After Detroit visit, Reed pushes minority supplier growth to capture Hyundai opportunities

Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed said his recent trip to Detroit included meetings with mayors and industry leaders about strengthening minority supplier networks so Montgomery businesses can capture more of the economic opportunity around major automotive investment.

Reed said Detroit's legacy of automotive manufacturing and supplier development offers models Montgomery can adapt, and he described conversations on scaling minority‑owned companies that serve large manufacturers. "When you think about Motown ... we can learn from where Detroit was and what Detroit has been doing over the last 15 years," Reed said.

Reed spoke about being on a panel with other Southern mayors, including New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, to discuss regional approaches to economic growth and supplier inclusion. He noted the city's work with Hyundai and said Montgomery must expand its minority supplier network to capture more value from large employers and bring more job‑creating contracts to local entrepreneurs.

Reed described interest from people with ties to Alabama who want to return to Montgomery to form partnerships, mentor entrepreneurs and help scale businesses. He framed the approach as building capacity — "teaching us how to fish" — and said the city is pursuing knowledge exchange and relationship building rather than one‑time donations.

No formal commitments, contracts or specific local funding allocations were announced on the podcast. Reed said the trip produced leads and conversations aimed at creating long‑term supplier relationships and workforce development partnerships that could benefit West, North and central Montgomery neighborhoods.