Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
Rural counties in Alabama are on the rise, creating economic momentum throughout the state and accelerating economic growth and development across communities statewide. While the statewide impact surges, growth and opportunities are also opening right here in Autauga County.
Autauga County’s own and the county Director of Economic and Community Development Kristi Pieper was honored by Governor Kay Ivey and Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair at the RURAL Development Summit held at Central Alabama Community College Prattville Campus.
Pieper was honored for successfully completing the State’s STAR Program through the Alabama Department of Commerce. The STAR Program or the Simulated Training and Readiness Program, is a months-long process where the goal is to not only train economic development professionals, but to also highlight opportunities at the local level throughout the state.
“This rural program allows the rural areas to receive valuable insights, tools, and collaboration with data driven insights that can help elevate the communities to allow them to shine as much as possible. We want opportunities to shine in what we can provide in our communities,” Pieper said.
Pieper, along with this year’s five other graduates, underwent months of extensive training with key economic development stakeholders and leaders at the state level. Much of the training focused on simulated environments and situations to better prepare for actual operations and tasks to continue the economic growth in rural communities throughout the state and particularly the participant’s rural counties.
“This continues to be a program that is very, very inclusive of all the data and information and things that they have to know to be competitive for economic development projects and that’s the goal of our office,” Rural Development Manager at the Department of Commerce and the Mastermind behind the STAR Program, Brenda Tuck said.
Tuck stated that before working at the state level, she was a rural economic developer for over 20 years. Tuck confirmed that her experience at the rural level has helped her curate the STAR Program to be hand tailored for the needs economic developers throughout the state.
“When I was working as a rural economic developer, I always wished there was somebody here doing the things that I’m doing. I wish I would have had these resources, or I wish I would have had that program. A lot of that goes into my thought processes for this program, obviously. But the most important part of this is being able to help my colleagues across the state,” Tuck said.
Pieper confirmed that Tuck, along with other key leaders in the program reside in Autauga County, where economic growth is abundant.
“To know that you’ve got your key stakeholders that are at the state level in the trenches with you and working with you, that’s a great feeling. It was also great for them to see Autauga County and to really sit around a table and for them to learn what we have here. They also helped us look at the data to shine what is unique about our community. This experience has really fostered collaboration and that’s invaluable,” Pieper said.
However, Pieper stated this STAR recognition is not a reflection of her, it’s a reflection of the community she serves. Where economic opportunity is abundant and rapidly growing. Pieper stated that it’s truly the county partners and investors who all work together to shine that light on Autauga County that has made this possible.
“Thank goodness the Autauga County Commission knows the value of economic development. I’m so glad that they do because by allowing me to participate in this program, they are really investing in the future of Autauga County. They know that those valuable insights, the support and the data-driven economic development growth has really put us on a good path moving forward. We can say all day long that we have a strong workforce development pipeline. But to actually be able to see those numbers with key stakeholders from the state and to actually prove that through data takes you to a whole other level.” Pieper said.
Pieper stated that the most rewarding aspect throughout this process has been the relationships that she and Autauga County have built. Pieper confirmed that the State of Alabama has taken measures to strengthen economic development opportunities, and the STAR Program takes that growth to the local level.
“Economic development does not happen overnight. It’s truly a process and sometimes that’s hard for the general public to understand as it comes back to private and public partnerships and pitching why they should invest in your community. We are definitely on the economic development train, and we are putting all these things into place and continuing to move forward. Enhancing the quality of life for the next generation, and for people to come here and to stay here in Autauga County,” Pieper said.
Photos by: Governor’s Office /Hal Yeager
