Ammons to become new CEO of Birmingham Business Alliance

Current Jefferson County Commissioner Steve Ammons has been named CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), the region’s primary economic development agency.

Ammons, who lives in Vestavia Hills, will be responsible for leading collaboration between BBA and its community partners across the seven-county region to “ensure the alignment and achievement of strategic objectives,” the BBA said in a news release. Ammons will begin his new role on June 1.

“When we began the process of identifying a new CEO, the goal was to identify a successful candidate who understands the unique fabric of Birmingham community and who would also bring immediate credibility and confidence to the role,” said Greg Curran, chairman of the firm at Maynard Nexsen and BBA’s current board chairman. “Steve Ammons has shown great leadership to the BBA over the years, and we are all energized by his thoughtful vision for the organization’s future.”

Ammons’ last day as a county commissioner will be May 31. The county’s election commission will have seven days from his resignation date to set a date for a special election, which must take place between 40 and 100 days from that meeting, said Helen Hays, director of public information for the county. Ammons’ District 5 seat includes much of the county’s eastern side, including Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and portions of Homewood and Hoover.

Between November and December 2022, BBA leadership approached Ammons about his interest in the role, he said, and while he didn’t think much of it at first, as he thought and prayed about it, he realized he had the skill set and relationships for it.

“I’m looking forward to doing economic development full time,” Ammons said.

On the commission, Ammons also serves as the chairman of the economic development committee as well as the information technology committee. 

“Through his service, he has yielded numerous accomplishments in regional cooperation, competitive industry advancement, stakeholder engagement and job creation. Most notably, he managed the recruitment of The J.M. Smucker Company (“Smucker’s”) to the community, which resulted in a $1.2 billion capital investment, the largest in Jefferson County history,” the BBA said in the release. “He played a critical role in driving cohesion for the region through the Jefferson County Mayor’s Association as well as the establishment of the Jefferson County City Council Coalition (JC3).”

Ammons also served as the county’s primary liaison to the Alabama Department of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, the Jefferson County Economic and Industrial Development Authority and all economic development organizations including the BBA. 

“He has shown commitment to the BBA through his work on key projects as a member of the organization’s executive committee and board of directors for the past four years,” the BBA said in the release. 

“I am excited to expand my service to the seven-county greater Birmingham region with the BBA,” said Ammons. “Birmingham has more opportunities in front of us than ever before. I look forward to working closely with the team, our investors and our partners in the community to advance economic growth and regional cooperation together.”  

As he steps down from the commission, Ammons said he will miss the people and the service, but he will continue to serve the region and community from his new, unelected position.

In the five years he spent representing District 5, Ammons said he is most proud of bringing Jefferson County into the top two counties statewide when it comes to capital investment and job development, which wasn’t the case when he first started. He said he’s also proud of helping create more regional cooperation among municipalities, rather than cities working in silos.

As a veteran of the U.S. Navy, Ammons has “dedicated a significant portion of his career to the advancement of public safety,” the BBA said.

Ammons initiated the process of consolidating multiple 911 public safety answering points and championed legislation to streamline effective emergency management systems, the BBA said in the release.

Prior to being elected as a county commissioner, Ammons served two terms on the Vestavia Hills City Council. While on the council, he was mayor pro tempore, the liaison to Vestavia Hills Public Safety and a former member of the parks and recreation board. During his tenure, the city saw an increase in revenue, allowing for many quality of life and infrastructure improvements. He is also a long-time small business owner, professionally having owned and operated an employment background screening services company based in Birmingham.  “Steve Ammons has demonstrated experience in understanding what it takes to support businesses of all sizes,” said Joe Hampton, president of Spire Alabama and incoming 2024 BBA Board Chairman. “He is a proven relationship-builder whose commitment to collaboration will set the organization up for long-term success.”