Montgomery Business Journal – November December 2016 by Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce

Q&A WITH JOHNNY WILLIAMS RECRUITING CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS PAGE 10

PATTERSON CAMPUS GETS A FACELIFT PAGE 20

JACKSON CLINIC STILL GROWNING PAGE 26

MONTGOMERYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HIGH-TECH STEWARD BOYD STEPHENS HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ESTABLISHING AND NURTURING THE LOCAL HIGH-TECH COMMUNITY PAGE 32

Happy Birthday

The Montgomery Area Chamber Commerce would like to thank Montgomery County, a county rich in tradition and history, for the continued partnership and support through the years. Happy Birthday and hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to many more.

CONTENTS

Q&A with Johnny Williams

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2016

10 32

Tech Community's 'Steward'

16 24 MEMBER PROFILE 20

MEMBER NEWS 24 Member Profile: Davis Direct 30 Member Profile: Oakworth Capital Bank 40 Member Profile: Wash Me Fast

CHAMBER NEWS 06 Calendar 44 Reporterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Notebook 46 Business Buzz 52 Members on the Move 55 Ribbon Cuttings & Ground Breakings 58 New Members

FEATURES 08 HAPPY BIRTHDAY Montgomery County celebrates 200 years

32 TECH COMMUNITY'S STEWARD Stephens plays vital role in shaping revolutionMGM

10 Q&A RECRUITING CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS Johnny Williams is the new executive director of the Central Alabama Sports Commission

37 BUILDING BOOM Construction surges on EastChase Parkway 38 LIGHTING UP PROFITS Cutting clients' costs boosts Alabama Power's revenue

16 MARKETING MEDICAL SERVICES River Region Health Center hopes to increase patient load 20 PUTTING ON A NEW FACE Trenholm State Community College renovates Patterson campus

42 HOTEL EXPERIENCE DESIGNED FOR MILLENNIALS SpringHill Suites coming to downtown

26 HEALTHY GROWTH RATE The Jackson Clinic keeps expanding

60 Economic Intel

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

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DISCOVER THE MANY REASONS HOMEOWNERS ARE GIVING THANKS THIS holiday season. AV

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Randall L. George EDITORIAL

Tina McManama David Zaslawsky Lashanda Gaines Melissa Bowman DESIGN

Copperwing Design PHOTOGRAPHER

Robert Fouts ON THE COVER

Boyd Stephens is the founder of Netelysis ADVERTISING

Linda Drumheller 334-240-9494 mbjsales@montgomerychamber.com

Montgomery Business Journal c/o Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Post Office Box 79 41 Commerce Street Montgomery, Alabama 36101 Telephone: 334-834-5200 Fax: 334-265-4745 Email: mbj@montgomerychamber.com www.montgomerychamber.com/mbj The Montgomery Business Journal (USPS NO. 025553) is published monthly except for the combined issues of June/July/August and November/December, by the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, 41 Commerce Street, Montgomery AL 36104, (334) 834-5200, www.montgomerychamber.com. Subscription rate is $30 annually. Periodicals Postage Paid at Montgomery Alabama, 36119+9998, USPS NO. 025553. Volume 8, Issue 9. POSTMASTER send address changes to Montgomery Business Journal, c/o Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 79, 41 Commerce Street, Montgomery AL 36101, or email mbj@montgomerychamber.com. The Montgomery Business Journal welcomes story ideas from its readers. Email to: editor@montgomerychamber.com. Subscriptions are a part of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce dues structure. Subscriptions can also be purchased for $30 per year at www.montgomerychamber.com/mbjsub.

Referred for a reason.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

NOVEMBER

6-12 MILITARY APPRECIATION

WEEK- FREEDOM ISN’T FREE!

Presenting Sponsor: Alabama Power

CHAMBER NEWS

EVENTS

CYBER FORUM

Presenting Sponsor: Alabama Power 8 AM @ Montgomery Chamber Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery Free – Chamber Members $10 – Nonmembers

60 MINUTE COFFEE

Sponsored by Auburn Montgomery Outreach 8 AM @ Auburn Montgomery Outreach Center for Lifelong Learning 75 TechnaCenter Drive, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

DAY 5-8 MONEY 11 VETERANS PARADE RECEPTION MATTERS Presenting Sponsor: City of Montgomery Invitation-only reception

SOCIAL 15 MAKING MEDIA WORK FOR YOU 11 AM @ Montgomery Chamber Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery Free event

15 BUSINESS PLANNING SEMINAR Sponsored by BWS Technologies 4 PM @ Montgomery Chamber Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery $10 at the door

YOUR 16 MAXIMIZE MEMBERSHIP Sponsored by Charter HR 8 AM @ Montgomery Chamber of Commerce 41 Commerce Street, Montgomery Free – Reservations are required

17 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Sponsored by Montgomery Airport Authority 5 PM @ Montgomery Regional Airport 4445 Selma Highway, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

DECEMBER

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

BUSINESS PLANNING SEMINAR

Sponsored by BWS Technologies 4 PM @ Montgomery Chamber Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery $10 at the door

60 MINUTE COFFEE

Sponsored by Copperwing Design 8 AM @ Copperwing Design 3158 Parliament Circle, Montgomery Free event, exclusively for Chamber Members

144TH ANNUAL MEETING

Presenting Sponsor: BBVA Compass 6 PM @ Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center 201 Tallapoosa Street, Montgomery Registration: montgomerychamber.com/ annualmeeting

15 PAYROLL TAX UPDATE 8:30 AM @ Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center 201 Tallapoosa Street, Montgomery $85 – Chamber Member $105 – Nonmember

PLANNING 20 BUSINESS SEMINAR

Presenting Sponsor: Arrowhead Country Club Invitation-only reception

Sponsored by BWS Technologies 4 PM @ Montgomery Chamber Business Resource Center 600 South Court Street, Montgomery $10 at the door

MILITARY APPRECIATION HOLIDAY RECEPTION

The Montgomery Chamber Event Calendar is at montgomerychamber.com/events

Presenting Sponsor: Warren Averett, LLC 11 AM @ Montgomery Chamber Business Resource Center $80 - Chamber Member $100 - Nonmember

MY C ITY MY U N IVE RS I TY

MY TROJAN WARRIOR SPIRIT Jim S., Administrator Student Services. Professor. Dad.

Now more than ever, Troy Montgomery is fueling the success of our city. At our state university, working professionals are getting the degrees they need to not only seize opportunities but to also create them. That’s progress. That’s the Trojan Warrior Spirit, and it’s alive and well at Troy University.

◆

MONTGOMERY

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November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Montgomery County celebrates 200 years by David Zaslawsky Elton N. Dean Sr. is Chairman of the Montgomery County Commission

“When you’re talking about a 200th birthday that’s extraordinary and to be here in Montgomery, Ala., where things have changed so much over those 200 years.” - Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean Sr.

The oldest county in the state – Montgomery County – has spent all year celebrating its 200th birthday.

The county is almost exactly three years older than Alabama, which became a state Dec. 14, 1819.

Those celebrations have ranged from very intimate neighborhood gatherings to some extravaganzas. The website states: “From grassroots to grand scale.”

He said that Montgomery County has participated “in every revenue-producing event.” The county began dedicating a portion of its sales tax to the Montgomery Public Schools in July 2001 and that amount now totals more than $300 million. That contribution does not include the county helping fund school construction projects along with the city.

Montgomery County’s Facebook page shows 200 ways to celebrate the 200th birthday. There are some key events planned for Dec. 6, which is the day the county was founded in 1816. Festivities include an all-day happy birthday celebration. There will be a Montgomery County Bicentennial Commemoration noon-1 p.m. at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Students from two Montgomery Public Schools – Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies and Booker T. Washington Magnet High – will unveil a sculpture by the Annex 1 building, which is across the street from the Montgomery County Commission building. “When you’re talking about a 200th birthday that’s extraordinary and to be here in Montgomery, Ala., where things have changed so much over those 200 years,” said Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean Sr. “When you’re talking about a county that is older than the state, it is really significant,” Dean said. “We’ve done some really great things in Montgomery, especially in the last 15 to 20 years.”

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

“We consider ourselves one big family,” Dean said about the county, which he calls the parent and his two sons – the City of Montgomery and Pike Road. A new logo was created to celebrate the county’s bicentennial and even the Alabama National Fair held at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery observed the county’s 200th birthday. There was even a Walk 200, where teams walked 200 miles during a six-week span. “The way we look at it is this is Montgomery County’s 200th birthday, but it’s everybody’s birthday,” DiDi Henry, director of public affairs for Montgomery County, told the Montgomery Advertiser. What about the next 50 years or 100 years? “Montgomery is still on the brink of promise,” Dean said. “The seeds have been planted and a lot of seeds were planted before us, but they have not been harvested. There’s more harvesting coming and harvesting time in Montgomery is not seasonal – it’s all the time.” n

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Johnny Williams is executive director of the Central Alabama Sports Commission.

Johnny Williams is the new executive director of the Central Alabama Sports Commission and is the executive director of the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. He was recently interviewed by the Montgomery Business Journalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s David Zaslawsky.

Q&A

RECRUITING CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

photography by Robert Fouts

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Montgomery Business Journal: What is your role as the executive director of the Central Alabama Sports Commission? Williams: I am representing a foundation called the Central Alabama Sports Commission that was formed here seven or eight years ago. It was established to bring together the entities in the River Region – the five cities including Montgomery, which is the major player of the venues – to be very proactive in recruiting sporting events to this area. They (sports commission) were actually the ones that recruited the Camellia Bowl. n

Talk about that connection. Dr. Ken Blankenship was the first contact we had that there was interest here in Montgomery as a possible venue for a national event. We actually had the Raycom college football All-Star Classic in 2012. Our goal is to actively add to what the CVB (Convention & Visitor Bureau) and Parks and Recreation have been doing. They recruit every day and put on events and try to bring things to Montgomery. As I look at my job and the scope of what we’re trying to do, it's to enhance (our events) by hopefully looking for more Camellia Bowl-kind of projects. We want some larger events, and that’s what I’m focused on currently. We are fairly happy with all the events we have now. What we found with the Camellia Bowl is that there can be a very significant economic impact with events that come here. n

What type of larger events are you looking to attract? Collegiate championships? Championships at the NCAA level and the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) level. National championships of various sports or amateur sports, whether it’s boxing, major collegiate basketball to football games. At some point we would like to start a preseason (college football) game – kind of a kickoff classic – maybe on Labor Day weekend like a lot of the bowls are doing now. n

Are you talking about teams from the Mid-American Conference or Sun Belt Conference? n

Any teams that we can find.

A major kickoff classic? Exactly. That is something we’re definitely exploring. I’ve been in communication with the NCAA and they have 36 different championships they put on in three different levels – Division I, Division II, Division III. There are a lot of opportunities there and people are very familiar that we hosted the Division II baseball n

national championships for over 20 years here in Montgomery at Paterson Field. There are some national events that we are going to aggressively go after in the future. We are looking at our facilities. We have large enough venues in a lot of areas and we are restricted in some areas. Does Paterson Field need some work? There are multiple phases and phase one has already been completed. n

What happens in the second phase? n

It is mainly to do with the press box.

What about the first phase? New seating. They took off the overhang, new facial, new painting. n

What is the stadium capacity? Over 7,000. It is more than suitable whether it’s Sun Belt, Conference USA, baseball tournaments. n

Considering your relationship with ESPN and the success of the Camellia Bowl, does that help you compete for a preseason college football game because you are a known commodity? ESPN was very supportive when they were approached by the mayor about possibly reaching out to me. ESPN viewed it as a home run on their behalf because we already had the structure in place with the Camellia Bowl. We’re putting on an event that has over 20,000 people. We have a system in place to put on a major event so we could easily take the footprint of that (Camellia Bowl) for other large events. We already have a structure in place for volunteers; our signage people; concession people; parking people. If you look around the country, the sports commission and I knew three other cities close to us – the sports commission and the bowl game are one in the same: The Gator Bowl, the Music City Bowl in Nashville and the Orange Bowl. n

You’re saying the two – sports commission and bowl game – complement each other. Williams: They do. The sports commission office is here (in this building) next to mine. They have been here for over two years in this office. Continued on page 12

“We want some larger events, and that’s what I’m focused on currently.” – Central Alabama Sports Commission Executive Director Johnny Williams

Continued from page 11

I read where you are bringing your staff at Creative Marketing Management to the sports commission. How many employees is that and what impact will they have on the commission? We doubled the staff, so there will be a total of five (full-time) and then we have a lot of part-time people. We can add another 10 to 12 people for events. The great thing that we have here is, Parks and Recreation has been so good at what they have done. They are partners with the bowl. When the ESPN people come to town they rave about the support the city provides for our bowl game. It is very uncommon. They (ESPN officials) are still amazed at how the city, the Chamber and the county all work together. They told me many times that it is very unusual and we should be very proud. n

“We’ve already had a couple of conferences reach out to us and send us what they are going to have up for bids in the next few years.” – Central Alabama Sports Commission Executive Director Johnny Williams

During your announcement as Central Alabama Sports Commission executive director you were quoted as saying: “Our geographic location lends itself to really be a player in the college footprint.” Please elaborate. You have not only the Sun Belt that we’re all familiar with because of the Camellia Bowl, but you have the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference), of which Alabama State is a member, and I’ve visited with the athletic director about them possibly bringing events. You have Conference USA, which stretches from the Carolinas to Texas. I have already visited with them and they are very interested in looking at Montgomery as a place for championships. And then you have the SEC (Southeastern Conference). Birmingham, Alabama, is their home. Their office is the geographic center and we’re 80 miles away. I can visualize in years to come that we would be very interested in golf, cross country, soccer, tennis. n

How do you sell Montgomery to collegiate conferences? The thing that I’ve been using is the success of the Camellia Bowl. The success of the Blue-Gray tennis that we’ve had for all these years. It’s legendary – especially in the collegiate ranks. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The LPGA tournament has been here. Then there are the facilities here with the hotels and the accessibility of things being so close together, especially downtown, where you have the entertainment (district) and convention center. There are so many positives. ESPN has so many bowl games and works with so many people and when they make the comment, ‘This is the best place we do business because everybody is together.’ I think our people and the support of our events is not hard to get in and meet with people who take a hard look at Montgomery. I’ve found that the two months or so I’ve been on the job. n

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

If everything broke your way, would the earliest collegiate championship event be during the 2017-2018 athletic year? Probably 2017-2018. They’re (championship events) scheduled two to three years out. The NCAA pulled all of its championships out of North Carolina and we’re trying to see if any of them fit. That’s just a rarity that we have, but we are aggressively looking at some opportunities. n

You have an extensive background in college athletics as a coach and athletic director. What is the impact on recruiting collegiate athletic events? When I was athletic director we would do 150 to 170 athletic events annually and some of them with the magnitude of 100,000 people and some just 100 people. n

You are well respected and have the connections in addition to selling Montgomery to collegiate conferences. Plus your success with the Camellia Bowl. After the first game of the Camellia Bowl some comments came back to me: ‘This may have been one of the best first events we ever had,’ some of the people at ESPN said. It wasn’t my first event. n

Central Alabama Sports Commission Chairman Karl Stegall talked about your enthusiasm as an asset. How does your enthusiasm translate into more athletic events in Montgomery? We’re all dealing every day with issues. The way you handle those will make a difference in how the situation ends up. n

Not all 60-year-olds have your level of enthusiasm. n

I’ve only been 60 for a few days.

Your enthusiasm truly is contagious and I’m sure that it helps close deals. It makes people feel comfortable. You build a relationship with them. It needs to be fun because life is so short. I try to have fun in everything I do. When I go visiting people I don’t want it structured. I try to just be myself. When I graduated from high school I was voted the wittiest person. n

What high school? Holt High School in Tuscaloosa. In my senior class, I was voted wittiest in a class of 275 kids. It all carried into my life and into my work and it’s paid off. It’s helped me in everything I do, whether it’s (as a) n

football coach and going out and recruiting players or interfacing with parents or trying to raise money at Troy. Instead of recruiting players you are now recruiting conference officials. n

Yes. You try to connect with people.

How would you characterize your conversations with the conference officials? Is there genuine interest in bringing collegiate athletic events to Montgomery? Yes, they are serious. We’ve already had a couple of conferences reach out to us and send us what they are going to have up for bid in the next few years. n

It sounds like Montgomery is becoming a player for more college events.

Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange has said that the sports commission is “not where we want it to be.” Was he referring to increasing the number of collegiate events? We have nine of the 13 championships for high schools. We have high schools and youth leagues. We have tremendous softball events, baseball, soccer. We’re a regional player in venues for the amateur player. But collegiately we really haven’t been (a regional player). The Camellia Bowl was our first big effort in that area, but there are a lot of other opportunities. n

What does a successful year look like – a couple of collegiate championship events in 2017-2018? Absolutely. As we look at events, we’re working closely with ESPN Events. They are partnering with us. They’re helping us understand some things that are out there that they might be interested to televise it or own it. We’re an ESPN office. It’s a very unique situation which we have that’s good for us. n n

We are. We’ve already reached out to those leagues. They’ve watched this Camellia Bowl grow and be so supported by the local community. If you’re the commissioner of a league that’s looking for somewhere to put one of your major sports like a football championship or baseball championship – you want it to be supported in a neutral site. The major events usually go to neutral sites and that’s the kind of events we want to attract. It’s going to take the involvement of local corporate partners and our local fans that enjoy certain sports. n

“There are some national events that we are going to aggressively go after in the future.” – Central Alabama Sports Commission Executive Director Johnny Williams

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

KEEPING IT FRESH by David Zaslawsky

“We’ve got something very special started here.” – Johnny Williams, executive director of the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl

The second annual Raycom Media Camellia Bowl not only had a jump in attendance, but what you would call a dramatic increase in television ratings. The game, which is aired on ESPN, saw its TV rating surge 83 percent to 1.7 million households, including an increase of 82 percent of viewers 65 and older. Meanwhile, the average live viewership increase of bowl games aired the same day as the Camellia Bowl was 3 percent greater from the previous year. The Camellia Bowl did benefit from a much better kickoff time – moving from nearly 8:30 p.m. in its inaugural season to last year’s 4:30 p.m. slot. It will again start at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. It will be ESPN’s second bowl game of the day after the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl will follow the Camellia Bowl on ESPN. ABC is televising two bowl games the same day: Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl and the Las Vegas Bowl. “Our game looks well on TV because of the way the stadium is built,” said Johnny Williams, executive director of the Camellia Bowl as well as the executive director of the Central Alabama Sports Commission. “We had a full crowd for the TV audience to feel like there’s excitement at the game. That means a lot when you watch a game, if there are a lot of people engaged at the game itself.”

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Other bowl game directors have made “very positive comments” about the Camellia Bowl, Williams said. “They are very complimentary about how our game is broadcasted and how it looks on TV. They were very envious. We’ve got something very special started here.” Gaining about 1,100 fans last year, which brought the attendance to 21,395, the Camellia Bowl’s success will not only depend on the local community, but the teams from the Sun Belt and Mid-American conferences. “The teams have huge impacts on attendance,” Williams said. He said that Appalachian State, which was playing in its first bowl game in the Football Bowl Subdivision, brought 8,000 to 10,000 fans to last year’s game. Ohio University brought a couple thousand fans, according to Williams. “We are geographically centered as far as the footprint goes in the Sun Belt’s layout,” Williams said, referring to Georgia Southern and Appalachian State on the conference’s east border and Texas State and Louisiana Lafayette on the west border. Montgomery’s location in the center of the conference is one of the factors why EPSN wanted the game here. “When fans are able to drive to the game that means a lot to attendance,” he said.

Williams will do some tweaking to the third annual game. “We want to keep the game fresh,” he said. “We see things that might work better. We’re very excited about how our FanFest went last year over at Paterson Field.” You can expect a lot of activity again at FanFest, including companies conducting what Williams called “activations of their products.” Harley-Davidson brought some motorcycles to ride and Ford brought some trucks on display. Coca-Cola was also on hand with products. FanFest, which starts about four hours before kickoff and ends at kickoff, featured live music, interactive games for children and pep rallies for both teams. “It’s a very loud, active spot for alumni and for local fans,” Williams said. He hopes to increase the number of corporate tailgate packages to 20 to 25. There were 17 last year and 11 or 12 for the inaugural game. Companies are being encouraged to hold their holiday parties at the Camellia Bowl. n

NEW FOOTBALL BOWL GAME COMING TO MONTGOMERY Montgomery is already home to one of the first college football bowl games each season – the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. Now, Montgomery is home to the very first college football game next year with the Aug. 26 Montgomery Kickoff Classic between Jacksonville State University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga at Cramton Bowl. The game, which will be televised by ESPN, features two of the top Football Championship Subdivision teams.

Our roots run deep. Our commitment runs deeper. At Capell & Howard, we draw a lot of strength from the knowledge we’ve cultivated over the last 69 years. But it’s our connection to home that really makes us strong. That’s why we’re happy to put our experience to work for the projects and companies that help our community grow. Offering a wide array of legal services, Capell & Howard is proud to play a part in making Central Alabama strong. Business & Tax | Litigation | Administrative Law & Governmental Affairs Construction & Environmental | Employment & Labor Relations | Real Estate

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November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

MARKETING MEDICAL SERVICES River Region Health Center hopes to increase patient load by David Zaslawsky photography by Robert Fouts

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Gilbert F. Darrington is the CEO of Health Services Inc.

G L S

About a year ago when Gilbert F. Darrington was named CEO of Health Services Inc., he established a marketing department. He credits targeted marketing coupled with a health fair and free dental screenings with increasing the number of patients at all the organization’s facilities, including the massive 50,000-square-foot River Region Health Center near Jackson Hospital. The targeted marketing campaign under the guidance of Marketing Director Mia Mothershed included visits to various school systems in the organization’s five-county footprint; visiting the communities; and participating in the various chambers of commerce. It is by far the largest facility in the company – at least four or five times larger than any other and about 18,000 patients visited the two-story center last year

"We offer walk-in services – all day – six days a week.” – Health Services Inc. CEO Gilbert F. Darrington

while overall the company treated 34,000 patients at its 10 facilities. The company had 37,000-plus patients in 2014 before experiencing a decline, but that number started to climb from March or April to September. “We are now building back up our physician base,” Darrington said. One of the factors of the declining patient load was losing providers whose patients followed them, Darrington said.

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He has plans to meet with the leadership of Jackson Hospital and Baptist Health “to tell them that now we offer walk-in services – all day – six days a week.” Darrington hopes that patients at Jackson Hospital and Baptist Health emergency rooms who don’t have medical emergencies and don’t have a primary care provider will be referred to River Region Health Center. Continued on page 18

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

“We feel like every chance we can, we put our name out there and let the people know who we are and what we provide.”

The River Region Health Center treated about 18,000 patients last year.

– Health Services Inc. CEO Gilbert F. Darrington

Continued from page 17

A new pilot program that was just 90 days old in early October will refer patients who visit an emergency room for a dental emergency to River Region Health Center. “That’s been a big success for us,” Darrington said. Those free dental screenings paid off. At those screenings patients were told “about our primary care if they didn’t have a primary care provider,” he said. River Region Health Center did receive new patients from those free dental screenings held earlier this year. It’s all about increasing the number of patients. “Every event that we can participate in or every event that we sponsor or host, we’re also giving out literature about if you don’t have a relationship with a primary care physician – we want to be that provider,” Darrington said at his office at River Region Health Center, where between 200 and 220 of the company’s 285 employees work. “We feel like every chance we can, we put our name out there and let the people know who we are and what we provide,” he said.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

The River Region Health Center has the capacity to treat 25,000 patients a year with its staff of eight physicians, 10 nurse practitioners, three full-time dentists and one part-time dentist. HSI is recruiting a primary care physician for adults at the River Region Health Center. Pediatrics is the most used service at River Region Health Center, according to Darrington, and that includes pediatric dentistry. About 9,000 patients treated last year at the center were there for pediatric services. Adult primary care is another popular service with about 7,500 patients in 2015. The center offers: dental services, diagnostic, family health, family planning, pharmacy, pregnancy, radiology, social services, women’s health and primary health care. Mental and behavioral services include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anger control, anxiety and stress disorders, depression, domestic violence, grief, marital issues, phobias, problems with children’s behavior and relationship problems. n

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November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Trenholm State Community College President Sam Munnerlyn (right) is overseeing a $10.6 million project to upgrade the Patterson campus.

PUTTING ON A NEW FACE TRENHOLM STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE RENOVATES PATTERSON CAMPUS by David Zaslawsky photography by Robert Fouts

First impressions are not just important when meeting people, but they matter for businesses and even for educational facilities. That’s why Trenholm State Community College is investing $10.6 million to not only renovate the inside of buildings on its Patterson campus off Troy Highway, but change the look outside, and that includes how students enter the school, to make it more inviting and safer. “We realized that we needed to make the campus attractive from the outside,” Trenholm State Community College President Sam Munnerlyn said. “We always knew we had top-of-the-line equipment. We had excellent instructors and we had a caring staff, but you can’t get the people into the campus to see any of that if they are seeing flat roofs and basically a campus that looks like it’s from the ’50s or ’60s. “Riding by, would you want to come in when you see our college vs. riding by Southern Union, for

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

instance, or Alabama State or AUM? We wanted to make our college more attractive and a more attractive environment externally.” Now you understand why Trenholm is spending that $10.6 million to improve its Patterson campus. One building, which had mold, was demolished and a green space was created. “It gives the campus a much more student-friendly look,” Munnerlyn said. Building D, which houses the student union complex, was renovated and a 250-seat auditorium was added for student gatherings, conferences and workshops. The section of the building that contains student services such as admissions and financial aid was also renovated. Eight classrooms were added to Building B as well as six offices, a lobby and receptionist area, because more students are taking general education classes, Munnerlyn said. The auto collision repair program was moved from the Trenholm campus on Air Base Boulevard to the Patterson campus. An old warehouse was converted into a 19,000-square-foot facility, which provides about twice as much space as before. Now there is room for 70 students instead of 33. The auto collision repair program had been the lone technical program on the Trenholm campus.

With four programs – auto collision repair, auto services, diesel mechanics and automotive manufacturing – at the same campus, it means that the college can take advantage of resources, facility space and instructors, Munnerlyn said. Modifying the entrance to the Patterson campus with funding help from Alabama Department of Transportation gives students a traffic light when exiting the campus instead of crossing two lanes to reach a stop sign and then taking off across traffic again. It was the site of numerous accidents. There was a traffic light for a shopping center across the street, but not for the campus entrance. The first phase is expected to be completed by November 30. Two more buildings will be renovated in phase II, which is scheduled to start in February. Building E, where the computer information system program is conducted, and Building M, which contains the electrical program, will get new roofs and new windows. The inside of those buildings will be gutted. The second phase is scheduled to end in December 2017. The remaining nine buildings at the Patterson campus are shop buildings, and renovations will include replacing the flat roofs, new windows and new energyefficient heating and cooling.

“Riding by, would you want to come in when you see our college vs. riding by Southern Union, for instance, or Alabama State or AUM?” – Trenholm State Community College President Sam Munnerlyn

Part of the college’s five-year master plan for facilities calls for an advanced technology center on the Patterson campus. Renovations are not limited to the Patterson campus. Building H, which has the sonography and radiology technology programs at the Trenholm campus, will have renovated classrooms, offices and new labs. The work is expected to be completed by March. A new entryway has been completed, featuring new signage of Trenholm State Community College. All streets and parking lots are being repaved. n

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TRENHOLM SETS LOFTY STUDENT ENROLLMENT GOAL by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

You could say that Trenholm State Community College officials have a very aggressive goal of nearly doubling its student enrollment – in four years. “We have a goal of 3,000 students by 2020,” Trenholm State Community College President Sam Munnerlyn said. This year’s goal was to increase the number of students by 300 and he said the college will meet that goal. There already has been a 17.5 percent increase from fall 2014 to this year and that number will climb a bit more when students enroll in a mini-term program in late October.

Sam Munnerlyn (right) is president of Trenholm State Community College.

That 300 student increase seems fairly modest compared with the goal of adding 525 students for the fall 2017 semester, and follow that with a goal of 625 new students for the fall 2018 semester.

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Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

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If you look at the underlying factors driving the student enrollment increases, those goals don’t seem overly aggressive. The accreditation has meant everything that Trenholm officials promised it would. Students are flocking to general education classes, which can be transferred to any public university or college in Alabama. Those transferrable credits cost $147 per hour compared with $300-plus at public four-year colleges and universities. Nine instructors were hired during the year for the general education classes. That is hardly the only factor behind the dramatic increase in students. A full-time student recruiter was hired in January, and that person spends all day recruiting students “anywhere they can go every day,” Munnerlyn said. The registration process has been made more studentfriendly, according to Munnerlyn. Another reason for the increase of students is dual enrollment, where students attend Trenholm and high school simultaneously. Dual enrollment students at Trenholm now number 316 and dual enrollment students from Montgomery County have increased

from a handful (29) last fall to 101 for the fall 2016 semester. Another 40 dual enrollment students are from Elmore County. There are also students from Macon, Bullock and Butler counties. Although the dual enrollment numbers are way up, a lack of additional state funding for scholarships limits the program, which is free for the students. There are some growing pains with the increase of students, and Trenholm has already added an evening program for welding, which has 12 students. New evening programs for sonography and radiology technology will be phased in, Munnerlyn said. n

“We have a goal of 3,000 students by 2020.” – Trenholm State Community College President Sam Munnerlyn

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DELIVERING ON MARKETING SERVICES

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Emile Vaughan is CEO of Davis Direct Inc.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Davis Direct handles everything from fulfillment to printing, mailing by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

Davis Direct Inc. CEO Emile Vaughan said that his firm is mainly known locally “as a printer and a mail house, but we’re more than that.” Much more than that, and one aspect of the firm that sets Davis Direct apart from competitors is what Vaughan calls “fulfillment.” On the firm’s website those fulfillment services are warehouse, ship, track and deliver. Instead of a business storing its marketing materials in closets or wherever there is room – those items can be stored with Davis Direct in its 20,000-square-foot warehouse with racks. No longer can a company’s field representatives come in and grab products and leave with no one knowing what items were taken or how many are left. “We keep track of materials,” Vaughan said. “We keep track of every receipt; every shipment to every person; and it all goes into this database. We give customers/businesses a way to manage an aspect of their business that typically is not managed with their information systems. What we offer them is control over their physical marketing assets.” The marketing materials management service is better suited to businesses with regional or national sales representatives, Vaughan said. “We’re not talking about mom-and-pops. These are larger organizations that utilize these services. It works. We have some very happy customers and it works well for us.” He would like to see the marketing materials management segment grow from its current 10 percent of the firm’s revenue. No competitor has a comparable service to the same degree, according to Vaughan. “I think a difference with us is that when we come out with services they are fully developed – robust services.” A new service – display graphics – was added when Davis Direct acquired Color Craft and Vaughan projects sales will increase 10 percent to 15 percent. He hopes

that new customers using display graphics will also use other Davis Direct services. Display graphics are used by retailers to advertise a product or inside the store windows to promote items. “It feeds back into the suite of services that we offer, and hopefully (customers) will find value,” he said. Not only will Davis Direct store the marketing materials, but it can produce them and has the capabilities of bulk mailing. “Then it really becomes an attractive set of services,” Vaughan said. There could be future acquisitions as the printing industry is currently “in a consolidation mode,” Vaughan said. “I’m not interested in going out and buying printing companies. If something fits like Color Craft did with what they had to offer us and who they are – then yes (to acquiring a company).” That suite of services also sets Davis Direct apart from others, Vaughan said. “You can use any one of our services and that’s the way people know us – through one particular service – and it can be a great value for customers,” he said. “But the real value that you get dealing with Davis Direct is when you use several of the services in combination. We help customers coordinate the mailing as well as the production.” His customers are marketing and communication professionals as well as advertising agencies. “We’re not a retail-type where we deal with individuals,” he said. “We do marketing and communication-related production and management.” On the website, it states that Davis Direct will protect a client’s brand. “We make sure that brand standards – and most organizations have a set of brand standards that they need – are followed,” he said. “It goes back to our print standards as well. It’s one of the things that we’ve invested heavily in: color management technology. That gives us the ability to measurably reproduce brand standards, brand colors.” n

"We give customers/ businesses a way to manage an aspect of their business that typically is not managed with their information systems. What we offer them is control over their physical marketing assets.” - Emile Vaughan, Davis Direct Inc. CEO

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

It was just a short four years ago that The Jackson Clinic had 10 providers. That number had grown to 32 when an aggressive marketing campaign was launched to promote The Jackson Clinic. Well, providers are still being added, causing brochures to be slightly out of date. In late September the campaign boasted 34 providers, but even that total had climbed to 35 providers. By the time this article is published the number could be 36 or 37 or â&#x20AC;Ś The Jackson Clinic has grown in the past four years to include a satellite office in Prattville and one in Pike Road on Chantilly Parkway. Each of those facilities has two physicians. The primary site is on the Jackson Hospital campus at 1801 Pine St.

HEALTHY GROWTH RATE

The Jackson Clinic keeps expanding by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

Joe Riley is president and CEO of Jackson Hospital. 26

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Y H E

“There will be a fourth satellite office in the summer,” said Joe Riley, president & CEO of Jackson Hospital. He said that site will be staffed by two family care providers. He is not sure if Jackson will lease space or build an office. “There could be other satellite offices over the next two to three years,” Riley said as Jackson staff recruit physicians to the region. They have recruited 44 physicians to the River Region the past four years.

A brochure touting The Jackson Clinic states: “We’re the River Region’s largest multispecialty clinic and your health partners for primary, urgent and specialty care.” The specialties offered are: cardiology, endocrinology, general surgery, infectious disease, neurology, OB/ GYN, occupational medicine, urology, vascular surgery and primary care, which has 15 of the clinic’s 35 physicians. The brochure also informs patients about having a doctor to manage their care or providing a specialist or offering urgent care.

“When physicians are looking to relocate or to locate, it’s very attractive to join a group of peers and have a support system and infrastructure that’s established,” Riley said. Some of the recruited physicians are employed by Jackson; some become independent providers; and some join other existing practices. “We offer that smorgasbord when a fellow or resident comes out of their training or someone who has some experience and wants to relocate to Alabama,” Riley said. Jackson actually helps a provider set up an independent practice and assists existing practices recruit physicians. “We have done a very good job of having options (for physicians),” he said. “When physicians come to a new area, it’s very helpful to them to know that they have peers and support and that’s not just with the multispecialty clinic, but what the whole Jackson team has to offer.”

Two of the locations – Montgomery and Pike Road – also serve as urgent care centers, which means walkins are accepted – no appointments necessary. The urgent care clinic “could be your primary care base or it’s a place where you can just drop in,” Riley said.

Jackson Hospital has recruited 44 physicians to the River Region in the past four years.

The campaign features: “35 providers, 11 specialties, 1 medical record.” The one electronic medical record means “better communication, more efficient for the continuum of care,” Riley said. Any physician with The Jackson Clinic and Jackson Hospital can access a patient’s medical record. “That’s the joy of one medical record,” Riley said. The strategy behind The Jackson Clinic, which is celebrating 30 years, “is to provide the communities with easy access to providers and primary care as well as specialists,” he said. n

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November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

JACKSON HOSPITAL CELEBRATES 70TH ANNIVERSARY

by David Zaslawsky

Although Jackson Hospital celebrated its 70th birthday in October, you can trace its beginning to 1894 at the same location, but under a different name. At that time it was called Watkins Infirmary.

Here are some Jackson Hospital statistics for 2015:

Jackson Hospital opened its doors Sept. 16, 1946. There were five attending physicians and 37 beds for patients. Seventy years later, Jackson Hospital has 344 beds and hundreds of physicians.

> Saw 87,000-plus as outpatients.

It has been a tremendous growth story, which includes Jackson Hospital operating in a 14-city block area. “We are proud of our history and the continued growth in health care services we provide to the River Region,” Jackson Hospital President & CEO Joe Riley said in a statement.

> Admitted 13,000 patients. > Treated 47,000 patients in the emergency room.

> Conducted more than 23,000 surgeries. “This is made possible by a team of nearly 1,500 employees, 100 volunteers and more than 350 physicians all committed to providing outstanding care for the patients of our community,” Riley said. The City of Montgomery recognized the hospital’s 70th anniversary with a proclamation, and a picnic was held for employees, physicians, volunteers and retirees. “Coupled with the latest technology and facilities, we remain true to our mission of providing the River Region with superior health care in a safe, compassionate environment,” Dr. Patrick Ryan, chairman of the Jackson Hospital Board of Trustees, said in a statement. n

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Roger Spain is managing director of commercial banking for Oakworth Capital Bank.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Oakworth Capital Bank couples ‘high-touch, high-tech’ by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

What sets Oakworth Capital Bank apart from other financial institutions is its business model of three service areas, and one is not retail banking. Unlike competitors, Oakworth has one office in Montgomery; one office in Birmingham; and one office in Mobile. And don’t expect Oakworth to add any offices in the near term. “Our model is not to build multiple branches in different markets,” said Roger Spain, managing director of commercial banking for Oakworth Capital Bank, which has an office at the Halcyon Summit Office Park in East Montgomery. “We are going to operate out of one location with the idea that we are prepared to bring the bank conveniently to our clients with technology and face-to-face meetings.” The model differs from other financial institutions in another way. “We don’t have silos within our (firm),” Spain said. “Someone is not either a private banking client or a small commercial or a large commercial client or a wealth management client,” Spain said. “They are simply an Oakworth client, and we build a multidisciplinary team around each client so that we are able to provide them seamlessly with whatever services that client needs.” Those services are commercial banking, private banking and wealth management. He said the bank “is very keenly focused” on the middle area of commercial banking rather than “gigantic deals.” The bank currently can lend up to $11 million for commercial projects and can partner with another financial institution for deals up to $20 million. “As the bank grows – and it has grown quickly – those lending limits will increase,” Spain said.

Oakworth, which merged with AlaTrust in December of 2015, had no commercial banking portfolio and no private banking portfolio. It did acquire wealth management and trust services from AlaTrust. There was no banking activity. “The market has been receptive to the business model and business approach of Oakworth,” Spain said. That approach is marrying technology with the personal. “We are both high-touch and high-tech,” Spain said. “We spend our money and our resources on technology and people rather than bricks and mortar. We focus on successful and growing businesses and individuals.” Although the Montgomery office has just seven people, the employees boast a ton of serious experience in trust services, wealth management and investment advice. Spain is a certified public accountant with an extensive background in business valuations. “Even just in Montgomery among our group of seven we have a broad spectrum of experience, and it’s our feeling, that allows us to deliver on that broader range of services,” he said.

“We spend our money and our resources on technology and people rather than bricks and mortar.” – Roger Spain, managing director of commercial banking for Oakworth Capital Bank

The private banking segment offers families and individuals a “high degree of service,” Spain said. “Our approach is white-glove in its description. It is a deeper and broader banking relationship for people or families with needs frequently beyond that of a simple checking account relationship.” Most of Oakworth’s clients use multiple services and some utilize all three. “That’s what I mean by a broader relationship,” Spain said. “Private banking is not necessarily for high-net worth families or individuals,” Spain said. He said it’s for those who have a lot of banking activity and need greater than a simple checking account. n

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Tech Community’s

Steward

Boyd Stephens plays vital role in shaping tech talent and start up success in the River Region by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

From his particular style of dress – he’s the only one at the networking event in a sweater vest and blue jeans – to his data oriented approach to business training, Boyd Stephens stands out in the entrepreneurial crowd in Montgomery. Despite Stephens’ unconventional style, Mayor Todd Strange knew that what he had to say about the city’s tech sector and start-up scene was important, even if Strange didn’t even necessarily understand it himself. Stephens, the founder of the network engineering company Netelysis, is a bonafide tech talent and startup expert. After years of running a highly technical business of his own that placed him in the heart of start-up havens like Austin, Texas, Silicon Valley and Portland, Oregon, Stephens garnered not only time tested methods of business development, but a deep knowledge of how the River Region’s tech talent and entrepreneur populations stacked up against other areas that have become known as tech hubs. His conclusion: The raw materials are abundant in Montgomery. A community to connect them is the key to opening a new world of growth and opportunity. Boyd Stephens is the founder of Netelysis.

Continued on page 34 November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

in Cottage Hill in downtown Montgomery. This innovative enterprise now offers a centrally located tech hub where startups can live and work as well as access business training and mentor programs. Stephens and others have spent the past two years laying the foundation for the local tech community, and that meant training, community building, and creating awareness – bringing the local talent together. Now that the revolution has matured somewhat, the next steps are building multiple bridges. There is plenty of local tech talent, Stephens said, but many are not entrepreneurs. “Overwhelmingly, most of our tech talent is risk averse; having to be the founder and CEO is too daunting,” Stephens said, “but they would love to work for such a startup.” He estimates, based on his data, that around 90 percent would rather work for someone else than start their own company.

Boyd Stephens has been instrumental in the Montgomery high-tech community.

“We’re at a point now – my small team and I – where we go straight to the talent.” Netelysis founder Boyd Stephens

Continued from page 33

Stephens is the first to say that establishing the local high-tech community was not a one-person job. After delivering a TEDx Talk about the untapped tech potential of Central Alabama, a local millennial entrepreneur, Adam Warnke, reached out to Stephens to try and activate the community through social media. The result of this effort was the RevolutionMGM movement. This series of unaffiliated, casual meetups drew crowds of 80-100 creative professionals, software developers, and interested residents. Attendees brainstormed and socialized around the opportunity to tap into the deep pool of talent that Montgomery offers to create the quality of life elements that this population seeks in a city, such as job opportunities, creative outlets, and social entrepreneurship. RevolutionMGM events attracted the attention of some in Stephens’ network in other cities. Soon a connection was made between James Weddle, one of the early developers of coworking and accelerator programs in Austin, Texas, and Warnke. The two partnered to create Advancing Innovation with Regional Resources or AIRR, which operates out of three renovated properties

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

There are others who would like to start a business and “are ready to start up companies, but 90 percent of them haven’t tapped the talent to pull it off,” he said. “Efforts are going forward” to bring those groups together, Stephens said. One of the obstacles, according to Stephens, is that the tech talent is contained in verticals “that are not conducive professionally for you to be innovative outside of that system,” he said. “You don’t get promoted being outside the established system that exists within the military or federal/state governments,” he said. Tech talent is abundant at Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Annex, from the Air Force and Department of Defense to the private sector. Add to that colleges and universities such as Alabama State University, Auburn University at Montgomery, Auburn University, Faulkner University, Huntingdon College, Troy University and Tuskegee University. That’s a lot of brain power, but the entities are not on the same page, Stephens said. “What you have to do is build these bridges and work towards empowering people,” he said. “We’re at a point now – my small team and I – where we go straight to the talent. At the end of the day I just want to convince the talent that this is extremely cool and doable. Once you do that – and we have had some really good traction in this space – it’s just fascinating when things bubble up.”

His small team is working to provide a key element of startup training that is not easy to teach in traditional university settings: how to fail fast and to iterate in the face of failure, Stephens said. “Business and entrepreneurship is all about embracing that failure,” he said. He talked about “becoming intimate with the failure that’s required to grow, while not having to be given permission before you execute. That’s a biggie here.” Fully empowering people is vital. “I don’t need to be looking for someone from high up to tell me what to do,” Stephens said. “People in the tech community need to realize that they are the community and that’s empowering,” Stephens said. Tech people “are a finicky bunch,” Stephens said. He said that they are “very intolerant of not delivering on a commitment, so with them, you have to always under-promise and over-deliver.” They do not want to be controlled and they want a voice “in whatever it is that you’re trying to do.” They cannot be told to follow a leader. “You can’t demand respect,” he said. “You have to command it through your efforts.”

There’s also no magic formula for workspace. As long as the working space is well integrated, the tech community “can meet in a shack and the shack would be Mecca,” he said. “Space is only important because of the community.” It takes time to empower people and build from the bottom up, Stephens said. He said that you don’t see a lot of activity in the initial stages, but that the casual observer will notice more in the coming year. The tech community will be working on some civic-oriented projects after becoming a certified Code for America Brigade, which Stephens described as a “Peace Corps for IT professionals.” Stephens is often called a tech guru, which he said is a compliment, but he prefers to call himself a steward. “I see myself as a steward – more steward than guru because I don’t have all the answers. I am committed to developing the community that can find the answers together, though.” n

CUSTOMER REVENUE FUNDS TECH STARTUPS Do not even think about funding a tech startup from the usual suspects: bank, family or yourself. That’s the message that Netelysis founder Boyd Stephens told his entrepreneur classes. He encouraged his students to fund their startup with revenue from their customers – a unique concept in a world of detailed business plans constantly being presented to lenders. He said that if a banker is giving you an unsecured line of credit for a business that has no customers, “please let me know who she or he is because I’ve not met them.” Stephens warned about borrowing from family, which could make for some uncomfortable gatherings. But the worst place to get startup money is using your own money. “Why would you invest your own money into an entity that has no customers?” Stephens asked. Why would you? Yet if an entrepreneur is supposed to use revenue from customers to fund a startup as Stephens insisted – how do you identify those customers? “That is the beauty of the LEAN Canvass process,” he said. “It’s not product- or service-centric – it’s problemcentric. It’s the entrepreneur’s job to find a problem

by David Zaslawsky

and a group of people who have that problem and that problem is so severe they are willing to pay someone to help solve it. That’s the No. 1 job of the entrepreneur.” He wants the focus on revenue from customers. “If you do that right … you won’t have to go find a bank,” Stephens said, “the bank will find you. If you do that properly you won’t have to look for an investor. Investors will come looking for you.” Montgomery is not Silicon Valley, and that’s why his business training is different. Investors here are not as comfortable with loss as they are in the tech boomtowns. For this reason, a more certain road to success is one that is based on problem oriented, customer-centric planning. That planning has to be backed up through a systematic approach of interviewing potential customers and pivoting until a minimal viable product can be brought to market with customers queued up and willing to make a purchase. A demonstrated success will attract investors here and anywhere. Stephens has written about his approach to training on his blog Musings of a Money Machine Hacker at netelysis.com/mmhacker and he tweets about his training efforts as @mmhackerU on twitter.n

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

THE OVERLOOKED SOURCE OF TECH TALENT

by Meg Lewis

“There’s a ton of talent that is perfectly suited for the tech industry that is most often overlooked,” Stephens explains. “Often you find women in service and nonprofessional ranks in the government sector, legal services, and medical administration that are quite often highly skilled and suited for the kind of tasks found in programming and cyber security.” Stephens is an advocate of meeting the talent where it is. “You have to work with what you have, where you are,” he says. “Meet the talent where it is and find out who they are and what drives them.” He believes that the local Code for America Brigade’s work – hackMGM.org – will help to not only tap young talent and those who may not traditionally be looked to as a source of tech skills, but also provide a less pressurized environment where technical talent can be honed. Projects that benefit the civic good, executed

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

through volunteer efforts, will allow them to explore their entrepreneurial desires, offer ways for corporate groups to provide volunteer work for the community, and remove the threat that start up training might present to traditional university settings. Look for innovations around public transportation and municipal data from the Code for America Brigade, known as hackMGM in the coming year. Code for America Brigade members do not have to be software developers or designers. Anyone with an interest in applying technology solutions to civil needs and who is willing to volunteer with a team is welcome to join. More details are at hackmgm.org.n

BUILDING BOOM As you drive through the sprawling EastChase development, you see hotels galore, upscale apartment units and new businesses popping up along EastChase Parkway. One of those new big-box retailers is Hobby Lobby, which is building its latest prototype store on a sevenacre site to replace its outdated facility on Atlanta Highway. The new 55,000-square-foot building is expected to open in the spring. The new store “should cater to a more upscale customer than I think they had previously,” said Jeff Branch, general manager of The Shoppes at EastChase, EastChase Plaza and three outparcels. “Obviously, when we add a big retailer like that to the development – it’s additional traffic,” he said. “It’s one more venue that adds to our shopping mix.” Branch oversees 96 stores, including nine restaurants for Birmingham-based Bayer Properties, which manages the stores for owner JPMorgan Chase. He said that a Holiday Inn is looking at land adjacent to The Morgan at EastChase, which is a 216-unit upscale apartment development. The development also has the 272-unit Broadstreet at EastChase. A number of the apartments are two and three bedrooms, which means families living there, and those families will be eating and shopping at EastChase, Branch said. Hobby Lobby is not the only building under construction on EastChase Parkway. A dental office called All About Smiles is also being built along EastChase Parkway.

Construction surges on EastChase Parkway by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

“Foot traffic is big – that’s half the battle for us to get people out here to our shopping center. The other half is getting them inside the store.” If Whole Foods customers do not want to eat at one of the three options at Chase Corner, there is another nearby option. “Obviously, the convenient thing to do is come right across the street to us,” Branch said. “We like the idea of having them over there.” The Shoppes at EastChase and EastChase Plaza have “created a buzz” by bringing new retailers to the Montgomery market, Branch said. It’s all about increasing the traffic to the area. “If we just pull people from the downtown area and place a second location out here or if we pull from the bypass area and place a second location out there – the community doesn’t get as excited about that as a retailer who is new to the market, which I think we have done a really nice job of.” He said that EastChase benefits from its close proximity to the growing Pike Road community; having “elite housing” such as Wynlakes Golf & Country Club on the perimeter; easy interstate access of exit nine and exit 11; as well as the hotels and apartments.

“Obviously, when we add a big retailer like that to the development – it’s additional traffic.” – Jeff Branch, general manager of The Shoppes at EastChase and EastChase Plaza, talking about Hobby Lobby

The properties he manages have gone from a 78 percent occupancy rate in January 2011 to today’s 99 percent occupancy rate. While overall sales growth mirrors the national average of 3 to 4 percent, the center’s strongest category has been beauty and health with a 15 to 20 percent sales increase from Anthony Vince Nail Spa, Bath & Body Works, Nails By Elizabeth and Massage Envy. n

Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ’n Biscuits opened in October and is Montgomery’s first Bojangles’. Milo’s Hamburgers opened in early September on EastChase Parkway. Towne Place Suites is under construction on EastChase Parkway and when completed next year will have 93 rooms to increase the supply of EastChase hotel rooms to nearly 930. There is even more construction on Chantilly Parkway, and across the street from EastChase is Chase Corner, which is anchored by Whole Foods Market. Chase Corner is not viewed as a competitor by Branch, who said he is “excited” about having a Whole Foods Market. “It’s going to bring people to our area,” he said.

Cutline

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

“If we can help our customers be more profitable, more efficient, we understand that there is a better chance that they will stay in business and a very high likelihood they could hire additional employees,” said Keith Karst, commercial and industrial manager for Alabama Power’s Southern Division. One way to increase a company’s profit is for Alabama Power to conduct a level one energy audit to review lighting systems, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and whether the business is a restaurant looking at cooking equipment. The utility will make recommendations on how to cut energy costs to increase a company’s revenue. If the business adds employees, it may need to add capacity – a larger production facility, which would increase Alabama Power’s bottom line. The goal for companies outside of Alabama Power’s service territory is to “move production here. That would increase our kilowatt hour sales, revenues, and we keep people employed, add(ing) to the tax base,” Karst said. “It’s just a win-win for everybody.”

Keith Karst is commercial and industrial manager for Alabama Power’s Southern Division.

LIGHTING UP PROFITS Cutting clients’ costs boosts Alabama Power’s revenue

by David Zaslawsky photography by Robert Fouts

Helping businesses become more energy-efficient and more effective overall will, in the long run, add to Alabama Power’s bottom line. First, though a customer could very likely reduce its energy consumption and save money, it could impact the utility’s revenues in the short run. But long term – that’s another story.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Alabama Power has focused on about half of its commercial customers – the 10,000 which have the greatest opportunity for growth. “We have to have more customers or more energy sales,” Karst said. “That’s it.” Although the utility’s Southern Division includes the River Region; Clanton to the north; Greenville and Georgianna in the south; Auburn to the east; and Selma and Camden to the west, co-ops also have designated territories. Utilities can compete for some customers. One way to increase its commercial customer base is working with developers to locate projects within Alabama Power’s service territory. An organization within Alabama Power called Business Intelligence has loads of metrics and demographics to share with developers, according to Karst. The utility also works with architects and engineers during monthly Lunch and Learn sessions because they “kind of drive what customers put in their business,” Karst said. A load-growth initiative has been operating for about one year, and although it has “a number of successes,” Karst said, the overall slow-growth economy has impacted the program as well as businesses becoming more energy-efficient. An account manager has been assigned to the load-growth initiative. “I want him waking up thinking about this,” Karst said. The company’s Technology Application Center helps businesses learn about electro-technologies that make real impacts on processes. “One company’s process was shortened from 45 minutes to 3 minutes with electro-technology,” Karst said.

“If we can help our customers be more profitable, more efficient, we understand that there is a better chance that they will stay in business and a very high likelihood they could hire additional employees.” “We feel like we’re doing the things that we need to be doing,” he said. Alabama Power officials ask if they are targeting the right customers. “There’s always a lot of moving parts,” Karst said. Poultry is one sector that Alabama Power is focused on, Karst said. He noted that the state is second in poultry production to Georgia. “We’re meeting with these different companies to see what their plans are,” Karst said. “So they have expansion plans? What are the obstacles they have to overcome?” Koch Foods and Wayne Farms are two of those companies.

– Keith Karst, commercial and industrial manager for Alabama Power’s Southern Division

Currently, Alabama Power is looking at the resources it has dedicated to commercial customers, and those are seven account managers. “Obviously, we can’t touch every customer, but we try to be very strategic and help those customers that are asking for help or wanting help,” Karst said. “We’re taking a hard look now – do we have the right people in the right jobs; the right resources aligned properly; are we doing the right things? We’re doing a very deep dive to make sure we’re aligned properly to help us achieve our goal.” n

Another growth sector is wood/forest products and some plants have added equipment or will complete an expansion during the 2017 first quarter. “Our thought is that this is a signal that the building industry will see increased activity in the near future,” Karst said.

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November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Member Profile

AN OASIS

Wash Me Fast is more than a car wash by David Zaslawsky

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7 YEARS IN BUSINESS

10 LOCATION

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Roderick Jones is general manager of Wash Me Fast.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

photography by Robert Fouts

The general manager of Wash Me Fast on East South Boulevard talked about his guests, who are not considered customers. “It’s not just about washing cars – we’re about building relationships with the community and our guests that come here,” said Wash Me Fast General Manager Roderick Jones. “We are a family-owned and operated business, so for us, we look at our guests as family. We take the time to get to know them personally. We know where they work. We know their favorite place where they like to eat.” They get to know their children as well. “We ultimately and truly care about the people that come through here,” Jones said. “We’re not a car wash business – we’re a people business.” The family-run business has four locations in Georgia, but has been in Montgomery for 10 years. He said there are no current plans for expansion because of a surplus of car washes. “We would love to grow,” he said. “We’ve been here for 10 years, so we obviously love the community.” At least now there is activity in the south part of Montgomery after the Montgomery Mall closure impacted businesses in the region. “We’re starting to see a surge of interest in this area,” said Jones, who partners with Alfa Insurance, Hyundai and Baptist Health. He said that some customers who come to Wash Me Fast are looking for “a place of solitude” and he wants people to think of his facility as “an oasis.”

“We’re not a car wash business – we’re a people business.” – Wash Me Fast General Manager Roderick Jones

Wash Me Fast has a range of car washes: $6, $10, $15, $18 and $20. Customers will receive a free $20 car wash for downloading a free app for the company’s reward program called Thanx. Customers can track their car wash purchases on their cell phone and when they spend $100 they receive a free $20 car wash. “We’re all about finding new ways to make things better for our guests,” Jones said. Wash Me Fast offers what Jones called “car wash insurance.” If you buy a $15, $18 or $20 car wash you have seven days to bring in any vehicle for the same wash and it’s free. It’s a car wash version of a buy one get one free. “That’s exactly what it is,” Jones said, “and we do it every day.” Customers receive a $3 discount off a $15 wash and $4 discount off a $20 wash for turning in their air freshener that is included in $15, $18 and $20 washes. Jones said that Wash Me Fast employees are more hands-on than their competitors. “We actually put our hands on the vehicles,” he said. “That’s one thing you’ll notice compared to other washes. We physically do the bug scrub on the windshield, on the mirrors, on the front of the grille.” n

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean Sr. (center) spoke about the new SpringHill Suites at a news conference along with Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange (right) and John Tampa (left), president of Georgia-based Ascent Hospitality.

Suites. The two Hope Hull hotels are a Fairfield Inn & Suites and Hampton Inn. He will have 320 downtown hotel rooms when SpringHill Suites opens. SpringHill Suites is billed as Marriott’s “largest all-suites brand in the upscale tier,” according to the SpringHill Suites website. The website also states that the hotel “allows travelers to expect the unexpected and indulge in the little things that make their trip more exciting.” The suites “allow guests to relax and re-energize,” according to the website. That’s what Tampa was saying about SpringHill Suites – an escape from work and home.

Hotel Experience Designed for Millennials SpringHill Suites coming to downtown by David Zaslawsky

photography by Robert Fouts

Building downtown hotel room capacity not only means more visitors to Montgomery, but it means larger conventions. At one point, Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said it “is highly likely” that the city would add two downtown hotels and between 150 to 200 rooms. Well, the city is getting those two hotels – Staybridge Suites and SpringHill Suites by Marriott, but is adding 217 rooms. During a press conference for the SpringHill Suites at the former Bishop-Parker furniture store location on Coosa Street across from Riverwalk Stadium, Strange said there will be another hotel announcement and 125 more rooms will be added.

“It won’t be your typical hotel.”

With the addition of Staybridge Hotels and SpringHill Suites – downtown Montgomery will have 1,013 hotel rooms by spring 2018. With 1,000-plus hotel rooms downtown, Montgomery can compete for larger conventions. The mayor earlier said, “We would like to step up 4,000 or 5,000 (size conventions).”

– John Tampa, president of Buford, Ga.based Ascent Hospitality

SpringHill Suites and its 103 rooms are not geared for the business traveler, but more for Millennials who want more of an “experience,” said John Tampa, president of Buford, Georgia-based Ascent Hospitality, which operates 31 hotels in five states, including two in downtown Montgomery and two in nearby Hope Hull. His local downtown properties are the 131-room DoubleTree by Hilton and the 86-room Hampton Inn &

The impact is meaningful. A 200-person convention has an economic impact of $650,000 when considering hotel, food and beverages, retail sales and gas. A conventioneer spends on average $250 a night.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

“It won’t be your typical hotel,” said Tampa, whose company has 3,000-plus rooms. “It will take you back to the past and the golden age of this building and take you also to the present and looking at the future.” The $14 million project, which is scheduled to begin construction in December or January at the latest, will feature “a vibrant lobby” with a bar, Tampa said. “We’re going to retain all the interior historical features of the building, but also we’re going to implement a modern, urban feel to it.” He said 43 jobs will be created, including 35 full-time positions. The hotel will only have valet parking and will lease space from city-owned lots. There will not be meeting space or a pool. The projected room rates are $139 to $159 a night. “It speaks volumes for those people already here to make additional investments,” Strange said, “and that’s what John Tampa is doing with this historic site here.” Tampa, who spent $13 million to renovate the Madison Avenue property for his DoubleTree hotel, said he is again investing in downtown “because we believe in the community.” He cited the growth of multifamily units and restaurants downtown the past four to five years and how Montgomery ranked as the country’s top historic city on an online survey. Tampa’s latest downtown hotel will not take guests away from his other properties – he expects SpringHill Suites to attract those Millennials because of the history of the 100-plus year-old building as well as new features and technology. It is also a perfect location for visiting baseball teams facing the Montgomery Biscuits as well as fans and significant others, Strange said. “This is another great day for the city and county of Montgomery,” Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean Sr. said. “It’s always good to have these kind of investments. We continue to make big strides working together and partnering with the Chamber, city, and business community. You can’t ask for a better partnership than what we have here in Montgomery.” n

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

Hunting Partnership Forms The newly created Hunting Works for Alabama organization already has 50-plus partners and expects to add dozens more. The organization will promote hunting, which is big business in the state, generating $400-plus million annually from hunting trips and another $150 million on equipment, according to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. The state has 535,000 hunters annually, the foundation stated. “Hunters spend millions of dollars annually and much of that money goes to local business owners and entrepreneurs,” Tim Wood, co-chair of the Hunting Works for Alabama, said in a statement. He is the general manager of Central Alabama Farmer’s Cooperative. “Hunters are huge in the Black Belt and not just because they support businesses,” Pam Swanner, co-chair of Hunting Works for Alabama, said in a statement. She is the director of Alabama Black Belt Adventures. “The money hunters spend to hunt, on their licenses, stamps and the taxes they pay on equipment is all earmarked for conservation,” she said. “More than most anyone else – hunters are the people paying to keep the outdoors wild and free for everyone else.”

RIPPLE EFFECT

by David Zaslawsky

NEW HOME FOR RHEEM

NEW TOOL FOR THE TOOLKIT

Rheem water heaters is moving to a new location next year, which includes combining two of its current Montgomery locations.

Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange was joined by Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and economic development officials to support Amendment 11 on the November ballot. The measure would help fund large industrial projects – $100 million investment and 250 acres – by creating a Tax Increment Financing Zone.

The company will move its local headquarters off Bell Road and customer care center to a facility at the interchange of Interstate 85 and Interstate Parkway. The manufacturing facility will remain at its current location at Gunter Industrial Park. “Our business has grown substantially over the last several years and we see great momentum for the future of our Montgomery operations,” Rich Bendure, executive vice president and general manager of Rheem Water Heating Division, said in a statement. “We’re excited to bring our employees together in a dynamic new space that’s modern and more collaborative.” The company is planning to open a water heating division next year in Alpharetta, Ga.

Bishop-Parker furniture store is moving to a new location across from One Center, the site of the former Montgomery Mall, and is renovating a vacant building. A hotel is moving into Bishop-Parker’s former location on Coosa Street. “This shows you the ripple effect of what happens, and it’s good news when there’s development,” Mayor Todd Strange said during a news conference to announce SpringHill Suites taking over Bishop-Parker’s old location.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Improvements on the property such as water, roads, sewer and building would increase the property value and that revenue would be used for incentives to attract an industry. “It’s all about making Alabama better,” Strange said. He said that it would make Alabama more competitive in recruiting industry.

GOOD BUDGET Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton N. Dean praised the county’s $108 million budget. “It’s a good budget, but we hope that we can continue to increase our revenue on lodging tax and sales tax,” he told the Montgomery Advertiser. The commission approved placing $1.2 million in the Merit System Fund, which had not occurred for years.

CLEANING UP The City of Montgomery’s litter initiative produced some impressive results right from the beginning. In just a three-day period, 1.4 tons of trash was collected in 239 bags over a 32-mile span. About 3.5 tons of litter was collected in the first month of the campaign across 65 miles.

BACK IN BUSINESS VictoryLand reopened after three years with long lines outside the casino and people waiting to find one of the 500 available electronic slot machines inside.

FAULKNER UNIVERSITY EXPANSION Faulkner University broke ground on a $3.6 million residence hall to help ease with overcrowding. The university, which has 3,300-plus students, had its largest freshmen class this past fall semester of 360 students. “We’re actually over capacity in our dorms right now,” Faulkner University President Mike Williams told the Montgomery Advertiser. The new dorm is scheduled to open in fall 2017.

SMOOTH SAILING Keon Davis, the owner of Smooth-N-Groove, opened a location inside the Walmart on Atlanta Highway. He has trucks and other locations, including Auburn University, where his business was launched. And that business has taken off quite nicely. He expected his revenue to climb from $469,000 in 2015 to $800,000 this year and $1.3 million in 2017.

IT’S FINALLY OPEN Whole Foods Market is now open at Chase Corner, a shopping center developed by Aronov Realty. Whole Foods is a newcomer to Montgomery. The company, which had sales of $15.4 billion last year, opened its first store in 1980 in Austin, Texas. It now has 456 stores and 87,000 employees.

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November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

MEMBER NEWS

BUSINESS BUZZ ALL SANDRA NICKEL REALTORS HAVE PRESTIGIOUS DESIGNATIONS MONTGOMERY – Tammy McMichael of Sandra Nickel Hat Team has been awarded the prestigious certified residential specialist (CRS) Designation by the Council of Residential Specialists. She is the sixth and final Realtor in the firm to receive the designation, which makes the company the only real estate brokerage in the city to boast the “all CRS” status.

Tammy McMichael

Members who receive the CRS designation have completed advanced professional training and demonstrated outstanding professional achievement in residential real estate. Only 37,000 Realtors nationwide have received the credential – fewer than 4 percent of all members. McMichael is a senior buyer specialist with the Hat Team. She has also received the accredited Buyer representative and military relocation professional designations. A former active duty member of the United States Navy, she has practiced real estate for four years. “My clients deserve nothing but the best representation,” McMichael said in a statement, “and my CRS has taught me negotiation strategies that ensure buyers the best home at the best price and terms.”

To qualify for the 2016 MSP 501 ranking, MSPs were asked to submit applications complete with 2015 financial results as well as revenue verification from a certified financial professional. Warren Averett Technology Group was recognized as the 140th firm in the MSPmentor 501 ranking worldwide.

WALLACE, STUBBS LEAD UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN MONTGOMERY – Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood CEO Bill Wallace is serving as the 2016 campaign chair for the River Region United Way. He is joined by River Bank & Trust CEO Jimmy Stubbs, the campaign’s vice chair. They are leading the efforts of the campaign cabinet, a group of volunteer leaders from small and large businesses throughout the River Region.

Bill Wallace

With a campaign Jimmy Stubbs fundraising goal of $4.65 million, the cabinet is assisted by 35 “loaned STAMP IDEA GROUP executives” from area businesses, WINS TOURISM AWARD who reach out to more than 300 companies conducting workplace MONTGOMERY – Stamp Idea Group giving campaigns. The results of the produced an award-winning work 2016 campaign will be announced in for the Columbus, Ga., Convention & mid-January. Visitors Bureau. The River Region United Way, which serves Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Macon and Montgomery counties, directly impacts nearly 135,000 people every year.

WARREN AVERETT TECHNOLOGY GROUP RANKS AMONG TOP 150 WORLDWIDE BIRMINGHAM – Warren Averett Technology Group was ranked in the top 150 managed service providers in the world on the MSPmentor 501 ranking. MSPmentor 501 is the IT channel’s largest and most comprehensive list of leading managed service provider (MSP) organizations worldwide.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

“We are excited to be recognized on this global list of MSP organizations,” Warren Averett Technology Group President Jason Asbury said in a statement. “We are grateful to our clients and strive to provide the highest level of solutions and service to help our clients thrive.”

Stamp, a Montgomery-based advertising, interactive and media agency, developed a destination marketing action plan where the “Go All Out” campaign was created. The award-winning campaign included website design and development, multiple campaignspecific web landing pages, social media marketing and regional print advertising. In the first four months of the campaign, traffic to the website increased by 21 percent year-overyear. The economic impact of hotel stays increased 57 percent over the

2016 year-to-date goal with $35.4 million in sales and lodging tax revenue.

rethink how we tell the Columbus story,” Peter Bowden, president and CEO of the Columbus, Ga., Convention & Visitors Bureau, said in a statement. “The team members at Stamp took our destination research and used it to help us create and measure success. And in 12 short months the results were phenomenal.”

MAX Credit Union to bring these fan favorite shows back to Montgomery,” Montgomery Biscuits co-owner Sherrie Myers said in a statement.

“Stamp is thrilled to be a part The Biscuits will also have 2017 of this award promotional dates for Superheroes that honors the Night, Star Wars Night, Family Faith Columbus, Ga., Night and Montgomery Advertiser CVB,” David Allred, Autograph Day. New food-themed agency partner and events for 2017 are Southern David Allred operations director Food Fest, Crawfish Boil and for Stamp, said in a statement. Thanksgiving Fest. “This recognition affirms that Stamp “We’re excited for our 2017 BISCUITS ANNOUNCE is a leader in innovative tourism promotions and hope our fans will be 2017 PROMOTIONS initiatives that stimulate leisure and as well,” Biscuits General Manager MONTGOMERY – The Montgomery meeting travel in Columbus, Ga., Scott Trible said in a statement. “We Biscuits will have five Massive which positively impacts the city’s do research to understand MAX fireworks shows tax revenue.” our customers’ needs next season and 15 MAX The Southeast Tourism Society and interests.” fireworks shows. judged the winning campaign on “The response to the research, creativity, demographic CONTINUED ON PAGE 48 Massive MAX fireworks targets and strategy and its level shows in 2016 was of success. astounding – we’re “This recognition is truly special as happy to partner with it represents a dramatic departure Sherrie Myers for our CVB; an opportunity to

FIRST CLASS MEDICINE The UAB School of Medicine Montgomery Regional Medical Campus continues its mission of training medical students to become compassionate and competent physicians. With the addition of the Class of 2018, the campus has grown to 40 third- and fourth-year students — the future of a new generation of medical excellence in Montgomery and the River Region.

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November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

BUSINESS BUZZ FROM PAGE

CAPELL & HOWARD NAMED A ‘BEST LAW FIRM’ MONTGOMERY – Capell & Howard P.C. has once again been recognized as a “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers, making 2017 the eighth year in a row the firm has received the honor. The oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, Best Lawyers has partnered with U.S. News & World Report since 2010 to provide law firms nationwide with rankings established by client and peer evaluations. Since 2010, Capell & Howard has been named every year as a “Best Law Firm.”

In the 2017 “Best Law Firms” edition, Capell & Howard was ranked as one of the top law firms in Montgomery, receiving a Metropolitan Tier 1 designation, for 14 practices areas – arbitration, banking and finance litigation, commercial litigation, corporate law, employee benefits law, individuals employment law, management employment law, management labor law, labor and employment litigation, mediation, real estate law, tax law, tax litigation, and trusts and estates law. The firm also received a Metropolitan Tier 2 ranking for environmental litigation, securities litigation, and trusts and estates litigation, and a Metropolitan Tier 3 ranking for family law. In August, Best Lawyers listed 17 Capell & Howard attorneys in its 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in

America. The attorneys listed were Barbara J. Wells, Bruce J. Downey III, D. Kyle Johnson, Debra D. Spain, Frank H. McFadden, Henry C. Barnett Jr., Henry H. Hutchinson, J. Lister Hubbard, James M. Scott, James N. Walter Jr., K. Palmer Smith, M. Courtney Williams, R. Brooke Lawson III, Robert F. Northcutt, Robert T. Meadows III, Shapard D. Ashley and William D. Coleman. Four Capell & Howard P.C. attorneys have been listed in the 2016 edition of Super Lawyers while two of the firm’s attorneys have been listed among the Super Lawyers “Rising Stars.” A Thomson Reuters business, Super Lawyers is an esteemed rating service of outstanding U.S. lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

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Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

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Listed in the 2016 edition of Super Lawyers are Capell & Howard shareholders Richard H. Allen (construction litigation); Coleman (alternative dispute resolution); Hubbard (construction litigation); and Walter (alternative dispute resolution). Each year, no more than 5 percent of the lawyers in Alabama are selected by Super Lawyers to receive this mark of distinction. Attorneys named to the Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list, which recognizes up-and-coming lawyers, are Capell & Howard shareholders Chad W. Bryan (civil litigation defense) and Patricia R. Osuch (employment and labor law). To be eligible for inclusion in the “Rising Stars” list, an attorney must be either 40 years old or younger or in practice for 10 years or less. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of Alabama attorneys receive this honor.

EDUCATION GROUP DISTRIBUTES $36,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS MONTGOMERY – Alabama Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (AAICU) has distributed $36,400 in UPS Scholarships to 14 low-income students at private colleges and universities in the state. The scholarships were made possible by a grant from the UPS Educational Endowment Fund administered by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in Washington, D.C. Nationally, CIC and the UPS Foundation teamed up to provide nearly $1.5 million in student scholarships this year, which will be distributed through state-based private college associations around the country. Colleges in Alabama that received UPS Scholarships this year from

AAICU include Amridge University, Birmingham-Southern College, Concordia College Alabama, Faulkner University, Huntingdon College, Judson College, Miles College, Samford University, Soring Hill College, Stillman College, Talladega College, United States Sports Academy, University of Mobile and Tuskegee University. “Helping to make college affordable for students from underserved populations is a truly critical need in our society and it is rewarding to know that The UPS Foundation is addressing this important issue head-on,” CIC President Richard Ekman said in a statement. “The independent colleges and universities in this country have a remarkable track record in educating and graduating low-income and first-generation students …” CONTINUED ON PAGE

IT’S A WASTE TO WASTE MONEY ON WASTE. No business can afford to waste money on waste. Sadly, many businesses don’t know what they’re actually paying, or who is even in charge of it. Someone signed a contract long ago, the bills keep coming and nobody worries about it. But most companies’ contracts have built in rate increases. So you may be paying a lot more than you should. At Alabama Dumpster Service, we have the dumpster or roll-off container that’s right for your business and your budget. Our customer service is unsurpassed and you can trust us for timely delivery and pick-up. So take a second look at your trash removal costs and call us. We’ll make sure you’re not wasting money on waste.

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November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

BUSINESS BUZZ FROM PAGE

MONTGOMERY CANCER CENTER WINS VIDEO DANCE COMPETITION MONTGOMERY – Montgomery Cancer Center captured first place in the Medline Pink Glove Dance video competition in the non-health care category. Determined by public online voting, Montgomery Cancer Center received 3,614 votes, and won a $10,000 donation from Medline to the breast cancer charity of its choice. That charity is the Cancer Wellness Foundation of Central Alabama. An additional $2,000 was raised for the charity. Montgomery Cancer Center’s video reflects the organization’s dedication toward public outreach and providing a safe haven for breast cancer patients. The video showed 150 people, including staff and community members, sporting Medline’s pink exam gloves and danced to celebrate hope for a

cure for breast cancer as well as honor those who have been affected by the disease. “Congratulations to Montgomery Cancer Center for putting together such an amazing video that has grabbed the attention of thousands of people from around the country,” Sue MacInnes, chief market solutions officer for Medline, said in a statement. There were nine winners in the Pink Glove Dance video competition in three categories: large bed, small bed and non-health care.

EASTDALE MALL PLANS BUSY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE MONTGOMERY – A busy schedule has been planned at Eastdale Mall featuring photos with Santa through Christmas Eve. Photo packages start at $15 and digital files are also available. The mall is open 8 p.m.-midnight on Thanksgiving and the first 100 people

who line up at the customer service desk will receive a free $10 Eastdale Mall gift card and a free six-piece nugget from Chick-fil-A. Those 18 and older may enter a drawing for a $500 Eastdale Mall gift card, and the winner does not need to be present for the midnight drawing. The mall will open 7 a.m. for Black Friday and shoppers spending $150 or more between 7 a.m. and noon will receive $25 gift cards. Two Breakfast with Santa events are scheduled for Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, which benefit Easter Seals of Central Alabama. Radio station WLWI 92.3 FM and Eastdale Mall are combining for a $2,500 shopping spree. The radio station will tell listeners how to qualify for the shopping spree. Other holiday events are: Holiday Soiree at 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Dec. 15; Cookies and Crafts with Santa at 9 a.m., Dec. 17; and Pet Photos with Santa at 5 p.m.-9 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday in December.

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Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

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The second annual Rockin’ Noon Year’s Eve Celebration is set for 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Dec. 31, and highlights include face painting, animals from the Montgomery Zoo, free ice skating, balloon drop from the ceiling and balloon artists.

2016 RIVER REGION ETHICS AND PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED Montgomery, AL – River Region Ethics and Public Service (RREPS) announced the recipients of the 2016 River Region Ethics and Public Service Awards, Monday, October 17, at the Wynlakes Golf and Country Club.

About River Region Ethics: The River Region Ethics in Business and Public Service Awards is a program of The Samaritan Counseling Center, Inc. in collaboration with Auburn University at Montgomery’s School of Business and School of Sciences. The purpose of the program is to bring the importance of business and public service ethics to the forefront of communities throughout the River Region and to honor those individuals and companies that practice and believe in good ethics. It is hoped that businesses and agencies throughout the community will aspire to be considered for this award. For more information on the River Region Ethics in Business and Public Service Awards, visit riverregionethics.com.

The luncheon and awards ceremony recognized businesses, About The Samaritan organizations and Counseling Center: individuals for Founded as a 501(c)3 their community organization in 1999, The leadership, Samaritan Counseling Center, Inc. service and River Region Ethics provides mental health services, contributions educational programming and to ethical business practices in the consultative services to all in need in River Region. Awards were given to the River Region through a wellnessthe following recipients in each of the oriented philosophy, emphasizing following categories: mind, body, and spirit. For more Small Business information about The Samaritan Counseling Center and its services, Cloverdale Service Center visit www.tsccenter.org. Medium Business Balch & Bingham, LLP Large Business Caddell Construction Company Non-profit Organizations/Public Agencies Tukabatchee Council of the Boy Scouts of America Individual Community Leaders Lynn Beshear For a listing of this year’s finalist, please visit riverregionethics.com/ nominees-recipients. For more information on the River Region Ethics and Public Service Awards, contact Nancy Blount at nblount@tsccenter.org or (334) 262-7787.

COPPERWING AND NEPTUNE WIN BEST PRESENTATION AWARD AT 3RD SMART WATER SUMMIT PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – With a presentation written and designed by Copperwing and delivered by Neptune Technology Group, Neptune received the trophy for Best Overall Boardroom Presentation at the 3rd Annual Smart Water Summit. The summit was held September 7-9 at PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

This marks the second straight year that Copperwing and Neptune have brought home the prestigious water industry award, with this being their third national industry award in less than two years. In June 2015, they won the Gold Award in large exhibit design during the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Best of Show Competition. This year’s Smart Water Summit presentation theme honored America’s achievements in the recent 2016 Summer Olympics— highlighting the preparation, teamwork, and daily dedication to excellence that Neptune strives to offer its water utility customers as their Most Valued Partner. “It’s a great honor to receive another award in our collaboration with Neptune,” said Copperwing Managing Partner and Creative Director Angela Stiff. “Together, we’ve established their continuing worldwide presence as a key thought leader in the water industry. It’s no accident that when people think of smart water, they think of Neptune.” Copperwing is a creative consultancy offering design, digital media and integrated brand management services. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, the firm serves local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit copperwing.com. Serving thousands of water utility customers across North America from its Tallassee, Alabama headquarters, Neptune Technology Group develops automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) Angela Stiff technologies for the water industry. For additional information, visit neptunetg.com. n

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

MEMBER NEWS

MEMBERS ON THE MOVE NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY NAMES MANAGING PARTNER MONTGOMERY – Sha Embree has been named managing partner of the Montgomery General Office of New York Life Insurance Co.

Embree is mainly responsible for growth of the general office’s profitability, Sha Embree leading the office and agents toward achieving objectives, supervising all agents and registered representatives, and adherence to all regulatory and company standards. “We are delighted to have Sha join the Montgomery general office,”

Michael Gavin, vice president of New York Life’s South Central zone, said in a statement. “Sha’s leadership and expertise will be an asset to the community.” Embree has worked at New York Life’s Austin, Texas, general office for the past five years with past positions including financial adviser and partner. She received a degree in political science and economics from Southwestern University. “I couldn’t be more happy to be a part of the great community of Montgomery, Alabama,” Embree said in a statement. “I’m excited about growing the River Region office to better serve the community.”

JACKSON CLINIC UROLOGIST NAMED CHIEF OF ROBOTICS, MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY MONTGOMERY – Dr. Brian Richardson has been named chief of robotics and minimally invasive surgery at Jackson Hospital. Richardson, a urologist with The Jackson Clinic, has performed more than 2,500 surgical and more than 600 robotic cases at Jackson Hospital in the last five years.

Brian Richardson

“It is an honor and privilege to be selected as the chief of robotics and minimally invasive surgery at Jackson

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Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Hospital,” Richardson said in a statement. “During the last five years, we have worked hard to provide cutting edge and minimally invasive surgery in the River Region. Jackson Hospital continues to lead by bringing the most innovative surgical technology to our community and I am proud to be able to continue to lead this work to ensure that our patients receive the best and most advanced care available.”

EXIT HODGES REAL ESTATE ADDS BROKER/MANAGER MONTGOMERY – Tom Ponder has joined EXIT Hodges Real Estate as a broker/manager. He began his real estate career as a sales associate and became the youngest agent in the Birmingham real estate market to qualify for life membership in the Birmingham Area Board of Realtors Million Dollar Sales Club.

Richardson was the first doctor in the River Region to Ponder moved into a perform many complex management position Tom Ponder robotic/laparoscopic/ with the companies that percutaneous urological procedures. eventually merged to become He has also served as a proctor/ RealtySouth. He served as qualifying instructor for intuitive surgery to broker for the Vestavia Hills, instruct other surgeons to perform Trussville, Hoover, Clanton, and robotic surgery. Tuscaloosa offices. He later moved to corporate to oversee the commercial sales division, relocation division and the new construction sales and marketing divisions. Ponder opened

Realty Place LLC and within five years his agents had captured a 26 percent market share with 20 agents while his larger competitors with more agents lost market share. He has been a broker/ manager for many offices over a 25-plus year span.

TRIUMPH SERVICES NAMES LOCAL LEADER MONTGOMERY – Rebecca Cornwell is the leader of Triumph Services’ location in Montgomery. The organization provides communityRebecca Cornwell based services for adults with developmental disabilities through job coaching, life coaching, social coordination and therapy. CONTINUED ON PAGE

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Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

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MEMBERS ON THE MOVE FROM PAGE

administration from Auburn University at Montgomery.

PARTNERS REALTY ANNOUNCES HIRES MONTGOMERY – Partners Realty announced that Clay McInnis and Glenn P. Sylvest have joined the firm.

Clay McInnis

Flatt, who has 13-plus years of experience in marketing, branding, training, project management and presenting, will handle marketing for both the Montgomery and Mobile markets as well as Warren Averett Technology Group.

She formerly served in McInnis, a real marketing roles for estate developer, the Alabama Realtors was born Association, Atlanta and raised in Union Mission, Montgomery and Alabama Department of has been active Senior Services and Big in associations City Marketing. She has a Glenn P. Sylvest and organizations master’s degree in public including relations and advertising. Downtown Business Association, Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, The Gumption Fund, UAB Montgomery School of RICHARD, HARRIS, Medicine Advisory Board, EAT INGRAM AND BOZEMAN South and Design Alabama. He is NAMES SHAREHOLDER an Auburn graduate and attended MONTGOMERY – Richard, The Montgomery Academy. Harris, Ingram and Bozeman, Sylvest joined the firm P.C, announced the admission of as a residential Realtor. Scott Lee as a shareholder with She is a graduate of the the firm effective Jan. 1. University of Alabama and Lee, who joined the firm in 2006, The Montgomery Academy. `actively practices in the firm’s tax and audit sectors with emphases in audits of local city school WARREN AVERETT boards, not-for-profit tax and HIRES TWO MANAGERS audit, and tax services to small MONTGOMERY – Warren Averett, businesses and individuals. CPAs and Advisors recently announced two hires to its Montgomery office. Cristy Andrews has joined the firm as a senior manager and Kaleigh Flatt was named regional marketing manager.

He received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Auburn University at Montgomery and is a certified public accountant.

Richard, Harris, Ingram and Bozeman Scott Lee is a local certified public accounting firm Andrews, who specializes in providing tax, audit, accounting, accounting and tax services consulting, and financial for clients in the real estate planning services to individuals, industry, has more than 18 small businesses, not-for-profit years of experience. She has a organizations and governments bachelor’s degree in accounting throughout Alabama for more and master’s degree in business than 65 years. n

RIBBON CUTTINGS & GROUND BREAKINGS

CHAMBER NEWS

DEXTER AVENUE KING MEMORIAL LEGACY CENTER 455 Washington Avenue • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-239-9305 • Rev. Cromwell A. Handy-Pastor Mr. Al Frazier-Financial Secretary Event-Venue

PIEOLOGY PIZZERIA

BARBER ELITE SOCCER, LLC

1470 Taylor Road, Suite 101 • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-694-9060 • www.pieology.com Bryan Hudson-General Manager Restaurants-Pizza

P.O. Box 6559 • Montgomery, AL 36106 334-391-2549 Emily Barber-Owner • Allan Barber-Owner Sports-Amateur MONTGOMERY SUBARU 3000 Eastern Boulevard • Montgomery, AL 36116 334-260-2064 • www.montgomerysubaru.com John Danielson-Vice President/General Manager Automobile Dealers & Services

JONES DRUGS

GARTH REALTY GROUP

59 West Fairview Avenue • Montgomery, AL 36105 334-676-2900 James Jones-Owner/Pharmacist Pharmacies

281 East Mendel Parkway • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-440-1580 • www.garthrealtygroup.com CeCe Savage-Broker Real Estate-Residential LA-Z-BOY 6280 Atlanta Highway • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-270-2000 • www.la-z-boy.com/al-tn Fred Foster-Company General Manager Linda Barr-Store Manager Furniture

SMOOTH N GROOVE

CENTRAL ALABAMA AGING CONSORTIUM

6495 Atlanta Highway (inside Walmart) Montgomery, AL 36117 256-604-9844 • www.smoothngroove.com Keon Davis-Owner Restaurants-American

2500 Fairlane Drive, Suite 200 • Montgomery, AL 36116 334-240-4666 • www.centralalabamaaging.org Susan Segrest-Executive Director Stephanie Holmes-Dementia Project Coordinator Associations/Non-Profit LYONS HR 4193 Carmichael Road • Montgomery, AL 36106 334-557-9035 • www.lyonshr.com Bill Lyons-Owner Dianne Lee-Branch Manager Human Resource Management Consulting November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

MONTGOMERY AESTHETICS

ADDISON PARK APARTMENTS

8161 Seaton Place, Suite C • Montgomery, AL 36116 334-356-1912 • www.medspamontgomery.com Lauren Bishop-Owner/Aesthetician Laser & Skincare

101 South Burbank Drive • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-277-2601 • www.addisonparkmontgomery.com Audra Froom-Property Manager Apartments

CHICK-FIL-A EASTDALE MALL 1250 Eastdale Mall • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-272-1411 • www.chick-fil-a.com/eastdalemall Jason Soriano-Owner /Operator Restaurants-Fast Food TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ

WILLIS DENTAL CARE

3008 Zelda Road • Montgomery, AL 36106 334-517-1872 • www.tropicalsmoothie.com Dimple Ahuja-Owner • Dee Ahuja-Owner Restaurants-Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt Restaurants-Deli

8161 Seaton Place, Suite A • Montgomery, AL 36116 334-260-2929 • www.willisdentalcare.com Bradley Willis-Dentist Pat Holt-Office Manager Dentists

ISHI? 10 Court Square • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-356-3450 • www.ishishopping.com Iyishia Jones-Owner Boutique & Salon

FARMERS DISTRICT OFFICE

BOJANGLES

1760 Platt Place • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-271-5545 Jessica Goolsby-District Manager Insurance Companies/Services

9066 EastChase Parkway • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-247-9795 • www.bojland.com Jeff Mounts-General Manager Restaurants-Fast Food

SLT FOOD MART 80 Commerce Street • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-416-8855 George Traywick-Owner Groceries-Retail • Convenience Stores

2 SWEET 2 BE 4GOTTEN 1720 Mulberry Street • Montgomery, AL 36106 334-868-6170 LaCheryl Lacour-Owner Children’s Clothing & Specialty Items Toys 56

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

FOSHEE MANAGEMENTTHE MORGANS @ EASTCHASE 44 Market Plaza, Suite 801 • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-273-0313 • www.fosheemanagement.com Golson Foshee-President John Hunter Golson-Owner Foshee Design & Construct, LLC Apartments

SOL RESTAURANTE MEXICANO & TAQUERIA 3962 Atlanta Highway • Montgomery, AL 36109 334-593-8250 Al Luna-Owner • Josh Luna-Manager Restaurants-Mexican

RIVER PAWS PET RESORT

YELLOWHAMMER CAFÉ

444 South Hull Street • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-244-9543 • www.riverpaws.com Brandon Stoudenmier-Owner Pet Boarding/Grooming/Daycare

1961 Bell Street • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-239-7758 Kim Darveau-Owner Restaurants-Southern • Catering Services RAYMOND JAMES 6925-B Halcyon Park Drive • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-481-1400 Trip Phillips-Financial Advisor Sam Chambers-Financial Advisor Penton Cooke-Financial Advisor Derrick Sikes-Financial Advisor Investment Securities • Financial Services MONTGOMERY HOUSING AUTHORITY - COLUMBUS SQUARE (GROUND BREAKING) 400 Block of Bainbridge Street Montgomery, AL 36104 334-206-7200 • www.mhatoday.org Evette Hester-Executive Director Government Agency

ALABAMA MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC AUTHORITY 80 TechnaCenter Drive • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-262-1126 • www.amea.com Fred Clark-President/CEO Don McClellan-Chairman Utilities CHAPPY’S DELI 8141 Vaughn Road • Montgomery, AL 36116 334-279-1226 • www.chappysdeli.com Jeff Barranco-Owner/General Manager David Barranco-Owner Mike Castanza-Director of Operations Restaurants-Deli ACE HARDWARE-MONTGOMERY

BML TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

3215 Taylor Road • Montgomery, AL 36116 334-239-9500 • www.capitalcityace.com Wayne Brown-Manager • David Ficthtner-Owner Elijah Tuggle-Owner Hardware

503 Coliseum Boulevard • Montgomery, AL 36109 334-669-0501 • www.bmltransportation.com Thomas Hardy, Jr.-Owner Shandrea Hill-COO Transportation Services THE HEIGHTS-MONTGOMERY 605 Maxwell Boulevard • Montgomery, AL 36104 334-261-6333 • www.theheightsmontgomery.com Christy Cupido-Property Manager Joseph Welden-Vice President, Stone River Company Apartments November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

CHAMBER NEWS

NEW MEMBERS

ADVERTISING SPECIALTIES

FREEDOM PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS Mickey Turner 2031 Shady Crest Drive Hoover, AL 35216 205-397-2397 APARTMENTS

HILLWOOD APARTMENTS Lynne Jarome One Gatsby Drive Montgomery, AL 36106 334-834-3400 ARCHITECTS

CHAMBLESS KING ARCHITECTS John R. Chambless 12 West Jefferson Street, Suite 300 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-272-0029 ASSOCIATIONS/NON-PROFIT

ALABAMA CENTER FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION, INC. Judy Keegan 415 Dexter Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104 334-269-0409 DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS Willie Scott P.O. Box 241902 Montgomery, AL 36124 334-271-5077 HARVEST TYME FOOD MINISTRIES Debbie Bryant 11091 Atlanta Highway Montgomery, AL 36117 334-590-6620 JUMBOLINKS, INC Chichi Jumbo 516 South Perry Street Montogmery, AL 36104 334-220-7220 SMILEY HEALTH GROUP, LLC Cornelia Robinson 5780 Hyde Park Drive Montgomery, AL 36117 360-556-3338

TIGER OAK MANAGEMENT, LLC Brad Fields 655 Tiger Oak Drive Pike Road, AL 36064 334-559-2899 ATTRACTIONS-CHILDRENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ACTIVITIES

ABRAKADOODLE ART Margaret Cornwell 1802 Shoreham Drive Montgomery, AL 36106 334-265-5758 BANKS

WOODFOREST NATIONAL BANK #8183 Latisha Simpson 851 Ann Street Montgomery, AL 36107 334-261-1774 BLINDS - RETAIL & CLEANING

JUST BLINDS Gil Miers 2214 Wynhaven Drive Prattville, AL 36067 334-361-2994 BOUTIQUE & SALON

ISHI? Iyishia Jones 10 Court Square Montgomery, AL 36104 334-356-3450

CHURCHES/MINISTRIES

CREDIT CARDS/SERVICES

LANDMARK CHURCH OF CHRIST Buddy Bell 1800 Halcyon Boulevard Montgomery, AL 36117-3436 334-277-5800

ALLEGIANCE MERCHANT SERVICES Josh Brant 1401 Central Avenue, Suite 200-B Charlotte, NC 28205 800-450-9125

RESURRECTION CATHOLIC MISSIONS Manuel Williams 2815 Forbes Drive Montgomery, AL 36110-1399 334-263-4221

DOCUMENT SCANNING

SAINT JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Allen Newton 9045 Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL 36117 334-277-3037 CONSULTING SERVICES

BUSINESS SERVICES OF ALABAMA, LLC Melinda Newell 6449 Norman Bridge Road Montgomery, AL 36105 334-288-7839

ADMIRAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT Scott McNelley 1200 Newell Pkwy, Ste 2 Montgomery, AL 36110 334-396-5430 ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS

WIGGINS INCORPORATED Mary Anne Teeter 1404 Furnace Street Montgomery, AL 36104 334-235-8889 EVENT PROMOTIONS

XQUISITE STAFFING AGENCY Taujaunna Ware 600 South Court Street, Suite 328 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-259-9273 FINANCIAL PLANNER/ADVISOR

CATERING SERVICES

DAVMOOR Gene Moorhead 8650 Minnie Brown Road, Suite 126 Montgomery, AL 36117 334-244-5044

GEORGIA ROUSSOS CATERING Georgia Roussos P.O. Box 42 Thedore, AL 36590 251-666-1141

MOORE-ZEIGLER GROUP Carmen Moore-Zeigler 1807 Britton Lane Montgomery, AL 36106 334-261-4222

PENN MUTUAL ALABAMA AGENCY Lori Schwind 1Perimeter Park South, Suite 100 S Birmingham, AL 35243 205-776-6651

CELLULAR/WIRELESS PHONE SERVICES

CONTRACTORS

GOVERNMENT AGENCY

CELL PHONE REHAB Christi Russell 2801-A Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL 36116 334-676-4131

HUTCHESON CONSTRUCTION CO., INC. Paul Hutcheson P.O. Box 11053 Montgomery, AL 36111 334-288-3540

ALABAMA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD Brandon Raybon 1720 Cong W L Dickinson Drive Montgomery, AL 36109 334-294-6444

CONVENIENCE STORE

CROSBY DRINKARD GROUP, LLC Cassandra Crosby-McCullough P.O. Box 5167 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-669-2719

CELLULAR SALES-VERIZON Jason Love 2050 Eastern Boulevard Montgomery, AL 36116 334-207-1110

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

SLT FOOD MART George Trawick 80 Commerce Street Montgomery, AL 36104 334-416-8855

BENEFIT PLANNERS INC. Brian Paulk 5310 Atlanta Highway Montgomery, AL 36117 334-495-7476

GOVERNMENT REL/LOBBYING

GROCERIES-RETAIL

INVESTMENT ADVISORS/BROKERS

WHOLE FOODS MARKETMONTGOMERY Christopher Gonzalez 1450 Taylor Road Montgomery, AL 36117 334-523-2940

JACKSON THORNTON ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC George C. Smith P.O. Box 96 Montgomery, AL 36101 334-834-7660

HARDWARE

JANITORIAL SERVICE/SUPPLIES

CAPITAL CITY ACE HARDWARE Elijah Tuggle 3215 Taylor Road Montgomery, AL 36116 334-239-9500

AFFORDABLE JANITORIAL & CLEANING SERVICE Anthony J. Thomas P.O. Box 210483 Montgomery, AL 36121-0483 334-538-4312

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING SERVICES

LANDSCAPING/LAWN SERVICES

CAPITAL REFRIGERATION COMPANY Jeff Lambert P.O. Box 1966 Montgomery, AL 36102-1966 334-263-0201

AFFORDABLE LANDSCAPE & LAWN SERVICE Anthony J. Thomas P.O. Box 210483 Montgomery, AL 36121-0483 334-538-4312

HOSPITALS/CLINICS

YOUR DOCTORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OFFICE, PC Tim Will 8630 Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL 36117 334-676-4076 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FIRMS

BINARY SERVICES Jeffery Runyon 9218 Concord Park Drive Montgomery, AL 36117 843-465-8117 MISSION SERVICES, INC. Charisse D. Stokes 1360 Hidden Ridge Montgomery, AL 36117 334-657-1883 INSURANCE COMPANIES/SERVICES

ALABAMA LAWNS, INC. Craig Jones P.O. Box 241242 Montgomery, AL 36124 334-272-7171 MORTGAGE/FINANCE

BBVA COMPASS MORTGAGE Deborah Hill 2811 Eastern Bypass Montgomery, AL 36116 334-312-4528 MOVING TRANSFER & STORAGE

ADMIRAL MOVERS, INC. Scott McNelley 1200 Newell Parkway, Ste 1 Montgomery, AL 36110 334-262-6666

FARMERS INSURANCE DISTRICT OFFICE Jessica Goolsby 1760 Platt Place Montgomery, AL 36117 334-271-5545

MUSIC/MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

INTERIOR DESIGN

OFFICE EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES

WALLER CONTRACT GROUP Jackie Waller P.O. Box 6355 Montgomery, AL 36106 334-799-1859

ALABAMA OFFICE SUPPLY CO., LLP Gary Blackwell 2776 Gunter Park Drive, Suite H Montgomery, AL 36109-1415 334-215-7697

ELITE MUSIC SALES, LLC Brian Hinton 12 West Jefferson Street, Suite 150 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-215-0215

OFFICE DEPOT #163 Lisa Pace 5070 Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL 36116-1149 334-279-6633 OFFICE DEPOT #2378 Christopher Ross 943 Ann Street Montgomery, AL 36107 334-265-8171

RESTAURANTS

BOJANGLES Allyson Campbell 9066 EastChase Parkway Montgomery, AL 36117 334-247-9795

PET BOARDING/GROOMING/DAYCARE

CHICK-FIL-A Jason Soriano 1250 Eastdale Mall Montgomery, AL 36117 334-272-1411

THE BARKERY, LLC Michelle Reeder 1963 Mulberry Street Montgomery, AL 36106 334-239-9255

CHICK-FIL-A Tyler Whittington 201 Monroe Street, Suite 162 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-293-4773

PHARMACIES

WHARF CASUAL SEAFOOD Noah Griggs 3954 Atlanta Highway Montgomery, AL 36109 334-676-3200

JONES DRUGS James C. Jones 1751 Upper Wetumpka Road Montgomery, AL 36107 334-264-1110 PHYSICIANS-DERMATOLOGY

RIVER REGION DERMATOLOGY & LASER Stephanie Moore 2060 Berryhill Road Montgomery, AL 36117 334-212-0057 PRINTING SERVICES/ GRAPHIC DESIGN

CCM GRAPHICS AND DESIGNS Christina Mims 600 South Court Street, Suite 455 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-612-7922 REAL ESTATE-INVESTMENTS

BPC LARKSPUR INTERSTATE, LLC Akzahara Cobreiro 1717 CR 220 Clubhouse Fleming Island, FL 32003 904-215-1665

YELLOWHAMMER CAFE Kim Darveau 1961 Bell Street Montgomery, AL 36104 334-239-7758 RESTAURANTS-ICE CREAM/FROZEN YOGURT

TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFE Dimple Ahuja 3008 Zelda Road Montgomery, AL 36106 334-517-1872 SPORTS-AMATEUR

BARBER ELITE SOCCER, LLC Emily Barber P.O. Box 6559 Montgomery, AL 36106 334-391-2549 VETERINARIANS

EASTMONT ANIMAL CLINIC Kim Ousley 111 Eastdale Road South Montgomery, AL 36117 334-272-5656

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

SALES TAX

ECONOMIC INTEL

CHAMBER NEWS AUGUST 2016

AUGUST 2015

Montgomery County

$3,511,821

$3,431,678

City of Montgomery

$8,392,720

Pike Road

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

YTD 2016

YTD 2015

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

2.34%

$32,653,325

$31,961,474

2.16%

$8,008,042

4.80%

$78,261,137

$76,165,158

2.75%

$194,517

$198,670

-2.09%

$1,691,410

$1,659,585

$1,694,148

-2.04%

$16,550,526

$16,130,273

Autauga County

$682,354

$651,012

4.81%

$6,492,758

$6,100,874

6.42%

Elmore County

$86,298

$99,002

-12.83%

$921,465

$989,108

-6.84%

Wetumpka

$484,996

$373,869

29.72%

$4,514,920

$4,123,864

9.48%

Prattville

0.00% 2.61%

Sources: Montgomery County Commission, City of Montgomery, City of Pike Road, Autauga County Commission, City of Prattville, Elmore County Commission, City of Wetumpka Note: YTD numbers are January 2016 thru current month. * Did not receive this months numbers.

MONTGOMERY REGIONAL AIRPORT SEPTEMBER 2016 Air Carrier Operations

SEPTEMBER 2015

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

YTD 2016

YTD 2015

YEAR OVER YEAR % CHANGE

825

840

-1.8%

7,556

7,055

7.1%

5,388

5,088

5.9%

47,199

44,237

6.7%

Enplanements

15,028

14,321

4.9%

130,389

131,214

-0.6%

Deplanements

15,524

14,134

9.8%

128,740

125,533

2.6%

Total Passengers

30,552

28,455

7.4%

259,129

256,747

0.9%

Total Operations

Source: Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) Dannelly Field

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Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

Trustmark - Montgomery Business Journal

AIRLINE FARES Roundtrip airfare comparisons from Montgomery, Birmingham and Atlanta airports to key destinations. Destination

MGM

BHM

ATL

Baltimore (BWI)

$285

$270

$98

Boston (BOS)

$335

$319

$106

Charlotte, NC (CLT)

$274

$224

Chicago (ORD)

$266

$284

$136

Cincinnati (CVG)

$314

$292

$268

Dallas/Ft Worth (DFW)

$304

$259

$154

Denver (DEN)

$313

$384

$121

Detroit (DTW)

$336

$316

$98

Houston (HOU)

$283

$315

$116

Indianapolis (IND)

$288

$272

$156

Las Vegas (LAS)

$420

$354

$160

Los Angeles (LAX)

$364

$318

$226

Memphis (MEM)

$257

$243

$222

Miami (MIA)

$276

$364

$147

Nashville (BNA)

$312

$253

$203

New Orleans (MSY)

$283

$297

$148

New York (JFK)

$336

$333

$206

Orlando (MCO)

$303

$213

$71

Philadelphia (PHL)

$308

$334

$126

Pittsburgh (PIT)

$300

$291

$177

St Louis (STL)

$283

$235

$194

Seattle (SEA)

$420

$363

$378

$1,266

$1,148

$835

Tampa (TPA)

$304

$252

$90

Washington DC (DCA)

$290

$263

$155

Seoul (SEL)

Date of travel: Dec. 6-11, 2016. Date of pricing: Oct. 9, 2016. Source: travelocity.com

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com Untitled-2 1

11/10/2016 4:58:42 PM

Building Permits

BUILDING STARTS AUGUST 2016

Building Valuations

JULY 2016

AUGUST 2015

AUGUST 2016

JULY 2016

AUGUST 2015

New Construction

$6,343,133

$8,042,000

$8,951,200

Additions and AlterationsÂ

$3,653,808

$12,306,399

$11,998,582

Others

$821,400

$346,302

$485,312

Total

126

196

150

$10,818,341

$20,694,701

$21,435,094

Source: City of Montgomery Building Department

MONTGOMERY METRO MARKET HOME SALES SEPTEMBER 2016

AUGUST 2016

MONTH/MONTH % CHANGE

SEPTEMBER 2015

YEAR/YEAR % CHANGE

STATEWIDE SEPTEMBER 2016*

Median Price

$148,000

$149,000

-0.67%

$135,000

9.63%

$147,326

Average Price

$154,955

$166,821

-7.11%

$149,127

3.91%

$169,856

2,541

2,564

-0.90%

2,848

-10.78%

29,302

Months of Supply

7.3

6.4

14.06%

6.6

10.61%

6.2

Total # Sales

349

399

-12.53%

431

-19.03%

4,738

Days on Market

102

104

-1.92%

114

-10.53%

131

Units Listed

Source: Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE), The University of Alabama

UNEMPLOYMENT Area

Civilian Labor Force SEPT p 2016

AUG r 2016

Unemployment Rate SEPT r 2015

SEPT p 2016

AUG r 2016

SEPT r 2016

Montgomery MA

171,190

171,557

167,091

5.50%

5.40%

5.80%

Autauga County

25,859

25,868

25,132

5.00%

5.10%

5.00%

Prattville City

16,882

16,900

16,426

4.80%

4.90%

Elmore County

36,649

36,745

35,735

4.80%

4.70%

4.90%

3,916

3,872

3,839

10.30%

11.70%

104,766

105,072

102,385

5.70%

5.60%

6.00%

92,122

92,376

90,058

5.80%

5.70%

6.10%

539,070

540,271

526,479

5.40%

5.30%

5.40%

93,030

93,293

90,826

7.10%

6.90%

212,982

211,686

208,228

5.00%

4.90%

5.20%

Lowndes County Montgomery County Montgomery City Birmingham-Hoover MA Birmingham City Huntsville MA Huntsville City

92,177

91,657

90,196

5.30%

5.20%

5.60%

Mobile MA

184,956

184,414

181,370

6.60%

6.50%

6.90%

Mobile City

86,325

86,060

84,715

6.90%

6.70%

7.20%

2,188,762

2,181,061

2,136,040

5.70%

5.60%

5.90%

159,636,000

159,800,000

156,607,000

4.80%

5.00%

4.90%

Alabama United States

MA=Metropolitan Area. pPreliminary rRevised Estimates prepared by the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations in Cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, based on 2015 benchmark.

Montgomery Business Journal November/December 2016

HYUNDAI SALES SEP 2016

SEP 2015

YTD 2016

YTD 2015

Accent

7,495

3,640

62,200

48,625

Sonata

15,347

16,124

155,279

157,680

Elantra

19,382

20,724

157,050

193,962

Santa Fe

11,350

10,752

98,298

88,400

419

281

3,775

4,639

Tucson

7,333

7,925

65,333

41,076

Veloster

3,168

2,118

20,085

17,655

Genesis

845

2,239

21,663

24,423

212

1,297

1,730

G80

1,201

2,698

G90

Total

66,610

64,015

587,688

578,190

VEHICLE

Azera

Equus

B O O K Y O U R H O L I D A Y P A R T Y T O D A Y !

Source: Hyundai Motor America

November/December 2016 montgomerybusinessjournal.com

Post Office Box 79 Montgomery, AL 36101