New director of 58 Inc. announced at Chamber luncheon

Shelby County is taking the next step in its economic development initiative, 58 Inc. During the Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce’s Oct. 25 luncheon, the new managing director for the initiative, Yvonne Murray, was introduced.

Murray will begin her role as director on Nov. 6, joining a board of directors that includes Bill Keller, commercial banking manager for Renasant Bank; Paul Rogers, senior executive vice president of Noble Bank; County Chief Development Officer Chad Scroggins; Charlie Stevens, vice president of sales for Thompson Tractor Company; and AT&T-Alabama Regional Director of Legislative and External Affairs Terri Williams.

The initiative aims to recruit new businesses as well as retain and expand existing businesses, in addition to establishing workforce readiness in the county.

“We’re going to be actively recruiting anything and everything that we can do to help us bolster the economy in Shelby County,” Scroggins said.

The search for a new director started in June, after more than two years of work went into planning the partnership between Shelby County and the Greater Shelby Chamber.

Murray joins 58 Inc. with 10 years of experience with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham. She attended Shelby County Schools and received her B.A. in political science and government and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“Having gone to Oak Mountain Schools all the way through K-12, it's very exciting for me to be able to come home and do work in the county that I was raised in,” Murray said. “Just at today's [chamber] event, I ran into so many familiar and friendly faces. The passion and energy behind this effort makes it a very sweet homecoming.”

In her role as director, one of the first things Murray will do is work with local communities to find out about their needs and assets, Scroggins said. As she prepares to step into the role, Murray said she will be joining a board that has already “hit the ground running” on several projects.

“We are already lining up meetings, and my main goal these first few weeks will be to listen to what the community wants,” she said. “It is important to me to really understand the needs and wants that each distinct community has and to try and find a cohesive way to get them there.”

They will start their focus on small businesses, Murray said, noting that 62 percent of new jobs come from small businesses. By investing time and attention in these businesses, she continued, it will help promote success locally.

“We will provide focused attention on filling the gaps, supporting existing efforts, and leading new adventures,” Murray said. “I hope that we can preserve the character and draw of the county while ushering progress in that makes the members of the community happy and healthy.”

Following the announcement, Scroggins said there was a general enthusiasm regarding the new initaitive.

“It’s certainly a lot of excitement. Shelby County is primed for growth and other opportunities that we just haven’t been able to tap into in the last few years, so we feel like this is a really great opportunity to take it to the next level,” Scroggins said.

Also at the chamber luncheon, County Manager Alex Dudchock walked attendees through an update on the county’s projects and finances.