Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce AUGUST 2016 the Meet the Chamber Board of Advisors Preserving Think You Can Mon Louis Island Start a Business? the business view AUGUST 2016 1 WITH YOU ON THE FRONT LINES The battle in every market is unique. Ally yourself to a technology leader that knows a truly e ective solution comes from keeping people at the center of technology. Our dedicated Client Account Executives provide an unmatched level of agility and responsiveness as they work in person to fi ne-tune our powerful arsenal of communication solutions for your specifi c business. Four solutions. One goal. A proven way to get there— Personal service. We’re here to help you win. cspire.com/business | 855.277.4732 | [email protected] 2 the business view AUGUST 2016 10623 CSpire CSBS PersonalService 9.25x12.indd 1 6/25/15 1:08 PM WHEN LOSING IS NOT AN OPTION. DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS. For more than 50 years, we have represented businesses in high-stakes litigation on a contingent fee basis. 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Furthermore, no representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. the business view AUGUST 2016 3 the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce AUGUST 2016 | In this issue ON THE COVER Mon Louis Island is a cultural and ecological From the Publisher - Bill Sisson habitat in Mobile County, and is undergoing critical restoration. Pictured are the Mobile Area Chamber CEO and president Bill Sisson, who serves on the Diversification Fuels Strong Economic Growth Mobile Bay NEP board of directors, and Roberta Swann, executive director of Mobile Bay National When asked what makes Another strong growth Estuary Program . me most proud about the local sector is chemicals which Read the story on page 6. Photo by Jeff Tesney. economy, I always say without account for roughly 37 percent hesitation it is our diversified of our total exports. Throw in business community. It the continued success of our 5 News You Can Use indicates not only what we steel industry, shipbuilding, produce locally, but also what tourism and port-related 8 Small Business of the Month: we sell to the rest of the world. transportation projects, and it’s Altaworx As a top 10 U.S. port we are in a easy to see why Mobile’s competitive position to carry economic growth and the 10 Small Business Corner: Three out international business. exports associated with it Speaking Tips to Make Sure Your Mobile’s business sector with the most should be up for the foreseeable future. Business Pitch Resonates growth potential is undoubtedly aviation/ The Mobile Area Chamber’s economic aerospace. This is being driven by strong development strategic plan still calls for 11 Meet the Chamber Board of Advisors demand in the United States and the world ensuring economic prosperity over the long for aircraft and parts. term by fostering and retaining a diversified 28 Investor Focus: BBVA Compass Bank The continued success and growth of economy. It has been our region’s key to job Airbus, Continental Motors, Star Aviation, growth and will provide economic stability 30 Business Spotlight of the Month: and VT MAE is good news for their for generations to come. Feeding the Gulf Coast suppliers. Thankfully, it doesn’t stop there. 30 Ambassador of the Month: Kasie Tanley 31 Chamber Hires Shelby Glover 32 Calendar 5 34 Member News 38 Anniversaries 39 New Members the business view is published monthly, except 6 for the combined issue of December/January, by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce 451 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602 251-433-6951 www.mobilechamber.com ©2016 Publisher William B. Sisson Executive Editor Leigh Perry-Herndon Managing Editor Jennifer Jenkins Copy Editor Michelle Irvin Additional Writers and Editors Mike Herndon, Ashley Horn, Susan Rak-Blanchard Danette Richards and Carolyn Wilson Printing Services: Interstate Printing/Direct Mail Graphic Design: Wise Design Inc. Advertising Account Executive: René Eiland 29 251-431-8635 [email protected] 4 the business view AUGUST 2016 NEWS you can use The Steeple Debuts As the renaissance of “This is a great example of downtown Mobile continues, why the Chamber keeps the tax The Steeple on St. Francis is credit program on our legislative one of the latest multi-function agenda and advocates to get venues for parties, weddings, historic tax credits reinstated,” concerts and other special said Ginny Russell, the Mobile events. Area Chamber’s vice president Purchased by Clif and of community and governmental Ginna Inge in 2015, after they affairs. saw a commercial about the Reviving abandoned or property, The Steeple is located neglected urban churches at 251 St. Francis St., on the sitting on valuable real estate is corner of Joachim, four blocks a national movement resulting west of Water Street. It was a in restaurants, bookstores, former Methodist church built apartments and more, according in the 1840s and rebuilt to Ginna. One of the most famous following a fire in the 1890s. examples is Nashville’s Ryman A year-long, $1 million Auditorium, home to the Grand renovation transformed the red- Ole Opry. brick Queen Anne style building Ginna visited New Orleans and its Tiffany-inspired stained and conducted a tremendous glass windows with the help amount of research on of local businesses, including what The Steeple could Holmes & Holmes Architects be in Mobile. What and Rogers & Willard. The end tugged on her most was product was a 10,000-square musicians and speakers. foot space on two levels with The venue’s first wood floors and a 35-feet high concert will be Saturday, Cathedral ceiling. Aug. 27. Organized by The Steeple project was promoter The Southern aided by a federal historic tax Rambler as a benefit to credit program, similar to the raise money for benches state version the Mobile Area for Wave bus riders, the Chamber and other organizations concert will feature fought to continue during Shawn Mullins, The Mulligan the 2016 legislative session. Brothers and Eric Erdman. Owner Ginna Inge and Executive Director Mary Lacey Zeiders are working Ultimately, the legislature let Learn more: http://ramblinnight. hard to build awareness of The Steeple as a multi-functional event space. it die. b r o w n p a p e r t i c k e t s . c o m /. B&B Pet Stop Named 2016 Small Business of the Year In June, the Mobile Area Chamber named B&B Pet Stop, a 35-year-old, Mobile-based pet store, as the 2016 Small Business of the Year. FusionPoint Media and Karen C. Simmons PC were also recognized for outstanding achievements. Pictured from left to right are Mark Nix, Infirmary Health and Chamber board chair; siblings Sally Trufant, Bill Trufant and Mary Trufant of B&B Pet Stop; and Bill Sisson, the Chamber’s CEO and president. the business view AUGUST 2016 5 Restoration Project Think You Can Become An Entrepreneur Begins at In A Weekend? Aspiring entrepreneurs and Why Startup Weekend? anyone with a passion for All businesses start small, Mon Louis small business success can and research shows that learn to build a business from entrepreneurial training and concept to completion during mentoring are critical for new Mobile’s first-ever Startup and emerging companies to Weekend, happening this succeed. Entrepreneurs are the Island month. visionaries, risk-takers and During this exciting, innovators in our society. intense, Startup hands-on Weekend event, hones the attendees vision, reduces will create a the risk and real business gets innovative Photo by Sam St. John, Logical Computer Solutions and meet coaches, mentors, ideas to the marketplace. investors, sponsors and others Restoration of the erosion- Thompson Engineering who are ready to help start Who should attend? impacted and storm-vulnerable and Orion Marine Construction, businesses. The weekend Entrepreneurs, business northern tip of Mon Louis Island with assistance from the Mobile begins on Friday, Aug. 26, with startup enthusiasts, web and in Mobile County is underway. Bay NEP and U. S. Army Corps participants pitching their software developers, designers, The island is important from a of Engineers Operations concepts. Throughout the marketing gurus, business cultural perspective and plays Division, will conduct the work. weekend, the teams receive development specialists and an important ecological role to Mon Louis Island is constant feedback and expert anyone interested in building a the entire bay system. approximately advice. By Sunday evening, business. The project two miles new companies will be Startup Weekend an includes construction The island is wide and six established. international program of a continuous important from miles long, bound Matthew Roeder, CEO of supported locally by the rock breakwater a cultural by Fowl River, RentGear, attended a Startup University of South Alabama’s to protect the Mobile Bay and Weekend in Oxford, Miss., that Office of Research & Economic shoreline and perspective and the Mississippi played an integral role in the Development, local nonprofit dredging to create plays an Sound between development of his company.