Leadership Shelby class gets economic development overview
During the third class day for the Leadership Shelby County class of 2020, the group learned about the various organizations that work together to promote economic development in Shelby County.
Our day began at McLeod Software offices on U.S. 280 in Inverness, where we received a welcome from CEO Tom McLeod and took a tour with VP of Operations David Custred of the newly renovated building that the company has been in for two years.
“We are transforming the trucking industry,” Custred said. “We are never hesitant to do the right thing, no matter what.”
Custred said McLeod Software has more than 980 customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company has more than 500 employees, 430 of which are based out of the Inverness office.
Yvonne Murray and Melody Whitten of 58 INC. spoke about their company, which has only been in business for two years, and how economic development covers almost every aspect of the economy. Their focus is existing business retention and expansion, along with recruitment of new businesses. They focus on active recruitment rather than passive, and their functional areas of work include industrial, technological, retail/commercial and workforce development.
Our second stop of the day was the Bama Budweiser distribution center in Harpersville. President Matthew Hogan gave us a tour of the facility, which has 85 employees. The space opened in December 2013 and had office renovations done last year.
A panel discussion by mayors and economic development partners included Mayor Don Greene, Harpersville; Mayor Lee McCarty, Wilsonville; Mayor Larry Riggins, Westover; Brian Binzer, city administrator for the city of Alabaster; and Mitt Schroeder, senior vice president of Central State Bank. They all agreed what each city does impacts the other.
A small business panel followed that included Schroeder; Maurice Mercer, president of KATs Delivery; and Dr. Poora Chand of Therachem. They discussed the benefits of having their businesses in Shelby County.
From Harpersville, we bussed in the rain for a tour of the Career Technical Education Center for Shelby County Schools (CTEC) in Columbiana. CTEC serves students in 10th through 12th grades from each of the eight high schools in Shelby County. Their mission is to equip and develop the whole student with tools that prepare them for opportunities in post-secondary and workforce. Programs offered are auto tech, biomedical science, collision repair technology, construction technology/building construction, cosmetology, culinary arts and hospitality, health care science, plumbing and pipefitting, public service academy, robotics and automated manufacturing and welding technology.
While there, Pari Barzegari from the Shelby County Chamber discussed how the chamber works to connect businesses to students and their programs for ninth- through 12th-graders in Shelby County Schools to help prepare them for the workforce and beyond.
We wrapped up the day with a bus tour of the Shelby West Corporate Park, a 400-plus acre commerce, industry and technology park located adjacent to the Shelby County Airport in the city of Alabaster. Tenants include AGC Automotive, UPS, Hibbett Sports, Georgia Crown, Thompson Tractor and Mspark. About 85% of the property is developed with around 30 remaining acres.
Our next Leadership Day will be Jan. 14 and focus on the justice system.
280 Living Editor Leah Ingram Eagle is a member of this year’s Leadership Shelby County class. This article is part of an ongoing series, documenting the group’s year.