News
Mar-Jac Poultry Alabama announces major expansion
SPRUCE PINE, Alabama – Mar-Jac Poultry Alabama LLC said today that it is investing about $50 million in its Northwest Alabama operations, creating and retaining more than 100 new and existing jobs and strengthening the company’s presence in the state. The centerpiece of Mar-Jac Poultry’s investment is a new $25 million feedmill in the Franklin…
‘Job 1’ marks GLE Coupé launch at Mercedes Alabama plant
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – Workers at Mercedes-Benz’s sprawling Alabama assembly plant celebrated “Job 1” today, signaling the start of mass production of the all-new GLE Coupé at the $4.5 billion facility. Mercedes has called 2015 “The Year of the SUV” for the brand, with the launch of the GLE Coupé and a renewal of most of…
Regions Financial CEO Grayson Hall to chair SEUS Japan joint forum
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Grayson Hall, who leads Alabama’s only Fortune 500 company, has been named the 2015-16 private sector chairman for the Southeast U.S.-Japan Association as the group prepares for a joint meeting in Alabama with its Japanese counterpart. Hall, who serves as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Regions Financial Corp., will lead…
Alabama Workforce Council issues report, launches website
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – A new era of collaboration between Alabama business leaders and education officials anchors a series of innovative initiatives that take aim at transforming workforce development efforts and improving educational outcomes in the state. These proposals are detailed in a report prepared by the Alabama Workforce Council, which is now being made available…
Mercedes M-Class gets new name, look at New York Auto Show debut
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – The vehicle that launched Alabama’s auto industry – the Mercedes-Benz M-Class – is getting a new name and a new look that will be unveiled at the New York International Auto Show. To become known as the GLE, the Alabama-made sport utility vehicle family also is getting a new member: a plug-in…
Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards honors export success
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Governor Robert Bentley today honored eight homegrown companies with Trade Excellence Awards for their accomplishments in exporting Alabama-made products and services to customers around the globe, reflecting a key priority of his administration’s economic growth strategy. The companies receiving the award at a ceremony this morning in the Old House Chamber at the state Capitol demonstrate capabilities…
Alabama employment levels hit highest mark since 2008
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — The number of Alabamians holding down a job in January reached the highest point since late 2008 as new jobs were added at a rapid pace, Governor Robert Bentley announced today. “For the past two months, more than 2 million people are working in this state, which hasn’t happened since November 2008.…
Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance targets research breakthroughs
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Promising new therapies for debilitating diseases like diabetes and Parkinson’s are stemming from drug discovery work taking place in Alabama research facilities – an effort that’s getting a $2 million infusion from two insurers. At the center of this high-potential research is the Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance (ADDA), a unique collaboration between…
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…
Why creating 11 jobs in rural Alabama rated a shout-out
VERNON, Alabama – On a sunny day last October, Mayor Glenn Crawford joined Governor Robert Bentley in this Lamar County town to welcome the first tenant in Vernon’s industrial park – K&S Lumber Co., which was producing railroad cross-ties with a small initial workforce. For Crawford, this was a significant project, capping lots of hard…