Alabama launches a tax incentive to attract and support music creators
MUSCLE SHOALS, Alabama – A major expansion of Alabama’s entertainment tax incentive program is turning heads in the music industry. Representatives of the Alabama Department of Commerce and the Alabama Entertainment Office have been promoting the new opportunities, and the Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival was a recent stop. The festival, held in November, drew more than…
Alabama and Japan celebrate economic, cultural ties at annual JASA Dinner
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The enduring partnership between Alabama and Japan took center stage Thursday evening as business leaders, diplomats and community members gathered for the Japan-America Society of Alabama’s 2025 Annual Celebration Dinner at the Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa. The event, one of the state’s most anticipated gatherings spotlighting Alabama’s international…
Remembering Jerry Underwood
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — A veteran Alabama journalist who covered the state’s biggest business news for decades is being remembered by friends and colleagues for his far-reaching influence in the media industry and economic development. Jerry Underwood, who was 65 when he died on Nov. 2, was a former reporter and business editor at The Birmingham…
Alabama opens new business development office in Seoul to strengthen ties with South Korea
SEOUL, South Korea — The Alabama Department of Commerce today celebrated an expansion of its international footprint with the opening of a new business development office in Seoul, South Korea, strengthening the state’s global trade and investment network in one of its most vital economic partner nations. Commerce selected Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) — South Korea’s…
Alabama expands global reach with new business development office in Tokyo
TOKYO, Japan — During the 47th annual Southeast U.S./Japan Association (SEUS-Japan) Joint Meeting in Tokyo, the Alabama Department of Commerce today celebrated the opening of a new business development office in Japan, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the state’s economic relationship with one of its most valued international partners. The Tokyo-based office, staffed…
Alabama delegation heads to SEUS-Japan meeting in Tokyo to strengthen partnership
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair is leading an Alabama delegation that includes state legislators and community leaders to an international conference in Tokyo that seeks to strengthen the long-standing economic and cultural ties between seven Southeastern states and Japan. The conference, taking place next Tuesday and Wednesday, brings together senior business and government…
Fast-growing AI tax software firm SmartWiz to add 66 high-paying jobs in Birmingham
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Alabama Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair announced today that SmartWiz, a rapidly growing tax software technology company using advanced artificial intelligence to streamline the work of tax professionals, is expanding its operations in Birmingham with plans to create 66 high-paying jobs. Founded in 2021 in Birmingham by a team of tech entrepreneurs and tax…
EDPA launches statewide technology attraction strategy focused on founders
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA), in coordination with the Alabama Department of Commerce and Innovate Alabama, today announced a comprehensive statewide strategy to recruit and support high- growth technology companies. The approach is organized around the principle of “Alabama Puts Founders First” and brings together new and expanded initiatives to help startups…
National publication ranks Alabama as a top state for doing business
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Governor Kay Ivey announced today that Alabama has been ranked among the nation’s top 10 states for doing business by “Area Development” magazine, reflecting the state’s strong economic fundamentals and business-friendly environment. In the publication’s 2025 Top States for Doing Business report, Alabama ranked No. 8 overall, scoring especially high in categories that are crucial to attracting…
Meta to expand Montgomery data hub, pushing total investment to $1.5 billion
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Meta plans an expansion of its Montgomery Data Center, bringing the technology company’s total investment in Alabama’s capital region to more than $1.5 billion. The news was shared during a closed construction tour with state and regional leaders, reinforcing Montgomery’s position as one of the Southeast’s fastest-growing technology and innovation hubs, according…
