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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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ADO's Canfield: State close to winning projects with up to 3,500 jobs
Published: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 2:26 PM Updated: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 2:38 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The new head of the Alabama Development Office said the state is close to winning eight projects that will bring 3,500 new and potential jobs into six counties in the state.
Greg Canfield, who is a few weeks into the job as the new ADO director, told the Rotary Club of Birmingham at its weekly meeting at the Harbert Center today that project activity in the state is 12.8 percent higher than it was at the same time a year ago.
He said since January, there have been 4,700 new or expansion jobs created or announced in the state.
Projects working in the state range from distribution centers to missile defense systems and come from countries such as Japan, China, South Korea, Mexico, France and Germany.
"When you take over as ADO director, you can't just wade in, you must dive in," Canfield said. "Today, when you talk about who do we compete against for economic development opportunities in the state of Alabama, the answer is we compete against the rest of the world."
Canfield said the state is competitive and relies on some of the same tools as others, to include incentives, infrastructure, and prepared sites and properties. He said the state has some other weapons like the AIDT worker training program, the Alabama Technology Network, the Community College System and the Robotics Technology Park in Decatur.
But Alabama's secret weapon is the teamwork of economic developers from the state, regional and local levels and the top-notch staff at ADO, Canfield said.
Canfield said for years, ADO has enjoyed competitive advantages against other states, but they are now rapidly catching up, forcing Alabama to do more.
"We can no longer sit back and enjoy doing things the way we've always done them," Canfield said.
Which is why Gov. Robert Bentley has established the Alabama Economic Development Alliance, which ties together the economic development efforts of ADO, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, the state's worker training programs, the state's universities, local economic developers and the corporate economic development efforts. more... Birmingham News
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Roedl Warren Averett LLC opens Auburn office for Korean clients
Published: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 2:20 PM Updated: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 2:26 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The accounting firm of Roedl Warren Averett LLC said it has opened an office in Auburn to cater to Korean companies.
The firm's Korean Business Services, located in the heart of what it calls the "Korean Automotive Corridor," is headed by Jangkeun "Paul" Han. Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia operate assembly plants nearby.
"With the growth of foreign owned automotive manufacturing companies and automotive suppliers establishing operations along the southern Georgia/Alabama state line, a Korean focused office in Auburn was a logical and client centric move for Roedl Warren Averett," the firm said.
The firm is a joint venture between Birmingham-based Warren, Averett, Kimbrough & Marino LLC, Atlanta's Roedl Langford de Kock LLP, and Nuremberg, Germany-based Roedl & Partner.
more... Birmingham News
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Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville-Madison County to honor small business 'champions'
Published: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 2:00 PM
By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times The Huntsville Times
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The "Champions of Small Business" will be honored Thursday at the annual Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Small Business Awards Celebration.
The 18 finalists, chosen from a record number of nominations, will make their entrance into the Von Braun Center North Hall on a red carpet. They are competing for six awards in six categories. The ceremony starts at 5 p.m.
"I want to congratulate all of the contenders, finalists and award winners for their leadership, creativity and pursuits of excellence," said Louis Michetti, Small Business Awards chair and senior vice president , North Alabama for Regions bank, which is presenting the event this year. "Their support of the community and Chamber provides the leadership that is needed to move Huntsville and Madison County forward, especially in today's economic difficult times."
more... Huntsville Times
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Huntsville-based Teledyne Brown Engineering awarded Missile Defense Agency contract
Published: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 6:26 AM Updated: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 9:13 AM
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Huntsville-based Teledyne Brown Engineering was awarded the Missile Defense Agency's Objective Simulation Framework contract. The contract has a potential value of $595 million over five years beginning Sept. 1.
Under the contract, Teledyne will design, develop, test, implement and maintain the OSF. OSF will be the centerpiece test and simulation framework for all elements of the missile defense system.
The OSF will be capable of supporting full-scale simulations, ground tests and live fire events.
"Under the contract, we will develop a capability for conducting detailed simulations and tests for the missile defense system - ranging from a detailed, high-fidelity simulation to a live fire event," said Rex Geveden, Teledyne Brown's president.
more... Huntsville Times
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Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce search committee wants new CEO in place in October
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A search committee wants to have a new president/CEO for the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce on board in October.
An executive search firm, Waverly Partners, was retained this summer and, after evaluating a larger group, presented 11 potential candidates for the job to the 12-member search committee.
After the committee screened that group, "we turned eight names over to the search firm," said Charlie Kettle, the chair of the chamber's board of directors who's heading the search committee. Waverly Partners is finishing up extensive interviews with that group of eight this week.
"We're excited about the candidates," said Kettle, "We think we have some very, very good options."
Waverly will next narrow the selection to four or five people, Kettle said, then the committee will interview those individuals in three weeks.
more... Huntsville Times
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ADO director focuses on team notion
By Bernie Delinski Staff Writer Published: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, August 29, 2011 at 10:54 p.m.
FLORENCE - New Alabama Development Office Director Greg Canfield told Shoals leaders Monday that job creation takes a team effort.
"We want to be focused on developing the working relationship of being a team," Canfield told the group during a Shoals
Chamber of Commerce meet-and-greet luncheon.
Canfield said that's the idea behind the Alabama Economic Development Alliance, an organization Gov. Robert Bentley created in July.
He said the alliance will focus on recruitment, retention and renewal.
Recruitment involves enticing industries to Alabama. Retention pertains to working with existing Alabama industries to enhance growth opportunities.
Renewal is the concept of using innovative ideas in research and development to create jobs. In addition, the concept looks into ways to commercialize projects and ideas in hopes they can form additional new jobs.
more...
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GE looking to expand supplier network in West Alabama
By Patrick Rupinski Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 12:18 p.m.Last Modified: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 12:46 p.m.
TUSCALOOSA | On Monday, more than 100 invitations went out to area businesses that might be interested in being part of a new supplier chain being built by GE Aviation.
By Tuesday morning, 45 of the businesses already had sent in their RSVPs for the GE Aviation Business Supplier Symposium that will be held at the Bryant Conference Center on Sept. 29.
The symposium will give representatives from small and mid-sized area businesses a chance to meet with GE Aviation officials and find out if their companies can become part of the supplier network for one of the state's newest companies.
GE Aviation, a division of General Electric, announced in November that it would build a $45 million plant in Auburn that will make coatings for jet engines and employ 300 to 400 people. GE Aviation said at the time that it wanted to open the plant in 2012.
GE Aviation's announcement was one of the biggest industrial catches for the state in 2010. Tuscaloosa and several other state cities also were in the running for the plant.
more...
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GE Aviation Business Supplier Symposium
September 29th , 2011
Bryant Conference Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
www.TuscaloosaAerospace.com
This symposium will provide an exclusive opportunity for small and midsized businesses to connect
directly with GE Aviation, GEA's regional Tier 1 suppliers, as well as other local Alabama buyers.
The TCIDA is facilitating the symposium to stimulate new market opportunities for your company
and others across Alabama. Its purpose is to match various small business interests with large
corporations and defense contractors that offer contract opportunities. Small businesses and buyers will
have the opportunity for private, one-on-one appointments, and are expected to generate new public and
private contract leads for your business.
At the event there will be an opportunity to request an appointment with your commodity focus.
The one-on-one appointments will create a structured environment to maximize your time and ensure
your comfort during the event. Each buyer will also have an exhibit area for additional networking
opportunities to meet various commodity focal points for GE Aviation and their Tier 1's.
We hope you will consider participating in the upcoming symposium. Registration cost, which
includes lunch, is $25.00 per Person to be paid in cash at check-in of event with no more than two representatives per business. You can register online immediately at www.TuscaloosaAerospace.com
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Best,
Wendy Wallace Johnson
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