Initiatives - December 2022

by

Focused On You

When it comes to managing the challenges facing your business, it’s critical to partner with a legal team that has a sophisticated understanding of your goals. As a full-service law firm with extensive experience in intellectual property, life sciences, corporate, tax, construction, government contracts, class actions, and complex litigation, our attorneys address the unique needs of our clients in Huntsville, across the country and around the world. At Bradley, we’re focused on providing you with innovative solutions, dependable responsiveness and a deep commitment to success.

For more information, visit our website www.bradley.com

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. ©2021

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

new chamber members

HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER

Joined in September

ACI

If you want to make a valuable investment in your business and the community, the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber is the place to start. Contact Crystal Baker, Membership Retention Specialist: 256-535-2039 or cbaker@hsvchamber.org.

ApproXie

Urgent Care Bank Independent - South ClearTrack HR Cottages at Oak Grove Dairy Diriga Services Easyl Engraving

Fifth Gait Technologies, Inc Founders Advisors, LLC Grimaldi’s Pizzeria

Handel’s Ice Cream Jones Valley Huntsville Hurricanes IBM

Landscape Workshop, LLC Launch Huntsville McCurry Van & Car Rental Move Digital Group Open Door PBR Lockhart Huntsville Performance Drone Works Public Resource, LLC RMCI, Inc.

SafeSplash + SwimLabs Huntsville - Madison

Sheryl Schettinger, Realtor Realty One Group Titanium/SS Homes Southern Jamm Security Storm Guard Roofing Stretch Zone

The Mason & Hanger Group Inc. The University of West Alabama Office of Career Services

Joined in October

American Portfolio Mortgage American Video & Alarm, Inc.

Arcfield

Aurora Luxury Apartments Awick Enterprises, Inc. Benchmark Bonaventure

C3.ai

Dr. Danny Lee, Laser Eye Center HHUC Hazel Green Information Sciences and Consulting, Inc Johnson & Hayes Physical Therapists - Hampton Cove Komposition LLC Legacy Warehouse, LLC Maverick RF Solutions Inc Meister

On the Spot Full Service Car Wash Peoples Bank of Alabama Pinnacle Financial Partners, a Tennessee bank PJ’s Coffee - Huntsville Downtown RemainSafe, LLC Romach Technologies Inc Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill Technica Corporation

The Furniture Source

Become a Chamber Member

In addition to investing in the economic growth of the entire region, as a Chamber member, you receive a variety of important benefits:

■ Build business relationships, create partnerships, and grow your business

■ Listing in the online Membership Directory

■ Specially designed professional development programs to grow your talent and strengthen your business

■ Brand exposure through the Chamber’s multimedia platforms to fellow member companies and the region’s business community

■ Priority communications to keep you updated on the latest business news and information impacting your business

The Masters Salon TNT Fireworks

Town of Gurley

MEMBERS: Check out getyourgifton.org to support gift card purchases through our local restaurants and retail stores. It is FREE to list your business there.

hregi investors

HUNTSVILLE REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH INITIATIVE

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) ■ Crestwood Medical Center Dynetics, Inc. ■ Lockheed Martin Corporation PNC Bank ■ Raytheon Technologies ■ SAIC Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. ■ Torch Technologies ■ Yulista

DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

REGIONAL PARTNERS

LEADERSHIP FORUM

CHAMBER TRUSTEES

Akima, LLC ■ Bill Penney Toyota/Mitsubishi Five Stones Research Corporation ■ Intrepid ■ Jerry Damson Honda Acura KBR ■ Landers McLarty Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne P.C. ■ Parsons ■ S3, Inc. Science and Engineering Services, LLC (SES) ■ Sealy Management Company, Inc. SportsMED Orthopaedic Surgery & Spine Center ■ Synovus

PROGRESS PARTNERS

Ability Plus, Inc. ■ Aerojet Rocketdyne ■ Amazon ■ Anglin Reichmann Armstrong, P.C. ■ ASRC Federal ■ B.L. Harbert International, LLC ■ Baron Weather, Inc. ■ BASF Corporation ■ Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP ■ Brown Precision, Inc. ■ Beyond Gravity ■ CFD Research Corporation ■ Colliers International ■ Corporate Tax Advisors Inc. ■ Davidson ■ First Horizon ■ Freedom Real Estate & Capital, LLC ■ Goodwyn Mills Cawood, LLC ■ Huntsville Botanical Garden ■ Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. ■ Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3) ■ IronMountain Solutions ■ Keel Point, LLC ■ Leonardo Electronics US Inc. ■ LSINC Corporation ■ Marsh & McLennan Agency, locally known as J. Smith Lanier & Co. ■ The Orthopaedic Center (TOC) ■ Progress Bank ■ Radiance Technologies, Inc. ■ RE/MAX Alliance ■ Robins & Morton ■ ServisFirst Bank ■ SMX ■ SouthState Bank ■ Steak-Out (Rosie’s Restaurants, Inc., & Right Way Restaurants, Inc.) ■ Venturi, LLC

■ Woody Anderson Ford

PROGRESS INVESTORS

Accenture Federal Services ■ Air Essentials, Inc. ■ Alpha Beta Technologies, Inc. ■ Amanda Howard | Sotheby’s International Realty ■ Avion Solutions ■ Averbuch Realty / Enterprises ■ Bailey-Harris Construction ■ Bell Textron Inc. ■ BRPH Architects-Engineers, Inc. ■ Bryant Bank ■ Cadence Bank ■ Canvas, Inc. ■ CB&S Bank ■ Century Automotive ■ CGI Federal ■ Coast Personnel Services ■ Corvid Technologies LLC ■ deciBel Research ■ Deloitte ■ DESE Research, Inc. ■ Express Employment Professionals ■ FITE Building Company ■ FLS Translation & Interpreting ■ Fountain, Parker, Harbarger & Associates, LLC ■ Garver, LLC ■ GTEC, LLC ■ Hexagon US Federal ■ HEMSI ■ Hiley Automotive Group ■ Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau ■ INTERFUZE Corporation ■ Investor’s Resource ■ L3Harris ■ The Lioce Group, Inc. ■ MSB Analytics, Inc. ■ nLogic, LLC ■ PALCO ■ PHOENIX ■ PROJECTXYZ, Inc. ■

QTEC Aerospace ■ Quadrus Corporation ■ Renasant Bank ■ RJ Young Company ■ Rosenblum Realty, Inc. ■ Schoel Engineering Company, Inc. ■ Sigmatech, Inc. ■ Signalink, Inc. ■ Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. ■ Transcend, The Fearless Company ■ TriVector Services, Inc. ■ Troy 7, Inc. ■ Truist Bank ■ TTL, Inc. ■ ValleyMLS.com ■ Valor Communities ■ Van Valkenburgh & Wilkinson Properties, Inc. ■ Volkert, Inc. ■ Warren Averett, LLC ■ Wilmer & Lee, P.A.

For more information, contact Kristy Drake, Vice President, Investor Relations: 256-535-2036 or kdrake@hsvchamber.org

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

HSVchamber.org

(see staff listing on page 34)

Chamber members: You are encouraged to contribute ideas for our publications. Please send items to comms@hsvchamber.org

The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber maintains editorial control.

on the cover

U.S. Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama

editorial staff

publisher Chip Cherry, CCE editor Claire Aiello editorial designer Kristi Sherrard contributing writers

Kayla Brown

Lyndsay Ferguson

Deborah Storey advertising

Kristy Drake kdrake@hsvchamber.org

HUNTSVILLE MADISON COUNTY ALABAMA

Military, space, telecommunications, biotechnol ogy, diversified manufacturing, and a variety of emerging specialties provide challenging work in delightful surroundings. The area enjoys a favorable cost of living and quality of life. Moun tains, lakes, woodlands, and the Tennessee River accommodate numerous recreational activities. A temperate climate enhances the season for outdoor sports, including world-class golf, hiking, biking, and fishing. Major concerts, Broadway and symphony performances, extensive permanent collections, and traveling exhibitions contribute to a wonderful way of life.

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, Inc. 225 Church St NW, Huntsville, AL 35801 • 256-535-2000

table of contents

INITIATIVES MAGAZINE – DEC 2022

a message from chip cherry

HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER

Dear Chamber Investors, Community Leaders, and Friends:

I have mentioned in previous letters how blessed we have been to have an advocate like Senator Richard Shelby in the Senate. Sen. Shelby has consistently taken the long view of how investments by the federal government in Alabama would benefit both the State and the Nation. He has also done a masterful job seeing how strategic assets and commands on Redstone Arsenal could be leveraged to support enhanced levels of engagement by agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Sen. Shelby’s ability to pursue strategic initiatives and working through multiple administrations, and across the aisle to effectively make his case and secure funding are the hallmarks of a true Statesman. We have benefited greatly from his efforts, the impacts of which will be felt for generations to come!

Mark your calendars for Memorial Day Weekend 2023. Our community will host the first UCI Paracycling Road World Cup on U.S. soil. It will be held in Cummings Research Park May 26-29, and this event is significantly larger than the U.S. Paralympics Cycling Open we have hosted the last two years. We need your help to make it a success! I encourage you to learn more about the event and opportunities to engage by reading the article on page 31 and visiting huntsvilleparaworldcup.com . There’s a link to sign up to volunteer – we’ll be in touch with more details soon.

General Ed Daly champions one of our key objectives in his ‘Hire and Inspire’ message on page 35 – recruiting women and men who are transitioning out of the Armed Services. I encourage you to engage with us in this effort to hire Veterans. Please contact Lyndsay Ferguson, our vice president of Workforce, at lferguson@hsvchamber.org to learn more and engage.

Please take a little time to discover what our Small Businesses and local restaurants have to offer during the holiday season (actually, all year). They are the heart and soul of our community; this foundation of women and men who have chosen to invest their money and talent in the Rocket City. Who knows what treasures you will find or wonderful culinary experiences await you? So, step away from your computer and discover something new and unique. We also spotlight our recent Small Business Award winners, beginning on page 25.

On behalf of the Volunteers and Team Members of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber, I wish you a blessed Holiday Season and a prosperous New Year! I look forward to seeing you at a Chamber event soon.

Executive Committee

Greg Brown, Board Chair – Brown Precision, Inc.

Lynn Troy, Chair-elect – Troy 7, Inc.

Jeff Gronberg, Immediate Past Chair – deciBel Research, Inc.

Ron Poteat, President, Chamber Foundation – Regions Bank

Jeff Samz, Secretary/Treasurer – Huntsville Hospital

Michelle Jordan, Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – TARCOG

Sameer Singhal, Vice Chair, Economic Development & Workforce –CFD Research Corporation

Ronnie Chronister, Vice Chair, Government & Public Affairs –Dynetics, Inc.

Dr. Karockas Watkins, Vice Chair, HREGI – Ability Plus, Inc.

Blake Bentley, Vice Chair, Investor Relations – SportsMED

Jim Rogers, Vice Chair, Marketing & Communications – Lockheed Martin

Joe Ritch, Vice Chair, Redstone Regional Alliance – Dentons Sirote PC

Jami Peyton, Vice Chair, Small Business – Canvas, Inc.

Sean Kelly, Chair-Appointed – Regions Bank

Jason Puckett, Chair-Appointed – Toyota Alabama

Frank Williams, Chair-Appointed –Landers McLarty Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram

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 Co. Commission

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

Elected board

Ted Baudendistel, INTERFUZE Corporation

David Bier, Anglin Reichmann Armstrong, P.C.

Penny Billings, Cadence Bank

G.W. Boon, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI)

Thomas Busby, SouthState Bank

Katie Comer, Meta Platforms, Inc.

Brett Crain, Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc.

Dr. Patti Dare, Davidson

Melissa Davis, MTA, Inc.

Kevin Fernandez, L2 Mindset

Greg Fortier, SAIC

Owen Franklin, Blue Summit Supplies

Greg Gaddy, Five Stones Research Corporation

Scott Hall, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.

Ginger Harper, First Horizon

Josh Herren, Yulista

Tharon Honeycutt, MSB Analytics, Inc.

Laura Huckabee-Jennings, Transcend, The Fearless Company

Lincoln Hudson, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.

Tyce Hudson, Freedom Real Estate and Capital, LLC

Hank Isenberg, IronMountain Solutions

Clint Kirkland, Progress Bank

Rich Kretzschmar, Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3)

James Lackey, Parsons

Todd May, KBR

Bob McCaleb, Northrop Grumman Corporation

Chrystal Morgan, The Boeing Company

Craig Naudain, The Naudain Group, LLC

Nadia Niakossary, RCP Companies

Alana Parker, Rocket City Drywall & Supply, Inc.

Meredith Payne, Caliola

Zack Penney, Bill Penney Toyota/Mitsubishi

Chris Russell, Linscomb & Williams

Alicia Ryan, LSINC Corporation

Beth Sippel, Synovus

Wayne Sisco, Redstone Federal Credit Union

Tom Stanton, Adtran, Inc.

Sandra Stephens, Keel Point, LLC

Mitch Stevison, Mercury Systems, Inc.

Nilmini Thompson, Systems Products and Solutions, Inc.

Mark Vaporis, Intrepid

Mike Watkins, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

John Watson, Torch Technologies

HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER

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

Minutes still matter in an emergency

Don’t delay health care.

Chest pain, severe abdominal pain, headache, high fever and other symptoms often need fast medical care, so please don’t delay getting care in an emergency. With screening for everyone, enhanced cleaning, masking and social distancing, we are taking extra precautions to help keep our emergency rooms safe – and ready to care for you.

Chest pain, severe abdominal pain, headache, high fever and other symptoms often need fast medical care, so please don’t delay getting care in an emergency. With screening for everyone, enhanced cleaning, masking and social distancing, we are taking extra precautions to help keep our emergency rooms safe – and ready to care for you.

Learn more at CrestwoodMedCenter.com or call 911 in an emergency.

Learn more at CrestwoodMedCenter.com or call 911 in an emergency.

CrestwoodMedCenter.com

CrestwoodMedCenter.com

The will to make it happen has never been a question. Opportunity was all you needed to open the door. At First Horizon, we’re proud to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that are bringing new perspective to the Rocket City and unlocking opportunity for our next generation of leaders.

©2022 First Horizon Bank. Member FDIC.

When Darren Woodruff founded JDM Solutions in 2018, he want ed his business to be a place where everyone could succeed. The company’s custom software apps demand rapid prototyping, which also require a significant amount of testing and extreme attention to detail. “A lot of the capabilities that autistic neurodiverse folks have – attention to detail and the ability to focus on very particular things – really seemed like they would lend themselves well to that work,” shared Woodruff. However, his team didn’t know where to start an in tentional journey to employ a neurodiverse workforce. An introduc tion to David Stidger, Founder of Open Door, a company that provides job coaching and soft skill training for adults with autism, ended up providing the answer they were seeking.

Through collaboration with Open Door, JDM Solutions has hosted six autistic individuals in software testing and quality control roles. Four of those individuals are now employed part-time. Each individu al started with JDM as part of Open Door’s 90-day field work experience program. What surprised Woodruff most about the partnership was “how amazingly quick everyone was able to produce and the quality and quantity of work they did – just fantastic work. The testing is a good fit and they’ve proven that out.” In fact, one client, Steven, was producing test reports with equal quality of seasoned software engi neers after only two days on the job.

“A lot of our clients have a propensity to see errors in data and minute details that most neurotypical people wouldn’t see. In the realm of testing or data analytics, that has a lot of value,” says Stidger. Open Door evaluates each client and then seeks to place them in a work environment that aligns to their natural interests and abilities. They are consistently seeking employer partnerships for these field work experi ences, which also include an Open Door job coach that ac companies the client during their experience.

“Everyone benefits by getting to know people who work different ly than they do,” says Mel Knight, a job coach for Open Door. “Neuro typical people may not recognize the benefits we will receive; how much we need exposure to different kinds of brains. I want employ ees to benefit from knowing my clients as much as I want my clients to benefit from being in the environment.”

Lockheed Martin’s Human Resources Senior Manager, Leah Sketo, was introduced to Open Door and decided to serve as a field experi ence work location. Two of Lockheed Martin’s programs immediate ly jumped on the opportunity to bring Open Door’s client, William, onto their teams. William supported both programs during his initial experience at Lockheed Martin, primarily driving document accura cy and consistency by evaluating measurement and development plans for errors and discrepancies. Sketo was surprised by “the ease

Focus on the Details

Incorporating neurodiversity in the workplace

with which our programs partnered together to best suit William’s skill set.” In fact, the programs requested to extend the initial 90-day partnership to 180 days.

“Diversity and inclusion provide better opportunities for creativi ty and innovation, stronger teams, and a welcoming workplace,” said Sketo. “William has shown us that we all work together in different ways and that neurodiversity is a strength that contributes to a suc cessful work experience.”

Often, employers think it will be difficult to incorporate neurodi versity into their teams. “In reality, it’s some really small but neces sary adjustments that opens the door – whether through the inter view process or the work environment; things like dimming lights and small changes that you can do to make the environment comfort able,” says Michelle Woodruff, HR Director for JDM Solutions.

Making these small adjustments can also provide companies

with access to hidden talent. Neurodiversity is often overlooked in diversity discussions, and consequently, hiring efforts. As a result, neurodivergent individuals often experience higher rates of unem ployment and underemployment compared to the general popula tion, according to a January 2022 article by Deloitte. “They are not unemployable, but they are underemployed or not matched with what their skills are,” says (Darren) Woodruff. “There is so much out there and so many places for them to go if other employers are more open to that. I think every business has a place to carve out for neurodiverse.”

If you or your business are interested in partnering with Open Door, contact David Stidger by email: david@opendoor.training

The JDM Solutions team with Nick, an Open Door client. (CREDIT: OPEN DOOR)

Calling Future Machinists

Calhoun opens Gene Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing

n November 15, Calhoun Community College hosted the official opening of the Gene Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing. It is located at the school’s Decatur campus and is made possible by a $550,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation.

O

The Gene Haas Foundation is already established with Calhoun, having provided annual scholarships to students in Calhoun’s CNC manufacturing lab for more than a decade. This new grant will help supply the needed resources for additional workforce training, build ing the talent pipeline for high-growth, high-demand manufacturing jobs that provide family sustaining wages. The Center will provide improvements to facilities to better train the next generation of pre cision machinists.

“Machining is so important here in north Alabama and across the country. My career started as a machinist and this announcement has been a long-term goal of mine,” said Dr. Jimmy Hodges, Calhoun Community College president. “It is a privilege to be selected for this. Calhoun students participate in national competitions and one of the reasons they are successful is because we use Haas equipment. The generosity of the Gene Haas Foundation will allow us to contin ue touching lives and helping students learn a skill and earn a good living.” •

Election Results

North Alabama: new representation in Congress, State Legislature

Katie Britt (right) will succeed U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, after winning the November 8 election and becoming the first woman elected to the U.S. senate in our state’s history. She is also the young est female GOP senator.

Dale Strong (below) was elected to serve the 5th District in the U.S. House. He has served on the Madison Coun ty Commission since 1996, and he has served as Chair since 2012.

Both Britt and Strong will be sworn into office on January 3, 2023.

Voters also overwhelmingly re-elected Governor Kay Ivey for her second term.

In State House races for Madison County, Republican David Cole won Dis trict 10 in west Madison County. This seat was held by Rep. Mike Ball, who is retiring. In District 25, Repub lican Phillip Rigsby won the seat to replace Rep. Mac McCutcheon, who is also retiring.

The other new member of the delegation is James Lomax, who did not face opposition in the General Election. Otherwise, incumbents claimed the remaining seats in the local Legislative Delegation.

Mediacom Business delivers turnkey IT solutions, specifically designed to help small business owners. Your Gigabit Internet, Wi-Fi, and Data Security are managed and monitored for you around the clock—securely and efficiently—so you can do what you do best, run your business.

Congratulations to all on their success. We look forward to work ing with the old and new members in our delegation.

– Claire Aiello

David Cole

Phillip Rigsby

James Lomax

community highlights

COMPILED BY KAYLA BROWN

We Rock the Spectrum opens new location

In October, We Rock the Spectrum - Huntsville officially cut the ribbon on their new facility in Owens Cross Roads. The facility offers sensory activities for all children, but more specifically provides a safe space for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The owners of this business, Vanessa and Joaquin Tucker, also run the nonprofit The Autism Help Foundation. Learn more about this new indoor play space on their website: werockthespectrumhuntsville.com

Japan-America Society of Alabama update

The Japan-America Society of Alabama held its 2022 Celebration Dinner and Business Forum in Huntsville on October 20-21. For the first time since 2019, JASA brought Japanese companies and economic developers from across the state to celebrate the relationship between Japan and Al abama. Huntsville/Madison County Chamber President and CEO Chip Cherry introduced Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield at the dinner to recognize Japanese companies that had ex panded in the state. Cherry also introduced Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA Vice President Mark Brazeal as the keynote speaker at the Business Forum. Both events were held at The Westin.

UNA, JSU play at Toyota Field

During the off season, the Rocket City Trash Pandas try to find ways to keep the community engaged at Toyota Field. With that in mind, they partnered with two north Alabama colleges for a historic event only done a handful of times before in the country. The grounds crew at Toyota Field took their skills and created a one-of-a-kind football field on the baseball diamond so they could host

the University of North Alabama (UNA) and Jacksonville State University (JSU). The game was held on Oct. 15. The Gamecocks (JSU) won by a final score of 47-31.

SRC announces partnership with Alabama A&M

Scientific Research Corporation (SRC) announced this year a newly formed relationship with Al abama A&M University (AAMU) that aligns with a diversity and inclusion strategy for community outreach and recruitment initiatives. SRC committed to a $165,000 investment to enable AAMU to meet the needs of the College of Engineering, Technology, and Physical Sciences students in an expanded capacity.

Accepting the donation on behalf of AAMU, President of AAMU, Dr. Daniel K. Wims said: “I’m grateful for the follow up and partnership that [SRC] didn’t have to do. We are focusing on part nering with companies that have a presence in Huntsville. We have outstanding graduates who have done well nationally and globally, but not so many stay in Huntsville. We would like for SRC to help us keep our stars in Huntsville and you can help us with this. Thank you so much on behalf of our Board of Trustees, our alums, our students and staff. This is a great partnership and a great investment.”

Huntsville hosts TRX event

On October 18 and 19, Huntsville hosted its first America Makes Technical Review and Exchange (TRX) at UAH. The event, sponsored by General Lattice, was organized by America Makes, the na tion’s leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM) technology and educa tion, and Huntsville’s Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Integration Center (AMIIC), a whol ly-owned subsidiary of the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM).

The event drew attendees from all over the US, many of whom had their first taste of the Rocket City while learning about a variety of America Makes projects. The event showcased presenters who are experts in the advanced and additive manufacturing industry. Jeramie Broadway, Center Strategy Lead for NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center’s Partnerships & Formulation Office presented the keynote address, during which he discussed the role that Marshall Space Flight Center and Team Redstone play in the growth and change taking place in the city and NASA’s focus on additive manufacturing.

Annual Outing moves to Huntsville Depot

This year’s Annual Outing looked a little different than recent years. With storms approaching the area the afternoon of October 25, the Chamber made sure to act swiftly and change the location from Ditto Landing to the Roundhouse at the Historic Huntsville Depot. We are very grateful to ev eryone who shifted their plans. Nearly 300 people attended to enjoy fresh Gulf seafood, an open bar, live music by the Bub baNauts, and networking. We would like to give a very special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor of the event, Yulista.

Continuing to Grow

Bocar hosts Open House at Huntsville facility

ocar Group welcomed local community and elected leaders on Oc tober 11 as it hosted an open house at its facility in the Huntsville city limits of Limestone County. It was the company’s first opportu nity to showcase the plant since it began operations in 2020, and it is now up to full capacity.

B

Bocar has invested $176 million for land and construction, and is

meeting the growing demand for local and global markets. Bocar is an international supplier of high-pressure die cast aluminum compo nents and semi-permanent molds, and produces parts for automakers such as Ford, Volkswagen, Daimler, Mercedes, and Toyota. In fact, it is in the process of expanding to support Toyota’s Huntsville engine plant in the near future.

“With our first plant in the U.S. we are confident that Bocar Group is prepared to face the challenges of the global automotive industry such as weight reduc tion, more efficient engines and electrification, which will also bring new opportunities,” said Marcus Baur, president of Bocar Group. “We are expanding our in ternational presence and increasing our competitive advantage through innovation and technology. Highly specialized manufacturing processes and components are the keys to ensure value-added products and ser vices for our customers.”

The new plant has 323,000 square feet of production and includes 18,000 square feet of offices, quality lab oratories, a training center, and employee services. By the end of 2022, 420 employees are expected to work on 21 different products. The company continues to hire. If you are interested, please visit www.bocar.com . •

Madison City of City of Huntsville

POPULATION County Huntsville Madison Metro Area

2010 Census 334,811 180,105 42,938 417,593

2021 Census 395,211 216,963 58,357 502,728 % Growth 18.0% 20.5% 35.9% 20.4%

HOUSEHOLDS & INCOME

# of Households 164,493 96,551 20,111 205,178

Avg. Household Income $105,994 $95,849 $115,658 $103,388

Per Capita Income $43,656 $42,232 $46,335 $41,897

As of November 2022

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

Top 15 Employers: Huntsville & Madison County

U.S. Army/Redstone Arsenal* 38,000 *

Huntsville Hospital System 9,352

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center* 6,000

Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA, Inc. 3,700

The Boeing Company ................................... 3,048

Hexagon 3,000

Huntsville City Schools 3,000

Dynetics, Inc. 2,946

SAIC 2,746

Madison County Schools 2,389

Northrop Grumman Corporation 2,266

City of Huntsville ....................................... 2,206

University of Alabama in Huntsville 1,979

Polaris Industries 1,932

Toyota Alabama 1,800

Source: Huntsville/Madison County Chamber *includes on-site contractors

community profile

HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER

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. Currently, 44,000 people work at Redstone Arsenal and NASA, managing some of the country’s most important and sophisticated technology programs.

Research & Technology

Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park (CRP) has earned a reputation as a global leader in technology development. The second-largest science and technology research park in the U.S., CRP is home to 320 companies and 26,500 people involved in technology research and development.

For more information, visit: hsvchamber.org

A True

SENATOR RICHARD SHELBY RETIRING FROM PUBLIC SERVICE

by Deborah Storey

If Alabama had a Mount Rushmore for Alabama statesmen who made a significant impact, Sen. Richard Shelby’s profile would definitely be on it. He is preparing for a well-deserved retirement after serving the state of Alabama for 40-plus years in Washington.

Sen. Shelby’s career

Richard Shelby is the current vice chairman of the Senate Com mittee on Appropriations. He previously served as chairman. He is a senior member on the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, as well as the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Senate Com mittee on Environment and Public Works. In March 2019, he became the longest-serving U.S. Senator from the state of Ala bama.

Committee Assignments:

Committee on Appropriations, Vice Chairman Appropriations Subcommittees:

• Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies

• Defense, Vice Chairman

• Energy and Water Development

• Homeland Security

• Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies

• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, former Chairman

Banking Subcommittees:

• Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment

• Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection

• Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development

Committee on Environment and Public Works

EPW Subcommittees:

• Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety

• Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife

• Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure

Committee on Rules and Administration (former Chairman)

Observers reflecting on his career in the U.S. House and Senate are in awe of a legacy that brought billions of federal dollars to north Al abama – not to mention the rest of the state.

“It’s truly remarkable,” said Tom Young, Shelby’s chief of staff from 1990 to 2002.

Without Shelby, “we would not be all that we are,” observed Mike Ward, Chamber senior vice president of Government & Public Af fairs. “How much less is impossible to say.” The “pinnacle” of Shelby’s accomplishments, in Ward’s view: “HQ2,” the secondary FBI head quarters on Redstone Arsenal that means 3,800 jobs and billions in in vestment. Nothing else comes close to the impact that one thing will have on north Alabama, he said, with the possible exception of the establishment of Redstone Arsenal during World War II. And Shelby did it “pretty much singlehandedly,” Ward said.

He did so by piggybacking on FBI programs already here – an ex plosive ordnance disposal operation and hazardous devices school and the relocation here of the National Center for Explosives Train ing and Research and the FBI’s Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center. “It just got bigger and bigger,” said Ward.

And will keep getting bigger. “We have spent about $2.5 billion and we’re getting ready to spend hopefully another billion in the next year on brick and mortar,” Sen. Shelby said of the two FBI campuses under construction on 2,000 acres of leased Army land. “That’s going to be big – big for Huntsville because that’s already a huge payroll, but in the next say two, three years it will be finished up,” Shelby said.

The FBI research there on cybersecurity, facial recognition and data analytics will be critical to the nation’s security, he said.

Part of Shelby’s strategy in securing federal programs for Alabama through the years has been making sure they have a national pur pose. “It made more sense to try to obtain programs that last long, that are in the national interest,” he said.

Young said Shelby had the vision years ago to move the FBI here. “Oh yeah, I’m full of visions, some of them work out, some don’t,” Shelby said with a laugh. “I’m always thinking about things that could be.”

Former U.S. Sen. John Sparkman’s contributions were significant, “but what Sen. Shelby’s done is so much bigger because he had a big ger platform,” said Young. “As chairman of Appropriation, the rank ing member, he was tremendously powerful, and it worked so well for us in Huntsville because we’re a federal city.”

Other elected leaders have been effective, “but no one has delivered more for Alabama than Richard Shelby. Ever. Period,” said Ward.

In the right place

Huntsville is “uniquely positioned in the state to take advantage of Shelby’s position on the Appropriations Committee,” Ward ex plained. “We were a community with relatively easily identifiable needs that he was in a position to support.”

Young said Shelby has been key in making sure Marshall Space Flight Center has a leading role in space exploration, including the $20 billion Space Launch System. “We would not have that rocket today, I don’t believe, had it not been for Shelby’s support,” agreed Ward.

Shelby also was instrumental in funding a new MSFC headquar ters to replace Building 4200, which Shelby said “was dilapidated and falling apart.” In fact, that building was demolished on October 29.

Early on, Shelby understood the Huntsville area’s potential for programs of national significance. “Huntsville was doing very well when I was elected,” Shelby recalled. “That was 36 years ago. I knew

that Huntsville was basically a federal city tied to Washington by deep, deep ties. I thought 35 years ago that Huntsville could take off because you had the nucleus, the fundamentals of all that brain pow er down there – NASA, the Missile Command,” he said. “What Von Braun helped put together was making Huntsville an area like Silicon Valley or like the triangle in North Carolina.”

National security programs are “what Redstone is basically about,” said Shelby.

AL.com reported in April 2022 that “Shelby directed $551.5 million to Alabama in the spending bill passed in March – by far the most of any senator.”

Defense spending in Alabama in FY 2021 totaled $15.7 billion. Madison County alone received $10 billion in contracts and $1.7 bil lion for personnel. Madison County has 13,888 civilian personnel in the defense industry, according to Shelby’s office. Calhoun County is a distant second with 3,551 defense employees.

This area has given Shelby “ways to do things for the state,” said Ward.

“In terms of Redstone Arsenal, he’s been our champion for 36 years,” said Young. “Across the board, he’s really supported defense programs which have really helped the warfighter. A lot of people don’t remember this, but he was the critical senator in arming drones, which is now commonplace. People have forgotten that.”

Support was especially critical during the brutal 2005 round of Congressional Base Realignment and Closing (BRAC) cuts. That ulti mately led to an expansion of the Arsenal’s Von Braun Complex.

Shelby was the key instigator for the sprawling, multi-million Von Braun Complex on Redstone Arsenal, which houses administrative space for the Missile Defense Agency. “We came up with the idea that we would build the Von Braun complex,” Shelby recalls, signifying that it’s more than one building. “It helps cement or solidify the base of Redstone,” he said.

Shelby planted a flag for that, Young said, and was instrumental in expanding it building by building. “He worked to get the funding for it and that gave us critical infrastructure to move different elements of the Army down here and expand things that were already here,” Young said.

Shelby, who credits Young’s assistance during that time, said, “We figured that with closings there would be perils, challenges and op portunities because we thought Redstone had a lot to offer.

“The Base Closing Commission made the target of bringing the Army Materiel Command to the Arsenal, which was huge -- that’s a huge, huge command,” said Shelby. “It helps anchor one of the biggest commands of the Army.”

The Defense Intelligence Agency Missile and Space Intelligence Center – expanding to triple its size here -- bears Shelby’s name. Again, Shelby said its mission is important for national security.

‘Been fortunate’

By all accounts, Shelby was adept at the game of politics from day one in Congress and developed friendships on both sides of the aisle. After all, he did start his political career as a Democrat. “You’ve got to give other people credit,” said Shelby. “It’s a joint venture in a way. People like to use the pronoun ‘I,’ but it’s a group. They did it. We did it together.”

“He’s willing to work with people to get what he wants, whether they are Republicans or Democrats, to get what he thinks is best for Alabama and the nation,” said Young.

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Despite his significant clout and political savvy, Shelby character izes himself as just a public servant “fortunate” for the opportunity to help through six terms. Positions on powerful committees gave him the chance to do “what’s best for the nation.

“As a senator you want to try to be effective and you try to work at it,” he explained. “I was placed in a position here on good committees -- like Appropriation, Banking and Intelligence, Rules - to do that.”

Ward called him a “consummate dealmaker.” Huntsville attorney Joe Ritch, who has known Shelby since 1986, agreed.

“I first knew him as a Democrat,” said Ritch. “He was willing to work and compromise in ways that were important to our state. I think he was always focused on, ‘I’ve got to work with other states and other senators that have a role in things we do here and be will ing to support them in the things they do in their particular state,’ and that led to significant results.”

Shelby’s approach is to work with others to get what they need, Ward said, but in return, “here’s what I need in order for me to be effective in helping you.”

Ritch stressed the significance of Shelby-sponsored allocations for higher education around the state. An example is the $60 million Shelby Center for Science and Technology that opened on the Uni versity of Alabama in Huntsville campus in 2007.

Shelby also secured $110 million for land, design and construction of an $80 million, 123,000-square-foot federal courthouse now un der construction at Lowe Avenue and Gallatin Street in downtown Huntsville. “He’s the one who got the money for it,” said Young. “A hundred-plus million. He did that by himself.”

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle called Shelby “larger than life in his leadership. “For the past 30 years, Shelby provided jobs for Ala

A True Statesman continued...

bama and an economy that would be relevant for decades to come, just as he provided the most advanced protection for our country,” said Battle. Shelby balanced advocacy for his constituents “with his support for our nation and global partners,” the mayor added. “He was in a league and a class of his own.”

Shelby said he meets many people who are moving to Huntsville because they see opportunities. “I’m proud of all of it. I think Hunts ville is on a roll,” Shelby said. “We think Huntsville is very important to the country, and as an Alabamian I’m happy it’s in Alabama.”

Earning respect

As for the future of north Alabama with no Richard Shelby in Wash ington, Ward expects the Huntsville area won’t see another windfall of massive proportions like FBI HQ2 anytime soon. “I don’t think you’re going to see us lose a lot of stuff either,” Ward added, because much of the area is now self-sustaining.

But it takes time, skill, personality and patience to become a polit ical titan like Richard Shelby. Successor Katie Britt will be great, Shel by said, but “you have to earn your way up here. You’ve got to earn the respect of your peers because there’s just 100 senators and they know everybody. You can’t just come up here and say, ‘Well I’m from Alabama, I’m just going to do what Alabama wants.’ That won’t work. You’d be laughed out of the Senate.”

Shelby, too, believes the area is well-positioned to see a continued flow of federal dollars because of its “brain power” of engineers, phys icists and mathematicians. That’s tomorrow’s world,” Shelby said. “Huntsville will be playing a big part of it.”

– Deborah Storey

GLENN BAESKE

FBI-TEDAC

INVESTOR PROFILE

Michael Kirkpatrick, Chairman/CEO DESE Research, Inc.

What would you like people to know about DESE Research?

DESE Research is one of Huntsville’s oldest family owned and family managed small businesses in the defense and aerospace markets. DESE was founded by my Father, Dr. Wally Kirkpatrick. He founded the company after a career in missile defense hit-to-kill technology development. One of his principal objectives in founding DESE was to have a great place to work. We focus on creating a happy place for people to pursue their career goals.

It is DESE’s 40th anniversary. Tell us about what you’ve done to mark this milestone.

We gave each co-worker 40 “DESE Bucks” (shown above) to spend at the company gift shop. DESE pays half of the cost of all items in the gift shop, so that is equal to $80 in DESE swag and merch. Everyone is sporting their new DESE apparel and gear around the office and the community. We created a contest for co-workers to send in photos of themselves having fun out in the community sporting their DESE swag. Each photo was an entry into a drawing for 100,000 airline travel points. We got some great photos! In addition, we have enjoyed multiple barbeques at the [Huntsville] Botanical Garden, parties, and events celebrating our anniversary.

What are some of your company’s upcoming goals?

Our goals are to delight our customers and become indispensable technical contributors to our customers’ success. We want to retain everyone on our team by being the very best option of where they can choose to work. We want to recruit the best and brightest in the industry by incentivizing our co-workers to recruit their friends and family to join DESE. I tell the team, recruit your family, “DESE is no stranger to nepotism!” Our goal is to continue to thrive and meet our goal to be a successful multi-generational family-owned and managed business.

What would you say to other companies considering an investment in HREGI?

The Chamber is #1 in the Nation in growing the business community and creating an environment where all businesses can thrive. The Chamber is a key contributor to Huntsville being named the #1 place in the Nation to work and live. Wow, that makes it easy to invest at a higher level! Decades of hard and smart work by the Chamber staff and volunteers, and investment by the members, has helped make Huntsville a great success for all of us!

37th Annual Small Business Awards Gala

The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber honored local small businesses and individuals during the 37th Annual Small Business Awards Gala at the Von Braun Center. Thank you to Jim Rogers and Margo Gray who served as emcees, as well as to Keel Point, the presenting sponsor. Congratulations to all the contenders and winners! It was a beautiful evening and we loved seeing everyone.

Kristy Powell Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis

Huntsville Community

Whether designing schools, parks, hospitals and other commercial developments, or providing clean water, safe streets and restoring resilient environments, GMC takes great pride in serving our communities through the meaningful work we do.

www.gmcnetwork.com

Goodwyn Mills Cawood is proud to be a part of the growing

Building Communities.

Huntsville City Hall

Buffalo Rock Distribution Center

CRP 60th Anniversary – Family Fun Day

October 22, 2022

We had a wonderful time seeing everyone at the 2022 CRP Family Fun Day on October 22, around Lake 4 in Cum mings Research Park. This was one of our signature events to celebrate CRP’s 60th anniversary and the weather was absolutely beautiful! Thank you to all the organizations who joined us, including NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Arts Huntsville, Land Trust of North Alabama, the University of Alabama in Hunts ville, and the Huntsville Model Boating Association, who demonstrated how to run remote control model speed boats. We gave away an electric RC boat, courtesy of presenting sponsor, Samples Properties – congratulations to Luke Kim!

Skill Set Strategy

Drake State announces new Advanced Manufacturing Center

On September 28, Drake State Community and Technical College announced plans to build a new 50,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center on Meridian Street. The new building will sup port the aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries and will house the most in-demand training programs including engineering design and mechatronics.

Alabama Community College System Chancellor Jimmy Baker, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, and Office of Senator Tommy Tuberville Regional Director Gwen Shelton shared their excitement during the news conference and highlighted the positive impact the center will have on north Alabama’s work force.

“The need is so great,” said Chancellor Baker. “We want to show students that there are a lot of ways to make a good living that will allow them to be outstanding members, not only in their families, but in their communities as well.”

State Representative Mike Ball and Huntsville/Madison County Chamber President Chip Cherry also spoke, along with representa tives of Toyota and Boeing who discussed the need for more students to be trained in these specialties. Skills learned at the new Advanced Manufacturing Center will help Alabama workers earn a high wage and gain nationally recognized certifications at a low cost.

“We know that our continued economic growth depends on a

Elected

highly skilled workforce,” said Drake State President Dr. Patricia Sims. “A Community College is the best vehicle to change our state by providing access to more career opportunities.”

Construction is scheduled to begin in January. •

leaders, company and organization representatives, and community college heads at Drake State’s event.

International Quest

Para-Cycling Road World Cup coming to U.S. for first time

After hosting two successful Para-cycling road events with U.S. Paralympics Cycling in 2021 and 2022, the Huntsville/Madison County com munity is thrilled to announce our third year will bring a much larger race with international pres tige and teams of athletes from approximately 40 countries. Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has awarded Huntsville the Para-Cycling Road World Cup, to be held over Memorial Day weekend, May 26-29, 2023.

UCI is the world governing body for sports cy cling and oversees international competitive cy cling events. It is based in Aigle, Switzerland, and organizes road and track races each year leading up to the world championships in a variety of cities, primarily in Europe. The 2023 event will be the first Para-cycling Road World Cup ever held in the United States.

“We are incredibly honored UCI has selected Huntsville to host this premiere series of races,” said Huntsville May or Tommy Battle. “The Rocket City is definitely up to the challenge, and we look forward to hosting teams from all over the world.”

“On behalf of U.S. Paralympics Cycling and all of our athletes, we are incredibly excited about this historic opportunity to hold a world cup in Huntsville,” Ian Lawless, Director of U.S. Paralympics Cycling, said. “The past two seasons racing in Huntsville have shown us that the enthusiastic and supportive community makes it the ideal place to host an international event. We can’t wait to welcome the world cup tour to the U.S. and to Huntsville for the first time.”

The races will be held Friday through Monday, May 26-29 in Cum mings Research Park. The various daily competition schedule will include time trials and road races with different types of cycles, in cluding two-wheeled cycles, handcycles, two-person tandem teams, and tricycles.

“It is so much fun to watch these athletes compete and cheer them on. They are amazing and fast! You’re going to want to be there,” said Chip Cherry, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber President and CEO. “We want to thank the Huntsville-Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Huntsville Sports Commission for playing a big role in supporting these races that everyone will enjoy.”

The annual Cotton Row Run will still be held Monday, May 29, Memorial Day morning, in downtown Huntsville. That day’s cycling races will begin later in the morning.

“We know Memorial Day weekend is often a time when families finish the school year and begin their summer vacation, but you won’t want to miss this,” said Erin Koshut, Executive Director of Cummings

Research Park. “You can still get your beach trip in, but we encourage you to relax for a few days and stay in town to cheer on the amazing athletes. We’ll have many added fun activities during race weekend. And then, you can start your vacation on Tuesday.”

The races are free – no tickets are needed. Local residents and com panies are encouraged to mark the dates on the calendar and plan gatherings along the course route. The official event website is huntsvilleparaworldcup.com

More information will be provided online soon, including the course routes and race times. Volunteers are also needed – please visit the site to express interest, and we’ll share updates with you soon.

Approximately 300 athletes are expected to visit Huntsville to com pete, along with their team support staff and family members. Coun tries that typically compete in these world cup events include the United States, England, Italy, Germany, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Canada, Mexico, Portugal, and many others. The Westin Hotel at Bridge Street will serve as the official Headquarters hotel.

Medalist Sports will once again organize the races. The team is already in discussions with the City of Huntsville and Huntsville Police Department to update race plans and logistics. We thank all the groups and organizations who are helping us! Limited sponsor ships are available – please contact Erin Koshut if you are interested: ekoshut@hsvchamber.org

– Claire Aiello

2022 OSTENDE WORLD CUP – PHOTO: CASEY GIBSON/USOPC

Dan Crishon, Teledyne Brown Engineering

Dan Crishon is the Production Lead for the Shallow Water Combat Submersible at Teledyne Brown Engineering. Day-to-day he oversees all of the production aspects of the small submarine they build from concept, all the way to delivery. Things like purchasing materials, production schedules, and overseeing the smaller contracts within their larger contract on the manufacturing side are under his reign. Dan, a husband and father of two, graduated with a mechanical engineering degree, but is now proving that your specific degree doesn’t always indi cate your professional career path.

Jennifer Shah, Teledyne Brown Engineering

Jennifer Shah is the Director of Medical, Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis at Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. This type of work requires extensive knowl edge and experience, but Jennifer has loved it from the start. She also enjoys teaching young students the importance of her type of work, and that women belong in STEM. CRP is a great community for her and her family, and the support she gets from Teledyne Brown is what will keep her in Huntsville for a long time.

Alison Varner, Aerojet Rocketdyne

Alison Varner is an electrical engineer for Aerojet Rocketdyne and is currently doing work on the NASA Space Launch System (SLS). Alison grew up in Somer ville, Ala. where she developed her passion for math and engineering through her family. Her grandfather, who worked alongside Dr. Wernher Von Braun, had a heavy influence on her decision to become an engineer. She is now living up to her family’s legacy while having a hand in Rocket City history.

AJ Singhal, CFD Research

AJ Singhal is the Group Leader of the Drug Discovery Group at CFD Research. After start ing the bio-based program, AJ decided to reach even higher and start a spin-off entity known as PoP Therapeutics. The last five years he has worked alongside his twin brother, CEO Sameer Singhal, helping develop the company their father started in their basement 35 years ago. Moving forward, AJ will lead the bio pro gram at CFD while holding the title of CEO of PoP Therapeutics. His goal is to get more antibiotics to the market and hopes to do so in the years to come.

by Kayla Brown

Over the last year, we relaunched our CRPeople video series. The series aims to highlight non-executive employees who make up Cummings Research Park, as a way of bridging the gap between the more than 26,000 employees who work, live, and play in the Park. You can find the full video for each of the following individuals on cummingsresearchpark.com .

Laura Upton, Sigmatech

Laura Upton is in her first year as a Help Desk Technician for Sigmatech, Inc. As a double-major from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, she works daily with all in-house employees at Sigmatech, assisting them in troubleshooting tasks and technical support. Before being offered her position with the company, she was hired as an intern. Sigmatech founder, Dr. Gurmej Sandhu has a notable his tory at UAH, and even serves on the Board of Directors, which helps them recruit interns from the school. Laura grew up in North Alabama and has always known she wanted to live, learn, and work in the same community she’s grown to love. #GoChargers

Rayann Hampson, Lockheed Martin

Rayann Hampson is a Security Rep at Lockheed Martin. She started her ca reer in security at Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Originally from the East Coast, Rayann has always had an interest in moving to the South. After a critical search for a new home, she landed in the Rocket City with not a single regret in mind. Rayann graduated college with a degree in Criminal Justice and has now found herself assisting in keeping one of the largest aerospace companies in the country secure.

Ben Shea, Raytheon Missile & Defense

Ben Shea is a systems engineer for Raytheon Missiles & Defense. His time at Raytheon has been nothing short of exciting, as his classified work has brought him some of his fondest memories and some of his toughest challenges. His dreams of one day becoming a pilot came to an end when he was diagnosed with a condition preventing him from pursuing that career. He then decided to take his talents to the University of Alabama in Huntsville, where he took his passion for aerospace in a different direc tion. Now he gets to work indirectly in the air, while enjoying taking flight in his down time. Aside from his time at work Ben flies planes, plays instruments, and runs ultramarathons (50 miles of running or more). He enjoys running the trails along the mountain and through Cummings Research Park.

chamber staff

HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER

Executive Staff | also Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Chip Cherry, CCE, president & CEO

Meghan Chambliss, business administration specialist

Economic Development & Workforce

Lucia Cape, CCE, senior vice president

Erin Koshut, executive director, Cummings Research Park

Lyndsay Ferguson, vice president, workforce

Ken Smith, senior director, research & information services

Ross Ivey, senior director, industry relations

Annie Davis, director of talent initiatives

Finance & Administration

Mary McNairy, IOM, vice president

Joe Watson, facilities supervisor

Kim Weeks, accounting specialist – receivables

Diana Baccus, director of event management

Jennifer Prewitt event coordinator

Stefanie Davis, resource desk coordinator

Government & Public Affairs

Mike Ward, CCE, senior vice president

Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative (HREGI)

Kristy Drake, IOM, vice president, investor relations

Investor Relations

Kristy Drake, IOM, vice president, investor relations

Richard Bigoney, membership account executive

Tara Van Winkle, membership account executive

Crystal Baker, retention specialist

Marketing & Communications

Claire Aiello, IOM, vice president

Hiroko Sedensky, web designer

Kristi Sherrard graphic designer

Kayla Brown, communications & social media specialist

Small Business

ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS

Ashley Engles-Ross, vice president uah.edu/sbdc theschoolsfoundation.org

AmericaneedsyoutoHireandInspire

Formorethan80years,theNorthAlabamaandTennesseeValleycommunityhasbeenthelinchpinto RedstoneArsenal’ssuccess.Fromtheinstallation’ssupporttoWorldWarII,the1960sSpaceRace,themoon landing,multiplewarsandconflicts,andourhomelanddefense,thiscommunityhasstoodshoulder-to-shoulder withRedstone’sworkforce.Wehaveaccomplishedamazingthingstogether.

Today,Iaskyoutoextendthesupportyou’veshownRedstoneArsenalfordecadestohelpyourArmyaddress anewchallenge.Likemuchofthecountry,weareinawarfortalent.Torecruitandretainthebestall-volunteer forcetheworldhaseverseen,weneedtheNation’sbestandbrightesttoraisetheirrighthandsandserveinour military.And youcanmakeadifference–byHiringandInspiring.

First,IencourageyoutolookforopportunitieswithinyourworkplacetohireVeterans.Fewerthan1%of ournationserveinthemilitary,andthatselflessfewpossessthequalityyouwantinyouremployees.Theybring totheworkplacethediscipline,values,teamwork,decision-makingandleadershipskillsthatwillbenefitany company.Whiletheymayhavetakenofftheiruniform,theyareSoldiersforLife,andtheyareknownforgiving back.Veteransaremorelikelytovote,volunteer,andbeinvolvedandsupportiveoftheircommunities.

ThewordsofourfirstPresidentGeorgeWashingtonstillringtruetoday:“Thewillingnesswithwhichour youngpeoplearelikelytoserve…shallbedirectlyproportionaltohowtheyperceivetheVeteransofearlierwars weretreatedandappreciatedbytheirNation.”

Second,youhavetheopportunitytoinspiretheyoungergenerationbyencouragingserviceandsupporting thosewhoareconsideringitasacareer.TheArmyisaprofession,committedtotheAmericanpeopleintimesof warandpeace.Thatsaid,itcanoftenbeanoverlookedcareeropportunity.OurSoldiersarethebesttrainedin theworldinavarietyofcareerfields,fromlogisticsmanagement,medicalprofessions,aviation,scientists,and engineers.It’saprofessionandafamilythatchangedmylife.

ServicetoourNationisnotonlyhonorable,butitisalsoasmartoption,providingunmatchedtangibleand intangiblebenefits:cashbonuses,scholarshipsforcollege,skilltraining,leadership,healthbenefits,steadypay, andsomuchmore.Throughoutmyownservice,Ihavehadtheopportunitytotraveltheworld,workingwith thebestofthebestwhilebeingapartofsomethingbiggerthanmyself.Anyonewhohasservedcantellyou,as yougivetotheArmy,theArmygivesbacktoyou.

OurArmyisthegreatesttheworldhaseverknownbecauseofourpeople.NowIcallonyouascentersof influenceintheTennesseeValleytocontinuesupportingourVeteransandencouragethenextgenerationto consideralltheopportunitiestheArmyhastooffer.Historyisrepletewithexamplesthatthiscommunity candoanythingitsetsitsmindto.Iknowwithyoursupport,thefutureofourArmyisingoodhands.