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BCA seeks to replace Billy Canary after several high-profile departures

Associated Press June 22, 2018

The Business Council of Alabama says it’s looking for a new chief executive following a wave of high-profile departures. The Montgomery-based nonprofit issued a statement Thursday saying it will have a new leader to replace president and CEO Billy Canary no later than Jan. 1. The move comes after four of the state’s largest companies quit the organization, with some openly questioning its leadership. Alabama Power Co., Regions Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield and PowerSouth Energy Cooperative all left the organization in recent days. The Montgomery Advertiser reports the moves came after the Business Council refused demands to remove Canary by Sept 1. Officials with the organization say they wanted

Business Council of Alabama CEO William Canary announces retirement, new job

Elizabeth Patton July 6, 2018

After a tumultuous month of member company exits from the Business Council of Alabama (BCA), the organization’s President and CEO William Canary announced Friday afternoon he’s retiring in order to take a position with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. According to a release from the BCA, Canary will become a senior fellow at the U.S. Chamber. “I am announcing today that I am retiring from my position as president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama to pursue an opportunity as senior fellow at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,” Canary said. “It has been my great privilege to lead the BCA these past 15 years. During my tenure,

Steve Flowers: More than election going on in Alabama politics

Steve Flowers November 7, 2018

Our gubernatorial election year politics ended yesterday. However, there have been other political maneuverings and developments going on behind the scenes, which may ultimately have more long-term ramifications in the Heart of Dixie’s political future. The selection of a new Business Council of Alabama leader is imminent and will probably occur in the next few days. In addition, the jockeying and wrangling for the U.S. Senate Seat in 2020 has begun. Alabama Power President, Mark Crosswhite, prudently cleaned house at the BCA earlier this year. He organized a team of Cardinals to interview and select a new leader. Much like the vetting process for a new Pope, the

Steve Flowers: BCA is back, bigger and better than ever

Elizabeth Patton August 29, 2018

Alabama Power is and has always been a force in Alabama politics. Some entities may have influence in the Legislature, but the power company has the ear of folks in all three branches of State government: Legislative, Executive and Judicial. If you sat down with all 35 state senators, especially the veterans who know the ropes and the system, and you had an extensive off-the-record private conversation with each of them, and you asked them if you had to have one special interest group in your corner and you were in a tough race to get reelected or wanted to get something accomplished, who would you call. In

BCA announces new governance structure, companies return

Staff Writer August 15, 2018

The Business Council of Alabama (BCA) on Wednesday announced a new plan to strengthen and improve the association’s governance structure. Several major corporations including Alabama Power, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, and Regions Bank left the organization this summer siting problems with BCA’s leader Billy Canary. The BCA has stated in June that they would be replacing Canary. “The wholesale governance and leadership changes made today show what is possible when businesses come together with a common goal,” said CEO of Alabama Power Company, Mark Crosswhite in a press release. “While the hard work of moving this organization forward remains, I am pleased with this progress and look forward to working with businesses

After major departures, Business Council of Alabama plans for its future

Elizabeth Patton June 26, 2018

Following a wave of high-profile member-company departures, the Business Council of Alabama Board of Directors met via conference call Monday to be apprised of the ongoing work of its Executive Committee the last several months to implement its plan for the transition and succession of executive leadership at the organization. “Today’s meeting brought the Board up to date on the efforts to identify a high-quality, dynamic leader and on-board that individual by September 1, 2018, but not later than January 1, 2019,” said BCA Chairman Perry Hand. “Throughout this process, it’s always been about what’s in the best interest of the organization as a whole and not just

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama joins growing list of BCA exits

Elizabeth Patton June 20, 2018

Alabama’s largest health insurer on Wednesday, announced they are joining the growing list of major companies pulling out of the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) due to dissatisfaction with BCA’s leadership under President and CEO Billy Canary. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBSAL) joins Alabama Power, Regions Bank and PowerSouth Energy Cooperative in leaving the council, which gets its primary funding from membership dues. “Blue Cross has consistently participated at a high level of support of the BCA and its activities. At this time, the correct path for our company and our customers is to withdraw from the BCA while the organization considers its future path,” BCBSAL said in

PowerSouth joins Alabama Power as second major company quitting BCA, citing leadership concern

Staff Writer June 19, 2018

PowerSouth, an energy cooperative servicing parts of South Alabama have joined Alabama Power in cutting ties with the Business Council of Alabama (BCA). In a letter to BCA Chairman Perry Hand and the BCA Executive Committee, President & CEO of PowerSouth Gary L. Smith indicated that the company believes the BCA has become ineffective under the leadership of Billy Canary. “Our problem with BCA is simply Billy Canary and his leadership. Billy has been effective in the past, but in our opinion Billy is now a severe liability and must be replaced for BCA to again be effective,” Smith said in the letter. PowerSouth’s concerns are similar to those listed by Alabama Power, “[W]e

Steve Flowers: December’s election is all about Roy Moore

Steve Flowers November 22, 2017

The big question in the Senate race is will allegations against Roy Moore and his purported propensities forty-years ago cause him to lose. We will soon see. The election is less than three weeks away. The book on Moore is easy to read. The polls have consistently revealed that 30 percent of voters like him and 70 percent do not like him. He is a polarizing figure and well known. However, the real poll that counts is the one on Election Day. The reason that he won the GOP primary was that his people showed up to vote for him. His followers are more ardent, fervent, and quite

Steve Flowers: the field is beginning to formulate for 2018

Steve Flowers September 13, 2017

As I mentioned last week, we will have a plethora of political contests to follow next year and the field is beginning to formulate. The governor’s race is always the marquee event. However, the most important races will be for the 35 State Senate and 105 House of Representatives seats. These legislative races will be where most of the special interest money will gravitate. There will be an unprecedented number of state senators not running for reelection. However, the nucleus and bulk of the State Senate leadership is planning to return. Veteran leaders Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia), Del Marsh (R-Anniston), Greg Reed (R-Jasper), Jimmy Holley (R-Coffee), Arthur Orr (R-

Steve Flowers: Once-proud Business Council of Alabama at crossroads

Steve Flowers July 26, 2017

During my tenure in the legislature in the 1980s and 1990s, political party affiliation was not as pronounced as it is today. We were identified within the Montgomery/Capitol arena as either a conservative pro-business legislator or a liberal pro-union/pro-trial lawyer legislator. Similar to when someone new arrives in Alabama and they are asked to choose sides in college football, you have to make your allegiance with either Alabama or Auburn. We had to make the same choice as legislators. I chose early to be on the side of business. I even took a leading role and was the sponsor of most of the Tort Reform legislation. Therefore, most

Mike Hubbard trial day 5: Hubbard didn’t seek approval before making deals, former ethics chief testifies

Elizabeth Patton May 31, 2016

In the long-awaited trial of indicted Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, more than 20 witnesses were called during the first four days of trial last week. Fellow legislators, business partners, politicians and state executives testified about their knowledge of Hubbard’s actions, providing testimony for many of the 23 charges Hubbard faces. The state endeavors to prove Hubbard used his office for personal gain and used his position as Speaker of the House, and formerly as chair of the Alabama Republican Party, to solicit jobs and investments in businesses with which he was involved. A conviction on any one of the charges would remove the speaker from office. The charges carry potential sentences

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