Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce
JUNE
2012
the
VIEW
All About
Exports Mobilizing Mobile, Again
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Mobile, AL Permit #346
Tencel: Fab Fabric
the
Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce
Vol. XLIII, No. 5
VIEW
June 2012
17-18
News You Can Use – Positive updates for area and state businesses
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5 10
13-14 15
Google’s back in Mobile Small Business of the Month: Tropical Smoothie Cafe Exports grow exponentially Legislative reception held in Montgomery
17-18 19 20 21
Made in Mobile: Lenzing Fibers CEO Profile: Danny Corte, Mobile Sports Authority Investor Focus: Mobile Airport Authority
SCORE Column: The ABCs of Small Business Sales
22 23
Chamber@Work Board of Advisors: Perry Hand and Marty Parker
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Cover
Pictured on the cover is the Mobile Honeywell UOP team that transferred discovery to the marketplace. The company is investing $20 million in the facility to increase production of a product used to remove radioactive material in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami last year. Plant Manager Al Cutrone is on the far left. See story on page 4.
Cover photo by Susan Rak Blanchard.
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Ambassadors of the Month: Shelia Murphy and Donna Turner Business Spotlight of the Month: ConnecttoCatering.com
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25 26-27 28-29 30 31
Economic Indicators Calendar Member News Anniversaries New Members
The Mobile Area Chamber was awarded a five-star rating by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the highest designation given. Of the 6,936 chambers in the U.S., only 301 are accredited, and of those only 43 have achieved five-star distinction. The Mobile Area Chamber has been accredited by the U.S. Chamber since the designation’s inception more than 40 years ago.
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JUNE 2012 | The Business View
the business VIEW is published monthly, except for the combined issue of December/January, by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce 451 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36602 (251) 433-6951 www.mobilechamber.com ©2012 Publisher.....................................Winthrop M. Hallett III Executive Editor................................Leigh Perry-Herndon Managing Editor....................................... Jennifer Jenkins Copy Editor............................................Michelle Matthews
Additional Writers and Editors Christina Stimpson, Ashley Horn, Susan Rak-Blanchard, Danette Richards and Carolyn Wilson
Printing Services.. . . . . . . . . . . Interstate Printing/Direct Mail Graphic Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wise Design Inc. Advertising Account Executive.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . René Eiland 431-8635 reiland@mobilechamber.com
Perseverance Pays Off
Photo courtesy of Alabama Governor’s Office, Jamie Martin
Law Passes for Aerospace Sales Tax Exemption
Gov. Robert Bentley signed House Bill 39 in the Old House Chambers at the Capitol on April 10. Attending the bill signing were (left to right): Ginny Russell, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce; Rep. Napoleon Bracy Jr.; Rep. Yvonne Kennedy; Bill Hafner, ST Aerospace Mobile Inc.; Beth Marietta Lyons, Lyons & Crane; Sen. Ben Brooks; Matt Parker, President, Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce; Rep. Steve Clouse; Rep. Paul Lee; Rep. James Buskey; and Bob Hendrix, Dothan Convention & Visitors Bureau.
In April, Gov. Robert Bentley signed into law House Bill 39, a measure that will specifically benefit ST Aerospace Mobile and help Alabama economic developers recruit new investment to create and sustain jobs. For more than five years, the Mobile Area Chamber, through its state Governmental Affairs Committee, has lobbied members of the Alabama Legislature to provide ST Aerospace Mobile with a sales tax exemption covering aircraft manufacturing parts, components and systems involved in the maintenance and repair of aircraft. “The priority for the Chamber has been to keep jobs here in Mobile,” said Ginny Russell, vice president of community and governmental affairs for the Chamber. She noted ST Aerospace Mobile did not receive incentives when the aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul company with some 1,500 employees at Brookley Aeroplex opened its doors. “They have continued to grow in this community, and for many years they have needed our help to get this tax exemption passed.” More than 10 states currently use similar exemptions to attract new business. “The aviation amendment gives us a vital tool to help aviation companies have what they need to attract customers and create future development,” Bentley said. “The
end result will be more secure, well-paying jobs for people in our communities.” Bill Hafner, vice president of operations at ST Aerospace Mobile, said the plan could protect and add jobs by offering an exemption enjoyed by other facilities in Florida, Georgia and other states. “It puts us on a level playing field, so now we’re not imposing additional costs on our customers. I think it will help assure that work will remain here and help attract future work,” said Hafner. Russell said several people have worked for a number of years keeping this issue in the forefront and lobbying on behalf of the Chamber at ST Aerospace, including Sen. Ben Brooks, the Senate sponsor of the legislation; Rep. Paul Lee, of Dothan who was the House sponsor of the legislation; and the Chamber’s lobbyist, Beth Marietta Lyons. The law has a sunset provision and will end in 2022, unless lawmakers determine from an economic impact study that the exemption should continue. Russell said it’s a goal of the Chamber to ensure this law does not sunset.
You’ll see this symbol with stories featuring Chamber initiatives.
15th Annual
State of the City & County Lunch Thursday, June 21 Noon to 1:30 p.m. Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center
Join City of Mobile Mayor Sam Jones and Mobile County Commission President Connie Hudson as they discuss the state of the city and county at this annual Chamber luncheon. Tickets are $20 per person or $190 for a table of 10 (Chamber members only) or $30 per person for nonmembers. Reservations and advanced payment are required. Call 431-8621 or email chunt@mobilechamber.com Program Sponsors: Aker Solutions, Alabama Power Co., Austal USA, Commonwealth National Bank, First Community Bank, International Shipholding Corp., Mitsubishi Polysilicon, Mobile Airport Authority, Mobile Gas, Pilot Catastrophe Services Inc., PNC Bank, Regions Bank, SSAB and ThyssenKrupp Steel USA Printer Sponsor: MH3 Printing & Ad Specialties - Floral Sponsor: All-A-Bloom Florist
The Business View | JUNE 2012
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$20 Million
Expansion at
UOP
Brings Jobs, Technology
Honeywell is investing $20 million in its Mobile UOP facility to double the production of a material that filters radioactive ions from liquids. Holding a jar of the product is Plant Manager Al Cutrone and with him is Ernie Coleman, production planning manager.
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JUNE 2012 | The Business View
OP Honeywell’s Mobile facility is getting a $20 million capital investment, critical to the local operation and the customers that depend on its technology. The new venture will double its production of a product now being used to remove radioactive substances at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, following the country’s nuclear disaster provoked by last year’s earthquake and tsunami. Described by the company as a crystalline material, it looks like small beads and works as a filter to remove radioactive ions from liquids. It has only been massproduced once previously to hit a major deadline – and that’s when it was needed for Japan, explains Al Cutrone, UOP Honeywell’s Mobile plant manager. “And that’s one of the reasons for the investment,” adds Dan Key, the company’s vice president of integrated supply chain. A team of Mobile employees helped transition the technology initially developed in the company’s Chicago lab to the pilot phase and then full-scale production. Mobile is where UOP officials say science is tested. The Morristown, N.J.-based company is a leading international supplier and licensor
for the petroleum refining, gas processing, petrochemical production and major manufacturing industries. UOP’s expansion will be completed later this year and will also support the production of new adsorbents and catalysts used to increase the output of gas without increasing the amount of oil by petrochemical producers and refiners. “This is the newest technology and a new opportunity for our business,” says Cutrone. “Aside from that, we will add jobs and investment,” he adds, estimating eight new positions will be created and local employment will top 400. “This [Mobile] is the only site that produces both adsorbents and catalysts,” Cutrone explains. “We are the largest facility within UOP’s manufacturing plants in people and in volume.” Herman Tinsley, the Mobile Area Chamber’s economic development project manager who assisted the company with the project, is encouraged by the investment and what it signals. “The UOP project strengthens and further promotes our diversity in the chemical industry,” he says. In addition to Mobile, UOP, a Honeywell company, has facilities in Baton Rouge, La.; Shreveport, La.; McCook, Ill.; Shanghai, China; Brimsdown, U.K.; and Reggio Calabria, Italy.
Mobilizing Mobile: Google Returns in June with New Mobile Site Training L
ast November, Glenn Geiger from Springhill Medical Center heard Google was in town “mobilizing Mobile.” He decided to see what all the fuss was about and headed down to the Space 301 gallery where the internet giant was developing free websites. He sat down with one of the Google and DudaMobile mobile specialists and, in about an hour, he had a mobile-friendly version of the hospital’s website. The new site’s thumb-friendly buttons allow users to click to call the center or find a doctor directly from the home page. A few months later, calls to Springhill increased by 80 percent, while visits to the site and hospital increased by 20 percent. Newly mobilized business owners are seeing more traffic than ever after moving their organizations’ websites into the mobile age. Springhill Medical Center was just one of hundreds of businesses that decided to “Go Mobile” with Google’s help. Even though searches on mobile devices are increasing rapidly, many Mobile-area businesses still do not have mobile-friendly sites. The good news is that Google is returning to Mobile. On Tuesday, June 26, a team of web developers will provide interactive training at the Mobile Area Chamber. Business owners will learn what mobile sites are and why they matter for their businesses. They will learn how to build sites with Google and DudaMobile’s new, easy-to-use, mobile-friendly site creation tool. Attendees should bring a laptop to follow along live and practice with the new tool. Mobile small business owners with existing websites can register online for the free training. Registration is limited to the first 30 people who sign up. Why register? Google checked in on businesses like Springhill Medical Center
that built mobile-friendly sites back in November and found that five months later, the mobile-friendly sites continue bringing in new customers. Here’s an update on how the mobile-friendly sites are performing for some of the other November attendees: Since creating its mobile-friendly site in November, Distinguished Young Women, a national scholarship program for high school girls, generated an 85 percent increase in site traffic.
Kirsten Conley, director of marketing and public relations for the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center, said the mobile-friendly site has brought 40 percent more calls and 20 percent more sales and site visits.
Go Mobile What: Learn how to Go Mobile in just 1½ hours! Where: Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce,
451 Government St.
When: Tuesday, June 26, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Why: To provide your customers easy access to the most sought-after information on your website, keep them on your site and convert these visits into sales. How: Bring your laptop to follow the live demonstration,
and leave with the knowledge to mobilize your own website.
Cost: There is no charge to attend, but you must
register at http://gomomobile.eventbrite.com. Space is limited to the first 30 to sign up.
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Karen Conner, director of sales and marketing for the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, said sales, calls and site visits increased by 20 percent since creating the mobile-friendly site. Simply put, mobile-friendly sites help businesses reach more users and make their customers happier.
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The Business View | JUNE 2012
5
ThyssenKrupp Stainless USA and ThyssenKrupp Steel
Reach Quality Management System Goal
Achieving ISO 9001:2008 certification is important for companies for a variety of reasons. It provides a level of assurance of the high quality of both ThyssenKrupp facilities’ products. Claudia Zimmermann director of economic development, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce
I
n April, both ThyssenKrupp Steel USA and ThyssenKrupp Stainless USA announced they earned ISO 9001:2008 certification, signifying both companies are operating quality management systems that comply with the requirements of the International Organization for Standardization for the production of carbon steel and stainless steel metals.
“Receiving the certification for ISO 9001:2008 with zero non-conformances attests to how successful this team can be and demonstrates how we are setting tomorrow’s standards today,” said Dr. Ulrich Albrecht-Frueh, chief executive officer of ThyssenKrupp Stainless USA. The company, which has 550 employees in Calvert, achieved
this milestone in only 14 months of operation. The ThyssenKrupp Steel USA facility has more than 1,800 employees at the Calvert site. Achieving ISO 9001:2008 certification is important for companies for a variety of reasons, said Claudia Zimmermann, director of economic development for the Mobile Area Chamber. ISO is an international standard ThyssenKrupp Steel and ThyssenKrupp Stainless customers will like to see, she explained. “It provides a level of assurance of the high quality of both ThyssenKrupp facilities’ products.” ISO 9000 is a family of standards for quality management systems maintained by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and is administered by accreditation and certification bodies. Certification to the ISO 9001 standard certifies that formalized business processes are being applied.
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JUNE 2012 | The Business View
Mercy LIFE Center
M
ercy LIFE Center, a Mercy Medical project providing long-term care center for elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients, opened in March as the first PACE program in Alabama, which is the 31st state to provide the option. PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) features a comprehensive medical and social service delivery system using a team approach in an adult day health center supplemented by in-home and referral services in accordance to the participant’s needs. In order to be eligible for PACE, a person must be age 55 or older, eligible for nursing home care and live in an area served by a PACE program. The facility is housed in the former Mobile Rug and Shade building at 2900 Springhill Ave. in the Crichton community.
Opens in Mobile
Mercy LIFE opened Alabama’s first PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care) on Springhill Avenue. The adult day health center is designed to offer a wide spectrum of services from speech and physical therapy to prescription and over-the-counter medications.
The LIFE Center offers the PACE program; the Alabama Community Transition (ACT) waiver to help nursing facility residents move to the community; and a specialized program allowing ventilator-dependent Medicaid recipients to get care within the state.
Services provided include primary and specialty medical care, nursing care, prescription and over-the-counter medications, occupational, physical and speech therapies, in-home assistance with bathing and dressing, social work services,
dental care, audiology, vision care, nursing home services and podiatry. As of April 2012, 47 patients were enrolled into PACE at the Mercy LIFE Center. Company officials expect 200 people will enroll by year’s end.
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The Business View | JUNE 2012
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small business of the month
The biggest challenge, say the owners of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, is to get the message out that the franchise has good, healthy food made with real ingredients. Pictured here is a team from the Schillinger Road location. The company also owns the Legacy Village location off Dauphin Street. On the left in front is Nazmi Ozokur and behind him, his partner Billy Cox.
Franchise Owners Take a Leap of Faith with
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
What happens when a nuclear pharmacist and a Turkish immigrant put their heads together? When it’s Billy Cox and Nazmi Ozokur, you get an award-winning Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise. Tropical Smoothie Cafe (TSC) is the Mobile Area Chamber’s Small Business of the Month and the Destin, Fla.-based company’s top-ranking catering franchisee for 2011. Ozokur came to Mobile from Turkey when his brother, who was earning a master’s degree at the University of South Alabama, encouraged him to come to America. “I enrolled in the ESL (English as a Second Language) program, coming from Turkey in 2001 with $900 in my pocket,” he remembers. Looking for work, Ozokur started what turned out to be a career with
T.G.I. Friday. When a management position took him to Jacksonville, Fla., he discovered TSC and started eating lunch there two or three times a week. Ozokur moved back to Mobile to connect with family and went to work as a manager at The Wine Loft, where he met Cox. At the time, Cox had sold his business and was locked into a three-year non-compete agreement. He began looking for investments, which led him to open The Wine Loft. Ozokur gave TSC’s franchise information to several people, encouraging them to pursue the opportunity, but now he’s glad no one else was interested. To push himself beyond his comfort zone, he gave two months notice and began the process of owning a Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurant.
10 JUNE 2012 | The Business View
“It’s a little like sky-diving. I jumped with a little faith, a little confidence and a little experience. That’s how it started.” He opened his first TSC in 2008 at Legacy Village and eight months later established the Schillinger Road location near the Airport Boulevard intersection in west Mobile. There are a total of 10 full-time and 27 part-time employees at the two locations. In response to leading the company in catering sales, Ozokur says, “When it comes to catering, the answer is always ‘yes.’” TSC delivers from Gulfport, Miss., to Gulf Shores, including dropping off smoothies to St. Paul’s High School for the school’s fundraising efforts and the restaurant’s newest catering contract to provide hundreds of lunches to Austal. Of his business partner, Cox says, “Nazmi is the driving force, the reason
for success. “It’s a great concept, but he knows how to run the business.” The biggest challenge Ozokur faces is that people don’t know the cafe has food. TSC, open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., has a full menu of wraps, sandwiches, salads and smoothies. “We use highquality ingredients, including fresh fruit and natural sugar,” says Ozokur. “Our motto is eat better – feel better.” The company rewards its customers with coupons delivered right to their cell phones and even hosts a nutritional calculator for its menu on its tropicalsmoothie.com website. Go to mobilechamber.com/award.asp to submit a Small Business of the Month nomination, or contact Danette Richards at 431-8652 or drichards@mobilechamber.com.
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The Business View | JUNE 2012
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12 JUNE 2012 | The Business View
Alabama Exports on the Grow
Larger Vessels, New Lines Bring More Products Through Port of Mobile
I
n 2011, Alabama saw a record level of exports – almost $18 billion in goods shipped from Alabama to 197 countries. This is up 15.4 percent from 2010 and is the highest-ever total for the value of goods exported during a single year in Alabama. Mobile is seeing the benefits from the growth in exports. According to Brian Harold, managing director of APM Terminals Mobile, container volumes at the facility grew 30 percent in 2011 over 2010 and will continue to grow in 2012. Along with these increases and some positive trends in global markets, Harold attributes new steamship lines and vessel services calling on Mobile as one contributing factor. One of the trends Harold sees in the industry is that vessels are getting bigger and bigger. “We have the infrastructure to handle our projected growth,” he said. “It is evident that the vessels our customers use to call the Port of Mobile will continue to increase in size. The infrastructure that we have at APM Terminals Mobile as well as the deep water depth and new turning basin in the port make us well-equipped to handle these larger vessels.”
The Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) understands the importance of being prepared and ready to handle projected growth. ASPA has already completed a 10-year, $700 million capital expansion program that established new facilities at the Port of Mobile, including a new container terminal, a new steel terminal, an expansion and enhancement program at McDuffie Coal Terminal, a new rail ferry terminal and a new turning basin. In 2010, the ASPA board of directors approved a $356 million capital program that will, over the next three to five years, establish an intermodal rail facility, new warehouses and terminals and rail improvement. “We will be investing in improvements on the main port as well as in the slab facility. The North C project, improvements to the storage yard, is a project that is currently underway,” said Jimmy Lyons, Alabama State Port Authority director. “We plan further improvements in the next couple of years to give us more warehouse and open storage to accommodate further increases projected for coil steel and other steel products.” The ASPA continues to support exports by directing its efforts and energies toward better serving the industries of Alabama. The port continues to make improvements and additions to maintain the Authority’s focus of being an economic development agent for the state to promote Alabama exports and create Alabama jobs.
TOP
25
Trading Partners for the Port of Mobile in 2011 China Republic of Korea Japan Mexico Italy Colombia Netherlands Haiti Iraq Jamaica France Taiwan Norway
Germany Russia Dominican Republic Kuwait Israel Spain Chile United Kingdom Thailand Belgium Angola Belize
The Business View | JUNE 2012
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Facts About Exports ➤ Mobile’s major exports include forestry,
cotton, chemicals and frozen poultry.
➤ The Port of Mobile is the largest break bulk forest products port in the country. ➤ Forest products were one of the top Alabama commodities in 2011 along with transportation, chemicals, minerals and ores and machinery, except electrical equipment. ➤ Top export destinations from Alabama include Canada, China, Germany, Mexico and Japan. ➤ Alabama ranks 25th in the nation for dollar value of exports. ➤ Vehicles, mineral fuel (coal), industrial
machinery, plastics, electrical equipment, iron/steel, measuring instruments, aircraft and wood pulp
by dollar value.
were Alabama’s top export sectors ranked
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Mobile Area Chamber Hosts Reception
for Legislators in Montgomery
In April, the Mobile Area Chamber held a Legislative Reception in Montgomery to recognize the work of the Alabama State Legislature. The reception was sponsored by AT&T and ExxonMobil. Pictured from left to right are Russ Spahr with ExxonMobil; Michael Pierce with Commonwealth National Bank and chairman of the Mobile Area Chamber; and Gigi Armbrecht with AT&T.
More than 150 people attended the Legislative Reception including members of the Mobile Bay legislative delegation and members of Gov. Robert Bentley’s cabinet. Pictured from left to right are Rep. Randy Davis, Judith Adams with the Alabama State Port Authority; and Donna Wilhelm, Mercy Medical.
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Made in Mobile
Mobile County’s Lenzing Fibers is the only producer of Tencel, a fiber used in clothing and wipes, in North America. Pictured here is the company’s management team with Plant Manager Kevin Allen pictured third from right.
Lenzing Fibers Spins $30 Million Investment
to Meet North America’s Demand for Tencel
I
f you’d like to make Planet Earth its own Patagonia® T-shirt, there are enough Tencel fibers produced in Mobile County in less than a year to do so. In fact, Lenzing Fibers, the maker of Tencel and its generic Lyocell, made 30,000 tons in its Axis facility last year – pretty amazing considering a handful of fibers feels like a silky cloud of air. A $30 million investment completed this spring will increase that capacity to 50,000 tons a year. First made in 1992, Tencel is one of the newest fibers used in clothing, sheets, baby wipes and dozens more personal and industrial applications. In its woven state, Tencel is comparable to cotton. It stands out, say clothing industry proponents,
because it’s breathable, wrinkle-resistant, stronger when it’s wet, feels silkier, is more absorbent and, some would argue, more comfortable. “Tencel is always about the feel,” says Kevin Allen, the Axis facility’s plant manager. Cotton is still a dominant product, explains Allen, but when customers are looking for attributes cotton can’t deliver, or they need something more economical, Tencel is what they choose. The popular Patagonia T-shirts are made with approximately 40 percent Tencel, giving them the ability to “move moisture away from the body, keeping you cool when the temperature is hot and warm when it is cold,” according to the T-shirt tag.
Bath wipes are made from Lenzing’s nonwoven product line because Tencel is gentle on the skin, can be flushed because it easily breaks apart and is biodegradable – a huge advantage over its competitors, boasts Allen. The man-made cellulose fiber is spun from processed woodpulp supplied by sustainable trees like beechwood, eucalyptus or pine, primarily grown in the Southeastern U.S. or South Africa. The pulp is delivered in long, thin sheets a little thicker than a cereal box and wound on spools, each weighing at least 1 ton. Lenzing’s patented processes turn the pulp that arrives in Axis into 30 different fiber products varying by length or shape. Continued on page 18 The Business View | JUNE 2012
17
A new $30 million investment in Lenzing Fibers will increase the company’s production of Tencel to 50 million tons. The silky-like fiber first comes to the facility in sheets of processed wood pulp on spools that weigh at least 1 ton each.
Made in Mobile – Lenzing Fibers Continued from page 17 The Axis facility was the first in the world to manufacture Tencel when it was owned by the former British company Courtaulds. In 1998, a private-equity firm bought the fibers division of the business, and in 2004 sold it to Austria-based Lenzing. Under the Lenzing flag, Axis has become a technologically advanced facility and the only producer of the product in North America.
According to company officials, the demand for Tencel has more than tripled since 2000, as the fiber expands to technical textiles used on computers and medical equipment. The product’s advantage in these industries, explains Nick Hrinko, the marketing director for the company’s nonwoven division in the Americas, is Tencel is durable and does not leave any debris on circuit boards or medical parts and prevents the growth of bacteria. What’s driving demand locally, says Hrinko, is that it’s a domestic source. “Customers like to have a close source they can depend on and can deliver promptly.”
The split between nonwoven and woven products made locally is 80/20, with the majority being nonwovens. “The percentage was reversed,” says Hrinko, “but as textile jobs moved offshore, we had to find new opportunities.” Spinners use Tencel fibers to produce yarn used to weave and knit fabrics. These fabrics are then used to produce clothes and other textile applications. Manufacturers typically form fibers into shapes, primarily wipes used in various applications such as those for babies, cosmetics, floors and a number of additional personal, home, industrial and critical care wipes. Once the fibers are made, they are shipped out in bales from several different ports, depending on where the customer is located. Kirkland Baby Wipes, sold at Costco, an international chain of membership warehouses, and Sani-Hand Instant Sanitzing Wipes, found at Wal-Mart stores, are among the biggest consumers of local Tencel. The packaging for both products feature “Made with Tencel” and “Made in the U.S.A.” Any excess fibers from the Axis facility are sent to a recycler or vendor who turns the fibers into super-absorbent industrial cloths, adds Allen. Worldwide, the Lenzing Group employs nearly 6,500, including approximately 110 in Mobile County. Textile and nonwoven fibers, including Tencel, make up 89.7 percent of the company’s production. Asia is the largest consumer, followed by Europe (including Turkey) at 36 percent, and the Americas represent 8 percent. “The Americas is an important and profitable sector. We are the only market building consumer and retail awareness for the Tencel brand,” says Hrinko.
Expect a more personal connection. At Regions, we’re committed to getting to know you and providing the practical financial solutions you and your business need to thrive. Whether you’re opening your first business checking account or planning for long-term financing, our banking experts are dedicated to understanding your goals and concerns and developing a plan that meets your needs. Here in Mobile, John Thornley exemplifies that dedication. Since 1973, he has been committed to serving his Regions customers and his community. As Senior Vice President for Business Banking, John puts his years of leadership experience and understanding of the business community to work for you every day. Call John or his business banking team at 251-694-1475 or stop by today to discover everything we have to offer. We’re not just bankers, we’re trusted friends.
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18 JUNE 2012 | The Business View
John Thornley
CEO profile
Danny Corte Company: Mobile Sports Authority (MSA) Title: Executive director Hometown: Mobile Education: Earned a bachelor’s degree in corporate finance and a master’s degree from The University of Alabama First job: Worked in the family business, A. A. Corte & Sons Previous experience: Corte begin his career in the financial industry as a consultant with Merrill Lynch, until his love for sports lured him into sports radio and a job in sales for WNSP-FM. He served as executive director for the Mobile Area Sports Commission (MASC) before joining MSA. Accomplishments: As executive director for MASC, Corte was instrumental in attracting and assisting sports events with an estimated $100 million economic impact on the Mobile area. Secret to success: Corte relies on three principles: “First, try to make your passion your career – then it’s not just a job. Second, never, ever give up – especially if you really want something. And finally, treat others the way you want to be treated – it’s just good Southern manners.” Brief company description: The Mobile Sports Authority is a nonprofit organization created in 2009 to attract international, national and regional sporting events and sports-related business to the city of Mobile and Mobile County. The organization serves as the community’s clearinghouse and first point of contact for these activities.
The Business View | JUNE 2012
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investor focus
Mobile Airport Authority
Aerial view of the Brookley Aeroplex. Together the Brookley Aeroplex and the Mobile Regional Airport are home to more than 100 companies with approximately 4,000 employees. Company officials: Richard D. Davis, chairman, board of directors; Matthew S. Metcalfe, vice chairman, board of directors; Herbert A. Meisler, treasurer, board of directors; Thomas Busby, assistant secretary/ treasurer, board of directors; Patricia G. Edington, secretary, board of directors; William B. Sisson, executive director Years in business: 30
Partners for Growth (PFG) is the Mobile Area Chamber’s long-term economic and community development program. For more information, contact Shelly Mattingly, the Chamber’s investor relations coordinator, at 431-8655 or smattingly@mobilechamber.com.
Brief company description: The Mobile Airport Authority is an independent agency created in 1982 by the City of Mobile to own and operate the Mobile Regional Airport, Mobile Downtown Airport and Brookley Aeroplex. The Mobile Airport Authority is a self-funded entity that receives no local tax dollars. US Airways, Delta Air Lines, American Eagle Airlines and United Airlines provide 25 daily departures to four of the nation’s largest hubs. The airport offers a comfortable terminal, complimentary wireless internet,
20 JUNE 2012 | The Business View
the Executive Club, a fully staffed customer service center, valet parking and valet car wash. With 4 million square feet of industrial space on 1,650 acres, Brookley Aeroplex is one of the largest industrial parks on the Gulf Coast. More than 70 companies are located on site, employing over 3,200 people in a wide range of industries. The Aeroplex is strategically located in the following zones, which allow for enhanced business operations and attractive tax incentives: foreign trade zone number 82 and the renewal community zone. The Airport Authority aggressively recruits better air service and partners on economic development initiatives to support the Central Gulf Coast’s growth. Why are you located in Mobile?
“The Mobile Airport Authority was created in Mobile to oversee entities that rely on the community’s unique logistics infrastructure,” said Sisson.
Why do you support the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce’s Partners for Growth initiative?
“The Mobile Airport Authority, as one of the largest real estate holders in Mobile County, works to retain, grow and attract business to the Brookley Aeroplex and Mobile Regional Airport,” said Sisson. “The Partner’s for Growth (PFG) initiative makes doing this easier. The Partners for Growth initiative combines a cooperative vision based on measurable goals and the funding needed to achieve them.” What do you see as Mobile’s greatest potential? “Mobile’s greatest
potential lies with the community’s most important asset --- its people,” said Sisson. “We have great logistics infrastructure but it is the people and the way our community works together that sets us apart.” Length of continuous Chamber membership: 21 years
The ABCs of
Small Business Sales
Among the many titles you take on when owning a small business is chief salesperson. Your business cannot survive without sales growth, and it’s up to you to keep those customers coming back. SCORE counselor Jerry Glenn puts it best: “Sales is a constant, daily activity that will never go away.” Some people understandably have doubts about their ability to generate sales. They may worry they simply aren’t “sales savvy,” or associate selling with negative stereotypes often seen on TV. The truth is that selling is easier and less onerous than you think. The key is to plan, build your skills and practice – much like every other facet of becoming a small business owner. The concept of sales begins with setting realistic goals as part of your business plan. Learn everything you can about your target
market: who and where they are, how you can reach them, etc. The more information you gather on these and other considerations, the more realistically you can project short- and long-term sales volume necessary to meet obligations and generate profit. You must also develop a true “competitive advantage” that differentiates your business from your competition, and know how to explain it to others. “Write out your ‘pitch,’ and then practice until it sounds natural. Then try it on friends or others who have some sales experience,” suggests Glenn. “Ask for their impressions and suggestions for things you can improve.” The old expression about never having a second chance to make a first impression still holds true. Whether you’re making a
sales pitch in person, over the phone or online, always be polite and courteous, and listen to what the prospective customer is saying. “Many times, we are so wrapped up in making the sales presentation that we pay no attention to how the customer responds,” Glenn says. People want to buy, not be sold to. Another must-have ingredient for sales growth is a good reputation. Satisfied customers are willing to refer your business to others, especially when you’ve exceeded their expectations. Just make sure doing so doesn’t compromise your profit or time commitments. Customers may expect price breaks or special favors every time. “And always have an insatiable desire to continually improve your products and services,” adds Glenn. “Many people think that that once they’ve achieved a certain
sales plateau, the business will always operate at that level or higher. In truth, customers will come and go for a variety of reasons.” To learn more about improving your sales savvy, or for a free and confidential one-on-one counseling session, contact the Mobile SCORE chapter, housed at the Mobile Area Chamber, at 431-8614, or visit online at www.mobilescorechapter.org.
The Business View | JUNE 2012
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Chamber@work Chamber Shares Stage with Presidential Candidates at Energy Summit Steve Russell, director of business retention and expansion for the Chamber, made a presentation to the Gulf Coast Energy Summit in Biloxi in March highlighting the importance of the offshore oil and gas industry and its economic impact on the Mobile economy. The event, co-sponsored by OffshoreAlabama.com, featured speeches by then-Republican presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. Key among the issues discussed were the need to increase the rate of permit approvals, create jobs that can be supported by the energy sector, and encourage oil and natural gas production from the Gulf of Mexico. Center for Workforce Development Partners on Business Expo Job Fair The Chamber’s Center for Workforce Development collaborated with the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission on its annual Business Expo and Job Fair in April. This year, the event hosted the U.S.
Chamber’s initiative Hiring our Heroes, and veterans attending wore a distinctive button to highlight their service to our country. More than 85 employers and more than 3,500 jobseekers attended. Worlds of Opportunity Managed by the Chamber The Chamber will manage the Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Council’s successful Worlds of Opportunity this fall. The hands-on career exploration fair hosts more than 9,500 eighth-grade students from the eight counties in southwest Alabama’s “Region 9.” In previous years, more than 150 businesses and industries and 400 volunteers have participated in this long-term workforce development activity. Companies interested in getting involved or sponsoring this year’s event should contact Carol Lambert at clambert@mobilechamber.com. Quarterly HABA Meeting Hosted by Chamber The Chamber hosted the quarterly meeting of the Hispanic American Business Association of the Gulf Coast.
22 JUNE 2012 | The Business View
The meeting included presentations from Raymond Huff with the IRS, who spoke on the IRS volunteer tax program; Sujin Kim with The Gulf Coast Immigration Law Center, who updated attendees on Alabama’s immigration law; and Cornelius Wyatt and Chrystal Gainyard with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Office, who spoke on E-Verify. Chappelle Named Downtown Rotary President Bob Chappelle, executive vice president of the Chamber, was named 2012-13 president of the Rotary Club of Mobile. He will Chappelle assume the presidency of the club, commonly referred to as “Downtown Rotary,” in July. Founded in 1914, the chapter has more than 270 members from across Mobile and Baldwin counties.
Chamber Takes 97 to Italy The Chamber recently hosted three travel groups to Italy’s Amalfi Coast for a week-long immersion in Italian food, sites and culture. A total of 97 Chamber members and guests participated in this group tour organized by Chamber member ABC Destinations. Plans are underway for a Spring 2013 trip to Budapest and Prague with ABC Destinations. For more information, contact Leigh PerryHerndon at lherndon@mobile chamber.com. Group of 33 Travels to Cuba The first of two groups of Chamber members and guests traveled to Cuba in April to visit the country and learn about the Cuban people and industry. The Chamber partnered with member company Chamber Explorations to organize this trip, approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control. A similar trip will take place Oct. 6-14, and as of press time, a few spaces remained available. To learn more, or to make reservations, contact Leigh PerryHerndon at lherndon@mobile chamber.com.
Chamber@work Board of Advisors Perry Hand is president and chief executive officer at Volkert Inc. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Auburn University and joined David Volkert & Associates Inc. as an engineer-in-training. Hand founded and managed his own engineering and surveying company from 1970 until 1989, when he became Alabama’s secretary of state. He later served as Alabama’s highway director and served two terms in the Alabama State Senate. Hand returned to Volkert in 1993, and was named to his present post in May 2011. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Association for Management of Transportation Infrastructure Assets, and he serves on the advisory board of the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. He was recently elected to the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame and the Mobile Area Chamber’s board of directors. Volkert Inc. is a Partners for Growth investor.
Hand
Marty Parker is communications/ governmental affairs/customer relations manager for Boise Alabama Operations. He has a master’s degree in engineering-quality control/quality assurance from Western University. Parker has more than 25 years of experience in these fields and holds certifications from the American Society for Quality as a “Certified Six Sigma Black Belt,” quality engineer and manager of quality/organizational excellence. Parker serves on the boards of the Business Council of Alabama, Alabama Workforce Investment Board, Clarke County Rural Planning Organization, Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway Association, Auburn Pulp and Paper Foundation, Clarke County ARC, Clarke County Promise Alliance and Clarke County United Way executive board. He also serves as a Clarke County school board member for District 1. Boise is a Partners for Growth investor.
Parker
For more information about the Chamber’s board of advisors, contact Katrina Dewrell at 431-8611 or kdewrell@mobilechamber.com.
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The Business View | JUNE 2012
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Chamber@work
Murphy
ConnectToCatering.com is a convenient online tool to order catered meals from local restaurants and caterers. The company serves the Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery markets by partnering with local food providers in each city to offer meals for any occasion. The food is delivered right to the customer’s door, and orders can be placed 24 hours a day. To learn more about this service, go to www.ConnectToCatering.com. The Business Spotlight of the Month is selected at random from a business card drawing at the Chamber’s monthly Business After Hours event.
Turner
Sheila Murphy and Donna Turner With a combined 40-plus years of Turner, who has been an ambassador participation in the Mobile Area Chamber’s for 18 years, is a senior administrative ambassadors program, Sheila Murphy specialist for World Omni Financial Corp., and Donna Turner are sharing the an automotive finance company. She is spotlight as Ambassadors of the Month. also president of the Friends of the Mobile Murphy is an account executive for Animal Shelter. Windstream Communications, where she helps businesses find the best telecommunications solutions for their needs. She has served as an ambassador for 23 years and this year is chairing the group.
Specialists in Small Business Accounting, Tax Preparation, Payroll and IRS Representation Saty Putcha
Saty was selected as the 2011 Diplomat of the Year by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.
SATy PuTchA Cell: 251-604-3802 Email: saty@putchallc.com Website: www.putchallc.com 1521 Dawes Rd. Mobile, Alabama 36695 Phone: 251-666-6624
24 JUNE 2012 | The Business View
Photo by Jeff Tesney Photography
Ambassadors of the Month
Photo by Jeff Tesney Photography
Business Spotlight of the Month: ConnectToCatering.com
Comparative
Economic Indicators The Mobile Area Chamber’s research division collects a variety of statistics each month.
March 2012 vs March 2011
Employed Mobile/Baldwin counties
250,788 2012 243,614 2011
Unemployment Rates 7.9% 2012 9.5% 2011
Homes Sold⌦ Mobile County
Building Permits City of Mobile
Business Licenses City of Mobile
296 2012
339 2012 297 2011
268 2012 240 2011
237 2011
Average Selling Price Mobile County
Value of Building Permits
Air Passengers From Mobile Area
$114,676 2012 $128,396 2011
$32,317,341 2012
24,950 2012
$42,018,346 2011
25,354 2011
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Call for FREE delivery 251-470-5231. The Business View | JUNE 2012
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June Calendar of Events 12
Women’s Roundtable
*Members Only
Emily Rowell, with Adams Produce, will provide tips to give your skin a natural, healthy glow at the Mobile Area Chamber’s Women’s Roundtable, a bi-monthly forum exclusively for women in Chamber member companies. The group will meet Tuesday, June 12, from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Chamber’s Tricentennial Room. A certified Holistic Health Coach, Rowell will discuss the importance of self-care and share techniques that will fit into a busy daily routine. Learn how to lessen the effects of stress and increase natural energy, and also how to find the best diet for individual body types. There is no charge to attend, but seating is limited. For reservations, contact Missy Hartley at 431-8638 or mhartley@ mobilechamber.com.
13
26 JUNE 2012 | The Business View
Speed Networking This rapid-fire networking event guarantees participants will talk to as many people as possible in a short amount of time. Speed Networking is limited to Mobile Area Chamber members only, and only one representative per company. The event starts promptly at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 13, at the Mobile Area Chamber, with pastries and coffee available at 7:45 a.m. The $10 cost must be paid with reservation by Monday, June 11, by contacting Missy Hartley at 431-8638 or mhartley@mobile chamber.com. No cancellations will be reimbursed after June 11.
For information on Chamber events, visit events.mobilechamber.com.
19
Executive Roundtable
*Members Only
Midway through the year is a good time to evaluate your tax plan. This month’s Executive Roundtable will feature Mark Hieronymus, a partner with Wilkins Miller Hieronymus LLC, who will present “Tax Planning Strategies for 2012.” This forum exclusively for Mobile Area Chamber member small business owners and managers will be held in the Chamber’s board room on Tuesday, June 19, from 8 to 9 a.m. There is no charge to attend, but seating is limited. For reservations, contact Brenda Rembert at 431-8607 or brembert@mobile chamber.com.
20
GCTC Luncheon A speaker with the Center for Information Dominance, a U.S. Navy Learning Center, will address the Gulf Coast Technology Council on Wednesday, June 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Mobile Area Chamber. The luncheon fee is $15 for Chamber members, $20 for potential members and $5 for students, and must be paid with reservation by June 18. To secure your reservation, register online at http:// events.mobilechamber.com/, or contact Cesny Soffronoff at 431-8636 or csoffronoff@ mobilechamber.com. No cancellations will be reimbursed after June 18.
21
State of the City and County Lunch It’s the event 800-plus people clamor to attend every year because it gives them the city’s and county’s top accomplishments and plans for the coming year. Join Mobile Mayor Sam Jones and Mobile County Commission President Connie Hudson for the 15th annual State of the City and County address on Thursday, June 21, beginning at noon at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center. Tickets are $20 per person for Chamber members or $190 for a table of 10 and $30 per person for potential members. To secure your reservation, register online at http://events. mobilechamber.com/, or contact Carolyn Hunt at 431-8621 with credit card information. Registration is open until June 18.
Sponsors
26 28
Save the Date!
Go Mobile! Learn how to Go Mobile! with Google in just 1½ hours! For more information about this event, see page 5.
The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce will present
Business After Hours
get connected
Mercedes-Benz of Mobile, 3060 Dauphin St., will host Business After Hours Thursday, June 28, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. This popular Chamber networking event is a great venue to introduce your company and make new contacts. The cost to attend is $5 for members and $10 for potential members. Reservations are not necessary. For more information, contact Missy Hartley at 431-8638 or mhartley@ mobilechamber.com.
Thursday August 23
Get connected with a day of business resources: Get Connected Lunch Business Expo Business Resource Fair
Call 431-8649 or visit
www.mobilechamber.com/getconnected.asp
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Member News Who’s New Volkert Inc. named Russell Howell assistant vice president for its Mobile office. Howell brings 25 years experience in project management, Howell roadway design and hydraulic engineering. X The Gulf Coast Exploreum hired Dr. Phyllis French as the museum’s education director. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Alabama State University and a master’s degree from Auburn University in Montgomery, as well as two master’s-level certifications from the University of South Alabama and an education specialist degree and doctorate of education from the University of West Florida. French has worked in public education for more than 25 years.
Kelly
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Hill
Roberts Brothers West office welcomed agents Timaly Shepherd and Mary Hill. X Kelly McCarron was promoted to director of development for the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute. McCarron previously served as assistant McCarron director of development for MCI. X Morgan Smith joined the Bay Area Food Bank as external relations coordinator. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree Smith in communication/ advertising from the University of South Alabama. She most recently served as account coordinator at wellbornIdeas. X
Martino
Dr. Deborah Lafky was appointed assistant dean at the University of South Alabama (USA) College of Medicine. She will serve as director at the university’s Center for Strategic Health Innovation. Lafky earned her bachelor’s degree at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, a master’s degree in information science at the University of Pittsburgh, and a doctorate in management information systems at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, Calif. In other news, Dr. Anthony Martino was elected chair of the department of neurosurgery. Martino earned his medical degree from Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome and completed a fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery at the University of California at San Francisco. He cares for patients at USA Medical Center, USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital and the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute.
The University of South Alabama’s Office of Development hired Racheal Banks as director of the health sciences development. Banks Banks previously served as director of development and alumni relations at the University of Montevallo. X Coldwell Banker United REALTORS welcomed new agent David Monroe to its Mobile office. Monroe
Business Endeavors Gigi’s Cupcakes opened at 273 McGregor Ave. The local franchise features a daily rotating menu featuring distinct cupcake varieties. For more information, visit www.gigiscupcakesusa.com, or call 316-0008. X Mobile-based Volkert Inc. opened an office in Columbia, S.C. The company provides environmental, engineering and design services throughout the Southeast as well as the mid-Atlantic and midwest U.S. X SH Enterprises Inc. recently expanded Meyer Services, formerly known as the service division of Meyer Real Estate. The company relocated its housekeeping and maintenance operations to a 33,000-square-foot facility to 509 E. Section St. in the Foley Industrial Park.
Well Done Austal USA appointed John “Dugan” Shipway as an outside director on the company’s board of directors. Shipway served 35 years in the U.S. Navy before retiring as a Rear Admiral. X Thirty-nine Burr & Forman LLP attorneys were ranked as leading practitioners in 12 different practice areas in the 2012 edition of the Chambers USA directory featuring client-led intelligence on America’s leading lawyers for business. This number represents 16 percent of all attorneys at Burr & Forman, and includes five attorneys with first appearances on the list.
100 Black Men of Greater Mobile Inc., in conjunction with Coors Light, honored Dr. Carl Cunningham as the 2012 Coors Light “Ice Cunningham Cold Leader” during a reception held in his honor. Cunningham, director of multicultural student affairs at the University of South Alabama, was identified as one of six exceptional community leaders across the country by the two organizations. X Waste Management was recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a business ethics think tank, as one of the 2012 World’s Most Ethical Companies. This is the fifth year the company has been honored for promoting the highest ethical standards. X
Gaston
Dickens
Cone
Johnson
Downey
Falls
Coldwell Banker United, Realtors recognized several top realtors for 2011 sales at its recent annual awards presentation: Reed Kyla Gaston, Rameh Dickens, Tutta Cone, Betty Johnson, Hope Downey, Christine Falls and Jeanie Reed. X Galyna Henry of Springdale Travel was honored as a pacesetter for showing professional growth and providing excellent customer service to clients and team members.
David Clark of the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa recently received Marriott’s Service Award of Excellence at a global general managers’ meeting. Margo Gilbert and Kevin Hellmich of the The Battle House, a Renaissance Hotel & Spa also received Awards of Excellence at the meeting. X
Robert C. Campbell lll of Campbell, Duke & Campbell law firm was appointed to the Alabama Association of Independent Colleges & Universities board of directors. The association promotes and protects the interests of higher education in 15 independent colleges and universities in the state.
Community News
Sullivan
Hodges
CENTURY 21 Meyer Real Estate (SH Enterprises) was recognized as the No. 1 office in Alabama for 2011, and received the Gold Medallion award for top production. In addition to the company awards, several sales associates individually and as teams earned top producer awards. In other news, Jeremy Sullivan of CENTURY 21 Meyer Real Estate in Gulf Shores earned Certified Investor Agent Specialist designation. Also, Sheila Hodges, sole owner and chairman of the board of SH Enterprises Inc., received the Woman-Owned Business designation of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. X Homewood Suites by Hilton Mobile-East Bay/Daphne was recognized among the top performing properties of 2011 by Homewood Suites by Hilton, earning the Connie Award, named after founder Conrad Hilton. The award is based on quality assurance audits, customer satisfaction and quality of the physical accommodations. The Daphne property also was awarded engineering department of the year and three spirit awards for housekeeping, food and beverage and Director of Sales Sandy Caruso. In addition, the hotel’s general manager, Chuck Cuff, was named general manager of the year. X Springhill Medical Center was recognized by the Joint Commission Resources’ (JCR) Flu Vaccination Challenge with a Bronze Recognition Award for increasing the number of participants. The hospital participated in the national program to increase flu vaccination rates among healthcare workers for 30 years, achieving a staff vaccination rate of 80 percent among healthcare workers during 2010-11.
Austal USA hosted its first charity golf tournament to kick off United Way of Southwest Alabama’s 2012 fundraising campaign. The event was held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove and featured 144 golfers, raising more than $58,000.
CONNECT with the Chamber
Like us. facebook.com/MobileChamber
Join us. linkedin.com Group - Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce
Follow us. twitter.com/MobileChamber
Watch us. Submission deadline for Member News is two months prior to publication. News releases should be one or two brief paragraphs. Photos must be professional headshots, labeled with the person’s last name, and must be 300 dpi at full size and saved in an eps, tif or jpg format. Send your information to news@mobilechamber.com.
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The Business View | JUNE 2012
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New Members
If you know of a company interested in benefitting from Chamber membership, contact Tricia Bradley at 431-8642 or Rebecca Milam at 431-8647. View the complete membership directory at www.mobilechamber.com. Accion Alabama Lisa Riley One 55th Place S., Office #1 Birmingham, AL 35212 210-507-4285 www.accionalabama.org Financial Services Advantage Investments LLP Thomas Hopper P.O. Box 8222 Mobile, AL 36689 251-219-8770 www.AiLLP.com Investments The Bar Downtown Mobile Matthew J. Golden 352 St. Francis St. Mobile, AL 36602 251-234-0391 http://www.facebook.com/pages/ The-Bar-Downtown-Mobile/ 129737750469301 Restaurants & Bar
Country Gables Assisted Living Robin DuBrock Gregorius RN 12250 Hi Fields Rd. Grand Bay, AL 36541 251-367-2800 www.countrygables.info Assisted Living
Francia’s Formal Affair & Bridal Jimmy Francia 3831 Airport Blvd. Mobile, AL 36608 251-342-7119 www.francias.com Formal Wear-Rental & Sales
D&K Suit Discounters Jonathan Gibbs 1714 W. I-65 Service Rd. S. Mobile, AL 36693 251-665-7350 www.dandksuits.com Clothing-Retail
Gigi’s Cupcakes of Mobile Rutherford Johnson 273 S. McGregor Ave. Mobile, AL 36608 251-316-0008 www.GigisCupcakesUSA.com/ MobileAlabama Bakers
Delphi Investigations J. Eldon Dugan 507 Holcombe Ave. Mobile, AL 36606 251-479-4400 Investigators Energy Pipe & Supply Jay Stallworth 6135 Rangeline Rd. Theodore, AL 36582 251-544-5000 www.energypipe.com Pipe Valves & Fittings
HealthSource of West Mobile Quinn Kennedy 740 S. Schillinger Rd. Mobile, AL 36695 251-597-8832 www.healthsourcechiro.com Chiropractors, DC & Medical
The Karat Patch Phillip Smith 3966-A Airport Blvd. Mobile, AL 36608 251-344-5614 Jewelers & Gifts
Mobile Bay LPGA Classic Paul Martino 7001 Magnolia Grove Pkwy. Mobile, AL 36618 251-338-2025 www.MobileBayLPGAClassic.com Sporting Events
Steel Warehouse Robert “Bob” Hutchinson 2722 W. Tucker Dr. South Bend, IN 46624 574-236-5100 www.steelwarehouse.com Steel Processing
Life Wellness Forever Inc. Cindy Ross 6300 Airport Blvd. Mobile, AL 36608 251-510-4929 www.lifewellnessforever.com Corporate Health, Safety, Wellness, Ergonomic
MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians Framon O. Weaver 1080 W. Red Fox Rd Mt. Vernon, AL 36560 Phone: 251-829-5500 www.mowachoctaw.com Nonprofit Organization
Survivors of Mental Illness Outreach Inc. (SOMI Inc.) Terrance T. Brown 4351 Midmost Dr. Mobile, AL 36609 251-342-0261 Drop-In Center
Malaga Inn Julie Beem 359 Church St. Mobile, AL 36602 251-438-4701 www.malagainn.com Hotels
P2MG LLC Claude Bumpers 61 St. Joseph St. Ste. 1230 Mobile, AL 36602 251-753-6275 www.propmg.com Construction Management
Valor Steel Buildings Bill Ganey 590 US Hwy. 98 Ste. 3 Daphne, AL 36526 251-379-8042 www.valorsteelbuildings.com Buildings-Metal
Millennium Technologies Inc. Susan Walch 2754 Mauvilla Dr. Mobile, AL 36606 251-473-3416 Engineers
SP Engineering Inc. Scott Peach 6348 Piccadilly Sq., Ste. 1B Mobile, AL 36609 251-554-5943 www.speng.pro Engineers-Professional
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More, devoted to your care. 30 JUNE 2012 | The Business View
Anniversaries
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
Members Are Our Greatest Asset! Please show your support through the patronage of these businesses.
5 YEARS
50 YEARS
Airbus Americas Engineering Inc. Byron Dunn, Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium Commercial & Marine Insurance Brokers Inc. DSI Security Services National Multiple Sclerosis Society Penske Truck Leasing Co. LLP
Providence Hospital
45 YEARS
New York Life Insurance Co.
35 YEARS
VersaCold Logistics Services
1-4 YEARS
30 YEARS
America’s First Federal Credit Union Mobile Surgical Services PC
25 YEARS
Lott Ship Agency Inc.
20 YEARS
Sulzer Pumps U.S. Inc.
10 YEARS
Christian Benevolent Funeral Home Inc. First Protective Media Services LLC Virginia College of Mobile Walters Controls Inc.
merce hamber of Com Mobile Area C
the
ADT Financial Service Alabama Credit Union Allied Waste Services/BFI Bagby & Russell Electric Co. Inc. Mark F. Bass, International Longshoreman’s Assn.-Local 1410 The Blake at Malbis Cape Travel Cecil L. Parker Jr. MD PC CG Railway Inc. Delta Commercial Cleaning Edward Jones Investments Employee Liability Management Inc. Firehouse Subs Great Kitchens Griffith Shell Service GT Michelli Co. Gethsemane Cemetery Inc.
Harwell & Co. LLC Jacobs Field Services North America Inc. Kristopher A. Portacci DDS PC KONE Inc. The Light of the Village Maritech Marine & Industrial Inc. MCG Business Solutions Mensura Capital LLC Microtel Inn and Suites North Mobile Mobile Council, Navy League of U.S. The Mobile Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Seedco Financial Southern Sounds LLC Southland Capital Realty Group LLC Spoon Professional Landscape Inc. S.S. Nesbitt & Co. Stafford & Associates Inc. State Farm Insurance - Brian Casey State Farm Insurance - Greg Jones Suncoast Vending Inc. Tacky Jack’s Technip United America Security Services Inc. University of South Alabama Foundation Urology & Oncology Specialists PC Sam Winter - Roberts Brothers Real Estate
Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic PC......................22 BankTrust.............................................................8 Coast Safe and Lock........................................... 25 Community Bank.............................................. 14 FLC Living........................................................... 16 Gaylord C. Lyon & Co. Inc................................ 27 Gwin’s Printing.................................................. 27 Harris Business Machines..................................21 HUB International...............................................8 Infinity Global (IGT).........................................26 Infirmary Health...............................................30 Interstate Printing & Graphics Inc..................28 Lagniappe...........................................................22 Logical Computer Solutions..............................12 Mamun/ReMax Partners.................................29 MCG Business Solutions......................................4 Mercedes-Benz of Mobile....................................9 Merrill Lynch.......................................................15 Mobile County Health Department..................23 Padgett Business Services of Mobile.................24 PNC Bank............................................................11 Premier Medical Management.......................... 6 Regions Bank.....................................................18 Ron’s Catering.................................................... 25 The University of Alabama................................. 7 Wonderland Express............................................ 5
JUNE
VIEW
All About
Exports g ilizian Mob ile, Ag in Mob
The Business View – an easy and economical way to get your company in front of the Mobile area business community. Contact René Eiland to discover how advertising in The Business View can complete your marketing plan at 251.431.8635 or e-mail reiland@mobilechamber.com. www.mobilechamber.com/view/media_kit.pdf
c Tencel: Fab Fabri
The Business View | JUNE 2012
31
believe in mobile belong to the chamber we’re good for business … your business It’s tough running a business, but it’s easier when the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce has your back. Most of our more than 2,200 members are small businesses working to make a living and make a difference. The Chamber does more than build a strong economy – we offer prime networking venues to develop new contacts and solid resources to help you start, manage and grow your company. Believe in a strong future for Mobile. Belong to the Chamber – because it’s good for business and good for Mobile.
www.JoinMobileChamber.com