MAY 2024
PLAN
ON IT
FINANCIAL ADVISERS LIKE MIKE INNES HELP YOU STRATEGIZE TO KEEP BUSINESS AND PERSONAL WEALTH IN THE FAMILY
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BANKS BUILD
12 COMMUNITY
36 WOMEN IN TECH SPOTLIGHT ON
49 BALDWIN COUNTY
Volume 39 / Number 5
MAY 2024
CONTENTS 12
Volunteerism is a hallmark of community banks. These team members from Bank Independent help at a local food bank.
Features 12 19
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COMMUNITY BANKING COMMUNITIES FIRST Local banks help the people they serve BANK ON IT Conference keeps bankers up to date on regulations and more FINANCIAL PLANNING ANTICIPATING CHANGE How to ease the transition of wealth from one generation to the next
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DIVERSITY 24 FOR ’24 Meet the Alabama women propelling the tech scene THE MINORITY BUSINESS AWARDS Event celebrates diverse leaders in Birmingham RETROSPECT THE NATION’S STUDIO The Alabama origins of Olan Mills Inc.
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On the Cover: Creating a plan ensures your assets go to your heirs the way you intend, says Mike Innes, who is with Huntsville-based Lincoln Financial Advisors. Photo by Dennis Keim.
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19: Bankers gather at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear to keep abreast of regulations and best practices for their banks. 45: SummitMedia sponsors the Minority Business Awards in Birmingham. Here, Townsend Advisory Group won a competition for entrepreneurs. 74: Olan Mills, who founded a nationwide photography business from roots in Tuscaloosa.
Departments 5
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TOP RANK 35 FINANCIAL PLANNING & INVESTMENT ADVISORY FIRMS
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GEOGRAPHIC SPOTLIGHT 49 BALDWIN COUNTY SPECIAL SECTIONS 23 BUSINESS COUNCIL OF ALABAMA 27 FACES OF FINANCE
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BENCHMARKS: MONTHLY BUSINESS NEWS BRIEFING COMPANY KUDOS: A MONTH OF ACHIEVEMENTS CAREER NOTES: WHO’S MOVING UP BA INDEX: HUNDREDS OF LEADS EACH MONTH HISTORIC ALABAMA: A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE ALABIZ QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 3
MAY 2024 BusinessAlabama.com Volume 39 / Number 5
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Benchmarks
Alabama tops nation for auto exports
Alabama leads the nation, and Mercedes leads Alabama.
ALABAMA auto exports jumped to $11.2 billion in 2023, mov-
ing the state ahead of long-time leader South Carolina into the nation’s number one spot. Auto exports have grown from $7.7 billion in just two years, according to Alabama Department of Commerce figures. “Alabama’s auto industry has become an exporting power-
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DEVELOPING DOLLARS Economic development projects announced in 2023 across Alabama are responsible for $6 billion in new investment, creating 8,095 jobs at 184 projects involving 43 countries, according to a report from the Alabama Department of Commerce.
and built at Huntsville’s Marshall Space Flight Center, has been chosen for the $1 “American Innovation” coin, the second in the U.S. Mint’s innovation series.
SPACE FUNDS The proposed fiscal year 2025 U.S. budget includes $8 billion to continue the Artemis space program, much of which takes place at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Projected launch dates of upcoming Artemis missions are 2025 for Artemis II, 2026 for Artemis III and 2028 for Artemis IV. ROCKET MONEY The Saturn V rocket, designed
house, with vehicles produced in the state finding markets around the world,” said Ellen McNair, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “This creates jobs in our state and solidifies the position of the Alabama auto assembly plants in a global business.” Most exported autos went to Germany, China and Canada, but reached 78 different countries in all. Leading the Alabama pack is Mercedes-Benz U.S. International in Vance. Many of that plant’s autos are headed overseas. Honda in Lincoln, Hyundai in Montgomery and Mazda Toyota in Huntsville also export vehicles. “Exports of Alabama-built vehicles have a far-reaching impact on the state’s economy, creating new jobs and driving additional investment here at home,” said Christina Stimpson, director of Commerce’s Office of International Trade. Beyond automobiles, Alabama has seen rising export numbers for other products and commodities as well, totaling $27.4 billion in 2023 with products destined for 190 countries from some of the world’s biggest nations to some of its tiniest.
City, Mexico, hoping to speed its supply chain and inventory access to customers there.
FLYING HIGH Tuskegee University will launch a flight school degree program in the fall. The school said the program will be funded by $6.7 million in federal funding.
B-BALL TO BHAM Birmingham’s Legacy Arena will be the site of women’s college basketball southern regional preliminary rounds in 2025. The Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games will take place in Birmingham March 28-31.
BENEFIT BOOST Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama is partnering with Tootris to provide childcare resources to its workforce. HMMA members will receive 25% of their monthly child-care cost up to $150 per month.
MUSIC SOON South Star, a new multi-day, multi-stage music festival in Huntsville, is set to launch this September. The city has contracted with C3 Presents, of Bonnaroo and the NFL Draft fame, to produce the festival.
GROWING SOUTH Birmingham Fastener, which has been expanding across the South in recent years, is opening a facility in Quenétaro
BIGGER & BETTER Chart Industries is doubling the size of the Mobile facilities where it makes industrial tanks. ServisFirst Bank, based in
Homewood, is expanding its presence across the Southeast with a new office in Memphis. Apex Roofing, based in Birmingham, is adding offices in Atlanta, Chicago and Kansas City, making a total of 20 offices in eight states. NEW AT THE TOP John Watson has been named CEO of Starfish Holdings, parent of Torch Technologies, Freedom Real Estate and Simvana in Huntsville. Longtime CEO Bill Roark is now chairman of the board. James F. Howe has been named president of Birmingham’s Motion Industries. Motion’s parent company, Genuine Parts Co., announced the promotion. Charles W. Smith Jr. has been named president of the University of Mobile, the sixth in the history of the
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 5
BENCHMARKS
Birmingham-Southern College closes
BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE will cease operations on
May 31 following an 18-month effort to obtain bridge funding to put the 168-year-old college on sound financial ground. In late March, BSC’s board of trustees voted unanimously to close the college after the Alabama House of Representatives snubbed a plan to keep the college open. “This is a tragic day for the college, our students, our employees and our alumni,” said the Rev. Keith D. Thompson, chair of BSC’s board, in a news release from the college. “But it is also a terrible day for Birmingham, for the neighborhoods who have surrounded our campus for more than 100 years, and for Alabama.” The loss extends further, according to Thompson. “Through this challenging year-and-a-half, we have talked a lot about BSC’s more than $90 million annual economic impact on Alabama, with $68 million of that right here in our city,” he said. “But beyond that loss — which is enormous — the loss of a nationally ranked liberal arts college that has contributed so much to this state and to the world — and still had so much to give — is incalculable.” BSC President Daniel B. Coleman said the college has exhausted options to obtain a loan through the Distressed Institutions of Higher Learning Revolving Loan Fund. State Treasurer Young Boozer initially denied the loan in October 2023, and a revised bill to move the administration of the loan program to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education did not get the
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institution. Barbara Estep has been named CEO of Noland Health Services, which operates long-term acute care units in hospitals around the state and also senior-living communities. Birmingham-based Montgomery Transportation Group has named Joe Jaska CEO. The company is a nationwide flatbed carrier that specializes in transporting overdimensional freight. Renato Gross has been named SVP in charge of ADS-TEC Energy operations in Auburn. The German company specializes in battery-buffered, ultra-fast EV charging technology.
partner with ArcelorMittal in AM/NS Calvert near Mobile.
STEEL SCRUTINY U.S. Steel stockholders voted to approve a sale to Japanese firm Nippon Steel, but federal officials are considering antitrust issues. Nippon Steel is also a
NO DEAL South Korean firm Hanwha made a bid to purchase Austal USA, Mobile’s waterfront shipbuilding facility and often the city and county’s largest employer. Australia-based Austal said no. DEATH PROMPTS OSHA FINE The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is proposing a $96,000 fine against Cullman Casting Corp. following the death of a worker at the facility. OSHA cited the company for six serious violations following the incident in August. DOWNTOWN REDO Demolition has begun on nine sites in Oxford, paving the way for a planned revitalization
6 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
The campus of Birmingham-Southern.
support to move forward. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin called the impending closure “disappointing and heartbreaking.” “I’ve stood alongside members of our City Council to protect this institution and its proud legacy of shaping leaders,” Woodfin said. “It’s frustrating that those values were not shared by lawmakers in Montgomery.” BSC will help students forced to transfer to other institutions, and area colleges have said they will welcome those students, but more than 200 employees have been left without severance pay. “We are putting students first, and we will do everything we can to help them find the best place to continue their path to graduation,” said Provost Dr. Laura K. Stultz. “If you are a college looking for incredible students and faculty, or an employer looking for profoundly loyal employees, you will not find better people than the people on this campus,’ Thompson said. “They are what you hope for whenever you bring in someone new.”
of the downtown area. The plan calls for a new Alabama Children’s Museum, among other things. ALABASTER OK The Alabaster City Council has approved incentives that pave the way for District 31, a 600,000-square-foot retail, restaurant and hotel space. Construction is expected to begin in 2025. MORE IN MILLBROOK The city of Millbrook has broken ground on the 17 Springs development off of Highway 14. The 18-acre site will include two hotels, eight restaurants and other retail shops, as well as one medical office building. MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS Protective Life, based in Birmingham, has acquired
New York-based insurance company ShelterPoint Group Inc. Birmingham-based Landing, a company that helps business travelers find furnished apartments, has acquired Barsala, another flexible housing operator, in a $30 million deal. Luckie & Co., based in Birmingham, has purchased Atlanta-based marketing firm Marbury Creative Group. Community Bank & Trust, based in Union Springs, has been acquired by LS Investor Group. Hoover-based MK Insurance has been acquired by PCF Insurance Services, based in Utah. Precision Homecrafters, a Birmingham design/build remodeling firm, has acquired cabinetry and furniture maker Lovewood Studio, also based in Birmingham. Florence-based fashion house Billy Reid has acquired Knot Standard’s retail
BENCHMARKS
Two Rivers plans $115M lumber mill in Coosa County
The Two Rivers sawmill in Demopolis.
Demopolis-based TWO RIVERS LUMBER CO. plans to create a second operation in the state, an investment of $115 million to build a sawmill in Coosa County. The project will also increase the company’s workforce by 130 jobs. The sawmill will specialize in the production of Southern yellow pine dimensional lumber. “Alabama’s forest products industry is a national powerhouse, and it’s great to see Two Rivers Lumber continue to grow in its home state,” said Gov. Kay Ivey. Two Rivers was established by the McElroy family, owners of McElroy Truck Lines in Cuba, Alabama, and Roy Geiger, the owner of Sumter Timber in Jefferson, Alabama. The company opened its first sawmill in Marengo County in 2017. That facility has an annual capacity of 200 million board feet and 145 fulltime employees. “We spent over a year searching for a site and planning the project — we look forward to starting up the new operation in August 2025,” said Jay McElroy. “The local and state support has been great throughout this process.” As part of the project, Two Rivers is creating 130 jobs over a one-year period, with positions paying an average annual salary
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business, increasing the number of retail outlets. Investment firm Waverly Advisors, with headquarters in Birmingham, has acquired McShane Partners, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. It marks Waverly’s 13th acquisition since December 2021.
$3.5 billion, according to state and local officials overseeing the project. The groups will begin looking for cost-saving options.
UNION VOTE Workers at the MercedesBenz auto plant in Vance have petitioned to vote on whether to be represented by the United Auto Workers. The petition comes two weeks before workers at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant are voting whether to unionize. BRIDGING IT The anticipated price for a new bridge project, designed to ease traffic across Mobile Bay and the adjoining delta, has jumped from $2.8 billion to
GOOD WORK PLACE Regions Bank, based in Birmingham, has been honored by Gallup as an Exceptional Workplace with Distinction, one of only five in the country to win the highest honor. The bank has made the Gallup’s Exceptional Workplace list 10 years in a row. FLAKE OUT The Birmingham site that was once home to chip maker Golden Flake has been sold for $6 million. Southeastern Salvage is the first new tenant to sign on. CONSTRUCTION MILESTONES Birmingham-based Capstone Building Corp. completed a $45 million residential
of just over $51,000, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce. “For local residents, this means new opportunities and a brighter future for their communities,” said Ellen McNair, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. To support the project, Lake Martin Area Industrial Development Alliance is donating 110 acres of land, valued at $2.2 million. In addition, AIDT will provide training services to the company. “I appreciate the support that the Coosa County Commission and Alexander City Mayor Woody Baird and his team have shown me throughout this almost 10-month recruiting process,” said Denise Walls, executive director of the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance. “We all felt like this was a project worth fighting for, and we are excited that Two Rivers will make Coosa County their new home. The local impact of this project will be profound and far-reaching.” Peak North America is leading the construction of the sawmill in Kellyton, with a start set for June.
development, Vital at Springbrook Farms, in Alcoa, Tennessee. Birmingham’s Doster Construction began work on the new Moody High School, a $47 million project. Coca-Cola United has broken ground on an $18 million facility in Auburn, to be a distribution hub for eight east Alabama counties. Birmingham-based Daniel Corp. has begun construction on a 241-unit luxury apartment complex in Charlotte, North Carolina. PEANUTS FOR TUSCALOOSA Alabama Peanut Co., in business in Birmingham since 1907, will open a second brick-and-mortar location in downtown Tuscaloosa. The company will open this summer at the former site of The Filling Station.
REIMAGINATION A $14.5 million grant will go toward revamping the Historic 4th Avenue Black Business District in Birmingham. Work will include changing 4th Avenue North from a oneway to two-way street, helping to connect it with other downtown neighborhoods. CHEERS Hop City Wine & Beer in Birmingham ranked 2nd on USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice list for 2024. It’s the second time in three years the bar in Birmingham’s Lakeview District has ranked 2nd on the list. FURTHER FINE FOOD James Beard Award-winning chef Adam Evans, who opened Automatic Seafood and Oysters five years ago in Birmingham, is opening a second Birmingham restaurant. Current Charcoal
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 7
BENCHMARKS
Mobile, Montgomery launch projects MOBILE has an-
A rendering of Mobile’s new civic center complex.
nounced plans for a new civic center complex to replace the aged facilities downtown, while MONTGOMERY
has been awarded a $36.6 million grant to revitalize
the western part of town. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson announced plans to tear down the city’s 60-year-old civic center and replace it with a new entertainment district that would support concerts, family shows, sporting events and more. The new facility will cost approximately $300 million, financed with city cash, sponsorship opportunities and borrowing. The strategic financial plan expects the debt incurred for the arena’s construction to be paid down in less than 20 years. The city of Mobile is partnering with Oak View Group, which operates similar venues here and abroad, in a multi-year operational agreement that will include the new civic arena, the Mobile Convention Center and the Saenger Theatre. “Mobilians have been talking about how to address our aging Civic Center for nearly two decades, and we are beyond excited to put this feasible and affordable plan into action,” said Stimpson. “We have partnered with the best in the entertainment
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Grill is a partnership among Evans, chef Luke Joseph and businessman Raymond J. Harbert.
located on the BirminghamSouthern campus, is investing $28.7 million to relocate to Lakeshore Parkway. It also plans to add workers.
MOGO GO-GOES Mobile has launched the MoGo Rideshare, an appbased transportation service matching riders heading in the same direction. Rides to and from major employment and training centers, including the AIDT training center, Austal USA and FlightPath9, are free. Other destinations are $1.25 per trip. NEW DIGS Architecture and engineering firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood is moving its Auburn office into the new AuburnBank Center, a facility designed by GMC in downtown Auburn. General contractor Brasfield & Gorrie is relocating its Huntsville office to bigger quarters on Meridian Street. Consolidated Pipe, now
EMERGENCY UPGRADE USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Mobile has opened a new Pediatric Emergency Center. The new emergency center is double the size of the former emergency department. HEALTH HELP Shelton State Community College has received $2.8 million in state funds to establish a health care academy offering programs for high school and college students and adults in various locations around Bibb County. CLOSER-TO-HOME HEALTH A new ambulatory surgery center will be constructed
8 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
industry to help design and operate the most technologically advanced arena in the region.” Demolition is expected to begin in August, with a rough estimate of opening the new arena in time for Mardi Gras in 2027. Montgomery city officials say a $36.6 million federal grant will be used to combat the effects of segregation, redlining and interstate construction in historic West Montgomery. Grant money will be used to provide more transportation options, easing access to work, education, health care, food and recreation. “I am pleased to announce that the City of Montgomery has received the largest competitive federal grant in our city’s history — $36.6 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed. “Ultimately, this transformative project aligns with our long-term plans for revitalizing Historic West Montgomery. Combined with other initiatives already being implemented, we are creating a safer, more accessible, and more connected neighborhood.” Work is slated to begin this fall. Specific projects include converting a brownfield site into an EV charging station and microgrid; improving West Fairview Avenue; developing microtransit systems to major employers such as Hyundai, downtown, hospitals and Lagoon Park Industrial Park; upgrading smart technology at key locations; expanding fiber optic options; upgrading bus stops; improving historic markers and wayfinding aids; and adding more than two miles of sidewalks.
next to South Baldwin Regional Medical Center in Foley. The surgery center will provide same-day surgical care, including diagnostic and preventive procedures. Longleaf Recovery & Wellness opened in Hoover, offering outpatient care for people suffering from mental health issues. CARBO CAPTURE Tenaska, a private U.S. energy company, has announced the Longleaf CCS Hub, a carbon capture and storage project planned for Mobile County. The facility will help clients meet emissions regulations and climate mandates. BIG DEAL Birmingham-based Medical Properties Trust has completed the sale of $350 million in property to Prime Healthcare. The sale included five facilities in California and New Jersey.
SPORTS ON DECK Gadsden State Community College has broken ground on a $10 million baseball and softball complex. TUSKEGEE GIFT Tuskegee University has received an anonymous $20 million gift in support of its STEM programs. It’s the second gift of that size in four years. CYBER SAFETY GRANT The University of Alabama in Huntsville is leading a fouruniversity coalition to advance cybersecurity education thanks to a three-year $3.2 million grant from the Department of Defense. Others in the coalition are Augusta University in Georgia, Florida International University and the University of Arizona.
BENCHMARKS
Trailing ever farther Two Alabama trail projects have kicked off this spring. The SINGING RIVER TRAIL will use an $18.4 million Reconnecting Communities grant to build a trail connecting Old Town with the rest of Decatur. And a $36.6 million federal grant will be used for improvements to the Selma to Montgomery Historic Trail. The DR. BILL SIMS HIKE-BIKE WAY/ SINGING RIVER TRAIL will run nearly nine miles along Decatur’s riverfront, from Point Mallard to Old Town and will include a bike and pedestrian greenway system. The project will reconnect Old Town, a historically significant Black district, to the rest of Decatur. The Singing River Trail is also working on connectivity projects, with Leighton, Bridgeport, Gurley and Huntsville. The latter includes Huntsville’s $65 million skybridge and riverwalk project.
Artist’s vision of the new Singing River Trail connector in Decatur.
“This project will not only
bind Decatur together but also serve as a beacon for
every town and city along the Singing River Trail.”
— John Kvach, Singing River Trail executive director
“This award marks a significant milestone in our efforts to connect the entire Tennessee Valley region,” said John Kvach, Singing River Trail executive director. “This project will not only bind Decatur together but also serve as a beacon for every town and city along the Singing River Trail.” The Montgomery grant will be used to develop a greenway trailhead and ADA-accessible access to the SELMA TO MONTGOMERY HISTORIC TRAIL. May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 9
Alabama firms win contracts worth billions Firms across Alabama have been awarded billions of dollars’ worth of contracts this spring. Topping the list is LOCKHEED MARTIN, which was awarded a $4 billion contract from the Missile Defense Agency to develop command and control, battle management and communication systems. Work will be performed in Huntsville and Colorado. Armored MultiPurpose Vehicles are crafted at BAE Systems in Anniston.
BEYOND NEW HORIZONS, based in Huntsville, is part of a team winning a 12-year $3.8 billion contract from the Air Force to provide test operations, technology development and more for the Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tennessee. The company is a joint venture between Astrion, which has key operations in Huntsville, and Fluor, based in Texas. BAE SYSTEMS has been awarded a $754 million contract to continue building armored vehicles for the U.S. Army. Much of the work will be done in Anniston. BL HARBERT INTERNATIONAL has been awarded the contract to build the new medical school at the University of South Alabama, a $182 million project that will allow the school to increase the number of medical students it enrolls. Huntsville’s TUNISTA LOGISTIC SOLUTIONS has been awarded a $31 million Air Force contract for air combat training services. PROJECTXYZ, also Huntsville-based, was awarded a $9.5 million contract modification for ground support equipment, training support and more for work at Redstone Arsenal.
10 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
BANKING
Community first Local banks help the people they serve By JENNIFER G. WILLIAMS
Bank Independent employees work at a local food bank.
I
n Marion, when the local water system failed earlier this year, pallets of water were trucked in and distributed to the community. In Sheffield, when the Shoals CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) offices were in need of a little TLC, a team of volunteers spent a sweltering summer day fixing up and refreshing the facility. In Ozark, a shuttered manufacturing plant was given new life as a state-of-the-art facility that repurposes tires and creates local jobs. Each of these stories of service came not from the dedication of a nonprofit or government entity, but from a local bank — Marion Community Bank, Bank Independent and United Bank, respectively. Community banks by definition are not a part of a larger multibank holding company. They tradi-
12 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
Bank Independent gathered supplies for the local animal shelter.
BANKING
tionally have served as cornerstones of their communities, and officials at community banks across Alabama proudly continue that tradition today. “To us, it’s not just an income statement or balance sheet,” says Mike Vincent, president and CEO of United Bank out of Atmore, one of the oldest community banks in the state, celebrating 120 years of service. “We live, we work in the community. We know you, our kids are at the ball field together. We go to church together. We’re at the movies and the grocery store together. It’s seeing your own community grow. We do it because we want to see our communities thrive.” Scott Latham, president and CEO of the Alabama Bankers Association, explained it this way: “Local banks serve as pillars within their communities, fueling economic growth, building bonds of trust and empowering individuals to thrive. Their presence is not only financial but foundational in serving as cornerstones of stability and prosperity.” From food and toy drives to disaster relief to providing financial education to residents and investing in the community, local
banks help fill a need in mostly smaller, rural areas. “Our mission is to serve the residents and businesses in the communities we call home,” says Bryant Bank President Claude Edwards. “When you deposit your money in a community bank, your money stays in the community, with your community bank making loans to neighborhood small businesses, making mortgage loans for homes in your neighborhood and helping grow the community as a whole.” Some community banks, including Bryant Bank, United Bank and Bank Independent, have branches in several communities across the state, but each serves its local area. “While we operate across a seven-county footprint, we ensure that each of our communities’ investments — say you’re a community member coming in to give a monetary or an item donation — all of those local donations stay in that county and community,” says Hallie Mauldin, community engagement leader at Bank Independent. “It’s not like we bring all these monetary donations in and item donations and then we split it out evenly across our entire network. It stays in your area, and that’s import-
Bryant Bank employees volunteer to support The Brown House and local food pantries.
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 13
BANKING
ant for the community to see and be aware of.” Bank Independent started its Helping Hands Foundation following the overwhelming need seen across many Alabama communities after the devastating 2011 tornado outbreak. Today, the program includes quarterly Share initiatives — a Shelter Share to benefit animal shelters, Food Share to collect food for families in need, School Share for school supplies and a Toy Share to collect toys for the holidays. “And we are adding one more share drive to our docket,” says Mauldin. Family Share will soft-launch this year to collect diapers and other needs for area families. “Whether you’re a new mom or whether you’re a senior and you need that extra support, we’re going to fill that need there. We don’t know exactly what that’s going to look like, yet, but we are very proud to kind of continue 14 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
Bankers from Marion Community Bank participate in local events like the Kidney Walk and support the schools with treats for teachers and more.
filling the gap and giving them that bridge that they need.” Bank Independent was founded more than 75 years ago by Mauldin’s great-grandfather with a core mission of filling the gap in the community from a financial perspective. Today, Mauldin says she is “proud that 75-77ish years later, we’re still finding a way to fill the gap but across a larger footprint. And what we do doesn’t just benefit our customers, it benefits the entire community.” Many community banks like Bank Independent have started their own foundations to help meet community needs. Most also encourage their employees to volunteer in the community with
BANKING
paid time to do so. “Many of our employees grew up in the communities they now serve as Bryant bankers, so it’s a natural fit for them to give back to their communities,” says Edwards. “We’re proud to support local school athletic programs, nonprofits and a variety of organizations that our bankers are personally involved in. It’s common for us to receive feedback from customers like ‘You guys are involved in everything!’ and we also hear that it’s important to them to have a bank that gives back in such intentional ways.” “Our Bryant bankers make serving their communities an integral part of their everyday roles,” says Edwards. “One way we do this is through our annual Turning Banking into Thanking initiative. Each year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, our bankers nominate, select and recognize deserving nonprofits throughout the state that are serving the community every day. In 2023, we recognized 30 organizations by participating in service activities that support their overall mission and through monetary donations. We frequently receive feedback and comments from our employees that their ability to serve their community as a Bryant banker is one of their favorite aspects of their role.” Community involvement is beneficial and rewarding from every aspect, agrees Kayla Peeples, executive assistant and marketing director with Noble Bank in Anniston. “We get to see the impact made within our community, which reinforces the importance of what we do,” she says. “It is also so rewarding for our employees to both be given the opportunity to take that active role in the community but also for them to get to see firsthand the difference they are making. We have had numerous customers tell us they were looking for a bank and specifically came to Noble Bank because of our community involvement.” United Bank asks its employees to find their passion and get involved, says Vincent. “It can be a lot of different things, whether you’re part of the local Rotary or Lions Club or whether you’re volunteering at the food bank or whether you’re going to schools to teach children about savings or whether you are packaging up groceries at a church for distribution or Habitat for Humanity or whatever it is. “We don’t do that because ‘Hey, tell me how many checking accounts I got out of our involvement in Habitat for Humanity,’ right? We do it because it’s the right thing
to do. And when our communities improve, it’s the proverbial rising tides lifts all ships — it’s good for everyone.” MidSouth Bank in Dothan encourages employees to give their time through the bank’s True Blue workplace volunteer program, says Jessica Barefield, MidSouth’s community relations coordinator. The bank also tries to stay involved in the community by focusing on financial literacy, introducing a series of educational workshops in 2022. “[We] collaborated with educators in local high schools to im-
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 15
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Employees from Noble Bank in Anniston support a variety of local events, even sharing story time with local children.
16 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
BANKING
plement classes on budgeting, money management and the value of saving,” says Barefield. “This series has engaged a large portion of our staff as they rotate through teaching opportunities. As financial teachers, we engage with students and equip them with financial skills that will help them be successful in their financial journey.” R. Guy Davis Jr., president and CEO of Marion Community Bank, says that while their bank donates funds and employee time to local causes, the most important way their bank gets involved in the community is by reinvesting local deposits in the community. “You will see our bankers volunteering all over the community…in churches, schools, civic clubs and nonprofits,” he says. “And every year, we have a local Community Commitment Project in each of our communities, where we not only commit money, but our employees participate in fundraising or volunteer efforts to support a particular cause.” But on the financial side and most importantly, he says, “We provide much-needed capital to small businesses.” Vincent says one of the distinctions for United Bank is that it is a designated CDFI, or Community Development Financial Institution. “It’s a designation from the Treasury Department that basically means that we’re serving areas that are lower- or moderate-income areas. That designation has opened up a whole host
of opportunities for us that we can bring to these areas. It could be small things like small loan programs to credit-challenged borrowers. It’s to everybody’s advantage to have a more knowledgeable citizen base who can access funds from a bank rather than somewhere like a title loan place or check-cashing facility. These are things and tools that we can bring to communities that don’t have it, including first-time home buyers programs. It offers a lot of tools both small and big.” Alex Jones, president of United Bank Community Development, says United Bank is the only CDE (Community Development Entity) in the state. “That’s another designation that we have from the Department of Treasury,” he says. “And just to give you an idea of what that can mean, we’ve received almost $400 million in federal tax credits, and we’ve received funding from the Capital Magnet fund that we use for affordable housing in the state. And on the new market side, the tax credit side, we’ve created more than 5,000 jobs. While on the housing side, we’ve helped finance more than 2,600 affordable housing units. These things can be game changers for a lot of these more rural communities across the state, and we are pleased to have the resources to offer them.” Jennifer G. Williams is a Hartselle-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 17
18 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
BANKING
Bankers meet annually to keep up to date on regulations and best practices.
BANK ON IT
Conference keeps bankers up to date on regulations and more By CRYSTAL CASTLE
U
sually the site of weddings and summer balls, the Grand Hotel in Point Clear will play host to a different kind of clientele in August — banking executives. The Alabama Bankers Association (ABA) meets annually in Point Clear for its CEO, Bank Executive & Directors Conference. Regularly attracting 800 or more participants, the event is broken into networking sessions and learning lunches in addition to the larger, general sessions. Scott Latham, who has served as president and CEO of the Alabama Bankers Association since 1997, says the conference helps those in high-level banking positions better serve their members in an environment of continuing change and fluctuations in the economy.
Most members of the board of directors at a bank are not practicing bankers, Latham says. Instead, they are representatives of the shareholders of the bank or individuals who themselves have a higher stake of ownership in the bank. This body is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the financial institution, as well as establishing policies that guide the day-to-day operations of the bank. The ABA directors conference began in 2002 and was prompted by a visit from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), which is one of the major federal regulators of banks. “Some folks at the FDIC Atlanta regional office said they were interested in doing something in Alabama,” Latham says. “I think they had started something
The ABA directors conference began in 2002 and was prompted by a visit from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), which is one of the major federal regulators of banks. “The event is to help our bankers and their respective members of their board of directors to do even better at managing and directing their respective banks,” Latham says. “Our industry is one that is highly regulated and that is very critical and important to individuals and local economies. It’s an industry that requires trust and safekeeping of people’s money. As a result of that, our members want to do the very best they can do.”
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 19
BANKING
similar in Virginia the year before. I think we had about 55 people the first one we ever did. We have been told for a few years now that we have the largest conference of its kind in the nation, which I’m really proud of.” Latham says the team has not finalized the agenda for this year, but the event garners high-profile speakers each year from economists and regulators to industry-specific experts. Last year’s conference included sessions
Scott Latham President and CEO of the Alabama Bankers Association
ranging from cybersecurity and cannabis banking to labor forecasting and artificial intelligence. Latham says a continuous learning mindset is important for bankers. “Every industry is kind of ever-evolving, but it feels like banking more so now than maybe earlier in my lifetime,” Latham says. “The economy is always changing, and if I live in Huntsville versus living in Montgomery, your economies are a little bit different. Depending on where I am and the environment, certain concepts are going to mean different things to me than the guy sitting next to me at the conference. All of that being said, this conference is a way to be sure that as a banker or director, I’m thinking about all the things I need to be thinking about for my role and that as an organization, we’re poised to grab onto anything that can help us manage this organization
{
Left: Alabama State Banking Superintendent Mike Hill, Scott Latham and FDIC Atlanta Regional Director Tim Rich lead the Fireside Chat portion of the conference. Right: Mike Ross speaks to the group.
in a better way.” Banks can either have a federal charter or a state charter. A federally chartered bank is usually chartered by the Treasury Department and usually has the word “national” in its title. Latham estimates there are fewer than 10 federally chartered banks in the state. But the difference is minor, Latham says — primarily a difference in whether the bank is regulated by the FDIC or a state banking department. “The reason we do this is because we are so heavily regulated as an industry, whether it’s the state or the feds, whichever agency it is,” Latham says. “I
“this conference is a way to be sure that as a banker or director, I’m thinking about all the things I need to be thinking about for my role and that as an organization, we’re poised to grab onto anything that can help us manage this organization in a better way.”
20 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
BANKING
would go so far as to say that there are smaller banks in this state and around this country who have sold their bank to another bank because the red tape and the paperwork and everything the government requires the bank to do is so very onerous.” Latham stresses that the banks in the ABA don’t dislike regulation. He asserts that good bankers are always going to embrace those guardrails. “That doesn’t mean that it isn’t burdensome and onerous and hard to comply with,” Latham says. “There is just more and more required of us by the government. So the liability that bankers and directors have to get it right also increases. I have small banks that had one compliance officer 10-15 years ago that now have three.” Latham says the importance and value of the conference lies in the ever-changing regulatory landscape and the importance for banks to get it right.
Banks are also challenged with decisions about handling deposits, whether to loan the money out or invest it, he notes. “If the bank doesn’t make money and then puts some of those profits away, the first time a loan goes bad, the bank’s not going to be able to handle that,” Latham says. “A bank has to plan for the time when a customer falls on hardship and can’t fulfill his or her obligations. There are so many implications in the changing interest rates. Managing the lending portfolio and the investment portfolios requires exceptional skill, and regulators look very carefully at how that’s done because that affects the strength of the bank. It places a huge importance on banks and on the individuals to continuously learn.” Not only is the conference a net positive for the attendees, he says, but also for those who bank at their institutions. Customers and shareholder alike want to be sure their bank is safe and sound, as well as offering the latest in products,
services and technology. “The really great news is that Alabama’s banks — and most of the banks in this nation — are healthy, strong banks because of all the regulations and the investment into having our organizations run by really good people,” Latham says. “It’s important to the consumer to have the trust in knowing that I deposit my money, I have my lending relationships here, I feel good about not only the knowledge level of those bankers but I’m going in and laying my needs down in front of or laying my business plan in front of. “To me, it’s a win/win when I’m confident that my institution is running on all cylinders both from a performance perspective and a regulatory perspective,” Latham says. “We’ve been very blessed that even in the downturn, we haven’t had poor-performing banks in our state.” Crystal Castle is a Mobile-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 21
FACES OF FINANCE
FACES of
FINANCE Finance touches every aspect of business, from purchasing to payroll to profit, in every type of business, from startups to multi-tiered corporations. Day-to-day decisions are often rooted in company finance. If a business wishes to add employees, expand locations, purchase equipment or even acquire another company, the first step is a study of the balance sheet followed by consultation with the company’s financial team. In this issue, we highlight some of those financial team members — the bankers, financial planners, accountants and others — who help guide business leaders across the state in making those crucial decisions.
DeLynn Zell, CFP®
Rett Moncrief
Managing Director and Member Owner | Savant Wealth Management
Senior Vice President and Lee County Market President | CB&S Bank
With 30 years in wealth management, DeLynn Zell is an influencer in the industry and was co-founder and CEO of Bridgeworth until it joined Savant in 2023. She now serves on Savant’s board and leads its Alabama offices. Zell is passionate about mentoring women advisors in a male-dominated field. She advocates for putting women in leadership positions where they can be role models for other women. Her efforts put her prior firm at the forefront of the industry with an above-average number of women advisors and women in leadership and with national recognition for the firm’s culture. Zell provides leadership within the financial planning industry and for key organizations in Birmingham and across Alabama. A native of Headland, Zell holds a bachelor’s in accounting and finance from Birmingham-Southern College. _______________________________________________
Rett Moncrief is an 18year resident of the Auburn/ Opelika area. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Auburn University and is a graduate of Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Moncrief has worked in the financial industry for the past 31 years. He currently serves as the senior vice president and Lee County Market president for CB&S Bank. Prior to joining CB&S Bank, Moncrief was the Lee County Market executive for Regions Bank. In addition, Moncrief serves on the board of directors for the Auburn Chamber of Commerce and Story Book Farm. He is married to the former Julie Chipman, of Macon, Georgia, and has two children, Trey and Emma Grace. He is an active member of Church of the Highlands. _______________________________________________
Savant Wealth Management | savantwealth.com
CB&S Bank | cbsbank.com
Savant is a registered investment advisor. Please read our important disclosures at savantwealth.com.
S P EC IA L A DV ERTI S I N G S EC TI O N
May May 2024 2024BusinessAlabama.com BusinessAlabama.com| 27 | 27
FACES OF FINANCE
Jeremy Tuggle
Christopher Ray
Trussville City Market President | Bryant Bank
Vice President | Exchange Bank
Jeremy Tuggle serves as the Trussville City Market president for Bryant Bank with over 22 years of expertise in the banking industry. Tuggle is a proud graduate of the University of Alabama and remains active in banking continuing education opportunities including the ABA’s Bank Executive Leadership program, Alabama Bankers School, and he is on track to graduate from LSU Graduate Banking School in 2025. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Tuggle is also actively involved in his community and he serves as a board member for the Trussville Utilities Board and he also serves as treasurer for the Trussville Daybreak Rotary Club. He has also served as president of the board of directors for both the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Trussville City School Foundation. Tuggle is a lifelong Birmingham-area native and currently resides in Trussville with his wife and four children. _______________________________________________
Christopher Ray, native of Gadsden, serves as the vice president of Exchange Bank. Ray graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Auburn University, Master’s of Business Administration from Samford University and completed the Graduate School of Banking from LSU. Prior to rejoining EXB, Ray was with the FDIC and served as a commissioned risk examiner and trainer at their corporate headquarters. Ray’s roles at EXB consist of asset liability management and he serves on the Executive Loan Committee and Asset Liability Committee. Additionally, Ray is involved with a de novo group in Huntsville where is an organizer and board member. _______________________________________________
Bryant Bank | bryantbank.com
Exchange Bank | exba.com
S. Wesley Carpenter, CPWA®, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC®, CPFA™
Co-founder | THE HARTY CARPENTER GROUP Wesley Carpenter, a Dothan native, is the co-founder of THE HARTY CARPENTER GROUP, one of the preeminent wealth advisory teams in the Southeast based in Fairhope. In 2024-2021, Carpenter was selected to Barron’s “America’s Top 1200 Financial Advisors” list and named to Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list (2024-2019). Carpenter was also named to Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors” (2021-2017) list. Carpenter has been in the financial services industry for 20 years and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. He enjoys Alabama football, offshore fishing, golfing, and spending free time with his wife, Aeana, and two sons, Quin and Wells. _______________________________________________ THE HARTY CARPENTER GROUP www.local.ml.com/fairhope_al/ 28 28| |BusinessAlabama.com BusinessAlabama.com May May2024 2024
S P EC IA L A DV ERTI S I N G S EC TI O N
FINANCIAL PLANNING
T
he United States and other countries are currently experiencing the “Great Wealth Transfer,” an intergenerational transfer of more than $80 trillion in assets from the Baby Boomer and Silent generations to their Gen X and Millennial children and grandchildren. This transfer will take approximately 20 years and will affect a number of families in Alabama and across the country. Alabama-based financial advisers say that growing numbers of their clients are seeking help with estate planning and, for those who own businesses, succession planning.
“Rather than avoiding talk of what will happen when you’re gone, it’s better to take the right steps to create a plan so that your heirs won’t have to spend all your money on taxes and your assets can be used in the way you intend.” — Mike Innes, ChFC, CLU, CLF, financial adviser with Lincoln Financial Advisors “It seems like everybody needs help planning for how to transition their assets or their businesses these days,” says Mike Innes, ChFC, CLU, CLF, a Huntsvillebased financial adviser with Lincoln Financial Advisors. “Rather than avoiding talk of what will happen when you’re gone, it’s better to take the right steps to create a plan so that your heirs won’t have to spend all your money on taxes and your assets can be used in the way you intend.” In a recent survey of investors with at least $500,000 in investible assets, Raymond James found that 84% of
Anticipating change How to ease the transition of wealth from one generation to the next By NANCY MANN JANCKSON — Photo by DENNIS KEIM
Mike Innes works to help clients plan for the future of their business and their personal wealth. May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 29
F I N A N C I A L PL A N N I N G
YOUNGER GENERATIONS: ARE YOU PREPARED TO RECEIVE AN INHERITANCE? Just as aging Americans need to make careful preparations for leaving their assets behind, it’s wise for their children and grandchildren to be prepared for receiving an inheritance. “Whether through self-education or by consulting with financial advisers, it’s crucial to understand the implications of inheriting wealth,” says Ashley Folkes, CFP, founder and managing partner of Inspired Wealth Solutions in Birmingham. “A trusted adviser can provide guidance, act as an accountability partner, and offer a rational perspective on financial decisions.” The following general steps can help members of younger generations prepare to receive and manage an inheritance judiciously. Control emotions. “Inheriting wealth can evoke strong emotions, especially if it comes following the loss of a loved one,” Folkes says. “It’s essential to manage emotions effectively to make rational decisions and avoid impulsive actions that may have long-term consequences. Take the time to grieve and seek support to navigate this transition period effectively.” Understand tax implications. It’s wise to familiarize yourrespondents who work with a financial adviser have a documented intergenerational wealth transfer plan in place, but the same is true for only 66% of those who do not work with an adviser. “For anyone in this stage of life, the best first step is to create a comprehensive plan that illustrates their needs, wants and wishes,” says Evan Brooks, financial adviser at Raymond James in Birmingham. “As we age, our priorities tend to shift from market returns and building wealth to legacy and keeping wealth. For business owners, working with an adviser who can help them value their business and create a smooth transition path is very important, as it will likely be the largest piece of their legacy.” To effectively transition wealth or a business to the next generation, it’s important to prepare for the inevitable, consider taxes in your planning and communicate your plans. PLAN FOR YOUR LEGACY
Most people don’t want to think much about their own deaths and what they’ll leave behind, but resisting those thoughts and conversations can result in negative consequences for your heirs. If you don’t have a plan for your assets, someone else — typically the government — will make decisions regarding your estate in your absence. 30 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
self with the tax implications and potential penalties associated with the inheritance you expect to receive, Folkes says. Understanding tax laws can help you maximize the value of your inheritance and avoid unnecessary losses. Create a spending plan. You can manage your inheritance wisely and avoid depleting it too quickly by building a structured spending plan. “This involves budgeting for immediate needs, long-term goals, and potential investments while avoiding impulsive spending,” Folkes says. Adjust investment strategies. “Inheritance should change the way young people think about investing,” says Evan Brooks, financial adviser at Raymond James in Birmingham. “Generally, a younger person has a higher appetite for risk [to achieve desired returns by retirement age]. With an inheritance, you might not need to assume the risk that most other young people do to have the best outcome. Honest conversations between benefactors, beneficiaries and advisers will set better expectations and ensure that those benefactors have a say in how their legacy will be honored. This will also take the guesswork out of financial decisions for beneficiaries and allow them to make more informed investment decisions.” For example, Innes worked with a client who had significant assets including several thousand acres of farmland. He had made verbal agreements with his children about how the properties would be divided upon his death, but had no official written plan. After a stroke that left Innes’ client unable to communicate, family members did not agree on the estate plans. “It was a complete mess,” Innes says. Rather than waiting until it’s too late to ensure a smooth transition, financial planners advise starting early and creating a documented plan. “The most important factor in executing a smooth transfer of wealth is having a documented plan in place and to regularly revisit that plan over the years to make sure it’s properly representing your current wishes,” said Joe Weaver, president of Raymond James Trust, in a statement. “The most common reasons for a break down in a client’s plan are the absence of preparation and taking the time to put appropriate documents in place.” The first step to appropriate estate planning is to assemble the right team. Depending on your assets, you may need a banker, financial planner, insurance agent, tax attorney and CPA. “If you have a large estate, you don’t need a boilerplate estate plan,” Innes says. “You need someone who will dive in and do what you want,
F I N A N C I A L PL A N N I N G
“
For business owners, working with an adviser who can help them value their business and create a smooth transition path is very important, as it will likely be the largest piece of their legacy.” — Evan Brooks, financial adviser at Raymond James
when you want it.” For aging Americans who own businesses, that team may also include business valuation professionals or business brokers. “Whether a business owner plans to sell to someone outside of the family, inside the family or pass the torch to the next generation, the first step is to value the business,” Brooks says. “Our firm is being proactive, given the age trends of the typical American business owner, to make this step as easy and straightforward as it can be. With a few data points, we can give you a good idea of what your business is worth and connect you with potential buyers. Whether a business owner chooses to sell is their decision, but knowing what you have is vital to the other planning pieces and sets a clear expectation for their heirs and employees.” Once you’ve assembled the right team of professionals to help, start with the following steps: Visualize your legacy. “Paint a vivid picture of how you envision your legacy and wealth transfer,” says Ashley Folkes, CFP, founder and managing partner of Inspired Wealth Solutions in Birmingham. Consider gradual transfers. “Consider distributing assets in stages to witness your heirs’ enjoyment and create a living legacy that reflects your values,” Folkes says. For example, you might want to take advantage of gift laws to give your children part of their inheritance tax-free while you’re living, or use some of your assets to purchase a family vacation home or a family vacation to enjoy with your heirs. Create a will or trust. Draft a legally binding will or establish a trust to ensure that your assets will be distributed according to your wishes. When you set up a trust to manage your properties or assets, it allows you to “dictate from the grave how the money will be spent or divided,” Innes says. Adjust real property titles. If you have real estate such as farmland or homes, consider adjusting all property titles to “transfer on death” (TOD) titles, Innes says. That way, the property will transfer directly to the heir without having to pay estate
taxes on it. “If you have farmland, for example, you want your heirs to be able to pay property taxes and keep the farm income coming in, not have to sell the land in order to pay the estate taxes,” Innes says. “By doing some planning in advance, you can prevent your kids from having to have a fire sale to pay the taxes.” Create alternatives and contingencies. Life is unpredictable, so it’s wise to create alternative plans to address unforeseen events. For example, what if you have an unexpected grandchild? What if one of your heirs dies? “Flexibility and adaptability are key to navigating changing circumstances while safeguarding your wealth transfer objectives,” Folkes says. Evaluate business succession options and implement a succession plan. If you are passing on a family business, consider various options, such as grooming a family member to take over, selling the business to an outside party or transitioning to employee ownership, Folkes says. When you’ve selected an option, “develop a detailed succession plan to ensure a smooth leadership and ownership transition,” he says. “This plan should include identifying and training potential successors, establishing roles and responsibilities, and addressing any potential challenges.” CONSIDER TAX LIABILITY
More than nine of 10 (91%) of respondents to the Raymond James survey said that tax efficiency is “extremely” or “somewhat” important, but 37% answered “no” or “not sure” when asked if their wealth transfer plan includes tax efficient strategies. Rather than leaving the taxes on your estate to chance, the firm suggests taking steps now to maximize tax efficiency. In 2024, the estate tax limit will be $13.61 million. Estates that are worth less than that amount may be able to bypass probate (and estate taxes) for a significant portion of their wealth, using tools like TOD accounts, updated beneficiary information on retirement accounts and insurance policies, and up-to-date estate documents, Brooks says.
“
By doing some planning in advance, you can prevent your kids from having to have a fire sale to pay the taxes.” — Ashley Folkes, CFP, founder and managing partner of Inspired Wealth Solutions
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 31
F I N A N C I A L PL A N N I N G
There are a number of strategies available to minimize taxes on your estate. Some of the most common include: Gifting strategies. You can prevent taxes on some of your assets by giving gifts to heirs while you are living. Asset location. Different account types offer different tax advantages, so it can be wise to “strategically allocate assets now and plan for the future to reduce tax burdens for your heirs,” Folkes says. “Consider Roth conversions as an example; pay taxes today on a lesser amount and allow assets to grow tax-free for your heirs.” Step-up in basis opportunities. Assets that are held in taxable accounts may benefit from a step-up in cost basis to the date of death for heirs, Folkes says. This means that heirs would only owe taxes on any appreciation from the date of death until the asset is sold, rather than appreciation from the original date of purchase until the asset is sold. If you’re selling or leaving a business to an heir, Innes recommends transferring stock to a revocable trust before the transfer is complete to allow them to benefit from a step-up in basis. Charitable giving strategies. “Charitable remainder trusts are split-interest vehicles that allow you to contribute to a trust and receive different partial tax deductions,” Folkes says. “Then, your heirs can potentially receive an income stream for a period of years. You name one or more charities to receive the remainder of
32 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
the donated assets.” When you’ve made all the arrangements for your estate to be handled according to your plans, make sure you let your heirs know where to find all the relevant documentation. COMMUNICATE WITH HEIRS
In addition to communicating with heirs about where they can find important information, it’s also important to communicate about the plans you’ve made for your assets and how they will be divided. In the Raymond James survey, 71% of respondents said proactive communication of wealth transfer plans would be important to them if they were receiving an inheritance, but just 45% report that they are “extremely transparent” with their own heirs. “While financial matters are important, maintaining family harmony should also be a priority,” Folkes says. “Balancing the needs and aspirations of family members can help ensure a successful wealth transfer process. Open communication among family members is crucial. Discussing intentions, expectations and responsibilities can help avoid misunderstandings and conflicts later on.” Nancy Mann Jackson and Dennis Keim are freelance contributors to Business Alabama. She is based in Madison and he in Huntsville.
34 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
F I N A N C I A L PL A N N I N G
Financial Planning & Investment Advisory Firms
COMPILED BY ERICA JOINER WEST
FIRM
TOP EXECUTIVE
ADDRESS
PHONE/WEBSITE
VALUE OF ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT AS OF 12/31/23
# OF ALABAMA EMPLOYEES
# EMPLOYEES WORLDWIDE
YEAR FOUNDED
Ranked by Value of Assets Under Management as of Dec. 31, 2023.
1
Captrust
Phil Anderson, Paul Owen, John Maloney, Brand Hydrick, Donald Lutomski, Beau Williams, Rob Godwin, Oliver Haynes III, Brian Mitchell
2614 19th St. S. Birmingham, AL 35209
205-949-6040 captrust.com
$15.6 billion
38
1,554
1997
2
Waverly Advisors LLC
Josh Reidinger, Justin Russell
600 University Park Place, Ste. 501 Birmingham, AL 35209
205-871-3334 waverly-advisors.com
$4.6 billion
60
146
1999
3
Peachtree Planning
Dustin Dawes
3500 Blue Lake Dr., Ste. 220 Birmingham, AL 35243
205-533-9452 peachtreeplanning.com
$3.5 billion
24
142
1987
4
The Welch Group
Stewart Welch III
3940 Montclair Rd., Fifth Floor Birmingham, AL 35213
205-879-5001 welchgroup.com
$2.8 billion
34
34
1984
5
Leavell Investments
Andrew Grinstead
210 St. Joseph St. Mobile, AL 36602
251-433-3709 leavellinvestments.com
$2.5 billion
30
30
1979
6
Savant Wealth Management*
Brent Brodeski, DeLynn Zell
101 25th St. N. Birmingham, AL 35203
205-208-8700 savantwealth.com
$2.3 billion
63
538
1986
7
Mitchell McLeod Pugh & Williams Inc.
Richard Mitchell, Douglas McLeod, Bragg Van Antwerp
2610 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36606
251-471-2027 mmpw.com
$2.1 billion
15
15
2006
8
Oakworth Capital Bank
Scott Reed
850 Shades Creek Pkwy. Birmingham, AL 35209
205-263-4716 oakworth.com
$2 billion
22
25
2008
9
Jackson Thornton Asset Management LLC
C. Crenshaw (Shaw) Pritchett IV
200 Commerce St., Ste. 300 Montgomery, AL 36104
334-834-7660 jt-am.com
$1.8 billion
15
15
1999
10
RFG Advisory
Bobby White
1400 Urban Center Dr., Ste. 475 Birmingham, AL 35242
205-397-2450 rfgadvisory.com
$1.7 billion
43
87
2003
11
Advo(k)ate Advisors
Renn Williams, Andrew Blankenship
6801 Cahaba Valley Rd., Ste. 206 Birmingham, AL 35242
659-238-0010 advokateadvisors.com
$1.5 billion
9
9
1982
12
1919 Investment Counsel
B. Hanson Slaughter
2311 Highland Ave. S., Ste. 190 Birmingham, AL 35205
205-414-3350 1919ic.com
$1.3 billion
10
145
1919
13
Meridiem Advisory Group|Raymond James
Sam Chambers, Trip Phillips, Derrick Sikes
6925-B Halcyon Park Dr. Montgomery, AL 36117
334-481-1400 meridiemadvisorygroup.com
$1.3 billion
10
11
2023
14
Southern Financial Group
Todd Holder, David Painter
700 Corporate Pkwy. Birmingham, AL 35242
205-383-1415 thesouthernfinancialgroup.com
$921 million
8
8
2006
15
MavenCross Wealth Advisors
Jeff Roberts
31 Inverness Center Pkwy., Ste. 550 Birmingham, AL 35242
205-313-9150 mavencrosswealth.com
$857 million
13
13
1992
16
Marble Wealth
Matthew Murphy, Rebecca Baker, Adam Rogers
4137 Carmichael Rd., Ste. 210 Montgomery, AL 36106
334-679-4800 marblewealth.com
$795 million
5
5
2022
17
CapSouth Partners Inc. dba CapSouth Wealth Management
Marshall Bolden
2216 W. Main St. Dothan, AL 36301
334-673-8600 capsouthwm.com
$633 million
16
21
2001
18
Meld Financial Inc.
Kyle Whittington
3008 Pump House Rd. Birmingham, AL 35243
205-967-4200 meldfinancial.com
$594 million
10
10
1986
19
BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions
Mark Wesson
3500 Colonnade Pkwy., Ste. 150 Birmingham, AL 35243
205-982-5555 bmsswesson.com
$491 million
7
8
2016
20
Hottel Capital
Daniel Hottel
2801 2nd Ave. S., Ste. A Birmingham, AL 35233
205-271-7028 hottelcapital.com
$458 million
6
6
1994
21
EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC
Mark Wesson
3500 Colonnade Pkwy., Ste. 150 Birmingham, AL 35243
205-982-5515 eversourcewealthadvisors.com
$437 million
30
78
2017
22
EverThrive Financial Group
Valerie Leonard
2279 Valleydale Rd., Ste. 210 Birmingham, AL 35244
205-970-9088 everthrivefinancial.com
$417 million
9
9
2007
RANK
*Editor’s Note: Bridgeworth Wealth Management joined Savant on Nov. 30, 2023. Source: Business Alabama survey
For more financial planners, visit BusinessAlabama.com.
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 35
WOMEN IN TECH
SPECIAL SECTION
Meet the Alabama women propelling the tech scene SILVER SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSORS
jacent roles. Barnes is a graduate
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of Vanderbilt University and has
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her Ph.D. in psychology and MSPH
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from UAB. She is a Momentum
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Executive Leadership alum and
and has been in the IT indus-
is active in the tech and LGBTQ+
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team-building coach.
is data storage, which includes
LINDSAY SUTTON BARNES
SAN (storage area networking),
LINDSAY SUTTON BARNES is the
other fiber-related networks. Borg
disaster recovery, Brocade and
vice president of growth & strat-
graduated magna cum laude from
egy for Stella Source, a Birming-
Auburn University at Montgom-
ham startup. She spent over a de-
ery with a degree in information
cade building products, services
systems data storage and man-
and experiences for a variety of
agement. Borg volunteers for the
organizations, including Shipt
Alabama Technology Foundation
RENEE BORG
and is currently its executive di-
Tech Equals, Alabama’s first pro-
RENEE BORG is the technical
MEGAN BROOKS is the found-
fessional organization for LGBTQ+
marketing specialist for the
er and president of American
individuals in tech and tech-ad-
Retirement Systems of Alabama’s
Filament as well as vice presi-
and Two Ravens, an innovation consulting firm she co-founded in 2018. In 2021, Barnes founded
36 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
rector. She lives in Montgomery.
SPECIAL SECTION
MEGAN BROOKS
WOMEN IN TECH
two joint venture mentor prote-
ist degree in educational leader-
ges. The companies provide IT
ship and a doctorate in education
enterprise solutions to commer-
in educational leadership, both
cial and federal agencies through-
from Liberty University. Before
out the United States. Brown
beginning a career in education,
previously served in multiple roles
Carter worked as a computer
as a government contractor for
programmer, a system analyst, a
Standard Systems Group. Brown
Microsoft Certified administrator
is a graduate of Troy University,
and a Cisco Certified Network
where she received a degree in
administrator.
dent of Lithophane Maker, where
resource management. ZealRiver
her responsibilities include busi-
has expertise in a number of ar-
ness development, research and
eas, including enterprise network
development of novel materials
solutions for IT and advisory and
and partnering with educational
assistance services. A native of
programs to encourage STEM
Abbeville, Brown lives in Mont-
education. As an environmental
gomery.
engineer for more than a decade, Brooks is keenly aware of the
AMANDA CLARK
impact of plastics on the environment. She graduated with a degree in biosystems engineering
AMANDA CLARK is the senior
from Auburn University. Brooks
director of enterprise program
educates businesses on how 3D
management at Torch Technolo-
printing can save time and money
gies Inc., a 100% employee-owned
and also how to use the process
Department of Defense services
to improve products. She is a member of the Junior League of Huntsville.
ABIGAIL CARTER
ABIGAIL CARTER is associate
and solutions company headquartered in Huntsville. In this role, she works closely with operating groups executing Torch contracts
director of computer/information
and plays a critical role in the cap-
technology instructional pro-
ture and teaming of new business
grams for the Alabama Communi-
opportunities critical to company
ty College System in Montgomery.
growth. As the lead of the enter-
She has extensive postsecondary
prise program management orga-
experience, working in higher ed-
nization, she manages a contract
ucation for the last three decades.
portfolio of more than $3 billion
A United States Army Reserve
for multiple Army, Air Force and
veteran, Carter earned a bache-
Navy customers. Clark holds both
lor’s in information systems from
a bachelor’s degree in chemical
CHERYL BROWN is founder and
Auburn University at Montgomery
engineering and a master’s de-
CEO of ZealRiver Technologies
and a Master of Business Admin-
gree in engineering management
Inc. and the managing partner of
istration from Brenau University.
from the University of Alabama in
ZRS Solutions and ZS2 Solutions,
She earned an education special-
Huntsville.
CHERYL BROWN
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 37
WOMEN IN TECH
SPECIAL SECTION
valued by colleagues for creating cohesiveness within her team. She has a vast array of skills that use the entire software lifecycle. She received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Alabama A&M University and a Master of Business Administration
CANDI COLE
from American Intercontinental University.
MAHROKH DADSETAN global teams. She has been at the
CANDI COLE is the CIO for
MAHROKH DADSETAN is senior
Foley-based AgriTech Corp.
manager, innovation and product
and processes, securing intellec-
She is a native of Talladega with
development at Evonik in Bir-
tual property rights and foster-
more than 15 years of software
mingham, where she has been
ing business. In her two-decade
implementation experience. Cole
instrumental in developing and
career, she has expertise in the
works to understand customers’
expanding the medical device
development of novel biomateri-
needs and translate those needs
portfolio, securing investments
als and innovative processes for
into product features, and she is
and leading cross-functional
medical devices, drug delivery
38 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
forefront of developing materials
SPECIAL SECTION
WOMEN IN TECH
systems and more. She holds a doctorate from the University of Tehran and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in biomaterials at Case Western Reserve University.
JENNIFER ENGLISH
JENNIFER ENGLISH is the associ-
MILLER GIRVIN
JESSICA GRATZ
overseeing multiple programming
and public safety and a doctor-
priorities of the EDPA. Alabama
ate in public administration and
Launchpad, Investor Connector
public policy, Gratz’s post-doctor-
events, FuelAL engagement with
al work spearheaded the creation
summer interns, and strategy
of the inaugural data research and
and program development with
policy division at the Alabama
Innovate Alabama all fall within
Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.
ate dean of engineering for under-
her scope. Prior to joining EDPA,
Collaborating with the Informa-
graduate education and associate
she served as the founding CEO
tion and Technology division, this
professor of electrical and com-
of the Alabama Capital Network,
work updated reporting, imple-
puter engineering at the Univer-
which connects the state’s best
menting a case-management
sity of Alabama in Huntsville. She
entrepreneurs to a network of
system to collect and seamlessly
was twice awarded the University
early-stage investors. Girvin
integrate corrections data from
Distinguished Teaching Award
served as a member of Gov. Kay
external agencies.
and was named the IEEE-Hunts-
Ivey’s Innovate Alabama Commis-
ville Educator of the Year. She
sion and serves on numerous in-
was recognized with the Profes-
novation advisory boards around
sor Brian Landrum Outstanding
Alabama. Girvin is a member of
Service award for her support
the Rotary Club of Birmingham
of the College of Engineering by
and a graduate of Leadership
establishing a variety of programs
Birmingham and the Alabama
that serve the academic success
Leadership Initiative.
and career development needs of UAH engineering undergradu-
JESSICA GRATZ is manager of the
ates. She also is a leader in STEM
Alabama State Parks planning and
outreach at UAH. English holds
visitor services, where she led cre-
bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D.
ation of a new reservation system.
EMILY HART is with Birming-
degrees in electrical engineer-
Leveraging technology, Gratz’s
ham-based MotionMobs, having
ing from the Georgia Institute of
collaborative work has empow-
created the company’s consulting
Technology.
ered Alabama State Parks to
division in 2015. She started in
make data-driven decisions while
communications in 2007 in non-
managing the state’s natural re-
profits and moved to the tech-
officer at the Economic Devel-
sources. An Auburn alumna with a
nology sector in 2010. Her work
opment Partnership of Alabama,
bachelor’s and master’s in justice
includes four years at Apple’s
MILLER GIRVIN is chief operating
EMILY HART
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 39
WOMEN IN TECH
SPECIAL SECTION
headquarters in Cupertino, Cal-
Alabama. Hunt has developed
ifornia. Hart is a liaison between
courses for LinkedIn Learning and
MotionMobs’ technical team and
the Microsoft Global Skills Initia-
the client, overseeing the devel-
tive, is the author of the Official
opment strategy and release of
CompTIA Data+ Content and
more than 50 projects during her
co-author of the Official CompTIA
tenure. She coaches entrepre-
Data Systems+ Content. She is a
neurs through Innovation Depot,
member of the State of Alabama
Prosper and EDPA’s Alabama Launchpad program, sits on the advisory board for SouthPoint Bank and the Samford University Journalism & Mass Communication Advisory Council, and is a member of The CMO Institute Class of 2020.
ROBIN HUNT
ROBIN HUNT is co-founder and partner at ThinkData Solutions in Birmingham. She has worked in data analytics for more than 20 years. ThinkData has created a registered data analyst apprenticeship, the first of its kind in
40 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
Office of Education & Workforce Statistics advisory board, a member of the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways’ information technology technical advisory committee and a Microsoft Certified Learning Partner and a Microsoft Certified Trainer.
SPECIAL SECTION
WOMEN IN TECH
Park in Huntsville, the sec-
owns seven pellet plants in the
ond-largest research park in the
southern U.S.
U.S. and fourth-largest in the world. Koshut is a certified INBIA Business Incubation Manager and currently serves as the president of the board of directors for the international Association of Uni-
AMANDA IVES
AMANDA IVES is deputy program engineer at Austal USA in Mobile, leading a team of senior engineers and designers. Ives has more than 15 years of experience as an electrical engineer, working for
versity Research Parks. She is a member of the Tennessee Valley Corridor board of directors and sits on the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology’s Economic Development Advisory Council. Koshut received her bachelor’s
ASHLEIGH MCKENZIE has served
degree from Lipscomb University.
as president of MDreferralPRO LLC since January 2010. The
several Gulf Coast defense con-
health care IT company provides
tractors. She joined Austal USA’s
technologies to health care
engineering team in 2016 and has
organizations to improve business
made a major impact on almost
processes and promote strategic
every one of the company’s
growth. McKenzie works to
defense shipbuilding contracts.
advance technology in all of the
Ives was project engineer for the
organizations in which she serves.
U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship and Expeditionary Fast Transport programs and currently is deputy program engineer for a $3 billion contract to build Heritage-class
ASHLEIGH MCKENZIE
KATIE LAMBERT
KATIE LAMBERT is a process en-
One of her latest technologyimprovement interests is The Plant Shoppe in downtown Fairhope, where all transactions
gineer at renewable energy com-
are electronically processed.
pany Drax, where she is responsi-
McKenzie, a 2001 graduate of
ble for managing the operational
the University of Alabama, is
health of the company’s pellet
also interested in the future of
plant in Demopolis. This involves
artificial intelligence and its uses.
gathering data and assisting
She has served on the boards
the operations team to prevent
of AdvisorsMD, the Alabama
unnecessary downtime. Lambert
Healthcare Executive Forum,
holds a degree in mechanical
The Girl Scouts of South Central
engineering from the University of
Alabama, America’s Heroes
Alabama and worked as a man-
Enjoying Recreation Outdoors,
ERIN KOSHUT
ufacturing engineer at pulp and
National Charity League and
paper company Georgia-Pacific
Impact 100.
ERIN KOSHUT is the executive
before joining Drax in April 2022.
Offshore Patrol Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard.
director of Cummings Research
Drax is one of the leading global
KYLEIGH PERKINS is booster
producers of wood pellets and
production lead for United Launch May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 41
KYLEIGH PERKINS Alliance’s Decatur factory, where she oversees a diverse team of rocket builders and support engineers for ULA, a joint venture founded by Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Perkins’ team builds up the first stage of both the Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur rockets through tests before shipping to Cape Canaveral, Florida, or Vandenberg, California, for launch. She has worked in the aerospace industry for 18 years across varied roles, including asset management, finance, facilities management and production. Perkins has a BA in Psychology from Miami University of Ohio.
DELANEA RADBOURNE
DELANEA RADBOURNE, with more than 27 years in health care IT, is CIO of Springhill Medical Center in Mobile. Radbourne works to use the power of technology 42 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
SPECIAL SECTION
to improve patient care, finding
computational science, and data
innovative technology solutions
and digital fluency. Rast serves
that result in better health care
on the Prosper Birmingham
outcomes. She is valued for her
Community Connectors Advisory
leadership skills and the ability to
Board and is co-chair of the
foster cross-functional collabora-
Prosper Connections Committee.
WOMEN IN TECH
tion to ensure alignment between technology solutions and the Radbourne is from Mobile and
BRITNEY SUMMERVILLE
studied at Faulkner University and
engagement at Birmingham-
the University of New Orleans.
based Shipt and founder of
evolving needs of health care.
Birmingham Bound. She is focused on driving growth and
VIRGINIA P. SISIOPIKU
VIRGINIA P. SISIOPIKU is a profes-
entrepreneurship, specifically in the technology space. Prior to Shipt, Summerville was the senior vice president of service at Daxko,
sor of transportation engineering
a company that provides health
at the University of Alabama at
club industry software. She is
Birmingham and a fellow of the
from Montgomery and attended
Institute of Transportation Engi-
Auburn University. Summerville
neers. She holds civil engineering
serves on boards of the 2121
degrees from Aristotelian Univer-
World Games, TechBirmingham,
sity in Greece and the University
REV Birmingham, Birmingham
professor in the UAB Department
of Illinois at Chicago. She is the
Kiwanis and Wyndy. She is a
of Physics. She has a background
founding director of the UAB
Women’s Fund Smart honoree
in computational science and
TREND Lab and has 30 years of
and a BBJ Emerging Influencer
is the program director for the
professional experience in the
and Woman to Watch.
Magic City Data Collective, a
transportation field as an aca-
public-private partnership that
demic and a consulting transpor-
aims to build a local data talent
tation engineer. Sisiopiku studies
pipeline and support data-driven
transportation-related challenges
decision-making in Birmingham.
and how to address them, and she
Rast is also the project lead
investigates the role of new and
for the Remotely Accessible
emerging technologies on trans-
Interdisciplinary STEMM
portation operations and user
Education Project (including
behaviors. Sisiopiku, who is the
science, technology, engineering,
recipient of a number of awards
mathematics and medicine) in
from UAB, is also a passionate
the UAB Department of Physics.
advocate for women in STEM.
LAUREN RAST
LAUREN RAST is an assistant
Her areas of expertise include STEMM education, distance-
BRITNEY SUMMERVILLE is the
accessible learning frameworks,
vice president of community
REBECCA VAUGHT
REBECCA VAUGHT, the CEO of Van Heron Labs in Huntsville, works to innovate and bring to
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 43
market cutting-edge technologies that reside at the crossroads of biology, chemistry, genetics, artificial intelligence and engineering. Vaught is on the boards of Bio Alabama and the Cultivated Meat Modeling Consortium, and she is scientific advisor for Cell Mind and ValleyDAO. With a bachelor’s from Auburn University and doctorate from Monash University, Vaught’s academic background spans biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, microbiology, evolutionary biology, genomics, physiology, mitochondrial biology, longevity and aging, and bioinformatics.
ALY WORKMAN
ALY WORKMAN is director of IT at Capstone Health in Parrish, overseeing IT operations and ensuring the seamless delivery of health care services. She has more than 24 years of experience, including more than 10 years in the nonprofit sector. Her career has included working as a network engineer for government agencies, managing networks and co-owning an IT business. She volunteers with local rescue squads and charities dedicated to assisting youth, disadvantaged individuals and the homeless. 44 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
DIVERSITY
The Minority Business Awards Event celebrates diverse leaders in Birmingham By GAIL ALLYN SHORT
G
etting the nod to lead a team, a department, corporation or nonprofit, or launching one’s own small business or startup is arguably part of the American dream for lots of working adults. For women and minorities in Alabama and across the United States, however, gaining opportunities to lead can often mean pushing through the headwinds of sexism, racism, lack of financing and other obstacles. But a radio broadcasting company in Birmingham called SummitMedia LLC celebrates and recognizes women and minorities in various sectors through its annual Minority Business Awards program. The Minority Business Awards, now in its 18th year, serves as a platform to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of minority business leaders in Birmingham, says Justin Ragland, vice president of events and promotions for SummitMedia. SummitMedia is a national company that oversees four top R&B, rhythmic contemporary hits, country and classic rock radio stations in the Birmingham market. “By honoring their successes, the
Minority Business Awards LAUNCH! contest, left to right: Dee Linson, SummitMedia marketing executive; William Barnes, president and CEO of the Birmingham Urban League; Shayla Townsend, winner; Bob Dickerson, executive director of the Birmingham Business Resource Center; Rickey Smiley, comedian and 2023 host of the Minority Business Awards.
awards highlight the entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and economic impact that these individuals have within the local community,” Ragland says. This year’s 2024 Minority Business Awards event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. May 16 at The Club in Birmingham. The Minority Business Awards honor leaders in eight categories: Entrepreneur of the Year, Small Business Owner of the Year, Young Professional of the Year, Executive of the Year, Diversity and Inclusion
Leader of the Year, Medical Leader of the Year, Nonprofit Leader of the Year and Academic Leader of the Year. “In a diverse and multicultural society, it’s crucial to acknowledge and promote diversity and inclusion in all sectors, including business. The awards showcase the diversity of talent, skills and perspectives within the business community, fostering a culture of inclusivity and equity,” Ragland says. Also, by highlighting the success stories of minority leaders, the Minority Business Awards inspire aspiring entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities, he says. “These success stories serve as role models and demonstrate that with determination, hard work and support, anyone can achieve entrepreneurial success regardless of their background,” he says. For the awards contest, peers and the general public can nominate the finalists. Afterward, a panel consisting of radio personalities, Minority Business Award sponsors and leaders in Birmingham’s business community vote to select the winners. Ragland says SummitMedia receives several hundred entries every year. “Summit’s commitment to hosting May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 45
DIVERSIT Y
the Minority Business Awards reflects our dedication to corporate citizenship, diversity and inclusion, economic development and community engagement,” he says. Besides the awards ceremony, the event features a cocktail reception and dinner, he says. The 2023 winners were: Entrepreneur of the Year: Zebbie Carney, founder and owner of Eugene’s Hot Wings Medical Professional of the Year: Dr. Mia Cowan, founder and owner of MiBella Wellness Center Diversity Leader of the Year: Louise Duncan, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion manager at Alabama Power Academic of the Year: Mark Sullivan, superintendent of Birmingham City Schools Executive of the Year: Montal Morton, owner and marketing director of the Redmont Distilling Co. Outstanding Young Professional of the Year: Ashley Gann, chief meteorologist at CBS-42 News Nonprofit/Faith Leader of the Year: Tomeka Walker, executive director of Khairi and Little Angels Memorial.
“By honoring their successes, the awards highlight the entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and economic impact that these individuals have within the local community.” — Justin Ragland, vice president of events and promotions for SummitMedia
Eric Ryles, the owner of Ez Cutz Barbershop in Birmingham, won Small Business Owner of the Year in 2022. Ryles, who has been in business for nine years, recalls the moment he learned that so many people nominated him for the award. “I broke down, actually, because I never thought that people felt that I should be nominated for anything. I’ve been in this business for so long, and I never thought about getting accolades for what I love to do, which is to cut hair. And, I just love people,” he says. “So many of my clients told others that I won this award for being business owner of the year and really showed love for me to others by letting them know, ‘He runs a good place of business. It’s really laid back and family-friendly,’” Ryles says. “I’m getting ready to go nine years of being in business for myself. Just being able to get up and come to a place I can call my own is a blessing in itself,” he says. Ryles says running a business requires
dedication and consistency. “Nothing can stop you if you work hard,” he says. Ragland says SummitMedia continued holding the awards ceremony even during the pandemic. “Instead of a live awards event, we produced a virtual presentation and published it on the Minority Business Awards, 98.7 Kiss, 95.7 Jamz and 610 WAGG social platforms,” Ragland says. SummitMedia continues to record the ceremony so the public can watch it on the website minoritybusinessawards.com and on various social media platforms. This year’s hosts for the ceremony will be Kyle Santillian and Lore’l, hosts of the nationally syndicated show “The Morning Hustle” that airs on 95.7 JAMZ in Birmingham. Over the years, the Minority Business Awards keynote speakers have included celebrities and business leaders like comedian Roy Wood Jr. and syndicated radio
46 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
personality Tom Joyner. This year’s guest speaker will be Birmingham native J. Michael Kemp Sr., president and CEO of Kemp Management Solutions and its family of companies in Birmingham. Kemp was a member of Leadership Birmingham’s Class of 2012 and Leadership Alabama’s Class of 2017 and chairman of the Business Council of Alabama in 2022. In 2023, the Minority Business Awards, along with Birmingham Urban League Inc., debuted Launch!, a pitch competition open to local entrepreneurs. Contestants can win an opportunity to be one of three finalists to pitch their business to a panel of business leaders for a chance to win a $5,000 grant for the development or marketing of their startup or brand. Ragland says the panel members are various leaders selected based on their profession and business acumen, such as William Barnes, CEO of the Birmingham Urban League, and Bob Dickerson, executive director of the Birmingham Business Resource Center. Ragland says the judges look for creativity, whether the product or idea fills a need and how well the product or idea relates to consumers. The winner is announced during the awards ceremony. The first Launch! winner was Shayla Townsend, the founder and CEO of Townsend Advisory Group LLC, a Birmingham startup offering staffing and other human resource services. Those interested in competing can visit minoritybusinessawards.com/launch for details. “Today, the Minority Business Awards remain important as they continue to celebrate minority leaders, promote diversity and inclusion and stimulate economic growth within the minority community,” Ragland says. “In a rapidly changing and increasingly interconnected world,” he says, “these awards serve as a reminder of the importance of supporting and empowering all minorities to create a more prosperous and equitable society.” Gail Allyn Short is a Birmingham-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.
SPOTLIGHT
Baldwin County
Baldwin County
by LORI CHANDLER PRUITT Owa’s many features include an indoor water park.
Visitors to the Graham Creek Nature Preserve, in Foley, enjoy one of the park’s walking trails.
B
aldwin County, home to the Alabama Gulf Coast beaches, is growing very quickly. In fact, it’s now the fourth-largest county in Alabama by population, and the 7th-fastest growing county in the United States. The county welcomes about 7,100 new residents each year. All of this growth has affected every single sector in the county’s economy — from housing to parks and recreation, roads, airports and other infrastructure, public safety, city and county services and much more. Cities and the county are working to ensure that quality of life, sustainability and preservation remain priorities in the region. Baldwin County’s largest economic
Pass Park at Alabama Point in Orange Beach.
driver is tourism, with an estimated 65,000 people working in tourism in 2022. In 2022, Baldwin and Mobile counties combined to generate 42.8% of the state’s total tourism expenditures ($6.1 billion) and almost 36.7% of the state’s total travel-related employment. Also in 2022, Baldwin County welcomed 8.3 million visitors who spent $7.9 billion dollars in the county — again leading the state, according to the latest Alabama Tourism Department Economic Impact Study. With sports and other events showing no sign of slowing down, every season generates significant economic impact. Rounding out the major economic sectors is aerospace/aviation, where
Collins Aerospace is currently the largest manufacturing employer; distribution/ manufacturing; health care; higher education; and retail. The advent of Novelis’ aluminum facility in Bay Minette has opened a strong new sector in the economy. The company expects to invest $4.1 billion and create about 1,000 jobs. It is the first fully integrated aluminum mill built in the U.S. in 40 years. Novelis also plans a 70,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing and Leadership Training Center in Daphne. “Novelis is changing the face of Bay Minette and north Baldwin County dramatically,” says Mayor Robert Wills. “Bay Minette is growing, and our city May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 49
S P O T L I G H T: OV E R V I E W
M E D I A N H O U S E H O L D I N CO M E
P O P U L AT I O N Total Alabama Population: 5,073,903
State of Alabama $59,609 Source: U.S. Census Bureau
government is aggressively pursuing new businesses and industries, as well as promoting residential development.” Health care has exploded in growth. South Baldwin Regional Medical Center in Foley is undergoing a $250 million expansion that increases its capacity to 140 beds. USA Health has opened the Mapp Family Campus in Fairhope. These and other providers are adding services and locations to meet the added demand for health care.
50 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
“Without the growth there would not be the new hospital being built in Foley,” says Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich. “Sometimes there are benefits having new facilities and expanded facilities….to help support our citizens.” Also in Foley is Owa Parks & Resort, a major project of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, with hotels, restaurants, water park, RV park and more. Growth also affects schools, and they are answering the call. Baldwin County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
schools are anticipating the opening of the Baldwin Preparatory Academy, the first stand-alone career and technical education high school of its kind in Alabama. Gulf Shores City schools is building a new high school along with increasing capacity at other schools, and Orange Beach City schools, opened in 2021, is planning a $46 million athletic complex. Lori Chandler Pruitt is a freelance writer for Business Alabama. She is based in Birmingham.
Economic Engines TAXES
Segers Aerospace in Foley performs aircraft engine maintenance.
PROPERTY TAX NOT INCLUDING INDIVIDUAL MUNICIPALITY MILLAGE RATES
11.5 MILLS (NORTH BALDWIN HOSPITAL DISTRICT) 9.5 MILLS (TOTAL COUNTY-SOUTH) STATE OF ALABAMA: 6.5 mills
SALES TAX BALDWIN COUNTY: 3% TOURISM
Tourism continues to be the predominant economic driver for Baldwin County, as the county leads the state with an estimated 65,000 people employed in the tourism industry in 2022, resulting in more than $2.7 billion in travel-related wages. In 2022, Baldwin and Mobile counties combined to generate 42.8% of the state’s total tourism expenditures ($9.5 billion) and almost 36.7% of the state’s total travel-related employment. In 2022, Baldwin County welcomed 8.3 million visitors who spent $7.9 billion dollars in the county — again leading the state, according to the latest Alabama Tourism Department Economic Impact Study.
B U S I N E S S MARCH 2024: The new Gulf Coast Eco Center, an environmental education campus and part of The Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability, is being built on city of Gulf Shores property adjacent to Gulf Shores High School and Gulf State Park, funded by a $17 million RESTORE grant. It should be completed in spring 2025. MARCH 2024: Baldwin County’s DaphneFairhope-Foley metro area is among the fastest
“Alabama’s beaches continue to fit the trends that experts identify as most important to travelers — road trips, beach destinations, and nature and outdoors,” says Beth Gendler, president and CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “Our ability to fit all three of these major travel trends, even before the pandemic, has resulted in a consistent visitation growth by season, year-over-year.” According to Gendler, summer remains the busiest time of year for the area’s tourism industry, but continued growth across spring, fall and winter brings economic consistency to local tourism businesses and workers. “This consistency across all four seasons is vital to our local businesses,” she
CITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY:
BAY MINETTE: 3% DAPHNE: 2.5% ELBERTA: 4% FAIRHOPE: 2% FOLEY: 3% GULF SHORES: 3% LOXLEY: 2% MAGNOLIA SPRINGS: 3% ORANGE BEACH: 3% PERDIDO BEACH: 2% ROBERTSDALE: 2% SILVERHILL: 2% SPANISH FORT: 1.5% SUMMERDALE: 3% STATE OF ALABAMA: 4% Source: Alabama Department of Revenue
B R I E F S
growing in the nation, according to the latest census data. Baldwin County, which is now the fourth-largest county in Alabama, is the 7thfastest growing county nationwide.
MARCH 2024: Design work has begun on the Auburn University Gulf Coast Engineering Research Station, to be built in Orange Beach on property provided by the city.
MARCH 2024: The city of Foley’s new Medical Overlay District has its first project — a 12-acre health care facility on Fern Avenue. The district was created in 2023 to encourage medical services development in the area.
MARCH 2024: Owa Parks & Resort opens Tropic Falls – Big Water Bay outdoor wave pool and Coastal Curl surf simulator. The resort also has added pickleball courts in its entertainment district.
FEBRUARY 2024: Gulf Shores International Airport is awarded a $5 million grant for a new commercial terminal. FEBRUARY 2024: Aluminum manufacturer Novelis has revised its expected capital investment to $4.1 billion. Announced in 2022, the facility is expected to open in 2026 and generate about 1,000 jobs. FEBRUARY 2024: Gulf Shores High School is slated to open for
the 2026 school year. The Gulf Shores City Council approved a $131 million contract with Rabren General Contractors to build the 287,000-square-foot school. JANUARY 2024: The Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance launches its talent attraction and development campaign, “Belong in Baldwin,” to help support economic development initiatives.
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 51
S P O T L I G H T: ECO N O M I C E N G I N E S Ideal for logistics or distribution operations, the Port Alabama Industrial Center in Loxley has 1,000 acres with direct access to Interstate 10, nearby access to Highway 59 and within 45 minutes of two commercial airports.
committed to being a carbon-neutral company by 2050 or sooner and plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 30% by 2026. Novelis also announced plans to develop a 70,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing and Leadership Training Center. The center will be located at the Daphne Innovation + Science Complex. AEROSPACE COMPANIES/AVIATION
says. “Because consistent occupancy levels throughout the year mean businesses can keep their staff employed all year. Yearround employment for our workers means more consistent service for our visitors. “South Baldwin County is a tourism economy, with tourism making up almost 28% of the county’s entire workforce. Growth in tourism means a strong, yearround economy, which means a stronger quality of life for residents. That is what any industry should bring to a community.” Across south Baldwin County — especially Foley, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and the Fort Morgan Peninsula — tourism growth is evident with new restaurants and small businesses opening, and hotels and vacation rental properties are under construction. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports and Events, a division of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, has plans to construct a new sports complex to accommodate the rapid growth of youth and collegiate sports
B U S I N E S S AUGUST 2023: The vacant Bama Bayou property in Orange Beach, which was purchased by The Wharf’s owner, is being dismantled. NOVEMBER 2023: The city of Orange Beach school district receives city approval to build a $46 million athletic complex on the middle school/high school campus, with facilities for football, track and exercise.
tournaments. The cities in the southern part of the county also have major capital projects and road improvements planned or currently underway. NOVELIS
Aluminum producer and recycler Novelis is building an advanced manufacturing facility at the South Alabama Mega Site in Baldwin County. With plans to invest $4.1 billion, Novelis is expected to create approximately 1,000 jobs at its low-carbon recycling and rolling plant on the 3,000-acre site in Bay Minette. The plant will be the first fully integrated aluminum mill built in the United States in 40 years. The plant will leverage the company’s long-term relationships with many of the world’s leading beverage, packaging and automotive brands to meet the growing demand for sustainable aluminum solutions. The plant will be primarily powered with renewable energy, use recycled water and be a zero-waste facility. Novelis is
Baldwin County has a growing aerospace community. Its proximity to Mobile County, home to Airbus and other aerospace companies, ensures further growth. Its largest manufacturing employer is Collins Aerospace in Foley, which makes thrust reversers and nacelle components. Segers Aerospace in Fairhope is an aerospace/defense MRO. The Academy at the Fairhope Airport, a partnership among Coastal Alabama Community College, Baldwin County schools and the Fairhope Airport Authority, offers technical training for high school dual enrollment and adult students. Auburn University’s School of Aviation delivers aviation learning for K-12 students and hosts unmanned aircraft systems courses at its Gulf Shores complex. Coastal Alabama Community College offers a new aviation technology short-term certificate program. The county has four airports. Gulf Shores International Airport was just
B R I E F S
NOVEMBER 2023: Holtz Builders, the city of Foley and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians break ground on an $18 million J-1 (U.S. Summer Work Travel Visa program) housing complex to house more than 600 seasonal workers. The building will be managed by International Residence Hall Inc. OCTOBER 2023: Officials at H.L. “Sonny” Callahan Airport in Fairhope break ground on a new $2.4 million terminal
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building, to be located adjacent to several new hangars. OCTOBER 2023: Novelis partners with Alabama Power to bring 160 MW of renewable energy to the Novelis’ plant underway in Bay Minette. Novelis aims to be carbon neutral for scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions. OCTOBER 2023: The Alabama Industrial Access Road and Bridge Corp., administered by
ALDOT, is awarded a $5 million grant for road improvements at the Novelis site. SEPTEMBER 2023: Novelis secures a longterm customer contract with Ball Corp., securing all the beverage can capacity at its plant being built near Bay Minette. SEPTEMBER 2023: Ecovery announces a 40,000-square-foot, $20 million expansion in Loxley.
AUGUST 2023: Baldwin County is awarded more than $33 million in GOMESA funding for projects across the county. AUGUST 2023: North Baldwin Utilities receives a $2.5 million grant for infrastructure improvements to support the Novelis plant in Bay Minette. JUNE 2023: Novelis wins the Manufacturing Project of the Year award by Area Development.
S P O T L I G H T: ECO N O M I C E N G I N E S
A rendering of Hatch’s new home in Fairhope.
awarded a $5 million grant for its new commercial terminal, which will provide direct commercial air service; and H.S. “Sonny” Callahan Airport in Fairhope just broke ground on a $2.4 million terminal. The Bay Minette Municipal Airport has a refurbished 55,000-square-foot runway, charters, 30 T-hangars and a combination of new services; and Foley Municipal Airport is expanding to enhance the taxiway and add an eight-unit T-hangar. DISTRIBUTION/DIVERSE MANUFACTURING
Baldwin County is home to a diverse group of distribution companies. In 2023, Aldi Inc. opened its regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, a $100 million investment. And in 2022,
SEPTEMBER 2023: Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance wins three International Development Council Awards, including Economic Development Organization of the Year, and is honored by Business Concept for aerospace industry development services. JULY 2023: Hecate Energy has announced plans for a $100 million solar farm in Baldwin County.
Imperial Dade, a food packaging supply company, opened a 220,000-square-foot logistics hub, also in Loxley. Ace Hardware Support Center in Loxley has 300 employees. Diverse sectors in the largest manufacturers include metals, fibers, medical instruments, air compressors, paper products, wood preserving and air filters. RETAIL
This area is known as a retail paradise, offering unique and fun places to shop. Foley is home to outlets, and the picturesque village of Fairhope has well-known antique shops and specialty stores. Cities have added small businesses, stores big and small, restaurants, hotels and condominiums.
JUNE 2023: Portside on Main is planned at The Wharf at Orange Beach, including retail, office and green space with an outdoor stage. APRIL 2023: Baldwin County leads the state of Alabama in capital investment in 2022. DECEMBER 2022: Baldwin County Public Schools breaks ground on a stand-alone career and technical education high school, Baldwin Preparatory Academy.
MARCH 2023: The Home Depot announces plans to build a last-mile facility in Loxley in Baldwin County. FEBRUARY 2023: South Baldwin Regional Medical Center breaks ground on a $300 million hospital expansion in Foley. JANUARY 2023: Aldi opens a regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley.
HATCH
Hatch is a business hub that provides facilities and resources for technology-based entrepreneurs to learn and grow their businesses in Baldwin County. Hatch’s new home, to open in 2026, will be at the former Fairhope K-1 Center and is funded by the Coastal Alabama Community College, the city of Fairhope and the Baldwin Community + Economic Development Foundation (BCEDF). Hatch expects to tap into a new level of business growth opportunity, creating sustainable job opportunities by fostering local entrepreneurial culture, developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem and linking Coastal Alabama Community College resources to emerging tech companies in Baldwin County.
NOVEMBER 2022: Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance awarded a $198,267 grant to fund electric vehicle charging stations. JULY 2022: Alabama awarded a “Silver Shovel” development award by Area Development with Aldi’s regional headquarters location.
renovate the former K-1 Center for Hatch, a technology incubator. JUNE 2022: Imperial Dade, a food packaging supply company, opens a 220,000-square-foot logistics hub in Loxley. Source: Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, city/county officials
JULY 2022: The Economic Development Administration awards the City of Fairhope a $2.5 million grant to May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 53
In October 2023, Innovate Alabama admitted the BCEDF into its Innovate Alabama Network and granted it $250,000 in support of Hatch. The grant will help fund two 8- to 10-week biotech programs to bolster biotechnology growth in Alabama and pave the way for innovation internships.
Major Industrial Employers BALDWIN COUNTY
Collins Aerospace | FOLEY
Thrust reversers, nacelle components • 1,026 employees
Ace Hardware Support Center LOXLEY
Hardware distribution • 380 employees
Vulcan Inc. | FOLEY
Aluminum/steel products • 236 employees
Quincy Compressors | BAY MINETTE Air compressors • 210 employees
Bon Secour Fisheries | BON SECOUR Seafood processing • 150 employees
International Paper | BAY MINETTE Paper products • 135 employees
Segers Aerospace | FAIRHOPE
Aerospace/defense MRO • 145 employees
Quality Filters | ROBERTSDALE Air filters • 130 employees
Ecovery | LOXLEY
Metals • 130 employees
Ascend Materials | FOLEY
Fibers/resins • 114 employees
Dental EZ | BAY MINETTE
Medical instruments • 100 employees
Novelis | BAY MINETTE
Aluminum manufacturing • 100 employees
Everwood Preserving Inc. SPANISH FORT
Timber processing/manufacturing 100 employees Source: Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance
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Health Care
North Baldwin Infirmary. THOMAS HOSPITAL
Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, an affiliate of Infirmary Health, has 189 beds and 1,224 employees. It offers a variety of services, including robotics, orthopedic, open-heart surgery, labor and delivery, pediatrics and outpatient therapy. It also offers outpatient imaging services at Thomas Medical Center in Daphne and emergency/imaging services at Thomas Hospital Emergency in Malbis. Infirmary Health also operates two ambulatory surgery centers along the Eastern Shore: Daphne Surgery Center and Fairhope Surgery Center. Recent awards include Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement and Maternity Care. Most notably, Thomas Hospital earned national recognition from U.S. News & World Report as a high-performing hospital for colon cancer surgery, knee replacement, heart attack and maternity care — the only hospital in Alabama to earn the maternity designation for this grading period. Enhancing the services available in the Birth Center is a team of neonatologists who oversee the hospital’s Level II Special Care Nursery. In January 2024, the hospital received the Women’s Choice Award for America’s Best Hospitals for heart care, mammogram imaging, minimally invasive surgery, obstetrics, orthopedics and patient safety. Thomas Hospital is the only hospital in Baldwin County to offer inpatient pediatric services, through its team of pediatric hospitalists who are on call to serve the needs of the county’s youngest patients. 56 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
Thomas remains the only Commission on Cancer Accredited Hospital in Baldwin County. Recently, Infirmary Health and UAB Health System announced a partnership for oncology services and now offer those services on Thomas Hospital’s campus. Thomas Hospital also is the only hospital in Baldwin County with an open-heart surgery program and operates the fourth largest open-heart surgery program in Alabama based on volume. In February 2024, the hospital completed a $900,000 expansion and renovation of the William E. Steber Jr. Cardiovascular Lab, providing expanded technology and more space. The project was funded almost entirely by the Thomas Hospital Foundation. This summer, Thomas Hospital plans to break ground on a new tower, expanding the capacity of the hospital by 25 additional beds. It also recently added five new surgical intensive care unit rooms. And the Thomas Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program is now in its fourth year. The three-year program has graduated seven residents who are now full-time physicians at Thomas Hospital and several others who have gone on to pursue fellowships. NORTH BALDWIN INFIRMARY
North Baldwin Infirmary (NBI), an affiliate of Infirmary Health, is a 78-bed hospital in Bay Minette and has 276 employees. For two consecutive years, Infirmary Health — the largest private employer in the region with some 6,300 employees — was named by Forbes Magazine and Statista as Alabama’s top health care system employer. Through a partnership with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)
Medicine and Sanderling Renal Services, North Baldwin Infirmary’s nephrology telemedicine program provides bedside dialysis to patients. Also, with UAB Medicine support, NBI offers critical care telemedicine to its patients. The facility has recently added an open MRI and a 64-slice CT system that can capture coronary complications with higher accuracy and in a less invasive manner. In 2022, the North Baldwin Infirmary Foundation purchased a 3D mammography and Dexa Bone Density unit. NBI also has a senior behavioral health unit, an inpatient program for those 55plus who are experiencing behavioral or mental changes. The hospital has a 13-bed emergency department, including three cardiac exam rooms to monitor potential heart attack patients and ensure prompt intervention. NBI’s surgical department includes preoperative and postoperative care areas and two gastroenterology rooms for endoscopies and colonoscopies. The Birth Center offers services from childbirth classes through labor, delivery and recovery, as well as a full-time lactation specialist. Oncology infusion services, through Infirmary Cancer Care, an affiliate of the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, are also provided at NBI’s campus in Bay Minette. SOUTH BALDWIN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
South Baldwin Regional Medical Center in Foley is an acute care hospital offering inpatient, emergency, diagnostic and surgical care with more than 1,200 employees and a network of medical clinics. And it’s growing. Construction is underway to expand and modernize the hospital. Improvements include a total of 200,000 square feet with a new surgical department, a women’s and children’s unit, additional medical/surgical capacity with doubled ICU capacity and space for future growth. This more than $200 million project is the largest health care development project Baldwin County has seen. The target date for opening the new patient tower is late 2024.
S P O T L I G H T: H E A LT H C A R E
Once the expansion project has been completed, the current hospital will be modernized with a new front entrance, updates to the emergency department and more. Future plans also include an ambulatory surgery center to be located next to the hospital. In 2023, South Baldwin Regional Medical Center received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group and also was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the best hospitals in the state for nurse communication. Through a relationship with Cardiology Associates, the hospital’s team performs a range of cardiovascular procedures. And a recently launched neuro spine program is the only program of its kind in Baldwin County. EASTPOINTE HOSPITAL
EastPointe Hospital in Daphne is a part of AltaPointe Health, providing mental health treatment and 24-hour support for
adults aged 19 and older. It is the only free-standing adult psychiatric hospital in the Mobile Bay region.
A rendering of what South Baldwin Regional Medical Center will look like after the expansion.
USA HEALTH MAPP FAMILY CAMPUS
Opened in fall 2022 in Fairhope, the 50,000-square-foot USA Health Mapp Family Campus Medical Office Building is home to Baldwin Family Medicine and USA Health specialty care providers including adult and pediatric physicians, with specialists in colorectal surgery, cardiology, urology, orthopedics, digestive health, endocrinology and more. It also includes a demonstration kitchen. In August 2023, the 24,000-squarefoot ambulatory Baldwin County Surgery Center opened on the Mapp Family Campus, featuring six operating rooms and two spaces for procedures. Plans call for surgeons from USA Health and the
community to use the facility and its advanced technology. USA Health also opened an OBGYN/ Pediatrics practice at the Eastern Shore Center in Spanish Fort in 2022 and the Mitchell Cancer Institute–Fairhope in 2017. The Mitchell Cancer Institute provides advanced treatments for patients diagnosed with cancer, serving Baldwin County and the Florida panhandle.
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 57
Higher Education and a pastry baking program. Frederic’s Restaurant, showcasing the students’ work, is a popular destination. The newest addition to Coastal Alabama Community College is the Foley Career & Technical Facility, located in the Baldwin Center for Business Development. The facility offers two new programs — building maintenance and a marine technology program offering Yamaha’s Introduction to Outboard Systems certification. In addition, all campuses offer academic programs in preparation for transfer to a four-year institution. UNITED STATES SPORTS ACADEMY
The United States Sports Academy in Daphne offers accredited bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees that prepare students for careers in the sports industry. Coastal Alabama Community College students and the college’s mascot. Undergraduate students can study on COASTAL ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE campus, online or in a hybrid model, while USSA’s online gradCoastal Alabama Community College opened in Baldwin uate degree programs are designed for students around the world County in the early 1960s as Bay Minette Junior College. Over to boost their career potential at their own pace. 60 years, several name changes, the addition of campuses and Working under the leadership of President Dr. Steve Condon programs and continued growth, Coastal Alabama’s mission has since 2023, USSA launched scholarship programs and renewed remained the same — to invest in the success of all students. its commitment to community involvement. USSA is adding Coastal has more than 10,000 students in its five locations in baseball, softball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, and track and the county — 8,963 in credit programs and 1,617 in non-credit field teams that will compete during the 2024-25 academic year. programs. Its annual economic impact is $310.3 million, supUSSA is also collaborating with Bishop State and Shelton State porting 4,667 jobs, according to the FY 2020-21 report. community colleges and other institutions to help their students Coastal’s main campus is in Bay Minette, where a new respicomplete their undergraduate degrees. ratory therapy class started this spring. In 2023, the campus also Finally, the university recently christened its Cronan-Summitt opened a new cosmetology lab and a medical assisting program. School of Sport Business — named after longtime University of This campus also is home to nearly 500 residential students each Tennessee coach Pat Summitt and athletic director Joan Cronan year and is the largest campus in the Coastal Alabama footprint — that provides business, management and leadership education with more than 2,000 students attending classes in north Baldto future sport professionals. The university is also working with win County. the family of the legendary multi-sport athlete and Olympian Jim At the opposite end of the county, Coastal Alabama’s FairThorpe to develop scholarships, educational programs and more. hope campus showcases its own flair through an active music program and the popular Live at Five concert series hosted at UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA BALDWIN COUNTY the college’s Halstead Amphitheater. The second largest physical campus of Coastal Alabama, this campus serves a critical need to At the University of South Alabama Baldwin campus in Fairhope, the community through its historical facilities, many of which students get the resources of a large university with the benefits of have undergone meticulous renovations. Healthcare programs, an intimate campus setting. such as EMT/paramedic and nursing, and general studies remain The campus offers college courses, educational outreach, popular educational tracks. continuing and professional educational opportunities, and A few miles away, the Academy at the Fairhope Airport degree-completion programs. The Baldwin County campus provides a technical training facility with stations for welding, serves more than 1,500 students annually, providing an expandairframe and powerplant courses and electrical/instrumentation. ed curriculum including bachelor’s degrees in interdisciplinary Dual enrollment and adult students take advantage of this site to studies, communications and public relations, criminal justice prepare for jobs in south Alabama’s aerospace/aviation cluster. and elementary education, as well as an accelerated nursing deAt the end of Highway 59, the Gulf Shores campus is firing gree program. The campus also offers college courses that can be up its industrial kitchen with a gourmet culinary arts program transferred to other degree programs. May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 59
S P O T L I G H T: H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N
Non-credit courses in foreign language and personal enrichment are also offered, along with continuing education and professional training opportunities. The Baldwin County campus founded and co-sponsors Leadership Baldwin County and partners with local and state organizations to offer conferences and non-credit programming. The University of South Alabama also has a partnership in Baldwin County with Coastal Alabama Community College and other community colleges along the Gulf Coast, through Pathway USA, which streamlines the transfer process for community college students seeking a four-year degree. COLUMBIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
In 2023, Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach celebrated 30 years of operation. CSU offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, entirely online, including business administration, criminal justice, fire administration
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and occupational safety and health. The university has 1,000 employees. This spring the university added a College of Education, with plans for undergraduate and graduate degree options. Recently, CSU announced it has earned programmatic accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs that includes the school’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business. And in 2022, CSU achieved institutional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. CSU is constantly releasing new degree and certificate programs to meet industry and career demands. In 2023 alone, the school added more than 30 new academic programs. AUBURN UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL COMPLEX, GULF SHORES
The Auburn University Educational Complex, which opened in 2018 in Gulf Shores, provides veterinary care, aviation
instruction and research partnership opportunities for the region. The centerpiece is the Auburn Veterinary Specialists referral center, a satellite of Auburn’s Small Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The Gulf Shores facility currently offers ophthalmology, dermatology, internal medicine and surgical services. Fourth-year Auburn veterinary students participate in elective, two-week clinical rotations at the center. Another key feature is the Auburn University Aviation Center, which hosts unmanned aircraft systems courses allowing students to prepare for careers in mapping and surveying, precision agriculture and public safety. The Gulf Shores complex also works to promote regional economic development, offering space collaboration among business and industry leaders and Auburn experts. Focus areas include enhancing health and wellbeing, building resilient societies, shaping intelligent solutions and creating a more secure world.
Movers & Shapers STEVE CONDON is the third president
of the United States Sports Academy. He has a 44-year career in higher education, serving as a coach, winning four national championships and a gold and silver medal at the 1986 and 1988 World Championships in golf. He was inducted into the 2014 NCAA Hall of Fame. He has served as president or chancellor of Tennessee Wesleyan College, John Wesley and Carolina universities. CALLIE COX leads communications
and government affairs for the $4.1 billion Novelis project under way in Bay Minette. A graduate of the University of South Alabama, Cox is active in Manufacture Alabama, serves on the board of the Public Relations Council of Alabama and volunteers on Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mobile’s event committees. Cox is also an advocate for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. SARA DAVIS is the chief communi-
cations officer at Coastal Alabama Community College. She is a graduate of Coastal Alabama Community College and Troy University, with a master’s degree from the University of South Alabama. She has served in leadership roles for the Alabama Community College System Public Relations Association and the Alabama Community College Association. She serves on the boards of the North Baldwin Infirmary Foundation and the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of Leadership Baldwin County. JOSH DUPLANTIS is dean of work-
force development for Coastal Alabama Community College. A graduate of Louisiana State University, Duplantis 62 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
has a master’s from Auburn University and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi. He serves on the board of the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, the advisory board for the University of Mobile School of Business and the national ACT Work Ready Communities council and is a member of the Southwest Alabama Regional Education Commission. Duplantis also serves on the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways Education and Training Technical Advisory committee.
human resources manager for Gulf Packaging Inc. A graduate of the University of South Alabama, she has spent most of her career in banking, including completing the Alabama Banking School at the University of South Alabama. She currently chairs the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce board and she serves on the board of United Way of Baldwin County. In 2023, she was selected to participate in the inaugural Baldwin EMC Community Leadership Council.
HAROLD EUBANKS is regional vice
of programs and education for the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, developing programs on entrepreneurship and leadership for all ages, including Coastal Alabama Kid Entrepreneurs, Junior Leadership of Coastal Alabama, Lower Alabama Young Professionals, Coastal Alabama Leadership League, Coastal Career Connections and PowHER Hour, a women’s quarterly luncheon series. She also is president of the Gulf Shores Orange Beach Rotary Club and serves on the business advisory board for both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach city school systems.
president for South Alabama for Volkert Inc. He has nearly two decades of experience with infrastructure and transportation projects in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Eubanks is currently playing key roles in the development of the Novelis site, the Mobile International Airport and the expansion of the Airbus facilities in Mobile. A licensed engineer, he is a graduate of the University of South Alabama. Eubanks is active with the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance and Alabama AGC, and serves on the Industrial Advisory Board for the USA engineering department. BETH GENDLER is president and CEO
of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. Prior to joining the tourism organization, Gendler lived in South Bend, Indiana, and worked in advertising sales. She spent five years with the Marriott Corp. in convention sales and has also worked in the mental health industry. CECILIA HAMMOND is a lifelong
resident of Baldwin County and is the
PENNY HUGHEY is vice president
RITCHIE HURT is manager of business
development at Thompson Engineering where he has worked for 22 years. He works closely with the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, Mobile Chamber of Commerce and local industrial and commercial businesses. He is a board member of Partners for Environmental Progress and a former board member of Junior Achievement and the Boy Scouts, and is active with the Associated General Contractors, Economic Development Association of Alabama and the Gateway Initiative. He is a graduate of the
S P O T L I G H T: M OV E R S & S H A PE R S
University of Montevallo, the Economic Development Institute and Leadership Mobile. LEE JOHNSON is the executive vice
president of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance. Earlier, he served as senior manager of field operations for the Tennessee Valley Authority in Nashville. He has been active with efforts to bring the Novelis aluminum plant, a $4 billion investment with more than 1,000 jobs, to Baldwin County. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was named “40 under 40” in the Mobile Bay area in 2024 and “Top Under 50 Economic Developers” by Southern Business & Development. AARON MILNER was appointed
president of Coastal Alabama Community College in January 2024. He has 30 years of educational experience and served as superintendent of Saraland City Schools before coming to Coastal Alabama. He has served as a middle school teacher, a high school assistant principal, and superintendent of Enterprise City Schools. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama, with a master’s from Troy State University and a Doctor of Education from Auburn University. He is an adjunct professor for both master’s and doctoral courses in educational leadership at the University of South Alabama. BRANDON NELSON is assistant CEO
of South Baldwin Regional Medical Center in Foley, where he is currently leading the newest hospital expansion. A graduate of Mississippi State University, he has a master’s and an MBA from the University of Ala-
bama at Birmingham. He is a member of the Alabama Hospital Association, South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, Foley Downtown Revitalization Steering Committee, and a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and the Maroon Volunteer Center, among others. BLAKE PHELPS is economic develop-
ment director for the City of Gulf Shores, working to retain existing businesses and attract new ones. He also manages strategic communications, community and governmental relations activities, and implements other critical initiatives to advance the city’s strategic plan. Phelps serves on the board of Gulf Shores Utilities and has been active with the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, G.U.M.B.O. and the Dolphin Foundation for Education and Arts. He is a graduate of Troy University, the Auburn University Economic and Community Development Institute and the Alabama Leadership Initiative. ORMAND THOMPSON is president
of Thomas Hospital and brings more than three decades of service to his role. Since joining Infirmary Health in 1991, Thompson has been instrumental in hospital operations and physician practice management. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Leadership Mobile. He is past chairman of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce and the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance. Currently, he serves on the Alabama Certificate-of-Need Review Board. EDDIE TYLER is superintendent of
Baldwin County Public Schools. Prior to his current role, he has served in multiple capacities in Baldwin County Public Schools, and as a superintendent of the Eufaula City School System. Over the
years, he has taught, coached, worked in administration — even driven a bus. Tyler is a graduate of the University of South Alabama and has a master’s from the University of West Alabama. He is a 2011 graduate of the University of Alabama Superintendent’s Academy. He also is a member of School Superintendents of Alabama and the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools. RANDY WILKES is superintendent of
Alabama’s newest school system, Orange Beach City Schools, established in 2022. The district has already won honors for its students’ English language arts and math proficiency scores. The district also boasts a 13:1 teacher-to-student ratio; an outside-of-school participation rate of 96%; a staff where nearly 75% have an advanced degree and expects to spend more than $40,000 in local funds per child next school year. Wilkes is a 35-year veteran of Alabama public education. He was State Superintendent of the Year in 2019 and named Troy University Alumni of the Year in 2021. JOHN WILSON is chief school financial
officer for Baldwin County Board of Education. A native of Baldwin County, he received his undergraduate degree from Auburn University and his master’s from Auburn University at Montgomery. Wilson is a CPA, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and has an MBA. Wilson has received two prestigious awards as CSFO for Baldwin County — the Alabama Robert L. Morton Outstanding School Business Official Award and the Association of School Business Officials International Pinnacle of Achievement Award for the “Pay As You Go” construction financing plan.
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 63
Community Development
A rendering of the Baldwin Preparatory Academy, currently under construction. BALDWIN COUNTY
The county’s population has grown substantially, and projects underway reflect that. The Baldwin County Commission is partnering with the cities of Silverhill, Summerdale and Loxley, along with the Perdido Bay Water district, on water infrastructure projects, says Roger Rendleman, county administrator. The projects will use $4.1 million in American Rescue Plan funds. The county also is using ARPA and county funds for more than half a dozen stormwater projects totaling more than $8 million, he says. Baldwin County also is spending $96.5 million on its justice system — expanding the detention center, enhancing security, adding space for three new judges and adding a new district attorney’s building. The county also is using $43 million in grants for projects ranging from storm preparedness to infrastructure rehab to housing rehabilitation, Rendleman says. The Baldwin County School System, which has 32,000 students, is getting ready to open the Baldwin Preparatory Academy, Alabama’s first stand-alone technical high school. The school in Loxley will be open to students from throughout the district. Students will be able to earn high school and college credits at the same time, and some may be able to graduate from high school with an associate degree or certification, officials say. The curriculum will be a blended learning platform that will be
project-based and career-related. Programs developed and led by business and industry stakeholders will emphasize advanced manufacturing, automotive engine repair, diesel repair, construction, welding, aviation, HVAC, mechatronics engineering, health sciences, cybersecurity, graphic design, culinary arts, cosmetology, a teacher cadet academy and more. The $100 million academy also will offer business and industry partnerships for internships, cooperatives and apprenticeships to build a strong pipeline of talent for the future. Officials plan a facility where students are encouraged to collaborate and work together in teams to solve issues commonly found in today’s business and industry settings. Day-to-day operations will simulate a workplace with students required to clock-in, attend team meetings, conduct business/safety meetings, wear industry recognized uniforms and work toward industry credentials. College and adult courses will be offered in the evenings, and industry partners can use facilities to train employees. The system, the fastest growing in the state, has several capital projects to meet demand. “Our capital projects are huge and monumental,” says Eddie Tyler, superintendent. “Never in our school system’s existence have we had this much under way in our history. I’ve been in the system 41 years and I have never seen anything like this.” While the new technical school will be paid for with a long-term bond, the
system has numerous other projects, from additions to renovations, that are being paid for with the system’s “Pay as You Go” program that uses cash and short-term loans rather than long-term bonds and new taxes. The district has already built and paid for four new schools, a cost of $350 million, and anticipates three more schools plus a ninth-grade academy and upgrades of athletic and music facilities. “We work hard to have adequate numbers of teachers, small classes, and going over and above on existing requirements,” says John Wilson, the district’s CSFO who developed the program. “We pay for 250 more teachers than the state pays for. We also have at least one school resource officer in each school.” BAY MINETTE
Bay Minette, the county seat, serves as the northern gateway to the gulf. Residents and visitors enjoy small-town living, with easy access to entertainment, outdoor recreation, higher education and a wide range of employment opportunities. The city, already home to many major industries, is adding another as Novelis is constructing its multi-billion-dollar facility at the South Alabama Mega Site. “It is changing the face of Bay Minette and North Baldwin County dramatically,” says Mayor Robert Wills. “Bay Minette is growing, and our city government is aggressively pursuing new businesses and industries as well as promoting residential development.” Bay Minette is located near the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, a haven for ecotourism offering hunting, fishing, kayaking and boating. The city also is home to multiple baseball and softball fields, tennis, basketball, pickleball and sand volleyball courts, and more than a dozen parks and playgrounds, as well as a splash pad water park, dog park, municipal pool, arena and golf course. Bay Minette Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport with a refurbished runway, charters, 30 T-hangars and more. “Our best asset is our people,” Wills says. “You would be hard-pressed to May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 65
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find any friendlier, sincere or more down-home folks than right here in Bay Minette.” DAPHNE
Daphne is a growing city with projects in progress to handle growth and improve amenities. The city has completed the first phase of its Bayfront Park improvement project, adding parking and undergrounding utilities. Phase two, to be complete in 2027, will include a 2,500-seat green space amphitheater made possible by a $7.2 million grant from the state, and another parking lot. Future plans include a pier extension and boardwalk that connects the park to the D’Olive Bay Boat Launch. The city also is building a new animal shelter, set to open later this year. Several road projects are underway, from repaving to intersection improvements. FAIRHOPE
The city has been busy with new projects and infrastructure improvements, and handling growth is a priority. Mayor Sherry Sullivan notes that 3.5 miles of road resurfacing, a new water well and line, draining improvements and Gaston Plaza downtown have been completed. The city also finished pickleball courts at Quail Creek, added four new baseball fields at Volanta Park, opened a Fairhope Police Department substation and installed an EV super charging station. It also opened an 18-hole disc golf course at Colony Nature Park and new equipment for its sanitation and utilities. In 2023, 2,289 building permits were issued with a value topping $294 million. More improvements are coming this year. Those include $2.3 million in resurfacing and drainage, along with $3 million in sidewalks and a roundabout at Veterans Drive and Triangle Drive. The city plans to spend $6.1 million on its parks, including development of the Fly Creek Nature Preserve with passive parks and an outdoor classroom; new pickleball and tennis courts at Mike Ford Tennis Center, a master plan for recreation property at Highway 13 and a
A rendering of the City of Foley public works building under construction.
regulation track at Founders Park. Other projects include renovating the former K-1 Center for the Hatch Fairhope, a business resource hub for technology-based entrepreneurs in the county. Also planned are an Arts Alley and renovating the Fairhope Public Library. FOLEY
The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama listed the city of Foley as the fastest-growing city in the Mobile Bay area. The city population increased 14.47% between 2020 and 2022. Foley’s population is now about 25,000. Mayor Ralph Hellmich says services are expanding as Foley grows. “That challenge with growth that we have as the leaders of Foley is to address growth, get good growth, and provide for the infrastructure,” he says. Opportunities created by growth include the expansion of the South Baldwin Regional Medical Center, he says. “Without the growth there would not be the new hospital built in Foley. So sometimes there are benefits having new facilities and expanded facilities in the medical field helps support our citizens.” The hospital is undergoing a $250 million expansion that increases its capacity to 140 beds. The city also established a Medical Overlay District near the hospital in 2023 to facilitate development of medical services. The first project, a 12-acre medical park, was recently approved by the Foley Planning Commission. Projects underway include street and sidewalk improvements, Hellmich says, as well as acquisition of the former National
Guard armory site behind City Hall in 2023 with plans to convert it into municipal offices and recreation space. Foley also plans to expand the Civic Center. Foley is also building a $17 million public works campus to update work space and add a mechanic shop for the city’s 400-plus vehicles. Foley is adding a 2,500-square-foot commercial kitchen to the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market to help local food entrepreneurs expand their businesses. And pickleball courts are under construction near the market. Architectural design is underway for a new indoor aquatics center that will replace the old outdoor swimming pool. With about 8 million tourists annually in South Baldwin County, Owa announced plans for a 200-plus room resort hotel and two other hotels also are under construction. Foley is known for sports tournaments that bring many families, so these additions will help, officials say. The city received $5 million in GOMESA funding to expand Graham Creek Nature Reserve beyond its current 660 acres. And in December, the National Park Service named Foley an American World War II Heritage City. One community in each state or territory receives the designation, which recognizes communities that made contributions to the war effort and that continue to recognize the sacrifices made by veterans and those on the home front during World War II. The city is working on a display at the Foley Depot Museum to commemorate the recognition. May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 67
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day where the entire system participates in volunteer projects and more. ORANGE BEACH
New Mako Baseball Field at Orange Beach Sportsplex. GULF SHORES
The city has experienced a 54% increase in population since the 2010 census, says Grant Brown, recreational and cultural affairs director and public information officer for Gulf Shores. That growth has required many changes. “We are working to improve the transportation issues that come with the growth we have,” Brown says. Current major projects include a new bridge under construction over the Intracoastal Waterway that should be completed in 2026, he says. The city is widening Highway 59 southbound in some areas and adding landscaping and more. Gulf Shores International Airport was chosen as one of 144 airports nationwide to receive federal funding for a new commercial terminal. Road improvements are slated near the airport. An Embassy Suites hotel across from the beach should be complete by 2025, and the city is almost finished with the new Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism and Sustainability, located between Gulf State Park and the Gulf Shores City Schools campus. “The goal is to become what Huntsville has with its Space Camp with our Eco Camp,” Brown says. A new Waterway Village Pedestrian Bridge, a component of the BUILD Grant project, connects the north and south sides of the Waterway District, spanning from the new Medical Village area to East 20th Avenue. Construction should be completed in fall 2026. Other projects include the Little Lagoon restoration project that provides grants for residents on septic tanks to convert to sewer service. At the far west end of the lagoon, a 48-acre tract will become a park, Laguna Cove, Brown says. The property, purchased with help from the state Department of Natural Resources, 68 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
will have a boardwalk, kayak launch and much more. Growth has meant more housing, and there are new developments coming, Brown says. The city will get its second Publix across from City Hall, in the former Winn-Dixie location. The city’s anticipated $1.2 million fire department training facility is on 80 acres, and the city is in the design stage of the new City of Gulf Shores Justice Center, combining the police department, jail and municipal courts under one roof. The $30.8 million center should be complete by 2025. Legendary Marine, based in Destin, is building a 700-boat dry storage facility on Intracoastal Boulevard that should be ready by fall 2024. And the police department received a grant to purchase a patrol vessel, and next year a marine division will be added. The Coastal Gateway Community Park is in the design stages as well. The city accepted about 40 acres of donated land on Coastal Gateway Boulevard, with plans for a park, school, fire and police facilities and utility improvements. Gulf Shores City Schools plan a new high school, a $131 million project. The current high school can handle a little over 500 students, but the new one is planned for 1,500 students. The district’s football team won the 5A state championship, and more than 75% of the student body plays a sport or participates in fine arts, so new facilities reflect those needs, says Matt Akin, superintendent. Gulf Shores schools offer several college and career academies that collaborate with business and industry. The school system is very involved in the community as well, with students participating in Gulf Shores Gives Back, a community-wide service
With more than 6 million people visiting Alabama’s beaches each year, the city of Orange Beach is always working to provide a clean and safe environment for visitors and residents, officials say. Road work has been a constant for the city over the past six years with improvements along the beach highway and nearby roads to improve traffic flow. Additional road improvements are on the agenda. The Pass Park at Alabama Point, a popular spot for sightseeing and fishing, is open. The area was heavily damaged during Hurricane Sally in 2020. City funding opened the first two phases and state money for phase three finished the project. The area now features a complete boardwalk from The Gulf restaurant to the north side of Perdido Pass bridge. Amenities at the park include benches and bait-prep stations. Other city projects include renovations to numerous city buildings, including the addition of a finance wing to Orange Beach City Hall. At the Orange Beach Sportsplex, numerous improvements have been taking place over the past two years, including the artificial turfing of the Mako Softball and Baseball fields and the football/soccer championship field. On the Recreation Center campus, the city is aiming to break ground this year on 16 pickleball courts. The center already has indoor pickleball, aquatics, tennis and fitness facilities. The Orange Beach Performing Arts Center opened in September 2021 and the city’s Expect Excellence Theatre puts on performances all year in addition to the school theater program’s plays. On the retail and business side, The Wharf continues to expand with the construction of Portside on Main with new retail/office space and a courtyard with a stage, all of which is scheduled to open in late summer, weather permitting. Culver’s is under construction just east of The Wharf on Canal Road. In March, The Orange Beach Store opened its new
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store at the foot of State Highway 161 at the beach highway. The CoastAL restaurant on the beach has been open for over a year with beach views. Boutique stores and locally owned restaurants continue to thrive in Orange Beach as well. Orange Beach city schools, opened in 2021, already has earned several accolades in academics and sports. The campus includes an elementary school currently serving 598 students in grades K4-6. On campus is The Sea, Sand and Stars facility featuring a 5,800-gallon saltwater aquarium, 1,500-gallon marine life touch tank, a nature boardwalk with outdoor classrooms, a planetarium, microscope lab, library and gift shop. The facility hosts field trips and serves the district’s elementary students during the school year. Orange Beach Middle High School opened in 2020 and serves 635 students in grades 7-12. In addition to academics and arts, it offers 18 varsity and junior varsity sports. In fall 2025, the district will open a
new $46 million athletic complex, including a gymnasium, multi-sport pavilion, kinesiology and exercise science building, track, soccer/football fields and more. ROBERTSDALE
The city is working on several infrastructure projects that include $14 million in sewer improvements, says Mayor Charles Murphy. The city also received $2 million in GOMESA funds to build a $2.5 million amphitheater, Murphy says. Construction should begin later this year. And since purchasing former Baldwin County Coliseum facilities from the county, the city has made $350,000 in improvements, with more to come. SPANISH FORT
Spanish Fort, which recently celebrated its 30th year as a municipality, has secured about 144 acres of undeveloped waterfront property and, with a $8.5 million GOMESA grant, plans to develop a
comprehensive plan with citizen input to determine the best use for the property, says Mayor Michael McMillan. A popular city for families, there are continuous improvements and additions to city parks, McMillan says. For example, the city has remodeled Spirit Park baseball fields, is adding more soccer fields, outdoor basketball courts and lights at Integrity Park, has plans to develop Valor Park adjacent to the U.S.S. Alabama, and its popular container park allows small restaurant owners to incubate their businesses, he says. The city is also developing a dog park, to be named Loyalty Park. The city has closed on a property close to Spanish Fort’s Town Center, he says. A splash pad, playground, exercise area and pavilion are already there, but the property will be used for pickleball courts, he says. The city is building a new fire station No. 1 near city hall and will use the former building for a public works building, he says. And the city’s fire station No. 4 will have a training center.
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 69
Culture & Recreation Held annually in October, the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores offers seafood, music, shopping and more.
HEAD TO THE BEACH!
Sugar-white sand and clear, turquoise water entice loads of visitors to Alabama’s Gulf Coast beaches. Seafood and beach food — from crab shacks to dress-up dining — feed hungry visitors. Festivals celebrate music and food. Cruise to fish or visit dolphins, parasail, jet ski, kayak or sail. Or just while away the hours at arcades. PARK IT
Gulf State Park offers beautiful beaches, trails and newly built cabins around nearby Lake Shelby. Visit for a day, camp or stay in the Lodge at Gulf State Park. Beyond the beach, there’s geocaching, bike trails, a nature center, educational programs, the Beach Pavilion, a butterfly garden and more. CAST A LINE
Alabama’s Gulf Coast offers inshore and offshore saltwater fishing, with chances to catch blue marlin, yellow fin tuna, amberjack, cobia, red snapper and more. And there’s freshwater fishing as close as Lake Shelby. EXPLORE NEAR THE SHORE
The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, running between Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, offers hiking and biking along marshes and lakes with great birding opportunities. NATURAL LOOK
Visit Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, where you can see live animals or walk forested boardwalk trails within 6,600 acres of protected estuarine habitats. Or try the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, which has 7,000 acres
of wildlife habitat and provides a haven for more than 370 species of migratory birds, nesting sea turtles and the endangered Alabama beach mouse. And the Graham Creek Nature Preserve in Foley boasts hundreds of acres of natural habitats and provides protection for rare plant and animal species. The preserve also offers a canoe/kayak launch, hiking trails and bird watching. And don’t miss the Five Rivers Delta Resource Center for a close-up view of the MobileTensaw Delta before it opens out into Mobile Bay. O-WOW
festivities and events: ORANGE BEACH SEAFOOD FESTIVAL AND CAR SHOW — February | The Wharf FAIRHOPE ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL — March | Fairhope FESTIVAL OF ART – March | Orange Beach STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL — April | Loxley HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL — May | Gulf Shores
The Owa entertainment complex in Foley is part amusement park, part water park, part dining and entertainment, part hotel and RV park. Created by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Owa continues to grow.
NATIONAL SHRIMP FESTIVAL — October | Gulf Shores
TIME TO ZOO
FREEDOM FEST AND BAMA COAST CRUISIN’ CAR SHOW – October | Orange Beach
Forced to rebuild after a hurricane, the 25-acre Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo now offers more spacious and pleasant accommodations for its 199 species. ARTS ABOUND
The Coastal Arts Center in Orange Beach has a gallery and gift shop showcasing local artists, as well as a public glass-blowing studio and pottery studio. SHOP ON
Foley’s Tanger Outlet Center is a shopper’s destination and it’s surrounded by other shopping options. Don’t forget downtown Fairhope for boutique shops. FORE!
The Gulf Coast has a variety of signature golf courses, designed by some of the greatest names in golf and featuring scenery from coastlines to wetland preserves and rolling hills. Lakewood Club at The Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. BATTLE SITE AND MORE
History comes alive at Fort Morgan State Historic Site, a Civil War-era fort
THE ORIGINAL GERMAN SAUSAGE FESTIVAL — October | Elberta
that guarded the mouth of Mobile Bay. Or head north to the Blakeley State Park for more Civil War history, or even farther north and farther back in history to the William Weatherford Memorial at Little River, a monument to the Creek Indian chief. Nearby is Fort Mims, site of the battle that ignited the Creek Indian War in 1813. Another notable historic attraction is the Baldwin County Bicentennial Park, a 367-acre area in north Baldwin County to preserve the county’s rich cultural heritage. Inside the park is the Historic Montpelier Methodist Church, built in 1895. ECOTOUR
Coming in spring 2025 is the Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability, a new environmental and outdoor education facility located next to Gulf State Park. Classes and camps already are underway, including an Ambassadors of the Environment Gulf Coast program developed by legendary oceanographer and explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society. May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 71
Company Kudos
by ERICA JOINER WEST
The Blount County Education Foundation has received $10,000 from Alison Insurance. Alison Insurance presented the award through its Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance 2024 Make More Happen program. The $10,000 will be used for the county’s summer learning program. Each summer camper also was presented a new pair of shoes and a new book to take home.
Several Alabama institutions of higher education were recently recognized as Military Friendly Schools or Military Friendly Spouse Schools by Viqtory Media. They are Athens State University, Auburn University, Auburn University at Montgomery, Faulkner University, Jacksonville State University, Northeast Alabama Community College, University of Alabama in Huntsville and the University of Montevallo. Several Alabama accounting firms recently were recognized as among the top 20 Gulf Coast firms by Accounting Today. In order of appearance on the list, they are Carr, Riggs & Ingram; Warren Averett; BMSS; Tidwell Group; Jackson Thornton & Co.; Kassouf & Co. Inc.; Anglin Reichmann Armstrong; and Wilkins Miller. Making Accounting Today’s Top 100 Firms were Carr, Riggs & Ingram; Warren Averett; and BMSS. Flip Flop Vacations & Real Estate has been named the 2023 Small Business of the Year by Coastal Alabama Business Chamber. EverThrive Financial Group, of Birmingham, has been named to the National Association of Plan Advisors’ 2024 list of the nation’s Advisor Teams with Assets under Advisement of $100 million. EverThrive has made the list since the list was created in 2017. The Highland Group has been presented a 2024 Platinum level STEP award by Associated Builders and Contractors.
JUNE Manufacturers Build Alabama’s Economy
Jacksonville State University has been ranked among the 10 Best Online Emergency Management degrees in the country by Forbes. It was the only Alabama university to make the top 10. Kimley-Horn, of Mobile, has earned a National Recognition Award for engineering achievement in the American Council of Engineering Companies’ annual Engineering Excellence Awards. The company was highlighted for its work on the Jackson County Utility Authority’s Tucker Road Pump Station 6 in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Louisiana-Pacific’s Thomasville mill has recently achieved 750,000 work hours without an injury. The mill is LP’s largest oriented strand board mill by employee count with more than 240 team members.
Alabama Associated General Contractors Directory Geographic Spotlight: Sumter, Hale, Greene & Marengo Counties
JULY Moving Health Care Forward Private Companies Keep Economy Surging Banking in Alabama Alabama Olympians
The University of Alabama in Huntsville College of Business has received another five-year extension of its accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, marking its 30th consecutive year for the distinction.
Geographic Spotlight: Calhoun & Talladega Counties
Vintage Year, a restaurant in Montgomery, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. It is the flagship restaurant of Vintage Hospitality Group.
Check BusinessAlabama.com for daily business headlines and additional content
Waverly Advisors LLC, of Birmingham, now has total assets under management of more than $10 billion. To reach that goal, it most recently acquired EFP Advisors and RIA SouthPath Investment, both based in Jackson, Mississippi.
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May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 73
RETROSPECT
The Nation’s Studio The Alabama origins of Olan Mills Inc. By SCOTTY E. KIRKLAND
P
ortraiture was long a luxury reserved sales and thin margins doomed the young Mary Mills had created a distinctive style: for the wealthy. Few are the paintcouple’s first business venture. Eventually, an 8x10 head-and-shoulders photographings of 19th century, blue-collar the local bank got the car. ic portrait with hand-painted oil accents ancestors. By the early 20th century, The similar misfortunes of a in two muted colors. This hand-tinting however, photography made portraits Tuscaloosa-based portrait photographer made each piece unique but was executed cheaper and more widely available. Comhelped save the Millses. In 1932, they in short order with minimal overhead. In mercial portraiture was a new frontier. relocated to Druid City to take over the early days, each portrait was signed by From humble beginnings in Tuscaloosa, a foreclosed downtown studio. They hand with the Olan Mills name. It was Olan and Mary Mills built a portrait continued to solicit copy work, but the a mark of pride. “The name Olan Mills empire that developed into one of the new space and equipment allowed them on a portrait is like ‘Sterling’ on silver,” world’s largest. to expand into portraiture as well. The boasted a 1947 advertisement. Born in 1904, Olan Mills was a man following year, they received a contract From their base in Tuscaloosa, the in a hurry. In the Millses sent early 1920s, he traveling camabandoned his era crews into medical studies at communities the University of for sittings. Nebraska and deEverything was camped to Florida printed and to take part in the finished back real estate boom. in Tuscaloosa, But the onset of the where Mary Great Depression Mills oversaw dashed his hopes a growing of striking it rich team of artists selling swampland. applying the The itinerant young company’s stystriver soon found listic flourish. himself in north Customers then Alabama, where received their he signed on as a prints in the traveling salesman mail. Between for a company that 1936 and 1938, made photographic the number of enlargements of employees grew existing prints. from seven to Photos from “Olan Mills: The First Fifty Years,” published by the company, 1982. “Copy work” is the 200, the vast industry term, and Mills took to the trade to take portraits for the University of majority of them traveling salespeople, in well. Alabama yearbook. They reinvested the 14 states. An expansion the following year Along the way, he met artist Mary profits from the job into their business doubled the number of employees and Stephenson of Selma. They married in and slowly began to expand, with established a fleet of nearly 100 automoDecember 1930 and went into the copyweeklong photo sessions held in other biles. work business together out of a small Alabama towns. Then came the brick-and-mortar Selma studio. They bought a car on credit The couple were natural partners. stores. In 1938, the first permanent to expand their reach into the hinterlands Olan’s business savvy and boundless enOlan Mills studio opened in Pine Bluff, and other states, including Mississippi, ergy and Mary’s artistry blended to create Arkansas. Soon, Olan Mills studios were Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. But slow something special. By the mid-1930s, popping up in other cities, all staffed by
Olan Mills
74 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
Mary Mills
R E T RO S PE C T
At left, an Olan Mills portrait of Scotty and Jacqlyn Kirkland in a Houston County church directory, 2005. Courtesy of the author. Below, this 50th anniversary advertisement appeared in several publications, including Time magazine.
franchisees who took the portraits and sent the negatives back to Tuscaloosa for printing and finishing. There, employees worked in three shifts, around the clock, producing as many as 12,000 portrait prints each day. By 1940, the company had similar facilities in Springfield, Ohio, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Supply shortages and rationing during World War II caused Olan Mills to shrink the footprint of door-to-door sales work. Mills parked his fleet of automobiles and donated the tires. Mills also shuttered the original office in Tuscaloosa and relocated the administrative function to the more centrally located Chattanooga facility. During the war, the brick-and-mortar studios throughout the country kept up steady work photographing Americans in uniform, as well as those who carried on in their absence. “Have a picture made for the folks back home,” read an ad for Montgomery’s Olan Mills studio. A Birmingham studio called its 3x5 portraits sent to servicemen overseas “a tender bond of remembrance.” The company expanded, seemingly year after year, once the war ended. The number of studios across the country grew, as did the volume of prints — to well over 2 million annually. Mills began consolidating much of the company’s once far-flung offices to Chattanooga. As part of this effort, he closed the
Tuscaloosa finishing plant in 1949. There remained nearly two dozen studios in the Yellowhammer State, however. When the time came for a new generation of leadership, the Millses kept it in the family. Olan Mills II and Charles G. Mills — both born in Alabama — grew up in their family’s business. The brothers presided over the continued growth of their parents’ company to include full-color photography. This, in turn, created lucrative opportunities in school and church-directory portraiture. With 700 studios coast to coast, Olan Mills was truly “the Nation’s Studio.” In 1981, as the company prepared to mark its 50th anniversary, the first Olan Mills opened in the United Kingdom. “The Nation’s Studio will become the ‘Kingdom’s Studio’ — and sooner than you think,” read a company announcement. Time cannot stand still. Neither can technology. By the second decade of the 21st century, improved camera capabilities in smartphones had begun to destabilize the portrait industry. If, as they say, video killed the radio star, then selfies may have done the same to portraitists. Aware of these changes, Olan Mills executives orchestrated a “noble exit” for the 79-yearold family business. Its chief competitor, Lifetouch Inc., acquired the company in 2011. At the time, there were still nearly two dozen Olan Mills studios located in Alabama and hundreds more across the nation. All were closed by 2019. Though its studios are no
more, the Olan Mills name lingers still. It is stamped in the corner of portraits displayed in millions of homes, in the memories of the family matriarchs and squirming, sometimes unwilling youngsters who sat before the cameras and in the history books, as one of the most successful businesses with Alabama roots. Historian Scotty E. Kirkland is a freelance contributor to Business Alabama. He lives in Wetumpka.
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 75
Career Notes LAWRENCE HUGHES
KATIE SUCH
JOHN JORDAN
STEVE STEELE
ALAN STABLER
by ERICA JOINER WEST
FREDA BRADDOCK
GLENN HODGE
EDDIE TULLIS
EDUCATION RICHARD CALHOUN
REBECCA PRITCHETT
ANTWAN HOGUE
ARDIE PACK-MABIEN
ARCHITECTURE
Goodwyn Mills Cawood, an architecture and engineering firm, has added Lawrence Hughes as project manager.
BANKING
Sandra Spencer and Michael Lawler have been elected to Auburn National Bancorporation’s and AuburnBank’s board of directors. Brad Bolton, president and CEO of Community Spirit Bank in Red Bay, will serve as past chairman of Independent Community Bankers of America for 202425. Jack Swift, chief operating officer of Southern States Bancshares Inc., holding company of Southern States Bank, is retiring at the end of May. He has 18 years with Southern States. Rob Chiles, head of affordable housing at Regions Bank, has announced his retirement after 35 years in the financial industry. Katie Such will succeed Chiles. In addition, John Jordan has joined the bank’s consumer banking group as head of retail. Steve Steele has been named commercial banking executive of South Central Alabama for Renasant Bank.
CONSTRUCTION
Elliott Pike, founder of Vestavia’s Elm Construction LLC, has been named the 2023 Remodeler of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders.
CREDIT UNIONS
Alan Stabler, general counsel at America’s First Federal Credit Union, has retired. He joined AmFirst in 1982. 76 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
Margaret Gunter, JOE PIERCE TAMMIE DODSON director of communications and governmental relations at the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, has retired. She was with ACHE for more than 25 years. Freda Braddock has been named dean and assistant provost of the College of Education at Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach. Michael Elliott has joined the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama as an associate professor in the department of microbiology and immunology.
GOVERNMENT
Mobile County Administrator Glenn Hodge has retired. Hodge has worked for Mobile County since 1989 in various roles. E. Edwin Kerr has been named interim county administrator. Eddie Tullis, a tribal council member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, has been presented the 2024 Atmore Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award.
INSURANCE
Palomar Insurance Corp. has promoted Dan Carmichael, Austin Golson, Todd Johnson and Thomas Locklin to senior vice president; Toni Jones to senior vice president, transportation marketing; Evan Strother to vice president; Jennifer Allen to director of accounting; Jeremy Dickey to vice president of operations; Maxie Smith to vice president, transportation marketing; Sonya Berryman to executive vice president of insurance services; Tina Mason to vice president, marketing; and Katie Skipper to marketing representative.
JENNIFER ALLEN
JAY SAXON
BEAU BYRD
LEGAL
Jay Saxon has joined Baker Donelson’s Birmingham office as of counsel. Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP Partner Beau Byrd has been elected a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. Partner Matthew Lembke has been appointed chair of the Lawyers Advisory Committee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Richard Calhoun has joined Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC’s Mobile office. Rebecca Wright Pritchett has joined Maynard Nexsen’s real estate and environmental practice group. Reynolds Sorrell has joined Adams and Reese LLP’s Mobile office.
MEDICINE
Antwan Hogue has been named medical director of USA Health’s Johnson M. Haynes Jr. Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center and Ardie Pack-Mabien has been named the center’s director.
TECHNOLOGY
Starfish Holdings, parent company of Torch Technologies, Freedom Real Estate and SIMVANA, has appointed Joe Pierce chief information officer and Tammie Dodson director of communications.
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Aptus Capital Advisors, of Fairhope, has added Brett Bennett and Brian Jacobs to its investment team. Savant Wealth Management has added DeLynn Zell and Spenser Segal to its board of managers. Zell is co-founder of Bridgeworth Wealth Management and Segal was a founding team member of Bigcharts.
Index 17 Springs, Millbrook.........................................6 Academy at the Fairhope Airport................. 51, 59 Accounting Today.............................................73 Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.................................59 Ace Hardware Corp............................... 51, 54, 62 ACT Work Ready Communities..........................62 Adams and Reese LLP.......................................76 ADS-TEC Energy..................................................5 AdvisorsMD.....................................................36 AgriTech Corp...................................................36 Airbus Group Inc......................................... 51, 62 Akin, Matt.....................................................................65 Alabama A&M University..................................36 Alabama Associated General Contractors...........62 Alabama Bankers Association..................... 12, 19 Alabama Banking School..................................62 Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles...........36 Alabama Capital Network.................................36 Alabama Certificate-of-Need Review Board........62 Alabama Children’s Museum..............................6 Alabama Commission on Higher Education...6, 76 Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways....................................62 Alabama Community College System................36 Alabama Community College System Public Relations Association...................................62 Alabama Department of Commerce..................5,7 Alabama Department of Natural Resources........65 Alabama Department of Transportation.............51 Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo....................................71 Alabama Healthcare Executive Forum................36 Alabama Hospital Association...........................62 Alabama Industrial Access Road and Bridge Corp.................................................51 Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT)...........................................7, 8 Alabama Leadership Initiative.................... 36, 62 Alabama Legislature...........................................6 Alabama Peanut Co............................................7 Alabama Power Co...................................... 45, 61 Alabama State Parks.........................................36 Alabama Technology Foundation......................36 Alabama Tourism Department.................... 49, 51 Alabama, State of...............................................5 Alabaster, City of................................................6 Aldi Inc............................................................51 Alexander City, City of........................................7 Alison Insurance..............................................73 Allen, Jennifer..............................................................76 AltaPointe Health.............................................56 AM/NS Calvert....................................................6 America’s First Federal Credit Union..................76 America’s Heroes Enjoying Recreation Outdoors....................................36 American College of Real Estate Lawyers...........76 American Council of Engineering Companies....73 American Filiment............................................36 American Intercontinental University................36 Anglin Reichmann Armstrong...........................73 Apex Roofing.....................................................5 Apple Inc..........................................................36 Aptus Capital Advisors......................................76 ArcelorMittal......................................................6 Area Development Magazine............................51 Aristotelian University, Greece..........................36 Artemis Space Program.......................................5 Ascend Performance Materials..........................54 Associated Builders and Contractors..................73 Association of School Business Officials.............62 Association of University Research Parks...........36 Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Buisness......................................73 Astrion Group...................................................10 Athens State University....................................73 Atmore Chamber of Commerce.........................76 Auburn Bank....................................................76 Auburn National Bancorporation......................76 Auburn University...........................36, 51, 62, 73 Auburn University - Gulf Shores........................59 Auburn University at Montgomery........ 36, 62, 73 AuburnBank Center............................................8 Austal USA............................................... 6, 8, 36 Automatic Seafood and Oysters...........................7 BAE Systems.....................................................10 Baird, Woody..................................................................7
A guide to businesses (bold) and individuals (light) mentioned in this month’s issue of Business Alabama. Baker Donelson................................................76 Baldwin Center for Business Development........59 Baldwin Community + Economic Development Foundation.............................51 Baldwin County......................................... 49, 65 Baldwin County Bicentennial Park....................71 Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance............................ 51, 62 Baldwin County Public Schools........49, 51, 62, 65 Baldwin EMC Community Leadership Council....62 Baldwin Preparatory Academy..........................65 Ball Corp..........................................................51 Bank Independent...........................................12 Barefield, Jessica..........................................................12 Barnes, Lindsay Sutton.................................................36 Barnes, William............................................................45 Barsala Management LLC....................................6 Bay Minette Junior College...............................59 Bay Minette Municipal Airport.................... 51, 65 Bay Minette, City of.................................... 49, 65 Bayfront Park, Daphne......................................65 Becker’s Hospital Review..................................56 Bennett, Brett...............................................................76 Berryman, Sonya..........................................................76 Beyond New Horizons......................................10 Bibb County.......................................................8 Bigcharts/Marketwatch Inc................................76 Billy Reid Inc......................................................6 Bio Alabama.....................................................36 Birmingham Bound..........................................36 Birmingham Business Resources Center............45 Birmingham City Schools.................................45 Birmingham Fastener.........................................5 Birmingham Urban League...............................45 Birmingham-Southern College...........................6 Birmingham, City of...........................................6 Bishop State Community College......................59 BL Harbert International...................................10 Blakely State Park............................................71 Blount County Education Foundation................73 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.............56 BMSS LLC.........................................................73 Bolton, Brad..................................................................76 Bon Secour Fisheries.........................................54 Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.................71 Boozer, Young.................................................................6 Borg, Renee..................................................................36 Boy Scouts of America.......................................62 Braddock, Freda............................................................76 Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP...................76 Brasfield & Gorrie...............................................8 Brenau University............................................36 Bridgeworth Wealth Management....................76 Brooks, Evan.................................................................29 Brooks, Megan.............................................................36 Brown, Cheryl...............................................................36 Brown, Grant.................................................................65 Bryant Bank.....................................................12 Business Council of Alabama............................45 Byrd, Beau....................................................................76 C3 Presents........................................................5 Calhoun, Richard..........................................................76 Capstone Building Corp......................................7 Capstone Health, Parrish..................................36 Cardiology Associates, Mobile...........................56 Carmichael, Dan...........................................................76 Carney, Zebbie..............................................................45 Carolina University...........................................62 Carr, Riggs & Ingram........................................73 Carter, Abigail...............................................................36 Case Western Reserve University......................36 CBS-42 News....................................................45 Cell Mind.........................................................36 Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce............62 Chart Industries.................................................5 Chiles, Rob....................................................................76 Cisco Systems Inc..............................................36 Clark, Amanda..............................................................36 Club, The, Birmingham.....................................45 CMO Institute...................................................36 Coastal Alabama Business Chamber............ 62, 73 Coastal Alabama Community College.... 51, 59, 62 Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market......................................65 Coastal Arts Center, Orange Beach.....................71
Coastal Gateway Community Park.....................65 Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United..............................7 Cole, Candi...................................................................36 Coleman, Daniel B..........................................................6 Collins Aerospace................................. 49, 51, 54 Colony Nature Park, Fairhope............................65 Columbia Southern University.................... 59, 76 Community Bank & Trust....................................6 Community Spirit Bank....................................76 Condon, Steve........................................................59, 62 Consolidated Pipe..............................................8 Coosa County.....................................................7 Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools.............62 Cowan, Mia...................................................................45 Cox, Callie.....................................................................62 Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.........................62 Cronan, Joan................................................................59 Cullman Casting Corp.........................................6 Cultivated Meat Modeling Consortium..............36 Culver’s Franchising System LLC........................65 Cummings Research Park.................................36 Current Charcoal Grill.........................................7 D’Olive Bay Boat Launch, Daphne......................65 Dadsetan, Mahrokh......................................................36 Daniel Corp........................................................7 Daphne Innovation + Science Complex.............51 Daphne, City of................................................65 Davis, R. Guy Jr.............................................................12 Davis, Sara....................................................................62 Daxko LLC........................................................36 Dental EZ Inc....................................................54 Dickerson, Bob.............................................................45 Dickey, Jeremy.............................................................76 District 31, Alabaster..........................................6 Dodson, Tammie...........................................................76 Dolphin Foundation for Education and Arts.......62 Doster Construction............................................7 Drax Group PLC................................................36 Duncan, Louise.............................................................45 Duplantis, Josh.............................................................62 Eastern Shore Center, Spanish Fort....................56 Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce................62 EastPointe Hospital, Daphne.............................56 Economic Development Institute......................62 Economic Development Partnership of Alabama..................................................36 Ecovery LLC................................................ 51, 54 Edwards, Claude...........................................................12 EFP Advisors.....................................................73 Elliott, Michael..............................................................76 Elm Construction LLC........................................76 Embassy Suites by Hilton..................................65 English, Jennifer..........................................................36 Enterprise City Schools.....................................62 Estep, Barbara.................................................................5 Eubanks, Harold...........................................................62 Eufaula City School System...............................62 Eugene’s Hot Wings..........................................45 Evans, Adam...................................................................7 EverThrive Financial Group...............................73 Everwood Preserving Inc...................................54 Evonik Inc........................................................36 Expect Excellence Theatre, Gulf Shores...............65 Ez Cutz Barbershop, Birmingham......................45 Fairhope Airport Authority................................51 Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival...........................71 Fairhope Public Library.....................................65 Fairhope, City of................................... 51, 65, 71 Faulkner University.................................... 36, 73 Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.........................19 Festival of Art, Orange Beach.............................71 Five Rivers Delta Resource Center......................71 FlightPath9........................................................8 Flip Flop Vacations & Real Estate.......................73 Fluor Corp........................................................10 Fly Creek Nature Preserve, Fairhope..................65 Foley Depot Museum........................................65 Foley Downtown..............................................62 Foley Medical Overlay District..................... 51, 65 Foley Municipal Airport....................................51 Foley, City of........................................ 49, 51, 65 Folkes, Ashley...............................................................29 Forbes Magazine........................................ 56, 73 Fort Mims........................................................71
Fort Morgan State Historic Site..........................71 Founders Park, Fairhope...................................65 Freedom Fest and Bama Coast Cruisin’ Car Show, Orange Beach...............................71 Freedom Real Estate.....................................5, 76 Gadsden State Community College.....................8 Gallup Inc..........................................................7 Gann, Ashley.................................................................45 Gateway Initiative............................................62 Geiger, Roy.....................................................................7 Gendler, Beth.........................................................51, 62 Genuine Parts Co................................................5 Georgia Institute of Technology........................36 Georgia-Pacific LLC............................................36 Girl Scouts of South Central Alabama.................36 Girvin, Miller.................................................................36 Golden Flake......................................................7 Golson, Austin..............................................................76 Goodwyn Mills Cawood................................8, 76 Graham Creek Nature Preserve............. 49, 65, 71 Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa.......................71 Grand Hotel, Point Clear...................................19 Gratz, Jessica................................................................36 Gross, Renato..................................................................5 Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability............................... 51, 65, 71 Gulf Coast Eco Center........................................51 Gulf Packaging Inc............................................62 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism........... 51, 62 Gulf Shores City Schools............................. 49, 65 Gulf Shores High School...................................51 Gulf Shores International Airport................ 51, 65 Gulf Shores Utilities..........................................62 Gulf Shores, City of............................... 51, 62, 65 Gulf State Park..................................... 51, 65, 71 Gunter, Margaret..........................................................76 H.S. “Sonny” Callahan Airport, Fairhope............51 Habitat for Humanity........................................62 Hammond, Cecilia........................................................62 Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC.......................76 Hangout Music Festival, Gulf Shores..................71 Hanwha Group...................................................6 Harbert, Raymond J........................................................7 Hart, Emily....................................................................36 Hatch Fairhope........................................... 51, 65 Hecate Energy..................................................51 Hellmich, Ralph......................................................49, 65 Highlands Group, The.......................................73 Hill, Mike......................................................................19 Historic 4th Avenue Black Buisness District, Birmingham.....................................7 Hodge, Glenn...............................................................76 Hogue, Antwan.............................................................76 Holtz Builders..................................................51 Home Depot.....................................................51 Honda Manufacturing of Alabama......................5 Hop City Wine & Beer.........................................7 Howe, James F................................................................5 HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology..........36 Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail....................71 Hughes, Lawrence........................................................76 Hughey, Penny.............................................................62 Hunt, Robin..................................................................36 Hurt, Ritchie..................................................................62 Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama.........5, 8 Impact 100......................................................36 Imperial Dade..................................................51 Independent Community Bankers of America....76 Infirmary Health........................................ 56, 62 Innes, Mike...................................................................29 Innovate Alabama...................................... 36, 51 Innovation Depot.............................................36 Inspired Wealth Solutions................................29 Institute of Transportation Engineers................36 Integrity Park, Spanish Fort..............................65 International Development Council..................51 International Paper Co......................................54 International Residence Hall Inc........................51 Ives, Amanda................................................................36 Ivey, Gov. Kay............................................................7, 36 Jackson County Utility Authority, Mississippi....73 Jackson Thornton & Co......................................73 Jacksonville State University............................73 Jacobs, Brian................................................................76 James Beard Award............................................7
May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 77
INDEX
Jamz 95.7 Radio...............................................45 Jaska, Joe.......................................................................5 John Wesley University....................................62 Johnson, Lee................................................................62 Johnson, Todd..............................................................76 Jones, Alex...................................................................12 Jones, Toni....................................................................76 Jordan, John.................................................................76 Joseph, Luke...................................................................7 Joyner, Tom..................................................................45 Junior Achievement.........................................62 Junior League of Huntsville..............................36 Kassouf & Co. Inc..............................................73 Kemp Management Solutions...........................45 Kemp, J. Michael Sr......................................................45 Kerr, E. Edwin................................................................76 Khairi and Little Angels Memorial.....................45 Kimley-Horn....................................................73 Kiss 98.7 Radio................................................45 Kiwanis International.......................................36 Knot Standard....................................................6 Koshut, Erin..................................................................36 Kvach, John....................................................................9 Lacklin, Thomas............................................................76 Lagoon Park Industrial Park................................8 Lake Martin Area Industrial Development Alliance.........................................................7 Lake Shelby.....................................................71 Lambert, Katie..............................................................36 Landing Inc........................................................6 Latham, Scott..........................................................12, 19 Lawler, Michael.............................................................76 Leadership Alabama.........................................45 Leadership Baldwin County........................ 59, 62 Leadership Birmingham............................. 36, 45 Leadership Mobile...........................................62 Leapfrog Group................................................56 Legacy Arena......................................................5 Legendary Marine LLC......................................65 Lembke, Matthew.........................................................76 Liberty Mutual.................................................73 Liberty University.............................................36 Lifetouch Inc....................................................74 Lincoln Financial Advisors.................................29 Linson, Dee...................................................................45 Lipscomb University.........................................36 Lithophane Maker............................................36 Lockheed Martin Corp.......................................10 Longleaf CCS Hub...............................................8 Longleaf Recovery & Wellness.............................8 Lore’l, Radio host..............................................45 Louisiana State University................................62 Louisiana-Pacific, Thomasville...........................73 Lovewood Studio................................................6 Loxley, City of...................................................65 LS Investor Group...............................................6 Luckie & Co.........................................................6 Magic City Data Collective.................................36 Manufacture Alabama......................................62 Marbury Creative Group.....................................6 Marion Community Bank..................................12 Maroon Volunteer Center.................................62 Marriott Corp...................................................62 Marshall Space Flight Center...............................5 Mason, Tina..................................................................76 Mauldin, Hallie.............................................................12 Maynard Nexsen..............................................76 Mazda Toyota Manufacturing..............................5 McElroy Truck Lines............................................7 McElroy, Jay....................................................................7 McKenzie, Ashleigh......................................................36 McMillan, Michael........................................................65 McNair, Ellen..............................................................5, 7 McShane Partners..............................................6 MDreferralPRO LLC...........................................36 Medical Properties Trust.....................................8 Mercedes-Benz U.S. International....................5, 7 Miami University of Ohio..................................36 MiBella Wellness Center...................................45 Microsoft Inc....................................................36 MidSouth Bank, Dothan....................................12 Mike Ford Tennis Center, Fairhope.....................65 Millbrook, City of...............................................6 Mills, Charles G.............................................................74 Mills, Mary Stephenson................................................74 Mills, Olan....................................................................74
Mills, Olan II.................................................................74 Milner, Aaron................................................................62 Minority Business Awards, The..........................45 Missile Defense Agency....................................10 Mississippi State University..............................62 MK Insurance.....................................................6 Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce..................62 Mobile Convention Center..................................8 Mobile County.................................................76 Mobile International Airport.............................62 Mobile-Tensaw Delta........................................71 Mobile, City of....................................................8 MoGo Rideshare.................................................8 Momentum Executive Leadership.....................36 Monash University...........................................36 Montgomery Transportation Group.....................5 Montgomery, City of...........................................8 Montpelier Methodist Church...........................71 Moody High School............................................7 Morton, Montal............................................................45 Motion Industries..............................................5 MotionMobs....................................................36 Murphy, Charles...........................................................65 National Association of Home Builders..............76 National Association of Plan Advisors................73 National Charity League...................................36 National Collegiate Athletic Association.............62 National Park Service........................................65 National Shrimp Festival, Gulf Shores................71 NCAA Hall of Fame............................................62 Nelson, Brandon...........................................................62 Nippon Steel......................................................6 Noble Bank, Anniston.......................................12 Noland Health Services.......................................5 North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce...............62 North Baldwin Infirmary............................ 56, 62 North Baldwin Utilities.....................................51 Northest Alabama Community College..............73 Novelis Inc................................ 49, 51, 54, 62, 65 Oak View Group.................................................8 Olan Mills Inc...................................................74 Orange Beach City Schools.................... 49, 62, 65 Orange Beach Seafood Festival and Car Show....71 Orange Beach Sportplex...................................65 Orange Beach Store, The...................................65 Orange Beach, City of................................. 51, 65 Original German Sausage Festival, Elberta........71 Owa Parks & Resort.........................49, 51, 65, 71 Oxford, City of....................................................6 Pack-Mabien, Ardie.......................................................76 Palomar Insurance Corp....................................76 Partners for Environmental Progress.................62 Pass Park at Alabama Point......................... 49, 65 PCF Insurance Services.......................................6 Peak North America............................................7 Peeples, Kayla..............................................................12 Perdido Bay Water District................................65 Perkins, Kyleigh............................................................36 Phelps, Blake................................................................62 Pierce, Joe....................................................................76 Pike, Elliott....................................................................76 Plant Shoppe, The, Fairhope..............................36 Poarch Band of Creek Indians...........49, 51, 71, 76 Port Alabama Industrial Center.........................51 Portside on Main, Orange Beach.......................51 Precision Homecrafters.......................................6 Prime Healthcare................................................8 Pritchett, Rebecca Wright.............................................76 ProjectXYZ Inc..................................................10 Prosper Birmingham........................................36 Protective Life....................................................6 Public Relations Council of Alabama.................62 Publix Super Markets Inc..................................65 Quail Creek Park, Fairhope................................65 Quality Filters Inc.............................................54 Quincy Compressor LLC.....................................54 Rabren General Contractors..............................51 Radbourne, Delanea.....................................................36 Ragland, Justin.............................................................45 Rast, Lauren..................................................................36 Raymond James, Birmingham..........................29 Redmont Distilling Co......................................45 Redstone Arsenal.............................................10 Reed, Steven L................................................................8 Regions Bank...............................................7, 76 Renasant Bank.................................................76
78 | BusinessAlabama.com May 2024
Rendleman, Roger.......................................................65 Retirement Systems of Alabama.......................36 REV Birmingham..............................................36 Ria SouthPath Investment................................73 Rich, Tim.......................................................................19 Roark, Bill.......................................................................5 Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.............................71 Robertsdale, City of..........................................65 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mobile.....62 Ross, Mike....................................................................19 Rotary International................................... 36, 62 Ryles, Eric......................................................................45 Saenger Theatre, Mobile.....................................8 Safeco Insurance..............................................73 Samford University..........................................36 Santillian, Kyle..............................................................45 Saraland City Schools.......................................62 Savant Wealth Management.............................76 Saxon, Jay.....................................................................76 School Superintendents of Alabama..................62 Segal, Spenser..............................................................76 Segers Aerospace....................................... 51, 54 Selma to Montgomery Historic Trail.....................9 ServisFirst Bank.................................................5 ShelterPoint Group Inc........................................6 Shelton State Community College.................8, 59 Shipt Inc..........................................................36 Silverhill, City of..............................................65 Simvana/Prodigy, Torch Technologies............5, 76 Singing River Trail..............................................9 Sisiopiku, Virginia P......................................................36 Skipper, Katie...............................................................76 Smiley, Rickey...............................................................45 Smith, Charles W. Jr........................................................5 Smith, Maxie................................................................76 Sorrell, Reynolds..........................................................76 South Alabama Mega Site........................... 51, 65 South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce..............62 South Baldwin Regional Medical Center..................8, 49, 51, 56, 62, 65 South Star Festival, Huntsville............................5 Southeastern Salvage.........................................7 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools....59 Southern Business & Development...................62 Southern States Bancshares Inc.........................76 Southern States Bank.......................................76 SouthPoint Bank..............................................36 Southwest Alabama Regional Education Commission................................................62 Spanish Fort, City of..........................................65 Spencer, Sandra............................................................76 Spirit Park, Spanish Fort...................................65 Springhill Medical Center.................................36 Stabler, Alan.................................................................76 Standard Systems Group...................................36 Starfish Holdings.........................................5, 76 Statista Inc.......................................................56 Steele, Steve.................................................................76 Stella Source....................................................36 Stimpson, Christina........................................................5 Stimpson, Sandy.............................................................8 Strawberry Festival, Loxley...............................71 Strother, Evan...............................................................76 Stultz, Laura K.................................................................6 Such, Katie....................................................................76 Sullivan, Mark...............................................................45 Sullivan, Sherry............................................................65 Summerdale, City of.........................................65 Summerville, Britney...................................................36 SummitMedia LLC............................................45 Summitt, Pat.................................................................59 Swift, Jack.....................................................................76 Tanger Outlet Center, Foley...............................71 Tech Equals......................................................36 TechBirmingham..............................................36 Tenaska Power Services Co..................................8 Tennessee Valley Authority...............................62 Tennessee Wesleyan College............................62 ThinkData Solutions.........................................36 Thomas Hospital, Fairhope.......................... 56, 62 Thompson Engineering....................................62 Thompson, Keith D.........................................................6 Thompson, Ormand.....................................................62 Thorpe, Jim...................................................................59 Tidwell Group..................................................73 Tootris LLC..........................................................5
Torch Technologies Inc............................ 5, 36, 76 Townsend Advisory Group LLC...........................45 Townsend, Shayla.........................................................45 Troy University........................................... 36, 62 Tullis, Eddie..................................................................76 Tunista Logistic Solutions.................................10 Tuskegee University.......................................5, 8 Two Ravens......................................................36 Two Rivers Lumber Co.........................................7 Tyler, Eddie.............................................................62, 65 U.S. Air Force.............................................. 10, 36 U.S. Army................................................... 10, 36 U.S. Coast Guard...............................................36 U.S. Department of Defense..............................36 U.S. Department of the Treasury........................12 U.S. Department of Transportation......................8 U.S. Navy.........................................................36 U.S. News & World Report.................................56 U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration..............................................6 U.S. Steel............................................................6 U.S.S. Alabama.................................................65 UAB Health System...........................................56 United Auto Workers..........................................7 United Bank.....................................................12 United Bank Community Development.............12 United Launch Alliance.....................................36 United States Sports Academy..................... 59, 62 United Way......................................................62 University of Alabama ......................... 36, 62, 74 University of Alabama at Birmingham... 36, 56, 62 University of Alabama in Huntsville........ 8, 36, 73 University of Illinois at Chicago........................36 University of Mobile.....................................5, 62 University of Montevallo............................ 62, 73 University of Nebraska.....................................74 University of New Orleans................................36 University of South Alabama................. 10, 62, 76 University of South Alabama Baldwin County...........................................59 University of Southern Mississippi....................62 University of Tehran.........................................36 University of Tennessee....................................59 University of West Alabama..............................62 USA Health........................................... 49, 56, 76 USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital..........8 USA Today..........................................................7 ValleyDAO........................................................36 Valor Park, Spanish Fort....................................65 Van Heron Labs................................................36 Vanderbilt University.......................................36 Vaught, Rebecca...........................................................36 Vincent, Mike................................................................12 Vintage Hospitality Group................................73 Vintage Year, Montgomery...............................73 Viqtory Media..................................................73 Vital at Springbrook Farms.................................7 Volanta Park, Fairhope......................................65 Volkert Inc.......................................................62 Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga........7 Vulcan Inc........................................................54 WAGG 610 Radio..............................................45 Walker, Tomeka............................................................45 Walls, Denise..................................................................7 Warren Averett.................................................73 Watson, John..................................................................5 Waverly Advisors LLC....................................6, 73 Weaver, Joe..................................................................29 Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.........................................71 Wharf, The, Orange Beach........................... 51, 65 Wilkes, Randy...............................................................62 Wilkins Miller..................................................73 William Weatherford Memorial........................71 Wills, Robert...........................................................49, 65 Wilson, John.................................................................62 Wood, Roy Jr.................................................................45 Woodfin, Randall............................................................6 Workman, Aly...............................................................36 World Games Birmingham...............................36 Wyndy LLC.......................................................36 Yamaha Corp....................................................59 ZealRiver Technologies Inc................................36 Zell, DeLynn..................................................................76
Historic Alabama
IN HIGH COTTON In this photograph taken between 1900 and 1907, horse-drawn wagons carry cotton bales in Court Square in Montgomery. The Alex Rice clothing store is visible. Soon after this photo was taken, the Orpheum would open in this general area. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. Do you have a photo you’d like us to consider for Historic Alabama? Send it to Erica West at ewest@pmtpublishing.com.
Alabiz Quiz
Challenge yourself with these puzzlers from past issues of Business Alabama magazine. If you feel pretty confident, send your answers via email to ewest@pmtpublishing.com or, beginning May 20, work the quiz online and check your answers at businessalabama.com.
May 2024:
May 2023 (one year ago):
May 2014 (10 years ago):
Q: Alabama lost a college. Which one?
Q: We introduced Merit Bank, only four years old at the time, but growing rapidly. Where is its headquarters?
Q: Huntsville was boasting about an economic development coup, luring a major manufacturing firm — with the help of $68.9 million in incentives. What company? Hint: It’s gone now.
A) Alabama Northern B) Birmingham-Southern C) Montevallo D) Samford
April 2024 (one month ago): Q: An Alabama edible with a widely known name announced plans for a second plant. It’s first is in Evergreen, and the new one will be in Andalusia. What do they make? A) Conecuh sausage B) Golden Flake chips C) Kitty’s Katfish D) Sister Schubert’s rolls
A) Birmingham B) Gulf Shores C) Huntsville D) Selma
A) NASA B) Navistar C) Remington Outdoor Co. D) Toyota Motor Co.
May 2019 (five years ago):
May 1999 (25 years ago):
Q: “Top Chef” winner Kelsey Clark returned to her Alabama roots to lead her own restaurant. Where is her KBC business?
Q: Our cover featured David Bronner of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, terming him a “media baron” as the group lured headquarters of two big media groups to Montgomery. What two groups?
A) Athens B) Dothan C) Scottsboro D) Tuscaloosa
A) Community Newspaper Holdings and Raycom Media B) Gannett Newspapers and iHeart Radio C) Hearst Newspapers and NBC television D) Lee Enterprises newspapers and CBS Television Answers from April: A, D, D, A, B, A May 2024 BusinessAlabama.com | 79