ALABAMA: Rural Alabama faces a different set of problems than urban areas of the state, according to Ron Sparks, who heads the Alabama Rural Development Agency.
Joe Hill, left, chairman of the board of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce and Chamber Executive Director Dianne Scanland, right, chat with Ron Sparks, head of Alabama’s Rural Development Agency, center.
He suggested the county should think of industry in tiers. When a large first tier industry like Mercedes locates in Alabama, Lawrence County should look for companies in the second and third tiers of the automotive industry.
Strive to accommodate the industries that do business with the larger one. You know that 75 percent of the new jobs are created by existing industry.






