The Piedmont Alliance for Quality Growth, formed in November 2009, is an attempt to create a seamless corridor from Raleigh, NC to Birmingham, AL. The members of the group come from business, academic, and government backgrounds and are focusing on partnerships to improve infrastructure- namely water, transportation, and energy- in the Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion (PAM). According to West, it is a collective effort which will draw economic development to the region, allowing for global economic competition. The group next meets in Macon, GA in mid-March.