Greenhouse Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Marks Return to Tornado-Damaged School

The Druid City Garden Project (DCGP), a nonprofit school garden education program, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for their newly erected greenhouse at University Place Elementary School (UPES) in the Forrest Lake area on Wed., May 15 at 4pm. Guests had the opportunity to sample garden refreshments, including thyme-infused lemonade, shop at a student-run Farm Stand, and watch as key persons break ground by planting herbs around the greenhouse. Elementary students cut the ribbon on the greenhouse. For more info on DCGP, visit www.druidcitygardenproject.org.

Ribbon Cutting for Zambooki, Southern Traditions Apparel & Forza Financial at The Edge

A ribbon cutting was held for these great companies housed at The Edge on Thurs., May 16. Address is 800 22nd Ave. in downtown Tuscaloosa.

Zambooki.com is free web service that allows homeowners and business owners to get bids on any repair or remodeling needs in real-time by local contractors in your area. Zambooki also offers a platform of web development and business solutions for any company of any size.

Southern Traditions Apparel is a creative, gap filling clothing line offering southern-inspired American clothes, aimed at a rapidly growing target of consumers who value well made products the Company has designed and contract manufactured.

Forza Financial provides business loans ranging from $500 to $5000 at highly competitive rates and useful educational material to ensure that our clients have a strong foundation in the entrepreneurial skills they need to succeed.

Looking for Young Entrepreneurs

Do you know a middle or high school student in West Alabama, age 11-18, who is interested in starting their own business but has no idea on how to get the ball rolling? If so, we're here to help them get their ideas off the ground and into motion.

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), sponsored by the Culverhouse College of Commerce at the UA and the Chamber is currently accepting nominations and applications for the 2013-14 program. The 2014 class will mark the 2nd year of our local academy. YEA! will grant admission to a maximum of twenty four students and applications for the 2013-14 academic year will be accepted until May 31, 2013.

The academy will be held on the UA campus every Monday from 4-7pm beginning in September, 2013 and ending in May, 2014. To get more info and download an application, click the YEA! logo on the left side of this homepage or call 205-391-0563.

Northridge High School student Savannah Morgan talked about her own experience on NBC 13’s Alabama Living recently. Click here to see a short clip.

Education Summit Planned for June 6th

We'll host the next Chamber In Session on June 6. The focus will be education and our local school systems. The Education Summit will take place at the Bryant Conference Center and will include two important events:

Beginning at 9am in the Rast Room, the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) will provide data and research findings regarding the funding and performance of the two school systems in Tuscaloosa County. For 25 years, PARCA has been an independent research organization that reports objectively on issues important to improving Alabama's state and local governments and public schools. PARCA has just completed new research that looks at the expectations that Alabamians have for their state and, especially, their education system and schools. This session is free and open to the public and will end at 11am.

A luncheon will be held beginning at 11:30am in Sellers Auditorium. This will feature system updates from Dr. Paul McKendrick, Tuscaloosa City Board of Education Superintendent and Mr. Dan Butler, Tuscaloosa County Board of Education Interim Superintendent. Dr. Tommy Bice, State Superintendent of Education, will also be a featured speaker. All three will provide info regarding the state of education in Tuscaloosa and Alabama. There will be ample Q&A time. Reservations are required for this lunch at $25/person. You can make a reservation by calling Stacey at 391-0559 or e-mailing stacey@tuscaloosachamber.com. Reservations must be made by and cannot be cancelled after June 3.

'Working as One' Commitments

The following will invest annually, over five years, funding the new economic and community development plan for our region! THANK YOU!

GAMECHANGERS - $25,000+ ANNUALLY
Logos for these nine companies are to the right.

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE - $15,000+ ANNUALLY
Logos for these three companies are also to the right.

CEO COUNCIL - $10,000+ ANNUALLY
AT&T; The Bank of Tuscaloosa; BFGoodrich Tire Manufacturing; Bryant Bank; Expo Displays; JamisonMoneyFarmer PC; Knight Sign Industries, Inc.; Merrill Lynch; Phifer Inc.; UA College of Arts & Sciences; Yellow Book USA

PRESIDENT'S FORUM - $7,500+ ANNUALLY
Harrison Galleries/HFS Holdings

INVESTOR LEADERS - $5,000+ ANNUALLY
A&B Electric Co.; Advantage Realty Group, Inc.; Alabama Gas Corporation; Alabama Power Company; BB&T; Cintas; College Station Properties; Ellis Architects, Inc.; McGiffert & Associates, LLC; Pritchett-Moore Inc.; Rosen Harwood, PA; Sealy Furniture Company; Thompson Tractor Company, Inc.; TotalCom, Inc.; WAR Construction, Inc.; The WHMZ Group at Morgan Stanley; Ward Scott Architecture

GROWTH PARTNERS - $2,500+ ANNUALLY
Alabama Credit Union; Alabama One Credit Union; Almon Associates, Inc.; BBVA Compass Bank; Boone Newspapers, Inc.; Buffalo Rock Company/Pepsi Cola; Community Service Programs of West Alabama; D.T. & Freight Company; Fitts Agency; Green Beverage Company; Harbin & Stough, PC; Jalapenos Mexican Grill; Moody Radio South; Parker Towing Company, Inc.; Robertson Banking Company; Spiller Associated Furniture Stores; Southland Benefit Solutions, LLC; Tennis Jackson Electric Co., Inc.; TTL, Inc.; Tuscaloosa Credit Union; Way, Ray, Shelton & Company, PC; Walter Energy, Inc.; Which Which Superior Sandwiches.

COMMUNITY COLLEAGUES - $1,500+ ANNUALLY
Barry Fikes Photography; The Builders Group of West Alabama, LLC; Chick-fil-A of Northport; Duckworth-Morris Real Estate; Friday Oil Company, Inc.; Hampton Inns of Tuscaloosa; ISE Innomotive Systems U.S., Inc.; Jessup, Ingram, Burns & Associates, LLP; Kyle Office Solutions; Lewis, Smyth, Winter & Ford, LLC; The Locker Room; Morrison & Smith, LLP; Renasant Bank; Rex Veron Design, LLC; Sentell Engineering, Inc.; Tuscaloosa Chevrolet, Inc.; Walker Associates, Inc.

OTHER ANNUAL COMMITMENTS
Gilmore, Poole & Rowley; StressCrete, Inc.; Yeager & Christian, PC

Ground Breaking for Embassy Suites Held

A ground breaking was held on May 6 for the Embassy Suites Hotel in Downtown Tuscaloosa at University Ave. and Greensboro Ave. This public-private project will consist of 154 suites, banquet rooms, executive boardroom, fine dining restaurant (with Chef Chris Hastings), 3 private dining rooms, lounge, indoor pool, fitness center, business center, and more. This Hilton product will be a tremendous addition to the Tuscaloosa hotel market. The Kemmons Wilson Companies of Memphis will develop and manage the property, which will be owned by the KW – Tuscaloosa Hotel Partners, LLC. The hotel is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2014.

Saban Backs Chamber, Buying Locally

University of Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban recently filmed a commercial spot for the Chamber that encourages residents to support local businesses. The TV commercial is currently airing on WVUA-TV, as well on cable channels through Comcast and Charter. Click here to see it! The spot is also running on the radio through Clear Channel and Town Square Media Stations as well as WJRD, Moody Radio South, and Revocation Radio.

We are extremely grateful to Coach Saban for lending his support to the Chamber, which represents over 60,000 working men and women through more than 1,000 business enterprises, civic organizations and educational institutions. ROLL TIDE!

Check out the many benefits of being a member by looking under The Chamber header above. Also, online sign up is available by clicking on Become a Member! Call 758.7588 for more info.

Member Marketplace

Be sure to market your business to more than 60,000 other Chamber member employees through our Member-to-Member Discount program and, at the same time, receive significant discounts on local products and services from other members. Click here for a form summarizing the benefits and guidelines of the program. Simply complete it and return it to us! Click on the logo to the left of this page to see a list of current offerings and how to take advantage of them.