3-09 B VIEW - Mobile Chamber of Commerce

THE 

BUSINESS 

VIEW 

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce September 2009 | Vol. XXXX, No. 8 

PRSRT STD 

U.S. Postage 

PAID 

Mobile, AL 

Permit #346 

n New Jobs Create 

Ripple Effect 

n National Economists to 

Present on Coastal Economy 

n Three Year MBEC Results 

Add Up for Local 

Businesses

22,200 oThER DECisioN MAkERs RECEivED 

THE BUSINESS VIEW ToDAY. 

2 9.09 | The Business View | MoBiLE AREA ChAMBER of CoMMERCE 

Introduce your company. 

Market your company. 

Promote your company. 

Advertise your company. 

By advertising in The Business View, 

you can reach the decision-makers at more than 

22,200 area businesses every month. 

Advertising prices in The Business View have not increased 

in 5 years and will stay the same in 2009. 

The Business View – an easy and economical way to get your 

company in front of the Mobile area business community. 

Contact René Eiland to discover how advertising in The Business View cancomplete your marketing plan 

at 251.431.8635 or e-mail reiland@mobilechamber.com. 

www.mobilechamber.com/view/media_kit.pdf 

Reliability - for 173 years, the Mobile Area Chamber has worked 

to make our area the best place to start, manage and grow your business. 

Quality - Last year, the U.s. Chamber of Commerce awarded the 

Mobile Area Chamber its highest five-star accreditation, for the 

second consecutive five-year period. 

Value - for as little as 83 cents a day, your Chamber membership 

yields a return in: 

• Business assistance; 

• Professional development seminars and counseling; 

• Networking opportunities; 

• Advocacy aimed at protecting your business 

interests, and more more. 

– a Significant Return on Your investment 

You’ll see this symbol with stories featuring Chamber initiatives.

THE BUSINESS VIEW is published monthly, 

except for the combined issue of December/January, 

by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce 

451 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36602 (251) 433-6951 

www.mobilechamber.com ©2009 

Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Winthrop M. Hallett III 

Executive Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leigh Perry-Herndon 

Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . .Susan Rak-Blanchard 

Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cori Yonge 

Additional Writers and Editors 

Shayla Jones Beaco, Diana Brinson, Ashley Horn, 

Michelle Matthews, Frank McRight, 

Rachel Rehm, Carolyn Wilson 

Printing services . . . . . . . . Interstate Printing/Direct Mail 

Graphic Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wise Design Inc. 

Advertising Account Executive . . . . . . . . . .René Eiland 

431-8635 reiland@mobilechamber.com 

A D V E R T I S E R S 

Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic PC ...............................21 

Bellingrath Gardens and Home ...............................22 

BitWizards ................................................................. 13 

Calagaz Digital & Offset Printing ............................ 25 

Century Bank ............................................................12 

Celia Mann Baehr .....................................................29 

Community Bank ..................................................... 23 

Environmental Waste and Recycle Solutions ......... 25 

Gwin’s Commercial Printing ...................................30 

Interstate Printing..................................................... 26 

Keith Air Conditioning ............................................. 24 

Lagniappe ...................................................................31 

New Horizons Credit Union ......................................21 

Lewis and Associates ................................................. 27 

Logical Computer Solutions .......................................7 

MacKinnon Paper Co. Inc ........................................ 35 

Mobile Airport Authority ............................................. 6 

Online Payroll Services Inc. .....................................12 

Pixallure Design LLC .................................................11 

Premier Medical Management ................................ 26 

Pristine Green.............................................................21 

RolyPoly ....................................................................22 

Safety Plus ................................................................. 16 

United Way of Southwest Alabama ..........................12 

Wonderland Express .................................................29 

The Mobile Area Chamber was awarded a five-star rating 

by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the highest designation 

given. Of the 6,936 chambers in the U.S., only 301 are 

accredited, and of those only 43 have achieved five-star 

distinction. Accreditation recognizes those Chambers that 

have defined, reached and maintained basic operational 

performance standards and have significantly contributed 

to the good of their community, region, state and country. 

The Mobile Area Chamber has been accredited by the 

U.S. Chamber since the designation’s inception more than 

40 years ago. 

THE 

C O N T E N T S 

BUSINESS 

VIEW 

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce 

8-10 Partners for Growth: In what’s known as 

the ripple effect, new jobs created along 

the Gulf Coast spur additional indirect 

jobs, increase consumer spending and 

generate tax dollars 

14-15 Now in its third year, MBEC celebrates 

success helping minority-owned 

businesses 

17-20 Envision Coastal Alabama’s semi-annual 

report spotlights Coastal Economy 

Outlook, Envision’s annual meeting 

and innovative programs connecting 

both sides of Mobile Bay 

F E A T U R E S 

4-6 News You Can Use – Encouraging news 

about Mobile that includes BayFest in 

numbers, maritime training opportunities, 

MAA additional flights, a new home for 

the American Red Cross, downtown’s 

newest hotel, and how Mobile landed the 

Columbus, Ga., Leadership Trip 

13 Boost Business 2009! Back by popular 

demand, best selling author 

Christine Corelli will 

offer valuable insight 

for business owners, 

sales professionals 

and employees 

22 Frank McRight, guest columnist with 

Burr & Forman LLP, shares the 

advantages of working without unions 

29 Mobile Area Chamber Board elects two 

new members 

O N T H E C O V E R 

On the cover: Ida Buish, Mobile AeroTeam, is one 

of several entrepreneurs that benefitted from Mobile’s 

Minority Business Enterprise Center. 

See story on pages 14-15. Photo by Ashley Horn 

M O N T H LY F O C U S 

11 Small Business of the Month: 

Don’s Café and Catering Service 

24 Business Spotlight of the Month: 

IKON Office Solutions 

24 Diplomats of the Month: Michelle Kerr, 

Karen Presley and Angela Williams 

27 Investor Focus: Offshore Inland 

Marine & Oilfield Services Inc. 

28 CEO Profiles: Jake Bell 

28 SCORE Column 

28 Who’s in Town? 

29 Board of Advisors 

30 Chamber@Work 

30 Economic Indicators 

31 Calendar 

32-33 Member News 

33 Anniversaries 

34 New Members 

MoBiLE AREA ChAMBER of CoMMERCE | The Business View | 9.09 3

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NEWS You Ca 

A new 81-room extended-stay hotel is under construction in downtown Mobile. 

Developers plan to use most of the brick, iron and slate salvaged from the former 

American National Bank building. 

Maritime Center Provides a Boost for Job Training 

The same type of training facility that 

boosted employees for Alabama’s auto 

industry is expected to do the same for the 

Mobile region’s maritime industry, said 

Gov. Bob Riley at the launch of the AIDT 

Maritime Science Center, located on Pinto 

Island, just south of the causeway. 

Education and training at the center is 

designed to transform students into workers 

with the skills with the skills that the area 

shipyards need. 

Initiated by the Alabama Industrial 

Development Training, the state’s training 

facility and part of the two-year college 

system, the $12 million multipurpose 

training and education facility is expected to 

train 700 to 800 people a year. It will also be 

used by the Alabama Community College 

System as well as individual companies for 

specific training or contract projects. 

Project partners included Atlantic Marine, 


Boutique Hotel Offers a Mix of Modern 

and Historic Features 

When the new Candlewood Suites Hotel 

is completed, it will have architectural 

elements from the American National Bank 

building that previously stood in the same 

location. Mike Cowart of Cowart 

Hospitality Services said during the 

demolition of the bank, they were able to 

salvage most of the brick, iron and slate 

and will reuse those components on the 

new property. Its final coat of paint might 

be a familiar color, as it will be the same 

yellow used on some of Spring Hill College’s 

new buildings. 

The joint venture partnership of Steve 

Edmonds, owner of the Hampton Inn & 

Suites Downtown, and Cowart broke ground 

this summer on a $9 million, 50,000- 

square-foot extended-stay hotel with 

Austal USA, Bender Shipbuilding & Repair 

and C&G Boat Works. 

The 67,000-square-foot Maritime 

Center will house welding shops, labs that 

meet Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration specifications, classrooms, 

computer and electrical labs. 

Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood’s 

Montgomery and Mobile offices took the 

project lead, providing architecture and 

landscape, land surveying and civil, 

81 rooms at the corner of Royal and 

St. Louis streets. The hotel is a mid-scale 

extended-stay facility, expected to be a 

draw for temporary employees and those 

relocating to the area, said Cowart. 

Memphis-based architect Paul Lague 

designed the property. Lague is the same 

architect who designed the Hampton Inn & 

Suites Downtown and the Homewood Suites 

in Daphne. 

Candlewood Suites will feature full 

kitchens and green amenities such as a 

solar- heated salt water pool. Candlewood 

is associated with Inter Continental Hotels 

Group, owners of the Holiday Inn and 

Crowne Plaza brands. 

geotechnical and environmental 

engineering services. 

Construction is expected to begin in 

October with a fall 2010 completion date. 

AIDT also expanded its Welding 

Training Program at the Bryant Career 

Technical Center in Irvington. Classes will 

be conducted in customized mobile training 

units with a goal of graduating 98 

participants a year to feed the growing 

maritime industry in south Mobile County. 

An investment by the state’s Alabama Industrial Development Training will benefit the area’s maritime industry. Under construction on Pinto Island is a 67,000 square-foot 

Maritime Science Center, and will have the resources to train 700-800 people annually. 

•

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n Use 

This year’s official BayFest poster was created by Fairhope resident Sam 

Gambino. It was one of 30 submissions. with the winner chosen by BayFest 

officials. Gambino’s love and appreciation for vintage art is evident in his work 

that has been shown in galleries inside and outside the United States. 

Columbus Community Leaders 

Choose Mobile 

After several years of consideration, 

Mobile made the cut as the 2009 Leadership 

Trip destination for 80-plus community 

leaders from Columbus, Ga. 

The trip is hosted and coordinated by 

the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of 

Commerce. Becky Gordon, senior vice 

president for the Greater Columbus Georgia 

Chamber, said she searches national and 

regional top 10 lists when choosing a 

destination and noticed Mobile recently 

made a number of high-profile lists. 

The trip is scheduled for Wednesday, 

Sept. 30 through Friday, Oct. 2. On the 

agenda of what to study in Mobile are the 

economic development efforts that led to 

ThyssenKrupp’s announcement to locate 

in Mobile, international trade efforts, the 

Music to Your Ears 

BayFest organizers have mastered the 

art of making the most of their resources. 

Last year’s event had a $68 million-plus 

economic impact, according to BayFest 

President Bobby Bostwick. 

Since the inception of the annual 

outdoor music festival in 1995, event 

organizers estimate it has generated in 

excess of $185 million in hotel room 

revenue, food, beverages, gas, parking, 

retail sales and tax collections. 

BayFest in Numbers* – 1995 to 2009 

The effort is particularly impressive 

considering BayFest is a nonprofit 

organization that is volunteer driven. It is 

also one of the largest volunteer-driven 

events in the state. 

BayFest is set for Oct. 2-4 in downtown 

Mobile. Confirmed acts include the Steve 

Miller Band, T-Pain, Three Doors Down, 

Akon, Wet Willie, Alan Jackson and Train. 

For more information and tickets, visit 

www.bayfest.com. 

6 times named to the Southeast Tourism Society’s 

Top 20 Events in the Southeast (every year the organization applied) 

1,875 musical acts 

$25,000 in music scholarships granted to local students 

54,000 volunteer hours 

$1.1 million donated to more than 50 local nonprofits in terms of 

commissions, special donations and honorariums 

2.7 million fans at BayFest concerts 

$4.7 million – annual budget in cash and in-kind 

$245 million – total economic impact over 15-year history 

* includes estimates for this year’s event 

Mobile Film Commission and the city’s 

accountability program – Citismart. 

Columbus is home to several Fortune 

500 companies including Aflac, Synovus 

Financial Services and Carmike Cinemas. 

Its current population is approximately 

198,000. Gordon said, with the U.S. 

military’s base realignment and closure 

procedure, Columbus is anticipating a 

population growth of 30,000 to 40,000 by 

2012. Fort Benning, located near Columbus, 

is receiving the influx of troops from Fort 

Knox’s armor division presently located 

in Kentucky. 

This past spring Mobile was also the 

leadership destination for community 

leaders from Tuscaloosa. 


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Making Space 

American Red Cross 

Breaks Ground on 

a New Building 

By the time the next hurricane season 

comes around, the Red Cross will have a 

few more resources at its finger tips. The 

American Red Cross Alabama Gulf Coast 

Chapter recently broke ground on its new 

headquarters and regional disaster response 

facility near the corner of Sage Avenue and 

Dauphin Square Connector, where the 

Dauphin Street Cinema used to be. 

Funds for the project were donated in 

July 2006 after officials touring from the 

State of Kuwait and the Kuwaiti Red 

Crescent Society saw the damage following 

Hurricane Katrina. A $25 million donation 

was given to the National American Red 

Cross for disaster buildings in Baton Rouge, 

New Orleans, Mobile and Tallahassee, Fla. 

J.C. Duke & Associates is the general 

contractor of the new 30,000 square-foot 

building. Construction includes an 

emergency operations center, four learning 

centers, private rooms for client interviews, 

a 5,000 square-foot disaster warehouse and 

an industrial kitchen with the capacity to 

serve 5,000 meals a day. 

Red Cross officials say the larger facility 

will help the agency address increasing 

demands for service, offer additional 

meeting and training space, and meet 

American Disabilities Association 

regulations. The existing office, located 

near the intersection of Dauphin and Broad 

streets, is for sale. 


Local government officials, along with American Red Cross board members and staff, 

including a representative from the national office, were on hand to celebrate the 

groundbreaking of a new local operations center. The 30,000-square-foot-building 

will have the capacity to serve 5,000 meals a day. 

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Economic Impact of Jobs Created in 2008-09 

2,859 1 + 

New Jobs Created 

2008-09 

The table above illustrates the ripple 

effect of direct jobs created with the 

assistance of the Mobile Area Chamber of 

Commerce and its Partners for Growth 

investors. The impact of the 2,859 jobs 

announced in 2008 and 2009 to date, 

generates an additional 1,800-plus jobs. The 

impact is calculated with the IMPLAN input/ 

output economic model reflecting Mobile’s 

economy. Payroll earnings start at 

EARNINGS 

$111.6 million and jump to more than 

$181.6 million with both direct and indirect 

jobs factored in. When a job is added to the 

local market, it creates additional work 

among the companies that serve that 

company as well as those in the service 

industry, and jobs are added to fill increased 

demand. 

The Job Multiplier: A 

The jobs created spur additional 

growth of local and regional 

suppliers as well as positions 

in the service industry. 

With additional employment 

and income, these workers 

also contribute to state and 

local tax revenues. 

933 

Additional Jobs 

By Industry2 

(indirect) 

880 

Additional Jobs 

By Service 3 

(induced) 


1 - Direct impact: impact generated directly from jobs created 

2 - Indirect impact: the changes in employment, income and 

business sales in various industry sectors supplying goods 

and services to the companies that expanded 

3 - Induced impact: captures the ripple effect of increased 

household and/or institutional income 

When Mobile’s economic development 

team – led by the Mobile Area Chamber of 

Commerce and funded by Partners for 

Growth (PFG) investors – is successful in 

recruiting new jobs to the area, there’s a 

ripple effect felt throughout the economy, 

according to a report published by the 

Economic Strategy Center, a division of 

National Community Development Services. 

The jobs created spur additional growth 

of local and regional suppliers as well as 

positions in the service industry. With 

additional employment and income, these 

workers also contribute to state and local 

tax revenues. 

Since the latest PFG campaign, 

supported by 200 public and private 

investors, including the city of Mobile and 

Mobile County, was conducted last year, 

there is evidence that the investment made 

is paying off locally. 

Program results to date facilitated the 

attraction and expansion of 11 companies, 

bringing 2,859 new direct jobs with an 

annual payroll of $111.6 million to the 

= 

4,672 

Total Jobs Generated 

2008-09 

$111,635,854 + $41,308,622 + $28,644,207 = $181,608,683 

aerospace, biodiesel, steel manufacturing, 

maritime, industrial gases and customer 

contact industries. Companies making 

headlines included Atlantic Marine, Austal, 

C&G Boat Works, Ryla Inc., Silver Ships 

and SSAB Alabama. 

Using the regional-specific impact 

analysis model, IMPLAN input/output, 

the report shows these initial jobs are 

responsible for generating another 1,813 

indirect jobs – turning 2,859 to 4,672 new 

jobs in the area. The indirect jobs bring an 

additional $69.9 million payroll, and the 

$111.6 million increases 60 percent to 

$181.6 million. 

Indirect jobs are divided into two 

categories: those that provide goods and 

services to expanding companies such as 

security, vending, janitorial supplies, or 

subcontractors, known as indirect, and 

those in the retail and service industry 

including restaurants, movie theaters and 

dry cleaners, labeled induced jobs since 

they come as a result of additional 

spending in the community.

$154,367,380 

Disposable 

Personal income 

Job is More Than a Job 

Beyond the benefits of direct and 

indirect jobs comes additional personal 

disposable income, $154.3 million, annual 

consumer spending, $131.2 million, bank 

deposits, $69.4 million, and local sales tax 

revenue, $3.2 million. 

“These statistics demonstrate the 

tremendous impact new jobs have on area 

businesses, as well as income for the city 

and county, not to mention the individuals 

and families of those who gain 

employment,” said Troy Wayman, vice 

president of economic development for the 

Chamber. 

Industry recruiting has not slowed 

dramatically for the Chamber’s economic 

development department. According to 

Wayman, his department is actively 

working 21 projects. While this number is 

not as high as it was last year, the types of 

projects his team is working are in-line with 

the PFG target markets, and many have an 

accelerated timetable. There are five 

primary industry target markets identified 

as a potential fit for the Mobile Bay area, 

Economic Impact of Jobs Created in 2008-09 

Additional Income Generated 

Based on Total Impact of 

Jobs Created 2008-09 

4 

$69,474,324 

Deposit Potential 

for Area 

financial institutions 

Based on the announced new jobs and the additional 

positions generated, disposable income is estimated to grow to 

more than $154.4 million and bank deposits by $69.5 million, 

according to a Partners for Growth report. As household 

income increases, workers spend additional dollars on services 

like dry cleaning and eating out more. Workers also put a 

percentage of that money in the bank. 

5 

City of 

Mobile 

Mobile 

County 

State 

explained Wayman, and include aviation 

and aerospace, biomedical and information 

technology, steel manufacturing, maritime, 

and transportation and distribution. 

Wayman also noted since ThyssenKrupp 

started hiring its full-time mill workers, 

indirect jobs are beginning to ramp up, 

especially for suppliers to the steel industry. 

The value of a job to a region’s 

economy varies by industry. In general, jobs 

based on significant capital investment 

have higher wage rates and generate a 

greater impact on the region’s economy. 

Less capital-related jobs generate a smaller, 

yet still significant economic value, and 

include retail, services and some of the 

lower-skilled manufacturing industries. 

Lower salary levels generally correspond 

with these categories of employment. 

What’s next? No one can say for sure, 

said Wayman. “What we do know is that 

every job created positively impacts not only 

the employee, but many other businesses 

and governments and, ultimately, the 

entire region.” 

Estimated Sales Tax Revenue 

Based on Total Impact of Jobs Created 2008-09 

$2,174,605 

$1,042,596 

TOTAL TAX REVENUE $5,935,557 

Industry recruiting has 

not slowed for the Chamber’s 

economic development 

department. The Chamber is 

actively working 21 projects. 

Troy Wayman 

Vice President of Economic Development 


$2,718,356 

The chart above shows the estimated tax revenue from the total impact of jobs created in 2008-09. 

The numbers are based on the City of Mobile’s general sales rate of 2 percent and auto sales tax rate of 

2 percent; Mobile County’s general sales rate of 1.5 percent and auto sales tax rate of 1 percent; and the 

state’s general state sales tax rate of 4 percent and auto sales state tax rate of 2 percent. In addition, the 

city’s sales tax revenue is calculated assuming 80 percent of the spending will occur within the city 

limits and the difference will be spent in other cities of Mobile County. 

4 - Disposable personal income: personal income less personal tax and non tax payments 

5 - Deposit potential: personal savings rate less deposit leakage estimate with area turnover (Reserve Requirement Ratio) 


Adams & Associates Inc. 

Adams & Reese LLP 

Airbus North America Engineering 

Aker Solutions 

Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals LLC 

Alabama AGC 

Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic PC 

Alabama Power Co. 

Alabama State Port Authority 

All Clean Janitorial Service LLC 

Arkema Inc. 

Armbrecht Jackson LLP 

Armstrong World Industries Inc. 

Associated Builders and Contractors 

AT&T 

Austal USA 

Baldwin Transfer Co. Inc. 

BankTrust 

Barry A. Vittor & Associates Inc. 

Bay Bank 

Bay Benefits Group 

Bay Security Co. LLC 

Bayview Ford-Lincoln-Mercury LLC 

BBVA Compass Bank 

Beard Equipment Co. 

Bellingrath Gardens & Home 

Ben M. Radcliff Contractor Inc. 

Bender Real Estate Group 

Block USA 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama 

Blue Rents Inc. 

Boise Paper 

Briskman & Binion PC 

Budweiser-Busch Distributing Co. Inc. 

Buffalo Rock-Pepsi Cola 

Burr & Forman LLP 

Cabaniss Johnston Gardner Dumas & O’Neal 

Cardiology Associates 

C.H. Robinson Worldwide 

Chapura 

Charter Services Inc. 

Chickasaw Container Service 

China Doll Rice & Bean Inc. 

Ciba Corp. 

City of Mobile 

Coastal Bank & Trust 

Colonial Bank 

Comfort Systems USA Southeast 

Commonwealth National Bank 

Cooper/T. Smith Corp. 

DailyAccess Corp. 

Dauphin Realty 

Delaney Development Inc. 

Denny Manufacturing Co. Inc. 

Doster Construction Co. 

Dudley Chateau & Cox PC 

DuPont Agricultural Products 

EADS North America Holdings Inc. 

Enveloc Inc. 

Esfeller Construction Co. Inc. 

Esfeller Oil Field Construction Inc. 

ExxonMobil 

Fire Sprinkler Supply Co. Inc 

First Community Bank 

First Small Business Investment Co. 

of Alabama 

Franklin Primary Health Center Inc. 

G.A. West & Co. Inc. 

Gardnyr Michael Capital Inc. 

Grandbridge Real Estate Capital LLC 

Gulf City Body & Trailer Works Inc. 

Gulf Coast Marine Supply 

Gulf Coast Truck & Equipment Co. Inc. 

Gulf Distributing Co. of Mobile LLC 

Gulf Electric Co. Inc. of Mobile 

Gulf Lumber Co. Inc. 

Gulf States Engineering 

Gulf States Ready Mix – Division of 

Delta Industries Inc. 

Gwin’s Commercial Printing 

Hancock Bank 

Hand Arendall LLC 

Hargrove Engineers & Constructors 

Heffernan & Associates Inc. 

Heggeman Realty Co. Inc. 

Helmsing Leach Herlong Newman 

& Rouse 

Heritage Homes of Mobile Inc. 

The Hiller Companies 

Hoar Construction 

Holcim (US) Inc. 

Holmes & Holmes Architects 

Home Builders Association of Metro Mobile 

Hosea O. Weaver & Sons Inc. 

Industrial Development Authority, 

Mobile County 

Industrial Development Board, 


Infirmary Health System Inc. 

Integrity Media 

International Shipholding Corp. 

IPC Capital Partners LLC 

The J.L. Bedsole Foundation 

Jay Stubbs CLU 

JMG Realty LLC 

Joe Bullard Automotive Companies 


Partners for Growth (PFG) is a public/private partnership of the city of Mobile, Mobile County, the 

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and 200 investors that together dedicated $10.4 million to 

develop and implement an aggressive approach to economic growth and development. 

The Mobile Area Chamber is charged with working with existing businesses on retention and 

expansion initiatives, recruiting new businesses and supporting a positive business climate. 

The latest PFG initiative is designed to accelerate economic momentum in Mobile from 2008-2012. 

Contact Shelly Mattingly for more information at 431-8655 or smattingly@mobilechamber.com. 

Thank you to the following companies for investing in this campaign. 

Johnstone Adams Bailey Gordon 

and Harris LLC 

Jones Walker 

KBR 

Keith Air Conditioning Inc. 

Keith Mosley Construction Inc. 

Kimberly-Clark Corp. 

Lamar Advertising Co. of Mobile Inc. 

Lawrence & Lawrence PC 

Lewis Communications Inc. 

L L B & B Inc. Real Estate 

Logical Computer Solutions Inc. 

Long’s Human Resource Services 

Lyon Fry Cadden Insurance Agency Inc. 

Lyons Pipes & Cook PC 

Malcolm Pirnie Inc. 

Masland Carpets LLC 

McDowell Knight Roeder & Sledge LLC 

McNeil Jackson Ahrens Financial 

Group LLC 

Merchants Transfer Co. Inc. 

Midstream Fuel Service LLC 

Mississippi Export Railroad Co. 

Mitchell Container Services Inc. 

Mitsubishi Polysilicon 

Mobile Air Center 

Mobile Airport Authority 

Mobile Area Water and Sewer System 

Mobile Bar Pilots LLC 

Mobile Container Terminal LLC 

Mobile County Commission 

Mobile Gas 

National Community Development Services 

New Horizons Credit Union 

Northrop Grumman Corp. 

Norton Lilly International 

Office Equipment Co. 

Offshore Inland Marine & Oilfield 

Services Inc. 

Olin Corp. 

Orion Engineering Inc. 

Page & Jones Inc. 

Performance Contractors Inc. 

Pierce Ledyard PC 

Pilot Catastrophe Services Inc. 

Praxair Inc. 

Precision IBC Inc. 

Premier Medical Management Inc. 

Press-Register 

Protective Life Corp. 

Providence Hospital 

Quality Valve Inc. 

RaCon Inc. 

Randy Delchamps Real Estate & 

Development Co. Inc. 

RBC Bank 

Red Square Agency 

Regions Bank 

Robert J. Baggett Inc. 

Roberts Brothers Inc. 

Russell Thompson Butler & Houston LLP 

Saad Realty Group LLC 

SB&T Bank 

Seabulk Towing 

Shell Chemical LP/Shell Mobile Site 

Sirote & Permutt PC 

Smith Dukes & Buckalew LLP 

Southern Earth Sciences 

Southern Light 

Springdale Travel 

Springhill Toyota 

Springhill Medical Center 

SSAB Alabama Inc. 

The SSI Group Inc. 

ST Mobile Aerospace Engineering Inc. 

Standard Concrete Products Inc. 

State Farm Insurance McElhaney 

Insurance Agency Inc. 

Stratis Business Centers Mobile 

Tate & Lyle Sucralose Inc. 

Teledyne Continental Motors 

Tensaw Land & Timber Co. Inc. 

Termac Construction Inc. 

Thames Batré Mattei Beville & Ison 

The Architects Group Inc. 

Thompson Engineering Inc. 

Thompson Tractor Co. Inc. 

ThyssenKrupp Stainless USA LLC 

ThyssenKrupp Steel USA LLC 

U-J Chevrolet Co. Inc. 

University of South Alabama 

Vance McCown Construction Co. Inc. 

Vickers Riis Murray and Curran LLC 

Volkert & Associates Inc. 

Wachovia Bank 

Wachovia Foundation 

Wade Office Equipment 

Ward Properties Inc. 

W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Co. 

White-Spunner & Associates Inc. 

White-Spunner Construction Inc. 

Whitney National Bank 

Wilkins Miller Hieronymus LLC 

Woodlands Bank 

World Omni Financial Corp. 

Investors as of July 2009

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SM 

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Go to mobilechamber.com/awards to submit a Small Business 

of the Month nomination, or contact Danette Richards at 

431-8652 or drichards@mobilechamber.com. 

Don’s Café and 

Catering Service 

Pictured (l-r) are Don’s Café and Catering Service employees Shari Dorsey, Geneva 

Holcomes, Catherine Roberts and owner Donald Torrance. Torrance personally trains 

each employee to ensure good customer service. 

A passion for food and a love of cooking 

spurred Donald Torrance’s dream of 

starting Don’s Café and Catering Service. 

He opened his business at Mt. Hebron 

Baptist Church’s kitchen in 2004. Today the 

company, located at 273 N. Broad St., is 

open six days a week and was named the 

Mobile Area Chamber’s Small Business of 

the Month. 

According to Torrance, the company 

caters everything from an intimate dinner 

for two to a buffet-style family reunion or 

wedding. The café is open Monday - Friday 

from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 

6 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Growing up, Torrance’s mother was a 

cafeteria manager, but he remembers 

learning to cook by watching his father, 

who did most of the cooking for the family. 

“I was amazed by what he did with food,” 

he explained. “He could make a meal by 

just going to the refrigerator and 

combining different ingredients.” 

Like his father, Torrance loves being 

creative in the kitchen, especially when 

making fruit, vegetable and cheese 

arrangements for events. “It’s amazing to 

me to be able to start something and not 

know how it will look until you finish,” 

he said. 

Torrance earned an associate’s degree 

in business and accounting from Bishop 

mall Business 

of the Month 

State Community College, and he said his 

most important lessons were learned when 

he began working for Morrison’s Cafeteria 

as a senior in high school. There he was 

trained to cook everything from cafeteria 

food to fine dining cuisine. Employed at 

Morrison’s for 26 years, Torrance learned 

the importance of following recipes to 

ensure the food always tasted good. 

Torrance believes there is no quality 

without consistency. He personally trains 

all of his employees to guarantee the food 

served tastes the same no matter who 

prepares it. 

“If I train employees myself, then I 

know exactly what I’m getting and I know 

what my customers are getting,” he added. 

Torrance believes the most challenging 

aspect of catering is staying ahead of the 

competition. “Good news travels slowly, but 

bad news travels so fast it can crush you,” 

he said. 

Torrance advises others who are 

thinking of starting a business to plan on 

putting 110 percent into it like he does. 

“This business is my heart,” he said. “It’s 

more than just a hobby for me. I can’t 

think of anything I’d rather do.” 

For more information about Don’s 

Café and Catering Service, visit 

www.donscatering.com or call 433-7557. 


12 9.09 | The Business View | MoBiLE AREA ChAMBER of CoMMERCE

Powering Up for Prosperity 

The Mobile Area Chamber will present 

its annual day-long professional 

development seminar Boost Business 2009! 

on Thursday, Sept. 10. Back by popular 

Fast Facts: 

What: Boost Business 2009! Powering Up 

for Prosperity 

Who: Christine Corelli - speaker, trainer and 

author of the popular books Wake Up 

and Smell the Competition and 

The ART of Influencing Customers 

to BUY from YOU. 

When: Thursday, Sept. 10 

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Where: Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel 

Cost: One participant: $199 per person 

2 participants: $159 per person 

3 participants: $129 per person 

4 or more participants: $99 per person 

Contact: Brenda Rembert at 431-8607 

for more information or visit 

www.mobilechamber.com. 

demand, Christine Corelli, bestselling 

author, speaker, trainer, consultant and 

facilitator, will offer advice for Powering 

Up for Prosperity. Participants will learn 

what smart businesses are 

doing to prepare for the 

inevitable turnaround in the 

economy and why cost control, 

competitive excellence and 

superior sales and service 

teams are key. 

According to Corelli, 

today’s economy has an 

impact on virtually every 

aspect of small business in 

America. During the seminar 

Corelli will address such 

questions as: 

• How has the economy 

affected you, your business, 

your employees and your 

bottom line? 

• How can you maintain 

your “drive,” be proactive, and 

cope with the dramatic 

changes and challenges your 

business may encounter? 

• How can you achieve excellence 

in all you do when morale is down 

and debts are high? 

• What actions should you take 

today to position your business for 

a better tomorrow? 

Corelli’s program offers valuable 

insight for business owners, sales 

professionals, service managers 

and employees. During the 

seminar, individuals will have 

an opportunity to Challenge 

the Expert! In this exercise 

participants bring their 

biggest problems to the table. 

Corelli will provide ideas and 

possible solutions 

to problems in sales, 

marketing, advertising, 

employee motivation, 

customer service and 

leadership. Walk away 

with concrete direction 

on how to prosper, not 

simply survive, in a 

challenging business environment. 


How the Alabama Minority Business Enterprise Center 

is helping companies fulfill their potential 

M 

inority-owned businesses are growing faster 

than the national rate, according to statistics 

from the U.s. Department of Commerce’s 

Minority Business Development Agency. Darrell Randle, 

the Mobile Area Chamber’s vice president of small 

business development, provides concrete evidence of that 

growth. over its three year’s of existence the Alabama 

Minority Business Enterprise Center (MBEC) had a goal of 

securing $22 million in procurement contracts. MBEC not 

only met its goal, said Randle, it quadrupled that amount, 

resulting in $65,885,400. The center and its team have 

assisted 200 clients, helping them create 143 new jobs 

and increase sales by more than $8 million. 


The Minority Business Enterprise Center 

(MBEC) is operated by the Mobile Area 

Chamber and funded through federal 

grants. Since its beginning three years 

ago, locally more than xx businesses 

have benefited from this resource, 

resulting in new contracts, new 

employees and additional sales. 

Pictured here are Pamela Ramos, MBEC 

project director, and Darrell Randle, the 

Mobile Area Chamber’s vice president 

small business development. 

Full Speed Ahead 

The Chamber established MBEC in 

October 2006 to help minority-owned 

businesses. Pam Ramos, MBEC project 

director, said three years later, half of 

MBEC’s customer base falls in the Strategic 

Growth Initiative category – businesses that 

bring in $500,000 or more in revenue. 

“The government feels that those 

businesses have the greatest impact on the 

community,” Randle explained, adding 

that MBEC also helps companies that have 

rapid growth potential. 

According to Ramos, MBEC’s goal is to 

assist minority-owned businesses with 

growth strategies and to develop their 

company. The organization considers 

growth and development to be two different 

entities. “‘Growth’ means increasing 

revenue, the number of employees, 

contracts, additional financing – increasing 

balance sheets,” Ramos said. 

“‘Development’ refers to more 

executive-level professional development for 

clients,” Ramos said. In that arena, MBEC 

focuses on helping companies define and 

implement a business strategy and assists 

clients with financial management. 

According to Ramos, one of the most 

important roles MBEC takes is to 

strategically align companies with one 

another so that they can form mutually 

beneficial relationships. 

Minority businesses, Ramos said, “Often 

don’t have the relationships that nonminority 

businesses enjoy. We help bridge 

the gap and leverage relationships through 

the Chamber.” 

Randle stressed that as the city of Mobile 

positions itself to compete globally, 

developing minority businesses is vital to 

economic development. “If we want to 

compete globally, everyone has to 

contribute. We have to make sure minority 

businesses aren’t left out of the loop. 

They’re part of our vibrant community.” 

One of the tools MBEC has produced, in 

partnership with the Chamber and the city 

of Mobile and Mobile County, is the first 

comprehensive, web-based minority 

business directory for the Mobile region, 

including Baldwin, Washington and 

Escambia counties. The directory lists more 

than 500 businesses, but Randle estimates 

there are some 4,000 minority-owned firms 

in Mobile and the surrounding area. “We 

hope to get at least half of those by mid- 

2010,” he said. The directory is available on 

MBEC’s web site, www.mbecalabama.org. 

The center is funded through a federal 

grant as well as by the city of Mobile and is 

located at 450 Government Blvd, Suite A, 

directly across from the Chamber in 

downtown Mobile. Pam Ramos can 

e reached at 433-2250 or for more 

information, visit www.mbecalabama.org. 

Between 1997 and 2002: 

• The growth of minority-owned 

firms outpaced the national rate, as 

they increased by 30 percent compared 

to 10 percent for all classifiable firms. 

• Gross receipts for minority firms 

grew by 12 percent, which surpassed 

the growth rate for all classifiable firms. 

• 14 percent of all minority-owned 

firms are in healthcare and social 

assistance, which is the largest single 

industry sector for minority firms. 

Source: Minority Business Development Agency 

report, Characteristics of Minority Businesses and 

Entrepreneurs. A copy of the full report can be found 

at www.mbda.gov/minoritybizfacts.

Hungry for growth 

Bruce Crosby gives all of the credit 

for the rapid growth of his business, 

Crosby Catering, to the Alabama 

Minority Business Enterprise Center 

(MBEC). “If not for the Mobile Area 

Chamber and MBEC, my business would 

not be what it is today,” he said. 

Business is booming for the catering 

company that started small and now 

aspires to be a food service provider for 

major companies in the Mobile area. 

MBEC has been “very beneficial, even 

when I needed clerical help,” Crosby 

said. “They helped me design my logo, 

develop contracts, find leads and find 

people to help with financing.” 

Eventually, Crosby opened The 

Chicken Box on Martin Luther King Jr. 

Avenue in Mobile, a carry-out restaurant 

that moved to the Saraland headquarters 

of Ryla Inc. at the end of July. “Ryla has 

a built-in customer base,” Crosby said. 

“There are 600 people now, but there 

will be 1,200 employees, and we’ll serve 

breakfast, lunch and dinner there.” 

MBEC helped pair the two companies. 

In addition, Crosby is in negotiations to 

become the main food service provider 

for Bishop State Community College, 

where he already serves breakfast and 

lunch for the Upward Bound program. 

He also feeds 125 people at Hargrove 

& Associates’ monthly safety meeting. 

“I knew the Chamber would put 

me in contact with other businesses, 

but I had no idea what all would be 

available,” Crosby said. 

Mobile AeroTeam Inc. President Ida Buish works with MBEC to help expand and sell 

her manufactured products to other companies in the aerospace industry. 

Bruce Crosby with Crosby Catering says he found success and growth for his 

business through the help of MBEC that matched him with incoming Ryla Inc. 

Crosby serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at the new company that moved into 

the former Hertz building in Saraland. 

An important part 

Ida Buish was immediately interested 

in what the Minority Business Enterprise 

Center could do to help her grow her 

business, Mobile AeroTeam. A Native 

American, she started the company in a 

bedroom of her home in 1999, selling 

industrial cutting tools. Over the years, 

the business grew to occupy a second, 

then a third bedroom and expanded to 

the shed behind her home. 

After outgrowing her home, the 

company became Mobile AeroTeam and 

Manufacturing in 2004. With just seven 

employees, the business manufactures 

parts for aircraft, working with the 

military and Mobile Aerospace 

Engineering as well as some non-aircraft 

clients. Buish serves as president, and her 

husband, Fred, is vice president of the 

company, “but with so few people, 

everyone does everything around here,” 

she said. 

“When MBEC first opened, they had a 

meeting for people to come in and find 

out how they could help,” Buish said. She 

attended the meeting and was impressed 

by the scope of solutions that were 

available. “They were very good at 

answering my questions and steering me 

in the right direction, finding the people 

I needed to talk to.” 

MBEC’s most helpful contribution to 

Mobile AeroTeam has been helping the 

company find contacts to do business 

with and to partner with, said Buish. 

“The contacts and seminars they’ve put 

on have been very helpful for our 

business,” she said. 


16 9.09 | The Business View | MoBiLE AREA ChAMBER of CoMMERCE

Area business and 

community leaders 

will have an 

opportunity to hear two 

nationally renowned economists 

at the Coastal Economy 

outlook. federal Reserve Bank 

of Atlanta President Dennis P. 

Lockhart and Dr. Martin 

Regalia, vice president for 

economic and tax policy and 

chief economist at the U.s. 

Chamber of Commerce, will 

share the stage as keynote 

speakers. Earlier this year, 

USA Today named Regalia 

one of the top 10 economists 

in the nation. Coastal Economy 

outlook will take place 

Wednesday, sept. 30 from 

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 

the Arthur R. outlaw Mobile 

Convention Center. 

The focus of the seminar will be to: 

• access current conditions in U.S. and 

regional credit markets; 

• examine the state of the U.S. economy 

and its impact on local markets; 

• present facts and analysis on the 

Mobile-Baldwin economy and the impact 

on financial and investment decisions; and 

• forecast the future direction of the 

local economy. 

Lockhart will present his views on the 

current state of the economy and provide an 

analysis of post-economic recovery efforts. 

With his vast experience in international 

finance, Lockhart will provide an insightful 

overview of the future of the national 

economy and the new world of global 

banking. 

Lockhart has been president of the 

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta since 2007 

and serves on the Federal Open Market 

Committee‚ the Federal Reserve System’s 

chief monetary policy body. The Federal 

Reserve Bank of Atlanta covers the Sixth 

Federal Reserve District that encompasses 

Alabama‚ Florida and Georgia‚ as well as 

parts of Louisiana‚ Mississippi and 

Tennessee. 

Regalia will present his assessment on 

current economic drivers and their impact 

on American businesses. Regalia has served 

in his current position at the U.S. Chamber 

since April 1993. Prior to joining the 

Chamber, he worked as the director of 

research for the Savings and Community 

Bankers of America (SCBA). 

Other Coastal Economy Outlook 

panelists will include Tim Russell, 

Alabama revenue commissioner; Troy 

Wayman, vice president of economic 

development for the Mobile Area Chamber; 

Robert Ingram, president and chief 

executive of the Baldwin County Economic 

Development Alliance; Cedric Hatcher, 

senior market executive for RBC Bank in 

Mobile; and Dr. Donald Epley, University 

of South Alabama distinguished professor 

of real estate and director of the USA Center 

for Real Estate Studies. 

Annual Meeting 

Wednesday, Oct. 28 

7:30 a.m. 

Grand Hotel Marriott Resort Grand Ballroom 

Point Clear 

Keynote Speaker: Joel Kotkin, Author of The City 

Cost: $20 

RSVP: Ailey Arrow at 251-431-8621 

SPONSORED BY 

SEPTEMBER 2009 

Coastal Economy Outlook to Feature 

Nationally Acclaimed Economists 

Dennis P. Lockhart 

Dr. Martin Regalia 

The event is sponsored by Envision 

Coastal Alabama, University of South 

Alabama Center for Continuing Education, 

University of South Alabama Center for 

Real Estate Studies, Mobile Area Chamber 

of Commerce and the Baldwin County 

Economic Development Alliance. 

Registration deadline for this event is 

Wednesday, Sept. 23. Cost is $85 to attend. To 

register, go to www.usacontinuinged.com 

or call 431-6536.

Creating economic diversity, managing 

growth, lack of publicly owned industrial 

property and protecting quality of life were 

just a few of the concerns raised at the 

inaugural Envision Coastal Alabama 

Mobile/Baldwin Mayors’ Summit. Hosted 

by Envision Coastal 

Alabama’s economy 

team, the June 26 

conference, held at 

5 Rivers Alabama’s 

Delta Resource 

Center, sought to 

promote a spirit of 

cooperation and 

regionalism from 

mayors on both 

sides of Mobile Bay. 

Mayors from 

Daphne, Dauphin Island, Fairhope, Gulf 

Shores, Magnolia Springs, Mount Vernon, 

Robertsdale, Saraland and Spanish Fort 

attended the meeting. 

The summit, facilitated by Ramona 

Hill, certified trainer and facilitator with 

Workshops, Etc!, first offered the mayors an 

opportunity to listen to and question area 

economic leaders. 

Joel Kotkin, an internationally 

recognized authority on global, economic, 

political and social trends and author of the 

critically acclaimed book, The City, will be 

the keynote speaker during Envision 

Coastal Alabama’s annual meeting set for 

Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 a.m. at Grand 

Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa in 

Point Clear. 

Kotkin will speak on the future 

sustainability of the nation’s cities and 

share his perspective on the evolution of 

urban life. He is a presidential fellow in 

urban futures at Chapman University in 

Orange, Calif., who consults with leading 

economic development organizations, 

private companies, regions and cities. 

Troy Wayman, vice president of 

economic development for the Mobile Area 

Chamber of Commerce, told the group that 

despite a challenging 

economy, economic 

development teams 

from both sides of 

the bay are working 

together to court a 

number of business 

prospects. “Our 

regional effort is 

something a lot 

of communities are 

envious of. My 

experience here is 

that it’s phenomenally easier to recruit 

business because everyone is on the same 

page,” Wayman said. 

When it was the mayors’ turn to talk, 

Hill encouraged city leaders to learn from 

one another by identifying challenges and 

successes in their respective communities. 

“We don’t like to reinvent the wheel, so if we 

can jump-start by what others have done 

Envision Coastal Alabama 

Business Commentator and Los Angeles Times Bestseller 

Joel Kotkin to Keynote Envision Annual Meeting 

The Envision Annual Meeting recognizes 

and celebrates the many volunteers and 

program partners who have contributed 

over the past year to the betterment of the 

Coastal Alabama region. Entering its 12 th 

year, Envision continues to promote 

cooperative action among business and 

community leaders seeking ways to improve 

overall quality of life. 

Kotkin writes the weekly “New Geographer” 

column for Forbes.com and a monthly 

column on trends for Politico.com. His work 

appears regularly in The Wall Street Journal, 

Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post 

and The American Enterprise. 

As a senior fellow at the New America 

Foundation, Kotkin focuses on issues 

relating to the future of California as well as 

we’ll be that much further ahead,” Hill said. 

Area successes include the recruitment 

of Ryla Inc. to Saraland, the return of 

tourists to Baldwin County following 

hurricanes Ivan and Katrina, retail 

development in Spanish Fort, the expansion 

of Thomas Hospital in Fairhope and 

recently opened public beach access on 

Dauphin Island. Charles Houser, mayor 

of the newly created city of Magnolia 

Springs, said his town council recently 

completed its first comprehensive plan. He 

joked about the town’s wish to be excluded 

from industrial development and playfully 

chided the other mayors, “Be careful what 

you wish for. Sometimes quality of life is 

more important than quantity,” Houser 

said. 

Most mayors said they faced similar 

challenges such as infrastructure, zoning 

and attracting new jobs. By far, the 

common denominator shared was keeping 

their cities economically sound. “We need a 

viable financial plan going forward that we 

can communicate to our small businesses,” 

on national economic, social and political 

developments. He is currently working on 

research projects relating to infrastructure 

development, the American heartland, the 

Houston region and the future of suburbia. 

This year’s annual meeting sponsors 

are Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic, Bay 

Security Co., First Community Bank, 

Infirmary Health System Inc., Meyer Real 

Estate, Mobile Airport Authority, Pilot 

Catastrophe Services Inc., Thames Batré 

Mattei Beville and Ison Insurance and 

Whitney Bank. 

Registration for the annual meeting 

begins at 7 a.m. The cost is $20 and includes 

breakfast. Reservations can be made by 

contacting Ailey Arrow at 431-8621 

or aarrow@mobilechamber.com. 

Inaugural Envision Mayors’ Summit Promotes Regionalism 

Our regional effort is 

something a lot of 

communities are envious of. 

My experience here is that 

it is phenomenally easier 

to recruit business because 

everyone is on the same page. 

Troy Wayman 

Vice President of Economic Development 


During the Mobile/Baldwin Mayors’ Summit, municipal leaders from the bi-county area gathered to discuss community and economic 

development issues impacting their towns and cities – and discussed strategies to enhance regional cooperation. 

said Robert Craft, mayor of Gulf Shores. 

“Our goal is to keep the small businesses 

there, that’s what the tourists come for. 

We don’t want to lose the things that make 

us special.” 

In a post-summit survey, all nine 

mayors agreed the conference was helpful 

and they would attend a similar meeting in 

the future. Robertsdale Mayor Charles 

Murphy, who told the group his town 

boasts a balanced budget, said the 

conference offered opportunities for future 

success. “My goal here is to formulate new 

ideas and take them back to my 

community to make it better. This is a 

chance to build an alliance not only with 

neighboring communities in Baldwin 

County but across the bay in Mobile as well.” 

Envision Coastal Alabama’s economy 

team will examine the opportunities and 

challenges discussed at the Mayors’ Summit 

as well as survey comments and feedback to 

identify and write a report on regional 

issues facing south Alabama communities.


Community Reinvestment through Volunteer Service: 

Business Support is Needed Now More than Ever 

corporate community service award timeline 

What: Corporate Community Service Awards Application Training 

Workshop Dates: Wednesday, Sept. 16 and Thursday, Sept. 24 

Time: Both workshops begin at 4 p.m. 

Where: Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce 

Application Deadline: Friday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m 

Winner Notification: December 2009 

Awards Presentation: Mobile Area Chamber Annual Meeting 

Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010 

Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic employees participate in the Shrimp Cookoff . 

corporate community service award criteria 

Entries will be judged on their own merit based on the following criteria: 

Results: What are the actual results of the company’s employee volunteer efforts? 

Impact: How has the company implemented its program to help solve community 

problems? What impact has been made on the community? 

Participation: What percentage of employees participated in company sponsored 

or endorsed volunteer projects? 

Project Management: How has the company been actively involved in the 

management of the employee volunteer program? 

Application: A copy of the official application can be downloaded at 

www.mobilechamber.com 

As the director of the region’s 

volunteer action center, every 

day I see social service agencies 

struggling under the weight of 

growing needs and scarce 

resources. Many donors are 

holding back and adopting a 

“wait and see” attitude. 

Foundations are finding their 

investment portfolios shrinking 

and are unable to invest as 

much into the programs they 

support. I implore companies and civic 

leaders to recognize these needs and 

redouble efforts to support these agencies 

and the work they do to keep the fabric of 

our community from unraveling. 

Businesses both large and small can 

make a tremendous impact on their 

community by providing financial and 

in-kind resources to local agencies and 

individuals in need. While dollars may be 

tight, many companies find they are able 

to provide skilled volunteers to a project that 

makes a difference in our community. 

Pegasus TSI, an 

engineering and 

construction 

management firm, 

is an example of a 

small operation 

made up of 

approximately 

20 employees 

who utilized their 

employees’ technical 

skills to make two 

elderly women’s 

homes more safe 

and secure. “Both 

projects turned out 

to be incredible 

opportunities for our employees to build 

camaraderie and gain a greater sense of 

pride in our company for its commitment to 

community service,” said Mike Troup, 

Pegasus TSI’s Mobile office manager. 

As civic leaders and corporate citizens we 

have a role to play in the quality of life in 

our community. It is my hope that, like 

Pegasus TSI, each of us will give something 

of ourselves so that the larger community 

and economy can reach its full potential. To 

celebrate these efforts, Envision Coastal 

Alabama in partnership with the Mobile 

Area Chamber of Commerce and Volunteer 

Mobile recognizes the contributions of 

Chamber members each year through the 

presentation of the Corporate Community 

Service Award. The award honors employers 

who provide opportunities and time for 

employees to participate in community civic 

By Diana Brinson, 

Volunteer Mobile Inc. 

Businesses both large 

and small can make a 

tremendous impact on 

their community by 

providing financial and 

in-kind resources to 

local agencies and 

individuals in need. 

Diana Brinson 

Executive Director 

Volunteer Mobile Inc. 

affairs. Last year’s winner, 

Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic 

(AOC), was recognized for the 

countless acts of service and 

support given to more than 60 

charities, community 

organizations and social service 

agencies in the Mobile area. 

“Alabama Orthopaedic 

Clinic strives to encourage our 

employees to be good corporate 

citizens and offers many 

opportunities for them to give back to our 

community. Our corporation consists of 285 

employees but our clinic feels more like a 

close-knit family that enjoys working, 

playing and volunteering together,” said 

Dean Brown, AOC’s chief executive officer. 

Beginning in September, Volunteer 

Mobile will offer a series of workshops 

designed to assist local businesses that want 

to develop their own employee volunteer 

programs. In addition, businesses will also 

be given the opportunity to learn how to 

apply for the Corporate Community Service 

Award. Workshop 

participants will 

be given tips on 

how to showcase 

their efforts. 

Businesses of all 

sizes are encouraged 

to apply for this 

award. Applications 

will be judged not 

on the number 

of employees 

participating in 

volunteer activities, 

but on the 

percentage of 

involvement. This 

evaluation method gives companies of 

all sizes equal weight during the judging 

process. 

For a copy of the Corporate Community 

Service Award application, visit the Mobile 

Area Chamber web site at www.mobile 

chamber.com under News and Events and 

click on 2009 Corporate Community 

Service Award or contact Shayla Jones 

Beaco at 431-8628 or sbeaco@mobile 

chamber.com. 

For more information on how your 

company can have an impact on our 

community, contact Volunteer Mobile at 

433-4456 or www.volunteermobile.org. 

Diana Brinson is the executive director for 

Volunteer Mobile. She can be reached at 433-4456 or 

dbrinson@volunteermobile.org.

P.O. Box 2187 

Mobile, AL 36652-2187 


Want to share Envision’s latest news? 

This report can be found at 

www.envisioncoastalalabama.org 

PRSRT STD 

U.S. Postage 

PAID 

Mobile, AL 

Permit #346 

Computer Matchmaking at the Heart of 

CommuteSmart Mobile-Baldwin 

Commuters in Baldwin County can 

now take advantage of a free online 

matchmaking service to share rides to work. 


replaces the year-old CommuteSmart Mobile 

program. According to Harrison, the move to 

include Baldwin County was prompted by the 

receipt of federal dollars known as 

Job Access Reverse Commute funds. 

Launched in May and created for 

people with long commutes, 


is designed to help commuters 

save gas, reduce wear and tear on their 

vehicles and lessen stress levels from 

traveling long distances to work. The 

planning agency has three years to use the 

money. 

Implemented by Envision Coastal 

Alabama partner South Alabama Regional 

Planning Commission (SARPC), the ride- 

matching service is also intended as an 

environmentally friendly way to manage 

traffic congestion and reduce parking 

demand by taking cars off the road. 

The project uses a ride-matching 

database to pair commuters with similar 

trip patterns and work hours. “The program 

is open to anyone. In an effort to increase 

use, we are targeting many of the larger 

industries along Highway 43 in Mobile 

County,” said Kevin Harrison, director of 

transportation for SARPC. “We’ve got a lot 

of places to hit. It’s just a matter of going 

out there and trying to sell it to people.” 

“The number one reason for not 

carpooling is the fear of getting stuck at 

work when a family emergency occurs at 

home,” explained Monica Williamson 

CommuteSmart project manager for 

SARPC. For that reason, Williamson said 

CommuteSmart offers three free emergency 

rides home per year for registered 

carpool participants in the 

program’s database. The free ride, 

via taxi or transportation service, is 

available for family or personal 

emergencies or unscheduled 

overtime at the request of a supervisor. 

For more information or to register for 

CommuteSmart Mobile-Baldwin call 706- 

1CAR or visit www.commutesmart.org/ 

mobile. 

Envision Environment Team Launches 

Internet Forum for Idea Sharing 

Conservationists in south Alabama can 

swap ideas, share resources and create 

potential partnerships through the use of 

the newly created Alabama Conservation 

Forum. The Internet forum, developed by 

the Envision environment team and 

launched last spring, is part of the 

environment team’s 2009 project goals. 

The Alabama Conservation Forum uses 

Ning.com, a social networking tool for 

groups with similar interests, to link area 

conservation professionals. According to 

Bethany Kraft, Baldwin County 

environment co-chair and executive 

director of Alabama Coastal Foundation, 

Ning works much like other social networking 

sites such as Facebook. However, access to 

the Ning social network is controlled by an 

administrator. Additionally, members can 

load files, have discussion forums and 

chat online with other members. To enter 

the web site, members use the address: 

http://envisioncoastal.ning.com. 

Kraft said now that the forum is up 

and running, future efforts will focus on 

encouraging organizations to utilize the 

site. “Our biggest task is reminding groups 

and individuals that there is an incredible 

network of conservation-minded folks in 

south Alabama who can provide resources, 

help with programs and together, work 

more efficiently. That’s the connection 

we’re trying to make,” Kraft said. 

Currently, the Alabama Conservation 

Forum has 20 members representing a 

variety of conservation groups and 

individuals in south Alabama. To join the 

social network, contact Bethany Kraft at 

990-6002 or bkraft@joinacf.org. 

Baby Steps – 

Smart Coast 

Fosters Efforts to 

Walk to School 

On the first Friday of each school 

month, a group of excited children, parents 

and teachers shun the carpool line and 

gather in the Big Lots parking lot on 

Greeno Road in Fairhope. Depending on 

the month, they wear reindeer antlers, 

Mardi Gras beads, blow kazoos or bring 

their dogs. After a pep talk by Smart Coast 

co-founder Charlene Lee, the group sets 

off down the sidewalk for the half-mile 

walk to Fairhope Elementary and Fairhope 

Intermediate Schools. On the other side of 

town, in a similar exercise, children and 

parents walk to the Fairhope K-1 Center. 

The children are participating in a pilot 

program for Walk On First Friday (WOFF), 

themed walks designed by Envision Coastal 

Alabama strategy partner Smart Coast, to 

re-create a culture of walking and biking to 

school. 

Started in fall 2008, WOFF is modeled 

after “National Walk to School Day” held 

each year in October. “Our intention is to 

create healthier children, educate the 

public about the need for safe routes to 

school and improve air quality by 

decreasing the number of cars idling in the 

carpool line,” explained Lee. She added, 

“We’ve been very successful. On any first 

Friday, rain or shine, we have between 150 

and 200 individuals walking to three 

Fairhope schools.” 

Smart Coast plans to initiate two new 

WOFF programs by the end of the 2009-10 

school year. Ultimately, Lee said the 

organization intends to expand the 

program to both sides of Mobile Bay. For 

the current year, she said parent, teacher 

and student interest would determine 

whether the programs are in Mobile or 

Baldwin County schools. 

To learn more or schedule a WOFF 

workshop, contact Charlene Lee at 

928-2309 or visit www.smartcoast.org.


It is undeniable that collective 

bargaining obligations and union 

agreements impose significant limitations 

on employers’ abilities to operate with 

maximum efficiency. So much so, it is no 

wonder that most employers desire to 

remain union-free. 

Although most employers recognize that 

successful union-avoidance efforts involve 

more than last-minute speeches and letters 

to employees concerning the consequences 

and disadvantages of unionization, many 

are justifiably reluctant to initiate the 

education efforts before union organizing 

activities actually begin. The only way 

employees will know the disadvantages and 

costs of unionization is from what their 

employers provide, and there are significant 

efforts by organized labor to limit employer 

communications. 

Under current law, employees hear from 

both parties about the pros and cons of 

union representation before they vote. 

However, organized labor has been 

persistent in its efforts to make it harder for 

employers to educate employees about 

unionization since the National Labor 

Relations Act was enacted in 1935. The 

most recent effort, the so-called “Employee 

Free Choice Act” (EFCA), would allow 

unions to be certified if a majority of 

employees in a bargaining unit signed 

authorization cards, thus avoiding not only 

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Working Without Unions 

By Frank McRight, Burr & Forman LLP 

the government-supervised secret ballot 

process, but also the six-week or so 

education period before the election. 

Fortunately, the card-check procedure of 

the EFCA had a number of serious flaws, 

which became visible during public debate. 

Now, less than 60 senators appear prepared 

to vote to break a 

Republican-led 

filibuster of that 

legislation. Even so, 

various legislative 

compromises have 

been suggested to 

assist organized labor 

in the unionization 

process, including 

a mail-in ballot 

procedure, a 

substantial 

shortening of the 

campaign period, 

the elimination 

of so-called captiveaudience 

speeches by employers, and 

allowing unions access to company 

worksites for organizing activities. 

Other than the secret-ballot process, 

such modified legislation may also 

incorporate some of the original provisions 

of the EFCA, including arbitration of the 

first contract’s terms, triple back-pay awards 

and increased civil penalties. In addition to 

Two Locations to Serve You 

The only way employees 

will know the disadvantages 

and costs of unionization 

is from what their 

employers provide, 

and there are significant 

efforts by organized 

labor to limit employer 

809 Hillcrest Rd. 

Phone: 607-6378 

Fax: 607-6379 

communications. 


proposed legislative changes, organized 

labor is also counting on President Barack 

Obama’s appointments of new members to 

the National Labor Relations Board to 

reverse rulings, which unions contend have 

hampered their efforts to organize workers. 

Although the extent and nature of such 

legislative and 

administrative 

changes cannot be 

predicted, employers 

must be prepared to 

operate in an 

environment that 

limits employer 

opportunities to resist 

unionization. At a 

minimum, those 

preparations should 

include initiation and 

acceleration of 

union-avoidance 

education. 

Alabama 

employers should also recognize that while 

the location of world-class manufacturing 

facilities in our state is a blessing, it also has 

resulted in Alabama workers being targeted 

by unions to replace the millions of dollars 

in lost dues when unionized plants in other 

parts of the country fell by the wayside. 

Alabama businesses are not alone in 

having reason to worry. Shortly after 

President Obama recommitted his 

administration to the passage of the EFCA, 

a noted economist predicted that the 

enactment of that legislation would 

accelerate significantly the transfer of 

manufacturing jobs abroad. Since 

globalization of that sector of our economy 

is one of the reasons for the decline of 

union membership in this country, it is 

predictable that additional unionization of 

manufacturing jobs would cause a further 

loss of well-paying blue-collar jobs that 

have provided many workers a bridge to 

middle class America. 

If our political leaders are truly intent 

on finding solutions to problems in this 

area, they would be wise to look beyond 

such constituent-driven proposals such as 

the EFCA, or anything similar. And, of 

course, they likely will act on that wisdom 

only if those whose interests are at stake 

make the effort to let them know how we 

stand. 

Frank McRight practices with Burr & Forman LLP. 

For more than 40 years he has represented management 

clients in all areas of labor and employment law. McRight 

is a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment 

Lawyers. He is a former chairman of the Business Council 

of Alabama, the Mobile Area Chamber and Leadership 

Alabama. 

Burr & Forman LLP has offices in Mobile, 

Birmingham, Montgomery, Atlanta, Nashville, Jackson, 

Miss., and central Florida. He can be reached at 345-8244 

or fmcright@burr.com.

Nobody works harder 

than the owners. 

Come experience the difference 

of always dealing with an owner. 

Oliver Latil 

Chief Executive Officer 

Parrish Tatum 

Vice President 

Hutch Thompson 

Senior Vice President 

Amy Lassiter 

Assistant Vice President 

Roy Hudson 


Tomi Burt 

Operations Manager 

Poenta Luckie 


Chamber Foundation 

Recognizes 

Robert Guthans 

After more than 25 years of service and 

leadership of the Mobile Area Chamber of 

Commerce and the Mobile Area Chamber 

Foundation, Robert A. Guthans was 

recognized as Chairman Emeritus for the 


Foundation during a recent Chamber 

board meeting. 

Guthans has chaired the foundation’s 

board of directors since 2001, and was the 

Chamber’s chairman of the board in 1985. 

Guthans was the first recipient of the Alfred 

F. Delchamps Award, given to individuals 

who carry on the vision and principles of 

Delchamps, who served as a moving force 

for progress in the community and the 

Mobile Area Chamber. 

“Mr. Guthans is a gentleman of the first 

order,” said Winthrop M. Hallett III, 

Mobile Area Chamber president. “His quiet, 

thoughtful and well-principled leadership 

is the foundation on which many of our 

region’s current successes were built. He 

deserves our heartfelt gratitude for his 

decades of service to the Chamber and the 

Chamber Foundation.” 

Robert Guthans was named as Chairman Emeritus for the Mobile Area Chamber of 

Commerce Foundation by Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce President Win Hallett. 

Guthans was recognized for his more than 25 years of service and leadership to the 

Chamber and its foundation. 

At Community Bank, we fully-understand the 

meaning of the term “owner’s mentality”–because 

you’re always dealing with an owner here. 

Community Bank is one of the only staff-owned 

banks in the state, so we always deliver the best 

service possible. Call or come by to discuss your 

next loan, a great CD rate or any other services that 

our staff-owners can help provide to you. 

Mobile • (251) 338-6200 

Daphne • (251) 338-8200 

CommunityBank.net 

Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC © 2009 Community Bank. 


Business 

Spotlight 


The Business Spotlight of the Month is selected at random from a business 

card drawing at the Mobile Area Chamber’s Business After Hours event. 

IKON Office Solutions 

IKON’s Mobile team includes (l-r): Shannon Rader, Patrick Odeneal, Brian Carr, Amy 

Norwood, Doug Gray, Brittany Beckham and Jim Smith. The business serves customers 

along the Gulf Coast with document management solutions from digital networked 

copiers, printers, faxes and scanners to workflow management tools. 

Owner: IKON Office Solutions, a Ricoh Co. 

Location: 1201 Montlimar Dr., Suite 900, Mobile Member since: December 1988 

Brief description of business: IKON Office Solutions Inc., a Ricoh Co. is a provider 

of innovative document management systems and services, enabling customers to improve 

document workflow and increase efficiency. IKON integrates copiers, printers and 

multifunction product technologies, and document management software and systems, 

to deliver tailored, high-value solutions, implemented and supported by its team of service 

professionals. 

What is unique or innovative about your business? The combined strength of 

IKON and Ricoh creates opportunities to expand the company’s capabilities, strengthen its 

service offerings, bring new solutions to market faster and work harder to help customers 

reduce costs and increase efficiency. 

Phone number: 342-9458 Web site: www.ikon.com 

D iplomats 


kerr Presley Williams 

Michelle Kerr, Karen Presley 

and Angela Williams 

Michelle Kerr, Karen Presley and 

Angela Williams are making waves 

throughout the business community by 

supporting company grand openings, 

assisting at Chamber events, visiting 

fellow members and topping the list in 

a three-way tie as the Mobile Area 

Chamber’s Diplomats of the Month. 


photos by Jeff Tesney 

All three individuals joined the 

diplomats in 2009. Kerr is a doctor of 

chiropractic medicine at Chiropractic 

Life Center in Mobile. Presley serves as 

a business development officer for Army 

Aviation Center Federal Credit Union. 

And Williams is the district community 

development coordinator for LifeSouth 

Community Blood Center.

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The Offshore Inland Marine & Oilfield Services team includes (l-r): Patrick Webb, 

Crystal Yasurek, Brian Tomes, Brian Rotz, Marc Bryant, Mark Fletcher, Jimmy 

Herrington, James Dean and Steve Whitfield. 

Company officials: Robin Roberts, president/chief executive officer; 

James Dean, vice president of production; Crystal Yasurek, vice president of finance 

and administration; and Patrick Webb, vice president of sales and marketing 

Years in business: 26 

i 

Brief company description: Offshore Inland Marine & Oilfield Services Inc. 

(OIMO) provides structural, piping and mechanical construction to the offshore 

oil and gas and marine industries in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and internationally. 

The addition of new fabrication facilities in Mobile and Galveston, Texas, has 

increased the capacity and efficiency of the company. OIMO has the capability to 

work anywhere in the world by shipping all necessary equipment and materials to 

the project or sourcing locally and then moving personnel to the project. 

Why are you located in Mobile? “This is the location of our original business 

and business clients,” said Webb. “The deepwater port and close proximity to Eastern 

Gulf oil well fields has made for an effective location for many of our customers.” 

Why do you support the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce’s Partners 

for Growth initiative? “This area has so much untapped potential,” said Webb. 

“Through the Partners for Growth initiative, that potential can be promoted and realized.” 

What do you see as Mobile’s greatest potential? “The people of Mobile and 

of the surrounding area and a highly motivated and ethical workforce,” said Webb. 

Length of Chamber membership: Since 1984 

nvestor Focus 

Offshore Inland 

Marine & Oilfield 

Services Inc. 

Partners for Growth (PFG) is the Mobile Area Chamber’s long-term 

economic and community development program. For more information 

contact Shelly Mattingly, the Chamber’s investor relations coordinator, 

at 431-8655 or smattingly@mobilechamber.com. 


Achieving steady, sustainable growth in 

a small business is one of today’s more 

difficult challenges. General economic ups 

and downs get in the way, as do regional 

issues, government policies, tax laws – and 

even the weather. 

It also may be your internal approach to 

generating and managing growth that’s 

producing slower sales than expected, even 

in the face of what seem to be bright 

opportunities. Your approach to fostering 

growth may simply be too hit-and-miss. 

Perhaps you had a detailed business plan 

when you first started. What type of plan 

does your small business have now for 

moving into the future? 

The everyday marketplace tends to be a 

chaotic universe where things rarely go 

according to your original design. A growth 

plan that acts like an internal compass can 

be a helpful tool. 

Start with your day-to-day actions. If 

you want your business to grow, that goal 

should be the focal point of everything you 

do. Gather the financial details about 

what’s happening internally. Then put your 

plan in writing. It does not need to be 

lengthy and ultra-detailed. Just the basic 

points will do. For example, how has your 

business done in fulfilling your original 

mission? Did you start with a bang only to 

see things flatten out? Perhaps you aren’t 

delivering what you first promised to your 

customers. Fix any problems or shortfalls 

quickly. 

Keeping up with changes in your 

marketplace is crucial, so you might have 

to conduct some new research to stay up to 

date. This doesn’t have to be formal 

research. Start with a simple customer 

survey, for example, or check for available 

online research. Make adjustments as 

needed in your approach. 

Communicate your growth vision to 

others involved with your business, 

including outside vendors and contractors 

as well as partners, investors and employees. 

Don’t just dream – delegate specific actions 

to reach those goals. 

sCORe 

The Mobile Chapter of sCoRE (service Corps of Retired Executives) 

is a part of the national nonprofit organization of more than 10,500 

volunteer business counselors who provide free, confidential business 

counseling and training workshops to small business owners. 

What to Do Today to Grow 

Your Business Tomorrow 

Find out what objections customers are 

raising to your sales effort – why they have 

purchased or declined your product or 

service. Adjust your sales process to place 

greater emphasis on closing. 

Two helpful books on small business 

growth planning are Strategic Planning 

for Small Business Made Easy, 

Entrepreneur Press, $19.95, and The 7 

Irrefutable Rules of Small Business 

Growth by small business growth expert 

Steven S. Little available for $18.95. 

For more advice on how to succeed, contact the 

Mobile Chapter of SCORE, operating out of the Mobile 

Area Chamber. For a confidential one-on-one 

counseling session at no charge, call 431-8614. 

who’s In Town? 

september 2009 

Sept. 5-7 

USS Helena Organization 

Delegates: 300 

Phone: 603-624-1450 

Hotel/Location: Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel 

Sept. 8-11 

Alabama Retired State Employees Assoc. 


Phone: 334-834-9116 


Sept. 16-20 

USS Lexington Reunion 


Phone: 309-365-4281 


Jake Bell 

Company: Mercy Medical 


CeO Profile 

Title: President/Chief Executive Officer 

Hometown: Plano, Texas 

Education: Bell holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Southern Oklahoma State 

University and a master’s degree in administration of long-term care and retirement 

facilities from the University of North Texas. 

First job: His first job was working for a roofing company. 

Previous experience: Most recently, Bell served as executive director of a retirement 

community in North Carolina. Prior to that position, he worked as a nursing home 

administrator in both New York and Oklahoma. 

Career-changing moment: “Opening the car door for a successfully rehabilitated 

patient to get in after nine months in our facility,” Bell said. He explained the patient was 

admitted under hospice care expecting to live only a couple weeks because of complications 

from a stroke. “Getting to know her and her family and the improvement 

we made in their lives was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had.” 

Secret to success: “Hire the best and brightest people, give them what they need to do 

the job and get out of the way,” he said. 

Which historical figure would you like to invite to dinner and why? 

Bell said he would like to dine with Winston Churchill. “I suspect that the dinner and 

conversation would be fascinating.” 

Family: Bell and his wife, Traci, have one daughter. 

Brief company description: Mercy Medical operates an inpatient rehabilitation 

hospital, two skilled nursing facilities, three assisted living facilities, two independent living 

communities, and home health and hospice agencies in Baldwin and Mobile counties. 

Mercy Medical has served the Gulf Coast since 1949. 

The Mobile Bay Convention and visitors Bureau 

(MBCvB) provides a list of the current month’s 

conventions coming to the bay area. 

for more information, contact the 

MBCvB at 208-2000. 

Sept. 17-20 

USS Indiana 

Delegates:100 

Phone: 510-703-2597 


Sept. 20-26 

National Newspaper Association 


Phone: 540-891-5171 


Sept. 24-27 

Navy Fighter Squadron VF-92 

Delegates: 50 

Phone: 303-833-3103 

Hotel/Location: Holiday Inn Bellingrath Gardens 

Sept. 24-27 

USS Redfin 

Delegates: 50 

Phone: 610-760-0458 

Hotel/Location: Ashbury Hotel & Suites 

Sept. 28-Oct. 4 

Alabama Primary Health Care Assoc. Inc. 


Phone: 334-271-7068 


Sept. 30-Oct. 4 

Tarvin Family Reunion 


Phone: 972-540-2951 

Hotel/Location: Ashbury Hotel & Suites

Two Members 

Elected to 

Chamber 

Board of 

Directors 

The Mobile Area Chamber Board of 

Directors recently elected two members 

to fill unexpired terms of directors who 

transferred away from the Mobile area. 

William 

B. Beard Jr. 

(Brad) is 

chairman of 

the board and 

president of 

Beard 

Equipment Co. 

Inc., where he 

has worked since his Beard 

father established the company in 1970. 

Beard Equipment Co. has five locations 

in southern Mississippi, south Alabama 

and northwest Florida. Beard and his 

wife, Melissa, co-chaired the United 

Way’s major gifts campaign in 2006 and 

2007. He was also a member of John 

Deere’s advisors board for 10 years. 

Beard attended the University of South 

Alabama and the University of West 

Florida, majoring in finance. Beard 

Equipment Co. is a Partners for 

Growth Investor. 

Frank J. 

Lott III is 

president of 

Heritage Homes 

of Mobile Inc., 

a family-owned, 

Mobile-based 

business. Lott 

joined the 

Lott 

company in 1999 

and assumed the presidency in 2007. 

Heritage Homes is a scatter lot builder of 

presold homes in 12 counties 

throughout Mississippi, Alabama and 

Florida with offices in Mobile and 

Pensacola. Lott graduated from The 

University of Alabama with a bachelor’s 

degree in finance. He currently serves on 

the boards of the Home Builder’s 

Association of Metropolitan Mobile and 

Goodwill Easter Seals. Heritage Homes is 

a Partners for Growth Investor. 

Advisors Featured Profiles 

The Mobile Area Chamber is proud to salute members of the board of advisors. 

These business leaders represent companies whose significant dues investment 

lead the way in funding the Chamber’s programs and initiatives. for more 

information contact katrina Dewrell at 431-8611 or kdewrell@mobilechamber.com. 

Jay Daily 

is vice president 

of business 

development for 

Hoar Construction. 

He is a graduate of 

the United States 

Military Academy 

and served seven years Daily 

in the U.S. Army as a maintenance test 

pilot. Daily served in numerous sales 

management positions for the Nalco Co. 

(specialty chemicals) before joining Hoar. 

His current position also includes program 

management. Daily and his family reside 

in Birmingham. 

Patrick A. 

Douglas Jr. is 

general manager of 

the Alabama 

Division of AWC 

Inc. AWC is a 

manufacturers’ 

representative and 

distributor for 

Douglas 

industrial controls, with corporate 

headquarters in Baton Rouge, La. Douglas 

was formerly a partner with Control 

Concepts Inc., which merged with AWC in 

2002. Douglas has more than 16 years of 

experience in the field of instrumentation 

and process controls. He earned a 

bachelor’s degree from the University of 

South Alabama and a master’s degree in 

business administration from Spring Hill 

College. Douglas has served as president 

and vice president of the Mobile Chapter of 

the Instrumentation, Systems and 

Automation Society of America. 

Charles A. 

Hershiser is 

general manager 

for Treadwell Ford. 

Treadwell is a 

Mobile Ford dealer, 

specializing in new 

Ford vehicle sales 

and service for the Hershiser 

greater Mobile area. Hershiser earned a 

bachelor’s degree in business management 

from Tennessee Tech University. He is a 

native of Tuscaloosa, and has 25 years of 

automobile management experience. 

Hershiser’s hobbies include golf and golden 

retriever rescue. 


Comparative 

Economic 

Indicators 

JUNE 2009 vs JUNE 2008 

The Mobile Area Chamber’s 

research division collects a variety 

of statistics each month. 

Business Licenses 


281 2009 

266 2008 

Employed 

Mobile/Baldwin counties 

260,303 2009 

243,911 2008 

Unemployment Rates 

Mobile/Baldwin counties 

9.9% 2009 

4.4% 2008 

Homes Sold⌦ 

Mobile County 


392 2008 

Average Selling 

Price Mobile County 

$150,995 2009 

$154,205 2008 

Building Permits 



320 2008 

Value of Building 

Permits 

$18,728,272 2009 

$29,031,841 2008 

Air Passengers 

From Mobile Area 

27,669 2009 

25,062 2008 

SBA Meets with Local Credit 

Unions About Funding 

The Chamber assisted the U. S. Small 

Business Administration (SBA) in hosting 

a meeting for leaders of metropolitan area 

credit unions. The meeting goals were 

to provide information to help small 

businesses access capital, give details on 

how the American Recovery Act has affected 

SBA’s programs and shed light on plans 

the Downtown Mobile Alliance has for 

revitalizing growth of downtown small 

businesses. Brent McMahan, senior area 

manger of the Small Business Administration 

in Mobile, facilitated the meeting. 

SCORE Chapter Receives 

Performance Award 

The Mobile Chapter of Service Corps of 

Retired Executives (SCORE) counselors 

attended a regional conference in Prattville. 

The local chapter was awarded the 

Performance Excellence Award. SCORE 

Online Counselor and Chamber Director of 

Small Business Development Danette 

Richards was a featured speaker for the 

conference. During the second quarter of 

2009, SCORE counseled 70 businesses and 

added a new counselor, Lynn Mitchell. 

U.S. Chamber of Commerce 

Board of Directors Meets 

Mobile Area Chamber President Win 

Hallett serves on the board of directors for 

the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. During the 

most recent board meeting, presentations 

were held on healthcare reform and on the 

national economic outlook. 

Chamber One of Seven 

Selected for Thailand Trip 

At the invitation of the Thai 

government, the Chamber, along with six 

other chambers from Canada, the U.S. and 

the Dominican Republic, was invited to 

participate in a trip to identify possible 

synergies and export/import opportunities 

for respective regions. Industries of focus 

included: automotive, processed foods, 

jewelry and fashion, universities, hospitals 

and healthcare, investment, and leisure and 

tourism. Appointments were also held with 

the Thailand Ministry of Commerce, Thai 

Trade Center and Chambers of Commerce, 

Free Trade Zone and the Bangkok Port 

Authority. Two key projects that will be 

worked on initially include the possibility 

of a dual degree program between Alabama 

universities and a cultural tourism program 

between the American Chamber of 

Commerce Executive Association and the 

Thai Tourism Board. 


Chamber@Work 

Minority Business Expo Held 

The Alabama Minority Business 

Enterprise Center (MBEC), operated locally 

by the Chamber, held a minority business 

expo at Bel Air Mall to promote local products 

and services. Ten MBEC clients participated. 

National Media Eye Mobile 

Reporters from two national publications, 

the New York Times and The 

Economist, traveled to Mobile this summer 

to learn more about the area’s growth during 

the national recession. The New York 

Times’ story featured the Retirement Systems 

of Alabama and how its investment in the 

Port City positively impacted downtown 

growth. The Economist reporter wrote about 

the Port of Alabama and its potential for 

growth if Cuba opens up for trade. 

Chamber Hosts Students and 

Teachers from Vital Link 

The Chamber’s Center for Workforce 

Development hosted students and teachers 

from Mobile County middle schools as part 

of the Vital Link program. Students and 

their teachers spent a week learning about 

day-to-day Chamber operations, attended 

a Mobile City Council meeting, met with 

Mayor Sam Jones and took a walking tour 

of downtown Mobile businesses. 

GCTC Pledges $1,000 for 

USA Scholarship 

The Gulf Coast Technology Council 

(GCTC), a program of the Chamber, pledged 

a two-year scholarship commitment totaling 

$1,000 to the University of South Alabama’s 

(USA) computer and information sciences 

department. This contribution is closely 

aligned with the goals of the GCTC scholarship 

fund, and will endow additional scholarships 

to recruit technology students at USA. 

Member Ribbon Cuttings 

and Grand Openings 

Chamber staff and diplomats helped cut 

ribbons and celebrate grand openings at 

Colonial Finance Co., Holiday Builders of 

the Gulf Coast, Great Kitchens, Badcock 

Home Furniture & More, Calagaz Photo & 

Digital Imaging Inc., American Red Cross 

Alabama, Gulf Coast Chapter, Native Trails 

LLC, Ryla Inc. and Computer Technology 

Solutions Inc. 

New Diplomats Named 

The Chamber named five new diplomats. 

They are Nicole Faris, Gulf Coast Personnel 

LLC, Shirley Knaggs, Shaklee; Ron Sivak, 

Employee Liability Management Inc.; 

Diana Sturm, Legacy Financial Planning 

LLC; and Mary Dean Wilbur, Lamar 

Advertising Co. of Mobile Inc.

7 

9 

SEPTEMBER 

CHAMBER CLOSED 

LABOR DAY 

NETWORKING 

@NOON 

*Members Only 

Time: Noon - 1:30 p.m. 

Place: Mobile Area Chamber, 

451 Government St. 

Cost: $8, includes lunch 

Contact: Missy Hartley at 431-8638 or 

mhartley@mobilechamber.com 

10 

BOOST BUSINESS 

2009! – Christine 

Corelli 

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Place: Renaissance Riverview 

Plaza Hotel 

Cost: See story on page 13 for costs 

Contact: Brenda Rembert at 431-8607 or 

brembert@mobilechamber.com 

15 

EXECUTIVE 

ROUNDTABLE 

*Members Only 

Time: 8 - 9 a.m. 

Place: Mobile Area Chamber 

451 Government St. 

Cost: Free 

Contact: Brenda Rembert at 431-8607 or 

brembert@mobilechamber.com 

24 

BUSINESS 

AFTER HOURS 

Time: 5:30 - 7 p.m. 

Place: Holiday Inn I-10 Mobile 

Bellingrath Gardens, 

5465 Hwy. 90 W. 

Cost: $2 for members/$5 for 

potential members 

Contact: Missy Hartley at 431-8638 or 

mhartley@mobilechamber.com 

Calendar 

Networking@Noon 

Sponsored by New Horizons Credit 

Union, Networking@Noon will be 

Wednesday, Sept. 9 at the Mobile Area 

Chamber, 451 Government St., from 

noon to 1:30 p.m. Camille’s Sidewalk 

Café will provide lunch. N@N is a bimonthly 

event offering members 45 

seconds to introduce themselves and 

their businesses. Following a brief 

presentation, introductions and lunch, 

attendees are invited to continue to 

network. The event is limited to Mobile 

Area Chamber members, and only one 

representative per company. The cost is 

$8 and includes lunch. 

Reservations must be made no later 

than Friday, Sept. 4. Payment is required 

at time of reservation and reservations 

not cancelled by Sept. 4 must be honored 

to cover the cost of lunch. Contact 

Missy Hartley at 431-8638 or 

mhartley@mobilechamber.com. 

*Members Only 

Are you connected to the latest business news in the Mobile ⌦ 

area on a weekly basis? if not, then subscribe now for fREE 

by sending an e-mail to jwinfield@mobilechamber.com 

For information on Chamber events, 

visit events.mobilechamber.com. 

Executive Roundtable 

Executive Roundtable, a monthly 

forum exclusively for Chamber 

member small business owners and 

managers, will meet Tuesday, Sept. 15 

from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Mobile Area 

Chamber’s Board Room. The meeting 

will feature Warren L. Greene, 

president and executive consultant of 

Veracity Consulting Services LLC. 

Veracity is a strategic planning and 

performance improvement consulting 

company. Greene’s topic is “Strategic 

Planning - Ensuring Execution 

Through Accountability.” He’ll share 

a planning tool that can help existing 

businesses unify their entire team 

around their five-year plan, as well as 

current year goals and objectives. 

There is no charge to attend, but 

seating is limited. For reservations 

contact Brenda Rembert at 431- 

8607 or brembert@mobile 

chamber.com. *Members Only 

Business After Hours 

Join Chamber members and 

diplomats from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for 

Business After Hours on Thursday, 

Sept. 24. at the Holiday Inn I-10 Mobile 

Bellingrath Gardens, 5465 Hwy 90 W. 

Enjoy a casual evening of networking 

with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and 

beverages. This is one of the Chamber’s 

best opportunities to introduce yourself 

and your business to other members 

and make new business contacts. 

Reservations are not necessary. The cost 

for members is $2 and $5 for potential 

members. 


share the Good News 

Member News features a 

variety of Chamber member 

announcements. submission deadline 

is two months prior to publication. 

News releases should be one or two 

brief paragraphs. Photos must be 

professional headshots in either color 

or black and white, labeled with the 

person’s last name, and must be 300 

dpi at full size and saved in an eps, tif 

or jpg format. 

send your information to news@ 

mobilechamber.com or Member 

News, Mobile Area Chamber of 

Commerce, P. o. Box 2187, Mobile, 

AL 36652-2187. 

Kim Bush joined Principal Financial 

Group’s Mobile Business Center as 

financial services representative and a 

registered representative of Princor, the 

broker/dealer for the company. Bush has 

more than eight years experience working 

in the insurance/financial services industry 

in Alabama and Mississippi. 

X 

CorroMetrics Services 

Inc., an industrial consulting 

company, named Harietta 

Eaton as its vice president. 

She will be in charge of 

Eaton 

public affairs, business 

development and direct 

governmental relations for the company in 

the United States and China. Eaton earned a 

bachelor’s degree in mass communications 

from the University of Montevallo and a 

master’s of public administration from the 

University of South Alabama. 

X 

Commonwealth 

National Bank announced 

Lewis Burks Jr. as vice 

president and regional loan 

production officer. Burks 

was previously employed by 

First Commercial Bank of 

Birmingham. He received a bachelor’s 

degree in business administration from the 

University of Montevallo. 

X 

Mercy Medical named 

neurologist Daniel Stubler 

MD as medical director of 

Mercy’s Acute Rehabilitation 

Hospital in Daphne. Stubler 

is a graduate of Kansas 

University and has a private 

practice in Fairhope. 

X 

Burks 

Stubler 

University of Mobile announced the 

following promotions: Lonnie Burnett 

PhD from associate professor to professor of 

Member 

News 

history; Patrick Jacobs DMA (Doctor of 

Musical Arts) from assistant professor to 

associate professor in the Center for 

Performing Arts; Douglas Mitchell PhD 

from assistant professor to associate 

professor of English; Richard McElhaney 

DNS (Doctor of Nursing Science) from 

assistant professor to associate professor of 

nursing. 

X 

RBC Bank announced Scott Stafford as 

regional president of retail banking for the 

West region and Cedric Hatcher as regional 

vice president of commercial markets for the 

Gulf Coast. Stafford earned a bachelor’s 

degree in business from Hanover College 

and has more than 12 years of banking 

experience. Hatcher has more than 25 years 

experience in the financial industry and 

holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and 

business administration from the University 

of Alabama. 

X 

Volunteer Mobile’s 

board of directors named 

Diana Brinson as executive 

director. Brinson received a 

bachelor’s degree in history 

Brinson 

and political science from 

Louisiana State University 

and previously served as the organization’s 

development and communications director. 

X 

Coldwell Banker 

United, Realtors welcomed 

agent Rachel Pittman to 

its team. 

Adams 

X 

Timothy 

Adams, a CPA for Crow, 

Shields & Bailey PC, was 

promoted to senior 

accountant. Adams works 

in the areas of tax and 

audit for the Mobile office. 

X 

Dauphin Realty 

welcomed Antone Green 

to its downtown location. 

X 

WALA/ WBPG Television 

promoted Michael Strickler to director of 

sales. Strickler has been with WALA and 

WBPG for more than 13 years and has 

served as national sales manager since 2007. 

X 

Burr & Forman LLP 

announced Erin Corbin 

Meszaros as chief 

marketing officer. Meszaros 

was the chief marketing 

officer of Powell Goldstein 

and has almost 15 years of 

experience in the legal field. 

Pittman 


Green 

Meszaros 

Daniel Bush joined Frank A. Dagley 

& Associates as staff architect. Bush is a 

registered professional with more than 20 

years of design experience. 

X 

Exit Realty Lyon 

announced Christine Loh 

as a new agent. 

X 

ThyssenKrupp Stainless 

USA announced Peter Elliott as general 

construction manager for its 

stainless steel processing 

facility currently under 

construction in Calvert. Elliott 

previously served on more 

than 38 steel mill construction 

projects in the Far East, 

Elliott 

Africa, Canada and the United States, 

including Tuscaloosa Steel (now Nucor- 

Tuscaloosa) and IPSCO Steel (now SSAB). 

X 

Roberts Brothers 

welcomed Itina McDonald 

to its west Mobile office. 

McDonald 

Verizon Wireless in Mobile and 

Pensacola announced the Blackberry 

Tour is now available. The 3G global phone 

allows customers to make phone calls in 

220 countries and access e-mail and Internet 

in the 175 countries where Verizon provides 

data roaming charges. For more information, 

visit www.verizonwireless.com/tour. 

X 

Owen Bailey was named 

chairman of the American 

Heart Association’s 2009 

Start! Heart Walk. Bailey is 

the executive vice president 

for community and 

Loh 

Bailey 

governmental affairs at Infirmary Health 

System. 

X 

DailyAccess Corp. acquired the 

pension and group benefits business of FBD 

Consulting Inc. FBD will retain its human 

resources consulting practice as part of the 

transaction and will operate under the 

name FBD Consulting LLC. DailyAccess will 

open a new facility to handle both lines of 

business in Overland Park, Kan. 

X 

ThyssenKrupp Stainless USA and 

ThyssenKrupp Steel USA announced they 

are operating from offices located at the 

project site in Calvert. The mailing address 

for ThyssenKrupp Stainless USA is 

1 ThyssenKrupp Drive, P.O. Box 13000, 

Calvert, AL 36513. Thyssen Krupp Steel 

USA’s address is 1 ThyssenKrupp Drive, 

P.O. Box 456, Calvert, AL 36513. 

X 

The Bellwether Group moved its 

office to 403 Conti St. in downtown Mobile. 

The company also has a new tagline, 

“mindful creativity.” New client Ryla Inc. 

retained its services for public relations and 

special event planning. Alabama Iron and 

Steel Council is also a new client, for whom 

they will provide association management, 

community outreach, event planning and 

media relations. 

Charlie Jackson Jr. 

CLU (Chartered Life 

Underwriter) was named 

the Terry Lewis 2009 Advisor 

of the Year by the Alabama 

Association of Insurance 

Jackson 

and Financial Advisors. 

Jackson has been active in the association 

for 25 years and is the current state 

chairman of the political action committee. 

He is a member of McNeil, Jackson, 

Ahrens Financial Group LLC. 

X 

Hammack 

Anderson 

Stanley Hammack, chief executive 

officer of USA Hospitals and vice president 

for the University of South Alabama Health 

System, was awarded the Gold Medal of 

Excellence by the Alabama Hospital Association. 

In addition, two local hospital leaders 

were re-elected to their positions on the 

association’s board of trustees. Elizabeth 

Anderson, administrator of the University of 

South Alabama Medical Center, was elected 

to return as the board member representing 

hospitals in southwest Alabama. Clark 

Christianson, president and CEO of 

Providence Hospital, was also re-elected to 

serve as an at-large board member. 

In other news, Dr. Mark 

Gillespie, professor and 

chair of the University of 

South Alabama department 

of pharmacology, was elected 

to chair the American 

Thoracic Society’s assembly 

Christianson 

Gillespie 

on pulmonary circulation. The international 

assembly includes basic scientists and 

clinicians from around the world who share 

an interest in all matters relating to 

pulmonary circulation.

Member News 

Mark Pipkin of Hernandez Calhoun 

Design International was named a LEED 

(Leadership in Energy and Environmental 

Design) Accredited Professional. 

X 

Dr. Christy Agren of 

Chiropractic Life Center 

was named Young 

Chiropractor of the Year for 

Alabama by the Alabama 

Agren 

State Chiropractic 

Association. The designation 

is the highest award offered to a chiropractor 

during the first 10 years of practice. 

X 

Atlanta Bread Co. was awarded a spot 

in Parents magazine’s first-ever 10 Best 

Fast-Casual Family Restaurants survey. 

30 YEARS 

Mobile Instrument Co. Inc. 

25 YEARS 

Fire Protection Specialists 

Superior Printing Co. Inc. 

University of South Alabama Small 

Business Development Center 

20 YEARS 

Cintas Corp. 

Holcim (US) Inc. 

Multi Staffing Services 

15 YEARS 

All Plastics & Fiberglass Inc. 

John Toomey & Co. Inc. 

Schneider Insurance Agency Inc. 

USA Physicians Group 

10 YEARS 

ABC Orthotics & Prosthetics 

Baskerville-Donovan Inc. 

Saucy Q Bar B Que 

SSAB Alabama Inc. 

United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile Inc. 

5 YEARS 

Alacom Finance 

American Weatherstar 

Carter Chambers LLC 

Conde Systems Inc. 

Cruise Away 

Dauphin Way Baptist Church 

Friedlander Realty LLC 

The American Advertising Federation 

(AAF) Mobile Bay chapter recently donated 

300 pounds of dog/cat food and additional 

funds to the Animal Rescue Foundation 

(ARF). 

X 

University of Mobile recognized the 

contributions of three members of the faculty 

and staff at its annual luncheon. Thomas 

Bevill EdD, professor of marriage and family 

counseling and Christian studies, received the 

William A. Megginson Teaching Award for 

excellence in classroom instruction and 

scholarly activity. Associate professor of 

English and director of the UM Honors 

Program, Douglas Mitchell PhD received 

the Mitford Ray Megginson Research Award 

in recognition of outstanding research and 

professional achievement. Cindy Goodwin, 

A nniversaries 

Members Are Our Greatest Asset! 

Lifelines/Family Counseling 

Palmer’s Airport Hyundai 

Weston Solutions Inc. 

Wiltew LLC 

1-4 YEARS 

ADS of Mobile, Advanced Detection Security 

Able Body Labor 

Advance Appraisal & Consultant 

Alabama Motorsports Park 

The American Equity Underwriters Inc. 

American General Life & Accident 

Insurance Co. 

APCO Employees Credit Union 

Ashland General Agency Inc. 

Baehr’s Automotive Service Center Inc. 

BancorpSouth 

Bay Furniture & Appliance Co. Inc. 

BELFOR USA 

Bell Steel Co. 

Bender Real Estate Group 

Birmingham Rail and Locomotive Co. 

Bluewater Yacht Sales 

Bryan Contractors LLC 

Buchanan Lumber Mobile Inc. 

Butler Pappas Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP 

Climate Control LLC 

Coastal Hospice Care 

Conde - Charlotte Museum House 

The Corner Bar 

Country Club Woods 

Crosby Catering 

Davis & Sons Professional Services Inc. 

Dade Paper & Bag Co. 

Designs By Karon 

D.R. Horton 

administrative assistant in the College of Arts 

and Sciences, received the Emma Frances 

Megginson Service Award, presented to a 

full-time employee who exhibits excellence 

in service and promoting the philosophy of 

the university. 

X 

For the second year in a row, the Junior 

League of Mobile’s Christmas Jubilee was 

selected by the Southeast Tourism Society 

as one of its Top 20 Events in the Southeast 

in the month of November. 

X 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of 

Alabama was selected by Computerworld 

magazine as one of the Best Places to Work 

in IT (Information Technology). Blue 

Cross was chosen after completing a survey 

targeted at companies that offer unique 

EDA of Jones County (Miss.) 

Elements Therapeutic Massage 

Entec Services Inc. 

Ershigs Inc. 

Estes Heating & Air 

Eustis Engineering Co. Inc. of Mississippi 

Expeditors International 

Firehouse Subs 

Fitness Pro 

Fluor 

Gardberg & Clausen PC 

Gateway Sourcing LLC 

Goraum & Associates Photography 

Graybar 

Gulf Coast Air & Hydraulics 

Hampton Inn & Suites Mobile Downtown/ 

Historic District 

Hampton Inn Pensacola Beach Gulf Front 

Harrison Brothers Dry Dock & Repair Yard Inc. 

Hilton Garden Inn - Mobile West 

Hispanic Employment Labor Pool Inc. 

Independent Practice Management Inc. 

Industrial Water Services 

Integrity Adjusters LLC 

Jordan Investments LLC 

Legacy Financial Planning LLC 

Lewis & Associates LLC 

Little Red Hen Productions 

Living Word Christian Center 

Mack Davis Construction LLC 

Malkove and Associates 

Mary Kay Cosmetics 

Mobile Ship Chandlery Inc. 

Neal - Waltman & Associates 

North Mobile Internet Services Inc. 

Nudraulix Inc. 

Please show your support through the patronage of these businesses. 

benefits, training and advancement 

opportunities, a flexible and diverse work 

environment and challenging work 

projects. 

community 

news 

The Community Foundation of South 

Alabama (CFSA) received $60,000 in 

community donations from four states and 

seven Alabama counties on behalf of the 

Insure Alabama’s Children Campaign. The 

donation was matched by the CFSA and 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield resulting in a 

total contribution of $240,000. The 

combined funds will be used to provide 

healthcare insurance for 1,000 under 

privileged children in south Alabama. 

Olds Filtration Engineering Inc. 

Paula’s Hair Unlimited 

Pawlowski & Associates PC 

Pay-Less Carpets & Flooring 

Phillips & Jordan Inc. 

The Private Gallery Inc. 

Quality Inn & Suites 

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers 

Regional Steel Products Inc. 

Reed Fabricators & Welding Inc. 

Resultz 

Richardson Stevedoring & Logistics 

Rockwell and Kaufman LLC 

Royal Lagoon Seafood Inc. 

Rubber & Specialties Inc. 

Security Management Consultants Inc. 

SEO Jams Inc. 

Sheldon Inge 

ShipConstructor Software USA Inc. 

Sirmon & Simmons PC 

Sonic Drive In 

South Alabama Commercial Laundry 

Southeast Fleet Sales Inc. 

SPI/Mobile Pulley Works Inc. 

St. Mary’s Home 

Tri-State Maritime Services Inc. 

U.S. Army 

Veracity Consulting Services LLC 

VSS 

WAVEnet Technologies Inc. 

Wedding & Event Planning by Linda 

White-Spunner & Associates Inc. 

The Wine Loft 

As of 6/30/09 


Clip and add to your 

Membership Directory. 

ABMB Engineers 

Vyron Bernard 

500 Main St. 

Baton Rouge, LA 70801-1908 

225-765-7400 

www.abmb.com 

Engineers-Professional-Civil 

Agape Enterprises 

Josephine Dickinson 

P.O. Box 160082 


251-391-1131 

Printers 

Alion Science and Technology 

Mike Padgett 

63 S. Royal St., Ste. 900 


251-338-7045 

www.alionscience.com 

Technology Consultants 

Badcock Home Furniture 

& More 

Allen Kirksey 

5580 Hwy. 90 W. 


251-653-9575 

www.badcock.com 

Furniture Stores 

Bay Area Nutrition Inc. 

Jenny Neese 

2504 Dauphin St. 


251-478-2233 

Nutrition 

Blastech Mobile LLC 

Randy Fretwell 

12400 Hwy. 43 N. 

Axis, AL 36505-4308 

251-662-4623 

www.blastech.com 

Blasting & Painting 

Campbell, Duke & Prine 

Robert C. Campbell 

851 E. I-65 Service Rd., Ste. 700 


251-476-2400 

Attorneys 

Club Insanity 

Mike Moore 

310 Dauphin St. 


251-441-9966 

www.clubinsanity.net 

Night Clubs 

Diversified Emergency 

Management Associates LLC 

Walt Dickerson 

3030 Widgeon Dr. 


251-633-3622 

www.diversifiedassociates.net 

Consultant 

Eagle Industrial 

Professional Services 

Mike Powell 

124 C Industrial Pkwy. 

Saraland, AL 36571-3700 

251-679-6229 

www.eaglestaffing.us 

Employee Staffing 

new Members 

if you know of a company interested in benefitting from Chamber membership, contact Heather Bell at 431-8627 or Rebecca Milam at 431-8647. 

view the complete membership directory at www.mobilechamber.com. 

Now, everyone can get 

The Business View delivered to 

their desktop. To sign up, e-mail 

jwinfield@mobilechamber.com with 

“sign me up for The Business View 

magazine” in the subject line. 

Farni & Farni Family Dentistry 

Shonn & Courtland Farni DMD 

1064 Industrial Pkwy. 

Saraland, AL 36571-3720 

251-675-4313 

Dentists 

General Insulation Inc. 

Mark Clark 

3555 Hurricane Bay Dr. 

Theodore, AL 36582-5251 

251-443-9002 

www.general-insulation.com 

Insulation Contractor-Cold/Hot 

Git a Grip Services LLC 

Keith Walker 

4900-A Montee Rd. 


251-583-4793 

Lawn Maintenance 

Greater Gulf States Fair Inc. 

Billie Blackwell 

1035 N. Cody Rd. 


251-344-4573 

www.mobilefair.com 

Fairgrounds 

Holiday Builders of the 

Gulf Coast 

Michael D. Williams 

8280 Woodside Lane 

Grand Bay, AL 36541 

251-865-1271 

www.holidaybuilders.com 

Home Builders 

Please note, if you sign up to “Go Green” you will not receive 

a printed copy of The Business View by mail each month. 

The Indelible Grace Co. 

Sherrie Quander 

1230 Montlimar Dr., Ste. A 


251-343-0777 

www.indeliblegrace.net 

Human Resource Consulting 

Innovative Crane 

Technologies LLC 

Harry McCaskill III 

6648 Maryknoll Cir. 


251-665-9185 

www.craneloadindicator.com 

Crane Safety 

Lindamood-Bell Learning 

Processes 

Beth Nations 

2864 Dauphin St., Ste. D 


251-473-6808 

www.LindamoodBell.com 

Educational Organization 

Longleaf Machining LLC 

Thomas E. McMillian Jr. 

766 Industrial Pk. Dr. 

Brewton, AL 36427-1734 

251-867-8477 

www.longleafmachining.com 

Machine Shop 

Maxum Industries LLC 

Tory McKean 

70 N. Joachim St., Unit E 

Mobile, AL 36602-2909 

251-694-6835 

www.Maxumllc.com 

Employment Contractor 

Moe’s Southwest Grill 

Jeff LaCour 

280 S. McGregor Ave., #C 


251-342-5233 

www.moes.com 

Restaurants 

Native Trails LLC 

Laura Partee 

9180 Airport Blvd. 


251-607-0477 

www.nativetrailsmobile.com 

Gifts-Specialty 

Nelco Commercial 

Maintenance Inc. 

Doug Nelson 

1080 Essex Dr. 

Mobile, AL 36695-3509 

251-634-3132 

www.nelcomaintenance.com 

Pressure Washing - Commercial 

& Industrial 

Parsons Brinckerhoff 

Kendon Saucier 

2514 Commercial Pk. Dr. 


251-281-6191 

www.pbworld.com 

Engineers-Professional- 

Consultant 

Pride Pest Control 

Byron E. Sheppard 

8465 Three Notch Rd. 


251-423-2847 

www.prideservicesal.com 

Pest Control Services 


There is Strength 

in Numbers... 

A recent study showed that consumers are 63 percent 

more likely to purchase goods or services from a small 

business that is a Chamber member. For as little as 83 

cents a day your membership will yield a return in: 

• Business assistance; 

• Professional development seminars 

and counseling; 

• Networking opportunities; 

• Advocacy aimed at protecting your 

business interests; and much more. 

The Mobile Area Chamber, through a contract with 

the city of Mobile and Mobile County, is the lead economic 

recruiter and collaborates with various entities to secure 

projects for the Mobile Bay area. More jobs increase your 

potential client base! In addition, the Chamber focuses on 

quality of life. One small fee allows you to be involved in 

improving education, the economy, business and many 

other critical issues. 

For more information about becoming a member, 

contact Carolyn Golson at 431-8622 or cgolson@ 

mobilechamber.com or visit www.mobilechamber.com. 

The Business of Mobile is Our Business. 

Rainmaker LLC 

Jack Berglund 

2735 Middle Rd. 


251-443-5550 

www.RainmakerResults.com 

Sales 

Roman Street Music LLC 

Noah Thompson 

1919 Riverside Dr. 

Jackson, MS 39202-1350 

251-391-9661 

www.romanstreet.com 

Musician 

Ron’s Catering LLC 

Ron Prater 

711 Staples Rd. 

Saraland, AL 36571 

251-599-4944 

Caterers 

Ryla Inc. 

Mark Wilson 

727 US Hwy. 43 


678-322-5037 

www.ryla.com 

Call Center Outsourcing 

Savory Selections Vending 

Gregory Quinney 

4328 Hoffman Rd. 


251-232-1690 

Vending Machines & Service 

Southern Oil Exploration Inc. 

John C. Sipple 

1513 Ridgeland Rd. W. 


251-635-1139 

Oil & Gas Exploration/ 

Development 

Taylor Creek Hunting 

Preserve 

Keith Walker 

4900-A Montee Rd. 


251-583-4793 

www.taylorcreekshooting.com 

Recreation 

Tecnico Corp. 

E. L. Byrd 

750-A Viaduct Rd. 

Chickasaw, AL 36611 

251-443-9900 

www.tecnicocorp.com 

Ship Builders & Repairs 

Trojan Industries 

Scott W. Romeo 

26244 Equity Dr. 

Daphne, AL 36526-6193 

251-706-2938 

www.trojanindustriesllc.com 

Valves 

The Tutoring Center 

Gail Filotei 

6300 Grelot Rd., Ste. C 

Mobile, AL 36609 

251-639-9032 

www.tutoringcenter.com 

Tutoring 

W&O Supply 

Debbie Garner 

4766 Rangeline Rd. 


251-433-2816 

www.wosupply.com 

Valves 

Wise Technology 

Sue Phillips 

1432 Industrial Pkwy. 


251-675-7113 

www.gowisenow.com 

Technology Business Solutions 

As of 6/30/09

Brent Keith & Wayne Keith 

Keith Air Conditioning 

20 employees 

Member Since 1968 

S T R E N G T H 

IN NUMBERS 

...unites businesses 

in any climate. 

When people ask Wayne Keith about 

his Chamber membership, he responds 

with, “How can you not be a member if 

you’re a business in Mobile?” 

He believes it’s a company responsibility 

to support the Chamber’s efforts in 

recruiting companies, new jobs and 

capital investment. As one of 2,500 

Chamber members, Wayne and his son, 

Brent, have access to resources, 

exposure and networking to grow his 

business and make it thrive – and that 

creates a comfortable economic climate. 

The Business of Mobile is our Business. 

joinmobilechamber.com 

251.433.6951

3-09 B VIEW - Mobile Chamber of Commerce

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