses on the the industries of energy, financial services and health care and provides litigation, transaction, regulatory, government and business services.

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Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C. M

aynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C. was established in 1984 with five driving principles — to give clients the best professional service possible; to promote teamwork and respect each other; to conduct themselves in a way that reflects positively on their profession; to strive for a balance in their personal and professional lives; and to be loyal to each other and give priority to the firm’s welfare.

Those ideals have laid a strong foundation from which Maynard, Cooper & Gale could grow from just 26 attorneys in 1984, to more than 200 talented attorneys dedicated to giving clients the highest quality of legal services.

With offices in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery, the firm provides a full array of legal services to a broad and diverse client base both within and outside the state of Alabama. Clients include Fortune 500 companies and other public companies, as well as privately held companies, partnerships, professional associations, charities and individuals.

Service areas include litigation; corporate law; banking and commercial law; real estate law; antitrust; public finance; estates and trusts; governmental and regulatory affairs; economic development; government contracting; taxation; intellectual property; health care; securities law; labor law; environmental law; bankruptcy law; and white collar criminal defense.

Maynard Cooper is driven by a deep sense of obligation to the community. The firm has been recognized repeatedly as Alabama’s top firm in per-lawyer Pro Bono service, supporting a myriad of civic, charitable, religious and social causes and organizations. The firm also has established The Maynard, Cooper & Gale Charitable Foundation, an attorney-funded and operated charitable organization that makes numerous contributions to deserving organizations each year, including a

significant gift to the Spring 2011 tornado relief efforts in Alabama. The firm’s attorneys are also leading contributors in both time and resources to organizations such as the Alabama Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program and the United Way. Maynard Cooper also partners with Impact Alabama, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and implementing service-learning projects in coordination with students from 25 universities and colleges throughout Alabama. And, since 2008, the firm has hosted a 12-part Minority Scholars LSAT Prep Course free of charge for prospective minority law students.

Proof of the firm’s strength can be seen in the numerous awards and accolades received by the firm and its attorneys. Alabama Super Lawyers® has recognized 81 of the firm’s attorneys as “leading lawyers,” listed seven in the “Top 50 List” and six female attorneys in the “Top 25 Women List.”

Sixty-eight lawyers are also noted for their legal excellence in their areas of practice by Best Lawyers in America®. The firm has also been recognized in publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Best Lawyers in America, The National Law Journal and Corporate Counsel.

above (l-r): Tommy Wells, Maibeth Porter, Anthony Joseph below, back row (l-r): Mark Drew, Cynthia Lamar, Greg Curran, Jodie Smith front row (l-r): Jeff Grantham, Carole Miller, Danny Markstein

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Littoral Combat Ship | Photo courtesy of Austal 248

Manufacturing

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Vulcan V Materials Company

above, center: A large aggregates production facility in Los Angeles, California, part of Vulcan’s 1999 acquisition of CalMat, Inc. The acquisition expanded the company’s operations into California and Arizona and made Vulcan one of the nation’s leading producers of asphalt and ready-mixed concrete. below: Vulcan’s approach to social responsibility includes a long-standing commitment to quarry beautification.

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ulcan Materials Company is America’s leading producer of construction aggregates, primarily crushed stone, sand and gravel. Vulcan is also a major producer of asphalt pavement mix and readymixed concrete as well as a leading cement producer in Florida.

Across America, Vulcan helps build stronger communities in many ways. The Company’s products are used in almost every form of construction, including highways and streets, housing and commercial facilities, schools, hospitals and churches, making Vulcan an essential contributor to the nation’s economy, prosperity and quality of life. Vulcan’s employees, through their volunteer efforts, provide a significant amount of support to communities in which the Company operates. This support takes many forms but includes participation in school and other education-related activities, charitable organizations and community events. In many locations, Vulcan employees hold leadership positions in community and charitable groups.

Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Vulcan is organized into four operating regions that serve 20 states, the District of Columbia and local markets surrounding the Company’s operations in Mexico and the Bahamas. Approximately 7,000 employees work in the Company’s 500 production and other facilities.

A History of Success Vulcan Materials Company was formed in 1956 as the result of a merger between Birmingham Slag Company and the Vulcan Detinning Company

of Sewaren, New Jersey. Throughout its history, Vulcan has capitalized on opportunities to grow through mergers, acquisitions and strategic business improvements. Since its formation, Vulcan has been the nation’s leading producer of construction aggregates.

Among the significant milestones that have helped Vulcan establish and maintain its industry leadership status are: a Saudi Arabian joint venture to supply aggregates, asphalt and ready-mixed concrete from 1976 to 1988; a 1987 acquisition that greatly expanded operations in Texas; a venture that was formed in 1987 to produce high quality limestone on the Yucatan Peninsula for distribution along the U.S. Gulf Coast; and the 1990 acquisition of the massive Grand Rivers Quarry in Kentucky.

In 1999, Vulcan made what was, at the time, its largest acquisition when it acquired the CalMat Company, which expanded Vulcan’s markets to California and Arizona. With the CalMat acquisition Vulcan also became one of America’s leading producers of asphalt and ready-mixed concrete. It was also in 1999 that Vulcan became a member of the S&P 500 Index.

The geographic scope of Vulcan’s operations in the eastern United States was significantly expanded in 2000 when it acquired Tarmac America’s aggregates operations. In 2005, Vulcan exited the chemicals business with the sale of Vulcan Chemicals, allowing it to focus on its core aggregates business.

In 2007, Vulcan acquired Florida Rock Industries, Inc., in the largest acquisition in the Company’s history. This acquisition greatly

• Recognition by Fortune magazine. In 2008 and for the eighth year, Vulcan was named to Fortune’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.

Since it first appeared on the Most Admired list in 1999, Vulcan has twice been listed among the top 10 of all Fortune 1000 companies in Social Responsibility, as well as in the top 10 for Use of Corporate Assets and Long-Term Investment and among the top 20 in Financial Soundness.

• Honors for exemplary efforts in safety and reclamation by the California Mining Association • Certification by the Wildlife Habitat Council of 42 sites as sanctioned, enhanced habitats • Receipt of the California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award

expanded Vulcan’s presence in key markets throughout Florida and the Mid-Atlantic states.

In an industry where a long-term focus on fundamentals is crucial, these moves and others have proven important for the Company and its shareholders. With each strategic decision, Vulcan’s leaders have maintained a farsighted view that has enabled them to respond effectively to long periods of growth as well as cyclical declines.

Measures of Excellence

• Recognition by the North Carolina Mining Commission with its Mining Stewardship Award for Outstanding Public Outreach and Environmental Enhancement • Named Business Conservationist of the Year by the Governor of North Carolina • Receipt of the nation’s second Green-Star Certification from the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA). NRMCA’s program supports the voluntary efforts of the ready mixed concrete industry to achieve environmental excellence and sustainability.

below: A Vulcan ship discharges its aggregates cargo at the company’s Tampa, Florida, yard. The aggregates were produced at Vulcan’s quarry on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

From the beginning, Vulcan has maintained exceptionally high performance standards that have earned recognition from the construction materials industry, state and federal regulatory agencies and the community at large. Noteworthy achievements include: • Recognition by the U.S. Department of Labor for being a leader in the prevention of occupational respiratory disease, through the company’s exposure monitoring, medical testing and employee training • Designation as one of Industry Week’s top 100 best-managed industrial companies • Recognition by the U.S. Department of Labor for outstanding compliance with affirmative action and equal opportunity laws • Numerous awards for the highest level of achievement in quarry beautification, community relations and environmental stewardship by the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, the aggregates industry’s leading trade association

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right: Vulcan has 286 adopt-aschools from coast to coast. Each year, approximately 40,000 people visit Vulcan quarries. Most of these are school children who visit in conjunction with earth science studies.

• Recognition by the Irwindale, California, Chamber of Commerce as Business of the Year and for the Company’s commitment to sustainable environmental practices

the individual, the person at Vulcan who is driven to excel, who has the greatest impact on our business.”

• Receipt of the Excellence in Reclamation Award from the California Department of Conservation, Office of Mine Reclamation

Vulcan’s primary business is the mining and production of construction aggregates used in constructing roads, bridges, buildings and other essential parts of our nation’s infrastructure.

In 2011, the Company produced and shipped approximately 143 million tons of aggregates.

Reserves are the life-blood of any natural resources company and Vulcan has proven and permitted stone reserves totaling 15 billion tons, more than any other construction materials company in the United States.

Although construction aggregates is the Company’s principal business, Vulcan also offers a variety of other products and services including:

People Make the Difference Vulcan Materials Company is led by a strong management team of seasoned industry professionals. At the helm is chairman and chief executive officer Donald M. James, who joined the Company in 1992 as senior vice president and general counsel. He was elected president and chief operating officer in 1996 and became chairman and chief executive officer a year later.

A key part of Vulcan’s strategy is to focus on recruiting, training and developing employees to ensure the Company’s people are the best in the industry. The organization is structured to allow high levels of regional autonomy, which has the added benefit of encouraging personal growth, initiative, creativity and accountability.

This strong employee focus is key to the Company’s success, according to Don James. “The story of Vulcan, as with all great companies, is the story of its people,” he says. “Our growth has been driven by skilled workers and managers who are motivated to continually add value. Ultimately, it is

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Focused on the Essentials

• Asphalt paving materials used for roads, parking lots, driveways and bike paths • Ready-mixed concrete used to construct highways, bridges, dams, buildings, airports, sewer systems, foundations, driveways and sidewalks • Railroad ballast, which serves as a bed for railroad tracks • Agricultural, chemical and industrial materials used to neutralize acidic soil, retard heavy metals in landfills and act as fillers in products such as paint, rubber, plastics and paper

• Recycled materials, which involves re-crushing and sizing previously used concrete and asphalt paving materials for other uses • Inert materials acceptance, which provides typically in urban markets a place to deposit inert fill materials and transform depleted mining sites into useful properties • Technical services, which provide statistical information for adjusting production processes to ensure customer specifications are met • Land management, whereby mining sites are restored for residential, commercial and other productive uses

Rock-Solid Fundamentals Vulcan’s facilities are strategically located throughout the United States in high growth areas that will require large amounts of aggregates to meet construction demand. Vulcan-served states are estimated to have 75 percent of the total growth in the U.S. population and 72 percent of the total growth in U.S. household formations between 2010 and 2020. The nation’s top 10 producers supply approximately 30 percent of the market, and Vulcan’s share is approximately 9 percent of the total.

Despite ongoing consolidation in the U.S aggregates industry, there are more than 5,000 companies in the segment, and 60 percent of those are privately owned businesses. Many of these companies are candidates for acquisition. These include both medium and large, multi-quarry companies and smaller operations that can serve as bolt-on enhancements to existing facilities and markets.

Giving Back Vital to Vulcan’s mission and culture are its commitments to be a responsible corporate citizen. These efforts are focused on safety, health, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

Vulcan strives to be a good neighbor by minimizing its operations’ impact on the community with initiatives like quarry beautification, dust and erosion control and historic site preservation. Vulcan facilities across the country are involved in 286 Adopt-a-School programs, and the Company funds numerous college scholarships, internships and mentoring programs. Additionally, Vulcan provides facilities tours for approximately

40,000 students and adults in each year. Most of those touring Vulcan facilities are school children who visit a quarry in conjunction with earth science studies.

The Company also takes great care to protect the environment and the wildlife living on its quarry sites and often establishes wildlife habitats, parks and nature trails in quarry buffer zones. Responsible land management is another high priority, and options for how sites might be used when mining is finished are typically considered even before mining begins.

The safety and health of Vulcan’s employees are of critical importance, and the Company takes a lead role in identifying best practices for industry wide adoption. Ongoing safety training, collaboration with industry and government authorities and employee health screenings are among the programs underway.

Vulcan is also committed to be an active member of the communities in which it has operations, with a focus on education, environmental stewardship and employee involvement. To help ensure these commitments and other social responsibility efforts are carried out, the Company established the Vulcan Materials Company Foundation in 1988. Vulcan encourages employees to provide individual support for charities, and eligible organizations receive matching contributions through an employee matching gifts program.

According to James, “Vulcan is made stronger by focusing on safety and health, environmental stewardship, and enhanced relationships with our community partners.” The Company’s employees believe it’s the right thing to do, and it’s good business.

A Promising Future Construction aggregates are essential for our nation’s sustained growth and prosperity, and Vulcan is continually improving operating efficiencies to maximize performance and shareholder value.

“Vulcan’s over five decades of success demonstrate our ability to manage successfully through numerous business cycles,” says James. “We are excited about the prospects of building on our record of success and we are eager to make the most of the bright future we see for Vulcan Materials Company. Vulcan has a history of excellence, but I believe the best years are yet ahead.”

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Natural D Decorations, Inc.

right: Item No. NP81160-520 Rose, Peony, Amaryllis

above: Carol F. Gordy NDI, CEO/President right: NDI’s lobby features their collection of ARTs Awards in the Home Accessory: Permanent Botanicals division along with the award received when they were inducted into ART’s Hall of Fame.

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ecorating home, office and hospitality interior spaces with flowers allows us to bring nature’s beauty inside, but living flowers and plants are time consuming and expensive to maintain. Natural Decorations Inc., (NDI), based in Brewton, Alabama, is the solution that has been providing long-lasting floral charm for over 45 years. NDI creates upscale floral and botanical reproductions that are so realistic, it is nearly impossible to tell that they are not alive.

NDI’s owner and president, Carol Gordy, explains why. “When people use the term ‘silk flowers,’ there is sometimes a negative connotation associating them with dime store offerings. NDI is changing that. NDI uses a variety of fabrics and so much of our product requires hand-molding, dying and cutting and applying overcoats to get the color and depth of a real petal. If consumers knew the amount of work that goes into making each flower and finished design, they would be quite amazed. We use only natural colors and natural flower forms. There will never be blue magnolias at NDI,” Gordy says. “We really live up to the ‘natural’ in our name.”

This extreme attention to flowers’ delicate details and hues as well as quality workmanship has earned NDI the trust of designers across the country, and Gordy is passionate about her company’s products.

“With our designs and substantial advertising in top shelter magazines such as Veranda, Traditional Home and Elle Decor, over the years we have changed the perception of this product category,” she says.

left: Hydrangea Watergarden arrangements are lined up on the NDI production line conveyor belt, ready to be boxed and shipped to their final destination.

If anyone would know, it would be Gordy. She came to NDI after owning fresh flower shops in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and was an invited designer and commentator for floral shows and conventions around the United States and Canada.

She made her way to Evergreen, Alabama, after meeting and marrying her husband, Joe Gordy, then product development director for the Knud Nielsen Company and a renowned designer in his own right.

Gordy started at NDI as the Director of Sales and Marketing in 1986 and seeing real potential, purchased the company. Today, NDI is a multimillion dollar business with 50 employees in Brewton that sells to the trades and retail. “We work with interior and hospitality designers, but also high-end furniture and department stores,” she says.

NDI is also currently enjoying a thriving export business. “We export all over the world, and sales in the international segment dramatically increased in the past two years,” Gordy says. “As people in other countries create their personal wealth, they want upscale products not available in their area.”

NDI has a loyal following that is as concerned with detail as it is. “Our trademark is a little bird’s nest with eggs in it; it is in every design we

sell,” Gordy says. “Twice in the past 25 years, we briefly sold out of those little nests, and customers immediately called to ask where they were. It is nice to know our brand is that important to them.”

There are always exciting things for NDI customers; fresh new styles and concepts are constantly being created. Every year, the home furnishings industry flocks to see new product lines at the massive High Point Furniture Show in North Carolina where NDI occupies a 7,500-square-foot showroom for the six-day show, held twice a year.

The technological developments in the production of floral components have played a significant role in the growth of NDI, as advances continually enhance the look that NDI designers are able to achieve. “More and more details can be added to the designs we make,” Gordy says. “It even amazes me how real they look.”

Through a willingness to push the boundaries of the possible and never being content with status quo, NDI has revolutionized its industry, a fact of which Gordy is quite proud. “We were the first to offer high-caliber faux floral designs,” she says. “We raised the bar for this category of home furnishings and will continue to do so.”

above: Item No. T2181-795-8I Winter Palm Tree

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Austal USA W

above, center: USS Independence (LCS 2) in the Gulf of Mexico during Acceptance Trials. below: USS Independence (LCS 2) in the Mobile River in March 2010 as she was leaving Austal with her crew.

right: From left to right: Coronado (LCS 4) and USNS Spearhead ( JHSV 1) docked in Mobile River in front of Austal USA’s final assembly bay.

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ith a legacy of shipbuilding success, Mobile was a natural choice for Australia-based shipbuilder, Austal, when it decided to open a subsidiary in the United States.

As one would expect for such a large-scale operation, there were many bidders when the international firm was going through the site selection process. In the end, the support from local, state and federal representation was a key factor in landing Austal USA, which initially made a $250 million investment and is on a path to increase its operations with a $150 million expansion.

When Austal USA opened its doors in 1999, it had a sole employee. By 2011, 2,300 employees were working for the shipbuilding juggernaut, and the company is currently on a path to employing over 4,000 workers within the next two years. It will be the state’s largest manufacturing employer and one of the top employers overall.

This growth has been the direct result of Austal’s ability to win and fulfill highly sought after contracts. In 2008, Austal was awarded a $1.6 billion contract for 10 high-speed catamarans for the United States Navy. In late 2010, Austal won another Navy contract worth $3.8 billion as the prime contractor for the construction of 10 Littoral Combat Ships — each LCS takes three years to build, start to finish. These two contracts alone will sustain full employment for the next five years and beyond and will likely result in repeat business.

Austal’s current backlog represents around one-third of the future Naval fleet.

An industry innovator, Austal has incorporated the world’s most effective manufacturing techniques in their green field development. Its Module Manufacturing Facility is the first of its kind.

Specializing in advanced designs, Austal has become the world leader in building large, high-speed aluminum vessels for both commercial and military use.

Austal’s arrival in Mobile has not only been an economic boon for the Bay area, it has also been positive for local civic and charitable organizations.

Austal’s contributions have included, among others, the Mobile Downtown Redevelopment’s Go Zone, United Way, American Heart Association, Springhill College and local Chambers of Commerce.

When this Australia-based shipbuilding company chose to open operations in Alabama’s own Port City, it represented its confidence in the state and local leadership as well as in the work ethic and ability of the area residents. Austal is writing Mobile’s newest — and most exciting — chapter in a rich history of shipbuilding.

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rowing up, Ted Henry spent plenty of time around the brick-making company his father J.D. Henry founded in Selma in 1945. He was undecided about his future when he entered Davidson College in 1956. Eventually though, he felt home and the stacks of brick at the family plant pulling him back, and he transferred to the University of Alabama to begin establishing some Alabama roots of his own. “Now I’ve been here over 50 years, and I’ve never looked back.”

When his father suffered a heart attack within months of Henry’s college graduation, necessity threw the young man directly into the fray, an experience he sees as valuable. “I was going into the Army to fulfill my ROTC obligation,” he says.

“After Dad’s heart attack, my date to report for active duty was deferred for six months.”

The 22-year-old, along with his brotherin-law Art Gleason, went to work running the company. “It gave me the opportunity to make some decisions that I wouldn’t have otherwise,” he says. “After that, I knew I had found my place.” After the Army, he returned to the business. “I was glad Dad and I had 12 years together in the business before his death in June of 1973.”

After a downturn in the early 1980s, the company began to increase its production until it reached a 100 million capacity for its 50th anniversary. “The brick industry depends on the housing market, and we expanded with it until we produced 116 million brick in 2004. The drop in that market saw us halt production in one of our plants in 2008 with a reduction in employees from 90 to 60,” he says.

Yet despite current challenges, Henry feels confident about the future and his company’s place in it. “The whole industry is running at about a third of capacity, but we are surviving now, and we will thrive again in the future.”

To see this claim made true, Henry Brick has been proactive in the face of hardship. “We have developed some innovative products in a variety of colors to attract new customers,” he says. “And we’ve invested the time and money through the years to keep our plants modern. That’s helped us through and puts us in a great position when things come back.”

In 1987, Gleason became President and Henry was the Chairman and CEO. They ran the business until Gleason died in 2006. Henry now serves as

Chairman of the Board and is helping his sons, Davis and Denson, and Gleason’s sons-in-law, John and Jim, move Henry Brick Company forward to build upon the legacy already established. “My oldest son Davis is the president, and the other three are vice presidents. The four of them operate like a team of horses who must work together to pull the wagon,” he says. “It is a new way for us to manage, but it will be the secret to their success.”

Henry’s success was recognized when it was announced he would be inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in 2011. No doubt his passion for his industry and his obvious pride in his company have played a part in its continued progress. Both have ensured that quality and integrity are at the core of its business philosophy.

“The brick industry is a wonderful business where I have made some great friends over the years,” he says. “I can honestly say that I have always enjoyed coming to work.”

Henry Brick Company, Inc.

Henry Brick Company was founded in 1945. Since then, Ted Henry’s passion for his industry and his pride in his company have played a direct role in the business’ success.

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Brownlee- B Morrow Enterprises

rownlee-Morrow Enterprises has become a leader in the air and fluid equipment industry by holding true to its founding concept — to meet unique customer needs by providing a full line of sales-engineering services.

It all began in 1952, when Gordon Morrow Sr. asked his father-in-law Walter Miller for office space in his foundry so that he and fellow professional engineer Lawrence Brownlee could start up a new company. Not only did Miller give the men space to create the business, he gave $1,000 in start-up capital.

From the beginning, the company’s mission was to meet the dynamic and highly individual needs of customers seeking professional salesengineering support in the design and application of air handling, ventilation and air pollution control equipment. Through the years, Brownlee-Morrow has enjoyed substantial growth by staying true to that principle.

Today, Brownlee-Morrow has become a fullline pump and fan distributor offering an extensive range of products and services, including repair and field service, system design and well drilling, to name a few.

With offices in Birmingham and Mobile, Brownlee-Morrow provides customer-focused sales and service throughout the region, specializing in a range of industries, including municipal and industrial air handling, power generation, mining,

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automotive, chemical, pulp and paper, primary metals, marine and poultry.

The company has continued to expand its offerings through the acquisition of several related firms and as a result, now has one of the largest pump repair facilities in the Southeast. In 2006, Brownlee-Morrow purchased Graves Service Company, a 100-year-old municipal well drilling and water management company in Alabama and in 2011, purchased Clay-Greene, Inc., a producer of package pumping systems and an equipment provider for the municipal water market.

Brownlee-Morrow is now made up of three distinct companies — Brownlee-Morrow Sales, which offers a full line of liquid and air handling equipment, as well as maintenance and repair, and a Skid Division for engineered, package skids for industrial applications; Morrow Water Technologies, which provides a full range of products and services for the municipal water market; and Morrow Repair Service, which carries a comprehensive range of support services for pump and rotating equipment in the utility, oil and gas, paper, automotive, mining, chemical and steel industries.

For more than 60 years, Brownlee-Morrow has remained family owned and operated, with Gordon Morrow Jr. and Malcolm Morrow now at the helm.

Another thing that hasn’t changed is the company’s commitment to its mission — to be a full-service, sales-engineering firm specializing in the unique needs of all its customers.

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o be a leader in any industry, one must demonstrate a commitment to achieving excellence in all endeavors. For more than 30 years, Applied Chemical Technology, Inc. (ACT), located in Florence, Alabama, has followed this formula. As a result, the company has grown exponentially to become one of the most innovative manufacturing companies in the world.

ACT was founded as a small consulting firm in 1981 by A. Ray Shirley Jr., an engineer who set out to provide clients in the chemical industry with innovative solutions at the lowest possible cost.

Demand for Shirley’s services quickly grew, and ACT expanded through the years, adding a team of more than 50 professional engineers, designers, laboratory and computer technicians, master craftsmen, and business and support staff.

Today, ACT provides development, engineering and custom-made equipment to the international chemical industry. Equipment designed and built

by ACT can be found in laboratories, smallscale testing facilities and full-sized commercial production plants around the world. The company’s clients are located on six different continents and range from universities to commercial corporations and government agencies. Its markets include the fertilizer, chemical, pharmaceutical, alternative energy research, biomass and rocket and space fuels just to name a few. Every design is created specific to each client’s needs at ACT’s state-of-the-art laboratories in Florence.

Fundamental to ACT’s success are its relationships with clients and its employees, who are team oriented, highly dedicated and world-class craftsmen and professionals. ACT is sought out for its technological capabilities, but its commitment to

excellent customer service is what drives more than 80 percent of customers back for repeat business.

Clients are encouraged to be involved with their projects on a day-to-day basis so they can watch how their project evolves from start to finish. The company prides itself on being a “one-stop shop” capable of taking any chemical product idea and developing the process, systems and equipment to bring a product to full-scale commercial production.

ACT’s on-site engineering, development and fabrication teams ensure that every project is marked by continuous improvement.

This commitment to excellence has paid off not only in continuous growth for the company, but in the honors it has received. ACT was recently named Small Manufacturer of the Year by the Alabama Technology Network and the Business Council of Alabama. The award is part of the Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Awards, an annual program that recognizes Alabama manufacturing enterprises that exhibit an uncompromising commitment to excellence.

Applied Chemical Technology

above, left: (L-R): Daniel Lewey, Don Fitts, Andy McAlister, Curtis Lewey, Jane Shirley, Ray Shirley

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Wells 1947 Printing Company

was a very significant year. The tennis shoe was introduced; Chuck Yeager made the first supersonic flight; Jackie Robinson was named Rookie of the Year; both “Meet the Press” and “The Howdy Doody Show” were aired for the first time on television; and Arthur and Lubie Wells began what we now know as Wells Printing Company, Inc. in Montgomery. Their sons, Irvin and Gene, still operate the company along with several other family members, though on a significantly larger scale. A single printing press in one corner of the Wells’ barn has given way to facilities housing one of Alabama’s most diverse companies. Commercial and digital printing, graphic design, direct mail, distribution, fulfillment and warehousing are only some of the services provided.

The Wells Family of Companies employs the largest workforce of any printer and mailer in Central Alabama and seasonally adds a number of temporary workers whenever special projects dictate.

Montgomerians in need of 500 business cards or 200 Christmas cards as well as regional businesses seeking free daily mail pickup may contact the experienced staff at one of the two Wells’ locations.

An examination of the company’s 167,000square-foot warehouse stacked with millions of Wells-designed and printed pages (along with thousands of support items) ready to be “picked and packed” for mailing or shipping on behalf of one of its national clients reveals the immense size of the operation.

Not only can Wells Printing boast the best traditional printing equipment in this part of the state, such as the only six-color press and twice as many four-color presses as its nearest competitor,

and today

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yesterday ... recent upgrades have made the company a frontrunner in digital printing as well.

High quality, wide-format equipment allows everything from the production of offset-quality printing at digital prices to eye-catching banners and professional-quality artwork on numerous mediums.

The 2008 acquisition of a mailing facility, complete with Optical Character Recognition equipment, has made Wells the largest printer, mailer and distributor in the area. Its strong commitment to excellence, value, service and diverse operations reinforce one another to make Wells the best in the business.

Today, Wells has grown to offer so much — design, technology, specialized bookbinding, direct mail, warehousing, shipping, daily mail pickup services and yes, printing — no doubt, Arthur and Lubie would be proud.

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n any given day, mountains of corrugated sheets, some stacked 30-feet high, occupy one end of Montgomery-based Capitol Container’s 130,000-square-foot facility. These raw materials will be transformed into boxes of almost every type, shape and size imaginable, then bound and shipped to meet the packaging needs of the company’s clients all over the Southeast. “Our customers manufacture a product that needs to be boxed; we make the boxes they need,” explains president and founder Bill Kennedy.

Today, it’s a massive operation that turns out 25 million square feet of containers each month, but it had humble beginnings. In 1992, Kennedy decided he’d finally had enough of the multiple mergers and acquisitions happening at the packaging companies he worked for. He took his 20-plus years of experience in the industry and set out on his own. “When we started, it was just me, my secretary and a truck driver who also loaded,” Kennedy says. “My secretary sat on a crate to answer the phone.”

Now Capitol Container employs 80 people, designing and manufacturing corrugated containers, including some specialty items like pre-glued and crash-lock bottomed boxes that have earned the company a niche in the market.

Most of the company’s business comes from its manufacturing, but it also warehouses containers for its clients.

While the equipment has improved in the years since Capitol Container opened its doors, according to Kennedy, not much else has changed in the business he’s known for so long. “We stay on top of advances in the technology we use, but the corrugated box is pretty much the same as it has always been,” he says. “They’ve been around a long time, fulfilling a very definite purpose.”

One other thing that’s very much the same: Capitol Container’s commitment to its customers, something exemplified in Kennedy. “We make a quality product, provide the best service, and our customers’ satisfaction is our top priority. That has grown this company,” says Susan Kennedy, vice president and Bill’s wife. “But the real ‘secret to our success’ is the fact that Bill is always here. He’s the first one in the door, and often, the last one out. He’s done every job in this industry and knows it top to bottom, and his level of participation has paid off.”

Kennedy also named his employees and loyal customers as key components of the company’s success. “The company would not be where it is without them,” he said.

The Kennedy’s son Robby is a part of the company too, following in Bill’s hard-working footsteps as the vice president of sales. “Bill had him here sweeping the floors when he was 12,” Susan says. “When he takes over, he’ll have the all the knowledge he needs to keep this company prosperous.”

Capitol Container

below: Capitol Container’s 130,000- square-foot manufacturing facility, Plant 1

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Neptune N Technology Group

above, right: MRX920 Mobile Data Collector below: Donald J. Kullmann Engineering Center, Neptune’s state-of-the-art R&D Facility

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eptune Technology Group Inc., headquartered in Tallassee, Alabama, since 1972, is a leading provider of Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) systems and water meters to the utility industry. Neptune systems read more than 38 million utility meters per month throughout North America.

During its 120 years of continuous operation, Neptune has been on the forefront of the utility industry, continually evolving to meet the everchanging needs of its customers. Today, Neptune is focused on a migration strategy using wireless technology to increase the accuracy and speed of collecting consumption and other meter-related data. Chuck DiLaura, Neptune’s President, explains, “Wireless technology allows our utility companies the option to receive transmitted data via a handheld collector, a car-mounted collector allowing the meter reader significant productivity and safety gains, or meter-reading data collected daily from fixed-based collectors transmitting directly to the utility office.”

Recent advances include major upgrades to the company’s AMR and AMI software and the creation of a new, more powerful mobile-to-mobile data collector that weighs only five pounds. “It replaces a product that weighed 40 pounds,” DiLaura says.

Typically, Neptune’s systems result in efficiency gains of 90 percent as well as improved cash flow and meter reading accuracy. Not only does this mean easier collection and quicker billing but also alerts utilities to leaks, fraud and other problems much earlier. Neptune also recently unveiled its sleeker, performance-optimized water meters that contain less copper and therefore control costs as copper prices rise.

All of these factors improve operations and enhance efficiency for Neptune’s clients, and Neptune is leading the way in other areas as well.

In 2001, Neptune became the first and only North American meter manufacturer to implement a 100-percent plant-wide conversion to virtually lead-free bronze alloy meters, meeting both American National Standards Institute and National Sanitation standards. Neptune is also ahead of the curve on other issues, already in compliance with EPA drinking water regulations for 2014.

While Neptune has offices in the Unites States, Mexico and Canada, its Tallassee headquarters houses 585 of the company’s total 720 employees, including those in engineering, research and development, manufacturing, human resources, finance, IT, sales and marketing.

Neptune knows that staying on the cutting edge requires investment in people and facilities and therefore averages more than 20 hours of training per employee per year as well as makes in excess of $5 million investments annually in new equipment and upgrades. In April 2010, the company completed and opened a new 19,000-square-foot engineering building.

Neptune’s success is based on more than the bottom line. Its philosophy includes a commitment to giving back, as evidenced by recent honors like the 2011 River Region Ethics in Business and Public Service Award. Neptune was also recognized by the American Water Works Association as one of 15 companies out of 1,000 that met criteria for the Association’s green initiatives. In addition, the company is a worldwide sponsor for the international charity, Water For People, for which DiLaura has served on the Board of Directors since 2003 and is the incoming Chair of the Board beginning January 1, 2012.

Neptune’s vision is to be the “most valued partner” in assisting the utility industry to more effectively serve the public. With its dedication to quality products and services and its corporate stewardship, Neptune is filling this role for its clients, its community and beyond.

Beers & Associates, LLC left: (l-r) Jennifer Kornegay, writer and editor; Minnie Lamberth, author, Alabama:

Moving Forward; Ron Beers, founder and publisher; Cathy Goodwin, marketing coordinator; Erin Mohajerin, managing editor. Not pictured, Scott Fuller, designer; Paula Haider and Dahlia Davis, sales associates.

Alabama: Moving Forward

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nyone who knows Ron Beers knows he loves a good story. In 1981, Beers’ passion for stories became his profession when he went to work for a publishing company that published history books on cities and states throughout North America.

“When I was being recruited, they showed me a big beautiful book on Dallas and I was hooked,” Beers says. He spent eight years helping to build that company before striking out on his own.

Over the next 20 years, Beers founded and built two successful publishing companies pouring his passion into more than 150 titles on 112 different communities throughout the United States and Canada, including the book you’re reading now.

When he started Beers & Associates, he decided to keep things manageable enough that he could do what he really loves to do: listen to stories, stories of the birth of a city and stories of the start of a business. “People love to tell stories, and we have the privilege of publishing them,” says Beers.

“Through our books, we literally tell their stories to people across the street and around the world.”

Beers and an experienced staff of writers, editors, photographers, designers and associates, publish two basic categories of books, history books and image books. These beautiful, oversized, hardcover volumes are sponsored by the local chamber of commerce or historical society in return for income on book sales and a royalty on the sales of corporate profile space to local businesses owners. Over his career, Beers’

books have returned more than $3 million to their sponsors.

“In years gone by, the cost of producing a big beautiful coffee-table book came right out of the sponsor’s budget. Our program takes the financial burden off of the sponsor and actually creates a significant stream of non-dues income,” Beers says.

The dollars generated from profile sales underwrite the cost of producing the book. “It’s a ‘win-win’ for both the sponsor and the participating businesses.”

Participating businesses get the opportunity to see their story published in a handsome hardcover volume right alongside the story of the city where their business is located without the burden of fully funding the venture themselves. “Through our proven program, they can partner with other members of the business community and each pay a significantly smaller portion of the total cost,” Beers says.

Additionally, everybody benefits from each other’s distribution of the book. Every time the hospital in town gives a copy to the new doctor in town, the bank benefits. And when the bank gives a copy to a new customer, the realtor benefits. And when the chamber of commerce gives a copy to a company looking to relocate, and they do, the whole community benefits. Ultimately, the book becomes a local best seller and so it goes. “We love to tell stories,” Beers says. “You have a story too.

Let us tell it.”

By Minnie Lamberth with Jennifer Kornegay

Foreword by William J. Canary

Alabama: Moving Forward, is the latest in a long list of contemporary image books published by Beers in the American Enterprise Series.

Montgomery & the River Region: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow was the first in the popular Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow Series.

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Grand Hotel Marriot Resort | Photo courtesy of PCH Hotels & Resorts 264

Real Estate, Development, Construction & Project Management

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KBR K

above, center: Federal Courthouse, Tuscaloosa below: Benjamin Russel Hospital for Children, Birmingham

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BR’s footprints can be found throughout the state of Alabama: from the Interstate-10 Bayway bridging across Mobile Bay, to Birmingham’s soon-to-open Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children, the new federal courthouse in Tuscaloosa and even the stands that racing fans cheer from at the Talladega Superspeedway. KBR has conducted business in Alabama continuously since the 1950s. Recent estimates suggest approximately 2,000 Alabama workers are employed

by KBR. Over the years, KBR has completed hundreds of projects, many of which are considered to be among some of Alabama’s most significant engineering and construction achievements.

Through its legacy companies Brown & Root and MW Kellogg, KBR reached a major milestone when it became a stand-alone engineering and construction organization in 2007 and has since expanded on its position in the industries it serves.

Headquartered in Houston, KBR is a leading global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, hydrocarbon, government services, minerals, civil infrastructure, power, industrial and commercial markets in more than 65 countries worldwide. The company, currently ranked 193 on the 2010 Fortune 500 annual ranking of America’s largest corporations, differentiates itself as a technology-driven engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company.

As a leader in many growing end-markets, KBR delivers a wide range of services through

its Hydrocarbons; Infrastructure, Government and Power; and Services business groups. To best accommodate the wide-ranging needs of its diverse clients, KBR’s overarching corporate structure is divided into 13 subgroups, called business units.

This structure enables each business unit to develop targeted business strategies for its specialized services, maintain and strengthen customer relationships and provide strong project oversight.

“We’re simple in the sense that we’re organized by business units, so there are specific groups that are really paying attention to the needs of local clients in those markets,” says Dianne Irby, Managing Director Alabama, Infrastructure. Irby, who has worked for KBR for more than 27 years, oversees the company’s regional headquarters at 63 South Royal Street in Mobile, one of four U.S. regional offices of its kind for the Infrastructure Unit.

In July 2008, KBR acquired longtime Birmingham engineering and construction company, BE&K, Inc., as part of the strategy to reestablish the company’s position in the U.S. domestic market. With Alabama as a new hub for business in the Southeast region of the United States, KBR gained access to new industries including power, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and health care, giving the company an opportunity to dramatically leverage its engineering, construction and maintenance presence, not only in North America, but internationally as well.

“We were still operating in the construction market prior to the BE&K acquisition, but we weren’t as active in the U.S. as we had been,” says David Zimmerman, Group President, KBR Services. “The acquisition of BE&K provided access

to new markets, increased diversity and opened up a new talent pool for local hiring.”

Located at one of KBR’s largest offices run out of Birmingham, Ken Collier, Director of Operations, describes Birmingham as a “resource center,” with the capability of meeting any of KBR’s business units’ demands. “We draw a lot on the resource pool we have here, so the engineers can be allocated to support both international and domestic Downstream or Power and Industrial projects for example, depending on what the requirement and time is,” says Collier.

KBR has a reputation of delivering projects to the highest standards of employee safety, which has resulted in numerous awards recognizing the company’s projects and employees for their efforts toward an incident and injury-free working environment.

“KBR sets itself apart because it strives to improve the communities in which it works,” says Jim Stewart, President, KBR Power and Industrial.

“It would be very easy to operate behind a chain link fence. To complete a project and then simply pack up and leave. But this doesn’t serve the best interests of the host community, or KBR. If we can provide training, make workers self-sufficient and put plant operations into the hands of the people whose resources built it, we all profit — the community because we’ve helped them create sustainable wealth, and KBR because we’re more likely to be invited back again.”

Even beyond such methods of giving back to the community, KBR works continuously to provide real value as a corporate citizen and strives to instill a culture that supports the people and communities in need. Through local blood drives, disaster relief,

community events and contributions, KBR is proud to support its local communities. “As a company that builds massive facilities and infrastructure around the world, we have the potential to leave positive lasting footprints wherever we go,” says Zimmerman.

A highlight of KBR’s training activities is its award-winning QuickTrain program, which was started in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild communities. QuickTrain, which received the prestigious 2009 Construction Users Roundtable Award for Outstanding Contributions in Construction Workforce Development, was created by KBR to provide opportunities for promising local residents seeking a rewarding career in KBR’s construction workforce.

In Alabama, KBR’s QuickTrain program supported the company’s mega- engineering and construction project for Hunt Refining in Tuscaloosa, providing job opportunities for the unemployed.

“We believe to remain a leader in the world market, we must help to find solutions that positively impact the communities where we work — whether it is through building a local hospital, organizing a fundraiser or providing training for the local workforce,” says Irby. “We have ambitious plans for where we’re going to be, and the type of entity we’re going to be in 3 - 5 years time. KBR is in Alabama for the duration and we’re going to make it a real success.”

below: KBR’s business and community involvement in Alabama includes sponsoring events such as United Way’s Day of Caring, in Mobile, a golf tournament to benefit tornado relief efforts; supporting the well-known I’m

With Phil campaign; and hosting the annual 5KBR in Birmingham. The company is also a participant of the Economic Development Association of Alabama and the Business Council of Alabama.

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Scott Bridge S Company, Inc.

above, center: CSX Railroad 14 Mile “Sheldon Morgan” Bridge over Mobile River during 72hour lift span float-in below: ALDOT, B.B. Comer Bridge over Tennessee River, Scottboro, Alabama

cott Bridge Company, Inc. of Opelika has been building bridges in Alabama and throughout the Southeast since 1933 when I. J. “Jud” Scott Sr. and his brother Fred started in the construction business. The first 20 years saw the company building highways, bridges, dams, airports and water treatment plants, but in the 1950s, Scott became well known for its expertise in bridge construction over water. Four generations of the Scott family including Jud Scott Jr. have contributed to the company’s specialty since “Ole Man River” Jud Scott Sr. went into business. Jerry Swarthout joined the company in 1965 as a partner, Chief Engineer and President; his son Jack followed him in 1973 as Safety Manager and rose to Executive VP. Both have made significant contributions to Scott Bridge’s growth.

“Ike” J. Scott III, current President and CEO, points to the company’s many challenging and high profile projects throughout its history. Over the last 50 years, those projects include: the Panama City Beach “Hathaway” Bridge, completed in 1960; the Kowaliga Bridge across 120-foot-deep Lake Martin, completed in 1974; the 6,000-foot L&N/CSX Railroad Bridge across the bay in Biloxi, Mississippi, completed in 1980; the first U.S. DOT designbuild bridge built near Baxley, Georgia, across the Altamaha River, completed in 1985; 10 longspan bridges across the Tennessee River in North Alabama from 1957 to the present; the NorfolkSouthern Railroad Bridge across the Tennessee River at Loudon, Tennessee, completed in 1991; multiple Chattahoochee River bridges, including three deepwater bridges across Lake Lanier in Gainesville,

Georgia, completed in 1993; the Rowing Venue on Lake Lanier and the Yachting Venue in Savannah for the 1996 Atlanta Centennial Olympics Games; in 2005, the emergency rebuild of CSX Transportation’s three miles of Gulf Coast railroad bridges and Norfolk Southern’s five mile bridge over Lake Pontchartrain following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina; and in 2008, the new TennTom River Terminal for Thyssenkrupp Corporation in Calvert, Alabama. In 2009, Scott Bridge, as 70-percent JV lead partner, completed the $192 million Bobby Jones Expressway/I-20 Interchange project for Georgia DOT under budget and nine months early. The company’s ability to successfully self-perform and engineer almost all of the work involved in these projects puts it in a unique class of contractors.

Marine bridges, movable steel-span bridges, design-build projects, complex interchange projects and emergency response are all areas in which Scott Bridge wields expertise in today’s market.

The deeper the water, the heavier the steel, and the more complex the engineering challenge the more competitive and successful Scott Bridge can be and has been.

Emergency Response In 2005, the company’s strength and experience in emergency repairs led to it being named lead contractor for repairing and rebuilding 8 miles of bridges owned by the CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads in the Gulf Coast region that were 268

temporary grandstands in 60 feet of water. The Yachting project had to be designed and built practically in the Atlantic Ocean, where it was vulnerable to any tropical disturbance; the 10-mile distance to the Savannah staging area also presented multiple logistical issues. Yet, in the end, the company prevailed, meeting all of the requirements safely and successfully for both venues.

2011: A Year to Remember

damaged by Hurricane Katrina. “We really have an area of specialty there in that we are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for any bridge outages,” Scott says. The company swung into action the day after the storm hit. “We basically shut down the entire company and moved all of our forces and equipment to the Gulf Coast to get those bridges back into service as quickly as possible,” he says. Within five months, all railroad bridges were back in service, well short of the 12 months estimated by the owners.

No year in recent memory presented Scott Bridge with the interesting and impressive engineering and construction opportunities as did 2011. From North Alabama on the Tennessee River, south to the Mobile/Florida panhandle area, and from Tuscaloosa east to the South Carolina swamps, Scott Bridge engineers, superintendents and their crews safely performed some of the most difficult, complicated projects in the company’s history. The year included deep-water cofferdams near Augusta, Georgia; major structural steel and cofferdam work near Scottsboro, Alabama; long-span concrete beam erection over Bear Creek Lake near Phil Campbell, Alabama; in-line timber railroad bridge

below: ALDOT, Bear Creek Lake Bypass US 43 Bridge near Phil Campbell, Alabama

Worthy of a Medal One of the company’s most unique achievements has been its work for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Scott Bridge Company was chosen from a group of international teams to design and build two structures for the Rowing and Yachting competitions. The company’s unique capabilities and experience well positioned it to overcome any and all obstacles these tasks presented.

Both projects were design-build. The first was a five-acre temporary stadium for the Rowing venue located in Lake Lanier northeast of Atlanta, and the second was a temporary floating staging area for the Yachting venue at the mouth of Wassau Sound near Savannah. The design components were fundamentally similar to what Scott Bridge was familiar with, but the projects still presented scheduling, procurement and construction hurdles.

The Rowing project’s main challenge was to designbuild a facility that would seat 17,000 people on 269

Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, ADEM and local organizations concerned with the welfare of our natural resources. Following the emergency railroad bridge replacement over Hurricane Creek in Tuscaloosa, Scott Bridge Company was awarded the Hurricane Creek Keepers Association’s “Environmental Stewardship Award for 2011.”

Bridging Generations above: CSX Railroad 14 Mile “Sheldon Morgan” Bridge over Mobile River during 72-hour river and rail outtage

below, right: CSX Railroad 14 Mile “Sheldon Mogan” Bridge over Mobile River, new 375foot lift span during float-in below, left: GDOT, I-20/Bobby Jones Expressway Interchange in Augusta, Georgia, completed in 2009

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replacements in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina; and an emergency replacement of the tornado-ravaged 100-foot-high KCS/WATCO railroad bridge in Tuscaloosa.

The highlight of Scott Bridge’s 2011 work was the float-out, float-in on October 29 of the new 375foot CSX Railroad vertical lift span bridge across the Mobile River near Hurricane, Alabama. Locally referred to as the 14 Mile “Sheldon Morgan” Bridge, this two-year, $72 million project was funded via the Truman-Hobbs Act by the U.S. Coast Guard, the ARRA stimulus bill and CSX. Scott Bridge engineers proposed, and CSX approved, a valueengineering redesign that reduced the owner’s cost and, in hindsight, avoided significant potential costs and delays for all involved. This bridge project, the longest movable span of all CSX-owned bridges in the Eastern United States, was highly successful due to the partnership of multiple U.S. Government agencies, CSX Transportation, the Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway Users Association and Scott Bridge Company and its subcontractors and suppliers. For many involved, it was the highlight of their professional careers thus far.

Environmental Stewardship With exposure to water and wetlands an everyday occurrence for Scott Bridge, the company has made protecting that environment a high priority. Scott Bridge maintains an excellent, ongoing relationship with the Corps of

As Scott Bridge Company nears its 80th anniversary, it is a good time to reflect on the past, but the company has good reason to look forward as well. Ike Scott represents the third generation of his family at the company’s helm, and his two daughters are already involved in company projects and administration. Between him and his brothers Bill, VP of Administration, and David, Partner and Director, who are also a part of the business, there are eight children that could continue the family ownership.

According to Scott, stewardship of the company is his duty to his family. “I feel like my granddad and my dad gave me an opportunity to succeed, and I feel like I have a responsibility to pass the same opportunity along to my children,” he says. He considers it a blessing to be a part of what he calls a vanishing breed — the family company. However, he knows the company can’t take credit for its success and looks to a higher power in gratitude.

“God has truly blessed Scott Bridge Company, and we give Him all the glory,” Scott says.

Scott Bridge Company’s future looks bright, but its reputation, past and present, provides it with a strong foundation. Along with Mike Terrell, VP of Operations, and Chuck Davis, VP of Engineering, the company’s many 25-plus-year veterans of the bridge industry have played a large role in that past, as they will continue to do in the future. “These veterans, their families and all of our dedicated employees are the backbone of Scott Bridge Company,” Scott says.

PCH Hotels & Resorts

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ith its wide — and luxurious — footprint across the state, PCH Hotels and Resorts has used Alabama’s incredible resources to attract and entertain travelers from around the world.

PCH Hotels & Resorts, known as the Resort Collection of Alabama Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, is a collection of world-class hotels located throughout Alabama, designed for ultimate comfort and customer service. From the historic Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa on Mobile Bay to the new Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa, PCH Hotels & Resorts maintains exceptionally high standards for group meetings, as well as leisure travelers. All PCH properties are located either directly on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail or are only minutes away. Many have spas and children’s programs. All have fine dining and great guest rooms.

The award-winning PCH properties have been recognized for their excellence by national magazines like Travel + Leisure and Golf World.

The gulf coast trio, The Grand Hotel, The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa and the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, take advantage of the Mobile Bay area’s abundant advantages. In central Alabama, The Renaissance Montgomery, the Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel & Conference Center at Grand National, the Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill and the Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa all are within a few minutes of world-class golf. In the Huntsville area, the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa was named the No. 3 hotel for guest satisfaction by Marriott in 2008.

The Resort Collection features six of Alabama’s Four Diamond Hotels and some of the finest spas in North America.

The Alabama tourism industry greatly benefits from the PCH Hotels & Resorts. The Alabama Department of Tourism estimates that around 23 million people visited the state in 2010, spending over $9 billion and generating almost $700 million in tax revenues. PCH continues to be a critical economic asset for the state as one of its biggest tourism draws.

The eight PCH hotels range from 90 to more than 400 guest rooms — a total of 2,078 — and have meeting spaces of all sizes. Meeting facilities combine advanced technology, a resort atmosphere and Marriott expertise. PCH is owned by the Retirement System of Alabama (RSA), which also has investments in Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Raycom Media, 55 Water Street in New York, Community Newspaper Holdings and other interests.

above: Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa was named one of the “Top 500 Hotels in the World” by

Travel + Leisure magazine and features the 4th longest golf course on earth. below: The lobby of the historic Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa is known as Mobile’s Living Room and has welcomed everyone from American Presidents to Mardi Gras royalty.

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Colonial C Properties Trust

above, right: Colonial Grand at Liberty Park below: Colonial Grand at Traditions

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olonial Properties Trust is an Alabama-based real estate investment trust (REIT) that uses its strengths to remain competitive in an ever-changing economy.

Colonial Properties Trust grew out of a real estate business founded in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1956

by Edward L. Lowder, father of the company’s current chairman and CEO, Thomas H. Lowder. That year, Edward launched Lowder Construction Company to build single-family homes in Montgomery. Soon, the company grew to become a full-service real estate company known first as the Lowder Companies and later as The Colonial Companies. In 1976, Thomas took over the helm at Colonial Properties and moved the company’s headquarters to Birmingham, Alabama, and in 1993, the company went public as a REIT. In the early years as a public company, Colonial Properties Trust focused on buying and developing a diversified portfolio of office, retail and multifamily apartment properties throughout the Sunbelt states — primarily Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

In 2005, Colonial Properties Trust merged with Richmond, Virginia-based Cornerstone Realty Income Trust and added over 23,000 apartment homes to its portfolio, expanding its multifamily investments into Virginia, Texas and the Carolinas. This was the first step in transforming Colonial Properties Trust into a multifamily focused REIT. In 2007, the company sold the majority of its office and retail assets either outright, or into joint ventures.

Colonial Properties Trust’s strategy is to own and operate a young, high-quality multifamily focused portfolio with commercial management and development capabilities. Investments are focused in high-growth Sunbelt markets such as Atlanta, Georgia, Birmingham, Alabama, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Austin and Dallas, Texas, with a goal of having no one market contributing more than 10 percent of the company’s net operating income. The company is an active developer and acquirer of multifamily apartment communities throughout the Sunbelt.

Colonial Properties Trust employs approximately 1,000 people and as of December 31, 2011, owned or managed 34,681 apartment units and 13.9 million square feet of commercial space spanning from Virginia to Nevada. Approximately 80 percent of the company’s net operating income is generated from its multifamily apartment investments, with a goal of moving this to at least 90 percent of its holdings over the next few years.

Multifamily apartment communities owned by the company are primarily suburban, garden-style apartment homes and are divided into three product types: Colonial Grand apartments are Class A properties with resort-style pools, expanded workout facilities, outdoor fireplaces and other amenities, Colonial Village apartments are Class B properties geared toward a more value-oriented resident, and Colonial Reserve apartments are Class A mid-rise properties typically located adjacent to employment centers.

With a declining homeownership rate, limited new multifamily apartment supply, a growing echo-boomer population and a general bias of the 20- to 34-yearold generation to rent versus owning a home, Colonial Properties Trust is well positioned to benefit from the strong fundamentals of the multifamily apartment business.

T

he history of Birmingham-based Dunn Investment Company reads like a classic American success story, filled with pioneering vision, opportunities seized, hard work and adherence to family values.

It all began when two brothers took their business Dunn Brothers Construction, founded in 1878, from Virginia and traveled to Mississippi for a railroad construction contract. While in the deep South, they saw a burgeoning civil construction market in and around Birmingham, and thus chose the city as its new headquarters. They constructed a 2,667-foot tunnel through Red Mountain, among other major projects, and did work all across Alabama and Mississippi. On this foundation, the business grew and expanded to include a diverse range of complementary companies including ready-mix concrete supply, asphalt paving and civil construction, real estate development, and building construction and maintenance.

Now larger than ever, Dunn is still family owned and operated, encompassing six separate companies under the Dunn Investment Company umbrella.

Employing approximately 1,200 people, the Dunn Companies are: Dunn Construction, Dunn Roadbuilders, MMC Materials, Dunn Real Estate, Bayou Concrete and Dunn Building Company.

The Dunn Companies are currently led by the fifth generation of Dunn family members, with Will French serving as the fifth family Chairman.

According to French, in the years to come, the sixth generation will hopefully step up and take its place as the business owners and leaders. “We will stay a family owned business with the best possible managers,” French says. “We are big enough and smart enough to know that we don’t have all the talent we need in the family, so we make it our mission to attract and hire the best and brightest people to complement our family strength.”

This mindset combined with flexibility has kept the business thriving for well over a century. “We’re not a flashy, high-profile group; we are humble in our success,” he says. “But we always keep going, moving forward, ahead of the markets.”

Indeed, this forward-thinking philosophy has kept the company going and growing despite the recent down economy. “The construction industry is an old one and even with our rich heritage, we never look back, only ahead,” says Chris Hoyt, Vice President of Marketing for Dunn Investment Company. “We are very adaptive and have every

The Dunn Companies

intention of continuing to grow this business either through new product lines or new markets.”

The Dunn Companies’ successes have been recognized widely throughout the industry, as evidenced by recent awards including the Associated Builders and Contractors Quality Contractor and Safest in Industry Award, the National Ready Mix Concrete Association’s Green Star Environmental Achievement Award and the National Asphalt Paving Association’s Quality Paving Award.

Today, The Dunn Companies still have their eyes on the future and their feet planted firmly on a 134-year-old foundation of family, excellent management and hard work.

above: Dunn Building Company erecting the steel frame of a large industrial facility. below: A Dunn Construction Company crew paves a state highway.

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Larry E. L Speaks & Associates, Inc.

above, right: Steven E. Speaks, PE/PLS, President; Greg M. Gillian, PE/PLS, Vice President; owners of Larry E. Speaks and Associates, Inc. below: Court Square Roundabout at Dexter Avenue and Commerce Street downtown Montgomery, Alabama.

Roundabout was improved in 2006 to return the square back to similar conditions found in the 1800s.

Project Engineer: Steven E. Speaks

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arry E. Speaks & Associates, Inc. in Montgomery is not a big company, but its smaller size gives this civil engineering firm a big advantage, according to its president Steven Speaks.

“Our clients deal directly with me and our vice president, Greg Gillian, instead of being handed off to someone else,” Speaks says. “We work with each of our clients one-on-one, and that lets us provide a higher level of service.”

This exceptional service has earned the company a solid reputation and allowed it to increase in scope every year since it was originally founded by Steven’s father Larry E. Speaks. “He opened his business in 1976 and operated out of a one-room office with the help of my mother,” Speaks says. Success resulted in growth, which led the company to move to successively larger offices through the years before settling on Herron Street on the edge of downtown.

“I joined the firm in 1987, and we built our current office building in 2005,” he says.

Today, the company has 18 full-time employees and most have been with the firm for decades. “I’ve been here since 1986, and we’ve got a few people who’ve been here longer than me,” Gillian says.

The firm treats its employees well, resulting in low employee turnover. This enhances the quality of the company’s overall work and service.

Larry E. Speaks & Associates focuses on designing roadways (from residential streets to highways), storm drainage and sanitary sewer systems and water supply systems. The firm’s

experience and expertise in these areas have led to quite a bit of municipal work.

The company also provides environmental services in partnership with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and US Army Corp. of Engineers, including permitting for surface mining operations, construction storm water permits and wetland delineation/permits. Land surveying services like boundary surveys, construction surveys and topographical surveys round out the company’s offerings.

This diverse yet complimentary array of services has served the company well in the recent economic downturn, as has its dedication to using the most up-to-date, sophisticated equipment available on all of its jobs. “We stay abreast of all the advancements in our field and stay active in professional associations,” Gillian says. “That contributes to the success we’ve enjoyed.”

While the company is licensed to work all over the state, most of its projects are in Central Alabama, with some of its most recent ones located in the Lake Martin area and done for a longstanding client. “We’ve been working with Russell Lands for over 20 years and have been the engineers on several of their significant developments including residential areas, marinas and the latest commercial development called Russell Crossroads,” Speaks says. “We’re proud to have worked with them for so long.”

Along with many others, this lasting partnership speaks volumes and proves Larry E. Speaks & Associates’ commitment to building strong relationships on a foundation of good work.

The lobby of The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa | Photo courtesy of PCH Hotels & Resorts 275

Photo courtesy of McWane

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Steel & Metal Manufacturing & Service

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O’Neal O Industries

below: Plasma cutting is used for light-gauge metals.

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’Neal Industries, a family of closely related companies engaged in the metals service center business, has grown over nine decades to become the nation’s largest family owned metals service center. This important distinction means that the family and ideas that started the company and guided its growth since its founding in 1921, continue to be instrumental in its operation today. For the thousands of O’Neal customers across the Northern Hemisphere, this means long-term stability, quick decision-making, lasting relationships and an unwavering commitment to quality, service and innovation.

The giant that is now O’Neal Industries had its humble beginnings as a small steel fabricating business, when iron and steel production were putting Birmingham on the map. Founder Kirkman O’Neal laid the foundation for a strong work ethic and business philosophy that is at the core of the company today.

Shortly after its founding, the Great Depression gripped the nation, but O’Neal held firm by maintaining strong customer relationships. By 1935, it had become one of the South’s first metals service centers, focusing on serving customers whose needs did not meet the high-tonnage requirements necessary to enable them to purchase materials directly from the mills.

During World War II, O’Neal Steel became the country’s largest producer of general-purpose bombs, which were used extensively in the Pacific.

In recognition of its support of the United States military effort, the company was awarded the Army and Navy “E” for Excellence and two additional Citations for Excellence by the U.S. government.

Emmet O’Neal, Kirkman’s son and former Chairman of O’Neal Steel, joined the company in 1946. In 1952, O’Neal opened its first satellite district in Jackson, Mississippi. During the next half-century, through corporate planning and acquisitions, O’Neal greatly expanded its operations with the addition of more than 40 facilities throughout the South, Midwest, Southwest and Mountain states — making it the largest family owned metals service center in the United States.

Also during that period, in 1984, Emmet’s son Craft O’Neal joined the company, representing the third generation of family involvement in the business. He has held a variety of sales and district management positions through the years, and is currently Chairman of O’Neal Steel, Inc. and O’Neal Industries.

More recent growth has come by way of significant diversification of products and services, in addition to geographic expansion. One specialized area of growth was made possible by O’Neal’s 1997 purchase of Metalwest, an industry leader among light-gauge, flat-roll service centers, headquartered in Denver with locations across the nation. Next came growth through the development of multi-stage processing capabilities in 1998 and the opening of dedicated weldment operations in Monterrey, Mexico, thereby providing OEMs a reliable resource for large-scale and labor-intensive jobs that require specialized facilities and a high degree of manufacturing expertise and efficiency.

The success and continued expansion of those operations has more recently led to the creation of O’Neal’s manufacturing division (O’Neal Manufacturing Services). And to answer the region’s need for a specialized facility dedicated to the highest quality tube processing and dependable service, O’Neal’s Tube Processing Center in Lebanon, Tennessee, was opened in 2000.

In 2004, Aerodyne Alloys, LLC became part of the O’Neal family of companies. And in early 2005, O’Neal further extended its product line with the acquisition of Leeco Steel, LLC. In the fourth quarter of 2005, O’Neal acquired TW Metals, a

well-established service center specializing in pipe, tube, bar and rod in stainless, aluminum, alloy and carbon, as well as a variety of high alloys such as nickel and titanium.

In early 2006, O’Neal acquired Timberline Steel, a full-line service center based in the Denver area with one of the largest and most comprehensive processing facilities in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Timberline has since been assimilated into the O’Neal family and now operates as O’Neal Steel.

And in the summer of 2006, Ohio-based Ferguson Metals, a leading supplier and processor of hard-tofind specialty stainless steel and high-temperature alloys, was acquired by O’Neal as the company continued to expand its product expertise, inventory and capabilities directed at highly specialized markets. Later that same year, aerospace specialist AIM International, located in Cincinnati, became a part of O’Neal, bringing with it everything from sheet metal, bar stock, forgings and castings to small hardware in many alloys such as nickel and cobalt. Also acquired at the same time was Supply Dynamics, a professional services company widely recognized as the leading provider of supply chain management solutions called “Material Demand Aggregation.”

The year 2008 brought additional growth to the company. O’Neal Industries was established to serve as the holding company for O’Neal Steel and its affiliate companies. Also in 2008, Ferguson

left: O’Neal was founded in 1921 as a steel fabricator.

Metals and AIM International merged to form United Performance Metals, which now offers the combined product lines and expertise of both former companies, still based in Cincinnati. And, TAD Metals, a service center specializing in stainless and aluminum sheet, plate and long products, joined O’Neal Industries. The addition of TAD extended O’Neal’s footprint in the Northeast, Southwest and, for the first time, Canada.

Then in December of 2009, Denman & Davis, a carbon and stainless distributor and processor with locations in New Jersey and Rhode Island, was acquired, extending O’Neal’s footprint in the northeastern United States. Denman & Davis now operates under the O’Neal Steel name.

Lastly, in 2012, Metalwest and TAD merged to become O’Neal Flat Rolled Metals to meet the needs of customers buying carbon, stainless and aluminum light-gauge products across the country.

Today, O’Neal Industries provides products and services ranging from steel beams and plate to specialty alloys and complex manufactured components to customers across a wide variety of industries worldwide. Through it all, O’Neal Industries is proud to have remained a familyowned company with an extended family of dedicated employees providing the finest in quality and customer service.

left: The latest in coordinate measuring equipment is used for customers who require stringent tolerances.

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SSAB U

above, right: SSAB Alabama operates as an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF)-based facility and as pictured here in operation, EAF technology produces steel products using recycled scrap metal as the primary raw steelmaking material. Today, the Alabama facility produces approximately 200 tons of liquid steel per hour and 1.4 million short tons annual capacity of high-strength steel for a wide variety of customers around the world. right: SSAB Alabama Inc. produces high quality steel plate and coil products in Axis, Alabama, just miles from downtown Mobile. Since officially opening more than 10 years ago, the facility has expanded its product lines to include blast and paint products, quenched and tempered, as well as normalized plate products. It also has grown into one of the largest steel plate producers in North America.

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nderstanding customers’ businesses and their unique needs is the backbone of success for SSAB, a global leader in value-added, high-strength steel. No one will go further than SSAB to realize the full potential of lighter, stronger and more durable steel products and how they can benefit customers worldwide.

SSAB employs approximately 9,000 people in more than 45 countries around the world and operates facilities in Sweden and the United States.

The group’s steel operations are comprised of SSAB EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), SSAB Americas (North America and Latin America), and SSAB APAC (Asia, Australia and New Zealand), as well as foreign sales companies. SSAB subsidiary Plannja handles processing, and Tibnor serves as the group’s trading company.

SSAB was formed in 1978 through the merger of three Swedish steelworks: Domnarvets Järnverk in Borlänge, Oxelösunds Järnverk in Oxelosund and Norrbottens Järnverk in Luleå. Since then, the group has successfully cultivated a niche market for high-strength steel.

In 2007, SSAB acquired the North American steel company IPSCO Inc., and in 2008, divested the tubular operations within the IPSCO Division.

As part of a major reorganization, SSAB Americas was formed.

SSAB Americas is the leading supplier of steel plate in the region with mills in Mobile, Alabama, and Montpelier, Iowa, and three cut-to-length facilities in Toronto, St. Paul and Houston. These facilities have an annual capacity of approximately 2.5 million tons of crude steel production. In addition, SSAB has four plate processing operations in the United States, Canada and Chile.

These high performance steels with advanced chemical and physical properties manufactured

by SSAB are used in a variety of demanding

applications. SSAB’s flat-rolled steelworks can produce discrete plate in thicknesses up to 3 inches and coil in thicknesses up to three-quarters of an inch. Through the Alabama steelworks, SSAB has expanded value-added product lines to include blast and painted products, as well as quench and tempered and normalized plate products.

In 2001, SSAB Alabama, Inc., officially opened and is an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF)-based facility.

Here, high quality steel plate and coil products are produced using recycled steel scrap metal. Each year, SSAB Alabama produces 1.4 million short tons of high-strength steel for a wide variety of customers around the world, and that number is expected to grow. SSAB Alabama is currently expanding its facility to accommodate a new, state-of-the-art quenching line for ultra high strength steel. This facility and its associated projects represent a near $300 million investment in Mobile, as well as the future of the company.

SSAB has built a thriving international operation based on its vision to work with its customers to realize the full potential of its steel products. This vision is backed up by the company’s values that include: Customer’s business in focus: SSAB always takes an active interest in the customer’s business and seeks long-term relationships. By sharing knowledge, together SSAB and its customers can create value.

True: SSAB is dedicated and proud of what it does and the products it supplies. Employees build strong relationships by being open-minded, straightforward and honest and by sharing information and knowledge.

Always ahead: SSAB is results-oriented. To achieve the highest performance, the company always proactively seeks to be innovative and further enhance its expertise.

The company also shows it values the communities where it operates by giving back hundreds of thousands of dollars. In Alabama, SSAB Alabama serves as an educational partner with the University of South Alabama. SSAB also gave a significant donation to the university and funds up to $100,000 each year for partner schools throughout the state.

SSAB Alabama’s community involvement includes participating in the annual “Fill the Bus” drive, which collects and provides school supplies for local schools. Since SSAB became involved in

left: For more than a decade, SSAB Alabama has been a major contributor to the U.S. steel industry and the local community, contributing more than 700 high-paying, full-time jobs to the Mobile County area. This year, the existing facility will be expanded to open a new, state-of-the-art quenching line for ultra high-strength steel that will bring another 100 jobs to the state of Alabama.

the program, more than 14 Mobile County schools and nearly 40,000 students have benefitted from this campaign.

And in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, SSAB donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross, and its employees donated supplies and volunteered in various states. SSAB also contributed supplies valued at more than $26,000 to families devastated by the April 2011 Alabama tornado outbreak, and throughout SSAB Americas, employees donated nearly $19,000 as part of a special matching grant program.

The Mobile steelworks facility is qualified with ABS (American Bureau of Shipping), AD 2000 (European Pressure vessel directive – upgrade), BV (French shipbuilding society), CPD (European Constructions Products directive), DNV (Norwegian shipbuilding society), ISO 9001-2008/ UKAS accreditation), Lloyds (UP shipbuilding society) and PED (European Pressure Vessel directive). Plus, it is believed to be one of the only steel mills in North America to have plant approval for API-Q1 (American Petroleum Institute).

The company’s deeply rooted dedication to customers and the communities where it operates has earned SSAB Alabama a host of honors, including industry recognition in 2010 for having the best performance in North America, as measured by lost time accidents.

SSAB is committed to the long-term development of its operations, and the goal of building a stronger, lighter and more sustainable world.

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McWane, Inc. M

above, center: Iron pipe is centrifugally cast by pouring molten iron into a rotating mold. below: Like all McWane products, McWane manufactures its ductile iron waterworks fittings using state-of-the-art pollution control systems.

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cWane, Inc. is the largest U.S. manufacturer of water works products, with more than 25 foundries and manufacturing plants across North America. McWane’s products include the ductile iron pipe, valves, hydrants and fittings that make up the backbone of vital water distribution and wastewater treatment systems, dependably providing the United States with clean, affordable drinking water. Headquartered in Birmingham, McWane employs more than 6,000 team members around the world.

Through the years, many other companies in the waterworks industry have moved their manufacturing operations overseas at the expense of American jobs and to avoid U.S. environmental and workplace health and safety standards. McWane, however, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to modernize its plants and become the industry’s cutting-edge leader, making its operations safe, efficient and compliant while preserving thousands of well-paying American jobs and the future of many communities in the process.

McWane’s long history begins 90 years ago in 1921 with the founding of McWane Cast Iron Pipe Company. McWane first ventured beyond Alabama in 1926 when it opened the Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company in Utah. Following the acquisition of Empire Coke Company in 1961, the company experienced explosive growth through the 70s, 80s and 90s as it expanded its pipe manufacturing base

through the purchase of Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Company in New Jersey and Clow Water Systems in Ohio. McWane moved into the valve and hydrant industry with the additions of M&H Valve Company in Anniston, Alabama, Clow Valve Company in Iowa and Kennedy Valve Company in New York. The company also entered the waterworks fittings business with the acquisitions of Union Foundry Company in Anniston and Tyler Pipe Company in Texas, a company that also manufactures drain, waste and vent (DWV) pipe and fittings. McWane solidified its position in the DWV sector with the purchase of AB&I, Inc. and ANACO, both in California.

In 1999, McWane ventured outside the foundry industry with the purchases of Manchester Tank & Equipment Company and Brunner Manufacturing, makers of propane and air compressor cylinders, and Amerex Corporation of Trussville, Alabama, a leading manufacturer of fire suppression systems and extinguishers. Amerex expanded its product line with the purchase of Janus Fire Systems in 2008 and Solberg of Norway in 2010, both of which produce special-hazard and environmentally safe fire protection products and systems. Manchester has expanded its global scope to include operations in Australia and Chile.

With the formation of McWane International, the company made its first foray into international waterworks markets. Thereafter, McWane entered the Canadian market in 1989 with the acquisition of Canada Pipe Company in Ontario, the

establishment of Clow Canada in 1990 (valves and hydrants) in New Brunswick, and the 1997 purchase of the Bibby Companies, Canadian manufacturers of plumbing and other waterworks products. Since then, the company has opened a fittings plant in China and entered into a joint venture in India to provide products to those markets and elsewhere.

The protection of its team members and the environment are paramount at McWane. Its environmental health and safety management system is the most sophisticated and effective in the industry, and its training, compliance and other programs are second to none. Moreover, the recycled content of McWane’s foundry products is greater than 90 percent, which represents more than 750,000 tons of scrap iron recycled each year.

McWane’s commitment to successful compliance efforts has earned the company numerous awards from OSHA, the EPA and various private and state agencies and organizations. For example, seven McWane plants have been admitted into OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) in recognition of their exemplary health and safety programs, an honor that only 1 percent of all U.S. workplaces attain. No other company in the waterworks foundry industry has even a single plant in the VPP program.

Other McWane awards and honors include: In 2011, the U.S. EPA awarded McWane, Inc.’s AB&I subsidiary its National Partnership for Environmental Priorities Award; in 2009, Clow

Valve in Oskaloosa, Iowa, won the 2009 Ergo Cup award, besting The Boeing Company, Bridgestone/Firestone and GE Energy; in 2009, the Birmingham Business Journal honored McWane President G. Ruffner Page Jr. as its Green Business Leader of the Year; in 2008, Phillipsburg’s Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Co. received the New Jersey Environmental Stewardship Award and in 2006 was the first foundry in North America to install technology to substantially limit mercury emissions; in 2008, Birmingham’s McWane Pipe received the Cahaba River Society’s Blue-Green Design Innovation Award; and in 2007, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality gave Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Co. its Outstanding Achievement in Pollution Prevention Award.

Today, under the leadership of Chairman Phillip McWane, the company remains dedicated to its long tradition of safely providing strong, durable products that provide long-lasting and essential infrastructures for communities around the world.

above: McWane pipe provides water service to the New Meadowlands Stadium, the home of the New York Giants.

left: McWane hydrants provide fire protection to communities across the country.

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Huron D Valley Steel Corporation

ecades before recycling became a global concern, the company that would become Michigan-based Huron Valley Steel Corporation was pioneering breakthroughs in places few people cared to think about — landfills. But the idea made for a most beneficial platform from which the company could grow. Finding innovative ways of recovering scrap metals would not only benefit industries that used the materials but also relieve a growing burden on our landfills and provide an economical alternative to extracting and processing metal-bearing ores from mines.

The concept that became Huron Valley Steel was founded by Leonard Fritz, an enterprising young man who scavenged for iron scrap in slag, a byproduct of smelting iron ore. From that, he created pig iron that he then sold to the steel industry for reuse. The practice grew into a successful business that Fritz established in 1961 as Huron Valley Steel Corp.

Fritz also saw great possibilities in what others discarded and considered “junk.” One area of particular interest for Fritz was the scrap metal generated by households and businesses, things like old cans, steel drums and car parts. That’s when Fritz got creative and began “playing around” with shredders.

Shredders are machines that, as the name suggests, shred and grind large items like automobiles and appliances such as washing machines, dryers and refrigerators into fist-sized pieces. This results in a shredded mixture of ferrous metal (iron compounds), non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, stainless steel, zinc, etc.) and non-metals (glass, fiber, rubber, plastic and dirt).

Early on, the ferrous metals were removed with conventional magnets and then sold back to steel mills to make iron pipes and steel beams.

The remaining mixture of non-ferrous metals

right: Inbound material (“Zorba”) staged for processing

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and non-metals was sent to the landfill. But Fritz was not satisfied with discarding the non-ferrous mixture that contained metals. If there was a way to recover and sort the non-ferrous metals, then those materials could be reintroduced into society. Huron Valley Steel became instrumental in developing a technique to do just that.

Over the past 50 years, Huron Valley Steel has grown from a small, local operation to a company with more than 250 employees. That growth included setting up another facility 30 years ago in Anniston, Alabama. Alabama was a natural choice for a second Huron plant. Not only does the state have a rich history of iron and steel production, it is one of the largest metal recycling states in the country. The Anniston operation now employs about 100 people and is capable of processing over 20 million pounds of non-ferrous metal per month.

The shredded aluminum produced by Huron Valley Steel is instrumental in the making of parts

left: The Huron Valley Steel facility in Anniston, Alabama

for the automobile industry that are used by Alabama companies such as Honda, Toyota and Hyundai.

Recycled metals such as those produced

by Huron Valley Steel are ideal for all types of manufacturing industries because they are less expensive. This recyled metal is considered “green” because it takes considerably less energy to produce and using it greatly reduces the burden on the environment.

Huron Valley Steel is committed to providing top-quality materials to its clients. In order to do so, its facilities and practices must be up to the highest standards. The Anniston plant was the first in the recycling industry to receive the ISO 9000 designation, a family of standards representing an international consensus on good quality management practices. The company also designs and develops much of the equipment used in its operations.

Huron Valley Steel also prides itself as having a strong and capable workforce. Many of its employees have been with the company for 30 years or more. The commitment extends to the communities in which employees work and live.

Huron Valley Steel’s Anniston plant contributes to economic development efforts in Calhoun County and statewide. Major charitable contributions have been made to the United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouts and relief efforts including those for Hurricane Katrina and the 2011 Alabama tornadoes.

Huron Valley Steel has made researching and developing systems to increase metal recovery and reduce waste stream volumes a top priority.

As a result of this dedication, the company has developed many pioneering breakthroughs. These efforts have earned the company recognition as an industry leader in the recovery and recycling of nonferrous metals.

below, left: A closeup of typical “Zorba” material prior to processing below, right: Recovered metal from “Zorba.” This mixed metal product will be processed and sorted into clean aluminum scrap and other mixed metal fractions.

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Saginaw Pipe I Company

below: Steel shipped to a Saginaw customer was incorporated in “The Claw,” a marine salvage vessel used in the Gulf of Mexico.

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n 1983, with just $300,000 of inventory and a two-bedroom farmhouse on three acres of land in Shelby County, E.E “Pete” Raughley founded Saginaw Pipe Company. Growth over the first few years was slow, but thanks to determination and a consistent focus on the needs of its customers, the company survived and then thrived. “In the beginning, we were trying to keep our heads above water,” President and CEO Howard Wise says.

“We kept doing things the right way. We treated our customers and suppliers the way that we would want to be treated, and over time, we added new products. This and our ‘can-do’ attitude is why we are still selling some of the many customers that we sold in 1983.”

Now with 160 acres and 50,000 to 60,000 tons of inventory on the ground, Saginaw Pipe Company is one of the steel industry’s leading steel service centers and a major solution source of steel pipe, steel I-beams, wide-flange beams, square and rectangular tubing, and plate and other structural steel, offering special-order and cut-to-length services as well as specialty fabrication back-up.

Saginaw Pipe also boasts the Southeast’s largest inventory of square and rectangular tubing and structural steel beams on a single site.

Of the six people who helped Raughley start Saginaw, four are still with the company, a testament to the company’s firm foundation and stability. From the single piece of steel holding up the antenna over the White House to the hundreds of pipe piles used in the foundation of the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero, Saginaw’s strength can be seen in construction projects across the country.

Saginaw material has been used in Jacobs Field in Cleveland, the Coca Cola Museum in Atlanta, Ronald Reagan and O’Hare International Airports, Disneyworld, the Beau Rivage and Hard Rock Café in Biloxi, and closer to home, at Children’s Hospital and the Birmingham International Airport.

The company hit new heights in 2006, shipping 200,000 tons of steel from its yard. Despite the economic downturn, Saginaw Pipe shipped over 120,000 tons last year and sees even brighter days ahead. “We are planning on business getting better and to be a part of Alabama’s continued growth and prosperity by being here to fill any requirements for steel pipe, tubing or beams and provide steel solutions companies can count on,” Wise says.

He explained his optimism. “What sets us apart from others in our business is our large inventory, stellar customer service and our many employees with over 20 years’ experience in the industry,” he says. “In short, we want your business, and we consistently do things the right way to get it and keep it.”

F&S Equipment and Supplies, Inc. F

ifty years ago, R. B. Fox and Ted Skaggs founded F&S Abrasives Co., Inc. in Birmingham, Alabama. Skaggs ran the day-today business and Fox, a retired auditor, kept the company books. Two years into the business Skaggs passed away, and Fox was left to run the business alone. Forty-six years ago, Donice Key joined the team as a “girl Friday,” doing a little bit of everything. Her role continually expanded as Fox entered retirement, until in l995, Key bought the company she’d come to love and changed the name to F&S Equipment and Supplies, Inc. She became sole owner of the business in 2006.

The company, which supplies abrasive blasting and spraying equipment to bridge-builders, car makers, pipe manufacturing plants and other heavy industry all over the Southeast, was, for awhile, a one-woman show. But over the last two decades, Key has built the company into an industry leader, and today, F&S has 14 full-time employees.

F&S represents world-class manufacturers in its industry, offering spray finishing equipment; advanced paint circulation systems; fluid handling, dispensing and metering equipment; sealant and adhesive application equipment; lubrication equipment; powder coating systems; spray booths; water wash booths; paint kitchens; mix rooms; blast rooms; blast pots; bulk blast pots; bulk hoppers; operator safety equipment; and air-filtration products.

While Key’s longevity has played a major role in the company’s growth and stellar reputation, she’s not the only one who has been with F&S for many years; Joel Stevenson, Vice President and Jane Denney, Office Manager, are approaching their third decade with the company. “We’re close-knit, like a family,” Key says. “All of our team members have been crucial to the company’s stability and strength.”

And treating them accordingly is important to Key, who places great value on keeping her employees happy. “This is my work-family, so I want to ensure that they are comfortable and enjoy a low-stress environment,” she says. “Then, they do a better job.”

In-depth knowledge of its diverse array of over 6,200 products as well as a keen understanding of the industries it serves are also crucial elements of F&S’s prosperity, as well as strong customer relationships. “We’ve thrived thanks to our commitment to stay abreast of technological advances and to keep an inventory of in-demand products,” Key says. “Our success is based on our dedication to supply our customers with unparalleled service, state-of-the-art products and installation expertise.”

The proof of that success is in F&S’s steady growth as well as the positive recognition the company continues to earn, including winning “MRO Supplier of the Year” from Honda Manufacturing of Alabama four out of the last five years. Key explained the vision that keeps F&S moving forward. “We’ve enjoyed a lot of progress in the past 50 years, but there’s more to come,” she says. “By staying true to our goal of providing the best products and the best service, we’ll reach even greater heights in the future.”

above: Office and warehouse of F&S Equipment and Supplies, Inc. in Birmingham. below: Front row (L-R): Jane Denney, Donice Key, Jarrod Key, Justin Harris, Joel Stevenson, Ed Navarette and Garbiel Navarette. Back row (L-R): John Hyatt, Becky Smith, Howard Marsh, Robert Cardwell, John Johnstone and Carlos Navarette, Snake Lawrence (not pictured)

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The Black Warrior River 288

Transportation Services

289

Cooper/ C T. Smith

above, right: Ervin S. Cooper Memorial in Cooper Riverside Park on Mobile’s waterfront below: M/V Ervin S. Cooper salutes Mobile’s skyline and Cooper Riverside Park.

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ooper/T. Smith, a multifaceted Alabama company with international success, has relied on the same formidable work ethic that founder Angus R. Cooper displayed when he started the company in 1905. Angus set out each morning at 4 a.m. to unload South American cargo, often working until well after midnight.

Today, Cooper/T. Smith is one of the largest stevedoring companies in America, with operations on all three U.S. coasts and foreign operations in Central and South America. While stevedoring remains its core business, Cooper/T. Smith also owns tugboats and barges, a forestry company that includes four chip mills and specializes in harvesting and shipping woodchips and biomass, and a food service component with restaurants.

From first to last, Cooper/T. Smith is a family business that treasures its generational values. At each change of leadership, fathers have handed the reins of what has become a huge international company with thousands of employees to their sons in an unbroken chain dating back over 100 years.

Following his father Angus, Ervin Cooper, along with his sons Angus II and David Sr., went on to personally direct the firm’s expansion to ports throughout the United States. Although he passed away in 1982, Ervin still has a seat of honor in Mobile, with his likeness immortalized in bronze seated on a Waterman Steamship Company bench watching over the Mobile waterfront at Cooper Riverside Park.

As their fathers and grandfathers did before them, Angus Cooper II brought sons Angus III and Scott, and David Cooper Sr. brought his son David Jr. into leadership of the company.

Cooper/T. Smith is a complex organization, despite its family-oriented pedigree. “There are 13 companies under Cooper/T. Smith, structured under eight major divisions,” according to Angus III, Cooper/T. Smith Group President of Operations, Office of the President, and a 4th generation Cooper.

Angus III said the transfer of control to the new generation has been gradual and well-supervised. As each Cooper moves up through the organization, they are given real responsibility and control.

“Often family businesses decline when the older generation won’t give the younger generation actual responsibility and authority in time to learn from their mistakes,” says Angus III, who notes that the elder Coopers provide an invaluable resource as each new generation rises through the ranks. “While we’re going through the process, they are here for us to ask questions. If we have a problem, they’ll tell us how to handle it or whom to see about it.”

Over the last century, the Cooper family has successfully navigated the Great Depression, two world wars — and numerous smaller ones — recessions, hurricanes and vast changes in business around the world. Through it all, Cooper/T. Smith has survived, expanded and thrived.

Boyd Bros.

Transportation Inc. left: Corporate Headquarters in Clayton, Alabama

T

hrough four generations, members of the Boyd family have grown and advanced the transportation company that was founded in 1956. Today, Boyd Bros. Transportation Inc., headquartered in Clayton, Alabama, is the largest flatbed trucking company in the Southeast.

The flatbed truckload carrier hauls primarily steel products and building materials, serving many high-volume, time-sensitive shippers. Meeting their demands with stellar customer service at every turn has earned Boyd Bros. a sterling reputation and driven its success, as president and CEO Gail Cooper, Dempsey Boyd’s daughter, explained.

“Our mission statement says we strive for the absolute best service, and operating safely and legally are our top priorities. That’s why we’ve lasted over 50 years.”

Currently, Boyd Bros. and its affiliated companies are running approximately 1,000 trucks.

“We are committed to serving our customers, so we find ways to move freight for them in almost any way,” Gail says.

In 1956, Gail’s dad Dempsey and his brothers bought the company from their dad and changed the name to Boyd Bros. Gail joined the family business in 1972. Her son Chris Cooper is now the company’s COO, and he echoed his mother. “We live by our mission statement,” he says. “It infiltrates everything we do.”

This dedication extends to the welfare of its nearly 1,400 employees too. Boyd Bros. has a fulltime chaplain on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “It is an important way to help our people,” Chris says. “It’s just who we are.”

Boyd Bros. credits its employees with its decades of prosperous business. “We value our employees and our great, safe drivers. Our people are the reason we are still here,” Gail says. “We’re not in the trucking business; we’re in the people business.”

And it looks like Boyd Bros. will be in business for years to come, thanks to innovation and the decision to stay ahead of the curve in its industry.

“We’ve always been on the cutting edge with equipment,” Chris says. “We were the first trucking company to go to 100-percent satellite tracking capability.”

Now, the company’s rail deck initiative is driving things forward. “A lot of freight is switching from the open road to railroad,” says Richard Bailey, Boyd Bros.’ president. This means a truck takes its load to a railhead, then a train moves it across the country.

A truck picks it up again at a railhead, greatly shortening the distance of truck runs. “We are doing flatbed intermodal runs with a rail deck trailer that no one else is doing,” Bailey says. “It’s very exciting.”

Expansion into Canada and Mexico as businesses go global is also giving the company a boost.

Still, the Coopers and Bailey point to the company’s dedication to service as the true secret to its success, a secret that’s been handed down for years at this family owned business. “It’s wonderful to have Chris as a part of it now and to watch him keep the vision of great service alive,” Gail says.

above: Gail Cooper, CEO; Richard Bailey, President; Chris Cooper, COO

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International Shipholding Corporation

I

above: Double Deck Rail Ferry below:(L-R): Belt Self Unloading; Pure Car Truck Carrier; and Handy Size Bulk Carrier

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nternational Shipholding Corporation (ISH) specializes in waterborne cargo transportation, but it’s not quite as simple as that. Its real specialty lies in satisfying(L-R): each of its customers’ needs, no matter how diverse. The result of this dedication is some job responsibilities that read like pages ripped straight from Richard Scarry’s “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go.” One only needs to add trains and ships to that list.

Two sister vessels of the company’s diverse fleet, the Banda Sea and the Bali Sea, call Mobile, Alabama, their home port. These vessels are used for Rail Ferry transportation services. When this specially designed, two-tier railroad terminal became operational, a new border crossing was created, thereby providing an alternative to the often congested Mexico-Texas border crossing. With the capacity of transporting up to 120 railcars per vessel each direction, these vessels traverse between Mobile and southern Mexico 80 to 90 times per year delivering a railcar to/from Mexico at least 10 days faster than the overland transportation.

ISH has been meeting customer needs by identifying niches within the market and then customizing assets to fit those markets, through both medium-and long-term contracts.

The company’s beginnings actually go back to 1947, when a U.S.-flag vessel owner and operator, Central Gulf Steamship Corporation, was founded

by Niels F. Johnsen along with his sons, Niels W. Johnsen and Erik F. Johnsen. The sons would both go on to serve as Chairmen of ISH before handing the reigns to the next generation, cousins Niels M. Johnsen and Erik L. Johnsen, now serving as Chairman and President, respectively.

Today, ISH’s transport capabilities extend to a wide range of operations: Pure Car/Truck Carrier; Roll On/Roll Off; Breakbulk/Bulk Carrier; Domestic Coastwide; and Rail Ferry transportation.

Though the publicly traded corporation (NYSE symbol: ISH) maintains offices in New York, Singapore and Shanghai, its corporate headquarters are located on the 17th and 18th floors of Mobile’s RSA Battle House Tower. From there, ISH operates a fleet of International- and U.S.-flag vessels through its many subsidiaries, which include: Central Gulf Lines, Inc.; CG Railway, Inc.; Waterman Steamship Corporation; LMS Shipmanagement, Inc.; East Gulf Shipholding, Inc.; and LCI Shipholdings, Inc. ISH’s commitment and investment in the Mobile community have earned it several awards, including the Governor’s Trade Excellence Award given by Governor Riley and the Downtown Mobile Alliance’s Leadership Award, in recognition of its role as an upstanding corporate citizen. The company looks forward to many more years of success and civic involvement in the city of Mobile.

I-65 in Huntsville 293

Corporate Sponsor Index AIDT 1 Technology Court Montgomery, AL 36116 Ph. 334.242.4158 Fax. 334.242.0299 www.aidt.edu p. 218 Alabama Power Company 600 18th St. N. Birmingham, AL 35203 Ph. 1.888.430.5787 www.alabamapower.com pp. 222-225

Austal USA 1 Dunlap Drive Mobile, AL 36602 Ph. 251.434.8000 Fax. 251.434.8080 www.austal.com p. 256

Alabama Self Insured Worker’s Compensation Fund 813 Shades Creek Parkway Suite 300 Birmingham, AL 35209 Ph. 205.868.6900 Fax. 205.868.6909 www.workerscompfund.org pp. 194-195

Balch & Bingham, LLP 1901 6th Ave. N. Birmingham, AL 35203 Ph. 205.251.8100 Fax. 205.226.8799 www.balch.com p. 246

ALIANT Bank 1100 Corporate Parkway Birmingham, AL 35242 Ph. 1.866.888.8330 www.aliantbank.com pp. 200-201

Beers & Associates, LLC 8650 Minnie Brown Drive, Suite 120 Montgomery, AL 36117 Ph. 334.396.2896 Fax. 334.356.1422 www.beersandassociates.net p. 263

Applied Chemical Technology 4350 Helton Drive Florence, AL 35630 Ph. 256.760.9600 Fax. 256.760.9638 www.appliedchemical.com p. 259 AT&T 600 19th St. Birmingham, AL 35203 Ph. 1.800.288.2020 www.att.com pp. 236-238 Auburn University 23 Samford Hall Auburn, AL 36849 Ph. 334.844.4000 Fax. 334.844.9981 www.auburn.edu p. 216 294

Auburn University at Montgomery 7400 East Drive Montgomery, AL 36117 Ph. 334.244.3000 www.aum.edu p. 217

Birmingham Business Alliance 20th St. N. Suite 200 Birmingham, AL 35203 Ph. 205.324.2100 Fax. 205.324.2560 www.birminghambusinessalliance.com pp. 202-203 Birmingham Southern College 900 Arkadelphia Road Birmingham, AL 35254 Ph. 1.800.523.5793 www.bsc.edu pp. 214-215 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama 450 Riverchase Parkway E. Birmingham, AL 35244 Ph. 1.800.292.8868 www.bcbsal.org pp. 196-197

Corporate Sponsor Index Boyd Bros. Transportation, Inc. 3275 Highway 30 Clayton, AL 36016 Ph. 1.800.633.1502 Fax. 334.775.1437 www.boydbros.com p. 291 Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP 1 Federal Place Birmingham, AL 35203 Ph. 205.521.8000 Fax. 205.521.8800 www.babc.com pp. 242-243 Brownlee-Morrow Enterprises 7450 Cahaba Valley Road Birmingham, AL 35242 Ph. 1.800.624.7069 Fax. 205.995.9603 www.brownleemorrowenterprises.com p. 258 Burr & Forman LLP 420 N. 20th St. , Suite 3400 Birmingham, AL 35203 Ph. 205.251.3000 Fax. 205.458.5100 www.burr.com pp. 244-245 Calhoun Community College 6250 Hwy. 31 North Tanner, AL 35671 Ph. 1.800.626.3628 www.calhoun.edu p. 219 Capitol Container 2555 Container Dr. Montgomery, AL 36109 Ph. 334.277.5644 Fax. 334.277.5657 www.capitol-container.com p. 261 Children’s of Alabama 1600 7th Ave. S. Birmingham, AL 35233 Ph. 205.939.9100 www.childrensal.org p. 232

Colonial Properties Trust 2101 6th Ave. N. Suite 750 Birmingham, AL 35202 Ph. 205.250.8700 www.colonialprop.com p. 272 Cooper/ T.Smith 118 N. Royal St. #1200 Mobile, AL 36602 Ph. 251.431.6100 Fax. 251.431.6139 www.coopertsmith.com p. 290 DCH Health Systems 809 University Blvd. E. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Ph. 205.759.7111 www.dchsystem.com p. 233 Doozer Software, Inc. 2 Chase Corporate Drive Suite 105 Birmingham, AL 35244 Ph. 205.413.8302 Fax. 205.444.5004 www.doozer.com p. 239 Energen 605 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. Birmingham, AL 35203 Ph. 205.326.2700 www.energen.com pp. 226-227 F & S Equipment and Supplies, Inc. 3221 2nd Ave. N. Birmingham, AL 35222 Ph. 205.323.8363 Fax. 205.323.8365 www.fandsequipment.net p. 287 Henry Brick Company, Inc. 3409 Water Ave. Selma, AL 36701 Ph. 334.875.2600 Fax. 334.875.7842 www.henrybrick.com p. 257 295

Corporate Sponsor Index Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC 1800 Honda Drive Lincoln, AL 35096 Ph. 205.355.5135 Fax. 205.355.5120 www.hondaalabama.com pp. 176-177

Maynard Cooper & Gale, P.C 1901 Sixth Ave. N. Suite 2400 Birmingham, AL 35203 Ph. 205.254.1000 Fax. 205.254.1999 www.maynardcooper.com p. 247

Huron Valley Steel Corporation 820 Ware St. Anniston, AL 36201 Ph. 256.238.1746 Fax. 256.238.0069 www.hvsc.net pp. 284-285

McWane Inc. 2900 Highway 280 Suite 300 Birmingham, AL 35223 Ph. 205.414.3100 Fax. 205.414.3170 www.mcwane.com pp. 282-283

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama 700 Hyundai Blvd.

Montgomery, AL 36105 Ph. 334.387.8000 www.hmmausa.com pp. 180-181

Medical Properties Trust 1000 Urban Center Drive Birmingham, AL 35242 Ph. 205.969.3755 www.medicalpropertiestrust.com pp. 204-205

International Shipholding Corporation 11 N. Water St. Mobile, AL 36602 Ph. 251.243.9100 Fax. 251.706.6939 www.intship.com p. 292

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. 1 Mercedes Drive Vance, AL 35490 Ph. 205.507.2252 www.mbusi.com pp. 182-183

KBR 63 S. Royal St. Suite 200 Mobile, AL 36602 Ph. 251.450.7724 Fax. 251.450.7898 www.kbr.com pp. 266-267 Larry E. Speaks & Associates, Inc. 535 Herron St. Montgomery, AL 36104 Ph. 334.262.1091 Fax. 334.262.2211 www.realpagessites.com/larryspeaks p. 274

296

Natural Decorations, Inc. 777 Industrial Park Drive Brewton, AL 36426 Ph. 1.800.522.2627 Fax. 1.877.578.5101 www.ndi.com pp. 254-255 Neptune Technology Group 1600 Alabama Highway Tallassee, AL 36078 Ph. 1.800.633.8754 Fax. 334.283.7434 www.neptunetg.com p. 262 O’Neal Industries 2311 Highland Ave. S. Birmingham, AL 35205 Ph. 205.599.8000 Fax. 205.599.8469 www.onealind.com pp. 278-279

Corporate Sponsor Index PCH Hotels & Resorts 11 N. Water St. Mobile, AL 36602 www.pchresorts.com p .271 Protective Life Corporation 2801 Highway 280 S. Birmingham, AL 35202 Ph. 205.268.3700 Fax. 205.268.3597 www.protective.com pp. 198-199 Redstone Federal Credit Union 220 Wynn Drive Huntsville, AL 35892 Ph. 1.800.234.1234 Fax. 256.722.3655 www.redfcu.org pp. 186-189 Regions Financial Corporation 1900 Fifth Ave. N. Birmingham, AL 35203 Ph. 1.800.REGIONS www.regions.com pp. 206 Saginaw Pipe Company 1980 Highway 31 S. Saginaw, AL 35137 Ph. 205.664.3670 Fax. 205.663.6632 www.saginawpipe.com p. 286 Scott Bridge Company, Inc. 2641 Interstate Drive Opelika, AL 36804 Ph. 334.749.5045 Fax. 334.749.3936 www.scottbridge.com pp. 268-270 SSAB 12400 Highway 43 N. Axis, AL 36505 Ph. 1.888.592.7070 Fax. 251.662.4360 www.ssab.com pp. 280-281

The Dunn Companies 3905 Messer Airport Highway.

Birmingham, AL 35201 Ph. 205.592.3866 Fax. 205.592.4632 www.dunnconstruction.com p. 273 The McPherson Companies 5051 Cardinal St. Trussville, AL 35173 Ph. 205.661.4400 Fax. 205.661.4593 www.mcphersonoil.com pp. 228-229 Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Alabama, Inc. 1 Cotton Valley Drive Huntsville, AL 35810 Ph. 1.800.331.4331 Fax. 256.746.5906 www.toyota.com pp. 178-179 University of Alabama in Huntsville 301 Sparkman Drive Huntsville, AL 35899 Ph. 256.824.1000 Fax. 256.824.6538 www.uah.edu pp. 210-213 Vulcan Materials Company 1200 Urban Center Drive Birmingham, AL 35242 Ph. 205.298.3000 Fax. 205.298.2946 www.vulcanmaterials.com pp. 250-253 Wells Printing Company 6030 Perimeter Parkway Montgomery, AL 36116 Ph. 334.281.3449 Fax. 334.281.2342 www.wellsprinting.com p. 260

297

Index 3M Company 96 2010 election 15, 23, 30, 40, 193, 203

Alabama Tourism Department 55, 75, 298 Alabama Wine Trail 67, 298 Alabama’s Blackbelt 107, 298 Alagasco 159, 226-7, 298 Alfa Insurance Companies 145, acute care hospitals 118 298 adhesive labels 109 American Cancer Society 114-15, Adtran 163 298 aerospace 30, 45, 89, 91-3, 97, American Heart Association 114, 161, 163, 168, 212, 298 183, 256 agribusiness 7, 111, 298 American Red Cross 86-7, 179, Airbus Military North America 92 281, 298 airports 40, 92, 149-50, 202, 252, Anniston 11, 21, 29, 54, 226, 268, 286 282, 284-5 Alabama Association of Realtors anti-business legislation 41 (AAR) 142, 298 antifreeze 96, 229 Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Appalachian Mountains 27, 202 Association 41 April 2011 85, 147, 178-9, 183, Alabama Birding Trail 65, 298 197, 201, 229, 238, 281 Alabama Catfish Producers 104, architectural woodworking 109 107 Arkema 97 Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Army Aviation 92 103, 298 assessment 15, 98, 132, 217 Alabama Center for Real Estate Associated Builders and Contractors 142, 298 137, 273 Alabama Civil Rights Museum Trail Association of University Research 67, 298 Parks 167 Alabama Civil War Trail 67, 298 Auburn University 9, 18, 22, 125, Alabama Commission on Higher 128-9, 135, 171, 216-17, 294, Education 128, 298 298 Alabama Community College Harrison School of Pharmacy System 39, 41, 132, 218-19, 118, 129, 298 298 Austal USA 9, 32-3, 44, 93, 191, Alabama Development Office 256, 294, 298 (ADO) 41, 44, 159, 298 Austal 32-3, 44-5, 256, 298 Alabama Farmers Federation 104, automotive 7, 29, 33, 41, 44-5, 298 77, 79, 81, 84-5, 87, 97-8, 131, Alabama Gulf Coast 32, 44, 298 175-6, 180-1, 258 Alabama Hospital Association automotive industry 7, 29, 33, 84121, 196, 202, 298 5, 87, 131, 156, 175, 181, 298 Alabama Industrial Development automotive manufacturers 41, 44, Training (AIDT) 9, 33, 36, 84, 176, 298 44-5, 95, 98, 132, 218-19, 294, automotive manufacturing 77, 81, 298 131, 298 AIDT 9, 218, 298 avian habitats 65 AIDT Maritime Training Center Axis 97, 280, 297-8 45 Alabama Power Company 9-10, 147, 156, 222-5, 294, 298 Baldwin County 73, 104 Alabama Robotic Technology Park banking 34, 141, 145, 170, 206, 39, 130, 132, 218-19, 298 242, 244, 247, 298 Alabama Scenic River Trail 65, Bankrate 141 298 Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF) BASF 97, 298 Bauer Financial 141 71, 298 Bays 27, 65 Alabama State Park System 68, BBVA Compass 141 298 Alabama State Port Authority 153, beach 48, 56, 73, 75, 268 beaches 48, 73, 75, 298 155, 298, 302 Beck, Dr. Marilyn C. 39-41, 45, Alabama Technology Network 219 (ATN) 33, 132, 191, 259, 298 beef cattle 103 Alabama the Beautiful 27 Bessemer 98-9

A

B

298

Beverly Hilderbrand 131 biking 59, 298 biotechnology 45, 161, 168, 202, 219, 242, 298-9 Biotechnology Association of Alabama 168, 298 bird sanctuary 65 Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) 9, 168, 202-3, 245, 294, 298 Birmingham Regional Intermodal Facility 150 Birmingham-Southern College 9, 125, 134, 214-15, 245, 294, 298 Blackmon, Rosemary 121 BNSF Railway Company 150 boards of realtors 142 Boeing Company 163, 191, 283, 298 Boeing Delta IV 84 Bolte, Jim 33, 41, 45, 178-9, 298 BP Amoco Chemical Co. 96, 228 Brazil 153, 223 Brooke 36, 41, 45, 109, 190, 193, 298 Brown Engineering 163 building materials 110, 291 building stone 110 Burkville 97 business climate 23, 27, 36, 44, 89, 158, 192 Business Council of Alabama 2, 5, 9, 15, 22-3, 29, 36, 41, 125, 190-4, 239, 259, 267, 298 BCA 15, 23, 29, 36, 41, 49, 63, 79, 96, 109, 123, 125, 133, 158, 190-3 business-friendly 37, 41 Business Leaders’ Summit on Early Childhood Investment 125 business partnerships 41

C cabinetry 109 Calhoun 9, 39-41, 131-2, 135, 219, 285 Calhoun Community College 9, 39, 41, 131, 135, 219 Calvert 85, 95, 97, 139, 244, 298 calves 103 camping 68 Canadian National Railway Company 150 Canary, William 3, 5, 7, 15, 22, 125, 158, 190-1, 193, 263 canoeing 65, 298 cardiovascular 115, 118 Carnegie Mellon 39, 186, 210, 216 Carol Garrison 113 cars 40, 82, 97, 180, 292, 298 Castile, Ed 130, 132, 218

catfish 104, 107 catfish industry 104, 107 catfish production 107 cattle 103, 298 caustic soda 97 ceiling panels 109 cement-manufacturing industry 110 central location 40, 202 chalk 110 Chamber of Commerce 22, 27, 30, 38, 40-1, 44, 85, 91-2, 145, 150, 153, 161, 170-1, 190-1, 263 Chambers of Commerce 39, 45, 99, 145, 188, 190, 192, 256 channel catfish 107 Charles Nailen 41, 145 Charleston 149 chemical additives 97 chemicals 96-7, 153, 250, 266 Chicago 149 Children’s of Alabama 9, 116-17, 123, 202, 229, 232, 286, 298 China 41, 283 chlorine 96-7 Chuck Ernst 44 City Livability Awards Program 126 City of Huntsville 163 City of Montgomery 44 City of Tuscaloosa 84, 126 civil rights movement 20-1, 39, 43, 67, 298 Class I railroads 150, 155 clay 104, 107, 110-11 climate 23, 27, 36, 41, 44, 48, 56, 89, 158, 192, 298-9 coal 111, 153, 299 colleges 33, 37-8, 40, 117, 128-9, 131-2, 134, 212, 214-16, 219, 247, 299 commercial airlines 149, 299 commercial airports 149 community partners 41, 253 commuter airlines 149 composite decking 109 Comprehensive Cancer Center 114-15 concrete 110, 250-3, 269, 273, 299 concrete products 110 construction aggregates 110, 250, 252-3 construction industry 137, 139, 273 Container Terminal 155 cost of living 48, 142 cotton 13, 18, 20, 77, 104, 167, 299 cotton production 104 crushed stone 110-11, 250 CSX Transportation 150, 268, 270

Index (continued) culture 37-8, 68, 223, 227, 229, 253, 267 Cummings Research Park 161, 167-8, 212, 219

D Daikin America 96 Daimler AG 85, 182-3 Dallas County 107 Dallas/Fort Worth 149, 263, 272 Dauphin Island 65 David Wallace 29, 33 Davis, Rick 167-8 Dean, Lewis 110-11 Decatur 39, 63, 84, 95-6, 191, 193, 219, 228 decorative baskets 109 deep-water port 40, 47, 93, 95, 153 Deepwater Horizon oil spill 75 defense 30, 41, 45, 92, 109, 161, 299 defense industries 156, 168, 299 dentistry 113 Department of Defense (DOD) 44,171 die-cut paper 109 dietary supplements 96 distance learning programs 129 distribution 98-9, 155, 179, 202, 228-9, 250, 260, 263, 282 Dollar General 98-9 dolomite 110 Dothan 92, 104, 150, 156 Dr. David Bronner 53 Dr. Marilyn C. Beck 39, 41, 219 Dr. Regina Benjamin 114 Dr. Ronald Franks 117 Dr. Wernher von Braun 31, 71, 91, 163 Dupont 97, 299

E EADS Airbus 92 early childhood education 133 earth sciences 164 economic development 299 Economic Development Department 156 economic development organizations 39, 41, 45 Economic Development Partnership of Alabama 41, 84, 159 economic growth 53, 147, 181, 190, 206, 222, 237 Ed Castile 130, 132, 218 Edith Parten 55 educated workers 37, 39 eggs 101, 255 egg production 101 employee-to-volunteer 85

Energen 9, 48, 110, 123, 159, 226-7, 295, 299 Engineering News Record 137 Erik L. Johnsen 39, 45, 292 Ernst, Chuck 44 events 75, 188, 191, 193, 201, 237, 250, 267 expansions 41, 98, 155, 176, 179, 182, 218, 278, 291

F farmland 101 farms 101, 222, 299 federal hospitals 123 fertilizer 96-7, 259, 299 festivals 75 fireplace mantels 109 Fitch, Gregory 128-9, 299 Florida 16, 33, 93, 206, 215, 228, 245, 250-1, 269, 272 fluoropolymers 96 Fokker Airinc 92 Ford Motor Company 84 forest-based 98 forestry 108-9, 299 forestry industry 98-9 forests 27, 56, 65, 299 Forever Wild Land Trust 68 Fort Lauderdale 149 Fort Rucker 92 Fortune 500 companies 161, 247 Franks, Dr. Ronald 117-18 fungicides 97 furniture 109, 255

G Gadsden State Community College 131 garden centers 103, 299 Garrison, Carol 113-15, 299 General Cargo Terminals 155 General Charles Krulack 37, 38 genetics 168 Geneva County 104 genomics 168 Geological Survey of Alabama 110-11, 299 Georgia 16, 196, 228, 242, 245-6, 268-70, 272, 299 Go Build Alabama 139 Golf Digest 55 golfing 68 Goodrich 92 Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund 86 gravel 110-11, 250, 299 green industry 103 Greene, Joe 171 Greene County 107 greener vehicles 168 greenhouse growers 103, 299 Gregory Fitch 128

ground transportation 40 Gulf beaches 56, 73 Gulf Coast 33, 65, 75, 118, 162, 171, 203, 250, 268-9 Gulf of Mexico 16, 65, 256, 286 Gulf Shores 5, 56, 75, 299 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism 56, 73, 75

Hyundai Motor Company 41, 44, 85, 180-1, 218, 285 Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama Elantra sedan 81 HMMA 9, 41, 81, 85, 180-1, 191, 296 Sonata sedan 81

H

I

Hale County 107 Hallett, Win 92-3, 153 Hammett, Seth 156, 159, 299 Hank Williams Trail 67 Harrison, John 141 Harrison School of Pharmacy 118, 129 health 7, 113, 145, 180, 190, 1967, 199, 227, 253 health care 118, 122, 202, 204, 231-2, 242, 246-7, 266 health professions 113, 116, 121 HealthSouth 123, 299 Herbert Malone 75 high-tech enterprises 163 highway construction 12-13, 84, 110, 149-50, 188, 252, 274, 295-7, 299 hiking 59, 224 Hilderbrand, Beverly 131 history 16-23, 95, 97, 179, 182, 198, 214, 227, 250, 253, 268, 273, 284, 299 HIV research and care 115 hogs 103 Home Depot 98 Honda Manufacturing of Alabama 9, 11, 22, 44-5, 78-9, 87, 176, 191, 203, 245, 287, 296 Acura MDX 81, 176 HMA 78, 86, 176-7 Honda Odyssey minivan 78-9, 176 Pilot SUV 79 Ridgeline pickup 78-9, 176 V-6 engines 78-9, 176 horseback riding 59 hot air ballooning 59, 63, 299 House of Representatives 41, 192 housing 142, 250, 257, 260 Housing Affordability Index 142 Houston County 104 HudsonAlpha 168-9, 299 HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology 168, 299 hunting 59-60, 68 Huntsville 12-13, 17, 21-2, 27, 29-31, 71, 84-5, 91, 149-50, 161, 163-5, 167-8, 178-9, 210, 213 Huron Valley Steel 9, 11, 29, 33, 284-5, 296 Huron’s 29

incentive packages 44, 98 incentive programs 37-8 industrial bleach 97 industrial minerals 110 industrial parks 40, 162, 170-1, 299 industrial recruitment program 156, 225, 299 Infinity Insurance Company 145 infrastructure 29, 36, 40, 84, 137, 147, 156, 171, 192, 266-7, 283, 299 inland waterway systems 153 Innovation Depot 168 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals 123 insecticides 97 insurance companies 239 Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force 92 interior doors 109, intermodal container transfer facility (ICTF) 155 International Intermodal Center 150 International Micro Air Vehicle (IMAV) 40, 135 International Organization for Standardization Principle of Quality Management 98 International Shipholding International Shipholding Corporation 9, 39, 45, 292 interstate highways 149 Interstate system 40 intracoastal waterways 153 iron 17, 19, 34, 40, 42, 95, 110, 153, 202, 278, 282-4 iron oxide 110 ISO 9001:2000 98

J Jacksonville State University 128-9 James T. McManus, II 227 Japan 41, 87, 178-9 Jay Reed 137 Jefferson Metropolitan Park Lakeshore 170 Jim Bolte 33, 45, 178-9 Jimmy Lyons 155 job placement assistance 44 job training programs 48 299

Index (continued) Joe Greene 171 Joe Rella 32-3 John Harrison 141 John Norris 141

K Kansas City Southern Railway Company 150 kayaking 65 Krulack, General 37-40

L labor unions 36 unions 36 Lakeside Steel 95 landscape operations 103 Lee, Robert “Bubba” 49, 63 legislation 23, 41, 181, 190-1, 193 legislative houses 41 legislature 18-19, 23, 29, 41, 96, 162, 190-3 Lewis Dean 110 Lexan 97 Lim, Young Deuk 38, 40, 44, 86 lime 110 limestone 110, 250 Lincoln 11, 22, 44, 79, 176-7 Linda Swann 89 livestock 103 local government officials 41 Lockheed Martin 167 logging 109 logistics 89, 98, 155, 202

M Madison county 27, 30, 40, 91, 150, 161, 163, 179, 237 Malone, Herbert 75 manufacturing 7, 9, 33-4, 37-8, 44-5, 77, 81-2, 98, 176, 17881, 190-4, 261-2, 277-8, 282 marble 110 Marengo County 107 Maxwell Air Force Base 20, 89, 92, 170 McCalla 150 McDuffie Coal Terminal 155 McIntosh 97 McManus, James T. 48, 227 meadows 65 medicine 113, 116, 118, 216, 232-3 Memphis 149-50 Mercedes 9, 22, 24, 44, 77, 98, 147, 182-3, 218, 296 Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. 9, 22, 77, 182-3, 296 GL-Class 77, 182 MBUSI 77, 79, 85, 147, 182-3 M-Class 77, 182 R-Class 77, 182

300

metabolic and infectious diseases 115 Michael Shattuck 168 military bases 20, 156 mills 109, 200, 278, 280-1, 284, 290 mines 111, 284 deep underground mines 111 surface mines 111 Mississippi 16-17, 93, 104, 228, 242, 244-6, 268, 273, 278 Mitt Walker 104 Mobile 11, 16-18, 27, 44-5, 47, 92-3, 95, 118, 129, 149-50, 153, 256, 280-1, 292, 295-6 Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce 92, 153 Mobile Bay 16, 47, 111, 266, 271 modeling and simulation 164, 167 Monroe 104 Monroe County 15 Montgomery 16-22, 42-4, 71, 89, 92, 128, 149-50, 170-1, 180-1, 200-1, 217, 226, 260-1, 271-2, 274 Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce 44, 171, 217 Montgomery County 44, 81, 181 mountains 27, 48, 65, 202-3, 261 Muscle Shoals 53

N NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center 91, 304 National Business Incubation Association 168 National Cancer Institute 115 National Institutes of Health 113 National Science Foundation 131, 212 natural gas 110-11, 159, 182, 226-7 natural resources 7, 44, 63, 68, 79, 101, 109-11, 216, 224, 246, 252, 270 navigable inland waterways 153 Navistar Diesel of Alabama 84-5 MaxxForce 84, Power Stroke Diesel engine 84 Vee engines 84 neuroscience 115 non-labor organization 37 Norfolk Southern Railway Company 150 Norris, John 141 north Alabama 20, 31, 41, 59, 65, 131, 159, 169, 179, 186, 215, 219, 227-8, 268-9, North Alabama Industrial Alliance 159 Northrop Grumman 92, 167 Nucor 33, 95 nursery growers 103

O

R

occupational therapy 118 oil and gas industry 111 Olin Corporation 96 optometry 113 Orange Beach 56, 73, 75 outdoor adventures 56, 59 outpatient rehabilitation 123

rail 40, 150, 155, 202, 270, 291-2 Rail Ferry Terminal 155 rail providers 40 railway 40, 150, 292 railways 40 RE/MAX Advantage Real Estate 142 ready-mix 110, 273 realtor 142, 263 recreation 7, 53, 68, 156, 199 recreational areas 68 recruitment 29, 98, 132, 156, 218, 225, 246, 299 Redstone 9, 12, 21, 91, 141, 163, 167, 186-7, 212 Redstone Arsenal 91, 167, 186-7, 212, Redstone Federal Credit Union (RFCU) 9, 12, 141, 186-9, 297 Reed, Jay 137, 139 Regions Financial 9, 87, 140-1, 145, 202, 206 regulatory conditions 41 rehabilitation 123, 205, 233 Rella, Joe 32-3, 36-7, 44 research and technology park 161 retirees 53, 223, 236 Retirement System of Alabama (RSA) 53,271 Rick Davis 167 “right-to-work” 36-7, 48 right-to-work state 37, 48 river ports 153 Robert “Bubba” Lee 49 Robert Burns 85 Robert Scott 142 Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail 53, 271 RTJ Trail 53-4 robot 39, 233 robotic surgery 168 robotics 39, 130, 132, 135, 21819 rock climbing 59, 63 Rocket City USA 91 Rosemary Blackmon 121 rotorcraft systems engineering 164 RTP 39

P paper 97, 109, 153, 252, 258 paper mills 109 Parten, Edith 55, 67 particle board 109 partnerships 22, 41, 44, 55, 129, 131, 142, 145, 180, 183, 1901, 213, 219, 274 “peanut capital of the world” 104 peanut production 104 peanuts 20, 104, 107 Perry County 107 pesticides 96 physical therapy 118 physicians 118, 123, 196, 233 pigs 103 Pinto Steel Terminal 155 plastics 96-7, 252, 284 plywood 109 plywood mills 109 Point Clear 53 polycarbonate resin 97 Port of Huntsville 150 Port of Mobile 153, 155 poultry 101, 153, 258 poultry industry 101 poultry production 101 power boating 65 PowerSouth 156 pre-k initiatives 15, 125-7, 131, 135 printing ink 96 private institutions 37 private-public partnerships 49 pro-business environment 44 pro-business majority 23, 29, 41, 192 ProAssurance Corporation 145 propulsion 91, 164-5, 212 Protective Life Corporation 12, 145, 198-9, 297 psychiatric care 123 public health 113 public use airports 149 Puerto Rico 123, 180 pulp 109, 258

Q quality of life 29, 36, 48-9, 113, 135, 142, 198, 202-3, 217, 222, 250

S Sabic Innovative Plastics 97 SAIC 163 sailing 59, 63 sand 27, 56, 73, 110-11, 250-1 satellites 71 Saturn V rocket 91 Scott, Robert 5, 9, 142, 178 Senate 29, 41, 96, 192 Seth Hammett 156 Sewell, Steve 84-5, 87 shale 110

Index (continued) Shattuck, Michael 168, 170 shipbuilders 33, 93, 256 shipbuilding 44-5, 47, 93, 256, 281 short-line railroads 150 silica 110 site-selection 156 solvents 96 South Alabama Aviation Triangle 92 southeast 16, 44, 114, 141, 149, 168, 202-3, 228-9, 242, 258, 261, 266, 268, 286-7 Southern Company 170, 222 Southern hospitality 38 Southern markets 98 Southern Research Institute 170 Space and Rocket Center 30-1, 71 Space Camp 71 Space Flight 21, 30, 71, 89, 91, 165 space program 30, 71, 163 speech pathology 118 ST Aerospace Mobile 92 Star Aviation 92 State Farm Insurance 145 state parks 68 state schools 37-8 steel 7, 9, 19, 23, 29, 33, 95, 97, 153, 155, 244, 268-9, 277-81, 284-6 Steve Sewell 84 Sumter County 107 surface mines 111 swamps 65, 269 Swann, Linda 89, 95, 98 swimming 68 SYSCO 98

T tax incentives 41 technical colleges 33, 131 technology transfer 168, 171 Teledyne Brown Engineering 163 Teledyne Continental 92 Tennessee-Tombigbee 153 Tennessee Valley Authority 20, 159 Terry Kellogg 29, 36, 193, 196 Texas 23, 33, 159, 204-6, 226-7, 233, 242, 250, 272, 282, 292 textiles 98, 242 The Alabama Housing Affordability Index 142 The Consortium for Alabama Regional Center for Automotive Manufacturing 131 CARCAM 131 The New York Times 54

The University of Alabama 18, 20, 22-3, 38, 113-14, 126-7, 161, 164, 168, 183, 202-3, 208, 210, 213, 232 The Port Authority 155 The state of Alabama 20, 44, 53, 75, 101, 113, 132, 142, 145, 153, 181, 193, 203, 219, 247 The University of Alabama at Birmingham 22-3, 113, 127, 161, 168, 202-3, 232 UAB 113-16, 118, 127, 161, 168, 170, 172, 202-3, 210, 239 UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center 114 UAB Health System 113 UAB Hospital 113 UAB Research Foundation 168 UAB’s Department of Pediatrics 116 The University of Alabama at Huntsville 22 The University of South Alabama Medical Center 118 Regional burn center 118 Stroke care 118 Trauma center 118, 233 The USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital 118 Level III NICU 118 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 117-18 The Wall Street Journal 54 The Workforce Training System 132 Thomasville 95 ThyssenKrupp 23, 84, 95, 97, 139, 153, 244, 268 ThyssenKrupp Steel USA 84 Tier-1 suppliers 79, 81 timber 111, 269 timberland 98, 109 topography 56, 104 tornado 84-7, 147, 178-9, 188, 197, 201, 229, 238, 247, 267, 270, 281 tourism 7, 21-2, 27, 29, 31, 35, 37, 39, 43, 47, 53-6, 67-8, 73, 75, 271 Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama 9, 13, 33, 41, 44-5, 82, 86-7, 178-9, 285, 297 Sequoia 82, 178 Tacoma 82, 178 TMMAL 41, 178-9 Toyota 9, 13, 33, 41, 44-5, 82, 86-7, 147, 178-9, 285 Tundra 82, 178 trainable workforce 44 training 20, 33, 39, 41, 44-5, 48, 95, 98, 130-2, 135, 180-2, 195, 216-19, 251-3, 267

training facilities 98 training materials 98 training programs 39, 41, 44, 48, 98, 218 transportation 7, 9, 40, 48, 79, 98, 149-50, 153, 183, 242, 268, 270, 289, 291-2 Travel Industry Association of America 55 Troy University 129 turning basin 155 Tuscaloosa 18, 22, 84-5, 95, 113, 121-2, 126-7, 182, 193, 226, 233, 238, 240, 266-7, 269-70 Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative 126-7

U United States 16-17, 19-20, 23, 40, 54, 71, 110-11, 161, 180-1, 203, 227-8, 243, 252-3, 255-6, 278-80 universities 37-8, 48, 113, 118, 127-8, 134, 183, 203, 210, 215-16, 247, 259 university 9, 22-3, 37-8, 113-14, 116, 125-9, 134-5, 167-8, 1701, 202-3, 210, 212-13, 215-17 University of Alabama 9, 13, 18, 20, 22-3, 38, 113-14, 126-7, 135, 161, 164, 168, 202-3, 210 University of Alabama at Birmingham 22-3, 113, 127, 161, 168, 202-3, 232 University of Alabama at Huntsville 22, 164, 302 University of South Alabama 116, 118, 129, 171, 281 College of Allied Health Professions 116 College of Medicine 116, 118, 299 College of Nursing 116-18 U.S. aerospace 91 U.S. Chamber of Commerce 85, 190, 193 U.S. Community Service Award 85 U.S. Highway network 149 U.S. manned space flight 71 U.S. Navy 93 U.S. News & World Report 113, 245, 247 U.S. space and defense agencies 161 U.S. Space and Rocket Center 301, 71 U.S. Steel 95, 244, 281 U.S. Surgeon General 114 utility poles 109

V Vance 22, 77, 98, 226, 296 veterans 123, 270 virtual reality 168 vocational programs 48 Vulcan Materials Company 9, 13, 110, 250, 252-3, 297

W Wal-Mart 98 Walker, Mitt 104, 107 Wallace, David 29, 32-3 Walt Maddox 126 water 40, 47, 65, 75, 93, 95, 153, 156, 258, 262, 268-71, 274, 282-3, 286-7, 295-7 waterways 96, 153 Wells Fargo 141, 170 Wildlife Management Areas 68 William Brooke 36, 41 William Canary 125, 190, 193 Win Hallett 153 wineries 67 work ethic 29, 33, 98, 109, 256, 278, 290 workforce 29, 33, 36, 38-9, 41, 44, 48, 77, 79, 84, 129-32, 190-1, 218-19, 267 workforce development 33, 39, 129, 131-2, 203, 218-19, 267 Workforce Development Office 132 World War II 20, 47, 156, 278 Wright Brothers 20, 89

Y Young Deuk Lim 37-8

301

Bibliography Alabama Development Office. Retrieved April 15, 2011, from www.ado.alabama.gov Hyundai:Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Retrieved April 15, 2011, from www.hmmausa. com Honda: Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. (2004-2011). Retrieved April 15, 2011, from www. hondaalabama.com Mercedes-Benz: U.S. International. (1997-2012). Retrieved April 15, 2011, from www.mbusi.com Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. Retrieved April 21, 2011, from www.edpa.org Alabama Tourism Department: Sweet Home Alabama. (2012). Retrived April 25, 2011, from www. alabama.travel Navistar. (2012). Retrieved April 25, 2011, from www.navistar.com Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. (2011). Retrieved April 29, 2011, from www.mobilechamber. com Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. (2012). Retrieved May 2, 2011, from www.rtjgolf.com University of Alabama at Birmingham. (2012). Retrieved May 24, 2011, from www.uab.edu Chamber of Commerce Huntsville. (2012). Retrieved June 9, 2011, from www. huntsvillealabamausa.com HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. (2011). Retrieved June 23, 2011, from www.hudsonalpha. org ALFA Farmers Federation. (2003-2011). Retrieved June 27, 2011, from www.alfafarmers.org Alabama Nursery and Landscape Association. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from www.alnla.org National Agricultural Statistics Service (2012). “Statistics by State: Alabama”. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Alabama Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. (2010). Retrieved June 28, 2011, from www.bamabeef.org Alabama State Port Authority. (2012). Retrieved July 7, 2011, from www.asdd.com Alabama Coal Association. (2012). Retrieved July 11, 2011, from www.alcoal.com Geological Survey of Alabama State Oil and Gas Board. (2006). Retrieved July 11, 2011, from www. gsa.state.al.us Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT). Retrieved August 3, 2011, from www.aidt.edu Auburn University. (2012). Retrieved August 3, 2011, from www.auburn.edu University of Alabama. (2012). Retrieved August 3, 2011, from www.ua.edu University of Alabama at Huntsville. (2012). Retrieved August 3, 2011, from www.uah.edu Alabama Center for Real Estate. (2012). Retrieved August 17, 2011, from www.acre.cba.ua.edu

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Acknowledgements No book of this magnitude is the work of any one individual, for somewhere there is a body of people who have offered advice and proffered the helping hand. As is always the case, it is impossible to fully thank all who have aided in the production of this publication. However, with great appreciation, we recognize a small sampling of those who made this presentation of our great state possible. Together, we’re moving Alabama forward.

The Business Council of Alabama gratefully acknowledges its Board of Directors for endorsing Alabama: Moving Forward, the very tangible support from BCA members whose profiles appear on these pages, and the legacy of service left by the BCA chairmen, past and present, whose words of wisdom are included herein.

— The Business Council of Alabama

I am grateful to Beers & Associates and the Business Council of Alabama for the opportunity to work on this remarkable project. Additionally, many people provided invaluable assistance in compiling the information for this book, and I thank everyone who responded to my requests and participated in my interviews. I am especially appreciative to the staff of the Alabama Development Office for assistance throughout the project.

— Minnie Lamberth

I’d like to thank Beers & Associates and the Business Council of Alabama for giving me the chance to be a cheerleader for the state I love so much. I’ve enjoyed discovering the true the scope of our state’s many strengths and how they contribute to the amazing quality of life Alabamians enjoy, as well as learning the stories of the many businesses profiled. I’m excited for others — both in the state and around the world — who’ll read this book and gain new insight on Alabama’s many positives.

Beers & Associates would like to give special thanks to our writers Minnie Lamberth, Jennifer Kornegay, Jennifer Walker-Journey, Stephen Potts and Ellis Metz for collaborating with us on this project; to our designer Scott Fuller for his immeasurable patience; to Cathy Goodwin for keeping us straight; to the Alabama Department of Tourism for providing us with so many breathtaking images; and to the Alabama Department of Archives for the use of their collection. Last, but certainly not least, we would like to give our sincerest thanks to the Business Council of Alabama. We are grateful to the BCA Board of Directors for their confidence in this book project and to the entire BCA staff for all their help in making this book a reality.

Thanks in particular goes to Billy Canary for his clear vision and enthusiasm for this book; to Anita Archie for her careful guidance through the political landscape; to Mark Colson for helping to move this project forward; to Lenore Vickrey for her tireless editing expertise and eye for detail; to Nancy Hewston, Nathan Lindsay and Caty Cameron for their proofreading assistance; to Elaine Fincannon for her consistent readiness to help with the BCA membership; and to Scottie Mitchell for seeing to it that we had everything we needed when we needed it.

— Beers & Associates

— Jennifer Kornegay

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Featured Photographers BILLY BROWN, a photographer with a passion for image making, has been creating photographs for over 25 years. He received his B.A. in photography from the University of Alabama. He specializes in people, and his award-winning work covers an extensive range of advertising, editorial and corporate assignments. Some of Billy’s clients include Hanes, Saks, Energen, Oracle, Xerox, Verizon and GE. His photographs have appeared in many national publications including Forbes, Dance, Seventeen, Black Enterprise, Ad Week and The Wall Street Journal. His list of subjects reads like a who’s who in arts, business, law, medicine, politics and entertainment.

On an international scale, Billy’s stock photography is published throughout the world. His photographs are included in many public and private collections.

Billy continues to provide support to The Alabama Ballet and spends a great deal of time with his wife and two children. His work can be seen at www.billybrown.com.

MICHAEL CLEMMER is a golf landscape photographer living in Birmingham. His golf landscapes are used around the world in golf magazines, on calendars, for posters and on the websites of many golf clubs and golf management firms. A native of North Carolina, he moved to Alabama in 1979 to shoot travel photos for Southern Living magazine. In 1984, he began long relationships with The National Geographic Society, Fortune Magazine, Time Magazine, Newsweek and many others before choosing, in 1995, to specialize in golf course and clubhouse photography. His work can be seen at www.michaelclemmer.com.

ROBERT FOUTS is a Commercial Photographer working out of Montgomery, Alabama, and serving the Southeast. Robert’s work has appeared in many books and publications over the years. He holds a Master’s and a Craftsman’s degree from the Professional Photographers of America. He is a regular speaker and judge at photography conventions around the country, including three National PPA conventions. He has received over 150 awards from print competitions, including several Best of Shows and seven Kodak Gallery Awards. Robert works well with art directors, designers, stylists and models. His clients include corporations, architects, advertising agencies, industry, hospitals, artists and museums. Robert is available for assignment in the Southeast. His work can be seen at www.photofouts.com.

DENNIS KEIM is a Huntsville-based corporate and editorial photographer. He has a career in photography that spans over 30 years producing creative imagery for ad agencies, corporations and the aerospace industry. Dennis is the owner and chief photographer at dK-studio, which specializes in corporate, editorial, stock and lifestyle photography. Born in Tampa, Florida, Dennis

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moved to Huntsville in the late 70s to pursue a photography career as an aerospace photojournalist with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at the Marshall Space Flight Center.

His work can be seen at www.dk-studio.com CHARLES SEIFRIED has been doing photography for over 36 years and commercial photography for close to 30 years. His work has been seen in Cooking LIght, The Economist, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Home and Garden, Outside, Backpacker, Wildsouth, The Bankhead Monitor and many more publications. He has worked for years in tourism and travel for both Alabama and the state of Tennessee. He also has several books that have been published on the state of Alabama, six in total: Alabama Simply Beautiful, Alabama Canyons The Bankhead Forest, Alabama Outdoors, Garden Views of Decatur and Morgan County, Through the Garden Gate (a book on the gardens in Huntsville). The book Live Oaks and Gentle Folks has many of his photos portrayed amongst some great recipes.

He worked on the opening of the Alabama Scenic River Trail with a core group of dedicated Alabamians that loved the water in the state as much as he did. An avid kayaker, he has done many miles in the center of a small boat. His work appeared in Sea Kayaker in the March/April 2012 issue.

Charles has been around the world; the love of travel has taken him to far-flung areas of the globe. His favorite countries include Scotland, Ireland and New Zealand.

His work can be seen at www.seifriedphoto.com.

Founded in 1947 by Roy Thigpen, Thigpen Photography has provided commercial and aerial photography throughout the Southeast and nationally, as well as maintaining one of the area’s most extensive professional photography archives. Roy Thigpen, Master Photographer and Photographic Craftsman, Juror and Fellow, received dozens of awards nationally and was inducted into the Photography Hall of Fame in 1979. The second generation began in 1973 with ALEC THIGPEN, who has continued the commitment to provide the highest level of commercial, aerial, advertising, product and industrial photography in the region.

Following Roy Thigpen’s retirement in 1983, Alec Thigpen and company designed and built a new modern facility in west Mobile to better serve the community. Optimized for energy efficiency and work-flow, it has been considered one of the most innovative studios in the Southeast. As the digital revolution evolved, Thigpen Photography embraced the technology. In order to handle the most demanding assignments, Thigpen Photography has three full-time photographers, all with many years of experience in the commercial and industrial fields. Two pilots and a company airplane facilitate travel to other regions of the country, with equipment, for photographic assignments. Alec’s work can be seen at www. thigpenphoto.com.