Southeast Limestone County is the epicenter of northern Alabama’s economic growth.
Mazda Toyota Manufacturing has approximately 4,000 employees in Greenbrier and is headquartered in the county, along with major employers such as Amazon and Polaris.
Bethany Shockney is instrumental in the county’s success. She is the President and CEO of the Limestone County Economic Development Association and has been with LCEDA since March 2019.
Shockney brings 35 years of experience in a variety of roles in workforce and economic development in both Alabama and Tennessee. She earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Tennessee and a master’s degree in professional education from Alabama A&M University.
She spent 29 years in workforce development in Alabama, including years at Drake State Technical University, the Alabama Community College System, and the Alabama Department of Education in Montgomery.
She completed her last eight years at Calhoun Community College as Dean of Workforce Development, Technology, and CIS and Liaison/Co-Director of the Alabama Robotics Technology Park.
Bethany is married to Darren Shockney. They have four adult children and five grandchildren.
She recently participated in a question and answer session with Lede.
Could you tell us about your duties as president and CEO?
I am the main contact and recruiter for all industrial developments.I We support commercial, retail, hospitality and residential developments as needed.
I Serves as a workforce development liaison between business/industry and education, ensuring training is tailored to local business and industry needs. I’m involved in community marketing and “spreading the good news.”
Can you talk about recent developments in Limestone County that people may not know about?
Gregory Industries – an industrial development company – is based in Canton, Ohio, with a facility in Decatur. The company’s building in Athens is almost complete and will employ 100 people and will produce a variety of metal products for the road safety sector, including guardrails, vertical beams for signs and guardrails. Once operational, the new campus will expand the company’s regional manufacturing capabilities, allowing the company to grow and more quickly and cost-effectively serve customers in the Southeastern United States and surrounding areas.
Several expansions of existing industries are occurring throughout the county. There are some retail stores, restaurants, and hotels, and you’re probably more aware of these because they’re more visible and talked about in town (and the area).
Southeastern Limestone County is a hotbed of economic development, with Mazda Toyota and other companies located in the Greenbrier area. Why do you think that area is so attractive?
Location – Excellent access to I-65/565 provides efficient access to major metropolitan areas in the eastern United States. This is attractive to distribution centers like Amazon (two facilities) and Target. More will come.
Infrastructure-specific improvements have been made. Securing land is also attractive.
How well are we working with the cities of Huntsville, Athens, and Madison, the Limestone County Commission, and others to attract businesses to the area?
Collaboration is a must, and our region works well together, not only during the recruitment process, but also while supporting companies once they are found and up and running.
There is also a significant amount of Decatur city area in the same southeastern region of the county.
Pryor Field is also a great asset with significant economic benefits. It is one of the busiest regional airports in the state and is jointly owned by Limestone County, the City of Athens, Morgan County, and the City of Decatur. The company currently solicits and develops parcels of land at and near airports for aviation-related companies.
Besides southeast Limestone County, what other areas of the county are being developed?
Athens and Elkmont have also continued to grow in recent years. There is a small industrial park on the north side of Elkmont that is home to five businesses. Limestone County is of great interest to consultants representing national and international clients in all industrial sectors, particularly automotive, batteries, and distribution. Interest in the region is due to its highly skilled workforce, convenient location, real estate availability, quality of location, outstanding healthcare, and excellent education system.
Can you talk about the future of economic development in Limestone County?
We target high-skill, high-paying jobs in aerospace/aviation, battery, defense, research and development, and other related fields. The future is bright,
LCEDA will also continue to work with existing industries to ensure they remain healthy for years to come.
A healthy economy is maintained by all relevant sectors growing and improving at an equitable pace. It’s a balancing act. Community stakeholders are committed to working together to support and maintain that healthy balance.
Scott Turner reports for The Lead from Huntsville.