Initiatives magazine, August 2010 by Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

Initiatives August 2010

August 2010 Initiatives

Initiatives August 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: private sector)

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc. Regions Bank

Chamber Trustees

Agility Defense & Government Services BBVA Compass Beason & Nalley, Inc. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama Booz Allen Hamilton Breland Companies Camber Corporation CINRAM, Inc. Cobham Analytic Solutions COLSA Corporation Crestwood Medical Center Emerson

Progress Partners

President’s Circle ADTRAN AT&T BBVA Compass The Boeing Company Deltacom The Huntsville Times Lockheed Martin Redstone Federal Credit Union SAIC Verizon Wireless Wachovia Bank, N.A. 4

August 2010 Initiatives

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

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

AEgis Technologies Analytical Services, Inc. Applied Data Trends, Inc. BAE Systems BASF Catalysts LLC Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Coldwell Banker/McLain Real Estate Colonial Properties Consolidated Construction Dynetics Enfinger Steele Development, Inc. ERC, Inc. First Commercial Bank Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation J. Smith Lanier & Co. Jerry Damson Honda Acura Keystone Foods Corporation Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne LG Electronics Alabama, Inc.

Progress Investors

($25,000 - $49,999 invested annually)

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

M.B. Kahn Construction Co., Inc.

NAI Chase Commercial Realty Navistar Diesel of Alabama The Orthopaedic Center Parker Hannifin Corporation Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. Samples Properties Sirote & Permutt, P.C. SL1-Inc SOUTHBank Stanley Associates Superior Bank The Surgery Center of Huntsville System Studies and Simulation, 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 BlueCreek Investment Partners Brown Precision Bryant Bank Century Automotive CERQA Chapman Sisson Architects Decisive Analytics Corporation Decosimo Certified Public Accountants DESE Research, Inc. DHS Systems DRS Technologies – A Finmeccanica Company FITE Building Co., Inc. Fountain Parker Harbarger & Associates Garber Construction Co., Inc. General Dynamics 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. Marriott Huntsville North Alabama Gas District Oak Ridge-Huntsville Partnership Office Precipio, Inc. Progress Bank QinetiQ North America QTEC Qualis Corporation Radiance Technologies ServisFirst Bank Torch Technologies UBS Huntsville Wealth Management United Space Alliance, LLC Wesfam Restaurants, Inc. – Burger King WHNT-19 Woodland Homes Woody Anderson Ford

Initiatives August 2010

August 2010 Initiatives

initiatives

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

august 2010

25th Anniversary of the Small Business Awards including a profile on Glenn Clayton, the 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year Huntsville Symphony Orchestra

pages 22-24 Cover design by Kristi Sherrard & Jeff Hanshaw, J. Hanshaw Photography

features Future-Focused at UAHuntsville Economic Development Highlights including Martin Road announcement, LSINC, CSC, Yulista, Bibliotheca RFID Library Systems, AirTran, Jacobs, Qualis Corporation, ATK, Investor’s Resource and Bryant Bank

Armed Forces Week Concert in the Park

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.

TRC Journey Complete Editorial: Second to None BRAC on Track Hispanic-Owned Companies on Move Q&A with Emerson’s Steve Hassell Remembering Armed Forces Week

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

25 27 30 33 34 36

developments HREGI Investors Chamber Board Listing Growth Through Networking Employee of the Quarter HREGI Testimonial Community Profile Chamber Staff Listing

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

10 13

4 8 28 29 35 40 42

editorial staff

Publisher Brian Hilson Executive Editor John Southerland

Editorial Designer Kristi Sherrard ontributing Writers C

Lucia Cape, Rick Davis, Harrison Diamond, John Southerland, Loren Traylor and Mike Ward

Photography Chamber of Commerce staff & publications (if not credited)

Advertising Sales Ray Johnson The Huntsville Times

Initiatives August 2010

Chamber of Commerce

Board of Directors and Executive Committee 2010 Executive Committee

Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: This edition of Initiatives comes at a time when Alabamians are electing new political leaders throughout the state. Strong elected leadership at all levels – local, state and federal – is essential to effective economic growth, and the Huntsville/Madison County area has always been fortunate to have capable leaders to work with. Equally important are effective working relationships among these leaders. As the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County coordinates economic development projects on behalf of our community, an important policy for us is that we always team with other economic development organizations, especially the Alabama Development Office. Under Governor Bob Riley, the ADO has, in the past eight years, excelled in recruiting new businesses, and in giving communities throughout the state the best opportunity to realize their growth potential. The list of State of Alabama commitments and methods of support to our community is quite long. Governor Riley was here recently to commit critical funding to improvements at Martin Road so that it can better accommodate traffic being impacted by the growing employment base at Redstone Arsenal. The Governor was also here recently to announce the state’s funding commitment for the Center for System Studies at UAHuntsville, a new facility which will further position our community as a global leader in technology development. The State of Alabama was a major funding partner in development of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, as Governor Riley and other state leaders recognized a unique opportunity to attract some of the world’s best scientific talent, and to position our state as a leader in genetics and genomics research. Major business and industrial employers such as Toyota, Verizon, LG and many others likely wouldn’t be in Huntsville were it not for the strong support and economic development partnership we enjoy with ADO and other key organizations. Looking to our future in economic development and more business prospects for the Huntsville area, this summer our community is conducting important marketing trips where we will be able to meet with key employers and business location decision-makers. Some of those companies could eventually be added to our list of new and expanding employers, creating job opportunities for residents of the Tennessee Valley. In New York City, at the Farnborough Air Show, at space and defense industry conferences, and at numerous other venues throughout the country and around the world, the Alabama Development Office continues to lead and partner with Huntsville and other Alabama communities in aggressively marketing for more jobs and economic development opportunities. We don’t always initially agree on every issue on each project – economic development is a complicated process – but we do ultimately agree on how to get things done. Our story of living, working and doing business in Huntsville is most effectively told when all leaders and economic development entities work together as a team. We thank Governor Riley, ADO Director Neal Wade and his entire team for their strong leadership and tireless efforts. In economic development, our state continues to move forward even in the face of a challenging economy. As the economy rebounds, and with the next Governor, our team approach to economic development will continue, and Alabama will further enhance its position as one of America’s best states for business.

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

August 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, Consultant Micah Bullard, Turner Universal Construction Frank Caprio, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Tracy Doughty, Huntsville Hospital John Eagan, Wachovia Bank 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 August 2010

Artist rendering of the new Center for System Studies planned at UAHuntsville

Future-Focused New Center for System Studies at UAHuntsville to concentrate on complex, global challenges RIGHT: Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and UAHuntsville’s Dr. Mike Griffin introducing the plans for this new research and engineering center that will move forward with an $8 million investment from the state. BELOW: Artist rendering of the aerial view for the Center for System Studies.

August 2010 Initiatives

he International Space Station, missile defense, smart power grids, even the response to the Gulf oil spill are all complex systems that require technical expertise and a grasp of ‘The Big Picture.’ The newly announced Center for System Studies at UAHuntsville brings these and other real-world challenges into the classroom. The Center will be directed by Dr. Mike Griffin, a veteran of numerous complex systems including those within NASA, the Department of Defense, as well as those involving contractor and commercial aerospace companies. Balancing the community’s workforce has also become a complex system, not just in the Huntsville Metropolitan Statistical Area but nationally in a competition for the best and brightest. When the Chamber first created its Workforce Division, a “map” of the elements that comprised the local workforce was developed, showing everything from prenatal maternal nutrition to the attraction of the “creative class” through leading-edge technological innovation. Also included in the workforce system are K-12 education, retention of young professionals, and quality of life for recruitment of new workers – all elements of the Chamber’s workforce strategy. But like other complex systems, there are many players with a variety of priorities, funding sources, and constituencies that must be served. A system map can show how the parts are connected, but getting the parts to work together for the best outcome is far more complicated. The Center for System Studies will be part of the area’s workforce system, and part of its solution as well. By preparing students to understand, design and work within complex, interrelated environments, the Center will supply the talent to companies that develop the emerging technologies that drive the economy of Huntsville/Madison County. “We know that there is a direct relationship between the supply of smart, capable workers and the decision of a company to locate or expand in a community,” says Jeremiah Knight, director of the Verizon Wireless Customer Care Center in Huntsville. Knight, who also serves as vice chair, workforce, of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, said monitoring the community’s future workforce needs is vital. “Workforce development must anticipate the needs of business to keep the economy growing.” Gov. Bob Riley cited the Center’s importance in attracting, retaining and growing high-tech companies to the state when he announced an $8 million investment in June.

“During the past seven years, we’ve worked to create a knowledge-based economy through our existing research infrastructure at our institutions of higher learning,” said Riley. “The new Center for System Studies at UAHuntsville is the next step in this effort. All this helps make Alabama a national leader in research, a more attractive place for cutting edge industries, and a prime location for the new jobs of the 21st century.” The Center is a result of an agreement with Dr. Griffin when he was recruited as eminent scholar, that he could help the university establish leadership in an emerging field. Because much of local procurement is for largescale, complex systems, and because there are very few systems studies centers in the country that focus on integration, the Center for System Studies was a perfect fit for the Huntsville/Madison County industry base as well the university with its engineering focus. “North Alabama is the most highly concentrated aerospace, defense and energy work center in the world, and it is growing,” said Dr. Griffin. “This center, which is unique in academia, will create the opportunity for Alabama and UAHuntsville to be recognized worldwide as a leader in the emerging systems discipline.” The Center will pursue research projects that require a multidisciplinary approach – ones that combine technology, nature, society and human behavior. It will also take the research a step further, beyond the design of a system to the intent of the design, to produce systems thinkers who can look for unintended consequences as well as ongoing opportunities for improvement, says Liz Newton, Director for the Policy Research Program. For example, recent awards to the Center combine engineers with an economist, an attorney and Newton a public health professional. The Center could lead to improvements in the curriculum in the participating schools while providing work experience for students who participate in the research. “UAHuntsville is a logical home for these efforts,” confirmed Dr. David Williams, UAHuntsville’s president. “We are not only close to the organizations with these needs, but we also have immense research capabilities and top students to apply to the problems. Our community and state’s vitality depend on the workforce’s ability to design and manage complex systems. UAHuntsville will offer both solutions and ‘systems smart’ graduates.” • Lucia Cape Initiatives August 2010

August 2010 Initiatives

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS ~ continued on page 14

Aerial by Sellers Photo

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

Above: Martin Road, which serves as the main western entrance to Redstone Arsenal, was recently awarded funds for improvements. (Zierdt Road intersection shown) Below: Gov. Bob Riley delivers his final Alabama Update. The event was presented by ATK and was attended by 1,000; Maj. Gen. Jim Myles presents Gov. Bob Riley a plaque in appreciation of his leadership.

Major Road Project Announced at Riley’s Last Alabama Update A

major road announcement was made at Gov. Bob Riley’s final Alabama Update, presented by ATK, that local and Redstone Arsenal officials claim is one of the area’s top road priorities. Riley recently announced funding for the widening of Martin Road to four lanes from Rideout Road to Zierdt Road. According to Maj. Gen. Jim Myles, commanding general of the Army Aviation and Missile Command, Martin Road is a top priority because it is the main western entrance on post. It has been one of the region’s highest transportation priorities. “You stepped up to the plate and you put your support where we really needed it,” Myles said. Riley has said in the past that the teamwork among Huntsville, Madison, Madison County and Redstone Arsenal has made the difference. He echoed that sentiment at his address. “You have great leaders. It is so refreshing to see you all work together. You typify what I want to see across the state,” Riley said. Riley said that he has had the busiest year a lame duck governor could have. He addressed the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico by saying the states’ hands are effectively tied behind their backs because of federal

regulations governing the use of labor and dispersants. Riley said that if offshore drilling continues, the states should receive more of the royalties to be prepared for another possible disaster such as this one. Riley also addressed problems that are on the horizon. “All the things that have made us competitive are being challenged. Alabama is on a roll and we must continue to do what we have always done.” Among the issues he mentioned were cap and trade, card check legislation and modernizing unemployment compensation, all of which Riley said would lead to more costs for businesses and states and challenge Alabama when competing globally. Riley, who serves as the chair of the Southern Governors Association, said that he has been a proponent of branding the South as a premiere business location. “When you think America, don’t just think of New York and Chicago, think the South.” “Huntsville/Madison County is entrepreneurship on steroids. Madison County is a prototype for the state, the South and the nation of what we can do to stay competitive. Toyota recently announced a plant expansion that was in competition with China, Japan and Australia.” •

Initiatives August 2010

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 13

LSINC Expands in Huntsville

Above: Alicia Ryan, CEO of LSINC, receives a commemorative plaque from Don Nalley, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Below (L-R): Joe Ryan, Alicia Ryan, Dr. Rodney Robertson, Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie, City Administrator Rex Reynolds.

eadership Strategies Inc., (LSINC) a Huntsville-based consulting group, cut the ribbon on its new office in Huntsville and continued growth. LSINC is a woman-owned small business that provides senior leaders with strategic leadership consulting and business intelligence through research and analysis, expert data fusion, synchronization of missions and strategies, and business development consulting. Alicia Ryan, CEO of LSINC, said that Huntsville was the right place for her to start a business. She began LSINC because there were not many positions for consultants at the time. “Where else could a woman start as an independent consultant with no contacts and very little money be successful? Only in Huntsville,” she said. Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County Board of Directors, said that the company’s focus on customer service and individual attention is a reason for the company’s success. “Today is a celebration and an acknowledgment that hard work, dedication and customer service are still the ingredients for success,” Nalley said. Mike Gillespie, Chairman of the Madison County Commission, said that companies like LSINC are responsible for the success of Madison County. “There is a lot of success in this community and it is all built on people and businesses like you. You make us a better community,” Gillespie said. Rex Reynolds, Huntsville City Administrator, echoed those sentiments. “It is not about what we do to be successful; it is about what companies like you do that make us the successful community we are,” Reynolds said. •

CSC Wins National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin Contract C

SC announced recently that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the company a Research and Development High Performance Computing System indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. The IDIQ contract is valued at $317 million if all options are exercised. The first year will be funded at $49.3 million by NOAA using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Under the terms of the contract, task orders will be funded to design and implement a new high performance computing system to support NOAA’s environmental modeling program. This new system will allow NOAA to improve the accuracy of global and regional climate models and advance weather fore14

August 2010 Initiatives

casting capabilities critical to the protection of life and property. “People in our area of the country understand how critical accurate weather forecasts are and will directly benefit from this NOAA-led and CSC-supported effort,” said Randy Cash, vice president and general manager of CSC’s North American Public Sector Huntsville Operations. “The high performance computing system to be deployed and operated by CSC will result in more accurate forecasts of high-impact weather events common to our region.” NOAA is a scientific agency whose mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs. •

~ continued on page 16

Yulista Establishes Annual Engineering and Program Management Scholarship Program with UAHuntsville

ulista Management Services recently announced it had established an annual scholarship program with the University of Alabama Huntsville to promote and recognize academic efforts in the areas of engineering and program management. Yulista has initiated an annual scholarship award available to upper division undergraduate students in the fields of engineering and management. These awards are available on a renewable basis to full-time students, along with an internship program intended to prepare them for a career in the area of aerospace program performance. Additional information is available to interested students from the Financial Aid Office of the University. Yulista Management Services, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Calista Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation, with more than 650 employees in North Alabama. Yulista provides a variety of support, maintenance, and modification services to various DoD offices, including rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft, combat support vehicles, and other applications. Yulista Aviation, Inc., an affiliate, operates an FAA Part 145 aviation repair facility at Madison County Executive Airport, and is certified under AS9100 and AS9110. â&#x20AC;˘ Initiatives August 2010

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 15

Bibliotheca RFID Library Systems Expands in Huntsville B

Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board of Directors, presents a plaque to Lamar Jackson, president and CEO of Bibliotheca RFID Library Services. Bibliotheca provides RFID (radio frequency identification) products to libraries across the world.

August 2010 Initiatives

ibliotheca RFID Library Systems, which specializes in developing software and hardware for automation, inventory taking and control, and media security in libraries, cut the ribbon for its new U.S. headquarters. Bibliotheca has installed almost 400 projects, positioning it as the European market leader and number two in the world. RFID is short for radio frequency identification, an advanced technology that uses radio waves to identify and communicate data. RFID is gaining increasing significance in various industries as an alternative to the barcode. Especially in logistics, production and retailing, RFID facilitates the automation of processes and the movement of goods, thereby increasing productivity and security by substantial measure. Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

~ continued on page 18

Board of Directors, said that Bibliotheca is a great example of Huntsville/Madison County’s diverse industry base. “We often think of our community as one that is shaped by the diversity of technology development that occurs here – and Bibliotheca is a shining example of the diversity of industry and the diversity of technology that makes this community such a smart place to live, work and play. We also think of our community as one with a diverse industry base with foreign-owned businesses and an even larger number of companies who provide technology solutions worldwide. And Bibliotheca RFID Library Systems meets that criteria as well,” Nalley said. Lamar Jackson, president and CEO of Bibliotheca in North America, said that when deciding on a location for American headquarters it was between Huntsville and Philadelphia. Jackson said that Huntsville’s transportation infrastructure and skilled pool of talent are just two of the reasons for choosing Huntsville. Since opening in Huntsville, Bibliotheca has grown from two employees to 14. Customers of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library’s two busiest branches will soon see Bibliotheca’s products in person. The library recently completed installation of Bibliotheca’s RFID solutions, including book labels, Biblio StaffStations, BiblioGate VI security gates and Orion self-check stations, at its Main Library and Madison branch. “The Madison library, just one location in the Huntsville-Madison County system, is a busy library that circulates more than 520,000 items a year in a 15,000-squarefoot facility. Our building is intended for 32,000 people, and we serve well over 45,000. RFID puts us in a position to serve more people at a high satisfaction level,” said Sarah Sledge, branch manager of the Madison Public Library. • Initiatives August 2010

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 17

~ continued on page 20

irTran Airways began nonstop service between Huntsville International Airport and both Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Orlando International Airport recently, and fares are already beginning to fall. John Kirby, senior director of strategic planning, AirTran Airways, said that AirTran is glad to be in Huntsville and that he is sure passengers will enjoy numerous advantages on the airline. “AirTran Airways is pleased to bring quality low fare service to Huntsville, Alabama,” said Kirby. “Residents of the Rocket City will enjoy an affordable business class, WiFi on every flight and complimentary XM radio in every seat.” To celebrate the inaugural flight, Cadillac Williams, Alabama native and running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, helped the airline donate tickets to the American Red Cross North Alabama / Tennessee Valley Region. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle called the event a major milestone. He also encouraged support for the airline.

Courtesy of the Huntsville International Airport

AirTran Begins Local Service, Brings Lower Fares A

Flights to Baltimore and Orlando are available at www.airtran.com. “The addition of AirTran to our community is a major milestone – not only in terms of helping to lower fares for passengers but also from an economic development standpoint as well as tourism,” said Battle. “The potential savings with the new service is phenomenal, and I strongly encourage the community to support this new low-cost carrier.” Bill Johnston, Jr., Chairman, Board of Directors, Huntsville International Airport, said the Tennessee Valley region has been supportive of the new low-cost carrier.

“The announcement of AirTran Airways as Huntsville International Airport’s new low-cost carrier has been met with tremendous enthusiasm from across the Tennessee Valley region,” said Johnston. “We are excited to partner with AirTran to bring nonstop Orlando and Baltimore/Washington service to our community. Orlando and Baltimore/Washington represent our third and fourth largest markets, and we are pleased to accommodate the demand for non-stop service to these cities.” •

Jacobs, Qualis and ATK Launch Systems Earn NASA Contractor Excellence Award

hree companies with operations in the Huntsville/Madison County community were recently named Contractor Excellence Award winners by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Director Robert Lightfoot. Recipients of the contractor awards included Jacobs Engineering Science and Technical Services Group of Huntsville, Qualis Corp. of Huntsville and ATK Launch Systems of Magna, Utah. Eligible contractor companies were evaluated for the award on these criteria: contract technical performance; schedule and cost performance; leadership and quality improvements; customer satisfaction; innovation; and a category that included safety, diversity and outreach. Jacobs Engineering Science and Technical Services Group was honored in the “Large Business -- Service” category. The company provides engineering, scientific, technical and project support services to the Marshall Center for space launch systems, space sta-

August 2010 Initiatives

tion, space optics fabrication, spacecraft testing, project offices and exploration systems support. Qualis Corp. received the “Small Business -- Service” category award. The woman-owned company provides a broad range of engineering, scientific, technical and project support services to Marshall projects and activities. ATK Launch Systems was honored in the “Large Business -- Product” category. ATK provides the space shuttle’s reusable solid rocket motors and booster separation motors. It also developed the first stage for Ares I-X, which had a successful flight test in October 2009, and will deliver the launch abort system motor for the Orion crew capsule. Recipients of the Marshall Center’s Contractor Excellence Award may become nominees for NASA’s George M. Low Award. Named for the former NASA deputy administrator who served from 1969 to 1976, the Low Award is the agency’s oldest and most prestigious award for quality and performance in the aerospace industry. •

Initiatives August 2010

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 18

Resource recently celebrated an Investor’s Resource Expands; Invests I nvestor’s open house and ribbon cutting for its facility in Madison. Shari Burnum opened Investor’s Resource, an independent firm and branch ofin Community’s Economic Growth

Shari Burnum, owner of Investor’s Resource, presents Charlie Kettle, Chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s Board of Directors, a check for the Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative.

August 2010 Initiatives

fice of Raymond James Financial Services in 2000. Since that time, she has invested in her clients, in her business and in her employees. As a result, her business has continued to grow even in a struggling national economy. Event emcee Charlie Kettle, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and the President of First Commercial Bank, praised the company’s growth. “In a community that is growing as fast as ours and that has been as successful as ours, even our local economy has not been immune to challenging economic times. However, Investor’s Resource has bucked the trend by continuing its double-digit growth,” Kettle said. And Burnum announced that Investor’s Resource would invest in the community’s business growth through the Chamber’s Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative (HREGI)

~ highlights compiled by John Southerland & Harrison Diamond

to continue adding workers and industry to the area. “Investing in HREGI allows me to make a personal contribution so Huntsville can continue to attract willing hands and new ideas. The more good people we attract or energize, the more good is done on the master plan.” •

Bryant Bank Expands in Huntsville

ryant Bank recently held a ribbon cutting for the grand opening of its new Huntsville-area branch in downtown Huntsville. Bryant Bank is an Alabama-based bank with branches throughout the state. Don Nalley, chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s Board of Directors, said that the success of the community’s financial institutions is an important measurement of a community’s success as a whole. “Our community continues to thrive in economic development and job creation – and we have been recognized for our growing economy by publications such as USA Today, Kiplinger’s, Forbes and Moody’s, among others. One important way to measure growth is through the success of a community’s financial institutions. And today we honor a financial institution that is helping lead our community’s economic development success through a culture of creating and sustaining strong relationships with small and mid-sized companies,” said Nalley. Scott Seeley, market president for Bryant Bank in Madison County, said that the new office will allow the bank to serve more customers than it previously could. “Bryant Bank was formed to serve the residents and businesses of the state of Alabama and to be a strong community partner in the communities we are located. While being here for the long haul is nice, we know we have to provide more and that is why we are so glad to be celebrating the opening of this beautiful new office where we can provide full service banking right in the middle of Huntsville. This facility will allow us to take the next step and roll out the advantages of Bryant Bank to the rest of the community,” said Seeley. • Initiatives August 2010

2010 Small Business Awards Celebration 25 Years of Growth and Celebrating the Best of the Best by Loren Traylor

August 2010 Initiatives

COVER STORY

n 1986, the population of the Huntsville metropolitan statistical area was half of what it is today. The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County small business programs were growing, energizing the area to help fuel the economic engine of North Alabama, and spurring the growth of today. In recognition of the efforts of these hardworking entrepreneurs, the Chamber held its first-ever Small Business Awards (SBA) celebration. Today, this celebration has grown into one of the community’s most prestigious events and allows the Chamber to recognize both emerging companies as well as companies that have exhibited a history as a successful business. Modeled after a similar program in Memphis during the first year of its inception, the celebration honored contenders in three categories broken down by size. Since that time, the categories changed to represent diverse business sectors, the program doubled in size and scope, and now includes recognition for non-profit organizations as well as young professionals. According to Beth Brooks, a former Chamber small business coordinator, significant changes were made in the early years of the event to better recognize and honor recipients. “Our goal was to make it a premier event for our small business owners and employees because they put their hearts and souls into making their business a success. Even today, I still get excited when I attend and wait for the winners to be announced. I feel like a proud parent,” said Brooks. In order to have a successful SBA celebration, it takes the work of a dedicated staff and an even more dedicated group of volunteers. From the late Larrianne Simon, the first chair of the SBA committee and owner of the 1989 Business of the Year, to the current chair, Mary Grace Evans, the event has improved every year based on the input of the more than 200 volunteers who have participated throughout the celebration’s history. “We added a theme in 1998 in order to add fun and grow the anticipation,” said Cheryl Schultz, former Chamber small business director. “We found that companies participated because it became very prestigious to be associated with past winners and fellow contenders.” And the list of former winners is truly a Who’s Who list of successful local businesses and entrepreneurs. The very first recipient of the Business Executive of the Year award was the late Russell Brown, co-founder and CEO of DP Associates, who set the stage for what it takes to win this top honor. Other winners include Bob Baron, Baron Services; Derrick Copeland, Applied Data Trends; Nancy Archuletta, Mevatec; and Lisa Williams, 3D Research. The 2009 recipient of this top honor, Glenn Clayton, president of Appleton Learning Center, was the youngest winner in the history of the award and credits this award with helping his business reach its five-year goals almost overnight. In 2010, a record number of nominations were received – more than 500. Almost 100 companies actually completed the application process – no small feat, according to several contenders. “Filling out the application wasn’t easy. But, we got down and focused on the questions and the process helped us figure out where we were and where we wanted to go. Applying was invaluable for our business. As a small business owner, you get wrapped up in the day-to-day operations and this was a good way for us to step back and see the bigger picture and to determine what we needed to work towards. And even though we didn’t win the first year we applied, it set the stage for our success later,” said Janine Nesin, owner of Nesin Therapy. “The award itself is recognition of the success of a business, which is measured by more than just finances, but also involvement in the community and a dedication to employees.” The 2010 theme, “Celebrating 25 years of Excellence,” is a tribute to past winners and contenders who have made our community what it is today and continue to drive our economy for tomorrow. “Without a doubt, this will be our best event yet with many new local success stories celebrated and many more yet to come,” said Jenni Jeffers, Chamber small business director. •

Photo by J. Hanshaw Photography

From the Dorm Room to the Board Room 2009 Small Business Award Winner realizes the value of an idea and implementation

ome people believe it takes money or investors to start a business. Others think that it takes wisdom and experience to start a business. And still others might say that it takes relationships to start a business. However, those who think that courage is the overriding attribute needed to start a business are correct in the case of Glenn Clayton. Clayton, president and founder of Appleton Learning Center, was not your typical college freshman. Clayton, a graduate of Bob Jones High School in Madison, was attending college on a full academic scholarship. But he quickly realized that he required money for other items and supplies essential for any college student and decided the easiest way to earn that money was to tutor his fellow classmates. “I couldn’t have a real job in school and this was an easy way for me to pay my bills,” said Clayton. This “side” job quickly turned into a full-time business when he realized there was a huge void in the way traditional tutoring programs served students. He developed a process that tailored his teaching approach to fit the student’s learning style. And after just a few months, he was working 60 hours a week while at the same time taking a full-time class load.

continued on page 24 Initiatives August 2010

From the Dorm Room to the Board Room, continued from page 23 –

Upon the advice of his advisor who recommended that he apply himself full-time to his business in order to see if he could make it successful, he dropped out of college his sophomore year and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Appleton delivers learning services that develop confidence and a competitive advantage for students throughout the region. Whether a child is struggling to catch up, or striving to get ahead, students are paired with teachers

August 2010 Initiatives

who are thoroughly-trained and thoughtfully-matched to complement each student’s unique personality and focus area. According to Clayton, Appleton has set a precedent for how services are delivered and changed the industry paradigm. “We threw the mold out and developed a Myers-Briggs type test for learning. This test takes the learning environment, instruction style and the student’s personality into account when determining how best to deliver the infor-

mation.” Clayton says the trick is to make learning interesting, and “interesting” varies from student to student. Since its inception in 2004, Appleton has grown to employ more than 15 and will be opening franchises in Houston, Denver, Nashville, and Birmingham by the end of this year. He selected the sites to grow into by analyzing which communities offered the most potential for success. And after developing an operations model and training for tutors and customer service, he believes he is ready to ensure the Appleton Learning Center franchise will be able to maintain its consistency in providing unique and quality tutoring services across the country. Clayton credits the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County with contributing to this success. After joining the Chamber, he immediately got involved in the CEO Roundtables, a service provided by the Chamber to help small business owners, CEOs and presidents mentor each other. Through this involvement, Clayton was able to learn from people like Lisa Williams, founder of 3D Research and Bob Baron, founder of Baron Services. With their help and guidance, he applied for the Chamber’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award presented at its annual Small Business Award Celebration. And in 2009, Clayton was named as the youngest Entrepreneur of the Year in the 24 year history of the award. With leaders like the late Russell Brown, founder of DP Associates, Nancy Archuleta, founder of Mevatec Corporation, and Baron, Clayton now stands with giants as being one of only 24 recipients of this award. He says the honor helped him get local recognition, which led to regional and national recognition. As a result, interested clients began calling him from all over the country requesting either his services or franchising opportunities. Clayton moved his plans to franchise up several years and the company is consequently on a fast track for growth. Now he is able to mentor other budding entrepreneurs in the Huntsville/Madison County community while continuing to grow his company nationally. Clayton’s success proves that the Huntsville/Madison County community is a smart place to start a business. In fact, with his help it is getting smarter even faster. • Loren Traylor

Journey “Around the World” Complete Streamlined TRC Sponsorship Opportunities End as Members Align Themselves with Their Events of Choice

For the second year running, the team members from Up, Up and Away, led by Joe Green, SAIC, and Regina Underwood, A Realty Group, were the top team. Underwood was also this year’s top individual producer.

he 2010 Total Resource Campaign officially completed its journey on June 24. Led by TRC Chairman Frank Caprio, an enthusiastic group of more than 80 volunteers raised almost $1.6 million and recruited 100 new members for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. By the end of the adventure, volunteers had surpassed their goal by more than $100,000. At a victory celebration held at Monaco Pictures, Regina Underwood, A Realty Group, was the top producer of the 2010 campaign for her efforts in raising $92,960. Also at the event, the 10-member Up, Up and Away team, led by Joe Green, of SAIC, and Underwood, was named the top team after raising $320,058. continued on page 26

Initiatives August 2010

TRC team The GlobeTrotters, led by Shannon Drake, Drako Communications, came in second place.

Journey “Around the World” Complete, continued from page 25 – The Volunteer Choice Award was given to Joe Knoch, Air Essentials, after being nominated by TRC volunteers from multiple teams for his outstanding efforts to promote a positive spirit among the volunteers. “It was my pleasure to work with Joe and to be around his positive words. He believes Knoch in helping the businesses he serves and in working with the Chamber to provide great customer service,” said one nomination. It was the first TRC campaign for several volunteers, many of whom expressed surprise at the level of enthusiasm shown by staff and volunteers. They also appreciated the knowledge they gained about the Chamber and the community. The annual TRC provides members an opportunity to consider all of the Chamber events planned for the upcoming year, and to plan and budget for the activities at which they want to be present, and those where they may want the visibility that comes with being a sponsor. “The Chamber’s mission includes economic development, and it has enjoyed many successes. As the economic health of our community stays strong, we can help to ensure that our rising tide raises all boats. Production increases. Jobs are more prevalent. Charities see more contributions,” said Caprio. “As we support the Chamber and its goals, we help to ensure a brighter future for all of us, and for our children. Many came before us, and established our community as a technology center and a thriving city. Our involvement today is our small way of pitching in, and keeping the drive alive.” The funds generated from these sponsorship opportunities support on-going economic development activities in Huntsville/ Madison County. Caprio went on to say, “Our community is blessed with a rare quality. We have an amazingly-high level of volunteerism. No matter what direction you look, you see people pitching in to help the common good. Whether it is the Big Brothers Big Sister of North Alabama, Panoply, the Veteran’s Day Parade, or any one of the hundreds of other community endeavors, we enjoy a spirit of servant-hood in our community.” • Loren Traylor

August 2010 Initiatives

Second to None

Courtesty of NASA

Local-Based Initiative Asking Questions of National, International Significance

Editor’s Note: The “Second to None Initiative” is Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle’s task force for space exploration, chaired by former Congressman Robert E. “Bud” Cramer. The Task Force is an advocacy group for a national space policy that includes the Constellation program and to support Congressional leaders who will work to restore the Constellation program in NASA’s budget. Among the elements of the Constellation program are the Ares I and Ares V rockets currently being developed to replace NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Marshall Space Flight Center is the lead NASA center for Ares development. The following commentary is written by Second to None Initiative member Mike Ward, vice president of governmental affairs for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County.

egend has it that the Chinese were the first to explore the land that is today known as North America. Upon the return of its fleet to China, the emperor was said to have declared that there wasn’t anything of sufficient value to be gained to justify such future expeditions, and he ordered the fleet burned. Today, the United States is facing a similar situation regarding the nation’s space exploration intentions. The Obama administration has set a torch to our future space “fleet” and now it is disbanding the ship builders. Using arcane provisions of NASA contracts, heretofore unknown and unexercised, the administration has set about laying off hundreds of local aerospace workers who were supporting the development of the Constellation program. It is a sad circumvention of congressional intent with utter disregard for the human suffering that such action will cause. The Congress has been steadfast in its unwillingness to endorse the President’s proposed program. The Chamber and the community have been very active through the “Second to None Initiative” in efforts to provide for the continuation of the Constellation program or a suitable replacement. Visits to Huntsville by several congressional leaders from both parties have been encouraging. However, congressional action on a NASA authorization measure has been agonizingly

slow with little prospect for a final resolution before the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30. In the meantime, our nation is hemorrhaging space-faring expertise that, once lost, will be almost impossible to replace. And that would seem to be the objective. The administration’s ambiguous goals for NASA’s future all but beg for dismantling its human space exploration mission and capabilities. Instead of utilizing the proven space vehicle development resources on hand, the administration supports the use of “commercial” launch providers – never mind that the only current customer for this “commercial” capability is the government. What are the companies developing the Ares rockets and Orion Space capsule if they are not commercial enterprises? NASA requires a clear mission for its human space exploration program, and, once established, it will be necessary to define the space vehicle architecture to achieve this mission. This will inevitably lead to governmentset requirements and contracts to provide the needed space transportation systems to achieve the mission. Governments alone possess the mandate and resources to explore unknown worlds. The question is, will the U.S. continue to lead in this most important journey or will we watch from the sidelines as our fleet dissolves into the sea? • Mike Ward Initiatives August 2010

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:

New Member Luncheon May 11 at the Chamber of Commerce building

New members learned more about how to use the services of the Chamber and get the most from their membership.

Spring Chamber Golf Classic May 21, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Hampton Cove, presented by S3

Our sold-out golf tournament allowed members to network while improving their golf game.

Business After Hours June 17, presented by and located at Surie of Madison

Members helped Surieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Madison celebrate their new name and enjoyed an evening of networking.

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.

August 2010 Initiatives

E M P L O Y E E

O F

T H E

Q U A R T E R

Tina Leopold Governmental Affairs Assistant

s the community’s lead organization for economic development, the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County works closely with government officials at the local, state and federal levels to ensure a vibrant, growing economy. The Chamber also provides many opportunities for Chamber members to interact with government officials in Washington, D.C., Montgomery and Huntsville at a variety of events. Tina Leopold, governmental affairs assistant and the Chamber’s recent Employee of the Quarter, is instrumental in making sure these events are well executed. Her fellow employees acknowledge that Tina’s dedication to the job, willingness to help and always-upbeat attitude make her the ideal candidate for Employee of the Quarter. Leopold says that working for the Chamber keeps her on her toes with an always-changing workload.

“It is a great environment to work in and it is always something new. I’ve really enjoyed the 10 years that I have been here. I feel like I am doing a service for the community,” says Leopold. Among the events that Leopold works on are the annual Armed Forces Celebration Week, Washington, State and City Updates, Annual Outing, over-night advocacy trips to Washington and Montgomery, and many others. These governmental affairs events are some of the Chamber’s largest events held throughout the year. Leopold’s attention to detail ensures that these events are successful, according to her coworkers. “Tina is a valuable member of the Chamber team. Her positive attitude and quick wit make Tina a pleasure to work with,” says Mike Ward, vice president for governmental affairs. •

Initiatives August 2010

BRAC on Track Committee’s approach of educating others plus regional cooperation making an impact

hen the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisions were announced, a group of regional volunteers began recruiting personnel from St. Louis to follow their jobs to Redstone Arsenal and to move to the Tennessee Valley. What was initially met with great skepticism from those incumbent job holders with the U.S. Army’s aviation command eventually led to the highest job relocation percentage in BRAC history as more than 60 percent elected to move with the job. Fast forward to the 2005 BRAC decision that will lead to 5,000 direct and another 5,000 indirect jobs being relocated to Redstone and the regional support not only continued, but it grew under the direction of Tennessee Valley (TV) BRAC Committee Chairman Joe Ritch. In fact, the regional co-

operation and the outreach has grown exponentially and has led to a number of significant achievements for the area to handle what has been called the largest economic development activity in the history of Alabama. After that decision, the regional partners, which now include all communities in north Alabama and several in southern Tennessee, worked together to create presentations designed to provide those whose jobs were moving relevant information about the community. This regional cooperation, Ritch said, is a major reason why the BRAC process has proven so beneficial to the region. The TV BRAC Committee began conducting Town Hall meetings with the moving commands within months of the final decision. The committee hosted job fairs in the National Capital Region and reached out to educate every person and

family member whose job could be moving about the benefits of living in the Tennessee Valley and working at Redstone. “This cooperation was absolutely critical for us to have any chance of success in getting these people to even consider moving with their jobs, both in 1995 and again in 2005,” Ritch said. “We learned that we work better as a team. It does us no good for the communities to be up there competing against each other.” Instead, the consensus was for each community to highlight their individual strengths and allow the employees to focus on making the decision about whether to move with the job and then which community to live in if that decision to move was reached. “This is a testament to teamwork. We are all in this together, from north Alabama to southern Tennessee,” Ritch said. “And we travel to these town hall meetings to help each other and to help those with the jobs make an informed decision.” By working closely with the commands to provide the information the job holders needed, the information and the presentations have continued to evolve at every meeting, according to TV BRAC Director Loren Traylor, the vice president of investor relations at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. “The presentation at our first 2005 BRAC Town Hall meeting changed significantly from our last earlier this year,” Traylor said. “Because we are in constant communication with the moving commands, we tailor our message based on the information they have requested. It is an on-going, developing process. We put together focus groups and work with the commands to find out what the interests and concerns of these employees are so they can be addressed proactively via our presentations.” While the national average for people to relocate to other areas in a BRAC is around the 20 percent mark, this area continues to stay above that national average. Traylor said continued on page 32

August 2010 Initiatives

Personnel & Facilities Status Editor’s note: Both personnel moves and facilities construction for the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure decision are on schedule for completion and implementation. The most recent status is listed below:

PERSONNEL UPDATE (based on 4,651 jobs):

Total Positions: 4,651 Positions Transferred: 2,936 (63%) Positions Filled: 2,355 (51%) Hired from outside community: 1,214 (51.5%) Hired locally: 1,141 (48.5%)

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE 2nd Recruiting Brigade: Completed and operational since Sept. 2008 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion: Completed and operational in March 2009 Approx Sq Ft: 30,000 Approx Cost: $9.4 million Army Materiel Command/U.S. Army Security Assistance Command: 70% complete Approx Sq Ft: 420,000 Approx Cost: $143.5 million Est. completion: March 2011 Army Materiel Command Band facility: 28% complete Approx Sq Ft: 420,000 Approx Cost: $4.4 million Est. completion: Dec. 2010 Missile Defense Agency (Von Braun III): 75% complete (shown on opposite page) Approx Sq Ft: 840,000 Approx Cost: $225.6 million Est. completion: Oct. 2010 (1st phase); Jan. 2011 (2nd phase) Rotary Wing Hangar and Redstone Test Center headquarters: 25% complete Approx Sq Ft: 167,000 Approx Cost: $60 million Est. completion: Feb. 2011

BRAC UPDATE

2005 BRAC

Highlights of TV BRAC Committee Activities: 2005 • Developed an initial BRAC “Welcome to the Tennessee Valley”

video and website for BRAC-impacted employees to use for more information. • Worked with The Huntsville Times, published a regional BRAC community guide that was shared with BRAC-impacted employees throughout the National Capitol Region. 2006 • Became

one of the first BRAC communities to travel to the BRAC incumbents’ location of employment to recruit personnel directly. Town hall meetings were held with BRAC-impacted workers in Washington D.C., Colorado Springs and Ft. Rucker. • Held focus groups with new BRAC transfers to refine and tailor message for future recruitment activities. • The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County established a workforce division and hired a vice president to support TV BRAC workforce recruitment and development efforts. • Began community-wide coordination of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education improvement initiatives that have resulted in more AP course offerings, support for high school engineering academies and many conferences and workshops to improve STEM achievement and pursuit of STEM careers. 2007 • Received

recognition from the Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Army for the cooperative approach to ensuring BRAC transition success. Communities who benchmarked TV BRAC Committee included Ft. Bragg, N.C., Rock Island and Ft. Benning, Ga. • Initiated efforts to educate legislators about the importance of a successful BRAC implementation. The efforts resulted in $850,000 being earmarked for TV BRAC efforts. • Worked closely with Redstone Arsenal (RSA) officials to develop and enhance cooperative education programs. • Developed and launched ASmartPlace.com recruitment site. • Conducted Missile Defense Agency (MDA) town hall meeting with an accompanying spousal job fair in Washington D.C. • Held ‘brown bag’ video-teleconferences with Army Materiel Command (AMC) and MDA workers. • Conducted a community-wide “Smart Place on the Road” recruitment trip to the University of Alabama. 2008 • Chamber

contracted with Madison County Commission to develop the Tennessee Valley Regional Growth Coordination Plan for BRAC funded by the DoD Office of Economic Adjustment. The study looked at regional visioning for BRAC-related growth, land use, housing, education, utilities/infrastructure, transportation, public safety, health and social services, culture and recreation, and economic development. The implementation plan guides requests for funding to support all areas of need related to BRAC. • Held additional focus groups with new BRAC transfers to refine and tailor message for future recruitment activities.

• Secured

$750,000 from the Ala. legislature for TV BRAC workforce recruitment. • Helped publicize the area’s “return on investment” regarding roads, which helped lead to a return increase from $0.53 on the dollar to $0.94 on the dollar. • Initiated discussions with local colleges and universities to develop programs of study related directly to the skills requirements for the transferring BRAC positions. • Hosted Ala. legislators in Huntsville for a weekend for tours at Redstone to help educate them on the activity that occurs at Redstone and to understand the impact of BRAC and the high level of work performed at RSA each day. • Conducted an ad campaign and “Smart Place on the Road” recruitment trip to Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Ga. • Facilitated development of healthcare “hotlines” at local medical facilities to provide information on doctors to newcomers. • Initiated year-long monthly advertising campaign in GI Jobs magazine that publicizes BRAC jobs at RSA to all service personnel leaving the military in pursuit of civilian aerospace/ defense jobs. • Began ongoing support for monthly AMC newcomer orientation sessions. 2009/2010 • Created

and unveiled a new Tennessee Valley BRAC video and website in 2009-2010 to showcase all communities in the TV BRAC region to BRAC-impacted employees. • Helped to secure Ala. funding of $750,000 to continue recruiting BRAC-impacted personnel after Maj. Gen. and RSA Commanding Gen. Jim Myles addressed the Ala. legislature. • Conducted an ad campaign and “Smart Place on the Road” recruitment trip to Auburn University featuring Dr. Rodney Robertson of the U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command, as well as to the University of Ala. and the University of North Ala. featuring Army Aviation and Missile Command Deputy Director Ronnie Chronister. • Conducted two days of Town Hall meetings with MDA, AMC and U.S. Army Security Assistance Command personnel at Ft. Belvoir with BRAC incumbent personnel, working closely with the moving command officials to ensure that workers had access to information requested to make informed decisions about whether to move with their jobs. • Led educational effort that allowed TV BRAC to secure $350,000 from AIDT and the 2-year college system (FY 09). • Held Technology Tour for college seniors that included tours on RSA and briefings from RSA leaders. • Continued second year of advertisements in GI Jobs magazine promoting BRAC jobs at Redstone. Initiatives August 2010

BRAC on Track, continued from page 31 – the proactive approach of the committee is the primary reason. “The reason our move percentage has been higher than the national average is because we personally recruit each person whose job is moving. I think we are the only community in the country that does this level of recruitment, person to person. And we go to them. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for them to find the information they need and the answers to their questions so that we make it more difficult for them to say no to relocating,” she said. Recently, the TV BRAC Committee showed the Huntsville/Madison County community what actually happens on a TV BRAC Town Hall trip including the presentations that accompany each speaker and each topic. The event, held at the Davidson Center for Space Exploration at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, drew several hundred people. Ritch said the importance of that event was to ensure that the people in the community had the chance to understand the effort that has been and continues to be done to recruit the BRACimpacted employees to the community. “We are always looking for new and better ideas,” Ritch said to the attendees in introducing the presentation. “We do not sugar coat anything – we talk openly and honestly with these employees and answer every question they have. We think if they will look at what this area has to offer, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses and they will at least consider moving with their jobs.” Ritch said other areas where the committee has been most successful is in garnering support from the state and the federal government to help build the infrastructure to handle the strains associated with population growth. “We couldn’t have done this without a lot of help, from local and state to federal,” he said. “And we have really focused on getting the state of Alabama’s help – because we knew that we couldn’t do this without them.” As a result, the state has approved $760 million in new and renovated schools and roads, Ritch said. “It takes money to fund our workforce recruitment, and the state recognized this and provided more than $2 million over the past few years to fund our recruitment efforts – to go out and tell our story to enough qualified people to fill the available jobs.” • John Southerland 32

August 2010 Initiatives

Hispanic-Owned Companies on the Move Local Businesses Named to Hispanic Business 500

ajor publications and media outlets often cite Madison County as a “best place.” Best place to grow up, best place to work, best place to start a business—the list goes on. Madison County’s high-tech economy is a driver of many of these rankings, as evidenced by how this progressive community has produced numerous business success stories over the years. Four of those success stories – COLSA Corporation, Intuitive Research and Technology Corp., Advanced Federal Services Corp. and SEI Group – were recently named to the 2010 Hispanic Business 500 list of largest Hispanic-owned companies in the U.S. The Hispanic Business 500 ranks companies according to size and revenue in a variety of industry sectors. In total, five Alabama companies made the list this year, and all but one are from Madison County. The local companies named to the list are no strangers to this recognition. In fact, all of them have been listed previously, and all four moved up on the list from the 2009 ranking. Rey Almodóvar, co-founder and CEO of Intuitive Research and Technology Corp. – a company that has been on the list every year it has been eligible – says the Huntsville/Madison County is a diverse, educated

community and that makes it a great place to start a business. “Because the Huntsville community is so diverse I have never felt like a minority business owner – just a business owner. The community has embraced my company, my ideas and me and fostered the launch and growth of my business. The culture of Huntsville is so advanced and educated that the field has been leveled and all entrepreneurs have the same opportunities; making Huntsville not just conducive for a minority-owned businesses but really the best community to start one in,” he said.

Rank '10 Rank '09 Company 33

COLSA Corporation

124

Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation

165

206

Advanced Federal Services Corporation

219

246

SEI Group

Other companies that made the list which also have a Huntsville presence include: 35 MEI Technologies-Houston 81 MicroTech Vienna, VA

Almodóvar says that being named to the list is a great achievement and validates the company’s focus on its customers. “Intuitive has been named to the Hispanic Business 500 ever since we became eligible and the constant ranking validates the hard work and dedication of our company. The Hispanic Business 500 is based on revenue and numbers don’t lie,” he says. Al Bonilla, President/CEO of Advanced Federal Services Corporation, which has moved up the list the past eight years, says that Madison County is rich with resources that make the community highly conducive to business growth. “Huntsville, and by affiliation the Madison County area, has been named numerous times by national publications as one of the best areas to start a business and to live in the U.S. It is a very progressive, technologically advanced area, with many resources for a minority-owned business. The quality of the resources available, including management advice, business development, government compliance, banking, and many others are second to none in the nation. This is an environment highly conducive to business growth,” agreed Bonilla. • Harrison Diamond Initiatives August 2010

Q&A with Steve Hassell Emerson Network Power President/CEO Sees Bright Future following Emerson Acquisition of Avocent

n Oct. 9, 2009, Emerson Corporation paid $1.2 billion to acquire Avocent Corporation, an acquisition that resulted in several changes to the Huntsville-based company. Avocent was formed in 2000 thanks to the merger of Cybex Computer Products, founded in Huntsville in 1985, and Apex. The two companies were the world’s two largest KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) switch manufacturers. Avocent recorded sales of more than $657 million in 2008, about half of which came outside the U.S. Emerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, generated record revenue of almost $21 billion in 2009. The company employs more than 120,000 people worldwide. Emerson’s data-center revenues were approximately $2.6 billion in fiscal 2008. Following the acquisition, one of Emerson’s first moves was to name Stephen C. Hassell as President of the company. Initiatives recently met with Hassell to discuss the acquisition and what it means for Emerson, and Huntsville, for the future.

Q: Explain how Emerson came to acquire Avocent, and how it fits into Emerson’s corporate strategies.

A: What’s happening in the data center space right now is people want to control the overall environment, and in order to do that you have to have very strong knowledge on that facility side, the power and the cooling infrastructure side, but you also need to have a presence on what we call the IT infrastructure tier, the servers, the storage and the network piece. The only way we thought we could be credible is to have a foot in both camps, because when you have a foot in both camps, you then can write solutions that bridge them (both camps) and allow the two to operate as one. That solution is called data center infrastructure management (DCIM) and Avocent really helped us fill in the gap between building management systems and the IT infrastructure. Q: What are the strengths of Avocent, and how do those fit in with the Emerson Network Power segment?

A: Avocent’s strengths have always been grounded in a very strong engineering background. They’ve always had deep engineering skills, particularly in remote monitoring and control. That engineering talent was combined with an aggressive entrepreneurial spirit, which we saw as they moved into some 34

August 2010 Initiatives

of these market segments before the acquisition. Plus, the location in Huntsville was attractive to us as well, as we learned more about the area, because of the concentration of the engineering talent that comes with the aerospace and defense industry, and all the other things that were in place. We’re buying the company not only for the technical resources, but for the people. When we talked to people in the due diligence process, we realized that a lot of the ways that Emerson operates would be able to take seed here and grow. Q: You referenced the acquisition process, but expand a little on how Emerson’s strategy differs from other companies.

A: Emerson is much more the buy and integrate. If we were just doing a technology buy, you wouldn’t see me or other staffers moving here. I’ve got people moving here from Connecticut, Austin, Texas, St. Louis, and elsewhere, and the reason why is the way the Emerson model works, which is we believe you need to have a strong presence at the heartbeat of where the division is going to be. Q: You’re in the technology business, where rapid advances can often be game changers. Can you discuss how those advances impact your business model and your growth opportunities?

A: For Emerson, with our broad range of business segments, we operate at different paces. Here at Emerson Network Power, we’re probably at more of the extreme edge, where inside the IT environment, the technology horizon—the time it takes for a product to go from release to being obsolete—is really only about three years, or you could argue up to five years in some of the products. That means, as you operate, your daily cadence is much quicker than other businesses. For us, the idea of rapid innovation, being able to bring things to market quickly, and then being able to react to the market place is vitally important. Q: How would you describe the opportunity for growth within Emerson for your people here, now that they’re a part of the Emerson family?

A: They’re virtually unlimited. One of the reasons why I joined Emerson, I’ve been with them for a little over six years now, is that Emerson really commits to the individual. If you look at the people from Emerson who are now working at Avocent, you’ll see people who have worked for multiple continued on page 38

strength in

numbers

connects business prospects

“

We view it in Emerson’s

interests for this community to grow and thrive. It gives us more opportunities, if not for outright business, then certainly for the labor force and other important Stephen C. Hassell, President

Emerson (formerly Avocent) HREGI Investor since 2004

areas. We feel it’s in our collective interests to make Huntsville better and stronger and to grow. It’s just better for all of us.

”

For a list of investors, see page 4 or visit: HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com Initiatives August 2010

2 (1) Military displays at the Concert in the Park; (2) Huntsville Mayor Battle with his crew of 200 volunteers serving barbecue to more than 700 troops; (3) LTG Bill Phillips at the reception preceding the Armed Forces Salute Luncheon presented by Boeing; (4) Larry Capps and Madison Mayor Paul Finley at the Proclamation Signing; (5) Special fireworks closing the Concert in the Park; (6) MG Jim Myles addressing the troops attending the Concert in the Park; (7) snow cone moment; (8) Air Force Reserve band â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reserve Generationâ&#x20AC;? entertained the crowd; (9) flag waving at Joe Davis Stadium; (10) Bob Woosley conducting the Huntsville Concert Band; (11) HOOAH shout out at Concert in the Park; (12) a future helicopter pilot ready for takeoff.

August 2010 Initiatives

Concert in the Park photos taken by J. Hanshaw Photography, Reception photo by Just B Creative Marketing, Proclamation Signing by staff

8 9

Thanks to all who made the 2010

a great success by honoring those who serve. bk

Initiatives August 2010

Q&A with Steve Hassell, continued from page 34 –

divisions across different segments, and who are now here at Avocent. It’s part of what makes us stronger. The idea is that if you have people that come from different backgrounds and experiences, you’re going to make better overall decisions. Q: What are the company’s opportunities here?

A: Probably one of the biggest cheerleaders Huntsville has is David Farr, (Emerson’s) chief executive officer. He is very excited by what he sees here, again, because it has a very Emerson type feel to it; a lot of technology development, a lot of things going on, and that breeds opportunities. For us, it’s a place where we can easily see growth potential in the future. Q: What are your short-term goals for the company, specifically, where do you want to be a year from now?

A: We’re combining different parts of things together, so it’s important for us to get on the same sheet of music. We need to bring those standards in alignment with the way that Emerson works—we call it Emersonization of the pieces. We’ve been working hard with that, whether its compensation systems, or signage in and on the building, but it’s becoming part of the Emerson family. We’re doing quite a bit of work on the architectural areas of the products, bringing the power knowledge of

August 2010 Initiatives

Emerson Network Power along with the traditional Avocent products, creating a platform from which we’ll launch more products in the coming year. Plus, we’re also talking more about this data-center and structure management space. Q: We have had, and still have, companies about the same size as Emerson. What are the advantages for us as a community to have a Emerson’s presence here?

A: We believe it will bring, just through our dealings as a company, more visibility to the growth that’s occurring in the Huntsville community. So, it opens up that part of the visibility, and it can be a platform from which Emerson may very well choose to expand, both through Network Power and through the other platforms over time. So the advantage is, you’re getting exposure from a whole other group of people, and similar to social networking, our new knowledge about the community will spread, not only through Emerson, but through the people we deal with as well. The advantage is you have that type of insight, and conversely, Huntsville can say Emerson chose to make an initial and now an ongoing investment here. Q: What kinds of factors influenced your decision to come here?

A: Having both been a Chief Information Officer, which is a relatively nomadic field, and then in the Navy prior to that, I’ve had the opportunity to live in a lot of places all around the country. The things that I look to when I decide whether I want to move my family here, is, what type of an environment it is. When we looked at Huntsville, we were pretty happy with what we found. It’s a vibrant community, a growing community. There are things you give up when you leave a city the size of St. Louis to a city the size of Huntsville, but it’s very similar to the move we made to Hampton Roads, Va. Explanatory notes: ENP is a unit within the company; Emerson calls their business units “business platforms;” ENP is one of those platforms, and it’s the second-largest such platform within the corporate structure.

Initiatives August 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.

August 2010 Initiatives

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

Initiatives August 2010

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 Anna Houk, intern

Associated Organization 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 42

August 2010 Initiatives

Initiatives August 2010

August 2010 Initiatives