Richmond, VA — October 13, 2025 — Timmons Group, an award-winning engineering, design, and technology firm, announced today that Joe Hines, PE, MBA, has been named to the Southern Economic Development Hall of Fame, recognized as one of the “People Who Built the South” by Southern Business & Development (SB&D). Hines serves as Senior Principal and Director of Economic Development at Timmons Group, where he leads the firm’s nationally recognized Site Selection Practice, helping states, regions, localities, and private partners to identify and prepare sites and infrastructure for significant investment. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) Board of Directors, the oldest and largest regional economic development association in North America, representing 17 states across the American South as well as the District of Columbia.
“It’s an incredible honor to be included in the Southern Economic Development Hall of Fame,” said Hines. “Economic development is the ultimate team sport, and this recognition reflects the collective efforts of so many dedicated professionals who are driving prosperity across the American South. I’m thankful to Michael Randle and the SB&D team for including me in such a distinguished group of accomplished professionals.”
Founded in 1992, SB&D is a quarterly magazine focusing on economic development, opportunities, and business news in the American South. The SB&D Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose vision, leadership, and project execution have significantly advanced economic development across the South over the last 70 years. Among the honorees are 23 Governors, 2 U.S. Presidents, top site selectors, and several leaders of economic development organizations whose work has helped transform the South into one of the most dynamic and competitive economies in the nation and world.
“Over the past 20 years, Joe has exemplified an unparalleled commitment to our clients’ economic success through a relentless effort to understand industry and prospect needs,” said Bob Roop, VP of Timmons Group. “Joe is a highly respected professional, and this honor is well deserved.”
As a professional engineer and recognized expert in site selection, infrastructure, and site development, Hines’ contributions include developing the Timmons Group Tier System for evaluating site & infrastructure readiness and leading a statewide assessment of more than 460 large-acre sites, which continues to guide Virginia’s competitive strategy. Through innovative tools like the Analytical Data Driven Site Selection (ADDSS℠) platform, Hines and the Timmons Group team have evaluated and identified over 1,000 economic development sites throughout the Southeast U.S., including the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite. Timmons Group’s economic development and site selection team has supported over $90 billion in announced investments and the creation of more than 34,000 jobs nationwide across multiple sectors, including advanced manufacturing, data centers, energy, EV and EV battery facilities, aerospace, food & beverage, distribution, and life sciences.
