The Interview: Jimmy Lyons

RUNS IN THE FAMILY

The top man at the Alabama Port Authority is from a family with a long history of working on or near the water.

When Jimmy Lyons was much younger, he was close by as his dad and grandfather sold goods to ships in port. Lyons has a deep love for the waterfront and the what he considers his dream job.

Lyons is the director and chief executive officer of the Alabama Port Authority and state docks.

"This city was built from the river out, from the bay out. Much of the state of Alabama was built from here up. It’s an amazing waterfront, and I love it," Lyons said.

He's the man in charge of the nation’s twelfth largest port which sits along the Mobile River and borders Mobile Bay.

As a Mobile native, Lyons has always loved the water

"Well, I guess you would have to say I'm a water baby,' Lyons said. "I've done a little bit of everything on the water and love the water. As a small child, I was taught to swim by my brothers throwing me in Mobile Bay. My family's got a long, long history of working in something that was related to or dependent upon the port.”

PORT PLAY’S KEY ROLE IN ECONOMIC SUCCESS

Years of maritime experience and passion for the waterfront propelled him into his new job 13 years ago. He oversees one of the nation's largest coal terminals and forest products ports. Lyons said the economic impact is statewide.

"I think the port is one of the key economic engines, for not only this community but for the entire state of Alabama," Lyons said "We directly create a lot of jobs. We've got 600 employees, and there's probably another 2,400 people that work in occupations that are somewhat dependant on the activities that go on here. There's a whole community of people that earn their living on the waterfront.

"Thirty to 35 percent of my time is spent on economic development, not just in the Mobile area, but working projects in Montgomery, Birmingham, to recruit here, to create jobs and prosperity for Alabama."

He said location plays a part in where many businesses settle, and being close to a port is a huge draw for many industries.

"We certainly played an important role in the recruitment of ThyssenKrupp. They had to be in close proximity to a port that could efficiently help deliver the raw materials to the mill, and a large part of their business model involved exporting some of their finished products. We worked very hard with the state and in the recruitment of that," he said.

Lyons said another advantage for the port and the state docks is the geographic location on land.

"The ocean transportation is important, but the inland transportation is equally or maybe in many cases the inland transportation is more, the railroads and the highway connections we have, we have excellent connections. You literally come out of our gate and you're on the interstate, and so that’s a huge advantage for us,” Lyons said.

BEEFING UP SECURITY

While having a great location is a huge advantage, the port has had to make some major changes in the wake of 9-11. Lyons said one of the most notable changes is the security found at the port.

"9-11 changed a lot of things for all of us. And certainly here at the port, as security went from a minor consideration, all you used to have to do is just wave at the guard and drive thru the gate. And, it was very painful when we had to be as restrictive as we have to, and we spent a lot of time and money on it. Our security budget is probably six times what it was prior to 9-11. We've got cameras everywhere, we've got police officers, and we spend a lot of time and energy on security. It is an ongoing effort, ongoing expenditure; but it’s now a part of life,” Lyons said.

GULFQUEST MARITIME MUSEUM

Lyons is investing in the future of the maritime industry, providing financial support and leadership to the waterfront's newest attraction the GulfQuest Maritime Museum.

"I'm so excited about it. It is really going to be a world class draw, attracting tourists to this area. And it’s going to be an exciting educational experience for kids in this area - interactive exhibits, a ship simulator just like they train pilots on, remote control submersible that can be activated. And so, it’s really going to be truly a learning museum. And it’s going to reflect the very, very rich maritime heritage that we have in this community," Lyons said.

Lyons said he can't wait for the Gulf Quest Maritime Museum to open in 2012. He's also optimistic about the economy and is expecting bigger things for the port and state docks as the capacities are expanded to serve more markets. Lyons said the $350 to $400 million in capital investment in the next five to 10 years will bring in new industries and jobs to the city.