Business Alabama - February 2025

FEB 2025

ALABAMA’S

25 AUTOMOTIVE IMPACT

A VITAL TOOL 60 TELEHEALTH: OF RURAL HEALTH CARE SPOTLIGHT ON

63 SHELBY COUNTY

LEGAL

FRAMEWORK ALABAMA ATTORNEY DAVID PUGH LEADS NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION ORGANIZATION

PAGE 21

FEBRUARY 2025 BusinessAlabama.com Volume 40 / Number 2

PUBLISHER Walker Sorrell / wsorrell@pmtpublishing.com ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Stephen Potts / snpotts@pmtpublishing.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Alec Harvey / alec@pmtpublishing.com EDITOR Erica Joiner West / ewest@pmtpublishing.com COPY EDITOR Nedra Bloom / nedra@pmtpublishing.com ART DIRECTOR Vic Wheeler / ads@pmtpublishing.com DIGITAL EDITOR Abby Parrott / abby@pmtpublishing.com ACCOUNTING Keith Crabtree / acct@pmtpublishing.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Birmingham: 205-802-6363 Lee Mills / Ext. 102 / lmills@pmtpublishing.com Carrie Hicks / Ext. 111 / carrie@pmtpublishing.com DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED MEDIA & EVENTS Sheila Wardy / swardy@pmtpublishing.com ADMINISTRATIVE Rachel Mayhall / rmayhall@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 2025

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

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission prohibited.

Letters to the editor are welcome.

Moving? Please note US Postal Service will not forward magazines mailed through its Bulk Mail unit.

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.

Use this QR code to subscribe to Business Alabama 2 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

Volume 40 / Number 2

FEBRUARY 2025

CONTENTS

42

Mitsunobu Mukaida has taken the top leadership job at Alabama's newest auto plant — Mazda Toyota in Huntsville.

Features 11

CONSTRUCTION BUILDING A LEGACY Volkert’s 100 years of transformative construction

15

BUILDING UP BUILDERS Construction firms offer hands-on training and more to attract young workers to the industry

21

LEGAL FRAMEWORK David Pugh is making the case for having an attorney serve as ABC national chair

25

32

36

40

AUTOMOTIVE ROLLING ALONG Alabama’s automakers continue to build, grow, innovate and export HONORS FOR PLASTICS Florence supplier firm Tasus named Small Manufacturer of the Year by the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association REFRAMING SUCCESS KTH Leesburg Products isn’t just stamping steel parts for car frames; it’s leaving an indelible stamp on the Alabama automotive industry NEW AT THE TOP: MERCEDES-BENZ Federico Kochlowski is new president and CEO for Mercedes-Benz in Vance

4 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

42

NEW AT THE TOP: MAZDA TOYOTA Mitsunobu Mukaida takes the reins at Mazda Toyota

44

NEW AT THE TOP: HYUNDAI Chris Susock takes helm at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama

57

REAL ESTATE REAL UPDATES ON REAL ESTATE Alabama Center for Real Estate prepares for its 25th annual conference

60

HEALTH CARE TELEHEALTH IN ALABAMA Essential during COVID-19, remote doctor visits have become a staple of modern health care

82

RETROSPECT A.G. GASTON AND HIS BROWN BELLE BOTTLING The rise and fall of the businessman's drink company

63

On the Cover: David Pugh, a partner with Birmingham-based Bradley law firm, now leads the Associated Builders and Contractors' national board. Photo by Art Meripol.

11

63: Meadowbrook Corporate Park, along Highway 280 in Shelby County.

11: Interstates 20/59 interchange in downtown Birmingham was a project

by Volkert.

82: Legendary Birmingham entrepreneur A.G. Gaston.

Departments 6

LISTINGS 46 ALABAMA AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION BOARD AND OFFICERS 48 ALABAMA AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP

81

84 86

SPECIAL SECTIONS 53 BUSINESS COUNCIL OF ALABAMA GEOGRAPHIC SPOTLIGHT 63 SHELBY COUNTY

87

82

87

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

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 5

Benchmarks Athens rebuilds after downtown hit by December tornado

Downtown ATHENS was hit by an EF-1 tornado on Dec. 28, but already most of the businesses are back to work, while neighbors help the others recover.

Tornadoes are a fact of life in Athens and Limestone County, where residents have seen such storms in 1974, 2011, 2012, 2014 and twice in 2024.

“If you’ve lived here any length of time, somebody you love has been touched by a tornado,” said Tere Richardson, executive director of Athens Main Street.

“You’re never old hat at dealing with devastating things like this,” she said. “What you are is very sensitized to what happens to your neighbors, friends and family…. Immediately, people want to help.”

This year’s storm was no exception.

Richardson was in Birmingham when the storm struck but headed back the following morning to find streets blocked, the courthouse damaged, shards of lumber from roofs, broken glass and pieces of HVAC units littering the heart of downtown.

But out came the residents to clean up. Within 24 hours, every street was drivable but one.

City and county teams worked as one, she says, recalling a moment when she saw a county front loader and a city backhoe work together to move the massive root ball of a downed oak by the courthouse. Volunteers picked up debris; others cooked for

B U S I N E S S

B R I E F S

GREAT PLACE TO PLAY Gulf Shores ranks third on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best Cheap Vacations in the U.S. The Alabama coast ranks just below Grand Teton National Park and Moab, Utah, and above Grand Canyon National Park and Cannon Beach, Oregon.

interest in acquiring U.S. Steel if its deal with Nippon Steel falls through. Under Cleveland-Cliffs’ plan, the two companies would operate under the U.S. Steel name.

STEEL NO DEAL President Joe Biden has rejected the nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Japan’s Nippon Steel to purchase U.S. Steel. Both firms have an Alabama presence.

Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel has a plant in Fairfield, and Nippon is half owner of AM/ NS Calvert. Both Nippon and U.S. Steel have filed lawsuits challenging the decision. In January, Ohio-based steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs indicated an

The courthouse cupola was among downtown structures damaged.

utility and local crews.

CEI Bookstore, which ships materials worldwide, was among the worst damaged, with water pouring through the roof onto stock, but a neighboring business provided warehouse space to save what could be saved.

Workers at another business, without heat in the late December days, put their coats on and opened as usual.

Customers turned to online purchases and gift cards to help keep local businesses in business.

Two funds have been established to help — one to restore the damaged public spaces and one to help local businesses recover.

Donations can be made online at athensmainstreet.org.

Rebuilding is essential, Richardson said.

“We have a great community and people know it’s a family of businesses, more than just buildings. Downtown is the heart of our community. It’s where we take our visitors and celebrate our milestones.

“We are small town America, and our people love that.” 

INCOMING Three Alabama cities ranked in the top 20 of U-Haul’s 2024 Growth Index, which ranks cities based on the number of moving transactions made for those cities. In the cities category, which does not include large metro areas, Foley ranked 10th, Auburn was 12th and Huntsville came in at 14th.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS Birmingham-based Vulcan Materials Co. has acquired Superior Ready Mix Concrete, which is located in southern California. Birmingham-based Waverly Advisors has acquired Pennsylvania’s Planning Capital Management Corp. It’s Waverly’s 20th transaction since December 2021. DWG Capital Partners and Dorado Holdings have acquired Cloverdale Estates, a 106-unit apartment community in Montgomery. It’s the joint venture’s second acquisition in Montgomery, after the 96-unit Greenbriar Apartments.

HARTSELLE HEALTH UPGRADE Cullman Regional has opened a freestanding emergency room in nearby Hartselle, providing services for residents of Morgan County and surrounding areas.

BIG DELIVERY Northrop Grumman’s Huntsville Manufacturing Center, after completing one of its largest delivery weeks to date, has now delivered more than 80

6 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

Integrated Battle Command System major end items to the U.S. Army. The system is designed to replace existing Army air and missile defense systems.

YOUTH WORKS The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District has received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to expand job training and educational services for Birmingham youth. It’s part of the YouthBuild Grant program.

MERGER MURMURS The Wall Street Journal reports that Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan are engaged in talks that could result in a merger. Honda has had a plant in Alabama since 2001.

BENCHMARKS

Port awards contract for new coal terminal equipment

The ALABAMA PORT AUTHORITY has awarded a $20 million contract for stacker reclaimer work at the McDuffie Coal Terminal, part of a $200 million coal terminal modernization project.

Richmond Engineering will engineer, fabricate and install the new equipment, which replaces units installed in 1974 and 1982.

The new, more efficient units will allow nearly double loading speeds, which the authority notes is valuable for the new bigger ships that can access the port when the current deepening and widening project is complete in mid-2025.

“With the widening and deepening of the channel coming online next year, these investments are a top priority for the port so we can load bigger ships with more cargo even more efficiently,” said John Driscoll, director and CEO of the Alabama Port Authority. “Not only will the new efficiencies allow us to deliver a competitive advantage to our customers, but it also strengthens our ability to drive economic growth for the state of Alabama.”

The selection of Richmond Engineering, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, reflects the port’s intention of hiring U.S.-based contractors. Moreover, a third of the project work is earmarked for Alabama businesses.

“Selecting Richmond Engineering Works reinforces our commitment to investing in U.S. manufacturing and supporting the Alabama workforce,” said Driscoll. “This project is especially exciting because it enhances our operational capabilities at McDuffie Coal Terminal and highlights the strength and ingenuity

B U S I N E S S

B R I E F S

FLYING HIGH Huntsville International Airport set a record for passenger traffic in 2024. Nearly 1.5 million passengers flew in and out of the airport as of November 2024.

NEW AT THE TOP John Schmitt, a co-founder of iXpressGenes, has been named CEO of the firm, which is an associate company at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.

Greer Walker, of Wiregrass Construction Co. in Huntsville, has been named president of Alabama Associated General Contractors, with Mike Scarborough, of Rabren General Contractors Inc. of Auburn, serving as vice president. Brent Dudley has been named president of Daphne-based Kaliber Management, which operates manufactured home communities. Co-founder Bryce McMurry remains as CEO. Montgomery-based Caddell Construction has named three presidents to lead business

BRIDGE OVER GULF SHORES WATERS Gulf Shores is moving forward with the construction of a $24.3 million pedestrian bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. The latest plan includes the bridge, elevators and plazas on both sides.

PLAYMATE Tennibot, the Auburn company whose initial product was a ballcollecting robot, has added an AI-driven ball machine to its product line. The Partner uses AI to simulate playing against a human partner.

The older Stacker Reclaimer, installed in 1974, as it looks today.

of American engineering and manufacturing.”

Richmond Engineering Works Operating Manager R. Mark Judy, P.E., said, “These will be the first machines of this size built in the United States and engineered by a U.S.-based company in nearly 50 years. All of the fabrication for these machines will be done in the United States, with much of it provided by Alabama-based shops. Construction labor will be performed

by Mobile-area contractors. Over the past few years, we have supplied a new rail car dumper and a train positioner, along with major upgrades to barge unloading equipment at McDuffie Coal Terminal.”

REW expects to open a Mobile office for the project, with engineering and technical staff.

The port notes that 97% of coal passing handled at McDuffie Terminal “is metallurgical coal mined in Alabama for use in steel-making operations worldwide. Much of this steel returns through the Port of Mobile for use in the Alabama automotive industry, further supporting Alabama businesses.” 

units within the company. Ricky Byrd, Isaac Sneeringer and Stephen Strickland have been named presidents overseeing commercial, international and governmental, respectively.

YOUTHFUL SUCCESS Emma Lembke, a senior at Washington University in St. Louis from Vestavia Hills, has been named to Forbes magazine’s 2025 30 Under 30 list. Lembke, the founder of Log Off, a proponent of young people cutting back time online, is a graduate of the Altamont School.

AVIATION ADVANCE Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School, a charter school in Bessemer, has applied to open a second campus in Birmingham. The school has two potential sites in mind – the campus of Birmingham-

Southern College and the nowvacant Kirby Middle School.

GENEROUS Books-A-Million and 2nd & Charles stores across Alabama have collected $150,000 in book and toy donations to give to Children’s of Alabama.

The donations, which includes more than 11,000 items, mark a 25% increase over last year’s donations.

JOB WOES Auto parts maker WKW North American has notified the state of Alabama it plans to lay off 140 employees at its Pell City plant starting in February. Nitto, an auto parts manufacturer, plans to lay off 56 employees when its Jasper plant closes in March.

Both closures were announced on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s WARN list.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 7

BENCHMARKS

Map shows plans for Riverwalk Greenway Trail.

Montgomery plans $2.4M trail extension The city of MONTGOMERY is expanding the Riverwalk Greenway Trail with a $2.4 million investment. This builds on the $1.86 million already invested in the trail since 2016.

The expansion, which is expected to be complete by 2026, will extend the trail to Shady Street Trailhead Park, connecting thousands of workers and residents to key destinations, according to city officials.

B U S I N E S S

B R I E F S

EVENT VENUE A former warehouse and antique store on St. Louis Street in Mobile is set to become the largest event space of its kind in downtown Mobile. The Crown on St. Louis is slated to open in spring 2025.

Airport Terminal and parking garage. The widening of Zeigler Boulevard in Mobile, which began in 2019, has been completed. The $30 million project widened four miles of the thoroughfare. The widening of a portion of U.S. 280 in the Birmingham area could begin by spring. The plans include adding lanes between Lakeshore Drive and I-459 and more.

BAND BRAGGING RIGHTS The Miles College marching band has been named the Division II Band of the Year.

Miles’ Purple Marching Machine won the competition over Virginia State and will receive $75,000.

ROAD WORKS Mobile’s Perimeter Road at the Brookley Aeroplex was slated to close Jan. 20 for about three weeks to allow for widening and utility work at the entrance to the new Mobile International

FRAUD CHARGE Thomas Aaron Kane, former CEO of a Birmingham-based IT company Keep Information Technology Simple LLC, was indicted in federal court in late December on charges of wire fraud, money laundering and bankruptcy fraud. He was indicted on 19 counts in federal court in Birmingham.

8 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

There are approximately 3,000 residents and 841 businesses within walking distance of the expanded trail.

“The Riverfront Greenway Trail is more than just a recreational amenity; it is central to our vision for Montgomery’s future,” said Mayor Steven Reed. “The trail not only improves connectivity but also enhances our quality of life, promotes sustainability and drives economic growth. It exemplifies the intersection of innovation and tradition, reinforcing our city’s place as a regional hub for culture and commerce.”

The Riverfront Greenway Trail, which currently is approximately three miles, has 250,000 visitors annually, generating an estimated $8 to $9.6 million in economic impact each year, according to the city’s release. This activity contributes up to $56,000 in local tax revenues and has increased the value of the properties along the trail. It currently connects Maxwell Air Force Base Visitor Center and Riverfront Park.

“The Riverfront Greenway Trail isn’t just about enhancing Montgomery’s beauty or recreational offerings; it’s about creating sustainable growth for the future,” said Frank Robinson, director of economic development for Montgomery. “This project will help attract new businesses, residents and investments while strengthening our city’s position as a regional leader. It’s a bold step forward for Montgomery’s ongoing revitalization and growth.”

DISASSEMBLED A planned $232 million nuclear reactor assembly plant in Gadsden is on hold, the city says. Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp., which announced the project in June 2023, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October.

A&M BUILDING PLANS Freedom Real Estate and Capital has been selected as contractor for two new major projects at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville. The school’s new science building and student activities center have a combined value of $140 million.

PARTY’S OVER Reports say Party City is closing all of its stores nationwide, including 11 in Alabama. The company declared bankruptcy

in 2023. The Spanish Fort location of Kohl’s department store will close in April, one of 27 closings Kohl’s plans nationwide. The retailer said it is closing underperforming locations.

DIGITAL PERMITTED The city of Birmingham has launched its ePermit Hub’s Digital Plan Room, which will allow residents, contractors and developers to submit and track applications and plans online.

CALL ME ALDI Aldi, which recently acquired more than 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets, plans to expand further in Alabama, rebranding at least four WinnDixie stores in 2025. Those stores are in Auburn, Pinson, Bessemer and Semmes.

BENCHMARKS

Junior Achievement breaks ground for $17M McWane Economic Education Center JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT ALABAMA has broken ground on the

$17 million McWane Economic Education Center in Birmingham.

The 30,000-square-foot center, located at 6th Avenue North and 22nd Street, is projected to open in Spring 2026. With a $4 million lead gift from Will and Kaitlin McWane and the McWane Family, the project will house two experiential learning facilities, JA BizTown presented by EBSCO and JA Finance Park presented by Regions. The building will also house the Junior Achievement of Alabama’s administrative offices.

The hands-on, immersive experiences will aim to equip 6th and 8th grade students with practical economic knowledge.

“The Junior Achievement mission has resonated with the McWane Family for decades. The JA program’s focus on financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship are critical to young people, as each of these topics are relevant to every American in their daily lives,” said Will McWane. “The immersive experience provided by the McWane Economic Education Center will create a lasting impression that will stay with students for their entire lives and will provide them with the tools to maximize their own economic potential.”

The $20 million capital and operational campaign to build the

B U S I N E S S

B R I E F S

MEAT MARKET MAKER Fairhope-based Beaufort Engineering Services has been awarded the contract for the Maximus Meats construction project in Summerdale.

The $11 million project is a 29,000-square-foot meat processing facility.

the dormant mall on the border of the two cities. The Homewood Planning Commission has already approved a project for the property involving Andrews Sports Medicine.

MUSIC FEST Organizers have announced the inaugural Iron Hills Festival, a country music festival to be held at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham.

The festival will take place Oct. 11-12, 2025. The lineup and ticket prices have not been announced.

BROOKWOOD PLANS Homewood and Mountain Brook have signed an agreement to jointly decide the future of Brookwood Village,

BIGGER & BETTER Birmingham-based BMSS Advisors & CPAs has opened an office in Mobile. The South Alabama expansion means the company now has seven offices and more than 350 employees.

Phillip Rivers is managing director of the new Mobile office.

HERE COMES SEAFOOD Rob McDaniel, the six-time James Beard Award semifinalist who is executive chef at Helen, a Birmingham restaurant, is opening a second restaurant. He and his wife, Emily, are opening

Rendering of Junior Achievement’s new McWane Economic Education Center, designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood.

center was announced in June 2024. Junior Achievement hopes to reach 20,000 students each year in the new center.

JA BizTown will simulate a mini city where students can take on the roles of business owner, employee and consumer, gaining experience operating a business and managing finances. In the JA Finance Park, students will learn about budgeting challenges, such as purchasing a car, securing housing and managing investments.

“I am unaware of any educational program that has the potential to impact the lives of our students more than that to be provided through this facility,” said David Walker, Junior Achievement board chair and EBSCO CEO. “Financial literacy, entrepreneurship and workforce readiness programs will unlock the potential of tomorrow’s leaders.”

In addition to the lead gift from the McWane Family and presenting gifts from EBSCO and Regions, the state of Alabama and other businesses and foundations, such as Altec, Brasfield & Gorrie and the Alabama Community College System, have made significant investments to support the building effort. Nearly $19 million of the $20 million goal has been raised.

Goodwyn Mills Cawood is the designer on the project, with Lemoine as the program manager and Pylon Building Group serving as general contractor.

the seafood restaurant Bayonet next door to Helen in the first quarter of 2025.

ENGINE TROUBLE Some Toyota truck owners have filed a class action lawsuit saying engines for the Tundra pickup – some made in Huntsville – were defective. The suit is related to a May recall of 2022-2023 Tundras, Tundra hybrids and Lexus LX vehicles.

CAMPUS HOME The University of South Alabama has purchased the 156-unit Traditions apartment complex, adjacent to campus, for $20.2 million to provide additional student housing options. Also, the University of Alabama System board of trustees approved purchasing and leasing a residential

building and other buildings along University Boulevard in Tuscaloosa for $10 million, calling the acquisition the last piece necessary to give the university control of the north edge of campus.

LIVING SPACE Birmingham-based Capstone Building Corp. has opened The Gabriel, a residential apartment community in Madison. The facilities include a pool, gym, indoor dog park and 288 units.

CONTRACTS Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $481 million contract to update and improve the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System’s software and a major portion of the work will be performed in Huntsville.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 9

10 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

CONSTRUCTION

BUILDING A LEGACY Volkert’s 100 years of transformative construction

J

ot down a few iconic construction and engineering projects in Alabama and elsewhere, and you’ll most probably hit on one or two or more that involved Volkert, the Mobile engineering company, in a major way.

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.

The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. Gulf State Park. Mobile’s I-10 Bayway bridge.

Huntsville’s I-565. The APM Container Terminal at Choctaw Point. Birmingham’s I-20/59. All of these are projects that Volkert figured into prominently.

And that just scratches the surface. In fact, there’s at least one major project that Volkert led that came as a surprise to even the company’s employees — development of the Mobile Causeway in the 1920s.

That revelation came during research for the company’s 100th anniversary, which is Feb. 4.

“For all that we knew about the company, we were looking at newspaper clippings and found out about projects like the spillway and the causeway that people in our company didn’t even know we had done,” says Steven James, vice president of marketing and communi-

By ALEC HARVEY cations. “That’s crazy, because half of us drive over the Mobile Causeway every day, and our office overlooks it, but really no one in our company knew we had designed it and built it until we saw it in a 1926 newspaper.”

That’s just one of the nuggets James found as he researched Volkert’s history for a book the company is publishing in conjunction with its centennial.

Founded in New Orleans in 1925 as Doullut & Ewin, the company opened an Alabama office in 1926 and, in 1946, was purchased by the Waterman Steam-

ship Corp. and moved its headquarters to Mobile. David G. Volkert bought the company in 1954. Thomas Hand has been CEO since 2022.

All along, the company has forged its way in infrastructure, specializing in highways and bridges but tackling many different types of projects along the way.

The company evolved as different infrastructure challenges evolved, James says.

ABOVE: I-20/59 in Birmingham.

BELOW: I-22 (formerly known as Corridor X) in BIrmingham.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 11

CO N S T R U C T I O N

Gulf State Park (above) and the Bayou La Batre shellfish habitat (left) are two restoration projects involving Volkert.

That began with the Great Flood of 1927, with the company’s efforts including flood-control projects in Louisiana.

World War II activity at the Port of Mobile led the company to projects such as the design and expansions of the Alabama State Docks. Likewise, the advent of the interstate system in the 1950s and 1960s led to the company’s massive highway-system projects, several of which, at

the time they were built, were the largest construction projects to date in Alabama.

More recently, disaster relief efforts have led to Volkert’s restoration work on the coast.

“The picture that came through to me is the company is responsive to the infrastructure needs of the country as those have evolved through time,” James says.

“Whatever the particular infrastructure

need in the country has been, the company has moved in that direction.”

And that has led to enormous growth.

When David Volkert took over the company, it had 14 employees, and that’s grown to be a company with 1,500 employees, James says. Employee-owned for 50 years, Volkert has 60 offices in 25 states. Hand is just the eighth CEO the company has had in 100 years.

Outside of Alabama, Volkert’s biggest presences are in Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Illinois and North Carolina, according to James.

Right now, Volkert is designing a rerouting of I-35, which runs through Austin, Texas. “They’re sinking the entire interstate into the ground and running streets and parks over it,” James says. “It’s

Some of Volkert’s projects throughout the decades: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Mobile Causeway Sugar Bowl, Tulane University, New Orleans Alabama State Docks, Mobile Port of Miami Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, D.C. Delaware and Hudson Railroad Bridge Anacostia Freeway, Washington, D.C. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Louisiana I-10 Bayway (Jubilee Parkway), Mobile Mobile Regional Airport Terminal Complex, Mobile

12 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Navy Memorial, Washington, D.C. Interstate 565, Huntsville Cochrane/Africatown cable stay bridge, Mobile USS Alabama restoration APM Container Terminal at Choctaw Point, Mobile U.S. 90 Biloxi Bay Bridge replacement following Hurricane Katrina Finfish and Shellfish Recovery, Bayou La Batre Interstate 22 (Corridor X), Birmingham Interstate 20/59 interchange Interstate 35, Austin, Texas

CO N S T R U C T I O N

‘‘

It’s all to celebrate a company that has not been stagnant over the past century.

“It always has been nimble, adaptive and entrepreneurial,” James says. “Where there’s an opportunity to get involved in something that’s going on in infrastructure, we’re going to explore that.”

And that will probably lead to different focuses in future decades.

“I think in a hundred years, we could be a completely different type of company because we are a completely different kind of company than when we were founded 100 years ago,” James says. “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Alec Harvey is executive editor of Business Alabama, working from the Birmingham office.

The picture that came through to me is the company is responsive to the infrastructure needs of the country as those have evolved through time.

Whatever the particular infrastructure need in the country has been, the company has moved in that direction.”

— STEVEN JAMES, VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

one of the biggest projects in the history of Texas. The segment we’re working on is a $3 or $4 billion project.”

Like its other projects, Volkert is not doing any of the construction of the Texas project. Volkert’s role is to either design or monitor construction of the projects it is involved with, James says.

Volkert plans to market its centennial in a number of ways. There’s the book, “A Century of Integrity in Infrastructure,” as well as a company-wide party on Feb. 5 and a managers’ meeting in April that will mark the centennial. The company also will be making some monetary gifts, including to the University of South Alabama’s engineering and marine sciences programs.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 13

CO N S T R U C T I O N

BUILDING UP BUILDERS Construction firms offer hands-on training, apprenticeships and paid internships as they work to attract young workers to the industry

Students learn construction basics at the AGC Boot Camp program.

By KATHY HAGOOD

A

labama’s construction industry, like much of the rest of the nation’s, is having a hard time finding enough qualified workers to fill their staffing needs, construction trade association representatives say. The shortage is leading to increased costs, extended schedules, and project delays impacting both businesses and consumers.

According to the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America’s national 2024 Workforce Survey, 94% of construction companies had openings for craft workers, such as cement masons and electricians, and 85% for salaried work, including superintendent and project manager positions.

That’s even though skilled construction jobs pay well. Average hourly earnings in the construction industry are $31.83, according to Go Build Alabama, a publicprivate partnership among the state of Alabama and industry trade groups.

One of the biggest obstacles, according to the national AGC survey analysis, is an educational system that often pushes high school students toward a college degree rather than promoting the option of developing hands-on skills through available career technical education programs within their schools’ systems.

Four times as many federal dollars are invested in leading students toward fouryear degrees than supporting workforce

Students learn how to frame at the Academy of Craft Training.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 15

CO N S T R U C T I O N

‘‘

Staffing is an ongoing challenge for all of us in the industry, and we have to work together to address it.”

— MAC CADDELL, PRESIDENT AND

CEO OF CADDELL CONSTRUCTION,

AND LAST YEAR’S PRESIDENT OF THE ALABAMA AGC

development for fields such as construction, the survey report noted.

“Unfortunately, too few high school students are made aware of the potential benefits of pursuing a career in construction,” says Byron McCain, who leads summer student boot camps to help generate interest in construction for the Alabama AGC. On the bright side, several Alabama workforce development initiatives, including McCain’s, could help lessen Alabama’s construction workforce shortfall. Efforts to create additional training opportunities and lure talent to the field are essential, industry experts say. “Demand for more skilled workers will continue as our construction workforce ages out and must be replenished,” says Mark Maddox, vice president of Robins & Morton, and last year’s chairman of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Alabama.

Mac Caddell, president and CEO of Caddell Construction, and last year’s president of the Alabama AGC, agrees with Maddox. “Staffing is an ongoing

challenge for all of us in the industry, and we have to work together to address it,” he says.

Programs such as ABC’s Academy of Craft Training and AGC’s summer construction bootcamp are part of the industry’s drive to help interest students in potential construction employment and develop foundational skills. Local career technical education initiatives, including innovative, state-of-the-art programs such as Hoover School System’s Riverchase Career Connection Center (RC3) and Baldwin County’s Baldwin Preparatory Academy, are also praised and supported by trade associations.

One of the most recent workforce development efforts by state construction trade groups is AGC’s summer boot camp program, funded by a grant from the Construction Craft Training Board.

Led by AGC’s McCain, the program was created to help familiarize high school students with potential employment opportunities in non-residential construction. “This program is geared toward

reaching students beyond those who are participating in career technical education,” McCain says.

This past summer the AGC camps drew 48 students from Chilton, St. Clair and Walker counties. They were held in each county’s career technical center and center instructors provided much of the training.

“The boot camp was comprised of eight four-hour classes focused on various trades with hands-on projects, so students used the tools of a trade,” McCain says.

“On the final day of the camp, construction companies interviewed students for potential employment.”

Because of the program’s success, AGC is planning boot camps in the same three counties plus Shelby next summer.

McCain hopes to host 80 participants plus add more construction employers to the camp job fair roster. “This program gave AGC the chance to build stronger relationships with the career technical programs and provide more contractor involvement with each program,” McCain says.

The Academy of Craft Training (ACT), sponsored by ABC and other publicprivate partners, kicked off in 2016 and has expanded since then to serve 750 students each year, says Mark McCord, director of employment and workforce development at ACT. The model program started in Birmingham and now has campuses in Mobile since 2022 and Decatur since 2023. Students from more than 70 metro-area high schools are provided with hands-on training and a pipeline to commercial/industrial construction careers. The academy is looking to add a fourth metro area in Alabama over time.

The 750 students who are accepted into the program currently attend their local academy center for a half day during their school day five days per week, earning high school credits. They take General contractors like Caddell Construction have ramped up training and development initiatives to help attract and retain key talent. Caddell utilizes its corporate office in the Atlanta metro area as a training hub for field and managerial staff to further develop their skills and careers.

Building is Our Business.

Let us partner with you to deliver more certainty, more value, and a construction project that meets your goals.

Always In Process

hoar.com

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 17

CO N S T R U C T I O N

math as well as trade classes within their welding/pipefitting, building construction, HVAC, electrical or interior/exterior finishes tracks. “They also learn soft skills, including being on time to work and how to apply for a job,” McCord says. “A percentage of our graduating students go into the military or on to college, but so far we have been able to place everyone who wants a job right after graduation.”

Internships with industry partners are available to academy students during holidays, the summer and other off hours, which provides students with on-the-job training, an introduction to various types of construction projects, and income.

“Students have the opportunity to see whether a certain job fits them and are excited to get a paycheck for their work,” McCord says.

Hoover’s RC3 career technical program, launched in 2019, includes a Construction Science Academy, led by Director Shane Nabors. The academy was created in association with a partnership

‘‘

Demand for more skilled workers will continue as our construction workforce ages out and must be replenished.”

— MARK MADDOX, VICE PRESIDENT OF ROBINS & MORTON, AND LAST

YEAR’S CHAIRMAN OF ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS (ABC) OF ALABAMA

with AGC. The trade association helped furnish equipment, including construction equipment simulators and other resources as well as consulting on the design of facilities and identifying instructors. “AGC stepped in and got us rolling,” Nabors says.

The academy provides Hoover’s two high schools and Homewood High School’s career technical education in building construction, carpentry, electrical, HVAC, practical welding and heavy equipment operation. The construction science curriculum allows for dual enrollment of students at Jefferson State Community College. “This program opens so many job opportunities and career paths to the students,” Nabors says.

“It’s rewarding to see them growing and thriving.”

Alabama seems to be on a roll with career education as this school year, yet another stand-out career technical center opened, the Baldwin Preparatory Academy with several construction-related study tracks, notes Rob Middleton, president of Middleton Construction, based in Mobile.

Baldwin County’s new $92 million academy, located in Loxley, includes courses in project management, framing, building inspection, dry wall, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and welding. “It’s wonderful to see more local involvement and investment in construction workforce development,” says Middleton, who served as chairman of the board of the Alabama AGC last year.

Even with all the recent workforce development efforts, construction companies must still focus on attracting, developing and retaining their own workers. Caddell Construction, for example, provides its managers with intensive training on a yearly basis and has sought managerial employees from non-traditional venues. Retired military and police officers have been tapped.

“We’re all trying to keep the good employees we have as well as seeking new talent,” Caddell says. “With challenges like we are facing in construction, you’ve got to think outside the box.”

Kathy Hagood is a Homewood-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

18 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

CO N S T R U C T I O N

FINDING CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE David Pugh is making the case for having an attorney serve as ABC national chair

By CARY ESTES — Photos by ART MERIPOL

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 21

CO N S T R U C T I O N

A

ttorney David Pugh, a partner with the Birmingham-based Bradley law firm, has spent more time building court cases than physical places during his 36-year legal career. That is why his recent election as the 2025 national chair of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) national board of directors might surprise some.

But as with most structures, there is more to Pugh’s career than what is easily evident from the facade of a business title.

Look beyond the walls and you will find an engineering and construction foundation to his early life.

Pugh’s grandfather spent 48 years at Stockham Valves and Fittings, and another dozen as a consultant in the foundry industry. Pugh’s father earned engineering degrees from both Auburn University and the University of Alabama, then worked in a large fabrication shop for Chicago Bridge & Iron. And Pugh himself spent nearly every summer while in high school and college working some sort of construction-related job, including for Georgia Power during the creation of the Vogtle nuclear power plant near Augusta, Georgia.

“I had an early exposure to construction, and some of it was very heavy, industrial construction,” Pugh says. “I also spent a couple of summers working for a large commercial property manager on their maintenance team. So, I glazed windows, hung doors, changed filters.

Basically, just about anything you could do without calling in a sub-contractor specialist.”

In addition to all that, Pugh’s area of focus throughout his decades at Bradley has been — what else — construction. As part of the firm’s Construction Practice Group, Pugh has represented owners, general contractors, subcontractors, engineers, architects, insurers and sureties throughout the United States. He has drafted and negotiated contracts for several large-scale construction projects, and has participated in numerous construction-related trials, hearings, mediations and arbitrations, including arguing a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Because I’m a lawyer and not a

22 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

"There is a whole host of services whose participants will never drive a nail, turn a screw or pour a yard of concrete,” Pugh says. “But they are essential to the successful delivery of construction services, and the ABC does a tremendous job of supporting all those aspects of the process.”

— DAVID PUGH, PARTNER, BRADLEY

contractor, there was a fairly lively debate when my elevation to the ABC executive committee was first being discussed,” says Pugh, who has served on the ABC Alabama chapter since 2007. “But I know construction, I know the issues that are important to ABC. And as I met more and more people within ABC, they began to realize, ‘Yes, he’s a lawyer, but this guy knows how construction works.’ That opened some minds.”

While Pugh is not necessarily surprised to be this involved with ABC, the path he took to get there was not the original plan. Pugh says he received a civil engineering degree from the University of

Alabama “with the intention of becoming a general contractor and one day owning my own construction company.” Pugh decided that obtaining both an MBA and a law degree would help support that effort, so he enrolled in a dual-degree program at Vanderbilt University.

Upon graduating from Vanderbilt, however, the realities of a new marriage and maxed-out credit cards compelled Pugh to seek some immediate stable employment before trying to start his own business. He accepted an offer from Bradley in order to return to his hometown of Birmingham, and this short-term career bridge turned into a long-term position

CO N S T R U C T I O N

with the firm.

“I had the practical experience as a builder. So, I thought if I also had some expertise in law and the business aspects, that would help equip me to succeed as a contractor,” Pugh says. “But once I got here (to Bradley), I never made the change. I realized I liked the challenges of providing legal advice to contractors.

“I’m a contractor at heart, but one who happens to have the legal knowledge. I like helping contractors find solutions to business and legal problems. I’ve had the professional pleasure of representing just about every entity involved in construction projects, which is fun to me.”

It certainly helped that Pugh joined a firm that has maintained a focus on construction law since the 1960s, when Bradley began representing Blount Brothers Construction in Montgomery. At the time, Pugh says, there were not many firms in the nation that considered construction to be a primary field of practice.

“You’d have a general business or litigation lawyer who might develop some knowledge about construction over the years, but it wasn’t a recognized specialty,” Pugh says. “People didn’t say, ‘I’m a construction lawyer.’ But our law firm was one of the early pioneers to recognize that construction law was a growing area of expertise.”

Pugh notes that specializing in construction law is particularly relevant in Alabama because there are so many large construction companies in the state. Bradley has represented many of them, including BL Harbert, Brasfield & Gorrie, Caddell, Hoar, Rast and Robins & Morton.

“Alabama has a disproportionate amount of large, successful contractors compared to our population, and then there are all the subcontractors,” Pugh says. “We are a net exporter of construction services. It’s a very important sector of our state’s economy.

“There are a number of legal issues that these construction companies face.

How to resolve disputes. Environmental issues. Labor issues. Business succession planning, because most construction companies are still privately held, usually by families. So, there is a recurring group

of issues where a lawyer needs to have more than just conversational construction knowledge.”

Pugh’s year-long term as ABC chair coincides with the 75th anniversary of the organization’s founding in 1950, and he says celebrating that milestone will be part of his focus. But he also is extremely interested in helping the industry deal with issues involving workforce development.

“We have an acute workforce shortage in construction, and it’s going to be exacerbated as the Boomers continue to retire,” Pugh says. “ABC is working on as many programs as possible to attract traditionally under-represented groups to construction and to train them.

“In Alabama, for example, we have the Academy of Craft Training. It’s a program where we train high school juniors and seniors in five craft specialties, and they receive high school and college credit toward graduation. It’s been fabulously successful. We have a waiting list for the

slots. We started in Birmingham and have added shops in Mobile and Decatur. The placement rate from the program into fulltime construction employment is around 90%. It’s one of the best ways to help solve the workforce shortage.”

It also is an example of how professions beyond contractors — from teachers to accountants to, yes, lawyers — are proving to be important to the overall success of the construction industry. Which is one of the reasons that Pugh’s selection as national chair shouldn’t be surprising.

“There is a whole host of services whose participants will never drive a nail, turn a screw or pour a yard of concrete,” Pugh says. “But they are essential to the successful delivery of construction services, and the ABC does a tremendous job of supporting all those aspects of the process.”

Cary Estes and Art Meripol are Birmingham-based freelance contributors to Business Alabama.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 23

A A M A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

ALABAMA AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

ROLLING ALONG

/////////////////////ALABAMA’S ////////////////////AUTOMAKERS /////////////////////////CONTINUE //////////////////TO /////BUILD, ////////////GROW, ///////////////////////////// INNOVATE AND EXPORT

By EMMETT BURNETT

With contributions from Nancy Mann Jackson, Gail Allyn Short and Kathy Hagood

2024 was one of the busiest years ever at Honda in Lincoln.

SPECIAL SECTION

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 25

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

The Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa County.

F

ROM V-8 ENGINES TO EV BUSES, ALABAMA’S AUTOMOTIVE ENDEAVORS SEIZED THE ROAD IN 2024.

VEHICULAR MANUFACTURING INCREASINGLY DEMANDED CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY AND ALABAMA ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE. In 2025 Alabama’s auto industry is not pumping the brakes. Production lines are staffed with thousands of skilled workers assisted by hundreds of methodical robots.

Collectively, they turn out cars, trucks and engines by the thousands — daily. Indeed, the demand is great.

MERCEDES Tuscaloosa-based Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. (MBUSI) celebrated in December the 30th year since its founding in 1995.

Production at the plant, the first major automotive manufacturing plant ever to be located in Alabama, began in May 1997. The move helped draw numerous additional OEMs, automotive suppliers and supporting businesses to the state in the following decades. So far, MBUSI has invested $7 billion here. That includes a $1 billion investment to start the production of electric passenger cars,

28 S| PBusinessAlabama.com ECIAL SECTION February 2025

expand the plant's logistics activities and build a battery plant, which opened in nearby Bibb County in March 2022.

The Alabama plant, which employs about 6,100 workers, plans to continue its tradition of serving as the worldwide site for the production for large luxury SUVs including the GLE, GLS and GLE Coupe sport utility vehicles, in addition to the Mercedes-Maybach GLS. Added to the plant’s production in recent years are the all-electric Mercedes-EQ models, the EQE SUV and EQS SUV, as well as the Mercedes Maybach EQS SUV. More than 295,000 vehicles were produced at the plant in 2023 with a total of more than 4 million vehicles built since 1997. About two thirds of MUSBI’s SUVs are being exported to almost every country in the world. Currently there are more than 180 direct suppliers in the United States for MBUSI alone.

MBUSI President and Chief Executive Officer Federico Kochlowski has an ambitious vision for the coming year.

“Initiatives for 2025 are the renewal of key equipment with new investment, the preparation and implementation of new processes along with training of the team members, and a continued effort to improve our operations to benchmark levels,” he says.

MAZDA TOYOTA Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA began production on Sept. 30, 2021. After three years of production, the plant has celebrated several milestones.

When MTM began mass production with its Apollo line in 2021, the plant started with the Toyota Corolla Cross, a crossover offering comfort and utility in a compact package. Within a few months, the plant began producing the Mazda CX-50 in January 2022 on its Discovery line. The two side-by-side lines, Apollo and Discovery, are named as a tribute to Huntsville’s role in the U.S. space program.

In 2022, MTM added a second shift on its Apollo line, and a year later, the plant added a second shift on the Discovery line.

After adding second shifts on both lines, the facility reached its goal of employing more than 4,000 workers.

Now the plant also has launched Hybrid Electric Vehicle versions of both the Corolla Cross and CX-50.

In December 2024, MTM built its 300,000th Corolla Cross, and the CX-50 will not be far behind, according to a spokesperson for the company.

“We have continued to make improvements and increase our team’s ability to assemble vehicles for both Mazda and Toyota,” says Mitsunobu SPECIAL SECTION

A A M A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

Mukaida, who was named president of the organization in April 2024.

“However, our greatest success is always in our team members, whether it is their ability to build quality vehicles, or their ability to grow at MTM and provide a better life for their families.”

HYUNDAI MOTOR MANUFACTURING ALABAMA HMMA’s grand opening took place on May 20, 2005. At the time, Mong-Koo Chung, the chairman and chief executive officer of Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, then Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, and other state officials came together at the $1.1 billion plant to recognize the start of a new era for Montgomery and Alabama.

Back then, the 2 million-square-foot manufacturing plant sat on 1,744 acres and employed 2,000 team members.

This year, in 2025, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama President and CEO Chris Susock and team members are getting ready to celebrate two decades of operation in Montgomery.

“We’re still in the process of planning our 20th anniversary events that will allow our team members, their families, and state

and local community leaders to celebrate this important milestone in the history of HMMA,” said Scott Posey, HMMA’s public relations team manager.

“While I can’t share specifics at this time,” says Posey, “I can say it will be a celebration worthy of the incredible impact that HMMA has had on the River Region and the state and worthy of the incredible contribution that our team members have made to its success over the past 20 years.”

In 2024, the team at HMMA assembled a total of 335,516 vehicles. Specifically, HMMA production numbers are as follows: Tucson, 140,818; the Santa Fe, 103,947; the Santa Fe HEV, 37,043; the Santa Cruz, 30,512; the GV70 EV, 2,863; and the GV70, 20,333.

Hyundai Motor America distributes the vehicles HMMA produces and ships them across the United States. The vehicles are then sold and serviced by more than 830 Hyundai dealerships across North America.

TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING ALABAMA With 1,500 employees on 334 acres in its Huntsville plant, Toyota Motor

Manufacturing, Alabama Inc. (TMMAL) assembles V-6 and V-8 engines. The motors power Toyota’s Tacoma and Tundra trucks and Sequoia SUVs. In addition, the company builds 4-cylinder engines for Camry, RAV4, Sienna and Highlander brands.

About 3,000 hybrid and combustion engines are built by Alabama’s Toyota site every day.

Since breaking ground in 2001 on a Huntsville cotton field, TMMAL has become the company’s engine capital of North America. In 24 years, the Alabama site grew from an initial workforce of 300 to 1,400.

The first engine rolled out in 2003.

To date, the manufacturing center has expanded numerous times and is now home to a $1.5 billion production facility.

In addition to being a company powerhouse, Toyota’s Huntsville plant in the only one in the world to build 4-cylinder, V-6 and V-8 engines under one roof. The Alabama team has assembled more than 8 million engines.

In the quest to build engines, Toyota’s workers lend a helping hand to nonhumans. The team works in collaboration

At work on a new Pilot at the Honda plant in Lincoln.

SPECIAL SECTION

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com SPECIAL SECTION | 29

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

An Autocar E-ACCT at work at APM Terminals at the port.

with production line robotics, which helps ensure safety, reduce fatigue and increase efficiency. Robots also complete repetitive production tasks such as moving parts. The automated robotic functions are programed by the Toyota Alabama employees.

HONDA ALABAMA 2024 was one of the busiest ever at Honda’s Alabama plant in Lincoln. With 4,500 associates operating production lines at full capacity, Honda met strong customer demand.

Three models built in Alabama — Passport, Odyssey and Ridgeline — rank in the top 10 of the Cars.com American Made Index, with the Passport at number two, Odyssey at number five and Ridgeline at number six.

The Ridgeline was ranked by cars.com as the most American-made truck for the fourth consecutive year, while the all-new Honda Pilot was also in the Top 15 on that same list.

In April, Honda’s newest engine assembly facility reached a new milestone, producing its 3 millionth engine. When combined with the previous line that debuted in 2001, Alabama associates have produced more than 6 million engines.

Community and workforce 30 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

development efforts include continued partnership with East AlabamaWorks, launching the Modern Manufacturing Program at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) in May, which included donating a vehicle for student training.

The company launched a partnership with Auburn’s Harbert College of Business in 2023 to equip associates with leadership skills necessary to drive the business forward, and 16 associates have completed the training, with more now in the program.

In October 2024, Honda continued its Manufacturing Day activities, engaging with more than 200 local students from five surrounding counties to showcase career opportunities in modern manufacturing.

Honda also hosted the Gear Up Your Career workforce development tent at the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix in April, inviting more than 3,400 high school and college students for interactive and engaging activities and to learn about careers at Honda.

NEW FLYER New Flyer, a manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses, is a brand of the NFI Group, a leading independent global provider of sustainable bus and motorcoach solutions.

NFI’s global headquarters is Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, while the group’s Vehicle Innovation Center (VIC) is here in Anniston.

The center’s mission is “to be North America’s leader in the exploration and advancement of bus and coach technology.” Hosting more than 7,000 industry leaders and 350 events and training sessions since 2017, the VIC leads North America in the exploration and innovation of such technologies. It also provides essential workforce development both in-person in Anniston’s facility or virtually.

VIC is also the first innovation lab for bus and coach technology in North America. It is supported by NFI and its North American subsidiaries including New Flyer.

The New Flyer product line includes buses; the Xcelsior CHARGE NG, a battery-electric bus; and the Xcelsior CHARGE FC, a fuel cell-electric bus.

AUTOCAR LLC Originating in 1897, Birmingham’s Autocar LLC manufacturers severe-duty vocational trucks. It is the only Americanowned and operated original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of such trucks.

The company’s vehicles are custom SPECIAL SECTION

fabricated to customer demands. Autocar’s trucks include ones specially built to handle refuse and recycling, terminal tractor work, construction and concrete, road maintenance, aircraft and military support.

The facility is building customer relationships alongside its truck, from the sales process, into post sales and through the life of the vehicle. The company says its products are “custom built with your company DNA.” In March 2024, Autocar collaborated with Rocsys, a global leader in handsfree charging solutions for electric vehicles. Autocar Chairman Andrew Taitz noted, “Hands-free charging is a pivotal advancement in the electrification of commercial vehicle fleets. We are delighted to partner with Rocsys and leverage their expertise in delivering cutting-edge handsfree charging solutions.”

He added, “This collaboration underscores our commitment to staying at the forefront of EV adoption, providing our customers with a broad range of powertrain solutions to support their specific needs.”

Emmett Burnett, Gail Allyn Short, Nancy Mann Jackson and Kathy Hagood are freelance contributors to Business Alabama.

SPECIAL SECTION

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 31

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

Inside the Tasus plant in Florence.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

HONORS FOR PLASTICS

/////FLORENCE //////////////////SUPPLIER ///////////////FIRM ////////TASUS ///////////NAMED ////////////SMALL ///////////MANUFACTURER ///////////////////////////OF /////THE ///////YEAR ///////////

BY ALABAMA AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

By KATHLEEN FARRELL

W

ITH MANUFACTURING LOCATIONS IN FLORENCE, AND IN BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, TASUS CORP. IS A PREMIER SUPPLIER OF PLASTIC MOLDED COMPONENTS, CONVERTED PRODUCTS, FLEXOGRAPHIC LABELS AND DISTRIBUTED PRODUCTS TO THE AUTOMOTIVE AND TRANSPORTATION MARKETS. Conceptualized in 2008 and completed in 2012, the 104,000-square-foot Florence production facility was set up to mirror the operation of the company’s

32 S| PBusinessAlabama.com ECIAL SECTION February 2025

TASUS team members at work.

SPECIAL SECTION

A A M A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

Bloomington plant, with the goal of being present to the growing Southern automotive industry. Tasus, which has been in business since 1989, is among 24 global companies in 32 locations owned

by Tsuchiya Co. Ltd., operating in Nagoya, Japan, since the 1950s.

While other companies were scaling back in response to the global financial crisis, Tasus and its parent company, Tsuchiya Co., were making plans for growth — specifically in Alabama.

“We strategically placed the Alabama plant in Florence to meet the needs for quality injection molders in northern central Alabama,” says Jay Brown, vice president of business development with Tsuchiya Group North America. “With the growing trend in the automotive sector in the southeast U.S. and the availability of a smart and talented workforce throughout the region, the decision proved to be a good one — and what is there not to like about Florence and Muscle Shoals.”

Tasus is a Tier One supplier to Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America and a Tier Two supplier to OEM automotive and transportation markets including agriculture and heavy truck.

“From our technologically advanced robotics and machinery to our unwavering focus on quality, testing and the environment, we continue to set new production standards,” says Amy Ketcham, president of Tsuchiya Group North America. The company molds and distributes automotive products for interior, exterior, drivetrain combustion engine, EV and hybrid vehicles as requested Jason Pace with the AAMA Alabama Automotive Supplier of the Year Award.

Tasus creates plastic injection molded automotive parts at its plant in Florence.

by customers. “Tasus forms a partnership between itself and our customers,” says Ketcham. “We work as a team to understand their needs and capabilities.”

A significant employer in the Florence area, Tasus considers its people to be the most valuable component of its business and seeks to invest in and protect its workforce. The Florence facility currently employs approximately 145 team members in roles ranging from management to hourly manufacturing operations.

“Tasus Alabama’s diverse leadership team is focused on the company’s mission: With humble service, we inspire and enrich our team members’ lives, support our communities and partner with our global customers and suppliers to provide innovative solutions,” says Jason Pace, operations manager of Tasus Alabama. “When our employees succeed, we succeed and, in turn, the community and customers succeed.” The company offers full-time employees a variety of benefits including paid time off, 401(k)

‘‘

match, tuition assistance, attendance bonuses, adoption assistance and first-time home buyer’s assistance.

Tasus’ commitment to the mutual success of its employees and the communities in which it operates can be seen in its support of Northwest Shoals Community College (NWSCC) in Muscle Shoals. In 2013, NWSCC began offering an associate in applied science degree with an injection molding technology option and a short-term certificate program. Tasus donated fittings and hoses for auxiliary injection molding equipment and allowed a NWSCC instructor to gain hands-on training while working in all areas of the Florence plant.

Tasus shows its commitment to environmental and community responsibilities through its prevention of pollution program, environmental objectives and targets, and full recycling program including plastics, metals, pallets, cardboard, paper and shrink wrap. The company seeks to reduce electrical usage

Tasus Alabama’s diverse leadership team is focused on the company’s mission: With humble service, we inspire and enrich our team members’ lives, support our communities and partner with our global customers and suppliers to provide innovative solutions.”

SPECIAL SECTION

— JASON PACE, OPERATIONS MANAGER OF TASUS ALABAMA February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com S P E C I A L S E C T I O N| 33

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

through power-down programs, including machinery, lighting, PCs, server virtualization and air leak monitoring.

The team at Tasus practices a Kaizen working culture that encourages all employees to work together to improve company performance, products and services. Tasus has received Toyota Certificates of Achievement for quality

performance and value improvement performance, as well as quality and delivery. The company’s core values include character, can-do attitude, commitment, communication, collaboration and curiosity. “These elements all fall within the company’s two major pillars borrowed from Toyota and the Toyota Production System (TPS): respect for people and

continuous improvement,” says Pace.

TPS training, which is voluntary and employee driven, is offered at both the Bloomington and Florence facilities.

To provide outstanding service to its customers, the Tasus team strives to deliver on three key metrics. “First, we deliver a quality part. The customer provides requirements that are acceptable for a quality part. We use automation, 'poka-yoke' error prevention and training to ensure that staff meets customer requirements,” says Pace. Secondly, the company seeks to deliver orders on time and under the terms agreed upon with the customers. “We provide ontime delivery by scheduling our plant in an efficient manner and hold safety stock for when unseen circumstances can’t be avoided.” Lastly, Tasus prioritizes continuous improvement in every facet of its business practice, allowing the company to serve more clients and offer new and advanced capabilities by expanding facilities.

The Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA) named Tasus Small Manufacturer of the Year for 2024. Pace and Kristen McCaney, human relations manager at Tasus Alabama, attended the awards banquet in November. “The recognition is great and an incredible honor the members of the AAMA have bestowed upon us. It is a reflection of the smart work and dedication of the entire Alabama team,” says McCaney. She notes that while awards are not the company’s main goal, the honor serves as a reminder of the impact of its team’s efforts toward continuous improvement: “It is a never-ending cycle.

We are humbled and deeply grateful for this acknowledgement that inspires us to continue pursuing excellence and living our vision of ‘making it better.’”

Tasus plans to continue a slow and controlled growth strategy, Ketcham says. “This is a path we plan to continue to take for some time ahead.” The company continues to seek employees who share its vision and core values and are interested in a long-term, mutually beneficial employment relationship.

Kathleen Farrell is a Mobile-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

34 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

SPECIAL SECTION

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

REFRAMING SUCCESS

/////KTH ///////LEESBURG /////////////////PRODUCTS /////////////////ISN’T /////////JUST ////////STAMPING /////////////////STEEL //////////PARTS //////////FOR ////////CAR ///////FRAMES; /////////////// IT’S LEAVING AN INDELIBLE STAMP ON THE ALABAMA AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

By STEVEN CASTLE

I

N NOVEMBER 2024, THE ALABAMA AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (AAMA) ANNOUNCED THE WINNERS OF THEIR SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARDS. AT THE TOP OF THEIR LIST WAS KTH LEESBURG PRODUCTS LLC (KLP), WINNING FOR LARGE MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR. “It’s really a tremendous feeling to get such an award,” says Gene Cleveland,

36 S| PBusinessAlabama.com ECIAL SECTION February 2025

assistant vice president of administration of KLP. “When [the AAMA] do their due diligence, they’re checking with our customers and saying ‘hey, this plant has been nominated for an award — what kind of company are they?’ And when they give their answers, they’re considering quality workmanship, overall safety calls, delivering on time, all those major characteristics that they look for in their suppliers. So, to have that affirmation from our customers… really is beyond words.”

And this isn’t the first honor the com-

pany has received. “Over the years we’ve won various awards from Honda,” says Cleveland, “and we just recently won an excellence award from Mazda.”

Kim Hoyles, KLP’s assistant vice president and plant manager, explains: “Mazda had their supplier conference in Huntsville and out of 150 different suppliers, KLP was one of only 5 that received a Quality Excellence Award, which is very impressive because … the criteria to win that award is very high. So it was a great honor for us.”

Nestled in Leesburg — a town of less SPECIAL SECTION

‘‘

than a thousand people in Cherokee County in northeast Alabama — KLP is anything but small-time, supplying enough stamped and welded steel frame components for the automotive industry in Alabama to build roughly 1,500 to 1,800 automobiles every single day from its 515,000-square-foot manufacturing plant employing more than 475 people. Those components are checked for quality and safety and shipped directly to KLP’s customers for use in the automotive assembly lines — primarily either to Honda in nearby Lincoln or to Mazda in Huntsville.

“A lot of our frame parts [are] called ‘crash parts’,” says Ryan Enloe, senior manager for quality and engineering at KLP. “They are a lot of the parts that have a big impact on the crash worthiness rating of the vehicles, so they tend to be more important parts, as you can imagine.”

With such an important role in the automobile, Hoyles explains, quality

A A M A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

Mazda had their supplier conference in Huntsville and out of 150 different suppliers, KLP was one of only 5 that received a Quality Excellence Award, which is very impressive because … the criteria to win that award is very high. So it was a great honor for us.”

— KIM HOYLES, KTH LEESBURG PRODUCTS ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT AND PLANT MANAGER

is paramount: “Every component that goes into a car is important. When it comes to the quality or stability of any of the parts we produce, every part has to be 100% good… The parts that [we] produce have a significant impact on the survival rate of [people] in the cabin of that car. So, every part that we produce has to be 100% perfect, because the customer relies on it.”

And KLP ensures that the plant’s associates know the importance of the work they’re doing. “We try to inform all the associates,” says Hoyles. “In our plant we

have vehicles from Honda that are called ‘white bodies’. It’s just the shell of the car without any components in it [so that we can] show them where our parts are located. We have a display in the front of our shop showing… where [our] parts are located in the vehicle, what they do, and how they fit together to make that vehicle.”

“They can actually see where this crazy-looking part they’re producing plugs in,” adds Enloe. “When a vehicle comes together it’s like a giant 3-D puzzle… and when I know why I’m doing some-

Inside the Leesburg plant.

SPECIAL SECTION

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com S P E C I A L S E C T I O N| 37

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

‘‘

thing, I’ll tend to take it more seriously and have more buy-in… Our associates understand just how important their parts are, and when you understand that I think you just naturally take it more seriously.”

This understanding is paying dividends for KLP, says Enloe, specifically in the quality of associates’ work and employee tenure. “One of the things that I’ve noticed down here is the associate’s willingness to work very hard, and it’s refreshing to see that… We have a lot of people here that have multiple years of experience and we try to do our best to make it comfortable for them to work and to someday retire from our facility.”

KLP’s road to success was a long one, dating all the way back to 1939, with Hirata Press Kogyo, a metal press in Tokyo, Japan, which found success in the years afterward producing car parts for Honda. As Honda’s success grew, so did Hirata Press Kogyo’s, and in 1985, the first North American branch began oper-

One of the things that I’ve noticed down here is the associate’s willingness to work very hard, and it’s refreshing to see that… We have a lot of people here that have multiple years of experience and we try to do our best to make it comfortable for them to work and to someday retire from our facility.”

— RYAN ENLOE, SENIOR MANAGER FOR QUALITY AND ENGINEERING AT KTH LEESBURG PRODUCTS

ations in St. Paris, Ohio. A second Ohio plant followed about a decade later, then a location in Canada, and finally in 2001, an Alabama manufacturing plant

in Leesburg.

But why choose Leesburg for such a large undertaking? Location was a big factor, according to Cleveland: “[We] like to do the stamping and welding of steel parts in a fairly close proximity to the customer. So when Honda made the decision to come to Lincoln, Alabama… we looked around the area and decided to locate about 60 miles north of Lincoln… Other factors obviously go into that [decision], you know: employment and demographic data … infrastructure, what incentives are available in what areas. There’s a list about as long as your arm, but obviously, close proximity to the customer was important.”

It has certainly not escaped KLP’s notice that it is a major employer in a small town, which is why giving back to the community is a high priority for the company. “There are a lot of very small towns in and around this area,” says Cleveland, “and we do a number of things to participate in and engage with those communities throughout the year.”

For example, the company helps support Leesburg Day, a September event that helps raise funds for the local volunteer fire department.

The benefits of KLP’s success don’t just extend to community activities, but associate benefits as well, company officials say. “The company looks beyond just the associates that actually come to work here each day, and we actually look after their family members, too,” says Cleveland. “KLP provides a medical clinic for all the associates and their covered family members absolutely free of charge. In addition to that, we have the ability to provide prescriptions free of charge.… This has been a tremendous benefit for our associates and their families to help alleviate a lot of medical concerns. It’s not a mandate that they have to use the clinic, but it gives them another option, and it’s just awfully hard to beat free.… Having this free access to medical attention has been a really wonderful benefit for our associates, and I think they recognize that.”

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

38 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

SPECIAL SECTION

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

NEW AT THE TOP: MERCEDES-BENZ

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Federico Kochlowski (right) visits with workers.

FEDERICO KOCHLOWSKI IS NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO FOR MERCEDES IN VANCE

An aerial view of the MBUSI campus in Vance.

By KATHY HAGOODE

F

EDERICO KOCHLOWSKI WAS BROUGHT IN TO SERVE AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE MERCEDES-BENZ U.S. INTERNATIONAL (MBUSI) PLANT IN TUSCALOOSA IN NOVEMBER 2023.

Just seven months later — in the midst of a United Auto Workers campaign to convince plant workers to unionize and MBUSI efforts to make changes to appease workers — Kochlowski was tapped to become the new president and CEO of the plant. He had previously served as CEO at the joint Mercedes and Nissan plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

As he took the new position in May, Kochlowski reached out to workers in person and via letter. He asked that they give him a chance to make things better at the plant in the days before those workers ended up voting against United Auto Workers representation.

Kochlowski has followed up on his promises. “We have made a realignment and restart on the deployment of mission, vision and values,” he says. “Our key focus is the entire MBUSI team — not results for the sake of results. Results matter, but they shall be delivered from work with strong orientation to people,

40S| PBusinessAlabama.com ECIAL SECTION February 2025

processes and leadership based on a solid foundation of core values (safety, quality and integrity).”

Safety is critical because without it, no business can survive, Kochlowski says, and quality relies on a “continuous pursuit of excellence in everything we do to meet and exceed expectations from customers.”

His emphasis on relationships to employees, suppliers and customers depends on integrity, he says, based on “transparency, commitment and teamwork.”

His vision for the plant includes a greater focus on workers as well as the work. “The vision of MBUSI is to be a great employer; a place where people value to belong and work; and SPECIAL SECTION

A A M A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

a place they can call home,” he says. “Regarding Quality: For MBUSI to be the reference and a benchmark given by the feedback from the market.”

As the leader of the operation, Koslowski takes the role seriously. “The key intended contribution from my end has been to set the understanding of the expectations for the future on the products we build, our collective goals as the great organization MBUSI is, and to foster teamwork internally and with suppliers.”

After graduating in industrial engineering from the Catholic University Cordoba in Argentina in 1994, Kochlowski rose up through the ranks first at Chrysler in Argentina, then at Daimler Chrysler Tech Center in Michigan before earning his Executive MBA from Michigan State University in 2003.

He then did an 11-year stint at Beijing Benz Automotive Co. Ltd., eventually serving as the vice president of manufacturing engineering. He joined the Aguascalientes, Mexico, plant in 2019 as director of production operations and the next year began serving as CEO. Of his rich and varied international career, Koslowski says, “Besides the industrial engineering degree and the MBA at Michigan State, the continued education inside Mercedes-Benz has been a key factor to learn and prepare for new responsibilities and also different scope and functions. That part of the education provided the knowledge and technical skills. The opportunities to work in different projects and countries provided the learning and experience regarding culture, people, teams and cross-functional work.”

His multi-cultural experiences have not only augmented his career, he says, but also have shaped his thinking, principles and beliefs. “The understanding of what is important in each country and culture is instrumental to create a sense of belonging, alignment and teamwork,” Kochlowski says.

“It is also important when considering and planning on how to develop employees in a career. However, even with culture differences, in every country, it is clear that people place significant value on openness, teamwork, support and a future on the career at work. Development and recognition go a long way for each individual employee.”

He remembers a particularly significant growth experience in China when he was a part of a team tasked to create a brandnew plant. “We were a very diverse team with colleagues from over 10 nationalities, two companies, including government participation, a new and young workforce, a very tight timeline and high expectations from the market,” he says. “Working on building the team, reaching alignment and holding ourselves accountable made it possible.”

Kochlowski applauds his Alabama team members for their hospitality, openness, respect and willingness to pull together.

“We are in challenging times, and it has been proven several times that when we need to come together to overcome hurdles, the team does it without hesitation,” he says. “The spirit of people in Alabama is the most valuable.”

Upcoming challenges include the economy, both national and international, as a significant part of the plant’s production is for export markets, Kochlowski says. MBUSI is one of the SPECIAL SECTION

Workers craft elements of new Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

largest automotive exporters in the United States. “We are also preparing the plant for new projects and renewing facilities and processes while we are running production,” he says. “This preparation for the future also entails the learning and implementation of new technologies and digitalization.”

Kathy Hagood is a Homewood-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com S P E C I A L S E C T I O N| 41

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama in Montgomery.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

NEW AT THE TOP: HYUNDAI

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// CHRIS SUSOCK TAKES HELM AT HYUNDAI MOTOR MANUFACTURING ALABAMA

By GAIL ALLYN SHORT

C

HRIS SUSOCK HAS BEEN PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HYUNDAI MOTOR MANUFACTURING ALABAMA FOR JUST OVER A YEAR, AND HE IS LEADING THE VERY PLANT HE HELPED ESTABLISH MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO. In 2004, Susock made his way to Montgomery to organize and develop manufacturing processes for the new HMMA, Hyundai’s first auto assembly plant in the United States.

By early 2005, the billion-dollar plant was up and running with team members assembling the 2006 Sonata.

Today, Susock oversees a team of 4,200 that assembles the Santa Fe, the Santa Cruz, the Tucson, the Genesis GV70 that HMMA began producing in 2023, and the Genesis Electrified GV70.

And, this year, Susock and the team members are preparing to commemorate HMMA’s 20th anniversary.

HMMA, an independent manufacturing operation, features

42 S| PBusinessAlabama.com ECIAL SECTION February 2025

Chris Susock.

SPECIAL SECTION

A A M A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

a stamping shop, a welding shop with more than 400 robots and a paint shop where vehicle bodies are dipped, primed and painted, a general assembly area as well as three engine shops.

Some of the engines are made specifically for Hyundai’s other company, Kia Georgia plant in West Point, Georgia.

Before becoming HMMA’s president and CEO, Susock’s career in the automotive industry began more than 30 years ago.

He graduated from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, in 1986; then spent 15 years working at the Ford Motor Co. assembly plant in Wixom, Michigan, in various management positions that included quality manager and offshift operations production manager.

Then in 2004, Hyundai hired Susock to help establish a new plant in Montgomery, by developing the facility’s organizational and manufacturing processes.

He served as HMMA’s North American Manufacturing Quality Operations from 2004 until 2015 before becoming HMMA’s chief operations officer and vice president.

In 2022, Hyundai tapped Susock to become the chief operating officer and senior vice president of HMMA. Two years later, the company promoted him to HMMA’s president and CEO. Today, Susock manages the assembly, engineering and maintenance at the plant as well as the plant’s expansion.

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

At work on a Hyundai Santa Cruz.

Finishing touches on a Hyundai Santa Fe. SPECIAL SECTION

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com SPECIAL SECTION | 43

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

The CX-50 is the original Mazda vehicle produced at Mazda Toyota in Huntsville.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

NEW AT THE TOP: MAZDA TOYOTA

///////////////////////////////MUKAIDA ///////////////TAKES ///////////THE //////REINS //////////AT /////MAZDA ////////////TOYOTA ////////////////////////////////////////

By NANCY MANN JACKSON

I

N APRIL 2024, MAZDA VETERAN MITSUNOBU MUKAIDA TOOK THE HELM OF MAZDA TOYOTA MANUFACTURING USA INC., IN HUNTSVILLE, AS THE ORGANIZATION’S NEW PRESIDENT. MUKAIDA HAS WORKED FOR MAZDA FOR 35 YEARS, AND MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF GLOBAL PRODUCTION. HE ALSO HAS SERVED AS CEO AND PRESIDENT

44 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

OF MAZDA POWERTRAIN MANUFACTURING IN THAILAND AND AS GENERAL MANAGER OF THE HIROSHIMA PLANT. Mukaida replaced Masashi Aihara, who was the founding president of the Alabama manufacturing plant. Construction began on the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) facility in Huntsville in 2018, and the plant opened in 2021.

At the plant shared by Toyota and Mazda, the Mazda CX-50 and the Toyota Corolla Cross are manufactured. As Aihara stepped aside to move on to his

next assignment with Mazda Motor Corp., Mukaida transitioned into the role of top executive.

“My mission at MTM as a joint venture plant is to further realize the synergy between Toyota and Mazda through their respective strengths and to develop it as a ‘best in town’ facility that is loved by our team members and the local community,” Mukaida told Business Alabama when the leadership transition was announced. “I will continue to work with determination to put down roots in Huntsville.”

SPECIAL SECTION

A A M A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

‘‘

My mission at MTM as a joint venture plant is to further realize the synergy between Toyota and Mazda through their respective strengths and to develop it as a ‘best in town’ facility that is loved by our team members and the local community.

I will continue to work with determination to put down roots in Huntsville.”

— MITSUNOBU MUKAIDA, PRESIDENT, MAZDA TOYOTA MANUFACTURING USA INC.,

DEEP MAZDA ROOTS Mukaida brings to his new role 35 years of experience working in production at Mazda. That experience has provided him with international leadership experience, taking him to three automotive facilities in three countries.

In 1989, Mukaida started working at Mazda as a technician, before eventually moving to a leadership role in the Engine and Mission Powertrain area.

For two years, he served at Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing in Thailand, first as executive vice president and then in 2016, as president and CEO. Following that role, Mukaida was general manager at Mazda Motor Corp.’s Hiroshima facility in Japan, and then he became executive officer in charge of global production.

His goals in his new role leading the Alabama operations? Mukaida says he hopes to share his experience in plant management and be a benefit to Mazda Toyota Manufacturing.

bers to share in this achievement and enjoy it together.”

In addition, Mukaida hopes to continue to learn and grow personally from “this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work at MTM’s joint venture, and to do my part to make MTM the employer of choice in our community,” he says.

The state of Alabama has been a solid choice for Mazda Toyota’s joint venture, and Mukaida is pleased to continue the tradition started by Aihara and other leaders of Mazda and Toyota.

“It is exciting that Mazda was able to build their only current U.S. facility in this groundbreaking partnership with Toyota Motor Corp.,” he says. “This community has been so supportive and invested in our joint venture, and we

couldn’t imagine any other hometown besides Huntsville and North Alabama.

We appreciate all of the stakeholders who made this facility possible, and for all the support our amazing Alabama team members provide in building safe, quality vehicles every day.

“We have continued to make improvements and increase our team’s ability to assemble vehicles for both Mazda and Toyota,” says Mukaida. “However, our greatest success is always in our team members, whether it is their ability to build quality vehicles, or their ability to grow at MTM and provide a better life for their families.”

Nancy Mann Jackson is a Madison-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

Inside the Mazda Toyota plant in Huntsville.

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE Leading the Alabama plant is a “oncein-a-lifetime opportunity,” Mukaida says.

He aims to build on the strong foundation started by Aihara and continue to meet the collaborative goals of the joint venture.

“I would like to reach our shared goal of establishing a plant that produces quality vehicles for Toyota and Mazda,” Mukaida says. “MTM is neither Mazda nor Toyota, but its own company, and we want to be the #1 employer in our community. And I want all MTM memSPECIAL SECTION

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 45

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

AAMA BOARD, OFFICERS & PARTNERS

///////////Ron///Davis, //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// President

RON DAVIS AAMA President LARRY DEUTSCHER AAMA Vice President General Manager, Manufacturing Support Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama

Larry Deutscher, Vice President

GENE CLEVELAND AAMA Secretary KTH Leesburg Products LLC

BARRY MAY Executive Director of Workforce & Economic Development Alabama Community College System

ED CASTILE Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Workforce Programs/AIDT Executive Director Alabama Department of Commerce/AIDT

MARK MCCLANAHAN Operations Manager Heiche US Surface Technologies

SCOTT CASTLEBERRY Sales Manager Air Hydro Power

RUSTY KRUCIAK AAMA Treasurer Managing Director Transact Capital Partners JACK SISK Advisory Board Member Technology Acceleration & Innovation Services

Gene Cleveland, Secretary

GREG CANFIELD Managing Director of Economic Development Burr & Forman

DR. BHARAT BALASUBRAMANIAN Executive Director University of Alabama Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies THOMAS BALDUS Senior Manager Capacity Management, Localization and Purchasing Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. MARK BRAZEAL Vice President, Manufacturing Mazda Toyota Manufacturing

Rusty Kruciak, Treasurer

TOM DEVALL Director, Manufacturing Initiatives Auburn University, Industrial & Systems Engineering HELENA DUNCAN President & CEO Business Council of Alabama MICHAEL GAINES Division Leader, Manufacturing Planning & Control Division Alabama Auto Plant, Honda Development & Manufacturing of America WARREN GAPPA Manager of Supplier Cooperation Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama

MIKE OATRIDGE Executive Director Alabama Mobility and Power Center HOLLIE PEGG Assistant Director, Business Development Division Alabama Department of Commerce KEITH PHILLIPS Executive Director Alabama Technology Network SCOTT SHOEMAKER Senior Process Manager Navistar FILMORE WALKER III President GAA JASON WEAVER General Manager Stamped Products Inc.

BECKY HURT Vice President – Administration Y-tec Keylex Toyotetsu Alabama (YKTA)

CORPORATE PARTNERS AIAG Air Hydro Power Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition Alabama Community College System Alabama Department of Commerce Alabama Port Authority Alabama Power Co. Alabama Technology Network Alliance Solutions Group Burr & Forman

Business Council of Alabama Cobbs Allen Energy Alabama Honda Development & Manufacturing of America Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama Ingenics Consulting/Point B Insequence Legacy Packaging Lexon Corp.

46 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

Mazda Toyota Manufacturing Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Mind Your Culture Navistar Northwest Alabama EDA NRTC Automation Omron The Onin Group PicoMES Port of Huntsville

Seraph TOOTRiS Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama Transact Capital Partners TrueCommerce TTL T&W Operations UAH UA SafeState YKTA SPECIAL SECTION

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association Membership Directory COMPANY NAME

ADDRESS

PRIMARY CONTACT

PHONE/WEBSITE

2M Transport

2741 Crown Hill, Ste. B, Eagle Pass, TX 78852

Paco MonDragon

830-352-6186/pacomondragon.com

42Q

2700 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95134

James Pemberton

42-q.com

ABM Industries

6609 Crescent Green, West Bloomfield, MI 48322

Richard Shipton

abm.com

Adah International LLC

950 22nd St. N., Ste. 715, Birmingham, AL 35203

Jens Reichmann

205-569-1727/adahinternational.com

Adams Corp.

904 S. 20th St., Tampa, FL 33605

Doug Adams

adamscorp.com

AFCS

4900 Webster St., Dayton, OH 45414

Scott Urton

937-673-6653/afcstamping.com

AIAG

4400 Town Center, Southfield, MI 48075

Chris Lewis

205-276-6115

AIDT

One Technology Ct., Montgomery, AL 36116

Ed Castile

334-280-4409/aidt.edu

Air Hydro Power

250 Electronics Blvd., Huntsville, AL 35824

Scott Castleberry

256-301-9755/airhydropower.com

Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition

200 Century Park S., Birmingham, AL 35226

Michael Staley

205-907-2239/alabamacleanfuels.org

Alabama Community College System

135 S. Union St., Montgomery, AL 36104

Barry May

334-293-4707/accs.edu

Alabama Department of Commerce

401 Adams Ave., Ste. 670, Montgomery, AL 36104

Ellen McNair

800-248-0033/madeinalabama.com

Alabama Port Authority

P.O. Box 1588, Mobile, AL 36633

John Driscoll

251-219-8377/alports.com

Alabama Robotics Technology Park (RTP)

6505 U.S. Hwy. 31, Tanner, AL 35671

Kevin Taylor

334-328-2520/alabamartp.org

Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering

229 Wynn Dr. NW, Huntsville, AL 35805

Matt Massey

256-489-3700/ascte.org

Alabama Technology Network

135 S. Union St., Ste. 441, Montgomery, AL 36104

Keith Phillips

334-687-9405/atn.org

AlabamaGermany Partnership

500 Beacon Pkwy. W., Birmingham, AL 35209

Tine Hoffmeister

205-/943-4772/alabamagermany.org

Alliance Solutions Group Inc.

3535 Roswell Rd., Ste. 41, Marietta, GA 30062

Terri Seese

678-230-6773/alliancesinc.com

American Leakless Co.

136 Roy Long Rd., Athens, AL 35611

Eric Sedensky

256-206-9560/americanleakless.com

Arrow Workforce Solutions

3050 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33137

Kyle Pinsonneault

canadianexecutivesearch.com

ASG HOPE Foundation

3535 Roswell Rd., Ste. 41, Marietta, GA 30062

Terri Seese

678-230-6773/alliancesinc.com

ASI Partners Inc.

P.O. Box 186, Warrior, AL 35180

Jason Manning

205-527-0894/asipartnersinc.com

Auburn University

3301E Shelby Center, Auburn, AL 36849

Tom Devall

334-740-3905/auburn.edu

Axalta Coating Systems

740 Lakeview Crest Dr., Pell City, AL 35128

Frank Boswell

205-473-8030/Axalta.com

Bates Enterprises Inc.

51 Hollywood Blvd., Childersburg, AL 35044

Carla Bates

256-368-6118/batesenterprises.com

Birmingham Business Alliance

505 20th St. N., Birmingham, AL 35203

Christy Hollingsworth

205-241-8136/birminghambusinessalliance.com

BL Fabricators Inc.

335 Harbor Dr., Scottsboro, AL 35769

Dina Stephens

256-259-3683/blfabricators-inc.com

BLG Logistics Inc.

6801 5th St., Northport, AL 35476

John Ray

205-887-2852/blgus.com

Bocar US Inc.

23727 Bibb Garrett Rd., Tanner, AL 35671

Cheryl Goodman

256-867-5502/bocar.com

Burr & Forman LLP

420 N. 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203

Greg Canfield

205-381-1840/burr.com

Business Council of Alabama

2 N. Jackson St., Ste. 501, Montgomery, AL 36104

Helena Duncan

334-834-6000/bcatoday.org

C-P-S Automotive LP

1 Research Dr., Greenville, SC 29607

Ingmar Wunderlich

864-560-5250/c-p-s-us.com

CAC Group

115 Office Park Dr., Birmingham, AL 35223

Stuart Latimer

312-608-9932/cacgroup.com

Calhoun Community College

P.O. Box 2216, Decatur, AL 35609

Jimmy Hodges

256-306-2555/calhoun.edu

Carter Logistics LLC

4020 W. 73rd St., Anderson, IN 46011

Ted Bowley

800-738-7705/carter-logistics.com

Central AlabamaWorks

600 S. Court St., Montgomery, AL 36104

Mikki Ruttan

334-300-8592/centralalabamaworks.com

Central Six AlabamaWorks

3500 6th Ave. S., Birmingham, AL 35222

Antiqua Cleggett

205-276-6867/centralsix.org

Central Transport

12225 Stephens Rd., Warren, MI 48089

Hunter McQueen

251-978-7438/centraltransport.com

City of Opelika Economic Development (Opelika IDA)

204 S. 7th St., Opelika, AL 36801

Kathryn Daugherty

334-705-5114/opelika-al.gov

Clayco

1143 1st Ave. S., Birmingham, AL 35233

Milton Davis

claycorp.com

Clean85

1529 23rd Ave., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Walter Dean

205-553-4041/clean85.com

48 S| PBusinessAlabama.com ECIAL SECTION February 2025

SPECIAL SECTION

A A M A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

COMPANY NAME

ADDRESS

PRIMARY CONTACT

PHONE/WEBSITE

Colliers International

880 Montclair Rd., Birmingham, AL 35213

Joseph Azar

334-590-8861/colliers.com/en/united-states/cities/ birmingham

ConMoto Consulting Group Inc.

7930 W. Kenton Cir., Huntersville, NC 28078

Susanne Reckord

704-604-3240/conmoto-consulting.com

Consulate General of Canada

1175 Peachtree St., 100 Colony Sq., Ste. 1700, Atlanta, GA 30361

Zaineb Kubba

404-532-2000/international.gc.ca/country-pays/us-eu/ atlanta.aspx?lang=eng

Control Panels USA Inc.

2100 Southbridge Pkwy., Birmingham, AL 35209

Brad Sawyer

512-663-2460/controlpanelsusa.net

Corporate Facilities Management Inc.

1020 9th Ave. SW, Birmingham, AL 35022

J. L. Spratling

205-481-2090/corporatecfm.com

Critical Components Inc.

120 Interstate N. Pkwy. SE, Atlanta, GA 30339

Rodney Speegle

404-402-9209/Criticalcomponents.net

Cullman Economic Development Agency

200 1st Ave. NE, Cullman, AL 35055

Dale Greer

256-739-1891/cullmaneda.org

D&L Inc. - Blytheville, AR

1413 E. Ash St. Ext., Blytheville, AR 72315

Kyle Elkins

866-762-5836/dlinc.net

DaikyoNishikawa USA Inc. (DNUS)

9000 Greenbrier Pkwy. NW, Madison, AL 35756

Doug Vanata

252-916-3946/daikyonishikawa.co.jp/en/

Diversified Contractors Inc.

3350 Ball St., Birmingham, AL 35234

Perry Towns

205-322-2868/dcial.com

Diversified Recruitment Services LLC

2103 Gulfview, Holiday, FL 34691

Patricia Miller

727-934-5761/diversified-recruitment.com

East AlabamaWorks

1130 Quintard Ave., Ste. 100, Anniston, AL 36201

Lisa Morales

256-454-4276/eastalabamaworks.com

Economic Development Partnership of Alabama

1320 1st Ave. S., Birmingham, AL 35233

Steve Sewell

205-943-4742/edpa.org

EFC International

1940 Craigshire Rd., St. Louis, MO 63146

Rick Phillips

770-663-4070/efc-intl.com

EFP - Engineered Foam Packaging

1102 Brooks St., Decatur, AL 35601

Billy Ivy

574-622-5768/efppackaging.com

Elwood Staffing

2002 McFarland Blvd. E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35404

Christi Krieg

205-752-7544/elwoodstaffing.com

EmployBridge

8121 Madison Blvd., Madison, AL 35758

Daina Bell

770-710-4613/employbridge.com

ENEOS USA Inc.

100 Nippon Dr., Childersburg, AL 35044

Sonya Reynolds

eneos.us

Energy Alabama

P.O. Box 1381, Huntsville, AL 35807

Daniel Tait

256-812-1431/energyalabama.org

EnSafe

119 Fox Den Ct., Madison, AL 35758

Matt Moore

256-374-7289/ensafe.com

Environmental Recyclers of America LLC

2501 W. Hwy. 27, Ozark, AL 36360

Nigel Wells

Ethar Inc.

1806 University Dr. NW, Huntsville, AL 35801

Tony Hodgson

ethar.com

EV Power Pods LLC

9731 Clovercroft Road, Nolensville, TN 37135

Dwain Beydler

833-793-7763/EVPowerpods.com

Falcon IP Capital

4080 McGinnis Ferry Rd., Ste. 1004, Alpharetta, GA 30005

Rick Walker

770-314-9040/falconipcapital.com

FilmLOC Inc.

4190 Thurmon Tanner Rd., Flowery Branch, GA 30542

Shirl Handly

404-892-8778/filmloc.com

Futaba Corporation of America

101 Electronics Blvd. SW, Huntsville, AL 35824

Allison Hall

256-461-9399/futabaems.com

Gadsden Industrial Distributors

192 Wiggins St., Rainbow City, AL 35906

Tim Ponder

256-442-1361/giddirect.com

Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority

P.O. Box 271, Gadsden, AL 35902

William Greene

256-543-9423/gadsdenida.org

Garnett Component Sales Inc.

1760-101 Heritage Center Dr., Wake Forest, NC 27587

Tommy Garnett

919-562-5158/gcsrep.com

Headrest Safe Co. LLC, The

1909 27th Ave. S., Homewood, AL 35209

Louis Tuck

205-531-0596/theheadrestsafe.com

Heiche US Surface Technologies (AL) LLC

4080 Whitehouse Rd., Jasper, AL 35501

Andre Kairies

205-754-2228/heichegroup.com

Honda Development & Manufacturing of America

1800 Honda Dr., Lincoln, AL 35096

Michael Gaines

205-617-7060/honda.com

Horizon Point Consulting Inc.

P.O. Box 1014, Decatur, AL 35602

Mary Ila Ward

256-227-9075/horizonpointconsulting.com

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce

225 Church St. NW, Huntsville, AL 35801

Crystal Baker

256-535-2000/hsvchamber.org

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC

700 Hyundai Blvd., Montgomery, AL 36105

Robert Burns

334-387-8010/hmmausa.com

Industrial Coatings & Services LLC

4711 Fosters Industrial Ln., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Traci Watkins

205-534-6591/ics-team1.com

Industrial Development Board of the City of Auburn

144 Tichenor Ave., Auburn, AL 36830

Amy Brabham

334-501-7301/auburnalabama.org/ economicdevelopment

Ingenics Corp.

1 Research Dr., Greenville, SC 29607

Johannes Eff

ingenics.us

Insequence Inc.

750 Jim Parker Dr., Smyrna, TN 37167

Tom Mitchell

615-559-7211/insequence.com

InTandem Promotions

1935 Vaughn Rd., Kennesaw, GA 30144

Sara Webb

678-202-4781/intandempromotions.com

International Fire Protection

2400 1st Ave. S., Irondale, AL 35210

Alex Landis

256-562-1311/candoifp.com

Japan America Society of Alabama, The

P.O. Box 43114, Vestavia, AL 35243

Mike Swinson

205-963-2823/japanalabama.com

Jasper Industrial Development Board

1814 4th Ave. S., Jasper, AL 35504

Green Suttles

205-221-8529/jasperalabamaidb.com

Jensen Shipping Co. Inc.

244 West Valley Ave., Birmingham, AL 35209

Forrest King

205-328-2343/jensenshipping.com

SPECIAL SECTION

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com SPECIAL SECTION | 49

A AM A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

COMPANY NAME

ADDRESS

PRIMARY CONTACT

PHONE/WEBSITE

Kamtek Inc.

1595 Sterilite Dr., Birmingham, AL 35215

Johnathan Hackett

205-946-7232/magna.com

Kendall Electric

1189 Grants Mill Rd., Irondale, AL 35210

Ben Rittenhouse

205-882-0404/kendallelectric.com

Kenmar Corp.

2912 Faldo Dr., Spring Hill, TN 37174

Kenneth Elliott

615-840-9291/ekenmar.com

Kopri Signs & Graphics LLC

6601 Walt Dr., Birmingham, AL 35242

Samata Shah Shah

205-903-1642/kopripromotions.com

KTH Leesburg Products LLC

P.O. Box 219, Leesburg, AL 35983

Gene Cleveland

256-526-3530/kth.net

Legacy Packaging Group LLC

64 Walnut St. NW, Cullman, AL 35055

Lance Brown

legpac.com

Lexon Corp.

655 Metro Place S., Dublin, OH 43016

Aaron Buschor

614-540-9300/lexon-corp.com

Limestone County Economic Development Association

101 S. Beaty St., Athens, AL 35611

Bethany Shockney

256-232-2386/lceda.com

Madison Metals Processing LLC

9000 Greenbrier Pkwy., Madison, AL 35756

Joe Lewis

662-308-0186/madisonmetalprocessing.com

Marengo County Economic Development Authority

2400 E. Coats Ave., Linden, AL 36756

Angie Miller

334-295-4418/marengoeda.com

Masterpiece MS LLC

3001 Tecumseh Rd., Corinth, MS 38834

Kris Bush

662-287-3660/masterpiece-eng.com

Maswer USA

2627 10th Ave., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Samuel Davis

205-886-9341/Maswer.com

Max Coating Inc.

3653 Industrial Pkwy., Birmingham, AL 35217

Chuck Gault

205-849-2737/maxcoating.com

Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA Inc.

9000 Greenbrier Pkwy. NW, Madison, AL 35756

Mark Brazeal

256-285-5000/mazdatoyota.com

Measuring Solutions

832 Snow St., Ste. G, Oxford, AL 36203

Ron Corzatt

888-322-4243/measuringsolutions.com

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International

1 Mercedes Dr., Vance, AL 35490

Felyicia Jerald

205-507-2464/mbusi.com

Mind Your Culture

1311 Pine Heights Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

Anke Jahn

678-825-7001

Mobis Alabama LLC

1395 Mitchell Young Rd., Montgomery, AL 36108

Heidi Hale

mobisalabamallc.com

MRM

2236 Cahaba Valley Dr., Birmingham, AL 35242

Terry Young

256-504-3288/mrm-llc.com

Narmco Group, The

1108 Airport Industrial Dr., Gadsden, AL 35904

Don Rodzik Jr.

256-413-0587/narmco.com

Navistar Inc.

485 Short Pike Rd., Huntsville, AL 35824

Scott Shoemaker

256-772-1210/internationaldelivers.com

North Alabama Industrial Development Association

410 Johnston St., Decatur, AL 35601

Brooks Kracke

256-353-9450/naida.com

North Alabama International Trade Association (NAITA)

819 Cook Ave., Huntsville, AL 35801

Anne Burkett

256-532-3505/naita.org

North AlabamaWorks

2208 Ringold St., Guntersville, AL 35976

Micah Bullard

256-436-0411/northalabamaworks.com

Northwest Alabama Economic Development Alliance

4020 U.S. Hwy. 43, Guin, AL 35563

Jamie Christian

205-468-3213/northwestalabamaeda.org

NRTC Automation

124 Carson Rd. N., Birmingham, AL 35215

Dan Hill

248-310-0546/nrtcautomation.com

NSC Technologies

2944 Market St., Pascagoula, MS 39567

Monica Ellis

228-596-2984/nscstaffing.com

NSRW Inc.

701 Thames Ct., Pelham, AL 35124

Brian Johnson

205-663-1500

Omron Automation & Safety

2895 Greenspoint Pkwy., Ste. 200, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60169

Frank Wester

800-556-6766/omron247.com

Onin Group, The

3800 Colonnade Pkwy., Birmingham, AL 35243

Hugh Thomas

205-298-9233/oninstaffing.com

Original Equipment Suppliers Association

25925 Telegraph Rd., Ste. 350, Southfield, MI 48033

Steve Horaney

248-340-5969/oesa.org

PassionHR Consulting Inc.

2608 Newby Rd. SW, Ste. 200, Huntsville, AL 35805

Mike Bean

256-665-5966/passionhr.net

Personnel Staffing Inc.

611A Walnut St., Gadsden, AL 35901

Aletha Pickett

256-456-0243/personnelstaffing.com

PicoMES

303 Twin Dolphin Dr., Redwood City, CA 94065

Bryan Bauw

616-635-0339

PMT Publishing

3324 Independence Dr., Homewood, AL 35209

Sheila Wardy

205-802-6363/businessalabama.com

Port of Huntsville

1000 Glenn Hearn Blvd., Huntsville, AL 35824

Richard Tucker

256-772-9395/hsvairport.org

Preferred Precision Group LLC

1310 Comer Ave., Ste. 1, Pell City, AL 35215

Leigh Ricketts

205-338-4148/ppgquality.com

Pressed Pipe Solutions

6300 Trotman Dr., Montgomery, AL 36116

Thomas Adair

334-221-7615/pressedpipe.com

Progressive Finishes Inc.

501 Industrial Rd., Alabaster, AL 35007

Lisa Davis

205-685-8056/progressivefinishes.net

ProjectXYZ

3137 E. 6th St., Muscle Shoals, AL 35661

Kim Lewis

256-348-0842/PROJECTXYZ.com

Propelled Technologies LLC

445 Dexter Ave., Ste. 4050, Montgomery, AL 36104

Anwar Shahid

334-391-2226/propelledtech.com

Rocket City Oil LLC (SDVOSB)

108 Porch Light Place, Madison, AL 35756

Steve Celuch

256-384-5540/rocketcityoil.com

RSM

216 Summit Blvd., Ste. 300, Birmingham, AL 35243

Chuck Freeman

205-301-0335/rsmus.com

Schoel

1001 22nd St. S., Birmingham, AL 35205

Ally Lewis

205-323-6166/Schoel.com

Sejong Alabama LLC

450 Old Fort Rd. E., Fort Deposit, AL 36032

Vickie Porter

334-227-0821/sejongamerica.com

50 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

SPECIAL SECTION

A A M A : S PEC I A L S EC T I O N

COMPANY NAME

ADDRESS

PRIMARY CONTACT

PHONE/WEBSITE

Seraph

5800 Crooks Rd., Troy, MI 48098

Richard Payne

seraph.com

Shelton State Community College

9500 Old Greensboro Rd., Tuscaloosa, AL 35405

Ann Tinsley

205-391-2211/sheltonstate.edu

Silver MetalX Inc.

1120 E. Long Lake Rd., Troy, MI 48085

Nayan Chirala

smx-wheels.com

SK Services LLC

440 Church St., Alexander City, AL 35010

Sonya Jacks

256-239-9891/skstaffing.com

Southeast AlabamaWorks

P.O. Box 638, Dothan, AL 35302

Katie Thomas

334-268-0863/southeastalabamaworks.com

Southern States Millwrights

2000 S. Bridge Pkwy., Ste. 203, Birmingham, AL 35209

Jeffrey Smith

251-508-4787/southernstatesmillwrights.org

Southwest AlabamaWorks

605 Bel Air Blvd., Ste. 32, Mobile, AL 36606

Shernita Taylor

251-635-7738

Specialty Pipe & Supply

113 Broad St., Camden, AL 36726

Kevin Dixon

334-212-9757/spsllp.com

Speed Global Logistics North America Inc.

2988 Green Rd., Greer, SC 29651

Steffen Manz

647-877-8083/speed-global-logistics.com

Spray Equipment & Service Center

177 Mullins Dr., Helena, AL 35080

Barry Early

205-663-2611/sprayequipment.com

Stamped Products Inc.

2620 E. Meighan Blvd., Gadsden, AL 35903

Jason Weaver

256-494-3265/msi-mfg.com

Star-Tech Inc.

12232 Industriplex Blvd., Ste. 18, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

David Legendre

225-756-8803/startechla.com

Supplier Development Systems LLC

1900 International Park Dr., Birmingham, AL 35243

Jeannie Thrower

256-673-0786/sdsal.net

Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP)

1156 15th St. NW, Ste. 800, Washington, DC 20005

Kellen Mahoney

202-530-0096/supplierspartnership.org

Surgere

3500 Massillon Rd., Uniontown, OH 44685

Michael Schwabe

833-221-1165/surgere.com

SWJ Technology LLC

2730 University Blvd. E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406

Wolfgang Kneer

205-419-5618/swj-technology.com

Systems Automotive Interiors Alabama

301 W. Sanderfer Rd., Athens, AL 35611

Anthony Black

256-642-2709/sai-al.com

T&C Stamping Inc.

1403 Freeman Ave., Athens, AL 35613

Weston Coleman

256-233-7383/tandcstamping.com

T&W Operations Inc.

307 Wynn Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805

Rick Head

256-535-0857/tnwops.com

TASUS

4310 Parkway Dr., Florence, AL 35630

Kristen McCaney

256-764-6400/tasus.com

Team Worldwide

799 James Record Rd., Huntsville, AL 35824

Tim Bishop

256-461-7770/teamair.com

Technology Acceleration and Innovation Services

3490 Kerr Hill Rd., Lynnville, TN 38472

Jack Sisk

931-363-7475

TOOTRiS

6170 Cornerstone Ct. E., San Diego, CA 92121

Eric Cutler

tootris.com

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama

1 Cottonvalley Dr., Huntsville, AL 35810

Sydney Martin

toyota.com/usa/operations/map/tmmal

Transact Capital Partners

4991 Lake Brook Dr., Glen Allen, VA 23060

Rusty Kruciak

804-612-7108/transactcapital.com

Transcend LLC

1300 Meridian St. N., Huntsville, AL 35801

Laura Huckabee-Jennings

844-489-2680/transcendculture.co

Trinity Design Group LLC, The

1107 Dowzer Ave., Pell City, AL 35125

Sherri McCrary

205-338-6888/thetrinitydesigngroup.com

TrueCommerce

210 W. Kensinger Dr., Ste. 100, Cranberry Township, PA 16066

Ben Moates

truecommerce.com

TTL Inc.

3516 Greensboro Rd., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Cindy House-Pearson

251-327-6153/Ttlusa.com

Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority

2204 University Blvd., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Sissie Browning

205-349-1414/tcida.com

UA SafeState

University Hall, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

Matt Hollub

205-348-8259/alabamasafestate.ua.edu

United Protective Technologies

142 Cara Ct., Locust, NC 28097

Aaron Byrum

704-221-9837/upt-usa.com

Universal Logistics Services Inc.

5330 Stadium Trace Pkwy., Birmingham, AL 35244

Alan Washburn

205-410-3251/ulsvnow.com

University of Alabama - Alabama Productivity Center

1818 University Blvd., Box 870318, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406

Jan Ingenrieth

205-348-8956/apc.ua.edu

University of Alabama - Office of Research & Economic Development

3207 University Hall, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

Daniel Blakley

tide.ua.edu

University of Alabama in Huntsville

301 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35899

Rainer Steinwandt

256-824-1000/uah.edu

Vision Composite Products

3512 6th Ave. SE, Decatur, AL 35603

Frank Roberts

256-303-7640/visioncomposite.com

Voestalpine Automotive Components

260 A Lyon Ln., Birmingham, AL 35211

Brian Wright

voestalpine.com

Von Braun Center

700 Monroe St., Huntsville, AL 35801

Marie Arighi

256-551-2379/vonbrauncenter.com

Watson Sales Co.

559 Davidson Gateway Dr., Davidson, NC 28036

Josh Watson

704-765-9636/watsonsales.biz

West AlabamaWorks

P.O. Box 020410, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Donny Jones

205-391-0552/westalabamaworks.com

Women in Manufacturing (WiM)

6363 Oak Tree Blvd., Independence, OH 44131

Lisa Tarcy

216-503-5700/womeninmanufacturing.org

Worldwide Foam

1806 Conant St., Elkhart, IN 46516

Anne Marie Bosher

615-686-8344/worldwidefoam.com

Y-tec Keylex Toyotetsu Alabama Inc. - YKTA

9000 Greenbrier Pkwy., Madison, AL 35756

Becky Hurt

938-200-2600/yktal.net

Yellowstone Holdings International LLC

774 Mays Blvd, No 10-670, Incline Village, NV 89451

Dan Berns

linkedin.com/in/dan-berns-78527

SPECIAL SECTION

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 51

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

REAL UPDATES ON REAL ESTATE

Alabama Center for Real Estate prepares for its 25th annual conference

F

By NANCY MANN JACKSON

or a quarter of a century, the Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE) has brought together professionals from across the commercial real estate industry for its annual Alabama Commercial Real Estate Conference & Expo.

On Feb. 20, more than 400 professionals will gather at Harbert Center in downtown Birmingham for the 25th installment of ACREcom.

“ACREcom is really the place to be seen in the industry,” says Grayson Glaze, executive director of ACRE, which is housed within the Culverhouse College of Business at the University of Alabama. “The event will draw commercial real estate professionals as well as those who serve the industry, property managers, economic development professionals and people who are considering getting into the field.”

At the silver anniversary of ACREcom, attendees can expect to hear from some top movers and shakers in the national commercial real estate scene. Attendees will also come away with fresh insights and outlook for the industry in the coming year and in the current economic environment, Glaze says.

CONFERENCE LINEUP

Conference attendees can expect to catch up on the latest news

and trends in the industry by attending the morning and afternoon sessions.

“With the election behind us, the general outlook across the commercial real estate industry is more favorable, as interest rates are dropping and regulations are expected to loosen,” Glaze says.

“However, there are concerns for the industry looking forward, including potential construction costs with new tariffs and labor shortages.”

The morning sessions will focus on the macroeconomic trends that are expected to influence the commercial real estate industry in the coming months.

These sessions will include an economic outlook panel featuring Barrie Scardina and James Bohnaker, of Cushman & Wakefield. Scardina is president of Americas retail services, agency leasing and alliances, while Bohnaker is senior economist.

An industry outlook panel will feature national industry leaders Tom McGee, president and CEO of the International Council of Shopping Centers; Mark Selvitelli, president and CEO of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association; and Chad Hagwood, senior managing director and Southeast regional director for Lument.

Finally, an economic development outlook panel will include February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 57

CO M M E RC I A L R E A L E S TAT E

‘‘

ACREcom is really the place to be seen in the industry. The event will draw commercial real estate professionals as well as those who serve the industry, property managers, economic development professionals and people who are considering getting into the field.”

insights from in-state leaders: Denzel Okenido of law firm Burr & Forman, Miller Girvin of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama and Ed Castile of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

The conference’s afternoon sessions will focus more on the business of commercial real estate, with panels covering topics such as property management, commercial real estate development and using AI in business. Attendees will hear from leaders of what Glaze calls “the new guard” of commercial real estate such as Kyle Matthews, founder, chairman and CEO of Nashville-based Matthews Real Estate Investment Services.

With more than 25 offices across the country, including a Birmingham office opened in 2023, and more than 1,000 agents

58 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

— GRAYSON GLAZE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ACRE

and employees nationwide, Matthews Real Estate Investment Services is both a commercial real estate firm and a technology firm.

In addition to investing in and managing commercial real estate properties, the firm operates a technology division, Matthews PropTech, which is tasked with creating an exclusive ecosystem of productivity tools to streamline the entire transactions process.

Since Matthews founded his company in 2015, it has become the fastest growing commercial real estate firm in the United States. It is regarded as the largest privately held brokerage platform in the country and has successfully closed more than 20,334 transactions totaling $54 billion in sales volume. Matthews comes to the University of Alabama every year to speak to real estate students in the Culverhouse College of Business, and Glaze is eager

for industry professionals from across the state to hear from him, too.

Commercial real estate practitioners can Kyle Matthews, founder, chairman and CEO earn up to of Nashville-based six hours of Matthews Real Estate continuing Investment Services. education credits by attending the conference, three hours for the morning sessions and three hours for the afternoon sessions.

ABOUT ACRE

The Alabama Center for Real Estate is one of four industry centers housed within the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce. The center’s purpose is to advance Alabama’s real estate industry by providing relevant resources in the areas of education, research and outreach.

In addition to focusing on educating college students pursuing real estate industry careers, ACRE also provides ongoing education, such as the annual conference and expo, for the greater industry.

“The University of Alabama has one of the nation’s largest real estate programs,” says Glaze, who serves as adjunct professor of real estate management as well as ACRE executive director. “We have 800 students from 42 states in the program, and our center serves the industry as a whole, developing the next generation of talent and educating the industry.”

In its efforts to accelerate and promote Alabama’s real estate industry, ACRE focuses on building relationships, Glaze says, adding that the organization’s 25th annual conference promises to be a memorable event where industry relationships can blossom and flourish, while industry professionals and aspirants access the resources and education to equip them for the days and years to come.

Nancy Mann Jackson is a Madison-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 59

HEALTH CARE

TELEHEALTH IN ALABAMA Essential during COVID-19, remote doctor visits have become a staple of modern health care

F

rom the darkness, good can come.

As communities battled the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, a more positive health care trend burgeoned — the use of telehealth.

Especially in rural areas, where hospitals, clinics and providers can be scarce, telehealth and related programs are playing a significant role in helping Alabama communities become healthier.

Auburn University’s Rural Health Initiative has been integral to this effort, which has included partnerships with government entities, other universities, local providers including hospitals, and local communities. The program is led

by Auburn University Outreach and Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

Program implementation began in March 2023 with the opening of an OnMed CareStation in LaFayette in Chambers County. It sits inside the Chambers County Community Health and Wellness Center. From its start through Oct. 31, 2024, the telehealth station has totaled 1,751 patient visits, according to Hollie Cost, assistant vice president of university outreach and public service at AU. Since the LaFayette opening, OnMed clinics have been set up in Greene, Hale and Wilcox counties, Cost notes. Patients use the small clinics-in-a-box for free, thanks to funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (the formal name of COVID-19 relief funds).

According to the OnMed website, the clinics provide “comprehensive, everyday health care” similar to a typical primary care visit. Once a patient is inside the private and secure station, the person hits

60 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

By NANCY R. RANDALL

Located in Hale County, Akron Mayor Chris Rollins (right) and Dimetra Wiggins-Rollins stand in front of an OnMed CareStation.

“start” on the screen. A video call with a certified clinician soon begins, lasting about 20 minutes.

The patient is able to check his own temperature, blood pressure, pulse and more with equipment provided inside the The OnMed CareStation clinic. The clinician provides a was first set up in LaFayette diagnosis and treatment plan in Chambers County. and, if needed, e-prescriptions that can be filled at a local pharmacy. The station undergoes a Cost says. “As a land grant institution, it cleaning and sanitation cycle after each is part of our mission to be committed to patient visit. leveraging our resources [to help with this According to a Rural Health Initiative disparity]. These are literally peoples’ lives. summary shared by Cost, Alabama ranked We have a mission to do this, but we also 44th nationally in health care in 2023, have a moral obligation.” per a U.S. News & World Report article.

As noted in the Rural Health Initiative “We recognize the significant health summary, communities targeted for the disparity throughout rural Alabama,” program must fall within the bottom

H E A LT H C A R E

‘‘

The medical world and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama realized very quickly it was going to be very important to promote and allow telehealth. We also realized that it wasn’t complicated — we just needed to enable it.”

50% of the state in health factors and health outcomes, have a considerable physician shortage and have limited access to health care.

Along with the OnMed stations, the initiative offers telehealth carts in Clay, Randolph, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Elmore, Macon, Bullock, Barbour and Chambers counties. With funding provided by a telemedicine grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the carts provide mental health services, substance use disorder treatment and primary care

by Alabama providers, Cost says.

The Rural Health Initiative takes a communal approach to its work, going beyond telehealth. For example, “community ambassadors,” from high school students to retired health care professionals, volunteer to educate citizens on topics like maternal health and wellness, Cost explains. AU faculty, staff and students provide weekly speech and hearing screenings and services at the Chambers County Community Health and Wellness Center.

The initiative also helps with local food pantries and “closets” where citizens can receive period care products. Another closet is being developed that will offer maternal care products and diapers in Chambers County, Cost says.

Tuskegee University also is lending a health care hand to its community. In September 2024, the university added an OnMed CareStation to its campus in the atrium of Margaret Murray Washington Hall. The station is open to students, faculty and staff, but with help from the school’s Center for Rural Health and Economic Equity, the station can be used for free by citizens of the community and Macon County.

COVID-19 AND THE RISE OF TELEHEALTH

While telehealth existed before the pandemic, it only played a small role in delivering health care, according to a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama leader. “COVID is where it was brought to the forefront,” says Dr. Darrel Weaver, vice president, provider engagement and support.

When the pandemic started in midMarch 2020, doctors couldn’t have as many face-to-face visits with patients, Weaver explains. Likewise, patients were wary of going to doctors’ offices and hospitals for fear of getting sick.

“So, the medical world and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama realized very quickly it was going to be very important to promote and allow telehealth. We also realized that it wasn’t complicated — we just needed to enable it,” Weaver says.

The use of telehealth exploded across both medical and behavioral health segments.

Telehealth medical claims increased from approximately 2,000 per week to almost 80,000 per week, according to Weaver. As the pandemic waned, telehealth medical claims decreased, ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 claims per week.

Medical care via telehealth now accounts for about 5% of claims, Weaver says.

The number of behavioral telehealth claims at BCBS also rose during the pandemic. Today, about half of behavioral health care is delivered through telehealth visits, Weaver notes, and these claims continue to rise. “This is where telehealth really came into its own and continues to make a major impact,” he says. “[Telehealth] has been amazing for behavioral health due to increasing access regardless

— DR. DARREL WEAVER

of physical location and allowing for care without any uncomfortable interactions in a waiting room.”

Telehealth overall also played a significant role in rural areas during the pandemic. “Patients were able to reach out to providers pretty much anywhere in the state, and it made it much easier for them to get the care they needed,” Weaver notes. “We are still seeing that today.

Telehealth was and still is a great equalizer for people living in medically underserved areas. I see telehealth becoming more important as access to care decreases in rural or nonmetropolitan areas of our state.”

As BCBS has managed its way through the telehealth journey, it has had some “aha” moments. Procedures requiring more direct care or monitoring aren’t good candidates for telehealth, Weaver notes.

“What could be done by telehealth surprised us,” he says. “When telehealth first launched, we asked ourselves, ‘how could physical therapy be administered by telehealth?’ But telehealth provided a way.

With video, even after someone has knee surgery, you can ask to see their knee and from there work on having them bend their joints and work on increasing their range of motion,” Weaver explains.

The future of telehealth is unknown as federal government policies supporting it could change with the incoming Trump administration. The work of Auburn and Tuskegee universities could become even more important in helping rural Alabama communities meet their health care needs.

Nancy R. Randall is a Tuscaloosa-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 61

SPOTLIGHT

Shelby County

by KATHERINE MacGILVRAY

Shelby County

Meadowbrook Corporate Park, along Highway 280, is a 175-acre master-planned corporate park.

W

ith its mix of 14 urban and rural communities, competitive workforce, highly ranked school districts, world-class outdoor recreation offerings and acclaimed entertainment districts, Shelby County remains one of the fastest-growing counties in Alabama.

Building and maintaining a strong workforce are top of mind for the Shelby County Chamber and its economic development organization, 58 Inc. They frequently collaborate on a variety of workforce development initiatives that include connecting high school teachers and students to corporate partners and experiential learning opportunities, hosting industry-focused roundtables for manufacturing companies, maintaining a pipeline between the county’s major employers and the local workforce, supporting expansion projects and facilitating retail projects.

Transportation and logistics, biotech, software and manufacturing are some of Shelby County’s major industries. The county is home to more than 40 biotech, software and IT companies; more than 25 distribution and logistics companies; and more than 20 manufacturing companies.

Recreation-based tourism and hospitality are other big business draws in the county.

Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest state park, celebrated the re-opening of its campgrounds in May 2024 after a

$13 million renovation. The park offers visitors more than 100 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, along with a variety of other activities.

Cahaba River Park, Lay Lake and Lake Purdy are popular destinations for anglers.

Calera, Columbiana and Montevallo are revitalizing their downtown districts as Main Street Alabama communities.

Chelsea celebrated the opening of its first hotel, an 87-room La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham, in late 2024.

In Hoover, the city council approved a new 15-acre mixed-use development off Inverness Parkway that will complement the property’s existing 450,000 square feet of class A office space with the addition of a blend of predominantly single-unit dwellings and 16,000 square feet of retail space, including a restaurant, boutiques, cafes and other high-end retail establishments.

Pelham’s new arts and entertainment district opened in 2023 and contains the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena, as well as Campus 124 and the Canopy at Oak Mountain. The newer mixed-use developments have brought new retail and dining experiences to the area, and more are on the way.

The county is served by four public school systems — Shelby County Schools and the Alabaster, Pelham and Hoover city school systems — all of which rank among the top 30 districts February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 63

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

M E D I A N H O U S E H O L D I N CO M E Shelby County: $93,543 Madison County: $83,528 St. Clair County: $78,993 Baldwin County: $75,019 Jefferson County: $64,589 Chilton County: $61,873 Montgomery County: $58,153 Mobile County: $58,119 State of Coosa County: $57,063 Alabama Talladega County: $56,249 $62,027 Bibb County: $51,215 Source: U.S. Census Bureau

in the state, according to a 2025 report released by Niche.com, and offer a range of academic programs that prepare students for college and career pathways.

Jefferson State Community College’s Shelby-Hoover campus offers a variety of career and technical degree programs, as well as workforce development and training. In 2024, the campus launched a new surgical technology program in response to a demand for trained personnel in the area, and program graduates are already working at local health care facilities.

The University of Montevallo, Alabama’s only public liberal arts

64 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

P O P U L AT I O N Total Alabama Population: 5,108,468 Jefferson County: 662,895 Madison County: 412,600 Mobile County: 411,640 Baldwin County: 253,507 Shelby County: 233,000 Montgomery County: 224,980 St. Clair County: 95,552 Talladega County: 81,132 Chilton County: 46,431 Bibb County: 21,868 Source: U.S. Census Bureau Coosa County: 10,268

university, has been recognized as a top public regional university and a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report for 16 consecutive years and has been named a College of Distinction for 13 years in a row. In 2024, the College of Health Professionals launched a new nursing program, and the College of Education and Human Development introduced a new doctorate in educational leadership degree, the university’s first doctoral program.

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

Economic Engines mixed-use developments Campus 124 and The Canopy at Oak Mountain.

Chelsea recently completed a $3.5 million expansion of its community center and added new fields and amenities to the Highway 11 Sports Complex.

The city also opened its first hotel in 2024, an 87-room La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham.

With its prime location along the I-65, U.S. Highway 280 and Highway 119 corridors, Shelby County continues to welcome new shopping centers, restaurants and entertainment venues that cater to residents and visitors.

Jefferson State Community College offers a welding technology certificate and two-year AAS degree.

HEALTH CARE

TOURISM AND RETAIL

Shelby County is a hub for recreationbased tourism and offers a variety of attractions, events, retail and dining experiences.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the county is home to Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest state park, which has more than 100 miles of trails for mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding and other activities. Scenic Cahaba River Park is a popular destination for canoeing, kayaking and fishing, and 900acre Double Oak Park rewards visitors

B U S I N E S S NOVEMBER 2024: Chelsea celebrates the grand opening of its first hotel, an 87-room La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham, located off U.S. 280 and U.S. 31 at 44 Atchison Parkway.

OCTOBER 2024: T-Mobile awards $50,000 grant to the city of Montevallo and the University of Montevallo for improvements to the Grainger Community Counseling and Wellness Clinic.

The funds will support the inclusion of sensory playground materials and accessible parking.

with stunning views in the Dunnavant Valley area. Lay Lake is famous for its bass fishing and regularly draws crowds when it hosts tournaments.

Annual events in Shelby County include Discover Shelby Fest, a wine and music festival, and Montevallo Arts Fest, which showcases local art and culture.

Charming downtown districts in Pelham, Alabaster and Montevallo are home to unique shops and local restaurants.

Pelham’s new Arts and Entertainment District is home to the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena, as well as newer

In October 2024, Orlando Health officially acquired a majority interest in Brookwood Baptist Health, which includes Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster, one of the largest employers in Shelby County. The acquisition is expected to bolster health care infrastructure in Shelby County, reinforcing its appeal as a growing hub for families and businesses by improving access to top-tier medical services.

The county is also home to Grandview Medical Center, which operates primary care offices in Pelham, Columbiana, Chelsea, Lee Branch, Greystone Brook Highland, Helena and Hoover.

Encompass Health Rehabilitation

B R I E F S OCTOBER 2024: Shelby County completes Innovation Ecosystem Awareness Campaign funded

by Innovate Alabama. The campaign featured the creation of four longform videos highlighting Shelby County and the Birmingham-Hoover region’s innovation assets, and eight innovation-focused events to promote awareness of Shelby County and its innovation assets.

SEPTEMBER 2024: Morin Process Equipment in Pelham announces a project that will create 26 new jobs, a $6 million

66 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

investment and 38,000 square feet of new space.

AUGUST 2024: The University of Montevallo celebrates growing enrollment numbers and its largest freshman class since 2012, welcoming 592 freshmen for the fall 2024 semester.

JUNE 2024: Shelby Baptist Medical Center celebrates the opening of a newly renovated $2.2 million cardiac catheterization laboratory.

MAY 2024: Hoover City Council approves a new 15-acre mixeduse development off Inverness Parkway that will feature a blend of predominantly single-unit dwellings alongside 16,000 square feet of retail space, complementing the existing 450,000 square feet of class A office space. The retail space will include a restaurant, boutiques, cafes and other high-end retail establishments.

MAY 2024: Stationery wholesaler PrintsWell in Pelham announces a project, valued at $6 million,

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

Hospital of Shelby County has operated in Pelham since 2018. UAB Health System Authority acquired St. Vincent’s One Nineteen in mid-2024. UAB St. Vincent’s One Nineteen’s services include specialty care, rehabilitation therapy and a fitness center and spa.

TECHNOLOGY

Shelby County is home to more than 40 biotech, software and IT companies, and several are headquartered there.

Representing the software and IT sector, EBSCO Industries, McLeod Software and Lake Homes Realty have their corporate headquarters in the county.

With its close proximity to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a leading bio research institution, and Southern Research, a non-profit science research organization, Shelby County is a prime location for biotech companies.

Alabaster-based Avanti Polar Lipids recently expanded its footprint by leasing 15,418 square feet of office space in Riverchase Corporate Park in Hoover.

BioCryst and BioHorizons also have offices on the Riverchase campus, and Birmingham-based molecular diagnostics company BioGX has its corporate headquarters in Hoover as well.

Therachem, a global service provider for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, has its corporate headquarters in Chelsea, and Reliant Glycosciences, which develops diagnostic and prognostic tools for patients with IgA nephropathy, operates out of Riverhills Business Park.

B U S I N E S S that will add 22,000 square feet of space and five new jobs.

MAY 2024: The city of Chelsea is officially inducted into the Innovate Alabama Network and awarded a grant to open an electric vehicle charging station at Melrose Park.

MAY 2024: The city of Westover is officially inducted into the Innovate Alabama Network and awarded a grant to establish a smart-city-ready platform.

TAXES

MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION

Shelby County’s central location in the state along the I-65 corridor supports a strong manufacturing and distribution base.

MWI Animal Health, Hibbett Sports, PRADCO Outdoor Brands, Georgia Crown and Diversified Supply are among more than 25 distribution and logistics companies in the county.

AGC Automotive, Specification Rubber, Sysco Central Alabama and Sunbelt Paper & Packaging are just a few of more than 20 manufacturing companies that operate in the county.

PROPERTY TAX SHELBY COUNTY: 7.5 mills STATE OF ALABAMA: 6.5 MILLS

SALES TAX

SHELBY COUNTY: 1% Cities within the county:

Alabaster: 5% Calera: 4%

Chelsea: 5%

Columbiana: 4%

LEGACY UTILITIES & MINING OPERATIONS

Alabama Power Co., a subsidiary of Southern Company and that company’s second-largest electric utility, serves customers in the southern two-thirds of the state. It operates facilities in Shelby County, including the Wilsonville Gaston Steam Power Plant.

Southern Company also manages the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) in Shelby County. The facility collaborates with the U.S. Department of Energy and other industry partners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Some of the world’s highest-grade limestone is found in Shelby County, supporting companies like Vulcan Materials, Carmeuse Lime and Stone, Martin Marietta and Lhoist North America, which operate plants in the county.

Harpersville: 4% Helena: 4%

Hoover: 3.5%

Montevallo: 3% Pelham: 5%

Vincent: 4%

Westover: 5%

Wilsonville: 3% Wilton: 3%

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

EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Shelby County’s highly ranked school districts play a significant role in attracting businesses and families to the area. The county is served by four public school systems, Shelby County Schools

B R I E F S MAY 2024: The city of Helena breaks ground on a new city hall building. The $82 million project is part of the Helena Forward comprehensive plan and construction is a collaboration between the city and U.S. Steel.

MAY 2024: The University of Montevallo announces it will launch a new nursing program in fall 2024 as part of its newly established College of Health Professions. The program will offer a pre-licensure BSN track and an RN to BSN track.

MAY 2024: Ingram Equipment Co. announces it will expand its operations with a new 10,500-square-foot facility in Pelham to house the company’s parts department.

MARCH 2024: Alabaster announces its $242 million District 31 project is moving forward after the city council passes an incentive package.

FEBRUARY 2024: Shelby County partners with the Alabama Department of Commerce through the SEEDS program

to show a renewed focus on developing industrial sites.

FEBRUARY 2024: Alabasterbased Specification Rubber Products expands its operations with the purchase of a 120,000-square-foot warehouse in Pelham. The new facility is half a mile from the company’s manufacturing headquarters and will store finished goods and materials.

OCTOBER 2023: Shelby County is officially inducted into Innovate Alabama Network and

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 67

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

Shelby County's location along I-65 makes it ideal for manufacturing and distribution companies.

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

Southern Company

Hibbett Sports | ALABASTER Sporting Goods Distribution 320 employees

Sysco Central Alabama | CALERA

SHELBY COUNTY

Food distribution • 315 employees

Utilities • 1,165 employees

EBSCO Industries Inc. | CHELSEA

Vulcan Steel | PELHAM

Publishing, distribution, technology 814 employees

Threaded rod manufacturing 300 employees

Altec | CALERA

Avanti Polar Lipids | ALABASTER

McLeod Software | SHELBY COUNTY

Advertising/publishing • 270 employees

Biotech • 274 employees

Industrial products and services 685 employees Trucking software • 624 employees

Mspark | ALABASTER

AGC Automotive Americas

Process Barron | PELHAM

Industrial Equipment Manufacturing 377 employees

MacLean Power Systems

ALABASTER

Automotive glass processing 263 employees

Summer Classics | PELHAM

Outdoor furniture • 234 employees

ALABASTER

Utilities hardware • 354 employees

Lhoist North America | CALERA Lime • 201 employees

Source: 58 Inc.

B U S I N E S S

as well as Alabaster, Pelham and Hoover city school systems, all of which are among the top 30 districts in the state, according to 2025 rankings released by Niche.com.

Jefferson State Community College has its largest enrollment at the ShelbyHoover campus where it offers a variety of career and technical degree programs, as well as “fast-track” short certificate programs that deliver non-credit workforce training in career programs that can be completed between six weeks and six months.

In 2024, the Shelby-Hoover campus launched a new surgical technology program in response to the community’s need for trained personnel, and graduates of the two-semester program are already working at local health care facilities.

The University of Montevallo kicked off the 2024-2025 academic year with the highest enrollment it’s seen in several years: 3,142 students, an increase of about 5.4% from the fall of 2023. The university also welcomed 592 freshmen, the largest incoming freshman class since 2012. Graduate enrollments were also up 10.6% compared to the previous fall with 449 students. The university also has 457 full-time employees; 142 are full-time faculty.

In the fall of 2024, the university’s Michael E. Stephens College of Business hosted the Co.Starters program, a partnership with Montevallo Main Street that provides a three-month business development course for local entrepreneurs.

B R I E F S

awarded a grant to conduct an Innovation Ecosystem Awareness Campaign: promoting awareness of innovation assets in Shelby County and the Greater Birmingham region.

SEPTEMBER 2023: Philadelphiabased Bartlett Bearing Co. Inc. announces a 5,000-squarefoot expansion of its Pelham warehouse. This is the location’s first expansion since opening in 2007.

OCTOBER 2023: The city of Hoover is officially inducted into the Innovate Alabama Network and awarded a grant to conduct an Innovation Ecosystem Study for Riverchase Corporate Park.

SEPTEMBER 2023: Taco Mac celebrates a grand opening at Canopy at Oak Mountain.

AUGUST 2023: Avanti Polar Lipids leases 15,418 square feet at Concourse 800 in Riverchase Corporate Park in Hoover.

68 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

AUGUST 2023: Canopy at Oak Mountain, a mixed-use development in Pelham, officially opens and begins leasing its 234 housing units.

JUNE 2023: Ascension St. Vincent’s announces plans for a freestanding emergency department in Pelham that, in addition to emergency service, will offer diagnostics, primary and specialty services.

JUNE 2023: Corporate Realty announces plans to revitalize

the Riverchase Corporate Park in Hoover as part of a broader redevelopment strategy.

A key element is the new Riverwalk Village, a mixed-use development focusing on health and wellness. This initiative includes a 90-acre campus featuring a medical and wellness center, walking trails, green spaces, residential units, retail areas and 450,000 square feet of corporate office space.

Source: Economic developers

Movers & Shapers JASON ALEXANDER serves as the

CEO for the St. Vincent’s Health System where he oversees operations across multiple facilities, including the St. Vincent’s One Nineteen campus in Shelby County. Alexander has held leadership roles in health care for many years, including positions at Baptist Health System before joining Ascension St. Vincent’s. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Alabama and master’s degrees in health administration and business administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also has completed a post-graduate program on strategy for health care delivery through the Harvard Business School Executive Education Program.

JACKIE BATSON is executive director

of Calera Main Street where she has led the transformation of downtown Calera by advancing site development for the Calera Courtyard, enhancing storefronts of Main Street business owners and hosting events for the community. Batson also serves as board chair for Fowler Davis 4 Change and is a member of the leadership team for Collectivus Church. She is a University of Georgia graduate.

CRYSTAL BENNETT was appointed dean

of the College of Nursing at University of Montevallo in March 2024. She played a pivotal role in establishing the University of Montevallo’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, which launched Fall 2024. Earlier, Bennett held various faculty and administrative positions at University of West Florida. A 70 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

University of West Florida graduate, she earned her master’s at the University of South Alabama and a Ph.D. in nursing science from the University of Florida.

Schools. He studied at Jacksonville State University, the University of Montevallo and Samford University, where he earned his Doctor of Education degree.

LEAH BIGBEE is dean of workforce

TOM MCLEOD is president and chief

education at Jefferson State Community College and has more than a decade of experience with strategic corporate engagement and workforce development. Earlier, she held leadership roles at UAB and Generation USA, a global workforce development nonprofit. Her career began as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in workforce development at a local nonprofit serving senior citizens displaced in the workforce.

Bigbee is an Alabama native with a degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is a graduate of Leadership Birmingham, Leadership Shelby County and Leadership St. Clair County.

SCOTT BRAKEFIELD is mayor of Ala-

baster and serves as the chairman of the Shelby County Mayors’ Association. He graduated from the University of Montevallo in 1998 with a degree in education. After teaching physical education from 1998-2000, he began a career in the health care industry as a pharmaceutical salesperson. He currently sells pathology services to dermatologists in several states.

KEVIN MADDOX is superintendent

of Hoover City Schools.

Maddox brings 29 years of educational experience, with 20 years in administration.

Prior to his appointment, he served as the assistant superintendent for Homewood City

executive officer of McLeod Software, which he founded in 1985. The 600-employee software company serves 1,200 transportation companies. He attended Samford University and received a bachelor of music degree cum laude in piano performance. McLeod served three years as board president of the Birmingham Boys Choir, three years as chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association Scholarship Board of Trustees and two years as chairman of the Alabama Trucking Association from 2019 to 2021.

ANGÉLICA MELÉNDEZ is program

manager for the Strong Families Program at ¡HICA!, working to support Latino families and crime victims, with a focus on domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. She chairs the board of Community of Hope Health Clinic in Pelham, serves on the Shelby County Department of Human Resources board and on advisory committees for the Shelby HIPPY Program and the Elder Justice Alliance Center. She coordinates the Alabama Language Access Coalition.

She received the 2021 ICE Director’s Award for her efforts in human trafficking and victim support. She is part of the Leadership Shelby Class of 2025.

ALAN MILLER is the CEO of American Village. The Chelsea native previously served as chief assistant district attorney for the Eighteenth Circuit District Attorney’s Office in Columbiana. His prior work included establishing and serving as executive director of Shelby County Compact 2020. A Tulane University

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

Europe and the U.S.

graduate with a law degree from the University of Alabama, Miller is a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, with varied experience in

KEVIN MORRIS has served as the

District 1 representative on the Shelby County Commission since 2017. In August 2024, Morris was named as the incoming CEO of America’s First Federal Credit Union, slated to succeed Bill Connor effective March 1, 2025.

WILLIAM “MITT” SCHROEDER is

electric utilities, telecommunications, and other industries. A philanthropist, he played a pivotal role in funding the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building at UAB, which advances genomic research and economic growth in Alabama. He is a graduate of Northwestern University with an MBA from Harvard University.

MECHELLE WILDER is a founding

partner of ARC Realty. She has been honored among Top 50 Women Leaders for Alabama for 2024, Top Birmingham Woman 2022, Birmingham Business Journal’s Women to Watch 2019 and Women Who Shape the State of Alabama 2018. A Samford University graduate and trustee, with a law degree from

Birmingham School of Law, she serves on the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and Cornerstone Schools of Alabama boards. Earlier she chaired the Shelby County Chamber and led the Birmingham Association of Realtors MLS Board. She is active with anti-sex trafficking organization More Too Life and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

JESSLAN WILSON

joined Shelby County as deputy county manager in May 2024, and joined the 58 Inc. board in December 2024. She also serves on the board of Cawaco Resource Conservation and Development District. Wilson earned her bachelor’s degree at Jacksonville State University and a master’s at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

the CEO of Central State Bank, which is headquartered in Calera.

Schroeder serves on the board of directors for Central State Bank, the Alabama Bankers Association, the University of Montevallo Foundation, Briarwood Christian School, the Industrial Development Board of Calera, 58 Inc., SCEIDA, the Shelby County Hall of Fame, the Shelby County Historical Society, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors Bankers Advisory Board and the Security For Alabama Funds Enhancement. Schroeder holds both undergraduate and MBA degrees from Troy University.

LEE STYSLINGER III is co-chairman

and CEO of Altec Inc., a global company headquartered in Birmingham that designs and manufactures equipment for February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 71

Health Care In August 2024, Orlando Health purchased Tenet's 70% stake in Baptist Health System, including Shelby Baptist Medical Center.

$2.2 million project included updating electrical infrastructure, wiring, plumbing and architectural finishes.

GRANDVIEW MEDICAL CENTER

SHELBY BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER

The 252-bed Shelby Baptist Medical Center has been serving the Alabaster community since 1959 and offers a full range of specialties and services, including bariatrics; diagnostic imaging; emergency room care; gynecology; oncology; orthopedics; physical therapy; a sleep disorder center; surgical care, including minimally invasive robotic surgery; urology; and wound care.

The medical center has been recognized as a leader in heart attack, heart failure and stroke care and has received Primary Stroke Center certification from The Joint Commission and Get With the Guidelines Gold Plus Achievement 72 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

in Stroke from the American Heart Association.

In August 2024, Orlando Health bought Tenet’s 70% stake in Baptist Health System, which includes Shelby Baptist.

In July 2024, the medical center opened a new $20,000 Nursing Education Hall featuring several new hospital rooms and simulation labs that are available to local nursing students and hospital staff for health care training. The project was funded by the Baptist Health Foundation.

And in June, the hospital celebrated the opening of a newly renovated cardiac catheterization laboratory. The

Grandview Medical Center is a 434bed tertiary care hospital that offers a range of services including cardiac electrophysiology, oncology, orthopedics, women’s services, digestive disorders, rehabilitation services, behavioral health, robotic-assisted surgery and emergency care. Specialty units include a Level III trauma center; certified Chest Pain Center; stroke center; cancer center; cardiac cath lab; neonatal, surgical and medical intensive care; and a freestanding emergency department in Trussville.

The hospital operates several primary care offices throughout Shelby County in Pelham, Columbiana, Chelsea, Lee Branch, Greystone Brook Highland and Hoover, and an office in Helena opened in 2023. Plans are underway for a freestanding emergency department in the Hoover area that will be located at the Valleydale I-65 exit.

In August 2024, Grandview Medical Center celebrated the opening of 10 new ER treatment rooms. The expansion used 3,600 square feet of shell space within the emergency department footprint and brought the total number of treatment rooms to 32.

In September 2024, Grandview opened a new advanced endoscopy suite featuring a new fluoroscopy unit, the first of its kind in Alabama, with features developed specifically for AI image-guided endoscopic GI procedures.

ENCOMPASS HEALTH REHABILITATION HOSPITAL OF SHELBY COUNTY

Located in Pelham, the Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Shelby County has been serving the greater Birmingham area since 2018 and is a leading provider of inpatient rehabilitation for stroke, brain injury, hip fracture and other complex neurological and orthopedic conditions.

The hospital’s stroke rehabilitation program has earned a Disease-Specific Care Certification from The Joint

Where your business belongs Commission and the hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Disease-Specific Care Certification in hip fracture rehabilitation.

BROOKWOOD BAPTIST FREESTANDING EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Brookwood Baptist Medical Center operates a freestanding emergency department in Shelby County that is one of the first of its kind in Alabama.

The 12-bed, 25,000-square-foot facility provides hospital-level emergency services and 24-hour ambulance service. A lab and pharmacy are on site as well.

Brookwood Baptist Medical Center operates a freestanding emergency department in Shelby County that is one of the first of its kind in Alabama. The 12-bed, 25,000-square-foot facility provides hospital-level emergency services and 24-hour ambulance service.

A top 10 school district in Alabama

The safest city in Alabama

A top 10 suburb for families in Alabama

UAB ST. VINCENT’S ONE NINETEEN

UAB Health System Authority assumed ownership of Ascension St. Vincent’s sites in 2024, including St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. The Shelby County facility has more than 30 specialist doctors and its services include cardiac rehabilitation; diagnostic outpatient services, including mammography and other imaging; laboratory testing; nutrition consultation; physical therapy; and wellness and fitness programs.

The location also houses Fitness One Nineteen, a full-service, 50,000-squarefoot fitness center with exercise equipment, classes, an indoor saline lap pool and personal trainers and instructors, and Spa One Nineteen, which specializes in facials, massages and nail treatments.

One of Fortune’s top 50 cities for families in the nation

■ Ample developable property to fit any need.

■ Enjoy a streamlined and easy city building/ zoning/permitting process.

■ Alabaster residents earn well over the state and national average household income.

■ 85% of Alabaster residents own their home.

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 73

Community Development

A rendering of the new recreation center and library in Alabaster.

SHELBY COUNTY

Shelby County is home to a mix of diverse communities that offer a variety of living experiences and business opportunities, helping it maintain its status as one of the state’s fastest-growing counties.

Destinations like Oak Mountain State Park and Cahaba River Park are part of what makes Shelby County a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

The county’s dining, retail and entertainment scene is growing and infrastructure projects are in progress, particularly around I-65 and U.S. Highway 31. The Alabama Department of Transportation announced a plan to widen I-65 to improve traffic flow, which is regarded as essential for accommodating the county’s growing population and increased commercial activity along the corridor.

Upgrades to the intersection of U.S. 31 and U.S. 280 to alleviate congestion also are ongoing.

And public schools here earn high marks for quality.

ALABASTER

Alabaster is the largest city in Shelby County. The community has completed a number of projects in the past year and half and has many new developments on the horizon.

In 2024, the city announced the start of construction on the District 31 project, a $240 million investment that will bring approximately 600,000 square feet of new retail, restaurant and hotel space to the 74 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

northwest quadrant of U.S. 31 and I-65.

Once complete, the project is expected to generate $2.8 million annually in new city sales taxes and an estimated $1.4 million in new school sales tax.

Also in the works is a new recreation center and library near the intersection of Thompson Road and Highway 119 with an adjacent retail development. The project will also include road improvements and new turn lanes at the intersection. Utility relocation is underway, and demolition of the old school buildings on the site is scheduled for early 2025.

Renovation of the Larry Simmons Stadium, the former Thompson High School football stadium, and the Jim “Peanut” Davenport baseball field, the former Thompson High School baseball stadium, wrapped up in early 2024. The stadium upgrades included new entrances, restrooms, ticket booths, concession stands and additional parking, while the baseball field got new turf, restrooms, locker rooms, concession stands and additional parking. These facilities will also tie into the new recreation center.

The first phase of a project to widen Highway 119 is complete and the city is working with the Alabama Department of Transportation to begin a second phase from Smokey Road to just south of Veterans Park as soon as possible.The city has also partnered with the county and Calera to fund widening of I-65 from Alabaster south to the county line.

The city celebrated the completion

of its amphitheater and senior center expansion project in December 2024. The amphitheater will host mid-sized concerts and city events, and the senior center now has more space for its programs and events.

Patriots Park opened in the summer of 2023 and its playground, basketball court, pickleball courts and other amenities have been a big hit in the community.

In response to public demand, the city is working with Shelby County to add more pickleball courts.

Veterans Park, the largest park in Alabaster, also saw some improvements in 2024, including the addition of eight new pickleball courts and an upgraded playground.

For the fourth year in a row, Alabaster City Schools received an overall A on its state report card for the 2023-2024 school year. Awarded by the Alabama State Department of Education, the grade is based on student achievement, academic growth, graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, college and career readiness and progress in English language proficiency among other factors. The district serves 6,353 students at its five schools.

CALERA

Located south of Alabaster, Calera is one of the fastest growing cities in Alabama.

With three exits along the I-65 corridor, access to Norfolk Southern and CSX Rail, numerous industrial sites and being home to the Shelby County Airport, Calera

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

is well positioned to serve as a hub for manufacturing and distribution.

The nonprofit organization Calera Main Street, along with the City of Calera, the Shelby County Chamber and other public and private partners, has been working to revitalize the downtown area. Since being designated as a Main Street Alabama community in 2019, the project has helped attract 12 new businesses, reduced downtown vacancy from 84% to 24% and has had an overall $5 million impact on the Main Street district. In September 2024, Calera Main Street celebrated the installation of a new sensory-friendly playground.

In August 2024, the city’s Rolling Hills Conference Center and RV Park opened three pickleball courts to the public. The courts and a new parking lot were made possible by a grant provided by the Shelby County Commission’s Parks and Recreation Program. The city plans to construct additional pickleball courts at the Eagle Sports Complex.

CHELSEA

Chelsea’s population is also booming; the city grew by more than 3% in 2023 and ranks among Alabama’s top-10 fastest growing cities.

The community welcomed its first hotel, an 87-room La Quinta Inn & Suites

by Wyndham, in November 2024.

The city also started adding tenants to the new Foothills Business Park in October 2023. The 13-acre development is located off Old Highway 280.

Other recent additions to the Chelsea business community include a Scooter’s Coffee and an American Family Care urgent care facility. An ABC wholesale distribution center opened in 2024.

Chelsea completed a $3.5 million expansion of its community center in October 2023 that included adding a second gym, new bathroom and locker rooms and two racquetball courts that will double as recreation rooms for homeschooled children.

Chelsea Park Elementary kicked off the 2024-2025 school year with some upgrades, including a new wing of eight classrooms and a new gymnasium.

Construction of a new football

stadium for Chelsea High School wrapped up in June 2024. The stadium is equipped with a 2,892seat grandstand, VIP seating and a press box.

COLUMBIANA

Columbiana, the county seat, is located a short distance from I-65 and Highway 280 and is an Alabama Main Street Community.

In the center of downtown, Old Mill Square houses the Shelby County Arts Council as well as several event spaces and a four-acre park that can accommodate festivals with up to 10,000 attendees. Columbiana is also home to the Shelby County Historical Society Museum and archives and the Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington.

In July 2024, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced plans for a new shooting range just outside of town with rifle, pistol and other facilities.

Chelsea.

HELENA

The city of Helena broke ground on its future city hall building in May 2024. The $82 million project is part of the Helena Forward comprehensive plan, and construction is a collaboration between the city and U.S. Steel. The building will house the building inspection department, Helena’s utility departments and office spaces for the city’s department Columbiana Main Street. heads, as well as a senior citizen’s community lies in northern Shelby Councenter. ty and includes the areas of Riverchase, Another part of the Helena Forward Valleydale and Greystone. In 2024, the initiative is the Hillsboro Sports Complex, city made livability.com’s list of the top a 90-acre sports and leisure facility that 100 places to live in the country based on will be located near Helena high and midcriteria such as economy, housing, cost of dle schools. The city unveiled the master living, amenities, transportation, enviplan for the complex in February 2024; ronment, safety, education and health. It Amenities include 16 tennis courts, six was the only city in Alabama to make the baseball fields, two multipurpose fields, a 2024 list. disc golf course, playground, splash pad Several major biotechnology comand nature trail. panies have operations in Riverchase HOOVER (SHELBY COUNTY PORTION) Corporate Park in Hoover. BioHorizons, While Hoover is primarily located in Jefone of the largest dental implant comferson County, a portion of the suburban panies in the world, celebrated its 30th February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 75

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

Ballantrae Golf Course is located in Pelham.

anniversary in 2024. BioCryst Pharmaceuticals announced plans in 2023 for a $22 million project that will add approximately 20,000 square feet of lab space to its Discovery Center of Excellence located in Riverchase. The expansion will bring the company’s total footprint to about 49,000 square feet and is expected to add 70 Ph.D.-level jobs. Avanti Research, formerly Avanti Polar Lipids, which is headquartered in Alabaster, leased an additional 15,418 square feet of office space in Riverchase Corporate Park.

In June 2023, the city, along with Regions Bank and Healthcare Resources, announced plans to develop Riverwalk Village, a mixed-use community located in Riverchase Corporate Park that will focus on health and wellness. The 90-acre campus will include medical offices, walking trails and green spaces as well as residential units, retail spaces and 450,000 square feet of corporate office space.

In May 2024, the Hoover City Council approved a 15-acre mixed-use development off Inverness Parkway. The development will complement the property’s existing 450,000 square feet of class A office space with the additions of a blend of predominantly single-unit dwellings and 16,000 square feet of retail space, including a restaurant, boutiques, cafes and other high-end retail establishments.

Hoover is popular for outdoor activities and is home to a number of parks, golf courses, playgrounds and hiking trails. The Hoover Metropolitan Complex 76 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

offers a variety of sports facilities and event venues, including the Finley Center, Hoover Met Stadium, outdoor fields, tennis courts and an RV park. Veterans Park on Valleydale added eight pickleball courts in July 2024, and the city hopes to add 24 more outdoor courts at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex.

Four Hoover City Schools are in Shelby County: Greystone Elementary School, Riverchase Elementary School, Berry Middle School and Spain Park High School. Hoover City Schools earned an A ranking on the 2024 state report card.

MONTEVALLO

The quaint town of Montevallo is home to Alabama’s only public liberal arts college, the University of Montevallo. Not only is the university the city’s biggest economic driver, but the institution is also a part of the Montevallo Development Cooperative District (MDCD), a collaboration with the City of Montevallo and Shelby County to facilitate capital improvements throughout the city.

One project on the horizon for MDCD is improvements to the intersection of Highway 119 and County Road 22 in the Moores Crossroads area. According to Mayor Rusty Nix, Montevallo received close to $2 million in funds from the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II) for the project, and the city will contribute an additional $125,000 of MDCD funds. “This opens the door for transportation improvements and the future economic growth of Montevallo,” says Nix. Montevallo has been a designated Main Street community since 2016 and received the 2024 Main Street America Accreditation for its commitment to public-private partnerships, revitalization, nurturing of small business and preserving historic areas.

The walkable downtown district has one-of-a-kind local shops, art galleries, restaurants and cafes and hosts festivals and events throughout the year.

In 2025, construction will begin on a new hotel development, Cobblestone Hotel & Suites, which will be designed to complement the downtown’s aesthetics.

“This will be a huge asset to our Main Street District for visitors coming in for festivals, a variety of unique events and regional travel ball sports,” says Nix. Montevallo offers several outdoor recreational activities. Popular destinations include Orr Park, which borders Shoal Creek and features more than 50 fantastical tree carvings by local artist Tim Tingle, and Shoal Creek Park, which is a designated Alabama Birding site.

PELHAM

There’s a lot to do in Pelham, Shelby County’s second-largest city. Pelham is home to Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest state park; Ballantrae Golf Club; and the Pelham Recreation Center.

In 2023, the city officially launched the Pelham Arts & Entertainment District, which includes Pelham Civic Complex; Campus 124, that features restaurant and entertainment options with open container privileges; and The Canopy at Oak Mountain, a mixed-use development with retail, restaurants and 234 housing units.

In 2024, a new three-acre park adjacent to Campus 124 opened; it connects the six-and-a-half-mile Pelham Greenway trail system between Bearden Road and Oak Mountain State Park.

On the business front, in February 2024, Alabaster-based Specification Rubber Products announced plans to expand its operations with the purchase of a 120,000-square-foot warehouse in Pelham.

Philadelphia-based Bartlett Bearing Co. Inc. announced a 5,000-square-foot expansion for its Pelham warehouse in September 2023..

The city’s school system consists of two elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. In August 2023, Pelham City Schools completed a $9 million purchase of 69 acres north of Highway 52 for a future school site.

Higher Education

The Judy Merritt Health Sciences Building on the Shelby-Hoover campus of Jefferson State.

Jefferson State's EMS program.

UNIVERSITY OF MONTEVALLO

The University of Montevallo is located approximately 35 miles south of Birmingham on a picturesque campus that was designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the renowned landscape architects behind Central Park in New York City and the grounds surrounding the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

Montevallo was founded in 1896 and is Alabama’s only public liberal arts university. It has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top Public Regional University and a Best Value School for 16 consecutive years. Montevallo also has been named a College of Distinction for 13 years in a row.

The university offers more than 30 degree programs and 70 majors and concentrations across five colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Development, Fine Arts and Health Professions. Students benefit from small classes (the average class size is 16 students) as well as hands-on research opportunities with full-time faculty mentors that prepare them for impactful careers.

The College of Health Professions launched a new nursing program in the fall of 2024 that offers a pre-licensure BSN track and an RN to BSN track. The program is housed in the newly renovated Myrick Hall, which consists of a simulations and skills lab, two patient simulation rooms, two observation rooms, two classrooms and a nurses’ station.

The College of Education and Human Development launched a doctorate in educational leadership degree in the

78 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

The University of Montevallo was founded in 1896.

The Michael E. Stephens College of Business is housed in the Allison and Michael Stephens Hall on Montevallo's campus.

2024-2025 academic year, the university’s first doctoral program.

The university saw its highest enrollment in several years for the fall 2024 semester with a total enrollment of 3,142 students, an increase of about 5.4% from the fall 2023 semester. The university welcomed 592 freshmen, the largest incoming freshman class since 2012. Graduate enrollments also increased 10.6% compared to fall 2023 with an enrollment of 449 students.

The university’s 23 NCAA Division II

teams compete in the Gulf South Conference, the Peach Belt Conference and the New South Intercollegiate Swimming Conference. Additional athletic opportunities for students include cheerleading, dance, cycling, fishing and esports teams.

One of Montevallo’s hallmarks is College Night, the nation’s oldest homecoming tradition of its kind and one that has earned recognition from the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress and showed up twice on the game show “Jeopardy!” For more than a

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

century, Montevallo’s student body has divided into two sides — the gold side and the purple side — to produce an original one-act musical. Students are entirely responsible for creating scripts, music, lyrics, costumes, choreography and sets. The competing performances take place during homecoming week in February.

These programs prepare students for immediate employment in in-demand fields such as welding, IT, commercial driver’s license, lineworker, heavy equipment operation, web development, certified nursing assistant, medical assistant, pharmacy technician and more.

Jefferson State’s students also benefit from a range of free resources that

include emergency grants, mental health counseling, peer-to-peer support, access to a food pantry, financial counseling and academic support.

For extracurricular activities, the college offers a number of clubs, honor societies, professional organizations and athletics, as well as student events that are held throughout the year.

JEFFERSON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SHELBY-HOOVER CAMPUS

Jefferson State Community College celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025 and remains a top choice for students in the greater Birmingham area as well as a top choice among two-year colleges in Alabama.

Jefferson State operates four campuses in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Chilton counties, serving more than 14,000 students each year. More than 3,650 high school students earn college credit through its dual enrollment program, and roughly 2,500 students complete workforce certification for in-demand jobs in as little as six weeks. The college, along with its students and alumni, add more than $485 million annually in income to its four-county service area, and for every dollar spent, the community receives approximately $19 in benefit.

The college’s Shelby-Hoover campus, located in north Shelby County, offers a variety of career and technical degree programs, including nursing, radiologic technology, physical therapy assistant, respiratory therapy, welding, manufacturing technology, law enforcement/criminal justice, medical laboratory technology, office administration, computer information systems, culinary and hospitality, emergency medical services, veterinary technology, accounting, banking and finance and business management.

In 2024, the Shelby-Hoover campus launched a new surgical technology program in response to the community’s need for trained personnel, and graduates of the two-semester program are already working at local health care facilities.

The college’s “fast-track” short certificate programs offer non-credit workforce training in career programs that can be completed in six weeks and six months.

A

State State Report Report Card Card

National Merit

9 Finalists from

31 SCHOOLS Located in 7 school zones Calera, Chelsea, Columbiana, Helena, Montevallo, Oak Mountain, and Vincent

4 High Schools

3

20,600+ STUDENTS Shelby County Schools students are being prepared for the journey ahead of them.

Regardless of whether their path leads them to college or directly to the military or careers, our students are being prepared for success.

2,880 EMPLOYESS Shelby County Schools has an award-winning staff of administrators, teachers, and educational support professionals, including 96 National Board Certified Teachers.

7

High Schools Named In Top 25 High Schools List

by US News and World Report First Class Pre-K Programs

Technical 48 Career Programs In 7 High Schools

96% Graduation Rate College & Career

91% Readiness

3rd Graders

94.4% Reading

Sufficiently

$41M

Scholarship Money Class of 2024

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 79

Culture & Recreation

AMERICANA

The American Village offers a look at the power and drama of America’s journey for independence, liberty and self-government. The new West Wing of Independence Hall offers a multisensory experience “Choosing to be an American People.” Visitors travel from the Boston Massacre to the Boston Tea Party, to Paul Revere’s Ride and the Shot Heard ’Round the World, through the American Revolution and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The American Village campus also includes replicas of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, a Colonial Courthouse, the President’s Oval Office and East Room of the White House, a Colonial Chapel inspired by Bruton Parish Church of Williamsburg, Concord Bridge and a Liberty Bell.

Oak Mountain State Park.

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

Alabama Wildlife Center with raptors on daily display including a bald eagle and a Eurasian eagle owl in free-flight mews. The park also has the Aquapark at Flipside, an inflatable obstacle course over the water on Beaver Lake, demonstration farm, a fairy house trail in the Oak Mountain Interpretative Center, one of the longest linear cable wakeboarding and skiing courses in North America; an archery park with multiple distance and platform options; and outdoor basketball and pickleball courts and many picnic sites and pavilions.

WASHINGTON MEMORIES

SKATE AWAY

HONORING VETERANS

The Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington, located in Columbiana, is home to one of the largest collections of George and Martha Washington memorabilia outside of Mt. Vernon. Highlights include Martha Washington’s prayer book printed in 1783, an original sketch of the Mt. Vernon landscaping plans from 1787 and writing instruments and tools from George Washington’s survey case.

SLAP SHOT

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

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest state park with 11,632 acres, features an 18-hole golf course, three lakes with beaches, hiking, mountain biking, backcountry horse trails, a BMX track with a national caliber racing surface and asphalt turns, RV parks, cabins and camping with optional backcountry campsites. The park is home to the 80 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

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

ARTS ABOUND

Shelby County Arts Council Center at Old Mill Square Park features two performance venues, a gallery, on-site foundry, ceramic arts studios, digital production studio, music studios and more. University of Montevallo Center for the Arts, with multiple arts spaces, hosts theatre, music performances, dance and art galleries for campus and community.

CHOO CHOO

The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Calera, the official railroad museum of the state of Alabama, celebrates the golden age of railroads and the people who built them. It features operating

standard gauge and narrow-gauge trains, two restored depots, an indoor collection of railroad artifacts and memorabilia, and an outdoor collection of railroad cars and locomotives.

PARK & PLAY

Veterans Park Alabaster includes sports facilities, a dog park, butterfly garden and disc golf course on 90-acress off Highway 119. Pelham City Park Campus, located off Highway 31, features walking trails; athletic fields; courts for tennis, sand volleyball, basketball and pickleball; plus a dog park. Veterans Park on Valleydale offers cross country courses, beach volleyball and more. Hoover Sports Complex features a major sports venue that hosts baseball, soccer, volleyball, football, tennis and more. Dunnavant Valley Fields, part as practice fields for the 1996 Olympics, offers soccer fields and more. Eagle Park Calera feature baseball, softball, disc golf and soccer facilities, with tennis and pickleball in the works.

Double Oak Park has 750 acres with trails for bikers, hikers and runners, plus vistas that rival Oak Mountain State Park’s famous King’s Chair. Cahaba River Park, located at the confluence of the Cahaba River and Shades Creek, offers 1,838 acres of trails and multiple river access points.

GO FISH & BOAT

The 12,000-acre Lay Lake has 289 miles of shoreline and is well known for its spotted bass and largemouth bass fishing and has hosted the Bass Masters Classic Tournament. Lake Purdy, a state water reservoir near Overton, boasts some of the cleanest water in the region. Outside boats aren’t allowed, but pontoon boats, motor boats, bass boats, row boats, paddle boards and kayaks are available to rent.

Company Kudos

by ERICA JOINER WEST

MARCH Business Alabama Awards Get Out — Into Alabama’s Great Outdoors Credit Unions Around the State All You Need To Plan a Company Meeting Austal USA has received Business Facilities Magazine’s Deal of the Year Impact Award in the defense manufacturing category. The shipbuilder, with facilities in Mobile, kicked off two expansion projects in 2024, with a combined investment of $750 million and an additional 2,000 jobs.

Baker Donelson has received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2025 Corporate Equality Index.

Bank Independent’s 14th annual toy share drive collected a record 5,039 toys in November and December 2024. The bank also collected $2,783.77 in cash. All donations went to partner organizations across North Alabama prior to the holidays.

BTS Technologies Inc., of Birmingham, has earned the Microsoft Solutions Partner certification, placing the company in the top 5% of all Microsoft providers worldwide.

Faulkner University’s occupational therapy doctoral program has received accreditation from the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Hill Hill Carter, in Montgomery, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Founded in 1924, the law firm has evolved into a majority female-owned firm. The firm includes a comprehensive range of services including business planning and complex litigation.

Hyatt & Sims Inc., a custom framing business in Athens, is celebrating its 78th year in business. It is owned by Dana Henry, who assumed the management of the company in 2005.

Oakworth Capital Bank has been recognized by Financial Planning, coming in at no. 7 on the Best Workplaces in Money Management listing. The bank also was named no. 2 on Best Banks to Work For listing by American Banker.

Reid State Technical College marked the highest spring student enrollment since Spring 2012 with 570 students starting classes.

Thomas Hospital, an affiliate of Infirmary Health, has earned High Performing for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Hospitals ranking.

The University of Montevallo’s Carmichael Library has been chosen to host “Americans and the Holocaust,” a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Geographic Spotlight: Dale, Coffee & Geneva Counties

APRIL Community Colleges Teach Skills for the Working World Accounting for Change Nurturing Young Businesses Geographic Spotlight: Etowah, St. Clair & Blount Counties Check BusinessAlabama.com for daily business headlines and additional content

Follow us: Business Alabama @BusinessAlabama February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 81

RETROSPECT

The ups and downs of Brown Belle Bottling A.G. Gaston once counted the company among his ventures

A

.G. Gaston ranks high among modern Alabama’s most successful businessmen.

Born in the late 19th century, he overcame poverty and racial discrimination during his long climb to success in Birmingham, where he lived after 1905. Gaston’s $40 million business empire spread over the fields of finance, construction, hospitality, communication, education and insurance.

For a short time in 1940s Birmingham, he presided over a small bottling company, owned and operated by African Americans. In those few up-and-down years, the entrepreneur learned important, hard lessons in the soft drink business.

Gaston had pursued a bottling business for several years. Having seen the successes of African American bottlers in other cities, he felt Birmingham could sustain such a venture.

“Even when allowances were made for maximum overhead expenses,” Gaston wrote in his memoir, “it appeared to me that the profits were enormous and fast.”

He secured franchise and trademark rights to make and distribute Brown Belle, a line of soft drinks marketed to Black clientele.

The company organized in November 1940 with Gaston as head. Early associates included Robert L. Williams, who was proprietor of the popular Little Savoy Café; steakhouse owner Alvey Alexander; event promoter B. F. Cammack; and attorney Arthur D. Shores. A. G. Gaston Jr., the business titan’s namesake, served as manager of the company’s 15 employees.

None of the individuals involved with Brown Belle’s launch had prior experience

82 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

By SCOTTY E. KIRKLAND

Birmingham's A.G. Gaston, in front of his Citizens Federal Savings Bank, had a number of business ventures, including a bottling company named Brown Belle. Courtesy of the Alabama Department of Archives & History.

Donated by Alabama Media Group. Photo by Jerry Ayres, Birmingham News.

in the bottling or distribution business. What they had in abundance, however, was well-founded confidence in A. G. Gaston himself.

Gaston also had a silent partner: James Lee Sr., chief executive of Buffalo Rock, the Magic City’s bottling behemoth.

Quietly, Lee installed bottling equipment at Gaston’s 4th Avenue facility in exchange for a profit share. It was a risky endeavor, considering the rigid color line of the era. Neither of the businessmen spoke publicly of their arrangement, which only came to light in 2010.

When it launched in January 1940, the Brown Belle

R E T RO S PE C T

Bottling Co. produced several varieties, including Brown Belle Boogie, ginger ale and “true fruit flavors” like grape, lemon, orange, peach and strawberry.

With an eye toward community uplift, the company donated a percentage of its profits to local charities. “Every time you drink a bottle of Brown Belle you will satisfy your thirst, tickle your palate and ease your conscience,” read an advertisement. After the U.S. entered World War II, Brown Belle contributed to area war bond drives.

Demand was high. More than 1 million bottles were sold in the first 10 months. Profits for the first year were a reported $100,000 (about $2.3 million today.) By 1943, more than 4 million bottles had been sold. The company outgrew its location and moved to a renovated two-story brick building on the corner of 3rd Avenue and 14th Street. Brown Belle also secured a retail establishment, winning a bid to build and operate a concession stand at Tuxedo Park, a municipal entertainment venue for African Americans.

In October 1946, Gaston traveled to Washington, D.C., to address the annual Conference on the Negro in Business. He urged the young attendees to “go into a new business, not the regular, run-of-themill business.”

There was reason to heed his words.

In just six years, his startup soft drink gamble had sold 10 million bottles and weathered public challenges. Earlier in the year, Arthur Shores, noted Birmingham attorney and an original Brown Belle officer, fended off a trademark dispute against Gaston in federal court.

Despite the confidence espoused by its founder, problems bubbled just below the surface. Burglars stole a safe from the Brown Belle headquarters containing $500 and important business records. It was a blow, to be sure, but not a fatal one.

Employee maleficence was a greater, more costly malady. Gaston discovered some of his staff were involved in schemes to offload the company’s sugar and syrup to bootleggers.

Brown Belle also experienced increased industry competition after World War II, including one challenge from

another, albeit unlikely, Alabamian: heavyweight boxing champ Joe Louis. New York’s William P. Graham, president of the All-American Drinks Corp., partnered with the Chambers County native to market the eponymous soft drink called Joe Louis Punch. The boxer’s name alone helped secure dozens of franchise opportunities throughout the country. But when Graham came calling for a partnership with Brown Belle, Gaston refused him, perhaps still leery from his recent trademark dispute. By 1947, the upstart Joe Louis Bottling Co. of Birmingham was selling crates of the new soda, “the bottle of the century,” from its own headquarters on North 26th Street, a few blocks away from Brown Belle.

It is unlikely that Joe Louis knew anything of the dispute. Throughout the short-lived enterprise, he showed little interest in the product that bore his name. Once, when asked by a radio host to name his favorite beverage, the champ quickly replied “Coca-Cola!”

Still, rising pressures and fizzling profits left Gaston, in his own words, “exhausted, embarrassed and no little ashamed.”

He candidly concluded that he had entered the business for the wrong reasons. “I turned…to the idea of filling my pockets…. After all the accounts were in, I found that I had lost about $60,000 trying to get rich quick.”

Gaston absorbed the company’s debts himself to save face with the community

A newspaper ad touted the millions of Brown Belle bottles manufactured.

and his investors. In his memoir, he called the venture a “complete fiasco.” In this fact, Gaston and his biographers agree.

The Brown Belle Bottling Co. was one of his only true business failures. Before it, and after, were years of successes.

“Failure is not fatal,” Winston Churchill once said. “It is the courage to continue that counts.”

When he shuttered Brown Belle, Gaston’s greatest years as a businessman and engaged citizen were ahead of him, including his crucial support of the Civil Rights Movement and the fostering of minority-owned businesses. In these efforts he continued well into advanced years, before his death in 1996 at the age of 103. Thus, for a half-century after Brown Belle, Gaston had the chance, and the courage, to continue.

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

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 83

Index 2nd & Charles....................................................7

Ballantrae Golf Club.........................................74

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.............................................6

58 Inc..........................................................3, 70

Bank Independent...........................................81

Cleveland, Gene...........................................................36

Hagwood, Chad............................................................57

ABC Realty.......................................................70

Baptist Health System................................70, 72

Cloverdale Estates, Montgomery.........................6

Hand, Thomas...............................................................11

Academy of Craft Training...........................15, 21

Bartlett Bearing Co.....................................66, 74

Cobblestone Hotel & Suites, Montevallo............74

Hartselle, City of................................................6

Action Resources..............................................86

Batson, Jackie...............................................................70

Coca-Cola Co., The.............................................82

Harvard University...........................................70

AGC Automotive.........................................66, 68

Bayonet Restaurant, Birmingham.......................9

Columbiana, City of....................................63, 74

Harveys Supermarkets.......................................8

Aihara, Masashi............................................................44

Beaufort Engineering Serivces............................9

Command Alkon..............................................86

Healthcare Resources.......................................74

Alabama A&M University....................................8

Beijing Benz Automotive Co. Ltd.......................40

Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Calera............80

Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School......7

Bennett, Crystal............................................................70

Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham....................................70

Alabama Associated General Contractors.......7, 15

Biden, President Joe......................................................6

Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association............................................32, 36

Bigbee, Leah.................................................................70

Alabama Bankers Association...........................70 Alabama Center for Real Estate.........................57 Alabama Community College System..................9 Alabama Cooperative Extension System............60 Alabama Department of Commece.............. 57, 66 Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.............74

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

Biltmore Estate, North Carolina.........................78 BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc......................66, 74 BioGX Inc.........................................................66 BioHorizons Inc..........................................66, 74 Birmingham Association of Realtors..................70 Birmingham Boys Choir...................................70 Birmingham Bulls............................................80

Community of Hope Health Clinic, Pelham........70 Conference of State Bank Supervisors................70 Connor, Bill...................................................................70 Construction Craft Training Board......................15 Cornerstone Schools of Alabama.......................70 Corporate Realty..............................................66 Cost, Hollie...................................................................60 Crown on St. Louis, Mobile..................................8 CSX Rail...........................................................74 Cullman Regional Medical Center.......................6

Gulf State Park.................................................11

Helen Restaurant, Birmingham..........................9 Helena, City of........................................... 66, 74 Henry, Dana..................................................................81 Hibbett Sports............................................ 66, 68 HICA!...............................................................70 Highway 11 Sports Complex, Chelsea................66 Hill Hill Carter..................................................81 Hill, The...........................................................86 Hillsboro Sports Complex, Helena.....................74 Hoar Construction............................................21 Homewood City Schools............................. 15, 70

Alabama Department of Transportation.............74

Birmingham Figure Skating Club......................80

Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind................25

Birmingham School of Law...............................70

Alabama Language Access Coalition..................70

Birmingham, City of...........................................8

Alabama National Cemetery.............................80

BL Harbert........................................................21

Alabama Port Authority......................................7

Blount Brothers Construction............................21

Alabama Power Co............................................66

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.............60

Alabama State Docks........................................11

BMSS Advisors & CPAs........................................9

Alabama State Port Authority..............................7

Bohnaker, James..........................................................57

Alabama Trucking Association...........................70

Books-A-Million.................................................7

Alabama Wildlife Center...................................80

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP...................21

Alabaster City Schools................................63, 66

Brakefield, Scott............................................................70

Alabaster, City of.................................. 66, 70, 74

Brasfield & Gorrie.........................................9, 21

Aldi Inc..............................................................8

Briarwood Christian School...............................70

Alexander, Alvey...........................................................82

Brookwood Baptist Health................................66

Alexander, Jason..........................................................70

Brookwood Village.............................................9

All-American Drinks Corp..................................82

Brown Belle Bottling Co....................................82

Alliant Insurance Services.................................86

Brown, Jay....................................................................32

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority..............................70

BTS Technologies Inc.........................................81

Altec Inc................................................. 9, 68, 70

Buffalo Rock Co................................................82

Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building..........................70

Burr & Forman..................................................57

Eighteenth Circuit District Attorney's Office, Columbiana.................................................70

Business Facilities Magazine.............................81

Elder Justice Alliance Center.............................70

Ikeri, Kelechi.................................................................86

AM/NS Calvert....................................................6

Byrd, Ricky......................................................................7

Industrial Development Board of Calera............70

America's First Federal Credit Union..................70

Caddell Construction.............................. 7, 15, 21

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital................................................66, 72

American Academy of Pediatrics........................86

Caddell, Mac.................................................................15

American Banker..............................................81

Cahaba River Park................................ 63, 66, 80

American Family Care.......................................74

Calera Main Street......................................70, 74

American Folklife Center, Library of Congress....78

Calera, City of.............................................63, 74

American Heart Association..............................72

Cammack, B.F...............................................................82

American Occupational Therapy Association......81

Campus 124, Pelham............................ 63, 66, 74

American Rescue Plan......................................60

Cannon Beach, Oregon.......................................6

American Village........................................70, 80

Canopy at Oak Mountain, Pelham......... 63, 66, 74

AmeriCorps VISTA.............................................70

Capital South LLC..............................................86

Andrews Sports Medicine...................................9

Capstone Building Corp......................................9

APM Container Terminal...................................11

CarbonCure Technologies.................................86

Ascension St. Vincent's .....................................66

Carmeuse Lime and Stone.................................66

Associated Builders and Contractors ................21

Castile, Ed.....................................................................57

Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama..........................15

Catholic University Cordoba, Argentina.............40

Associated General Contractors of America........15

Cawaco Resources Conservation and Development District.............................70

Athens Main Street.............................................6

Cushman & Wakefield......................................57 Daimler Chrysler Tech Center............................40 Discover Shelby Fest.........................................66 District 31, Alabaster.................................. 66, 74 Diversified Supply............................................66 Donaldson, Dave..........................................................86 Dorado Holdings................................................6 Double Oak Park........................................66, 80 Doullut & Ewin.................................................11 Driscoll, John..................................................................7 Dudley, Brent............................................................7, 86 Dunnavant Valley Fields...................................80 DWG Capital Partners.........................................6 Eagle Park, Calera.............................................80 East AlabamaWorks..........................................25 EBSCO Industries.................................... 9, 66, 68 Economic Development Partnership of Alabama...............................57

Enloe, Ryan...................................................................36 Faulkner University..........................................81 Ferris State University.......................................42 Finley Center, Hoover.......................................74 Foley, City of......................................................6 Foothills Business Park, Chelsea.......................74 Ford Motor Co...................................................42 Fowler David 4 Change.....................................70 Freedom Real Estate and Capital.........................8

Homewood, City of.............................................9 Honda Alabama.......................................... 25, 36 Honda Motor Co. Ltd...........................................6 Hoover City Schools.........................15, 63, 66, 70 Hoover Met Stadium.........................................74 Hoover Metropolitan Complex..........................74 Hoover Sports Complex....................................80 Hoover, City of..................................... 63, 66, 74 Housing Authority of the Birmingham District.....6 Hoyles, Kim..................................................................36 HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology............7 Hughes & Scalise..............................................86 Hughes, Nancy.............................................................86 Human Rights Campaign Foundation................81 Huntsville International Airport..........................7 Huntsville, City of ..............................................6 Hyatt & Sims Inc...............................................81 Hyundai Kia Automotive Group........................25 Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama..... 25, 42

Infirmary Health..............................................81 Ingram Equipment Co.......................................66 Innovate Alabama............................................66 International Council of Shopping Centers........57 Irby, Marty....................................................................86 Iron Hills Festival...............................................9 IXpressGenes.....................................................7 Jacksonville State University............................70 James, Steven..............................................................11

FSGroup Inc......................................................86

Jefferson State Community College................................. 15, 63, 66, 70, 78

Gabriel, The, Madison.........................................9

Jenkins, Roger..............................................................86

Gaston, A.G...................................................................82 Gaston, A.G. Jr...............................................................82

Jim "Peanut" Davenport Baseball Field, Alabaster............................................74

Generation USA................................................70

Joe Louis Bottling Co........................................82

Georgia Crown.................................................66

Johnson, Marche..........................................................86

Georgia Power Co.............................................21

Johnston, Karen...........................................................86

CEI Bookstore.....................................................6

Girvin, Miller.................................................................57

Joint Commission, The.....................................72

Athens, City of....................................................6

Central Park, New York City...............................78

Glaze, Grayson..............................................................57

Judy, R. Mark..................................................................7

Atkinson, Sean..............................................................86

Central State Bank............................................70

Go Build Alabama.............................................15

Junior Achievement Alabama.............................9

Auburn University .............................. 21, 25, 60

Goodwyn Mills Cawood......................................9

Kaliber Management....................................7, 86

Auburn University at Montgomery....................86

Chambers County Community Health and Wellness Center...........................................60

Graham, William P........................................................82

Kane, Thomas Aaron.......................................................8

Auburn, City of...................................................6

Charlot, Shavon............................................................86

Austal USA.......................................................81

Chelsea High School.........................................74

Grainger Community Counseling and Wellness Clinic......................................66

Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington............................... 74, 80

Autocar LLC......................................................25

Chelsea, City of.................................... 63, 66, 74

Grand Canyon National Park...............................6

Keep Information Technology Simple LLC............8

Avanti Polar Lipids............................... 66, 68, 74

Chicago Bridge & Iron.......................................21

Grand Teton National Park..................................6

Ketcham, Amy...............................................................32

Avanti Research................................................74

Children's of Alabama........................................7

Grandview Medical Center..........................66, 72

Kia Georgia......................................................42

Baker Donelson................................................81

Chung, Mong-Koo........................................................25

Gulf Shores, City of.........................................6, 7

Kirata Press Kogyo............................................36

Baldwin County Schools...................................15

Churchill, Winston........................................................82

Gulf South Conference......................................78

Kochlowski, Federico..............................................25, 40

84 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

Kohl's Corp.........................................................8

Morris, Kevin................................................................70

Riverwalk Village, Hoover..........................66, 74

Tresslar's Studio, Montgomery..........................87

KTH Leesburg Products.....................................36

Mountain Brook, City of......................................9

Robins & Morton........................................15, 21

Troy Regional Medical Center............................86

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham..... 63, 66, 74

Mspark............................................................68

Robinson, Frank..............................................................8

Troy University.................................................70

Lake Homes Realty...........................................66

Mukaida, Mitsunobu..............................................25, 44

TruBridge Inc....................................................86

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway...........................11

Murphy Oil Co..................................................86

Rolling Hills Conference Center and RV Park, Calera............................................74

Lake Purdy.................................................63, 80

MWI Animal Health..........................................66

Rural Health Initiative......................................60

Truckload Carriers Association Scholarship Board of Trustees.......................70

Samford University..........................................70

Tsuchiya Co. Ltd................................................32

Sanders, Walt................................................................86

Tsuchiya Group North America..........................32

Scarborough, Mike.........................................................7

Tulane University.............................................70

National Carbon Capture Center........................66

Scardina, Barrie............................................................57

Tuskegee University.........................................60

National Collegiate Athletic Association.............78

SCEIDA.............................................................70

Tuxedo Park, Birmingham................................82

National League of Cities..................................86

Schmitt, John.................................................................7

Tyler, JD........................................................................86

New Flyer/NFI Group........................................25

Schroeder, William "Mitt".............................................70

U-Haul Holding Co..............................................6

Lemoine Program Services..................................9

New South Intercollegiate Swimming Conference.................................78

Scooter's Coffee, Chelsea..................................74

U.S. Army...........................................................6

Lhoist North America..................................66, 68

NFI Group.........................................................25

Security for Alabama Funds Enhancement.........70

U.S. Capital Visitor Center.................................11

Little Savoy Café...............................................82

Niche.com..................................................63, 66

Selvitelli, Mark..............................................................57

U.S. Department of Agriculture.........................60

Livability.com..................................................74

Nippon Steel......................................................6

Shelby Baptist Medical Center.................... 66, 72

U.S. Department of Energy................................66

Log Off...............................................................7

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.....................................6, 40

Shelby County............................................63, 74

U.S. Department of Labor....................................6

Louis, Joe......................................................................82

Nitto Denko Corp................................................7

Shelby County Airport......................................74

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.....................81 U.S. Marine Corps.............................................70

Larry Simmons Stadium, Alabaster....................74

Nabors, Shane..............................................................15

Lay Lake............................................... 63, 66, 80

NAIOP/Commercial Real Estate Development Association.............................57

Leadership Birmingham...................................70 Leadership Shelby County................................70 Leadership St. Clair County...............................70 Lee, James Sr................................................................82 Lembke, Emma...............................................................7

Lument Investment Management LLC...............57

Nix, Rusty......................................................................74

Shelby County Arts Council Center at Old Mill Square Park....................................80

MacLean Power Systems...................................68

Norfolk Southern.............................................74

Shelby County Chamber.............................63, 70

Maddox, Kevin..............................................................70

Northrop Grumman............................................6

Shelby County Commission..............................70

Maddox, Mark..............................................................15

Northwest Shoals Community College..............32

Shelby County Compact 2020...........................70

Main Street Alabama............................ 63, 66, 74

Northwestern University..................................70

Shelby County Department of Human Resources.70

Manufacture Alabama......................................86

Oak Mountain State Park.................63, 66, 74, 80

Shelby County Hall of Fame..............................70

Martin Marietta................................................66

Oakworth Capital Bank.....................................81

Shelby County Historical Society.......................70

Matthews Real Estate Investment Services.........57

Okenido, Denzel...........................................................57

Matthews, Kyle.............................................................57

Olmstead Brothers...........................................78

Shelby County Historical Society Museum and Archives..................................74

Maximus Meats, Summerdale.............................9

OnMed Care Station..........................................60

Maxwell Air Force Base.......................................8

Orlando Health..........................................66, 72

Maynard Nexsen..............................................86 Mazda Motor Corp............................................44 Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA......... 25, 36, 44

Orr Park, Montevallo........................................74 Osborne, Johnny..........................................................86 Pace, Jason...................................................................32

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp.......................................8 United Auto Workers........................................40 University of Alabama.......................... 21, 57, 70 University of Alabama System............................9 University of Florida.........................................70

Shoal Creek Park, Montevallo...........................74

University of Georgia........................................70

Shores, Arthur D............................................................82

University of Montevallo................ 63, 66, 70, 74, 78, 81, 86

Small Magic.....................................................86

McCord, Mark...............................................................15

Peach Belt Conference......................................78

McDaniel, Emily.............................................................9

Pelham City Park Campus.................................80

McDaniel, Rob................................................................9

Pelham City Schools...................................63, 66

McDuffie Coal Terminal.......................................7 McGee, Tom..................................................................57

Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena.........................................63, 66, 74, 80

McLeod Software.................................. 66, 68, 70

Pelham Recreation Center.................................74

Specification Rubber Products..................... 66, 74

McLeod, Tom.................................................................70

Pelham Youth Hockey League...........................80

SS&A Design Collective.....................................86

McMurry, Bryce...............................................................7

Pelham, City of..................................... 63, 66, 74

St. Vincent's Health System...............................70

McWane Economic Education Center, Birmingham......................................9

Pierce, Staci...................................................................86

St. Vincent's One Nineteen..........................66, 70

Planning Capital Management Corp....................6

Stephens, Veronica.......................................................86

McWane, Kaitlin.............................................................9

Pledger, Gene...............................................................86

Stockham Valves and Fittings............................21

McWane, Will.................................................................9

Port of Mobile..................................................11

Strickland, Stephen........................................................7

Meléndez, Angélica......................................................70

Posey, Scott...................................................................25

Styslinger, Lee III..........................................................70

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International................25, 40

PRADCO Outdoor Brands..................................66

Summer Classics..............................................68

Michigan State University.................................40

PrintsWell, Pelham...........................................66

Sunbelt Paper & Packaging...............................66

Microsoft Corp. Inc............................................81

ProcessBarron..................................................68

Superior Ready Mix Concrete..............................6

Middleton Construction....................................15

Pugh, David..................................................................21

Susock, Chris..........................................................25, 42

Middleton, Rob............................................................15

Pylon Building Group.........................................9

Sysco Central Alabama................................ 66, 68

Miles College.....................................................8

Rabren General Constractors Inc..........................7

T-Mobile Inc.....................................................66

Miller, Alan...................................................................70

Ramos, Ron..................................................................86

Taco Mac Restaurants........................................66

Miller, Anna..................................................................86

Rast Construction.............................................21

Taitz, Andrew................................................................25

Moab, Utah, City of.............................................6

Reed, Steven...................................................................8

Tasus Corp........................................................32

Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley...............................8

Regions Bank....................................... 68, 74, 86

Tennibot Inc.......................................................7

Mobile Causeway.............................................11

Regions Financial Corp.................................9, 86

Therachem/United Chem Resources LLC.............66

Mobile I-10 Bayway Bridge...............................11

Reid State Technical College..............................81

Thomas Hospital..............................................81

Mobile International Airport...............................8

Reliant Glycosciences.......................................66

Thompson High School, Alabaster.....................74

Mobile, Port of.................................................11

Richardson, Tere.............................................................6

Tingle, Tim....................................................................74

Montevallo Arts Fest.........................................66

Richmond Engineering.......................................7

Toyota Motor Corp............................................44

Montevallo Development Cooperative District.....................................74

Riley, Gov. Bob..............................................................25

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama Inc... 25, 32

Riverchase Corporate Park, Hoover.............. 66, 74

Toyota North America...................................9, 86

Riverfront Park, Montgomery.............................8

Tresslar, Herbert P.........................................................87

Riverhills Business Park...................................66

Tresslar, Sidney P...........................................................87

Rivers, Phillip.................................................................9

Tresslar's Photographic Art Studio, Montgomery...............................................87

Riverwalk Greenway Trail, Montgomery..............8

UAB St. Vincent's One Nineteen.........................72

Shelby HIPPY Program......................................70

Patriots Park, Alabaster.....................................74

Morin Process Equipment.................................66

UAB Health System...........................................66

University of Alabama at Birmingham ........ 66, 70

Party City Holdco Inc...........................................8

More Too Life....................................................70

U.S. Supreme Court..........................................21

Shelby County Schools...............................63, 66

McCaney, Kristen..........................................................32

Montgomery, City of.....................................8, 86

U.S. Steel................................................ 6, 66, 74

Shelby County Mayors' Association...................70

McCain, Byron..............................................................15

Montevallo, City of............................... 63, 66, 74

U.S. News & World Report............ 6, 60, 63, 78, 81

Sneeringer, Isaac............................................................7 Snider, Bob...................................................................86 Southern Co...............................................66, 68 Southern Professional Hockey League...............80 Southern Research...........................................66 Spain Park High School.....................................74

University of Montevallo Center for the Arts......80 University of South Alabama................... 9, 11, 70 University of West Florida.................................70 USA Health Children's & Women's Hospital.......86 Vanderbilt University.......................................21 Vercher, Paul.................................................................86 Veterans Park, Alabaster............................. 74, 80 Veterans Park, Hoover................................ 74, 80 Volkert Inc.......................................................11 Volkert, David G............................................................11 Vulcan Materials Co......................................6, 66 Vulcan Steel.....................................................68 Walker, David.................................................................9 Walker, Greer..................................................................7 Wall Street Journal.............................................6 Wallerstein, Ben...........................................................86 Washington University in St. Louis......................7 Washington, Martha.....................................................80 Washington, President George....................................80 Waterman Steamship Corp...............................11 Waverly Advisors...............................................6 Weaver, Darrel..............................................................60 Westover, City of..............................................66 Whiteboard Advisors........................................86 Wilder, Mechelle..........................................................70 Wilkins Miller LLC............................................86 Williams, Robert L.........................................................82 Wilson, Jesslan.............................................................70 Wilson, Merideth..........................................................86 Wilsonville Gaston Steam Power Plant..............66 Winn-Dixie Stores Inc..........................................8 Wiregrass Construction Co..................................7 WKW North American.........................................7

February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 85

Career Notes

by ERICA JOINER WEST

SHAVON CHARLOT

ROGER JENKINS

RON RAMOS

SEAN ATKINSON

STACI PIERCE

BEN WALLERSTEIN

JD TYLER

MARCHE JOHNSON

WALT SANDERS

KELECHI IKERI

NANCY HUGHES

ANNA MILLER

BRENT DUDLEY

KAREN JOHNSTON

Resources, and Ben Wallerstein, CEO and co-founder of Whiteboard Advisors, to its board of directors. In addition, JD Tyler has joined the staff as director of growth and development.

PAUL VERCHER

GENE PLEDGER

ACCOUNTING Veronica Stephens has joined Wilkins Miller LLC, an accounting and advisory firm with offices in Mobile and Fairhope.

ARCHITECTURE SS&A Design Collective, of Montgomery, has named Shavon Charlot president.

She succeeds Bob Snider, who served as president from 2008-2024.

BANKING Roger Jenkins, director and CEO of Murphy Oil Corp., has been appointed to serve on the boards of Regions Financial Corp. and Regions Bank.

EDUCATION Auburn University at Montgomery welcomed Ron Ramos as assistant vice chancellor for strategic marketing and communications/chief marketing and communications officer.

The University of Montevallo has appointed Sean Atkinson dean of the College of Fine Arts.

Birmingham-based Small Magic, a nonprofit early learning organization, has added Staci Pierce, CEO of Action 86 | BusinessAlabama.com February 2025

GOVERNMENT Marche Johnson, District 3 representative for the city of Montgomery, has received the National League of Cities’ Centennial Under 40 Impact Award.

HEALTH CARE Troy Regional has hired Walt Sanders as director of business development, where he will drive strategic and growth initiatives.

TruBridge Inc., a health care solutions company based in Mobile, has hired Merideth Wilson as its new financial health general manager.

USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital neonatologist Kelechi Ikeri has been named one of five national recipients of the American Academy of Pediatrics/ Vermont Oxford Network Scholars Award.

INSURANCE Johnny Osborne has joined Alliant Insurance Services as senior vice president within its Alliant Americas division. He is based in Huntsville and will help expand the company’s presence in the Southeast.

LEGAL Maynard Nexsen has added Nancy Hughes and Anna Miller to the firm’s Trusts, Estates, Fiduciaries and Family Business practice group. Hughes and Miller were formerly with Hughes & Scalise.

MANUFACTURING Kaliber Management, a manufactured home community operator headquartered in Daphne, has appointed Brent Dudley as its new president.

CarbonCure Technologies has hired Dave Donaldson as senior vice president of sales and marketing. He previously worked for Command Alkon in Birmingham.

Manufacture Alabama has elected Karen Johnston chair for 2025-2026, succeeding Paul Vercher. Johnston is regional director for government affairs at Toyota North America.

POLITICS Marty Irby, founder and president of Capitol South LLC, has been named one of The Hill’s Top Lobbyists for 2024, marking his fifth appearance on the list.

He is a native of Mobile.

TRANSPORTATION Gene Pledger, of Guntersville, has joined FSGroup as operations manager.

FSGroup, of Albertville, is a material transport company.

Historic Alabama

Studio magic

This photo, circa 1910, takes you into Herbert P. Tresslar’s photo studio in Montgomery. He was a photographer in Montgomery from about 1888 to 1926, working first with his father, Sidney P. Tresslar, at Tresslar’s Photographic Art Studio, which was on Court Square. In 1892, he opened his own business, Tresslar’s Studio, on Dexter Avenue. Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Archives & History.

Alabiz Quiz

Challenge yourself with these puzzlers from past issues of Business Alabama magazine. Beginning February 20, work the quiz online and check your answers at businessalabama.com.

February 2025:

February 2024 (one year ago):

February 2015 (10 years ago):

Q: Alabama’s construction industry is served by two major trade associations, both of which go by three-letter acronyms. What are the two?

Q: The Ground-based Mid-Course Defense system scored a successful test, intercepting an intermediate-range ballistic missile in space. What firm is the lead system integrator, working on this project from its Huntsville location?

Q: Alabama was awaiting payment of $56 million in penalties from Transocean Ltd. What event triggered the penalties?

A) ABC and AGC B) AGC and CCC C) BCA and ABC D) DNC and GOP

January 2025 (one month ago): Q: Wind Creek Hospitality has acquired the Birmingham Racecourse and Casino. What organization is Wind Creek Hospitality affiliated with?

A) Alabama Gambling Authority B) Auburn University C) Birmingham Business Alliance D) Poarch Band of Creek Indians

A) Aerostar B) Boeing C) Missile Masters D) Northrop Grumman

February 2020 (five years ago): Q: Early in 2020, Alabama was still stunned at the skyrocketing success of its automotive industry, which had risen from no vehicle production in 1995 to 1.3 million in 2019 with four major plants in operation and one more just beginning construction, with plans to open in 2022. Who was the newcomer?

A) Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill B) Hurricane Harry C) Swine flu outbreak D) Tornado outbreak

February 2000 (25 years ago): Q: One of the state’s first biotech success stories, Research Genetics, was sold to Invitrogen Corp. for $126 million. Who founded Research Genetics?

A) Josh Carpenter B) Jim Hudson C) Lonnie Johnson D) Ray Watts

A) Honda B) Hyundai C) Mazda Toyota D) Mercedes-Benz Answers from January: D, C, A, C, D, D February 2025 BusinessAlabama.com | 87