By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

The future of Shelby County’s economy looks bright in 2016, local business experts said during the inaugural Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Business Outlook Conference on Feb. 12. The event, hosted at the Marriott on U.S. 280, included a panel discussion and talk focusing on current trends and the future of the county’s economy.

Conference speakers included Donnie Dobbins with IBERIABANK, Grant Bruner with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Tommy Brigham with ARC Realty, Wade Robinett with Retail Strategies Inc., Fred Johnston with Express Oil Change and Service Center and Dean of the Stephens School of Business at the University of Montevallo Dr. Stephen Craft.

The conference opened with a panel discussion featuring Dobbins, Bruner, Brigham, Robinett and Johnston.

Dobbins, representing the banking sector of the economy, noted the positive environment for small businesses in Shelby County.

“We see a fairly active environment for small businesses looking to grow,” Dobbins said.

Along with a strong market for small businesses, Robinett said the area’s retail sector will also likely see growth, especially among “small format” grocery stores, health-focused businesses, drugstores, furniture and mattress stores, discount retail stores, sporting goods stores and fast food, fast causal and upscale restaurants.

“Retailers do not see municipal boundaries,” Robinett said, adding population density is key for retail locations. “Retail is on the upswing.”

Fred Johnston, representing small businesses, built on Robinett’s comments about population density. When choosing a location for a new Express Oil Change and Service Center, Johnston said population density is an important factor. There must be 2,000 people within a three mile radius to support a new store, Johnston said. Income and car count are also important factors.

There are numerous Express Oil and Tire Change locations in Helena, Pelham, Alabaster, Chelsea and North Shelby. The company is also headquartered on Valleydale Road in Hoover.

“You’ve got everything you could possibly want in Shelby County,” Johnston said. “If your question is, ‘Why should I invest my time, energy or money in Shelby County?’ My answer back would be, ‘Goodness sakes, why not?’”

Brigham discussed the climate of the county’s housing market, adding home sales in the county “have gone back to nearly 2009 levels.”

“If you’re going to buy or sell a house, this is an unbelievable time to do it because of interest rates,” Brigham said. “We will not see it forever.”

Brigham also predicted a rise in demand for home construction in the county.

Bruner discussed trends in health care, noting an increasing emphasis placed on preventive care and healthy lifestyles.

“Individuals need to be engaged and get their preventive care,” Bruner said.

After the panel discussion, Craft discussed the results of the GSCCC Business Outlook Survey.

The survey garnered 182 responses from a “very large variety of businesses,” Craft said. Survey results showed a majority of respondents expected to see continued improvement across the economy in 2016.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents indicated they expect to see revenues increase, 72 percent expect an increase in profit and a majority expect an increase in employment.

While most expect to see a growth in revenues, profits and employment, 86 percent of respondents said they expect to see expenses increase slightly or stay the same.

“This is what folks think is going to happen…most of these answers are based on strategic plans,” Craft said. “We can have a high level of confidence in this data.”

The survey also revealed the largest detriment to job creation in Shelby County is a lack of candidates with necessary skills and experience, according to respondents.

“One of the barriers to employment in Shelby County is talent,” Craft said. “It’s something that maybe needs to be addressed, somehow systemically, in attracting talent to Shelby County.”

The largest driver of job creation in the county is growth in sales and demand, according to the survey.

“If the demand is there, we will create jobs, and it looks like the demand will be there and people are hiring,” Craft said. “If the business is there, you’ll find a way to make the hire and create the job.”