Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted November unemployment rate is 2.7%, unchanged from October, Gov. Kay Ivey announced today. The rate is also below November 2021’s rate of 3.1%. November’s rate represents 63,043 unemployed persons, compared to 61,721 in October and 69,688 in November 2021. “It is encouraging to see that Alabama’s economy is supporting more jobs […]

C-Spire has hired Mary Elliot Aderholt as an economic development manager for its strategic and government relations group in Homewood. C-Spire is a statewide telecommunications and technology services company. “We are excited Mary Elliot has joined our team as an economic development manager, she brings a wealth of knowledge that makes her the ideal candidate […]

To inform residents about the state’s broadband expansion plan, Gov. Kay Ivey has kicked off meetings in all 67 counties. The meetings will be led by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. The Alabama Community Broadband Technical Assistance Program is a series of meetings across the Yellowhammer State beginning this week. Elected officials, […]

Cited as the “crowning achievement of Artemis I,” the Orion spacecraft splashed down Sunday morning in the Pacific Ocean, capping a more than 1.4 million-mile journey around the moon. The uncrewed mission that launched Nov. 16 was an integrated flight test of the hardware and technology that will take humans back to the moon for […]

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX imploded in November.  The company and its founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) attained incredible notoriety in a short time and a $32 billion valuation before the bankruptcy. Does the collapse demonstrate problems with markets or government regulation of markets? Details continue to emerge.  I will assume that FTX was basically a scam, based on a statement […]

Huntsville-based Dynetics has submitted a bid on the Human Landing System Sustaining Lunar Development contract for NASA’s Artemis mission, the company announced. Northrop Grumman will join the Dynetics team in this pursuit. Dynetics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leidos. “We’re excited to enter the competition to support NASA’s Sustaining Lunar Development efforts, adding Northrop […]

Alabama’s Redstone Arsenal is the economic engine that powers roughly half of the Huntsville metro economy with agencies managing over $50 billion in federal spending. Perhaps, no nothing, on the Arsenal elicits more curiosity than the recent expansion of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its sprawling new campus. Deputy Assistant Director Wendell “Drew” Watts […]

Last week the Business Council of Alabama announced Helena Duncan as president and CEO. As the state’s largest business advocacy organization, BCA’s stated purpose is to aggressively represent Alabama’s business community. For more about Alabama’s newest CEO, her leadership philosophy and expectations for the future, here are “Four Questions with Helena Duncan.” During your 30-plus-year […]

Innovation Depot, a Birmingham-based tech and bio-focused startup system, has selected Brooke Gillis as its CEO, the organization announced Wednesday. Alabama Media Group reported that Gillis will begin her tenure Dec. 12. A resident of Homewood, Gillis succeeds former Innovation Depot CEO Drew Honeycutt, who resigned in August in favor of a new business opportunity. […]

Alabama’s rural and traditionally economically deprived Appalachian region has benefited from increased investment of late. This injection of funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has served to enhance the quality of life in Alabama communities and create value for local economies. To demonstrate the impact ARC has had in the Yellowhammer State, the Alabama […]

German-based Eissmann Automotive will create 79 jobs as part of a $3.4 million expansion at its Pell City facility, the company announced Tuesday. The expansion will include the purchase of advanced manufacturing equipment for the company’s new production line, according to Birmingham’s WBRC 6. Stan Batemon, St. Clair County Commission chairman, said the company’s expansion […]

A pair of key economic incentives programs has garnered bipartisan support in the Legislature, earning the endorsement of the highest-ranking leaders. The Alabama Jobs Act and the Growing Alabama Act, which have as served vital economic development tools for the state, are set to expire next year. SEE: Alabama Jobs Act tax incentives prove effective […]

In 2018, the Alabama Association of Realtors led a legislative effort to create a First-Time Homebuyer Savings Account (FHSA) program. The association recently revisited the legislation due to the approaching deadline of the program’s five-year sunset clause. Having a partaken in a call to action, the realtors community urged lawmakers to understand the importance of […]

With three offices under construction on County Line Road in Madison, downtown Huntsville and at Hays Farm in South Huntsville, Bank Independent is preparing for significant growth by hiring banking veteran Nick Rockhill as its vice president of sales for Madison County. Rockhill and his family live in Madison. “We are very excited to have […]

Gov. Kay Ivey, U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt and other state and community leaders joined with representatives of telecommunications giant Spectrum on Nov. 21 to celebrate construction on a fiber-optic network that will ultimately bring gigabit broadband and other services to more than 6,500 homes and small businesses in Walker County. “My administration has prioritized expanding access to reliable […]

Growth projects valued at almost $200 million are now under way in Alabama’s bioscience sector, setting the stage for robust new research funding and the recruitment of additional scientists to conduct cutting-edge projects. The growth spurt will build on new investments announced in 2021 by life science companies in the state that totaled $166 million, […]

Great Southern Wood plans to expand its treatment facility in Irvington, the Mobile Chamber announced Friday. The Mobile County facility will see a capital investment totaling nearly $14 million to improve traffic flow, storage, and expand the company’s ability to process imports and exports through the Port of Mobile. Jimmy Rane, Great Southern Wood’s founder, […]

There are thousands of jobs available in the construction industry across Alabama. To help close the gap to fill the positions, Skills for Success is offering no-cost training in several operator positions. A program of the Alabama Community College System, Skills for Success is developed in partnership with the state’s businesses and industries. More than […]

The Alabama Mining Association (AMA) on Thursday announced the winners of the association’s second annual Safety & Sustainability Awards. AMA held its awards presentation Nov. 15 at The Club in Birmingham. The winners were graded and announced by a panel of independent judges, including Lance LeFleur, director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management; Tim […]

Innovate Alabama has formed a council to take full advantage of the Yellowhammer State’s abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. The organization’s Council on Outdoor Recreation will advise its board of directors on strategies to accomplish three goals: expand the state’s outdoor recreation industry, attract a skilled workforce, and enhance the quality of life for both urban and […]

Auburn University’s College of Agriculture, the Auburn Research Technology Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service broke ground this week for a research facility housing the National Soil Dynamics Laboratory. The project will have four buildings: two in Auburn University’s Research Park and two constructed near campus. “With these new buildings and […]

Helena Duncan has been named president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama, the organization announced Wednesday. Duncan began her career at BCA, the state’s largest business advocacy organization, in 2020 as director of strategic operations and growth. She is senior vice president of operations and investor relations. Prior to joining BCA, Duncan had […]

Wesley Britt, husband to U.S. Sen.-elect Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), has joined the  governmental affairs and legislative services firm of Fine, Geddie & Associates. A former All-American offensive lineman for the University of Alabama, Britt went on to play in the NFL for the New England Patriots. While playing under head coach Bill Belichick, Britt helped […]

For those wanting a career change or, even, to start a career – and get paid while learning, Alabama’s community colleges provide the solution. Every community or technical college has at least one apprenticeship registered through the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship and supported by the state’s business and industry. “Apprenticeships offer an excellent opportunity to […]