Helping business happen

Helping business happen here Alexander City Chamber

STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY JAKE ARTHUR & CLIFF WILLIAMS

Jazz Fest is the longest running free concert in Alabama

Alexander City Chamber of Commerce has been making the city a great place to live since 1910 when community patriarch Benjamin “Mr. Ben” Russell helped to establish the Commercial Club of Alexander City. Ten years later, the name was changed to the chamber of commerce, and the organization has showcased the business community ever since through events, programs and membership development, said chamber president and CEO Ed Collari.

“The chamber developed our strategic plan, Partners in Progress, in 2019 with four main initiatives that showcase what the chamber can do to make it great here,” Collari said.

The focus of the plan is community development through support for existing business and entrepreneurship, a partnership with education, retail and commercial recruitment and destination marketing and community engagement.

Stability and growth of existing business is crucial to the community. The chamber’s support for these existing entities includes workshops and programs that help business owners meet identified needs with targeted presentations. This initiative also includes an entrepreneurial recruitment program that is supported by Lake Martin Innovation Center, a business incubator that offers graduated services to new and growing startups.

The partnership with education initiative calls for business leaders to work directly with school leaders to identify and develop programs, facilities and faculty that will better educate the future citizens of Alexander City.

“It’s important for the chamber to support education, as it’s the foundation of the community and economic development. It helps to ensure that our workforce is strong, and it’s one of the best ways we can make it great in Alexander City,” explained Collari.

The chamber engages students directly through a variety of programs, including CHOICES and the Wildcat Entrepreneurial Academy. The two-day CHOICES activities, led by chamber volunteers, empower eighth-grade students with real life examples that highlight the importance of staying in school to increase their career and life options. WEA is a year-long program that supports students in starting and running their own real businesses. High school students are guided through the process of developing business ideas, writing plans, pitching their startups to local investors, obtaining funding and legally establishing their endeavors. Though the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted some of these programs, they will resume as soon as possible. Quality of life is enhanced when new retail and commercial business is recruited for the community, and this initiative is seeing success, especially on the U.S. Route 280 corridor. The popular Chick-fil-A chain opened here late last year, and work is under way on a new Sonic restaurant. The Wharf also has announced plans to build in Alexander City, and property has been purchased for a grocery-anchored shopping center at the intersection of U.S. Route 280 and state Route 63. In addition, Russell Marine recently opened the Russell Boating & Outdoor store just off the highway, as well.

“The objective of the remaining initiative – community engagement and destination marketing – is to make sure there is always something to do here,” Collari elaborated. “It’s the events we put on that make our area unique.”

One such signature event is the annual Jazz Fest, which

Chamber president and CEO Ed Collari

will celebrate its 32nd year in 2022. The two-day, twolocation music festival was started when a local downtown department store celebrated its 100th year in business.

“It is the longest running free concert event in Alabama,” Collari said.

But the chamber keeps the party rolling by supporting a variety of events all year long in an attempt to improve the quality of life for residents and to attract visitors to the area. Among the most popular of these activities is the annual Lake Martin Young Professionals Polar Plunge, which raises funds for the Lake Martin Resource Association buoy program on the lake. Lead Forward is a women’s conference that encourages and empowers women in the business community. More than 400 women attend this event year after year.

The Sun Festival celebration of summer takes place during the two weeks prior to Jazz Fest and brings families together with fun and meaningful activities to delight children and adults alike. From entering baking contests to scouring the landscape to finding the hidden medallion for a cash prize, Sun Festival celebrates the community spirit in new and unique ways.

One of the chamber’s most beloved of events, the annual Hometown Christmas Parade brings citizens out in droves, no matter the weather. The parade route is lined with spectators as floats drive by in the competition for annual bragging rights and parade-goers are invited to join in the singing of favorite carols as the bands march along.

“These and other events show how great our community is, as well as what we do to make our city great,” Collari explained.

The chamber’s continued progress and success is a testament to the business leaders whose vision of greatness led to the founding the organization more than 100 years ago. It’s important for the chamber to support education, as it’s the foundation of the community and economic development. It helps to ensure that our workforce is strong, and it’s one of the best ways we can make it great in Alexander City.” Ed Collari

Great Location • Peaceful Setting • Comfortable Living Spacious One Bedroom Homes Now Available!

Coming Soon

256.234.4281