Our Business Advisory Council (BAC) recently held its annual in-person meeting as part of the Gulf Conference in Mobile, Ala. Over 30 BAC members and guests met over lunch to hear updates on several Alliance-funded projects across coastal Alabama. The agenda also included recognition of Alabama Power as the Alliance’s newest partner in the Gulf Star Program.
Commissioner Chris Blankenship, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Meg Goecker, Moffatt & Nichol, then led a tour of restoration successes across south Mobile County and Dauphin Island including Bayfront Park, the Dauphin Island Causeway, Aloe Bay, Graveline Bay, and the East End beach. These projects have restored hundreds of acres of beach and marsh habitat, while also protecting roadways and homes from flooding, and increasing public access to the water. Throughout the day, participants saw first-hand the connection between restoration, healthy ecosystems, and a thriving coastal economy.
The Business Advisory Council was formed by the Alliance in 2012 to strengthen engagement with businesses and industries that operate in and around the Gulf region. This council includes representatives from tourism, oil and gas, manufacturing, utilities/energy, transportation, commercial and recreational fishing, seafood processing, agriculture, and environmental consulting. Today, over 60 representatives from these industries participate in the BAC annually, providing important input and support for Alliance activities.
