SBA to offer Emerging Leaders Initiative in Birmingham in April
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The U.S. Small Business Administration is launching an intensive executive-level training series next month in Birmingham that’s designed to accelerate the growth of high-potential small business enterprises. This is the first time SBA has held its free Emerging Leaders Initiative in Alabama’s largest city, but more than 2,400 small businesses across the…
Commerce names Ted Clem director of business development
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – The Alabama Department of Commerce announced today that Ted Clem has been named director of business development, placing the veteran economic developer in a leading role in the agency’s efforts to recruit new jobs and investment. Clem, whose appointment is effective March 1, joined the Department of Commerce in February 2014 as…
Dai-ichi, Protective donate $4 million for advancements in Alabama
BIRMINGHAM – Tokyo-based Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co. teamed up with Birmingham-based Protective Life Corp. this morning to announce $4.1 million in donations that will have significant impacts on medical research, education and culture in Alabama. The donations announced today follow the Feb. 1 completion of a formal merger between Dai-ichi, Japan’s second largest life insurance…
Alabama exports climb to near record in 2014
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Alabama exports climbed in 2014 to a near-record level, powered by shipments of Alabama-made automobiles to almost 100 countries, as well as rising overseas sales of products such as industrial machines, plastics, and iron and steel. Alabama’s exports totaled $19.518 billion last year, a gain of nearly 1.2 percent from 2013’s figure,…
Super Bowl XLIX turf has Alabama roots
FOLEY, Alabama — When Doug Lipscomb settles in to catch Super Bowl XLIX, he won’t be focusing on the heroics of two top quarterbacks, the titanic tussles of burly linemen, or even the pyrotechnics of the halftime extravaganza. Nope, his mind will be on the turf. “We will have a little get-together at the house, and…
Alabama job growth gains momentum in December
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Job growth in Alabama during 2014 reached a pace not seen since 2007, and the state’s December unemployment rate fell to 5.7 percent, the lowest rate in six years. During 2014, employment in Alabama swelled by 31,800 jobs, with significant gains in manufacturing and construction, one of the hardest hit sectors during…
Incentives update would spur Alabama job creation, top officials say
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Leaders of Alabama’s economic development team are working with Governor Robert Bentley and other top officials to overhaul Alabama’s incentive laws, enhancing the state’s competitiveness as it pursues new jobs and investment. Governor Robert Bentley and Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield outlined the initiative to members of the Economic Development Association…
Alabama, Peru strengthen economic ties with agreement
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — A trade memorandum signed today will strengthen economic ties between Alabama and Peru, setting the stage for increased cooperation between the state and the South American nation. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Peru’s Ambassador to the United States, Harold Forsyth, formalized the agreement when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during a…
‘Selma’ could be break for Alabama film industry
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – The director of Alabama’s Film Office hopes the state’s growing film industry will receive a boost from the critically acclaimed “Selma,” which was partially shot in Alabama last year. “Selma,” which depicts pivotal moments in the 1960’s Civil Rights movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., opened nationwide last week, earning…
Alabama November job growth hits highest mark in 8 years
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Alabama’s unemployment rate dropped to 6 percent in November, its lowest point since 2008, as job growth in sectors such as manufacturing and construction continues at a strong pace. “Alabama’s unemployment rate has not only continued its downward trend, but has reached a level we have not seen in more than six…
