Initiatives - October 2020

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DEEP ROOTS. WIDE REACH.

BIG IMPACT.

Since first putting down roots in Alabama in 1870, Bradley has grown to serve our clients’ changing needs. With nearly 550 attorneys in 10 offices, Bradley is strategically located across the highest economic growth region of the country – providing timely and costeffective services when and where our clients need us.

Bradley is a national law firm with a global perspective. We represent clients in Huntsville, North Alabama, the U.S. and around the world with critical legal capabilities in a broad range of industries. Clients depend on us for innovative solutions, dependable responsiveness, and a deep commitment to success. Our Huntsville attorneys go above and beyond expectations to help our clients achieve their goals.

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Named U.S. “Law Firm of the Year” for Construction Law for 2018 & 2020 by U.S. News & World Report

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Represent six of the 10 largest banks and 16 of the 20 largest mortgage servicers in the U.S.

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Handled economic development projects that invested $25 billion and created 30,000+ jobs in 30+ states

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Ranked the 14th largest healthcare law firm in the U.S. by Modern Healthcare

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Attorneys from across all offices listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for 2020

bradley.com | BIRMINGHAM | CHARLOTTE | DALLAS | HOUSTON | HUNTSVILLE | JACKSON | MONTGOMERY | NASHVILLE | TAMPA | WASHINGTON, D.C. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. Contact: Frank M. Caprio, Esq., 256.517.5142, fcaprio@bradley.com, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, 200 Clinton Avenue West, Suite 900, Huntsville, AL 35801. ©2020

BEST Regional Hospital and #2 in Alabama

The evaluation also includes data from Madison Hospital and Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

welcome new chamber members

MEMBERS: Please check out getyourgifton.org – a website to support gift card purchases through our local restaurants and retail stores. It is FREE to list your business there. The link to add is at the very top of the site, as well as a link to set up gift cards if you don’t currently offer these. Also consider visiting and buying a gift card.

If you want to make a valuable investment in your business and the community, the Chamber is the place to start.

Contact Donna McCrary, Membership Retention Manager: 256-535-2027 or dmccrary@hsvchamber.org.

Joined in July 2020 47E A2Z TECH FIX LLC Air Products and Chemicals Inc. Alex Hendrix AMIIC - Advanced Manufacturing Innovation & Integration Center Big Shake’s Hot Chicken & Fish Bindra Productions CBD American Shaman Chick-fil-A University Dr C-Store Master CyberProtex D.R. Horton - America’s Builder GEBC, LLC Goosehead Insurance - Garner & Williams Agency Hepaco LLC The Hollingsworth Companies Huntsville Luxury Transportation Inline Lighting & Electric Supply Legacy Publishing Men in Kilts Madison Redstone Aviation Group Redstone Family Realty, LLC Whitaker Contracting Corp White and Son Refrigeration

Joined in August 2020 Affinity Recruiting Altered Reality, LLC Belk The Bottle Brightline Performance Group Broadway Theatre League of Huntsville Germinator Mobile Sanitizing & Disinfecting Huntsville Huntsville Chem-Dry Par Excellence Youth Development Premier Print Group Prudent American Technologies Reboot Wellness, LLC Rocket City Mom, LLC Sancorp Consulting LLC Sereno Ridge Recovery Spectrum Reach Urgent Care for Children - Huntsville

AS OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

INVESTORS HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER

DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

CHAIRMAN’S COUNCIL PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

REGIONAL PARTNERS

LEADERSHIP FORUM

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BBVA ■ Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) ■ Crestwood Medical Center ■ Dynetics, Inc. General Atomics Electromagnetics ■ Lockheed Martin Corporation ■ Northrop Grumman Corporation Raytheon Technologies ■ SAIC ■ SES - Science and Engineering Services, LLC ■ Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. ■ Yulista

CHAMBER TRUSTEES AEgis Technologies Group ■ Akima, LLC ■ Bill Penney Toyota/Mitsubishi ■ Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. ■ Facebook Data Center Five Stones Research Corporation ■ Intrepid ■ Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation ■ Jerry Damson Honda Acura ■ KBR Landers McLarty Dodge Chrysler Jeep ■ Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne P.C. ■ PARSONS ■ S3, Inc. ■ Sealy Management Company, Inc. SportsMED Orthopaedic Surgery & Spine Center ■ Synovus ■ Torch Technologies ■ Turner Construction Company

PROGRESS PARTNERS Ability Plus ■ Aerojet Rocketdyne ■ Anglin Reichmann Armstrong ■ ASRC Federal ■ BB&T, now Truist ■ B. L. Harbert International, LLC ■ Baron Services, Inc. ■ BASF Corporation Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP ■ Brown Precision, Inc. ■ CenterState Bank ■ Colliers International ■ Connected Logistics (LogC2) ■ Davidson ■ Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. IBERIABANK ■ Keel Point, LLC ■ L3Harris ■ Leonardo Electronics US Inc. ■ LMI ■ LSINC Corporation ■ Marsh & McLennan Agency, locally known as J. Smith Lanier & Co. The Orthopaedic Center (TOC) ■ Progress Bank ■ Radiance Technologies ■ RE/MAX Alliance ■ Robins & Morton ■ RUAG Space USA ■ Spirit Coach, LLC Steak-Out (Rosie’s Restaurants, Inc., & Right Way Restaurants, Inc.) ■ Verizon ■ Wells Fargo Bank ■ Woody Anderson Ford PROGRESS INVESTORS Air Essentials, Inc. ■ Alpha Beta Technologies, Inc. ■ Amanda Howard | Sotheby’s International Realty ■ Armstrong Relocation Company Huntsville LLC ■ Averbuch Realty / Enterprises ■ Bailey-Harris Construction ■ BancorpSouth Bell Textron Inc. ■ BID DESIGNS, LLC ■ BRPH Architects-Engineers, Inc. ■ Bryant Bank ■ Canvas, Inc. ■ CB&S Bank ■ Century Automotive ■ CFD Research Corporation ■ CGI Federal ■ Coast Personnel Services Continental Consulting Group Corporation (CCGC) ■ DC BLOX, Inc. ■ deciBel Research ■ Deloitte LLP ■ DESE Research, Inc. ■ Express Employment Professionals ■ Fernandez Financial Group ■ FITE Building Company FLS Translation & Interpreting ■ Fountain, Parker, Harbarger & Associates, LLC ■ Freedom Real Estate & Capital, LLC ■ Garver ■ Hexagon US Federal ■ HEMSI ■ Hiley Automotive Group ■ Huntsville Botanical Garden Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau ■ INTERFUZE Corporation ■ Investor’s Resource ■ IronMountain Solutions ■ Legend Realty – Jim Hoekenschneider ■ The Lioce Group, Inc. ■ MAG Aerospace ■ MSB Analytics, Inc. nLogic, LLC ■ PALCO ■ PHOENIX ■ Pinnacle Solutions, Inc. ■ PROJECTXYZ, Inc. ■ QTEC Aerospace ■ Quadrus Corporation ■ Renasant Bank ■ RJ Young Company ■ Rosenblum Realty ■ S&ME, Inc. ■ Schoel Engineering Company, Inc. ServisFirst Bank ■ Sigmatech, Inc. ■ Signalink ■ Snelling ■ Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. ■ TriVector Services, Inc. ■ Troy 7, Inc. ■ ValleyMLS.com ■ Valor Communities ■ Van Valkenburgh & Wilkinson Properties Inc. Venturi, Inc. ■ Volkert, Inc. ■ Warren Averett, LLC ■ West Huntsville Land Co., Inc. ■ Wilmer & Lee, P.A.

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

oct 2020 initiatives

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From RELOCATION to the

PERFECT LOCATION Research

North Alabama is home to technology, space and defense, manufacturing, retail, and service industries. Our area consistently ranks as an excellent place to live based on affordability, job opportunities and overall quality of life.

Plan Take time to look at the Huntsville and Madison county housing markets. There are lots of different choices whether your priority is a close commute, school district, or neighborhood amenities.

Re-establish We know relocating comes with many challenges, but the opportunities can be just as rewarding. Bank Independent wants to help you settle quickly into your new home. With over 70 years of established experience, we are local, reliable and ready to be your new hometown bank.

Welcome to the neighborhood. Welcome home to Bank Independent.

BIBANK.COM | MEMBER FDIC | 877.865.5050

oct 2020

TECHNOLOGY REFRESH

EYE ON THE MOON

REMEMBERING THE LADIES

PAGES 16-17

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Upgraded 9-1-1 Center adds to area’s public safety, quality of life

Huntsville companies fine-tune HLS as NASA decision nears

Marking the places where Huntsville suffragettes made history

MOON IMAGES: 123RF.COM

4 NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS / GET YOUR GIFT ON 5 HREGI INVESTORS 8 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT | BOARD LISTING 10 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS 12 SPECIAL CHAMBER EVENTS IN OCTOBER 13 NOVEMBER 3 IS THE BIG DAY 14 HUNTSVILLE: A CITY IN THE MAKING: Part 5 – with Julian Butler 18 TRANSFORMATION BEGINS: The Market at Hays Farm 26 SPONSOR THANKS: Additional 2020 events 27 HREGI PROFILE: Woody Anderson Ford 28 ASMARTPLACE: Updates + Smart Careers 30 MADISON CO. WE3: Empower, Equip, & Encourage female employees 32 STILL HERE FOR YOU: Senior Center finds ways to serve through pandemic 34 THIS GIRL CAN: New mural honors women’s suffrage 36 IN OTHER NEWS: Moog opens regional support center in Huntsville 37 COMMUNITY PROFILE 38 CHAMBER STAFF | ASSOCIATED ORGS

editorial staff publisher

Chip Cherry, CCE editor

Claire Aiello editorial designer

Kristi Sherrard contributing writers

Katelyn Sides Baker Donna Castellano Bailey McGuire Wendy Reeves ad sales Kristy Drake kdrake@hsvchamber.org

Richard Bigoney rbigoney@hsvchamber.org

Tina Blankenship tblankenship@hsvchamber.org

Our mission: To prepare, develop and promote our community for economic growth.

HSVchamber.org (additional contact information on page 38) Chamber members: You are encouraged to contribute ideas for our publications, including Initiatives magazine. Please send items to comms@hsvchamber.org. The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber maintains editorial control.

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

oct 2020 initiatives

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Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

Executive Committee and Board of Directors 2020 Executive Committee

Kevin Byrnes, Chair, Navigator International, LLC Jeff Gronberg, Chair-elect, deciBel Research, Inc. Kim Lewis, Immediate Past Chair, PROJECTXYZ, Inc. Ron Poteat, President, Chamber Foundation, Regions Bank Laura Huckabee-Jennings, Secretary/Treasurer, Transcend LLC

Greg Brown, Vice Chair, Economic Development & Industry Relations, Brown Precision, Inc.

A Message from

Chip Cherry

Craig Naudain, Vice Chair, Government & Public Affairs, SAIC Jim Rogers, Vice Chair, HREGI, Lockheed Martin Corporation Frank Williams, Vice Chair, Marketing & Communications, Landers McLarty Dodge Chrysler Jeep

Lynn Troy, Vice Chair, Investor Relations, Troy 7, Inc. Sameer Singhal, Vice Chair, Small Business & Events, CFD Research Corporation

Dear Chamber Investors, Community Leaders, and Friends:

Joe Ritch, Vice Chair, Tennessee Valley BRAC,

One of the great things about living here is it’s okay to embrace your inner nerd. It’s hard not to get excited about SLS, the Lunar Gateway, the Lunar Lander, and reactivating Historic Test Stand 4670 to accommodate the BE-4. Who doesn’t get excited about the chance to experience the smoke and fire related to testing rocket engines? Space is just one area where we are doing amazing things. Our community abounds with innovations. Our people have a rich history of solving very complex problems – or put another way, we are masters of making what seems impossible a reality!

Dr. Karockas Watkins, Vice Chair, Workforce, Ability Plus, Inc. Dr. Joe Green, Chair-Appointed, Whitespace Innovations, Inc. Alicia Ryan, Chair-Appointed, LSINC Corporation Mike Watkins, Chair-Appointed,

Our rich space history positioned us well as the United States sets its sights on returning to the lunar surface. Of the three teams competing to build the new lunar lander, one is headquartered here and another has a significant presence. A number of the partners on these teams have operations here, too. Huntsville will play a key role in the return of humans to the Moon. My hat is off to the talented women and men who will make it possible!

Chip Cherry, CCE, President & CEO,

It is hard to believe how long it took for our country to grant women the right to vote.

Our country was 144 years old when the 19th Amendment passed. The arguments made by the opponents of granting women the right to vote would seem silly to people today. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment with a mural on Washington Street provides an opportunity for people to reflect on just how far we have come as a country in 100 years. It provides hope that the opportunity to have meaningful conversations about Diversity and Inclusion will lead to meaningful initiatives to address racism.

I remember my grandparents and how their perceptions were forever influenced by the Depression. What lasting impressions will be made on us as a result of living through the pandemic? This crisis has brought many aspects of life we may have taken for granted into sharper focus. Let’s hope that we learn from it and emerge from the experience better than we were when it started.

As each week passes I look forward to when we can meet in person even more. Stay well!

Chip Cherry, CCE President & CEO Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

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initiatives oct 2020

Sirote & Permutt, PC

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama

Mayor Tommy Battle, ex-officio member, City of Huntsville Mayor Paul Finley, ex-officio member, City of Madison Chairman Dale Strong, ex-officio member, Madison County Commission Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

Elected Board Blake Bentley, SportsMED Orthopaedic Surgery and Spine Center David Bier, Anglin Reichmann Armstrong, P.C. Penny Billings, BancorpSouth - Huntsville Thomas Busby, CenterState Bank Melissa Davis, MTA, Inc. Mike Dewitz, PARSONS John Eagan, BB&T Kevin Fernandez, Fernandez Financial Group, LLC Owen Franklin, Blue Summit Supplies Joni Green, Five Stones Research Corporation John Hall, All Points Logistics, LLC Ginger Harper, IBERIABANK Josh Herren, Yulista Lee Holland, Freedom Real Estate and Capital, LLC Tharon Honeycutt, MSB Analytics, Inc. Amanda Howard, Amanda Howard | Sotheby’s International Realty

Lincoln Hudson, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. Hank Isenberg, IronMountain Solutions McKinley James, Polaris Industries, Inc. Lauren Johannesmeyer, Google Fiber, Huntsville Sean Kelly, Regions Bank April Mason, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc. Todd May, KBR Bob McCaleb, Northrop Grumman Corporation Kevin McCombs, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. Alana Parker, Rocket City Drywall & Supply, Inc. Zack Penney, Bill Penney Toyota/Mitsubishi Jami Peyton, Canvas, Inc. Chris Russell, Cadence Bank Jeff Samz, Huntsville Hospital Beth Sippel, Synovus Wayne Sisco, Redstone Federal Credit Union Tom Stanton, ADTRAN, Inc. Sandra Stephens, Keel Point, LLC Mitch Stevison, Raytheon Technologies Cynthia Streams, Domino's (Valley Pizza, Inc.) Margetta Thomas, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Ken Tucker, The Boeing Company John Watson, Torch Technologies Danny Windham, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

IF IT’S AN EMERGENCY, YOU AREN’T SAFER AT HOME. We know you are concerned about your health. We are, too. And if you experience sudden symptoms of an emergency, getting fast medical care could save your life. We are taking extraordinary precautions to be sure our emergency room and other care settings are safe. So, don’t delay care in an emergency. If you experience chest pain, sudden dizziness, weakness or numbness in your arms or legs, severe abdominal pain, high fever, or any other symptoms of a possible medical emergency, seek emergency care immediately.

Learn how we’re keeping patients safe. Visit CrestwoodMedCenter.com/COVID-19

In an emergency, call 911.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Compiled by Claire Aiello

On September 2, NASA completed a full-scale booster test in Promontory, Utah for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will power the first Artemis mission to the Moon. The test lasted a little over two minutes, the same amount of time that the boosters power the SLS rocket during liftoff and flight for each mission. Teams from NASA and Northrop Grumman, the SLS boosters’ lead contractor, will use data from the test to evaluate the motor’s performance using potential new materials and processes for Artemis missions beyond the initial Moon landing in 2024.The SLS boosters are the largest, most powerful ever built for flight. The two boosters on the rocket provide more than 75 percent of the thrust needed to launch NASA’s future deep space missions through NASA’s Artemis lunar program. ■

Marshall Economic Impact Facts Curious about how important NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center is to our economy? The Center recently issued updated economic impact figures for FY 2019. Here are just a few: ■ Marshall’s total U.S. impact includes more than 43,600 jobs and $8.3 billion in economic output.

■ The Space Launch System (SLS) Program, managed at Marshall, generates 28,200 jobs nationwide with an impact of $5.5 billion.

■ In Alabama, SLS supports more than 14,000 jobs and generates $2.3 billion in economic output and more than $58 million in state and local taxes.

■ In Madison County, Marshall’s impact includes 21,500 jobs and $3.7 billion.

■ The SLS Program engages more than 1,100 large and small businesses in 44 states to build the SLS rocket.

■ More than half of Marshall’s total impacts are in Alabama, totaling 24,400 jobs and $4.3 billion in economic output.

■ More than 60 percent of Marshall’s contracts, valued at $1.7 billion, are sourced in Alabama.

■ Annually Marshall generates $961 million in federal, state, and local tax revenues.

‘Save Space Camp’ Update The campaign to Save Space Camp continues to tick up. More than $2.5 million has been raised to date, with 8,500 individuals and corporations from around the world contributing since the campaign launched in July. Corporate donors include Northrop Grumman, Boeing, SAIC, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Torch Technologies, 3M, General Dynamics, and many others. You can make a donation at savespacecamp.com.

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initiatives oct 2020

Army’s rapid prototyping office unveils new HQ at Redstone Arsenal The Army officially opened the new headquarters of the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office at Redstone Arsenal on Sept. 2 with a ribbon cutting and rededication ceremony.

The move marks a new chapter for the organization and consolidates the RCCTO’s headquarters at Redstone. The RCCTO is responsible for executing rapid experimental prototypes and delivering residual combat capabilities to Soldiers in the areas of hypersonics, directed energy, Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems and other disruptive technologies. Lt. Gen. L. Neil Thurgood is director of hypersonics, directed energy, space and rapid acquisition, which includes the RCCTO. ■

COURTESY: ERIC SCHULTZ/ THE REDSTONE ROCKET

SNAP:

On August 27, officials from Huntsville Utilities, the City of Huntsville, Seven States Power Corporation, and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center broke ground on a power supply flexibility project that will integrate solar power, battery storage, and electric vehicle (EV) charging with an educational exhibit for visitors.

The installation will be located in the parking lot Artist’s rendering of the Davidson Center for Space Exploration, near the vertical Saturn V rocket. Construction is scheduled for completion by mid-to-late September. ■

Best places for career options post-COVID We are all ready to be finished with the pandemic, and this news is encouraging for companies who are recruiting. Huntsville comes in at No. 2 on SmartAsset’s list of Top 10 Places for Career Opportunities in the COVID-19 Recession. SmartAsset said Huntsville placed for our strengths in two different categories: we had the sixth-lowest unemployment rate in May 2020, at 7.6 percent, and the eighth-highest income growth over a career, at 30.47 percent. ■

Getting Closer!

The North Huntsville Public Library project is getting closer to being finished. It is currently approximately 65 percent complete, and slated to open in December at 3011 Sparkman Drive. Contractors are installing finishes, ceramic tile and sheet rock, along with the balance of plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and sprinkler systems. Sewer, power, water, and internet connections are complete outside. Parking lots are also taking shape, in addition to work at the back of the building in the park areas. ■ COURTESY: CITY OF HUNTSVILLE

NASA/NORTHROP GRUMMAN/SCOTT MOHRMAN

Groundbreaking for “Project Liftoff”

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

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Special Chamber Events in October State of the City Address featuring Mayor Tommy Battle Virtual event scheduled for October 14 ■ register: hsvchamber.org Presenting Sponsor: Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc.

Platinum Sponsors: The Boeing Company; COLSA Corporation; Facebook Data Center Gold Sponsors: Aerojet Rocketdyne; Dynetics, Inc.; PFM Financial Advisors LLC; PPG; Reed Contracting Services; Torch Technologies; Wiregrass Construction Company, Inc.

Silver Sponsors: Avion Solutions; HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology; IronMountain Solutions; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Port of Huntsville; SAIC; University of Alabama in Huntsville Bronze Sponsors: ADTRAN, Inc.; Bailey-Harris Construction; BBVA; Calhoun Community College; Crestwood Medical Center; DC BLOX, Inc.; Huntsville Hospital; KBR; PARSONS; Raytheon Technologies; Redstone Federal Credit Union; Rosenblum Realty, Inc.; Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.; U.S. Space & Rocket Center; UAH College of Business

SPONSORS AS OF SEPT. 17

35th Annual Small Business Awards

Virtual event scheduled for October 20 ■ register: hsvchamber.org Presenting Sponsor: Keel Point, LLC ■

Gold Sponsor: Yulista

Silver Sponsors: Capstone Realty; Redstone Federal Credit Union; Radiance Technologies, Inc. Bronze Sponsors: CFD Research Corporation; Davidson; Rosenblum Realty; Torch Technologies

100% online or evening in-person classes.

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9:39 AM A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER7/1/20 PUBLICATION

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

November 3 is the Big Day High interest in absentee voting = busy days for election office

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he political ads and phone calls have ramped up, and these will pick up even more in the coming weeks. The General Election is November 3 – make sure it’s on your calendar, as there are several important races on your ballot. These include: ■ President & Vice President ■ U.S. Senate ■ U.S. House of Representatives ■ Alabama Supreme Court ■ Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals ■ Alabama Court of Civil Appeals ■ Public Service Commission ■ State Board of Education ■ Circuit & District Court Judge seats ■ County Commission seats

There’s a very high interest in absentee voting this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have concerns about voting in person, you can mark a box citing a physical illness or infirmity preventing you from going to the polls, according to Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill.

Madison County’s Absentee Voting Office has been extremely busy since it opened September 9. It is located in our courthouse at 100 Northside Square. Prior to the office opening, thousands of people had requested absentee ballots be mailed to them. Employees got right to work on the task, in addition to helping people who visited the office in person. Circuit Clerk Debra Kizer oversees absentee voting.

“Since the onset of COVID-19, we have seen greater interest in absentee voting,” said Kizer. “In the 2016 Presidential election, 10,336 Madison County voters chose absentee as their method of voting. As of September 9, over 7,800 voters had opted to vote by absentee rather than at the polls at the November 3rd General Election. With continued COVID-19 concerns, I expect we will have at least 20,000 absentee ballot requests.”

Whatever you have heard in the past few months about mail delays, the clear message is to act now. If you don’t feel comfortable voting in person, visit madisoncountyvotes.com to request your absentee ballot today. You can also visit the courthouse to vote absentee in person. You will need your photo ID. “In-person absentee voting is a one-stop shop,” Kizer added.

“The voter requests the ballot, we give them the ballot, they vote on the ballot right then and there, return the ballot to us, A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

we notarize the ballot and they have voted. One and done.”

The Absentee Voting Office is staffed Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. October 29 is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot and November 2 is the last day to hand-deliver it, but it’s recommended you go much earlier to avoid any delays.

Election Day There’s a lot that goes into preparing for Election Day. Madison County Probate Judge Frank Barger is the county’s chief election official and has a full plate between now and November 3.

“Although some might consider it a fraction of our work, it dominates the Court’s list of priorities at this time,” said Barger.

“We have a checklist of 500+ items that must be accomplished to prepare for the Election Cycle. This includes overseeing all personnel, training, equipment, technology, and logistics related to the process. Madison County has 72 physical voting locations open on Election Day and will use 800 or more election workers. It is no small task.”

If you want to vote in person on Election Day, keep in mind that presidential elections bring high turnout. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Don’t let past primaries or low-turnout elections give you the sense you’ll be in and out in a few minutes. You need to be prepared to wait, possibly more than an hour, to get your ballot.

We suggest you get in line early and dress for the elements – you may want to bring a folding chair, coat, or umbrella, depending on the forecast.

The state of Alabama does not require masks at the polls, but these are strongly recommended as we work to keep healthy during the pandemic. Please also bring your own black pen.

Be Informed It’s important that we know about the candidates and issues as we decide who will represent Alabama in the coming years.

Please encourage your co-workers to be active and vote, too. If they aren’t registered to vote here, the deadline is October 19.

Study up on who’s running ahead of time by viewing a sample ballot on madisoncountyvotes.com, then seek out more information on the candidates. We’ll also share information about the election on hsvchamber.org and in our weekly newsletters.

■ Claire Aiello Vice President, Marketing & Communications oct 2020 initiatives

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HUNTSVILLE: A CITY IN THE MAKING, PART 5 A year-long look at the unique history of Huntsville/Madison County and moving forward into 2020 and beyond.

Julian Butler

Major Players Managing growth, continuing partnerships will plan future progress

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very day, Huntsville gets closer to becoming the largest city in Alabama. That growth wouldn’t be possible without great leaders from all around Madison County – working together to make important things happen.

Throughout the changes that have turned Huntsville from a farming community to a high-tech, history-making tourist destination and economic engine, Julian Butler played a critical role for 35 years as the county attorney.

“When I graduated law school in 1963, there was only one accredited law school in the state, and that was at the University of Alabama,” Butler said. “I think I’m right about this, that onethird of my class came to Huntsville to practice law.”

Butler’s career made him an active player in a lot of historical “firsts” and landed him in the company of five diverse and influential leaders the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber is featuring in a special series of stories throughout 2020 called “Huntsville: A City in the Making.” Others include Hundley Batts Jr., W.F. Sanders, Loretta Spencer, and Charles Younger.

Butler moved to Huntsville in 1966. When he became county attorney in 1977, there were five county commission districts: four “very small districts” in rural areas such as Gurley, New Hope, and Owens Cross Roads, and one large district that included Huntsville and Madison down to Triana. The chairman was elected from that one large district before being elected by the county at large.

The arrangement meant that the commissioners were elected from those very small communities, resulting in a minority of the county controlling the Madison County Commission. A lawsuit brought against the commission claimed that the makeup violated the “one man one vote because a vote in the city did not have the same weight as a vote in the county.” The first move, Butler said, was to leave the districts as they were with at-large elections of candidates who lived within each district.

By the 1980s, more lawsuits arose related not just to the commission, but also to the city council and school board elections.

Butler said the county commission settled its lawsuit and came up with a plan that still exists today: a seven-member county commission that has a chairman elected at large and six commissioners elected from single districts that are generally close in population.

Here, Butler makes a confession.

“I was involved with drawing the districts, and we were trying to protect the four rural commissioners, and so a pie was drawn where those four districts were pied into the city with two total in the city. One district had a majority African-American population that resulted in the first African-American ever elected to the commission with Dr. Prince Preyer. The new districts also resulted

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in the first Republican to be elected in Rob Colson and Faye Dyer, who was the first woman ever elected.

“So, it not only changed the method of electing the county commission, it dramatically changed the composition of the county commission.”

Economic Development The county has played a major role in facilitating economic development.

“There were two key parts,” Butler said. “One, early on the county created what is known now as Chase Industrial Park because at Cummings Research Park they did not want warehouses or light manufacturing. They wanted office buildings.”

That led the county to purchase the land at Chase. Over the years, the county expanded it to provide a place for light industry warehousing.

“Like at Cummings Research Park, the primary value of the move was that it kept speculators from taking advantage of new companies that were coming into town. The county had a fixed rate it charged for the land, and it would not allow a real estate agent to market the land,” Butler said. “Sometimes it also meant moving a little dirt, sometimes a lot of dirt, or putting in infrastructure and drainage.”

Butler said the county truly partnered with the City of Huntsville and the Chamber.

“Mike Gillespie was effective as a spokesperson from the county.

Mike served as chairman for 38 years, and Mike was very articulate and made a very professional appearance for the county. It helped that he enjoyed economic development,” Butler said.

When it comes to major turning points over the past 50 years or so, Butler said it always starts with the Wernher von Braun team. “When I got here, this was a different place,” he said. “You had Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile re-fighting the Civil War, and Huntsville was the only place with an economic future.”

Over the years, leaders have been strategic in expanding beyond Redstone Arsenal, NASA, and the aerospace industry, which continues to fuel growth.

“I think that’s been a critical factor for the diversification of our economy,” Butler said. “Look at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, go back to HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, and keep in mind the National Children’s Advocacy Center, and diversification in other areas as well.”

He said he remembers the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) when it was just an extension division of the university.

“UAH is an outstanding educational institution, particularly in engineering, and it is also a major player in economic development.”

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

Metro Government Butler remembers that metro government was a hot topic of discussion but said that time has come and gone. “For schools and law enforcement, it makes a lot of sense,” he said. “But the nail in the coffin on metro government was when the City of Madison formed its own school system, which killed any idea of putting the schools together.”

While one governing body for the whole county may never happen, one of the key factors that keeps Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County on a strong path is their ability to work together.

To Butler, the Metro Jail is proof.

“The city had bonding capacity to build it; city building authority built it, and it is the ultimate monument to cooperation even though most of the focus was on all of the problems. When is the last time you read something about the Metro Jail? It is something that worked. It got the city out of the jail business, and it is a monument to cooperation between the city and county.”

Influential Characters Butler retired in 2012. During his 35 years working for the county, he encountered many influential players like former Commissioner Tillman Hill, whom he described as being the most colorful of them all.

“Tillman was wonderful. He was one of the most innovative people ever. He would go to meetings and bring back ideas like an Easter Egg Hunt for the blind. Back then it was the first time I’d ever heard of it. Now you hear about them, but back then, having Easter Egg Hunts with beeping eggs for blind children to find was very innovative.”

James “Jimmy” Record was the commission chairman when Butler was hired, and Record also left a strong impression.

“He was an innovator in things that don’t seem like they’re that important, but they were to Madison County, especially when you see all the road signs we have all over the unincorporated areas today … and they serve two great purposes. One, if you’re trying to find someone’s house, but what’s even more important is for first responders. They are a wonderful asset to help a fire truck, deputy, or ambulance find an address.”

Into the Future What’s next for leaders is managing the growth. He sees the commission’s development of the new Madison County Service Center at Oakwood Avenue and North Memorial Parkway as another step in the right direction.

The new facility includes offices for the Probate Judge, Board of Registrars, Sales Tax Department, License Department, tax assessor and collector. It comes with free parking, too.

When the constitutional convention met in Huntsville in 1819, 44 people from 22 counties were elected to serve as delegates. Butler said Madison County had eight delegates and dominated the convention. According to the Alabama Department of Archives, Blount, Limestone, and Monroe counties each had three delegates, with the remaining counties represented by one or two delegates.

“It’s not just since the 1950s,” Butler said. “Since the beginning, Huntsville and Madison County have been major players in the State of Alabama.”

As long as future leaders carry on the innovative planning from the past that’s currently in place, he said, Huntsville and Madison County will continue to be a rare find.

■ Wendy Reeves Contributing Writer A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

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SAFETY FIRST

Technology Refresh Upgraded 9-1-1 Center adds to area’s public safety, quality of life

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Un Young Lee, assistant director of Huntsville Madison County 9-1-1, checks one of the computers in the new Operations Room as Director Ernie Blair looks on.

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he new Huntsville-Madison County 9-1-1 Center is open and ready for your call, if you ever need emergency help. Hopefully you won’t, but it should give you peace of mind the new center is twice as big to serve our community’s growing population.

“9-1-1 has been live in both places as we made the transition, let me be clear about that,” said Ernie Blair, the Center’s CEO. “Every piece of 9-1-1 technology has been refreshed and updated.

This was an opportunity to do that, and I will boldly say you will not find a 9-1-1 center anywhere that’s ahead of us.”

The center has about 200 people on staff altogether, with several dozen on shift at any given time. Under one roof, you’ll find seven agencies working together to respond to calls. There are four 9-1-1 operators, plus the Huntsville Police Department, Huntsville Fire & Rescue, Madison County Sheriff ’s Office,

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

Safety With Sprocket The Huntsville Madison County 9-1-1 Center recently partnered with the Rocket City Trash Pandas and WAFF 48 for Safety With Sprocket, an educational curriculum designed for children in K-5th grade. The series was shared with schools in September in support of Emergency Preparedness Month. It highlights a variety of ways youngsters learn tips about fire safety, emergency planning, how to be an informative 9-1-1 caller and much more. This interactive series also includes downloadable worksheets, coloring pages and resources for parents to reinforce at-home learning. To learn more, visit madco911.com.

Madison County Fire Department, Madison Police Department, Madison Fire & Rescue, and HEMSI. “The center has multiple layers of protection for lightning surges, and the phone and radio systems both now have georedundant servers,” said Blair. “If we were to lose the servers that run the radio or telephone system here, it would automatically be taken over in other places, so we have redundancy.”

The Operations Room is the central focus point, because that’s where the action happens. Desks are ergonomic and can be raised from seated to standing positions if employees want to change up their positioning while taking calls. Desks have built-in temperature controls and fans, to help ensure employee comfort.

Blair said he asked employees what other features they wanted in the new center.

Windows were one suggestion, so the new Operations Room has sunlight coming in. Employees also asked for sleeping rooms because sometimes they are there for long periods. Done – there are separate bunk quarters for men and women, and showers.

“It’s important that our employees are comfortable. In extreme situations they could be here for a few days, for example, a severe weather episode, or in winter weather. We want to help provide a good workspace but also a comfortable place where they can rest and recharge,” said Blair.

The employee break area has new food vending, a pellet ice machine, and additional refrigerators for the different agencies working there.

“Our employees are wonderful,” said Blair. “It is a higher calling to save that life, to put those pieces together from the call two days ago, to the call today to help police catch the bad guy. They have this opportunity every few days to do that, or to give that fire truck the information to where they need to be, to plug in the fire hydrant and save a family’s home. Very frequently, they get a huge chance to make a difference, and they thrive on that.”

The building has a walking track around the outside. There is also a helicopter pad, and an electrical and water hookup in the parking lot. After the tornado outbreak of April 2011, a barbecue team came and cooked for the 9-1-1 Center employees. “We loved having them here, and if that were to happen again, we wanted to make it easier for them,” Blair said.

The 9-1-1 Center is hiring, too. Visit madco911.com to see current job listings.

■ Claire Aiello

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SOUTH HUNTSVILLE

Artist’s rendering

Transformation Begins The Market at Hays Farm starting to gain momentum

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ne of the most prominent vacant retail developments in the Huntsville metro area is getting a $23.5 million investment.

In August, we learned Publix will be the anchor grocery store at The Market at Hays Farm.

In fact, we’re already seeing movement on the property. Demolition started in September at The Market at Hays Farm property, formerly known as Haysland Square, that has sat mostly vacant for several years.

“This is an exciting development for South Huntsville and a welcome announcement for all those residents who have eagerly hoped for a revival of the Haysland Square property,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “This is also what happens when the City invests wisely in infrastructure that promotes planned growth and development such as the $60 million spent on the South Parkway Restore Our Roads project, the new Grissom High School, and the new Haysland Road Extension and greenway. We applaud the Hays family for seeing the promise of South Huntsville

and for their investment in its success.”

In addition to Publix, The Market at Hays Farm will also include more than 150,000 square feet of small shops and junior anchor space available in addition to multiple outparcels to serve the needs of the growing South Huntsville community. Staples will stay in its current location, with a new façade to match the rest of the development.

The center is scheduled to open next fall.

Road Construction & Greenway The Haysland Road extension is nearly completed, with drivers currently using it to access Grissom High School. Soon, the road will continue south to Redstone Road and open up more access to the Arsenal.

“The main purpose behind Haysland Road is to alleviate traffic on the Parkway, and create another Bailey Cove Road that runs parallel to the Parkway,” said Bekah Schmidt, executive director of South Huntsville Main Business Association. “The City of Huntsville has talked with the Arsenal leadership, and as more people use Haysland Road, they plan to add more hours to Gate 3. They anticipate this being another major entry route as Huntsville grows south. It will also help ease school traffic – since we’re not building any more overpasses on South Parkway, this will provide an alternative route for students to get to Grissom.”

The new greenway at Hays Green is already in use, but will officially open to the public when Haysland Road opens in the fall.

The greenway runs from Grissom High School to Bell Mountain Park, and will eventually extend all the way to Ditto Landing.

New Homes Plans for new homes are also coming online. The Forge, The Fields, and The Forest subdivisions will be built first, with 174 phase 1 lots that will go up for sale soon. The builder will be announced this fall, and construction is planned to start right away.

Altogether, there are more than 440 single-family homes planned to be built over the next four years. A multi-family development will also be announced in October to include luxury apartments in close proximity to Grissom High School.

Visit haysfarm.com to view the master plan and sign up for further updates.

■ Claire Aiello Vice President, Marketing & Communications 18

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A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

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Eye on the Moon Huntsville companies fine-tune Human Landing Systems as NASA decision nears

by Claire Aiello As NASA works to ready the Space Launch System for America’s journey back to the Moon and then on to Mars, three companies are focusing on their work for the Human Landing System (HLS) program, which would take astronauts to the lunar surface.

Marshall Space Flight Center manages the HLS program. The office isn’t very large, with about 40 civil servants. The HLS program builds on the concept of competition that was embraced in the Commercial Crew program, and NASA hopes to retain more than one HLS contractor through the development phase of the program. Marshall has outsourced some HLS work to Kennedy Space Center and Johnson Space Center, but the bulk will be done by contractors.

The three companies competing are Dynetics, Blue Origin, and SpaceX. Work is taking place right here in Huntsville for two of these projects, so we thought we’d explore HLS and show you what’s happening. We are the Rocket City, after all!

The Dynetics Human Landing System offers a unique, lowslung crew module, calling for horizontally acclimated drop tanks during descent to the lunar surface.

Dynetics’ HLS Dynetics’ lander is 15 feet high and 13 feet wide, and has room for up to four astronauts, taking them to and from the moon’s surface. The test article is located in Huntsville and is built to scale to allow for test and evaluation across the engineering lifecycle.

Dynetics, a Leidos company, is based in Huntsville and is working with more than two dozen subcontractors with expertise in specific technical areas. As of this writing, work is being done in 19 states, the District of Columbia, and Italy. “A challenge of the magnitude of HLS requires bringing the best capabilities in every technical discipline for every component,” said Andy Crocker, Dynetics’ deputy program manager of HLS. “Critical HLS hardware and software are being designed, built, and tested around the world.”

“However, the heartbeat of the program is in Huntsville,” Crocker added. “Not only is the (HLS) program management for NASA located at MSFC, Dynetics, the prime contractor and system integrator, has been located in Cummings Research Park for over 40 years. There are more Team Dynetics companies working in Huntsville than anywhere else.”

Dynetics plans to launch elements of HLS on United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket, which is being built in Decatur, Ala. Dynetics’ HLS would wait in lunar orbit for astronauts to board either directly from the Orion capsule following their flight on the SLS, or via the Gateway outpost orbiting the Moon.

Gateway is another part of the deep space architecture that will serve as a staging point for lunar or Mars missions. The Dynetics HLS has eight rocket engines to descend and ascend from the lunar surface. Additionally, it can be fully integrated and launched on NASA’s SLS. A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

Dynetics has over 300 employees working on HLS, and Crocker says there are two to three times that many working at Huntsville-based subcontractors and other teams around the U.S. and the world. Locally, LSINC built the test article (shown above), a full-scale prototype that will be used for initial testing of crewed physical activities. Other Huntsville-headquartered companies involved in the project include A-P-T Research, Inc.; Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis, Inc.; Dynamic Concepts, Inc.; JBS Solutions; and Victory Solutions.

“It’s fitting that a Huntsville-based company is involved in this new lunar endeavor,” added Crocker. “When America first decided to put astronauts on the moon, it looked to Huntsville. Huntsville was at the center of answering the challenge of Sputnik. Huntsville built the Redstone rocket that launched the first American astronaut into space. It was brilliant engineers and scientists from Huntsville who helped assert American space dominance with Apollo. That love of exploration – of doing more, going farther – – continued on page 22 oct 2020 initiatives

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Eye on the Moon, continued from page 21 it’s in our DNA. The unwavering pride in the American space program, the excitement – it’s palpable in Huntsville. Dynetics was founded in the wake of Apollo’s success. Now, Dynetics is part of the story. We think it just makes sense.”

National Team’s Lander

Dynetics Space Division’s capabilities include propulsion systems, small satellite development, mechanical and propulsion testing, system integration and assembly, mission design and vehicle sizing and vehicle structure design and manufacturing.

The Blue Origin-led National Team, comprised of Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Draper, delivered a full-scale engineering mockup of its Integrated Lander Vehicle to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas on August 20. It stands at more than 40 feet and showcases two elements of the National Team’s multi-element architecture, the ascent element and descent element.

Blue Origin is developing the descent element, which is based on the company’s Blue Moon cargo lander and BE-7 LOX/hydrogen engine, both in development for more than three years.

Blue Origin has upgraded and refurbished Test Stand 4670 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville to support testing of their BE-3U and BE-4 rocket engines.

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CREDIT: TWITTER@JEFFBEZOS

Blue Origin’s Integrated Lander Vehicle (ILV) threestage lander will be launched on its own New Glenn Rocket System and ULA Vulcan Launch System.

The first hotfire test of Blue Origin’s BE-7 engine took place June 18, 2019, on a test stand at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

BE-7 engines will be used on both the descent element built by Blue Origin and the transfer vehicle element built by Northrop Grumman. Blue Origin is testing its BE-7 engines on Test Stand 116 at Marshall Space Flight Center, working with NASA Marshall civil servants to facilitate these tests.

Lockheed Martin is working on the reusable ascent element, and Northrop Grumman is working on the transfer element, which is based on its Cygnus cargo module which has flown several resupply missions to the International Space Station. Draper is developing guidance and control and avionics systems for both the National Team’s lunar lander and for Dynetics’ HLS vehicle.

All of the National Team partners have a presence in Huntsville, but detailed work plans are proprietary during the competitive phase, according to Blue Origin.

Earlier this year, Blue Origin opened its new engine manufacturing facility in Cummings Research Park. The world-class facility will add 300 jobs to the local economy and conduct high rate production of the BE-4 and BE-3U engines. The company is refurbishing Historic Test Stand 4670 at Marshall, which will add another 50 Blue Origin employees to Huntsville, and both engines will be tested there. BE-3U is the upper stage engine on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, and BE-4 powers the first stage. BE-4 will also be on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket. The National Team’s Integrated Lander Vehicle could be launched on New Glenn, Vulcan, or NASA’s SLS. “We anticipate HLS to be a robust, sustainable program leading to routine cargo and crew missions to the lunar surface,” said Brent Sherwood, Blue Origin’s vice president of Advanced Development Programs. “We are in it for the long haul, since commercial lunar operations is key to our Sherwood vision of developing space resources and opening space to humankind. Blue Origin and the National Team are in Huntsville to stay.”

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The three companies will continue to compete and plan through February of 2021, awaiting NASA’s down-select. The agency has indicated it could choose more than one company as it prepares for the return to the moon three years later.

“The plan has been to keep two going to the moon. The first one in 2024 and the next one in 2026,” said Lisa Watson-Morgan, HLS program manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.

“I am confident in NASA’s partnership with these companies to help achieve the ArteWatson-Morgan mis mission and develop the human landing system returning us to the Moon. We have a history of proven lunar technical expertise and capabilities at Marshall and across NASA that will pave the way for our efforts to quickly and safely land humans on the Moon in 2024.”

■ Claire Aiello Vice President, Marketing & Communications A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

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HONORING WOMEN

Remembering the Ladies Marking the places where Huntsville suffragettes made history

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n the centennial anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the Historic Huntsville Foundation, the Twickenham Town Chapter of the DAR, and the Councill High School Alumni Association are creating a lasting tribute to Huntsville’s pantheon of suffrage heroes through four historic markers that recognize the Black and white Huntsville women whose fight for equal suffrage shaped the future of our nation. These markers will ensure that the stories of the leaders of the Huntsville Equal Suffrage Association (HESA) and the six Black Madison County women who successfully registered to vote in 1920 are permanently inscribed in the Huntsville landscape.

A group photo of the Huntsville League for Women’s Suffrage, circa 1895.

Image courtesy of HMCPL.

Huntsville’s suffrage movement began in 1895, when Susan B. Anthony and Carrie Chapman Catt spoke to an overflow crowd in Huntsville’s City Hall. After Anthony spoke, Milton Humes stepped forward and declared the creation of HESA. Many of the city’s most prominent men and women lined up to join. Knowing their attendance would violate Huntsville’s color line, no Black men or women attended the meeting. But Black women clearly understood the importance of women’s suffrage and how voting rights could benefit themselves and their community.

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The white women who led HESA were philanthropic and worked for the betterment of their community. They founded the City Infirmary, the forerunner of Huntsville Hospital. They supported the public library and funded literacy campaigns. They wanted better schools, health and sanitation reforms, and workplace reforms to keep children from textile mills and coal mines.

Their prejudice, however, blinded them to the injustices caused by racial inequality.

The majority of Alabamians opposed women’s suffrage in 1895. They believed politics was the domain of men, and that women had privileged status as wives and mothers and should not involve themselves in political matters. Suffragists adopted an incremental approach to women’s rights and lobbied the Alabama legislature for laws that gave women more control over their bodies and property. In 1900, the Alabama Legislature passed laws that allowed women to will their estate to whomever they wished and have a bank account in their own name. The Legislature also raised the age of consent for women, or girls, from 10 to 14 years of age, a bill they had refused to approve in previous sessions.

Interest in women’s suffrage lagged until around 1912, when success at the national level energized Alabama’s local suffrage groups. HESA reconvened and members faced an immediate challenge finding a regular meeting place. Members hoped to meet at the Greene Street YMCA, as HESA members regularly donated to the YMCA. The YMCA denied their request, stating that women’s suffrage was too controversial. ElEllelee Chapman Humes, lelee Humes, HESA vice president, the force behind Huntsville’s volunteered her McClung Avenue Suffrage Movement. house for meetings.

Under Humes’ leadership, HESA grew their support and established new suffrage organizations in the Tennessee Valley. By 1915, there were 46 suffrage organizations in Alabama with over A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

5,000 active members.

Coordinated lobbying by suffragists led Alabama lawmakers to pass a bill in 1915 allowing women to run for county school board seats. The following year, 10 Alabama women announced their candidacy. Six won, including Huntsville resident Alice Boarman Baldridge who won a seat on the Madison County School board – four years before women had the Alice Boarman Baldridge, the first right to vote. Two years later, at female elected to public office in Madison County and the first practicing the age of 44, Baldridge passed attorney, and her daughter Vera. the Alabama Bar Exam and became Madison County’s first female practicing attorney.

After the ratification of the 19th Amendment in August 1920, Alabama officials began registering qualified women to vote for the upcoming 1920 presidential election.

Within two months, 123,000 Alabama women registered, including 1,383 from Madison County, of whom six were Black. Fewer than 200 Black women qualified to register in Alabama.

In the same way that Alabama’s 1901 state constitution denied voting rights to Black men through property, literacy, and residency requirements, the constitution also kept most Black women from the polls in 1920. County officials determined whether a potential voter met registration requirements. The six Black Madison County women who registered in 1920 were affluent, educated, and married to influential men held in high esteem by India Herndon, one of six Black Madison County women who the white community. voted in 1920. Photo from the Mary Wood Binford, Ellen Dr. Herndon Spillman collection.

Scruggs Brandon, India Leslie Herndon, Lou Bertha Johnson, Dora Fackler Lowery, and Celia Horton Love were the daughters and granddaughters of formerly enslaved people who had established a foothold of success in the decades following slavery. Henry C. Binford, Sr., the father-in-law of Mary Binford, and Daniel Brandon, the husband of Ellen Brandon, held elected office before most Blacks were stripped of voting rights in 1901.

The women and their husbands were active members of Huntsville’s Black business community. Ellen and Daniel Brandon owned a successful construction company. Lou Bertha and Shelby Johnson owned Grand Shine Parlor, a dry-cleaning business.

India and A. J. Herndon owned Citizens Drug Store, and Dora and Leroy Lowery owned businesses in the Church Street business district. Leroy Lowery also served on the Board of the Supreme Life Insurance Company of Illinois.

Celia Love was the only woman whose income was related to A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

agriculture. She owned a large farm in Mullen’s Flat, now the site of Redstone Arsenal. Her husband, Adolphus Love, was reputed to be the wealthiest Black man in Madison County.

All of the women had formal educations. Binford, Brandon, Herndon, and Lowery taught at the school eventually named for William Hooper Councill.

Mary Binford and her husband, Henry C. Binford, Jr. both graduated from Howard University. Henry Binford retired as the principal of Councill High in 1918.

Like their white counterparts, the Black women were philanthropic Dora Fackler Lowery and served their community. They were wives, mothers, educators, and business owners. All were members of Lakeside Methodist Church, a hub of spiritual, cultural, and educational activities in the Black community. The first city-supported school for Blacks began in Lakeside’s basement.

Black women wanted to vote for the same reasons as white women, but they also knew that voting rights would help secure the safety of their families.

In the decades following the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the votes of Black and white Alabama women helped establish Alabama’s Child Welfare Department, increase Mary Binford, second standing from left appropriations to the on back row, with her graduating class at Public Health DepartHoward University, 1897. Photo from the Ben Carter collection. ment, increase the education budget, end the convict labor lease system, and elect the first woman to the Alabama Legislature in 1922.

It was not until 1965 and the passage of the Voting Rights Act that all Alabama men and women gained the right to vote. Huntsville native Rev. Joseph Lowery, a founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and son of Dora Lowery, guided this effort.

Soon, our city will have four new historic markers recognizing the places where Huntsville women made suffrage history.

In honor of HESA, a marker will be placed at the Greene Street YMCA and at the former home of Ellelee Humes on McClung Avenue. To honor the six Black women voters, a marker will be placed at Councill High Memorial Park. A marker will also be placed at the former Adams Street home of Alice Baldridge.

Integrating the stories of Huntsville women into our public history through historic markers enhances Huntsville’s reputation of distinctiveness. Huntsville is strong enough to tell the difficult chapters of our history with honesty and empathy, so we can celebrate the progress we have made together.

■ Contributed by Donna Castellano Donna Castellano is the executive director of the Historic Huntsville Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Huntsville/Madison County’s historic resources. Learn more about their community-based mission and projects at www.historichuntsville.org oct 2020 initiatives

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SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Thanks to these 2020 Sponsors AS OF SEPT. 17

Presenting Sponsor: Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) Gold Sponsor: Board of Realtors – ValleyMLS.com; COLSA Corporation; UAH Office of Research & Economic Development

Silver Sponsors: Aerojet Rocketdyne; Avion Solutions; Davidson; Deloitte; Dynetics, Inc.; IronMountain Solutions; KBR; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI); PeopleTec, Inc.; S3, Inc.; Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.; Torch Technologies Bronze Sponsors: Comcast Business; Ignite, Inc.; Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3); Port of Huntsville; Reed Contracting Services; Redstone Federal Credit Union; SRC, Inc.; Women In Defense – Tennessee Valley Chapter

Presenting Sponsor: Landers McLarty Subaru Speaker Sponsor: Regenesis, Inc.

Silver Sponsors: HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology; Maynor & Mitchell Eye Center; Simple Helix, LLC Bronze Sponsors: Comcast Business; Good Samaritan Hospice of Madison; Lara Bryant State Farm Agency; Redstone Federal Credit Union; Robins & Morton

Presenting Sponsor: Investor’s Resource Gold Sponsor: Yulista

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Program Sponsor: U.S. Space & Rocket Center

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

HREGI PROFILE: WOODY ANDERSON FORD You know the name Woody Anderson Ford, but did you know this longtime business also serves our community? They have been very busy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dealer Cathy Anderson shared an update with us recently.

tured). Serving our community is important to us and in the words of Henry Ford, “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Tell us about your company and how it has evolved over the years.

Since 1961, Woody Anderson Ford, with locations in Huntsville and Madison, has served the north Alabama community by providing retail and commercial sales, maintenance, collision center, and vehicle rentals. Our dealership was recently recognized as the largest volume Ford dealership in Alabama, in addition to being named one of the top 100 Ford dealerships out of 3,800 in the country. We strive to lead the industry with our nationally recognized core values system: Integrity, Personal Growth, Urgency, Teamwork, Attention to Detail, Accountability, and Fun. With more than 240 employees, we are dedicated to delivering the best consumer experience and products in the country, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

You are very active in the community, and that’s been especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tell us about the work and why this is so important to you.

We love our community. While the current circumstances we face are challenging, it has been encouraging to see our community unite for the greater good during this time. We recognized a unique need that front-line workers were facing and realized we had the ability to meet this need. We connected with many essential businesses in our area to offer a free oil change, tire rotation, and vehicle inspection by our Mobile Service Team to those on the frontlines (pic-

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

What value does Woody Anderson Ford gain from your Chamber investment?

Our Chamber investment allows us to partner with the Chamber in many ways that are extremely beneficial to our business. We believe the Chamber plays a vital role in the current and future success of our city and we consider it an honor to invest in and partner with the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. ■

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asmartplace.com

ASmartPlace.com is a one-stop shop for job seekers and for people looking to relocate to

our area. The site covers what it is like to live, work, play and learn in The Rocket City. It includes thousands of jobs and answers many questions one might have about making the move to our city. Sponsorship opportunities are available for more exposure; and we promote on all of our social media platforms.

ASmartPlace on the Road are the recruitment events we host with a variety of colleges and universities all across the nation. Companies, this is a great opportunity to showcase your company and job openings to current students.

A Veteran Focus. We have many former military in the Huntsville/Madison County community who love calling The Rocket City home. We also place a high priority on recruiting transitioning military and veterans to our area for the skills and experience they bring to our workforce.

Go Rocket City! is a new virtual initiative created in response to COVID. Go Rocket City! connects summer interns to Huntsville’s favorite local spots, variety of cultures, diverse communities and so much more through videos. The goal of this initiative is to help connect interns to our community in an effort to retain them.

Link Up! is a ASmartPlace Young Professionals event. The goal is to showcase a variety of organizations to young professionals who are looking for ways to get plugged in to our community, whether that is through social events, professional development opportunities, or volunteering.

For more information, contact Katelyn Sides Baker Workforce Recruitment Director 256-535-2020 â– kbaker@hsvchamber.org

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A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

asmartplace.com/learn/smart-careers/

Smart Careers at ASmartPlace is a comprehensive career awareness initiative of the

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber Foundation to attract, prepare and connect today’s students with the careers that fuel our economy. The Foundation works with students, teachers, parents and business and industry to provide information and inspiration for tomorrow’s workforce. A Smart Career is one that is high growth, high demand, high wage or otherwise critical to our economy.

ASmartPlace Career Prep Curriculum is a free, online resource

that is directly aligned with the Alabama course of study. The curriculum is delivered through MySmartCareers.com along with thousands of career cards, videos and short courses that help students make informed choices.

Senior Sprint is a job fair for high school seniors who have not yet made

plans for work or school after graduation. We connect them with employers who are ready to hire and colleges that provide education and training to support smart choices. Nearly 30 percent of high school seniors do not have postgraduation plans, and we want to get these students on a path to a Smart Career.

Industry Insights is a professional development program for teachers, counselors and career coaches that provides a deep dive into Smart Careers in our region. The program includes tours, meetings with human resource professionals and hiring managers, and presentations from post-secondary partners about ongoing education and training.

State of the Schools is an annual event that brings together our

education officials and business leaders to learn about academic achievement, extracurricular programs, and challenges facing the schools. Education is key to workforce development and workforce recruitment, and this event is an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between education and industry.

Career Prep Consortium Across North Alabama (CPCANA)

is a network of educators that are engaged in career awareness and preparation for high school students. The CPCANA provides free resources and direct connection to business and industry.

For more information, contact Kent Ballard, Jr. Workforce Education Specialist 256-535-2025 ■ kballard@hsvchamber.org

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

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WORKPLACE SUPPORT

Madison County: WE3 Looking to Empower, Equip, and Encourage female employees

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s the third largest county in Alabama, Madison County is proud to provide efficient county services to an ever-growing population. Our workforce of over 1,100 employees, in more than 30 departments, works day in and day out to serve the residents of Madison County. From the waste control and water departments to employees in the courthouse, sheriff ’s office, and everywhere in between, each department is vital to serving our citizens with excellence and making Madison County the greatest place to live and work!

In 2019, Madison County introduced the WE3 initiative to our employees, which stands for Women: Empower, Equip, and Encourage. WE3 was established to empower, equip, and encourage female Madison County employees to pursue leadership roles and increase gender diversity within the county. Our vision is to create a culture in which all people feel safe, seen, heard, and respected,

resulting in a work environment that rises to a higher standard of behavior.

What started as a vision for growing female employees has truly bloomed into an opportunity to highlight diversity and train and develop employees as a whole.

Since its conception, WE3 has hosted several leadership trainings including “Engaging Your Potential” with guest speaker Linda Spalla and “Empowering the Women of Madison County,” a discussion focused on the barriers women face in the workplace.

These trainings are focused around developing leadership skills and encouraging employees to lead in the roles they are in. In December 2019, WE3 was proud to hold its first community service project – a women’s winter clothing drive. In just 18 days, employees collected nearly four carloads of women’s clothing to benefit the Downtown Rescue Mission.

I can’t say enough about how good Bryant Bank has been to us over the last 11 years, but they have just gone above and beyond during this crisis to ensure that we can keep our doors open and our employees working!

Advanced Life Clinic, Huntsville Dr. Hayley DeGraaff

Downtown Huntsville: 256-535-1045 Southeast Huntsville: 256-217-5170 Personal | Private | Business | Mortgage Banking Services BryantBank.com 30

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NMLS 582857

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

Through trainings, workshops, and service projects, WE3 has built a community that fosters honest discussion and a safe place for employees to learn and grow.

While 2020 has been challenging in terms of “in person” community, we have refocused our efforts in reaching employees virtually through email campaigns and employee spotlights. Employee spotlights are our way to congratulate female employees who have received certifications, recognize momentous service anniversaries, or commend an employee for going above and beyond.

While we cannot meet for in person trainings, we are working to encourage employees with leadership resources and, in the future, virtual trainings. We are actively planning our 2020 community service project and are excited to creatively give back while following current guidelines for health and safety.

Meeting the needs of a diverse workforce can be hard, but WE3 has proven the importance of encouraging, empowering, and equipping our employees. We have enjoyed building relationships, discussing workplace scenarios, and networking with local women’s leadership advocates and with women across the county.

Each one of our employees is vital in the growth and advancement of Madison County, and we hope that WE3 can better serve them as they serve our residents.

We hope that our initiative will inspire you to dive deep into the foundation of your organization and focus on developing your employees and increasing minority representation.

■ Contributed by Bailey McGuire Madison County Commission

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

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COMMUNITY SERVICE

From Tailgate Tuesdays and online boxing to Meals on Wheels, the Huntsville-Madison County Senior Center tries hard to reach the needs in our community while staying safe in this trying season.

Still Here for You Senior Center finds ways to serve clients through pandemic

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s Huntsville grows, we all grow older. The Huntsville-Madison County Senior Center is here to keep people active and engaged. That’s been a challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, because seniors are at higher risk to contract the virus, so the halls and activity rooms at the Center have been relatively quiet.

“Our clients miss us almost as much as we miss them,” said Tom Glynn, who has been Executive Director for 44 of the 46 years the Center has been providing services to those 60 and up in Madison County. “If the Governor opened senior centers tomorrow, we still wouldn’t open yet because the numbers don’t justify that. We’re here first and foremost to take care of our clients, their health and safety, and to keep them actively involved in living.”

This is the largest senior center in the state, with 42 staff members, most of whom work part time. Glynn said no employees have been cut.

On any given day when the Center is active and buzzing, 400 people visit to participate in different activities such as pickleball, music, pottery, textile weaving, and yoga, just to name a few. Vol-

unteer staff began teaching some classes virtually in September, including painting and jewelry-making.

They’ve also been able to resume teaching Rock Steady Boxing online and then in person. Through this program, people with Parkinson’s disease enhance their daily quality of life and improve strength, speed, and flexibility. There are currently about 120 people in the program in Madison County. “I’ve seen people turn around and (mentally) come back,” said Glynn. “We were so thankful to bring this program back virtually – and subsequently live on September 8 – because it helps so many people.”

On September 8, the Center held its first in-person event since March: Tailgate Tuesday. Going forward, seniors can come by on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and park in every other parking space, and either sit in their cars or bring a chair and sit outside to visit with friends and enjoy an early lunch, socially distanced and wearing masks.

Throughout the closure, the Center has continued Meals on Wheels, which serves meals to shut-ins throughout Huntsville every weekday. Some people pick up meals at the Center, which is located on Drake Avenue. However, most are delivered by a dedicated network of volunteers, and five other Nutrition Centers help with meal service throughout Madison County.

Adult daycare has had to be put on hold for now. This program provides care for people who are physically or mentally challenged and can’t be left at home alone during the day. About half of those in the adult daycare program are seniors, while the other half are people over 18 who need specialized care.

CREDIT: CATHIE MAYNE

Recruiting workers? Tell them about the Senior Center

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initiatives oct 2020

Glynn urges companies to mention the Senior Center when recruiting workers. When families were considering moving to Huntsville during the St. Louis BRAC process, he said about 300 people toured the Center to see what was available for their older parents. “There were some who had said they weren’t going to move to Alabama because of the stigma, but once they saw this place for their parents, they came. It was a tremendous draw,” said Glynn.

And, for companies who have workforce gaps, he has another A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

CREDIT: CATHIE MAYNE

idea. “We have so many people who are retired from NASA, government, industry, many of whom regret retiring. They miss the involvement, the challenges, and to some extent, the money. It would behoove those who are looking to expand their workforce to consider making some part-time jobs and finding experience that’s already right here.”

Get Involved!

Like so many other nonprofits, the Senior Center has made major changes in operations and fundraising due to the pandemic. The Center hosted an online auction through the month of September and is also asking for donations through a GoFundMe link on its website.

There are many opportunities to stay active and volunteer, too.

Meals on Wheels currently has 600 volunteers, and there are other ways to get plugged in through RSVP, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Visit www.seniorview.com to learn more and help support the Senior Center today.

■ Claire Aiello Vice President, Marketing & Communications

WHERE THE FUTURE WORKS redstonegateway.com

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

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“This Girl Can” New mural honors women’s suffrage You may have noticed the new mural that is located in downtown Huntsville on Washington Street. The Women’s Economic Development Council (WEDC) created this project and worked with Arts Huntsville, the City of Huntsville, and other community partners to make it happen. It is the first three-story mural in downtown Huntsville and is called ‘This Girl Can.’ “The Women’s Economic Development Council is honored to have led this joint effort to celebrate all of the women who came before us to ensure our right to vote,” said Erin Bloxham Curtis, the WEDC project manager. “WEDC is an organization that champions women leaders in our community, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without these trailblazers.”

The mural, created

by Kimberly Radford of Nashville, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. What better organization than WEDC to spearhead this project. The mission of WEDC is to provide opportunities to women for leadership and economic development through education, mentorship, and strategic connections.

“Huntsville’s public art portfolio has grown through both public and private investment, and this project was funded by a record number of community partners representing the diverse fabric of our community,” said Allison Dillon-Jauken, Arts Huntsville executive director. “A guiding vision for public art in Huntsville is to create installations that lift the spirit and engage the mind. As ‘This Girl Can’ soars above Washington Street, it embodies that vision as it greets residents and visitors in downtown Huntsville each day.”

We encourage you to stop by and enjoy the latest mural added to downtown Huntsville, located at 112 Washington Street NE. For more information about the mural, visit www.wedchsv.org/ womens-suffrage-centennial.

■ Katelyn Sides Baker Workforce Recruitment Director Economic Development, Workforce & Education

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A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

www.healsinc.org

Ensuring underserved children of Huntsville/Madison County receive the healthcare they deserve.

The combination of IBERIABANK and First Horizon creates a leading financial services company dedicated to enriching the lives of our clients, associates and communities.

4700 Whitesburg Dr Suite 150 | 400 Meridian Street, Suite 108 | 53 Hughes Road www.firsthorizon.com/better-together

IN OTHER NEWS

Moog opens regional support center in Huntsville Moog Inc. announced its expansion in Huntsville, Ala. on September 14 with the opening of a regional support center. The new center includes a large laboratory to support local research, development and testing activities, abundant office space, and essential collaboration space.

“Located next to the Army Materiel Command Headquarters, the Huntsville Regional Support Center is a key element in our strategy to assist new programs as well as maintain existing business through our growing defense sustainment activities in support of the warfighter,” said Martin Bobak, vice president defense sustainment, Moog Inc. Mary Occhipinti is the Huntsville site manager, and is a native of the Rocket City. Occhipinti has been supporting various Moog business groups for more than 13 years.

“This investment and expansion in Huntsville reflects Moog’s ongoing commitment in support of our key space, defense, and industrial customers across the Southeast. With the opening, we have already doubled our local presence and plan to add additional technical positions,” Occhipinti said.

The center is located at 360F Quality Circle, Suite 650, Huntsville, Alabama. August 31 marked the official soft opening, and a grand opening is planned in the future.

Moog Inc. is a worldwide designer, manufacturer, and integrator of precision control components and systems. The company said it decided to expand here because Huntsville is home to Redstone Arsenal, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and many key prime industry customers.

View Moog career opportunities at moog.com/careers. ■

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A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

Population

Madison City of City of Huntsville County Huntsville Madison Metro Area

2010 Census

334,811

180,105 42,938

417,593

2019 Census est.

372,909

200,574

51,593

471,824

11.4%

11.4%

20.2%

13.0%

% Growth

COMMUNITY PROFILE Top Ten Employers: Huntsville & Madison County Redstone Arsenal* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,000* Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,352

Households & Income

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000

# of Households

152,723

Avg. Household Income Per Capita Income

17,530

185,056

Huntsville City Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000

$85,717

$79,715 $115,779

$84,048

The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,900

$35,822

$34,089 $43,917

$34,224

Dynetics, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,900

As of July 2020

84,848

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov), 2018 American Community Survey Estimates

SAIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,746 Madison County Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,389 City of Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,206 ADTRAN, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,925 Source: Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

*includes on-site contractors

Aerospace & Defense Huntsville/Madison County is home to the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center which combine to drive a thriving aerospace and defense technology industry. More than 44,000 people work at Redstone Arsenal and NASA, managing some of the country’s most important and sophisticated technology programs including missiles, aviation, and space exploration.

Research & Technology For more information, visit:

hsvchamber.org

NOW LOCATED at Highway 72/Providence.

A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park has earned a reputation as a global leader in technology development. The second-largest science and technology research park in the U.S., Cummings Research Park is home to nearly 300 companies and 26,500 people involved in technology research and development.

DAMSON.COM

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Huntsville Hospital Main Campus Huntsville, Alabama

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

STA FF Executive Staff

Chip Cherry, CCE, president & CEO Meghan Nazario, executive assistant

Economic Development, Industry Relations & Workforce Lucia Cape, CCE, senior vice president Erin Koshut, executive director, Cummings Research Park Katelyn Sides Baker, workforce recruitment director Lydia Pennington, industry relations director John Roberts, economic development project director Ken Smith, research & information services director Julia Kaye, marketing & events coordinator

WE SALUTE OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS

HUNTSVILLE and MADISON COUNTY since 1985.

and are proud to be part of

Government & Public Affairs Mike Ward, CCE, senior vice president Amberly Kimbrough, events coordinator

Marketing & Communications Claire Aiello, vice president Kristi Sherrard, graphic designer Hiroko Sedensky, web designer

Small Business & Events General Contractor 4900 University Square, Suite 2, Huntsville, AL 35816 www.robinsmorton.com

Pammie Jimmar, IOM, vice president

Finance & Administration Mary McNairy, vice president Kim Weeks, accounting specialist – receivables Joe Watson, facilities supervisor Sarah Blackmon, administrative coordinator Tiffany Boyd, resource desk coordinator

Investor Relations Amber Greenwood, vice president Kristy Drake, director, HREGI & ChamberON Donna McCrary, retention manager Richard Bigoney, account executive Tina Blankenship, account executive

Chamber Foundation Kent Ballard, Jr., workforce education specialist

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber 225 Church Street NW, Huntsville, AL 35801 phone 256-535-2000 | fax 256-535-2015

HSVchamber.org

Associated Organizations

theschoolsfoundation.org uah.edu/sbdc

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A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION

Confidence at the cutting edge A shared vision. A common mission.

An invaluable partnership. We work closely with you to deliver innovative, end-to-end solutions that enable the U.S. and its allies to overcome today’s challenges — and outpace tomorrow’s threats.

© 2020 Raytheon Company, a Raytheon Technologies company

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