Ralph Hargrove has transformed the Mobile-grown Hargrove Engineers + Constructors, founded in 1995 as a home-based business, into an industry juggernaut with 11 offices across the United States and more than 950 employees.

"Ralph's mission is to ensure that leadership is developed and encouraged at every level of the company," Frank Lott III, Mobile Area Chamber Board Chairman Frank Lott  and president of Heritage Homes, said of Hargrove's May 7 recognition as Outstanding Entrepreneur during the chamber's Mobile Area Small Business Week Luncheon.

Lott said Hargrove's push to cultivate excellence in leadership, coupled with the company's philanthropic efforts, "played a big part in the committee's decision to honor him."

BBVA Compass has opened a new center at Innovation Depot, where it will work on technology projects for the bank in collaboration with other companies at the business incubator.

At full capacity, BBVA Compass' Cross Industry Development Center is expected to house up to 10 employees from the bank's technology and digital units.

The bank's addition of space at the 140,000-square-foot Innovation Depot comes weeks after BBVA Compassdebuted its newly renovated $13.5 millionDevelopment Center on 32nd Street South, a workspace inspired by Silicon Valley and its agile, collaborative environments. That center will lead technology development efforts for the bank.