In the interest of full disclosure, I confess to being Sandy Stimpson's childhood neighbor and lifelong friend. Later, I met Jean, Sandy’s wife, in Tuscaloosa as students at the University of Alabama. To say that I’m an admirer of both would be a severe understatement.

There are many stories I could tell about Sandy and Jean Stimpson, all of them good. I didn't need to interview them to proclaim that they are both wonderful, dedicated, hard-working family people who have earned the love and respect of others. They are simply good people who care about the well-being of others. It’s who they are, and I recently enjoyed visiting with them. 

Both come from close families who are prominent in the land and timber business, and both have deep roots in southwest Alabama. Never pretentious or seeking the attention of others, my first thought when hearing that Sandy was considering running for Mayor of Mobile was, “Who better?’ As his 12-year mayoral tenure approaches its end, Sandy and Jean were gracious enough to share and reflect on their experience.

Before getting into our discussion, let me say that Sandy’s service as Mayor, and what a service it has been, was never a political stepping stone. He is often asked if he will seek another political position, such as governor or senator. The answer is no, although Jean has given him the green light to run for election, but says with a laugh, “When he comes home, he’ll find me in the islands.”  

The next chapter of their life is uncertain. They both love Mobile and tell me that the past 12 years have been positive. It wasn't always easy, but it has been rewarding and enjoyable. “Not having grown up here, I’ve met so many people and learned so much about the city that I’ve come to love dearly,” says Jean.

Jean, who is from Brewton, was introduced to Sandy by one of her best college friends while they were students at Converse College, and Sandy was a student at Alabama. Jean transferred to Alabama, and a year later, they got married. 

Sandy was always a straight-up guy. He studied Engineering and was a campus leader, characteristics that would serve him well in the business world. As a third-generation sawmiller working at Gulf Lumber Company in Mobile, Sandy learned invaluable lessons in all aspects of the timber and lumber business. 

Sandy served on multiple outside boards, including the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, the Business Council of Alabama, UMS-Wright Preparatory School, the University of Alabama President’s Cabinet, and Prichard Preparatory School, which he helped co-found. 

“One of the earliest calls to service to lead Mobile began with John Saint, the late former CEO of the Mitchell Corporation in Mobile. “He asked me to come by his office. He had been studying the financials for the City and had a stack of reports 18” high. Things were not going in the right direction, and soon the City would be bankrupt,” he told me, which inspired and encouraged me to get more involved.

Jean remembers watching a politically charged evening newscast one night (2002) and telling Sandy, “You have to do something.”  The next morning, he was having breakfast with Senator Jeff Sessions and told of Jean’s frustration. Shortly thereafter, the Senator reached out to ask Sandy to be his State Finance Chairman, with an objective to raise $6 million for his reelection. “How will I do that?” Sandy asked. “If you decide to be chairman, you’ll figure it out,” Sessions replied.

Over the years, Sandy had worked behind the scenes to help political candidates get elected. His exposure to the political world through BCA, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Alabama Policy Institute further whetted his appetite, giving him a pretty good understanding of what was in store should he choose to run for office. 

In 2012, Sandy approached his family partners in the sawmill business and told them he was leaning toward running for Mayor. “Absolutely not,” his brother Fred replied. His cousin, Ben Stimpson, said, “That’s great! You’ve been training for this your whole life.”

He then shared the news with his four children, who were between 25 and 35 years old at the time. The consensus was generally supportive, but tempered by the realization that their daddy wasn’t going to be available to spend much time with them. His youngest daughter, Nancy, said, “You have to run.” To which Sandy replied, “No, I really don’t.” She said, “Oh, yes, you do! Because you couldn’t live with yourself knowing you could make a difference, and you didn’t even try.” “That settled that,” he told me.

With Sandy’s prior work experience and connections with both local and statewide organizations, the table was set. His friends rallied behind him, and “One Mobile” became his campaign promise and focus. “Elections are grueling,” Jean tells me, and recalls the first debate. “Sandy was awful.”  During that debate, Sandy’s opponent claimed he “was raised on the hill, and didn’t know what hard work was.”  “I knew then, his opponent didn’t know what he was talking about regarding Sandy’s work ethic. Sandy is the hardest worker I know,” she says.

Early in the campaign, Sandy was asked which party he was affiliated with, Republican or Democrat? “I’m not going to tell you,” he replied. “Because when I do, you’re going to put me in a box and think I’m incapable of doing what needs to be done to fix the broken things in Mobile. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have all the answers on fixing what’s broken. We must work together, embracing the best ideas regardless of where they come from.”

With no aspirations to seek a higher office, Sandy was determined to avoid division. “I’ve never mentioned national politics or felt I needed to appease any political party. The mayor represents everyone. While it's political, it’s nonpartisan,” he says. Jean points out that being mayor is like running a big corporation. “It’s not about making and enforcing laws. With over 2,000 employees, it’s about being a business leader.”

Jean never doubted that Sandy would win the election until moments before the results were announced. “We were sitting with a couple of family and campaign team members when it dawned on me, we could lose.” Once the election results were announced, everyone erupted in celebration. The next day, the work began. “I felt like the dog chasing a car and catching it... Now what do we do?”  Sandy recalls.

The first step was to create a transition team to assess what opportunities could be leveraged to improve Mobile for all its citizens. Sandy credits Ricardo Woods (legal), Paul Wesch (finance), George Talbot (public relations), Colby Cooper (chief of staff), and Jim Barber (police chief) for helping with a smooth transition and setting his team in motion. 

“Change is hard, and building a strong leadership team was the first step. Because of my limited knowledge of the mechanics of city government, I had to lean heavily upon the team, especially about public safety. I learned a lot from Jim Barber about what needed to change and how to change it.”

In his second month in office, Paul Wesch, the Finance Director, came to Sandy’s office and said, “Mayor, we have a problem.” The previous administration had promised an across-the-board raise to city employees. At the time, Paul had re-forecasted the budget, and it projected a $4 million deficit. “You cannot operate a city knowing you will have a deficit. So, we had to announce that the raise would not happen, and that we would have to redo the budget. It was a tough way to begin an administration.”

An immediate hiring freeze was put in place, and the City stopped superfluous spending until the deficit was corrected. Paul Wesch, while controlling the checkbook, earned the title “Dr. No.” By year’s end, the city was operating with a surplus and did so without any layoffs.

“Like an athletic team that’s behind, we had to do things differently to create momentum and buy-in from the citizens. We constantly reminded the citizens that our vision was to unite into One Mobile, a safer and more business and family-friendly city. And since then, city employees have received a pay raise every year,” said Sandy. “As the small wins started accumulating and turning into larger wins, we slowly built momentum and enthusiasm, determined to shed the decades-long moniker, 'the City of Perpetual Potential.”  

Sandy is quick to point out that one of the keys to his administration’s success was the result of the collaborative efforts with local, state, and federal partners. “Putting one’s pride aside and genuinely working in a spirit of collaboration seeking win-win solutions makes things happen!”

“We’ve been able to accomplish things that would never have happened without partnerships and collaboration.” He mentions Airbus as one of the most significant examples. Airbus decided to come to Mobile before Sandy was the mayor. Nevertheless, it was the locally elected officials working hand in glove with the state and federal elected officials, plus the Airport Authority, the Port Authority, and the Chamber of Commerce. To this day, this collaboration is intact, supporting Airbus’s growth.

Another example was the initiative to relocate passenger air services to downtown Mobile by building a new terminal at Brookley. Once again, it was local, state, and federal elected officials working together to provide the funding to finance the project. Sandy predicts it will be one of the most significant economic developments to occur during his administration. 

The most powerful tool at the mayor’s disposal is the power to convene.  “Whether it is convening for economic development or to address annexation, if the mayor issues an invitation, generally speaking, folks show up. You begin with convening to address issues and define possible outcomes and getting buy-in, which then hopefully leads to achieving goals through collaboration.”

Playing as part of a team has been a consistent and effective message throughout Sandy’s administration. Being inclusive and sharing credit has been a hallmark. Jean mentions that law enforcement agencies are now working together in Mobile like never before. “There are over 40 law enforcement agencies collaborating daily. Once, a few years ago, our officers stopped a school shooting from happening in Houston from here in Mobile.”

Sandy credits George Talbot, former Executive Director of Communications and External Affairs, as instrumental in creating the nightly newsletter that began during the pandemic to keep the citizens informed. “There was no playbook on how to deal with COVID. Today, the newsletter provides a daily assessment of what’s been accomplished and includes a spiritual or motivational message at the end. It’s been tremendously popular and lets anyone who subscribes know what is going on in the city. It’s been a game changer.”

Of the original 5 members of the executive leadership team hired 12 years ago, only Jim Barber, now Chief of Staff, and Ricardo Woods, City Attorney, remain. Of them, Sandy says, “They are the best of the best. Simply put, without them, my administration would not have achieved the successes we have. Their intelligence and dedication are unparalleled. How they have held up and handled the volume of work that has come at them daily for 12 years is beyond me.”

Today’s executive leadership is an exceptional group of leaders from diverse backgrounds of experience and disciplines. Nick Amberger (engineering), Shayla Beaco (planning and permitting), Scott Collins (finance), Rob Lasky (public safety), Shonnda Smith (public works), and Joe Snowden (administrative services) are equally driven to improve the quality of life of all Mobilians. 

From the beginning, Jean has supported Sandy in his efforts to improve Mobile for everyone’s benefit. “I told him to never ask me to speak in front of a crowd, but I’ve attended most of the functions, especially in the first term. I think I had chicken dinner four times a week at the Civic Center those first four years. I haven’t felt as obligated to attend every function in the last two terms,” she says.

I asked Jean how being married to the Mayor has affected her life. “I’ve loved it. I didn’t know a lot about Mobile, but now I do. And I’ve gotten to be friends with so many people from all walks of life.” Her only regret was selling their beach home on Dauphin Island. “We were so busy with administrative events, we weren’t using it as much. We really miss it.”

I asked Sandy why the third term? “We had a lot of irons in the fire that I wanted to see completed. With any new administration, things and priorities change. I had a phone conversation with Todd Strange, the former Montgomery mayor for two terms. He told me he regretted not running for a third term so that he could finish what he started.”

As his final term is coming to a close this fall, Sandy feels like the City is in good shape. He says a lot of the foundation to build Mobile into a thriving city was put in place well before he arrived. He credits Mayor Mike Dow with laying a lot of the groundwork.

“A city has to grow to survive. Growth helps fund the increasing cost of services. The annexation was huge. We are now, once again, the second-largest city in Alabama. Jim Barber was the architect of getting it done.”

In addition to reducing the City’s debt, Sandy leaves office with finances in good shape and with a surplus. Annexation and increasing compensation for City employees, who were historically below national averages, are among his most significant accomplishments. Additionally, under his administration, the City overhauled the 60-year-old zoning ordinances that were impeding business growth.

The City also acquired 300 acres of land along Mobile Bay called Brookley by the Bay to give Mobilians access to beautiful waterfront property. They also began construction of the Three Mile Creek Greenway trail, which will connect Langan Park to downtown Mobile. Very soon, our baseball and football Hall of Famers will be showcased at the City’s Hall of Fame Walk with 9-foot bronze statues along Water Street in Downtown Mobile.  

Perhaps the crowning moment of his administration is the new Mobile Arena, replacing the aging Civic Center. Years in the planning, this critical piece will increase the vitality of the City and enhance its ability to attract visitors for entertainment, shopping, which will then increase tourism. “Lack of things to do has been a challenge for businesses hoping to attract top talent to relocate to Mobile. We have addressed that,” he says.

Never seeking the limelight, Sandy and Jean feel like the last twelve years have been well spent. Eight of their 14 grandchildren have been welcomed into the world during their administration. Jean quit watching the news after Sandy was elected, and she doesn’t do social media. “It’s hard when people say bad things that you know are not true, so I tuned it out.”

As a change agent, Sandy has done a remarkable job and accomplished much. He will leave office knowing the City of Mobile is in a much better place. “Mobile is on the map. People want to live here and do business here. A lot of people have come together to make this happen.”

Jean says, “Good people generally don’t get into politics, and politics is difficult in this day and time. Sandy was uniquely prepared to do this job. He had the confidence to step up to the plate, and the conviction that we could build a better city.”

While Sandy will tell you the first four years of his administration were frustrating at times, he says he was always adding or subtracting from his political capital. Getting out and demonstrating his administration was built for everyone, his naysayers seemed to quietly retreat. “It’s all about positive change for everyone,” he says.

The most gratifying aspect of your administration? I ask. “Changing the image of the City,” he says. And moving forward for the next administration? “The financial state of the City. We are on very solid ground financially.” What was the key to his success, I ask? “Prayer and power naps.” And what is the best part about being the Mayor? “The parking.” And what will you miss? “Working with the leadership team and city employees who have worked tirelessly to transform the City.”

What’s next, I ask both of them. That's the first blank stare I received during our visit.

Thank you both, and best of luck for the future, whatever it may hold. Our gratitude runs deep.