Initiatives magazine, August 2007 by Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

Development Partner ($250,000+ invested annually: public sector)

Chamber Trustees

Avocent Corporation Beason & Nalley, Inc. Bill Penney Toyota Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Ala. Booz Allen Hamilton Camber Corporation CINRAM, Inc. COLSA Corporation Huntsville Area Association of Realtors Huntsville/Madison County Builders Association, Inc.

Progress Partners

Development Council (public sector)

Huntsville Utilities Madison County Commission Tennessee Valley Authority Huntsville Hospital City of Madison Huntsville/Madison County Airport Authority

Chairman’s Council ($50,000+ invested: private sector)

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc. Regions Bank

President’s Circle ($25,000 - $49,999 invested annually)

ADTRAN AT&T Colonial Bank Compass Bank Crestwood Medical Center Redstone Federal Credit Union The Boeing Company The Huntsville Times Wachovia Bank, N.A.

($10,000 - $24,999 invested annually)

($5,000 - $9,999 invested annually)

AEgis Technologies Analytical Services, Inc. Applied Data Trends, Inc. BAE Systems Balch & Bingham, LLP BASF Catalysts LLC CapitalSouth Bank Coldwell Banker/McLain Real Estate Colonial Properties Consolidated Construction Dynetics Enfinger Steele Development, Inc. ERC, Incorporated First American Bank First Commercial Bank HiWAAY Internet Services International Diesel Intuitive Research & Technology Corp. J. Smith Lanier & Co. Jerry Damson Honda Acura Keystone Foods Corporation

Progress Investors

Intergraph Corporation Lamar Outdoor Advertising Northrop Grumman Panalpina, Inc. SAIC Siemens VDO Automotive SPARTA, Inc. SportsMed Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.

Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne LG Electronics Alabama, Inc. Main Street Strategies NAI Chase Commercial Realty Parker Hannifin Corporation Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. Radiology of Huntsville, P.C. Samples Properties Sirote & Permutt, P.C. SOUTHBank Stanley Associates Superior Bank System Studies and Simulation, Inc. The Orthopaedic Center The Surgery Center of Huntsville Turner Universal Construction WAFF-TV Wilmer & Lee, P.A. Yellowbook Anonymous

($2,500 - $4,999 invested annually)

3D Research Corporation 4SITE, Incorporated Applied Geo Technologies Averbuch Realty / Averbuch Enterprises Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Baron Services Belzon Bradley Arant Rose & White Century Automotive Chapman Sisson Architects Cintas Corporation Currie Systems DESE Research, Inc. Fountain Parker Harbarger & Associates Fuqua & Partners Gray Research, Inc. Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. Jacobs ESTS Group JH Partners Architecture & Interiors Johnston, Moore, Maples & Thompson

Kelly Services Kudzu Productions Lamb Commercial Services, Inc. Madison Research Corporation Madison Square Chrysler/Jeep Mercedes Benz of Huntsville North Alabama Gas District Qualis Corporation Radiance Technologies, Inc. Science & Engineering Services, Inc. The Heritage Club Torch Technologies Weichert Realtors – The Executive Group Wesfam Restaurants, Inc. – Burger King Westar Aerospace & Defense Group WHNT-19 Wilson Lumber Woodland Homes of Huntsville Woody Anderson Ford

initiatives Chamber of Commerce of Hunt sville/ M adison County

august 2007

on the cover

Mission Impossible Becomes Mission Accomplished for Community’s Small Businesses

Page 20 Cover by Kristi Sherrard and Steve Gray of S&S Photography

f eatures

Huntsville/Madison County, Alabama is located in the middle of the southeastern United States, with more than four million people within a 100-mile radius. The Huntsville community is the primary economic hub of the northern Alabama/southern Tennessee region. Huntsville/Madison County’s economy is one of the strongest in the South, with low unemployment, strong job growth and income levels leading the region. Business growth and investment from U.S. and international companies have made it one of the country’s top “hot spots” for growing a business and raising a family.

TRC: Game Over

Meeting the Challenge of Workforce

Huntsville Welcomes SMDC

Space & Missile Defense Conference 25 35

Theatre Huntsville

d e v e l o p me n t s HREGI Investors

Chamber Board Listing

Community Profile

Regarding HREGI

Chamber Staff Listing

Economic Development Highlights

ed i t o r i a l s t a f f Publisher

Brian Hilson

Executive Editor

John Southerland

Editorial Designer

Kristi Sherrard

mission

The mission of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville /Madison County is to prepare, develop and promote our community for economic growth.

Contributing Writers

John Southerland Lucia Cape, Loren Traylor Danielle Moran, Jim Zielinski

contact

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville /Madison County 225 Church Street Huntsville, AL 35801 256.535.2000

Photography

Chamber of Commerce staff & publications

Advertising Sales

Cassandra Darby Shea Timberlake

on the web HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com

The Huntsville Times

Initiatives August 2007

Chamber of Commerce

Board of Directors and Executive Committee 2007 Executive Committee

Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: Gorton Wood, a long-time friend and a representative of Expansion Management, a national economic development magazine, called recently from his New Jersey office. Gorton wasn’t calling to check on my golf game, he wanted to let me know how Huntsville fared in several upcoming rankings in his publication. He explained that Huntsville is one of the nation’s “5 Star” communities for quality of life, and for one component of overall quality of life, “Standard of Living”, Huntsville ranks #5 behind Austin, Raleigh, Boulder and Naples. Huntsville also ranks #2 in the country for mid-size metro areas for business recruitment and attraction, while Alabama ranks #9 among all 50 states. This is more welcome news for our community and state as we continue to plan, grow and prosper. Are we surprised by these rankings and the numerous others Huntsville has received in recent years? Frankly, no. Do we take these rankings for granted? Absolutely not. As part of the Chamber’s image development campaign, we continue to make certain that Gorton Wood and many other key media contacts are kept abreast of what’s happening in Huntsville. One major success story for our community is the continued development of small businesses. While large business recruitment and expansion tend to garner many of the headlines, the growth of small businesses also helps fuel our economy, and is a source of pride and entrepreneurial opportunity for many small business owners. The Chamber places a lot of emphasis on growing and sustaining small businesses, and under the leadership of our vice chair for Small Business, Ron Klein (Belzon), we are continuing to expand and improve our programs. The Chamber’s small business activities are highlighted by the annual Small Business Awards Celebration, which this year is scheduled for the evening of August 23 at the Von Braun Center. This year’s celebration is themed “Mission imPossible”, and it is the cover story of this edition of Initiatives. Also featured in this Initiatives are the annual Space & Missile Defense Conference, scheduled for August 13-16 at the Von Braun Center, and the Chamber’s first annual Workforce Conference, scheduled for September 25 at the downtown Holiday Inn. Another article in this Initiatives overviews the Chamber’s recently completed 2007 Total Resource Campaign, themed “ChamberOpoly”. Under the leadership of TRC chair Don Nalley, 86 volunteers representing 17 teams blew past the original goal of $1 million and raised over $1.4 million total. The TRC process enables these volunteers and many others they come in contact with to learn more about the Chamber’s programs and to participate in them directly. The revenues are used to help fund the Chamber’s Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative and other important programs. The next time a major national publication calls with good news about our community, we’ll do what we always do: thank them for whatever they tell us and take the opportunity to tell them more about Huntsville/Madison County, always knowing that our successes are directly related to the incredible efforts of numerous community leaders like our small business entrepreneurs and TRC volunteers!

Brian Hilson President & CEO Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 8

August 2007 Initiatives

Evans Quinlivan, Chair, First American Bank Irma Tuder, Chair-Elect, Analytical Services, Inc. Dave Hargrove, Immediate Past Chair, AT&T Tommy Beason, Chamber Foundation Chair, retired Herman Stubbs, Secretary/Treasurer, Colonial Bank Ron Poteat, Vice Chair - Economic Development, Regions Bank Joey Ceci, Vice Chair - Governmental Affairs, Main Street Strategies

Charlie Kettle, Vice Chair - Investor Relations, First Commercial Bank

Jim Bolte, Vice Chair - Workforce, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc.

Ron Klein, Vice Chair - Small Business, Belzon Ralph Malone, Vice Chair - Research & Information Services, Triana Industries, Inc.

Don Nalley, Vice Chair - Image Development / TRC, Beason & Nalley, Inc.

Chairman Mike Gillespie, Chair-Appointed, Madison County Commission

Joe Ritch, Chair-Appointed, Sirote & Permutt, P.C. Mayor Loretta Spencer, Chair-Appointed, City of Huntsville Tom Young, Chair-Appointed, Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Brian Hilson, President/CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Elected Board

Joe Alexander, Camber Corporation Clayton Bass, Huntsville Museum of Art Frank Caprio, Bradley Arant Rose & White, LLP John Cooper, Avocent Corporation Derrick T. Copeland, Applied Data Trends, Inc. John Eagan, Wachovia Bank, N.A. Kerry Fehrenbach, Intergraph Karen Stanley Fleming, Stanley Construction Co., Inc. Dick Fountain, FPH Financial Services, LLC Dr. Frank Franz, University of Alabama in Huntsville Ron Gray, Gray Research, Inc. Dr. Greg Gum, Radiology of Huntsville, P.C. Bill Gurley, SAIC Jeff Hamilton, The Orthopaedic Center Tom Hancock, Booz Allen Hamilton Tharon Honeycutt, MSB Analytics, Inc. Dr. Eric Janssen, SportsMed Orthopaedic Surgery & Spine Center Dr. Robert Jennings, Alabama A&M University Frederick Lanier, J. Smith Lanier & Co. Dan Montgomery, Northrop Grumman Caroline Myers, Foreign Language Services, Inc. Jerre Penney, Bill Penney Toyota Pete Schofield, SPARTA, Inc. Scott Seeley, Regions Bank Jan Smith, System Studies and Simulation, Inc. (S3) David Spillers, Huntsville Hospital Tom Stanton, ADTRAN Sandra Steele, Enfinger Steele Development, Inc. Paula Steigerwald, Huntsville Botanical Garden Al Sullivan, ABT, Inc. Gerald Toland, Redstone Federal Credit Union Gail Wall, Beason & Nalley, Inc. Bill Watson, retired John Wilmer, Wilmer & Lee, P.A.

c o m m u n i t y p ro f i l e

TOP 10 EMPLOYERS

Madison County

City of Huntsville

City of Madison

Huntsville Metro Area

U.S. Army/Redstone Arsenal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,601

Population 2000 Census

276,700

158,216

29,329

342,376

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

2006 Estimate

304,307

168,123

36,824

376,753

The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,000

Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,126

NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,555 Households 2000 Census

CINRAM, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,500

109,955

66,742

11,143

134,643

Avg. Household Income

$57,220

$55,856

$72,432

$55,343

City of Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,199

Per Capita Income

$23,091

$24,015

$27,821

$22,073

Madison County Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,150

Sanmina-SCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,500 Intergraph Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,450

Income

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov)

Source: Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

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. Over 14,500 direct DoD and 2,500 NASA employees manage some of the country’s most important and sophisticated technology programs including missiles, aviation and space exploration. More than 250 companies employing an additional 27,000 workers support the local aerospace and defense industries.

Research & Technology

For more information visit: HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com

August 2007 Initiatives

Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park has earned a reputation as a world center for technology development. The second-largest science and technology park in the U.S., Cummings Research Park is home to more than 285 companies and 25,000 people involved in technology research and development.

Game Over 2007 Total Resource Campaign Sets New Standard

he game is over and the results are in: 86 volunteers comprising 17 competitive teams just completed the largest Total Resource Campaign in the history of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County and set many other records along the way. The 2007 TRC campaign, themed CHAMBEROPOLY, produced all the fun and competitiveness of the national board game phenomenon MONOPOLY, leading to a record year of fun and support. “We live in an unbelievable town, with incredible citizens. We want to see our community grow and the opportunities for our youth expand. It is that desire, that drive, that seems to come together and thrive during the Total Resource Campaign,” commented Don Nalley, 2007 CHAMBEROPOLY chair and director of Beason & Nalley. This year’s goal was to reach a stretch goal of $1 million. Volunteers hit the

ground running and within four weeks of the campaign, they were well within reach of their goal. By six weeks, the original goal had been surpassed and another goal of $1.2 million was set. But, again, our volunteers never gave up and by week nine and after several trips around our CHAMBEROPOLY board, the teams reached $1.4 million and two volunteers surpassed the $100,000 mark – a new record for the campaign. Sadly, the Community Chest of Opportunity closed on June 21. During the Victory Celebration, held at Terranova’s Italian Restaurant, several outstanding volunteers and teams were recognized. Carrie McCrillis, Kelly Services, was crowned Top Producer for the third year in a row. She brought in a whopping $150,371 and along with Rebecca Billings of HiWAAY Internet Services, led the top team, JamakinItHappen, which brought in $309,460! Team members Jean Mulcahy, Wellness is Health; Kim Bunn, Realty

High Roller: Chamber Chairman Evans Quinlivan, left, and Don Nalley, TRC Chairman, congratulate Carrie McCrillis, Kelly Services, who took the 2007 Top Producer award with $150,371.

Executives; Marianne Windham, Windham Entertainment; Lisa Lane, Savvy Gifts; and Sarah Taggart, attorney, all contributed to this effort. Tina Leopold was the Chamber staff mentor for the JamakinItHappen team. Joe Green, SAIC assistant vice president, was awarded the Top Membership Recruitment Award. According to Green, the volunteer campaign is well worth the effort because he has made great friends and built strong relationships during his three years participating in the campaign. Along the way, he has helped many companies grow their businesses by showing them how to use the resources the Chamber has to offer. The Top Rookie crown was bestowed on Sarah Taggart, attorney, who sold $56,605. “It takes a serious amount of guts to call on companies. I never had to do that before. This campaign enabled me to fine tune my presentation skills — an asset that will be beneficial both inside and out of the courtroom,” said Taggart. The Top Rookie Team, Strategy, was led by Tami Herrington, Exceeding Expectations, and raised $66,635. The Volunteer’s Choice Award went to Dawn Mueller, the Perfect Gift, for her attitude and team spirit. Says Mueller, “I participate in the TRC to give back to the Chamber because of what the Chamber does for our community. It has also enabled me to build relationships with other volunteers that I did not know and they have helped me reach more potential customers. But most importantly, it helps me grow my business by making me more visible to the market I am targeting. This campaign has given me confidence to grow and expand my business and take advantage of the continued on page 12 Initiatives August 2007

Game Over, continued from page 11

opportunities that are out there for small businesses.” The Total Resource Campaign is designed to allow companies to better align their marketing plans and budgets with the Chamber’s sponsorship opportunities, according to Chamber Chair Evans Quinlivan. “There are numerous reasons why CHAMBEROPOLY was so successful – and by far the number one is all of the volunteers. The enthusiasm, effort and competitive spirit of our volunteers and teams helped generate the most sponsorships ever for our Chamber,” he said. “All of them have other responsibilities – their families and careers, other groups and volunteer organizations and community activities that require their time and dedication. Without them creating this extra time, giving this extra effort and creating this extra push – with all other things they do, this would not be possible.” That extra effort, according to Brian Hilson, happens because the volunteers believe in what they are doing for the businesses and the community. “I am continuously amazed at the excitement and energy that our volunteers give to

August 2007 Initiatives

Everyone Wins: Chamber volunteers keep the energy and team spirit flowing throughout the campaign.

this campaign,” said Hilson, the Chamber’s president and CEO. “They truly want to help companies achieve their full potential by using all available resources the Chamber and this community have to offer.” Another reason for the success of the campaign is the business leaders who understand the importance and the benefit to the community and to their businesses in sponsoring such an event. There is a third reason – the fact that our TRC is designed to run only nine weeks – allowing businesses a tremendous

opportunity to maximize their sponsorship dollars to target events they most want to be identified with and that promise them the most return on investment. Finally, the TRC allows all businesses, both large and small, access to other community leaders and new clients as well as name recognition and tremendous networking opportunities that help companies and organizations meet their business goals. As the game ended and the last volunteer continued on page 15

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County (HREGI)

“

HREGI brings many different economic development forces together and consequently we have been successful adding businesses and recruiting tremendous talent to our region. The HREGI program brings together business partners, competitors, and customers by integrating

“

our business community collaboratively – to the benefit of all businesses. Dr. Ernest Wu President and CEO ERC, Inc. HREGI Investor since 2004

For a list of investors, see page 4 or visit: www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com

Initiatives August 2007

Meeting the Challenge of Workforce

ver the last year, workforce has been the buzz in Huntsville/ Madison County. Our economic growth has created new opportunities for many workers, but with an unemployment rate at 2.6 percent (1.9 percent below the national average) and many more new jobs coming in the next five years, we are in a unique situation. Where do you find the human capital with the talent to fill these

jobs, and how can individual companies be part of a successful workforce development campaign? To help answer that question, the Chamber is holding its first-ever Workforce Conference on September 25 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn downtown. The theme is “Be a Part of the Success,” emphasizing the role that each and every company must play in order to meet the workforce

challenges in our community. Putting their money where their mouths are, our sponsors for the event include Presenting Sponsor Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama and Silver Sponsors Calhoun Community College, Huntsville Rehabilitation Foundation, Qualis Corporation, SAIC and Turner Universal. The keynote speaker will be Homer Hickam, retired Army and NASA engineer best known as the author of Rocket Boys. Rocket Boys was later adapted into a screenplay for the movie October Sky. Hickam, born in Coalwood, WVa., earned a B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Tech. After returning from Vietnam, Hickam worked for the U.S. Army Missile Command in Huntsville and then for the Marshall Space Flight Center. Hickam embodies many aspects of successful workforce development for our community. The son of a coal mine superintendent, he was inspired to reach for the stars by his mother and a science teacher. He moved to Huntsville for his job and has remained a resident long after his employment required it. He is a living example of life-long learning, turning a passion for archaeology into more than a hobby by discovering what might be a new species of dinosaur, nicknamed the H-rex. And finally, Hickam continues to give back to the community through his work with students and teachers at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center when he’s not writing exciting spy novels or scuba diving in the Virgin Islands.

The conference will build to Hickam’s address through sessions on how companies can be involved in workforce success, from development of future workers through retention of current employees. Kicking things off will be Junior Achievement. In 2004, after years of operating its own school-to-career programs, the Chamber partnered with Junior Achievement of North Alabama as the “face of the Chamber in the schools,” and the strategy has been very successful. After the first year, Junior Achievement went from serving 3,500 students in the area to 8,000 stucontinued on page 18 14

August 2007 Initiatives

Game Over, continued from page 12 was leaving the celebration, volunteers were already issuing team challenges for next year! • Loren Traylor

TRC Teams & Totals Vice Chair: Andy Kattos Team: FCB on Cruise Control Captain: Lisa Sparks, First Commercial Bank Total: $42,703 Team: The Devil’s Advocates Captain: Fred Coffey, Sirote & Permutt, P.C. Total: $16,300 Team: The Loan Arrangers Captain: Chris Hanback, ServisFirst Bank Total: $33,090 Team: The Old Peddlers Captain: Edward Birchfield, Jr., ITAC Solutions Total: $3,695 Vice Chair: Elizabeth Morard Team: BBJ, LTC Captain: Jennifer Dooling, Wachovia Bank, N.A. Total: $43,210

Vice Chair: Harry Waugh Team: Cruisin' On By Captain: Jennifer Gordon, Main Street Strategies $63,770 Team: Ravi’s Racecars Captain: Ravi Agarwal, Keller Williams Total: $25,685 Team: The Life Green Machine Captains: Mike Johnston, Regions Bank, & Louis Michetti, Regions Bank Total: $219,714 Vice Chair: Scott Seeley Team: Boardwalk Tycoons Captain: Regina Underwood, A Realty Group Total: $206,169 Team: E-I-E-I-O Captain: Joe Green, SAIC Total: $202,353 Team: Finding Our Way Captain: Kevin Wright, Compass Bank Total: $53,981

Overall Total:

$1,429,453

Team: FAB Captain: Barney Heyward, First American Bank Total: $23,643 Team: JamakinItHappen Captains: Carrie McCrillis, Kelly Services, & Rebecca Billings, HiWAAY Internet Services Total: $309,460 Team: Pencil-Pushing Rookies Captain: Mike Woeber, Beason & Nalley, Inc. Total: $34,295 Vice Chair: Frank Caprio Team: Strategy Captain: Tami Herrington, Exceeding Expectations Total: $66,635 Team: The Non-Billable Hours Captain: Mark Bledsoe, Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne Total: $36,745 Team: The Stubbs Captain: Herman Stubbs, Colonial Bank Total: $48,005 Initiatives August 2007

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Staff 2007 Brian Hilson, president & CEO John Southerland, communications director Laura Kendrick, executive assistant

Economic Development Ethan Hadley, VP, economic development Steve Finnell, director, industrial development & existing industry

Rick Davis, director, Cummings Research Park Amy Locke, industrial development assistant Danielle Moran, economic development specialist

Governmental Affairs Mike Ward, VP, governmental affairs Tina Leopold, program assistant

Workforce Lucia Cape, VP, workforce

Investor Relations Loren Traylor, VP, investor relations Jenni Jeffers, director, small business/membership services

Donna McCrary, investor relations coordinator

Amber Underwood, events coordinator Alinka Carrington, events coordinator Terrie Ledbetter, membership sales representative

Research & Information Services Ken Smith, director, research & information services

Kristi Sherrard, publications/graphic design specialist

Hiroko Sedensky, information services specialist

Judith Short, information services assistant Cheryl Crowe, resource desk coordinator

Finance & Administration Ken Williams, director, finance & administration

Desman Holt, IT manager Summer Behel, accounting specialist Ginny Buie, financial assistant Joe Watson, facilities supervisor

Associated Organizations & Staff Leadership Huntsville/Madison County Sarah Savage, executive director Allison Gregg, program/PR manager Mary Stewart, program coordinator Allison Bowman, administrative coordinator

Small Business Development Centers Alabama A&M University University of Alabama in Huntsville

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 225 Church Street, Huntsville, Alabama 35801 / p 256-535-2000 www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com 16

August 2007 Initiatives

Truly Welcome: Lieutenant General Kevin T. Campbell was pleased with the 1,000+ turnout for the Hail to SMDC luncheon. Larry Capps (top right), vice chair of the Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee, welcomed LTG and Mrs. Campbell along with Mayor Loretta Spencer (at right) and Chairman Mike Gillespie (pictured with Mrs. Campbell).

BRAC Begins: Community Officially Welcomes SMDC to Redstone Arsenal

n Tuesday, June 26 the first implementation of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Activity officially began. The first part of that change was symbolized at a special ceremony on Redstone Arsenal where the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U.S. Army Forces Strategic Command flag was uncased. A few hours later, the commanding general for SMDC, Lt. Gen. Kevin Campbell, told more than 1,000 attendees that he was overwhelmed by the community’s support for SMDC. “In all the years I’ve served and in all the places I’ve been, I’ve never seen a response like this,” Campbell said to an audience of more than a 1,000 at a Chamber sponsored welcome luncheon at the Von Braun Center. “It has been remarkable.” Campbell is the highest ranking general to ever be based on Redstone Arsenal – and SMDC is the first three-star command to ever be headquartered at Redstone as well. SMDC joins the Aviation and Missile Command and a large portion of the Missile Defense Agency as the nation’s primary missile defense components. “The BRAC Commission got it right,” Campbell said. “This move absolutely makes sense. We need to be here,” he said. “Today, BRAC becomes a reality as we start a new chapter in the life of the Space and Missile Defense Command,” Campbell said. “Today, we continue to build on the bonds formed after almost 50 years of service to our nation.” “This year marks the command’s 50th anniversary,” he said. “I can think of no better way to move ahead with the next 50 years than to have SMDC/ARSTRAT permanently stationed on Redstone Arsenal and associated with this community. Not just this community – OUR community.” The move brings 180 SMDC positions to Huntsville. The Missile Defense Agency will bring in about 2,250 positions as part of Redstone’s BRAC gains. The Army Materiel Command headquarters and the Army Security & Assistance Command headquarters are also being moved to Redstone and bringing about 1,700 jobs. • John Southerland Initiatives August 2007

Workforce Conference, continued from page 14

dents throughout Huntsville/Madison County. This past school year, JA served more than 11,000 students. Junior Achievement is a key tool in meeting the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workforce challenge by teaching career skills, business ethics, and the value of free enterprise to K-12 students through in-class programs. These programs are led by volunteers from the business community across all industries. The program currently has about 350 in-class volunteers, but to reach the goal for 2010 of 25,000 students, many more business volunteers are needed. Junior Achievement also operates the Job Shadowing program for high school students in partnership with local businesses. Last year 125 businesses hosted 525 students, the biggest year yet for Job Shadowing. In addition, Junior Achievement partners with the Army Space and Missile Defense Association to offer Adventures in Engineering. This full-day experience enrolled 200 students last year and immersed them in the world of engineering to inspire them to pursue this highdemand career. The Chamber and Junior Achievement

August 2007 Initiatives

Hi-Sci Education: DNA extracted from strawberries and transferred to a take-home vial is a key component of the 7th grade biotechnology and genetics module crafted for AMSTI by Hudson-Alpha Institute for Biotechnology.

are also working together to promote career awareness for our highest demand industries. Our partnership has been recognized by the Department of Labor as a national pilot for its WIRED program â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a great honor for a great partnership, made possible by business volunteers.

Taking a more hands-on approach to workforce development, the Hudson-Alpha Institute for Biotechnology developed a hands-on science module based on Alabamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful AMSTI program. This module will put some meat on the bones of the middle school biology curriculum

while inspiring students to pursue science and, ultimately, careers in biotechnology. Dr. Neil Lamb, Director of Education and Outreach for Hudson-Alpha, will lead conference participants in the science module – extracting DNA from strawberries! Members of the Partnership for Biotechnology Research (PBR) will be on hand to assist the science-challenged in successfully completing the experiment. PBR is active in promoting “hi-sci” (higher science) to students across our community. And speaking of “hi-sci,” participants will get an update on the Tennessee Valley WIRED Initiative, the region’s $5 million grant program funded by the Department of Labor. Named the Valley Innovation Alliance or VIA, this program spans North Alabama and SouthCentral Tennessee with the goals of promoting regional collaboration, developing the future workforce, and spurring innovation and technology transformation in advanced manufacturing, engineering and the “hi-sci” fields of biotechnology, nanotechnology and information technology. Featured will be the role that post-secondary education plays in workforce development in these industries. Our region has a wealth of colleges and universities that are key to delivering the skills our industries need. Moving along the pipeline from talent development into recruiting and retention, the conference will feature speakers on these hot topics as well. Local recruiting firm Talent Connections has been working with the Chamber to identify geographic and media markets for our community

recruiting campaign. Talent Connections will share with participants some tips on attracting talent in today’s tight market. And once you get good employees, you want to keep them. Our final session will focus on retaining talent – what companies can do to make sure their people want to stay put. Money is not the only motivator for today’s worker. Come to our conference to learn the secrets from the “best places to work.” Lunch will follow our recruiting and retention session, and Homer Hickam will

speak during lunch. Tables seating eight are available at $375 and individual seats are available for $75. Presenting sponsor for the conference is Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, and Silver Sponsors are Calhoun Community College, Huntsville Rehabilitation Foundation, Qualis Corporation, SAIC and Turner Universal. A special thank you to these companies and organizations for being part of the workforce success in our community! • Lucia Cape

Homer Hickam Initiatives August 2007

Mission Impossible Becomes Mission Accomplished for Community’s Small Businesses, Entrepreneurs

ometimes it starts with a dream. Or a persistent desire to build something, sell something or to be your own boss. Perhaps it’s an unflagging entrepreneurial spirit to create and lead a business. Whatever the possible multitude of reasons that people may have to start their own business, most businesses start out the same way…small. However, it is small businesses that serve as the economic backbone of commerce in the country – and it is no different in Huntsville/Madison County. In fact, in the United States 5.8 million firms are open for business. Of those, 5.2 million (89 percent) operate with less than 20 employees. Locally, there are about 2,300 businesses that are members of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County and 87 percent of them employ less than 50 workers. Clearly, small businesses play a critical role in the development and success of any community. But often, successfully operating a small business has proven to be mission impossible. Lack of resources, burnout, lack of business or supervisory training, dealing with an excess of day to day operational issues unfortunately keep some small businesses from surviving – or others from growing. But on the evening of August 23, 2007 at the 22nd Annual Small Business Awards Celebration, the Chamber will honor those that have persevered and found that successfully operating a small business has proven to be a mission quite possible. Finalists and winners were determined in seven categories. Attendees to the celebration will receive

August 2007 Initiatives

Categories for the 2007 Small Business Awards: Business categories: Business Services/Wholesale Personal Services/Retail Technology Construction & Manufacturing Non-Profit Professional Categories: Entrepreneur of the Year Young Professional of the Year

Presented by

a fun and entertaining evening featuring special events hosts Tim Knox, a humorbased business author and Huntsville native, and Lisa Washington, the coanchor of News Channel 19 This Morning. Knox is the author of “Everything I Know About Business I Learned from My Mama” – a best-selling business guide that mixes his unique humor with solid business advice. The book is written for: • Anyone who is thinking about starting a new business • Anyone who has recently started a business • Anyone who is struggling to stay in business • Anyone considering a franchise or business opportunity • Stay at home moms who need to make extra money • College grads about to start their career in business • Employees about to be downsized

Tim worked as a radio morning show host and standup comedian who opened for Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, Gallagher, Tom Parks, and many others. For more information about Knox’s new radio show, visit the web at www.timknoxshow.com. Attendees are certain to be entertained and informed, according to Jenni Jeffers, the Chamber’s director of small business/membership services, who said the event has become a hallowed Huntsville/Madison County tradition. “This event is designed to showcase and honor small businesses in our community,” she said. “They make up such a large percentage of our membership, and that number is growing.” And so is the competition, she said, adding that numerous records were set for this ceremony, which is being presented by First Commercial Bank. Among them, the Chamber received 228 nominations – out of that 228, 80 company representatives submitted company profiles. “Which means we have 17 more contenders this year vs. last

year – another record-breaking number,” Jeffers said. “In addition, we have almost doubled the contender participation in the last two years.” The growth of the small businesses mirrors the growth of the community, which continues to lead the state in new and expanding jobs announced. But the Chamber has made a strong push to become even more actively involved in small business. Ron Klein, the CEO of Belzon, Inc. and the Chamber’s vice chair for small business, said the Small Business Awards are vital to the community. “In my view, the Small Business Awards accomplish two major objectives. First, they are the venue by which all of us can recognize and celebrate the successes of our entrepreneurs that bring so much critical business vitality to our community. Secondly, building a successful business from nothing is an extraordinary achievement,” Klein said. “The challenges come to an entrepreneur on a rapid fire basis from continued on page 22

• Executives looking to leave the career track • Baby boomers and seniors in need of a second income • Retirees who don't want to sit on the porch and watch the world go by • Anyone who is floating through life with no direction or purpose Knox has also become a nationallyknown entrepreneur, author, speaker, syndicated business columnist, and host of “The Tim Knox Show,” which airs Saturdays from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on WVNN AM770/92.5-FM. Knox also co-hosts the “48 Days to the Work you Love” radio show which airs Sundays from 6-9 p.m. on Super Talk WWTN 99.7-FM in Nashville, Tenn. Prior to taking on the world of business,

Magical Memories: Darin and Marianne Windham, co-hosts for the 2006 Small Business Awards Celebration

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Mission Impossible, continued from page 21

every conceivable direction. Success reflects either creating a market where none existed or carving out a share from a mature industry. Either of these is an exceptional achievement and it’s appropriate that we identify and acknowledge the business leaders in our community who have not only succeeded in creating a viable business but, in doing so, have surpassed their few peers.” The event also is designed to educate small businesses about the various programs the Chamber offers to assist them. Klein said it was important to know that the awards ceremony is just one event dedicated to spotlighting small busiKlein nesses in the community – there are other activities and programs designed to assist these small businesses. “The Small Business Awards are the largest of several events the Chamber has every year in support of small business,” Klein said. “These include monthly CEO Roundtables, classes tailored to the requests of small business in our community, networking events, the small business expo, and others. The

small business awards ceremony is the largest and best known of the many events the Chamber has, but it is one of many. At the Chamber we work hard to tailor our support to the needs of our small businesses. Sometimes these are large and public events such as this one and other times they are smaller events customized to the particular needs of a few of our small businesses.” In fact, the Chamber’s small business staff provides assistance, information, networking opportunities and opportunities for growth for woman-owned, small, and home-based businesses. • John Southerland

For a list of resources for small businesses, see opposite page. For last year’s Small Business Award Celebration winners, see page 24.

2007 Small Business Awards Celebration Presenting Sponsor:

First Commercial Bank Platinum Sponsors:

Redstone Federal Credit Union Superior Bank Gold Sponsors: Capital South; Cumulus; MLJM Engineering & Technical Services; Regions Bank; The Boeing Company Silver Sponsors: Axiom Solutions, LLP; Baron Services, Inc.; CenturyTel; Compass Bank; Computer Troubleshooters; Crestwood Medical Center; Dick, Riggs, Miller and Stem, LLP; J. Smith Lanier; Klos Jewelers; Maynard Cooper & Gale, PC; PeopleTec; SAIC; Sprint Nextel; Wachovia Bank, N.A. 22

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Chamber Resources for Small Businesses Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Council The Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Council (WBC) is an advocate for Women-Owned Businesses. The WBC promotes the business interests of Women-Owned Businesses in the community and promotes the services of the Chamber that are beneficial to these businesses. CEO Roundtables The CEO Roundtables are comprised of a select group of 7-12 CEOs of comparable experience, from non-competing companies. Each Roundtable offers a forum in which CEOs, Presidents, and Owners can gain valuable insights into othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; successes and achievements, and learn how to avoid the pitfalls of their mistakes. CEO Roundtables are exclusive for the single individual responsible for the direction of the company and with the authority to make final decisions. Small Business Training The Chamber currently offers training seminars focused on small business issues such as Earned Value Management, Change Management and Recruiting. These seminars are priced minimally and are usually held over lunch. Small Business Committee The Small Business Committee provides information, training, and networking forums targeted to meet the specific needs of the small business community. This committee maintains direct contact with the small business community through surveys and a small business newsletter. And to make certain that the various small business organizations, programs and interests are coordinated and at least communicated, the Chamber has formed a community-wide Small Business Coalition comprised of small business owners, the WBC, the Chamber, Alabama A&M University, the University of Alabama in Huntsville as well as government small business liaisons ranging from NASA and the U.S. Army. For information on the Chamber and its small business programs or the Small Business Awards Celebration call Jenni Jeffers at 256.535.2051 or visit the web site at www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com.

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2006 Small Business Awards Celebration â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Winners Business Services

Technology

Personal Services/Wholesale/Retail

Entrepreneur of the Year Derrick T. Copeland Applied Data Trends, Inc.

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Non-Profit

Construction/Manufacturing

Young Professional of the Year Tracey Pattenaude ADTRAN

Space & Missile Defense Conference Celebrating 50 Years of Space & Missile Defense August 13-16, 2007 at the Von Braun Center

t may not be directly from Star Trek – but it is probably not as far off, or as far, far away as you might think. In fact, attendees of the 10th Annual Space and Missile Defense Conference and Exhibition in Huntsville will get the opportunity to see the future through participation in the Technology and Training Track. Aptly termed, the Technology and Training Track summarizes the mission for this year’s conference – to excite participants to a voyage in time; stimulate attendees’ historical memory in the Amazing Trek Race and receive a winner’s prize; arouse their senses in the Tech Trek and discover futuristic trends in technologies. Participants can also accelerate their gaming abilities and play a part in America’s Army Overmatch game and even catch a glimpse into the future with Space Power 2035. Throughout the conference, the Technology and Training Track will engage participants to see, touch and learn about past, present and future technologies as they relate to space and missile defense. Attendees will also be able to see presentations from globally recognized experts in the areas of global ballistic missile defense systems development and operation. Exhibits from contractors and government will be displayed throughout the Von Braun Center (VBC) and will include daily attractions in each hall, including celebrity authors, the Liberty Bike, and – displayed for the first time in a public forum – the Liberty Guitar. The conference will also feature a scavenger hunt and a theater projection of the Army’s video game. All of these attractions, along with the viewing of all exhibits, are free and open to the general public. The conference, to be held Aug. 13-16 at the VBC in Huntsville, attracts more than

6,000 professionals from across the U.S. and its allies around the world. Part of that attraction is thanks to the “who’s who” of space and missile defense experts scheduled to speak at the event. Retired Maj. Gen. John Holly, who currently works as president of Analytical Services, Inc., is the program chair. “From combatant commanders to agency directors and major commanders in the services, key government and industry leaders will speak to the achievements of the past 50

years, present day challenges and future opportunities,” said Holly. “This is a must attend event for the space and missile defense community and those desiring to learn more about the latest military technology advances and innovation. This year’s conference provides a unique opportunity to hear from senior defense experts in the area of Space and Missile Defense.” Kelly Zelickson, who serves as conference co-chair with Rodney Robertson, said although the conference is in its 10th year, there are many exciting changes for the 2007 conference.

“We have some great additions to the conference this year – and what is really special is that we are celebrating 50 years of space and missile defense this year,” she said. Zelickson is the sector vice president and general manager of the tactical systems division of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. “Because of that – this year we are focusing on space and missile defense from a historical perspective, a current perspective and a future perspective. It is a great conference for senior government officials and industry to come together to see where we are heading in the future,” she said. Zelickson pointed to other attractions of the conference. “Government employees can gain training credits for attending this conference and we are offering a technology track that will feature futuristic technology in space and missile defense. We’ve got so many renowned speakers who will provide attendees with information about where we have been, where we are and where we are going in space and missile defense. We will showcase technology of 50 years ago and compare it to now,” she said. “We are really excited about this conference.” Though the technology track was actually added to the 2006 conference, it will be even more interactive in 2007, Zelickson said. The conference continues to gain in attendance and status. “We are ahead in every sense compared to years past,” she said. Mike Ward, the Chamber’s vice president for governmental affairs, said the conference helps showcase the area’s rich history in aerospace and defense. “The Space and Missile Defense Conference held in Huntsville each August is reccontinued on page 26 Initiatives August 2007

Space & Missile Defense Conference, continued from page 25

ognized as one of the most significant international missile defense conferences in the world. The conference traditionally draws some of the most senior leaders from the Department of Defense and the Congress and is a tremendous tool to showcase our community’s heritage in space and missile defense,” Ward said. Zelickson agreed – adding that the community should be aware of the conference and understands they are invited to participate in viewing the exhibits displayed at the conference. “We should promote and publicize this event – because the people in our community not involved in this field should continue to be familiar with what is truly an integral part of this community,” she said. “Space and missile defense is a big part of this community, and it is going to continue to grow with BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure).” The event features three sponsors – the Air Space & Missile Defense Association (ASMDA); the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) – Tennessee Valley chapter; and the Air Defense Artillery Association

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(ADAA) – Huntsville chapter. Proceeds from the event will go to the sponsor organizations. The ASMDA will also award two college scholarships at the opening ceremony celebration Monday night, Aug. 13, and ASMDA will dedicate the Distinguished Civilians Wall located at SMDC. The 33 honorees pictured on the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Distinguished Civilians Wall include: Thomas M.

Perdue; Sara L. Bruce; C. E. Richardson Jr.; Paul O. Phillips; Dr. Julian Davidson; Dr. J. Richard (Dick) Fisher; Dr. Shelba J. Proffitt; Edward Harris Vaughn; William F. Graves; Dr. William A. Davis, Jr.; William O. Turney; Dr. William O. Davies; Cecil Dale (Rich) Richardson; John E. Reece; Alan D. Sherer; Bobby Sisco; Fred Stevenson; James C. Katechis; Lois N. Spruiell; Wallace E. Kirkpatrick; Jerry W. Cavender; Dr. Edward L. Wilkinson; A.Q. Oldacre; Robert G. Menotti; Dr. Michael A. Holtcamp; Tom A. Bair; Frank Vann; Dr. Thomas Patton; Donald S. Russ; James R. Pignataro Sr.; Dr. Peter G. Pappas; William E. Roberson Jr.; and Melvin Capps. The ASMDA is proud to sponsor the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Distinguished Civilians Wall. New members are nominated and selected every other year. For information on nominations email Pete Schofield at Pete.schofield@sparta.com. The public is invited to tour the nearly 300 exhibits on display at the VBC during the conference to learn more about the industry, register for giveaways and contests. Also – one of the highlights for attendees is the opportunity to see a live performance of the Capitol Steps at the VBC Wednesday night, Aug. 15. The Capitol Steps began as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them. In the years that followed, many of the Steps ignored the conventional wisdom (“Don’t quit your day job!”), and although not all of the current members of the Steps are former Capitol Hill staffers, taken together the performers have worked in a total of eighteen Congressional offices and represent 62 years of collective House and Senate staff experience. Since they began, the Capitol Steps have

Among the scheduled speakers for the SMD Conference: Speakers Ambassador Robert Joseph, former Under Secretary of State Congressman Bud Cramer, U.S. House of Representatives, Alabama GEN. James Cartwright, Commander USSTRATCOM (newly nominated Vice Chair Joint Chiefs of Staff) GEN. Kevin Chilton, Commander AFSPACE LTG William “Glenn” Webster, USNORTHCOM J3 LTG Mike Hamel, Commander SMC LTG Henry “Trey” Obering, MDA LTG Kevin T. Campbell, Commander SMDC/ARSTRAT LTG (RET) Thomas Stafford, former Astronaut LTG (RET) James Abrahamson, First Director SDIO Edward McCullough, Boeing Phantomworks Jim McGugan, IBM Executive Architect Jerry Agee, President Northrop Grumman Mission Systems

Panelists MG Chris Anzalone, Director Test & Integration, MDA MG Roger Nadeau, CG ATEC (will be as of 29 June 2007) MG Bob Lennox, USADASCH BG Nick Justice, PEO C3T LTG (RET) Ron Kadish, Former Director MDA LTG (RET) Ed Anderson, Former Vice Commander US Element NORAD Dr. John Foulkes, Director DoD Test Management Center Scott Fancher, Boeing VP for GMD Dave Kier, Lockheed Martin

recorded 27 albums, including their latest, Springtime for Liberals. They’ve been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS, and can be heard four times a year on National Public Radio stations nationwide during their Politics Takes a Holiday radio specials. To register or obtain more information about the 2007 Space & Missile Defense Conference, please visit the web site at www.smdconf.org. • John Southerland

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Huntsville and Madison Continue to Lead State’s Population Growth Recently released population estimates from the U.S. Census show the city of Huntsville leading all other Alabama cities in population growth from 2000 to 2006. During this period the city of Huntsville grew by 8,701 people, ranking number one in the state. This is a 5.5 percent increase over the 2000 population. The city of Madison was also one of the state's leading growth cities ranking third in the state. Madison grew by a total of 7,565 residents during the period for a rate of 25.9 percent. With two of the state's highest growth cities, it is not surprising that the Huntsville Metropolitan Area is also Alabama's fastest growing metro area with 9.6 percent growth over the past six years. The chart at right shows the latest numbers released by the Census.

SPARTA Opens New Building and Prepares for BRAC Surge SPARTA, an employee-owned aerospace and defense contractor, recently opened a new 95,000 square foot facility in Thornton Research Park in Huntsville that currently employs 300 workers. Additionally, the building is accompanied by enough property to add another 35,000 square feet Evans Quinlivan, who serves as Chairman of the Chamber and CEO of First American Bank, praised SPARTA’s leadership and its employees. “SPARTA is an ideal example of our economic growth for a number of reasons. For one, they are a great company with great leadership who understands that their number one customer is their employees. Secondly – and we want this to be heard loud and clear – they are one of the largest Missile Defense Agency support contractors. This new 95,000 square-foot facility is accompanied by enough property to add another 35,000 square feet. The building allows SPARTA to consolidate three operations here in Huntsville under one roof. There are currently 300 employees at this office, but there are about to be 200 MDA workers whose jobs will move to Huntsville as part of MDA’s relocation thanks to

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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY our 2005 BRAC gains. Folks, BRAC is happening and SPARTA is a part of that growth.” Randy Morgan, the Missile Defense sector president from the Roslyn, Virginia office of SPARTA, said the new facility is not only prepared to handle the BRAC surge, but also consolidates the current Huntsville operations under one roof. “This new facility has allowed us to consolidate all of our Huntsville operations and affords us room for growth during the BRAC relocation,” said Morgan. “Thanks to the people who contributed to making this facility a reality - our customers who had the faith and confidence to give SPARTA the opportunity to support their programs over the years, our dedicated SPARTA employees, who have made this company what it is today, and our corporate partners who we have worked with over the years.” Pictured (l-r): Chamber Chairman Evans Quinlivan with Maureen Baginski and Randy Morgan of SPARTA, Inc.

47th Paris International Air Show Focuses on Aerospace & Defense Economic Development The Chamber of Commerce teamed with other local and state organizations to market Huntsville/Madison County to the aerospace and defense industries at the 47th Paris International Air Show, held in June at Le Bourget, France. The Huntsville/Madison County delegation, which consisted of the Chamber, the Port of Huntsville, Madison County, TVA, the North Alabama Industrial Development Association, and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center representatives, joined the state-wide Alabama delegation, led by state and federal elected officials and the Alabama Development Office to significantly raise the state’s profile at the world’s largest air and space show. The Chamber has been attending the Paris Air Show since 1985, and Ethan Hadley, the Chamber’s vice president for continued on page 30

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 29

economic development, said that 2007 was the best planned and executed effort to date. “We are excited about the results of the Huntsville/Madison County effort. Our team worked well in advance to schedule dozens of meetings prior to the show and made contacts there that led to even more. Our primary goals were to meet with the top leaders of our existing aerospace and defense companies, to discuss with them future expansion opportunities, and to get in front of domestic and international companies that do not have a presence in Huntsville,” Hadley said. “The most immediate results were follow-up visits in July with companies that are eyeing entry into the Huntsville market. As always, the efforts of the Chamber, the Port of Huntsville, and Madison County were coordinated with key economic development allies including the Alabama Development Office, the North Alabama Industrial Development Association, and TVA, among others. The presence of Governor Riley and Senators Shelby and Sessions significantly strengthened Huntsville's presence.” Redstone Arsenal and Cummings Research Park continue to be prime attractions to companies, Hadley said. “One consistent message from the corporate executives with whom we met was their appreciation and positive recognition of the diversity of federal agencies co-located on Redstone Arsenal and of the City of Huntsville’s investment in Cummings Research Park to create the necessary infrastructure for companies to be close to their customers on the arsenal.”

gram executive office for aviation is located at Redstone. “It is rare that we have a situation where literally hundreds of our key customer advocates, representatives and technical advisors are clustered just a bicycle ride away from one of our design and integration centers. This is one of those rare instances,” he said.

Huntsville One of the Top Metros in the Country for Economic Vitality In a recent Wall Street Journal article that measured how cities and states compared on various measures of development, Huntsville was ranked eighth in the nation, and tops in Alabama, for Business Vitality. According to the article, Moody’s Economy.com devised a business vitality index that rates the overall economic vitality of a metro area by looking at various factors such as household income growth, labor availability, economic stability, and regional cost structure. The top-10 included: Austin, Texas; Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Corvallis, Ore.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Boise City, Idaho; Orlando, Fla.; Huntsville, Ala.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Fargo, N.D. Huntsville was the top ranked city in the U.S. in the “Building Blocks” category – which is the number of architectural and other engineers per 1,000 population with 41.4 – well ahead of the 31.2 of the second place metro area of San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. The national average is 8.1.

Madison County Leads State in New Job Growth…Again

Sikorsky Aircraft Expands Operations in Huntsville Sikorsky Aircraft, the designer and manufacturer of the legendary BLACK HAWK helicopter, held a recent ribbon cutting to celebrate the company’s new facility and growing presence in Huntsville. “This dedication signals continued good things not only for Sikorsky Aircraft, but also for the City of Huntsville, for the economy of Alabama, and for our customer, the United States Army,” said Sikorsky Aircraft President Jeff Pino, pictured above with Chamber Chair Evans Quilivan. Sikorsky currently has about 60 people working in the facility, but expects to triple that number by the end of 2008, Pino said, adding that the company has two-thirds of the building’s 30,000 square feet under lease and is in negotiations to have the remaining portion by later this year. Mark Miller, the vice president of research and engineering for Sikorsky Aircraft, said expanding the operation in Huntsville allows the company to work even closer with the U.S. Army, whose pro30

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Madison County was again the state’s leading county in new and expanding business with 48 projects and 4,602 new jobs in 2006 – almost twice as many jobs as any other county in the state, according to a state report released recently. The 2006 New and Expanding Industry Report, released by the Alabama Development Office, reveals that Madison County led the state in jobs announced for new companies with 1,352. Baldwin County was second with 1,135 jobs. In the expanding industry category, Madison County was the runaway leader with 43 companies announcing 3,250 new jobs. Jefferson County was second with 44 companies announcing 1,610 new jobs. Overall, Jefferson County was second with 59 companies announcing 2,203 new jobs, followed by Mobile County with 31 companies announcing 1,593 new jobs and Baldwin County with 26 companies announcing 1,502 jobs. Cullman County rounded out the top five with 87 companies announcing 1,175 new jobs. Evans Quinlivan, chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, praised Governor Bob Riley and the Alabama Development Office for their leadership in statewide economic development. He said Madison County’s growth is a compliment to the strong economic partnership that exists between all elected officials, business leaders and the community. “The fact that this area continues to lead the state is a tribute to our elected officials, business leaders and organizations that, working together, make this such a viable business preference for new and existing companies,” he said. Quinlivan also cited the diversity of the companies that help create the platform for growth. “When you look not only at the new companies that are choosing Huntsville and Madison County – but also the companies here that

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY are expanding – you see great diversification in our industrial and manufacturing areas,” Quinlivan said. “Obviously the announcement of Verizon Wireless choosing Huntsville and announcing 1,300 jobs was great. It is equally impressive to see 47 other companies announcing significant job growth here.” Brian Hilson, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County, said both new and expanding business growth in Madison County is the recipe for successful economic development. “This marks 14 of the last 17 years that Madison County has led the state for jobs created by new and expanding companies within the primary business sectors. In my opinion, the number of jobs created by the combined companies is the most important criteria and while the rest of the state is not our competitor, it is still important to know how we compare because we do depend heavily on the state for support,” Hilson said. “Madison County normally represents from 15-20 percent of all jobs created statewide, and last year was no exception. Our having 48 projects representing 4,600 jobs is a tribute to our community.”

Sumitomo Electric Carbide Expands Operations in Huntsville Sumitomo Electric Carbide, which provides metal cutting products and solutions to a variety of automotive and industrial manufacturers, officially opened an office in Huntsville in June to further expand its operations in North America.

“We decided to have a branch here because this area is very exciting to us,” said Sumitomo Electric Carbide President Mitsuhiro Goto. “We do expect to grow here in Huntsville together with the community and will look to hire more people,” he said. Sumitomo is considered an industry leader in solving metal cutting problems and also has North American offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, and New Berlin, Wisc. For more information about Sumitomo Electric Carbide, visit the web site at www.sumicarbide.com. Ron Poteat, vice chair of economic development for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and North Alabama area executive for Regions Bank, applauded the timing of the opening. He is pictured above with President Goto. continued on page 32

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 31

“We are here this afternoon to celebrate the opening of the Alabama sales branch office for Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc.,” he said. “We are honored to have Sumitomo here – an area that is quickly becoming a recognized international business community. As our community continues to grow, it is great to see that Sumitomo Electric Carbide had the leadership and vision to open an office in Huntsville.” Company leaders indicated that one of

the primary reasons Huntsville was selected was that the community is a central location for many of the major automotive industries in the southeast United States. The fact that many automotive parts suppliers are moving to the South made the Huntsville location even more attractive, Goto indicated, adding that the company’s ability to provide quality products in the cutting tool business would make it attractive to the aerospace industry as well.

Baron Services Announces Groundbreaking, Expansion Baron Services recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to announce the expansion of its business located at 4930 Research Drive in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park. The expansion will support the substantial growth experienced by the Baron group of companies in recent years, as well as provide the space necessary to construct a state-of-the-art operations center for the company’s forecasting, data processing and technical support services. Baron Services is currently one of the largest private users of data bandwidth in the state of Alabama. “I am very excited about the continued growth of our companies,” said Bob Baron, president and CEO of Baron Services. “By doubling the size of our facility, we will be able to better serve our customers’ needs for years to come.” Baron Services was established by local television meteorologist Bob Baron in 1990. Baron was also recently named a Southeastern finalist for the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Ernst and Young group. Out of 100 applicants, Baron is one of 21 selected as a finalist, and the only candidate from Alabama to be considered for this esteemed award. Since its inception, Baron’s company has grown to over 95 employees, spread across multiple divisions in Huntsville, Melbourne, Fla. and Candler, NC. The company has previously occupied locations on Bob Wallace Avenue and Metro Circle in Huntsville. Baron Services is the only complete weather company, providing full-service weather technologies for a variety of industries. The company’s broadcast division specializes in viewer-friendly weather displays for the High-Definition Era, including daily forecast graphics, storm tracking, localized forecast data, live Doppler radar and community-oriented systems like remote sensors. Baron’s consumer-driven weather systems deliver relevant information in simplified displays while requiring minimal inter-

August 2007 Initiatives

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

pretation on the part of the viewer. Baron Services operates out of Huntsville with offices in Oklahoma, North Carolina and Florida. Its multiple divisions focus on broadcast television, public safety, government and industry, as well as satellite-delivered weather data for mobile environments. The company’s numerous patents make it a continued leader in the communication of significant weather events.

Construction Begins on New Four-Story High-Tech Medical Tower Groundbreaking of Governors Medical Tower, a 4-story state-of-the-art medical facility, was held recently on the corner of Governors Drive and Gallatin Street. The 124,500 square foot tower will be the future site for numerous physician practices including The Spine and Neurosurgery Center (Drs. Rhett Murray, Joel Pickett, John Johnson, Jason Banks and Cheng Tao), Digestive Disease Center (Drs. Prasad Vankineni and Suresh Karne) and

Tennessee Valley Pain Consultants (Drs. Ronald Collins, Morris Scherlis, Roddie Gantt and John Roberts). “We are expanding to meet the needs of our patients with a more convenient location and access to services,” Neurospine surgeon Dr. Joel Pickett said. “With the relocation of our clinic, patients can access the latest diagnostic testing equipment, medical care and outpatient surgery all in one location.” Huntsville Hospital Outpatient Surgery and Center for Pain Management will also be located in the tower. The public and physicians will have access to the hospital via a pedestrian skywalk located on the second floor. A five and a half story attached parking deck will provide convenient entry for patients with 480 parking spaces. Governors Medical Tower is located in Huntsville’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District 4. TIF funds from the property will be designated for the rebuilding of Lee High School, renovation of Butler High School, police and fire facilities, as well as the Huntsville Museum of Art and the Von Braun Center.

Four Companies With Area Operations Included in Hispanic Business 500 Four companies were recently included in the nation’s top 500 Hispanic businesses. Leading the Huntsville/Madison County contingent was Analytical Services, Inc. at number 121. SEI Group, at number 219, was next, followed by Intuitive Research and Technology at number 321. Advanced Federal Services was the biggest mover – moving up to 331 overall compared to 380 a year ago.

JHU Applied Physics Lab Opens Huntsville Field Office to Support MDA With the majority of the Missile Defense Agency's programs and technical work relocating to Huntsville, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) recently opened a new continued on page 34

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ECO. DEV. HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 33

office in Huntsville to better support MDA's mission to develop, test and deploy an integrated ballistic missile defense system. The Lab’s involvement with missile defense dates back to the Strategic Defense Initiative (an early predecessor to MDA). Through its expertise in research, development, systems integration and engineering, testing and evaluation of current and future air defense-related systems and technologies, APL is helping MDA solve some of its most critical challenges in ballistic missile defense. APL works closely with MDA on a range of programs, including those within the Agency’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), THAAD (Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense), Combined Test Force, Targets and Countermeasures, Sensors and Ballistic Missile Defense Systems Engineering directorates now located in Huntsville. Additionally, APL serves as technical direction agent for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program and is a principal technical advisor for MDA’s Sensors Directorate. Located near MDA’s offices in Cummings Research Park, APL’s 3,200-square-foot facility will accommodate up to 14 resident employ-

August 2007 Initiatives

ees (six will initially staff the office). The facility is fully connected to the Lab’s main campus in Laurel, Md., “so electronically speaking, it appears users are sitting in an office on our main campus,” said David Olivares, APL’s Huntsville field office site manager who works closely with MDA’s Targets and Countermeasures, GMD and THAAD directorates. The Huntsville office provides a convenient portal through which MDA can access the full breadth of APL capabilities. “We need to be in Huntsville – visible, ready and willing to take on the critical challenges for which we have the core competencies to address,” said Tom Eubanks, APL’s program area manager for Ballistic Missile Defense. APL, a division of the Johns Hopkins University, meets critical national challenges through the innovative application of science and technology. For information, visit www.jhuapl.edu. • Compiled by Chamber staff

For more highlights, go online to www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/ news/ed_highlights.html

Only a small sampling of the onstage “backstage” contretemps in Noises Off (2006)

Jeff White, Kearns’ Photography

Theatre Huntsville Enhancing Huntsville’s Quality of Life for 75 Years

s Theatre Huntsville (TH) begins its second decade, it reflects on the fact that it is the Valley’s oldest theatrical organization, its roots stretching back for decades. Theatre Huntsville’s decennial encomia from Mayor Loretta Spencer, U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, and the Alabama State Council on the Arts saluted both 10 seasons and “75 combined years” of artistic achievement with its predecessors. Confused? Don’t be. Formed in 1997, TH was a merger of two older Huntsville theatrical organizations – Huntsville Little Theatre (HLT) and Twickenham Repertory Company (Twick). HLT was formally established in 1951, though a short-lived “little theatre” first appeared here in 1933. Twick opened in 1979 through a CETA grant. Considered the more mainstream, HLT featured many time-honored classics, while Twick leaned toward avant-garde, lesserknown plays – essential outlets were provided for both family-friendly and experimental presentations. But by the 1990’s, Twick and HLT had somewhat homogenized, their invisible demarcations seemingly eroded, and the two companies merged. As “fusion theatre,” TH offers something for everyone: G/PG fare, Broadway favorites, and Off- and Off-Off-Broadway innovations. It’s a successful recipe. Theatre Huntsville’s last three seasons considerably enhanced its attendance (boasting six of its top 10 shows), its 10th Season “Best of the Best” revivals were so effective that three plays – The Foreigner, Noises Off, and To Kill a Mockingbird – comprise its top-five! Theatre Huntsville anticipates another leap forward this season; a state premiere, the Valley debut

of another “Farndale” entry, and the return of several well-loved titles empowers the ascent. Allegedly, the utterance of the word “Macbeth” brings calamity backstage – in The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of “Macbeth”, the FAHETGDS ladies unintentionally show us why Their wayward attempts to make the “Welwyn Garden City Drama Finals” unveil an unexpectedly hilarious side of the Bard’s most famous tragedy!

By means of its performances and community outreach, Theatre Huntsville enhances the quality of life, the socioeconomic viability, and the overall allure of the beautiful Tennessee Valley.

The Alabama Premiere of the Christmas Carol burlesque, Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge!, takes the old holiday chestnut, roasts it on an open fire, distills its timeless essence, and re-decks its halls with howls of jollity! History’s Most Renowned Miser and Most Desperate Housewife are entangled by a streetwise Ghost who can’t control her Yuletide magic. The final showdown between head Nurse Ratched and Randle MacMurphy, the charming rabble-rouser, is a powerfully arresting onstage moment. But the Tonywinning One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is more than a duel in a mental institution – it’s one man’s stand against a system constructed to harm more than heal. Harvey introduces us to blithely unaware Elwood P. Dowd, who keeps his sister on edge and, inadvertently, in a sanitarium where she has in fact arrived to register him – the downside, one supposes, of hanging out with a six-and-a-half-foot tall invisible rabbit. With “Shakespeare on the Mountain’s” Henry IV, Part 1, TH welcomes you to a court where internal political problems, fueled by the malevolent Hotspur, interfere with the bacchanals of Prince Hal, the gregarious Falstaff, and other ne’er-do-wells…a turn of events spurring Hal closer to his eventual leadership. All plays are produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. or Dramatists Play Service, Inc. TH offers individual, season, group rate, and “Flex” tickets. With advance notice, special rates can accommodate corporate gifts, employee incentives, drama classes, and bus tours, while Q&A sessions can be set up for visiting or student groups. Just call (256) 5360807 or visit www.theatrehsv.org. • Jim Zielinski Initiatives August 2007

August 2007 Initiatives