Kroger to bring 161 jobs to Birmingham with new direct-to-consumer grocery delivery service

The Kroger Co. announced today it will hire 161 new employees in Birmingham this year to introduce its e-commerce grocery delivery service into the region. The national grocery chain has leased a 50,000-square-foot facility at 30 West Oxmoor Road that will serve as a last-mile spoke location for its delivery network, powered by a high-tech customer fulfillment center, also known as a hub, near Atlanta, Ga.

“Kroger today looks very different than it did in 1883 when we opened our first store. But the core principles that made that store successful – service, selection, value, and our commitment to our customers – remain the bedrock of our business,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s Chairman and CEO. “I’m incredibly excited for the future of Kroger, and both thriving physical stores and digital solutions are part of it.”

Kroger said this expansion will create jobs in technology, operations, logistics and transportation, inventory and quality management, and customer service and engagement, while improving access to fresh foods and household essentials. In addition to Birmingham, Kroger also announced the addition of cross-dock spokes in Austin and San Antonio. The grocery chain said the facilities in each city will be customer-centric and operated by friendly and knowledgeable associates.

The Birmingham Business Alliance provided essential economic development support to Kroger’s project team and connected the company to the key governmental departments during their due diligence phase.

“We are proud to welcome a new and innovative Kroger to Birmingham,” said Alex Patrick, a partner at the Birmingham Business Alliance who managed the project. “Kroger is a more than 100-year-old company with its eye on the future that immediately saw how Birmingham could expand its e-commerce network more effectively.”

Kroger’s e-commerce technology is powered by Ocado Group and is a continuation of its successful entry into Florida in 2021 without physical stores. The new Birmingham facility will bring innovation and modern e-commerce to the area and extend Kroger’s reach and ability to provide customers anything, anytime, anywhere. Kroger has 10 brick-and-mortar retail food stores in north and east Alabama but none in the Birmingham area.

Click here to read more about Kroger Delivery and its national expansion.

2022 Alabama State Legislative Session Week 7 Recap

 The Alabama Legislature completed its 15th legislative day on Thursday, February 24. 

• HB2 by Representative Treadaway – Penalties for Rioting: This bill would increase the penalties for the crime of assault on first responders during civil unrest and mandate jail time. This bill passed out of the House this week.

• HB82 by Representative Garrett, SB189 by Senator Gudger – Small Business Relief and Revitalization Act: This bill would allow businesses to exempt $40,000 of the market value of business personal property from ad valorem tax levied by the state. It would also ensure that relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) received by qualifying disadvantaged farmers is exempt from state income tax. This bill has passed both houses and was delivered to the governor this week to be signed into law.

• Representative Shedd has the companion bills to Senate Majority Leader Scofield’s three broadband bills (SB123, 124, 125). These bills are in response to the current and future ARPA funds being allocated to broadband.

o HB189 creates an Alabama Digital Expansion Division chief.

▪ This bill was not taken up in the House this week.

o HB255 allows the state, cities and counties to grant funds designated for broadband infrastructure to private companies.

▪ This bill passed out of the Senate committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development this week. Pending third reading.

o HB298 creates minimum service threshold speeds for broadband service grants.

▪ This bill was not taken up in the House this week.

• HB267 by Representative Garrett – Education Trust Fund: The bill will be taken up in the House next week.

• HB272 by Representative Stringer – Firearms Permit Bill: This bill would repeal pistol permits for concealed carry. Nearly every police and sheriff's department in the state is opposed to this legislation. This bill has passed out of the House with two amendments and has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary committee.

• HB319 by Representative Coleman – Constitution Reorganization: This bill would reorganize the 121-year-old Alabama state constitution and delete outdated, annulled and racist language. This bill passed out of the House this week.

• HB322 by Representative Stadthagen – Transgender Bill: This controversial bill would require public K-12 schools to designate use of rooms where students may be in various stages of undress on the basis of biological sex. This bill passed out of the House this week 74-24.

• SB54 by Senator Allen – Memorial Preservation Act: This bill would revise penalties for moving or renaming monuments that are 40 years or older and would authorize the Attorney General to commence civil actions. This bill was not taken up in the Senate this week.

• SB57 by Senator Orr – Tax Incentives Bill: This bill would change the reporting date requirements of state agencies that administer economic tax incentives and establish sunset provisions and reporting guidelines for economic tax incentives.The Alliance, along with other economic development entities in the state, opposes this bill as it 1) will put sunset limits on existing and future tax incentives, 2) may limit or greatly reduce the number of years allowable on tax incentives, and 3) would require a burdensome reporting process on state agencies and possibly local granting authorities. This bill was not taken up in the Senate this week.

• SB106 by Senator Albritton- General Fund Budget: This bill passed out of the Senate this week and has been referred to the House committee on Ways and Means General Fund. This is the fourth year in a row the Senate has passed a record high General Fund Budget bill at 2.7 billion dollars. If this dollar amountstays intact, this will be a record high.

• SB112 by Senator Waggoner- Cell Phone Hands Free Bill: This bill has passed the Senate, but failed to pass the House by three votes.

• These bills sponsored by Majority Leader Scofield are in response to the current and future ARPA funds being allocated to broadband. These are the companion bills to Representative Shedd’s three broadband bills (HB189, 255, 298).

o SB123 creates an Alabama Digital Expansion Division chief.

▪ Passed out of the House committee on Urban and Rural Development. Pending its third reading.

o SB124 creates minimum service threshold speeds for broadband service grants.

▪ Passed out of the House committee on Urban and Rural Development with one amendment. Pending its third reading.

o SB125 allows the state, cities and counties to grant funds designated for broadband infrastructure to private companies.

▪ Passed of the House committee on Urban and Rural Development. Pending its third reading.

• SB140 by Senator Marsh – Parental Choice Bill: This controversial bill would direct money from Alabama’s Education Trust Fund to fund a student’s choice of public school, private school or homeschool. The bill would create Education Savings Accounts that would provide parents access to funds equivalent of the amount the state spends funding each public-school student. This bill was not taken up inthe Senate this week.

• SB147 by Senator Orr – Open Meetings Bill: This bill will provide further guidelines for electronic meetings held by members of governmental bodies and public participation at those meetings. This bill has passed out of the Senate and has been assigned to the House committee on State Government. This bill was not taken up in the House this week.

• SB152 by Senator Roberts – ARPA Bill: This bill will create an allotment in the state income tax law to conform with the federal intent behind the income tax credit expansion within the American Rescue Plan Act. This bill has passed both houses and was delivered to the governor this week to be signed into law.

• SB171 by Senator Orr – Education Policy: This bill would not tie the State Department of Education to Common Core standards. It establishes a goal of increasing the math proficiency of students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It passed out of Senate committee on Finance and Taxation Education and had its second reading in its house of origin. This bill was not taken up by the Senate this week.

• SB224 by Senator Orr – Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development: This bill would require an unemployed individual to search for work a certain number of times per week to be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. This bill passed out of the Senate committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development this week.

The House of Representatives and Senate will reconvene on Tuesday, March 1.

2022 Alabama State Legislative Session Week 6 Recap

It was busy last week at the State House, with several bills moving that could potentially impact economic development efforts in the state. Legislators return today following the holiday weekend.

• HB2 by Representative Treadaway – Penalties for Rioting: This bill would increase the penalties for the crime of assault on first responders during civil unrest and mandate jail time. The bill passed the House Judiciary Committee by a 10-4 vote. This bill was not taken up by the House this week.

• HB82 by Representative Garrett, SB189 by Senator Gudger – Small Business Relief and Revitalization Act: This bill would allow businesses to exempt $40,000 of the market value of business personal property from ad valorem tax levied by the state. It would also ensure that relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) received by qualifying disadvantaged farmers is exempt from state income tax. This passed in the House by a vote of 99-0 and passed in the Senate by a vote of 29-0.

• Representative Shedd has the companion bills to Senate Majority Leader Scofield’s three broadband bills (SB123, 124, 125). These bills are in response to the current and future American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds being allocated to broadband.

  • HB189 creates an Alabama Digital Expansion Division chief.

  • HB255 allows the state, cities and counties to grant funds designated for broadband infrastructure to private companies. This passed out of the House and has been referred to the Senate committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development.

  • HB298 creates minimum service threshold speeds for broadband service grants.

• HB272 by Representative Stringer – Firearms Permit Bill: This bill would repeal pistol permits for concealed carry. Nearly every police and sheriff's department in the state is opposed to this legislation. This bill has passed the House committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.

• SB54 by Senator Allen – Memorial Preservation Act: This bill would revise penalties for moving or renaming monuments that are 40 years or older and would authorize the Attorney General to commence civil actions. This bill passed the Senate committee on Governmental Affairs by a vote of 7-0 with 1 abstention.

• SB57 by Senator Orr – Tax Incentives Bill: This bill would change the reporting date requirements of state agencies that administer economic tax incentives and establish sunset provisions and reporting guidelines for economic tax incentives. The Alliance, along with other economic development entities in the state, opposes this bill as it 1) will put sunset limits on existing and future tax incentives, 2) may limit or greatly reduce the number of years allowable on tax incentives, and 3) would require a burdensome reporting process on state agencies and possibly local granting authorities. This bill was not taken up by the Senate last week.

• SB112 by Senator Waggoner- Cell Phone Hands Free Bill- This bill has passed the Senate, but failed to pass the House by three votes.

• The Senate passed three bills by Majority Leader Scofield related to broadband. These bills are in response to the current and future ARPA funds being allocated to broadband. These bills were not taken up by the House this week.

  • SB123 creates an Alabama Digital Expansion Division chief.

  • SB124 creates minimum service threshold speeds for broadband service grants.

  • SB125 allows the state, cities and counties to grant funds designated for broadband infrastructure to private companies.

• SB140 by Senator Marsh – Parental Choice Bill: This controversial bill would direct money from Alabama’s Education Trust Fund to fund a student’s choice of public school, private school or homeschool. The bill would create Education Savings Accounts that would provide parents access to funds equivalent of the amount the state spends funding each public-school student. This bill was not taken up by the Senate last week.

• SB147 by Senator Orr – Open Meetings Bill: This bill will provide further guidelines for electronic meetings held by members of governmental bodies and public participation at those meetings. This bill has passed out of the Senate and has been assigned to the House committee on State Government.

• SB152 by Senator Roberts – ARPA Bill: This bill will create an allotment in the state income tax law to conform with the federal intent behind the income tax credit expansion within ARPA. This bill has passed out of House and Senate.

• SB171 by Senator Orr – Education Policy: This bill would not tie the State Department of Education to Common Core standards. It establishes a goal of increasing math proficiency of students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It passed out of Senate committee on Finance and Taxation Education and had its second reading in its house of origin. This bill was not taken up by the Senate this week.

• SB224 by Senator Orr – Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development: This bill would require an unemployed individual to search for work a certain number of times per week to be eligible to receive unemployment benefits.

Alliance CEO weighs in on how Alabama should spend its infrastructure funding

The Birmingham Business Journal published an article recently, written by Angel Coker, asking local business leaders how they think the state should spend its portion of “The $1.2 trillion pie,” referring to Alabama’s portion of Congress’s recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Coker spoke with The Alliance’s CEO Ron Kitchens to ask, “What should Alabama spend this infrastructure money on?”

Here is what he had to say,

“1. Universal access to high-speed internet.

2. Rebuilding failing bridges and roads, and expanding roads in areas of the state that are growing economic output.

3. Mega sites (5,000-plus acres) for industrial location that have full infrastructure in place. This would help ensure that we’re competitive with other Southeastern states for large, job-creating projects.

4. A network of auto-charging stations.

5. Growth of the Port of Alabama with increased access to the Port of Birmingham via water and rail.

6. The expansion of the Birmingham airport as a state logistics hub.

We need more and better jobs in the region, which requires not only ensuring that our citizens have access to world-class education and training, but we must also pre-invest in the required infrastructure to meet the needs of job creators.”

The estimated job growth nationally from these funds is 1.5 million per year for the next ten years, according to the summary of the bill.

You can read the full article here.

2022 ALABAMA STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WEEK 5 RECAP

The Alabama Legislature completed its ninth legislative day last Thursday, as several bills moved through that could potentially impact economic development efforts in the state.

• HB2 by Representative Treadaway – Penalties for Rioting: This bill would increase the penalties for the crime of assault on first responders during civil unrest and mandate jail time. The bill passed the House Judiciary Committee by a 10-4 vote.

• HB82 by Representative Garrett, SB189 by Senator Gudger – Small Business Relief and Revitalization Act: This bill would allow businesses to exempt $40,000 of the market value of business personal property from ad valorem tax levied by the state. It would also ensure that relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) received by qualifying disadvantaged farmers is exempt from state income tax. This passed in the House by a vote of 99-0.

• HB272 by Representative Stringer – Firearms Permit Bill: This bill would repeal pistol permits for concealed carry. Nearly every police and sheriff's department in the state is opposed to this legislation. There was a public hearing on the bill and the committee is scheduled to vote on the bill next week.

• SB54 by Senator Allen – Memorial Preservation Act: This bill would revise penalties for moving or renaming monuments that are 40 years or older and would authorize the Attorney General to commence civil actions.

• SB57 by Senator Orr – Tax Incentives Bill: This bill would change the reporting date requirements of state agencies that administer economic tax incentives and establish sunset provisions and reporting guidelines for economic tax incentives. The Alliance, along with other economic development entities in the state, opposes this bill as it 1) will put sunset limits on existing and future tax incentives, 2) may limit or greatly reduce the number of years allowable on tax incentives, and 3) would require a burdensome reporting process on state agencies and possibly local granting authorities.

• The Senate passed three bills by Majority Leader Scofield related to broadband. These bills are in response to the current and future ARPA funds being allocated to broadband.

  • SB123 creates an Alabama Digital Expansion Division chief.

  • SB124 creates minimum service threshold speeds for broadband service grants.

  • SB125 allows the state, cities and counties to grant funds designated for broadband infrastructure to private companies.

• SB140 by Senator Marsh – Parental Choice Bill: This controversial bill would direct money from Alabama’s Education Trust Fund to fund a student’s choice of public school, private school or homeschool. The bill would create Education Savings Accounts that would provide parents access to funds equivalent of the amount the state spends funding each public-school student. This bill was not taken up by the Senate this week.

• SB171 by Senator Orr – Education Policy: This bill would not tie the State Department of Education to Common Core standards. It establishes a goal of increasing math proficiency of students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It passed out of Senate Committee and had it’s second reading in its house of origin.

The House of Representative and Senate will reconvene on Tuesday, February 15.

Week 4 Recap

Week 3 Recap

Week 2 Recap

Week 1 Recap

Alliance honored at BBJ Diversity & Inclusion Awards

Emily Jerkins Hall

The Birmingham Business Alliance’s Emily Jerkins Hall was recently recognized as a Leader in Diversity by the Birmingham Business Journal. Emily was one of 17 professionals in the Birmingham community recognized for a strong focus on diversity, inclusion and equity in their businesses and in the greater Birmingham community.

Emily is a managing partner at the Birmingham Business Alliance and works to spot and seize opportunities that help The Alliance better serve its clients and make the region more competitive for jobs.

Emily is leading The Alliance’s diversity and inclusion efforts throughout its business plan, including overseeing contracted services that have secured over $1 million in funding for programs. These programs include The Alliance’s Small Business Advisory Services program funded by Prosper; the Magic City Data Collective, which she co-founded with The University of Alabama at Birmingham to develop a pipeline of diverse, data talent (the pilot program recently secured a $219,000 federal grant to continue operations); and actionable market intelligence on the region’s bioscience industry.

In 2021, Emily worked closely with Prosper to craft an impactful Small Business Advisory Services program to meet Prosper’s goal of creating a more prosperous and equitable future for Birmingham. This program led by The Alliance will curate a marketplace between buyers and suppliers, get buyers and suppliers ready to do business and drive collective impact on jobs and dollars throughout Birmingham. Its first cohort, Supplier Scale, was recently announced.

Also honored were Marcus Lundy of Capital Group and Demetria Scott of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who both have led The Alliance’s Inclusive Procurement Council, a group of companies that meet monthly to discuss best practices in supplier diversity and to hear pitches from potential local suppliers.

The Alliance was recognized as a finalist in the Diversity & Inclusion Awards, in the nonprofit category. The Alliance was chosen based on its vision to create and promote a thriving, equitable economy for all in Birmingham by attracting and retaining diverse talent in the community and organization; helping companies increase local spend with minority and small businesses; leveraging diversity as a community asset; and advocating for policies that enable equitable communities.

German automotive supplier opens Birmingham office

Source: HardwarePark.org

MBN Automotive Inc., an automotive machining company headquartered in Germany, has opened a sales and customer support office in Birmingham’s Hardware Park. The company manufactures assembly line machines in Germany for Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen. The company plans to grow its sales team in Alabama.

Christian Gerlach, Managing Director of MBN GmbH, said the company has established itself as the leading supplier of equipment for chassis assembly for many Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz plants. This, along with the increasing shift in the United States towards electric mobility and the company’s “Fastener Loader” specifically designed for electric mobility, provides the foundation for the start and development here.

“Birmingham offers perfect conditions with its training centers, universities, the possibility to recruit employees and the central location between existing and potential new customers,” he said. “Likewise, the startup structure and access to a qualified supplier base appear to be very good. In addition, the Birmingham Business Alliance convinced us right from the start with their commitment and willingness to support us in our start and development in Alabama.”

The Birmingham location is MBN’s first office in the United States. It will serve its OEM customers here, aligning with its growth strategy and putting it in a competitive position to increase global sales.

The Birmingham Business Alliance assisted the company with office selection and community partnership connections, alongside partners at AlabamaGermany Partnership and the Alabama Department of Commerce, whose European lead generation consultant connected the company to The Alliance.

“Suppliers around the world are recognizing the Birmingham region as a central location to service automotive OEMs in Alabama and surrounding states,” said Ron Kitchens, CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance. “Our infrastructure and base of existing manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and Honda, as well as their suppliers, give Birmingham a solid foundation on which to grow auto manufacturing in the Southeast.”

2022 Alabama State Legislative Session Week 4 Recap

The Alabama Legislature resumed its regular session and on Thursday, February 3, the legislature completed its sixth legislative day. There were several bills taking up a great deal of energy in the State House, including: 

• HB 272 by Representative Stringer – Firearms Permit Bill: This bill would repeal pistol permits for concealed carry. Police and sheriff's departments around the state are opposed to this legislation. 

• SB57 by Senator Orr - Tax Incentive Bill: This would place expiration dates, reporting process and limits on tax incentives. Several business organizations are against this bill in its current form.

• SB54 by Senator Allen - Memorial Preservation Act: This bill would revise penalties for moving or renaming monuments that are 40 years or older and would authorize the Attorney General to commence civil actions.

• SB171 by Senator Orr – Education Policy: This bill would not tie the Department of Education to Common Core standards, but instead would have a goal to increase math proficiency of students from kindergarten to 5th grade.

2022 Alabama State Legislative Session Week 3 Recap

During the special session called by Governor Ivey last week, House Bill 1 regarding the supplemental appropriations from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, passed (Senate: Yes 26/No 0; House: Yes 100/No 1). The bill was forwarded to the Governor’s desk for immediate signature.

A three-judge federal panel ruled against the State’s new congressional redistricting plan, citing that it is not equitable for African American voters and it preserves a single majority-minority congressional district. Since the 2010 Census, Alabama’s African American population has increased from 24 percent to 27 percent. Conversely, the White population has decreased to 62 percent. Challengers of the plan would like for the congressional maps to be redrawn to create a second majority-minority congressional district. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall may file an appeal and it is highly likely that Governor Ivey will call for another special session to redraw the Congressional maps.

This week, the Legislature will go back into regular session unless the Governor calls for special session the first part of February.

2022 Alabama State Legislative Session Week 2 Recap

It was a remarkably quiet week in the Alabama State Legislature last week. While a number of bills were introduced (294 combined House and Senate), very few moved and a limited number of committee meetings were held. On Wednesday, January 19, Governor Ivey officially called a special session to discuss the $772 million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money.

The majority of the $772 million is proposed to be allocated as follows: 

• $277 million for broadband

• $225 million for drinking water and water systems

• $80 million for hospital nursing homes

• $30 million for rural hospitals

• $20 million for EMS

• $11 million for counties to defray costs of housing inmates during the pandemic

The proposed allocations will have to pass the House and Senate. If passed by both legislative bodies, then the vote will probably take place Thursday.

Of the original ARPA money pledged to the state, $400 million was dedicated to prisons. Another approximately $1.1 billion is due in May or June of this year. 

21 Birmingham companies chosen for Supplier Scale program

Following a competitive application process, 21 Birmingham small businesses have been selected to participate in the Birmingham Business Alliance’s Supplier Scale program, which provides customized solutions to prepare local companies to do business with the region’s largest employers, many of which are members of The Alliance.

Supplier Scale is part of The Alliance’s Small Business Advisory Services, which is generously funded by Prosper and has a goal of advancing women- and minority-owned businesses in Birmingham. The Small Business Advisory Services will work with a series of cohorts like Supplier Scale, over six-to-eight-month periods, with the goal of serving 250 companies and creating 1,300 direct jobs over the next five years.

“This first cohort for Supplier Scale is full of amazing small businesses that are proactively seeking ways to do business with other companies and to grow from this experience,” said Ron Kitchens, CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance. “This cohort, and future cohorts, will be integral in driving job growth and prosperity in their communities.”

The instructor for the Supplier Scale cohort will be Jay Spratling, founder and CEO of Corporate Facilities Management in Birmingham. He will utilize curriculum from nationally recognized small business development organization Interise and be supported by The Alliance’s small business team. In addition to leading one of the largest facilities management companies in the Southeast, Spratling advises aspiring business owners throughout the country. He is the founding board member and current President of Turning Dreams into Realities, a mentoring organization for college-aged men.

The companies and owners that Spratling will be instructing in Supplier Scale include:

• 3G Chemical Solutions LLC, Aleia Shipman

• Auto Tread Inc., Carl Colvin

• Birmingham Health, Dr. Alex Casey

• BLUEROOT, Jennifer Senske Ryan

• C&J Lawn LLC, Tanesha Howard

• College Prep U, Jay Johnson

• Complete 3 Tech Solutions LLC, Christopher White

• Electrical Maintenance & Troubleshooting LLC, Lensey King Jr.

• Global Team Staffing LLC, Greg Minard

• Life Touch Massage LLC, Lemar Storey

• LVL Up Logistics LLC, Olu Aladebumoye

• MPA Financials, Cicely Jones

• Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co., Clem Summers

• Never Go Broke Inc., Tae Lee

• ProFRESHional Creations LLC, Courtney Woods

• Rebirth Marketing & Consulting, Rashida Reese

• SARCOR LLC, Selena Rodgers Dickerson

• Slade Land Use, Environmental and Transportation Planning, L'Tryce Slade

• Smith and Associates Enterprise Inc., Joe Smith

• Spiffy Designs, Barbara Cooney

• Weelth Inc/TaxxWiz, Tevin Harrell

“This fantastic group of professionals represents a first step towards Prosper's commitment to supporting their growth and the inclusive economic growth of our community,” said Dee Manyama, Initiatives Director for Prosper. “We anticipate great things for these companies and the opportunities that will bloom from the investment of time and effort into scaling their businesses.”

65 small businesses applied for the Supplier Scale program and of those 36 met the requirements (privately owned companies headquartered in Jefferson County that employ 2 to 10 people, and/or generate between $100,000 and $999,999 in annual revenue).

Over a two-day period, 10 partners that work with The Alliance and Prosper interviewed 30 applicants and chose 21 participants - 20 of which are underrepresented businesses. The companies selected for Supplier Scale represent second-stage growth companies, those that have survived startup, achieved early growth, and are poised for further growth and scalability.

Orientation for the first Supplier Scale cohort was held this week and kicked off a six-month journey for the entrepreneurs that will take them and their businesses through CEO mentoring sessions, as well as courses focused on business and leadership, finances, marketing and sales, resources, and more.

Fetch Rewards opening office in Birmingham, creating 200 new jobs

Rewards app Fetch Rewards announced it will invest $1 million to open a new office and customer support hub in downtown Birmingham’s Parkside District, creating 200 new full-time jobs.

The Wisconsin-based company said the project reflects its rapid growth as it continues to scale its technology and employee headcount to build the world’s best rewards platform.

“With Fetch continuing to grow exponentially, Birmingham is the perfect place to launch the next chapter of our expansion,” said Wes Schroll, CEO and founder. “It’s an up-and-coming technology and entrepreneurship hub with an incredible pool of local talent. We deeply appreciate the warm welcome we’ve received from state and county officials, and we’re so excited to be part of this community.”

Its office won’t officially open until spring, but Fetch has begun hiring for support, data integrity, engineering, product and fraud positions. The company has a remote-first hybrid office model, giving its employees the option to work from anywhere with the infrastructure they need.

“We are thrilled to see the continued momentum of Birmingham becoming a tech hub in the Southeast with the addition of Fetch Rewards,” said Ron Kitchens, CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance, which worked with the company on the project. “These are high-paying tech jobs with an average salary of $89,000 a year, which will attract even more people to our region. The presence of Shipt, Landing, Fetch and many others that are hiring hundreds of people right now is a great thing for our community.”

The Alliance worked with its partners at the Alabama Department of Commerce and the Jefferson County Commission to attract the company and approve abatements for the project.

“Fetch Rewards’ decision to base a new operation in Birmingham is great news for the city and for the entire state of Alabama,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “They will find that Birmingham is a welcoming, tech-savvy home where they can find all the ingredients needed to build a successful business operation.”

“We are extremely excited to bring another great addition to Jefferson County’s tech ecosystem,” said Jefferson County Commissioner Steve Ammons, who chairs the Commission’s Economic Development Committee. “Fetch is a well-established national company bringing 200 high-paying jobs with this project. This is another excellent example of how working together lets companies know that Jefferson County is ‘Open for Business.’”

Fetch is the fastest-growing rewards app in the U.S., with 13 million active users who have submitted more than 2 billion receipts and earned more than $240 million in rewards points. Click here to learn more about the company and the project.

Landing's Birmingham relocation named a Deal of the Year

Bill Smith, Founder of Landing

Landing’s headquarters relocation to Birmingham has been recognized by Business Facilities magazine, a publication for the site selection industry, as a Deal of the Year in the Startups Category.

In June of 2021, Landing announced plans to move its headquarters from San Francisco to Birmingham, creating 816 new full-time jobs in downtown. Landing provides a network of fully furnished apartments in cities across the country to its members.

The relocation’s impact will be significant over the next 20 years - $1.3 billion in new payroll; $112 in new state revenue; and 356 percent return on investment to the state, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce.

The Birmingham Business Alliance worked with its partners at the Alabama Department of Commerce, AIDT, Jefferson County, City of Birmingham and many others to attract the company here.

Click here to read more about Landing’s relocation and click here to see what other projects around the country were recognized as a Deal of the Year.

2022 Alabama State Legislative Session Week 1 Recap

Here’s a recap of what happened in the first week of the 2022 Alabama Legislature:

• The major topic during this Legislative Session – also an election year - is the state budget and making sure resources are allocated appropriately.

• Alabama saw a growth in revenues during 2021, primarily due to an influx of federal dollars.

• For the third year in a row, both the General Fund and the Education Trust Fund budgets will be at a record high, with the proposed 2023 budget being the largest in state history.

1. $8.2 Billion in the Education Trust Fund budget

2. $2.7 Billion in the General Fund budget

• Legislators introduced 242 bills in this opening week – 143 in the House and 99 in the Senate.

Here’s what’s coming next week:

• The Legislature will begin a special session to spend federal dollars – approximately $580 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money and approximately $1 billion more coming to the state.

• The goal, per Governor Ivey, is to spend it on improving infrastructure, like water, sewer and broadband.