Text by Michael Dumas

As Patrick Murphy steps into his role as the 2025 Chairman of the Mobile Chamber Board of Directors, he brings a legacy of leadership, collaboration and community-focused initiatives that promise to propel the Mobile Bay area to new heights. With a career rooted in economic development and a passion for creating lasting impact, Murphy is poised to lead the Chamber in fostering growth, strengthening partnerships and enhancing the quality of life for businesses and residents alike.

Patrick Murphy has spent his entire career immersed and active in Alabama’s business culture, helping guide economic and community development initiatives leading to the increased engagement and prosperity necessary to create true “quality of place.” For the past four years, Murphy has served as vice president with Alabama Power Company, leading its Mobile division, and he is the incoming chairman of the Mobile Chamber Board of Directors.

Murphy said he’s looking forward to playing a larger role on Team Mobile, the ongoing collaboration between public and private leadership.

“I would argue very few states in the Deep South can be so strong on a consistent basis as we are, thanks in part to Team Mobile,” Murphy said. “When you have prospects looking to make significant investments, they’re usually very cautious risking so much capital, but when they come into a room full of representatives from the public and private sector, including utilities, that speaks volumes.”

As someone dedicated to community growth and development, Murphy knows what the building blocks of success are, and a lot of it has to do with collaboration, which is one reason he feels the Mobile Bay area is “in a really good spot right now.”

Prior to his move to Mobile, he led Alabama Power’s Economic and Community Development department and has served as the president of the Economic Development Association of Alabama. In 2024, he served as the campaign chairman of the United Way of Southwest Alabama, which has given him valuable experience learning the community’s habits in terms of corporate fundraising and volunteerism.

“Supporting your Chamber financially and with your involvement is critical,” he said. “It’s really important for a community when you have a strong Chamber with a large membership with a diversity of sizes of companies. That speaks volumes to the outside world.”

He has spent a lot of his time at Alabama Power Company helping it become the best corporate partner it can be through projects that promote employee engagement in the community on a regular basis. The nonprofit Alabama Power Foundation manages a trust of more than $100 million and supports a myriad of service projects throughout the state and its Mobile division.

“There’s a strong expectation for us to be part of the fabric of the community, which is why we’re really supportive and encourage our employees at all parts of the company to do a lot of volunteerism,” Murphy said. “We have to be engaged civically in what’s going on, and it’s important for Alabama Power to not only be viewed as just a utility.”

As chairman of the Mobile Chamber Board of Directors, he plans on maximizing efforts to spread awareness of Chamber initiatives, as well as the strength of the area’s existing industrial partners and opportunities for those seeking to invest here. Murphy said he has long been impressed with how the Mobile Chamber communicates with the community, as well as its membership, and plans to take full advantage of those conversations to make a difference leading the board.

“I’m big in building relationships, and obviously the Chamber is really strong with that as well,” he said. “That means maintaining relationships, too, which requires spending time with people and communicating with them on a regular basis. Thoughtful communication and relationship building goes a long way.”

Murphy believes in a healthy balance between recruitment and serving existing stakeholders, from an economic development standpoint. After all, he said, when a company spends a billion dollars to move its headquarters or build its primary facility in the area, there’s a good chance they’ll double that investment when it’s time to expand.

Initial investment, like eventual expansion and growth, are heavily dependent on a skilled and available workforce, which is another of Murphy’s priorities as he prepares to lead the Chamber board. He said he’s excited to support the Chamber’s workforce council, as well as the numerous public-private educational partnerships with organizations such as the Mobile County Public School System and Bishop State Community College.

“You cannot have economic development without a qualified workforce,” he said. “There are thousands of jobs announced both in the public and private sectors that you are going to see in 2025, ‘26 and ‘27. And we have young people from this community who are working to get in front of those businesses.”

Another initiative Murphy favors is the Mobile Area Chamber Foundation’s new community development department, which he feels will play a crucial role in not only attracting talent to work at our robust and diverse state of companies, but also to inspire those from the area to plant their professional roots here, as well. Developing that “quality of place,” requires everything from recreational opportunities to proper housing, childcare and other amenities.

“To realize the ultimate growth for the people we want in our communities, we have to have that quality of place,” Murphy said. “And that sets the table for economic development.”

Originally appeared in the January 2025 issue of Mobile Bay Magazine.