Personnel note: Birmingham Business Alliance names Fred McCallum interim president, CEO
The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) announced retired AT&T Alabama President Fred McCallum has been named interim president and CEO on Thursday. McCallum is a former BBA chairman. “We are proud to have Fred join the BBA in this transitional time,” said Nancy Goedecke, 2019 Chairwoman of the BBA. “His leadership and prominence in the business community – both local and statewide – will ensure the BBA remains on solid ground during the search for a permanent CEO. We are confident Fred will set a strong example of collaboration and cooperation for the organization moving forward.” In addition to serving as Chairman of the BBA in 2013, McCallum was an active member of the Public Policy Committee for many years and served in volunteer roles during the creation of the BBA in 2009 and in its first strategic plan, Blueprint Birmingham. He will oversee daily operations of the BBA during the search for a permanent president and CEO, being conducted by the BBA’s Executive Committee. “I’m excited to return to the work of the BBA and serve its investors and the Birmingham business community in this role,” said McCallum. “My priorities will be to ensure that the BBA remains focused on growing jobs in the Birmingham region and that we are meeting the needs of our investors. This isa transformative time for Birmingham and the BBA, as we recognize our 10th year of helping our region grow.” McCallum is taking over for current BBA CEO Brian Hilson who announced his resignation last month in order to take another economic development position in the state. His new position has yet to be announced.
Big 5 Chambers, CCAA throw their support behind Kay Ivey’s gas tax plan
With a vote expected to take place in the State House on Friday, more groups are publicly taking a stand in support of Gov. Kay Ivey‘s proposed 10 cent-per-gallon increase in the state gas tax. The “Big 5 Chambers” of Alabama — Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce and The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama — and the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama (CCAA) have united with the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) to urge their support for Ivey’s Rebuild Alabama bill in to strengthen Alabama’s infrastructure. “The BBA supports the Rebuild Alabama Act and its intended purpose of increasing Alabama’s public investment in transportation infrastructure, promoting economic growth and increasing public safety on Alabama’s roads,” said Greg Curran, Chairman of the Firm, Maynard Cooper & Gale PC and Vice Chairman of the BBA’s Public Policy Committee. Increasing Alabama’s public investment in infrastructure is a top priority critical to the economic development community. The chambers believe the Rebuild Alabama legislation will help fund projects across the state, ultimately spurring job growth and ensuring that Alabama is able to successfully compete for new business. “Transportation infrastructure is vital to the economic vitality of our region and the State,” stated Chip Cherry, president and CEO of the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce. “The increase in funding for transportation infrastructure projects will make the roads safer for our citizens, support economic development, and provide one of the key foundational elements needed for future growth and development.” Bill Sisson, the Mobile Area Chamber’s president and CEO, believes it’s “incredibly important” for the business community to come together in support of the legislation. “It is incredibly important that we come together as a business community to support this bill,” said Sisson. “As companies look to locate and expand here, they are carefully analyzing our infrastructure capabilities. The Port of Mobile is the gateway for Alabama’s exports to reach the world. The better our ports, roads, bridges and traffic patterns are, the faster we will rise on their short list of viable locations.” The state currently imposes a flat excise tax of 18 cents-per-gallon on gas and 19 cents-per-gallon on diesel, without adjusting for inflation and other construction and maintenance costs. This combined fuel tax revenue generates 80 percent of Alabama’s transportation funding. The plan’s 10-cent increase will be phased in over the next three years. “Rebuild Alabama is critical in order for local communities and our state to be a competitor in economic development, not to mention providing a better quality of life and safety for our citizens,” added Willie Durham, Chairman of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. “Governor Ivey’s Rebuild Alabama package also creates unprecedented accountability and oversight of transportation revenue,” said Jim Page, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama. “Our chambers urge Alabama lawmakers to approve this long overdue legislation. Failure to do so has too great a cost – in lost economic opportunities and, most importantly, in lives.” “Chambers of Commerce are the pillars of our communities, and we are strongest when we stand together,” said Jeremy Arthur, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama, which represents more than 100 local chambers in Alabama. “We can no longer sit idling while every other state around us improves their infrastructure and lands the jobs and industries that otherwise would come to Alabama.”
Alabama’s largest county looks to continue economic development momentum
With the recent announcements of thousands of jobs coming into Jefferson County in connection with Amazon’s advanced robotics fulfillment center, DC BLOX’s data center and Shipt’s decision to keep its corporate headquarters in Birmingham, local officials are working from a playbook that has four steps, they say. It all begins with Alabama’s business climate that has been ranked as best in the United States for growth potential and workforce training by Business Facilities magazine, said Commissioner David Carrington, chair of the county’s Finance, Information Technology and Business Development Committee. The second is that Jefferson County is the economic center of the state, with the largest population and number of jobs. In 2016, companies announced they were going to create 14,500 jobs and invest $5.1 billion in Alabama. The Birmingham-Hoover metro area accounted for about 20 percent of those jobs and 25 percent of the capital investment. Jefferson County alone was responsible for 1,436 announced jobs and $506 million in capital investment. “In fact, the metro area’s gross domestic product is greater than Mobile, Montgomery and Huntsville combined,” Carrington said. “In 2017, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce, Jefferson County led the state with 2,200 new announced jobs in targeted industries.” The next step is collaboration among partners that often include the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and, if a proposed site is in a city, the city. “As in most successful projects, it was a well-coordinated community effort that led to a successful conclusion, and we’re very grateful to our partners and allies for their great work on this project,” said Lee Smith, East Region CEO for BBVA Compass and 2018 chairman of the BBA, after the area secured Amazon’s $325 million investment. “The county actively listens to the prospect’s needs and then participates in the development of an aggressive marketing plan with (those) partners,” Carrington said. Fourth, a project team is in place that “leverages our community’s assets,” Carrington said. “. . . We will talk about our enviable road and rail transportation network when talking to a distribution company; or UAB, Southern Research and Innovation Depot when talking to a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) company; or our central, geographic proximity to Mercedes, Honda, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Kia and the soon to be open Toyota/Mazda plants when talking to an automotive supplier.” All of those steps are done under a positioning umbrella, he said. “Even if we don’t win a project, we want the company and their consultants to ‘have a good feeling’ about the community so we will be considered for a future project,” he said. Carrington pointed to the community’s Amazon HQ2 “BringAtoB” campaign. “The primary project team knew that Birmingham was at best a long shot, but, despite the odds, we put together an innovative vision and proposal for the company to consider,” he said. “While we didn’t win the headquarters, we caught Amazon’s attention and less than a year later announced an 855,000-square-foot advanced robotics fulfillment center in Bessemer.” Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
Birmingham Business Alliance urges Alabama Legislature for policy support
The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) is seeking legislative support from the Alabama Legislature. On Thursday, the group released a message urging members of the state Legislature to pass several bills to help the region grow in jobs and capital investment. “Supporting these legislative priorities and advocating for issues that put the Birmingham region in a competitive position increases our ability to attract and retain business and a quality workforce,” said CEO and president of the BBA, Brian Hilson. “We are making sure legislators statewide have the facts about each of these issues and how they can affect all communities in Alabama.” These are the issues and bills the BBA is watching closely and advocating for: The passage of a tax to add an open-air stadium to the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Already, the Jefferson County Commission has committed $30 million and the City of Birmingham has affirmed its intent to support the project. The stadium is part of the BJCC’s $300 million master plan that also includes a modernized Legacy Arena and outside renovations. A modernized BJCC and new stadium will improve our region’s ability to host large-scale conventions, trade shows, sporting and entertainment events, and draw more people here from around the country. Thousands of business professionals visit Birmingham every year by attending conferences and conventions, and their perception of our city is lasting and critical to our economic development efforts. The stadium will also have a positive impact on communities north of downtown Birmingham. The passage of The Alabama Jobs Enhancement Act (HB317), which clarifies that legitimate economic development activities do not qualify as lobbying.Passage of HB317 would eliminate any requirement for economic developers and site selection consultants to register as lobbyists, while actual lobbyists will still be required to register as lobbyists, and it will provide for more transparency of economic development incentives. Failure to pass HB317 would result in fewer economic development opportunities for Alabama and fewer jobs for our citizens. Any threat to the passage of this critical legislation puts jobs at risk, and impedes both the region’s and the state’s ability to continue to build on recent economic successes, such as the MercedesBenz facilities in Bibb County, which will create 691 jobs, and the Autocar plant in Jefferson County, which will create 746 jobs. Our competitors in other states are watching this legislation and are ready to use it to their advantage if HB317 doesn’t pass. Increased investment in infrastructure. Considering President Trump’s recently released infrastructure plan, Birmingham and Alabama must be prepared to move forward to ensure that our state does not miss out on any available funding to repair crumbling roads and to build the roads and bridges that commerce and our workforce rely on daily. Our state needs a new funding mechanism to address road and bridge construction and maintenance. We are in immediate need of additional state revenue that will address both our short- and long-term infrastructure projects. “Public policy is an important part of our work at the BBA and we will continue to advocate for legislation that supports our purpose of increasing jobs and capital investment for the region,” said senior vice president of public policy for the BBA, Waymond Jackson.
Personnel note: Rachel Burchfield joins BBA as Communications Specialist
Rachel Burchfield has joined the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) —the lead economic development organization for the Birmingham region — as a Communications Specialist. Burchfield will have a wide range of responsibilities including writing and compiling content for the BBA’s weekly and monthly newsletters and social media accounts, media relations, and creating copy for marketing materials to promote Birmingham and the activities of the BBA. Prior to her appointment at the BBA, Rachel had a career in higher education, serving as Coordinator of Greek Affairs at the University of Mississippi, Coordinator of Leadership Programming and later as a counselor for the Biomedical and Health Sciences program in the School of Health Professions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and most recently as Director of Student Engagement at Belhaven University. She has also been a freelance writer for years, writing for a variety of newspapers and magazines across the Southeast. “We are excited that Rachel has joined our team to help us market Birmingham to the world,” said Lauren Cooper, vice president of communications for the BBA. “Her experience in writing, leadership and higher education are great assets that we’ll be able to utilize in our economic development, workforce development, public policy and image enhancement efforts.” Burchfield received a BS in Journalism and Mass Communications with a minor in Leadership Studies from the University of Kansas in 2009. She went on to receive her MA in Higher Education from the University of Mississippi in 2011.
BBA elects 2018 Chairman Lee Smith, announces board, officers
Lee Smith, Executive Vice President and East Region Executive for BBVA Compass, has been elected as the 2018 Chairman of the Board for the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) —the lead economic development organization for the Birmingham region. Smith succeeds UAB President Ray Watts. “I am excited and honored to be serving as Chairman of the BBA in 2018,” said Smith. “Preparing and adding to the region’s workforce, and supporting Birmingham companies to attract and retain some of the brightest minds in the country will be a top priority for the coming year. I would like to thank Dr. Ray Watts for his strong leadership of the BBA for two years. His vision and wisdom around complex issues has helped Birmingham become a powerhouse of innovation and economic development that is recognized throughout the region and the country.” Members of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors were also elected at the annual Chairman’s meeting. Each will serve a one-year term. The 2018 BBA officers include: Chairman of the Board: Lee Smith | BBVA Compass Chairwoman-elect: Nancy Goedecke |Mayer Electric Supply Vice Chairman of Workforce Development: Sanjay Singh | Bimal LLC Vice Chairman of Public Policy: Greg Curran | Maynard Cooper & Gale Vice Chairman of Communications: Don Logan | Birmingham Barons Vice Chairman of Finance: Nelson Bean | Synovus-First Commercial Bank Vice Chairman of Economic Development: Jim Gorrie | Brasfield & Gorrie President and CEO: Brian Hilson | Birmingham Business Alliance Corporate Secretary: Bing Edwards | Edwards+Law LLC New members of the BBA executive committee include: Ed Aldag | Medical Properties Trust Tim Vines | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Nick Willis | PNC Bank Randall Woodfin | Mayor of Birmingham New members elected to the BBA Board of Directors include: Jason Alexander| St. Vincent’s Health System Scott Berte | Dixon Hughes Goodman John Coleman | Graham & Co. Chris Cooper | AAA Cooper/Boyd Brothers John Hackett | Kamtek Brian Hamilton | Trillion Communications Corp. Dr. Bruce Irwin | American Family Care Jimmy Johnston | Autocar Richard Murray | National Bank of Commerce Kathy Nugent | UAB Daniel Parker | Norfolk Southern Corp. Andrea Smith | BBVA Compass Bill Smith | Shipt Tricia Wallwork | Milo’s Tea.
Birmingham Business Alliance pursuing ‘all-time high’ economic development projects
The head of the Birmingham Business Alliance said the metro area is coming off a very successful year for economic development, but the prospects for even more growth in 2018 are “at an all-time high.” BBA CEO Brian Hilson said at the organization’s annual Chairman’s Meeting Tuesday that economic development in the seven-county metro area was very strong in 2017. “So far in 2017, we’ve seen 2,957 jobs and over $560 million in investment announced by 25 different new and expanding companies within our core business sectors,” Hilson said. This year continues a string of successful years for attracting new and expanding industry to the state, Hilson said. “Between 2011 and 2017, we have seen 19,394 jobs and over $3.9 billion in capital investment committed within our seven-county metro area,” he said. That has caused the BBA to be ambitious with its current five-year plan. “At the BBA, we have a goal of 19,000 jobs and $3.5 billion of investment being announced between 2016 and 2020,” Hilson said. “So we’re at the halfway point as we approach the year 2018 and as we continue to execute our five-year strategic plan, which we call Blueprint 2020.” With the current pipeline of potential projects, those numbers could be well within reach. “Our level of project activity is at an all-time high, at least for the six and a half years that I’ve been in Birmingham,” Hilson said in an interview with Alabama NewsCenter. “But probably more important, the quality of those projects and the diversity of skills that they would require of the workforce – it’s not all automotive and it’s not all something else – that’s very encouraging.” Automotive projects dominated the headlines in the metro area in 2017. Commercial truck producer Autocar opened a $120 million plant in Pinson Valley, not far from where auto supplier Kamtek opened a $60 million expansion. Mercedes-Benz announced a $1 billion expansion of its Alabama operations that includes a new $248.2 million campus in Bibb County. Representatives of those three companies as well as Honda’s plant in Lincoln made up a panel discussion of the auto industry and the metro area’s business climate. John Hudson, senior vice president of Marketing and Business Development for Alabama Power, moderated the panel. A shared concern among the panel is that the metro area may become a victim of its own success – namely in a dwindling available workforce. Hilson said the BBA’s Blueprint 2020 calls for at least a 5 percent growth in overall workforce between 2016 and 2020. “What we really want to see, though, is much faster growth than that and for that to happen we will need a higher and better rate of workforce participation, more connectivity between employers and workforces as well as educators and trainers, and, of course, we will need to see our community image continue to get better,” he said. Republished with permission from Alabama NewsCenter.
Birmingham Business Alliance holds annual Chairman’s Meeting
It’s been a big year for the automotive industry in the Magic City and on Tuesday industry executives from across the city will be at the UAB’s Alys Stephens Center for the Birmingham Business Alliance’s 2017 Chairman’s Meeting. Moderated by Alabama Power Company’s John O. Hudson III, the meeting will feature an onstage discussion about Alabama’s automotive industry with local industry executives including: John Hackett: general manager of Kamtek Jason Hoff: president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Mike Oatridge: vice president of manufacturing for Honda Manufacturing of Alabama LLC Andrew Taitz: chairman of Autocar. Combined, their companies have announced more than $1.2 billion in investment in Alabama, in 2017 alone. Mercedes-Benz announced it will invest $1 billion to produce electric vehicles in Alabama and build a Global Logistics Center and after-sales North American hub in Bibb County.Honda announced an $85 million expansion in Alabama that will help prepare it for future technologies, among other things. Autocar announced it will build heavy-duty custom-made trucks in Birmingham, an investment of $120 million. And Kamtek opened its $60 million aluminum casting plant, part of a $530 million expansion it announced in 2015. During the meeting, the executives will discuss what makes their companies thrive in Birmingham. As part of this annual event, Brian Hilson, president and CEO of the BBA, will present a year-in-review of the work of the BBA and highlights from around the Birmingham region in 2017. Additionally, the 2017 BBA Chairman Dr. Ray Watts, president of UAB, will “pass the gavel” to Lee Smith, East Region Executive for BBVA Compass and 2018 BBA Chairman.
STEM talent, companies meet at BBA’s Magic City Classic recruitment project
Students from nearly a dozen colleges and universities were at Iron City on Friday for the fourth annual Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) Talent Recruitment Project. The daylong event during Magic City Classic weekend was aimed at science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students, as well as business students. The event included “speed mentoring,” in which employers got the opportunity to meet and talk with students, and panels about how companies are making efforts to be diverse and how students can get the jobs they want. Students with a minimum 3.0 GPA who are pursuing a STEM- or business-related degree were referred to the recruitment project by their career services director or professor. Schools represented were Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Auburn University, Miles College, Lawson State Community College, Samford University, Stillman College, the University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Area companies included Alabama Power, ACIPCO, Altec, Brasfield & Gorrie, Cadence Bank, Grand Bohemian, Vulcan Materials Co., Shipt and Honda, as well as the Jefferson County Commission. Building confidence Natalia Espariagoca, a manufacturing engineering major at Jacksonville State University, was among those who attended. She learned about the event through her adviser. “She encouraged me to come here because of the diversity and opportunity to contact different employers,” said Espariagoca, who is from Venezuela. “They’re (companies) looking for international, Hispanic people and I’m here for those opportunities,” she said. Espariagoca moved to the United States three years ago, and said she didn’t know any English when she arrived. Now she has a 3.4 GPA and is looking for an internship. “I think (the event) is perfect. I feel included and I feel that finally we have a place where we can attend and get the attention of employers,” she said. “I think it’s important to know what’s going on out there; the type of skills employers are looking for and what they are expecting.” One takeaway for Espariagoca, she said, is to be confident. “I liked the beginning with the mentors because I got an idea of what kind of questions to ask. They gave me advice for the future, so I’ve really enjoyed it,” she said. “I learned to show my personality, not to overreact and just be confident in myself.” Espariagoca said she hopes the companies represented will see the eagerness of students in attendance. “I hope they can see what the talent is around the area, and what to expect for future generations,” she said. “We’re in a developing world; it’s changing every day, so I think it’s best for them to get in touch with what we are doing in school.” ‘The tech talent is here’ Louise Ritter, Talent Acquisition partner at Protective Life Corp., said she was impressed with the students she met. “I’m hoping to get a lot of traffic at the table and collect some resumes and, selfishly, I’m hoping to fill some internships, but I want to connect for future opportunities, as well,” she said. Ritter, who spoke during the panel discussion about diversity and inclusion, said students at the event were some of the “best and brightest.” “We have the advantage of getting in front of students that we might not usually have (in traditional recruitment),” she said. “Also, from a branding standpoint … anything we can do to be involved and engaged in the community, we’re going to do that.” Scheduling the event during the Magic City Classic weekend was no accident. Brittney Smith, manager of Workforce Development with the BBA, said the weekend was an “opportune time to show people that Birmingham is a great place to live, work and play.” “Hopefully, we can get students aligned with programs where they can get the information they need … and land a job here in the city of Birmingham,” she said. STEM is big in Birmingham, Smith said. “We want to show that the tech talent is here in Birmingham,” she said. “Technical skills are key, so we want to bridge the gap and connect that talent with what’s here in the city.” This story originally appeared on The Birmingham Times’ website. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Alabama business roundup: Headlines from across state – 9/16/16 edition
Which Alabama company is on a space mission to Mars? What happened to the lawsuit against Gov. Robert Bentley and the beachfront hotel plans? Who’s been elected to develop economic groups? Answers to all of these questions and more in today’s business roundup: Alabama NewsCenter: Alabama-made Atlas V rockets to lift NASA to asteroid, Mars Alabama-made Atlas V rockets will launch a NASA spacecraft on a dramatic mission to rendezvous with an asteroid and later send Mars 2020, the space agency’s next-generation robotic rover, to the Red Planet. First up is the lift-off of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, scheduled for Sept. 8 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The United Launch Alliance Atlas V, assembled in Decatur, will boost the explorer on its way to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. The spacecraft will travel to the asteroid, survey it to produce 3-D maps and bring back a sample of surface material for study. NASA says the mission – the first involving a round-trip to an asteroid — will help scientists investigate how planets formed and life began. “This mission exemplifies our nation’s quest to boldly go and study our solar system and beyond to better understand the universe and our place in it,” said Geoff Yoder, a NASA administrator in Washington, D.C. The spacecraft should reach Bennu in 2018 and return the sample via a detachable capsule in 2023. This week, the OSIRIS-REx was bolted onto the Alabama-made Atlas V on Pad 41 at Cape Canaveral in preparation for lift-off. NASA said the launch should not be affected by Thursday’s SpaceX rocket explosion on a nearby pad. Mission to Mars On Aug. 25, NASA’s Launch Services Program announced that ULA’s Atlas V will launch Mars 2020 on its mission to the Red Planet. Lift-off is planned for July 2020 from Cape Canaveral, and the spacecraft should reach Mars in 2021. The Mars 2020 rover will conduct geological assessments of its landing site and determine the habitability of the environment. It will also search for signs of ancient Martian life, and assess natural resources and hazards for future human explorers. ULA’s Alabama assembly facility is the sole production site for Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, which launch payloads for NASA and other government agencies. The 1.6 million-square-foot Decatur factory employs around 1,000 people.“Our launch vehicles have a rich heritage with Mars, supporting 17 successful missions over more than 50 years,” said Laura Maginnis, ULA’s vice president of Custom Services. “ULA and our heritage rockets have launched every U.S. spacecraft to the Red Planet, including Mars Science Lab, as well as the Spirit and Opportunity rovers.” Versions of the Atlas V can stand 205 feet tall, rising to almost 19 stories. An Alabama-made Atlas V will launch NASA’s next Mars lander, called inSight, in 2018. The surface explorer aims to provide understanding of the processes that shaped the planets of the inner solar system, including Earth. There’s another Alabama connection to two of these missions. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, which is managed by Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. InSight is part of NASA’s Discovery program, also managed by Marshall. Birmingham Business Journal: Judge tosses lawsuit against Alabama’s beachfront hotel plans Montgomery Circuit Judge Greg Griffin on Thursday moved to dismiss a lawsuit filed in opposition to the state’s plans to bring a new hotel and conference center to Gulf State Park using funds from the BP oil spill settlement. The suit, filed by State Auditor Jim Zeigler and state Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow, claimed the state couldn’t spend the money from the settlement without legislative approval. On Thursday, Griffin dismissed the case, arguing Zeigler had no authority to file the suit in his official capacity and that since the state wasn’t spending taxpayer dollars, no legislative approval was necessary. “Today’s decision reiterates that the Gulf State Park project is proceeding within legal means,” Bentley said in a statement. “The redevelopment of the Gulf State Park will benefit Alabama as well as all state parks throughout the state.” Alabama NewsCenter: Alabama firms seek foothold with Latin America trade mission Latin America is the latest target for Alabama trade leaders seeking growth markets for state businesses. Representatives of a dozen companies are participating in a trade mission this week that started Sunday in Mexico and continues Wednesday in Chile. It’s being held in conjunction with the U.S. Commercial Service’s Trade Winds program, which includes regional and industry-specific conferences, as well as prearranged consultations with senior diplomats. For Gadsden’s Back Forty Beer Co., the trade mission is an opportunity to expand a new focus on international sales. Back Forty, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of craft beer in Alabama, exports several of its beer varieties — including Naked Pig, Truck Stop Honey and Freckle Belly – to China and Canada. The international sales started last year, and the company has been ramping up the endeavor since January. “In the U.S., craft beer has been around for a while, and it’s fairly well understood,” said Vince Schaeffer, Back Forty’s director of international sales. “But in countries like China and Mexico, we’re really on the leading edge, so we want to establish our brand there and become partners with important people.” Mexico is the most immediate growth target, he continued, but Chile, along with Australia, is on the list for next year. The company is expanding its global effort in a deliberate fashion, so it fully understands customers in each market before moving on to the next one, Schaeffer added. “Exporting just makes so much sense to us. It creates U.S. jobs and profits for U.S. companies, and we just see it as a natural way to grow,” he said. Click here to read the rest. Birmginham Business Journal: BBA leaders elected to economic development groups Two leaders at the Birmingham Business Alliance have been appointed to serve with groups to improve economic development statewide. Victor Brown, vice president of business development at the BBA, was appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley to the Renewal of Alabama
Birmingham Business Alliance VP Waymond Jackson elected to Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives
Waymond Jackson, vice president of education and workforce development for the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), has been elected to serve on the board of directors for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). Alexandria, Va.-based ACCE serves professionals who manage chambers of commerce. Its mission is to support and develop chamber leaders to advance the interests of their communities and businesses. ACCE represents about 7,000 leaders from about 1,300 chambers of commerce. At the BBA, Jackson works closely with K-12 partners to create effective college and career readiness programs to help enhance the Birmingham area workforce. He also works with higher education institutions to recruit and retain new talent to the region through the BBA’s Talent Recruitment Project, which connects talent with Birmingham area companies. “As the importance of workforce development programs in chambers of commerce throughout the U.S. has grown, their linkage to economic development has strengthened,” said Brian Hilson, CEO at the Birmingham Business Alliance. “Waymond is doing an outstanding job in advancing the BBA’s workforce development program, and his work is being recognized nationally. It is an honor for Birmingham and the BBA for him to be selected to serve on the ACCE board.”
UAB President Dr. Ray Watts to lead Birmingham Business Alliance in 2016
University of Alabama at Birmingham‘s President, Dr. Ray Watts has been elected Chairman of the Board of the Birmingham Business Alliance for 2016. A Birmingham native and graduate of West End High School, Dr. Watts earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering at UAB in 1976. He succeeds Mark Crosswhite, CEO of Alabama Power Co. “I am excited and honored to be serving as Chairman of the BBA in 2016,” said Dr. Watts. “We will build on the momentum our region has seen in recent years with strategic planning and investment and I think the result will be a powerhouse of innovation and economic development throughout our region and known around the globe. The BBA and UAB will continue to work closely throughout the year with our elected leaders and economic development allies to capitalize on our strongest assets and take our region to the next level.” “I also want to thank Mark Crosswhite for his strong support of our community and his leadership of the BBA in 2015, which has been exemplary,” Watts continued. “He has lent his wisdom and time to numerous complex regional issues and has worked hard behind the scenes to move our community forward in very positive ways.” Also elected were members of the BBA’s 2016 Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Each serves a one-year term. The 2015 officers are as follows: Dr. Ray Watts of UAB, BBA Chairman Lee Smith Jr. of BBVA Compass, BBA Chairman-Elect Fred McCallum of AT&T Alabama, Vice Chairman of Public Policy Craft O’Neal of O’Neal Industries, Vice Chairman of Finance Mark Crosswhite of Alabama Power Co., Immediate Past Chairman Brian Hilson is President and CEO of the BBA Bing Edwards of Balch & Bingham, Corporate Secretary
