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Here is today's summary of economic development news, presented by the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama.
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Top Kia supplier expanding into former textile mill; to hire 200
Moving into WestPoint Stevens; firm will gather, assemble parts to be sent to Kia
By Tony Adams
Top-tier Kia supplier Glovis is expanding into a former WestPoint Stevens textile mill this fall and is expected to employ at least 200 people initially, real estate brokers and economic development officials said Tuesday.
Glovis Georgia LLC signed a long-term lease Monday to occupy 262,000 square feet of the old Lanier-Carter towel manufacturing plant off Interstate 85 in Chambers County. The mill, vacant about two years and roughly 600,000 square feet total, is prominent off the interstate with a large lake fronting it.
"The lease is effective immediately," said David Johnson, who, along with partner Jack Hayes, sealed the deal for Columbus-based Jordan Hart Commercial Services. "They'll take probably the next 60 to 90 days to do tenant improvements, and they should be operating out of that building, we think, sometime by late October, possibly sooner."
Click here for more about Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia
Glovis Georgia officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Valerie Gray, executive director of the Chambers County Development Authority, said the expansion by Glovis is good news for a county that is grappling with a high unemployment rate.
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Claudia Zimmermann to rejoin Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce
Published: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 10:44 AM Updated: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 10:53 AM
Jeff Amy, Press-Register
The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce will gain a familiar face as the second-in-command of economic development.
Claudia Zimmermann, who has worked as director of European business development for the Alabama Development Office since March 2009, will become director of economic development for the chamber on Sept. 7.
View full sizeCourtesy Mobile Area Chamber of CommerceClaudia Zimmermann
Zimmerman had worked as a recruiter for the Mobile chamber before taking the state job. "I'm coming back to an organization where I love going to work every day, so I feel like I'm coming home," she said.
Zimmermann will be second-in-command to Troy Wayman, the vice president of economic development. She will largely oversee the recruiting of new companies to the Mobile area. Her state job called for her to market Alabama to European companies, but she passed off business leads to others who would try to close the deal. Zimmermann said she missed seeing a project through to completion. She was a great asset to Mobile before she came to ADO and she was a tremendous asset to us with her efforts in Europe," said ADO Director Neal Wade. "But I think this is a great career move."
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Groundbreaking for Redstone Gateway office park set for MondayPublished: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 9:21 AM Updated: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 9:26 AM
Shelly Haskins, The Huntsville Times
The Huntsville TimesOfficials look at plans for the $1 billion Redstone Gateway office park. HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Local, state and federal officials will break ground Monday for the start of construction on Redstone Gateway, a $1 billion commercial and retail development at the edge of Redstone Arsenal.
The invitation-only groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Gate 9 Visitors Center on Rideout Road, just off of Interstate 565, according to a news release.
Construction on the $1 billion office park is expected to get under way in early November.
Plans call for 52 large office buildings holding as many as 15,000 government workers and defense contractors, two hotels, multiple restaurants, an academic campus and outdoor concert venue.
Under a development agreement approved in March, the city will borrow money for the infrastructure work from LW Redstone. Huntsville will repay the company over time, with 9.95 percent interest, using property taxes generated by the office park.
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Economic recovery a long way off, RBC economist says
Published: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 7:45 AM
Roy L. Williams -- The Birmingham News
A strategist for RBC Bank says a full recovery from the worst economic downturn in decades remains distant due to continuing problems in the job and housing markets. "The economic recovery has been lethargic, and I don't see that changing anytime soon," Tom Porcelli, U.S. market economist for Raleigh, N.C.-based RBC Bank, said in a telephone interview Tuesday.
Porcelli is in Birmingham today to speak at a 7:30 a.m. Harbert Center breakfast for RBC clients and local business leaders. During his address, he will share his views of current economic trends and investment prospects.
His speech is part of the RBC Bank Economic Insights Tour in six Southeastern markets. RBC Bank, which bought Birmingham-based Alabama National BanCorp. in 2008 for $1.6 billion, has 78 branches in Alabama, including 14 in metro Birmingham.
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Feds fund six Alabama broadband projects
The Associated Press · August 18, 2010
The $1.8 billion in broadband projects announced by the Obama administration include six projects in Alabama totaling more than $132 million.
The Alabama projects announced Wednesday are $19.1 million for the North Alabama Electric Cooperative in Jackson and Marshall counties, $6.3 million for JKM Consulting in east-central Alabama, $26.1 million for Troy Cablevision in southeast Alabama, $59.3 million for Trillion Communications in south-central Alabama, $461,539 for Boat People SOS in coastal counties, and $21.3 million for Appalachian Valley Fiber Network in northeast Alabama and northwest Georgia.
Vice President Joe Biden says the stimulus investments in high-speed Internet infrastructure will help bridge the technological divide in communities and support education, health care and public safety.
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2010 Alabama Tourism Awards
Montgomery, Ala. - Alabama tourism officials unveiled a web application for "smart phones" and a beach commercial featuring singer Taylor Hicks during the annual industry convention Sunday in Montgomery. In addition, gubernatorial nominees Dr. Robert Bentley and Ron Sparks addressed delegates during a candidates forum, and the group honored Dr. David Bronner with a lifetime achievement award for his role in establishing the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.On Sunday, August 15 the Alabama Tourism Department\unveiled a new beach television ad featuring American Idol Taylor Hicks. The ad is designed to invite tourists back to the beaches and can be seen on the Alabama Tourism YouTube channel by visiting www.alabama.travel and clicking on the YouTube link at the top of the home page. Tourism also unveiled the Year of Alabama Music logo and a new mobile phone app during the opening general session.
The conference brought together industry representatives for professional development and meetings to discuss tourism in the state. This session topics included the Gulf Coast Oil Crisis, promoting destinations, social media, working with the Alabama Tourism Department, and Maintaining Museums in Alabama.
WSFA's Tonya Terry and WAKA's Jeff Sanders presented the awards at the banquet along with tourism director Lee Sentell. Terry is the morning anchor for Today in Alabama and Sanders is the anchor for WAKA's Noon and 5:00 p.m. newscasts.
Awards to honor the best in the industry were presented in 13 categories during the tourism department awards banquet Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. Awards are presented for Attraction of the Year, Event of the Year, Media Advocate, Government Advocate, Tourism Industry Employee of the Year, Welcome Center of the Year, Organization of the Year, Executive of the Year, Alabama Tourism Department Employee of the Year, Partnership of the Year, Rising Star, Theme Campaign and the Governor's Tourism Award.
The 14 winners are as follows:Lifetime Achievement Award-Dr. David Bronner, CEO Retirement Systems of Alabama * Presented Monday, August 16. Government Advocate Award-Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange Media Advocate Award-Lynn and Milton Fullman Governor's Tourism Award-James W. Rane Sr., CEO Great Southern Wood, Abbeville Organization of the Year-Gulf Shores And Orange Beach Tourism Attraction of the Year-Alabama Music Hall of Fame, Tuscumbia Event of the Year-Star Wars exhibit at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville Tourism Executive of the Year-Patti Culp, Alabama Travel Council
Tourism Employee of the Year-Angie Pierce, Alabama Mountain Lakes Association
Alabama Tourism Department Employee of the Year-Cynthia Flowers
Partnership Award-Elmore County Economic Development Authority
Welcome Center of the Year-Grand Bay
Theme Campaign- City of Valley & Cotton Mills Reunion
Rising Star Award-Christine Elmore, Dothan Convention and Visitors Bureau |
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Alabama Workforce Development Conference
Hosted by the Governor's Office of Workforce Development
October 27 - 29, 2010
Birmingham, Alabama
This year's Workforce Development Conference will provide a forum for employers, workforce development practitioners, educators, and government representatives to engage in dialogue; share their successes, struggles and strengths; identify best practices; and create better synergy for future initiatives to address the issues facing today's workers, employers, policy-makers and career development practitioners.
This conference is a partnership between all agencies involved in workforce development activities including, Department of Education, Economic & Community Affairs, Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Postsecondary Education, Rehabilitation Services, and Senior Services.
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