Bradley Arant ventures into ECD waters

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP has formed an Economic Development Advisory Board and hired an industry veteran to help it advise clients on ECD strategy.

Neal Wade is one of the most successful economic development leaders in the country, firm officials said in a release issued today. Wade is senior vice president of economic development for The St. Joe Company, one of Florida’s largest real estate development companies and Northwest Florida’s largest private landowner. During his current tenure at St. Joe and a previous stint with the company from 2000 to 2003, he has led efforts to bring businesses to the company’s commercial and industrial properties.

Previously, Wade was the director of the Alabama Development Office, the state’s lead economic development organization, where he was involved with successful ECD projects that included Hyundai, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota. Also under Wade’s leadership, the state attracted major new projects, including ThyssenKrupp, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Verizon.

“We are extremely gratified to have Neal as a member of our Economic Development Advisory Board and we look forward to his contributions in helping us continue to enhance our services to our clients as well as develop new opportunities for firm growth,” said BABC Chairman Beau Grenier.