Photo courtesy of Growing Alabama / http://bit.ly/21cp5tx

McWane, Inc. president and CEO Ruffner Page was among several of Alabama’s top business leaders who took part in the inaugural Alabama Economic Growth Summit presented by Yellowhammer Multimedia on February 19 at Birmingham’s Ross Bridge conference center. Ruffner was joined on the morning CEO panel by James W. Rane of Great Southern Wood, J. Michael Kemp of Kemp Management Solutions, Alabama Farmers Federation and Alfa Insurance President Jimmy Parnell, and John D. Johns of Protective Life, who moderated the discussion. The Alabama business leaders agreed workforce development and improving infrastructure are keys to job creation in the state.

U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions kicked off the summit Thursday night. Friday’s program started with a breakfast where Governor Robert Bentley challenged businesses and local governments to sell their region to potential employers and create an environment where entrepreneurism can flourish. McWane sponsored the lunch program featuring an interview with U.S. Senator Richard Shelby by Yellowhammer President and CEO Cliff Sims.