Board Retains Auburn Network and Mike Hubbard to help market region to site selectors, prospective companies
January 27, 2012
SEAGD today announced its plans to play a more significant role in economic development and increase its efforts to bring more jobs to citizens of the 17 counties served by the company.
Ozark Mayor Billy Blackwell, who serves as chairman of the SEAGD board, said the District is well-positioned to be a catalyst for regional economic development. “The Southeast Alabama Gas District has long played a role in recruiting projects that bring jobs to communities in our service area,” Blackwell said. “We are ready to expand our existing economic development programs, and take them to the next level in order to utilize our unique position to partner with state and local leaders to move our region forward.”
“To achieve our goals,” Mayor Blackwell said, “The SEAGD Board has voted to retain Auburn Network, Inc. as part of its increased efforts to recruit new jobs, support local industries and better market natural gas. We live in a globally-competitive economy, and to be successful we have to be able to market our region to the world. Mike Hubbard and his team of professionals at Auburn Network, Inc. have the talent and expertise to help us build our brand so we can sell it.”
Auburn Network, Inc. is headed by Mike Hubbard, who, in addition to running the multi-media, marketing and publishing business, serves as a state representative from Lee County, which is served by SEAGD. Hubbard is Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives.
Organized in 1952 by 14 member municipalities for the purpose of promoting economic development and growth, SEAGD has long provided natural gas to industrial, commercial and residential customers in an area stretching from Montgomery, Opelika and Chambers County on the north, south to Dothan, Enterprise and Andalusia, and from Fort Deposit and Greenville on the west, and east to the Georgia border. SEAGD is funded entirely by sales of gas.