Rising Tide - Winter 2013

PUBLISHED BY 2201 Jack warner Parkway tuscaloosa, al 35401 (205) 758-7588

A Word from Our Leadership

www.tuscaloosachamber.com

EDITOR robin Jenkins

a SSISTan T EDITOR

ryan Phillips

BOaRD OF aDVISORS

ashley Gill

Jheovanny Gomez

molly ingram

fitzgerald washington

PHOTOGRaPHER

Barry fikes

DESIGn

lashonda robinson

PREPRESS ManaGER

Chuck Jones

aDVERTISInG EXECUTIVE

kimberly adams (205) 722-0176

On THE COVER DCh photo by Barry fikes

at nucor, we put our culture first, and a huge part of that culture is ensuring that our folks help support the community in which we live. that means we support many things – our schools, businesses and certainly healthcare.

like nucor, DCh health system is a major employer and an economic engine in our area. But more importantly, DCh hospitals are where some of the most important events in our lives occur. it is at DCh regional medical Center or northport medical Center where we welcome the newest members of our families, and it’s where we bring those we love when they are injured or ill.

the people of nucor appreciate the DCh health system, and we are proud to use their services. as a member of both the Chamber of Commerce and the DCh foundation boards, i see up close the critical economic, personal, and even physical nature of our need for DCh health system. i hope you will also, and i encourage you to support their leadership as they work hard to ensure that your hospitals stay in a state of continuous improvement, even as the conditions in the healthcare industry become more and more challenging.

randy skagen

Vice President & General manager, nucor steel tuscaloosa Board of Directors, Chamber of Commerce of west alabama Board of Directors, DCh foundation

J IM PaGE, CCE President & CEO (205) 391-0562 jim@tuscaloosachamber.com

D O nnY J O n ES, IOM Chief Operating Officer (205) 391-0552 donny@tuscaloosachamber.com

T R aCY C RUMPTO n Director of Finance and Operations (205) 391-0554 tracy@tuscaloosachamber.com

M EL E SPEY Membership Development Specialist (205) 391-0553 mel@tuscaloosachamber.com

S TaCEY Gann

Director of Leadership Development and Events (205) 391-0559 stacey@tuscaloosachamber.com

LOWan Da Ja MES Director of Information Services (205) 758-7588 lowanda@tuscaloosachamber.com

R OBI n J E nk I n S Director of Communications and Marketing (205) 391-0561 robin@tuscaloosachamber.com

J ILL M C D O na LD Executive assistant (205) 391-0555 jill@tuscaloosachamber.com

Ca ROLYn T UBBS assistant Director of Education and Events (205) 391-0556 carolyn@tuscaloosachamber.com

LOO W HITFIELD

Director of Education and Workforce Development (205) 391-0563

loo@tuscaloosachamber.com

Adapt to Change

DCH is facing some of the biggest challenges health care has faced since the 1960s, according to Bryan kindred, president/CEO of the DCH Health System.

“hospitals, particularly hospitals in alabama where reimbursements are already low, are looking at several very difficult years of government cutbacks and take-backs, not to mention the transition to the affordable Care act, also known as obamacare,” kindred said.

“ the political and financial reality is that the federal and state governments will continue to balance their budgets at the expense of hospitals for the foreseeable future.”

why do hospitals find themselves in this situation? the federal government, which pays for about half of the nation’s health care bill, is intent on cutting the amount of money it spends for health care. and k indred said they’re taking most of that money from hospitals. on average medicare already pays hospitals less than what it costs to care for the patient, but now they are cutting reimbursement because of sequestration, which is a washington term for across-the-board cuts that came about because Congress can’t agree on a budget.

“ we expect these cuts to cost us about $4 million a year, and there’s no telling how long the cuts will last,” k indred said.

meanwhile, the government is taking back money hospitals earned caring for medicare patients. k indred said auditors are going through charts looking for reasons to make hospitals repay the government for a patient’s treatment. the auditors get to keep a percentage of what they reject, which is perhaps why they end up taking back payment for more than 80 percent of the files they review. hospitals have been told that the auditors can review even more charts every month, which k indred said

could reduce DCh’s bottom line by about $8 million annually.

hospitals are also dealing with changes related to obamacare.

“most of the regulations aren’t even written yet, so we don’t know all that we’re facing, but we don’t expect obamacare to benefit hospitals,” k indred said.

one change is a reduction in reimbursement to Disproportionate share hospitals, hospitals like DCh that treat a higher percentage of indigent patients. k indred said the government says that the Disproportionate share money won’t be needed because more poor people will be covered by insurance under obamacare.

“many experts doubt that argument and warn that hospitals will continue to see many uncovered patients while dealing with another major funding cut,” k indred said. “for DCh, the expected reduction in Disproportionate share funds will be about $2.5 million in 2014, and it will get worse each year.”

meanwhile, the alabama legislature has completely revamped the state medicaid system. hospitals still don’t know much about it, but officials at DCh and other hospitals expect there will be less reimbursement for hospitals under the new plan.

so, what does this mean for DCh and the communities it serves? k indred said that the reductions will not affect the quality of the day-to-day care DCh hospitals provide to their patients. the reductions in revenue are coming off their reserve and their capital expenses.

“our projected reserve for the current fiscal year is 2.4 percent,” k indred said. “ we would normally hope for a reserve of at least 5 percent to ensure we have the funds we need for future operations.”

k indred said DCh is putting off as many major purchases and renovation projects as they can until the health care marketplace and washington settle down. “But just as with your business, your church or your home, we can’t be the organization we need to be if we must continue to survive on reduced reserves and postponed projects,” k indred said.

hospital officials said while times will be tough for larger hospitals, many of this nation’s rural hospitals will be in real trouble. rural hospitals tend to treat more medicare and medicaid patients, so these reductions in medicare and medicaid reimbursement will have a greater effect on them. and because most rural hospitals don’t have the reserve of larger hospitals, many of them will have a hard time coping with these cutbacks.

so how can you help? k indred said you can help your medical community and your community as a whole by using your local hospital and your local physicians for your health care needs.

“DCh regional medical Center and northport medical Center have proven themselves worthy of your confidence, and your support will help ensure that the range of services and physicians will continue to be available in this community,” k indred said.

“our Congressional delegation has been very supportive,” k indred said. “ thank them for their efforts, and encourage them to continue to remind the government bureaucracies that the decisions they make have a real effect on institutions and on the people who work in those institutions and on the people who depend on those institutions for their health care.”

and k indred said that during this difficult and uncertain era, philanthropy has never been more important for the DCh health system.

“Your financial support would be greatly appreciated, and we promise any gift will be put to good use,” he said.

“ the DCh health system has continually provided high-quality, compassionate community-based health services to the communities we serve,” k indred said. “ we ask for your support as we work to ensure that continues until the next century.”

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PHiLANTHrOPy

at DCH Health System

Philanthropy has always been vital to the DCh health system, according to molly B. ingram, vice president of development for the DCh foundation.

“every significant advance at DCh has happened thanks to the philanthropic power of this community,” she said. “ the very first DCh was built with $100,000 in community donations, and another $25,000 was added within a week for additional equipment. in 1923, that was an enormous amount of money.”

through the years, DCh gained an open heart surgery program, a new emergency room and the lewis and faye manderson Cancer Center. and all of these advances were supported, if not initiated, by the generosity and engagement of our entire community, she said.

“and those were just the capital projects,” she said. “every day, dedicated community volunteers and donors work with the DCh foundation to help cancer patients through the Breast Cancer fund and the help and hope Patient assistance fund, to support our newest families through the finn and Quinley Children and infants’ fund and to tend to spiritual needs with the help of the Pettus randall Pastoral Care endowment.”

thousands of people each year support these funds through DCh foundation events, annual appeals and their own energy and work.

“every gift matters, whether it’s sending $10 to submit votes for the “Bras for a Cause” campaign, buying a chance to win a jewelry surprise from hudson-Poole at BBQ and Blue Jeans, confirming a reservation to the

foundation Ball or making a $5 million estate gift to name the Cancer Center,” ingram said. “ when everyone comes together to support DCh, the community’s health system will find a stronger and steadier path through the myriad challenges from washington and montgomery.”

as DCh faces these challenges, philanthropy will once again be needed for far more than “extras,” she said.

“Philanthropy will be essential to DCh’s continuous pursuit of excellent health care for west alabama,” ingram said. “everyone will need DCh someday, so everyone should share in its wellbeing and support it. all financial support is greatly appreciated, and you can rest assured all gifts will be put to the highest and best use within the system.”

For 90 years your friends and neighbors at DCH have been providing the best in health care right here at home. Now DCH is literally as close as your desktop, laptop or mobile device. Join us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for health news, health tips, local health events and more. For up-to-date information about our ser vices and health care topics, sign up for our eNewsletter at our web site dchsystem.com.

DCH Health System. Caring. For life.

When you need a business loan* to help your company expand or take advantage of a new opportunity, you can trust the experts at Bank of Tuscaloosa. As your neighbors in the community, our business lending team is committed to finding the lending solution to meet your unique situation. And we offer the kind of personal service you can only get from a neighborhood bank. So whether you need to finance new equipment, move to a larger space or open a branch office, go to the bank that’s so committed to community, we call it home Neighbor helping neighbor at the Bank of Tuscaloosa.

Mark Sullivan Cullen Smith

Ben Welch

recent rECOgNiTiONS

DCH Regional Medical Center and northport Medical Center have received recognition from some of the nation’s top health care organizations.

Top Performers on key Quality Measures

DCh regional medical Center and northport medical Center have been named top Performers on key Quality measures® by the Joint Commission, the leading accrediting organization for health care organizations in america.

the Joint Commission recognized the regional medical Center and northport medical Center for what it called “exemplary performance” in using evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care.

top Performer status is awarded to hospitals that attain excellence in accountability measure performance. accountability measures are quality measures that meet criteria that produce the greatest positive impact on patient outcomes when hospitals demonstrate improvement on them. for example, an accountability measure for heart attack is getting the patient to the cardiac catheterization lab within 90 minutes of arrival, and the surgical care category includes several measures involving the best use of antibiotics to prevent infections.

Manderson Cancer Center renews its affiliation with MD anderson Cancer network™

Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care

DCh regional medical Center has again been designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care by Blue Cross and Blue shield of alabama. it was first designated a Blue Distinction Center in 2010.

to be designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care, the regional medical Center met selection criteria related to experience, quality and patient outcomes. a Blue Distinction Center must perform a certain number of heart cases and its cardiac team must have an appropriate level of experience.

a Blue Distinction Center must have intensive care, emergency and a full range of cardiac services. the regional medical Center offers comprehensive cardiac care services, including an emergency department, inpatient cardiac care, cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac catheterization and cardiac surgery, including coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

the lewis and faye manderson Cancer Center at DCh regional medical Center has renewed its regional affiliation with mD anderson Cancer network™, a program of the university of texas mD anderson Cancer Center in houston. mD anderson Cancer Center is one of the world’s most respected leaders in cancer care and ranked no. 1 in the nation by u s news & world report’s “Best Cancer hospitals” survey for nine of the past 11 years, including 2012.

the renewal of this collaboration will provide certified physicians at DCh regional medical Center with access to evidence-based guidelines, treatment plans and concordance studies developed by mD anderson experts.

HomeCare Elite

DCh home health Care agency has been named in the top 5 percent of the home health agencies in the united states by a national health care information company.

the homeCare elite identifies the top 25 percent of agencies and further highlights the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall. winners are ranked by an analysis of publicly available performance measures in quality outcomes, process measure implementation, patient experience (home health CahPs), quality improvement and financial performance.

the report ranked DCh home health Care agency in the top 500 of the nation’s more than 10,000 medicare-certified home health agencies, placing it in the top 5 percent, according to the study.

MD Anderson again ranks No. 1 in cancer care in the U.S.

Through the Lewis and Faye Manderson Cancer Center’s affiliation with MD Anderson Cancer Network™, West Alabama residents now have access to cancer care based on guidelines developed by MD Anderson. Our certified physicians closely collaborate with MD Anderson and bring evidence-based clinical care for almost every type and phase of cancer This exclusive local affiliation brings a higher level of cancer care to Central Alabama. That’s why we say, hope looks like the Lewis and Faye Manderson Cancer Center

“America’s Best Hospitals” survey was recently published by U.S. News & World Report, and once again The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ranked No. 1 in cancer care. MD Anderson has been in the top two rankings since the survey’s inception in 1990.

809 University Boulevard East | Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 | 205.759.7800 | 800.338.2948 Accredited

On The Business End of Obamacare

many businesses finally woke up to the reality of the Patient Protection and affordable Care act in late september this year. that was when employers started delivering required notices to employees signaling the availability of health insurance exchanges. since then, americans have learned a lot about the law commonly referred to as obamacare.

first we learned that healthcare.gov, the online health insurance exchange portal for 36 states including alabama, was broken despite having spent approximately $175 million for a Canadian company to develop it. then many people learned their health insurance rates went up, benefits went down, and out of pocket expenses such as deductibles and co-pays increased as they were told they could not keep the old plans they liked because they were cancelled in favor of new federally mandated plans – something that apparently surprised even the President. Just recently we learned that six people in the entire country successfully signed up for insurance via healthcare.gov on its october 1 launch date.

there were even more surprises leading up to the recent revelations. for example, the employer mandate that would require employers with 50 or more full time employees to provide minimum essential group health insurance at affordable standards or pay a penalty was delayed a year from 2014 to 2015, while the individual mandate requiring each person to acquire coverage was not. this decision was a boon for large employers who offered no group health insurance or insurance that did not meet the minimum care and affordability standards. for at least one year, the easiest or perhaps only choice for their employees is to purchase individual policies as opposed to their employer’s policy which in turn likely reduces an employer’s participation rate when their offering becomes available in 2015.

meanwhile, for employers with fewer than 50 employees the decision tree is much simpler. there is no requirement to offer group health insurance leaving the decision to offer insurance to be driven by market forces impacting the ability to attract and retain qualified people. some in this group have decided to simply “get out of the health care insurance business.”

we arrived at this point on the proposition that health care insurance is a fundamental right. Yet the use of employersponsored health insurance programs rose during world war ii as employers fought to staff factories in a tight labor market but could not compete by increasing wages because of federally mandated wage controls. when the national war labor Board decreed that health insurance benefits would not be counted as part of wages for that purpose, the race was on. Companies began competing

BY tom sCro GG ins

for workers by offering health insurance and it has become a staple of benefit packages ever since.

the whole process is frustrating and confusing as the nation watches the different pieces and parts of obamacare start to assemble and function. the effects have been startling and unexpected. some businesses have tabled hiring or business plans until the full effect of the law is known, and labor unions have severely criticized the law because of its impact on health benefits provided under collective bargaining agreements. restaurants, hospitality, and other industries typically staffed by youthful, short-tenured workers that eschew group health insurance even when offered are some of the hardest hit. all of it has employers rethinking how they offer or pay for health insurance including the consideration of switching to defined contribution plans built around a set dollar amount instead of a percentage of premium costs.

as businesses come to grips with this new reality, there are other pieces about to fall into place.

Illustration by Anthony Bratina

• The individual mandate becomes effective Jan. 1, 2014. This is likely to create an enrollment spike for employers offering health insurance plans. for businesses where participation rates have been low, expect plan costs to rise as employees satisfy their coverage requirement.

• Employers must report the aggregate value of any employer sponsored health care plan on employees’ w2 forms. this is only for informational purposes for now, but the tax-preferred treatment of employer sponsored health care insurance has been under fire in recent years as a way to help fill the gap in federal spending deficits.

• Employees are no longer permitted to pay individual health insurance plan premiums out of an employer-sponsored flexible spending account, which gave those premiums pre-tax treatment. the government is effectively limiting its subsidies for health care insurance to two places only: employer sponsored plans or exchange plans for people who qualify financially. this eliminates employees’ ability to find a plan they like tailored for their needs and pay for it with pre-tax dollars.

• The “Cadillac” plan 40 percent excise tax begins in 2018 for all plans that exceed $10,200 for individual coverage premium costs or $27,500 for family coverage. while it was initially believed that this would only impact high-value plans, increases in premiums may impact more plans than originally intended.

the affordable Care act has myriad and complex requirements for employers. Complying with them requires consultation with plan administrators and seeking professional legal and accounting advice. while the delay of the employer mandate has caused many employers to continue a “wait and see” approach to obamacare, planning now can help mitigate more unexpected impacts later.

“Companies began competing for workers by offering health insurance and it has become a staple of benefit packages ever since.”

AT TORNEYS AT LAW

Tanner & Guin is committed to providing excellent legal representation to clients. We serve our clients in the areas of finance, bankruptcy, bond law, business acquisitions, taxation, labor and employment, construction law, estate planning, and litigation. We look forward to serving our clients with the integrity on which our reputation has been built.

Tom Scroggins is an attorney with Tanner & Guin, LLC and is on the Board of Directors of The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama

2013 Washington Fly-in

a large Chamber delegation visited washington, DC oct. 9–11. highlights were a breakfast with sen. marco rubio (r-fl) and a luncheon with sen. mitch mcConnell (r-kY), senate minority leader. also, local issues were discussed with legislators and our group enjoyed a beautiful evening cruise on the Potomac as well as sight-seeing. Glad to offer our members this opportunity for interaction! a big thanks to our sponsors: Capital Growth Buchalter, inc., merrill lynch, D.t. & freight Co., inc., ttl inc. and southland Benefit solutions.

Gina Simpson of The Edge, Kathie Carnes of Capital Growth Buchalter, Inc. and Jerry Pike of Eagles’ Wings at the Opening Reception.

Northport officials with Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) (center) at the Opening Reception.

2013 Chamber Chairman Fitzgerald Washington of Buffalo Rock/Pepsi, Dr. Elizabeth Swinford of the Tuscaloosa County Schools, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Bob Lundell of the City of Tuscaloosa and Mrs. Sessions at the Opening Reception.

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) addresses our group at breakfast.

Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) addresses the delegation on Capitol Hill.

Tom Scroggins of Tanner & Guin, LLC, Kathie Carnes of Capital Growth Buchalter, Inc. and Chamber President Jim Page on the dinner cruise.

Dr. Elizabeth Swinford of the Tuscaloosa County Schools, Joan Davis of Shelton State Community College, Bobby Howard of the City of Tuscaloosa, Ronald Range of Shelton State Community College and Ralph Ruggs of the Housing Authority enjoy the dinner cruise.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) addresses our group at breakfast.

E-Cycling Event Makes Impact

our 2013 e-Cycling event, presented sept. 6-7 at the university mall back parking lot, was once again popular with the community. over 1,000 vehicles came through with electronic waste for recycling, avoiding our local landfills. Big thanks to our Chamber ambassadors and the cities of tuscaloosa and northport for helping to make this possible.

area Golfers Support adopt-a-School Golf Tournament

thanks to title sponsor nucor steel tuscaloosa and eagle sponsors american General life Companies, ellis architects, harrison Construction Company, learning experiences, mcGiffert & associates, Phifer inc. and Planit solutions, the 23rd annual nucor steel tuscaloosa adopt-a-school Benefit Golf tournament was held on sept. 19 at ol’ Colony Golf Course. thirty-two teams participated representing 21 area public schools. the Brookwood oil team (pictured) had the lowest net score, claiming rights for Brookwood high to display the winning trophy until next year. the victory also secured $500 for the school. oakdale elementary, Cottondale elementary and holt high tied for having the most golfers and each received a cash award. westwood elementary school will receive a cash award for the random drawing from all schools represented. this annual event provides critical funding for the coordination of aas

Earl Mitchell named northport Citizen of the Year, Five Others Recognized

we presented the 2013 northport Citizen of the Year program on oct. 1 at five Points Baptist Church. earl mitchell, manager of sunset funeral home, was named the 2013 northport Citizen of the Year (center). he was honored for the compassion he has shown in his profession over many years as well as his work in community organizations. o ther winners are pictured. sergeant heath smitherman of the northport Police Department was named Public safety leader of the Year, Benny ormond Chappell was named northport historian/Pioneer of the Year, leon kemp, President of northwest supply Company, was named Business leader of the Year, lucy sellers, Principal at northport elementary school, was named educator of the Year and Chris Greene, Youth Pastor at Christ harbor united methodist Church, was named religious leader of the Year.

annette Shelby Headlines Women’s Division Fall Luncheon

our women’s Division presented its annual fall luncheon featuring guest speaker Dr. annette shelby (pictured) on oct. 3 at indian hills Country Club. this pure service group continues to grow and supports many community service programs through its dues.

Chamber Hosts Open House

we celebrated your new facility on oct. 15 with an open house and ribbon cutting. thanks to those that stopped by to wish us well and to check out the great meeting rooms we have available for members to use. our address is 2201 Jack warner Parkway (across from the Bank of tuscaloosa Plaza).

reserve your seat, contact Ann Smith at 205-764-1262. Afternoon & evening workshops held twice a month.

YP(t) Presents Inaugural Bama Brew & Que

organized by our Young Professionals of tuscaloosa group or YP(t), this event was held nov 1-2 by the amphitheater and was a big hit! i t is our hope that it will grow into an annual signature event for our community. winners are: smokin’ Butt Crew (overall Grand Champion and Brisket), schoolin’ Q (ribs and sauce), the specialists (Chicken) and Butts, Bellies and Buddies, too (Pork). Photo by Jamie Cicatiello of Grace aberdean habitat alchemy.

School Counselors Tour 2013 Held approximately 60 city and county school counselors attended our event at mBusi on nov. 6. Phil Johnston, VP of operations, gave an overview of the plant and a peek into future plans. Chamber Coo Donny Jones talked briefly about tuscaloosa’s economy. we also had a panel of four hr Directors to talk to the counselors about their company and their hiring expectations, need for workers and the entry level salaries. afterwards, the counselors were bused to BlG logistics for a tour of their facility.

School Superintendent Headlines northport advisory Council Meeting

our northport advisory Council met on nov. 6 at wintzell’s for a luncheon with the tuscaloosa County school superintendent, Dr. elizabeth swinford, who provided an update on the system with a focus on northport schools. it was a great opportunity to meet swinford, who is still new to her role. the school system is a vital part of our business community so the event was well attended.

Business Expo Held at november Mixer

our western-themed november mixer at Bryant Conference Center provided a good crowd for a Business expo, which was held in conjunction with it. many minority-owned businesses were present. Pictured are Deborah anders and robin Bailey of the legacy Connection.

new $9 Million Business Incubator Facility on 10th avenue Planned federal dollars will construct an estimated $9.31 million facility for our business incubator, the eDGe — Center for entrepreneurship and innovation, which was formed last year and has seen many businesses grow from its current location downtown to business spaces of their own. we learned recently from sen. richard shelby’s office that the u.s. Department of Commerce’s economic Development administration is awarding the City of tuscaloosa $5.06 million to construct the facility. the remaining $4.25 million, allocated by the u.s. Department of housing and urban Development for storm recovery efforts, will go toward engineering, site preparation and other aspects of completing the building on the former site of the u s armed forces reserve Center on 10th avenue.

COMING FALL 2014: ALBERTA SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS!

Over the past four years, the system has demonstrated growth in all grade levels in reading and math, according to results of state-mandated tests.* We invite you to review the results for yourself at WWW.TUSCALOOSACITYSCHOOLS.COM

Chamber Chairman Fitzgerald Washington of Buffalo Rock/Pepsi

Chamber Ambassador Kyle Murphy of Buffalo Rock/Pepsi

Chamber Ambassador Chairman Chris Gunter of Buffalo Rock/Pepsi

The Tuscaloosa City Schools is continuing its effort to move students ahead with these innovative programs:

*Alabama Reading and Math Test Plus (ARMT+); Alabama Reading and Math Test (ARMT); Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE).

R HODES & R HODES Fa MILY D E n TISTRY

7402 Hwy 69 South, Ste. H • Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 (205) 344-9220 • www.rhodesfamilydental.com • Melinda Rhodes, DDS

Sna P F IT n ESS

7402 Hwy 69 South, Ste. E-F • Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 (205) 331-4772 • www.snapfitness.com/taylorvilleal • Mitch McDonald

T USC a LOOS a B URGER

1014 7th Ave. • Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 • (205) 764-1976

Daniel Robinson

R&R C IG a R

2703 6th Street • Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (205) 722-2741 • www.randrcigars.com • Reagan Starner

T HE T I n TOP R ESTaUR an T & OYSTER Ba R

2330 4th St. • Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (205) 462-3399 • www.tintoprestaurant.com

Falls

W HICH W ICH S UPERIOR San DWICHES 1800 McFarland Blvd Suite 122 • Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 (205) 469-9082

Za MBOO k I, LLC

1902 hackberry lane tuscaloosa, alabama 35401 (205) 792-1155

www.zambooki.com

heath hendrix

The following will invest annually, over five years, funding the new economic and community development plan for our region! THank YOU!

GaMECHanGERS - $25,000+ annUaLLY

CHaIRMan’S CIRCLE - $15,000+ annUaLLY

CEO COUnCIL - $10,000+ annUaLLY aramark; at&t; the Bank of tuscaloosa; BfGoodrich tire manufacturing; Bryant Bank; expo Displays; Jamisonmoneyfarmer PC; knight sign industries, inc.; merrill lynch; Phifer inc.; rumsey environmental; harrison Galleries/hfs holdings; ua College of arts & sciences; Yellow Book usa

PRESIDEnT’S FORUM - $7,500+ annUaLLY ua Culverhouse College of Commerce

InVESTOR LEaDERS - $5,000+ annUaLLY

a&B electric Co.; advantage realty Group, inc.; afflink; alabama Gas Corporation; alabama Power Company; BB&t; Cintas; College station Properties; ellis architects, inc.; harrison Construction, inc.; mcGiffert & associates, llC; Pritchett-moore inc.; rosen harwood, Pa; sealy furniture Company; thompson tractor Company, inc.; totalCom, inc.; war Construction, inc.; the whmZ Group at morgan stanley; ward scott architecture

GROWTH PaRTnERS - $2,500+ annUaLLY

advance Disposal; alabama Credit union; alabama one Credit union; almon associates, inc.; BBVa Compass Bank; Blue Cross/Blue shield of alabama; Boone newspapers, inc.; Buffalo rock Company/Pepsi Cola; Community service Programs of west alabama; D.t. & freight Company; eberspaecher north america, inc.; fitts agency; Green Beverage Company; harbin & stough, PC; Jalapenos mexican Grill; moody radio south; Parker towing Company, inc.; spiller associated furniture stores; southland Benefit solutions, llC; tennis Jackson electric Co., inc.; ttl, inc.; tuscaloosa Credit union; tuscaloosa teachers Credit union; way, ray, shelton & Company, PC; walter energy, inc.; which which superior sandwiches

COMMUnITY COLLEaGUES - $1,500+ annUaLLY

Barry fikes Photography; the Builders Group of west alabama, llC; Capstone Bank; Chick-fil-a of northport; Duckworth-morris real estate; first national Bank of Central alabama; first south farm Credit; friday oil Company, inc.; hampton inns of tuscaloosa; hudson-Poole fine Jewelers; ise innomotive systems u s., inc.; Jessup, ingram, Burns & associates, llP; kyle office solutions; lewis, smyth, winter & ford, llC; the locker room; morrison & smith, llP; renasant Bank; rex Veron Design, llC; robertson Banking Company; sentell engineering, inc.; tuscaloosa Chevrolet, inc.; walker associates, inc.

OTHER annUaL COMMITMEnTS

Gilmore, Poole & rowley; stressCrete, inc.; Yeager & Christian, PC

Our business is solving your problems and keeping your home safe and comfor table. That ’s what we’ve been doing since 1992. Many homes we visit have heating and cooling safety issues, significant energy losses, or elec trical problems. Take advantage of this free oppor tunity to check the safety of your home. When a member of our ser vice team knocks on your door, you can count on the technician’s sk ill, confidence and experience.

Membership 101

5 WaYS TO GET InVOLVED WITH THE CHaMBER

the Chamber of Commerce of west alabama allows you to connect, grow, and succeed through a variety of channels. But what does this really mean? and what’s the best way to reap the full benefits? there are many ways to get started, but here are five you should consider today.

attend an Event

the Chamber offers many events, from a large speaker series to smaller, more informal networking events. these are tailored towards all businesses, with something for everyone. Visit the calendar on our website and pick one or two in the coming month or so.

Sign Up for our Emails

this is the best way to keep informed on all things Chamber – from our programs, events and advocacy efforts to legislative updates. email robin@tuscaloosachamber.com to sign up.

Professional Training & Leadership Programs

the Chamber offers professional training opportunities at prices well below market rates and also has a signature leadership development program, leadership tuscaloosa. information for both can be found on our website.

Check Out our Opportunities for Involvement List

this sheet summarizes our current committees and areas of work. You can find it under “ the Chamber” header on our website.

Follow Us on Social Media

the Chamber’s social network is the most expansive among the region’s business community. through twitter and facebook, we share Chamber updates and top business stories. search for us by typing in “chambertusc.”

“We joined the Chamber in September of this year. It was a very exciting moment for us as friends and family gathered at our dental office to witness our ribbon cutting ceremony.

We have participated in several meet and greet functions that allowed us to mingle with both new and veteran business owners. Communicating with these people and discovering that we share similar experiences and helping each other avoid costly pitfalls has been amazing. We have met many people we can now call friends.

We have also received advice on advertising, communication systems, insurance and information technology, which has been very helpful to us. We encourage all business owners to actively participate in the Chamber. Our relationship has proven to be mutually beneficial and a great way to alert the community of our presence.”

- Melinda Rhodes, DDS

Left: Melinda Rhodes, DDS • Right: Belinda Rhodes, DDS

Dan Blakley regions Bank

2014 Board of Directors

Dr. Judy Bonner the university of alabama

Bobby Bragg

Jamisonmoneyfarmer, PC

Cynthia Burton Community service Programs of west alabama

Brock Corder the Builders Group of west alabama, llC

Mark Crews alabama Power Company

norman Crow (Chair elect) D. t. & freight Company, inc.

Jay Evans roar, llC/College station Properties

ashley Gill Chick-fil-a of northport

Jheovanny Gomez Jalapenos mexican Grill

Lee Henderson smoothie king/which wich

Cal Holt knight sign industries, inc.

Jonathan Hood first national Bank of Central alabama

Molly Ingram DCh health system

Felyicia Jerald mercedes-Benz u.s. international, inc.

Renwick Jones Consultant

Blake Madison rosen harwood, Pa

Dean McClure ttl, inc.

kim McMurray ward scott architecture

Wilson Moore Pritchett –moore, inc.

Gary nichols mcabee Construction, inc.

Jim Page (President and Ceo) Chamber of Commerce of west alabama

Gary Phillips Premier service Co., inc.

Jordan Plaster (Chair) merrill lynch

Gene Poole hudson-Poole fine Jewelers

Dr. Samory Pruitt the university of alabama

Ralph Ruggs tuscaloosa housing authority

Tom Scroggins tanner & Guin, llC

Randy Skagen nucor steel tuscaloosa, inc.

Luke Standeffer northport medical Center

Chuck Turner tennis Jackson Co., inc./Jackson security services

Rex Veron rex Veron Design, llC

Jason Walker walker associates, inc.

Fitzgerald Washington (Past Cahir) Buffalo rock Company/Pepsi Cola

Terry Waters Department of Postsecondary education

Bryan Winter lewis, smyth, winter & ford, llC

New Members

au G ust 23 - no V em B er 14

B aG 101

312 merchants walk tuscaloosa, al 35406 (205) 722-2298

Geri nell hamm Gift Shop / Boutique

B ELC an CORPOR aTIO n 6561 highway 69 south tuscaloosa, al 35405

www.belcancorporation.com (205) 561-6672

J. D. feagin Employment Contractors / Staffing

Ca RI n G Han DS H OSPICE, In C.

4930 rice mine road n e ste. 103 tuscaloosa, al 35406

www.caringhandshopicecare.com (205) 349-3065

Greg martin Hospice (Main)

C RE aTIVE V ISIO n S Lan DSC a PI n G

8405 hwy 43 north northport, al 35473 (205) 339-8889

Charles reese Landscape / Lawn Care / Maintenance

C RIMSO n Ca RPET & F LOORI n G

1703 Greensboro ave. tuscaloosa, al 35401

www.crimsoncarpet.com (205) 345-4895

toddDockery

Floor Coverings / Carpet / Rug / Tile / Hardwood (Main)

D ORROH & aSSOCI aTES, P.C. 1800 mcfarland Boulevard, north, ste. 180 tuscaloosa, al 35406

www.dorrohlaw.com (205) 345-2800

Joel Dorroh

Attorneys - Lawyers / Law, Legal Services

D U nk I n’S P H a RM aCY 7700 hwy 69 s., ste. a tuscaloosa, al 35405

www.dutchpharmacy.net/dunkins-pharmacy (205) 345-4410

Chris Barwick Drug Stores / Pharmacies

E LITE S IG naTURE P ROPERTIES, LL

6521 hwy 69 s., ste. f tuscaloosa, al 35405

www.elitesignatureproperties.com (205) 343-3534

lemona stacy Real Estate / Realty / Realtors

E MPOWERI n G P UMPS, LLC

P.o. Box 2313 tuscaloosa, al 35403

www.empoweringpumps.com (205) 391-8422

Charli matthews

Publishing / Online Media

J OE H UDSO n’S COLLISO n C E n TER 301 mcfarland Blvd. northport, al 35476

www.jhcc.biz (205) 469-1876

Cynthia Crewe Automobile / Collision Repair

L & J H E aTI n G an D COOLI n G 57 el Dorado east tuscaloosa, al 35405

www.clarkworkshvac.com (205) 556-1219

Jack Clark

Contractors - HVAC / Air Conditioning / Heating

Ma PCO

5101 oscar Baxter Blvd. tuscaloosa, al 35405

teresa kravec

Convenience Stores / Gas Stations

O’C H a RLEY’S R ESTaUR an T 3799 mcfarland Blvd. tuscaloosa, al 35405 (205) 556-5143

Jodi Pereau Restaurants (Main)

P I nnaCLE CO n STRUCTIO n 1655 mcfarland Blvd., n. ste. 112 tuscaloosa, al 35406

www.pinnacle-construction.net (205) 523-5743

alex thames

Contractor - Roofing / Renovations

S Tan LEYCO., LLC

13839 roanoke Dr. Cottondale, al 35453

www.southernsteampro.com (205) 792-7166

Jared olvey Steam Clean - carpet / Upholstery / Tile / Grout

S YD n EY COO k & aSSOCI aTES 535 Jack warner Parkway, ne, ste. f tuscaloosa, al 35403 (205) 242-0817

sydney Cook

Attorneys - Lawyers / Law

TMS COU n SELI n G LLC

720 energy Center Blvd., ste. 503 northport, al 35473 (205) 764-0850

takesha shannon

Counselors - Licensed

T USC a LOOS a COU n TRY C LUB 3700 6th st. tuscaloosa, al 35401

www.tccgolf.net (205) 759-5535

key mckinley Golf Courses - Public / Restaurants (Main)

T USC a LOOS a F OCUS MD LLC

720 energy Center Blvd., ste. 504 northport, al 35473

www.focus-med.com/adhd-clinic-locations/ tuscaloosa-al/ (205) 394-5876

mark thomas

Physicians - Diagnosis Treatment for ADHD

T USC a LOOS a S OUTHER nLI n C STORE 1110 15th st., ste. l tuscaloosa, al 35401

www.southernlinc.com (205) 330-5462

mark mcGahey

Wireless Communication

W RIGHT Pa I n TI n G S ERVICE, LLC 911 12th street, sw fayette, al 35555 (205) 242-5733

Bernard wright

Contractors - Painting / Roofing / Carpentry

jANUAry

Chamber’s annual Meeting

16

FEBrUAry Calendar of Events

our annual meeting, celebrating the progress and volunteers for the year 2013, will be held on the evening of Jan. 16. Details to come.

7 Downtown T-Town Event

on the first friday of each month, our Downtown t-town committee presents an event. Plan to come Downtown on feb. 7 from 5-8p.m. located off 6th st., near Government Plaza, this event will offer pop up vendors, street musicians and store specials. whether you choose to dine at one of our fine restaurants, shop at our stores or galleries, or just stroll around Government Plaza, and we look forward to seeing you!

Veterans appreciation & Information Day

22

Chamber members will provide product/service information and discounts to veterans on feb. 22 from 10a.m.-3p.m. in the shelton state Community College atrium. also, veterans are encouraged to bring resumes. refreshments will be provided. Call 758.7588 for details.