Site Selection, a leading economic development publication, recognized Alabama Power Company among its Top 10 Utilities in Economic Development in the magazine’s September 2014 issue.

Commercial Jet’s $12 million expansion in Dothan is one of the projects mentioned in the Site Selection story.

“This year’s Top Utilities feature some familiar names,” Adam Bruns, managing editor of Site Selection, said. “That’s because they not only continue to turn in the numbers year after year, but continue to invest in doing more, and in innovative new approaches to partnering with both companies and communities. In other words, despite regulatory concerns, prices of fuel and a host of other mitigating factors, they mean what they say when it comes to their mission to serve.”

The Site Selection article spells out what put Alabama Power on the list this year:

“Serving 1.4 million customers across the southern two-thirds of Alabama, the Southern Company subsidiary’s economic development team helped companies create 1,810 new jobs in 2013 with total capital investment closing in on $2 billion. Corporate facility investors include BASF, Evonik, Commercial Jet, Knauf Insulation, Gestamp, Royal Cup, Infitus Energy, Kennametal Tricon, Bolta Werke GmbH, Comau, Atlas Roofing Corp. and Toyota Boshoku. The team has partnered with others in a recruitment effort for the tool-and-die sector, part of a larger effort to fill supply chain gaps for automotive companies in the Southeast.

Airbus construction

Similar efforts are under way for the chemical sector, and for aerospace suppliers, as Airbus prepares to begin production in Mobile in 2015. The utility’s economic development team also has partnered with its GIS Department to develop a comprehensive ESRI-based site identification tool to identify new potential industrial property in Alabama Power territory.”

The head of the Alabama Department of Commerce said Alabama Power deserves the recognition.

Commercial Jet’s $12 million expansion in Dothan is one of the projects mentioned in the Site Selection story.

“Alabama Power has a long and successful track record in economic development in our state, and the utility’s leadership continues to place a high priority on helping bring new businesses to Alabama and assisting those already here with expansion plans,” Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield said. “Alabama Power is a valuable and important ally in Commerce’s efforts to attract new investment and new jobs to our state.”

The accolades were well received at the company.

“We are always honored when our economic development efforts at Alabama Power Company are acknowledged by others outside the state – particularly by a publication as highly regarded as Site Selection,” said Ken Novak, vice president of Economic and Community Development at Alabama Power. “Any success we enjoy in helping to recruit jobs and industry to the state is due in large part to the great partnerships and collaboration between our economic development professionals and those at the state and local levels as well as other corporate economic development professionals we work with throughout Alabama.”

Bill Taylor, president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, said Alabama Power assists in more than just helping recruit projects to the state.

“Alabama Power is not just a team member and a partner, they are a key team member and a key partner,” Taylor said. “Their slogan is ‘Always On’ but they should also add ‘Always There’ because they really are.”

Gov. Robert Bentley joins Knauf Insulation officials in cutting the ribbon to re-open the company’s plant in Lanett.

Taylor noted that Alabama Power is a key partner in EDPA’s AdvantageSite program that certifies industrial sites throughout the state as ready for potential prospects to build factories and distribution centers there. Alabama Power is also active in community development and workforce development and other areas of economic development where the impact is well beyond an individual prospective company.

“These are things that benefit communities and the entire state,” Taylor said.

Brian Hilson, chief executive of the Birmingham Business Alliance, said Alabama Power certainly belongs on the list.

“This recognition for Alabama Power’s economic development team really just confirms what we already know – every member of the team is a key asset to the marketing of Alabama,” Hilson said. “They participate in marketing outreach and in project recruitment. The projects they work on in Birmingham and elsewhere in the state range from advanced technology to corporate headquarters to traditional manufacturing. Their technical knowledge and longstanding relationships with location consultants are advantages for Alabama, and have resulted in more project opportunities and more located projects, jobs and investment than we otherwise would have had.”

In addition to Alabama Power, other Southern Co. companies on the list are Georgia Power and Gulf Power. The remaining Top 10 are Nashville-based Tennessee Valley Authority, Charlotte-based Duke Energy, New Orleans-based Entergy, Louisville-based LG&E-KU, American Electric Power (Columbus, Ohio), FirstEnergy (Akron, Ohio), and Florida Power & Light (Juno Beach, Fla.).

There were no numerical rankings; the magazine listed the companies in alphabetical order.

“Utilities play a key role as participants in the economic development efforts of cities, regions and all areas working to improve their local business climate,” Mark Arend, editor in chief of Site Selection, said. “This year’s Top Utilities were particularly successful in this endeavor in 2013.”

The list was compiled based on an analysis of corporate end-user project activity in 2013 in its territory (using the Conway Data New Plant Database and submitted materials from utilities), its website tools and data, innovative programs and incentives for business (including energy efficiency and renewable energy programs) and the utility’s own job-creating infrastructure and facility investment trends.

The September 2014 edition of Site Selection and online at www.siteselection.com also includes related reports on solar energy, infrastructure, logistics, and rural economic development.

Site Selection magazine, published by Conway Data Inc., delivers expansion planning information to 49,000 executives of fast-growing firms. Conway Data is an international publishing, consulting and association management company headquartered in Atlanta.