BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Alabama and its place in the global economy will be the focus of a multi-page special section in the July issue of Hemispheres, the in-flight magazine of United Airlines.
The special section, titled “Dossier” will examine Alabama’s diverse businesses and industries, and showcase the economies of the state’s major metropolitan regions. It will also feature interviews with Alabama business leaders and economic development experts, profiles of some of the state’s business innovators and entrepreneurs, and an “Out Of Office” section highlighting some of the state’s unique cultural attractions, institutions and events.
Unlike special sections about the state that have appeared in other airline magazines, Dossier Alabama is expected to focus almost completely on the state’s economy and business climate. The section is designed to appeal to the majority of United Airlines’ customers, who are business flyers.
United is one of the world’s largest global carriers, with more than 4,900 departures daily. It flies to more than 370 destinations in 60 countries, according to the airline’s website. In 2014 the airline carried about 138 million passengers.
Carsten Morgan, vice president of special projects for Hemispheres, said the magazine chose to profile Alabama in a special section because, “first and foremost, there’s a good story to tell.”
He said Alabama’s economy is “vastly different” from a decade ago, and continues to evolve in a way that could make it very different in another decade. “That story has not been told,” Morgan said.
HIGHLIGHTING PROGRESS
Morgan said the section, which will be at least 32 pages, will include interviews with a wide variety of government, business and economic development leaders in the state. They include Governor Robert Bentley; state Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield; Mark Crosswhite, Alabama Power chairman, president and CEO; Allan McArtor, chairman and CEO of Airbus Group; and David Bronner, chief executive officer of the Retirement Systems of Alabama.
“This special section will serve to highlight the dynamic changes rolling through Alabama’s economy with the growth we’re seeing in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and biosciences, along with the addition of more knowledge-based jobs,” Secretary Canfield said. “It’s a powerful story to tell about our state to the readers of United’s in-flight magazine.
Jay Gouge, Auburn University president, and Richard Myers, president and science director of the Huntville-based HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, and Greg Sankey, executive associate commissioner and chief operating officer of the Southeastern Conference, based in Birmingham, also have been interviewed, Morgan said, along with many more.
The Hemispheres magazine with the Dossier Alabama special section is expected to be placed in the seat pocket of every United flight worldwide throughout the month of July. The magazine has more than 3.1 million unique readers every month, Morgan said.
Recent Dossier special sections have featured Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Iowa.
