Higgins Joins New Virtual Business Incubator
Program is designed to help new businesses survive and grow
06/10/02
Robertsdale, AL - Lance LaCour, president and CEO of the Baldwin County
Economic Development Alliance, announced the appointment of Bob Higgins as
director of technical assistance for the new Baldwin County Virtual Business
Incubator.
"A business incubator is usually a facility where young companies and
business start-ups can share administrative expenses while they are learning
from each other and from business experts," LaCour said.
Higgins has led companies ranging from a one-person consulting company to
managing future car programs for General Motors. He came to Gulf Shores in
August 2001 from General Motors' Buick Motor Division where he was
responsible for developing future vehicles and bringing them to market. In
this position, he developed the current Park Avenue and LeSabre, and a
future Regal.
Prior to this, he was chairman of the team responsible for the $1 billion
per year business and technical relationship between General Motors and its
tire suppliers (Goodyear, Michelin, Continental and Firestone).
The Baldwin County Virtual Incubator Project is the result of an effort
to establish a two-year Virtual Incubator program (VBI), after which it may
evolve into a traditional incubator program with actual physical and support
facilities. The program's goal is to launch a total of 22 firms and create
70 jobs in its two-year operation.
The National Business Incubation Association estimates that approximately
80 percent of incubated firms survive their first three years, compared with
a 35-40 percent survival rate for non-incubated start-ups.
When not working with VBI clients, Higgins is president of Higgins and
Associates, a Gulf Shores based business specializing in helping other
businesses make more effective use of e-commerce and Internet marketing. He
is also secretary-treasurer of the Optimist Club of Pleasure Island, a
member of the Baldwin Technology Council and a volunteer with the Baldwin
County Workforce Development Committee.
Higgins lives in Gulf Shores with his wife Beth and son Tim, a student at
Gulf Shores Middle School.
For more information or to volunteer your services as an advisor, contact
Higgins at (251) 947-2445 or visit the VBI Web site at
http://www.badwinincubator.com.
