Work is well underway on Amazon’s $325 million state-of-the-art robotics fulfillment center in Bessemer, but ahead of the completion of that facility, the online retail giant is already establishing a presence in Birmingham.

2018 has been a banner year for economic development in Birmingham’s seven-county region. Read on to learn more about the year’s biggest wins, from Amazon and DC BLOX to Shipt, Pack Health, Autocar and more.

Parker Jacobs, a senior at the University of Alabama studying math and finance, has started his job search.

Originally, Chicago, his hometown, and Atlanta were his top two picks for where he’d like to land after graduation. Now, after participating in the Hillel Connections internship program last summer in Birmingham, the Magic City has been added to his shortlist.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) recently announced it had surpassed $500 million in research grants and awards, reaching $527,025,137.

The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) is pleased to announce that Brian Jennings, an economic development professional with over 15 years of experience, has joined its staff as Vice President of Economic Development. In this role, Jennings will be responsible for target market lead generation and marketing; managing economic development projects including site selection, incentives and other key issues; recruiting companies to Birmingham; supporting the expansion of local businesses; and working with community and state leaders to prepare Birmingham for increased economic growth.  

Did you know Alabama offers a tax credit for registered apprenticeship programs?

The tax credit is offered as a part of the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Apprenticeship Alabama initiative. Registered apprenticeships are those that meet national standards for registration with the U.S. Department of Labor that utilize an earn-and-learn model, where apprenticeships earn wages while learning a craft.

The Birmingham Business Alliance’s staff has served as a coach and as a mentor to local businesses for years. BBA Vice President of Business Development Victor Brown is a leader in that effort, including coaching Moovmo and Neowaste, the two most recent winners of Alabama Launchpad, both from Birmingham.

Here Brown talks to the Birmingham Business Alliance about the importance of coaching and mentoring, what makes a good protegee and the difference between a mentor and a coach.

Protective Life Corp. has hired four Innovate Birmingham graduates and, according to Ben Podbielski, director of enterprise IT planning at the company, they have been exceptional.

The first Innovate Birmingham student was brought on as an intern on a “let’s see how it goes” basis. The student did such an amazing job, Podbielski said, the company gave the green light to bring in more.

Birmingham’s Inland Seafood Inc. announced 150 jobs last year as it expands production at its 40,000-square-foot facility. The company is set to introduce a new line of food and begin packing for companies that deliver frozen meals to consumers similar to Blue Apron or Hello Fresh.

The Newcomen Society of Alabama honored the University of Alabama at Birmingham and its President, Dr. Ray Watts, last week in Birmingham at the Society’s annual awards ceremony. Founded in 1937, the Newcomen Society of Alabama was a chapter of the prestigious Newcomen Society of the United States, which celebrates free enterprise and is modeled after the Newcomen Society of England.

Thousands of jobs could be coming to the Birmingham region after the Jefferson County Commission voted recently to rezone 630 acres adjacent to the existing Jefferson Metropolitan Park in McCalla.

Seven Alabama companies joined Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield on a trade mission to Bulgaria and Romania recently.

The companies visited the cities of Sofia, Bulgaria and Bucharest, Romania to identify new markets for goods and services and is a first for Alabama officials. Exports to both countries from the state are up from previous years – exports to Bulgaria totaled $6.8 million in 2017, an increase of a whopping 1400 percent from 2016, and exports to Romania were up over 170 percent, totaling $2.2 million last year.

The Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has established a $500,000 Innovation Fund to bridge the gap between ideation and commercialization.

Last week auto supplier Eissmann Group Automotive LLC celebrated the completion of its $14.5 million expansion project at the company’s Pell City facility. The company specializes in car interiors, built-to-print trim components, shifter modules and other parts for automakers.