Business Alabama - February 2023

FEB. 2023

Silence is

GOLDEN CHINNABEE SILENT TRAIL, BUILT NEARLY 50 YEARS AGO BY TERRY DAHLGREN AND DOZENS OF OTHER DEAF BOY SCOUTS AT AIDB, IS AMONG THE STATE’S MOST POPULAR HIKING TRAILS

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43 SHELBY COUNTY

Volume 38 / Number 2

FEBRUARY 2023

CONTENTS

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Auburn University's Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center provides students with hands-on hospitality knowledge.

Photo by Julie Bennett.

Features 12

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CONSTRUCTION BE OUR GUEST Auburn’s Rane Center takes a big step forward in hospitality management.

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A LEGACY BY DESIGN TRO Jung|Brannen survives a merger and divergence to come out on top.

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RENOVATION REVOLUTION AnotherStory pioneers a process that is changing the way homeowners build up.

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TOURISM & THE GREAT OUTDOORS A PIECE OF QUIET In the 1970s, a group of deaf Boy Scouts from AIDB forged the popular Chinnabee Silent Trail.

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RIDING THE WAVE OF TOURISM AND RETAIL Owa’s big splash in the tourism waters continues to provide dividends to its owners and the community around it.

MEETING FACILITIES VIBRANT VENUES From racing to rockets to resorts, Alabama boasts an array of intriguing sites to host your event.

PLANNING AN ATTRACTION Experts offer tips for organizing a meeting people want to attend.

RETROSPECT THE HAYNES RAZOR STROP CO. African American entrepreneur called Selma home.

On the Cover: Terry Dahlgren and other Boy Scouts at AIDB built the Chinnabee Silent Trail nearly 50 years ago.

Photo by Cary Norton.

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28: Tropic Falls at Owa offers a year-round aquatic adventure plus rides for all thrill levels.

24: Chinnabee Silent Trail follows a creek to a lovely waterfall, then climbs to join the Pinhoti and Skyway Trails in Talladega National Forest near Cheaha State Park.

Photo by Cary Norton.

16: Birmingham's Kirklin Clinic is one of the many iconic structures designed by architects at TRO Jung|Brannen.

TOP RANK 37 ALABAMA’S LARGEST MEETING FACILITIES

Departments

GEOGRAPHIC SPOTLIGHT 43 SHELBY COUNTY SPECIAL SECTION 61 BUSINESS COUNCIL OF ALABAMA

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BENCHMARKS: MONTHLY BUSINESS NEWS BRIEFING COMPANY KUDOS: A MONTH OF ACHIEVEMENTS CAREER NOTES: WHO’S MOVING UP BA INDEX: HUNDREDS OF LEADS EACH MONTH HISTORICAL ALABAMA: A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE ALABIZ QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 5

FEBRUARY 2023 BusinessAlabama.com Volume 38 / Number 2

PUBLISHER Walker Sorrell / wsorrell@pmtpublishing.com ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Stephen Potts / snpotts@pmtpublishing.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Alec Harvey / alec@pmtpublishing.com EDITOR Erica Joiner West / ewest@pmtpublishing.com COPY EDITOR Nedra Bloom / nedra@pmtpublishing.com ART DIRECTOR Vic Wheeler / ads@pmtpublishing.com DIGITAL EDITOR Kathryn Bell / kbell@pmtpublishing.com CIRCULATION Anita Miller / anita@pmtpublishing.com ACCOUNTING Keith Crabtree / acct@pmtpublishing.com ADMINISTRATION/OFFICE MANAGER Lauren Sullivan / lsullivan@pmtpublishing.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Birmingham: 205-802-6363 Hal Cain / Ext. 111 / hcain@pmtpublishing.com Lee Mills / Ext. 102 / lmills@pmtpublishing.com Mobile: 251-473-6269 Joe Hyland / Ext. 214 / jhyland@pmtpublishing.com DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED MEDIA & EVENTS Sheila Wardy / swardy@pmtpublishing.com BIRMINGHAM OFFICE 3324 Independence Drive / Homewood, AL 35209 205-802-6363 MOBILE OFFICE 166 Government Street / Mobile, AL 36602 251-473-6269 CORPORATE T.J. Potts, President & CEO Thomas E. McMillan, Partner & Director Business Alabama is published monthly by PMT Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright 2023

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6 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

Benchmarks UAB to build $76M biomedical research building THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM’S BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND PSYCHOLOGY BUILDING has re-

ceived Stage 1 approval by the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees. The building is supported by a $76 million federal appropriation.

Pending additional approvals by the UA board, the building will house the College of Arts and Sciences’ department of psychology and research-intensive departments from the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine.

“Interdisciplinary collaboration is a longtime strength and hallmark of UAB. State-of-the-art facilities like this advance the aims of our strategic plan, Forging the Future, make UAB more competitive globally and bring better health and quality of life to the people of Alabama and

B U S I N E S S TIK NOT Gov. Kay Ivey has banned the use of the social media app TikTok on state devices and internet networks. She cited security threats from China as her concern. The FBI last month said the Chinese government could use the app to collect data on U.S. citizens.

TAX CUT ON HORIZON Alabama House leaders say a big cut in unemployment insurance taxes announced by the Alabama Department of Labor will help the economy in the coming months. The Labor Department said Alabama employers will see a 54% reduction in unemployment insurance taxes in 2023.

HOT MARKET The National Association of Realtors has named Huntsville among the top 10 real estate markets to watch in 2023. The 10 markets are expected to outperform other metro areas in 2023.

beyond,” said UAB President The UAB campus is growing with the addition of the Ray Watts.

Biomedical Research and Psychology Building, just U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby north of University Boulevard and west of 16th Street played an instrumental role South. in addressing critical societal needs across the University of Alabama System, said UA System Chancellor Finis St. John.

“We have great appreciation for Senator Shelby’s unwavering commitment to advancing scientific research and education and his invaluHall, will include wet and dry research able leadership in securing critical federal laboratories and research support space, funding that will bring this project to providing flexibility for investigators. life,” said St. John.

The activity-based layout is designed to The six-story, 165,000-squarepromote collaboration, creativity and foot building, located across from the productivity.  Heersink School of Medicine’s Volker

B R I E F S MAGNETIC BIRMINGHAM The Birmingham Business Alliance says that in 2022, nearly $200 million in capital investments were made into the Birmingham metro area. Those investments produced nearly 1,400 jobs.

LOCAL JOBS Southeast AlabamaWorks has unveiled what it says is a first-of-its-kind regional jobsearch tool. The tool focuses on the agency’s 10-county territory, including Barbour, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties.

The tool can be accessed via southeastalabamaworks.com.

PEAK NEWS Peak North America has announced plans for a manufacturing and fabrication plant in Mobile County to serve the wood products industry.

It’s a $24 million investment at the site of the Endurance Equipment Co.

WORKFORCE WOW Alabama is at the top of the list of the 2023 Regional Workforce Development rankings in the South Central region. The list, from Site Selection Magazine, ranks each state’s workforce development using a number of sources, including CNBC’s Top States for Business and U.S. News & World Report’s Best States for Education ranking.

BRITT ON THE JOB Alabama’s Katie Britt was sworn in as a U.S. senator in early January. She is the first woman elected to the Senate from Alabama and the youngest Republican woman ever to serve in the U.S. Senate.

STRAIGHT TO THE BIG APPLE American Airlines is adding a non-stop flight from Birmingham to New York effective the first week of May. The flight will leave Birmingham daily for LaGuardia airport at 6:05 a.m. A return flight will leave LaGuardia each night at 7:29 p.m.

SOCIAL IMPACT Monthly, which won the $25,000 concept stage, and VB Ideas, which won $50,000 in the seed stage competition, are the two Alabama-based winners of Alabama Launchpad’s inaugural social impact competition. Applications for the next Alabama Launchpad competition opened Jan. 6.

GROUNDBREAKING Ground was broken in early January for the $120 million Cooper Green Mercy Health Clinic. The new building on Sixth Avenue South will be five stories tall and encompass 211,000 square feet. It is scheduled to be completed in early 2025. Birmingham-based Brasfield & Gorrie, as general contractor, has broken ground on a $37.5 million expansion of lacrosse, gymnastics and rowing facilities at Clemson University.

BIGGER & BETTER Aer-Flo Sports is opening a new facility on a 22-acre site in Lincoln, enabling the company to more than double its space

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 7

BENCHMARKS

Maker of electric vehicle charging stations plans $8 million plant in Auburn ADS-TEC ENERGY,

a ADS-TEC makes fast-charging stations. maker of fast electric vehicle charging stations, will open its first U.S. location in Auburn.

The $8 million facility, including sales, warehousing and assembly, will serve the North American market and create about 180 jobs over the next two years.

“We’re excited to welcome yet another high-tech German company to Alabama,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “The partnership between German engineering and Alabama manufacturing has brought many innovative products to the North American CEO, said the company is pleased that it can set up a sales, waremarket. housing and assembly location in Auburn within one year of listing “We’re excited to add ADS-TEC Energy’s battery-buffered its shares on the NASDAQ exchange (NASDAQ: ADSE). fast charging stations to that list, serving the quickly growing “This will represent a successful market presence in the USA electric vehicle market,” she added. “Congratulations to ADSembedded in a strong, innovation- and growth-driven economic TEC Energy’s leadership for selecting Auburn as their U.S. environment,” he said. “We are very grateful for the intensive support home.” by the city of Auburn and the state of Alabama, in particular by Gov. ADS-TEC Energy has built rapid electric charging stations Kay Ivey, as well as the business-oriented local decision-makers, who for 10 years, and Thomas Speidel, the company’s founder and continue to support us constructively.”

B U S I N E S S in the coming years. The location will be a warehouse and distribution center for its custom windscreens, field padding and other sports padding and protectors. Buffalo Rock, a Birmingham beverage distribution company, plans an additional distribution center in the Florida panhandle with 350 to 400 jobs. Financial services firm HC3, based in Birmingham, has increased its production of printed statements by 40%, partly through acquisitions, and increased staff by 18%.

NEW AT THE TOP Jeff Peoples has been named president and CEO of Alabama Power, succeeding Mark Crosswhite. Chris Womack

B R I E F S has been named CEO of its Atlanta-based parent Southern Company, beginning in April.

John Watson, president and CEO of Torch Technologies, has also been named president of Starfish Holdings, parent of the Huntsville-based Torch.

Bill Roark remains as CEO of Starfish. Maria Underwood has been named the new president of Birmingham Bound, a nonprofit dedicating to growing Birmingham’s tech ecosystem.

Founded in 2018, the nonprofit has recruited more than 20 companies to Birmingham.

OPEN AGAIN Frank and Pardis Stitt’s Bottega restaurant opened in December for the first time since its COVID-

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19-related closing in March 2020. The Stitts say they plan to reopen Highlands Bar and Grill, their James Beard Awardwinning restaurant, by spring 2023.

CONTRACTS General Dynamics has been selected for a five-year, $152 million contract to manage Alabama Supercomputer Authority systems. Boeing has secured a $109.1 million contract modification from the Missile Defense Agency for the work the company does on the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system.

The work will be done in Huntsville, Alaska and California.

Birmingham-based B.L. Harbert

International was awarded a $122.4 million contract by the U.S. Army for a 91,300-squarefoot material exploitation center at Redstone Arsenal. The estimated completion date is June, 2025. Huntsville’s Torch Technologies was awarded a $10.67 million contract modification to provide various types of simulation support for the U.S. Army.

ZOE’S RETURNING Zoe’s Kitchen, the Mediterranean-style restaurant born in Birmingham and now based in Texas and with more than 300 locations, is returning to Crestline in Mountain Brook with a spot owned by the original owners. John Cassimus

BENCHMARKS

Shelby secures billions for Alabama in final spending bill Alabama’s long-time senior SEN. RICHARD SHELBY, as vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped guide billions of dollars in resources to his home state in the FY23 appropriations package passed just before the end of his term.

“Throughout my career, I have done everything in my power to bring success to my home state. The funding for Alabama in this package is significant in terms of the impact it will have on communities and the overall statewide economy for generations to come,” Shelby said in announcing the funding measure.

“This package also represents a serious commitment to our national defense, aid for Americans in need as a result of natural disasters, and continuing support for the people of Ukraine as they fight against Russian aggression. While the path to get here was winding at times, I am proud that we have completed our work for the

B U S I N E S S announced on Facebook that he and his parents, Zoe and Marcus Cassimus, who founded the restaurant in 1995, would soon open a new location in Crestline Village.

OFFICIALLY YUMMY Three Alabama-based barbecue chains — Dreamland, Jim ’N Nick’s and Full Moon — made Newsweek Magazine’s list of the top 15 in the country.

WHAT A BEAUTY Bar la Fete, a Parisian-inspired wine bar in downtown Birmingham, has been named to Robb Report’s list of the 25 Most Beautiful New Restaurants in America. The wine bar serves a variety of French-inspired plates.

Spring Hill College in Mobile plans a new nursing building.

American people.”

Some of the items on the long list are specific to Alabama — $35 million for a nursing building at Spring Hill College in Mobile; $30 million for the Northern Beltline project in the Birmingham area; $76 million for a biomedical research building at UAB; funding for hydrology research and more at the University of Alabama; funding for agricultural research at Auburn University and close to $2 million each for Wheeler and Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuges.

Funding for space and defense agencies also has a massive impact in

Alabama — such as $171 million for Hydra rockets that are built in Anniston and $2.6 billion for the Space Launch System with $600 million specifically for work in Huntsville.

“I have been blessed to represent the great state of Alabama for 36 years in the Senate, and it is my hope that I have left the state better than I found it. I look forward to witnessing the results of this funding and the state’s continued growth as a private citizen in just a few short weeks. Thank you, Alabama. Serving you has been the honor of my lifetime,” said Shelby. 

B R I E F S BREAKING THE BUBBLY In late December, Austal USA christened the USS Augusta, the 17th Littoral Combat Ship built at the Mobile shipyard.

APP WIN A group of students at Birmingham’s George Washington Carver High School has been awarded $10,000 for an app they’ve been working on. NeXsim, which pairs students through common interests, won the competition sponsored by Altec Industries.

GOOD GRAPH…ITE South Star Battery Metals, a British Columbia firm, has announced positive results for graphite in exploratory mine on its Coosa County site.

Graphite is a critical element in automotive and other batteries.

WALK ON The Randall family has donated 6.65 more acres to extend the Elevate Tuscaloosa Northern Riverwalk. The family earlier donated 19 acres for the project.

SPLASH! The Northport City Council has approved plans for a new water park, sportsplex and outdoor adventure park on 11 acres on McFarland Boulevard. It could open as early as 2024.

FUN IN MOODY The Moody City Council has agreed to the construction and operation of a new family entertainment center. The

60,000-square-foot center, with partners Signature Developments and Starz events, will include bowling, trampolines and more on a 6.7-acre site.

NET ZERO A $108 million residential development in Huntsville’s MidCity District will aim for having a reduced carbon footprint and “net zero energy,” according to RCP Companies of Huntsville, which is building Wellory Living. The complex will feature 342 apartments and more than 13,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor.

HOLD UP Meta, the parent company of Facebook, says construction

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 9

BENCHMARKS

3M to exit PFAS market 3M CO.

has announced plans to exit per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) manufacturing and work to discontinue the use of PFAS across its product portfolio by the end of 2025. The decision was based on multiple factors, including accelerating regulatory trends focused on reducing or eliminating the presence of PFAS in the environment and changing stakeholder expectations.

PFAS are used in products as varied as semiconductors, airplanes, medical products, phones, cars and batteries.

3M has plants in Decatur and Guin.

The Decatur plant focuses on films and materials, including fluoroplastics and fluoroelastomers. The Guin site focuses on films, but also adhesives, light management, flexible converting and packaging, radiation processing and more. 3M has 40 locations in the United States and plants and labs in 37 countries.

In 2021, 3M settled a long-running lawsuit with the City of Decatur, Morgan County and Decatur Utilities over effects of PFAS near the Decatur plant, agreeing to pay $98 million to various agencies.

“I appreciate the work of all parties to bring these lawsuits to a close,” Decatur

B U S I N E S S at its Huntsville Data Center will temporarily stop because of design issues but that the expansion project will be completed later.

COLLEGE CRISIS Birmingham-Southern College is seeking $30 million in state funding and another $5 million from the City of Birmingham and $2.5 million from Jefferson County to keep operating after May 2023. The private college says the money would cover projected deficits through May 2026.

HQ HOME CRST The Transportation Solution, a freight company based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has opened a 23,000-square-

Mayor Tab Bowling Global headquarters said at the time. “We of 3M in Minnesota. are ready now to look to the future. 3M has long been an involved corporate citizen here and we appreciate how they’ve stepped up to help remedy issues related to chemicals no longer produced in the U.S. This settlement will fund improveBy the end of 2025, 3M will disconments that will make the environment in tinue manufacturing all fluoropolymers, Decatur and Morgan County healthier. fluorinated fluids and PFAS-based We are pleased that 3M is funding the additive products. 3M intends to fulfill development of a replacement rec center current contractual obligations during the that adds a quality-of-life benefit for the transition period. The current annual net whole city.” sales of manufactured PFAS at 3M are Announcing the company’s plan to exit approximately $1.3 billion. the PFAS market, chairman and CEO The company will also discontinue use Mike Roman said, “This is a moment of PFAS across its product portfolio by that demands the kind of innovation 3M the end of 2025. According to the comis known for. While PFAS can be safely pany’s release, this represents a smaller made and used, we also see an opportuportion of 3M’s overall revenue. nity to lead in a rapidly evolving external Over the course of the exit from PFAS, regulatory and business landscape to 3M expects to incur related total pre-tax make the greatest impact for those we charges of approximately $1.3 billion to serve. This action is another example of $2.3 billion, including up to $1 billion in how we are positioning 3M for continued the fourth quarter 2022, primarily nonsustainable growth by optimizing our cash and related to asset impairments. portfolio, innovating for our customers The company plans to innovate new and delivering long-term value for our solutions for customers through its reshareholders.” search and development departments.

B R I E F S foot facility in Birmingham. The nine-acre campus will serve as southeastern divisional headquarters for the carrier.

CHARGE! Mercedes-Benz has announced plans for a network of 10,000 charging stations across the world, including 2,500 in the U.S. ON CAMPUS Northwest-Shoals Community College has received $950,000 in federal funding to help support students from underserved populations with services including a food pantry, mentoring, child care and more.

SAY GOODBYE The Ensley Fairfield Mattress

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Co. is closing after more than 107 years in business. The company, which opened in Ensley, now operates out of Pelham. Continental Carbon Company, a Phenix City carbon black manufacturing plant, announced plans to close at the end of 2022. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management said the plant had to close because it hasn’t made mandated upgrades. The facility employs about 120 people.

SURGE DUE Surge Entertainment, the chain co-owned by former NFL star Drew Brees, will open soon in Mobile. The company already has locations in Homewood and Opelika.

LAYOFFS The Tiffin Group, based in Red Bay, has said they will reduce staffing at their motorhome business, a decision made during “challenging RV market conditions,” according to the company’s president. A second round of layoffs at Landing will affect remote workers in Birmingham, San Francisco and Mexico City. This comes two months after the Birminghambased company laid off 110 employees. AT&T announced plans to lay off 23 Birmingham employees by Jan. 16, according to the state of Alabama’s WARN list. That same list says Tuscaloosa’s Sunrise Community of Alabama will close in March, taking 76 jobs with it.

Mergers & acquisitions Maynard Cooper & Gale, Alabama’s largest law firm, has merged with Carolina-based Nexsen Pruet, to create a national law firm called Maynard Nexsen. The firm has 23 offices.

Maynard Cooper Managing Partner Jeff Grantham will be managing partner and CEO of the new firm. Tuscaloosa’s Alabama One Credit Union is acquiring First Bank, a subsidiary of Peoples Independent Bancshares in Boaz. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the sale is expected to close by the second quarter of 2023. Montgomery-based Carmichael Engineering has been acquired by the Florida firm Universal Engineering Sciences. Huntsville-based MartinFed, a federal solutions provider, has acquired the IT company Xcel Engineering, which is based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Birmingham Fastener has acquired Pacific Coast Bolt Co., its fourth acquisition since 2020 and expanding its coverage from coast to coast. Arkansas-based the Stephens Group has acquired Mobile’s Quality Valve, a national distributor of OEM replacement and repair parts for safety and relief valves. Houchens Industries is acquiring Air Hydro Power, which has a location in Birmingham. Huntsville’s Progress Financial Corp. has merged into United Community Banks Inc., based in South Carolina. Waller Landsden Dortch & Davis, a law firm with more than 280 attorneys and a presence in Birmingham, will combine with Holland & Knight, creating a firm with nearly 2,000 attorneys in 35 offices worldwide. Alaskabased Fastwyre Broadband has acquired Moundville Communications. Roller Die and Forming of Alabama, based in Eufaula, has been acquired by Floridabased Roller Die + Forming.  February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 11

CONSTRUCTION A hotel, restaurant and spacious learning areas create the Tony & Libba Rane Center at Auburn University.

Be our

GUEST

Auburn’s Rane Center takes a big step forward in hospitality management

By ALEC HARVEY — Photos by JULIE BENNETT

M

aggie Mayfield is a senior studying hospitality management at Auburn University, and the past few years have been good ones for her.

Initially, she took classes in venerable Spidle Hall and learned on-the-job at The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center.

But in September, that experience took several leaps forward with the opening of the 142,000-square-foot, $110 million Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, a six-story complex at the corner of Thach Avenue and South College Street comprising classrooms, the Laurel Hotel & Spa, the fine restaurant 1856, a coffee shop and more.

“It’s absolutely spectacular,” says Mayfield, who is from Al-

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Auburn College of Human Sciences Dean Susan Hubbard in the new Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center.

CO N S T R U C T I O N

pharetta, Georgia. “It’s certainly improved my learning, because we’re doing everything ourselves. … We have the opportunity to work in all of the different areas.”

At the center’s dedication in 2022, Susan Hubbard, dean of Auburn’s College of Human Sciences, called it “an academic center unlike any in the world, one offering an elevated hospitality management education to students and elevated hospitality experiences to the visitor.”

Martin O’Neill, now head of Auburn’s Horst Schulze School of Hospitality, says Hubbard and others were already dreaming of such a complex when he came to Auburn 20 years ago.

“Hospitality has always been booming in the state, and we noticed an astronomical growth in programs on the high-school level, but there were really not enough opportunities for them to move on post-high school,” O’Neill says. “We started looking at where they were going, and too many students were going out of state for dedicated culinary programs, and we didn’t have the facility.”

So around 2015, O’Neill and a team began researching other programs and facilities worldwide. The group included experts like Hans van der Reijden, founder and CEO of Ithaka Hospitality Partners, which runs the business end of both the Laurel Hotel & Spa and the Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center.

“We came back to meet with our dean, thinking it would be either/or, taking the lodging route or culinary route,” O’Neill recalls. “Out of that meeting came, why not do both?”

They also approached Auburn trustee Jimmy Rane, founder and CEO of Great Southern Wood Preserving, about the project and, according to O’Neill, “He took to it immediately.”

“A line that has always stuck with me is, ‘There’s no shortage of money, there’s just a shortage of good ideas,’” O’Neill says. “That day, he heard an idea that made good sense to him.”

Rane made the lead gift of $12 million for the center, which is named after his parents.

Construction also was a local affair, with Auburn-based Bailey-Harris Construction building the facility.

“Auburn University has been one of our most important clients for decades,” says Jack Sommer, project director for Bailey-Harris, which has also worked on Auburn projects that include the Jordan-Hare Gameday Support Facility, the School of Nursing, football’s indoor practice facility, the Wellness Kitchen, Mell Classroom Addition, Auburn University Medical Clinic and the Harold D. Melton Student Center.

The Rane Center faced challenges from the beginning, not only because of its complexity. The facility includes high-end hotel rooms, roof-top amenities including an event center, culinary teaching kitchens, a teaching restaurant and pool, among many other things, not to mention state-of-the-art classrooms.

“When you have so many parts and pieces coming together into one project, challenges are endless,” Sommer says. “We broke ground in March of 2020, right when the COVID pandemic exploded, creating labor shortages, supply-chain nightmares and material cost escalation around every corner.

“An already complex project became almost insurmountable,” he adds. “Nonetheless, thanks to incredible trade partners, cre-

The Hey Day Market in the Rane Center.

Bailey-Harris Construction Project Director Jack Sommer, left, with Martin O’Neill, head of Auburn’s Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 13

CO N S T R U C T I O N

ative problem-solving and sheer grit and determination, Auburn University was able to open this long-awaited project on time.”

Bailey-Harris employs many Auburn alumni, Sommer says.

“Many of our co-workers drive by the Rane Center on a daily basis, and I think they would agree with me that it will never be ‘just another project’ for us,” he says.

“The RCSC is a one-of-a-kind facility, and it was an honor to build. For Bailey-Harris, this project is not just quantified in dollars and square feet. … Anytime you get to work on a project that will be around, serving the community you love, long after you’re gone, it’s special.”

It’s special for O’Neill and his cohorts at the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management as well. The school, named after the former Ritz Carlton president and COO who has been a big supporter of Auburn’s program, offers a bachelor of science in hospitality management, with a focus

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on hotel and restaurant management, culinary science or event management.

“At this point, we’re still the only professionally accredited hospitality management program in the state of Alabama and one of only 49 internationally that hold that designation,” O’Neill says.

Though students learn on the job at the Rane Center’s various businesses, those businesses are operated to make a profit.

“I’m into the educational aspect of it, so it’s not money-making for me,” O’Neill says. “We’re all about enrollment and growing programs, but there is a commercial side to it, and that’s what Ithaka handles for the university. There’s a 32-key teaching hotel, 46-seat teaching restaurant, coffee shop, brewery opening in March, spa, all commercially oriented and profit-driven.”

The classrooms are “all wonderful spaces” that can be rearranged and designed specific to whatever is being

taught at the time.

At the dedication of the Rane Center, Hubbard, who became dean of the college in 2019, called the opening “a moment born out of what first seemed like a dream.”

For Mayfield, that dream come true means an unparalleled experience for her and, perhaps more importantly, for students to come.

“This new school has opened the doors for me to have a better understanding of what it truly looks like to open a hotel, a coffee shop and a restaurant from the start to making a profit,” she says. “It’s a wonderful experience, and it’s an honor to be, in a sense, the guinea pig. It’s such an honor to be one of the first students to help all of the students who are going to be in the hospitality program for years to come.”

Alec Harvey is executive editor of Business Alabama and Julie Bennett is an Auburn-based freelance contributor.

CO N S T R U C T I O N

A Legacy by Design

TRO Jung|Brannen survives a merger and divergence to come out on top

By GAIL ALLYN SHORT — Photo by JOE DE SCIOSE

I

f you have driven past UAB’s Kirklin Clinic, or visited Cullman Regional Medical Center’s emergency department, or caught a glimpse of East Alabama Health’s Spencer Cancer Center, you have seen the design work of TRO Jung|Brannen (TROJB).

Located in Birmingham, TROJB is an award-winning architecture, planning and interior design firm with a history of creating spaces for health care and senior living projects.

“Most architectural firms, especially the large ones, do various types of design work. Health care is what we do,” says Cleo Kathryn Gorman, TROJB’s partner responsible for business development and marketing. “Sure, we’ve designed commercial buildings like our own multi-

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tenant office building at 2200 Lakeshore, but health care is a highly specialized focus for us where the expertise of our people is a difference-maker for our clients.”

In 50 years of business in Birmingham, TROJB has weathered a merger and a divergence from its parent company to become one of the most enduring architecture firms in Alabama.

TROJB’s work includes designing many projects for Marshall Health on sites in Guntersville and Boaz, and, in Birmingham, the expansion of Princeton Baptist Medical Center’s East Tower.

TROJB is currently working on facilities for innovative care at Russell Medical Center, in Alexander City, and at Bibb Medical Center and Nursing Home in

TRO Jung|Brannen leadership, from left, Cleo Kathryn Gorman; Grady Black, AIA; Dick Richard, AIA; Paul Langland, AIA; and Doug McCurry, AIA.

Centreville, design work managed by firm Vice President Grady Black.

Architect and TROJB Partner Paul Langland and his colleague, architect Hal Starkey, were part of the team that designed the 168,000-square-foot Shelby Baptist Medical Center South Tower in Alabaster. For its work, the firm earned merit awards from the AIA Birmingham Chapter and the AIA Alabama Council in 2010.

“Shelby’s South Tower was a phased expansion, a complicated job providing

CO N S T R U C T I O N

a new bed tower for the existing facility, pandemic health care delivery. built to vertically expand over the existing TROJB’s Birmingham office first ED (emergency department), with a peopened in 1973, but its origins actually destrian bridge connecting the hospital to began at the turn of the 20th century. Its the new parking deck and a new central story is, in fact, a tale of two companies. energy plant,” Langland says.

First, back in 1909, The Ritchie OrgaDesigning hospitals and other health nization (TRO) architecture firm opened care facilities requires architects to navits doors in Boston, Massachusetts. igate an extra layer of state and federal A few years hence, in the early 1970s, regulations to meet specific safety and TRO’s architect Larry Partridge, traveled programmatic standards, from the design from Boston to Birmingham to visit a cliof exam rooms and placement of medical ent who had relocated to lead the Baptist equipment to ensuring that doorway Health System. widths allow for hospital staff to move “Our predecessors considered opening patients in and out, Langland says. an Atlanta office, but the client saying, In 1989, TROJB partnered with the ‘You really need an office in Birmingham,’ late, internationally renowned architect determined the fateful move. Larry moved I.M. Pei to design the iconic UAB Kirklin his family south and opened an office Clinic, which opened in 1992 on the here,” Langland says.

University of Alabama at Birmingham By the early 2000s, the Boston-based medical center campus.

CEOs of both TRO and the architecture TROJB’s recent work includes its largfirm Jung|Brannen began discussing a est project completed in 2019, the freemerger to diversify their target markets, standing Spencer Cancer Center for East respectively, says Gorman. “They imagAlabama Health, designed by TROJB ined it as a good thing for both of us,” she Vice President Doug McCurry. It received says. an Honor Award from the AIA Alabama “TRO always had been predominantly Council, a local Merit Award and was naa health care [design] firm. Jung|Brannen tionally recognized with a design award as was focused on offices and other commerthe best outpatient facility by the Center cial and hospitality projects,” according to for Health Design in 2020.

Langland.

In 2021, TRO Jung|Brannen comIn 2006, the two firms combined, crepleted a contract for the Wellstar West ating TRO Jung|Brannen. At the time of Georgia Callaway Cancer Center in LaGrange, Georgia, and TRO Jung|Brannen teamed with renowned has continued work on projects architect I.M. Pei on design including patient bed tower of UAB's Kirklin Clinic. expansions at Cullman and MarPhoto courtesy of UAB. shall, and other projects for East Alabama Health. Moreover, the firm reported earning more than $5.76 million in total design fees that year.

In 2022, the firm’s largest contract was for the Taylor Hardin Forensics Behavioral Health facility in Tuscaloosa, a $60 million construction project. And, as of July 1, 2022, the firm collected $2.24 million in design fees. Additionally, a new 40-bed ICU vertical expansion recently has been released for construction for East Alabama Health that incorporates creative design solutions in response to

the announcement, the Boston Business Journal reported that TRO in 2004 had $26.9 million in total billings and 215 employees while Jung|Brannen had $13.7 million and 75 employees.

Besides its Boston headquarters, TROJB maintained three satellite offices in Sarasota, Memphis and Birmingham.

TROJB’s current Birmingham managing principal and partner, Dick Richard, who had joined TRO in 1991, recalls those early days working with Jung|Brannen architects from Boston.

“It took a while to get to know them, but like us, they were architects who loved good design. Our common ground eased the blending of our practices,” Richard says.

“It wasn’t starkly different except for the size of the firm, which expanded resources and marketability,” he says.

Then in 2008, the global financial crisis struck and the commercial side of the business floundered. The health care side maintained its position and flourished.

But the expectation of broad market diversification never materialized.

“We survived those challenging years with steady health care work, and, in keeping with national trends of that time, the commercial side of the business started to slide away,” Langland says.

Gorman says the Birmingham office

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 17

“marched along” until 2016, when the parent company offered Richard, Langland, McCurry, Grady Black and Gorman the chance to purchase the Birmingham office.

“Through decades of leadership by Managing Principal Architect Joe Bynum, our office had continued to be productive, profitable and successful here in Birmingham. But it became clear that executives in Boston were seeking a new future path, so we seized the opportunity to imagine what our future could be here, together,” Gorman says.

Four months after finalizing the split in 2016, an architecture, engineering and planning firm SmithGroupJJR announced its acquisition of TRO Jung|Brannen’s Boston office.

Today, partners Richard, Langland, McCurry, Black, Gorman and architect Hal Starkey manage a staff of 17 at their offices on Birmingham’s Lakeshore Drive and in Tampa, Florida.

“There’s been a constancy of leadership here, and we’re fortunate to have a studio of gifted young people,” says Gorman.

“We’re positioned well with technology and tools that enhance the way we do business. Our talented, energetic staff members are enthusiastic about making a difference. Our people are the magic.”

Richard agrees that being an independent firm allows for more control.

“We’ve been able to implement our own philosophy of how to develop projects.

We each bring something valuable to the practice. For example, one of the partners is skilled at teaching us all more efficient ways to solve problems, serving client interests. Others of us bring different talents.

We’re a good team,” says Richard.

“From the senior leadership’s perspective, we’re training the next generation in TROJB traditions and culture. It always will be a privilege to serve many health care and other clients, and it’s a privilege to build relationships with consultants and other project partners. In 2023, we are enjoying reflecting on the past 50 years, but we’re just as enthusiastically looking forward to the next 50 years.”

Gail Allyn Short and Joe De Sciose are Birmingham-based freelance contributors to Business Alabama.

18 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

CO N S T R U C T I O N

Renovation REVOLUTION

AnotherStory is pioneering a process that can add a second story to a house before removing the old roof

By ALEC HARVEY — Photos by ART MERIPOL Ben Strout, architect and owner of AnotherStory, and Joshua Dean, president of Precision Homecrafters, at a home where they used Strout's patent-pending technique to build a second story.

20 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

CO N S T R U C T I O N

Dean, left, and Strout have been friends and colleagues for a number of years.

B

en Strout’s story begins, as many a story does, on a dark and stormy night.

“It was pouring down rain, and we had a job that had the roof taken off,” the Birmingham architect says. “We were trying to keep tarps on it, but it wasn’t working. And all the water got in, and we were like, oh, cool, now we get to redo the entire second floor, as well as the first floor. That was a real punch in the pocketbook, and I thought, there’s got to be a way to do this where we’re not going to ruin everything on the main level.”

But there wasn’t, at least as far as Strout could tell, so he developed his own system involving beams, bolts and a proprietary patent-pending bracket called “The Householder.” It allows builders to construct the added story on top of the existing roof, which is removed only after the new story above it is complete.

That system is at the core of AnotherStory, the company founded by Strout in 2021. Prior to that, Strout was a partner at Appleseed Workshop, established in 2006, but left in 2015 to start his own firm, Strout Architecture and Construction. The system was developed through years of experience in the field, including his time at Appleseed Workshop.

Joshua Dean also was a co-founder at Appleseed, and now he’s president of Precision Homecrafters, the only builder licensed to use Strout’s process right now. He’s also the No. 1 proponent of Strout’s process.

“People were always asking the wrong question,” says Dean, who is past president of the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders. “The question was always how do you take the roof off a house and put it back as quickly as possible? Ben’s question was how do you not take the roof off? In a perfect world, there would never be a day that a roof isn’t over the house.”

Dean says one of the biggest pluses of Strout’s system is that clients don’t have to move out of their homes for the bulk of

“The question was always how do you take the roof off a house and put it back as quickly as possible? Ben’s question was how do you not take the roof off? In a perfect world, there would never be a day that a roof isn’t over the house.”

Joshua Dean.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 21

“Timeline-wise, it’s not different from your standard second-story addition process, but there’s no massive crunch.

There’s always a massive crunch to frame this thing as quickly as possible to minimize risk.”

Ben Stout.

22 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

construction. In some cases, they move out at the end when stairs are being built to connect to the original level, but in other cases, they don’t have to leave at all.

“That’s one of the biggest issues, the displacement issue,” Dean says of the standard way of building second stories. “They have to move out, get some storage units or pods, find a place to live for six months to a year.

But by doing it this way, they literally can live at the site the entire time.

Everything’s going on above them, and the second floor is a separate structure from the house. The benefit to the homeowner is significant.”

Jon Gray, who lives in Homewood, can attest to that.

After the birth of their third child, Gray and his wife, Anna, knew that they needed to add to their three-bedroom, two-bathroom house.

“We knew we needed to build out or build up,” he says. “Building out meant tearing up our yard, which we didn’t want to do, so we planned to build up.”

That brought its own challenges, including budgeting to live outside of their house for almost a year. But a close neighbor and general contractor took care of that when he suggested Gray contact Dean.

“Josh said, ‘There’s this guy named Ben Strout,’” Gray recalls. “’He has this system where you can actually stay in the house.’”

About eight months later, the Grays had added a second story, with three new bedrooms and two new bathrooms, and they never moved out of their house during construction.

“Not one day,” he says. “We were there the whole time.”

What’s more, the process survived some nasty Alabama thunderstorms.

CO N S T R U C T I O N

“There was one huge, crazy storm while they were putting the roof up,” Gray recalls. “Not a drop of water got in the house.

And they were able to work during the rain.”

Soon after adding the second story, the Grays moved into it while Precision Homecrafters remodeled their master suite downstairs.

Strout and Dean say the process also is more convenient for builders.

“Timeline-wise, it’s not different from your standard second-story addition process, but there’s no massive crunch,” Strout says, adding that in the standard process, “There’s always a massive crunch to frame this thing as quickly as possible to minimize risk.”

Dean says the AnotherStory process offers his builders the best of two worlds.

“My whole company is built on going into people’s homes and doing extensive remodeling projects, and we get the best of the remodeling world and the construction world by doing it this way,” he says. “We have a new construction site, even though it’s a remodeling project.”

Dean says the process will become even more necessary in the coming years, which he forecasts will see a slow-down in new housing and extra demand for remodeling and adding more room to existing homes.

“People are going to need to have other options to meet their

family’s needs,” Dean says. “We can let you stay right where you are.”

Strout is hoping to eventually take his AnotherStory process nationwide, and an addition using Strout’s process is a finalist for a National Association of Home Builders award.

“The only issue we have right now is we don’t have enough social proof,” says Strout, who says four houses have been remodeled using his approach. “We need more validation from people. We have testimonials, but we need more. It’s such a big thing we’re doing, and nobody wants to be a guinea pig.”

Gray, the Homewood homeowner, however, was pleased to be a guinea pig, saying the system Strout developed really is a no-brainer.

“Once he describes it, you wonder, why haven’t I thought about this?,” he says with a laugh. “I wish I could invest in his company.”

Dean calls Strout’s process, which has a patent pending, a “phenomenal idea.”

“The fact that nobody else has come up with this so far is crazy to me,” he says. “I can’t imagine people doing this the old way. … I think this is the revolution of the renovation industry.

I don’t think that’s an overstatement.”

Alec Harvey is executive editor of Business Alabama and Art Meripol is a freelance contributor. Both are based in Birmingham.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 23

TOURISM & THE GREAT OUTDOORS

24 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

T O U R I S M & T H E G R E AT O U T D O O R S

he legacy of the Chinnabee Silent Trail in Talladega National Forest can be found right there in the name. No, not the Chinnabee part. He was an 1800s Alabama Creek Indian chief who didn’t make much of a dent in the history books.

Rather, it is the “silent” portion of the trail’s moniker that still resonates today. For that word is there to honor the creators of this 6-mile pathway through the pines near Cheaha State Park — a determined group of Boy Scouts from Troop 29, who also were students at the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind.

In the mid-1970s, members of Troop 29 gathered in the woods nearly every weekend for two years to forge the trail, foot by foot over rocky ground that climbed 1,500 feet in elevation. Their equipment consisted primarily of pickaxes and hoes. Their basic uniform was T-shirts, shorts or jeans and tennis shoes.

And their common bond was their deafness, and their determination.

“None of us ever really argued at all while we were working,” recalls Terry Dahlgren, one of those Troop 29 Scouts.

“We were so just encompassed with making that trail.”

The end result is a trail that has become part of one of the more favored

hiking routes in all of Alabama. The Silent Trail connects on one end with the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail and on the other end with the Skyway Trail, creating an 18-mile loop nicknamed the Pin-Chin-Sky. “It’s a huge draw and a huge benefit for us,” says Rickey Gooden, who has worked as a recreation management specialist for the U.S. Forest Service at the Talladega Ranger District for the past 20 years. “It’s done a lot to create the use that we have in that area.”

Gooden says the first half-mile of the trail is particularly popular, because it is an easy hike that leads to a waterfall in the Chinnabee Recreation Area. Not long after that, however, the route becomes steeper and more difficult to navigate.

“You climb drastically to a ridge where it intersects with the Pinhoti Trail,” says Nathan Wright, president of the Alabama Hiking Trail Society and owner of the Pinhoti Outdoor Center. “It’s in the Cheaha Wilderness, so there are no structures or roads. It’s a beautiful area with some incredible views. But it’s a challenging hike.”

If it’s challenging now, imagine what it was like when there wasn’t any sort of trail there at all. That was the situation facing Troop 29 back in the 1970s.

Upper left: AIDB's Scout Troop 29 spent weekends for two years building the Chinnabee Silent Trail.

Upper right: Scoutmaster Moran Colburn at the trail sign.

Lower photos: Now looking forward to the 50th anniversary of their accomplishment, former Scouts return for trail maintenance.

Left, standing: Stanley Jordan of Sweet Water, Joe Turner of Eight Mile; sitting: Simmie Slay of Lafayette, Terry Dahlgren of Gardendale and Don Poole of Summerville, South Carolina. All are Eagle Scouts.

Right: Simmie Slay of Lafayette, Stanley Jordan of Sweet Water, and Terry Dahlgren of Gardendale.

Opposite page: Terry Dahlgren along the Chinnabee Silent Trail.

“There was a lot of sweat involved,” says Dahlgren, a native of Mobile who has been completely deaf since he was 1 year old. “We had to pick up all the rocks.

There were so many of them. And we had to be careful not to damage the soil so it wouldn’t erode.

“We were going up a slope, and we had to make that slope smooth, then make a bit of a ditch on either side so water wouldn’t erode everything. I wouldn’t say it was engineering, but there was more to it than just clearing stuff. There was a science to it.”

Scouting has been a fixture at AIDB February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 25

T O U R I S M & T H E G R E AT O U T D O O R S

since the 1930s. In 1962, Troop 29 began assisting the U.S. Forest Service with trail maintenance in the area. Those efforts were led by Scoutmaster Moran Colburn, an AIDB graduate who spent nearly a half-century working at the school.

According to a story on rootsrated.com written by Alabama author and historian Joe Cuhaj, Colburn decided that instead of merely assisting the Forest Service on existing trails, he wanted Troop 29 to build its own new trail. In 1973, he reached an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service allowing for the creation of the Chinnabee Silent Trail.

As the trail progressed, Dahlgren says the students usually camped out on Friday night so they could start work first thing Saturday morning. This schedule was maintained during the fall, even though a number of the students played in Friday night games for the AIDB Silent Warriors football team.

“We averaged anywhere from 60 to 80 Scouts working on the trail each weekend, with about 30 of us diehards who were

26 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

out there every time,” Dahlgren says.

“This was the ’70s, so of course we didn’t have any protective or safety gear. No goggles or gloves. But I don’t remember us ever having any injuries.”

The trail was completed in 1976 and officially dedicated the following year with a marker at the trailhead recognizing Troops 29’s accomplishment. They also were honored by both the national Boy Scouts of America and the U.S. Forest Service. In 1989, AIDB received a “Take Pride in America” award, which was presented to Colburn by President George H.W. Bush.

Over the years, Gooden says the Silent Trail and the Pin-Chin-Sky loop have become primary outdoor-recreation attractions in the Talladega National Forest.

“When the weather is nice, it can be hard to get a parking spot (near the trailhead off State Highway 281),” Gooden says. “People who go there also visit other parts of the forest and Cheaha State Park.

Then they go to Oxford or the Talladega area for hotels and a place to eat. That

trail definitely makes an impact for us.”

Wright agrees. “We do shuttles for hikers, and we’ve seen a sharp rise in activity on the trails over the past five years,” he says. “Especially since Covid, people want to get outside. Even though there’s no cost to hike, there is definitely an economic impact for some of these cities like Heflin, Sylacauga and Piedmont.”

As for Dahlgren, who now lives in Gardendale, he continues to visit the trail periodically to provide maintenance along with a handful of other former Troop 29 Scouts. He says the group already is looking forward to a big 50th-anniversary celebration in 2026.

“We’ll be out there working on the trail, and people will pass by and ask about it,” Dahlgren says. “I love telling them that I was part of that group that built the trail. We all just felt a sense of pride and accomplishment for doing that.”

Cary Estes and Cary Norton are Birminghambased freelance contributors to Business Alabama.

T O U R I S M & T H E G R E AT O U T D O O R S

Owa’s $75 million aqua adventure.

With 23 rides and 300 palm trees, the waterpark features a retractable roof and is climate-controlled for year-round use.

Riding the wave

of tourism and retail

Owa’s big splash in the tourism waters continues to provide dividends to its owners and the community around it

By EMMETT BURNETT

D

ec. 16, 2019, Downtown Owa: The line is out the door and down the street for the grand opening of Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen.

Interviewed an hour before the event, Deen was asked her impressions of Foley, where her namesake restaurant was about to debut. “My first time seeing it took my breath away,” the TV celebrity, author and restaurateur said about the 520-acre complex. “I believe Owa will be a special form of entertainment for people across the United States.” Her prediction was correct.

Owned and operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Owa Parks and Resort, opened July 21, 2017. In 2023, the $500 million family-friendly adventure is still expanding.

“We are not just a theme park nor just a water park,” explains Owa’s director of strategy and media communications,

Kristin Hellmich. “We are a year-round entertainment destination.”

Seeing is believing, and it starts with an overview, a primer of all things Owa. Eleven miles from Gulf Shores, the park has two main components: Tropic Falls and Downtown Owa. Each has its own personality and appeal.

In Downtown Owa, big brands line the streets. But there are also coastal Alabama hometown favorites such as Fairhope Soap Company, Alvin’s Island Tropical Department Store, Native Treasures, The Spice and Tea Exchange, Body Tune Plus and Paint Party Studios. There is Sweet Tooth at Owa, an old-fashioned candy shop, and Murder Creek Distillery — where moonshine is a delicacy.

Restaurants range from Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen for fried chicken kissed by angels to the Groovy Goat’s wood-grilled oysters, and C’est Le Vin Wine Bar awaits for classic vino experiences. Five other

28 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

sit-down restaurants also are here. Bon appetit, Owa style.

Tropic Falls features 23 attractions — including rides appealing to children and roller coasters not for the faint of heart. An example of such thrills is Rollin’ Thunder, with tracks rising 114 feet for a roller coaster reaching 56 mph. It is the largest steel coaster in Alabama.

Other rides include the AeroZoom, Alabama Wham’a, Crazy Mouse and a crowd favorite, the Flying Carousel. Basically, it’s an airborne merry-go-ground.

Inclusive rides for smaller children are Tea Time - Spinning Cups, Leap Frog and Wacky Waters, a splash pad. Complete descriptions are available at Owa’s website — visitowa.com.

Also in Tropic Falls is the park’s latest crown jewel, that puts the ‘oh, wow’ in Owa. “I’m still amazed every time I walk in here,” Owa Marketing Manager Catherine Hasty says of the water park.

T O U R I S M & T H E G R E AT O U T D O O R S

Rising 114 feet, Rollin’ Thunder zips at 56 mph through twisted paths and hairpin turns.

The steel blue park centerpiece is Tropic Falls’ signature ride.

“It is unlike anything the Gulf Coast has ever seen.”

The $75 million water park is climatecontrolled and covered by an 1,800-glasspanel retractable roof. Inside, guests choose from 11 water slides, some rising 75 feet.

Embedded among 300 palm trees are dozens of other water features, including Castaway Creek’s lazy river for a relaxing float. In addition, private party rooms, cabanas, restaurants and a cocktail bar

Owa's Flying Carousel ride with part of Rollin' Thunder in the background.

tempt visitors.

Water park attractions feature Piranha Plunge, a water tube one slides through a 360-degree loop, satisfying a need for speed. Other favorites are Citrus Cyclone, Serpentine Swirl and the body slide, Tangerine Scream. It is so named for its nearly vertical drop and narrow flume, often provoking screams and laughter.

Kid-friendly venues include Tuki’s Tower, a tropical play structure with five slides and a dump bucket tower.

“Like the theme park, the water park is open all year,” adds Hasty. “In the summer heat or dead of winter, you walk in, under this roof, and it’s like a sunny spring day.”

Adjacent to the roofed facility is the wave pool and surf simulator, set to open in 2023. It’s perfect for those wanting to experience the Gulf without taking a saltwater plunge.

By design, one park blends into the other. A short walk transforms Tropic

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 29

T O U R I S M & T H E G R E AT O U T D O O R S

Falls into Downtown Owa, where free admission and pedestrian-only streets are a favorite of locals and tourists. Downtown Owa, like Tropic Falls, is never passive.

“There is always something going on here,” says Cathy Pavloski, director of marketing. “Venues, attractions, shows and decorations change throughout the year.” New Year’s Eve and July 4th

fireworks are phenomenal. Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are celebrated. Street festivals, stage shows, pet parades have huge followings.

Owa’s employees rank their May Hot Air Balloon Festival as a favorite event.

“I can say since Owa has opened in 2017 our (Foley) sales tax has doubled,” says Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich. “Now

‘

not all of the increase is attributed to them (Owa), but, as our other endeavors, they have brought new people and attention to Foley. They are a significant strategic partner with our city so are important.”

As for Owa Downtown’s retail, each shop and entertainment venue has its own personality and character.

Stephanie Rolin, president of Rolin Construction, based in Atmore, recalls Owa’s construction days. “The unique thing about working with Owa, is most of the projects were design assist,” she says.

“We did more than build, we worked with owners, architects and contractors to bring their vision to fruition.

“Each buildout was unique and tai-

From the very beginning, we’ve always believed that we had the vision to create a one-of-akind destination in Foley. Owa is a true example of how a successful governmentto-government relationship can grow from an idea to reality.”

— POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS PRESIDENT AND CEO STEPHANIE BRYAN

lored to meet the tenant’s specific design and functionality needs,” she adds. “We led the construction on a majority of the entertainment, restaurant and retail outlets, often simultaneously.”

Rolin Construction recently completed Tropic Falls’ $2 million rebranding project. Other principal contractors in building Owa include White-Spunner Construction, Rabren General Contractors and Triptek Construction. Triptek is building Owa’s RV resort, a luxury version set to open this spring. Owa’s other lodging is the TownePlace Suites by Marriott, adjacent to Tropic Falls, Downtown Owa 30 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

T O U R I S M & T H E G R E AT O U T D O O R S

and the Foley Sports Tourism Complex.

Such projects have been ongoing in Owa since the first spade turned Foley earth. In 2012, the City of Foley approached the Poarch Band of Creek Indians about a partnership in a Baldwin County entertainment destination. “After the BP oil spill (April 2010), Foley realized we need alternatives to the beaches,” recalls Hellmich.

Owa became a joint venture between the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Foley and Foley’s Sports Tourism Complex.

Today Owa is managed through its economic development division — Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority, (CIEDA) Non-Gaming Division. The city owns the Foley Sports Tourism Complex.

“The mayor is correct that the city has seen substantial growth in revenues over the course of the ongoing development of their first class entertainment facility,” says Foley City Administrator Michael Thompson. “In addition to the jobs and revenue that have been additive to the city, I think it would be appropriate to

highlight how the city and the Poarch Creek tribe worked together to leverage one another’s investments.

“The city was interested in creating a thriving sports tourism industry in the city and to that end, invested in 16 state-of-the-art multi-user fields, a 90,000-square-foot event center, and related roadway and parking infrastructure.

“Having Owa adjacent to our investment provides Foley with a great advantage when marketing our facilities to tournament rights holders. Likewise, young families coming to Foley provide an additional customer base in support of Owa and the Tribe’s investment,” says Thompson. “The city hosts 80 to 100 large tournaments annually that brings tens of thousands of people to our community annually who support businesses at Owa, across the city, as well as throughout the county.”

Like most businesses, Owa had some snags along the way. “Owa is a major project with many components, including shopping, dining, attractions and accommodations,” says Hellmich. “With

COVID, we had our ups and downs like everyone else. But overall, we are pleased with where we are today.”

In a written statement to Business Alabama, Poarch Band of Creek Indians President and CEO Stephanie Bryan adds, “From the very beginning, we’ve always believed that we had the vision to create a one-of-a-kind destination in Foley. Owa is a true example of how a successful government-to-government relationship can grow from an idea to reality.

“We are proud to continue expansion of this multi-million-dollar investment into tourism and hospitality within the state. Not only are we able to create new jobs and economic growth, but we are also able to create wonderful memories for the many families who visit us each year,” Bryan says.

Owa’s name derived from the Muscogee Creek language and means “Big Water.”

In 2012 the park of Big Water was a big dream. Today, Big Water is a big reality.

Emmett Burnett is a Satsuma-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 31

MEETING PLANNING

Vibrant Venues

From racing to rockets to resorts, Alabama boasts an array of intriguing sites to host your event

W

By CRYSTAL CASTLE

hether it’s time of year, messaging, materials or napkin colors, decision fatigue can become overwhelming when planning an event. Choosing the venue is certainly among the most important decisions and one that happens early in the process. Alabamians are blessed with event venues as diverse and unique as the state itself. Here we introduce some of these varied event spaces.

AMERICAN VILLAGE, MONTEVALLO

One of those venues is the American Village, located in Montevallo. Opened in November 1999, the American Village was the passion project of Tom Walker, who envisioned it as a place to share stories of liberty with young people to encourage them to become good citizens and leaders. It is comprised of 20 buildings — all historically inspired and styled.

Melanie Poole, American Village communications officer, says the campus books more wedding-related events than anything 32 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

American Village offers historic look-alikes that help give your meeting a distinctive feel.

else. “We see a lot of rehearsal dinners or wedding receptions or bridal teas, things of that nature,” Poole says. “We can accommodate any size party from 20 to 500.”

Constructed on land that was once a cattle farm, the venue’s Rotunda will accommodate 150 people theater-style and 100 at tables. The Rotunda is equipped with audio-visual technology and is modeled after Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

The historically themed buildings make it one of the most distinctive venues in the state, something Poole says adds much value to the area.

“We are a 188-acre campus of some of the most historic replica buildings in America,” Poole says. “So, you’re surrounded by this magnificent campus. I also think our personal service stands apart from other event venues.”

Melanie Poole.

“

M E E T I N G PL A N N I N G

We like to say the American Village is a venue so unique it's a national treasure."

— Melanie Poole, American Village communications officer

Meeting and event planners looking to book at the American Village can plan for self-guided tours of the campus if booking during the week. Weekend events have the option to negotiate historical interpreters to guide guests through the campus as staffing allows.

“We like to say the American Village is a venue so unique it’s a national treasure,” Poole says.

To book an event at the American Village, contact Private Events Manager Jodie Wasyluka at 205-665-3535, ext. 1045.

THE LODGE AT GULF STATE PARK

The beach is always a draw for gatherings, and The Lodge at Gulf State Park takes full advantage. The Lodge opened in 1974, quickly becoming a community hub and tourism destination before being irreparably damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. It was rebuilt in 2018 with environmentally friendly building practices

and sustainability front and center.

Christy Baranovics, senior sales manager, says the heart of everything done at The Lodge is centered on environmental and economic sustainability.

“That’s kind of the heartbeat of the Gulf State Park — maintaining and preserving our natural environment here so we are around for many, many future generations,” Baranovics says.

Boasting the Gulf Coast’s largest Gulfview ballroom, The Lodge has 40,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space to meet clients’ needs. The venue hosts many weddings and sporting event groups, but Baranovics says her top client market is state associations.

“When the original lodge existed back in 1974, that was the main convention hotel on the Gulf Coast for Alabama associations,” Baranovics says. “It’s a huge market here in the state. What I’ve learned over the years about associations is

there is an association for everything, and all of these associations have meetings.”

The Lodge has the capacity for much larger events than many other venues in the area. The ballroom can host a reception of around 1,000 people, and the venue has hosted a Marine Corps ball with a sit-down dinner for 800.

For conferences, The Lodge provides the expected internet, projectors and microphones. Unexpected is the in-house media service.

“We work with a company called Scott Brown Media Group that has an office here on the property,” Baranovics says. “They provide all the state-of-theart equipment you could ever imagine for all our events. They have audiovisual technicians that will stay in the room with The Lodge at Gulf State Park offers a bright, breezy venue participants are happy to visit.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 33

“

M E E T I N G PL A N N I N G

Christy Baranovics.

That’s kind of the heartbeat of the Gulf State Park — maintaining and preserving our natural environment here so we are around for many, many future generations.”

— Christy Baranovics, The Lodge at Gulf State Park senior sales manager

the meeting planners and the speakers to make sure everything runs smoothly throughout the groups’ presentations.

They’re very hands-on, and if there is something they don’t have onsite, they have other facilities across the country they can ship equipment from.”

To book an event at The Lodge at the Gulf State Park, visit lodgeatgulfstatepark. com/events.

OTHER UNEXPECTED VENUES TO CONSIDER INCLUDE:

Topgolf (Birmingham) — Located at 1111 24th St. N., Topgolf is a sports entertainment space that boasts climatecontrolled hitting bays to tee off and practice your drive. Topgolf offers food, a full-service bar, a rooftop terrace with fire pits and three floors of potential event space. From small groups to 1,000 of your company’s employees, Topgolf has the capacity for a wide variety of events. The venue has hosted everything from birthday parties, company events,

tournaments, fundraisers and field trips to bachelor/ bachelorette parties. To book your event, call 205-847-2453 or submit a request online at topgolf.com/us/birmingham/plan-an-event.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center (Huntsville) — One of Alabama’s landmarks since 1970, the Space & Rocket Center has been host to countless visitors and numerous types of events. The venue provides full-service event staff to aid clients through every stage of the planning process, from catering services, to its network of affiliated vendors, to its ability to host a party under the Saturn V rocket.

Event planners have the ability to choose from several difference spaces — one with a capacity of up to 1,000 — as well as the use of the planetarium, training facility or the simulators. To book your event at the Space & Rocket Center, call 256-7217173 or email spevents@spacecamp.com.

Birmingham Museum of Art — The Birmingham Museum of Art is available to corporate and non-profit organizations as well as private individuals. The Museum’s professional staff assists in creating a flawless event in several different settings ranging from an auditorium to the gardens. Private events are available Tuesday through Sunday after 5 p.m., when the museum is closed to the public. To request information, call Special Events Manager Jestina Howard at 205-2542681.

Talladega Superspeedway — Famous for the annual NASCAR races it hosts, the Talladega Superspeedway is also a meeting space resource. The racetrack has multiple event spaces capable of fulfilling a wide variety of needs. There’s Big Bills, a space large enough to host 1,300 people for a reception, trade show, concert or the like..

The media room, filled with reporters on races days, offers a great space for seminars, workshops and classroom-type events. For more information, contact Scott Shinbaum at 256-315-4525 or sshinbaum@nascar.com.

Crystal Castle is a Mobile-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

34 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

M E E T I N G FAC I L I T I E S

Alabama’s Largest Meeting Facilities Ranked by total square footage of meeting space RANK

PHONE FAX

compiled by ERICA JOINER WEST

MEETING FACILITY

ADDRESS

1

Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex

2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. Birmingham, AL 35203

2

Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center

1 S. Water St. Mobile, AL 36602

3

Von Braun Civic Center

700 Monroe St. Huntsville, AL 35801

4

Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center

201 Tallapoosa St. Montgomery, AL 36104

5

SMG Mobile Civic Center

401 Civic Center Dr. Mobile, AL 36602

251-208-7261 asmglobalmobile.com

15 Meeting rooms seat 50-400; Arena: 80,000 sq. ft. (seats 10,112); Expo Hall: 28,000 sq. ft. (seats 2,200 retractable seating/3,000 concert); Theater seats 1,940.

6

Foley Event Center

1001 E. Pride Blvd.

Foley, AL 36535

251-970-3042 foleysportstourism.com

90,000+ total sq. ft. 55,000 sq. ft. contiguous space plus 3 smaller meeting rooms.

7

Hoover Met Complex

5508 Stadium Trace Pkwy.

Hoover, AL 35244

205-739-6400 hoovermetcomplex.com

8

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

6030 Barber Motorsports Pkwy.

Birmingham, AL 35094

83,000 sq. ft. of continuous space; 4,000+ parking spaces; event lawn area; access to Hoover Met Stadium; concourse and banquet rooms; equipped to handle sporting events, concerts, trade shows.

205-699-7275 barbermuseum.org

9

Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center

1314 Shocco Springs Rd. Talladega, AL 35160

256-761-1100 shocco.org

10

Perdido Beach Resort

27200 Perdido Beach Blvd.

Orange Beach, AL 36561

11

Lodge at Gulf State Park, A Hilton Hotel

12

Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza

21196 E. Beach Blvd.

Gulf Shores, AL 36542 64 S. Water St. Mobile, AL 36602

13

Fox Sports 1 Dome at International Motorsports Hall of Fame

14

Pelham Civic Complex

500 Amphitheater Rd. Pelham, AL 35124

15

Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa

One Grand Blvd.

Point Clear, AL 36564

16

Garrett Coliseum

1555 Federal Dr. Montgomery, AL 36107

17

Bryant Conference Center

240 Paul Bryant Dr. Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

18

Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa

19

University of South Alabama Mitchell Center

20

Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa

21

Daphne Civic Center

22

Florentine Building

23 24

Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill

P.O. Box 1018 Talladega, AL 35161

10 Hightower Place Florence, AL 35630 5950 Old Shell Rd. Mobile, AL 36688 26 N. Royal St. Mobile, AL 36602

MEETING SPACE

205-458-8400 bjcc.org

Exhibition Hall, 220,000 sq. ft.; Forum, 7,280 sq. ft.; 74 meeting rooms, 100,000 sq. ft. total; 19,000-seat Legacy Arena; 3,000-seat concert hall; 1,000-seat theatre; 274-seat Forum Theater.

251-208-2100 asmglobalmobile.com

317,000 total sq. ft., including two exhibit halls totaling 100,000 sq. ft., two ballrooms and 16 meeting rooms.

256-551-1953 vonbrauncenter.com 334-481-5000 marriott.com

Over 170,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space including 100,000-sq. ft. Exhibit Hall; 1,350-capacity music hall; 502-seat playhouse; 9,000-seat arena; 1,955-seat concert hall; lobby & prefunction space 20,000; 22 meeting rooms. VBC's full-service restaurant and rooftop bar, Rhythm on Monroe, can also be used for events.

140,000 sq. ft. total. Performing Arts Center and several meeting rooms available.

78,000 sq. ft., with nine meeting rooms and banquet seating for 1,000; motorcycle museum with motorsports track view; theater; motorsports facility and track. Amenities include presentation theater, parking.

57,579 sq. ft. on 800 acres including chapel, meeting rooms, lodges and classrooms.

251-981-9811 perdidobeachresort.com

42,996 sq. ft. total of meeting space, including ballroom and meeting rooms that accommodate 16 to 1,000; outdoor space available.

251-540-4000 lodgeatgulfstatepark.com

40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including 12,160 sq. ft. Gulfview ballroom; accommodates groups from 10-800.

251-438-4000 marriott.com

39,500 sq. ft. of meeting space

37,000 sq. ft. total; 1,500 for dinner setting and 2,500 for seminar setting; 30x50 stage 256-362-5002 5 ft. high; wired for live TV production; dressing rooms; holding kitchen; 12 ft. loading motorsportshalloffame.com doors 205-620-6448 pelhamciviccomplex.com 251-928-9201 grand1847.com 334-356-6866 thegarrettcoliseum.com 205-348-8600 bcc.ua.edu

256-246-3600 marriottshoals.com 251-461-1632 southalabama.edu

37,000 sq. ft. total; Banquet Hall 7,000 sq. ft.; 30,000 sq. ft. Trade Show/Convention Services (interchangeable floor) Arena can seat 3,000.

37,000 sq. ft.

Coliseum floor space is approximately 33,000 sq. ft.; fixed seating capacity is 8,529, with up to 2,000 additional floor seats, depending on nature of the event. Smaller meeting rooms available. Ed Teague Arena is 7,800 sq. ft.

30,000 sq. ft.; Sellers Auditorium, at 10,044 sq. ft., seats 1,000 theater style, up to 640 for banquets or 504 for classroom.Classrooms, board rooms, prefunction space.

30,000 sq. ft.; 11,840 sq. ft. ballroom; many meeting facilities.

29,228 sq. ft. total, including 3 meeting rooms, Grand Globe Lobby, John Counts Room and Arena floor (18,080 sq. ft.); concourse available for exhibitors.

251-338-2000 marriott.com

28,500 sq. ft. of meeting space.

2500 Legends Circle Prattville, AL 36066

334-290-1235 marriott.com

20,000 sq. ft. conference center space.

2603 Hwy. 98 Daphne, AL 36526 2101 2nd Ave. N. Birmingham, AL 35203 241 S. College St. Auburn, AL 36830

251-626-5300 daphneal.com 205-503-4470 florentinebuilding.com 833-975-1221 auhcc.com

25,200 total sq. ft.; Exhibit Hall: 11,800 sq. ft.; meeting rooms: 3 totalling 1,980 sq. ft.; Lobby: 4,900 sq. ft.; two galleries: totalling 2,400 sq. ft.; stage and kitchen areas.

25,000 sq. ft. in three rooms, planners, on-site gourmet catering, renovated historic property in downtown Birmingham.

22,000 sq. ft. total; 15 meeting rooms, two ballrooms, the largest of which seats 550 for dinner service; 356-seat auditorium and executive board room.

25

Bessemer Civic Center

1130 9th Ave. SW Bessemer, AL 35022

205-424-7469 bessemeral.org

18,600 sq. ft; Main Hall: 13,000 sq. ft.; East meeting room: 4,000 sq. ft.; North meeting room: 900 sq. ft.; South meeting room: 700 sq. ft.

26

Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa

4000 Grand Ave. Birmingham, AL 35226

205-916-7677 marriott.com

18,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

For more meeting facilities, visit BusinessAlabama.com.

Source: Business Alabama surveys and facility websites

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 37

M E E T I N G PL A N N I N G

Planning an

Attraction Experts offer tips for planning a meeting people want to attend

By DEBORAH STOREY

E

very employee has left at least one work meeting or off-site conference feeling like it was a waste of time.

Common culprits: The network that won’t connect. The after-lunch meeting in a hot room. The boring venue. The vague purpose or irrelevant topics.

Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams and GoTo meeting teleconferencing tools changed the workplace during COVID-19 and are here to stay. Many business leaders, though, are realizing that in-person gatherings have their own particular strengths.

“We have found that most groups still crave in-person interaction and have

“

reverted back to meeting on site,” says Jonathan McKinney, director of sales and marketing for Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa in Birmingham.

“Networking and relationship-building are a significant focus of many events we host, and these activities are more successful when conducted face-to-face,” he says.

Whether planning a multi-day conference or simply looking for ways to structure a more effective staff meeting, managers can always use suggestions.

Because many events that were canceled during the height of COVID-19 had to be rebooked, the first months after restrictions eased were extremely busy for business-event venues in Alabama.

“Most, if not all, of our clients that discontinued face-to-face meetings during the pandemic are meeting again face-to-face and actually hosting more meetings than they did prior to 2020,” McKinney says.

That means planning ahead is more important than ever.

“People now are booking further in advance to ensure they get the dates they want,” says Selena Miller, director of sales and marketing for Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa in Florence.

“Flexibility is extremely important,” she says. “We are finding that we have some planners that are set on their dates. They call us and we don’t have the availability.”

Renaissance Ross Bridge hosted more

Networking and relationship-building are a significant focus of many events we host, and these activities are more successful when conducted face-to-face.”

38 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

— Jonathan McKinney, director of sales and marketing for Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa in Birmingham

M E E T I N G PL A N N I N G

“

While the volume of events certainly decreased during COVID, we have seen a great increase in these events in 2022 with no signs of slowing down in 2023.”

— Caroline Thomas, sales manager for Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach

than 600 events, groups and conferences in 2019, according to McKinney.

Industry experts had predicted that hotels and resorts wouldn’t return to 2019 event numbers until 2024, he adds.

But because the resort learned to adapt to safety protocols in 2020 and 2021, "this experience gave us a firm foundation for 2022, where we actually surpassed our 2019 numbers,” McKinney says.

Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach is seeing the same resurgence in interest for in-person meetings.

“We currently host over 200 events per year,” says Caroline Thomas, Perdido sales manager.

“While the volume of events certainly decreased during COVID, we have seen a great increase in these events in 2022 with no signs of slowing down in 2023,” she adds.

To begin planning a successful business meeting or conference, first understand why — and even if — you need one at all, McKinney suggests.

“If the key stakeholders of a meeting are not clear on what they want their attendees to think, feel and do because of the meeting, then no amount of customer service, fairy-tale venue or culinary experience will compensate for this lack of clarity,” he says.

At Marriott Shoals in Florence, meeting planning experts consult with clients early on to identify the goals and structure so the event will be successful, says Miller.

She says clients trust professional event planners’ expertise and experience. Hotel planners inquire about the needs and objectives of the gathering early in the process, she says. “Then we work with our team to make sure that we are delivering that.”

One repeat client from Memphis — where there is no shortage of event venues — has chosen to meet at the Shoals resort for 12 years. The business contact told Miller that the Marriott’s professional planners “think of things you don’t think about,” Miller says.

“If you’ve ever gone to a meeting and you walk in and you go, ‘Wow,’ and you can’t put your finger on what made it a ‘Wow,’ that’s what she’s talking about,” she adds.

Businesses certainly think about basics like audio-visual equipment needs or the amount of space required, she explains.

“They don’t always think about how they want it set up,” she says.

Only experienced event planners will know the obscure specifics of conference room table and chair arrangements, such as theater style, classroom style, banquet

rounds, U shapes, semi-circles, and even chevrons or hollow squares.

For example, if there’s a speaker giving a long visual presentation, the space really calls for “crescent rounds,” Miller says, instead of circular tables of eight or 10 people. That way everyone seated at those half-round crescent tables can face the speaker.

Groups sometimes plan to provide their own AV experts and can’t understand why the hotel charges a fee for that service.

“We charge because regardless of them bringing it in, we’re still going to have a staff person there,” Miller explains. “What if their equipment is not compatible with ours? What if they need extra passwords?

All the what-ifs.”

Business-meeting planners should give some thought to the location of a multiday, offsite event, professionals suggest.

If it will be at an attractive destination, employees are more enthusiastic about going.

One of the most popular business meeting spots in Alabama is Perdido Beach Resort on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, with its sugary white sands, family activities and deep-sea fishing.

Quick Tips Every year Perdido hosts from the Experts conferences for groups ranging from attorneys to ✔ Start on time water-pollution control ✔ Assign action items workers. ✔ Remove distractions “Attendees are interested in participating in ✔ Test required equipment activities that showcase ✔ Stay on topic the destination in which ✔ Keep everyone participating the meeting is taking place ✔ Create a timed agenda and set the event apart from others that they have February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 39

M E E T I N G PL A N N I N G

“

Flexibility is extremely important. We are finding that we have some planners that are set on their dates. They call us and we don’t have the availability.”

attended,” says Thomas, of Perdido.

“In our experience, many attendees bring their families to conferences and treat the event as a vacation, so a desirable location is definitely a draw,” she adds.

If people are considering attending a three-day conference out of town, they’re generally looking for something to do when the day’s meetings end.

The Shoals Marriott offers a spa and two restaurants, Miller notes. Activities could include tours of the Quad Cities’

— Selena Miller, director of sales and marketing for Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa in Florence recording studios or tickets to local events.

“If people are going to take that much time out of their lives, let’s show them what else there is” to do in Northwest Alabama, Miller says.

Their event planners at the 196-room resort like to get creative with teambuilding activities for work meetings. Scavenger hunts and golfing excursions on the resort property are two examples.

One unusual team-building exercise required employees to build a bicycle,

40 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

then donate it to charity.

“We are full of cool ideas like that,” Miller says.

McKinney suggests there’s an intangible benefit from in-person business meetings, in addition to the economic boost to the Alabama economy and hospitality industry.

“I just believe it is so good for people to gather together,” he says.

Deborah Storey is a Huntsville-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

SPOTLIGHT Shelby County

SHELBY COUNTY

Located in Oak Mountain State Park, King's Chair provides a stunning southward view. Photo by L. Allison.

by LORI CHANDLER PRUITT

American Village, in Montevallo, is designed as a classroom, stage, theater and museum.

S

HELBY COUNTY is in central Alabama and is consistently one of the fastest-growing counties in the state and in the Southeast. With a great quality of life, educational opportunities and robust economic development, the county continues to attract more business and residents.

From recreation-based tourism to knowledge-based corporations and valueadded manufacturing, Shelby County’s economic base is diverse and growing in innovative ways. County economic developers are focused on growing quality jobs along with supporting successful local services and excellent outdoor offerings.

The county has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state. It comprises about 27% of the participating workforce in the Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan statistical area, and its major employers and local businesses make up at least 20%

Ballantrae Golf Club, with its 18-hole public course designed by Bob Cupp, is located in Pelham.

— and growing — of jobs in the region and about 20% of the total gross domestic product of the Birmingham-Hoover MSA. Strong economic sectors, including health care, recreation-based tourism, biotech, software, manufacturing and distribution, are continually growing. In 2022, 58 Inc. assisted multiple company expansions retaining more than 55 jobs, creating 320 new jobs and more than $3.75 million capital investment.

Current target sectors are software and IT, professional services, biotech, automotive, advanced manufacturing and logistics/ distribution.

Building a strong workforce with all types of opportunities is a priority. There are several programs in conjunction with the county’s school systems and agencies to offer more ways for students to explore careers.

Educators who wish to learn more

about career pathways available for students and how to make their subject matter relevant in the classroom can apply for a paid internship made possible by several companies and organizations throughout the county.

The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce recently released its three-year strategic plan, Forward Shelby County, a collaborative effort between the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and 58 Inc. Goals of the plan include retaining and growing existing businesses, leading business-driven workforce development, partnering with 58 Inc. for economic development and driving public policy and advocacy for a stronger business climate.

The largest employers in the county reflect the diversity of the economy, as well as the county’s recruiting goals. They are Regions Bank, Southern Company, EBSCO Industries, Altec, McLeod Software, February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 43

S P O T L I G H T: OV E R V I E W

MacLean Power Systems, Sysco Central Alabama, Vulcan Steel, Avanti Polar Lipids, Mspark, AGC Automotive Americas, Summer Classics and Lhoist North America.

Shelby County has a healthy service and hospitality industry, supporting many travelers through its attractions, natural amenities and outdoor tourism. Alabama’s largest state park, Oak Mountain State Park, recently grew by 1,600 acres thanks to the Alabama Forever Wild Board of Trustees. The park hosts hundreds of events and offers numerous amenities.

The county has opened other new parks, built a new county

M E D I A N H O U S E H O L D I N CO M E Shelby County: $82,592 Madison County: $71,153 St. Clair County: $65,070 Baldwin County: $64,346 Jefferson County: $58,330 Chilton County: $56,243 Bibb County: $54,277 Montgomery County: $52,511 Mobile County: $51,169 State of Alabama Coosa County: $50,013 $54,943 Talladega County: $45,400

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

44 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

service building at the busy U.S. 280 corridor near Dunnavant Valley Road, and collaborates with cities and organizations on their needs, roads and projects.

Cities within the county have added amenities and more are on the books, including community amphitheaters, town centers and entertainment/arts districts.

Lori Chandler Pruitt is a freelance writer for Business Alabama.

She lives in Birmingham.

P O P U L AT I O N

Total Alabama Population: 5,074,296

Jefferson County: 667,820 Mobile County: 413,073 Madison County: 395,211 Baldwin County: 239,294 Montgomery County: 227,434 Shelby County: 226,902 St. Clair County: 92,748 Talladega County: 81,524 Chilton County: 45,274 Bibb County: 22,477 Coosa County: 10,450

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Economic Engines

Automotive and Covenant Classical Schools & Day Care. More development is under construction.

HEALTH CARE

Lay Lake, just south of Columbiana, is a 12,000acre reservoir known for its tournament fishing.

TOURISM & RETAIL

Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest, hosts more than 200 events annually while thriving as a local park for nearby residents. The park recently hosted internationally known XTERRA events and attracted more than 350 triathletes from 12 countries and 42 U.S. states — with similar events to come.

Bass fishing is a year-round sport on Lay Lake, with tournaments for professional, amateur, adult, college and high school competitors and numerous local fundraisers.

Columbiana and Montevallo both support an emerging culture and arts scene, where new facilities have opened in the past few years.

Shelby County also has a healthy service and hospitality industry, which often handles the lodging for sports tournaments, events and business travel. The county’s investment in parks and other

B U S I N E S S

recreation has paid off in more visitors and sports tourism.

Retail, restaurant and lodging offerings continue to grow, providing more choices to residents and visitors.

In the city of Pelham, Campus 124 — pronounced “one-two-four” in a nod to the zip code — is a mixed-use development breathing new life into a vacant elementary school along the busy Highway 31 corridor. Tenants include Beer Hog, Half Shell Oyster House, The Guys Place, Local Realty, Social Mortgage, Reverb Media Strategies, Untold Boudoir, Poppa G’s Billiards & CLP Systems, with more expected.

Tattersall Park, located along the U.S. Highway 280 corridor in Hoover, is a 75-acre master planned development anchored by a new Publix with other tenants including Walk-Ons Bistreaux & Bar, Brookwood Medical Center Freestanding ER, Christian Brothers

Within Shelby County, Alabaster’s Shelby Baptist Medical Center, part of Brookwood Baptist Health, has an economic impact of nearly $300 million.

With more than 1,000 employees it is one of the largest overall employers in Shelby County.

Along the US 280 corridor, Grandview Medical Center, north of the Shelby County line, serves residents there and also at other clinics and services around the county.

Other services in the 280 corridor include Brookwood Baptist Emergency Department and Ascension St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, which includes an outpatient surgery center. In Pelham, Encompass Health has a rehabilitation hospital.

TECHNOLOGY

Biotechnology and software companies are key target industry sectors for Shelby County as leaders look to an innovation economy for the future.

EBSCO Industries and McLeod Software have their corporate headquarters in the county, along with biotechs like Therachem in Chelsea, Reliant Glycosciences and BioGx, which together account for more than 1,500 high tech jobs along the U.S. Highway 280 corridor and nearby.

Legacy biotechnology companies Avanti Polar Lipids in Alabaster, and BioCryst and BioHorizons in Hoover have significant operations in Shelby County.

To enhance this sector, the city

B R I E F S

NOVEMBER 2022: Double Oak Park opens in Shelby County. The 750-acre park features hiking, mountain biking, horseback trails and a picnic pavilion.

convert Meadow Brook Corporate Park and Inverness Center North, both of which have vacancies, into mixed-use innovation and technology centers.

NOVEMBER 2022: The Shelby County portion of the city of Hoover is working to revitalize and

AUGUST 2022: The Forever Wild board of trustees acquires 110 acres adjacent to Cahaba

River Park in Shelby County, bringing the site to about 1,800 acres with trails and access to Shades Creek and the Cahaba River.

MAY 2022: Calera Main Street is working on a revitalized downtown district with plans for an entertainment district,

green space and more.

Downtown has several new businesses and revitalized storefronts.

MAY 2022: Plans call for redeveloping the former TreeTop Family Adventure site with new restaurants, an outdoor entertainment area, large viewing screens for sports

events and a secure play area for kids.

MARCH 2022: The Center for Elder Justice and Advocacy opens in Montevallo, offering resources and a temporary emergency shelter for older adults and elder abuse victims.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 45

S P O T L I G H T: ECO N O M I C E N G I N E S

of a 200,000-plus-square-foot facility by Graham & Co. — with space available for other manufacturers.

TAXES PROPERTY TAX

DISTRIBUTION

SHELBY COUNTY: 7.5 mills

With I-65 bisecting the cities of Pelham, Alabaster and Calera, distribution companies have been gravitating to Shelby County. MWI Animal Health (an Amerisource Bergen company), Hibbett Sports, PRADCO Outdoor Brands, Georgia Crown and Diversified Supply are just a few distribution companies that operate in the county.

Not including cities or schools

SALES TAX

SHELBY COUNTY: 1% Cities within the county

Alabaster: 4% Calera: 4% Chelsea: 5% Columbiana: 4% Harpersville: 4% Helena: 4% Hoover: 3.5% Montevallo: 5% Pelham: 4% Vincent: 4% Westover: 4% Wilsonville: 3% Wilton: 3%

LEGACY UTILITIES

Alabama Power Co. operates the Wilsonville Gaston Steam Power Plant, among other facilities, which have created technical and professional jobs.

MINING

STATE OF ALABAMA: 4% Source: Alabama Department of Revenue

of Hoover and Shelby County have modernized development and zoning regulations to include research and development facilities and certain light/ small manufacturing operations within traditional office buildings.

MANUFACTURING

Due to the strong Alabama automotive industry surrounding Shelby County, AGC Automotive, a Japanese glass supplier, recently completed a facility expansion, as did Sunbelt Paper & Packaging in Calera, following construction

B U S I N E S S MARCH 2022: Process Barron, a manufacturing facility in Pelham, is consolidating parts warehousing and expanding facilities, a $3.2 million investment expected to generate 30 jobs over the next five years.

JULY 2022: The city of Helena will move its city hall to the Hillsboro Town Center, part of a

Shelby County has some of the highest-grade limestone in the world, which is used for products from pharmaceuticals to cement and road aggregate. Companies involved in that sector include Carmeuse Lime & Stone, Martin Marietta, Lhoist North America and Vulcan Materials.

EDUCATION/WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Shelby County is served by four public school systems — the county system plus city systems in Alabaster, Pelham and Hoover.

Quality education is a major factor as potential homebuyers and businesses consider residency and locations in Shelby County. Public school systems and higher education partners work with

local governmental entities and economic developers to ensure that residents are equipped for jobs within the Birmingham region.

Jefferson State Community College is based in east Jefferson County but has its largest enrollment — 5,000 students — at the Shelby/Hoover campus. The college recently built a new welding lab at the Shelby County campus, providing advanced manufacturing training skills to job seekers and companies within the area.

The University of Montevallo has an average enrollment of 2,600 students.

In addition to the student impact on the community, UM also employs more than 500. The university’s newly constructed 36,750-square-foot Center for the Arts opened in fall 2020 and allows UM to add up to 150 new students in the arts program. The center features two performance venues that seat 450, an art gallery, digital fabrication and design labs, classrooms, vocal performance rehearsal rooms, dance studio, production shops and event space.

Montevallo Main Street recently launched a nationally known business accelerator — Co.Starters — and graduated its first cohort of participating businesses. Plans call for a twice-a-year, six-week program to support new entrepreneurs.

The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and its economic development organization, 58 Inc., are collaborating on a variety of workforce programs to meet industry needs. For example, the chamber, with support from 58 Inc., initiated the High School Ready to Work program in collaboration with

B R I E F S

long-term development plan called Helena Forward. It is near the master-planned Hillsboro residential community and will include a sports complex.

MAY 2022: Ascension St. Vincent’s requests state approval to build a freestanding emergency department, primary care and multispecialty clinic in Pelham.

46 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

FEBRUARY 2022: Lake Homes Realty and sister company RealSource Title Insurance and Real Estate Closing signed a lease to occupy a 55,000-squarefoot building at Meadow Brook Corporate Park in north Shelby County, retaining some 50 jobs and planning to add 250 more.

JANUARY 2022: The city of Alabaster purchases 24 acres from its city school system near Alabama 119 and Thompson Road to build a city recreation center, retail space and park/green space.

Renderings include a splash pad/water feature, playground, outdoor basketball and trails.

NOVEMBER 2021: The Alex A. Dudchock Shelby County Services Building opens. Named for the former long-time county manager, it houses a county license office, an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency driver testing office, Shelby County 911, a sheriff’s office substation, 58 Inc. and more.

Source: Economic developers

The Onin Group. This program allows high school students to gain soft skills while exploring jobs in multiple industry clusters.

“Companies in Shelby County can reach out to us for assistance with hiring and training issues so that we can leverage regional resources and partnerships to help them hire and develop a qualified workforce,” says Kirk Mancer, president and CEO of the Shelby County Chamber.

Largest Industrial Employers Regions Bank | SHELBY COUNTY Banking • 3,020 employees

Southern Company SHELBY COUNTY

Utilities • 977 employees

EBSCO Industries Inc. | CHELSEA Publishing, distribution, technology 814 employees

Altec | CALERA

Industrial products and services 685 employees

McLeod Software | SHELBY COUNTY Trucking software • 624 employees

MacLean Power Systems ALABASTER

Utilities hardware • 354 employees

Sysco Central Alabama | CALERA Food distribution • 315 employees

Vulcan Steel | PELHAM

Threaded rod manufacturing 300 employees

Avanti Polar Lipids | ALABASTER Biotech • 274 employees

Mspark | ALABASTER

Advertising/publishing • 270 employees

AGC Automotive Americas ALABASTER

Automotive glass processing 263 employees

Summer Classics | PELHAM

Outdoor furniture • 234 employees

Lhoist North America | CALERA Lime • 201 employees

Source: 58 Inc.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 47

Health Care

Shelby Baptist Medical Center.

SHELBY BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER

Shelby Baptist Medical Center, part of the Brookwood Baptist Health System, has 252 licensed beds and is one of the largest employers in Shelby County, with an economic impact of nearly $300 million.

An acute-care facility in Alabaster with more than 1,000 employees, Shelby Baptist offers comprehensive services, including cardiovascular, orthopedics, neurology, women’s, bariatrics and numerous surgical procedures, at the hospital and at affiliated clinics throughout the county.

The hospital also uses robotic equipment for surgical procedures, which enables patients to obtain advanced care locally.

Its emergency department handles more than 35,000 visits each year.

In 2022, the facility welcomed new CEO Holly Dean, opened a new OB-gyn practice at Cahaba Medical and completed construction on a 14-bed cardiovascular unit, which expected its first patient this past January.

The hospital is a Blue Cross and Blue Shield Distinction Center for cardiac care, CMS 4-Star Rated hospital and is a primary stroke center. Shelby also received the Stroke Gold Plus Achievement Award from the American Heart Association, 48 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

which recognizes consistent compliance to stroke-related quality metrics.

GRANDVIEW MEDICAL CENTER

Grandview Medical Center is on Highway 280 close to the north Shelby County line. The 434-bed, full-service hospital is home to the latest medical technology and all the conveniences that make the hospital experience more pleasant for patients and visitors.

Grandview Health employs more than 3,200 individuals. The hospital offers emergency medicine, advanced heart care, neurological and neurosurgical services, maternity services, a comprehensive orthopedic program, intensive care units and a wide variety of surgical, diagnostic and rehabilitation services. The hospital also offers a cancer center, wound care center and sleep disorders center.

Grandview Medical Group is a multi-specialty network with more than 130 specialist providers. The group operates 16 primary care locations in Jefferson and Shelby counties.

In February 2022, Grandview Medical Group began operating an established urgent care practice in Helena in a new site. Primary care is set to be added in 2023. The hospital also began operating

primary care practices in Pelham and Cahaba Heights.

The hospital’s first freestanding emergency room is under construction in Trussville and should be open in April 2023. And the second medical office building on the Grandview Health campus, which includes four operating rooms, is set to open this month. Its Alabama Cardiovascular Group practice has added five new cardiologists and will relocate its main office to the new building.

Grandview Medical Center expanded its inpatient acute care capacity by 32 beds in 2021, the second bed capacity expansion since relocating in 2015.

And Grandview Medical Center expanded its Women’s Center in 2021 to include a total of 18 labor and delivery rooms and 34 post-partum rooms, as well as an expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Grandview delivered more than 3,200 newborns and handled more than 3,300 gynecological surgical cases in 2022.

ENCOMPASS HEALTH REHABILITATION HOSPITAL OF SHELBY COUNTY

Encompass Health’s 47,000-square-foot physical rehabilitation facility is located off Interstate 65 in Pelham. The staff

S P O T L I G H T: H E A LT H C A R E

provides rehabilitative services to those who have suffered stroke, brain injuries, orthopedic injuries and other debilitating symptoms of illness or injury. Amenities include a large therapy suite that replicates home and work environments and other advanced technologies.

BROOKWOOD BAPTIST FREESTANDING EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Also part of the Brookwood Baptist Health System, this freestanding emergency department serves north Shelby County. It has 12 patient care rooms and a helipad.

The facility also includes an outpatient diagnostic center with radiology, ultrasound, mammography, CT scan and MRI. It is staffed with board-certified physicians, RNs, radiology, lab, respiratory therapists and support staff.

ASCENSION ST. VINCENT’S ONE NINETEEN

For more than a decade, Ascension St. Vincent’s One Nineteen has been provid-

Shelby Baptist Medical Center's newly renovated CVU nurses station.

ing a fully integrated approach to health care by offering medical services such as physician specialists, diagnostics, physical therapy, GI services and lab services with an award-winning fitness center, education and wellness services, and a spa.

The facility has more than 60 physi-

cians in 15 specialties, as well as an outpatient surgery center with a GI center.

Among the latest Ascension facilities to open in the north Shelby area is Ascension St. Vincent’s Primary Care in Greystone Village.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 49

Movers & Shapers LEWIS BROOKS is superintendent of

the Shelby County School District, the seventh largest in the state. Brooks has led the district to undertake a $43 million capital campaign to provide classroom upgrades and facility improvements, and he has fostered innovative instructional initiatives. He has received numerous awards for his service. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Montevallo and a doctorate from Samford University.

KEITH BROWN is president of Jefferson

State Community College, where he worked earlier as dean of campus development and general counsel.

A colonel in the Alabama Air National Guard, he is the State Staff Judge Advocate, the senior attorney for the Alabama Air National Guard. He holds undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Alabama.

He is on the boards of Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham Business Alliance and Central Alabama Partnership for Training and Employment, and is a member of Kiwanis Club of Downtown Birmingham. He is an alumnus of Leadership Alabama, Leadership Birmingham and Leadership Pell City.

ALLISON SULLIVAN CHAPPELL

is a physician with Ascension St. Vincent’s Primary Care Greystone Village, which opened in 2020.

Chappell is boardcertified in family medicine. Chappell attended medical school at Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan. She completed her family medicine residency at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. Chappell has 50 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

a special interest in preventive medicine, as well as advocacy for overall health; adolescent and women's health and chronic disease management.

HOLLY DEAN was appointed CEO

of Shelby Baptist Medical Center in 2022. An Alabaster native, she comes to Shelby with 18 years of hospital administration experience, most recently as COO at Gulf Coast Hospital in Panama City, Florida.

She has a master’s degree in health/ health care administration/management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

MIKE EVERS is vice president of Sealing

Equipment Products Co. (SEPCO) in Alabaster. He has been with SEPCO for 24 years. A University of Kansas graduate, he is vice chair of 58 Inc., the county’s economic development agency. He is part of the first group to start the county’s apprenticeship program for machinists in an effort to increase workforce development.

DEE FOWLER is superintendent of

Hoover City Schools. Earlier, he served as deputy state superintendent and in other roles. A graduate of Lipscomb University, he has a master’s from Vanderbilt University, an AA Certification in Education from Alabama A&M University and a doctorate from the University of Alabama. He was named Superintendent of the Year by the Alabama Parent Teacher Association.

MERIBETH GILBERT is vice president

of human resources at McLeod Software.

A graduate of Clemson University, Gilbert was honored as among the Top 40 Under 40. She is secretary of the 58 Inc. board, a board member with the Central Alabama Partnership for Training and

Employment and the Shelby County Chamber and serves on the Hoover Parks Comprehensive Plan steering committee. She has helped the company navigate a tight labor market and win designation as one of Birmingham’s Best Places to Work in 2022.

CHUCK LEDBETTER is superintendent

of Pelham city schools. An Auburn University graduate, he has a master’s from Auburn University Montgomery and a doctorate from Auburn University. He is president of the American Association of School Administrators Century Club 100. He also serves on the boards of the Council for Leaders of Alabama Schools and the School Superintendents of Alabama.

KIRK MANCER is president and CEO

of the Shelby County Chamber.

The organization has the Alabama Accredited Chamber designation from the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama. He previously served as president of the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce and served in several positions for the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University.

DAVID MITCHELL is mayor of

Columbiana and serves as vice chair of the Shelby County Mayors’ Association and on the advisory board for the Shelby County Arts Council. He is a Certified Municipal

S P O T L I G H T: M OV E R S & S H A PE R S

Official. He is retired from a career in the aerospace and defense industries. A graduate of Auburn University, he has a master’s from Webster University. He is a combat veteran.

CHAD SCROGGINS is county

manager for Shelby County. He holds undergraduate, master’s and MBA degrees from Samford University.

He is a 2022 graduate of Leadership Alabama and is active with Leadership Shelby County, Shelby 911, 58 Inc., the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, the Birmingham Business Alliance, Local Government Health Insurance Board, Alabama Solid Waste Association of North America Board and the National Association of Counties.

JOHN STEWART is president of

the University of Montevallo. The university has gained more than $100 million in support during his term. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University, with a master’s from Washington College and a doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi.

AMY STURDIVANT leads the

professional economic development team at 58 Inc., Shelby County’s economic development agency. She serves on the boards of both BIO Alabama and Southeast Life Sciences, and she has served as an Alabama Launchpad judge.

She is also active with the Shelby County Chamber.

WAYNE VICKERS is the first

superintendent for the Alabaster city school system, formed in 2013 and now serving more than 6,000 students. Since Vickers joined the Alabaster system, the district has completed a five-year strategic plan and gained AdvancED District Accreditation. Vickers is currently leading a $100 million construction project with plans for a new high school, career technical academies and an athletic complex.

DAVID WILLINGHAM is Shelby

County engineer.

A graduate of the University of Alabama, he serves on the 58 Inc. board and various Regional Planning Commission committees. The Shelby County Highway Department is responsible for more than 950 miles of roads and 190 bridges.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 51

Community Development Columbiana blends historical downtown living with shops, shows and events.

SHELBY COUNTY

Shelby County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, is consistently focused on quality of life. The newest county park, Double Oak Park, opened in December 2022, with 750 acres, a trail system and pavilion. The county also recently opened Dunnavant Valley Park on Shelby County 41, the former Mt. Laurel organic farm site.

Also in 2021, the county opened a $14.5 million services center on U.S. 280 and Dunnavant Valley Road, one of the fastest growing areas of the county. The new building is named the Alex A. Dudchock Shelby County Services Building in honor of a longtime county manager. The center includes an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency driver testing office, the city of Westover’s water services office, Shelby County 911, a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office substation, Central Alabama Wellness and 58 Inc., the county’s economic development agency.

The county also recently has added a mobile medical clinic, partnering with the Community of Hope Clinic, to serve rural portions of the county.

The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce has developed a three-year strategic plan, Forward Shelby County, which aims to expand opportunities by retaining and growing existing business, leading business-driven workforce development, partnering with 58 Inc. for economic

52 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

development and driving public policy for a stronger business climate, says Kirk Mancer, chamber president and CEO. The Shelby County school system has 21,198 students and 2,884 staff, making it among the county's largest employers.

The school system is key to the county’s reputation as a desirable place to live. All schools are accredited by AdvancED. The district is working on its fiveyear capital plan for improvements and renovations, adding classrooms at multiple schools and a fine arts wing at Oak Mountain High School. The career technical center continues to grow, and individual high schools offer career technical programs. Mercedes-Benz recently donated a test vehicle to the career tech center.

Middle-school students can participate in the We Build It Better program.

The district was honored as a Science of Reading Spotlight District by the Alabama Department of Education.

ALABASTER

Big news in the city of Alabaster is the city’s purchase of 29 acres from the Alabaster Board of Education to build a new city recreation center that will include gyms, meeting rooms, workout areas, offices for the parks and recreation department, a possible new library and more, says Brian Binzer, city administrator. The area also will include retail development, green space and a park. Future plans include a splash pad, he says.

The city will start clearing some existing structures on the site in about two years, giving the board of education time to relocate its central office from the site to the high school campus, Binzer says. About six acres of property will be sold to the private sector for retail or similar space. “It’s a winwin for us and the school system,” he says.

Alabama Department of Transportation is widening and adding lanes to Alabama 119, a heavily traveled road, he says. The $15 million project, partly funded by the city, should be complete in 2024. Also, the state is repaving and improving Highway 31.

District 31, a private commercial project, should break ground in 2023 and include retail and more, Binzer says. The city has a new Patriots Park underway on seven acres on former Kingwood Church property. The $4.1 million park will have trails, pavilions, sports courts and play areas.

The city also plans an amphitheater and stage between city hall and the senior center, Binzer says. “We are going to be adding two major trails in that area, one that will improve our Birch Creek Trail and another trail leading to the new Thompson High School,” he says.

Alabaster City Schools continues its rapid growth trajectory, surpassing 6,300 students in fall 2022. The system has five campuses serving students in grades PreK12.

ACS boasts a 97% college and career readiness rate and a 97% graduation rate.

The system recently earned an “A” on the Alabama State Report Card, thanks to a continued focus on academics, attendance and college/career readiness.

ACS has established a new partnership with Jefferson State Community College to offer the district’s first Career and Technical Education dual enrollment program. This offers students a short certificate or associate degree in industrial maintenance.

The district also continues its investment in fine arts with the Performing Arts Center — a 1,000-plus seat auditorium on the campus of Thompson High School.

In fall 2022, ACS announced a $6 million athletics capital projects plan, which includes major upgrades and/or additions to boys and girls sports programs at both Thompson Middle School and Thompson

S P O T L I G H T: CO M M U N I T Y D E V E LO PM E N T

High School.

The Thompson Warriors won the 7A state football championship for the fourth time in November 2022.

CALERA

Consistently ranked one of the fastestgrowing cities in Alabama, Calera is a suburb of the Birmingham-Hoover MSA. The Shelby County Airport, paired with interstate access at three exits, generates development opportunities that result in a diverse economy and strong employment base.

The city also is home to Corbin Farms Winery, Ozan Winery & Vineyards, The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Timberline Golf Course and a sports complex that hosts tournaments throughout the year.

This year, Calera became home to a QuikTrip travel center, the second in the state.

Calera is focusing on downtown revitalization and recently adopted a comprehensive plan.

The city also prides itself on excellent schools.

CHELSEA

Chelsea, a fast-growing city, continues to add services and amenities. Some of those include a second gym underway at the Chelsea Community Center, to be finished in October 2023 with racquetball courts, lockers and space for home school students to use for gym and recess activities.

Phase 2 of the growing Highway 11 sports complex will include three 200-foot fields, three championship full size fields and more, says Mayor Tony Picklesimer. A new concession stand should be ready in early summer.

A LaQuinta hotel is being built, and construction is complete on the city’s Foothills Business Park, he says. The city also is building a wholesale distribution building for the Alabama Beverage Control Board, which has been operating its retail and wholesale distribution in one location, Picklesimer says. The city will be landlord for the center on U.S. 280. It should open

by May 2023.

COLUMBIANA

Columbiana, the county seat, has the charm of a small town with easy access

to big city amenities, which contributes to a renewed housing interest in the city where hundreds of new homes are under construction.

The recently constructed Old Mill Square is a $10 million multi-use arts facility with a black box theater, art gallery and a Grand Hall that can be rented for events. In addition, Columbiana is home to Lay Lake, Lewis Lakes Vineyards and the Shelby County Board of Education administrative offices, as well as the county school system’s career technical school.

The city has earned Main Street designation and is now focused on downtown revitalization.

HELENA

Helena is a thriving suburb that has been ranked one of the best places to live in Alabama. The city has a lively historic downtown district on the Cahaba River and well-planned development, making it popular for families.

With the revitalization of Old Town Helena and new retail development projects underway, Helena is seeing expanded retail and service industry sectors while exploring opportunities to develop sites suitable for knowledge-based industry headquarters.

Recent news includes the city’s plan to move the Helena City Hall to the future Hillsboro Town Center, part of a long-term development plan “Helena Forward.” The new development is part of the master-planned Hillsboro residential community, which also will include a sports complex.

Helena also recently welcomed several new chain restaurants.

HOOVER (SHELBY COUNTY PORTION)

Future Hoover, the city of Hoover’s comprehensive plan, was adopted in 2019. It provides a guide for development throughout various areas of the city for the next 20 years.

Two key programs will have a strong impact on Shelby County, and both initiatives will solicit input from key stakeholders, Hoover citizens and businesses — which are key to building a greater community, officials say.

First, Hoover is starting plans for parks, recreation and public spaces for the

entire city, says Greg Knighton, the city’s economic development manager. The city has engaged a planning firm to create a long-range plan for its park, recreation and public space facilities. The plan will focus on connecting public spaces via greenways and blueways, determining park and space needs and developing programs and facilities that enhance quality of life.

Secondly, Future Hoover identifies Meadow Brook Corporate Park as a potential new technology village, Knighton says. This plan envisions the office park transforming over time into a 24-7 “tech” village with new buildings and a more immersive environment for working, living and playing. The plan identifies Meadow Brook as an ideal location for becoming a city center for east Hoover.

The plan calls for improvements to walking paths around the lakes and infill development to create housing, retail, office and civic uses, he says. The plan envisions that the office park would take on the attributes of a modern traditional neighborhood, providing opportunities for work, shopping, eating and recreation. The city is currently working with stakeholders to fulfill the vision.

Four of Hoover City Schools’ 16 campuses are in the Shelby County part of Hoover — Greystone Elementary School, Riverchase Elementary School, Berry Middle School and Spain Park High School.

The entire system’s schools have received an “A” on the most recent state report card.

The system’s high-tech career center, Riverchase Career Connection Center, was recently selected as a Regional Best Practice School by the governor’s office.

The city of Hoover partners with the schools on various projects to benefit the schools and sports tourism. A recent $9 million partnership includes new turf at Spain Park High School and upgrades at many other city and sports facilities.

MONTEVALLO

Montevallo is a multi-faceted city with an emphasis on preserving its history and embracing its future. The city has more than 70 homes and buildings on the National Historic Register. It is home to the University of Montevallo, the state’s only public liberal arts college, serving as the primary economic engine for the city with approxiFebruary 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 53

S P O T L I G H T: CO M M U N I T Y D E V E LO PM E N T

mately 3,000 students and 700 employees.

Montevallo also is home to the Alabama National Veterans Cemetery and American Village, which welcome more than 100,000 visitors annually.

The city offers retail shops, restaurants and art galleries with walkability and ADA compliance as a priority.

Montevallo partners with the Univer-

sity of Montevallo and Shelby County for many improvements and projects.

Since 2012, the Montevallo Development Cooperative District has been instrumental in renovations to downtown, creation and maintenance of city parks, paving projects and athletic improvements that make the city more pleasant.

In addition, Montevallo became a

designated Main Street community in 2016, which has stimulated commercial development in the central business district. Through partnerships with Main Street Alabama and Main Street America, Montevallo Main Street works to promote and revitalize its picturesque downtown.

Montevallo hosts annual events that draw residents, visitors and vendors from the Southeast region, such as Montevallo Arts Fest, College Night, Friday Nights at the Cove, Tinglewood Festival/Cars by the Creek, Fire Prevention Parade and multiple holiday parades throughout the year.

“The city offers exquisite park locations, an extensive variety of youth sports, hosting for regional athletic tournaments and miles of hiking and biking trails,” says Mayor Rusty Nix. “A multitude of trails can be found on the AllTrails app. A few to note are Orr Park, a 40-acre park bordering picturesque Shoal Creek, featuring 50 whimsical cedar tree carvings created by local artist, Tim Tingle.

“In 2013, the city received 167 acres of land, a historic home, numerous barns, and outbuildings from the Mahler family.

This has been developed into Shoal Creek Park, with 11 miles of hiking trails and recognition as an official Audubon Birding Site on the Alabama Birding Trail. The Pendleton Hydrant Trail, the Ebenezer Swamp Trail and the Montevallo Art Trail add to the list of outdoor activities for visitors.

“Montevallo continues to grow and prosper and is currently recruiting a new hotel development,” Nix says.

PELHAM

Consistently ranked one of the safest cities in Alabama, Pelham is recognized as One of America’s Best Small Towns by Money Magazine and by website Niche as among Best Suburbs to Buy a House in America, Places to Live in Alabama and Places with the Best Public Schools in Alabama.

Pelham boasts extensive indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities, a community-inspired school system and a mix of businesses of all sizes.

The city is investing millions in infrastructure improvements, with more than 90 capital improvement projects planned or in progress.

At the same time, numerous major 54 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

commercial, residential and mixed-use developments are progressing, with construction happening in every corner of the city, says Ainsley Allison, the city’s communications manager.

The Canopy has sprouted up on Amphitheater Road, featuring luxury apartments, retail and dining. The area is part of Pelham’s first planned entertainment district, which will include Campus 124 with anchor tenants The Beer Hog and Half Shell Oyster House and connected to the expansion of the Pelham Greenway Trail.

To the south, the city-owned Oak Mountain Trail development is now recruiting high-end hotel and dining options. Ascension St. Vincent’s announced plans to build a freestanding emergency department in the area, if the state approves, offering multi-disciplinary specialty care from UAB physicians.

Pelham’s tax base helps the city offer and maintain premier amenities. In addition to Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest at 11,584 acres, Pelham boasts the Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena, home to The Birmingham Bulls, a Southern Professional Hockey League team; Pelham Racquet Club, which hosts an annual United States Tennis Association Pro Circuit women’s tournament that attracts top players from around the world; and Ballantrae Golf Club, a favorite for both residents and visitors.

Pelham City Schools has 3,451 students and 433 employees. It has two elementary schools to serve grades K-5, one middle school for grades 6-8 and one high school for grades 9-12. In fall 2022, the system hired Dr. Chuck Ledbetter as superintendent. Website Niche ranked the district 13th best in Alabama and 6th most diverse, while Pelham High School earned the 2022 GreatSchools.org College Success Award.

The community values its rigorous academic standards with STEM classes, English Language Learners programs, individualized options and career tech offerings.

The system has two schools less than 10 years old and has funded nearly $13 million in capital projects over the past two years.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 55

Higher Education

Stephens Hall, on the University of Montevallo campus, was named in 2021 in honor of Allison and Michael Stephens.

Unique to Montevallo is its homecoming tradition, College Night, a mix of theatre and athletics and more that’s now more than 100 years old.

UM partners with several community colleges for easy transfer arrangements. It also is offering a new school of education and human development scholarship to help increase the number of qualified teachers to serve in targeted rural areas.

UM’s Stephens College of Business added two management and two finance programs, and the UM family and consumer sciences added hospitality and tourism as a new concentration.

UM regularly adds and improves facilities for its students and faculty, as well as the community at large. One is a new Grainger Community Counseling and Wellness Clinic, providing free mental health counseling services for adults and children in Montevallo and surrounding communities. It was made possible by a generous donation from Michael and Donna Grainger.

In November 2021, the college dedicated its Center for the Arts and renovated Carmichael Library and Harman Hall. And the school honored Dr. Wilson Fallin Jr., director of minority affairs at UM and history professor. The school renamed the University of Montevallo on Main to Dr. Wilson Fallin Jr. Hall.

JEFFERSON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE — SHELBY-HOOVER CAMPUS

University of Montevallo.

UNIVERSITY OF MONTEVALLO

Founded in 1896, UM is nestled in the heart of Alabama, approximately 35 miles south of Birmingham. As the only public liberal arts university in Alabama, the University of Montevallo has the charm of a private school experience while providing the value of a statesupported institution.

Montevallo’s list of national accolades grows each year. U.S. News & World Report has ranked UM as one of the top Public Regional Universities for the past 14 years, as well as a Best Value School 56 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

and one of the most innovative schools in the nation, and the institution has been named a College of Distinction for 11 consecutive years.

Montevallo offers academic programs in four colleges: arts and sciences, business, education and human development and fine arts. Students choose from more than 30 degree programs and more than 70 majors and concentrations. They participate in an educational environment boasting an average class size of 13 and have unprecedented opportunities for conducting undergraduate research under full-time faculty mentors.

For almost 60 years, Jefferson State Community College has led the way in providing excellence in education and value. Today, Jefferson State has four campuses and serves approximately 13,000 students in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Chilton counties. The Shelby campus is the largest of the four.

Jefferson State generates a tremendous economic boost for central Alabama.

Economists estimate that for every dollar spent on Jefferson State, the community receives approximately $19 in benefit.

Approximately 65% of Jefferson State students transfer to a four-year university. Jefferson State offers more than 116 transfer programs, 39 career and technical education programs, 30 non-credit fast-track programs and more than 60 dual enrollment classes. Jefferson

S P O T L I G H T: H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N

Shelby-Hoover campus of Jefferson State.

State has numerous articulation agreements with four-year universities to help students transfer with ease.

Seven out of 10 jobs require up to an associate degree. Career program options are varied, ranging from culinary arts and computer information systems to veterinary nursing and manufacturing technology.

About one-fourth of Jefferson State students are enrolled in health programs.

With more than 250 nursing graduates each year, Jefferson State is the leading producer of nursing graduates with associate degrees in Alabama.

Jefferson State’s first nursing apprenticeship program gives students a chance to earn while they learn. It is a partnership with Grandview Medical Center.

Jefferson State also has a popular welding technology program at the Shelby-Hoover campus, and the latest students recently signed apprenticeship agreements with several area employers.

The college also delivers non-credit workforce training in career programs that can be completed in as little as six weeks. These “fast-track” programs prepare students for immediate employment for in-demand jobs such as welding, IT, commercial driver’s license, line worker, heavy equipment operation, web development, certified nursing assistant, medical assistant, pharmacy technician and more.

Jefferson State also is a leader in dual

Welding is one of the fast-track programs at Jefferson State.

enrollment programs with area high schools. Each year, more than 2,700 high school students earn college credit while still in high school with Jefferson State.

Jefferson State offers award-winning

student groups, organizations, honor societies, professional organizations and athletics. Jefferson State also holds festive events throughout the year such as student formals, homecoming events, a 5K race and much more.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 57

Culture & Recreation

Williamsburg, Concord Bridge and a Liberty Bell.

HONORING VETERANS

The Alabama National Cemetery, located near The American Village, is a 479-acre cemetery designed to serve veterans’ burial needs for at least the next 50 years.

SLAP SHOT

The Birmingham Bulls, a professional ice hockey team in the Southern Professional Hockey League, play at Pelham’s Ice Arena.

SKATE AWAY

The Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena has facilities for skaters from beginners to seasoned professionals. It is home to the Birmingham Figure Skating Club and the Pelham Youth Hockey League and offers a skating school with classes. The arena also has a public skating schedule and hosts other events.

PARK & PLAY

Chelsea celebrates Independence Day at its city hall. Photo by R. Hayes.

Calera is one of many cities attracting sporting events with facilities at parks.

AMERICANA

The American Village offers a look at the power and drama of America’s journey for independence, liberty and self-government. The new West Wing of Independence Hall offers a multisensory experience “Choosing to be an American People.” Visitors travel from the Boston Massacre to the Boston Tea 58 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

Party, to Paul Revere’s Ride and the Shot Heard ’Round the World, through the American Revolution and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The American Village campus also includes replicas of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, a Colonial Courthouse, the President’s Oval Office and East Room of the White House, a Colonial Chapel inspired by Bruton Parish Church of

Veterans Park Alabaster includes sports facilities, a dog park, butterfly garden and disc golf course on 90-acres off Highway 119. Pelham City Park Campus, located off Highway 31 in Pelham, features walking trails; athletic fields; courts for tennis, sand volleyball, basketball and pickleball; plus a dog park. Veterans Park & Hoover Sports Complex feature a challenging crushed gravel course and grass course around lakes and through the woods that can be set for several events, plus sand volleyball, playgrounds and more. Dunnavant Valley Fields, practice fields for the 1996 Olympics, offers soccer fields and more. Eagle Park Calera features baseball, softball, disc golf and soccer facilities, with tennis and pickleball in the works. Double Oak Park has 750 acres with trails for bikers, hikers and runners, plus vistas that rival Oak Mountain State Park’s famous King’s Chair. Cahaba River Park, located at the confluence of the Cahaba River and Shades Creek, offers 1,838 acres of trails and multiple river access points.

ARTS ABOUND

Shelby County Arts Council Center at Old Mill Square Park features two performance venues, a gallery, on-site foundry, ceramic arts studios, digital production studio, music studios and more. University of Montevallo Center

for the Arts, with multiple arts spaces, hosts theatre, music performances and art galleries for campus and community.

CHOO CHOO

The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Calera, the official railroad museum of Alabama, features operating standardgauge and narrow-gauge trains, two restored depots, an indoor collection of railroad artifacts and memorabilia, and an outdoor collection of railroad cars and locomotives.

GO FISH

Lay Lake is a 12,000-plus acre lake on the Coosa River and best known for its spotted bass and largemouth bass fishing and recreational opportunities. Lay Lake has hosted four Bassmaster Classic Tournaments and other championships, with the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series tournament coming up.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest state park with 11,632 acres, features an 18-hole golf course, three lakes with beaches, hiking, mountain biking,

Oak Mountain State Park Dam.

backcountry horse trails, a BMX track with a national caliber racing surface and asphalt turns, RV parks, cabins and camping with optional backcountry campsites. The park is home to the Alabama Wildlife Center with raptors on daily display including a bald eagle and a Eurasian eagle owl in free-flight mews. The park also has the Aquapark at Flipside, an inflatable obstacle course over

the water on Beaver Lake, demonstration farm, a fairy house trail in the Oak Mountain Interpretative Center, one of the longest linear cable wakeboarding and skiing courses in North America; an archery park with multiple distance and platform options; and outdoor basketball and pickleball courts and many picnic sites and pavilions.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 59

Company Kudos

by ERICA JOINER WEST

MARCH Driving Ahead: Alabama’s Automotive Array Credit Unions Offer Financial Options Geographic Spotlight: Dale, Coffee & Geneva Counties

APRIL STEM in the Classroom Alabama’s Largest Accounting Firms Women Soar in the Tech Sector Geographic Spotlight: Etowah, St. Clair & Blount Counties Check BusinessAlabama.com for daily business headlines and additional content

Follow us: Business Alabama @BusinessAlabama

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe has won the Best Buy Award for the two-row midsize SUV segment, presented by Kelley Blue Book. The Santa Fe is made in Montgomery. Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 also won for the electric vehicle and the new model segments.

Baker Donelson has been named a NetDiligence Platinum Breach Coach, which recognizes the firm for data security, privacy and industry response.

company, based in Birmingham, started as a mailing company for the publishing industry. It currently has processing facilities in Alabama, Indiana and Texas.

Bank Independent has been certified by the national Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, as meeting the Bank on National Account Standards 20232024.

Huntsville Hospital Urgent Care clinics have received the Urgent Care Association accreditation designation.

BCR Wealth Strategies, of Birmingham, has been featured in the first edition of Sheryl Rowling’s new column, Practice Made Perfect, in Morningstar Inc. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has granted institutional accreditation to Columbia Southern University. CSU, based in Orange Beach, is a completely online university.

Four Star Freightliner’s continuous improvement coordinators, dealer principals and executive leaders recently were presented five awards including the Wow Award by Daimler Truck North America.

HC3, a data-driven statement provider for the financial services industry, is celebrating its 60th year in operation. The

60 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

Northrop Grumman Corp., which has a location in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, has been selected to receive the 2023 Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy, presented by the National Space Club and Foundation, for its work on the James Webb Space Telescope.

The National Security Agency and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have re-designated the University of Alabama in Huntsville as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. UAH is also a National Center of Academic Excellence in Research. Only 48 schools in the U.S. hold both CAECD and CAE-R designations.

For a second consecutive year, Wallace Community College-Dothan has been recognized by Auburn University as one of the top 10 feeder schools to the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.

Career Notes

by ERICA JOINER WEST

CHRISTOPHER COOK

DUSTIN SCHAEFER

CALEB WALLS

PETER SALAS

SCOTT LEOPOLD

BILL CONNOR

TIMMY JAMES

HARRIS BAKER

STACIA ROBINSON

MITZI AMELON

DANIEL GRANTHAM

JEANMARIE WHALEN

CREDIT UNION

America’s First Federal Credit Union President and CEO Bill Connor has been presented the 2022 United Way of Central Alabama’s Mervyn H. Sterne Memorial Award.

JOHN HOWARD

MARY ELLIOTT ADERHOLT

ACCOUNTING

Anglin Reichmann Armstrong PC has promoted to partner Christopher Cook and Dustin Schaefer.

AUTOMOTIVE

Four Star Freightliner has recognized Michael Todd, service manager, as its employee of the year. In addition, the company’s human resource director, Suzy Herring, has graduated from the American Trucking Dealers Academy.

AVIATION

Hartzell Engine Tech, a supplier of engine accessories for the general aviation industry, has named Caleb Walls as controller.

BANKING

Regions Bank has created a franchise lending team led by Peter Salas.

CONSTRUCTION

HPM has hired Scott Leopold as director of planning services.

EDUCATION

Northwest-Shoals Community College Dean of Academic Affairs Timmy James has been awarded the 2022 Carol A. Luthman Meritorious Service Award by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

FINANCE

The Alabama Housing Finance Authority has recognized Harris Baker, sales manager of loanDepot, as its Leading Lender of the Year.

GOVERNMENT

LEGAL

Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys PC has expanded into West Palm Beach, Florida, with Jeanmarie Whalen serving as managing attorney of that office.

Bradley has added John Howard as counsel in its Huntsville office. The firm also has promoted to partner J. Mark Adams Jr., Stanley Blackmon, J. Daniel Feltham Jr., Jake Gipson, Carolyne Jones Hess and Nicole Jones in its Birmingham office; and Sarah Sutton Osborne in its Huntsville office.

Phelps Dunbar Partner Christopher Couch has earned the designation of Fellow of Information Privacy and Certified Information Privacy Manager from the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Stacia Robinson has been tapped to serve as director of the Alabama Office of Minority Affairs. She succeeds Nichelle Nix, who has served in that position for six years and is rejoining the private sector.

SPORTS

HEALTH CARE

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Mitzi Amelon, DO, has joined the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine Ashford Clinic medical team.

Southeast Health has hired Daniel Grantham as director of oncology services.

The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame will present the 2023 Frank “Pig” House Award to William Booth in May. It also will present the 2023 Mel Allen Media Award to Rick Karle.

C Spire has named Mary Elliott Aderholt an economic development manager for its strategic and government relations group in its Homewood office.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 65

RETROSPECT

The Haynes Razor Strop Co.

African American entrepreneur called Selma home

H

unter C. Haynes, one of the most successful barbering entrepreneurs of the early modern era, was born in Selma in 1867. The city and state were still adjusting to the effects of war and the early years of the Reconstruction era.

His formerly enslaved parents moved to the city after emancipation.

At the age of 10, young Haynes began helping support his large family by working outside a local hotel — as a bootblack, cleaning and treating shoes and other leather goods among other tasks. This early exposure to handling leather served him well later in life.

After his father died, Haynes entered into an apprenticeship to become a barber. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, barbering ranked among the

By SCOTTY E. KIRKLAND

few professions that offered African Americans a certain degree of occupational status and safety. Because they catered to clientele of both races, skilled African American barbers often existed more freely in a segregated world. Thus, barbering was sometimes a means to entrepreneurship of other kinds, as was

the case with Haynes. His work honing his tonsorial talents took him far beyond Alabama, to towering cities like Chicago and San Francisco. Still, his roots were in Selma. He returned home often.

Details of the young barber’s early career are few. Haynes appears in the 1888 Birmingham city directory, working under the tutelage of longtime barber George W. Jones.

During the time Haynes was in his employ, Jones relocated his shop from 3rd Avenue to North 20th Street, a move which placed him at the very heart of the city’s central business district.

An advertisement

Above and left are photos of barbershops and a razor that would have been typical of those in the 1920s. Below is a photo from an advertisement for the Haynes Razor Strop Co. in New York.

66 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

R E T RO S PE C T

in The Birmingham News notWorld’s Fair in Paris. As the ed that Jones “employs popular orders came in, Haynes rented a and best barbers,” which can two-story building in Chicago’s be taken as an indication of the 4th Ward. He employed a small talent of 21-year-old Haynes. number of workers on the first Haynes returned home to floor. He and Alice, who served Selma around 1890 to ply his as the company’s secretary-treatrade. While there, the barber surer, lived upstairs. Haynes won the affections of local kept a separate office to handle schoolteacher Alice Reid. The his burgeoning mail-order couple were married in Selma business. in 1894. Alice played a key role As Haynes and his small in her husband’s professional army of independent sales career in years to come. agents traveled throughout the Masters of a craft often view country and abroad, they carried their tools as extensions of only a few items for immediate themselves. And when those sale, funneling orders instead tools fall short, frustration through the mail. Haynes also sometimes leads to innovation maintained sales connections — new and better paintbrushes with some of the leading African and carpentry tools, for exAmerican newspapers of the era. ample. So it was with Haynes, For one 1902 promotion, he who envisioned a major change offered the readers of a Washingamong the most utilitarian ton, D.C., paper a razor strop, of barbering implements: the straight razor and shaving brush razor strop. for $3.00 (nearly $100 today).

The strop was a simple piece The advertisement showed an of leather, typically repurposed image of Haynes in a three-piece from old carriage harnesses. suit and sporting a well-kept Most strops had a ring on one mustache. He was the picture end and a handle on the other, An advertisement that includes a photo of Hunter C. Haynes. of success. A version of the ad allowing the user to quickly eventually ran in some 400 move the razor up and down newspapers. the length of the strop. This action brandished and straightened In 1906, Haynes relocated to New York City, eventually the thin razor blades, which otherwise could warp and become establishing a business at 355 Broadway. The company produll, resulting in a miserable shaving experience. Prepping a duced 1,000 items a day from an expanded portfolio that by new strop for use typically involved a chemical treatment or the then included razors, barbering shears and different types of use of jeweler’s rouge. It was a messy and time-consuming affair. strops. In 1908, he sold 20,000 razors in New York City alone Drawing upon his experiences as a bootblack and his barand entered into a successful partnership with German blade bering knowledge, Haynes created a pretreated, ready-to-use manufacturer Gottlieb & Hammesfaber. strop. To perfect and market his invention, he made his way to The final act of his career was a bit of a pivot. He sold his inChicago, purchasing from pawnshops and other stores there as terest in the razor strop company and established a film studio. many old straight razors as he could find. He refined the blades Based in his Chicago home, Haynes created short film segments then took them to area barbers as a way to demonstrate his new showcasing African American entrepreneurs and businesses. He strop’s effectiveness, oftentimes selling both the strop and razors also dabbled in a brokerage firm. together. His cornering of the secondhand blade market earned Haynes contracted tuberculosis in 1917 and spent the final him the sobriquet “King of Razor Traders.” year of his life in a “cure cottage” at Saranac Lake, New York, In his advertisements Haynes was circumspect about the site of the nation’s first laboratory and sanitorium built for the “secret chemical mixture” he concocted to treat his strops. He study and treatment of the disease. Alice Haynes was by his side did, however, note that each unit was subjected to his own rigid when he died on New Year’s Day, 1918. She dutifully fulfilled personal inspection. The Selma-born barber had himself become his final wish and buried him in the Haynes family plot in Sela brand. ma, the city of his birth and where his roots remained through For a number of years, he maintained residences in both his many faraway adventures.

Selma and Chicago. In these peripatetic times, Haynes worked to build his company. He traveled throughout Canada and EuHistorian Scotty E. Kirkland is a freelance contributor to Business rope and demonstrated the “Haynes Razor Strop” at the 1900 Alabama. He lives in Wetumpka.

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 67

Index

A guide to businesses (bold) and individuals (light) mentioned in this month’s issue of Business Alabama.

1856 Restaurant..............................................12

Baker, Harris.................................................................65

Chappell, Allison Sullivan.............................................50

Georgia Crown.................................................45

3M Co..............................................................10

Ballantrae Golf Club.........................................52

Cheaha State Park............................................24

Gilbert, Meribeth..........................................................50

58 Inc.............................................43, 45, 50, 52

Bank Independent...........................................60

Chelsea, City of................................................52

Gipson, Jake.................................................................65

Adams, J. Mark Jr.........................................................65

Baptist Health System......................................16

Chinnabee Recreation Area...............................24

Gooden, Rickey.............................................................24

Aderholt, Mary Elliott....................................................65

Bar le Fete..........................................................9

Chinnabee Silent Trail......................................24

Gorman, Cleo Kathryn..................................................16

ADS-TEC Energy..................................................8

Baranovics, Christy.......................................................32

Christian Brothers Automotive..........................45

GoTo Meetings Software...................................38

Aer-Flo Sports.....................................................7

Bassmaster Fishing Tournaments......................58

Clemson University......................................7, 50

Gottlieb & Hammesfaber..................................66

AGC Automotive Americas........................... 43, 45

BCR Wealth Strategies......................................60

CNBC TV.............................................................7

Graham & Co....................................................45

AIA Alabama Council........................................16

Beer Hog.................................................... 45, 52

Colburn, Moran............................................................24

AIA Birmingham Chapter..................................16

Bibb Medical Center and Nursing Home............16

Columbia Southern University..........................60

Grainger Community Counseling and Wellness Clinic......................................56

Air Hydro Power...............................................11

Binzer, Brian.................................................................52

Columbiana, City of.................................... 50, 52

Alabama A&M University..................................50

Bio Alabama.....................................................50

Community of Hope Clinic................................52

Alabama Air National Guard..............................50

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc............................45

Connor, Bill...................................................................65

Alabama Beverage Control Board......................52

BioGX Inc.........................................................45

Consolidated Foods..........................................70

Alabama Birding Trail.......................................52

BioHorizons Implant Systems Inc......................45

Continental Carbon Co......................................10

Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine... 50, 65

Birch Creek Trail...............................................52

Cook, Christopher.........................................................65

Alabama Department of Education....................52

Birmingham Bound............................................8

Cooper Green Mercy Health Clinic.......................7

Alabama Department of Environmental Management.......................10

Birmingham Bulls Hockey Team.................. 52, 58

Corbin Farms Winery........................................52

Birmingham Business Alliance.....................7, 50

Couch, Christopher.......................................................65

Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders.........................................20

Birmingham Fastener.......................................11

Council for Leaders of Alabama Schools.............50

Groovy Goat.....................................................28

Birmingham Figure Skating Club......................58

Covenant Classical Schools & Day Care...............45

Gulf Coast Hospital...........................................50

Birmingham Museum of Art.............................32

Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority...............................28

Gulf State Park.................................................32

Alabama Department of Labor............................7 Alabama Department of Transportation.............52 Alabama Hiking Trail Society.............................24 Alabama Housing Finance Authority.................65 Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind...........24 Alabama Launchpad.....................................7, 50 Alabama Law Enforcement Agency....................52 Alabama National Veterans Cemetery......... 52, 58 Alabama Office of Minority Affairs.....................65 Alabama One Credit Union...............................11 Alabama Parent Teacher Association..................50

Birmingham News, The....................................66 Birmingham Northern Beltline...........................9 Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce...50 Birmingham-Southern College.........................10 Birmingham, City of.........................................10 Black, Grady..................................................................16 Blackmon, Stanley........................................................65

Crestline Village.................................................8 Crosswhite, Mark............................................................8 CRST The Transportation Solution......................10 Cuhaj, Joe.....................................................................24 Cullman Area Chamber.....................................50 Cullman Regional Medical Center.....................16

Grainger, Donna...........................................................56 Grainger, Michael.........................................................56 Grandview Medical Center.................... 45, 48, 56 Grantham, Daniel.........................................................65 Grantham, Jeff..............................................................11 Gray, Anna....................................................................20 Gray, Jon.......................................................................20 Great Southern Wood Preserving......................12

Guys Place, The.................................................45 Half Shell Oyster House.............................. 45, 52 Hartzell Engine Tech.........................................65 Hasty, Catherine...........................................................28 Haynes, Alice Reid........................................................66 Haynes, Hunter C..........................................................66 HC3 Inc........................................................7, 60

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.............48

Cybersecurty and Infrastructure Security Agency...........................................60

Body Tune Plus.................................................28

Dahlgren, Terry.............................................................24

Helena, City of........................................... 45, 52

Boeing Co..........................................................8

Dean, Holly.............................................................48, 50

Hellmich, Kristin...........................................................28

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge...................9

Dean, Joshua................................................................20

Hellmich, Ralph............................................................28

Booth, William..............................................................65

Decatur Utilities...............................................10

Herring, Suzy................................................................65

Boston Business Journal..................................16

Decatur, City of.................................................10

Hess, Carolyne Jones....................................................65

Bottega Restaurant.............................................8

District 31, Alabaster........................................52

Hibbett Sporting Goods....................................45

Bowling, Tab.................................................................10

Diversified Supply............................................45

Highlands Bar and Grill......................................8

Boy Scouts of America.......................................24

Double Oak Park.................................. 45, 52, 58

Hillsboro Town Center................................ 45, 52

Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys PC............65

BP Plc..............................................................28

Dreamland BBQ.................................................9

Holland & Knight.............................................11

Allison, Ainsley.............................................................52

Bradley Arant...................................................65

Dudchock, Alex.............................................................45

Hollywood Nut Products Co...............................70

Altec Inc................................................. 9, 43, 45

Brasfield & Gorrie...............................................7

Dunnavant Valley Park............................... 52, 58

Hoover City Schools.................................... 50, 52

Alvin's Island Tropical Department Store...........28

Brees, Drew..................................................................10

Eagle Park, Calera.............................................58

Hoover, City of........................................... 45, 52

Amelon, Mitzi...............................................................65

Britt, Sen. Katie...............................................................7

East Alabama Health.........................................16

America's First Federal Credit Union..................65

Brooks, Lewis................................................................50

Ebenezer Swamp Trail.......................................52

Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center...........................12

American Airlines...............................................7

Brookwood Baptist Health.......................... 45, 48

EBSCO Industries Inc................................... 43, 45

American Association of School Administrators..50

Brown, Keith.................................................................50

Elevate Tuscaloosa Northern Riverwalk...............9

American Heart Association..............................48

Buffalo Rock.......................................................7

American Trucking Dealers Academy.................65

Bush, President George H. W........................................24

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Shelby County...................... 45, 48

American Village.................................. 32, 52, 58

Bynum, Joe..................................................................16

Endurance Equipment Co....................................7

Hubbard, Susan............................................................12

Amerisource Bergen.........................................45

C Spire Inc........................................................65

Ensley Fairfield Mattress Co..............................10

Huntsville Hospital..........................................60

Anglin Reichmann Armstrong PC......................65

C'est Le Vin Wine Bar........................................28

Evers, Mike...................................................................50

Huntsville MidCity District..................................9

AnotherStory...................................................20

Cahaba River Park ..................................... 45, 58

Facebook Inc......................................................9

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama...........60

Appleseed Workshop........................................20

Calera Main Street............................................45

Fairhope Soap Co..............................................28 Fallin, Wilson Jr............................................................56

International Association of Privacy Professionals...............................65

Aquapark at Flipside........................................58

Calera, City of...................................................52

Ascension St. Vincent's ....................45, 48, 50, 52

Campus 124............................................... 45, 52

Fastwyre Broadband.........................................11

Ascension St. Vincent's Primary Care in Greystone Villege.............................48

Canopy, The, Pelham........................................52

Federal Bureau of Investigation..........................7

Carmeuse Lime & Stone....................................45

Feltham, J. Daniel Jr.....................................................65

Ascension St. Vincent's One Nineteen................45

Alabama Power Co........................................8, 45 Alabama Solid Waste Association......................50 Alabama Sports Hall of Fame............................65 Alabama Supercomputer Authority.....................8 Alabama Wildlife Center...................................58 Alabaster City Schools................................ 50, 52 Alabaster, City of ....................................... 45, 52 Alex A. Dudchock Shelby County Services Building................................... 45, 52

Carmichael Engineering...................................11

First Bank.........................................................11

AT&T Inc...........................................................10

Cassimus, John...............................................................8

Foley Sports Tourism Complex..........................28

Auburn University.................................. 9, 22, 50

Cassimus, Marcus...........................................................8

Foley, City of ....................................................28

Auburn University at Montgomery....................50

Cassimus, Zoe.................................................................8

Foothills Business Park.....................................52

Auburn, City of...................................................8

Center for Elder Justice and Advocacy................45

Forever Wild Land Trust.............................. 43, 45

Austal USA.........................................................9

Center for Health Design..................................16

Four Star Freightliner................................. 60, 65

B.L. Harbert International...................................8

Central Alabama Partnership for Training and Employment............................50

Fowler, Dee...................................................................50

Bailey-Harris Construction................................12

Central Alabama Wellness................................52

General Dynamics..............................................8

Baker Donelson................................................60

Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama................................50

George Washington Carver High School..............9

Avanti Polar Lipids..................................... 43, 45

68 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023

Full Moon BBQ...................................................9

Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum................. 52, 58

Houchens Industries........................................11 Howard, Jestina............................................................32 Howard, John...............................................................65 HPM Inc...........................................................65

Ithaka Hospitality Partners...............................12 Ivey, Gov. Kay..............................................................7, 8 James Webb Space Telescope............................60 James, Timmy...............................................................65 Jefferson State Community College. 45, 50, 52, 56 Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q..........................................9 Jones, George W...........................................................66 Jones, Nicole................................................................65 Jordan, Stanley.............................................................24 Karle, Rick.....................................................................65 Kelley Blue Book..............................................60 Kiwanis Club....................................................50 Knighton, Greg.............................................................52 Lake Homes Realty...........................................45

INDEX

Landing Inc......................................................10

Old Mill Square, Columbiana............................52

Samford University..........................................50

Tiffin Group......................................................10

Langland, Paul..............................................................16

Old Town Helena..............................................52

Sara Lee Corp....................................................70

TikTok Inc...........................................................7

LaQuinta Holdings Inc......................................52

Onin Group, The...............................................45

Schaefer, Dustin............................................................65

Timberline Golf Course.....................................52

Laurel Hotel & Spa............................................12

Orr Park, Montevallo........................................52

School Superintendents of Alabama..................50

Tingle, Tim....................................................................52

Lay Lake............................................... 45, 52, 58

Osborne, Sarah Sutton.................................................65

Schulze, Horst...............................................................12

Todd, Michael...............................................................65

Leadership Alabama.........................................50

Owa Parks and Resort.......................................28

Scott Brown Media Group.................................32

Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center....12

Ledbetter, Chuck.....................................................50, 52

Ozan Winery & Vineyards.................................52

Scroggins, Chad............................................................50

Topgolf, Birmingham.......................................32

Leopold, Scott...............................................................65

Pacific Coast Bolt Co..........................................11

Sealing Equipment Products Co.........................50

Torch Technologies.............................................8

Lewis Lakes Vineyards......................................52

Paint Party Studios...........................................28

Shelby Baptist Medical Center.........16, 45, 48, 50

TownePlace Suites by Marriott..........................28

Lhoist North America.................................. 43, 45

Partridge, Larry.............................................................16

Shelby County..................................................43

Tree Top Family Adventure................................45

Lipscomb University.........................................50

Patriots Park....................................................52

Shelby County 911...........................................52

Triptek Construction.........................................28

LoanDepot Inc..................................................65

Paula Deen's Family Kitchen.............................28

Shelby County Airport......................................52

TRO Jung|Brannen...........................................16

Local Realty......................................................45

Pavloski, Cathy..............................................................28

Turner, Joe....................................................................24

Lodge at Gulf State Park, The.............................32

Peak North America............................................7

Shelby County Art Council at Old Mill Square Park...................................58

MacLean Power Systems............................. 43, 45

Pei, I.M..........................................................................16

Main Street Alabama........................................52

Pelham City Park Campus.................................58

Shelby County Chamber of Commerce..............................43, 45, 50, 52

Main Street America.........................................52

Pelham City Schools................................... 50, 52

Shelby County Mayors' Association...................50

U.S. Senate.........................................................7

Mancer, Kirk.....................................................45, 50, 52

Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena............... 52, 58

Shelby County Schools............................... 50, 52

U.S. Space & Rocket Center................................32

Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa...........................38

Pelham Greenway Trail.....................................52

Shelby County Sheriff.......................................52

U.S. Tennis Association......................................52

Marshall Health...............................................16

Pelham Racquet Club.......................................52

Shelby, Sen. Richard...................................................7, 9

UAB Kirklin Clinic.............................................16

Martin Marietta................................................45

Pelham Youth Hockey League...........................58

Shinbaum, Scott...........................................................32

Underwood, Maria..........................................................8

MartinFederal Consulting LLC...........................11

Pelham, City of.................................................52

Shoal Creek Park..............................................52

United Way of Central Alabama.........................65

Mayfield, Maggie.........................................................12

Pendleton Hydrant Trail....................................52

Signature Developments....................................9

Universal Engineering Sciences........................11

Maynard Cooper & Gale....................................11

Peoples Independent Bancshares......................11

Site Selection Magazine......................................7

University of Alabama........................................9

Maynard Nexsen..............................................11

Peoples, Jeff...................................................................8

Skyway Trail.....................................................24

McCurry, Doug..............................................................16

Perdido Beach Resort........................................38

Slay, Simmie.................................................................24

University of Alabama at Birmingham......................... 7, 9, 16, 50, 52

McKinney, Jonathan.....................................................38

Phelps Dunbar.................................................65

SmithGroupJJR................................................16

McLeod Software.................................. 43, 45, 50

Picklesimer, Tony..........................................................52

Social Mortgage...............................................45

Meadow Brook Corporate Park.................... 45, 52

Pinhoti National Recreation Trail.......................24

Sommer, Jack...............................................................12

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International................ 10, 52

Pinhoti Outdoor Center.....................................24

South Star Battery Metals...................................9

Meta Platforms Inc.............................................9

Poarch Band of Creek Indians............................28

Southeast AlabamaWorks...................................7

Microsoft Inc....................................................38

Poole, Don....................................................................24

Southeast Health..............................................65

Miller, Selena...............................................................38

Poole, Melanie.............................................................32

Southeast Life Sciences.....................................50

Missile Defense Agency......................................8

Poppa G's Billiards & CLP Systems.....................45

Mitchell, David.............................................................50

PRADCO Outdoor Brands..................................45

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools........................................... 60, 65

Money Magazine..............................................52

Precision Homecrafters.....................................20

Southern Co........................................... 8, 43, 45

van der Reijden, Hans..................................................12

Montevallo Art Trail..........................................52

Princeton Baptist Medical Center......................16

Southern Professional Hockey League......... 52, 58

Vanderbilt University.......................................50

Montevallo Development Cooperative District...52

Process Barron.................................................45

Space Launch System..........................................9

VB Ideas.............................................................7

Montevallo Main Street....................................45

Progress Financial Corp.....................................11

Spain Park High School.....................................52

Veterans Park & Hoover Sports Complex............58

Montevallo, City of ..........................................52

Publix Super Markets Inc..................................45

Speidel, Thomas.............................................................8

Veterans Park, Alabaster...................................58

Moody, City of....................................................9

Quality Valve...................................................11

Spice and Tea Exchange....................................28

Vickers, Wayne.............................................................50

Morgan County................................................10

Quik Trip Corp..................................................52

Spring Hill College.............................................9

Vulcan Materials Co..........................................45

Morningstar Inc................................................60

Rabren General Contractors..............................28

St. John, Finis.................................................................7

Vulcan Steel Co........................................... 43, 45

Moundville Communications............................11

Rane, Jimmy.................................................................12

Starfish Holdings...............................................8

Wake Forest University.....................................50

Mspark Inc................................................. 43, 45

RCP Companies of Huntsville..............................9

Starkey, Hal...................................................................16

Walk-Ons Bistreaux & Bar.................................45

Murder Creek Distillery....................................28

RealSource Title Insurance and Real Estate Closing.......................................45

Starz Events.......................................................9

Walker, Tom..................................................................32

Stephens Group...............................................11

Wallace Community College-Dothan.................60

Redstone Arsenal...............................................8

Stewart, John................................................................50

Waller Landsden Dortch & Davis.......................11

Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham................................50

Stitt, Frank.......................................................................8

Walls, Caleb..................................................................65

Stitt, Pardis......................................................................8

Washington and Lee University........................50

Strout Architecture and Construction.................20

Wasyluka, Jodie............................................................32

Strout, Ben....................................................................20

Watson, John..................................................................8

Sturdivant, Amy............................................................50

Watt, Ray.........................................................................7

Summer Classics........................................ 43, 45

Webster University...........................................50

Sunbelt Paper & Packaging...............................45

Wellory Living....................................................9

Sunrise Community of Alabama........................10

Wellstar West Georgia Callaway Cancer Center................................16

MWI Animal Health..........................................45 NASCAR...........................................................32 NASDAQ.............................................................8 National Association of Counties.......................50 National Association of Realtors..........................7 National Register of Historic Places...................52 National Security Agency..................................60 National Space Club and Foundation.................60 Native Treasures...............................................28 Newsweek Magazine..........................................9

Regions Bank....................................... 43, 45, 65 Reliant Glycosciences.......................................45 Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa.....38 Reverb Media Strategies...................................45 Richard, Dick.................................................................16 Ritchie Organization, The..................................16 Ritz Carlton Hotel Co.........................................12

Nexsen Pruet...................................................11

Roark, Bill.......................................................................8

Niche.com........................................................52

Robb Report.......................................................9

Nix, Nichelle.................................................................65

Robinson, Stacie...........................................................65

Nix, Rusty......................................................................52

Rolin Construction............................................28

Northport, City of...............................................9

Rolin, Stephanie...........................................................28

Northrop Grumman Corp..................................60

Roller Die + Forming........................................11

Northwest-Shoals Community College........ 10, 65

Roller Die and Forming of Alabama...................11

O'Neill, Martin..............................................................12

Roman, Mike................................................................10

Oak Mountain High School...............................52

Rowling, Sheryl............................................................60

Oak Mountain State Park.................43, 45, 52, 58

Russell Medical Center.....................................16

Oak Mountain Trail...........................................52

Salas, Peter...................................................................65

Shelby County Arts Council...............................50

Surge Entertainment........................................10 Sweet Tooth at Owa..........................................28 Sysco Central Alabama................................ 43, 45 Talladega National Forest.................................24 Talladega Superspeedway................................32 Tattersall Park..................................................45 Taylor Hardin Forensics Behavioral Health.........16 Therachem, United Chem Resources LLC............45 Thomas, Caroline..........................................................38 Thompson High School.....................................52 Thompson, Michael......................................................28

U.S. Army...........................................................8 U.S. Forest Service............................................24 U.S. News & World Report.............................7, 56

University of Alabama in Huntsville..................60 University of Alabama System............................7 University of Kansas.........................................50 University of Montevallo.................45, 50, 52, 56 University of Montevallo Center for the Arts......58 University of South Alabama.............................50 University of Southern Mississippi....................50 Untold Boudoir................................................45 Urgent Care Association....................................60

Westover, City of..............................................52 Whalen, Jeanmarie......................................................65 Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.......................9 White-Spunner Construction.............................28 Willingham, David.......................................................50 Wilsonville Gaston Steam Power Plant..............45 Womack, Chris................................................................8 Wright, Nathan.............................................................24 Xcel Engineering..........................................................11 Zoe's Kitchen......................................................8 Zoom Video Communications Inc......................38

February 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 69

Historic Alabama SWEET TREAT …

Valentine’s Day certainly wasn’t what it is today back in 1948, but there was still candy to be made and sold.

Here, an employee stirs up some candy treats at the Hollywood Nut Products Company on Lafayette Street in Montgomery. The company, based in Minnesota, produced the Zero candy bar, among other products.

Hollywood was sold in 1967 to Consolidated Foods, which later became Sara Lee. Photo courtesy of Alabama Department of Archives & History.

Do you have a photo you’d like us to consider for Historic Alabama? Send it to Erica West at ewest@pmtpublishing.com.

Alabiz Quiz

Challenge yourself with these puzzlers from past issues of Business Alabama magazine. If you feel pretty confident, send your answers via email to ewest@pmtpublishing.com or, beginning Feb. 20, work the quiz online and check your answers at businessalabama.com.

February 2023:

February 2022 (one year ago):

February 2013 (10 years ago):

Q: Major amusement park Owa, in Foley, boasts theater, shops, rides and more. Who developed it?

Q: Gov. Kay Ivey announced plans for a new transportation network, making it easier to ship goods. What is it called?

Q: Fallout from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill continued to be a hot news topic. Three years after the spill, Transocean, the oil rig’s owner and operator, agreed to pay $1.4 billion to cover damages. Where is Transocean based?

A) Alabama Tourism Department B) Disney Company C) Poarch Band of Creek Indians D) Six Flags Over South Alabama

January 2023 (one month ago): Q: A leading light of Alabama politics retired after eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives and 36 in the Senate. Who was it?

A) Katie Britt B) Kay Ivey C) Richard Shelby D) Tommy Tuberville

A) A-USA Rail Corridor B) Birmingham-Montgomery International Air Cargo Center C) Docks at Dauphin Island D) Interstate 10-65A

A) Alabama B) China C) Mexico D) Switzerland

February 2018 (five years ago): Q: An international automotive partnership announced plans for a brand new plant in Huntsville. What’s the partnership called?

A) Honda Mazda B) Hyundai Kia C) Mazda Toyota D) Toyota Honda

February 1998 (25 years ago): Q: A small business made headlines as the first in Alabama to turn to the internet for its initial public offering. What company?

A) AeroElements B) Coastal Seafood C) EarthFriendly Fertilizer D) Vulcan Brewing Inc. Answers from January: B, B, D, D, D, B

70 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2023