MONTGOMERY, Alabama – The Alabama Department of Commerce has appointed two economic development professionals to lead the agency’s Rural Development Division.
Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair today announced that Carter Thomas and Margaret Henderson will assume their new roles this month.
Thomas has been a rural development project manager at Commerce for the past year and previously worked at the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama.
Henderson, who previously worked in Commerce’s Workforce Development Division, most recently served as a rapid response coordinator at the Alabama Department of Workforce.
They are replacing Brenda Tuck, Commerce’s first rural development manager, who was named the new executive director of the Selma & Dallas County Economic Development Authority late last year.
“Both Carter and Margaret have extensive experience serving Alabama’s rural communities, and they are each well suited to carry on the remarkable success of the state’s strategy of bringing innovative development and high-quality jobs to these counties,” Secretary McNair said. “We are thankful for Brenda’s hard work in helping to set the foundation for this effort, and we are excited about the plans in place to continue the momentum of growth and prosperity in rural Alabama.”
Tuck’s role, which began in 2019, was one step in a broad, strategic effort to spur job creation in 44 “targeted” rural counties. The effort has included enhanced incentives for projects that land in rural counties, as well as partnerships with other agencies focused on the region.
The Made In Rural Alabama website also chronicles the region’s successes.
A recent Commerce report shows that since 2020, economic development projects in Alabama’s rural counties have generated $7 billion in new capital investment and created nearly 9,000 jobs.
Thomas and Henderson will work together to assist rural counties in competing for economic development projects, said Ed Castile, Commerce deputy secretary and executive director of AIDT.
The state will be split into north/south rural regions. Thomas, based in Birmingham, will cover the north, and Henderson will cover the south from her base in Montgomery.
In addition, the Rural Development Division has two grant writers on staff to assist rural communities. Castile and McNair also are part of the Rural Road Map Committee advising Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger as the Legislature focuses on rural development issues.
