Daniel Dennis
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Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce MARCH 2019 the Meet 2019 Chamber Chair Daniel Dennis Flying from Downtown Mobile Mardi Gras in Mobile: Mystics, Moon Pies & Money The first full-stack managed solutions provider. Consider IT managed. The new C Spire Business is the nation’s first ever to combine advanced connectivity with cloud, software, hardware, communications, and professional services to create a single, seamless, managed IT service portfolio. The result is smarter. Faster. More secure. From desktop to data center, we step in wherever you need us and take on your biggest technology challenges. You focus on business. cspire.com/business | 855.CSPIRE2 ©2018 C Spire. All rights reserved. 2 the business view MARCH 2019 Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce the MARCH 2019 | In this issue ON THE COVER Daniel Dennis, president of Roberts Brothers, From the Publisher - Bill Sisson is chairing the Chamber’s board of directors for 2019. See his story on page 23. Photo by Mobile’s Economy Continues to Roll Jeff Tesney. 4 News You Can Use The Chamber’s annual State No. 1 concern. This was of the Economy (SOTE) event confirmation for us since 7 Chamber Outlines Legislative has grown into one of our our economic development Priorities signature events. It’s especially strategy continues to have a 10 Small Business Corner: How to enlightening because it provides strong focus on “talent Capture and Keep Your Readers not only a revealing picture of development” with even more the local economy in the past emphasis on this in our plan 11 Small Business of the Month: year but also a snapshot of what of action for the coming years. VisionSpot Consulting Group the economy will be in the Again on the positive side, 12 Mardi Gras in Mobile: Mystics, coming year. business leaders indicate they Moon Pies & Money By all measures, 2018 was a will be expanding their 16 State of Mobile’s Economy very good year for Mobile’s economy – and facilities or purchasing new equipment, perhaps most encouraging is the majority of with some 66 percent saying they plan to 22 Crow Shields Bailey Wins the business leaders believe 2019 will be an even do so in 2019. The local GDP continues to Community Service Award better year for us. Details of the SOTE are rise, nearing the $20 billion mark. This 23 Daniel Dennis Named 2019 provided in this issue, which represents incredible productivity growth, Chamber Chair I think you’ll find very interesting. rising from just over $17 billion a mere five Most telling was the fact almost three out years ago. 24 Travel to China with the Chamber of four survey respondents felt the Mobile By all accounts, we have much to look 26 Investor Focus: Merchants Transfer Co. MSA economy will be better in 2019 than in forward to in the new year. Mobile is poised 28 Board of Advisor Profiles: Rev. Bry 2018. Interestingly, fewer respondents were for another year of strong growth, and we Shields and Kendall Wall as bullish about the national economy with can all marvel at the local economy’s ability just over half feeling the U.S. economy as a to still yield meaningful growth and 29 Ambassador of the Month: Susan whole will be better in 2019. Perhaps the best prosperity. Kangal news of all: the 2018 SOTE revealed our 29 Business Spotlight of the Month: region continues to see significant growth in Landrum HR our annual average wages; the key to any The first full-stack 30 Calendar strong economy. We asked our members to tell us their 32 Member News top obstacles to business growth in the 4 35 Anniversaries managed solutions provider. coming year, and they said attracting and retaining qualified employees was their 35 New Members the business view is published monthly, Consider IT managed. except for the combined issue of December/January, by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce The new C Spire Business is the nation’s first ever to combine advanced 451 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602 251-433-6951 www.mobilechamber.com ©2019 connectivity with cloud, software, hardware, communications, and professional Publisher William B. Sisson services to create a single, seamless, managed IT service portfolio. The result is 23 Executive Editor Leigh Perry-Herndon Managing Editor Jennifer Jenkins smarter. Faster. More secure. From desktop to data center, we step in wherever you Copy Editor Michelle Irvin need us and take on your biggest technology challenges. You focus on business. Additional Writers and Editors Kelli Dugan, Mike Herndon, Ashley Horn, Susan Rak-Blanchard and Carolyn Wilson Printing Services: Interstate Printing/Direct Mail Graphic Design: Wise Design Inc. Advertising Account Executive: René Eiland cspire.com/business | 855.CSPIRE2 251-431-8635 [email protected] ©2018 C Spire. All rights reserved. 12 the business view MARCH 2019 3 NEWS you can use Flying from Downtown Mobile a Reality Beginning in May, direct to Denver and Chicago. “With flights beginning May recruitment and retention efforts commercial passengers will This announcement was 1, we will make air travel more in economic development,” said have an opportunity to fly preceded by Via Airlines’ affordable for everyone in the David Rodgers, vice president direct to several cities from announcement it would move greater Mobile area. And of economic development for the from Downtown Mobile from Mobile Regional Airport Downtown Mobile Airport is Mobile Area Chamber. Airport. In January, Frontier to the downtown location and more accessible to the region,” Frontier flies one of the Airlines announced it would add Birmingham as a second said Jonathan Freed, director newest fleets in the industry, use the airport (airport code destination in addition to of corporate communications the Airbus A320, and has BFM), located at Mobile current service to Orlando for Frontier Airlines. nearly 200 new planes on Aeroplex at Brookley, to fly in April. Elliot Maisel, board order. Via operates 50-seat chairman for the Mobile Airport Embraer ERJ145s. Flights from Authority says they have been Mobile are seasonal at this time, working diligently to establish and will increase as they meet premium air service for demand. The schedule as of commercial air travelers. press time is for flights to run “(Frontier and Via) will on the following schedule: Via provide a major boost to air Airlines to Birmingham (and service for the citizens of Baldwin additional service to Raleigh, and Mobile counties,” he added. N.C. on Sunday, Monday, “Adding more capacity for Thursday and Friday (www. air travel is always a benefit to viaairlines.com) and Frontier new companies looking to locate Airlines to Chicago on Wednesday in Mobile. Having direct access and Saturday and Denver on to hubs like Denver and Chicago Monday, Wednesday and allows for better access to our Saturday www.flyfrontier.com). Airbus Groundbreaking Brasfield & Gorrie’s Preconstruction Manager Ebony Davidson was one of a dozen speakers at the Airbus groundbreaking for the new A220 Final Assembly Line. As speakers completed their remarks, they signed a steel beam that will become part of the new $300 million facility. The project will create 400-plus new jobs, and the first of the new aircraft is scheduled to roll out in 2020. Also pictured is Megan Large, an Airbus A320 Final Assembly Line employee; and Justin Lieber, a student at UMS-Wright. 4 the business view MARCH 2019 Calling Aspiring Entrepreneurs The hardest part of starting What happens during Why participate? a plan, create a prototype and a business is taking the first the weekend? It’s the ideal environment to pitch it to a panel of judges for step. Most businesses start The weekend kicks off with build scalable companies that feedback to eventually launch small, and research shows that concept pitching and building solve real-world problems. You the business. By Sunday entrepreneurial training and teams of individuals with will take an idea, work with evening, new businesses will mentoring is critical for new various skills and expertise. entrepreneurs and experts, be born. and emerging companies to During the remainder of the create a viable concept, develop succeed. Startup Weekend competition, teams research, You’ll see this symbol with Mobile, set for March 29 to 31, plan and strategize to build the stories featuring Chamber initiatives. can help you get your new beginning of a fully operational business off the ground. company. Fast Facts What is it? Who should attend? What: Startup Weekends are about Entrepreneurs and potential Startup Weekend Mobile is a collaboration of the learning by doing. Beginning entrepreneurs, business startup Mobile Area Chamber, Innovation PortAL and Friday, March 29, aspiring enthusiasts, web and software community volunteers. entrepreneurs and others with a developers, designers, engineers, When: Friday, March 29 - 5 to 10 p.m. passion for startup success will marketing gurus, business Saturday, March 30 - 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. spend the weekend building development specialists and Sunday, March 31 - 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. businesses from concept to anyone interested in building a completion during Mobile’s business will benefit from this Where: The Steeple on St. Francis, 251 St. Francis St. fourth installment of this event. Cost: $75 program. Contact: Corey James at 251-333-0963 or Danette Richards at 251-431-8652 or [email protected] To register: Register at communities.techstars.com/usa/ mobile/startup-weekend/13761 or https://bit.ly/2SUqjYM Help Us Find Mobile’s Small Business of the Year Applications are now being If you know a deserving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s accepted for the Mobile Area company, whether it’s a customer Dream Big Small Business of Dates to Remember Chamber’s Small Business of or vendor or even your own the Year competition.