Montgomery Business Journal – June July August 2016 by Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce

TACKLING THE SKILLS GAP PAGE 8

$100 MILLION PROJECT PAGE 44

ALREADY GROWING PAGE 22

MPACTing CAREERS

MPACT COURSES WILL CHANGE STUDENTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; LIVES

PAGE 32

THANK YOU FOR 100 YEARS

LOC A L DE C IS IO NS TIMELY RES P O NS E S REGIONA L LOA N O F F IC E RS 8165 Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL 36116 | 334.409.2980 2

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

CONTENTS 8

SUMMER 2016

Q&A with Mark Heinrich

48 22

38 44

MEMBER NEWS 14 Member Profile: Walker360 48 Member Profile: JoZettie’s Cupcakes

CHAMBER NEWS 06 Calendar 26 Reporter’s Notebook 50 Business Buzz 54 Members on the Move

FEATURES 8

FOCUS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Q&A with Mark Heinrich

38 CHANGING PERCEPTION AmeriFirst Bank: ‘We’re all in now’

16 TALKING POINTS Conversations have lasting effect

40 PEACEFUL, EASY FEELING The Heights offer spectacular views

22 POURING IT ON Coca-Cola continues rapid growth story

44 MAJOR TRANSFORMATION Alfa Insurance invests more than $100 million in technology

32 PATHS TO SUCCESS MPACT SET TO OPEN AT ONE CENTER

58 Ribbon Cuttings & Ground Breakings 59 New Members 60 Economic Intel

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

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Randall L. George EDITORIAL

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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

To register, visit montgomerychamber.com/diversity

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 8, Issue 6. 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.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

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Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

CHAMBER NEWS

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JULY

SEPTEMBER

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21 BUSINESS TAX SEMINAR

27 DIVERSITY SUMMIT

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FAMILY 16 MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY AT THE ZOO

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BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Sponsored by Hillview Terrace Rehab Select 5 PM @ Hillview Terrace Rehab Select 100 Perry Hill Road, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

EGGS & ISSUES WITH CONGRESSMAN MARTHA ROBY

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28 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Sponsored by Verizon 5 PM @ Coldwell Banker Commercial/ Moore Company Realty 312 Catoma Street, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

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25 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Sponsored by US Foods 5 PM @ US Foods 2850 Selma Highway, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

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29 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Sponsored by Reinhardt Lexus 5 PM @ Reinhardt Lexus 911 Eastern Boulevard, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

JULY 18, AUGUST 1 & 15, SEPTEMBER 19 BUSINESS PLANNING SEMINARS Sponsored by BWS Technologies 4 PM @ Montgomery Chamber Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery$10 at the door

JUNE 15, JULY 20, AUGUST 17, SEPTEMBER 21 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE GOVERNMENT In partnership with Alabama State University Business Development Center 9 AM @ Montgomery Chamber Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery Free event, registration required

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Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Q&A FOCUS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Mark Heinrich is Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System. He was recently interviewed by the Montgomery Business Journalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s David Zaslawsky.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

Montgomery Business Journal: What are your responsibilities as chancellor of the Alabama Community College System? Heinrich: I am the CEO over the entire Alabama Community College System. I am responsible for the operation of the 26 community colleges within the system; the budgeting; programming – everything that goes with that. All the governmental affairs. n

What is the annual operating budget? n We run about $350 million from the Legislature. That’s about 46 percent of what it takes to operate the system. The rest of the dollars come from tuition, grants, other fees. We’re not real heavily tuition-driven. We’re $117 a credit hour so we depend on a lot of other kinds of things like grant money, federal money.

Wouldn’t credit hours be more than $300 at a four-year college or university? It’s over $300 – between $300 and $600 depending on where you’re going. n

Are there actually 26 community colleges or does that also include centers? There are actually 26 community colleges and we have 89 instructional sites that are connected to one of our community colleges. The (community college) may have centers or satellite sites in neighboring communities. n

We are constantly hearing about a skills gap. What is the organization doing to bridge that skills gap?

How many people does that 13 percent difference represent? n We are probably talking about between 20,000 and 30,000 jobs. It’s a lot of jobs. I was in South Alabama recently and I ask the question wherever I go, ‘Let’s assume that I have a room next door and in that room I have an infinite number of well-trained middle skills workers. How many would you hire today?’ Invariably they’ll say, “We could hire 6,000 today for this part of our state. It’s substantial.”

What are you doing to address that? n There are a couple of things that are beginning to make a difference. We certainly are not there yet. One of the things that the Legislature did a couple of years ago for us and we’re beginning to see some results is that they provided for us initially a little over $5 million for career tech dual enrollment. What that means is that we are able to (give) scholarships to those (high school) students particularly in career tech areas and no other areas because of the need.

How has the program progressed?

2016 ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM NUMBER OF STUDENTS:

83,098 STUDENTS NUMBER OF CAREER TECH STUDENTS:

45,731 NUMBER OF CAREER TECH DUAL ENROLLMENT SCHOLARSHIPS:

5,365 NUMBER OF DEGREES/ CERTIFICATES AWARDED:

14,658 STATE’S LARGEST SUPPLIER OF NURSES:

69 PERCENT

That was so successful the first year that the Legislature actually doubled that amount of money so last year we had $10.2 million, all of which gets pushed out for scholarships.

STATE’S LARGEST SUPPLIER OF ALLIED HEALTH WORKERS:

Did you reach your goal of 10,000 students in dual enrollment?

850

Yes. We’re still not quite at capacity, but we’re close. I think it’s probably reflected in the fall we had 10,000 that were enrolled. That is a duplicated headcount. We are encouraged by what is happening. A couple n It’s certainly a national issue. Our labor pool demands that about 60 percent be in this middle skills (segment). things are occuring: One, we are filling up that pipeline I would say $40,000 to $80,000 a year (salaries). We are again. We’re also communicating to large numbers probably addressing 47 percent of that 60 percent (skills of individuals that there are jobs in this area and that the skills area is open for business. Once you get an gap). That’s still a big gap – a huge gap. opportunity to take a shot at it most of the students really enjoy what they’re doing. n

80 PERCENT NUMBER OF BUILDINGS:

AMOUNT OF SQUARE FEET:

12.6 MILLION Source: Alabama Community College System

Does business and industry help fund the course as well as develop the curriculum? n Yes. One of the ways they fund it is they will provide equipment for labs. It’s not unusual for a piece of equipment to cost $500,000, $1 million; couple million dollars.

Continued on page 10

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Continued from page 9

What’s the other program? n I’m calling it an academy model. It’s probably something that I just made up. The way it works is using our dual enrollment money and using the relationship with business and industry – when an individual is in the 10th or 11th grade they begin work at the company while they’re finishing their high school work and while they are dually enrolled in one of our community colleges. For the remainder of their time in high school they are of course working toward their high school diploma. They are also accumulating dual enrollment credits, but they are also gaining that invaluable experience at the company. In many cases when they graduate from high school they then step into one of these high-pay jobs.

How many students are in that program? We’ve got a couple of pilot programs going. It would be less than 100 right now, but it’s a program that’s gaining a lot of interest. You are going to see many more of these pop up around the state in the future. Business and industry likes it for the reasons that you would think. They get a chance to take a look at these individuals and the good ones they will hire full time once they graduate from high school. n

Earlier you were talking about the skills gap and wages between $40,000 and $80,000 a year. What type of jobs are those? n They are all over the map within the high-wage, highskills area that would certainly be in the whole area of manufacturing. That covers mechatronics, especially the robotics area. A lot of the electrical areas as it applies to business and industry. Welding is a huge area. I’ve got to include the allied health areas. Actually that’s the steepest trajectory for us. The greatest need is still in allied health – more than manufacturing.

I recently interviewed Deputy Commerce Secretary Ed Castile and he said that the Alabama Community College System is shifting its focus. How is the organization changing? There are a couple of things – consolidation and mergers. We started two of those. What we’re shooting for in general – what we have found and I know these are rough numbers – that if we have a college that is somewhere between 4,500 and 7,500 or 8,000 (students) that that is a very sustainable model for our tuition. The consolidations are aimed in part at that to take and create regional community colleges that effectively serve the region and at the same time are sustainable. Our current model is not sustainable with the budgets as they are now. n

Will it take three to five years to complete the consolidations and mergers in the Alabama Community College System? n We’re hoping three years will do it. As we forge through this first two we are learning. We’re writing a book for ourselves for the remainder.

How is the organization shifting its focus? n Once it’s all in place (mergers and consolidations) – initially consolidations cost you a little bit more because there is a lot of changeover, but then longer term it will be much more economical. Another shift is we’ve got to serve more students. We are maxed out in many of our programs.

How will there be opportunities for more students when you have half as many community colleges? n Let’s say hypothetically you have a college that has 500 students and you have a full administrative staff that maybe costs you $2 million. All of a sudden that goes away and you have $2 million.

What is the next mechatronics-like program and are there some similar type of programs coming to Trenholm? n Absolutely. What we’re doing in a big way is working with the local businesses and what they’re doing in essence is help us create a program that will serve their specific needs. It will have another name, but it will be a program that will train their employees and it will be a different flavor that what Mercedes used.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

It appears that business and industry are seeing the Alabama Community College System as their worker training ground and I’m not sure that was the case before. They do that, yes and related to that the kind of education we deliver is what a lot of businesses and industries are requiring. It’s longer term. It’s at least two years of training along with an apprenticeship or internship or something like that. In the case of Mercedes, they will take their best and they will be involved in three to five more years of training. When business and industry comes in and they need to set up shop, we identify folks – we don’t do this, but AIDT will stand up business and industry and screen individuals and do it very, very well. That’s an important part, but business and industry also has this longerterm training need. That’s what we certainly deliver and we stay in concert with K-12. n

What does the Alabama Community College System look like in five years? We have a much leaner running system with an appropriate number of community colleges. We have specific training centers in each region of the state. Those training centers will be housed at the regional n

“The nice thing is that business and industry don’t want to do the training, but they’re at the table.” -Mark Heinrich is chancellor of the Alabama Community College System.

community college. We basically have a facility that is extremely nimble and reacts almost on a dime to business and industry. An automotive training center in Montgomery? n That’s exactly right. When I say the facility is connected it’s not necessarily a free-standing. It could (be rooms) in the revamped part of the existing community college. It is extremely responsive to the

Continued on page 12

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Continued from page 11

area needs of business and industry. This is something that business and industry can have a lot of confidence in and literally receive training very quickly as well as the longer-term education that would continue, which is consistent with our mission. It now seems that the gamut of workforce development organizations from AIDT, ATN, Chamber, K-12 are all on the same page. They absolutely are. The leaders of those groups that you just mentioned meet on a regular basis to make sure they are serving business and industry and addressing the needs. n

All the organizations share the same big goal. We do. We have a little different piece of the puzzle, but we all have the same goal. We have not always been as coordinated as we should, but it is changing. The statewide workforce council and the fact that this group meets on a regular basis has been incredibly helpful and important. n n

TOP 20 HIGH-DEMAND JOBS WITHOUT FOUR-YEAR DEGREE PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANTS:

DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHERS:

$53,714

$47,758

SUPERVISORS OF CONSTRUCTION TRADES AND EXTRACTION WORKERS:

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY MECHANICS:

$55,989

$48,790

$46,531

LICENSED PRACTICAL AND LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSES:

COMPUTER USER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS:

MEDICAL SECRETARIES:

DENTAL HYGIENISTS:

$35,178

$45,150

$29,313

REGISTERED NURSES:

CARPENTERS:

$55,869

$32,267

ENGINE AND OTHER MACHINE ASSEMBLERS:

TEAM ASSEMBLERS:

$35,687

$33,751 PERSONAL CARE AIDES:

COMPUTER CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL OPS, METAL AND PLASTIC:

$33,367 MEDICAL AND CLINICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIANS:

$35,849 ELECTRICIANS:

$43,197 EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND PARAMEDICS:

$29,374 WELDING, SOLDERING AND BRAZING MACHINE SETTERS, OPERATORS AND TENDERS:

$34,727

$17,830

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANTS:

HOME HEALTH AIDES:

$55,187

$19,206

Source: Alabama Department of Labor

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Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

www.jackingram.com

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Member Profile

DRAMATIC GROWTH

Taylor Blackwell is president of Walker360.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

Walker360 becomes national printing powerhouse by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

The answer to how long Walker360 has been in business is a range and not an exact number. It’s between 75 years and 100 years and Walker360 President Taylor Blackwell said about 85 years. That’s because by one name or another the company has been around for a long time and has dramatically changed in just the last year or two. Walker360 acquired two firms last year and that increased the staff from 42 to about 75. “We’re still acclimating ourselves to the increased volume,” Blackwell said. Last year’s two acquisitions were the company’s largest – Ebsco Media in Birmingham ($15 million in sales in 2015) and Commerce Print Strategies in Montgomery ($1 million in sales last year). Meanwhile, Walker360 had $7.5 million in sales and will hit about $15 million this year as the company spun off some of Ebsco Media’s business. A lot of new equipment was added as well – digital equipment, binding equipment and specialty equipment. Property next door was acquired to add warehouse space. Walker360 has grown dramatically with five acquisitions in the last 10 years. It is now among the top printing firms in the country by revenue. After buying Ebsco Media, Walker360 opened an office in Birmingham with sales and customer service staff along with information technology people. The printing is done in Montgomery, where Walker360 operates 24 hours a day and seven days a week to keep up with the projects that average 75 a day. And 40 percent of the work is done overnight. “We have orders that come in to our print-on-demand center and have to go out the same day whether they’re books or whether just collateral-type stuff,” Blackwell said. Although the company is so large now, no small job is rejected. Blackwell boasts about his firm handling the very small jobs and that means $29 jobs for invitations or small cards. “We did a job this past year that was a half-million dollar job,” Blackwell said. “We have equipment that can do small stuff as well as the large stuff effectively. It makes us competitive across a lot of different areas.”

Walker360 is actually three brands. There is Creative Printing, which was bought three years ago and specializes in small business printing and printing for individuals such as thank-you cards and invitations. Another brand is the firm’s ad agency called Fifth. “We added a lot of talented people from the industry,” Blackwell said. A creative director was added as well as designers and a writer. “We immediately had a lot of success with getting new clients,” he said. It opened up a new revenue stream. “It got us into a whole new level of discussions,” Blackwell said. “We’ve had great success and sometimes the projects involve printing and sometimes they don’t. We don’t really care.” The ad agency addition led to the name change from Walker Printing to Walker360 and then last year the firm decided to position the ad agency as a separate brand.

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

75; ABOUT 65 IN MONTGOMERY YEARS IN BUSINESS

85 LOCATIONS

Walker360 is the primary brand and deals with printing, wide format, mailing, data, analytics and graphic design. Don’t dismiss data and analytics and helping companies target their customers. “It’s important how you’re doing your advertising – that you’re advertising to the right people and that you can measure it and that you’re not wasting your dollars,” Blackwell said.

MONTGOMERY BIRMINGHAM ATLANTA

Having those three brands sets Walker360 apart from other printing businesses. The firm has even handled lobby projects for companies that included getting the area painted, artwork and designing displays.

WALKER360.COM

WEBSITE

“We just have more areas that we can help a customer and not just printing,” Blackwell said. “We can help them with their creative. We can help them with their branding. We can help them with their analytics and their targeting. We have an in-house mail shop so we can do their mailing. “We can do wide formats, banners, posters, displays. We do fulfillment and pick-and-pack. Then you combine all that with (our) design team. We have programmers. It just gives us lots of ways to help people. Then you throw in the size on top and we have more capacity than anybody else around in every area …” n

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Conversations Have Lasting Effect

Talking Points by David Zaslawsky

Alabama And More CEO Amber Wright was attending her first Conversations event while Associated Insurance Administrators Inc. Chief Operating Officer Barbara Evans was at her seventh event.

Evans said that she attends Conversations to not only learn about the struggles and successes of others, but “what works for other people especially women who have leadership roles.”

The two were among 150 women who gathered at Montgomery Country Club for Conversations: Roundtables for Professional Women – a Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce networking event.

She likes that the participants represent a wide range of businesses. “So often I go to conferences, educational retreats with people in the same business,” Evans said. The Conversations event “allows us to see what people in other businesses are doing and really has showed us that we are much more alike than different.”

Wright, who is also a new Chamber member, was hoping to “expand my business and bring my business to the forefront and to businesses who need it,” she said. Her business is a digital advertising agency whose specialty is mobile advertising displayed on monitors installed in Checker & Deluxe Taxis.

photography by Brian Carter

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

Continued on page 18

“This is a great opportunity for women in the Montgomery area to get together and build relationships – get to know each other and meet people I have not met before in other venues.” – Laura Chambliss, senior manager of business development & marketing for Auburn University at Montgomery’s SummaSource

Clockwise from above: Alabama And More CEO Amber Wright; Barbara Evans, Chief Operating Officer for Associated Insurance Administrators Inc.; Betsy Bowen, Commercial Business Development for Servpro Industries; Cheryl Calhoun Reed, vice president and branch manager of the AmeriFirst; Jamie Brown, vice president for relationship development for MAX Credit Union

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Continued from page 16

The events begin with informal chats with old friends and new ones. In addition, there are a handful of displays from various businesses. The guest speaker at the April event was Martha’s Place owner Martha Hawkins, who told her remarkable inspirational story of having literally nothing and rising to a successful businesswoman. After a brief question-and-answer the participants engage in group discussions at their tables of eight. Each table has a facilitator. “This is a great opportunity for women in the Montgomery area to get together and build relationships – get to know each other and meet people I have not met before in other venues,” said Laura Chambliss,

senior manager of business development & marketing for Auburn University at Montgomery’s SummaSource & Outreach. She said she “has taken away something” from each of the speaker’s messages. She said that women brainstorm at their table, discussing both workplace issues and issues outside the workplace, and offering possible solutions. “Problems are not usually unique to one business, so it’s nice to bounce ideas off one another and hear how people at other businesses are doing things.” Jamie Brown, vice president for relationship development for MAX Credit Union, was attending her first Conversations. “I wanted the opportunity to meet other women in the area,” she said. In addition to networking, Brown said she “may run across a MAX customer with a question.”

Every day thousands of men and women come together to bring you the wonder that is electricity, affordably and reliably, and with a belief that, in the right hands, this energ y can do a whole lot more than make the lights come on. It can make an entire state shine.

Montgomery Business APDC-1062-P2AL.indd 1

Journal Summer 2016

5/3/16 4:15 PM

Cheryl Calhoun Reed, vice president and branch manager of the AmeriFirst Bank branch on Vaughn Road, is a veteran of Conversations events, having attended four or five. “I enjoy the conversations,” she said. “I enjoy the networking with the others.” She gets to meet different people than she does at the bank and exchanges emails with some of the women she met at Conversations. She said she likes to hear how others in different types of companies handle issues. Betsy Bowen, who handles commercial business development for Servpro Industries, was attending her second Conversations event. She attends the event “to find more information about … what works for them.” Bowen has already implemented things she learned and it has helped her both professionally and personally. n

Martha Hawkins

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‘EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES’

by David Zaslawsky

“What is

The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce

Each participant is assigned a table number,

Roundtable Conversations provide an opportunity

which increases the networking opportunities

said in the

for women in business to not only network,

and meeting women in a wide variety of

but also inspire, also motivate and learn from

professions. Some of the participants are in

roundtable

one another.

entry-level positions and may sit next to a CEO or

stays in the roundtable.” – Sheron Rose, vice president, Community Strategies, Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce

There are two events a year – spring and fall – and

company executive.

they are so much more than 125 to 150 women

There is a facilitator at each table to initiate

exchanging business cards. “There is a meet-up

conversations. “Everybody contributes,” Rose

group that grew from the roundtable discussions,”

said. “Trust me, there are lively discussions that

said Sheron Rose, vice president, Community

occur around the room. All concerns and ideas

Strategies, for the Montgomery Area Chamber

have value and deserve thoughtful responses. The

of Commerce. “There have been occasions

roundtable is a no-attribution and no-retribution

where those at a specific table continued their

forum. Everything is confidential. What is said in

conversations beyond the event by sharing

the roundtable stays in the roundtable.”

additional information based on table discussions.”

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Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

ASE CREDIT UNION

Member Spotlight

Jared Freeman is president and CEO of ASE Credit Union

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? 62 years HOW MANY EMPLOYEES? 87 employees HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMPANY? Founded in the basement of the Alabama State Capitol, we are proud to truly be a local financial institution. We offer essentially everything a big bank offers but with a “people helping people” spirit that only a financial partner can offer. With five locations in the River Region, we have the perfect mix of size and services for our members. WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM YOUR COMPETITORS? WH

Our philosophy! We are dedicated to helping our members find financial solutions that help them grow. Our members are names and stories – not account numbers, balances and fees.

WHY HAS YOUR COMPANY BEEN SUCCESSFUL? We care about our members, our employees and the communities we serve. Our approach to finding the right financial solution adds value to our relationships and creates trust. WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD? To continue to WH help members meet their financial goals. To grow because our members trust us enough to refer friends and family members to us. To be a respected member of the communities we serve. AN ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION? Our mission is to help more members than any other

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It was billed as a dedication and ribbon cutting for the gigantic warehouse/distribution center for Montgomery Coca-Cola Bottling Co. It was that, but so much more, as the company had two new major announcements: a 100,000-square foot equipment refurbishing center and that the parent company was purchasing the Coke production facility in Montgomery on Coca-Cola Road.

POURING IT ON

Coca-Cola Continues Rapid Growth Story by David Zaslawsky photography by Robert Fouts

All of the equipment in the 35 territories and seven states owned by Birmingham-based CocaCola Bottling Co. UNITED – all 32,000 vending machines, coolers and fountains – will be serviced in Montgomery in the back of the 850,000-plus squarefoot facility. That expansion resulted in 37 of the 60plus new jobs since Coca-Cola UNITED bought the Montgomery territory in November 2014. Now the company has designated an additional 50,000 square feet to expand the refurbishing center, according to Allen Smoot, South Alabama division director for Coca-Cola UNITED, who oversees the Montgomery operation. With Coca-Cola UNITED purchasing additional territories on a consistent basis, more equipment could be coming to Montgomery for repairs. “I don’t

The Montgomery Coca-Cola Bottling Co. held a formal dedication ceremony for its new facility, which included a ribbon cutting.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

know what that might be long term, but there is a strong likelihood of more jobs,” Smoot said after the dedication of the $35 million facility. “This investment demonstrates our commitment to operating in Montgomery for another 100 years and speaks positively for the growth and favorable business climate in Central Alabama,” Coca-Cola Bottling Co. UNITED Chairman of the Board Claude Nielsen said in a statement. Coca-Cola has been operating in Montgomery for 113 years. The company will add about 100 more employees late this year or early 2017 when the production facility purchase becomes official. That will bring the total workforce to 400-plus, and the Montgomery Coca-Cola Bottling Co. already has an annual payroll of $13 million. The company will produce soft drinks and Dasani water at what Smoot called a “specialized production center.” He said that the state-of-the-art bottled water facility is the only one in the country, where everything is done in a single process. Juices and teas are produced at other facilities.

The Montgomery facility, which Smoot called a “multipurpose facility,” also houses the company’s South Alabama headquarters with 42,000 square feet of administration space. “Montgomery is a great place to do business,” Smoot said. He cited the No. 1 reason was the partnership between Coca-Cola, elected leadership and the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. “They (Chamber) have been on site since day one. They helped us navigate the legal maneuvering you need to build a project like this … very responsive, very supportive.”

YEARS IN OPERATION IN MGM

113

EMPLOYEES TO BE ADDED

100

TOTAL MGM WORKFORCE

The company serves 4,000-plus customers and more than one-half million consumers. It had been operating at a warehouse/distribution center on Jackson Ferry Road before moving to its new facility.

400+

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. UNITED is the thirdlargest bottler of Coke products in the country and is the largest privately held Coke bottler, with 5,700-plus employees. n

There is also more capacity at the warehouse/distribution center for 1.5 million to 2 million more cases of Coke products, Smoot said. The facility already distributes about 13 million cases a year to the Montgomery area, Dothan, Tuscaloosa, Evergreen and West Point, Georgia, from its 51 loading docks.

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COKE CELEBRATES, DEDICATES NEW MONTGOMERY FACILITY by David Zaslawsky

There was a lot of fanfare and a host of dignitaries attending the grand opening of Montgomery Coca-Cola Bottling Co. facility. It was befitting for a $35 million investment in an 850,000-plus square-foot facility near the Montgomery Regional Airport and a workforce of more than 300, including 60-plus jobs in the past 18 months. “What a historic moment for our company – wonderful, wonderful time,” said John H. Sherman, who was recently named the CEO and president of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. UNITED, which is the parent company for the Montgomery operation. “There’s no better place that we’d rather make a $35 million investment than right here in Montgomery, Alabama. I think all of you can see the relationships that we have with the (local) leadership … They have been tremendously helpful each and every step of the way.” After Carver High School’s band played the national anthem, the Jr. ROTC unit at the school raised the flag, the Pledge of Allegiance was said and a ribbon was cut, employees and guests went inside to hear about the company’s impact on the region. “You are in the heart of my Commission district and that makes you the No. 1 priority,” Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean Sr. said. Dean said that when he and Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange recruit companies

to the area, “I always tell them we are going to be the extension of your company. Whatever you do, we’re going to be a part (of it). We’re part of your family. We are so delighted to have you here in this part of the city.” Dean said that “if you’re successful – we’re going to be successful.” Strange said that elected leaders not only appreciate the company’s investment in Montgomery, but also the vision of the firm’s top executives and board of directors. “Montgomery is honored to be the hub of what happens with Coca-Cola in this region. We congratulate you and we thank you for the confidence you placed in us.” Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board A. Bruce Crawford said, “Through the creation of new jobs and investment in this advanced facility, Coca-Cola UNITED has made a significant contribution to the economic development of the River Region. We are grateful for their selection of Montgomery and their commitment to growth and prosperity of our community.” The Montgomery Coca-Cola Bottling Co. presented a $500 check to Carver’s Jr. ROTC program; a $1,500 check to the school’s band program; and a $5,000 check to Catoma Elementary School Mary Markham to fund a playground as part of the company’s partnership in the Classrooms to Boardrooms program, established by the Auburn University at Montgomery Office of Business & Community Initiatives. n

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Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

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REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

LAMP Ranked No. 1 The top-ranked high school in Alabama is the Montgomery Public Schools’ Loveless Academic Magnet Program High (LAMP), according to U.S. News and World Report. The school district also could boast about having the state’s No. 2 high school – Booker T. Washington Magnet High. A third school – Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School – was ranked 13th in the state, which means that one-third of Montgomery Public Schools’ high schools were ranked among the top 15 best high schools in Alabama. A total of 110 Alabama schools were on the list. U.S. News and World Report considered nearly 29,000 high schools. LAMP was ranked 34th nationally.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

by David Zaslawsky

TRAVELERS SPEND BILLIONS

MONTGOMERY COUNTY IS NO. 3

Travelers to Montgomery County last year spent a combined $777 million, or about $2.1 million a day, according to a report conducted for the Alabama Tourism Department.

Montgomery County ranked third for the most new and future jobs announced in 2015, according to the state’s Commerce Department. Limestone County was tops last year with 2,618 new and future jobs, with Jefferson County second at 2,464 jobs. Montgomery County was third at 1,268 new and future jobs announced in 2015.

The travelers – 25-plus million – spent $12.6 billion in the state last year – a 7.7 percent increase from 2014. “The dollars spent on tourism creates jobs, it grows local economies and generates needed tax revenues,” State Tourism Director Lee Sentell said in a statement. “Travel spending in Alabama has increased by 86 percent over the previous 13 years.” Think about this: Without those travel-related dollars, each household would pay an additional $424 in taxes, according to Keivan Deravi, dean of the Auburn University at Montgomery College of Public Policy & Justice and an economics professor, who compiled the report.

The overall total for Alabama was 19,262 jobs and capital investment of $7.1 billion, which doubled the 2014 total.

READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL The third annual Raycom Media Camellia Bowl will be 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. Yes, the Camellia Bowl is already in its third year. The game, which drew 20,000-plus fans last year, features teams from the Mid-American Conference and Sun Belt Conference. It will be televised on ESPN. “We are excited to announce that we will again be kicking off on the opening weekend of bowl season,” Raycom Media Camellia Bowl Executive Director Johnny Williams said in a statement. “We received a lot of positive feedback from both local and visiting fans regarding last year’s game date and time so we are happy to secure the same television slot.”

MONTGOMERY POPULATION RISES

metro areas,” Viktoria Riiman, a socioeconomic analyst for The University of Alabama Culverhouse College of Commerce’s Center for Business and Economic Research, said in a statement. The state’s metro areas gained 14,754 during “What these numbers tell “We also see that births that time span for a 0.4 us is that more people are outnumber deaths in most metro areas.” percent increase while the moving in than moving out in half of the state’s Montgomery’s population gained 536 people from July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2015, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

non-metro areas had a population decline of 0.2 percent (2,186 people). The largest metro gains were Huntsville (4,028 people) and DaphneFairhope-Foley (3,996).

NEW DOWNTOWN HOTEL The group that bought the Bishop-Parker furniture store in downtown Montgomery plans to build a four-story hotel on that property. The 80,000-square-foot building was purchased by Ascent Hospitality from Georgia. Terms of the deal were not announced. Bishop-Parker will relocate its warehouse. The purchase will not affect the company’s store on East South Boulevard.

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HELPING SCHOOLS Jim Wilson & Associates agreed to match funds up to $20,000 a year for five years for both Park Crossing High School and James W. Wilson

PROPERTY FOR SALE The Capitol Inn is expected to be demolished and the owner is asking a reported $1.4 million for the property in the Cottage Hill area. Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange told the Montgomery Advertiser there is an interested buyer.

Elementary School, which is located at the company’s New Park development. Both schools have already received $20,000.

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Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

Business Resource Center, which has an incubator at 600 S. Court St. Incubators and accelerators not only help companies get started, but also nurture them during the critical early developmental stages.

LARGE LAND TRACT ON THE AUCTION BLOCK About 150 acres were scheduled to be auctioned off of Harness Hill Road, including an equestrian center, offices and living quarters. The property will be sold in eight parcels. One of the parcels is 6.4 acres with a house and another is 39 acres with woods and pasture. A 27-acre parcel includes offices, the equestrian center, living quarters and suites.

“We might have one bidder purchase the entire 151 acres, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we had as many as eight buyers because the parcels offer very different possibilities,” Jack Granger, president of Granger, Thagard Auctions, said in a statement. There are adjacent subdivisions to the property along Vaughn and Bell roads.

Energy Savings The City of Montgomery hopes to cut its energy bill and save thousands of dollars in an agreement with Cenergistic. Actually the city has already saved $50,000 during the first six months of the start-up period at such facilities as City Hall, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery Zoo, library branches and Riverwalk Stadium. Combined energy costs at those facilities were about $3 million a year and the energy conservation program is projected to save $2.9 million in five years while cutting energy costs by more than 20 percent. There are no up-front costs for the city as Cenergistic implements its energy-saving program and receives half of the savings from the city. “At the end of the day, this program will eliminate waste and continue building on our objectives of being excellent stewards of taxpayer resources and protecting our environment,” Strange said in a statement. “It just makes good business sense to find new ways to optimize and improve our energy use.”

SERVISFIRST BANCSHARES RECOGNIZED ServisFirst Bancshares Inc. is joining some very select company as one of only 18 banking institutions out of almost 400 considered for the list of KBW Bank Honor Roll of superior performers. To qualify for the honor list, banks with $500-plus million in total assets must meet the following requirements: No annual loss reported in net income per share before extraordinary items over the past 10 years.

BARNES & NOBLE HOUSES TROJAN CAFE FEATURING STARBUCKS COFFEE If you go inside the Barnes & Noble bookstore at Troy University’s Montgomery campus you will find Starbucks. That’s right – Starbucks is being served in downtown Montgomery. The hours are 7:30 a.m.7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; and 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. There is a separate entrance for Starbucks.

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NEW NAME The largest law firm in the state – by number of attorneys – has shortened its name from Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP to Bradley. Bradley has an office at the RSA Dexter Avenue Building. The firm has eight offices and 500 attorneys. POWER FOUNDATION BOOSTS PRE-K PROGRAMS The Alabama Power Foundation has awarded $10,000 grants to 21 pre-K programs across the state, including Montgomery Public Schools’ McKee Pre-K Center.

“Early-childhood education lays the foundation for lifelong learning and success,” Myla Calhoun, vice president of charitable giving for Alabama Power, said in a statement. “Children who have access to high-quality pre-K programs are better prepared for elementary school, high school and, ultimately, the workforce. This is an investment in our state’s future that we can’t afford to overlook.”

BAPTIST EAST WINS AWARD Baptist Medical Center East received the prestigious 2016 Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics. The award criteria included female patient satisfaction, clinical excellence and what women say they want from a hospital. “Considering that women account for and

ultimately make 90 or more percent of the health care decisions for their family, being a hospital of choice women trust is commendable,” Baptist Medical Center East CEO Jeff Rains said in a statement. “Being treated with the proper level of care impacts health, wellbeing and healing.” The 400-plus award winners ranked above the national average for patient safety.

DONATIONS The Southeast Alabama Gas District gave $13,000 to Wiregrass Economic Development Corp., a week after donating $19,000-plus to Enterprise City Schools for a computer learning lab for teachers. The money for the Wiregrass Economic Development Corp. will assist in recruiting businesses and industries to the area. “At the end of the day, it’s all about jobs,” Wiley Lott, director of external affairs and economic development for SEAGD, said in a statement.

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OAKWORTH CAPITAL BANK

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Lee to right with Oakworth Capital Bank are Barry Prim, Managing Director, Private Banking; Roger Spain, Managing Director, Commercial Banking; Mark Keith, Associate Managing Director, Wealth Management; Sherron Terry, Client Support; Cindy Phillips, Client Support; John Steiner, Managing Director, Wealth Management; and Clinton Berry, Managing Director, Wealth Management.

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Paths to Success Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies set to open by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

Montgomery Public Schools Superintendent Margaret Allen recalled a principal telling her that a student was in tears over a transcript or some information blocking an opportunity to attend the district’s new Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies. “She did not want to miss the chance to be part of that program (MPACT),” Allen said. “I’m thinking they are getting serious. This gives them an opportunity to get serious about their futures, and I’m delighted that we can do that.” Students are serious about MPACT, and the business community is serious about MPACT because that’s where their future employees will come from. Although that’s just an anecdote and a small, very small way to gauge student interest in MPACT, what about 380 applicants for the program? Or about 200 students not graduating wanting to remain in the program? There were 249 students in the program in the spring. The goal now is 500 students for the fall semester, which begins in August at the new facility at One Center. That’s double the enrollment in one semester. MPACT Principal Marsha Baugh, for one, was not surprised at the surging number of applicants. “I think they (students) just weren’t aware of the opportunities that were here for them. I could tell that we were going to have a large number of applicants. I don’t know that I ever could have anticipated 380.” She credits the students, who are the program’s best recruiters. “This has just been a blessing for so many of them and they go back to their zoned schools and tell everybody,” Baugh said.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

That enthusiasm may filter down to the elementary school students, who will learn “there are so many opportunities out there for them,” Allen said. It has already gone up the ladder. “I’m excited about the interest that our students across the system have for MPACT,” Allen said. “They (students) took their tours out to MPACT and quite a number of them just fell in love.” Remember this was all before MPACT opened. “I feel like when we are in this new building and students come and tour and see what we have and what we can offer, I think it will make a huge difference,” Baugh said. It’s no doubt a game-changer for the school district and community. “It’s just great for motivation,” Allen said about students working “alongside of individuals who are in the profession already.” There is plenty of room to expand at MPACT, as 100,000 square feet of the building is not being used. Students will attend either a morning or afternoon session at MPACT and take their core classes – other than math – at their zoned schools. “We could easily accommodate 600 students,” Baugh said. “We are looking at some options for having a third shift of students.” Students will spend 2 hours and 45 minutes at MPACT. Continued on page 34

Margaret Allen (left) is superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools, and Marsha Baugh is principal of Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies. Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Continued from page 32

“This gives them an opportunity to get serious about their futures, and I’m delighted that we can do that.” – Montgomery Public Schools Superintendent Margaret Allen

Excitement has been so widespread that even instructors have been swept up in the wave. During student interviews with instructors there was competition for a student, Baugh recalled. “I could tell that the electrical teacher wanted him (student) and the welding teacher also wanted the same student to be in their program,” she said. Baugh saw the welding teacher pull out a paystub from a friend who is a welder and showed that to the student. “ ‘If you can make this somewhere else, let me know, and I’ll let you out of this program and you can go do something else.’ ” The teachers “want the best of the best,” Baugh said.

They also learn skills that can be very useful. One student saved his family money when the heater stopped working over the Christmas break, Baugh said. The student’s mother was going to call a repair person, but the student said he wanted to look at it. He repaired it.

When students walk inside the doors to MPACT they will find “a workplace environment,” which was the top priority, according to Baugh. “We want those students to walk in and feel like they’re at their job. Students will basically clock in and clock out just like they have a job. They will be assigned roles and responsibilities.

When the electrical sockets in Baugh’s kitchen stopped working, the electrical teacher went to Baugh’s house with two students. They figured out the problem and repaired it – the teacher did the work, but there was plenty of instruction going on. “It was amazing,” Baugh said. “How great is that?”

“Each major will have a company name. They will have jobs within that company. They will have employee manuals. They will develop their own name; develop their own logo.”

The semester will start with 10 majors/programs: medical science, electrical, building science, welding, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, advertising/ design, industrial systems (advanced manufacturing), information technology, fire science and public safety.

The school will follow the Alabama Simulated Workplace manual, Baugh said. She said that if medical science students want lab coats the advertising/design students will create a logo for the lab coat. “We’re going to work together in a lot of ways.” You hear over and over again the importance of opportunities for students to succeed. “For some of these kids, this is the best part of their day,” Baugh said. “This is what is giving them an opportunity to make money on their own; to work their way up – to own their own business.”

BRAND, SPANKING NEW Instructors design lab space for facility

It really is not fair to compare the school district’s aging and cramped Montgomery Technical Education Center to the new and spacious Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies. Yet, Montgomery Public Schools is scheduled to open the MPACT doors in August, closing the chapter on MTEC. First, MTEC was housed at the former McIntyre Middle School. It was converted into a technical education center. Meanwhile, MPACT is in the converted JC Penney building at the old Montgomery Mall, which is now called One Center. It will use only 65,000 square feet of the massive building, leaving lots and lots of room to grow. That leaves close to two-thirds of the building not in use.

by David Zaslawsky

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

“There are jobs that are probably going to come for students that we’re not even aware of yet,” Allen said. “This is our chance to follow the direction of technology – the direction of all sorts of businesses that are developing and coming into fruition as we talk. “We can grow and become more accessible to what businesses choose to offer here in Montgomery. We will keep our eyes on what is happening in the country and try to make those same kind of responses that will connect children to futures.” n

Second is the location. Students in the career technical education spend part of their day at their zoned school and part of the day at the technical school. It’s easy to get students in and out of a former mall and is definitely more convenient for students attending Park Crossing High School in East Montgomery. It is not easy to get them to MTEC on time in the morning. At MTEC, the district transformed traditional classrooms into labs as best it could. “You can’t fit that many students into those lab spaces once you put equipment in there,” said MTEC Principal Marsha Baugh, who in August becomes MPACT principal. “For safety reasons we are unable to use a lot of the equipment that we would like to.” She said that some of the equipment was too heavy for a second-floor room. Another issue was hardwood floors are not conducive to a welding lab so that program was held in a trailer and that limited the number of students to 10 at a time.

“We’ve been to lots of places to see what works and what doesn’t work. That was very, very helpful in planning for the new facility.” – Marsha Baugh, principal of Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies

There were six programs/majors at MTEC. There will be 10 at MPACT, including two new ones – medical science and industrial systems, which is advanced manufacturing. Not only are there more programs/ majors, but the space was designed for labs. There will be two traditional math classrooms. Students will take their other core classes at their zoned school. Every MPACT instructor designed their own lab space after conducting research and visiting other technical education facilities. “They are the experts in their field,” Baugh said. “They know how it works best.” They weren’t the only ones doing their homework. Baugh and other district officials worked closely with project managers, architects and also traveled to other technical education centers. There was even a trip to Ohio. “We’ve been to lots of places to see what works and what doesn’t work,” Baugh said. “That was very, very helpful in planning for the new facility.”

The new facility features bay doors so equipment on rollers can be taken outside – covered outdoor space. Majors were grouped together – building science, welding and heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The electrical lab is right above those three and a freight lift enables supplies to be lowered. Those four majors will be working together in a team design-andbuild competition. The project is a small house with specific dimensions; door and two windows; wiring; light fixture; and ventilation. Building science students will now have more space for their other projects, including garden containers and benches with trellises for Pintlala Elementary. Majors with heavy equipment are located on the first floor and majors such as advertising/design and information technology are located upstairs. n

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BUSINESSES FORM PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOL TECH PROGRAM

by David Zaslawsky

Edwards Plumbing & Heating Owner Chuck Edwards talked to a group of students in Montgomery Public Schools technical education program. His message was real simple: He had employees at retirement age, but nobody to replace them. Edwards may find some replacements, as he established a twoweek rotation for three students. Now the school district is trying to incorporate a plumbing component into what are called majors at the new Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies (MPACT) at One Center. The school already has a partnership with Dixie Electric, Plumbing & Air. There are existing partnerships with the Montgomery Police Department and the City’s Fire/Rescue Department, which both have stations at One Center. The district also works closely with the Montgomery Sheriff’s Department. Students in the public safety major attend almost weekly events, including a mock crime scene investigation by the city’s crime scene unit.

One student has already passed the Fire College exam and the physical test. As soon as the student graduates and turns 18 he will become a firefighter. Another fire science student has passed the first portion of the Fire College exam and the physical test. MPACT Principal Marsha Baugh has been talking to Information Transport Solutions about a partnership. Trane Area Service Manager Todd Clark has talked to students in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) major. Alabama Power has worked with MPACT to set up a pilot program for future utility line workers and Baugh expects there will be other pilot programs at MPACT, which was scheduled to open in August. Mike Jordan, area manager for Alabama Power’s Southern Division, was the first guest speaker in a First Fridays program operated by the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, which included tours, mock interviews and guest speakers the first Friday of the month.

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Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

Perhaps one of the key partnerships is with Alabama Industrial Development Training, which is part of the Alabama Commerce Department and will have a home at MPACT. That home, which is the Montgomery Regional Workforce Training Center, gives students a chance to use AIDT resources and equipment during school hours. AIDT can access MPACT equipment after school. The partnership between the school district and H. Councill Trenholm State Community College is likely to be enhanced – MPACT is located across the bypass from Trenholm. “The impact of Trenholm and AIDT reflects on the idea of necessary resources being very close to where we need them to be,” said Montgomery Public Schools Superintendent Margaret Allen. “Having that close proximity is definitely a plus.” A boost to the dual enrollment program is likely with Trenholm so close, and now being a state community college after receiving accreditation. Students in dual

enrollment attend high school and take community college courses at the same time and may graduate with both a high school degree and associate arts degree, or need to take a few more courses for their AA degree. Allen hopes that partnerships with MPACT expand to other aspects of the district. “It would be awesome if more businesses want to be partners with Montgomery Public Schools,” she said. Local businesses have turned to students in the technical education program for help. Even other schools have sought help, including building stairs to a stage. “The partnerships that have come moving from a career tech center and this new building has opened up so many opportunities for our current students,” Baugh said. “I can only anticipate a tremendous amount (of more partnerships) once we’re able to get in here and have the proper equipment.” n

“The partnerships ...have opened up so many opportunities for our current students.” – Marsha Baugh, principal of Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP Alabama l Florida l Georgia Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

CHANGING PERCEPTION AmeriFirst Bank: ‘We’re all in now’ by David Zaslawsky

AmeriFirst Bank (from left) Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Marsha Moffett, City President Liz Braswell and President and CEO Bob Ramsay are leading the effort to change the bank’s perception.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

photography by Robert Fouts

Everything about AmeriFirst Bank is about to change, except the name will remain the same. There will be a new logo and that means new business cards, stationery and everything else associated with the bank. A new website has been launched and even the bank’s main branch on Vaughn Road had a lobby makeover. The makeover and ensuing promotional campaign could end up costing six figures over 18 months, bank officials said. This is much more than creating a new look. AmeriFirst Bank President and CEO Bob Ramsey wants to change the perception. When people think about lenders, Ramsey wants them to think about AmeriFirst Bank. “We want to be on the list with the big guys,” he said. “We want to be on the list with Regions. We want to be on the list with Wells Fargo. We want to be on the list with (BBVA) Compass.” AmeriFirst Bank City President Liz Braswell said, “Everybody wants to be a community bank. You hear that in a lot of advertising. That’s kind of overdone. We are a community bank. We’re looking for quality. We want to be a contender. For years we have been, but on a much lesser scale. We’re all in now. We’ve hired personnel. We are ready to grow. And we’re going to put everything we’ve got in it.” The bank recently hired two experienced commercial lenders from a large bank – Will Hickman and Josh Myers – who joined AmeriFirst as vice presidents. They have a combined 30 years of experience. Their previous customers have been getting plenty of attention from five or six banks, Ramsey said. In addition to hiring the two commercial lenders, Dawn Fain with 27 years of experience was hired as vice president of private banking and retail lending. “We’re trying to refine our image from being a community bank from Union Springs to a bank for Central Alabama,” Ramsey said. “We want to be a

player. We’re not buying new machines. We’re not buying new buildings. We’re spending money on people and support. I feel like we’ve got the best team of lenders in town.” The makeover is being done now because AmeriFirst Bank is focusing on growth, Ramsey said. The bank had $143.4 million in assets through Dec. 31, 2015. Loans had grown from $85.4 million in 2014 to $90.4 million last year. AmeriFirst is budgeting a 6 percent loan increase this year, “but we expect to plow through that with these new guys,” Ramsey said. The bank’s profit increased from $262,000 in 2014 to $428,000 in 2015. After the bank’s new commercial lenders have generated a healthy revenue, the bank plans to hire additional lenders, and that means adding one support person per lender. There could be four more hires over the next 18 months. AmeriFirst already grew from 38 employees to 48 the past two years. “Our focus is commercial, small- to medium-size businesses and professionals,” Ramsey said. “Don’t get me wrong, we like retail, but that’s not our focus.” While all of this is going on, bank personnel will also be busy converting a loan production center in Lee County to a full-service branch. There is a branch in Prattville and the home office is in Union Springs. “Quite frankly, we don’t have any other branches on the horizon,” Ramsey said. “With electronic banking and the direction it’s taking the banking industry, I’m not sure if we’ll add any more bricks and mortar in Montgomery.” Bank officials are working on the firm’s 100th anniversary celebration with events in Union Springs and in Montgomery most likely in the late fall. AmeriFirst Bank Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Marsha Moffett would like the public to say: “I know that bank. I love that bank. I bank there and you need to bank there. They have great customer service. When you walk in, it’s a wonderful experience.” n

“We’re trying to refine our image from being a community bank from Union Springs to a bank for Central Alabama.” – AmeriFirst Bank President and CEO Bob Ramsey

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

“There is no other property that we’re aware of in Montgomery that can match the views.” -Joseph E. Weldon III, president, StoneRiver Co. Joseph E. Welden III, president of Birmingham-based StoneRiver Co.

You cannot help but notice The Heights on Maxwell Boulevard overlooking the Alabama River. In the brochure for the four-story, 164-unit development it touts the property as “City Living with a Waterfront View.” The brochure also conjures up other images such as “kick back in the serenity of your own scenic overlook” and “Enjoy Life Set to a River’s Place” as well as: “Best of all, after a hard day’s work, you retreat to your beautiful apartment and look out over the Alabama River.” Most of the units have balconies, and all the units, including those on the first floor, have views of the Alabama River.

Peaceful, Easy Feeling The Heights offers spectacular views by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

“There is no other property that we’re aware of in Montgomery that can match the views,” said Joseph E. Welden III, president of Birmingham-based StoneRiver Co., which built The Heights. “We believe it’s the best location in Montgomery in terms of proximity to downtown; walking distance to the ballpark (Riverwalk Stadium); access to Wright Brothers Park; proximity to Maxwell Air Force Base. You’re close to everything.” It’s such an attention grabber that motorists on Interstate 65 stop by and tour The Heights out of curiosity, according to Welden. “It’s new, but it’s also Class A,” he said about The Heights, which began leasing in late January and had 45 units leased through early May. The goal is to have more than 90 percent of The Heights leased early in the third quarter. “It’s condo-level apartments,” Welden said. “It has all the latest amenities you see in all the new developments we build in the country.” Those amenities – in addition to the views and location – include a clubhouse, pool, fitness center, gated parking as well as plenty of street parking, outdoor grilling area and two elevators.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

There are 106 one-bedroom, one-bath units and 58 two-bedroom, two-bath units that feature walk-in closets, walk-in showers, washer/dryer, stainless-steel appliances, hardwood floors and granite countertops. The one-bedroom units range from 855 square feet to 985 square feet and rent from $1,050 to $1,300. The two-bedroom units are 1,080 square feet to 1,300 square feet with rents ranging from $1,400 to $1,550. There are premiums for top-floor units and those near

the elevators. Most of the leases are 12 months, but there are short-term leases for seven months or longer and those have an additional fee. The $21 million project is targeted for a wide group of demographics – everybody from empty-nesters and those downsizing to young professionals and military. “Everybody sees the attraction of living here,” Welden said. “We designed the project in a way that would appeal to everybody and so far that’s proven true.” n

The Heights on Maxwell offer spectacular views and the apartments have numerous upscale features.

cutline

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

StoneRiver Co. built and manages The Heights, a 164-unit project.

STONERIVER LOOKS FOR FUTURE PROJECTS IN MONTGOMERY by David Zaslawsky photography by Robert Fouts

The experience has been so positive that

performance of the lease up and the folks who

StoneRiver Co. is likely to look for other

showed an interest in living here. We feel like if

opportunities to develop an apartment

it continues to perform, we’ll continue to look for

project in Montgomery.

opportunities here.”

Birmingham-based StoneRiver built and manages

He praised Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange,

The Heights, a 164-unit development on

former Development Director Chad Emerson

Maxwell Boulevard.

and Mac McLeod, director of business

“The city has been great to work with,” StoneRiver Co. President Joseph E. Welden III said.

and commercial development for the City of Montgomery.

“The sub-contractor base that we used here

“Without their help, this project wouldn’t

locally has been fantastic. We’ve enjoyed the

have happened,” Welden said. “They were

experience so far and have been pleased with the

instrumental in allowing this to take place.”

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334-834-2073 www.kyserproperties.com 1537 Jean St. Montgomery, AL 36107 42

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

PARSONS BROACH FINANCIAL SERVICES

Member Spotlight

Lee to right with Parsons Broach Financial Services are Todd Parsons, Partner | Financial Advisor; Robert Broach, Partner | Branch Manager; and Lee Ann Hanan, Sales Assistant.

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? 5 years HOW MANY EMPLOYEES? 3 employees HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMPANY? The team at Parsons Broach Financial Services works with individuals, corporations and nonprofits in 12 states in their pursuit of financial independence and planning for the future. We’ve spent a combined 50 years providing investment and financial planning services to help people reach lifelong goals. Our philosophy has remained the same since we started our company – to help improve financial lives so that our clients can focus on things that are most important to them. ar WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM YOUR COMPETITORS? Independence.

As independent advisors and business owners, we believe we stand apart from many in our industry. Like many of our clients, we are entrepreneurs at heart as well, and understand the challenges many business owners have to overcome.

WHY HAS YOUR COMPANY BEEN SUCCESSFUL? Client success equals our success. Helping clients understand their investments strategy but also understanding why we are using it and how their ultimate investment results may be reached within their risk tolerance and objectives. We believe this leads to the kind of success that clients seek. WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD? Continuing to WH

work with more clients oﬀering proven strategies that will help lead them to financial success. Seeing our clients reach their personal goals: retiring early, a company oﬀering a well-designed 401(k) plan, a nonprofit that has the ability to ensure its financial future. And to grow through other advisors joining our firm.

AN ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION? We are lucky to enjoy the rewards of running our own

practice in a way that best suits our clients. We love that we have the ability to have fun at what we do and focus on what is important to each of us, running our business in a way that focuses on our clients as well as our personal lives.

WHAT ONE THING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE? We have access to some of the best investment research and

technology in the industry through Raymond James. Technology has truly changed our industry in so many ways for the better. As an example, we are now able to manage our complete client system from an app on our phone or iPad.

Securities oﬀered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Any opinions are those of the team at Parsons Broach Financial Services and not necessarily those of Raymond James.

4121 Carmichael Road, Suite 305 Montgomery AL 36106 334-481-6916, www.parsonsbroach.com Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

When you ask Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Mike Rowell how much Alfa Insurance is investing in its technology project, you have no idea what to expect, and are still shocked by his response.

MAJOR TRANSFORMATION Alfa Insurance invests $100-plus million in technology by David Zaslawsky photography by Robert Fouts

Mike Rowell is senior vice president and chief information officer for Alfa Insurance.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

“The total project cost is in excess of $100 million,” he said. “Sorry, I stumble a little bit when I say that. It’s a major transformation – a large project.” Project Lift is so large that it will take three years, ending late next year. The major first phase is expected to be completed at the end of 2016 and that represents two years. The project is so large that up to 300 contractors have been used and sometimes as many as 40 to 50 temporary workers. “We’ve had some people really work diligently nights and weekends,” Rowell said. “The commitment of the Alfa employees and our contractors to get this done has just been exceptional. It has been a team effort and they’re willing to do whatever they need to do to make this company successful.” To understand how large this project is, consider the following: Before the project began, Alfa Insurance had 16 separate software systems that its agents had to learn. “Some of these were actually written before I was born,” Rowell said. Some of those legacy systems

were more than 50 years old. “It took a lot of our time to have people knowledgeable on each one of these different systems; to program them; keep them up; and maintain home-grown systems. It’s our total system that we’re redoing.” In the past it was possible that a customer with a commercial line of insurance may not have received a discount for having auto or home lines because the systems were not integrated. Now the firm is “moving from a policy-level view of the customer to a customerlevel view,” said Jeff Helms, director of the department of public relations and communications for both Alfa Insurance and the Alabama Farmers Federation. “By bringing everything together in a customer view, it not only is more efficient for the company, but it could have some benefits for the customer as well,” he said. Now all the business lines – such as home, auto, fire, farm and commercial – will be on a common system. The new software system is from Foster City, Calif.-based Guidewire. Alfa’s partner in the project is London-based Ernst & Young, which has undertaken its largest IT project at this time in North America. Continued on page 46

“You’re going to fill out electronic information that’s going to be sent directly to the home office.” – Mike Rowell, senior vice president and chief information officer for Alfa Insurance

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Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

recognizing “the need to invest in the long-term future of Alfa Insurance and that this (technology) was an area they needed to make that investment in. I think we have to acknowledge that they kind of challenged the entire company to ‘let’s not go and see what we can do to fix an old system. Where should we be and what would it take for us to get there in terms of investment? Let’s do it and let’s do it right.’ ”

Alfa Insurance is investing more than $100 million in a three-year technology project.

Continued from page 45

“The insurance industry is very competitive and we deal with some really strong (firms): State Farm, Allstate, Geico, Progressive,” Rowell said. “All of them have very up-to-date software systems. We want to provide the same or better experience for our customers and we’ve got to stay in the game and be in the same mold.” Helms credits Alfa President, CEO and Chairman of the Board Jimmy Parnell and the firm’s board of directors for

MBJ_Expo Ad June 2016_7.625x4.9.indd 1 Montgomery Business Journal Summer

2016

The second phase next year will involve farm lines and e-commerce such as electronic signature and electronic billing and service over the internet. Alfa2Go offers online services, “but it will be more robust as we move along,” Rowell said. “You’re going to fill out electronic information that’s going to be sent directly to the home office. There are no paper forms or mailing of forms.” The new system will even speed up the underwriting process by making it more automated. “It doesn’t mean we’ll take people out of the decisions,” Rowell said, but the automation will handle what he called the “clear yeses.” Why has the company been tight-lipped about Project Lift? “I don’t know that we intended to be quiet about it,” Rowell said. “We’ve just been real busy trying to get it going. It has involved everybody. “We’re Montgomery-based and we’re proud to be here and proud to make an investment in this city to continue the growth.” n

6/8/16 2:39 PM

BRINGING ALFA TO NEW HEIGHTS by David Zaslawsky

An Alfa Insurance executive was a presenter at an information technology conference, telling participants what his company was doing. Later that evening at a social event someone sat down next to Rob Robison, senior vice president of life operations for Alfa Insurance and said, “I want to sit down next to the crazy person that’s willing to take on this big of a project.” Mike Rowell, senior vice president and chief information officer for Alfa Insurance, said, “It’s a massive project, but we feel like it’s the right thing for our customers – that we need to be aggressive to … have a system that’s as good or better than our competitors. We feel like that’s what our customers deserve.” This is not about return on investment, although this investment tops $100 million. This is all about the company’s customers, and a firm that prides itself on customer service is ensuring it will remain at the top. “It was the right thing to do from a service standard to continue our competitive position,” Rowell said. “It’s not just about putting a software system in or just about technology. It’s how can we do things better and more efficiently.

“It’s really about bringing Alfa to new heights – taking us to a new level of service for our customers and our members in the (Alabama Farmers) Federation.”

“What we want

There are no specific growth goals from the technology transformation. “What we want to do is make sure that we’re servicing and taking care of the customers that we have today, and they’re happy with the experience,” Rowell said. “From that standpoint, I think this (project) will help us tremendously.”

to do is make

Rowell said the goal is keeping customers happy and staying long-term with Alfa and their children staying with Alfa Insurance. “That’s where we need to focus, but that doesn’t mean we’re not interested in getting new customers. The fastest way to grow your business is hang on to the customers that you have.”

taking care of the

The three-year project is so much concentrated on customers that Alfa has spent countless hours reviewing documents to make sure they have the proper look and feel. There are nearly 700 different types of forms and communications. It was so important for Alfa to get it right that a multi-discipline was created “to look at the bill and let’s make sure we’re communicating with our customers in the best way possible,” Rowell said. “Yes, it is a software and IT project, but it really is a focus overall on our business processes and how we work with, communicate and service our customers.” n

they’re happy with

sure that we’re servicing and customers that we have today, and the experience.” – Mike Rowell, senior vice president and chief information officer for Alfa Insurance

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Member Profile

SMILING FACES

Ida McCrary is baker and owner of JoZettie’s Cupcakes.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

JoZettie’s Cupcakes ‘make people happy’ by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

“Cupcakes make people happy.” It’s hard to argue with that quote from Ida McCrary, baker and owner of JoZettie’s Cupcakes, because she is so right. She told the story of her sister’s friend, who had a son fighting for his life. “Someone gave the family a box of cupcakes,” McCrary said. She said that the father thanked them and knew “that could not help his child, but it made them feel better at that particular time. Stuff like that sticks with me and that’s what makes me keep coming back. It’s those people out there that really need a cupcake.”

“They come in and get a cupcake and my cupcake makes them better. That’s why I say that cupcakes make people happy.” – Ida McCrary, baker and owner of JoZettie’s Cupcakes

Right again. Cupcakes do make people feel better, and McCrary sees it first-hand five days a week at her Decatur Street location. She also has a store on East South Boulevard.

Although she opened her second location this year, she had no plans to do that. “My pastor came to me one day and said, ‘The Lord told me to tell you that you need to open up another business.’ ”

NAME

“I always tell people I don’t have a cupcake shop,” McCrary said. “I have a cupcake ministry.” That’s because she chats with her customers and some have had open-heart surgery or have cancer or lost a loved one. “If you stand there (behind the counter) and you talk to people, they’ll tell you what’s going on in their life,” she said. “They come in and get a cupcake and my cupcake makes them better,” she said. “That’s why I say that cupcakes make people happy.”

When asked if she plans to open a third location for jobs for more family members, McCrary said, “I don’t know, because I always pray and ask the Lord to guide me.”

EMPLOYEES

She actually had no plans to open her store four years ago on Decatur Street. She was “going through some stuff” with her children. “When I came down the street and I was so depressed so I asked the Lord for direction,” McCrary said. “That’s when I saw this building (1404 S. Decatur St.).” She had worked for 15 years as an emergency room technician and 18plus years operating a home day care business. She worked both jobs at the same time.

She has also made a number of family members happy, including nieces and nephews she employs at her stores. Her son and daughter work full time at the East South Boulevard site, which opened in January. Her husband helps bake four days a week on a part-time basis.

JOZETTIE’S CUPCAKES 10 YEARS IN BUSINESS

LOCATIONS

1404 S. DECATUR ST. 2229 E. SOUTH BLVD.

Now she is busy with her cupcake business, which works well with her passion for more than 30 years – baking. Her favorite cupcake is pineapple upside down. The most popular cupcakes are red velvet, key lime, sweet potato and red velvet cheese cake. She also sells pies and cakes at the Decatur location, but orders must be 24 hours in advance. She will sometimes sell cookies. All the baking is done at the Decatur store and cupcakes are transported to the East South Boulevard site. The Decatur store brings in 70 percent to 80 percent of all the revenue. n

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

MEMBER NEWS

BUSINESS BUZZ FOUR STAR DEALER PRINCIPAL NOMINATED FOR DEALER OF THE YEAR MONTGOMERY – Four Star Freightliner Dealer Principal Jerry Kocan was recognized as one of only five Dealer of the Year nominees by the American Truck Dealers (ATD).

“It is a distinct honor to be nominated and to represent the best dealer network and brand (Freightliner) in North America,” Kocan said in a statement. “Being Jerry Kocan selected to represent the market leader is an honor I will cherish forever. There is no finer brand of trucks or dealer network.” The five nominees were selected by state, metro and national association leaders. Nominees for the national award, according to ATD, are evaluated by a panel of professors from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business on dealership performance, industry leadership and civic contributions. Tom Bertolino, vice president of NorCal Kenworth in Sacramento, was named Dealer of the Year. In other developments, Four Star Freightliner launched a newly designed website with both mobile and desktop versions at fourstarfreightliner.com. The firm also provided a loaner truck – a 2016 Freightliner Cascadia – to Ingram State Technical College in Deatsville and sent Training Manager David Carroll to provide additional instruction. The vehicle is for the school’s diesel mechanics program.

NEPTUNE TECHNOLOGY GROUP LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE TALLASSEE – Neptune Technology Group launched a new website with a new content management system. The project was a collaboration between Neptune, Square Root Interactive and Copperwing Design. The Square Root team conducted a full requirements inquiry and site audit, which resulted in the new website information architecture strategy, persona Mark Cline development and user experience wireframe design. Copperwing Design managed Neptune’s brand strategy for the project, designed the look and provided brand messaging for Niki Peterson the website. The website site – neptunetg.com – features include an improved product section, better document organization, more relevant content and an improved sales contact locator.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

“Today’s websites are constantly changing and with Neptune’s new launch, not only do they have a beautiful, cutting-edge site, they have a powerful marketing tool that will allow them to personalize and improve the visitor experience with the goal of increasing conversions and ultimately revenues,” Cline said.

MOWERY CONSULTING, FIXR DIGITAL WIN THREE POLLIE AWARDS MONTGOMERY – Mowery Consulting and FIXR Digital won three American Association of Political Consultants’ Pollie Awards for work on the Keep Montgomery Strange campaign. The firm won Best Internet Advertising, Best Use of Social Media and Best Facebook Advertising for a Mayoral Candidate. “To win three awards in categories that are the focus of our newest venture, FIXR, is validating, to say the least,” Mowery said in a statement. “To win them for the mayor of our hometown (and a great client) is even better.”

Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange “Our goal for the website update was to create a visually appealing site that won his re-election campaign. “David made sure we were using the cutting offers our users the most information edge of digital targeting in the least amount of clicks,” and the right mix of Niki Peterson, marketing online and offline communications specialist communications to for Neptune Technology identify, message Group, said in statement. and turn out our “Users shouldn’t have voters,” Strange said to search for information in a statement. and we want to make sure we are making it easy to use David Mowery Mowery Consulting and our site.” FIXR Digital are twin This is the third website launch Square Root has collaborated

with Neptune. Square Root’s Vice President of Operations Mark Cline believes these enhancements meet Neptune’s goals, including more engaged website visitors.

companies based in Montgomery

with offices in New Orleans. Mowery Consulting is a political and public affairs strategy company while FIXR Digital is the advertising firm associated with Mowery Consulting.

TROY UNIVERSITY FEDERAL GRANT WILL ASSIST TEACHERS TROY – The Alabama Math Science and Technology Initiative at Troy University will help local teachers establish professional learning teams (PLTs) in their schools thanks to a federal grant.

companies shared an uncommon mutual commitment to general aviation and our shared customers.” HET will continue to produce the Sky-Tec starter and solenoid products under the Sky-Tec brand and manufacturing will continue in the current factory in Granbury, Texas through the end of the year. Production will be transferred to the company’s Montgomery facility. The company expects to add five jobs in Montgomery.

A PLT is a collaborative team of teachers whose members work together to improve the learning experience for students. This team will use real student data to determine the effectiveness of current instruction in order to develop new methods and improve existing instructional strategies.

“The purchase of the Sky-Tec brand is consistent with our strategy of growing our core product lines organically and through acquisition,” Disbrow stated. “Sky-Tec not only brings us a leadership position on Lycoming engines, it also adds new applications such as fourcylinder Continental and Rotax engines, Franklin engines and other developing aircraft power plant technologies to our product portfolio.”

The project is supported by a No Child Left Behind grant of $65,000 administered by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education that will fund substitutes and training materials.

ALABAMA MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC AUTHORITY, MEMBERS AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS

HARTZELL ENGINE TECHNOLOGIES ACQUIRES SKY-TEC PRODUCTS

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Municipal Electric Authority and its 11 members are providing $82,500 in scholarships this year for 33 high school seniors.

LAKELAND, Fla. – Hartzell Engine Technologies LLC acquired the Sky-Tec brand of high-performance aircraft starters and solenoids.

Each student will receive a $2,500 scholarship. Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) received 117 scholarship applications.

“We are ecstatic to have successfully Since 1992, AMEA and its members completed the acquisition of one have provided more than $2 of the aviation industry’s million in scholarships to most respected brands, graduating high school which significantly seniors, who receive enhances our starter their electric service product line and from AMEA members, adds solenoids as including Alexander well,” Mike Disbrow, City, Dothan, Fairhope, president of Hartzell LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Engine Technologies Opelika, Piedmont, Riviera Mike Disbrow (HET), said in a statement. Utilities (Foley), Sylacauga “Working with the entrepreneurial and Tuskegee. team behind Sky-Tec starters during Students’ families must receive our acquisition of Plane-Power electric service from a member’s alternators made it clear that our

electric utility and the student must attend an Alabama college or university to be eligible for a scholarship. “We take our role as a good corporate citizen seriously,” AMEA President and Fred Clark CEO Fred D. Clark Jr. said in a statement. “That’s why we, along with our members, support education initiatives, like the AMEA scholarship program, that contribute to making our state economically competitive.”

BEASLEY NAMED TO ELITE LAWDRAGON 500 LIST MONTGOMERY – Jere L. Beasley, principal and founder of Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., has been selected as one of the 2016 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. This year marks the Jere Beasley fourth time he has been named to this prestigious list. Recipients of this honor are determined by a combination of editorial research by Lawdragon staff, submissions from law firms and an online nomination form. Beasley, the senior member of Beasley Allen, has practiced law since 1962. During his career, Beasley has tried hundreds of cases and his numerous courtroom victories include landmark cases.

HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON MONTGOMERY EXECUTIVE RECEIVES SALES AWARD MONTGOMERY – The director of sales at Homewood Suites by Hilton Montgomery received the Excellence in Sales Leadership Award for achievements last year. CONTINUED ON PAGE

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

BUSINESS BUZZ FROM PAGE

Ray Brown was selected as one of 100 individual and hotel recipients honored at the company’s brand leadership conference. He works at the company’s hotel at 1800 Interstate Park Drive.

Ray Brown

“We are honored that Ray was recognized as a top sales award winner,” General Manager Francine Molette said in a statement. “Ray’s recognition from the brand demonstrates his commitment to our property and our guests’ satisfaction.” The hotel features 91 suites with fully-equipped kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas.

HOBBY LOBBY COMING TO EASTCHASE MONTGOMERY – Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. is building a 55,000-square-foot location at EastChase that is expected to open next spring. It will be located by Costco on a seven-acre site. Work on the project is scheduled to begin in the summer. Will Wilson

“Hobby Lobby has been a part of our community for many years and we look forward to their new store joining the EastChase development,” Jim Wilson & Associates President Will Wilson said in a statement. Jim Wilson & Associates and Alfa Realty Inc. are the developers of the 330plus acre EastChase. “We are thrilled to relocate our Montgomery store and look forward to serving our customers in an amazing new location,” John Schumacher, assistant vice president of advertising for Hobby Lobby Stores, said in a statement. “We know our customers will experience an improved and enhanced shopping experience in this new facility.”

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

OAKWORTH CAPITAL BANK NAMES MONTGOMERY ADVISORY BOARD Oakworth Capital Bank announced its inaugural advisory board in Montgomery. The Montgomery advisory board consists of Katrina Belt, Alex Carothers, Bill Hardgrave, Susan Harris, Hank Hutchinson, Don Rickard and Clark Sahlie.

EXTRA HELP REBRANDS AS HIRELEVEL ST. LOUIS – Extra Help Inc., one of the region’s largest Women Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) Suppliers, announced it has rebranded and has become HireLevel. The name HireLevel is aligned with the workplace management company’s longtime mission as well as future growth plans. HireLevel is committed to supporting its clients and taking their business to the next level, whether supporting staffing needs, payroll or developing comprehensive workforce management solutions.

“HireLevel, while a new name, is built on a reputation we have earned over time of delivering results, which will always be core to our company brand,” Katubig said.

LOCAL MEDICAL STUDENTS SELECTED AS ALABAMA SCHWEITZER FELLOWS MONTGOMERY – Two medical students assigned to the Montgomery Regional Medical campus of UAB School of Medicine have been selected to the inaugural class of Alabama Schweitzer Fellows. Taylor Pope and Sarah Teitell will spend the next year learning to address social factors that impact health and developing lifelong leadership skills in following the example set by famed physician-humanitarian Albert Schweitzer, for whom their Fellowship is named.

Pope will work with students at Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center to improve their health Taylor Pope and self-esteem through dance. Teitell will increase access The new color palette to health care for includes bold red and blue runaway and/or as well as complementary homeless youth at colors to create a fresh Family Connection brand experience. Inc. (Project HOPE). “Our new brand was She will create a health designed to reinforce our screening assessment Sarah Teitell ongoing commitment to partner and local health care with our clients and consistently resource guide and assist with deliver high-caliber talent,” President connecting these youth with the and Chief Executive Officer Teresa appropriate local free/low-cost Katubig said in a statement. “Our community health agencies. goal is to build on the strength of Schweitzer Fellows develop and our current brand while updating it implement service projects that to reflect the company’s expanded address the root causes of health capabilities in a rapidly changing disparities in under-resourced business environment.” communities while fulfilling The new website – HireLevel.com their academic responsibilities. – features a host of custom and Each project is implemented in interactive elements with a focus on collaboration with a communityease of use. based health and/or social service organization. Schweitzer Fellowships have an intensive leadership

component so that Fellows can inspire others to improve the health of those who experience barriers to care. Fellows work under the close guidance of community and academic mentors during their fellowship year. The Alabama Fellows will join approximately 240 other 201617 Schweitzer Fellows working at program sites around the United States as well as one in Lambaréné, Gabon, at the site of The Albert Schweitzer Hospital, founded by Dr. Schweitzer in 1913.

JACKSON THORNTON TECHNOLOGIES EMPLOYEE RECEIVES DESIGNATION MONTGOMERY – Jackson Thornton Technologies Technical Services Manager Rick Thompson has received the certified information systems security professional (CISSP) designation. Thompson has worked in the technology industry for 12-plus years. He is a systems, network and security engineer with hands-on technical experience in both the public and private sectors and advises clients on all aspects of information privacy and security programs.

BOND & BOTES PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS MONTGOMERY – The law firm of Bond & Botes is offering two $2,000 financial hardship scholarships for undergraduate and first-year law students. Students must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 to be eligible for the scholarship. The undergraduate scholarship is available to high school seniors and current college students. Law students must be entering their first year to be eligible for a scholarship. The application deadline is Aug. 1. Bond & Botes, which has offices in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee, handles bankruptcy cases.

ROSA PARKS MUSEUM OFFERS FAMILY FREE DAYS MONTGOMERY – Family Free Days are coming to Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum this summer.

The museum will welcome families for activities and free admission to the museum June 18, July 16 and Aug. 20. Those activities will include hands-on art projects, performance art, storytelling Rick Thompson and more. Each month will feature a different theme.

To achieve the CISSP designation, Thompson met stringent requirements including professional experience and an understanding of and expertise in cybersecurity threats, technologies, standards, practices and regulations. “We are very pleased that Rick has earned the CISSP certification; we’re grateful to have such a qualified individual managing our clients’ information security,” Brian Driskill, vice president of business operations at Jackson Thornton Technologies, said in a statement.

The museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each of these days with activities scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For information about Family Free Days, call (334) 241-8701.

HILLTOP ARMS APARTMENTS SOLD TO SYS-CON MONTOGMERY – The Moore Company Realty firm was the broker of the Hilltop Arms Apartment building in the Cottage Hill neighborhood.

and Joy Burgress. Terms of the deal were not announced. The broker was Gene Cody. The firm has a sale pending on the Grove Court Apartments and recently closed on the Camelot Apartments across from One Center, which was the former site of the Montgomery Mall.

Gene Cody

AGRIBUSINESS LEADERS ELECTED TO ALABAMA AG CREDIT BOARD MONTGOMERY – Larry H. Gibson, Jr. of Aliceville and Mark D. Platt of Fruitdale were elected to the Alabama Ag Credit board of directors. Gibson, who was re-elected after the expiration of his three-year board term, has served as vice chairman to the board. Gibson is president of Gibson Forest Management, a forestry consulting firm, and owns about 1,500 acres of timberland. He also Larry H. Gibson Jr. manages about 55,000 acres of timberland for clients in West Alabama and East Mississippi, where he provides complete forest management services. Gibson has served on the board since 2010. Mark D. Platt Newly-elected Platt, a full-time farmer for the past 16 years, operates 850 acres of poultry, cotton, peanuts, feed grains, cattle and timber. He has also served two years as county commissioner for Washington County. Alabama Ag Credit has offices in Demopolis, Dothan, Enterprise, Montgomery, Monroeville, Opelika, Selma, Spanish Fort and Tuscaloosa. n

Sys-Con bought the nine-story property from Kim F. Henderson

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

MEMBER NEWS

MEMBERS ON THE MOVE STARKE AGENCY HIRES CFO, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS/LIFE ADVISER MONTGOMERY – Melissa Thurber has joined the Starke Agency as chief financial officer, and the company hired William Van Hooser as employee benefits/life adviser. Thurber most recently was the chief financial officer at Raycom Media, one of the nation’s largest privately owned broadcasters. She worked nearly 20 years for Raycom Media.

William Van Hooser

Melissa Thurber

“We are pleased that Melissa Thurber has joined the Starke Agency team,” Starke Agency President Bolling “Trey” P. Starke III said in a statement. “Melissa brings a broad array of accounting experience to our agency. She has been involved in over 80 acquisitions in her previous role.”

She is an Atlanta native, who graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery with a master’s degree in finance. She has a 27-year career in planning and financial operations management. She is experienced in treasury management, organizational development, debt financing, forecasting, accounting, budgeting and competitive analysis.

“Starke is a great company, with strong leadership and a well-established reputation for excellence,” Van Hooser said in a statement. “The opportunity to work for a company like Starke doesn’t come around every day.”

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

MONTGOMERY – Local insurance consulting agency Team Assure hired Dax Anderson as the director of consulting and marketing.

His primary role will be as client liaison, “I am excited for the establishing new opportunity to work in relationships and a professional, familyworking with schools owned business with a and districts to solid reputation in the assess coverage community and a passion and insurance needs. for winning,” Thurber said in Anderson will also handle Dax Anderson a statement. Team Assure’s marketing Van Hooser, a graduate of Auburn outreach as the company is involved University, has three years of with the Wounded War Heroes experience working with Traveler’s project, including their yearly hunting and has worked with multiple trips and cabin retreats. independent insurance agencies “We are very excited to have Dax across the state. join us and we feel that our business “William has accomplished himself of consulting accident medical in high school, college and in insurance with school boards and the workplace,” Starke said. “His businesses will grow even stronger leadership skills will prove valuable with his added expertise,” Team and should give all of our customers Assure President David Larson said confidence moving forward.” in a statement. Van Hooser has handled a broad range of risks for a large variety of private companies and nonprofit organizations.

TEAM ASSURE HIRES DIRECTOR OF CONSULTING AND MARKETING

The firm’s parent company is Planned Benefit Services.

Mense brings more than 10 years of experience in technology management and operations to his new position. After beginning his AUM career as an MONTGOMERY – IT technician in the Auburn University university’s library in at Montgomery has 2007, Mense served as named Tobias Mense as senior IT consultant and then Tobias Mense chief information officer. lead senior IT consultant in advanced technologies/AUM He was a senior technology officer Outreach. Before coming to AUM, for advanced technologies, a unit Mense worked as a management of SummaSource at AUM, and assistant in IT–Systems at Deutsche is an alumnus of the university. Telekom AG in Münster, Germany. Mense will oversee the university’s newly-formed office of technology, He received a bachelor’s degree in which includes AUM’s Information information systems and a master’s Technology Services (ITS) and degree in business administration advanced technologies. Mense will from AUM. serve as a member of the university’s senior staff and report directly to the “I am honored to have this new AUM chancellor. opportunity to serve this great university, my alma mater, and “This reorganization positions Auburn the River Region,” Mense said in Montgomery to create efficiencies a statement “Working in multiple on campus and for our external capacities for AUM’s advanced clients and partners,” former AUM technologies unit acquainted me Chancellor John G. Veres III said in with the operations of state and a statement. “It also increases the private organizations, and I hope to opportunity to better support the employ this knowledge to enhance new technology initiatives currently the learning and work experiences taking shape in the Montgomery for students, faculty and staff and to community. Tobias’ leadership in his better position AUM and the River previous role has well prepared him Region as a leading technology hub.” to lead the university’s interactions with programs like the River Region cyber initiative.”

AUM ANNOUNCES CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

Under Mense’s direction, ITS and advanced technologies will continue operating in their present capacities. Mense will also focus efforts to grow AUM’s relationships and collaborations with the newly created Air Force Cyber College and the Montgomery Internet Exchange. Having one point of contact overseeing all technology programs will enable AUM to better leverage its IT knowledge to serve the campus, community and outside clients.

ROSA PARKS MUSEUM ADDS TWO EMPLOYEES MONTGOMERY – The staff of Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum is growing to assist in the museum’s efforts to increase its educational programming. Two employees were added: D. Keith Worthington, who will serve as operations manager; and Madeline Burkhardt, who will serve as the museum’s adult education coordinator. Donna Beisel, a current employee, has been moved into the position of K-12 education coordinator.

D. Keith Worthington

Madeline Burkhardt

A former adjunct professor of business management with Central Texas College, Worthington previously served as program manager with Appleton Learning, as well as a secondary assistant administrator. He received a bachelor’s degree in Donna Beisel business administration from Winston-Salem State University and a master’s degree in education from the University of Phoenix.

Burkhardt received a bachelor’s degree in art history with a minor in Italian studies at Auburn University. During her senior year at Auburn, Burkhardt worked as the gallery intern at Fieldwork Projects. She worked for six months as the intern and volunteer coordinator at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts after Gloria C. Campbell graduating college.

HEALTH SERVICES NAMES CORPORATE COMPLIANCE OFFICER MONTGOMERY – Gloria C. Campbell has joined Health Services Inc. as the corporate compliance officer.

A life-long resident of Montgomery, Campbell has 31 years of health system experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in management.

CONTINUED ON PAGE

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

MEMBERS ON THE MOVE FROM PAGE

Beisel has been employed as the scheduler at the Rosa Parks Museum for more than a year. Originally from Northeast Tennessee, Beisel moved to the Montgomery area almost 18 years ago. She graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education-language arts, and taught public school for 13 years.

ALABAMA POWER NAMES VICE PRESIDENTS BIRMINGHAM – The Alabama Power board of directors has elected Patrick Murphy as vice president with responsibility for economic and community development. Murphy succeeds Ken Novak, who has been named vice president with responsibility for the company’s Southeast Division.

Patrick Murphy

Ken Novak

“Patrick has been a key player in recruiting business and bringing jobs to the state,” Mark Crosswhite, chairman, president and CEO of Alabama Power said in a statement. “His experience, knowledge and skills are a tremendous asset to us and to the state’s overall economic development efforts.

“Ken has built a great legacy of economic development successes, and his leadership skills will be of great value to the company in his new role in our Southeast Division.” Murphy most recently served as manager of the company’s economic and community development department, which is responsible for recruiting companies to the state, and for company programs that support Alabama community efforts to compete more effectively for business and industry.

Murphy joined the company in 2011 as a senior project manager in the economic and community development department. Before coming to Alabama Power, he served as senior vice president of economic development for the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), where he led all economic development recruiting, business retention and expansion efforts in the seven-county Birmingham metropolitan area.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

Novak has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Alabama and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Murphy is a graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in finance.

Prior to the BBA, Murphy served as vice president of the Birminghamarea Metropolitan Development COCA-COLA BOTTLING Board, where he focused on external CO. UNITED NAMES recruitment, area business PRESIDENT/CEO development and project management. Murphy BIRMINGHAM – John also worked as a site H. Sherman has been location consultant elected president and and real estate broker CEO of Coca-Cola for the Hart Corp. Bottling Co. UNITED Inc. in Atlanta and as a He succeeds Claude B. project manager for the Nielsen, who will continue to John H. Sherman Georgia Department of serve as chairman of the board Economic Development. of directors. Novak was elected a vice president at Alabama Power in 2011 with responsibility for economic and community development. Prior to his election, Novak served as manager of economic and community development for the company. He has 34-plus years of experience in the company and more than 23 years of economic development experience. Novak began his career with Alabama Power in 1981 as junior engineer in Birmingham. He progressed through supervisory and management positions in the construction department and in the company’s headquarters before joining the economic and community development department. Novak has worked with companies across various industry sectors including automotive, aerospace, plastics, metal fabrication, steel, chemical, distribution and food processing. In his new position, Novak will be responsible for company operations in the Southeast Division, based

in Eufaula. The division comprises all or part of 14 counties in the southeastern area of the state.

Sherman worked as a route helper in 1975 at Augusta Coca-Cola Bottling Co., a division of Coca-Cola UNITED. He officially began his Coca-Cola career in 1977 as a part-time clerk in the route accounting department of the Atlanta Coca-Cola Bottling Co. while enrolled at Georgia Tech. After graduating from Georgia Tech, he joined Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), rising to region manager with responsibility for CCE’s Alabama and South Georgia franchises. In 1990, Sherman joined Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED as director of marketing in the east region. Prior to his election of president and CEO, Sherman most recently served as senior vice president and chief commercial officer of Coca-Cola UNITED. He helped oversee the company acquire 18 franchise territories in five states from March 2014 to April 2016, including the addition of 2,800 employees and 36,000-plus customers.

“Over the past 38 years, John has been involved in virtually every aspect of our business,” Nielsen said in a statement. “His field experience with UNITED, deep understanding of our local operating business model and passion for our competitive business are paramount in growing our business and cultivating strong and enduring relationships. These, in conjunction with John’s unwavering commitment to our purpose and values, serve as a solid foundation for leading Coca-Cola UNITED.”

LAW FIRM ANNOUNCES NAMED PARTNER MONTGOMERY – The law firm of Webster, Henry, Lyons, Bradwell, Cohan, & Speagle P.C., announced the addition of Scott M. Speagle as a named partner. Speagle has been a partner at the firm for six years and represents small and large businesses in all

commercial matters around the Southeast in federal and state courts, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the American Arbitration Association. The firm has offices in Montgomery, Birmingham, Auburn and Mobile.

LONGLEAF WEALTH MANAGEMENT ADDS FINANCIAL ADVISER MONTGOMERY – Rebecca Baker recently joined the Longleaf Wealth Management group at UBS Financial Services as a financial adviser.

from Auburn University at Montgomery and is a certified public accountant. Baker worked in public accounting for 10 years before she entered into the wealth management industry. After two years of practicing as a financial adviser at Morgan Stanley, Baker joined Senior Vice President Philip Young and Account Vice President Matthew Murphy at Longleaf Wealth Management. The staff has more than 75 years’ combined experience in the financial industry.

She received a bachelor’s degree in Rebecca Baker accounting from the University of Alabama, a master’s degree in business administration

“Adding Rebecca’s skills to our team enhances our ability to deliver holistic wealth management to our clients,” Young said in a statement. n

The Pike Road New Home Community

Come Make a

Life of it!

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

PERFECT SPACE PERFECT PLACE SPECIAL

OFurFs.EBoRok:ings

Photo Credit: sposabellaphotography.com

MEMBER NEWS

RIBBON CUTTING & GROUND BREAKING

TOOTHBUDS AT LAGOON PARK, LLC 553 Eastern Boulevard • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-801-9800 • www.toothbudsatlagoonpark.com Dr. Shobha Hosur-Dentist • Dentists

SIGNS NOW 1113-B Perry Hill Road • Montgomery, AL 36109 334-395-6586 • www.signsnowmontgomery.com Kippy Paige-Owner • Signs

ALABAMA AND MORE, LLC

TOWER LOAN OF WEST MONTGOMERY

1075 Chandler Street • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-832-1586 • www.alabamaandmore.com Amber Wright-CEO • Advertising-Digital

1113-H Perry Hill Road • Montgomery, AL 36109 334-386-3464 • www.towerloan.com Alexis McField-Manager • Financial Services

EXIT HODGES REAL ESTATE

IRON TRIBE FITNESS EAST MONTGOMERY

Mon. – Th

OFteF 10e% nue Ra V

all 3 venues. Special is validsfor ply Offer doe not ap g. to existing bookin

The perfect venue for any event! Business Meetings Ofﬁce Parties Retirement Parties Class Reunions

7927 Vaughn Road • Montgomery, AL 36116 334-356-9696 • www.irontribefitness.com Sayge Grubbs-Owner • Fitness Center/Gym

the BALLROOM

Modern and vintage coexisting in perfect harmony.

the ROOFTOP TERRACE Stunning sky and city views.

Rustic, elegant and unassuming.

334.277.1077 | A L L E Y S TAT I O N . COM     

120 Dexter Avenue • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-495-1640 • www.exithodgesrealestate.com Paul Hodges-Broker Real Estate-Commerical/Industrial Real Estate-Residential

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

UNISYS 4001 Carmichael Road, Suite 150 Montgomery, AL 36106 • 334-244-5154 Ret. Major General Jennifer Napper-Group Vice President, DOD & Intel; Ret. Brigadier General Fred Henry-Vice President, DOD Programs; Mark McDonald, Program Manager • Computers-Software/Hardware/Consulting

BARNES & NOBLE COLLEGE AT TROY-MONTGOMERY 231 Montgomery Street • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-241-9510 • www.shoptroytrojans.com Lance Tatum-Vice Chancellor Cavan Myers-Store Manager • Books-Retail

CHAMBER NEWS

ASSOCIATIONS/NON-PROFIT

CONTRACTORS

CENTRAL ALABAMA AGING CONSORTIUM Susan Segrest 818 South Perry Street Montgomery, AL 36104 334-240-4666

SYS-CON, LLC SD Kim 4444 Park Boulevard Montgomery, AL 36116 334-281-1520

THE SECOND CHANCE FOUNDATION Tonya Barkum 810 Cedar Street Montgomery, AL 36106 334-263-9733 BEAUTY SALONS/SPAS

VITAL BEAUTY BAR, LLC Naomie Wilsford 315 Catoma Street Montgomery, AL 36104 334-676-2640 COFFEE HOUSE & TEA ROOM

MONTGOMERY MUGGS, LLC Kimberly Corrigan 4495 Selma Highway Montgomery, AL 36108 334-284-4010 CONTRACTORS

KWZ CONTRACTING LLC William Rumph 445 Dexter Avenue, Suite 4050 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-651-0051 Ext 101

EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

AEROTEK, INC. Matt Johnson 2876 Zelda Road, Suite B Montgomery, AL 36106 334-409-2700 EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS Will Cobb 1817 West 2nd Street Montgomery, AL 36106 334-651-0772 ENTERTAINMENT & RECREATION

BLAKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SEGWAY TOURS AT UNION STATION Jeff Blake 300 Water Street at Visitors Center Montgomery, AL 36104 334-657-4195 FIBER OPTICS

SOUTHERN LIGHT Jody Melancon 105 Ridge Drive Headland, AL 36345 334-618-0081 FINANCIAL PLANNER/ADVISOR

WEALTH MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC Andy Allen P.O. Box 531134 Birmingham, AL 35253 205-582-7440 FINANCIAL SERVICES

TOWER LOAN OF WEST MONTGOMERY Alexis McField 1113 H Perry Hill Road Montgomery, AL 36109 334-386-3464

NEW MEMBERS PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

RESULTS PHYSIOTHERAPY Brooke Poirier 6971 EastChase Loop Montgomery, AL 36117 334-721-6500

FITNESS CENTER/GYM

IRON TRIBE FITNESS EAST MONTGOMERY Sayge Grubbs 7927 Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL 36116 334-356-9696

REAL ESTATE-COMMERCIAL/ INVESTMENTS

SOONER MANAGEMENT, LLC Rush Williamson 8 Commerce Street, Suite 1200 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-832-2440

JANITORIAL SERVICE/SUPPLIES

TAXI/CAB SERVICE

EXTREME CLEAN MAINTENANCE & JANITORIAL Charles Robinson P.O. Box 210035 Montgomery, AL 36121 334-303-9105

RIVER REGION CABS, INC. Kenneth Griffith 421 Air Base Boulevard Montgomery, AL 36108 334-300-3976

LASER & SKINCARE

LA MEDSPA Amy Bierly 7123 Halcyon Park Drive Montgomery, AL 36117 334-676-2555 LEGAL SERVICES-ATTORNEYS

ALEXANDER SHUNNARAH PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS, PC Rob Riddle 504 South Perry Street Montgomery, AL 36104 334-954-4442 DAVID E. BELSER, ATTORNEY AT LAW David Belser 4122 Wall Street Montgomery, AL 36106 334-270-2882

TOWER LOAN OF MONTGOMERY Nathan Rhymes 111 Brown Springs Road Montgomery, AL 36117 334-386-8025 Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

ECONOMIC INTEL

CHAMBER NEWS

UNEMPLOYMENT

Civilian Labor Force APR p 2016

Area

Unemployment Rate

MAR r 2016

APR r 2015

APR p 2016

MAR r 2016

APR r 2016

Montgomery MA

169,181

168,602

168,210

5.20%

5.80%

5.30%

Autauga County

25,408

25,347

25,193

4.70%

5.40%

4.60%

Prattville City

16,576

16,539

16,462

4.40%

5.10%

4.50%

Elmore County

36,221

36,075

35,993

4.50%

5.20%

4.60%

3,781

3,802

3,763

10.20%

11.10%

10.60%

103,771

103,378

103,261

5.40%

6.00%

5.60%

91,227

90,884

90,817

5.40%

6.10%

5.70%

534,449

532,598

529,986

5.10%

5.80%

5.00%

92,386

92,007

91,559

6.60%

7.30%

6.40%

Huntsville MA

210,598

210,361

208,410

4.80%

5.40%

4.90%

Huntsville City

91,342

91,206

90,469

5.10%

5.80%

5.40%

Mobile MA

184,848

184,019

183,045

6.20%

7.00%

6.20%

Mobile City

86,292

85,896

85,289

6.40%

7.20%

6.20%

2,158,491

2,155,709

2,139,605

5.50%

6.10%

5.50%

158,488,000

158,854,000

156,554,000

4.70%

5.10%

Lowndes County Montgomery County Montgomery City Birmingham-Hoover MA Birmingham City

Alabama United States

SALES TAX

MA=Metropolitan Area. pPreliminary rRevised Estimates prepared by the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations in Cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, based on 2015 benchmark.

APRIL 2016

APRIL 2015

Montgomery County

$3,875,222

$3,764,835

City of Montgomery

$9,419,152

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

YTD 2016

YTD 2015

2.93%

$14,858,294

$14,455,807

2.78%

$9,206,421

2.31%

$35,540,682

$34,620,412

2.66%

$185,347

$179,157

3.46%

$763,401

$696,338

9.63%

$2,008,689

$1,872,888

7.25%

$7,667,958

$7,325,461

4.68%

Autauga County

$750,430

$709,370

5.79%

$2,906,830

$2,769,569

4.96%

Elmore County

$114,148

$124,326

-8.19%

$432,915

$460,990

-6.09%

Wetumpka

$539,578

$481,243

12.12%

$1,974,441

$1,836,413

7.52%

Pike Road Prattville

Sources: Montgomery County Commission, City of Montgomery, City of Pike Road, Autauga County Commission, City of Prattville, Elmore County Commission, City of Wetumpka Note: YTD numbers are January 2016 thru current month. * Did not receive this months numbers.

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

Building Permits

BUILDING STARTS

Building Valuations

MAY 2016

APR 2016

MAY 2015

MAY 2016

New Construction

Additions and AlterationsÂ

Others

16 182

Total

APR 2016

MAY 2015

$18,898,000

$2,404,200

$5,074,350

$2,946,944

$8,939,480

$3,499,319

$167,600

$124,200

$343,400

120

175

$22,012,544

$11,470,880

$8,917,069

Source: City of Montgomery Building Department

MONTGOMERY METRO MARKET HOME SALES APRIL 2016

MARCH 2016

MONTH/MONTH % CHANGE

APRIL 2015

YEAR/YEAR % CHANGE

STATEWIDE APRIL 2016*

Median Price

$134,000

$145,000

-7.59%

$132,000

1.52%

$135,913

Average Price

$153,201

$157,645

-2.82%

$150,344

1.90%

$165,962

2,543

2,555

-0.47%

2,969

-14.35%

29,406

Months of Supply

7.3

21.67%

8.7

-16.09%

6.3

Total # Sales

349

425

-17.88%

342

2.05%

4,631

Days on Market

133

151

-11.92%

112

18.75%

147

Units Listed

Source: Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE), The University of Alabama

Summer 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

AIRLINE FARES Roundtrip airfare comparisons from Montgomery, Birmingham and Atlanta airports to key destinations. Destination

MGM

BHM

ATL

Baltimore (BWI)

$382

$331

$177

Boston (BOS)

$454

$408

$246

Charlotte, NC (CLT)

$286

$291

Chicago (ORD)

$417

$263

$165

Cincinnati (CVG)

$344

$290

$258

Dallas/Ft Worth (DFW)

$370

$311

$179

Denver (DEN)

$448

$420

$193

Detroit (DTW)

$385

$358

$193

Houston (HOU)

$354

$265

$160

Indianapolis (IND)

$392

$403

$144

Las Vegas (LAS)

$558

$571

$260

Los Angeles (LAX)

$528

$456

$331

Memphis (MEM)

$378

$339

$100

Miami (MIA)

$438

$311

$149

Nashville (BNA)

$383

$370

$208

New Orleans (MSY)

$492

$412

$206

New York (JFK)

$468

$338

$340

Orlando (MCO)

$307

$281

$96

Philadelphia (PHL)

$403

$344

$166

Pittsburgh (PIT)

$363

$360

$252

St Louis (STL)

$377

$273

$129

Seattle (SEA)

$648

$430

$419

Seoul (SEL)

$2,214

$1,747

$1,437

Tampa (TPA)

$330

$232

$148

Washington DC (DCA)

$383

$285

$249

Date of travel:Aug. 2-7, 2016. Date of pricing: May 15, 2016. Source: travelocity.com

MONTGOMERY REGIONAL AIRPORT APRIL 2016 Air Carrier Operations

APRIL 2015

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

YTD 2016

YTD 2015

809

778

4.0%

3,174

2,997

5.9%

5,614

4,737

18.5%

20,609

18,588

10.9%

Enplanements

15,430

14,979

3.0%

54,420

55,224

-1.5%

Deplanements

15,429

14,707

4.9%

53,383

54,029

-1.2%

Total Passengers

30,859

29,686

4.0%

107,803

109,273

-1.3%

Total Operations

Source: Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) Dannelly Field

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

Montgomery Business Journal Summer 2016

HYUNDAI SALES MAY 2016

MAY 2015

YTD 2016

YTD 2015

Accent

5,432

4,428

36,191

29,435

Sonata

15,879

18,018

92,547

80,622

Elantra

22,168

23,432

73,892

102,085

Santa Fe

14,732

7,832

39,099

44,292

Azera

368

432

2,233

3,304

Tucson

7,369

3,881

35,471

19,028

Veloster

1,965

2,249

11,223

9,136

Genesis

2,970

3,168

14,989

14,757

Equus

123

170

904

989

Total

71,006

63,610

306,549

303,648

VEHICLE

Source: Hyundai Motor America

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