Business Alabama - January 2023

JAN 2023

LASTING LEGACY SEN. RICHARD SHELBY BOOSTED ALABAMA’S BUSINESS FORTUNES DURING LENGTHY CAREER

Page 16 IN THE 19 FARMERS LEGISLATURE COMMUNITY COLLEGES

39 LAUNCH WORKFORCE PROGRAMS

ON 53 SPOTLIGHT MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Volume 38 / Number 1

JANUARY 2023

CONTENTS

Features 12

16

19

22

39

43

MARKET WATCH ALABAMA STOCKS END IN THE BLACK AFTER ROUGH QUARTER A recap of stock performances from August through November.

19

State Sen. David Sessions, at his Sessions Farm in Mobile County, is one of a half-dozen legislators bringing agriculture concerns to the forefront. Photo by Dan Anderson.

GOVERNMENT A LASTING LEGACY Alabama business and education leaders reflect on Sen. Richard Shelby's impact on the state’s burgeoning economy.

FARMERS IN THE LEGISLATURE Lessons from the land inform state policy.

46

ALABAMA LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORY A look at Alabama’s leaders at the state and national levels.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLEGES LAUNCH PROGRAMSTOMEETWORKFORCENEEDS Nursing, marine tech, AI and NASA work all have new programs in progress.

49

DO THE JOB TO LEARN THE JOB Major employers develop in-house training programs to find workers in time of full employment.

74

44| |BusinessAlabama.com BusinessAlabama.com January January2023 2023

TIGHT MARKET Alabama workforce leaders offer advice to help navigate state’s labor shortage.

BEST COMPANIES EVENT FIRMS BIG AND SMALL HONORED AS BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR IN ALABAMA River Bank & Trust and Swagelok take top honors.

RETROSPECT TURNING LITTLE ROCKS INTO BIG BUSINESS The early years of the Birmingham Slag Company.

On the Cover: Retiring U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby shares a pleasant moment with Gov. Kay Ivey during the groundbreaking for Mobile International Airport.

Photo by Mike Kittrell.

53

53: You can tour Montgomery on foot, by boat or even by horse-drawn carriage.

43: Alabama's growing industries, like Austal USA, turn to in-house training programs to nurture the skilled workers they need.

49: Jimmy Stubbs (center) and the team from River Bank & Trust ranked first among large companies in the Best Places to Work For in Alabama competition.

SPECIAL SECTION 35 BUSINESS COUNCIL OF ALABAMA GEOGRAPHIC SPOTLIGHT 53 MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Departments 7

43

73 76

77

79

49

79

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

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 5

JANUARY 2023 BusinessAlabama.com Volume 38 / Number 1

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

by PMT Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission prohibited.

Letters to the editor are welcome.

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Four to six weeks before moving, please send old mailing label and new address to Business Alabama, P.O. Box 43, Congers, NY 109209922 or call 1-833-454-5060.

6 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

Benchmarks First Solar chooses Lawrence County for $1.1B solar module plant FIRST SOLAR INC.

has selected Lawrence County for its fourth American photovoltaic solar module manufacturing facility.

The $1.1 billion factory is expected to be commissioned in 2025 and will employ more than 700 workers.

“First Solar is a world-class manufacturer, and its solar modules are poised to play an increasingly important role in U.S. energy self-sufficiency,” said Gov. Kay Ivey.

The factory, planned for Mallard Fox Industrial Park, is expected to have an annual capacity of 3.5 GWdc and will be fully vertically integrated, producing the company’s advanced thin film PV modules. The company also has three facilities in Ohio, including one that is scheduled to come online in 2023.

“Our team, from the state down to the local level, has worked extremely hard to make this project a reality. First Solar will have a tremendous impact on our economy and region. We look forward to building those relationships for a successful future,” said Tabitha Pace, president and CEO of Lawrence County Industrial

B U S I N E S S COOL STUFF Both NASA’s SLS Rocket and its James Webb Space Telescope have been honored by Time Magazine as inventions of the year. Both benefitted from multiple Alabama contractors, and Marshall Space Flight Center took the lead on the Artemis launch.

GOOGLE CASH A $391.5 million settlement that Google has reached with 40 states over location tracking practices means Alabama will be getting $7.6 million from the tech giant. It’s part of the largest multi-state attorney general privacy settlement in U.S. history.

ROAD WORK AHEAD Alabama received about $959 million in federal

Development Board.

Workers at First Solar Inc.’s Ohio plant make photovolThe company sees the taic solar modules. The company will be making those plans as part of its strategic same modules in Lawrence County, bringing more than push to scale its U.S. man700 jobs to Alabama. ufacturing base in support of efforts to decarbonize the American economy and achieve self-sufficiency in renewable energy technologies.

“The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has firmly placed America on the path to a sustainable energy future,” said Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar.

“This facility, along with manufacturing to more than $4 billion. its sister factories in Ohio, “As it works to develop the next will form part of the industrial foundageneration of solar technologies, First tion that helps ensure this transition is Solar represents the kind of innovative, powered by American innovation and technology-forward company that can ingenuity.” help power Alabama’s economy into the The company is one of the world’s 10 future,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of largest solar manufacturers and is the only the Alabama Department of Commerce.

U.S.-headquartered company. Its latest “This investment supports sustainability investments in Alabama and an upgrade and advances America’s energy security — expanding its Northwest Ohio facility will and it’s great news for Alabama.” bring its total investment in American

B R I E F S highway and bridge formula funds, resulting in 581 new improvement projects during the first year of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. That’s part of more than 29,000 projects launched nationally.

MORE ROAD WORK Dothan-based Construction Partners, which specializes in the construction and maintenance of roadways in six Southeastern states, has acquired three hot-mix asphalt plants near Nashville from Blue Water Industries.

BRIDGE BUDGET The Alabama Department of Transportation says it is fully on board with the I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project. ALDOT will move

forward with the $2.7 billion project, using a $125 million federal grant and $250 million in dedicated state funding.

LIVING SPACE Construction kicked off in early December on the 52-home ShadowBrook community in Birmingham, a project of Growth by NCRC, the city and community partners. The new residential area will be in North Pratt, an area devastated by 2011 tornadoes.

MORE LIVING SPACE Doster Construction began work on a 350-unit multifamily project in Huntsville in early December. Virginia-based Bonaventure is developing and managing the property, called Attain at Bradford Creek.

HOT STUFF AT U.S. STEEL U.S. Steel says it’s on pace for its second-best financial year ever, with seamless pipe being manufactured through a new electric arc furnace at near maximum capacity. The furnace was a $412 million investment for the Birmingham company.

CONTRACTS KBR has been awarded a $156.7 million U.S. Army task order to support capabilities assessment and enhancements for the Army’s Black Hawk helicopter fleet. Work is expected to take place at KBR and partner facilities in Huntsville. Lockheed Martin is one of eight firms participating in a $431 million U.S. Army contract to build High Mobility Artillery Rocket

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 7

BENCHMARKS

Artemis 1, with a Huntsville pedigree, completes successful lunar test NASA’S SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM, a Huntsville-

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 16, 2022.

Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls.

designed rocket that the space agency calls the most powerful rocket in the world, completed its first test, an unmanned, 25-day trek past the moon and back. The Artemis 1 mission launched in mid-November from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and splashed down Dec. 11 off the coast of California.

Carrying the uncrewed Orion spacecraft, the SLS traveled about 40,000 miles beyond the Moon and returned to Earth.

The Artemis I mission was a test, with a crewed flight planned for the Artemis II mission.

“What an incredible sight to see NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft launch together for the first time. This uncrewed flight test will push Orion to the limits in the rigors of deep space, helping us prepare for human exploration on the Moon and, ultimately, Mars,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

B U S I N E S S Systems. Master Boat Builders, based in Coden in Mobile County, has been chosen to build two tugboats for Moran Towing Corp. in Connecticut.

CHARGE IT The state has set aside $2.45 million to develop EV charging stations along heavily traveled roads beyond interstates.

ACQUISITIONS AND MERGERS Thompson Holdings, based in Mobile, has added Louisianabased Meyer Engineers to its group, which includes Thompson Engineering, Watermark Design and Thompson Consulting Services.

Camping World has acquired Ashley Outdoors, a family-

Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville managed the SLS rocket development. In addition, Decatur’s United Launch Alliance, under contract with Boeing, and Huntsville’s Dynetics, among other companies, were involved in the Artemis program.

“It was an absolutely beautiful launch — visually and technically,” said John Shannon, vice president and program manager of Boeing’s SLS program. “This rocket controls incredible forces while speeding through the atmosphere. It performed the mission as we designed it to do, and we thank our team and partners for all their hard work in making this first launch a success.”

B R I E F S owned RV dealership in Salem.

This adds to Camping World’s existing Alabama locations in Calera, Dothan, Anniston and Robertsdale. Birmingham-based StoneRiver Company has acquired the 240-unit Terraces at Town Center in Jacksonville, Florida. Tampa-based Carter Multifamily has acquired the 252-unit Astoria Apartments on Grelot Road in Mobile.

Therapy Brands, a Birminghambased company specializing in technology for mental, behavioral and rehabilitative therapy practices, has acquired The Echo Group, a New Hampshire-based developer of a behavioral health-geared electronic record keeper.

Birmingham’s Waverly Advisors

8 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

has acquired Florida-based Wall Advisors.

NO WORKERS, NO CARS Mazda says it is having trouble attracting and keeping workers at the Alabama plant where it builds the CX-50, so the plant has been operating with just one shift and plans to add a second shift by the end of the year have been delayed.

SOMETHING TO CHARGE Hyundai has partnered with SK On as a source for electric vehicle batteries. Hyundai builds vehicles in Montgomery.

NEW AT THE TOP Cynthia Crutchfield has been named the first CEO of Innovate Alabama. Helena Duncan has been selected as president and

CEO of the Business Council of Alabama. Steven Clarke has been named CEO at Silver Ships in Mobile, a company he helped found. Rob Buddo has been chosen as president and CEO of Downtown Huntsville Inc. Buddo has been with REV Birmingham. Brooke Gillis has been chosen as CEO of Innovation Depot in Birmingham.

ON CAMPUS Ground was broken in late November for a U.S.D.A. soil research building on the Auburn University campus.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham received more than $715 million in research funding in the last year, up $67.8 million from the previous year.

BENCHMARKS

The Space Launch System rocket’s core stage forward assembly with 130-foot liquid hydrogen tank. Photo: NASA/Eric Bordelon.

Boeing awarded $3.2B NASA contract for more SLS rockets NASA

and BOEING’S HUNTSVILLE operations have finalized a $3.2 billion contract for additional core and upper stages of future Space Launch System rockets, designed to take future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. The contract was announced as the SLSpowered Artemis I mission head back to Earth from the far side of the Moon.

Boeing is to produce SLS core stages for Artemis III and Artemis IV, procure critical materials for Artemis V and VI and provide exploration upper stages for

B U S I N E S S UAB ranks among the top 5% of universities for federal research and development expenditures.

Montgomery’s Trenholm State Community College has opened a second truck driving school. With a gift from the Ari Desch family, the University of Alabama is kicking off a campaign to renovate Alston Hall, home of the Culverhouse College of Business.

WIND CREEK BULLISH ON CHICAGO Atmore-based Wind Creek Hospitality has signed a multi-year partnership with the Chicago Bulls as its official casino. The Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino and Resort will be built in East Hazel Crest and Homewood outside of

those two missions and perform related work.

The contract allows NASA to order up to 10 core stages and 8 exploration upper stages.

“NASA’s Space Launch System rocket is the only rocket capable of sending large cargos and soon, astronauts, to the Moon,” said John Honeycutt, SLS Program manager. “The SLS core stage is the backbone of NASA’s Moon rocket, producing more than 2 million pounds of thrust at launch, and the addition of

the exploration upper stage will enable NASA to support missions to deep space through the 2030s.”

The Artemis missions include landing humans on the Moon again, establishing moon exploration projects and preparing for deeper space exploration.

In the meantime, NASA reports, “Teams continue to make progress assembling and manufacturing core stages for Artemis II, III and IV. The Artemis II stage is scheduled to be completed and delivered to Kennedy in 2023. The engine section for Artemis III was recently loaded onto NASA’s Pegasus barge for delivery to Kennedy, where it will be outfitted and later integrated with the rest of the rocket.” 

B R I E F S Chicago. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians owns Wind Creek Hospitality.

SAY GOODBYE Mark Crosswhite, CEO of Alabama Power since 2014, has announced his retirement at the close of 2022.

BIGGER & BETTER Aerojet Rocketdyne is expanding its defense headquarters in Huntsville, adding a 379,000-squarefoot building to provide more manufacturing and office space.

Some of the firm’s work will be moving from Arkansas to Huntsville. Abbeville-based Great Southern Wood Preserving has announced plans to invest $13.7 million in

its plant in Irvington in Mobile County, improving its ability to move imports and exports through the nearby Port of Mobile. Eissmann Automotive is investing $3.4 million in advanced manufacturing equipment in its Pell City plant and adding 79 employees as it expands production.

TOOT! TOOT! Amtrak passenger rail and freight service will return to Mobile after a protracted battle between Amtrak and freight railroads, according to the Southern Rail Commission. No word, yet, on when.

WOOF! Shipt has forged a partnership with PetSmart, marking the 200th

partnership for the Birminghambased delivery company. Shipt will now deliver from more than 1,300 PetSmart stores across the country.

SPACE SHOTS Huntsville-based Orbital Assembly is now offering program and mission support services for payloads in the company’s micro and artificial gravity space stations, since the International Space Station has a backlog.

ORION SUCCESS During its first year in operation, Orion Amphitheatre in Huntsville hosted 25 ticketed concerts — three of them sold out — and sold some 109,000 tickets.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 9

BENCHMARKS

Business Alabama announces finalists for first-ever BA awards Forty businesses, business professionals and projects have been selected as finalists for the inaugural BUSINESS ALABAMA AWARDS. After taking nominations from the public, we chose finalists in seven categories. Five Lifetime Achievement winners also will be announced in January, and winners of the award categories will be named at a ceremony in Birmingham on March 3, 2023.

The finalists for the Business Alabama Awards are: LARGE COMPANY OF THE YEAR (300 EMPLOYEES OR MORE) › Airbus, Mobile › Austal USA, Mobile › Boeing, Huntsville › Mercedes-Benz, Vance › United Launch Alliance, Decatur SMALL COMPANY OF THE YEAR (299 EMPLOYEES OR FEWER) › Altaworx, Fairhope › Capstone Building Corp., Birmingham › CommentSold, Huntsville › Douglas Manufacturing, Pell City › Master Boat Builders, Coden CEO OF THE YEAR › Stephanie Bryan, Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Atmore › Josh Carpenter, Southern Research, Birmingham › Mark Crosswhite, Alabama Power, Birmingham › Bill Roark, Starfish Holdings, Huntsville › Tim Vines, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Birmingham

B U S I N E S S TAPE IT Aerobotix, based in Huntsville, has partnered with Austrian firm FerRobotics to develop the Active Taping Kit, which automates the taping required before a paint job on airplane parts.

ON YOUR MARK BUT NO PLACE TO GO February’s Mercedes-Benz Marathon in Birmingham will be the final one. The race and festivities Feb. 10-12 will be the marathon’s 21st. The event has raised more than $5 million for local charities.

INVESTMENT ALTERNATIVES Combining its own investment research group with the team from subsidiary Highland Associates, Regions Bank has started a multi-asset solutions

ALABAMA EX-PAT OF THE YEAR (Presented to someone raised or educated in Alabama who has succeeded outside the state) › Max Angerholzer, CEO of George & Barbara Bush Foundation, Mobile › Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, Robertsdale and Auburn University › Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin, University of Alabama › Tom Joyner, retired radio host and founder of Reach Media Inc., Tuskegee and Tuskegee University › Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, Huntsville and Auburn University STARTUP OF THE YEAR (Given to a company that either started, won a funding competition or participated in an accelerator in 2022) › The Insider: A Collective Eatery, Mobile › Repowr, Birmingham › Shipshape, Mobile › TaxxWiz, Birmingham › Zaden Technologies, Huntsville

PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITY OF THE YEAR (Presented for a company’s philanthropic project) › Christmas for Kids, Progress Rail, Albertville › Kicks for Kids, Listerhill Credit Union Foundation, Muscle Shoals › Helping Hands, Bank Independent, Sheffield › Hero Foundation, Harbert Management Corp., Birmingham › Protecting Good, Protective Life, Birmingham PROJECT OF THE YEAR (Given to the best overall project in 2022) › AuBix, Auburn › Drax pellet facility, Demopolis › HudsonAlpha greenhouse and educational space, Huntsville › Huntsville Airport approved to land Dream Chaser, Huntsville › Innovate Alabama, Montgomery › Mazda CX-50, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing in Madison › Orion Amphitheatre, Huntsville › Port of Mobile additions, Mobile › Space Launch System, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville › Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, Auburn 

B R I E F S group to consider options beyond stocks and bonds.

GOING PUBLIC Birmingham-based Oakworth Capital Bank is now trading publicly on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol OAKC. In a letter to shareholders, the bank encouraged shareholders to convert existing certificates to an electronic holding.

MORE BEER Gulf Distributing has opened a 170,000-square-foot warehouse in McCalla to serve a 12-county region around Birmingham.

Gulf has five distribution centers covering all of Alabama and parts of Florida and Mississippi.

INTERNATIONAL BAGGAGE Unclaimed Baggage in

10 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

Scottsboro has expanded its online store to include shipping to Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Unclaimed Baggage is the only merchant of lost luggage in the U.S., according to the store.

CONDO BUY A Texas investor paid $22 million cash for the Terry Cove complex in Orange Beach. The 24-acre development boasts a 240-unit condominium complex.

RAMPING IT UP The Mobile City Council is set to vote on a $4.9 million contract with Spain-based Adelete Ports to have a new gangway installed at the Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal. The project comes as Carnival Cruise Line plans to

resume cruises out of Mobile in October.

PREPPING FOR LIFTOFF The City of Decatur issued one permit for an $80 million building and another for a $60 million building, both part of United Launch Alliance’s planned expansion. Turner Construction is the builder of the project that broke ground in October.

SUB SET Austal USA, based in Mobile, has started work related to the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class and the future Columbia-class nuclearpowered submarine fleet.

The work is part of a strategic partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat.

BENCHMARKS

Mobile breaks ground on $300M airport project City, state and airport officials broke ground in December for a new terminal and parking structure at MOBILE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT — a project termed “transformational” by many of the speakers at the celebration.

The $330 million construction project is key to moving Mobile’s commercial air service from its present location on the far west side of the city to a location that’s convenient to two interstates and the rapidly growing Port of Mobile.

For a city that has lamented watching more than half its potential air travelers choose airports in Pensacola or Gulfport, the new location represents hope for more service, more destinations, more competition and lower fares.

Together with the deepening and widening of seaport facilities a stone’s throw away — “It’s the most transformational project ever undertaken by this community,” said Airport Authority President

Chris Curry.

He lauded U.S. Senator Richard Shelby for his role in creating the Transportation Demonstration Program, which provided $100 million earlier this year for airport and seaport improvements.

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said airport, Ready, set, build — from left, Airport Commissioner seaport and I-10 bridge Walter Bell, U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, Mobile Mayor Sandy improvements are a Stimpson, Gov. Kay Ivey, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby and Airport Board Chair Elliot Maisel. “trifecta” winner for and more revenue, making the city a betthe city, predicting a ter place to live and raise our children. payout worth billions of dollars for future Also calling the project “transformagenerations. tional,” Gov. Kay Ivey said, “Mobile Stimpson credited Shelby as the one holds the unique position of becoming person who turned these transportation the ultimate transportation hub, which plans from dream to reality. will benefit not just the state but also the Airport Board Chairman Elliot Maisel entire nation.” said the project would result in more jobs

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 11

ALABAMA STOCKS

BA stocks end in the black after rough quarter

by MARGOT CRABTREE

O

UR QUARTER, WHICH RAN FROM JULY 29, 2022, THROUGH NOV. 30, 2022, STARTED WITH A SELL-OFF. Inflation was the culprit, dogging Wall Street through our session as labor markets continued their strong showing and the Federal Reserve maintained its aggressive rate-raising, three-quarters of a point at a time.

Losses and gains marked the Business Alabama indices, but stock indexes ended in the black.

The Alabama Index added 48.56 points, or 2.10%, and closed at 2,360.71. Advancing issues squeaked past declining issues at an 8-to-7 count. The Comprehensive Index rose 21.53 points, or 1.08%, and ended at 2,021.69. However, declining issues bested advancing issues at a 28-to-26 count.

In August, a strong jobs report at the beginning of the month sent stocks on a downward spiral for most of the month. The Labor Department’s report of an additional 528,000 jobs in July shocked market-watchers. Economists were expecting 250,000 more jobs. Unemployment dropped to 3.5%, from 3.6%, in line with the five-decade low hit ahead of the pandemic. The jump in July jobs was followed by 315,000 more in August and 263,000 in September. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, showed that August’s number of available jobs, at 10.1 million, dropped substantially from July’s figure of 11.2 million.

In October, the JOLTS number was 10.3 million, down from September’s 10.7 million, but still high.

A slight mid-August upswing came from a Labor Department INDEX VALUE 11/30/22 BA Alabama Stock Index

2,360.71

BA Comprehensive Stock Index

2,021.69

Dow Jones Industrial Average

34,589.77

S&P 500 Index

4,080.11

NASDAQ Composite

11,468.00

report showing that the Producer Price Index declined 0.5% in July. It was the first month-over-month drop in more than two years, and it was down from the 1% increase from May to June.

There was no change in consumer inflation from June to July, which was the first unchanging inflationary trend in 25 consecutive months of upturns.

At the Fed’s annual symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, fed chief Jerome Powell said central bankers might ease rates “at some point,” but not soon. Employers are adding an average of 470,000 jobs a month, and unemployment is 3.5%, in line with a before-pandemic 50-year low. Consumer spending grew by 1.5%, but housing construction plummeted 16.2% as mortgage rates rose.

September began with a broad rally as job growth led investors to speculate that the Fed might stop raising rates so aggressively.

The rally was short-lived. When the month ended, the S&P 500 Index was down 9.3% for the month, the lowest since the pandemic hit in March, 2020.

The Federal Reserve, as widely expected, raised interest rates another three-quarters of a point, and Powell acknowledged that chances of a “soft landing” from upward-spiraling inflation seem less and less likely. The fuel for inflation now seems to be consumers’ steady purchasing and higher wages, rather than supply chain problems earlier. Inflation and rate hikes are taking a toll on the expansion of the economy. Three months ago, the Fed forecast growth this year at 1.7%; now it sees growth increasing at a sluggish 0.2%. A report from the Commerce Department showed that, despite inflation, spending increased INDEX VALUE NET PERCENT by 0.4% in August after dropping 0.2% 7/29/22 CHANGE CHANGE in July. Prices were up 6.2% from a year 2,312.15 48.56 2.10% earlier.

September manufacturing in the U.S. 2,000.16 21.53 1.08% slowed down; the Institute for Supply 32,845.13 1744.64 5.31% Management’s measure of manufacturing 4,130.29 -50.18 -1.21% employment shrank for the fourth time in 12,390.69 -922.69 -7.45% 2022.

The Conference Board reported that its October consumer confidence index slid to 102.5, following September’s 107.8 and COMPREHENSIVE INDEX** August’s 103.6. It fell again in November, Lockheed Martin Corp. 71.38 down to 100.2, the lowest since July.

Steris Corp. --39.91 The Commerce Department reported that August retail sales increased by 0.3%, Sanmina-SCI Corp. 43.52% from a decline of 0.4% in July. They Endo International --83.02% remained the same from August to SepAdvancers: 26 tember, another indication that inflation is making the consumer more cautious. The Decliners: 28

MARKET HIGHLIGHTS ALABAMA INDEX* LARGEST $ GAINER

Hibbett Sporting Goods Inc. 19.74

TOP $ LOSER

ServisFirst Bancshares Inc. -- 9.63

LARGEST % GAINER

Hibbett Sporting Goods Inc. 42.07%

TOP % LOSER

Medical Properties Trust Inc. -- 23.90%

INDEX RECAP

{

Advancers: 8 Decliners: 7

Source: Trade Trends, (509) 280-3896

12 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

AL ABAMA STOCKS

Alabama Stocks EXCHANGE

TICKER SYMBOL

COMPANY NAME

PRICE 11/30/22

PRICE 7/29/22

NET CHANGE

PERCENT CHANGE

52WEEK HIGH

52WEEK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

MARKET ($000) CAPITALIZATION

NASD

ADTN

Adtran Holdings Inc.

20.27

24.09

-3.82

-15.86%

25.47

16.30

77,660

1,574,168

NASD

AUBN

Auburn National Bancorporation Inc.

22.51

27.20

-4.69

-17.24%

37.11

21.77

3,500

78,785

NASD

CPSI

Computer Programs & Systems Inc.

29.60

33.76

-4.16

-12.32%

35.50

25.33

14,510

429,496

NASD

ROAD

Construction Partners Inc.

28.60

23.78

4.82

20.27%

35.88

18.89

41,340

1,182,324

NASD

CULL

Cullman Bancorp Inc.

11.25

11.07

0.18

1.63%

12.97

10.40

7,410

83,363

NYSE

EHC

Encompass Health Corp.

58.48

50.62

7.86

15.53%

59.36

42.19

99,790

5,835,719

NASD

FUSB

First US Bancshares Inc.

8.39

9.89

-1.50

-15.17%

12.00

6.46

5,810

48,746

NASD

HIBB

Hibbett Sporting Goods Inc.

66.66

46.92

19.74

42.07%

82.71

39.58

12,810

853,915

NYSE

MPW

Medical Properties Trust Inc.

13.12

17.24

-4.12

-23.90%

24.13

9.90

598,000

7,845,760

NYSE

PRA

ProAssurance Corp.

19.99

22.13

-2.14

-9.67%

27.55

18.35

53,960

1,078,660

NYSE

RF

Regions Financial Corp.

23.21

21.18

2.03

9.58%

25.57

18.01

934,450

21,688,585

NASD

SFBS

ServisFirst Bancshares Inc.

75.82

85.45

-9.63

-11.27%

97.25

68.55

54,320

4,118,542

NASD

SSBK

Southern States Bancshares Inc.

29.09

23.50

5.59

23.79%

30.50

19.00

8,710

253,374

NYSE

VMC

Vulcan Materials Co.

183.33

165.33

18.00

10.89%

213.65

137.54

132,910

24,366,390

NYSE

HCC

Warrior Met Coal Inc.

36.82

31.93

4.89

15.31%

42.95

20.25

51,650

1,901,753

Labor Department reported that wholesale inflation rose 0.4% in September from a month previous — a larger-than-expected increase — after two months of falling. The Producer Price Index was 8.5% ahead of a year ago. Inflation still dominates: the Commerce Department reported that a key measure tracked by the Federal Reserve was high, and that prices rose 6.2% in September compared to a year ago. It was the same year-over-year rate as in August. After two consecutive quarters of decline, the Commerce Department said that the gross domestic product in the U.S. grew at a 2.6% annual rate in the third quarter, better than expected.

As our quarter wound to a close, markets rallied on the last day after Fed chief Powell said the central bankers could ease up on their interest rate-raising pace, perhaps as soon as December.

The October jobs report showed a still-expanding labor market, though the overall increase of 261,000 was down from September’s 325,000, showing that the pace of hiring might be cooling somewhat. Even so, hiring was stronger than economists expected. The unemployment rate for the month rose to 3.7% from September’s 3.5%.

“You have an economy that almost refuses to keel over, an economy that at its core is resilient, but at the same time inflation is easing and that is what the Fed wants and that’s obviously what the market wants,” said Quincy Krosby, chief equity strategist for LPL Financial.

Hibbett Sports was our top dollar and percentage gainer in the Alabama Index this quarter, despite missing estimates for its fiscal third quarter. HIBB posted net income of $25.6 million, or $1.94 per share, versus net income of $25.2 million, or $1.68 per share, in the year-ago quarter. Sales were $433.2 million, compared to last year’s 381.7 million. The consensus estimate from analysts was for earnings of $2.47 per share, and sales of $445.73 million.

Analysts at Banc of America Securities boosted their rating on

Hibbett to “buy” from “neutral,” with a price target of $75. HIBB jumped 19.74 points, or 42.07%, and closed at 66.66.

ServisFirst fell 9.63 points, or 11.27%, after missing analyst estimates on earnings. For its third quarter, SFBS posted earnings of $64 million, or $1.17 per share. Revenue was $119.8 million, 2.2% ahead of analysts’ expectations. Earnings per share was 4.6% below estimates. SFBS ended at 75.82, and was the top dollar loser.

Vulcan Materials came out ahead, adding 18 points even, or 10.89%. For its third quarter, VMC earned $1.78 per share, compared to year-ago earnings of $1.54 per share. Analysts polled

by Zacks expected $1.71 per share. Revenue was $2.09 billion, versus last year’s $1.52 billion. Revenue was 4.45% ahead of estimates. VMC closed at 183.33 and was our second dollar gainer.

Margot Crabtree covers stocks for Business Alabama, under contract with her company, Trade Trends.

Update on Alabama Stocks 16,000 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 7/31/21

11/30/21

7/30/22

11/30/22

n Comprehensive n Index AL Index n S&P Index n NASDAQ

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 13

AL ABAMA STOCKS

EXCHANGE

TICKER SYMBOL

COMPANY NAME

PRICE 11/30/22

PRICE 7/29/22

NET CHANGE

PERCENT CHANGE

52WEEK HIGH

52WEEK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

MARKET ($000) CAPITALIZATION

NYSE

MMM

3M

125.97

143.24

-17.27

-12.06%

181.78

107.07

552,740

69,628,658

OTC

EADSF

Airbus Group

112.67

105.47

7.20

6.83%

137.46

82.66

787,560

88,734,385

ASX

ASB

Austal Limited

NYSE

BHE

Benchmark Electronics Inc.

NYSE

BA

Boeing Co.

NYSE

CRS

NYSE

1.63

1.87

-0.24

-12.83%

1.89

1.15

356,500

581,095

28.87

25.58

3.29

12.86%

30.00

21.11

35,180

1,015,647

178.88

159.31

19.57

12.28%

229.67

113.02

595,980

106,608,902

Carpenter Technology Corp.

41.06

32.14

8.92

27.75%

44.96

24.76

48,440

1,988,946

CSTM

Constellium N.V.

12.45

14.63

-2.18

-14.90%

20.85

9.82

144,300

1,796,535

NYSE

DXC

DXC Technology Co.

29.67

31.60

-1.93

-6.11%

39.65

22.65

230,060

6,825,880

NYSE

EMR

Emerson Electric Co.

95.77

90.07

5.70

6.33%

100.00

72.41

591,400

56,638,378

OTC

ENDPQ

Endo International

0.09

0.53

-0.44

-83.02%

5.84

0.08

235,200

21,168

NYSE

GL

Globe Life Inc.

119.96

100.73

19.23

19.09%

118.50

85.25

97,270

11,668,509

NYSE

GT

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

11.22

12.28

-1.06

-8.63%

24.17

9.76

282,860

3,173,689

NYSE

IP

International Paper Co.

37.12

42.77

-5.65

-13.21%

50.23

30.69

355,670

13,202,470

NASD

INAB

IN8bio Inc.

1.74

2.54

-0.80

-31.50%

8.25

1.38

24,500

42,630

NYSE

J

Jacobs Solutions

126.54

137.30

-10.76

-7.84%

150.32

106.78

126,330

15,985,798

NYSE

JCI

Johnson Controls Inc.

66.44

53.91

12.53

23.24%

81.77

45.52

686,700

45,624,348

NYSE

LMT

Lockheed Martin Corp.

485.19

413.81

71.38

17.25%

494.66

328.20

262,070

127,153,743

NYSE

MAA

Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc.

164.88

185.73

-20.85

-11.23%

231.63

141.13

115,480

19,040,342

TOR

NFI

NFI Group Inc.

7.37

10.75

-3.38

-31.44%

16.00

6.42

62,420

460,035

NYSE

NOC

Northrop Grumman Corp.

533.29

478.90

54.39

11.36%

556.27

345.91

153,910

82,078,664

NYSE

NUE

Nucor Corp.

149.95

135.80

14.15

10.42%

187.90

88.50

256,540

38,468,173

NYSE

PNC

PNC Financial Services Group Inc.

168.26

165.94

2.32

1.40%

228.14

143.52

403,320

67,862,623

NYSE

PII

Polaris Industries Inc.

114.06

117.28

-3.22

-2.75%

127.37

91.86

57,960

6,610,918

NYSE

RTX

Raytheon Technologies Corp.

98.72

93.21

5.51

5.91%

106.02

79.00

1,470,000

145,118,400

NASD

SANM

Sanmina-SCI Corp.

66.09

46.05

20.04

43.52%

69.28

35.36

57,430

3,795,549

NYSE

SO

Southern Co.

67.64

76.89

-9.25

-12.03%

80.57

60.71

1,090,000

73,727,600

NYSE

SR

Spire Inc.

74.10

75.24

-1.14

-1.52%

79.24

59.60

52,500

3,890,250

NYSE

SCS

Steelcase Inc.

NYSE

STE

Steris Corp.

NYSE

SNV

Synovus Financial Corp.

NYSE

TDY

Teledyne Technologies Inc.

NYSE

TFC

NASD

7.93

11.13

-3.20

-28.75%

12.93

6.52

92,310

732,018

185.74

225.65

-39.91

-17.69%

255.93

159.21

99,820

18,540,567

42.13

40.38

1.75

4.33%

54.40

34.15

145,460

6,128,230

420.10

391.40

28.70

7.33%

493.97

325.00

46,870

19,690,087

Truist Financial

46.81

50.47

-3.66

-7.25%

68.95

40.01

1,330,000

62,257,300

TRMK

Trustmark Corp.

36.58

32.47

4.11

12.66%

38.47

26.67

60,950

2,229,551

NYSE

TSN

Tyson Foods Inc.

66.28

88.01

-21.73

-24.69%

100.72

62.94

289,580

19,193,362

NYSE

X

United States Steel Corp.

26.29

23.65

2.64

11.16%

39.25

16.41

234,270

6,158,958

NYSE

VFC

VF Corp.

32.82

44.68

-11.86

-26.54%

78.17

26.46

388,570

12,752,867

NYSE

WWR

Westwater Resources Inc.

1.15

1.23

-0.08

-6.50%

3.03

1.00

48,070

55,281

NYSE

WRK

WestRock Co.

37.92

42.36

-4.44

-10.48%

54.78

30.08

254,460

9,649,123

NASD

WTW

Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Co.

246.16

206.94

39.22

18.95%

244.73

187.89

108,240

26,644,358

14 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 15

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

A LASTING LEGACY

Alabama business and education leaders reflect on Sen. Richard Shelby’s impact on the state’s burgeoning economy

By NEDRA BLOOM — Photo by MIKE KITTRELL

I

f Alabama is prospering, thank retiring U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby.

That’s the refrain from the coast to the mountains among those responsible for economic and industrial development.

While representing the state in the U.S. Senate for six terms — 36 years — preceded by work as an attorney, roles in state government and eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Shelby has earned a reputation as one who can understand the issues, work across the aisle to get things done and look ahead with a clear vision of what the state can achieve in the future.

Ask in Huntsville, they’ll tell you his support of space and defense is critical to that entire region. Ask in Montgomery or Tuscaloosa or Lincoln or Huntsville, Sen. Richard Shelby, shown here in his official portrait, has and they’ll tell you federal represented Alabama in Washington, D.C., for 44 years. dollars for roads and public works made it possible to atwaterways to reach the whole Alabama tract an automotive industry economy. that thrives today in the state’s heartland.

And all of them will tell you that Ask at the universities and they’ll tell you without Richard Shelby, the economy just that federal support helps educate today’s wouldn’t be what it is today. students to meet the needs of growing inBusiness Alabama asked key individdustries. And ask in Mobile and hear the uals around the state for their examples story of phenomenal growth at the port of Shelby’s impact. Here’s what they had — how it impacts the Port City and then to say. jumps on trains and interstates and inland

16 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

CHIP CHERRY President & CEO, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce “Sen. Shelby has been a blessing to us in the sense that he has the ability to see how the different pieces of the puzzle are scattered about and what can be brought together to benefit both the country and the state.”

Cherry’s favorite example is at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal, centerpiece of the space and defense work and more recently of the FBI’s Southern headquarters. “He saw the synergies between what was happening at Redstone and what the FBI was doing” and helped bring the FBI. The move “allows for collaboration among federal partners on the same campus,” he says.

Shelby, he says, “has been a strong advocate, informing his colleagues of the value of what happens at Redstone and making the case for how investment there benefits the entire country. And that benefits us as a region.”

“I believe in my heart that he’s more of a statesman than a politician — able to work across party lines to make a case and build consensus. That’s an unusual thing to happen in D.C. these days.”

G OV E R N M E N T & P O L I T I C S

FINIS ST. JOHN IV Chancellor, University of Alabama System “Sen. Shelby recognized and strongly believed from early on in his career that education and higher education were the ways that the state could advance. He has been a tireless supporter of higher education, research, health care — all of which are integral to our mission at the University of Alabama System.

“It’s hard to list all the ways he’s helped advance our mission, but nobody in anyone’s memory has been more important to that.”

And why is higher education important to the state’s economy?

“It’s the pipeline for the people that execute our economy,” St. John says. “If we do a better job at generating that raw material, then every entity in the state is better off, every business, government, all areas of the economy do better with higher equality results from higher education.

“Every time you talk to a business leader right now, the biggest problem they face is workforce. Nobody has enough people and they don’t have qualified people. Not only are we trying to address that with Alabama students but also by bringing in out-of-state students and then working with government and industry to entice them to stay in Alabama.”

Shelby’s influence goes well beyond higher education and research funding, St. John notes. “It hasn’t been piecemeal, but comprehensive.”

Shelby was a family friend as St. John was growing up, and he considers the senator “a dear friend, mentor and advisor, whose wisdom I’ve been very fortunate to benefit from for a long time.”

GREG BARKER President, Economic Development Partnership of Alabama “We’re in a global economy right now, so having somebody like Sen. Shelby, who is a constant advocate for the right federal policies that position the United States for growth and as a good place to do busines, that’s paramount.”

“He was an aggressive advocate for a

wide range of elements that made the U.S. a better place to live and work.

That’s where you start,” says Barker.

“When you think of business growth and He was an aggressive development, advocate for a wide you have to have the range of elements that right inframade the U.S. a better structure and place to live and work. that infrastructure is That’s where you start.” expensive. It — GREG BARKER takes federal money to build roads and water systems and everything.”

Shelby was particularly good at “making sure Alabama is aware of the federal programs and very competitive to be able to receive federal money and put it to good use for Alabamians.”

Shelby, he says, “was Sen. Shelby turns a a very distinguished and shovelful of earth at the groundbreaking for influential U.S. senator, Mobile’s new airport. and that put him in a lot of interesting rooms with nomic engines and the infrastructure that interesting people — and he was consisdrives our economy.” tently an advocate for Alabama, sugCanfield calls out examples across the gesting that people consider it for future state — the port with the most container growth for their company.” traffic in its history; the universities with Barker especially respects the senator’s expanding research that gives homerole in getting roadbuilding funds that engrown and out-of-state students the tools abled the establishment of Mercedes-Benz they need for knowledge-based careers; U.S. International in Tuscaloosa County the support of NASA and Marshall Space and water system funding that enabled Flight Center, saying, “He really helped the Honda plant in Talladega County. firmly plant that flag for future growth in “I don’t think it’s an exaggeration at all space and missile defense.” to say that Alabama’s advanced manufacMost recently, Canfield notes the turing success — for the auto industry choice of Huntsville for a new Southern alone — is due to him.”

FBI campus, which already has thoughts of expanding. “Having thousands of FBI GREG CANFIELD employees in Huntsville is no small matSecretary, Alabama ter,” he says, with their high-wage, highly Department of Commerce skilled jobs.

“He has taken a long view and a really “From my perspective, what’s most broad view in his support and legacy,” impressive about Sen. Shelby’s legacy in Canfield says. “I don’t think people fully Alabama is his impact on Alabama’s ecoappreciate that legacy.”

‘

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 17

G OV E R N M E N T & P O L I T I C S

JOHN DRISCOLL Director and CEO, Alabama Port Authority Alabama’s seaport may be at the Southern tip of the state, but its impact is definitely statewide, says the port authority’s John Driscoll.

And thanks to Sen. Richard Shelby, that impact is growing by leaps and bounds.

Driscoll talks about Shelby’s vision, recalling the senator’s story about how he came to lead the charge for a bigger and stronger port. As Driscoll tells it, some 20 years ago, Sen. Shelby visited Singapore — a tiny Southeast Asian city-state with about the same population as Alabama.

During the visit, he saw work in progress to deepen and widen port channels to attract more seaborne commerce — the lifeblood of the country’s economy.

And he thought, as Driscoll tells it, if

18 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

Singapore can do it, why can’t Alabama?

After all, Mobile has been a seaport since the French arrived 300 years ago.

“We were a port, but not a major port able to handle changes in the industry as the Panama Canal got wider and deeper.” After talking with Jimmy Lyons, port director until his retirement two years ago, Shelby set port improvements as a priority for himself. Collaboration between local and federal officials scooted the project through permitting and funding hoops so that it began work last year and should be done in 2025 — ahead of schedule.

From the standpoint of the port itself, “the importance is generational. It allows this port to be on the map for many generations to come.” The improvements enabled

by Shelby are “his signature development that he’s allowed us to move forward.”

The port’s impact isn’t limited to Mobile, Driscoll asserts. A recent study showed a three-fold increase in economic

impact from 2019 to 2021 and links 313,000 jobs — one out of every seven in the state — to activity at the port. Beyond the channel improvements and repeated expansions to container handling, the port is at work now on an intermodal facility in Montgomery with direct rail access and has plans for another in Birmingham and perhaps yet another at the north end of the state.

“We are very fortunate to have powerhouses like Sen. Shelby who understand these things,” as well as local officials working together. “They see we can have a positive impact on the people who live here.”

What Sen. Shelby has done for the port — and therefore citizens across Alabama — Driscoll asserts, is nothing short of “phenomenal.”

Nedra Bloom is a writer-editor on the staff of Business Alabama and Mike Kittrell is a freelance contributor. Both are based in Mobile.

G OV E R N M E N T & P O L I T I C S

Alabama State Sen. David Sessions at his farm in Grand Bay in Mobile County.

Farmers in the Legislature Lessons from the land inform state policy

By JANE NICHOLES — Photo by DAN ANDERSON

A

labama agriculture interests are well represented in the Legislature even if full-time farmers are few and far between. Only one House member lists “farmer” as all or part of his occupation, but seven of the state’s 35 senators do.

“I think the numbers may be a little bit misleading, because a lot of the guys that do have agriculture interests also have other interests,” says Sen. David Sessions, who with his brother runs arguably the largest and most diversified farm among them.

“One of our farmers has a truck company. One of our farmers is an OB/GYN. Another farmer is an anesthesiologist.

Another farmer that was in the poultry business, he’s a developer. Most of our

agriculture folks have other jobs.”

Regardless of how much time they may spend actually working crops, fields, orchards, cattle or timber, they are often involved with family farms that go back at least a few generations.

Sessions’ father started the family farm with a Veterans Administration loan when he came home from serving in World War II. Today, Sessions Farm encompasses 2,800 acres in the Grand Bay area of Mobile County, running to the Mississippi state line.

Row crops are cotton and peanuts.

On 150 acres of produce are watermelon, cantaloupe and tomatoes. There are 300 acres devoted to pecan trees, 30 acres of citrus and 200 beef cattle. A retail farmer’s market is also in the family.

The diversity protects against a bad year for one or more areas and fluctuating market prices, Sessions says. In 2022, for example, the produce did well in the spring, but summer’s rainy weather hurt the pecan crop and cotton. Cotton prices were up and down.

“I sold cotton as high as $1.33 [per pound] this year, but I sold some as cheap as 82 cents, too,” Sessions says. “The $1.33 is decent profit. The 82 is basically losing a dime.”

Rep. Mike Holmes, who lives outside Wetumpka, retired from the Legislature in 2022 in part because of age and in part because he believes in term limits. Now 80, Holmes was born in the front parlor of the family homestead and farm in Crenshaw County during WWII. More January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 19

G OV E R N M E N T & P O L I T I C S

‘

than 100 years old, the farm is officially designated an Alabama Centennial Farm.

While Holmes’ brother manages the farm devoted to pastureland and cattle, Mike Holmes went into corporate agri-business, starting out as a sales representative and retiring twice as CEO of corporations involved with agricultural genetics. He and his wife now manage timber assets in which they invested along the way.

“Farmers tend to be their own bosses,” Holmes says. “If they see things that they don’t like, the way the country’s going or the county’s going or the state’s going, they’re the first to raise their hands and say, ‘I think I can help fix this.’ And that’s when they run for office.”

Nationally, however, the number of farmers serving in state legislatures has dropped by nearly half over the last 30 years, according to Todd Makse, associate professor and director of undergraduate studies at Florida International University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

In Alabama, Makse’s research shows that the proportion of farmers in the Alabama Legislature dropped from 3% to 1.5% over the same period. Those numbers include ranchers and cattle farmers, but not people in “agriculture-adjacent” businesses who identify as businesspeople first, Makse told Business Alabama in an email.

“It could be that fewer farmers are running for office, fewer farmers are winning when they do run, or that persons with a farming background and other professional pursuits are more likely to self-identify with the other category,” he says.

AGRICULTURE ISSUES Agriculture issues are almost certain to be on the 2023 legislative agenda. Here are some of the key topics.

FERAL SWINE

Sessions doesn’t mince words about how he would like to resolve the problem of wild hogs destroying crops. “I think we need to classify them as an invasive species and a nuisance. That’s a step in the right direction. They need to be taken out by 20 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

We’ve had issues up here with accidents. I think farmers are doing their best not to be on the highway at busy times because it’s just as much a headache for them.”

— SEN. JOSH CARNLEY

any means necessary.”

Feral swine are prolific and particularly partial to pecans and peanuts, Sessions says. They have no natural predators.

“They’re not as bad up north as they are along the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.”

He estimates they cost his farm thousands of dollars every year, despite fencing off crops as well as trapping and shooting the hogs. And during deer season, feral swine cannot be hunted at night.

Sessions thinks Alabama should work with other coastal states, especially Texas, which is developing technology in hopes of poisoning or sterilizing them. One possibility is feeders with sensors that would identify wild hogs by shape and block access to creatures like deer and bears. Such a plan would require educating hunters about recognizing and not butchering a hog that may have been poisoned.

“The only way you’re ever going to control them is to eradicate them,” he says.

Newly elected Sen. Josh Carnley says wild hogs also cause trouble on his family farm in Coffee and Escambia counties.

Carnley lives on the farm in the Ino community in Coffee County.

“On our farm, we shoot hogs. We go out at night. We have a permit,” he says.

Still, the hogs can’t be hunted at night during deer season.

Carnley, a former Coffee County commissioner, says neighboring farmers need to work together to prevent feral swine from migrating to a neighboring property if one farmer drives them away.

A partner in running his family farm, Carnley mainly handles the books and other finances. He started an insurance

agency after college that focused on agriculture insurance but later added partners and other specialties. He remains focused on farm, agriculture and crop insurance.

The farm encompasses 900 acres of soybeans, 300 acres of corn and 200 acres of cotton. It also has 75 head of cattle.

FARMERS ON THE HIGHWAY

“One of the issues we’re facing down here is farm equipment on highways,” Carnley says. “I know down in Mobile and Baldwin counties it’s a bigger issue, but it is over here, too. Farmers are being viewed more as a nuisance now because you’re on the highway with this larger equipment.”

The conflict is between slow-moving farm equipment and increasing traffic from tourists and new residents. Farmers also are using larger pieces of equipment that can do more and cover more territory, partly in response to labor shortages, Carnley says.

“We’ve had issues up here with accidents. I think farmers are doing their best not to be on the highway at busy times because it’s just as much a headache for them,” Carnley says.

But while farmers try to stay off major highways, tourists are trying to find shortcuts to avoid heavy traffic and they wind up speeding down county roads. “We get a lot of beach traffic passing through headed to Panama City or Destin,” Carnley says.

In the past, farmers and motorists showed more respect for each other, he says. Now the issue has become one of public safety.

BUSINESS LICENSES AND RIGHT-TO-REPAIR

“We’ve done a lot in recent years to alleviate economic hardship on farmers. Last session we had some things on business licensures,” says Sen. Andrew Jones.

Jones says he was able to pass a local bill exempting farms from needing business licenses, and subsequently the bill was duplicated statewide.

Jones’ family had a dairy farm in Cherokee County that was founded by his grandfather and later taken over by his mother. Jones still lives on the farm in Centre, but derives most of his own income from a coffee factory he started

that roasts coffee to sell wholesale to supermarkets and to online customers.

He notes, however, that good coffee beans won’t grow in the United States outside of Hawaii.

The family changed course in about 2011, transitioning to beef cattle.

“At one time there were several thousand dairies in the state of Alabama.

When we got out of the dairy business and transitioned to a beef cattle operation, we were one of 26 left in the state.”

Small dairy farms simply couldn’t compete with large operations of 2,000 or 3,000 head that were more profitable because of economies of scale, Jones says.

Today his parents operate a farmers’ market while he, his brother and his sister run about 200 head of “mama cows” on 570 acres. They also grow their own hay and have some timber. Most calves are sold.

Although it’s more a federal issue than a state one, Jones says he thinks farmers deserve to repair their equipment without being tied up by warranties or other regulations and restrictions such as the required use of licensed repair people.

“Going back a hundred years or better, farmers have always been able to repair their own equipment or get their neighbor to help them or whatever,” he says.

While Jones would like to look at state legislation on that topic, it might be difficult to draw up something that could conflict with other states or federal regulations.

FUEL COSTS, INFLATION AND FERTILIZER

Alabama farmers are fighting higher costs for fertilizer and diesel fuel, the legislators say. Jones notes that some fertilizer ingredients come from Ukraine and the Russian invasion has driven up costs. Diesel fuel is often needed to run equipment, while general inflation has affected farmers, just like everyone else. Again, what can be done on the state level is unclear.

Overall, Sessions describes farming as having one thing in common with the Legislature and the game of football.

“There’s always next season.”

Jane Nicholes and Dan Anderson are freelance contributors to Business Alabama. She is based in Daphne and he in Mobile.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 21

Alabama’s Constitutional Officers GOVERNOR KAY IVEY

LIEUTENANT GOV. WILL AINSWORTH

State Capitol

11 S. Union St. # 725

600 Dexter Ave.

Montgomery, AL 36130

Montgomery, AL 36130

334-261-9590

334-242-7100

ltgov.alabama.gov

Fax: 334-353-0004 governor.alabama.gov

SECRETARY OF STATE WES ALLEN

STATE AUDITOR ANDREW SORRELL

600 Dexter Ave.

600 Dexter Ave.

Suite S-105

Room S-101

Montgomery, AL 36130

Montgomery, AL 36130

334-242-7200

334-242-7010

Fax: 334-242-4993

Fax: 334-242-7650

sos.alabama.gov

auditor.alabama.gov

ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE MARSHALL

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE & INDUSTRIES — RICK PATE

STATE TREASURER YOUNG BOOZER III

501 Washington Ave. Montgomery, AL 36104 334-242-7300 / Fax: 334-242-4891 alabamaag.gov

1445 Federal Drive Montgomery, AL 36107 334-240-7100 / Fax: 334-240-7190 agi.alabama.gov

600 Dexter Ave., Room S-106 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-242-7500 treasury.alabama.gov

22 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

G OV E R N M E N T

Alabama’s Congressional Members SENATOR

SENATOR

1800 5th Ave. N. 321 Federal Building Birmingham, AL 35203 202-224-5744 britt.senate.gov

Russell Senate Office Building Suite 142 Washington, DC 20510 202-224-4124 tuberville.senate.gov Frank M. Johnson Jr. Annex One Church St., Ste. 500-B Montgomery, AL 36104 334-523-7424

U.S. SENATORS

KATIE BRITT (R)

Chief of Staff: Clay Armentrout Communications Director: Sean Ross

Photo by AP Images

Committees: Armed Services; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Veterans’ Affairs; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chief of Staff: Mary Blanche Hankey Communications Director: Ryann DuRant

ROBERT ADERHOLT (R)

JERRY CARL (R)

District 4: Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Lawrence, Marion, Marshall, Walker and parts of Lauderdale & Tuscaloosa

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES

TOMMY TUBERVILLE (R)

BARRY MOORE (R) District 1: Baldwin, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe and Washington counties

266 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-4876/Fax: 202-225-5587 aderholt.house.gov 247 Carl Elliot Building 1710 Alabama Ave. Jasper, AL 35501 205-221-2310/Fax: 205-221-9035 Committees: Appropriations Chief of Staff: Kerry Knott Press Secretary: Carson Clark

1330 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-4931 carl.house.gov 41 W I-65 Service Rd. Mobile, AL 36608 251-283-6280

MIKE ROGERS (R)

TERRI SEWELL (D) District 3: Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Lee, Macon, Randolph, Russell, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa & parts of Chilton

2469 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-3261 / Fax: 202-226-8485 mikerogers.house.gov 149 E. Hamric Dr., Ste. D Oxford, AL 36203 256-236-5655/Fax: 844-635-4276 Committees: Armed Services; Homeland Security Chief of Staff: Christopher Brinson Communications Director: Justine Sanders

Committees: Armed Services, Natural Resources Chief of Staff: Chad Carlough Deputy Chief of Staff: Zach Weidlich

GARY PALMER (R)

District 2: Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Pike & parts of Montgomery

1504 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-2901 217 Graceland Dr., Ste. 5 Dothan, AL 36305 Phone: 334-794-9680

Committees: Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs Chief of Staff: Shana Teehan Communications Director: Bradley Jaye

DALE STRONG (R) District 7: Clarke, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Wilcox, and parts of Jefferson, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa

2201 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-2665 / Fax: 202-226-9567 sewell.house.gov 908 Alabama Ave., Fed. Building, Ste. 112 Selma, AL 36701 334-877-4414 / Fax: 334-877-4489 Committees: Ways & Means Chief of Staff: Hillary Beard Press Secretary: Christopher Kosteva

District 5: Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Morgan and parts of Lauderdale

1337 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-4801 strong.house.gov 2101 W. Clinton Ave., Ste. 302 Huntsville, AL 35805 256-551-0190 Chief of Staff: Payne Griffin District Director: Dylan Smith

District 6: Bibb, Blount, Shelby and parts of Chilton & Jefferson

170 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-4921/Fax: 202-225-2082 palmer.house.gov 3535 Grandview Pkwy., Ste. 525 Birmingham, AL 35243 205-968-1290/Fax: 205-968-1294 Committees: Republican Policy, Energy & Commerce Chief of Staff: William Smith Communications Director: Kris Cook Alabama Congressional Races: Total Amounts Raised Listed in order of amounts raised Robert Aderholt (R) $1,522,001 Doug Bell (I) $7,681 Will Boyd (D) $128,406 Katie Britt (R) $11,271,267 Jerry Carl (R) $1,187,763 Johnny Cochran (L) $6,719 Phyllis Harvey-Hall (D) $54,403 Barry Moore (R) $869,822 Rick Neighbors (D) $22,648 Beatrice Nichols (R) $47,729 Gary Palmer (R) $1,202,671 Mike Rogers (R) $2,171,440 Terri Sewell (D) $2,318,405 Jonathan Smith (L) $12,431 Dale Strong (R) $1,920,670 Lin Veasey (D) $9,968 Kathy Warner-Stanton (D) $85,150

Based on Federal Election Commission data available electronically on Dec. 11, 2022.

Sources: Center for Responsive Politics, opensecrets.org

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 23

G OV E R N M E N T

Alabama’s State Senate

Compiled by NEDRA BLOOM

SENATOR/PARTY/ DISTRICT

DONNIE CHESTEEN

CLYDE CHAMBLISS SAM GIVHAN

THOMAS BUTLER

BILLY BEASLEY CHRIS ELLIOTT

VIVIAN DAVIS FIGURES

GERALD ALLEN LINDA COLEMAN-MADISON

Listed in alphabetical order.

MERIKA COLEMAN

General address to reach all state senators in Montgomery is Alabama Legislature 11 S. Union St. Montgomery, AL 36130

GREG ALBRITTON

MOST SENATE PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION OF COOPERATIVES

MONTGOMERY/ DISTRICT PHONE

DISTRICT ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS

GREG ALBRITTON, R Attorney 22: Washington, Monroe, Clarke, Baldwin, Escambia

251-937-0240 334-261-0785

810 S. Pensacola Ave., Atmore, AL 36502 galbritton@att.net

GERALD ALLEN, R 21: Tuscaloosa, Pickens, Lamar

Owner, Cashco Marketing

334-261-0861

PO Box 70007, Tuscaloosa, AL 35407 gerald.allen@alsenate.gov

WILL BARFOOT, R 25: Crenshaw, Elmore, Montgomery

Attorney

334-261-0895

11 S. Union St., Ste. 733, Montgomery, AL 36130 will.barfoot@alsenate.gov

BILLY BEASLEY, D 28: Russell, Macon, Bullock, Barbour, Henry, Houston

President, Pratts Station LLC

334-775-7657 334-261-0868

PO Box 606, Clayton, AL 36016 billy.beasley@alsenate.gov

LANCE BELL, R 11: Talladega, St. Clair, Shelby

Attorney

No phone listed

lance.bell@alsenate.gov

TOM BUTLER, R 2: Madison, Limestone

Pharmacist

256-539-5441 334-261-0884

PO Box 653, Madison, AL 35758 senbutler@aol.com

JOSH CARNLEY, R 31: Pike, Coffee, Dale, Covington

Insurance, farmer

No phone listed

josh.carnley@alsenate.gov

CLYDE CHAMBLISS JR., R 30: Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa, Chilton, Autauga

Principal Engineer, Chambliss Engneering

334-261-0872

clyde.chambliss@alsenate.gov

DONNIE CHESTEEN, R 29: Dale, Geneva, Houston

High school coach

334-261-0890

PO Box 39, Geneva, AL 36340 donnie.chesteen@alsenate.gov

MERIKA COLEMAN, D 19: Jefferson

Miles College faculty

No phone listed

merika.coleman@alsenate.gov

LINDA COLEMAN-MADISON, D 20: Jefferson

Americans with Disabilities compliance coordinator

205-798-1045 334-261-0864

lcolemanmadison926@yahoo.com

CHRIS ELLIOTT, R 32: Baldwin

Small business owner

251-990-4610 334-261-0897

1100 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL 36532 chris.elliott@alsenate.gov

VIVIAN DAVIS FIGURES, D 33: Mobile

Advocate for children, health care, education

251-208-5480 334-261-0871

PO Box 7985, Mobile, AL 36670 vivian.figures@alsenate.gov

SAM GIVHAN, R 7: Madison

Real estate attorney

256-539-5441 334-261-0867

sam.givhan@alsenate.gov

BIOGRAPHICAL

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 25

SENATOR/PARTY/ DISTRICT

TIM MELSON

ARTHUR ORR

SHAY SHELNUTT

BOBBY SINGLETON

JACK WILLIAMS

STEVE LIVINGSTON DAVID SESSIONS APRIL WEAVER

ANDREW JONES CLAY SCOFIELD J.T. “JABO” WAGGONER

JAY HOVEY DAN ROBERTS LARRY STUTTS

GREG REED ROBERT STEWART

KIRK HATCHER

RANDY PRICE RODGER SMITHERMAN

GARLAN GUDGER

G OV E R N M E N T

BIOGRAPHICAL

MONTGOMERY/ DISTRICT PHONE

DISTRICT ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS

GARLAN GUDGER 4: Winston, Marion, Laurence, Cullman

Owner, Southern Accents Architectural Antiques

334-261-0855

garlan.gudger@alsenate.gov

KIRK HATCHER, D 26: Montgomery

Teacher

334-450-8023 334-261-9001

PO Box 6213, Montgomery, AL 36106 kirk.hatcher@alsenate.gov

JAY HOVEY, R 27: Tallapoosa, Russell, Lee

Banker

No phone listed

jay.hovey@alsenate.gov

ANDREW JONES, R 10: Cherokee, DeKalb, Etowah

Farmer, coffee roaster

334-261-0857

andrew.jones@alsenate.gov

KEITH KELLEY, R 12: Talladega, Calhoun

Businessperson

No phone listed

keith.kelley@alsenate,gov

STEVE LIVINGSTON, R 8: Madison, Jackson, DeKalb

Businessperson

256-609-6341 334-261-0858

PO Box 8, Scottsboro, AL 35768 steve.livingston@alsenate.gov

TIM MELSON, R 1: Madison, Limestone, Lauderdale

Physician; farmer

256-539-5441 334-261-0773

PO Box 550, Florence, AL 35631 tim.melson@alsenate.gov

ARTHUR ORR, R 3: Morgan, Madison, Limestone

Attorney, VP at Cook’s Pest Control

256-260-2146 334-261-0758

PO Box 305, Decatur, AL 35602 arthur.orr@alsenate.gov

RANDY PRICE, R 13: Randolph, Lee, Cleburne, Clay, Chambers

Business owner, farmer

334-559-0483 334-261-0874

PO Box 429, Opelika, AL 36801 randyprice.sd13@gmail.com

GREG REED, R 5: Fayette, Winston, Walker, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson

President Pro Tem of Senate

334-261-0894

900 Hwy. 78 E., Ste. 200 #106, Jasper, AL 35502 greg.reed@alsenate.gov

DAN ROBERTS, R 15: Talladega, Shelby, Jefferson

Real estate developer; Realtor

334-261-0851

PO Box 43186, Birmingham, AL 35243 dan.roberts@alsenate.gov

CLAY SCOFIELD, R 9: DeKalb, Marshall, Madison, Blount

Farmer

256-582-0619 334-261-0876

412-A Gunter Ave., Guntersville, AL 35976 clay.scofield@alsenate.gov

26 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

G OV E R N M E N T

SENATOR/PARTY/ DISTRICT

BIOGRAPHICAL

MONTGOMERY/ DISTRICT PHONE

DISTRICT ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS

DAVID SESSIONS, R 35: Mobile

Farmer

251-208-5480 334-261-0882

104 Lawrence St., Mobile, AL 36602 d.r.sessions@att.net

SHAY SHELNUTT, R 17: St. Clair, Jefferson, Blount

Realtor

205-413-9022 334-261-0794

PO Box 120, Trussville, AL 35173 shay.sd17@gmail.com

BOBBY SINGLETON, D Consultant 24: Tuscaloosa, Sumter, Pickens, Marengo, Choctaw, Green, Hale

334-261-0335

bsingle362@gmail.com

RODGER SMITHERMAN, D 18: Jefferson

Attorney

205-396-3213 334-261-0870

2029 2nd Ave. N., Birmingham, AL 35203 rodger.smitherman@alsenate.gov

ROBERT STEWART, D 23: Butler, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry, Washington, Wilcox

Former aide to U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell

No phone listed

robert.stewart@alsenate.gov

LARRY STUTTS, R 6: Marion, Lawrence, Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin

Physician

334-261-0862

1120 S. Jackson Hwy., Ste. 104, Sheffield, AL 35660 larry.stutts@alsenate.gov

J.T. “JABO” WAGGONER, R 16: Shelby, Jefferson

Attorney

334-261-0892

PO Box 660609, Vestavia Hills, AL 35266 jabo.waggoner@alsenate.gov

APRIL WEAVER, R 14: Shelby, Chilton, Bibb

Former regional director, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

205-620-6610 334-261-0836

PO Box 2050, Alabaster, AL 35007 april.weaver@alsenate.gov

JACK WILLIAMS, R 34: Mobile

Farmer

334-261-0829

10095A Wilmer Georgetown Rd., Wilmer, AL 36587 jackwilliams55@icloud.com

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 27

G OV E R N M E N T

House of Representatives

Compiled by NEDRA BLOOM

REPRESENTATIVE/PARTY/ DISTRICT

CHIP BROWN ANTHONY DANIELS

MACK BUTLER

NAPOLEON BRACY JR. DANNY CRAWFORD

CHRIS BLACKSHEAR STEVE CLOUSE

BARBARA BOYD

RUSSELL BEDSOLE

ADLINE CLARKE

TERRI COLLINS

ALAN BAKER PRINCE CHESTNUT

Listed in alphabetical order.

JIM CARNS

General address to reach all state representatives in Montgomery is Alabama Legislature 11 S. Union St. Montgomery, AL 36130

CYNTHIA ALMOND

MOST HOUSE PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION OF COOPERATIVES

BIOGRAPHICAL

MONTGOMERY/ DISTRICT PHONE

DISTRICT ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS

CYNTHIA LEE ALMOND, R 63: Tuscaloosa

Attorney, business owner

334-261-0558

2704 8th St., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 cynthia.almond@alhouse.gov

ALAN BAKER, R 66: Baldwin, Escambia

Former teacher

334-261-4240

Brewton, AL staterep@co.escambia.al.us

RUSSELL BEDSOLE, R 49: Shelby, Bibb, Chilton

Shelby County Sheriff’s captain

334-261-0491

Alabaster, AL russell.bedsole@alhouse.gov

CHRIS BLACKSHEAR, R 80: Russell, Lee

Senior manager, TSYS

334-261-0428

chris.blackshear@alhouse.gov

RON BOLTON, R 61: Tuscaloosa, Pickens

First elected 2022

No phone listed

ron.bolton@alhouse.gov

BARBARA BOYD, D 32: Talladega, Calhoun

Retired educator

256-741-8683 334-261-0592

PO Box 4085, Anniston, AL 36204 barbara.boyd@alhouse.gov

NAPOLEON BRACY JR., D 98: Mobile

Diversity manager, Austal USA

251-208-5480 334-261-0556

104 S. Lawrence St., Mobile, AL 36602 napoleon@napoleonbracy.com

CHIP BROWN, R 105: Mobile

Realtor, business owner

251-208-5480 334-261-0447

104 S. Lawrence St., Mobile, AL 36602 chip.brown@alhouse.gov

MACK BUTLER, R 28: Etowah

First elected 2022

256-442-4255

3518 Montrose Ave., Rainbow City, AL 35906 mack.butler@alhouse.gov

JIM CARNS, R 48: Shelby, Jefferson

Engineer

205-967-3571 334-261-0429

PO Box 43797, Birmingham, AL 35243 jwcarns@gmail.com

PRINCE CHESTNUT, D 67: Dallas, Perry

Attorney

334-261-0500 334-261-0598

PO Box 628, Selma, AL 36702 chestnut4house@gmail.com

ADLINE CLARKE, D 97: Mobile

Small business owner

251-208-5480p 334-261-0549

PO Box 40748, Mobile, AL 36640 adline.clark@alhouse.gov

STEVE CLOUSE, R 93: Houston, Dale

VP, Clouse Marketing

334-774-7384 334-261-0488

PO Box 818, Ozark, AL 36361 steve.clouse@alhouse.gov

DAVID COLE, R 10: Madison

Physician

No phone listed

david.cole@alhouse.gov

TERRI COLLINS, R 8: Morgan

Formerly marketing and sales

256-227-0360 334-261-0472

PO Box 21, Decatur, AL 35602 terri@terricollins.org

BROCK COLVIN, R 26: Marshall, DeKalb

First elected 2022

No phone listed

brock.colvin@alhouse.gov

DANNY CRAWFORD, R 5: Limestone

Crop insurance contractor

334-261-0516

110 College St., Ste. E-4, Athens, AL 35611 danny.crawford@alhouse.com

ANTHONY DANIELS, D 53: Madison

COO, Premier Dental

334-261-0522

anthony.daniels@alhouse.gov

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 29

BOB FINCHER

DAVID FAULKNER

COREY HARBISON

TRACY ESTES

CHRISTOPHER ENGLAND

JEREMY GRAY

LAURA HALL

CORLEY ELLIS

BRETT EASTERBROOK DANNY GARRETT

REPRESENTATIVE/PARTY/ DISTRICT

JUANDALYNN GIVAN

BARBARA DRUMMOND BERRY FORTE

G OV E R N M E N T

BIOGRAPHICAL

MONTGOMERY/ DISTRICT PHONE

DISTRICT ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS

BARBARA DRUMMOND, D 103: Mobile

Owner, B-Inspired Marketing and Consulting

334-261-0564

1266 Horton Dr., Mobile, AL 36605 drummondbarbara@att.net

SUSAN DUBOSE, R 45: Shelby, Jefferson

First elected 2022

No phone listed

susan.dubose@alhouse.gov

BRETT EASTERBROOK, R 65: Washington, Choctaw, Clarke

First elected 2018

334-261-0402

Fruitdale, AL 36539 brett.easterbrook@yahoo.com

CORLEY ELLIS, R 41: Shelby

Owner, Ellis Properties

334-261-0560

PO Box 1177, Columbiana, AL 35051 corley.ellis@alhouse.gov

CHRISTOPHER JOHN ENGLAND, D 70: Tuscaloosa

Assistant city attorney, Tuscaloosa

205-535-4859 334-261-0503

1681 Ozier Dr., Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 cengland1@hotmail.com

PHILLIP ENSLER, D 74: Montgomery

First elected 2022

No phone listed

No email listed

TRACY ESTES, R 17: Winston, Marion, Lamar

News editor, Marion Journal Record

334-261-0434

Winfield, AL 35594 jtracyestes@gmail.com

DAVID FAULKNER, R 46: Jefferson

First elected 2014

205-870-9577 334-261-0442

505 N. 20th St., Ste. 1800, Birmingham, AL 35203 david@davidfaulkneral46.com

JENNIFER FIDLER, R 94: Baldwin

First elected 2022

No phone listed

No email listed

BOB FINCHER, R 37: Chambers, Cleburne, Randolph

Retired educator

256-449-6149 334-261-0538

11823 County Rd. 59, Woodland, AL 36280 rsfincher77@gmail.com

BERRY FORTE, D 84: Randolph, Barbour, Bullock

American Buildings

334-687-9985 334-261-0566

620 Davis Ln., Eufaula, AL 36027 berry.forte@alhouse.gov

DANNY GARRETT, R 44: Jefferson

CFO, Vulcan Threaded Products

334-261-0524

PO Box 531, Trussville, AL 35173 dannygarrett44@gmail.com

MARK GIDLEY, R 29: Etowah, DeKalb, Calhoun

First elected 2022

No phone listed

mark.gidley@alhouse.gov

JUANDALYNN GIVAN, D 60: Jefferson

Owner, Givan & Associates Law Firm

205-433-6132 334-261-0584

PO Box 13803, Birmingham, AL 35202 juandalynn.givan@alhouse.gov

DONNA GIVENS, R 64: Monroe, Baldwin

First elected 2022

No phone listed

donna.givens@alhouse.gov

JEREMY GRAY, D 83: Russell, Lee

CEO, Elevate Your Grind

334-261-9505

Opelika, AL 36804 jeremy.gray@alhouse.gov

LAURA HALL, D 19: Madison

Retired educator

334-261-0517 256- PO Box 3367, Huntsville, AL 35810 859-2234 laura.hall@alhouse.gov

MATTHEW HAMMETT, R 92: Coffee, Covington, Escambia

First elected 2022

No phone listed

No email listed

COREY HARBISON, R 12: Cullman

First elected 2014

256-385-5510 334-261-0578

PO Box 472, Cullman, AL 35056 corey_harbison@yahoo.com

BEN HARRISON, R 2: Limestone, Lauderdale

Former Limestone County commissioner

No phone listed

ben.harrison@alhouse.gov

30 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

WES KITCHENS

JAMIE KIEL

A.J. McCAMPBELL

THOMAS JACKSON

REED INGRAM

CRAIG LIPSCOMB

JOE LOVVORN

STEVE HURST

ROLANDA HOLLIS

NATHANIEL LEDBETTER

PAUL LEE

JIM HILL KELVIN LAWRENCE

G OV E R N M E N T

REPRESENTATIVE/PARTY/ DISTRICT

BIOGRAPHICAL

MONTGOMERY/ DISTRICT PHONE

DISTRICT ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS

KENYATTE HASSELL, D 78: Montgomery

Urban director, Young Life; Heritage Barbershop manager

334-834-8494 334-261-0506

1200 Hugh St., Montgomery, AL 36108 ken.hassell@alhouse.gov

JIM HILL, R 50: St. Clair

First elected 2014

205-629-5325 334-261-0494

PO Box 310, Moody, AL 35004 jimhill@stclairlawgroup.com

FRANCES HOLK-JONES, R 95: Baldwin

First elected 2022

No phone listed

No email listed

ROLANDA HOLLIS, D 58: Jefferson

Real estate broker

334-261-9520

Birmingham, AL rolanda.hollis@alhouse.gov

LEIGH HULSEY, R 15: Jefferson, Shelby

First elected 2022

No phone listed

leigh.hulsey@alhouse.gov

STEVE HURST, R 35: Calhoun, Clay, Talladega

Businessperson

256-761-1935 334-261-0415

155 Quail Run Rd., Munford, AL 36268 steve.hurst@alhouse.gov

REED INGRAM, R 75: Elmore, Montgomery

Former Montgomery County commissioner

334-261-0507

2900 Eastern Blvd., Montgomery, AL 36116 reedingram75@gmail.com

THOMAS E. JACKSON, D 68: Clarke, Conecuh, Monroe, Marengo

Upward Bound director at Alabama Southern College

334-636-8119 334-261-0437

PO Box 636, Thomasville, AL 36784 jthomase69@gmail.com

SAM JONES, D 99: Mobile

Former Mayor of Mobile

334-261-0963

Mobile, AL 36640 sam.jones@alhouse.gov

JAMIE KIEL, R 18: Colbert, Lauderdale, Franklin

Owner, Kiel Equipment

334-261-0521

Russellville, AL 35653 jamie.kiel@alhouse.gov

MIKE KIRKLAND, R 23: Jackson, DeKalb

First elected 2022

No phone listed

mike.kirkland@alhouse.gov

WES KITCHENS, R 27: Marshall, DeKalb, Blount

Insurance agent

256-582-0619 334-261-0539

412-A Gunter Ave., Guntersville, AL 35976 weskitchens@mclo.org

BILL LAMB, R 62: Tuscaloosa

Former Tuscaloosa County CFO

No phone listed

bill.lamb@alhouse.gov

KELVIN LAWRENCE, D 69: Wilcox, Lowndes, Autauga, Montgomery

First elected 2014

334-548-6125 334-261-0536

50 Miller Cir., Hayneville, AL 36040 kelvinj73@gmail.com

NATHANIEL LEDBETTER, R 24: DeKalb

First elected 2014

334-261-9506

PO Box 725, Rainsville, AL 35986 nathaniel.ledbetter@alhouse.gov

PAUL W. LEE, R 86: Houston

Director, Wiregrass Rehab Center

334-792-9682 334-261-0488

304 Ashborough Cir., Dothan, AL 36301 plee@wrcjobs.com

CRAIG LIPSCOMB, R 30: St. Clair, Etowah

Architect

334-261-0546

Gadsden, AL 35902 craig.lipscomb@alhouse.gov

JAMES LOMAX, R 20: Madison

First elected 2022

No phone listed

james.lomax@alhouse.gov

JOE LOVVORN, R 79: Lee

Firefighter, small business owner

334-261-0540

Auburn, AL 36830 joe.lovvorn@alhouse.gov

RHETT MARQUES, R 91: Coffee

Small business owner

334-261-0473

Enterprise, AL 36330 rhettwmarques@gmail.com

ARTIS “AJ” MCCAMPBELL, D 71: Tuscaloosa, Sumter, Marengo, Greene

Insurance

205-652-6531 334-261-0547

PO Box 1469, Livingston, AL 35470 aj.mccampbell@alhouse.gov January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 31

PHILLIP PETTUS

KENNETH PASCHAL

CHRIS SELLS

ED OLIVER

PARKER MOORE

PHILLIP RIGSBY

JOHN W. ROGERS JR.

MARY MOORE

ARNOLD MOONEY NEIL RAFFERTY

REPRESENTATIVE/PARTY/ DISTRICT

REX REYNOLDS

PATRICE “PENNI” MCCLAMMY CHRIS PRINGLE

G OV E R N M E N T

BIOGRAPHICAL

MONTGOMERY/ DISTRICT PHONE

DISTRICT ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS

PATRICE “PENNI” MCCLAMMY, D 76: Montgomery

Attorney

334-261-0580

PO Box 251624, Montgomery, AL 36125 patrice.mcclammy@alhouse.gov

ARNOLD MOONEY, R 43: Shelby

First elected 2014

205-620-6610 334-261-9512

PO Box 382466, Birmingham, AL 35238 arnoldmooney@alhouse.gov

MARY MOORE, D 59: Jefferson

Retired medical technologist

205-229-9966 334-261-0508

1622 36th Ave. N., Birmingham, AL 35207 mamoore48@bellsouth.net

PARKER MOORE, R 4: Morgan, Limestone

Marketing, Encore Rehabilitiation

334-261-0579

Decatur, AL 35601 parker.moore@alhouse.gov

TASHINA MORRIS, D 77: Montgomery

Nonprofit director

334-261-0597

PO Box 4122, Montgomery, AL 36103 tashinamorris1@yahoo.com

ED OLIVER, R 81: Tallapoosa, Coosa, Chilton

Former military pilot

334-803-1889 334-261-0471

PO Box 277, Dadeville, AL 36853 ed.oliver@alhouse.gov

MARCUS PARAMORE, R 89: Pike, Dale

First elected 2022

No phone listed

No email listed

KENNETH PASCHAL, R 73: Shelby

Retired military

205-626-9458 334-261-0469

1134 County Services Dr., Pelham, AL 35124 kenneth.paschal@alhouse.gov

PHILLIP PETTUS, R 1: Lauderdale

Retired Alabama State Trooper

256-757-6679 334-261-0591

771 County Rd. 144, Killen, AL 35645 phillip.pettus@alhouse.gov

FRED “COACH” PLUMP, D 55: Jefferson

First elected 2022

No phone listed

fred.plump@alhouse.gov

CHRIS PRINGLE, R 101: Mobile

Realtor, builder

251-341-1110 334-261-0489

4 Princess Anne Rd., Mobile, AL 36608 chris.pringle@alhouse.gov

NEIL RAFFERTY, D 54: Jefferson

Former Marine, health care advocate

334-261-0543

PO Box 321579, Birmingham, ALv35232 reprafferty@gmail.com

RICK REHM, R 85: Houston, Henry

First elected 2022

No phone listed

No email listed

REX REYNOLDS, R 21: Madison

Former Huntsville police chief

256-539-5441 334-261-0571

rex.reynolds@alhouse.gov

PHILLIP RIGSBY, R 25: Madison, Limestone

First elected 2022

256-539-5441

726 Madison St., Huntsville, AL 35801 phillip.rigsby@alhouse.gov

BEN ROBBINS, R 33: Clay, Coosa, Talladega

Attorney

334-261-0477

ben.robbins@alhouse.gov

CHAD ROBERTSON, R 40: Calhoun

First elected 2022

No phone listed

chad.robertson@alhouse.gov

JOHN W. ROGERS JR., D 52: Jefferson

President, Rogers & Rogers

205-925-3522 334-261-0387

1424 18th St. SW, Birmingham, AL 35211 jwrogers@uab.edu

PATRICK SELLERS, D 57: Jefferson

First elected 2022

No phone listed

patrick.sellers@alhouse.gov

334-371-9304 334-261-0568

1609 E. Commerce St., Greenville, AL 36037 csea@centurytel.net

CHRIS SELLS, R Owner, Sells Medical Equipment 90: Montgomery, Butler, Coffee, Conecuh, Crenshaw

32 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

JEFF SORRELLS

KYLE SOUTH PEBBLIN WARREN

VAN SMITH ALLEN TREADAWAY

TIM WADSWORTH

MATT SIMPSON

RANDALL SHEDD DAVID STANDRIDGE

REPRESENTATIVE/PARTY/ DISTRICT

SHANE STRINGER

GINNY SHAVER SCOTT STADTHAGEN

G OV E R N M E N T

BIOGRAPHICAL

MONTGOMERY/ DISTRICT PHONE

DISTRICT ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS

GINNY SHAVER, R 39: DeKalb, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne

Municipal government

334-261-0413

Leesburg, AL 35983 ginny.shaver@alhouse.gov

MIKE SHAW, R 47: Jefferson

First elected 2022

No phone listed

mike.shaw@alhouse.gov

RANDALL SHEDD, R 11: Morgan, Cullman, Blount, Marshall

Retired director, Cullman County Commission on Aging

256-531-6641 334-261-0530

PO Box 345, Baileyton, AL 35019 randall.shedd@alhouse.gov

MARK SHIREY, R 100: Mobile

Optometrist

No phone listed

No email listed

MATT SIMPSON, R 96: Baldwin, Mobile

Attorney, county attorneys office

334-261-0424

PO Box 1791, Daphne, AL 36526 MattSimpsonAL96@gmail.com

IVAN SMITH, R 42: Autauga, Chilton

Teacher, farmer

334-261-0459

ivan.smith@alhouse.gov

JEFF SORRELLS, R 87: Houston, Geneva

Former mayor of Hartford

334-261-0542

Hartford, AL 36344 jeffs@fnbhartford.com

KYLE SOUTH, R 16: Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Lamar, Fayette

General manager, West Alabama TV Cable

205-932-4700 ext 101 334-261-0482

PO Box 65, Fayette, AL 35555 RepSouth16@gmail.com

SCOTT STADTHAGEN, R 9: Morgan, Cullman, Marshall

Onwer, Hagen Homes Inc.

334-261-0436

Hartselle, AL 35640 scott.stadthagen@alhouse.gov

DAVID STANDRIDGE, R 34: Blount, Marshall

Former law enforcement and probate judge

205-543-0647 332-261-0446

PO Box 76, Hayden, AL 35079 david.standridge@alhouse.gov

JERRY STARNES, R 88: Elmore, Autauga

First elected 2022

No phone listed

No email listed

SHANE STRINGER, R 102: Mobile

Police chief, Satsuma

334-261-0594

shane.stringer@alhouse.gov

TROY STUBBS, R 31: Elmore

Small business owner

No phone listed

troy.stubbs@alhouse.gov

ONTARIO TILLMAN, D 56: Jefferson

First elected 2022

No phone listed

ontario.tillman@alhouse.gov

CURTIS TRAVIS, D 72: Perry, Marengo, Hale, Bibb, Greene

First elected 2022

No phone listed

No email listed

ALLEN TREADAWAY, R 51: Jefferson

Police captain, City of Birmingham

205-254-1700 334-261-0585

PO Box 126, Morris, AL 35116 allen.treadaway@alhouse.gov

KERRY UNDERWOOD, R 3: Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence

Retired law enforcement

No phone listed

kerry.underwood@alhouse.gov

TIMOTHY WADSWORTH, R 14: Winston, Walker, Jefferson

Attorney, CPA

205-300-4008 334-261-0554

11754 Helicon Rd., Arley, AL 35541 wadsworth.tim654321@gmail.com

PEBBLIN WALKER WARREN, D 82: Tallapoosa, Macon, Lee

First elected 2005

334-727-9127 334-261-0541

PO Box 1328, Tuskegee Institute, AL 36087 tiger9127@bellsouth.net

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 33

REPRESENTATIVE/PARTY/ DISTRICT

RANDY WOOD

DEBBIE WOOD

MARGIE WILCOX

RITCHIE WHORTON

ANDY WHITT

G OV E R N M E N T

BIOGRAPHICAL

MONTGOMERY/ DISTRICT PHONE

DISTRICT ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESS

ANDY WHITT, R 6: Madison, Limestone

Banker

334-261-0404

Harvest, AL 35749 andy.whitt@alhouse.gov

RICHIE WHORTON, R 22: Madison, Jackson

Businessperson, All Star Pools

256-218-3090 334-261-0553

100 E. Peachtree St., Scottsboro, AL 35768 richiewhorton@gmail.com

MARGIE WILCOX, R 104: Mobile

First elected 2014

334-261-0577

2101 Marchfield Dr. E., Mobile, AL 36693 margie.wilcox@alhouse.gov

DEBBIE HAMBY WOOD, R 38: Lee, Chambers

Real estate broker

334-261-0532

Valley, AL 36854 debbie.wood@alhouse.gov

RANDY WOOD, R 36: St. Clair, Calhoun, Talladega

Owner, Wood’s Auto Body Shop

334-261-0552

P.O. Box 4432, Anniston, AL 36204 strep36@gmail.com

MATT WOODS, R 13: Walker, Blount

First elected 2022

No phone listed

matt.woods@alhouse.gov

ERNIE YARBROUGH, R 7: Talladega, St. Clair, Shelby

Engineer

No phone listed

ernie.yarbrough@alhouse.gov

34 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Community colleges launch programs to meet workforce needs

Nursing, marine tech, AI and NASA work all have new programs in progress

By KATHERINE MacGILVRAY

T

he Alabama Community College System (ACCS) is heavily invested in developing apprenticeship programs, work-based training opportunities and customized curriculum to meet the demands of businesses and organizations who are increasingly looking to the state’s community colleges to fulfill their workforce needs.

The ACCS Innovation Center, a $10 million investment that offers 23 programs to rapidly train workers for the state’s highest-demand industries, launched the first of several industryspecific programs in February. Training includes short-term classes that students can start on a virtual platform and finish with an in-person lab at a regional ACCS location. Once they’ve completed their training, students are job-ready and awarded a credential and an opportunity to earn more certifications at their local community college. Industries first targeted for the Innovation Center include hospitality, butchery, commercial driver’s license, recreation, heavy equipment, plumbing and facilities maintenance.

By November, the system announced that every community or technical college in the state now offers at least one apprenticeship registered through the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship. These programs, supported by hundreds of Alabama companies, help meet workforce needs in high-demand industries, including manufacturing, nursing and childcare, and allow students to work for a competitive wage in their chosen field of study while earning credit toward their certification

Students in the Frontiers Research Program at Drake State work on issues critical to lunar habitat design.

or degree.

“It is important that as the community’s colleges, we continue to work with communities, business and industry partners all over the state to make sure that we are meeting the needs of the workforce in a way that is effective,” says Jimmy Baker, chancellor of the Alabama Community College System. “In many cases, success doesn’t have to be within a classroom or over two years’ time, but rather through rapid training within weeks or through apprenticeships. We want to ensure that every resident who is willing and able to succeed — whether in an adult education program, an academic program or a work-based learning program — can benefit from the services of the Alabama

Community College System.”

Newly developed programs and industry partnerships at Gadsden State Community College, Central Alabama Community College, Coastal Alabama Community College and Drake State Community and Technical College already are stepping up to address industry workforce needs.

The Alabama Legislature approved amendments to the Nurse Practice Act in 2021 to allow nursing apprenticeships in the state. The rules took effect early in 2022 and before year’s end, more than 60 health care facilities had signed up to offer nursing apprenticeships for licensed practical nurse (LPN) or registered nurse (RN) programs at 12 of Alabama’s comJanuary 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 39

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Drake State Frontiers team at the MUREP Colloquium.

munity and technical colleges.

One of those is Gadsden State, which announced the start of its apprenticeship program for registered nurses in June.

Riverview Medical Center in Gadsden and Rehab Select in Albertville and Talladega, the first health care facilities to enter into agreements with Gadsden State, have embraced the apprenticeship program, says Kenneth Kirkland, dean of health sciences at Gadsden State and former ACCS director of health programs. “They absolutely love this because they know they’re cultivating and growing their own employees within their organizations.”

And, he adds, the students like it because they’re getting paid to learn.

Students who are accepted as nurse apprentices work alongside experienced nurses in the health care facilities, earning $15 an hour with a tiered wage schedule, so as they complete competencies their wages go up. “This really reduces a major barrier for a lot of students in health care programs,” says Kirkland.

In addition to Riverview and Rehab Select, the program will be offered to all clinical agencies that work with Gadsden State and will help meet the high demand for nurses across Alabama.

“You’ve got to listen to the community to meet their workforce needs,” says Kirkland. “Coastal Alabama started an LPN apprenticeship and I started the RN apprenticeship. Initially they were going to be run as pilots, and we just said this 40 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

Drake State student and NASA intern Sharde Tate works on a robotic arm.

is too good of a workforce program; our employers need this.”

In February, Central Alabama Community College (CACC) signed a partnership agreement with Intel to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) program, which, when it kicks off in January 2023 at CACC’s Prattville campus, will be the first AI program in the state and one of the first in the country.

The decision to partner with Intel was critical, says CACC President Jeff Lynn, who jumped on the opportunity when it first caught his eye. “AI technology is moving so rapidly. We felt like we needed to get this on our college campuses as quickly as possible.”

CACC identified key instructors to participate in Intel’s AI Workforce program, which, in addition to faculty training, provides more than 225 hours of AI content to community colleges, as well as guidance on developing AI certificates, augmenting existing courses or launching full AI degree programs.

“We have a really good group of instructors who have gone through this program now, and we feel really prepared to start it. I think it’s going to grow significantly,” says Lynn, adding that he continues to identify companies who may want to hire students who have participated in CACC’s program or even enroll their current employees.

So far, 31 schools in 18 states have joined Intel’s AI Workforce program.

“There’s a map that shows the schools that have this relationship with Intel, and there’s one dot in the center of Alabama, and that’s us. We feel really good about that,” says Lynn.

A partnership between Coastal Alabama Community College and Yamaha Motors has caused significant growth in the college’s marine technology program.

The career program launched in 2021 and allows students to earn industry recognized credentials through Yamaha’s Introduction to Outboard Systems certification. Over the course of two semesters students learn to service outboard, inboard and inboard/outboard engines; how to test, maintain and repair steering devices and electrical systems; and how to repair metal, wood and fiberglass hulls and vessel components.

Matthew Judy, who joined the program as a full-time instructor in 2021 and has worked with the college’s president and the dean of workforce development to build the program from scratch, says it’s addressing a shortage of qualified marine technicians in South Alabama.

Curriculum for the program is provided through Yamaha Motor University, which students access online while Judy guides them in the classroom. “And then we walk out into the shop and we’ve got all these brand new Yamaha [motors] for them to take what they’ve learned online and apply it.”

The standalone certificate consists of

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nine classes and can be completed in three semesters. Students in the program also have opportunities to earn other certificates through Yamaha and the American Boat and Yacht Council. Judy also is a certified forklift operator and can train them for forklift certification, a big plus for prospective employers.

“My vision for this program is not only building it up with more equipment for the student technicians to work with but also giving employers a chance to come into our shop regularly so they can identify technicians that would be a good fit for them,” says Judy. “I have all of these students here working non-stop. I’d love to see employers regularly coming to pick out talent that they think would fit with [their operations] and building those relationships so that when students graduate with their certificates, they’re ready to seamlessly slip into those workplaces.”

Coastal Alabama is one of less than two dozen colleges that currently partner with Yamaha, which sells more than 300,000

First cohort of Drake State NASA interns Josh Driskill and Jaiden Mason in Austin, Texas.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 41

boat motors annually and makes up nearly half the international market share.

In 2020 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center awarded Drake State Community and Technical College a cooperative agreement notice to collaborate on its Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project. The arrangement is the first of its kind to be awarded to a two-year institution and Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

With matching funds provided by NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP), Drake State established the Frontiers Research Program where a team of faculty and student interns work on a variety of additive manufacturing projects that contribute to current NASA needs in lunar habitat design and manufacturing. That includes testing 3D printed concrete structures to develop techniques for building landing pads, roads, living spaces and other large structures using lunar based materials.

Frontiers Research Program interns have also had an opportunity to work with ICON, an Austin-based 3D printing construction company that is partnering with NASA to develop a space-based construction system.

Because of the program’s success, Drake State had the distinct honor of serving as the official host site for the first United Nations-designated International Moon Day, observed on July 20 to commemorate the first moon landing and raise public awareness about sustainable moon exploration. The partnership also supports NASA’s efforts to engage underrepresented populations and minority institution faculty and students in its research initiatives.

“We are super excited to be participating in this project,” says Drake State President Dr. Patricia Sims. “Our work with Marshall and MUREP continues to pay dividends for our college and the students we serve. It’s been a very rich experience.”

Internships in the Frontiers Research Program are available to students who are enrolled in Drake State’s advanced manufacturing program.

Katherine MacGilvray is a Huntsville-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

42 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

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Training at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama.

Do the job to learn the job Major employers develop in-house training programs to find workers in time of full employment

A

By DEBORAH STOREY — Austal Photos by MIKE KITTRELL

s Alabama businesses win big government contracts, add production lines and announce plant expansions, CEOs are all smiles for the cameras — until they can’t find enough employees to manage the work.

With Alabama’s employment rate hovering around 3%, most people who want jobs have no trouble finding them.

Even as the economy slowed in late 2022, many business windows were decorated with more “now hiring” signs than paper snowflakes before the holidays.

In November, the Alabama Department of Labor announced that the state added nearly 47,000 jobs over the previous year, going so far as to call it “remarkable job growth.”

In such a competitive hiring market, many Alabama companies are becoming creative to lure workers with big bonuses, commercials in Spanish and English, partnerships with area colleges and expanding apprenticeship programs.

The notion of keeping current employees happy is not forgotten, either, with management tracks and in-house training and development.

AIRBUS

Airbus in Mobile is flying high.

The company announced an expansion earlier this year, with plans for 1,000 more employees, and announced a threeprong strategy to attract workers — an apprenticeship agreement with Bishop State Community College, the Airbus On Board program to teach anyone with five years of work experience in any field how to do aerospace work, and the Airbus Global Graduate Program to attract new college graduates.

Almost before the new programs took off, Airbus launched a series of high-profile TV ads — during the World Series, Crimson Tide football games and more — featuring current employees encouraging folks to join the team. (See more details in our October 2022 issue.)

HYUNDAI

Over in Montgomery at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, automotive assembly is in high gear.

With the rapid growth of advanced manufacturing in the Southeastern U.S., Hyundai is investing in its future workforce with a number of in-house develop-

ment and training initiatives.

“Recruiting a workforce that has the skills and proficiencies needed to complement continual advancements in automotive manufacturing is challenging, due to competition for talent among manufacturing employers,” says D. Scott Posey, HMMA public relations manager.

The company cultivates and develops current team members and participates in partnerships with local two- and four-year colleges and area public schools.

To lure workers, Hyundai is in partnership with AIDT for the Pre-Employment Selection Program “to match our specific needs for the recruitment and hiring of new team members,” Posey says. “This includes the conducting of interviews, as well as classroom and hands-on training for prospective production team members.”

Another approach is Hyundai’s Modern Manufacturing Program in partnership with Central Alabama Works.

It “provides a hiring pipeline for area high school students via job fairs and site visits to HMMA,” Posey says. “HMMA also donates new automobiles to CAW’s modern manufacturing labs to provide students exposure and early training on January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 43

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vehicle assembly.”

Meanwhile, HMMA continues inhouse development and training programs for existing employees to help fill positions.

The Maintenance Apprenticeship Program creates an internal pipeline of qualified HMMA team members to fill positions in production. Those who qualify for the program are required to complete industrial maintenance education courses and on-the-job training to become eligible for maintenance positions.

During the 12-month program, participants work toward achieving Maintenance Technician Certification offered by Trenholm State Community College in Montgomery.

Through partnership with AIDT, HMMA also offers Group Leader Leadership Training to provide “Leadership Skills 1” for new supervisors.

Current employees can take part in the career opportunity placement program, pre-promotional leadership training and a leadership boot camp.

AUSTAL USA

Welding is among the key skills taught in Austal USA's fabrication apprenticeship program.

Employees who complete Austal USA's fabrication apprenticeship program graduate as A-Class fabricators.

44 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

In July of 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard awarded Mobile-based Austal USA a contract worth up to $3.3 billion for design and construction of up to 11 offshore patrol cutters. The company also won a $230.5 million contract for the EPF 16, an Expeditionary Fast Transport ship for the U.S. Navy.

Fortunately for Austal, its leadership had started an in-house workforce development program for welders and fabricators in partnership with AIDT way back in 2001. Also that year, Austal, AIDT, Mobile Works and Bishop State Community College collaborated to develop a two-year apprenticeship program.

That program expanded to four years and now includes pipefitting, electrical and outfitting.

Graduates earn U.S. Department of Labor certification and journeyperson status, giving them opportunities for full-time employment and career growth.

They often advance into management or critical roles in engineering, production control, test and activation, project management and more, Austal officials say.

After a hiatus for COVID-19, the

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‘

program should reopen in early 2023.

Through a partnership with Alabama Career Center, selected applicants go through a four-year program of 576 hours of classroom training and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training in their chosen crafts.

“Those remaining in their craft become elite technicians who support Austal USA’s new construction and post-delivery service business,” Austal says, adding that the apprenticeship program has been extremely successful.

WELLBORN CABINET

Wellborn Cabinet in Ashland started in 1961 and now employs just over 1,300 people. Business is so good that the company announced that a $17 million expansion in Oxford will start operations in 2024.

The number of applicants isn’t a problem, company officials say, and resulted in more than 300 hires thanks to a revised

recruiting strategy, local market analysis and new compensation structure.

Once a company finds the workers, however, Wellborn officials say, then “retention is key.”

Deborah Storey and Mike Kittrell are freelance contributors to Business Alabama. She is based in Huntsville and he in Mobile.

Current team members within our production trades are graduates of the program, many of whom have been promoted into leadership positions.”

— AUSTAL USA COMPANY OFFICIALS

“Current team members within our production trades are graduates of the program, many of whom have been promoted into leadership positions,” company officials report.

MAZDA TOYOTA

And in Huntsville, officials of Mazda Toyota Manufacturing announced in summer of 2022 that the ramp-up to hiring 4,000 employees for the massive $2.3 billion production facility was almost complete.

“We’re getting close but we can always use more,” Janette Hostettler, senior vice president of production, told AL.com at the time.

In its early phase of hiring, MTM announced a sign-on bonus of $3,000 for new hourly employees, and an “appreciation payment” of the same amount for existing hourly workers. Wages also increased, from $17 to $18.35 an hour to start.

Hostettler said prospective employees don’t need manufacturing experience.

“Our maintenance guys, we will teach you everything you want to know,” Hostettler said.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 45

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TIGHT MARKET

Alabama workforce leaders trying to navigate state’s labor shortage

T

alk to a hiring manager and you will probably get an earful about how hard it is to fill jobs these days.

That is because America’s labor market these days is tight due to factors such as low unemployment. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a national unemployment rate in October 2022 of just 3.7%. For Alabama, the state Department of Labor’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was just 2.7% in October, up from 2.6% in September.

“Everybody’s always appreciative of low unemployment because it generally means that anyone who wants a job has a job,” says Tara Hutchison, communications director of the Alabama Department of Labor.

While that is good news, Alabama’s labor shortage is a concern. A U.S. Chamber of Commerce report from late October states that Alabama had 143,000 job openings but just 53 unemployed workers

46 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

By GAIL ALLYN SHORT

for every 100 open jobs. The report, in fact, placed Alabama’s labor shortage in the “More Severe” category among the states.

“It’s definitely a job seeker’s market right now,” says Hutchison. “They’re at a definite advantage because the employers are all competing for the same limited number in the workforce.”

With more jobs than available workers, attracting skilled talent these days is challenging, says Loyd McIntosh, marketing manager for Automation Personnel Services (APS) Inc., a staffing agency based in Birmingham with offices across the Southeast. The agency serves industries such as light industrial, technical and manufacturing.

APS hires “associates” for jobs such as forklift driver or warehouse worker, as well as people in the skilled trades such as welders and electricians, and McIntosh says the demand for these workers is high.

“Like a lot of companies, we’re still

having a hard time getting people to work. But it’s better than 2021 — 2021 was a tough year for our type of work,” McIntosh says.

“Overall, a lot of companies are still struggling, not just staffing agencies, but anybody that needs people to move stuff, to move products. Whether they’re in a big warehouse like Amazon like that or what we do, those are the kind of jobs that have been the trickiest to get filled,” he says.

The recent labor shortage is partly rooted in the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a July 2022 BLS Monthly Labor Review. Attempts to stop the spread of the disease included the lockdown of many businesses for a period.

But starting in 2021, economists began noticing a rise in the nation’s quit rate, the BLS Monthly Labor Review says.

In fact, it says the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) recorded a quit rate of 2.5% in March of

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2021 before it rose to 2.8% by that April.

Alabama’s quit rate reached 3.5% in 2022, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce report.

Economists dubbed the phenomena as “The Great Resignation,” as Americans started reassessing what they wanted their work lives to be and quit jobs in search of better wages and benefits, more flexible hours and even opportunities to work remotely. Others exited the labor force all together.

As a matter of fact, a study by Pew Research reported that 63% of workers polled in the United States who left jobs in 2021 cited low pay as their reason for quitting. Another 63% also cited no opportunity for advancement. Among people living with children under the age of 18, 48% blamed child-care issues.

And in Alabama, these days, the labor participation rate — the percentage of the civilian population ages 16 and above that is either working or actively looking for employment — is low. In October it was just 57.4%. The national rate was 62.3%

‘

It’s definitely a job seeker’s market right now. They’re at a definite advantage because the employers are all competing for the same limited number in the workforce.”

— TARA HUTCHISON, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR OF THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

the same month.

Leisure and hospitality are among the hardest hit sectors for labor shortages since the pandemic. This includes restaurants and bars. But the retail industry is struggling, too, Hutchison says.

As a consequence, salaries are going up in multiple industries, and some employers have even resorted to offering hiring bonuses to attract job candidates, she says.

“We’ve even seen companies giving away cars as incentive packages. So, they’re definitely stepping up their game and improving those recruiting efforts in order to get those available workers,” she says.

Meanwhile, Hutchison says the state of Alabama is partnering with various school systems, community colleges and organizations to help address the state’s labor shortage.

“There’s lots of different agencies in the workforce development community here in the state, and we’re all trying to work together to target kids in high school, target college kids in the two-year system

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 47

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and four-year system to try to train them and prepare them for the jobs that we have in Alabama now and the jobs that we know we’re going to have in the future,” she says.

One key workforce organization is AIDT, an agency that provides services to companies that expand or move to Alabama. AIDT is a division of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

Among AIDT’s services are trainee recruitment and screening, as well as training and assessment. Moreover, the services are tailored to a company’s specific needs.

“We’ll work very closely with the company and provide them with customized training based on their needs and what they’re looking for as far as a typical worker for the jobs that they have available,” AIDT Communications Manager Chris Roquemore says.

AIDT organizes training in areas such as welding, manufacturing fundamentals and information technology.

He says some jobs are more difficult to

48 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

recruit for such as industrial maintenance and facilities maintenance.

“They’re typically harder to find because they do require so much more experience than say, an introductory production job where you’re working on an assembly line,” he says. “That’s something that we can train and bring people up to speed fairly quickly.”

But to help attract more workers, AIDT, for the first time, has begun offering stipends to the trainees for some select companies to pay for gas and childcare as they attend classes.

AIDT also partners with a number of agencies and groups like Operation Next, a national organization that provides advanced manufacturing skills training opportunities for military veterans.

“We’re getting out in front of members of the military as they’re separating from the military and making ourselves and our services and training available to them to continue their education or to funnel them into jobs and get them to move to

Alabama,” Roquemore says.

Meanwhile, McIntosh has this advice for companies seeking workers: Conduct a pay or salary analysis. You want to make sure you are offering a competitive salary or wage.

When posting a job, make sure the job title and the job description match what you really need. “Sometimes there’s a disconnect where a company will say they need some fancier type of title when what they need is more of an entry-level kind of person,” he says. Taking this step also will help you conduct your salary analysis.

Culture matters, McIntosh says. With so many jobs open, applicants have more options for choosing where they want to work. So it’s a good idea to take an honest look at your company culture from top to bottom. Does your company have a healthy, nurturing culture? “If you’ve got a lot of turnover, you need to ask why.”

Gail Allyn Short is a Birmingham-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

BEST COMPANIES

Firms big and small honored as Best Companies to Work For in Alabama River Bank & Trust, Swagelok take top honors

R

By CARY ESTES — Photos by JOE DE SCIOSE

epresentatives of more than two dozen Alatime there every day, so we want to make sure it’s a fun bama-based companies took time away from place, as well as a place to get something done.” work in early December to celebrate how Warren Averett took second place in the category. much they enjoy where they work.

The accounting firm offers promotion ceremonies and The lunchtime gathering at B&A Warehouse in years-of-service awards, and employees are eligible Birmingham was in recognition of the businesses every five years to receive a paid, four-week Best Companies honored as the “Best Companies to Work For in to Work For in sabbatical. Financial advisor Edward Jones Alabama,” marking the 21st year that Business was third, thanks in part to the company’s Alabama magazine has handed out the awards. focus on bonuses, profit-sharing and River Bank & Trust, based in Prattville, took volunteerism. home (or took to work) top honors in the Large Swagelok received top honors in its first Company category for businesses with 250 or more year competing for the Small-to-Medium category employees, while Birmingham-based Swagelok won first award. The industrial equipment supplier recently implemented place in the Small-to-Medium category. a program designed to help employees reach their career goals, “With workforce issues prevalent in many sectors, what you and management holds monthly meetings to acknowledge do to retain employees and keep them happy and productive is of employee milestones and achievements. The company wraps up the utmost importance,” Business Alabama Executive Editor Alec each work week by gathering in a hallway for a Friday afternoon Harvey said before announcing the winners. putting competition.

For River Bank & Trust, those efforts include offering em“This is quite an honor,” Swagelok President Patrick Werrlein ployee stock ownership as well as an annual cash incentive based said. “The thing that makes this so special is, I don’t know if we on the bank’s profitability. The bank values employee feedback could have done this a couple of years ago. But there are a lot by soliciting ideas every quarter, then awarding a gift card to the of people on this team who are super-passionate about this employee with the best suggestion. The company also provides organization. I’m accepting this on their behalf. I’m truly partial tuition reimbursement and other assistance for workers grateful, humbled and fortunate to work with such a great team.” who wish to pursue professional certifications.

Byars|Wright Insurance came in second, marking the “We want to make everyone feel good about going to work,” company’s seventh consecutive appearance on the list, and CPA River Bank & Trust CEO Jimmy Stubbs said. “We spend a lot of firm Kassouf & Co. was third.

2022

Swagelok took top honors in the small-to-medium category.

Swagelok President Patrick Werrlein is on the far left.

River Bank & Trust CEO Jimmy Stubbs, center, accepted the award for his bank, named the top large company to work for.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 49

B E S T CO M PA N I E S

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Companies gathered in Birmingham for the Best Companies celebration. Winning companies included: Photo 1. Alabama Credit Union, Photo 2. Wilkins Miller, Photo 3. SteadPoint, Photo 4. Unclaimed Baggage, Photo 5. First Metro Bank, Photo 6. American Equity Underwriters, Photo 7. White-Spunner Construction, Photo 8. Thompson Engineering, Photo 9. Quincy Compressor, Photo 10. Warren Averett.

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10 January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 51

SPOTLIGHT Montgomery County

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

by LORI CHANDLER PRUITT

Freedom Riders Museum.

M

ONTGOMERY COUNTY, in central Alabama, is home to the state Capitol. It is part of the state’s River Region and is the birthplace of the Civil Rights movement. It accommodates river traffic on the Alabama and Tallapoosa rivers and motor traffic along Interstates 65 and 85.

The county is anticipating big new projects in business, technology and just plain fun.

On the business front, the county saw three project kickoffs with a total value estimated at $1.1 billion.

Biggest is a $600 million beverage park where Manna Capital Partners plans to build a 1.7 million-square-foot production facility for both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. The minority-owned enterprise also will include a research and development facility.

Next, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, a stalwart part of Montgomery’s economy for nearly 20 years, announced plans for a $300 million expansion for production of electric vehicles, including the popular Santa Fe and Genesis models.

Shortly after that announcement,

Montgomery under the lights.

Cyclists participating in a relay ride past the state Capitol.

supplier Hyundai Mobis said it would invest $205 million to build an automotive battery module plant.

“I’m proud of our collaboration with partners to bring more than a billion dollars in capital investment,” says Montgomery Mayor Steve Reed. “As part of this strategy, we leveraged our unique assets to position Montgomery as a global hub for logistics and technology.”

In addition to state government and automotive plants, Montgomery has seen plans for new Amazon and FedEx facilities and anticipates a multimodal facility linking the capital city via direct rail with the Alabama State Port in Mobile.

On the technology front, the city and county continue to collaborate with Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, the area’s largest overall employer, on TechMGM — a collaboration of local industry, education and government entities working to leverage Montgomery’s technology assets to expand the local economy, with several initiatives underway.

One of the newest projects is the Lab on Dexter, a public-private partnership to grow the tech and innovation ecosystem of

the city.

“Just last year, we celebrated unprecedented economic growth, new investment and worldwide interest to Montgomery,” said Anna Buckelew, president and CEO of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. “Because of that, momentum is building in Montgomery. There is a new energy, a faster pace.”

And on the fun front, Montgomery looks forward to the opening in summer 2023 of Montgomery Whitewater, an Olympic-standard whitewater and outdoor activities center and much more. The park is expected to boost the economy through tourism, as well as providing fun for local residents.

Seeking to make the most of what it already has, the city has partnered with several local groups to develop a block-byblock development plan for downtown, which also is meant to grow tourism and capitalize on the waterfront.

Other new initiatives focus on the gateway to the city, including the I-65 corridor, Southern Boulevard and the Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights Trail. “These projects will go hand in hand January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 53

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

with our Montgomery Forward capital improvement strategy, the downtown plan, enhancements to our riverfront and Montgomery Whitewater to boost visitor experience and quality of place,” Reed says.

“Montgomery’s greatest asset is its people, and our people have been resilient,” says Reed. “We are seeing record job growth and innovation. We also have initiated new programs that enhance quality of life and the beauty of our neighborhoods.

“When we think about all of the work and collaboration that

M E D I A N H O U S E H O L D I N CO M E Madison County: $66,887 Elmore County: $62,324 Baldwin County: $61,756 Autauga County: $57,982 Jefferson County: $55,088 Montgomery County: $51,963 Mobile County: $49,625 Crenshaw County: $42,611 Pike County: $39,218 Macon County: $35,450 State of Alabama Bullock County: $33,866 $52,035 Lowndes County: $33,634 Source: U.S. Census Bureau

54 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

went into this billion-dollar banner year for economic development, we have to think about the tangible impact these investments will have in our community,” Reed says. “They will change lives. They will uplift families. I’m excited to see the fruits of this labor and to see how these new opportunities can truly transform Montgomery.”

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: 5,039,877

Jefferson County: 667,820 Mobile County: 413,073 Madison County: 395,211 Baldwin County: 239,294 Montgomery County: 227,434 Elmore County: 89,304 Autauga County: 59,095 Pike County: 32,991 Macon County: 18,895 Crenshaw County: 13,083 Bullock County: 10,320 Source: U.S. Census Bureau Lowndes County: 9,965

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 55

Economic Engines Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama is expanding. The company is adding facilities for electric vehicles and 200 more jobs.

HYUNDAI MOTOR MANUFACTURING ALABAMA/AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIERS

In May of 2005, a 2006 Sonata rolled off the production line at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Since that day, HMMA has produced hundreds of thousands of Santa Fe, Elantra, Santa Cruz, Tucson and Santa Fe Hybrid models, with the Genesis electric SUV added just this December.

New platforms and investments have grown its employment to around 3,800 people, keeping HMMA well at the top of the River Region’s overall man-

B U S I N E S S OCTOBER 2022: Manna Capital Partners, a minority-owned business enterprise and investment firm, announces it will set up a beverage production and distribution complex at the Hope Hull exit off Interstate 65.

OCTOBER 2022: Hyundai Mobis, one of the world’s

ufacturing employers. With payroll over $300 million, it supports 14,436 direct and indirect jobs in Alabama with a total economic impact of approximately $5 billion. In addition, the company spends more than $6 billion a year to support and maintain its manufacturing operations and facility, half with Alabama-based businesses. HMMA and its team members also donate to and volunteer with dozens of area charities.

HMMA community investments average more than $500,000 a year.

New at the plant are facilities for electric vehicles, starting with Hyundai Genesis. The new facility represents a

$300 million investment with 200 more jobs anticipated. Also supplier Hyundai Mobis announced plans for a $205 million EV battery module plant to supply Hyundai and sister car producer Kia in nearby Georgia.

Hyundai also attracts suppliers, most recently Danish firm Mountain Top Industries, which makes aluminum roll covers for pickup trucks.

MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AND MISSIONS

Maxwell Air Force Base is home to the 42nd Air Base Wing, which serves as the host wing and provides all base operating, infrastructure and services support

B R I E F S

largest auto suppliers, announces plans to invest $205 million to open an EV battery module plant in Montgomery that will eventually employ at least 400 people.

OCTOBER 2022: The Montgomery Chamber, along with the City of Montgomery and

56 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

Montgomery County Commission, draft a block-by-block plan for downtown Montgomery, hoping to prompt economic growth.

OCTOBER 2022: Global solar leader Lightsource bp and the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority dedicated a 130

MWdc/100 MWac Black Bear Solar project, one of the largest solar farms in Alabama.

SEPTEMBER 2022: The Montgomery Regional Airport wins a $300,000 federal grant to support its new service to Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport. Also,

in December 2021, Wade Davis was appointed executive director.

JULY 2022: Premier Tech announces a $32 million investment for construction of a new facility in Montgomery for its systems and automation business group.

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

TAXES PROPERTY TAX MONTGOMERY COUNTY Not including cities or schools

OUTSIDE MONTGOMERY: 12.5 mills INSIDE MONTGOMERY: 7.5 mills INSIDE PIKE ROAD: 7.5 mills

The Lab on Dexter is helping to grow the tech and innovation ecosystem in the River Region.

STATE OF ALABAMA: 6.5 MILLS

for 42,000 active duty, reserve, civilian, contract personnel, students and families at Maxwell and Gunter Annex.

Air University works with more than 32,000 resident and 73,000 non-resident officers, enlisted and civilian personnel each year in academic, professional military and continuing education programs.

Air University awarded 12,450 associate degrees, 626 master’s degrees, and 18 Ph.Ds. in fiscal year 2022.

IT and cyber capabilities also are key at Maxwell and Gunter Annex, with materiel responsibilities for IT and a network operations squadron charged with cyber security and other issues and a Defense Information Systems Agency unit building and securing Department of Defense information networks.

With a population of more than 14,550 active duty, reserve, civilian and contractor personnel, the MaxwellGunter community has a significant economic and cultural impact. In fiscal year 2021, Maxwell-Gunter’s payroll was approximately $768 million with another $416 million in expenditures for construction and other services.

Maxwell-Gunter also is home to the Alabama National Guard, one of the state’s top employers with some 20,000

B U S I N E S S JUNE 2022: FedEx Ground Package Systems Inc. begins construction on a $52 million expansion of its distribution and logistics center in Montgomery.

APRIL 2022: Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama announces plans to begin building

jobs. In 2023, the Air National Guard fighter wing anticipates 10 new F-35 Lightning II jets, equipped with the latest stealth, combat and reconnaissance technology.

TECHMGM

SALES TAX MONTGOMERY COUNTY: 2.5% Cities within the county

MONTGOMERY: 3.5% PIKE ROAD: 2.25% ALABAMA SALES TAX: 4%

TechMGM is a collaboration of local industry, education and government entities working to leverage Montgomery’s technology assets to expand the local economy. Montgomery’s combination of partners has invested in critical tech infrastructure, implementing fiber infrastructure throughout the city and creating the powerful Montgomery Internet Exchange.

Current technology initiatives include: • Montgomery Internet Exchange (MGMix). With 100 Gbps capacity, MGMix was established in January 2016. The Mix now has more than 20 connected members working from the RSA Dexter Avenue Data Center.

It recently announced an expansion of its service down the I-85 corridor to Auburn.

• Montgomery TechLab, a new tech accelerator, launched in 2020. Nearly 20 startup companies have completed

Source: Alabama Department of Revenue

TechLab’s 12-week intensive program.

• Lab on Dexter, the community’s newest innovation facility, is a public-private partnership to grow the tech and innovation ecosystem in the Montgomery community.

• BESPIN, the Business Enterprise Product Innovation Center, is one of the USAF’s largest agile software factories. This unit is co-located with the Montgomery Area Chamber to provide high-speed commercial internet and an innovative work environment to develop the nation’s Department of Defense mobile business applications.

• Amazon Web Services Academy is an industry-level curriculum and certification program at Trenholm State Community College. Students can earn an associate degree in cloud technology.

B R I E F S

the Santa Fe hybrid and the electrified Genesis at the Montgomery plant, a $300 million investment adding 200 jobs.

JANUARY 2022: The Alabama State Port Authority announces plans to construct the Montgomery Inland Container Intermodal Transfer Facility,

offering direct rail service between the capital city and the port in Mobile.

NOVEMBER 2021: Amazon announces plans for a 650,000-square-foot inbound cross dock or IXD facility in Montgomery, a $100 million investment adding 500 jobs.

AUGUST 2021: The Montgomery Chamber opens the Lab on Dexter, offering a collaborative learning environment for entrepreneurs.

MAY 2021: The Montgomery Chamber of Commerce is awarded the prestigious Mac Conway Award for Excellence

in Economic Development for the second year in a row. This award is presented by Site Selection magazine to the nation’s top 20 local economic development organizations.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 57

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

WAREHOUSING/DISTRIBUTION

In recent years, the distribution/warehouse sector has grown quickly, supporting supply chains for the food and beverage, medical supply, consumer goods and automotive industries.

ALABAMA STATE GOVERNMENT

The second largest overall employer in the county, state government is concen-

trated in the capital city of Montgomery. That, in turn, attracts professional organizations and agencies that seek to influence state policy.

The county also is home to the Retirement Systems of Alabama, with investments ranging from golf courses to skyscrapers. RSA’s data center is instrumental in the Montgomery Internet Exchange cyber program in the city and beyond.

TOURISM

Montgomery tourism is on the rise again. For the first time post-pandemic, the city expects to see more than $1 billion in travel expenditures. The Equal Justice Initiative’s Memorial to Peace and Justice and Legacy Museum continue to lead the way, bringing an average of 30,000 visitors per month to the capital city.

The tourism sector continues to grow faster than anticipated as heritage tourism has evolved. In recent years, the “travel with a purpose” concept has grown, and the city is offering social innovation, diversity, equity and inclusion programs to corporations, conventions, colleges, universities and athletic conferences, leisure travelers and families, according to Ron Simmons, chief officer for destination and community development.

Also, the city is an in-demand destination for meetings, sports events and leisure travelers. Three hotels are currently under construction downtown.

The Trilogy, an Autograph Collection Marriott Hotel, is forecast to open in the first quarter of 2023.

The city also has established itself among the South’s hottest sports destinations, with national sporting event planners looking to the city for events like triathlons, football bowl games and youth baseball tournaments.

The next attraction on the horizon is an outdoor whitewater course and entertainment district near Maxwell Air Force Base, projected to open in 2023.

Simmons says the attraction will meet the demand of travelers who are looking for outdoor activities. “Whether you are a professional, first-time kayaker, or just want to enjoy a great time with family and friends, there will be something to do for everyone!”

HEALTH CARE

Montgomery County’s hospitals employ more than 7,500 people. Baptist Health, the largest healthcare provider in central Alabama, is the region’s largest overall employer with more than 5,000 employees.

Its hospitals are Baptist Medical Center South, a 492-bed acute care regional referral center in Montgomery; Baptist Medical Center East, a 176-bed acute 58 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

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

Largest Industrial Employers Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC | MONTGOMERY Automobiles • 3,800 employees

Region. It is licensed for 344 beds.

The county also is home to the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital and Noland Hospital, located in Jackson Hospital.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Montgomery is home to Auburn

University at Montgomery, Huntingdon College, Trenholm State Community College, Alabama State University, Faulkner University, Amridge University and Troy University Montgomery.

Together, these schools employ hundreds of faculty and staff, offering programs from work certifications through advanced degrees.

Koch Foods | MONTGOMERY

Poultry processing • 1,250 employees

MOBIS Alabama LLC MONTGOMERY

Automobile parts • 1,100 employees

Rheem Water Heaters MONTGOMERY

Water heaters • 920 employees

DAS North America Inc. MONTGOMERY

Automotive seat components 495 employees

Hyundai Power Transformers USA MONTGOMERY

Power transformers • 441 employees

Lear Corp. | MONTGOMERY

Automobile seats • 373 employees

STERIS Corp. | MONTGOMERY

Hospital equipment • 370 employees

Flowers Bakery of Montgomery LLC | MONTGOMERY Breads and Rolls • 332 employees

Seoyon E Hwa | MONTGOMERY Door trim parts • 300 employees

Smith Industries Inc./Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. | MONTGOMERY Commercial plumbing equipment 265 employees

Hager Companies | MONTGOMERY Industrial grade door hinges, accessories 254 employees

Source: Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce

care hospital providing a wide range of health care services in Montgomery; and 107-bed Prattville Baptist Hospital, that serves residents of Elmore and Autauga counties.

Jackson Hospital also is one of the largest hospitals in the state and has the largest multi-specialty clinic in the River January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 59

Movers & Shapers BRAD ARMAGOST is regional

president over the Montgomery, Pike Road and Auburn markets for CB&S Bank. A University of Alabama graduate, he has served in the U.S. Army Reserves, including the U.S. Army School of Computer Science at Fort Ben Harrison. He also has completed the Bank Administration Institute’s Graduate School in Bank Finance Management and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Georgetown University. He is active with River Region United Way, Jackson Hospital Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and is a member of the broadcast crew for the Saint James School football radio program.

JANNAH MORGAN BAILEY is

president and CEO of the River Region United Way. A Montgomery native, she is a graduate of Auburn University at Montgomery and worked 21 years as executive director of Child Protect, Children’s Advocacy Center. A member of the Montgomery Public School Board, she is active in Montgomery Sunrise Rotary Club and a graduate of Leadership Montgomery and Leadership Alabama. In 2018, Bailey received the Leading Lady Award for Professional and Community Service from the Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama. Her family was selected as a Family of the Year in 2010 by the Family Guidance Center.

MELVIN J. BROWN is superintendent

of Montgomery Public Schools.

He has 24 years of school administrative experience, most recently in Ohio, as a superintendent, administrator, principal, teacher and coach. A James Madison University graduate, he holds a master’s from 62 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

Virginia Commonwealth University and an Ed.D. from Ohio State University. He is a 2021 honoree of Central Ohio’s “A Tribute to African Americans Committee Inc.” and is co-author of the book, “STEM Century: It Takes a Village to Raise a 21st Century Graduate.”

ANNA BUCKELEW is president

and CEO of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, after serving as executive vice president.

She serves on the board of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama and is a director of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Foundation. A graduate of the University of Alabama, she has additional credentials from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institutes for Organization Management at the University of Georgia.

KEMBA CHAMBERS is president of

Trenholm State Community College in Montgomery.

She has 25 years of higher education experience at Trenholm, at other community colleges and with the Alabama Community College System.

A graduate of Chattahoochee Valley Community College, she has a bachelor’s from Columbus State University, a master’s from Troy University and a doctorate in higher education administration from Auburn University.

LISTON EDDINS is broker/owner of

Eddins Properties Inc. and has been working in real estate for 45 years. He is a graduate of Auburn University and served as 1975 Auburn football captain under Coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan. A former chairman of the YMCA of Greater Montgomery, he now chairs its finance committee. He also is

chairman of the Industrial Development Board for the city of Montgomery, where he works with city, county and chamber of commerce leadership.

DAN HARRIS is a Montgomery County

commissioner. He is retired from Mutual of Omaha Insurance Companies, where he worked more than 20 years, most recently as vice president and assistant general counsel. A Montgomery native, he is a graduate of Alabama State University with a master’s from Auburn University at Montgomery and a J.D. degree from Creighton University School of Law. He is a graduate of Leadership Montgomery and Leadership Alabama. In addition to his duties as a commissioner, he is a practicing attorney. He serves on the board of One Place Family Justice Center and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

DENNIS MITCHELL HENRY is

president of Faulkner University, where he earlier taught law to undergraduate and graduate students.

He also has taught dispute resolution at Faulkner’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law and agriculture law at Auburn University. While teaching, he has practiced law for 29 years and is a founding member of Webster, Henry, Bradwell, Cohan, Speagle and DeShazo P.C. He also previously worked closely with Faulkner University’s legal counsel.

JAKE KYSER is president of Jerry Kyser

Builder Inc. and qualifying broker for Kyser Property Management Co. Inc. He also owns Central Restaurant, Tower Taproom and Lower Lounge in downtown Montgomery’s Alley Entertainment

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

District. He is an Auburn University graduate. He serves on the board of the Greater Montgomery Home Builders Association and is active with Associated General Contractors of Alabama, Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 and Wright Flyers. He is a charter member of the River Bank & Trust board. Kyser was a finalist for the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association “Restaurateur of the Year.”

KEITH LANKFORD is superintendent

of Pike Road Schools.

He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Troy University, an education specialist degree from Jacksonville State University and a doctorate from the University of Alabama. He is a U.S. Army and National Guard veteran. He has worked at almost every level in education, from paraprofessional to six years as superintendent, most recently with the Alexander City Schools.

STEVEN REED is mayor of

Montgomery, the first Black mayor in the city’s 200year history. Earlier he was probate judge, serving as Montgomery’s chief election official. For that work, Reed was selected for the Department of Homeland Security’s Election Integrity Commission.

Reed is a recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award for Governmental Service and is a member of the New Deal Leaders network, the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and the UNUM Fellows cohort.

He was selected for the Aspen Institute Socrates Program, serves on the advisory board for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, is active with the African American Mayors Association and the National League of Cities. Reed graduated from Morehouse College and earned an MBA from Vanderbilt University.

RONALD A. SIMMONS is the

Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce chief officer, destination and community development, working with tourism, economic development and downtown plans. A Montgomery native, he is a graduate of Auburn University at Montgomery and a U.S. Army Reserves veteran. He holds additional credentials from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Institute of Organizational Management. Simmons served earlier as president of United Way in Montgomery.

Active in the community, he is founder of D.A.D.S. (Dads and Daughters Saturday). He is a member of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama and a Leadership Montgomery graduate.

DOUG SINGLETON is chairman of

the Montgomery County Commission.

He has years of business experience ranging from small companies to CocaCola. He is chairman of the board of the Central Alabama Consortium and Montgomery American Youth Baseball and Softball, serves on the Committee of 100 Board of Control and Economic Development, is founder and president of Montgomery Miracle League and a volunteer for Upward Basketball and Crowne Nursing Home. He also is an advisory board member of the City of Montgomery Parks and Recreation Department.

CHARISSE D. STOKES is president of

Tidal IT Solutions LLC, an information technology consulting company in Montgomery. A graduate of Clemson University, she has a master’s from Auburn University at

Montgomery. She is a U.S. Air Force veteran. She serves on the board of Alabama Power Co. and is active with the Business Council of Alabama, Alabama STEM Advisory Council, Computer Science Task Force and the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association International, AUM College of Business, Trenholm State Community College Computer Information Systems and Saint James School Board. She founded EduWerx, to help women and minority students try STEM programs.

GORDON STONE has served as the

mayor of the Town of Pike Road for nearly two decades, during which time the young municipality has experienced rapid and exciting growth. He also is executive director of the Higher Education Partnership, the advocacy voice for Alabama’s 14 public universities. Stone is an Auburn University graduate with an MBA from Auburn University at Montgomery. He also serves as a leader in the National Young Farmers Educational Association.

LT. GEN. ANDREA D. TULLOS

is commander and president of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base. She entered the Air Force in 1991. She is a career Security Forces officer and has previously served as a staff officer at the combatant command, Joint Staff, Air Staff and major command levels and as the director of security forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. She has completed multiple command tours at the squadron, group, wing and numbered Air Force level.

Prior to her current assignment, Tullos was deputy commander, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 63

Health Care

Jackson Hospital has 344 beds and provides comprehensive services.

BAPTIST HEALTH

The not-for-profit Baptist Health is the largest health care provider in central Alabama and an affiliate of the UAB Health System.

Central to Baptist Health are its three hospitals — Baptist Medical Center South with 492 beds, Baptist Medical Center East with 176 beds and Prattville Baptist Hospital with 107 beds. Also within the system are the Montgomery Cancer Center, the freestanding psychiatric hospital Crossbridge Behavioral Health, a joint venture surgical center called Montgomery Surgical Center, a network of ambulatory clinics, outpatient imaging centers, wound care facilities plus rehabilitation and home care services.

Baptist Health serves patients in 14 counties with some 700,000 residents.

With more than 5,000 employees, it is among the largest employers in the area.

Baptist Health is home to the area’s only Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Units, one at the South campus and one at the East.

One of Alabama’s only Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinics is located at Baptist Medical Center East, which delivers the second most babies per year in the state and offers specialized care for women with high-risk 64 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

pregnancies.

Other special services include robotic assisted knee and hip surgery and an award-winning stroke center that has the capability to perform thrombectomy, a life and skill saving procedure for stroke victims.

The Montgomery Cancer Center, which opened more than 20 years ago, provides access to advanced chemotherapies and other treatment options.

Baptist Health supports UAB Medicine’s internal medicine residency program, operated through the Montgomery Regional Medical Campus on the campus of Baptist Medical Center South. This campus also is home to the UAB Medicine Multispecialty Clinic at Baptist Medical Center South, which offers specialists in breast surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, endocrinology and diabetes care, gastroenterology, urology and rheumatology.

CENTRAL ALABAMA VETERANS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

The Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System serves more than 134,000 veterans living in a 43-county area of Georgia and Alabama.

In addition to its main facilities — CAVHCS-West Campus in Montgomery and CAVHCS-East Campus in Tuskegee — it operates community outpatient clinics in Dothan, Monroeville and Columbus, Georgia, plus the Wiregrass Clinic at Fort Rucker.

JACKSON HOSPITAL

Jackson Hospital’s history is integral to the history of medicine in Central Alabama.

The hospital traces its roots back to 1894, when Watkins Infirmary received its first patients at the hospital’s present location.

On September 16, 1946, Jackson Hospital opened with 37 patient beds and five attending physicians.

Today, licensed for 344 beds, Jackson Hospital is a community not-for-profit hospital serving Montgomery and the Alabama River Region with comprehensive health care services from maternity to sleep disorders to stroke care, surgery and emergency services. The Jackson Surgery Center and The Jackson Imaging Center provide additional health resources to the area. As the largest multi-specialty clinic in the River Region, The Jackson Clinic offers a wide array of services.

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

Baptist Medical Center East has 176 beds and is one of three Baptist Health facilities in the area.

Jackson Hospital has received the gold seal of approval for abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery, spine surgery and heart attack care from the Joint Commission.

This hospital also has been honored for its bariatric surgery, hip and knee replacement and spine surgery services.

The Jackson Wellness Center offers fitness options for area residents.

ENCOMPASS HEALTH REHABILITATION HOSPITAL OF MONTGOMERY

Encompass Health, with 75 beds, offers inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services, caring for patients with a wide range of diagnoses, from hip fractures to strokes to neurological disorders.

In October 2022, Michelle Von Arx was appointed chief executive officer of the hospital.

NOLAND HOSPITAL MONTGOMERY

This long-term acute care hospital, located within Jackson Hospital, is affiliated with Noland Health Services and specializes in treating medically complex patients who need such services as ventilator or pulmonary care, wound care, long-term IV therapy and those with multi-system failure.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 65

Higher Education

Faulkner University Campus.

more accessible, AUM awarded an all-time high of $12.3 million in scholarships in 2022. AUM has nearly doubled its scholarship allocation since 2016, when it awarded $6.4 million.

AUM’s efforts to anticipate and meet evolving workforce needs include the 2022 launch of the state’s first Artificial Intelligence Research Laboratory, which leverages supercomputer technology to help undergraduate and graduate students develop expertise in machine learning, automation, big data analysis, natural language processing, robotic processes and facial recognition systems. The lab also offers resources for businesses and institutions seeking AI solutions.

In 2021, AUM acquired a former Alabama Department of Public Health facility and is transforming the 45,000-squarefoot facility into a science lab complex to support bioscience and allied health care disciplines. The $35 million project is expected to be complete in 2024.

FAULKNER UNIVERSITY

Auburn University at Montgomery.

ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY

ASU, founded in 1867, is one of America’s oldest historically Black colleges or universities. It offers more than 62 degrees in its seven campus colleges, including both undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Division 1 members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, ASU has 18 intercollegiate athletic teams plus sororities, fraternities, student government, performing arts and more.

ASU President Dr. Quinton Ross Jr. has led the university in enhancing online and hybrid academic classes, and during the pandemic, acquired state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure to combat COVID-19. The Alabama Department of Public Health selected ASU as one of its official COVID-19 testing and vaccine centers for the campus and the public.

66 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

ASU recently has expanded its fight against COVID-19 to the rural areas of Alabama.

AUBURN UNIVERSITY AT MONTGOMERY

Founded in 1967, Auburn University at Montgomery is the largest four-year college in the city with 5,112 students. AUM offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 90 program areas.

AUM recently earned recognition from U.S. News & World Report as one of the top regional comprehensive universities in the South, with kudos for innovation, undergraduate teaching and overall quality plus a nod for its diversity.

AUM also has established itself as a first choice for first-generation students, with more than 50% of its Fall 2022 students identifying themselves as being the first members of their families to attend college.

In an effort to help make education

Faulkner is a Christian liberal arts university, which seeks to promote character and service along with education. It offers students more than 100 degrees across six colleges, with campuses in Montgomery, Huntsville, Mobile and Birmingham and a growing eCampus.

Faulkner’s Montgomery campus has an undergraduate enrollment of more than 3,300 in colleges of arts and science, business, biblical studies, education, law and health sciences.

This fall, the school’s College of Health Sciences welcomed its first class of occupational therapists. The school has opened an autism clinic, serving River Region patients at no cost.

Faulkner has received two grants this year, totaling $4.25 million, to strengthen services for Black students.

This year, Faulkner launched its inaugural esports team and unveiled the new Registar USA High Res Arena.

HUNTINGDON COLLEGE

Huntingdon College continues a legacy of faith, wisdom and service through a liberal arts academic tradition grounded in the Judeo-Christian heritage of the United Methodist Church. Now in its 168th year,

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

Huntingdon was founded in 1854.

Through the Huntingdon Plan, each full-time day student is provided a laptop computer, a senior-year travel-study experience, and books and information resources as part of regular tuition and fees. Degree programs place special emphasis on preparation for professional life after graduation.

Huntingdon’s newest majors, which began in 2022, include specialized preparation for further study in health care, athletic training, occupational and physical therapy.

Huntingdon has an agreement with UAB for admission to its nursing program and with Duke Divinity School for seminary admission. The biochemistry program and music program both have earned specialized accreditation.

Classes are small, with no classes taught by graduate assistants. There are 21 NCAA-III intercollegiate athletic teams, a cheer squad, a new coed esports program beginning in fall 2023, and more than 50 clubs and organizations.

Both U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review have ranked Huntingdon high.

Huntingdon is a residential campus.

More than 60% of students live in college-owned housing.

TROY UNIVERSITY MONTGOMERY CAMPUS

Troy University Montgomery has been serving the River Region since the mid1960s — first at Maxwell Air Force Base and then later in downtown Montgomery.

Troy University Montgomery is committed to meeting the needs of working adults seeking to advance their careers or chart a new career path.

This fall, Troy University expanded its associated degree program in nursing on the Montgomery campus to include nighttime classes.

Its downtown campus is unique and historic. The campus’ main administrative building, Whitley Hall, was once the Whitley Hotel, which hosted visiting dignitaries and politicians. The former Paramount Theater is the Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts.

The campus also is home to the Rosa Parks Library and Museum, located on the spot of Mrs. Parks’ historic 1955 arrest that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

The museum annually draws visitors to Montgomery from around the world.

The Montgomery campus also is home to the University’s Center for Public Service, providing expert assistance to governments and nonprofits.

TRENHOLM STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Trenholm State Community College, with a campus at Maxwell Air Force Base and the Patterson site on Troy Highway in Montgomery, offers more than 25 programs of study, including new electrician’s assistant program and manufacturing programs.

Other areas of study include computer information systems, electrical, industrial systems and automation, automotive manufacturing, diesel Huntingdon College. mechanics, precision AFB, with some across town at Maxmachining, welding, well’s Gunter Annex, and one located at architecture and engineering design, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Air Unigraphic design, air-conditioning and versity operates more than 650 academic, refrigeration. professional military and continuing education programs.

AIR UNIVERSITY Maxwell Air Force Base hosts the headAMRIDGE UNIVERSITY quarters of Air University — the largest Amridge University is a private Christian partner unit on the base with some 4,000 university, offering online education since military and civilian personnel.

1993. It was chosen by the U.S. DepartAir University is responsible for Air ment of Education as one of the first 15 Force enlisted and officer professional participants in the nation to pilot distance military education, professional continuing education on a broad level. education and graduate education, as well It offers undergraduate, graduate and as officer commissioning through Officer doctoral degrees 100% online to accomTraining School and ROTC. Air Univermodate the schedule of working adults, sity graduates more than 32,000 resident with programs in business, general studies, and 73,000 non-resident officers enlisted human services, theology and continuing and civilian personnel each year. education.

Most AU programs reside at Maxwell January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 67

Community Development

Downtown Montgomery.

Rendering of Montgomery Whitewater.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY/ CITY OF MONTGOMERY

Montgomery Whitewater is set to open in summer 2023. City and county officials expect the Olympic-standard whitewater facility and outdoor activity center to enhance the quality of life for residents and attract outdoor tourism.

The 120-acre recreation and entertainment complex will offer rafting, kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding.

While beginners can use the facilities to learn a new skill, Olympic hopefuls can train there and pros can work on skills such as swift water rescue training. The project also will feature climbing areas, zip lines, ropes courses and hiking and mountain biking trails.

Restaurants, retail, cabanas, an amphitheater and a conference center can host live music performances, festivals, camps and more.

On a more pragmatic level, the Mont68 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

gomery County Commission expects to have its courthouse renovations complete by spring 2023, county officials say.

Montgomery Public Schools appointed a new superintendent in spring 2022, Melvin J. Brown. MPS is a one-to-one district in terms of technological devices per student, and this year, the district is able to offer robotics at every school and grade level. Dalraida Elementary School opened a STEM lab for students, the first of its kind in the region, and the school’s principal, Bryan Cutter, was the only educator in Alabama to receive the prestigious Milken Educator Award, partly because of his creation of the lab.

The new home of Booker T. Washington Magnet High on Bell Road is set to open in January, giving the performing arts school students a permanent home after a building burned down on its former campus.

Also, the Montgomery County Board of Education recently voted to change the

names of two schools. Robert E. Lee High School will now be named Percy Julian High School, named after a pioneering chemist from Montgomery, and Jefferson Davis High School will be Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz High School, or JAG, named after Judge Frank M. Johnson and civil rights activists Ralph Abernathy and Robert Graetz.

The school system is heavily invested in workforce development, with an extensive listing of career and technical education programs at middle and high schools, plus the Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies.

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama recently donated a car so that automotive students can learn about modern auto manufacturing.

In the city of Montgomery, Mayor Steven Reed points to success on both the financial and inclusiveness fronts.

First, the city is in the best financial condition in recent memory, paying off all short-term debt and reducing long-term debt by 34%. Several major business projects have been announced, totaling more than $1 billion in investments and some 1,800 new jobs, while the city’s unemployment rate continues to trend downward.

Second, the city has increased the number of Black-owned businesses who participate in city contracts by more than 300%, and as a result, the city was named the Best City in the Nation for Black-Owned Businesses according to Black Information

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

Network Radio, NerdWallet and more.

And a partnership with Liberty Bank has seen $20 million transferred to the bank to manage on behalf of the city.

Montgomery has launched several quality-of-life initiatives, including Montgomery Forward and the Downtown Plan, which details redevelopment and improvements in every city block.

New hotels are coming; the city’s hotel occupancy rate has climbed past 70%; and the lodging tax is up 42% and closing in on pre-pandemic levels, officials say.

The mayor’s grants department has secured more than $7 million in funding and has applied for more than $130 million in grant money in just one year.

TOWN OF PIKE ROAD

The Town of Pike Road celebrated its 25th year as a municipality in 2022. For the past two decades, the town has been named the fastest growing in the state, expanding from just several hundred to nearly 10,000 residents.

“We have had many great opportunities presented to our town,” says Mayor Gordon Stone. “Most importantly, we have been blessed by a great team of community leaders, staff and partners who have helped us turn possibility into reality. In addition, our citizens have continued to engage and support the commitment to planning for both the near and distant future, the quality-of-life programming, and the effort to maintain sustainable growth.”

Several housing developments are under construction, and existing developments are expanding, Stone says. There are more than 70 neighborhoods in Pike Road, and all are supported by expanding infrastructure.

The town prioritizes connection with its citizens via a weekly newsletter, radio shows, videos and other outlets. The town has a strong sense of community and offers programming in areas of interest identified by its citizens. This includes an active arts council, which offers art classes, local art shows and other regional events.

The town recently opened its Agriculture, Recreation & Performing Arts Park, which serves the community with educational spaces and a multipurpose outdoor arena. It also is expanding its natural trail network. The town’s plan for growth focuses on seven traditional community hubs, five of which have seen retail and other growth, including a new Publix grocery and several local businesses.

The Alabama Department of Transportation has several projects in the works for the town centers.

The municipality partners with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and is served by three volunteer fire departments with nearly a dozen fire stations.

Pike Road Schools, opened in 2015, have about 2,500 students and plans are in the works for a $50 million high school.

Students begin exploring careers and pathways early, and the school system has career technical academies in such fields as software/programming, biomedical and career preparation.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 69

Culture & Recreation

Montgomery Zoo.

Montgomery Symphony at the Capitol.

Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

CAPITOL ATTRACTIONS

pus of Alabama State University, visit the Montgomery Interpretive Center, where exhibits tell the history of the last leg of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March, the student involvement in the Voting Rights Movement, and the rally that occurred at the City of St. Jude campus the fourth night of the march.

And visit the Rosa Parks Library & Museum, which includes a replica of the bus at the start of the bus boycott of 1955.

UNEXPECTED TREASURES

The Alabama State Capitol is one of the few designated as a National Historic Landmark and offers self-guided tours.

And the 1907 Governor’s Mansion – still the residence of governors – is open for tours by reservation.

CELEBRATE RIGHTS

The Civil Rights Memorial honors the achievements and memory of those who died during the modern Civil Rights movement, while the Center offers interactive exhibits and learning spaces.

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is dedicated to victims of lynching and racial terror, using sculpture art, and design to contextualize racial terror, fostering a sober and meaningful reflection on America’s history of racial inequality.

The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration, built on the site where enslaved people were once warehoused, also offers a sobering look at racial inequality.

For a more active look, retrace elements of the Selma-to-Montgomery march, from downtown Selma to the capitol, including the final camping site at The City of St. Jude. In Montgomery, also visit Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church & The Dexter Parsonage Museum, with memorabilia from the days when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was pastor. In the old Greyhound Bus Station, visit the Freedom Rides Museum. On the cam70 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

HAIL TO HISTORY

The Museum of Alabama, located in the Alabama Department of Archives and History, is the oldest state-funded archives in the nation. It features a genealogical research facility and exhibits on Alabama history. Or walk the streets of Old Alabama Town — six blocks of history with a one-room schoolhouse, grist mill, doctor’s office, tavern and more — all brought to life by costumed interpreters.

You can see another side of Alabama history at the First White House of the Confederacy, home to Jefferson Davis when Montgomery was the capital of the Confederacy.

COUNTRY ROADS

Alabama’s Black Belt, 23 counties including Montgomery, is widely known for its excellent hunting and fishing opportunities, cultural destinations and antebellum homes. Find out what’s around that next bend in the road.

Alabama Cattlemen’s Association “MOOseum” shows off the region’s agriculture, with activities for children. The Alabama Safari Park offers unforgettable memories as you feed giraffes, gaze at gazelles or admire the stripes of a zebra.

TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY

Alabama Shakespeare Festival is ranked as one of the largest Shakespeare theaters in the world, drawing more than 300,000 people annually from all over the world.

ADVENTURES IN ART

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is a collection of 19th and 20th century American paintings, old masters, Southern regional arts and more, including interactive gallery for children called Artworks.

Surrounding the museum and nearby Shakespeare Festival buildings is the John and Joyce Caddell Sculpture Garden.

TAKE A TOUR

Start at the Montgomery Area Visitor Center, where staff can help you build a custom itinerary and you can pick up local souvenirs. Then try a tour with one of several groups, all allowing you to revisit the city’s rich history of civil rights, state government and more. Try Legendary Tours, Montgomery Tours or More Than Tours to lead your excursion. If you prefer to propel yourself, try the Sip-NCycle Pedal Cruise on the pedal-powered party boat.

S P O T L I G H T: C U LT U R E & R EC R E AT I O N

festivities and events: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION | January

Commemorating the remarkable leader’s advocacy for racial equality, voting rights, economic justice and international peace with a parade and other events.

HONDA BATTLE OF THE BANDS | February HBCU bands compete

for honors at Alabama State University.

SLE RODEO | March

Cowboys and cowgirls compete for prize money on some of Pro Rodeo’s top bucking horses and bulls.

GLOBAL CITY FEST | May through August Each second Saturday

Civil Rights Memorial Center.

CITY LEGENDS

Visit the home of literary legends Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald or visit the tribute to musical legend Hank Williams at the old city auditorium and his gravesite at Oakwood Cemetery. Wright Brothers Park honors Montgomery’s role in aviation history as the home of the first night flight and first commercial aviation school, plus a scale model of a Wright Brothers airplane.

RIVER VIEW

Come down to the river and relive history while enjoying a river cruise on the Harriott II, a 19th century riverboat that offers dinner, dancing and live entertainment.

PLAY BALL

The Montgomery Biscuits, an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, play at Riverwalk Stadium downtown.

ANIMAL ANTICS

The Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Learning Museum introduce hundreds of animals in natural habitats, with paddleboats and a train besides.

PLAY ON

Montgomery Performing Arts Centre presents everything from Broadway shows to opera, comedy and kids’ shows, as well as performances by local arts groups. Cloverdale Playhouse is a community venue that offers plays, music and more. You

can also catch a show at Troy University’s Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts, housed in the 1930s Paramount Movie House.

FILM FUN

Built in 1941, the Capri Theatre was Montgomery’s first neighborhood theatre.

Now it’s the only independent cinema in town.

FOOD FUN

EAT South Downtown Farm teaches healthy and sustainable farming and its produce is sold throughout the city.

Montgomery Curb Market offers fresh flowers, produce and specialty foods weekly in Downtown Montgomery.

TAKE A WALK

Lagoon Park Trail features five miles of walking, running and biking trails.

GET SOME EXERCISE

Multiplex at Cramton Bowl offers 90,000 square feet of indoor sports space.

Or try Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park, with its jump arena, dodgeball, slam dunk zone and rock climbing tower. Admission charged.

JUST FOR FUN

Civil Axe offers indoor axe throwing sessions for groups for serious competition or just for fun. Also downtown, try Escapology, with escape games that challenge two to eight players to solve puzzles

features a different culture with music, food, arts and crafts.

JUNETEENTH | June

Celebrating the end of slavery in the United States.

TACO LIBRE | June

Tacos from Alabama’s best taquerias, restaurants and food trucks.

MONTGOMERY KICKOFF CLASSIC | August This college football season

opener is played in Montgomery and televised on ESPN. ALABAMA NATIONAL FAIR | Fall

music, entertainment and food.

Live

BURGER BASH | Fall Area

chefs compete to see who makes the best burger in the River Region.

CAMELLIA BOWL | December

Winners of the Sun Belt and MidAmerican conferences face off in Cramton Bowl. and earn their way out. Newtopia Fun Park provides an indoor playground just for kids.

AUTO EXPO

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama allows you to experience one of the world’s most advanced automotive plants and watch team members work side-byside with robots to build popular cars and SUVs. January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 71

by ERICA JOINER WEST

NANCY BROWN

STACEY HART

SARAH CHANDLER

WESLEY RAKESTRAW

ASHLEY TAYLOR

MISTI KILL

ACCELERATORS

Christine Concepcion has been selected as the inaugural managing director of the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator, in Birmingham.

ACCOUNTING

NICK ROCKHILL

LYNLEE WELLS PALMER

RAY NICHOLS

SHAWN MELAMPY

THACHER WORTHEN

Columbia Southern University Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College of Safety and Emergency Services Misti Kill has been appointed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Advisory Council.

Jackson Thornton has selected Nancy Brown, LEGAL Clarence Wilbon has been elected chair of Sarah Chandler and Ashley Taylor as the the Adams and Reese Executive Committee, firm’s newest principals. effective January 1.

AEROSPACE

Balch & Bingham has welcomed six new associates to the firm’s Alabama offices: Nicholas Elliot Brown, John Collier, Christy Boardman Kuklinski, Samantha Renshaw and Lindsey Yerby in Birmingham and Tripp DeMoss in Montgomery.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP has added associate Brendan Smith in the Birmingham office. Associate Emily Ruzic has received Bradley’s 2022 Cameron J. Miller Award for Excellence and Community Service. Partner David Pugh has been elected 2023 secretary on the Associated Builders and Contractors Executive Committee.

Lynlee Wells Palmer has joined Jackson Lewis P.C. as principal in the firm’s Birmingham office.

MANUFACTURING

DeShazo LLC, a manufacturer of customdesigned overhead cranes in Bessemer, has added Thacher Worthen to its staff as president of the service group.

Six Northrop Grumman Corp. employees received NASA’s Distinguished Public Service Medal, the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal and the Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal for their work in designing and building the James Webb Space Telescope. They are Scott Willoughby, Charlie Atkinson, Jim Flynn, Andy Cohen, Scott Texter and Andy Tao.

BANKING

Nick Rockhill has been hired by Bank Independent as vice president sales officer in Madison County. In addition, the bank has promoted Ray Nichols and Shawn Melampy to mortgage loan originators.

Susanne Keough will lead ServisFirst Bank’s International Banking Department. Joining her are Maria Rose as vice president, trade finance manager and Monika Brackin as senior letter of credit specialist, bank officer.

Trustmark Corp. has promoted Stacey Hart to senior vice president in Mobile, where she serves as senior credit officer.

EDUCATION

Wesley Rakestraw has been hired as vice president of academic affairs at Calhoun Community College.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 73

RETROSPECT

Turning little rocks into big business The early years of the Birmingham Slag Company

O

n the final day of 1956, executives of the Birmingham Slag Co. acquired New Jersey-based Vulcan Detinning. A few days later, on January 2, 1957, public shares of the newly styled Vulcan Materials Co. were traded on the New York Stock Exchange at a starting price of $12.69 per share.

The acquisition and expansion left the Birmingham company well prepared for anticipated growth from President Dwight Eisenhower’s $50 billion interstate highway system. But that growth was built upon the company’s early history of transforming slag, a cast-aside material, into a construction industry behemoth.

By the turn of the 20th century, the furiously industrializing city of Birmingham was awash in slag. A by-product of the iron and steelmaking processes, slag is rather inglorious looking stuff.

Roughly one ton of slag is produced for every ton of pig iron. Thus, as the amount of iron and steel made in Birmingham grew, so too did the heaps of gray slag.

74 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

By SCOTTY E. KIRKLAND

Some businessmen saw opportunity within these drab piles, however.

Research showed the adaptive uses of the by-product as seemingly boundless.

Depending on how it was processed and refined, slag could be used in the creation of cement, as ballast (the rocky bed upon which railroad tracks sit) or to create a hard roadbuilding surface called macadam. There were even agricultural possibilities for some mineral-rich slag because of its high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous.

Enter businessman Solon Jacobs.

Born in Kansas, Jacobs first came to Birmingham in 1887 at the age of 22 as a railroad

freight agent. In 1903, he went into business for himself as a merchant selling mining supplies. His industry knowledge no doubt helped him discern the prospect represented in Birmingham’s many slag heaps, all ripe for proverbial harvest.

For help, Jacobs turned, as one

R E T RO S PE C T

does, to a Henry Badham banker. Henry L. Badham had worked in Jefferson County financial institutions since 1886 and was a major stockholder in several area land and steel companies.

He made for a good, if mostly silent, partner for Solon Jacobs’ new enterprise. Their connections ensured that their Birmingham Slag Co. could corner the market, gobbling up the heaps of the four largest steel mills around the city, including Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co. (TCI) and Sloss-Sheffield, at rock-bottom prices.

Using three steam shovels, workers could load 200 railcars a day, shipping materials throughout the region. In the summer of 1910, the growing company was incorporated with Jacobs as president. The capitol stock at the time was $20,000. Jacobs and Badham held the majority of shares.

The fortunes of the company rose alongside Birmingham’s industrial might. In 1914, TCI received a contract to supply the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad with 36,000 tons of steel rail lines; Birmingham Slag was awarded the contract to provide 100,000 tons of ballast for the railbed beneath.

The following year, another railroad ordered 50,000 tons of ballast. Orders of similar size were placed by roadbuilders seeking to improve traveling conditions for the growing number of automobiles throughout the South. In 1916, the company dispatched its secretary to secure a contract with Gulfport, Mississippi, for enough slag to improve its beachfront boulevards.

After less than a decade in operation, Birmingham Slag Co. caught the eye of a new investor. In January 1916, businessman Charles Lincoln Ireland purchased the company, adding it to a manufacturing empire that included quarries in his native Ohio, as well as Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky. Ireland’s timely acquisition brought with it a retirement of sorts for Solon Jacobs.

That same year, Jacobs’ politically involved wife, Pattie Ruffner Jacobs, accepted a position on the board of directors of Susan B. Anthony’s National American Woman Suffrage Association. Solon Jacobs was an enthusiastic supporter of her many Progressive-Era political and social efforts. Over the next several years, Jacobs and Badham sold their remaining shares of the company they had founded.

Charles L. Ireland served as general counselor for Birmingham Slag. He also shored up his investment with new equipment,

traveling to the Panama Canal Zone to purchase used steam shovels and a steampowered drill for a song of a price: $6,590.

To oversee operations, he dispatched his sons Glenn, C. Eugene and Byron to the Yellowhammer State.

Subsequent generations remained with the company.

The Irelands knew the aggregate business well and oversaw the expansion of the main crushing facility, located near TCI’s Ensley furnaces. Completed in November 1917, the plant could refine 4,000 tons of slag a day. In 1918, Birmingham Slag opened a processing plant in Fairfield, near the newly completed TCI steel works. That facility specialized in refining slag for agricultural uses.

Birmingham Slag experienced incredible growth in the early 1920s. In 1921, it launched Slagtex, a “new and better building brick,” made from crushed stone at its Ensley facility. Employees produced 30,000 Slagtex bricks a day. Several prominent area construction projects used the bricks, including the Protective Life Building and Ensley’s Ramsay-McCormack Building, which housed the local offices of U.S. Steel. In 1922, Birmingham Slag benefitted greatly from a $25 million state bond issue to construct better roads. And in 1923, the company expanded into the sand and gravel business.

The company entered 1924 with projections of handling some 750,000 tons of crushed stone products, a 1,000% increase in capacity in just five years.

Further evidence of the company’s prominence came later that fall, when vice president and general manager C. Eugene Ireland received an invitation to address the American Steel Institute in New York on the topic of construction products made from slag. It was clear that Birmingham Slag was here to stay.

The successes of the 1920s helped the company weather the Great Depression, leaving it well positioned for the post-World War II construction boom and all that came thereafter.

Today, under the name Vulcan Materials, the company ranks among the nation’s leading producers of construction aggregate and, more than a century after its founding, is one of the most successful companies in Alabama history.

Solon Jacobs

Historian Scotty E. Kirkland is a freelance contributor to Business Alabama. He lives in Wetumpka.

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 75

Company Kudos

by ERICA JOINER WEST

FEBRUARY Great Outdoors — Silence in the Woods; Fun on the Water Time to Plan That Meeting Alabama Builds Geographic Spotlight: Shelby County

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

Check BusinessAlabama.com for daily business headlines and additional content

Follow us: Business Alabama @BusinessAlabama

76 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

Aloe Bay Town Center Master Plan has received the Franklin M. Setzer Outstanding Urban Design Project Award from the American Planning Association Alabama Chapter. Aloe Bay, located on Dauphin Island and planned as part of the town center for the island, was designed by Alabamabased Goodwyn Mills Cawood. Also involved in the project are Florida-based Dover, Kohl and Partners and Tennessee-based Randall Gross Development Economics.

Baker Donelson has been named a Compass Award winner by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings has been presented Bank of America’s 2022 Law Firm Pro Bono award. The firm’s Montgomery office also has received the Gold Medal Law Firm Award from the Montgomery Volunteer Lawyers Program.

Bridgeworth Wealth Management has been named a 2022 Top 100 RIA Firm on the Forbes/Shook Top RIA listing.

Crow Shields Bailey has been recognized

by Inside Public Accounting as a 2022 Top 500 Firm and a 500 Fastest-Growing Firm.

For the second year in a row and third time overall, Exit Realty of Alabama and Mississippi were named International Region of the Year by Exit Realty Corp.

International.

For a third consecutive year, Hyundai has been awarded the U.S. News & World Report 2023 Best SUV Brand for its lineup of gas-powered, hybrid and electric vehicle models. Hyundai makes the Santa Fe and Tucson SUVs in Montgomery.

The Mobile County Health Department’s Infection Prevention team

has been recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials as an Infection Prevention and Control Champion.

Northwest-Shoals Community College recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of its nursing program. The program typically has almost 100 students a year.

Oakworth Capital Bank, of Birmingham, for a fifth consecutive year has been named the No. 1 Best Bank to Work For by American Banker out of all the banks in the U.S. Also named in the listing were Alabama-based banks Bank Independent of Sheffield at no. 30 and United Bank of Atmore at no. 83.

Regions Bank has been designated as a 2023 Military Friendly Employer and 2023 Military Spouse Friendly Employer

by Military Friendly.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine has achieved the Liaison Committee on Medical Education accreditation, the highest level of accreditation in the U.S. The university’s online learning entity, UAB Online, also has been ranked no. 15 by Newsweek on its list of America’s Top Online Colleges for 2023.

Index

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

Abernathy, Ralph..........................................................68

Bank Independent............................... 10, 73, 76

Construction Partners Inc....................................7

Gillis, Brooke..................................................................8

Adams and Reese.............................................73

Bank of America...............................................76

Cook, Tim......................................................................10

Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama.......................62

Adelete Ports...................................................10

Baptist Health System................................ 56, 64

Creighton University........................................62

Goodwyn Mills Cawood....................................76

Aerobotix Inc....................................................10

Baptist Medical Center East......................... 56, 64

Crossbridge Behavioral Health..........................64

Google Inc..........................................................7

Aerojet Rocketdyne............................................9

Baptist Medical Center South...................... 56, 64

Crosswhite, Mark......................................................9, 10

Graetz, Robert...............................................................68

African American Mayors Association................62

Barker, Greg..................................................................16

Crow Shields Bailey..........................................76

Great Southern Wood Preserving........................9

AIDT........................................................... 43, 46

Bell, Walter...................................................................11

Crowne Nursing Home.....................................62

Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base... 56, 62, 66

BESPIN, the Business Enterprise Product Innovation Center........................................56

Crutchfield, Cynthia........................................................8

Greater Montgomery Home Builders Association.....................................62

Airbus Group.............................................. 10, 43 AL.com.............................................................43 Alabama Air National Guard..............................56 Alabama Cattlemen's Association MOOseum.....70 Alabama Centennial Farm.................................19 Alabama Community College System.......... 39, 62 Alabama Credit Union......................................49 Alabama Department of Archives and History....70 Alabama Department of Commerce......... 7, 16, 46 Alabama Department of Labor.................... 43, 46 Alabama Department of Public Health..............66 Alabama Department of Transportation.........7, 68 Alabama Governor's Mansion...........................70 Alabama Legislature................................... 19, 39 Alabama Municipal Electric Authority................56 Alabama National Fair......................................70 Alabama Office of Apprenticeship.....................39 Alabama Port Authority........................ 16, 53, 56 Alabama Power Co.................................. 9, 10, 62 Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association.................................62

Best Companies to Work For in Alabama............49 Birmingham Slag Co.........................................74 Birmingham, City of...........................................7 Bishop State Community College......................43 Black Information Network Radio.....................68 Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative...62 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.............10 Blue Water Industries.........................................7 Boeing Co................................................ 8, 9, 10 Bonaventure Holdings.......................................7 Booker T. Washington Magnet High School........68 Brackin, Monika............................................................73 Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP............. 73, 76 Bridgeworth Wealth Management....................76 Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator................73 Brown, Melvin........................................................62, 68 Brown, Nancy................................................................73 Brown, Nicholas Elliot...................................................73 Bryan, Stephanie..........................................................10 Buckelew, Anna......................................................63, 62

Alabama Safari Park.........................................70

Buddo, Rob.....................................................................8

Alabama Shakespeare Festival.................... 62, 70

Business Alabama Magazine....................... 10, 49

Alabama State Capitol......................................70

Business Council of Alabama........................8, 62

Alabama State Port Authority................ 16, 53, 56

Byars|Wright Insurance....................................49

Alabama State University......................56 , 62, 66

Calhoun Community College............................73

Alabama STEM Advisory Council........................62

Camellia Bowl..................................................70

Alexander City Schools.....................................62

Camping World..................................................8

Alley Entertainment District, Montgomery........62

Canfield, Greg...........................................................7, 16

Aloe Bay Town Center.......................................76 Altaworx LLC....................................................10

Culverhouse College of Business........................8 Curry, Chris...................................................................11 Cutter, Bryan.................................................................68 Dads and Daughters Saturday...........................62 Dalraida Elementary School, Montgomery.........68 DAS North America Inc......................................59 Davis, Jefferson............................................................70 Davis, Wade..................................................................56 Decatur, City of.................................................10 Defense Information Systems Agency...............56 DeMoss, Tripp...............................................................73 Desch, Ari........................................................................8 DeShazo LLC.....................................................73 Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church...70 Dexter Parsonage Museum...............................70 Doster Construction............................................7 Douglas Manufacturing....................................10 Dover, Kohl and Partners..................................76 Downtown Huntsville Inc....................................8 Drake State Community and Technical College...39 Drax Group......................................................10 Driscoll, John................................................................16 Driskill, Josh.................................................................39 Duke Divinity School........................................66

Growth by NCRC.................................................7 Gulf Distributing..............................................10 Habitat for Humanity........................................62 Hager Companies.............................................59 Harbert Management Corp...............................10 Harriott II Riverboat.........................................70 Harris, Dan....................................................................62 Hart, Stacey...................................................................73 Harvey, Alec..................................................................49 Henry, Dennis Mitchell.................................................62 Hewson, Marillyn.........................................................10 Hibbett Sporting Goods Inc...............................12 Highland Associates.........................................10 Holmes, Mike...............................................................19 Honda Manufacturing of Alabama....................16 Honeycutt, John.............................................................9 Hostettler, Janette........................................................43 HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology..........10 Huntingdon College................................... 56, 66 Huntsville Airport............................................10 Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce.................................16 Hutchison, Tara.............................................................46 Hyundai Mobis........................................... 53, 56

Duncan, Helena..............................................................8

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama.................8, 43, 53, 56, 59, 68, 70, 76

Dynetics Inc........................................................8

Hyundai Power Transformers USA.....................59

EAT South Downtown Farm...............................70

I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway..................7

Echo Group, The..................................................8

ICON Technology Inc.........................................39

Capri Theatre, Montgomery..............................70

Economic Development Partnership of Alabama............................................ 16, 62

Industrial Development Board of the City of Montgomery...............................62

Capstone Building Corp....................................10

Eddins Properties Inc........................................62

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022...........................7

Amazon Inc................................................ 46, 53

Carl, U.S. Rep. Jerry.......................................................11

Eddins, Liston...............................................................62

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act...............7

Amazon Web Services Academy........................56

Carnival Cruise Lines........................................10

EduWerx, Montgomery.....................................62

Innovate Alabama........................................8, 10

American Banker..............................................76

Carnley, Josh................................................................19

Edward Jones...................................................49

Innovation Depot...............................................8

American Boat and Yacht Council.......................39

Carpenter, Josh.............................................................10

Eisenhower, President Dwight.....................................74

Inside Public Accounting..................................76

American Equity Underwriters..........................49

Carter Multifamily..............................................8

Eissmann Automotive.........................................9

Insider: A Collective Eatery...............................10

American Planning Association.........................76

CB&S Bank.......................................................62

Institute for Supply Management.....................12

American Steel Institute...................................74

Central Alabama Community College................39

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Montgomery........................ 56, 64

Amridge University.................................... 56, 66

Central Alabama Consortium............................62

Endo International...........................................12

Ireland, Byron...............................................................74

Amtrak Corp.......................................................9

Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System........................................... 56, 64

Angerholzer, Max.........................................................10 Anthony, Susan B..........................................................74 Apple Inc..........................................................10 Armagost, Brad.............................................................62 Ashley Outdoors.................................................8 Aspen Institute................................................62 Associated Builders and Contractors..................73 Associated General Contractors of Alabama.......62 Astoria Apartments, Mobile................................8 Atkinson, Charlie.............................................73 Attain at Bradford Creek.....................................7 AuBix LLC.........................................................10 Auburn University.................................. 8, 10, 62 Auburn University at Montgomery........ 56, 62, 66 Austal USA................................................. 10, 43 Automation Personnel Services Inc....................46 B&A Warehouse, Birmingham...........................49 Badham, Henry L..........................................................74 Bailey, Jannah Morgan.................................................62 Baker Donelson................................................76 Baker, Jimmy................................................................39 Balch & Bingham..............................................73 Banc of America Securities................................12 Bank Administration Institute...........................62

Equal Justice Initiative.....................................56 Escapology.......................................................70

Central Alabama Works....................................43

Exit Realty of Alabama and Mississippi..............76

Central Restaurant, Montgomery......................62

Family Guidance Center....................................62

Chamber of Commere Association of Alabama...62

Faulkner University.............................. 56, 62, 66

Chambers, Kemba..................................................62, 66

Federal Bureau of Investigation........................16

Chandler, Sarah............................................................73

Federal Emergency Management Agency..........73

Chattahoochee Valley Community College........62

Federal Reserve................................................12

Cherry, Chip..................................................................16

FedEx Corp................................................. 53, 56

Chicago Bulls.....................................................9

FerRobotics Compliant Robot Technology GmbH........................................10

Children's Advocacy Center...............................62 Civil Axe..........................................................70 Civil Rights Memorial, Montgomery.................70 Clarke, Steven.................................................................8 Clemson University..........................................62 Cloverdale Playhouse.......................................70 Coastal Alabama Community College................39 Coffee County Commission...............................19 Cohen, Andy.................................................................73 Collier, John.................................................................73 Columbia Southern University..........................73 Columbus State University................................62 CommentSold Inc.............................................10 Concepcion, Christine...................................................73 Conference Board, The......................................12

First Metro Bank...............................................49 First Solar Inc.....................................................7 First White House of the Confederacy................70 Fitzgerald, Scott............................................................70 Fitzgerald, Zelda...........................................................70 Florida International University........................19 Flowers Bakery of Montgomery LLC...................59 Flynn, Jim.....................................................................73 Forbes/Shook Top RIA Listing............................76 Freedom Rides Museum...................................70 Gadsden State Communty College....................39 General Dynamics............................................10 George & Barbara Bush Foundation...................10 Georgetown University.....................................62

International Space Station.................................9 Ireland, C. Eugene........................................................74 Ireland, Charles Lincoln................................................74 Ireland, Glenn...............................................................74 Ivey, Gov. Kay............................................................7, 11 Jackson Hospital ................................. 56, 62, 64 Jackson Lewis P.C.............................................73 Jackson Thornton.............................................73 Jacksonville State University............................62 Jacobs, Pattie Ruffner...................................................74 Jacobs, Solon................................................................74 James Madison University................................62 James Webb Space Telescope........................7, 73 Jefferson Davis High School, Montgomery........68 Jerry Kyser Builder Inc......................................62 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.... 12, 46 Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz High School.............68 Johnson, Frank M.........................................................68 Joint Commission, The.....................................64 Jones, Andrew..............................................................19 Jordan, Ralph "Shug"...................................................62 Joyner, Tom..................................................................10 Judy, Matthew..............................................................39 Kassouf & Co....................................................49 KBR Inc..............................................................7 Kennedy Space Center........................................8

January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 77

INDEX

Keough, Susanne.............................................73

Montgomery Sunrise Rotary Club.....................62

Renshaw, Samantha.....................................................73

Tidal IT Solutions LLC........................................62

Kia Georgia Inc.................................................56

Montgomery TechLab.......................................56

Repowr Inc.......................................................10

Tower Taproom, Montgomery...........................62

Kill, Misti......................................................................73

Montgomery Tours...........................................70

Retirement Systems of Alabama.......................56

King, Martin Luther Jr...................................................70

Montgomery Volunteer Lawyers Program.........76

REV Birmingham................................................8

Trenholm State Community College................................... 8, 43, 56, 62, 66

Kirkland, Kenneth............................................39

Montgomery Whitewater........................... 53, 68

Rheem Water Heaters.......................................59

Koch Foods.......................................................59

Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Learning Museum...........................70

River Bank & Trust...................................... 49, 62

Krosby, Quincy..............................................................12 Kuklinski, Christy Boardman........................................73 Kyser Property Management Co. Inc..................62 Kyser, Jake....................................................................62 Lab on Dexter............................................. 53, 56 Lagoon Park Trail..............................................70 Lankford, Keith.............................................................62 Lawrence County Industrial Development Board.......................................7

Montgomery, City of................................... 53, 56 Moran Towing Corp............................................7 More Than Tours, Montgomery..........................70 Morehouse College..........................................62 Mountain Top Industries...................................56 Multiplex at Cramton Bowl...............................70 Museum of Alabama........................................70

River Region United Way..................................62 Riverview Medical Center, Gadsden..................39 Riverwalk Stadium...........................................70 Roark, Bill.....................................................................10 Robert E. Lee High School, Montgomery............68 Rockhill, Nick................................................................73 Rockin' Jump Trampoline Park..........................70

Trilogy Hotel, Montgomery...............................56 Troy University.................................................62 Troy University Montgomery................ 56, 66, 70 Trustmark Corp.................................................73 Tullos, Andrea...............................................................62 Turner Construction..........................................10 Tuskegee Institute............................................10 U.S. Air Force....................................................62 U.S. Army............................................... 7, 62, 79 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics...........................46

Mutual of Omaha Insurance Companies............62

Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport....................................56

Leadership Alabama.........................................62

NASA.........................................7, 8, 9, 16, 39, 73

Roquemore, Chris.........................................................46

U.S. Coast Guard...............................................43

Leadership Council on Legal Diversity...............76

National American Woman Suffrage Association.....................................74

Rosa Parks Library and Museum................. 66, 70

U.S. Conference of Mayors.................................62

National Association of County and City Health Officials...............................76

Rose, Maria...................................................................73

U.S. Department of Agriculture...........................8

Ross, Quinton Jr............................................................66

U.S. Department of Commerce..........................12

Ruzic, Emily..................................................................73

U.S. Department of Defense..............................56

Saint James School...........................................62

U.S. Department of Education...........................66

Sanmina-SCI Corp.............................................12

U.S. Department of Homeland Security..............62

National Register of Historic Places...................79

Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights Trail... 53, 70

U.S. Department of Labor............................ 12, 43

Seoyon E Hwa...................................................59

U.S. House of Representatives...........................16

Listerhill Credit Union Foundation....................10

National Young Farmers Educational Association................................62

ServisFirst Bank......................................... 12, 73

U.S. Navy................................................... 10, 43

Lockheed Martin Corp............................. 7, 10, 12

Nelson, Bill.....................................................................8

Sessions Farm..................................................19

U.S. News & World Report.................................76

LPL Financial....................................................12

NerdWallet......................................................68

Sessions, David.............................................................19

U.S. Senate.......................................................16

Lynn, Jeff......................................................................39

New Deal Leaders Network...............................62

ShadowBrook Community, Birmingham.............7

U.S. Steel............................................................7

Lyons, Jimmy................................................................16

New York Stock Exchange..................................74

Shannon, John...............................................................8

Unclaimed Baggage Center......................... 10, 49

Maisel, Elliot.................................................................11

Newsweek Magazine........................................76

Shelby, Sen. Richard...............................................11, 16

United Bank, Atmore........................................76

Makse, Todd..................................................................19

Newtopia Fun Park...........................................70

Shipshape, Mobile...........................................10

United Launch Alliance.................................8, 10

Mallard Fox Industrial Park.................................7

Nichols, Ray..................................................................73

Shipt Inc............................................................9

United Methodist Church..................................66

Manna Capital Partners.............................. 53, 56

Noland Hospital......................................... 56, 64

Silver Ships........................................................8

University of Alabama............................ 8, 10, 62

Marriott International Inc.................................56

Northrop Grumman Corp..................................73

Simmons, Ronald...................................................56, 62

University of Alabama at Birmingham..... 8, 66, 76

Marshall Space Flight Center..............7, 16, 39, 79

Northwest-Shoals Community College..............76

Sims, Patricia................................................................39

University of Alabama System..........................16

Mason, Jaiden..............................................................39

Oakworth Capital Bank............................... 10, 76

Singleton, Doug...........................................................62

Upward Basketball...........................................62

Master Boat Builders..........................................7

Ohio State University........................................62

Sip-N-Cycle Pedal Cruise, Montgomery..............70

Vanderbilt University.......................................62

Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base.............. 53, 56, 66

Old Alabama Town............................................70

Site Selection Magazine....................................56

Veterans Administration...................................19

Mazda Toyota Manufacturing U.S.A. Inc... 8, 10, 41

One Place Family Justice Center........................62

SK On.................................................................8

Vines, Tim.....................................................................10

McIntosh, Loyd.............................................................46

Operation Next.................................................46

SLE Rodeo........................................................70

Virginia Commonwealth University..................62

Medical Properties Trust Inc..............................12

Orbital Assembly................................................9

Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co.......................74

Von Arx, Michelle..........................................................64

Melampy, Shawn..........................................................73

Orion Amphitheatre.........................................10

Smith Industries Inc./Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.........59

Vulcan Detinning.............................................74

Memorial to Peace and Justice, Montgomery.....56

OTCQX Best Market...........................................10

Smith, Brendan............................................................73

Vulcan Materials Co.................................... 12, 74

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International................ 10, 16

Pace, Tabitha...................................................................7

Southern Rail Commission..................................9

Wales, Jimmy...............................................................10

Meyer Engineers................................................8

Palmer, Lynlee Wells....................................................73

Southern Research...........................................10

Wall Advisors.....................................................8

Mobile Airport Authority..................................11

Panama Canal..................................................16

Southwestern Athletic Conference.....................66

Warren Averett LLC...........................................49

Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal.......................10

Parks, Rosa....................................................................66

Space Launch System.............................7, 8, 9, 10

Watermark Design.............................................8

Mobile City Council..........................................10

Percy Julian High School, Montgomery.............68

St. John, Finis IV...........................................................16

Watkins Infirmary............................................64

Mobile County Health Department....................76

PetSmart Inc.......................................................9

St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad......................74

Waverly Advisors...............................................8

Mobile International Airport.............................11

Pew Research...................................................46

Starfish Holdings.............................................10

Mobile Works...................................................43

Pike Road Schools...................................... 62, 68

SteadPoint Group Inc........................................49

Webster, Henry, Bradwell, Cohan, Speagle and DeShazo P.D..................62

Mobile, City of..................................................11

Pike Road, Town of..................................... 62, 68

Steris Corp................................................. 12, 59

Mobile, Port of............................ 9, 10, 11, 16, 53

Poarch Band of Creek Indians........................9, 10

Stimpson, Sandy...........................................................11

Mobis Alabama LLC..........................................59

Port of Mobile............................. 9, 10, 11, 16, 53

Stokes, Charisse............................................................62

Montgomery American Youth Baseball and Softball...................................62

Posey, D. Scott...............................................................43

Stone, Gordon........................................................62, 68

Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce................................... 53, 56, 62

Powell, Jerome.............................................................12

StoneRiver Co.....................................................8

Prattville Baptist Hospital........................... 56, 64

Stubbs, Jimmy..............................................................49

Premier Tech....................................................56

Swagelok Alabama|Central & South Florida|West Tennessee......................49

Leadership Montgomery..................................62 LearCorp..........................................................59 Legacy Museum, Montgomery.................... 56, 70 Legendary Tours, Montgomery.........................70 Liaison Committee on Medical Education..........76 Liberty Bank....................................................68 Lightsource bp.................................................56

Montgomery Area Visitor Center.......................70 Montgomery Biscuits.......................................70 Montgomery County.................................. 53, 62 Montgomery County Board of Education...........68 Montgomery County Commission............... 56, 68 Montgomery Inland Container Intermodal Transfer Facility..........................56

National League of Cities..................................62 National Memorial for Peace and Justice...........70 National Park Service........................................79

Progress Rail....................................................10 Protective Life .................................................10 Protective Life Building....................................74 Pugh, David..................................................................73 Quincy Compressors.........................................49 Rakestraw, Wesley........................................................73

Montgomery Internet Exchange........................56

Ramsay-McCormack Building, Ensley................74

Montgomery Interpretive Center......................70

Randall Gross Development Economics.............76

Montgomery Kickoff Classic..............................70

Reach Media Inc...............................................10

Montgomery Miracle League............................62

Redstone Arsenal.............................................16

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts....................70

Redstone Test Stand.........................................79

Montgomery Performing Arts Centre................70

Reed, Steven.....................................................53, 62, 68

Montgomery Public Schools........................ 62, 68

Regions Bank............................................. 10, 76

Montgomery Regional Airport..........................56

Rehab Select, Albertville and Talladega.............39

78 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2023

U.S. Chamber of Commerce......................... 46, 62

Wellborn Cabinet.............................................43 Werrlein, Patrick...........................................................49 White-Spunner Construction.............................49 Widmar, Mark.................................................................7 Wikipedia Inc...................................................10 Wilbon, Clarence..........................................................73 Wilkins Miller LLC............................................49 Williams, Hank.............................................................70

Tampa Bay Rays...............................................70

Willoughby, Scott.........................................................73

Tao, Andy......................................................................73

Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino and Resort..........................................9

Tate, Sharde..................................................................39 TaxxWiz, Birmingham......................................10 Taylor, Ashley................................................................73 TechMGM................................................... 53, 56 Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co....................74 Terry Cove, Orange Beach.................................10 Texter, Scott...................................................................73 Therapy Brands..................................................8 Thompson Consulting Services...........................8 Thompson Engineering................................8, 49 Thompson Holdings...........................................8

Wind Creek Hospitality.......................................9 Worthen, Thacher.........................................................73 Wright Brothers Park........................................70 Wright Flyers...................................................62 Wright, Orville..............................................................70 Wright, Wilbur..............................................................70 Yamaha Motors................................................39 Yerby, Lindsey...............................................................73 YMCA of Greater Montgomery...........................62 Zaden Technologies..........................................10

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 Jan. 20, work the quiz online and check your answers at businessalabama.com.

January 2023: Q: After a mighty rocket built for NASA went beyond the Moon and back, this company that has major operations in Huntsville, won a $3.2 billion NASA contract for additional rocket work. What company?

A) Aerojet Rocketdyne B) Boeing C) Leidos/Dynetics D) Space X

December 2022: (one month ago) Q: Manna Capital Partners announced plans for a $600 million operation in Montgomery. What does the firm plan to build?

A) Auto dealership B) Beverage park C) Government office complex D) Water park

January 2022: (one year ago) Q: Major food producer J.M. Smucker announced plans for a $1.1 billion plant in Alabama to make their Uncrustables product. Where are they building it?

A) Andalusia B) Decatur C) Dothan D) McCalla

January 2018: (five years ago) Q: Our government issue featured an interview with Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, who had taken office just a few months earlier. Which of these statements about Woodfin is not true?

A) Birmingham native B) Cumberland School of Law (Samford) graduate C) Previous member of Birmingham Board of Education D) Stanford University graduate

STANDING TALL… The historic Redstone Test Stand is shown in a 1995 photo. The stand is the oldest static firing facility at the Marshall Space Flight Center, according to the National Park Service. Constructed in 1953 by the Army and transferred to Marshall in 1960, the Redstone Test Stand was the first test stand in the U.S. to accommodate the entire launch vehicle for static tests and was important to the Jupiter C and Mercury/Redstone vehicles that launched the first American satellite and the first American manned space flight, according to the National Park Service. The stand remained operational until 1973 and was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1976. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Do you have a photo you’d like us to consider for Historic Alabama? Send it to Erica West at ewest@pmtpublishing.com.

January 2013: (10 years ago) Q: Regina Benjamin was just finishing up her term in a major government post. What job did the Bayou la Batre resident hold for four years?

A) Mayor of Mobile B) President of the Mobile County School Board C) U.S. Secretary of Commerce D) U.S. Surgeon General

January 1998: (25 years ago) Q: Economic development officials were delighted to announce a new $400 million plant in Decatur — a big name company on the national scene with higher altitudes in sight. What company?

A) Airbus B) Boeing C) Cessna Aircraft D) McDonnell Douglas Answers from December: A, C, C, C, C, B January 2023 BusinessAlabama.com | 79