American City Business Journals Exec Jon Wile Discusses How Birmingham Stacks up to Other Metros

President Chuck Redden and Rotarian Joel Welker with Jon Wile and Ty West.

The Rotary Club of Birmingham recently welcomed guest speaker Jon Wile, American City Business Journals VP/Content & Design. He sat down with Ty West, ACBJ Senior Editor, National Content, to discuss how Birmingham compares to other metro areas across the U.S.

They talked through national trends and their local implications with respect to a wide range of issues, including business, inflation, and lending. Wile explained that the challenges Birmingham is experiencing are similar to those facing cities such as Charlotte and Nashville. They talked through the inevitable stabilization taking place in real estate markets and resulting effects on first-time home buyers. They also discussed declining commercial real estate occupancy rates in city centers following the COVID-19 pandemic and the reality that trends toward remote work allows workers to choose anywhere they want to live.

Wile explained that hiring managers in every industry are struggling with the tight labor market that was emerging before the pandemic. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to solve issues like training underemployed and underdeveloped workers.

Wile also discussed generational differences in employment and the need for pay transparency. He urged employers to consider options like flexible work schedules and other creative benefits to keep desirable employees when higher pay is not possible. Wile said he anticipates more employers will look at hybrid options with employees realizing they need to be more visible to survive downsizing.

Wile pointed out that Birmingham’s attributes, such as its incredible culinary scene, simultaneously draw people choosing to live here and depend on a strong customer base to keep them open. Wile explained that while Birmingham’s lower cost of living advantage was all but eliminated by the pandemic, there are many reasons people want to live, work and play in the Magic City.

“Alabama for a long time had been viewed a certain way and it’s not being viewed that way anymore, and I think it’s through the growth of cities like Birmingham and Huntsville. I think it comes down to marketing and getting yourself out on that national stage more and trying to show what you guys have to offer.…I always love when I come here, looking at the buildings and the architecture…and the cuisine here is phenomenal.”

About Jon Wile
Jon Wile is VP/Content and Design at American City Business Journals, the parent company of the Birmingham Business Journal and the largest publisher of B2B business news in the United States. Prior to working at ACBJ, he held multiple leadership positions at The Washington Post. He also worked at The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer and Detroit Free Press. Jon lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife, Kristen, and their toddler son, JJ. The family has two rescued pit bulls, Rosie and Titan, and a tortoise, Desmond. Jon enjoys collecting bourbon, experimenting with cocktails, watching baseball and playing golf. He’s a rabid Ohio State football and Cleveland sports fan.