Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce NOVEMBER 2017 the Resources for Veterans – Support Local Employers and Employees Retailers this Volunteers Complete Holiday Season Membership Campaign business solutions We work for your business. When you choose us, you get more than just a technology provider. You get an ally. You get account teams who show up in person. Network engineers that deliver the highest levels of reliability. Product teams who use your needs as the guide for innovation. Support teams who live and work near you. We’ve got the people, the technology, and the expertise to help your business win. And we won’t stop until you do. Because we work for your business. 2 the business view NOVEMBER 2017 C SpireTM and C Spire Business SolutionsTM are trademarks owned by Cellular South, Inc. Cellular South, Inc. and its affiliates provide products and services under the C SpireTM cspire.com/business | [email protected] | 251.459.8999 and C Spire Business SolutionsTM brand. ©2017 C Spire. All rights reserved. FOCUS ON WHATFOCUS COUNTS ON Cypress EmploymentWHAT Services Enables COUNTS Employers To Focus On Productivity, Profitability and Staffing Flexibility by Re-Defining Cypress The On-Time, Employment Best-Fit Staffing Services Enables Solution ModelEmployers For Employers To Focus On Productivity, Profitability and Staffing Flexibility by ADMINISTRATIONRe-Defining & CLERKS The On-Time, Best-Fit Staffing Accounting, officeSolution administration, Model sales For personnel, Employers file clerks & legal personnel INDUSTRIALADMINISTRATION & TECHNICAL SKILLS & CLERKS Welders, pipe fitters, riggers, journeyman plumbers & crane operators/heavyAccounting, equipment office operators administration, sales personnel, file clerks & legal personnel CONSTRUCTION SKILLS Electricians, productionINDUSTRIAL labor, sheetmetal & mechanics,TECHNICAL SKILLS carpenters andWelders, safety personnel pipe fitters, riggers, journeyman plumbers HEALTHCARE& crane WAREHOUSE operators/heavy & equipment operators MANUFACTURING SUPPORT Warehouse & inventoryCONSTRUCTION staff, shipping & receiving SKILLS Electricians, production labor, sheetmetal mechanics, AVIATION,carpenters TECHNICAL and safety personnel & LINE STAFF Aviation, aerospaceHEALTHCARE & manufacturing support WAREHOUSE & MANUFACTURING SUPPORT MOBILE • BIRMINGHAM • Warehouse NASHVILLE & inventory staff, shipping & receiving www.cypressemployment.com AVIATION, TECHNICAL & LINE STAFF Aviation, aerospace & manufacturing support MOBILE • BIRMINGHAM • NASHVILLE www.cypressemployment.com the business view NOVEMBER 2017 3 the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce NOVEMBER 2017 | In this issue ON THE COVER The Mobile Area Chamber supports shopping local, as it has a net positive impact on city and From the Publisher - Bill Sisson county services. Pictured here are Jocelyn Phillips and Lavonne Lane with á la cork at 6808 Airport Blvd. The wine and gift shop will be Population Shifts Will Provide Challenges and Opportunities the site for CashMOB on Nov. 14. Go to pg. 11 The inevitability of record numbers, and virtually for details. Photo by Jeff Tesney. demographic change in North all the black population growth America, related to race- in cities such as Atlanta and ethnicity and generational Charlotte has been in the 5 News You Can Use transition, will significantly suburbs of those cities. The 9 Small Business of the Month: affect chambers of commerce same can and will happen here RockBridge Wealth Management in the next decade and beyond. in Mobile. 11 CashMOB - á la cork Our Chamber will be no Population shifts present 12 Veterans Day Celebrations in Mobile different. new and challenging situations Over the next decade, we for membership organizations 13 Resources for Vets will continue to see the rapid like chambers, which have 15 Small Business Corner: Assessing growth of non-white, Hispanic and multi- been struggling to increase inclusiveness Cybersecurity Risks racial populations across America and here for decades. But chambers across the nation 16 Investor Focus: ExxonMobil at home, and this a good thing because it are still remarkably white and old. As the keeps our populations growing. It also Association of Chamber of Commerce 17 Partners for Growth – Advocacy – protects our cities from the stagnant Executives’ Horizon 2025 Report points out, Ensuring Businesses and Residents population growth seen in many highly building a future-focused chamber without an Can Thrive in Mobile developed economies, such as those in inclusion strategy would be, at best, unwise. 19 Chamber Chase Surpasses Goal Europe. Another critical area of diversity will be 26 Page & Jones Honored for 125th Traditional geographic assumptions a generational one. Consider that by 2025, Anniversary about race are being challenged as never millennials will makeup most of the before. For example, more than 26 percent workforce and most baby boomers will have 27 Chamber@Work of the population of affluent Fairfax left the workforce. It will be more and more 28 Ambassador of the Month: Megan County in Northern Virginia is foreign- important for our Chamber’s programming, Murdock born. Younger, college-educated African- our staff and our board of directors to reflect 28 Business Spotlight of the Month: Americans are moving to the South in the makeup of our community. Fausak Tires & Service That’s why I’m so proud of our board of directors, which represents our community 29 Board of Advisors: Glyn Agnew, well in its diversity: old and young, black Abe Harper Jr. and Grant H. Morring and white, male and female – and these 30 Calendar individuals represent organizations located 32 Member News within the city and outside the city. Our 34 Anniversaries challenge over the next 10 years will be to take it even further, to make diversity and 35 New Members inclusion a complete part of our Chamber’s DNA. Population shifts will indeed occur, but the business view is published monthly, through careful planning and willingness except for the combined issue of December/January, to change, our Chamber will be prepared to by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce 13 truly reflect our community. 451 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602 251-433-6951 www.mobilechamber.com ©2017 Publisher William B. Sisson Executive Editor Leigh Perry-Herndon Managing Editor Jennifer Jenkins Copy Editor Michelle Irvin 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 16 19 251-431-8635 [email protected] 4 the business view NOVEMBER 2017 NEWS you can use Make Plans to Attend Annual State of the Economy Local business and industry leaders, perspectives on Mobile’s economy and For more information, contact Katrina backed by locally generated input and their 2018 infrastructure investment and Dewrell at 251-431-8611 or kdewrell@ statistics, will give an insider’s look into four hiring plans. Those results, along with the mobilechamber.com. Register online at key economic sectors at this year’s State of luncheon speaker, will shape the day’s events.mobilechamber.com. the Economy. program. State of the Economy is presented by The annual event, focusing on the 2018 Following the morning panel, Michael Wells Fargo and co-sponsored by AltaPointe local and national outlook, is set for Brown, vice president and economist for Health Systems, Austal, E.J. Saad Law Firm, Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Battle House Wells Fargo Securities based in Charlotte, G.A. West & Company, Mobile Airport Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa, N.C., will discuss the national economy, Authority, Signature Flight Support, Seabulk beginning at 10:30 a.m. Panelists will make including federal fiscal policy issues, the Towing and Willis Towers Watson. presentations on Mobile’s downtown consumer sector and interest rates. development, distribution, information The forum is limited to 230 participants. You’ll see this symbol with technology and shipbuilding sectors. The cost is $60 for Chamber members and stories featuring Chamber initiatives. Last month, the Mobile Area Chamber $75 for potential members, and includes surveyed its members asking for their lunch. Table purchases are also available. STATEECONOMY OF THE December 6, 2017 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Featuring Michael Brown Hotel & Spa vice president and economist Wells Fargo Securities Members $60 / Table of Ten $600 Presenting Sponsor Wells Fargo AltaPointe Health Systems s Austal s E.J. Saad Law Firm s G.A. West & Company Mobile Airport Authority s Signature Flight Support s Seabulk Towing s Willis Towers Watson Register online at events.mobilechamber.com or call 251-431-8611 Photo by Johnny Gwin 2017SOTE_half-page_Ad_09202017.indd 1 the business view NOVEMBER9/20/2017 4:17:47 2017 PM 5 The Grounds recently purchased acreage to expand agriculture programs and create a new entrance /exit for big events including the Greater Gulf State Fair. The Grounds Expands Footprint Just in Time for Greater Gulf State Fair While it may be a stretch to Late this summer, The comes a new entry point to The Executive Director Josh say The Grounds’ recent land Grounds announced it Grounds off Howells Ferry Road Woods challenged all of this purchase will make the Greater purchased 65 acres of land and plans to further develop year’s food vendors to create a Gulf State Fair better, it is adjoining the existing property year-round entertainment and unique