The Pike County Economic Development Corporation (PCEDC) actively works to promote economic growth by encouraging new and expanding industries and supporting job creators throughout the county. While also serving as a catalyst for quality of life initiatives, PCEDC is a non-profit organization operating through a principled, business-driven leadership model focused on a mission of improving the lives of all Pike County residents through the development of economic prosperity.
The Pike County Economic Development Corporation announced Monday the appointment of Ted Clem as its next president, effective April 1, 2025.
“After a nationwide search to find the person that would be best to lead this organization, our board unanimously chose Ted Clem,” John Ramage, Chairman of PCEDC Board of Directors, said. “Ted is committed to growing Pike County and attracting new industries to our area.”
Clem has spent the last decade as a senior project manager at the Alabama Department of Commerce where he was integral in the recruitment of new industries to the state. During his tenure at the agency, Alabama benefitted from the creation of 60,000 new jobs and capital investments exceeding $800 million.
“I am excited to return to Pike County to join the team at PCEDC and work with a strong slate of elected officials and business leaders to help continue the growth this area has enjoyed,” Clem explained. “Coming home is always a good feeling. My wife and I could not be more excited.”
Clem received his Bachelor’s degree from Troy State University and is often remembered as the player who kicked the game-winning field goal to secure the school’s Division II National Championship in 1984. Just last month, Troy University announced that the fabled kick has earned Clem a spot in the school’s Sports Hall of Fame.
About PCEDC: Founded in 2002, the Pike County Economic Development Corporation, PCEDC, is a non-profit organization that focuses on continually improving the quality of life in Pike County, Alabama, by working with existing industry and recruiting new businesses to create more jobs in the area. Pike County Economic Development works with a variety of industrial partners, the Pike County Commission, the City of Troy, the City of Brundidge and Pike County as a whole.
Article originally posted at https://www.alreporter.com/2025/03/04/ted-clem-joins-pike-county-economic-development-corp-as-new-president/
Agriculture, aerospace, wood products, marine electronics and more make up the economies of these three counties
Pike County is known for agricultural commodities like poultry and egg production, cattle, peanuts and timberland. Southern Classic Food Group began operating out of Brundidge in 2001 and has since grown to run a 235,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that produces and packages a variety of sauces, seasonings, dressings and condiments. Formerly known as Golden Boy Foods, 8th Avenue Nut Butters, a leading nut butter supplier, operates a plant in Troy. A new cutting-edge facility operated by New York-based Conecuh Ridge Distillery is scheduled to open in 2025. Among its products is Alabama Style Whiskey, the official state spirit of Alabama, invented by famous moonshiner and Alabama native, Clyde May. Rex Lumber, a leader in the softwood lumber industry, has operated a manufacturing facility in Troy since 2019. HB&G Building Products is the country’s largest manufacturer of outdoor columns; the company also produces railing and balustrade systems and other outdoor living products. Sunbelt Forest Products Corp. specializes in manufacturing pressure-treated lumber made to withstand harsh tropical climates.
Tyson Foods Inc. operates a poultry processing plant that is the largest employer in Barbour County. Tyson acquired the Eufaula facility in 2018. The county’s second-largest employer is Mahrt Mill, a paper mill operated by Smurfit Westrock. While the mill is located in Russell County, a large percentage of its workforce commutes from Eufaula daily. Barbour County also is home to lumber product companies like Southeast Forest Products, which built its Louisville sawmill in 2019 to address market supply shortages; and M.C. Dixon Lumber Co. Michigan-based Panel Processing purchased the business operations of Alabama Inter-Forest in 2004; the facility manufactures a variety of engineered wood products.
Like Barbour County, poultry processing is the largest industrial employer in Bullock County, home to Wayne Sanderson Farms. Next on the list is Bonnie Plants, a top provider of vegetable and herb plants. The company also operates a trial garden in Union Springs and more than 70 growing stations across the country. To Your Health Sprouted Flour is another top employer in Bullock County. The company’s facility in Fitzpatrick is capable of producing 70,000 pounds of sprouted organic grains and flours and supplies large commercial companies like Whole Foods Market, Arrowhead Mills and Kellogg.
More than 600 employees see to the final assembly of missiles at Lockheed Martin’s Pike County Operations. The 4,000-acre complex is a manufacturing, test and storage operation for missile programs supported by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (MFC), including Javelin, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile, the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and air-to-ground missiles. It also manufactures missiles and hardware for a variety of development programs.
The facility has received a fair amount of national and international attention in recent months: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited the facility in February, and the Alabama plant continues to play a critical role supplying Javelin missiles to bolster Ukraine’s defense against Russian invasion, as President Joe Biden acknowledged shortly after signing a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine in April.
Lockheed Martin also operates the Sikorsky Aircraft helicopter plant in Troy. In November 2023, the facility announced a $374 million contract to produce 45 airframes for the Coast Guard’s fleet of MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters.
With just over 2,300 employees, Troy University is the largest non-manufacturing employer in Pike County, and its four campuses in Troy, Dothan, Montgomery and Phenix City generate a significant economic development impact in the state. The university has roughly 14,000 students enrolled worldwide from more than 65 countries and counts more than 176,000 alumni in its ranks.
In May, Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins and Meesoon Han, executive director of the Alabama-International Education and Economic Partnership (ALIEEP), signed a memorandum of understanding to improve economic development in Alabama by training international students to alleviate shortages in critical professions, such as education. Under the agreement, the university will provide teaching expertise in foreign or critical languages and multicultural education, as well as help develop international exchange and global leadership opportunities for professional development.
Wallace Community College’s Sparks campus in Barbour County supports workforce development through strong partnerships with the area’s leading employers. The Workforce Development Department recently began offering no-cost Skills for Success heavy equipment operator training, required for operating skid steers, bulldozers, excavators and rollers, and Skills for Success fiber optic technician and installer training. Wallace’s nursing and allied health programs are among its most popular, and the Sparks campus is a regional test site for the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) exam. Other programs available at the Sparks campus include industrial systems technology, air conditioning and refrigeration, welding technology, criminal justice and child development. Online courses in entrepreneurship and Google IT support are also offered.
Troy Regional Medical Center in Pike County, Medical Center Barbour and Bullock County Hospital are all among the top 10 largest employers in their respective counties.
In April, Bullock County Hospital announced it is starting the process to become designated as a Rural Emergency Hospital. The transition means the facility will close inpatient beds and shift its focus from acute care to 24-hour emergency care and other outpatient services.
Home to Lake Eufaula, Pike County Lake and the city of Eufaula, which prides itself on being the “Big Bass Capital of the World,” it’s no surprise that marine electronics play a vital role in Barbour County’s economy.
Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of global outdoor recreation company Johnson Outdoors Inc., manufactures and markets a full range of fishing electronics, one of which is Eufaula-based brand Humminbird. In June, Humminbird received the Large Industry of the Decade Award from the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce. Humminbird was acquired by Johnson Outdoors in 2004.
Other industries in Pike County include a Walmart Distribution Center that has operated in the county for 20 years. The facility has more than 900 employees and an average daily inventory of 47 million items. Troy is home to IT and business consultant CGI’s U.S. onshore delivery center, and KW Plastics, one of the largest plastics recyclers in the U.S., is headquartered in Troy. This spring, KW announced it will start up what will be its sixth wash line, capable of processing 100 million pounds of plastic per year. Firearms company Kimber Manufacturing also is headquartered in Troy.
Both Pike and Barbour are headquarters for trucking companies: Wiley Sanders Truck Lines in Pike County and Boyd Bros. Transportation Inc. and Benny Whitehead Inc. in Barbour. Also in Barbour County, Hyundai Polytech manufactures auto parts made from rubber and plastic.
Other industries in Bullock County include Ace Packaging, which specializes in returnable packaging for the automotive industry; chemical manufacturer and distributor Gulf States International; and chemical wholesaler The Alchemy Group.
JULY 2024: Humminbird announces a renewable energy plan to reduce CO2 emissions at its Eufaula plant over the next 20 years. The project is part of ongoing sustainability efforts at Johnson Outdoors, Humminbird’s parent company, and includes the installation of a solar array that allowed the company to begin generating its own solar power last year.
MAY 2024: The Lakepoint State Park Resort Lodge begins renovations on 44 of its rooms. The project is expected to be complete in December.
APRIL 2024: KW Plastics, one of the country’s largest plastic recyclers, announces plans to expand its recycling capabilities by adding a sixth wash line capable of processing 100 million pounds of plastic per year.
MARCH 2024: Union Springs-based Community Bank & Trust is rebranded as LifeSteps Bank & Trust following its acquisition by LS Investor Group LLC. The bank’s future plans include implementing new and updated banking systems, entering the Huntsville market and offering wealth management strategies.
JANUARY 2024: Dothan Pediatric Healthcare Network opens its newest satellite clinic, Troy Pediatric Clinic & Collegiate Health, which provides a full range of medical care for infants, children, adolescents and young adults in Troy and Pike County.
DECEMBER 2023: Sikorsky Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin company, delivers the first of 45 MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter airframe replacements to the U.S. Coast Guard as part of a $374 million contract signed
in 2021.
OCTOBER 2023: Clio Health Clinic opens in downtown Clio. The general-purpose health and wellness facility focuses on providing routine medical care and education in self-care to clients in rural communities.
OCTOBER 2023: Pike County and Troy city officials attend a groundbreaking ceremony for a four-story, 91-room Home2 Suites by Hilton, an extended-stay hotel.
SEPTEMBER 2023: Mineral Manufacturing Corp. announces a $12.3 million investment to modernize and upgrade its facilities and handling equipment for crushing, grinding, screening and sizing mined clays, ceramics, refractory and other miscellaneous nonmetallic minerals to remain competitive in the bauxite industry. The expansion includes the addition of 30 new jobs at the 266,000-square-foot former Beaulieu of America yarn processing plant in Eufaula.
AUGUST 2023: The Pike County Judicial Detention Complex opens in Troy, marking the completion of a $36 million project that broke ground in May of 2021. The new facility includes a jail, courtrooms and offices for the county’s circuit clerks, district attorney, juvenile office and sheriff.
JUNE 2023: The city of Eufaula signs an agreement with Tesla to build 16 stalls in a municipal parking lot near downtown. The site will include three prefabricated Supercharger units, each with four stalls, and four pull-through stalls.
FEBRUARY 2023: Pike Medical Foundation provides $70,000 to the Troy Regional Medical Center to purchase a camera for the hospital’s Nuclear Medicine Department to use for cancer detection, cardiac imaging and abdominal imaging.
Article originally posted at https://businessalabama.com/spotlight-on-pike-barbour-bullock-economic-engines-2/
TROY, Alabama — Governor Kay Ivey today announced that the maker of Clyde May’s Alabama-style whiskey plans to consolidate operations in Troy, where the company will build an artisan distillery, rack houses and a bottling hub, as well as a tasting experience center designed to attract tourists.
Conecuh Ridge Distillery LLC’s project calls for an initial investment of $13.6 million in the Pike County city, where it expects to employ 50 people in the fifth year of operation. The average annual wage for those jobs is around $54,000.
“Today’s announcement affirms that our state’s sound business climate is a positive attraction for companies looking to find a home. We are glad Conecuh Ridge Distillery has chosen Troy for their operations center,” Governor Ivey said.
“In addition to the 50 jobs being created, we are excited about the potential economic impact this company will have in Pike County as this becomes a tourist destination for the official spirit of Alabama,” she added.
“This will be a creative addition to Troy’s diverse manufacturing base as well as another wonderfully unique reason to visit Troy.”
The company’s plans to consolidate its operations in Pike County represent a homecoming of sorts for the brand, which is named for Clyde May, a celebrated moonshiner who began making his high-quality whiskey in the area back in 1946.
“We continuously market our Clyde May’s brand in the spirit of our founder, Clyde May,” President and CEO of Conecuh Ridge Distillery Roy Danis said. “His values of quality, integrity and craftsmanship are the building blocks of our company today.
“Coming home to Troy, Alabama, where the brand got its start, reinforces these values and makes all of us who work for this great brand so very proud,” he added.
The Long Island, New York-based company supplies its products throughout the United States and will make the Troy facility its distilling and bottling headquarters, according to Vince Perez, a project manager for the Alabama Department of Commerce who supported the recruitment of what was codenamed “Project Clearwater.”
One of the objectives of Conecuh Ridge Distillery’s project was to develop an artisan distillery in Alabama so that fans and connoisseurs of the company’s products could experience the craftsmanship that goes into making Clyde May whiskey, Perez said.
“Becoming the home of the Clyde May brand is a great opportunity for Troy,” Alabama Tourism Department Director Lee Sentell said. “Making a premium product in a site that will become a tourist destination is a great strategy. We look forward to working with Troy and the distillers for this venture to become a success.”
Troy Mayor Jason Reeves said the city is excited to welcome Conecuh Ridge Distillery home to Alabama.
“As mayor you work and hope for large capital investment in your community that creates good paying jobs; this project does not only that but will create a destination location,” Reeves said.
“This will be a creative addition to Troy’s diverse manufacturing base as well as another wonderfully unique reason to visit Troy.”
Article originally posted at https://www.madeinalabama.com/2017/09/clyde-may-whiskey-distiller/
Less than three years after selecting a site in Troy for a firearms manufacturing plant, Kimber Manufacturing has announced plans to move its corporate headquarters to the Alabama city.
Kimber said it plans to hire aggressively in all departments as it completes its new facility in Pike County.
The company’s new headquarters is on 80-plus acres off Industrial Boulevard in Troy. Its Alabama facility spans more than 225,000 square feet and is home to industry-leading design engineering, product management and manufacturing capabilities.
After an exhaustive search, Kimber said Troy was chosen as its new corporate home for several reasons, including the site’s proximity to top-tier engineering schools, as well as gun- and business-friendly support from the city of Troy and the state.
The company, known as a leading manufacturer of premium firearms, was previously based in Yonkers, New York. Its 1911 handgun has been used by the U.S. Shooting Team, the Los Angeles Police Department’s SWAT and an elite U.S. Marines unit.
“Kimber is a first-class firearms manufacturer with a reputation for precision craftsmanship, dependability and accuracy, which makes it just the kind of high-performance company we want operating in the state,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.
In 2018, Kimber announced plans to invest $38 million to open a firearms manufacturing facility in Troy with 366 jobs. (Kimber)
Growth plans
Kimber said its Alabama expansion is well ahead of schedule, and it has filled hundreds of its planned Troy-based positions. The company announced plans for its Alabama manufacturing plant in January 2018.
The company is seeking qualified applicants across multiple positions and business areas, including machinists, quality control specialists, design engineers, compliance analysts, customer service representatives, materials planners, maintenance technicians, finishing operators and assembly technicians.
“Kimber is a great place to work, especially if you love firearms,” said Pedi Gega, the company’s director of assembly and product finishing. “We have two indoor gun ranges, one outdoor range, a state-of-the-art design and prototype fabrication center, and a dynamic team of professionals who pride themselves in producing firearms with unmatched attention to detail, design and performance.
“Every Kimber firearm is created with a unique blend of advanced precision technology and authentic human craftsmanship,” Gega said.
Those interested in careers at Kimber are encouraged to apply here.
Article originally posted at https://alabamanewscenter.com/2020/10/29/gunmaker-kimber-relocating-corporate-headquarters-to-alabama/
Pike County is a great place to work, live and raise a family. This is the place that grows the food that feeds us and builds the missiles that protect us. As the home to large corporations and small businesses, we foster an environment that promotes industry while maintaining a small-town charm. As the smallest county in the country containing a Division I university while also serving as the home to two public school systems with first-class workforce development programs, our labor force is well-trained, well-equipped and ready to operate in any industry from day one.
We are proud to have municipal, county and state government leaders that call Pike County home and that work together to foster an environment of success for all businesses, big and small.
Few places in the world can say that, within 12 months, they have been visited by both the President of the United States and the Secretary General of NATO. In Pike County, visits like this are common due to the outstanding work Pike County citizens do in helping to build a variety of world-class businesses that, quite literally, drive the economic, military and environmental engines of our nation. Home to industrial leaders including Lockheed Martin, K&W Plastics, Kimber America, Clyde May Distillery, Rex Lumber, Sikorsky, Golden Boy Foods and the Sanders Companies, we are proud to be the center of a manufacturing boom that has led so many of the world’s premier companies to call Pike County home.
One of the most traveled United States highways in the state travels through the heart of Pike County which brings thousands of visitors every year for a variety of events ranging from Troy University athletic events to a variety of regionally known festivals. Thriving downtown squares and Main Street areas are the places where children can be heard playing, couples enjoy a variety of fine dining options and small businesses offer the opportunity to buy almost everything you need locally. Our local airport and close proximity to an international airport make travel to our area easy and convenient.
Our two public school systems offer incredible educational opportunities including AP classes, dual enrollment, vocational education and workforce training. We are honored to be the home of the first school system in the Southeastern United States to receive a Cognia Science Technology Engineering and Math System STEM certification. Whether your child is interested in the arts or robotics, reading or math, our community’s dedicated educators will foster their passion for learning and prepare them for successful lives as adults. Alumni of schools in our area work at high levels in government, industry and academia and often credit the foundational education they received at the elementary and high school level for their success.
Pike County is also the home to an incredible Parks and Recreation program. With world class facilities and year-round youth sporting opportunities, World Series champion youth sporting teams are not just a possibility, they are a regular occurrence in Pike County. Competitive youth baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball and swim teams call Pike County home and many participants in our youth parks and recreation programs have gone on to play sports at the collegiate level and have become professional athletes
Pike County is a place where generations of families call home because this is truly a fantastic place to live, work and raise a family. With low tax rates, some of the most affordable utility rates in the state and a family-friendly environment, Pike County truly is the modern twist on a Norman Rockwell painting. From hosting one of the largest arts and craft shows in the South to throwing downtown band parties on the square to welcoming tens of thousands of Trojans to Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturdays in the fall, there is always something to do.
And, although, we are a short drive from the most beautiful beaches in the country and an even shorter drive to our state’s capitol, you can get everything you want or need right here. A top-notch bowling alley, multiple museums, a sprawling outdoor adventure park, high-end boutiques and restaurants serving cuisine from all over the world help make Pike County one of the most unique and welcoming places you will ever visit.