Ron Kitchens will serve as president and CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance following the departure of Kenny Coleman in November. He will start on February 1. Fred McCallum has served in an interim role since then.
Kitchens has had an economic development career spanning 30 years in Missouri, Texas, and Michigan. He will lead collaborative efforts among partners and stakeholders in Birmingham to accelerate quality job growth and foster a competitive and diverse economy for the region.
“Ron is well known among site selectors and location consultants and is a true leader in the economic development industry,” stated Jim Gorrie, chairman of the BBA and CEO of Brasfield & Gorrie LLC. “His knowledge, connections, and track record of collaborating will serve Birmingham well and help the BBA achieve its strategic goals.”
Kitchens currently serves as Senior Partner and CEO of Southwest Michigan First, a consulting corporation he has been at since 2005. Under his leadership, Southwest Michigan First grew revenue, investors, and support for small businesses. They also developed initiatives around key strengths of the region and organization. The corporation started initiatives including Southwest Michigan First Life Science Fund, which has secured $85 million in private investments for a venture fund focused on life science, and Consultant Connect, an economic development consulting firm connecting more than 400 clients with more than 240 site consultants annually.
He is a podcaster and author of two books: “Uniquely You: Transform Your Organization by Becoming the Leader Only You Can Be” and “Community Capitalism: Lessons from Kalamazoo and Beyond.” Ron is also a Certified Economic Developer and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Economic Development Council.
“I am truly honored to be selected to serve the Birmingham Region at this incredibly challenging time in our nation’s economic history,” stated Kitchens. “I truly believe that Birmingham has the resources – people, place, and passion – to reinvent what economic prosperity means in America.”
“This is a pivotal moment for Birmingham and the BBA,” said Mark Tarr, President and CEO of Encompass Health. Tarr also led the search process that hired Kitchens. “The momentum we build on and the strategy we are finalizing is a perfect fit for Ron’s expertise. We know the Birmingham community will welcome him and his family with open arms.”
Ron Kitchens will serve as president and CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance following the departure of Kenny Coleman in November. He will start on February 1. Fred McCallum has served in an interim role since then.
Kitchens has had an economic development career spanning 30 years in Missouri, Texas, and Michigan. He will lead collaborative efforts among partners and stakeholders in Birmingham to accelerate quality job growth and foster a competitive and diverse economy for the region.
“Ron is well known among site selectors and location consultants and is a true leader in the economic development industry,” stated Jim Gorrie, chairman of the BBA and CEO of Brasfield & Gorrie LLC. “His knowledge, connections, and track record of collaborating will serve Birmingham well and help the BBA achieve its strategic goals.”
Kitchens currently serves as Senior Partner and CEO of Southwest Michigan First, a consulting corporation he has been at since 2005. Under his leadership, Southwest Michigan First grew revenue, investors, and support for small businesses. They also developed initiatives around key strengths of the region and organization. The corporation started initiatives including Southwest Michigan First Life Science Fund, which has secured $85 million in private investments for a venture fund focused on life science, and Consultant Connect, an economic development consulting firm connecting more than 400 clients with more than 240 site consultants annually.
He is a podcaster and author of two books: “Uniquely You: Transform Your Organization by Becoming the Leader Only You Can Be” and “Community Capitalism: Lessons from Kalamazoo and Beyond.” Ron is also a Certified Economic Developer and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Economic Development Council.
“I am truly honored to be selected to serve the Birmingham Region at this incredibly challenging time in our nation’s economic history,” stated Kitchens. “I truly believe that Birmingham has the resources – people, place, and passion – to reinvent what economic prosperity means in America.”
“This is a pivotal moment for Birmingham and the BBA,” said Mark Tarr, President and CEO of Encompass Health. Tarr also led the search process that hired Kitchens. “The momentum we build on and the strategy we are finalizing is a perfect fit for Ron’s expertise. We know the Birmingham community will welcome him and his family with open arms.”
Ron Kitchens will serve as president and CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance following the departure of Kenny Coleman in November. He will start on February 1. Fred McCallum has served in an interim role since then.
Kitchens has had an economic development career spanning 30 years in Missouri, Texas, and Michigan. He will lead collaborative efforts among partners and stakeholders in Birmingham to accelerate quality job growth and foster a competitive and diverse economy for the region.
“Ron is well known among site selectors and location consultants and is a true leader in the economic development industry,” stated Jim Gorrie, chairman of the BBA and CEO of Brasfield & Gorrie LLC. “His knowledge, connections, and track record of collaborating will serve Birmingham well and help the BBA achieve its strategic goals.”
Kitchens currently serves as Senior Partner and CEO of Southwest Michigan First, a consulting corporation he has been at since 2005. Under his leadership, Southwest Michigan First grew revenue, investors, and support for small businesses. They also developed initiatives around key strengths of the region and organization. The corporation started initiatives including Southwest Michigan First Life Science Fund, which has secured $85 million in private investments for a venture fund focused on life science, and Consultant Connect, an economic development consulting firm connecting more than 400 clients with more than 240 site consultants annually.
According to his personal website, Ron is author/co-author of three books, including the bestseller Community Capitalism and speaks globally on leadership, creating thriving, engaged, multi-generational teams, and entrepreneurial cultures. His new book Uniquely You was released in 2019. He blogs and podcasts at ronkitchens.com and can be found on Twitter @ronkitchens and on his Facebook page. Ron is also a Certified Economic Developer and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Economic Development Council.
“I am truly honored to be selected to serve the Birmingham Region at this incredibly challenging time in our nation’s economic history,” stated Kitchens. “I truly believe that Birmingham has the resources – people, place, and passion – to reinvent what economic prosperity means in America.”
“This is a pivotal moment for Birmingham and the BBA,” said Mark Tarr, President and CEO of Encompass Health. Tarr also led the search process that hired Kitchens. “The momentum we build on and the strategy we are finalizing is a perfect fit for Ron’s expertise. We know the Birmingham community will welcome him and his family with open arms.”
According to their website, “The Birmingham Business Alliance actively works to improve the lives of all people in the Birmingham region. We accomplish this by cultivating high-quality jobs and a resilient economy to create a better Birmingham.”
