When Shane Davis became the city of Huntsville’s director of Urban Planning in 2011, Mayor Tommy Battle praised him for his “can do” attitude and his ability to handle large and complex projects.

His hiring marked a major reorganization of municipal government planning functions. Now the director of Urban and Economic Development, Davis serves as the administrator of seven city departments related to the overall implementation of city planning, public infrastructure needs, and the general development of Huntsville. In addition, he leads the city’s day-to-day economic development efforts.

Davis previously had been the city’s engineer. Davis has played a major role in Huntsville’s economic growth during a time of unprecedented growth that saw Huntsville become Alabama’s largest city.

What were some of the biggest economic development events in 2022, and how do things look in 2023?

On the industrial recruitment job front, 2022 was a strong year for the city of Huntsville. It was very strong with existing companies expanding in Research Park and Redstone Gateway Park in support of research and development tech industries, with expansions at HudsonAlpha and Blue Origin.