The Business View - September 2012

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce

SEPTEMBER 2012

the

VIEW

Mobile’s on the

Grow

RESTORE Act A Major Victory

World Class

USA’s New Shelby Hall Opens

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Mobile, AL Permit #346

the

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce

Vol. XLIII, No. 9

VIEW

September 2012

News You Can Use – Positive updates for area and state businesses

3-7

8

RESTORE Act is great news for

Gulf Coast

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10

Small Business of the Month: Kumon Math and Reading Center

12-13

USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital

to double in size

15-20

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Mobile’s On the Grow

24-26 25

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CEO Profile: Harietta Eaton, CorroMetrics SCORE: Looking for ideas?

Start with your employees Chamber@Work Ambassador of the Month: Peggy Foltz Business Spotlight of the Month: Dream Berry

Cover

This is the face of the University of South Alabama’s newlyopened Shelby Hall at the corner of Old Shell Road at University Boulevard. Pictured are the two deans whose departments and classes are located in the new facility, Dr. Alec Yasinsac (left), dean of the school of computing, and Dr. John Steadman (right), dean of the College of Engineering.

See story on page 3. Cover photo by Susan Rak-Blanchard

26

Board of Advisors: Christian Dohr,

Mark Fillers, Michael G. Molyneux

28 29 31 32-34 35

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Economic Indicators Investor Focus: Jones Walker Calendar Member News Anniversaries

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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New Members

SEPTEMBER 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

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Additional Writers and Editors Ashley Horn, Susan Rak-Blanchard, Ginny Russell and Carolyn Wilson

Printing Services. . . . . . . . . . . . Interstate Printing/Direct Mail Graphic Design .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wise Design Inc. Advertising Account Executive.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . René Eiland 431-8635 reiland@mobilechamber.com

Changing the Landscape at USA

A few members of the Mobile Area Chamber’s Gulf Coast Technology Council steering committee toured Shelby Hall.

The new building houses the University of South Alabama’s College of Engineering and School of Computing. Pictured, left to right are: Dr. Alec Yasinsac, Ken Ferguson, Mahir Butt, Sam St. John, Chris Morton and Dr. John Steadman.

The University of South Alabama’s new anchor building at Old Shell Road and University Boulevard will hold its official opening Sunday, Sept. 9. Named in honor Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby and his wife, Dr. Annette Shelby, the 155,000-square-foot Shelby Hall is home to the university’s College of Engineering and School of Computing.

Students started studying in the building this summer.

Currently more than 1,700 students use the new stateof-the-art laboratories, classrooms and study areas – 1,200-plus enrolled in engineering and 500 in computing.

The facility has 63 labs, 17 classrooms and three multimedia auditorium classrooms, and houses both the engineering and computing offices.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting twice as many new computing jobs per year than there are computing graduates, according to Dr. Alec Yasinsac, professor and dean of USA’s school of computing.

“Shelby Hall cybersecurity and computing forensics laboratories ensure that our scientists will be able to conduct world-class research,” added Yasinsac.

“This world-class facility has already been important in attracting outstanding new faculty members and bright, capable students. It clearly enables us to bring engineering education to a higher level at USA,” said Dr. John Steadman PE, dean of engineering.

Construction began three years ago, and was completed on schedule.

Mobile Delegation Travels to Farnborough for Airshow The recent Farnborough International Airshow was a huge success for Mobile. The local delegation visited with more than 20 companies in one-on-one meetings over three days, answering questions about Airbus and explaining the advantages of Mobile as a center of excellence for aerospace.

Capitalizing on the buzz surrounding the announcement of the Airbus facility to be built at Brookley Aeroplex, Mobile hosted a reception attended by more than 40 aerospace executives, Gov. Robert Bentley, State Rep. Jamie Ison and U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner.

According to Chamber Vice President of Economic Development Troy Wayman, the air show afforded the Mobile Area Chamber’s economic development team the opportunity to meet with current active international prospects and followup on a multitude of projects already in Mobile’s pipeline.

“The ongoing relationship Mobile has nurtured and enjoyed with EADS/Airbus continues to bear fruit and will for a long time to come. Airbus’ commitment to Mobile is evident in many ways and the world has taken notice,” he said. “Mobile has long enjoyed the presence of significant aerospace companies such as ST Aerospace Mobile, Star Aviation, Continental Motors, Airbus Military, Airbus Engineering and a host of others. The Airbus A320 family final assembly line is another step in our evolution in the competitive world of aerospace.”

Following the air show, Wayman and Claudia Zimmermann, director of economic development for the Chamber, visited with business executives on other active projects and existing industry headquarters in Europe.

Attending the Mobile reception at the Spencer House during the Farnborough International Airshow are (left to right): Christian Scherer, head of strategy and future programmes for Airbus; Gov. Robert Bentley; Tom Enders, chief executive of EADS; City of Mobile Mayor Sam Jones; Mobile County Commission President Connie Hudson; U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner; and Allan McArtor, chairman of Airbus Americas.

The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

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Kloeckner Metals K

Building Processing Center at TK Site

loeckner Metals is the sixth company drawn to the area to do business with either ThyssenKrupp Steel or ThyssenKrupp Stainless.

“Kloeckner’s announcement continues to emphasize the importance of ThyssenKrupp’s (TK) impact in south Alabama,” said Claudia Zimmermann, the Mobile Area Chamber’s director of economic development, who served as the project lead.

In August, Kloeckner began construction of a $17.8 million light-gauge, flat-rolled processing center on the TK complex. The company is expected to employ 45.

The 100,000-square-foot facility will be operational in 2013. Initially, it will offer slitting services and later expand to include the ability to cut steel to length and into various shapes. Once complete, the center can be expanded to more than 400,000 square feet, if required.

“The focus of this facility will be three-fold: growth of our traditional value-added flat-rolled business, entry into the value-added automotive processing business and toll-processing for the mill,” said Russ Delaney, president of the Flat Rolled Group for Kloeckner Metals.

Plans for future growth are anticipated five years down the road, and could mean an additional $18 million investment and a second wave of employee hiring – adding as many as 30 employees.

“This expansion in flat-rolled processing capabilities represents a continuation of Kloeckner Metals’ commitment to our customers in the region, as well as our overall strategy to meet the growing demand for processed flat-rolled products in the Southeast,” said Bill Partalis, chief executive officer of Kloeckner Metals.

Mobile will be the second location in Alabama for Kloeckner Metals. The company currently operates a general line service center in Bessemer.

Austal Expands its Footprint

Three massive complexes were officially opened at Austal USA in July as part of the shipbuilder’s continued growth in Mobile. Currently the company employs more than 2,800 people and is growing.

A 740,000-square-foot Module Manufacturing Facility (phase 2) includes 85,000 square feet of drive-through warehouse space for receipt and distribution of materials from suppliers and 60,000 square feet of office space.

The expansion can accommodate 1,200 workers. The state-of-the-art facility is capable of constructing six large aluminum vessels such as the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and/or Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) per year.

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SEPTEMBER 2012 | The Business View

Assembly bay 5 was opened adjacent to assembly bay 4 and it has 59,000 square feet of floor space – 425 feet long by 135 feet wide. With the addition of this bay, Austal is now able to construct Littoral Combat Ships completely inside, rather than completing the work on the water.

Finally, a 110,000-square-foot office complex (pictured above) on Addsco Road will house 450 employees and is five times larger than the prior office complex on Dunlap Drive. This new office building will allow Austal to co-locate engineers, project and program offices, purchasing, contracts and legal, finance, business integration, and sales and marketing, currently spread all over Mobile in separate buildings and trailers.

Praxair Expands to Washington County Business Park P

raxair Inc. plans to invest $2.1 million for a distribution terminal in the Washington County Business Park in McIntosh, according to Ken Borowski, the company’s associate director of operations for southern Alabama. With the new facility, the company will add 47 employees to its roster, including 30 drivers.

“Previously we were contracting our transportation services out, and now we’ll be managing that process,” explains Borowski.

The new, 11,000-square-foot location positions Praxair closer to its production sources and current customers.

Referring to the expansion, Washington County Economic Development Initiative (WCEDI) representative Probate Judge Charles Singleton says, “It is a significant move towards increasing the standard of living in McIntosh, which has seen high rates of unemployment and underemployment.”

“Jobs plus an increased tax base will be good for our area,” adds Austin Monk, WCEDI director.

Site work for the building is underway, and construction is expected to be complete by the end of this year.

In the Mobile area, Praxair is a leading gas supplier to the steel and chemical industries.

Currently the company has four operations and 22 employees.

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The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

5

USA Team Receives Historic Grant to Study Pneumonia A

University of South Alabama (USA) College of Medicine team of scientists won a $9.1 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to examine the causes and consequences of pneumonia.

According to Dr. Troy Stevens, lead scientist on the grant, this funding will allow investigators to transfer knowledge gained from USA’s research labs toward the clinical care environment and support student physicians’ and researchers’ training.

“It’s a very competitive process. Our scientists are going up against scientists across the country,” says Paul Taylor, associate public relations director at USA. “And not only does this funding support our teaching program, it puts USA on the map for bright minds interested in lung biology.”

Pneumonia, a form of acute respiratory infection, is a life-threatening illness among children and adults 65 or older. In Alabama, pneumonia causes 830 deaths each year.

This is the third cycle of funding from the NIH to USA’s lung biology program, for a total of approximately $27 million, says Taylor. The second funding cycle led to the formation of a new biotech company, Exscien. Founded on the discovery of new drugs to repair DNA and prevent and reverse acute lung injury, Exscien plans to rapidly extend its research in model systems to human patients.

Dr. Troy Stevens (right) observes work in the lab. Stevens recently secured the third funding cycle from the National Institutes of Health to study lung biology.

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New Water Trail Established on Chickasabogue Creek

The Mobile County Commission passed funding this summer to map a new water trail for kayakers and canoeists. The two-mile stretch winds down Chickasabogue Creek from Chickasabogue Park in Eight Mile to William

Brooks Park in Chickasaw. Without stops or detours, the round-trip excursion takes about three hours, according to George Crozier, former head of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and lead consultant on the project. He said a

more relaxed pace might take up an entire afternoon.

Trailhead and directional signs will be planted in the water, especially at critical junctures where turns may be confusing, and information on fishing trails will be posted.

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The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

7

Passage of the

RESTORE Act

A Major Victory for Gulf Coast

A

fter several months of negotiations in a HouseSenate conference committee, the RESTORE Act passed the United States Congress as an amendment to federal highway and transit reauthorizing legislation and was signed into law by President Barack Obama in July. This is a major victory for the Alabama Gulf Coast communities affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as well as to our neighbors in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida.

Under the leadership of Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby (who served on the conference committee), Sen. Jeff Sessions and Rep. Jo Bonner, the legislation passed by an overwhelming margin.

The RESTORE Act is now the law of the land, directing the lion’s share of future Clean Water Act fine money to Gulf Coast states for local economic development and environmental restoration. The total amount of funding to be allocated remains to be determined through ongoing legal proceedings between federal authorities and liable parties but is estimated to be more than $1 billion for Alabama.

“The approval of the RESTORE Act has the potential to positively impact our coastal communities in ways not seen in a lifetime,” said Bonner. “While the total amount of funds to be collected from BP and other responsible parties is yet to be

What does it mean?

determined, the general view is the final settlement could be in the billions of dollars. Eighty percent of what is paid under the Clean Water Act will be funneled to five states, including Alabama.”

Shelby added,“The agreement demonstrates the conference committee’s commitment to restoring the Gulf Coast, one of our nation’s most valuable economic and ecological assets. Communities affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill have waited long enough for relief and should not be subject to the whims of future Congresses.”

“The passage of the RESTORE Act is great news. This means that the penalities

paid as a result of this disaster will now be used to restore the Gulf Coast communities that were directly affected,” said Sessions.

The passage of the RESTORE Act is a tremendous achievement for Congress, the Gulf Coast and the entire nation. As the home to 10 of our country’s 15 largest ports (by tonnage), the Gulf Coast region will be stronger and more resilient as a result of the act’s passage. The Chamber actively lobbied for its passage in partnership with scores of business and environmental groups.

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The RESTORE Act directs 80 percent of Clean Water Act penalties resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to the coastal areas directly impacted by the spill. These funds can be used only for the affected areas’ ecological and economic recovery with the following breakdown: • 65 percent of the funds will be spent by state and local task forces • 30 percent of the funds will be spent by a federal-state task force • 5 percent of the funds will be for Gulf fisheries and ecosystem research and monitoring The remaining 20 percent of the Clean Water Act penalties will be dedicated to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, where all fines are held until needed for water cleanup projects.

As stated in the federal legislation, the funds dedicated to Alabama will be spent by a council of local leaders subject to state ethics laws. The designated members of the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council will be Alabama’s governor (council chairman), the director/CEO of the Alabama State Port Authority (council vicechairman), chairman of the Baldwin County Commission, president of the Mobile County Commission, and the mayors of Bayou La Batre, Dauphin Island, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Mobile and Orange Beach.

Within 180 days of the law’s enactment, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury will establish rules and procedures on how the program will be administered. Until that time, the council cannot take action to fund any projects.

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small business

of the month

Sarah Bigazzi operates the only Kumon Math and Reading Center in the Mobile area. The program is open during the summer.

Kumon: A New Way to Learn A child’s education should be a top concern for parents. Sarah Bigazzi believes this, and it’s just one of the reasons she traded a career in Silicon Valley to open a Kumon Math and Reading Center franchise in Mobile.

Located at 3461 Old Shell Rd., the center is the Mobile Area Chamber’s Small Business of the Month.

Kumon’s learning program was developed in 1954 by Toru Kumon, a concerned Japanese father and math teacher who set out to find a way to teach his young son math. He developed a system focused on mastering small steps before moving to the next level.

Today, Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program

helping students of all ages and abilities become better self-learners.

Whether it’s challenges beyond basic schooling or help catching up, the program is designed to help students achieve academic and personal success. Kumon is not a tutoring program; instead, it’s a coaching program to bring out the best in a child, according to Bigazzi.

Bigazzi’s chosen profession was engineering. When her daughter was young, Bigazzi was interested in educational enrichment opportunities that would challenge her. Bigazzi was introduced to the Kumon Math and Reading Program, and by the end of her daughter’s first year, she was reading

10 The Business View| The | SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 2012 Business2012 View

comprehensively and solving math problems above her grade level.

With centers available in 46 countries, Bigazzi was able to keep her daughter enrolled as their careers moved them around the country until they moved to Mobile, where there were no centers.

So she decided to give up her job as an engineer, went back to school and became certified and trained in Kumon teaching. In 2009 she approached the Mobile SCORE chapter located at the Mobile Area Chamber for help starting her business. With SCORE’s support, she opened the doors to the Mobile site.

In the first year, Bigazzi had 12 to 15 students. Currently, her center enrolls approximately 50 students

from Mississippi to Florida and north to Brewton, and it is growing. “My biggest patrons are grandmothers.

They encourage their grandchildren’s parents to enroll their children in the program,” said Bigazzi. “And some of my parents have seen products of the program and come here to enroll their children. They want their children to be confident and able to compete with every child in every part of the world.”

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 | SEPTEMBER 2012

11

Lighting the Way

A 41-foot tall, 71,000-pound lighthouse – symbolizing guidance, safety and hope –­ will cap the $72.6 million construction project nearly doubling the size of USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital.

I

n one of four wards comprising the scoops up a baby not much larger than her hand.

Though they’re the smallest patients at the hospital, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on one-pound miracle babies are quite significant. It’s for the second floor of the University of South them, in part, that Children’s & Women’s has taken on a Alabama (USA) Children’s and Women’s 195,000-square-foot expansion project that Bailey describes Hospital, rows of rolling cribs hold the as “a game-changer.”

Bailey took the position at Children’s & Women’s in tiniest patients. Several nurses in colorful April 2011 and has since watched phase one of the project uniforms tend the premature babies come within a year of completion. The hospital’s new as monitors beep constantly in the addition will open sometime in the first quarter of 2013, background. One infant and Bailey – who is fond of taking visitors on tours of the current weighs in, finally, at facilities – can’t wait to show it off to “This is such a special three pounds, after being the public. born in May at just one group of people. They care “I was drawn to the fact that this pound, seven ounces, her organization was willing to make that deeply about those we kind of an investment,” Bailey says. lungs rising and falling serve. Our dream is to be “This is an organization with vision, almost imperceptibly, her and I’m excited to be part of it.” the go-to resource for heart beating a rhythm Located just off Springhill Avenue healthcare services for through her almostin midtown Mobile, the entrance to children and women.

Children’s & Women’s winds through transparent skin. Once upon the Geri Moulton Children’s Park, a time, she might not have survived It’s a place of hope, and dotted with Spanish moss-strewn being born at 27 weeks’ gestation. sometimes miracles.” oaks and frolicking statues of But thanks to the experienced, children, past USA’s Mitchell Cancer caring staff and the state-of-the-art Owen Bailey Institute to the hospital, which is Administrator, USA Children’s technology available at Children’s & Women’s Hospital getting an updated façade as well as & Women’s, she’ll eventually leave a new tower devoted to pediatrics. the NICU and go home with her The former hospital will then be family. devoted to women’s healthcare, with a corridor connecting In the 1980s, only 20 percent of babies born in that weight the two towers and a courtyard between the two. A glass range lived, according to hospital administrator Owen elevator will be topped by the hospital’s lighthouse, a Bailey. The survival rate at Children’s & Women’s NICU is meaningful symbol for the new facility. more than 90 percent. “We can do some amazing things in there, that’s for sure,” says one of the nurses as she deftly

12 SEPTEMBER 2012 | The Business View

Fast Facts Among the features in the pediatrics tower will be new operating rooms (increasing from five to eight) and a new cafeteria. The NICU will be expanded to include 12 private rooms. The new pediatric ICU will grow from 14 beds to 20.

Patient rooms will be larger to better accommodate family members and friends.

Rooms will feature small kitchen and bath areas, comfortable seating and sofas that convert into beds.

The Tree House, one of Children’s & Women’s unique features – a wonderful playroom that is “white coat-free” (no procedures are allowed to take place there) – will be expanded, with more space for toys, games and books. Class Act, where Mobile County public school teachers work with patients to ensure they don’t fall behind in their studies, will move to the new area and receive an upgrade as well.

In the second phase of the project, which will take place during the following nine months after the completion of phase one, the older part of the hospital will be completely renovated, with the fourth and fifth floors of the old hospital, now vacated, providing more room for enhanced women’s services.

To make the hospital more accessible and less scary for children, the interior design will continue to play on a nautical theme. Bubbles and waves decorate tiles and desks; one room has carpet resembling beach towels strewn on the sand. The USS Hope is a submarine-like room where children undergo infusion therapies. And every floor has a fish tank for soothing diversion.

The expansion will give Children’s & Women’s a larger footprint and increased opportunities to provide services in the 200-mile radius around Mobile. “I want the whole region to know what happens here,” Bailey says. He also wants the community to know that there’s no reason to leave the area for most medical services that can be provided right here at home.

Though this is a groundbreaking renovation and expansion for Children’s & Women’s, one thing will remain the same, Bailey says: “This is such a special group of people. They care deeply about those we serve. Our dream is to be the go-to resource for healthcare services for children and women. It’s a place of hope, and sometimes miracles.”

• Founded in 1983 as a “hospital within a hospital” at USA Medical Center • Moved in 1997 to its current location • Expansion started in 2010 will nearly double the hospital’s size • Facts about the expansion include: • Adding 195,000 square feet • Larger patient rooms to accommodate family and visitors • Adding 12 private Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) rooms • Completion date: early 2013 • 1,060 employees • Annual expenditures of $107.1 million, including salaries and benefits • Annual economic impact on Mobile’s economy - $174 million • Mobile’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit • Nearly 1,000 admissions annually (in NICU) and 900 admissions annually in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) • Patients come from a 150-mile radius • More than 2,600 annual deliveries, the most of any hospital in Mobile • Delivers more than 40 percent of all babies born in Mobile County • 64 percent of patients at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital are on Medicaid

The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

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Mobile’s On The Grow www.mobilechamber.com

17,218 NEW JOBS ~ Created ~

Read Who’s Making Headlines Inside...

84 39 Expansions at Existing Companies

New Businesses Recruited

34,836

7.95 Billion

in Capital Investments at New & Existing Companies These are the results of the Mobile Area Chamber’s economic development efforts since 2002.

Firms in Mobile County as of 2011

THE BUSINESS VIEW | SEPTEMBER 2012

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Recent Economic Activity About the Mobile Bay Area Business Community As the region’s lead economic developer, the Mobile Area Chamber and its coalition of public and private Partners for Growth investors recruited 39 new businesses and 84 expansions at existing companies over the last decade.

These efforts garnered $7.95 billion in capital investment and more than 17,000 jobs.

Mobile Area Chamber leaders say they haven’t seen this volume of economic development activity in years, if ever.

That sentiment is mirrored at the state level. The Chamber continues to host prospects almost weekly, representing a variety of industries.

The following are the most recent announcements:

F Airbus Aircraft Final Assembly www.airbus.com After working for more than seven years to bring Airbus to the area, news of a $600 million commercial aircraft assembly facility was a highly celebrated event.

The company will locate at Brookley Aeroplex and bring more than 1,000 jobs.

Construction will begin in 2013, aircraft assembly in 2015 and the first deliveries from Mobile are expected in 2016.

Airbus A320

16 SEPTEMBER 2012 | THE BUSINESS VIEW

F Alorica Telecommunications / Customer Service www.alorica.com Having purchased the telecommunications company Ryla, Alorica is building its Saraland workforce to 850 and added a second facility in west Mobile with 200 employees. The company serves as an inbound customer service center for national companies.

F Tate & Lyle Sucralose www.tateandlyle.com An increase in the demand for sucralose, the key sweetening ingredient in Splenda, prompted company officials to reopen its facility in McIntosh. Tate & Lyle invested more than $20 million and hired 100 employees.

F Walter Energy Coal Mining www.walterenergy.com News of a $1.2 billion mining project will have a direct impact in four counties across Alabama, including Mobile. The local investment is a $145.7 million coal export facility – Blue Creek Coal – on the Mobile River projected to bring with it more than 40 jobs.

F Port of Mobile Imports / Exports www.asdd.com The state’s largest port serviced its first Post-Panamax ship, referring to the large vessels necessitating the Panama Ship Canal expansion. The Alabama State Port Authority owns and operates the port, along with the Pinto Steel terminal and McDuffie Coal terminal.

Recently the authority and its customers invested more than $600 million in general cargo, bulk and containerized freight terminals located on the lower harbor.

F UOP Honeywell

Molecular Sieves www.uop.com The company committed to a $20 million expansion and eight new jobs. UOP will double production of a product used to remove radioactive substances at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, following the country’s nuclear disaster provoked by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

F ThyssenKrupp AG

Steel www.thyssenkruppsteelusa.com The $5.2 billion ThyssenKrupp complex in north Mobile County is comprised of ThyssenKrupp Steel USA and ThyssenKrupp Stainless USA. It remains one of the largest private investments in U.S. history and is expected to yield more than 30,000 indirect jobs. Both facilities are operating and the first wave of service providers are moving in.

To date, related announcements drawn

by ThyssenKrupp include: F Kloeckner Metals Steel Processors www.kloecknermetals.com $17.8 million / 32 jobs F Tube City IMS Slag Processing / Metal Recovery www.tubecityims.com $23 million investment / 65 jobs F Heidtman Steel Products Steel Slitting www.heidtman.com $18.5 million / 48 jobs F Vail Rubber Works Roll Processing www.vailrubber.com $2.07 million / 16 jobs F Steel Warehouse Steel Pickling Line www.steelwarehouse.com $17 million / 60 jobs F SET Enterprises Steel Processors www.setenterprises.com $12 million / 40 jobs

F Gulf Coast Asphalt

Petroleum Products www.gcachouston.com The full-service liquid bulk storage terminal company and provider of liquid asphalt products made a $21.9 million investment and hired 10 additional employees to install equipment converting low-value crude oil to higher-value grades.

ThyssenKrupp Plant

F Krispy Mixes

Breading / Coating www.krispymixes.com The distributor and blender of coatings and breadings for chicken, fish and seafood expanded its operations to Theodore, renovating a 10,800-square-foot building and hiring 11 additional employees.

F SSAB Americas

Steel www.ssab.com SSAB completed a $220 million expansion adding a new 275,000 square-foot facility. According to company officials, 137 positions were added with this expansion.

F Lenzing Fibers

Tencel / Lyocell www.lenzing.com The company that makes fibers used in clothing, sheets, baby wipes and dozens more personal and industrial applications, completed a $30 million expansion in spring 2012 to meet the North American market demand and added 63 jobs in the process.

Photo by Thigpen Photography

APM Terminals Mobile

Photo by Thigpen Photography

THE BUSINESS VIEW | SEPTEMBER 2012

17

Austal-built Littoral Combat Ship

F Aker Solutions

Subsea Umbilicals www.akersolutions.com The international oil service group is investing another $6 million and creating 25 jobs. This is the fifth expansion since the company opened in Mobile in 2003, and comes on the heels of a $5.3 million expansion in 2011.

F Huntsman Americas

Multi-Functional Epoxy Resins www.huntsman.com The manufacturer of resins for the aerospace and composite industries is expanding its facility, investing $40 million and adding 35 jobs. Under construction in 2012, production is estimated to begin in late 2013 or early 2014.

F Austal USA

Shipbuilding www.austal.com To date, the company holds 14 military contracts for its vessels – five Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and nine Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV). The company now employs 2,900 workers.

Austal is building up to 11 LCS and 10 JHSV, with the two contracts adding up to more than $5.1 billion.

In The News...

Southern Business and Development named Mobile one of its Top 10 successful aviation and aerospace clusters in the South. (2012) Mobile’s performance in job and wage growth earned the Port City the 34th spot in Milken Institute’s annual list of 2011 Best-Performing Cities of the nation’s top 200 metro areas. Mobile scored highest in the categories of 5-Year HighTech GDP and 5-Year Wages & Salaries Growth. (2012)

Bienville Square

18 SEPTEMBER 2012 | THE BUSINESS VIEW

Photo by Thigpen Photography

Southern Business and Development recognized the Mobile Area Chamber’s economic development efforts and named Mobile Bay among the top 10 “ProBusiness” beach communities. (2011) Business Facilities named Mobile as one of the “Top Logistics Distribution and Shipping Hubs” for metro areas. The magazine credited Mobile’s deepwater port, container terminal, two airports, five Class I railroads and two major interstate systems as its greatest assets. (2011)

In its first-ever ranking of American Cities of the Future 2011/2012, fDi magazine put Mobile in the No. 10 spot among small cities defined by populations of 100,000 to 250,000. (2011) The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce was recognized by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives with the inaugural Going International Award. The designation highlights the Chamber’s international trade program. (2011)

Mobile Area Chamber’s Top 50 Largest Employers 1. University of South Alabama &

Medical facilities

5,500

2. Infirmary Health

4,484

3. Austal USA

2,800

4. City of Mobile

2,200

5. ThyssenKrupp Steel USA

1,750

6. Providence Hospital

1,570

7. ST Aerospace Mobile

1,500

8. Mobile County

1,450

9. Wal-Mart

1,321

10. Springhill Medical Center

1,300

11. G.A. West & Co.

860

12. AltaPointe

800

13. BAE Systems Southeast

800

14. Alorica

700

15. Kimberly-Clark

700

16. Alabama State Port Authority

690

17. Evonik Degussa

680

18. Regions Bank

672

19. Alabama Power

630

20. Boise Paper

592

21. Phelps Dunbar

578

22. ThyssenKrupp Stainless

550

23. SSAB Americas

500

24. Continental Motors

450

25. World Omni Financial Corp.

431

26. BASF

430

27. The SSI Group

428

28. Mobile Area Water & Sewer System

400

29. UOP Honeywell

380

30. Hargrove Engineers + Constructors

375

Mobile Area Statistics Mobile is the largest Gulf Coast city between New Orleans and Tampa, Fla., and is ranked 117th in the nation.

Population Median Age City of Mobile 195,111 36 Mobile County 412,992 37 Baldwin County 182,265 38 Source: 2010 Census Mobile Bay Area 595,257 37

Brookley Aeroplex

Mobile Manufacturing Profile Mobile has a diverse group of manufacturers that supply local, regional, national and international customers.

Represented in the other category are area seafood processors, textiles, petroleum and wood products.

31. Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa 300 32. AT&T

325

33. Premier Medical Management

325

34. Olin Corp.

305

35. APEX/FCC Oilfield Services

300

36. Bishop State Community College

300

37. Robert J. Baggett

300

38. Thompson Engineering

300

39. Airbus Americas Engineering 40. Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic

n Steel n Maritime n Chemical

42. Masland Carpets

285

43. Crown Products

280

44. C&G Boatworks

250

45. Cardiology Associates

250

46. Coca-Cola Bottling Co.

250

47. Signal Ship Repair

234

n Aerospace

10%

20%

n Other

16%

230

49. Spring Hill College

230

50. DuPont Crop Protection

220

20%

290 285

n Paper

27%

290

41. The Hiller Companies

48. Mobile Gas

7%

*full-time employees as of 8/8/12

THE BUSINESS VIEW | SEPTEMBER 2012

19

Nashville Memphis Columbia

Little Rock Atlanta Birmingham

Montgomery

Jackson

Mobile Biloxi

Pensacola

Jacksonville

Baton Rouge New Orleans

Houston

Orlando

Lagniappe The Mobile Bay region offers an abundance of cultural and recreational opportunities for people of all ages – a variety of museums, theater, symphony, opera, ballet, fishing, golfing, relaxing at the beach and more.

Miami

F Regional golf is

F Mobile’s cost of living is consistently one of the lowest of the 80 mid-size F The Mobile Bay region U.S. metropolitan areas, welcomes nearly 7.3 according to an ACCRA million visitors a year. survey.

F Mobile was founded in

1702 and celebrated its Tricentennial in 2002.

among the nation’s finest, with more than 25 courses.

F Six different flags have flown over Mobile: French, Spanish, British, Republic of Alabama, Confederacy and United States of America.

F Mobile is home to

America’s Mardi Gras, instituted in 1704, 62 years before New Orleans adopted the celebration.

F Mobile was named

an All-American City by the National Civic League, one of the most coveted titles among U.S. cities.

F Mobile has three major F Mobile Bay is the

hometown of baseball Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Ozzie Smith and Satchel Paige.

universities – one public, University of South Alabama; one private Jesuit, Spring Hill College; and one private Southern Baptist institution, University of Mobile.

F The Copeland-Cox Mobile F At least 34 international

Tennis Center is the nation’s largest public facility with 50 hard courts.

companies have current operations in Mobile County.

F Mobile is home to the

GoDaddy.com Bowl, Senior Bowl, Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, NCAA-Division I USA Jaguars, the Dauphin Island Regatta and the Distinguished Young Women scholarship program.

F Mobile is known as the

Published by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, September 2012

20 SEPTEMBER 2012 | THE BUSINESS VIEW

Azalea City thanks to Frise Langlois, who first brought the bright pink blossoms here from his father’s garden in Toulouse, France, in 1754.

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The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

21

CEO profile

Harrietta Eaton

Company: CorroMetrics Services Inc. Title: Chief executive officer Hometown: Mobile Education: Eaton earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of Montevallo and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of South Alabama First job: Manager of women’s better sportswear at Gayfer’s department store Previous experience: Eaton was director of administration for the city of Pascagoula, Miss., during Hurricane Katrina. She oversaw operations of the city clerk’s office, IT department, finance division and human resources, as well as governmental affairs for the city. Prior to that, Eaton served as the mayor’s chief of staff for the city of Prichard.

Accomplishments: When Pascagoula was devastated by Hurricane Katrina with more than 90 percent of the city flooded, Eaton worked directly with Congressional leaders and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to secure more than $10 million in federal funds to construct a beach along the waterfront. The beach serves as a buffer zone to minimize flooding during future natural disasters.

CorroMetrics was named the Mobile Area Chamber’s Small Business of the Year in 2010. In addition, she is the first Alabama native elected vice-chair of public affairs for NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) International, the world’s largest organization dedicated to the study of corrosion.

Brief company description: CorroMetrics Services Inc. provides technical and consulting services for industries using protective coatings and linings to protect valuable assets. Staffed by certified coating inspectors, CorroMetrics’ services include condition assessments and evaluations, project management, protective coatings inspection, and training and failure analysis. CorroMetrics prepares facility surveys that evaluate conditions and determine maintenance requirements for clients in the oil and gas industries, as well as shipbuilding and bridge projects.

What changes can we expect from CorroMetrics? The company will focus on securing additional government contracts and continue expanding abroad, according to Eaton.

CorroMetrics has offices in Hong Kong and Beijing and just opened a new satellite office in Dubai.

Secret to success: “Building business relationships with my clients by treating them the way I would like to be treated,” she says. “Repeat business is also important to us, and it can only be accomplished by providing quality service on every job.”

22 SEPTEMBER 2012 | The Business View

Looking for Ideas?

Start with Your Employees

Every day, small business owners scour the web, business journals and their own brains in search of ways to improve efficiency, attract customers and boost the bottom line. Many don’t realize they already have a ready source of information, insights and ideas – their employees.

Because employees spend every day performing services, or doing administrative work, they bring a “hands-on” perspective about their jobs and how those functions interact with other parts of your business.

Tapping this knowledge resource can help identify cuts, improve production and create a better customer experience.

Also, employees are not you. They have not focused on starting, growing and managing a business. Instead, they’re “outsiders” who may be more attuned to problems you overlook, or see things from the point of view of the customer or supplier.

They also bring experiences from previous employers, including ideas that did and didn’t work.

What’s more, each employee has his or her own network. They may know people who have tackled just the problem you’re grappling with. Perhaps they’ve seen a sales promotion that could be adapted for your business. They can serve as your eyes and ears for everything ranging from what competitors are doing to market intelligence on the Internet.

How do you tap this wealth of ideas and inspiration? Start by making open, two-way communication the foundation of your management strategy. From the day they’re hired, employees should feel their opinions are valued. Provide multiple channels for their input – in-person, through supervisors if your organization is multi-tiered, or via a specific email address for employee

suggestions (an electronic version of the ubiquitous “suggestion box”).

If your staff is small enough, hold regular, informal meetings where employees can offer and discuss ideas. Here, you get the advantage of a group dynamic – multiple perspectives and opinions that can turn what began as a good idea into a great one.

Make a point to communicate specific information on developments and trends shaping your industry or market.

Awareness of the environment in which the company operates will likely get employees thinking about how to cope with or capitalize on opportunities.

Make sure suggestions are acknowledged with thanks and a follow-up. For example, let them know if their idea is being applied, if it’s not suitable or cost-effective, if it’s something that will require more study, etc.

If appropriate, allow the employee to

provide more information or modify the suggestion. But don’t simply leave the matter at “we’ll think about it.” Today’s idea may not work, but tomorrow’s might be a difference-maker.

SCORE is a nonprofit association that offers a wealth of information resources, training and free counseling designed to help entrepreneurs nationwide build productive, profitable businesses. For a free and confidential one-onone session, contact the Mobile SCORE chapter, housed at the Mobile Area Chamber, at 4318614, or visit online at www.score.org.

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The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

23

Chamber@work Economic Development Department News During the first six months of 2012, the economic development department worked 42 active projects. These projects represent a variety of industries including chemicals, oil and gas, steel, aerospace, bio-diesel, and engineering and distribution centers. In 2012, announcements have included 2,031 new jobs and $685.3 million in capital investment.

Norwegian Delegation Visits Mobile The Chamber’s trade division hosted Lars Petter Henie, minister counselor, economic affairs, and Arild Wegener, counselor, industrial affairs, with the Royal Norwegian Embassy, as well as Marc Quenneville and Ivar Simensen with Aker Solutions to discuss trade opportunities in Norway, economic developments in Mobile and synergies between the two.

Mobile Area Chamber President’s Work with U.S. Chamber Win Hallett, president of the Mobile Area Chamber, sits on the U.S. Chamber’s board of directors and on both the accreditation and board nominating committees. During a June U.S. Chamber meeting, Hallett heard from Robert Zoellick, president of The World Bank, and Tom Donilon, White House national security advisor. Donilon discussed the need for exports to double over the next five years in order to create the jobs necessary to address America’s economic malaise.

Chamber Studies Trends in Workforce Collaboration The Chamber participated in the National Fund for Workforce Solutions (NFWS) annual conference, where fund sites and potential fund sites met to discuss current trends in workforce collaborations and development efforts. The Chamber represented the Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Council (SAWDC), a fund site for NFWS. Chamber Vice President of Economic Development Troy Wayman chairs SAWDC.

More Go-Mo with Google Google returned to Mobile in June to provide interactive training sessions for Chamber members. Attendees learned what mobile sites are, why they matter and how to build a mobile site for their companies. The sold-out training session was attended by more than 30 people, and Google plans to host another session at the Chamber this fall.

Trade Division Travels to China In June, the Chamber’s trade division co-led a successful trade mission to Shanghai and Guangzhou, China. This multi-industry mission included one-onone business meetings between Alabama companies and potential Chinese end-users and partners. Other delegation members met with government and private business leaders to discuss potential exchanges and business opportunities. Fourteen people participated in the mission trip.

Chamber Names New Ambassadors Peggy Folz with Batteries Plus and Mary Werneth with Virginia College were named new Chamber ambassadors.

Ambassadors are a group of volunteer members who assist the Chamber with a variety of projects, including event registration, member visits and attending ribbon cuttings. To learn more about this group, contact Dawn Rencher at 431-8649 or drencher@mobilechamber.com.

Growth Alliance Task Force Meets In June, the Chamber’s small business development department hosted the Growth Alliance Task Force. The task force, charged with increasing minority business opportunities for Chamber members, discussed plans for the Eagle Awards and Minority Business Week in October and the updated minority business directory.

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7/27/12 4:27:50 PM

Chamber@work SCORE Counselors Work with Entrepreneurs SCORE, a group of retired business executives who work with budding entrepreneurs in private, one-on-one counseling sessions, met with 45 small business owners during the months of May and June. SCORE is a free service, and the Mobile Chapter is housed at the Chamber. To learn more about this program or to schedule a session with one of the counselors, call 431-8614.

Chamber Hires Two Summer Interns During the summer, the Chamber had two students working in the communications and marketing department and the Center for Workforce Development. Sarah Bolt, a student at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., worked in communications and marketing. Sarah Pollard, a student at Birmingham-Southern, worked in the Center for Workforce Development.

Business Spotlight of the Month: Dream Berry

Ambassador of the Month

Folz

Dream Berry, located at 3702 Airport Blvd., is a frozen yogurt shop offering 18 different flavors of yogurt and more than 50 toppings. Customers serve themselves and can indulge in as much or as little yogurt and toppings as they like. The shop is co-owned by Roshni Patel and Nikki Patel. The Business Spotlight of the Month is

selected at random from a business card drawing at the Chamber’s monthly Business After Hours event.

Peggy Folz owns the local franchise of Batteries Plus, a store with more than 510 locations in 46 states. The Ohio native is the Mobile Area Chamber’s Ambassador of the Month.

Folz joined the Mobile Area Chamber after opening Batteries Plus in 2011. She also joined the Chamber’s ambassador committee. “Meeting Chamber members, learning about their businesses, learning about Mobile, and identifying ways we might help other businesses with their battery and bulb needs is just one of the benefits of being an ambassador,” she says.

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The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

25

7/9/12 11:36 AM

Chamber@work Board of Advisors Christian Dohr is president and chief executive officer of ThyssenKrupp Steel USA LLC. Dohr has more than 10 years of senior management experience with ThyssenKrupp in Europe and the U.S., most recently as president of ThyssenKrupp’s joint venture TWB Co., a leading automotive supplier of steel, lightweight products and laser-welded steel blanks. Over the course of his ThyssenKrupp career he has organized and supervised similar plants in Italy, Sweden, Turkey and Mexico. Dohr holds a Dohr master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Stuttgart, Germany. In 2005, he received the ThyssenKrupp Award for Innovation for his work on a tailor-welded coil project that led to a new and innovative product the ThyssenKrupp group launched in Europe and the NAFTA region. ThyssenKrupp Steel USA is a Partners for Growth investor.

OCTOBER 5, 6, & 7, 2012 JOURNEY

LUKE BRYAN

AL GREEN

PRETTY LIGHTS

BUSH

PAT BENATAR

CHRIS CAGLE

JERROD NIEMANN

ROSE ROYCE

LOVERBOY

BUCKCHERRY

MIMOSA

MY DARKEST DAYS

MORE ACTS TO COME!

Mark Fillers is south Alabama market president for BBVA Compass Bank. He received a bachelor’s degree in small business management and entrepreneurship from The University of Alabama and a master’s degree in business administration from Auburn University. He also earned certification from the BBVA Compass School of Management. He serves as his church’s finance and stewardship chair and as a member of the executive board of the Mobile Area Council for the Boy Scouts of America. He has also Fillers volunteered with the American Cancer Society, United Way of Southwest Alabama and the American Heart Association. BBVA Compass Bank is a Partners for Growth investor.

Michael G. Molyneux is founder, president and chief executive officer of WellNow, a company developing and managing outpatient clinics for employers. Molyneux earned a degree in physical therapy from the University of South Alabama in 1978 and maintains his licensure.

He has held office and served on numerous local and national committees of the American Physical Therapy Association. He is a past adjunct clinical instructor, serves on the boards of several healthcare businesses, and has been Molyneux involved with a variety of partners in out-patient clinics, fitness centers, industrial medical clinics, back-to-work programs and wellness programs. Molyneux previously co-founded and served as CEO for Therapy Management Services, a national provider of rehabilitation services to hospitals, physicians’ practices, and medical and industrial clinics, with 54 locations in 15 states, employing 1,500 therapists.

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26 SEPTEMBER 2012 | The Business View

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 | SEPTEMBER 2012

27

Comparative

Economic Indicators The Mobile Area Chamber’s research division collects a variety of statistics each month.

June 2012 vs June 2011

Employed Mobile/Baldwin counties

255,340 2012 248,583 2011

Unemployment Rates 9.2% 2012 10.5% 2011

Homes Sold⌦ Mobile County

Building Permits

Business Licenses City of Mobile

City of Mobile

200 2012

307 2012 316 2011

232 2012 241 2011

176 2011

Average Selling Price Mobile County

Value of Building Permits

Air Passengers From Mobile Area

$131,222 2012 $134,066 2011

$7,425,064 2012

25,771 2012

$26,944,476 2011

27,534 2011

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28 SEPTEMBER 2012 | The Business View

investor

Jones Walker

focus

Founded in 1937, Jones Walker is one of the largest law firms in the Southeastern U.S. with more than 375 attorneys across the U.S. The Mobile practice operates out of three historic buildings in downtown’s DiTonti Square, all connected by breezeways. The buildings include the Ralston House (pictured above), the Frazer House and the Chandlery, formerly housing the Mobile Ship Chandlery and Mobile Cigar Factory.

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.

Company officials: Local company officials: Bradley R. Byrne, Partner; Robert L. Carothers Jr., Partner; Steven F. Casey, Partner; Kathryn W. Drey, Special Counsel; Christopher H. Ezell, Associate; Palmer C. Hamilton, Partner; George A. LeMaistre Jr., Special Counsel; David A. Lester, Associate; Matthew C. McDonald, Partner; Edward A.R. Miller, Associate; Michel Nicrosi, Special Counsel; Leigh Lichty Pipkin, Special Counsel; James Rebarchak, Special Counsel; Kirkland Reid, Partner; Michael Anthony Shaw, Special Counsel; Ronald A. Snider, Partner; Kenneth S. Steely, Special Counsel; Carol Todd Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer; Jason R. Watkins, Special Counsel;Kenneth A. Watson, Special Counsel and Richard A. Wright, Partner

Years in business: 75 Brief company description:

Jones Walker, founded in 1937, is one of the largest law firms in the Southeastern U.S., serving a range of local, regional, national and international business interests, with approximately 375 attorneys located in Alabama, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York and Texas.

Why are you located in Mobile?

“Vital location along our Gulf states presence that offers broadening economic base, port activities and a number of large firm clients,” said Snider.

Why do you support the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce’s Partners for Growth initiative?

“The firm believes it is important to support the various economic development initiatives in the locations in which it does business,” said Snider. “It’s good for the community and good for businesses to have a voice in the development of shortand long-term growth efforts.”

What do you see as Mobile’s greatest potential? “Coastal

presence offers great opportunities for shipping, manufacturing, recreation, tourism and energy sectors,” said Snider.

Length of continuous Chamber membership: Since 1986

The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

29

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For more than 150 years, Regions Bank has been proudly serving South Alabama. You don’t stay in the banking business for more than a century and a half without doing things the right way. Things like offering simple, reliable financial solutions along with friendly customer service. That approach is why Regions has remained strong and stable through the good times and the bad. And it’s how we are continuing to serve our community.

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TheBusView.indd 1 30AL-SW120084 SEPTEMBER 2012 | The Business View

3/8/12 1:32 PM

September Calendar of Events 3 12

Chamber Closed Labor Day Networking@Noon

*Members Only

Make 40 business contacts in 90 minutes at Networking@ Noon on Wednesday, Sept. 12, at Portier Place, 4363 Old Shell Rd., from noon to 1:30 p.m. This bi-monthly event for Mobile Area Chamber members is limited to one representative per company.

The $10 cost must be paid with reservation by Sept. 10, and can be made by contacting Kelly Navarro at 431-8638 or knavarro@mobilechamber. com. No cancellations will be reimbursed after Sept. 10.

13

How to Keep Your Business Out of Trouble *Members Only Receive valuable information and free advice from leading local attorneys specializing in small business and employment law at the “How to Keep Your Business Out of Trouble” legal seminar on Thursday, Sept. 13, from 1 to 5 p.m., at the Mobile Area Chamber, 451 Government Street.

This free seminar is geared toward business owners, supervisors and human resource managers. Topics include: taxes and tax breaks for small businesses, ObamaCare, employment and labor law, and other timely issues. A short networking reception will follow the seminar.

There is no charge to attend, but reservations are requested.

For more information, contact Brenda Rembert at 431-8607 or brembert@mobile chamber.com.

18

For information on Chamber events, visit events.mobilechamber.com.

Executive Roundtable

*Members Only

Mark Wolfe, partner with Boteler, Finley & Wolfe, will discuss why many area businesses may qualify for compensation from the BP Deepwater Horizon class action suit at this month’s Executive Roundtable. The forum, exclusively for Chamber members and small business owners, will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 18, from 8-9 a.m. in the Mobile Area Chamber’s Board Room. Wolfe will specifically discuss the business loss claim requirements and claim testing protocol.

There is no charge to attend, but seating is limited.

For reservations contact Brenda Rembert at 431-8607 or brembert@ mobilechamber.com.

27

Business After Hours Floor Trader, 1401 Schillinger Rd. S., will host the Mobile Area Chamber’s popular after hours networking event, Business After Hours, on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Introduce your company and make new business contacts. The cost to attend is $5 for members and $10 for potential members.

Reservations are not needed.

The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

31

Member News Who’s New

Granata

Gardner has a bachelor’s degree in business and financial services and a master’ in business administration from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

X

tax preparation, consultation and research for individuals, corporations, partnerships and taxexempt entities.

X

Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS Mobile office hired Suzanne Martin as a sales agent.

Jackson

Martin

X

Berlant

Providence Hospital named Randy Granata director of case management and Harley Berlant manager of sterile processing. Granata recently worked with St. Vincent Health Center in Erie, Pa. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Illinois at Chicago and holds a master’s degree in community/ public health nursing from Northern Illinois University. Berlant is a certified supplies, processing and distribution (SPD) trainer with more than 25 years of experience.

X John David Gardner has been named research analyst for Cornerstone Investment Management.

Gardner

Lawrence

Smith

Wilkins Miller Hieronymus LLC has named two employees to its Mobile office.

Russell Lawrence has also been hired as an accountant. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration from The University of Alabama and served in the U.S. Air Force. Tyler Smith has been hired as an accountant with a concentration in audit and tax. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southeastern Louisiana University and served in the U.S. Navy.

X Smith, Dukes and Buckalew LLP hired Cliff Jackson CPA as a tax principal in the Mobile office. A graduate of Auburn University Montgomery, he specializes in

Kelso

Stevens

Keller Williams hired Karen Kelso and Debi Stevens to work in the Mobile office.

X Dearborn YMCA promoted Colette Huff to chief executive officer. Huff held the position on an interim basis and previously was the G.E.D. program director. Huff received a Huff bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s of education in counseling and student development from Tuskegee University.

Lyons

Smith

The SSI Group announced Vice President and Chief Financial Officer James M. Lyons is the new CEO and president. Lyons replaced retiring CEO and President Bobby Smith, a founding member of the company.

X

Cooper

Woods

Prudential Cooper & Co. Inc. announced Riley Cooper will work out of the Robertsdale office and Jimmie Woods will work out of the Cottage Hill office.

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32 SEPTEMBER 2012 | The Business View

9/26/11 4:49 PM

Hummingbird Ideas hired Sarah Greer as the social media coordinator and sales executive.

Greer

LaFrenier

X

Macon

Crow Shields Bailey PC hired Melissa D. LaFrenier CPA and Colleen C. Macon CPA. LeFrenier is a graduate of the University of South Alabama. Macon is an Auburn University graduate. Both are joining the Mobile office.

X Burr & Forman LLP hired Sean P. Dudley as an associate. Dudley is a corporate attorney, counseling business on day-to-day and major commercial Dudley transactions. He was previously with Dykema Gossett PLLC in Chicago.

X ABS Business Systems hired Jim Smith as an account representative.

X Russell Thompson Butler & Houston LLP hired Wallace McKinney CPA as a staff accountant specializing in financial auditing.

McKinney has a McKinney bachelor’s degree in business administration from Auburn University with a concentration in finance.

Business Endeavors Mobile County opened a full-service medical and wellness clinic for its employees, the first of its kind here. The clinic is a partnership between the Mobile County Commission and Infirmary Health. The new Employee Health Center is located at 3925 Michael Blvd, Suite A. X The American Red Cross launched a first-aid phone application for smartphones.

The app includes information about the most common first aid problems, videos and more. For more information, visit www.americanredcross.org/FirstAidApp.

Broussard’s Piano Gallery and Academy of Music is now a Steinway authorized dealer. Broussard’s will offer Steinway-designed Boston and Essex pianos and handle sales and service. For more information, call 344-8856.

Kitchen on George, owned and operated by the Culinary Institute of Virginia College, is now serving Sunday brunch. The restaurant’s Sunday hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

X Providence Health Ministry leaders announced a new mobile app for iPhones and Android smartphones to provide information on services and facilities.

Well Done U.S. Green Building Council Alabama Chapter recently elected 2012 directors and officers including, three from the Mobile area: Neil Johnston Johnston with Hand Arendall LLC; Tammy Clark with Terracon; and Green Suttles with Gulf States Engineering.

X Hargrove Engineers + Constructors ranks no. 175 nationally in Engineering News Record’s (ENR) Top 500 Design Firms, a first for the Mobile-based firm.

ENR performs the annual survey and ranks companies engaged in several areas of expertise.

X University of South Alabama (USA) Children’s and Women’s Hospital received the Silver Level Award for achieving 91 percent compliance by employees and staff for flu vaccination. The award was presented by the Joint Commission, the nation’s largest healthcare standards-setting and accrediting body.

X Employees in four Evonik Degussa Corp. sections at the company’s Mobile site have worked more than 3 million hours with no Lost Time Accidents (LTA) – a workrelated injury or illness resulting in time off from work. The four include departments that produce vulcanizing agents used in automotive applications, specifically for rubber in tires, and the HCN and Acrolein plants, used in the manufacture of methionine, an amino acid used in animal feeds.

X Meyer Vacation Rentals and White-Spunner Construction Inc. were named among the 2012 best companies to work for in Alabama. To qualify for the recognition, created by Business Alabama

magazine and Best Companies Group, companies must be in business for one year, have an Alabama facility and employ at least 15 people in the state.

X

Birchall

Wright

Jones Walker LLC ranked in the top tiers of legal practice in several states including Alabama, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. James L. Birchall and Richard A. Wright with Jones Walker’s Alabama firm received recognition for their work in banking and commerce.

X Sixteen Hand Arendall LLC attorneys were selected as Alabama’s 2012 Super Attorneys: Joe E. Basenberg, Roger L. Bates, R. Preston Bolt Jr., I. Ripon Britton, Jr., Henry A. Callaway, Ginger P. Gaddy, Frank C. Galloway Jr., P. Nicholas Greenwood, J. Mark Hart, Neil C. Johnston, Henry T. Morrissette, W. Alexander Moseley, Caine O’Rear III, Andrew J. Sinor Jr., William C. Tidwell III and George M. Walker. Seven attorneys

were recognized as Rising Stars: Windy C. Bitzer, Tracy R. Davis, Stephen N. Fitts III, Benjamin S. Goldman, Katie H. Hassell, John Rollins and Norman Stockman.

X Davidson High School’s robotics team received recognition from the Business Council of Alabama for being the highestranking BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) robotics team in the state of Alabama. Davidson’s team is affiliated with the Mobile Jubilee BEST. X Two local hospital officials will serve on Alabama Hospital Association (AlaHA) board. Clark Christianson, president and CEO of Providence Hospital, Christianson was elected chairman-elect. A. Elizabeth (Beth) Anderson, administrator of the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, will serve on the board.

X VERGE advertising agency was awarded three healthcare advertising awards, a gold and two merit awards, and Laura Burton, principal, received the American Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal Award for her contributions to advertising and the advancement of the industry.

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The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

33

University of South Alabama Medical Center was recognized by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association with Quality Achievement Awards for Stroke and Heart Care.

X Army Aviation Center Federal Credit Union was recognized as Credit Union of the Year Award by the League of Southeastern Credit Unions for credit unions $500 million and larger in asset size in Alabama and Florida.

X HandsOn South Alabama received the 2012 George W. Romney Excellence Award for its work in building innovative programming to solve community problems across south Alabama.

X Cheryl McCormick-Hann won Edward Jones Sr. Founders Award for her exceptional achievement for building client relationships.

McCormick-Hann works in financial services firm Edward Jones in Mobile. She was one of 2,315 of the firm’s 12,000 financial advisors to receive the annual award.

X Pen Air Federal Credit Union was presented the Brothers Keeper Award by the League of Southern Credit Unions. Pen Air FCU won the award based on its efforts during the 2011 tornadoes that swept across Alabama.

The Mobile County Animal Shelter was awarded a $70,000 grant from the Maddie’s Pet Rescue Project in Mobile for the shelter’s part in adopting out increasing numbers of animals amid a steady increase in the numbers of unwanted animals coming into the shelter.

X The Centre for the Living Arts was awarded a challenge grant of $150,000 by the Educational Foundation of America.

Funds will support the development of a vacant lot in downtown Mobile to an art park.

X Bellingrath Gardens and Home Museum Director Thomas C. McGehee was named Rotarian of the Year.

McGehee

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. youtube.com/MobileChamber

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.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic PC.........26 Alabama Power.....................................34 BancorpSouth........................................28 BankTrust..............................................23 BayFest....................................................26 Blue Haven Pools....................................8 Coast Safe and Lock.............................30 Community Bank...................................6 FLC Living................................................ 5 Gwin’s Printing......................................31 Hancock Bank....................................... 25 Harris Business Machines.....................11 HKA Enterprises Inc..............................13 Infirmary Health...................................24 Interstate Printing & Graphics Inc......33 Lagniappe...............................................31 MCG Business Solutions....................... 27 Mobile Airport Authority....................... 14 Mobile County Health Department.....32 Original Oyster House........................... 27 Padgett Business Services of Mobile...... 7 PNC Bank.................................................9 Premier Medical Management............ 27 Regions Bank........................................30 The University of Alabama....................21 WellNow LL.............................................11 Wonderland Express.............................30

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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.

Dream Berry Roshni Patel 3702 Airport Blvd.

Mobile, AL 36608 251-234-0274 www.facebook.com/#!/ DreamBerryOfMobile Yogurt

Joseph Gunter DMD PC Christopher Mullenix DMD 715 Downtowner Blvd.

Mobile, AL 36609 251-471-3381 http://www.mobileoral surgery.com Dentists-Oral Maxillofacial

EMO Trans Inc. Irene Manzanilla 1015 Montlimar Dr., Ste. D-5 Mobile, AL 36609-1726 251-342-3313 www.emotrans.com Freight ForwardingInternational

Hafez Corp. d/b/a McDonald’s Ebrahim Maghsoud 30892 Jay Dr. Spanish Fort, AL 36527-5202 251-625-1716 www.hafezcorp.com Restaurants

Covenant Christian School Keith Currie 7150 Hitt Rd. Mobile, AL 36695 251-633-8055 www.covenantschool.com Schools-Private-Secondary/ Elementary

Go Play Pet Service Brad Banks 2518 Hwy. 98 Daphne, AL 36526-7244 251-621-7389 www.goplaypets.com Pet Services

Cunningham Bounds LLC Joan Cumbie P.O. Box 66705 Mobile, AL 36660-1705 251-471-6191 www.cunninghambounds.com Attorneys

Grip Genies Ashley Dionne 10126 Downing St. Semmes, AL 36575 251-649-9415 www.gripgenies.com Safety Services

The Home Depot Store #0801 Mike McGowan 755 Schillinger Rd. S. Mobile, AL 36695-8909 251-634-0351 www.homedepot.com Home Improvements

Dearborn YMCA Colette Huff 321 N. Warren St. Mobile, AL 36603 251-432-4768 www.dearbornymca.org Nonprofit Organization

Gulf Coast Medical Evaluation Center Sharon Robertson P.O. Box 8048 Spanish Fort, AL 36577 251-626-6226 www.gcmedevals.com Medical Consultative Business

Aaron’s Lock Service Brandon King 190 Northshore Cir. Gulf Shores, AL 36542 251-433-1919 www.aaronslockservice.com Locks & Locksmiths

Cafe Catering Sandra Caston 5874 Cansler Dr. Mobile, AL 36609 251-366-7108 www.CafeCateringMobile.com Caterers

Absolute Health Solutions Dr. Jason Riemann P.O. Box 91390 Mobile, AL 36691-1390 251-445-3340 www.absolutehealth-solutions.com Chiropractor

Country Inn & Suites by Carlson-Saraland Nikki Dykes 1130 Joaneen Dr. Saraland, AL 36571-3027 251-675-3580 www.countryinns.com Hotels

Alabama Small Business Capital Angie Sweatman 3120 Frederick Rd., Ste. K Opelika, AL 36801 334-318-8064 www.fbdc.net Financial Services ASF Intermodal LLC Michael Smith 3812 Springhill Ave. Mobile, AL 36608 251-287-8152 www.asfintermodal.com Transportation/Logistics The Blind Mule Jerrod Bradford 57 N. Claiborne St. Mobile, AL 36602 251-694-6853 www.theblindmule.net Restaurants & Bar

Lockwood International Terry Eads 8425 Bellingrath Rd., Bldg. #2 Theodore, AL 36582 251-653-7918 www.lockwoodint.com Valves LuLu’s at Homeport Marina Cindy Pouyadou 200 E. 25th Ave. Gulf Shores, AL 36542 251-967-1140 www.lulubuffett.com Restaurants

McKeel & Associates Bill McKeel P.O. Box 1071 Fairhope, AL 36532 251-458-3231 www.mckeelasssoc.com Business Consultants Mellow Mushroom Chad Hicks 1032 Airport Blvd.

Mobile, AL 36606 251-471-4700 www.mellowmushroom.com Restaurants Sheila Murphy 7779 McKinley Ave. Mobile, AL 36608 251-209-5611 Telecommunications Consultants Publix Super Markets Inc. Ed Betts 1400 Hillcrest Rd. Mobile, AL 36609 904-781-8600 www.publix.com Grocers Publix Super Markets Inc. Ed Betts 4628 Airport Blvd.

Mobile, AL 36608 904-781-8600 www.publix.com Grocers

Rock and Roll Sushi Lance Hallmark 3236 Bel Air Mall Mobile, AL 36606 251-510-1711 Restaurants Keith R. Scott Associates LLC Barbara Carlee 28222 Cypress Loop Daphne, AL 36526 251-300-0329 www.keithrscott.com Consultant Sun Loan & Tax Co. Torri Slaughter 7765 Airport Blvd., Ste. 811 Mobile, AL 36608 251-631-3910 www.sunloan.com Loans Trawick International Inc. Daryl C. Trawick 1956-J University Blvd. S. #264 Mobile, AL 36609-2924 251-661-0924 www.trawickinternational.com Insurance Agency As of 6/30/12

Anniversaries

Members Are Our Greatest Asset! Please show your support through the patronage of these businesses.

30 YEARS

Comcast Communication

25 YEARS

Crow Shields & Bailey PC

20 YEARS

Gardnyr Michael Capital Inc.

15 YEARS

Henderson & Associates Court Reporters Inc. Industrial Valve McDowell Knight Roedder & Sledge LLC Triple A Fire Protection Zimlich’s Patio & Garden d/b/a Elizabeth’s Garden

10 YEARS

Alabama Flag & Banner South Ascension Funeral Group Harbor Communications LLC Michelle Roberts Matthews d/b/a Just Write Office Depot Business Solutions Division Safe Archives LLC

Jos. A. Bank Kesco Lynwood Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center MMR Constructors Inc. Outward Bound Discovery, Five Rivers Base PCH Hotels & Resorts Inc. Rite Way Service Inc. Sherwin Williams Co.

5 YEARS

1-4 YEARS

Bell Steel Co. Bluewater Yacht Sales Chandler Packaging Inc. Conde-Charlotte Museum House Dixie Trucks Inc. Fitness Pro Gulf Coast Air & Hydraulics

AeroStar Alabama Railroad & Construction Alford Bolin Dowdy LLC Bay Furniture & Appliance Co. Inc. Belk Boise Paper

Boteler, Finley & Wolfe, Attorneys at Law Candlewood Suites Mobile/ Downtown Capital Volvo Truck & Trailer Charleston Apartment Homes Compass Urgent Care LLC Crowder Gulf A. Evans Crowe LLC The Dickens Agency Elements Therapeutic Massage Engineered Cooling Services Regina Faggard - RE/MAX Realty Centre Geotechnical Engineering Testing Inc. The Gift Spot Glenn Crane & Rigging Growing Potential Inc.

Gulf Equipment Corp.

Independent Practice Management Inc. InWorship Kern Martin Services Inc. Kingswood Townhomes & Apartments Longleaf Machining LLC Susan A. Martino CFP Mediterranean Sandwich Co. Nature’s Way Marine LLC Neal’s Electronics Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services Pat Peck Nissan Pipes Hudson & Watts LLP Planet Fitness PMI Mobile Branch - PMI Emerald Coast Chapter

Private Gallery Inc. Reed Publications Intl.

Richardson Law Firm LLC Ron’s Catering LLC Ruland & Ruland CPAs LLC Service Pump & Compressor (Hertz) Southern Repro Graphics Sovereign Consulting Inc. Sunbelt Building Products/ Ecoview Windows WellNow LLC WillTayl Life and Health Insurance Cart Yarbrough Cable LLC Zevac & Lindsey LLC

The Business View | SEPTEMBER 2012

35

believe in mobile belong to the chamber grow mobile … grow your business Your business thrives when you operate in a strong economy.

That’s why the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce has one of the best economic development programs in the country.

Working with city, county and state officials, we’ve landed some of the most sought-after industrial projects and helped dozens of companies expand – bringing new jobs and customers to the area. When you join the Chamber, you’re taking an active role in making Mobile fertile ground where your business can flourish. Believe in a strong future for Mobile. Belong to the Chamber – because it’s good for business and good for Mobile.

www.JoinMobileChamber.com