The Leadership Summit: Shaping the Region's Economic Future
Congressman Jo Bonner, Honorary Summit Chair
November 17, 2003
Mobile, AL

Commerce Secretary to address local, national economy

The following is an OpEd that ran in the Friday, November 14 edition of the Mobile Register.

The recent news that America’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a key barometer on the state of the economy, grew at an astonishing 7.2 percent – the highest single quarter gain in 19 years – is just the latest indicator that the national economy has finally begun to recover after more than two and a half years of sluggishness.

But for those of us who live in Southwest Alabama, it is still too soon to uncork the champagne bottles.  Job losses in recent months continue to be a concern for our entire region, especially for those of us in public office who are sometimes left scratching our heads wondering what we can do to turn things around.

Over the course of the past 10 months, I have held over 45 town meetings in communities throughout the First Congressional District.  After talking with untold numbers of local officials, businessmen, farmers, plant managers, and laborers alike, it is apparent that in order for Southwest Alabama to take part in a recovering national economy, we need to think like a region, act like a region and, in fact, become a regional economy.

And that is why our November 17^th Southwest Alabama Leadership Summit holds such great promise for laying the foundation for a regional approach to economic growth and prosperity.

Headlining the day-long summit will be the United States Secretary of Commerce, Donald Evans, one of the key members of President Bush’s economic policy team.  In addition to overseeing a diverse Cabinet agency whose primary mission is to promote American business, Secretary Evans is one of the president’s closest and most trusted confidantes.

This summit comes on the heels of more strong indications of a turnaround in the nation’s economic fortunes.  Retail sales have increased at a rate of 5.1 percent over the same period last year.  Business capital spending increased at a rate of 11.1 percent.  Non-farm payroll jobs during the month of September experienced a net increase of 57,000 rather than an expected loss of 25,000 jobs.  New single-family home sales increased to a record high of 1.021 million in September.  Consumer spending increased at a rate of 3.8 percent in the second quarter of this year.

As the congressman for Southwest Alabama, my desire is to see an economic upswing right here in my district.  National statistics on retail sales and jobs and new homes sound very encouraging, but they are only truly significant for families with access to jobs, homes, and disposable income.

The challenge now is to translate the positive economic indicators we are seeing on a national level into new jobs and opportunities for Southwest Alabama.  The building blocks for future success are already in place.  I believe this region possesses some of the best natural resources, the best existing infrastructure, and the most dedicated workforce to be found anywhere. 

That’s why this upcoming conference and Secretary Evans’ visit are so timely.  The event will bring together corporate and community leaders, small business owners, elected officials, and a host of other people whose single purpose is to push Southwest Alabama to even greater economic heights in the weeks and months ahead.  It will be important to hear from the secretary his perspective on the improvements taking place nationally and the factors contributing to this turnaround.

Equally important, however, will be developing ideas from within the region on how to improve our region’s economic fortunes.  But one missing component has been a coordinated effort to get everyone to sit down in one room and have an honest dialogue about the direction we must take for our future.

The Leadership Summit is being held on Monday, November 17, 2003, at Mobile’s Adams Mark Hotel between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. – admission is free and open to the public.  The only expense will be the cost of lunch.  One of the premier organizers of such events, the Public Forum Institute of Washington, D.C., is coming to Mobile to insure the program makes the most effective use of everyone’s time and input.

To register or to learn more about the Southwest Alabama Leadership Summit, please visit the Forum’s official website at www.publicforuminstitute.org or call my office at 1-800-288-8721.

I hope to see you on November 17^th.

Jo Bonner, R-Mobile, is the U.S. Representative from Alabama’s First Congressional District.