Brett Dungan—Southeast Region
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| (Left to right) NFIB President and CEO Todd Stottlemyer, Brett Dungan, NFIB Vice President Steve Woods |
Dungan began working in the stockroom of Master Marine in Bayou La Batre, Ala., in 1978. Today, he is president and general manager, employing a highly skilled workforce repairing and fabricating commercial fishing boats, tugboats and vessels serving the offshore oil industry.
Dungan works on behalf of NFIB and small business by interviewing political candidates, contributing to campaigns and meeting with local, state and federal officials. Master Marine frequently serves as Bayou La Batre's general host when the governor, members of Congress or state legislators visit the town.
Dungan was a major participant in an effort to form a partnership of federal, state, county and city governments, and 26 private property holders that resulted in the deepening of the Bayou La Batre navigation channel. The channel now provides some 10,000 jobs in the area.
When Hurricane Katrina hit the Alabama coast, 80 percent of the homes in Bayou La Batre were destroyed or damaged, as were many businesses. Master Marine withstood serious damage and the company opened its doors to a FEMA team assisting hurricane victims, while Dungan focused on getting businesses up and running to get people back to work.
