Reviewed by: Callie Morrison
Be part of the Birmingham Business Alliance’s 1st-ever Leadership Exchange + help propel our city forward
Reading time: 4 minutes
Sponsored
If you love The Magic City and want to help make our city even better, we have a fantastic experience you’ll want to be part of—the Birmingham Business Alliance’s (BBA) Leadership Exchange.
The event takes place September 29-October 1 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and offers a unique way to meet experts from other cities and learn how to bring significant ideas to our city.
Read on for everything you need to know and how to register.
About the Leadership Exchange
Have you heard of the Big Trip? It was an event hosted by the BBA many years ago that took local civic, governmental and private sector leaders to visit thriving cities to gather ideas to bring back to Birmingham.
After a 15-year hiatus, the event has been rebranded as the Leadership Exchange and is gearing up for a trip to Raleigh, North Carolina, September 29-October 1.
*Participants must be a BBA investor to be part of the Leadership Exchange. Learn more and join.
If you aren’t familiar with the BBA, here are a few things to know:
- It’s the economic development agency for the Greater Birmingham Region + the local chamber of commerce for the City of Birmingham.
- Its mission is to help businesses start, stay + succeed in the Greater Birmingham Region.
Why is this exciting?
Over the past decade, Birmingham has gone through a revitalization. Historic buildings have been reborn. Underserved areas have transformed into unique hot spots for businesses. The medical and tech fields have become national leaders.
While we love celebrating these successes, we must continue seizing new ideas and opportunities for our city’s future.
What’s the perfect way we can do this? Through the BBA’s Leadership Exchange.
“In the past, these trips have sparked transformative ideas and collaborations that have directly contributed to Birmingham’s growth.
Landmark projects like Railroad Park and Regions Field both originated from previous Big Trips to Denver, Colorado and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
These developments gave new life to our city.”
Steve Ammons, CEO, Birmingham Business Alliance
Developments like these attract tourists and traffic, creating new business opportunities. They’ve also assisted in the revitalization of downtown Birmingham. Two big wins for The Magic City.
More about the trip
Wondering why this year’s Leadership Exchange is visiting Raleigh, North Carolina? Great question!
According to the BBA, Birmingham and Raleigh share several similarities like demographics and statistics.
Both are also major Southern cities experiencing growth and revitalization with a focus on attracting new businesses and industries.
Raleigh is also one of the fastest-growing cities in the US.
During the Leadership Exchange, economic developers, business leaders, elected officials and others will learn from Raleigh’s leaders who have helped transform the city into a thriving tech and biosciences ecosystem.
Participants will also discover how similar strategies can be implemented in Birmingham.
Some places you will visit include:
- Bridge Club
- A social gathering space + event venue attracting tourists and providing jobs for local residents + partners with local farms + businesses to source ingredients.
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
- The cornerstone of cultural + scientific engagement in the state dedicated to exploring the natural world.
- A substantial economic driver for the state through tourism, job creation, education + research, conventions + conferences + image enhancement.
- Research Triangle Park
- A massive research + development center known as a hub of innovation + technology.
- Home to hundreds of companies including Fortune 500 corporations, startups, government agencies + academic institutions.
- LS Spark
- The region’s largest mixed-use innovation hub is curating a premier destination built for America’s leading innovators.
- Features world-class amenities and a unique blend of multi-function space to create a diverse ecosystem where science + tech professionals can collaborate to uncover the next generation-defining idea.
Who’s going?
Elected officials, business leaders and CEOs. Their goal? To help propel the Greater Birmingham Region forward for generations to come.
This great group of leaders will hear and learn from engaging speakers who will touch on topics like Technology, Innovation and Construction, Higher Education, Governmental Affairs, Electric and Infrastructure and others.
Are you ready to gain invaluable knowledge and connections to fuel our city’s future? Register for the Leadership Exchange by September 26. Must be a BBA investor to participate—learn more + join.
Learn more about the Birmingham Business Alliance—visit their website and follow them on Facebook + Instagram.
