Initiatives December 2011
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December 2011 Initiatives
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A difference you can trust.
Technology that saves lives Technology plays a big role in our community.
Staying on the leading edge of technology is very
It’s all around us. The same is true of Huntsville
expensive, but there is no question that we all want
Hospital. Like our community, we have a long
the best for our family, friends and neighbors. And
history and reputation of providing the most
because medical technology eventually touches all
advanced medical technology and equipment
of us at some very serious times, Huntsville Hospital
for our patients. It’s a big reason that Huntsville
is committed to staying the technology leader as we
Hospital is a premier health system in the U.S.
care for our patients and our community.
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Experience. The Difference.
Initiatives December 2011
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Thanks to Our Investors Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
www.growHuntsville.com
Development Partner ($250,000+ annually)
City of Huntsville Development Council ($125,000+ annually)
Huntsville Utilities Chairman’s Council ($75,000+ annually)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc. President’s Circle
($50,000+ annually)
Huntsville Hospital Port of Huntsville Regions Bank Tennessee Valley Authority Leadership Forum ($25,000+ annually) ADTRAN, Inc. BBVA Compass The Boeing Company Emerson Network Power - Avocent The Huntsville Times Lockheed Martin Corporation Madison County Commission Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Redstone Federal Credit Union Verizon Wireless
Executive Council
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($15,000+ annually)
AT&T BB&T CINRAM, Inc. COLSA Corporation Crestwood Medical Center Intergraph Corporation North Alabama Multiple Listing Service Northrop Grumman Corporation SES, Inc. Wells Fargo Bank December 2011 Initiatives
Chamber Trustees ($10,000+ annually) AEgis Technologies Group Agility Defense & Government Services Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. Camber Corporation First Commercial Bank Jerry Damson Honda Acura L-3 Communications Corp. – Huntsville Lamar Outdoor Advertising, Inc. Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne, P.C.
Progress Partners
Look Outdoor Advertising, Inc. MJLM Engineering & Technical Services Navistar Diesel of Alabama, LLC Raytheon Company SAIC SPARTA, Inc. SportsMed Orthopaedic Spine & Surgery Ctr. System Studies & Simulation, Inc. Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. WEUP
($5,000+ annually)
Ability Plus Analytical Services, Inc. A-P-T Research, Inc. Available Plastics, Inc. BAE Systems Baron Services, Inc. BASF Catalysts, LLC Beason & Nalley, Inc. The Bentley Automotive Group Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLP Cadence Bank City of Madison Clearview Cancer Institute Coldwell Banker Commercial McLain Real Estate Colonial Properties Trust Consolidated Construction Company Cook’s Pest Control Davidson Technologies, Inc. DRS Technologies Dynetics, Inc.
Enfinger Steele Development, Inc. ERC, Inc. Holiday Inn – Downtown Huntsville-Madison County Builders Association iBERIABANK Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation J. Smith Lanier & Co. LogiCore The Orthopaedic Center Pratt &Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. QinetiQ North America Strata-G / Strata Form Torch Technologies Turner Construction Company URS U.S. Space & Rocket Center WAFF-TV Wilmer & Lee, P.A. Yellow Book USA
Progress Investors ($2,500+ annually) Alpha Beta Technologies, Inc. Amanda Howard Real Estate Averbuch Realty Co., Inc. / Averbuch Enterprises Aviagen, Inc. Bama Jammer, Inc. BancorpSouth Belzon, Inc. BID Designs, LLC Bill Penney Toyota-Mitsubishi BlueCreek Investment Partners Brown Precision, Inc. Bryant Bank Century Automotive Cerqa CFD Research Corporation Chapman Sisson Architects, Inc. Coast Personnel Services decibel Research, Inc. Decisive Analytics Corporation Decosimo Certified Public Accountants DESE Research, Inc. DHS Systems, LLC Digium, Inc. First Financial Group Wealth Management Fite Building Company, Inc. Foreign Language Services, Inc. Fountain, Parker, Harbarger & Associates, LLC 4SITE, Inc. GATR Technologies Gray Research, Inc. Halsey Foodservice The HDC, LLC Hiley Mazda Volkswagen Audi Huntsville
Huntsville Botanical Garden Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. Investor’s Resource / Raymond James Financial Services KPS Group Kudzu Productions, Inc. Leadership Huntsville/Madison County, Inc. Mattress King, Inc. PeopleTec PHOENIX Progress Bank PROJECTXYZ, Inc. Public FA, Inc. QTEC, Inc. Qualis Corporation Radiance Technologies, Inc. Renasant Bank RJ Young SCS Exhibits ServisFirst Bank Sigmatech, Inc. Spencer Companies Incorporated State Farm – Tim Roberts Insurance Agency Inc. Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. UBS Financial Services, Inc. United Space Alliance, LLC Weichert Realtors® – The Executive Group Wesfam Restaurants, Inc. (Burger King) West Huntsville Land Co., Inc. WHNT-TV WILL Technology, Inc. Woodland Homes of Huntsville Woody Anderson Ford Worthington Federal Bank
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Initiatives December 2011
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December 2011 Initiatives
initiatives
Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
december 2011 cover story
Second Chances NASA’s Space Launch System keeps Huntsville relevant to manned space flight
Bridge Street Town Centre
beginning on page 22 Illustration courtesy of NASA
features Economic Development Highlights
Solitude on the Ice / Photo credit: J. Thomas
including Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation, Teledyne Brown Engineering, HudsonAlpha Institute, PPG Industries, Harris Corporation, The Boeing Co., Turner Construction, Aerojet, Futaba Corporation, Yulista, Summit 7 Systems and Quantech Services
Aerial view of Redstone Arsenal / Photo credit: Ellen Hudson
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.
mission The mission of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
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 main line: 256.535.2000 fax: 256.535.2015
fyi
New Chief at the Chamber Massive Mission SBA Spotlight: Natalie Hasley 10 Years of Toyota Collaborating to Market A Smart Place® for Teachers
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developments HREGI Investors Listing Chamber Board Listing Chamber Staff Listing Community Profile HREGI Testimonial Employee of the Quarter Making Connections
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editorial staff
Publisher R. Thomas Beason Executive Editor Patricia C. McCarter
Editorial Designer Kristi Sherrard ontributing Writers Lucia Cape, Harrison Diamond, C Patricia McCarter and John Southerland
www.asmartplace.com
Photography Chamber of Commerce staff, publications and archive unless otherwise noted
Submissions for editorial content are not accepted. Information in this and other Chamber publications is at the discretion of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. Advertising inquiries go through The Huntsville Times.
Advertising Sales Becky Fentress The Huntsville Times becky.fentress@htimes.com
online www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com
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Initiatives December 2011
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Chamber of Commerce
Executive Committee and Board of Directors 2011 Executive Committee
A Message from Tommy Beason Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: Even though it is just an artist’s rendering of NASA’s Space Launch System on the cover of this month’s Initiatives, the weight of what the image means for Huntsville and Madison County surpasses a mere drawing. Much of our identity and certainly many of our livelihoods are greatly impacted by what work NASA performs in our city. Until the announcement in mid-September that the SLS would be designed and developed at Marshall Space Flight Center, there was much concern that NASA’s presence here would be diminished. The area still hasn’t regained all of the jobs lost at the termination of the Space Shuttle and the cancellation of the Constellation program, and budget battles in Congress over manned space flight will likely never be completely resolved. But backed by the many brilliant minds and collective pride of NASA workers at Marshall, we believe the work of developing the strongest rocket engine in the world will be achieved within the tight funding constraints. Similar to how NASA’s mission begins with starry-eyed of “what if,” Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle delved into hopeful imaginings on Nov. 9 with the Chamber-sponsored State of the City Address during a luncheon attended by almost 1,100 people. The Mayor asked the crowd to imagine the 428-acre John Hunt Park being transformed into a southern version of Manhattan’s Central Park. An accompanying video showed plans of an outdoor amphitheater, new football/soccer/lacrosse stadium, additional exercise venues and appealing green spaces. He encouraged people to consider what an expanded Big Spring Park, year-round downtown farmer’s market and a downtown baseball stadium would look like. It was inspiring to consider all of the Mayor’s “what ifs.” He told us that the city is embarking on a search to hire an urban planner to help make those things – and more – become a reality. And another new face will be here soon to continue the quest of making Huntsville A Smart Place® to live, work and play. On Dec. 15, Donald “Chip” Cherry Jr. will start work as the new President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. He comes to us as the head of the Chamber of Commerce of Macon, Ga., as well as the director of industrial development in that central Georgia city. It has been my immense pleasure to serve as the interim President and CEO since Brian Hilson left in March to head the Birmingham Business Alliance. I always knew the Chamber did important work. But from the view I’ve had over the last nine months, I’ve seen just how well the Chamber – from its staff to its hundreds of volunteers – does this work. Now, it’s time for a fresh set of eyes to watch this. I wish Chip the best of luck, and I know he will do a fine job for Huntsville and Madison County.
Best Wishes,
R. Thomas Beason Interim President & CEO Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
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December 2011 Initiatives
Charlie Kettle, Chair, First Commercial Bank Jim Bolte, Chair-Elect, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama Don Nalley, Immediate Past Chair, Beason & Nalley Robert Mayes, Secretary/Treasurer, BlueCreek Investment Partners Ron Poteat, Vice Chair - Economic Development, Regions Bank Rose Allen, Vice Chair - Governmental Affairs, Booz Allen Hamilton Frank Caprio, Vice Chair - Member Services, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Danny Windham, Vice Chair - Workforce, Digium Rey Almodóvar, Vice Chair - Small Business, Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation
Dr. Pam Hudson, Vice Chair - Research & Information Services, Crestwood Medical Center
Jeremiah Knight, Vice Chair - Image Development, Verizon Wireless Call Center Mayor Tommy Battle, Chair-Appointed, City of Huntsville Mayor Paul Finley, Chair-Appointed, City of Madison Chairman Mike Gillespie, Chair-Appointed, Madison County Commission Tony Jones, Chair-Appointed, The Boeing Company Joe Ritch, Chair-Appointed, Sirote & Permutt Frederick Lanier, Chair-Appointed, J. Smith Lanier & Co. Tommy Beason, Interim President & CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
Elected Board
Cynthia Achorn, ASRC Federal Joe Alexander, Camber Corporation Cathy Anderson, Woody Anderson Ford Bob Baron, Baron Services Dr. Marc Bendickson, Dynetics Penny Billings, BancorpSouth Miranda Bouldin, LogiCore Greg Bragg, Consolidated Construction Company Everett Brooks, Incrementum Consulting Group Micah Bullard, Turner Universal Construction Glenn Clayton, Appleton Learning Joe Collazo, COLSA Corporation John Eagan, Wells Fargo Bank Kerry Fehrenbach, Intergraph Corporation Ron Gray, Gray Research John Gully, SAIC Steve Hassell, Emerson Network Power John Holly, Lockheed Martin Corporation Dr. Andrew Hugine, Alabama A&M University Simon Kim, LG Electronics Alabama Kim Lewis, PROJECTXYZ Angie McCarter, Davidson Technologies Rich Marsden, Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne Elizabeth Morard, Qualis Corporation Caroline Myers, Foreign Language Services Joe Newberry, Redstone Federal Credit Union Jim Owens, BBVA Compass Tony Palumbo, retired Crystal Shell, WILL Technology Dr. Ashok Singhal, CFD Research Corporation Todd Slyman, Village of Providence Jan Smith, S 3 Dr. O’Neal Smitherman, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology David Spillers, Huntsville Hospital Tom Stanton, ADTRAN Al Sullivan, Alpha Beta Technologies Nilmini Thompson, Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. Dr. Ernie Wu, ERC
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Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County
2 0 1 1 S TA F F Tommy Beason, interim president & CEO Laura Kendrick, manager, investor relations
Fastsigns solves visual communication challenges, large and small, from the simple . . .
Tammy Gregory, executive assistant
. . . to the simply incredible!!
Communications Patricia McCarter, communications director Kristi Sherrard, graphic designer
Economic Development Ethan Hadley, VP, economic development John Southerland, Director, Cummings Research Park | Project Manager
Harrison Diamond, economic development coordinator
Amy Locke, industrial development /
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existing industry assistant
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Finance & Administration Christy Nalley, director, finance & administration Jamie Gallien, IT manager Mary McNairy, accounting specialist Lori Warner, accounting specialist Joe Watson, facilities supervisor
530 Discovery Drive • Huntsville, Alabama 35806 • 256/922-0720
Governmental Affairs Mike Ward, VP, governmental affairs Tina Leopold, governmental affairs assistant
Member & Small Business Services Jenni Jeffers, director, member & small business services
Mike Brazier, membership representative Terrie Ledbetter, member relations specialist Donna McCrary, membership specialist Mitzi Floyd, small business coordinator Kathleen Byrne, events coordinator
Research & Information Services Ken Smith, director, research & information services Hiroko Sedensky, web designer/research specialist Urisa Rêvé Smith, information services specialist Ashley Shady, resource desk coordinator Becky Moretti, resource desk assistant
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December 2011 Initiatives
Lucia Cape, VP, workforce Amanda Bishop, workforce assistant
Associated Organization WBCNA (www.wbcna.org)
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Avion is an Employee-Owned Small Business highly regarded as a Leader in the U.S. Army Aviation community. Avion has been recognized for delivering a broad range of high quality Specialized Engineering, Software Development, Logistics and Technical Services. Our employees have a passion to support the Soldier. Avion provides rewarding careers for innovative technical professionals that strive for excellence and that share our Mission of Supporting the Warfighter!
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Workforce
Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 225 Church Street, Huntsville, AL 35801 phone 256-535-2000 / fax 256-535-2015 www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com
community profile
TOP 10 EMPLOYERS Redstone Arsenal* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,000
Population
Madison County
City of Huntsville
2000 Census
276,700
158,216
29,329
342,376
NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000
2010 Census
334,811
180,105
42,938
417,593
Huntsville City Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000
46.4%
21.9%
The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,600
% Growth
21.0%
City of Huntsville Madison Metro Area
13.8%
Madison County Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,389
Households & Income* # of Households
128,729
Avg. Household Income $75,911 Per Capita Income
$30,835
Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,280
75,737
14,707
155,251
$71,775
$94,538
$73,316
$31,226
$35,496
$29,026
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov), *2009 American Community Survey
SAIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,229 City of Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,206 ADTRAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,740 UAHuntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,675 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 36,000 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 300 compa-
HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com
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Initiatives December 2011
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY
Intuitive Research: A Top Company to Work For Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation ranked No. 2 on The 8th Annual Great Place to Work Rankings: 2011 Best Small & Medium Workplaces presented by Entrepreneur. The list represents the best workplaces separated into two categories: small companies with 50-250 employees and medium companies with 251-999 employees. This annual list recognizes companies that have exceptional workplace cultures. Intuitive was selected among hundreds of companies vying for a place on the list this year. Applicant companies opt to participate in the selection process, which includes an employee survey and an in-depth questionnaire about their programs and company practices. Great Place to Work then evaluates each application using its unique methodology based on five dimensions: credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. Creators of the list have found that employees believe they work for great organizations when they consistently trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do and enjoy the people they work with. Intuitive president Harold Brewer states, “Intuitive is extremely honored to be a company that is known as a ‘Great Place to Work’. As a company we strive to provide a workplace that is enjoyable to our employees and attractive to new talent. However, it is our employees that really make Intuitive a great place.” Intuitive believes the workplace directly influences the
Courtesy of Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation
Local Company Named No. 2 Best Place to Work in Entrepreneur
mental and physical condition of the employees, which led the company to designate a health coordinator to host several events throughout the year for employee participation. These include activities such as Summer Walkabouts and quarterly Creating Awareness Rewards Everyone or C.A.R.E. Days.
“The companies featured on this year’s list are truly extraordinary in their practices and achievements,” said Susan Lucas-Conwell, CEO of Great Place to Work. “Their leaders recognize the value of creating great workplaces and the competitive edge it provides them.” •
smh.com.au
Teledyne Brown Engineering Has Royal Connections
His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York 12
December 2011 Initiatives
Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. recently announced that His Royal Highness, The Duke of York, officially opened the new composite manufacturing facility operated by its affiliate, Teledyne CML Group Limited, in the United Kingdom. The 6,000-square-meter composites manufacturing facility features state-of-the-art capabilities including two clean rooms, BMI-capable autoclave, 5-axis CNC router, trim shop, inspection facilities and paint shop. “With its greater composites capacity and enhanced capabilities, Teledyne CML Group is positioned to become a major supplier of composite components to the aviation, marine and space markets,” said Rex D. Geveden, president, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. “We were especially honored to have His Royal Highness officiate at this very important occasion.” Jan Hess, executive vice president and chief financial officer for Teledyne Brown Engineering, and Scott Hall, vice president of manufactured products for Teledyne Brown Engineering, participated in the ceremony. Also in attendance were the Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, Dame Lorna Muirhead, the Mayor and Mayoress of Wirral, members of
the Household, Lieutenancy and Civic parties, and many distinguished guests. HRH toured the facility and met with Teledyne executives, Teledyne CML management and employees before unveiling a plaque commemorating the opening of the facility and signing a certificate to that effect. Wirral Council Leader, Cllr Steve Foulkes said, “The presence of HRH, Duke of York, at the official opening of Teledyne CML’s superb new facility in Bromborough is recognition, if it was needed, of the company’s excellence in advanced composite manufacturing and their commitment to Wirral. Invest Wirral, the Council’s business support team, has developed close links with Teledyne CML, and we will continue to support them with their plans for growth at what is a very exciting time for the company.” The Composites Division manufactures a broad product range of both structural and nonstructural components and assemblies such as wing and fuselage fairings, covers and panels, nose and tail cone assemblies, floors, interior panels, fittings and ducting. •
~ continued on page 14
PPG to Supply Falcon 20/50 All-Glass Cockpit Windows to Dassault for Operators PPG Industries aerospace transparencies group has signed an agreement with Dassault Aviation to supply all-glass heated windshields and all-glass heated side cockpit windows for Falcon 20 and Falcon 50 business jets. Under the contract, PPG will produce replacement windshields and side windows for Dassault to support operators as long as four of these Falcon aircraft are flying, according to Arthur Scott, PPG Aerospace global director for general aviation transparencies. There are 1,200 Falcon 20 and Falcon 50 jets flying today. “PPG has extensive experience producing the forwardfacing windshields, and we are pleased Dassault came to us to supply all of the cockpit windows for these aircraft,” Scott said. The new windows will be stocked by Dassault and available to operators only through its distribution network. PPG has updated the designs of the three forward-facing windshields with newer technology and is designing numbertwo side windows to meet Dassault’s requirements and to fit without necessitating aircraft modifications, Scott said. The cockpit windows are being qualified by testing with pressure cycles representing five times that encountered during a typical aircraft’s lifetime. Scott said PPG has supplied first articles of the windshields and expects to supply first articles of the new side windows later this year. All five cockpit windows are being manufactured at PPG’s Huntsville plant. •
The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology was awarded a patent for a new, rapid response method to detect pathogens from clinical samples. The method – amplicon rescue multiplex polymerase chain reaction (ARM-PCR) for amplification of multiple targets – is highly sensitive, and as the name implies, can differentiate between pathogens that symptomatically display very similarly among populations. It is the first patent awarded for institute-generated intellectual property. “The ARM-PCR method can be used to detect pathogens among patient populations, as well as in samples to monitor food safety,” said Jian Han, M.D. Ph.D, faculty investigator at HudsonAlpha and inventor of the new technology. “There are other applications for ARM-PCR as well, including areas in agriculture, biodefense and environmental remediation.” Han added that the ARM-PCR method is faster and more sensitive than other methods currently in the market. The intellectual property has already been licensed to iCubate, a company with headquarters located in the HudsonAlpha facility. Carter Wells, chief executive officer of iCubate, said the company has created an automated system that uses the new method to process samples in a closed, disposable cassette. “The closed cassette will virtually eliminate opportunities for contamination,” Wells said. “Intelligent, immediate, impact. These words help capture what iCubate wants to take into the marketplace.” The company has also introduced an open platform for developing and marketing a variety of tests. O’Neal Smitherman, Ph.D., executive vice president for HudsonAlpha, said the patent award signals a success for the institute’s model to facilitate collaboration between scientists working at the non-profit organization and businesses. “It has always been the intent of the institute to quickly move discoveries made in the lab to market,” Smitherman said. “Dr. Han has invented a technology that holds tremendous promise in both creating jobs and improving quality of life. It is truly what the institute is all about.” •
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Patent approved for HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
Initiatives December 2011
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 13
Harris Corporation Sees Opportunities in Huntsville Harris Corporation has opened a new office in Huntsville to support the communications and information technology needs of a diverse range of U.S. Army programs. A team of more than 60 employees at the new Harris office are providing sales, program management, engineering and technical support to the Army aviation, ballistic missile defense, space and research and development communities. Its focus is on delivering capabilities from across Harris, including the world’s most advanced tactical radios, integrated network solutions, and secure, reliable communication systems. Jim Bolte, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said the expansion of Harris into Huntsville is a major announcement for the community. “It is not every day that we have the opportunity to celebrate the expansion into our community of a company that has more than 16,000 employees and that generates about $6 billion in revenue worldwide annually,” Bolte said when the new office officially opened in late September. “But today is that day.” “Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville is a unique Army installation employing more than 35,000 people working across dozens of Army programs and commands,” said Dan Pearson, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Har-
ris Corporation. “We’re investing in this community to meet their requirements for world-class networked tactical communications and information technology systems and support, today and in the future.” Harris supports nearly 20 programs headquartered in Huntsville, including Unmanned Aerial Systems, Helicopters, Air Traffic Control, Command Post Platform, Mobile Battle Command on the Move, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System and Ground Based Midcourse Defense. Proximity to those customers is a major reason for the expansion of Harris into Huntsville, according to chief growth officer Wes Covell. “We are honored to be in here in Huntsville,” Covell said. “This is a momentous occasion for us because it allows us to be close to our customer. You can’t do that from Florida or D.C. Being with your customer can take you anywhere, from the battlefield to an office in Huntsville, Alabama.” Larger-scale projects include a $77 million contract awarded to Harris IT Systems to engineer, test and install IT infrastructure for the newly relocated U.S. Army Materiel Command headquarters building and a $25 million contract to deliver Highband Networking Radios to serve as the communications backbone of
Members of Harris Corporation’s Huntsville leadership at the grand opening of their new office in CRP. Harris supports many government customers on Redstone Arsenal. the U.S. Army’s new Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System. U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., said the announcement of Harris’ expansion gives great news to spread to his colleagues in the House of Representatives. “We are facing a lot of economic challenges today.,” Brooks said. “When I interact with other members of Congress, they are battling closures and layoffs. It is such a pleasure to represent a district that is so vibrant.” •
Boeing Cuts Ribbon to Celebrate PAC-3 Seeker Expansion
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December 2011 Initiatives
The Boeing Company celebrated the completion of a twoyear, $45 million production capacity expansion project for the Huntsville Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Seeker assembly line with a Sept. 15 ribbon cutting at the company’s location in Jetplex Industrial Park. This expansion project allows Boeing to increase its production rate by 50 percent to approximately 30 PAC-3 seekers per month. Boeing delivers PAC-3 Missile seekers to system prime contractor Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas, Texas. The PAC-3 Missile system is deployed with U.S. Army and Army National Guard air defense units both overseas and domestically and has been purchased by five international customers: Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. The PAC-3 Missile uses hit-to-kill technology to intercept and destroy tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and hostile aircraft through direct body-to-body impact. The PAC-3 Missile seeker provides active guidance data to the missile, which enables the missile to acquire the target shortly before intercept, select the optimal aim point and initiate terminal guidance to ensure target kill. In February, Boeing received a $274 million contract for more than 300 seekers. The firm fixed price contract is Boeing’s ninth consecutive PAC-3 seeker production award - following three low-rate initial production buys - and the largest PAC-3 contract received by Boeing to date. •
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December 2011 Initiatives
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 14
Turner Construction Named Top Green Builder For the fourth straight year, Turner Construction is atop the list of Engineering News-Record’s Top 100 Green Contractors. Continued improvements in the field of Green Building, including dozens of new LEED Professional Credentials, almost $12 billion volume in LEED buildings, and general expertise in the field have helped to place Turner in the No.1 position once again. By market segment, Turner is No. 1 in Commercial Offices, Educational Facilities, Health Care, and Manufacturing & Industrial. The company has more than twice as many LEED APs and have completed close to double the volume of the company’s closest competitor. •
Aerojet Opens Expanded Office in Huntsville
Aerojet, a GenCorp company, cut the ribbon on its new office to celebrate the expansion of services to its local customers including additional engineering expertise, business development and program management support. The expansion includes a move to new offices at 7047 Old Madison Pike and enables Aerojet to house up to 40 employees. “This growth in Huntsville advances our local partnerships and enables us to better integrate with our team members,” said Director of Huntsville Operations Claude Baldwin at the Sept. 23 event. “We’ll be able to not only better serve our DoD and NASA customers but also the area’s prime contractors, supply partners, universities and other community development programs.” Aerojet’s work in Huntsville focuses on delivering expertise in solid and liquid propulsion, human spaceflight, specialty metals and warheads. •
Futaba Corporation to Enlarge Local Operations
Japan-based Futaba Corporation, recognized as a world leader in manufacturing Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFD), VFD modules, and industrial/hobby radio control systems, has announced its plans to expand its operations in Huntsville. This expansion will include the addition of a new 52,000-square-foot facility located near its existing factory on Electronics Boulevard. The company will also be adding more than 50 new employees over the next couple of years, including production technicians, purchasing agents and engineers. “Futaba Corporation has seen nice growth over the past couple of years, and the Huntsville factory has been a large part of this success,” said Masaharu Tomita, President of Futaba Corporation of America. “The new facility in Huntsville will allow us to increase capacity to better serve our growing customer base.” The current Futaba Huntsville factory provides electronic manufacturing services for automotive, industrial and commercial applications. These applications include electronics for hybrid buses, LED lighting, smart grid communications, VOIP hardware and many more diverse products. Futaba Corporation also has facilities in Schaumburg, Ill., (design and sales), Plymouth, Mich., (sales) and El Paso, Texas (distribution and inspection). •
Fortune Features Local Business Owner as one of 10 Top Promising Female Entrepreneurs Fortune magazine named LogiCore’s Miranda Bouldin to its top 10 list of “Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs” for 2011. “Fortune’s editors have chosen the 2011 Fortune Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs,” wrote Fortune journalist Patricia Sellers. “From a pool of 131 applicants, we’ve selected (not easily) 10 extraordinary innovators, game-changers and groundbreakers whose startups generated $1 million to $25 million Bouldin in annual revenue last year and appear poised to become large and global businesses. That is, these women could be on the Fortune Most Powerful Women in Business list someday.” The 2011 entrepreneurs were all invited to the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit that featured Fortune 500 CEOs like Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo and Ellen Kullman of DuPont, and well-known entrepreneurs like Arianna Huffington, Tyra Banks, Tory Burch, Chelsea Handler and Warren Buffett. • Initiatives December 2011
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 17
Yulista Rolls Out First Chinook Simulator to Army On Oct. 18, Yulista unveiled its first Chinook simulator to the Army, and dozens of dignitaries, community leaders and proud employees were on hand for the occasion. Yulista Aviation was awarded the Transportable Flight Proficiency Simulators (TFPS) procurement contract from the Army in June 2010. Yulista is contracted to deliver five simulators with a remaining option for a subsequent award. Darrell Harrison, president of Yulista Aviation, said community support has been a major factor in the success of the company. “I remember when we had one employee, me, and now we are up to 780,” Harrison said. “We have eight facilities in Madison County from Triana to the Madison County Executive Airport in Meridianville. This growth has not been by accident. All the way we have been supported by this community. There has never been a time when there was a barrier. This community has always helped us. “During this challenging economic period, we are proud to create jobs, support the warfighter, and support the economic growth of our shareholders in an economically depressed area of Alaska.” The Chinook is a multi-mission, heavy-lift transport helicopter. Its primary mission is to move troops, artillery, ammunition, fuel, water, barrier materials, supplies and equipment on the battlefield. Its secondary missions include medical evacuation, disaster relief, search and rescue, aircraft recovery, fire fighting, parachute drops, heavy construction and civil development. The Transportable Flight Proficiency Simulator (TFPS) is a high fidelity, transportable, motion cueing, flight simulator capable of training all tasks in the CH-47F Aircrew Training Manual (ATM) as well as Maintenance Test Pilot Tasks listed for simulation in the ATM. It replicates all flight environments including snow, shipboard, high altitude, fire bucket, Night Vision Goggles, and Tactical operations. The TFPS provides a realistic, safe, and effective method of training in all types of
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December 2011 Initiatives
Transportable Flight Proficiency Simulator Project Manager for Yulista, Chris Sims; Aviation Program Manager for Yulista, Barry Higgs; Yulista Aviation President, Darrell Harrison; Randy Harkins, PEO Aviation Chief of Staff; Project Manager for Cargo Helicopters, Col. Bob Marion; Product Manager for the CH-47F Helicopter, LTC Brad Killen. environments and situations without risking valuable resources and lives. At the rollout ceremony, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., said the simulator plays an important role in ensuring America’s soldiers get the training they need to come back home safely. “What Yulista has done is produce a simulator to help more of our men and women come back from Iraq and Afghanistan,” Brooks said. “Today is not just about the jobs you have created in this community. This is really about allowing our warfighters to do what they have to do over there safely.” Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie thanked the company for selecting Huntsville as the location to perform the work and for being committed to the Madison County community.
“When you first came here after talking with us about the number of jobs you would create and the investment you would be making in the community, the first thing you asked us was how can Yulista help,” Gillespie said. “And you have always asked that. You are a great corporate partner and you always have been. You have shown confidence in this community because you really could have done this work anywhere, but you are doing it here.” Charlie Kettle, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Huntsville/Madison County, said Yulista’s growth is a prime example of the many ways this community is still growing from the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) recommendations that merged the Aviation Command out of St. Louis with the Missile Command in Huntsville to form the Aviation and Missile Command. “We’ve seen phenomenal growth in the aerospace industry since the 1995 BRAC that made Redstone Arsenal and Huntsville the headquarters for all Army Aviation programs,” Kettle said. “The growth we have seen is very much represented in companies such as Yulista that have grown here over the years and have provided jobs – great jobs – to hundreds of people in Huntsville, Madison County and North Alabama.” Col. Bob Marion, project manager for Cargo Helicopters in the Program Executive Office for Aviation, said the training Army aviators will utilize will be important, but it will also have impacts on the use of Chinooks across the world. “This is a big deal for us in the Cargo Office and Army Aviation,” Marion said. “This simulator is key to training aviators around the world. Chinooks were even used in Japan after the nuclear disaster there.” According to Marion, the first simulator will be sent to Fort Stewart in Georgia, where it will be used by the 1st Brigade Combat Team before deployment. •
ATTENTION CHAMBER MEMBERS:
Mark Your Calendars and Prepare for Take-Off! Sessions Discusses Budget at Washington Update At his Washington Update hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and presented by Northrop Grumman, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said the greatest threat to national security is the U.S. debt. “We are facing challenges with the budget and threats it imposes on the Department of Defense,” Sessions said at the Sept. 30 breakfast. According to Sessions, as a result of the debt ceiling legislation, if the Congressional Super Committee in charge of finding cuts is unable to reach agreement, there will be broad cuts across the board, which will have significant impacts on the Department of Defense. The cuts, he said, would place an undue burden on defense. “This deal has a great chance of breaking us and losing the faith of our all-volunteer force,” the senator said. “That is a scary thing. We can’t hollow out the Department of Defense, and we can’t break the faith of our military that is fighting two wars.” Sessions recommended solutions to help employers make more hires to get the economy on track. Solutions he recommended included getting rid of “unneeded” regulations and exploring domestic energy. Sessions said there are many reasons for North Alabama to be proud, including the new Space Launch System, NASA’s nextgeneration rocket. “We’ve had a good deal of discussion about the new heavy lift vehicle,” he said. “The new heavy lift vehicle will put NASA on the right path, and it is a program that will get the support of the Senate.” Sessions also mentioned that TVA Bellefonte, located in adjacent Jackson County, coming online “will create thousands of construction jobs and will provide a steady flow of low-cost energy with no pollution.” •
Local Company Named No. 13 on CRN’s Fast Growth 100 List Summit 7 Systems of Huntsville made the list of CRN Magazine’s Fast Growth list of fastest growing companies. The company focuses on contracting and services surrounding the Microsoft Business Productivity Infrastructure and the associated suite of products. “We are excited to be included in the CRN Fast Growth 100,” said Ben Curry, Managing Partner of Summit 7 Systems. “Our team is committed to continual innovation of our customers’ processes and technology. Our ability to implement technology solutions that truly align with the organization’s strategic objectives has been a key to our success. “We have one of the best teams in the business because not only are they top technology professionals, they understand how to design solutions that align with, and support, an organization’s culture. As a result, our customers have sustainable solutions that can endure change.” • Initiatives December 2011
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Economic Development Highlights compiled by Patricia McCarter & Harrison Diamond
continued from page 19
Local Entrepreneur Featured in Bloomberg Businessweek Top 25 Under 25 A local entrepreneur is featured as a Bloomberg Businessweek’s 2011 finalist in the publication’s “Top 25 Under 25.” Glenn Clayton is the founder of Appleton Learning, a company that pairs students with tutors based on individual traits. He is featured in the list of top young entrepreneurs. “Appleton currently employs about 1,000 tutors – a mix of college students, professionals, and retirees – and serves about 6,000 students,” the Bloomberg Businessweek report
states. “Clayton has raised $750,000 from investors to open 20 new branches across the southeast by 2014.” John Tozzi, author of the article featuring the top 25 young entrepreneurs, writes of the many changes in the economy this year’s batch of company founders has seen. “Today’s 25-year-olds were nine when Netscape went public,” Tozzi wrote. “They were starting middle school when Google was founded; they watched the tech bubble burst before they went to
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their senior proms; and some were dropping calls on iPhones before buying their first legal drinks. Many of the jobs they thought they’d get disappeared just as they were finishing college. “So maybe it’s not surprising that millennials are embracing entrepreneurship, albeit at lower rates than previous generations. The 25 companies run by founders no older than 25 in our 2011 roundup of America’s best young entrepreneurs are wired, global, and resilient, because the economy demands it.” •
Quantech Services Grows in Huntsville
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(Left) Robert Mayes, secretary/treasurer of the Chamber Board of Directors joins Jim Monopoli, Quantech Services president/CEO and others in their ribbon cutting ceremony.
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Massachusetts-based Quantech Services recently cut the ribbon on the company’s new office in Cummings Research Park. Quantech Services was established in Bedford, Mass., in 1999 and has now grown to more than 350 employees with offices across the U.S. The company offers a diverse portfolio of services to government clients including program management, financial management and systems engineering through a broad range of life cycle consulting products and services. Jim Monopoli, president/CEO of Quantech Services, said that setting up an office in Huntsville is part of the company’s plan for continued growth. “Two years ago, we looked at places where we needed to be,” Monopoli said. “We saw all the rankings that Huntsville was on, and we realized that we needed to be here. “Huntsville is great for companies like us to grow. The future is here and we see major opportunities to grow.” Robert Mayes, secretary/treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, lauded the company for its growth in Huntsville as an example of the community’s success. “Today is the kind of day we love at the Chamber because this event signifies success for the company, its employees and our community,” Mayes said at the Sept. 28 event. •
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Second Chances NASA’s Space Launch System keeps Huntsville relevant to manned space flight
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or a short, frightful while, Huntsville’s tie to space flight was tenuous. With the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the cancellation of the Constellation program, it looked as if Huntsville – the very home of the rocket that took man to moon – could be left out of the future of manned space flight. But then on Sept. 14, Huntsville finally got its reprieve. NASA administrator Charles Bolden Jr. announced that Marshall Space Flight Center was where the next and most powerful human-rated rocket ever would be designed and developed. This means that the path for man to reach the moon or any other heavenly body remains routed through Huntsville. “President Obama challenged us to be bold and dream big, and that’s exactly what we are doing at NASA,” Bolden said. “While I was proud to fly on the space shuttle, tomorrow’s explorers will now dream of one day walking on Mars.” The Space Launch System must be ready to fly in 2017. Some of Huntsville’s NASA force, laid off when Constellation was nixed, has now gone back to work doing what rocket scientists are born to do. About 6,000 NASA employees and contractors are currently working at Marshall. That’s still about 1,500 down from the heyday of the Space Shuttle and Constellation. Marshall’s director, Robert Lightfoot, said back in September that the Space Launch System would be a mix of technology from the Space Shuttle and the Ares I rocket, which was cancelled in 2010. The $18 billion Space Launch System – which includes the Orion spacecraft and ground operations – takes advantage of proven hardware and cutting-edge tooling and manufacturing technologies to significantly reduce development and operations costs. Lightfoot said this strategy will help NASA maintain the development pace necessary to launch the first, full-scale test flight just six years from now. The SLS will use a liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propulsion system, where now-grounded Space Shuttle main engines in stock will provide the core propulsion. The J-2X engine is planned for use in the upper stage, as the vehicle is evolved. “NASA has been making steady progress toward realizing the President’s goal of deep space exploration, while doing so in a more
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December 2011 Initiatives
affordable way,” NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver said. “We have been driving down the costs on the Space Launch System and Orion contracts by adopting new ways of doing business and project hundreds of millions of dollars of savings each year.” The first phase rocket will lift up to 70 metric tons of cargo and humans farther into space than anyone has ever gone, and the second phase rocket will be capable of lifting 130 metric tons. As conceived, the second phase rocket will be 20 percent more powerful than the Saturn V and will stand 40 feet taller on the launch pad. “We will open the next chapter of space exploration with the development of the Space Launch System, NASA’s deep space exploration vehicle,” said SLS-Marshall program manager Todd May. “It’s an enormous challenge, opportunity and responsibility for the entire SLS-Marshall-industry team.” May said the SLS program will “embrace innovation and creativity” in order to field that next-generation rocket in a “safe, affordable and sustainable” way. “We also need to embrace innovation in how we operate based on the context we find ourselves in: managing with constrained fiscal budgets and operating without the space shuttle,” May said. “We are a lean and efficient organization focused on our first flight in 2017.” If this new rocket falls behind – in either
deadline or budget – the current political climate in Washington won’t be forgiving. But if it stays on track, NASA has a greater chance of getting the funding to finance rockets to take man to deep space locales, such as asteroids or Mars. On Nov. 9, with the successful testing of the J-2X rocket engine, that achievement looks even more possible. The engine – a survivor of the canceled Constellation rocket program – ran smoothly for more than eight minutes, which is the requirement to boost the upper stage of the new rocket that will carry the Orion crew capsule into deep space following liftoff. “As currently planned, the SLS architecture is the most cost-effective choice, while offering unprecedented performance, as well,” May said. “The decision to leverage
existing and hardware in development is a sound path to first flight in six years within a resource-constrained environment.” May said that as the first exploration-class launch vehicle since the Saturn V in the 1960s and 1970s, the SLS offers new possibilities for expanding the boundaries that have limited explorers for the last 40 years. “From launching planetary probes and astronomical observatories, to using the Moon to synchronize the human/ robotic interface before the first human trips to Mars, to preparing to set the first boot prints on another planet, the SLS is the platform for America’s next chapter in space,” May said. And he said that next chapter will open new vistas for valuable science missions. continued on page 24
SLS Will Be the Most Capable U.S. Launch Vehicle Sample of Proposed and Fielded U.S. Systems
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SLS Concept Maximizes Existing U.S. Aerospace Workforce and Capabilities 70 t 320 ft. Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle
Launch Abort System
Interstage Core Stage
Second Chances, continued from page 23 –
Cargo Fairing Upper Stage with J-2X Engine
Solid or Liquid Rocket Boosters
Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB)
INITIAL CAPABILITY
130 t 389 ft.
RS-25 (Space Shuttle Main Engines)
EVOLVED CAPABILITY
Leverages Existing Contracts, While Competing the Future National Aeronautics and Space Administration 8036 Industry Day.9
“The imperative to explore with a combination of astronauts and robots will be the impetus for inventions such as new ways to harness solar power, supply clean water, and recycle waste, as well as yet-to-be-made discoveries,” he said. “Perhaps most importantly, the SLS will provide the capability to perform international missions that foster the peaceful pursuit of mutual objectives on the space frontier.” None of that is guaranteed, and none of it will be easy, especially given the schedule and budget. But it is certainly worth doing. “The SLS team is dedicated to meeting its commitments and doing things differently for the right reasons: To create an entirely new national capability that directly supports America’s future in space,” May said. “The ultimate benefit of this approach will be to decrease the price of flying the agency’s launch vehicle fleet so that more resources can be dedicated to opening the frontiers of science and technology, while solidifying America’s leadership in space through human space flight missions worthy of a great nation.” • Patricia McCarter
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December 2011 Initiatives
New Chief at the Chamber Chip Cherry is Ready to Learn, Lead and Advance into the Future
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Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle welcomes new Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Chip Cherry at a press conference held on Nov. 9, just minutes before the mayor’s annual State of the City Address presented by SPARTA, Inc.
onald C. “Chip” Cherry’s commitment to the Chamber cause came early. A summer internship at the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce while a student at North Carolina Wesleyan College led the Virginia native to a lifetime of work for the nonprofit entities. And starting Dec. 15, it is leading him here to be the new President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County. Cherry, 52, is leaving the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce/Macon Economic Development Commission in Georgia after 10 successful years. He is replacing interim President and CEO Tommy Beason, who agreed to lead the Chamber temporarily after Brian Hilson resigned to lead the Birmingham Business Alliance. “It is a blend of things that made this job continued on page 27
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strength in
numbers
connects business prospects
“Being accountable is very important to Booz
Allen Hamilton. We invest in HREGI because we know the Chamber will be accountable community’s economic growth, promoting our quality of life and successfully marketing our community as a smart place to live, work, play and
Photo by Matthew Chandler © 2011 Chamber oc Commerce
to continue leading our
”
operate a business.
For a list of HREGI investors, see page 4 or visit: www.growHuntsville.com 26
December 2011 Initiatives
Rose Allen, Principal
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. HREGI Investor since 2006
New Chief at the Chamber, continued from page 25 – appeal to me,” Cherry said. “It’s the community itself, the energy of the Chamber volunteers, and the talented, solid staff. I like the idea of helping Huntsville and Madison County realize the next level. “Also, I have enjoyed a great relationship with the military in Macon, and I will be able to continue that, except that in Huntsville it will be the Army instead of the Air Force.” Cherry was also the President and CEO of chambers of commerce in Greenville, N.C., and Fredericksburg, Va. He was selected as the 2011 Executive of the Year by the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and the 1996 North Carolina Chamber Executive of the Year by the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. He is the Past Chair of the Georgia, Virginia and Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and is a current member of the Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. “There were three criteria the search committee kept in mind as we reviewed the numerous resumes of some very talented applicants: The candidate must be technically competent, have a fire in his belly and be a cultural fit,” said Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Chairman Charlie Kettle. “Chip Cherry meets all of those requirements and then some.” Cherry He and Betty, his wife of 27 years, have a son, Trey, and daughter Julia. Kettle said Cherry came highly recommended out of a pool of talented applicants. The board chairman said when Cherry took the Macon job in 2001, that chamber “was a financially unsound organization perceived to be out of touch with the community.” “He led a significant turnaround. The people of Macon concur with our assessment that he is a talented, resourceful leader,” Kettle said. “He is the kind of guy who can bring together various factions for a common cause. He is a wonderful administrator and an amazing economic development director. He gets it, and our Chamber will benefit from that.” • Patricia McCarter
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Massive Mission MDA’s Completed Home on Redstone Makes for Stronger Defense
Building three of the Von Braun Complex (foreground) recently opened. It will house nearly 5,000 Missile Defense Agency employees working on critical programs for the missile defense of the United States.
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December 2011 Initiatives
ne look at the newly-opened Redstone Arsenal structure for the Missile Defense Agency, and you’ve just got to know: Exactly how big is this thing? Well, it’s big enough to house 127 wellappointed conference rooms. It’s big enough that if the hallways were all lined up one after another, they would run 17 football fields. It’s big enough that it cost $222 million to build and another $94 million to furnish and equip with the latest, greatest information technology. But even more important than its size and scale is the work that is happening inside of the Von Braun III, which is the global MDA mission of providing ballistic missile defense to our homeland, deployed forces, allies and friends from all types of ballistic missiles in any phase of flight. “This building is the hub of missile defense for our nation and is tied to other time zones around the world where our missile
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defense personnel work every day in delivering this capability not only for us, but in cooperation and partnership with our friends and allies around the world,” said Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly, MDA director. The mammoth structure – which took three years to build - is now home to 30 different MDA program offices, for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, Ground-based Midcourse Defense and other systems, radars and satellites. O’Reilly said the new building is also the workplace of the greatest concentration of missile defense engineers anywhere in the world. It was the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure decision that set up Redstone Arsenal to become this new hub. Prior to that, about 1,000 MDA employees were working in a half dozen buildings across Huntsville. Now, about 5,000 work for MDA, and O’Reilly said he expects that number will hold strong.
Also in the sprawling complex are the Von Braun I, which is home to the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, and the Von Braun II, which also houses MDA workers. Some contractors are still located offsite, and it’s possible they will move to the arsenal if Von Braun IV is approved by Congress. “Unfortunately, our mission grows every day,” he said. “As the proliferation of missiles occurs around the world - and the threats to our deployed forces, our homeland and their dependents - we see the need for this mission to continue to grow.” Just the day before the Oct. 6 ribbon-cutting, an operational test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) was successfully performed in Hawaii, which lent another layer of celebration to the official event. • Patricia McCarter
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SPOTLIGHT ON 2011 Small Business Award Winner:
Young Professional of the Year
Natalie Hasley
President/Co-Owner – Bama Jammer, Inc. Initiatives recently met with Bama Jammer, Inc. President Natalie Hasley to get more insight on the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County’s 2011 Small Business Awards Young Professional of the Year.
Q: When was your company founded, and what is your role in it? A: I started Bama Jammer, Inc. in January 2005 while I was a junior at the University of Alabama Huntsville. I typed up a one-page form, took it to the Probate Judge Tommy Ragland’s office and incorporated the company for $75. That was my total investment to get the company started. I had no operating capital but was able to make a few sales in the first year. Those sales provided some modest operating capital and the young company began to have slow, persistent growth. Upon graduating from UAHuntsville, I devoted all my efforts to Bama Jammer, and the company began to see more steady growth and larger sales. I am the president of the company. In a small business, there are many tasks that a small business owner has to take on first hand. I, along with my sister Bethany Dean, vice president, make all of the business decisions. I am responsible for many of the managerial decisions, handle government contracts, implement our marketing strategies and do the financial planning. I also do tasks such as planning, organizing, directing, coordinating and controlling all aspects of the company. In addition, I am also the groundskeeper, maintenance person and janitor.
Q: What products does your company create and sell? p Natalie Hasley, President and Co-Owner of Bama Jammer, accepts the Young Professional
of the Year award from the 2010 winner Charlie Wilson of Digium. q Natalie walking the red carpet with husband Darrin prior to the awards celebration.
A: Bama Jammer, Inc. does embroidery work and sells identity apparel, promotional and advertising-specialty products. Our products are mainly used for branding, marketing and promoting businesses and organizations at trade shows, special events, grand openings, golf tournaments, conferences and expos. We have 17 on-site commercial embroidery machines that we use to embellish garments, tote bags, caps, shirts and identity items. We market these products and services to the military, government agencies, businesses, schools and organizations.
Q: What has been your company’s greatest achievement? A: Our greatest achievement was when our sales crossed the multi-million dollar threshold. The first year, 2005, the company had revenues just over $10,000. Four years later in 2009, we had sales just over $2.1 million dollars.
Q: What goals do you have for Bama Jammer for the next five or 10 years? A: Our goal, like any business, is to increase our sales and have steady, stable growth. We have learned that growing a business 30
December 2011 Initiatives
is not a sprint but rather is endurance over the long haul. When we began, we developed a business plan that would keep our company debt free. Our company remained true to that goal and has always operated completely debt free. Operating a business debt free is sometimes tough and necessitates that a business will naturally grow a little slower. Being debt free, however, does mean more stability and allows us to be more competitive in the marketplace. On the other hand, it also requires more clever strategic business planning and organizing. We acquire all of our assets, pay all of our payroll and pay for all of our overhead and expenses out of the cash flow of the company. As times get tough, operating a debt-free business removes stress and pressure and allows us to compete when others cannot do so.
A: It is one of the highest achievements that a young person could ask for, to be recognized among colleagues, peers and other business professionals as the Young Professional of the Year. Personally, I am more than elated. Professionally, I am so proud to represent my company and staff for this award. The Chamber’s Small Business Awards provides an excellent platform for recognition of businesses and business owners like myself. Upon entering the business arena, I learned very quickly that business is a contact sport. It’s tough out there, operating day to day in the trenches. It is even tougher on a young person. This award represents the accomplishments, struggles and successes of a young small business owner in today’s marketplace.
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Q: What does it mean to you, both personally and professionally to receive the Young Profes- sional of the Year Award?
Q: How has being active in the Chamber helped you? A: Our Chamber membership has provided a forum to conduct business with others within the community without just facilitating business electronically. The numerous networking events, lunch programs and the Business EXPO allow me to market my company directly to my target market in Huntsville. It allows me to put faces with names and grow business relationships with other Chamber members who are also concerned about living, working and playing in Huntsville. •
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10 Years of Toyota Engine Plant in Huntsville Celebrates Employees and Many Firsts en years ago, Toyota announced it would establish a $220 million Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama (TMMAL) plant in Huntsville to assemble V-8 engines and employ 350 people, the first Toyota engine plant to be constructed outside of Japan. Since that time, Toyota in Huntsville has become one of the community’s great corporate citizens and has grown to nearly 1,000 employees working on three different Toyota engines. Team members have completed thousands of hours of community service and found thousands of ways to improve the plant and its processes. State and local officials joined Toyota team members and executives recently to mark the start of the newest of those three engines, the four-cylinder engine. The addition of four-cylinder engine production boosts TMMAL’s total investment to $637 million. Total annual engine capacity of four-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines is now more than 500,000. TMMAL is the only Toyota plant globally to produce all three engines. Toyota Motor Corporation Executive Vice President and Representative Director, Atsushi Niimi, lauded TMMAL’s team members for their work and said the new engine line will allow the company to be prepared for any changes in the market. “It was 10 years ago that we began the adventure to bring a world-class manufacturing facility to Huntsville,” Niimi said. “We have brought stable jobs and the opportunity to grow. “TMMAL’s team members’ focus on quality, safety and outstanding commitment to continuous improvement and team work is second-to-none. Engines now produced in Huntsville will go into eight Toyota models assembled in North America, furthering our
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December 2011 Initiatives
Courtesy of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc.
T
Toyota officials and Gov. Robert Bentley perform a quality check on the first four-cylinder engine built at TMMAL. L-R: Kelly Keeney, TMMAL Team Member; Shigeki Terashi, President of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Jim Bolte, President of TMMAL; Atsushi Niimi, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Corp.; Gov. Robert Bentley. commitment to localizing production. And by adding four-cylinder engines to TMMAL’s mix, we will be better prepared to react to changes in market demand.” Niimi also laid out big plans for changing what Huntsville and Alabama are known for throughout the world. “Alabama is famous for being the home to Willie Mayes and Hank Aaron and the motivation to put man on the Moon,” he said. “In the future, I’d like to see Huntsville as the engine capital of the world.” Gov. Robert Bentley said when he is recruiting industry to Alabama, he always mentions Toyota and its workers. “What you have here is a quality company and quality workers,” the governor said. “No company can be successful without quality workers. You are the ones I always talk about to prospective companies. You help me put those out of work back to work. With this expansion, whenever you see a Toyota, you can say that you made that engine.”
TMMAL-produced four-cylinder engines will go into the all-new 2012 Camry, Highlander, RAV4, Sienna and Venza. V6 and V8 engines are being produced for the Tundra and Tacoma pick-up trucks and the Sequoia SUV. The four-cylinder expansion at TMMAL now allows the facility to supply engines to every Toyota vehicle assembly plant in North America except the new facility in Blue Springs, Miss., which is scheduled to start production this fall. Both of Toyota’s Bodine Aluminum castings plants, located in Troy, Mo., and Jackson, Tenn., have also added capacity to provide cylinder heads and blocks to TMMAL. Combined investment of these two facilities is $25 million, and 60 new jobs were created. “This is a time for our team members to celebrate the tremendous work they have done over the years to prepare for fourcylinder production,” said Jim Bolte, TMMAL President. “Their commitment to building quality products as safely as possible has
History of Performance - Future of Dedication
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helped TMMAL win new business, and we look forward to many more successful years.” Kelly Keeney, who works on the new four-cylinder engine line, is one of the newest team members. “I remember coming in early 2011 being welcomed and being shown the view of what Toyota represents,” Keeney said. “One thing I’ll always know is how much Toyota cares, whether it is about safety or recovery efforts from the tsunami in Japan or the tornados in Alabama. Toyota is one team, one family, and I’m proud to be a member.” U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said decisions such as the one to move four-cylinder production to Huntsville are made because of the quality of workers a community has. He also said that elected officials should be there to help companies compete. “We know how these decisions are made,” Sessions said. “The company analyzes plans and the cost. But then you look at the workforce. I think this is best workforce here in the country. Those of us in government have a role to play in making sure that you have the environment you need to compete.” U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., who served on the Madison County Commission before being elected to Congress, said Toyota is an example of how this community continues to add jobs during the economic downturn. “I remember from my days on the Madison County Commission when we learned you would be coming here,” Brooks said. “I didn’t realize how accomplished this plant would be over the years.” Adding to that commitment to the community, Bolte announced two separate $50,000 gifts to Habitat for Humanity of Madison County and Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle explained that Toyota has contributed to the quality of life of Huntsville. “For 10 years, Toyota has given so much to this community. All the efforts you’ve made have made Huntsville a better place,” Battle said. Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie echoed those sentiments. “I believe this is the fourth announcement I’ve been to,” Gillespie said. “The first announcement was planting seeds, and I think you have absolutely taken root. You can measure the economic impact of your company here, but you can’t really measure continued on page 34
ASD is an exciting and well respected company within the Huntsville Community and the services and supportt to ou our custo customers. t e Defense e e se Industry. dust y ASD S provides p o des outstanding o a d g se ces a d suppo es BRAC IT Build-out & Thin Client Implementation Program Planning & Analysis Systems Installation and Integration Web and Data Base Management Call Center Management/Help Desk Asset Management Acquisition Support 103 Quality Circle, Suite 200 Huntsville, AL 35806 256-837-2293
Information and Telecommunications Systems Engineering Network Engineering and Management US Army Space and Missile Defense Command/ Army Forces Strategic Command/(SMDC/ARSTRAT) Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Missile and Space Intelligence Center (MSIC)
To learn more about ASD please visit www.asd-inc.com asdhsvrecruitment@asd-inc.com EOE/M/F/D/V
2800 Shirlington Road, Suite 800 Arlington, VA 22206 703-998-3900
O U
AKWOOD NIVERSITY
INSPIRING
FUTURE LEADERS IN SERVICE
7000 Adventist Boulevard, NW Huntsville, Alabama 35896 256.726.7000 www.oakwood.edu 0000256342-01
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Courtesy of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc.
10 Years of Toyota, continued from page 33 –
Toyota also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its Huntsville facility with a special dinner on September 28, 2011. To honor Toyota’s friendship with the community, TMMAL announced 10 gifts of $10,000 to 10 local nonprofit organizations. TMMAL also donated two vehicles to celebrate the anniversary: Hospice Family Care received a new Sienna and Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. received a new Tundra. that neighbor-helping-neighbor quality. You really are the best of the best.” Bolte said in the plant’s 10-year history, many firsts have been achieved. “We built the first V-8 engines outside of Japan, we were the first North America plant to be zero-landfill, and now we are the only plant in the world that manufactures the V-6, V-8, and four-cylinder engines,”
Bolte said. “Be proud of these 10 years, and always remember that there is always time to do the right thing.” Bolte said Toyota team members have answered the call to help in times of need, both around the plant and in the community. “We’ve made thousands of improvements. In the trying times of recalls and negative coverage in the media, our team members
were our best spokespeople,” Bolte said. “After the tsunami, our team members sent money, supplies and prayers. After the tornados here, it was you who stepped up and did 26,000 hours of service.” If Toyota’s next 10 years in Huntsville are anything like the first 10, there is sure to be much to celebrate. • Harrison Diamond
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Innovative Capabilities. Trusted Solutions. General Dynamics Information Technology is a steadfast partner in Huntsville, working to ensure our customers’ mission success. We integrate technical capability with forward thinking, strategic insight and leading edge management to deliver reliable, repeatable, affordable and measurable results.
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December 2011 Initiatives
E M P L O Y E E
O F
T H E
Q U A R T E R
Amanda Bishop Workforce Assistant
A
busy schedule and fulfilling work are just two of the reasons why Amanda Bishop, the latest Employee of the Quarter at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, enjoys her job. Bishop serves as the workforce assistant, where she supports the numerous programs the Chamber undertakes to ensure Huntsville/Madison County has the needed quality and quantity workforce to continue growth. In addition to supporting workforce, she also works with the membership and small business services division. Among the many projects she works on regularly is the Bridges Huntsville/Madison County program, a three-day course geared toward helping interns, co-ops and recent graduates bridge the gap between school and a professional career. She also assists companies seeking to utilize asmartplace.com, the Chamber’s career site. “When I first started working here, I had no clue what all
the Chamber did. After a year, I’m still amazed at everything we do,” she said. According to Bishop, being named Employee of the Quarter means a lot to her because it comes from her colleagues. “It feels great to be named ‘employee of the quarter’ because this is something my co-workers decided,” she said. “Knowing how passionate and talented the staff is here, it really means a lot that they would choose me.” Lucia Cape, vice president for workforce, commended Bishop for being a quick learner and for her willingness to assist whenever needed. “Amanda has been with the Chamber less than a year but has already become a valuable employee,” Cape said. “She assists with all the workforce programs and services, and she supports membership and small business programs as well. She is great with our members and exhibits the kind of customer service we require to sustain and grow our membership.” •
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42hsv
.com
The answer to North Alabama’s Technology Questions
Making Connections 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 the local economy. Examples of recent events include:
Business After Hours presented by Cumulus Media; hosted by The Matrix
Available 24/7,
During the September Business After Hours, Chamber members networked while watching Matrix athletes go through high-energy workouts.
42hsv.com, will feature more breaking news and information about the companies and federal agencies in Huntsville’s high-tech corridor. 42hsv.com aspires to be a high-tech community where the people who drive Huntsville’s success can share ideas, interact with each other and keep up with competition.
visit 42hsv.com
Fall Chamber Golf Classic hosted by the Chamber of Commerce
Thirty-six teams of four enjoyed an outing on the newly expanded Links golf course on Redstone Arsenal.
YP Expo presented by Huntsville Hospital; hosted by Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment
More than 200 people came out to enjoy the Young Professional Expo, where $5,000 in prizes and gift certificates was given away. Visit 42hsv.com from your smartphone by snapping this coded tag with your phone’s Tag Reader. To get the Tag Reader, go to gettag.mobi on your phone, download the free Tag Reader and then snap the coded tag.
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Chamber members benefit from networking events, electronic and printed publications, educational programs for small business and, perhaps most importantly, the knowledge that they are part of a collective effort to establish Huntsville/Madison County as a stronger, more visible community in the global competition for economic growth.
How Does Your Company Rate? The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and the North Alabama Society for Human Resource Management (NASHRM) are searching for the area’s Best Places to Work® and Most Valuable Employees. Rankings are based on a survey that asks employees to rate their company on the following:
• Team Effectiveness • Alignment with Goals • Individual Contribution • Trust in Senior Leaders
• Retention Probability • Trust with Co-workers • Manager Effectiveness • Feeling Valued
• Work Engagement
• People Practices
Members of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County with 25 or more local, full-time employees can participate. Surveys will be administered and results will be tabulated by Quantum Workplace, a specialist in measuring workplace satisfaction. Anonymity is guaranteed regarding participation and results. Surveys will be conducted Feb. 20 – March 23, 2012.
Nominate your company online:
HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com See special dates below.
On May 8, 2012, the Chamber, NASHRM and the Best Places to Work® sponsors will host a high-energy awards luncheon to unveil Huntsville/Madison County’s outstanding companies whose benefits, policies and practices are among the metropolitan area’s best. It will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the North Hall of the Von Braun Center. Questions? Email Mitzi Floyd at mfloyd@hsvchamber.org.
Open for Nominations: Monday, Nominations Close:
January 9, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Awards Luncheon:
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. • VBC North Hall
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Photo by Sgt. Gaelen Lowers, 8th TSC Public Affairs
The opening ceremony at the 57th Association of the United States Army 2011 Annual Meeting & Exposition featured guest speakers such as the Hon. John McHugh, the Secretary of the Army, and the Army’s chief of staff, Gen. Ray Odierno.
Collaborating to Market
Area as a Place to Grow, Expand a Business
A
With looming national defense budget cuts, Department of Defense and U.S. Army leaders and company representatives supporting the Army converged on the annual event, which drew about 40,000 attendees from around the world, all eager to hear how these cuts would impact the many Army programs and systems in the coming years. Those budget cuts, said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, made it even more critical for Huntsville leadership to meet with existing companies and those who are considering establishing a presence in the community.
Photo by Ms. Giselle Bodin (ACC)
s the lead economic development organization in the Huntsville Metropolitan Statistical Area, the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County is responsible for preparing and promoting the community for economic growth. But luring business to the community involves a coordinated team effort that includes local, state and regional economic development partners and local elected officials. The Chamber recently led a delegation to the 2011 Association of U.S. Army annual meeting and expo, held at the Washington D.C. Convention Center.
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December 2011 Initiatives
The AMC booth at the 2011 AUSA National Conference in Washington, D.C.
“This is the largest defense-related conference in the nation, and this is such an important part of our economy,” Battle said. “This event offers us an excellent opportunity to learn more about what is happening with the U.S. Army today, and perhaps even more importantly, what will be happening in the future.” The local delegation held a series of meetings with government officials, existing companies and prospects over the three-day conference. Expected massive defense budget cuts create a greater sense of urgency to meet with companies that work in the Army aviation and missile areas to look at consolidating operations in Huntsville to be closer to their customers, Battle said. “And we have selling points that we want to make sure prospects understand,” the mayor said. “For one – it’s cheaper to conduct business here than it is in most other communities. We are business-friendly and boast a great workforce and a low cost of living. “This makes our community a great place to grow a business, and as those federal budgets tighten, we want to make sure companies see the value in Huntsville.” Madison Mayor Paul Finley was part of the local delegation that also included the Huntsville/Madison County Airport Authority. Finley said the event is critical for the metro area. “Any way that we can support Redstone Arsenal and the people and programs there is important,” Finley said. “And that includes the many contractors that are located in this community. We make sure that the companies we meet with know we are all together in wanting to get them to locate here. “We know when they come, the people may choose to live in Huntsville or Madison or somewhere else in the Tennessee Valley, but that is the scenario where we all win and the formula for what has served us so well in the past.” Chamber Board Chairman Charlie Kettle said the Chamber’s marketing efforts would not slow down, regardless. “We can’t ever let up,” Kettle said. “It is absolutely critical for this community and this Chamber to keep marketing this community. We can’t take our foot off the gas pedal. We stay aggressive with our marketing because we know that is critical to growing our local economy.” • John Southerland
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Where to go • Who to see for products and services
Use a Chamber member... it's in your best interest Advertising
Automobile - Dealers - New
The Huntsville Times 2317 S. Memorial Parkway. . . . . 256-532-4250
Woody Anderson Ford 2500 Jordan Lane NW, 35816 . . . 256-539-9441
Aerospace / Defense Contractors
Banks
AEgis Technologies Group, Inc. 410 Jan Davis Drive, 35806. . . . . . 256-922-0802
Bryant Bank 415-H Church Street Suite 100, 35801 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-535-1045
ASD 103 Quality Circle Suite 200, 35816 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-837-2293
First Commercial Bank 301 Washington Street, 35801 . . . 256-551-3300
Avion 7067 Old Madison Pike Suite 170, 35806 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-721-7006
National Bank of Commerce 203 Greene Street Suite B, 35801 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-564-7600
CSC 310 The Bridge Street, 35806. . . . 256-382-3110
RBC Bank 100 Church Street Suite 200, 35801 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-564-5753
General Dynamics IT www.gdit.com InfoPro Corporation 6705 Odyssey Drive, 35806. . . . . . 256-382-9700
ServisFirst Bank www.servisfirstbank.com . . . . . . . 256-722-7800
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. 6703 Odyssey Drive Suite 200, 35806 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-922-2760
SAIC www.saic.com
Credit Unions
WestWind Technologies 2901 Wall Triana Highway Suite 200, 35824 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-319-0137
Attorneys Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP 200 Clinton Avenue Suite 900, 35801 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-517-5100
Audiovisual Production Film, Video Tape Tec Masters 1500 Perimeter Parkway Suite 215, 35806 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-830-4000
MTSI 5285 Shawnee Road, Suite 400 Alexandria, VA 22312. . . . . . . . . . 703-564-3800
Financial Services First Financial Group Wealth Management 400 Meridian Street Suite 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-704-4617
Hospitals Huntsville Hospital 101 Sivley Road, 35801. . . . . . . . . 256-265-1000
Logistics Support Services Gideon 688 Discovery Drive Suite 105, 35806 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-585-3361
Consultants - Management
Intuitive Research & Technology 5030 Bradford Drive Bldg 2, Suite 205, 35805. . . . . . . . 256-922-9300
SPS 4950 Corporate Drive Suite 115, 35805 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-319-2135
Excelerate 1230 Slaughter Road, Suite F Madison, AL 35758 . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-325-4050
Redstone Federal Credit Union 220 Wynn Drive, 35893 . . . . . . . 256-837-6110
Education Schools, Colleges, Universities J.F. Drake State Technical College 3421 Meridian St, N, 35811 . . . . . 256-551-3117 Oakwood University 7000 Adventist Blvd, 35896 . . . . . 256-726-7000 UAHuntsville Professional & Continuing Education 103 Wilson Hall, 35899. . . . . . . . . 256-824-6372
Engineering Services Research and Development Davidson Technologies, Inc. 530 Discovery Drive, 35806 . . . . . 256-922-0720
Real Estate Graham and Company 355 Quality Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-382-9010 Industrial Properties of the South 2903 Wall Triana Hwy., 35758 . . . 256-461-7482 NAI Chase Commercial www.chasecommercial.com
Rentals All Needz Rentals 6745 University Drive, 35806 . . . . 256-837-5322
Signs & Banners FASTSIGNS of Huntsville 4294 University Drive, 35816 . . . . 256-722-5227
Telecommunications ADTRAN, Inc. 901 Explorer Blvd., 35806. . . . . . . 256-963-8000
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List your company in this Buyers Guide • For information call 256-532-4250
December 2011 Initiatives
A Smart Place® for Teachers Understanding Today’s Workforce Needs
E
ducators are the front line in workforce development, ensuring that today’s students have the skills to be the employees of tomorrow. To help them better understand the job market their students will enter, the Chamber developed Huntsville/Madison County 101 for Educators. The third session of this program was held on Oct. 28 for 32 teachers across Huntsville, Madison and Madison County. All public middle and high schools were invited to send representatives, and all private schools that are Chamber members were invited as well. The program’s presenting sponsor was Appleton Learning, which provided its genuiStyle® assessment to all participants, helping them to better understand their learning style while promoting awareness
of the variety of learning styles they encounter with their students. Supporting sponsors were Aetos Systems, Inc., J.F. Drake State Technical College and ITT Technical Institute. Substitute teacher reimbursement was provided through a grant from BBVA Compass to the Chamber Foundation. The program was developed to provide educators with the information that the Chamber shares with economic development prospects, including the award-winning Chamber video and the community overview PowerPoint. “Smart Career” job projections for the Northeast Alabama region were distributed, and educators were introduced to ASmartPlace.com, the Chamber’s recruitment portal with information about living, working and playing in Huntsville/Madison County. As part of the Huntsville Regional Eco-
Middle school and high school teachers, counselors and administrators hear from Brenda Terry, executive director of the Alabama Mathematics, Science, Technology and Engineering Coalition, as part Huntsville/Madison County 101 for Educators.
The Chamber will offer Huntsville/Madison County 101 for Educators again in the spring. Future plans will be determined based on participation. For more information, contact Lucia Cape, vice president for workforce, at lcape@hsvchamber.org. nomic Growth Initiative, the Chamber promotes skills development to support our high-tech economy. We partner with organizations that improve science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) awareness and achievement. Several of these partner organizations gave short presentations on the resources they provide to educators – many of them free. Brenda Terry, executive director of the Alabama Mathematics, Science, Technology and Engineering Coalition (AMSTEC), shared information about robotics teams and engineering academies. Carol Mueller from the UAHuntsville office of the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) shared the dramatic results of the AMSTI program on both math and reading scores. Samantha Nelson from Calhoun Community College talked about the regional career coaches program that provides career information to high school students. Dr. Adam Hott, coordinator of educational outreach for HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, took the educators on a virtual tour of a plant cell as part of his demonstration of HudsonAlpha’s educational resources. Susan Currie from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center led the class in a pop rocket activity as one example of the Marshall continued on page 42 Initiatives December 2011
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A Smart Place for Teachers, continued from page 41 –
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Center’s extensive line of academic products and services. Angela Moulton, director of education at Sci-Quest, shared information about the programs available at the handson science center and in the classroom. And Marcia Lindstrom gave an overview of the one-of-a-kind educational opportunities for teachers, students and families at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The program provided continuing education credit for public school teachers by meeting the Alabama Quality Teaching Standards that address the ability of educators to help students make connections to promote retention, to share knowledge of the role that math plays in everyday life, and to involve families, community agencies and colleagues to support learners. The program was a resounding success, with 100 percent of the participants responding that it met all of its objectives. Comments from the educators were very supportive.
“Loved this! It is very important for educators to be involved with this Chamber. Thanks!” “Very interesting and informative. The speakers were excellent.” “Outstanding!” “Makes you proud to be living in Huntsville, Alabama. So smart!” “Fantastic! Wish more teachers could hear about all that is available to us right here in our own town.” The Chamber will offer Huntsville/Madison County 101 for Educators again in the spring. Future plans will be determined based on participation. •Lucia Cape
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The participants were all invited to join the Huntsville/Madison County Workforce Coalition hosted by the Chamber. The Coalition provides ongoing information about STEM opportunities and resources and connects educators to companies and organizations that support STEM programs. Membership is open to anyone with an active role in STEM education or workforce development. Visit the website to learn more and join: www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/ workforce/coalition.html.
Where Everyone Counts r u o g n i t a r b e l Ce A lot has changed, but our name, quality and Red Carpet service remain the same...
Woody Anderson Ford shown as featured in Ford Dealers Magazine (1971)
www.woodyanderson.com Huntsville, AL
Fayetteville, TN
Madison, AL
2500 Jordan Lane
2626 Huntsville Hwy.
1638 Hughes Road
256.539.9441
931.433.9441
256.217.8440
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0000258157-01
The Force Changes, The Mission Stays the Same Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) proudly honors the brave soldiers who have fought around the world for causes of freedom. Together, we remain focused on the mission and ever mindful of what is at stake. For more than 40 years, SAIC has delivered innovative solutions to tough problems. We are a FORTUNE® 500 scientific, engineering, and technology applications company with 41,000 employees around the world, including 2,400 right here in Huntsville. Visit us online at saic.com
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December 2011 Initiatives
NATIONAL SECURITY • ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT • HEALTH • CYBERSECURITY © SAIC. All rights reserved. FORTUNE is a registered trademark of Time, Inc.
NYSE: SAI 0000257050-01