Montgomery Business Journal – January 2014 by Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce

TROUBLESHOOTER MONTGOMERY MAYOR’S EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IN THE ROLE OF “FIXER” PARTNERSHIPS JACKSON HOSPITAL & CLINIC LOOKS TO GROW THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS IN MEDICAL COMMUNITY

Leading Lady THE CHAMBER'S

LESLIE SANDERS TAKES THE HELM AS CHAIRMAN OF THE MONTGOMERY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

UPBEAT OUTLOOK MONTGOMERY MAYOR AND COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN MOVE COMMUNITY FORWARD

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Calendar

Q&A with Anita L. Archie, executive assistant to Montgomery Mayor

Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes existing industries with Success Starts Here Tour

A look at the economy, southern and national economic picture

Investor Profile: Jackson Hospital & Clinic

Hancock Bank opens its corporate center in East Montgomery

The Chamber celebrates its 141st Annual Meeting

Member Profile: Renasant Bank

The Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Total Resource Campaign tops $1 million

Point of Light Award Winners

Site receives prestigious CSX Designation

Conversations: Roundtables for Professional Women provide important critical outlets

Rep. Terri Sewell advocates compromise

Hyundai refreshes the 2014 Sonata

Leslie Sanders is the 2014 chairman of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

Reporter's Notebook

Business Buzz

Members on the Move

New Members

Ribbon Cuttings & Ground Breakings

Economic Intel

JANUARY 2014

Contents

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

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Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Tina McManama David Zaslawsky Lashanda Gaines Melissa Bowman DESIGN

Copperwing Design PHOTOGRAPHER

Robert Fouts ON THE COVER:

Leslie Sanders is the 2014 Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board of Directors.

ADVERTISING:

Linda Drumheller 334-240-9494 mbjsales@montgomerychamber.com Montgomery Business Journal c/o Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Post Office Box 79 41 Commerce Street Montgomery, Alabama 36101 Telephone: 334-834-5200 Fax: 334-265-4745 Email: mbj@montgomerychamber.com www.montgomerychamber.com/mbj The Montgomery Business Journal (USPS NO. 025553) is published monthly except for the combined issues of June/July/August and November/December, by the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, 41 Commerce Street, Montgomery AL 36104, (334) 834-5200, www.montgomerychamber.com. Subscription rate is $30 annually. Periodicals Postage Paid at Montgomery Alabama, 36119+9998, USPS NO. 025553. Volume 6, Issue 1 POSTMASTER send address changes to Montgomery Business Journal, c/o Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 79, 41 Commerce Street, Montgomery AL 36101, or email mbj@montgomerychamber.com. The Montgomery Business Journal welcomes story ideas from its readers. Email to: editor@montgomerychamber.com. Subscriptions are a part of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce dues structure. Subscriptions can also be purchased for $30 per year at www.montgomerychamber.com/mbjsub.

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Calendar Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Events

JANUARY

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BUSINESS BASICS: BUSINESS PLANNING SEMINAR Presenting Sponsor: BWS Technologies 4 PM @ Small Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery $10 at the door 60 MINUTE COFFEE Sponsored by Capitol Hyundai 8 AM @ Capitol Hyundai 2820 Eastern Boulevard, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

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STATE OF THE CITY & COUNTY Presenting Sponsor: ServisFirst Bank 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM @ RSA Activity Center 201 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery Registration: montgomerychamber.com/state BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Sponsored by Spa at Montgomery, 5 PM @ Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center, 201 Tallapoosa Street, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH BREAKFAST Presenting Sponsor: River Region Psychiatry 7:30 AM @ Small Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Suite 460, Montgomery. Free event, registration required, call 240-6863

BUSINESS TAXATION SEMINAR Two Sessions: 3 PM & 6 PM @ Small Business Resource Center, 600 South Court Street, Montgomery, Free event, open to the public

FEBRUARY

3 4

BUSINESS PLANNING SEMINAR 4 PM @ Small Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery $10 at the door ENTREPRENEURIAL UNIVERSITY Presenting Sponsor: Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc. 6 PM – 8 PM @ Small Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery Registration: montgomerychamber.com/eu Deadline to register: January 22

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

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60 MINUTE COFFEE Sponsored by Leadership Montgomery 8 AM @ City Hall Auditorium 103 North Perry Street, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Sponsored by Regions Bank 5 PM @ Regions Bank 201 Monroe Street, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

“Mergers and acquisitions are an imperfect science. But with the right partner they can be TURNING POINTS that move you forward.”

John Falconetti

Drummond Press

Get the whole story at regions.com/turningpoints

John Falconetti grew up working summers in almost every department of the family business, Drummond Press. So when he stepped into a leadership role, he was ready to focus on growing the business. A turning point came when he saw a huge acquisition opportunity with a value not readily apparent to most banks. Regions immediately stepped up and helped him close a deal that led to a fourfold increase in revenue over the past 12 years. Today, managing a multi-location business is another turning point for Drummond Press, but John is confident he has a financial partner in his Regions Banker, Jessica Evans, who shares his vision for moving forward. To see how we can help your business move forward when it’s at a turning point, turn to Regions.

TROUBLESHOOTER Q & A WITH ANITA ARCHIE

Anita L. Archie is the executive assistant to Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange. She was recently interviewed by the Montgomery Business Journal’s David Zaslawsky Montgomery Business Journal: What are your job responsibilities as executive assistant to the mayor? Archie: Essentially, I’m responsible for the administrative functions dealing with the day-to-day operations of the city. MBJ: Please elaborate.

Anita L. Archie is the executive assistant to Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange.

Archie: Any issues that pop up that come to the mayor’s office, I review it for the mayor and then forward it to him. I do have primary responsibility for the Planning Department and for Risk Management. When Jeff (Downes) was here, he had several departments that reported directly only to him. I am responsible for the city’s relations with the City Council and any HR (human resources) matters that may come across the mayor’s office. MBJ: Why are you responsible for the Planning Department and Risk Management? Archie: It is actually (because) of my interest and background. When I came here (July) and what everybody is grappling with right now is rising employee health benefit costs. The mayor loves to say all the time that ‘Anita loves to get into the weeds of things.’ It’s an issue with small businesses; the private sector; the state; and the federal level with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and everything that is coming in place in January. The whole piece dealing with the delivery of indigent care and with risk management, one of the responsibilities is in the employee health benefits plan arena. That’s the reason why he (Strange) has that report coming to me because that’s

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

where you’re going to see a lot of activity. John Carnell, who is the director of Risk Management, and before that time my predecessor, Jeff Downes (former deputy mayor), had done a wonderful job of getting the city prepared for implementation of the Affordable Care Act, but there are so many moving parts to it and my work with the Business Council of Alabama, where I dealt with policy in the health care area and with insurance. People get confused when you talk about this (Affordable Care Act), you’re talking about health care and you’re talking about insurance. Insurance impacts our employees directly. Health care impacts our employees, but it’s more focused on the standpoint of making sure they are healthy. When you get those medical claims and prescription drug claims that is a cost to the city and it’s a cost to the employee so we’re trying to make sure that we try to control costs. MBJ: Is that going to be a primary area of focusing – containing health care costs? Archie: Absolutely. Everything has changed. The way we do benefits has totally changed. The costs keep inching up and inching up, but we want to make sure that our employees are not afraid or worry about losing any type of benefit coverage because they are hearing all these stories popping up in the newspapers. We’re taking a proactive role to make sure that our employees have insurance. We have come in and done certain things like raising deductibles and gone to a health management plan, which has higher copays to it. MBJ: Please talk about your oversight of the Planning Department. Archie: We get a lot of federal funds from Community Development Block Grants and Emergency Services funds and that deals specifically with communities, and

the needs of the communities are great. The mayor has Mac McLeod handle the economic development piece of it, but he (Strange) wanted to make sure that that community piece (was handled) by me so you have that Cabinet-level focus on business and commercial development as well as community development. Clare Watson (community development coordinator) reports directly to me as well because we are dealing with those community issues you always hear about. MBJ: What are those community issues? Archie: At City Council meetings you hear a lot about blight besides hearing about crime. You hear about streets, curbs, gutters. You have the Public Works Department that does a fabulous job dealing with those issues, but again it costs. By having Planning under me, I can go in and identify if there are possible federal funds that could help offset funding that is coming from the general fund.

Council. The mayor may have certain items that may need City Council approval so we (Blalock) work hand-in-hand with the City Council and with the mayor. We look at the agenda together; what issues are there that may prompt some type of response or action from the mayor. We can go to work sessions and they can be more productive. MBJ: Is another one of your responsibilities providing general project management? Archie: I do. There may be particular projects that do not fall into the day-to-day operations of a particular department, but may involve several departments. Take for instance, Questplex. Mac McLeod is our direct contact for that because it is a development project, but it also involves other aspects – Public Works Department, Planning Department. MBJ: You are also the liaison with the City Council so you would be involved in that respect because they will need to approve things.

MBJ: I read where you also oversee the City Clerk.

Archie: Right.

Archie: Not really oversee; we work handin-hand. Brenda Blalock (city clerk) is a wealth of information to me. She’s helping me understand things that involve the City

MBJ: Are you more involved with the details of Questplex, which will be the new home of The Alabama Children’s Museum and Montgomery’s Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial Library?

Archie: Yes, trying to make sure everybody is on the same page and communicating with each other. I’m sort of like the person who gathers the information and pushes it out and makes sure the ball is not being dropped on anything. If there is a particular project that crosses over various departments – you have me as the focal point making sure (everything is getting done). MBJ: The next question is pretty obvious: How do you oversee all of these areas of the city without cloning yourself? Archie: It’s a lot. MBJ: It would be difficult to delegate because you need to know what’s going on to keep the mayor informed and see the big picture. Archie: I think the BCA (Business Council of Alabama) thoroughly prepared me for different challenges. When you are responsible for government affairs for the Business Council of Alabama, you have various issues that you focus on from health care to environmental to small business. There are a lot of issues that are unique to certain industries and businesses that you have to deal with. I had a staff that I could assign to those particular issues. It’s not really CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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that hard because you are managing all that together, so I have not found it (that difficult). BCA was a great place to start. The issues of businesses and industry are so large. It really hasn’t been that big of an adjustment. I spent the first six weeks meeting one-on-one with each Cabinet person and the majority of the department heads. MBJ: What did you learn? Archie: The mayor wanted me to understand how they do their work. It was important for me to go out to where they were and to see the operation and how they operate. I got a pretty good understanding of what it takes… what the Sanitation Department does on an everyday basis; what Emergency Management does on an everyday basis; what the Police Department and Fire Department are doing. Knowing how they actually operate and function helps me do that management. MBJ: What did you learn about the city? Were there any surprises? Archie: I can tell you something that was very refreshing for me. You would hear about how well the city and county worked together and how it’s all about making Montgomery better. What is amazing to me is that the city and county work together for the good of Montgomery and it’s great to see that working relationship. MBJ: You didn’t experience that city-county partnership while you were at the BCA? Archie: I didn’t experience it, but I was sure they worked together. It is really a partnership and that’s very refreshing to see that because it’s not about ideological differences. It’s all about moving the city and county forward together. The other thing that was refreshing to me as well was you have great, great city employees, who have been around for a very long time and know how to make things happen. A lot of times when you come in as the new kid, a lot of folks don’t want to … they are standoffish – they have been very inviting and been my great instructors. I was concerned about coming in here – how would they embrace me? You can’t replace Jeff Downes. There is all that institutional knowledge and I’m not Jeff. It was refreshing that the Cabinet members and department heads have really, really welcomed me with open arms and many have made my job a heck of a lot easier.

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

MBJ: When your position was announced, you told the Montgomery Advertiser: “My biggest goal right now is to continue the work and the momentum that’s going on here.” Please elaborate. Archie: Jeff and Chad (former director of development) had left at the best of times for them personally; also, it had been the best times for the City of Montgomery. We had a lot of ongoing projects and the last thing you want to do is see those go away. I want to continue with the excitement of what’s going on with Montgomery. It is kind of ironic – on my second day of the job, I sat in on a meeting about the Webber building. Back during the time (when I was executive director) of the Montgomery Riverfront Development Authority, one of our biggest issues was dealing with the Webber building. It was so nice to come back and actually see that project go forward. It was exciting to hear about what’s going on Dexter Avenue with a magnificent streetscape project. I left the Montgomery Riverfront Development Authority in 2007 – planning takes a long time. You do the plan, but you have to identify the funds and you have to get the buy-in. You finally see it happening. Walking in here and seeing all that – I see the momentum. He (Strange) wants to see things happen. MBJ: How has your job evolved after three months? Archie: I can tell you it has. From the day that he (Strange) and I sat down at the Waffle House (on Madison Avenue), he told me what he wanted me to do and what he thought I needed to do – it has totally morphed into where is my best fit? It’s funny you should mention this because he and I just had this conversation, where we had this initial (talk) at the Waffle House of what he wanted me to do and what has actually ended up being. At the time, everybody was concentrating on the replacement of Jeff Downes and his whole focus was – ‘I don’t want her to replace Jeff Downes. This is what Anita was hired for. Anita was hired to watch my back. Anita was not hired for running the day-to-day operations of the department. Anita’s job is to have an administrative function of the dayto-day operations of the City, but to handle those things that need problem-solving or need special attention.’ That’s what this has morphed into – more of the things that are not the day-to-day operations, where you have department heads running everything, but things that need special attention.

MBJ: It sounds like you’re a troubleshooter. Archie: Yes. He expects me to handle things. That’s what it has morphed into; not a deputy mayor, but somebody who is the fixer. MBJ: The person who puts out the fires. Archie: Yes, and there are good fires as well. When there is a problem that pops up or issue that pops up, he has enough faith and confidence in me that I know a lot about a lot. He trusts me enough to know that I’m going to do what’s in the best interests of the City and not have any personal agenda. That’s what (my job) has morphed into. It’s more of that person sitting down and given counsel and advice and give a recommendation. I can look at all sides of an issue. A lot of it he doesn’t want to hear and once I sit down and explain to him the reason behind it, he says ‘I can see how you came to that conclusion.’ He is not looking for someone to be in agreement with him. MBJ: He’s not looking for a yes person. Archie: No, he’s not looking for a yes person and he knows that when he sat down at Waffle House, I said you know that I don’t do “yes” very well. And he said that “I know that.” Some folks would classify that as being highly opinionated and difficult. He said, “No, I see that as a different point of view looking at an issue.” That’s what made me go work for him because he didn’t want a yes person. He wanted someone who could look at an issue and give recommendations on all sides. That’s what made me say yes. MBJ: Are you the mayor’s liaison with the City Council? Archie: Yes. MBJ: Would you sometimes float trial balloons to gauge the City Council’s stance on an issue? Archie: Yes. I’ll give you a perfect example. The needs of the city are great, which means the needs in the districts are very great. The City Council may have capital improvement funds and discretionary funds they can use to help their district, but at the end of the day it may not be enough. It’s my responsibility to meet with the City Council person. They may have a particular need and for me to help them or say if the mayor can help or if we can’t help. I attended Mr. (David) Burkette’s meeting. It lets the City Council and the community that they serve know that

the mayor’s representative has heard (their concerns), but not to create expectations that end up losing trust. I’m there to support the City Council person, but being realistic about what we can do. MBJ: Managing expectations? Archie: One of the things we’re doing right now is forming a community rapid response team. We hear the same issues in the public meeting side; the council meetings, where the public gets up and has an issue and they want to know what happened. A lot of times the City Council person may not know what has happened with that person that appeared before the council. What we want to do is have that team in place that does the follow-up with the City Council person to let them know what actually happened. That effort is being led by Chris Conway (director) of Public Works and also Clare Watson, who is a direct report to me – pulling together this rapid response system. It consists of the Police Department; it consists of the Planning Department; whoever is there that can address common issues that come up.

MBJ: Please talk about how your background at BCA, Alabama Development Office, which is now part of the Department of Commerce; Montgomery Housing Authority; and the Montgomery Riverfront Development Authority helped to prepare you for your current position? Archie: I know a lot about a lot, so I can pull from all of my various experiences and all the people that I know. The mayor and I worked together a long time ago when he came on as ADO (Alabama Development Office) director. I always tell him that he created this person, which is Anita Archie. He really did, as well as Neal Wade, who came in after Strange. They created me. They recognized that I have the unique ability to sit there and listen to both sides and give recommendations. It may not be something they want to hear. With economic development, you have to deal with everybody. The Hyundai (project) was great because I was in charge of all the supplier locations in Montgomery. That meant dealing directly with the community and they felt like they were going to get a Hyundai supplier and they weren’t ready. I had to tell

them they were not ready; identify potential funding sources; deal with local officials; deal with the state officials; the County Commission; the City Council; and the mayor. All of that experience that I had and dealing with the Legislature because there might be a need for legislation to make it happen or dealing with the fact that the needs are so great for public housing. All of that helps me in performing this job. I have been so blessed that someone has come to me and wanted to hire me for all those positions. If I can’t get something done, I don’t make excuses. What I try to do is leverage people and resources. That’s what he (Strange) realized. When he (Strange) put me in the position of deputy director of the Alabama Development Office and when Neal Wade kept me on as deputy director and when Gov. (Bob) Riley sent me out as a female and African-American to go out and negotiate and have the ability to understand the business issues; the government issues; and just the human side of it benefits me and enables me to do this job. I’m sort of like a triple-threat. •

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

Job #1: Job Preservation Chamber recognizes vital role of existing industries by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

Thermalex, a joint venture of Thermal Components and Mitsubishi Aluminum Corp., was one of three stops on the Montgomery Area Chamber Commerce’s fourth annual Success Starts Here Tour. The tour highlights the vital role that existing industries play in the region’s economy. While it’s understandable and expected to celebrate the new jobs created by existing industries, the Success Tour also focused on job preservation.

Thermalex Inc. was one of the stops on the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce’s fourth annual Success Starts Here Tour.

Thermalex Inc. President Mike Brotherton said his company was investing nearly $12 million in the firm to buy additional equipment. The new equipment will enable the 28-yearold company, which manufactures aluminum tubing for the automotive industry and commercial HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) markets, to increase its production output by 20 percent. The new equipment and increased production output will also result in the creation of 15 jobs, but “more importantly will create an even firmer foundation for the retention of the (195) existing jobs we have here.”

Nineteen existing industries have created 277 jobs and that’s impressive, especially during a slow economic recovery, and those 19 industries had a combined capital investment of almost $230 million. Yet what really stands out is that those same companies preserved nearly 7,000 jobs. Throughout the tour, the mantra was the importance of protecting existing jobs. “Anytime you are expanding in this community that means you’re not leaving this community,” Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said. “It means that you have confidence in this community.” AKD, which is a screen printing and embroidery firm, is adding a building to its Montgomery facility and adding equipment. With a capital investment of $500,000 and the creation of 10 jobs, AKD President Greg Shafer talked about the expansion’s impact. “… we are securing the 45 to 50 jobs we already provide in the River Region.” He also noted that Hancock Bank recently announced it was moving 100 employees to its corporate center in East Montgomery and will hire an additional 100 people. “We hope to do business with Hancock Bank,” CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

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said Shafer, whose company produces promotional products in apparel, including printing for the Bama Fever Tiger Pride stores. “Having the opportunity to work with these new companies is very important to us,” Shafer said. “It has allowed us to maintain and grow our customer base.”

We have a strong commitment to Montgomery and the State of Alabama.” Hanho Hwang , President, MOBIS Alabama

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Hartzell Engine Technologies invested nearly $4 million in new machining, inspection and test equipment, according to Company President Michael Disbrow. Hartzell produces precision aircraft components and brought its production of aircraft cabin cooling systems to Montgomery and along with it another 13 jobs. The company makes aircraft engine accessories, turbocharger systems, alternators, engine starters and fuel pumps. MOBIS Alabama, a massive tier 1 supplier to the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama facility in Montgomery, announced yet another expansion, as it has in the first three Success Tours. The latest expansion featured a $31.7 million capital investment and the creation of 93 jobs, bringing the company’s work force to more than 1,400 employees. MOBIS, which also supplies the Kia plant in West Point, Georgia, manufactures front chassis modules, rear chassis modules and cockpit modules.

The company has announced 665 jobs and $140.3 million in capital investments the past four years. “It is always refreshing to know that MOBIS is expanding because if MOBIS is expanding that means that Hyundai is expanding; and that means Kia is expanding,” Strange said. MOBIS Alabama President Hanho Hwang said, “We have a strong commitment to Montgomery and the State of Alabama.” He said MOBIS is working with the state, city, county and Chamber “to continue to strengthen our community to bring more jobs and additional capital investments.” Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean Sr. said, “We couldn’t ask for a better partnership. We will continue to support whatever (endeavor) that you have. Hopefully, we have shown that since you’ve been here and we will continue to show that.” Carl Barranco, chairman of the Chamber’s Committee of 100, said, “MOBIS represents for us an anchor of the tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers for Montgomery. Our existing manufacturing base is so important to our missions. We could not survive without existing industry.” •

Leading the Recovery City, county revenue streams show positive trend by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

The City of Montgomery and Montgomery County are slowly recovering from the Great Recession.

> The Genetta Park project is under way and should be completed by the summer of 2015.

The city’s annual sales tax revenue has increased five straight years, which includes the projection for 2014, while the county has had four consecutive years of growth, which also includes the estimated 2014 total.

> The city and county are spending $8 million for improvements to the Montgomery County Youth Facility.

Although the trend is quite positive, neither entity has reached pre-recession totals: The city’s sales tax revenue was $98.2 million in 2007 while the county’s was $42.8 million. With its projection for 2014, the city’s expected sales tax revenue is $94.8 million, or just $3.4 million less than 2007. The county’s projected sales tax revenue for 2014 is $39.9 million, or $2.9 million shy of 2007. The city’s lodging tax revenue has also been steadily climbing with five consecutive years of growth, including a projected $7.4 million in 2014. In 2009, the city collected $5.3 million in lodging tax revenue. Those numbers should continue to increase when a wide range of projects come on line. That was the message expressed by Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange and Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean Sr. They were speaking at the 31st annual Economic Summit conducted by Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce and Auburn University at Montgomery at Wynlakes Golf & Country Club. The summit was named a top economic event by Venture Capital Post. Here is just a sampling of some of the city and county projects: > Fifty of the 120 units at Centennial Hill have been completed. > The former Kress Building is under contract.

> The county is spending $3 million to expand and renovate the District Attorney’s office. > The city is spending between $4.5 million and $5 million to build a new Montgomery Justice Center to replace municipal court. > The Foshee Management Co. is building downtown loft apartments at the 40 Four Building. > Birmingham-based Retail Specialists is planning to build 50 to 60 apartment units at the former Frank Leu site on Commerce Street. > Stoneriver Co. has signed an agreement to build 150-plus apartment units on Maxwell Boulevard. > The old Webber Building is under contract and the completed project is expected to have at least two restaurants, five or six loft apartments and office space. > The $22 million Questplex project is moving forward with fundraising and will house both The Children’s Museum of Alabama and Montgomery’s Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial Library at One Dexter Plaza. “The role of government in our view is to be the bridge builder; be the pump primer; fill the gap,” Strange said. “It’s not to be the developer or it’s not to be the leader.” He said the government’s role is “providing the infrastructure so that businesses can prosper and grow.”

What has been growing is the travel industry in Montgomery and in particular sportsrelated activities, thanks to the $22 million spent on renovating Cramton Bowl and building the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl as well as a new soccer complex in East Montgomery. Montgomery is already host to a slew of high school and collegiate events, including the 2014 Raycom Media Camellia Bowl in December at Cramton Bowl, which will feature teams from the Mid-American and Sun Belt conferences. The mayor talked about Montgomery becoming “the sports capital of the South while Dean said, “We put all our effort in trying to lure all these sports activities here to Montgomery. It makes a whole lot of sense.” With its central location and upgraded facilities, Montgomery is attracting more and more sporting events. That in turn brings more people to hotel rooms, and the Capital City lodging occupancy from January-October of 2013 vs. the same period in 2012 was up 3.7 percent, according to Smith Travel Research. That may seem like a modest increase, but compare it to the other metro areas in Alabama during the same time period and Mobile is up 1.6 percent while Birmingham is -0.5 percent and Huntsville is -6.0 percent. Room demand for the same time period in Montgomery has jumped 7.1 percent, according to Smith Travel Research, and the No. 2 metro region is Mobile at 1.5 percent. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

> A $6.8 million contract has been started on the Dexter Avenue streetscape.

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

Convention, sports and tour bookings are up 21 percent in Montgomery, according to Smith Travel Research, and the room nights associated with those areas have jumped 29 percent. Dean said that a consultant encouraged the city and county “to invest in tourism with the Chamber.” That investment has brought some lofty returns. The tourism industry generated $566 million in travel-related spending in Montgomery County in 2011, according to the Alabama Tourism Department, and nearly 10,500 travel-related jobs. Those are the latest available figures. The booming local tourism industry is being noticed. Strange referred to a story in Convention South magazine with the headline: “Montgomery is a city to watch.” A local tourism official was quoted as saying: “From a revitalized downtown to an array of new museums, restaurants, attractions and accommodations, Montgomery is becoming one of the newest must-see travel destinations.”

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

combined capital investment of close to $520 million. Montgomery did add about 2,000 jobs from August 2012 to August 2012. Construction permit valuation climbed from $118 million to Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean Sr. (left) and Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange spoke $158 million last year, jointly at the 31st annual Economic Summit. an increase of 33 percent. “That in itself indicates as you move forward – a very positive situation,” Strange said. Dean attributed some of the surge to building projects at the city’s five primary four-year The Chamber’s Convention & Visitor Bureau institutions: AUM, Alabama State University, was working on 172 projects through October Faulkner University, Troy University and of last year, which would account for 90,000Huntingdon College. plus room nights and an economic impact of “We could not accomplish the things $24.1 million. we accomplished if it were not for the Of course the CVB won’t land all those partnerships,” Dean said. “We heard what projects – just as the city and county and you were saying when you elected us. You Chamber won’t land all the 40-plus projects wanted progress. You wanted us to invest in they were working through October 2013, the infrastructure of the city and the county. which represent about 9,000 jobs and a Those are things we are doing.” •

‘SLOW-GROWTH STORY’ The Federal Reserve, which is not your typical focus of conversation, was the center of attention at an economic summit. One speaker was an expert on the Fed; another was a senior economist and shared plenty of opinions about Fed policy; and then there was the Fed itself – represented by Dennis Lockhart, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Reading from a prepared text, Lockhart explained current Fed policy and philosophy in a carefully crafted speech, where summit participants clung to every word – and of course – words not spoken. He defended the Fed’s federal funds rate at or near 0 percent as well as the $85 billion-amonth asset buying program, better known as quantitative easing (QE) – purchasing longerterm Treasury securities and governmentguaranteed mortgage-backed securities.

by David Zaslawsky

same time, he also pointed out some distressing issues including unprecedented numbers of long-term unemployment and part-time workers seeking full-time jobs, as well as the number of discouraged workers, who are unemployed but not seeking a job. “There are about 4 million more people unemployed today than before the recession,” Lockhart said. The bottom line is that the Fed will keep its short-term policy rate low at least until unemployment falls below 6.5 percent. Lockhart’s forecast calls for a growth rate of 2.5 percent to 3 percent this year, but cautioned that 2014 could resemble 2013. “The right monetary policy for these circumstances is continued strong stimulus,” Lockhart said. “That is not to say the mix of policy tools needs to or will stay the same.”

Those tools, as Lockhart calls them, place the Fed in “uncharted territory,” according to Kathleen Hays, host of Bloomberg radio’s “The Hays Advantage” and a long-time Fed follower. “The tools are untested,” she said. “The Fed is sort of a laboratory right now of monetary policy.” The Fed is using those tools because of the fragile economy, Lockhart said. He said the Fed is pursing two objectives: “full employment and low and stable inflation.” The economy is growing slowly and “there is a way to go before we should be satisfied,” he said. Lockhart said several times that he was concerned about the inflation rate being too low. He expects inflation this year to remain below the Fed’s goal of 2 percent. Another concern is what he called the “fiscal drag” on the economy – what Washington does or does not do. “Therefore, monetary policy overall should remain vey accommodative for quite some time,” Lockhart said. That fiscal policy uncertainty undermines consumer and business confidence, Lockhart said, and he worries about the consumer pulling back on spending.

Above: Mark Vitner is managing director and senior economist for Wells Fargo. Right: Dennis Lockhart is president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

That really didn’t answer the two most pressing questions on the minds of all the summit attendees: When is the Fed going to raise its federal funds rate and when will it reduce or taper its bond-buying program? For Mark Vitner, managing director and senior economist for Wells Fargo, it is well past time for the Fed to taper or end QE, which, if it had any impact on the economy, was a long time ago.

“They (Fed) can’t keep creating $85 billion out of thin air and thinking there is not going to be any consequence down the road,” Vitner said. “It doesn’t seem to be doing all that much more good.” The Fed’s policy has driven up the stock market, Vitner said. “I think that holding interest rates down to 0 is not a good thing. Zero percent interest rate is not normal. It tells me – it just screams out – that these are extraordinary times.” Vitner said he has heard from business people: “ ‘How on earth do you expect me to go back and behave like things are normal when the Fed has their finger on the panic button?’ ” Hayes said that the Fed has introduced a new tool – forward guidance – and it has become “a really big deal at the Fed now.” She said the next major challenge for the Fed “is how to exit from its current policies.” Hays said there has been little debate about leaving the federal funds rate at 0, but that is not the case about when to taper. A Bloomberg News survey of 32 economists showed no consensus for a taper: 14 expect a taper in March; nine expect a taper in January; five expected a taper in December and the remainder expect a taper in April or June. “It’s going to happen,” Hays said about a taper. “It has to happen. We can’t go on buying bonds forever.” Remember, Lockhart talked about adjusting the Fed tools. “That will depend on circumstances and the economic diagnosis of the moment,” he said. When he spoke late fall, Lockhart said the picture of the economy is mixed. “It’s not decidedly positive nor is it in any respect negative. It’s a slow-growth story.” •

He does note an improving employment market with monthly job gains from AprilOctober 2013 averaging 174,000. At the

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

Mike Randle is owner and publisher of Southern Business & Development.

MANUFACTURING ROARS BACK TO LIFE IN U.S. by David Zaslawsky

Methanex had two idle plants in Chile and the company reassembled both of them in Louisiana because of the shale gas development and the low cost of natural gas. That is costing the company about $1.2 billion for each plant. Caterpillar shifted production from a plant in Japan to a site near Athena, Ga., to be closer to its North American and European customers. The new location will be the company’s center for small track-type tractors. Caterpillar made a $200 million investment to open the facility and announced it would employ about 1,400 people when fully operational. Bridgestone selected Aiken, S.C., over China to build a $1.2 billion plant. Meanwhile, Comfort Revolution, a mattress manufacturer, moved its operations from China to Tishomingo County in Mississippi along with a $43 million investment and the creation of 200 jobs. Even apparel and textile companies, a yarn factory and furniture makers are returning to the United States from overseas in a wave of reshoring. And it’s here to stay, according

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

to Mike Randle, owner and publisher of Southern Business & Development. “They are all coming back and nobody is moving then over there (China) in the first place,” Randle said. “So it’s double whammy. It’s every industry sector that is coming back.” That’s why he says, “Reshoring is huge.” There are several factors why companies are bringing production back to the United States, including rising Chinese wages, weaker dollar, increased productivity in U.S. facilities; high transportation costs and the low cost of domestic natural gas. The cost of oil has risen from about $30 a barrel to about $100 a barrel. “Making stuff in China and shipping it here for U.S. consumption is over – it’s done,” Randle said. Randle, speaking at the 31st annual Economic Summit at Wynlakes Golf & Country Club, said that both advanced manufacturing and lessadvanced manufacturing is returning to the U.S. and it’s that less-advanced manufacturing that goes to rural regions, which were decimated by the recession. The country lost nearly 3 million jobs to China and almost 2 million were manufacturing, CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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according to Randle. An estimated 1 million of those manufacturing jobs were in the South, he said. Now experts are predicting that reshoring could result in 3 million jobs by 2020, according to a study by Boston Consulting Group. Randle cited a study that concluded 10 percent of the companies with operations in China were reshoring in 2012 and that number increased to 37 percent for 2013. Randle credits General Electric with being a reshoring pioneer by bringing production back from China in 2007. “This reshoring thing is real,” Randle said. “It is doubling every year.” The new herd mentality is paying off for the South with its deep roots in manufacturing. Yet from 1996 to 2005,

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

there were more services projects with a $30 million investment and/or 200 jobs than manufacturing projects. Large manufacturing projects have returned since 2006 and now easily outnumber large services projects. There were 164 large manufacturing projects in 2002 compared to 363 last year. Manufacturing has roared back. South Africa-based Sasol is building a $20 billion-plus gas-to-liquids plant in Louisiana. It is the company’s largest investment; the largest single investment in Louisiana’s history; and the largest foreign direct investor manufacturing project in the history of the U.S., according to Randle. “We are the manufacturing hub of the world,” Randle said. The U.S. is not alone. Mexico is also competing for those companies. “We’ve got to turn our focus from China and offshoring these jobs to Mexico,” Randle said. “The new economic development war is with Mexico.” •

‘ECONOMY WILL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER’ by David Zaslawsky

Wells Fargo’s senior economist is expecting the economy to improve this year and improve even more in 2015 with the housing sector providing a big boost. Mark Vitner, managing director and senior economist for Wells Fargo, said he “is very confident” that 2014 growth will outperform 2013 and that 2015 will top 2014. This year, the economy should grow at a 2.4 percent rate and a 2.7 percent rate in 2015. He is forecasting single-family homebuilding to double in the next five years, but did warn that firsttime homebuyers “are largely missing in action” due to slow job creation. Speaking at the 31st annual Economic Summit, Vitner said, “I have absolute faith that the economy will continue to get better.” But better is a relative term and by historical standards, the economy is growing very slowly, especially measured by previous recoveries after recessions.

He said there are “pockets of the economy that are booming and the pockets that are booming are mainly energy and technology.” He does expect U.S. exports to increase this year. “I’m just not deluded that stronger growth is just around the corner – it’s not,” he said. “We have big structural issues that we are dealing with and we’re going to be dealing with through the rest of this decade. I know that overall growth is going to be modest.” He pointed out that the economy has grown an average of 2.2 percent a year since the recession ended in May 2009 compared with an average growth rate of 3.3 for the 25 years prior to the recession. “We are growing at about two-thirds speed,” Vitner said. “A lot of that is due to the uncertainty. We don’t know how or when it is going to be resolved. It doesn’t mean that you can’t grow your business or it doesn’t mean that we’re not going to see improvement in the economy.” The uncertainty he was referring to is fiscal and monetary policy. Another of the factors behind the modest growth outlook is what Vitner called “sluggish income growth. “If your income is only

growing 3.1 percent, odds are you’re not itching to go out and borrow a lot of money,” Vitner said. “You are probably more worried about your ability to pay it back.” Vitner said if you take out government subsidies, incomes are up just 2.1 percent. “That’s one of reasons that consumer spending is so sluggish and is one of the reasons why sales tax receipts have taken so long to recover here in Montgomery,” he said. There is some encouraging news overseas that Europe’s recession “appears to have ended,” Vitner said, and China’s economy is picking up. The Wells Fargo Small Business Index, a quarterly measure of sentiment, is at historic lows, according to Vitner. He said there are still more businesses planning to cut employment than hire workers. In his talks with small business owners, Vitner said a common theme is they are “reluctant to expand their operations; they are reluctant to hire because they know that these large budget deficits we are running are unsustainable; taxes are going up; regulations are increasing. They (small business owners) don’t know how it’s going to impact their

business or their customers’ businesses so they are reluctant to expand. It means that every new hire and every new piece of equipment has a higher hurdle rate that it has to clear.” Factories are able to use fewer workers because of technological advances, Vitner said. There is also a shortage of skilled workers, he said. Vitner said he expected some of his employment numbers for Alabama and Montgomery to be revised upward. He anticipates the state’s employment growth rate to double (0.5 percent to 1.0 percent). He said Montgomery’s growth rate of 0.3 percent “is not believable.” That equated to an increase of 300 jobs. He estimates that Montgomery actually added 2,400 jobs, which translates to a job growth of 1.5 percent. He encouraged business executives and elected leaders at the economic summit to bring more research and development to Alabama. He said that for every job in research and development another five jobs are created compared with manufacturing, which has a job multiplier of 1.6. •

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

Investor Profile

CARETOSHARE Joe Riley is president and CEO of Jackson Hospital & Clinic.

Jackson Hospital & Clinic growing through partnerships by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

Jackson Hospital & Clinic is growing again, although differently than in the past, when there were large brickand-mortar expansions.

There is ample space on the Jackson Hospital grounds to expand, but don’t expect to see new buildings. One area of focus is primary care clinics, and Jackson launched two last year – one in Prattville and one in East Montgomery on Chantilly Parkway. The Prattville site on East Main Street, which opened a year ago, features two physicians as well as a third, independent doctor. The two Jackson Hospital-affiliated physicians see about 70 patients daily, according to Joe Riley, president and CEO of Jackson Hospital & Clinic. The clinic in East Montgomery just opened in November with one physician and one physician’s assistant. There will be extended hours for urgent care – 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and a half-day Saturday. There are plans to open additional primary care clinics in the outlying areas, Riley said. Another key area of Jackson’s focus and strategy is adding services through partnerships with other medical providers. “It’s about relationships and working with the external medical community,” Riley said. The hospital has current joint ventures with Rehab Associates at Jackson Hospital; Jackson Surgical Center; Jackson Imaging Center; a sleep center; and Jackson Mid-South, which handles durable medical equipment. More than 75 patients receive physical therapy daily at Rehab Associates. The surgical center is a joint venture with Jackson physicians and the imaging center is a joint venture with the hospital’s radiology group. “We are looking at any and all opportunities to partner with (other medical firms),” Riley said. “Our focus is on the continuum of care after hospitalization, whether that’s home health, prosthetics, rehab.” He said there have been a lot of discussions about assisted living/ long-term care partnerships. With a shortage of physicians nationwide, Jackson Hospital also concentrated its efforts on recruitment and over the past couple of years has added: > Three family medicine physicians > Two internal medicine physicians > Two nurse practitioners > Physician assistant

> Neurologist > General surgeon > Endocrinologist > Vascular surgeon > Neurosurgeon

Jackson Hospital & Clinic is a large River Region employer with a work force of about 1,400. The company’s combined salaries/ benefits totaled $72 million-plus in 2012 and Jackson spent almost $40 million on supplies and medications, not to mention another $16.6 million of services and nearly $3.8 million on utilities. You can see why Riley said the hospital’s imprint is “large.” Yet as one of the primary health care providers, Jackson also has a significant non-economic impact in the River Region. “It is a huge impact, providing the care that communities need in their everyday lives whether it’s an emergency department visit or a surgical procedure or an office visit with a physician,” Riley said. “That’s our biggest impact and our mission is to take care of the communities we serve.”

JACKSON HOSPITAL & CLINIC YEAR FOUNDED

1946

SIZE OF JACKSON HOSPITAL CAMPUS

20 ACRES

MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDINGS

3 – GOODE BUILDING, JACKSON CLINIC AND PARK PLACE BEDS

344 EMPLOYEES

1,419

ANNUAL ADMISSIONS

ABOUT 14,000

SURGERIES PERFORMED ANNUALLY

ABOUT 24,000

Jackson Surgery Center (12,000) Jackson Hospital (12,000)

ANNUAL OUT-PATIENT VISITS

MORE THAN 102,000

PATIENTS TREATED ANNUALLY AT JACKSON IMAGING CENTER

MORE THAN 33,000

PATIENTS TREATED ANNUALLY AT PHYSICIAN CLINICS

ABOUT 48,000

DOCTORS ON ACTIVE MEDICAL STAFF

175

DOCTORS WHO PRACTICE AT JACKSON AND OTHER SITES

ABOUT 330

One of the ways is through the hospital’s robust robotic and minimally-invasive surgery program. While there are several services that use robotics – urology, gynecology and general surgery – the program also includes neurosurgery and orthopedics. The robotics program means shorter recovery times for patients; smaller incisions; and less pain after surgery, according to Riley. The key to the success of Jackson Hospital, which opened 67 years ago with 37 beds and five physicians, “is the team that is in place and that cares about the communities we serve and want to provide that care,” Riley said. That team is made of nearly 330 physicians; 1,400 employees; 76 volunteers; and the 11-member board of trustees. “It’s such a loyal family culture that cares about our communities.” •

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

INVESTING IN CENTRAL ALABAMA

Hancock Bank celebrated a ribbon-cutting for its new corporate center in East Montgomery at the Capitol Commerce Center.

Hancock Bank opens corporate center in East Montgomery by David Zaslawsky When Hancock Bank was looking for a site for a regional corporation office, a search firm was given an exhaustive list of criteria that included getting “critical operations off the beach.” The Gulfport, Mississippi-based bank suffered widespread damage to its tower during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which hit 15 miles west of the building that housed the back office. Two years later, Hancock opened a new center about 12 miles off the beach that could withstand winds of 200 mph. That site “serves as the hub of the company’s core network and all of its computer systems,” said Ron Milliet, senior vice president and chief information officer.

were ruled out because they were outside the company’s footprint, according to Milliet. He said that Hancock considered Nashville and Memphis in Tennessee, but “decided that Central Alabama fit our model and was in our footprint. And it’s off the beach. It’s close to Auburn (University) and not that far from Tuscaloosa (University of Alabama).” That Central Alabama site is the Capitol Commerce Center in East Montgomery, where Hancock Bank will occupy two floors – about 40,000 square feet – at its corporate center. “Being at Capitol Commerce Center enables Hancock to have key positions in one of the state’s most dynamic regions,” Milliet said at a ribbon-cutting.

He said the company’s success can be traced to a “relentless pursuit to be always on. We learned a long time ago that we cannot help our clients if (we’re) not open for business.” That was the lesson learned from Katrina. “It was a defining moment in our company’s history.”

“It is truly an honor when a company as prestigious as Hancock Bank with a proud 100-plus year tradition selects Montgomery for its corporate and operation center,” Horace H. Horn Jr., chairman of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, said in a statement.

After two mergers, including one with Whitney Bank, it was time for a new home for the bank’s operations unit. Atlanta and Dallas

Milliet said that when bank officials looked at the company’s growth pattern, it was apparent that Hancock was moving north. “Over time as the bank expands, our Central Alabama operations unit will be in the center of our future footprint,” Milliet said. He said

the bank is looking to grow in the Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia markets. Commercial lending, corporate support personnel and a call center will be located in Montgomery, and the company invested about $500,000 adapting its space. The company is bringing 100 employees to the corporate center from existing sites, including some personnel from Prattville. Hancock announced that it plans to hire an additional 100 employees during the year. The 100 net new jobs represent an increased payroll of $3.5 million-plus and that’s a conservative estimate, according to Milliet. He said the bank plans to keep growing and the back office functions in Montgomery will need to expand to support that growth. “I can’t say enough about what you brought to Montgomery,” Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean Sr. said. “We’re here to make sure you get what you need.” “We welcome them,” Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said. He said that Montgomery met all the criteria for “the place where they want to put their stake down and have a future.” The 114-year-old bank, which has 4,000plus employees in five states – Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana and Texas – is the 35th-largest bank by assets ($19 billion) and has more than 200 branches. Hancock uses the Whitney brand in Louisiana and Texas. •

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MONTGOMERY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ANNUAL MEETING AND RECEPTION

photography by Robert Fouts

1 2013 Chairman of the Board of Directors Horace H. Horn Jr. welcomed nearly 1,000 business and community leaders to the 141st Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center. 2 After calling the meeting to order, Chairman Horace H. Horn Jr. shared exciting news about the River Region’s many economic successes in 2013. 3 A video was presented about Montgomery’s transformation in recent years. To see the video go to www.montgomerychamber.com/video2014. 4 Chairman Horace H. Horn Jr. presented the distinguished Chairman’s Award to Larry Puckett, president of Larry Puckett Chevrolet, for his service to the Chamber and to the River Region.

5 Following the meeting, a reception was held in the Alabama Ballroom where attendees enjoyed the festivities of the evening. 6 The meeting ended with 2014 Chairman of the Board Leslie L. Sanders presenting an award to 2013 Chairman Horace H. Horn Jr. following the traditional passing of the gavel from current chairman to incoming chairman. 7 Chairman Horace H. Horn Jr. presented an award to Ann Sadie Osten with Sadie’s Global Travel for being the top producer of the Chamber’s 2013 Total Resource Campaign (TRC).

8 The 2013 TRC volunteers and their companies were recognized for exceeding this year’s goal by raising nearly $1.1 million.

Investor Member Profile Profile BUSINESS BUZZ (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 63)

Pete R. Knight Jr. is the Montgomery city president for Renasant Bank.

Full Menu Renasant Bank matches larger, smaller competitors by Jennifer Kornegay

photography by Robert Fouts

Renasant Bank may be a new option for Capital City customers, with its main branch opening downtown in July 2011, but Montgomery City President Pete R. Knight Jr. and the three other principals at the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Montgomery office are not newcomers to the business.

Their combined banking experience totals more than 100 years. And according to Knight, the understanding of how to run a successful bank that comes with this amount of expertise is only one of the positives Renasant has going for it. “Renasant Bank is 111 years old, so it has a long history and strong foundation,” he said. Based in Tupelo, Mississippi, the bank currently has approximately $4.2 billion in assets and 125 branches across Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. In those states, Knight pointed to the diversity of the markets served as another of the bank’s strengths. “We are in every little town in north Mississippi, but also in large cities in that state and in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee like Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham, Huntsville. That means we are made up of both small community banks and large urbanarea banks, and this balance has helped us fare better in the economic downturn than most,” he said. With no concentration in any one area of banking, Renasant can boast a stock price that is above what it was prior to the recession, and the company never accepted any TARP funds and never missed a dividend payment. “Not many banks can say that,” Knight said. The size and specifics of its various locations help determine each market’s scope, and in Montgomery, Renasant Bank puts emphasis on its small-business, commercial banking offerings. In other markets, such as small communities, it is mainly a retail bank. While its areas of focus may differ in different locales, Knight stressed that every Renasant Bank branch adheres to the same high standards. “We have excellent personal products, loans, investment options, accounts, and in bigger cities, we are proud of our strong commercial products,” he said. “What really sets us apart is, depending on your needs, we have a complete menu. Even though we are a smaller bank in Montgomery, we have a large bank behind us, so we can compete with mega banks on commercial products and can compete with the community banks on personal banking and service; we can comfortably be both.”

RENASANT BANK OPENED

MONTGOMERY IN 2011 TWO LOCATIONS

8 COMMERCE ST. AND 215 MITYLENE PARK DRIVE WEBSITE

WWW.RENASANTBANK.COM NUMBER OF MONTGOMERY EMPLOYEES

15 Knight also stressed that good people make a good bank. “We have a very experienced staff, and we’re all from here and have a vested interest in this community. We’re all very active in local community organizations and our local schools, and we have 100 percent participation in The United Way,” he said. Knight sits on the boards of the Montgomery Area Council on Aging and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Knight makes up a large portion of the experience that Renasant Bank’s staff shares; he’s been in the industry for 32 years and has stayed in it so long because he likes what he does. “I enjoy seeing people achieve their hopes and dreams and like to be a part of that,” he said. “It is unbelievably satisfying to have someone come in with a dream and get a loan and then make that dream a reality. I like being a part, even if it is a small part, of people’s success stories.” Montgomery’s Renasant Bank is young, but it is already growing; its second branch, located in East Montgomery, just opened last fall. •

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated its second straight $1 million Total Resource Campaign. (From left) Ray Petty, the chairman of the first TRC in 2006; top 2013 volunteer salespeople Ann Osteen, Carol Gunter and Liz Sutton; Horace H. Horn Jr., chairman of the 2013 TRC; and Larry Puckett, chairman of the 2007 and 2011 campaigns and co-chairman of the 2012 TRC.

they are just go-getters. They are the cream of the crop. We believe a lot of these people will be the next wave of leadership in the community.” George: “We are very fortunate to have outstanding TRC volunteers that believe in the Chamber and its mission. They are among the best sales people I know and work very hard to achieve their personal goals. Our TRC sales outcome confirms these facts.”

Two in a Million Chamber’s Total Resource Campaign tops $1 million for second straight year by David Zaslawsky photography by Robert Fouts

Although there were just 26 volunteer salespeople and the headwind of a slow economic recovery, the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce’s Total Resource Campaign topped $1 million for the second straight year. In a word – amazing. That’s how the Chamber’s Patsy Guy, vice president, Member & Investor Relations, described the 2013 campaign that raised nearly $1.1 million. The campaign was chaired by then-Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board of Directors Horace H. Horn Jr. “A lot of people talk about the recession and the recovery, but I think our community is in a much better position than many other communities,” Horn said. The TRC campaign funds a wide range of Chamber programs, events, publications, websites and assists in recruiting new members. Guy said the TRC “funds the programs that support our mission and … our mission is all about job creation and job preservation.” Both Guy and Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber President Randall L. George spoke glowingly of those 26 volunteer salespeople. “They know how to do it and they get out and get it done,” Guy said. “They know the products and

One of the volunteer salespeople, Ann Osten, who founded Sadie’s Global Travel, shattered the previous individual sales record of about $80,000. Her sales total was $95,000-plus. “The TRC is a great opportunity for them (volunteer salespeople) to make additional contacts and get more experience selling,” Guy said. She recalled that some good salespeople have said they learned a lot from the TRC and improved their skills. Guy said she would like to have between 35 and 40 volunteer salespeople for the 2014 TRC. Even if another 10 salespeople sold $2,000 worth of sponsorships that means another $20,000. “Every dollar counts,” Guy said. Another reason for the 2013 campaign’s success is the members “seeing the value of the sponsorships and obviously advertising in the MBJ (Montgomery Business Journal),” Guy said. •

YEAR

CHAIRPERSON

2006

Ray Petty

AMOUNT RAISED $553,365

2007

Larry Puckett

$706,000

2008

Gene Crane

$669,928

2009

Guy Davis

$683,360

2010

Nim Frazer

$760,974

2011

Larry Puckett

$860,376

2012

Lee Ellis/ Larry Puckett

$1,082,401

2013

Horace Horn

$1,092,702

Source: Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

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When Dr. Shankar Yalamanchili opened his own psychiatric business he was the sole employee and he had no patients. Now Dr. Chili, as he is called, has 32 employees at the River Region Psychiatry Associates and between 2,000 and 3,000 patients. He is the owner and CEO. Meanwhile, Sherry Weeks came to Montgomery after owning a real estate company in Monroeville. “When I first moved here in 1997, I didn’t know a single person in Montgomery,” she said. “I didn’t know how to get from my home in Wynlakes to the grocery store.” She joined Aronov Realty and was a licensed real estate agent. Weeks later became vice president of the company’s new home construction. She started a real estate company with her brother in 2001 along with about 10 real estate agents. Her company – ERA Weeks & Browning Realty – now has about 45 agents, who are independent contractors – and two, full-time office employees.

Shining Examples Point of Light award recipients run successful companies and give back to their community by David Zaslawsky photography by Robert Fouts

Both Yalamanchili and Weeks have been successful business owners and now both are also recipients of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Point of Light Award. The awards are presented for “outstanding business achievement and community contributions.” There are now two categories for the Point of Light Award: Businesses less than 10 years old and businesses that are at least 10 years old. Yalamanchili said it was important that the Point of Light Award can recognize someone who is not raised in the River Region and, like himself, a different nationality. He said the award can help change perspectives as well as foster entrepreneurship and diversity and bring more businesses to the region. Yalamanchili, whose business will celebrate its sixth anniversary in February, said the award is “not a reflection on me. I’m just one person. I work. It’s actually the organization that deserves (the honor). For me to say it’s all about me is pretty grandiose. Every one of these folks (employees) is doing something every day that is contributing to that.” Weeks said that she was “shocked” to be a recipient of the Point of Light Award. “I knew I had been nominated, but I never dreamed that I would ever be considered for the award.” She began her real estate career at 19 and two years later became a broker and opened her first company in 1981 in Monroeville. Weeks said she worked at Aronov Realty “for a short time to get to know the agents and get to know the market. So I did that in anticipation of opening my own company.” Being new to Montgomery and coming from a small town can be intimidating, but Weeks overcame that by being very aggressive in marketing herself through mailers, brochures, postcards, billboards and phone calls.

Left: Dr. Shankar Yalamanchili is the owner and CEO of River Region Psychiatry Associates. Right: Sherry Weeks is the broker/owner of ERA Weeks & Browning Realty.

“… A lot of people think that Montgomery is a hard city to break into as far as social and business,” she said. “For some reason, I put on blinders and refused to listen to that. I started my business and didn’t worry about what other people were saying. I focused on what I thought I needed to do to grow a business.” That company she opened in 2001 was with her brother, Darrell Browning, who had retired from the Marine Corps. He had no real estate experience. By the end of their first year in business, the fledging real estate firm joined ERA, an international franchise and became ERA Weeks & Browning Realty. That relationship opened the door with Cartus, the world’s largest third-party relocation company. Cartus has a contract with USAA, which serves active and retired military personnel and their families. Relocating military families to and from Maxwell Air Force Base helped keep Weeks’ real estate firm alive during the recession. Cartus also has contracts with some of the larger companies in the region. Those partnerships helped Weeks grow her company, which in addition to relocations offers property management and handles commercial and residential real estate sales. She also taught a pre-license course and is an educator for the Alabama Real Estate Commission. Weeks, who is the broker/owner of the firm, said a lot of her current agents were her students. Yalamanchili grew his company by offering comprehensive services: working with mental health centers; hospital-based patients; nursing homes; office visits; and opening satellite offices in Alabaster and Sylacauga. He said it was much more convenient to his patients to come to them rather than having them take a half-day off work to visit him – not to mention the cost of transportation. That decision helped his patients, who during the recession didn’t always have jobs or the ability to pay for their visits. Adding $10 to $20 for gas for a trip to Montgomery

2013 NOMINEES

was just another hardship. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I decided to actually take the care to the patients,â&#x20AC;? he said.

CATEGORY I In business less than 10 years

One day a week, Yalamanchili and one of his office personnel travel to the satellite offices. He sees seven to 10 patients at the Alabaster office, which opened in early November and he has 15 to 20 patients at his Sylacauga office. That office has been open about one year. He has two other psychiatrists on staff and two nurse practitioners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was an extreme critical shortage (of psychiatrists) and the community was suffering,â&#x20AC;? said Yalamanchili, who has worked at local mental health centers as well as working with psychiatric units at Baptist Health and Jackson Hospital. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think I was just at the right place at the right time to help everybody out.â&#x20AC;?

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CATEGORY II In business 10 or more years

He also helps out in the community with donations to Friendship Mission for food and for a new roof on that organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shelter. Weeks said that her community focus has been on raising money to battle muscular dystrophy. â&#x20AC;˘

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January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

INDUSTRIAL SITE RECEIVES CSX SITE SELECTION DESIGNATION by David Zaslawsky

One of the key factors in attracting industry and staying alive in the high-stakes recruiting business is having sites that meet companies’ needs. A community will not be considered or quickly eliminated “if you don’t have a good site readily available,” said John Sanford, industrial development manager for CSX Corp. Montgomery now has one of those highly desirable sites, as the Wasden Road/ Interstate 65 site received a CSX Site Selection designation. That designation, which is for sites along the CSX network, removes the risk factor for industries looking for suitable sites, according to Sanford.

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

“I expect this (designation) will put this site at the front of the line for future projects and I can ensure that in the long term this site will pay dividends when you land a new industry or industries at this location,” Sanford said. “Having a CSX Select Site property in this community is a huge advantage for the River Region,” Ellen McNair, senior vice president of corporate development at the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement. “This designation places Montgomery at the forefront of potential sites (that) decision makers will consider when looking to generate new business.” The Select Site designation means that the 415-acre site has met an exhaustive set of criteria, including everything from infrastructure to environmental reviews and transportation. The process takes six to 12 months or even longer, Sanford said. “It also takes a significant amount of time and money to complete the process,” he said, before a Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting. The Wasden Road/Interstate 65 site near Hope Hull is only one of 13 CSX Site Selection designations in the railroad’s 23-state footprint. CSX, the largest railroad east of the Mississippi River, has 21,000-plus miles of

rail. “As you can tell from the numbers, we have made this program pretty rigorous,” Sanford said. The Chamber received a plaque for the CSX Site Selection designation. “I want to congratulate the Montgomery Area Chamber for its proactive efforts in preparing this site and the Montgomery community for longtime economic development success,” Sanford said. He also praised the Chamber’s Corporate Development staff and Chamber President Randall L. George, calling them “top notch” and “exceptional.” Sanford said, “Economic development in this area is in good hands.” Sanford also saluted the partnerships between local government and the business community. “It always amazes me; the overall support of the Montgomery leadership of the business community in the Montgomery area makes Montgomery and the River Region a formidable force and successful in economic development.” Horace H. Horn Jr., chairman of the Chamber’s board of directors, said, “This means a lot to the Montgomery Chamber and all of us in the Montgomery area who are involved in economic development.” •

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Let’s Talk Roundtables for professional women provide insight into work, home life by David Zaslawsky

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

A student studying business was at one of 21 tables along with bankers, lawyers and a doctor. The setting was Conversations: Roundtables for Professional Women, which is part of the Women In Business Forum and a Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce initiative. It is here at those tables that a diverse group of women gather twice a year to network and discuss a wide range of issues. It is also here where participants at the same table can discuss how to ask for a raise or promotion, and there will be senior-level executives who make those decisions and lower-level employees who do the asking. “That’s the beauty of this,” said Ellen Brooks, who was chair last year of the Women’s In Business Forum and is the Montgomery County District Attorney. “The interesting part about this is no matter your age or experience you can at the same meeting at that table be a mentor; a mentee; and sometimes both. You have two perspectives. There is a lot of give-and-take.

“The common thread is you’re a female and you’re in some kind of a business, but everything else is different.” She said it was “healthy” for her as a boss to hear what employees say about promotions and raises. “I hope that it is very helpful to that person who is trying to feel her way.” So many women have felt the roundtables are beneficial that between 150 and 160 attended the final one last year. There have been two roundtables in each of 2012 and 2013, but the program has generated so much excitement and interest that the number of roundtables may increase this year for additional in-depth peer mentoring. When the women attend one of the roundtables, the first part of the program is spent networking: exchanging business cards; seeing old friends; and make new friends. The more formal program may start with a case study followed by discussions, or topics may be given to each table to discuss. There are some topics that frequently come up, including how to promote yourself; balancing work and home; and dressing for success.

At the table where Brooks sat, the women discussed how to ask for a raise and how to value yourself. They talked about changing jobs and the new dynamic of employees not staying with one bank or one law firm. “We talked about loyalty,” Brooks said. “We talked about valuing your employees.” Brooks said a doctor new to the region researched salaries and was able to negotiate what she wanted. That reminded Brooks “of one of her law professors who asked: ‘Do you know what is wrong with Southern women? Y’all think people are going to see your value and give it to you. You have to go get it.’ Meaning, we’ve got to learn to compete in the world.” Balancing work and home has taken on new meaning for older female workers, who may now be taking care of their parents or spouse’s parents or in some cases taking care of their grandchildren. How to dress for work is a major issue for women, Brooks said. She said that casual Fridays have sometimes crept into the rest of the week. “Women have so many more choices than men do, so it creates problems for women,” Brooks said. “Let’s

”If you’re going to succeed in business you need a diverse employee base.”

Ellen Brooks, Montgomery County District Attorney, 2012 Chair of the Women in Business Forum

face it – we have always been much more judgmental of women and how they look as opposed to men.” And speaking of men, the roundtables are not about bashing males. “We talk about how to get our point across to the guys,” Brooks said. “Men are definitely not our enemy. We live in a world that they are very much a part of and we’re not trying to get rid of them or replace them. We’re just trying to have our place at the table with them.” The Conversations: Roundtables for Professional Women help women better understand men and women.

“The rub is, if you’re going to succeed in business you need a diverse employee base,” Brooks said. “You cannot have everybody who looks alike (or) acts alike because your clientele is going to be more and more diverse if you’re going to succeed.” Will there always be a need for these types of roundtables and a Women In Business Forum? “I would like to think that we won’t, because I would like to think that society and the work force values everyone for what they bring to the table; what they bring to the job. When will we get there? I don’t know.” •

Palomar insurance

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

The dysfunction strangling Congress is “totally unacceptable” and that comes from a lawmaker in Washington. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) asked, pleaded, cajoled and encouraged business leaders attending the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs & Issues to show leadership and help get the country on the right track. The right track for the congresswoman, who represents Alabama’s 7th congressional district, is compromise. “We have to make it OK to compromise – politically OK to compromise – and somehow we have moved away from that,” she said. “It shouldn’t be a dirty word, but in fact it has become a dirty word. Until we reward compromise and not reward obstruction we will continue to get the dysfunction that we currently have in Washington. “It’s to the detriment of the American people that we are not sitting in a room and thinking about the totality of our problems and trying to solve them …” Instead, she fears more histrionics over the budget in January and raising the debt

ceiling in February. With Washington so polarized, Sewell is worried that budget conferees will not able to reach an agreement because both Democrats and Republicans have stated their positions. “On the left, we said no entitlement reform,” Sewell said. “On the right, (they) said no revenues. I don’t know how you get to the middle unless you put everything on the table and everything is up for discussion. “I think that if the businesses you run were conducted in the same way we run the federal government, you wouldn’t be in business very long,” she said to a roomful of business executives and local elected leaders. She acknowledged that Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare need to be reformed, but she also insisted that the government needs to invest in defense, education, research and development and infrastructure, including roads and bridges. The key is electing people who are pragmatists, according to Sewell. “If we continue to send people to Washington who don’t believe in government and who believe that their sole duty is to obstruct – we will continue to have the dysfunction that we currently have. “We need to elect folks who are willing to show a little political courage; the courage of their own convictions; and the convictions of the people they represent, which means having pragmatism.”

‘Reward Compromise’

Rep. Terri Sewell

Sewell encourages business executives to take charge by David Zaslawsky

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

She called on lawmakers to show more political courage and do what’s best for their constituents and what’s best for the country. Sewell saved some of her harshest criticism for sequestration – the automatic budget cuts to defense and domestic programs. Without new legislation, another $20 billion in automatic cuts was scheduled to begin Jan. 1. Those cuts to defense “will affect our military readiness.” Sewell said that work to develop the next-generation satellites and weaponry has come “to a screeching halt because of sequestration. She again used the word “unacceptable” to describe those potential cuts. “The across-the-board cuts to defense … is not a way to reduce our deficit.” She is upset that the traditionally routine farm bill, which has been approved every five years, has become so contentious. The Senate has passed a bill that cuts $4 billion from the food stamps program while the House passed a bill that cut $40 billion from the same program. The bill also provides subsidies to farmers. “From where I sit, farmer assistance is government assistance,” Sewell said. “You may call it farm subsidies, but the way I see it is the government assisting our farmers and it should to make sure they can produce food that sustains all of us.” Her biggest disappointment of 2013 was the 17-day government shutdown and fears there might be another one in January. “To me, that whole exercise was an exercise in political futility and the people who lost were the American people. Neither side – Democratic or Republican – looked good in that situation.” She is “disappointed” that Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley did not expand the state’s Medicaid program as part of the Affordable Care Act. “The reality is … we’re turning down $20 billion and which some say would produce 30,000 jobs in Alabama.” And speaking of the Affordable Care Act, Sewell said it’s the law of the land and it was debated in 2010. “There are 30 million Americans who are uninsured; 600,000 Alabamians that are uninsured. We should be getting about the business of helping those who need health insurance get health insurance.” •

The new 2014 Hyundai Sonata is really new with more than 50 changes from the previous model, including an eight-inch navigation screen and new 17- and 18-inch wheels. The changes are being billed by Hyundai Motor America as “new safety technologies; exterior design enhancements; and ‘unique’ comfort and convenience features.” It is called a “refresh” of the model, not a major makeover or redesign. Some of the changes are standard for the GLS, SE and Limited models while others are options. The Sonata, along with the Elantra, is produced at the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama facility in Montgomery. There are new, bolder grilles, Xenon headlights and LED taillights. A full-leather steering wheel is now standard on the SE and Limited models. A ventilated driver seat is now standard on the Limited model. Here are some other changes/options: > New color audio screens with highdefinition radio and rearview camera integration are standard on SE and Limited and optional on the GLS model.

> The carpeting has been improved to reduce noise. > A sport-tuned exhaust is standard on the SE 2.0 turbo-charged model. > Fully-automated temperature controls are standard on the Limited. > A body-colored spoiler is standard on the SE. > A new, color LCD information screen between the tachometer and speedometer is standard on the SE and Limited models. Some other upgrades include Hyundai’s blind spot detection system, which alerts a driver by sound and sight when another vehicle is discovered within a set distance. A blind spot mirror is also available. The tire pressure monitoring system now shows which tire has low pressure. A premium navigation system features a 550watt Infinity sound system with 12 speakers and surround sound. There are even three operating steering modes – comfort, normal and sport. The comfort mode is designed for city driving; normal is for a variety of conditions; and sport is for highways or winding roads.

HYUNDAI REFRESHES 2014 SONATA by David Zaslawsky

The Theta II four-cylinder engine delivers an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated 24 miles per gallon for city and 35 miles per gallon for highway and has 190 horsepower. The turbo-charged engine has 274 horsepower and will get an EPA estimated 21 miles per gallon city and 32 miles per gallon on the highway. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price increased $155 for the Sonata GLS and the cost of a well-equipped model begins at $21,350. •

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

Leslie Sanders is the 2014 chairman of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

TAKING

Lead THE

As a member of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Committee, Leslie Sanders has learned a lot about the inner workings of the organization.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD LESLIE SANDERS REVEALS GOALS FOR 2014

She said the Chamber is not afraid to tackle the big issues facing the community, but also serves as “the common ground,” where a full range of opinions not only can be expressed, but are encouraged.

by David Zaslawsky

That is just one of the areas – the Chamber as a facilitator – that Sanders plans to focus on this year as the organization’s new chairman. Sanders said there are various groups with ideas about downtown/riverfront development, including the concept of a digital billboard to let people know what is going on. “Anytime that we can inspire and facilitate the doers of good, then that puts the Chamber in a lead position to keep facilitating and moving things down the road,” said Sanders, who is vice president of Alabama Power’s Southern Division. “With the Chamber

being the facilitator of good, it’s a way to communicate and link without owning and organizing. I think that to become a really great, vibrant city we need to keep all those plates spinning where they are and bring them together. If I had to have one statement that summarized everything: “I think the Chamber is a facilitator of good in Montgomery. We are a fertile ground for great ideas and we will continue to be a leader to implement these strategies and opportunities.” As a facilitator, the Chamber will empower others to share knowledge, wisdom and experience, according to Sanders. “The Chamber is the perfect place to have those CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

TAKING A TEAM APPROACH by David Zaslawsky

Although Leslie Sanders’ term as chairman of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is just beginning, what does a successful year look like? Success means that tangible goals have been met such as: > Reviewing the Imagine A Greater Montgomery II strategy at the midway point. > Welcoming a wide range of groups to become engaged with improving the city. > Protecting and growing the missions at Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Annex. > Encouraging the YMCA to become more active in after-school activities. > Expanding the number of flights at Montgomery Regional Airport and improving customer service. Yet, success is so much more than that for Sanders. There is a “higher level” and that translates into a very diverse group of people on the next Chamber Board of Directors, as well as the next Chamber chairman and their ideas being implemented.

What Sanders wants to see is a “waiting list” of people wanting to have leadership roles – “that they bought in and realized that they can make their dream come true,” Sanders said. “That if we really are the Capital of Dreams then everybody has within their grasp an ability to accomplish what they want – that they want to be a leader.” Success is looking back and being able to say “we have made a difference for our children; for the business climate; and we’ve had a heck of a ride doing it,” Sanders said. “The ride isn’t over – this is just part of the ride. There’s more to come. Keep your seat and stay in the cart. If the line is long to get on the ride and people don’t get off that cart – you’ve had a good year.” Sanders is looking forward to her year as Chamber chairman, but not without some trepidation. “There is more than a little bit of apprehension,” she said. “There is a strong desire to not only do good, but don’t mess it up.” For Sanders, “it is an once-in-a-lifetime God-given opportunity” as well as an “awesome honor,” but she also said it was “scary honor.” Yet, she is comforted with what she called a “great staff, great board and wonderful past chairmen.” She said that nothing will be accomplished by a chairman, but her goals will “be accomplished by the group of us and moving forward. It can’t be any other way, but a team approach.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41

groups come together and bless them to move on. One good idea begets another good idea.” She pointed out that trying to formalize things will sometimes kill spontaneity and said that she wants empowerment, guidance, collaboration and fun. “Everybody can have a part of it and it’s also an excellent way to grow future leaders of the Chamber,” Sanders said. “We are a feeder system for the leaders of the future.” Another area of focus for 2014 is protecting the missions at Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Annex in the wake of possible military consolidation in 2015 or 2016 through a Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) and additional defense cuts through sequestration. “Sometimes we don’t realize we are a military town,” Sanders said. “We are a military town and we are grateful for that. They are our friends and neighbors and they are an integral part of the fabric of Montgomery.” There is also a huge economic impact at stake – about $2.6 billion a year and if missions are expanded, that economic impact will increase as well. One project to enhance the region’s relationship with military is building Freedom Park at Maxwell, where airmen and their families can play and grill and have picnics. “I think that Freedom Park, which is a wonderful collaborative effort of not just Montgomery, but the River Region, to come together so that we are known as the best hometown in the Air Force, which is huge,” Sanders said. “It resonates with the Pentagon when they are looking at missions and bases that might need to be altered. To be known as the best hometown in the Air Force is a good thing.” Maxwell/Gunter has been designated as a P4 initiative, which means public-private and public-public relationships, and “that opens up all kinds of partnership opportunities that the city and Chamber have already seized upon,” Sanders said. “Those are initiatives where the Chamber has and will continue to take a leadership role.” Another priority “is to continue to become a greater champion of education. There is no way not to focus on education, and there are great opportunities.”

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

One of those opportunities is the Montgomery Technical Education Center (MTEC). “There is every reason why the capital of the State of Alabama should have the premier career technical education school with a dual enrollment that actually prepares our students to either get a good job upon graduation or to have the skill set foundation to go to a two-year or four-year school and get the other necessary training they need,” Sanders said.

“We want to work with the Airport Authority to make a difference that not only our citizens will notice and our business leaders, but that prospects will notice. Kudos to the Airport Authority for realizing that this is a challenge that can be accomplished in a very reasonable amount of time.

Montgomery II strategy and Sanders said now is the time “to look and see where we are as a city; look at what we learned. We’ve had a lot of initiatives that we have information on. We’ve also had the opportunity to compare ourselves to some initiatives in other cities …” •

This year marks the halfway point in the Chamber’s five-year Imagine A Greater

“Business has a need for qualified workers in the labor force. We have a great opportunity to take MTEC to a whole new level. We are blessed to have a lot of associations and businesses that want to help; want to contribute; want to make sure that we hit the mark.” She said it is time to no longer just use buzz words such as work force development and actually do something. “It’s time that we graduate (students) and train them and make it an honor to graduate from MTEC. It is needed; it’s good; and it will serve this region and state well. It’s exciting because we have resources we didn’t have before. We have the attention on this. We’ve admitted we need it.” Another education-related goal is “interweaving organizations such as the YMCA” into after-school programs. “The YMCA is a very important group that has been overlooked and I’m glad that there is a desire (on their part) to come to the table,” Sanders said. She noted that the best setting for that is the Chamber – once again being a facilitator. Increasing flight service and improving customer service at Montgomery Regional Airport is a goal for 2014. “You have to go underneath the flight schedule to really have an ambassador for Montgomery,” Sanders said. And now there will be such a person, who will be a champion for Montgomery. “Just like we’re worried that the Pentagon doesn’t know everything might be happening to keep you off a list – we’re not convinced that the airline industry doesn’t know good things about Montgomery to make betterinformed decisions on things they need to do here that would result in expanded flights, better service, more monetary resources,” Sanders said.

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE by David Zaslawsky

In the 124-year-old history of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce there has been one female chairman – Margaret A. Carpenter, who served in 1995. All of that changes this year with new Chamber chairman Leslie Sanders. She has been a trailblazer with Alabama Power, being the company’s first female lobbyist and first vice president of the firm’s Southern Division.

“I think it is a factor just because of it is what it is,” Sanders said. “You don’t want to paint females with one brush or paint men with one brush or anything like that, but sometimes women do bring a different perspective. “Sometimes I see things a little differently coming from the female point of view, but I’m not a woman-hear-me-roar type."

It may not be a big deal to Sanders, but she is aware of it and gets asked about it. She has been asked the all-important question of how does she want to be addressed: chairman, chairwoman or chairperson? She said it doesn’t matter.

“Sometimes complaining afterward doesn’t get you anywhere, but going to the source and talking to corporate at Delta; talking to corporate at U.S. Air – that starts to make a difference. January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

PAST CHAIRMEN

OF THE MONTGOMERY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

1890-96

H. B. Houghton

1944-45

L. D. Rouse

1982

John M. Trotman

1897-98

Jacob Greil

1946

Stanhope E. Elmore

1983

Samuel L. Schloss

1899-1900 Charles G. Abercrombie

1947

James D. Flowers

1984

Maury D. Smith

1901-04

Alex Rice

1948

James J. Durr

1985

Parker A. Narrows

1905-08

A. G. Forbes

1949-50

Boyd H. Leyburn

1986

James G. Martin, Sr.

1909

Fred S. Ball

1951

Robert F. Henry

1986-87

Henry A. Leslie

1910

Sam J. Cassels

1952

Max S. Baum

1988

George B. Clements

1911

Edwin B. Joseph

1953

Charles M. Smith, Jr.

1989

Clyde H. Wood

1911

Frank D. Kohn

1954

C.T. Fitzpatrick

1990

Perry Mendel

1912

Emil J. Meyer

1955

James G. Pruett

1991-92

Will Hill Tankersley

1913

Fitzgerald Salter

1956

Mark A. Johnston

1993

A. Bowen Ballard

1914

Duncan May

1957

Clyde C. Pearson

1994

J. Mike Jenkins

1915

Terry T. Griel

1958

J. Noble Crump

1995

Margaret A. Carpenter

1916

Clayton Tullis

1959-60

Carl W. Bear

1996

Todd Strange

1917

A. C. Davis

1961

Edgar W. Stuart

1997

Tom Somerville

1918

E. Meertief

1962

Bryan B. Marsh

1998

James K. Lowder

1919

C. J. Beane

1963-64

W. Lyle Hinds

1999

W. Stephen Cawood

1920

I. H. Dewees

1965

A. Berney Jones

2000

Nimrod T. Frazer, Sr.

1921

Robert Teague

1966

Charles P. Brightwell

2001

Jerry C. Kyser

1922

I. H. Dewees

1967

W. Robbins Taylor, Sr.

2002

Lawrence Cole, Jr.

1923

L. C. Cardinal

1968

George E. von Gal, Jr.

2003

Larry A. Groce

1924

I. Fred Solomon

1969

Frank A. Plummer

2004

Carl A. Barranco

1925

Harry E. Snow

1970

Philip A. Sellers

2005

G. Carlton Barker

1926

General Robert F. Ligon

1971

Earle D. Kitchen

2006

Purser L. McLeod, Jr.

1927-28

W. A. Bellingrath

1972

Thomas M. Tyson, Sr.

2007

Edward F. Crowell

1929

Robert Emmet Seibels

1973

Hugh P. Foreman

2008

Gordon G. Martin

1930-31

Fred J. Cramton

1974

James L. Rouse, Jr.

2008

Charles B. Paterson

1932-33

Harry E. Snow

1975

Frank H. Hawthorne, Sr.

2009

W. Daniel Hughes, Jr.

1934

W. A. Bellingrath

1976

Robert P. Hudgens

2010

Nimrod T. Frazer, Jr.

1935-36

Sylvain Baum

1977

John H. Neill, Jr.

2011

Larry D. Puckett

1937-38

J. M. Jenkins

1978

James T. Upchurch, Jr.

2012

C. Lee Ellis

1939-40

A. S. Coleman

1979

M. Taylor Dawson, Jr.

2013

Horace H. Horn, Jr.

1941

Richard F. Hudson

1980

Dr. Thomas C. Nolan

1942-43

William C. Bowman

1981

James S. Gaskell, Jr.

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

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2014 Board of Directors

2014 Executive Committee (Front Row L-R) Chairman-elect Russell W. Tyner, President and CEO of Baptist Health; Chairman Leslie Sanders, Vice President, Southern Division, Alabama Power Co.; Immediate Past Chairman Horace H. Horn, Jr., Vice President of External Affairs, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative; (Back Row L-R) Randall L. George, President, Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce; Vice Chairman A. Bruce Crawford, City President, BBVA Compass; Vice Chairman David B. Reed, Executive Vice President, Goodwyn, Mills & Caywood Inc.; Vice Chairman Honorable Charles Price, Presiding Judge, 15th Judicial Circuit

Margaret Allen

Jake F. Aronov

Owen W. Aronov

G. Carlton Barker

Jere L. Beasley

Jere L. Beasley, Jr.

Carolyn Bryan

James E. Buckalew

Josh Bush

Richard Byrd

Gui I. Chun

Gary A. Cobbs

Superintendent Montgomery Public Schools

Carl J. Bartlett

Senior Vice President Jim/Wilson & Associates, LLC

Founding Shareholder Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

President & CEO Up and Running

ÂŠ Fouts Photography

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Chairman & CEO Aronov Realty Management, Inc.

Sales Representative Boosters, Inc.

District Manager Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

President Aronov Realty Management, Inc.

President Leadership Montgomery

President & CEO Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC

Chairman Montgomery Area Committee of 100

Chairman & President Alabama Real Estate Holdings/PCH

President & CEO YMCA of Montgomery

Tony L. Craft

A. Bruce Crawford

Cassandra Crosby-McCullough

John A. Curvey

R. Guy Davis

Eleanor L. Dawkins

Elton N. Dean

Willie Durham

Charlie Edwards

David S. Fadok

Rickie G. Fleming

Tamara K. Fleming

Randall L. George

Robert C. Granfeldt

Jesse Grear

Richard E. Hanan

Robert M. Hardwich

Sylvia N. Harper

Lynn Harris

Thomas A. Harris

R. Gary Harrison

Horace H. Horn, Jr.

President & CEO Palomar Insurance Corporation

Secretary/Treasurer Ross Clayton Funeral Home Inc.

Practice Principal Hewlett-Packard

Chairman Montgomery Water Works & Sewer Board

Chairman Merchant Capital Investments

City President BBVA Compass

Chairman Montgomery County Commission

President & CEO Knight Fleming & Associates

Chairman Industrial Development Board

CEO/General Manager Dixie Electric Cooperative

Owner Ciao Bella Boutique

Agent State Farm Insurance, Willie Durham-Agent

President Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce

Vice President Central Alabama O.I.C.

General Manager SABIC

Treasurer Edwards Plumbing & Heating

President & Publisher Advertiser Media Company

Market President BB&T

President & Commander Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base Air University

Vice President/General Manager Alabama News Network

Manager External Affairs Alabama Gas Corporation

Vice President of External Affairs PowerSouth Energy

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

Caryn Hughes

Lance D. Hunter

Ray Ingram

Sean K. Johnson

Kevin L. Ketzler

Duk Kim

Pete R. Knight

Jerry C. Kyser

E. Kyle Kyser, Jr.

G. Lee

John W. Livings

Wiley Lott

James K. Lowder

Joshua K. Lowder

Chester D. Mallory

Bernell Mapp

Robert McGhee

Clay McInnis

Samuel Munnerlyn

Montgomery Regional President Aliant Bank a division of USAmeriBank

President Jack Ingram Motors, Inc.

Plant Manager Lear Corporation-Montgomery

President Hyundai Power Transformers USA

Chairman Montgomery Airport Authority

President Wells Fargo Bank

CEO Health Services, Inc.

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Montgomery City President Renasant Bank

Director of Economic and Governmental Affairs Southeast Alabama Gas District

Tribal Governmental Relations Advisor Poarch Band of Creek Indians

Central Alabama Area President Regions Bank

CEO Jerry Kyser Builder, Inc.

Chairman The Colonial Company

Owner Southern Eco, LLC

Chief Executive Officer Hodges Warehouse + Logistics

Vice President Real Estate Division Alfa Properties, Inc.

Vice President Jerry Kyser Builder, Inc.

Vice President Colonial Commercial Realty, Inc.

President Trenholm State Technical College - H. Councill

James L. Parnell

Charles Price

Larry D. Puckett

David B. Reed

Peter A. Reynolds

Joe B. Riley

Riley W. Roby

Leslie L. Sanders

James H. Sanford

Tomi J. Selby

Robert C. Shofner

Benjamin C. Stakely

Edward M. Stivers III

Charisse D. Stokes

Todd Strange

James M. Stubbs

Doug S. Thiessen

W. Russell Tyner

John G. Veres III

Vicki P. Williams

Taylor A. Williams

W. Alan Worrell

President & CEO Alfa Insurance Companies

President & CEO Jackson Hospital & Clinic, Inc.

Program Executive Officer Business & Enterprise Systems

President & CEO River Bank & Trust

President Anchor Mortgage Services, Inc.

Presiding Judge 15th Judicial Circuit Court

Managing Partner Balch & Bingham LLP

President & CEO Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.

Chief Executive Officer Alabama Ag Credit, ACA

President Emerge Montgomery

President Larry Puckett Chevrolet

Vice President, Southern Division Alabama Power Company

President, Owner & Dealer Principal Stivers Ford Lincoln Mazda

President & CEO Baptist Health

Executive Vice President Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, Inc.

Chairman HOME Place Farms, Inc.

Vice President, Cyber Security & Network Mgmt. Telos Corporation

Vice President & General Manager Rheem Water Heaters

President Information Transport Solutions, Inc.

Mayor City of Montgomery

Chancellor Auburn University at Montgomery

President & CEO Sterling Bank

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

2014

SCOTT MCNELLEY Admiral Movers, Inc.

DANIELLE KENNEDY Alabama State University

JERALD LABOVITZ Alabama Steel Supply, Inc.

BRIAN BONIKOWSKI Avis & Budget Rent A Car

KEITH BAZZLE Buffalo Rock Pepsi

JEREMY JACKSON BWS Technologies

MALCOLM CALHOUN Calhoun Enterprises

MORRIS CAPOUANO Equisouth Mortgage, Inc.

BEN BRUCE Faulkner University

CLARK FINE Fine, Geddie and Associates

JOHN HOWARD Gilpin Givhan

JOE SMITH Ralph Smith Motors

SEAN JOHNSON Regions Bank

GREG JONES The Jones Group, LLC

BRAD ARMAGOST Trustmark National Bank

A special thank you to the 2014 Members of the Montgomery Chamber Chairmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Circle. They are engaged and impacting the issues and developments that fuel growth and prosperity in our region.

JOHN WYATT Enterprise Rent-A-Car

JENNIFER ATKINS New Waters Realty Company, LLC

PERRY HOOPER Palomar Insurance Corporation

ALISA KOCH PEP PILGREEN Pilgreen Engineering, Inc. Planned Benefit Services of Alabama, Inc.

TIJUANNA ADETUNJI The Adetunji Group LLC

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

STACIA ROBINSON The BeneChoice Companies

LIZ SUTTON Alabama World Travel/ Sutton & Associates

REBECCA BAKER Aldridge Borden & Company, PC

MIKE HICKS Alliance Insurance Group

SCOTT HARRIS Aronov Realty Management, Inc.

RHEA INGRAM Auburn University at Montgomery

CAROL GUNTER City of Montgomery

BRIAN KEY Copperwing Design

JENNIFER CASSEBAUM Country Inn & Suites

DAVID PAYNE Design Build South

RAY INGRAM Jack Ingram Motors, Inc.

JOE RILEY Jackson Hospital & Clinic, Inc.

CARL BARTLETT Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC

JUDY JONES Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, Inc.

KENDALL LEVERETTE Guardian Credit Union

FOY TATUM Halstead, LLC

D.G. MARKWELL MAX Credit Union

PHIL PERRY Montgomery Airport Authority

OLLY ORTON Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

DAVID MOWERY Mowery Consulting Group, LLC

STEVE KERMISH Residential Mortgage powered by Fairway Independent Mortgage

ANN OSTEN Sadie’s Global Travel

WYNNE SLOANE Sam’s Club

RUSTY DANIEL SDS Property Group, LLC

LYNN CARTER Southeast Cherokee Construction, Inc.

ANGELA SWARTS Spherion

MAC MCBRIDE STERIS Corporation

Not Pictured CODY WILLIAMSON Creek Casino Wetumpka ARRIE SELBY Information Transport Solutions, Inc. CARLYLE CHANDLER Inscoe Agency, Inc. LYNN WOODCOCK PCI Gaming QUENTEN WENTWORTH US Foods

ED CROWELL VT Miltope

BILL GUILFORD WOW!

CANDY CAPEL WVAS-FM Radio Station

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

ALABAMA IS TAX-FRIENDLY

Reporter’s Notebook by David Zaslawsky

Alabama was ranked as the sixth most tax-friendly state by Kiplinger’s. Delaware was ranked No. 1 with Wyoming, Louisiana, Mississippi and Arizona rounding out the top five. California was ranked the least tax-friendly state.

MTEC FUTURE UNCLEAR Montgomery Public Schools Superintendent Margaret Allen said that there are not funds available to refurbish buildings. Allen said that if the district was able to move MTEC, more programs would be offered, including Mechatronics or industrial maintenance. Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said that the area needs students graduating from high school with industrial maintenance capabilities. Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce President Randall L. George said, “We believe that MTEC is one of the most critical things that you can put in place because … of job creation. We get our brains beat out in (the) competitive process when we’re dealing with new companies coming to

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

town and we can’t address the skill needs that we have. The Mechatronics program is really the answer to that – we believe – and the degree to which the school system can implement that program is absolutely critical to our future. If we had these people now we could put them to work, but we don’t have them.” Montgomery County Commission Vice Chairman Dan Harris said that the community’s elected leaders need to “help our woefully underfunded public schools in Montgomery County. He said just 10 mills of property tax funds the school district while other communities have 30, 40 or even 50 mills funding public schools.

REMEMBER BONDS UPSIDE The chief portfolio strategist for Welch Hornsby reminded investors to have bonds as part of a diversified approach. James W. Underwood, speaking at the company’s Inforum, said bonds have “a lot of upside potential.” Underwood suggested that investors should use a laddered bond approach. He said all companies – both weak and strong – have benefited from cheap liquidity. He warned that the “stock market, which has been on a tear, is going to have to come down.” Underwood noted that the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet is up 66 percent from 2009 and the S&P index is up 63 percent during that same time.

FOUR MORE YEARS FOR TROY Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. had his contract extended four years through Sept. 2018. He has been the chancellor since 1989. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The board of trustees endorses the outstanding job that Chancellor Hawkins has done for over 25 years and continues to do every day,â&#x20AC;? Sen. Gerald Dial, president pro tempore of the Troy University Board of Trustees, said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has improved the quality of academics, established dozens of new degree programs, internationalized the campus and elevated Trojan athletics to the Division I level. I am confident that the university will continue to grow and prosper under his leadership in the years to come.â&#x20AC;? Hawkins received bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degrees from the University of Montevallo and a doctorate degree from the University of Alabama. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Troy University has been a labor of love for my wife Janice and me and we are grateful for the opportunity to keep working on behalf of this great university,â&#x20AC;? Hawkins said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe the best is yet to be for Troy and I look forward to being a part of it.â&#x20AC;?

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HMMA BREAKS PRODUCTION RECORD The Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) plant in Montgomery set an annual production record in 2013 and will likely top 400,000. The facility, which manufactures the Korean automakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s topselling brands in the U.S. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sonata and Elantra â&#x20AC;&#x201C; established a production record of 376,934 units through November. The previous production record of 361,348 units was set in 2012. The plant produced 29,399 vehicles in November while operating 19 days and was

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scheduled to operate 15 days in December. HMMA produced 23,100 units in December 2012. Meanwhile, the automaker set an all-time November sales record with 56,005 units and through November had sold nearly 660,000 units and will hit 700,000 for the second consecutive year. The Sonata and Elantra accounted for about 60 percent of the automakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sales in November and more than 63 percent of all sales through 11 months of 2013.

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RAYCOM SIGNS ON WITH CAMELLIA BOWL

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When Johnny Williams, the executive director of the 2014 Camellia Bowl, went looking for a title sponsor all he had to do was make one stop to Raycom Media. The Montgomery-based firm was the title sponsor for the 2013 College Football All-Star Classic played at Cramton Bowl last January. Williams said he visited Paul McTear, president and CEO of Raycom Media, and McTear said: â&#x20AC;&#x153; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;? Of course it helped that Raycom Media College Football All-Star Classic drew 18,000-plus spectators and that Williams had been executive director of that game.

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January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

I’ve been coming to Montgomery Eye Physicians for 52 years for my contact lenses. The things that are important to me, like their capabilities and their competence and my comfort, were impeccable 52 years ago, and nothing’s changed since. — PATRICIA SEAY

RENOVATION AND NEW RETAILERS Jim Wilson & Associates has spent about $100 million renovating Riverchase Galleria in Hoover and the price tag is expected to climb. Von Maur, an Iowa-based department store, recently opened at the Galleria and other new retailers are coming. Jim Wilson III, chairman and chief executive officer, told al.com: “We have a lot of new stores coming … a lot are teeing off the Von Maur opening. We have spent right at $100 million and will continue to spend money to bring in new stores.” The company spent about $20 million renovating the Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel, which is next to the Galleria.

PITCH FOR DOLLARS Strange, speaking at a ne

the title sponsor of the Camellia Bowl, told the

and we need your financial support because a dollars to make this successful.” onlinemep.com li 334 334.271.3804 271 3804

HISTORIC MILESTONE

REGIONS’ IMPACT

The 10 millionth round was played on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The trail has 11 locations, including Capitol Hill in Prattville.

Regions Financial Corp. is responsible for nearly 22,000 jobs, according to an economic impact study by the consulting firm Tripp Umbach. Regions’ economic impact was $3.3 billion in 2012, not including loans. The firm’s direct economic impact of $1.9 billion represents more than 1 percent of the state’s gross domestic product. Regions, the only Fortune 500 company with its headquarters in Alabama, generated more than $100 million in state and local tax revenue.

Retirement Systems of Alabama CEO David Bronner was the visionary behind the golf trail, which opened in 1992. He said he wanted to develop a statewide tourism industry and that industry has grown from less than $2 billion in annual revenue to nearly $11 billion a year today. The trail now features 26 courses.

SPOTLIGHT ON BLACK BELT The 2015 annual conference of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association will be held at Lakepoint State Park in Eufaula. “What we have to show is some of the best outdoor recreation opportunities anywhere,” Thomas Harris, president of the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association, told al.com. Harris told al.com that hunting and fishing in the Black Belt is a $1 billion-a-year industry and is responsible for 11,000 jobs. The conference is scheduled Oct. 14-17, 2015.

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY Airbus Americas Inc. Chairman Allen McArtor said the company selected Alabama for a $600 million production facility because “the community, business community, governor’s office, economic development people – you all get it – and you all supported us coming to the State of Alabama. “It’s not about the incentives. Every state has got an incentive package. What attracted us to Alabama was the fact that Alabama spoke with one voice.” He said there are opportunities for Montgomery in the company’s supply chain. Airbus already has a backlog of eight years of orders, McArtor said.

ews conference to unveil Raycom Media as

e attendees: “We need your human support

at the end of the day, it’s going to take

A HOME FOR VETERANS Montgomery was named one of the top medium-sized metros for veterans looking for jobs. It was ranked ninth on the 2013 “Best Places for Veterans: Jobs” list, according to Sperling’s BestPlaces. Ann Arbor, Mich., was ranked No. 1. The study evaluated several factors, including unemployment rates; recent job growth; access to health care; and access to higher education.

EXTRA DAYS OFF

NEW PROJECTS

The city’s holiday schedule is linked to the state’s, so when the state added two paid holidays, the city was obligated to match. State employees have not had raises for five years while city workers have had raises during most of that time. Those two extra paid holidays will cost the city between $250,000 and $300,000, according to Strange. Those added holidays also mean overtime for emergency personnel.

Caddell Construction Co. announced two projects, including a nearly $33 million contract to build an elementary school at Fort Benning, Georgia. The new, 120,000-square-foot facility will be built adjacent to the existing school, which will later be demolished. The Montgomery-based construction firm also announced an $11.4 million project to renovate a sevenstory office building in Plantation, Florida.

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

Member News

The River Region Ethics in Business and Public Service Awards is a program of The Samaritan Counseling Center Inc. in collaboration with the Schools of Business and Sciences at Auburn University at Montgomery.

BUSINESS BUZZ Galen Thackston

Keith Karst

TRENHOLM TECH FOUNDATION BOARD ADDS NEW MEMBERS MONTGOMERY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; An Alabama Power manager and executive chef are new members of Trenholm Tech Foundation Board.

Keith C. Karst, commercial and industrial marketing manager for Alabama Powerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Southern Division, was elected to serve a two-year term as the chairman of the Trenholm Tech Foundation Board. John Melton, executive chef at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center, has also become a member of the Trenholm Tech Foundation Board. The Trenholm Tech Foundation Board provides tax-exempt status to its contributors and helps fund needs-based and merit scholarships to its students.

GOODWYN, MILLS & CAWOOD RECEIVES RIVER REGION ETHICS AWARD MONTGOMERY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc. was awarded the 2013 River Region Ethics Award for Large Business at the fourth annual awards luncheon. The architecture/engineering firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive vice president Galen Thackston accepted the award. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When George Goodwyn founded this company, he established a commitment to community service and ethical principles. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an honor to be recognized as a firm that maintains these core values.â&#x20AC;?

Five recipients are selected each year from businesses, non-profit organizations/public agencies and individuals that have demonstrated high ethical conduct, integrity and civic responsibility as reflected in their dealings with individuals, businesses, employees and the community. Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood is one of the Southeastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest privately held engineering and architecture firms with offices throughout Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina. The firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters is in Montgomery.

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 520$16 Join us for Open House as we celebrate 140 years of

preparing students to become persons of faith, virtue, and wisdom.

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4:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6:30 p.m. / 3850 Atlanta Hwy., 36109 / 334-272-3033 7KXUVGD\ -DQXDU\ +RO\ 6SLULW (OHPHQWDU\ &DPSXV .

4:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6:30 p.m. / 8580 Vaughn Rd., 36117 / 334-649-4404 :HGQHVGD\ -DQXDU\ 0LGGOH +LJK 6FKRRO &DPSXV

4:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6:30 p.m. / 5350 Vaughn Rd., 36116 Middle School 334-272-2465 / High School 334-272-7220 For more information about our school or to schedule a tour, call 334-272-7221 ext. 32.

St. Bede Elementary Campus Holy Spirit Elementary Campus Middle School Campus High School Campus www.montgomerycatholic.org

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Lynne Bozeman

Ellen Johnson

ACCOUNTING FIRM CELEBRATES 65 YEARS MONTGOMERY – The Montgomery accounting firm of Richard, Harris, Ingram and Bozeman, P.C., celebrated its 65th anniversary. The firm was founded in 1948 by Fred A. Richard and added partners/shareholders Jack S. Harris in 1952; Shelby F. Ingram Jr. in 1974; and Lynne Bozeman in 1991. The firm has provided services to businesses and other entities, large and small, through the years. In recent years, the firm has emerged as more of a “boutique” practice focused on smaller entities – individuals, businesses, not-for-profits, governments and school boards. The firm provides all tax services, bookkeeping, accounting, auditing, consulting, and financial planning requested for clients. Although the firm continues to serve larger clients, the firm considers small client service to be a special niche. Ingram, who has been with the firm for 45 years, said, “The success of the firm is due in large part to the loyal clients we have been honored to serve and our experienced, caring staff.” Bozeman, a 30-year veteran, said, “I enjoy coming in every day for the always-challenging work and mostly for the people I work with – clients and our personnel – they’re the best.”

Lee Walters

GOODWYN, MILLS & CAWOOD OPENS FAIRHOPE OFFICE Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc.’s newest office is open for business in Baldwin County. The architecture and engineering firm, now com¬prising 13 offices throughout Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina, located its new office in the heart of downtown Fairhope to meet the increasing demand for services and to better serve clients. There are four employees working out of the Fairhope office and others will also work in the office as needed for projects. “We believe unprecedented client satisfaction results when the communities you are serving are the same places you’ve chosen to raise your own family,” Regional Vice President Lee Walters said in a statement. He works at both the Fairhope office and the firm’s Mobile office. In another development, an Auburn University residence hall designed by Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood received national recognition.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 58)

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

BUSINESS BUZZ (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57) The university’s South Donahue Residence Hall placed second out of 36 entries at the Association of University Interior Designers Annual Conference. The new, 264,000-squarefoot residential facility features 400-plus beds. It is a six-story structure. “From the carpet and accent colors, to the digital wall-covering in the lobby, Auburn Spirit is engrained throughout the common areas, complemented by wood and stone look accents,” said Ellen Johnson, senior interior designer for Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood. “The two-bedroom, twobath suites maintain a more residential feel with neutral colors, stone-look tiled walkin showers, dark-wood luxury vinyl tile and cabinets and quartz countertops.”

intensive care unit and has also helped with numerous other projects, including serving on committees, training volunteers and assisting with various fundraisers. “We are so lucky to have Betty Roy in our volunteer program,” Linda Dean, director of volunteer services for Jackson Hospital, said in a statement. “Her genuine compassion for patients and her loyalty to Jackson Hospital make her an inspiration to everyone.”

Betty Roy

JACKSON HOSPITAL VOLUNTEER NAMED 2013 OUTSTANDING AUXILIAN MONTGOMERY – Jackson Hospital volunteer Betty Roy was named Alabama Hospital Association’s 2013 Outstanding Auxilian.

RHEEM EXTENDS HEART OF COMFORT PROGRAM

The award is given annually to one volunteer in the state who has proven leadership skills and exemplary volunteer service. A hospital volunteer for 26 years, Roy helps in the cardiovascular

MONTGOMERY – Rheem Manufacturing Co. announced that it has extended its Heart of Comfort philanthropy program throughout the communities where its employees and customers live and work.

The program builds on the company’s 88-year history of community-focused philanthropy to unite Rheem employees across North America in charitable efforts and better reach more people and neighborhoods in need. Heart of Comfort enables Rheem to address urgent needs where efficient heating, cooling and water heating systems can make a difference in the lives of others. The program has helped more than 70 organizations through volunteering, humanitarian relief, charitable events and fundraising, amounting to nearly $200,000 in donations through last October. Rheem’s water heating division is based in Montgomery. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 60)

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Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

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BUSINESS BUZZ (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 58) For information about Rheem Heart of Comfort, visit the website at www.Rheem.com/ HeartofComfort.

Jere Beasley

BEASLEY ALLEN NAMED IN 2014 BEST LAW FIRMS MONTGOMERY – Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C. has been selected for inclusion in the 2014 Best Law Firms ranking. This is the inaugural publication, which will be compiled annually

by U.S. News & World Report - Best Lawyers. Beasley Allen was given a Metropolitan Tier 1 designation in the litigation – environmental and labor and employment sections as well as personal injury litigation and product liability litigation – plaintiffs section. Beasley Allen was also given a Metropolitan Tier 2 designation in the commercial litigation, corporate law and health care law sections.

U.S. legal profession. Data was gathered through national surveys in which major clients and leading lawyers were asked to rate the law firms they consider best in their practice area. These reputational survey responses were combined with more than 3.1 million evaluations of individual lawyers in these firms in the most recent Best Lawyers survey of leading lawyers, among other data.

“I’m especially pleased by these rankings, because they recognize the hard work done by everyone in this firm,” Beasley Allen Founding Shareholder Jere L. Beasley said in a statement. “All of our lawyers and support staff are dedicated to working hard for the folks we serve, to help them secure justice.”

Three lawyers from the firm were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2013. Gibson Vance has been named the Montgomery Product Liability Litigation Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year." Leigh O'Dell has been named Montgomery Mass Tort Litigation/ Class Actions - Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year." William E. Hopkins Jr. has been named Montgomery

The rankings provide a comprehensive view of the

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Personal Injury Litigation Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year." The Montgomery-based Beasley Allen law firm has 70 attorneys and more than 200 support staff. Beasley Allen is a national leader in civil litigation with verdicts and settlements of more than $21 billion. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC. ANNOUNCES NEW OFFICE MONTGOMERY – Property Management Inc. (PMI) announced that Jessica Wilson opened a new property management office called PMI River Region servicing the Montgomery area and is affiliated with Re/Max Tri-Star. PMI, with headquarters in Utah, has independently owned and operated offices throughout North America, Panama and

“We are excited to able to provide state-of-the-art property management services to the people of Montgomery,” PMI River Region President Wilson said in a statement. “We will be working out of the Re/Max TriStar office at 1322 Old Oak Place in Montgomery and would like to invite everyone to come in and find out more about what we do for tenants, property owners and real estate agents and brokers. PMI provides next-generation management services that give residential and commercial property owners more control of their properties while providing asset protection.” This marks the company’s first franchise office in Alabama.

Participants will receive a T-shirt and medal. To register, visit www. fivepointsoflife.org or call (334) 318-8938.

Osteopathic Medicine in 2006. He completed his residency at BroMenn Healthcare Family Medicine Residency in 2009. Waguespack has served as a physician with the U.S. Air Force since 2009, most recently at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery.

Russia, which are providing property management services to the real estate industry.

Christopher Waguespack

Five Points of Life is a foundation of LifeSouth Community Blood Centers. SHREDDING EVENT DESTROYS NEARLY 29,000 POUNDS

The 3,200-square-foot facility in Pike Road has six exam rooms, an onsite lab and X-ray. The Family Medicine Center offers both appointments and walkin care. It is located at 11123 Chantilly Parkway. The clinic is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. MondayFriday and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday

JACKSON HOSPITAL OPENS PIKE ROAD CLINIC PIKE ROAD – The Pike Road Jackson Clinic Family Medicine Center has opened. The center is staffed by Dr. Christopher Waguespack, Physician Assistant Andy Patchel and a team of nurses and technicians.

MONTGOMERY – Nearly 29,000 pounds of sensitive documents were shredded at MAX Credit Union’s shredding event at Paterson. In addition to the shredding, participants donated 2,800 pounds of food items for the Montgomery Area Food Bank.

FIVE POINTS OF LIFE MARATHON SET FOR MARCH

Max Credit Union MAX partnered with Montgomery City Councilman Richard Bollinger, Montgomery Clean City Commission, AARP Alabama

MONTGOMERY – The Five Points of Life Kids Marathon will be Saturday, March 8, at James W. Wilson Jr. YMCA.

A resident of Pike Road, Waguespack is board-certified in family medicine and graduated from Lake Erie College of

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 62)

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>Ğƚ͛Ɛ dĂůŬ ^ƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĞƐ Θ ^ŽůƵƚŝŽŶƐ͗ ϭ͘ϯϯϰ͘Ϯϲϯ͘ϯϰϭϵ ŝŶĨŽΛŐƌĂƉŚŝĐƐĂŶĚŵĂŝůŝŶŐ͘ĐŽŵ

'ƌĂƉŚŝĐƐ Θ DĂŝůŝŶŐ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ͕ /ŶĐ͘ ;'D^͕ /ŶĐ͘Ϳ ŽĨĨĞƌƐ ƐŽƵŶĚ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽǀĞŶ ƐƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĞƐ Θ ƐŽůƵƚŝŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ Ăůů ǇŽƵƌ ĚŝƌĞĐƚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚŝŶŐ ĐŚĂůůĞŶŐĞƐ͘ tĞ ĐĂŶ ŚĞůƉ ǇŽƵ ĨŝŶĚ ŶĞǁ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐ͕ ǁŝŶ ŵŽƌĞ ƐĂůĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŵŽƚŝǀĂƚĞ ƌĞƉĞĂƚ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĂŶĚ ƌĞĨĞƌƌĂůƐ͘ dŚĞ ƌĞƐƵůƚ ŝƐ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌ ƚƌĂŶƐĂĐƚŝŽŶĂů ǀĂůƵĞ ĂŶĚ ƌĞůĂƚŝŽŶƐŚŝƉ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ͘ 'D^͕ /ŶĐ͘ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ ƚƌĂĚŝƚŝŽŶĂů ƉƌŝŶƚ ĂŶĚ ĚŝƌĞĐƚ ŵĂŝů ƐƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĞƐ ĂůŽŶŐ ǁŝƚŚ ĞǆĐŝƚŝŶŐ ĚŝŐŝƚĂů ƐŽůƵƚŝŽŶƐ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂůŝǌĞĚ ƉƌŝŶƚ ĂŶĚ ĞŵĂŝů ĐĂŵƉĂŝŐŶƐ͘

dĞůů ƵƐ ĂďŽƵƚ ǇŽƵƌ ĐŚĂůůĞŶŐĞƐ ƚŽĚĂǇ͊

'ƌĂƉŚŝĐƐ Θ DĂŝůŝŶŐ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ͕ /ŶĐ͘ ϮϬϮϲ >ŽĐƵƐƚ ^ƚƌĞĞƚ DŽŶƚŐŽŵĞƌǇ͕ > ϯϲϭϬϳ

ŝƌĞĐƚ DĂƌŬĞƚŝŶŐ ^ƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĞƐ Θ ^ŽůƵƚŝŽŶƐ ϭ͘ϴϬϬ͘ϴϬϭ͘ϯϮϰϳ ǁǁǁ͘ŐƌĂƉŚŝĐƐĂŶĚŵĂŝůŝŶŐ͘ĐŽŵ

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

BUSINESS BUZZ (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 61) and Gilmore Services. Gilmore Services destroyed the paper and recycled all collections. The next paper shredding event is planned for spring.

Ginger Henry

Jeff Rains

BAPTIST HEALTH HOSPITALS EARN ‘TOP PERFORMER’ HONORS Baptist Medical Center East and Prattville Baptist Hospital were each named Top Performer on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission. The two hospitals were recognized by The Joint Commission for exemplary performance in using evidencebased clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions. The clinical processes focus on care for heart attack, pneumonia, surgery, children’s asthma, stroke and venous thromboembolism as well as inpatient psychiatric services. New this year is a category for immunization for pneumonia and influenza. The Joint Commission is the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. Baptist East and Prattville Baptist are among 1,099 hospitals in the U.S. receiving the distinction of Top Performer on Key Quality Measures for attaining and sustaining excellence

in accountability measure performance. Baptist East was recognized for its achievement on the following measure sets: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. Prattville Baptist was recognized for its achievement in pneumonia care. “We understand that what matters most to patients at Baptist East is safe, effective care,” Baptist East CEO Jeff Rains said in a statement. “That’s why Baptist East has made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes. Baptist East is proud to receive the distinction of being a Joint Commission Top Performer on Key Quality Measures.” Prattville Baptist Hospital CEO Ginger Henry said in a statement: “We strive daily to provide our patients with exceptional care. This recognition is appreciated by the dedicated staff at Prattville Baptist Hospital and demonstrates that the care we give our patients is indeed top performing.”

Scott Bell

BELL MEDIA SECURES FUNDING FOR EXPANSION MONTGOMERY – Bell Media has secured funding for expanding marketing and development of the company’s indoor digital advertising as well as purchasing hardware and software. The company plans to expand its footprint across the Southeast, according to Scott Bell, founder and president of Bell Media. Bell Media is building a regional

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

indoor digital advertising network and, with the expansion, will increase its staff of 20 by hiring “dozens … in the coming years,” Bell said in a statement.

in business administration/ personnel management from Auburn University.

The Series A funding round was led by WLB Family Private Investment Holdings, LLC.

Barry Dean

ALABAMA BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATIONSCHEDULES DINNER, AUCTION, CLINICS Cary J. Kuhlmann

Mark Jackson

KUHLMANN RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD MONTGOMERY – The American Medical Association recently presented Cary J. Kuhlmann with the Medical Executive Lifetime Achievement Award. Kuhlmann was executive director of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama (MASA) since 1997. He retired at the end of 2013. Prior to joining MASA, he served 25 years with the Orleans Parish Medical Society, where he was the executive director. The award is given by the American Medical Association to honor a medical association executive who has contributed substantially to the goals and ideals of the medical profession. Mark Jackson, a 27-year MASA employee, is the new MASA executive director. A native of Anniston, he has a degree

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Baseball Coaches Association’s fifth annual First Pitch Dinner and Silent Auction of baseball memorabilia will be Feb. 1, 2014 at the RSA Activity Center in downtown Montgomery. Todd Jones, former Jacksonville State standout and first-round draft choice in 1989 by the Houston Astros, will be the featured dinner speaker. The coaches’ organization will also conduct a clinic for youths in the first-sixth grades, and a coaches clinic 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the American League youth league complex in Montgomery. The clinic will cost $20 per player and the money raised will benefit the ALABCA’s goal of sponsoring one Miracle League team in each Alabama city that has a Miracle League. Miracle League players will be allowed free admission to the clinic as well. Local college coaches and players will work the clinic along with former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker and Hartselle High School standout and major league pitcher Steve Woodard. Lou Thornton, Jeff Davis High School standout and former major leaguer and Jerome Walton, 1989 Chicago Cubs Rookie of the Year, will also work the clinic and attend the dinner as well.

BUSINESS BUZZ For information, visit www. alabca.org and look under the events heading to find the First Pitch Dinner & Silent Auction link and the First Pitch Dinner Players Clinic link. In addition to the website, questions may be directed to Barry Dean, executive director of the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association, at (334) 676-0434 or barrydean@alabca.org. HERTZ CAR RENTAL OPENS DOWNTOWN SITE MONTGOMERY – Hertz Car Rental is now located in downtown Montgomery directly behind the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center. Hertz is open 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; and is closed Sunday. The company provides free pickup from a customer’s home, office or repair shop. Hertz is

located at 341 Molton St., which is across from the Montgomery Advertiser. For information, contact Hertz at (334) 551-0987. UNITED METHODIST CHILDREN’S HOME ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS MONTGOMERY – Ten community leaders across Alabama have been elected to the United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH) Board of Directors. The new members are Charlie Adair, Glenda Allred, Lawson Bryan, Carol Flowers, Beth Hamer, John Miller, Donald Price, Patrick Quinn, Lori B. Robertson, and Brian Rodgers. “We are so fortunate to have such a talented group of people come together to serve the children and families of Alabama and Northwest Florida,” UMCH President and CEO K. Blake Horne said in a statement.

“UMCH is an organization that is in the process of re-envisioning what it means to fulfill its mission in the rapidly changing world of child and family welfare. This group has all the gifts and graces that will enable us to creatively and resourcefully meet that challenge.”

will focus on families dealing with a child with a chronic illness that is treatable with a transplant.

UMCH’s board of directors is a group of elected or appointed individuals who are responsible for overseeing the activities of its ministry, setting policies for how the ministry functions, and securing resources that enable the organization to thrive in its service to children and families.

The new restaurant is located at 6941 EastChase Loop at the former site of Boardwalk Burgers. The menu features a variety of Mexican dishes including tacos, burritos, nachos and quesadillas as well as American items such as hamburgers, crinkle-cut fries and shakes.

UMCH has been making a difference in the lives of children and families for 120plus years by providing such services as residential and foster care programs, scholarship homes, adoption studies, family preservation and support services. UMCH’s newest home

Franchisee Larry Blumberg and Associates is planning another dozen locations in Alabama, including Huntsville, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.

DEL TACO OPENS FIRST MONTGOMERY LOCATION MONTGOMERY – Del Taco opened its first Montgomery location and second in Alabama.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 64)

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

BUSINESS BUZZ (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 63) > Department of Information Systems and Management > Department of Economics, Finance and Marketing.

Rhea Ingram

AUM’S SCHOOL OF BUSINESS RENAMED COLLEGE OF BUSINESS MONTGOMERY – The Auburn Board of Trustees voted to change the name of Auburn University at Montgomery’s School of Business. Now known as the AUM College of Business, the new name better reflects the breadth and diversity of disciplines within the academic unit. The board also approved reorganization of the college’s five departments into three: > Department of Accounting

“This is a springboard into a number of exciting changes that are coming for the college,” Rhea Ingram, dean of the College of Business, said in a statement. “Our faculty and staff are working on many new initiatives and improvements to better prepare our students to become global business leaders.” The college was recently recognized as a Best Business School by The Princeton Review, which listed AUM as one of 295 top business schools in the U.S. Results were based on institutional data collected during the 2012-2013 academic year and from surveys conducted among students. The college offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, with

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

courses offered online, nights and weekends. Bachelor’s degrees are available in accounting, economics, finance, general business, human resources management, information systems and decision science, management, and marketing. The college also offers a master of business administration, executive MBA and master of science in information systems management. CAPITOL HILL HEALTHCARE RECEIVES FIVE-STAR RATING MONTGOMERY – Capitol Hill Healthcare and Rehab First has received five stars for overall quality – the highest possible rating – by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Capitol Hill is the only adult skilled nursing facility in Montgomery to carry this rating of excellence.

CMS created the Five-Star Quality Rating System to help consumers, their families and caregivers compare nursing homes more easily and to help identify areas about which they may want to ask specific questions. Capitol Hill Healthcare and Rehab First, located at 520 S. Hull St., is owned and operated by Turenne and Associates. Under the leadership of administrator Sharon Baker, the facility has been steadily improving the level of care and the quality of the services it offers. Capitol Hill received four stars when it was evaluated in 2012. NEWK’S EATERY COMES TO MONTGOMERY JACKSON, Miss. – Newk’s Eatery has opened its first restaurant in Montgomery.

BUSINESS BUZZ The restaurant is located in the Shoppes at Cornerstone development anchored by Publix at 7880 Vaughn Road in East Montgomery.

the center of every location that offers various complimentary spices, toppings and add-ons, allowing diners to customize their menu items.

The fresh, casual, upscale Newkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eatery offers a variety of menu options from the franchiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open-view kitchens, including fresh-tossed salads, oven-baked sandwiches, California-style pizzas, madefrom-scratch soups and homemade cakes. The culinarydriven dining concept features ingredient combinations such as salads with chicken, cranberries, pecans, artichoke hearts and gorgonzola cheese on a bed of spring greens.

The restaurant also offers Grabn-Go, which gives busy guests the option to drop in, quickly pick out a favorite menu item from the select offerings in the open, stand-up refrigerator case at the front of the restaurant for an on-the-go lunch or takeout dinner.

Newkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also features a separate catering menu and Newkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Roundtable Club members get special offers to reward them for their repeat visits. The club is named after the table featured in

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are excited to offer this unique restaurant concept in Montgomery and look forward to bringing even more Newkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restaurants to the region,â&#x20AC;? Matt Collins said in a statement. He is heading up the Newkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Montgomery operation. For information or to view the menu, visit newks.com or the Montgomery storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Facebook page.

Montgomeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premiere Gourmet Market, Deli & Bottleshoppe

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mentors and solid examples to follow. We will strive to continue providing excellent service with quality you can trust.â&#x20AC;? INFORMATION TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS DONATES $14,500 TO LOCAL CHARITIES Scott McNelley

ADMIRAL MOVERS RECEIVES ETHICS AWARD MONTGOMERY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Admiral Movers won the River Region Ethics in Business Award for medium-sized businesses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a special award for our employees â&#x20AC;&#x201C; past and present,â&#x20AC;? Admiral Movers CEO Scott McNelley said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holding true to our core values has been noticed and it means a great deal to be known as a company that does the right thing. We have been blessed with great people, wonderful

WETUMPKA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Information Transport Solutions (ITS) donated $14,500 to local charities from the proceeds of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual golf tournament. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our employees live and work in the River Region, so we make it a priority to give back,â&#x20AC;? ITS President Tomi Selby said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know that providing scholarships, books and safety can change lives and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what these charities do every day.â&#x20AC;? Money was raised at the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seventh annual (CONTINUED ON PAGE 66)

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January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

BUSINESS BUZZ (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 65) charity golf tournament. The event was held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Capitol Hill course in Prattville. ITS, a technology company based in Wetumpka, held its first charity golf tournament in 2006 and has raised more than $64,000 for local charities and programs.

Dick Brewbaker

Open House

Pre K-4 and Kindergarten Open House

Sunday, January 26, 2014 1:30pm

BREWBAKER NOMINATED FOR PRESTIGIOUS AWARD NEW YORK – Brewbaker Motors Inc. President Dick Brewbaker has been nominated for the 2014 Time Dealer of the Year award. Brewbaker is one of a select group of 57 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 97th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention & Exposition in New Orleans. He is a Chrysler, Dodge, Infiniti, Jeep, Kia and Ram dealer in Montgomery. “The dealers nominated for this award are community heroes, as well as economic and civic leaders, who have time and again shown their dedication to making a difference,” Tim Russi, president of Auto Finance for Ally Financial, said in a statement. Ally will recognize dealer nominees and their community efforts by contributing $1,000 to each nominee’s charity of choice. Nominees will also be recognized on the recently launched website, AllyDealerHeroes.com, which highlights the philanthropic contributions and achievements of auto dealers across the U.S.

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

The Time Dealer of the Year award is one of the automobile industry’s most prestigious honors. Recipients are among the nation’s most successful auto dealers, who also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to community service. Brewbaker was chosen to represent the Automobile Dealers Association of Alabama in the national competition – one of only 57 auto dealers from 17,000 nationwide – nominated for the 45th annual award. A panel of faculty members from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan will select one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and one national Dealer of the Year. “You can run a highly profitable, efficient enterprise and create a place where employees feel comfortable, empowered and valuable,” Brewbaker said in a statement. While many of his employees have been with the company, founded by his grandfather in 1940, for decades, the car business was not Brewbaker’s first passion. He graduated from Alabama’s Montgomery Academy in 1979 and received a bachelor’s degree in history and economics from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., in 1983. After college, Brewbaker taught high school history and coached football before joining the family car dealership in 1987. He is also a state senator. “I have held virtually every position at Brewbaker Motors,” he said, taking over operations in 2002 and, along with his brother-in-law, helping to develop the dealership into a multi-brand facility while receiving numerous awards for customer service. •

Member News

care about the well-being of each person who works here,” Forrest said in a statement.

Scott Forrest

ALFA INSURANCES PROMOTES FORREST TO SENIOR VP MONTGOMERY – Scott Forrest has been named Alfa Insurance senior vice president of the company’s human resources department. Forrest began his career with Alfa in 1992 as a tax specialist. He was promoted to manager of compensation in 1995 and named vice president of compensation, benefits and human resources information systems in 2001. “For more than 20 years, Scott has served Alfa employees in almost every phase of Human Resources,” Alfa Insurance President and CEO Jimmy Parnell said in a statement. “His knowledge, dedication and straightforward approach have earned him respect throughout the organization. We are fortunate to have an outstanding team that ensures our employees enjoy a productive, secure and rewarding work environment. I look forward to working with Scott in his new leadership role.” Forrest holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mississippi State University, and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Alabama. “Alfa’s human resource department staff work hard to emulate the company’s commitment to excellence, integrity and exceeding expectations in service, and I am proud to work for a company led by individuals who genuinely

MEMBERS ON THE MOVE

Alfa and its affiliates provide insurance and other financial services in 11 states. Alfa Life Insurance Co. currently has more than $25 billion in force, and Alfa’s property and casualty companies service more than 1 million policies. There are nearly 400 Alfa service centers with more than 2,500 employees. The company’s headquarters are in Montgomery.

graduate of Connecticut College with a major in economics and a minor in psychology. Gibson brings nine years of experience in project management and systems analysis to Copperwing, where she manages development of customized web projects for the firm’s clients.

Kathryn Torrey

Tyler McFaden

MCFADEN JOINS MONTGOMERY EYE PHYSICIANS MONTGOMERY – Montgomery Eye Physicians has announced that Dr. Tyler McFaden has joined its team of eye care specialists. McFaden graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences. After graduation, he attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he received his doctorate of optometry. “Dr. McFaden is extremely intelligent, capable and relates well to patients of all ages,” Montgomery Eye Physicians President Tom Mitchell said in a statement. “We are very pleased to have him join our practice. We look forward having him care for our patients for many years to come.” McFaden, a native of Montgomery, is board-certified in optometry, concentrating on specialty contact lenses and ocular disease.

Mary Gibson

COPPERWING ADDS MEDIA PLANNER/BUYER, WEB PROJECT MANAGER MONTGOMERY – Copperwing Design announced that Kathryn Torrey has joined the firm as media planner/buyer and Mary Gibson has been hired as web project manager. Torrey is responsible for managing and planning budgets across all platforms, from emerging digital and mobile technologies to broadcast, print and outdoor. In her role, she also develops competitive research and analysis to maximize reach and frequency of brand messaging. Previously a media planner and buyer with agencies in New York City, she has worked with such national and international brands as Harry Winston, Yankee Candle, Guess and Lancôme. Torrey is a

She is responsible for all project timelines, resources and budgetary requirements, ensuring that all website applications meet the branding goals of each client. Her experience includes development of workflow processes, testing applications and project performance review across a range of digital environments. Gibson received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Auburn University with a concentration in information systems management. “Having Kathryn and Mary join Copperwing is another sign to our clients of our commitment to provide the most exceptional service and depth of resources,” said Brian Key, a principal of Copperwing Design and account director. “Our newest team members’ experience and skills are a welcome addition and a perfect fit for us.” Montgomery-based Copperwing is a creative consultancy offering design, digital media and integrated brand management services. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 68)

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 67)

of the Aldridge, Borden’s quality control functions.

and local government matters, insurance defense, governmental affairs, civil litigation matters and white-collar criminal defense.

As firm administrator, Lough will work in multiple areas to enhance the firm’s operating efficiency. She will also continue to oversee the quality control functions. She is a native of Louisville, Kentucky. Ashley Lough

ALDRIDGE, BORDEN & CO. NAMES FIRM ADMINISTRATOR MONTGOMERY – Aldridge, Borden & Co., P.C., announced that Ashley Lough has been promoted to firm administrator. Lough began her career with Aldridge, Borden after graduating from the University of Alabama. She has primarily served in the firm’s assurance services division, where she has been instrumental in the development, implementation and maintenance

Aldridge, Borden & Co. is a full-service certified public accounting firm founded in 1918 and located in downtown Montgomery. In addition to the core practice areas of tax compliance, auditing and bookkeeping, the firm offers a wide range of more specialized services, including management advisory services, business valuation, personal financial services, estate and gift tax planning, tax consulting and planning and information technology consulting.

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Jeremy S. Walker

ALABAMA REALTORS HIRE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR MONTGOMERY – Jeremy S. Walker has been named government affairs director for the Alabama Association of Realtors. Walker joined the Realtors’ association from the law firm of Haskell, Slaughter, Young & Rediker, where he had worked primarily out of the firm’s Montgomery office since 2007. He represented clients in state

He served as legal counsel to the Alabama Senate Banking and Insurance Committee and legal counsel to the Educational Building Authority of the City of Montgomery. Walker received his Juris Doctorate from Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School in May of 2007. He is a 2003 graduate of the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration. Prior to joining Haskell Slaughter, Walker clerked for Circuit Judge John B. Bush of the 19th Judicial Circuit of Alabama.

Montgomery campus will include onsite hardware and software support for students, faculty, and staff and also technical support in the maintenance of the campus’s website.

Cameron Baker

IT COORDINATOR NAMED FOR REGIONAL MEDICAL SCHOOL MONTGOMERY – Cameron “Cam” Baker has been appointed coordinator of information technology for the Montgomery Regional Medical Campus of the University of Alabama School of Medicine. Baker is a native of Mobile and attended the Alabama School of Mathematics and Sciences. He has extensive experience in the information technology field. His responsibilities with the

He will also work with the UAB Montgomery Internal Medicine Program and the UAB Selma Family Medicine Program for technical support of the electronic health records for their clinics. MIMS JOINS SYNOVUS BANK EQUIPMENT FINANCING GROUP MONTGOMERY – Synovus Bank announced that Ricky Mims has joined its equipment financing group.

managing director of Regions equipment leasing. Mims was named senior vice president of business development.

president and asset manager. He was previously with Textron Finance, Bombardier Capital and Barnett Bank.

Herrin and Orr also serve as senior vice presidents of business development. Herrin previously worked at Bank of America/ NationsBank, where he managed one of the largest corporate aircraft groups in the country. In addition, he worked for General Electric Capital Corp. as a senior business development Officer.

Working with Legris is Jim Shaw, who was recently hired as senior vice president, documentation and transaction manager. Shaw previously worked at NationsBank/Bank of America as well as Global Capital Finance. The group will continue to add positions in both sales and support areas.

Orr’s previous experience includes positions with Barclays, Westinghouse Credit and Bank of America.

“The creation of this team further strengthens our equipment financing line of business and signals our continued commitment to offering a broad range of expertise, products and services to commercial customers,” said Alan Worrell, president and CEO of Sterling Bank.

John Geist, who serves as president of equipment finance, will direct the team of specialized bankers as they provide a wide range of products and services.

Mims joined Tad Herrin and Bill Orr, who have more than 70 years of combined experience in the equipment leasing and financing business. Mims was formerly senior vice president/

Additionally, Chris Legris has joined the company as senior vice

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 70)

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January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 69)

Sterling Bank, which operates four branches in the Montgomery and Prattville markets, is a division of Synovus Bank. Sterling Bank has been in the River Region for 24 years.

Sara Khanal

RENASANT BANK HIRES BRANCH RELATIONSHIP MANAGER MONTGOMERY – Sara Khanal has joined Renasant Bank as branch relationship manager at

individuals and business owners in the selection of stocks, bonds, mutual funds and third-party money managers. She will work out of the firm’s office on Halcyon Pointe Drive, Suite. 100.

the company’s newly opened East Montgomery location. She is a native of Kathmandu, Nepal, and graduated from Troy University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Khanal has more than five years of banking experience in the Montgomery market. Renasant Corp., a 109-year-old financial services institution, is the parent of Renasant Bank and Renasant Insurance. Renasant has assets of approximately $5.8 billion and operates more than 120 banking, mortgage, financial services and insurance offices in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Carol Kelley Harrison

STIFEL NICOLAUS HIRES VICE PRESIDENT MONTGOMERY – Carol Kelley Harrison has joined Stifel Nicolaus as vice president of investments and as a financial adviser. Harrison, who has been in the investing profession since 1999, has a securities and insurance license and is a graduate of Auburn University. She specializes in assisting

Stifel, which was established in 1890, is one of the nation’s leading brokerage and investment banking firms. • To submit your business news for publication, email a press release to editor@montgomerychamber.com. Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Members only.

NEW MEMBERS

Art Galleries

Car Wash & Detail

GALLERY ONE FINE ART Sandi Aplin 334-201-8030

JAXX HAND CAR WASH Leroy Jackson 334-467-6647

Accounting-Certified Public

Associations/Non-Profit

Catering Services

COOK & FINESILVER, LLC Garrett Cook 334-356-4450

S.T.E.P. FOUNDATION Sederick Fluker 334-262-3141

DESIGNS BY DEBBIE Debbie Kemsel 334-318-3630

RODL WARREN AVERETT Paul Han 334-260-2229

Bakery

Churches/Ministries

CUPCAKES BY TISH Lekisha Leonard 334-356-5292

FRESH ANOINTING HOUSE OF WORSHIP Kyle C. Searcy 334-613-3363 Ext 212

Beauty Salons/Spas

Cleaning Services

Advertising Agencies

D’MARKOS’ SALON & BOUTIQUE Kelly Markos 334-277-4247

THE FINKLEA GROUP, INC. R. G. Finklea 334-273-9926

JOSEPH Joseph Wood 334-260-9602

NO MESS COMMERCIAL CLEANING SERVICE, LLC Philip Mitchell 334-233-9485

Architects

Car Rental

ANDY SMITH ARCHITECTURE Andy Smith 334-318-4332

HERTZ CAR RENTAL Marcy Brown 334-551-0987

Accounting-Tax Returns ECTOR ACCOUNTING & TAX SERVICE, LLC Kenyatta Ector 334-263-2633

Coffeebreak Service/Supplies HARMON AND SONS COFFEE CO. Allen Harmon 334-491-9241

ENROLL NOW FOR WINTER 2014

CELEBRATING

14 YEARS OF SUCCESS

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

Philippians 4:13

Arts - Athletics - Activities Music • Drama and Visual Arts Education Basketball • Baseball • Softball • Volleyball Cheerleading • Golf • Key Club • FCS • FCA Chess Club • Book Club • Youth in Government

Introducing Extended Success Programs Praise Band • Guitar Lessons • Show Choir • Jazz Band 2328 Fairlane Drive (7-12th) Montgomery, AL 36116

3368 Harrison Road (k-6) Montgomery, AL 36109

Success Unlimited Academy,

LLC Montgomery’s Foremost Institution Dedicated to Individualized Education

(334) 213-0803 • SACS/AdvanceED Accredited • www.suacademy.com • Openings in Day School, Night School & tutoring program

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

Consulting Services

Groceries-Retail

Janitorial Service/Supplies

STRATEGIC RESOURCE SOLUTIONS, LLC Nicole Murphy-McGough 334-324-7519

FRESH MARKET Barbara Bjorklund 334-272-8952

PERFECT TOUCH JANITORIAL SERVICES, LLC Terry Perryman 334-414-1909

SZJ SOLUTIONS, LLC Zack Jourdan 334-669-5570

Gymnastics

Landscaping/Lawn Services

UNITED GYMSTARS & CHEER Meg Henry 334-284-2244

GROWTH OUTDOOR SPACE MANAGEMENT Brian Welch 334-239-4664

Health & Nutrition

LANDSCAPE SOURCE, INC. Bill Gunter 334-420-5959

Contractors DUBOSE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, LLC F.Reggie Dubose 334-215-1977 Convenience Store MICKEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SPORTS BAR & PACKAGE STORE Mickey Phillips 334-264-9231 Cosmetics/Skin Care MERLE NORMAN COSMETIC STUDIO Peggy Perdue 334-409-2345 Dentists WILLIS DENTAL CARE Pat Holt 334-260-2929 Direct Mail Services GRAPHICS & MAILING SERVICE Matthew D. Sease 334-263-3419 Document Scanning ADMIRAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT Scott McNelley 334-396-5430 Electronic Equipment & Supplies CROSBY COMMUNICATIONS, LLC Al Crosby 334-386-0291 Employment Agencies A-1 EMPLOYMENT, INC. Kim Petrina 334-244-9866 ALLEGIANCE STAFFING Nancy W. Blount 334-819-7753 Gifts & Specialty-Retail LITTLE MAGIC CARDS & INVITATIONS Temisha Mitchell-Young 404-643-2437 Glass RETCO GLASS, INC. Rhett Rogers 334-244-1984

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

HEALTHWISE FOODS, INC. Steve Thompson 334-277-9925 Hearing Aids/Instruments DERAMUS HEARING CENTERS, INC. Glenda DeRamus 334-262-7553 Home Health Services VINTAGE INHOME SENIOR CARE, LLC Cornelius Jones 334-546-7927 Individuals TERESA F. GREEN Industrial Equipment and Supplies VALUE-CENTERS, LLC Robert Preston 334-265-6012 Industrial Maintenance SOUTHERN ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL, INC. Van Huggins 334-281-4846 Information Technology Firms L-3 COMMUNICATIONS, INC. Arnold Regan 334-549-3830 WILSON SHAW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Brad Shaw 334-356-3461 Insurance Companies/Services CIA DBA COLONIAL INSURANCE COMPANY Mark Pierce 334-270-6824

Legal Services - Attorneys BROOKS, HUBBARD & JAMES, P.C. Joseph L. Hubbard 334-832-1001 COPELAND, FRANCO, SCREWS & GILL, P.A. John A. Henig 334-834-1180 THOMAS G. MANCUSO, P.C. Thomas G. Mancuso 334-263-2533 J. WELLS ROBINSON, P.C. James W. Robinson 334-306-7872 Lobbying KIMBERLY H. ADAMS, P.C. Kim Adams 334-301-1783 Maid Services TWO MAIDS & A MOP OF MONTGOMERY Shelly Browder 334-313-8824 Massage Therapy MASSAGE ENVY SPA EASTCHASE Richard & Laurie Norton 334-272-8787 Physicians-Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY ASSOCIATES Mark Platt 334-277-3492

LIBERTY NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE-JACKIE ADAMS Jackie Adams 334-220-0918

Plasma Centers

Investment Bankers

Public Relations

THORNTON FARISH INC. Scott Bamman 334-270-8555

LONGLEAF STRATEGIES, LLC Adam Muhlendorf 334-625-0175

CSL PLASMA Chassity Cotton 334-539-3256

Radio & Broadcasting Companies WBAM-BAMA COUNTRY 98.9 Terry Barber 334-244-1170 WGMP-THE GUMP 104.9 FM/1170 AM Terry Barber 334-244-1170 WJWZ- JAMZ 97.9 Terry Barber 334-244-1170 WQKS-HD2/LITE 100.5 Terry Barber 334-244-0961 WQKS-HD3/YO! 107.1 Terry Barber 334-244-0961

Real Estate Sales and Development ELECTIA LOVE Electia Love 334-558-8572 Restaurants SINCLAIR’S Johnny Sullivan 334-271-7654

Telecommunications CHARTER BUSINESS Sierra McMullen 678-226-3661 Timber & Timberland Companies TRUE SOUTH PROPERTIES John Burnham 334-279-6311 Tire Dealers & Distributors

ZOE’S KITCHEN-EASTCHASE Marquee Belser 334-270-9115

TIRE EXPRESS AND AUTO SERVICE CENTER Denise Panehal 334-290-2600

ZOE’S KITCHEN-ZELDA ROAD Jessica New 334-395-4698

Woodworking & Finishing Supply

Restaurants-Bar/Grill

WQKS-HD4/THE POSSUM Terry Barber 334-244-0961

BAUMHOWER’S WINGS SPORTS GRILLE Don Parker 334-271-1831

WQKS-Q96.1 Terry Barber 334-244-0961

Restaurants-Japanese

J. P.’S WOODWORKING SUPPLY, INC. Lewis Bartels 334-269-0199

WASABI JAPANESE CUISINE Jerry Chen 334-517-1555

WTXU ESPN-THE TICKET Allan G. Stroh 334-517-1210

CLEANERS

Free Pickup & Delivery

No Extra Charge! Same Prices as Stores! How it works! s We will supply you with two laundry bags that will have a barcode that will cross reference your account. s All special requests are encoded into barcodes. s Monthly Billing s Any combination of pickup and delivery days available Monday dayy - FFriday rida ri rida dayy It’s easy! s Tell us where you will leave your laundry bag and where you would like finished clothes returned such as front or back porch, outside storage room or garage. s Remember, most customers are not home when we pick up or deliver. Since 1941, the Massey family has been serving the Montgomery area’s dry cleaning needs.

Call 481-1918 or email express@jimmassey.com for more information or to arrange for a pickup!

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

Ribbon Cuttings & Ground Breakings

HERE WE GROW AGAIN ALL ABOUT TOWING & HAULING 720 West South Boulevard Montgomery, AL 36105 334-284-5755 Tina & Michael Whaley-Owners Towing & Recovery

MONTGOMERY CHILDRENS SPECIALTY CENTER 2853 Forbes Drive Montgomery, AL 36110 334-261-3445 Heather Penney-Administrator Nursing homes/Assisted Living

BMW OF MONTGOMERY 731 Eastern Boulevard Montgomery, AL 36117 334-279-6955 www.bmwofmontgomery.com Jason Wilson-General Manager Automobile Dealers & Services

DERAMUS HEARING CENTERS, INC. 2809 Chestnut Street Montgomery, AL 36107 334-262-7553 www.deramushearing.com Glenda DeRamus-Owner Hearing Aids/Instruments

ECTOR ACCOUNTING & TAX SERVICE, LLC 640 South McDonough Street, Suite 4 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-263-2623 Kenyatta Ector-Owner Accounting-Tax Returns

FLEET FEET SPORTS 2934 Carter Hill Road Montgomery, AL 36106 334-356-5412 www.fleetfeetmontgomery.com Avery Ainsworth-Owner Sporting Goods/Equipment

HERTZ CAR RENTAL 341 Molton Street Montgomery, AL 36104 334-551-0987 www.hertz.com Marcy Brown-Station Manager Car Rental

MASSAGE ENVY SPA EASTCHASE 2478 Berryhill Road, Suite 6 Montgomery, AL 36117 334-272-8787 www.massageenvy.com Richard & Laurie Norton-Owners Massage Therapy

RENASANT BANK 215 Mitylene Park Drive Montgomery, AL 36117 334-676-5318 www.renasantbank.com Sara Khanal-Branch Manager Banks

CAPITOL CHEVROLET 711 Eastern Boulevard Montgomery, AL 36117 334-272-8700 www.capitolchevrolet.com Monte Burney-General Manager Automobile Dealers & Services

URICHO SERVICES, INC. 2770 Bell Road Montgomery, AL 36117 334-625-1631 www.urichoinc.com Erica Patlan-Sales Representative Janitorial Services/Supplies

DEL TACO 6941 EastChase Loop Montgomery, AL 36117 334-793-6855 www.LBAProperties.com/restaurant Bill Davis-Senior Vice President Restaurants-Fast Food

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

MAPCO MART AND MY DELI STORE #7516 7670 Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL 36116 334-244-2092 www.mapcoexpress.com Robert Shankwitz-Store Coordinator, Alabama Service Stations

PMI RIVER REGION 1322 Old Oak Place Montgomery, AL 36117 334-819-5414 www.pmirr.com Jessica Wilson-Owner Property Management

PRIMESOUTH BANK 225 Emma Lane Pike Road, AL 36064 334-567-5601 www.primesouthbank.com Dave W. Baggett, Jr.-CEO Todd Motes-Senior Vice & Area Executive Banks

SMARTBOOKS ACCOUNTING SOLUTIONS, LLC 2569 Bell Road Montgomery, AL 36117 334-398-3434 www.SmartBooksAL.com Christi Millo-Owner Accounting-Certified Public

SOUTHEASTERN INSURANCE CONSULTANTS, LLC P.O. Box 6159 Montgomery, AL 36106-0159 803-730-8143 www.siconsultants.com Lisa McLellan-Producer/Account Manager Insurance Companies/Services

MERLE NORMAN COSMETIC STUDIO 7032 EastChase Parkway Montgomery, AL 36117 334-409-2342 Peggy Perdue-Owner Cosmetics/Skin Care

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

ECONOMIC INTEL Unemployment Data Civilian Labor Force AREA

NOVEMBER P 2013

Montgomery MA

OCTOBER R 2013

Unemployment Rate NOVEMBER R 2012

NOVEMBER P 2013

OCTOBER R 2013

NOVEMBER R 2012

168,110

166,963

168,343

5.80%

6.70%

25,478

25,332

25,233

4.90%

5.80%

16,095

16,011

16,151

4.00%

5.00%

5.10%

35,110

34,806

35,131

5.30%

5.90%

6.00%

3,972

3,988

4,059

9.50%

11.30%

12.10%

Montgomery County

103,550

102,837

103,622

6.10%

6.90%

Montgomery City

93,188

92,518

93,268

6.00%

6.80%

Birmingham-Hoover MA

525,696

520,764

530,799

4.90%

5.60%

Autauga County Prattville City Elmore County Lowndes County

Birmingham City Huntsville MA Huntsville City Mobile MA Mobile City Alabama United States

89,094

88,334

89,968

6.70%

7.50%

7.40%

208,429

207,196

211,857

4.80%

5.60%

5.40%

89,250

88,665

90,730

4.90%

5.60%

5.50%

184,787

184,177

186,884

6.50%

7.20%

7.30%

86,308

86,046

87,189

6.80%

7.60%

7.50%

2,137,173

2,126,280

2,154,298

5.60%

6.30%

6.40%

155,046,000

154,918,000

154,953,000

6.60%

7.00%

7.40%

MA=Metropolitan Area. pPreliminary rRevised Estimates prepared by the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations in Cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, based on 2013 benchmark.

Sales Tax Collections NOVEMBER 2013

NOVEMBER 2012

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

YTD 2013

YTD 2012

Montgomery County

$3,227,375

$3,134,538

2.96%

$36,457,160

$35,952,545

1.40%

City of Montgomery

$7,334,611

$7,125,476

2.94%

$86,062,988

$84,455,425

1.90%

Pike Road

$145,716

$142,438

2.30%

$1,771,307

$1,741,477

1.71%

Autauga County

$511,915

$629,719

-18.71%

$6,854,886

$6,779,030

1.12%

$1,526,110

$1,480,196

3.10%

$18,188,676

$17,618,791

3.23%

$505,609

$441,876

14.42%

$5,450,459

$5,178,268

5.26%

Prattville Wetumpka

Sources: Montgomery County Commission, City of Montgomery, City of Pike Road, Autauga County Commission, City of Prattville, Elmore County Commission, City of Wetumpka, City of Millbrook Note: YTD numbers are January 2013 thru current month. * Did not receive this months numbers.

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Montgomery Regional Airport NOVEMBER 2013 Air Carrier Operations

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

NOVEMBER 2012

YTD 2013

YTD 2012

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

894

939

-4.8%

9,976

10,825

-7.8%

5,102

4,735

7.8%

55,813

60,302

-7.4%

Enplanements

13,212

15,061

-12.3%

148,224

167,865

-11.7%

Deplanements

13,014

15,004

-13.3%

147,928

168,793

-12.4%

Total Passengers

26,226

30,065

-12.8%

296,152

336,658

-12.0%

Total Operations

Source: Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) Dannelly Field

Hyundai Sales

Airline Fares Roundtrip airfare comparisons from Montgomery, Birmingham and Atlanta airports to key destinations. DESTINATION

VEHICLE

NOV 2013

NOV 2012

Accent

4,641

3,260

YTD 2013 53,358

YTD 2012 58,071

MONTGOMERY

BIRMINGHAM

ATLANTA

Sonata

16,595

17,660

189,169

209,779

Baltimore (BWI)

$339

$280

$238

Elantra

16,751

15,923

226,220

183,010

Boston (BOS)

$368

$335

$210

Santa Fe

9,657

6,754

80,595

63,737

Charlotte, NC (CLT)

$240

$235

$318

Azera

512

751

10,129

7,584

Chicago (ORD)

$345

$224

$239

Tucson

3,285

3,838

38,192

45,133

Cincinnati (CVG)

$365

$402

$238

Veloster

2,216

2,084

27,664

32,886

Dallas/Ft Worth (QDF)

$383

$336

$153

Veracruz

491

175

8,174

Denver (DEN)

$349

$397

$198

Genesis

1,989

2,385

29,050

31,576

Detroit (DTW)

$352

$240

$233

Equus

359

341

3,226

3,622

Houston (HOU)

$282

$340

$284

Total

56,005

53,487

657,778

643,572

Indianapolis (IND)

$349

$409

$213

Las Vegas (LAS)

$476

$442

$344

Los Angeles (LAX)

$441

$424

$314

Memphis (MEM)

$349

$234

Miami (MIA)

$373

$345

$214

Nashville (BNA)

$352

$290

$284

New Orleans (MSY)

$354

$233

$214

New York (JFK)

$337

$266

$229

Orlando (MCO)

$303

$215

$199

Philadelphia (PHL)

$381

$220

$295

Pittsburgh (PIT)

$320

$362

$229

St Louis (STL)

$319

$218

$237

Seattle (SEA)

$377

$289

$1,549

$1,260

$1,290

Tampa (TPA)

$428

$240

$206

Washington DC (DCA)

$351

$222

$212

Seoul (SEL)

Source: Hyundai Motor America

Date of travel: Jan. 14-19, 2014. Date of pricing: Dec. 8, 2013. Source: travelocity.com

Building Starts Building Permits NOVEMBER 2013

OCTOBER 2013

Building Valuations NOVEMBER 2012

NOVEMBER 2013

OCTOBER 2013

NOVEMBER 2012

New Construction

$13,665,800

$4,655,200

$6,218,200

Additions and Alterations

$34,657,420

$5,339,800

$855,800

Others

$116,300

$90,800

$315,600

120

132

109

$48,439,520

$10,085,800

$7,389,600

Total

Source: City of Montgomery Building Department

January 2014 Montgomery Business Journal

Montgomery Metro Market Home Sales NOVEMBER 2013

OCTOBER 2013

MONTH/MONTH % CHANGE

NOVEMBER 2012

YEAR/YEAR CHANGE

Median Price

$119,750

$144,500

-17.13%

$123,000

-2.64%

$130,643

Average Price

$142,363

$151,857

-6.25%

$144,966

-1.80%

$147,390

Units Listed

2,823

2,924

-3.45%

2,691

4.91%

33,352

Months of Supply

10.4

10.1

2.97%

11.9

-12.61%

Total # Sales

272

290

-6.21%

226

20.35%

3,480

Days on Market

117

124

-5.65%

20.62%

145

Source: Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE), The University of Alabama. *November 2013 not available at print time.

STATEWIDE OCTOBER 2013*

Quarterly Reports QUARTERLY REVENUES

NET INCOME

EARNINGS PER SHARE

EARNINGS ESTIMATE

YEAR-AGO REVENUES

YEAR-AGO NET INCOME

McDonald’s

$7.3B

$1.5B

$1.52

$1.51

$7.2B

$1.5B

Profit increased 5%

ServisFirst Bancshares

N/A

$10.7M

$1.46

N/A

$9.3M

Profit rose 16.4%

$532.5M

$42.8M

$1.48

$1.35

$529.3M

$36.5M

Average weekly sales fell $2,200 through the third quarter

$805M

(-$112.4M)

(-$1.11)

(-$0.37)

$898M

(-$47.1M)

N/A

$12.8M

$1.33

N/A

$0.12

$0.14

NAME

Panera Bread RadioShack US AmeriBancorp (Aliant Bank)

hhgregg

Secured $835M for 5-year debt refinancing Deposits grew to $931M from $811M Comparable sales fell 6.2%

Starbucks

$3.8B

$481.1M

$0.63

$0.60

$3.4B

$359M

Profit surged 34%

Advance Auto Parts

$1.5B

$103.8M

$1.42

$1.5B

$89.5M

Revenue rose 4.3%

Burger King

$275.1M

$68.2M

$0.19

$0.21

$455.7M

$66M

Wendy’s

$640.8M

(-$1.9M)

$0.00

(-$0.02)

$636.3M

(-$26.2M)

Southern Co.

$5B

$852M

$0.97

$1.11

$5B

$976M

CVS Caremark

$32B

$1.3B

$1.02

$30B

$1B

Dollar Tree

$1.9B

$125.4M

$0.58

$0.60

$1.7B

$155.4M

Target

$17.3B

$341M

$0.54

$0.64

$16.9B

$637M

Profit declined 46%

Williams-Sonoma

$1.1B

$56.7M

$0.58

$0.55

$945M

$48.9M

Revenue up 11.3% Services revenue up 5.2%

(Alabama Power)

PetSmart

$1.7B

$92.2M

$0.88

$0.86

$1.6B

$82.3M

Hibbett Sports

$208M

$17.3M

$0.66

$0.65

$202.9M

$19M

Kikrland’s

Opened 133 restaurants globally Same-store sales up 3.2% Heavy rainfall and cooler temperatures impact earnings Pharmacy services revenue increased 7.8% Sales increased 9.5%

Same-store sales rose 4.8%

$106.1M

$1M

$0.06

$0.02

$96.7M

(-$416,000)

Ross Stores

$2.4B

$171.6M

$0.80

$2.2B

$159.5M

Sales up 6%

TJX (TJ Maxx)

$7B

$622.7M

$0.86

$0.74

$6.4B

$461.6M

Sales increased 9%

Lowe’s

$13B

$499M

$0.47

$0.48

$12.1B

$396M

Profit jumped 26%

Dick’s Sporting Goods

$1.4B

$50M

$0.40

$0.39

$1.3B

$50.1M

Revenue increased 7%

Foot Locker

$1.6B

$104M

$0.70

$0.66

$1.5B

$106M

Same-store sales up 4.1%

$4B

$337M

$0.72

$0.71

$3.9B

$308M

Online sales rose 20%

Gap (Banana Republic, Old Navy) Kohl’s Abercrombie & Fitch

Sales rose 9.8%

$4.4B

$177M

$0.81

$0.86

$4.5B

$215M

Profit fell 18%

$1B

(-$15.6M)

(-$0.20)

$0.44

$1.2B

$84M

Sales declined 12%

Home Depot

$19.5B

$1.4B

$0.95

$0.89

$18.1B

$947M

Same-store sales up 7.4%

Marriott International

$3.2B

$160M

$0.52

$0.45

$2.7B

$143M

Profit increased 12%

$114.9B

$3.7B

$1.14

$1.13

$113.8B

$3.6B

Announced new CEO

$633M

$55M

$0.60

$0.58

$592.8M

$50.1M

Wal-Mart DSW

NOTABLE

Montgomery Business Journal January 2014

Revenue rose 7%

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