What is
Advancing Southwest AL?
Advancing Southwest AL is a unique public-private
partnership that includes eight counties in the
region. Members of this partnership share a vision
of enhancing workforce development opportunities
and supporting entrepreneurs. Overseeing Advancing
Southwest AL is the Mobile Area Chamber of
Commerce and the University of South Alabama.
This partnership was recently awarded the Investing
in Manufacturing Community Designation by the
U.S. Department of Commerce. It is one of only 12
designations across the U.S.
Initial emphasis on shipbuilding and
aerospace industries
The eight-county
region includes:
Baldwin, Choctaw,
Clarke, Conecuh,
Escambia, Mobile,
Monroe and
Washington.
Partners
Alabama Career Center/Mobile Works
Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT)
Alabama Southern Community College
Alabama State Port Authority
Alabama Technology Network (ATN)
Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission
Bishop State Community College
City of Mobile
Coastal Gateway Economic Development Alliance
County Economic Developers
Jefferson Davis Community College
Faulkner State Community College
Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce
Mobile Area Education Foundation
Mobile County Commission
Public School Systems
Reid State Technical College
Regional County Commissions
South Alabama Regional Planning Commission
Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Council
University of South Alabama
Large Manufacturers
AirbusAustal USA
BASF Corporation
BAE Systems Southeast Boise Energex Tube
Fruit of the Loom
Georgia Pacific, Brewton
Georgia-Pacific Products GP ARC
Grede II LLC Brewton
Guyoung Tech U.S.A.
McAbee Construction Co. Olin Corp.
Tenax Manufacturing
Standard Furniture
UTC Aerospace Systems VT MAE
Participating Federal Agencies:
Because of our region’s Manufacturing
Community designation in 2014, Southwest
Alabama has an opportunity to create
comprehensive economic strategies that will
strengthen our ability to attract global
manufacturers and their supply chains here.
We have adopted the name: Advancing
Southwest AL – Partners for Manufacturing
Growth, and are working to educate people in
the eight-county region on the impact of this
designation.
• Preferential scoring on more than $1.3
billion in federal grants awarded by the
listed Federal Agencies
o Appalachian Regional Authority
o Delta Regional Authority
o Environmental Protection Agency
o National Science Foundation
o Small Business Administration
o U.S. Department of Agriculture
o U.S. Department of Commerce
o U.S. Department of Defense
o U.S. Department of Education
o U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development
o U.S. Department of Labor
o U.S. Department of Transportation
• The process links industry and
community partners together to create
strategic plans
• Recognition: branding and promotion of
the community as an IMCP designee
• Single Point of Contact to streamline
funding streams and opportunities
• Links to other designees
Project Coordinators:
Ramona Hill
alimcp@southalabama.edu
Laura O’Connor
loconnor@mobilechamber.com
Lead Agency Contacts:
Lynne Chronister, University of South Alabama
lchronister@usouthal.edu
Bill Sisson, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce
bsisson@mobilechamber.com
Address: P.O. Box 2187, Mobile, AL 36652-2187
Telephone: 251-431-8647
Website: www.advancingswal.org