COMMUNITY + COMMERCE NEWS
Faulkner University Honors Frontline Workers, Healthcare Professionals in Cautious Way
Faulkner University’s annual Benefit Dinner featuring former United States Representative Trey Gowdy took on a new look October 1 as the University and the Renaissance Hotel took every precaution to safeguard guests against COVID-19. In light of the pandemic, the university dedicated the night to honoring the hard work and selfless sacrifice of those who have battled and continue to battle COVID-19 on the frontlines of our state and communities. Nearly 120 individuals were honored during the program, including healthcare professionals, food service personnel, maintenance workers, grocers, postal workers, truck drivers, veterinarians, waiters, janitors and others who have risked their health in order to keep our communities running.
The Breath Project Holds Inaugural Festival
The Breath Project Virtual Festival—a new theatrical initiative formed by Artistic Director and Co-Founder Gamal Abdel Chasten and Co-Founder Marieke Gaboury in response to the current global spotlight on racial injustice—held its inaugural festival on October 24 and 25. In partnership with Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF) and 23 other theater companies across the country, the free festival featured 24 world premiere 8-minute, 47-second works created by multidisciplinary theater artists of color. In the wake of the death of George Floyd, the 8 minutes and 46-second time frame has become a symbol for the racial injustice faced by countless members of the Black community across the United States.
Local Nursing Home Completes COVID-19 Training Program
Capitol Hill Healthcare is one of a small number of long-term healthcare facilities recognized for completing federal training on COVID-19. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) program is for clinical staff and management and part of a nationwide effort to combat the spread of the disease in nursing homes. With COVID-19 cases rising in Alabama and many other states, CMS Administrator Seema Verma has urged more of the nation’s nearly 16,000 nursing homes to participate in the free training to hinder the spread of the disease among the vulnerable resident population. According to the agency, “There are 125,506 individuals from 7,313 nursing homes who have completed the training. This represents approximately 12.5 percent of the approximately one million nursing home staff in the country.”
The Wellness Coalition Receives Funding to Improve Heart Health
The Wellness Coalition’s innovation and commitment to improve the heart health of the people of Montgomery was recognized with a grant from the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation’s Connections for Cardiovascular Health SM Next Generation program. The $149,288 grant will fund the HeartLink – Improving Cardiovascular Health in the Alabama River Region program.
Caddell Construction Long-Term Executive Retires
In September, Caddell Construction announced the retirement of Senior Vice President of Operations Bob Nanney. After celebrating 37 years with the company, Nanney had been with Caddell longer than any employee other than Mr. Caddell himself. Nanney was a young man as he made the career leap from Blount to Caddell in October 1983 when the company was only nine months old. He was promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations in 2019. In his executive role, he had oversight responsibility for more than $3 billion of work.
Huntingdon College Names Black Student Union Center
During a luncheon and presentation held on campus on October 24, Huntingdon College President J. Cameron West announced the naming of the Wanda A. Howard ‘81 Black Student Union Center. The Center, located in the renovated ground floor of the campus building known as The Hut, which is home to the College’s Office of Student Affairs and Office of Health and Wellness staff and is the hub of campus life, will serve as a dedicated space for the Black Student Union, a membership organization founded on campus in 1980.
PNC Announces Agreement to Buy BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc.
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) and the Spanish financial group, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE and MAD: BBVA) announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for PNC to acquire BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc., including its U.S. banking subsidiary, BBVA USA, for a purchase price of $11.6 billion to be funded with cash on hand in a fixed price structure.
BBVA USA Bancshares, with $104 billion in assets and headquartered in Houston, Texas, provides commercial and retail banking services through its banking subsidiary BBVA USA and operates 637 branches in Texas, Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Colorado and New Mexico. When combined with PNC’s existing footprint, the company will have a coast-to-coast franchise with a presence in 29 of the 30 largest markets in the United States.
Cumulus Media Announces PROJECT SHINE
Cumulus Media has launched PROJECT SHINE, a crossplatform charitable initiative serving as a nationwide call to local volunteerism through partner VolunteerMatch, the world’s largest volunteer engagement network. PROJECT SHINE will be promoted on the company’s 422 radio stations and websites across 87 U.S. markets, including on Cumulus Montgomery radio stations (WLWI-FM, WHHY-FM, WMXS-FM, WXFX-FM, WMSP-AM and WLWI-AM) and through Cumulus Media’s Westwood One, the largest audio network in the U.S., with creative promos framed by a new version of iconic rock band Collective Soul’s hit “Shine”, rerecorded exclusively for PROJECT SHINE.
PROJECT SHINE encourages Cumulus’ hundreds of millions of listeners to visit local station websites to instantly connect with VolunteerMatch’s powerful search engine and database and find local volunteer opportunities. The campaign was produced by Cumulus, with support from production company Benztown and McVay Media. Rick Hendrick, Operations Manager, Cumulus Montgomery, said, “2020 has been difficult for all of us, but there is always an opportunity to help out our neighbors and friends. PROJECT SHINE is our chance to be that help and we hope that everyone considers this opportunity to join our efforts.”
