Initiatives magazine, June 2010 by Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

Initiatives June 2010

June 2010 Initiatives

Initiatives June 2010

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 Madison County Commission Tennessee Valley Authority Huntsville Hospital City of Madison Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority

Chairman’s Council ($50,000+ invested annually)

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 The Huntsville Times Lockheed Martin Redstone Federal Credit Union SAIC Verizon Wireless Wachovia Bank, N.A. 4

June 2010 Initiatives

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

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 Intuitive Research & Technology Corp. J. Smith Lanier & Co. Jerry Damson Honda Acura Keystone Foods Corporation Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne LG Electronics Alabama, Inc.

Progress Investors

Huntsville Area Association of Realtors Huntsville/Madison County Builders Association, Inc. Intergraph L-3 Communications Lamar Outdoor Advertising Look Outdoor Advertising Northrop Grumman Parsons Corporation SES, Inc.

M. B. Kahn Construction Co., Inc.

Navistar Diesel of Alabama The Orthopaedic Center Parker Hannifin Corporation Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. Samples Properties Sirote & Permutt, P.C. SL1-Inc Stanley Associates Superior Bank The Surgery Center of Huntsville System Studies and Simulation, Inc. Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. Turner Universal Construction WAFF-TV 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 BlueCreek Investment Partners Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Brown Precision Bryant Bank Century Automotive Chapman Sisson Architects Decisive Analytics Corporation Decosimo Certified Public Accountants DESE Research, Inc. DHS Systems DRS Technologies – A Finmeccanica Co. FITE Building Co., Inc. Fountain Parker Harbarger & Associates Fuqua & Partners

Garber Construction Co., Inc. Gray Research, Inc. Hardin Cordier and Junkin, LLC Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. Kelly Services Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. Kudzu Productions Lamb Commercial Services, Inc. North Alabama Gas District Oak Ridge-Huntsville Partnership Office Precipio, Inc. Progress Bank QinetiQ North America QTEC Qualis Corporation Torch Technologies UBS Huntsville Wealth Management United Space Alliance, LLC Wesfam Restaurants, Inc. – Burger King WHNT-19 Woody Anderson Ford

Initiatives June 2010

June 2010 Initiatives

initiatives

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

june 2010

Dolce Enoteca e Ristorante (photo by Craig Shamwell)

Arsenal Transformation New Redstone Development: a Gateway to Economic Growth page 22 Cover design by Kristi Sherrard Photo: ©SellersPhoto.com

features Economic Development Highlights

including SES, CSC, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Vector Aerospace, Millennium Engineering & Integration Co., Cummings Aerospace, Boecore, UAHuntsville and Nexus Energy Center

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 nation, 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.

HREGI Provides Blueprint Marketing Our Community ADTRAN Honored by State 2010 Washington DC Trip Best Places To Work / Best Employees Huntsville Generating Attention

Ditto Landing

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 25 31 34 36 40

developments

Twickenham Historic District

mission The mission of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

HREGI Investors Chamber Board Listing Community Profile Armed Forces Week 2010 Chamber Staff Listing Growth Through Networking Sponsorship Opportunities Chamber Employee Honored HREGI Testimonial

4 8 10 18 21 27 30 33 38

editorial staff

Publisher Brian Hilson Executive Editor John Southerland

Editorial Designer Kristi Sherrard ontributing Writers Rick Davis, Harrison Diamond, C John Southerland, Loren Traylor and Mike Ward Photography Chamber of Commerce staff & publications (if not credited)

Advertising Sales Ray Johnson The Huntsville Times Initiatives June 2010

Chamber of Commerce

Board of Directors and Executive Committee 2010 Executive Committee

Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: There is always something to be excited about. Any Chamber of Commerce could tell you that. In Huntsville, for example, we have recently hosted visits from business prospects, foreign diplomatic officials, other communities who wanted to observe how Huntsville is doing, board and staff from industrial companies and financial institutions, journalists, and workers and their families considering relocation here. Each of those opportunities keeps us quite busy and excited, especially given the challenges of this weak national economy. What excited me most in recent days, however, had nothing to do with any of the situations I’ve just mentioned. The Chamber recently hosted a TVA workshop that was designed to introduce local businesses to potential technology opportunities. Approximately 100 people representing over 40 companies attended, and I couldn’t help but notice that some of those were young technology-based companies that I had never even heard of! Those companies are, in many ways, our future. They are led by entrepreneurs who likely have ties to Huntsville’s space and defense programs. They represent leading-edge technologies, the opportunity for further economic diversification, and challenging career opportunities for regional workers. I have no doubt that some of the companies attending that small TVA workshop could someday be among our community’s best-recognized employers. It’s happened before. Featured in this Initiatives is an article on ADTRAN’s selection as Alabama Manufacturer of the Year. ADTRAN was itself once a young technology-based start-up company in Huntsville, led by founder Mark Smith. This edition also includes an article on Redstone Gateway, a new 4.6 million square foot office and mixed-use development that will be part of our economic development strategy for years to come. The future site of Redstone Gateway is pictured on the front cover. Huntsville’s landscape is changing, not just in the physical sense, but also through the entrepreneurial spirit and commercialization of new technologies. Those young businesses need, and receive, enthusiastic support. Organizations like Biztech, the Women’s Business Center of North Alabama, the Small Business Development Centers at UAHuntsville and Alabama A&M University, the Huntsville Angel Network, and others, all play key roles in stimulating the success of start-up businesses. Small business development is an integral part of Huntsville/Madison County’s blueprint for economic growth; accordingly, a shift is occurring in which the incredible growth potential of tech start-ups is receiving increased recognition, and the importance of programs to support them is growing. The next time I look around the room at a meeting and realize that I’m not familiar with all of the companies there, I’ll feel good about that, knowing that those young technologybased businesses represent a large part of our future. Now that’s something to get real excited about!

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

June 2010 Initiatives

Don Nalley, Chair, Beason & Nalley Charlie Kettle, Chair-Elect, First Commercial Bank Irma Tuder, Immediate Past Chair, Analytical Services Tommy Beason, Chamber Foundation Chair, consultant Ron Poteat, Secretary/Treasurer, Regions Bank Jim Bolte, Vice Chair - Economic Dev., Toyota Motor Manufacturing Ala. Joe Alexander, Vice Chair - Governmental Affairs, Camber Corporation Jan Smith, Vice Chair - Investor Relations, System Studies and Simulation Jeremiah Knight, Vice Chair - Workforce, Verizon Wireless Danny Windham, Vice Chair - Small Business, Digium Robert Mayes, Vice Chair - Research & Info. Svs., BlueCreek Investment Angie McCarter, Vice Chair - Image Development, Davidson Technologies Mayor Tommy Battle, Chair-Appointed, City of Huntsville Chairman Mike Gillespie, Chair-Appointed, Madison Co. Commission Elizabeth Morard, Chair-Appointed, Qualis Corporation Joe Ritch, Chair-Appointed, Sirote & Permutt Brian Hilson, President/CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison Co. Elected Board

Cynthia Achorn, ASRC Federal Rose Allen, Booz Allen Hamilton Rey Almodóvar, Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation Clayton Bass, Huntsville Museum of Art Penny Billings, BancorpSouth Greg Bragg, Consolidated Construction Company Everett Brooks, Avocent Corporation Micah Bullard, Turner Universal Construction Frank Caprio, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Tracy Doughty, Huntsville Hospital John Eagan, Wachovia Bank Joe Fadool, Continental AG Kerry Fehrenbach, Intergraph Corporation Elizabeth Dotts Fleming, Public FA Ron Gray, Gray Research Jeff Hamilton, The Orthopaedic Center John Holly, Lockheed Martin Corporation Dr. Andrew Hugine, Alabama A&M University Dr. Pam Hudson, Crestwood Medical Center Tony Jones, The Boeing Company Simon Kim, LG Electronics Alabama Frederick Lanier, J. Smith Lanier & Co. John McMullan, BancorpSouth Dan Montgomery, Strategic Defense Solutions Caroline Myers, Foreign Language Services Joe Newberry, Redstone Federal Credit Union Jim Owens, BBVA Compass Tony Palumbo, Raytheon Company Crystal Shell, WILL Technology Dr. Ashok Singhal, CFD Research Corporation Todd Slyman, Village of Providence Keith Smith, SAIC Dr. O’Neal Smitherman, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Tom Stanton, ADTRAN Al Sullivan, ABT Dr. Dave Williams, UAHuntsville Dr. Ernie Wu, ERC

Initiatives June 2010

community profile

TOP 10 EMPLOYERS Redstone Arsenal* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,373

Population

Madison County

City of Huntsville

2000 Census

276,700

158,216

29,329

342,376

Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,385

Current Estimate*

319,510

171,327

38,275

395,570

The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,200

City of Huntsville Madison Metro Area

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

Households & Income # of Households

121,186

Avg. Household Income $69,882 $28,209 Per Capita Income *May 2009

NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,177

69,229 $65,558 $28,316

13,875

147,283

$85,820 $32,180

$67,466 $26,874

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

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.

June 2010 Initiatives

leader in technology development. The second-largest science and technology

Initiatives June 2010

June 2010 Initiatives

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

~ continued on page 14

SES Expands Line of Business with State-of-the-Art Paint Facility When it comes to growing a business, success often favors those who think differently. For SES officials, thinking outside the box literally led them to build a box – several large boxes to be accurate – to serve as the company’s new state-of-theart paint facility. Completed in April, the paint booth can accommodate the painting of multiple rotorcraft or other large items at one time. The demands on aircraft in the field are growing and it has become critical to refurbish and put them back in service quickly. With a capital investment of more than $5 million, SES’s new paint facility, located in Lowe Industrial Park, does more than just paint aircraft. Every few years, aircraft need a “paint lift” that can literally strip away hundreds of pounds of excess paint and accumulated materials. To start this process, the aircraft is stripped down by using a bead blasting technique which brings it down to the bare metal. The bead blasting is one of the key advantages SES’s new facility offers since each layer of paint adds weight to the aircraft and reduces its ability to fly efficiently. “We are now providing our community and our customers with a capability they were unable to find in North Alabama. We are growing jobs locally and saving our customers money Additional because they don’t have to send Capabilities these items somewhere else to do this service,” said Ralph Pallotta, SES senior vice president. This new capability added a new skill set requirement to the SES workforce, which has enabled the company to add several specialists from outside the community with the expertise and certifications necessary to perform this type of work. In fact, SES plans to increase its workforce by more

SES recently completed the design of its new paint facility. The new facility brings new capabilities to the company such as repainting helicopters and also removing paint and other materials to study erosion and other types of damage. than 20 with this new capability. Special certifications were required and SES retrained everyone who will be working in the new paint facility. “It is a large investment for our company, but we saw the need and the potential opportunity to expand beyond just painting aircraft,” said SES President E.J. Sinclair. We can paint large containers and other vehicles that were unable to be painted locally prior to this new facility.”

Two aircraft can be painted at one time and they can be painted different colors without any spillage onto the other vehicle. SES’s new facility features a state-of-art exhaust system and complies with all environmental and safety requirements. SES is not only thinking outside the box for ways to grow their business opportunities and the community, but they are painting the box as well. •

CSC Opens New Office at Bridge Street

CSC’s new facility in Bridge Street Town Centre consolidates most of its workforce under one roof. The new facility houses 300 employees and includes training labs.

CSC recently celebrated the opening of its new office in Bridge Street Town Centre. The new building represents a consolidation of 300 CSC employees into one office. CSC provides IT and program support for NASA, the Alabama Super Computer Authority, various U.S. Army clients and the Missile Defense Agency. Randy Cash, CSC vice president and general manager in Huntsville, said the company has made several changes, and the new facility is just one of them. “We have made significant changes in Huntsville. We brought together industry leaders from across the country to provide new leadership and a new vision for our Huntsville team. We integrated our organization to provide multi-functional teams focused on each client’s unique requirements. And, we built this fantastic, new world-class facility that allows us to be closer to our customers and partners,” Consolidating Cash said. Operations Jim Sheaffer, CSC North American Public Sector President, said that BRAC is going to bring much to the

area and that CSC is ready for the growth on Redstone Arsenal. “Huntsville is about to experience a tidal change as this area readies for the transition of jobs to the Redstone Arsenal – a very positive result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). With BRAC activities expected to increase the amount, nature and scope of work for the Redstone Arsenal, CSC is well-positioned to support our clients and provide important new job opportunities,” he said. Don Nalley, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s Board of Directors, said that companies like CSC are the reason the Huntsville/Madison County community is growing despite the recession. “As I have said many times, we are enjoying near unprecedented recognition from leading business and financial publications across the nation. We continue to generate positive recognition, and that doesn’t just happen. It certainly wouldn’t happen without companies like CSC deciding to invest capital and resources here – it is companies like CSC that make our community a great place to live, work and play,” Nalley said. • Initiatives June 2010

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 13

Kratos Expanding Local Presence Through Acquisition and Organic Growth Many companies outside the Huntsville/Madison County community have taken note of the growth occurring in the region and have made strategic business decisions to expand operations into the community to take advantage of the opportunities brought here through the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision. One such company is Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, which has since expanded into the local market with the purchase of two small companies founded in Huntsville: Madison Research and Digital Fusion. The purchase of these companies allowed Kratos to create the Weapons Systems Solutions Division, which today generates almost 70 percent of the company’s revenue. This division is headquartered Local in Cummings Research Park and Expansion provides a full spectrum of critical sustainment, advanced technologies, systems analysis, integrated logistics support (ILS), fabrication, and manufacturing capability to support its foreign military sales customers. These support efforts include the transition of new technology, reverse engineering, electronic circuitry and systems, materials, and components from the Department of Defense and commercial sectors to solve obsolescence problems.

June 2010 Initiatives

This optical alignment tool set is used by Kratos employees to align a forward-looking infrared receiver. “Our continued commitment to provide our customers with ‘best value’ and on-time world-wide weapon system support is demonstrated by the value of our team and the importance of our commitment to our customers and our community,” said Richard Selvaggio, President of Kratos’ Weapon Systems Solutions Division. “We want to be a part of a thriving community,” he added.

According to Selvaggio, with a current local employment base of almost 425, the goals for his division include doubling in size over the next year, and by 2011, Kratos plans to consolidate its operations under one roof and enhance its advanced manufacturing capability in CRP. Currently, the local division is the largest and fastest growing in the company. •

~ continued on page 16

Vector Aerospace Expands Operation to Huntsville Vector Aerospace, a leading provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul service for helicopters, recently expanded its operation into Huntsville to take advantage of being closer to the U.S. Army’s aviation headquarters. Company officials said they expect the Huntsville workforce to grow considerably to take advantage of fixed and rotary wing aircraft work being performed for the Army. “This expansion represents one of the best-kept secrets about North Alabama – our economy is still growing thanks to the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure decision that combined the Army aviation and missile commands in Huntsville,” said Chamber Board Chair Don Nalley, emcee of the announcement ceremony. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said the opening of Vector, which is performing maintenance work for the Army at its Andalusia hangar, is a great example that Alabama has become a corridor of excellence for U.S. Army aviation programs. “This event showcases Alabama, from Huntsville through Andalusia and Anniston and down to Ft. Rucker, as having this aviation corridor of excellence,” Battle said. Seth Hammett, Speaker of the House in the Alabama House of Representatives who repCloser to resents the district in Andalusia, said Vector has grown from just a handCustomers ful of employees at the Andalusia facility to more than 100 very quickly. “I know first-hand this is a great company. We couldn’t be more pleased with their growth in Andalusia and I think you can expect them to grow here as well. We all know that if you want to be in this business, you need to be in Huntsville. There is just so much going on here and with what they are doing in Andalusia and what they want to do

Speaker of the Alabama State House Seth Hammett congratulates Vector Aerospace on growing its presence in Alabama. Vector is a leading provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul service for helicopters. here – this is great for Alabama,” Hammett said. John MacDougal, senior vice president, sales & marketing for Vector, said it is always a good idea to be as close to the customer as possible. “Vector has a long history of providing best-in-class maintenance, repair and overhaul support to defense operators including the U.S. Army and Navy, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Special Operations, the Canadian Department of

Defense, the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) operators and various international militaries,” he said. “To ensure our ongoing ability to support U.S. Army helicopter operators, we have established this location to further enhance our ability to be both responsive to increasing demands, and proactive to address new opportunities to support the Army’s unique helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul requirements.” •

Millennium Expands in Cummings Research Park Millennium Engineering and Integration Company recently cut the ribbon on its second facility in Cummings Research Park. The new facility houses 30 new Millennium employees and will be the site for the development of new hardware products. Millennium is a small, employee-owned business specializing in space systems, weapon systems and advanced technologies. The company provides engineering services and unique hardware/software products to many Department of Defense and civilian agencies such as the Army, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), NASA, Navy, Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dennis Smith, vice president of the integrated systems sector, said that the goal of Millennium in Huntsville is to develop and research high-tech products. “I came here because Millennium Second said they wanted to do in Huntsville CRP Facility what they are doing in northern Virginia. We provide the products that break through challenges. We

could not have done this without the support of our community, state and country,” Smith said. One of the products the company has developed is a camera capable of detecting explosives through clothing. The company has grown from three employees to 100 during the past three years, a growth pattern that Smith says he hopes to maintain. “We will continue to grow here and hope to have another one of these ceremonies with a new building,” Smith said. Jeremiah Knight, vice chair for workforce for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s Board of Directors, said that the company plays a major role in enhancing a hightech image of Huntsville. “There is no doubt that Millennium is enhancing our community’s image as a leading technology area – where innovation, entrepreneurship and technology have met and continue to forge our future. Millennium is a perfect example of the success stories that drive the Huntsville/Madison County economy,” Knight said. •

Dennis Smith, Millennium’s vice president of the integrated systems sector, announced that the company would be adding 30 employees at its new facility in CRP. Initiatives June 2010

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 15

Cummings Aerospace Grows in Huntsville Community Cummings Aerospace, specializing in systems engineering, software engineering, test engineering and program management for the Department of Defense, recently opened its new office in Cummings Research Park. The company has grown from one employee to nine in just the few months that it has been in operation. In addition to its growth in Huntsville, the company has recently opened an office in Orlando. Sheila Cummings, Cummings Aerospace founder and CEO, said that recent contract wins and the hiring of key employees are reasons why the company has grown, a trend that she said will continue in Huntsville. Business “Since our first month of Relationships business, it has been a whirlwind. We have been busy cultivating business partnerships with small and large businesses. We look forward to a bright future and being a part of the growth of Huntsville,” said Cummings. Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of

(L-R) County Commissioner Dale Strong, U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith, Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Don Nalley, Cummings Aerospace founder/CEO Sheila Cummings. The company has grown from one employee to nine in just a few months. Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said that companies such as Cummings are the reasons why the community earns accolades from some of the most respected finance publications in the U.S. and the world. “Cummings’ expansion and the need for this new

office space in Research Park is truly representative of the kind of economic growth that has earned our community numerous accolades such as Forbes, which named us No. 8 in Best Places for Business and Careers,” Nalley said. •

UAHuntsville named a Best Value for College Education by USA Today

Boecore VP of East Region Bob Woods and President /CEO Kathy Boe (holding scissors) are joined by Chamber of Commerce Board of Director Ron Poteat (right) in cutting the ribbon on the company’s new office in Huntsville.

Colorado-based Engineering Firm Enters Local Market Boecore, a woman-owned engineering and IT company based in Colorado Springs, recently celebrated the opening of its Huntsville office. Since its inception in 2000, More Growth Boecore has grown to a workforce Expected of more than 100 employees who support a variety of defense and commercial customers in several core technical disciplines including systems engineering, network engineering, information assurance, software development and maintenance. Boecore customers range from 16

June 2010 Initiatives

international defense and commercial companies to small- and medium-sized engineering firms. Ron Poteat, secretary/treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said that Boecore’s growth in Huntsville is representative of the growth the Huntsville area is experiencing. “Boecore’s expansion into the Huntsville area illustrates why our local economy is performing so well,” said Poteat. Bob Woods, Boecore’s Vice President of the East Region, said that he expects the company to grow its presence in Huntsville. •

The University of Alabama in Huntsville is one of the best values for a college education in the nation, according to a published report in a recent edition of USA Today. The newspaper teamed with The Princeton Review to name the 50 best education values among public universities in America. UAHuntsville was the only public university in Alabama to make the list. “This report is a validation of how our campus provides a high-quality education for students at a reasonable cost,” said UAHuntsville President David Williams. “The strength of our faculty and scholarly research in all of our colleges combined with small class sizes and generous financial aid allows us to provide the best college education value to our students.” The schools were selected based on surveys of administrators and students at more than 650 public and private college and university campuses across the country. The overall selection criteria included more than 30 factors in three areas: academics, costs and financial aid. Academic ratings were based on student surveys about such issues as professors’ accessibility and class sizes, as well as institutional reports about studentfaculty ratios and percent of classes taught by teaching assistants. •

~ continued on page 19

Huntsville’s Nexus Energy Center was recently awarded a $20 million Department of Energy (DoE) grant in conjunction with Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) to promote energy related projects for north Alabama. Nexus Energy Center is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that has created a consortium of partners dedicated to bringing energy solutions to the north Alabama community. Nexus has been able to grow its business and research supporters in less than a year to more than 40 companies, universities, non-profits and municipalities from the Huntsville and North Alabama area. “We heard the news of the DoE award on the eve of Earth Day ironically while attending an Oak Ridge Symposium on Energy Solutions,” said Nexus director Ruchi Singhal. “We feel this is a great victory for Huntsville and the entire Southeast, who will soon realize the monetary benefits of energy efficiency in the workplace and at home. In addition, we feel strongly that Huntsville will see economic development and green job creation through these energy efficiency efforts.” Energy Its regional partner, SEEA, will partner with Nexus to increase the Conservation energy efficiency of small and large residential, commercial and public buildings. Another key aspect of the program, which will use a combined formula allocation and a pay-for-performance strategy to fund specific projects, will be the availability of affordable, accessible financing programs. “This large infusion of funding from DoE into the Southeast provides an unprecedented opportunity to promote energy efficiency and innovation while also creating jobs in this tough economy,” said SEEA Executive Director Ben Taube. “SEEA is looking forward to working with our various community partners across the region as we go forward and transform the market.” •

Shutterstock.com

Nexus Energy Center Receives $20M Grant to Promote Energy Efficiency

Initiatives June 2010

Wednesday, June 9

Wednesday, June 16

Saturday, June 19

235 Army Birthday Celebration RSA Officer Club

11:30 a.m. Armed Forces Salute Luncheon Von Braun Center North Hall Keynote speaker TBA

7:00 p.m. – AUSA Viper Military Appreciation Night, VBC Arena

Contact: Tina Leopold – tleopold@hsvchamber.org

Additional Events/Venues

Contact: Kelley Griswold – kgriswold@sigmatec.com

Monday, June 14 9:30 a.m. Proclamation Signing Ceremony Contact: Tina Leopold – tleopold@hsvchamber.org

11:00 a.m. NCO/Soldier of the Year Award Luncheon Contact: Sharee Miller – sharee.miller@us.army.mil

6:30-9:30 p.m. Concert in the Park Joe Davis Stadium Warm-up Band, Military Band, Team Redstone displays and Fireworks

Contact: Tina Leopold – tleopold@hsvchamber.org

Tuesday, June 15 7:00 p.m. – U.S. Army Soldier Show Von Braun Center Concert Hall

Contact: Tina Leopold – tleopold@hsvchamber.org

7:00 p.m. – U.S. Army Soldier Show* Von Braun Center Concert Hall Contact: Tina Leopold – tleopold@hsvchamber.org

Thursday, June 17 1:00 p.m. – Army Community Services Open House, Bldg 3888 Contact: Sharee Miller – sharee.miller@us.army.mil

5:00 p.m. Huntsville Stars Baseball Game Joe Davis Stadium Test Week Conference participants & military Contact: Mike McFalls – mmcfalls@trideum.com

*Tickets available: June 1 – MWR Redstone Arsenal June 8 – Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Friday, June 18

Contact: Tina Leopold – tleopold@hsvchamber.org

Contact: Mike Kelley – mkelley@knology.net

3:00 p.m. – U.S. Army Soldier Show* Von Braun Center Concert Hall

June 2010 Initiatives

AUSA Golf Tournament The Links at Redstone

Contact: Bob Whiteford – (256) 721-1111

U.S. Space & Rocket Center – All military and their immediate family - Museum admission free of charge for the week of June 13 -21. IMAX movie additional cost of $8 adults, $7 children. Huntsville Botanical Garden – Free admission to military ID card holders. Burritt on the Mountain – Free admission for military ID holders that week. There also will be a special Redstone Exhibit in the Burritt Mansion. EarlyWorks Museum – Free admission to military ID card holders for the week of June 13 -21. Huntsville Museum of Art – All active duty military personnel and their families will be admitted free of charge with proper ID and their families during AFC Week. Sci-Quest, the North Alabama Science Center, Inc. – One half off regular admission for military ID card holders. Veterans Memorial Museum – Free to active military ID card holders – discount for retired military and family members. – Schedule subject to change.

Initiatives June 2010

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 17

~ highlights compiled by John Southerland & Harrison Diamond

Huntsville Named Best Place to Live in the U.S. Forbes Names Huntsville Huntsville was named the best place to live in the U.S. by RelocateAmerica.com, an online resource that offers relocating consumers information about the local housing market, the culture of each community, activities and local businesses. The ranking comes as part of RelocateAmerica’s “America’s Top 100 Places to Live” list that was recently released. “America’s Top 100 Places to Live” recognizes communities nominated by their residents as a “great place to live”, based on details about the neighborhoods, beauty of the area, school performance, recreational activities and economic growth. In addition to the nomination, a group of researchers analyzed employment and economic growth potential, crime rates and quality of life of the more than 8,000 communities nominated. “I’d like to thank RelocateAmerica for this terrific recognition. It’s often said of Huntsville that we are one of America’s best kept secrets. With this latest No. 1 ranking, that secret is getting more difficult to keep. This is yet another example by a nationally recognized entity that our community is strong, and even in difficult times, that our future remains bright. Ours is a community with a deep and diverse workforce, an incredible quality of life and one of the stronger job markets in the nation. But above all of that, it’s our sense of

June 2010 Initiatives

among the Best Cities for Business and Careers

community that truly separates us from the rest of the pack,” says Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. Below are the top 10 places to relocate this year, according to RelocateAmerica.com: 1. Huntsville, Ala. 6. Tulsa, Okla. 2. Washington, D.C. 7. Charlotte, N.C. 3. Austin, Texas 8. Raleigh, N.C. 9. Boulder, Colo. 4. San Diego 5. San Antonio, Texas 10. Minneapolis

Forbes named Huntsville to its top 10 list of best cities for business in 2010 because of strong potential for employment and economic growth. In the ranking, Forbes listed Huntsville No. 8, making it the highest ranked Alabama metro area. Huntsville was ranked 15th in 2009. The publication also ranked Huntsville second for potential job growth and third for projected economic growth. Other Alabama metro areas ranked included Montgomery at 53, Mobile at 62 and Birmingham at 78. Metro areas in the top 10 included: 1. Des Moines, IA 2. Provo, UT 3. Raleigh, NC 4. Fort Collins, CO 5. Lincoln, NE 6. Denver, CO 7. Omaha, NE 8. Huntsville, Ala. 9. Lexington, KY 10. Austin, TX

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Staff 2010 Brian Hilson, president & CEO John Southerland, communications director Kristi Sherrard, graphic designer Laura Kendrick, executive assistant

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

Rick Davis, director, Cummings Research Park Harrison Diamond, economic development coordinator

Amy Locke, industrial development/existing industry assistant

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

Workforce Lucia Cape, VP, workforce Mark Brown, director, workforce recruitment Mitzi Floyd, workforce coordinator

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

Terrie Ledbetter, investor relations representative Mike Brazier, investor relations representative Donna McCrary, investor relations specialist Laura Patterson, events coordinator

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

Hiroko Sedensky, web designer/research specialist

Kathleen Byrne, information services specialist Donna Dingler, resource desk coordinator

Finance & Administration Christy Nalley, director, finance & administration Jamie Gallien, IT manager Lori Warner, accounting specialist Cassie Scott, accounting specialist Joe Watson, facilities supervisor

Associated Organizations Leadership Huntsville/Madison County Small Business Development Center Alabama A&M University, UAHuntsville WBCNA (Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Center of North Alabama)

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 225 Church Street, Huntsville, AL 35801 phone 256-535-2000 / fax 256-535-2015 www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com Initiatives June 2010

Arsenal Transformation New Redstone Development: a Gateway to Economic Growth

magine a new Class A and R&D office, retail, education and entertainment development almost five times the size of Bridge Street Town Centre. Imagine new amenities such as stores, restaurants, another 300 or so hotel rooms located, not just near, but on Redstone Arsenal. You won’t have to imagine it for very long. It’s about to become a reality. In what is being called “the largest real estate development in progress” in the country, the cattle-grazing fields and excess land surrounding Gate 9 on Redstone Arsenal are about to undergo a fabulous transformation. Construction should begin sometime in 2010 on Redstone Gateway, a mixed-use development which will create 4.6 million square feet of office, academic, retail, and entertainment space, literally at the front door of Redstone Arsenal. “What we’re getting is a Cummings Research Park South, with very little risk,” Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said. Battle’s reference to risk is the creative financing and unique partnership formed between the Federal government, the City of Huntsville and two private-sector developers who have forged an alliance to create the project, which is authorized under the government’s Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) program. The City of Huntsville, through a bond issue supported by a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district, will provide the infrastructure installation of the sprawling 468-acre development, most of which lies on the west side of Rideout Road as it enters Redstone from I-565. The remaining portion of the development will be on the east side of Rideout, less than one mile south of where Gate 9 is today. 22

June 2010 Initiatives

©SellersPhoto.com

As part of the infrastructure, workers will remove the Gate 9 Visitor’s Center and Gate 9 itself and relocate those structures further south toward the center of the Arsenal. In place of those buildings, Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) of Maryland, and Jim Wilson & Associates (JWA) of Montgomery, will build three- to six-story office buildings, an academic campus, a hotel/conference center, a retail district, restaurants and other retail amenities. Further south along Rideout will see the construction of additional office space. In all, almost 4.4 million square feet of office and educational space will be built in three phases over 20 years. Of that number, approximately 1.2 million square feet of space will be constructed behind the new Gate 9, offering Federal agencies and government contractors a secure site for the support they provide to the Army. Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce for 2010, said, “This gives businesses the option of locating in CRP, or in Redstone Gateway, and the creation of options is always a positive. More importantly, the expansion of our office inventory as part of Redstone Arsenal enables expansion we might not have otherwise enjoyed. This gives us room to grow, and that alleviates a concern.” COPT will become the bond holder in the financial arrangement. The City will repay the bond issue through the tax revenue collected from the property improvements and the retail sales that are generated. “It’s a win-win for the City,” Mayor Battle said. COPT and JWA have secured a 50-year

COVER STORY The conceptual master plan above is a rendering of how the new Redstone Gateway development could be built out. Plans presented at a recent Huntsville City Council meeting by the development team of COPT, Inc. and Jim Wilson and Associates, LLC included a three-phase development approach. Under the proposed plan, Phase 1 would include approximately 1.1 million square feet of office space, 680,000 square feet of secured office space, 240,000 square feet of education space, 124,000 square feet of retail space and a 150-room hotel. The total square footage of buildings of all three phases would be 4.6 million square feet of facilities and 52 buildings. ground lease (with a 25-year option) from Redstone and the Army, and will develop the property through a development agreement that specifies what the Army needs and requires. If the thought of new offices, new restaurants, new stores, and a new concert venue has the average man-on-the-street excited, imagine the significant, and tangible, benefits the community will realize from the development. Imagine another BRAC process in the future that will require more office space than Huntsville has now. Imagine acres of environmentally friendly office buildings ready to accommodate new government agencies and the employees who will follow. “Number one, it gives those people coming here with (the 2005) BRAC a place to actually operate out of,” Mayor Battle said. “That’s 10,000 people coming here, at $80,000 per job, which is an $800 million impact on our local economy. “Then, we’ll have $1 billion worth of new office space coming up over 20 years, which positions our community for continued growth.” • Staff reports

Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative Provides Blueprint for Community Expansion

uring the past few weeks, publications such as Forbes, Fortune and USA Today have all touted the region as a smart place to live, work, play and start a business. These accolades don’t just happen because a community gets lucky. They are earned by growing a vibrant economy and maintaining a high quality of life for all residents. The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County leads those efforts by working diligently every day with local, state and federal representatives through a coordinated plan and effort known as the Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative (HREGI). The primary goal of HREGI and the Chamber is to prepare, develop and promote the Huntsville, Madison and Madison County area for economic growth. HREGI is a blueprint comprised of several key strategies to support this goal. It enables the community to compete effectively in the global marketplace and support strong economic expansion and enhancement of the community’s quality of life. Through the efforts of community leaders and partnerships with local, state and federal officials, the economic development blueprint known as HREGI helps grow the local economy and enables the area to be recognized nationally as a community on the move in challenging economic times. The strategies of HREGI include working with local businesses to address their needs; recruiting targeted industry; protecting and growing the aerospace and defense industry; developing capacity for new and sustained economic growth; developing and recruiting a skilled workforce; enhancing the community’s image; and remaining accountable to the stakeholders. continued on page 24

Initiatives June 2010

Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative, continued from page 23 – At the fourth annual Economic Development Summit, Chamber leaders unveiled the results of the official 2009 New and Expanding Industry Report. “Since 1990, our community has been responsible for more than 25 percent of the new jobs created in Alabama. Last year alone, we announced 2,027 new jobs and $219 million in new capital investment,” said Brian Hilson, Chamber president and CEO. According to Hilson, when the global economy is perHilson forming well it is incumbent upon local economic development organizations to take advantage of opportunities to grow their communities. However, in a struggling economy, it is even more imperative that economic development organizations work to create new opportunities. While the accolades represent a measurement of sorts that illustrate the success of the Huntsville/Madison County – at the heart of the recognition is a growing and diverse economy. The 2009 New and Expanding Industry Report showed that gains in technology employment helped the Huntsville metro area add nearly 24,200 net new jobs since 2000, which accounted for almost all of the positive job growth in Alabama during that time. In fact, since 2004 more than 27,099 new jobs were announced from more than 330 new and expanding employers with $1.7 billion in new capital investment in the Huntsville/ Madison County community. In addition, there were 32 projects and 5 new companies that joined the community in 2009. Since 2000, the metro employment growth rate of 13.1 percent outpaces the U.S. average by more than 14 times. The area’s economy is comprised of a strong technology and professional service job base that also is continuing to grow. This sector grew by more than 44.4 percent in the same nine-year period, adding a total of 14,800 new workers. The two-county metro area made up of Madison and Limestone Counties added more than 62,518 new residents for a population growth of 18.2 percent. This was more than three times the rate of the rest of Alabama and more than double the rate of the U.S. as a whole. 24

June 2010 Initiatives

Employment Growth, 2000-2009 20%

PEER METROS

ALABAMA METROS

15% 14.1%

13.1%

12.7%

10% 8.6%

5.7% 3.7%

1.4%

0.0% -4.0%

-2.7%-

2.4%

-0.7%

U. S.

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M ob ile

in gh am

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lei

gh ,

le, sh vil

C ,N

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te ,N lot

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lan ta

-5%

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Current Employment Statistics (place of work)

Professional & Business Service Employment, 2000-2009 50%

PEER METROS

ALABAMA METROS 44.4%

40% 30% 20% 15.9%

15.7%

10%

4.5%

3.9%

10.5%

9.4%

4.1%

-0.5%

-1.8%

U. S.

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om er tg

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e ill sv nt

gh , lei Ra

le, vil sh

C ,N Na

am rh Du

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ile

-5.1%

-5.8%

-10%

“Our focus is on creating and sustaining programs that prepare our community to effectively compete in the global economy and support strong economic expansion,” said Ethan Hadley, Chamber vice-president of economic development, “We are presenting our plan and its results to our investors in order to keep our commitment to being held accountable to our stakeholders.” But, the best is yet to come. “With the national economy showing signs of recovery, through HREGI the Chamber continues to plan for future growth with an emphasis placed on meeting the infrastructure, workBolte force and education needs of a growing, vibrant community,” said Jim Bolte, Chamber vice chair of economic development. Global companies with local operations are taking notice and know that these results would not be possible without the active engagement and support of the entire community. Currently, there are more than 160 local public and private entities and companies that understand the importance of investing in HREGI and the number keeps rising. According to Jan Smith, Chamber vice chair for investor relations, “Working together, the partners and investors of HREGI ensure that Smith we remain ahead of our competition and that we continue to prepare, develop and promote our community for economic prosperity.” • Loren Traylor

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Current Employment Statistics (place of work)

Marketing Our Community Every Day, Everywhere to Everyone

hat do Colorado Springs, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Montgomery, Nashville, New York, Washington D.C., Farnborough (England), and Paris (France) have in common? Many things, for sure. One being Huntsville. While that may be an oversimplification – those locales are just a few of the places the people who market Huntsville and Madison County as a smart place to live, work and play conduct their outreach and recruitment activities. The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County has led a local delegation of members, investors, elected officials

and other economic development partners to the premier aerospace and defense marketing events in the world such as the Paris Air Show beginning more than 20 years ago. Those efforts have proven to be a template for how the community recruits both industry and workforce – proactively. “In both our recruitment of companies and our recruitment of workforce, we are not content to let people come to us. It is important for us to go to where our targeted industries and workforce are,” said Chamber President/ CEO Brian Hilson.

At many of these events, there is a significant representation from organizations in Huntsville and Madison County. It is important to meet with those organizations to discuss any expansion or relocations. For example, at the recent Army Aviation Association of America conference in Dallas, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle joined a team from the Chamber to meet with existing company senior executives, program managers as well as companies who may be looking to expand into the community to be closer to continued on page 26 Initiatives June 2010

Marketing Our Community, continued from page 25 – their government or contractor clients. “There were a lot of Huntsville people there,” Battle said. “It was like we left Huntsville and everyone in Huntsville came with us. But there were a lot of companies there who aren’t in Huntsville who need to be and we talked with them too. And for the ones there that already have a presence in our community, many of them are looking at expanding their foothold in our community. Being at these events allows you to have those kinds of discussions with numerous existing companies as well as those that need to establish operations. We want them to know that we Battle are here, that we can help them with their relocation or expansion needs.” To continue growing the economy through recruitment of targeted industries or targeted workforce, the Chamber template is always to tell the story of the community, make the person aware of the opportunities available in the Huntsville/Madison County area and to make sure the advantages of living and working in the area are understood. “I think the reasons why we market extensively both in our community and externally at some of these strategically important events are obvious to most of our citizens because we have such an active community,” said Chamber Board Chair Don Nalley. “We recognize that we are in competition with other communities for business and talent so we must tell our story. Give it any name you want, but marketing is critical to drawing businesses that need great people and great people want a community with opportunities for themselves and their families. As a young man, someone asked a partner in the comNalley pany I worked with whether he was going to attend a particular event. His response was “absolutely, with bells and whistles”. Our Chamber has answered the question the same way, long ago. If it holds promise of telling our story to good businesses and/or great talent, or both, the answer of are we attending or not is “absolutely, with bells and whistles”. In fact, even the Chamber’s annual trips to Montgomery and Washington D.C. are places where marketing the community continued on page 28 26

June 2010 Initiatives

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:

Breakfast & Biz March 23, presented by Verizon Wireless, hosted by Magnolia Trace

For more than 150 Chamber members, the Breakfast & Biz networking offers a great way for them to make contacts and market their businesses & organizations.

Bridges Huntsville/Madison Co. March/April 2010

This Chamber program helps increase retention rates for co-op employers in the community. Sponsored by Teledyne Brown Engineering, young professionals from Adtran, Dynetics and Avion learned more about how to get engaged in our community.

CEO Roundtables Reception April 29, presented by SAIC

The April CEO Roundtables reception provided an excellent forum for small business leaders to get together to support and mentor each other, in order to grow local small businesses and opportunities. 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 leading community in the knowledge-based economy and as a preferred location for some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most innovative companies in diverse industries.

Initiatives June 2010

Marketing Our Community, continued from page 26 –

The AAI RQ-7 Shadow UAV, a reconnaissance aircraft deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, was on display at the 2009 Paris Air Show. The Shadow UAV program is managed at Redstone Arsenal. is just as important to better help state and federal elected officials know what the issues facing the community are and where the community needs assistance and, perhaps most importantly, why it needs assistance. In Montgomery, the Chamber delivers its annual state agenda, which includes requests for infrastructure funding to meet growth needs. In Washington D.C., the Chamber delivers its federal agenda, which includes outlining the priorities and federal programs of importance to the community to ensure that the federal

At right: Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle sits in an Army helicopter flight simulator developed by Rockwell Collins at the recent Army Aviation Association of America national conference. Below: The Chamber routinely meets with existing industries at air shows/conferences while also meeting with targeted industries to ensure decision makers have the information needed to consider expanding into the Huntsville/ Madison County community.

June 2010 Initiatives

delegation has the information it needs to help secure funding for those programs. For every discussion – there is a marketing component – whether the trip is to an air show such as the upcoming Farnborough Air Show in England or to the National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. “We want to make sure we leverage the power of federal and state elected officials and economic development partners to reach companies and individuals at the highest levels,” said Ethan Hadley, the Chamber’s

vice president for economic development. Getting companies and workers to consider the Huntsville/Madison County community is less difficult than it may have been years ago – in part because of the amount of positive press the community has received from national and international publications that have recognized and ranked the area as a smart place to live, work and play. Over the past year, USA Today, Forbes, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, U.S. News & World Report and Money magazine are just a few of the publications that have cited the community for its job growth, high salaries, low cost of living and high standard of living. Nalley said the recognitions are earned. “It is important to note that the recognitions we’ve received don’t just happen. I hope everyone knows that it is through the efforts of marketing this community that we have created – sometimes directly, many times indirectly – the recognition we’ve received. Recognitions are some of the best marketing a community could possible obtain,” he said. “It’s always better to have someone else point to our community as a great place to build a business and family than us making the statement.” And whatever the current state of the economy, there will be no slowing down the community’s marketing efforts, Nalley promised. “I don’t know if we can continue to win accolades from all these various publications and trade journals, but we think we will because we are going to keep asking those journals to take a look at what is happening here. And I think our community will continue doing what they have done for so many years, caring, participating, inventing and in general being the type of community that others want to be a part of,” Nalley said. And whether it is to a reporter from a national or international publication, to a workforce candidate or to a company CEO, the goal is always the same, Hadley said. “We want them to explore the tremendous growth opportunities in the Huntsville/Madison County community. There is a great story – a cutting edge federal research and development campus that is Redstone, the nation’s second largest research and development park that is Cummings Research Park, and the opportunity to join an internationally recognized workforce that supports cutting edge technology development.” • John Southerland Initiatives June 2010

Sponsorship Opportunities Nearing End of Adventure

he 2010 Total Resource Campaign (TRC) volunteers began a virtual adventure around the world in April with a goal of raising more than $1.4 million for economic development efforts through the recruitment of new members, sponsorships and marketing. This year’s campaign will close on Thursday, June 24 as will the opportunity to sponsor some key Chamber events. “I volunteer because it is a great opportunity to support the Chamber’s efforts to develop and promote our community’s economic growth, and to meet other business and community leaders. The Chamber’s efforts benefit all aspects of our community,” said Stephen Hall, two year campaign veteran and an attorney at Bradley Arant Boult & Cummings. Through the TRC, volunteers are able to meet and get to know other volunteers; work directly with many of the area’s large and small business owners; and introduce new and existing businesses to the opportunities available through the Chamber. “It is always interesting to see the reaction of new business leaders to our community when they learn about what our Chamber does for the region,” said Frank Caprio, 2010 campaign chair. “Often, they tell me they have never seen another chamber this active or effective before in any of the community’s they have business interests.” The TRC concept was implemented in 2004 as a way to help companies better navigate through the many different sponsorships that would help them achieve their marketing goals. Since that first campaign, the TRC has raised more than $5 million and gotten almost half of its members involved in some way. “When a company gets engaged, they know that they are a part of the team that is helping build the economic base for our community,” said Lee Lester, six time Regions Bank volunteer. “And the Chamber always makes sure we learn more about what they do in fun, informative ways so that we can help our business customers.” For businesses that are trying to get their name out or who want to “show” what they can do, there is something right for you. For more information, contact Donna McCrary at dmccrary@hsvchamber.org. • Loren Traylor

June 2010 Initiatives

Photo by SellersPhoto.com

ADTRAN Named Alabama’s Large Manufacturer of the Year

f you make a phone call, use the Internet or do anything through a telecommunications service provider, you probably indirectly use a product that was designed in Huntsville by ADTRAN, the winner of Alabama’s “Manufacturer of the Year” for 2010. ADTRAN, founded in Huntsville by the late Mark Smith and business partner Lonnie McMillian, is a leading global provider of networking and communications equipment, with a portfolio of intelligent solutions deployed by some of the world’s largest service providers, distributed enterprises and small and medium-sized businesses. ADTRAN solutions enable voice, data, video and Internet communications across copper, fiber and wireless network infrastructures. ADTRAN products are currently in use by every major U.S. service provider and many globally, as well as by thousands of public, private and governmental organizations worldwide. “It is a great honor to be named the Large Manufacturer of the Year for the state of Alabama,” said ADTRAN Senior Vice President of Global Operations Mike Foliano. “With Alabama’s diverse manufacturing base including automotive and aerospace, this honor is pursued by some of the world’s largest companies. We are very fortunate to be in Huntsville, an area that is comprised of highly skilled and motivated individuals that allow us to effectively compete with the best companies in the world.” The Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Award, presented by the Business Council of Alabama and the Alabama Technology Network, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama and the National Association of Manufacturers, recognizes Alabama manufacturing enterprises that exhibit excellence in leadership, performance, profitability and work force relations. Awards are presented in three categories: large (400 employees and above), medium (100-399 employees) and small (99 or fewer employees). The Large Alabama Manufacturer of the Year is selected based on superior performance in the areas continued on page 32

ADTRAN Director of Global Procurement Grady Broadnax, left, was presented the Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Award by Governor Bob Riley.

ADTRAN Senior Vice President of Global Operations Mike Foliano, right, is presented the Governor’s Trade Excellence Award by Alabama Governor Bob Riley. Initiatives June 2010

ADTRAN Named Alabama’s Large Manufacturer of the Year, continued from page 31 – of customer focus, employee commitment, operational excellence, continuous improvement, profitable growth and investment in training and retraining. ADTRAN’s success stems from its history in telecommunications. Incorporated in 1985, ADTRAN began operations in 1986 following AT&T’s divestiture of the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs). This created an opportunity for companies such as ADTRAN to supply network equipment to

June 2010 Initiatives

the seven RBOCs as well as the more than 1,300 independent telephone companies in the United States. In many ways, ADTRAN’s story is representative of the city’s economic growth and increasing diversity from an economy that was nearly 80 percent reliant upon government work to one with significant commercial employers. Today, the company has grown to almost $500 million in annual revenue with customers in more than 40 countries spanning six continents. Now with two divisions: Carrier Networks and Enterprise Networks, ADTRAN focuses both on the needs of the carrier and the end-user customer. The Carrier Networks Division prides itself on providing next-generation solutions that help service providers of all types and sizes deliver bandwidth with greater efficiency. The Enterprise Networks Division focuses on the needs of business customers spanning from one to 2,000 employees. ADTRAN is one of only a limited number of companies enabled to address this broad spectrum of needs, and thus is uniquely positioned in the marketplace. ADTRAN’s global business also earned the company accolades from Gov. Bob Riley, who honored the company for opportunities both in the U.S. and abroad. ADTRAN’s global efforts were recognized earlier this year with the “Governor’s Trade Excellence Award”. The Governor’s Trade Excellence Award was established to identify Alabama’s successful and innovative small, medium, and large companies that export, promote exports, encourage greater involvement in the global marketplace, and develop and enhance awareness of the impact of exporting to Alabama’s economic prosperity. ADTRAN was recognized in the large company category and was one of only seven companies in all categories to earn the honor in 2010. “The future is bright for ADTRAN. With continued investments in Research and Development, growing product portfolios and a growing customer base we are optimistic about 2010 and the future,” Foliano said. “We have positioned the company well during the economic downturn, allowing us to continue product development and grow market share. This is allowing us to emerge as a stronger company ready to seize the opportunities that lie ahead.” • Harrison Diamond

Chamber Employee Honored by Japan America Society of Alabama A

s Huntsville, Madison and Madison County’s lead organization for economic development, the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County regularly works with partners at the local, regional and state level to market both our community and the State of Alabama. One such organization the Chamber partners with is the Japan America Society of Alabama (JASA), headquartered in Birmingham. At JASA’s annual dinner, Chamber web designer/research specialist Hiroko Sedensky was honored with the Special Service Award for her many years of commitment to the organization. JASA is a not-for-profit association that encourages and develops friendship and understanding as well as business development between individuals within Japan and the United States. It was Sedensky’s work at promoting these goals that led her to be named the organization’s very first “Special Service Award” honoree. One of Sedensky’s most significant contributions among her many years of service to JASA has been the creation of the Alabama Guide, a guidebook in Japanese language for the Japanese people who are new to Alabama and for the Japanese companies who consider investing in Alabama. The guidebook, which covers the entire state, includes information on tourism attractions, historical and economic background information on living in Alabama and demographic information. The creation of the Alabama Guide involved working with economic development partners from around the state to capture what makes each community, unique and developing the content and layout. Sedensky said the satisfaction of producing the guide more than offset the challenges of completing such an extensive project. “Producing the Alabama Guide in Japanese was challenging, but it was really interesting and enjoyable, not only because I could use my past experience as a professional editor, but because I could establish wonderful relationships with the volunteers and other people who work for economic development organizations and tourism offices,” Sedensky said. “And of course, it was also very beneficial to me because it helped me to learn even more about the many great things in Alabama.” Ethan Hadley, the Chamber’s vice president for economic development and a long-standing JASA board member, praised Sedensky’s contributions to JASA and said the guide has become invaluable. “The guide she has spent so much time working on really has become invaluable. It is used extensively by the Alabama Development Office and other communities in the state, including Huntsville/Madison County. It is also used in Japan by company executives and Japanese people who are relocating to Alabama,” Hadley said. “Hiroko’s contributions to JASA have proven to be critical to the organization’s success. I can’t think of a more deserving Hiroko Sedensky received a Special Service Award at the annual JASA individual to receive this award.” • dinner in Birmingham.

Initiatives June 2010

Washington D.C. Trip Features Another Strong Showing W

ith more than half of Huntsville’s economy tied to defense, space and other Redstone programs, it’s easy to understand why the Chamber’s DC trip attracts so much attention. More than 175 members of the Huntsville and Decatur Chambers of Commerce visited the Nation’s Capitol, April 25-27, tying the previous DC Trip registration record and making it one of the largest Washington DC Trips by any Chamber of Commerce group in the country. The trip provides the Chamber with an opportunity to officially present the Congressional delegation with its Federal Agenda and to thank them for their leadership on the critical issues that have helped to shape our region into a world leader in technology. Areas of concern outlined in the Agenda include the Administration’s plans to discontinue NASA’s Constellation program and efforts to convert defense contractor jobs to civil service positions through “insourcing.” The Agenda also outlines key programs affecting national defense and local economic activity. Highlighting the trip were meetings with Senators Richard Shelby, Jeff Sessions, Mitch McConnell, John Kyle, Thad Cochran, George LeMieux and John Thune and with Congressmen Robert Aderholt and Parker Griffith, U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, Dr. Ralph Hall, Whip Eric Cantor, CJS Ranking Member Frank Wolf and Hal Rogers. 34

June 2010 Initiatives

With more than 175 people making the trip, it is easy to see why the Chambers of Huntsville/Madison County and Decatur/ Morgan County combine to form one of the largest D.C. fly-in of any in the nation. Opposite page, top to bottom: U.S. Senator Richard Shelby addresses the audience; U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions talks with Madison Mayor Paul Finley; United States Rep. Robert Aderholt with Jim Rountree; U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith, left, talk with attendees at the 2010 Washington D.C. trip. Chamber officials and members were deeply grateful to the members of the delegation for the time that they we able to spend with them and their staff’s support to arrange several very important speakers. Monday morning sessions included Dr. Larry Sabato, the University Professor of Politics and director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Dr. Sabato runs the “Crystal Ball” web site offering powerful insights into the national political scene. Also addressing the Chamber group were NASA Senate Committee staffers Allen Cutler and Brian Hendricks; David Berteau with the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Dr. Martin Regalia, U.S. Chamber Chief Economist; John Anderson with the Dept. of the Army; Joe Jordan with the Small Business Administration; Massie Ritch with the U.S. Dept. of Education and Karen Elzey with the Institute for a Competitive Workforce. Ron Eidshaug, Vice President, Congressional and Public Affairs U.S. Chamber of Commerce was the keynote luncheon speaker. Monday evening featured a reception with members of the Alabama Congressional Delegation and their staffs. • Mike Ward Initiatives June 2010

Top to Bottom: program emcee Amy George, David Mathis (ServisFirst Bank), John Broyles (Tec-Masters), Kathy Braod (QTEC)

and Best Employees in Community Honored at 3rd Annual Luncheon

Dr. O’Neal Smitherman, left, accepts on behalf of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.

Winners for Best Places to Work: 25-74 workers: Edward Jones; QTEC, Inc.; QuantiTech, Inc.; Servis1st Bank; Venturi, Inc. 75-249 workers: Avion Solutions, Inc.*; HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology; Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation*; Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.*; Tec-Masters, Inc.* 250 or more workers: Camber Corporation*; ITT-CAS Corporation*; Dynetics, Inc.; ERC, Inc.; URS

Winners for Best Employee: 25-74 workers: David Mathis, ServisFirst Bank; Susie Burns-Vaughn, PeopleTec Incorporated. 75-249 workers: Kathy Cagle, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.; Teresa Bacon, NEXTEK Inc. 250 or more workers: Andrew Knapper, URS; Valerie Singleton, URS * Two time Best Places to Work winner *^ Three time Best Places to Work winner 36

June 2010 Initiatives

t takes a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement balanced with an understanding of the value of providing employees a positive, stimulating work environment to be named one of the Best Places to Work in Huntsville, Madison and Madison County. With more than 100 companies vying for top honors, it truly takes the best of the best to make the list, and on April 20, the best 15 companies were selected – while six employees were named the Best Employees in Huntsville, Madison and Madison County at the third annual Best Places to Work awards luncheon. The event was co-hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and the North Alabama Society for Human Resource Management and sponsored by First Commercial Bank. Amy George, former news anchor and founder of the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund, emceed the event attended by almost 700 proud employers and employees. Winners were based solely on a survey completed by employees and were selected in three categories: organizations with between 25 and 74 local employees; organizations with between 75 and 249 local employees; and employers with 250 local employees or more. This year, the top employee award was added to recognize the outstanding achievements of the local workforce. Each of the employees selected were nominated by their coworkers and were selected based on receiving the highest percentage of nominations. “I am very proud to work with an outstanding team of bankers at ServisFirst. Every employee is committed to our clients and I’m humbled that my team nominated me when in fact, they are the reason for our success,” said David Mathis, employee winner in the small company category. continued on page 42

Top to Bottom (left): Chad Donald (Avion), Kathy Cagle (MTSI), Rey Almodรณvar (Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation), Melodie Wade (Edward Jones) Below: Sheila Brown (QuantiTech)

Above (L-R ): George Pruitt (ITT CAS), Susan Wu (ERC), Stephen Kee (Camber Corporation), Marc Bendickson (Dynetics), Mary Bissell (URS), Andrew Knapper (URS), Valerie Singleton (URS) At left: Michael Alvarez (Venturi) BEST PLACES TO WORK 2010 presented by

Initiatives June 2010

strength in

numbers

connects business prospects

“

HREGI success in nurturing

the economic vitality of Huntsville and Madison County complements The Boeing Company’s commitment to business growth in this diverse and engaged community. Our long-standing partnership with HREGI is good for our company, our customers, and our future.

For a list of investors, see page 4 or visit: HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com 38

June 2010 Initiatives

” Tony Jones, Vice President & Senior Site Executive

The Boeing Company HREGI Investor since 2004

Initiatives June 2010

Above (L-R): Takeshi Goriki; Takahiro Okuno, Makoto Tohmura, Harrison Diamond, Jim Bolte, Brian Hilson, Japan Consul General Takuji Hanatani, Ethan Hadley, Madison Mayor Paul Finley and Hiroshi Ishii enjoyed a luncheon meeting at the Chamber recently in honor of the consul general’s visit.

Huntsville Economy Generating Attention Around the World At left: Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Alabama President Jim Bolte talks with Takuji Hanatani, Consul General of Japan in Atlanta. Below: Mattias Sonn, the minister of economic affairs, German Embassy in Washington D.C., recently visited the Huntsville/Madison County community along with Dr. Lutz Hermann Görgens, Consul General of Germany in Atlanta.

June 2010 Initiatives

hile Huntsville’s business recruitment efforts often involve a Chamber-led economic development team traveling to various parts of the world to meet with companies and organizations, the area has recently enjoyed its fair share of visits from dignitaries of other countries. The news of the Huntsville/Madison County growing economy has attracted the attention of numerous companies and organizations around the nation and the world. Already in 2010, consuls general from England, Germany and Japan have visited the community to learn more about how the Huntsville/Madison County economy has performed so well compared to other communities in the world. As Chamber Vice President for Economic Development Ethan Hadley stated, “They are quite candid in telling us that they have come to see how we are succeeding against the odds of the global economic downturn.” The first visit came from Malins Annabelle Malins, British Consul-General, Atlanta, one of few women foreign diplomats and the first British Consul General in Atlanta. Next, Takuju Hanatani, the Consul General of Japan in Atlanta, visited the Chamber and also met with local elected officials and Chamber staff members. And most recently, Matthias Sonn, Minister, Economic Affairs,

German Embassy in Washington D.C., was joined by Dr. Lutz Hermann Görgens, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany on a visit to the Huntsville/MadiGörgens son County community. “Outreach to foreign consulates and trade offices is critical to our marketing efforts,” said Charlie Kettle, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. “These people effectively multiply our exposure and our opportunities and present an excellent opportunity to promote and grow our international business in the Huntsville/Madison County community.” ”The Chamber routinely engages foreign consular officials and trade officers in the U.S. cities where they reside,” says Hadley. “We actively maintain those relationships Kettle directly and through participation in organizations such as the Alabama Germany Partnership and the Japan-America Society of Alabama, but we are now seeing an increase in incoming visits due in large part to the widespread media recognition that the Huntsville/Madison County community has received in recent years. “Of course, we have solicited and orchestrated such visits in the past, but since I have been here we have never had three separate high level visits in such quick succession ,” Hadley said. “It is obvious that our community is being recognized by more people and by high level decision-makers around the world – it speaks well for our community that these people want to come and visit with us.” When such a visit does occur, the consul general will also meet with representative company executives from their countries that have operations here to see how things are going and to gauge what other opportunities may exist that may benefit both countries. • John Southerland

Initiatives June 2010

Best Places to Work, continued from page 36 – Jeremiah Knight, vice chair for workforce at the Chamber and otherwise the director of customer service at Verizon Wireless, opened the event and said winning in such a competitive business environment is something that should not be taken for granted. “We are coming off a year in which our community was widely considered one of the best and smartest places to live, work and play,” Knight said. “From Kiplinger’s to Forbes, Moody’s and U.S. News & World Report, our community is generating incredible positive recognition. Those companies announced as the Best Places to Work, and those people announced as the Best Employees, should know they are the best of the best. In this area that means a lot.” “This was our second year to win this honor but it meant so much more this year because we faced tremendous growth and jumped into another category. We felt it was important to participate this year to get a sense of where we need to improve and what we found was that we were continuing to do the right things. Because this honor is based on our employee surveys, we got a true sense of how our employees feel about our company and that means so much to us. Knowing that we are treating our employees right is the best thing about this honor,” said Kathy Cagle, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. recruiting manager. According to Cagle, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc, uses the results from the survey to build upon what they are doing well and change other areas that need improvement. This strategy of continuous improvement is working for them and the six other companies that were multiple year winners on the Top 15 Best Places to Work list. Quantum Workplace measured and selected companies based on the following criteria: Team Effectiveness, Retention Probability, Alignment with Goals, Trust with Co-workers, Individual Contribution, Manager Effectiveness, Trust in Senior Leaders, Feeling Valued, Work Engagement, and People Practices. Once nominated, Quantum, a company that specializes in measuring workplace satisfaction around the country, administered a survey to employees and tabulated the results. Winners were based exclusively on the outcome of the employee surveys. • Loren Traylor 42

June 2010 Initiatives

Initiatives June 2010

June 2010 Initiatives