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2007
Member
Survey
Please click here
to participate.
Thanks for your input!
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You're invited to an ARTrageous evening of holiday cheer, art, and jazz this evening, December 6th, from 5 PM to 7 PM. This is a combination holiday reception for Chamber members combined with Art Night and a special exhibit focused on the Greater Downtown Tuscaloosa plan. Event will take place at the Harrison Galleries, co-sponsor of the festivities along with Cooper Consulting Company and The Chamber. Address is 2315 University Blvd. Bring a friend! Please call us at 758.7588 for details.
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The Chamber wishes you a very merry holiday season with family and friends.
May we all remember the reason for the season.
We appreciate you!
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Mark your calendars now for the The Chamber's Annual Celebration to be held on Friday evening, February 8th, 2008. Exciting details will be shared soon! |
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You should've received a notification including a link to our 2007 Membership Survey via email recently. If you haven't done so already, please take a moment to complete it. This important tool will be used by your leadership team to help shape and influence the direction of our programming for the coming year.
Click here to participate in the survey. Thank you for your continued support and involvement in the business community!
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The Chamber's Technology Council, with help from our Environmental Task Force, is sponsoring an E-Cycle Day on Thursday, January 24th from 8 AM to 5 PM in the parking lot behind University Mall.
Electronics are made with valuable, reusable materials. Please use this opportunity to recycle yours so that steel, glass, plastic and precious metals can be recovered, recycled and reused. Items will be transported to the ethical Electronic Recycling Services in Atlanta. Help us protect the earth and keep Tuscaloosa beautiful!
Acceptable items are: Laptop/desktop computers, computer monitors, mainframes/midranges, keyboards/input devices, printers/scanners, FAX machines/copy machines, digital cameras/camcorders, PDAs/handheld devices, video game systems, printer cartridges, cell phones/telephones, record players/8 tracks, trypewriters, stereos/radios/CD players, projectors/VCRs, CB radios, network equipment, computer parts and cables and UPS/battery back-ups.
Please note that TVs are NOT ACCEPTED. For details, please call 758.7588. |
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 The one-millionth vehicle manufactured at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International in Vance rolled off the production line at 7:59 a.m. Tuesday, November 27th.
The milestone automobile, a white M-Class 350 sport utility vehicle, came off the line more than 10 years after the plant produced the first M-Class in February 1997.
"Our entire organization is extremely proud of this accomplishment and the global teamwork that has made it happen," said Bill Taylor, plant manager at MBUSI since 1998. "Alabama has provided us with an excellent workforce and this state has been committed to the success of our business. Because of that commitment to our plant, we plan to donate this vehicle to a non-profit within the state."
A final decision on the beneficiary of the vehicle will be made in the coming weeks, according to the news release.
The billion-dollar MBUSI facility employs 4,000 people and now produces three vehicles -- the second-generation M-Class, the R-Class Sports Tourer crossover vehicle and the GL-Class luxury SUV. |
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A lot has changed in the Tuscaloosa business community since Dr. John McKee was in prison. The year was 1962, and he was a new psychologist hired to design educational programming for male offenders at the Draper Correctional Center in Elmore, AL.
Armed with a wealth of new insight in behavioral science and the passion of entrepreneurial spirit, Dr. McKee labored "inside the wire" at Draper where he developed educational programs for inmates, helping them to obtain GEDs in the hope of rehabilitating them. As it turned out, that was only the beginning.
As Dr. McKee worked with the inmates, he discovered that most of them had failed academically and had negative feelings regarding the education they had received, and they showed little interest in gaining more. He was convinced, however, that education could be the key to their remaining crime-free upon release and that academic and occupational training could be their "ticket" out of prison. His approach was to design an educational program that ensured "learning success"-- one that would be tailored to each inmate student's particular needs or skill gaps.
The method he adopted in 1962 was called programmed instruction. Although this method of teaching and learning was new and experimental at that time, Dr. McKee realized its potential when his students rapidly acquired academic and vocational skills in English, Math and Reading--even in basic electricity and vocational skills.
At the outset, he had to deal with the prisoners' negative emotional issues about education. As Dr. McKee set to rectify this situation, he created an educational product that provided individualized instruction in a fail-safe learning environment. Success came quickly and soon his students--those who had failed with traditional instruction--were clamoring for more and different instructional material. The excitement was intense. Dr. McKee was taking the inmate population that had been dubbed "the throw-aways" and made them successful for the first time in an endeavor they had previously failed in.
"Dr. McKee added a layer of research proven strategies that met central needs of confined students and institutional programs," said Dr. Thom Gehring, Director of the Center for the Study of Correctional Education, California State University, San Bernardino. "We all benefited from his work."
In 1977, Dr. McKee began expanding the scope of his work beyond corrections. He created Pace Learning Systems, a company to market the educational programs he and his staff originally developed at Draper Correctional Center. In 1991, he founded the Institute for Social and Educational Research. The principle goals of the Institute are to develop a dropout prevention system and help educators eliminate academic failure.
Dr. McKee targeted the in-school population considered to be on the verge of dropping out - those over-aged students and low-level readers who generally test in the bottom quartile on standardized tests. Using his evidenced-based data, he created the DAPS, an acronym for the Dropout Assessment and Prevention System. It is designed to prevent students from dropping out by identifying their academic and personal reasons for being at risk of dropping out. DAPS includes remediation training for school staff and community members.
As Rita Dickinson, Program Coordinator for Walton County Schools in Georgia said, "DAPS was just what we needed to help us identify potential dropouts in our school system. The assessment survey takes less than 10 minutes and gives you a quick snapshot of a student's risk of dropping out of school and provides a structured process to overcome those risks."
 Dr. McKee is a man of vision. His professional life has been devoted to researching the best way to make students successful.
"I've come full circle," said Dr. McKee. "I began working with inmates that had failed academically and dropped out of school. I created educational systems that would help them become successful. We know that the experience of success always works, and we have documented that fact for the last 45 years."
Dr. McKee's contributions to offender rehabilitation has been recognized and honored nationally by several notable organizations and agencies. Recently, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Correctional Education Association. His notable achievements have also been recognized by other educational and psychological organizations, at both state and national levels.
"Our business has always focused on teaching success in education," said Dr. McKee. "Now we're working with school systems to identify students before they drop out, before they commit themselves to a life of crime, and before they enter prison. We have great partners across Alabama, and we are fortunate to be viewed as research experts in the field nationally."
Some 45 years later, Dr. McKee's mission remains unchanged. He is diligently working and writing with every resource focused on using education to be successful as a means of reducing crime and recidivism. "The old saying, 'nothing succeeds like success' has been my motto and, I hope, my legacy," he said.
Pace, one of our community's more unique firms, recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary. It is located at 3710 Resource Drive in Tuscaloosa. Please visit www.pacelearning.com or call 758.2823 for more information. |
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 ZF Lemforder, the Car Chassis Technology Division of ZF, was awarded the "Recycler of the Year" award from the Alabama Recycling Coalition and the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) for its recycling and waste reduction efforts at its Tuscaloosa location.
"This is a great honor for our facility," said, Ron Davis, Plant Manager at ZF Lemforder. "We have worked very hard toward a goal of making this facility a 'zero-waste plant'."
During the past year, ZF Lemforder Tuscaloosa established clear goals to reduce the number of trips to landfills, and increase the amount of recycled material. These environmentally friendly measures helped divert 30,000 pounds of plastic per year from landfills to recycling centers or reusable means. This not only helps protect the environment, but also reduces costs, as suppliers do not need to buy additional plastic.
In addition, wood pallets and boxes are sent for recycling, while about 28,000 pounds of cardboard is collected and recycled each month. By introducing recycling bins throughout the plant, items such as office paper, magazines, junk mail, newspaper, plastic bottles and aluminum cans were all able to be collected and recycled. Scrap metal has long been a part of the recycling process.
Using these measures, ZF Lemforder was able to reduce the number of landfill trips by 75 percent, while realizing a significant savings in disposal fees.
Davis says that the plant will increase the focus on plastics and should be able to reduce landfill trips to one every two weeks.
ZF is a leading worldwide supplier of driveline and chassis technology. Headquartered in Friedrichshafen, Germany, ZF is among the 15 largest automotive suppliers in the world. The company employs approximately 55,000 at 122 locations in 26 countries, and totaled sales of $15.2 billion in 2006.
ZF operates an extensive manufacturing network in North America, combined with global research and development capabilities, to provide advanced technology to the NAFTA region. The ZF Group North American Operations Headquarters and Technical Center is located in Northville, Mich., USA. |
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Our November "Second Tuesday" after hours networking event was held at the Bryant Conference Center on the evening of the 13th. It commemorated the 20th anniversary of BCC and was co-hosted by the Sheraton Four Points Hotel. Dean Carolyn Dahl (pictured, far left) made opening remarks and the event featured beautiful food stations, specialty drinks, door prizes and giveaways for all attendees and the music of local Jazz great Keith Williams. The well-attended affair was the last networking event of 2007 and a nice way to end the year.
 
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 The Women in Business Council hosted the 2nd Annual Sweet Escape event at the Jemison Mansion on the evening of November 29th. Chamber ladies enjoyed pampering, shopping, chocolate and more in a warm and festive setting.
Liz Wilson won our raffle and chose a $150 gift certificate to Tera Lane. Thanks to Tera Lane Salon and Spa, Nancy Taylor Skin Therapy and Day Spa, Medispa and Anti Aging Center, Plastic Surgery of Tuscaloosa, Carpe Vino, Gertrude's Flowers, Peterbooke Chocolatier, Sheila's Gift Baskets & Gifts, Nancy & Co. Fine Jewelers, C&A Coffee, Sheer Artistry, FIG and T Town Paws for participating. Also, we appreciate those businesses that contibuted door prizes: The Locker Room, Style Connection Unlimited, Hudson-Poole Jewelers, Sam Jackson's Emporium, and Stamp Your Feet. Thanks to the generosity of the women in attendance, a Tuscaloosa Chevrolet truckload of toys was donated to Toys For Tots along with a cash donation.
The West Alabama Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Council provides opportunities, training, and resources for development of professional excellence and success for women in West Alabama's business community. All Chamber member women are encouraged to get involved. Please call The Chamber at 758.7588 for more information.
 
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Pine Valley Retirement Community hosted a dedication ceremony for its lovely new All-Purpose Room on November 15th. Executive Director Diana Bailey opened by extending a warm welcome to the large crowd gathered for the occasion. She introduced Mayor Maddox, who stressed how important it is for a community to treat its seniors well. Ken Dunivant of First United Methodist Church then blessed the space.
Cecile Horton (pictured), Managing Partner, shared the history of Pine Valley, which has been a part of her life since 1985, when the area it occupies on Rice Valley Road was still a pine thicket. Construction began in early 1986 and was completed in early 1987. Today, Pine Valley is a tradition in retirement living. Facilities are well-maintained and exude a Southern elegance and charm. And, Pine Valley continues to update--the stately and comfortable new All-Purpose Room is a fine example.
Pine Valley offers years of experience in providing quality independent and assisted living care for seniors at an affordable cost. To accommodate a variety of lifestyles and activity levels, they offer both apartment and patio homes, all with full kitchens. It's a continuing care retirement community offering a full range of care.
Pine Valley is located at 800 Rice Valley Road, North in Tuscaloosa. For more information, please visit www.pinevalleyretcom.com or call 349.8700.
 
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 Tuscaloosa is home to the first newly-designed Athlete's Foot store in the world. The international shoe retailer, The Athlete's Foot (TAF), shared the new store concept with franchisees in June at its Global Franchise Convention in Las Vegas. In attendance was Tuscaloosa's own shoe guru Tommy Wagner, a 15-year TAF franchise owner who has stores in Tuscaloosa, Demopolis, Jasper, Grand Oaks and North Fork. Wagner was impressed by the new store look and merchandizing system and decided that his next franchise location would feature the new design. The new TAF store, located in the Mid-Town Village, features flat screen televisions programmed with "TAF TV," new merchandise modules for shoes and appparel, and the company's new logo and signage.
Wagner, a third-generation shoe retailer, followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father by starting out in the shoe business when he was a young boy. Now, one of his three sons helps him run his network of TAF stores as a vice president. Over the last 15 years, Wagner has made his mark on the Tuscaloosa business community with his TAF stores and his support of more than 60 high school and middle school sports programs, which he outfits in uniforms and footwear. In conjunction with local media, Wagner runs an Athlete of the Week and Team of the Week program to recognize athletes for performing at the highest level.
This latest TAF store opening brought Tuscaloosa's local business and athletics communities together. Grand opening festivities were held October 14th-18th beginning with a ribbon cutting ceremony. A live radio broadcast followed and the TAF Tuscaloosa Turkey Trot was held on Saturday as runners and walkers took to Jaycees Park for a 5K run and a half mile fun run/walk. For more information about TAF, please visit www.theathletesfoot.com or call the new store at 752.7463. |
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 George Berry recently opened a new Allstate Insurance Agency at 4930 Rice Mine Rd. NE, across from Publix. The Agency hosted an open house there on November 15th.
George (pictured left, center) and his team are ready to handle all your insurance needs including auto, home, business, life, and retirement and offer other financial services, too. You may reach him at 391.2727 or georgeberry2@allstate.com. To learn more about Allstate, please visit www.allstate.com. |
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The demand for end-of-life care continues to grow and industry experts expect that trend to continue as the population ages. November has been named National Hospice Month and President Bush and Mayor Maddox are among the many political leaders issuing proclamations recognizing the care given by hospice workers.
 Hospice of West Alabama, a non-profit hospice program offering inpatient and outpatient services, hosted an open house for its new Bereavement Center, named "The Sunrise Center of Hospice of West Alabama," on Monday, November 26th. The Center is about 100 yards from the main Hospice building on the VA campus. It'll house all of our current and expanded support groups for our community, serve as a short-stay "bed and breakfast" for out-of-town families, and be the home of Camp Daybreak, its annual grief support event for children. For more information, please visit www.hospiceofwestalabama.org or call Craig Threlkeld at 562.4965.
 Amedisys Hospice Services recently opened a new location in Tuscaloosa. It's a branch of the Birmingham hospice agency and will serve Tuscaloosa, Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, and Pickens counties. An open house with ribbon cutting was held on November 29th.
The Tuscaloosa agency, located at 1300 McFarland Blvd., NE, Suite 320, operates under the leadership of Director of Operations Johnnie Taylor. The agency promotes quality of life for patients facing a life-limiting illness and provides comfort and support for family members and loved ones.
Amedisys, Inc. is a leading provider of home health and hospice services. The company operates more than 300 sites across the country. For more information about Amedisys, visit www.amedisys.com or call 345.4907. |
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Wachovia Bank North River to Celebrate Grand Opening Today
Wachovia Bank will celebrate the grand opening of its new North River location with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4:30 PM today. Address is 4700 Rice Mine Road in Tuscaloosa. Please call 345.8942 for more information.
Nancy & Co. Fine Jewelers to Hold Ladies Night this Evening
Nancy & Co. Fine Jewelers invites all ladies to the 4th Annual Ladies Night to eat, drink and be merry! Address is 1848 McFarland Blvd. in Northport. Event is a private party for girlfriends on Thursday, December 6th, from 5 to 7:30 PM. There will be door prizes and lots of gorgeous jewelry to try on! Get your wish list filled out to be sure all your holiday dreams come true. There will be no buying, though. This night is all about fun, so leave your credit cards and checkbooks at home. Please call 333.1851 for details.
Downtown Trading Company Offers Wine Tasting on Friday
The Downtown Trading Company will offer tastes of four McManis wines on Friday evening, December 7th, beginning at 5:30 PM. Address is 617 Greensboro Ave. in Tuscaloosa. Please call 759.3256 for details.
Tuscaloosa Character Council Offers Leadership Training Seminars
A day-long Character First Leadership Training seminar is offered on December 11th and again on the 12th. Cost is $195 and includes training, materials, breakfast and lunch. Hours are 8 AM to 5 PM each day and location is the County Agent Education Building at 2513 7th St. in Tuscaloosa, next to the Courthouse Annex. Character Consultants are Phil Young and Jerry Lake. Attendees will learn how to improve quality and productivity, identify and minimize challenging personal problems, correct character weaknesses and recognize employees effectively. For details or to register, please call 248.1230 or email jlake@rrpub.com. |
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