Google, Facebook, UAB Health in today's business news

(AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Can Facebook really change?

Lost amid a flurry of Facebook announcements about privacy settings and data access is a much more fundamental question, reports The Associated Press: "Is Facebook really changing its relationship with users, or just tinkering around the edges of a deeper problem — its insatiable appetite for the data it uses to sell ads? … It's not at all clear how much Facebook can shift without undermining what makes it one of the world's most profitable companies."

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Bob Gathany | BGathany@AL.com

Google breaks ground in Alabama

Nan Boden sat on the Google stage on Monday morning at this surreal moment mouthing the words "Roll Tide." Boden grew up in Alabama, went to school at the University of Alabama and is now a top Google executive celebrating the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Internet giant's data center in Bridgeport in extreme northeast Alabama - a home state success story of Google proportions.

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(Contributed photo/ MB-one)

Signature move

Consumers accustomed to signing for credit card purchases will soon see a change. Starting on April 14, Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover are doing away with the requirement that shoppers sign receipts for credit and debit sales.

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(Broad Metro LLC)

UAB Health in Hoover

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System will build a 39,000-square-foot medical facility in Hoover's Stadium Trace Village development. The facility will include a variety of medical services, including primary care, OB/GYN, oral surgery and other specialties, the university health system announced on Monday.

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(AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

Food stamp cuts bad for big boxes?

The White House's plan to revamp the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program includes a proposed 20 percent reduction - about $130 billion over the next decade - in the program's $63 billion annual budget. The cuts could directly impact big box stores, mainly Walmart and Target, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

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(AP/MarkSchiefelbein)

China change

Investors and China watchers welcomed President Xi Jinping's pledge Tuesday to open his country's market wider to foreign competition, hoping it will ease a trade dispute with Washington, reports The Associated Press: "Xi's vow to cut Chinese auto tariffs, allow more competition in banking and better protect intellectual property calmed investors who have been on edge since the world's two biggest economies last week announced plans to slap tariffs on $50 billion worth of each other's products."

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(Apple Inc.)

Green Apple

Apple Inc. announced this week that it is now "globally powered by renewable energy," including all of its offices, retail stores, data centers and co-located facilities in 43 countries. But that doesn't mean you'll see solar panels on the roof of every Apple Store.

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(Beverly Taylor)

Luxury viewing on Lakeshore

Premiere Cinemas is set to move forward with opening a luxury movie theater on Lakeshore Parkway pending approval from the Birmingham City Council on needed road improvements. The theater will be the first in the Birmingham metro area to have reclining seats with swivel trays and electric-powered footrests; other amenities will include a full bar.

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(Auburn University)

Auburn brainstorm

The brainchild of three Auburn University doctoral students, a garment made to work with home physical therapy regimens, was impressive enough to garner $50,000 in startup funds at the fourth annual Tiger Cage student business pitch competition.

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(File photo)

Regions recognized

Regions has been recognized for assisting homeowners and excellence in mortgage servicing during 2017. The Birmingham-based bank was awarded the Servicer Total Achievement and Reward (STAR) Performer recognition, given by the Federal National Mortgage Association, commonly known as Fannie Mae.

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Regions represented on industry board

Regions on Tuesday announced its chief governance officer has been elected to the board of directors of the Council of Institutional Investors, a nationwide board concerned with best practices and corporate governance.

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Highland Associates hires Eric Ralph

Eric Ralph, who previously worked as principal and managing director at Summit Strategies, has been hired as managing director for Birmingham's Highland Associates, an independent institutional investment consulting firm for not-for-profit healthcare entities and mission-based organizations.

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(File photo)

Two bright Penneys

Two Alabama locations of JCPenney have received the company's highest awards this month for superior performance and customer service.

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(Alabama Farmers' Federation)

Farmers of Distinction

A Shelby County couple has been awarded more than $20,000 in cash and prizes as Alabama's 2018 Farm of Distinction. John and Kate DeLoach's Shelby County farm was honored at the Alabama Farm-City Awards Luncheon in Birmingham April 5.

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