20 minute read
By Gus Wintzell
from HBJ Mar 2022 issue
UNA Receives First Ever Endowment Fund from Huntsville’s Bank Independent
By Gus Wintzell
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Historically, public universities in Alabama are often the backbone of community development. Whether in Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, or Mobile, public universities in Alabama have always had a central role in the growth of their surrounding communities, as well as the state as a whole.
Florence and the Shoals area are no exception to this historical precedent.
Huntsville’s Bank Independent recently announced that the company established an endowment fund at The University of North Alabama (UNA). The fund will provide a continued source of revenue for UNA that will focus on furthering the University’s goals for advocacy and community outreach to better serve the Shoals and North Alabama community.
“Economic development and community engagement are a key part of Bank Independent’s mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and a thriving university is necessary to support a vibrant, healthy, and growing community like the Shoals,” said Macke Mauldin, Bank Independent President. “My father, Edward Mauldin, was a firm believer in the power of education to change a person’s life. He was also fond of the quote, ‘A rising tide lifts all boats.’ We believe this
The Bank Independent Leadership Fund will be the first endowment ever established at UNA. In a recent interview with UNA President Dr. Ken Kitts, he stated that UNA’s goal for the fund will be to specifically address his key initiative, Project 208.
Project 208 is a strategic initiative that focuses on allocating funds to meet budget shortfalls, provide for student scholarship needs, aid in tech and general upgrades to the campus, and further connect UNA to North Alabama’s community.
For Dr. Kitts, Project 208 has a very historical connection to UNA’s community outreach and funding.
In fact, Dr. Kitts noted that UNA is located farther from the seat of power in Alabama than any other public university, sitting approximately 208 miles away from the State House, where Project 208 derives its name.
“‘Out of sight, out of mind’ has become an unfortunate political reality for UNA in annual budgetary decisions. Currently, the University receives between $7 million and $12 million less per year than peer schools of comparable or smaller size. This overview helps contextualize the importance of the Bank Independent Leadership Endowment,” said Dr. Kitts.
In the past, UNA has been dubbed “Alabama’s Workforce Development University,” and for Dr. Kitts, the endowment helps UNA to continue to provide consistent education, advocacy, and outreach that furthers “our commitment to assist industry and prepare students to meet the needs of the new economy in Alabama.”
Besides decreasing the funding equity gap, UNA’s partnership with Bank Independent also represents a major opportunity for community development in North Alabama.
“Although founded in the Shoals, UNA has expanded its scope to provide services to communities and businesses across the northern tier of the state,” said Dr. Kitts. “Significantly, Madison is now our second largest feeder county for students, and Morgan, Limestone, and Jefferson are also in our top six counties for enrollment. We are aggressive in our educational outreach and have signed learning agreements with major employers in the Huntsville area as well as with the State of Alabama itself.”
In this way, Bank Independent’s endowment will help empower UNA to continue to expand outside of the Shoals area, connecting with interested students from the great Huntsville-Madison County area either remotely or in person.
When asked about the most important outcome of this partnership, Dr. Kitts replied that Bank Independent’s Endowment will help the university better serve the people of North Alabama.
“For this past fall semester, 85 percent of our freshmen came from Alabama, and 75 percent of our graduates decided to stay in state for their careers. Those are impressive numbers, and they speak to the focus and priorities of the University of North Alabama.
“Our partnerships with communities, businesses, and nonprofits underscore our mission of service as well as our determination to enhance the quality of life for Alabama’s citizens. Bank Independent knows we will be good stewards of this endowment, and we want other community leaders and organizations to follow their example in working with us to support students and communities across northern Alabama.” w
A Work in Progress: WellStone’s New Crisis Diversion Center
By Lori J. Connors / Photo courtesy of Chapman Sission Architects
Statistics have shown that one in five Americans suffers from a diagnosable mental illness. This translates into 20 people out of 100, 200 people out of a thousand. Chances are with these kinds of numbers, there’s someone you know that’s desperately struggling with mental health issues.
It has been speculated that since the pandemic, those figures have only increased. Since March 2020, reports of mental illness, drug overdoses, and suicides have skyrocketed.
It’s only logical that WellStone, a 501(C)3 nonprofit, one of Madison county’s leaders in mental health care delivery, is building the area’s first crisis diversion center. Construction has been well underway with June 2022 as the targeted completion date. Once completed, the new facility will be home to WellStone Emergency Services (WES).
WellStone has been running its temporary crisis diversion center in a building on Triana Blvd since May 2021. When the new facility opens, it will be a 25,000 square foot space where people can get the help they need. In fact, the new location will have double the capacity of the temporary center.
Another thing about the new building is that it’s being built specifically for this purpose, as opposed to the current retrofitted accommodations.
The development of a crisis diversion center has been in the works for quite some time. After the Alabama Department of Mental Health determined a substantial gap in the state’s crisis care, Governor Ivey dedicated a considerable amount of funding to mental health providers in Huntsville, Montgomery, and Mobile specifically for crisis diversion centers.
The entire project is estimated to cost roughly $10 million, with $1 million of coming from American Rescue Plan dollars provided by Madison County. The state, along with local municipalities, have also committed to $5 million. This leaves a $5 million shortfall.
To help meet the deficit, WellStone is currently in the process of launching its “Be the Rock” capital campaign.
However, despite the benefits of treatment, the stigma about mental illness and addiction often deters people from seeking help the help they need.
“The pandemic did a lot in making progress in reducing the stigma in that area,” said Blair. “I think we all realized all of us experienced some kind of mental health challenges. I think we all had some feelings of anxiety and maybe even loneliness. As a society, we are used to being in control of things and there was absolutely no control over the pandemic.”
Having access to a new crisis diversion center, along with adequate mental health services is essential to a community’s overall wellbeing. As a society that has been emotionally decimated by the uncertainties of a global pandemic, mental health care is no longer a luxury item or something to be ashamed of. In fact, people baring their souls on social media has also has positively contributed to destigmatizing mental illness.
“That’s the reality of it, when you get to talking to people and they really open up, you find that more people than not either know somebody or have gone through it personally themselves,” said Blair. “We’re talking about 1 in 5 people have a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their lifetime. That’s a high percentage of the population. It’s important for us to understand that everybody may have some of this at some point.”w
“So What?”: The Singing River Trail’s Impact on North Alabama
By contributing writer John Kvach / Photo courtesy of the Singing River Trail
“What is the Singing River Trail?” “Why would anyone hire a historian to build a 200+ mile greenway system?” “What do you know about North Alabama . . . you’re not even from here?” “Why is the Huntsville Business Journal covering North Alabama?”
These are all valid questions and ones that I’ve had to answer many times, but ones that also hint at why the Huntsville Business Journal asked me to write a regular column about our region.
Twice a month we’ll bring you a column that will be part dispatches from the Singing River Trail and part insight that comes from crisscrossing North Alabama as the Executive Director of a project that binds together eight counties, twenty-six towns and cities, and a quarter of Alabama’s population. The Trail will be an economic development tool, a magnet for job and opportunity creation, a place that binds rural and urban initiatives, and something that will create civic pride. This column will reflect those points.
We don’t need to take a HudsonAlpha DNA test to know that North Alabama is blessed to have good people, wonderful communities, and bountiful natural resources. The “who cares” is that there is a welder from California, an FBI agent in Virginia, and an engineer in Tennessee who is thinking about moving to North Alabama.
When they search us, what do they find? They see TVA, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Google, and UG White. It all matters because it shows opportunity and a quality of life that is attractive.
So what is the Singing River Trail? It is a 200+ mile greenway system that will cross North Alabama from Bridgeport to the Shoals. It will connect people together at a time when we seem to be pulling apart. It will bind our communities together; embracing what makes us unique and whole while confronting challenges that have held us back.
It will be a place where you can find physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health and wellness during trying days. It will be a reason to visit North Alabama and allow someone not from here to turn to their person and say “I could live here;” creating a new worker, a better quality of life, and new opportunities in Alabama.
Lastly, it will create new jobs, businesses, and aspirations for ALL of our citizens regardless of where they live, how they live, or their circumstances.
Now, I know what you are thinking. Why would anyone hire a historian to build a 200+ mile greenway system? Because history majors have been taught and trained to do anything from public speaking, fast reading, effective writing, and to listen more and talk less (well, I try). The Singing River Trail will not be an engineering feat but an investment in the people and places of North Alabama.
Why is the Huntsville Business Journal talking about North Alabama when it only has Huntsville in its name? Because it takes a region to support Huntsville and vice versa. This column will be about Sheffield, Courtland, Guntersville, and Scottsboro and spots you have never heard of and how they will work with Huntsville and show how our region is growing. This is a Huntsville publication. We get it. But a broader picture tells a more complete story. We will show you a region full of possibilities . . . from quantum computers to milkshakes. From the Singing River Trail to the next big project.
Remember, I’m not trying to get to Mars. I am trying to get to you. w
New Premier Collaboration Debuting at Bridge Street Town Centre
By Dawn Suiter Photos courtesy of Lockhart Smokehouse
PBR Cowboy Bar and Lockhart Smokehouse has announced the selection of Bayer Properties’ Bridge Street Town Centre as its debut location of PBR x Lockhart Smokehouse. This collaboration brings together PBR Cowboy Bar’s “country cool” country western experience with Lockhart Smokehouse’s iconic Texas barbecue, creating a one-ofa-kind dining and entertainment experience.
The 8,121-square-foot eatery will feature great entertainment, including the best in country music, sports watching, and bull riding on the area’s only professionally endorsed mechanical bull. Guests can expect smoked meat classics including brisket, sausage, ribs, and other meats smoked low and slow over Texas post oak, with reimagined versions of classic Southern sides with a Lockhart Smokehouse twist rounding out the menu.
Lockhart, Texas is recognized as the “barbecue capital of Texas” and is the home of Lockhart Smokehouse, which is nationally recognized for its traditional barbecue favorites. A family-run eatery born from the legendary Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas, Lockhart Smokehouse currently has three locations in Dallas, Plano, and Arlington, Texas. The Bridge Street Town Centre location will be its first debut outside of the state.
“With Huntsville being the fastest-growing city in Alabama, the desire for first-to-market concepts only continues to rise and we are excited for PBR x Lockhart Smokehouse to join our community as Bridge Street’s premier food destination,” said Nikki Columbo, senior vice president of national accounts at Bayer Properties.
“We are excited to partner with Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Lockhart Smokehouse to launch the first location of PBR x Lockhart Smokehouse in Huntsville, Alabama,” said Judy Moore, SVP of Marketing of Live! Dining & Entertainment. “This new concept combines the best of traditional Texas barbecue with PBR’s modern cowboy cool to deliver an authentic country experience for guests. It’s the perfect addition to Bridge Street Town Centre’s growing ‘experiencedriven dining’ options and we can’t wait for the community to taste Lockhart Smokehouse’s iconic Texas barbecue.”
PBR x Lockhart Smokehouse will feature a beautiful western chic environment inspired by PBR’s country western experience. Reclaimed wood paired with polished materials and elements of rustic charm, combined with authentic smokers and custom western chandeliers, will create a fun western chic vibe to enjoy barbecue and beer.
The main restaurant space will feature a grand signature bar blending copper, textured wood, and illuminated ribbed glass. The restaurant flows out to a casual,
sophisticated outdoor patio with comfortable seating, fire pits, and string lights, welcoming guests who want to dine al fresco both day and night.
“Our PBR Cowboy Bar concept continues to expand thanks to staying true to our brand and an extraordinary partnership with Live! Dining & Entertainment,” said PBR CEO and Commissioner Sean Gleason. “PBR Cowboy Bars are now located in 10 cities around the country. To be able to continue our growth and partner with such an iconic, authentic Texas barbecue concept in Lockhart Smokehouse to create the first PBR x Lockhart Smokehouse restaurant is incredibly exciting for our brand
and for our fans.”
This announcement comes on the heels of a strong year for Bayer Properties and Bridge Street Town Centre, which recently marked the opening of the city’s first location of The Cheesecake Factory and will soon celebrate the opening of Alabama’s first location of Main Event in early 2022.
The property is also home to over 207,000 square feet of fully occupied Class-A office space, as well as a 232-room Westin hotel, 150-room Element by Westin hotel, 244-unit Seleno luxury apartment complex, and a 131-room Hyatt Place Hotel. w
New Distribution Center from Buffalo Rock Set to Open by June 13
By Noah Logan / Photo courtesy of Buffalo Rock, Hoar Construction
Buffalo Rock’s new $32 million Huntsville facility is currently slated to be operational by June 13, 2022. This comes less than a year after the provider of Pepsi soft drink beverages broke ground on the new development and less than two years after the initial agreement between Buffalo Rock and Huntsville was announced.
The facility will replace the company’s current distribution center on Old Madison Pike Road while helping Buffalo Rock to continue their company goal of growing their portfolio and providing better service to their customers.
“The purpose of the new Huntsville facility is to better serve our customers, employee partners and consumers in the North Alabama region while also supporting the strategic growth we have envisioned,” said Buffalo Rock Senior VP Wayne Wisdom in an interview with HBJ. “Our current operations will be moving to the new facility by midyear. Our customers will see real benefits from this expansion.”
Huntsville was selected as the location over various other potential homes in Northern Alabama and Georgia. One reason the company chose to remain in Huntsville is the city’s commitment to roadway improvements in the area as outlined in the agreement between the two. This included a new twolane east – west access road on the project site as well as a new threelane road that will connect the site with Alabama Highway 20. The 204,000 square foot development is located north of I-565 in the same neighborhood as the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing plant. It will spread across 55 acres of land named “Spencer Tract” in the agreement between Buffalo Rock and the city.
The design and construction of the facility was a joint effort between Buffalo Rock and Birmingham based Hoar Construction as well
as Hoar’s subsidiary, Hoar Project Management. The two companies have history together as Hoar construction is also handling Buffalo Rock’s $75 million expansion of their Birmingham facility.
“We place a great deal of value in our relationship with Buffalo Rock,” said Hoar Project Management official Jeremiah Owen. “Buffalo Rock has entrusted HPM and Hoar Construction with the programming, design and construction of the new facility. We’re very grateful to work with Buffalo Rock on a facility that will have such a great impact on their overall vision for their customers, employees and community in the Huntsville market.”
The distribution center will employ a minimum of 130 people by the end of 2022. The hourly wage of those employees will be at least $22.15. This economic impact was a large reason why the plan was strongly supported by Major Tommy Battle and was unanimously approved by the Huntsville City Council. The distribution center will add at least $5 million a year to the economy’s payroll. It will also absorb some of the operations currently held in the Tuscumbia’s distribution center that employs 87 people. Mike Hamilton, Buffalo Rock’s Regional Vice President of North Alabama, said that while this will cause a decrease in that number, the company has created opportunities for those individuals to stay employed with the company at other locations.
The expansion is just the latest chapter in Buffalo Rock’s history with Huntsville and North Alabama. The company purchased Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of the South back in 1983 which included both the Huntsville and Tuscumbia market territories. Last year Buffalo Rock celebrated 120 years of being in Business and 70 years since purchasing their first Pepsi distributorship. They are currently the largest single family owned Pepsi bottler in the United States. w
RECOGNITION
Huntsville’s Merit Bank Announces Newest Team Member
Huntsville’s Merit Bank announced the addition of David Kimrey as the Executive Vice President for commercial and private banking.
Kimrey brings more than 40 years of local banking experience to this new position.
“We are proud to welcome David Kimrey to Merit Bank,” said Will Heaps, President and CEO of Merit Bank. “David has built a strong reputation for serving our community and promoting the growth of small and medium-sized businesses. His vast knowledge and industry insight will be an asset for our customers and will help Merit Bank continue our rapid growth in the market.”
Prior to this announcement, Kimrey worked for Synovus for more than 28 years, most recently as Executive Vice President and leader of the Commercial Banking and Private Wealth Management Group. The years of lending and investment experience is something that Kimrey hopes to bring to his new position at Merit Bank.
Merit Bank is a Huntsville-based business that specializes in commercial lending and private executive banking, expansions, capital improvements, and agricultural lending, along with a myriad of other financial services.
RECOGNITION
First Community Mortgage Announces New Vice President and Mortgage Originator
In a recent announcement, First Community Mortgage (FCM) named Tracy Flesch as the company’s newest Vice President and Mortgage Originator.
Prior to working with FCM, Flesch graduated from Iowa State University and spent some time working as a sportscaster. Much of what he learned from these past experiences helped shape how he works with clients today.
“I enjoy making the process as simple, quick and convenient as possible for clients,” Flesch says, “and the entire process can be completed on-line or in-person at my office in Huntsville, always striving to provide an experience that will exceed expectations.”
Since moving into the mortgage industry, Flesh has closed over 1,800 loans and can originate mortgages in 32 states, including Tennessee and Alabama.
Flesch’s appointment represents FCM’s interest and commitment in growing the communities they operate within, especially in Huntsville, where FCM will open an office in Spring 2022.
“Tracy is a great fit for our team, having been a top producer throughout his mortgage career.” says Dan Smith, President of First Community Mortgage. “And he makes the mortgage process – which can be daunting to some – as fast, easy and painless as it can be.” RECOGNITION
NAI Chase Commercial Executive Named Chair for 2022 Candidate Guidance Committee for Alabama CCIM Chapter
NAI Chase Commercial recently announced that Douglas McCullough, Executive Vice President of Brokerage, has been named Alabama’s Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) Chair for the 2022 Candidate Guidance Committee.
Douglas attended the University of Alabama between 1969-1972, studying Business Management and Marketing. After graduating, he spent nearly 22 years working with property leasing, disposition, and management of commercial real estate before accepting a position at Chase Commercial Real Estate Services in 1999.
Shortly thereafter, Douglas graduated from Athens State University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in Management of Technology, and aided Chase Commercial in various projects dealing with tenant and landlord representation, office, industrial and retail leasing, brokerage and investment sales.
“We are delighted to congratulate Douglas McCullough for this outstanding achievement,” said Charles Grelier, CEO of NAI Chase Commercial. “We’ve long known that Douglas McCullough has made an outstanding contribution to the Alabama CCIM Chapter and are extremely proud he has been named for the mentoring program”.
The CCIM Alabama Chapter focuses on recognizing local and regional experts in commercial real estate brokerage, leasing, asset management, valuation, and investment analysis.
To date, only around 6% of all real estate agents hold this designation.
