Bill Sisson President and CEO of the Mobile Chamber of Commerce,

joins us in this episode of Today’s Lean Manufacturing. He discusses the continued growth and the great business opportunities available to the Mobile area such as Austal, as well as the arrival of Airbus.

Bill has served in such distinguished roles as: Executive Director Mobile Airport Authority | Vice President of Economic Development at the Mobile Chamber of Commerce | Executive Director of the Center for Community and Economic Development, University of Southern Mississippi | Vice President of Business Development at the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce.

With his extensive background in economic development and his leadership in heading up the Airport Authority including Brookley Field, Bill describes how Mobile and Baldwin counties are uniquely positioned to garner continued business growth both now and in the future.

With a continued focus on industrial development to advance manufacturing in a high tech way, Bill pointed out many areas in which Mobile is able to compete economically on a national level.

He described how the Mobile business climate is very diversified, with eight out of the top ten companies being internationally based.  “We have always looked outward to advance our economy. This puts us in a very competitive position.”

“To our advantage we have:

• Two interstates that intersect near downtown Mobile.
• A deep-water port with a container terminal, the second largest on the gulf coast between Houston and Tampa.
• Five class one railroad systems hubbing at our Port Authority, touching virtually every corner of the country. Very few cities can boast that.”

Bill went on to explain how all of this is right next to the Brookley Field, a World War II Air Force Base with a 9600-foot runway.

“You can see how we can be competitive and why Air Bus for example, was so keenly interested in the site at the Brookley Aeroplex”.

Bill shared how Austal, one of Mobile’s star companies has been instrumental in bringing high tech, good paying jobs to the area and our newest addition, Airbus, will be assembling large aircraft, which in turn will bring a host of ancillary developments such as: engineering firms, avionic firms and other support services to the area.

He concluded by citing independent third party sources that recognize the Mobile area as uniquely poised for continued economic growth.

• Nerd Wallet ranked the area in top ten based on economic growth.
• Business Facilities ranked the area # 2 for highest economic growth potential.