Top Headlines: Shell Oil selling Mobile refinery, Summer hiring ramps up

Shell Oil putting its Mobile refinery on the market
Shell Oil Products, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, wants to sell its refinery in Mobile and one in Puget Sound near Anacortes, Washington. “We are refocusing our global presence in line with that of our customers, trading operations, and chemicals plants,” said Robin Mooldijk, EVP Manufacturing. The process could take many months and may not result in a finalized sales transaction. – Yahoo

Alabama Business Technology Conference set for April 22-24
Global leaders in business, innovation and technology will converge on Alabama’s Capital City for the inaugural Alabama Business Technology Conference – a three-day conference, trade show and professional training event April 22-24 at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Convention Center. The event was organized by the Alabama Technology Foundation to bolster Alabama’s booming IT sector. – News release

Navy frigate contracts could happen faster than previously expected
A Navy official says the Navy a contract to build 20 frigates, for which Austal USA is in the running, may happen sooner than expected. First reported by Defense News, Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly told radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt that he tasked Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition James Geurts to look at accelerating the award of the first ship, previously slated for this fall. The Navy wants to purchase 20 frigates. The winning contractor will be expected to produce two of the warships per year from 2021 to 2029 at a cost of about $900 million each. Other contenders are Bath Iron Works of Maine, Huntington Ingalls of Mississippi and Fincantieri Marinette Marine of Wisconsin. – Times Record

Summer hiring process begins ramp up at adventure parks
Alabama Adventure and Splash Adventure have 400 positions to fill this summer, park officials say. Openings at the Bessemer park are available in nine different departments, including rides, aquatics, retail, culinary and others. Park officials say positions are ideal for students, teachers looking for additional income during the summer or anyone looking for a start in the amusement industry. – AL.com

Ivey’s gambling study group has its first meeting
The study group that Gov. Kay Ivey formed in order to study the effects of any expansion of gambling in the state of the Alabama is holding its first meeting. Ivey announced that she wanted to form a study group during her State of the State Address.   The study group is made up of 12 people including legal scholars, law enforcement, public servants from state and local levels, clergy and successful members of the business community. Former Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange is leading the group. It is supposed to report findings no later than Dec. 31. – AL NewsNet

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Ram CEO quits, alleges decades-long sales reporting scam
Reid Bigland, the CEO of FCA’s Ram, is quitting at the start of April after filing a federal whistleblower suit and cooperating in a government investigation into his company’s sales reporting practices. It’s a big deal, as Bigland has driven Ram to success beating out the Chevy Silverado for second place behind Ford’s F-150 for the first time last year. – Jalopnik

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