NEW QUARTER, NEW LOOK
The Chamber kicked off the second quarter with a new look when members received a letter from CEO Anna Buckalew inviting them to “restart” and “reconnect” as in-person events officially began again in April. The message linked to a virtual member packet at togethermgm.com, which featured a sleek and dynamic new logo plus a bold color scheme for the Chamber.
According to Buckalew, the new brand signals a reconnection to the Chamber’s core mission—serving businesses and uniting the community to drive economic prosperity for all—while restarting with energy and openness to new opportunities. Visit togethermgm.com to explore the Virtual Member Packet and to download your virtual member decal or request a printed decal or placard.
MONTGOMERY RANKS AT THE TOP IN STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPORT
Montgomery County ranked second in the number of Announced Expansion Projects and in Total Announced Projects in Governor Ivey’s 2020 New & Expanding Industry Report, released in April. Montgomery County consistently leads the state in announced projects year over year.
Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, economic development activity across Alabama in 2020 generated close to $5 billion in new capital investment and almost 10,000 job commitments, according to the report, which is compiled each year by the Alabama Department of Commerce.
LEGISLATIVE WINS
The Chamber’s Legislative Affairs Council has achieved an impressive number of wins among its 2021 legislative priorities. Early in the session, several economic incentive bills were passed including the renewal of the Alabama Jobs Act and the Growing Alabama Act, which secured a powerful economic development tool for the Montgomery area.
Later in the session, a large package of bills to enhance the quality of life for military family members within the River Region earned national recognition among military media for its proactive approach. All of those bills support the Chamber’s ability to grow military and defense missions within the River Region.
You can follow the progress of the Chamber’s legislative priorities on the Weekly Legislative Update Blog on the Chamber’s website.
U.S. REP. MIKE ROGERS SPEAKS AT FIRST 2021 WASHINGTON BRIEF EVENT
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers addressed the local business community at the Chamber’s first in-person Washington Brief (formerly Eggs & Issues) event of the year. Rogers, who serves as Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, spoke about his commitment to rebuilding and modernizing the military and praised Montgomery-area leadership for its forward-thinking initiatives to pursue public-private partnerships in support of space-related initiatives.
AMERICAN AIRLINES RELAUNCHES NON-STOP PAST EVENTS MGM TO WASHINGTON, D.C. FLIGHTS
In early April, American Airlines resumed non-stop flights from Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) to Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C. The service, which began in January 2020 and returned on April 4, was suspended at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when air travel drastically dropped across the nation. Since that time, air traffic has rebounded at MGM as business and leisure travel increases. Same-day flights to DCA are available for purchase at aa.com.
CHAMBER NAMED TOP 20 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW
Site Selection magazine has bestowed the prestigious Mac Conway Award, determined by six criteria and given annually to the nation’s 20 top economic development organizations, on the Chamber for the second year in a row. This achievement is particularly noteworthy given the turbulence of the past 12 months.
