Medical device repair company to hire 100

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Governor Robert Bentley, Birmingham Mayor William Bell and Jefferson County Commission President David Carrington were on hand Wednesday with STERIS Corporation, as the Ohio-based company unveiled details of its expansion plan for IMS, the Birmingham-based company it acquired earlier this year.
As part of the $165 million acquisition of IMS, a leading surgical instrument management and clinical consulting company, STERIS also purchased for an additional $10 million the 15-acre campus in Birmingham’s Sloss Business District, which includes the former U.S. Pipe headquarters building. STERIS plans an approximately $8 million renovation of the 75,000-square-foot building, while adding 100 new jobs to the Birmingham area over the next three years.
The newly renovated building will serve as the global headquarters for STERIS’s Specialty Services business and will house more than 200 employees working in a variety of functions, including human resources, finance and customer service among other groups. 100 of these people will move from office space currently leased by STERIS in nearby Homewood.
“Integrated Medical Systems is a leading surgical instrument management and clinical consulting company,” Governor Robert Bentley said. “With the company’s expansion announcement today, more new jobs will be added to the Birmingham area. Good companies, like IMS, are proving that the Alabama economy has an environment that is ripe for job growth. I appreciate the investment that STERIS is making with the expansion of IMS in Birmingham and I look forward to a continued partnership with the company.”
STERIS, based in Mentor, Ohio, is a leader in the manufacture and sale of infection prevention and surgical products and services. It has 8,000 employees worldwide and has annual revenue of $1.9 billion. When the IMS acquisition was announced in April 2014, IMS had 1,200 employees nationwide and projected revenue of $150 million. The business will continue to operate using the IMS name.
STERIS President and CEO Walt Rosebrough said, “The hard work and dedication of our employees has made this expansion possible. We are grateful to them for their efforts and also for the tremendous support we have received from the city, county and the state, as well as the Birmingham Business Alliance. We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with Birmingham and Jefferson County.”
“It is important to note that one of the first people to contact STERIS after we announced our intention to acquire IMS was Mayor Bell,” said Rosebrough. “And a couple of days after that, Mayor Bell arrived in Northeast Ohio to meet with me and learn more about our business and what Birmingham could do to help us grow and create jobs in his city. That effort speaks volumes about his passion for Birmingham and to grow your economy.”
STERIS anticipates the renovation of the U.S. Pipe building to be completed by January 2016. The company has hired Rives Construction of Birmingham as the general contractor and KPS Group as architect. STERIS plans to hire locally based skilled trades to work on the project.
As IMS ramps up its hiring locally, the company will work with AIDT, the state’s award-winning workforce training program, to train the 100 new employees it expects between 2015 and 2018.
STERIS worked closely with the Alabama Department of Commerce, AIDT, the City of Birmingham, the Jefferson County Commission and the Birmingham Business Alliance to negotiate grants and tax credits and abatements for the expansion.
“When a company such as STERIS Corporation expands its operations here, adding 100 plus employees, it speaks volumes about the confidence the company’s top executives have in the City of Birmingham” said Mayor Bell. “We are open for business.”
Jefferson County Commission President David Carrington said the area’s pro-business environment was a good fit for STERIS’s global headquarters for its specialty services division.
“I’m excited that STERIS has chosen Jefferson County to be the world headquarters for one of its lines of business,” said Carrington. “The STERIS expansion is a product of the pro-business environment that state and local leaders have worked hard to create. I wish STERIS the best with its expansion and look forward to recruiting additional businesses during this exciting time of economic rebirth in Jefferson County.”
Grayson Hall, chairman, president and CEO of Regions Financial Corp. and the 2014 chairman of the Birmingham Business Alliance, presided over Wednesday’s announcement.
“This is a great example of how our low cost of living makes our region an extremely attractive option for a wide variety of businesses to grow and expand,” said Hall.

MONTGOMERY—Acting as Attorney General in this matter, W. Van Davis announced the arrest Monday of Michael Gregory Hubbard, a representative from the 79th District in the Alabama House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, and former Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, for felony ethics law violations. Speaker Hubbard, 52, of Auburn, surrendered Monday afternoon to special agents of the Attorney General’s Office at the Lee County Jail.
Acting Attorney General Davis is a supernumerary district attorney who was appointed by Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange to handle matters regarding an ongoing investigation involving potential public corruption in Alabama. Speaker Hubbard’s indictment* arises out of that matter.
Acting Attorney General Davis and attorneys with the Special Prosecutions Division presented evidence to a Lee County Special Grand Jury resulting in Speaker Hubbard’s indictment. Specifically, the indictment charges Speaker Hubbard with the following twenty-three felony Ethics Law violations:

• Four counts of using of his office as Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party for personal gain, in violation of Section 36-25-5(a) of the Code of Alabama (Counts 1-4);
• One count of voting for legislation with a conflict of interest, in violation of Section 36-25-5(b) of the Code of Alabama (Count 5);
• Eleven counts of soliciting or receiving a thing of value from a lobbyist or principal, in violation of Section 36-25-5.1(a) of the Code of Alabama (Counts 6,10,15-23)
• Two counts of using his office as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives for personal gain, in violation of Section 36-25-5(a) of the Code of Alabama (Counts 7,11,);
• Four Counts of lobbying an executive department or agency for a fee, in violation of Section 36-25-1.1 of the Code of Alabama (Counts 8-9, 12-13);
• One count of using state equipment, materials, etc. for private gain, in violation of Section 36-25-5(c) of the Code of Alabama (Count 14).

If convicted, Speaker Hubbard faces a maximum penalty of 2 to 20 years imprisonment and fines of up to $30,000 for each count, all of which are Class B Felonies.
Acting Attorney General Davis commended those who are handling this case, noting in particular Special Prosecutions Division Chief Matt Hart, Deputy Attorney General Mike Duffy and investigators with the Special Prosecutions Division.
No further information about the investigation or about Speaker Hubbard’s alleged crimes other than stated in the indictment may be released at this time. No additional comment will be available at this time.

*An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

WHAT: The Birmingham Board of Education releases a Request for Qualifications today to solicit applications from Professional Services Search Firms for the national search for Birmingham City Schools next superintendent.

WHEN: Proposal will be accepted until November 7, 2014 at 2:00 PM.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Birmingham City School System has 24,500 students.  The Birmingham City School System is currently celebrating increases to its cohort graduation rates, increases in its Advance Placement® student enrollment, and improvements in student achievement.  Additionally, the Birmingham City School System has a successful Career Academies program, and International Baccalaureate curricula at two of its schools.

The Birmingham Board of Education is soliciting applications from professional services search firms locally and nationally.

During the Birmingham City Council meeting on October 21, 2014 Council:
Approved a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a Funding Agreement between the City of Birmingham and the Birmingham Land Bank Authority under which the City will provide initial funding not to exceed $367,987.59 for the cost of acquiring and clearing title to eligible tax delinquent properties, the maintenance of such properties, advertising and disposing of such properties, and for staffing. The City of Birmingham will provide in-kind services as needed for no additional cost. For more information please contact the Office of the Mayor at 205.254.2771.
Other items approved by the Council at today’s meeting include the following:
1. Approved a Resolution supporting the City’s bid to host the 73rd Annual International Institute of Municipal Clerk’s Conference (IIMC) in the year 2019 (May 17-22); expressing intent to appropriate $50,000.00 ($25,000.00 cash/ $25,000.00 in-kind services) for use by the IIMC to defray the operating costs of the conference should the City of Birmingham, Alabama be selected as the Host City for its 2019 Conference in November 2014 (bid award date), and upon the execution of a Master Contract for the 2019 IIMC Conference which is acceptable to the City, such appropriation will be subject to receipt of final documentation agreeable to the City of Birmingham, Alabama and pursuant to appropriation procedures of the City of Birmingham, Alabama. For more information please contact the Office of the Mayor at 205.254.2771.

2. Approved a Resolution appointing two (2) members, Douglas L. Ragland and Patty A. Pilkerton to the Birmingham Planning Commission for a six (6) year term expiring October 6, 2020. For more information please contact the Office of Council President Pro Tem Roberson 205.254.2418.

3. Approved a Resolution appointing two (2) Charles Ball and Steven Schultz members to the Board of Directors of the Medical Center Governmental Utility Services Corporation one (1) term expiring January 1, 2017 and one (1) term expiring January 1, 2019. For more information please contact the Office of the Mayor at 205.254.2771.

4. Approved a Resolution determining that the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Awards Celebration to be held November 14, 2014 at the Birmingham Sheraton Hotel, serves a public purpose that promotes goodwill and serves a public interest, and requesting that City funds be administered to pay for this event in accordance with Section 3-1-7 of the General Code of the City of Birmingham. For more information please contact the Office of Councilor William Parker at 205.254.2464.

Announcements and Reminders
1. Council President Johnathan Austin will host a Financial Literacy Forum Tuesday October 21, 2014 at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute at 6:00p.m.

2. Councilor Sheila Tyson will host the Community Health Forum on Tuesday October 21, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. at the West End Library, 1348 Tuscaloosa Avenue.

3. The Committee of the Whole Meeting will be held Wednesday October 22, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. in Conference Rooms D & E.

4. Council President Austin is inviting everyone to attend the Line Dance for Fitness Extravaganza will be held Thursday October 23, 2014 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Fountain Heights Recreation Center, 1101 15th Avenue North.

5. The Administration/Education Committee Meeting scheduled for Friday October 24, 2014 is CANCELLED.

6. The Budget and Finance Committee Meeting will be held Monday October 27, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. in Conference Rooms D &E.

7. Councilor Lashunda Scales will host the District 6 Townhall Meeting on Monday October 27, 2014 at 7:00 pm. In the Huffman High School Auditorium.

Are you unable to attend the Birmingham City Council meetings? Watch Council Meetings on demand. From anywhere in the world you can log on to www.birminghamalcitycouncil.org and click on the tab Watch Council Meetings; or from the comfort of your home, tune to Bright House Cable Channel 340. The Birmingham City Council meetings are free and on demand.
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The City of Birmingham will make reasonable accommodations to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to enjoy all city services, programs and activities. If accommodations are required for public meetings, please contact Chiara Morrow, Public Information Officer, with reasonable advance notice by emailing chiara.morrow@birminghamal.gov or by calling 205-254-2055.

The Bessemer City Council met on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 10 a.m. and took the following actions:
Passed a resolution commending outgoing council president Sarah Belcher of District 3 on 20 years of dedicated service and congratulating her on retirement.
Approved a resolution authorizing the preparation and letting of bid proposals for the purchase of one animal control truck and one crew cab truck with dump body for use by the  Bessemer Department of Public Improvements.
Approved the award of bid to Coston General Contractors, Inc. for the repair of sidewalks and curbs damaged during the April 28 tornado. The low bid was $121,660.
Approved the award of bid to Cottingham Contracting, Inc. for the repair of asphalt damaged during the April 28 tornado. The bid was in the amount of $22,500.
Adopted an ordinance extending the 2013-2014 General Fund budget until Nov. 4, 2014.
Held a public hearing on JB Processing LLC tax abatement application.
Approved a resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute tax abatement agreement with JB Processing LLC for a period of 10 years. The abatements only apply to non-educational taxes. JB Processing is building a $34.5 million facility at Third Avenue North and 21st Street.
Approved an ordinance amending Section 3 and Section 7 of the subdivision regulations of zoning ordinance 3391 of the City of Bessemer.

Birmingham, AL—The Ramsay High School Concert Choir, under the leadership of Myrna Ria Ross needs help quickly to purchase a new and needed piano. With a purchase deadline of November 15, 2014, the Steinway piano located at Glasco Piano Services in Montgomery, AL, and sold for an unbelievable price of $15,100 is ready to help students continue to exercise their musical excellence at a school known for just that. Donations are currently being accepted at: http://www.gofundme.com/fxeys0.

Rebranding leads to Sustain, an agency dedicated to moving sustainability forward

BIRMINGHAM, AL –
Green living and media expert , Natalie Kelly , has announced the rebranding of her former company, Kelly Green Marketing to Sustain, an environmental strategy and media agency.

Sustain specializes in strategic planning and initiatives, environmental education, social responsibility, public relations, marketing, and media as it pertains to the growing green movement and sustainability culture of today.

“Since the launch of my first green living website, My Green Birmingham, the sustainability landscape has evolved to become a guiding influence in education, business, and everyday life,” said Natalie Kelly, founder and President of Sustain. “New standards for achieving social responsibility have led me to craft a company that is rich in resources to meet the expanding needs of communities and organizations that are working to champion the environment and green living.”

The new agency works with a unique approach to strategy and media to help clients and communities keep sustainability moving forward. “For every client, every cause, and every opportunity we have to make an impact, we think strategically and act effectively,” said Kelly. “We know our work has the ability to enhance lives, preserve the environment, and lead to true progress, so it’s important we hit our mark every time.”