Initiatives December 2009
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Crestwood is Committed to Your Health Recruiting Physicians for our Community
We’re preparing for BRAC, too. Over the past two years Crestwood has recruited eight primary care physicians to our area to meet the health care needs of our community. We plan to recruit more in 2010 and beyond as our area continues to grow. Crestwood and our newly recruited physicians are ready to care for you. The following physicians are currently accepting new patients and accept most major insurances including Tricare &
Medicare. To view a complete list of
our Medical Staff, please visit crestwoodmedcenter.com and click on “find a physician”.
New Members of the Crestwood Medical Staff Accepting New Patients
Crestwood Medical Center is proud to be your full service hospital. Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence Behavioral Health Services Cardiology Emergency Department Gastroenterology Maternity Center & Women’s Services Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Outpatient Diagnostic Imaging
Laura Lee Adams, M.D. Family Practice 13741 Highway 231/431 North Hazel Green, AL 35750 828.6766
Jeffery D. Garrard, M.D. Stephanie Burrell, M.D. Total Sports Care & North Alabama Family Medicine Family Practice 101 Westover Circle Suite B 4205 Balmoral Drive; Suite 200 Madison, AL 35758 Huntsville, AL 35801 325.3800 382.7767 • totalsportscare.com
Outpatient/ Inpatient Surgery Sleep Center Therapy Services Vascular Lab Women’s Center with Digital Mammography 150 Private Patient Rooms
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Vito Pukis, M.D. Marilyn M. Ligon, M.D. Blossomwood Medical Family Practice & Pediatrics 610 Airport Road Suite 200 101 Westover Circle; Suite B Huntsville, AL 35802 Madison, AL 35758 883.0107 • blossomwoodmedical.com 325.3800 Please contact Physician’s Office for a complete list of accepted insurances. 2
December 2009 Initiatives
One Hospital Drive Huntsville, Alabama 35801 256.429.4000 crestwoodmedcenter.com
Š 2007 RCSH All Rights Reserved
- ruth
Downtown Huntsville 800 Monroe Street at the Embassy Suites (256) 539-3930 Open for Lunch and Dinner 7 Days a Week Private Party Facilities for 10 to 300 www.RuthsChris.com 3
Initiatives December 0000127090-01 2009
Thanks to Our Investors Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
Development Partner ($250,000+ invested annually: public sector)
City of Huntsville
Development Council
(Up to $125,000 invested annually: public sector)
Huntsville Utilities
Chamber Trustees
($10,000 - $24,999 invested annually)
Agility Defense & Government Services Avocent Corporation Beason & Nalley, Inc. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama Booz Allen Hamilton Breland Companies Camber Corporation CINRAM, Inc. Cobham Analytic Solutions COLSA Corporation Huntsville Area Association of Realtors
Huntsville/Madison County Builders Association, Inc. Intergraph Corporation Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation L-3 Communications Lamar Outdoor Advertising Look Outdoor Advertising Northrop Grumman Parsons Corporation SES, Inc. SportsMED
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 BBVA Compass The Boeing Company Crestwood Medical Center Deltacom The Huntsville Times Lockheed Martin Redstone Federal Credit Union SAIC Verizon Wireless Wachovia Bank, N.A. 4
December 2009 Initiatives
Progress Partners
($5,000 - $9,999 invested annually)
AEgis Technologies Analytical Services, Inc. Applied Data Trends, Inc. BAE Systems BASF Catalysts LLC Coldwell Banker/McLain Real Estate Colonial Properties Consolidated Construction Dynetics Enfinger Steele Development, Inc. ERC, Inc. First Commercial Bank J. Smith Lanier & Co. Jerry Damson Honda Acura Keystone Foods Corporation Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne LG Electronics Alabama, Inc. M. B. Kahn Construction Co., Inc.
Maynard Cooper & Gale, P.C. NAI Chase Commercial Realty
Progress Investors
Navistar Diesel of Alabama The Orthopaedic Center Parker Hannifin Corporation Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. RBC Bank Samples Properties Sirote & Permutt, P.C. SL1-Inc SOUTHBank Stanley Associates Superior Bank The Surgery Center of Huntsville System Studies and Simulation, Inc. Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. Turner Universal Construction WAFF-TV Wilmer & Lee, P.A. Yellowbook Anonymous
($2,500 - $4,999 invested annually)
4SITE, Incorporated Applied Geo Technologies Averbuch Realty / Averbuch Enterprises BancorpSouth Baron Services Belzon BFA Systems BID Designs, LLC Bill Penney Toyota Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Brown Precision Bryant Bank Century Automotive Chapman Sisson Architects DESE Research, Inc. DHS Systems DRS Technologies – A Finmeccanica Company FITE Building Co., Inc. Fountain Parker Harbarger & Associates Fuqua & Partners Garber Construction Co., Inc. General Dynamics Gray Research, Inc.
Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. Jacobs JH Partners Architecture & Interiors Kelly Services Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. Kudzu Productions Lamb Commercial Services, Inc. North Alabama Gas District Oak Ridge-Huntsville Partnership Office Progress Bank QinetiQ North America QTEC Qualis Corporation Radiance Technologies, Inc. ServisFirst Bank Torch Technologies United Space Alliance, LLC Weichert Realtors – The Executive Group Wesfam Restaurants, Inc. – Burger King WHNT-19 Wilson Lumber Woodland Homes of Huntsville Woody Anderson Ford
we’re here for you ... just like family When times get tough, it’s good to have family. And at Redstone Federal Credit Union, members are like family. Your credit union is convenient, safe and secure with a variety of accounts to meet your needs. If you’re not already a member, visit any of the 20 branches to learn how easy it is to join. Redstone Federal Credit Union is Alabama’s largest member-owned financial institution. You can trust Redstone Federal Credit Union – just like family.
Federally Insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
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Initiatives December 2009
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Advancing Outpatient Surgery
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Experience, excellence and now convenience
You’ve trusted Huntsville Hospital all your life for excellence in surgery. Now you can find that same expertise in a more convenient setting in Huntsville Hospital’s new Outpatient Surgery Department in the Governors Medical Tower on Gallatin Street. With easy in-and-out parking, plenty of space for family and even a Grab ‘N’ Go snack shop, we make your experience as simple as possible. And isn’t it nice to know that you are adjacent to one of Alabama’s largest surgical departments? Visit us online at huntsvillehospital.org to see our facility. The technology and the team that you expect from the region’s leading hospital are now available to serve you in Huntsville Hospital’s Outpatient Surgery Department. It’s a new way of taking care of you from the hospital that you’ve trusted for generations.
huntsvillehospital.org 6
December 2009 Initiatives
initiatives
Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
december 2009
Huntsville Aircraft Industry Soars with SES page 24 Photo by Craig Shamwell
features Economic Development Highlights
including Agility Defense & Government Services, Correlated Magnetics Research, PALCO Telecom, WestWind Technologies, MEI Techonologies, CRS Engineering, DMD, Sigma Services, Freedom Information Services, Phoenix, The Boeing Company, Worthington Federal Bank and Athens State University
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 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. Photo by Jackson Hill
New Road Honors Mark C. Smith Chamber Targets College Seniors Serving Small Businesses Editorial: Augustine Commission Growing Jobs Locally PPG Aerospace
U.S. Army – CH47
is to prepare, develop and promote our community for economic growth.
contact
Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 225 Church Street Huntsville, AL 35801 256.535.2000
on the web www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com www.aSmartPlace.com
23 28 32 34 38 40
developments HREGI Investors Chamber Board Listing Community Profile HREGI Testimonial Growth Through Networking Employee of the Quarter Chamber Staff Listing
mission The mission of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
14
4 8 10 13 31 42 43
editorial staff
Publisher Brian Hilson Executive Editor John Southerland
Editorial Designer Kristi Sherrard ontributing Writers Lucia Cape, Harrison Diamond, C Mike Kelley, John Southerland Loren Traylor and Mike Ward Photography Chamber of Commerce staff & publications (if not credited) Advertising Sales Ray Johnson The Huntsville Times Initiatives December 2009
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Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors and Executive Committee 2009 Executive Committee
Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: This is annual business planning time for the Chamber of Commerce – that time of year when we re-establish goals, lay out a marketing plan, and set budgets for the coming year. Everything we do is embodied in the Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative, the Chamber’s multi-year strategy which serves as our community’s blueprint for economic growth. The process of establishing new economic growth priorities is always a healthy one – there’s never a shortage of ideas, and the challenges resulting from today’s economy make the process of careful decision-making even more critical. Fortunately, our Chamber, and our greater community, has always had outstanding leaders who understand the issues and are willing to contribute their knowledge and time to make certain we are on the path to success. Among those leaders are the Chamber’s board of directors, including our 2009 Chair, Irma Tuder, and our 2010 Chair, Don Nalley. The Chamber’s 2010 board of directors will be introduced in our February edition of Initiatives. Despite the economy, 2009 has been another great year for Huntsville/Madison County. In the midst of the economic recession the Chamber has continued to work through its traditional strategic initiatives, with issues like BRAC, workforce recruitment, image development, NASA’s future, numerous day-to-day economic development projects requiring constant attention. We expect 2010 to offer more of the same, including new challenges and opportunities. As our country continues its recovery from this economic recession, we fully expect the Huntsville community to be quick to respond. It is imperative that we work progressively, as a community, region and state, on the issues that most directly impact the Huntsville area, in particular BRAC, NASA, and our ongoing infrastructure needs. We have said it before but it’s worth repeating ... we have never felt better about the future of our local economy. We have much to be thankful for, a deep foundation of success to build upon, and a resilient community that is adaptable to change and new opportunities. Best wishes to you and your family for a happy holiday season, and a successful 2010!
Brian Hilson President & CEO Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
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December 2009 Initiatives
Irma Tuder, Chair, Analytical Services Don Nalley, Chair-Elect, Beason & Nalley Evans Quinlivan, Immediate Past Chair, SES Tommy Beason, Chamber Foundation Chair, consultant Jan Smith, Secretary/Treasurer, System Studies and Simulation Charlie Kettle, Vice Chair - Economic Development, First Commercial Bank Linda Maynor, Vice Chair - Governmental Affairs, Maynard, Cooper & Gale Ron Poteat, Vice Chair - Investor Relations, Regions Bank Joe Alexander, Vice Chair - Workforce, Camber Corporation Beth Martin, Vice Chair - Small Business, Worthington Federal Bank Jeremiah Knight, Vice Chair - Research & Info. Services, Verizon Wireless Elizabeth Morard, Vice Chair - Image Development, Qualis Corporation Mayor Tommy Battle, Chair-Appointed, City of Huntsville Jim Bolte, Chair-Appointed, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama Chairman Mike Gillespie, Chair-Appointed, Madison Co. Commission Joe Ritch, Chair-Appointed, Sirote & Permutt Brian Hilson, President/CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison Co. Elected Board
Cynthia Achorn, ASRC Federal Clayton Bass, Huntsville Museum of Art Penny Billings, BancorpSouth Frank Caprio, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Derrick Copeland, Applied Data Trends Elizabeth Dotts Fleming, Public FA Tracy Doughty, Huntsville Hospital John Eagan, Wachovia Bank Joe Fadool, Continental AG Kerry Fehrenbach, Intergraph Corporation Ron Gray, Gray Research Jeff Hamilton, The Orthopaedic Center Tom Hancock, Ares Corporation John Holly, Lockheed Martin Corporation Tharon Honeycutt, MSB Analytics Dr. Pam Hudson, Crestwood Medical Center Tony Jones, The Boeing Company Frederick Lanier, J. Smith Lanier & Co. Frank Libutti John McMullan, BancorpSouth Dan Montgomery Caroline Myers, Foreign Language Services Joe Newberry, Redstone Federal Credit Union Tony Palumbo, Raytheon Company Pete Schofield, Cobham Analytic Solutions Crystal Shell, WILL Technology Todd Slyman, Village of Providence Keith Smith, SAIC Dr. O’Neal Smitherman, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology David Spillers, Huntsville Hospital Tom Stanton, ADTRAN Sandra Steele, Enfinger Steele Development Al Sullivan, ABT Dr. Dave Williams, UAHuntsville John Wilmer, Wilmer & Lee Danny Windham, Digium Dr. Ernie Wu, ERC
Choosing a Career with ADTRAN Is the Best Decision You Will Ever Make Real People. Real Networks. Real Value.
ADTRAN, Inc. 901 Explorer Blvd. Huntsville, AL 35806 256 963-8000
If you want a challenging and rewarding career at one of the nation’s leading telecommunications companies, look no further — ADTRAN is the place for you. From the telephone to the Internet to IP Television, ADTRAN is powering the networks that keep us connected. Every time you pick up the phone, visit your MySpace page, download your favorite video or watch the game on your High Definition TV, you are likely being serviced by a piece of ADTRAN equipment.
Working alongside some of the best and brightest engineers in telecommunications, you will have the opportunity to build a real career and help shape real networks that define the way we communicate both today and tomorrow. As an engineering-driven company, our success is the result of the skills and abilities of our employees — making you our most valuable resource. When you combine this opportunity with a competitive compensation and benefit package and a relaxed work atmosphere, it soon becomes clear why ADTRAN is one of the 200 best small companies in America. For more information on how you can join the ADTRAN team, visit us online at www.adtran.com/careers
www.adtran.com
ADTRAN is an Equal Opportunity Employee. Copyright © 2009 ADTRAN, Inc. All rights reserved. ADTRAN is a registered trademark of ADTRAN, Inc. 0000124093-01
Initiatives December 2009
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community profile
TOP 10 EMPLOYERS Redstone Arsenal* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,373
Population
Madison County
2000 Census
276,700 158,216
29,329
342,376
Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,385
Current Estimate*
319,510
38,275
395,570
The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,200
City of Huntsville 171,327
City of Huntsville Madison Metro Area
Huntsville City Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000
Households & Income # of Households
121,186
69,229
13,875
147,283
Avg. Household Income $69,882 $65,558 $85,820 $67,466 Per Capita Income $28,209 $28,316 $32,180 $26,874 *May 2009
NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,177
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov), 2007 American Community Survey
CINRAM, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,861 Sanmina-SCI Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,500 SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,303 City of Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,199 Madison County Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,150 Source: Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
*includes on-site contractors
Aerospace & Defense Huntsville/Madison County is home to the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center which combine to drive a thriving aerospace and defense technology industry. More than 32,000 people work at Redstone Arsenal and NASA managing some of the country’s most important and sophisticated technology programs including missiles, aviation and space exploration.
Research & Technology
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Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park has earned a reputation as a global
For more information visit:
park in the U.S., Cummings Research Park is home to more than 285 compa-
HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com
nies and 25,000 people involved in technology research and development.
December 2009 Initiatives
leader in technology development. The second-largest science and technology
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Initiatives December 2009
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December 2009 Initiatives
strength in
numbers
connects business prospects
“
It goes without saying that
economic growth brings both opportunities and challenges. The great thing for the Huntsville area is that our community leaders past and present laid the groundwork which continues to spur economic growth. The key is to take these opportunities and do great things with them. Through our investment in HREGI, we are helping to make that happen.
Micah J. Bullard, Manager Special Projects Division
Turner Universal HREGI Investor since 2005
�
For a list of investors, see page 4 or visit: HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com
Initiatives December 2009
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY
Global Logistics Leader Selects Huntsville as Headquarters for U.S. Operations Agility Defense & Government Services, Inc. (DGS), the U.S. defense arm of leading logistics provider Agility, announced recently that it would make Huntsville its home. Agility DGS owns Taos Industries, a logistics and military procurement company that was founded in Huntsville in 1991. Joseph M. Cosumano Jr., president and CEO of Taos Industries, was named president of Agility DGS Inc. Cosumano, a retired Army lieutenant general, served as commander of the U.S. Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville from Headquarters 2001 to 2003. Moving to Agility’s decision to consolidate U.S. operations in Huntsville Huntsville reflects the community’s emergence as a leading center for aviation, missile, space and procurement activity, Cosumano said. “Huntsville has become a critical hub for the U.S. military and defense industries. It’s important for us to deepen our existing roots here so we can be close to our partners and to key customers such as the Army Materiel Command, Redstone Arsenal and the Army Security Assistance Command,” he said. “Huntsville and Madison County offer us an ideal combination of business opportunities and quality of life,” Cosumano said. “They’ve got critical mass in the defense industry, along with a highly educated labor pool. This is an attractive, affordable place to live. Our plan is to grow here and contribute to the economy and the community.”
Irma Tuder, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s Board of Directors, said that Agility represents the diversity of Huntsville/Madison County’s economy.
“Today very much illustrates the economic growth and diversity of the Huntsville/Madison County community. To have a company with this type of global presence located here and expanding here is wonderful to see,” Tuder said. •
Agility Defense and Government Services recently opened its new corporate headquarters in CRP. The company relocated because of Huntsville’s strong workforce and new commands coming with the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisions.
Breakthrough Magnetics Discovery Pioneers Launch of New Company
A breakthrough discovery in field of magnetism by local physicist Larry Fullerton has led to the creation of a new start-up, Correlated Magnetics Research (CMR). The discovery could have applications in numerous industries, according to Fullerton. 14
December 2009 Initiatives
Correlated Magnetics Research LLC (CMR) recently announced the development of a new technology that will allow the design and manufacture of programmable magnets for use across industries worldwide. Coded magnetic structures (MagnitsTM) can be designed to deliver precise holding strength characteristics, customized release behavior, prescribed alignment tolerances, and even unique identities that can discriminate which devices will interact at all. New Local Ron Poteat, vice chair for investor relations at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County, said CMR is representative of the generations of inquisitive minds that have Technology made Huntsville/Madison County a center for science. “Thanks to those who came before us and those here with us today, the Huntsville/Madison County community continues to provide brilliant and innovative individuals who are not only interested in asking questions that have not been answered, but in discovering the answers to those questions, such as the minds behind CMR,” said Poteat. Permanent magnets are used in millions of household and industrial machines around the world. CMR intends to license the programmable magnets technology to manufacturers in automotive, aerospace, environmental, construction, biomedical, and consumer products industries, thereby maintaining its focus on continued research and development. “I initially programmed a pair of magnets to produce a peak attractive force at one alignment and one alignment only,” said company founder and Chief Scientist Larry Fullerton. “What this means in practical terms is that two very strong magnets will lock together in one particular alignment, but then can be easily released by twisting the patterns away from the correlated position. “These devices also provide a great improvement in safety for applications involving strong industrial magnets, because the engagement distance can be prescribed as well. Imagine a magnet strong enough to lift a large metal cargo container that won’t attract the metal until it is within inches of its intended target.” •
PALCO Telecom Announces Jobs PALCO Telecom Service, a woman-owned company specializing in complex supply chain processes (i.e. reverse logistics, failure analysis, manufacturing), recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the company’s new 135,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Huntsville. The new facility will allow the company to add 30-50 employees over the next year. The company has two facilities in Huntsville, one facility in Kansas and another in Colorado. Janice Migliore, CEO and chairman of the PALCO board, said the company was consolidating most of its operations into Huntsville/Madison County as the company expands the breadth of its work. And Migliore said the support of the Huntsville/Madison County community made the expansion possible. “I want to thank Huntsville and Madison County for putting us on the map and giving us the platform 30-50 from which to be successful,” Migliore said. New Jobs Irma Tuder, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, thanked the company for contributing to Huntsville’s growth. “Thanks to the company’s leadership and its highly skilled professional and technical workforce, PALCO continues to exceed
PALCO recently celebrated the opening of its new 135,000 square-foot facility. The company is consolidating much of its operations into Madison County and adding 30-50 new employees as it continues to expand its breadth of work. its clients’ needs by providing them the highest quality service available,” Tuder said. “PALCO’s client base continues to expand. And when the company grows, the community grows. This ceremony serves as testament to that commitment.” Rex Reynolds, Huntsville City Administrator, thanked the company for choosing to invest in the community. “I want to thank you on behalf of Huntsville and Madison County for choosing Huntsville and for the confidence you have shown in our local work force,” Reynolds said.
Madison Mayor Paul Finley said that good events such as the ribbon cutting for PALCO show how strong the local economy is despite the national economic downturn. “[Huntsville] Mayor Battle and I were recently on the Joint Civilian Orientation trip to learn about the branches of the military. On the trip were the CEOs of Burger King and the Hyatt. Every time we talked with these high-level people about the Madison County community, we were able to talk about the ribbon cuttings, such as this one, and the other events that are happening here,” Finley said. •
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Fortune Small Business has named Huntsville the No. 1 midsized city to launch a business in its November edition. This is Huntsville’s second No.1 ranking of 2009. Fortune Small Business wrote of Huntsville: “In the past 50 years, this small city in northern Alabama has morphed from cotton capital to rocket town to high-technology hub. The U.S. Army’s Aviation and Missile Command is housed in the nearby Redstone Arsenal, and the federal government employs more than 8% of the local workforce. But National the city’s thriving engineering Recognition community and tradition of innovation have also made it a breeding ground for tech entrepreneurs.” •
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Initiatives December 2009
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 15
WestWind Cuts Ribbon on New Huntsville Aircraft Modification & Integration Center WestWind Technologies recently celebrated the grand opening of its 65,000 square-foot Huntsville Aircraft Modification and Integration Center in Jetplex Industrial Park. The Unique Facility center is capable of housing evNow Open ery kind of Army helicopter and many fixed-wing aircraft as large as the Air Force’s C-130. Roger Messik, WestWind Chief Operating Officer (COO), said that the project is a unique public-private partnership. “This unique public-private partnership is the first time the Port of Huntsville has partnered with a small business on a project like this. We are expecting that this project will bring numerous opportunities to this region,” he said. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle pointed to WestWind as an example of the strength of Huntsville. “With events like this, you see the vitality of this community and you see that in companies like WestWind,” Battle said. The event also marked the creation of the company’s Alabama Wall of Honor, a tribute to Alabama’s soldiers who died in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. To celebrate the occasion, Mike Durant, author of Blackhawk Down and an
WestWind’s new Huntsville Aircraft Modification & Integration Center (HAMIC) at Jetplex Industrial Park is capable of housing every type of Army helicopter and many fixed-wing aircraft as large as the Air Force’s C-130. The 65,000 square-foot center was made possible by a partnership with the Port of Huntsville, a first of its kind partnership. owner of Huntsville-based Pinnacle Solutions, and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and former Vietnam Conflict prisoner of war (POW) Leo Thorsness spoke. “We are here today because we have a passion for aviation. In my military career I had to rely on the type of work they are doing at Army Aviation and Missile Command and the Program Executive Office Aviation and their predecessor organizations. Soldiers can’t just rely on the government,
they also rely on contractors like you,” Durant said. Thorsness ended the event by thanking contractors such as WestWind for supporting the warfighter. He said that contractors were critical in ensuring the success of the soldiers. “When you talk about those who serve, it takes a whole team to work, and you are a big part of that. You are American all the way.” •
IT’S GOOD MEDICINE At Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, we rely on our team of talented people to develop affordable, high-quality generic medicines. We provide them with a first-rate work environment and the tools they need to succeed, along with competitive compensation and benefits. American Behavioral’s behavioral healthcare and EAP services are a key component of our benefits package. Bobbie Harris and the team at American Behavioral are quick to respond to our employees’ needs and help keep them happy and mentally fit. Their services are invaluable to our company. DON MORFORD Vice President of Human Resources Qualitest Pharmaceuticals
American Behavioral’s Bobbie Harris and Qualitest Pharmaceutical’s Don Morford. 16
December 2009 Initiatives
550 Montgomery Highway, Suite 300 Birmingham, Alabama 35216 Phone 205.871.7814 • 1.800.677.4544 • Fax 205.868.9600
0000108003-02
American Behavioral
MEI Technologies Hosts Grand Opening for Expansion in CRP MEI Technologies, a national technology company providing solutions in aerospace, defense and biotechnology industries for public and private sectors, recently held a ribbon cutting to mark the grand opening of the company’s new Huntsville office in Cummings Research Park. A recent contract win with the Army led to a 300 percent increase in the company’s number of employees and led to the need for a larger facility with room to grow. The move to the new office comes on the heels of MEI Technologies-Huntsville adding more personnel upon winning the Test and Evaluation Contract with the U.S. Army’s Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) in September 2008. “This AMRDEC T&E effort is a five-year, $158-million contract, and required us to hire 14 new employees in the Huntsville office – a more than 300 percent increase in the past two years, and will continue to ramp up in the coming months,” said John Williams, operations manager for MEI TechnologiesHuntsville. “So naturally, additional offices and laboratories were a necessity.” MEI Technologies anticipates further growth for the Huntsville office based on the steady flow of contract work with enti-
of office space at the Huntsville facility to accommodate such expansion. “The city of Huntsville has been a tremendous support to us in the three years since we opened our office,” Williams said. Contract Yields “Our job growth not only allows 300% Growth us to service our clients, but also helps boost the economic vitality of our community – we’re creating real jobs. Plus, more employees allow us to become even more active in our community, supporting and sponsoring local charities and other organizations that strive to make Huntsville a great place to live and work.” Irma Tuder, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said that companies such as MEI contribute to the Huntsville/Madison County’s reputation. “There is a reason why the Huntsville/Madison County community was selected as the best performing city, the second best city in the nation to raise a family, and the number one community to launch a business – proving that this is a smart place to live, work and play, and it is because of the investment into this community by companies such as MEI,” Tuder said. •
(L-R) Vic Walczak, MEI general manager for military programs, and Irma Tuder, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors. ties such as the NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center, the Department of Homeland Security and various Department of Defense agencies. This will result in even more employee growth over the next four to five years. There is an additional 4,000 square feet
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 17
CRS Engineering Expands in Downtown Huntsville CRS Engineering, an engineering and design consulting firm specializing in green building, recently held a ribbon cutting for the company’s new office in downtown Huntsville. Ron Poteat, vice chair of investor relations for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, congratulated the company on its growth. “We are thrilled to be here with CRS today. We don’t think there is a better business climate in the United States
right now than what exists here so we are excited to see the com- Going Green: pany doing well,” Poteat said. More Space Andrew York, who leads the Huntsville office, said that the strong community is a reason for the company’s presence and growth. “We are here because of the strong architecture and construction contractor community here,” York said. •
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Andrew York of CRS joined by U.S. Congressman Parker Griffith (far left) and CRS staff, cut the ribbon on the company’s new larger office in downtown Huntsville. CRS specializes in green design solutions for buildings.
Sigma Services Expands in CRP
Business Expansion
Sigma Services recently held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the company’s expansion in CRP. The company specializes in graphics, event planning, framing and matting, retail entrepreneurship, and various engineering, management and administrative services for customers in the government such as the Army Aviation and Missile Command, the Smart Weapons office and is currently the Prime Contractor for the Command Graphics Contract for U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC). The company is best known for its work as the prime contractor the Space and Missile Defense Conference, Huntsville’s largest annual conference. Don Nalley, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, congratulated the company on its continued expansion and work promoting the community. “We thank you for choosing our community to continue your expansion. Companies like you contribute to the reputation that this community really is a smart place to live, work and play,” Nalley said. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said that the company’s role in the conference is key to promoting the city. “We had 7,000 people come to SMDC this year. There were companies from all over and when they came to Huntsville they saw a well-run show and those that came left with the feeling that Huntsville knows what it is doing,” Battle said. Jeanne Weaver, founder, said that the company has been involved with several different projects and that she looks forward to continued growth. “We have come a long way from our first contract with Dynetics. We have done a lot of different things and know we look forward to growing and helping to bring up the economy.” •
(L-R) Sharron Adams and Jeanne Weaver of Sigma Services receive a plaque from Don Nalley, Chamber Board Chair-elect. 18
December 2009 Initiatives
Irma Tuder, Chamber Board Chair, presents a plaque to Bill Best, DMD president, commemorating the company’s new office in Thornton Research Park.
DMD Continues Growth; Expands to New Facility in Thornton Research Park DMD, a leading small business provider of services and technologies in the federal marketplace in support of the nation’s missile defense programs, recently opened a new facility in Thornton Research Park to handle the company’s current and future growth. Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board Chair Irma Tuder praised the company for its leadership, competence and commitment. “The organization has supported the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command since 2002. From radar and missile engineering services to technology evaluation, deployment planning, software development and quality assurance, DMD is supporting the agencies and the areas that are helping New Facility grow our local economy. By providing these services with dis- Means Growth tinction, the company is likewise growing with our community – which is one of the reasons we are here today in their new facility here in Thornton Research Park,” Tuder said. DMD President Bill Best thanked the employees for their dedication and hard work. “While this is a ribbon cutting for our new building, it is really an event about our people. It is about the efforts of a lot of people who take pride in giving our soldiers the technical advantage,” he said. “And we are very proud to be right here in Huntsville.” Huntsville Mayor Battle echoed the sentiment and said he expected DMD would continue to grow thanks to the company’s highly skilled workforce. “We are excited about your company. DMD will be a big part of Huntsville’s growth. You are a quality company that represents the quality of Huntsville,” Battle said. Madison County Commission Chair Mike Gillespie congratulated the company, its employees and thanked them for their support of the nation’s soldiers. “This is such a meaningful day in our community,” Gillespie said. “And I urge you to continue on providing the excellent support that you do and I can promise you we will continue to support you. This building houses the people who support our nation’s soldiers, and we are proud of them and we are proud of you.” •
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 19
Freedom Information Systems Opens New Corporate Doors in Madison
Freedom Information Systems recently opened its new corporate headquarters in Madison. Freedom specializes in IT solutions for government and private sector customers in various industries.
CCR Certified
Freedom Information Systems recently celebrated the opening of its new corporate headquarters in Madison. Freedom provides IT consultation services to the public sector, as well as information management, business intelligence and program management support for federal agencies. “We’re happy to be settled in our new office and we’re committed to the growth and support of our new community,” said Mark Ogles, president of Freedom. “This new facility is the core of our business.” Don Nalley, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said that Headquarters Freedom’s emphasis on IT in Madison makes Freedom a good fit for Madison County. He also said that the company was named in the 2009 Inc. 500|5,000 list along with 20 other Madison County companies. According to Nalley, Madison County had more companies on the list than any other county in Alabama. “Freedom is a great example of the kinds of companies that thrive in this community,” said Nalley. Madison Mayor Paul Finley welcomed the company to Madison. “We are so thankful to have you in our city and community. It is one thing to have the numbers and it is another to know what to do with them. The information you provide to NASA and the government keeps our nation moving forward,” Finley said. •
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Huntsville Child Care Center Merges with The Heart of the Valley YMCA
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December 2009 Initiatives
The Heart of the Valley YMCA recently completed its merger with the Huntsville Child Care Center to form YMCA Child Care Services Branch. For Children The Heart of the Valley YMCA now offers three state licensed, affordable, quality child care locations in Northwest, Downtown and Southeast Huntsville. Programs are offered for ages 6 weeks to 5 years of age. Additionally, the YMCA has recently been granted funds that allows it to feature the Alabama State “First Class” Pre-K program for our four-year-olds at all sites. “We are pleased that the details are now final. Volunteers and staff from both organizations have been diligently working toward this for two years. The idea came from a United Way committee that suggested we work together.” Said Scott Mounts, president/CEO of the Heart of the Valley YMCA. “A Child Care Services Branch has been created to allow for the focus of additional expansion opportunities for affordable child care within the five-county service areas of Madison, Marshall, Morgan, Limestone and Jackson counties.” •
Worthington Federal Bank Opens New Headquarters in Huntsville
Byran Dodson and Phoenix employees cut the ribbon for Huntsville Rehabilitation Foundation’s rebranding as Phoenix. Phoenix provides jobs, job placement and various other services for the disabled in a five-county area.
Huntsville Rehabilitation Foundation Becomes Phoenix The Huntsville Rehabilitation Foundation held a ribbon cutting recently to announce its rebranding as Phoenix. Phoenix provides jobs, job placement and various other services for the disabled in a five-county area. The company employs approximately 400 people who specialize in military sewing and provide embroidery work on such products as American flags. The new name reflects the range of its services under one name, according to Bryan Dodson, CEO of Phoenix. “It is imperative that we prepare for more and more people in our area with disabilities,” he said. Don Nalley, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of DirecNew Name tors, congratulated the company on its history in Huntsville and its role in helping those with disabilities. “Phoenix has filled an absolutely vital and inspirational role in our community ever since its inception. Phoenix programs help people with disabilities go to work in our community. That is phenomenal and something to be proud of,” said Nalley. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said that the company adds to the quality of life of the city. “Bryan Dodson and Phoenix add quality to our quality of life. This is a great thing and it provides opportunities to those who would not traditionally be in our workforce,” Battle said. •
Worthington Federal Bank recently held a ribbon cutting for the opening of its new corporate headquarters in Huntsville. New Corporate Worthington is a federally Headquarters chartered savings bank that commenced operations in 1989 when it opened in Huntsville. Because of its federal charter, the bank is able to provide services in all 50 states. When Worthington opened, it was the first local bank established in 20 years. Don Nalley, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, applauded Worthington for their growth when many financial institutions are struggling. “At a time when many financial institutions are struggling and much of the nation is experiencing economic challenges, Worthington Federal Bank is prospering because they understand the return on investing into this community. And as the Huntsville/Madison County community continues to positively buck national economic trends, so does Worthington Federal Bank,” said Nalley. •
Boeing Charitable Trust Supports New Workforce with Grant to Chamber Foundation The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, a foundation that supports education and training to further the economic development in Huntsville/Madison County, was awarded a grant from the Boeing Charitable Trust that brought 120 college seniors from regional universities to the Huntsville/Madison County community as part of a workforce development initiative. Workforce The students were here to learn about the various career opportuniInitiative ties that are currently available and that are expected to be available when they graduate. The tour is part of the Tennessee Valley Base Realignment and Closure (TVBRAC) workforce campaign that is targeting engineering, applied science, business, finance and logistics majors at universities across the country. Tommy Beason, chair of the Foundation, said that the students would also hear about advantages of living and working in the area. “We went beyond just talking about job opportunities here by also giving these students valuable information about the excellent quality of life they can enjoy in this community thanks to higher than average salaries, a lower than average cost of living, career growth opportunities, a vibrant arts and recreation community and other amenities available here that are normally only found in much larger metropolitan areas,” Beason said. “This type of activity is a critical part of our com-
Tony Jones, site executive for Boeing, presents a check to Tommy Beason, chair of the Chamber Foundation, from the Boeing Charitable Trust. The donation helped pay for the Chamber’s College Senior Tech Tour that brought 120 students from regional universities. munity’s workforce development and recruitment campaign, and we want to thank the Boeing Charitable Trust for this grant.” Tony Jones, Boeing Huntsville Vice President and Site Executive, presented the Chamber Foundation with the grant award. “This collaborative effort between the Chamber of Commerce
Foundation and Boeing is an extension of a long partnership between two community advocates, both of which are committed to strengthening the education pipeline and future workforce by improving the quality of life and learning options available to our young citizens,” said Jones. • Initiatives December 2009
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 21
~ highlights compiled by John Southerland & Harrison Diamond
Athens State Announces BRAC-Related Majors
(L-R) Bob Glenn, Athens State University president, and Joan Davis, interim chancellor of the Alabama Community College System. Athens State University recently announced the creation of three new BRAC-related majors offered through the university’s College of Business.
Athens State University announced the launching of three business majors designed to support the Tennessee Valley’s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) initiative beginning with the spring semester in January 2010. The new majors are Acquisition and Contract Management, Enterprise Systems Management, also known as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Logistics and Supply Chain Management. All three of the new programs will be taught through Athens State’s College of Business. The University initiated the new programs to assist the efforts of the Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee and to ultimately aid the long-term needs of the workforce that will be employed on Redstone Arsenal and throughout the North Alabama and South Tennessee region. All three programs were recently approved by the Alabama State Board of Education and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. “This is proof of what can happen when we work together on a state and community level,” said Joan Davis, interim chancellor of the Alabama Community College System, during the announcement made recently at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County. BRAC will be bringing thousands of jobs to the North Alabama area. Many of the jobs that will be coming to the Arsenal will require skill sets that will be offered through the three new majors.
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Because of the large number of jobs directly related to the Arsenal, the majors will be taught from a government contracting and management perspective. All three programs will be offered in a traditional format at Redstone Arsenal as well as online. “Athens State is responding to a direct workforce development need as part of the BRAC effort,” said Athens State President Bob Glenn. “Large numbers of the jobs that will be coming to Redstone Arsenal and the Tennessee Valley will be directly tied to work in these three areas. We believe these three majors will open significant career opportunities for our students.” In Acquisition and Contract Management, students will gain knowledge of the acquisition and contracting processes and responsibilities from contract award BRAC & to termination of the contract. This program will include a study of the Education Federal Acquisition Regulations. Enterprise Systems Management (ERP) will prepare students to manage a single enterprise-wide computer software system used to coordinate all resources, information, and functions of an organization. Logistics and Supply Chain Management, students will learn how to plan and forecast demand for product and services and manage the logistical movement of goods and products to include the transportation and services involved. •
Once again Huntsville was recognized by major publications for its strong, diverse economy. U.S. News & World Report recently named Huntsville among the top 10 places in the U.S. for technology jobs and BusinessWeek ranked Huntsville 4th among the nation’s strongest construction markets. Among the other cities making the top 10 in the U.S. News & World Report were (in alphabetical order): Atlanta, Boston, Houston, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. National The U.S. News reporter, Liz Recognition Wulgemuth, recognized Huntsville’s ranking among these much larger cities by saying, “A bit of an outlier on a list of extra large cities, Huntsville nonetheless boasts the nation’s second-largest tech and research park, Cummings Research Park.” The report also cites Huntsville’s numerous high-tech companies as well as the presence of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Redstone Arsenal. In a report of the strongest construction markets, BusinessWeek ranked Huntsville the fourth strongest in the nation and notes that it has one of the strongest economies in the country and that Huntsville saw building permits for apartments jump more than 400% to accommodate families moving into the area as part of the BRAC decisions. •
“Mark Smith is the archetype of the mentoring entrepreneur that makes Huntsville so special.” – Mark Spencer, founder & CTO Digium, Inc., the Asterisk® Company
“
Mark Smith could have taken his company
anywhere in the world and made it successful. Our
Last Planned Road in CRP Named for Late ADTRAN Founder Ground was recently broken for the last planned road in Cummings Research Park. The road, named for the late ADTRAN founder Mark C. Smith, will be a half-mile-long connector road linking Discovery Drive to the north side of Explorer Boulevard, opening that area to new development in the park. “Today is a truly historic day for our community as we pay homage to one of the most generous and successful business and community leaders Huntsville has ever known,” said Irma Tuder, chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors. Tom Stanton, CEO of ADTRAN, said that the new road will help spur development, a cause that was important to Smith, a past chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. “It is particularly fitting that this is a new roadway, one which will help bring businesses to Huntsville, continuing Mark’s quest to foster entrepreneurism. This will be a lasting reminder, for generations yet to come, of the many contributions Mark made in the Huntsville community,” said Stanton. “Mark was truly a unique individual and one that is greatly missed within our community. He was not only a successful businessman, but he was actively involved in numerous aspects of our community ranging from economic development to philanthropy. He was a leader in every aspect of his life,” he added. • Harrison Diamond
community and local economy has prospered much more so because of Mark Smith and his influence.
”
– Mike Gillespie, chairman Madison County Commission
“
Among all of Mark’s incredible knowledge,
business savvy, and leadership skills, one of his strongest personal traits was his willingness to help others. He had a unique ability to see the big picture and to recognize how to make the necessary pieces come together to achieve a goal.
”
– Brian Hilson, president/CEO Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
L-R: Chairman Mike Gillespie, Madison County Commission; Mayor Tommy Battle, City of Huntsville; Clay Smith, son of Mark Smith; Tom Stanton, ADTRAN CEO; Linda Smith, wife of Mark Smith; Cynthia Hughes, daughter of Mark Smith; Irma Tuder, chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors; and Charlie Grainger, chair of the Cummings Research Park Board. Initiatives December 2009
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Huntsville Aircraft Soars with SES
SES offers manufacturing and turn-key solutions for government and commercial clients. From prototyping to complex military aircraft modifications, SES’s niche in providing a wide range of aviation products and services have made it one of the fastest growing companies in the Huntsville/ Madison County area.
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s the Huntsville/Madison County community looks to continue its impressive economic growth, thanks in part to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision, it may be poignant to keep one thing in mind regarding BRAC: This community is still growing thanks to the 1995 BRAC. To be sure, the impact of the 2005 BRAC is already being felt, with even more coming as the U.S. Army Materiel Command, the U.S. Army Securities and Assistance Command (USASAC) and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) complete moves to Redstone Arsenal. But one of the most overlooked growth areas of the community is due to the 1995 BRAC that brought the Army’s aviation command to Redstone from St. Louis to merge with the Army’s missile command for form the Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM). As the budget for Army aviation continues to climb, there are a number of companies in the Huntsville/Madison County community that have expanded operations to support this growth. And nowhere is that growth more noticeable than with the success of Science and Engineering Services, Inc. (SES). Since the 1995 BRAC announcement and subsequent implementation, SES has grown exponentially in Huntsville. In 1996, SES generated $1.2 million sales. By 2006 sales had multiplied to $242 million in revenue and projected revenue for calendar year 2009 will be another company record – somewhere in the neighborhood of $520 million. SES currently employs 498 and employment could climb as high as 600 by early 2010. And that may be just the beginning. According to SES Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Russell Chunn, continued job growth and expansion is expected. Already the company occupies more than 550,000 square feet in Huntsville, including 497,352 square feet at its manufacturing and integration facility at the former Dunlop Tire facility. “We’d like to be at around 1,450 people here in Huntsville over the next few years,” Chunn said of the company’s aggressive growth trajectory. “We want to be everything the Department of Defense needs us to be and we plan on growing
right here in Huntsville. We can’t imagine a better place to be to grow this operation.” And the company, founded by President/CEO Dr. Hyo Sang Lee, has made numerous strategic hires over the past few years to ensure the company’s continued success – including retired Brig. Gen. E.J. Sinclair as SES’s chief operating officer and former deputy AMCOM commander Paul Bogosian as the company’s executive vice president of strategy. Evans Quinlivan, 2007-2008 chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and a current consultant with SES, said the company’s expansion mirrors that of the community. “There is no better example of what BRAC can mean to our community than SES,” Quinlivan said. “The result of that decision is a company that today employs roughly 500 Tennessee Valley residents with the probability of doubling or tripling that number over the next five years. Part of that growth has been supported through the recruitment of retiring soldiers who have a desire to continue serving their country by supporting the warfighter through their work at SES. Additionally, and along with all SES employees, those retired soldiers help to make our community the special place it is.” While SES continues to fill a vital niche in Huntsville/Madison County’s aviation community, Sinclair said the primary reason for SES’s success was the hard work and dedication of the company’s workforce. And he would certainly know a qualified and techLee nically trained aviation support staff - thanks to spending more than 30 years as an Army aviator. Sinclair reports directly to company founder Dr. Hyo Sang Lee and brings a wealth of industry knowledge and experience to his role as chief operating officer. “It all starts with people. The team we’ve assembled at SES is a testament to the quality of the local workforce,” said Sinclair, who served as the Aviation branch chief and commanding general of the U.S. Army War Fighting Center at Ft. Rucker, Ala. from 2003-2006. “Our people are as good as any you will find in any other community in the U.S. To complement the local team, we’ve been able to attract a select group of retiring soldiers to SES who now call North Alabama home. Our ability to attract those retiring soldiers says a lot about the quality of life we all enjoy.” Dr. Lee said the 1995 BRAC decision to move the Army’s aviation headquarters to Huntsville was a victory not only for the community, but also the company. “The work SES is doing in Huntsville would have gone to another community had Huntsville and Redstone Arsenal not been successful in the 1995 BRAC,” Lee said, adding that the 1995 BRAC decision was equally critical for SES. “The move to Redstone has allowed us to move into Aviation,
COVER STORY
Industry
SES photos by Craig Shamwell
continued on page 27 Initiatives December 2009
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For nearly five decades, Alabama and Boeing have shared a partnership of innovation, growth and prosperity. Today, more than 3,000 Boeing Alabama employees and thousands more in supplier companies across the state help create the world’s most advanced aerospace products. It’s a partnership with a proud past
*2006 Economic Impact Study, University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research 26
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and a soaring future.
SES SOARS, continued from page 25 – which accounts for a large part of our business today. We continue to see growth opportunities in that area not only for SES but for other small businesses operating in North Alabama.” Joe Ritch, who serves as chairman of the Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee and was extensively involved in the community’s 1995 and 2005 BRAC gains, said SES serves as the perfect example of long-term BRAC-related community growth. “SES is a prime example of the spin-off benefits of moving Army’s aviation to Redstone after the 1995 BRAC,” Ritch said. “Aviation continues to grow in our area and SES is leading the manufacturing side of that effort.” Perhaps as much as anyone, Chunn, an Alabama native and graduate of the University of Alabama Huntsville, understood the tremendous business opportunity presented by the BRAC Army aviation move. So he began helping Dr. Lee build the business, from overall planning, resource allocation, strategic marketing direction and program development for all
of the company’s major programs and joint ventures. He also successfully marketed for and managed the contractual and financial aspects of AMCOM’s Prototype Integration Facility’s (PIF) $1.1 Billion, 10-year support contract, the C-17 Ground Support Equipment Contract with Wright Patterson and Warner Robins Air Force Bases, and many others. A primary reason for that success is that he knew that the long-standing relationship between North Alabama and the U.S. Army would be beneficial in helping build a company and a community. “Many of our retired military personnel tell us the Chunn relationship the North Alabama community has with the Army is very unique,” Chunn said. “That relationship not only provides opportunities for growth but it also allows us to attract the quality workforce that is so vital to the overall health of our company and the North Alabama economy.” • John Southerland
SES employees provide installation and modifications to U.S. Army helicopters at its facility in the former Dunlop Building.
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Chamber Targets College Seniors Technology Tour, Visits to Auburn and UNA Highlight Outreach
T
More than 100 students from universities and colleges in the Southeast participated in a recent Senior Tech Tour in the Huntsville/Madison County community to see the types of jobs available in the area. Top: some of the students get hands-on knowledge about the type of work performed in the community on U.S. Army helicopters such as Apache and Blackhawk. Right: students received an overview about the community’s successful economic development and job growth from Chamber President/CEO Brian Hilson. Below: Students attended a career expo and met with event sponsors and federal agencies to learn more about job opportunities in the community.
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December 2009 Initiatives
he Huntsville, Madison and Madison County communities have long been referred to as “hidden jewels.” But over the past several months, the jewels have been discovered as each of these communities have received impressive national media recognition for being a smart place to live, work and play. And local leaders are building on this reputation to help recruit young professionals to the Tennessee Valley and are implementing programs designed to help raise awareness of the opportunities available to young professionals by using a “show and tell” approach. “Local colleges and universities do a great job of providing high quality graduates for local businesses; however, they are not able to satisfy all of the requirements being generated by the growth of jobs through the BRAC process or the successful expansion of local companies,” said Joe Alexander, vice chair for workforce for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and President of Camber Corporation. One of the key focus areas of the Chamber’s workforce initiative is the recruitment of college graduates and soon-to-be graduates for job related opportunities in the community. These efforts have been successful in promoting the quality of life, recreational activities, higher educational opportunties, and other attractive features that would entice college graduates to want to relocate and settle down in the Huntsville/Madison County region. Additionally, the Chamber’s jobs-related website, ASmartPlace.com, advertises available job openings within a 70-mile radius of Redstone Arsenal. And with hundreds of hits per day, the website, which is marketed to colleges and universities and career centers nationally, has quickly become an invaluable job search tool for college seniors and graduates alike from across the country. But, the website alone is not enough to fill current and anticipated workforce needs.
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According to Alexander, programs such as the recently held Senior Tech Tour which brought in college seniors from distant colleges and universities to the area for a tour of local companies give college graduates an idea of the exciting opportunities available here. “More than 100 students from eight southeastern universities came to our community to learn more about cool jobs available to them upon graduation and to learn about the cool things there are to do when they are not working,” said Mark Brown, director of workforce recruitment for the Chamber. “The students were the top performers from their engineering, computer science and business programs and in their last year of college. The feedback was extremely positive from students and faculty alike.” The Senior Tech Tour, sponsored by Dynetics and co-hosted by UAHuntsville, was just the most recent outreach to these students. During the past several months, regional representatives, led by Brown, visited several universities and hosted informational sessions at the University of Alabama, Auburn and UNA to tell a story about the Huntsville/Madison County community with messages discussing the area’s higherthan-national-average salaries, lower-thanaverage cost of living, and high quality of life coupled with available jobs – something few communities can brag about these days. And it certainly did not hurt to have Mike Griffin, former NASA Administrator and current eminent scholar and professor at UAHuntsville, tell the visiting students on the tech tour that while he could have moved anywhere in the world, he chose Huntsville because of the quality of life he could have here and nowhere else. The feedback from this outreach has been positive. “I think our students really benefited from the speakers and the tour of the area,” said Don Foster, associate director of experiential education programs at Tennessee Tech. “You really have something special in Huntsville.” “I had an amazing time while in Huntsville,” said Amber Gray, aerospace student at MTSU. “Thank you so much for putting the tour together.” • Lucia Cape
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Growth Through Networking The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County hosts numerous events each month to create networking and business growth opportunities for members and to coordinate efforts to grow our community. Examples of recent events include:
Business After Hours October 13, sponsored by and located at Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center
More than 400 Chamber members networked and supported the “Dance Your Dreams” program that helps special children in the local community.
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Chamber members benefit from networking events, electronic and printed publications, educational programs for small business and perhaps most importantly, the knowledge that they are part of a collective effort to establish Huntsville/Madison County as a stronger, more visible community in the global competition for economic growth.
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The Huntsville/Madison County community came out in force to support almost 200 Chamber members who showcased their many products and services.
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For more information: www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/chamber/programs/small_biz/smallbiz.html
Serving Small Businesses Small Engraving Business Capitalizes on Chamber’s Services
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Jenni Jeffers, the Chamber’s director of small business/membership services, discusses a few of the Chamber’s small business services with Talbot Hackett, president and owner of Redstone Recognitions. Hackett has utilized the Chamber’s services to help found and grow his business in Madison County.
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fter 20 years in the Army, a brief stint as an educator and an even briefer stint working for someone else, Talbot Hackett, president and owner of Redstone Recognitions, decided it was time to strike out on his own and answer to himself…and his wife and business partner, Christine. After a little persuading that his dream could become their reality, both Hacketts came to the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County to support this life changing decision and to figure out what the next steps should be. “I wanted to do things my way and I knew that the only way to do that was to open my own business,” said Hackett. “I thought it would be more fun to be able to create the things customers wanted and with my people skills and imagination, I knew I would succeed.” After completing a business plan and using the resources of the Chamber to do it, Hackett was ready to get the financing that enabled him to hang his own shingle and open his doors for business. Hackett’s story is just one of many that could be told by business owners located in the Huntsville, Madison and Madison County community. Since 1894, the Chamber has been providing resources to local businesses to give them the opportunity to thrive. And every year those services continue to grow because, similar to a successful small business owner, the Chamber is always looking for ways to provide better services to its customers. From partnering with local organizations that provide training and mentoring to developing marketing and networking opportunities that help small businesses create the relationships they need to prosper, the Chamber is constantly updating its own business plan to develop more and better programs that contribute to the economic vitality of the Huntsville/Madison County community. continued on page 37
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Chamber: Augustine Commission’s Recommendations “Wishful Thinking” Commercial “Crew to Orbit” systems not sufficiently matured to take NASA out of the business of putting people into space
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he Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County has closely followed the work of the Augustine Commission and appreciates the effort that the Commission members put into their work. We agree with the Commission’s primary finding that NASA’s Exploration Program has been underfunded from the outset. We further agree that NASA needs at least an additional $3 billion/year in funding in order to have a meaningful human space exploration program. While there are other points of agreement with some of the Commission’s findings, we disagree with the Commission’s suggestion to abandon the Ares I program as the primary vehicle to send crew to space. There are no viable U.S. rocket alternatives on the horizon that would hasten this critical access to space. The Augustine Commission’s own consul-
tant came to the same conclusion when it reported: “When you look at purely commercial systems with the limited historical data we have, getting to a full mature reliable initial operational capability might even in fact take longer than a government program… there may not be a commercial solution to this whole (crew to orbit) thing.” 1 This input would hardly suggest the Commission’s consultant had any confidence in the commercial market’s ability to meet the pressing challenge of crew to orbit. The program of record is technically feasible, with substantial components derived from proven man-rated launch vehicles and its design is far more mature than anything existing in the “commercial” launch sector. Augustine Commission member Bohdan Bejmuk made this assessment, “Constellation has matured enough that it could be successful given adequate funding…” 2
While turning over the responsibility for transporting crew to low earth orbit is a laudable goal, to do so at this time would be a completely unsupported gamble. Canceling Ares and shifting to a commercial rocket would extend the “gap” between shuttle retirement and obtaining a new crew carrying vehicle. The Commission came to this conclusion when it found “…if NASA’s mission or other implementation of that mission is changed by the new administration’s resulting changes to Constellation Launch System, (it) will have a very significant impact in cost and schedule. You will have a perturbation that is going to last, in my judgment, somewhere between a year and a half and two years and there will be a lot of instability, a lot of impact on the workforce, [and in] some cases [that] may affect industrial base capability of America. So, let’s walk into it with open eyes.” 3
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December 2009 Initiatives
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EDITORIAL Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews, NASA Ares I-X Flight Test Image Gallery
To see the full report: www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/base/news.html
With more than 12 times the thrust produced by a Boeing 747 jet aircraft, the Constellation Program’s Ares I-X test rocket roars off Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At left is space shuttle Atlantis, poised on Launch Pad 39A for liftoff in November. The Augustine Commission’s analysis of commercial crew launch capability was very cursory, but even at this basic level, it became apparent that shifting to a commercial vehicle for crew to orbit service would also almost certainly increase the risk to the program. Such was the findings of the Commission’s consultant when it reported: When you contemplate putting humans on a completely commercially developed launch vehicle and capsule, that’s a big change. And we need to really, really understand that. It is dramatic. All the way to – do we understand maturity and reliability and operability to – what do we know about these systems when something goes wrong and we get into the necessary position of needing to repair and redesign and fix?
And you find yourself beginning to think about government program oversight again, so I would just suggest to all of us as we hear folks who say, “I can take humans earlier,” it just requires our very careful look about what it means to move in that direction… We recognize that some systems omitted things from their offering to us that we felt were critical. Some folks didn’t think enough about the infrastructure in our view and some folks didn’t think enough about what it really takes to get a reliable, mature, human-rated system in our view. So we recognize that folks are making offerings but they may not have considered in their offer what the government and what NASA would consider to be important in terms of an overall architecture. [The] Aerospace [Corporation] did not make architecture assessments
in this study, but we hope that our work will inform the architecture work that does need to go forward.” 4 The Commission failed entirely in its assessment of the relative safety of Ares I and other potential commercial crew launch vehicles, “The Committee was unconvinced that enough is known about any of the potential high-reliability launcher-plus-capsule systems to distinguish their levels of safety in a meaningful way.” This assessment reveals a disturbing lack of rigor, especially if the report is intended to guide U.S. human space flight policy. The Augustine Commission projects that the Ares I will be delayed an additional 2 years continued on page 36
Gary Pulliam, Vice President of Civil and Commercial Operations with The Aerospace Corporation at the Commission’s Huntsville public hearing; 2 Bohdan Bejmuk – NASA Constellation Program Standing Review Board – Chair; 3 Bohdan Bejmuk – NASA Constellation Program Standing Review Board – Chair; 4 Gary Pulliam, Vice President of Civil and Commercial Operations with The Aerospace Corporation at the Commission’s Huntsville public hearing; 5 Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee, SEEKING A HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT PROGRAM WORTHY OF A GREAT NATION, page 13 1
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beyond the program office’s current 2015 estimated “ready” date, pushing crew capability to 2017. According to Constellation Program manager Jeff Hanley, “We have made clear our many objections with the (Augustine Commission’s) Aerospace assessment, which was highly superficial and flawed… We have run our own program cost models on various solutions of the +$3B over FY10 cost profile… and can validate that we can do Ares I in 2015, beyond LEO around 2020, and HLR (Altair) in 2024 or 25 (depending on how much money is siphoned off for technology).” The Commission makes a HUGE and completely unsupported leap of faith that commercial capability will materialize by this time. The backup plan suggested by the Commission: use the first stage of a “lite” Ares V vehicle as a crew carrier (which is projected by the Commission to be available by 2019). This would give the U.S. crew launch capability just as the Space Station is reaching the end of its extended life. The committee stated on several occasions “to justify a change of path any alternative should have a compelling advantage.” The committee’s own work SHOWS NO SUCH COMPELLING ADVANTAGE to change Constellation’s baseline. There are, of course, tremendous implications for the industrial-base and the well-being of NASA’s manned-space flight centers. Should the Ares I program be canceled, during the ensuing years that NASA is effectively out of the business of building and testing rockets, its rocket testing, manufacturing and launching infrastructure will largely lie idle, as will its workforce. Undoubtedly, pressure will build to shed development and operational capacity. Such would seem to be the expectations of the Commission when it suggests, “The NASA Administrator needs to be given the authority to manage NASA’s resources, including its workforce and facilities.” Once lost, however, rebuilding such capabilities will be tremendously more expensive and time consuming. The Chamber supports additional funding to support NASA’s Exploration Program of Record. Testimony offered to the Commission validates the current Exploration/ Constellation architecture as the most prudent, reliable, and timely approach to keep the U.S. in the human space flight arena. • Mike Ward
According to 2007 County Business Patterns, almost 99 percent of the community’s businesses have less than 250 employees, and 50 percent of local businesses have less than five employees. The findings illustrate a compelling need to ensure that all areas of small business support services are covered, including training on how to start a business, human resources management and financing. In addition, mentoring programs have been developed to help budding entrepreneurs learn from seasoned small business owners. “Several years ago, a committee made up of small business owners was created to develop ideas for new programs and feedback on existing services that the Chamber provided,” said Jenni Jeffers, small business director for the Chamber. “Because of this input, we are now able to provide targeted programs that we know our small businesses need because that’s what they are telling us.” Hackett agrees and said he has been able to grow his business by using a variety of different tools offered by the Chamber, including networking through Chamber events such as Business After Hours and the Breakfast and Biz while also taking advantage of advertising and sponsorship opportunities that promote his company. “Making things for customers can be a challenge. Perseverance in marketing yourself and your product is vital to surviving and growing your business,” added Hackett. Getting educated about the many tools and resources the Chamber offers small businesses is critical, Jeffers said. “Becoming knowledgeable about the tools and resources at the Chamber is necessary and allows the business owner to make more informed decisions to maximize their opportunities for success,” said Jeffers. To make it easier for small business owners and people thinking about starting a business to find what they need, the committee developed a chart of services and the organizations which provide those services and made the chart easily accessible by locating it on the Chamber’s website at HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com. And it is all just a part of the Chamber’s commitment to preparing, developing and promoting the Huntsville/Madison County community for economic growth. • Loren Traylor
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Serving Small Businesses, continued from page 32 –
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Growing Jobs Locally, Clients Across the World Plasma Processes utilizes advanced technology in providing protective coatings
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Plasma Processes, located in Chase Industrial Park, provides high temperature materials and state-of-the-art coatings to commercial and government clients in aerospace, defense and medical fields, among others.
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ooking through a porthole in the large, cylindrical-shaped chamber, the greenishyellow glow is captivating. Like a miniature rocket engine, a 2-foot long, 10,000-degree spray deposits metallic particles onto a turbine blade. Back and forth the spray oscillates, each time depositing another fine layer of metal onto the stainless steel surface of a thermal reactor flange. Tim McKechnie, president and CEO of Plasma Processes, explains the process. Vacuum Plasma Spraying uses a superheated plasma stream of ionized gas into which particles of metal, ceramic or polymer are injected to create layers of protective coating. “The plasma stream accelerates the metallic or ceramic particles, which are heated close to their melting point. They are then deposited on whatever we want to coat,” he said. The coatings may be protective, to prevent erosion from liquid streams, or their purpose might be to prevent friction, as in an artificial prosthetic joint. As a former Rocketdyne engineer at Marshall Space Flight Center in the early 90s, McKechnie gained invaluable experience with Vacuum Plasma Spraying, working with copper, tungsten, ceramics, molybdenum, superalloys, and other metals, as well as ceramics and polymers. A major ongoing project was the application of plasma coatings to turbine blades and other parts for the space shuttle main engine. He continued research on the process, writing or co-authoring more than 50 technical publications on the process. Seeing the emerging commercial opportunities for plasma coating, he and another Rocketdyne employee started the company in 1993. “At NASA, we could only work on their items. So we started the company to allow us to work on both private sector as well as government contracts.” Their research at NASA led the partners to come up with what they felt was an improved
nozzle design for the plasma sprayer, and they applied for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) development contract to put their ideas into practice. “Our new design gave the spray a more columnated flow. Before, the plasma was spread out and had problems with shock waves. Our new design improved the quality of the plasma application and made it more efficient,” McKechnie recalled. The improved nozzle design was a true feather in the cap for the fledgling firm, and a year later they secured their second SBIR contract with the Department of Energy for improved plasma facing components. The firm was off and running. Having improved technology helped, but McKechnie admitted to the usual start-up problems faced by most new ventures. “We were just a couple of engineers. What did we know about business?” So he devoured information wherever he could find it. He credits the Northeast Alabama Regional Small Business Administration (NEAR SBA) for providing valuable start-up advice. He also had several talks with Jim Hudson, the local biotech pioneer and entrepreneurial mentor. Plasma coating, McKechnie explained, offers several advantages over more conventional coating processes, such as painting or powder coating. “The coating actually bonds to the underlying material in a way that you can’t achieve from other methods,” he explained. Over the years, the company has applied plasma coatings to hundreds of different items, from turbine blades to industrial valves, medical prosthetics, even softball bats. McKechnie proudly shows off an aluminum softball bat – not an unusual item, until one notices the heavy metallic coating on the hitting surfaces. “Rawlings (the sporting goods maker) wanted an amorphous, metallic coating on the bat’s hitting surface to provide greater springback for the batter.” The
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Eric Bell controls a 120KW supersonic plasma of argon and hydrogen gases in one of Plasma Processes’ large vacuum plasma chambers. The plasma is being used to deposit protective coatings on jet engine hardware or bone tissue interface coatings for medical devices.
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volume with Huntsville area customers. “We are bringing work to the Tennessee Valley.” Increasingly, customers from around the world are beating a path to the small Huntsville firm. During a recent visit to the plant, McKechnie showed thermal reactor parts from Denmark and valves from Finland. The firm does not actively market overseas. “Our foreign customers come to us through the Internet or through reading technical publications at conferences,” McKechnie said, “but we have some big irons in the fire.” • Mike Kelley
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Rawling’s contract for 40,000 bats was one of the largest and perhaps the most unusual in the company’s history, said McKechnie. Medical prosthetics is another growing market. An aging population and longer lifespans create demand for replacement knee, hip and other joints that must be more resistant to wear than previous joints. “People are using prosthetics longer than they used to, and also we’re seeing prosthetic devices from the 1980s that are wearing out. We’re creating long-lasting wear surfaces,” says McKechnie, “and there’s a market for that.” The polished surface of a coated knee joint, he says, can last far longer than current joints. Medical possibilities, however, extend beyond the plasma-coated artificial joints. He also sees possibilities in using plasma coatings to increase the power and sensitivity of medical X-ray machines. The utility industry has seen the advantages of plasma-applied metallic and ceramic coatings for large turbine blades used in electric power generation. While he declines to provide details, McKechnie admits that his firm is working on contracts that “could easily double our business.” Like so many Huntsville firms, Plasma Processes got off the ground with government contracts. While the company has not lost sight of its government roots, government work primarily for NASA, Department of Energy (DoE) and Department of Defense (DoD) now accounts for less than 30 percent of its business base. “We really like it that most of our work is in the private sector.” says McKechnie, “How many private firms in Huntsville that started with government work can say that?” Growth has been in spurts, but the trendline is definitely upward, both in facilities and people. The firm is fortunate in being able to expand in its initial location, a sprawling metallic building. Beginning with just a corner of a 44,000 square foot building in Chase Industrial park in 1994, Plasma Processes has expanded to use the entire building. “When we started, there were four companies in our building, but now we own the building,” McKechnie said. The firm has grown from one employee – McKechnie – to 27, and he projects a growth rate of 10-15 percent per year. Over the past 15 years, McKechnie has seen the customer base expand as well. Now the firm does only about 20 percent of its
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PPG Aerospace: Celebrating 40 Years of Global Success in Huntsville
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n the heart of the nation’s space race to the moon in 1969, led by the effort and leadership of thousands of engineers and scientists in the Huntsville community, a commercial aviation company was quietly opening its doors in the same community. More than 40 years later, that company, PPG Aerospace, is still in Huntsville and still thriving. Hiring great employees is seen as the most critical component of a company’s growth and success. And hire great employees is exactly what PPG did when it opened its commercial windshield and window plant in Huntsville in 1969. Among those first 100 employees were Bill Norman and Jackie Jones – who recently celebrated with other company officials at the plant’s 40th anniversary at the Chase Industrial Park facility. Norman, 65, of Huntsville’s Hurricane community, and Jones, 64, of Toney, Ala., helped launch operations at the PPG aircraft windshield and window plant, now part of
Rich Alexander, PPG senior vice president for coatings, and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle take part in the ribbon cutting ceremony as PPG’s Brian Pollock, Joseph Dayon, Tom Clark and Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie look on. the aerospace transparencies group. According to Tom Clark and Brian Pollock, people like Bill Norman and Jackie Jones have made the Huntsville plant a success. Clark, a 40-year PPG veteran, is general manager for PPG Aerospace’s global transparencies group. Pollock is Huntsville plant manager and
about to begin his third decade with PPG. Pollock described the plant as a “high-tech, highly skilled job shop. There are no production lines with conveyors stamping out thousands of identical parts. Our employees produce more than a thousand different parts per month from Boeing 747 windscreens to
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PPG Huntsville Plant by the Numbers • • • •
64 – Acres on which the plant was built 05/27/1969 – Date of first shipment from the plant 358,000 – Size of the facility in sq. ft. 710 – People employed today
Apache helicopter windshields.” He described the work force as “one of the best with which I’ve had the pleasure to be involved,” saying, “The Huntsville team has a positive can-do attitude. Our people are intelligent and caring. They care about the product, the business and the customer,” Pollack said. “They are what makes our business successful. If it wasn’t for the Huntsville team, we wouldn’t be celebrating our 40th year.” Clark agreed. “The reason company leaders built the plant in Alabama was because of the positive labor climate and work force,” he said. “The plant is based on good people and solid technology, and that’s given us a great customer position in the marketplace.” Madison County Commission Chair Mike Gillespie recalls being at an air show in France in the 1980s and hearing a company talk about how superior its new airplane was to all competition. As he was looking around the aircraft, he looked down at the window on the plane and saw a label stating it was made by PPG Industries in Huntsville, Alabama. “It just showed me what we already knew, the work done by PPG here in Huntsville was the best of its kind in the world,” Gillespie said. “PPG has long been one of our anchors in Chase Industrial Park and has always been a great community partner.” In addition to commercial aircraft, PPG makes transparencies for several military programs, from the B-2 bomber to the C-130 airlifter. “We leveraged our commercial transparencies technology and successfully entered the upscale military helicopter segment on programs such as the Sikorsky BLACK HAWK and Boeing Apache,” Clark said, both of which were on display at the Huntsville plant during the 40th-anniversary open house. “I want to congratulate PPG Industries on their 40th anniversary here in Huntsville. PPG Industries is a model for long term success in our community and the work they have done, and will continue to do, has been a catalyst of strength and growth for Huntsville,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “We thank them for their commitment to our area and wish them many, many more years of success.” • John Southerland
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E M P L O Y E E
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Jamie Gallien IT manager
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hen Jamie Gallien, IT Manager for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, began at the Chamber he did not know what to expect working in a chamber of commerce, but according to his peers, he picked up on it quickly and because of that he was named the Chamber’s latest “Employee of the Quarter.” “Jamie is smart, hard working and willing and able to research, study and analyze IT options that provide solutions and efficiencies to Chamber operations. He does it with a sense of humor and a great attitude,” said Christy Nalley, director of finance and administration for the Chamber and Gallien’s supervisor. Gallien’s job includes supporting the Chamber staff and their technology needs and utilizing new technologies such as the Chamber’s new membership management software (WebLink) and all of its applications that better serve the Chamber’s members. As Madison County’s lead organization for economic de-
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velopment, Gallien ensures that prospective businesses will see high-quality presentations as they decide on plans to expand. “I didn’t have any idea what it would be like to work at a Chamber. I didn’t realize that all we do is for economic development until I started working here,” Gallien said. According to Gallien, the team environment makes his job easier. “I really enjoy the team atmosphere here at the Chamber. I work with very high caliber people who are focused on making this Chamber the best organization possible and this community the best it can be. That dedication makes my job easy,” he said. “It tickles me to know that in a group of over-achievers that are my peers, they selected me employee of the quarter,” Gallien said. “This is the best job I have ever had. I have never worked anywhere else where the people make the job so enjoyable.” •
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Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 225 Church Street, Huntsville, AL 35801 phone 256-535-2000 / fax 256-535-2015 www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com
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December 2009 Initiatives
Where to go • Who to see for products and services
Use a Chamber member... it's in your best interest 0000127480-01
Advertising
Hospitals
al.com www.al.com
Regions www.regions.com..........................1-800-REGIONS
Crestwood Medical Center One Hospital Dr., SE, 35801..............256-429-4000
Media Fusion, Inc. 4951 Century St., 35816................... 256-704-0401
Servis 1st Bank www.servisfirstbank.com....................256-722-7800
Huntsville Hospital 101 Sivley Rd., 35801........................256-265-1000
The Huntsville Times 2317 S. Mem. Parkway..................... 256-532-4250
Business Services
Logistic Support Services
Aerospace/Defense Contractors
Eclipse Business Services www.eclipsehsv.com
Logicore 1015 Henderson Rd., 35816...............256-533-5789
AEgis Technologies Group, Inc. 231 Discovery Dr., 35806...................256-922-0802
Consultants Business
Agility Defense & Government Services 675 Discovery Dr. Ste. 301, 35806........256-772-7743
Optimal Consulting Solutions, Inc. 300 E. Clinton Ave. Ste. 2, 35801..... 256-665-4510
Manufacturers – Missiles & Space Vehicles
ASD 103 Quality Cir., Ste. 200 35816.........256-837-2293
Convention Facilities & Services
Boeing 499 Boeing Blvd., 35824....................256-461-2121
Jackson Center 600 Genome Way 35806...................256-327-7320
EG&G Technical Services 4910 Corporate Dr., Ste C, 35805......256-382-3110
Credit Unions
Gideon 650 Wynn Dr., Ste 267, 35816...........256-585-3361
Redstone Federal Credit Union 220 Wynn Dr., 35893......................... 256-837-6110
InfoPro Corporation 6705 Odyssey Dr., 35806..................256-382-9700
Education – Schools, Colleges, Universities
Intuitive Reserach & Technology 5030 Bradford Dr., Bldg 2, Ste 205, 35805...................................256-922-9300
Calhoun Community College Hwy 31 N., Decatur, 35601................256-306-2500
Triad Properties Stone Mark 100 Church Street 35801...................256-551-1000
SAIC www.saic.com
UAH Professional Development 210 Wilson Hall, 35899......................256-824-6372
Rentals
Attorneys
Engineering Services – Research and Development
Bradley, Arant, Boult, Cummings 200 Clinton Ave. W., Ste 900, 35801...256-517-5100
Automotive
DMD Group 360 Quality Cir. Ste. B, 35806.............256-964-4516
Financial Services
Woody Anderson 2500 Jordan Ln., 35816...................1-800-457-1341
Clowers Wealth Management Group 525 Madison St., 35801.....................256-564-6460 First Financial Group Wealth Management 400 Meridian St., Ste 100...................256-536-0011
Banks B B and T Company 305 Church St., 35801.......................256-551-4700
Healthcare
First Commercial Bank 301 Washington St., 35801 ...............256-551-3300
American Behavioral 550 Montgomery Hwy., 35216...........256-868-8714
Lockheed Martin Corporation 4800 Bradford Dr., 35805....................256-217-2717
Printers Minuteman Press 2230 Sparkman Dr., Ste. 400 35810....256-859-6161
Real Estate Industrial Properties of the South 2903 Wall Triana Hwy........................256-461-7482 NAI Chase Commercial www.chasecommercial.com...............256-539-2983
All Needz Rentals 6745 University Dr., 35806.................256-837-5322
Restaurants Ruthʼs Chris 800 Monroe St. SW, 35801................256-539-3930
Telecommunications Adtran, Inc. 901 Explorer Blvd., 35806..................256-963-8000
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December 2009 Initiatives
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December 2009 Initiatives
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