The Alabama Business Coalition will continue its 2026 schedule on Wednesday, May 13, as business leaders, policy professionals, and key stakeholders gather once again to discuss issues shaping Alabama’s economic future.
The organization was formed as a nonprofit made up of Washington-centered government affairs professionals representing companies with a significant presence in Alabama, creating a unique forum dedicated to advancing the state’s long-term interests.
The coalition’s mission centers on supporting Alabama’s economic development and growth by encouraging conversations around solutions that benefit businesses, residents, and communities statewide. Through regular meetings with members of Congress, senior staff, and state leaders, the group has quickly become a respected hub for collaboration between Alabama’s private sector and public leadership.
“Since launching in the summer of 2023, the Alabama Business Coalition has shown the value of consistent, face‑to‑face engagement in DC,” Kara Adame, Vice President of Government Affairs for Protective Life and Executive Director of the Alabama Business Coalition said. “By bringing Alabama employers together with elected officials for candid, nonpartisan discussions, ABC has become an effective forum for strengthening relationships and advancing ideas that support the state’s economic growth and long‑term success.”
The organization is guided by a board composed of respected leaders from major Alabama-connected companies, including Bill Bailey of Radiance Technologies, Austin Bone of Vulcan Materials Company, Mary Pat Lawrence of Protective Life Insurance Company, Watson Donald of Alabama Power Company, and Gina Rigby, of AFLAC, as Board Advisor.
Their leadership reflects the coalition’s broad reach across industries critical to Alabama’s continued growth and competitiveness.
The May meeting will include remarks from U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, one of Alabama’s most influential voices in Washington. His leadership has also helped reinforce Alabama’s reputation as a serious player in national security, innovation, and industrial growth.
Rogers has long been recognized as a dependable advocate for the people and priorities of Alabama, bringing seniority and steady influence to issues that matter most to the state.
Coalition meetings are intentionally structured as in-person conversations that allow members and invited officials to engage directly on fast-moving federal and economic issues. That model has helped create robust discussions and meaningful relationships that benefit Alabama employers, workers, and communities alike.
“What makes ABC work is the direct access – Alabama employers sitting down with our congressional delegation and having conversations about the issues that matter to our state. That kind of engagement is hard to replicate, and the relationships built through this coalition continue to strengthen Alabama’s voice in Washington. We’re grateful to our members and elected officials for making that possible,” Watson Donald, president of Alabama Business Coalition and Director of Corporate Stakeholder Strategy at Alabama Power said.
With their next event occurring on May 13, the Alabama Business Coalition continues to demonstrate how coordinated leadership and strategic engagement can help keep Alabama competitive, connected, and positioned for growth in Washington and beyond.
For more information about becoming a member or an affiliate of the Alabama Business Coalition, please reach out to any of the board members or email alabamabusinesscoalition@outlook.com.
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