The Business View - June 2011

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Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce JUNE 2011 | VOL. XLII, No. 5

TheBBusinessusiness VViewiew

■ Gulf Seafood is Safe to Eat! ■ Combining Resources to Help the Homeless■ Exports on the Upswing

2 JUNE 2011 | THE BUSINESS VIEW

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you can reach the decision-makers at more than 22,200 area businesses every

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www.mobilechamber.com/view/media_kit.pdf

THE BUSINESS VIEW | JUNE 2011 3

June 2011

CoverLucy Greer, corporate chef with Greer’s Market, shows off her freshly-prepared Thai Shrimp with Orange Sauce. See pages 16-19 for more information. Cover photo by Ashley Horn.

20-21

16-19

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce

TheTheTheBBusinessusiness VViewiew

The Business View is published monthly, except for the combined issue of December/January,

by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce451 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36602 (251) 433-6951

www.mobilechamber.com ©2011 Publisher ........................................ Winthrop M. Hallett III Executive Editor ................................... Leigh Perry-Herndon Managing Editor............................................ Jennifer Jenkins Copy Editor ............................................... Michelle Matthews

Additional Writers and EditorsKatrina Dewrell, Ashley Horn, Susan Rak-Blanchard,

Greta Sharp, Christina Stimpson, Carolyn Wilson

Printing Services . . . . . . . . . . . . Interstate Printing/Direct Mail Graphic Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wise Design Inc. Advertising Account Executive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . René Eiland

431-8635 [email protected]

22-23

14

4-11 News You Can Use – Positive news for area businesses

13 Small Business of the Month: Fremin’s Contractor Services

14-15 ETC. – Organizational updates and business briefs

16-19 Gulf Seafood: Is It Safe to Eat? The answer, according to experts, is a resounding yes! Several restaurants and caterers provide recipes to help you serve seafood from the Gulf of Mexico at your table tonight.

20-21 The Port of Mobile sees a “slow but upward trend” in exports, handling 24 million tons and shipping to 112 countries last year.

22-23 Waterfront Rescue Mission and 15 Place will increase its ability to help the homeless population at a new downtown Mobile location.

24 CEO Profi le: Misti Grantham, Kingdom Coach LLC

25 Guest columnists, attorneys Brad Adams and Kelly Reese, discuss the issue of whether employers can legally discriminate against unemployed job-seekers.

26 SCORE Column: Should you buy new equipment or lease it?

27 Investor Focus: Lyon Fry Cadden Insurance Agency Inc.

28-29 Chamber@Work

30 Board of Advisors Profi les

30 Economic Indicators

31 Calendar

32-34 Member News

35 New Members

35 Anniversaries


Signaling Success:

In the fi rst three months of this year, work at Signal Shipbuilding and Repair (SSR) outpaced 2010, according to Bob Beckmann, senior vice president and general manager. “We’re seeing more interest this year, and we’re booked through July,” Beckmann said.

The company completed its purchase of selected Bender Shipbuilding & Repair assets out of bankruptcy in February 2010. Following the acquisition, the company operated at 60 percent for three months while investing $9 million in improvements and moving its offi ces, machine shop and equipment, Beckmann explained. “This is still a huge accomplishment,” he said.

SSR bought 4,400 feet of deepwater frontage along the Mobile River, including the main yard, six repair and construction yards, three steel fl oating dry docks and other equipment on 26 acres.

As part of the renovations, the company doubled the water depth by dredging dry dock No. 1, which Beckmann describes as their “single most valuable asset.”

“There have been days we could have been busy with two this size,” he added.

Last year, SSR also sold 3,000 tons of scrap steel to the SSAB (Alabama) steel mill and relocated a fl oating crane able to lift 100 tons from one of its sister operations in Texas to Mobile.

The company has 207 employees, a number of them from the ranks of Bender, including Beckmann, a former Bender vice president.

SSR has been able to re-establish relations with former Bender customers. “We have a good appreciation for our customers. We do a good job. We’re on time. We run safely. And we’re reliable,” said Beckmann.

SSR is owned by Mobile-headquartered Signal International, a company with operations in Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. Its services range from repairing and upgrading offshore drilling rigs, ships and vessels to new construction of duty ocean deck barges to fabrication for the marine and offshore industry.

Richard “Dick” Marler, Signal International’s president and chief executive offi cer, started his civilian career at Ingalls Shipbuilding fresh out of the military in 1974. Starting in an entry-level role, he rose to senior vice president before he left Ingalls in 1997.

After a brief consulting stint, he recruited a group of investors and, in 2003, founded Signal International Inc. In 2009, the relatively new player to the global offshore, marine and naval industries moved its headquarters to Mobile’s RSA Battle House Tower.

In addition to SSR’s local employees, the company employs 15 people at its headquarters, 500 workers at a Pascagoula shipyard and 150 at facilities and a sales offi ce in Texas.

After Buying Bender, Signal’s Business is Booming

Phot

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Signal International President and CEO Richard “Dick” Marler (left) and Bob Beckmann, senior vice president and general manager (right) are proud of the progress the company made since it acquired 4,400 feet of deepwater frontage along Mobile River. They say they are encouraged about the pace of work for 2011.

These before and after photos of a ship propeller represent one type of repair made at Signal.


Seems like every time you turn around, there’s more good news out of Austal.

“I don’t think we can overestimate the impact of all the work at Austal on our local economy,” said Troy Wayman, the Mobile Area Chamber’s vice president of economic development.

In the month of March alone, the company hosted the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, who named the next two Littoral Combat Ships (LCS); was awarded another LCS contract; and held a groundbreaking for new additions to the Austal complex.

And there’s more. According to statistics compiled by the University of South Alabama’s Center for Real Estate Studies, Austal’s share of the U.S. Navy’s $5 billion LCS contract adds up to 2,000 direct jobs and will help create an estimated 5,000 new jobs in Alabama.

Here are a few of the interesting things going on at Austal, gathered from various speeches, presentations and media releases:

• The second LCS, out of a possible 10, was awarded to Austal. The 127-meter vessel is valued at $368.6

million. Austal USA President and CEO Joe Rella said this contract is driving the company’s workforce needs, and he expects to double his workforce to fulfi ll the contracts.

• The CORONADO is currently under construction as part of the LCS program. U.S. Secretary of the

Navy Ray Mabus named the additional two ships awarded to Austal the USS JACKSON and

USS MONTGOMERY.• The $5 billion Navy contract is increasing payroll

at Austal to $179 million and is expected to create an additional $240.6 million in payroll for indirect jobs generated as a result of Austal’s contracts throughout the state of Alabama.

• Hiring at Austal is increasing. Company projections show the number of employees will hit 2,500 by February 2012 and 3,400 by February 2013.

• Austal is also building two Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV) – SPEARHEAD and VIGILANT – for

the U.S. Army. The company was also awarded JHSVs 3, 4 and 5.

• Under construction at the Austal complex is Phase 2 of the Modular Manufacturing Facility

(MMF), expected to double existing manufacturing fl oor space to 700,000 square feet and add another 30,000 square feet of offi ce space. When complete, the facility will be capable of constructing six large aluminum vessels such as

the LCS or JHSV annually. • Construction of Assembly Bay 5, measuring 425 feet long by 135 feet wide, is also underway. • Also being built is a new three-story offi ce

complex, able to house 450 employees and fi ve times the size of the existing offi ce building.

Austal’s Ship Keeps Coming In

Austal hosted the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus (second from right) this spring. Mabus was joined by Rep. Jo Bonner, Austal President & CEO Joe Rella, Mayor Sam Jones and Sen. Jeff Sessions. While here, Mabus announced the names of the next two Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) of the recently awarded 10-ship contract to Austal. The ships will be named the USS JACKSON and USS MONTGOMERY.You’ll see this symbol with

stories featuring Chamber initiatives.


Darrell Randle, the Mobile Area Chamber’s vice president of small business development, believes: “The business community is only as strong as its weakest link. And the stronger the business community becomes, the more Mobile becomes an even stronger global competitor.”

The Chamber’s minority business development department gives Mobile a competitive edge with its efforts, funded through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). It has been successful over the past three years, and the Chamber recently was awarded a $1.15 million contract to continue its efforts and expand its outreach for an additional fi ve years, through 2016.

The Chamber operation – formerly known as the Minority Business Enterprise Center, or MBEC – will now operate as the Alabama Minority Business Center (MBC). It was one of only 27 centers to be funded in the United States. Biloxi, Miss., is the only city smaller than Mobile to win a contract.

Last year alone, MBC helped local clients secure $42 million in contracts and another $42 million in fi nancing, creating more than 300 new jobs along the Gulf Coast. Some of the Chamber member businesses who have benefi tted from MBC services have included Superior Masonry, Hixardt Technologies and Bay Security, among many others. MBC operates out of an offi ce directly across the street from the Chamber at 450-A Government St.

“(This) program has shown remarkable success, and with a renewed focus on job creation in high-growth industries that leverages global business opportunities and teaming arrangements, we’ve raised the performance bar,” said MBDA National Director David Hinson. “MBCs are catalysts for minority business development, and by investing in these centers at the local level, we will see reverberating effects throughout the national economy.”

The center operators and support staff assist minority entrepreneurs with access to markets, contracts and capital, and offer strategic business consulting services to facilitate 21st century growth in today’s

global economy. MBCs interface directly with minority business owners and managers at the local level and provide enhanced assistance through national strategic partners, both within the federal government and the private sector.

Randle believes MBCs will play an important role in helping minority-owned businesses increase their exports. In an increasingly global economy, where opportunities are just as likely to be found overseas as they are around the corner, minority businesses are critical to achieving

the goals of President Barack Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI), he noted. (See page 20 for another Chamber success story helping accomplish NEI goals.)

To learn more about the Alabama MBC, call 433-2250.

Chamber Secures $1.5 Million to Continue Minority Business Development

The business

community is only

as strong as its

weakest link.

And the stronger

the business

community

becomes, the more

Mobile becomes

an even stronger

global competitor.

Darrell RandleMobile Area Chamber

of Commercevice president of small business development

The Mobile Area Chamber’s Minority Business Center recently received news its efforts would be expanded thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The money will be used to support ethnic minority businesses to successfully compete on federal government contract work. Pictured here are MBC staff members, Pam Ramos and Machelle Leslie.

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


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A $10 million-plus public-private partnership is at the root of an expansion underway at Saunders Yachtworks. The Gulf Shores-based business is leasing 14 acres with 965 feet of water frontage and recently broke ground on a new marine basin and dry dock in Gulf Shores.

The new dry dock more than doubles Saunders’ current capacity to 150 tons and 130 feet in length.

John Fitzgerald, president of Saunders, said when the boatyard is fully operational it’s expected to nearly double the company’s revenue, and increase employment by more

than 50 percent. Saunders currently employs 45 people, and will add as many as 25 new full-time positions within two years of opening the new facility.

Founded in 1959, Saunders Yachtworks will draw military and commercial vessels as well as larger recreational yachts with its new facility.

Mobile-based White-Spunner Construction was awarded the contract to build the basin and dry dock that was designed and engineered by Clark, Geer & Latham Engineering. Construction began in April and is creating 180 jobs during the

15-month project timeline.The city of Gulf Shores received a

$1.2 million grant from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Agency (EDA) for infrastructure improvements to public property. By leasing and operating the property, Saunders is the benefi ciary. The company already invested $3.6 million and committed $1.2 million for the dry dock machinery and lift equipment. The remaining investment falls under additional capital improvements and equipment, Fitzgerald said.

Saunders Yachtworks Plans $10M Expansion

The site is prepped. The concrete pilings – 856 of them, to be exact – are in the ground. The contractors are hired. And with that, the GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico is offi cially under construction and beginning to take shape.

As construction progresses on the 90,000-square-foot, vessel-shaped building, one-of-a-kind, interactive exhibits are being designed and fabricated at two U.S. companies known for their creative work – 1220 in Nashville, Tenn., and Hands On! in St. Petersburg, Fla. Project details are being kept confi dential until the museum opening, currently estimated at August 2012, according to Tony Zodrow, GulfQuest’s executive director.

Zodrow offered a small glimpse of the exhibit being developed by Hands On! – Maritime Matters, a 6,000-square-foot interactive gallery centered around ship design, propulsion and navigation that will incorporate historic and modern-day maritime tools.

The $52 million project, including the cost of interactive displays, will be the fi rst museum dedicated to the Gulf Coast’s maritime traditions and only the third interactive maritime museum in the world.

In addition to federal funds and grants, Zodrow and the museum’s board of directors secured approximately $7.5 million toward a $10 million goal for private donations. While a few out-of-town individuals and

companies donated to the cause, Zodrow said the majority of the monies were pledged locally, and he and the board are getting ready to gear back up for additional fundraising now that museum construction has begun.

Adventure Ahead as GulfQuest Takes Shape

Though the local economy is down slightly from fi rst quarter 2011 expectations, Mobile’s business leaders remain solidly positive, according to The University of Alabama’s Alabama Business Confi dence Index (ABCI). The quarterly report is produced by the university’s Center for Business and Economic Research.

“The ramp-up of Austal’s efforts, combined with hundreds of additional shipbuilding jobs announced in the second quarter, and an ever-improving national economic outlook are just a few of the reasons for Mobile business leaders' confi dence in our economy remaining high,” said Troy Wayman, vice president of economic development for the Mobile Area Chamber. “We expect even more good news from existing industry throughout 2011 with additional capital being invested locally and more good-paying jobs being added to the workforce.”

According to the report, 68 percent of the Mobile business executives surveyed expect an increase in sales, and profi t increases are expected by 58.6 percent. It also noted the hiring index was up slightly over the previous quarter, as 53.7 percent of those surveyed expect to see an increase in new hires locally.

To view the complete report from Mobile and other metro areas in the state, visit www.cber.cba.ua.edu/ABCI.

Mobile Business LeadersConfi dence in EconomyImproving

Construction is progressing on the 90,000-square-foot GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico.


A lot of credit is being given to ThyssenKrupp and Austal

USA for the thousands of jobs created for area citizens and contracts awarded to area companies, and it’s well deserved, said Jesse Quillen, the Chamber’s economic developer who heads the Washington County Economic Development Initiative (WCEDI).

An unanticipated sidebar of this success is a new regional partnership as mayors, city councils and business executives in Washington County forged a new venture with their counterparts in Jackson, Ala.

Jackson Mayor Richard Long and the Jackson City Council know they have a challenge on their hands. The city has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state at 16 percent and over the last few years has lost 500-plus jobs at New Era Cap and Vanity Fair. This is perhaps the biggest driver behind the new partnership from Long’s perspective.

In 2004, WCEDI contracted with the Chamber as its economic developer, a job Quillen has fi lled since 2008.

Jackson has an economic developer and is also a partner in the Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance, covering Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia and Monroe counties. Long says he believes this new collaboration “that looks south” will only enhance efforts to bring jobs to his citizens.

“If there’s a project that doesn’t fi t Mobile or Washington County, then we’re right across the Tombigbee, and we want to be considered,” said Long.

Quillen says the benefi ts run both ways. “Jackson has industrial sites and available buildings. They bring important assets to the table,” he said.

Jackson is the largest municipality in Clarke County with 5,228 residents. Long touted among the city’s signifi cant infrastructure three industrial parks, Norfolk Southern Rail, U.S. Hwy. 43 and the Tombigbee Waterway.

Jackson offi cials invested close to $4.5 million in infrastructure last year, including resurfacing streets and completing an industrial park on U.S. Hwy. 177. On tap for this year is a $2 million fi re station that will enhance the fi re protection provided to

citizens and industry. Mayor Long also has plans to buy additional industrial property.

“Jackson has an aggressive approach to new industry and builds competitive packages to lure new projects,” said Quillen.

With its proximity to the ThyssenKrupp complex, TK is a frequent user of Jackson’s airport and has a number of workers patronizing the city’s hotels and restaurants.

“Mobile is the regional economic engine

and we want to continue to fi nd ways to take advantage of that,” said Chatom Mayor Harold Crouch who heads WCEDI. “With Jackson’s location on the river, connections to a port and rail service – this is a good fi t for the Highway 43 corridor.”

One Thing Leads to AnotherCity of Jackson forges regional economic development partnerships


The city of Jackson is joining forces with the Washington County Economic Development Initiative (WCEDI) to enhance efforts in recruiting jobs to the area. Pictured here at a recent meeting are Chatom Mayor Harold Crouch and WCEDI chairman (left) and Jackson Mayor Richard Long (right).

Jackson, Ala. FAST FACTS

City of Jackson population: 5,228 (largest municipality in Clarke County)Clarke County population: 25,833Clarke County unemployment rate: February 2011, 16.6 percent

Top Employers • Boise, 800 employees, manufactures paper products• Gulf-Scotch Lumber, 85 employees, high quality dimension lumber• AC Fabricated Products, 90 employees, manufactures tents & solar panels for U.S. Government

Key Assets• Four-lane U.S. Hwy. 43• Tombigbee Waterway and the Jackson River Port• Norfolk Southern Rail• Alabama Southern Community College (branch)• Airport with recently paved 5,003-foot lighted runway• Expandable 2.6 million gallons per day water system

2010 Significant Accomplishments• Major street resurfacing project - $1 million• 20,000-square-foot spec. building - $500,000• U.S. Hwy. 177 Industrial Park -$1.75 million• Upgraded wastewater treatment system - $155,000 • Jackson Senior Citizen Center - $1 million

On Tap for 2011 • Fire Station - approximately $2 million• Industrial Property acquisition and preparation - $209,000


“Where’s Mobile’s mojo?” asked Troy Wayman, the Mobile Area Chamber’s vice president of economic development, during a recent presentation to the organization’s board of advisors. His answer? “We never lost it.”

Despite a few setbacks, Wayman believes, the area has a tremendous amount of economic development activity, including the military contracts at Austal USA, the continuing progress at ThyssenKrupp and a host of expansions at local companies.

To keep things moving in the right direction, the Chamber, in partnership with the Alabama State Port Authority, Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance and the Mobile Airport Authority, hosted a tour for representatives from the state’s economic development partners.

From its fi rst-quarter report to Partners for Growth, the Chamber’s economic development investors, here are a few notable accomplishments:

• The Chamber had approximately 25 active projects and hosted 27 prospect visits representing a variety of industries including maritime, chemicals, oil and gas, energy, steel, aerospace, manufacturing, bio-diesel, engineering and distribution centers.

• Announcements by Austal USA, Krispy Mixes and Horizon Shipbuilding resulted in 355 jobs and

$5.75 million in capital investment.• The Chamber’s international trade division hosted

Spain’s trade commissioner, conducted trade mission briefi ngs on Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, and held a seminar to advance understanding of the issues around doing business in and establishing and fostering broader relations with the European Union.

• The Chamber’s Center for Workforce Development is working closely with Mobile Works to market the OJT (on the job) program to member businesses. The subsidy helps the bottom line of local businesses by providing funds to pay employees while they are being trained.

• The Chamber’s small business development department helped draw 75 participants who met with 33 purchasing agents during the annual Gulf Coast Procurement Opportunities Matchmaker. The program was co-sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the University of South Alabama’s Small Business Development Center and the Chamber.

• Two City-County-Chamber lunches were held. Issues discussed included economic development, infrastructure priorities, the Austal LCS contract and workforce training needs.

• The Chamber, in partnership with the University of South Alabama, presented Gov. Robert Bentley with an area economic development overview.

• The Chamber hosted a semi-annual meeting of the Southwest Alabama Chamber Executives to discuss regional issues of common concern and provide updates on activities in the respective communities. Those in attendance included: Saraland Chamber, Tillman’s Corner Chamber, South Baldwin Chamber, Alabama Gulf Coast Chamber, Clarke County Chamber, Thomasville Chamber, Washington County Chamber, Monroeville Chamber, Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance and the Mobile Area Chamber.

Mobile'sMojo is Rising

Economic development accomplishments were highlighted at a recent presentation to the Mobile Area Chamber’s board of advisors. Spearheading the event’s headlines were Troy Wayman, the Chamber’s vice president of economic development, and Bill Sisson, executive director of the Mobile Airport Authority.



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Sometimes Change is Good

Go to mobilechamber.com/award.asp

to submit a Small Business of the

Month nomination, or contact

Danette Richards at 431-8652 or

[email protected].

small business of the month

There’s a round wooden dining table back in the Fremins’ break room where the business began in 2002 and, later, where the decision to change the company’s business model was made. Fremin’s Contractor Services, a provider of commercial and facility maintenance, repairs and improvements, is the Mobile Area Chamber’s Small Business of the Month.

After four years in business serving primarily residential customers, the husband-and-wife team of President Rocky Fremin and Vice President Keith Fremin made a pivotal choice to focus on commercial customers.

Their timing helped the company weather the recession, said the Chamber’s Director of Small Business Danette Richards. “The economy really started shutting down in 2008, so the Fremins were ahead of the curve.”

While the Semmes-based company maintained a few of its local residential customers, Fremin’s Contractor Services focuses on commercial accounts. The company prides itself on 24/7 service and offers same-day emergency service. Rocky herself answers most of the after-hours calls. “We have an answering service, but I try to never use it,” she said.

Among the company’s national customers are Gap, Rite-Aid, Leslie’s Swimming Pool Supply and Mortgage Team 1. The company also has contracts with restaurants, grocery stores, offi ce and apartment buildings, a number of small businesses and more. “You might say we’re better known nationally than right here at home,” Rocky said.

With six offi ce staff members and a team of 300 highly skilled craftsmen and subcontractors, Fremin’s operates in 21

states – as far north as Maine, west to Arkansas and east to the Carolinas.

The Fremin’s team handles projects from replacing ceiling tiles to roof and drywall repairs to boarding up windows for hurricanes. “We take on any job. It doesn’t matter how large or small,” said Rocky, who feels the smaller jobs help build relationships with their customers.

Prior to starting this business, Rocky owned several other ventures, including a consignment shop and a telephone repair business. Keith has always been in the repair and improvement business and said he is still happiest in the fi eld.

Rocky had a vision for his skills and a business that would sustain them. “It’s a lot of hard work,” she said. “We try to go above and beyond, stay dedicated to communication with our customers, and make a fair profi t.”

Back row (from left to right) Hunter Rodriquez, Thomas Carpenter and Keith Fremin.

Front row (from left to right) Tia Rodriquez (holding Sophia), Lyn Dosher, Sue Guy, Jennifer Round and Rocky Fremin.


On June 4, the USS LAWRENCE DDG 110, a new guided missile destroyer, will be commissioned at the Alabama State Docks. Originally planned to be commissioned in Pensacola, Fla., a delay in the dredging of Pensacola Bay is driving the move to Mobile, according to Capt. Hal Pierce (Ret.) with the Mobile Navy League and Maritime organizations.

The U.S. Navy’s multi-mission guided-missile destroyer, designed to operate in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface environments, was built by Northrop Grumman, now Huntington Ingalls. The ship is equipped with the Navy’s Aegis Combat System, the world’s foremost integrated naval weapon system.

Pensacola offi cials will come to Mobile to commission the ship named for Vice Adm. William P. Lawrence, a highly decorated naval aviator who received his Naval Aviator Wings in November 1952 in Pensacola.

The Mobile County Commission is making a $1.4 million upgrade to the county’s River Delta Marina and campground. The project is being funded by a federal grant distributed through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program. Located in Creola, the park is one of the few

public access points to the unique and beautiful ecosystem of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. For information about the camp and user fees, go to www.mobilecountyal.gov and click on Parks and Recreation at the bottom of the home page or call 574-2266.

River Delta Marina and Campground

Gets Upgrade

Art at WorkMobile artist Amber Ivey Lane of Amber Lane Designs recently completed four

contemporary art projects for the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Development Center (SBC). The Montgomery native’s technique is a modern abstract use of oils and acrylics. Lane has work in several galleries, boutiques and homes throughout the U.S. Pictured above is Lane with Douglas Jones, vice president of business services for the Montgomery Chamber.

USS LAWRENCE to be Commissioned in Mobile


The Public Relations Council of Alabama’s (PRCA)Mobile Chapter will hold its annual ToolKit workshop on Thursday, June 23, at the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The professional development workshop will include two sessions followed by lunch.

This year’s featured speaker will be Gary D. McCormick, APR. McCormick works in corporate public relations as the director of partnership development for HGTV. In this role, he is responsible for identifying opportunities for off-channel exposure for

the home and lifestyle cable network and its on-air talent.

McCormick will present “The Business Case for Public Relations.” In today's business world, according to McCormick, public relations is more vital than ever before, given the explosion of consumer engagement through new and social media,

the collapse of reputation and trust in major institutions, and evolving needs and concerns of corporate CEOs. Attendees will walk away with resources and tools to help them measure attitude and behavior impact of public relations programs. They

will be armed with information on the latest industry research, trends and techniques, and will be able to capture a greater share of clients’ or organizations’ investments in marketing and communication services.

The morning breakout sessions will feature Jay Reeves, Associated Press reporter for Alabama, and Deirdre McGowan, CEO and chairman of Insight Ltd., a Biloxi-based marketing fi rm. Ticket prices are $55 for PRCA members, $65 for guests and $35 for students. To register or for more information, contact Vanessa McGee at [email protected].

HGTV Executive to Keynote Professional Development Workshop

Fast FactsWhat: PRCA ToolKit Professional Development Workshop

When: Thursday, June 23

Time: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Where: Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel

Cost: $55 - PRCA members $65 - guests $35 - students

Info: To register or for more information, contact Vanessa McGee at

[email protected].

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McCormick


If It's Healthy Enough to Bite the Hook... “If it’s healthy enough to

bite the hook, it’s healthy enough to eat,” said Dr. George Crozier, executive director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. He admits the quick retort is an easy response to daily deluge of questions he gets about whether or not people should be eating seafood caught in the Gulf of Mexico.

It’s his belief, based on years of research on the Gulf of Mexico and the animals and microorganisms that inhabit it, the fl esh of seafood we eat is not impacted by the spill. He also admits we don’t know the lasting impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill more than a year ago, and may not for many years to come.

Locals have come back to the Gulf of Mexico and started fi shing in its waters and eating fresh, locally caught seafood. Backed by stringent federal government and private seafood safety testing, concerns about the safety of seafood are waning – at least locally. But trying to convince people across the country and even inland residents along the Gulf Coast, where people are far more leery, is more diffi cult, admitted Crozier.

“Our country has become polarized, and is rejecting seafood safety experts because they are tied to the federal government,” he said. “And that’s just plain dumb.”

He blames, in part, the images of the Exxon Valdez oil spill that happened off the coast of Alaska as a challenge the Gulf of Mexico is struggling to overcome. Social media, in part, is to blame for continuing to associate images of heavy crude oil coating the shoreline in Alaska with what’s happened in the Gulf.

The only way to combat this very emotional image is to focus on the facts and listen to the experts who will continue to aggressively test Gulf seafood. “It’s easy to get sucked into fear,” said Crozier. But he added the resiliency of the Gulf of Mexico has “exceeded our expectations.”


Serve the GulfTakes Aim at False Rumors

A grassroots movement has been brewing

along the Alabama coast to reassure consumers of the safety of Gulf of Mexico seafood more than a year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Serve the Gulf was originally planned as a public service print campaign and grassroots effort, yet in the spring, the Alabama Tourism Department gave it a boost with $300,000 allotted from BP funds to expand the campaign statewide in support of the Alabama seafood industry.

The campaign is designed to communicate that Gulf seafood is the most tested seafood in the world and has continually been proven safe. The initiative hopes to encourage consumers and businesses to support the industry that fuels Alabama’s coastal economy by simply eating and serving Alabama seafood. Servethegulf.com acts as an online homefor facts and links to research reports, and consumers can join the conversation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/servethegulf).

“What we are looking for now are restaurants, retailers, grocers, hoteliers, chambers of commerce and other businesses willing to embrace this call to action and take Serve the Gulf to yet another level,” said Ricky Mathews, publisher of the Press-Register and chairman of the Coastal Recovery Commission of Alabama. “We want this initiative to live far beyond this landmark anniversary.”

Big Communications in Birmingham, a Mobile Area Chamber member, designed the campaign, which features print, radio, television, online and outdoor billboard ads.

Those who want to support Serve the Gulf can fi nd out how to get involved at www.servethegulf.com.

Orange Chili Dipping SauceIngredients: 1 cup sweet orange marmalade3 tablespoons honey1 tablespoon Asian garlic chili sauce1 tablespoon lime juice2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar3 tablespoons waterPinch of salt

Preparation: Whisk all ingredients, except lime juice, together in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with grilled shrimp.

Georgia Roussos Baked OystersBy Georgia Roussos Cateringwww.GeorgiaRoussosCatering.com

Ingredients: 1 dozen fresh oysters on the half-shellYour favorite cocktail sauce (ours is a secret) - 1 tablespoon per oyster

Grated parmesan cheese - 1 teaspoon per oyster Bacon - 1⁄4 slice per oysterPreparation: Put one tablespoon of sauce on top of each oyster. Sprinkle one teaspoon grated parmesan cheese on each oyster. Place 1/4 slice of uncooked bacon over the top of each oyster. Bake quickly in very hot oven (approximately 400 degrees). Remove from oven when the baconbegins to crisp. Can be served as a main dish or as an appetizer.

Thai Grilled Shrimp with Orange Chili Dipping Sauce

By Lucy Greer, Greer's Catering

www.greers.com

Ingredients: 2 pounds Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ cup olive oil½ cup fresh lime juiceZest of 2 limes3 garlic cloves, smashed1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup fresh basil leaves, rough chopped

1 tablespoon honey

Preparation: Combine olive oil, lime juice,

zest, garlic, red pepper fl akes, basil and honey in a

large bowl. Whisk ingredients thoroughly. Add shrimp to marinade and mix well, ensuring all shrimp are covered.

Let rest on the counter 20-30 minutes.

If you choose to use bamboo skewers for grilling shrimp, soak skewers in a shallow dish covered with water for

20 minutes while shrimp are marinating, to prevent burning or splintering. Remove shrimp from marinade and

securely put on skewers. Grill over high heat 2 minutes on each side, or until shrimp turn bright pink. If you do not

wish to use skewers, grill shrimp as usual.


Grilled Tuna Nioise Salad

By Naman's Catering

www.namanscatering.com

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small shallot, minced

¾ cup olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

Tuna16-ounce fresh tuna steak

Olive oil cooking spray

Salad½ lb. mixed greens

½ cup red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup pitted Nicoise olives

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halves

1 egg, hard-boiled, peeled and quartered (optional)

Preparation: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar,

tarragon, mustard and shallot. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Add salt and

pepper to taste. Marinate tuna for 30 minutes in 1/4 cup vinaigrette.

Spray grill with olive oil cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium heat.

Grill tuna until cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes on each

side. Let tuna rest for 2 minutes. Slice tuna and set aside. To arrange

salad on one large serving platter, place individual salad ingredients

and tuna in separate mounds on the plate. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

T a Nioise Salad

Fried Grits with Grilled Shrimp and PeppersBy The Wilton Caterer

Ingredients: ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons grits1 cup waterTony’s Creole SeasoningShredded cheddar cheeseCooking spray2 eggs 2 cups plain flour2 cups vegetable oil1 pound fresh Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined1 cup julienned red pepper, green pepper and onion2 tablespoons melted butter

Preparation: Prepare grits. Add Tony’s and cheese to taste. Prepare a small casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour grits into dish. Spread evenly (about 3/4” thick). Cool, then put into freezer until grits are set.Pour butter over shrimp and peppers. Season to taste with Tony’s. Cook on hot flat grill or hot pan. Heat oil to 325 degrees on stovetop or electric fryer. Beat eggs. Cut grits into squares, or use biscuit cutter for rounds. Season with Tony’s. Dip into egg. Coat with flour. Carefully drop into oil. Cook until outside is golden and crisp (about 5 minutes).Top with hot shrimp and peppers. Serve at once.

While anybody and everybody with a blog, a camera or an agenda is weighing in on the Gulf seafood safety issue, The Business View thought it best to start with people who would know for certain: the government agencies doing the testing. Right now, Gulf of Mexico seafood is the most tested seafood stock in the world, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), with assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), agree that Gulf seafood is, indeed, safe to eat.

Here’s what their test results have shown:

• Gulf seafood has consistently tested 100 to 1,000 times lower than the

safety thresholds established by the FDA for the residues of oil and

dispersant contaminants.

• Of all Gulf seafood tested after the oil spill, more than 99 percent has

shown absolutely no oil or dispersant residue.

• FDA and NOAA test samples for oil and dispersants, and every sample

from reopened waters, have passed those tests.

The FDA attributes this staggering level of safety to the stringent standards it used when opening waters for fi shing. These were the base standards applied:

• When waters were impacted by oil or at risk of being impacted by oil, they were closed to fi shing.

• Areas considered for reopening must be free of oil before testing even starts.

Source: www.servethegulf.com

Trusted. Tested. True.

HoneyBaked Ham and Shrimp JambalayaBy The HoneyBaked Ham Co. www.honeybakedham.com

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil2 large onions, diced1 red bell pepper, diced1 green bell pepper, diced3 large garlic cloves, minced1 28-ounce can ready-cut tomatoes with juices1 cup diced HoneyBaked Ham1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock1 teaspoon dried thyme1 teaspoon dried basil1 teaspoon paprika1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper3/4 cup long-grain white rice1 cup fresh Gulf shrimp (small)

Preparation: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, red and green bell pepper and garlic, and sauté until tender. Then mix remainder of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed (about 20-25 minutes). Add 1 cup of pre-cooked fresh Gulf salad (popcorn) shrimp and mix well until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Serves six.

THE BUSINESS VIEW | JUNE 2011 19THE BUSINESS VIEW | JUNE 2011 19

Shrimp Delphine

By Chris & Carla’s Catering & Heavenly Ribs

www.chrisandcarlas.com

Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds jumbo Gulf shrimp (about 16 to 24),

peeled and deveined 1⁄3 cup clarifi ed butter

4 tablespoons minced garlic

1 onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Miller’s Magic Dust, to taste

1 cup of pasta

Preparation: Rinse shrimp and set aside. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic

1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned. Add shrimp, onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp

are pink and fi rm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Add chopped parsley, pasta and Miller’s Magic

Dust and pepper before serving. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired. Makes 8 fi rst-course servings.

The Mobile Area Chamber’s Seafood TaskForce promotes the Alabama seafood industry and Gulf seafood products. It monitors and addresses issues of interest for consumers.

Companies represented on the taskforce are: Southern Fish and Oyster, Atlas Cold Storage, Alabama Department of Public Health, State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The Mobile Area Chamber’s Seafood TaskForce promotes the Alabama seafood industry and Gulf seafood products. It monitors and addresses issues of interest for consumers.

Companies represented on the taskforce are: Southern Fish and Oyster, Atlas Cold Storage, Alabama Department of Public Health, State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.


In his January 2010 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama announced the National Export Initiative (NEI), a government-wide eff ort to promote exports and create a long-term economic growth plan to support and create American jobs.

During the Export-Import Bank’s annual conference a couple of months later, President

Barack Obama said, “We are rebuilding an economy where we generate more American jobs in more American industries by producing and exporting more goods and services to other nations.”

According to the Alabama Development Offi ce (ADO), more than 300,000 jobs for Alabama citizens were supported by $15.5 billion in manufactured exports from the state to the rest of the world in 2010, up 24.9 percent from the previous year. In January 2011, year-to-date, Alabama exports were up 16.75 percent.

Alabama Exports: Continue to Rise -

Port of Mobile Sees Slow But Upward Trend

Top 25Trading Partners for the Port of Mobile in 2010:

1. China 2. Republic of Korea 3. Japan 4. Mexico 5. Italy 6. Colombia 7. The Netherlands 8. Haiti 9. Iraq 10. Jamaica 11. France 12. Taiwan 13. Norway 14. Germany 15. Russia 16. Dominican Republic 17. Kuwait 18. Israel 19. Spain 20. Chile 21. UK 22. Georgia 23. Belgium 24. Turkey 25. Brazil

Trading Partners for Alabama products in 2010:

Canada, China, Germany, Mexico and Brazil

Top 5

“If we continue on this path of increasing Alabama exports, we will be able to achieve the NEI goal of doubling American exports in the next fi ve years,” said the Mobile Area Chamber’s International Trade Director Tony van Aken. “This increase will support 2 million American jobs.”

As a result of the global recession, 2009 was a diffi cult year for local exports, with the Port of Mobile’s public terminals down 14 percent. The port’s major commodity groups and their industries –coal, lumber and forestry-related products, poultry, grain and chemicals – suffered decreases. In 2010, exports began to come back slowly, ending with an 11 percent increase. During that year, the Port of Mobile’s public terminals handled more than 24 million tons and traded with 112 countries.

Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) Director Jimmy Lyons is confi dent Mobile exports will continue to increase. “We are seeing a slow but upward trend line in volume and activity for the Port of Mobile,” he said.

The top fi ve commodities shipped from the ASPA in 2010 were:

• coal, 17.53 million tons; • chemicals, 1.96 million tons; • forest products, 1.79 million tons;• iron/steel, 1.40 million tons; and• grain, 1.27 million tons.

Lyons attributes the substantial growth in the steel sector for the port to the activity generated by carbon and stainless steel in production by ThyssenKrupp.

The ASPA supports the NEI by directing its efforts and energies toward better serving Alabama industries. Through improvements and additions, the ASPA continues to be an economic development agent by promoting exports and creating jobs in Alabama. A $360 million investment in infrastructure improvements with a new interchange, intermodal rail yard, cargo yard and warehouse and other cargo terminal improvements were announced in 2010. The port recently signed a contract for a second ship loader and hopes to have it operational within 16 months. “This will increase our export capabilities and fully capitalize on growth,” said Lyons.

Like the Port Authority, the Mobile Area Chamber continues to be proactive in increasing Alabama exports. In May, the Chamber partnered with the ADO and led a trade mission to Dublin and Belfast, Ireland. The Chamber will also lead missions to Brazilin August and the United Arab Emirates in October. For more information on either of these missions, contact Christina Stimpson, the Chamber’s trade program manager, at 431-8648.

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Mobile-based OPICO (Oppenheimer International), a leading exporter of farm equipment, was among eight Alabama companies recognized by Gov. Robert Bentley for excellence demonstrated in exporting during a ceremony at the state capitol recently.

OPICO specializes in providing the most current agricultural technology to the world’s farmers through a network of importers and agents. Ed Oppenheimer, OPICO’s president, attributes the company’s success to its ability to stay on top of market trends and monitor worldwide conditions impacted by policies. “We leverage the latest in Internet technology to stay informed on both economic and political conditions,” he said.

Founded in 1946 by the late James Oppenheimer, OPICO moved from Augusta, Ga., to Mobile in 1951 and continues to this day under family ownership and management.

In addition to OPICO, the other recipients of the 2010 Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards are:

• Huntsville-based Baron Services Inc. • Irondale-based Creative Concepts • Huntsville-based Plastic Recyclers Southeast Inc. • Pelham-based Process Equipment Inc. • Ozark-based Quick Start Marketing LLC • Helena-based Scott Machinery & Supply Inc. • Falkville-based Valley Rubber “These companies have helped sustain and create jobs by taking advantage of

markets outside the U.S,” said Bentley.Oppenheimer added, “All we do is export. As international trade has grown, our

business has improved. And as world agriculture incorporates equipment into planting and harvesting, it drives our business.”

The Governor’s Trade Excellence Award recognizes large, medium and small businesses as well as new-to-export companies from different parts of the state.

Mobile Company Recognized for

Exporting ExcellenceTop Alabama

Commodities in 2010

Transportation, equipment chemicals, minerals and ores, forestry

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OPICO (Oppenheimer International) was one of eight companies recognized for trade excellence by Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley. Pictured with Bentley is Bill Oppenheimer, OPICO’s secretary-treasurer.


Waterfront Rescue Mission and 15 Place are joining forces to assist Mobile’s homeless population. Representatives from the two agencies announced in March they will share a “purpose-built” location at Congress and Washington streets in downtown Mobile, increasing the value of their services.

A New Home for the Homeless

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“The best news is we will have a purpose-built building, one that we can use to its fullest potential,” said Walters. This includes designated space for the nurses and nutritionists from the University of South Alabama College of Nursing who operate a Wellness Center at 15 Place. The renovated building is also designed with classroom space. Currently, Waterfront Rescue Mission uses its chapel for classes.

The agencies have referred clients to each other for years. Bru said Waterfront sends people to 15 Place for Veterans Administration services, mental health and physical issues. As neighbors, those referrals will become more convenient.

According to Joyce Collier, interim executive director of the United Way of Southwest Alabama, the trend of nonprofi ts sharing resources started almost a decade ago, but accelerated in the depressed economy. Cooperative efforts and mergers may result from efforts to better serve the client population, expand current programs or extend a service area.

While it may make sense economically, Collier said mergers need to be well

thought out and supported by the agencies’ boards while still attending to the needs of the clients. “Done well, it preserves the culture of the agency and serves clients in a much more effective way,” she explained. “Goodwill Easter Seals is a good example of one that has accomplished that.”

Bru said the move fi ts in well with downtown Mobile’s current revitalization

as Waterfront’s two Victorian homes and 15 Place’s commercial space revert to zone-specifi c uses. The new location outside the downtown commercial area will also ease businesses’ panhandling concerns. Finally, the new neighborhood benefi ts from the renovation of an old building and new construction.

“I’m excited to have a facility where we can easily serve people so much more effi ciently, and bringing 15

Place just next door creates a homeless campus, handling the people we serve a lot better,” said Bru. “We’re trying to get them back as productive members of society, with jobs and the help they need. We’re not just feeding and housing – we have job training and life training.”

Done well, itpreserves

the culture of the agency and serves

clients in a much more eff ective way.

Joyce CollierUnited Way of

Southwest Alabama

On non-profit mergers.

Member FDIC. ©RBC Bank (USA) 2011. ®Registered trademark of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under license. RBC Bank is a trade name used by RBC Bank (USA) and its branch offices operate under this trade name.

Bottom Row (L to R):Michael Dennis – Regional Director, Private Banking – AlabamaMike Cadden – Relationship Manager, Commercial MarketsCedric Hatcher – Regional President, Commercial Markets – S. AlabamaScott Stafford – Regional President, Retail – AlabamaDottie McKean – Relationship Manager, Commercial MarketsJason Gross – Relationship Manager, Commercial Markets

Top Row (L to R):Michele Hand – Regional Retail Manager – West MobileMatt Singleton – Relationship Manager, Commercial MarketsSam Morgart – Regional Retail Manager – Baldwin CountyWillson McClelland – Relationship Manager, Private Banking – MobileRena Davis – Relationship Manager, Private Banking – Baldwin CountyRufus Hudson – Regional Retail Manager – East Mobile

RBC Bank is committed to putting your best interest first. Now and in the future.

The leaders you see here are the ones entrusted to making sure that commitment is met. You can depend on their experience and expertise to provide you with the guidance you need to meet your goals. Now and in the future.

A complete renovation is planned, including an addition to the former longshoremen’s hall. Behind the main structure, a separate building will be constructed for 15 Place that the organization will lease from Waterfront.

Waterfront Rescue Mission’s new building will sleep 120, doubling its present capacity. The two agencies will share Waterfront’s kitchen, serving 300 meals a day. Currently, Waterfront serves 200 meals each day and 15 Place 120.

In addition to eliminating duplication in kitchen services, the new facility will make better use of volunteer resources. “It just makes a lot of sense from an effi ciency standpoint,” Waterfront Rescue Mission Executive Director Bill Bru explained.

The total cost for the project is $3.6 million, with $1.7 million already committed, including a $200,000 pledge from the city

of Mobile. The remainder of this year is focused on planning and fundraising. “We’ve already started a capital campaign to raise that money,” said Bru. Construction will begin in 2012, with the facility scheduled to open in 2013.

Sharing ResourcesWaterfront Rescue Mission is a faith-

based shelter offering substance abuse counseling and meals, while 15 Place provides lunch, personal care, transportation and health, special and referral services. Both agencies often work with the same population.

The two agencies will maintain separate administration and organizational structures. Bru and 15 Place Executive Director Lyn Walters said no staff cuts are planned due to the cooperative venture.


Company: Kingdom Coach LLC

Title: President

Hometown: Athens, Tenn.

First job: Grantham worked as a pool care hotline operator for Olin Corp.

Previous experience: Before Kingdom Coach, Grantham was a bank teller and worked in accounts receivable for a payroll company.

Career-changing moment: Grantham’s late husband Scott was working for another motorcoach company when he came home from work one day and said, “I think we can run a business ourselves. We should be our own boss.” He resigned his position, and the Granthams came up with a down payment and purchased their fi rst bus.

Accomplishments: “We began Kingdom Coach LLC with one bus that we parked in a church parking lot. We now have 16 buses and a 15,000-square-foot facility located off I-10.” The company is certifi ed by the Department of Defense to transport military personnel. Grantham serves on the board of directors for the Alabama Motorcoach Association and is a member of the United Motorcoach Association and the American Bus Association.

Secret to success: “Minding our own business and always seeking God for wisdom in every decision we make.”

Brief company description: Kingdom Coach is a Mobile-based charter bus company that transports passengers to various destinations. The motorcoaches feature WiFi internet, satellite TV and reclining seats. The company also serves as a group travel planner and coordinates itineraries, including hotel stays, attraction stops, events and meals. It is the offi cial motorcoach of Mobile’s Azalea Trail Maids.

Misti GranthamCEO profi le


Can employers lawfully decline to consider unemployed job seekers?

Brad Adams and Kelly Reese are attorneys in Littler Mendelson PC’s Mobile offi ce, located in the Riverview Plaza, 63 South Royal St., Ste. 901 and may be reached at 432-2477.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently considered whether employers can legally not consider unemployed applicants, addressing what some have characterized as an “emerging practice” among employers to consider only the employed when hiring for available positions.

One reason used to justify this practice is the belief that less productive workers, or “poor performers,” are usually the “fi rst to go.” Therefore, the unemployed are alleged to be inferior candidates to the currently employed. Some critics argue that such a one-size-fi ts-all approach does not take into account the fact that job losses, particularly given the economic conditionsin recent years, frequently have nothing to do with whether an employee performed well while employed.

While there certainly are instances in which an employer faced with the need to reduce its workforce will eliminate less productive employees fi rst, in many instances employees may lose their jobs for reasons having nothing to do with work performance. For example, an employer may close an entire location, eliminate a segment of its business or go completely out of business, any of which could result in signifi cant layoffs. In other situations, layoff decisions may be based on objective considerations such as seniority that are in no way tied to performance.

Wholesale disqualifi cation of the unemployed may result in the elimination of well-qualifi ed candidates who were top performers. Such a practice could also subject an employer to bad publicity.

Aside from the practical drawbacks, there are legal considerations as well. While it’s too early to tell how this issue will play out under federal discrimination laws (many of which are enforced by the EEOC), it’s clear that the EEOC intends to increase its attention to this practice and may well challenge it in court.

While federal employment discrimination laws do not explicitly cover the unemployed, the refusal to hire the unemployed may have a disparate impact on classes of persons who are protected by such laws (such as racial minorities, persons with disabilities and older job seekers). This was the point made at the EEOC’s recent meeting where William Spriggs, assistant secretary of labor for policy, presented employment statistics suggesting minorities, particularly African Americans and Hispanics, are overrepresented among the unemployed.

Given the practical problems and potential legal ramifi cations of declining to consider unemployed job seekers, there are a number of downsides to engaging in such a hiring practice. Employers may (and typically should), however, examine an applicant’s employment history, in part, to determine the reasons for an applicant’sseparation from past employers. In doing so, employers should apply consistent standards and ensure that all hiring decisions are made based on legitimate business considerations.

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Lease vs. Loan: Why Leasing Equipment May Be the Better Option

A lease is fl exible and can be

tailored to fi t month-to-month,

seasonal or annual cash fl ow needs.

Are you looking to invest in up-to-date equipment for your business? Instead of taking on the burden of a loan, consider leasing.

Not only does leasing help conserve cash, it also ensures companies don’t wind up paying for equipment that quickly becomes obsolete or unsuited for its needs. And if equipment is needed only for a short time or special project, leasing saves the hassle of having to be both buyer and seller.

There’s no limit to the type of equipment available for leasing, or the size of the company that can access it. Even one-person operations can lease equipment. Unlike loans, leases generally do not require a down payment, although companies are required to fi nance the value of the

equipment expected to be used during the lease term.

Depending on the type of equipment and lease arrangement, the company may also be responsible for routine maintenance and other costs as well. When the lease expires, the equipment goes back to the leasing company, completing the obligation.

Leases are not loans, so their costs are calculated differently. Payments on an operating lease are considered an overhead expense that are deductible from business income. Generally, however, the cost of leasing is

similar to the cost of other fi nancing options when considering the entire transaction.

Flexibility is another leasing hallmark. A lease can be tailored to fi t month-to-month, seasonal or annual cash fl ow needs. And if customers or the competition demand the latest technology, a short-term lease can help you get what you need and keep your cash. Most leasing

companies offer lease-to-own plans if purchasing the equipment is in the best interest of the business.

You can fi nd qualifi ed leasing companies for small business needs in the Mobile Area Chamber online membership directory, www.mobilechamber.com. The Equipment Leasing and Financing Association (ELFA), a trade group of leasing companies and fi nancial services companies, has a special section explaining the basics of leasing options and benefi ts, loan/lease differences and leasing terminology at its website, www.elfaonline.org.

For additional help on this topic or for a confi dential, one-on-one counseling session at no charge, contact the Mobile SCORE chapter at 431-8614.


investor focus

Company Offi cials: Gaylord C. Lyon Jr., president; Erling Riis, vice president;Ed Cadden, vice president; Bill Goodloe, vice president; McCrary Otts, vice president; Randy Fry, vice president; Bry Shields III, account executive

Years in Business: The agency has roots back to 1905.

Brief Company Description: Lyon Fry Cadden Insurance Agency Inc. specializes in the property and casualty insurance business. The company represents a number of large companies in the area that write policies through the Independent Agency system. As one of the largest locally owned insurance agencies

in South Alabama, Lyon Fry Cadden has 29 employees who have been with the company for 10 or more years.

Why are you located in Mobile? All six owners of the agency grew up in Mobile, Lyon said, and the majority of the agency’s customers are in Mobile.

Why do you support the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce’s Partners for Growth initiative? “The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, under the very excellent leadership of Win Hallett, has proven to the community and its members that it can effectively recruit business and industry to our area,” said Lyon. “We strongly

support the Chamber and want the momentum to continue.”

What do you see as Mobile’s greatest potential? “Mobile has many wonderful qualities, including waterfront commerce, shipping, beaches, good local government, a skilled workforce, tourism, mild climate and many successful employers,” said Lyon. “I think the greatest long-term potential for Mobile is the waterfront, including the port, transportation, shipbuilding and recreation along the beaches.”

Length of Chamber Membership: Since 1986

Lyon Fry Cadden Insurance Agency 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 [email protected].

Lyon Fry Cadden Insurance Agency consists of, from left to right seated, Randy Fry, vice president; Gaylord C. Lyon Jr., president; and Ed Cadden, vice president. From left to right standing are Bill Goodloe, vice president; McCrary Otts, vice president; Bry Shields III, account executive; and Erling Riis, vice president.


Richards Graduates from Management Program

Danette Richards, director of small business development for the Chamber, received IOM status upon graduating from the Institute for Organizational Management, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. During the institute program, Richards received 96 hours of intensive course instruction in nonprofi t and chamber management.

Chamber Staffer Graduates from Leadership Mobile

Susan Rak-Blanchard, the Chamber’s director of communications and marketing,

graduated from Leadership Mobile in May. A program of Mobile United, Leadership Mobile is an eight-month program with a balanced mix of seminars, retreats and group project work. Rak-Blanchard’s small group project is aimed at recruiting additional participation from area businesses in Mobile Area Education Foundation programs such as Vital Link, a week-long intern program for eighth-grade students.

Chamber@work

Small Business Grant Sought After for Pilot Program

In April, the Chamber applied for a grant with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to operate a Small Business Teaming Pilot Program at the Chamber. This program will fund projects to assist and guide teams of small businesses with much-needed training, counseling and/or mentoring activities designed to enhance their ability to compete for larger procurement contracts. The grant is expected to be awarded this quarter.

Chamber Participates in Member Grand Openings and Ribbon CuttingsThe Crossings at Cottage Hill Apartment Homes and Greer’s Market - Semmes recently held grand openings. If your business is a member and you would like assistance with planning a grand opening or ribbon-cutting event, contact Kim Dale at 431-8649 or kdale@mobile chamber.com.

Minority Business Directory Completed

The Chamber’s small business development department and Minority Business Center recently completed work on its Minority Business Directory. This printed directory is a comprehensive listing of all licensed minority-owned businesses in the area. To receive a copy, contact Brenda Rembert at [email protected] or 431-8607.

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Chamber Hosts Reception for AustalIn April, the Chamber, in partnership with the city of Mobile and Mobile County, hosted

a reception in honor of Austal winning the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) contract. In attendance were more than 150 members of the Chamber board of directors, Partners for Growth investors and Austal employees. The company is in the process of hiring an additional 2,000 workers at its local shipyard. Pictured above is a photograph taken during the company’s March groundbreaking.

Demystifying the EUThe Chamber’s trade division hosted 25

people for a “Demystifying the European Union” seminar to help participants achieve a better understanding of the issues involved in doing business and to establish and foster broader relationships with the European Union. Presenters included Russ Froneberger, Global Consulting & Affi liates (U.S.); Jim Goss, Baden-Württemberg International (Germany); and Lucy Hunt, Invest in Cornwall (U.K.). The seminar provided an overview of doing business in the EU and offered individuals an opportunity for networking and knowledge-sharing.

Where to Find Business After Hours

The Chamber set the locations for 2011’s remaining Business After Hours. Business After Hours is held monthly, at a member business, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., usually the fourth Thursday of the month. Mark your calendar with the following dates and locations:

• June 23 - Virginia College of Mobile, 3725 Airport Blvd., Ste. 165 (See page 31 for details.)

• July 21 - Ashbury Hotel & Suites, 600 W. I-65 Service Road (held in conjunction with Contacts & Contracts)

• Aug. 25 - Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel

• Sept. 22 - Viva Medicare Plus, 907-G Hillcrest Rd.

• Oct. 20 - Villa Dauphine, 3700 Dauphin St., Ste. B

• Nov. 17 - TBA

Chamber Wins Best of Show in Alabama PR Competition

The Chamber’s communications and marketing team earned four top awards in the Public Relations Council of Alabama’s Medallion Award competition, and took home Best of Show as well. The Business View, the 2010 Annual Meeting, HowTheySeeMobileBay.com and the 2010 chairman’s annual meeting speech were all awarded Medallions. HowTheySeeMobileBay.com, a website created by Lewis Communications, won Best of Show.

Say G’day to Australia, Mate!The Chamber is offering a trip to

Sydney, Australia, from Sept. 19-28, with an optional four-day, three-night side trip to Fiji. Sydney is a very modern, bustling, energetic, cosmopolitan city known for distinctive landmarks such as its Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge. Other places of interest are the Royal Botanical Gardens, various restaurants, shops and the multi-block, under-tent Saturday market. Cost of the trip is $2,599 with airfare from Los Angeles, or $2,999 with airfare from Mobile. The additional side trip to Fiji is $749 per person. If you’re interested in joining this small group of 40 travelers, contact Leigh Perry-Herndon at 431-8645 or [email protected] for details.

Chamber Spearheads Local Jobs Commission Meeting

In March, the Chamber hosted Alabama Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard and members of the Speaker’s Commission on Job Creation for a business exchange in Mobile. Chamber members Cheryl S. Williams, owner of Spherion Staffi ng Services in Mobile, and Denise Knox, owner and president of Private Gallery, serve on the statewide commission created to gather job-growth ideas.

Approximately 45 area business executives participated in this exchange and spoke on a variety of topics including small business healthcare deductions, state incentives for historic renovations, non-conventional funding sources and insurance challenges.


Diplomat of the Month

Lee Teague is a mortgage loan offi cer with Bay Bank and the Mobile Area Chamber’s Diplomat of the Month. For more than 18 years, Teague has assisted prospects with preparing required documents for mortgage loan processing.

WAVH FM Talk 106.5 is the Mobile area’s only FM news/talk station. Programming includes a local morning show and nationally syndicated hosts. Local topics of interest and hosts can be heard daily. Weekend programming features topics including home improvements, auto repairs, gardening, travel, weight loss and more. Pictured from left to right are Sean Sullivan, Wayne Gardner and Bill Roth.

The Business Spotlight of the Month is selected at random from a business card drawing at the Chamber’s monthly Business After Hours event.

WAVH FM Talk 106.5 Named Business Spotlight of the Month

Chamber@work

The Mobile Area Chamber was awarded a fi ve-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 fi ve-star distinction.

The Mobile Area Chamber has been accredited by the U.S. Chamber since the designation’s inception more than 40 years ago.

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Experienced Trainers and Speakers Sought

The Chamber’s small business development department is accepting proposals from experienced trainers for topics and issues that specifi cally assist business owners (and managers). If you are interested in being considered as a business trainer for the Chamber, submit your proposal online at www.mobilechamber.com/rfp.asp.

Small Business of the MonthDo you know a small business that

deserves recognition? A 10-minute investment of time could earn this company recognition as the Chamber’s Small Business of the Month. The Chamber recognizes outstanding small businesses for their contributions to the local economy.These businesses are profi led in The Business View (see page 11) and presented with an award at the Chamber’s monthly board of directors meeting. Eligibility criteria and an online nomination form are available at www.mobilechamber.com/awards.asp. For more information, contact Danette Richards at 431-8652 or [email protected].

Business Resource Fair1 pm to 6 pm

Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention CenterFREE Admission

Business Expo1 pm to 6 pm

Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention CenterFREE Admission with business card

Expo After Hours6:30 pm to 8 pm

Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza HotelFREE admission

Get Connected Lunch11:30 am to 1 pm

Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention CenterReservations required

SAVE THE DATE!

Sponsored by Aker Solutions

Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama

Register for your booth now!

Sponsored by Alabama Development Office, Office of Small Business Advocacy


BOARD OF Advisorsfeatured profi les

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

[email protected].

Baker Harold WelchSpahr

D. Brent Baker is a member of the law fi rm Frazer Greene Upchurch & Baker LLC. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and a juris doctorate from The University of Alabama. He is a member of the Order of the Coif and the Mobile, Alabama, and American Bar Associations. Baker concentrates in trial and appellate practice in the areas of medical and professional liability, commercial, products liability, insurance, environmental and personal injury litigation.

Brian L. Harold is director of APM Terminals (Mobile Container Terminal). He graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in fi nance. During his nine years with the A.P. Moeller Maersk Group, he spent more than two years working in intermodal transportation in Prague, Czech Republic. Before arriving in Mobile, Harold was director of terminal operations for APM Terminals in the port of New York/New Jersey. APM Terminals owns Mobile Container Terminal.

Russ Spahr is Mobile Bay operations superintendent for ExxonMobil Production Co. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University and a master’s in business administration from Rice University. He has nearly 20 years with ExxonMobil, and this is his third assignment with the assets in Mobile Bay in the past decade. Spahr serves on The University of Alabama Geoscience Advisory Board, Gulf Coast Exploreum Board of Trustees and the Mobile Area Chamber’s oil and gas taskforce, Offshore Alabama. ExxonMobil is a Partners for Growth Investor.

Dan Welch is vice president and general manager of BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Naval architecture from the U.S. Naval Academy, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. A retired U.S. Navy Captain, Welch was vice president of engineering for Maersk Line Ltd. from 1999 to 2007, and vice president and general manager for BAE Systems Norfolk Shipyard from 2008 to 2010.

Comparative

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

March 2011 vs March 2010

EmployedMobile/Baldwin counties

243,614 2011

230,071 2010

Business LicensesCity of Mobile

237 2011

328 2010

$128,396 2011

$128,112 2010

Average Selling Price Mobile County

Unemployment Rates

9.6% 2011

11.3% 2010

Homes Sold�Mobile County

297 2011

309 2010

240 2011 425 2010

Building PermitsCity of Mobile

25,654 2011

23,840 2010

Air Passengers From Mobile Area

Value of Building Permits

$42,018,346 2011

$17,121,724 2010


8 Speed Networking

Maximize your connections in a minimal amount of time – something all professionals aspire to. A new 2011 event, Speed Networking, will be held Wednesday, June 8, at the Mobile Area Chamber, 451 Government St. from 8 to 9 a.m.

The cost to attend is $10, and payment is due with reservation. Only one representative per company. Reserve your space by June 3. No cancellations will be reimbursed after this date.

Reservations are required and can be made by contacting Missy Hartley at 431-8638 or mhartley@mobile chamber.com.

15 GCTC Luncheon

The Gulf Coast Technology Council will host its monthly luncheon on Wednesday, June 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Original Oyster House on the Causeway. David Trent, site director at Airbus Americas Engineering Inc., will speak about aerospace technology.

The cost to attend is $15 for Chamber members or $20 for potential members and includes lunch. Reservations are required, and cancellations after June 10 will not be reimbursed to cover the cost of lunch.

For more information, contact Laura Oppenheimerat 431-8636 or loppenheimer @mobilechamber.com.

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

23 Business After Hours

Join Chamber members and diplomats Thursday, June 23, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for Business After Hours at Virginia College of Mobile, 3725 Airport Blvd., Ste. 165. This popular Chamber event is a great venue to introduce your company and make new contacts.

In celebration of the Chamber’s 175th anniversary, the cost to attend is only $1.75. Reservations are not needed.

For more information contact Missy Hartley at 431-8638 or [email protected].

21 Executive Roundtable *Members Only

Executive Roundtable, a monthly forum exclusively for Chamber member small business owners and managers, will meet on Tuesday, June 21, from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Mobile Area Chamber’s Board Room. The speaker will be Liz Freeman, vice president of administration and technology at Long’s Human Resource Services. Freeman will discuss the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s IMAGE program and why it’s important to employers.

There is no charge to attend, but seating is limited. For reservations contact Brenda Rembert at 431-8607 or [email protected].

14 Women’s Roundtable

There’s an app for that! This sentence is heard in numerous conversations these days, and at the next Women’s Roundtable attendees will hear more about apps and where to fi nd them for every type of smart phone.

Sponsored by Cellular South, the Mobile Area Chamber’s bi-monthly forum exclusively for Chamber member women business owners and managers will meet on Tuesday, June 14, from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Chamber’s Tricentennial Room.

There is no charge to attend, but seating is limited. For reservations, contact Missy Hartley at 431-8638 or mhartley@mobile chamber.com.

June Calendar of Events

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Hank Hays was promoted to vice president - technical director for Mobile Paint Manufacturing Co. Inc. Hays has 38 years of service with the company.

In addition, Randy Mabrey was promoted vice president of manufacturing. Mabrey is a third generation Mobile Paint employee with 42 years of service to the company.

Victoria Wood and Lucy Beaven Cope are new agents with Roberts Brothers, The Real Estate Center.

Mobile Association for the Blind recently received a grant from the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services to start an inbound call service center in its facility on Gordon Smith Drive. The organizations are also mutually working together to train the visually impaired, as well as those with various other disabilities. For more information, call 473-3585.

The Women’s Business Center of

Southern Alabama is offering counseling in addition to coaching, by appointment only, at the Gulf Coast Business Support Center and other locations throughout lower Baldwin County. For more information, call 660-2725.

WALA, WFNA and fox10tv.com announced the launch of W82TXT (Wait to Text), a community awareness campaign encouraging drivers not to text while driving. The campaign includes commercials, events, community partnerships, news special reports, Internet elements and grassroots marketing efforts. The partners will also distribute W82TXT thumb bands to remind people not to text while driving.

SSI Group Inc. hired Brian A. Campbell as director of business development for its MedWorth subsidiary. Campbell earned a bachelor’s degree in

engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and an advanced degree in business administration from The University of Alabama.

Corey A. Blake joined New Horizons Credit Union as the marketing manager. Blake received a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in graphic design from the University of South Alabama.

Orion Engineering added four members to its growing team: Archie April, surveying manager; Michael Watson, business development/marketing director; and Phil Minter and Mike Anderson, project managers.

Norton Lilly International hired Rachael B. Smith as its new controller. Smith, a certifi ed public accountant, earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting

and an advanced degree in business administration from the University of South Alabama.

University of South Alabama appointed Lisa Kavanagh as interim director of alumni relations. She replaces Carol Kittrell, who retired in March after 29 years of service with the University. Kavanagh received a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Southern Mississippi and a master's degree in public administration from the University of South Alabama. In addition, Dr. Joseph Busta will serve as interim executive director of the USA Alumni Association.

RBC Bank named Ginny Herndon relationship manager for private banking and Tersa Showacre banking center manager. Herndon earned a bachelor’s degree from The University of Alabama and has more than eight years of banking experience. Showacre earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Bauder College and has more than 26 years banking experience.

Tammy Clark joined Terracon Consultants Inc. Clark received a bachelor’s degree in design from Mississippi State University. Her career has been

primarily in facilities planning at corporate campuses .

Mobile Association for the Blind welcomed Tim Creamer and Tina Dryer to the agency. Creamer received a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Alabama and is the call center marketing representative for the organization’s new, onsite inbound call service center. Dryer, a Phoenix native, helps people with vocational disabilities fi nd jobs in our community.

Mitchell Taylor joined the sales team of The Floor Trader. Taylor has more than 15 years of fl oor-covering experience.

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Creamer Dryer

Member NewsW N

Wood

Smith

Blake Kavanagh

Herndon Showacre

Taylor

Hays Mabrey

Clark


The USS ALABAMA Battleship has selected its crewmates for the 2011-12 year. The Battleship Commission representatives are: Seirra Collins-Hampton, Holly Dodd, Amberly Elmore, Kim Gegenheimer, Katie Patterson and Madison Wildman.

Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS awarded its 2010 top sales associates at its Alabama Award Celebration. Coldwell Banker National Designation recipients were Hope Downey and Jeanie Reed, named to the International Sterling Society (top 20 percent world-wide); and Nickie Olson and Tutta Cone, were named into the International Diamond Society (top 15 percent). Olson and Cone were also recognized as the company’s top listing and sales agents for 2010 in Alabama. Other top Alabama listing teams for 2010 were the Mansions Team – Barbara Frazier and Anita Sharpless, and Hope Downey Team – Hope Downey and Christine Falls.

Partners for Environmental Progress (PEP) elected representatives Avalisha Fisher of Driven Engineering and Bill Pfister of Austal USA to its board of directors at PEP’s annual membership meeting.

The board also named Deborah Simpson with Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals PEP’s Volunteer of the Year. Stimpson has served on PEP’s Reverse Industrial Trade Show committee and on the membership committee.

PEP’s re-elected board members are: Gary Criscione, Evonik Degussa; Allan Gustin, White-Spunner Construction; Tom Damson, Long’s Human Resource Services; Bernie Fogarty, Alabama

Mark Hieronymus, a founding partner with Wilkins Miller Hieronymus, was appointed president of the Alabama Federal Tax Clinic Inc. for 2011. Hieronymus has more than 25 years experience in accounting and income taxation. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of South Alabama and a master’s in tax accounting from The University of Alabama.

In other news, accountant Micah Wheeler of Wilkins Miller Hieronymus LLC passed the Certifi ed Public Accountant (CPA) examination. Wheeler, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of South Alabama, joined the fi rm in 2006.

Dr. Judy Lipka

of West Bay Chiropractic Center PC was named Southeastern Doctor of the Circuit. She represents a group of board-certifi ed,

qualifi ed doctors engaged in the fi eld of sports chiropractics.

TAG/The Architects Group Inc. announced two award-winning projects: Spring Hill College Student Center, LEED Silver; and Saraland High School, 2011 Design of Distinction Award from American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Alabama.

University of Mobile honored head baseball coach Mike Jacobs for his 700th

career win at the university. Jacobs was presented a plaque in the shape of home plate.

Leslie C. Schraeder, director of marketing and public relations at Bellingrath Gardens and Home, earned certifi cation as a Travel Marketing Professional

(TMP) after completing the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College’s three-year program. Schraeder is one of 64 new TMPs.

Larson & McGowin Inc. relocated its Mobile offi ce to 10 N. Florida St. to accommodate recent growth. The Mobile-based company provides a range of land management, on-demand decision support and consulting services. Larson & McGowin has eight locations from Texas to Georgia. For more information, call 438-4581.

John Dendy & Associates, Architects announced the completion of the North Mobile Health Center in Mt. Vernon. The latest Mobile County Health Department state-of-the-art clinic offers primary care services for all ages along with dental and WIC services for insured or uninsured with a sliding fee based on income and family size.

The Mobile BayBears renewed its radio agreement all 140 regular and postseason games on ESPN Radio HD 107.3 FM HD-2. HD Radio broadcasting offers higher-quality audio and is now available on all Clear Channel local FM stations in Mobile and Pensacola. Fans can also tune in to www.BayBearsRadio.com for rebroadcasts.

Bryant Robertson recently opened a logistics consulting company, InXpress. The company provides logistics options for international express service and domestic freight for small to mid-size businesses. For more information, call 340-7421 or visit www.inxpressusa.com.

The Alabama Department of

Homeland Security announced $1.4 million in port security grants to the Alabama State Port Authority, Mobile Area Water and Sewer System and the Mobile Police Department. Funds will be used to purchase surveillance cameras and tactical response vehicles and to upgrade the Emergency Operations Center at the Port of Mobile.

Eagle Investigative Services is now open in Mobile as a private investigation agency. The company serves clients from its four offi ces in Mobile, Atlanta, Destin, Fla., and Biloxi, Miss. To contact them, call 800-234-3579 or visit www.eaglepiservices.com.

The Gulf Coast Exploreum announced new programming for its summer science camps for students from K-4 through 12th grade. Programs are interactive, entertaining and educational, covering topics ranging from aviation to earth science. For camp dates, times and costs, visit www.exploreum.com.

W D

Lipka

Power Co., Steve Russell, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce; Henry Seawell, Thompson Engineering; and Charles Wilson, Total Safety U.S.

In addition, PEP awarded its 7th Annual PEP Environmental Stewardship Awards to fi ve member companies and a Community Partner, Downtown Mobile Alliance, that have made signifi cant and positive contributions to the Mobile/Baldwin region’s bottom line, economically, environmentally and socially. Stewardship awards were given to: Aerostar Environmental Services, Arkema, BASF Corp., E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co. (DuPont Crop Protection) and White-Spunner Construction.

Kevin Morgan, of PlanFocus Financial Services, was awarded the fi rst nationally recognized mutual fund designation, CFS (Certifi ed Fund Specialist) by The Institute of Business and Finance. This graduate-level designation is the oldest designation in the mutual fund industry and is conferred upon candidates who complete an 135+ hour educational program designed to educate the advisor on modern portfolio theory (MPT), mutual funds, fi nancial planning, asset construction, rebalancing and taxation.

Heironymus Wheeler

Downey Reed

Olson Cone

Sharpless & Frazier Falls

Schraeder


U-J Chevrolet partnered with Westside Athletic Association to support a community youth baseball program. The dealership will provide baseball equipment, instructional clinics, a monetary donation and an opportunity to raise an additional $10,000 in funds through a Chevrolet vehicle giveaway fundraiser. The effort by U-J Chevrolet is part of the Chevy Youth Baseball initiative rolled out across the nation.

The Junior League of Mobile Provisional Class of 2010-11 completed the renovations at the Girl Scout house in the Roger Williams Housing Community and the Goodwill Easter Seals playground at Springhill Presbyterian Church.

Mobile Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi unveiled and dedicated a historical marker commemorating the signifi cance of the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile earlier this year. The historical marker gives witness to passersby that the Cathedral Parish, established in 1703, is the oldest religious congregation of any denomination in Alabama and the Mississippi River Valley.

George Walker of Hand Arendall LLC was elected president of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA).

The organization brings together selected trial lawyers of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico whose practices consist substantially in the defense of claims at the request of insurance companies and self-insurers. Walker is the fi rst president of the association from Alabama.

Dr. William E. Barrick, who has been the executive director of Bellingrath Gardens and Home since 1999, has been named the 2011 recipient of the American Horticultural Society’s (AHS) Meritorious Service Award.

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Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic PC ..........25

Coast Safe and Lock ...............................25

Community Bank ..................................26

DEX Imaging ...........................................7

Gaylord C. Lyon & Co. Inc. ......................6

Gwin’s Commercial Printing ................32

Hand Arendall LLC ................................12

Interstate Printing & Graphics Inc. ......34

Lagniappe ...............................................34

Logical Computer Solutions ..................10

Mensura Capital LLC .............................15

Premier Medical Management .............22

RBC Bank ...............................................23

Wonderland Express ..............................33

All Around the House Inc.Rachel Irwin4406 Old Shell Rd.Mobile, AL 36608251-304-0007www.allaroundthehouseconsignment.comConsignment Gallery

Alpha and Omega Processing LLCDan Deyton9599 Pleasant Rd.Daphne, AL 36526251-366-8472www.aopsales.comCredit Card Service

American Medical ResponsePaul Odom5236A Halls Mill Rd.Mobile, AL 36619251-661-4231www.amr.netAmbulance Service

Eaton G. Barnard & Associates PCEaton Barnard1904 Dauphin Island Pkwy.Mobile, AL 36605251-478-6899www.ebarnardlaw.comLegal

Batteries PlusGeorge Bristow2135 Thorntree LanePalatine, IL 60067847-397-1109Batteries

Fisher & Phillips LLPKeith M. Pyburn Jr.201 St. Charles Ave., Ste. 3710New Orleans, LA 70170504-522-3303www.laborlawyers.comAttorneys

Gulf Professional Services LLCBeth Raines-Singley600 Bel Air Blvd., Ste. 124Mobile, AL 36606251-895-8940www.gulfprofessionalservices.comJanitorial Service

InXpressBryant Robertson5228 Border Dr. S.Mobile, AL 36608251-518-3107www.inxpressusa.comFreight Brokers

Jenny CraigGlen Wiggins171 E. I-65 Service Rd. S., Ste. C Mobile, AL 36606www.jennycraig.comWeight Control Services

Katoosh.com LLCRussell Tayler7005 Remington Dr.Mobile, AL 36618251-751-7520www.katoosh.comInternet Marketing

Law Tax & Business Services Inc.Willie Ann Law201 N. Florida St.Mobile, AL 36607251-478-1944www.lawtax1.comIncome Tax Service

Life Coach Lisa Peasant LLCLisa PeasantP.O. Box 850843Mobile, AL 36685-0843251-458-0887www.lisapeasant.comConsultant

Life Coach Millard Inc.Curt Mather7730 Deer River Rd.Theodore, AL 36582228-219-1209 www.millardref.comMarine Services

PLANIT Technology GroupTimothy Potier11111 Roanoke LoopDaphne, AL 36526251-802-5611www.planittech.comInformation Technology

PNC Business CreditJohn Willis507 Ocean Blvd., Ste. 203-ASt. Simons Island, GA 31522912-638-8819www.pnc.comFinancing

The Print CenterChuck Rogers1125 Corporate Dr. N., Ste. 207-AMobile, AL 36607251-471-4424www.thenewprintcenter.comSigns

The Pugh Law FirmBrian Pugh150 Government St., Ste. 1000AMobile, AL 36602251-654-2640www.southalabamalegal.comAttorneys

State Farm Insurance -Brian CaseyBrian Casey2502 Schillinger Rd. S., Ste. 13Mobile, AL 36695251-634-4499www.briancaseyinsurance.comInsurance

Switchfoot SolutionsRonnie W. Tanner3280 Dauphin St., B127BMobile, AL 36606251-767-1258Internet Marketing

T-MobileDonna Sanders3662-D Airport Blvd.Mobile, AL 36608-1616251-414-1325www.t-mobile.comWireless Communications

Team FocusSherrin Puckett4328 Blvd. Park S.Mobile, AL 36609251-635-1515www.teamfocususa.orgNonprofi t Organization

Waddell & Reed Financial AdvisorsKen Headley1111 Hillcrest Rd., Ste. 230Mobile, AL 36695251-460-0453www.waddell.comFinancial Advisors

Waite’s Cleaners Inc.Clifford Waite2461 Old Shell Rd.Mobile, AL 36607251-473-4984www.waitescleaners.comCleaners As of 3/31/11


Clip and add to your Membership Directory.

If you know of a company interested in benefitting from Chamber membership, contact Rebecca Milam at 431-8647 or Tricia Seibt at 431-8642.

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

New Members

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.For more information about becoming a member, contact Carolyn Golson at

431-8622 or [email protected] or visit www.mobilechamber.com.

The Business of Mobile is Our Business.

Anniversaries Members Are Our Greatest Asset!

Please show your support through the patronage of these businesses.

35 YEARSMilton L. Brown Realty

25 YEARSBankTrustD’Iberville ApartmentsJones WalkerOgden Construction Inc.Southeastern Natural Resources Inc.

20 YEARSAlabama Bulk Terminal Co.Coast Safe & Lock Co. Inc.

15 YEARSAlabama Telco Credit UnionBay Area Food BankCook’s Pest ControlDyson Plumbing Inc.Esfeller Construction Co. Inc.T. A. Hall Contractors Inc.Lawrence L. MerrihewMcCrory & Williams Inc.Safety Source Inc.Transport Commercial Leasing LLCJohn G. Walton Construction Co. Inc.

10 YEARSASF Logistics Inc.Celia Mann Baehr CFPDauphin Environmental Equipment LLCGoodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc.Gulf States Engineering

5 YEARSBoan Contracting Co. Inc.Comfort Systems USA SoutheastFriends of the Mobile Animal ShelterGlobal PEOGLOVIS America Inc.Goram Air Conditioning Co.Ingersoll-Rand Gulf Coast Customer CenterRE/MAX Realty ProfessionalsStandard Concrete Products Inc.

1-4 YEARSBragg-Mitchell MansionCamellia Trophy and SpecialtiesCape TravelCatfi sh JunctionCG Railway Inc.Cori Yonge, Freelance WriterThe Courtyard ManorDeLashmet and Marchand PCDiversifi ed Industrial SupplyDrama Camp Productions at Sunny Side TheaterElof Hansson Inc. Timber DivisionEmma’s Harvest HomeEmployee Liability Management Inc.EXIT Realty AlabamaF & S Equipment and Supplies Inc.FedExThe Forum for Family BusinessGlusman Vision CenterGrandview Pointe ApartmentsGulf Coast Drug Testing LLCJacobs Field Services North America Inc.McFadden EngineeringMetLife Reverse MortgageMicrotel Inn and Suites North MobileMosley’s Meat Market Inc.National Community Development ServicesNorthwestern Mutual Financial Network-MobileNudraulix Inc.Penske Truck Leasing Co. LPResidence Inn By MarriottRichardson Stevedoring & LogisticsShumock & Anderson LLC CPAsSignal International LLCSlaton Moving & WarehouseSmith and Wesson Security a Division of IET Cos.Sovereign Consulting Inc.Spoon Professional Landscape Inc.Stafford & Associates Inc.Strategic Business SolutionsTechnipTowne Place Suites by MarriottUniversity of South Alabama FoundationWindmill MarketW. B. Shedd & Co.Warbama Industrial Services Inc.

S T R E N G T H

IN NUMBERS

...ensures peace of mind.

The Business of Mobile is our Business.

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For Bo Mattei, knowledge is a key component of his business strategy. He relies on Chamber forums, The Business View magazine and The Business View Weekly e-newsletter to see what other businesses are facing and find opportunities to compliment clients who are recognized. As one of 2,200 Chamber members, Bo has access to resources, exposure and networking to help Thames, Batré grow and make it thrive – and with his Chamber membership Bo says, he is prepared for whatever the future may bring.

Bo MatteiThames Batré Mattei Beville & Ison

46 EmployeesFounded 1891

The Business View - June 2011

Documents

Transcript of The Business View - June 2011