Imagine a 200+ mile greenway system connecting all of North Alabama–from the bustling towns to the tucked away hidden gems–along an uninterrupted outdoor human highway, brimming with nature, activity and, most of all, heart. You won’t have to imagine it much longer. In an act that can best be described as penning a love letter […]

Gov. Kay Ivey recognized 14 companies and their exceptional homegrown products at the second “Made in Alabama” Showcase at the state Capitol. Ivey invited the businesses to exhibit their products in the old Supreme Court Library during a ceremony. Eleven exhibitors showcased products, shared their company history and gave promotional items to the public. “Our […]

Job and career opportunities for Etowah County students were on display for educators last week, thanks to a workforce development program. The program – the Etowah Qualified Workforce Immersion Program (EQWIP) – is through a partnership with the Chamber of Gadsden & Etowah County, East AlabamaWorks, Gadsden State Community College, the Etowah County School System, […]

Wallace State Community College has been awarded a more-than $1.1 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for an electric vehicle project. The grant, awarded through the commission’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative, was for $1,169,958 for the Supporting Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Maintenance in North Alabama project, according to a news […]

The importance of collaboration among political, business and community leaders to solve issues facing entrepreneurs was stressed Thursday at a roundtable discussion in Tuscaloosa. Stillman College hosted the panel’s discussion which centered on bolstering the regional economy through innovation. The roundtable was part of Innovate Alabama’s statewide goal of forging partnerships aimed at solving regional […]

Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted September unemployment rate continued to hold at its record low level of 2.6%, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Friday. Last month’s rate  is well below September 2021’s rate of 3.2%.  September’s rate represents 59,558 unemployed persons, compared to 58,913 in August and 71,989 in September 2021. “Despite the uncertainty facing the U.S. […]

Nearly 70 scholarships are available to Alabama community college students to train for careers in the state’s robust automotive manufacturing industry. The scholarships were formed through a partnership between the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Alabama Community College System (ACCS). Students enrolled in a community college program associated with automotive manufacturing careers may […]

Montgomery will become home to a $600 million advanced beverage production and distribution complex, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Tuesday. Manna Capital Partners, a minority-owned business enterprise and investment firm, is dubbing the complex as a “beverage park.” The complex will be owned and operated by Manna Beverages & Ventures, an affiliate of the firm, which […]

Li-Cycle, a North American lithium-ion battery recycler, launched commercial operations in Tuscaloosa last week. The company’s Tuscaloosa facility will support Li-Cycle’s expanding electric-vehicle battery supply customer base across the southeastern United States, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce. The facility, which the company calls a Spoke, will use Li-Cycle’s technology to recycle and process […]

A week-long celebration has launched across the state in recognition of “Alabama Woods to Goods Week.” The celebration, led by the Alabama Forestry Association (AFA), aims to promote the industry’s economic impact on the Yellowhammer State. In 2020, Gov. Kay Ivey proclaimed the third week in October as Alabama Woods to Goods Week to coincide […]

Oregon-based ISA Corp., a manufacturer of nitrile and latex gloves, announced plans today to open a production facility in Geneva County, creating 80 jobs over two years at the location in rural Alabama. ISA Alabama Corp., as the new venture is called, will be located in a 45,000-square-foot speculative building in the Geneva County Industrial Park […]

Microsoft Philanthropies is teaming with the Randolph County Economic Development Authority (RCEDA) on a program that helps job seekers and professionals gain new skills for in-demand roles in the digital economy. The RCEDA received funding from Microsoft Philanthropies to launch the Community Skills Initiative Alabama Region program. A suite of online training and resources, accessed through the […]

A lot can happen in a year. Olivia Cook was a newly minted Ph.D. and looking for a job when a meeting with Miles College President Bobbie Knight changed Cook’s life. Knight tapped Cook to create a new Miles College Center for Economic and Social Justice. Cook is now the executive director of the center and also […]

Honda Motor Co. and LG Energy Solution announced Oct. 11 a joint-venture plan to invest up to $4.4 billion to build electric-vehicle batteries in Fayette County, Ohio, creating 2,200 jobs. The plant will produce pouch-type lithium batteries with 40 gigawatt-hours of annual production capacity. Construction is set to begin in early 2023 with production starting by the end […]

Site work is under way on one of Alabama’s most prominent construction projects — a $2.5 billion aluminum mill being built by Atlanta-based Novelis in Baldwin County that is the first facility of its kind  constructed in the U.S. for 40 years. Crews are engaged in earthwork, excavation and piling at the site in the 3,000-acre South […]

In life, there are two kinds of professionals. Some individuals, while skilled at their profession, work in their respective career fields out of necessity to earn a healthy living. Others, such as Vanesa Leonard, sought their careers due to the passion they hold for their work. Leonard, owner of Leonard Mitchell Consulting, is a practicing […]

A wide variety of stakeholders met Thursday in Athens for a regional roundtable on the state’s innovation economy. The event was co-hosted by Innovate Alabama and Launch 2035. Higher education leadership, entrepreneurial ecosystem builders, rural community leaders and lawmakers discussed opportunities available. The conversations were centered around entrepreneurship, commercialization and the development of an innovative, […]

Anna Brakefield is the well-rounded, business-savvy, family-woman that so many of us aspire to be. From a small town in rural Lawrence County, Brakefield’s career journey has taken her full circle. Beginning in New York City as her early career in advertising was taking off, to a stint in bustling Nashville, and eventually back to […]

Since our founding in Birmingham more than 80 years ago, Southern Research has played a pivotal role in Birmingham’s economy and in the scientific advances that have transformed our world. In the past year, we’ve updated our brand and refreshed our website, but we are still doing today what we’ve always done: We are “moving […]

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Association officially launched this week to promote the Yellowhammer State’s emerging medicinal industry. According to the association, its efforts will be centered around promoting safe, affordable, and accessible medical cannabis for Alabama patients. This is done, the association said, by supporting the growth of a responsible and safely regulated business environment […]

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) is nearing completion of its next-generation Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle, the rocket manufacturer announced Wednesday. According to ULA, the vehicle is on path for its first launch early next year. Tory Bruno, ULA president and CEO, said the company is excited about the transformative launch vehicle. “We could not be […]

Terry Jennings is a third-generation defense industry professional. She grew up in Arab in the shadow of the space program and her father was a retired general who worked in defense his entire career. In her office, she has a picture of her grandfather standing next to space pioneer Dr. Wernher von Braun. Jennings, the […]

Located off Exit 205, Clanton will become the newest city to host a Milo’s Hamburgers establishment on Thursday. The grand opening will have several specials associated with it, according to Milo’s CEO Tom Dekle. “We tested the Clanton market last year through various Burger Bus events, and each time it proved to be a tremendous […]

Employees at Lockheed Martin’s Huntsville site are celebrating a population crucial to their work – veterans and military service members. This is being done in recognition of World Space Week. World Space Week is an international space event recognized by the United Nations and commemorated in over 95 nations to celebrate science, technology, and space. […]