Birmingham 150 | Built to Last

Written by Cary Estes, Jennifer-Walker Journey, and Ben Tomlin

B UILT TO LAS T ES T. 1871

Beers & Associates and The Jefferson County Historical Association would like to thank the following for their support and cooperation in the creation of this volume.

Alabama Ballet

Alabama Power Company

Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Birmingham Business Alliance

Birmingham Legion

Birmingham Stallions

Birmingham Zoo

Boyd E. Christenberry Planetarium

City of Birmingham Office of the Mayor City of Hoover

City of Vestavia Hills

Jefferson State Community College

Lawson State Community College

Negro Southern League Museum

The Southern Environmental Center

The University of Alabama at Birmingham

The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Written by Cary Estes, Jennifer Walker-Journey, and Ben Tomlin

Birmingham At 150: Built To Last

Written by

Cary Estes, Jennifer Walker-Journey, and Benjamin Tomlin

Featuring the photography of Nik Layman, Art Meripol, and Jeremy Dove

Ronald P. Beers, Publisher

Wendi Lohr Lewis, Editor

Amye King, Designer

Kurt Niland, Proofreader

Gary Pulliam, Print and Production Management

Cover image by Art Meripol

Beers & Associates, LLC

9241 Bradford Place

Montgomery, Alabama 36117

Beersandassociates.net

334-396-2896

© Beers & Associates, LLC

All Rights Reserved

Published 2023

First Edition

ISBN: 978-1-935921-79-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023900860

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.

Printing and Production by Friesens Corporation.

Printed in Canada.

Cast in bronze in Somerville Haut Marne, France, Alabama’s Lady Liberty is now situated in Vestavia Hills in the Birmingham area. From 1958 to 1989, she stood in downtown Birmingham outside the National Life Insurance Company Building before her relocation. Thirty-six feet tall, atop a 60-foot granite pedestal, and much like her famous counterpart, she stands as a reminder of the American ideal that liberty shines and triumphs over all.

Photo courtesy of The World Games

JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

Why do books such as this exist?

What is it that we seek for ourselves when we reflect on the past, often telling stories that have been heard countless times before? We are certainly driven to these retellings and musings, there is no doubt. A cynic might say the reason is hubris and vanity, and there is probably some truth there. But we all know there is more to the story. Wilfred McClay says, “a working memory is indispensable in the flourishing of the human person and of human culture.” George Santayana saw human progress dependent less on change than on “retentiveness,” that is, the stewardship of experience and historical events. It is in our nature to tell stories and especially to recount and celebrate the stories we share together. We intuitively know there is value there, regardless of whether we can explain why.

The city of Birmingham came into being for reasons not much more complicated than geological chance. The inert potential lying dormant under the ground would catapult the fledgling town to national prominence in just a few short years. And then, as they say, it was off to the races. The city’s economic engine has undergone many changes since 1871 and its people have found themselves the focus of international attention good and bad, both warranted and not. Currently Birmingham seems to find itself in a cultural renaissance, complete with nationally recognized restaurants, a vibrant music and arts scene, and a blossoming downtown. Most telling for me is the reaction of people who come to visit and especially those who have settled here from faraway lands such as “New York” and “California.” The common refrain is always, “I had no idea.”

Birmingham’s story is like every other human story in that it contains virtue, vice, acts of nobility, and terrible injustice. Birmingham is unique…just like everywhere else. But this is our tale and our history and as such threads us all together as neighbors and a sort of family in this place we have chosen to call home. There is a lot of yarn in one hundred and fifty years of history. If Santayana is right, we would do well to learn our stories and pass them on.

The Jefferson County Historical Association is excited and proud to sponsor this book. We hope it is interesting and fun to read and serves well in knitting our community together in the spirit of kinship.

Martin B. Clapp President, Jefferson County Historical Association

“ ”

A working memory is indispensable in the flourishing of the human person and the human culture.

The photo below shows Twentieth Street South dated 1961.

Prominent in the photo are the Exchange Security Bank, the Town House Hotel, and UAB Hospital. The Exchange-Security Bank of Birmingham, along with the First National Bank of Montgomery and First National Bank of Huntsville, was one of the banks that merged on July 13, 1971, to form First Alabama Bancshares (now Regions Bank). The bank continued to operate separately under its own name until the merger was formalized in 1975. The Exchange Bank was founded in 1928 by W. S. Edwards Sr., Mark Hodo, and W. D. Phillips. In the 1930s, the bank had an office in the Spanish Stores on Five Points South. The Exchange Bank Building was constructed on 20th Street South and 10th Avenue South in 1947. The stripped-classicist modern concrete building was the first banking office in the city to have a drive-up window and its own parking lot. When it was built, the north and south wings of the building housed the Five Points Shoe Hospital and a Mary Ball Candies store, respectively.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

RANDALL WOODFIN, MAYOR OF BIRMINGHAM

I love Birmingham because of what it represents.

The past 150 years have been defined by three words–potential, promise, and progress.

Birmingham’s legacy has always been bound by steel. We began as a city of builders, with iron ore, coal, and limestone making us an industry giant. That steely resolve was passed on to our greatest champions–the architects of the civil rights movement. Those freedom fighters, whose passion for equality sparked worldwide change, made Birmingham synonymous with justice.

Today, we continue to move forward, from our world-class food scene to our matchless medical community, whose constant innovation is saving lives and breaking barriers.

It’s a place where dreams are made real, where a kid from North Birmingham who started his career as a bagger at Western Supermarket can serve as mayor of his hometown.

Birmingham is the land of potential, where a city with endless promise fuels our constant progress.

Birmingham is home.

Art Meripol

Birmingham stands as a center of culture, business, industry, entertainment, and education in north-central Alabama. The beauty of the Birmingham skyline presents a glimpse at the diverse opportunities the region offers to both visitors and those who call it home and a clue as to why it has been known as “The Magic City.” Founded in 1871, the city’s long history as a nexus of industrial growth, with iron ore, coal, and limestone production bringing generations to the area in eras past, makes it a place rich in history. The city has expanded in time to serve as a landmark in the South and a stage for critical moments in the Civil Rights Movement and American history. Birmingham’s development as a hub of outstanding voices and progress has fostered an environment that goes to show the city is truly a place where magic continues to happen.

Nik Layman

SLOSS FURNACES NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK

In operation from 1882 to 1971, the Sloss Furnaces were founded by Col. James Withers Sloss, a man

helped bring the railroads to Birmingham as well and who built one of the first blast furnaces in the area. The furnaces were a thriving producer of pig-iron for decades. In 1981, approximately ten years after the site’s closure, the Sloss Furnaces became one of the first industrial sites and the only blast furnace to be restored for public use, and the furnaces were made a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior. Today, visitors can tour the dramatic industrial titan that helped make Birmingham the city it is today as well as an accompanying museum that provides its guests with a guided history of the noteworthy facility.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

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Nik Layman

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

VULCAN PARK

Watching over Birmingham and crafted out of 100,000 pounds of iron, Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and the forge, stands over Vulcan Park, 56 feet tall, as a reminder of the divine spark that keeps the city an epicenter of industry. This statue of the Roman blacksmith, designed by Giuseppe Moretti, is the largest cast iron statue in the world. Crafted as an exhibit for the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and cast from local iron, Vulcan has stood over the park since the 1930s and continues to model the strength of Birmingham’s metalwork and talent of its people.

Nik Layman

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

With museums, park grounds, and plenty of spots for observation, Vulcan Park offers its visitors a place to enjoy the sights and fun of Birmingham’s natural beauty. In 1936, ground was officially broken for Vulcan Park, with the iconic Vulcan statue officially dedicated in 1939, but it was throughout the second half of the twentieth century that the park was developed and modernized, and again in the turn of the twenty-first century to resemble the park’s original 1930s landscape, becoming what we know today. A star attraction, Vulcan Center, is a museum presenting guests with the story of Birmingham history and potential future. Visitors can also check out The Anvil, the park’s personal gift shop for Vulcan souvenirs and Alabama-made goods after spending their afternoon viewing the city from the park’s observation tower and strolling along its walking path.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

VULCAN STATUE

Two boys look up to Vulcan today. The goal of the 1999 restoration of the statue was to recreate the artistic achievement of its creator, Giuseppe Moretti, as closely as possible. As conceived by the artist, Vulcan is portrayed in the act of examining his just-completed spear, sighting its lines as he holds it to the sky.

Art Meripol

Two boys gaze up at Vulcan’s spear. In this image, the spearhead has not yet been replaced by a neon torch, which was added in 1946 as an illuminated beacon constructed over the spearhead in the Vulcan statue’s right hand. The torch operated until 1999, when it was removed from the statue, but restored and installed inside the park’s Visitors Center as an interactive exhibit helping tell the story of Vulcan’s long career. Visitors can press a button to illuminate the torch with green neon.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

TERMINAL STATION

Pictured at the top of this page is Birmingham’s Terminal Station on the Twenty-sixth Street side shortly before its demolition in 1969. Roads and overpasses take its place today. P. Thornton Marye, who also designed Atlanta’s Terminal Station and Fox Theatre, was the architect behind Terminal Station. The 1909 building was modeled in part on Istanbul’s ancient Hagia Sophia, and at its busiest served 85 to 90 trains daily.

Pictured opposite page bottom, Terminal Station’s “Birmingham the Magic City” sign was built in 1926 and remains iconic today. The terminal is visible in the back right as workers are installing the support pillars that will hold the sign. The sign initially read “Welcome to Birmingham the Magic City.” Inset is the Magic City sign as it appeared c.1941-42. Sources: AL.com, Birmingham Public Library

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

ROTARY TRAIL SIGN

Pictured above, funded by and named after Birmingham’s Rotary Club, Rotary Trail runs half a mile and connects the Sloss Furnaces to a local rail park that allows for a wondrous view of the skyline. Opening the trail is an iconic 46-foot-tall sign which reads “Rotary Trail in the Magic City,” modeled after the historical “Birmingham the Magic City” sign.

Nik Layman

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

LAKEVIEW PARK

At the intersection of Highland and Clairmont Avenues, Lakeview Park was originally the site of a manmade lake, around which a notable pavilion, hotel, and sport parks were placed, bringing bustling entertainment to the area in the late 1800s. However, waning customer traffic and episodes of destruction ended the hotel and pavilion, leaving the park’s sporting events as its main attraction. In 1991, the City of Birmingham launched the Lakeview Commercial Revitalization District, 36 blocks designed to bring new life to Lakeview. While only a small pond remains of the original lake, Lakeview itself has been transformed into a vibrant community of food and entertainment, work and play near downtown Birmingham. The district features The Offices at Pepper Place, housing professional businesses, services and shops by local craftsmen. Architects, designers, and artists can be found as well as over a dozen restaurants and the Pepper Place farmer’s market. The beauty of the historic Lakeview Park has been revitalized in the diverse attractions seen throughout today’s Lakeview.

Photo Credit

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

JEFFERSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE

Pictured above, the Jefferson County Courthouse is the main county courthouse of Jefferson County, Alabama.

The courthouse occupies most of Block 22, on the east side of Linn Park, anchoring downtown Birmingham’s municipal center. Its address is 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North, formerly 21st Street North. It is the county’s sixth main courthouse building, and the third in Birmingham. It was designed by Chicago architectural firm Holabird & Root, who also designed Soldier Field.

The cornerstone was laid in 1929, and the building was completed in 1932. It is constructed of reinforced concrete faced with granite and limestone. The North Annex was built 1964. The new courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Inset, this image of the Jefferson County Courthouse, located at 3rd Avenue and the northeast corner of 21st Street, was published in 1910 by Davis Advertising & Sales Company. This is actually the second courthouse constructed here. A two-story brick Courthouse was completed in 1875 on this location, but it was replaced in 1887 by the elaborate three-story structure pictured, which served the county until 1931. It was demolished in 1937.

Art Meripol

BROMBERG GALLERIES

Pictured above, Bromberg Galleries located at 212 20th Street North, in a photo dated March 11, 1946. The gallery was home to a variety of shops in Birmingham’s bustling downtown business district. Below, the same location is undergoing a renaissance as part of the revitalization of downtown, welcoming new retailers, restaurants, and other businesses as well as residential properties, and bringing people into the city’s heart to live, work, and play.

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

FIVE POINTS SOUTH

Located just south of downtown Birmingham and founded in 1887, Five Points South was one of the area’s first suburbs and nightlife destinations. Taking its name from the intersection at its center, which creates a five-pointed star, the town is known for its historically significant architecture and the landmark restaurants that have made it a thriving location for those in search of a good time. Restaurants like Highlands Bar and Grill, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Bottega, and Ocean, earning it the reputation as the “Food Hub” for the City of Birmingham.

Art Meripol

Nik Layman

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

PIZITZ

In 1899, Louis Pizits founded the Louis Pizitz Dry Goods Company, a local department store later rebranded as simply Pizitz, and over the following decades, he would open a total of thirteen Pizitz stores, nine of which were in Birmingham. The flagship store, a sevenstory building in downtown Birmingham, opened in 1925 and served the community until its closing in 1988, two years after the company sold to McRae’s. Today, the Pizitz building, as it is still known now, has been renovated to fuse the historic style of the complex with a modern touch, and offers Birmingham residents an opportunity to live in one of the city’s landmarks. Additionally, the building is home to the Pizitz Food Hall, with nearly a dozen food stalls, as well as Ashley Mac’s Restaurant, The Louis Bar, Warby Parker, Sidewalk Cinema, and Forge co-working space.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

One of the oldest congregations in the city and the first black church to organize there in 1873, only two years after Birmingham’s founding, the 16th Street Baptist Church holds tremendous historical significance. Founded as the First Colored Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama, the church hosted a number of significant speakers and guests from the pages of black history, including W.E.B. DuBois, Mary McLeod Bethune, Paul Robeson, Ralph Bunche, and many more, leading the church to become a center for leadership during the Civil Rights movement of the twentieth century. However, the darkest and most painful event of the church’s history occurred on September 15th, 1963. That Sunday morning, a bomb set by members of the Ku Klux Klan exploded, killing four young girls, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Carol Denise McNair, and injuring twenty-two more. Described by Martin Luther King Jr. as “one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity,” the terror of this attack caused the nation to know the church by name and marked the bitter cruelty of those marching against the rights of African Americans. Today, the church is honored as a member of the African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium and allows tours of its memorials and educational exhibits for those interested in learning the church’s important place in history.

Pictured at right, this painting by Birmingham artist Steve R. Skipper, titled “In Perfect Peace,” captures the artist’s vision of the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth visiting the 16th Street Baptist Church. Inspired by God, this vision depicts Rev. Shuttlesworth watched over by a guardian angel behind him and the four little girls killed in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist church alongside him. The girls are joined arm-in-arm as Civil Rights soldiers would.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Photo courtesy of City of Birmingham

A.G. GASTON MOTEL

The A.G. Gaston Motel was built by prominent African American businessman and entrepreneur Arthur George Gaston and opened its doors in 1954 to provide first-class lodging and accommodations to African American travelers. In the early ‘60s, leaders from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph D. Abernathy, and Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, stayed in Gaston’s motel to plan actions in fighting segregation and racial discrimination. They used Room 30, which became known as their “War Room.”

These leaders believed ending segregation in Birmingham would springboard similar movements across the country. There, they held press conferences and other events that were widely broadcast and documented at the time. The building is now recognized by the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument for its place in history and is co-owned by the National Park Service (NPS) and the City of Birmingham. Pictured opposite page, bottom, the site was recently renovated and restored, with its ribbon-cutting ceremony commencing June 2022, an event attended by Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-7), Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and Birmingham’s Mayor Randall Woodfin.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Pictured above, African Americans stand outside the door of Birmingham’s City Hall in a photo dated December 2, 1966. Information on record with the image indicate the gathering was the culmination of a March to City Hall as part of the ongoing push of the Civil Rights Movement.

THE FREEDOM RIDES

In 1961, during the Civil Rights Movement, the Freedom Riders were individuals who rode on interstate buses together in integrated groups through the Deep South to test the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Bruce Boynton v. Virginia ruling finding segregated interstate buses unconstitutional. Violent opponents of integration and human rights for African Americans mercilessly attacked the riders.

On May 14, 1961, a well-armed, organized mob of Klansmen attacked a group of Freedom Riders in an Anniston Greyhound bus terminal, and after the Greyhound bus left and broke down a few miles out of the city, the bus was firebombed. Following the bus bombing, a Trailways bus carrying Freedom Riders arrived in Birmingham, where a mob of Ku Klux Klan members attacked the Freedom Riders with baseball bats and other weapons. Despite the certainty of more violence to come at future destinations, the Freedom Riders continued their journey.

On May 29, 1961, Attorney General Robert Kennedy petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to issue regulations banning segregation, and the ICC subsequently decreed that by November 1, 1961, bus carriers and terminals serving interstate travel had to be integrated.

Pictured opposite page, top, a historic marker commemorates the site in downtown Birmingham where the Trailways bus station once stood. The mural was unveiled by Wells Fargo on May 4, 2022, in commemoration of the anniversary of the Freedom Rides. The mural is located at the historic site of the Trailways depot, now a Wells Fargo location, at 1901 6th Avenue North.

Pictured opposite page, bottom, the original Greyhound Bus Station opened on 19th Street North in downtown Birmingham in 1949. The building fell into disrepair after it was closed in 2017 when bus service moved to the city’s new intermodal transportation facility. In 2019, local real estate developer Mike Mouran purchased the property and began a $14-million renovation, converting it into multi-use office space.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MONUMENT, CIVIL RIGHTS PLAZA

In 2017, President Barack Obama issued a presidential proclamation establishing the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, a monument encompassing four city blocks in downtown Birmingham. Included in the monument are important sites such as the 16th Street Baptist Church, St. Paul United Methodist Church, Kelly Ingram Park, and the Colored Masonic Temple, as well as the A.G. Gaston Motel, which serves as the centerpiece of the national monument. Guests can explore this historic district and see for themselves where pages of American history were written, while walking in the footsteps of the men and women who fought and stood for the equality and dignity of their lives and that of future generations.

A Smithsonian affiliate, The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a part of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and uses a variety of media and exhibits to detail what life was like under segregation in the first half of the twentieth century. The institute’s stated mission is to “enlighten each generation about civil and human rights by exploring our common past and working together in the present to build a better future.” Since 1992, when the institute first opened, it has used effective, dramatic recreations, galleries, and artifacts to tell the story of the Civil Rights Movement and the crucial moments that occurred in Birmingham and North Alabama. The institute has also received numerous awards and recognition for its continued educational mission and its achievements to keep the spirit of the fight for equality alive.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of The World Games

BIRMINGHAM & THE METRO AREA: A PLACE FOR EVERYONE

Established December 13, 1819, and named for the third U.S. president, Jefferson County is the central hub of the greater Birmingham Metro Area. With Birmingham as its county seat, there’s a large well of diverse attractions among the county’s history of industry, art, and politics. Lush landscapes surround bustling cities that contain important pieces of national history. Jefferson County is a place to discover nature, found at sites such as Ruffner Mountain and Oak Mountain State Park, or walk in the footsteps of history throughout Birmingham’s National Civil Rights Monument. With national companies like Regions Bank and Books-A-Million headquartered in Birmingham, the county’s place as a center for growing business continues strong as well. Always fostering a place to call home, Jefferson County is populated with cities and towns that all come together to create a place like no other.

Bibb county’s founding goes back to 1818, a year before Alabama was granted statehood, and the county grew as a center for industry in steel, lumber, and coal mining thereafter. Today, visitors can visit the historic districts in Centreville, the Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park, and the floral wonder of the Talladega National Forest, an 11-county spanning forest. Bibb’s region of the park, however, attracts nature enthusiasts for the rare Cahaba lilies that grow along the Cahaba River’s passing streams in the county and the Alabama croton, one of the rarest shrubs in America. Bibb County continues to flourish in every way and continues to charm visitors with its sights.

Located in the northeast Birmingham metro area, Blount County is a region of great historical preservation and natural beauty. By the end of the 1800s, a bustling coal industry in the City of Warrior had brought new railroads to north Alabama. However, the county’s history goes back further and takes its name from Tennessee’s Gov. William Blount, who, in 1813, sent troops to aid in Alabama’s Creek Wars, troops that became the first settlers of Blount County. Furthermore, Blount County’s Blountsville Historical Park contains the Chamblee Cabin, an authentic 19th century cabin, built c. 1820. The Blount County Memorial Museum in Oneonta rotates eleven exhibits quarterly that display artifacts preserved from memorable moments and places in Blount County’s past. In addition to historic sites, the county’s natural wonders continue to attract visitors. The Rickwood Caverns State Park in Warrior lets guests safely explore underground caves, stalactites and stalagmites, and fossils. Whatever brings folks to Blount County, they are sure to enjoy it.

exquisite wonderland that is the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG) spans 67.5-acres.

The

Serving the area since 1962 and the most popular no-cost attraction in Alabama, the gardens are often referred to as “Alabama’s largest living museum.” Guests can enjoy the many gardens that make up the BBG: the Japanese Garden, Southern Living Garden, Fern Glade, and over a dozen more beautiful gardens.

Art Meripol

RAILROAD PARK

Opposite page, top: Railroad Park is a 19-acre green space in downtown Birmingham that celebrates the industrial and artistic heritage of the city. Situated along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets, the park is a joint effort between the City of Birmingham and the Railroad Park Foundation. Railroad Park provides a historically rich venue for local recreation, family activities, concerts, and cultural events, while connecting Birmingham’s downtown area with Southside and UAB’s campus.

BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS

Opposite page, bottom: Through many years of expansion, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens has become a favorite retreat for locals and an attraction for visitors. The Gardens offer a welcome respite to enjoy nature with friends and family. Additionally, the BBG offers events including yoga sessions, movies under the stars, and gardening lessons.

LINN PARK

This page, top: Charles Linn Park (formerly Central Park, Capitol Park, and Woodrow Wilson Park) anchors the municipal center of downtown Birmingham. It occupies Block 21, a 610-foot by 400-foot block bounded by 20th Street North and the Birmingham City Hall to the west, Park Place to the south, 8th Avenue North, with Boutwell Auditorium and the Birmingham Museum of Art to the north, and the Linn-Henley Research Library and the Jefferson County Courthouse to the east.

CAPITOL PARK

This page, inset: Pictured is Capitol Park, as it was called then, c. 1910, located at Park Avenue, Eighth Avenue, and East and West 20th Streets. The park also was called Central Park and Woodrow Wilson Park before being christened Charles Linn Park in 1988 following a $2.5 million renovation. Linn was a pioneer industrialist and banker who created the first landscaped park in the city and promoted the planting of trees to beautify 20th Street. A statue of Linn was added to the park in 2013.

Nik Layman

THE MARKET AT PEPPER PLACE

A variety of events appeal to those living downtown and draw in surrounding residents and visitors. The Market at Pepper Place is an Alabama certified farmers’ market located in the Pepper Place Entertainment District. It is open every Saturday morning from January 22 through December 10. In addition to fresh produce, meat, dairy, honey and other food from local farmers and ranchers, the market features vendors offering prepared and packaged local foods, hand crafted goods from artists and makers, as well as live music.

DOWNTOWN LIVING

A downtown renaissance is drawing people to make their homes in the heart of the city, with exciting choices for living in the city center. New Ideal Lofts is an adaptive re-use development in Birmingham’s Theatre District. It was built in 1925 and converted into the New Ideal Department Store. After lying vacant for more than 30 years, it now features 44 residential lofts within walking distance to the Alabama Theater, The Lyric, and Pizitz and its new Sidewalk Film Center & Cinema. Residences like this one in downtown Birmingham are convenient to I-65, I-20, and I-59 as well as downtown attractions like Good People Brewing, Railroad Park, and Regions Field, making it an attractive place to call home.

Nik Layman

ALABAMA FARMER’S MARKET

The abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, plants, and homemade goods has always attracted Birmingham area residents to the Alabama Farmer’s Market. Pictured below, shoppers make their choices at crowded stalls in June of 1961, as captured by the Birmingham Post-Herald. The Alabama Farmers Market is open to the public seven days a week, 365 days a year and located just outside downtown at 344 Finley Avenue West in Birmingham. Visitors to the market can find produce from local farmers, a flea market, an onsite restaurant, and maybe a truck vendor or two.

Nik Layman

STEWART H. WELCH, III, MAYOR, CITY OF

MOUNTAIN BROOK

Mountain Brook has strong connections to Birmingham.

Mayor Randall Woodfin, the Birmingham City Council, and Birmingham business community have done an incredible job of transforming the city into a national and regional tourist destination. There are so many entertainment opportunities with venues such as Railroad Park, McWane Center, Vulcan Park, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the Birmingham Museum of Art, and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

Birmingham has also developed a national reputation as a “foodie” town with its many James Beard Award restaurants such as Chez Fonfon, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Automatic Seafood & Oysters, Johnny’s Restaurant (Homewood), and so many other outstanding eating establishments throughout the Birmingham area including in our city, Mountain Brook.

Mountain Brook has strong connections to Birmingham as we have “adopted” the Birmingham Zoo and Birmingham Botanical Gardens, which are located directly adjacent to our city. Our city has its own attractions with three beautiful and unique villages: Mountain Brook Village, Crestline Village, and English Village. Each offers a different atmosphere and is filled with one-ofa-kind shopping and dining. We are also blessed with more than forty miles of walkable sidewalks and trails within and around our seven parks. Jemison Park attracts people from all around the Birmingham area.

Our residents love our city and all it has to offer and are raging fans of all things Birmingham as evident through substantial philanthropy to the Birmingham Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Birmingham Museum, McWane Center, and so many more.

Nik Layman

For the past two decades, Carole Griffin has crafted artisanal baked goods for the people of Birmingham. Between her joint establishments, Chez Lulu and The Continental Bakery, she creates bread made in the French tradition and provides a bistro style experience.

MOUNTAIN BROOK

A beautiful suburb of the Birmingham area, Mountain Brook is home to fun recreational spots like the Mountain Brook Golf Club as well one of the highest rated school systems in the state. Mountain Brook Village, a charming local commercial area, offers a variety of shops and restaurants built in a classical European style. Visitors will surely enjoy their time taking in the unique beauty of Mountain Brook.

Nik Layman

Art Meripol

HOOVER

A buzzing city in the Birmingham area, Hoover is full of opportunities to enjoy. Hoover’s Riverchase Galleria, the largest indoor mall in Alabama, is a great spot to find whatever is needed, with retail stores and entertainment options. With some fifteen individual parks, visitors are never short on spots to spend time with nature or engage with local sports. Hoover’s educational offerings allow guests to attend local campuses for Faulkner University and Jefferson State Community College and a school system that boasts academic and athletic achievements. More than any other attraction, the people of Hoover make it a wondrous place to stay.

With over 300 acres of natural rock formations, wildlife, and nature, Moss Rock Preserve is home to a fantastical landscape of unique scenery. Travelers can wander through the hiking trails, visit Boulder Rock, a favorite for local climbing enthusiasts, or rest by the streams. The City of Hoover is dedicated to keeping Moss Rock a vibrant natural garden for all to soak in, a place where the natural beauty of Alabama is on full display.

In 2002, Aldridge Gardens first opened to the public, almost thirty years after its original owner, Eddie Aldridge, first bought the property as a home. Now beautifully landscaped, the public gardens are arranged with paths and footbridges, oak trees and hydrangea bushes, and populated with nineteen sculptures crafted by Alabama artist Frank Fleming. The picturesque spot is nestled in Hoover and also contains the Aldridge Art and Historical Museum as well as a small library with the Aldridge Nursery archives and Aldridge Gardens’ history. The beauty of Aldridge Gardens is one not to be missed.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

FRANK V. BROCATO, MAYOR, CITY OF HOOVER

I can’t help but reflect on my youth, growing up on the south side of Birmingham, and beam at how proud I am to have grown up in that city.

I can trace my great-grandparents’ roots back to around 1890, when they immigrated to Birmingham from Sicily. My wife’s story is similar. So, when I think about what Birmingham has meant to Italian Americans, it gave so many of them opportunities they did not have in their mother country. Many moved on to be fantastic businesspeople, leaders in the legal industry, medicine, the retail industry, and serving in various areas of politics.

I also think about going to school in downtown Birmingham in the turbulent sixties and watching the history of civil rights unfold right before my eyes. And again, you can’t help but be proud. When I mentioned opportunities provided for Italian Americans at the turn of the 1900s, the turbulent sixties brought opportunities for African Americans and all nationalities.

Of course, early on, the city of Birmingham was built by heavy industry, and it was a vital provider of coal and steel throughout the world. As that industry slowly disappeared, the leaders in our community were smart enough and had enough vision to build the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which today has turned into one of the premiere medical centers in the world.

Out of Birmingham grew another great city in the late sixties and that’s Hoover, Alabama, which now sits at a population of nearly 100,000 people. We join Birmingham as the largest metro area in the state, the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan area. Together, with all of the other great cities that surround Birmingham, we will continue to work together to not only make Birmingham even stronger but the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan area stronger as well.

Finley Arena in Hoover was host to many events during The World Games, held in the summer of 2022.

Photo courtesy of The World Games

The Hoover Met also hosted the SEC Baseball Championship in May 2022.

HOMEWOOD

In south Jefferson County, Homewood is known for many things, including its A+ education opportunities. As the home of Samford University, Homewood places itself as a spot for professional, academic, and personal development for young adults and families. Homewood is also home to the Rosendale and Hollywood historic districts, recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. Homewood has a diverse assortment of shops and communities that welcome all to make it their home.

Nik Layman

VESTAVIA HILLS

Vestavia Hills crosses through Jefferson and Shelby counties. Its visitors can stop by for its annual Dogwood Festival every Spring, a local event that includes pageants, performances, and community activities. The City has an involved education system between five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school that is devoted to ensuring Vestavia Hills’ future is a bright one. Pictured above is the Miracle League Opening Day 2021. The Miracle League removes the barriers that keep children with mental and physical disabilities off the baseball field and lets them experience the joy of America’s favorite pastime. Teams play and practice on a customdesigned, rubberized turf field that accommodates wheelchairs and other assistive devices while helping to prevent injuries. The Miracle League Field in Vestavia Hills is located at Wald Park on Highway 31 South. Among Vestavia’s green spaces is McCallum Park, pictured at left, a pet-friendly secluded park in a residential area featuring pavilions and trails. Little Shades Creek meanders through the park.

Photo courtesy City of Vestavia Hills

Nik Layman

AVONDALE

Originally a company town in the late 1800s, Avondale was eventually split into three neighborhoods, North, East, and South Avondale. But the star of the Avondale area was always Avondale Park. First built in 1886, the park rests next to Avondale Library. The Avondale Zoo or Avondale Park Zoo was Birmingham’s first large public zoo exhibit. It occupied the hilly slopes behind the lagoon. The first animal enclosures at Avondale Park were constructed in 1911. The zoo’s star attraction, Miss Fancy the elephant, was purchased from a struggling circus in 1913 with money raised by civic promoters and a kids’ penny drive. Pictured is a picnic in Avondale Park c. 1908.

In 2007-2009, a neighborhood coalition with the goal of breathing new life into the Avondale neighborhood with the launch of a federal recovery bond program. Avondale secured $3 million to make its plans to revitalize Avondale Park a reality. Guests can walk through the rose garden, see the duck pond, or sit in the quaint outdoor amphitheater. Walk ing tracks, playgrounds, baseball fields, and tennis courts also provide plenty of fun for anyone looking to enjoy Avondale. Sparked by the park renovation, developers began eyeing commercial properties around 41st Street, seeing the potential for bringing the community back to life. At the same time, Alabama had passed legislation to allow the commercial viability of craft beer brewing, which would secure the area’s first big anchor – Avondale Brewing Company.

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Avondale’s newest park is Elysian Gardens, which features a giant whimsical sculpture park housing the original creations of Birmingham native and award-winning national artist William Colburn Jr. His Iron Age Studio is located in Birmingham and his work can be found on permanent display throughout the city at locations including Barber Motorsports Park, The Bell Center, O’Neil UAB Cancer Center, Gatos & Beans, and many others. According to the Elysian Gardens website, the idea of the creative greenspace was percolating in Colburn’s imagination for nearly 10 years before it began to come to life. In 2014, he purchased a vacant overgrown lot in Avondale that had once been the home of a burned down church on the edge of Avondale’s burgeoning entertainment district with a dream to create a multi-use visual and performing arts venue. The dog-friendly, all-outdoor space opened in summer 2022 with space for a garden bar, restaurants, covered patios and more. Colburn built all the doors, windows, and butterfly bar stools himself.

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Nik Layman

MASHONDA TAYLOR, WOODLAWN UNITED

Woodlawn is a resilient community that is constantly growing.

Woodlawn United serves as the Community Quarterback for Woodlawn, a historic Birmingham community consisting of four neighborhoods: East Avondale, Oak Ridge Park, South Woodlawn, and Woodlawn, by leading an alliance of forty community partners committed to breaking the cycle of poverty and building a pathway to generational wealth. Our work is grounded in three key pillars: cradle-to-career education, high-quality mixed-income housing, and wraparound services that make the community vibrant and thriving.

Over the past twelve years as an organization, we have celebrated many wins including construction of the James Rushton Early Learning Center, The Park at Wood Station (64 multi-family affordable housing units), The Cottages at Wood Station (12 single-family market rate homes), creation of i3 Academy: Public Charter School, and completing renovations on over 120 owner-occupied homes.

What sets Woodlawn United apart is that we work within a defined community. We wake up every day focused on creating a safe and healthy community where children learn and play, families live in quality housing, parents work in stable jobs, businesses thrive, and everyone contributes to the growth of Greater Birmingham. Our work helps create a model that can then be implemented by other neighborhoods.

One piece that makes our work so successful is that Woodlawn embraces revitalization. We’ve always prioritized community engagement and involvement to ensure that our work reflects the dreams and vision Woodlawn residents already had for their community.

Woodlawn is a resilient community that is constantly growing. There is a vibrant momentum across our neighborhoods that excites you and draws you in to be a part of a greater vision: the Woodlawn Effect. Woodlawn has a bright future, and I am excited to continue investing in legacy residents as well as welcoming new and old faces back to the neighborhood. Woodlawn is for everyone.

Nik Layman

The Woodlawn community is nestled in northeastern Birmingham and was founded by a group of families in 1815 who were looking for a quiet place to flourish. Through the centuries, a strong sense of family has nurtured a continual spirit of community among the people of Woodlawn. Today, Woodlawn is dedicated to elevating and supporting local entrepreneurs, leveling roadblocks for marginalized business-owners, and celebrating those who bring new and exciting ventures to its vibrant, historic environment.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

CITY SERVICES

The Birmingham Fire Department was photographed on May 18, 1914,

a large fire at the Birmingham Railway, Light & Power Company building. This view shows the 21st Street

the building as seen looking toward the Steiner Bank building on First Avenue North. The four-story brick office building was constructed in 1902. Despite the firefighters’ best efforts, the building was destroyed and two people perished in the blaze. A new seven-story building for BRL&P Co. was constructed on the same site in 1915.

Along with the Police Department, Birmingham’s Fire and Rescue Service Department works to always put the safety of Birmingham’s citizens first. Fire Chief Cory D. Moon leads the department in providing the city with timely emergency fire and rescue response as well as public education services in fire and emergency preparedness, hoping to save as many lives and prevent as many emergencies as it can. Pictured are Fire Fighter Hunter King, Lt. Marcus Bell, Fire Fighter Sean Brennan, Sgt. Alejandro Coleman, Fire Fighter Thomas Wells, Cpt. Jonathan Mabry, and Fire Fighter Daryl Sherrell.

fighting

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FIRE CHIEF CORY D. MOON

Photo courtesy City of Birmingham

Photo courtesy City of Birmingham

“Protect. Serve. Respect.” The Birmingham Police Department’s motto communicates the sense of duty with which Police Chief Scott Thurmond leads the entire department. The department ensures the public its mission is to build trust, reduce crime, and improve the quality of life for everyone throughout the city. The Field Operations and Investigative Bureaus work together to create a safer community built upon the department’s values of respect, effectiveness, accountability, and leadership while putting their lives on the line to protect all people across Birmingham. Pictured above are Officer Jason

Hicks (left) and Officer Micah Blair (right) working Bike Patrol in downtown Birmingham.

While the idea of bicycle police seems a modern one, this photo from 1916 shows 20 members of the Birmingham Police Department Bicycle Force lined up in front of Edwards Cycle Store and Mayer Brothers wallpaper store.

Photo courtesy City of Birmingham

GIRLS INCORPORATED

Girls Incorporated of Central Alabama works to inspire all girls to become strong, intelligent, bold, successful, and well-rounded individuals. Founded in 1864, Girls Incorporated started as an effort to aid women affected by the Civil War and grew over the decades to become an organization that provides the girls and young women of Alabama with tailored mentorship and programs to help them become healthy, educated, empowered, and independent members of their community, breaking cycles of poverty and inequality to live life as it was meant to be lived.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

THE UNITED WAY

The United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA) was founded a century ago on the simple premise that members of a community can come together, pool their resources, and work collectively to deal with community issues more powerfully than any one individual or entity alone. Through the decades, UWCA has evolved to meet the changing needs of the communities it serves.

THE EXCEPTIONAL FOUNDATION

The Exceptional Foundation provides year-round social and recreational services for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. All programs focus on opportunities to promote lasting friendships, healthy living, life skills, and community involvement. Currently serving more than 700 individuals from age 5 to 81, The Exceptional Foundation strives to enrich the well-being of families by offering a healthy, safe, and professional environment where their loved ones may thrive.

In the same way The Exceptional Foundation is important to Birmingham, the surrounding community is integral to its programs and participants. Field trips around town, athletic programs, fundraising events, and vendor and community partnerships are at the heart of the experience The Exceptional Foundation offers for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Photo courtesy of United Way of Central Alabama

Photo courtesy of the Exceptional Foundation

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

A non-profit organization, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama offers support to families in need. While ailing children undergo medical treatment, the Ronald McDonald House programs provide housing in close proximity to the treatment centers for their families. Their goal is to create a safe, comfortable “home-away-from-home” for the families of children receiving care at Children’s Hospital, UAB, or any of the hospitals and treatment centers in the area. The House is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and allows for those in times of trial to find a more stable support system to better remain in contact with the doctors and care teams working to heal their children. In addition to the House, Ronald McDonald House Charities operates their Family Room at UAB’s Women and Infants Center. A comfortable space to rest, the Family Room includes a kitchen, reading room, three private sleeping rooms, and three showers for parents and families at the facility.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

CORPORATE GIVING

Jocelyn Vigneuelle is one of several volunteers with Alabama Power Service Organization planting trees at the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham-Southern College. The goal was to revitalize the Hugh Kaul EcoScape garden and return it to a functional outdoor space in honor of Earth Day and Arbor Day. They also planted trees along the program’s outdoor education route used to demonstrate the importance of urban and community renewal.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Power

Photos courtesy of The Southern Environmental Center, Birmingham-Southern College

TEMPLE EMANU-EL

Temple Emanu-El was founded in 1882 by early Jewish settlers who came to the small town of Birmingham. By 1886, the Temple’s membership had grown to eighty-six families, and the congregation laid the cornerstone for the first synagogue to be built in Jefferson County. This house of worship, located on the southeast corner of 5th Avenue North and 17th Street, served the congregation for the next twenty-four years. The Temple’s current sanctuary was constructed in 1912 and renovated extensively in 2000. A smaller chapel in the building showcases the Temple’s original aron hakodesh from 1886.

Pictured is Temple Emanu-El c. 1920.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Today, Birmingham boasts a strong and thriving Jewish community. Between 1984 and 2016, its Jewish population grew from 4,500 to 6,300. Pictured are congregants Ben and Danielle Rosenbaum at Temple Beth-El Synagogue.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

REDMONT AND FIRST PRESBYTERIAN

Pictured is First Presbyterian Church at the corner of Fourth Avenue North and 21st Street and the back of the Redmont Hotel at the corner of Fifth Avenue North and 21st Street in 1930. First Presbyterian Church was built in 1888 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is a member of the Presbytery of Sheppards & Lapsley.

A downtown Birmingham icon, the Redmont Hotel – named after Birmingham’s Red Mountain – is the oldest hotel in Birmingham that remains in operation. Built in 1925, this 14-story building has seen its fair share of community events and celebrities. Many sources say Hank Williams spent his last night alive there in December 1952. In 1983, The Redmont Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the boutique hotel offers 120 guest rooms that echo the hotel’s history with a 1920s-styled design.

METROPOLITAN AME ZION CHURCH

Organized in 1885, Metropolitan AME Zion Church is among the oldest African American churches in Birmingham. The building, located at 1530 4th Avenue North was built in 1955. A historical marker at the church erected by the Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail notes that Metropolitan AME Zion Church was one of the Movement churches, hosting Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) mass meetings in 1962 and serving as one of the starting points of the massive demonstrations of April-May 1963. “Project C” leaders also held many of their strategy sessions in the church’s basement, such as training youth in the Civil Rights Movement’s principles of nonviolence.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Today, houses of worship throughout the Birmingham Metro area welcome families of all sizes, makeup, and beliefs. There is a welcoming place to provide rest for the soul, a helping hand to those in need, a purpose for service, and a joyful spirit.

Nik Layman

WATTS REALTY COMPANY

The success of Watts Realty Company Inc.—a commercial leasing, investment sales, and management services firm—is not measured by its years of service, but in the generations who have passed down their core knowledge and skills for more than a century.

The story of Watts Realty Company begins in 1906 with W.A. Watts, a superintendent of construction for Pratt Coal Company who saw an opportunity to capitalize on Birmingham’s exploding population boom through the acquisition of several construction and real estate businesses.

His first venture was acquiring Cement Block and Manufacturing Co., with W.G. Oliver. The resulting business—the Oliver-Watts Construction Company—built homes throughout the Birmingham area for investment.

In 1908, W.A. teamed up with J. Hillman to form the Hillman-Watts Land Company, specializing in the building, buying, selling, dealing, and owning of real estate. Upon Hillman’s passing in 1918, the company became known as W.A. Watts, Realtor.

While nurturing his real estate business, W.A. continued to seek interests in other entities, including Watts Land Company with two of his siblings, and the Birmingham Building and Loan Association, which later federalized to become the Birmingham Federal Savings and Loan Association.

He also served as president of the Birmingham Board of Realtors and building chair for the Cripple Children’s Clinic, the predecessor of Children’s Hospital. He worked with a group that became known as the Monday Morning Quarterback Club to raise money for a new hospital, for which W.A. was the lead developer.

In 1946, W.A.’s son Bill Watts Jr., joined W.A. Watts, Realtor, after a five-year tour of duty in World War II as an Air Force pilot. In 1953, that business became Watts Realty Company. Three years later W.A. passed away, and Bill Jr. took the helm.

For the next four decades, Bill Jr. carried on his father’s legacy holding leadership roles in real estate organizations including serving as president for both the Birmingham Board of Realtors and the Alabama Association of Realtors, and as director for the National Association of REALTORS®. He was also recognized as Birmingham’s 1963 Realtor of the Year and was a recipient of the 1986 President’s Cup Award.

Bill Jr. was also very active in the YMCA and received the nonprofit’s highest honor, the Order of the Red Triangle.

In 1970, Bill Watts III joined the firm after graduating from Auburn University and serving in an active-duty tour with the U.S. Air Force. Bill Jr. retired in 1997 and passed away in 2001. But his example to do right in business and in his personal life set the high standard at Watts Realty that remains to this day.

Bill III led the firm with the same passion and drive as his father and grandfather, growing the company into the sixthlargest commercial property management firm by 1999. His wife, Jan, also got involved in the industry, operating Watts Residential Sales, which grew to become the 10th largest residential firm in Birmingham. Since 2003, Bill III has been honored to serve on the national board of the prestigious YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly (est. 1906) in Black Mountain, NC. Y Blue Ridge serves thousands of youth, families and charitable organizations every year.

In 2007, Bill III became Chairman of the Board of Watts Realty and was appointed by Gov. Bob Riley to the Alabama Real Estate Commission representing the 6th Congressional District. Bill III served 14 years (7 as Chairman) on the Real Estate Commission & was the only Commissioner to be appointed by 3 different Governors of Alabama.

By then, Bill III’s son, W.A. “Chip” Watts IV, had been with the firm for more than a decade. He was named president in 2006 and earned the prestigious Accredited Management Organization (AMO) status for Watts Realty from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM).

Like his father, Chip also served in leadership roles with numerous real estate organizations including president of the Birmingham Association of Realtors (BAR) and the international president of IREM. He is also the fourth Watts to be named a Realtor of the Year by BAR.

Chip dedicates much of his free time to supporting the

Birmingham YMCA where he serves as a member of the Metropolitan Birmingham YMCA Board of Directors and was inducted into the prestigious Order of the Red Triangle in 2012.

Chip was joined at the firm by brothers Michael Watts in 2006 and David Watts in 2007. David handles all the operations at Watts Realty while Michael serves as marketing director overseeing the firm’s internet presence and marketing of clients’ properties. Both spend their time raising funds for YMCA Camp Cosby to provide underprivileged kids a chance to experience the life-changing joys of summer camp.

Watts Realty continues to be a committed, conservative, ethical, and experienced management sales team serving the Alabama real estate market and its local communities. For its more than 100 years of service, the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce awarded Watts Realty with its coveted Centennial Award. No other real estate company in Birmingham has been owned and operated by the founding family for so long. This is one of the many reasons why Watts Realty has the real estate edge: pride, professionalism, integrity, service, competition, and understanding the advantages of real estate support services.

Through the use of new technology, traditional customer service, and the building blocks of life learned through the Birmingham YMCA, the Watts family of real estate services will continue to serve the Birmingham market for years to come with the same high standards the Watts name has been associated with since 1906. Integrity, Ethics, and Service are the foundation of its business relations.

Bill Watts III W.A. “Chip” Watts IV David Watts

JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

History might end up being written on a page (or these days, a website), but it was lived by real people with real hopes and dreams. And since 1975, the Jefferson County Historical Association has worked to ensure that those important moments that helped create the history of Birmingham and all of Jefferson County are preserved and remembered.

“Down through the ages, history is actually tales of humans dealing with extraordinary events and situations,” JCHA board member Tom Badham says. “These heroic struggles should be remembered. They teach lessons to the young, upcoming generations. Not only cautionary tales of what not to do, but tales of quiet or heroic courage in the face of terribly daunting circumstances. In these events, ordinary people show exactly how extraordinary they can be.

“Real history is not just names, facts and figures. It is made up of epic stories of struggle and hardship, with wisdom learned the hard way. Birmingham and Jefferson County have plenty of those stories. The wisdom contained in those stories should never be forgotten.”

The history of the JCHA actually dates to 1942, with the founding of the Birmingham Historical Society, which was the original organization dedicated to historical preservation and education within Jefferson County. But participation in the BHS faded over the decades, and by the 1970s the group had become largely dormant.

So, on Oct. 6, 1975, in the fourth-floor meeting room of the downtown Birmingham Public Library, 13 individuals met to discuss reactivating the historical organization. Temporary officers were elected at that meeting, and the association was renamed the Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society (it became known as the Jefferson County Historical Association in 2011).

The group met again a month later to formally draft a mission statement and organize an initial membership drive. A representative of the Junior League of Birmingham was at the meeting and announced that the League wished to work with the new organization, since their group also was interested in historical preservation.

Within a year, membership in the Historical Society had reached 300 members with several active committees. The group began working on numerous projects of permanent historical significance, including the creation of memorials as well as awards recognizing distinguished historians.

One of the objectives of the JCHA is to incorporate historical recognition within public spaces. In 1992, the organization began establishing a series of markers to be placed throughout Jefferson County. There are now more than 30 of these markers on display.

Some of the markers focus on the history of various communities in Jefferson County such as Rosedale and

Edgewood. Others honor longstanding businesses such as the Tutwiler Hotel and St. Vincent’s Hospital. And still others give recognition to some of the people who helped the area move forward such as Robert Jemison, Jr. (the founder of Mountain Brook) and Cecil and Linda Whitmire (who in the 1980s led a successful effort to renovate the Alabama Theater).

“We try to preserve the memories of how things came to be, and what all has happened in Jefferson County,” Badham says. “It’s the old, ‘Who, what, where, when, why, and how?’

We try to answer all those questions.”

In 2003, the JCHA formed the Birmingham History Center to preserve the region’s history through a collection of artifacts and memorabilia. In 2018, Vulcan Park & Museum formed a partnership with the Birmingham History Center to catalog this vast collection, with the goal of eventually establishing a research depository.

A recent example of the JCHA’s efforts can be found in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood, where the organization worked with local sculpture artist Nelson Grice to create a

new 15-foot-tall statue of Miss Fancy, the beloved elephant that was a featured attraction of the Birmingham Zoo when it was located in Avondale Park during the early 1900s.

The JCHA tells this story and many others through its quarterly publication, The Jefferson Journal. It is all part of the effort to keep the memories of Birmingham and Jefferson County’s past alive and vibrant for current residents, and many generations to come.

“This is a fairly young community, so a lot of us can trace our families to the very beginnings of Birmingham and Jefferson County,” Badham says. “We want to remember these stories, these connections, and how it fits into the grand scheme of the city and county. All the wonderful stories of the wonderful people who worked and sweated trying to make a better life for themselves and their families.

“We find history amazing because it’s filled with adventure, heartbreak, living, dying, and rising to heights you never imagined. We don’t want those stories to ever be forgotten.”

Opposite page; left: Consolidated Dairies was located at 3415 Third Avenue South in Birmingham c. 1953. The block in the South Side neighborhood also was the location of Westinghouse Electric Co. repair department around the same time and is the former location of the Birmingham Railway Supply Co. rolling mill. Top right: Fairfield Post Office, Corner of Gary Avenue and Crawford Street in Fairfield, Alabama, on January 22, 1914. Visible are office buildings and businesses including Buck Mercantile, the Fairfield Post Office, Cory Club, and Ogletree D.W. Dentists. Bottom right: Nineteenth Street in Ensley, Alabama. Pictured are the Belle Theatre, Lewis Mercantile Co., and Keith Furniture Co. Below, top left: Pictured is the interior of Hooper’s Café in Birmingham, Alabama, on its opening day in February 1906. Men can be seen at the counter dining and women and men sit at linen-covered tables. Hooper’s Café was located at 312-314 20th Street North. Top right: Boys sit atop Vulcan’s head c, 1931-40. Bottom left: North Birmingham City Hall located at 2600 28th Avenue North, in 1910. Bottom right: Black and white photograph of the interior of an unidentified grocery store with its employees.

All photos courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library.

UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL ALABAMA

United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA) was founded a century ago on the simple premise that members of a community can come together, pool their resources and work collectively to deal with community issues more effectively and efficiently than any one individual or entity alone. Through the decades, UWCA has evolved to meet the changing needs of the communities it serves.

As UWCA embarks on the next 100 years, the organization is reaffirming its commitment to improving the lives of individuals and families with specific focus on health, education, financial stability and people’s ability to access the critical services they need.

A Force for Positive Change

Since 1923, UWCA has worked tirelessly to move communities forward in Central Alabama through its partner agencies and direct services; and countless individuals and businesses have been faithful supporters. Originally known as The Birmingham Community Chest, the organization discovered just how deep supporters’ generosity ran within a few years after its founding. When the stock market crashed in 1929, The Birmingham Community Chest raised more than a half million dollars despite the desperate economic conditions. This was incredible testament to the community’s spirit of giving and its heart for helping those in need. Clearly, the Community Chest was recognized as the area’s leading force for good.

Through the best and worst of times, the organization soldiered on, steadily expanding its reach, taking more partner agencies under its wing and adding more programs and services to fill specific community needs. In 1970, the legal name was changed to the United Way-Community Chest of Central Alabama and, in 1992, the organization officially became known as United Way of Central Alabama, Inc.

Today, UWCA has grown to include more than 100 area non-profits, programs and initiatives in a six-county region, including Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker counties, and invests tens of millions of dollars annually to carry out its mission: to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another and to improve their community.

A Steady Hand During Crisis

Through the years, people in Central Alabama have faced tremendous hardship ranging from devastating tornadoes and disastrous floods to a global pandemic. Time after time, United Way has been there to provide relief in numerous ways –through a 24-hour call center for referrals to vital resources; through our partner agencies, such as American Red Cross and The Salvation Army; through organized volunteer work; through individual case management and counseling; and through emergency fundraising and financial support.

Disaster response is a big part of what UWCA does. As a human services organization, UWCA is made up of people and partner agencies driven to help whenever there’s a need. And those needs don’t end when the dust settles, the flood waters recede, or the news of the day turns to other matters. United Way is the community’s safety net.

In 2021, UWCA expanded its Community Initiatives Department to include long-term case management for individuals and families severely impacted by disaster. And, because the pandemic will continue to be a factor in the lives of Alabamians for some time to come, UWCA now has an ongoing partnership with both the Jefferson County and State of Alabama health departments to provide services to those facing hardship when required to quarantine due to COVID-19.

Multi-Dimensional, Adaptive and Innovative

United Way of Central Alabama is about much more than fundraising. In addition to providing financial support to its many partner agencies, UWCA is also one of the few United Ways that also offers its own body of direct services, such as Meals on Wheels, Area Agency on Aging, Priority Veteran, Success By Six, 2-1-1 Call Center, Free Tax Preparation and Financial and Housing Education to name a few. Each of which addresses one of our key areas of focus: health, education, financial stability and access to services. It’s all about helping people.

Even at the height of the pandemic, the organization’s Meals on Wheels program never missed a day of service to homebound seniors despite shutdowns, quarantines and a drastically downsized reserve of volunteers. In fact, the program extended its service to even more clients to answer the critical need. At the same time, the Area Agency on Aging continued to provide seniors with services such as Medicare counseling, caregiver support and legal assistance. And with taxes remaining one of life’s certainties, the Free Tax Preparation program kept calm and carried on by way of virtual meetings and drive-by services.

Now in the wake of COVID-19 and in response to the changing world around us, UWCA has developed new

programs to address specific needs. The Bold Goals Coalition, for example, launched the Bold Goals Academy to support students from Birmingham City Schools (BCS) with a variety of in-person, in-depth and engaging classes throughout the summer. A tutoring partnership between United Way and BCS has also been implemented, whereby area college students are recruited to help BCS students catch up from COVID-related learning loss.

Forging Ahead

Over the course of the past century, United Way of Central Alabama has grown to be recognized as one of the top United Ways in the nation and the largest social services fundraiser in the state of Alabama. The next 100 years we will focus on our delivery model to better match the needs of the diverse communities it serves. They will intentionally expand its agencies, programs and other assets into communities facing disparity in areas where UWCA has particular strengths to meet needs. By virtue of the critical needs it fulfills, the results it achieves and its forward-thinking approach to human services, UWCA garners enduring and loyal commitment from business and civic leaders, as well as individual donors and passionate volunteers alike. It is well-prepared for the next 100 years.

REALTYSOUTH

The objective of RealtySouth is basic but sincere.

“We’re selling pretty houses to nice people. That’s what we do,” RealtySouth President & CEO Richard Grimes says. “We try to take what is really a complicated transaction and make it joyful and simple.”

The company has gained plenty of experience with both houses and people ever since opening in Birmingham as Johnson-Rast & Hays in 1955. A three-company merger in 1998 changed the name, but the goal has remained firmly the same.

Go to nearly any block within and around the city of Birmingham, and you will likely find multiple homes that have been sold by RealtySouth over the years. The same is true throughout Alabama, as RealtySouth now has more than 20 branch offices statewide with nearly 1,000 employees and sales associates.

“We try to hold a complete real estate transaction platform, with mortgage, title, closing, insurance and brokerage,” Grimes says. “This has helped us be involved in building hundreds of neighborhoods.”

These include the Trace Crossing and The Preserve communities in Hoover. “There are more than 3,000 homes there, and we were part of all those sales,” Grimes says.

On the horizon are improvements to Birmingham’s historic Norwood neighborhood, perched on a small ridge just north

of downtown. “There’s not a better situated parcel in the city, the way it overlooks downtown,” Grimes says. “We’re excited to be part of the revitalization of that neighborhood.”

RealtySouth’s ability to take part in major projects was enhanced in 2002 when the company became part of the Berkshire Hathaway affiliate HomeServices of America. As the largest full-service real estate brokerage company in the United States, HomeServices has a network of more than 44,000 real estate professionals operating in nearly 900 offices across 30 states.

“All the companies share information freely. So, if anybody does something innovative that brings a better service to the consumer and increases their business, it belongs to us as well,” Grimes says. “We have a local brand in Alabama, but the Berkshire Hathaway name brings strength to that brand as a worldwide entity.”

Still, despite now having global connections, RealtySouth remains at heart an Alabama residential real estate company. Selling pretty houses to nice people.

“We want to be part of the fabric of our neighborhoods and communities,” Grimes says. “Although we’re a pretty big company, we try to look, feel and operate like the communities we’re doing business in.”

YMCA OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM

The YMCA of Greater Birmingham was established by community leaders in 1884 — 13 years after the City of Birmingham was founded. The organization’s unchanging mission is to put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.

In its earliest years, the Birmingham Y downtown location provided temporary housing, classes in mathematics and shorthand, and numerous religious services each week. Community outreach began to spread and by 1940, the Birmingham Y opened its first branch at Five Points South. A branch for Black members was organized in 1937 and built in 1951, followed by suburban branches: Northeast and Shades Valley in 1962, Fourth Avenue West in 1970, and the Shelby County branch in 1973. Conceived in 1922 as a complete outdoor recreation center, Camp Cosby moved in 1972 to its current location at Lake Logan Martin.

In late 2005, the Birmingham Y made a significant move with the purchase of four Sportsfirst locations from Baptist Health Systems. The acquisition expanded YMCA branches to the Greystone, Mountain Brook, Trussville and Vestavia communities.

In late 2006, following the Birmingham Y’s largest capital campaign effort, the Downtown Youth Center opened in the heart of downtown Birmingham. In 2010, the Y opened a full-service membership branch in Alabaster followed by its largest membership facility in Hoover.

Current day, the Y serves the greater Birmingham area with seven member branches, two youth centers, and overnight Camp Cosby. Dedicated to making the city a healthier place to live, the Y’s focus has remained the same: to connect people of all ages and backgrounds to bridge the gap in community needs.

While its programs and facilities have changed over the years, the Y’s commitment to serve the community has not.

“The YMCA is a force for good and is so much more than a gym and a pool. No one is turned away due to one’s ability to pay. Our mission calls us to serve each and every day.” says Greater Birmingham YMCA President and CEO Dan Pile.

As one of the largest childcare providers in the city, the Birmingham Y offers early learning, preschool education and summer day camp programs, as well as afterschool childcare programs that serve nearly 1,100 school age children throughout the greater Birmingham area.

True to its vision to provide inclusive programs and services to the entire community, Y volunteers in local communities raise $1.2 million annually from generous donors supporting the Y mission. As a result, the Birmingham Y is able to provide complimentary membership and programs to over 150 foster families, free education and lessons around water safety and financial assistance for individuals and families in need who would otherwise not be able to participate in vital YMCA programs and services.

ARC REALTY

ARC Realty was formed in Birmingham in 2012 with a mission statement that embodied the goal: “to play an active role in the growth of the communities we serve.”

President and CEO Beau Bevis, one of ARC’s four founders, says he knew the fledgling firm was well on its way to meeting that objective when he noticed that, within a single month, an agent sold one property for $4.8 million and another for $6,500.

“That showed me that we were providing something to everybody,” Bevis says. “We still take a lot of pride in that. We want to help everyone achieve the American Dream of owning a home.”

It takes a wide variety of perspectives to create connections with everybody, and ARC offers it through the age and cultural differences among its founding members: Beau Bevis, Tommy Brigham, Mechelle Wilder, and Dale McIntyre.

“We all have diverse backgrounds, and in addition to working together we are close friends,” Bevis says. “That was really the genesis of this company. We wanted to show that it is possible to bridge divides that might exist. And it has been successful.”

Indeed, ARC Realty grew significantly during its first decade in business. The company’s transaction volume increased from $100 million during its inaugural year to approximately $1.8 billion in 2021. Along the way, ARC expanded their number of agents from less than 100 to nearly 700, and opened additional offices in the Montgomery, Huntsville, and Auburn/Opelika areas.

“When we started the company, we were towards the end of the financial crisis (of 2008-10), real estate companies and agents were really defeated,” Bevis says. “Seeing the jump that we made in such a short amount of time is very gratifying. Part of it was due to the housing market improving, and we also supplied our agents with an environment they could thrive in.”

Mr. Bevis says the agents hold the keys to the homes that ARC sells, but they also hold the keys to the success of the company. He explains that executives rarely interact with homebuyers, leaving it to the agent to close the deal.

“I do not meet with clients and customers like I once did, but I see our agents daily. The agents are in fact our customers,” Bevis says. “It is our job to supply them with the space, tools, and support they need to be successful with their client base. And our numbers show that we have done that.”

BECCA FREDERICK

With a keen eye and joyful spirit that translates to her work, Becca Frederick has captured beauty in all its forms for over a decade. However, her path to being a professional photographer was not a straight and seamless line.

Becca graduated from Auburn University in 2012 with a degree in social work. After a brief stint as a social worker in Atlanta, Becca moved to Rome, Italy, in 2015 to be an au pair. While living in the heart of Rome, a short walk from the Coliseum, a childhood love for photography was reignited. The images she captured during her time in Rome framed the backdrop for the beginning of a new hobby as a photographer and the basis for her online print shop, The Allora Shoppe, where she sells her original fine art photography prints and curated vintage art prints.

What began as a hobby turned into a part-time career in 2017. While living in her hometown of Montgomery and working part-time for an interior designer, Becca filled the remainder of her time perfecting her craft. In addition, she photographed weddings, families, events, and numerous projects for local artists, designers, and real estate agents.

During this time, she pursued a volunteer position to photograph for The Heart Gallery of Alabama, which places children in care with adoptive families. This opportunity provided the perfect combination of Becca’s passion for photography and foster care. In 2022, she was recognized as The Heart Gallery’s Photographer of the Year for her work.

In 2022, Becca’s career rose to a new level as she became the local owner of a real estate media company, Next Door Photos Birmingham. NDP Birmingham serves clients in the real estate industry to provide media and marketing for their listings. Next Door Photos Birmingham is a part of a larger network of over 60 locations in the country all with local ownership. Global impact is at the heart of their business model as they employ men and women who have either

been rescued from or who are at risk for human trafficking. All of NDP’s editing teams are based out of three countries where this is a prevalent issue. NDP is able to help provide sustainable jobs for our editors all while serving their local real estate communities.

Becca says her photography reflects her love for travel, architecture, art, and design. Becca is most inspired when spending time in the great outdoors or walking around a beautiful city. In addition, the relationships in her life serve as a deep inspiration and give her work greater meaning. Becca and her husband, Bee, reside in Birmingham.

LIFELINE CHILDREN’S SERVICES

For 42 years, Lifeline has been providing gospel hope to vulnerable children, women, and families in Birmingham. What was originally born out of Briarwood Presbyterian Church by Wales Goebel and John Carr now stretches throughout the United States and 29 countries around the world. As Missionary C.T. Studd stated, “The light that shines farthest shines brightest at home.”

Lifeline’s work and enduring ministry in Birmingham is a beacon for ministry to children around the world. In 1981, Lifeline Children’s Services was licensed and established as an adoption agency and a discipleship ministry as a response to Sav-A-Life, Alabama’s first pregnancy resource center. Lifeline was founded to walk with women through crisis pregnancy and to point them to a hope-filled future that can only be found in Christ. In its first year of operation, Lifeline placed its first child for adoption.

Over the last 40-plus years, Lifeline has grown from a pregnancy counseling and domestic adoption ministry in a single U.S. city to a holistic ministry that seeks to bring hope through international and domestic adoption, pregnancy counseling, foster care and family reunification, global orphan care, and education and counseling.

Today, Lifeline carries the distinction of being the largest evangelical adoption agency in the United States. Lifeline serves families in all 50 states through international adoption with programs in 18 countries. In addition, Lifeline is licensed in 17 states, and works in 29 countries through its various orphan care projects. In the summer of 2022, Lifeline moved into a new international headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama, atop Missionary Ridge off Highway 280.

Lifeline has created a strong legacy for future generations by engaging in family partnerships, educating women to know

life-giving options, and finding avenues to bring hope to children and families around the world. Lifeline casts its net wide in ministry but also has planted its roots deep in the countries and communities in which it serves.

From its beginnings in Birmingham, equipping birth mothers to make life-giving choices, to aiding in starting a school for the deaf and blind in Uganda, every expansion of ministry has been cultivated through intentional relationships with roots in Alabama.

Reflecting on decades of faithful ministry, it is clear that Lifeline has always been about more than providing resources–it’s about providing hope. Lifeline believes that as they help churches and families care for vulnerable children and families, lives are changed, and story after story of hope is born. With hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children in the U.S. and hundreds of millions worldwide, Birmingham should take pride in the lives that have been impacted for the future.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF WALKER COUNTY

The Walker County Chamber of Commerce was organized in 1949 with the goal of promoting the civic, economic, industrial, agricultural, educational, and social welfare of the citizens of Walker County. That effort has been amped up in the last decade with the completion of Interstate 22.

The much-anticipated and heavily traveled I-22 corridor runs through the heart of Walker County, serving as the gateway to Birmingham. It has also created a boon for local businesses, including in Jasper, the county seat. Jasper’s downtown district has seen significant revitalization with improvements to many historic buildings. A variety of new restaurants and locally-owned retail shops have opened, and the area now welcomes plenty of after-hours activity.

More manufacturing companies have also moved into the Bevill Industrial Park, including DAPA Products, Fontaine Engineered Products, and Nitto Denko, and the new Jasper Industrial Park has opened to accommodate more commercial and industrial tenants, including Yorozu Automotive Alabama. The Walker County Chamber of Commerce seeks to build on this success.

Positive economic growth and community well-being require a long-term strategy, bold approaches, and the leadership to make it happen. With the support of the Walker County

Chamber of Commerce, the area’s public and private sectors are stepping up to address and leverage the challenges of change.

As part of this effort, the chamber began working with businesses, the local government, and other community leaders to ensure that Walker County communities continue to be a great place to live, work, worship, and play — and operate a business.

As a result, the chamber launched Forward Walker County — The Future is Ours, a five-year plan targeting economic growth with an emphasis on retail and commercial growth, education and workforce readiness, tourism and image, and leadership and community engagement. The initiatives are designed to capitalize on the county’s new opportunities while also successfully handling new challenges.

“The Chamber of Commerce of Walker County is all about partnerships to make our region a destination for tourists and visitors from all around the nation,” says Linda Lewis, president of the Walker County Chamber of Commerce. “Community leaders, public officials, and hundreds of volunteers are working together on programs and events like our bass tournaments — fueling a positive image and adding to the economic well-being of our communities.”

Photo by Brown Design Company, LLC. Photo by Brown Design Company, LLC.

Photo by Brown Design Company, LLC.

BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS: FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

The Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity engages in catalytic and transformative activities whereby the by-product is economic stimulus for the citizens of Birmingham, Alabama. We accomplish this goal by focusing on business attraction and retention, real estate development and re-use, sports and entertainment, and equitable access to resources for minorities and underrepresented communities.

As the job-creating engine for the city of Birmingham, IEO has historically been a key component and contributor to some of the largest economic impact projects in the history of this city. Most recently, the corporate relocation of “The Landing” resulted in $1.2B in new payroll to this community. In the spring of 2022, the United States Football League in partnership with Fox Sports launched a spring football league, which resulted in a national platform and visibility for our community.

Birmingham is experiencing a renaissance that has married our storied civil rights history with a vibrant present and exciting future. While there are many contributors to Birmingham’s resurgence in popularity, it is this office/ department whose daily goal is to create a better Birmingham for all.

Personally, it has been an honor to serve as the leader of economic development for the city of Birmingham. As a native, and as one who has traveled and worked in many communities, my greatest reward has been contributing to the impact and opportunity for the city that is most known for birthing the civil rights movement.

The true magic of the “Magic City” is its people. It is the people who remain intentional and dedicated to creating new narratives and new stories about who our city is today. The magic also resides within the leadership of the city. The leaders who work tirelessly and selfishly on all our behalf with a single purpose of “putting people first.”

CORNELL WESLEY Chief Economic Development Officer , City of Birmingham Office of Innovation and Economic Development

The City of Birmingham Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity (IEO) works to put citizens of Birmingham first by creating quality jobs, preparing workers for those jobs, and ensuring that residents can access the skill development for those jobs. It is the vision of IEO that Birmingham becomes a model of an inclusive and resilient economy.

The Birmingham region’s legacy is built on iron and steel. Founded on a culture of entrepreneurship and resiliency, Birmingham is home to a diverse and dynamic range of companies and communities. From multi-national corporations manufacturing next-generation vehicles to start-ups developing ground-breaking technologies, today’s Birmingham continues to boast a diverse community of innovators. Since 2011, the Birmingham region has announced over 19,400 new jobs and $3.9 billion in capital investment. Source: Birmingham Business Alliance

MAKEbhm bills itself as “a space where makers can make.” MAKEbhm provides access to equipment and space its members might otherwise not have. Located in the Avondale neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama, the facility provides studios for members, coworking areas, and retail spaces. It is a gathering place for people who believe that good design, original ideas, and collaboration are the foundation of the creative community.

HEAVIEST CORNER ON EARTH

According to the official National Register of Historic Places nomination form, the so-called “Heaviest Corner on Earth” is a district in Birmingham, Alabama, consisting of four early steel-framed skyscrapers constructed between 1902 and 1913. The Heaviest Corner is located at the early major intersection of the city at 1st Avenue North and 20th Street North. It consists of four buildings. The two earliest are The Woodward and the Brown-Marx, and the two later are The First National Bank Building-John A. Hand and the Empire Building. Three of the four buildings are listed individually on the National Register –The Woodward, The John A. Hand, and the Empire.

In its National Registry nomination, the Heaviest Corner is touted as a collection of buildings unsurpassed in their documentation of Birmingham’s major development phase when the capacity of local furnaces to manufacture steel from local raw materials led to the growth that dramatically changed the vertical scale of the existing Victorian city and made Birmingham the largest city in the state. Each of the buildings is associated with major industrial and commercial enterprises that shaped the city.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

TECHNOLOGY

Innovation and technology thrive in the Birmingham seven-county region. Innovation Depot is the largest and most successful business technology incubator in the Southeast. Innovation Depot supplies space and guidance to incubate and accelerate tech & bio-focused, high-growth businesses by providing teams with a track record of proven success, support in strategic areas, and access to an inclusive and supportive community.

Organizations like TechBirmingham represent a diverse business community with members working toward advancing technology in Birmingham and promoting tech companies and opportunities in the region. TechBirmingham also provides opportunities for technical training and education.

FORWARD THINKING

Birmingham keeps people connected for business, providing a robust network of fiberoptic connections and high-speed internet connectivity and WiFi service. Being “wired” became even more important during the pandemic, as people began working remotely. Even with a return to the office, Birmingham area residents appreciate the flexibility of a portable workplace. In November 2022, the City of Birmingham launched the Connect 99 campaign to help let residents know about a new federal subsidy for internet service. The Affordable Connectivity Program provides eligible households with funds to apply toward high-speed home internet service. Eligible households also may qualify for a one-time discount to purchase a computer. More information about the federal program is available at GetACP.org. Information about Connect 99 can be found at birminghamal.gov/connect99.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

TOURISM

Visitors spent an estimated $2.2 billion in Jefferson County in 2021, a 45 percent increase over the previous year’s spending total, according to a study commissioned by the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). Visitors with a penchant for history will enjoy exploring the region’s foundation in iron and steel at such attractions as the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark and Vulcan Park & Museum. Birmingham’s history also includes a significant role in America’s Civil Rights Movement. Visitors can learn about this turbulent time at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and can visit historic sites such as the 16th Street Baptist Church and the Freedom Rides memorial.

ROSS BRIDGE

With a comfortable climate nearly year-round, Birmingham attracts outdoor advocates to play golf along two courses on the state’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Pictured is the stunning 8,191-yard Robert Trent Jones Trail Golf Course at Ross Bridge. The property also boasts the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

TUTWILER HOTEL

The original Tutwiler Hotel was a 13-story, 425-room brick and limestone luxury hotel on the southeast corner of 5th Avenue North and 20th Street in downtown Birmingham. It was constructed in 1914 by a group of local investors under the direction of developer Robert Jemison, Jr., and named for Major Edward M. Tutwiler, who had formerly been head of the Tutwiler Coal, Coke & Iron Company. It closed in 1972 and was demolished in 1974. Another Tutwiler Hotel, named for the original, opened in 1986 in the former Ridgely Apartments, which also had been built by Robert Jemison, Jr., in 1913 and owned by the Tutwiler family. Pictured right, bellhops stand outside the original Tutwiler Hotel in 1954.

THE KELLY HOTEL

The Kelly Hotel is a 96-room high-rise hotel in the former Protective Life building at 2027 1st Avenue North, adjoining the 21st Street Viaduct. It opened December 17, 2021. The Protective Life Company building, also called the Commerce Center, was constructed for the Protective Life Insurance Company in 1928 on the foundations of the earlier three-story Birmingham Ledger building. The design, by Warren, Knight and Davis, is an elegant, elongated Art Deco-influenced neo-gothic with cream-colored terra-cotta trim and a cornice punctuated by pointed battlements. A steeply pitched copper hip roof crowns the penthouse with an engaged elevator tower on the west side.

Art Meripol Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Art Meripol

RETAIL

Retailers employ one in four of all employees in the private sector in Alabama. In total, Alabama retailers employ almost 400,000 people, making retail Alabama’s largest employer, with an annual payroll nearing $9.6 billion.

THE SUMMIT

The Summit, which opened in October 1997, is a 1-millionsquare-foot upscale lifestyle center located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 280 and Interstate 459 in Birmingham, Alabama.

THE OUTLET SHOPS OF GRAND RIVER

The Outlet Shops Of Grand River is minutes away from Birmingham, located at I-20 and exit 140 in Leeds, Alabama.

BROMBERG’S

Founded in 1836, Bromberg’s is one of the oldest familyowned businesses in the U.S. and the longest standing business firm in Alabama. With more than 186 years of experience, Bromberg’s prides itself on providing only the finest quality items with an enjoyable luxury experience for everyone.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

According to a story featured in the Alabama Power publication Alabama News Center, the Elyton Land Company on June 1, 1871, opened for the sale of lots on 4,150 acres it had assembled in Jones Valley, Jefferson County. This was the beginning of Birmingham. The publication notes that although not all the details from the early historical accounts of Birmingham’s founding are consistent, they all point to Maj. Andrew Marre as the buyer of the first lot sold in Birmingham: what is now Lot 12 in Block 99, a 50-by-100-foot parcel of land on the corner of First Avenue and 19th Street North in downtown. Today’s Birmingham residents know that corner as the location of what is still called The Saks Building.

Alabama News Center reports that Jefferson County Probate Court records list May 31, 1871, as the filing date for the deed of sale for Marre’s lot. John C. Morrow, the probate judge at the time, noted the deed was recorded June 1, 1871. The deed lists the price Marre paid as $100.

Marre built a two-story stone building to house the Marre & Allen general store in partnership with J.A. Allen. Between 1872 and 1895, in addition to housing the Marre & Allen general store, the building was home to the Ruby Saloon, two jewelers, a lawyer, an insurance company, two real estate companies and stock brokers, according to Bhamwiki.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

In May 1894, county probate records show, Marre agreed to a 10-year lease with Louis Saks for a new building to be erected on the lot as the new site of Louis Saks Clothiers, which at the time was a block away. In 1895, Saks’ store moved into the new three-story, almost 19,000-square-foot brick building on the lot owned by Marre, who died the next year. A fire in the early 1900s heavily damaged the building but it was rebuilt, and Saks Clothing Store remained there until 1916.

New tenants after Saks’ departure included, according to Bhamwiki, Ideal Millinery Cloak & Suit Store, Doster-Northington Drug Store, the Clothing Outlet, Morris Jewelers, Old Gold lunch counter, Indiana Gold & Silver Co. refiners, Anthony Carnaggio restaurant, Boxers Bakery & lunch room, European Bakery & Grill, The Underground nightclub and, more recently, Corporate Realty, Coyote Logistics and Childcare Resources. Current tenants are a Valley National Bank branch and Watkins & Eager law firm.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Power

Pictured opposite page is the Sak’s Building in 1944 with the Clothing Outlet as its tenant. Pictured above, today, no matter the occupant, Birmingham residents still call it the Sak’s Building.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Opportunities abound in downtown Birmingham and the Metro area for commercial property. Storefronts for retail business and restaurants, office space, and buildings prime for mixed-use development are available ready for a turnkey move-in, or for renovations and revitalization.

Pictured opposite page, Thomas Jefferson Tower, originally the Thomas Jefferson Hotel and then the Cabana Hotel, is a 19-story building on the western side of downtown Birmingham at 1623 2nd Avenue North. It was completed in 1929 as the 350-room Thomas Jefferson Hotel. In August 2013, the building and its annex were acquired by TJTower LLC. The former hotel was one of the first projects in Alabama to utilize new state and federal tax credits designed to spur redevelopment of historic structures.

Commercial and residential development in downtown Birmingham keeps an eye on preserving historic structures while providing fertile ground for new construction and modern design. At the intersection of 19th Street and 6th Ave North, the church in the foreground is First United Methodist Church, built in 1891 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The glass building behind it is the Hugo L. Black United States Courthouse, which was completed in 1987.

Nik Layman

Liesa Cole for CCR Architecture

ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN

Opposite page, top: Commercial architects are a critical component to Birmingham’s continued growth, part of the thriving construction industry supporting the Metro area’s growing commercial sector. Birmingham’s low cost of living, strong employment market, outdoor recreational opportunities and green spaces, and a wide variety of amenities and entertainment attract individuals and companies of all sizes looking to locate here.

Architects create the blueprint, or building plan, engineers decide what materials must be used to bring the architect’s design to completion and make the building strong enough for use, and builders bring the architect’s vision to life during construction.

BANKING AND FINANCE

According to the Encyclopedia of Alabama, “there are 107 banks chartered in Alabama, with more than 1,400 offices located throughout the state, which includes branches of more than 30 banks chartered in other states. All banks are privately owned, and the most prominent banking area in the state is Birmingham. Banks play an essential role in the economic development of states by taking deposits through checking accounts and savings accounts and then lending the funds to consumers to purchase goods such as homes and automobiles and to small businesses to help fund their operations.”

Nik Layman

ROAD, RAIL, AIR

Eastern Airlines served early customers of the Birmingham Airport. Pictured, passengers climb aboard an Eastern Airlines flight, loading the plane directly from the tarmac, and a man visits the ticket counter inside the airport in June 1946.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Birmingham’s Southern Museum of Flight is a 75,000-square-foot facility that holds more than 100 historic aircraft, along with engines, models, artifacts, photographs, and paintings. The museum also houses the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame, displaying 70 biographical plaques telling of Alabama’s aviation history.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Art Meripol

ROAD, RAIL, AIR

The facility now known as the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport had the ceremonial dedication of its original structure and officially opened on May 31, 1931. In 2019, the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) welcomed more than 3 million passengers. Both passenger traffic and freight continue to see growth. BHM can accommodate most modern air carriers, cargo transport, general aviation, and military aircraft operating within North and South America. BHM is the state’s largest airport and offers 114 flights to 26 airports and 23 cities.

Nik Layman

Jeremy Dove

ROAD, RAIL, AIR

MAX, which stands for Metro Area Express, is the bus system operated by the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA). It averages approximately 3 million riders each year. It is the mission of the BJCTA to provide safe, reliable, and excellent transit and other mobility services that contribute to the region’s economy, vitality, and sustainability.

By foot, rail or road, people travel around the Birmingham area.

Pictured above is Street Car 406 on Route 39 in Edgewood, February 1944.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Photo courtesy of the City of Birmingham

Five interstates (I-20, 22, 59, 65, and 459) provide access to over 250 million consumers, nearly 80 percent of the U.S., within a two-day drive.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Birmingham is home to three major railroad systems – CSX, Norfolk Southern, and BNSF.

Not pictured, the Port of Birmingham is a 184-acre inland port with a 100ton crane, rivaling that of any inland port. It connects companies to the Port of Mobile via the Black Warrior River and offers unique, central access to CSX, Norfolk Southern, and BNSF.

Art Meripol

UTILITIES AND SERVICES

Birmingham area residents have access to utilities and services to keep their daily operations running smoothly. Providers include Alabama Power (electric), Spire (gas), Birmingham Water Works, AT&T, Brighthouse Cable, Charter Cable, DirecTV, Frontier Communications, Trussville Gas Company, and the Irondale Water System. There are also a variety of independent internet providers that service the Birmingham Metro Area.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Power

An Alabama Power lineman services a smart pole in the Civil Rights District. Smart poles are hollow on the inside and feature three internal chambers for separating various cabling and connectivity services. The poles also feature panels along the sides to allow hardware to be installed. They also can include Wi-Fi access points and smart LED street lighting.

Pictured top, this photo was taken in 1926, shortly after the installation of Electra on the roof of the building – now called “The 1925 Building.” This headquarters was the first consolidated office of Alabama Power Company and was designed by the Birmingham architectural firm of Warren, Knight & Davis.

Having reliable electricity changed the ways people lived, including bringing modern appliances into their homes. Pictured bottom, delivery workers stand beside a service truck loaded with electric refrigerators to deliver for Birmingham Electric Company.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Power

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

UTILITIES AND SERVICES

Pictured is the Birmingham Railway, Light & Power Building in 1908. The building was a four-story brick structure constructed in 1902 at the northeast corner of 1st Avenue North and 21st Street North (now Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North). The building was destroyed in a fire on May 8, 1914. The Birmingham Railway, Light & Power Company operated streetcar lines and distributed natural gas and electricity to customers in Birmingham.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Birmingham Water Works, Shades Mountain Filtration Plant. This image shows a view of two buildings and a reservoir at the Cahaba Filter Plant, c. 1908.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

UTILITIES AND SERVICES

The Birmingham Water Works is a public utility supplying drinking water to 750,000 customers in Birmingham, most of Jefferson County and parts of four other counties. The system, established in 1951, delivers 100 million gallons of water per day through 3,858 miles of main pipes. It has been recognized as one of the top five water systems in the United States and rates consistently high in water quality.

From power lines and sewer pipes to fiber optic cable, keeping people connected is an ever-changing proposition as technology moves forward with each passing decade.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Water Works

Sarawut Nirothon | Dreamstime

REGIONS BANK: PROUD TO CALL BIRMINGHAM HOME

As one of the nation’s largest financial institutions, and the only Fortune 500 business in Alabama, Regions Bank has played an instrumental role in Birmingham’s success through support of businesses, academic institutions, healthcare facilities and the visionaries who fueled the growth.

The Regions Bank you know today is the result of more than 100 local banks coming together over time, through acquisitions and expansion.

By 1992, a new name was needed to reflect that First Alabama, as it was known as the time, was open for business across the South. The name settled on – Regions.

It was a perfect fit

By then, the bank had grown to $8.1 billion in assets, with branches beyond Alabama in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The name change was announced in 1993 and approved by shareholders in 1994. But Regions’ rise began much earlier.

A Long Road

In 1835, just 16 years after Alabama became a state, the First National Bank of Huntsville opened its doors with $500,000 in capital as part of the State Bank of Alabama, with branches in the state’s biggest cities of the time.

As the state’s fortunes rose and fell, banks struggled to survive. In 1871, to keep up with economic expansion in Central Alabama, First National Bank of Montgomery, the second pillar in Regions’ foundation, opened. Over the next 40 years, the number of banks exploded across the U.S. And so did a new phenomenon – the bank robbery. In 1883,

legend has it, Frank James robbed the First National Bank of Huntsville. While the James Gang caper may have been a myth, the bank stored a Colt 45 revolver allegedly used in the escapade in the bank’s vault for nearly a century.

A third bank that would become part of Regions’ history, Exchange Bank in Birmingham, opened in 1928 with $35,000 in capital raised by the Birmingham Exchange Club to serve a bustling area that included 75 businesses within a three-block radius of the new financial institution.

Storm clouds were on the horizon. A year later, the stock market crash ignited the Great Depression, and 40 percent of the nation’s 30,000 banks failed. But not the Regions predecessors, which survived while offering to pay regularly scheduled dividends, a rarity during an economic dust bowl.

The decades that followed produced steady growth and innovation. The Montgomery bank built the state’s first hospital-based branch while the Huntsville bank established the first branch at the Redstone Arsenal. In the 1940s, the Montgomery branch became one of the first in the nation to provide customer credit cards. Back in Birmingham, Exchange Bank built the first drive-in branch in the region.

In 1956, Exchange Bank merged with Security Commercial Bank and moved into a $350,000 headquarters on the corner of 20th Street and 4th Avenue North, wooing new customers with a display of $1 million in cash stacked 6 feet high.

By the 1960s, the economy was expanding again. To compete on a larger scale, the Huntsville, Montgomery and Birmingham banks filed an application to form a holding company. The application was eventually approved in 1971.

The new name of this growing bank: First Alabama Bancshares.

New legislation in 1981 allowed First Alabama to become a statewide bank. With the addition of smaller banks from other cities added to the fold, a statewide network not only provided customers better service, but played a pivotal role in expanded lending strength, bringing major economic projects to the state.

The deals to come would make Regions an economic powerhouse – not only in Birmingham, but throughout the South and Midwest.

The Grant-Stegall Act of 1993 allowed banks greater freedom in serving customers. In 2000, Regions acquired a respected brokerage firm, to help customers grow their wealth. And in 2004, Regions made an even bigger move – acquiring Memphisbased Union Planters. That made then-First Alabama the 21st largest bank in the nation. In a business where culture mattered, the mix was instantly harmonious.

But there was one more move to make.

By the mid-1990s, Birmingham boasted four of the top 50 banks in the U.S. But times were changing fast in an era of consolidation and mergers. Wachovia purchased Birmingham’s SouthTrust. BBVA acquired Compass.

Suddenly, there were just two – Regions and AmSouth. Created by its own holding company in 1972 (originally as Alabama Bancorporation), Regions’ biggest rival had grown in meteoric fashion. Amid concerns that Birmingham’s banking presence would come to an end, First Alabama and AmSouth joined forces on May 25, 2006.

Art Meripol

The Birmingham News proclaimed the merger with a 60point, all-caps headline, the size and type reserved for the biggest stories. And this was big. It brought the state’s biggest banks together as one, ensuring the city’s prosperity for generations to come, while creating a Fortune 500 institution.

A Fixture in the Community

Maybe you’ve heard this before, but college football is kind of a big deal here. Birmingham’s Legion Field was once known as “The Football Capital of the South.” And, the Southeastern Conference, like Regions, is headquartered in downtown Birmingham.

As the official bank of the SEC, Regions is a part of the cultural fabric that captivates fans across the nation. We help bring SEC competition to your living room and help make the experience at the stadium better. It’s not just football – the league has seen unparalleled success across the board – not only in terms of championships, but in attendance and revenue that provide economic growth to local communities.

Whether it’s the game of the week on CBS, a primetime showdown on ESPN or the SEC’s Network’s SEC Nation, to get your Saturday started just right, Regions is there. And each week, we help keep tabs of the football season with the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank.

And in Birmingham, Regions is the namesake of the home of the Double-A Birmingham Barons. Since construction began on this state-of-the-art Regions Field a decade ago, downtown Birmingham’s Parkside has transformed into a bustling, thriving district.

These are exciting times for Birmingham. Regions Field and Railroad Park showed the community what’s possible. And throughout July, the city welcomed visitors from across the globe for The World Games 2022, which Regions was proud to sponsor. Much of the action took place at a sparking new football venue, Protective Stadium, which seemed like a fantasy just a brief time ago.

The Regions Tradition each May features hall of fame golfers competing for a PGA TOUR Champions major title. The four-day tournament draws huge crowds and has a lasting impact on the community due to the money raised for charity – $20 million since the event’s inception. The biggest beneficiary, of course, is Children’s of Alabama.

Those donations aren’t limited to the Tradition. Regions Bank and its associates donated a combined $7.1 million to 170 United Way chapters, including the United Way of Central Alabama.

And in 2021 alone, Regions Bank contributed $17 million in philanthropic and community giving through contributions and sponsorships, and the Regions Foundation, an Alabama non-profit primarily funded by Regions Bank, made $6 million of contributions. The Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact the communities served by Regions Bank.

Most often, that giving helps those who need help most. In 2021, the Regions Foundation made a move to help eradicate youth homelessness through a new initiative called the Way Station, a Birmingham space for ages 18 to 24 that provides both an emergency overnight center and transitional living program for youths who get academic support to complete their education, learn financial literacy and gain job skills.

The Future is Now

Regions is revolutionizing how the bank uses data to strengthen the customer relationship. That means working to build a series of data products that not only meet business needs internally, but helps customers succeed. The renowned tech publication, Wired, noted that Regions’ commercial bank is using analytics-driven relationship management solutions, transitioning from a traditional “handshake business” to provide high-tech solutions.

Perhaps the most noticeable focus is on digital banking, where person-to-person payments increased nearly 150 percent in a single year. To make banking easier, Regions developed a state-of-the-art digital money management tool that helps customers take more control of their financial health. The new tool helps with everything – from budgeting to managing debt to setting (and reaching) financial goals.

An update of Regions’ mobile app, for both iOS and Android devices, features a modern design with improved functionality to support the approximately 2 million customers who bank on the go. Improved navigation and usability make it easier for customers to conduct their most common activities – transferring money, managing credit cards, making deposits – at a time where the pandemic made better access a necessity. And future changes will continue to reflect the needs of our customers.

Good banking is about building relationships and keeping a personal touch. Regions360 brings teams from all lines of business to deliver holistic, customized solutions to meet the comprehensive financial needs of businesses and individual customers.

Even as Regions continues to grow, we love the place we call home, Birmingham. Here’s looking to the next 150 years.

ALTEC

Altec, lnc. was founded in Birmingham in 1929 by Lee Styslinger and has been led by three generations of the Styslinger family. Altec specializes in the manufacture, sale and service of aerial devices, digger derricks and specialty equipment for the electric utility, telecommunications, tree care and light and sign maintenance industries in more than 120 countries. The gold standard in the industry for almost a century, Altec helps connect communities to the communication and power they need. Over the years much has changed, but Altec is as it always has been—a company led by values, powered by people and inspired to be a source of opportunity for those who depend on the performance of its products.

At Altec, advanced technology efforts are aimed at helping customers work safer and smarter while enhancing productivity. To achieve this, Altec develops technologies that increase uptime and decrease lifecycle costs. Altec invests in advancements for reliability, uptime, and low cost of ownership. The rugged construction of its equipment, as well as training for all customers, help ensure safe and effective work practices using Altec equipment.

ln addition to the design, manufacture and sale of highly specialized mobile equipment, Altec works directly with its customers to create solutions to meet their ever-changing needs. Altec meets customer needs for a customized product from chassis, to body, to aerial device requirements. lf used equipment is more suitable, Altec also offers a used equipment

solution through its National Utility Equipment Company. Altec Capital provides customized financing solutions for customers. If a customer is not prepared to add additional units to their fleets permanently but could use extra equipment for a specific job or while another piece of equipment is being serviced, Altec provides a rental option through its Global Rental subsidiary. Altec also offers comprehensive service, as well as a robust range of tools and accessories to complement equipment. Altec offers equipment disposition services through JJ Kane Auctioneers, as well.

The values on which the present owners’ grandfather founded Altec remain at the heart of the company’s core philosophy. Central to Lee Styslinger’s vision was the idea that the customer comes first, and that the company’s people are its greatest strength. Those values were further embedded under the leadership of Lee Styslinger, Jr., known as “the Chief.” During his 69-year tenure with the company, Altec reached new heights and earned the trust and confidence of customers worldwide, while maintaining the values and team-oriented culture of a family-owned business. Listening to customers and creating solutions is key to Altec’s commitment to total customer satisfaction in all that it does.

Altec’s vision is to be recognized by its customers as the preferred supplier in all the markets it serves. Company leaders know that Altec’s people are integral in sustaining that vision and achieving its goal of total customer satisfaction.

Every member of Team Altec embraces and advances the values of Customer First, Enjoyment of Work, Family, Financial Stability, Integrity, People Are Our Greatest Strength, Quality, Spiritual Development and Teamwork.

Altec’s long-term stability allows for resources to invest in research and development. The company remains at the forefront of providing solutions and innovations in information support services, allowing its customers to fully integrate their businesses and streamline processes for increased efficiency and cost savings. The latest manufacturing techniques and rigorous prototype testing guarantees every piece of Altec equipment meets the standards of quality its customers have come to expect.

From its headquarters in Birmingham to service and manufacturing locations across the country and around the world, Altec leads the industry by offering customers direct access to:

• complete line of new, used and rental equipment

• lowest cost of ownership

• robust financial services

• comprehensive after-the-sale support and training

• expansive mobile and shop service network

• wide variety of tools and accessories

In short, Altec invests in making crews’ lives easier through safe, reliable equipment—but it goes beyond that. Altec builds equipment, and it also builds relationships on the credibility that can only come from listening to and serving its customers loyally, year after year, since 1929. Altec is not simply a vendor, but, rather, a business partner and consultant to assist its customers and ensure their crews work safer and smarter. Altec doesn’t just deliver equipment—it delivers the spirit of possibility to help customers and communities reach higher.

CCR ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS

Much of the revitalization of Birmingham’s urban core in the past 26 years has been touched by CCR Architecture & Interiors, from the 20 Midtown multi-use project that breathed life into the Parkside District, to the former warehouse districts in Lakeview and Avondale that were transformed into more livable, walkable neighborhoods. CCR has continuously sought to improve spaces for the future.

The boutique architecture and design firm was founded in 1996 by Tammy Cohen, a Montgomery native who sharpened her talents at architecture firms in Atlanta and Birmingham before branching out on her own. At the time, Birmingham was on the brink of a revitalization. CCR would play a key role in rebuilding the Magic City.

In 1997, Cohen brought architect Karen Reynolds aboard and, in 2002, her husband, Richard Carnaggio. In 2005, the three became partners and the firm’s name changed to Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds. Today, CCR Architecture & Interiors is a 20-person team with six managing partners— Tammy Cohen as President and Richard Carnaggio, Roman Gary, Scott Burnett, Lissy Frese, and Jacklyn Loquidis-Hamric as Vice Presidents.

In 2005, CCR also moved its offices to another up-andcoming area of downtown—First Avenue South in the Lakeview District. They built an insulated tilt-up concrete and steel building on the former Seaboard Rail Yard, just

down the street from Birmingham’s Railroad Park and the Rotary Trail. The lower level houses the design studio, courtyard with a swimming pool, and a garage connected by a steel canopy. The second floor is Cohen and Carnaggio’s residence with views of Sloss Furnaces and the Downtown skyline.

Building Community

CCR has worked on more than 2,000 projects across the Southeast, but some of the firm’s most impactful work is located in Birmingham. From historic renovations of office and community space to new construction of mixed-use developments, the firm’s work has contributed to creating a stronger, activity-rich downtown.

“My favorite thing is seeing a project through completion. Seeing it built, seeing how people interact with the building and how it will change a neighborhood,” Cohen says. “I love going back and seeing how people use the spaces and learning from that. That’s pretty gratifying.”

Some of CCR’s projects that have had the biggest impact on Birmingham and the City Center include:

20 Midtown: This mixed-use development connects UAB and the City Center with ground-floor retailers like Starbucks, Chipotle, and Publix and includes parking and apartments above. Built in two phases, 20 Midtown includes 436 apartments, 86,400 SF of retail space, and 803 parking spaces.

This project includes a variety of amenity spaces and enhances the pedestrian level by increasing walkability within the Parkside District.

Lakeview Green: Built at the site of the former Davis School, Lakeview Green is the only developed and public green space in the Lakeview District. The green space includes a lazy river and koi pond, fire pits, chess, corn hole, an herb garden, and a pool. Conveniently located one block from the farmers market at Pepper Place, Lakeview Green includes 118 access-controlled apartments and space for restaurants and retail merchants.

Shipt: CCR has renovated several spaces for this Birminghambased tech company including the first floor of the historic John Hand building to serve as its headquarters; a second headquarters in Birmingham’s tallest skyscraper, the newly named Shipt Tower, which features six floors of office space, conferencing, a gymnasium, and common areas; and the Shipt Welcome Center, an extensive first-floor renovation of Shipt Tower.

BJCC Legacy Arena: CCR worked under Kansas Citybased Populous Inc., on the interior architecture and finishes of the common spaces, concourse, lobbies, suites, and upper

club of the BJCC Legacy Arena. The arena is located at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, one of the venues used to host the 2022 World Games.

Years of Success

In the 26 years since its founding, CCR has received more than 45 project or firm awards from organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, The International Interior Design Association, and the Birmingham Historical Society. The firm is recognized as a small Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), and its architects are LEED Accredited Professionals with registrations in several states.

“Over the years, our work in the city has always been in service of larger goals—to create a more robust City Center, connect communities, and enrich our collective quality of life,” Cohen says. “We are proud to have been making a difference in Birmingham for 26 years and look forward to what we can do for our community in the future.”

EDWARDS CHEVROLET

William Sterling Edwards, Jr., founded Edwards Motor Company in downtown Birmingham in 1916 — less than a decade after cars became readily available to the average consumer. “I drove all over Jefferson County selling to miners, doctors, industrialists, and businessmen,” he said in the June 1967 issue of Southern Automotive Journal. “I stayed with a prospect six to eight hours, and when the sale was made, stayed around to teach him to drive.” Sterling’s strong work ethic and true entrepreneur spirit ensured that the company, like the cars he sold, would stand the test of time.

A man of modest means, Sterling left his home in Gadsden in 1911 — and high school before graduating — in order to find work to help support his ailing parents. He found a job as a bank teller in Birmingham and attended Massey Business School at night to help broaden his prospects for future work. He also slept at the local YMCA, an experience that would stay with him for a lifetime.

In 1912, Sterling’s break into the car industry came when Brownell Ford hired him to sell vehicles in Ensley. In 1914, while still selling Fords for Brownell, Sterling operated his own Ford Dealership back home in Gadsden. By 1916, he had saved an impressive $6,000 — enough to start a dealership of his own.

On Aug. 5, 1916, Sterling signed a contract with famed racecar driver Louis Chevrolet and the Chevrolet Motor

Company to open Edwards Motor Company on bustling 21st street, becoming the first Chevrolet dealer in downtown Birmingham as well as the first in the state. The small shop employed a mechanic, a janitor, and Sterling, the salesman. Sterling’s keen business sense — which he passed down to his son Leon Edwards and his grandson Lee Edwards — would lead the company beyond the next century through two World Wars, The Great Depression, a devastating fire, and The Great Recession.

After returning from World War I, Sterling met the increased demand for Chevrolets by opening two new sales centers, one in Ensley and the other in Bessemer. He also moved his downtown operations to a three-story building at 120 3rd Avenue North. When the economy began to slump in the early 1920s, Sterling closed the Ensley and Bessemer branches and put all his efforts into the downtown business.

By 1928, the economy had recovered enough that Sterling relocated the company to a 65,000-square-foot building at 16th Street and 3rd Avenue North. Here, Edwards Motor Company weathered the Great Depression and the temporary halt to production of new vehicles when the U.S. entered World War II.

Much of Edwards Motor Company’s success during the tough times was in its ability to diversify. The company didn’t just sell cars, it offered 24-hour service. “People

would come downtown and drop off their car for service at 8 o’clock at night. They’d go to go dinner and a movie and then come back and pick up their car,” says Lee, who currently serves as president.

In 1944, Sterling started construction on a new facility at 1400 3rd Avenue North, which opened the following year. In the mid-1950s, Sterling changed the name to Edwards Chevrolet and brought on his son, Leon, to help run the business while Sterling pursued other passions.

Grateful for the support he received from the YMCA as a young man embarking on his own American dream, Sterling became the president of the local organization. He also went back into banking, but not as a teller as he was in his younger days, but in a leadership role with the Exchange Security Bank, which became First Alabama Bank, where he presided as president for a number of years. He also served as director of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and was an active member of the Birmingham Country Club. “Any activity with the name ‘Birmingham’ or ‘Alabama’ attached to it, if its purpose was to promote the city or state, Sterling Edwards supported it,” an old company scrapbook proclaims.

Meanwhile, Leon relied on the business sense his father instilled in him to lead Edwards Chevrolet through other challenges, including a fire in 1966 which devastated the showroom and much of the dealership’s memorabilia, and

the addition of a second location on Oporto-Madrid Boulevard in 2000, which was moved to Highway 280 in 2007. He also served in leadership roles with the Chevrolet National Dealer Council, and served as president of the Birmingham Automotive Dealers Association and the National Automobile Dealers Association.

In 1993, Leon passed the business down to his son Lee. But Leon continued to show up to work every day until a few months before he passed away in January 2021, at the age of 89. Lee has relied on the lessons learned from his grandfather and father to keep business running through the good times and the bad.

“Whenever we face a recession or some bad times, I keep thinking back to what the business went through when my grandfather was alive,” Lee recalls. “He figured out what needed to be done and did it and, as a result, our business survived. If he can do that, we can, too.”

Opposite page: Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Edwards Chevrolet are Leon Edwards, Lee Edwards, and Lee Edwards III with a vintage automobile. Above, left: W. Sterling Edwards, Jr., Founder of Edwards Chevrolet Co. & Louis Chevrolet, President of Chevrolet Motor Co. Above, top right: W. Sterling Edwards Jr. and Leon Edwards Above, bottom right: Lee Edwards and Leon Edwards

BURR & FORMAN LLP

Burr & Forman LLP’s century-strong success can be credited to its forward-thinking approach to crafting innovative solutions for the challenging situations encountered by its clients. The firm’s growth through the years is directly correlated to the success of its clients.

“It means a lot to us that we started in Birmingham and that not only are we still here, but we still have some clients that we had when we began,” says Lee Thuston, Chairman and former Managing Partner of Burr & Forman. “That’s important to us because as a Southeast regional law firm, we understand the professional services industry is still all about developing authentic relationships and helping people.”

In the Beginning

The firm that became known as Burr & Forman was established in Birmingham in 1905 as Percy & Benners by John Walker Percy, a Mississippi native and grandfather of the prized novelist of the same name, and Augustus Benners, a prominent local politician. In 1909, the pair 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. During the next several decades, the firm evolved to include other partners and mergers. In 1986, the firm adopted and institutionalized the name Burr & Forman.

Early on, Percy and Benners began laying a solid foundation for the firm by becoming a strong partner with the industries that were putting Birmingham on the map, including railroads, financial institutions, mining companies, and real

estate developers. A leader in the local bar, Percy successfully represented U.S. Steel Corporation in an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice alleging violation of antitrust laws.

He was also counsel for the Birmingham Southern Railroad and the Illinois Central Railroad. His services also proved invaluable to DeBardeleben Enterprises, the Ensley Land Company, the Republic Steel Corporation, and the Birmingham News.

The firm’s longtime industry strengths remain in manufacturing and financial institutions. “I think it speaks well for us that we’ve continued to be a major presence with those types of clients,” Thuston says.

Building on that strength, the firm has excelled in the past 30 years with new industries coming in from Asia and Europe, such as automotive and aerospace, together with myriad suppliers to the large manufacturing companies integral to these operations.

Building for the Future

In the 117 years since Burr & Forman was founded, the law firm has grown from a single location in Birmingham with two attorneys to a full-service regional powerhouse with 350 lawyers in eight states.

In considering expansion, Burr & Forman has always been mindful of its clients’ needs. As their clients’ businesses grow into new areas, so has the firm. One of its largest expansions occurred in 2019, when the firm acquired Carolinas-based

McNair Law Firm P.A., adding McNair’s 84 attorneys and seven offices within North Carolina and South Carolina. The move created a stronger full-service firm, deepening its bench in key industries such as manufacturing, transportation, banking, public finance, intellectual property, real estate, food and beverage, hospitality, and health care.

Combining its resources with McNair’s enabled Burr & Forman to expand its footprint into one of the largest firms in the Southeast with a collective portfolio that spans national practices and serves industries that are the cornerstone of the region’s economy.

In all the cities Burr & Forman has set up an office, its employees have become involved in the community and its professional, civic, and charitable endeavors. This commitment has earned the firm many accolades. Burr & Forman has consistently been recognized by Chambers USA, U.S. News & World Report, and Best Lawyers. The firm and its lawyers have also garnered recognition by Super Lawyers, Legal Elite, Benchmark Litigation, Martindale-Hubbell, BTI Consulting Group, American Lawyer Media, and Southern Business & Development Magazine.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Burr & Forman has made recent strides in its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the firm. The firm’s efforts include firm-sponsored affinity groups, unconscious bias training for attorneys and staff, internship opportunities

for students of diverse backgrounds into its Pre-Law Program, and a commitment to recruiting and retaining diverse candidates and law students. Leading these efforts is the firm’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, who reports directly to the Executive Committee, and the firm’s Diversity Committee, which is comprised of partners, attorneys, and staff from across the firm’s footprint. Together, they work to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion permeate the firm’s policies and practices. Burr & Forman welcomes varying perspectives and experiences and recognizes diversity as a strength that allows it to be a better firm and better serve its clients.

“The advancement of our DEI efforts has also created a new entrée into our clients, allowing for new partnerships through these programs and initiatives,” Thuston adds. “There is a lot of work to do in this area, and our firm has the right leadership in place to further that work.”

In recognition of Burr & Forman’s commitment to diversity, the firm was honored in 2019 by the Alabama State Bar Association’s Diversity of the Profession Committee, earned a 90% ranking on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2020 Corporate Equality index, and won the 2021 Outside Counsel Diversity Award from the Wells Fargo Legal Department. Additionally, the firm’s outstanding pre-law program received the Legal Marketing Association Southeast Region’s Your Honor Award in 2020.

BALCH & BINGHAM, LLP

A century ago, Judge William Logan Martin, Jr. and two partners, Judge Fritz Thompson and Perry Turner, laid the foundation for what would become known as Balch & Bingham when they formed the law firm of Martin, Thompson, and Turner.

Judge Martin, a former Alabama Attorney General and circuit court judge, as well as a highly regarded constitutional scholar, established the firm’s tradition of integrity and unparalleled service in the practice of law that remains at the core of Balch & Bingham today.

From modest beginnings, in 1922, the vision of Judge William Logan Martin, Jr. the firm grew to become what it is today: a nationally recognized law firm with more than 200 lawyers in 11 offices across five states and Washington D.C., boasting a globally-ranked nuclear energy practice, numerous market-leading practices and a steadfast commitment to serving its clients, its people, communities and the legal profession.

The firm’s client-first focus has helped Balch & Bingham build a loyal client base that includes publicly traded companies, small and mid-sized privately held companies, entrepreneurs from industries including banking and financial services, health care, construction, manufacturing, education, natural resources, and energy. Balch & Bingham has navigated legal challenges that changed the future of energy, finance, construction and so many other industries, economies and practice areas. While Balch & Bingham’s footprint has grown substantially in the past 100 years, beyond Birmingham and the state of Alabama, the firm remains committed to its home city.

“We foster a long-standing commitment to the vitality of Birmingham—both collectively as a firm and individually,” says Managing Partner Stan Blanton. “We are proud of the

dedication of our attorneys and staff who make an impact across the city we call home.”

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Balch & Bingham embraces diversity, equity and inclusion as a core value of the Firm. Its dedication to providing excellent client service is rooted in our commitment to cultivating an environment where all people of all backgrounds, characteristics, and perspectives are valued for their contributions, skills, and talents. It is the firm’s goal to actively recruit, hire, mentor, develop, advance, and retain a diverse team, while fostering an inclusive environment that encourages respect, camaraderie, and community for all.

Over the past decade, Balch & Bingham has bolstered its commitment by organizing a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council to raise the standards for diverse workplaces and communities. The Council is focused on fostering a connected and supportive culture, demonstrating active leadership through engagement with local, regional organizations, strengthening a diverse legal talent pipeline, and developing and advancing diverse and minority lawyers.

In February 2021, to address new opportunities to enhance diversity and inclusion at every level within the firm, Balch & Bingham announced the addition of the firm’s first chief diversity & inclusion officer and director of talent management, who joined the firm’s professional management team in the Birmingham office and works alongside firm leadership and several of the firm’s key committees, including the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council.

Community Outreach

Community is among Balch & Bingham’s core values. The firm invests in all of the communities in which it has offices and supports initiatives that ensure each flourish and advance.

Each year, the firm’s attorneys help provide access to justice and equality before the law to the most vulnerable members of the community. They also regularly donate their time to staff the Birmingham Bar Volunteer Lawyers help desk where they engage with and represent clients in various matters.

In late 2020, Balch & Bingham gave thoughtful consideration to what it could do to effect change, tackle systemic injustices, and help businesses succeed in a way that builds on its experience as attorneys. The result was the formation of Balch Business Boost, a program designed to support qualifying entrepreneurs of color and/or women-owned businesses by providing free or low-cost legal services.

The program leverages the collective experience and talent of the firm’s attorneys to help emerging and small business owners in several markets across the U.S. as they navigate legal and entrepreneurial challenges to building and sustaining success.

Notable Recognitions

Balch & Bingham has earned numerous accolades through the years. Most recently, 15 attorneys have been named Fellows in The American Colleges. More than 100 attorneys are listed in Best Lawyers in America, a peer-reviewed survey in which attorneys rank the professional abilities of colleagues within the same geographical area. Best Lawyers in America also recognized nine of the firm’s attorneys as a “Lawyer of the Year,” and 34 as “Ones to Watch,” a recognition honoring lawyers early into their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice.

In addition, 50 Balch & Bingham attorneys are ranked in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business,

the prominent legal guide for ranking the top law firms and attorneys based on their strengths and reputations in the legal industry. Chambers USA also recognized 16 Balch & Bingham practices, two of which were included in Nationwide rankings (Energy: Nuclear (Regulatory & Litigation) and Energy: Electricity- (Regulatory & Litigation)) for notable achievements over the past 12 months including outstanding work, impressive strategic growth, and excellence in client service.

Balch is identified in the Chambers & Partners Global 2022 Guide as a leader in the field for Energy: Nuclear (Regulatory & Litigation).

Forbes recently included Balch in its inaugural list of “America’s Top Trusted Corporate Law Firms.” Additionally, the firm is one of only 19 law firms nationwide to receive the “most recommended for” designation for banking and financial services.

Balch was recognized by Corporate Counsel affiliate ALM Legal Intelligence as one of the top ten law firms nationwide that are most called upon to serve clients in the finance and insurance industries.

While Balch celebrates 100 years of service, the firm looks to its collective future. A future where talented lawyers and professionals continue to have an opportunity to build meaningful careers, a future where Balch continues to grow alongside their clients and communities, and most importantly a future that is more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Giving back to the community is a core value for Balch & Bingham. Throughout the year, the firm’s lawyers participate in volunteer lawyer programs to provide critical legal services to those who might not otherwise have access to a lawyer. And everyone at Balch & Bingham gets involved in service projects ranging from providing meals for those in need to participating in programs to gather necessary food and supplies for community organizations. Pictured above, the firm collects and delivers needed supplies for the YWCA and they celebrate the important work of the Exceptional Foundation by participating in the Annual Chili Cook-Off.

BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL

Before the days of the Internet and instant communication, local business knowledge often was delivered through word of mouth. And frequently, it was a limited number of mouths sharing those words, keeping many others on the outside when it came to business insight.

Since its founding in 1983, the Birmingham Business Journal has attempted to level the “saying” field by supplying news that even the smallest of small-business owners can use to improve and expand their companies.

“You can go back and look at those early issues, and at its heart the BBJ was trying to provide information to help the business community grow their businesses, advance their careers and improve their professional lives,” BBJ President and Publisher Joel Welker says. “Our goal today is still to provide actionable intelligence that is going to help Birmingham’s business community run their companies more effectively.”

The BBJ was formed in 1983 and it took only two years before the BBJ made a significant – and long-lasting – impact on the business scene with the introduction in 1985 of its Top 40 Under 40 list. This marked one of the first times that any business publication directly recognized the accomplishments of a group of young professionals in such a way, preceding Fortune magazine’s famous national version by 14 years.

“That award is one of our hallmarks,” Welker said. “It has become a barometer for young professionals in Birmingham.”

The BBJ’s inaugural class consisted of numerous business leaders who have been instrumental in Birmingham’s growth and development. They included Harry Brock III (Central Bank), Ronnie Bruno (Bruno’s supermarkets), Jim Burke (Jim Burke Automotive), Rob Burton (Hoar Construction), Raymond Harbert (Harbert Management), Tom Luckie

(Luckie & Co.) and both Judy and Michael Thompson (Thompson Tractor). Even Comedy Club owner Bruce Ayers was on the original list.

Since then, the BBJ has developed several other annual awards and programs such as Birmingham’s Best Places to Work, CEO Awards, Commercial Real Estate Deals of the Year, its NextGen series and the Power 60 List of Birmingham’s Most Influential Executives. It also created thought leadership events, such as an ongoing series that focuses on building a more inclusive economy.

The BBJ started out as a monthly publication and remained that way until 1994, when it briefly went to a bi-weekly schedule before switching to its current weekly format in 1995. All along the way, the goal was to provide comprehensive local business coverage on a level that could not be found anywhere else.

In 1995, then-managing editor Don Milazzo summed up the publication this way: “The Birmingham Business Journal delivers accurate, timely business news to subscribers who demand more than what the daily papers and television can tell them. We provide in-depth reporting, engaging profiles – the information behind the headlines.”

In 1999, Charlotte-based American City Business Journals acquired the BBJ, making it one of more than 40 business journals the company now owns nationwide. Around that same time, the BBJ began increasing its online presence.

“That was a transformative moment for the BBJ, because at that point we became more than just a newspaper. We became a multimedia operation,” Welker says. “Ever since then, we think of ourselves not just as a weekly print publication, but as an outlet producing something every day in multiple media forms.

“Our reporting strategy became more immediate. We didn’t wait for the print edition. We started breaking news online and sharing the conversation of what was taking place right away. We shifted our mentality a bit and put a renewed emphasis on breaking news in the community and chasing bigger stories.”

These days, in addition to reporting daily news stories and profiling successful companies and executives, the BBJ also delves deeply into the various issues that affect the local business community.

“We’re always writing about what’s happening on the ground, but we also want to use things like our Viewpoint page as an opportunity to be aspirational for Birmingham,”

Welker says. “We want to put the spotlight on things the business community thinks should change about Birmingham, and act as a voice reflecting how the business community feels on certain topics.”

Because in many ways, Welker says, the future direction of the Birmingham Business Journal is intertwined with the city. After all, they share the same name.

“There is a huge connection between the two, and we want our pages to be a reflection of what’s happening in the Birmingham economy,” Welker says. “Our fate is kind of linked to Birmingham. Our company grows when Birmingham’s economy is moving forward. So, we want to highlight all the things that are helping Birmingham grow.”

Joel Welker, Publisher and President

SYNOVUS / FIRST COMMERCIAL

Birmingham experienced a banking boom in the 1980s, generated partially by the passage of legislation easing restrictions on interstate banking. As a result, the city’s burgeoning financial sector began to branch beyond Alabama.

In the midst of this outward expansion, Richard Anthony and John Oliver, Jr., decided to look inward. They founded First Commercial Bank in 1985 with a focus firmly set on Birmingham residents and businesses. Even though the bank has since become part of Columbus, Georgia-based Synovus, it still maintains the Birmingham-first objectives of its founders.

“Their whole approach to business was taking care of customers with a community feel,” says Synovus Birmingham Division CEO Nelson Bean, a Birmingham native who joined First Commercial Bank just a few years after graduating college. “We believe in local leadership, community involvement and community investment.”

This type of customer connection within Synovus actually dates all the way back to 1888, when a mill worker in Columbus tore her dress on the factory floor, dislodging money that had been sewn into the hem. The worker explained to the mill’s treasurer that she didn’t have any place safer to keep her earnings.

So, the treasurer offered to place the money in the mill safe and pay the worker monthly interest. He then provided the same service to other mill workers. Soon afterward, he used these initial deposits to establish the Columbus Savings Bank, which eventually evolved into Synovus.

Bean says the founders of First Commercial Bank took a similar approach to customer service, stressing the personal touches over the business side of banking. They adopted from Synovus the Customer Covenant, promising “the highest level of sincerity, fairness, courtesy and gratitude.”

“We firmly believe in developing relationships with our clients,” Bean says. “We should never start a conversation with, ‘Tell me about your checking account.’ Instead, it’s more of, ‘Tell me about your goals and aspirations.’

“One of our early taglines was, ‘The bank for people who don’t like banks.’ I really think that our attention and focus on customer service has been the biggest way for us to differentiate ourselves.”

By the early 1990s, First Commercial was part of a five-bank holding company – along with independent charters in

Huntsville, Jasper, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa – that had approximately $1 billion in collected assets. In 1992, that group agreed to merge with Synovus.

“The philosophy in Columbus was all about taking care of customers and having a community feel. That’s what attracted our founders to do a merger with them,” Bean says. “The Synovus model was they’d buy a bank, and then leave it alone. They still wanted us to have a local focus.”

Indeed, First Commercial maintained its independent bank charter for nearly two more decades, before Synovus finally consolidated 30 banks into a single charter in 2010. Even then, it took another seven years before the bank fully completed the transition to the Synovus name.

One thing that has not changed over the years is the wealth of banking talent that resides in the Birmingham area. Bean says that is one of the reasons the Synovus Mortgage Corporation is headquartered in the city.

“There is a tremendous banking talent pool in Birmingham that we can take advantage of,” Bean says. “We have a very large presence in Synovus. Outside of Columbus, one of the largest concentrations of Synovus employees in one place is here.”

Being “here” is important to the Synovus Birmingham division, as evident by the corporate community outreach tagline: “Here Matters.” It also shows up in the work the company does with numerous local organizations, including the Exceptional Foundation, Freshwater Land Trust, Junior Achievement, Junior League, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, and United Way.

“We encourage all our folks to work in the community and serve on local boards,” Bean says. “We easily have 15 to 20 organizations around town that our people are actively involved with. That’s very important to us.”

One example of this community involvement is the Woodlawn Foundation, formed in 2010 by First Commercial / Synovus board member Michael Goodrich and his wife Gillian. The foundation works to revitalize Birmingham’s historic Woodlawn community, which has struggled with poverty for decades.

“Our mortgage services are very much about helping with affordable housing. It’s a major priority,” Bean says. “We want to assure access to financial services for every walk of life, and one of the best ways to do that is through mortgages.

“The majority of our focus is on people who live in Birmingham and have businesses here. A bank is only as good as the local economy. We need to do everything we can to help the community grow, because the ripple effect from that helps everybody. That’s why for more than 130 years, Synovus has stayed true to the concept that banking is a service to our communities and to the people who live here.”

Above: Synovus Division CEO Nelson Bean Opposite page: Synovus Birmingham Headquarters located on Shades Creek Parkway

MAYNARD NEXSEN

Photo by Brandon Robbins

Opposite page: Firm Chairman and Head of Client Relations Greg Curran pictured with Associate Jennifer Moore. Top left: Our founding attorneys at Maynard’s 30th Anniversary Celebration in 2014. Top right: Jeff Grantham, the firm’s CEO and Managing Shareholder since 2017. Bottom left: Standing proudly in our lobby, Maynard’s Vulcan statue, “Esprit de Corps,” is a nod to one of the firm’s founding principles promoting mutual respect, teamwork, and open communication. Painted by local artist Sonia J. Summers. Bottom right: Shareholder Jennifer McEwen and Associate Stewart Alvis share a laugh over a conference room table.

Photo by Brandon Robbins

Photo by Brandon Robbins

CAPSTONE BUILDING CORP.

Capstone Building Corp. began in 1997 as a general contractor focused on constructing student housing across the United States. During the company’s first decade in business, Capstone completed new housing for more than 17,000 students without missing a single deadline.

Then, like all good students, Capstone graduated into something bigger.

By 2007, the company had moved fully into the multi-family housing sector, serving a comprehensive range of public and private developers. In addition to student housing, projects have included government housing entities, luxury dwellings and senior living facilities.

Over the years, Capstone has completed 134 projects (and counting) in 22 states, with a combined value of more than $2.2 billion. The company recently expanded beyond its Birmingham headquarters by opening a second office location in Huntsville.

“I attribute the growth of our company over the past 25 years to the incredible culture and camaraderie shared by our team members,” Capstone founder and CEO Jay Chapman says. “Our team is composed of the kind of people who like order and organization. Unlike many multi-family builders, we’re as much about project management and supervision as we are about relationship-building and collaboration.”

One of Capstone’s most notable recent projects in Birmingham is The Estelle, a premier apartment community developed

by the Dobbins Group. Located south of downtown just off I-65, The Estelle combines urban and suburban living. It opened in 2021 and experienced the quickest lease-up ever recorded in Birmingham history.

Some of the company’s other successful projects in Birmingham include Blachs Condominiums, Glenbrook at Oxmoor Valley, Moretti at Vulcan Park, Park Place, Terrace Court, Tuxedo Court, and The Village at Lakeshore Crossing.

Nationally, Capstone has been involved with projects from California to Connecticut. Capstone’s cornerstone of student housing can be found at the University of Alabama, the University of Connecticut, the University of Florida, Michigan State University, the University of Missouri, Oklahoma State University, the University of Oregon, the University of South Carolina and the University of Texas.

“We feel honored to have been part of so many impressive developments,” Chapman says. “From affordable housing and luxury apartments to senior living and veteran housing, we have had the privilege of touching so many different aspects of the multifamily development and community needs. We are extremely appreciative of the support and trust from the developers who we work with and are proud to play a role in their outstanding developments across the country.”

Alabama Media Group is one of the country’s most innovative media companies – and operates AL.com, the Alabama Education Lab, This is Alabama, People of Alabama and the Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile editions of The Lede.

In addition, Alabama Media Group runs a digital marketing business which serves advertising clients throughout the Southeast, a film production group Advance Originals, and the national brands Reckon and It’s a Southern Thing.

We have more than 100 journalists who are dedicated to telling stories that change lives, laws and minds across our digital brands right here in Alabama. And our work continues to earn national recognition for its impact and innovation.

In the past 5 years, AL.com journalists have been awarded two Pulitzer Prizes and been a finalist for another, won 21 regional Emmys for documentary work, an Edward R. Murrow award for podcasting and a Webby Award for short-form comedy.

AL.com is Alabama’s largest news site, providing up-to-the minute coverage of the news from around the state. Our journalists cover breaking news as it happens. Dig into the state’s most pressing issues through award-winning investigative reporting and smart commentary. We deliver up-close analysis on college football, basketball and more, and bring the state together with stories that highlight what we all love about Alabama

AL.com also has one of the largest investigative reporting teams in the South. We recently announced the launch of a local investigative reporting network in Alabama to focus on holding officials accountable to residents and investigating corruption in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile. www.al.com

The Lede is a daily e-edition that publishes in Huntsville, Birmingham and Mobile. Each city-specific edition of The Lede contains in-depth stories about the issues that matter where you live, general local news, government accountability reporting, statewide news and regional stories, sports, obituaries as well as comics, interactive puzzles, crosswords and games. The Lede has added local reporters to each city, developing new stories for its readers.

www.alabamalede.com

The Alabama Education Lab is a team of journalists dedicated to covering K-12 education through the lens of what we can do to help our state’s kids achieve their potential. Alabama Education Lab examines policies, analyzes best practices, identifies solutions to problems, and celebrates the work that students, teachers and our communities are doing to move us forward – one student at a time.

We’re dedicated to solutions-based reporting and talking to educators, parents, students, advocates and business leaders around the state about efforts to improve schools and increase learning.

www.alabamaeducationlab.org

This is Alabama celebrates our state by sharing stories about the reasons we love to call Alabama home: the people, natural wonders, good food, innovation, interesting places to visit, events and so much more.

A passionate community of fans, supporters and partners have backed our mission. More than 600,000 people have joined our social communities across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn. Millions of people have watched our videos and shared our stories about Alabama’s inspiring people, natural wonders, innovation, good food, events, places to visit and more.

Join us by following our social media and signing up for This is Alabama’s weekly newsletter to get a dose of good news about Alabama delivered to your inbox every Friday.

www.thisisalabama.org

SPIRE

While the name has changed over the years, the familiar blue flame of Spire continues to burn brightly in Birmingham and throughout Alabama.

The roots of Spire’s presence in the state date all the way back to 1852, when the Montgomery Gas Light Company began using natural gas to provide street lighting for the city. The company underwent several mergers, expansions and name changes over the ensuing decades before ultimately becoming the Alabama Gas Corporation, or Alagasco for short.

From its headquarters in downtown Birmingham, Alagasco grew into the largest natural gas utility in the northern half of Alabama, providing energy to approximately 460,000 homes and businesses. In 1985, the name of Alagasco’s holding company was changed to Energen Corporation, though the utility continued to operate under the old name.

Then in 2014, Alagasco was purchased by The Laclede Group, a St. Louis-based energy holding company with more than 1 million natural gas utility customers throughout Missouri. Laclede had a lengthy history similar to Alagasco’s, having started in 1857 as The Laclede Gas Light Company by illuminating the streets of St. Louis.

Laclede changed its name to Spire in 2016, and a year later Alagasco rebranded as well. Spire is now the largest natural

gas provider in Alabama, serving approximately 220,000 customers in the Birmingham metropolitan area and nearly 518,000 statewide. Spire also has more than 1,100 employees throughout the state, with nearly 700 working out of the Birmingham area.

“When Alagasco was purchased in 2014, employees here in Alabama had a chance to begin interacting with our new sister companies in Missouri,” says Joe Hampton, president of Spire Alabama, Gulf Coast and Mississippi. “What we quickly learned was that no matter the location, we all shared the same values and commitment to serving. With a common purpose of delivering safe and reliable natural gas to all of our service areas and a renewed focus on community, it was the perfect time to rebrand as Spire.”

The community aspect is important, and Spire continues to build on Alagasco’s legacy by maintaining support of Birmingham-area nonprofits through financial contributions and volunteerism. These organizations include Children’s of Alabama, the A.G. Gaston Boys and Girls Club, the Birmingham Zoo, and the Jones Valley Teaching Farm. In addition, Spire is a sponsor of such annual activities as the Magic City Classic football game, Birmingham Restaurant Week, and the Gone Fishin’, Not Just Wishin’ event at Oak Mountain State Park, in which basic fishing skills are taught to students with special needs.

“Our mission is to not only provide exceptional service to our customers, but to use the strength of our energy to uplift and advance our communities,” Hampton says. “We live this mission by supporting many organizations in Birmingham. We invest our time and resources in the organizations that enrich the lives of those we serve, because it’s the strength of our collective energy that moves us all forward.”

Spire’s commitment to community was perhaps never more evident than during The World Games, the multi-sport event recently held in Birmingham. Not only was Spire the presenting sponsor of the gymnastics events, but the company also distributed 10,000 tickets to the Games for area nonprofits, school systems and community agencies.

“Participating in a once-in-a-lifetime event like The World Games was special to all our Spire employees,” Hampton says. “But to provide an opportunity for 10,000 members of our community to attend these events was the ultimate reward.”

Spire doesn’t simply encourage its employees to assist local charities through volunteer efforts, the company actually compensates them for doing so. Spire’s “Day for Good” program provides employees with eight hours of paid time off to volunteer at the nonprofit of their choice.

“Our employees are always prepared to step up and give back to the Birmingham community through service opportunities,” Hampton says. “From helping maintain urban farms and schools, to building homes for those in need, to making financial contributions to the United Way of Central Alabama, our employees are always eager to lend a hand.

“Their dedication to making Birmingham a better place is inspiring, and a key factor in why our company has been serving Alabama since 1852. Our name reminds us that there are no limits to what we can achieve together. Because when you champion people by delivering energy that inspires, everything is possible.”

TRUCKWORX

“Trucks

Move America”

is more than just a slogan for Truckworx. It is a firm belief that has been established over more than 40 years of selling the heavy-duty vehicles and making sure they keep rolling across the country.

“Without trucks – and dealers to keep those trucks up and running on the road – people aren’t getting fuel and food and clothes and medicine,” Truckworx CEO Will Bruser says. “A truck touches nearly every product at some point. Without trucks, America stops.”

Truckworx began traveling down this road in 1978, when B.B. Mitchell and his son Bob purchased the first Kenworth truck franchise for the state of Alabama. Simply called Kenworth of Birmingham, the business began with a total of nine employees, including the Mitchells, and provided Kenworth commercial trucks, parts and service to Birmingham and the surrounding areas.

The company expanded slowly over the next 30 years, gradually adding dealerships in Dothan, Mobile, and Montgomery. In 2004, Bruser was hired as a salesman, and in 2006, he and his wife Tracy were asked to move to Mobile to help grow that market.

While there, Bruser oversaw the construction of a new dealership in Mobile and put together a team that focused on building lasting relationships with customers as well as

vendors. By 2009, Kenworth of Mobile had increased its market share from only 2 percent to 18 percent and had done so during a recession that hit the trucking industry hard.

Along the way, Bruser’s family also grew. In January of 2008, he and his wife welcomed twins, Hayden and William, and two years later their youngest son, Mitchell, was born. Bruser’s success in Mobile prompted company officials to move his family back to Birmingham so that he could oversee equipment sales by applying the strategies he used in Mobile for the entire company. As Mitchell approached retirement, Bruser was named Vice President of the company in 2011, and then President in 2013. Around the same time, the company rebranded as Truckworx to create unity among all the dealerships.

“At that point, we really started hiring people and expanding,” says Bruser. “As truck engines and electrical technologies continued to become more complex, we felt like we needed to evolve as a company to be able to support our customers’ changing needs. There was definitely a lot of potential for growth.”

“So, we created Truckworx Fleet Solutions,” he said. “Our techs are the best in the business. Our parts professionals know these truck parts like the back of their hand. With TFS, our trained employees go into our customers’ businesses and handle all the maintenance and service work, manage

their parts ordering and inventory, and really do whatever they need us to do. It takes a lot of headaches off of them, so they can concentrate on what they do best, which is moving freight. It’s been very successful.”

Bruser says all this growth stems from the company faithfully following its mission statement of, “Do what’s right for the right reasons. All day, every day.” This mantra is prominent in every Truckworx location: on the walls, on shirts, in the lobbies, even on key chains.

“I believe if we focus on this in all aspects of our company, we will all be successful in both business and in our personal lives,” Bruser says. “We have great people who really put our mission statement to work.”

“This is a very energetic place,” he continues. “People are excited about doing the right things for the right reasons. That means showing up for each other every day and making things better for our customers, our vendors, our company, each other, and the trucking industry as a whole.”

In 2021, Bruser and his family acquired all aspects of the company which now includes 16 Truckworx locations throughout Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle, with a total of more than 475 employees.

Today, Truckworx represents Kenworth, Hino, and Isuzu commercial trucks, Blue Bird school buses, and five heavy-duty trailer manufacturers (Talbert, Pitts, Fontaine, Dragon, and Clement). The company also offers short-term and long-term commercial truck rentals and full-service leasing through PacLease, and is an authorized dealer for Yeti products, M.B. Ranch King deer blinds, and Pitmaker BBQ Trailers and Smokers.

In addition to nine full-service dealerships, Truckworx also operates the largest commercial body shop in the Southeast in Graysville, Ala., three TRP Parts locations, and four Truckworx Fleet Solutions locations.

Bruser says he plans to continue expanding the company in the coming years by adding at least four more full-service Truckworx locations.

All this is done with one primary purpose in mind: to keep the country moving. Whether it’s supplying sanitation trucks for the city of Birmingham, or long-haul 18-wheelers that move products coast-to-coast, Bruser says Truckworx provides a valuable service. This was particularly recognized during the start of the COVID pandemic, when the company was deemed to be an essential business and never stopped operations.

“We’re sort of like a surgeon,” Bruser says. “A surgeon helps keep a person alive. Trucks and trucking companies do the same thing. We help keep America alive.”

Opposite page: Will Bruser (Owner & CEO), Lane Bearden (Birmingham General Manager), Brent Bruser (VP of Sales), and Mike Levering (VP of Operations)

Top: Will Bruser, Owner and CEO of Truckworx, with wife, Tracy, and children Hayden, William, and Mitchell

Bottom: Truckworx-Birmingham located on Finley Blvd.

STUDIO 2H DESIGN

Providing our clients and community with design excellence beyond expectation.

In 2015, Studio 2H Design (S2HD) was established for fairly practical reasons, when Nolanda Hatcher of NHB Group and Creig Hoskins of Hoskins Architecture, both practicing Owners of successful local Birmingham Architecture firms, decided to join forces. This merger allowed them to stop competing against each other for the same work, to share overhead costs and to efficiently utilize staff. Creig and Nolanda’s strategic alliance allowed them to increase their ability to produce work and pursue larger projects.

Located along Birmingham’s 4th Avenue North Historic District, Studio 2H Design, LLC (S2HD) have completed several major design projects in Birmingham’s City Center. These projects include being on the design teams for the new Protective Stadium as well as the renovated BJCC Legacy Arena. S2HD was the prime Architect on the renovation of the historic Carver Theater Jazz Hall of Fame. The creation of S2HD paid off allowing their growth into a multi-disciplinary collective that offers services in architecture, interior design, master planning, development consulting, land acquisition, program management, site and zoning analysis, tax credit and funding source research. The firm works with clients from initial stages of site selection all the way through planning, design, and construction contract administration.

Hatcher and Hoskins have been professional colleagues in the architectural field since the early 1990s. Hatcher worked for Gresham, Smith and Partners before forming NHB Group in 2002. Hoskins was a principal at Giattina Aycock Architectural Studio where he spent more than 20 years before starting his firm in 2008.

The name Studio “2H” Design was derived from “H,” which is the first letter of both of their last names. “We wanted a

name that commemorated us as firm founders (thus the 2H), but that did not pigeonhole the next generation firm leaders,” Hoskin says. “What happens so often with small firms is once the original leadership retires, most firms close soon after. We don’t want that to happen with S2HD. We want to groom and educate our next generation of architects so they can continue and improve on our mission.” This will allow S2HD to become the legacy firm our team envisions.

Since the firm’s founding, S2HD has regularly handled 20 to 30 projects each year, including work for the University of Alabama in 2016. Early word-of-mouth about the new firm was so positive that in 2017 S2HD was approached directly about being the architect for the new Warrior Elementary School for Jefferson County Schools.

The firm expanded again significantly in 2018, when Angela Nash and Gary Nash, the owners of the 25-year-old firm FORMWORKS Architects, decided to take up S2HD’s offer to bring their many years of expertise, clients, staff, and past projects to further bolster S2HD firm’s portfolio. S2HD strongly believes these strategic alliances attract senior leadership and talented creative thinkers to help S2HD meet their annual and long-term goals.

With 11 full-time and two part-time employees, S2HD continues moving forward at a steady pace, performing work in Alabama and seven other states. In recent years, the firm has been awarded contracts for a new STEM building in New Orleans, a new Water Testing Lab Building for Birmingham Water Works Board, a new Elementary School for Montgomery Public Schools, Building Renovations and Site Improvements for United Way of Central Alabama’s Headquarters (People’s Choice Award from AIA 2021),

work at Birmingham Shuttleworth International Airport and extensive renovation work at both University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Montevallo.

“Our vision is to be a highly efficient, award winning, legacy firm,” says Hatcher, a Birmingham native and proud graduate of Fairfield High School. Hatcher and Hoskins both take pride that Studio 2H Design has been able to accomplish what it has as both a minority-owned and a woman-owned firm. “Our voices need to be in the room when it comes to conversations and strategies to increase the number of minority and female architects in our profession. We want to be responsible not only for providing the best solutions for design projects we are hired to complete, but we also want to be a resource and example for other architects to do the same.”

In addition, Hatcher and Hoskins are utilizing S2HD to make architectural design and planning accessible to the overall population, and not confining their work to just major commercial projects and high-end housing. “We’re community oriented,” Hoskins says. “We want to be able to reach out across the entire community and help those who don’t fully understand what an architect does and show them how architecture and planning can positively impact them, their organizations and communities.”

Opposite page: S2HD employees enjoy showing off the studio’s work on the BRT Bus Stop.

Photo by KP Studios Below, from left to right: United Way of Central Alabama, Photo by Angela Nash; Birmingham Rapid Transit West Transfer Station, Photo by Bob Farley; Warrior Elementary School, Photo by Bob Farley; Birmingham Rapid Transit East Transfer Station, Photo by Bob Farley; Legacy Arena, Photo by Bob Farley; and Inglenook Library, Photo by Callan Childs.

BOOKS-A-MILLION

In 1917, 14-year-old Clyde W. Anderson began delivering newspapers to help support his family. He heard that the Northern construction workers who had come to Florence to help build Wilson Dam in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, were disappointed they couldn’t buy their hometown newspapers in the area, and he had an idea. Anderson coordinated with Northern newspaper publishers and the railroads to send stacks of newspapers to Florence, Alabama, where he sold them from a makeshift newsstand he built with piano crates on Court Street.

Within a few years of building his piano-crate newsstand, Clyde Anderson and his brothers had earned enough money to invest in their first bookstore in downtown Florence. That was the beginning of Books-A-Million, one of the country’s leading bookstore chains, which today operates 230 stores in 33 states and employs around 4,000 associates.

The Anderson family business grew from that single bookstore to a regional chain that thrived under the leadership of Clyde’s son, Charles C. Anderson, who took the helm in 1950. By the end of the 1970s, the business had expanded into a 50-store enterprise located in Southeastern shopping malls and operated under the name Bookland.

In the 1980s, with the advent of the superstore, the Anderson family business took a leap into the new world of “big box” retailing, The company doubled in size in 1988 when it purchased Gateway.

In 1992, the company changed its name to Books-A-Million, reflecting its new focus on the superstore format, and became a public company trading on the NASDAQ exchange.

The modern Books-A-Million stores are located in power shopping centers, lifestyle centers, and malls. They are usually situated as a vital component of a complete shopping experience, in close proximity to national anchor stores, department stores, big box electronics and home goods stores, grocery stores, restaurants, and movie theaters. BookSmart, Inc., the company’s bargain book distributor, services a large number of retail and wholesale clients throughout the country and offers a wide assortment of value-priced books from specially published packages to publisher remainders of previous bestsellers.

Over the years, Books-A-Million has continued to build its business by entering new markets and acquiring other companies in related businesses. In 1994, the company purchased Books & Co., and in 2001, it acquired a portion of Crown Books. In 1999, Books-A-Million purchased NetCentral, a web

development company, which led to the development of BooksAMillion.com, a high-powered online marketplace through which the company sells and ships products all over the world.

While the Anderson family business has come a long way since 1917, Books-A-Million’s deeply rooted passion for books drives the core purpose: to provide knowledge, education, and entertainment to the communities they serve. While books are at the heart of everything they do, their longevity has afforded them the opportunity to establish expertise in a wide array of offerings beyond books. Their stores showcase a curated

collection of books, gifts, trending pop culture merchandise, and exclusive items, making for the ultimate shopping destination—with even more variety available online. They are a true bookstore at their core, with unexpected bonus experiences tucked around every corner.

Books-A-Million is proud to cater to customers of all kinds— avid readers, passionate pop culture collectors, gift seekers, and more. With their expert picks, customers are the first to know what everyone is (and will be) talking about. They work with publishers, vendors, and studio partners to create bestin-class products that their customers will love.

HARBERT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

On November 4, 1993, at the age of 34, and with a $3 million loan from his father, Raymond J. Harbert incorporated Harbert Management Corporation (HMC) with four other shareholders, all of whom shared the overarching goal of building a world-class alternative investment management company. In the 25 years since, HMC has more than realized that vision by holding true to the core values on which it was founded.

At the time, no one had ever launched a firm like HMC in Alabama before. And neither Harbert nor his fellow shareholders — David Boutwell, Will Brooke, Charlie Miller, or Michael White — had managed an investment management firm, much less worked for one. But they had faith in their mission.

They created a business model based upon the merchant banking tradition, focusing on investing in alternative assets, an area Harbert had worked in for years at Harbert Corporation, the multinational construction company founded by his father, John M. Harbert III. From the beginning, the firm also maintained a true alignment with its clients through a substantial commitment of capital by shareholders and employees in its investment products on equal terms and conditions as all its clients.

Through the years, HMC has consistently added new strategies and funds. But its growth accelerated most notably beginning in 2013 with the addition of European Growth Capital, followed in 2014 by the launch of the Discovery Fund and, a year later, with the Seniors Housing strategy.

Since January 1, 2013, HMC’s Regulatory Assets Under Management grew from $2.2 billion to $8.3 billion as of July 31, 2022.

HMC has become a global investment management firm with offices in New York, Atlanta, Dallas, and San Francisco, as well as London, Madrid, and Paris. But the company’s headquarters has always been in the Birmingham. And, like his father, Raymond J. Harbert is committed to investing in the city and in Alabama.

In 1998, HMC established the HERO Foundation, a 100 percent employee-operated nonprofit that provides direct financial assistance to help people regain their independence and self-sufficiency in the wake of natural disasters, medical crises, or temporary financial hardships. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered businesses across the nation, the Foundation and HMC employees stepped in, creating the HERO Small Business Relief program to provide much-needed financial assistance to struggling small businesses.

HMC is also a significant supporter of the Alabama Futures Fund, which seeks to make seed and early-stage investments in Alabama-based operating companies and companies that are willing to relocate their headquarters and principal business operations to Alabama.

HMC may have started as an unlikely idea, but its quartercentury record proves the firm is equipped to withstand the test of time.

Foundation volunteers prepare holiday gifts for children in need.

RENAISSANCE ROSS BRIDGE RESORT & SPA

The Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail has been a benchmark for excellence in Birmingham hotels. It has welcomed more than 2 million guests since its opening in August 2005 as Birmingham’s premier destination resort, surrounded by the natural beauty of a Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail championship golf course. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Ross Bridge has 330 acres of lush landscaping and a 1,000-yard cascading waterfall connecting two scenic lakes.

The AAA Four Diamond resort remains an unparalleled experience, from the stacked stone fireplace and mosaic flooring in the lobby to the 258 guest rooms and 11 suites with balconies overlooking the golf course. Ross Bridge is a perfect combination of refined comfort and sophistication, giving an impressive welcome to tourists, business travelers and meeting planners alike. The resort’s unique architecture and design melds a 1920s residential sensibility with modern comforts. Guest rooms boast luxurious marble countertops in four-fixture bathrooms and triple sheeted beds with elegant duvets and signature design elements such as unique headboards accented with leather and copper nails.

The Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort is the centerpiece of the Ross Bridge community, a 2,700-acre master-planned mixed-use resort town located in Hoover, on the southwest outskirts of Birmingham. The community was named after James Taylor Ross, a Scotsman who moved his family from South Carolina in 1858 to farm in Shannon Valley. An historic stone culvert provided rail line access to cross Ross Creek transporting goods made in Jefferson County. The culvert is now known as Ross Bridge. Although the old rail line is gone, Jefferson County and the cities of Birmingham and Hoover worked together to build the major access roads

to the property, making the resort convenient to all of the major interstates, Birmingham International Airport and the region’s major business centers.

At Ross Bridge, golf is an extraordinary guest experience. With stunning views, the course plays from 4,800 yards to 8,191 yards. Designed specifically for PGA tournament play, Ross Bridge is the premier course on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and is ranked the No. 2 public-access course in Alabama. GOLF Magazine named Ross Bridge one of the top 100 golf resorts and top 25 buddy trips in North America for 2019. Golf Digest editors named Ross Bridge one of their favorite golf resorts for the past four years.

Ross Bridge Golf Resort is home to an incredible 12,000-squarefoot full-service spa and salon. Bamboo flooring, subtle lighting and attention to the smallest details ensure a comfortable, serene feeling at the spa. Guests can avail themselves of services including massage, facial, hydrotherapy, reflexology, aromatherapy, manicures and pedicures, and more.

For meetings and events, Ross Bridge provides one of the Southeast’s premier conference settings. There are 20,000 square feet of high-end indoor and outdoor meeting areas plus the latest technological amenities. A spacious ballroom, distinctive boardroom and plenty of meeting rooms can accommodate small corporate gatherings and large conventions with equal ease.

With first-class dining at Brock’s Restaurant, a warm and accommodating staff, and even a bagpiper playing each evening at sunset, a stay at Ross Bridge guarantees an extraordinary adventure.

WALLACE JORDAN RATLIFF & BRANDT

During the past 35 years, the law firm of Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt has represented clients throughout the United States. But the firm’s heart has always been where its home is — Alabama.

“One of our main tenets when we started is we wanted to serve the Birmingham community,” founding member Dale Wallace said. “We’re very thankful for our relationship with many of the businesses and people here in town. While we are not limited to local clients, it is our primary focus.”

Dale Wallace began the firm in 1987 with Will Brooke and David Byers (the firm was originally called Wallace, Brooke & Byers). The name changed as Bert Jordan, Bill Ratliff, and Mike Brandt joined the firm. But Wallace said the primary objectives have remained steadfastly the same. “Treating people well, both clients and employees, is definitely a key part of our culture,” Wallace said. “And we aren’t afraid to take on things that are challenging.”

The young firm gained recognition in 1994 when it represented Judge Perry Hooper Sr. in a challenge to his election as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court after he narrowly won by just 262 votes. It took nearly a year before Hooper prevailed in the case and finally assumed office. “That was a significant moment for us,” Wallace said.

As the firm has grown, Wallace said it has responded to various trends in the economy. When the banking industry was at its peak in Birmingham, the firm increased its work for numerous financial institutions and continues to serve clients in the banking industry today. When the medical field grew in the area, the firm increased its work with clients in that industry.

Wallace Jordan gradually expanded its ability to serve larger clients while still maintaining relationships with its small and medium-sized business and individual clients. Wallace Jordan has also broadened the types of businesses and industries it represents over the years to include, for example, technology, construction, entertainment, insurance, and retail companies, as well as many governmental entities.

Wallace Jordan has grown to now include more than 40 attorneys, and nearly all of them either grew up in Alabama or attended Alabama law schools (or both). “More importantly,” Wallace said, “every member of the firm is committed to doing his or her part to help the city, the state, and the firm’s clients.”

“We are Alabama people passionate about helping our fellow Alabamians and their companies,” Wallace said. “It’s been our great pleasure to serve the community for 35 years, and we look forward to continuing to do so for many years to come.”

EBSCO INDUSTRIES

In the first summer of the Great Depression, Elton B. Stephens sold magazines door-to-door to help pay for his education at Birmingham Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama. Elton quickly realized something about himself— he could sell. He made enough money to pay for next year’s tuition that summer. The following summer, Elton B. Stephens assembled and coordinated a team of friends to assist him, and he learned that he was not only an excellent salesman but also a good manager.

By 1936, at 25 years old, Elton had graduated from the University of Alabama Law School. He was earning more money weekly managing salespeople part-time than a fledgling attorney could make in a month. Eventually, in 1944, Elton set out to pursue his aspirations. He and his wife Alys formed a partnership that became one of the largest privately held companies in the United States.

Since then, EBSCO (an acronym for Elton B. Stephens Company) has diversified into more than 70 brands that employ more than 4,500 people in the United States and 26 other countries. Its diverse business operations include information services, outdoor products, real estate, manufacturing and distribution, insurance, SaaS, business furnishings, and much more. EBSCO is consistently ranked by Forbes magazine in the top 200 of the nation’s largest privately held corporations, based on revenues and employees.

Led by an entrepreneurial vision, EBSCO’s more than 77year history has been marked by continuous improvement and a commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen, as EBSCO strives to Create Positive Results in its team

members, businesses, and the community. In this spirit, EBSCO contributes to the vitality of the Birmingham area by supporting countless community initiatives, sharing its profits with its team members, and devoting 5% of pre-tax profits to helping communities.

“Birmingham has been an extraordinary corporate home to EBSCO for the past 77+ years we have been in business. We look forward to many years of prosperity and growth in Birmingham as our team members continue to create positive results in our community,” Chairman Bryson Stephens says. Carrying on his grandfather’s tradition, Stephens and CEO David Walker continue to lead EBSCO forward today.

BIRMINGHAM WATER WORKS

Birmingham Water Works proudly serves high-quality drinking water to more than 770,000 people in the City of Birmingham and five counties. The largest water system in Alabama, its focus has always been on providing the best water service to its customers at an affordable price.

In 1872, when Birmingham was a year old, the Elyton Land Company established a water system and began construction of a pump station by Village Creek. Later known as North Birmingham Station, it pumped water to a reservoir at 14th Avenue and 23rd Street North. On May 13, 1873, for the first time, water flowed from the reservoir into the downtown area. In 1885, the Elyton Land Company organized the Birmingham Water Works Company as a separate corporation.

In 1887, a canal was constructed to carry water from Five Mile Creek near Robinwood through Tarrant and Inglenook, and to the North Birmingham Pump Station. When the city outgrew this additional supply, work began on the development of a new source of water nine miles south of the city from the Cahaba River. Finished in 1890, the Cahaba Pumping Station had its own coal mine and electric generator. It pumped water from the Cahaba River into the new reservoir on Shades Mountain.

In 1899, the Birmingham Water Works Company was sold to the American Waterworks and Guarantee Company, which later became the American Waterworks and Electric Company, then American Waterworks Company. In 1903, filter plants were added to the North Birmingham Pump Station and at Shades Mountain Reservoir, followed by the construction of a dam in 1909 on the Little Cahaba

River near Leeds, which created Lake Purdy. Putnam Filter Plant was added in 1939. In 1951, the City of Birmingham purchased the water system and established an independent water board.

The system now boasts four water sources and more than 4,000 miles of transmission lines. The Western Filter Plant at East Thomas was built in 1962 and expanded in 1975 and 1985 to its present capacity of 60 million gallons per day. The Carson Filter Plant in Pinson followed in 1972 to treat water from the reservoir at Inland Lake in Blount County and expanded in 2008. In December 1986, the board’s name was changed to the Waterworks and Sewer Board of the City of Birmingham. The 1990s saw the addition of the Industrial Waterworks, the EnviroLab, and the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. In 2009, the name was officially changed to the Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham.

In 2018, construction of a new filter building at the Shades Mountain Filter Plant began. With only 16 filter bays, the new filter building will match the 80 million gallons per day capacity of the existing filter buildings, which utilize 46 filter bays. It will eventually replace the existing filter buildings.

As an innovative water leader in the state and nationally, Birmingham Water Works prioritizes efficient operations and environmental and community stewardship. It constantly strives to be a world-class utility focused on customer service, fiscal responsibility, and sustainable growth.

BROMBERG & CO. INC.

The mere mention of the name “Bromberg” among most Alabamians conjures up images of brightly lit showrooms lined with displays of fine china and crystal, and cases of jewelry and other collectibles. The luxury retailer has been a mainstay in Alabama for more than 185 years, making it the oldest family-owned retailer operating in America and the oldest business in the state. In that time, Bromberg’s has become known not only for the exclusive brands it carries but for the sentiment those keepsakes create.

“Our core business has always been joy. What we sell are happy memories,” says Bromberg President Frederick (Ricky) W. Bromberg, part of the sixth generation of Brombergs to run the business.

Bromberg specializes in items that mark life’s celebrations and are intended to be handed down and cherished for generations. For example, the company carries engagement rings, diamonds, and statement pieces of jewelry made by world-class brands such as David Yurman, Rolex, Roberto Coin, and Mikimoto, as well as a large selection of china, crystal, sterling flatware, and other collectibles.

Bromberg’s was established in Mobile in 1836 by Frederick Bromberg, a Prussian silversmith and jewelry merchant, who had come to the United States in search of a new life. Frederick’s shop sold sheet music and musical instruments, including Chickering pianos, and, later, jewelry and gifts.

In 1900, Frederick’s grandson, Frederick W. Bromberg, moved to Birmingham to expand the Bromberg jewelry enterprise and capitalize on the substantial growth happening in the Magic City. He purchased the Gluck & Black jewelry store, renaming it F.W. Bromberg, Jewelers.

The store weathered two World Wars and the Great Depression by evolving. At times, Bromberg’s expanded its line to include furniture and appliances, and was the South’s first Kodak dealer when cameras were a novelty.

In 1943, Bromberg purchased the property at Second Avenue and 20th Street, and hired J. Gordon Carr, the architect for the Tiffany building in New York, to design a retail space. The five-story building became known as the “Jewel of 20th Street.”

Bromberg’s has opened retail locations across greater Birmingham through the years but has narrowed its focus to a store in Mountain Brook and another at the Summit. While the downtown retail store has closed, the company’s headquarters, stockrooms and engraving operations remain downtown.

“There’s an expression, ‘Times change but timeless quality does not,’” Ricky says. “We’ll always be a retailer for fine luxury goods even though the definition of what luxury is can change over time.”

BRIDGEWORTH WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Bridgeworth Wealth Management was co-founded in 2008 by DeLynn Zell, Wayne Harris, and five other Birmingham, Alabama, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professionals. They dreamed of building something bigger than themselves — an institution centered on providing unbiased, independent advice, where financial planning is the core of their purpose. A firm where clients are served by a team of in-house specialists who are all held to the highest standard for industry expertise and ethics. Most importantly, an organization that would live past its founders and serve future generations.

That dream became a reality. Since its founding, Bridgeworth has grown to become one of the largest groups of CFP® professionals in the Southeast, managing more than $2 billion in client assets. Bridgeworth’s unique culture of collaboration and innovation allows it to draw on a wealth of financial planning and investment management knowledge to help clients gain an abundance of what they value most. The firm is trusted by clients ranging from retirees, executives, engineers, physicians, and attorneys to business owners, startup entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth families. Its dynamic and experienced team of qualified professionals helps to see clients through the most joyful, the most stressful, and the most unexpected of life’s transitions.

Bridgeworth is honored to be a fiduciary, holding a fundamental and legal obligation to act in its client’s best interests when providing financial planning and investment advice, and is proud to have a 98 percent client retention rate1 The firm has also been a longtime advocate for helping women

to fulfill their financial potential. As a firm co-founded and led by women, Bridgeworth has an industry-leading ratio of women advisors — more than twice the national average, according to a 2021 report in Barron’s 2 .

As engaged members of the Birmingham and Huntsville communities, Bridgeworth advisors and team members participate through many forms of service, education, and contributions of time and talent to push their communities forward.

Bridgeworth’s commitment to its principles and values has established it as a national leader in the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) industry. Among its many accolades, the firm was listed for four consecutive years as Financial Times Top 300 Registered Investment Advisors nationwide3. Additionally, Bridgeworth was named Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Company Culture 4 , CityWire’s RIA Future 60 5, and 50 Growers Across America 6, and has been consistently recognized among the Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors by InvestmentNews7 Forbes has also recognized several Bridgeworth advisors as Best-In-State Wealth Advisors 8

Left: Birmingham Headquarters located at 101 25th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama. Right top: Zach Ivey, CFA, CFP®, ChFC® (Chief Investment Strategist), Jeff McCormack, CFP®(Partner), and Monica Stoudemire, J.D., CSCP® (Chief Compliance Officer) Right bottom: Bridgeworth Partners: Wayne Harris, CFP® (Founder), Brian Hinson, CFP®, CPA, ChFC®, PFS (Managing Partner, Huntsville), Zach Ivey, CFA, CFP®, ChFC® (Chief Investment Strategist), Jenny Sneed, CFP®, ChFC®, William Hocutt, CFP®, CPA, DeLynn Zell, CFP® (Founder, CEO), Jeff McCormack, CFP®, Jeris B. Gaston, CFP®, CRPC®, Sam Fitch, CFP®

firms, not money managers. There was no cost or fees associated. 6 Citywire 50 Growers Across America, 2022. This list was compiled using publicly reported numbers from RIA firms, not money managers. There was no cost or fees associated. 7 InvestmentNews Best Places to Work, 2019-2022. Employees participated in option and anonymous online surveys. Honorees were ranked solely on their survey results. There was no cost or fees associated 8 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, 2022. Brian Hinson and Wayne Harrison honored from results compiled through qualitative and quantitative criteria, interviews, compliance records, revenue and AUM.

CHRISTIAN & SMALL

The law firm now known as Christian & Small began on the corner of Third Avenue North and 21st Street in downtown Birmingham. Truly on the corner.

From that curb in 1936, four young attorneys – Jim Smith, Kirk Jackson, Whit Windham and Al Rives – pondered their uncertain future. After requesting greater compensation from the firm where they worked, they were told to leave that practice immediately. As the suddenly unemployed attorneys sat there, one of them said, “I’ve always heard of a curbstone lawyer (slang for casual legal advice given by the side of the road), but I never thought I would be one.”

From those humble beginnings rose a new firm (eventually called Rives & Peterson) that has been a prominent part of the Birmingham legal community for nearly 90 years. The four original attorneys all had distinguished careers: Smith went on to serve as U.S. Attorney, Windham became a Circuit Judge, while Jackson and Rives practiced law well into their 70s.

In 2000, 16 partners from Rives & Peterson – led by Thomas Christian (1938-2019) and Clarence Small (1940 -2018) – created the successor firm of Christian & Small. Today Christian & Small represents a diverse clientele ranging from individuals and closely-held businesses to Fortune 500 corporations. By matching highly experienced lawyers with specific client needs, Christian & Small develops innovative, effective, and efficient defense solutions for clients. The practice remains headquartered in Birmingham, with additional offices in Mobile, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi.

Christian & Small has received significant recognition over the years, including being named one of the nation’s best law firms by both Fortune magazine and U.S. News and World Report. The firm and its attorneys are routinely recognized by their peers and industry leaders including Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, and Best Lawyers in America®.

“The firm and its partners remain leaders in the legal community, with four partners serving as President of the Birmingham Bar Association, and two serving as President of the Alabama State Bar,” managing partner Greer Mallette says.

Looking to the future, Christian & Small continues its tradition of service to its clients and to the community with the establishment of its Four Pillars of Service dedicated to Recruitment and Retention, Inclusion, Education and Outreach. Resulting initiatives include a generous maternity/ paternity leave, a 13-year partnership with Teach for America –Alabama, and being the first Alabama-based firm to join the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity, an organization dedicated to promoting a diverse profession. To date, Christian & Small has eight attorneys who have completed LCLD development programs. Mallette explains, “As the firm and its partners enter our 87th year of practice, Christian & Small looks forward to continuing to be nonstop advocates for its clients, community, and each other.”

IMAGEWORKS

ImageWorks has left a visible mark on the Birmingham area. Literally.

Since 1997, this promotional products supplier has placed corporate logos on an endless array of merchandise. These include popular items such as shirts, hats, jackets, umbrellas, balls, blankets, cups, coffee mugs, koozies, pens, tote bags. Imageworks has provided promotional items for some of the biggest brands in Birmingham including Regions, UAB, Blue Cross, BL Harbert, Alabama Power, BWWB, Honda, Lexus, Children’s of Alabama, Brookwood Hospital.

In addition, ImageWorks gives back to the community by providing promotional items at substantial discounts to any local non-profits. Some of these include Ronald McDonald House, Magic Moments, Children’s Harbor, CJFS, Preschool Partners, United Ability, JCC & others.

“It’s the only form of advertising that you get a thank-you for,” ImageWorks founder and president Rick Roth says. “People love to get merchandise. If you hand out a small football with your logo on it, the kids are excited, and the parents will say thank-you.”

Roth began his career in marketing with MailWorks for five years in the mid-1990s before forming ImageWorks. He says that in terms of annual sales, the promotional products industry actually is larger than the Hollywood motion picture industry!

“Think about how much money corporations spend on T-shirts, caps and other swag,” Roth says. “Businesses always like to give stuff to their clients and customers because it works. Image and branding are the name of the game.”

In addition to standard giveaway items, ImageWorks also produces premium promo products that Roth refers to as

“freemiums.” These are more expensive items used as rewards for such activities as making a purchase or opening an account.

“You have to do something to get something, as opposed to just handing things out,” Roth says. “Companies can also use them to reward employees for years of service or reaching sales goals.”

There seemingly are no limits to the type of items ImageWorks will utilize for branding. Roth says the company has placed logos on bathrobes, lumbar pillows, sterling silver trays and bamboo cutting boards.

“My favorite product is whatever the customer likes,” Roth says. “There are more than a million products available in the swag universe.”

ImageWorks helps clients sort through all those possibilities. Roth calls the company the “concierge of promo” because he or a member of his sales team – led by Terra Morris – will meet with clients personally to discuss their specific needs.

“There are a lot of online providers, but some can burn you with re-conditioned or faulty products,” Roth says. “We use only the best manufacturers in the industry, and all our products are vetted and guaranteed.”

Quality is important for a company with the word “image” in its name. It is why Rick still follows the advice given to him by his father, Pete, who owned ladies’ retail clothing stores.

“If the item is right, then the price is immaterial,” Roth says. “And if the item is wrong, the price is immaterial.”

Left: The team, left to right, Terra Morris, Cindy Wingard, Trista Duran and Rick Roth, enjoy pairing clients with the perfect promotions to tell their corporate story and provide affinity to their brand. Right: Some products ImageWorks has produced for its clients include logo-branded shirts, hats, and keepsake items.

STONEGATE INVESTMENT GROUP

Stonegate Investment Group is an SEC-registered investment advisory firm that works with many of the families who helped make Birmingham the great city it is today. The firm was founded in July 2021, but its roots run more than three decades deep.

The Stonegate team was formed more than 30 years ago when Tony R. Smith, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, entered the wealth management business at a firm that ultimately became Smith Barney. While there, he began building a team of highly experienced wealth strategists and managers.

Fifteen years later, in 2007, Mr. Smith and his team left Smith Barney and opened a private wealth management office affiliated with the multinational investment bank and financial services company UBS Financial Services Inc. The group, which adopted the name Stonegate Wealth Management, soon became a top-ranked advisory team in Birmingham, managing $4.4 billion in assets.

In 2021, Mr. Smith’s team was named by Barron’s as one of the Top 100 Private Wealth Management teams in the country — a first for any Alabama firm. Mr. Smith and several of his team members have also been named Top Advisors by Barron’s year-over-year since 2010.

In July 2021, Mr. Smith saw another opportunity for his team to better serve individuals and families with an unconstrained, customized, and highly personal approach to

achieving their goals. They founded Stonegate Investment Group, an independent investment advisory firm to service a selective group of clients.

Stonegate delivers tailored planning, objective investment advice, and comprehensive wealth solutions to help clients achieve immediate and longer-term goals. The firm also provides multi-family office services to understand and manage each client’s complete and evolving needs.

Stonegate’s services include:

• Customized, disciplined, and structured asset management

• Risk management focused on return of capital first, followed by return on capital

• Trust and estate planning that helps shape a legacy of wealth and values

• Full coordination with client’s accountants, attorneys, and other trusted advisors

For more than three decades, Stonegate has been serving select clients in Alabama with superior wealth management. Through the years, clients have moved to other states across the country, but Stonegate is proud to call Birmingham home. “I couldn’t imagine operating this business anywhere other than Birmingham,” Mr. Smith says. “We started here. We were founded here. We’ve grown here. And yes, we’ve expanded beyond here. But the core of our business is here, and we just couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”

HEALTH & WELLNESS: CORNERSTONE OF WORLD CLASS CARE

There are many things to appreciate about Birmingham. Long-time residents and newcomers alike know about the great quality of life as evidenced by the affordability of housing and cost of living, world-class dining and hometown eateries, an abundance of green spaces to enjoy, and the generosity of its citizens.

The crowning jewel of all that Birmingham has to offer has to be the strength of our health care community. Those living in the seven-county Birmingham-Hoover metro have access to a network of primary care facilities, specialty and surgical care outpatient centers, and you can hardly throw a rock without hitting a hospital, any one of which provides some of the best medical care in the region.

Beyond our borders, many of Birmingham’s medical services are known internationally for clinical care, research and for providing medical education for the next generation of clinicians. Beyond the medicine, health care in Birmingham contributes significantly to the economy, providing a vast array of jobs, supporting suppliers and businesses large and small throughout Alabama and beyond.

Children’s of Alabama has been a part of the Birmingham community since 1911. For the past 110-plus years, we have been true to our mission to be here for every child and family who come to us for care. Beyond the doors of our facilities, we have also been active in helping to educate young families in ways to keep their children safe and healthy. Along with the city of Birmingham, Children’s has grown and evolved from a 12-bed hospital in a house on Southside to a nationally ranked major pediatric medical center with 3.5 million square-feet dedicated to pediatrics, 13 primary care practices, an outpatient surgery and specialty care center, and more than 5,200 employees.

The team at Children’s is looking toward the next 150 years and to continuing to be true to our mission to provide the finest health services and one class of patient care to all children through innovative and proven clinical care, education and research.

TOM SHUFFLEBARGER President and CEO Children’s of Alabama

Founded in 1911 in the historic Southside, Children’s Hospital of Alabama has offered lifesaving, specialized medical care to injured and ailing children. Children’s of Alabama is affiliated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and is a private, not-for-profit institution that also serves as the teaching center for the university’s pediatric medicine, surgery, psychiatry, research, and residency programs. Children’s hospital is built upon the values of trust, commitment, compassion, teamwork, and innovation. The entire team works together to foster an environment where their employees, families, and children feel safe and cared for in times when they are most in need.

Art Meripol

HOSPITALS

The Birmingham Metro area is home to world-class hospital and emergency care centers striving to heal and comfort patients. There is an especially unsettling fear that comes with facing a personal medical condition. Hospitals in the Birmingham area provide diagnostic services, advise patients on treatment options, and offer outpatient and inpatient services. When specialized care is needed, specialized services are available. Radiologists, oncologists, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists and other medical professionals help ensure patients from Birmingham and beyond find the specialized help they need.

Beyond the City of Birmingham, every town, county, and community in the Greater Birmingham Metropolitan Area has a passion for creating a region where quality health care is prioritized. As the Birmingham metro area’s exceptional industry stands out as one the South’s most prolific, so do its health care opportunities as exceptional facilities for making a difference in the nation.

Photo courtesy Birmingham VA Health Care System

Photo courtesy Birmingham VA Health Care System

Photo courtesy Ascension St. Vincent’s

Photo courtesy Grandview Medical Center

Photo courtesy Grandview Medical Center

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

When in desperate need of immediate care, the emergency medical centers across the area serve the community to save lives. The UAB Medicine Urgent Care, Ascension St. Vincent’s, and American Family Care are some of the many urgent care clinics planted throughout the counties, devoting their services to providing emergency medical attention to the people of the region.

ANESTHESIA

It is the responsibility of anesthesiologists to monitor and control the patient’s vital life functions, including heart rate and rhythm, breathing, blood pressure, body temperature and body fluid balance. These medical professionals control the patient’s pain and level of consciousness to make conditions ideal for a safe and successful surgery. Although physician anesthesiologists complete a minimum of eight years of medical training after college, following residency, many also complete an additional fellowship year of specialty training in specific areas such as pain management, cardiac anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, obstetric anesthesia, or other specific disciplines.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

As a Birmingham native and graduate of West End High and UAB, this community is part of who I am, and I take great pride in our continued growth and success.

On an educational and career path that led me to the Midwest, Northeast, and neighboring Georgia, I always knew I would make my way back here, back home, to Birmingham and UAB. Today the vibrancy of our city, our rich diversity, our start-up businesses and restaurants are helping our community to thrive all the more and attract talent from around the nation and the world.

All of this progress is being accomplished through the shared planning and vision that has moved us forward for decades. I have been privileged to serve as UAB president for nearly ten years and play a role—alongside UAB faculty, staff, and students—in that longtime partnership between our campus and community.

UAB’s first president, Dr. Joseph Volker, called it an “extraordinary partnership” and observed presciently in 1971, “The destinies of cities and their universities are inseparable. One cannot flourish unless the other prospers….[W]e will move forward together to become a great city and a great university.”

Our university and city continue doing just that through collaboration and innovation, two of UAB’s core values. Public/private partnership is stronger than ever in exciting projects that are making Birmingham an even better place to live, study, work or start a business—such as Protective Stadium, Birmingham Promise, UAB’s Grand Challenge (“Live HealthSmart Alabama”), and new state-of-the-art facilities that advance education, research and our leadership in precision medicine and biotech commercialization. In these and many other efforts, we are furthering that extraordinary partnership, fulfilling a shared destiny, and forging an even brighter future.

DR. RAY L. WATTS President UAB

MEDICAL EDUCATION

As well as offering exceptional health care opportunities, Birmingham is home to a number of health education programs. Famous for its outstanding health education programs, the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees in various health care and medical fields. Programs for medicine, nursing, optometry, and dentistry are all available with UAB’s outstanding record for delivering health education.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

JOSH CARPENTER, SOUTHERN RESEARCH

As the City of Birmingham celebrated its 150th birthday, Southern Research turned 80.

Since our founding in 1941, we’ve been closely linked to Birmingham’s economic well-being and its vision for the future.

Business leaders launched Southern Research in 1941 with a specific goal of bringing jobs here, with Birmingham’s heavy industrial base in mind. Those leaders were surprised when Southern Research emerged as a leader in cancer research and chemotherapy – a “different but wonderful achievement,” as recounted in the book “But for Birmingham.”

Our team’s work aligned with, and sparked, a larger transformation taking place in our city’s economy, and we remain a bright star in the constellation of emerging biotech and established health care assets that now constitute Birmingham’s leading industry.

Better yet, we are poised to shine even more brightly over our next 80 years. In recent months, we have systematically focused our assets to pave the way for a strategic expansion of our core operations in Birmingham, where more than 250 of our scientists and professional staff work mostly in biomedical research.

We have laid the foundation for a $108 million investment to expand and modernize our facilities, doubling our lab space, creating room to add 150 scientists to our team, and multiplying our efforts move science that addresses devastating diseases like cancer, cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer’s, and COVID-19.

Alongside our partners at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, we are actively working to develop a corridor that not only will foster jobs and economic growth on Birmingham’s Southside but will also become the premier biotech commercialization hub in the Southeast.

This is what we envision for Southern Research – and for Birmingham. It’s a vision on the verge of becoming a reality, thanks to the combined efforts of public and private leaders building on Birmingham’s past to create a more prosperous future – one that sustains our city and expands opportunities for all.

Josh Carpenter President and CEO, Southern Research

...we are poised to shine even more brightly over our next 80 years.

”

Photo courtesy of Southern Research

Photo courtesy of Southern Research

Nik Layman

Photo courtesy of Southern Research

MEDICAL RESEARCH

Throughout the Birmingham area, centers devoted to medical research strive to create the most cutting-edge strategies for solving the health care issues that disrupt lives. Bringing together the experience and expertise of dozens of health care professionals, medical research teams across the metro area conduct research, studies, and tests to develop innovative strategies for helping those in need.

Photo courtesy of Southern Research

DENTISTRY AND ORAL MEDICINE

Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. According to the American Academy of Oral Medicine, an oral medicine doctor receives “specialized training and experience in the diagnosis and management of oral mucosal abnormalities (growths, ulcers, infection, allergies, immune-mediated and autoimmune disorders, cancers), salivary gland disorders, temporomandibular disorders (e.g.: problems with the TMJ) and facial pain (due to musculoskeletal or neurologic conditions), taste and smell disorders; and recognition of the oral manifestations of systemic and infectious diseases.” Oral surgeons typically handle more complex surgeries and extractions.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

Biomedical engineering is the application of the principles and problem-solving techniques of engineering to biology and medicine. Biomedical engineering can be used throughout health care, from diagnosis and analysis to treatment and recovery. Many people are familiar with this science because of implantable medical devices like pacemakers and artificial hips, as well as technologies such as stem cell engineering and the 3-D printing of biological organs. Biomedical engineering focuses on the advances that improve human health and health care at all levels.

Nik Layman

PREVENTIVE CARE

Preventive care helps keep Birmingham healthy. General practitioners, dentists, ophthalmologists, obstetrics and gynecology professionals, and other physicians and health care professionals offer routine medical care that helps maintain health and diagnose potential problems. Pictured, opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists help people identify any potential vision problems and protect their vision. Opticians are technicians who fit eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision-correcting devices. Optometrists examine, diagnose, and treat patients’ eyes. Ophthalmologists are eye doctors who perform medical and surgical treatments for eye conditions.

Nik Layman

ORTHOPEDICS

Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. This includes the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles used for movement. Orthopedic surgery addresses a wide range of concerns affecting the musculoskeletal system that may include trauma, sports injury, tumors, congenital disorders, and degenerative disease.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

REHABILITATION AND PHYSICAL THERAPY

The greater Birmingham area is home to dozens of clinics and offices that offer physical, occupational, and rehabilitation therapy. Rehabilitation and physical therapists are dedicated to aiding those in need overcome their pain and get back to a lifestyle of wellness and mobility. Although similar practices, physical rehabilitation is more focused on restoring the function of various body parts, such as after surgery. It also may be helpful to treat chronic pain, especially relating to the spine and nervous system. Physical therapy focuses on restoring function, strengthening and improving fitness. For example, physical therapists also often provide services at various sporting events, and were on call at the World Games held in Birmingham in July 2022 to assist elite athletes.

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

WELLNESS & EXERCISE

Wellness is a big part of keeping Metro Birmingham healthy and active. Facilities offering opportunities for exercising and staying in peak physical condition can be found in Birmingham. Jogging tracks, gyms, and locations offering yoga, Pilates, and other fitness classes keep the entire region a place for personal wellness to thrive.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

MEDICAL PROPERTIES TRUST

Our Beginnings

In March 2003, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Edward K. Aldag, Jr. (Ed) had a bold vision to launch the first U.S. company of its kind, a real estate investment trust focused exclusively on hospital facilities and operators across the globe.

It was an innovative approach with a core philosophy: hospitals deliver intrinsic value to society and serve as protectors of individual and community well-being. As unique assets, they require a high degree of expertise to own and operate and need ongoing capital for maintenance, improvement, and expansion.

That is what MPT would provide.

Fueled by decades of healthcare experience, Ed imagined a company that could build relationships with world-class hospital operators and facilitate complex real estate transactions on their behalf, empowering them to elevate their hospitals’ operational efficiencies, quality of care, and ability to meet community needs.

Aldag partnered with three experts to bring his epic vision to fruition: Gil McKenzie, a leader with hands-on experience as an owner-operator of acute care hospitals; Emmett McLean, an expert at investment banking and operations; and Steve Hamner, a finance maven with Big Four accounting firm and public REIT credentials. Over the next 18 months, the four shaped the company’s sterling path with their unique insights and marketed MPT’s revolutionary approach to institutional investors across the nation.

Planting Roots in Birmingham

Selecting a prime headquarter location was key. To recruit and maintain world-class talent and set the stage for future expansion, MPT needed a location that was not only a healthcare capital, but a city with rich culture, high quality of life, and an ecosystem of innovation.

Nashville and Atlanta were initial top contenders, with Birmingham as a distant third. However, in 2003, the city served as home to “healthcare giants” such as UAB, VIVA Health, and Encompass. In addition to being a healthcare hub, The Magic City was also building a reputation for its award-winning culinary scene, family-friendly amenities, dynamic football culture, ample higher education offerings, sprawling greenspace, and budding entertainment scene. Recruits also appreciate the cost of living, which was lower than the national average, making necessities like groceries, utilities, and transportation more affordable.

While unassuming, Birmingham surprised MPT’s founders. Ed noted it as “one of the most generous and welcoming cities in the nation.”

After further research, he made The Magic City MPT’s home.

Growth & Diversification

In 2004, MPT received initial capital funding of $233 million through a private 144a offering and began operations as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). In July 2005, MPT acquired its first six properties from Vibra Healthcare, giving the company immediate presence in six states coast to coast.

Within one year, MPT’s portfolio had grown to 26 facilities in 10 states, representing a total investment of $745 million. In 2015, the trust was cited as “Alabama’s fastest growing

public company,” with revenues of nearly $442 million and a three-year growth rate of 123%, as reported by FindTheCompany and the Birmingham Business Journal.

Now at year 19, MPT has expanded – from zero properties and investments -- to a leading global provider of hospital capital, and the second-largest non-governmental owner of hospitals in the world. In 2021, the company owned approximately 440 properties, 46,000 hospital beds, $20.5 billion in global assets, and generated $1.5 billion in annual revenues. In an unprecedented period, the team substantially increased its presence across the globe, working with more than 53 hospital operators spanning 32 U.S. states, four continents and nine countries, with holdings in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Spain, Columbia, Italy, Portugal and more.

Fast-forward to today, MPT’s $22.3 billion portfolio is the most diversified it has been in the company’s history, with three property types representing at least $2 billion in gross assets, no distinct market accounting for more than roughly

11% of its portfolio, and no individual property representing more than 2.5% of total pro forma gross assets.

MPT was honored to be ranked on Modern Healthcare’s list of Best Places to Work in 2021. In a thirdparty-administered survey distributed across its five operating offices and 120 employees, the company earned an extraordinarily high 98% “overall engagement” score and similarly high levels of “employee satisfaction” and “confidence in executive management.”

These accomplishments are a direct result of the culture that has been cultivated and sustained in MPT’s nearly two-decade existence. However, the strongest brick of the company’s foundation rests in its devotion to communities –including Birmingham.

Committed to Community

Beyond the creation of an award-winning culture, MPT aims to improve the communities where it operates and holds property. Hospitals play a vital role in community infrastructure – such as utilities and transportation, which no community can do without. By expanding the creative use of capital, MPT’s team not only helps raise the bar for excellent healthcare, it ensures better access to care for people worldwide. In 2021 alone, MPT hospitals and tenant operators provided high quality acute and behavioral care to millions of patients in the U.S. and abroad. Domestically, this included more than 500,000 admissions, nearly 2 million ER visits and 300,000 surgeries.

True to Aldag’s founding mission, improving quality of life is a critical pillar for MPT, which is why the company aligns itself with hospital systems that do the right thing — from quality of care they provide to business strategies they choose. Many of MPT’s healthcare partners prioritize equitable care and service underserved communities that need them most. Birmingham is certainly no exception. MPT invested $8.65 million in Medical West, a part of UAB Health System (that sits just a few miles from the company’s headquarters). The funding allowed for the first free-standing ER in Alabama and serves as a testament that where MPT capital is deployed, care improves, lives are saved, jobs are created, and communities benefit.

MPT exercises corporate responsibility in other strategic ways, contributing to worthy causes large and small, with as much consideration as it gives business transactions.

The company contributed to more than 200 non-profit organizations in 2021, including financial and volunteer support aimed at improving the public health of Birmingham. Efforts were coordinated by MPT’s Charity and Community Support Committee, with a focus on Health (including COVID-19), Education, Social Agencies, Community Organizations, and Youth Activities.

Health

In 2021, MPT supported hospitals, such as Children’s of Alabama; research for pediatric illnesses and disorders such as heart disease, cancer, and autism; healthcare professionals and families affected by COVID-19; as well groups suffering financially due to the pandemic. During COVID-19, the company also took a special leadership role in helping UAB Hospital provide resources and solutions to aid in the pandemic, such as expanding capacity for and accuracy of testing; helping fund 24 high impact research projects (competitively awarded to help UAB mobilize and address the crisis in a matter of weeks/months).

MPT also donated $1 million to COVID-19 pandemic response, 40,000 meals to front-line workers and 20 community organizations tied to COVID relief. MPT is a proud supporter of local diabetes programs and has donated millions of dollars to the UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Research Center, which conducts innovative diabetes research and develops novel treatment approaches for diabetes patients.

MPT also made substantial capital contributions to help fund the construction of a brand-new hospital serving the community of Thomasville, Alabama. The state-of-the-art

Thomasville Regional Medical Center opened in February 2020 and fills a key regional medical need by offering quality medical care to Clarke County residents.

Community Organizations

By serving institutions that improve the overall quality of life in the greater metro area of Birmingham, MPT hopes to contribute to the ultimate well-being of the community – making The Magic City an even better place to live, work, and raise a family. MPT supports programs for visual and performing arts, such as the Birmingham Museum of Art and Alabama Symphony Orchestra; zoos, gardens, and parks that promote conservation and research; family attractions providing science, history, and culture education, including the McWane Science Center; as well as local food recovery and food bank programs.

Education

MPT believes education goes hand in hand with good health. In the past year, the company backed numerous public and private colleges and universities, including substantial funding to the University of Alabama at Birmingham; elementary through high school facilities and scholarships for disadvantaged and special needs children, including The Bell Center; health education for students, including Jones Valley Teaching Farm; and business education for underprivileged students.

Social Agencies

MPT observes the strides nonprofits are making to relieve suffering caused by poor health, poverty, abuse, and aging. True to its mission, the company regularly supports children’s services; homeless shelters for women, men, and families; dementia services for the elderly; and victims of child and

spousal abuse. MPT has also partnered with the Black Belt Community Foundation, an entity established to serve rural counties in Alabama by forging a collective stream of investment dollars and other resources to support the state’s most impoverished and vulnerable communities.

Youth Activities

Keeping children healthy and active establishes a foundation for a lifetime of good health. So, it is natural for MPT to respond to the needs of Birmingham’s youth leagues. MPT contributes to community facilities that serve young athletes; programs that teach athletic skills and promote teambuilding; and sponsors uniform needs for area teams.

MPT’s heart for corporate giving also lives through its team members. Employees across the company’s international footprint are encouraged to give back to communities where they live and work, with top executives setting the example. Senior leaders volunteer at countless organizations and non-profits, and many serve on the boards of charity organizations in Birmingham and beyond. Executives and staff are constantly in search of ways to contribute to worthy causes and missions that align with MPT’s strategic goal of improving healthcare and community wellness around the world.

A Look to the Future

MPT is a Birmingham success story.

While other real estate investors have tried to emulate, the company’s approach is underpinned by its founder’s pioneering vision, one truly centered around community and healing.

The company is embarking on the development of a brand new, world-class headquarters that will focus on opportunities to promote health, recovery, and growth. In 2021, MPT acquired more than 50 acres of undeveloped land in the Liberty Park development in Metro-Birmingham. The Alabama Fuel and Iron Company, Black Coal Company, and Snider Coal Company operated a coal mine on this site at various periods of time, until 1945, when operations closed and the land itself began to heal. Primarily covered with a piedmont upland forest, this site epitomizes the natural state of the Birmingham community and represents the perfect place to create a home base where the MPT team can continue to support each other, its tenants, and its communities.

When complete, the company expects the new building will add value to the greater Birmingham community via a woodland amphitheater, jogging loop and fitness trails, and arts pavilion which will highlight the strength and diversity of Alabama.

This expansion marks an exciting time and reflects MPT’s continued investment in Birmingham. In celebrating The Magic City’s 150-year anniversary, MPT is proud of the legacy it started here and looks forward to serving hospitals, communities, and people for years to come.

ENCOMPASS HEALTH CORPORATION

Our society is in the midst of a longevity revolution as the population lives longer than ever before. As the population continues to age, people will rely more and more on healthcare services. As the nation’s largest provider of inpatient rehabilitation, Encompass Health will be there to meet that need.

With a national footprint that includes more than 150 hospitals in 36 states and Puerto Rico, Encompass Health provides high-quality, compassionate care designed to meet people where they are in their recovery. Patients have the comfort of knowing that their care is being overseen by a team of people working together to achieve the best possible outcomes.

A purpose-driven company, Encompass Health stands by its creed: We serve our patients and communities through customized rehabilitation that exceeds expectations. Our care teams are committed to achieving the best possible outcomes and getting patients back to what matters most.

New Beginnings

Originally founded in 1984 as HealthSouth, the company rebranded to Encompass Health in 2019. At that time, the company opted to keep its home office in Birmingham.

The two-year rebranding effort also involved the construction of a new building to accommodate the home office staff under one roof. “As a national health care company, we could locate our headquarters anywhere in the U.S.,” says Encompass Health President and CEO Mark Tarr. “When we relocated

our Home Office in 2017, there was no question that we would stay in Birmingham. Birmingham has a rich history, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Completed in April 2018, the 199,350-square-foot home office building sits on a seven-acre site in Birmingham. It was designed to foster collaboration and transparency in the workplace with glass-front offices, open stairwells, and plenty of spaces for staff to talk and meet.

Inpatient Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is at the heart of Encompass Health’s business, with more than 150 inpatient hospitals across the country providing high-quality, cost-effective care. Approximately one in three patients receiving inpatient rehabilitative care in the U.S. receives it in an Encompass Health rehabilitation hospital.

Encompass Health’s inpatient hospitals provide rehabilitative care to patients recovering from acute medical issues such as stroke and other neurological disorders, cardiac and pulmonary conditions, brain and spinal cord injuries, complex orthopedic conditions, amputations, and more.

The company helps ensure the best outcome for patients by empowering its speech, occupational, and physical therapists with all the tools they need to help patients be successful, including advanced innovative therapies, customized treatment plans, and coordinated care teams.

Commitment to Employees & Community

The commitment Encompass Health has to caring for its patients extends to its employees as well as the communities it serves. The company has actively sought input from employees not only in establishing its core set of values, known as The Encompass Health Way, but also on the home office building design.

The company has also maintained an inclusion and diversity program for more than a decade and recently expanded the program to also embody equity to ensure the fair treatment and access to opportunities for diverse employees in the workplace.

To provide assistance to employees facing adverse circumstances, Encompass Health also established the C.A.R.E. Fund as a means for employees of the company to assist their colleagues impacted by a presidentially declared disaster. To ensure the fund is always prepared to assist employees, Encompass Health matches all donations given to the C.A.R.E. Fund dollar-for-dollar.

Encompass Health’s home office, as well as its individual hospitals, also contribute nearly $2 million in charitable

giving each year. The home office is a United Way of Central Alabama Pacesetter and each year, employees team up to build a Habitat for Humanity house in Birmingham.

Through these efforts, Encompass Health has earned significant accolades. It has been named year-over-year to Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to work in health care. Fortune named the company one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For and one of the World’s Most Admired Companies. President and CEO Mark Tarr was also named one of Modern Healthcare’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare.

Looking Ahead

“Encompass Health has a history of adapting to change and doing it well,” Mr. Tarr says, adding that the company plans to continue to expand its national footprint. “As the population ages, the demand for our level of quality care isn’t going away. We will be there to meet that need.”

Encompass Health continues to expand its footprint in the United States with new hospitals opening each year, as well as expansions of existing locations.

BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF ALABAMA

In 1936, Alabama was in the grip of the Great Depression. Doctors and hospitals were exchanging services for payments of eggs, sorghum, and any items of value that Alabamians could offer. Some doctors contracted with larger companies to offer health care to employees, and the poor sought care through charity hospitals and services where available. But for farmers, laborers and other wage earners who fell between the large companies and the state’s disadvantaged, no such options existed.

In the middle of this desperate time, the seed of an idea that would become Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama began to work its way into the red clay of Birmingham, Alabama. As its roots took hold, 16 hospitals from across the state formed the nonprofit Hospital Service Corporation to help Alabamians afford medical care. The Corporation began operations in Birmingham in June 1936. Ed S. Moore was the Company’s first President; Sister Lydia Hoffman was Vice President; C.N. Carraway, M.D. was Treasurer; and David Sanders Moore, M.D. was Secretary.

By the end of 1937, the Company had six employees and offered coverage of hospital services to 10,000 Alabamians. Members paid just $0.75 per month ($9 per year) for these “Blue Cross” hospital services. As the Company grew, it extended its branches to expand care for Alabamians. By 1945, the Company offered coverage for physician visits (Blue Shield services). By 1975, the Company hit the 1-million-member mark, offered dental coverage, and began administering Medicare parts A and B while offering C Plus as a Medicare supplement.

These expansions were reflected in the Company’s name changes. In 1952, the Hospital Service Corporation changed its name to Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Alabama to encompass its coverage of both Blue Cross (hospital) and Blue Shield (physician) services. In 1970, the name would change again to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.

In 1972 a Board of Directors was formed, with a majority of the members being community business leaders. This was the beginning of an integrated “Customer First” vision that rooted in the Company’s core and directed operations based on the needs and interests of the general public in addition to current members.

In 1987, the Company began using a new tagline, “The Caring Company,” to reflect its commitment to its customers and the community. This creed, which still holds today, became a threefold charge to employees to be concerned for customers’ well-being, improve the community, and respect each other. In 1990, Blue Cross established The Caring Foundation as its charitable giving arm. Through the Foundation, the Company awards charitable grants for initiatives to serve children and individuals in the areas of health, wellness and education.

From 1 million members in 1969, the Company looked toward the 21st Century, focused on continuing its Customer First mission with new health care plans and products.

In 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into federal law. The Company successfully navigated the most complicated regulatory changes in its history, adapting to continue keeping customers’ needs first. Since 2017, Blue Cross has been the only company offering ACA health plans in all of Alabama’s 67 counties.

In 2010, the Company implemented a plan to help address the state’s childhood obesity epidemic. One solution was establishing the Be Healthy School Grant Program in 2012. Schools across Alabama apply annually for grants to implement school-based health and wellness programs that emphasize increased exercise, nutrition education, and parental involvement.

Top left: Tim Vines became President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama in 2018. Top right: Blue Cross’ current corporate headquarters in Hoover, Alabama.

Blue Cross again looked beyond its members to help Alabamians statewide in 2016. Eighty percent of the state’s rural counties were entirely or partially classified as primary care and mental health care shortage areas, with thousands of Alabamians lacking access. To help meet this need, the Company began providing primary care scholarships to medical students. Recipients agree to practice as primary care or behavioral health physicians in an underserved area of Alabama for at least three years after graduation. These scholarships have continued and, by 2020, partnerships were formed with the following schools in Alabama: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan; the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn; the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; and the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile.

This company that began with its roots in the red Alabama clay has branched out, expanding its services, coverage and scope. Its membership has expanded and diversified, totalling 2.8 million members, both in Alabama and other states. Through it all, the original 1936 vision of providing access to quality, affordable health care has been the foundation and guide. As the Company moves forward through the 21st Century, it is clear that it is, and always will be, “The Caring Company.”

Top left and right: Promotional pieces from the 1950s reflect the Company’s expanding services. Top center: Components from the Company’s first IBM 1401 Data Processing System that was installed in the early 1960s to better process claims. Bottom left: The Hospital Service Corporation’s first office building was on 1st Avenue North in downtown Birmingham, AL. Bottom right: Ed S. Moore was a real estate and insurance executive who served as the Company’s first president.

MEDICAL WEST, AN AFFILIATE OF THE UAB HEALTH SYSTEM

After nearly 60 years of growth, there continues to be a family environment at Medical West, an affiliate of the UAB Health System. Albeit these days, it is a large, extended family.

Medical West began serving the western Jefferson County community in 1964, when it opened its doors as Bessemer Memorial. Since then, in addition to building the first freestanding emergency department in the state, Medical West has expanded to include 16 satellite health centers.

Today, the Medical West hospital receives more than 8,000 admissions and conducts approximately 10,000 surgeries annually. And on the horizon is a new expansive facility, slated to open in 2024.

Yet through all the extensive growth and changes, Medical West has never lost that feeling of familiarity, partly because there is remarkable continuity among the hospital’s 1,300person staff. “Some of our long-time employees have been here for 40 years or more,” Medical West CEO Keith Pennington proudly points out.

Medical West has long provided a wide array of diagnostic, surgical, medical, and emergency services. Those offerings only increased after the hospital became affiliated with UAB in 2002 and became known as UAB Medical West. In 2005, it obtained health care authority status and officially changed its name to Medical West, an affiliate of the UAB Health System.

The health care services provided by Medical West include Advanced Wound Center, Community Programs, Diagnostic Imaging, Emergency Services, Endoscopy / GI Lab, Geriatric Psychiatry Rehabilitation Services, Sleep Center, Surgical Services, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Cardiac Rehabilitation, and Women’s Center.

Medical West’s care extends far beyond the original hospital. The most obvious outgrowth is the Freestanding Emergency Department in Hoover, a level-3 trauma center containing diagnostic equipment and services that are equivalent to a hospital-based emergency department.

The 21,000-square-foot facility has 12 exam rooms–including two trauma rooms – and a helipad for air transportation. It was the first freestanding ER in the state when it opened in 2015, and since then has served more than 220,000 patients.

In addition to the ER services, the Medical West Hoover Health Center is attached for outpatient care, including family medicine and orthopedic needs. The Hoover Health Center is one of the 16 Medical West satellite centers located throughout the western Jefferson County community, serving a combined total of more than 85,000 patients each year. The others are:

• The Bessemer Clinic

• Medical West Bessemer Health Center

• Medical West Brock’s Gap Health Center

• Medical West Cardiovascular Services

• Medical West Gastroenterology

• Medical West Hoover Health Center

• Medical West Hueytown Health Center

• Medical West Live Well Health Center

• Medical West Neurology

• Medical West OB/GYN Health Center

• Medical West Orthopedics

• Medical West Otolaryngology

• Medical West Parkwest Health Center

• Medical West Pendleton Health Center

• Medical West Tannehill Health Center

• Medical West Vance Health Center

There is even more growth on the horizon. Plans are underway to build a new 412,000-square-foot, nine-story hospital on Bell Hill Road in unincorporated Jefferson County, along with a 127,000-square-foot, five-story medical office building.

The new hospital will have 200 private rooms, with more intensive care beds than the original hospital. The facility also will feature larger surgical and endoscopy suites, stateof-the-art imaging technology, and outpatient resources that will share various lab, clinical, office, and support services.

“Our current facility was built in 1964, and although multiple renovations have been made throughout the years, we knew that a new facility would have to be part of our future growth plans,” Pennington says. “I think we’ve done a good job over the years with various renovations and additions to the original campus. But with the population growth in our area and changes in health care, the inefficiencies are hard to overcome.

“We could not be more excited to welcome this new stateof-the-art hospital to the residents of west Jefferson County. We’re excited about the next few decades because we think we’re taking the right next steps to serve this community that we love. As our Baby Boomers age and the population continues to grow, our Medical West family will be there to address their health care needs.”

BIRMINGHAM VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

On March 16, 1953, the Birmingham VA Health Care System (BVAHCS) opened its doors to Veterans in the historic southside district of Birmingham, Alabama. Today, the medical center is a level 1A acute tertiary medical and surgical care center with 10 community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) located in Anniston-Oxford, Bessemer, Childersburg, Guntersville, Gadsden, Huntsville, Jasper, Shoals, and two in Birmingham. The health care system employs more than 3,000 staff members that serve over 71,000 Veterans in Alabama. The Birmingham VA celebrates 70 years March 16, 2023.

As a high reliability organization, the Birmingham VA provides comprehensive primary and tertiary health care in the areas of medicine, surgery, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, oncology, dentistry, geriatrics, and is a recognized leader in palliative care and multiple sclerosis. Most notably, BVAHCS is one of seven VA medical centers around the country that performs kidney transplants and one of 13 VA medical centers that offers a Blind Rehab Center. Additionally, BVAHCS has ongoing initiatives and programs that include Suicide Prevention, the Homeless Veterans Program, Post 9/11 Transition and Case Management, and the Women’s Health Program that serves over 8,900 women Veterans in Alabama.

The Birmingham VA is an innovative care center within the Veterans Integrated Service Network 7 (VISN 7) and is one of the leading health care systems that serves Veterans in the VA Southeast Network, which includes medical centers and clinics in Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina.

Partners in Health

The Birmingham VA is a teaching hospital that provides a full range of services, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research. BVAHCS provides professional training in all major medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties.

The Birmingham VA is affiliated with 102 college and university programs in many-allied health fields and with 36 different colleges/universities. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine is the primary clinical affiliation and longtime partner of BVAHCS. Each year almost 700 physician residents from UAB Medical School rotate at BVAHCS and over 115 medical students rotate at BVAHCS each academic year. A fully integrated dental affiliation exists with the UAB School of Dentistry with 14 dental residents who rotate through the Dental Service annually. BVAHCS also has affiliations with the UAB Schools of Nursing, Dentistry, Optometry, and Health Professions.

UAB is an integral part of the BVAHCS health care delivery team and is an essential part in providing the highest quality care to Veterans. BVAHCS has developed numerous partnerships with UAB in the areas of research, quality scholars, and training of healthcare professionals.

Groundbreaking Research

Research at the Birmingham VA is conducted by award winning research scientists in collaboration with UAB. Grants funded through VA support numerous clinical and basic research projects.

In 2019, BVAHCS began collaborating with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to increase the number of Oncology Research projects available to Veterans. LungMAP is one of the biggest projects to date with multiple sub-studies under its umbrella – currently three of those are being done at BVAHCS. In 2021, BVAHCS received a $1.5 million grant to develop a Lung Precision Oncology Program (LPOP). The project aims to improve lung cancer screening among Veterans, whose cancer often goes undetected until later stages. BVAHCS takes part in the same focus of Precision Medicine in the Pharmacogenomics Testing for Veterans (PhASER). This study provides DNA testing for common, actionable, genetic variants that affect drug metabolism that can impact drug dosing in patients. Additionally, BVAHCS participates in the VA National Million Veterans Program (MVP), recruiting 25,000 of Alabama Veterans to learn how genes, lifestyle, and military exposures affect health and illness. MVP is one of the world’s largest programs on genetics and health.

The Birmingham VA is also an active partner in the Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center. The health care system’s research mission is to improve the capability of the VA to provide services that meet the medical, psychological, and social needs of Veterans through research, education and innovative clinical services.

Raising the bar in Veterans and Employee experience

The Birmingham VA is recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) as an Age-Friendly Health System Committed to Care Excellence. BVAHCS also achieved Top-Performer status in 2020 for attaining a score of 100 in the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

The Birmingham VA is proud to join the Department of Veterans Affairs ranking as the fifth best employer in Alabama for the Forbes’ 2022 America’s Best Employers list. BVAHCS is also ranked #1 in the region for Care Transition out of 37 health care systems, according to Medicare’s 2022 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) patient survey report. Additionally, BVAHCS received a 4-star patient experience rating in Medicare’s 2022 HCAHPS patient survey report.

The Future State: Strive for Excellence, Listen, Change

The Birmingham VA is honored and dedicated to caring for Veterans and emphasizing the Veteran experience. BVAHCS believes the only way a health care system can improve on what’s already good is to listen, put changes in effect, and strive for the excellence Veterans expect. It is the privilege of the Birmingham VA to serve the greatest population of women and men in the United States—the Veterans who have served in uniform, protecting our nation and its citizens.

CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA

The bright lights of Children’s of Alabama (Children’s) shine as a beacon of hope on the Birmingham skyline. Families from every county in Alabama travel here for care, the only free-standing medical center in the state dedicated solely to the treatment of children.

Holy Innocents Hospital for Children, as Children’s was first known, originally operated under the auspices of the Episcopal Church of Alabama. In 1911, Rev. Carl Henckell, pastor of All Saints Church of Birmingham, sought a solution to the growing need in his community for quality health care for children. The hospital began as a 10-room frame house with 12 beds.

Today, the Parkside District campus encompasses more than 3.5 million square feet, making it one of the largest pediatric medical facilities in the United States. With the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children expansion that opened in August 2012, the hospital is licensed for 332 beds and 48 NICU bassinets. Children’s offers inpatient and outpatient services at its Russell Campus with additional specialty services provided at Children’s South, Children’s on 3rd and in Huntsville and Montgomery. Primary medical care is provided in more than a dozen communities across central Alabama.

Children’s is a private, not-for-profit medical center, governed by a volunteer board of trustees and is one of the top 20

employers in Alabama with more than 5,200 employees across the state. The generous support Children’s receives from the community each year ensures world-class pediatric healthcare in a compassionate environment that puts each child and their family at the center.

And just as those lights guide families towards hope, inside you’ll find new discoveries and advances ushering in a new era of pediatric medicine. Children’s is affiliated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) – a decadesold partnership that has provided outstanding clinical care to the youngest, most vulnerable patients and helped established Birmingham as a nationally renowned medical center. Children’s serves as the teaching hospital for UAB pediatric medicine, surgery, psychiatry, genetics, research and residency programs. Specialty centers for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, sleep disorders, cystic fibrosis, immunodeficiencies, sickle cell disease, epilepsy, lung and kidney diseases serve as the backdrop for learning and discovery for health care professionals dedicated to the care of children, garnering consistent rankings among the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

At Children’s of Alabama, innovative research collaborations, education programs and advancements in clinical care combine to create brighter futures for the children of Birmingham, the state and beyond for generations to come.

GRANDVIEW MEDICAL CENTER

In October 2015, Community Health Systems cut the ribbon on the new Grandview Medical Center along Birmingham’s rapidly growing U.S. Highway 280 corridor. Not only was the area exploding with new commercial and residential developments, it was also conveniently located to nearby interstates that provided plenty of traffic flow and made it easily accessible for patients not only in Birmingham but also across central Alabama.

In the years since, Grandview Medical Center has grown to become a 434-bed tertiary care hospital providing a diverse variety of specialties from heart care to labor and delivery to robotic-assisted surgery. Specialty units include a Level III trauma center; certified Chest Pain Center; recognized stroke center; cardiac cath lab; and neonatal, surgical, and medical intensive care. The acute care hospital has more than 747,000 total patient encounters annually including nearly 40,000 Emergency Room visits, 35,800 surgeries, 3,500 births, and 644,000 outpatient visits.

In 2021, the Grandview expanded its women’s services to add 12 post-partum beds, seven labor & delivery rooms, and expanded its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to accommodate up to 21 neonates — all to meet growing patient needs.

The campus also houses Grandview Physicians Plaza, which opened in 2015; and Grandview Physicians Plaza II, which will open in the early 2023 and will include additional outpatient operating rooms.

Grandview has continued to meet people in their day-to-day lives by growing its primary care networks, specialty clinics, and other services and reaching its footprint beyond its Highway

280 campus into communities throughout central Alabama, including Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Gardendale, Pelham, Chelsea, Helena, Cahaba Heights, and more.

Cardiac services were also expanded thanks to the recent merger of a cardiology group in Gadsden and satellite cardiology clinics in Thomasville. In 2023, Grandview will open a free-standing emergency department in Trussville.

Additional sites include:

• 15 Grandview Medical Group Primary Care Practices

• 26 Grandview Medical Group Specialty Care Practices

• Grandview Cancer Center

• Grandview Endoscopy Center

• 2 Grandview Outpatient Diagnostic Center locations

• 7 Grandview Outpatient Rehabilitation Services locations

• Grandview Sleep Disorders Center

• Grandview Wound Care Center

Grandview Medical Center prioritizes patient experience and, as a result, it consistently ranks high in patient satisfaction, including earning an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, the only hospital rating program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients.

“Our culture of patient experience and clinical excellence has helped Grandview Medical Center become a tertiary medical destination for Birmingham and the region,” said Daniel McKinney, hospital CEO. “Grandview is a trusted source for quality care, and we’re committed to providing our patients with an outstanding experience and access to comprehensive services.”

EDUCATION & LIFELONG LEARNING: MAKING THE GRADE

Teachers make a difference in the lives of their students every day. It’s exciting to see the faces of students as a new school year begins, knowing that these youngsters are depending on their teachers to prepare them for life.

In May 2022, I received the distinguished honor to represent teachers as the 2022-2023 Alabama Teacher of the Year. I have visited several schools across the state and will visit many more in the coming months. There’s one thing I have noticed over and over again – educators in our city and across our state go above and beyond to impact the lives of our students.

Educators often take their personal time to plan for classes. Even when shopping for themselves, they often find ways to purchase items that will benefit their students. After work and on the weekends, they take calls and answer parents’ emails, often putting aside their own wants to look after the needs of students. Because teachers know the importance of reading, writing, math and many other subjects, teachers often provide after-school tutoring. Without the commitment and effort of teachers, some students would not experience the joy that classrooms bring or the success that learning builds.

Teaching is more than a profession – it’s a calling. Those who choose to become educators do so because they know that our children need teachers to help guide them to excellence. Learning is the key to success for our Birmingham scholars and thousands more across Alabama. I am honored to be a part of the family of educators –committed to building a better city and a better state by equipping scholars with the tools they need to change the world.

REGGIE WHITE

Alabama Teacher of the Year 2022-23

Punporn Aphaithong | Dreamstime

PRESCHOOL & PRE-K

Across the region, Birmingham offers nurturing care and effective education to its youngest learners. Public and private preschool and Pre-K programs provide gentle, structured childcare and develop educational and social skills in a warm environment to help families shepherd their youngest members onto the path of learning. Birmingham City contains 51 public schools, of which 29 are preschools. There also are a number of private preschool and pre-K programs. Typically, students in preschool are between the ages of 2-4 years old, while students in pre-Kindergarten (or pre-K) are aged 4-5 years old. Placement usually depends on the individual student’s development and readiness. According to the Alabama School Readiness Alliance, “high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten (pre-k) for 4-year-olds is an effective early childhood education program that prepares children to succeed socially, emotionally and academically in kindergarten and beyond.”

PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOL

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PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOL

A center for education, the Birmingham Metro Area is home to top-ranked schools from elementary through high school. Public and private options provide every child in the area with a wealth of opportunities to further their development and academic journey in every stage of their childhood and adolescence.

Public school options also include alternative educational programs.

• The Alabama School of Fine Arts, which offers tuition-free instruction to Alabama students in grades 7-12. Admission is by audition with disciplines including Writing, Dance, Math/Science, Music, Theatre Arts, and Visual Arts.

• i3 Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school located in the heart of the Woodlawn community of Birmingham, Alabama, ser ving kindergarten through seventh grade students on two campuses. The school’s mission is to empower learners to become agents of change who solve the problems they see in their world, with a STEAM inspired curriculum providing students with classroom opportunities for collaboration and invention.

• Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School, an alternative school in the Jefferson County system, offers the only International Baccalaureate degree in Central Alabama.

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PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOL

In addition to world-class public schools, the Birmingham area is fortunate to have a variety of outstanding private schools for those looking for alternative or religious options. While varying in size, all offer top-rated facilities and instructors, putting students on the path to success. Pictured, The Altamont School is Birmingham’s independent college preparatory school for students in grades 5-12. For 50 years, its rigorous academic requirements, leadership education, athletic opportunities, and personalized college search program have given students outstanding preparation for higher education and professional leadership.

Photo courtesy of The Altamont School

Photo courtesy of The Altamont School

PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOL

Tuggle Institute was a privately run charity founded by social worker Carrie Tuggle on September 3, 1903. She wanted to provide safe housing and a good education to orphaned African American children. In the 1912-13 school year, the institute had 146 students, four of whom were in secondary grades and 120 were boarding at the school. Early industrial programs taught to upper-grade students included printing, woodworking, and sewing. On Lincoln’s Birthday in 1920, the institute celebrated the completion of a new building designed by Wallace Rayfield. In 1925, the Institute was located at 1227 9th Street North and also operated a community hospital around the corner at 800 12th Court North.

The Institute became informally associated with the Birmingham City Schools in 1926 but closed in 1933. The Birmingham Board of Education bought the 15-acre site with its 13 structures in 1934 and renamed it Enon Ridge School. Two years later the Board honored Tuggle by renaming it Tuggle Elementary School. Tuggle herself is buried on the school grounds. Notable alumni include entrepreneur A.G. Gaston, photographer P. H. Polk, and trumpeters Fess Whatley and Erskine Hawkins.

Pictured are members of the Research Club in 1911.

Under Jim Crow, Birmingham operated separate, segregated libraries and, in 1918, the first public library managed for African Americans opened: the Booker T. Washington Public Library. It wouldn’t be until April 1963 that the library institutions would desegregate. Pictured above, a room full of children listen to a story at the Booker T. Washington Branch Library circa 1950. The library was later renamed Smithfield Branch Library.

Photos courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library

Photos courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library

PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOL

There are 19 public school systems serving the Birmingham regional area. Six area high schools were recently ranked in the Top 10 on the Washington Post list of America’s Most Challenging High Schools, and eight high schools placed in the Top 20 rankings of U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools.

Educating children since 1874, the Birmingham City School District is located in the heart of the Birmingham Metropolitan Area in the center of a large, diverse, and culturally mixed community. The Birmingham City Schools system comprises 42 schools that serve the 99 neighborhoods located within the city, educating more than 22,000 students. Pictured, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin reads to young students.

Beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic, students can grow their talents in a number of extracurricular activities. With music, science, and athletic options, students have many ways to express themselves and discover their passion.

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Photo courtesy of City of Birmingham

PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOL

Students in Avondale, like all of those in the region, have a history of proper education. For generations, Birmingham’s youngest have grown into experienced learned men and women who contribute to making their community a better place. Pictured

Birmingham University School (BUS) was founded in 1922 and merged with Brooke Hill School in 1975 to form The Altamont School. The school recently placed a historical marker at the Birmingham building that served as the BUS campus from 1925-1954.

Above left, for decades, Birmingham schools have always strived to offer cutting-edge learning opportunities to their pupils, believing children are best prepared for the world in which they will live when they can experience the latest of learning innovations. This picture, dated 1931, is titled “As they hear, they write.” The description reads, “This hearing test is being given to all the pupils of the class by using the Audiometer A-1 with its battery of ear phones.” This photograph was published in the Report of Progress Birmingham Public Schools September 1, 1921, to August 31, 1931.

above right, Avondale School students practice handwriting and good posture, circa 1933.

Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library

Photo courtesy of The Altamont School

Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Every child, no matter their accessibilities and abilities, deserves the opportunity to gain a full, extensive education. At schools and specialized centers throughout the region, special education programs and classes ensure those in need of specialized care in their education receive it. Birmingham’s EPIC School is an alternative elementary public school that brings children in gifted, traditional, and special needs programs together in a unique learning environment.

Private schools in the Birmingham area also offer educational opportunities to students with special needs. Among these is Glenwood, pictured. Glenwood provides specialized instruction to students with autism, some of whom live on the school’s campus. Glenwood typically has between 60 to 65 children enrolled in the school at any one time, and approximately threefourths of them live on campus.

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VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

In addition to primary and secondary schooling, vocational education institutions and programs across the greater Birmingham Metro Area allow all individuals the resources and training they need to pursue special fields and careers. Pictured below left, beginning as a segregated all-Black high school in 1900, A. H Parker High School grew within 10 years to offer special courses in sewing, childcare, and cooking for Black women and became known as Industrial High School.

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Industry views | Dreamstime

Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

HIGHER EDUCATION

Statistics for the academic year 2021-2022 show Alabama colleges have a total enrollment of 293,862, including undergraduate, graduate, full-time, and part-time students. Many of those students attend colleges or universities in the Birmingham Metro Area.

Higher education opportunities in the Birmingham Metropolitan Area include curriculums in disciplines across the spectrum at universities, colleges, and community colleges, as well as graduate programs and continuing education for learners of all ages and abilities. Major colleges and universities in the Metro area include University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), BirminghamSouthern College, Miles College, University of Montevallo, Samford University, Lawson State Community College, and Jefferson State Community College.

Among these, Jefferson State Community College is the largest two-year college in the state, with enrollment of more than 8,000 students. There are eight four-year and three two-year historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in Alabama, including Miles College, more than any other state. The Birmingham area also boasts one of the only medical schools in the state, at UAB, and Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, an American Bar Association-accredited law school.

Art Meripol

HIGHER EDUCATION

Every year, UAB welcomes new students to its home campus. It says goodbye to some as well. During the commencement ceremony, the zenith of students’ academic journey thus far is celebrated as they take the first step into the lives for which their alma mater has prepared them.

HIGHER EDUCATION

No matter the size of the university, deep connections are to be made. Samford University students enjoy the historic campus and the pleasure of studying at a place that engages them with more than academics; it also provides a community that values them as individuals.

Photo courtesy of Samford University

Photo courtesy of Samford University

HIGHER EDUCATION

With programs for engaging in the arts, sciences, and humanities, Birmingham Southern College’s goal is to prepare students for a life of significance, aiming to create a curriculum that aids each individual in their academics and personal development. Students also have opportunities to participate in internships, research, mentorships, service projects, and study abroad programs.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Southern

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Southern

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Southern

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

There are many reasons for students to choose a community college to continue learning. Accessibility, affordability, and excellent opportunities for education and training are some of the reasons cited by the Alabama Community College System. The ACCS notes that community college classes provide flexibility that appeals to both recent high school graduates and older learners looking to expand their knowledge or explore a new path. Additionally, community colleges provide career training in fields ranging from health care to manufacturing to computer science and more. If there is a skill you want to learn, it’s a good bet one of the many community colleges in Alabama has what you need to succeed.

Lawson State Community College is a public, historically black community college with campuses in Birmingham and Bessemer, Alabama. The technical division of the college was founded as Wenonah State Technical Institute in Birmingham in 1949.

Photo courtesy of Lawson State Community College

Photo courtesy of Lawson State Community College

Top: Students representing various divisions and organizations of the college, including nursing, automotive, culinary, STEM and SGA. Bottom: Fall 2022 Lawson State graduate Tori Tuggle accepting her diploma from Dr. Cynthia T. Anthony, president of Lawson State Community College.

Photos courtesy of Jefferson State Community College

Jefferson State Community College is a public community college with multiple campuses in Alabama, including the Jefferson Campus in northeastern Birmingham, Alabama, the Shelby-Hoover Campus in northern Shelby County, the St. Clair-Pell City Campus in Pell City, and the Chilton-Clanton Campus in Clanton.

SAMANTHA WILLIAMS, BIRMINGHAM PROMISE

Growing up in lower Alabama, I thought of Birmingham as a magical “big city” where Alabama’s future would be determined; where we would decide what to make of our past and who we would be going forward. At the time, I didn’t know that Birmingham was actually called the Magic City. Nor did I know how deeply the pain of the past and the needs of the present threatened our chances to secure the future I believed in.

Birmingham has to get it right. We have to become the city that can provide opportunities, leadership, prosperity, and light for our people–particularly those who have been most disenfranchised over the years. At Birmingham Promise, we believe that this means that we must get it right for our children, the students whose lives and talents are the means through which Birmingham–and Alabama–can live up to its potential.

The city is rallying behind our young people today through the Birmingham Promise. Business leaders, civil society, educators, and families are investing in providing tuition-free college for Birmingham City School graduates, while opening doors for internships and apprenticeships that provide well-paying, upwardly mobile pathways into the workforce.

We must do all that we can to ensure that our children succeed on their own terms, with every advantage and resource we can muster. When Birmingham corrals its “magic” for the benefit of our children, we’ll see that magic transform us all.

Samantha Williams Executive Director, Birmingham Promise

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Promise

The Woodlawn Foundation has used interns from Birmingham Promise to help carry out its work to revitalize the Woodlawn community.

SCIENCE EDUCATION

Photo courtesy of Samford University

Samford University’s Boyd E. Christenberry Planetarium provides a number of unique astronomical presentations. In addition to documentary films, live and interactive presentations are shown for space enthusiasts of all ages to enjoy.

Birmingham Southern University’s Southern Environmental Center is Alabama’s largest center for environmental education and awareness and features an award-winning interactive museum and garden, all of which are tailored to inform visitors of all ages of the ways they can aid in preserving and repairing the purity of our environment and planet.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Southern College

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Southern College

SCIENCE EDUCATION

The exhibits at the McWane Science Center are filled with stunning informative and hands-on engagement for families to enjoy, all in the love of the sciences. In addition to four floors of exhibits, the center also features an IMAX theater that showcases entertaining and educational documentaries. The center also offers camps and early education opportunities throughout the year, cultivating a love of science in even the youngest of visitors.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Zoo

Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Zoo

BIRMINGHAM ZOO

Hundreds of animals populate the habitats and exhibits at the Birmingham Zoo. But beyond creating a stunning tour of the world’s creatures, the Birmingham Zoo offers numerous chances for guests to learn more about animal husbandry and zoology. With seasonal zoo camps, opportunities for school and group activities and programs, young animal enthusiasts can engage their love in a number of programs and activities. The Birmingham Zoo even offers college students and adults opportunities to foster their education and interest in the natural world with more advanced programs.

Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Zoo

Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Zoo

Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Zoo

BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE

In September 1918, the newly formed Birmingham-Southern College opened its doors to its first 153 students. Located on 192 acres three miles west of downtown Birmingham, the college was the result of the merger of Birmingham College, founded in Birmingham in 1898, and Southern University, founded in Greensboro, Alabama, in 1856.

The college, affiliated with the United Methodist Church and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), steadily rose to prominence. In 1921, U.S. President Warren Harding inaugurated Guy Snavely as the president of Birmingham-Southern. Snavely set about—and succeeded—building the finest undergraduate institution in the state. In 1931, for the college’s 75th anniversary celebration, Stockham Hall was built; in 1927, the college received the state’s second Phi Beta Kappa chapter, which it still holds; in 2002, the 100,000-square-foot, $25.9 million Elton B. Stephens Science Center was built.

In 1965, the college enrolled its first Black students—some BSC students had previously joined peers from other institutions to fight for civil rights. College leaders contemplated moving the college out of Birmingham in the 1970s, but then-President Dr. Neal Berte held fast to the vision of the college on the city’s western border and helped build the institution to a nationally ranked liberal arts college with an innovative curriculum and a commitment to student success. In the decades since first opening its doors on “the Hilltop,”

Birmingham-Southern has graduated more than 6,000 students who have gone on to use their skills and education to fuel growth and quality of life locally and globally.

Notable alumni include U.S. Senator Howell Heflin and U.S. Representatives Laurie C. Battle, LaFayette Patterson, and Robert D. Aderholt; U.S. District Judge William M. Acker, Jr.; U.S. Surgeon General Luther Leonidas Terry; composer and arranger Hugh Martin (famous for “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”); co-founder of I.R.S. Records and former manager of The Police Miles A. Copeland III; country music artist Walker Hayes; Pulitzer Prize winner and former New York Times executive editor Howell Raines; New York Times bestselling authors Sena Jeter Naslund and Gin Phillips; and Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Charles Gaines.

With more than 50 areas of study, a personalized education experience, and the opportunity to participate in internships, research, mentorships, service projects, and study abroad, BSC offers students hands-on experiences. January term provides four weeks to take a deep dive into one topic in a campus classroom or on the other side of the globe. The college emphasizes the value of service: more than half the student body volunteers through the Bunting Center for Engaged Study and Community Action. BSC is among just 40 schools featured in “Colleges That Change Lives,” which calls BSC “what college ought to be.”

BSC currently fields 22 varsity teams for men and women. The Panthers compete in the Division III Southern Athletic Association, and the baseball, men’s track and field, women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have won multiple conference championships.

Birmingham native Daniel B. Coleman brings more than 30 years of finance experience—and knowledge of what tomorrow’s workforce must deliver—to his role as BSC’s 16th president. In 2021, Coleman spearheaded the launch of the college’s accelerated data science program, open to undergraduates and area professionals, the first program of its kind in Alabama.

“Rapid evolution is happening in every field,” Coleman says. “We ensure students have jobs when they graduate, but also that they have the ability to adapt so they have careers

decades later. That is something the liberal arts does like no other form of education.”

Every element of Birmingham is powered in part by a BSC graduate. Hundreds of BSC graduates are physicians, dentists, nurses, and scientists delivering health care and powering discovery in Birmingham. BSC alumni lead more than 40 non-profit agencies in Birmingham. Since 1906, 11 BSC graduates, including three in the last 10 years, have led the Birmingham Bar Association. Six BSC graduates have been president of the Rotary Club of Birmingham and 10 BSC alumni have led the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham. Graduates of BSC have participated in every class of Leadership Birmingham since its 1983 inception. And every senior minister of Canterbury United Methodist Church graduated from BSC.

SAMFORD UNIVERSITY

Samford University is one of the leading Christian universities in the nation and offers undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts and nationally recognized graduate and professional programs through its 10 academic schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Located in Homewood, Alabama, its 247-acre campus is renowned for its beauty and Georgian-Colonial style architecture. In 2022, the university enrolled 5,683 students from 47 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 19 countries and has an annual $424.8 million fiscal and economic impact to Alabama.

Samford ranks first in the nation for student engagement and is the top ranked university in Alabama by The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education 2022 rankings. The student engagement ranking assesses the degree to which students feel prepared to use their education in the real world, how they immerse themselves in the intellectual and social life of their college and the quality of students’ interactions with both their peers and their faculty. Samford also ranks 37th in the nation for best undergraduate teaching and 97th nationally for best value by U.S. News & World Report

Samford’s mission to nurture students in their development of intellect, creativity, faith and personhood is fostered through a vibrant campus community, including more than 118 student organizations, intentional spiritual formation, global engagement around the world and an array of academic and co-curricular opportunities for community service.

Additionally, undergraduate students complete Samford’s core curriculum, providing a well-rounded foundation in the liberal arts. The result is a highly tailored educational experience that results in 97% of undergraduate alumni employed or in further study within six months of graduation (2022).

The university offers 95 undergraduate and 75 graduate degree programs through its 10 academic schools, which include: the School of the Arts, Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Brock School of Business, Cumberland School of Law, Beeson Divinity School, Orlean Beeson School of Education, Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, the School of Health Professions, and the School of Public Health. Samford is home to one of three accredited law schools and one of only two accredited pharmacy schools in Alabama. Beeson Divinity School is the only fully accredited graduate divinity school in the state.

Encouraging social and civic responsibility and service to others are integral parts of the student experience. Each year, approximately 300 courses incorporate service learning, with students serving in the Birmingham community. Students also engage in the global community through study abroad opportunities to more than 18 countries, including Samford’s residence facility, called the Daniel House, in central London.

Samford’s student-athletes excel both on the field and in the classroom. The university is home to 17 NCAA Division I teams that compete in the Southern Conference, and the

Bulldogs have won more than 65 championships since joining the conference in 2008. In the latest NCAA Division I Graduation Success Rate report, Samford scored 98%, tying for sixth place among all Division I universities in the nation.

Samford’s more than 56,000 alumni represent 62 countries and have included more than 60 members of the U.S. Congress, eight state governors, two U.S. Supreme Court justices, one U.S. Secretary of State, four Rhodes Scholars, multiple Emmy and Grammy award-winning artists, two national championship football coaches, and recipients of the Pulitzer and Nobel Peace prizes.

RAY L. WATTS, PRESIDENT

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM

In 2019, the University of Alabama at Birmingham celebrated its first 50 years as an independent campus in the University of Alabama System. But UAB’s roots extend to 1903, when a charity hospital opened in the Southside, and to 1936, when an extension center began serving students downtown. Today, led by President Ray L. Watts, M.D., UAB is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center, ranked among the top 10 percent in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities list. This follows UAB’s ranking as the No. 1 young U.S. university in 2018 and 2019 in the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings. Enrollment has surpassed 22,000 students for the past three years, and the vibrant campus now encompasses more than 100 city blocks. Over the next five years, UAB anticipates completion of 20 major construction projects, including a genomic medicine and data sciences research building.

Global impacts

As UAB’s campus has expanded, so has its impact. UAB is Alabama’s largest single-site employer, with more than 26,000 employees, and has a statewide annual economic impact exceeding $7.15 billion. In 2021, Forbes named UAB as America’s No. 1 Best Large Employer and America’s Best Employer for Diversity among colleges and universities. The freshman class entering in fall 2021 was the largest and most diverse in UAB history. Those students are drawn by UAB’s

academics, research and health care, as well as a flourishing arts community attracting dozens of major events annually at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center and AbromsEngel Institute for the Visual Arts.

UAB brings a global footprint to central Alabama: Our students, faculty and staff represent 140 countries. But in July 2022, the world came calling in a new way, as Birmingham hosted The World Games. UAB was home to more than 4,500 athletes and staff in the Athletes’ Village for this once-in-a-lifetime event, and UAB Medicine provided onsite medical services for athletes and spectators as an Official Medical Provider. The opening and closing ceremonies were held at Protective Stadium, the new home of Blazer Football.

Changing the world, together

Protective Stadium is one of many successful public-private partnerships transforming life in our city. Another is Live HealthSmart Alabama, the first project funded by the UAB Grand Challenge, a key component of UAB’s Forging the Future strategic plan. Live HealthSmart Alabama is a bold initiative to raise the state out of the bottom 10 nationally in key health metrics by 2030. More than 100 corporate and community partners have joined this statewide effort, which is transforming neighborhoods through proven revitalization strategies. In fact, UAB’s focus on improving health and well-being serves as a national model. In 2020, UAB became

the first Health Promoting University in the United States by adopting the Okanagan Charter, which calls for postsecondary schools to infuse health into campus culture and lead community and campus health-promotion efforts.

A rapidly changing world calls for innovative instruction. In fall 2023, UAB will launch the Blazer Core Curriculum, designed to equip all students for success in the global knowledge economy. Faculty continue to introduce novel interdisciplinary programs, including a bachelor’s degree in cancer biology and a doctoral degree in neuroengineering, each the first of its kind nationwide. UAB’s exceptional graduate and professional programs prepare students to become prominent scholars and leaders who contribute to regional and national prosperity. U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 America’s Best Graduate Schools ranks 16 UAB graduate programs among the nation’s top 25.

Bringing the best to Birmingham

UAB research grants and awards are at a record high, totaling $648 million in 2021 and up 43 percent over the past five years. The O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB celebrated its 50th anniversary and announced a $27.5-million

renewal of its core National Cancer Institute grant in June 2022. UAB currently ranks 33rd among all universities in federal research funding, 17th among public universities.

Philanthropic investment is crucial to retain and recruit talent who can maintain this national leadership position. In 2021, UAB had its most successful fundraising year, including a transformative $95 million gift from Marnix E. Heersink, M.D., to name the School of Medicine.

UAB Medicine is home to UAB Hospital, the eighth-largest hospital in the nation. In January 2022, UAB researchers and surgeons announced that they had successfully tested the world’s first preclinical model for transplanting genetically modified pig kidneys into humans, offering a pathway to a robust, sustainable supply of lifesaving organs. UAB is a global leader in organ transplantation, having performed the secondmost kidney transplants in the world since the late 1980s.

As UAB moves into its second 50 years, the university continues to meet the challenges offered and renew its commitment to excellence and progress for all in Birmingham and beyond.

GLENWOOD

Graduation day is a special moment, as students walk proudly across a stage and into a new life. That is especially true for students and residents at Glenwood, a non-profit agency that works with children, adolescents and adults who have autism and other behavioral health needs.

For them, graduating from Glenwood – at whatever stage in life – means they are taking an important step toward reaching their fullest potential.

“I’ve never been more moved than to see a group of parents be so proud and happy for their child when they have successfully completed our program,” Glenwood President and CEO Ken Oliver says. “Our overall goal is to help them live the best life possible. Everything we do is devoted to that.” Glenwood was formed in 1974 by a group of Birminghamarea residents seeking mental health treatment and assistance for family members. It began with 16 children and a staff of volunteers, working out of donated space at a church in Crestline Village. Glenwood is still serving 8 of the original 16 individuals.

This gathering quickly grew, and within a few years funds were secured to purchase 363 wooded acres near what at the time was the still-undeveloped Liberty Park area. The founding program was the Allan Cott School, devoted almost exclusively to the education of young students with autism.

“From the beginning, Glenwood has typically been where those with the most significant need are served,” Oliver says.

“Then with some of the students, we saw the need to provide 24/7 care. So, we began offering residential services. Families and businesses donated funds for the construction of group homes and then cottages on this campus. That really began Glenwood’s growth.”

Today, Glenwood typically has between 60 to 65 children enrolled in the school at any one time, and approximately three-fourths of them live on campus in buildings named in honor of the various benefactors (Ireland House, Drummond House, etc.).

Oliver says Glenwood is successful in educating these students because of its “intense staffing ratio.” Each classroom has only about a half-dozen students, along with a Special Education Teacher, a board-certified behavior analyst, and two or three aides. “We have almost a 1-to-1 ratio, giving the students the attention they need so they can fully participate in the learning process,” Oliver says.

While some of Glenwood’s graduates are able to live independently as adults, others still need a level of assistance. In the 1980s, Glenwood opened an adult program, and currently more than 80 adults are served through three-day rehabilitation programs and a network of 22 residential homes throughout the Birmingham community.

“Our goal is to help them be further integrated and engaged within the greater community to the same degree of access as individuals not being served by Glenwood, allowing them to function as independently as possible,” Oliver says.

In addition, a wing of the school is devoted to young men with severe emotional behavior disturbances. They receive education and counseling for about a year, then return to a less restrictive setting, such as home or foster care.

All of Glenwood’s residents have access to the organization’s beautiful property, which includes walking trails, lake access for fishing and canoes/paddleboats, a pool, and a gym. “We have all kinds of recreational opportunities on this campus for the people who live with us,” Oliver says. “We really try to get them outside as much as possible.”

In 2019, Glenwood opened an Outpatient Services facility closer to downtown Birmingham in the Avondale neighborhood. Outpatient Services offers assessment, therapy, education, and support from professionals specifically trained in the area of child and adolescent development and mental health.

“The evidence is overwhelming that the earlier you can intervene in the life of a child with autism, the more positive impact you’ll have,” Oliver says. “So, we opened the Mallie Ireland Children’s Center, where children with autism ages 2 to 6 receive an intense level of early intervention. Board certified behavior analysts and registered behavior technicians

provide 35 hours of one-on-one services, in conjunction with speech and occupational therapists, to the children each week in an effort to prepare them for public school. All of the children who have graduated have successfully transitioned into public school. It’s a fantastic program.”

Glenwood takes its services into the community as well through a counseling program that offers in-home teaching, training, and therapy for parents and children. Altogether, Glenwood touches the lives of more than 10,000 families annually across Alabama.

The organization is also recognized for its annual holiday pecan sales. The Pecans for Autism fundraiser began in 1976 and provides valuable support for Glenwood’s various programs and services.

“There have been many times when I’ve introduced myself to people,” Oliver says, “and the first thing they say is, ‘Oh yeah, you sell the pecans.’ Not only is it a major fundraiser for us, but many of our adult individuals help deliver and sell those pecans. It’s another opportunity for them to learn, practice, and refine their skills to enhance career opportunities.”

THE ALTAMONT SCHOOL

The Altamont School is Birmingham’s independent college preparatory school for students in grades 5-12. For 50 years, its rigorous academic requirements, leadership education, athletic opportunities and personalized college search program have given students outstanding preparation for higher education and professional leadership. One hundred percent of graduates are accepted into four-year colleges and universities.

The school’s light, open architecture is inspired by the natural beauty of its 28-acre wooded campus atop Birmingham’s Red Mountain. In addition to an exceptional collection of art displayed in every space, the main school building features 40 classrooms, science labs, a fine arts center, a student center, an art gallery, a sculpture garden, a computer center with 3-D printers and a laser engraver, a 6,300-volume library, and studios for orchestra, art, photography and audio-visual production. Athletic facilities include two basketball courts, three volleyball courts, a weight training facility, six tennis courts, a soccer field, track, discus cage, shot put ring, long jump pit and pole vault. A second campus provides another gymnasium as well as soccer, baseball and softball fields. All students are encouraged to take part in the activities these facilities make possible.

Founded in 1975 by the merger of two of Birmingham’s oldest independent schools — Birmingham University School and the Brooke Hill School — The Altamont School shares in a rich legacy of education in the city. Birmingham University School was founded in 1922 to offer college preparation to families who otherwise would send their sons to other states for that education. The Brooke Hill School, founded in 1941, provided the same service for their daughters. The Altamont School combined the best of those institutions and became an essential new partner in Birmingham’s growth.

As a thoughtful witness to Birmingham’s history, Altamont is an inclusive community that seeks to improve the fabric of society by graduating compassionate, well-educated individuals capable of independent thinking and innovative ideas. That work includes community-focused partnerships led by students in the school’s C. Kyser Miree Ethical Leadership Center.

The Altamont School isn’t merely in Birmingham — it is of Birmingham, and proud to be part of a city “built to last.”

QUALITY OF PLACE: BRINGING THE MAGIC TO EVERYDAY LIFE

THE MAGIC CITY

By Seneca Wilson

We celebrate 150 years of this city

Where magic lives in this city

There’s laughter, hope, power

And this city loves hard

Like the iron and steel it was built on And still strong

Because this city is built to last

Like the corner of 16th street

Like the movement of April 16 ‘63

Like the home of diversity

Like the city’s heartbeat

This city is vibrant and colorful with a sweet taste of culture

Blessed from a Vulcan

With fire to blaze this city

Legends are made in this city

Classics are played in this city

You can feel the 99 voices that raised this city

And this city gave a promise to the children downtown and across the other side of the railroad

To believe

To succeed

To achieve a dream of reality in this city

And like family, this city will continue to build

Rise and thrive

Together Forever

Building better

This is the Magic City Birmingham, Alabama

Photo courtesy of Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Seneca Wilson is an author, inspirational speaker, poet, and college educator. He is on a mission to empower young students to overcome barriers in their life by using Sports, Hip hop, Inspiration and Poetry (SHIP) to ensure college and career readiness and success.

COMMUNITY ART

Top: Community art works can be found blossoming all around the Birmingham area, including mediums from sculpture to murals. Among them, murals by John LytleWilson color special spots with a unique flare. Morris Avenue sports a mural of a bright robot climbed by a set of monkeys, presenting the two subjects found most in his work. Lytle-Wilson’s creation livens the area with a colorful reminder of Birmingham’s active community of artists working to contribute creative projects for public appreciation and inspiration.

Bottom: The work of Birmingham’s award-winning national artist William Colburn Jr. can be found on permanent display throughout the city at locations including Barber Motorsports Park, The Bell Center, O’Neil UAB Cancer Center, Gatos & Beans, and many others. Some of his latest work is found in Elysian Park, a project near and dear to the artist’s heart. The park is a realization of his nearly 10-year dream to create an outdoor entertainment space. Colburn’s Iron Age Studio also is located in Birmingham.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

The beauty of the arts is seen in works beyond exhibits, galleries, and museums and can be found across the region in developments for local travel, parks, and recreation. Every park has been curated to preserve the natural beauty of Alabama and serve as a safe place for community activity to thrive. Even in designing new highways, roads, and travel installations, Birmingham’s architects and civil engineers work to make every road traveled one to remember.

UAB’s Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts (AEIVA) was created to connect the people of the greater Birmingham area with groundbreaking artistic exhibits. First opening in 2014, the institute’s goal has always been to connect the community with contemporary artists and the works they craft. AEIVA’s beautifully designed 26,000-square-foot facility contains spacious exhibition areas where six to eight exhibits are showcased annually. The Hess Family Lecture Hall serves a home for panel discussions, live performances, as well as artistic and educational programs. In everything, AEIVA strives to enhance the community’s cultural enrichment and historical understanding through the visual arts. The AEIVA facility was designed by the world-renowned architect, the late Randall Stout and named for lead donors Judy and Hal Abroms, and Ruth and the late Marvin Engel.

Nik Layman

Art Meripol

Jeremy Dove

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

FIESTA FESTIVAL

Fiesta is Alabama’s largest celebration of Hispanic culture and heritage. Since its inception in 2003, Fiesta has served as a bridge, celebrating the culturally diverse traditions of Latin America’s various Spanishspeaking countries right here in Birmingham. With the goal of educating the public about the many different Hispanic countries and their cultures, Fiesta provides the opportunity for more than 15,000 patrons to journey through 20 represented countries and experience the best of Hispanic art, music, food, and dance.

Nik Layman

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS

Food Truck Fridays, presented by the City of Birmingham, showcase a variety of specialty and pop-up eateries with savory and sweet offerings. From traditional burgers and fries to handmade tamales and fusion cuisine, there’s sure to be something to tempt every palate.

Photo courtesy of City of Birmingham

Photo courtesy of City of Birmingham

CARLOS IZCARAY,

MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE ALABAMA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO) has been changing lives through music since 1921, when a group of volunteer musicians came together to perform at the Birmingham Music Festival celebrating the city’s 50th anniversary. Since then, the ASO has been cultivating and leading the cultural landscape of our region via concerts, educational programming, and community activities.

Our growing city is fortunate to have the only full-time professional orchestra in the State of Alabama. Our spectacular musicians offer over 100 performances each year, including daytime and evening performances of the most challenging and thrilling symphonic works, outdoor shows, blockbuster films with live orchestra, educational concerts for youth, and many special performances. We are especially proud of our growing collaborative programs with the medical community, which reach hospitalized patients via modern technology.

The presence of the ASO helps establish Birmingham as a desirable place to live, as corporations and developers look at cultural landscapes when looking for locations to work and settle.

Music contributes greatly to the educational development of young minds. Thus, the ASO remains committed to expanding educational programs to include students throughout Alabama. During our centennial year, we served over 40,000 students via concerts, virtual content, INSPIRE programs, classroom visits and through lesson planning. We have many educational programs that contribute to the cultural landscape of our community, such as our flagship Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra, and continuing education for adults who are eager to learn about our art form.

The ASO invests in our community, and we have several musicians that are natives of Birmingham. They grew up coming to concerts, they played in our Youth Orchestra and now they are on the stage performing masterworks and visiting classrooms to share their love of music with the next generation.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Symphony Orchestra

FINE ARTS

As music lovers crave opportunities to experience the glory of orchestral pieces, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO) meets that need with outstanding performances, and with a mission to make symphonic music accessible to all. Each performance seeks to engage the audience, leading them through the prestige of classical and contemporary orchestral music and allowing them to find a new world of beauty in the engaging wonder of the symphony. The ASO began with the first performance by a group of volunteer musicians in 1921. That group would evolve from a volunteer ensemble to become the state’s only full-time professional orchestra.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Photo courtesy of Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Photo courtesy of Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART

Among the museums of the region and with a stunning collection of 21,000 pieces and the largest municipal museum in the Southeast, the Birmingham Museum of Art showcases a glorious, extensive collection of historic and modern works from Europe, America, and Asia. Additionally, the Clarence B. Hanson, Jr., Library and Archive, one of the most comprehensive art research libraries in the Southeast, is available by appointment. Beyond its collection, the Museum also offers events like Art After 5 featuring art, music, and activities, and Summer Art Camp, an opportunity for locals to learn and practice their craft, getting in touch with their own creativity, something easy to embrace during any visit.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

STEVE SKIPPER

Steve R. Skipper creates art in the style of Super Realism through thousands of easel hours. He has mastered fine art in the forms of the science of lithography as well as the French method of Giclee. Working in oils, pastels, acrylic, and pencil, his diversity of mediums is something special in his studio.

Incredibly, Skipper has no formal training in art, but shares that he gives all the glory for his gift and every open door in his career to his Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. In a 2017 book about his life and work, Dream On: A Journey to Deliverance, Skipper tells his story. An ex-gang member and drug addict, he was transformed by the unparalleled hands of Christ into a Fine Artist with international exposure and respect. Skipper’s 2023 book, 9780 Paul Bryant Drive, details the integration of the University of Alabama Football Team under legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.

Skipper is the first African American to complete artwork sanctioned by NASCAR, The University of Alabama, PGA, and PBR, with unveilings at The MGM Grand and Monte Carlo of Las Vegas and Chelsea Piers in New York City. He has been recognized by Civil Rights Icon Ambassador Andrew J. Young, NFL legends Bart Starr, Ozzie Newsome, Ken Stabler, and Doug Williams, and University of Alabama legendary Head Football Coach Nick Saban and many others as one of the best in the business.

LIZ LANE

Across The Magic City, numerous locations exhibiting fine, unique, and wondrous works of art have sprung up. Showcasing local and regional artists, galleries throughout the Birmingham area provide opportunities for patrons to appreciate artworks of all kinds. Styles span from eccentric designs to a unique focus on “functional art,” pieces that serve more than aesthetic purpose. Other galleries feature art on display and works for purchase, as well as providing framing work and restorations. For anyone looking to experience the diverse nature of art, Birmingham is a great stop.

Liz Lane is a nationally known painter and works in her open studio in Birmingham. She also represents a carefully curated collection of emerging and well-known artists, including her mother, Lorrie Lane. Liz Lane Gallery represents contemporary southern artists, with one-of-a-kind pieces in mediums including paintings, ceramics, and jewelry.

Pictured at left is Hannah Elliott’s Studio, 1867. According to the book Art of the New South: Women Artists of Birmingham, 1890-1950, by Vicki Leigh Ingham and published by the Birmingham Historical Society, “Art historian William H. Gerdts singled out Hannah Elliott for inclusion in his massive survey of American regional art, describing her as ‘probably the city’s finest and most innovative painter at the turn of the century... [and] Alabama’s most significant miniaturist.’ Over the course of Hannah’s long career, she painted the portraits of debutantes and brides, social leaders and their children, politicians and governors’ wives.” Hannah passed away in 1956 at age 80.

Nik Layman

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Nik Layman

HANNAH ELLIOTT

ALABAMA BALLET

Alabama Ballet has achieved national recognition and is the foremost center of contemporary and classical professional dance in Alabama. A badge of its prominence, the institute is one of eight ballet companies formally licensed by the Balanchine Trust to perform George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, a show the company stages annually.

The Alabama Ballet began in 1981 as an outgrowth of the Birmingham Civic Ballet, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Ballet, and Ballet Alabama. Under the co-artistic direction of world-renowned dancers Dame Sonia Arova and Thor Sutowski, the company found status and recognition in the ranks of professional companies. Arova’s and Sutowski’s outstanding 15-year foundation set the stage for the leadership of Wes Chapman and Roger Van Fleteren, who came on board in 1996. In 2005, Tracey Alvey joined the artistic team as Ballet Mistress. In 2007, Wes Chapman was named Artistic Director of ABT II and Alvey was named Interim Artistic Director. As the season began, Alvey was named Alabama Ballet’s Artistic Director.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Ballet

Photo courtesy of Alabama Ballet

In addition to its large team of talented performers, Alabama Ballet offers dance education opportunities for people of all ages. The Alabama Ballet School provides the highest quality training to aspiring artists of all ages that is developmentally appropriate both physically and artistically. The Alabama Ballet School’s instruction is based on the syllabus provided by the Royal Academy of Dance in London, which takes into consideration the personal development of each child within their level. Through high-quality performance and world-class education, Alabama Ballet provides the region with an open door to the beauty of this historical art form.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Ballet

Photo courtesy of Alabama Ballet

ALABAMA HISTORICAL RADIO SOCIETY MUSEUM

The Alabama Historical Radio Society was founded in 1989 as an outlet for vintage radio and broadcasting enthusiasts to share their interests, provide an opportunity for newcomers interested in the subject, and offer preservation and restoration of the revolutionary technology that fathered modern radio. The Society’s Don Kresge Memorial Radio Museum features a collection of antique radio and broadcasting equipment and memorabilia as well as archived material from Alabama’s first radio broadcast station, We Serve You (WSY), which was owned and operated by Alabama Power Company. The Museum also provides sessions and events for specialists to educate and demonstrate to attendants how the antique equipment and science of broadcast radio works, welcoming all to discover this special art.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

The Alabama Historical Radio Society Museum exhibits include one of only two known surviving copies of the “Superflex” radio. The Society also owns the second copy. The Superflex is a broadcast radio receiver manufactured in 1927 by the Radio Products Corporation, a company headquartered in north Birmingham. According to BHMWiki, the corporation was founded in 1925 by inventor Ernest W. House with W. T. Estes and Jelk Cabiness. It manufactured its radio sets in a facility at 3816 28th Street North in North Birmingham. House’s primary innovation was an electric circuit that provided feedback to the tuner, allowing for “self-tuning.” Superflex radios were also distinguished by using fewer vacuum tubes than 3-dial models and for having a distinctive “stage curtain” design on the front panel. The company was not able to survive the Great Depression.

Born in 1908, Happy Hal Byrnes (later spelled Burns) began his radio career in Birmingham in the 1930s. He later moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where the “Garrett Snuff Variety Show” featured Happy Hal, a cast of musical regulars, top-name guests, and a little dog named Sissy. It became one of the leading country-music shows of the day. After his service in World War II, Happy Hal returned to his native Birmingham and started another crowd-pleasing musical variety radio show. Pictured is Happy Hal Burns and his Tune Wranglers Band with a representative for WAPI Radio, which still operates as a commercial AM Radio station in Birmingham.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

ALABAMA HISTORICAL RADIO SOCIETY MUSEUM

ALABAMA JAZZ HALL OF FAME

Founded in 1978, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame honors Alabama’s jazz greats. Its mission is to preserve a continued and sustained program of illuminating the contributions of the State of Alabama through its citizens, environment, demographics, and lore, and perpetuating the heritage of jazz music. The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame works to the pioneers who shaped jazz history, the players, the teachers, and the community leaders who gave rise to the art form. In 1993, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame found a permanent home in the newly renovated and expanded Carver Theatre. Located in Birmingham’s Civil Rights District—just a short walk from the Civil Rights Institute, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, and Kelly Ingram Park—the newly renovated museum offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the state’s rich musical heritage.

Nik Layman

ALABAMA FILM FESTIVAL

Located in The Pizitz Building in historic downtown Birmingham and launched in 1999, the Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema offers entertainment for everyone. Its 11,400-square-foot facility contains two state-of-the-art theaters, one of which is equipped to host hybrid meetings and live stream events, one multi-function room, two attractive lounges, and a large bar area. While the theater hosts wide-release movies, it is also home to the Sidewalk Film Festival, an event that allows submissions for independent films to be exhibited. Sidewalk Film Festival has been ranked among the Top 10 Festivals for the Rest of Us by TIME Magazine and has annually brought over 250 films to The Magic City. The film center also offers bookings for private screenings, parties, and events, and guarantees a fabulous time no matter the occasion.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

ERIC ESSIX, ESSIX MUSIC GROUP LLC

I love Birmingham. It is my home.

Everything about who I am and who I’ve become has its roots in this city. The history, the people and the culture have all impacted me as an artist. Most certainly the music I’ve recorded over the past 32 years has been inspired by living and growing up in Birmingham and the South in general. The soul of this city is in my DNA. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Birmingham in the eighties and early nineties was the perfect training ground for a young musician like me who was aching to perform in front of an audience. I had grown up playing exclusively in the church and by age 24 I was ready to broaden my horizons. Fortunately, there was no shortage of places to play. In 5 Points South alone, there were 15 or more establishments within three city blocks where bands were performing music of all genres on any given night.

I was working at UPS at the time and would get off from work delivering packages during the day and either go rehearse all night with my band, Souvenir, or we’d play three sets until early morning at one of many spots on Birmingham’s Southside. Those were easily the most exciting and cherished memories of my journey as a musician.

I always thought the city actually had a very strong and identifiable music scene then. Out of it came so many great bands and artists that went on to perform at the highest levels of the music industry and with some of the biggest names in the business. For my generation, in many ways, it felt like the Golden Age for music lovers AND performers in Birmingham.

However, I don’t think we are done leaving our mark on the world musically... not by a long shot! Even today, there is a whole new crop of young artists that are stepping up and doing great things, once again, on the biggest stages in the world. I couldn’t be more excited to see what the future holds for Birmingham in the music industry!

The soul of this city is in my DNA. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Built in 1914 for B.F. Keith’s Vaudeville circuit, the Lyric is one of few theatres still existing today that was specifically designed to maximize the acoustics and close seating needed for vaudeville shows. Major stars such as the Marx Brothers, Mae West, Sophie Tucker, Will Rogers, and Milton Berle played the Lyric. Berle said it was “as fine a theatre as any in New York.” During the 1920s, it was the custom to attend shows at the Lyric Theatre on Monday nights—if you could get a reservation. Tickets cost from 25 to 75 cents. In the summertime, air was fanned over two tons of ice a day to keep guests cool. Though seating was segregated, the Lyric was one of the first venues in the South where blacks and whites could watch the same show at the same time for the same price.

After falling into disrepair, the Lyric was placed on the Alabama Historical Commission’s list of Places in Peril. Each year, the Places in Peril program calls public attention to a select number of Alabama’s threatened historic and archaeological sites. Places in Peril focuses on bringing state and regional attention to these places in an effort to create meaningful solutions to the threat faced by historic buildings across Alabama, generating support for their preservation.

In 2016, the Lyric Theatre was reborn in an $11.8 million restoration that took advantage of federal and state tax incentives. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Birmingham Downtown Retail & Theatre Historic District. Now this century-old venue is a beacon of history, entertainment, and culture in the heart of Birmingham.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

LYRIC THEATRE

ALABAMA THEATRE

In 1927, the Alabama Theatre was opened in downtown Birmingham, presenting the region with new opportunities to find entertainment. The theatre was originally constructed by Paramount Studios as an Alabama location to exhibit its films. Thereafter, it became the spot for movies and shows downtown. In 1987, a change in leadership led the Alabama Theatre to become a center for live shows and concerts, and in 1998, a restoration project brought new life to the Theatre’s stage and screen, as ever since it has featured screenings of classic cinema, blockbusters, ballet performances, live music, theatre pieces, and numerous other live events. The magic of the region’s historic arts and talent are kept alive every day as visitors enjoy one of the city’s most spectacular venues.

Pictured top is the Alabama Theatre under construction on July 14, 1927. The building was completed in about nine months and opened the day after Christmas in 1927.

Pictured inset, children watch a boy ride a coin operated horse at the Alabama Theatre. The mechanical horse is part of a promotion for the advertised movie, “The Charge At Feather River,” a 1953 American Western that was released in 3D. The promotion uses the tagline “get in the picture and you’ll think you’re there.”

Nik Layman

Art Meripol

Paola Salas

CONCERTS

A new stone amphitheater, designed by landscape architect Rubee Pearse, was constructed just south of the lagoon at Avondale Park in 1931 using funds from a municipal bond issue. In 1936, the Birmingham Civic Symphonic Orchestra began playing Sunday afternoon free concerts at the park as a public service.

Jeremy Dove

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Modest Mouse in concert at Avondale Brewing.

Birmingham is a drawing card for fans of music of all types. Rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, alternative, pop, electronic – there’s something for every taste.

In addition to large concert halls and amphitheaters, small, unique, local clubs and venues bring a charm to the region. Independent clubs and venues provide a place for the arts and music to continually flourish and spread new life all around the Magic City. Venues like Zydeco Concert Hall and Saturn provide vibrant space for live musical shows from international artists to local favorites. They also provide opportunities to experience indie musicians live, and foster interest in artists often overlooked.

Pictured top left, Eric B. Watters at Leeds Arts Council. Below Left: Jahnah Camille performs at Saturn as part of the Black Artists Showcase. Below right: Saturn exterior.

Jeremy Dove

Jeremy Dove

Art Meripol

CONCERTS

Birmingham draws big-name musical entertainment across a variety of genres, performing at large venues including the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Superstars who recently leant their magic to the Magic City include, pictured clockwise from top left, Eric Church, Mary J. Blige, and Jason Aldean.

Eric Church

Mary J. Blige

Jason Aldean

Perched atop Red Mountain with stunning views of the city below, “The Club” is an iconic part of Birmingham’s past and present. Opened in 1951, The Club maintains its mid-century modern architectural flair, updated throughout the decades with modern amenities and additional facilities to welcome the next generations of patrons. The historic image shows The Club’s lighted dance floor and stage ca. 1951-60. The dance floor is credited as a direct inspiration for the lighted dance floor in John Badham’s 1977 film Saturday Night Fever.

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

THE BJCC

The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex is Alabama’s foremost convention, meeting, and entertainment center. It is home to three exhibition halls offering generous space for trade shows and exhibitions, and four entertainment venues including the state’s largest indoor arena - Legacy Arena, Concert Hall, Theatre, and Birmingham’s new multi-purpose stadium –Protective Stadium. The BJCC campus also includes Alabama’s largest hotel in the 757-room Sheraton Birmingham, as well as The Westin Birmingham hotel, Uptown Entertainment District, and CityWalk Bham, downtown’s newest public urban space.

Guests will find everything they need for whatever their event requires at the BJCC: top-notch facilities, over 1000 adjoining rooms at our two hotels, convenient dining and entertainment locations, helpful event staff and a host of specialized services.

The BJCC creates region-wide jobs and economic benefits. BJCC events are responsible for supporting many jobs and opportunities county-wide. Our primary mission is to attract conventions, meetings, and events that will generate economic benefits for the Birmingham region.

As one of the Magic City’s premier gathering places, we are proud to host a multitude of concerts, shows, Broadway tours, local meetings, banquets, educational and social functions on behalf of all members of the community throughout the year.

Legacy Arena

Legacy Arena opened in 1976 as part of the BJCC campus. Its rich history of events and performances, including Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston, Elton John, Prince, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, and so many more, has made the Arena a staple in Alabama’s entertainment industry.

The Arena was home to the Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1976-1979; when the WHA folded, a minor league team with the same name called Legacy Arena home through 2001. Hockey legend Gordie Howe, of the WHA’s New England Whalers, scored his 1,000th career goal in December 1977 at the Arena. Legacy Arena has also been home to the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) men’s basketball team before moving to Bartow Arena in 1988, and the Alabama Steeldogs AF2 arena football team from 2000-2007.

On December 17, 2014, the BJCC board and officials of Legacy Credit Union announced a 5-year, $2 million naming rights contract. Beginning January 1, 2015, the Arena was officially renamed as Legacy Arena at the BJCC.

Legacy Arena underwent a $125 million renovation beginning in Spring 2020. The Arena officially reopened in December 2021 with the inaugural season start for the Birmingham Squadron, the New Orleans Pelicans NBA G League team.

Protective Stadium

Protective Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium owned and operated by the BJCC in downtown Birmingham. Its naming rights are provided by the Protective Life company. Construction began in January 2020, and the first event took place in October 2021 with UAB football’s season home opener. The Stadium replaced Legion Field as the home of the UAB Blazers football program.

In December 2021, Protective Stadium hosted the Super 7, the Alabama High School Athletic Association football championship games, as part of a 3-year rotation with Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. The 2021 Birmingham Bowl was held at Protective Stadium, becoming the first sell-out event at the new venue.

The United States Football League (USFL) played most of its Spring 2021 inaugural season at Protective Stadium, including hometown favorite and USFL Champion team the Birmingham Stallions.

Beginning in the 2022 season, the USL soccer team Birmingham Legion FC will now call Protective Stadium home. All home matches for Legion’s 8-month long season will take place at Protective Stadium.

Garth Brooks performed the inaugural concert at Protective Stadium to a sold out crowd on June 4, 2022.

Protective Stadium was proud to host both The World Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies in July 2022. Thousands from all over the world came to watch and take part in The World Games ceremonies and activities across Birmingham.

Uptown Birmingham

Uptown Birmingham is a premier entertainment district, conveniently located in Birmingham’s thriving downtown community. Whether it’s date night, family night, lunch meeting, or post-event drinks – this is your ultimate destination for good eats, delicious drinks, and endless fun. Join us under the bright lights of our iconic neon sign and you’ll see just what Birmingham’s magic is all about.

City Walk BHAM

City Walk BHAM is Birmingham’s newest public space, an urban getaway under the disco drive freeway that connects Uptown and Southside. City Walk includes recreational, art, and green spaces for all locals and visitors to enjoy. It is situated on 31 acres, encompassing 10 city blocks from 15th Street North to 25th Street North. City Walk includes a unique mix of special features, such as fitness equipment, regional skatepark facility, performance space, water features, programmable spaces for special events, art installations, dog parks, pickleball courts, and more.

Visit Birmingham’s latest urban feature and see why City Walk is where Birmingham connects.

BARBER VINTAGE MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM AND BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK

During the 1960s, Barber spent his weekdays working at Barber’s Dairy Products, a company founded by his father. But on numerous weekends, he competed in auto races throughout the Southeast, performing well enough to accumulate a total of 63 victories.

Even after he hung up his racing helmet, Barber’s passion for the sport never diminished. He began purchasing and restoring vintage cars, then turned his attention to motorcycles. By the mid-1990s, Barber had amassed more than 300 of the two-wheeled machines. He stored them in a warehouse on Birmingham’s Southside, which became the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, a 501c3 non-profit private operating foundation.

“I started thinking, ‘You know, with a little luck, I could put together the best motorcycle collection in the world, have a lot of fun doing it, and help this city.’ And it just grew step by step from there,” Barber recalled several years later.

The result is the Barber Motorsports Park and Museum, located since 2003 on a meticulously landscaped 880-acre plot of land along the eastern edge of Birmingham near Leeds. The facility includes both a five-story, 230,000-square-foot museum with more than 1,000 motorcycles (and 100 cars) on display. Barber is also home to the largest collection of Lotus Race cars known to exist. The park contains a 2.38-mile road

course racetrack that hosts several major events each year, highlighted by the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.

“When we first started this, I had no idea where it was going or what it would do,” Barber said. “I certainly had no thought of having an Indy race here. That was unthinkable at the time. I just started off with a little something, and it grew and kept growing.”

The idea for a major museum in Birmingham took form in 1998, when Barber was invited to participate in the Art of the Motorcycle exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Of the 114 motorcycles on display, 21 of them were on loan by the Barber Museum. The event was so successful that it was repeated later that year at the Field Museum in Chicago, and then the following year at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain.

“Mr. Barber saw the overwhelming response to those exhibits and thought there was enough interest to do something like that in Birmingham,” says Jeff Ray, executive director at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. “That’s when he decided to relocate and create a tourist attraction for the city.”

At first, Barber simply wanted a world-class museum to house his motorized marvels. Then he came up with the idea of adding a small strip of asphalt that could be used for motorcycle

demonstrations. That strip morphed into plans for a full-blown testing track, which in the ensuing months evolved into an official racetrack capable of hosting top-series events.

“I just wanted to build a museum and restoration area but figured if we were ever going to add to it, we might as well do it right the first time,” Barber said.

By the time the plans were finalized, Barber had created a multi-million-dollar facility. It turned out to be money well spent, as the museum and motorsports park quickly became a major tourist attraction drawing more than 350,000 visitors each year, including several thousand from other countries. In 2014, Guinness World Records credited the museum with housing the world’s largest motorcycle collection.

As for the track, it immediately became the site for several top-tier motorcycle races, as well as home to the Porsche Track Experience. Automakers used the facility for vehicle debuts and to film commercials, and Mercedes Benz created a brand immersion experience at the track. In addition, the Barber Vintage Festival has grown into one of the largest vintage motorcycle events in the country.

But the cream on top of it all occurred in 2010, when the IndyCar Series brought open-wheel racing into the heart of

NASCAR country. The Indy racing weekend at Barber regularly attracts more than 80,000 people, making it one of the highest-attended events on the circuit, and both the race and the facility receive rave reviews from the drivers.

“It’s probably the best facility we go to as far as road courses, and the crowd is definitely one of the best we have,” two-time IndyCar champion Will Power said. “I’ve been to a lot of races over the years, and the one at Barber is particularly well done.”

Along with current education programs offered, the newly added Barber Advanced Design Center is part of the vision for the future of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.

While all these accolades are nice, Ray says that George Barber is especially pleased with how the museum and racetrack have helped bolster Birmingham’s image.

“This has been a genuine, from-the-heart effort on Mr. Barber’s part to help Birmingham prosper,” Ray says. “We want to bring people into our community. We partner with different agencies to be used as a business recruitment tool.

“You usually don’t think of a museum acting in that capacity. But then, there are not a lot of museums that have these types of facilities.”

Opposite page: Barber Museum Basement. Top: Barber Museum Front Exterior. Bottom left: Barber Museum Rear Exterior. Bottom right: Barber Advanced Design Center.

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

VULCAN PARK & MUSEUM

Rising nearly 600 feet above the city of Birmingham stands Vulcan, the Roman emblem of fire, forge, and blacksmithing. This 56-foot, nearly 60-ton statue honors the area’s rich coal, limestone, and ore deposits that put the Magic City on the map in the 1880s as the nation’s fourth-highest iron and steel producer. Cast from iron made from ore mined from the mountain on which it stands, Vulcan serves as the centerpiece of Vulcan Park & Museum, one of Birmingham’s most popular attractions and the city’s only comprehensive history museum.

Vulcan was conceived more than a century ago by Birmingham leaders who wanted to promote the young city at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Afterward, Vulcan was placed at the Alabama State Fair until 1935, when it was moved to a 10-acre site atop Red Mountain that became known as Vulcan Park. The statue was placed upon the 124-foot pedestal where it remains today. The pedestal has an open-air observation platform that offers breathtaking views of downtown Birmingham.

In 1999, Vulcan Park Foundation was established to undertake a major $15-million renovation of the park and restoration of the aging statue. Vulcan Park and Museum reopened in 2004 with beautiful new landscaping and outdoor information stations that interpret Birmingham’s unique geology and natural environment.

In 2018, to mark its 100 years of service, the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, in partnership with the Freshwater Land Trust, gifted the community with a $5.8 million enhancement to Vulcan Park and Museum. The project included the Kiwanis Centennial Park, a new park and event space with a plaza, fountain, and steps leading up to Vulcan and connecting downtown Birmingham to Vulcan both physically and visually.

The second component is the Kiwanis Vulcan Trail, a twomile jogging and biking trail extending to Green Springs Highway and serving as the future hub for the planned 750 miles of Birmingham’s Red Rock Trail System. The third component is dynamic, multi-colored lighting projected onto Vulcan on select holidays.

In 2020, Vulcan expanded its educational offerings with the opening of Lone Pine Mine #3, an iron ore mine located on the property where visitors can peek inside and see periodappropriate artifacts and replicas that were used pre-World War I when the mine was in use.

Vulcan Park and Museum continues to serve as a cherished symbol of the city’s iron origins and the ever-present spark of its indomitable spirit.

ALABAMA SPORTS HALL OF FAME

It is possible to go from Legion Field in Birmingham to Yankee Stadium in New York City to Germany’s Olympic Stadium within just a few minutes. This journey can be made – visually and mentally, if not physically – by visiting the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (ASHOF).

ASHOF was enacted by the Alabama Legislature in 1967 as a way to honor and preserve the sports achievements of those who “have brought lasting fame and honor to the State of Alabama and to themselves.” The ASHOF museum has been in its current 33,000-square-foot location adjacent to the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex since 1992.

The museum is filled with more than 6,000 artifacts representing the lives and careers of the nearly 400 ASHOF inductees. “Even after working here for many years, I’ll still walk around and see something that catches my attention,” says ASHOF Executive Director Scott Myers.

Among the standout items are Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s trademark houndstooth hat; the robe worn by boxer Joe Louis before his 1938 knockout of Max Schelling in New York; and an eye-catching display dedicated to Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals in track-and-field at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics.

But that trio is merely a fraction of ASHOF’s star-studded lineup of athletes.

The list of inductees includes Hank Aaron, Charles Barkley, Alice Coachman Davis (the first black woman to win an Olympic gold, in 1948), Vonetta Flowers (the first black athlete to win gold in the Winter Olympics, in 2002), Mia Hamm, Bo Jackson, Carl Lewis, Willie Mays, Nick Saban, Bart Starr, and Pat Sullivan. “Our inductees are really secondto-none,” Myers says.

ASHOF’s inaugural eight-person induction class was named in 1969, anchored by the state’s legendary coaching duo of Bryant and Auburn’s Ralph “Shug” Jordan. A statue of the two coaches stands just outside the entrance to the museum. Their names also adorn the Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Program, which is managed by the ASHOF. The program awards more than $1 million in scholarships annually to students throughout the state.

In addition, the ASHOF played the key role in bringing the 2022 World Games to Birmingham; and oversees the Birmingham Athletic Partnership, which supports athletics and fine arts in Birmingham City Schools.

“We are honored to be considered as one of the finest sports halls of fame in the country,” Myers says, “and it is a privilege for us to play the role we do in our city and our state.”

For more information, visit ashof.org.

EVENTS, SPORTS & RECREATION: GAME ON

Birmingham is called “The Magic City,” and during eleven days in July 2022 we showed the entire world some of that magic. When Birmingham hosted The World Games 2022 from July 7-17, we witnessed history – so many athletic feats, thousands of international visitors, and thousands of Alabamians who turned out for sports that many of us never experienced before.

What was truly magical was how the people of our community came together to show the world all we have to offer. For “Greater Birmingham” – from Gardendale to Pelham to Hoover and all places in between – this was our Gold Medal moment. We elevated the image of our city and state, not only for the many national and international visitors who attended, but also for the millions who watched these exciting competitions broadcast in more than eighty countries.

From the beginning, we viewed The World Games as an opportunity to leave a legacy of improvement for those of us who call this area home. Yes, there have been improvements to our international airport, transit system and venues. But perhaps the biggest improvement is the boost to our self-confidence. Some questioned whether Birmingham could rise to this challenge. Frankly, some doubted our ability to shine on the world stage given our historical divisions.

But there can be no doubt now. We promised a first-class experience for athletes and fans – and we delivered.

If I take away one memory from The World Games, it will be the moment I looked around the Breakin’ competition at Sloss Furnaces and saw an overflow crowd enjoying the music and the athletes. There, I saw the true face of our community: our strength, our goodness, our diversity. I like to think that in that moment we started seeing each other differently too. As people more united in our love for our home than divided by our differences.

This is our home. We welcomed the world and proved that Birmingham can take its rightful place on the world stage as an international city.

NICK SELLERS Chief Executive Officer The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

THE WORLD GAMES

With jubilant celebration, 110 nations were represented, 223 events were held, and 3,600 athletes gathered in Birmingham for the 2022 World Games, held July 7-17. This eleven-day event showcased athletes of unmatched skill and drew international eyes to Birmingham.

The games began with dazzling performances and a procession honoring and celebrating the nations and athletes participating in the event as well as the sports that brought them all together.

Dedicated volunteers and sports enthusiasts from all around the Birmingham area rallied together to support the visiting international athletes and to demonstrate to them the hospitality and energy for which the Magic City is known.

With ball sports, precision sports, strength sports, artistic sports, trend sports, and martial arts, the World Games exhibited every physical talent within human possibilities. Fierce competition and awe-inspiring talent came together to create an exhibition of global proportions.

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy of The World Games

IWGA President Jose Perurena (left) with Mayor of Birmingham Randall Woodfin.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

BIRMINGHAM BARONS, BLACK BARONS

As far back as 1885, the Birmingham Barons have played for leagues in the South, eventually becoming a founding team of the Southern Association in 1906. For the following decades the Barons would make a name for themselves and keep baseball alive in the Magic City. The year 1910 saw Rick Woodward, team-owner and Alabama industrialist, construct Rickwood Field for the Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons, and the field became a special place for the local baseball team. Today, Rickwood Field is preserved to give visitors a glimpse into Birmingham baseball history.

The Birmingham Black Barons were organized in 1920 as the Birmingham Stars, one of the first eight teams of the Negro Southern League. That same year, Rube Foster organized the Negro National League. The Stars nickname was quickly discarded, and the team became the known as the Black Barons – a reference to the name of the white team in the city. In 1923, the Black Barons became associate members of the Negro National League and full members of the league in 1925. Financial pressures from the Great Depression caused the Black Barons to drop back to the Negro Southern League in 1931.

The team was able to get back to the big-time Negro League in the 1940s. The Black Barons won the Negro American League pennant in 1943, 1944, and 1948, but lost the Negro League World Series both seasons.

The success of baseball’s integration led to the gradual decline of the Birmingham Black Barons. It seems 1962 was their last year as a team in Birmingham. The history of the Black Barons, the Negro Southern League, and African American baseball is preserved in Birmingham at the Negro Southern League Museum, which is open to the public free of charge.

Art Meripol

Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Photo courtesy of the Negro Southern League Museum

Art Meripol

Courtesy of the Birmingham Barons

Courtesy of the Birmingham Barons

Pictured above left, Moises Castillo makes a play at shortstop during a game on the 4th of July, 2022. Above right, Sean Burke pitches during a game on August 23, 2022. Burke finished the game with nine strikeouts across five innings. Pictured opposite page, bottom, is 2022 MiLB AA Southern League All-Star Lenyn Sosa at bat.

BIRMINGHAM BARONS

There’s nothing more American than Baseball, and in the Magic City, fans young and old have enjoyed watching and playing the sport that keeps so many entertained. The Birmingham Barons have kept the fire alive for more than a century for baseball fans in the Birmingham area and hope to do so for generations to come.

The Birmingham Barons gained a new home in 2013 with the completion of Regions Field. The massive stadium features a pristine playing field, the St. Vincent’s Youth Sports Zone and its mini wiffleball field, The Foundry Family Fun Park, and the Shipt Batting Cages. The center also houses the Diamonds Direct Ballroom, an event center, Parkside Picnic Area, the Field Berm, and a number of suites with stunning views of the game.

Tracy Riggs

Courtesy of the Birmingham Barons

Courtesy of the Birmingham Barons

BIRMINGHAM LEGION

Birmingham’s first and only locally owned and operated soccer franchise, Birmingham Legion FC (football club) connects the Magic City to the exciting, global phenomenon that is soccer – or, as most of the rest of the world calls it, football. The Protective Stadium in downtown Birmingham acts as the arena at which all home games are played, and since 2018, the Birmingham Legion FC has provided Alabama soccer fanatics with a chance to witness the action right at home.

Pictured below left, at every turn, Birmingham’s Legion FC demonstrates a love of the game and a love of the fans, fans of all ages. The players with the Legion know no one is too small or too young to enjoy time on the field.

Pictured above right, the Magic City Brigade fashions itself a proud supporter of Legion FC, and work to bring all soccer fans in the area together to create a thriving community dedicated to promoting and supporting professional football in the Magic City.

BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS

In every tackle, touchdown, and score, the Stallions play with an unmatched magic. However, that magic doesn’t come easy. As tough as they play, Birmingham’s new star team trains just as tough, aiming to make history and earn a reputation as a team of powerful players, a group of men who push themselves to achieve the impossible.

Getty

COACH SKIP HOLTZ, BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS

It was an audacious, ambitious plan,

but at Protective Stadium on January 25, 2022, city and state leaders, along with Fox Sports, announced that the new United States Football League (USFL) was about to play its entire inaugural regular season in Birmingham. It was a moment of historic teamwork – everyone shared a vision of building a new sports tradition that would stand the test of time.

I knew we were making history when I became the first head coach of the Birmingham Stallions. In February we drafted our team, in March we reported for training camp, and on an electric opening night on April 16, we played the first-ever USFL game at Protective Stadium. We won a come-from-behind victory on the last drive. I think we not only learned that we had a special team, but we also had a special fanbase who helped propel the Stallions to an 11-1 record on the field.

Together, we also made a difference off the field. Because the USFL is committed to making a long-term impact in Birmingham, we hosted outreach initiatives that weaved the Stallions into the fabric of the community. Being welcomed with open arms, I learned that it’s great to play in Birmingham, but it’s an honor to play for Birmingham. That’s why our team was proud to add a magical moment in the 150 years of “Magic City” history by bringing home the USFL Championship trophy.

Thanks to the people of greater Birmingham, the USFL is now a proven and stable brand on the professional football national stage. The Stallions being crowned USFL champions was the completion of a remarkably successful inaugural spring season that showed our fans, our players and coaches, and our partners that the USFL in Birmingham is “built to last.”

Giddy Up!

Skip Holtz

Birmingham Stallions, 2022 USFL Champions

BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS

In 2022, Birmingham saw the first USFL championship game, a game the Birmingham Stallions won 33-30. The players celebrated their victory at the inaugural championship game for the USFL and hope to work as hard into the future, making history and playing the game they love. Getty

COLLEGE SPORTS

The UAB Blazers represent twelve sports, six of which have individual male and female teams, and in every game, the Blazers push themselves to show the fiery spirit for which their school is known. From the football team’s tenacity to the soccer teams’ endurance, athletes at UAB demonstrate a drive to achieve greatness for the world to see.

Courtesy of the UAB Blazers

Courtesy of the UAB Blazers

COLLEGE SPORTS

With eight men’s teams and nine women’s teams, the Samford Bulldogs carry the tradition of a historic Alabama college and play with the strength to form a lasting legacy for years to come. Football, basketball, tennis, or golf, the student athletes at Samford train under the leadership of coaches and mentors to become hard-working, fierce competitors and strong, skilled individuals.

The largest national football game held between historically black colleges and universities, the Magic City Classic is the most celebrated sporting event held in the Birmingham area, drawing more than 60,000 attendees annually, who gather to watch the Alabama A&M Bulldogs face off against the Alabama State University Hornets in games played on Legion Field that always keep the crowd on their feet.

Art Meripol

Courtesy of the City of Birmingham

COLLEGE SPORTS

May 2022 brought the excitement of the SEC Baseball Tournament right to the Birmingham Metro Area. The Hoover Metropolitan Stadium provided the venue for the championship matches, and fans poured in to support the teams that made it big, celebrating one of America’s greatest sports. The Tennessee Volunteers snagged the championship win in the exciting series.

Photo by Lance Shores, City of Hoover

Photo by Lance Shores, City of Hoover

Fans flock to see the SEC Network’s weekly, traveling pre-game show, SEC Nation Presented by Regions, and to attend the annual SEC Fanfare. SEC Nation is an ESPN entertainment show previewing college football games from the Southeastern Conference. Based on the format of College Gameday, the show previews SEC football games from a SEC school each week. SEC Football Fanfare is an event held in the Georgia World Congress Center prior to the SEC Championship Game. Usually held the day before, and the day of the game, Fanfare allows people to enjoy festivities prior to the game.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Completed in 1927, Birmingham’s most recognized stadium, Legion Field, has been home to the Iron Bowl, the Magic City Classic, and even Olympic Soccer matches, as well as music festivals and concerts. Due to its long history, the field has a special place in Birmingham history and continues to represent excellence in athletic achievement in the state.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Courtesy of City of Birmingham

Courtesy of City of Birmingham

YOUTH SPORTS

With plenty of community-led athletic teams for kids, even the youngest of sports fans have the opportunity to get into the game. All throughout the greater Birmingham Metro Area, groups connect kids of all ages with active lifestyles, safe team-building environments, and opportunities to enjoy the sports all are passionate about. Football, cheer, basketball, baseball and other teams and recreational leagues energize kids and families alike and bring everyone together and, for a new generation, continues the magic so many sports fans have felt for decades.

Courtesy of City of Vestavia Hills

RECREATION

Rich with iron ore, Red Mountain attracted early prospectors and developers for its valuable deposits but offers something more breathtaking than metalwork. Red Mountain Park has not had an active mine since 1962, but visitors continue to come to experience the beauty of Red Mountain’s forestry. Hiking and biking trails stream through the park, and an on-site dog park allows four-legged friends to enjoy their visit in Red Mountain’s greatest outdoors.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

RECREATION

Across the greater Birmingham metropolitan area, there are a number of opportunities for jogging, running, and racing enthusiasts. The Statue-to-Statue 15k race stretches from Birmingham’s iconic Vulcan monument to its Statue of Liberty. Fun runs, 5k races, walks, trail runs, and running groups and clubs provide opportunities for athletes of all levels and abilities to lace up and hit the ground throughout the year.

With so many local parks stretching through the Birmingham Metro Area, there’s never a loss for exciting outdoor activities. Nature and sporting enthusiasts alike will enjoy the thrill of mountain biking, a breathtaking opportunity cyclists can trail at Red Mountain Park, Oak Mountain State Park, or on Gardendale Urban Trail System to name a few. With wondrous nature all around, there are just as many opportunities to enjoy it. Bike parks and skate parks also provide venues for wheeled sports enthusiasts to try their skill on ramps and rails.

Swimming is a popular pastime for sport and recreation. Birmingham area residents can enjoy public pools operated by cities and towns throughout the metro area. Pictured is the City of Vestavia Hills Aquatic Complex, which features a competition pool and a family-style leisure pool, both of which are closely monitored by trained lifeguards. The Aquatic Center also has a splash pad and park, perfect for cooling down on Alabama’s hot summer days.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Photo courtesy of the City of Vestavia Hills

ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL

Rolling through Hoover, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Ross Bridge is one of the most prestigious golf venues in the state and winds across acres of breathtaking landscape. Forested hills all around, the challenging course presents an engaging trail for golf fanatics to tee off while enjoying the beautiful greenery surrounding the fifth-longest course in the world. Not far from Ross Bridge and resting on former mining land, the RTJ Golf Trail at Oxmoor Valley similarly offers riveting challenges to golfers looking to discover the peaks of Birmingham. RTJ Trail enthusiasts can check off both boxes with a visit to Birmingham.

BARBER VINTAGE MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM

In April 2014, Guinness World Records recognized Birmingham’s Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum as home to the single largest collection of motorcycles. The facility, started by motor enthusiast George Barber, houses more than 1,600 motorcycles from over 100 years of motor history as well as Barber’s extensive car collection. On the grounds of the facility is Barber’s 2.38mile racetrack, an attraction that makes the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum a thrilling living museum like none other.

Barber Motorsports Park annually hosts the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by Amfirst. This three-day event features the same cars and drivers as the Indy 500 competing on the 2.38-mile road course. Off track, there are plenty of activities for fans of all ages. The inaugural event was on the weekend of April 9–11, 2010.

Anne Hicks

Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

ALABAMA SPORTS HALL OF FAME MUSEUM

A rich storehouse of sports history, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Museum has collected more than 6,000 pieces of sports memorabilia. Trophies, medals, equipment, uniforms, and more display the countless achievements of Alabama athletes, all housed in a three-story, 33,000-square-foot facility. Since 1997, the ASHOF Museum has commemorated legacy-making episodes from Alabama sports history and it has honored the ASHOF’s over 300 inductees through the preservation of all things that make Alabama sports great.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

In the years following the Civil War, railroad companies, land developers and speculators moved into Jones Valley to take advantage of the area’s rich mineral resources. Seams of iron ore stretched for 25 miles through Red Mountain. In 1871, southern entrepreneurs founded a new city called Birmingham. Colonel James Withers Sloss played an important role in the founding of Birmingham by convincing L&N Railroad to complete the South and North rail line through Jones Valley.

Construction of Sloss’s new furnace began in June 1881, sparking new industrial development throughout the Birmingham area. Major improvements to the two furnaces in the late 1920s, along with installation of mechanized casting in 1931, made what was then called Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Company one of the largest producers of pig iron in the world – about 1.7 million pounds each day. At least 75 percent of the industrial workforce in Birmingham was African-American at this time, many from rural areas throughout the South. Sloss Furnaces remained rigidly segregated until the 1960s. Sloss Furnaces site became a National Historic Landmark in 1981 and opened to the public in 1983 as the nation’s first and only 20th century blast furnace site preserved as a museum. The dramatic scale and complexity of the plant make Sloss Furnaces a unique contribution to the interpretation of twentieth-century ironmaking technology and presents a remarkable perspective on the era when America grew to world industrial dominance. It is also home to one of the largest metal arts programs in the world. At the same time, Sloss is an important reminder of the hopes and struggles of the people who worked in the industries that helped make Birmingham the “Magic City.”

DAVID ARIAS Executive Director

IRON & STEEL

According to information compiled by the Mining History Association, there are four bituminous coalfields in the Birmingham area and northwestern Alabama – the Cahaba, Coosa, Plateau, and Warrior. The largest of these is the Warrior, which extends northwestward from the outcrop in Jefferson County, near Birmingham, as part of the Appalachian Plateau.

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Art Meripol

Men and railroad cars atop a massive pile of slag, a waste product of pig iron making, at an unidentified location, 1908.

IRON & STEEL

In the 1870s, coal mining expanded greatly to meet the needs of the growing iron companies. The largest producer was Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company (TCI), which had opened its Slope No. 1 Mine in the Pratt Seam in 1879. TCI relocated its operations from Tennessee to Alabama in the late nineteenth century and the company owned several Birmingham satellite towns, including Ensley, Fairfield, Docena, Edgewater, and Bayview. In 1907, TCI merged with its principal rival, the United States Steel Corporation and operated as a subsidiary of U.S. Steel for 45 years until it became a division of its parent company in 1952. Coal mining continues to serve electrical power plants and the strong global demand for metallurgical coal exported through Mobile, Alabama. Sources: Mining History Association, AL.com

Thomas Furnaces was a complex of iron furnaces constructed near Birmingham by the Pioneer Mining and Manufacturing Company. In 1886 the company purchased the 2,000-acre Williamson Hawkins plantation on Village Creek southwest of Birmingham for about $4 an acre. The first Thomas Furnace, 75 feet tall with a 17-foot hearth, was blown in on May 15, 1888. The company purchased coke from the Cahaba Coal Company until it completed a battery of beehive coke ovens at its mines in Sayreton. It soon began supplementing its own supplies with coal from the nearby Pratt mines. A second furnace was put into blast on February 22, 1890. The Republic Steel & Iron Company purchased an option on the Pioneer Company’s capital stock in 1898 and exercised it the following year, acquiring the Thomas Furnaces complex. Republic expanded the plant with a third blast furnace, 90 feet by 18 feet, which debuted on June 13, 1902. It was, at the time, the largest in the Birmingham District, capable of producing 250 tons per day. In 1903 Furnace No. 2 was expanded to the same size. Furnace No. 1 was also expanded, but to 85 feet by 20 feet. The furnace operation thrived through the 1910s and 1920s. The residential district was subdivided and redeveloped in the 1950s. The furnaces continued operating until 1971. Sources: Alabama Blast Furnaces by Joseph Woodward II (1940) and Birmingham Historical Society.

Pictured above, an electric tram in a tunnel at Warner Coal Mines in 1908, showing pockets on the sides of the tunnel from which coal is dumped into cars. These are the outlets of chutes leading from the mine proper.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

IRON & STEEL

Today, Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark educates the public about the history, industry, and art of steelmaking. Sloss offers a variety of educational programs for people of all ages including field trips; classroom visits; self-guided, public, and group guided tours; historic night tours; and a virtual tour on its website, slossfurnaces.com. There also is a parent packet available to help teach history, science, and art, with a variety of activities.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art

IRON & STEEL

Iron and steel are drivers of major industries in the Birmingham Metro Area. Major manufacturers like the American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO), Consolidated Pipe and Supply, McWane, U.S. Pipe and U. S. Steel and more have been a part of the literal landscape of Birmingham for generations.

The primary raw material in pipe production is steel. Steel is made up of primarily iron. Other metals that may be present in the alloy include aluminum, manganese, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and zirconium. Source: madehow.com

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Sheets of tinplate are seen coming out of a tinning machine at Fairfield Works Mill, c. 1938.

Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

AUTO MANUFACTURING

When Mercedes-Benz announced plans to open its only U.S. assembly plant in Alabama in 1993, an industry was launched. Since then, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, and an expanding network of automotive suppliers, have joined Alabama’s vehicle manufacturing industry. Vehicles have become Alabama’s No. 1 export, with shipments to over seventy nations around the world every year. In 2021, exports of Alabama-made vehicles and parts topped $8.5 billion, led by shipments to Germany, China, and Canada. Source: MadeInAlabama.com

According to the 2020 Alabama State Economic Report, prepared by Government and Economic Development Institute at Auburn University, in 2019, Alabama automakers combined to produce around 1 million cars and light trucks. Employment in Alabama’s automotive manufacturing sector now exceeds 40,000 jobs, surging from just a few thousand in the days before Mercedes. Around 26,000 of these jobs are in Alabama’s growing automotive supplier network, which now counts 150 major companies.

In November 2021, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama marked twenty years of vehicle and engine production in the state. Honda Manufacturing of Alabama’s Lincoln factory has a direct economic impact on the city of Lincoln and Talladega County, as well as the surrounding communities, which include Calhoun, Etowah, St. Clair, and Jefferson counties. A 2019 economic impact study found that Honda contributed $12 billion to the state’s economy annually. More than 5 million light trucks and V-6 engines have been built over the company’s first two decades here, making Honda the first automobile plant in Alabama to reach that mark.

Mercedes-Benz automotive assembly in Vance, Alabama. Photos by Nik Layman

CONSTRUCTION

According to the most recent economic impact study compiled by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Alabama, the economic impact of the Commercial Construction Industry on the state of Alabama is an estimated $12 billion. Commercial Construction creates more than 155,000 total jobs including the residential sector, with a payroll exceeding $6 billion. The construction industry has a nearly $445 million direct impact on the state’s Education Trust Fund.

Direct employment resulting from the Construction Industry in Alabama is 105,487 jobs, with 54,057 jobs classified as commercial construction employment and 51,430 minus residential construction subsector, as of the last economic impact study, released in 2017.

According to the 2020 Alabama State Economic Report, in the area of economic resilience, in addition to almost 50,000 direct employees, construction and other industries are predicted to see over 100,000 jobs maintained or created, many for years to come.

Images courtesy of Brasfield & Gorrie

Pictured are workers atop the Tutwiler Hotel under construction, dated July 18, 1913. In the background is the Jefferson County Savings Bank building under construction as well. Also visible is the Corner Building, Age-Herald Building, and the City Federal Building.

Construction of Birmingham’s Municipal Auditorium (Boutwell Auditorium) with steel beams, brick walls, and boiler shown, 1924. The address of the auditorium now called Boutwell is 1930 8th Avenue North.

Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

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EXPANDING INDUSTRY

According to the 2021 New and Expanding Industry Report, released by Made in Alabama, there has been $7.7 billion in new capital investment in Alabama announced, which will create 10,190 new jobs. Jefferson County was the second largest leader for new investment, with $1.2 billion in new investment announced, and an anticipated 2,303 new jobs.

Among new industries announced for Jefferson County are Amazon and Norfolk Southern Corp. Expanding industries include American Cast Iron and Pipe Co., Brasfield & Gorrie, O’Neal Steel, and Southern Research.

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VULCAN MATERIALS COMPANY

Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC) has been a leader among Alabama and U.S. businesses since its founding as a public company more than 65 years ago. It is the largest publicly traded company in Alabama as measured by market capitalization ($27.7 billion at year end 2021), with revenues of $5.5 billion.

Vulcan’s operations span 22 states and the District of Columbia – from California across the Sunbelt through the Deep South, up through the mid-Atlantic into New Jersey and New York, and including key markets in the Midwest. The Company also has important operations in Mexico, Canada, the Bahamas and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The nation’s largest producer of construction aggregates –primarily crushed stone, sand and gravel – Vulcan is also a major producer of asphalt and ready-mixed concrete. Its products are the basic building blocks for every type of construction. Transported by trucks, ocean-going ships, barges and trains, Vulcan’s products build homes, offices, schools, hospitals, and factories, and are essential to the nation’s critical infrastructure – its highways, bridges, roads, ports and harbors, water systems, dams, airports, and rail networks.

Headquartered in Birmingham, the company employs nearly 12,000 people at over 645 facilities. Throughout its history, Vulcan has systematically built an aggregates franchise that is the most valuable in the nation, if not the world, with geographic and marketplace positions impossible to replicate. Vulcan’s operations serve 20 of the top 25 high-growth metropolitan areas and states, where more than 75% of U.S. population growth is projected to occur over the next decade. That, coupled with historically high and continuing investment in state and federal infrastructure, positions Vulcan to benefit from growing demand for its products. With 16 billion tons of aggregates reserves, Vulcan has the resources and expertise to supply high-growth U.S. markets for decades to come.

Remarkable Growth and Success from the Beginning Vulcan Materials Company didn’t get its name from Birmingham’s famous statue, but from its formation as a public company in September 1956. That’s when the Birmingham Slag Company, a producer of road base materials from a waste product generated by Birmingham’s steel mills, merged with the Vulcan Detinning Company of Sewaren, New Jersey The newly formed company used Vulcan Detinning’s New York Stock Exchange listing as the springboard for phenomenal growth, with shares first traded on January 2, 1957. The merger was the first of many moves in realizing the grand vision of Birmingham Slag CEO Charles Ireland, who was intent on growing the family business into a public company and a leading supplier of construction materials for the nation’s vast new Interstate Highway System.

Vulcan is the nation’s largest producer of crushed stone used in every kind of infrastructure, and is a leading supplier of ready-mixed concrete and asphalt. It operates over 645 facilities serving key markets from operations in 22 states, the District of Columbia, US Virgin Islands, Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas. With 16 billion tons of aggregates reserves in or near major metropolitan areas, the company has the resources and expertise to supply vital infrastructure projects for decades to come.

Birmingham Slag, the main predecessor company for Vulcan Materials was founded in 1909 to convert waste material from the Magic City’s steel industry into construction materials for the growing network of roads in the Southeast. Purchased by the Ireland family in 1916, Birmingham Slag would merge with other companies in the late 1950s to go public on the New York Stock Exchange as Vulcan Materials Company. Overnight it became the largest producer of construction materials in the United States, retaining that position to this day.

The architect of the first and numerous subsequent mergers was Birmingham attorney Bernard (Barney) Monaghan. A Rhodes Scholar, decorated World War II combat veteran and local civic leader, Monaghan – along with the Irelands and several entrepreneurial Southern families whose companies merged with Vulcan – quickly put the new company on a solid footing. Fortune magazine called the prospectus for Vulcan’s successful merger of nine separate companies on a single day one of the most complex in U.S. business history.

Vulcan Materials became the largest construction aggregates company in America overnight. It has augmented that position many times over in the decades since, with the company’s management teams – led over the years by CEOs Charles Ireland, Barney Monaghan, Houston Blount, Herb Sklenar, Don James, and currently, Tom Hill – focused on healthy long-term growth while navigating the ups and downs of the business cycle.

There have been many milestones since the early mergers, including: a joint-venture with ARAMCO in Saudi Arabia during the late 1970s; the launch in 1987 of an operation in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to supply high quality limestone to U.S. Gulf Coast markets; an acquisition in 1987 greatly expanding operations in Texas; westward expansion in 1999 through the acquisition of CalMat Co. to become the largest construction materials producer in California, with an important presence also in Arizona and New Mexico; acquisition of Tarmac America in 2000 and Florida Rock Industries in 2007, expanding the company’s footprint in Florida, Southeast and mid-Atlantic markets.

Under the current leadership of Chairman and CEO Tom Hill, Vulcan has further expanded its business in southern and northern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and throughout the Southeast, by both acquisitions and new site developments, while also entering the asphalt paving business in Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas. Most recently, Vulcan acquired US Concrete in 2021, gaining additional readymixed concrete and aggregates assets on the West Coast, including northern and southern California and Vancouver, Canada, and on the East Coast, including New York and New Jersey, as well as in Texas.

Industry, Employee and Civic Leadership

A member of the S&P 500 Index since 1999, Vulcan is a recognized leader in business and in its social responsibility and civic initiatives. The company has received numerous honors over the years, ranging from being named to Fortune’s Most Admired” company list multiple times and The Just 100 List, Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies 2021, Forbes – America’s Best Corporate Citizens, to environmental, safety and civic recognition from local, state, and federal government bodies. The company has also received the Clean Industries Certification from the government of Mexico on six occasions.

From the company’s founding, it has sought to play an important role in strengthening its local communities. As Tom Hill puts it, “Our long-term success has been built on a culture of doing the right things for our stakeholders –employees, customers, shareholders, and the communities and people that we serve.”

Vulcan’s blue water network serves major markets along the Gulf Coast, up the Atlantic to Jacksonville and Charleston, and in California.

Over the last five years, the Vulcan Materials Foundation along with the company’s matching gifts program and non-Foundation giving have provided more than $33 million to recipient organizations, with a focus on education, environmental stewardship, and support of employee civic initiatives. During this period, Vulcan has awarded more than 800 scholarships valued at just over $3 million, and has hosted more than 83,000 students, teachers, parents, and other visitors for educational tours at its facilities.

Many of Vulcan’s employees have decades of experience with the company. Vulcan consistently attracts talented people who want to join a positive culture where they can grow and thrive. McKinsey & Company has ranked the company in the top 10 percent out of more than 1,700 U.S. companies for employee satisfaction and engagement. As Hill says, “We value the unique backgrounds and experiences of each of our employees. We treat people fairly and with respect, and give them the tools and environment where they can develop their talents, exercise creativity and achieve superior performance.”

Vulcan launched its Diversity and Inclusion Council in 2015. In 2019 the company forged a long-term partnership with select Historically Black Colleges and Universities to support future leaders in its communities and bring them on the Vulcan team. Vulcan’s operations and sales trainee program cultivates a diverse talent pipeline, and the company has more than doubled the diversity within its management teams since 2013. Vulcan has also earned repeated recognition

from the national board governance organization, Women on Boards, for its higher-than-average percentage of Board seats held by women.

Vulcan’s employee benefits go well beyond competitive salaries and an award-winning 401(k) plan, to include: a tuition reimbursement program; mentoring programs; preparation for future senior-level leaders through a partnership with the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School; mini-MBA programs, and other education opportunities.

Sustainable Development that Ensures Long-Term Success and Growth

Vulcan believes that responsible, sustainable operations benefit its communities and drive positive results for the long term. A recognized leader in safety, health and environmental performance, Vulcan’s safety record consistently outperforms the industry, as measured by federal regulatory agencies. Its environmental inspection rate by regulatory agencies is consistently over 98% citation-free.

Although Vulcan’s operations are not a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it maintains a strong energy management focus and continues to increase the fuel efficiencies of its off-road fleet vehicles. Tier IV machines with the latest EPA emissions standards performed over 50% of the off-road fleet’s work in 2021, which positively impacts all air emissions including GHG emissions. Vulcan will continue to utilize more efficient engine technology

and deploy additional technologies that will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in concert with the Carbon Disclosure Project.

The company’s partnerships with environmental organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the U.S. and Mexico further enhance its business while advancing worthy environmental protection goals. As one example, in 2019 Vulcan launched a major environmental initiative with NGOs, universities and government organizations in Mexico, taking a leadership position to protect the region’s unique ecosystem and biodiversity. Vulcan maintains 6,300 acres in conservation easements and mitigation banks, working with a variety of environmental protection organizations, and has developed the third largest number of wildlife habitats among all industries in the U.S., as certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council.

Vulcan’s ongoing work with external stakeholders is complemented by its internal focus on deriving the most value for shareholders and communities from its significant land holdings. The company views its aggregates mining operations as an interim use of the land, managing 240,000 acres of property and its water assets to have increasing value – from premining use as agriculture and timber development to postmining development as drinking water reservoirs, aquifer recharge basins, public parks, habitat mitigation banks, wetlands, farmland, and residential and commercial developments.

Well-Positioned for a Bright Future

With its irreplaceable assets in high-growth markets across America, its best-in-class workforce thriving in a healthy culture, and its long-term focus on sustainable growth,

Vulcan’s past successes would appear to be simply the prelude for more and greater success to come.

Tom Hill sums up the spirit of the company nicely: “We are never satisfied. That requires us to take a long-term view –in many cases measured in decades – just as our predecessors did, while still working every day to get better and better, across every discipline. That’s our never-ending commitment.” It’s a simple formula that has served the company and its stakeholders quite well for more than 65 years.

Vulcan’s River Rock operation north of Fresno, California supplied much of the material for major infrastructure projects in California’s Central Valley. Like a number of other formerly active Vulcan operations around the country, River Rock has been reclaimed for public use. Vulcan works with conservation organizations, local governments and in a variety of economic development partnerships to create ongoing economic and societal value from its properties.

Like much of the rest of Birmingham’s cityscape and supporting infrastructure, Birmingham’s premier stadium home to UAB football and the Birmingham Legion FC soccer team was built using Vulcan’s construction materials. Vulcan’s products have been used as the basic materials in landmark buildings, roads, bridges, energy facilities and sports venues, among many other end uses, across the United States.

Photo courtesy of BJCC

MCWANE

One of a few major corporations that’s remained familyowned for more than a century, McWane has thrived because of its willingness to evolve, improve, and adapt as a team. Advancements in safety, education, and technology have allowed it to change the industry’s trajectory for future generations—and counting!

A Century of Success

James Ransom (J.R.) McWane left his home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia in 1903, and headed to Birmingham, Alabama, in search of new opportunities. The son of a foundry worker, McWane knew enough about the business to understand that the Magic City was the place to go if he wanted to succeed in the industry. The region held the three primary ingredients for making pig iron, all in close proximity—iron ore, coal, and limestone. Birmingham was on the brink of becoming one of the largest iron and steel manufacturers in the country, and McWane wanted to be part of it.

Shortly after settling in Birmingham, McWane became a general manager of a cast iron company. By 1915, he rose in the ranks to president, establishing innovations in the industry and prioritizing worker welfare initiatives. He had a saying then: “The glory of business is not to make money out of it alone, but to make progress to develop men and women, and methods and products, to improve the ‘state of the art.’”

In 1921, McWane resigned from his position to create a new company that would do just that. He founded McWane Cast Iron Pipe Company to meet the growing demand for clean water and to safely remove waste in flourishing cities. Five years later, he expanded outside Alabama by acquiring Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company in Utah.

When J.R. McWane passed away in 1933, his son William (Bill) McWane became president. Bill McWane steered the company through the Great Depression and World War II. In 1962, he grew the company with the acquisition of Empire Coke Company, a manufacturer of coke and by-products for foundries and other industrial operations.

An Era of Explosive Growth

In 1971, the third generation of McWanes, Bill McWane’s son James (Jim) Ransom, took over the helm as president. Four years later, he was named chairman and chief executive officer.

Growth exploded over the next several decades as the company diversified into other markets such as waterworks fittings, valves, and water systems. In the 1980s, McWane strengthened its global commitment by establishing McWane International to market McWane products worldwide. Phillip McWane, the company’s fourth generation and current Chairman of the Board, also began his long tenure with McWane in 1980.

Through the 1990s, McWane established a major presence in the Canadian market by purchasing Canada Pipe Company in Ontario and establishing Clow Canada, makers of valves and hydrants. The company also made its first foray outside the foundry industry with the purchase of Manchester Tank & Equipment Company and Brunner Manufacturing, makers of propane and air compressor cylinders, and Amerex Corporation, a leading manufacturer of fire suppression systems and extinguishers.

McWane continued to expand in the new millennium. In 2008, Janus Fire Systems joined McWane as a division of Amerex. That same year, McWane Poles developed a new line of ductile iron utility poles for the electric utility industry. In 2012, the company ventured into technology with the addition of Synapse Wireless. Other technologies followed, including Futurecom, an Ontario-based RF coverage extension solution, and Nighthawk, a leading provider for wireless smart grid solutions. In 2014, McWane acquired U.K.-based Zinwave, a global company providing a new approach for reliable multi-service in-building wireless coverage.

The following year, the McWane ductile iron pipe companies, which included Pacific States Cast Iron Company, Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Company, and Clow Water Systems Company, unified under the brand McWane Ductile.

On Oct. 22, 2021, McWane marked its 100th year in business with a company-wide celebration, standing strong with 30 manufacturing plants and iron foundries across eight countries, and with Phillip McWane at the helm.

Birmingham/Alabama Companies

J.R. McWane was strategic when he founded his company in Birmingham. It was, after all, a magical place to produce iron with all its natural resources. A century later, the company now has a global reach, but it still calls Birmingham home. McWane is proud to have several companies in the Greater Birmingham Area:

Amerex Corporation

McWane’s centennial was marked by another major milestone— the 50th anniversary of Amerex, its fire and safety product manufacturing division. Amerex was recently recognized as the Business Council of Alabama and Alabama Technology Network’s 2021 Alabama Manufacturer of the Year for excellence in customer focus, employee commitment, operating excellence, continuous improvement, profitable growth, and investing in training and retaining.

Alabama Dynamics

Founded in 1974, Alabama Dynamics is a mid- to large-size fabrication, machining and paint shop in Calera, Alabama, specializing in building custom equipment and parts for steel, oil, mining, minerals processing, pyro processing, and waterworks industries.

McWane Plant & Industrial (MPI)

Headquartered in Birmingham, MPI offers solutions from Kennedy Valve, McWane Ductile, Tyler Union, Alabama Dynamics, Waterman, and Clear Water Manufacturing through a veteran team of professionals with specialized expertise in valves, gates, and piping systems.

above right: Executive Vice President Will McWane (left) and Chairman Phillip McWane (right) represent the fourth-and fifth-generation leaders among the McWane, Inc. family legacy.

Community Involvement

J.R. McWane created a culture of charitable giving within the company that continues to this day. McWane and its family of companies give millions of dollars annually to various charitable causes in the communities in which it operates. The company also supports and encourages its team members to volunteer and participate in meaningful activities that improve their communities.

The charitable legacy handed down from J.R. McWane also lives on in the many partnerships McWane has established, including:

Vulcan Park & Museum – The world’s largest cast iron statue rising above Birmingham honors the region’s roots in the iron and steel industry. The McWane family played a pivotal role in bringing the giant statue to the Iron City in 1904. A century later, the McWane family of companies helped bring him back to his rightful place atop Red Mountain.

McWane Science Center – The hands-on science and exploration center in downtown Birmingham hosts thousands of students and educators throughout the Southeast as they learn about

the workings of the world around them. The McWane Foundation was the major contributor in the building of the center and continues to offer financial support.

Children’s Hospital – The McWane Foundation pledged $5 million to Children’s of Alabama to construct a state-of-the-art hospital in Birmingham. Phillip and Heather McWane also personally pledged an additional $5 million for a clinical program in the new hospital.

Vision for the Future

More than a century since its founding, McWane remains dedicated to its long tradition of meeting the highest standards of health, safety, and environmental excellence. And in keeping with the family tradition, McWane is poised to bring its fifth generation to the helm with Phillip McWane’s son, William (Will) McWane, who is currently serving as executive vice president.

Looking toward the future, the company continues to take pride in knowing that an industry so important to the nation’s history remains a vital part of America’s future.

J.R. McWane began a charitable legacy that continues today. McWane, Inc. and its family of companies donate time, money, and resources to the surrounding communities where its facilities are located.

Photo courtesy of McWane

In the 50 years since Precision Grinding, Inc. DBA PGI Steel was founded in Birmingham, the company has grown from a small knife grinding facility to an industry leader, providing single source solutions for custom steel plate processing. Its success can be credited to the strong foundation upon which it was built and the leadership that has guided the company with a view to the future.

Strong Foundation

Steel production was at its height in 1971 when William (Bill) J. Cabaniss, Jr., purchased a majority share of a small business in Birmingham, Alabama, that reconditioned and ground metal cutting knives used in steel mills. The company was established two years prior by J.T. Sudduth. One of Sudduth’s employees, Walter McCullers, joined Cabaniss as a minority partner in the new endeavor, which they named Precision Grinding, Inc.

Precision Grinding was a small shop with just nine employees, but Cabaniss had bigger plans for the company. He wanted to grow the firm by providing subcontract grinding services for other companies using high horsepower surface grinding machines and equipment. To do this, Cabaniss began construction on a 13,000-square-foot production facility in the Oxmoor Valley in southwest Birmingham, within two miles of the historic Oxmoor Iron Furnaces and some of the original iron ore mines that supplied the booming steel industry.

As soon as the plant was completed in 1974, construction began on a 3,000-square-foot expansion, completed in 1976. The new space was filled with large surface grinding machines from Mattison Machine works and Blanchard Machine Works, which enabled Precision Grinding to meet the demands of companies that needed to grind large metal plates. In 1976, the company became the first to introduce large Blanchard grinding services in the South.

Finding Opportunities in Difficult Times

In the 1980s, Precision Grinding faced its biggest challenge when a downturn in the economy led to the closing of steel plants in Birmingham. Cabaniss knew that to survive the recession in the steel industry, the company would have to diversify its customer base. So, in 1982, Precision Grinding introduced the largest surface grinding machine in the Southeast, expanding its services to multiple industries. Cabaniss traveled the Southeast visiting plywood mills, appliance and automotive stamping facilities, and machine shops, making them aware of its capabilities. As a result, Precision Grinding pulled through the recession even stronger.

Building the business wasn’t the only thing on Cabaniss’ mind in the 1980s. The businessman also launched a political career. A Republican, Cabaniss served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1978 to 1982 and the Alabama State Senate from 1982 to 1990. He made a bid for a U.S. Senate seat in 1990, during which the Precision Grinding

PGI STEEL

plant was transformed into the official kick-off rally location, complete with banners hanging from the rafters. Cabaniss ultimately lost the election to Democrat Senator Howell Heflin but was later appointed the Fifth United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic by then-President George W. Bush. He served in this role from January 13, 2004, until September 15, 2006.

Changing of the Guard

In 1994, Walter McCullers retired as a minority partner, and Miles Cunningham joined the company in that role. Miles’ brother Andrew Cunningham also came aboard as a minority partner four years later. The Cunningham brothers understood that to meet the demands of the industry, Precision Grinding would have to continue expanding its service offerings and improve the speed of delivery.

Over the next several years, the company expanded its plant from 16,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet and added several new services, including CNC oxy-fuel plate cutting, plasma cutting, large capacity CNC machining, horizontal boring, stress relieving, annealing, and fabrication. This move enabled PGI to become a full-service plate processing company and a “single source solution” for customers interested in fully machined, precision ground, or fabricated custom steel plates and parts.

The Cunningham Legacy

In August of 2006, Miles and Andy Cunningham purchased the remaining stock in the company from Cabaniss. Then, in 2012, Precision Grinding acquired an additional

75,000-square-foot plant in Bessemer, known as the Kilsby Plant, to house its plate cutting equipment, including several Blanchard- and Mattison-style grinders, fabrication, blasting, and painting. The move further streamlined production flow and freed up space at its Oxmoor plant for its first large capacity bridge mill.

In May 2020, Precision Grinding received its ISO 9001:2015 certification, which solidifies its commitment to ensuring customers consistently receive high-quality products and processing services. Since this major milestone, PGI has added two large-capacity, hybrid CNC bridge mills to address growth and enhanced technical requirements. Today, PGI works with machine shops, engineering firms, machine designers and builders, construction companies, tool & die makers, heavy equipment manufacturers, automotive, aerospace and defense industries.

The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021 by unveiling a new logo and changing its moniker to PGI Steel. What started as a small nine-person business has become a company of 90 employees, annual revenues of more than $15 million, and a beacon in the Southeast for multistep processing of custom steel plates.

Inset: William J. Cabaniss and Walter McCullers - The Formative Years of PGI

Below: Quality and Inspection Team Using PGI’s 7-Axis Inpection Arm Inset: PGI’s Flagship Grinding Machine - Affectionately Called Big Green

Opposite page: The Cunningham Family (From left to right) - Drew Cunningham, Andy Cunningham, Miles Cunningham, Reid Cunningham, Collins Cunningham

GENERAL MACHINERY COMPANY

The roots of General Machinery Company were planted in Birmingham in the early 1900s when affordable and reliable electricity became available in Alabama. This caught the attention of New Jersey-based Crocker Wheeler Company, a national manufacturer of electrical equipment. The company sent B.A. Schroder, its New Orleans-based employee, to the Magic City to open an office and serve the rapidly electrifying industries there.

Schroder was impressed by the seemingly unlimited opportunities Birmingham offered to a business that could meet the demand. So, in 1908, he left his job with his former employer and founded General Machinery Company.

He opened shop in the Brown-Marx building downtown and kept his eye on the Birmingham market, making adjustments to his product line to meet the needs of his customers. The company dealt originally in electrical mining machinery, but during a downturn in the coal mining market, Schroder broadened the firm’s scope and began dealing in pumps. General Machinery also was awarded the Cutler-Hammer line in 1914 and, up until 1995, was the second oldest distributor in the United States.

Upon Schroder’s death in 1954, General Machinery passed down to his son-in-law, Ed Wilkinson. Wilkinson kept the business running smoothly for the next several years until his death in 1972. That’s when Francis Crockard, Jr., purchased the company. Later that year, Michael Balliet and Jerry Hope became stockholders.

Under new ownership, General Machinery grew and flourished. The company expanded its scope by entering into the compressed air market with the acquisition of AIRMATCO in 1974, and into the hoist market with the acquisition of Morrow Perry Hoist Company in 1976. In 1989, General Machinery launched into the compressor market with the acquisition of Fred Chenowith Company.

By 1995, General Machinery became one of two electrical distributors in Alabama to qualify for membership in the Association of High Technology Distribution, an organization of manufacturers and distributors focused on high-tech automation products and solutions for Industrial, OEM, Integrator, Utility, Municipal, and Process companies throughout North America and abroad.

In 2001, Francis became chairman and his son, Frank Crockard, took over as president. Frank’s brother Paul became vice president in 2005, and two years later, Frank and Paul became owners of General Machinery. Francis still makes appearances at the office and serves in an advisory role, but left the business operations to Frank and Paul. As owners, the brothers developed General Machinery into four divisions—Air Products, Electrical/Automation, Pump Products, and Service & Repair.

The Air Products division sells and services air compressors, dryers, blowers, filters, silencers, air hoists, and air tools, and can perform on-site surveys for designing and sizing plant air systems.

The Electrical/Automation division specializes in electrical components and systems. The electrical side of the company’s Electrical/Automation division is a Schneider Electric Industrial Automation distributor with the capability of selling the most basic of equipment to designing and engineering high-end electrical system packages for any industrial application. General Machinery is one of the largest stocking Square D distributors in Alabama, which allows the company to be the leader not only in industrial controls, but in automation as well.

As stated earlier, General Machinery is a Schneider Electric “Industrial Automation Authorized Distributor” and has engineers and trained salespeople on staff to provide productive solutions to the most complex automation challenges.

General Machinery’s Pump Products division is staffed by engineers with more than 30 years’ experience who are experts at both application and systems design. The division also stocks OEM parts for all the brands it carries.

The company’s Service & Repair division includes a fullservice, in-house shop, along with service trucks for on-site repair of equipment to ensure they run at optimal performance. All of General Machinery’s service and shop technicians are

factory trained in compressor, blower, and pump repair. The division also provides customers with training in operation and maintenance as well as fast, efficient, comprehensive, and reliable technical support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In January 2023, General Machinery was awarded the Grundfos Pump Global Service Network certificate.

Today, General Machinery’s main office remains at 921 First Avenue North in Birmingham. Under Frank and Paul’s supervision, the company also opened branch locations in Mobile, Madison, and Montgomery to better serve the entire state. Since General Machinery was founded, the company has remained a privately owned business.

Looking ahead, the Crockard brothers are focused on expanding General Machinery into the service side of the industry. They’re also excited about what the future holds, which includes eventually welcoming the third generation of Crockards when their sons are ready.

The company’s ability to deliver a total package of products through the years has kept it in the forefront of delivering supplies and service to the heavy industry for more than a century and counting.

UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION

United States Steel Corporation was founded in 1901 following series of turn-of-the-century mergers engineered by some of America’s most legendary business figures, including Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, Charles Schwab, and Elbert Gray. Shortly thereafter, the American steel producer established a presence in Birmingham. But U. S. Steel’s roots weave even deeper into the fabric of the Magic City, to the mid-19th century when the region was found to contain the world’s richest deposits of iron ore, coal, and limestone—the three raw ingredients needed to make iron.

Early Beginnings

U. S. Steel first entered the Birmingham District in 1907, when it acquired Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company (TCI). TCI was founded in Tennessee 1852 and began mining and basic iron production in Jefferson County in the 1880s, eventually moving most of its business to Alabama in the late 19th century. On Thanksgiving Day 1899, TCI produced its first heat of steel from the former Ensley Works open-hearth plant. By the early 1900s, its blast furnaces had grown to become an industrial powerhouse with vast coal, iron, and timber reserves.

Despite the success of Ensley Works business, TCI had fallen into massive debt due to declining pig iron prices and changes in upper management. By the time the financial crisis hit in late 1907, TCI was struggling to stay afloat.

Financial disaster was averted when U. S. Steel acquired its Birmingham District operations for $35 million. U. S. Steel invested more than $30 million over the next six years to upgrade the Ensley steelworks. In 1912, the corporation opened a steel plant nearby Fairfield. The new refinery mainly finished steel ingots and rail that were produced at the Ensley location.

During World War I, steel production ramped up significantly in response to the national demand for steel to support the defense effort. By 1926, production peaked with 1.4 million tons of steel ingots, a million tons of pig iron, one-half million tons of rail, and 1.9 million tons of coke. During World War II, U. S. Steel employed more than 45,000 workers in the Birmingham District, mostly at its Fairfield Works plant.

In the decades since, U. S. Steel has expanded and continually modernized its facilities. In 1984, the Ensley Works plant was closed as the integrated steelmaking process in Fairfield was far more efficient than the open-hearth process being done at Ensley.

In the early and mid-1980s, U. S. Steel invested more than $1 billion to convert the Fairfield plant from ingot to continuous casting technology and added the seamless pipe mill, enabling it to become one of the most efficient producers of tubular products in the world.

Commitment to Sustainability

Recognizing the steel industry’s impact on climate change as well as customer and government demands, U. S. Steel has taken action to be part of the climate solution. In 2019, the corporation announced its first greenhouse gas reduction goal vowing to reduce greenhouse gas intensity by 20 percent by 2030 from a 2018 baseline. A key aspect of that strategy included integrating electric arc furnace (EAF) capabilities into its footprint. The Fairfield Tubular Steel Operations plant was selected as the corporation’s first existing site to be integrated with EAF technology.

EAF steel is made from recycled scrap metal instead of iron ore and can offer advantages over traditional blast furnaces. For example, EAF production can be stopped and restarted easily, making the method more flexible to market demands. Conversely, traditional blast furnaces must operate continuously to avoid damage and additional expenses.

Even more significant is the environmental impact the Fairfield EAF plant has being a scrap recycler. EAF technology reduces the release of greenhouse gas emissions as well as the plant’s carbon footprint compared to conventional steel production

methods. Since Fairfield Tubular Steel Operations began EAF commissioning on Oct. 15, 2020, the facility saw a 50 percent reduction of its greenhouse gas emission intensity. The success of the Fairfield EAF facility helped paved the way for U. S. Steel to acquire and construct additional EAFs in other parts of the country.

U. S. Steel is so confident in its ability to use EAFs and other advanced technologies to achieve significant carbon emission reductions that, in 2021, the corporation announced it was expanding its transformational commitment to sustainability by setting an ambitious goal targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. As part of this effort, the corporation plans to leverage its growing fleet of electric arc furnaces coupled with other technologies such as direct reduced iron, carbon-free energy sources, and carbon capture, sequestration, and utilization.

U. S. Steel sees a clear path forward that allows the company to profitably produce sustainable steels well into the future. When businesses, governments and people work together to improve our shared destiny, transformative innovations can follow.

AMERICAN CAST IRON PIPE COMPANY (ACIPCO)

The AMERICAN Story

Originating in Birmingham more than a century ago, AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company has grown to be an influential capital-goods manufacturer with eight manufacturing plants in six states and inventory locations across the country. The AMERICAN family of companies manufactures ductile iron pipe, spiral-welded steel pipe, valves and hydrants for the waterworks industry and steel pipe for the energy industry. The company’s diversified product line also includes fire pumps, structural casing and piling, castings for large machinery and specialty rubber products.

Our Eagan Legacy

In 1905, Charlotte Blair, secretary of Dimmick Pipe Company in Anniston, Alabama, along with her brother James W. Blair, interested several southern businessmen in the idea of starting a new cast iron pipe plant in Birmingham. With its natural resources, access to raw materials – iron ore, coal and limestone – and a developing rail transportation network, Birmingham was a well-suited location.

John J. Eagan was one of seven original stockholders who invested in the Birmingham pipe plant. He served as the company’s first president and would later acquire all the common stock of the company to become its sole proprietor.

In accordance with his Christian beliefs, and deeply committed to the social and industrial reform movements of the day, Eagan developed a business model at AMERICAN based on the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. He paid good wages with overtime and sick leave, invested in worker health and safety programs, and treated all employees with fairness and respect.

In April 1923, Eagan added a codicil to his will placing all the company’s common stock in a trust to be managed by employees for the benefit of employees and customers. In Eagan’s words, his objective was to ensure “service both to the purchasing public and to labor on the basis of the Golden Rule.” When he died on March 30, 1924, AMERICAN became an employee-owned business.

Our History

AMERICAN manufactured and shipped its first order of cast iron pipe in 1906. Since then, the company has continued to play an instrumental role in the growth and development of the cast iron pipe industry.

Early firsts included the development of Mono-Cast, a centrifugal casting method that yielded stronger, more durable pipe than pit casting; the introduction of cement lining, which would become the industry standard; and the advent of the mechanical joint, the first pipe joint with a rubber seal to guard against leaks and contamination.

In 1941, when the United States entered World War II, AMERICAN was asked to apply its centrifugal casting experience to another metal — steel. The manufacturing of static and centrifugally cast steel parts for ships, planes and tanks led to the creation of a new Special Products Division for steel products, the first diversification in AMERICAN’s history.

One of the company’s most significant advancements would come in the mid-1950s following the invention of a stronger and more resilient iron called ductile iron. AMERICAN took a lead role in using this new metallurgy to create even better products, including larger diameter pipes that were stronger than those made from gray iron.

Inset, left: John J. Eagan (1870-1924) right: Curing cement-lined iron pipe, circa 1930

Bottom: Train car of 42-inch ductile iron pipe, 1955

In 1962, the company purchased Fox Steel in Jacksonville, Florida, and used the equipment to build a 36,000-square-foot steel pipe mill on its Birmingham campus. The mill manufactured steel pipe in diameters from 6 to 20 inches for the oil and natural gas industries.

In 1969, AMERICAN acquired Darling Valve and Manufacturing Company in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with a facility in Beaumont, Texas. The Beaumont facility would become home to AMERICAN Valve & Hydrant (AVH), which manufactures the well-known American-Darling brand of fire hydrants and valve products. The same year, AMERICAN acquired Specification Rubber Products in Alabaster, Alabama, which began operations in 1968 as a manufacturer of rubber products, including gaskets used in water pipe joints.

A new melting system, including the largest cupola of its kind in the world, was introduced in 1970, and AMERICAN moved from a sand-spun casting process to a generation of deLavaud metal molds, significantly improving productivity.

In the late 1980s, the company continued to expand its steel pipe business for the energy industry by building a second mill to manufacture steel pipe in diameters up to 24 inches. In 1989, the company acquired Waterous Company in South St. Paul, Minnesota, a manufacturer of fire suppression systems, valves and hydrants since 1886. This acquisition, along with AVH, led to the formation of AMERICAN Flow Control (AFC), the company’s valve and hydrant division, in 1991.

As the new millennium dawned, AMERICAN was poised for further growth, building the first AMERICAN SpiralWeld Pipe facility, now known as the Eastern Operations facility, in Columbia, South Carolina. This further diversified AMERICAN’s product line to include spiral-welded steel pipe for water service in diameters up to 144 inches.

In 2003, the company acquired AMERICAN Castings in Pryor, Oklahoma, which manufactures static castings such as axles, frames, braking system parts, suspension parts and valve bodies for the construction, agriculture, waterworks, mining and energy industries.

The turn of the century would also bring a host of innovations for AMERICAN’s waterworks divisions, including zinc-coated ductile iron pipe, the AFC mapper for utility asset management, resilient wedge gate valves up to 66 inches in diameter, the Earthquake Joint System and the ALPHA restrained joint.

AMERICAN SpiralWeld expanded its operations to serve waterworks customers in other parts of the country with construction of two new facilities – Great Lakes Operations (Flint, Michigan) in 2014, and Southwest Operations (Paris, Texas) in 2021.

AMERICAN’s Steel Pipe Division would also continue to see major developments, including a new 150,000-square-foot processing facility and upgrades to its two Birmingham mills.

Today, AMERICAN’s Birmingham plant, located on a 2,000acre site just north of a revitalized downtown, provides a historic backdrop for the city’s center. The plant employs about 1,500 people, offering competitive benefits, including profit sharing, apprenticeship training in crafts and trades, on-site professional development, and a nationally recognized wellness program.

For more information about the AMERICAN family of companies – our people, our products, our way – visit us online. www.AMERICAN-usa.com

Top left: AMERICAN Steel Pipe’s North Processing Facility, 2015

Top right: AMERICAN Earthquake Joint ductile iron pipe being installed in San Francisco, California.

All photos courtesy of AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company

ROBINS & MORTON

For Birmingham’s 150th anniversary, city officials chose the theme “Built to Last” saying, “Like the steel we were built on, we were built to last.”

Construction firm Robins & Morton has been headquartered in the Magic City since its 1946 founding as Robins Engineering. The firm got its start building a service station in the East Lake neighborhood and completing the still-standing Cahaba Heights Hardware store.

The business and its founder, engineer Todd Robins, soon became known for integrity and quality. It was Robins’ emphasis on satisfying clients that would define the company’s reputation in Birmingham.

In the early 1950s, Robins Engineering got its first contract with the city through the newly formed Birmingham Water Works Board, upgrading water facilities along the Cahaba River and Highway 280. This expanded access to clean water, influencing the city’s growth in the 20th century.

The ‘50s and ‘60s included renovation work to buildings such as the flagship Pizitz Department Store and a new series of Five-and-Dime stores.

At the dawn of the ‘70s, Robins Engineering got a new name—The Robins Corporation—and a large municipal project from the city: the Birmingham Airport expansion.

The then-largest project in the company’s history positioned The Robins Corporation to compete for larger work.

In 1977, the company also expanded seating at Legion Field. Over the years, Legion Field hosted college sporting events and for most of the 20th century was the site of the Iron Bowl – the football showdown between archrivals Auburn University and the University of Alabama.

The early ‘80s marked a significant partnership with a new client and a shift toward the company’s specialization in healthcare. However, while The Robins Corporation gained traction in the sector, they continued to build close to home.

This included the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) expansion in 1989. The Robins Corporation managed the construction of a 640,000-square-foot exhibition hall, product mart, hotel and parking deck. The project took three years, and required oversight of 15 general contractors, four architects and three interior designers. Its contract value upon completion was $123 million, or the equivalent of nearly $320 million in 2021.

Construction of the BJCC addition carried into the early ‘90s, overlapping with the completion of nearby Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Headquarters in 1991. Only one year later, The Robins Corporation would earn its new name, Robins & Morton,

Aker Imaging

officially recognizing long-time team member and executive Barry Morton as the majority shareholder in a successful generational transition of the business.

Moving into the new century, Robins & Morton worked on several improvements to what was once the tallest building in Alabama: the 20-story John Hand Building. Originally called the American Trust & Savings Bank Building, it was renamed in the ‘70s after the president of First National Bank of Birmingham. In 1997, the building was purchased, beginning a series of renovations. Robins & Morton had a hand in a parking deck, the two-floor athletic club buildout, tenant buildouts, and upgrades to the infrastructure.

By the early 2000s, Robins & Morton had become a leader in healthcare construction, ranking among the top general contractors in Modern Healthcare magazine. As the company’s backlog grew, so did its footprint across the Southeast. However, another important expansion was within the Birmingham office. In 2009, Robins & Morton established a new division dedicated to clients who needed Class A office, hospitality, or other commercial buildings. This led to many projects important to the Birmingham economy, a trend that continues today.

In 2013, the company built the 8,500-seat Regions Field, home of the Birmingham Barons and key to revitalization of the Parkside neighborhood along 1st Avenue.

In the next few years, Robins & Morton completed T-Mobile’s Customer Care Center in 2014 and Oxford Pharmaceuticals in 2016, bringing hundreds of jobs to Birmingham. Luxury hotels such as the Grand Bohemian Hotel and the recently completed Valley Hotel add to the firm’s hospitality resume. In 2021, Robins & Morton began renovating the Birmingham Building Trades Towers—a 10-story apartment tower the company first constructed in 1970. Once complete, it will provide sensibly priced housing in the Five Points South neighborhood.

The same year, the company sank its roots even deeper into the red, Alabama clay, completing the expansion and renovation of its headquarters, reinforcing its commitment to remain Birmingham-based. For half of Birmingham’s history, Robins & Morton has played a role in building the city, assuring its legacy is built to last.

Today, Robins & Morton’s ongoing Birmingham projects span the healthcare, higher education, multi-family and commercial office sectors, almost always in partnership with repeat clients. The company now has 1,300 employees, 164 ongoing projects in 11 states, and 10 total offices in Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; Dallas and San Antonio, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Orlando, Miami and Tampa, Florida. In addition to a record-breaking year for sales and revenue, Robins & Morton also received recognition in Glassdoor’s 2022 Best Places to Work awards—the only construction firm in the U.S. to make the list.

VRX Studios

DRUMMOND COMPANY, INC.

In 1935, Alabama farmer and coal miner, Heman Drummond, decided to form his own mining operation on a piece of inherited family land near the small town of Sipsey. He put up three mules as collateral in order to obtain a $300 loan from Walker County Bank in Jasper, using the funds to grow the H.E. Drummond Coal Company.

Working almost entirely by hand that first year, Drummond cut and removed the coal from his small hillside mine, then sold it to local farms and households for heating purposes. Many of Drummond’s earliest employees were area farmers who worked in the mine during the morning, then went home to tend their crops in the afternoon.

Those were the humble beginnings of what is now a multibillion-dollar, international operation called Drummond Company. After nearly 90 years in business, Drummond has grown into a global leader of coal distribution, shipping more than 30 million metric tons of coal each year, with control of over 1.3 billion tons in reserves.

“We went from mining lump coal for $7 a ton to being a world-class business,” says John Drummond Sr., one of Heman Drummond’s seven children. “We did it with a lot of good employees and a lot of faith.”

The company grew slowly throughout the 1940s and 1950s, enduring the final years of the Great Depression, the entirety of World War II, and the passing of Heman Drummond in 1956.

The pace of growth accelerated in the 1960s under the leadership of Heman’s five sons: Segal, Donald, Garry (who served as chairman and CEO for more than 40 years), Larry, and John. During the decade, the company’s annual coal production increased from 200,000 tons to 1.5 million. The company opened up new mining operations in Jefferson, Tuscaloosa and Cullman Counties, and moved its headquarters to Birmingham.

In 1970, Drummond Company went international, establishing an agreement to sell $100 million of coal over a 10-year period to a Japanese steel corporation. That was followed in 1976 by the signing of a 15-year contract to annually supply Southern Company with 2 million tons of thermal coal to be used by Alabama and Georgia power plants.

“We had tremendous growth throughout the 1980s,” says current Drummond CEO Richard Mullen, who has been with the company since 1982. “We were shipping coal all over the world.”

With dwindling production as the mines in Alabama reached the end of their economic lives, Drummond needed to look elsewhere.

In 1992, the company ventured west to the Powder River Basin and purchased the Caballo Rojo coal mine in Wyoming from Mobil. Drummond relocated a 115 cubic yard dragline from Alabama, increasing annual production at Caballo Rojo from 8 million to 17 million tons. The company spent several years

evaluating potential projects in various locations around the world before settling on what might have seemed like a questionable location: Colombia. Drummond acquired its first property in the South American country in 1986, then spent nearly a decade preparing for operations, including the construction of a shipping port.

“At a time when nobody else in the U.S. was investing in Colombia, the (Drummond) brothers were brave enough to do that,” Mullen says. “We worked with the government there on all the contracts and permits, got the mining plans approved, and then opened in Colombia in 1994.”

It turned out to be an extremely successful choice. Shipments of Colombian coal have grown from 1 million tons in 1995 to nearly 32 million tons annually, with delivery to more than two dozen countries around the world.

Other than the Shoal Creek underground mine west of Birmingham, which the company operated from 1994 to 2018, and the Twin Pines surface mine in Jefferson County since 2010, Drummond’s coal operations have been focused primarily on its Colombian mines for the past 20 years. The company has branched out into several other business ventures, including ABC Coke in Tarrant, Perry Supply Inc. in Birmingham, and Marigold Works machine shop in Jasper.

Drummond has been involved in several luxury real estate developments, founding Liberty Park, The Bray and Old Overton Country Club in Vestavia Hills, and country club golf communities in California (Andalusia and Rancho La Quinto) and Florida (Grasslands). Drummond’s newest real estate groundbreaking is Heritage Landing, located on a former mine site in Walker County off Interstate 22.

“We never forgot where we came from,” John Drummond Sr. says. “Birmingham and Walker County and Alabama have played a big part in Drummond Company’s success. My daddy always said, ‘Don’t forget your raisin’. In other words, don’t forget the community that helped you, and when you can, go back and help them. That’s what we still try to do.”

That attitude is one of the reasons that numerous employees who do not have the last name of Drummond have remained with the company for decades.

“They treat you in a way where you’re made to feel like part of the family,” Mullen says. “The company by-and-large is being run today by non-family members who feel like part of the family. In that way, it still feels like a small company.

“But we’ve also never been afraid to be big and go out on a limb and do things other companies wouldn’t try. And so far, we’ve been extremely successful at those things.”

Opposite page: The Ole Tobe II dragline, named after the company’s original mule, is a Bucyrus Erie 2570 dragline with a 115 Cubic Yard Bucket (23,000 Gallons) and 335 feet boom. This dragline can scoop up material the equivalent size of a large in-ground swimming pool, and move it a football field away. The dragline is 370 feet long, 116 feet wide, and towers 215 feet high from the top of the boom to the ground (the equivalent of a 22 story building). Above left: Garry Neil Drummond, Chairman and CEO for over 40 years, stands in front of the large “Gran Madre” coal seam in Colombia. Above right: The first and second generations in front of the family home. Heman and Elza with their seven children.

Bottom left: A fiberglass representation of Ole Tobe the mule and coal cart outside of Drummond Company offices in Jasper. Bottom right: From left, Ron Damron (President & COO), Garry Neil Drummond (CEO 1973-2016), and Richard Mullen (CEO) inspect water pumps with the mine manager, Mark Hawthorne.The coal seam shows in the background.

BL HARBERT INTERNATIONAL

How did a small, family-run construction company go from building bridges in Alabama to creating high-security United States embassies throughout the world? They handled it just like any other project: piece by piece.

The business that began in Birmingham in 1949 as basically a three-person operation called Harbert Construction Company has grown into a billion-dollar enterprise called BL Harbert International. The company now boasts approximately 10,000 employees working jobs around the world, with more than 300 based in Birmingham.

The business has reinvented itself a few times along the way, but one thing never changed. Regardless of whether the project was in Bombay or Bahrain, Harbert’s heart remained in Birmingham.

“We still run this like a family business,” says current CEO Billy Harbert, the son and nephew of two of the founders of Harbert Construction. “Our roots are in Birmingham. It’s our home. The people who make this company run are right here in Birmingham.”

That has been the case ever since brothers John and Bill Harbert formed Harbert Construction along with colleague Ed Dixon. Using primarily a pickup truck, a concrete mixer and a handful of workers, the trio began building roads, bridges and pipelines. Harbert Construction’s first major job was a $67,000 water distribution center in Demopolis, Alabama.

The company’s national reach grew steadily throughout the 1950s. Then in 1957, an opportunity arose to work on a sewer/water line job at a port facility in Puerto Rico. That led to an offer for a project in Trinidad and Tobago, and suddenly the company was going international. Harbert Construction began working with oil companies building pipelines, canals and water-treatment facilities in Central and South America.

“My father (Bill) developed a passion for international construction,” Billy Harbert says. “He spent a lot of time overseas, while my uncle (John) handled the work in the U.S.”

In the 1970s, Harbert Construction picked up projects in Africa and the Middle East. The company eventually gained so much work in the region through the U.S. government that it opened an office in Abu Dhabi.

“We gained a skillset of working in these developing countries, building things like grain silos and sewage pipelines and treatment plants,” Harbert says. “That gave us a lot of experience with the U.S. government.”

By the early 1980s, Harbert Construction had diversified to the point that the company handled civil, commercial, industrial and, of course, international work. One project was for the Special Forces of the U.S. Army (commonly known as Delta Force) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

“There are a lot of technical requirements and government approvals required to do this work.” Harbert says. “When we finished it, we figured we already had all our approvals, so what else can we do with this?”

The answer was to build U.S. embassies, first in Bahrain, followed by South Africa, South Korea and Yugoslavia. The only issue with expanding this type of work is that in order to qualify for a job, a company had to have completed a similar-sized project in the U.S.

“So we got into building commercial office buildings in order to qualify for the embassy work,” Harbert says. “All of a sudden, our commercial office building portfolio starts to grow, and we’re doing real estate development projects around the Southeast.” (Including the Riverchase Galleria, a job Harbert worked on as a teenager.)

The company spent the 1990s in transition. John Harbert retired, and his son Raymond was more interested in a career in finance than construction. So, Bill Harbert purchased Harbert’s international operations and formed Bill Harbert International Construction, and the rest of Harbert Construction was sold to Raytheon. Then in 2000, Billy Harbert started a separate entity called BL Harbert International, and the family business gradually transferred from father to son.

“We teamed up with my dad for two or three years, then my dad’s company was wound down and we ramped up,”

Billy Harbert says. “We’re now the third iteration of a second-generation business. We basically hired all my dad’s people. We have people who have been with us for 50 years.”

The company continues to focus heavily on embassy, consulate and other U.S. government work, which has become increasingly complex because of security concerns. Since its formation in 2000, BL Harbert International has performed in excess of $5 billion worth of new construction in more than 50 countries.

Despite this international breadth, the company maintains its critical logistics center and consolidation warehouses in Birmingham, and Harbert says that is not about to change. If anything, he wants more people from around the world to come experience his hometown.

“We work with all these people in Africa and Pakistan and India, and a dream of mine is to bring some of them to Birmingham to do apprenticeship work and things like that,” Harbert says. “I want to show them what Birmingham has to offer, and I also want to expose people in Birmingham to the different cultures we work with around the world.”

In other words, nearly 75 years after the original company started, BL Harbert International is still building bridges.

opposite page: U.S. Embassy Compound in London below: Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama

U.S. PIPE

In life, clean water is one of the most critical essentials. While you may not think about it, the way that clean water gets to you is just as critical.

“We make a product that carries water from the source all the way to your home or business, and water is essential for life,” says David Mize, says David Mize, a 30-year employee and Operations Manager at U.S. Pipe. “So, we’re definitely doing more than just making pipe.”

The company known as U.S. Pipe has been performing that task in the Birmingham area since 1899, when 14 pipemaking facilities across eight states – including one located in Bessemer – merged to form the United States Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Company. Within a few years, this new organization was responsible for approximately three-fourths of all pipe production in the country, along with associated products such as fittings and fabricated pieces.

An interesting note in the company history is that one of the earliest workers at the Bessemer facility was none other than future musician W.C. Handy, who is known as the “Father of the Blues.”

In 1911, U.S. Pipe acquired the Dimmick Pipe Company in North Birmingham to go along with the Bessemer facility. Combined, the two plants churned out several hundred tons of pipe daily. Originally, the company manufactured this pipe by pouring hot iron down vertical molds lined with sand, an inconsistent and time-consuming process that was not much different from the methods used during the medieval days.

Then in 1921, U.S. Pipe bought the rights to a centrifugalcasting method of pipe-making that had been developed by a French engineer. Using this method, workers poured molten iron into a rotating steel mold, and the centrifugal force of the rotation spread the iron evenly around the inside of the form, so the resulting pipe was uniform in thickness. This allowed for the mass production of pipe for the first time.

The innovations continued following World War II, but like many manufacturers during that time, the shift to wartime support moved U.S. Pipe to also produce artillery shells as well as housings for submarine periscopes.

In 1950, the company introduced the use of polyethylene encasements, also known as “polywrap,” which protects pipes from external corrosion. And in 1956, U.S. Pipe created the innovative new TYTON JOINT®, a ductile iron pipe with a push-on connection. Both innovations are still utilized today domestically and internationally all across the globe.

In 1953, U.S. Pipe relocated its headquarters to Birmingham from Burlington, N.J., following a merger with the Birminghambased Sloss-Sheffield Steel & Iron Company. That led to the opening in 1958 of a major blast furnace in North Birmingham capable of producing 1,000 tons per day.

Michael Lusco grew up in the North Birmingham area and would gaze in wonder at the massive plant as his school bus rolled past it during the 1970s. He began working for U.S. Pipe as an engineer in 1985 and was equally as enthralled by the interior of the facility.

“My first day, I remember walking through there and watching people working with all that molten iron. I just kind of got mesmerized by it,” Lusco recalls. “A plant manager at the time told me, ‘Son, this place is going to get in your blood, and you won’t leave here.’ Sure enough, I’m still with U.S. Pipe all these years later.”

Though the North Birmingham plant closed in 2010, U.S. Pipe opened the Marvel City Mini Mill facility across the street from the Bessemer plant in 2008. This new facility is fully automated and can operate continuously 24 hours a day.

“We melt the iron at the original plant, then rail it across the street to Marvel City and put it into big furnaces that homogenize the iron,” Lusco says. “We’ll run one type of pipe for a few days, then change it and run another type. It’s one of U.S. Pipe’s most successful plants. The production and quality levels have helped us stay competitive in the market.”

Remaining competitive has been one of the constants in the nearly 125-year history of U.S. Pipe. Through numerous acquisitions, mergers, and changes in ownership – as well as all the fluctuations in the market – U.S. Pipe has continued to keep its product flowing.

“This company is very consistent in terms of how we operate,” Mize says. “We’ve never had extreme highs and lows. It’s a very stable operation. That consistency goes a long way, instead of having a bunch of ups and downs.”

As a result, U.S. Pipe has been a steady presence within Birmingham’s storied history of iron and steel production.

“I’m second-generation U.S. Pipe. My dad retired from the company,” Mize says. “That’s a common theme around here. There are a lot of second- and third-generation workers. It says a lot about the company that there are so many generations who want to work at the same place. It’s a company that continues to grow on families and provides for the people and the community.”

Left: Pipe in front of our Bessemer Marvel City Mini-Mill. Left Inset: Pipe unloaded in Connecticut in 1927. Bottom Right: Molten iron is poured while a worker ensures good flow. Bottom Left: HDSS pipe, one of many innovations in piping that came from the Birmingham plant. Top Middle: The North Birmingham headquarters in 1953. Top Right: The iconic sign that greets you at the Bessemer facility entrance.

CMC STEEL ALABAMA

CMC Steel Alabama, a local Birmingham steel mini-mill that produces structural steel products from recycled metals, became a part of the CMC Steel Group in December 1983, when Commercial Metals Company (CMC) purchased the assets of Connors Steel on 50th Street S. in Birmingham. But the history of the facility dates back further than that, to the early years of the Civil War when Montgomery merchants built a rolling mill in Helena about 30 miles south of Birmingham, along the banks of Buck Creek.

Named Central Iron Works, the plant operated until March 1865, when it was destroyed by Union cavalry. Abandoned for seven years, the mill restarted in 1873 under the same name. The plant made patented “Alabama Loop Cotton Tie.” Steel nails became the chief product in 1882 until the company’s failure. In 1889, the mill was reorganized and expanded under the name Shelby Rolling Mill Company. The plant produced bar iron and light T-rails. But within two years, the Shelby Rolling Mill Company also failed.

The Alabama Tube & Iron Company purchased the property in 1901 and produced wrought iron pipe. By 1910, the Conners-Weyman Steel Company was operating the works making cotton ties, hoops, and light bands. In 1920, the Connors Steel Company acquired the plant and, in 1923, dismantled the mill and moved it to the Woodlawn community on the east side of Birmingham, where it would operate under the Connors name for the next six decades.

The Conners Steel location supplied materials in support of World War II efforts along with a range of channels, angles, and flats. Following economic difficulties in the early 1980s, the Connors plant was closed until 1983, when CMC purchased the plant for $6 million and established a presence at its current location in the Magic City.

CMC was founded in 1915 on the principles of recycling and sustainable steelmaking, starting with a single metal recycling facility in Dallas, Texas. By the 1980s, the company was well on its way to becoming a global leader in sustainable recycling, manufacturing, and fabrication of steel and metal products and related materials and services. And with its new acquisition and start up of CMC Steel Alabama, the company would be on a continued path to success as a leading steelmaker.

Over the next several years, CMC invested heavily, upgrading the facility’s capabilities and capacity. A new rolling mill and melting furnace were installed, among other investments. These enhancements enabled CMC to competitively produce long steel products in Birmingham, an area already wellestablished in the industry as a major steel producer. Since 2010, CMC Steel Alabama has maintained an annual steel production capacity of more than 700,000 tons.

Today, CMC Steel Alabama is one of CMC’s largest steel mills and employs more than 400 employees in well-paying manufacturing jobs. Operating as an electric arc furnace (EAF)

mini-mill, the facility uses recycled scrap metal collected from CMC recycling yards in Birmingham, Alexander City, and many other yards throughout the Southeastern U.S. to produce merchant bar products such as flats, angles, and channels, and steel billets, a semi-finished product.

Merchant steel products produced at CMC Steel Alabama have a variety of applications in the construction industry as well as the manufacturing of equipment including conveyor systems, joists, metal racks, metal buildings, bedframes, and tractor trailers, to name a few. CMC Steel Alabama ships some of its products to CMC’s local heat-treating facility in Pell City, CMC Impact Metals. With all the products CMC produces in Alabama, CMC’s steel quite literally “builds America,” serving as the backbone for an incredible array of highways, structures, and other projects.

CMC is focused on building a sustainable world, having only ever produced steel using 100% recycled scrap metal, turning non-useful scrap into new, sustainable steel products. With a constant focus toward improvement in sustainable, green steelmaking and manufacturing, CMC looks for ways to further improve energy efficiency, while lowering emissions through its EAF technology and processes.

CMC’s industry-leading sustainable steelmaking emits 63 percent less CO2 and uses 82 percent less energy than the industry average. CMC’s commitment to sustainability and environmentally friendly practices is exemplified by its

annually!

CMC Steel Alabama believes that every person has the responsibility to make the communities where they live and work stronger, healthier, and more vibrant. On a national level, CMC supports the American Heart Association, the Gary Sinise Foundation, and the United Way. CMC facilities also support a variety of local charities and organizations in their communities with financial or in-kind donations and volunteering.

Locally, CMC Steel Alabama has supported the Ronald McDonald House, United Way of Central Alabama, and the Woodlawn Foundation. The company also provides partnerships and support for local schools, providing career opportunities for many high school and college graduates, while also assisting in classroom enrichment and instruction at times.

CMC is renowned for its strength, dependability, and innovation, but the same can be said of its employees, who strive daily to exceed expectations. In turn, CMC Steel Alabama supports employees’ growth through education, leadership training and opportunities, and apprenticeship classes.

CMC Steel Alabama continues to move Birmingham forward by reinvesting in its facility with major upgrades to equipment and by being dedicated to its employees, so it can continue making steel in the Magic City to help build America every day.

recycling operation, which helps to save 19 billion pounds of scrap metal from being landfilled

TRACTOR & EQUIPMENT COMPANY

As a city that was built on a foundation of iron ore and steel, Birmingham has always been a heavyweight town. Since 1943, Tractor & Equipment Company has helped supply and repair some of the city’s (and region’s) biggest and weightiest equipment.

TEC was founded as an International Harvester heavy equipment dealer. The company still sells plenty of massive machinery, but over the years has become equally adept at repairing bulldozers and backhoes and all manner of construction vehicles that you can’t simply take down to the local garage.

“When these machines break down, they can be very difficult to repair,” current TEC President and Chairman Dan Stracener says. “So service is at the forefront of what we do. It’s the backbone of our company.”

TEC opened in downtown Birmingham midway through World War II with fewer than a dozen employees. Stracener says the city’s industrial background helped TEC grow, to the point that the company now has 20 branch operations across Alabama, Georgia and northwest Florida, with a total of approximately 600 employees.

“We feel very fortunate to be linked to a city of heavy industry like Birmingham that supports our efforts,”

Stracener says. “Coal mining, iron ore, steel – all those things were in our wheelhouse in terms of heavy-equipment support of those industries. It certainly helped us along the way to being successful for 80 years.”

Much of TEC’s initial growth occurred in the 1970s and 1980s under the direction of President and Chairman James Waitzman. During this time, in 1984, TEC became an official Komatsu dealer. Komatsu is the world’s second-largest manufacturer of construction equipment, trailing only Caterpillar. “That led to a big increase in our business,” Stracener says.

Of course, even the best equipment isn’t much good if it’s not running. So, Waitzman also helped establish the TEC RENEW Center, a facility that can provide a total hydraulic system rebuild or a complete engine overhaul for any of the machines. Waitzman retired in 1989 and was succeeded as President and Chairman by Bill Roberts, who was followed by James Waitzman Jr. from 1995 to 2008. Like his father, Waitzman Jr. was responsible for a burst of sudden growth when the company acquired all the Komatsu dealerships in Georgia in 2001, expanding TEC’s footprint by nine new locations. “That essentially doubled the size of the company,” Stracener says.

In recent years, TEC has placed a significant amount of focus on expansions in technology. After all, long gone are the days when an ignition key was all a worker needed to use a piece of heavy machinery, and construction plans were written out by hand.

“Our industry today operates on the back of technology. The machines we sell are smart machines with GPS technology,” Stracener says. “In the old days, we’d put stakes in the ground and have a set of plans laid out on a pickup truck. Now the environment is more about drones flying over the job site, then downloading the plans into this very sophisticated equipment. It’s changed a lot.”

Even so, as Stracener notes, “It still takes big iron to move rocks and dirt.”

MOTION

Motion’s vision is to continually earn its place as the premier industrial solutions company by providing the preferred customer experience, energizing its talent, and delivering stakeholder value.

The company’s timeline starts in 1946, the year after World War II ended. Two friends—William Spencer (a U.S. Marine Corps veteran) and Caldwell Marks (a U.S. Navy veteran)— bought the industrial parts supply business Owen-Richards and opened the first location in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1970, the founders renamed the company “Motion Industries,” conveying the purpose of keeping machinery—and industry— in motion.

In 1976, the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company (NYSE:GPC), with Spencer and Marks retaining leadership. The same year, its new headquarters opened in Irondale, Alabama.

Since these humble beginnings, Motion has thrived to become a leading distributor and global provider of industrial technology solutions, operating in the MRO (maintenance, repair and operation) replacement parts market and the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) market. In 2021, the company commemorated its 75th anniversary by rebranding as “Motion” (shortening the name) and celebrated throughout the year. Another significant 2021 accomplishment was opening a state-of-the-art Repair and Service Center near the company’s main campus in Irondale. The 104,000-square-foot facility houses Motion’s area fluid power shop, hose and rubber shop,

and engineering department. Capabilities include fluid power component repair and fabrication, power unit fabrication, machining, hose kitting and assembly, and engineering design.

2021 also marked Motion’s 45th year as a Genuine Parts Company subsidiary.

Today, the company operates over 700 locations in North America and 150 in Australasia. Besides the Birmingham-area campus headquarters and distribution/service centers, Motion’s Alabama locations include Calvert, Decatur, Demopolis, Gadsden, Huntsville, Mobile, Monroeville, Montgomery, Muscle Shoals and Tuscaloosa.

Customer industries range from automotive to food processing to mining and beyond. These customers have access to over 12 million items from Motion, including bearings; mechanical power transmission products; electrical and industrial automation components; hose, belting, and gaskets; hydraulic and pneumatic components; process pumps; industrial and safety products; seals and accessories; and material handling products and solutions. The company’s value-added services include engineering, fabrication, repair, and Industry 4.0 solutions across product groups. Taking technology further, Motion Automation Intelligence (Motion Ai), Mi Fluid Power Solutions, and Mi Conveyance Solutions offer a wide range of specialized, related products and innovative solutions.

Motion actively leverages technology from within to offer superior service. Its Birmingham distribution center features

“We are customer-focused, so everything we do should benefit our customers in ways that our competitors can’t.” —

the company’s first goods-to-person system, using smart robots to bring unprecedented efficiency. The system is being replicated in other Motion markets.

In their annual Top Distributors survey, trade publication Modern Distribution Management continually ranks Motion #1 in bearings and power transmission.

Motion employees are passionate about helping customers, each other and their communities. People are Motion’s biggest asset, and the company supports its employees’ health, well-being and experience. Learning and development are encouraged to help employees attain their professional goals. Many training, leadership development and growth opportunities are provided through Motion’s and GPC’s various platforms. Across the vast company network, internal advancement is also encouraged, giving many opportunities for employees to realize career ambitions. Employee satisfaction reflects that Motion holds one of the lowest employee turnover rates in the industry.

True to its culture, Motion is committed to operating by and living by its core values of Fair, Ethical, Inclusive and Invested. Every day, the company appreciates and recognizes hard work—contributing to a strong sense of overall positivity and motivation.

Motion’s President, Randy Breaux, is a big believer in the role of healthy company culture. He says, “At Motion, our very intentional culture promotes challenging the status quo. Our culture doesn’t tolerate arrogance, bureaucracy or

Randy Breaux, President, Motion

complacency. We are customer-focused, so everything we do should benefit our customers in ways that our competitors can’t. I truly believe that your culture should drive your strategy, and your strategy should drive your culture! Think about it—to be great, you must have both great culture and great strategy. A company’s culture is a critical part of a company’s DNA and can predetermine success or failure of the business.”

Along with a strong sense of culture, the company is committed to operating with integrity—contributing time, talent and resources to supporting its local communities, promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace, and being thoughtful stewards of our environment and natural resources. Motion’s goal is to achieve a positive impact—on society and the planet. Motion teammates are encouraged to participate in community activities (self- or company-organized) and receive compensatory time for their volunteer work. Across North America, the company supports local chapters of many worthy organizations, including the United Way, Junior Achievement, the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity and others.

Motion’s integrated approach to its strategy, corporate governance, and social and environmental responsibility creates long-term value for its employees, suppliers, customers, communities and Genuine Parts Company shareholders.

Opposite page: An advanced goods-to-person system allows Motion even faster and more efficient product delivery to customers. Opposite page, inset: In 1946, Caldwell Marks and William Spencer founded the company that was to become Motion. Above: Trained technicians at Motion’s Repair and Service Centers, including this one in Birmingham, repair components

at a fraction of the cost to replace with new.

CONSOLIDATED PIPE & SUPPLY, CO.

For more than 60 years, Consolidated Pipe & Supply Company has been thriving.

Founded in 1960, Consolidated Pipe was one of the numerous businesses that sprung up throughout the 20th century in support of Birmingham’s iron-ore industry. The company’s original purpose was to prepare steel pipe with a protective coating for use by natural gas providers, but it has expanded over the years to include water, sewer, oil and gas, industrial, nuclear, and structural applications.

Along the way, Consolidated Pipe has ventured far beyond the Birmingham borders. While the main office is located on the back edge of the Birmingham-Southern College campus, the company now has approximately 60 branch offices in 23 states, stretching well outside Alabama to as far away as Salt Lake City, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania.

“We always refer to ourselves as a Southeastern company, but over the last few years we’ve seen strong growth across the country,” says David Kerr, current Co-CEO of Consolidated Pipe and a grandson of one of the company founders.

The origins of Consolidated Pipe trace to near the end of the 1950s, when several cities in Alabama and Georgia began building new natural gas systems, and the Southern Natural Gas Co. needed adequate piping to supply gas to those states from fields in Louisiana and Texas.

The business that became Consolidated Pipe began with a portable coating system that could be taken into the field and applied to steel pipe. One of the investors in that company was Tom Kerr. In 1962, he and Pete Raughley partnered with plans to expand the business.

“They built a coating facility in Ensley, then the company evolved into an industrial and utilities distribution business,” David Kerr says.

Before long, natural gas wasn’t the only thing streaming through the Southeast. Consolidated Pipe was spreading across the region as well. The company opened its first

branch office outside of the Birmingham area in 1965 in Nashville, then over the next few years, locations were added in Atlanta, Montgomery, Andalusia, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Shreveport, and Pascagoula.

Mr. Kerr became the sole owner of Consolidated Pipe in 1976, at which point the company truly became a family business. Not long after opening a PVC pipe manufacturing plant called Vulcan Plastics in Athens, Alabama, in 1981, Tom Kerr and his wife Lillian passed the ownership of Consolidated Pipe to their three children: Bob Kerr, Howard Kerr, and Jane Shalhoop.

“They took over when the company needed it most,” says Consolidated Pipe Co-CEO Richard Kerr, “The new blood from that transition pushed the company into a new era.”

One of those opportunities located in Trussville as Consolidated Power Supply, specializing in the nuclear supply industry, which represents one of the many niches that creates such a diverse company. Identifying another opportunity, they went outside the traditional footprint and acquired High Country Fusion, a company In Fairfield Idaho that specializes in HDPE fabrication, another niche for the company. Diversity across many markets has seemed to protect the company over the years from ebbs and flows throughout the industry.

“When they took over the company, that’s when we really started to see consistent growth,” David Kerr says. “Their leadership is a huge part of what got us here. They empowered their people to do well and succeed. Our grandfather was like that, and they were even more so.”

A major change took place in 2007, when Consolidated Pipe invested in a significant capital improvement to one of its original plants.

“It’s a state-of-the-art, best-in-class coating facility,” Richard Kerr says. “This upgrade really put us on the map to be in play for natural gas systems throughout the country.”

For the most part, however, Consolidated Pipe has grown gradually over the decades, waiting patiently before making changes to meet the needs of their customers. This includes adding such in-house capabilities as a specialty coatings facility in Bessemer, a steel fabrication shop in Nashville, and a full-line structural and piling facility in Pennsylvania.

“It’s been steady, healthy growth, taking advantage of opportunities when they show themselves, Richard Kerr says. “With 60 years of maturing as a company into what we are today, we’re having some of our best years.”

Even though Consolidated Pipe has expanded to more than 900 employees, it remains a family-run operation that treats everybody – employees and customers alike – like they are a member of that family.

“Consolidated prioritizes people more than anything else,” marketing director Brian Molina says. “I’ve been with the company for only three years, but I’ve seen it everywhere I go. I feel like we carry that family feeling across every branch, no matter where it’s located.”

All of which has kept Consolidated Pipe flowing steadily along for all these years, providing critical infrastructure that supplies the things we may take for granted, like water, electricity, sewer, and heat with a personal touch.

“We know that anybody can distribute materials. We’re not special in that regard,” said Richard Kerr. “So really, it’s all about our people and our service that makes us different from all our competitors. Without that, we’re just another company selling widgets.”

BUILDING & EARTH SCIENCES

After almost 25 years in business, Building & Earth’s success has heavily depended on the simple philosophy: relationships first and pursuit of excellence always. Deepa Bhate along with engineering professionals Jeff Cowen and Robert Adams envisioned building a company with employee well-being as its cornerstone. They believed that the key to providing superior service to external clients was to maintain an equally strong focus on the “internal clients” — the associates.

In 1999, they founded Building & Earth Sciences with a goal of creating a positive and engaging environment for employees that would encourage collaboration and result in exceptional professional engineering services to clients in the design and construction industry.

Through the years, Building & Earth grew its client base by providing quality service and solid technical capabilities, and distinguished itself in the marketplace with a dedication to building client relationships through responsive service and tailored solutions.

By establishing itself as the “benchmark for professional services,” Building & Earth has grown to become a top engineering firm listed in the ENR Top 500 with more than 250 employees in 18 locations in nine states.

“It has been satisfying to know that our management philosophy works,” says Deepa Bhate, Building & Earth’s CEO and founding principal. “That you can have a successful business and happy employees; that you can have high productivity without high turnover.”

Growing With the Times

Much has changed in the near-quarter century since Building & Earth was founded. To be successful, the company had to change with the industry. “Through the years, we’ve done a good job of not jumping at the new, shiny thing but instead

Relationships First and Pursuit of Excellence Always

thoughtfully adopting new technology when it makes sense,” says Jeff Cowen, P.G., P.E., Building & Earth’s president. “Our level of sophistication and business practices has changed constantly regarding technology and how we deliver our product.”

“It’s not just buying new software,” Bhate adds. “It is what we track and the things we do to better understand our employees and our clients.” Bhate, in particular, has built strategic relationships within the commercial building industry, giving her the unique ability to understand and anticipate client needs.

When the company was founded, the firm was heavily focused on the retail market sector. When the Base Realignment and Closures (BRAC) of military installations was set to begin in 2005, the firm positioned itself to readily serve military installations. When the focus turned to alternative energy, the firm became heavily involved in wind and solar farms. More recently, the firm turned its attention to industrial distribution centers and warehouses.

One hallmark of Building & Earth that differentiates it is the firm’s quick response to client needs, not only in communication but also in operations. “We are able to go to remote projects and set up operations very quickly and efficiently,” in locations such as Puerto Rico, Canada, Alaska, the Bahamas, and Cuba, Cowen says. While some of our secrets are more proprietary, promptly returning phone calls is not and it’s one of the reasons our client retention rate is 90%.

A Full Range of Services

Building & Earth has grown to provide a full range of services, including geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, special inspections per IBC, and environmental consulting.

Associates can be found on site testing concrete for foundations of new windmill turbines, assessing the condition of asphalt

on commercial runways, or ensuring the quality of masonry construction on new retail developments. They may be found performing Quality Control for new military facility upgrades, performing subsurface exploration in advance of highway lane expansion, or checking rebar for heavy foundations in steel mills.

Associates may be on site at distribution centers performing floor flatness profiling for critical tolerance concrete slabs, or performing soils compaction testing at higher education campuses to ensure that students have the academic facilities they need to become the next generation of engineers.

Each day, Building & Earth associates are at work throughout society focused on assisting clients to provide the necessary buildings and infrastructure to enhance the quality of life of those around them. In short, Building & Earth provides pertinent information in a timely manner, which helps clients overcome obstacles to delivering successful projects.

Accolades & Community Involvement

Serving the community is one way Building & Earth gives back to Birmingham. Both Bhate and Cowen serve in leadership

roles with professional organizations. Bhate served as the 2022 chairperson of the Association of Builders and Contractors –Alabama Chapter, and Cowen as president of ACEC (American Council of Engineering Companies) Alabama in 2021-2022. The firm is also the No. 1 supporter of the United Way of Central Alabama among architects and engineers ranked by giving totals.

Building & Earth is an honor recipient of the ACEC National & State Engineering Excellence Award, which recognizes projects that demonstrate a high degree of innovation, achievement, value, and engineering innovation. The firm has also been recognized by ABC with award winning projects in the Geotechnical Engineering category for 16 consecutive years. The firm was also named a 2022 Top 500 Design Firm by Engineering News-Record. The trade magazine ranks the 500 largest U.S.-based design firms, both publicly and privately held, based on design-specific revenue.

“We are proud to call Birmingham home,” Cowen says. “There are a lot of world-class general contractors here. They expect a higher level of sophistication, and that’s helped us grow to meet the challenge.”

DUNN INVESTMENT COMPANY

Dunn Investment Company is a holding company of multiple operating businesses located in five Southeastern states. But its roots run deep in Birmingham, Alabama, where its headquarters has remained for more than a century.

A Pioneering Vision

The history of Dunn began in 1878, when three brothers— Thomas, Evans, and Frederick Dunn — created Dunn Brothers Construction Company to provide construction and engineering services for the Richmond-Danville Railroad in Southwest Virginia. The job led the brothers farther south, first to North Carolina and then to Columbus, Mississippi, where they were hired to build a portion of the Columbus & Greenville Railroad across central Mississippi.

When Thomas and Frederick left the region in the mid1890s, Evans Dunn shortened the company’s name to Dunn Construction Company. About 1900, Mr. Dunn saw a burgeoning civil construction market in and around Birmingham and chose the city as the company’s new headquarters. Among Dunn’s first projects at its new location was the construction of a 2,667-foot water tunnel through Red Mountain. For years, the tunnel served as the young city’s sole freshwater piping source from the Cahaba River.

The advent of widespread automobile ownership spurred a growing need for road paving. Evans Dunn grasped the opportunity and, in 1915, opened one of the country’s first asphalt plants in Birmingham.

When Evans Dunn passed away in 1927, his son, William Ransom Johnson Dunn, took over the company. That year, Dunn entered the ready-mix concrete business when it formed Mississippi Materials Company (MMC) in Jackson, Mississippi. MMC has since grown to become the state’s

leading concrete company, and Dunn companies now serve concrete markets in five states.

In 1940, Dunn entered the general construction business, beginning with military projects and later expanding into commercial, institutional, and industrial building projects across the Southeast.

In 1948, W.R.J. Dunn passed away and was succeeded by his son, William (Billy) R.J. Dunn, Jr. As the third generation at the helm of the company, Billy Dunn continued to lead the business along the concrete, asphalt, and building construction paths. In 1968, Billy Dunn’s son-in-law, James (Jamie) S. M. French, joined the company, and the two worked along Dunn’s traditional business lines until Billy Dunn’s untimely death in 1977 at the age of 59.

In the late 1978, Dunn Investment Company was formed to serve as a holding company for the various operating subsidiaries and to manage a growing portfolio of securities investments. Under Jamie French’s tenure, all lines of business grew significantly. During that time, Dunn formed Dunn Roadbuilders, LLC, headquartered in Laurel, Mississippi. Then in 2004, Dunn added real estate development and investment to its range of services with the formation of Dunn Real Estate.

Jamie French stepped aside as Chairman and CEO in 2006 and was succeeded by James S. Overstreet as Chairman and Danny Rodgers as President. In January 2011, William Dunn French, the company’s vice president and chief financial officer, was named Chairman and President of the Birmingham-based business. As the fifth generation to take the helm of Dunn Investment Company, Will French continues to serve in that role to this day.

Dunn Investment Company is now the parent of the following group of businesses:

• Dunn Construction Company

• MMC Materials

• Bayou Concrete

• Dunn Real Estate

• Dunn Building Company

• Dunn Utility Products

• Civil Constructors

• West Tennessee Ready Mix

• Huey P. Stockstill

• Dunn Roadbuilders

These companies, together, employ about 2,000 fine men and women and serve primarily in five states in the concrete, asphalt, road building, industrial and commercial construction, civil sitework, and real estate businesses.

Serving Customers & the Community

Dunn’s success through the past 144 years has been guided by its core value statement: “Service to our customers,

employees, communities, and shareholders is the reason our businesses exist. In this service, we deeply value honesty, excellence, and continuous improvement. We commit to work together fairly and safely, holding these values for the common good.”

Despite a strong presence throughout the Southeast, Dunn Investment Company has proudly kept its headquarters in Birmingham and actively supports the community through civic and charitable projects, including The Foundry Rescue Mission and Recovery Center, Habitat for Humanity, The United Way, Firehouse Shelter, Boy Scouts of America, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Samford University, to name a few.

“Service is the foundation for each of our businesses, and every Dunn employee is committed to working effectively to provide superior value to the customers and communities we serve,” says Jamie French, who formerly served as Chairman and President.

THOMPSON TRACTOR COMPANY

Thompson Tractor Company specializes in machinery and services that drive Alabama’s growth through the work of its customers — those who build our roads, dig our utilities, power our hospitals, clean up after our storms, move our goods, and so much more.

It all started 65 years ago when DeWitt Thompson, Jr., a Caterpillar Dealer-Principal in Tennessee, convinced his son Hall W. Thompson to purchase the assets of Pittman Tractor Company, a retiring dealer in Birmingham.

Hall quickly learned that to succeed, he had to build relationships and make connections. One opportunity that had emerged in north Alabama was highway construction fueled by the 1956 Eisenhower Interstate Program, legislation that would build coast-to-coast highways for military safety and economic growth.

The program brought opportunities to Thompson Tractor customers on a scale not previously seen in Alabama. Hall found these customers to be talented but lacking in capital, bonding, and insurance to build the Eisenhower system. So, he had an idea: Thompson Tractor would sponsor a multiday event to take 70 executives from banking, bonding, and insurance to meet these customers and evaluate business opportunities with them.

Following that same principle of creating value for others, the company grew steadily through the years in the lines of products it carries, the number of locations and territories it

covers, and through its unwavering commitment to customer service. In 1986, Hall’s son Mike Thompson took over as president and continued to build on the foundation his father had laid.

Today, Thompson Tractor is the full-line Caterpillar dealer for Alabama and northwest Florida. The company also represents the Hyundai material handling line in Georgia. There are now more than 30 Thompson Tractor locations operating out of four divisions and representing more than 350 different industry products, from construction and agriculture to mining, industry power, quarry and aggregates, and wastewater management.

Serving customers will always remain a priority for Thompson Tractor, and behind that service are 1,400 highly skilled, motivated associates. The company strives to provide the best working environment possible with competitive benefits and modern policies. It also continues to build on its long history of supporting local charities in the communities it does business with through the Thompson Foundation, created in 1999.

In 2019, Mike’s daughter Lucy Thompson Marsh became the president and COO of the company and in 2021, CEO. She is also the fourth generation of the Thompson family to serve as a Caterpillar Dealer-Principal, making her one of only five female Caterpillar Dealer-Principals in the United States.

HOAR CONSTRUCTION

When Hoar Construction was founded in 1940, it began as a family-owned business, and the values and commitments the company started with have carried on to this day. Over the decades, the company has grown from a local contractor known for high-quality construction in the community church sector to a nationally recognized contractor working in retail, healthcare, office, multifamily, mixed-use, industrial, government, hospitality, and entertainment sectors. Though Hoar Construction is headquartered in Birmingham, it also has offices in Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; and Washington D.C., with more than 600 employees across locations.

F.R. Hoar established the company on the principle of treating clients the way he would want to be treated. This practice continues in the way the company approaches both client and employee relationships, committing to mutual success through shared goals and consistent communication. Under the current leadership of CEO Rob Burton and President Turner Burton, the company has refocused on the construction processes it has developed through its years of experience, processes that are based on lessons learned on every jobsite and that continue to evolve as team members learn, grow, and improve. In 2021, even amidst the challenges of a global pandemic and supply chain issues, the company surpassed $1 billion in annual contract revenue for the first time.

With an industry leading safety program, the company applies the same attention to detail to every other aspect of the business, from preconstruction planning to quality close-outs. Its goal is to drive more certainty in the construction process for its clients. By coming on early in the development lifecycle, it creates a more coordinated and efficient client experience with a level of service that goes above and beyond. When company leaders saw time and effort being wasted on warranty callbacks, they created a unique quality control program that is now being used by contractors across the country.

Hoar Construction credits its long-term success to its employees. Even decades later, it still operates like a family business with core values that unite employees with a shared purpose around stewardship and continuous improvement. Its employee training and development program extends through all levels of the business and is a part of the company’s high retention rate.

The company has also created a charitable foundation that allows employees to financially support their communities in a variety of ways and contributes to a wide number of local and national organizations.

BAYLISS MACHINE & WELDING CO

The story of Bayliss Machine & Welding Co. begins with Willard T. Sanborn, a northerner who came to Birmingham just after the turn of the 20th century to capitalize on the Magic City’s rich resources of limestone, coal, and iron ore. He founded W.T. Sanborn & Company, an engineering and machine works company, in 1905, and brought on John M. Bayliss as the shop’s manager.

In 1909, Willard died, leaving his wife Elizabeth to run the company. The business fell on hard times when the Great Depression hit and never quite recovered. By 1935, W.T. Sanborn & Company was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. John cut a last-minute deal with the bank to buy the fledging company and renamed it Bayliss Machine & Welding Co.

The gamble paid off. A few years later, the U.S. became fully engaged in World War II, triggering a boom in heavy industry that, in turn, created a growing demand for machine repair services. It pulled Bayliss Machine & Welding Co. swiftly out of bankruptcy, and the entire Bayliss family—including John’s 11 children—into the shop to help keep up with demand.

When John passed away, he bequeathed the company to three of his sons — John Jr., Joe, and Charles. Joe passed away in 1970, leaving John and Charles to carry on the business, and the plant was expanded to nearly 93,000 square feet as the company moved to its current location at 2901 Abraham Woods Blvd. Their sons, John III and Mike,

joined the Company and began learning the management and operations of the business, and when Charles and John died, Mike and John III became partners and owners of the business. As interest in steel began to wane, Mike and John turned the company’s focus toward rock crushers and mining equipment, and particularly cement, which remains one of the company’s main concentrations. Today, Bayliss’ sizeable plant can accommodate massive pieces of machinery with lifting capacities up to 60 tons, ensuring that large pieces of equipment are back in operation as quickly as possible.

The business continued to prosper, as its reputation and footprint expanded throughout the Southeast. When John III died in 2005, Mike welcomed his son, Craig, to the Company, naming him General Manager and handing over most of the day-to-day responsibilities. As the fourth generation of Baylisses to take the helm of Bayliss Machine & Welding Co., Craig continues to carry out the company’s mission to meet the needs of customers and employees in an ethical and efficient way.

Today, Bayliss Machine & Welding Co. does business across the United States including Hawaii, and in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. But much of its work remains in Birmingham, where the company services large cement and marble plants in the area.

“We’ve grown up here in Birmingham and have been here a long time,” Craig says. “We don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.”

ABC COKE

A Division of Drummond Company

Iron and Steel helped create Birmingham. For more than a century, ABC Coke has helped create the iron.

Built in 1920, the ABC Coke plant in Tarrant is the largest merchant producer of foundry coke in the United States. Coke is created by heating coal to 2,000 degrees in the absence of oxygen, creating a solid mass of nearly pure carbon that is ideal for steel and cast-iron production.

Officially named the Alabama By-Products Corporation, ABC Coke was fully acquired by Drummond Company in 1985. With more than 400 employees, the plant still supplies major cast iron foundries such as U.S. Pipe, but in recent decades has transitioned to also supplying raw materials to foundries that create parts for Alabama’s automotive industry.

“ABC played a big role in the growth of Birmingham by facilitating the foundry industry,” current ABC Coke President Scott Castleberry says. “There is an abundance of raw materials in this general area that are needed for the steel and foundry industry, which made a coke plant a very feasible business with an abundance of end-use customers.”

At its height, the Tarrant plant covered approximately 68 acres of land and included 203 coke ovens with an annual capacity estimated at 900,000 tons. The coke was shipped to more than 300 foundries located in approximately 30 states

as well as Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and South America.

ABC’s Coke output fits into two general classes: Foundry Coke and Industrial Coke. Foundry Coke is used in larger cupola operations to make ductile iron pipe and automotive parts. End products include automobile castings, farm implements and machinery, valves and fittings, pumps, pipes, and numerous building and ornamental specialties.

Industrial Coke, meanwhile, is used in mineral fiber plants, battery recycling plants, and in the sugar beet industry. End products include fiberboard insulation, ceiling tiles, and sugar.

Castleberry says ABC Coke is proud of its long-standing connection with Tarrant and the overall Birmingham community and continues to try to help the area grow in a variety of ways.

“We have done a lot of work around here as far as building playgrounds, working with Habitat for Humanity to build houses, cleaning up Five Mile Creek,” Castleberry says. “We’re always looking for new opportunities to help the community that has helped us.”

Top: ABC and Drummond Company volunteers, along with other community members, gather for a photo after completing a playground build for Tarrant Intermediate School. Left: An aerial view of ABC Coke plant, with steam stack in background. Right: Red hot coke in the quench car, cooled down with water after being cooked for 24+ hours.

LIBERTY PARK JOINT VENTURE

While diamonds don’t actually come from coal, Drummond Company did take an old coal mining site and turn it into an absolute jewel of a planned community.

Drummond and its partners through Liberty Park Joint Venture were among the first to anticipate the growth that would take place south of Birmingham following the completion of the I-459 bypass in 1984. The partners purchased the vacated Overton Mines and transformed the land in the late 1980s into a sparkling development called Liberty Park. Liberty Park was annexed into Vestavia Hills in 1992.

At nearly 4,000 acres, Liberty Park contains approximately 1,700 residences, elementary and middle schools that are part of the Vestavia Hills school district, the Urban Center Corporate Park, the Liberty Park and Sicard Hollow sports complexes, and the Old Overton Club and golf course. It is easy to spot the entrance to this picturesque community, thanks to a 36-foot-tall bronze replica of the Statue of Liberty that sits atop a 60-foot-tall granite pedestal just off I-459.

“Liberty Park is a source of great pride for Vestavia Hills and the greater Birmingham metro area,” Drummond Company Senior Vice President Matt Rohling says. “While we all recognize that it is a great place to live and raise a family, it is also the home of multiple Alabama publicly traded companies and several of Alabama’s most successful private companies.”

Liberty Park strives to mix new homes and urban conveniences with plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities. The community is filled with swimming pools, basketball and

tennis courts, miles of walking trails, shaded woodlands and beautiful lakes.

In addition, residents can become members of the private Old Overton Club, which opened in 1993. The highlight of the club is the 7,228-yard golf course designed by professional golfer Jerry Pate – who played collegiately at the University of Alabama – and renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio. Golf Digest rated Old Overton Club as one of the Best New Private courses in 1994, and currently as one of the five best private clubs in Alabama.

Liberty Park Joint Venture recently embarked on writing a new chapter of Liberty Park with a development called The Bray. This 700-acre residential area will be anchored by a 100-acre commercial town center which is centered around a large central park called the Great Lawn and featuring a luxury hotel, high-end retail and restaurants, a medical office, and a diversity of housing products within walking distance of the town center.

“The Bray represents another hallmark of Drummond Company’s inspiration, stewardship and more than 30 years of unwavering commitment in developing Liberty Park into one of the finest communities you will find anywhere in the country,” Daniel Communities President John Gunderson says.

Yet another diamond for people to enjoy.

Top: One of the many beautiful views of Old Overton Club golf course. Inset left: Lady Liberty greets residents and visitors near the I-459 Interstate entrance to Liberty Park. Inset right: Architectural rendering of The Bray town center and Great Lawn.

GOUDY CONSTRUCTION

Goudy Construction doesn’t want to just build affordable homes. It also wants to help build alluring communities.

The Fairfield-based company was formed in 2002 by Clyde Goudy and Patricia Sigers. It began as a basic homebuilder before evolving into a general contractor, providing a range of services from site assessment and development to construction management.

Goudy Construction has helped create more than 100 housing communities statewide in the past two decades, including work at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, and has completed construction projects for the City of Birmingham and Jefferson County Community Development. The company also branched out to form Goudy Apartment Homes to build properties for renters.

Along the way, Goudy’s owners realized that while it is important to provide people with affordable housing options, it takes more than that to truly create a community.

“When you’re out building in different areas, you can see what’s around there and what’s not,” says Tonya Sigers, who now runs the business along with her mother, Patricia. “We noticed that there were not a lot of commercial-sector buildings like entertainment or event centers that were geared toward lower-income families.”

So, in 2020 the company branched off again and created Goudy Entertainment, a 2,200-square-foot event center

located in downtown Fairfield. Goudy Construction spent a year restoring the building, which was built in 1925.

Tonya says the center can be utilized for a wide variety of events, including weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties, corporate gatherings, art shows, proms, recitals, political events, educational programs and live music.

“We’re trying to connect the dots in society,” Tonya says. “You can have one component like affordable housing, but you’re still missing what’s needed by not providing for the other components of everyday life. We want to build a community where the local residents don’t have to go far to enjoy those things.”

Going forward, Tonya says the company is working to move into more technological areas, creating tech hubs and communication centers for municipalities. And, of course, Goudy Construction will continue its original mission of building affordable housing. In fact, the company recently purchased land for a new project in Gardendale.

“We primarily focus on development in impoverished areas in order to offer hope to people in those sectors of the community,” Tonya says. “We’re always looking to develop houses that are a good product that people can afford. We want them to have a nice home to live in, and a nice community to reside in.”

BRASFIELD & GORRIE

Brasfield & Gorrie was formed in 1964 when 28-year-old Miller Gorrie purchased the construction assets of Birmingham contractor Thomas Brasfield. Initially, the new company focused on small commercial and remodeling projects. But over the years it has expanded to include, well, just about everything.

These days, Brasfield & Gorrie is a $4.2 billion construction firm, with 13 offices in eight states and more than 3,500 employees. The company serves a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, education, energy, government, healthcare, hospitality, infrastructure, multifamily, and sports/ entertainment. Individual projects range in value from $1,000 to more than $700 million.

This expansion and the company’s ongoing growth have been fueled by the company’s commitment to safety, innovative construction practices and cutting-edge technologies such as Lean methodologies, LEED sustainable building and development, and virtual design and construction (VDC).

So do you want to build a proton therapy treatment center? Brasfield & Gorrie has done that. Need to create a pneumatic test chamber? That is on the resume as well. Data centers, libraries, bridges, water-treatment facilities, museums? Brasfield & Gorrie has built them all.

While the work can be complex, Miller Gorrie says the secret to success has been simple.

“We have kept our focus on the key elements of good business: integrity, dependability, and customer service,” Gorrie says. “Every project begins with teamwork and excellence – from extensive preconstruction planning to budget, schedule, and cost management – assuring clients of a quality project.”

This approach has been well received. Engineering News-Record named Brasfield & Gorrie the Southeast’s Contractor of the Year for 2021 and has ranked the company as one of the top 25 contractors in the nation for five consecutive years.

Even though Brasfield & Gorrie now has multiple offices stretching from Miami to Dallas to Raleigh, North Carolina, the company’s headquarters and heart remain in Birmingham. The firm has helped shaped the landscape of the city through the construction of such facilities as Regions-Harbert Plaza, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, the Encompass Health headquarters, the McWane Science Center, Grandview Medical Center, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama headquarters, the Hugo L. Black Federal Courthouse, and Protective Stadium.

“Brasfield & Gorrie has been committed to serving Birmingham since our start, and we do so in numerous ways,” CEO Jim Gorrie says. “In fact, we were honored to be part of the team involved in the bidding process that brought The World Games to Birmingham. We are committed to building strong communities, and we are grateful to call Birmingham home.”

Top: Brasfield&GorrieFounderandChairmanMillerGorrie(farright)addresses theteamatajobsite.

RETAIL SPECIALISTS/RETAIL STRATEGIES

Commercial real estate colleagues Robert Jolly and Mead Silsbee had a vision — to create a premier commercial real estate firm focused on building long-term relationships with clients. A company with a dynamic workspace and familyfirst culture that would also attract the nation’s most talented real estate experts and keep them motivated and happy.

In 2005, with limited funds and unlimited faith, Jolly and Silsbee realized that vision by founding Retail Specialists, LLC. Nearly two decades later, the company has strategically grown through some of the most challenging times in the industry. During a period that saw real estate service firms shutter across the nation, Retail Specialists not only survived but excelled by adapting to the ever-changing retail landscape, and now has offices in Fort Worth, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, and a client base that spans the country.

Retail Specialists’ major services include Leasing and Brokerage, Property Management, Tenant Representation, and Development.

Born from an increased need for public-private partnerships during the Great Recession in 2011, Jolly and Silsbee created a sister company, Retail Strategies, a municipal consulting firm that assists cities nationwide with retail attraction. Retail Strategies marries consumer and market data and proactively promotes client communities to retailers, brokers, and developers. In addition to retail recruitment, other services include Downtown Strategies, Retail Academy, and Small Business Support.

Together, Retail Specialists and Retail Strategies exist to improve the quality of life in communities through innovation and entrepreneurial pursuits. The company lives by its core values of being committed, collaborative, respected, and innovative and believes that its people are its best and most important asset. Because of this, the company has earned many accolades. In 2020, CEO Robert Jolly was named Birmingham Business Journal’s CEO of the year in the 25-49 employee category and in 2022, both companies were named to the Birmingham Business Journal’s Best Places to Work.

MCPHERSON OIL PRODUCTS

Charles “Mac” McPherson, Sr., was working in Texas as a lubrication engineer at Shell Oil Co. in 1971 when he saw an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. Oil companies like Shell were so big and powerful, they needed middlemen to carry out their deliveries. As an independent distributor, McPherson reasoned that he could provide a comfortable living for himself by starting his own business. The plan turned into a family legacy.

McPherson returned to his home state of Alabama and, with the purchase of a rural fuel jobber, opened McPherson Oil Products, based in Oneonta. That first year, starting with just himself and one truck, the company averaged 70,000 gallons of tank wagon fuel and gasoline deliveries, and sold one drum of oil.

Two years later, Shell awarded McPherson Oil its Birmingham lubricant business and in 1978 Mobil awarded the company its central Alabama lubricant markets. The next several years, McPherson focused on growing its lubricant division to industrial customers. The company continued to grow organically and through acquisitions, which enabled McPherson Oil to enter new markets throughout the Southeastern United States.

In 1996, McPherson Oil’s success in Alabama drove the company to move its headquarters to Birmingham and,

in 2001, the company opened a larger distribution facility in Trussville. After 10 productive years in Birmingham, in February 2007 the company relocated its headquarters to Trussville, adjacent to its distribution facility, where it has extensive railcar capacity to support the bulk oil needs of its customers as well as additional acreage for future expansion.

During that transition, McPherson’s eldest son Ken was named president of the company. Ken McPherson had worked for McPherson Oil for more than 15 years having performed numerous roles in sales, operations, and administration. He now serves as President and CEO of the McPherson Companies.

Since relocating to the Greater Birmingham area, McPherson Oil has experienced rapid expansion adding facilities in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. McPherson Oil has now grown to be one of the largest privately held diversified petroleum distributors in the US. The product offering includes lubricants, commercial fuel and their proprietary Fuelz fleet card.

McPherson Oil has a strong heritage of providing leadership in the petroleum distribution business, which has created a strong foundation for the company to continue providing quality products and services to its customers for many years to come.

MORROW RAILROAD BUILDERS

The river that runs through Birmingham is not made of water. Instead, the city has a river of steel in the form of several major railroad lines. Since 1994, Morrow Railroad Builders has helped keep many of those lines flowing, both here and throughout the Southeast.

The company was established by James R. Morrow Sr. and his wife Jeanenne, their son James Jr., and two other shareholders (Ralph Wright and Donald Cales). Combined, the founders brought together more than 100 years of experience managing track layouts, construction, and maintenance.

Morrow himself spent 33 years overseeing railroad work for U.S. Steel. During that time, he saw how improvements in equipment made it possible to handle railway needs with smaller crews, prompting him to pursue forming his own company.

“When I started with U.S. Steel, there was practically no maintenance equipment for tracks owned by corporations,” Morrow recalled before his passing in 2019. “At first, rails were handled by tongs requiring (a crew of) 12 or more. Equipment changed and the crews were reduced … but the equipment sat idle a large percentage of time.”

The idea for the company gained traction following a job Morrow worked at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The project involved removing the entire rail facility down to the culverts and a wooden trestle and replacing it with new roadbed. This was when Morrow met Wright and Cales, who were track foremen on the project.

The group sensed that there was an opportunity in this work. So, they all gathered one afternoon at Wright’s carport and mapped out plans for the business. They determined that with the right equipment, they could handle the rail needs of dozens of companies.

“Jeanenne and I agreed to put up the money for the new venture,” Morrow said. “I felt confident about my experience, and the timing was right. Fortunately, it worked out, and we were debt-free in a few years.”

Morrow Railroad Builders began with a single crew using a dump truck, backhoe, and trailer. The company grew steadily by working for a variety of industries, from power plants and coal mines to state parks and city zoos. Today, Morrow Railroad Builders has more than 30 employees, four full-time crews and a yard full of equipment at its office and shop in Dolomite.

The company continues to live up to the family name under the ownership of Tiffany Morrow, granddaughter of James Morrow Sr., and Don Cales, along with project managers Shermaine Hollis and Vince Deacy, Don’s son-in-law, and office managers Carla Rollins and Susan Wilson. This team works together to ensure that after nearly 30 years in business, Morrow Railroad Builders will continue chugging along.

Top: Morrow Railroad employees 2021. Inset: Railroad crew working circa 1999.

FOOD, BEVERAGE AND FINE DINING: WHET YOUR APPETITE & WET YOUR WHISTLE

Birmingham’s food and beverage landscape is diverse and distinctive, a celebration of the history, culture, and environment we call home. Offerings span from centuryold coffee, tea, and soda manufacturers to new and creative breweries, humble hole-in-the-wall eateries to world-renowned chefs and restaurants.

Like most cities, Birmingham’s food and beverage industry bolsters the local economy. It provides a stable source of employment, contributes to innovation in the food system, addresses increasingly sophisticated consumer demands, lures tourists from afar, and generates a sense of community. It feeds our souls with the comfort of home and family.

Birmingham is home to several manufacturers and distributors in the food industry that spread their products across state lines. Many of these companies — including Royal Cup Coffee and Tea, Buffalo Rock, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc., and Red Diamond — were founded more than a century ago. Milo’s Tea Company, founded in 1946, isn’t far behind.

Alabama’s food culture is a melting pot of African, European, and Native American traditions. The best recipes from their homelands were shared through generations. These foods became a vital part of Birmingham culture and made our culinary scene what it is today.

Today, Birmingham chefs and restaurateurs aren’t just following national food trends — they’re leading the way. The city boasts seven James Beard Award winners and even more finalists. Often called the “Oscars of the food world,” the award, presented by the James Beard Foundation, recognizes exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system.

These honors shined the spotlight on Birmingham’s culinary scene and captured the attention of Zagat and Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmerman, who declared Birmingham one of the hottest food cities in the country.

The city’s craft beer scene is also making headlines. Thanks to legislation that loosened state beer laws, breweries began popping up across Alabama in the early 2000s. In 2008, Jason Malone and Michael Sellers opened the city’s first brewery, Good People Brewing Co., in the former home of Southside Cellar Brewing. Soon after, others followed, including Back Forty Beer Co., Avondale Brewing Company, and Birmingham District Brewing Company, to name a few.

Birmingham definitely has a taste for these craft breweries. According to a 2017 Nielsen study, ours is one of the fastest-growing beer-consuming cities in the country.

From hotdogs to hot chicken to slow-cooked barbecue on the pit, from food trucks to comfort soul food to fine French cuisine, Birmingham’s food and beverage industry remains one of the city’s greatest assets.

Eagles Restaurant, photo by Art Meripol

Eagles Restaurant, photo by Art Meripol

LOCAL FAVORITES

Though a rapidly growing industrial center, Birmingham has not left its Southern roots as it has grown. Restaurants serving favorite dishes in the Southern tradition still serve delicious comfort meals to their hungry customers. Folks line up for mouth-watering slow-smoked barbecue, a traditional “meat and three” plate of the best comfort food this side of mama’s kitchen, and other classic dishes filled with generations of tradition. There is no better place to go for classic Southern cooking than any of Birmingham’s locally owned restaurants.

Saw’s Soul Kitchen, photo by Art Meripol

LOCAL FAVORITES

Entertainers Tex Ritter and “Happy Hal” Byrnes enjoy a meal together at Dale’s Cellar restaurant in November 1955.

Dale’s Cellar was a chain of steakhouses that was founded by Jake Levine Jr in downtown Birmingham in 1946. Levine had served in Hawaii during World War II and brought back a recipe he had developed for a soy and ginger-based steak marinade. The first restaurant location was located in the basement of an apartment building at 1927 7th Avenue North (Park Place). Dale’s Cellar expanded to comprise nine locations including Montgomery, Huntsville, Florence, Nashville, Atlanta, and Charlotte. One location is still open, in Florence, Alabama. The signature marinade, however, is still produced and sold as Dale’s Seasoning in grocery stores.

Beyond favorite drive-throughs, Birmingham offers countless casual and fine-dining experience opportunities. Local spots for quality Thai, steak, Mexican, Mediterranean, Italian, seafood, and more populate every corner. No matter what customers may have a taste for, Birmingham’s many skilled and seasoned chefs are capable of preparing and serving world-class dishes.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Rodney Scott BBQ, photo by Art Meripol

Rodney Scott BBQ, photo by Art Meripol

FINE DINING

Gaining national recognition, Birmingham local, and owner and chef of Automatic Seafood and Oysters, Adam Evans, won the 2022 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the South, proving the magic of Birmingham is found in everything it serves.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

ADAM EVANS, AUTOMATIC SEAFOOD

In April of 2019, my wife Suzanne Humphries Evans and I opened our first restaurant, Automatic Seafood & Oysters.

The restaurant, which we named for the building’s past life as the Automatic Sprinkler Corporation manufacturing facility, is located in the Lakeview neighborhood of Birmingham.

I’m from Muscle Shoals and Suzanne is from Arab, so our dream was to open a unique restaurant in our home state to serve both Birmingham and the Alabama community at large.

One of my favorite parts of owning Automatic is the ability to partner with local and regional vendors, markets, and fisheries to offer the Birmingham community a menu focused on simple, high-quality seafood prepared with bold flavor and classic techniques. I always knew I wanted the menu to be seafood forward, and I have developed a passion for sustainable fish practices, which allows me to serve the freshest fish sourced sustainably from the Gulf.

The strong relationships I’ve developed with regional fishermen who have a thoughtful and ecological methodology informs not only the quality and taste of the meat, but the value I place on the use of each product.

I take pride in sharing such high-quality dishes with our guests and believe there are many other businesses, restaurants, and people that greatly contribute to the success of the Birmingham community. I feel lucky to be a part of that.

Adam Evans was named Best Chef, South for 2022 by the James Beard Foundation.

Art Meripol

FINE DINING

Perhaps one of Birmingham’s best-known chefs and restaurateurs is Frank Stitt, owner of Highlands Bar & Grill, Bottega Restaurant, and Chez Fonfon. He was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s “Who’s Who of Food and Beverage” in 2011.

Frank Stitt opened Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham in 1982. Highlands was an immediate success, and Frank soon after opened Bottega and Café Bottega. Frank Stitt opened Chez Fonfon, a casual bistro in Five Points South, in 2000. The restaurant serves comforting French fare.

Art Meripol

Nik Layman

Art Meripol

Chef Timothy Hontzas of Johnny’s Restaurant in Homewood was a finalist for the 2022 James Beard Foundation Award in the category of Best Chef, South.

Johnny’s Restaurant fuses Greek and Southern food influences, creating a unique spin on the traditional “meat and three” menu. Chef Hontzas draws from his family, who have owned and operated Greek restaurants in Birmingham for decades, and his upbringing in the South to create the distinctive flavors that draw crowds to the restaurant and accolades from food critics.

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

REGIONAL

Locally, regionally, and nationally, Birmingham makes an impact on the food and beverages Americans consume. Inspired chefs and beverage manufacturers put their ideas into production, often starting by testing their creations on family and friends, moving into local markets, and expanding as word-of-mouth-watering spreads.

Steel City Pops by Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of Milo’s Tea

REGIONAL

Birmingham is home to several manufacturers and distributors in the food industry that spread their products across state lines. Many of these companies — including Royal Cup Coffee and Tea, Buffalo Rock, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc., and Red Diamond — were founded more than a century ago. Milo’s Tea Company, founded in 1946, isn’t far behind.

Tanesha Sims-Summers is founder of Naughty but Nice Kettle Corn (KBNKC). The company started in Birmingham and is based in Woodlawn. It is a cornerstone of the ongoing Woodlawn renaissance, welcoming new retailers and a revitalized residential community. Tanesha is a graduate of UAB and an ardent supporter of her city and community. KBNKC offers nine flavors, including a flavor named for the Magic City dubbed the B’ham Mix, a mixture of their Cheddar Blend and French Toast flavors.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Photo courtesy of Red Diamond

Photo courtesy of Royal Cup

Eugene’s Hot Chicken was the first hot chicken concept to come to Birmingham. Hot chicken has long been a local specialty of Nashville, Tennessee, said to have originated in the city’s African American communities for generations. According to a 2019 New Yorker article, while the dish may have been introduced to the public in the 1930s, the widely accepted originator of hot chicken on the Nashville food scene is the family of Andre Prince Jeffries, owner of Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack.

Zebbie Carney, CEO and Founder of Eugene’s Hot Chicken, is bringing the popular food to the Magic City. He explains that hot chicken is, “the same fried chicken we have loved for years but with cayenne blended to add heat at the end. Birmingham has had a great food scene for a long time. When I began, my goal was to add value to Birmingham’s food scene. When I thought about the concept I wanted to see in Birmingham, a quote by A.G. Gaston kept popping in my head. ‘Find a need and fill it.’ There was a need for great hot chicken in Birmingham.” He believes great food can still be affordable and simple, and hot chicken allows everyone to experience good food.

Birmingham’s first taste of its own hot chicken was served up from a food truck. The first brick-and-mortar restaurant opened recently in the new Uptown District.

Photo courtesy of The World Games

FOOD TRUCKS

Dozens of food trucks each prepare their own unique and delicious offerings across the streets of the Birmingham Metro Area. Whether hungry pedestrians are looking for a quick treat or a local meal, skilled crews are guaranteed to craft their best for the Magic City.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

One truck, Jolly Cakes, serves a menu full of sweet cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and popcorn. With such a connection to the city where she started her business, owner LaToya Jolly named a special cupcake, a red velvet she believed resembled Alabama’s red

Photo courtesy of City of Birmingham

Photo courtesy of City of Birmingham

Photo courtesy of City of Birmingham

CRAFT BEER

While attending Auburn University in the 1990s, Birmingham natives Jason Malone and Michael Sellers decided that one day they would start their own business. Homebrewing was a hobby for the two, and in 2006, they decided to take their hobby to the next level. They, along with friend Eric Schultenover, created Good People Brewing Company, LLC with the plan of starting a craft brewery. Two years later, Good People Brewing Co. sold its first craft beer on July 4, 2008. In 2008, Good People Brewing Co. was the only manufacturer of beer in Alabama, and this was the first time Birmingham had seen a locally produced beer in almost two decades. Good People Brewing Co.’s original home was in a basement in the 5 Points Neighborhood across from Highlands Bar and Grill.

In 2009, Good People worked hand in hand with the Free the Hops movement to reform some of the harsh laws in Alabama that limited consumer options and brewery production for many years. These reforms opened the door for what is now a vibrant industry in Alabama.

In 2010, the brewery moved to larger space on 14th street in the warehouse district prior to the completion of Railroad Park and prior to the announcement of the new baseball stadium (now known as the Parkview District). In 2011, Good People Brewing became the first brewery in the South to can craft beer in what is now the standard in packaged beer throughout

Art Meripol

The brewing industry continues to serve a critical role in urban and small-town redevelopment and revitalization by drawing communities together for entertainment, food, and recreation in a setting that combines a production and hospitality environment.

Today, Good People Brewing Co. owns and operates Avondale Brewing Co. located in the historic Avondale Neighborhood and has collaborated with other breweries in Alabama to open The Brewers Cooperative in other cities in Alabama.

Pictured below left is Nell Barron Griswold sitting on Miss Fancy the elephant at Avondale Park. Miss Fancy was a famous resident of the Avondale Zoo, an early fixture of Avondale Park. The Avondale Brewing Company adopted Miss Fancy as its mascot, with the slogan “Stay Fancy.”

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library

Beer is big business. The Alabama Brewers Guild is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association based in Birmingham and representing the craft brewing industry in Alabama. Founded in 2009 and incorporated as a non-profit in 2012, the Guild is committed to promoting a favorable legal and market environment to the craft brewing industry in the state. The primary focus of ABG is to monitor legislative and regulatory activity, to advocate for its members, and to be a single and coherent political voice representing the interests of its member breweries.

According to the U.S. Brewers Association, “craft breweries contributed $76.3 billion to the U.S. economy in 2021. The figure is derived from the total impact of beer brewed by craft brewers as it moves through the three-tier system (breweries, wholesalers, and retailers), as well as all non-beer products like food and merchandise that brewpub restaurants and brewery taprooms sell.” A state-by-state breakdown by the association notes that the independent brewing industry had an overall economic impact in Alabama of more than $775 million and employed nearly 5,000 people in 2021. The Brewers Association, based in Boulder, Colorado, is an organization of brewers, for brewers and by brewers. Nearly 6,000 U.S. brewery members and 37,000 members of the American Homebrewers Association are joined by members of the allied trade, beer wholesalers, retailers, individuals, other associate members and the Brewers Association staff to make up the Brewers Association.

Nik Layman

Jeremy Dove

Jeremy Dove

Nik Layman

FOOD SERVICE

Commercial production and transportation of food products is a big part of the Birmingham area economy. Many brands that distribute food products nationwide had their start here or have major headquarters in the metro area. Nationally distributed products with a Birmingham history include Dale’s Seasoning, Golden Flake chips, Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale and Pepsi-Cola products distribution, Coca-Cola products distribution, Royal Cup Coffee, Red Diamond Coffee and Tea, and Zeigler Meats.

What began as a wholesale grocery supplier in 1913 has grown into Alabama’s largest independent broadline foodservice distributor. Today, Wood Fruitticher distributes fresh and frozen vegetables, meats, condiments, and other foodstuffs to the health care industry, restaurants, schools, convenience stores, and chains. It is still an independently owned, fourth-generation family company.

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Headquartered right next to the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport, Coca-Cola United is the second-largest privately held Coca-Cola bottler in North America and the third-largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the United States. The company was founded in 1902 as the Birmingham Coca-Cola Bottling Company. In 1915, Birmingham served as the test market for the now-iconic contoured glass bottles and by 1916, Birmingham Coca-Cola was the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the world. Coca-Cola United distributes more than 750 products across most of Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia, and parts of Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina.

Inset, in the days before a “pup cup,” this pooch gets a sweet sip outside Crawford Johnson’s store, November 1947.

Photo courtesy of Coca-Cola United

Photo courtesy of Coca-Cola United

FOOD SERVICE

Transporting food and beverages to the hands of consumers has long been a part of the Birmingham area economy. Pictured is the Gaines Grocery Company, at 2700 Ave. F (now Sixth Avenue, South) and its delivery driver on his motorcycle, c. 1916.

an

a nationwide market.

Pictured is Legg Sausage Company, located at 108-110 22nd Street North, and three delivery trucks parked at the curb in front of it. A.C. Legg Packing Company, Inc., was founded by Mr. Andrew C. Legg and two business partners in 1923 in Birmingham. Legg’s Sausage Seasoning was born when Legg crafted and retailed his secret recipe pork sausage in the downtown Birmingham meat market. Charles W. Purvis joined the team in 1936 as

office employee, eventually becoming the General manager and owner of the company. Legg’s Seasonings are still available to

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

According to the Alabama Grocers Association, as of 2019, the food retail industry in Alabama provided more than 70,000 jobs with more than $2.2 billion in annual wages paid. Grocers pay more than $1.2 billion in state taxes and have a total economic impact on the state’s economy of more than $12 billion. Grocery stores and other food retailers generate jobs and revenues that keep communities financially strong, while providing access to fresh food and produce to help residents of those communities to make healthy choices.

In addition to housing the headquarters for international retailers like Books-A-Million and banking services like Regions Financial Corporation, Birmingham finds itself a center for the restaurant industry as well. Chains loved throughout the South have planted their headquarters in the area. Jack’s has served the area since its first location opened its doors in Homewood and continues to grow with more than 200 locations open today. Launched in 1946, Milo’s Hamburgers was first founded in Birmingham, and continues to operate its headquarters here, and has experienced a similar growth. Other Alabama favorites, such as Little Donkey, got their start in Birmingham and demonstrate the city’s ability to skyrocket small businesses to national success.

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Public Library

Nik Layman

Nik Layman

Women shop for produce at Hill’s Grocery, June 1949.

Edgar’s Bakery by Art Meripol

COCA-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY UNITED, INC.

In February 1902, a young man named Crawford Johnson Sr., his assistant, Sam Whitt, a borrowed delivery mule named Bird and a foot-powered bottling machine introduced an upand-coming beverage called Coca-Cola to the Magic City. Fast-forward 120 years, and Birmingham Coca-Cola Bottling Company continues to refresh the community while upholding the core values instilled by Johnson and his small team more than a century ago – Quality, Excellence, Integrity, and Respect.

Birmingham Coca-Cola is now part of a larger enterprise, still based in the Magic City but with 10,000 associates located throughout the southeast. It remains a privately held, family-owned bottler with the fifth generation of Johnson family members working in the business. Today, nearly 800 associates work in Birmingham, which serves as corporate headquarters for Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. (UNITED), the third largest Coca-Cola bottler in the U.S. Between 2014 and 2017, Coca-Cola UNITED underwent an epic transformation and more than tripled in size and scope. The company acquired more than 30 new franchise territories and facilities in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia, including the Atlanta market, home of the worldwide Coca-Cola System. Other historically significant franchise territories owned by Coca-Cola UNITED include Chattanooga, Tennessee, home of the world’s first Coca-Cola bottler, and Columbus, Georgia, the development site of the original Coca-Cola formula.

Despite the rapid growth, Coca-Cola UNITED has kept its Birmingham roots strong while maintaining its “Associates First” culture, local business approach and commitment to family, service, and community, says Claude Nielsen, chairman of Coca-Cola UNITED’s board of directors.

“We owe our longevity to our exceptional associates and exceptional brands,” Nielsen said. “Our associates are our secret ingredient, and their varied talents, experiences, and perspectives are vital to our success.”

Also key to Coca-Cola UNITED’s longevity is community engagement, an imperative spearheaded by Crawford Johnson Sr. and his wife, Caroline Acree Johnson, in the early days. The Johnsons were avid supporters of several Birmingham institutions, among them United Way of Central Alabama, formerly the Birmingham Community Chest, and Children’s of Alabama hospital. Coca-Cola UNITED continues to support these organizations today.

Building on the legacy of its founding family, Coca-Cola UNITED promotes institutions and events throughout the Magic City including the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Birmingham Zoo, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, and Fiesta, Alabama’s largest celebration of Hispanic culture. When the global spotlight was on Birmingham for The World Games 2022, Coca-Cola UNITED served as presenting sponsor for the closing ceremony. Nielsen says

the Johnsons’ influence is still evident in the local relationships and personalized customer service in markets throughout Coca-Cola UNITED’s footprint.

“Our business can only prosper if the communities where we live, work, and serve are strong and vibrant,” Nielsen said. “We value our communities, and we strive to use our resources to lift others up.”

Coca-Cola UNITED values developing and encouraging the next generation of leaders as well. To honor the 100th anniversary of Coca-Cola in 1986, former Coca-Cola UNITED President Crawford Johnson III led a movement among bottlers and The Coca-Cola Company to endow a prestigious college scholarship program for outstanding high school students across America. As of 2022, Coca-Cola Scholars has provided more than $78 million in scholarships to more than 6,600 future leaders.

Coca-Cola Scholars inspired the Johnson family in 1995 to establish a similar program for the children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and step-grandchildren of Coca-Cola UNITED associates. Each year, 20 graduating high school seniors of Coca-Cola UNITED associates are chosen to receive a Crawford Johnson III and Walker Johnson Jones Scholarship, renewable at the college of their choice for four years. The company also offers an annual Pay It Forward summer

internship program to students who attend one of the 16 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in its footprint. More than 100 students have participated in the program since its start in 2015.

While Coca-Cola UNITED embraces its rich past, the company has an eye toward the future and continued growth. Hundreds of millions of dollars in recent capital investments have resulted in new or expanded facilities, as well as cutting edge technology benefiting associates, customers, and consumers … and there is more on the way!

The upgrades position Coca-Cola UNITED to more efficiently produce and distribute more than 750 sparkling and still non-alcoholic beverages including Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Coke Zero Sugar®, Dr Pepper®, Sprite®, AHA®, Fanta®, smartwater®, DASANI®, POWERADE®, BODYARMOR®, Fairlife®, Gold Peak®, Monster® and Minute Maid® – a full array of “Beverages for Life,” of which almost half are lowor no-calorie offerings.

“We have an incredible history to be proud of and an incredible future to look forward to,” said Mike Suco, who became Coca-Cola UNITED’s eighth president and CEO in 2022. “Our journey to becoming an elite bottler is never ending, but our foundation is strong enough to endure the road ahead.”

ROYAL CUP COFFEE AND TEA

Royal Cup Coffee traces its roots back to the first coffee roaster in the state of Alabama, Henry T. Batterton. In 1896, Mr. Batterton sold coffee to the growing areas of the city — Woodlawn, West End, and Highland Avenue — from his horse-drawn wagon. Batterton Coffee Co. remained the largest and most successful coffee company in the state until Mr. Batterton was tragically killed in an auto accident in 1930.

In 1950, Bill Smith, along with his attorney and eight friends, purchased Batterton Coffee Company. Smith quickly set about rebuilding the sales force and started advertising. Through hard work and the introduction of new products, Royal Cup became a favorite on grocery store shelves throughout the city. In 1954, the company created a delivery route dedicated to serving Birmingham hotels and restaurants.

In 1968, Bill Smith died, and his son, Bill Smith, Jr. took over. Later that year, Royal Cup started an office coffee sales route and eventually grew into one of the top office refreshment firms in the country. In 1972, Royal Cup joined forces with other coffee companies to create a cooperative called Dine Mor Foods. This alliance gave Royal Cup access to markets across the United States, and in 1972, the company landed its first national chain customer.

By 1975, the company’s focus had shifted away from grocery store sales to food service distribution channels. Also in 1975, the company had outgrown its original roasting plant by the 24th Street viaduct and broke ground on a new facility in Pinson Valley. While this expansion was underway, a “black frost” decimated the coffee regions of Brazil, and coffee prices quickly jumped by as much as 45 cents a pound. One-third of the coffee companies in the U.S. went out of business. But with the steady leadership of Bill Smith, Jr., the company completed its new plant in 1976, allowing them to attract more national food service chain customers.

The 1970s were a time of significant growth for Royal Cup. Through the organization of other coffee cooperatives and acquisitions, it expanded into Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Texas. The company acquired another plant and began expanding its product line

to include slushies and Coca-Cola fountain drinks. The trend continued throughout the 1980s when the company expanded into Georgia, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Baltimore.

In 1996, the company’s centennial year, Hatton Smith, Bill Jr.’s younger brother, took the reins as CEO, and Bill Jr. became Chairman of the Board. That same year, Royal Cup rebranded, replacing its logo with the famous lion and changing the colors of its trucks. By the end of the 1990s, the company had completed a new office facility and also expanded into the Southwest and Pacific Northwest.

At the beginning of the new millennium, Royal Cup purchased Dine Mor and became Royal Cup Dine Mor. After this transition, the company intensified its sales efforts and soon provided coffee service from coast-to-coast to some of the nation’s most recognizable resorts, hotels, and limited-service lodging chains. It also grew its position in family dining, casual dining, and quick-service dining. During the next two decades, Royal Cup would expand its manufacturing capabilities and product lines to include fine teas and liquid cold brew coffee.

Led by CEO Chip Wann, Royal Cup Coffee and Tea currently provides products, equipment, and service to restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, businesses, and individuals throughout the United States. The company was able to successfully navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to expand its product and service offerings.

Today, Royal Cup Coffee and Tea is driven by its Triple Bottom Line mission of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic stability. The company is working toward operating in the most efficient and sustainable manner possible. It also remains deeply committed to giving back. Locally, the company actively supports the United Way, and its investment with Neverthirst benefits families in developing areas across Africa and Asia. Royal Cup is also committed to maintaining a healthy economic state in order to positively influence the well-being of its employees, partners, customers, and the communities it serves.

Left: Bill Smith, Sr. at the Royal Cup plant. Above: Batterton Coffee Building in the late 1800s

BUFFALO ROCK

New-fangled fizzy drinks like Pepsi and Dr Pepper were all the rage at the turn of the 20th century, and Birmingham grocer Sidney W. Lee wanted in on this bubbly boom. So, in 1906, with the help of Selma chemist Ashby Coleman, Lee developed his own line of carbonated kick that he dubbed Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale.

Originally produced in the basement of Lee’s wholesale Alabama Grocery Company, Buffalo Rock was darker and stronger than other sodas of the day. It also was an immediate hit. In fact, the drink became so popular that in 1927, the Alabama Grocery Company changed its name to the Buffalo Rock Company and ditched the grocery business entirely.

After more than 100 years and four generations of Lee family leadership, Buffalo Rock is still as effervescent as ever. The company is one of the largest single-family, privately owned Pepsi-Cola and Dr Pepper bottlers, with 14 franchise locations in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia and 9,479 retail customers servicing a total population of more than 4.2 million.

Buffalo Rock became a prominent presence in downtown Birmingham after building its first full-scale bottling plant on 10th Avenue and 26th Street North in 1922. A huge electric sign lit by hundreds of bulbs shined from the roof of the building, illustrating the contents of a giant Buffalo Rock bottle being poured into a glass.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, the company’s primary products were Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale, Mission Orange, Mission Grape, and B-1. Steady growth occurred as the company passed from Sidney Lee to his son James C. Lee, then on to James C. Lee Jr., following the death of his father in 1951.

By this point, Buffalo Rock was a family business in every sense of the word. In fact, James Lee Jr. began working for the company at age 19, hand-loading cases of the drinks and then delivering and selling them.

Shortly after taking over as company president, James Lee Jr. completed negotiations started by his father to purchase a Pepsi-Cola franchise. This increase in production led to Buffalo Rock expanding its bottling plant in 1954 and doubling its output.

In the 1960s, the company added Dr Pepper and 7 Up to the product line, making Buffalo Rock the first production plant in the United States to bottle three major brands under one roof. The roof grew bigger in 1966, when the company moved to a 15-acre site off Oxmoor Road. That was followed by decades of product and franchise expansion, including acquiring the worldwide rights to Grapico in 1981.

Buffalo Rock began offering full-line vending operations in Birmingham in 1985. After James C. Lee III was named president in 1991, the company grew into one of the region’s

largest providers of vending and food services, supplying for cafeterias, food lines, snack bars, and catering.

In addition, Buffalo Rock has been an innovator in the beverage industry. The company developed the 3-liter bottle, introduced the 20-Pak Mini-Case for 12-ounce cans, and developed the 12-ounce and 20-ounce bottles along with numerous closures and other packaging.

All this expansion and innovation led Beverage Industry magazine to name Buffalo Rock its “Bottler of the Year” in 2006. Buffalo Rock CEO Matthew Dent says, “Building upon our long-standing history of innovation and industry leading partnerships, today, Buffalo Rock Company is building brands through legendary service and remarkable people. We do this by executing strategic plans and growth initiatives to provide the most powerful and dynamic beverage portfolio in the industry. We do this by measuring our success by the success of our customers and serving the communities in which we operate –working to make Buffalo Rock Company a pacesetter among fellow titans of industry.”

Buffalo Rock remains firmly on that path today. In recent years, the company has entered into a partnership with Red Diamond Coffee & Tea, implemented a reverse-osmosis water system that enables it to bottle its own water, and expanded its headquarters and bottling facility to more than 970,000 square feet in seven buildings over 90 acres.

Some of the facts and accomplishments about Buffalo Rock include:

• The company sells almost a billion containers of product annually.

• Local facilities include 14 distribution centers that encompass more than 1.2 million square feet on approximately 210 acres.

• The company has 80,000 pieces of equipment (vending machines, etc.) in the marketplace and an 1,745-unit fleet.

• The production facility houses eight lines under one roof, churning out 12-ounce cans at up to 1,050 per minute and 20-ounce bottles at 800 per minute.

• Approximately 75 percent of everything Buffalo Rock sells is manufactured in Birmingham

All of this is the result of more than 100 years of hard work, dedication, and a customer-first mentality. Buffalo Rock attributes the key to its success to never forgetting its reason for being: the customer. Just as in the early days, each of its area franchises is locally operated to ensure that Buffalo Rock can meet its customers’ needs. The company’s structure is designed to give these businesses the resources they need to satisfy their customers.

MILO’S TEA COMPANY

“As a 76-year-old, multi-generational family business, we have the ability and duty to think in terms of lifetimes rather than quarterly earnings,” said Tricia Wallwork, CEO, Chair, and shareholder of Milo’s Tea Company, Inc. “All of our decisions are based on the principle of People First, which means that we value people over profit.”

For Milo’s, known by fans for its assortment of all-natural, fresh-brewed beverages, meteoric growth has become the norm, but the company doesn’t take that for granted. Since 2017 the company has more than quadrupled its number of cases shipped, added two production facilities, grown its number of associates to nearly 700, and has been the #1 brand of refrigerated tea in U.S. grocery since 2020. “The way we’ve grown over the past five years, it’s almost unbelievable - you just don’t see it very often,” said Wallwork. “The key to our success is our just-like-homemade beverages driven every day by our passionate fanbase that continues to expand across the nation.”

The story of Milo’s Tea Company began in 1946 with the opening of Milo’s Hamburger Shop in north Birmingham, Alabama. After returning from World War II, founder Milo Carlton and his wife Bea opened a restaurant at 31st Street and 12th Avenue, serving up hamburgers, sweet tea, and homemade pies. Milo’s quickly became a community favorite thanks to Milo’s philosophy of always listening to his customers, using high-quality, natural ingredients, and never sacrificing taste.

After seeing the growth of the restaurant and the love that consumers had for the brand, Milo’s son Ronnie and his wife, Sheila, began franchising Milo’s Hamburgers in 1982 with the first store opening near the University of Alabama at Birmingham. They quickly noticed that many customers would drive through just to get fresh-brewed sweet tea, and they began exploring how to make Milo’s tea more accessible to everyone. After some trial and error, they began fresh brewing Milo’s Sweet Tea using the same three natural ingredients that Milo had been using since 1946 - fresh brewed tea, pure cane sugar, and water - and bottling it in milk jugs to signal to consumers that it needed to be refrigerated since it didn’t have any preservatives.

By 1989, the now iconic gallon jugs of Milo’s Famous Sweet Tea were being sold in stores in the Birmingham area. The Carltons rented space behind the Barber’s Dairy in Homewood for production, which turned out to be a whole family affair. After Milo’s passing in 1995, Bea, Ronnie, Sheila, and their daughters Tricia and Leslie worked the gallon lines, hand-filling bottles, adding stickers to caps, and stacking pallets. “Our business has always been focused on family, and that’s a huge part of why we’ve been so successful. It’s part of our DNA,” said Wallwork.

To keep up with demand and pursue their dream of Milo’s Tea Company, Ronnie and Sheila sold the restaurants in 2002 to focus on beverages. Their daughters, Leslie Aven and Tricia Wallwork, joined the company, and with their co-ownership, Milo’s officially became a Certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise in 2007.

In 2012, Tricia became the CEO and Chair, and Milo’s began leaning into bold sustainability strategies. Over the next several years, Milo’s Tea pioneered its waste streams, most notably by partnering with local organizations to use spent tea leaves as fertilizers and eventually becoming T.R.U.E. Zero Waste Platinum Certified at all of its tea plants.

“Our associates are united by our core purpose - Milo’s Moments,” said Wallwork. “These Moments include use occasions with our delicious beverages, but also giving back 1% of our profits to families and the planet – reducing our carbon footprint while investing in our associates. It means equitable pay and amazing benefits for all. Our mission is to build a legacy of purposeful profit - to provide routes to economic prosperity for people both within Milo’s and in our ecosystem.”

When Milo’s built its second manufacturing plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2020, it was just in time to keep up with nationwide growth. During the global pandemic, Milo’s was able to serve its customers when many of their competitors could not, building trust with retailers and new fans. Milo’s

was able to replace empty shelves with delicious beverages and many shoppers bought Milo’s for the very first time. People loved the homemade taste and kept going back to stores to buy more. It was rocket fuel for the company, which has no plans of slowing down.

“After three generations of growth, we still set ‘big, hairy, audacious goals’ of celebrating Milo’s Moments in every corner of the world,” said Wallwork. “We are doing so much more than making and selling drinks – we’re making the world a little sweeter one sip at a time. We’re brewing a legacy.”

RED DIAMOND

Red Diamond Coffee & Tea is one of Alabama’s oldest businesses, having recently celebrated its 115th anniversary. It is also the second oldest coffee and tea company in the country continuously owned and operated by members of the same family.

The story of Red Diamond begins in 1906, when William Fitz Donovan opened Donovan Provision Company in Birmingham. The retail store sold eggs, meat, poultry, butter, coffee, and other goods to consumers. But Donovan soon realized he could grow the company faster by focusing solely on coffee sales.

In 1908, Donovan began roasting coffee, which he named “Red Diamond” after the rare and coveted jewel by the same name. The name helped establish a solid brand identity for the company and set the standard for generations to follow.

President and CEO William A. Bowron Jr., Donovan’s great-grandson, now sits at the helm of Red Diamond. His children, William A. Bowron III and Emily Wood Bowron, are now the fifth generation to work at the company.

Red Diamond manufactures coffee and tea for both the retail and wholesale markets. Between both those segments, the company distributes across the country “coast to coast and border to border.” The family painstakingly crafts its coffees using beans handpicked from new crops grown at high altitudes for the best quality and taste. Its teas are made with the same attention to detail using globally sourced tea

leaves—never powders or concentrates—to ensure exceptional color and flavor.

In 2008, Red Diamond moved its headquarters to accommodate new growth, which allowed the company to upgrade its coffee and tea production equipment to the state-of-the-art Scolari system, a brand known as the “Lamborghini” of coffee and tea manufacturing products.

Red Diamond is passionate about supporting environmental, economic, and social sustainability projects, designing its new facility with an eye to reducing its carbon footprint. The company is also mindful of the people who help grow its coffees and teas. For example, Red Diamond is a multi-year sponsor of Grounds for Health, an international nonprofit organization that provides access to cervical cancer screenings and treatment to women who work in countries where coffee beans are harvested.

Red Diamond is also committed to the city it calls home and supports local groups such as the Birmingham Zoo, the Birmingham United Soccer Association, and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. The Red Diamond Sweet Ride can also be seen at community events throughout the summer offering free cups of coffee and iced tea to eventgoers.

Top: Red Diamond’s corporate office from 2008 to present. Inset left: Fourth and fifth generation of family leadership. Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer William A. Bowron Jr., Emily Wood Bowron (daughter) William A. Bowron III (son). Inset right: Red Diamond’s offices from 1919 to 1955.

Trevor Ruszkowski

CORPORATE SPONSOR INDEX

ABC Coke

900 Huntsville Avenue

Tarrant, AL 35217

205-849-1300

www.drummondco.com

Page 351

Alabama Media Group

1731 1st Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203

205-325-2211

www.al.com

Pages 136-137

Alabama Sports Hall of Fame

2150 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. Birmingham, AL 35203

205-323-6665

www.ashof.org

Page 263

Altec

210 Inverness Center Drive Birmingham, AL 35242

205-991-7733

www.altec.com

Pages 118-119

American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO)

1500 32nd Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35207 205-325-7701

www.american-usa.com

Pages 326-327

ARC Realty

4274 Cahaba Heights Ct. # 200 Birmingham, AL 35243

205-969-8910

www.arcrealtyco.com

Page 86

Balch & Bingham, LLP

1901 Sixth Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203-4642

205-251-8100

www.balch.com

Pages 126-127

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum & Barber Motorsports Park

6030 Barber Motorsports Parkway

Leeds, AL 35094

205-699-7275

www.barbermuseum.org

Pages 260-261

Bayliss Machine & Welding Co

2901 8th Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203 205-323-6121

www.baylissmachine.com

Page 350

Becca Frederick Photography

729 Shades Crest Road Birmingham, AL 35226 205-467-5820

https://birmingham.nextdoorphotos.com www.etsy.com/shop/TheAlloraShoppe

Page 87

Birmingham Business Journal

2140 11th Avenue South, Suite 205 Birmingham, AL 35205

205-443-5600

www.bizjournals.com

Pages 128-129

Birmingham Southern College

Office of The President / 900 Arkadelphia Road Birmingham, AL 35254 800-523-5793

www.bsc.edu

Pages 218-219

Birmingham VA Health Care System 700 South 19th Street Birmingham, AL 35233 205-933-8101

www.va.gov/birmingham-health-care/ contact-us/

Pages 190-191

Birmingham Water Works 3600 1st Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35222 205-244-4000

www.bwwb.org

Page 150

BL Harbert International

820 Shades Creek Parkway, Suite 3000 Birmingham, AL 35209 205-802-2800

www.blharbert.com

Pages 332-333

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama 450 Riverchase Parkway East Birmingham, AL 35244 855-855-7283

www.bcbsal.org

Pages 186-187

Books-A-Million

402 Industrial Lane Birmingham , AL 35211 205-909-3595

www.booksamillion.com

Pages 144-145

Brasfield & Gorrie

3021 7th Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35233 205-328-4000

www.brasfieldgorrie.com

Page 354

Bridgeworth Wealth Management

101 25th Street North, Suite 100 Birmingham, AL 35203 205-208-8700

www.bridgeworthllc.com

Page 152

Bromberg & Co. Inc. 123 North Twentieth Street Birmingham, AL 35203 205-458-0492

www.brombergs.com

Page 151

Buffalo Rock 111 Oxmoor Road Birmingham, AL 35209 205-944-2314

www.buffalorock.com

Pages 388-389

Building & Earth Sciences 5545 Derby Drive Birmingham, AL 35210 205-836-6300

www.buildingandearth.com

Pages 344-345

Burr & Forman LLP

420 North 20th Street, Suite 3400 Birmingham, AL 35203 205-251-3000

www.burr.com

Pages 124-125

Capstone Building Corp. 1200 Corporate Drive, Suite 350 Birmingham, AL 35242 205-803-5226

www.capstonebuilding.com

Pages 134-135

CCR Architecture & Interiors 2920 First Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35233 205-324-8864

www.ccrarchitecture.com

Pages 120-121

Chamber of Commerce of Walker County 204 19th Street East, Suite 101 Birmingham, AL 35501 205-384-4571

www.walkerchamber.us

Page 89

Children’s of Alabama 1600 7th Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35233 205-638-9100

www.childrensal.org

Page 192

Christian & Small 505 20th Street North, Suite 1800 Birmingham, AL 35203 205-795-6588

www.csattorneys.com

Page 153

CMC Steel Alabama 101 50th Street South Birmingham, AL 35212 205-592-8981

www.cmc.com

Pages 336-337

Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. 4600 East Lake Boulevard Birmingham, AL 35217 205-841-2653

https://cocacolaunited.com/locations/birmingham/ Pages 384-385

Consolidated Pipe & Supply

1205 Hilltop Parkway Birmingham, AL 35204

205-323-7261

www.cpspipe.com

Pages 342-343

Drummond Company, Inc.

1000 Urban Center Drive, Suite 300 Birmingham, AL 35242

205-945-6300

www.drummondco.com

Pages 330-331

Dunn Investment Company

3900 Messer Airport Highway Birmingham, AL 35222

205-592-3866

www.dunnconstruction.com

Pages 346-347

EBSCO Industries

5724 Highway 280 East Birmingham, AL 35242 205-991-1211

www.ebsco.com

Page 149

Edwards Chevrolet 1400 3rd Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203 205-716-3330

www.chevyman.com

Pages 122-123

Encompass Health Corporation

9001 Liberty Parkway Birmingham, AL 35242 205-967-7116

www.encompasshealth.com

Pages 184-185

General Machinery

921 First Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203 205-251-9243

www.generalmachinery.com

Pages 322-323

Glenwood

150 Glenwood Lane Birmingham, AL 35243 205-969-2880

www.glenwood.org

Pages 224-225

Goudy Construction

4501 Gary Avenue Fairfield, Al 35064

205-229-9864

www.goudyconstructioninc.com

Page 353

Grandview Medical Center 3690 Grandview Parkway Birmingham, AL 35243 205-971-1000

www.grandviewhealth.com

Page 193

Harbert Management Corporation

2100 Third Avenue North, Suite 600 Birmingham, AL 35203 205-987-5500

www.harbert.net

Page 146

Hoar Construction

Two Metroplex Drive, Suite 400 Birmingham, AL 35209

205-803-2121

www.hoar.com

Page 349

ImageWorks

3332 Old Montgomery Highway, Suite 201 Birmingham, AL 35209

205-874-9966

www.shopimageworks.com

Page 154

Jefferson County Historical Association

P.O. Box 130285 Birmingham, AL 35213-0285 info@jeffcohistory.com

www.jeffcohistory.com

Pages 80-81

Liberty Park Joint Venture

1000 Urban Center Drive, Suite 300 Birmingham, AL 35242 205-945-6300

www.drummondco.com

Page 352

Lifeline Children Services 200 Missionary Ridge Birmingham, AL 35242 205-967-0811

www.lifelinechild.org

Page 88

Maynard Nexsen

1901 Sixth Avenue North, Suite 1700 Birmingham, AL 35203 205-254-1000

www.maynardcooper.com

Pages 132-133

McPherson Oil Products

5051 Cardinal Street Birmingham, AL 35173 205-661-4400

www.mcphersonoil.com

Page 356

McWane

2900 Highway 280 South, Suite 250 Birmingham, AL 35223 205-414-3100

www.mcwane.com

Pages 316-318

Medical Properties Trust

1000 Urban Center Drive, Suite 501 Birmingham, AL 35242 205-969-3755

www.medicalpropertiestrust.com

Pages 180-183

Medical West, an Affiliate of the UAB Health System 995 9th Avenue S.W. Bessemer, AL 35022 205-481-7000

www.medicalwesthospital.org

Pages 188-189

Milo’s Tea Company

3112 Dublin Lane Bessemer, AL 35022 205-424-4284

www.drinkmilos.com

Pages 390-391

Morrow Railroad Builders 3718 Hoke Avenue Dolomite, AL 35061 205-744-9642

www.mrrbusa.com

Page 357

Motion 1605 Alton Road Birmingham, AL 35210 800-526-9328

www.motion.com

Pages 340-341

PGI Steel 2101 Wenonah-Oxmoor Road Birmingham, AL 35211 888-934-7463

www.pgisteel.com

Pages 320-321

RealtySouth 3500 Blue Lake Drive, Suite 325 Birmingham, AL 35243 205-325-1391

www.realtysouth.com

Page 84

Red Diamond 400 Park Avenue Moody, AL 35004 205-577-4000

www.reddiamond.com

Pages 392-393

Regions Bank 1900 5th Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203 205-326-7100

www.regions.com

Pages 114-117

Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort & Spa

4000 Grand Avenue Hoover, AL 35226 205-916-7677

www.rossbridgeresort.com

Page 147

Retail Specialists / Retail Strategies 2200 Magnolia Avenue South, Suite 100 Birmingham, AL 35205 205-313-3676

www.retailspecialists.com

Page 355

Robins & Morton

400 Shades Creek Parkway Birmingham, AL 35209 205-870-1000

www.robinsmorton.com

Pages 328-329

Royal Cup Coffee and Tea 160 Cleage Drive Birmingham, AL 35217 800-366-5836

www.royalcupcoffee.com

Pages 386-387

Samford University 800 Lakeshore Drive Birmingham, AL 35229 205-726-2011

www.samford.edu

Pages 220-221

CORPORATE SPONSOR INDEX

Spire

605 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd N. Birmingham, AL 35203

800-292-4008

www.spireenergy.com

Pages 138-139

Stonegate Investment Group

2005 Stonegate Trail, Suite 101 Birmingham, AL 35242

205-963-0840

www.stonegateig.com

Page 155

Studio 2H Design

1721 4th Avenue North, Suite 101 Birmingham, AL 35203

205-264-9988

www.studio2hd.com

Pages 142-143

Synovus / First Commercial 800 Shades Creek Parkway Birmingham, AL 35209 205-868-4891

www.synovus.com

Pages 130-131

The Altamont School 4801 Altamont Road South Birmingham, AL 35222 205-879-2006

www.altamontschool.org

Page 226

The BJCC

2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard Birmingham, AL 35203

205-458-8400

www.bjcc.org

Pages 258-259

The University of Alabama at Birmingham 1720 2nd Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35294 205-934-4011

www.uab.edu

Pages 222-223

Thompson Tractor Company 2401 Pinson Valley Parkway Birmingham, AL 35217 205-849-4300

www.thompsontractor.com

Page 348

Tractor & Equipment Company

5336 Messer Airport Highway Birmingham, AL 35212

205-591-2131

www.tractor-equipment.com

Pages 338-339

TRUCKWORX

2220 Finley Blvd. Birmingham, AL 35234 205-326-6170

www.truckworx.com

Pages 140-141

United States Steel Corporation

5700 Valley Road

Fairfield, AL 35064

205-783-4122

www.ussteel.com

Pages 324-325

United States Steel Corporation - Corporate HQ 600 Grant Street, Room 1975 Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2800

412-433-6845

www.ussteel.com

Pages 324-325

U. S. Pipe

2 Chase Corporate Drive, Suite 200 Birmingham, AL 35244 866-347-7473

www.uspipe.com

Pages 334-335

United Way of Central Alabama 3600 8th Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35222 205-251-5131

www.uwca.org

Pages 82-83

Vulcan Materials Company 1200 Urban Center Drive Birmingham, AL 35242 205-298-3000

www.vulcanmaterials.com

Pages 312-315

Vulcan Park & Museum 1701 Valley View Drive Birmingham, AL 35209 205-933-1409

www.visitvulcan.com

Page 262

Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt 800 Shades Creek Parkway, Suite 400 Birmingham, AL 35209 205-870-0555

www.wallacejordan.com

Page 148

Watts Realty

1527 3rd Avenue South, Suite 102 Birmingham, AL 35233 205-251-1267

www.wattsrealty.com

Pages 78-79

YMCA of Greater Birmingham 2101 4th Avenue North

Birmingham, AL 35203

205-655-2224

www.ymcabham.org

Page 85

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Featured & Contributing Writers

CARY ESTES, WRITER

Cary Estes is a freelance writer based in Birmingham, Ala. He has written for a wide variety of publications, websites, and organizations, including the Alabama Tourism Department, Associated Press, Business Alabama magazine, Delta Sky magazine, ESPN.com, Livability.com, NBCsports.com, PGATour.com, Sports Illustrated and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He previously spent 15 years working as a sportswriter at the Birmingham Post-Herald. His writing philosophy is, “Everybody has a story to tell.”

JENNIFER WALKER-JOURNEY, WRITER

Jennifer is a local freelance journalist. Her clients include law firms and legal resources, health care systems, financial corporations, public health entities, and digital marketing firms. Her work has been featured in USA Today, Better Homes & Gardens, Health, Shape, Sea Island and Omni magazines, and HowStuffWorks.com. Additionally, she was a contributing writer for the 1998 book, Birmingham: Magic for the Millennium, also published by Beers & Associates.

BENJAMIN TOMLIN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Ben Tomlin, a Montgomery resident, is a recent graduate of Faulkner University and an aspiring writer. During his time as a student, he completed articles for the university’s magazine and website and has since provided freelance proofing work and taught as an adjunct instructor. He hopes to continue writing in creative and professional environments, doing what he loves most and contributing to the world of information.

SENECA WILSON, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Seneca Wilson is an author, inspirational speaker, poet and college educator. He is on a mission to empower young students to overcome barriers in their life by using Sports, Hip hop, Inspiration and Poetry (SHIP) to ensure college and career readiness and success. Seneca released his new book TURN

ON YOUR

LIGHT: Finding the Light Within in November 2020. In 2007, he published his first book of poetry, Kind of a One, and in 2016, Seneca published his second book of poetry, Stairs to The Top. Seneca holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees, is a Toastmaster and a dynamic presenter committed to helping others be great. For more information or booking please visit www.senecawilson.com

Featured & Contributing Photographers

NIK LAYMAN, FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

Nik Layman is a photographer and producer specializing in corporate and medical editorial, portraiture, and all kinds of people photography. For the last 16 years, he has developed commercial and artistic projects in Birmingham for such clients as UAB Health Systems, Alabama Power, American Family Care, Tacala, Alabama NewsCenter, Girls Inc. of Central Alabama, Ronald McDonald House, and the Birmingham Museum of Art. Nik is inspired by telling a story through images and delivering a message with clarity and sensitivity. A Montevallo native and UAB graduate, Nik lives in Birmingham with his wife, Angela, and their two Havanese, Chewie and Jabba the Pup.

ART MERIPOL, FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

Art Meripol began his career as a newspaper photojournalist before joining Southern Living Magazine as Senior Photographer for Travel. After 24 years of travel for the magazine, Art began freelancing in 2013 shooting for a variety of local and national publications. Two recent projects included the tasty book Alabama Barbecue - Delicious Road Trips for Alabama Tourism and the National Addy award-winning book What Happened Here Changed the World. Art’s 70s and 80s concert photography is represented by rockpaperphoto.com, the definitive place for pop culture fine art prints. More of his work can be found at artmeripol.com.

JEREMY DOVE, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Jeremy Dove born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. He has been interested in photography since childhood and recently began making it a hobby and sharing his photos with others. He was selected as a winner in the City of Birmingham’s 150th anniversary photo contest. He hopes to take many more photos and start selling prints.

Special Thanks

In recognition of Birmingham’s 150th Anniversary, the City of Birmingham sponsored a photo contest asking area residents to submit their favorite images. Several winners were selected and their work featured in an exhibit during the city’s Sesquicentennial celebrations. The publisher would like to say a special “Thank you” to the following photo contest winners who agreed to allow us to include their images in this volume:

Jeremy Dove

“Sunset Tracks” page 48

Paola Salas

“Alabama Theatre Rain” page 253

Tracy Riggs

“Every Girly-Girl Loves the Barons” page 275

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Photo courtesy Grandview Medical Center

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Nik Layman

Art Meripol

Art Meripol

Photo courtesy of The World Games

Art Meripol