Initiatives magazine, December 2012 by Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

Initiatives December 2012

December 2012 Initiatives

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Initiatives December 2012

Thanks to Our Investors Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Development Partner ($200,000+ annually)

City of Huntsville Development Council ($120,000+ 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 Bank The Boeing Company City of Madison Emerson Network Power - Avocent The Huntsville Times Lockheed Martin Corporation Madison County Commission Redstone Federal Credit Union Verizon Wireless

Executive Council ($15,000+ annually)

AT&T BB&T CINRAM, Inc. Crestwood Medical Center Intergraph Corporation North Alabama Multiple Listing Service Northrop Grumman Corporation PARSONS Qualitest Pharmaceuticals SES WEUP / Hundley Batts & Associates Wyle

December 2012 Initiatives

Chamber Trustees ($10,000+ annually) AEgis Technologies Group Aerojet Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. Dynetics, Inc. First Commercial Bank Jerry Damson, Inc. L-3 Communications Corp. – Hsv Ops Lamar Outdoor Advertising, Inc.

Progress Partners

Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne, P.C. Look Outdoor Advertising, Inc. Navistar Diesel of Alabama, LLC Raytheon Company S3, Inc. SAIC SportsMed Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. Wells Fargo Bank

($5,000+ annually)

Ability Plus Analytical Services, Inc. A-P-T Research, Inc. Available Plastics BAE Systems Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Cannon, Inc. Baron Services, Inc. BASF Catalysts, LLC Beason & Nalley, Inc. The Bentley Automotive Group Bill Penney Toyota-Mitsubishi BlueCreek Investment Partners Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP Cadence Bank Clearview Cancer Institute Coates Transportation Group Coldwell Banker Commercial McLain Real Estate Colonial Properties Trust Connected Logistics Consolidated Construction Company Cook’s Pest Control Davidson Technologies, Inc. ERC, Inc. Holiday Inn – Downtown

Huntsville-Madison County Builders Association iBERIABANK Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation J. Smith Lanier & Co. Joe H. Ritch Landers McLarty Corporation LogiCore MTS, Inc. The Orthopaedic Center Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. Progress Bank QinetiQ North America Radiance Technologies, Inc. Rosie’s Restaurants, Inc. & Right Way Restaurants, Inc. (DBA Steak Out) Strata-G Torch Technologies Turner 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 Anglin Reichmann Snellgrove & Armstrong, PC Averbuch Realty Co. Inc. / Averbuch Enterprises Aviagen, Inc. Bama Jammer, Inc. BancorpSouth Brown Precision, Inc. Bryant Bank CB&S Bank Century Automotive CFD Research Corporation Chapman Sisson Architects, Inc. Coast Personnel Services deciBel Research Decisive Analytics Corporation Decosimo Certified Public Accountants DESE Research, Inc. Digium, Inc. Ducommun Miltec 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 HEMSI Hiley Cars 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. Moog, Inc. National Bank of Commerce PALCO Telecom Service, Inc. PeopleTec PFM Group PHOENIX Pinnacle Solutions, Inc. PROJECTXYZ, Inc. QTEC, Inc. Qualis Corporation Renasant Bank RJ Young scsworx ServisFirst Bank Sigmatech, Inc. Spencer Companies Incorporated Synapse Wireless, Inc. Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. The Surgery Center of Huntsville Wesfam Restaurants, Inc. (Burger King) West Huntsville Land Co., Inc. WHNT-TV WILL Technology, Inc. Woody Anderson Ford Worthington Federal Bank

Driven to improve health Huntsville Hospital Health System’s Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) wears many hats. Sometimes it’s a free clinic for flu shots, while other times it’s a place for cholesterol and bone density screenings or one-on-one medical counseling. The MMU can even become the headquarters for a disaster response team, should the need arise. Wherever it goes, the MMU is a valuable resource for our health care team as we reach out to a community in need. To learn more about the services offered at Huntsville Hospital, visit our website at huntsvillehospital.org/services.

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huntsvillehospital.org facebook.com/HuntsvilleHospitalFan Twitter: @HSVHospital Initiatives December 2012

What I know: I know keeping costs in check is vital to my company. I know, having put two daughters through college, that keeping costs in check is vital to my family. I know if you treat your people like family, they’ll take care of the business. I know we reached our ten-year goal of being 100% employee owned in nine years. I know that makes our employees family. I know my Bradley Arant Boult Cummings attorney helps me keep my legal costs in check. I know my Bradley Arant Boult Cummings attorney treats my matters as if I were family. That’s what I know. BILL ROARK CEO TORCH TECHNOLOGIES

AMONG THE NATION’S BEST LAWYERS

December 2012 Initiatives No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. Contact: John B. Grenier, Esq., 1819 Fifth Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203

initiatives

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

december 2012 cover story

Luminaries at Big Spring Park (dk- studio.com)

Solving Problems, Saving Lives Redstone’s PIF relies on innovation in tackling military needs beginning on page 18 Cover design by Kristi Sherrard

features Economic Development Highlights

including Intergraph Corporation, Verizon Wireless, The Boeing Company, Wyle, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Panalpina, CALIBRE, Raytheon, Intuitive, Leadership Huntsville/Madison County and AUSA

Galaxy of Lights, Huntsville Botanical Garden

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.

Thanks Mike [Gillespie] 23 Business EXPO in Pictures 2 6 Spotlight on Small Business 2 8 Moving Forward 3 0 CRP 50th Anniversary Thanks! 3 2 Washington Update with Sen. Sessions 3 3

developments 4 8 22 24 27 34

Annual Rocket City Marathon

HREGI Investors Listing Chamber Board Listing Community Profile Strategic Technology The Future is Now Chamber Staff Listing

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

online www.hsvchamber.org www.asmartplace.com

fyi

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.

editorial staff

Publisher Chip Cherry, cce Executive Editor Patricia C. McCarter

Editorial Designer Kristi Sherrard ontributing Writers Marian Accardi, Lucia Cape, C Harrison Diamond, Ken Kesner, and Patricia McCarter Photography Chamber of Commerce staff, publications and archive unless otherwise noted Advertising Sales Chad Ludwig The Huntsville Times chad.ludwig@htimes.com Initiatives December 2012

Chamber of Commerce

Executive Committee and Board of Directors 2012 Executive Committee

A Message from Chip Cherry Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: I grew up in Portsmouth, Va., during the Vietnam War. Many of my classmates had parents who served in the military, a number of whom were naval aviators. I vividly remember the MIA/POW bracelets that my classmates wore, a few that had the names of their fathers engraved on them, while many others would have names of their father’s friends or squadron members on the bracelet. The war was real to us. On Nov. 5, I attended a Veterans Prayer Breakfast where MG Lynn Collyar wore a Vietnam-era uniform while making his remarks. The uniform – coupled with his remarks – brought back a flood of memories which led to my reflecting on the changes that have taken place from the Vietnam era to today. During the Vietnam War our country missed the point: The responsibility for the war rested with the politicians who deployed the troops, not with the troops. Our elected officials made the decision to become involved in the conflict/war in Vietnam and directed our war fighters to engage. However, the disdain was mostly directed towards the members of our armed services, and that disdain is a dark chapter in the history of our country. Fast forward to today. Tears come to my eyes when I hear people clap in airports for soldiers, sailors, airmen or marines who are traveling or when people walk up to them to express their appreciation for their service. On a recent visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I was afforded the opportunity to visit the new facilities for those who have experienced traumatic brain injuries and a facility for amputees which is currently serving 200 patients. The dedication of the staff working with our service men was matched only by the determination of those men and women to recover from their injuries and the support of their families. With the length of stay for patients in these facilities ranging from 16 to 18 months, the commitment from both the service members and their families is significant. Two organizations that play a critical role in supporting the recovery of our service members are Fisher House and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund; I encourage you to learn more about them by visiting their websites, www.fisherhouse.org and www.fallenherosfund.org. Why has there been such a significant difference in the way our service personnel are perceived today as compared to those who served during the Vietnam era? I believe it is due to the commitment of our Vietnam veterans who are determined to never let happen to others what happened to them. I am thankful for those who are serving and have served our country and particularly thankful to those who make sure that our service men and women are treated with the respect they deserve! Salute to all our men and women in uniform! A special thank you to their families who provide them with the support they require and to endure the separations and loss. We owe a great deal to those few who fight to ensure our freedoms and those who support them.

Chip Cherry, CCE President & CEO Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

December 2012 Initiatives

Jim Bolte, Chair, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama Ron Poteat, Chair-Elect, Regions Bank Charlie Kettle, Immediate Past Chair, First Commercial Bank Tommy Beason, Chamber Foundation Chair, Consultant Frederick Lanier, Secretary/Treasurer, J. Smith Lanier & Co. Rey Almodóvar, Vice Chair - Economic Development, INTUITIVE Rose Allen, Vice Chair - Governmental Affairs, Booz Allen Hamilton Kim Lewis, Vice Chair - Member Services, PROJECTXYZ Danny Windham, Vice Chair - Workforce, Digium Miranda Bouldin, Vice Chair - Small Business, LogiCore Dr. O’Neal Smitherman, Vice Chair - Research & Information Services, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

Crystal Shell, Vice Chair - Image Development, WILL Technology Mayor Tommy Battle, Chair-Appointed, City of Huntsville Paul Finley, Chair-Appointed Mike Gillespie, Chair-Appointed Robert Mayes, Chair-Appointed, BlueCreek Investment Partners Joe Ritch, Chair-Appointed, Sirote & Permutt David Spillers, Chair-Appointed, Huntsville Hospital Chip Cherry, President & CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Elected Board

Joe Alexander, Alexander Consulting Cathy Anderson, Woody Anderson Ford Bob Baron, Baron Services Dr. Marc Bendickson, Dynetics Penny Billings, BancorpSouth Gary Bolton, ADTRAN Greg Bragg, Consolidated Construction Company Everett Brooks, AEgis Technologies Group Micah Bullard, Turner Kevin Byrnes, Raytheon Company Kevin Campbell, Northrop Grumman Corporation Frank Caprio, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Glenn Clayton, Appleton Learning Joe Collazo, COLSA Corporation Mark Curran, L-3 Communications Corporation - Huntsville Operations Kerry Fehrenbach, Intergraph Corporation Ron Gray, Retired John Gully, SAIC Natalie Hasley, Bama Jammer Steve Hassell, Emerson Network Power - Avocent John Holly, Lockheed Martin Corporation Tharon Honeycutt, MSB Analytics Dr. Pam Hudson, Crestwood Medical Center Dr. Andrew Hugine, Alabama A&M University Tony Jones, The Boeing Company Rich Marsden, Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne Angie McCarter, Davidson Technologies Elizabeth Morard, Qualis Corporation Joe Newberry, Redstone Federal Credit Union Jim Owens, BBVA Compass George Prueitt, Wyle Charlie Sealy, Sealy Management Company Dr. Ashok Singhal, CFD Research Corporation Todd Slyman, Village of Providence Jan Smith, S 3 Cynthia Streams, Domino’s Pizza (Valley Pizza) Nilmini Thompson, Systems Products and Solutions Dr. Ernie Wu, ERC

Initiatives December 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

Intergraph Announces New $58 Million Headquarters in Madison A new $58 million headquarters for engineering and geospatial software developer Intergraph was announced in mid-October, along with the design of a five-story glass building that will house all of the work currently being done in numerous older structures. The headquarters is projected to open in summer 2014. Announcing the investment in the Madison company was Ola Rollén, who serves as CEO of both Intergraph and its parent company, Hexagon. Rollén said keeping Intergraph’s established employee base in Northern Alabama was a priority for both Intergraph and Hexagon. The five-story facility will total 250,000 square feet and will feature office space for 1,100 employees. “For the first time in Intergraph’s history, we are bringing employees at this location together under one roof, which I’m confident will foster innovation and camaraderie,” said Rollén at the headquarters groundbreaking ceremony. “The building is a testament to Hexagon’s commitment to Intergraph and the Madison County business community.” The new headquarters will include a state-of-the-art data center, customer-friendly conference space, a food service area and lakeside terraces for both work and leisure. “We are all very excited about what the new facility means for the employees of Intergraph,” said Ed Porter, Executive Vice President of Human Resources with Intergraph. “We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, Chairman Gillespie, Mayor Finley and Mayor Battle, as well as Madison city and county officials, for helping make it a reality.” Gillespie praised the company’s leadership and the employees for making the announcement possible. “This announcement is just so big for our community. Not only does this investment keep one of our best employers

L-R: Then-Mayor of Madison Paul Finley, Then-Chairman of the Madison County Commission Mike Gillespie, Intergraph CEO Ola Rollén, Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield, Intergraph Executive Vice President of Human Resources Ed Porter, and Then-Madison City Council Member Jerry Jennings prepare to break ground on the new $58 million, 250,000-square-foot Intergraph headquarters building in Madison. The new building will provide office space for 1,100 employees when complete. here, but most importantly the employees that keep Intergraph profitable and successful,” Gillespie said. “Intergraph has meant so much to North Alabama for more than 40 years and this facility means the best may be yet to come.” The facility was designed by Atlanta-based architecture firm Cooper Carry, and the construction will be carried out by general contractor Robins Morton and civil engineering firm 4Site, both of Madison.

Intergraph was founded as M&S Computing in 1969 by James Meadlock and several former IBM executives before becoming Intergraph Corporation in 1980. The company, which has become somewhat of an icon of innovation for the Huntsville-Madison area, hit a milestone when it was acquired by a group of investors in 2006 for $1.3 billion. The company now employs more than 4,000 people with operations in more than 60 countries. •

Verizon Wireless Customer Service Center Celebrates Five Years The Verizon Wireless Huntsville Customer Service Center and state headquarters celebrated its fiveyear anniversary in early October, and 25.4 million calls later the company continues to build on its presence in North Alabama. The high-tech 152,00-square-foot state headquarters has brought more than 1,200 jobs and an investment of more than $44 million to the area. The company’s Huntsville Customer Service center has enabled Verizon to improve the company’s responsiveness to their existing base of 94.2 million customers, while preparing for future growth. In 2011, new cell towers and/or other network capacity enhancements worth more than $120 million were activated in over 320 cities and towns across Alabama, including 22 new cell sites in 18 cities. The company’s ongoing network investment in Alabama now totals over $830 million since the company was formed in 2000. “We have the most loyal customers in the wireless industry because of our outstanding network and customer service,” said Jeremiah Knight, director of customer service for the Huntsville Contact Center. “Our Huntsville employees Knight empower us to stay ahead of the increasing demand for the Verizon Wireless brand and enhance our company’s reputation for providing the nation’s most reliable network.” 10

December 2012 Initiatives

In honor of the center’s anniversary and October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Verizon Wireless presented a $3,500 donation to Crisis Services of North Alabama specifically to support their work at HOPE Place, which offers two facilities, providing safe, confidential, emergency shelter to adults and their children who are fleeing their home due to intimate partner violence. The call center has donated over $700,000 to the prevention and awareness of domestic violence since its inception through the company’s HopeLine program. Two years ago, Strayer University and Verizon Wireless launched a model college degree program at its Huntsville Contact Center. Associate/Bachelor’s of Business Administration and MBA program classes are conducted onsite at no cost to employees, thanks to the company’s tuition assistance program. Business courses are tailored to the Verizon Wireless student, with the opportunity to use actual business scenarios as case studies. Verizon Wireless is the highest-ranked wireless company on Training magazine’s list of top 125 training organizations in America and the only wireless carrier included in the “Working Mother 100 Best Companies” where recognition is based on a work environment that is especially hospitable to working parents. •

~ continued on page 12

Boeing Moving to Redstone Gateway on Edge of Arsenal Boeing is moving to a new office complex near the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center as the company consolidates several of its locations in the area. A Boeing media release said the move to Redstone Gateway reflects the company’s commitment to managing costs and increasing competitiveness for growth. “As Boeing begins its 51st year in Alabama, this development agreement allows us to make the most of our facilities to best meet our business needs and those of our customers,” said Tony Jones, vice president and Boeing Huntsville site executive. “Just as Huntsville is supportive of companies such as ours that are important contributors to the community, Boeing is committed to this city’s future health. “The City of Huntsville, Redstone Arsenal and NASA have validated this plan as being not only right for Boeing and our ability to meet customer commitments, but also important for the future economic viability of Huntsville, where many of our employees live and raise their families.” The recently signed development agreement will result in 363,000 square feet of office space in a Boeing-named, three-building complex. Boeing is scheduled to occupy the first building in spring 2013; construction of the second and third buildings is expected to begin by the end of 2012 and be

completed by spring 2014. Boeing will retain its facilities at the company’s owned Jetplex location. “Boeing regularly reviews its facilities to locate opportunities for consolidation and/or elimination of costly infrastructure in order to bring down overhead costs,” Jones added. “This Huntsville consolidation is one significant example.” Boeing is the largest aerospace company in Alabama and one of the state’s largest employers. Current company operations in Huntsville include the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program and other missile defense work, including the Standard Missile-3 Block IIB program, the Arrow Weapon System, the Avenger, and the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 seeker. Huntsville-based programs that support NASA include Exploration Launch Systems, which oversees design and development

of the new Space Launch System, and the International Space Station. The site also hosts Boeing’s Rotorcraft Support business, and provides engineering support for commercial and commercial-derivative airplanes. With innovative and affordable capabilities to support the customer, Boeing in Huntsville is a considered a low-cost, hightech center of excellence. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 61,000 employees worldwide. •

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 11

Wyle Announces New Headquarters Construction in CRP Wyle’s CAS Group participated in the ground breaking ceremony for a newly leased three-story, 120,000-square-foot facility on Nov. 8 at 345 Bob Heath Road in Cummings Research Park. This three-story structure – estimated to cost more than $18 million to build - will be leased from Copter Properties, LLC owned by affiliates of Triad Properties and the Rooker Companies. When completed in September 2013, Wyle will relocate employees from several Wyle CAS facilities in Huntsville, allowing for future expansion of the company’s capabilities and workforce. In addition, the facility will include an innovative, specialized laboratory configuration which will increase efficiencies and provide Wyle’s customers with unique capabilities. “Wyle has been supporting the aerospace and defense industry in Huntsville for more than 50 years, and we plan on continuing that tradition for many years to come,” said Dr. George Prueitt, president of Wyle’s CAS group. Prueitt said the company would benefit from the “campuslike atmosphere” provided by Cummings Research Park. He said the world of government contracting is a competitive environment, and he hopes the expanded capabilities that

the new building will provide will assist in acquiring that work. The company president said the new building will add “about 30 percent more space” for new growth. He said more than 350 Wyle CAS employees will work in the new structure; the company currently employs more than 1,100 Wyle workers in Huntsville. The ground-breaking was one of the last official duties of

Successful Projects Build Strong Relationships

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December 2012 Initiatives

now-retired Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie, who shared a story about interning at Wyle during his senior year at the University of Alabama. He said his supervisor was the “toughest boss I ever had,” but the company was completely committed to customer service back then, and he knows that tradition continues today. According to O’Neal Smitherman, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Vice Chair of Research and Information Services, during that period Wyle has grown to one of the largest employers in the region. “We are breaking ground in one of the world’s leading science and technology business parks that has enabled our community to weather many economic challenges,” said Smitherman. “We would not be here today without it and the leadership provided by Wyle, a company that chose to invest again in our great community.” Wyle, a privately held company, is a leading provider of high tech aerospace engineering and information technology services to the federal government on long-term outsourcing contracts. The company also provides test and evaluation of aircraft, weapon systems, networks, and other government assets; and other engineering services to the aerospace, defense, and nuclear power industries. For decades, Wyle has provided medical services to NASA’s astronaut corps during space flights. •

L-R: Dr. O’Neal Smitherman and George Preuitt

~ continued on page 14

Toyota Breaks Ground for V6 Engine Expansion; 4th in 10 years Toyota broke ground on Sept. 25 on the expansion that will support increased V6 engine production at its Huntsville engine plant. The construction represents the fourth expansion of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama (TMMAL) in its 10-year history in Huntsville. “We are so pleased to see our plant grow yet again,” said Jim Bolte, TMMAL president. “Not only are we adding more jobs and investing in the local economy, we’re also playing a role in Toyota’s philosophy to build more engines where we sell them. I can’t wait to see more Toyota vehicles with our engines here in our community.”

The expansion represents an $80 million investment. Total plant investment is expected to reach more than $700 million once the project is completed. The new facility will increase capacity by 216,000 engines each year, bringing total V6 annual capacity to 362,000. Approximately 125 new jobs will be created, increasing employment nearly 10 percent to 1,150. The increased production will begin in March 2014. Construction has begun this month on the new 300,000-squarefoot building that will be added to the southeast corner of the existing facility in North Huntsville Industrial Park. Total square footage

L-R: Ala. Sec. of Commerce Greg Canfield, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Toyota’s Vance Newton and Jim Bolte, Then-Madison Co. Commission Chm. Mike Gillespie, and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle break ground on Toyota’s expansion in north Huntsville.

at TMMAL will exceed 1.2 million once the facility is completed. Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield, U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison County Commissioner Mike Gillespie participated in the ceremonial groundbreaking with Bolte and TMMAL Maintenance Team Leader Vance Newton. “You’re a vital partner in the state of Alabama,” Canfield said, who noted that the Huntsville plant was the site of the first V8 Toyota engine to be manufactured outside of Japan. “You give us great hope each day.” Congressman Brooks joked that his family could take a little credit for Toyota’s expansion, given that they own three Corollas, a Camry and a Tundra pickup truck. “You don’t have to sell me on Toyota,” he said. “You could have chosen to put these plants anywhere, but you chose Huntsville.” Battle commended TMMAL for keeping all of its employees on the payroll, even when the plant manufacturing briefly halted due to the recession. Gillespie also noted TMMAL’s enviable leadership in Bolte. “You’ve made me a part of your family,” said Gillespie, who is now retired from the Madison County Commission after 32 years. “And what a great family it is.” TMMAL currently assembles 4-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines for eight of 12 Toyota North American built vehicles. TMMAL is the only Toyota plant globally to produce these three types of engines in one facility. •

Huntsville is Only Panalpina U.S. Stop for Customers to Tour 747-8 Cargo Plane Somehow, a cargo plane that has a 16 percent larger payload is also 12 percent more fuel efficient and creates 30 percent less noise. Customers whose freight will be flown on the new Boeing 747-8 had the chance to experience the wondrous new plane when Panalpina offered tours at Huntsville International Airport. More than 125 clients, business leaders and government officials were led on tours of the giant plane. Panalpina – a Switzerland-based freight company that’s been doing business in Huntsville for 22 years – has upped its local weekly flights this year from six to 10. That bump has helped the airport become the 14th busiest cargo destination in the country. Rick Tucker, executive director of the airport and the Port of Huntsville, said Panalpina’s investment in the new 747-8 is significant as it boosts the potential for economic development for the region. The new plane is 18 feet longer and 13 feet wider than its predecessor, the 747-4. The Huntsville airport is the smallest in the country to be Federal Aviation Administration-certified to accommodate the Boeing 747-8. The larger plane has been flying in and out of

Huntsville since June. The planes are leased from Atlas Aircraft, but they have the Panalpina logo painted on the side. “This is truly a historic occasion for Panalpina because having a branded plane symbolizes the fact that we are the only third-party logistics provider which offers this type of service but

also provides our customers with the latest-technology in aviation machinery,” said Lucas Kuehner, managing director USA, for Panalpina, Inc. “The addition of a fully branded plane with state-of-the-art technology and more capacity opens up new opportunities for our healthcare, high-tech, automotive, and oil and gas customers.” •

Initiatives December 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 13

CALIBRE Snags Top Government Contractor Award CALIBRE was named “Contractor of the Year” in the $75M - $300M category at the 10th Anniversary Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards™ on Nov. 5. The Greater Washington Government Contractor (GovCon) Awards™ is the Washington, D.C. region’s premier event honoring the leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence of businesses in the region’s government contracting community. CALIBRE was selected from a group of five finalists for this prestigious award which is considered “The Academy Awards of Government Contracting.” CALIBRE is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has offices in Huntsville. “This industry recognition honors all CALIBRE employeeowners who work hard every day to provide enduring solu-

tions that make a difference for our customers,” said CALIBRE President & CEO Joe Martore. “This award is another confirmation that CALIBRE has developed and is successfully executing a strategy to achieve our corporate goal of being a respected, competitive, profitable business, recognized as a leader in the Government Services industry.” The GovCon award is the fourth major recognition CALIBRE has received this year. On October 29, Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work Institute named CALIBRE one of the 25 Best Medium Companies in America. Earlier this year, CALIBRE received the prestigious Nunn-Perry Award from the Department of Defense which recognizes successful business Mentor-Protégé relationships that excel in the areas of quality, technical as-

sistance, return on investment, and protégé development. In addition, Inc. 5000 named CALIBRE one of America’s fastestgrowing private companies. “Each of these awards is an important building block in the branding of CALIBRE and the execution of our business plan for the Huntsville area to establish new and lasting relationships with industry business partners and government customers, and recruit and retain a highly skilled workforce,” Martore said. “These awards signal to our potential customers, industry partners, and future employees that CALIBRE is a company centered on high professional standards, ethical business practices, timely delivery of superior quality services and products, customer success, and corporate recognition for excellence. •

INTUITIVE Continues to Be a Great Place to Work Intuitive Research and Technology Corp. – a five-time winner in the Chamber’s Best Places to Work competition - was named No. 2 on the list of small companies by the Great Place to Work Institute for the second year in a row. Intuitive provides project management, simulation analysis, modeling, rapid prototyping and technical services. The company is based in Cummings Research Park and employs 275 people. “Our employees are our most valuable asset,” said Rey Almodóvar, who founded Intuitive with Ray Brewer in 1999. “We do everything in our power to protect our assets. We provide good compensation and good benefits, but even more important than that, we view our employees as family. We take care of them, and in return, they do great work for the company.” When announcing the winners, the Great Place to Work Institute said Intuitive – which was the only Alabama company in the “small business” category – said Intuitive is “heavy on perks.” “A $5,000 health credit is given annually to employees who might need additional health coverage for special needs so they can ‘buy up’ into a more comprehensive health care plan,” the Institute said in its announcement. “For employees who want to go back to school for an advanced degree related to their jobs, the 14

December 2012 Initiatives

Tonya Maurice and Rey Almodóvar of INTUITIVE company pays for tuition as well as books. Management regularly interacts with the rest of the team by visiting employees stationed at client sites and holding town-hall style meetings for the entire company.” Almodóvar said to be considered for the award, companies are evaluated on benefits, management style, professional development opportunities and rewards. Also, employees fill out anonymous surveys for the Great Place to Work Institute. “We evaluate our employees’ performance, and this is one way that our employees’ evaluate (Intuitive’s owners’)

performance,” he said. “That is one reason we participate in these things. It helps us see how we’re doing.” Tonya Maurice, director of Intuitive’s corporate relations, credits much of Intuitive’s culture of employee satisfaction to a detailed interview and hiring process to ensure a good fit. “Each new employee is assigned a peer sponsor to help them acclimate,” Maurice said. “Something our employees really appreciate is a ‘State of the Company’ address that’s given every year to let them know how things are going.” •

~ continued on page 16

Raytheon Facility Preparing to Produce Standard Missile-3 and SM-6

00267313-01

L-R: Kevin Byrnes, a retired general and vice president of Raytheon Huntsville, sits in the new building’s lobby with facilities manager Angel Crespo.

Secluded on a remote 200-acre site on the arsenal is the Raytheon Redstone Missile Integration Facility, a $75 million, 55,000-square-foot building with bunkerlike capacity. Construction on another 15,000 square feet is expected to begin soon. Inside this ultra-modern automated structure, Raytheon employees will assemble the Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-6, two exceedingly smart, complex shipboard-bound weapons that contain their own radar and communication systems, as well as enough power to intercept and destroy just about anything fired at America’s interests or her allies. That much power requires a highly specialized and fortified building for testing. “We designed this building for the absolute worst case scenario,” said facilities manager Angel Crespo. “This is why we don’t have any neighbors. You design it so that if it does go off, no one else will be endangered. Pressure is managed through 650-foot long corridors, and earthen berms would absorb the frag. “But we aren’t anticipating we’ll ever need this. We have all sorts of safety redundancies.” Crespo said Raytheon considered two dozen sites before selecting this place to build; the possibility of shipping by rail, water, road and air certainly helped the selection process, as well as the Missile Defense Agency being headquartered right down the road. (MDA has oversight of the SM-3; the Navy has oversight of the SM-6.) Kevin Byrnes, a retired Army general and vice president of Raytheon Huntsville, said the company is committed to being a critical part of the North Alabama fabric. “SM-3 and SM-6 are the beginning,” he said. “We will be in competition for others. We are in the perfect place for this. Our customer can see the level of quality and mission assurance.” Technologies inside the plant – shown off to media and dignitaries on Nov. 26 – will enable Raytheon to streamline processes and reduce costs. Much of the heavy lifting of missile components will be handled by self-docking robotic transporters that are programmed with all the dimensions of the facilities. The robots “know” within millimeters how close they can get to walls and corners in the clean room environment and the testing chambers. The first SM-6 is expected to be ready by February 2013 with the SM-3 following in the next quarter. •

Winner Initiatives December 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 15

Leadership Presents Awards at 25th Anniversary Celebration Leadership Huntsville/Madison County celebrated its 25th Anniversary on Oct. 11 with the keynote speaker Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense from 2006-2011. During the celebration, several outstanding graduates and community leaders who have contributed extensively to our community and to the Leadership Huntsville/Madison County program were recognized. The 2012 Jim & Becky Pillsbury Dynamic Duo Award was given to Dave Hargrove (a Leadership 15 and Impact 2 program graduate) and Liz Hurley Hargrove (Leadership 19

program graduate). This award is presented to a leadership ‘power couple’ who, because of their unique teamwork, made a significant impact on our community. Dave is an advocate for quality education in our community, has served as past chair of the Chamber of Commerce during the implementation of BRAC 2005, and is serving as the Leadership Board Chair and chair for the Committee of 100. Liz, as a television anchor, has shared her personal fight with breast cancer and has inspired thousands through her annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run. The 2012 Emerging Leader Award was awarded David

L-R: Jim Pillsbury, Liz Hurley, Becky Pillsbury and Dave Hargrove

Presenters Mike Fellows and Lesha Springs shown with David Little (center).

Little (a Connect 10 and Impact 3 program graduate) of Bluecreek Investments. This award recognizes a young professional under 40 who has had a significant impact on other young professionals and our community. Through his work with Connect, the Madison County Volunteer Lawyers, the Huntsville Police Department Advisory Council and 305 8th Street, Little has impacted the lives of the hundreds of Connect graduates, and now serves on the Leadership board. The 2012 William Cooper Green Leadership Award was presented to David Spillers, CEO of Huntsville Hospital. The award was created as a salute to a community leader who came to Huntsville as a newcomer and in a very short period of time became a leader of distinction in providing a major positive impact on our community. Spillers, after six years in Huntsville, has established new cooperative, regional

L-R: Presenter Jim Link and David Spillers

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relationships across healthcare providers throughout north Alabama and exponentially increased the numbers of physicians, specialties and services offered by his organization, improving the quality of and access to healthcare for all of us. The 2012 Julian Butler Leadership Award was received by Dr. Sonnie Hereford. The award honors a non-Leadership graduate who has significantly contributed to the success of the Leadership Huntsville/Madison County programs. Through Hereford’s story, we have first-hand knowledge of

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L-R: Presenter Julian Butler and Dr. Sonnie Hereford

Economic Development Highlights compiled by Patricia McCarter

what Huntsville and Madison County were like during the Civil Rights movement, and why we were the first in Alabama to integrate our schools. Hereford has now shared his story with literally hundreds of Leadership program members and has inspired us with his courage, determination & grace. The 2012 Distinguished Leadership Award has been awarded since Leadership’s inception in 1987 and this year recognized Bobby Bradley (Leadership 5 graduate). It is annually awarded to the Leadership graduate who best exemplifies civic leadership by becoming active agents of change in their respec-

L-R: Presenter Marc Jacobson and Bobby Bradley

Redstone-Huntsville AUSA Chapter Wins… Again For the eighth time in the past nine years, the Redstone-Huntsville Chapter of the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) has been recognized as the most outstanding chapter in the world. Also, Keith Roberson, executive director of the Army Aviation and Missile Command’s Integrated Materiel Management Center on Redstone Arsenal, has been named the national AUSA Department of the Army Civilian of the Year. AUSA – founded in 1959 – is a non-profit educational organization that supports soldiers and their families while advancing the interests of the Army. There are 125 chapters across the world; Redstone’s chapter was organized in 1959. The local chapter was officially honored at the AUSA annual meeting and expo in Washington D.C. in late October. “It isn’t our goal to be the best chapter,” said local AUSA executive vice president Kris McBride, who has been involved with the board for the past 10 years. “Our chapter’s goal is to provide energetic support for the Army. The recognition is nice, but it’s just icing.” McBride said the Redstone-Huntsville chapter has about 2,500 individual and corporate members. AUSA is open to all Army ranks, government civilians, retirees, veterans, concerned citizens and family members. Community businesses and defense industry companies are a major component. The local chapter is a major organizer for Armed Forces Week (which this year included the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team, thanks to AUSA), Veterans Day activities, a tactical missiles summit, support of ROTC programs, military appreciation nights at local sporting events, water brigades at Concerts in the Park, and providing input into the resolution booklet AUSA presents to Congress each year. •

Photos courtesy of Leadership Huntsville/Madison County, Inc. – taken by Bob Gathany (bgathany@al.com).

Owned Com mployee pan y An E

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Then-Chairman Mike Gillespie (left) and Then-Mayor Paul Finley (right) with Eula Battle accepting for her husband, Mayor Tommy Battle.

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tive fields, and continue to serve their community extensively after graduation. Bradley has served as a Leadership board member, including the alumni and development chair. She and Gloria Batts have launched Village of Promise, modeled after Geoffrey Canada’s Harlem Children’s Zone, in hopes of “eradicating poverty throughout Huntsville one neighborhood at a time.” The Honorable Mike Gillespie of the Madison County Commission, the Honorable Paul Finley (Focus 20 program graduate) Mayor of Madison, and the Honorable Tommy Battle (Leadership 21, Focus 17 and Impact 3 program graduate) Mayor of Huntsville received the first ever 2012 Bridge Builder Award on behalf of Leadership Huntsville/Madison County in recognition of their selfless, collaborative leadership which left your cities and this county positioned for a bright and successful future. •

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Redstone’s PIF relies on innovation in tackling military needs In late 2002, as the United States was preparing to send troops into battle in Iraq, the newly-formed Prototype Integration Facility at Redstone Arsenal was given a special mission. The Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) at Fort Eustis, Va., had designed a “Blue Force Tracking” system that used GPS receivers and other tools to let commanders and troops in the fog of war be more certain which aircraft were “friendly” and where they were located. The PIF’s mission was to turn the design prototypes into reality; to engineer the circuit boards, wiring, boxes and other hardware and determine the best way to mount the systems aboard a variety of aircraft – and to do so very quickly. The deadline was unprecedented for such specialized, life-and-death gear. “We were given less than three months to build approximately 220 of these Blue Force Tracking systems, primarily for Apaches, Black Hawks and Chinook” helicopters, said Danny Featherston. He’s now program manager for the PIF, part of the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center, or AMRDEC. The PIF, which then had about 30 government and 35 contractor employees, was told the war was waiting on them, he said. Working through the holidays, they met the deadline. The invasion of Iraq began in March of 2003, the day after the last of the tracker systems was installed on an aircraft positioned in Kuwait. “It was the very first big project the PIF received,” said Darrell Harrison, then with Yulista Management Services, Inc. in Huntsville. The company is part of the Small Business Administration-approved “JVYS Joint Venture” with Science and Engineering Services, Inc. JVYS was awarded the very first management contract for the PIF in 2002. 18

December 2012 Initiatives

“Over Thanksgiving and Christmas, everybody was working on Blue Force Tracking systems,” Harrison said. “If I knew how to build cables and wiring harnesses, I would have been doing that, too. ... I’m still amazed that we did it.” It was just the first in a series of extraordinary achievements for the PIF and its partners, now marking a decade of what an anniversary video succinctly sums up as “Solving Problems, Saving Lives.” “Our job is to solve Army and government problems as quickly as possible,” Featherston said. At the end of September, the PIF had more than 310 projects under way, ranging from something as simple as mounting a bracket on a Humvee to as complex as designing and installing a suite of upgrades for the Army’s aging-but-busy OH-58D Kiowa Warrior - improvements so comprehensive they create a new “F” model of the helicopter. The first was delivered in late October. The PIF’s professionals extensively modify and customize aircraft for the Department of State, Homeland Security, the Navy and many other government customers. In one ongoing program, PIF engineers take off-the-shelf commercial Bell 407 helicopters and prepare them for use by Iraq’s new military, installing special communications, survivability equipment and other gear. While its original focus was on aviation and missiles, the PIF also works on ground vehicles, maintenance shelters and more. Among other things, the engineers are crafting “Minotaur,” a much-modified, robotic Bobcat now saving lives by defeating Improvised Explosive Devices in Afghanistan. Featherston said the Army holds an annual competition for the top 10 greatest inventions. “We’ve won that award eight times,” he said, as well as a number of Government Innovation and other honors.

He is quick to point out that all the work at the PIF is “reimbursably funded” – that is, paid for by the government customers. The PIF doesn’t get its own federal budget courtesy of the Congress and taxpayers.

A DECADE OF GROWTH Today, more than 110 government and about 900 contract employees work full-time at the PIF, which also does business with about 2,000 companies, Featherston said. On April 23, after years of effort and competition, a new $4.5 billion PIF management contract was awarded to Redstone Defense Systems, a joint venture comprised of SES and Yulista Aviation Inc. Harrison is now general manager of RDS and the president of Yulista Aviation, which he emphasized is a separate, very different company than Yulista Management Services. Both are part of Calista Corp., an Alaska Native Regional Corporation headquartered in Anchorage. SES leaders understood there were advantages to pairing with an Alaskan native company, and they actively sought such a partner to secure that first PIF contract, said Julio Driggs. He’s been with SES and the PIF for seven years and is deputy general manager of JVYS. Federally-designated “8(a)” companies like Calista – owned by economically and socially disadvantaged groups and meeting other specific requirements – can receive government contracts without competition. In 2002, the first PIF contract was awarded to JVYS with a $1.1 billion ceiling, an amount Harrison thought then would never be reached. “My comment to them at the time was ‘Well that’s just silly. There is no reason to have a ceiling like that ... If we ever grew

to $50 million a year, I would be astounded.’ The growth is just way beyond anything I could ever have imagined,” he said. Featherston said that as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan presented new challenges, the PIF’s work grew, and they ended up raising that original ceiling to more than $2 billion. The new, $4.5 billion-contract has a base of three years with a two-year option. Including RDS, three teams competed for the new work. Driggs said both companies in RDS are very pleased that they were awarded the contract in a competition. “That’s a huge difference,” he said. “We are very proud of it, very proud of our proposal.” SES and the different Yulista companies have other customers and work in addition to the PIF support, but this contract is their “gem,” Driggs said. “This is the key contract for SES.” “Just speaking from the Yulista viewpoint, it is absolutely huge,” Harrison said. “We represent about 70 percent of their total revenue.” The dividends help those economically-depressed people in Alaska. “It means everything,” he said. Both men said that without the past performance and experience with the PIF projects, their companies wouldn’t have prospered as they have over the last 10 years. “It has given us the facilities, the infrastructure, the personnel to do a huge number of different types of things,” Harrison said. “Each company,

continued on page 20

Initiatives December 2012

Solving Problem, Saving Lives, continued from page 19 –

PIF Program Manager Danny Featherston discusses the wide range of products and projects worked on at the facility on Redstone Arsenal. The PIF was founded in 2002 as a small lab but has expanded extensively in the past 10 years. Currently, the PIF is working on more than 300 projects. it’s given us the ability to then go bid and propose on other contracts and on other work.” “The diversity that these companies have ... We’re two strong companies, having those capabilities,” Driggs said. “And 10 years ago, we were two very small and wishing-we-were-stronger companies,” Harrison said. “It’s been a huge difference.” Harrison was the first Yulista Management Services employee in Huntsville in May of 2002. He said his office was basically a closet in what was then SES’s sole facility on Pulaski Pike. Today, Yulista has more than 600,000 square feet in facilities throughout Madison County. Yulista Management Services has about 750 employees in the area, and Yulista Aviation, Inc., has about 150. SES has expanded to handle sophisticated aircraft modification and repair for government and civilian customers in the 20

December 2012 Initiatives

former Dunlop plant near Huntsville International Airport and elsewhere. SES’s work includes dismantling or “depopulating” Apache attack helicopters to prepare them for Boeing upgrades and heavily modifying Russian Mi-17 helicopters being used by the Army at Fort Rucker in a program to train the next generation of Afghan aviators. Earlier this year, SES opened a sparkling new 14,000-square-foot hangar facility at the airport. The company now has more than 853 employees in the area, Driggs said, including about 100 who support the PIF work. The PIF work is special for another reason, and it can be seen in the organization’s badge. Prominent in the center is the silhouette of a soldier, the focus of all their efforts. “The primary purpose of the PIF is to provide rapid response to our Warfighters,” Harrison said. Many of the employees at both Yulista companies and SES are ex-military, or have spouses and family who served or are serving.

“So, in general, there is a strong emotional tie to supporting that particular facility,” Harrison said.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS PIF’s origins are in a couple of activities that were part of what was then the Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center or MRDEC on the arsenal in the mid1990s. There was a Prototype Engineering Division, nicknamed “Skunkworks,” and also a division with a circuit card assembly and other electronic capability. When Ronnie Chronister, who then ran the electronics division, occasionally needed mounts or other mechanical engineering, he usually had to go to a contractor. While exploring new ways of getting the work done, he began working with Tom House, who was in charge of what was then the Aviation Research, Development and Engineering Center in St. Louis. The aviation center was moved to Redstone Arsenal and com-

bined with MRDEC to form what is now AMRDEC. House has since retired. Chronister, now Deputy to the Commander of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command on the arsenal, said recently that he vividly remembers meeting with House in Huntsville. The first ideas for the high-tech, life-saving success story that is today’s PIF were literally outlined on an IHOP napkin, Chronister said. As the PIF formed, there was a need for a building to bring the operations under one roof and create the efficient, “rapid response” capability for the troops, Featherston said. The work also led to the need for a contract vehicle to acquire necessary materials, manpower and subcontractors. With the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the nation was suddenly on the brink of war, he said, and “compelling requirements” came into the aviation, missile and other program offices on Redstone Arsenal. PIF opened its doors in spring of 2002, and the first contract, with JVYS, was signed that year.

PIF’S PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE On a recent walk with Featherston through the PIF headquarters and high-bay area, in Building 5405, one of the Bell 407s was being readied for Iraq, and a Sikorsky Black Hawk was being modified for the Navy’s Presidential Helicopter program. Nearby, men and women worked in clean rooms

on electronic gear, or were at the controls of high-tech milling and other machinery. “Welcome to ‘The Greatest Show on Earth,’” Featherston said. He is always proud to show elected officials and military or government visitors the PIF and its team members. PIF’s methodologies and “lean and mean” approach have been emulated by industry, he said, and government is hoping to replicate the PIF’s success elsewhere. He believes about 49 percent of that success is rooted in its processes, organizational structure, and location among the other programs, commands and resources on Redstone Arsenal and in Huntsville. The rest may be harder to duplicate: “Fifty-one percent is the attitudes of the employees here,” Featherston said. Harrison pointed out that the PIF has matured to handle incredibly complex projects in the decade since building the Blue Force Trackers. Turning an OH-58D Kiowa into the advanced F model, for instance. “That kind of work would never have gone to a company like Yulista or SES, or gone through the PIF, 10 years ago,” he said. It could only have gone to a Bell, Sikorsky, Boeing or other original equipment manufacturer (OEM). “This changes

the whole dynamic ... and provides (government) another alternative that’s usually faster and cheaper.” Featherston said everyone at the PIF is proud of what has been accomplished over the last decade. But they aren’t planning to pause for many ceremonies or formal congratulations. “When you’re doing so much, there’s not time to celebrate success,” he said, looking around. “Every day we’ve got a new challenge coming in. And the nature of our business is to be poised and ready for the next task.” • Kenneth Kesner

Top: Featherston is pictured with a helicopter that is being retrofitted at the PIF for one of its customers, the Iraqi Army. Above: when asked to solve the problem of IEDs that rendered Humvee door handles useless and trapped soldiers inside, PIF workers devised the solution of mounting D-rings so that rescue equipment could pull the doors open. Left: the PIF was asked to create boxes that could be used to house memorabilia of fallen soldiers and then presented to their families. Initiatives December 2012

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

Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,919

2011 Census

340,111

182,956

43,685

425,480

Huntsville City Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,079

22.9% 15.6% 48.9% 24.3%

The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,600

% Growth

City of Huntsville Madison Metro Area

Madison County Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,389

Households & Income* # of Households

126,564

Avg. Household Income $74,304 Per Capita Income

$29,918

NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000

73,235

14,840

156,592

$67,940 $101,574

$71,906

$29,255

$28,761

$37,883

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov), *2010 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

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Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park has earned a reputation as a global

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December 2012 Initiatives

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

Thanks Mike When Mike Gillespie was elected Chairman of the Madison County Commission in 1980, he was just 33 years old and the youngest man to be elected to that post in the entire state. After 32 years in the job, he retired in November with the record of holding his elected post the longest.

More than 100 Chamber members turned out for a Nov. 1 reception to honor Gillespie for not only his years of service but also for the conciliatory way in which he did his job. Various speakers thanked him for his tirelessness in recruiting industry to Madison County, his integrity and his graciousness. Madison County flourished during Gillespieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tenure, with the population seeing a 70 percent increase and an annual budget of $122 million. In his retirement, Gillespie plans help coach the Huntsville Middle School basketball team and spend time with his wife, two daughters and grandson.

Initiatives December 2012

Strategic Technology Huntsville’s “Digital 1:1” textbook initiative gaining national attention

he Chamber hosted business and community leaders for an Oct. 27 meeting with Michael Robbins, Senior Advisor for Nonprofit Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Education. Robbins, a Huntsville native and graduate of Grissom High School, was in town to meet with Huntsville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski about the Robbins system’s digital learning initiative, which is the largest, most comprehensive technology investment in the country.

In his position, Robbins helps leverage community contributions to create a “culture of education success,” and digital learning is one of the tools he encourages to transform the way students learn and the way communities engage with schools. “What’s happening here is on the forefront of change in this country,” Robbins said. “Other systems will follow like a tsunami!” Huntsville City Schools’ unprecedented conversion from hardcopy textbooks to digital curriculum, called Digital 1:1, creates a learning environment that is relevant and en-

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December 2012 Initiatives

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gaging to better prepare students for success in college and the workforce. The curriculum has been purchased from Pearson, and Pearson has provided significant additional support and resources to ensure success through the system. It is support that would only be offered for the first and largest system to undertake the conversion, a financial consideration that played a role in the decision to launch the initiative this year. “The decision to do this now was bold and very strategic from both a fiscal and an academic perspective,” said Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber’s Education Committee. “Dr. Wardynski knew he could secure the full support of Pearson, bringing a lot of extra resources to the system, and he anticipated the gains in student achievement. These gains are what he needs to jumpstart Huntsville City Schools and really make a difference in how well our students perform.” Business and community leaders met at the Chamber in September to hear directly from school officials and Wardynski Pearson representatives about the conversion and its impact. As could be expected when putting more than 25,000 pieces of computer equipment into service at once, there were technical challenges. Huntsville City Schools’ IT Department reported more than 600 calls per week for the first two weeks of school. By week five, the volume had dropped to 200, and two-thirds of those calls were for password resets. Despite these challenges, the impact on student achievement and discipline has been dramatic. Typically students lose an average of one month’s worth of learning during summer break. That results in lower fall scores than were attained on the same

tests given in the spring. This year, students in Huntsville City Schools showed no loss in those reading at/above the proficiency level, and they showed a gain of 8 percent in math. Achievement tests show even more improvement when comparing fall 2012 to fall 2011. Not only were more students tested in less time – 98 percent in one week in fall 2012 versus 92 percent in two weeks in fall 2011 – the scores were higher. Reading scores increased by 15 percent, and math scores increased by 23 percent. So contrary to criticism that the conversion caused delays in learning, students performed better than last year on system-wide tests. The improvement in discipline has been notable. Within the first month, in-school suspensions were down 56 percent from 2011, and out-of-school suspensions were down 44 percent. Teachers report that students are more engaged and therefore less disruptive. Huntsville City Schools has created a comprehensive section on its website for Digital 1:1 with frequently asked questions, research on digital curriculum, and procedures for lost or malfunctioning equipment. The FAQs address bandwidth, network and access issues as well as questions about filters and apps on the devices. The school system is pursuing grants that would improve the digital experience for students, teachers and parents, and the conversion is garnering attention from national and international media and large school systems across the country. In November, Huntsville City Schools was recognized as one of 20 “Signature Districts” by Project RED (Revolutionizing EDucation). This recognition brings with it additional support for education technology initiatives. The evolution from chalk board to computer labs – where students would go once a week – to a computer for every student is documented by students and teachers in a video created by Huntsville City Schools: http://bit.ly/1to1digital. Benefits acknowledged by teachers include active engagement, immediate feedback, and flexible curriculum. And as one student says, “You can take the world with you.” See www.huntsvillecityschools.org for complete information on Digital 1:1. • Lucia Cape

Community leaders gather to discuss the Digital 1:1 learning initiative for Huntsville City Schools.

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December 2012 Initiatives

The Future is Now ‘Futurist’ Mike Walsh to address Chamber Membership on Jan. 24

onder what tomorrow holds? Come to the Chamber’s Annual Meeting luncheon on Jan. 24 and find out, as Australian “futurist” Mike Walsh shares his vision of what will happen in the technological world over the next five years. Founder and CEO of Tomorrow, a consumer innovation research lab, Walsh advises some of the world’s leading brands and corporations on what’s coming next in their industry. Author of the best seller “FUTURETAINMENT,” he is a leading authority on the intersection of emerging technologies, consumer behavior and fast growth markets. Walsh’s personal manifesto is, “Everything is changing. How we live, how we work and how we play. But to understand the future you need to focus on anthropology (the study of human beings), not technology. After all, as interesting as it is when things change, the real magic happens when people do.” When addressing groups – such as the Chamber’s Annual Meeting crowd – the global nomad/consumer trend scout focuses on the next five years – scanning the near horizon for disruptive technologies and consumer innovations on the verge of hitting critical mass – then translates these into usable business strategies. Chamber Board Chair Jim Bolte had the responsibility of selecting the Annual Meeting speaker, and he said he selected Walsh after considering numerous possibilities. “I wanted somebody who had some international flavor to them, somebody who was looking ahead, not just making predictions but someone who – based on data and analysis – could put into easy to understand terms, what the future will look like in terms of economics,” Bolte said. “I wanted some-

one who could talk about where customers will be driving business. (Walsh) seemed to have that kind of resume. “And I think everyone will love his Australian accent.” Also at the Annual Meeting, Bolte will turn over his Chair’s gavel to Ron Poteat, who will lead the Chamber’s board in 2013. Bolte’s selection for the 2013 Distinguished Service Award winner will also be revealed at the Jan. 24 lunch. S3 will be the presenting sponsor. To register for the event, go to http://bit. ly/cocmeeting. • Patricia McCarter

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Initiatives December 2012

SPOTLIGHT ON SMALL BUSINESS: 2012 Small Business Award Winner in the Business/Professional Services Category Flint River Animal Hospital won the 2012 Business and Professional Services Award last month at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s Small Business Awards celebration. Initiatives recently asked practice owner and senior veterinarian Kevin Lowe about his growing business. A brief history of Flint River Animal Hospital ... After graduating from Auburn University as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2002, I worked as a DVM in veterinary hospitals in Chattanooga, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Grant before returning to Huntsville to develop my own practice. After doing a demographic analysis of the Huntsville area, we determined our desired location. In 2007, we purchased a 3.2 acre out-parcel from the developer of Winchester Plaza. Flint River Animal Hospital was constructed and opened for pet care services on April 2, 2009. We have exceeded our initial business plan in several aspects: an expanding client base, revenue growth, staff hires and debt reduction.

Q: What services does Flint River Animal Hospital offer and tell us about any areas of specialization? A: Flint River Animal Hospital is an all-digital integrated state-of-theart facility providing comprehensive pet health care services for dogs, cats and exotic pets including dental care, digital X-ray, ultrasound, surgical laser soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, and in-house laboratory for internal medicine. We place high emphasis on client education for problem prevention, wellness, health care and follow-up. The extensive computer and media network throughout our hospital is geared toward client education with work stations in every treatment area. All exam rooms have monitors for DVMs and vet techs to show clients their pet’s personal X-rays and diagnostic ultrasound images, educational video clips and recent research with an online Digital Imaging Atlas. At every exam, the pet’s personalized patient report card is discussed with the pet owner. Flint River Animal Hospital also offers boarding, grooming, and doggie day/play care.

Q: What has been your company’s greatest achievement? A: Our focus on pet medical care excellence, client education, dog-happy boarding and day-care and professional pet grooming has built a respected reputation and word-of-mouth referral to Flint 28

December 2012 Initiatives

Above: Dr. Kevin Lowe with Chamber Small Business Vice Chair Miranda Bouldin, President & CEO of LogiCore, at the Small Business Awards. Below: Part of the crew from Flint River Animal Hospital celebrating at the post-event reception.

River Animal Hospital. We enjoy collaborative relationships with pet rescue and adoption agencies, and we support community events, all while sustaining significant business growth.

Q: What goals do you have for Flint River Animal Hospital for the next five or 10 years? A: We have outgrown our facility and will be adding a second building for our Flint River Bed ‘n Biscuit offering boarding, dog day/play care and grooming. A longer-term goal is to become American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Certified, meaning FRAH’s veterinary medical practice protocols and procedures meet the highest standards of veterinarian care.

Q: What does it mean to you, both personally and professionally, to receive the award?

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A: Receiving the award is affirmation of everything we have done right: taking time to develop and implement a detailed business plan based on our analysis of benchmarks of best-run veterinary practices, trusting our data projections based on economic trends, while adhering to FRAH’s core values. Emphasis is placed on what is best for the pet and its owner and not only on the business bottom line. Our clients sense this integrity which builds trust and loyalty to Flint River Animal Hospital.

Q: How has being active in the Chamber helped you? A: We have taken advantage of several of the Chamber -provided educational seminars to inform small businesses of changes in tax law, health care, finances, etc. We also have used marketing opportunities offered by the Chamber, including placing our brand, services and location on the back panel of the city map published biannually by the Chamber. • Compiled by Marian Accardi Initiatives December 2012

Moving Forward Scheuermann committed to Marshall’s role with SLS, ISS, James Webb Telescope

in mid-November. “We have T-minus four years and counting.” Mars, of course, is the eventual destination of much speculation, with the year 2030 in view. And it’s natural for Scheuermann to imagine what that trip would look like: In 1998, he was a finalist in NASA’s astronaut candidate selection program. Scheuermann said he’s confident that with the intelligence and experience of engineers and administrative officials working at Marshall, the launch vehicle will be ready to go wherever it’s called. Currently, robots are extracting minerals from the Mars landscape so scientists can see what can be used for human survival. “When you leave low earth orbit, there’s no Walmart between there and Mars,” he said.

“And it will take 18 months to get there.” Scheuermann said he and Lt. Gen. Dennis Via, who is commanding general of the Army Materiel Command, are on the same page about how Redstone Arsenal and Marshall Space Flight Center need to partner when they can, as they both know there are no “buckets of money” that will rain down upon them. “We will collaborate,” he said. Scheuermann also said that Marshall’s success depends on a great relationship with the Huntsville/Madison County community and the Chamber of Commerce, and he looks forward to continuing that friendship. When Scheuermann was named Marshall’s new director in late September, Alabama’s two senators said the man was a good choice.

Photo courtesy of NASA

atrick Scheuermann said the three priorities negotiated for NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center by the President and Congress have not changed since he became center director in September. The Space Launch System, International Space Station and James Webb Space Telescope are the only items on Scheuermann’s to-do list. That’s what he works on every day. And if anyone wants to put the cart in front of the proverbial horse in regards to the future destination of the Marshall-designed SLS launch vehicle, Scheuermann is happy to tell them where it’s headed. “It’s going to Kennedy Space Center,” Scheuermann said in a conversation with the board of the directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Previously, technicians at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center completed a series of cryogenic tests on six James Webb Space Telescope beryllium mirror segments at the center’s X-ray & Cryogenic Facility. The Webb telescope has 18 mirrors, each of which will be tested twice in the Center’s X-ray & Cryogenic Facility to ensure that the mirror will maintain its shape in a space environment -- once with bare polished beryllium and then again after a thin coating of gold is applied. 30

December 2012 Initiatives

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“By all accounts, Mr. Scheuermann is a highly qualified individual who is knowledgeable and passionate about SLS,” U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, said in a statement. “I look forward to working with him to ensure that Huntsville maintains a key role in preserving U.S. leadership in human space flight.” U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile, said, “Those who know him describe Patrick Scheuermann as bright, enthusiastic, and dedicated. He knows the Huntsville area and Marshall Space Flight Center well, has experience in rocketry… Scheuermann’s selection is a good signal for the future, and it was also good to hear the administrator reaffirm his commitment to human space flight and the 130 metric ton heavy lift rocket.” As director of Marshall, Scheuermann – a New Orleans native who went to work for the agency in 1988 – heads one of NASA’s largest field installations, with nearly 6,000 on- and near-site civil service and contractor employees and an annual budget of approximately $2.5 billion. He manages a broad range of proScheuermann pulsion, scientific and space transportation activities contributing to the nation’s space program. From 2010 to 2012, he served as director of NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss. There, he implemented the agency’s mission in the area of rocket propulsion testing; developed and maintained NASA’s world-class rocket propulsion test facilities; and ensured Stennis continued to serve as the systems engineering center for the agency’s applied science activities. From 2005 to 2007, he was chief operating officer of NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where he was responsible for day-to-day management and operation, and led the facility’s recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Other career stints include serving in Washington for two years as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi, being project manager at Stennis for NASA’s Reusable Launch Vehicle program and the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program. Scheuermann and his wife, the former Sarah Melissa Lee of Pearl River County, Miss., have a son and daughter, Chandler and Christina. • Patricia McCarter

Initiatives11/8/12 December 1:08 2012 PM

December 2012 Initiatives

2012 Washington Update Sen. Sessions gives insider’s look at recent Chamber luncheon U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions told hundreds of Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County members that the United State is “not dead financially” and has great potential. Sessions used his Washington Update, presented by Parsons, to provide an insider’s perspective on the Senate as well as federal programs important to the Huntsville/Madison County economy. “There is not another place in America that has a greater civic responsibility than right here in Huntsville, Alabama,” he said. Sessions said he is optimisSessions tic about many of the programs and agencies based in Huntsville on Redstone Arsenal. “I was impressed with Rear Adm. Jim Syring [who is set to take over the Missile Defense Agency],” the senator said during his October update. “I talked with him about Huntsville and its role in missile defense. I feel good about that. I remember at the groundbreaking for Von Braun IV and finding it so hard to say how fulfilling that event was. You have 600 people working in Von Braun I, 900 in Von Braun II, 2,640 in Von Braun III, and you will have 850 in Von Braun IV. I think that is a pretty good investment in a unique community.” NASA is also heading in a good direction, and Marshall Space Flight Center has a proven leader in Patrick Scheuermann, Sessions said. “I think there is now a real commitment to space,” he said. “A great nation should be a leader in great things.” Sessions was not quite as optimistic about the state of the Senate, labeling it the “least productive Senate of all time.” He claimed there was good bipartisan support for a defense appropriations bill, but it failed to come to the floor for a vote. Sessions says he hopes the bill will come up in the lame duck session. “I can’t think of another time when the Senate has failed to pass a single appropriations bill,” he said. “We used to pass six or so and cobble the rest together. That was not the best way, but this year not a single one has been passed, not even defense.” He said the leaders in Washington must take serious action regarding the nearly $16 trillion debt. He said a plan with a clear path forward to economic security is needed, calling the current path “unsustainable.” “In six years, interest on the debt will be

more than the entire defense budget…I’m tired of being attacked for bringing this up. [Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff] Adm. Mullen said it himself that the greatest threat is the economy.” When asked about sequestration – the budget mechanism for across the board government spending cuts due to failure of a Congressional Super Committee to find $1.2 trillion in cuts –

Sessions said it must be fixed because it will mean “devastating cuts for the Defense Department.” He estimates the actual cut could be 11 percent. However, he said there is room for optimism. “I was relieved to hear President Obama say we are going to fix sequestration,” he said. “I would be feeling better if he said this earlier.” • Harrison Diamond

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Initiatives December 2012

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

2 0 1 2 S TAF F Executive Staff Chip Cherry, CCE, president & CEO Tammy Gregory, executive assistant Ashley Shady, resource desk coordinator Richard McCollum, resource desk assistant

Economic Development Ethan Hadley, VP, economic development Lucia Cape, VP, workforce & industry relations John Southerland, director, Cummings Research Park | project manager

Systems Engineering and Integration Modeling and Simulation Software Development Information Assurance Algorithm Development Interoperability Test and Evaluation

Harrison Diamond, project manager Amy Locke, economic development, workforce & industry relations administrative assistant 12

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Ken Smith, director, research & information services

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Communications Patricia McCarter, communications director Kristi Sherrard, graphic designer Hiroko Sedensky, web designer

Governmental Affairs

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

Finance & Administration Christy Nalley, director, finance & administration

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Jamie Gallien, IT manager Mary McNairy, accounting specialist Lori Warner, accounting specialist Joe Watson, facilities supervisor

Membership Mike Brazier, director, membership Donna McCrary, membership specialist Amy Brantley, membership representative Melissa Putzier, membership representative

Small Business & Member Services Pammie Jimmar, small business manager

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Mitzi Floyd, small business coordinator RĂŞvĂŠ Smith, events coordinator Amanda Bishop, events assistant

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December 2012 Initiatives

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Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 225 Church Street, Huntsville, AL 35801 phone 256-535-2000 / fax 256-535-2015 www.hsvchamber.org

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December 2012 Initiatives