Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday spoke to economic developers during the Economic Development Association of Alabama’s winter conference. The governor shared with some 300 economic developers in attendance at the luncheon the resilience of Alabama’s economy, her focus on recruiting industries – including high-tech jobs – to rural Alabama, as well as lasering in on the state’s workforce development efforts.
Here are some highlights from the governor’s speech:
“Since I took office, we’ve delivered $25 billion in new capital investments. We’ve created over 50,000 new jobs. We’ve experienced record low unemployment. And by working together, we’ve created the most successful, robust economy in the history of the state of Alabama – making our state the best place to live, work and raise a family. Folks, there is no doubt that one of our economy’s greatest attributes is its strength and resilience. Over the course of the last two years, we’ve faced our fair share of challenges, some of which have even come by way of the Biden-Harris Administration. But thankfully, here in Alabama, we have an economy that no pandemic, natural disaster, or even an overreaching White House can tear down. As we begin this new year, we find Alabama’s economic engine running at full speed and firing on all cylinders.”
“As someone who grew up in Wilcox County, I understand fully and appreciate the importance of small-town Alabama. Despite the curveballs we have been thrown, our economic development efforts in Alabama’s rural counties have continued to produce remarkable outcomes. In 2020 and 2021, we brought in over $1.5 billion in new investment to our rural areas, along with an estimated 3,000 jobs. It’s also worth noting that since the Alabama Jobs Act went into effect in July 2015, 56 projects involving incentives have brought $4.3 billion in new capital investment and more than 6,000 new jobs to what we call our ‘targeted’ and ‘jumpstart’ counties. Folks, rural Alabama is putting the rest of the country on notice! And what’s even more incredible is the fact that the jobs we’re creating in rural Alabama aren’t limited to industries that are traditionally located outside the city limits. Back in December, I had the opportunity to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for an IT company in Brewton, Alabama. Yes, you all heard that correctly – an IT firm in Brewton, Alabama. With a population of just over 5,000, Brewton probably isn’t the first place you would expect to find jobs in software development and website design. But Provalus is proving that talent certainly exists in rural Alabama, which is something we’ve known all along! This project not only created 200 new jobs in Escambia County, but it’s also going a long way in offering other companies a glimpse of what’s possible in communities like Brewton. In the last five years, foreign investment in Alabama’s rural counties has exceeded $1.5 billion and generated over 4,300 new jobs.”
EDAA also awarded Cullman’s Peggy Smith the David R. Echols Award.
