Birmingham business and community leaders returned from the B.I.G. Trip in Austin Texas, in September energized and inspired by lessons from the movers and shakers that recreated Austin in the last decade. B.I.G. Trip participants had the chance to interact and hear from the people who helped turn Austin into the kind of city deserving of a number 4 ranking on the Milken Institute Survey of “Best Performing Cities”. Everyone experienced first-hand why the city’s mantra is “Keep Austin Weird”. The critical focus areas of the trip were economic development, leadership, transportation challenges, technology transfer, image and education.

Gary Farmer, President of Heritage Title Company and Chairman of the Greater Austin Economic Development Corporation, educated Birmingham Leaders about “Opportunity Austin,” a five-year regional fundraising plan that worked to attract new business and support education, existing business, and transportation. The campaign raised $14.5 million for the city and created more than 112,000 jobs and $4.9 billion in new wages in the past four years. The city is now working on the “Opportunity Austin 2.0” where the goal is to raise $21 million.

For the first time, the 2008 B.I.G. Trip included a focus on inter-city education. B.I.G. Trip participants heard from Dr. Pascal Forgione, superintendent of the Austin Independent School District. He shared with the group how Austin journeyed from a school system much like Birmingham’s current system to a totally transformed system through use of metrics and measurements and a no-nonsense, “take no prisoners” approach. The system partnered with business leaders, foundations and various non-profits groups in Austin. Austin understands the importance of education and links it directly to the economic development of the region. Thirty percent of the “Opportunity Austin” budget is spent on education.

We learned that Austin is representative of so many cities that understand how various transportation technologies – together – can make an efficient regional transportation system. You can’t solve a massive regional transportation problem with just a bus system, or with just a commuter rail, or with just a good transit system, or with just toll lanes. Each modality has its strengths and weaknesses; each fits within a certain model. Each requires unique funding solutions. All are essential to Austin’s future and continued growth and development. We heard from the folks from Austin’s MPO and the Regional Mobility Authority, along with Mayor Cowman of neighboring city Leader and Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe who have been in the middle of the regional transit decision making.

The trip also included sessions on how universities like UT Austin and UAB can utilize the technology-transfer model to take intellectual property to commercialization, how Austin has generated millions of dollars through venture capital, which led to organic development of small businesses and has brought in industries from nearby cities and from as far away as India. Many are housed in a “Silicon Valley” style technology incubator at UT Austin, similar to Birmingham’s Innovation Depot housed at UAB. Participants also had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions where they learned about Austin’s regional transportation, transit and rail, downtown development and film incentive initiatives.

Our last speaker was Pike Powers also known as the “Godfather of Austin’s Economic Development.” He told of the beginning of Austin’s economic development story and how they broke the barriers and regionally collaborated with the organization “AARO.” He also shared some words of wisdom for us Birminghamians.