Montgomery Business Journal

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Dawn Hathcock has been at the Chamber for 16 years and leads its convention and visitor bureau team now called Destination MGM. It works to showcase Montgomery as a great place to visit, both for business events like conferences and trade shows and for pleasure. She outlined how the team does its job.

Building Back

In the early 2000s, you couldn’t look anywhere without seeing something being built, a new row of retail spots under construction, a field full of framed up houses soon to be filled with families. When the recession hit in 2008, the number of new construction projects as well as prices on existing properties in the River Region – and beyond – fell hard and fell fast. But figures from the last few years show a steady rise, and most experts agree that both the construction and real estate industries are well

Jennifer Stewart Kornegay

#MyMGM - Chris' Hot Dogs

Chris’ Hot Dogs turned 100 years old on May 1; the milestone birthday marks a century of tasty business in downtown Montgomery. If you ask Costas “Gus” Katechis, current owner of Chris’ Hot Dogs and grandson of its founder, how many hot dogs the restaurant sells in a day, he’ll tell you, “If we had time to count, we wouldn’t be here!”

Jennifer Stewart Kornegay

A Positive Partnership

The three suppliers combined (Washin, Hyundai Steel and AIA) employ more than 1,000 people and account for more than 8 percent of the Butler County workforce. “Washin is the largest, with 830 employees. But in addition to the jobs created, their taxes help our school system, and the companies have been very supportive of our community in other ways as well,” said McClendon.

New Life on Lower Dex

When Golson Foshee, owner of Foshee Residential Management Company, looked at the long-shuttered and faded buildings along Dexter Avenue four years ago, he didn’t see blight. He saw opportunity. As a developer, of course, he is used to looking at land and buildings and seeing what they could be. But this vision went beyond the potential in a particular property. It was the vision for his hometown, his downtown, his city — the place where he hoped his children would decide to put down roots of their own. A

Wendi Lewis

#MyMGM - IgniteMGM

Learn how several groups have come together to spark some creative ideas and fan the flames of innovation in the capital city. So who is behind IgniteMGM? The Downtown Business Association, The Gumption Fund, Gumptioneers, the Five Points Cultural Commission and Title Sponsor, Bell Media.

Jennifer Stewart Kornegay

State of the City and County

At the close of each year, we all pause to take stock of where we’ve been and begin to chart a course for the next year, a plan to help get us where we want to be (or at least closer to that destination). Our city and county leaders do the same, and when Mayor Todd Strange and our city council, along with County Commission Chair Elton Dean and his fellow commissioners, tallied up the vital stats for our region, all the numbers pointed to a robust, healthy 2016 and an even healthier 2017 headed our way.

Financial Footprint

In the last decade, the way we bank has changed a lot. The institutions we bank with have changed just as much. But one constant is the size and scope of this industry in our region and the major positive impact it has on our area economy.

In the Mix

Don’t know what the Montgomery Internet Exchange (MGMix) is? Don’t worry. Most don’t. Leave the details to the tech- nical folks, but don’t miss out on the transformative power this “magic box” holds for Montgomery’s economy and maybe even your business.

Meg Lewis

Onward & Upward

With its first Air Show and Open House in years, Maxwell Air Force Base is inviting the entire community to its “home” in April. The event will celebrate and honor the Air Force and the role it continues to play in Montgomery’s climbing economic trajectory.

Jennifer Stewart Kornegay