MARCH 2023
CEO OF THE YEAR
Stephanie Bryan IS ONE OF OUR INAUGURAL AWARD WINNERS
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ALABAMA’S AUTOMAKERS GO ELECTRIC
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CREDIT UNIONS’ HIGH IMPACT SPOTLIGHT ON COFFEE,
103 DALE AND GENEVA COUNTIES
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MARCH 2023
Volume 38 / Number 3
CONTENTS
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Scott Gordy is manager at Mobis, which is prepping to provide EV battery modules for its next-door neighbor Hyundai. Photo by Cary Norton.
Features 12 17 20 22 26 30 32 36 38 42
AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE ALABAMA’S INDUSTRIAL MAINSTAY IS ELECTRIFYING ELECTRIC TIMES AT HYUNDAI MERCEDES DRIVES FORWARD WITH ELECTRIC BRANDS T&C STAMPING MAKES SMALL PARTS FOR A BIG INDUSTRY HONDA — HOME OF THE PILOT MAZDA TOYOTA RAMPS UP PRODUCTION AUTOMAKERS WORK TO FIND WORKERS TOYOTA REVS UP NEW ENGINE LINE MOBIS WINS TOP TIER 1 SUPPLIER HONORS FROM AAMA ROBOTS AT THE READY
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AAMA OFFICERS, CORPORATE PARTNERS AND MEMBERSHIP
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CREDIT UNIONS HIGH IMPACT Credit unions aim to benefit communities as well as members.
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NOT YOUR SAME OLD JOB COMPUTERIZED CRUNCH Even a job as mundane as stump removal is impacted by technology.
RETROSPECT 122 KNITTED TOGETHER The W.B. Davis & Son Hosiery Mill & the resurrection of Fort Payne.
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79: M. Miller Gorrie, one of our Lifetime Achievement honorees, leads Brasfield & Gorrie, a general contracting firm that creates building wonders, including the aquarium in Atlanta. 103: The City of Enterprise has added a new water tower. 89: Credit unions across Alabama work to support their communities; in this case Dothan-based Five Star supports area schools.
On the Cover: Stephanie Bryan, chair and CEO of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, is Business Alabama’s inaugural CEO of the Year
TOP RANK 93 ALABAMA’S LARGEST CREDIT UNIONS SPECIAL SECTIONS 55 BA AWARDS The inaugural Business Alabama Awards celebrates the accomplishments of companies and business professionals during the prior year. 95 BUSINESS COUNCIL OF ALABAMA GEOGRAPHIC SPOTLIGHT 103 COFFEE, DALE AND GENEVA COUNTIES
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BENCHMARKS: MONTHLY BUSINESS NEWS BRIEFING COMPANY KUDOS: A MONTH OF ACHIEVEMENTS CAREER NOTES: WHO’S MOVING UP BA INDEX: HUNDREDS OF LEADS EACH MONTH HISTORICAL ALABAMA: A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE ALABIZ QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
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MARCH 2023 BusinessAlabama.com Volume 38 / Number 3
PUBLISHER Walker Sorrell / wsorrell@pmtpublishing.com ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Stephen Potts / snpotts@pmtpublishing.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Alec Harvey / alec@pmtpublishing.com EDITOR Erica Joiner West / ewest@pmtpublishing.com COPY EDITOR Nedra Bloom / nedra@pmtpublishing.com ART DIRECTOR Vic Wheeler / ads@pmtpublishing.com DIGITAL EDITOR Kathryn Bell / kbell@pmtpublishing.com ACCOUNTING Keith Crabtree / acct@pmtpublishing.com ADMINISTRATION/OFFICE MANAGER Lauren Sullivan / lsullivan@pmtpublishing.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Birmingham: 205-802-6363 Hal Cain / Ext. 111 / hcain@pmtpublishing.com Lee Mills / Ext. 102 / lmills@pmtpublishing.com Mobile: 251-473-6269 Joe Hyland / Ext. 214 / jhyland@pmtpublishing.com DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED MEDIA & EVENTS Sheila Wardy / swardy@pmtpublishing.com BIRMINGHAM OFFICE 3324 Independence Drive / Homewood, AL 35209 205-802-6363 MOBILE OFFICE 166 Government Street / Mobile, AL 36602 251-473-6269 CORPORATE T.J. Potts, President & CEO Thomas E. McMillan, Partner & Director Business Alabama is published monthly by PMT Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright 2023 by PMT Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission prohibited. Letters to the editor are welcome. 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.
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Benchmarks Record-setter | Montgomery
With $1.7 billion in capital investment, the CITY OF MONTGOMERY saw a banner year for economic progress in 2022 — the best ever for the city, says Mayor Steven Reed. “I want what you want; and we want Montgomery to be the kind of place where we not only raise our children — but those children return because Montgomery offers opportunities — opportunities for fulfilling careers, excellent education and immersive cultural experiences,” Reed said in his State of the City address. Here’s the list of projects developed by the Montgomery Area Chamber:
• $65 million for the new inland port designed to give rail access to the state seaport in Mobile • $52 million for a FedEx expansion • $32 million for a new Premier Tech facility • $300 million invested toward electric vehicles at Hyundai • $200 million for a related battery plant at Hyundai Mobis • $400 million for Diageo North America • $600 million for a Manna Beverages & Ventures beverage park The chamber’s list counted 23 projects to reach the $1.7 billion total.
B U S I N E S S
B R I E F S
WRONG WAY Alabama’s economy will shrink slightly in 2023, according to the annual economic forecast from the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama. The forecast is for Alabama’s economic output to decrease 0.1% this year.
PANDEMIC WOES Alabama hospitals have lost a total of $1.5 billion over the past three pandemic years, according to a report prepared by Kaufman Hall at the request of the Alabama Hospital Association.
POWER BOOST The Alabama Public Service Commission has approved $62 million in refunds to be paid to Alabama Power customers in August. The power company was above the allowed rate of return by $62 million in 2022. There’s no word, yet, on how much individual customers will see in refunds.
HERITAGE Alabama’s 14-county Black Belt region has been designated a National Heritage Area. The designation means up to $1 million a year will go toward the protection and preservation of the region. LEGACY Montgomery’s Legacy Museum, which opened in 2021, now ranks as Alabama’s second-
Alabama’s capital city is celebrating its best-ever year for economic development.
Taken together, the investments will result in more than 2,000 jobs, said Reed. Reed also praised the city as a safe place to be: “You are as safe — if not safer in Montgomery — than in any city our size in this state or in our region” — and a place that works to prevent violence, intimidation and aggression in its policing and a city that is inclusive. Reed also talked about plans for the city — a new downtown arena and convention center, a new fire station, a renovated farmers market, added greenspace in north Montgomery and more .
most popular paid attraction, according to Alabama Tourism. It’s second only to Huntsville’s Space and Rocket Center. HEAPS OF HONDAS Honda, which has a major plant in Lincoln, has passed the 30 million mark for cars produced in America. The firm also has plants in Ohio, Georgia and Indiana. BETTER CONNECTIONS The U.S. Treasury approved Alabama’s plan for the Capital Projects Fund, including nearly $200 million to expand broadband in the state. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs will administer the
$191.8 million to support projects to extend service to previously unserved areas. BUILDING UP Birmingham-based Robins & Morton has completed work on Paradise Point of Ormond Beach, an assisted living facility in Florida. JUNE JAM RETURNS June Jam, one of the biggest country music events in the nation until it stopped in 1997, will return June 3 at the VFW Fairgrounds in Fort Payne. Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry, members of the band Alabama, made the announcement at the Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce’s
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