Mobile Bay Magazine - January 2021

January 2021

THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES

THE ANNUAL TRAILBLAZERS ISSUE DR. JOHN BOROM AND SKIPPER TONSMEIRE’S

DR. ANKIT GULATI PIONEERING PATIENT REHAB IN THE AGE OF COVID AT INFIRMARY HEALTH

CONSERVATION LEGACY

SANDY BEALL UNVEILS HIS NEXT PROPERTY IN THE KITCHEN WITH

PLUS 39 MORE HEROES, INFLUENCERS & GO-GETTERS

MARY ALICE CAIN

40 40 UND ER

THE BAY AREA’S UNSTOPPABLE YOUNG LEADERS

+

MO’BAY BEIGNET

DUSTING UP THE DOWNTOWN FOOD SCENE

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CONTENTS | VOLUME XXXVII / ISSUE 1

JANUARY 2021 38

Building Trust

LOUISE MCCOWN, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BEAUTYCOUNTER AND 40 UNDER 40 AWARD WINNER. PHOTO BY MATTHEW COUGHLIN

Explore the origins of the South Alabama Land Trust with legendary conservationists Dr. John Borom and Skipper Tonsmeire

46

Fired Up Peggy Cooper Cafritz — art collector, activist, Mobilian — is a name and a life worth knowing

53

40 Under 40 It wouldn’t be a new year without a new class of young, forwardthinking Mobilians leading the way

 The South Alabama Land Trust has protected land across Mobile and Baldwin counties totaling $11,780,946 in value.

That’s a lot of green for a lot of green. Get the inside story of the organization’s evolution on page 38.

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CONTENTS | VOLUME XXXVII / ISSUE 1

JANUARY 2021

22 24

ON OUR COVER 40 Under 40 Award recipient Dr. Ankit Gulati, Rehabilitation Physician and Medical Director with Infirmary Health.

PHOTO BY MATTHEW COUGHLIN

19 SUGARY GOODNESS AT MO’BAY BEIGNET / PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU INSIDE MB’S FAIRHOPE INSPIRATION HOME / PHOTO BY JUSTIN CORDOVA COOK WITH DIETICIAN MARY ALICE CAIN / PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU

11 EDITOR’S NOTE 12 REACTION 14 ODDS & ENDS 17 THE DISH 19 INSPIRATION A sneak peek of MB’s Fairhope abode

22 TASTINGS Cozy up with coffee, fried dough and a pile of powdered sugar at Mo’Bay Beignet

24 BAY TABLES Healthy Dollar General cooking with dietician Mary Alice Cain

90 LITERATURE Writer Audrey McDonald Atkins admits she’s no Girl Scout

32 SPOTLIGHT Hospitality entrepreneur Sandy Beall talks Mobile and High Hampton

93 LEGENDS Eighteenth-century British and Spanish forces clash on the shores of Mobile Bay

80 JANUARY CALENDAR 84

ARCHIVES Inspect an historical coffee urn from the Creole Fire Department

98 BACK STORY In the first installment of MB’s new series, dissect the details in a photograph of a city bus, 1951.

96 ASK MCGEHEE What’s the history of the property known as Cannongate on Spring Hill Avenue?

 According to National Geographic, Europeans have been eating fried dough at least as far back as Ancient Rome. “Scriblita” were a type of Roman pastry made of moist dough dipped into boiling animal fat. Visit Mo’Bay Beignet on page 22, animal fat not included.

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Mobile Bay VOLUME XXXVII

No1

JAN 2021

PUBLISHER T. J. Potts Stephen Potts Judy Culbreth

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Maggie Lacey MANAGING EDITOR/WEB Abby Parrott

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Amanda Hartin

ART DIRECTOR Laurie Kilpatrick

ASSISTANT PUBLISHER

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT

ADVERTISING S R. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Joseph A. Hyland Anna Pavao ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Ray

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

ADMINISTRATION CIRCULATION Anita Miller ACCOUNTING Keith Crabtree

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Audrey McDonald Atkins, Judy Culbreth, Tom McGehee, Chris Nordmann, Breck Pappas, John Sledge CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Justin Cordova, Matthew Coughlin, Elizabeth Gelineau, Kathy Hicks ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL OFFICES

3729 Cottage Hill Road, Suite H Mobile, AL 36609-6500 251-473-6269 Subscription inquiries and all remittances should be sent to: Mobile Bay P.O. Box 43 Congers, NY 10920-9922 1-833-454-5060 MOVING? Please note: U.S. Postal Service will not forward magazines mailed through their bulk mail unit.

Please send old label along with your new address four to six weeks prior to moving.

Mobile Bay is published 12 times per year for the Gulf Coast area. All contents © 2021 by PMT Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Comments written in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ownership or the management of Mobile Bay. This magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. All submissions will be edited for length, clarity and style.

PUBLISHED BY PMT PUBLISHING INC .

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EXTRAS | EDITOR’S NOTE

UNIFORMITY MY OWN 1970’S BROWNIE UNIFORM, THAT I BEGRUDGINGLY WORE IN THE LATE 1980’S WITH TROOP 75. THESE DAYS MY SECOND-GRADER LIKES TO DON IT FOR FUN WHEN WE RUN ERRANDS.

A Real Standout

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU

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couting uniforms are emblematic of community, orderliness, leadership and achievement. MB’s regular contributor Audrey McDonald Atkins reminisces in the following pages, our annual Trailblazers issue, about the time she desperately wanted to be a Brownie Scout, perhaps only for the stylish little beret. Her hilarious tale reminded me of my own scouting experience, and my complete disdain for the uniform that came along with it. It was 1988, and I was wearing a brown second-hand polyester zip-front number from the early ‘70s that came from Lord knows whose closet and did my second-grade spirits no favor. Every other 8-year-old wore a smashing new dress that buttoned on the shoulder with a perky vest to carry all their badges. My cross-body sash stood out and weighed me down. Isn’t it amazing how the littlest thing out of place can make you feel as if you stand out in the worst possible way as a child? And if we are being honest, all too often as adults, too?

But the reward at the end of those embarrassing days of brown zip-front polyester was the Scout meeting. We made crafts, did science experiments and planned adventures into the wild. And behind us all the way was our tireless Scout leader, fearlessly taking a gaggle of young girls overnight to the Battleship or on breakfast scavenger hunts through the woods. She taught us ingenuity and bravery and how to turn old Press-Registers and some contact paper into an endlessly useful sit-upon. We learned how to take charge and how to work together, but most importantly, how to hold our chins high when our uniforms were out of style. (Full disclosure on this biased report — our leader also happened to be my amazing mom.)

All it takes is one bold example of leadership to give a kid the confidence to strike out on a path of their own. As MB gathers together the next class of our 40 Under 40 awards and shares the stories of other movers and shakers, trailblazers and pioneers in our town, here’s hoping we can all find a steadfast leader to show us the right path and send us on our way with confidence.

Just be sure to bring your sit-upon.

LOVE THIS ISSUE

SOMETHING SWEET MARY ALICE CAIN’S DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES ARE EASY TO MAKE, PERFECTLY PORTIONED AND SIMPLY TO-DIE-FOR. RECIPE, PAGE 30

FIRED UP! READY TO GO! I LOVED DIVING INTO THE LIFE OF MOBILIAN PEGGY COOPER CAFRITZ. HER BOOK, THOUGH A LITTLE HARD TO TRACK DOWN, WAS INSPIRING. (PSSST— THE FAIRHOPE PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS A COPY!) HARDCOVER, PUBLISHED BY RIZZOLI, $75

IT’S A TRAP WE ENJOYED VISITING WITH DR. JOHN BOROM ABOUT THE WEEK’S BAY PITCHER PLANT BOG. THE CARNIVOROUS BLOOMS WILL ARRIVE IN EARLY SPRING, SO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!

POWDER MY NOSE SURE, IT’S JANUARY AND THE START OF NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS, BUT BEIGNETS ARE AT THE TOP OF MY LIST. MO’BAY BEIGNET, PAGE 22

Maggie Lacey EXECUTIVE EDITOR

maggie@pmtpublishing.com

 We are loving the local art adorning the walls of MB’s

2020 Inspiration Home in Fairhope! So much talent combined to make this home a showstopper. Catch a sneak peak on page 19, and then visit in person! Now open for tours.

GO TO PIECES OBSESSED WITH THIS OVERSIZED COLLAGE BY LOCAL ARTIST DIANA NEWMAN FROM THE 2020 MB INSPIRATION HOME. DESIGNER SUZANNE WINSTON HUNG IT IN HER SERENE “PAJAMA LOUNGE.” “JUST WATCHING SOAPS” BY DIANA NEWMAN. 60” X 48” OIL, GUACHE, PLASTIC AND VINYL ON CANVAS AND MAT

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EXTRAS | REACTION

Tell us how you really feel ...

CHARMED

GOODBYE, GUMP

THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE

On November’s feature, “The Story House,” about Rob and Brady Berglin’s collection of memories

On November’s feature, “A Farewell to Groom”

On November’s cover, featuring Red or White’s chef Arwen Rice

I have fond memories of tiptoeing to the powder room in this amazing house while my children learned to swim in Brady’s pool.

- Margaret Cone Moran

What an awesome author and friend.

- Leslie Guilian One of my favorite happy homes.

BRADY BERGLIN / PHOTO BY JUSTIN CORDOVA

Great article. I was a fan long before we met and became friends, but I had no idea he passed in September.

I am devastated; he has definitely left us wanting more.

-Kenneth Bell

- Kelly M. Adger Brady and Rob are the best people — no one like them anywhere.

- Margaret Vidmer This was a treat to read!

- Malia McCawley Mullican A beautiful story! I would love to see the outside of this home — so unique.

- Vicki Z. Fowler

YOU GOTTA TRY THIS On November’s Tastings of 1031 Meals They are so yummy!

- Lauree Riggin

OUR HANDS ARE ‘TIED’

- Madeleine Denton Doak

On November’s End Piece, a colorized photo of men at an oyster bar in the 1930s, including a man identified as Wayne Palmer, pictured below

Like many, Forrest Gump is one of my favorite all-time characters. Forrest is such an amalgamation of qualities, carefully pieced together, and the story so perfectly embodies the painful, bumpy, amazingly beautiful journey of being human. What a wonderful gift he gave us. Point Clear sure turns out some great ones!

ONE OF THE BEST On MB’s Facebook post, “Art of the Invocation,” featuring Edna Rivers, founding member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama, and her talent for saying grace

His mom was my homeroom and English teacher.

The man that was said to be Wayne Palmer was not him. His son, who lives in Fairhope, said he never wore a bow tie.

That is true, as he was my grandfather.

Lovely article.

- Sally Palmer Breitung I am friends with one of the sons of Mr. Wayne Palmer. At first, he said that was not his father, as his father never wore a tie in his life (except for bow ties), and he didn’t like oysters.

- Angie Hatcher Germy

I had a flashback of my high school days at Murphy where Mrs. Rivers was a guidance counselor. She was very instrumental in guiding new students who arrived on campus during the desegregation of schools in Mobile County. So pleasing to see MB spotlighting a great Mobilian and educator.

Thank you, Breck Pappas, for a romp through the life of the “Forrest Gump” creator, Winston Groom. Winston ran with some larger-than-life personalities: Vonnegut, Plimpton and Heller in his literary circles and Meador and Radcliff on the Eastern Shore.

However, I found equally amazing his association with two of our local literary stars, Watt Key and Michael Knight. I encourage everyone to look into the works of these two talented local writers.

- K. Davis, Atlanta

- Joe Brown Jr.

- Ellen Heyer

- Corinne Graddick

Wonderful tribute. I’m going to save it.

- Shannon Smith

What a great article about an outstanding Mobilian.

In my opinion, Arwen Rice is one of the best chefs in our area. If you haven’t eaten at Red or White, you are missing out. Fresh and creative dishes every single time we go.

- Cindy Cazalas Wayne Palmer is my great-grandfather, but they didn’t move to Mobile until around 1936.

- Marie Katz ORIGINAL PHOTO COURTESY S. BLAKE MCNEELY COLLECTION, THE DOY LEALE MCCALL RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA, COLORIZATION BY DYNAMICHROME LIMITED

 Want to share your thoughts and reactions to this issue? Email maggie@pmtpublishing.com.

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[MORE ONLINE]

Find additional local stories on mobilebaymag.com.

Here’s what’s new on the website!

Best of 2020 Sure, it obviously wasn’t the best year. But we close the door on 2020 with a look back at the incredible stories and images our staff won’t forget any time soon.

Meet the Winners

PHOTO BY JUSTIN CORDOVA

Go online for extended interviews with the impressive young leaders featured in this year’s class of 40 Under 40 (page 51).

Get Inspired The new Mobile Bay Inspiration Home is open for tours through January 24! Tickets are $10.

Purchase yours on Eventbrite today!

Share your Proposal Did he pop the question over the holidays? We want to hear about it!

Go online to share your proposal story with us, and we’ll post your engagement announcement online and on social media.

Join Our Email List Get the latest in fashion, food, art, homes, history and events delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for our email list at mobilebaymag.com.

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EXTRAS | ODDS & ENDS

Couped Up

THE COUPE VS. THE FLUTE

text by MB EDITORIAL STAFF

CHEERS!

When it comes to bubbly, some prefer using wide coupe glasses (left), as they allow drinkers to enjoy the Champagne’s aroma with every sip. The narrower flute came about through the hospitality industry because servers wanted a container that, when pre-poured for receptions, could keep the fizz in the glass. Also, a flute’s shape allows servers to carry more glasses per tray.

The top three categories for goals in the new year are related to

HEALTH, SELF-IMPROVEMENT AND MONEY. Cheers to a healthier, better and richer you in 2021!

30%

A TIP FOR 2021 Show off your vocabulary this year by quarantining for a “fortnight.” -Sincerely, MB’s thesaurus-loving editorial staff

[JANUARY 17]

BRRRRR

... of this year’s “40 Under 40” winners obtained a higher-education degree in Mobile.

This is typically the coldest day of the year in Mobile, with an average low of 42 degrees and a high of 62 degrees.

WHAT’S THE OPPOSITE OF A BRAIN DRAIN? A BRAIN RETAIN?

9,500

Meet this year’s class of movers and shakers on page 53.

The amount of habitat, in acres, that have been preserved in Mobile and Baldwin counties by the South Alabama Land Trust

[SPOTTED]

The Brew Bus, a 1966 vintage van, is a brand new bar on wheels, ready to serve up craft beer at your next party.

Visit brewbusgulfcoast.com to book the van for an event or photoshoot.

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FOOD | THE DISH

Bite of the Bay MB’s contributing food fanatics share their go-to local dishes.

SHOTGUN SHRIMP IN FELIX’S BAR “I hesitate to give this secret away, but there’s a cozy lounge that runs alongside the main dining room at Felix’s. There’s no need for a reservation and generally no wait for a table in this pleasing, low-lit space. My go-to dish, shotgun shrimp, is listed as an appetizer but qualifies as an entrée. The lightly breaded jumbo Gulf shrimp is generously covered in a hot and spicy Thai chili sauce. This tasty blend, combined with chipotle and habanero peppers, serves as the perfect foundation for a side of sweet and creamy slaw.”

KIM KELLY, Owner, Sophiella Gallery

FELIX’S FISH CAMP • 1530 BATTLESHIP PARKWAY, SPANISH FORT • 626-6710

WILLIAM PEEBLES, Agent, NAI Mobile

SHOTGUN SHRIMP AT FELIX’S FISH CAMP

POPCORN AT THE MERRY WIDOW “The late great John Witherspoon was fond of saying, ‘When you’re hungry, everything tastes good.’ If you find yourself a little hungry at The Merry Widow, they will make you some popcorn — nothing fancy but just the right amount of salt and butter.

If you ask nicely, they will dust it with a ramen packet. Tip your bartender!”

THE MERRY WIDOW • 51 S CONCEPTION ST. 378-8020 • THEMERRYWIDOW.NET

SUNTREASE WILLIAMS MAYNARD, Special Counsel, Adams & Reese LLP

BAKED POTATOES AT COTTON STATE BBQ “I was so blown away after my visit to Cotton State BBQ that I went back the next day! I had both the chili cheese potato and the loaded beef brisket potato. The potatoes are definitely large enough to leave you satisfied, and the toppings really put it over the top. I also tried a side of seasoned fries, which were also great. I guess a girl couldn’t get enough of their potato items.

Thanks Cotton State for bringing great barbecue to our community!”

BRIAN P. BRITT, Attorney, Kopesky & Britt LLC and Fairhope Title Services, LLC

STEAK TARTAR AT CAMELLIA CAFE “The perfect starter to any meal at Camellia Cafe is their steak tartar, one of my favorite appetizers in all of Fairhope.

This wonderful filet of beef, blended with truffle oil, capers, shallots and a farm egg, always kicks the night off perfectly. One thing I love about the cafe is that the menu changes seasonally, so you can always trust that every dish will be made with the freshest ingredients. This place is a must.”

COTTON STATE BBQ • 101 N CONCEPTION ST.

CAMELLIA CAFE • 61 N SECTION ST.,

545-4682 • COTTON-STATE-BBQ.BUSINESS.SITE

FAIRHOPE • 928-4321 • CAMELLIACAFE.COM

 What dishes made you drool and left you hungry for more? Share them on our Facebook page! january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 17

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HOMES | INSPIRATION

Welcome to Our House The doors are open to MB’s second annual Inspiration Home. text by AMANDA HARTIN • photos by JUSTIN CORDOVA

OPEN FOR TOURS Dec 26 & 27, Jan 2 & 3, Thurs - Sat Jan 7 - 24 10 AM - 5 PM Sundays 1 - 5 PM 140 Mount Pleasant Blvd.

Fairhope Tickets: $10 at the door or online at mobilebaymag. com/inspiration-home

Ticket sales benefit USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital

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weeping views of nature await visitors of this custom-built, 4,405-square-foot home in the newly developed, 97-acre North Hills at Fairhope community. The unspoiled view is sure to remain as the neighborhood is well-insulated from future development, surrounded by Auburn University’s Research Center to the west, a private estate to the east and a wetlands buffer to the north.

Located atop a rolling hillside, the two-story home’s dramatic facade of red brick and dark siding complement its surroundings of pines and farms. The exterior includes thoughtfully selected materials, all designed to look better with age. Drawing the eye from street to front door is the grand promenade, nestled amid the lush lawn and master landscaping.

Refinement continues inside, evidenced by the foyer’s bright, nature-inspired color palette and curated embellishments. From here, there is no wrong direction in which to start exploring the four bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom estate, as each path reveals a clearly delineated, designed-to-be-lived-in space.

Rooms flow organically, with some even blurring the lines between indoors and out, such as the family room with its metalframed sliding doors, which open onto the screened porch. And there is no shortage of picturesque vantage points, whether eyeing the community’s sparkling lake from the second-story landing or admiring ancient oaks from the robust outdoor kitchen.

MB’s 2020 Inspiration Home is sure to inspire. We hope to welcome you soon. MB

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THANK YOU TO OUR TALENTED TEAM DESIGN PARTNERS COASTAL EXPOSURES LANDSCAPE, INC. HANNAH STEFANEK DESIGN MCCOWN DESIGN REEHLCO CUSTOM HOMES TIER ONE PARTNERS A & W LIGHTING COLDWELL BANKER REEHL PROPERTIES DALE INC JOE BULLARD AUTOMOTIVE MOBILE LUMBER MEDIA PARTNERS IHEARTMEDIA WKRG TIER TWO PARTNERS AMMONS & BLACKMON CONSTRUCTION JUBILEE FLOORING TIER THREE PARTNERS ANN INGE INTERIORS ATCHISON HOME BAY GOURMET CATERING BEDS & BLINDS BRINSON INTERIORS BROOKE CHAMBLEE INTERIORS CAIT WAITE DESIGNS COASTAL EXPOSURES LANDSCAPE INC CONCRETE BY DESIGN CONWAYS FLOORING COOPER FENCE COMPANY GAF JJPR KATHERINE GOLDMAN INTERIORS LACY PHILLIPS DESIGNS MALOUF FURNITURE MARCH + MAY MOBILE APPLIANCE REDMONT VODKA RILEY-STUART SUPPLY COMPANY SOUTHERN HOME OUTDOOR STOCK & TRADE THE STONE GALLERY LLC STUDIO PICA DESIGN SUN COAST ENERGY TCB COASTAL BANKING TOOL EXPO TOWNE + BEECH VELLUM & VELVET WEST READY MIX WINSUPPLY

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ABOVE, CLOCKWISE The kitchen, an amalgamation of wood, metal, stone and fabric, is anchored by a generously portioned marble countertop, buttressed by bench seating. The bright and cheery foyer embraces newcomers, while the barrel-arched hallway beckons onward to the living room, as seen on previous page. A grand promenade welcomes visitors to the hillside beauty.

Natural elements add rustic touches to sleek, modern furniture.

FOOD | TASTINGS

Mo’Bay Beignet Co. text by AMANDA HARTIN • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU

I

nside the brick-exposed downtown Mobile cafe is an air of sweetness. It starts the moment customers walk into the well-lit, spacious Mo’Bay Beignet Co., where they are greeted by a joyous staff, a heavenly aroma, white-smudged shirts and slacks, and the sugar-coated faces of Mobile’s littlest diners.

Atop scattered tables are plates filled with what appear to be miniature snow drifts. The deep-fried, powdery confection needs no adornment, but for those looking for an over-the-top, slap-yomama experience, flavored syrups, like buttercream, cinnamon and seasonal selections, like blueberry, are available. An iced cafe au lait or freshly brewed coffee and chicory are the perfect complement to a just-because pick-me-up.

That’s what brings people in, after all — the generously portioned goodies smothered in sugar. And if there is any doubt, painted above the entryway is a sign beckoning, “This way to beignets.” For Jaclyn Robinson, owner, “signs” have been an instrumental part of the cafe’s journey.

“Sometimes you have an idea, and sometimes an idea has you,”

she explains. “Mo’Bay Beignet Co. was divinely inspired.”

In 2015, Robinson was making beignets in her home kitchen when she was struck with the thought of packaging and selling the mix. What followed was a whirlwind of marketing, logo design (which includes an intentional nod to Mobile Bay) and retail success. In 2019, standing again in her kitchen, Robinson found herself at a crossroads: continue selling mixes and syrups in stores and online or open a brick and mortar location.

“Like every other part of this journey, [the next step] happened quickly and with plenty of God winks along the way,” she reiterates. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to get pulled off, but not surprisingly, God had a plan in place. My parents, the most generous people I know, chose to pay forward inheritance they were given to help make the flagship location a reality. This wouldn’t be possible without them.”

It’s rare that the backstory of a business rivals the sweetness of a menu, but that’s the certainly the case with Jaclyn Robinson and her Mo’Bay Beignet Co. MB

 Mo’Bay Beignet Co. • 451 Dauphin Street • mobaybeignetco.com 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. M - Th; 7:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. F; 9 a.m. - 11 p.m. Sa; 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Su 22 mobilebaymag.com | january 2021

FOOD | TASTINGS

[ON THE MENU]

BEIGNETS Pillowy, perfectly tender beignets are what you’ll find on this streamlined, indulgent menu. Served on a plate of 3 or 12, the golden pastry is topped with mounds of powdered sugar and served with your choice of syrup. Signature flavors include buttercream and cinnamon, with seasonal favorites such as lemon cream and pumpkin spice served on a limited basis throughout the year.

FOOD | BAY TABLES

On a Mission From a jovial cooking challenge came the realization of a much larger goal for Mobile native Mary Alice Cain. text by AMANDA HARTIN • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU

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team rises from the cast-iron skillet, temporarily curtaining Mary Alice Cain as she stands in front of the gas range in her mama’s kitchen, sauteing shrimp. She turns her attention to the warm, thickened grits and then reaches across the counter for the large blue and white platter on which the Southern staple will be served.

“I remember when I couldn’t even see the top of this counter,” Cain reminisces, ladling the shellfish onto the bed of cheesy porridge.

“My mom would pull up a little step stool for me to stand on so I could help stir.”

Pasta is one of the first things she learned to cook, but by now, there’s not much the self-proclaimed home chef can’t tackle, food-

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wise. “Cooking kind of runs in the family,” she modestly hints, glancing at mom Barkley Shreve, founder of Spring Hill Kitchen and Mamie’s Famous Cheese Wafers. “My mom’s mom was ‘Mamie,’ so I learned how to make that recipe pretty early on, too.

Mama Mavis, my dad’s mom, taught me how to mix together different ingredients to make cookies.”

Nonchalantly added amidst the familial culinary rundown is Cain’s great-grandfather, George Widney, founder of Dew Drop Inn, Mobile’s oldest restaurant.

The 30-something Mobile native props herself up with one arm and muses on her own cooking style. “I’d say it’s traditionally Southern with a modern twist. I grew up making traditional Southern food, but now that I live in Decatur, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, I’m able to carry the Southern tradition to that world while adding a bit of modern to it. I sort of shake it all together to make a healthy balance.”

Cain, a registered dietician, is no stranger to shaking things up, thanks, in part, to her dad, Lewis Shreve. In 2017, the patriarch challenged his daughter to make a Derby pie using only ingredients found at Dollar General. She had her doubts, but to everyone’s surprise, she succeeded. But could the store, perhaps better known for in-and-out purchases like household cleaners and toiletries, be used to create an entire meal? Cain was determined to find out, using the experiment as her master’s project at Georgia State, the outcome of which were 30 healthy, family-friendly recipes made exclusively with food found at the

MARY ALICE’S TIPS FOR EATING HEALTHY Frozen vegetables and fruit are typically just as healthy as their fresh counterparts. Picked at harvest, the produce is immediately frozen, locking in all of its nutritional value.

Simply rinsing canned vegetables and beans removes a lot of added sodium.

Adding nuts to dishes like salmon or pasta is an easy way to incorporate more nutrients.

Looking for healthier recipe alternatives? Start small with simple swaps, like exchanging milk chocolate for dark.

Sneak fiber into any dish by adding legumes, such as black-eyed peas or kidney beans.

HERB SALAD DRESSING

Think outside the salad bowl — this delicious homemade dressing pairs with most anything.

SERVES 12 1 cup olive oil 1/3 cup white vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. In a 2-cup jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all ingredients, cover with lid, and shake until thoroughly combined. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.

PECAN-CRUSTED SALMON Eating healthy on a dime is possible, and this dish, chock-full of nutrients, is just one example from Dollar General’s “Better For You” recipe collection.

SERVES 2 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon yellow mustard 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 2 (4-ounce) frozen salmon fillets 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, combine honey, mustard, onion and parsley; mix well. Place salmon on a rimmed baking sheet. Spoon honey-mustard mixture evenly over salmon and sprinkle with pecans.

3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes evenly with a fork.

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dollar store. With a little family prodding, she submitted her findings to Dollar General, and within about a week of her initial email, Cain traveled to the company’s headquarters and was subsequently signed on as an independent contractor. The collaboration resulted in the chain’s “Better For You” series, found on their website, which currently includes about 75 recipes.

“I work with a team of chefs,” she explains of the development process. “I pick out which ingredients to use, but the big thing we focus on is adding nutrition.”

While variety stores such as Dollar General have borne the brunt of criticism for edging out small businesses, some are instrumental in feeding residents in food deserts — areas where access to affordable, healthy food is either nonexistent, due to a lack of grocery stores, or restricted, due to being outside convenient traveling distance.

While Dollar General does not tout itself as a grocer, Cain has proven that eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive, the evidence of which includes the spread-for-four laid before her that cost less than $25.

“It’s been such a tough year for so many,” she affirms. “Even if people don’t go to Dollar General to get all the ingredients, these recipes serve as refreshing ideas for affordable meals.” But being thrifty isn’t Cain’s only goal. “I think so many people are intimidated by the kitchen. It doesn’t have to be scary. There is so much misinformation out there about food and nutrition and cooking. I try to take the research and the nitty gritty details of the science and break it down. Part of my life’s mission is to show you how simple it is and that you, too, can cook.”

When asked about additional areas of interest, Cain thinks back on her time teaching nutrition to middle schoolers as part of After-School All-Stars, a nonprofit organization devoted to expanding the learning day for low-income children. “I realized there was so much opportunity to educate children about making healthy choices,” she states, eyes glimmering. “I think that’s an age group we miss a lot of times. My goal is to get back into that community and educate, teaching young ones.”

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“I TRY TO TAKE THE RESEARCH AND THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS OF THE SCIENCE AND BREAK IT DOWN. PART OF MY LIFE’S MISSION IS TO SHOW YOU HOW SIMPLE IT IS AND THAT YOU, TOO, CAN COOK.” – Mary Alice Cain

SHRIMP AND GRITS

This Southern staple is quick and easy, making it a realistic weeknight meal.

SERVES 4 2 cups water 4 individual packets instant grits 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 2 teaspoons canola oil 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen raw shrimp, thawed and peeled 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring water to a boil; stir in grits and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until hot. Add shrimp and garlic to skillet and saute 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in lemon juice, hot sauce and parsley.

Heat for 1 minute.

3. Spoon grits into a bowl, top with shrimp mixture and serve.

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Though she works with the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council doing full-time marketing and promotional work, Cain satiates her dietary creativity with her continued relationship with Dollar General. And with increased awareness of the “Better For You” program, Cain’s educational reach is far wider than she ever imagined possible. “A gal I grew up with works in an elementary school in Nashville, right next to a Dollar General,” she shares. “The school took these recipes and are now incorporating them into their health classes.”

Cain smiles like a proud parent, mirroring the grin on her own mother’s face.

Indeed, it’s hard to believe that from an offhand, Derby-inspired challenge came the realization of a life’s calling. “Everyone needs nutrition; it’s not just for certain people,” she emphasizes. “If I can help just one person or family make better decisions about their health or teach them how to cook and prepare healthier food, I’ll consider my job done.” MB

LEFT It only took Mary Alice Cain a few minutes to whip up this delicious plate of shrimp and grits.

ABOVE Cain enjoyed sharing her nutritious recipes to her After-School All-Stars students.

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CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

These easy-to-make, scrumptious treats are perfectly portioned bites of dark chocolate heaven. No need to wait for a special occasion to enjoy these guiltfree morsels.

MAKES 20 TRUFFLES 1/3 cup evaporated milk 2 tablespoons sugar 1 (10-ounce) package dark chocolate chips 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup roasted almonds, finely chopped, optional

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine evaporated milk and sugar; heat until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and vanilla and stir until mixture is smooth. Cover and chill 1 hour.

2. Using a small ice cream scoop, form 3/4-inch balls, and with your hands, shape them into balls. After rolling each into a ball, immediately roll it into the chopped almonds, if desired. (Rolling these immediately helps nuts stick best to chocolate.)

3. Repeat until all the chocolate is rolled into truffles. Place on a platter, cover, and chill 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

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PHOTO COURTESY DOLLAR GENERAL

MARINATED VEGGIE CHOW CHOW

You’ ll be sure to eat all your veggies, thanks to the irresistible vinegar marinade. The added fiber from canned beans makes this a well-rounded dish.

SERVES 12 1 (10.8-ounce) package frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, thawed 1 cup frozen cut green beans, thawed 1/2 cup frozen pepper and onions, thawed 1 (15.5-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained 1 1/2 cups water 1 cup white vinegar 3 tablespoons stevia sweetener 2 teaspoons garlic, minced 1 teaspoon yellow mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. In a large bowl, combine all vegetables and beans; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring water, vinegar, sweetener, garlic, mustard and salt to a boil, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture over vegetables, add parsley and mix well.

3. Let vegetables cool, then cover and refrigerate until chilled. january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 31

PEOPLE | SPOTLIGHT

A Rich Heritage Hospitality entrepreneur Sandy Beall takes rugged refinement to the next level at the classic mountain retreat High Hampton in Cashiers, North Carolina. text by JUDY CULBRETH • photos by Sarah Rau

S

andy Beall knows how to make a stranger feel welcome. His unaffected natural charm, I’m betting, is a secret to success in his chosen field, hospitality.

I experienced Beall’s charisma firsthand when I, in the capacity of deputy granny, accompanied my friend, Eugenia Foster, on a road trip from Mobile to Walland, Tennessee, to deliver two Beall grandchildren back to their

home at Blackberry Farm. (Sandy was cofounder of Blackberry Farm in 1976.) On a whim I brought along a shopping bag full of my daughter’s old Barbies and about 100 selections from their 1980s-vintage wardrobes — those dolls don’t travel light!

“So, you’re Judy,” Sandy smiled when we met one morning at the home of his daughter-in-law, Mary Celeste Beall,

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Previous page A classic golf course is being renovated on the 1,400-acre property.

PHOTO COURTESY HIGH HAMPTON INN

Clockwise from top left The historic bark-sided High Hampton Inn was once a hunting lodge.

Hospitality visionary Sandy Beall. Iconic red rockers overlook inspiring views.

CEO of Blackberry Farm, rated one of the top small hotels in the world, and Blackberry Mountain, the nearby luxury wellness retreat that opened in 2018.

“Lila and Josephine can’t stop talking about those Barbie fashion contests you and Eugenia dreamed up,” Sandy continued. His blue eyes framed by fashionable glasses focused on me in an amused way, as if we were in on the same joke. “What a hit. They’re having such a good time.”

The famous creative businessman and stylish wife Suzanna kept on with a conversation that put me totally at ease. I understood right away how he rocketed to the top

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of an industry that counts on pleasing guests on a big scale.

Sandy’s career began with a job at Pizza Hut while he was a college student at the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville. By the time of graduation, in 1972, he had risen to district manager. He sold his stock in the company, found some partners and opened his own place that he named Ruby Tuesday. Decorating the pioneer casual dining restaurant with stained glass lamps and random antique finds, he imbued the eatery with a sense of fun and nostalgia. The food was recognizable, likeable favorites but with interesting new accents. This model, in in-

creasingly sophisticated iterations, would become a Beall trademark.

A decade later Morrison Restaurants bought Ruby Tuesday, by then a national chain. Sandy became president, CEO and chairman of the board of Morrisons, headquartered in Mobile, and Ruby Tuesday. The family lived in the Bay area about 11 years. Sandy’s son Sam, deceased in 2016, met future wife Mary Celeste Foster while in high school here.

“Mobile and Point Clear hold so many of my cherished memories with my family and friends,” Sandy told MB in November. “From time on the water to hunting

trips in the lowland, those memories and adventures are what continue to drive a desire to create places and opportunities for families to build incredible experiences together.”

Resort in Carolina High Country Many Bay residents have vacationed at breathtakingly beautiful, “rugged and refined” Blackberry Farm, which is famous for its multiple James Beard award-winning Foothill Cuisine and well-curated wine cellars. Blackberry Mountain, the newer resort envisioned by Mary Celeste and her late husband, is already celebrated as an environmentally friendly and mindful-oriented fitness getaway. It’s no wonder fans of the Bealls’ were thrilled when news of another storied property, High Hampton, in Cashiers, North Carolina, was being reimagined, à la Beall.

Sandy has his own connection to the favorite mountain retreat.

“High Hampton has held my family’s interest for four decades,” he says. “It’s a destination that we visited for our own vacations. In 1982, I ended up buying a house from the McKee family, who had owned the property since 1922.”

Sandy emphasizes that this is “not another Blackberry property. While they both share the goal of legendary hospitality, they are so different in what they offer, including rooms, amenities, locations and atmosphere. Our focus here is to simply carry on the great tradition of welcoming guests from all around the South to an inspiring place and to make sure they are comfortable and energized by their stay. High Hampton is a truly unique destination.”

Although High Hampton will retain its own distinct character, the experts at Blackberry Farm Design are collaborating on the upgrade of the century-old buildings that comprise the inn, cottages, log cabin and restaurants at High Hampton. For example, some guest rooms and suites will be expanded, and all interiors and furnishings “unpretentiously elevated.” Fireplaces, sunrooms or porches enhance the cozy feeling. january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 35

“The team has a commitment to High Hampton’s rich heritage and honoring the property’s charming historical features, while also revitalizing with modern comforts,” says Sandy. “They respect the craftsmanship and classic materials, and you can see that in their plans for the rooms and the inn. Blackberry Farm Design is working closely with the National Register of Historic Places to ensure that the iconic elements, such as uniquely shaped doors, handcrafted furniture, original exterior shag bark siding and interior American chestnut walls are preserved.”

Food, Rest, Relaxation and Adventure

Regarding the dining experiences at High Hampton, longtime restaurateur Sandy says the focus “is on food that a Southern audience will know and love. The menus share classic techniques and fresh takes on ingredients.

“I am lucky to work with such talented people that are wholly invested in hospitality and continually evolving the guest experience. I also find inspiration within my own family, which includes seven grandchildren. I like to find out what they are interested in and create a destination attractive to all ages. Multigenerational appeal is one of the most important components to each of our properties. We want to foster a warm, laid-back, family-approachable environment while still keeping each visit invigorating and memorable.”

High Hampton’s location near the Nantahala National Forest, at 3,600-feet, fosters outdoor exploration amid trails lined with hemlock, mountain laurel and towering pine trees. The property boasts National and World Champion Trees and a signature Dahlia Garden dating to the early 1900s. A 35-acre private lake invites canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding or fishing. Gathering spaces throughout are positioned for dramatic lake, lawn or mountain views.

The affiliated Club at High Hampton, managed by Arlington Family Offices and Daniel Communities, offers access to

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amenities, such as a pool complex, tennis and pickle ball courts and fitness activities, such as spin or yoga. That’s not all.

Golf on High

The Club’s golf course was sort of laid out in 1923. The story goes that the original was at first 11 holes, as far as the construction money would stretch. A couple of re-do’s later, a popular 6,012yard, 18-hole course emerged. The # 8, on an island, was named “One of America’s Great Holes.” Number 8 is staying, but other enhancements are on the way, according to Sandy.

“The 18-hole golf course is being redesigned by Tom Fazio to challenge all levels of golfers. It offers spectacular views of Rock Mountain, Chimney Top and Whiteside with fairways that meander along natural streams, dense woods and open vistas. High Hampton’s course will offer over 7,000 yards of play from the back tees, with plenty of options for familyfriendly games, too.”

At age 70, Sandy continues to raise the bar in hospitality. “I spend my time,” he concludes, “working on the family business, as well as other business ventures, and visiting family.” MB

Above Blackberry Farm Design refreshed the interiors while retaining much-loved character.

january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 37

text by BRECK PAPPAS • portraits by MATTHEW COUGHLIN nature photography by K ATHY HICKS

BUILDING TRUST WHILE THE NEWLY NAMED SOUTH ALABAMA LAND TRUST (FORMERLY THE WEEKS BAY FOUNDATION) SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE FUTURE, TAKE A LOOK BACK AT ITS THREE DECADES OF PRESERVATION AND THE TWO MEN WHO SET IT ALL IN MOTION.

SKIPPER TONSMEIRE

january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 39

O

f course, you don’t accomplish what Skipper Tonsmeire and Dr. John Borom pulled off without the technical know-how.

Tonsmeire, the builder, knew real estate.

Borom, the biologist and academic, knew how to explain the importance of preserving coastal habitat to politicians and the public. But sometimes, success is simply about knowing which cards you have up your sleeve and when exactly to lay them on the table.

Thinking back on how it all started in the early 1970s, Tonsmeire can’t help but laugh to himself. He had convinced the vice president of land acquisition for The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a charitable environmental organization based in Virginia, to visit a tract of land on Fort Morgan Peninsula, hoping that someone — anyone — would put up the money to purchase and protect the 1,400 acres of pristine beach habitat.

“I took him down there one day,” Tonsmeire remembers with a mischievous twinkle in his eye and a conspiratorial whisper. “This was kind of planned at sunset, and the full moon was rising.

We were standing up on top of these tall dunes, and it just blew him away. I knew how to present something, you know?”

Today, Borom and Tonsmeire admit they never could have predicted what that initial land purchase would set in motion — a winding journey that would lead to what is now known as the South Alabama Land Trust (formerly the Weeks Bay Foundation) and the preservation of almost 10,000 acres of ecologically important habitat.

“Maybe John had a plan back then,” Tonsmeire jokes behind his thick trademark mustache. “I didn’t have a long-term plan like that. It just kind of happened.”

Following that purchase, the land eventually became the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge in 1980, a designation that required an act of Congress. An additional piece of land that was part of the initial purchase, but not adjacent to the Fort Morgan property, became what is now the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Over the years, a “friends group” for this reserve, spearheaded by Borom and Tonsmeire, has evolved into the South

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Alabama Land Trust (SALT), the “I think number one, only accredited land trust in south we like each other, we Alabama.

The immediate focus of the trust trust each other, and is land that is in imminent danger neither of us joined this of being developed, thereby posing a threat to vulnerable species or project for any reason habitats. But that’s not the only other than it was the reason to protect coastal lands; undeveloped land along the water’s right thing to do.” edge acts as a buffer, reducing erosion, – Skipper Tonsmeire on harmful runoff and the economic working with his friend impact of storms. A 2010 study from Dr. John Borom the University of Missouri showed a 70 percent reduction in runoff and a 50 percent reduction in sedimentation when farmers used a wooded buffer between their grazing lands and waterways.

As the need for land protection has grown, so has the foundation’s mission. Baldwin County has become the fastest growing county in the state, and the organization has become increasingly active in Mobile County. In other words, the Weeks Bay

Previous Page Skipper Tonsmeire “does things his own way” says friend, Win Hallett. “You could pick him out of a crowd pretty easily.”

Right Dr. John Borom, pictured at the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, was initially drawn to land conservation as a means to protect valuable bird habitat.

Below The Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog, part of the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, is among the most diverse habitats for flowering plants in North America.

DR. JOHN BOROM

january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 41

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Foundation had outgrown its name, and few are happier about that than Borom and Tonsmeire, who now serve on the board of directors.“Changing its name to the South Alabama Land Trust is more in keeping with what we do now,” Borom says.

“It will broaden our opportunity to preserve more land.” It’s an opportunity born 30 years ago by two men with an idea.

How It All Started “Skipper Tonsmeire dances to the beat of a different drum,” says Win Hallett, Mobile Chamber of Commerce president from 1991 to 2013. Hallett, who has known Tonsmeire for roughly 50 years through their work with the Coastal Land Trust, explains, “Skipper likes to be low-key, to fly under the radar. And maybe that’s one of the reasons he’s been so successful — he’s not interested in playing big shot.”

Tonsmeire was raised in a house of eight boys near Dog River, “swimming, fishing, skiing, whatever,” he says. Talking with him outside the SALT office on Highway 98 near Weeks Bay, one would never guess, from his modest manner, the legacy he’s created or that the Weeks Bay Resource Center a minute down the road bears his name. Addressing the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008, Rep. Jo Bonner proclaimed, “While Skipper would vehemently deny this fact, we all know that had it not been for Skipper Tonsmeire’s vision, there would be no Weeks Bay Reserve or Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.

His quiet, unassuming way has served the treasures of Alabama and our coast well.”

“Skipper is just a visionary,” says SALT Executive Director Connie Whitaker. “He’s one of those people who goes and gets things done. He can be rogue at times,” she says with a laugh, “but in the best possible way.”

How would she describe Borom and Tonsmeire? “Passionate,” she says. “They really are the guys who got this kicked off back 30 years ago.”

In 1972, Tonsmeire was a 30-year-old contractor working in Mobile when someone presented him with plans to develop the aforementioned property at Fort Morgan, with 8,000 feet of frontage on the Gulf of Mexico.

“It was a giant development of that whole property,” Tonsmeire remembers. “Thousands, literally thousands of units.”

Coincidentally, Tonsmeire was already familiar with the tract; he knew the former owners and had explored the untouched landscape in high school. “This was an incredible piece of land,” he says. “So I started looking for a way to find a conservation group to buy it.”

Through the Audubon Society, Tonsmeire had come to know 31-year-old biologist John Borom. Borom was immediately attracted to Tonsmeire’s idea, recognizing the property as a vital migratory bird stopover. The pair created an informational booklet to pass around, knocked on doors and generally made a

lot of noise about the property.

“It was kind of a grassroot-type thing,” Borom says, noting that everybody thought saving the land was a good idea, but nobody had the money to buy it.

Tonsmeire remembers, “I was sitting in the barbershop one day, and I read an article in Backpacker magazine. And it listed all the conservation groups and what their specialties were. And it got down to the The Nature

Conservancy, and it said, ‘This is the sugar daddy of all land acquisition efforts.’ And I thought, ‘That sounds just like what we’re looking for.’”

A Growing Mission After Tonsmeire wooed The Nature Conservancy with his “ace up the sleeve” sunset, the planets began to align: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contributed some funding, and the support of Dave Morine of The Nature Conservancy and Rep. Jack Edwards proved invaluable. One act of Congress later, the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge was established, and Tonsmeire

Above A great blue heron, photographed at Weeks Bay.

january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 43

and Borom were bonafide conservationists. It was the pair’s first of many environmental wins to come.

“I think number one, we like each other, we trust each other, and neither of us joined this project for any reason other than it was the right thing to do,” Borom says. “We weren’t trying to make any money off of it. We realized that, since we enjoyed birds and fishing and all of that, we can’t enjoy that unless there’s habitat to support it.”

“We were doing something good, and John and I were having fun,” Tonsmeire adds. “I like fooling with real estate, and it was something I could do. There’s a lot of people who can do real estate, probably a lot better than me, but to do this conservation real estate, you’ve got to be willing to do it and not get paid for it. And that thins out the ranks considerably.”

“But I’ll tell you one thing,” Borom says. “Working together on projects like this, you really get to know somebody over the years, and we’ve become best friends.”

John Borom walks the paths of the Weeks Bay Reserve with a large camera slung around his neck, his thin glasses on the bridge of his nose. He identifies a colorful flower that’s unexpectedly sprouted in the middle of the wooded path.

When posed a question, Borom answers thoughtfully and gently,

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demonstrating the patience Above A friendship that comes after 50 years in forged by conservation: “We started academia. He was born and out just knowing educated in Fairhope, raised each other through the Audubon Sociin its streams and gullies, and ety, but I think we’re retired after four decades as really good friends now,” Tonsmeire campus director at Faulkner says.

State Community College (now Coastal Alabama Community College).

The 52,000-square-foot John L. Borom Center of Health & Natural Science Building on the college’s Fairhope campus is a physical testament to the administrator’s legacy — and it’s not the only Baldwin County landmark bearing his name.

“He started the birdfest down here,” Whitaker says, referring to the fundraising event that has raised more than $100,000 for preservation in its 16-year history. “It’s called the John L. Borom Coastal Birdfest. Dr. Borom is very committed. Very passionate.”

Whitaker, SALT’s executive director, has

worked in the nonprofit realm for 10 years and has served in her current position for over a year. “I love our mission,” she says. “I just think we can’t do enough to save the things that define this area.”

In her office, Whitaker provides a snapshot of the land trust: SALT holds 23 properties, six conservation easements and has protected over 9,500 acres of land across Mobile and Baldwin counties. SALT, she explains, doesn’t generally seek to own a lot of land itself, preferring instead to acquire land and sell or donate it.

“As a land trust, we have a stewardship fund and an investment fund that we keep for the purpose of making land acquisitions. And in some cases we will keep the land ourselves, or it’s transferred to the state or Forever Wild.

Sometimes when a property owner is interested in selling, they can’t wait two or three years for the state to make that transaction.” Conservation easements, in which landowners voluntarily agree to permanently limit the uses of their land in the name of conservation, have also become an important facet of SALT’s mission.

“Some people who have had property passed down through generations are interested in placing that easement because they know that future generations might take the land and develop it, and that’s not what they want to see happen,” she explains.

After closing on a property, whether it’s a purchase, donation or an easement, SALT is required by its national affiliate, the Land Trust Alliance, to have a habitat management plan in place within a year. Land management might take the form of bi-annual burns, invasive species treatments or property line demarcations. The mission, in other words, is continually growing. With “two and a half ” employees, SALT leans a lot on its dedicated board of directors, made up of individuals from completely different professional backgrounds.

“The beauty of it is that everybody can contribute to this,” Borom says. “You have skills that I don’t have. Skipper has skills that we don’t have. But working together as a team, we can get something done.”

Memories pour out when Tonsmeire and Borom sit down together. Memories of riding on a motorized cart beneath the U.S. Capitol with Rep. Jack Edwards; of talking conservation

in the living rooms of skeptical “I think it’s important land inheritors; of the senators, to ask people moving congressmen and governors who played a part in the story. to the area, ‘Why did “There were a lot of people you come here? Was it involved,” Tonsmeire says. “If you because of the nature, get the idea that John and I were the only ones involved, I’ll tell you this.” the fishing and the “No,” firmly Borom concludes, hunting?’ If so, you finishing his friend’s sentence.

Whenever a new chapter should want to protect begins, it’s natural to reflect on it, to pass it down the beginning of the story. For the pair of conservationists, they’re to your children and carried back to the tall, windswept grandchildren.” dunes of Fort Morgan.

“The Bon Secour National

– Dr. John Borom Wildlife Refuge is not the largest refuge in the world, but it is beautiful,” Borom says. “It is just absolutely gorgeous. And that was the beginning of all of this other stuff. There’s a whole lot of gratification, and you feel so fortunate that you were in the position when the planets lined up.”

“I feel it,” Tonsmeire agrees, without a trace of hesitation.

“I feel it when I’m down there.” MB

Above A blue heron looks on as another day ends on Weeks Bay.

january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 45

P U FIRED

ONE MOBILIAN SPENT HER LIFE CHANNELING ANGER

INTO ENERGY, ULTIMATELY

TRIUMPHING OVER TRAGEDY,

USING HER PASSION FOR THE ARTS TO PROMOTE EQUALITY. text by MAGGIE LACEY

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PEGGY COOPER CAFRITZ IN HER WASHINGTON, D.C., HOME IN 2015. PHOTO BY APRIL GREER FOR THE WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES.

I

N

the leafy outskirts of Washington D.C., just after dark on a July day in 2009, a small fire broke out. Within no time, the front porch was ablaze, and the two-alarm fire soon went on to consume the entire eight-bedroom mansion, burning it to the ground. The owner thankfully wasn’t home, but inside, the furniture, clothing and valuables were all destroyed, along with personal photos and family keepsakes. If that weren’t enough, one of the country’s most important collections of African American and African art was turned to dust that day as more than 100 fire fighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

Valued at an unconfirmed $15 million, the collection contained works by household names such as Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden and also works by up-and-coming artists and those just beginning to be recognized by the mainstream art world. At the time of the fire, Oprah Magazine had just gone to press with a feature on the home and collection of art for their August 2009 issue.

The magazine showcased page after page of exquisite décor, each room punctuated by striking contemporary art with pops of bold color, layers of texture and unexpected 3-dimensional forms. The white columned home was a veritable museum housing an enormous number of important works by artists of color. “Before the fire, only the African American community recognized me as a collector,” homeowner Peggy Cooper Cafritz said in an essay in her 2018 book, “Fired up, Ready to Go!” “My approach to collecting is so

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unorthodox. I’m not sure I wear the title of collector easily.” After the fire, however, and the subsequent Oprah article, Peggy began to get recognition from the broader art world as well as from museums and galleries that had overlooked some of the young artists she had been supporting for years.

Peggy said her first interactions with fine art were as a child in Mobile, sitting with her mother in their home on Delaware Street just south of Texas Street, flipping through coffee table books of the European masters. And again at dinner every night, gazing up at a large print of a painting by French Cubist George Braque that hung in the Coopers’ dining room. While she was drawn to the beauty of art immediately, it took her some time to realize that fine art as she knew it — and was taught — was solely based on the Western-European definition.

Representation by people of color was absent in museums, galleries and art textbooks for most of her life, and so collecting art by Black artists was Peggy’s way to help undo this omission. Collecting art became more than just the search for beauty, it was a political act as well.

“

HOW COULD I WALLOW IN THE SADNESS AND SELF-PITY THAT OFTEN CORRESPONDS WITH LOSS? IT WAS ART, AND THE BEAUTY AND COMFORT IT BRINGS, THAT COMPELLED ME FORWARD.

”

– Peggy Cooper Cafritz speaking about picking up the pieces after the tragic loss of her home and collection of art to a fire in 2009

A Blaze from Within If you ask around town, very few Mobilians have ever heard of Peggy Cooper Cafritz. Despite her groundbreaking collection of art, the local art institutions did not know her name. Despite fighting for racial equality from adolescence to her death in 2018 at age 70, and finding much success in her endeavors, local civil rights historians did not know her name. Despite having been born to a prominent African American family in Mobile and attending the local Catholic schools, Peggy Cooper Cafritz is not well known to many Mobilians.

That could perhaps stem from the fact that Peggy did not mince words about her upbringing in the segregated Mobile of the 1960s.

She always spoke openly about being banned from white schools, enduring hateful pranks at summer camp, having to sit in the last pew during church services and pushing back against hypocrisy, and that kind of frankness about the mistakes of the past make a lot of Mobilians uneasy. “I felt hemmed in, and I was very conscious of being segregated.

So, you know, I was always mad.

But there are relationships that I’ll cherish forever, like my relationship to the fried oyster.” Peggy said she loved Mobile because it made her who she was.

With her two older brothers enrolled at Notre Dame, fourth-child Peggy was sent to boarding school at St. Mary’s Academy in South Bend, Indiana, to escape the sting of segregation in the South during the 1960s. It was there that she began to make sense of her feelings about her upbringing and find some direction, she said in her 2018 book.

“Mobile had politicized me. St. Mary’s was where I began to figure out what to do with this, and where my Sundays were redeemed.”

Finally, when it was time to go to college, she bucked the family expectation of attending a Catholic college and settled instead on George Washington University in D.C. The summer before her freshman year of college, however, Peggy got a firsthand taste of the dangers of advocacy for civil rights. It was the summer of 1964, right after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law The Civil Rights Act, outlawing discrimination. Peggy and her close family friend Alexis Herman (who grew up to become U.S. Secretary of Labor) decided to put it to the test. They made plans to dine at every restaurant in Mobile and see if they would be denied service. If they were, the pair intended to file an official compliant with the Justice Department.

One evening, the girls pulled into a drive-in and ordered their food into the microphone, with no response. The girls then endured a harrowing experience as they were harassed and threatened by other diners, unable

above Dominique Cooper (left), close family friend and future Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman and Peggy Cooper Cafritz

left A young Peggy Cooper and her older brother Billy at home in Mobile in the 1950s

to safely get away for some time. “There was an Alabama State highway patrol car three spaces down. The policemen could see what was happening but never budged.”

Igniting Passion In her first weeks on campus as a freshman at George Washington, Peggy was again pushing back against inequality. She drew crowds of media when she organized a picket of the segregated sororities and fraternities, which were funded in part by the full tuition that the Cooper family was paying. The work eventually led to foundational change in GW’s Greek system. “GW was the place I learned institution-building and the commitment to create a place for equity in our culture.”

She founded the first Black Arts Festival in D.C. in 1968, while in her first year of law school. The poster for the festival was designed by Sam Gilliam and Lloyd McNeill and printed

by Lou Stovall, all three of whom would go on to have illustrious

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careers in the arts. Peggy arranged for well-known black professionals to come to the festival, to “engage with the kids and expose them to the broad range of careers available to them if they worked hard.” By the end of the event, she had resolved to start a school for the performing arts. More than 50 years after her grandmother, Alice Cooper, founded the first private school for Black children in Mobile, and six years after the first Black Arts Festival, she had achieved her goal. The years of hard work, fundraising and coalition building paid off when the Duke Ellington School of the Arts opened its doors in 1974, cementing a lasting legacy for a young woman determined to spread fairness and equality wherever she went.

Peggy was not the only Cooper to excel, however. “My mother met and married my dad at (HBCU) Hampton University, a union that produced Gary, Billy, Jay, myself, Dominique, and Mario. Among them, three lawyers, a three-star Marine Corps general and ambassador, a mayor, a teacher and muse, a manger of president Clinton’s 1992 convention, and a school founder, just like my grandmother,” she said in her book.

Their father and mother’s commitment to excellence — to literature and art, education and community, faith and equality — made a lasting impression on the Cooper children that

endures. And while many of the family still live in the Mobile area, making a difference in their own ways, Peggy chose to live out her life in Washington and left her mark on its citizens as a school board president, art collector, and saloniste, welcoming young artists of color into her home in much the same way Gertrude Stein mentored young impressionists in Paris in the early 20th century. “If I can help gifted young artists in any way,” she said, “I will go out of my way to do so. Their permanence is now what I seek.”

Lasting Spark Peggy’s story is one of grace, determination, plenty of grit — and triumph. She became co-chair of the Smithsonian’s Cultural Equity Committee.

She was the youngest trustee ever appointed to the American Film Institute and was on the Acquisitions Committee at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She produced documentary television that earned her both Emmy and Peabody awards. And in her spare time she was a lawyer.

Just a few short years after the fire, she began collecting again to support new emerging artists of color and to fill the walls of a new apartment in D.C. “That, for me, is the greatest contribution I can make,” she explained in 2018. By supporting these artists — the fledgling and the famous — Peggy hoped to accomplish three simple but powerful things.

“Beauty. Permanence. Inclusion.” MB Top The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., dedicated to arts education and founded by Mobilian Peggy Cooper Cafritz, is operated as a joint partnership between D.C. Public Schools, the Kennedy Center and George Washington University. The building formerly housed Western High School and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“

HISTORY HAS TAUGHT ME THAT ONE VOICE CAN FOMENT CHANGE, AND WHILE I HAVE TRIED THROUGHOUT MY LIFE TO RAISE MY VOICE AND TO DEMAND TO BE HEARD ON A VARIETY OF FRONTS, INCLUDING IN THE FIELDS OF ART, I THINK THAT WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, ART HAS GIVEN ME THE STRENGTH TO CONTINUE TO WORK FOR OUR PRESENCE AND PERMANENCE EVERYWHERE.

”

– Peggy Cooper Cafritz

Above Peggy Cooper Cafritz with notable Duke Ellington alumnus Dave Chappelle in 2017.

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UNDER This year’s class of young, local professionals is raising the bar of success and inspiring optimism for this new year on the Bay. interviews by AMANDA HARTIN AND BRECK PAPPAS photos by MATTHEW COUGHLIN shot on location at THE ATHELSTAN CLUB

[ PROUDLY SPONSORED BY ]

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PHILIP ALMALOUF, MD

KELLY ANDERSON ERIN DELAPORTE

JOANNE PAGE ELSTON BAIRD, MD

Pulmonary Critical Care Physician / Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of South Alabama

Sales Contracts Manager, Airbus

Orthopaedic Surgeon, Sports Medicine, Bayside Orthopaedics Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation

Philip graduated at the top of his class from University of Damascus and has been in Mobile since joining the University of South Alabama as a Pulmonary Critical Care Fellow in 2009. He is a Red Sash faculty member with many awards, including four John Bass Awards for teacher of the year at USA and the Leonard Tow Award from Gold Humanism Honor Society. Philip also serves as medical director for Homedica and St. Joseph Hospice. He volunteers at Victory Health Partners and has participated in multiple community education sessions at USA. ALMA MATER

University of Damascus HOMETOWN Damascus, Syria FIRST JOB Medical assistant in a primary care clinic

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB Working with residents and

students and teaching new knowledge and skills GUILTY PLEASURE Fantasy football WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

Heroes Sports Bar in downtown Mobile. You will see me every weekend cheering for my Detroit Lions.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Advertise more. Mobile is a hidden gem with so much to offer.

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Kelly’s professional track record is one of leadership and vision. As the onetime program director of special courses and online programs at the University of South Alabama, she initiated the university’s first drone training program.

At Continental Aerospace Technologies, Kelly was instrumental in streamlining the company’s customer resolution process, and now, as sales contract manager at Airbus, she has helped established a framework for taking the new A220 aircraft project from conception to execution. Kelly is also a member and mentor of Flight Works Alabama, an organization that focuses on the recruitment of women into the aviation industry.

ALMA MATER

University of South Alabama HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Tim; Michael (8), Emily (6), Felicity (5) FIRST JOB Cashier at Winn-Dixie WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

The Lighthouse Restaurant in Bayou La Batre — the best crab claws around!

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB I love interacting with our airline

customers! There’s no greater joy than administering the closing / transfer of title process, sharing a celebratory toast and watching the aircraft’s first “official” flight leave the Airbus Delivery Center at the end of a long but rewarding build process!

Joanne is not just a highly regarded orthopedic surgeon with multiple medical credentials — the New Jersey native is also a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, where she was recognized on more than 20 occasions for her exceptional leadership. In 2020, she joined Bayside Orthopaedics from Naval Hospital Pensacola, where she served as department head of Orthopedic Surgery. Joanne is also a member of the Perry Institute, a nonprofit organization encouraging young women in the fields of engineering and medicine, and she is a frequent speaker at programs aimed at mentoring high schoolers.

ALMA MATER

The College of William and Mary HOMETOWN Medford, N.J. SPOUSE + CHILDREN

Chaz; Ryann (14 months) GUILTY PLEASURE Good wine

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?

Marine biologist

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Keep your head up and

take a deep breath. You can do anything you set your mind to.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB Getting patients back to the

activities they love. Being able to see the immediate improvement you have made in someone’s life is extraordinary.

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QUIN BIXLER, MD KENDRICK T. DUNKLIN

RACHEL BYERS PHD, CPA

NICK ERINCADDELL DELAPORTE

Physician, Mobile Bay Ob-Gyn Center

Partner, Byers, Byers, & Associates PC; Professor, Purdue University Global

Senior Consultant, Implementation, The SSI Group; Co-Area Director, Mobile Area Special Olympics

Throughout her career, Quin has consistently distinguished herself as a top performer in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. Though her family has been farming sugarcane in south Louisiana for over 200 years, she decided to pursue a career in medicine, eventually serving as chief resident of the Ochsner Clinic Foundation Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in New Orleans. She joined Mobile Bay Ob-Gyn Center in 2017, where she treats hundreds of patients a year. A fun fact: This July, she actually delivered a patient’s baby in the morning before giving birth to her third child that evening!

ALMA MATER

Louisiana State University; LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans HOMETOWN Adeline, La. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Harrison; Flora (5), Marshall (4), Ann Reuel (5 months) FIRST JOB Working in the office of my dad’s farm, Adeline Planting Co. BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED “Take good care of

people. That’s the best advertisement.”

- Dr. Dick Otts WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? I wanted

to be a doctor from the age of six. I also loved John Grisham novels and romanticized about being a lawyer.

HIDDEN TALENTS Scuba diving and organizing (à la “Home Edit” style)

When she was just 22, Rachel joined and expanded a one-man accounting practice that today employs 12 staff members and serves over 1,500 clients.

Through her company, she has made a name for herself as being dependable, personable and available; Rachel’s commitment to her clients extends beyond regular “business hours.” She is also a full-time accounting professor in the Graduate School at Purdue UniversityGlobal. She somehow finds the time to also serve as CEO of a dental billing company, adjunct professor at Excelsior College, and on the board of directors for The CORE Project and The Seven Project, nonprofits benefiting those with special needs.

ALMA MATER University of Alabama HOMETOWN Daphne CHILDREN Daylyn (16), Briley (7) FIRST JOB Pool girl GUILTY PLEASURE

Frozen Reese’s cups

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? FBI agent WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

During crawfish season, R&R. Otherwise, The Hope Farm.

HIDDEN TALENTS Dancing skillzzz FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB I love getting to be involved

in the success of our clients in such a variety of industries. Every day is different!

As a lifelong Mobilian and a resident of Midtown, Nick has a deep fondness for his community. Aside from his professional role as senior consultant of implementation at The SSI Group, he has been involved with Special Olympics for 17 years in a variety of different roles. In fact, Nick has served as co-area director for the past five years, responsible for fundraising, coordinating events and leading over 200 volunteers. Described as a true leader with a servant’s heart, Nick, with his passion, drive and commitment, is vital to the success of the Special Olympics.

ALMA MATER

University of South Alabama HOMETOWN Mobile FIRST JOB Parking attendant at the Mobile Baybears

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? A business

person, for the office supplies GUILTY PLEASURE Chipotle delivery BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Never underestimate

someone’s abilities.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Add curbside recycling service as a public service to all city residents.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB Getting to travel and build long-

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NIKI COKER, CCIM Commercial Real Estate Sales & Leasing Broker, NAI Mobile

Since joining NAI Mobile as a commercial real estate agent in 2014, Niki has completed more than $34 million in transactional value while simultaneously creating and directing the company’s entire marketing branch.

She is the youngest female in the area to have earned her CCIM designation, a prestigious classification, and now serves on the local CCIM Board.

In the community, Niki is focused on assisting and mentoring local children, both as a member of the Order of Fuse and as a fourth-grade Sunday School teacher at Christ the King Catholic Church.

ALMA MATER

University of Alabama HOMETOWN Fairhope SPOUSE Keith GUILTY PLEASURE TikTok (Cue the eye rolls!). I know I shouldn’t scroll, but it keeps me coming back!

HIDDEN TALENT I’m an FAAlicensed drone pilot HOBBIES Most of my friends know me as a big craft beer enthusiast! It’s so interesting and fun to explore craft beer from breweries across the country.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB The balance of office work and

traveling to connect with people from different backgrounds from all over the country. I may get a door slammed in my face every now and then, but it’s challenging, it’s fun and it keeps me engaged daily.

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DR. JAMEST.ALEXANDER KENDRICK DUNKLIN DEAN II

CHRISTOPHER L. ESFELLER JR.

BENTLEY EVANS

Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician, Pulmonary Associates of Mobile

Senior Vice President, Commercial Banking, Regions Bank

Co-Founder & CEO, The Hope Farm

Chris began his banking career 16 years ago as a branch banker with AmSouth. Since then, he has gained valuable experience in a handful of roles, first as a commercial credit underwriter, then as a commercial relationship manager. Today, as Region’s senior vice president, Chris is able to apply those experiences to meet this critical moment; he has been instrumental in helping businesses apply for COVID Relief Funds. Chris is also passionate about using his skillset to support downtown Mobile, serving as a board member for the Downtown Mobile Alliance and Main Street Mobile.

Before he was CEO of The Hope Farm in Fairhope, Bentley was an Auburn graduate pursuing a career in medical sales. With a passion for hydroponic farming, he began studying the subject on his own and eventually formulated a concept for The Hope Farm, a wine bar and event space with farm-to-table dining capabilities. Since the venue’s opening, Bentley’s vision has expanded to the community at large; his dedication to improving Fairhope and encouraging small business has led to his involvement with the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce and its Young Professionals Program.

ALMA MATER

ALMA MATER Auburn University HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Janie;

James joined Pulmonary Associates of Mobile in 2016, following the completion of his residency and fellowship at the University of South Alabama.

Aside from bringing a young and fresh perspective to the practice, James was also a driving force in the investigation and acquisition of a new system of providing diagnosis and treatment for patients with advanced lung disease. His dedication and kindness have been on full display during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which James has spent many long days caring for patients in the ICU. Outside of the hospital, James enjoys coaching his children’s tee-ball and soccer teams.

ALMA MATER Auburn University HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Carrie;

Joshua (11), Kathryn (6), Noah (3)

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?

Professional baseball player

WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

NoJa or maybe Foosackly’s

HIGH SCHOOL SUPERLATIVE

Didn’t have one. If I did, it probably would’ve been least likely to be a doctor.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB Seeing patients return after a

curative resection of lung cancer

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Work hard every day and

never let anyone discount your dreams.

University of South Alabama HOMETOWN Dauphin Island SPOUSE + CHILDREN Margeaux; Marissa (9), Cooper (5) FIRST JOB Rigging new boats at my family’s boat dealership GUILTY PLEASURE Homemade barbecue nachos HIDDEN TALENT I’m a U.S.C.G. licensed captain

WHAT WORD WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE MOBILE? Special.

There aren’t many places that have white sandy beaches, a delta and all the different wildlife and fisheries that we have.

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Focus on the things that

you can control.

Clifford (9 months)

HIDDEN TALENTS I can change a

diaper in 10 seconds or less regardless of the mess. And rhyming.

GUILTY PLEASURE Crushing an entire jar of Biscoff Cookie Butter BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Surround yourself with

people who are more talented than you are at all aspects of your business.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Provide as many resources to locally owned and operated businesses in my community as possible! Locally owned businesses create a sense of community and enhance the culture of towns that embrace them. january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 59

RICHARD FUQUAY, JR.

ANKIT M.D., M.B.A. SEAN H.GULATI, GLEASON

AUDRA HARPER

AVP / Area Manager Mortgage Production, Bancorpsouth

Rehabilitation Physician & Medical Director, Infirmary Health - J.L. Bedsole Rotary Rehabilitation Hospital

Operations Administrator, Harper Technologies, LLC

Since the beginning of his tenure at Bancorp South, Richard has consistently performed as a top producer, a fact that’s reflected in his promotion to area manager of mortgage production.

In this role, Richard is able to exercise his passion for helping clients achieve the dream of home ownership. Richard also keeps himself busy in the community; he has served the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as Man of the Year, as a volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama, and he currently serves on the Board of Governors as well as the Young Executive Committee for the Athelstan Club.

ALMA MATER University of Alabama HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Kari;

William (1)

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?

Professional (insert what sports season it was at the time) athlete GUILTY PLEASURE Sitting on the back deck with cocktail in hand and Alexa cranking out some music

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB I love seeing any first-time buyer

walk away from the closing table excited about the purchase of their first house, but there is something special about seeing someone older, who has worked their whole life and never thought achieving the dream of home ownership was possible, sit there and sign the closing papers with a huge smile.

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In his leadership role at Infirmary Health, Ankit oversees the quality and compassionate rehabilitative care for patients who have been impacted by severe illness or injury. As medical director of Rotary Rehabilitation Hospital and Colony Rehabilitation, he has led the charge for both facilities to achieve and maintain accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, which signals the facilities’ commitment to continually improving its services. Ankit is also currently working on developing a rehabilitation program for those affected

by COVID-19 in our community.

ALMA MATER University of Ala-

bama; University of South Alabama HOMETOWN Born in New Delhi, India. Raised in Florence, Ala. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Erica; Everett (5), Hattie (3), Ruby (1) HOBBIES Taking the family on trips.

We try to go to one National Park a year.

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Work towards your future,

but don’t forget to enjoy the present.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Add more splash pads around the city and keep them open longer than Memorial Day through Labor Day, because summer lasts longer in Mobile!

GUILTY PLEASURES Fancy ramen noodles and Alabama Football message board browsing / trolling.

During her 10-year tenure as operations manager of Harper Technologies, Audra has helped grow the company into a thriving IT service provider for Mobile and Baldwin counties; in 2017 and 2019, Harper Technologies was awarded the Mobile Chamber of Commerce Eagle Award. Audra is a champion of many charitable causes, serving on the board for Victory Health Partners, United Way of Southwest Alabama and most recently the Community Foundation of South Alabama.

She has also found immense joy in serving as a big sister for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of South Alabama.

ALMA MATER

University of West Florida HOMETOWN

Pensacola, Fla.

SPOUSE + CHILDREN Abe;

Natalie (7), Erin (2) FIRST JOB File clerk at a Pensacola law firm BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Always tell the truth. A

slow truth always catches up to a fast lie.

HIDDEN TALENTS Singing, playing basketball or any sport really — I’m super competitive when it comes to sports.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Focus a great amount of attention on the economic and educational disparities that exist in our area and work hard to ensure equal opportunities for those in high-risk areas.

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ABE HARPER, JR. HART CHRISTINE HARDING

ASHLEY STEVEN HARRIS NICOLETTE HOLLIDAY, MD

DANIEL HUGGINS, CHIP HARTIN, MDMSHA, LSSGB, ACHE

Lawyer, Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC

Associate Professor, University of South Alabama, Children’s and Women’s Hospital

Chief Operating Officer / Administrator, Children’s Medical Group, PA

From her thriving OB/GYN clinical practice at USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Nicolette has been recognized as a leading physician and educator in her field. Among her achievements is an improvement in the rates of screening for depression for obstetrics, postpartum and gynecology patients. She is also an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and serves as the OB/ GYN clerkship director. As a clinical preceptor, Nicolette has educated a number of students who are now providing exceptional care in the USA Health System and beyond.

Daniel has been working in the healthcare industry for the past 9 years.

While working as director of support services at Nashville General Hospital, managing four departments with more than 100 employees, Daniel enrolled at UAB to earn his Master of Healthcare Administration (MSHA). Now, as chief operating officer, he daily inspires his coworkers to push themselves to be the best at what they do in order to better serve the greater good. Daniel is a member of First Apostolic Church of Meridian, where his father and mother serve as bishop and pastor.

USC Gould School of Law HOMETOWN Mission Viejo, Calif.

SPOUSE + CHILDREN Curtis; Cooper (4) FIRST JOB In-N-Out Burger in Southern California GUILTY PLEASURE Watching car detailing videos on YouTube with my husband HIDDEN TALENT I’m uncommonly good at figuring out my Christmas gifts.

ALMA MATER Case Western Reserve

University; University of Alabama at Birmingham (Master of Health Administration); currently working on Executive Doctorate of Science in Healthcare Leadership (DSc) HOMETOWN Meridian, Miss.

woman president of the United States

WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

Christine, a native of Orange County, California, was promoted in 2020 to Member at Hand Arendall Harrison Sale, where she focuses on employment law and higher education. Her practice largely consists of federal court litigation, and she has litigated cases from the initial pleading stage through trial and appeal. As a community partner, Christine serves as an officer for the South Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program and as a board member of Flight Works Alabama. She also provides counseling to local businesses and institutions on a variety of issues.

ALMA MATER Stanford University;

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? The first

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB Every case or project is a new

area of the law to learn or a unique story to tell.

University; University of South Alabama College of Medicine HOMETOWN St. Petersburg, Fla. FIRST JOB Medical transcriptionist HOBBIES Traveling, reading romance novels, playing games, watching movies and TV, trying new restaurants and shopping GUILTY PLEASURE Hoarding IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Create large community gardens throughout the city.

HIDDEN TALENT Fast typing Siam Thai Cuisine

WHAT WORD WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE MOBILE? Laid back

ALMA MATER William Carey

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? Although I

hate heights, I wanted to be a pilot.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Utilize funding to fix the housing structure in low-income communities and invest more in public schools and mentoring programs for kids.

WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

Moe’s BBQ. Since I’ve moved here, I’ve made friends with the staff, and they have excellent customer service.

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GARRETT HUMPHREY KASEE SPARKS HEISTERHAGEN Director of Campus Safety and Security, UMS-Wright Preparatory School

Over his 14 years working in law enforcement, Garrett has served with the Mobile and Saraland police departments and the Mobile County Sheriff ’s Office, earning numerous commander commendations and distinctions in the process. In 2016, he accepted the position of director of campus safety and security at UMS-Wright, where he has instituted comprehensive safety procedures and provided crucial emergency training to on-campus staff. Garrett and wife Rachel are also licensed foster parents through the Alabama Baptist Children’s Home and have graciously cared for four children over the past five years.

ALMA MATER Lindenwood

University; Columbia Southern (MCJ) HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Rachel; Jeremiah (2), Joslin (2 months) HIDDEN TALENT Drawing FIRST JOB Sessions Farm in Grand Bay. It was a life lesson — I worked 12-hour days, 5 days a week, in the summer heat harvesting watermelon, corn, cantaloupe, etc.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Partner with the Mobile County Public School System, Mobile Police Department and Mobile County Sheriff’s Office to create a School Resource Officer program for Mobile’s schools.

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CLIFF KENNEDY

CARITA KOEN

REID LOPER

Chief Executive Officer, Frios Gourmet Pops

Chief Marketing Officer, Green Magic Landscape LLC

Vice President, CrowderGulf, LLC

In his two years as CEO of Frios Gourmet Pops, Cliff has overseen the company’s growth from 23 franchises in 10 states to 39 franchises in 13 states. After investing in Mobile by building out 30,000 feet of the previously vacant Smith’s Bakery building on Moffett Road, Cliff deftly changed gears at the onset of the pandemic by leading Frios through a nationwide rebranding and conversion of the business model from a brick and mortar to a fully mobile system. In addition to his entrepreneurial success, Cliff serves on the board of directors for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

In partnership with husband Larry, Carita founded Green Magic Landscape Company in 2016, using her business administration experience to grow the operation into one of the most trusted landscape companies in the area. The financial strategist and licensed insurance professional is currently working on her MBA from the University of West Alabama. Aside from her speaking engagements about financial wellness, Carita is also on the board of directors and the Growth Alliance Task Force for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

She is the founder of “Sistas Link,” a social media community created to offer inspiration, empowerment, resources and best business practices for women.

ALMA MATER Millsaps College HOMETOWN Satsuma SPOUSE + CHILDREN Abby;

Mitchell (7), Mallie (4), Maury (2) FIRST JOB Working for the family business at Gulf Supply Co.

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Life isn’t a dress rehearsal.

WHAT WORD WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE MOBILE?

Opportunity

HIDDEN TALENT

I have run 100 miles in a day.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB I get to help others start their

entrepreneurship journey.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Focus on efforts to develop downtown Mobile’s waterfront.

ALMA MATER University of Mobile HOMETOWN San Antonio, Tex. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Larry;

Lebarron (15), Cherelle (8), Larry III (5), Leanna (3) FIRST JOB Customer service at Cracker Barrel in the retail store WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? I loved

watching “Matlock,” so I wanted to be a criminal defense attorney.

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Your wealth is not de-

termined by the amount of money in your pocket. It’s about your willingness to serve and help others in their times of need and how you make others feel about themselves.

After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Reid helped manage the Gulf Cleanup project for CrowderGulf, a local, family-owned disaster debris company that has served the Southeast for more than 50 years. As the only Alabama contractor to win a contract to clean up the Alabama coastline, CrowderGulf, with Reid’s expertise and oversight, managed more than eight major projects along the state’s coast. In addition to his management and planning of over 18 federally declared disaster responses, Reid is a member of the Grace Fellowship Church and is very involved with the nonprofit We All Are One Ministry.

ALMA MATER Auburn University HOMETOWN Bay Minette HOBBIES Boating, snow skiing and

hunting

FIRST JOB In high school, I dug

pools. That same summer, I worked at Waterville in Gulf Shores.

HIDDEN TALENT

Karaoke

WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

Camellia Cafe in Fairhope

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Expedite the building of the Bay Bridge and expand Mobile’s waterfront as an entertainment district.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB I enjoy helping communities

return to normal after a disaster.

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CORY ANDREW LUCKIE Owner / President, C.A. Luckie Insurance LLC

At only 27, Cory opened his own independent insurance agency. Now, five years later, his company has tripled in staff and represents approximately 30 carriers. This success, coupled with his commitment to serving the community, has earned Cory a place among well-respected businessmen along the Eastern Shore. Cory is a graduate of Leadership Baldwin and was elected to the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, where he will serve for the next three years.

When not finding new places to eat in the Bay area, Cory spends his time raising money for organizations such as the Fairhope Volunteer Fire Department, the Boys & Girls Clubs, and the Haven Animal Shelter.

ALMA MATER

University of Montevallo HOMETOWN Fairhope

SPOUSE + CHILDREN Brittany;

Crosby (4), Chandler (1) FIRST JOB Summer camp counselor at the YMCA in Daphne

WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

The Hope Farm, Jesse’s, Camellia Cafe, Master Joe’s, Gambino’s, Dragonfly, Ox Kitchen, McSharry’s GUILTY PLEASURE Cheesecake HIGH SCHOOL SUPERLATIVE

Best Smile and Cutest

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB Meeting new people and simpli-

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BRANDON MARCUS Owner / Director, The Studio

With the desire to create a place for well-rounded performers, Brandon opened The Studio in 2013. What started as a one-room studio has transformed into a multispace educational performing arts studio. No stranger to the performing arts, Brandon has garnered local and national awards for theatrics.

If you ask him, however, he would say his true awards are his students’ achievements. Brandon is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Alabama Conference of Theater, Music Teachers National Association, Baldwin County Music Teachers Association and The Voice Foundation.

Within the community, Brandon volunteers his time teaching theatre at St. Michael Catholic School, sings in area churches and choirs, and has worked as musical director for Eastern Shore Repertory Theatre and Theatre 98.

ALMA MATER University of South

Alabama; Spring Hill College HOMETOWN Mobile CHILDREN Bailey (3.5 in human years) HOBBIES Performing, kayaking and Disney World HIDDEN TALENT Helping others find their talents WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? A mailbox

because mailboxes bring people happiness. This was before I knew about bills!

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Create a large, multiuse amphitheater where the city could enjoy concerts, theatrical productions and more. january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 67

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ERIN DELAPORTE SKYLER LANE MARTIN, CRNP

LOUISE MCCOWN

RICHARD P.T.MENGER, KENDRICK DUNKLINM.D., MPA

Nurse Practitioner, Southern Cancer Center

Managing Director, Beautycounter

Skyler is described as an essential and ingrained component of Southern Cancer Center, fulfilling its mission and its promise to patients through her role as overseer of the center’s Genetic Risk Evaluation & Testing Program. Her commitment to excellence led to her selection as a 2017 honoree for the American Cancer Society’s “Black Out Cancer Ball” and her acceptance to attend the highly selective “Intensive Course in Genomic Cancer Risk Assessment” in 2020. Having been affected by the loss of a family member, Skyler chose oncology with a devotion to helping other families navigate the successes and setbacks of cancer. She accomplishes this through educational talks and community fundraising events.

“Of the givers and the takers of the world, Louise is unequivocally a giver,” writes Louise’s nominator. The natural leader and people-person consistently tops the list for business performance and growth with Beautycounter, a California-based skin care and cosmetics company whose mission is to create safer products. Her success has led to her receiving numerous awards, including the “Scout Award,” an honor bestowed to only 120 consultants ­— out of 50,000. Louise’s passion for clean products even earned her the chance to speak before Congress, advocating for personal care product reform.

In the community, Louise teaches Sunday school at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church, drives for Meals on Wheels, and holds various volunteer roles at Mary B. Austin Elementary School and St. Paul’s Episcopal School.

Chief of Complex Spine Surgery, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of South Alabama

ALMA MATER Auburn University

Montgomery; Auburn University HOMETOWN Greenville, Ala. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Cole; Otis the Pug (11), Gordon the Brittany Spaniel (5) FIRST JOB Cashier at Bates House of Turkey in Greenville BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED The best way to predict

your future is to create it.

WHO WOULD BE ON MOBILE’S MT. RUSHMORE? Alan Sealles, Mi-

chael Meshad, Joe Cain and Tim Cook FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB The relationships I am able to

form with patients and their family members

ALMA MATER University of Georgia HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Robert;

Charlotte (10), Louise (8), Jane (6), Fritz (3), Marron (1) FIRST JOB “Blondies.” It was the cutest women’s boutique on Old Shell Road, owned by Sheree Legg and Julie Morrow.

GUILTY PLEASURE My grandmother’s pound cake.

HIGH SCHOOL SUPERLATIVE

Best Dressed

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Focus heavily on fostering programs that teach children entrepreneurship.

Richard graduated with honors both as an undergraduate and medical student and was awarded the Hale Champion Public Service Fellowship at Harvard. After a seven-year neurosurgery residency, including an enfolded spinal neurosurgery fellowship, he went on to complete the prestigious Advanced Pediatric Spinal Deformity Fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center.

Richard has written numerous scientific papers for academic journals and is a lead editor of an academic neurosurgery textbook. He proudly serves as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Reserves.

ALMA MATER Cornell University;

Georgetown University School of Medicine; Harvard Kennedy School of Government HOMETOWN Garden City, N.Y. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Beth Ann; Lisette (6), Cecily (4), Maribel (2), Callum (born December 2020) HOBBIES Enthusiastic soccer dad, sailing, college football, New York Islanders hockey, international rugby WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

The Mill in Fairhope. It’s a great place to grab a burger and a beer with live music and plenty of space for kids to play.

HIGH SCHOOL SUPERLATIVE

Without a doubt, best hair.

HIDDEN TALENT Writing op-eds january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 69

PATRICK LEON MURPHY, JR. M.D.

DAVID NELSON

BENJAMIN NILAND, M.D.

Family Medicine Physician, Alabama Medical Group

Founder / CEO, Braided River Brewing Company

Patrick’s work ethic and dedication to patient care have not gone unnoticed.

Within his first two years at Alabama Medical Group, he was elected to serve on the practice’s board of directors. The board-certified family medicine physician, along with another doctor, started the new aesthetics division within AMG. He is certainly no stranger to leadership roles, as he has served on numerous professional and community boards throughout his education and career in medicine. When not working or spending time with his family, Patrick is involved with helping people in need through The Fuse Project, a nonprofit organization benefiting Gulf Coast children.

With a penchant for great beer and the great outdoors, David sought — and successfully found — a way to combine both passions: establishing Braided River Brewing Company. Braided River’s canned and draft beers consistently receive glowing reviews, and the brewery’s environmentally sustainable methods and collaboration with Mobile Baykeeper and Alabama Coastal Foundation is a win for the Bay as well. David has won over a dozen national and international brewing awards, and his employees say he is also good at something else: He has a tremendous knack for finding amazing people and putting them in roles in which they will succeed.

Gastroenterologist, Interim Program Director — Gastroenterology, USA Health; Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, University of South Alabama College of Medicine

ALMA MATER Birmingham South-

University of Mississippi HOMETOWN Iuka, Miss.

SPOUSE + CHILDREN Dr. Erin Nelson; Eve (6), June (4) HOBBIES We’ve been doing a lot of canoeing and camping this summer as a family. It’s a ton of fun to get off the beaten path with the kids and to be able to enjoy the water and woods with them.

ern College; University of South Alabama College of Medicine HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Alan; Sloan (4), Elizabeth (2)

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? Astronaut GUILTY PLEASURE Video games!

HIDDEN TALENTS Playing guitar

and singing

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Focus on continuing to improve the Downtown atmosphere and culture.

WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

Red or White

WHAT WORD WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE MOBILE? Humid 70 mobilebaymag.com | january 2021

ALMA MATER

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? I hoped

to make a career out of building things with Legos.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB The people! I work with some

awesome folks. We wanted to foster community and conversation around great beer, and getting to experience that every day is amazing.

A board-certified gastroenterologist and member of several professional associations, Benjamin’s interests include esophageal disease, GI physiology and functional disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Benjamin has been instrumental in building the motility program at USA Health, which has been a valuable resource for improving the lives of patients across the Gulf Coast. An active member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Benjamin volunteers his time to serve those in underserved communities through medical mission trips.

ALMA MATER University of Louisi-

ana; Louisiana State University School of Medicine New Orleans HOMETOWN New Roads, La. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Ansley; Anna (8), Livi (5), Riley (1) FIRST JOB Unofficially, grass cutting as young teenager. Officially, I worked in a local grocery store at 15.

GUILTY PLEASURE Late night potato chips (or anything in the pantry) HIDDEN TALENTS Saying what the sports commentator is going to say just before he says it, and getting every last bag into the back of a minivan for a family trip.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE MOBILE Traditional Southern charm

meets Gulf Coast living

GARRETT A. POWE Vice President, Commercial Banking Officer, ServisFirst Bank

Although Garrett has been in Mobile less than two years, he is already leaving his mark in both the local banking sector and the community. The Rotary Club of Mobile member and L’Arche Mobile board member holds the unique distinction of having been named a “40 Under 40” in two different cities in two consecutive years — he was named to Tuscaloosa’s 2019 class. When not golfing or hunting, Garrett might be found fishing, a hobby he likely found useful when working in the catfish industry.

Garrett is an active parishioner, usher and sixth grade confirmation mentor at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

ALMA MATER University of Alabama HOMETOWN Selma, Ala. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Patricia;

Hilton (5), Mary Stuart (2)

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? A farmer FIRST JOB Selma Country Club ten-

nis shop and tennis facility GUILTY PLEASURE Kerry Pond’s egg rolls

WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

NoJa

HIGH SCHOOL SUPERLATIVE

Best dressed

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Good manners are like

magic keys.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Provide additional funding for Municipal Park. january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 71

SARA ROBERTS Director of Marketing, Roberts Brothers, Inc.

According to coworkers, Sara is considered one of Roberts Brothers’s most valuable employees, having earned respect from everyone in the company.

She oversees a team of four employees who, under her leadership, have completed successful projects, such as development of the company’s intranet and rebuilding its website. Sara has a heart for charity, and she was instrumental in creating the Roberts Brothers Charitable Fund, of which she is on the board of directors. In the community, Sara volunteers as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama, and she is also involved with Prodisee Pantry, Salvation Army and McKemie Place.

ALMA MATER University of Alabama HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Hansen;

twin girls, Anne David (1) and Hayes (1) WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? A veteri-

narian because I thought that all you did was play with animals.

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Be where your feet are.

HIDDEN TALENT Pretty fast texter WHAT WORD WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE MOBILE? I don’t

think I could use just one word.

Everyone knows everyone. Everyone grows up in Mobile, leaves for college, and moves back to grow their families here. The community is so welcoming and loves to show new families how amazing it is to grow up here.

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SCOTT SHAMBURGER President /Chief Executive Officer, The Highland Group

Scott formed The Highland Group, a real estate development and general contracting firm, in 2006, and it has since become one of the fastest growing and largest general contracting firms in the Southeast. Scott’s leadership has garnered him such accolades as being named an outstanding business leader by Business Alabama Leadership Magazine. Team building is important to Scott, and in 2019, he rolled out an initiative for The Highland Group to build and distribute free picnic tables to nonprofits. In the community, Scott has served as a member of the Gulf Shores Planning Commission, board member and active supporter of several chambers of commerce and other nonprofits. He is currently a board member of the Business Council of Alabama.

ALMA MATER Auburn University;

Harvard University HOMETOWN Childersburg, Ala. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Krissy; Vera (9), Camille (6) FIRST JOB While in high school, my best friend, Scott, and I owned a landscaping maintenance company. S&S Lawn Care: We’ll take the ugly out of your yard!

WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

Red or White for an appetizer, Camellia Cafe for dinner, and R Bistro for dessert.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Take measures to improve the environmental quality of Mobile Bay. january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 73

ROBERT SHREVE Partner, Burr & Forman LLP

Robert is described as an invaluable component of Burr and Forman’s Mobile office. Since joining the team, he has furthered the firm’s efforts to provide the highest level of service to clients. As such, Robert has been recognized in legal publications and listed among “Mid-South Super Lawyers Rising Stars” and “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.” In 2020, he received the Alabama State Bar President’s Award for his work in coordinating the COVID-19 Relief Hotline, which provided free legal advice to those affected by the pandemic and corresponding economic downturn. Robert serves as clerk of the vestry at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and mentors through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama program.

ALMA MATER Rhodes College;

University of Alabama HOMETOWN Mobile

SPOUSE + CHILDREN Julia;

Fulton (4), Lily (18 mos.)

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED There is no substitute for

hard work.

HIGH SCHOOL SUPERLATIVE

Most Likely to be Eating

WHO WOULD BE ON MOBILE’S MOUNT RUSHMORE? Mobile is the

birthplace of more baseball hall of famers than any city in the world, outside of Los Angeles and New York, so I’ll offer four of the best: Hank Aaron, Willie McCovey, Satchel Paige and Ozzie Smith.

ASHLEY SMITH

RASHAD B. STALLWORTH, M.ED.

Vice President of Wholesale Pharmacy, DocRx, Inc.

Principal, Scarborough Model Middle School, Mobile County Public School System

In high school, Ashley was named most likely to cheer you up. That is a characteristic her coworkers would agree with, calling her a “people person” who always has a smile on her face.

Ashley joined DocRx as one of only two employees in 2010. Since then, she has helped grow the company into a multimillion-dollar business with over 50 employees. In 2012, Ashley endured a retinal detachment, leaving her with permanent vision loss. Strong in her faith and her drive for helping others, Ashley forges through her duties as wife, mother and team leader. Her staff call her a “life-changing manager.” She volunteers her time by participating in research with the Helen Keller foundation and Dr. Robert Morris on finding a way to prevent retina detachments.

ALMA MATER

University of South Alabama HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Brian; Mason (6), Camden (2) HOBBIES Traveling, attending concerts and sporting events, shopping, playing the guitar, spending time with friends and family HIDDEN TALENT I grew up with three brothers, and I can play baseball and basketball shockingly well.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB The culture our CEO created

is like no other company in Mobile. I love that we always celebrate birthdays and holidays together.

Over the past 17 years, Rashad has worn many hats as a professional educator, each one instrumental in the lives of hundreds of students. He is described as a highly knowledgeable and capable leader who has the unique ability to diagnose problems, develop and implement a plan, and make adjustments as needed. During his time at Scarborough, Rashad and his staff have made vast improvements, including increasing enrollment, expanding the STEM program, revamping the special education program and securing a $600,000 grant that will be used to provide academic enrichment opportunities for children during nonschool hours.

ALMA MATER Bucknell University;

University of South Alabama HOMETOWN Whistler GUILTY PLEASURE Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and NBA 2K BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED We don’t want to “save”

them, we want to develop, build, nurture, inspire, empower and transform them.

HIDDEN TALENT Grilling and smoking chicken and ribs WHO WOULD BE ON MOBILE’S MT. RUSHMORE? Ben Harris, my

former high school football coach; John L. LeFlore; and for selfish reasons, my parents because they have supported me and been there for me in all my endeavors.

FREDDIE D. STOKES, ESQ. Chief Executive Officer, The Historic Avenue Foundation

Freddie is well known in Mobile, due in large part to his pursuit of justice as a district attorney and his extensive involvement in community organizations. Having grown up in Africatown’s Happy Hills neighborhood, Freddie has a heart for mentoring and providing hope to students facing the challenges of poverty.

The summa cum laude graduate is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and serves with NEST of Mobile and Books for Boys Project. As director of the Fuse Project’s Purpose Built Communities, Freddie focuses revitalization efforts around housing, education and community wellness.

ALMA MATER Alabama A&M Uni-

versity; Cumberland School of Law at Samford University HOMETOWN Mobile BEST ADVISE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED The will of God will

never take you where the grace of God will not protect you.

HIDDEN TALENT Hip-hop dancing IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Strategically and aggressively focus on affordable housing and home ownership as a means to push economic mobility and shrink the racial wealth gap that exists within our city.

WHO WOULD BE ON MOBILE’S MT. RUSHMORE? Cudjo Kazoola

Lewis, Joe Cain, Hank Aaron and The Crichton Leprechaun. january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 75

BRIAN SULLIVAN, M.D. Otolaryngologist, Head and Neck Surgeon, Premier Medical

After graduating summa cum laude from Auburn University with a degree in chemical engineering, Brian went on to medical school where he also excelled, graduating cum laude. As a child, he wanted to be an astronaut, but the idea of becoming a specialized mechanic of the body, so to speak, interested him. His role as partner and otolaryngologist at Premier Medical not only affords him the ability to specialize, it provides him the opportunity to walk alongside patients during difficult times as well as celebrate their successes. In the community, Brian is a member of Dauphin Way United Methodist Church and has coached girls’ softball.

ALMA MATER Auburn University;

University of Alabama at Birmingham HOMETOWN Daleville, Ala. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Jade; Emily (7), Caroline (5), Nathan (3) FIRST JOB Bus boy and dishwasher at McLin’s Kitchenette in Daleville GUILTY PLEASURE Old Dutch waffle cone WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

Chuck’s Fish

HIDDEN TALENTS Carpentry,

computer programming, DIY home improvement projects

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Don’t be afraid of hard

work. No one has ever gone backwards in life by working too hard.

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HAYLEY TROVINGER Emergency Department Nurse Manager, Springhill Medical Center

Hayley began her career at Springhill Medical Center in 2011 as a staff nurse and worked her way up to charge nurse. By October 2019, Hayley was promoted once again to manager of the busiest emergency room in Alabama, south of Birmingham. In this role, Hayley brought staffing numbers up significantly and oversaw the recent emergency room expansion project, all while creating a positive working environment. As a member of the hospital’s Incident Command Committee, Hayley addresses varying issues associated with running a busy hospital emergency department.

ALMA MATER

University of South Alabama HOMETOWN Mobile SPOUSE + CHILDREN Austin; Easton (3), Ella (1) HOBBIES Shopping, cooking and just being a mom FIRST JOB Where I am now! I started here fresh out of nursing school when I was 21. This is the only job I’ve ever had.

GUILTY PLEASURE I have a slight obsession with cleaning.

IF I WERE MAYOR, I WOULD...

Support small businesses and continue to revitalize Downtown.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB I love the challenge, the rush and

the unknown of the emergency department. Day to day, every shift is unpredictable. january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 77

ARTIOUS “SMAC” WALKER, R.E. Owner / Operator, Smac’s Shack Food Truck; Project Manager, Military Construction, Army Corp of Engineers, Mobile District

Artious quite literally wears two hats — one as senior project manager with the Army Corp of Engineers, overseeing all construction efforts at Maxwell Air Force Base, Gunter Annex, the Seventh Special Forces Group and Duke Air Field Reserves; and the other as pit master, serving up some of Alabama’s best beef brisket, chicken, wings, ribs and pulled pork. His restaurant-on-wheels was named the state’s “Best Food Truck” by the Food Network. Described as a natural-born leader and a beacon of light in both his career and the community, Artious serves as president of the Mobile Area Food Truck Association and is involved with charitable events centered around supporting children with cancer and feeding Mobile’s homeless.

KATRINA WEAVER, M.D.

ALBEREZ L. WIGGINS

Pediatric Surgeon, USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital; Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, University of South Alabama

Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer, Hargrove Engineers + Constructors

The road from medical school to attending pediatric surgeon was a long one, but for Katrina, it’s one that is paved with extensive training and hard work, both qualities that benefit Mobile-area children. Since her appointment in January 2020, the board-certified pediatric surgeon has already made significant advances in the Pediatric Burn and Pediatric Trauma departments. Additionally, Katrina created the area’s only Pediatric Bariatric Program. Her passion for helping others extends outside the walls of the hospital, as she volunteers on international medical mission trips when travel conditions allow. When she can’t travel, Katrina collects and ships medical supplies to underserved populations around the globe.

ALMA MATER

ALMA MATER Southern Utah

Alabama A&M University HOMETOWN Prichard

University; University of Utah School of Medicine HOMETOWN Riverton, Utah SPOUSE + CHILDREN Jeffery Milne; identical twins, Bridger and Emmett (6)

SPOUSE + CHILDREN Latoya;

Joshua (9), Jacob (2), Lillian Grace (8 mos.)

GUILTY PLEASURE I love musicals.

“Dreamgirls” is my favorite.

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? Math teacher FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB Customer interaction. There are

many great food trucks and great places to get barbecue. It’s how you make your customers feel that separates your establishment from all the rest.

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WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWN GUEST TO EAT?

Pirate’s Cove for the best bushwackers and burgers!

FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB I love the positive energy and atti-

tudes kids have about whatever is going on with them and how grateful they are when you help them feel better.

Alberez’s work ethic and reputation precede him at Hargrove, where, according to coworkers, he is a dedicated and friendly teammate who is always willing to lend a hand to those in need, whether in the office or in the community. As lead electrical engineer on several multimillion-dollar refinery projects, Alberez is an asset to leadership wherever he serves, bringing his calming presence and dedication to each situation.

Alberez is passionate about mentorship, and he never misses an opportunity to guide younger engineers. His altruism extends into the community where he volunteers for Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama.

ALMA MATER Tuskegee University;

Auburn University HOMETOWN Sawyerville, Ala. SPOUSE + CHILDREN Shandan; Kiley (5), Trace (1) HOBBIES Spending time with family, reading, working out and running, spending time with my Little Brother (BBBS), enjoying friends

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? Professional

basketball player and a singer, which is funny because I cannot sing at all.

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED Respect is earned, not

given. People may respect a title but have no respect for the person. Be a man of respect. MB

EXTRAS | CALENDAR OF EVENTS

New Year, New January!

JANUARY 7 - FEBRUARY 25 “MURDER AT MAMA’S” 5:30 p.m. Th. Mama suspects her four stepchildren are out to get her to inherit her millions. Test out your sleuthing skills as you figure out whodunit during this comedic murder mystery dinner theater performance.

MB INSPIRATION HOME / PHOTO BY JUSTIN CORDOVA

LUNA’S EAT AND DRINK, ORANGE BEACH LUNASEATANDDRINK.COM

JANUARY 8 BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY PRESENTS PINK FLOYD’S “THE WALL” 8 p.m. An evening filled with the high level of musicianship of Pink Floyd, accompanied by all the bells and whistles of a major rock and roll show.

SAENGER THEATRE • MOBILESAENGER.COM

JANUARY 14 PULL FOR PULMONARY CHARITY CLAY SHOOT 8 a.m. Proceeds benefit pulmonary patient care and the purchase of critical care monitors at Providence Hospital.

EVERY FRIDAY

THROUGH JANUARY 24

STREETS ALIVE 6 - 10 p.m. Spend the evening dining outdoors or strolling the closed-off, pedestrian friendly streets of Downtown.

BUSHY CREEK CLAYS, PERDIDO PROVIDENCEHOSPITALFOUNDATION.ORG

MAGIC CHRISTMAS IN LIGHTS 5 - 9 p.m. Prepare to be awestruck with more than three million dazzling lights.

MB INSPIRATION HOME TOURS 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Th. thru Sa. 1 – 5 p.m. Su. Mobile Bay has teamed up with renowned local architectural designer Robert McCown, Reehlco Custom Homes and North Hills at Fairhope to present a showstopping Inspiration Home. Come tour the 4,000-plus square feet of custom design, including outdoor kitchen and screened porch. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit USA Health Women’s & Children’s Hospital. Closed New Year’s Day. Tickets: $10.

BELLINGRATH GARDENS AND HOME BELLINGRATH.ORG

140 MOUNT PLEASANT BOULEVARD, FAIRHOPE MOBILEBAYMAG.COM

THROUGH JANUARY 18

JANUARY 3

DOWNTOWN MOBILE DOWNTOWNMOBILE.ORG

THROUGH JANUARY 3

JANUARY 16 WINTER GALA CONCERT 7:30 p.m. A selection of popular arias performed by some of your favorite singers.

MURPHY AUDITORIUM MOBILEOPERA.ORG

JANUARY 17

ICE SKATING RINK AT THE WHARF Times vary. Grab a pair of skates and glide, spin or fall into the season.

TOY DRIVE AND BENEFIT CAR WASH 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. All toys and proceeds benefit Cops for Kids.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD 6 p.m. Scooby-Doo and his mystery-solving friends embark on an adventure to solve a brand-new mystery brought to life with cutting-edge technology, music, puppetry and more.

THE WHARF AT ORANGE BEACH ALWHARF.COM

DELTABAY DETAILING DELTABAY.BOOKING.DETAILBOOKIE.COM

MOBILE SAENGER THEATRE MOBILESAENGER.COM

 To have your event included in the online or print edition of Mobile Bay Magazine, email calendar@pmtpublishing.com.

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january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 81

JANUARY 28 FUSE PROJECT’S LIP SYNC BATTLE 8 p.m. Fuse Project’s Lip Sync Battle brings the most fun and unforgettable fundraising experience to Alabama’s Gulf Coast,.

CHECK WEBSITE FOR LOCATION LIPSYNC.FUSEPROJECT.ORG

JANUARY 29 & 31 MOZART’S ‘THE IMPRESARIO’ & SALIERI’S ‘PRIMA LA MUSICA E POI LE PAROLE’ 7 p.m. F. 2 p.m. Su. This double-bill mainstage opera is presented by the University of Mobile’s Center for Performing Arts.

MURPHY HIGH SCHOOL UMOBILE.EDU/ACADEMICS/ALABAMA-SCHOOLARTS/CENTER-FOR-PERFORMING-ARTS/PERFORMING-ARTS-SERIES/

JANUARY 29 AN EVENING WITH TRAVIS TRITT 7:30 p.m. Experience this rare opportunity featuring the multi-platinum artist in an intimate solo-acoustic setting.

SAENGER THEATRE MOBILESAENGER.COM

JANUARY 30 SENIOR BOWL This college football all-star game showcases the best NFL draft prospects who have completed their college eligibility.

HANCOCK WHITNEY STADIUM SENIORBOWL.COM

JANUARY 30 - 31 THE BIG BEACH MARATHON Run the white sands of Gulf Shores for this half marathon, full marathon and 7K. GULF SHORES BIGBEACHMARATHON.COM

JANUARY 31 2021 BRIDAL MARKET A bride’s one-stop-shop for meeting all of Baldwin County’s best wedding vendors.

BALDWIN COUNTY COLISEUM BALDWINCOUNTYBOSSBABES.COM

* Check event websites for most current status.

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BRINGING THE ROCKS OUT OF THE BANK BOX

MOBILE CARNIVAL MUSEUM mobilecarnivalmuseum.com

THROUGH MARCH 2021 BRINGING THE ROCKS OUT OF THE BANK BOX: CARNIVAL AND BLING The genres of Mardi Gras art are numerous and diverse. So, too, is the jewelry worn during the Carnival season.

MOBILE MUSEUM OF ART mobilemuseumofart.com

THROUGH JANUARY 2021 AN ART HISTORIAN COLLECTS: THE DAVID E. BRAUER COLLECTION An exploration of the question, “What does an art historian collect?”

Exhibit closes January 17, 2021.

KEY-SOOK GEUM Admire immaculate sculptural objects, inspired by traditional Korean garment forms and haute couture.

JANUARY 16 - SEPTEMBER 5 GORDON PARKS: SEGREGATION STORY IN MOBILE, 1956 This exhibition of photographs documents the everyday activities and rituals of one extended black family, the Thorntons, in Mobile and Shady Grove, Alabama.

january 2021 | mobilebaymag.com 83

HISTORY | ARCHIVES

A History of Mobile in 22 Objects As part of the History Museum’s exhibit “A History of Mobile in 22 Objects,” one object, a coffee urn from the Creole Fire Company, enlivens the social aspects of a community with a long and layered history. introduction by MEG MCCRUMMEN FOWLER photos courtesy HISTORY MUSEUM OF MOBILE

M

useums exist to tell histories through objects. In a new publication and corresponding exhibition “A History of Mobile in 22 Objects” (October 30, 2020 December 31, 2021), the History Museum of Mobile has endeavored to tell a very big history through a decidedly small number of objects. Twenty-two unexpected and compelling artifacts from the museum’s collection weave together over 300 years of Mobile history, from the pre-Colonial era to the 21st-century port.

Together, they are an accessible, object-based guide to Mobile history.

What follows is the first installation in a series of essays, taken from the catalogue “A History of Mobile in 22 Objects,” that will highlight 12 of the 22 objects. With essays by the region’s leading historians, professors and museum curators, you are sure to discover stories both new and familiar.

Within the History Museum of Mobile’s collection of over 117,000 objects, there are, of course, so many stories yet untold — challenging things, beautiful things, important things that make up the many histories of Mobile. It would have been a far easier task to choose 50 or 150 objects that tell the region’s long history! For this exhibition, the selection was sometimes limited by the contents of the museum’s collection; in other cases, objects were chosen in order to tell diverse or unexpected stories. There was an effort to choose objects that tell different types

84 mobilebaymag.com | january 2021

of stories, too: those of leaders and everyday workers, of mass culture and politics and economic development. We offer visitors the opportunity to tell us, “What are we missing?” — knowing that this always-important question acknowledges both the limits of our endeavor and how curatorial choices shape the historical narrative.

What you’ll find within this exhibition and catalogue is a history of Mobile — not the definitive history — and not the only story that could be told. By dramatically limiting the number of objects, we bring into relief what historians and curators do every day, that is, to select particular groupings of objects or facts and then string them together into a coherent narrative. Constraining so severely the number of objects in this exhibition serves only to render more obvious this process of selecting, choosing and creating narratives in which historians are always engaged. Different objects, different choices, would have told a different story.

Each and every object in the History Museum of Mobile helps us understand a bit of who, why and how we are. Fortunately, this exhibition does not have to be the final answer of Mobile’s story. The History Museum, like all museums, will continue collecting, preserving and interpreting the artifacts that hold our shared history. Our story is not yet done, our history continues to be made and our successors will have many more tales to tell.

“A History of Mobile in 22 Objects” by various authors. Available for purchase at the History Museum of Mobile, $25 Released in conjunction with the History Museum of Mobile exhibit, this photoheavy compendium delves into the city’s history through the analysis of 22 artifacts

by Mobile’s leading researchers.

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CREOLE MOBILE

by CHRISTOPHER A. NORDMANN

C

reoles of color were an integral part of the city and county of Mobile, especially through their participation in Creole civil organizations. The most famous example of such an organization is the Creole Fire Company No. 1, Mobile’s first volunteer fire company founded in 1819 and not disbanded until 1970. The Company did much more than fight fires, though, and was at the very heart of a vibrant social experience for over a century. Donated to the History Museum of Mobile by a descendant of a member of the Creole Fire Company, this silver-plated coffee urn brings to life the social aspects of the Company’s firehouse and the community that developed around it.

What it meant to be “Creole” changed over time and across communities. In Mobile, the word originally referred to descendants of the first French or Spanish settlers, and some Creole families in Mobile trace their ancestry back to the 1700s. (Even into the 1920s, many Creole elders spoke a distinctly Mobilian dialect of Creole French.) More commonly, though, a reference is to “Creoles of color,” typically the children and descendants of a white French or Spanish father and a black or Creole woman, either enslaved or free. Given the harsh social distinctions in a slave society, Creoles of color were sometimes considered second-class citizens, although many were wealthy, had political ties, and played a major role in shaping early Mobile history. Their faith, family, and community were important aspects of their daily lives.

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The Creole Fire Company No. 1 was at the center of this community’s commitment to civil involvement and service. For some families, serving in the company was a family tradition.

A member of the Trenier family, for example, participated in the Company throughout most of its history.

But membership was about more than fighting fires. Minutes from an 1867 meeting of the Creole Fire Company contain “Tributes of Respect” (remembrances of recently deceased members) and notices to assist sick members.

Upon the death of a Creole fireman, the organization adopted a resolution offering their sympathies to the family of the deceased fireman, and members wore a badge of mourning. For many decades, the social event of the year for the Creole Fire Company was the annual April torchlight parade, followed by a dance. Local newspapers published the parade route — during the antebellum years, it started at the engine house on Joachim Street — and Mobilians eagerly lined the streets to watch the marching Creole Band entertain onlookers. Local leaders like the mayor, president of the board of aldermen, and editors of local newspapers would receive invitations to the parade and ball. The Company took pride in public praise from the press. The larger Mobile community warmly supported their efforts, and the Creole citizens responded by making their parade a memorable evening for themselves and the rest of the city.

Creoles of color experienced varying

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degrees of legal rights and autonomy throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Louisiana Purchase Treaty of 1803 and the AdamsOnis Treat of 1819 (in which Spain renounced claims to West Florida and ceded East Florida to the United States) guaranteed political, property, and legal rights to free residents of Louisiana and their descendants. However, by the turn of the century, state and local regulations intended to disenfranchise former slaves (like the Alabama state constitution of 1901) also affected the Creole population. While they maintained an active community presence through the Creole Fire Station, the Creole Social Club, the Catholic Church, and church schools, systematic segregation impeded their participation in the political and public sphere.

From the creation of the Mobile Fire Department in 1888 and over the course of the twentieth century, members of Creole No. 1 became increasingly assimilated into the municipal fire department. This union was completed in 1970, when the Mobile Fire Department was officially integrated. By 1971,

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Above Painted by firefighter Jim Wallace, this 10-foot mural is a tribute to those who fought fires with Creole No. 1.

all remaining members of the Creole Fire Company had been dispersed amongst other MFD units.

As the firemen and their families gathered around this coffee urn at the Creole Fire Station in 1913, they may have been discussing how they could improve their community by helping other Creoles in need. Today, identifying oneself as a Creole is a matter of family pride and community heritage — and a celebrated 300-year-old tradition in Mobile. MB Christopher A. Nordmann, Ph.D., is a professional genealogist (specializing in tracing the lives of African Americans) and an award-winning author whose publications deal with African American history and genealogy.

 Stay tuned each month as we continue

to delve into the history of objects from this fascinating exhibit.

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THE ARTS | LITERATURE

A Brownie No More Writer Audrey McDonald Atkins remembers the snake-shaped bump in the road on her journey to becoming a Girl Scout. excerpt from the book THEY CALL ME OR ANGE JUICE by AUDREY MCDONALD ATKINS • illustration from THE BROWNIE GIRL SCOUT HANDBOOK, 1963, COURTESY THE GIRL SCOUTS OF SOUTHERN ALABAMA

O

nce a year every year, I am reminded of one of my greatest failures. My failure to become a Brownie.

It happens along about the time smart little girls dressed in sashes heavy with the badges of their accomplishment implore you to fund their pursuit of “courage, confidence, and character” through the purchase of sweet treats — Girl Scout cookies.

When I was about seven or eight years old, someone in my hometown decided to start a Brownie troop. We were to meet once a week at the Citronelle Baptist Assembly and learn how to be resourceful, clever, and creative young women. We also got to have cookies and Kool-Aid, de rigueur for any social gathering of the mid-‘70s.

I went to the first few meetings, received a handbook, and raised my two little fingers heavenward while I fervently recited the Brownie Creed:

On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

I was sincere. I was earnest in my study of the manual. I wanted desperately to become the responsible young girl in the illustrations — kind to animals and the elderly, able to create a tourniquet under duress, and adept at identifying indigenous trees by their bark.

I remember well the day of my downfall. The day I knew my hopes of sewing and fire-building badges would never come to fruition. The day I knew that I would never proudly wear the

smart brown jumper and striped blouse with the Peter Pan collar. The day I knew I could never become a Brownie.

The end began with these words, “You girls will be excited to know that we are planning a campout on the banks of beautiful Lake Chautauqua.”

A campout? Outside?! I was immediately filled with dread and horror.

Now many of you may think that because I come from the country, the far-flung recesses of Mobile County, Alabama, that I just love to sleep outdoors, on the ground, staring blissfully up into the heavens while the crickets chirp and the little froggies sing their songs. You would be wrong. It is precisely because I am from the country, the far-flung recesses of Mobile County, Alabama, that I do not, and will not, sleep outdoors, especially by a brackish, murky body of water.

As our apparently fearless, and obviously deranged, leader went on to explain how we would start fires and roast marshmallows and tell stories, all I could think of was the time when Baw and I were fishing at my cousin Sister’s pond. We were sitting out on her little pier drowning some Catawba worms and having a ball. Sister’s husband Jesse came down to join us. As the men stood on the bank and chatted, I continued to fish, dangling my little toes off the edge of the dock.

 Born and raised in Citronelle, Atkins shares stories about growing up and living in the South in her book, “They Call Me Orange Juice,” and at her blog folkwaysnowadays.com.

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All of a sudden, Baw yanked me up by my overall straps and flung me up onto the grass while Jesse frantically began to beat at the water’s edge with an oar. It was water moccasins, you see. A nest of water moccasins. Mere feet from where my little piggies had been.

Then there was the time when Baw and I were swimming at Puppy Creek.

Tired of playing in the water, I was digging clay out of the bank to make little cups and saucers so that we could have a tea party. Baw was sitting in his harvest gold folding chair about thirty feet away watching me.

Now Baw always carried his pistol with him when we went to the creek. After all, you just never knew what sort of person might wander up.

River people. I never really thought much about him carrying a gun until this day when I heard him say calmly and quietly in a tone, “Stand up slowly. Don’t look behind you. And come to me. Now.” I had never heard this tone before.

I looked over at him, and the gun was leveled in my direction. As I did like he told me, “Pow!” Baw fired and shot the head off a cottonmouth that had crept up right behind me.

As if this wasn’t enough, I knew all about the rattlers, alligators, wild boars, bobcats, and black bears that shared our woods with us. Not to mention the less menacing but still disturbing armadillos, skunks, fire ants, and mosquitoes, all of which were guaranteed to be spending a warm summer night on the banks of bucolic Lake Chautauqua with a horde of little girls and their crumbs and noise and Kool-Aid. We’d be sitting ducks.

But not me. Not then. Not now.

For you see, it was at that moment that I realized I was really only in it for the beanie, and beanies can be bought. Common sense cannot. MB

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HISTORY | LEGENDS

Bunker Hill in Miniature While the Revolutionary War raged in the northeast, British forces attempted a sneak attack on a Spanish fortification on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. text by JOHN SLEDGE

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hilly predawn fog clung to the reaches of upper Mobile Bay, blurring the marsh, obscuring the woods, and moistening the soldiers’ musket barrels and blankets.

Sub-lieutenant Manuel de Córdoba stood in a shallow trench outside the palisade and tried to fathom what he was seeing.

Ghostly shapes were approaching. He assumed they were friendly troops, the free Black militia coming in for breakfast, and he ordered his men not to fire. It was a fatal mistake. Suddenly, a British soldier materialized in front of him and drove a bayonet into his breast. The battle for The Village had begun.

Just nine months earlier, the Spanish governor of Louisiana, Don Bernardo de Gálvez, had captured British Mobile

after a brief siege. He wanted to attack Pensacola next, but a devastating hurricane delayed his plans. Sensibly fearing a British counterattack, Gálvez ordered a small fort built on Mobile Bay’s eastern shore at a place called The Village, roughly where I-10 crosses east into Baldwin County today. The Village was a small concentration of cattle farms rather than a town proper, but its importance was twofold. First, it supplied Mobile with plentiful beef, and second, it represented a strategic jump-off point for a British counterattack. The fort wasn’t much to look at, a flimsy wooden stockade with firing ports, two 4-pounder cannon, and a few buildings, all ringed by trenches.

The garrison consisted of 190 men, a mix of Spanish regulars, Havana militia

and New Orleans free Blacks.

Just as Gálvez feared, the British commander at Pensacola, Gen. John Campbell, was stung by Mobile’s loss and ordered the city retaken. Campbell’s plan entailed sending two frigates and a smaller vessel into Mobile Bay to support a simultaneous overland expedition, which consisted of several hundred men commanded by Col. J. L. W. Hanxleden, a Hessian officer. This force included 100 British regulars, 60 Hessian mercenaries of the Third Waldeck Regiment (so named for their home principality), 250 Pennsylvania and Maryland loyalists, a dozen mounted West Florida Royal Foresters and a few hundred Creek Indians. Among the latter was a 17-year-old Marylander named William Augustus Bowles, notable for his dashing good looks, disinclination to follow orders and gift for self-promotion.

The British ships made good time.

On January 5, they flew false colors and bluffed their way past the enemy’s undermanned Dauphin Island garrison.

But rather than sail north as they should have done, the British landed shore parties to rustle the island’s abundant cattle.

There were only 18 Spanish soldiers on shore, and the British were sure these men would flee or surrender. But instead, the

Above left Spanish Governor of Louisiana Don Bernardo de Gálvez as depicted in a 1785 portrait. ARTIST UNKNOWN Above right Marylander William Bowles in 1791. PORTRAIT BY THOMAS HARDY

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chagrined Spaniards loosed a staggering volley. The British beat a hasty retreat with only three beeves to show for their trouble.

Rattled by the rude reception, they sailed farther up the Bay and anchored, too far from The Village to be of immediate help.

The army would have to handle the dirty work alone.

Meanwhile, Hanxleden’s men hacked through wilderness and tramped across bogs to reach their objective. By the morning of January 7, they reached The Village undetected, and Hanxleden immediately ordered his command forward with fixed bayonets. The men moved in single column at a rapid trot. The New Orleans Black militia encamped outside the palisade was totally surprised and offered no resistance.

The main garrison did not even realize it was under attack until young Cordóba fell and the enemy was at its walls.

Thanks to the quick reaction time of the post commander, the Spanish recovered their equanimity and opened fire at the Waldeckers milling in the outer trench. It quickly became a killing ground. Hanxleden, an adjutant, and a captain of grenadiers all fell, and the attackers were thrown into confusion. One loyalist officer named Benjamin Baynton later wrote to his brother that Spanish muzzles were within three feet of his men. “One continual sheet of fire presented itself for ten minutes,” he wrote.

“You may judge the gallantry of the Officers,” he continued, “when you read in the papers that out of ten, six were killed and wounded. It was Bunkers hill [sic] in miniature.” Spanish troops rushed outside, and vicious hand-to-hand combat increased the confusion and noise. Steady musket and cannon discharges flashed yellow in the thin morning light, while fog and sulfurous smoke drifted across the scene. Throughout the slaughter, Britons yelled, “Long live the King!” and the Spaniards responded “Viva el Rey!” When Baynton attempted to climb over the palisade, he was hit in the “left arm above the Elbow” and had to be

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carried to the rear.

Meanwhile, the Black militia fled to the Bay to escape by boat. But Creek fighters had slipped around the palisade and waded into the water after them. The militiamen were forced back onto land where they were caught in a deadly crossfire. Trapped between the Bay and the palisade they fought hard, battling back the Creeks.

Meanwhile, Bowles found a tree conveniently close to the palisade and sheltered behind it, calmly loading and firing into the Spanish compound even as his comrades withdrew. Soon he was practically alone. One witness declared that Bowles would have continued “had not a cannonball from the enemy shivered the tree to pieces, and driven him unhurt, to gain the small flying party, already at the distance of a quarter of a mile.” The British retreat was managed by a young loyalist officer named Philip B. Key, uncle to Francis Scott Key, then only 17 months old.

Thanks to their brave defense, the Spanish held The Village. But the cost was high.

Fourteen Spaniards were dead, 23 wounded and one taken prisoner. British losses were even greater with 18 dead and 60 wounded soldiers plus an unknown number of Creek Indian casualties.

The Spanish garrison commander at Mobile proudly reported to Gálvez that “every one of the attacks thrown against us by the enemy has been repulsed, and with these small victories our men are gradually gaining a certain feeling of superiority over the enemy, which could be useful from now on.” And so it proved to be, when many of these same troops helped topple Pensacola that spring.

The fight at The Village was a skirmish compared to the Revolutionary War’s big battles to the northeast, but it played its part in Britain’s overall defeat. And no one who was there would ever forget it. MB John S. Sledge is the author of “The Gulf of Mexico: A Maritime History.”

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HISTORY | ASK MCGEHEE

What is the history of the property known as ‘Cannongate’ on Spring Hill Avenue? text by TOM MCGEHEE

The name of those upscale condominiums predates their construction by well over a century.

By 1854, a house fronted by a cannon stood here and was occupied by a physician named Solomon Mordecai.

Mordecai had moved to Mobile in 1823 to set up his medical practice in the growing port city. To his dismay, he discovered he was one of no less than 10 physicians vying for patients. According to family lore, Mordecai got the fastest horse and buggy he could manage and raced about town. Mobilians got the impression he was rushing to tend to his patients and began seeking him to be their doctor.

In 1854, he was living with his wife, the former Caroline Waller, and nine children in the fashionable suburb of “Summerville,” which included residents such as Colonel Lorenzo Wilson in “Ashland” and the Braggs over at what today is known as the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion.

Also located in the vicinity was the Visitation Monastery, which had been established in the 1830s. On the night of May 7, 1854, the monastery caught fire.

One of the first neighbors to respond was Mordecai, who joined with others to help remove furnishings as the buildings rapidly went up in flames. As the small chapel was engulfed in smoke and flames, Mordecai rushed in and climbed up to remove the sisters’ prized crucifix, which today is housed in the Sacred Heart Chapel.

Mordecai died at Cannongate in 1869 at the age of 76, and after his widow’s death in 1876, the property passed out of the family.

By the 1920s, it was occupied by William

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Above The Waterman residence, known as Cannongate, as seen in the 1960s.

PHOTO COURTESY THE WATERMAN FAMILY

Middleton, an auditor for the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, but by the publication of the 1936 city directory, the address was listed as vacant for the next two years.

The Waterman Connection In 1939, number 2404 Spring Hill Avenue was occupied by Annie Louise Waterman whose late husband had founded Waterman Steamship Company in 1919.

The Watermans had previously lived in Ashland Place as well as on Government Street before moving into a house on Selma Street in the 1920s. John B. Waterman died in 1937 and never saw just how big the Waterman firm would grow.

The widow Waterman rebuilt and greatly enlarged the house but kept the cannon at her

gate facing Spring Hill Avenue. She hired Joe Lambert, a landscape architect from Dallas, to design her gardens. Lambert’s firm would eventually design impressive properties in 38 states and on the island of Jamaica, and was famous for what were termed “classical, romantic gardens.”

The rolling acreage was planted with azaleas among the ancient oaks and included water jets and carefully tended flower beds. As those gardens developed, the Waterman Building in downtown Mobile was completed in 1947, and by the early 1950s, the firm was the largest privately owned steamship company in the world. Airline operations for both passengers and freight had also been added to the mix.

Above Cannongate’s lush, classical gardens made it the perfect spot for The Mobile Garden Club’s annual meeting. IMAGE COURTESY THE MOBILE GARDEN CLUB

Waterman died in August of 1953, and Cannongate became the residence of her son, Carroll B. Waterman, until his death in 1957. His widow, Helen would occupy the property until her death in 1978.

By the late 1970s, the costs of maintaining such an estate had skyrocketed, and the power bills alone were astronomical. The property stood vacant until a developer obtained it and demolished the Waterman home. Portions of the house were salvaged and used by the developer elsewhere.

A series of townhouse condominiums were constructed, and the entrance was reconfigured to Chidester Avenue to the west. The cannon still guards the gate, but there is nothing left of Waterman’s prized gardens. MB

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END PIECE | BACKSTORY

Take the Bus Photo courtesy Erik Overbey Collection, The Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of South Alabama

“I was blessed to have been born in 1951 and grown up in Prichard and Eight Mile. We rode the bus Downtown, and it was absolutely exciting.

Can you imagine children doing that today and saying it was exciting?”

– Jim Cook, as said in the Facebook group, Mobile Nostalgia for Old Folks and Young

RIDING THE CITY BUS, like the one pictured here in 1951, to stores or school was certainly a modernized alternative to the previous streetcar system.

The first bus runs in the city coincided with the start of World War II and, like the war, contributed to Mobile’s economic and geographic expansion. An interesting detail in this photo is the ad for Delchamps. The supermarket chain, founded in Mobile in 1921, grew quickly, and by 1928, it was the largest food store in Alabama and the first to offer self-service (meaning employees no longer picked and boxed items for customers). Unfortunately, the grocer is no longer in business, having been sold to Mississippi-based Jitney Jungle in 1997.

1860: Mobile’s public

transportation starts as a mule-drawn trolley system.

Mules pulled small trolley cars along rails located in the median of Spring Hill Avenue.

1892: J. Howard Wilson,

a Kansas transplant, purchases the trolley line and makes plans to erect an electric street railway.

With the introduction of electric trolley cars, mules were no longer used.

1920s: Trolley ridership

declines as car ownership rises.

1939: J. Howard Wilson

dies. The trolley system is replaced with a fleet of buses.

1940: The electric trolley

makes its final run in March.

1971: Mobile Transit

Authority assumes responsibility of the bus line.

1995: Mobile Transit

Q5

In the 1950s, a bus’s license plate began with the county code (2 for Mobile), followed by the letter ‘Q’ and a number. Fives were used for buses with a seating capacity of 21 to 40.

Authority collapses. The City of Mobile takes over bus operations, renamed “Metro Transit.”

2005: Metro Transit is renamed “The Wave.”

$1

Cost for a bus to drive through the Bankhead Tunnel in 1941 (that’d be about $17.70 today)

1941

The year county codes first appeared on Alabama license plates

25¢

Cost of a bottle of Hunt’s catsup at Delchamps in 1959

Murphy High School opened in April 1926 under its original name, “Mobile High School.”

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