While growing up in Seale, Alabama, just a few hours north of the Emerald Coast, my family took dozens of trips to the beach and some of my happiest childhood memories were formed there. As I grew older, time with my extended family grew more limited, but our annual summer beach traditions remained intact and my love for the area deepened.

After graduating from LSU in 1998, I returned to my home in Alabama and began a career in banking. I quickly ...