A Far Smaller Birmingham: Origins

How Birmingham leaders shape and shirk the future

Post #16 of #20: I am reflecting on twenty years of personal and professional experiences in Birmingham and beyond. Visit www.medium.com/HonestlyEd to read the full #20For20 series.

In March 2006, Alabama Power CEO Charles McCrary spoke at a Kiwanis Birmingham meeting to publicly criticize the lack of cooperation between governments and major shareholders in the Birmingham area. He proclaimed to the leaders of Birmingham that, “there will be a far smaller Birmingham to lead unless all of us take action.” His remarks helped propel the merger of the Birmingham Metropolitan Development Board, Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and Region 2020 into the Birmingham Business Alliance. — Wikipedia

I was there.

It was the first (and rare) time I ever heard a major Birmingham CEO personally and publicly thrown down the gauntlet about the future of the City and the corporate community’s role in it. It wasn’t just his words — McCrary’s tone was strong and his energy was felt. Shockwaves of McCrary’s speech were felt for weeks through board rooms, news coverage and water coolers. Elektra could not have forged a stronger lightning bolt. In that moment, he was Zeus.

His speech should have been the status quo — the leader of a vocal and organized…