Alabama has once again demonstrated its commitment to fostering a thriving business environment, earning a No. 8 ranking in Area Development’s 2024 “Top States for Doing Business” report. This marks another year of Top 10 recognition for the state, as the national publication highlights Alabama’s competitive edge across multiple business-friendly categories. The Area Development rankings, which […]

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that it has awarded $20 million in State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grants to 43 state and territory international trade agencies. The funds will provide financial support to small businesses looking to increase their export volume and value. Alabama small businesses can begin applying for funding now, […]

The Rocket City has been called the economic engine of North Alabama. One of the industries that helps power that engine is, coincidentally, the auto industry. And providing a spark to that is Toyota Alabama which reached a major milestone in its 23 years in Huntsville. The local manufacturing plant recently assembled its 10 millionth […]

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a Coinbase-sponsored Town Hall at Prevail Coffee in Montgomery. It was an eye-opening event where industry experts, business owners, and policymakers discussed the future of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies. One topic of discussion was how cryptocurrencies are changing the world and rewriting the rules on who can access […]

Governor Kay Ivey announced today that ILJIN, a leading automotive and industrial bearings and chassis manufacturer, is investing nearly $100 million in a new operation in Auburn. The company’s new facility will employ about 160 people and will allow ILJIN to expand into the aluminum forging market. “ILJIN’s decision to locate its next facility in […]

The bill is in response to when the Mexican government invaded and shut down Vulcan’s Punta Venado deep-water port in Quintana Roo.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has received a $3.6 million pledge from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. The donation will support scholarships for students in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, School of Nursing and School of Dentistry. These scholarships serve to improve access to quality, affordable health care for all Alabamians and further address health […]

As Chairman of the Board for the Alabama Trucking Association, I ask all Alabamians to join me in recognizing the incredible contributions of our industry’s most valuable players: Professional truck drivers. This week, as America’s trucking industry observes National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (Sept. 15-21, 2024), it is important to highlight the vital role these […]

Alabama in recent years has experienced major progress in providing broadband services to areas of the state that have been historically underserved when it comes to high-speed internet access.

The Regions Foundation has awarded a $150,000 grant to the nonprofit organization Strive Birmingham. The group supports education and workforce development opportunities in the Magic City by providing free job training and career support services to those having difficulty finding employment.

According to the Mobile Chamber and the company, Austal USA has been awarded a $450 million contract by General Dynamics Electric Boat to expand production capacity at its shipyard in Mobile shipyard in support of the U.S. Navy Submarine Industrial Base (SIB). The contract will enable Austal to expand and enhance its existing infrastructure by […]

Alabama’s Republican federal lawmakers are relieved that former President Donald Trump emerged unharmed after a recent assassination attempt while he was golfing in Florida

Montgomery’s Old Cloverdale area is about to have fresh appeal thanks to a handful of businesses planning on moving into the neighborhood. Charlie Colvin, President of the Cloverdale-Idlewild Neighborhood Association, offered details to WSFA 12 on the upcoming projects. “They’ll make a combination of new buildings, old buildings,” said Colvin. “They’re going to clean up […]

Corporate Realty, along with its affiliated companies Home Communities and Healthcare Resources, announced a major rebranding to unite all entities under a new name: CR Endeavors. It’s a fitting change, the firm reports, as it continues its evolution from a local real estate firm to a regional development and management leader recognized for innovative, mixed-use […]

Even with all the technology, the latest features on your Regions Mobile Banking app, and all the other services to help you manage and grow your finances more easily, banking is still – at its core – a people business. The people of Regions Bank make the company stand out. The people are the foundation of a company’s reputation. And […]

The Alabama Trucking Association will be taking part in National Truck Driver Appreciation Week honoring the 3.5 million professional truck drivers across the country. 

Goldman Sachs is expanding its $100 million investment initiative for rural communities, the 10,000 Small Businesses program, to Alabama. At an event last week at Innovation Depot in Birmingham, firm executives alongside U.S. Senator Katie Britt and U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell celebrated the program’s launch — and what it will mean for small business owners […]

Alabama’s commercial construction industry contributed $17.2 billion to the state’s economy in 2021, supported 200,000 full-time jobs and generated over $600 million in state taxes, according to a newly released study. The sector, which now accounts for 6.7% of Alabama’s GDP, saw a nearly 97% increase in total output between 2015 and 2021. In 2021 […]

The Alabama Department of Commerce and Builders Supply Co. announced today that the family-owned company plans to invest $10.6 million in a new manufacturing facility in Fort Payne, creating 10 new full-time jobs. With this growth project, Builders Supply will expand its third-generation operations in Fort Payne with a new 23,000-square-foot concrete block manufacturing facility […]

In a move designed to connect AI data centers in two of Alabama's largest cities, Uniti Fiber has announced that it has plans to create a new 200-mile-long fiber network reaching from Montgomery to Mobile.

Huntsville’s economy – and, therefore, much of North Alabama – has long been tied to federal government institutions, especially major facilities of the US Army, NASA, and most recently the FBI. Those are wonderful assets for the region that should always be highly prized, but North Alabama must also pursue other avenues for job growth, […]

Site Selection magazine has once again honored Alabama Power as a Top Utility in Economic Development, recognizing the company’s diverse and extensive economic development efforts. In 2023, Alabama Power’s economic development team was directly involved in projects that created 1,832 new jobs and attracting an estimated $1.7 billion in new and expanded capital investment. “Alabama Power continues to […]

Southeast Gas, a natural gas utility based in Andalusia, was named one of the top 20 utilities in the country by Site Selection Magazine in their annual top utilities issue. The company, which serves over 32,000 customers across 19 counties in the Southeast, reports they have contributed to over $2 billion in economic development and […]

The League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates (LSCU & Affiliates) and the Virginia Credit Union League (VACUL) have now signed a letter of intent to form a strategic partnership.