Innovate Alabama is taking a major leap in strengthening the state’s innovation and entrepreneurial landscape. The public-private partnership announced the inaugural designees of the Innovate Alabama Network: 51 organizations across 17 Alabama counties will receive $9.3 million in supporting funds. “By providing funding and resources to our local communities, nonprofits and higher education institutions, we […]

The Alabama Forestry Commission has announced a cost-share funding program that makes financial incentives available for forest landowners, loggers, and timber companies throughout the state if they share the cost of transporting portable bridges to various Alabama logging sites.

U.S. Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville applauded the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rejecting a petition to establish a mandatory 10-knot speed limit and other vessel-related mitigation measures in the Gulf of Mexico. “I was glad to see the NOAA come to their senses and reject this part of the Biden Administration’s overreaching regulatory […]

An Alabama businessman has been nominated to receive one of the national automobile industry's most coveted awards. Dale Benton, President of Benton Nissan of Hoover, will be traveling to Las Vegas and competing against 49 other nominees from throughout the U.S. for the 2024 TIME Dealer of the Year award at the 107th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust case against Google over its dominance of online search is unfolding. This marks the first tech industry antitrust trial since Microsoft a quarter century ago. Does Google unfairly dominate online search? With a market share of between 86% and 96%, Google is certainly dominant. Microsoft’s Bing is a […]

Big Communications, a creative and marketing powerhouse, has promoted longtime staffer Shannon Harris to lead its award-winning creative department as executive creative director. Harris has had four promotions since joining the agency in 2010 and most recently served as creative director. This marks Big’s first female executive creative director in its 28-year history. “Shannon is […]

Accelerate Alabama, an economic blueprint that has driven ambition, strategy and evaluation for state business leaders since 2012, is set to receive an upgrade under incoming Department of Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair. Gov. Kay Ivey announced last week that Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield, who has served the state in that role across 12 years and […]

A new 693-megawatt power plant has officially began operations in Leroy, Alabama. The Lowman Energy Center, a product of a partnership between PowerSouth Energy Cooperative and Mitsubishi Power, celebrated the milestone Monday.

According to a recent survey taken by the University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research, small business leaders throughout the state appear to have a far better outlook for the state's economy and businesses than those on the national level.

A dozen Alabama autoworkers got the opportunity to participate in the very first Autos Drive America's Congressional Drive-In on Capitol Hill recently.The event brought close to 100 international automaker employees from all across the United States together on Capitol Hill to emphasize the investments that the international automakers have made in their workforce and communities in both Alabama and the entire country.

Alabama’s economy is supercharged by global partners. One of the state’s strongest relationships globally is Japan. Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield was in Tokyo recently for the 45th meeting of SEUS-Japan. “It is a tremendous honor to address the distinguished delegates gathered here for the 45th joint meeting of SEUS-Japan,” Canfield said. “It is also a […]

Chris Skelton, a broadband industry veteran of 30 years, has been named chief technology officer for Fiber Utility Network. The network is eight electric co-ops, co-op subsidiaries, and other partners whose common goal is to expand middle-mile broadband throughout the state. “Throughout my career in the broadband industry, I’ve tried to improve service for areas […]

As employment and workforce metrics are receiving renewed focus from state, legislative, education and business leaders, Alabama stands ready to become the workforce engine of the Southeast, Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth says. His Commission on 21st Century Workforce, established in 2019, met Wednesday to zero in on enhancing workforce competitiveness and tackling Alabama’s below-average labor […]

Drivers of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids have a new charging option in Birmingham’s Avondale business district, the Birmingham Parking Authority announced Wednesday. The BPA held a ribbon-cutting for a Level 2 EV charging station at its Avondale Village parking lot. The charging station is through a partnership between the BPA and the Alabama Clean […]

Specialty motor manufacturer, Louis Allis, LLC, has announced that it has obtained a preliminary injunction order from a federal court in Delaware that prohibits Ideal Electric Power Company from using or displaying Louis Allis's federally registered trademarks for its brand name and stylized LA logo.

The third week of October has now been proclaimed Alabama Woods to Goods Week by Governor Kay Ivey. The timing, according to the Alabama Forestry Association, was meant to coincide with National Forest Products Week.

Electric cars have been talked about for more than a decade and they are growing more popular. President Biden announced in August a target that by 2030, half of the vehicles sold in the United States will be battery electric, fuel-cell electric or plug-in hybrids. While the state’s larger cities have been adapting to meet […]

The Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator recently selected 12 startup companies, including one from Alabama, to participate in its 13-week mentoring program aimed at helping the early-stage businesses to succeed. Alabama Power launched the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator in 2020 to promote innovations in energy technology. Since then, 42 startups from across the United States and […]

The University of Alabama announced last week that a member of its Alabama Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has been recognized as the winner of the SBDC's national branch's Top 40 Under 40 category which recognizes 40 leaders under the age of 40 who have displayed exceptional business acumen and innovative thinking.

Brexit and Donald Trump’s election highlighted a global surge in populism. The Economic Freedom of North America Network, of which the Johnson Center is a member, has discussed conservative populists’ growing hostility to markets. Populists should, I hope, embrace free markets and limited government. We first need a definition of populism. Prior to 2016, left-wing […]

The world’s top researchers, scientists and peanut industry leaders are in Huntsville this week for the Advances in Arachis through Genomics and Biotechnology Conference. The conference is today through Wednesday at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. “We are excited to host AAGB at HudsonAlpha this year,” HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Faculty Investigator Dr. Josh Clevenger […]

A panel of workforce development experts told the Alabama pro-growth policy conference the state will benefit from more collaboration to close real-world gaps in the pipeline to get jobs filled – and keep them filled.  Alabama’s labor force participation rate has been a priority topic for many state leaders as they see the numbers and […]

Trenholm State Community College has joined the Innovate Alabama Network and received a grant of more than $240,000 to expand its Automotive Service Program to focus on Electric Vehicle maintenance. Innovate Alabama is a statewide public-private partnership that assists innovators in establishing roots in Alabama through entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation. The Innovate Alabama Network connects […]

Students interested in the automotive manufacturing industry who are currently enrolled within the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) can now be awarded a new scholarship worth $4,000 dollars.