Initiatives magazine, April 2012 by Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

Initiatives April 2012

April 2012 Initiatives

Initiatives April 2012

Thanks to Our Investors Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

www.growHuntsville.com

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 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)

April 2012 Initiatives

AT&T BB&T CINRAM, Inc. COLSA Corporation Crestwood Medical Center Intergraph Corporation North Alabama Multiple Listing Service Northrop Grumman Corporation Qualitest Pharmaceuticals SES SPARTA, Inc., a Parsons Company WEUP / Hundley Batts & Associates Wyle CAS Group

Chamber Trustees ($10,000+ annually) AEgis Technologies Group Aerojet 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 Corporation – Huntsville Operations Lamar Outdoor Advertising, Inc.

Progress Partners

Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne, P.C. Look Outdoor Advertising, Inc. MJLM Engineering & Technical Services Navistar Diesel of Alabama, LLC Raytheon Company SAIC SportsMed Orthopaedic Spine & Surgery Center System Studies & Simulation, Inc. Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. Wells Fargo Bank

($5,000+ annually)

Ability Plus Analytical Services, Inc. A-P-T Research, Inc. Available Plastics, Inc. 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 Coldwell Banker Commercial McLain Real Estate Colonial Properties Trust Connected Logistics 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 MTS, Inc. The Orthopaedic Center Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. QinetiQ North America Radiance Technologies, Inc. Rosie’s Restaurants, Inc., & Right Way Restaurants, Inc. (dba Steak Out) Strata-G / StrataForm 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 Aviagen, Inc. Averbuch Realty Co . Inc. / Averbuch Enterprises Bama Jammer, Inc. BancorpSouth Brown Precision, Inc. Bryant Bank 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. 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 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. MOOG, Inc. National Bank of Commerce PALCO Telecom Service, Inc. PeopleTec PHOENIX Pinnacle Solutions, Inc. Progress Bank PROJECTXYZ, Inc. Public FA, Inc. QTEC, Inc. Qualis Corporation 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. United Space Alliance, LLC 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

Nominations will be accepted from April 2-27, 2012. Forms will be available online at www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com Forms may be faxed to the attention of Mitzi Floyd at 256-535-2015 or emailed to sba@hsvchamber.org.

For more information, please contact Mitzi Floyd, Small Business Coordinator at 256-535-2089. The 27th Annual Small Business Awards Celebration hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and presented by

Awards categories Small Business of the Year Non-Profit of the Year Young Professional of the Year Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award

Initiatives April 2012

April 2012 Initiatives

initiatives Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

april 2012 cover story

Climate Control How some of Huntsville’s smartest minds responded to the April 2011 tornadoes

dk- studio.com

beginning on page 22

features Economic Development Highlights

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.

Alabama Belted Kingfisher

including The Boeing Company, Toyota Motor Manuafacturing Alabama, Magnolia River, Diatherix Laboratories, Kratos, U.S. Space & Rocket Center, LMI, enGenius, CSSA, KAYA, PPG, and Baron Services

Small Business Center Stage: MIMI 2 0 Washington Update with Sen. Shelby 2 8 Nominations for Air Pollution Control 2 9 Economic Silver Lining 34 SBA Spotlight: Cyn Shea’s Complete Catering 3 6 2012 Montgomery Trip 38

developments HREGI Investors Listing Chamber Board Listing Community Profile HREGI Testimonial Making Connections 2012 Total Resource Campaign Chamber Staff Listing

4 8 19 26 30 33 42

Huntsville Botanical Garden

editorial staff

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.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com 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.

Publisher Chip Cherry, cce Executive Editor Patricia C. McCarter

Editorial Designer Kristi Sherrard ontributing Writers Kimberly Ballard, C Harrison Diamond, Patricia McCarter & Ken Smith Photography Chamber of Commerce staff, publications and archive unless otherwise noted Advertising Sales Becky Fentress The Huntsville Times becky.fentress@htimes.com Initiatives April 2012

Chamber of Commerce

Executive Committee and Board of Directors 2012 Executive Committee

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 Research & Technology Corporation

A Message from Chip Cherry

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

Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: Two words on this month’s Intiatives cover about innovations following last April’s tornadoes caught my eye – “smartest minds”. When you read the stories, you will notice a trend, smart people doing great things. Leading the pack is Bob Baron and the team at Baron Services who took their “smartest minds” and used them to devise a better way of providing site specific weather alerts. They are providing the service free to the citizens of Alabama, and it has the potential to save lives across the entire state. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to sign-up for SAF-T-Net today. To do so, go to saftnet.baronservices.com. Other examples of smart minds and productive hands are scattered throughout this publication, and I encourage you to read the stories highlighting the many great things happening in our community. I am excited to announce that Pammie Jimmar is joining the Chamber team as our Manager of Small Business. Small business is vital to the growth and vitality of our economy, and Pammie will be actively seeking ways to help our small business community grow. The story of MIMI (page 20) illustrates well how many businesses are born from an individual identifying a problem, crafting a solution, identifying a market, and selling their product. The spotlight on 2011 Small Business Award Winner Cyn Shea’s Complete Catering (page 36) shows how a business can differentiate itself from their competition by excelling in the areas of a quality work environment and an outstanding customer experience. These are just a few of the examples of the many outstanding small businesses in our community. I encourage you to look for the Chamber decal in businesses throughout Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County – these companies are committed to our community and to providing quality customer service. I hope the rebirth of Spring brings with it many blessings to you and your family! I look forward to seeing you at a Chamber event soon.

Chip Cherry, CCE

President & CEO Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

April 2012 Initiatives

Crystal Shell, Vice Chair - Image Development, WILL Technology Mayor Tommy Battle, Chair-Appointed, City of Huntsville Mayor Paul Finley, Chair-Appointed, City of Madison Chairman Mike Gillespie, Chair-Appointed, Madison County Commission Robert Mayes, Chair-Appointed, BlueCreek Investment Partners Joe Ritch, Chair-Appointed, Sirote & Permutt David Spillers, Chair-Appointed, Huntsville Hospital Chip Cherry, CCE, 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 Greg Bragg, Consolidated Construction Company Everett Brooks, Incrementum Consulting Group Micah Bullard, Turner Kevin Byrnes, Raytheon Company 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, Gray Research John Gully, SAIC Natalie Hasley, Bama Jammer Steve Hassell, Emerson Network Power 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 Simon Kim, LG Electronics Alabama 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 CAS Group Charlie Sealy, Sealy Management Company Dr. Ashok Singhal, CFD Research Corporation Todd Slyman, Village of Providence Jan Smith, S 3 Tom Stanton, ADTRAN Cynthia Streams, Domino’s Pizza (Valley Pizza) Nilmini Thompson, Systems Products and Solutions Dr. Ernie Wu, ERC

Initiatives April 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

~ continued on page 12

Boeing Dreamliner Makes Huntsville Stop for Its Designers to View Huntsville was the first North American stop on a world “Dream Tour” of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner in late January… and for good reason. Capt. Mike Bryan, the Dreamliner’s engineering project pilot who flew the plane in from Ireland, is a Grissom High graduate. Kevin Crowley, a director of Boeing’s 787 program, is a Huntsville High graduate. And about 600 engineers who helped design and develop the quiet, sleek, fuelefficient luxury jet have worked out of Boeing’s Huntsville Design Center and Advanced Systems Group. During a VIP event at Huntsville International Airport on Jan. 30, Bryan and Crowley joined other officials to celebrate the arrival of the plane. Hundreds of people who worked on the plane – as well as suppliers, aviation enthusiasts and the curious public – came out to tour the 787 during the three days it spent here. One of those suppliers was Huntsville’s PPG, which created the revolutionary windows that passengers can dim with a simple touch. Crowley marveled at the plane’s technological marvels, many of which had their genesis in Huntsville. He also said

the Huntsville Design Center is “one of the jewels” in Boeing’s crown and that the engineers from Huntsville “saved the day” by figuring out initial problems the aircraft suffered. As this plane was configured – and whoever purchases the 787 will determine those specifications – there were three sections of seating, but all of it appeared more spacious than what one frequently encounters on aircraft. Another selling point of the 787 is that it provides higher humidity and a lower “cabin altitude” inside the airplane. The pilot said even flying at 40,000 feet, passengers inside would feel like they were at 5,900 feet, which reduces travel fatigue. Also, the plane – constructed with lighter-weight composite material – uses less fuel as it travels at the same speeds as other aircraft. The plane was on a tour to introduce it to the public, but Boeing delivered its first Dreamliner last September. More than 850 others – which will be assembled in Washington and South Carolina – have been ordered. From Huntsville, the plane went to Seattle and Bangkok, Thailand. •

Capt. Mike Bryan, a graduate of Grissom, is the Dreamliner’s engineering project pilot.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Marks 2 Million Engines Built at Alabama Plant Toyota team members celebrated the 2 millionth engine, which rolled off the line at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc.(TMMAL). “It has been exciting to watch our team and our facility grow and mature,” said TMMAL President Jim Bolte. “Through every expansion and every obstacle, our team members have stayed committed to continuously improving our safety and quality. Their teamwork has made this milestone possible.” TMMAL is the only Toyota plant globally to produce four-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines at the same facility. The Huntsville facility builds four-cylinder engines for the Camry, Highlander, RAV4, Sienna and Venza vehicles, and V6 and 10

April 2012 Initiatives

V8 engines for the Tundra and Tacoma pick-up trucks and the Sequoia SUV. The facility’s total annual engine capacity is more than 500,000. The 2 millionth engine comes almost six months after the plant started production on the four-cylinder model. The addition of this engine not only increased production capacity but also gives the facility more flexibility to react to market demands. “We’re always excited to celebrate these accomplishments with our team members,” said Bolte. “We’re already looking forward to building our 3 millionth engine, which we expect to do in 2014.” •

Initiatives April 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 10

Magnolia River Grows in Huntsville

(L-R) Ron Poteat, chair-elect of the Chamber Board of Directors; Mayor Tommy Battle, Kim Hoff, Magnolia River president; Ronnie Hoff, Magnolia River executive vice president. Magnolia River, a certified Woman-owned Small Business that specializes in infrastructure solutions, GIS solutions, and energy Solutions, for utilities companies and federal, state and local governments, recently cut the ribbon for its new offices in Cummings Research Park. This year, Magnolia River International, Inc. was formed to serve as the holding company for Magnolia River Services, Inc. and Magnolia River Geospatial, Inc. (formerly Aeroquest Optimal, Inc.) Ron Poteat, Chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, said that Magnolia River is a prime example of the diversity of companies in the community. “This is a community that takes great strides in being progressive and forward-looking. That forward-looking mentality has seen this community look at new ways of diversifying our industry base while leveraging all the talented engineering and IT experts Huntsville/Madison County has to offer. Taking the steps to diversify ourselves has seen the announcement of new initiatives in energy which is one of the specialties of Magnolia River,” Poteat said. •

Kettering Medical Center Realizes a $3.7 Million Financial Impact Using Huntsville-based Infectious Disease Detection Technology Kettering Medical Center in Ohio has realized a positive financial impact of $3.7 million in the past year as the result of a change in standard operating procedures using a new innovative testing technology that diagnoses a wide variety of infectious diseases faster and more accurately than traditional testing that was developed at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. “This unique diagnostic technology allows us to diagnose patients faster, and the faster we can provide treatment the faster our patients heal,” said Carol Quinter, Ph.D., Director of Kettering Laboratory Clinical Services and Technical Director of DIATHERIX Laboratory at Kettering Medical Center. “This technology, developed by DIATHERIX Laboratories, is a game changer for the healthcare industry. Hospital savings are directly tied to reducing patient infection rates, decreasing the days patients need to be kept in isolation and prescribing fewer antibiotics.” DIATHERIX Laboratories is located in the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. DIATHERIX operates as an independent high complexity CLIA-certified clinical laboratory providing advanced multiplex molecular diagnostic services to assist healthcare providers in the detection of infectious disease. Kettering Health Network is recognized as a 2011 Thomson Reuters Top Ten Health Systems for the third consecutive year, and Kettering Medical Center is recognized as a 2011 Thomson Reuters Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital. In 2010, Kettering Medical Center partnered with DIATHERIX Laboratories, and together the two organizations established the only on-site hospital laboratory in the country utilizing the diagnostic technology called TEM-PCR. “When we began our partnership with Kettering in August 2010, we were anticipating a financial impact of roughly $225,000 in the first year so we are incredibly pleased with the $3.7 million results,” said Dennis Grimaud, Chairman and CEO of DIATHERIX, Inc. The DIATHERIX test takes about six hours to perform, compared to conventional technology requiring a minimum of 48 hours, which has had an enormous impact on the management of patients. • 12

April 2012 Initiatives

Huntsville Makes Top 10 of Forbes Best Performing Cities List What does it take to be on the list of Forbes best performing cities? A stronger than average economy, growing high-tech industry sectors and more made Huntsville among the best in the nation, according to a report by Forbes using the Milken Institute’s index of strong cities. The Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities index measures U.S. metropolitan areas based on growth in jobs, wages and salaries, and technology output. It weighs those factors over a five-year span, to account for varying business cycles, and the latest year’s performance, and then adds 12-month job growth performance to account for recent momentum. The report says of Huntsville, “The federal government was a big contributor to Huntsville’s growth, but even as some spending declines the area should benefit from BRAC and its high concentration of high-tech output from the aerospace and defense industry.” •

Gallup puts Huntsville fourth in list of Optimistic Cities We thought something good was about to happen… The Gallup Poll announced on March 13 that Huntsville ranks fourth among cities in the United States according to satisfaction about where they live and where their community is headed. Across 190 U.S. metro areas, residents of Provo-Orem, Utah, are the most likely nationwide to say their city or area is getting better as a place to live at 76 percent, followed by Lafayette, La., 75.8; Raleigh-Cary, N.C.; Huntsville 74.3 and Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, S.C. at 74.2. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index tracks community satisfaction and optimism on a daily basis. Results reflect the average for 2011 based on interviews with 353,492 U.S. adults conducted from January to December 2011. “It’s no surprise that the citizens of Huntsville are optimistic,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “We live in this beautiful area, filled with green mountains, parks and rivers, and we have a welcoming city that is both affordable and financially sound, with a strong economy and bright future. We have much to be grateful for.” •

~ continued on page 14

Kratos Opens New Building in Cummings Research Park Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, a California-based defense contractor, opened its second building in Cummings Research Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 26. The new 30,000-square-foot facility allows the company room to grow as well as collaborate with government and commercial customers. Kratos is a specialized National Security Technology business providing mission critical products, services and solutions for United States National Security priorities. Kratos’ core capabilities are sophisticated engineering, manufacturing and system integration offerings for National Security platforms and programs. Kratos’ areas of expertise include C5ISR, unmanned systems, cyber warfare, cyber security, information assurance, critical infrastructure security and weapons systems sustainment. Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Chair Jim Bolte applauded Kratos for the work it does and will continue to do. “Kratos has already been a great business neighbor to Huntsville,” Bolte said. “And with this expansion, we have continued confidence for what your work will mean to our nation, our state and our city.”

Richard Selvaggio, president of weapon systems solutions, said the new facility will help the company grow its footprint in Huntsville. “My job is to bring some of the 4,000 (Kratos) employees here. That’s what we are trying to do. This new facility allows us to consolidate operations and allows us to grow and bring in new divisions,” Selvaggio said. U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) said the opening of the new building is a great example of what the Huntsville/ Madison County community does in support of the warfighter. “I looked up the definition of Kratos and found that it means power and strength. That really symbolizes what this company does for our country. What happens here in Cummings Research Park and Redstone Arsenal helps the warfighter get the job done,” Brooks said. Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie thanked the company for choosing Huntsville for the expansion. “Thank you for what you have done here for the nation and for the confidence that you have shown in this community by expanding here,” Gillespie said. •

Richard Selvaggio, Kratos president of weapon systems solutions, and Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) cut the ribbon on Kratos’ new facility in Cummings Research Park.

Initiatives April 2012

Local Companies Named Among the Best Small Businesses by U.S. Chamber The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently honored its 2012 Blue Ribbon Small Business Award® winners, and one local company was among the honorees. Madison-based Eagle Collision was among the companies honored, making it the only Alabama-based company to do so. “Today, the Chamber celebrates the positive impact made by these companies and is proud to recognize them for their outstanding achievements,” said Thomas J. Donohue, U.S. Chamber president and CEO. All Blue Ribbon recipients will be recognized during America’s Small Business Summit, where an overall winner will be announced and will receive one complimentary registration to attend the summit, courtesy of Sam’s Club®. In addition, 25 Free Enterprise Honorees were commended for their strong business practices and contributions to the economy. One of those companies was Huntsvillebased Connected Logistics. •

U.S. Space & Rocket Center is Alabama’s number one attraction More than 533,000 people visited the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville last year, ranking it No. 1 among state attractions that charge admission. Seven of the state’s Top Ten attractions charging admission showed an increase in attendance over previous years. Attendance figures were collected by the Alabama Tourism Department from local tourism organizations. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, with a course located in Huntsville, ranked second with attendance of 512,044. Huntsville Botanical Garden ranked seventh with 275,000, and EarlyWorks Museum Complex in Huntsville was tenth with 155,000. •

~ Economic Development Highlights continued on page 16 April 2012 Initiatives

Initiatives April 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 14

enGenius Celebrates the Relocation of its Corporate Headquarters to Huntsville enGenius, a consulting firm founded in Atlanta, officially announced it has moved its corporate headquarters to Huntsville with a ribbon cutting at its office in Cummings Research Park. enGenius is an IT services firm providing enterprise solutions and managed services to the public sector since 1996. As “The Idea Partners,” its solutions support clients across the country with the federal government such as NASA, the Department of Treasury, and FEMA as well and the Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Army. Jim Bolte, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said the choice of enGenius to relocate its headquarters to Huntsville from Atlanta is an example of the attractiveness of Huntsville as a place to do business. “Occasions like this show how our community attracts innovative companies and why Huntsville/Madison County truly is a smart place,” Bolte said. Rich McAdams, president of enGenius, said Huntsville is its largest corporate site “by far”. “Huntsville and Redstone Arsenal are the place to be for a federal contractor… It absolutely made sense to be here,” McAdams said. •

Rich McAdams, president of enGenius, is presented a plaque from Jim Bolte, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors.

Cepeda Still Maintains Focus on the Customer

Sandra Cepeda, founder & CEO

Cepeda Systems and Software Analysis (CSSA) celebrated 10 years of providing service to various NASA, Department of Defense and commercial customers with a ribbon cutting at the Jackson Conference Center in Cummings Research Park on Feb. 2. CSSA was formed as a corporation in 2001 and is a woman-owned, small, disadvantaged, 8(a) business located in Madison. CSSA core competencies are performance-based systems, software engineering, and process improvement. The company’s systems and software engineering support spans the complete product life cycle and include software development, modeling and simulation, independent verification and validation, quality assurance, configuration and data management, requirements development and analysis, program management, and risk management. Sandra Cepeda, founder and CEO, said the customers

have made the company’s mission of being a trusted advisor possible. “Throughout these years, you have honored us with your trust and loyalty. I look back now at where we have been for these 10 years and we are glad that we have had the opportunity to serve you,” Cepeda said. Ron Poteat, Chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, said the opportunity to celebrate the growth of a locally-based tech company shows just how unique this community is. “Today is the kind of day we like at the Chamber. One of our very own home-grown companies is celebrating its growth. Companies like Cepeda that are using technology to make this country better are great examples of the highlevel of expertise that is truly unique to Huntsville/Madison County,” Poteat said. •

Non-Profit Government Consulting Firm Acquires Belzon; now regional headquarters Virginia-based government consulting firm LMI announced on Feb. 21 that it has purchased Belzon Inc. in Huntsville and will make it the headquarters for LMI’s newly established southeast region. Belzon’s current president, Mike Carden, will become LMI’s new regional director for the southeast. Belzon founder and CEO Ron Klein will continue to advise LMI on its activities in the southeast and Huntsville. “When we were looking at expanding our southeast region presence, we were hoping to find an organization that 16

April 2012 Initiatives

would provide a skilled workforce to complement LMI’s capabilities,” said LMI President and CEO Nelson M. Ford. “We also sought an organization who was a good match for LMI’s corporate values. In Belzon we found a great fit: talented, innovative staff who value service to the federal government and their local community. We’re

thrilled to add them to the LMI family.” In establishing a southeast regional office, LMI seeks to expand upon work already being performed in Huntsville, along with projects in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana and the Carolinas. As part of this support for the military and federal government, LMI has provided logistics and management support to the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, along with NASA, the FBI, the Department of Energy and the Department of Homeland Security. •

~ continued on page 18

Marshall’s Lightfoot to become Acting Associate Administrator; Goldman to head Marshall NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced Feb. 21 changes to his senior leadership team. Associate Administrator Chris Scolese was named director of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and Robert Lightfoot, director of the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will serve as acting associate administrator. Both will assume their new responsibilities on March 5. Scolese, who has been with NASA since 1987, succeeds Robert Strain, who announced his decision to return to private industry in January. Lightfoot joined NASA in 1989 as a test engineer and program manager at Marshall. Lightfoot’s deputy, Gene Goldman, will serve as Marshall’s acting center director. “Both Chris and Robert are dedicated public servants who have a passion for NASA and exploration,” Bolden said. As associate administrator, Lightfoot will be the agency’s highest-ranking civil servant, responsible for oversight and integration of NASA’s broad efforts in human space flight, science and aeronautics. Lightfoot began his NASA career as a test engineer and manager for the space shuttle main engine technology test bed program. He then served in leadership positions at Marshall, Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Miss., and Headquarters. In 1998, Lightfoot was named deputy division chief of Marshall’s Propulsion Test Division. He joined Stennis in 1999 as chief of Propulsion Test Operations where he managed space shuttle main engine testing and multiple NASA, Department of Defense, and industry rocket engine test programs. From 2003 to 2005, he was assistant associate administrator for the Space Shuttle Program, Office of Space Flight, at Headquarters. •

KAYA given award for the state SBA Top Small Business Persons of 2011 A Huntsville defense contracting company that started out with just two employees in 2003 was named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Persons of the Year for Alabama for 2011. Although KAYA Associates founders John Prince and Robert Dunn were given the news last year, state SBA officials were in Huntsville on Jan. 30 to put the trophy in their hands. Now, the Huntsville-based company has 215 employees, and their office footprint stretches from Alaska to South Carolina to Kentucky. Its first major contract was supporting the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. Presenting the award at KAYA’s Thornton Research Park office was Tom Todt, the director of the SBA’s Alabama district office. KAYA is a SBA-certified small disadvantaged business that provides facilities planning and engineering, installation management, environmental services, IT services, and air traffic control support to the Department of Defense as well as other Government agencies and commercial customers. • Initiatives April 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 17

~ continued on page 32

Gillespie Receives NAITA International Trade Advocate Award The North Alabama International Trade Association (NAITA) recently awarded the 2012 International Trade Advocate Award to Mike Gillespie, Chairman of the Madison County Commission. The NAITA International Trade Advocate Award honors and recognizes an individual who has contributed significantly to the advancement of international trade in general and the vision and mission of NAITA in particular. The 2012 recipient of the NAITA International Trade Advocate Award is a true visionary and a key player in recognizing the importance of international trade to our local and regional economy. More importantly, he supported the vision of a group of community leaders in establishing the North Alabama International Trade Association in 1983. Through Gillespie’s leadership, international trade development has become a critical component of the economic diversification strategy of this community and region. In 1983, the Madison County Commission established the “International Trade Development Center” as part of its department of Planning and Economic Development. As commission chairman, Mike Gillespie became increasingly aware of the importance of international business development – including

exports, imports, foreign direct investment, and joint ventures – to the future progress of Madison County’s economic development. For the past 29 years, the Madison County Commission International Trade Development Center has supported local business in developing and expanding export markets by assisting with export controls regulations and compliance and other trade related issues and designing and implementing seminars and programs in conjunction with NAITA and its statewide trade partners to educate business on international trade issues and the mechanics of exporting and importing. The Madison County Commission International Trade Development Center and NAITA have formed a unique public-private partnership for trade development that has flourished over the years in facilitating trade development across the region. This partnership has been recognized nationally as a model program through the National Association of Counties, GOVERNING Magazine, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the International Economic Development Council. Exporting continues to be increasingly important to our local, state, and national economy. •

Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie accepts the 2012 International Trade Advocate Award from the North Alabama International Trade Association .

PPG honored by Mitsubishi Aircraft for timely flight-deck window development PPG Industries’ aerospace transparencies group has been recognized by Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. for exemplary performance in meeting the schedule to develop windshields and side flight-deck windows for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet. Brent Wright, PPG Aerospace global platform director for transparencies, accepted a plaque from Mitsubishi Aircraft Executive Vice President Norio Aoki during a conference in Nagoya for key program suppliers. PPG was one of three supply partners honored. “We are honored to be recognized by Mitsubishi Aircraft with the Cooperative Partner Award for working hard

to meet the development schedule,” Wright said. “This is especially meaningful because we are developing lightweight flight-deck transparencies that will be among the largest in commercial aviation while helping Mitsubishi Aircraft break new ground in aviation.”

Wright said PPG has completed design of the windshields and side flight-deck windows and development is under way. The heated glass windshields and windows will be produced at PPG’s Huntsville, Ala., facility. The MRJ is a family of 70- to 90-seat next-generation regional jets under development by Mitsubishi Aircraft. PPG Aerospace is the aerospace products and services business of PPG Industries. PPG Aerospace – Transparencies is the world’s largest supplier of aircraft windshields, windows and canopies. PPG Aerospace – PRC-DeSoto is the leading global producer and distributor of aerospace coatings, sealants, and packaging and application systems. •

Baron Services Announces Alabama SAF-T-Net, a No-Cost, Site-Specific Severe Weather Alert System

Baron Services, Inc., a leading Alabama-based weather technology company, announced Feb. 23 that it will make its site-specific weather alerting system available to all Alabamians at no cost. Alabama SAF-T-Net is a fully automated, patented weather alerting system that uses a combination of phone, email and text messaging to provide notification ahead of a storm. Baron Services CEO Bob Baron said the company’s decision to offer its alerting system free to all residents was inspired by the work of the Tornado Recovery Action Council (TRAC). The council, commissioned by Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, recently released its report regarding the April 27 tornadoes of last year. Specifically, the report recommended that Alabama “implement a statewide, integrated severe-weather alert system that Gov. Robert Bentley and Baron Services CEO Bob Baron at provides more-precise alerts for individuals and businesses than the release of SAF-T-Net. current countywide warnings, allows individuals to enroll phone April 2012 Initiatives

numbers, and takes advantage of smartphone technologies.” Bentley attended the SAF-T-Net announcement at Baron Services in Cummings Research Park. “We are fortunate to have a leading weather technology company right here in Alabama that is willing and able to meet the challenge set forth by TRAC,” Bentley said. “Alabama is blessed to have dedicated meteorologists who stay ahead of storms and deliver the appropriate warnings.” Baron, a former television meteorologist, founded his company in the aftermath of the tornado that decimated much of Airport Road and killed 21 people in November 1989. Residents can receive alerts via phone, email or text messaging for up to four user-defined locations. The system provides enhanced location-based storm alerts to recipients, uniquely filtering out broad based messages that often go unheeded. Go to saftnet.baronservices.com for more details. •

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

21.0% 13.8% 46.4% 21.9%

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

% Growth

City of Huntsville Madison Metro Area

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

Households & Income* # of Households

128,729

75,737

14,707

155,251

Avg. Household Income $75,911

$71,775

$94,538

$73,316

Per Capita Income

$31,226

$35,496

$29,026

$30,835

Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,280

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

nies and 25,000 people involved in technology research and development.

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

Initiatives April 2012

MIMI: My Instant Medical Information™ Necessity really is the “mother” of invention

his is how Julie Slayton tells the story of her elderly mother’s illness and how it propelled her to invent My Instant Medical Information, or MIMI, which was rolled out to consumers in mid-March. One night her mother, Jacquelyn, felt sick, so Slayton went across the street to check on her. Almost instantly Slayton knew she needed to call 911 because her mother was obviously extremely ill. The operator asked lots of questions, such as what medications Jacquelyn was taking and what surgeries she’d had in the past. When the paramedics arrived, they had even more questions. Slayton realized that, medically speaking, she didn’t know her mother very well at all. She always thought she and her mother were close, but the truth was, she didn’t even know if her mother wore dentures or if she was an organ donor. She didn’t know her height or weight or blood type or allergies or past sicknesses. They just never spoke of her health information. As she followed the ambulance to the hospital, Slayton said to herself, “Mother, if you pull through this, we’re going to have a long talk.” Her mother did survive becoming septic due to an erupted colon, and she now lives with Slayton. That terrifying experience – plus a few dozen doctors’ visits later – Slayton knows everything there is to know about her mother’s medical history. And she keeps it in her purse at all times. MIMI is a medical data management program that allows families to keep better track of one another’s health events. It is available

April 2012 Initiatives

on CD or through a computer download, but the information is not stored online. Instead, it is stored on your home computer, and updates can be made any time. Basically, it’s a Windows-based spreadsheet with plenty of room for a patient’s profile, medications, immunizations, list of doctors, medical conditions and surgeries. The spreadsheet grows as the patient’s history grows. Slayton initially created the spreadsheet just for her mother. But as she shared it with medical professionals, she began to see the value it would have for anyone.

Julie Slayton (left) and Susie Brock believe that MIMI can bring peace of mind to any caregiver.

“My mother has 14 doctors and 32 medications,” Slayton said. “There is no way I could remember all of that. Especially when you’re in an emergency situation. I have an incredible sense of relief that I have all of that information at my fingertips.” Slayton said all of her mother’s doctors have accepted the spreadsheet to process her medical information. It saves her time in having to write it all down, and because it is typed, it is easier for them to read. “It has gotten noticed by doctors, nurses, home healthcare workers, social workers, case workers, EMT’s – and even people in the doctor office waiting room,” she said. “Everyone who saw MIMI loved it and wanted it.” She knew she had a great idea, but she didn’t know what to do with it. Happenstance caused her path to cross with Susie Brock, a marketing specialist. Their young children are friends, and as Slayton began to talk with Brock about MIMI, they decided to join forces. Brock is now her only employee, and she serves as director of sales and marketing. Huntsville is MIM’s test market, and then EMS Publishing – the parent company – plans to take it national. “The time to prepare for an emergency is not when you’re faced with one,” Slayton said. “MIMI is the solution to organizing your family’s medical history and prescription information in one easy to use system. If there is an emergency – you can grab your MIMI and go. “Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to fill out all those medical forms over and over again? Simply hand your MIMI to the receptionist for your file.” For more information, go to mimimedical.com. • Patricia McCarter Initiatives April 2012

A retrospective of what we lost â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and gained.

he devastation left as a slew of tornadoes cut a swath through north Alabama last April cannot be overstated. There was the loss of life, loss of homes, loss of businesses and the loss of security that now vanishes any time the skies get cloudy. But sometimes innovative minds can extract lessons from death and defeat, and in doing so, pay homage so those who lost so much. Such is the case for some very bright people in the Tennessee Valley. What they learned from the storms of last April 27 and the technology they subsequently created will make everyone safer as tornado season rears its head again.

April 2012 Initiatives

have made certain adjustments to improve communications and shore-up back-up systems, for instance.

Early inspiration In 1976, as a student at Iowa State University, Kevin Knupp’s close encounter with a rare EF5 tornado changed the course of his life. “I watched it move across a field in front of me, and then I drove through its path of destruction,” he said. “The whole experience was terrifying and awesome. After seeing the utter destruction of buildings that were there one minute and gone the next, I dedicated my life’s work to studying severe weather and tornadoes.” An F5 designation is the most vicious and destructive tornado ever experienced since recordkeeping, based on its destruction rather than the force of its winds. Although statistics vary, central and north Alabama experienced three F5 tornadoes and eight F4 tornadoes on April 27. A record-breaking 62 tornadoes hit the state of Alabama that stormy Wednesday, killing over 120 people statewide. Today, Knupp is a professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Just as he did after the devastating F4 tornado that struck south Huntsville along Airport Road and Jones Valley in 1989, he and his students were immediately out in the affected areas, following the path of last year’s tornadoes, gathering data for analysis. His area of expertise concerns the external influences that affect the path of a tornado, rather than its internal workings. Following the 1989 tornado, for instance, he and his students documented two important findings: It spun up very quickly when a squall line intersected with a supercell displaying rotating winds; and secondly it responded to the typography of the land – weakening as it ascended the mountain ridge east of Memorial Parkway up Airport Road, but intensifying on the downslope into Jones Valley. Knupp and his students launched a timely weather balloon from the campus around 3:30 p.m. April 27, equipped with GPS and a transmitter. Thanks to a special grant from the National Science Foundation, their final assessment from the tornado outbreak produced the first-ever document of its kind recording how the tornadoes reacted to the earth’s surface. It was based on three actions: Getting out

Is the sky really falling?

Kevin Knupp into the affected areas immediately after the storms hit – much like the police at a crime scene – to survey the scene untainted by clean-up efforts; aerial reconnaissance from the balloon to survey the tornadic paths in broad strokes; and thirdly, conducting hundreds of interviews with real people who lived through the nightmare, documenting their experience and what they saw.

Weather warnings Located just around the corner from Professor Knupp’s office in UAH’s Cramer Hall is the National Weather Service (NWS). Warning coordination meteorologist David Nadler said, “One of the biggest challenges we face in severe weather scenarios is preparedness – making sure we have a network of resources in place to provide people with sufficient warnings to take cover. “As bad as that day was for the state of Alabama, we had a well coordinated and unified effort by all of the media, professional meteorologists, state and local weather service, Emergency Management, trained weather spotters, and radio operators, all utilizing advanced radar and communications technology, to warn people of the imminent danger. Having a preparedness plan and the resources in place saved lives, we are certain of that.” The Doppler technology – including the recently upgraded NWS’ Nexrad (Next-generation Radar) dual polarization radar at Hytop in Jackson County – provided accurate blanket coverage as the storms moved in, and dual polarization Armor Radar at the Huntsville International Airport was capable of watching wind conditions closer to ground level. “The assessments from our technology and radar capabilities from that day proved our systems worked,” Nadler said, although there is always room for improvement. They

The results of the findings from Gov. Robert Bentley’s statewide Tornado Recovery Action Council (TRAC) however, consistently found a common problem that is not unfamiliar to experts in the meteorological industry. Over-warning causes the Chicken Little effect – if repeated warnings of a tornado result in nothing but clear, sunny skies, people develop a disregard for the warning. Currently, Huntsville-Madison County EMA controls the sounding of the outdoor emergency warning sirens. They are triggered when the NWS issues a tornado warning when a tornado has actually been sighted or picked up on radar in the area. Although the EMA has some limited control over the sirens, for the most part, they will go off throughout the county, even if the warning is for a small section of the county. This means that if a tornado is spotted skimming the southeastern-most corner of Madison County around New Hope, the sirens will also sound in Huntsville, Hazel Green, Madison and New Market where there is not a hint of rain or danger. According to Nadler, not only do people become immune to the warning, they are often critical of NWS’ accuracy in predicting weather.

Pinpointing danger “What was needed,” said Bob Baron, former WAAY meteorologist and current founder and president of Huntsville’s Baron Services, “is a warning system that pinpoints areas that are pertinent to areas of specificity such as where a person lives, works, or where their children go to school, leaving out areas that do not affect them. That way the warning is always legitimate, and when they receive it, they know to take it seriously.” Fifteen years ago, Baron’s company introduced the concept of storm tracking by combining live radar and strike-by-strike lightning with a flexible mapping database revolutionizing the way broadcasters present severe weather information to the public. When you see your local TV station list off to the side of your TV screen, specific communities and the time in which a potentially dangerous storm or spinning continued on page 24 Initiatives April 2012

Timeline leading up to and documenting the tornadoes that hit Central and North Alabama on April 27, 2011 3:25 p.m., April 25 − After several tornadoes are reported across several states, the SPC issues a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) tornado watch for Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. It is moving into Mississippi and Alabama within hours. 5:31 p.m., April 26 − Following a similar live newscast, Huntsville news reporter Nick Banaszak posts to his blog, “The National Weather Service in Huntsville is taking Wednesday’s potential tornado threat very seriously. The Weather Service says all of North Alabama will be under the gun Wednesday, with the possibility of a widespread tornado outbreak…. Officials said everyone should be on alert Wednesday with the heaviest hit of severe weather expected to strike in the afternoon…. Some national forecasters have put North Alabama at greatest risk of tornadic activity on Wednesday….”

winds will arrive in your neighborhood, you are seeing firsthand, Baron Services’ breakthrough technology. “When Gov. Bentley’s TRAC results were released, we said, ‘We are already doing that’,” Baron explained. “When we released Saf-T-Net on Feb. 22, it is a significant step to solving the over-warning problem.” Saf-T-Net is a free, fully automatic, patented weather alert system for mobile devices and email. When people sign up, they enter up to four locations such as home, work, or schools that are relevant to them in the event of severe weather or a tornado. The technology only sends you a message alert if one of those locations is in the affected area.

April 27

Climate Control, continued from page 23 –

An F2 tornado tears through Cullman Co., 50 miles south of Huntsville, uprooting trees and telephone poles, broadening its path and circulation as it bounced into Pleasant Grove.

4 AM

Two F1 tornadoes barrel through Lauderdale Co. – damaging homes and automobiles.

5 AM

6 AM

April 2012 Initiatives

7 AM

An F1 tornado forms in Blount Co. and moves into Marshall Co. followed by ten more F1s that spin up throughout Marshall Co., including Lake Guntersville, Lake Guntersville National Park, and Cathedral Caverns Hwy.

Users can even set the severity of the warnings they want to receive.

Networking works Professor Knupp joined UAH’s fledgling atmospheric sciences graduate program because he saw unlimited potential for research and implementation when factoring in NASA as the neighbor next door. “Having NASA’s satellite capability and atmospheric sciences-related applications is unique to any college campus but it is especially synergetic with a research program like ours,” Knupp said. Bob Baron agrees. “My company launched via a NASA Tech-

8 AM

Another F1 tornado tears through Cullman and Marshall Co.

nology Transfer program,” Baron said. “I accessed a local research and development lightning network and devised mapping and distribution capabilities which led to inclusion of live radar, then ‘Storm Tracking’ technology. There is a strong and unique networking system in place in Huntsville so that when I needed a specific software genius to work with to implement my technology, that network helped me find the right person who is also now my partner.” According to Dean Hudson, director of marketing for Huntsville’s GATR Technologies, technology developed for the Department of Defense for military applications has been the perfect backdrop for

Baron has led in the way in the development of Doppler weather radar, including our pioneering work in dual-polarization radar technology. 24

Two F1s and an F2 tornado tracks through Jackson and DeKalb Co. Later in the day, a powerful F4 tornado will follow in the F1’s path, making it difficult to disseminate which tornado caused what damage.

The rarest of violent tornadoes, an F5 tornado began tracking north toward Madison Co. from Southwest Marion Co. where it first struck the city of Hackleburg. Known as the Hackleburg Tornado, it tracked into Franklin Co. where it nearly wiped the city of Phil Campbell off the map. It then moved into Lawrence Co. where it took out several TVA power poles before moving to Morgan Co. It crossed the Tennessee River into Limestone Co. and snapped more power lines, making its way into Madison Co. Heading northeast, it destroyed a number of new housing subdivisions north of Hwy. 72 in the city of Madison, into Hazel Green, and Lincoln Co., before passing into Tennessee. In all, it passed through seven Alabama counties before blowing itself out over Franklin Co., TN. 9 AM

10 AM

No less than eight F0 and F1 tornadoes form in Limestone, Morgan, and Madison counties.

11 AM

NOON

A violent, long-track tornado forms in Jackson Co., gaining speed and strength across DeKalb Co., crossing into GA. Residents of the aftermath said 3 tornadoes merged into one powerful F4 twister killing 8 people, 4 from a single family in Flat Rock.

manufacturing GATR’s deployable inflatable antenna systems and satellite communication terminals, which were instrumental in helping re-establish communications in the aftermath of the April tornadoes. Sold primarily to the military but also serving the public safety sector, humanitarian aid, and broadcast industries, GATR deployed 11 of their inflatable high-bandwidth terminals throughout North Alabama to help coordinate search, rescue and repair efforts. They also assisted in setting up central command centers at the Morgan County Courthouse, the Madison County Commissioner’s office, schools, and any gathering place where people could come for data

1PM

2 PM

3 PM

Another rare, violent long-track tornado forms near Smith Lake in Cullman Co., tracking through Morgan and Marshall counties, doing the most damage and killing 5 people, just north of Arab, less than 30 miles south of Huntsville.

transmission, voice communication, video relay and other IP-enabled activities. Packaged in two cases about the size of rolling luggage, the 1.8- and 2.4-meter antennas perform like rigid antennas of the same size, but are 85% lighter in weight and size than a conventional dish antenna system, and run off a generator or an uninterrupted power supply (UPS). They took 25 minutes to set up and required no tools except a hammer to set the stakes for anchoring the aerodynamic sphere. “The Huntsville NWS has increased awareness of and enrollment in our SkyWarn program as a result of last year’s outbreak,” Nadler said. “Volunteers can include police

Another small but destructive F1 tornado strikes north Madison near Balch, Wall Triana, and Browns Ferry Roads.

4 PM

A small F1 tornado blows through rural Madison Co. By now, more than 100,000 homes in N. Alabama are without power for four to five days.

5 PM

7:09 p.m. – A short-lived F0 hits Cullman Co. doing only minor damage.

and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and other concerned private citizens. “Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches, nursing homes or who have a responsibility for protecting others are also encouraged to become spotters.” Visit www.stormready.noaa.gov/contact. htm to get more information about the SkyWarn program. SkyWarn classes are free and about twohours long. “Our trained spotters and radio operators are an integral part of our preparedness system,” Nadler said. • Kimberly Ballard

Initiatives April 2012

strength in

numbers

connects business prospects

the greatest natural resource of the area – our talented community members – to do all the right things to effectively compete in

“HREGI has harnessed

an increasingly global marketplace. Our partnership with our community remains strong, and we are proud to

”

be a part of this initiative.

For a list of HREGI investors, see page 4 or visit: www.growHuntsville.com 26

April 2012 Initiatives

Tony Jones, VP & Senior Site Executive

The Boeing Company HREGI Investor since 2003

Initiatives April 2012

2012 Washington Update Breakfast Sen. Shelby Addressed More Than 1,000 Attendees at Annual Event

he graph at U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby’s Annual Washington Update Breakfast on March 19 summed up the challenge facing Congress. The red bar all the way to the left – representing 1980 – was short, signifying a mere $909 billion of debt. The red bar all the way to the right – representing the projected debt of 2020 – was tall, very tall, suggesting the nation could owe $26 trillion in eight short years. And that, Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) told a crowd of nearly 1,000 Chamber members eating breakfast at the Von Braun Center, is “unsustainable.” What about the national unemployment rate of – by Shelby’s estimate – 15 percent? “Unsustainable,” he said. And borrowing more than a third of every dollar the federal government is currently spending? Again, “unsustainable.” Shelby pointed out that it took the federal government 200 years – which encompassed two world wars and the Great Depression – to reach the $1 trillion debt mark. To now be at $15 trillion and rapidly growing is challenging. He said the federal government has never in a truly “comprehensive way” evaluated all of its programs to determine what isn’t completely necessary. That kind of movement is critical more than ever, but Shelby, who is a

April 2012 Initiatives

senior member of the Appropriations Committee, said it’s hard to imagine that happening in an election year. Add to that a growing dependence on foreign oil, which has shot up from $42.50 a barrel in 2009 to $107 now, and “we’re going to have a real problem down the road.” Shelby told Chamber members that not many people are “fired up” about space travel except in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Maryland and Ohio, where NASA work is done, “but they should be.” He said he feared space travel supremacy could soon be ceded to China or India. Regardless, “there won’t be space travel without propulsion,” which is the strong suit of Marshall Space Flight Center. The most uplifting portion of the senator’s speak was when he referenced the research and development work that happens in Cummings Research Park and on Redstone Arsenal, though he warned the group that they “can’t go to sleep” on what they have when so many other communities would like to have it. He said he hoped the next round of BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) would be delayed, but Redstone was in an enviable spot. “I’m bullish on this area,” Shelby said. “But you have to keep working to sell and market what you’ve got.” • Patricia McCarter

Nominate Deserving Businesses for Air Pollution Control Awards W

hat better way to promote Huntsville and Madison County as a desirable place to do business than to highlight whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being done to improve air quality? Companies who have worked to reduce their noxious air emissions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or those who are in the planning stages â&#x20AC;&#x201C; can now share their stories with the City of Huntsville and perhaps be recognized for their efforts. Nominations are due April 20. The Air Pollution Control Board of the City of Huntsville is inviting the submittal of nominations for its annual award program, now in its 15th year. These awards recognize the voluntary efforts of industrial, commercial and institutional facilities to enhance air quality in Huntsville. Award recipients are selected on the basis of letters of nomination submitted to the Board for consideration. Among the winners last year were Chamber members ADTRAN, The Boeing Company, Huntsville Hospital, National Copper & Smelting Company, Northrop Grumman and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama. There are three categories of awards.

Category 1

Facilities that have implemented a project that reduces pollutant emissions to the ambient air. Some examples of activities within this category are installation or upgrading of emission control equipment, the use of less polluting raw materials in manufacturing processes or facility maintenance, the installation of more efficient process equipment that reduces raw material or fuel usage, measures to reduce energy consumption, and the purchase of low emission fleet vehicles.

Category 2 Current or planned projects similar to those in Category 1, but which are still in the planning, testing or early implementation stages. Category 2 recognition provides pre-approval of a project as being deserving of recognition, and assures that an award will be conferred if the project is successfully implemented.

Category 3 Efforts to educate the public and promote

citizen actions to reduce emissions of air pollutants. Examples of activities within this category include effective promotion of carpooling or proper car care, conducting seminars or workshops and sponsoring educational displays at exhibitions. The awards program is strictly voluntary and has no regulatory overtones whatsoever. The program is designed to recognize proactive efforts to protect and enhance air quality in the Huntsville area. Interested parties should submit letters of nomination, which provide a brief description of the project and the associated air quality benefit, to: Air Pollution Control Board c/o Division of Natural Resources City of Huntsville P. O. Box 308 Huntsville, AL 35804 For additional information, contact Daniel Shea at 256- 427-5750, or visit the Natural Resources home page at

www.huntsvilleal.gov/NatRes/

Initiatives April 2012

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:

New Member Luncheon New members get an overview of all Chamber activities and opportunities during a luncheon.

Business After Hours presented by Cumulus Media

The February Business After Hours was a standing-room only success at Lexus of Huntsville.

Ambassador Luncheon presented by the U.S. Space & Rocket Center

The Ambassador Program consists of enthusiastic volunteers from the Chamber membership who donate their time to help build member commitment and raise community awareness of Chamber activities and benefits. 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.

April 2012 Initiatives

Initiatives April 2012

~ Economic Development Highlights continued from page 18

Redstone UAS Project Manager recognized at Black Engineer of the Year Awards Dr. Juanita Harris, chief of the Technical Management Division, Project Manager for Unmanned Aircraft Systems at Redstone Arsenal, was recognized as a Science Spectrum Trailblazer during the 26th annual Black Engineer of the Year awards. The BEYA STEM Conference, held in Philadelphia, focuses on the contributions of America’s diverse science talent and addresses the challenges of recruitment and retention in science, technology and math, promoting opportunities in technical and scientific careers. BEYA is the nation’s largest annual gathering of such professionals committed to increasing the percentage of underrepresented communities in the technology workforce. Harris was selected as a Science Spectrum Trailblazer on behalf of the Council of Engineering, Deans of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Lockheed Harris Martin Corporation, and the U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine. She was acknowledged for her numerous career achievements over her 26-year career and her efforts in strengthening the STEM pipeline. In this organization, Harris leads almost 150 scientists, engineers and technical staff with financial responsibility of more that $110 million. Under her leadership, PM UAS has implemented forward-looking acquisition strategies and have enabled new and emerging technologies to be seamlessly integrated into existing Army UAS. •

Economic Development Highlights compiled by Patricia McCarter & Harrison Diamond April 2012 Initiatives

Total Resource Campaign 2012

ur annual Total Resource Campaign (TRC) is kicking off this month, and the Chamber is fortunate to have a talented group of volunteers leading the way to achieve its $1 million goal. TRC is a tried-and-true vehicle the Chamber utilizes to fund its many networking events and economic development-related activities through member-purchased sponsorships. This year’s theme is “Opportunity Works.” “It is such a win-win for the Chamber and for the volunteers,” said Chamber Events director Jenni Jeffers, who heads up this year’s Total Resource Campaign. “The volunteers are able to initiate and grow relationships that help them with their businesses, and the Chamber raises money for its programming. “And I am thrilled to be a part of it. The energy of our volunteers is just amazing. They work so hard, and they are so supportive of one another. It’s competitive, but they help each other out to make sure everyone meets their goals.” Eight team captains will marshal the services of about 50 TRC volunteers, who will soon be contacting members about investing in the campaigns. There will be opportunities to buy sponsorships for all of

the Chambers annual events, from Business After Hours to Breakfast and Biz, from the State of the State address by the governor to the State of the City address by the mayor, from the Chamber Annual Members Meeting to the Annual Outing at Ditto Landing. Sponsorships for our email newsletter, ChamberLink, as well as the Chamber website and Community Information Packet are also sold through the eight-week Total Resource Campaign. Some sponsorships can be purchased for as little as $250, while the large-scale events go substantially higher. This year, a new sponsorship activity will be the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Cummings Research Park. “That is going to be a fabulous celebration,” said TRC Volunteer Chair Joe Green. “I imagine our CRP companies are going to love the chance to support the anniversary. CRP is the engine that runs our economic development efforts. “It is great to support the Chamber by participating in TRC, but it’s even greater for our participating members to have the chance to get their name out there to the public.” • Patricia McCarter

Initiatives April 2012

Economic Silver Lining New Growth Boosts Region in 2011

Announced Jobs 2004-2011

Source for both charts: Alabama Development Office

Announced Investments 2004-2011

April 2012 Initiatives

hile the local Huntsville/Madison County economy was significantly affected by U.S. economic woes in 2011, news from growing companies gave hope of a coming turnaround with new investments continuing to fuel job creation in the local market. Over the past year, 55 industrial and engineering companies announced a total of 1,956 new jobs and more than $133 million dollars in new construction and capital investment. While down slightly from previous years, the Huntsville region continues to be a national leader in high-tech job creation and is rated eighth nationally by Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for overall economic stability. Concerns over federal spending and potential budget cuts continue to impact many aspects of the local economy, however, several area companies did see growth in defense and space over the past year. Systems Products & Solutions, a locally headquartered government solutions provider on the Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list, grew by 185 workers and expanded to a new location on Wynn Drive in Cummings Research Park. SPS, which was founded in 2005, has continued to see strong growth with 3-year sales figures exceeding 300%. Strata-G Solutions also expanded with a new facility in CRP and more than 100 workers, as did Logicore, which added more than 50 workers and a new office facility. Other expanding defense contractors with major projects included Boeing, Lockheed, Harris Corporation, Torch Technologies, S3 and Teledyne Brown Engineering. New companies Quantech, MBDA, SGT, Frontier Technology, A-Tek and Terma North America collectively added 84 jobs, increasing the number of defense-related contractors in the local market. The project with perhaps the most national attention was the announcement of Stratolaunch Systems, a commercial space venture lead by aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan and Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft. The new company will be headquartered in

Huntsville, initially employing 100 people, and will partner with Dynetics to design and integrate an air-launch system for space transportation. Non-government technology companies also saw growth, including new building expansion at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and expansions by Avion Solutions, ALATEC, GaN, KAYA Associates, AEgis and Intergraph. New manufacturer Aladdin Light Lift, Inc. moved its operations from Memphis to build a new facility in Chase Industrial Park while Futaba announced it is expansion in Jetplex Industrial Park. Cinram International also made significant investments in the company’s facility in Chase. With continued growth on Redstone Arsenal, including the opening of facilities for both the Army Materiel Command and the Space and Missile Defense Command, as well as local development such as the new Madison Hospital, Target Shopping Center and Redstone Gateway office park, the Huntsville community is implementing a strategy that capitalizes on its strengths while growing diversity in the local economy. According to Jim Bolte, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama and the 2012 Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, diversifying the economic base is one of the community’s highest priorities. “Our goal is to protect and grow our aerospace and defense infrastructure while also seeking to recruit and attract a variety of diverse technology and manufacturing industries,” Bolte said. “We have been successful as a community for a very long time and we want to make sure we are positioned to be successful for many more years to come.” At the heart of the Chamber’s strategy for economic diversity is the Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative (HREGI). Charlie Kettle of First Commercial Bank and the Chamber’s chair in 2011, was instrumental in leading the effort to strengthen the HREGI program over the past year. “Much of the growth in our community is a direct result of having a plan in place and executing that plan,” Kettle said. “It is important to collaborate with our partners and existing companies to identify our future needs and work together to meet those needs, and that is exactly what we are doing with the HREGI program.” • Ken Smith Initiatives April 2012

SPOTLIGHT ON 2011 Small Business Award Winner:

Business/ Professional Services Category

Initiatives recently connected with Cyn Shea’s Complete Catering proprietor Cynthia Hart to get more insight into the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s 2011 Small Business Award Business/Professional Services of the Year.

Q: How did you get the idea for Cyn Shea’s? A: My background was in architecture, but after college I found myself working my way up the chain of a national restaurant group. My job was to hit the ground in a new city a few weeks before an opening, train the entire staff from hostess to head cook, and manage operations for the several months. In 1995, I left the corporate food service world to start our catering company. The appeal for me was the chance to set a different tone – a more loving, quality-focused work environment for our employees and a more service-oriented business for customers. It was a great opportunity to use my architecture training to design catering backdrops and presentations. Our focus on artful presentation and absolute commitment to quality and service was just what our clients wanted. We grew into our first café in 2002, and by 2005 we had completely outgrown it. In 2007 we knew we were being led to expand, so the vision of Shea’s Express came to be in downtown Huntsville near the train depot. We now serve an average of 300+ guests a day in our restaurant and cater more than 150 weddings, parties and corporate events each year.

Q: How would you describe your offerings? p Cyn Shea’s Complete Catering staff at the 2011 Small Business Awards Celebration. q L-R: Cyn Shea’s owner Cynthia Hart receiving the finalist award from the 2011 Chamber

Vice Chair of Small Business, Rey Almodóvar.

A: We provide a distinctively different dining and catering experience for our guests. Our food is fresh; with more than 50% organic or locally sourced ingredients, our farm-to-table approach makes us unique. Our menu is interesting, and our chef keeps it innovative. Also, we have long been the only full service café in the Huntsville area to offer house-baked breads, pastries and desserts made-from-scratch each day. Our sandwiches are made with veggies from Tennessee Valley farms; all of our meats are smoked in-house with our own recipes and marinades and served on bread that was made from scratch that morning. Our catering operation continues to set the bar for quality in the area, with unique food and the ability to handle parties from 50 to 5,000. We do this with a commitment to quality and a business integrity that has become our hallmark.

Q: What has been the company’s greatest achievement? A: In Huntsville, we have been given the privilege to do what we love to do. The greatest blessing in this is that we have a community that embraces what we love to do, allowing us to live our mission everyday to touch lives in Christ’s name, and creating a true “win-win” for eternity. 36

April 2012 Initiatives

Q: What are your goals for the next five to ten years? A: We have been working steadily to retire debt from our expansion in 2007 – by year end 2012, we will be a debt-free operation. We recently expanded our restaurant to include a private meeting space, and we are exploring options that would take our brand to a national market. More than anything, we have committed ourselves to achieving not just success in business, but significance in our community. We are proud to be a part of Huntsville’s growth, especially in the downtown area. More importantly, our commitment to giving remains a core part of our business, and we want to continue to build on our relationships with Huntsville’s charitable organizations, such as ALS, the National Children’s Advocacy Center, Still Serving Veterans and Kids to Love.

Q: What did this award mean to you? A: It was an honor to win in a year that set the record for the most competitors seeking this recognition. We are proud to be a part of the Huntsville/ Madison County community where we have worked hard to serve our customers and grow our business during the last 17 years. Receiving this award was a great reminder of all that God has done for us, and how richly we are blessed. For me, it is a reminder of the responsibility we have been given as custodians. Every time I look at the trophy in our restaurant I think, “What are we doing today to deserve this award?”

Q: How has being active in the Chamber helped you? A: Our Chamber is extremely active in our community and as an emissary to other markets. Our membership has given us the chance to interact with leaders in our community and to steadily make our presence known – both within our area and outside it. The resources offered by the Chamber have helped us strengthen our business model and increase our presence in the community. As we move into markets beyond the Tennessee Valley, we look forward to using the Chamber’s networks and resources to propel this next and most exciting phase of our growth. • Initiatives April 2012

April 2012 Initiatives

Amy Brantley, Mayor Tommy Battle, Kelly Schrimsher

Scott McLain, Ronnie Boles, Ron Klein

Rose Allen, Rey Almodรณvar

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

2012 Montgomery Trip

Presented by Intergraph

Dr. Marquita Davis

Gov. Robert Bentley

• State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice, who discussed Alabama’s Plan 2020, which includes strategies and measurable objectives for students, professionals, support systems and school systems. Due to budget constraints, Bice said every expenditure will be reviewed: “There are no sacred cows. We are going to poke them all.”

Kevin McGhaw, Tracy Lamm Kerry Fehrenbach, Jim Bolte Greg Canfield

Ala. Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh

• Alabama Development Office Director Greg Canfield, who said Madison County saw 11 new economic development projects last year that will create 377 jobs and 45 expansions that will create 1,579 jobs. State exports were up 44 percent in 2011, “and a good bit of that came from you guys.”

Rex Reynolds, Nansi Clark, State Rep. Howard Sanderford

During the 2012 Montgomery Trip on March 6 and 7, local chamber members were reminded of the uniqueness of Huntsville and Madison County’s economic situation. Presentations by Gov. Robert Bentley and members of his staff highlighted economic and employment improvements across the state, and Madison County has some of the best numbers in Alabama. “The area of the state you represent is the easiest to recruit (for economic development expansion),” Bentley told the group of almost 100 chamber members at a luncheon in downtown Montgomery. Bentley encouraged the group to support legislation that would provide tax incentives to new and expanding business. For retention’s sake, the governor said it’s just as important to provide tax relief to businesses that have already settled in the state, not just the new ones. In proposed bills, some of a company’s state income tax could be used for capital improvement. “It’s easier to keep a job (in the state) than it is to create one,” he said, adding that anyone who says the bill would take money away from schools has “erroneous reasoning.” The meeting in Montgomery fell just a few days after more tornado damage in Madison County, and the governor said he’d be visiting the area the next day to see the destruction with his own eyes. “As governor, you need to put your arms around people who are hurting, even if you can’t do anything,” he said. Also speaking to the Huntsville/Madison County group were:

Tommy Bice

• State Director of Transportation John Cooper (formerly of Huntsville), who said tolling interstates could beef up his department’s budgets and allow for new projects, “but the federal rule is that you can’t toll a road already paid for by taxpayer money.”

Bob Glenn, Sandra Steele, Rick Mould, Stan Pylant

• State Finance Director Dr. Marquita Davis, who said the state’s current financial woes could be assisted by merging the general fund and education budgets.

• Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh (R-Anniston), who said he’s concentrating on the “Three E’s” this legislative term: Employment, education and efficiency. • Patricia McCarter Initiatives April 2012

April 2012 Initiatives

Join the Alabama delegation for the

5th Annual SEUS//CP Conference May 20-22, 2012 Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort at Grand Dunes South Carolina The Alabama Development Office will pay the $425 registration fee on behalf of all Alabama small businesses who qualify. Those who are interested in participating in this international trade event should contact: Dara.Steele@ADO.Alabama.gov. The Southeastern United States â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Canadian Provinces Alliance (SEUS-CP) is a strategic partnership between states in the southeastern United States and member provinces from Canada. The alliance works to promote trade and investment opportunities between and among its member states and provinces. Member states include Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Member provinces include Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Delegations from each jurisdiction of the Alliance convene annually for a business-to-business conference. Delegations, led by state governors, provincial premiers or their designees, comprise business and industry leaders from a wide array of industry sectors.

Initiatives April 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 Becky Moretti, resource desk assistant

Economic Development Ethan Hadley, VP, economic development John Southerland, director, Cummings Research Park | project manager

Lucia Cape, VP, workforce & industry relations Ken Smith, director, research & information services Harrison Diamond, project manager Amy Locke, economic development, workforce & industry relations administrative assistant

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

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

Finance & Administration Christy Nalley, director, finance & administration 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

Small Business Pammie Jimmar, small business manager Mitzi Floyd, small business coordinator

Member Services Jenni Jeffers, director, special events & Total Resource Campaign

Kathleen Byrne, events coordinator Amanda Bishop, events assistant

Associated Organization WBCNA (www.wbcna.org)

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 225 Church Street, Huntsville, AL 35801 phone 256-535-2000 / fax 256-535-2015 www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com 42

April 2012 Initiatives

Initiatives April 2012

April 2012 Initiatives