Initiatives magazine, August 2012 by Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

Initiatives August 2012

August 2012 Initiatives

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Reserve your seat now for

The 27th Annual Small Business Awards Celebration hosted by the

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

A Business Paradise Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012 Von Braun Center North Hall

HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com

Presenting Sponsor: Platinum Sponsor: Small Business Awards VIP Reception Host Sponsor: CenturyLink Media Partners: al.com, Event Magazine, Knology, Rocket City Broadcasting Dress: Casual â&#x20AC;&#x201C; wear your brightest Hawaiian print shirt for men and sundresses for the ladies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; flip flops are optional! Initiatives August 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 Wyle CAS Group WEUP / Hundley Batts & Associates

August 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 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 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 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. LogiCore MTS, Inc. 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 / Strata Form 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 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. MTS, 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 State Farm Insurance - Tim Roberts Insurance Agency Inc. Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. The Surgery Center of Huntsville 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

Initiatives August 2012

August 2012 Initiatives

initiatives

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

august 2012 cover story

A Business Paradise Training, Supporting and Honoring Local Small Businesses pages 22-25

Historical Huntsville

Cover design: Kristi Sherrard

features Economic Development Highlights . . . . 1 0

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.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

including Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, GEO Huntsville, FBI, LSINC, Sigmatech, PPG Aerospace, TVA, Huntsville Utilities and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Chamber Emissaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On the Air: The Chamber Works for Me . . . . Small Business Center Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . Dollars for Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TRC 2012: Opportunity Works . . . . . . . . Non-Profit Center Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sharing the Wealth Locally . . . . . . . . . . . Armed Forces Week in Pictures . . . . . . .

16 17 24 29 32 34 36 38

developments

Photo by J. Thomas

HREGI Investors Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chamber Board Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Chancellor Witt Speaks to Board . . . . . . 1 9 Community Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 Speaking for Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 NASA Selects Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1 Making Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1 Chamber Staff Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1

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

Publisher Chip Cherry, cce Executive Editor Patricia C. McCarter

Editorial Designer Kristi Sherrard ontributing Writers Kimberly Ballard, Mike Brazier, C Lucia Cape, Harrison Diamond, and Patricia McCarter

www.asmartplace.com

Photography Chamber of Commerce staff, publications and archive unless otherwise noted

Submissions for editorial content are not accepted. Information in this and other Chamber publications is at the discretion of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. Advertising inquiries go through The Huntsville Times.

Advertising Sales Becky Fentress The Huntsville Times becky.fentress@htimes.com

online www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com fyi

editorial staff

Initiatives August 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: Celebrating the achievements of small business is one of my favorite things. I have gained an appreciation of what it takes to be successful in a small business from watching my two grandfathers run theirs – one was a carpet cleaning/flooring company and the other transitioned from a small farming operation to owning a country store. My father started a wholesale carpet company when I was 12. Watching them work long hours, struggle to make payrolls, pay suppliers, collect debts, do paperwork, plan ad campaigns and find ways to win market share were all priceless experiences. What was truly enlightening was the more personal side of what many see as a glamorous lifestyle: Listening as my Mom and Dad debated over whether they should re-mortgage the house to secure more working capital for the business; watching as my Dad handed out pay checks when I knew he did not have enough in the account to pay himself; seeing the joy in his eyes when he gave his employees a holiday bonus even though he did not give himself one. I also appreciate the fact that handing down a business from one generation to another is difficult – only one of my family’s three businesses is still in operation. I spent many evenings and weekends helping my Dad with tasks at work because there were simply not enough hours in the day for him to get it all done. While I appreciate the challenges all businesses face, I have a special place in my heart for small business. It is both the foundation of this country and the backbone of this community. On Aug. 30 the Chamber will recognize these efforts at our 27th Annual Small Business Awards at the Von Braun Center. I congratulate our winners in advance, and I thank all of our local small business owners for the role they play in making this community a great place to live, work, play and raise a family.

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

August 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, President & CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Elected Board

Joe Alexander, Camber Corporation 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 Universal Construction 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 August 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

Toyota to Increase V6 Engine Production Here; 125 New Jobs Forthcoming Toyota announced recently that it will expand its Huntsville engine facility to increase production of V6 engines. The approximately $80 million investment will bring total Huntsville plant investment to more than $700 million. Approximately 125 new jobs will be created, increasing employment nearly 10 percent to 1,150. “We are proud to announce our fourth expansion, only a few months after celebrating 10 years of success in Huntsville and Madison County,” said Jim Bolte, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama (TMMAL). “Today wouldn’t be possible without continued commitment from our outstanding team members and support from our community partners.” The expansion will allow TMMAL to build an additional 216,000 engines each year, boosting total V6 annual capacity to 362,000. A new 300,000-square-foot building will be constructed. The increased production will begin in March 2014. TMMAL currently assembles 4-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines for eight of the 12 Toyota vehicles built in North America. TMMAL is the only Toyota plant globally to produce these three types of engines in one facility. This investment will increase production at the Huntsville plant to more than 700,000 engines annually and will increase total Toyota engine production in the U.S. to more than 1.4 million per year. Toyota also builds engines in Kentucky and West Virginia. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley was also on hand to celebrate the mid-May occasion. “Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama has been a dedicated corporate citizen in Alabama for more than 10 years,

Gov. Bentley joined Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama in announcing the expansion of the plant in north Huntsville just months after celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Toyota is investing another $700 million and plans to add 125 new jobs. and today’s announcement is an exciting new chapter for this company and this community,” Bentley said. “Toyota’s success in Alabama is a testament to the hard-working men and women of the production and leadership teams who have dedicated themselves to producing quality products. “This expansion is also a testament to the business climate we’ve worked hard to create in Alabama – a climate in which companies are encouraged to expand, innovate and create new jobs. We thank Toyota for the company’s continued confidence in Alabama and Huntsville, and we look forward to a continued long-term relationship.”

U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions said he was pleased to once again learn of Toyota’s expansion in Huntsville. “In 2003, I was present when Toyota celebrated the start of production of the V8 engines for the Tundra pick-up truck – an event that marked the first time that Toyota V8 engines had been built outside of Japan,” Sessions said. “Just last year, I was glad to be at the Huntsville plant when Toyota began producing 4-cylinder engines. Today’s V6 expansion announcement will help further grow the Alabama economy and is a real testament to the hard work and dedication of the Toyota Huntsville workforce.” •

Mayor Battle Announces GEO Huntsville Initiative for Geospatial Technologies Mayor Tommy Battle announced the formation of GEO Huntsville, an economic development and jobs collaborative among area businesses, academic institutions and governments utilizing geospatial technologies. More than 50 private companies, 25 government entities and three universities are among a growing number of organizations engaged in geospatial applications in Huntsville and North Alabama. “Geospatial technology affects almost every avenue of life, from determining where to place buildings on slope developments to finding the Battle lair of Osama bin Laden,” said Battle. “The technology is much more than mapping. It takes into account cause and effect based on spatial relationships.” Geospatial technologies have been called some of the world’s “most essential core tools.” They are used in visualization, measurement and analysis of the Earth’s features, typically involving such systems as GPS (global positioning systems), GIS (geographical information systems), and RS (remote sensing), according to the National Science Foundation. “Huntsville may be familiar with geospatial technologies through Intergraph, which has been a pioneer and a global leader in this field for decades,” said Battle. “Yet, we also use these technologies extensively in City Hall. Our GIS Department has a full-time GIS crew that uses this technology to collect and analyze data on everything from storm water features to

traffic signage. We use it in our planning department to determine land use, flood plain mapping and environmental protection, and we are even using it to help historic groups map the original Trail of Tears.” Geospatial technology is in such demand that the U.S. Department of Labor’s Educational Training Administration estimates that more than 180,000 new jobs will be needed in the field over the next 10 years. Joe Francica, a 30-year geospatial professional and the editor-in-chief and vice publisher of Directions Magazine, has been tapped to lead the new GEO Huntsville initiative. “The advantage and attractiveness of Huntsville is considerable when you see so many companies doing similar types of work in the region,” said Francica. “We look forward to identifying who is doing this work and looking for ways we can collaborate on projects.” The Mayor’s GEO Huntsville, Cyber Huntsville and Energy Huntsville initiatives have also joined the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s Technology Committee. “We are pleased to support these organizations in our ongoing collaborative effort to promote economic development in the area,” said Chip Cherry, Chamber president. “There is so much opportunity in Huntsville, and we see incredible synergies between the geospatial, cyber, and energy fields. We look forward to using our resources to help promote these businesses.” •

Economic Development Highlights continued on page 12 August 2012 Initiatives

Initiatives August 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 10

Diversity of Redstone Continues with New FBI Facility The FBI, along with its law enforcement and military partners, participated in a groundbreaking for a new Terrorist Explosive Devices Analytical Center (TEDAC) Laboratory at Redstone Arsenal. The new building will provide dedicated forensic and technical exploitation workspace for TEDAC. Currently, TEDAC shares laboratory facilities with the FBI Laboratory at Quantico, Va. The Huntsville laboratory will provide processing and examination capabilities in various forensic disciplines. The facility also will support technical exploitation of IEDs and related devices and will facilitate the exchange of personnel

among TEDAC partner agencies, further strengthening TEDAC’s interagency role and mission. Beginning in 2003, the FBI Laboratory began receiving recovered and seized IEDs and related materials from the Department of Defense for forensic and technical analysis in support of the ongoing war on terrorism and combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Subsequently, in December 2004, TEDAC was formally established and given the mission of forensically and technically exploiting for evidentiary, investigative, and intelligence purposes IEDs used by terrorists. Prior

L-R: FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, Redstone Arsenal commander Major General Lynn Collyar, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby and Acting ATF Director B. Todd Jones break ground on the new TEDAC location on Redstone Arsenal.

to TEDAC, no single entity in the government was responsible for this critical mission. The close work between the FBI and Department of Defense is important, according to FBI Director Robert Mueller. “Given the ever-shifting nature of the IED threat, working together and sharing information is not just the best option, it is the only option. One tiny scrap of information can break a case or save lives,” Mueller said at the groundbreaking. Since its creation, TEDAC has processed more than 80,000 submissions of IEDs and related forensic materials from Iraq, Afghanistan and other foreign countries. Scientists and engineers have made dozens of forensic matches and connections between seemingly unrelated IEDs. Mueller recalled an instance in his career where forensics made the difference. “I remember working on the Pan Am 103 investigation in Lockerbie, Scotland. The break in that case came from a fragment of debris—a fingernail-sized piece from the circuit board of a cassette player. Investigators found this crucial piece of evidence during a ground search of the area covering more than 845 square miles. That fragment helped to establish that the bomb had been placed inside a tape deck in a piece of luggage—intelligence that was key in identifying those responsible for that attack.” •

LSINC acquires Inergi; Acquisition Will Expand Strategic Consulting into Product Development Recognizing a natural synergy and the opportunity to strengthen its market position, LSINC has acquired Inergi, Inc., offering its commercial and government clients greater value. LSINC is now a full-spectrum company providing business intelligence and strategy, product development, engineering services and strategic communications. Alicia Ryan, CEO of LSINC, said she was introduced to Inergi’s product development services in the fall of 2011 when LSINC was hired to perform an in-depth analysis of Inergi’s business lines. “It was a natural fit,” Ryan said. “LSINC can perform the early analysis needed to identify a product’s market potential, evaluate the competitive landscape, recommend internal corporate changes needed to capitalize on the opportunity, and Inergi’s development team can take a product from idea to reality through outstanding industrial design, engineering, prototyping, and product strategy expertise.” The companies combined LSINC’s 13 employees with Inergi’s 33. • 12

August 2012 Initiatives

continued on page 14

Sigmatech Awarded Small Business Administration Contractor of the Year Small Business Administration Alabama District Director Tom Todt presented the award for Prime Contractor of the Year to Sigmatech, Inc. at a ceremony at the Summit Club on Redstone Arsenal on July 10. Sigmatech CEO/President Joe Bergantz said the company benefitted from being nominated by two of its primary government customers, AMCOM and USASAC. “It certainly strengthened our nomination to have two such wonderful commands put our name forward,” Bergantz said of Sigmatech, which supports the work of missiles and aviation. “Sigmatech embodies the two key elements of a successful business: Accomplishing the mission while at the same time taking care of its people.” Dr. Gurmej Sandhu founded Sigmatech in Huntsville 26 years ago to provide technical, management and training services to aerospace, defense and other federal clients. The 250-employee company has offices in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Arlington, Va. “It feels great for Sigmatech employees to receive this recognition,” Bergantz said. “There are more than 6,000 small businesses in Alabama. It is pretty good testimony for our company to be singled out from all of those businesses.” •

L-R: Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Chair-Elect Ron Poteat, SBA District Director Tom Todt, Sigmatech founder Dr. Gurmej Sandhu and Sigmatech CEO Joe Bergantz

Initiatives August 2012

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 13

PPG Aerospace Awarded Citation Latitude Cockpit Window Contract by Cessna PPG Industries’ aerospace transparencies group has been awarded a contract by Cessna Aircraft Company to supply production and spare windshields and side cockpit windows for the new Citation Latitude mid-size business jet. They will be designed and manufactured in PPG’s Huntsville transparencies facility. “PPG Aerospace is pleased to be able to continue our relationship with Cessna and excited by the opportunity to work on this innovative aircraft,” said Arthur Scott, PPG global director for general-aviation transparencies products. “Because of the width of the cockpit on the Citation Latitude, these will be the largest transparencies PPG supplies to Cessna. We appreciate the confidence Cessna has shown in PPG’s ability to meet the associated technical challenges.” The heated windshields and side cockpit windows will be made of HERCULITE(R) II chemically strengthened glass by PPG to be strong and lightweight. They will be designed to resist impact by a 4-pound bird at 305 knots. The main windshields will have SURFACE SEAL(R) coating for water shedding without the need for wipers as well as an antistatic coating. According to Cessna, first flight of the Citation Latitude prototype is expected to be mid-2014, with Federal Aviation

Administration certification (Part 25) and entry into service expected in 2015. 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. •

PPG worker at the Huntsville aerospace transparencies plant works on jet window.

TVA, Huntsville Utilities Host Energy Management Training Event More than three dozen local companies will now reap the benefits of having more energy-savvy employees on their staffs. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Huntsville Utilities sponsored an EnergyRight Solutions Training seminar at the Chamber recently aimed at helping small business save money. Attendees were instructed on practical energy savings for lighting, heating/cooling and compressed air systems. “Do any of you have unlimited revenue sources?” asked workshop facilitator Anthony Holden, who has managed the Alabama E3 Program the past three years. “If you don’t, then I know you’re looking to save money.” Alabama E3 is a collaboration among 25 local and state agencies, manufacturers and utility companies who work to promote sustainable manufacturing. Holden said that people are the most important factor for saving energy. He encouraged attendees to share with their fellow employees why they were asked to turn off lights. “A few energy managers can’t be everywhere and do everything,” he said. “Practical energy training for all employees will inspire and motivate everyone to become excited about saving energy.” Attendees were also told about incentives available from Huntsville Utilities and financing options for making energy efficiency improvements at their facilities. • 14

August 2012 Initiatives

Economic Development Highlights compiled by Patricia McCarter & Harrison Diamond

Goldman retires as head of Marshall Space Flight Center to work at Aerojet Gene Goldman, director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, is retiring from the agency to accept a management position at Aerojet in Huntsville, effective Aug. 3. Robin Henderson, Marshall’s associate director, will serve as acting center director following his departure. Goldman’s retirement ends a 22-year career with NASA that began in 1990 as a project engineer in the Marshall space shuttle project integration office. He has been the acting center director at Marshall since March 5 when Robert Goldman Lightfoot began his assignment as NASA acting associate administrator at NASA Headquarters. Previously, beginning March 2010, Goldman served as the center’s deputy director. “Gene’s technical expertise and management skills will be missed, not only at Marshall, but across the entire agency,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. “We are grateful for his service to NASA and wish him the best in his next endeavor.” Goldman describes his time at NASA as the finest in his professional career. “Working for NASA and supporting the Space Shuttle Program was a dream come true for me,” said Goldman. “It has been an honor and a privilege to work on NASA’s human spaceflight programs, both at Marshall and across the Agency for more than two decades.” Prior to his most recent posts at Marshall, Goldman served as the director of NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss., from 2008 until 2010 and deputy director at Stennis from 2006 to 2008. • Initiatives August 2012

Emissaries Volunteer to Help Chamber Members Stay Connected

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missaries are a vital part of the Chamber’s efforts to keep members informed, involved and engaged. The Emissary program is an invitation-only program that allows volunteers to become liaisons between chosen member companies and the Chamber. Included on this page are photographs of the Chamber’s current group of Emissaries. These volunteers are required to be knowledgeable in several aspects of the Chamber, including the Chamber’s mission, Chamber staff, membership investment structure, sponsorship opportunities and upcoming events. Once an Emissary is chosen for the program, he or she will remain an Emissary as long as they fulfill the requirements set forth within the program. Each Emissary is responsible for 24 member companies, chosen by the Membership Division. They are required to make contact with their respective companies at least six times per year, by email, phone conversations, written correspondence and face-to-face visits. Candid feedback from our member companies is one way the Chamber continues to improve member benefits and opportunities. • Mike Brazier

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August 2012 Initiatives

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‘The Chamber Works for Me’

Message on the Air

embership Director Mike Brazier and Small Business Manager Pammie Jimmar are spreading the word about the Chamber, via radio waves. Every other Wednesday, Brazier and Jimmar can be heard from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. on 1450 AM, 92.9 FM WTKI in Huntsville as well as 1490 AM and 94.7 FM WEKI in Decatur. They discuss upcoming Chamber events and interview Chamber members based on the membership theme, “The Chamber works for me….do you know how it can work for you?” Brazier and Jimmar ask their Chamber member guests about their particular businesses, Jimmar what makes them unique within their respective industry, and how they use the Chamber to grow their market share. “The show is also an opportunity for us to convey the message that membership in Brazier the Chamber offers something of value for every business,” Brazier said. “Chamber Radio provides an educational platform for small businesses on how they can get engaged to promote their companies, build relationships and create partnerships.” Listeners are provided with information on how to contact the guest company as well as upcoming networking events associated with the Chamber. Interest in appearing as a guest should be emailed to Mike Brazier (mbrazier@ hsvchamber.org). •

Initiatives August 2012

August 2012 Initiatives

Not a Benchwarmer Chancellor Witt Tells Chamber Board That UAHuntsville is a Valued Part of UA System

ver the past year or so, some business leaders have questioned how the University of Alabama system has treated and regarded UAHuntsville. At the June meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, those concerns were addressed by none other than UA Chancellor Dr. Robert Witt himself, who said the Huntsville campus is highly valued and that the system will work harder to understand and meet UAHuntsville’s needs. Witt called the Huntsville community’s response to certain UA decisions “a wakeup call.” “We are going to keep our ears open more than we keep our mouths open,” said Witt, to a group of more than 120 people, which also included Mayor Tommy Battle’s UAHuntsville Committee and the UAHuntsville Foundation. Witt said the UA system is working to have an increased presence in Huntsville so it can “deal with issues before they escalate.” The UA system announced last fall that it would cease funding the UAHuntsville hockey program, but that decision was reversed a few months later. About the same time as that controversy was brewing, it was learned that UA Tuscaloosa was staffing a research office here that would be in direct competition with UAHuntsville for high tech/engineering grant dollars. Witt said while the loss of Dr. John Horack as the head of the UAH Research Institute to Teledyne Brown Engineering “saddened” him, new UAHuntsville President Robert Altenkirch was well-versed in the art of seeking research grants. He said Altenkirch wouldn’t just focus on what grant money is available today but he would recruit personnel who could seek

the research monies of tomorrow. “You will be pleased with the hire,” Witt said. The chancellor added that the UA system will construct a better method for all three campuses to know what research capabilities are available so they can collaborate and help one another. “The more connected we are,” Witt said, “… the more effective we will be, the more successful we will be.” Much of Witt’s discussion focused on the

challenges that all three UA campuses – Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Huntsville – face, namely a reduction in state support. He said the state appropriated $615 million to the University of Alabama in 2007-08; that was cut by $174 million (down to $441 million) for the 2012-13 year. To combat that loss of support going forward, Witt said the UA system will look at sharing faculty and teaching by telecommunication. • Patricia McCarter

Initiatives August 2012

August 2012 Initiatives

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 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 August 2012

A Business Paradise Training, Supporting and Honoring Local Small Businesses

Business After Hours and Breakfast & Biz are just two of the networking opportunities held multiple times throughout the year.

s the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County prepares for its premier event of the year, it is appropriate to highlight how this year’s upcoming winners of the 27th Annual Small Business Awards tapped into and utilized the diverse resources provided by the Chamber through the years. Those resources help them achieve formal recognition for the outstanding leadership and commitment made to economic growth in the community. “It is a big deal,” said Pammie Jimmar, Small Business Manager for the Chamber. “Winning a Small Business Award or the Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award gains you respect among your peers. It says you have achieved excellence.” To be nominated in one of the four main categories is an honor. Contenders for Small Business of the Year, the Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award, NonProfit of the Year or Young Professional of the Year means the individual or business has lived up to the leadership qualities and community involvement encouraged by the Chamber. They have shown diversity and uniqueness in their services or products; their style of doing business is worthy of recognition. “I think it sets a bar for companies to continue to see that their work is being recognized for contributing to the growth of our community,” said Miranda Bouldin, who volunteers her time to serve as the vice Bouldin chair of the Small Business Committee. She is also CEO at Huntsville’s LogiCore. “We have a spirit of competition, and that spirit is what makes us great. Businesses are inspired by great competition – win or lose, it makes us better. We have lots of great businesses and entrepreneurs in Huntsville and the surrounding areas, and they look forward to this wonderful event annually.”

Tools for Success Some the most important factors leading to their success have to do with their utilization of networking events through the Chamber to help them meet the people they need to meet in terms of business development. From Business After Hours and Breakfast & Biz 22

August 2012 Initiatives

events to groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremonies, active Chamber members congregate often to celebrate the official opening of business as well as the opportunity to engage in networking. Many of these busy Chamber members act as liaisons and ambassadors to the Chamber to encourage membership. And many have taken advantage of the annual Business EXPO, where members highlight their products and services in a tradeshow environment at the Von Braun Center. Collaboration with their peers in CEO Roundtables allow corporate decision makers to share insights into their success, while outwardly discussing mistakes to be avoided in the future. “If you own your company, you are its founder, CEO, and perhaps president,” Jimmar said. “A dress shop owner may find herself sitting across the table from a successful government contractor, but the challenges of running a small business are not as isolated as you may think. “They all have budgets, must meet a payroll and must have a strategy for business development. A small business owner can benefit from sitting across the table and bouncing ideas off someone who has been there, so the Chamber encourages participation.” Many small businesses are looking to grow. The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County provides resources to help entrepreneurs start or expand an existing business. “In talking about providing small business services, we have collaborated with UAHuntsville’s Small Business Development Center, Alabama A&M and the WBCNA to provide training seminars that address small business challenges,” Jimmar said. These seminars provide advice to entrepreneurs and start-ups on how to write a business plan, budget, market the company, hire employees and conduct a market research analysis. Many of these consulting services are free, while some workshops have nominal costs associated with them. “We have also built partnerships with the Alabama (Small Business) Development Office (ADO), the Small Business Administration (SBA), and many others,” Jimmar said. continued on page 24 Initiatives August 2012

A Business Paradise, continued from page 23 –

The 27th Annual Small Business Awards Celebration hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

A Business Paradise www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com

Congratulations to the 2012 Contenders: Small Business of the Year Abby Glenn ~ A Quiet Cove Corp. Suites & Apartments AEgis Technologies Group Alabama Foundation Specialist, Inc. Alabama Pain Center Alabama Psychological Services Center, LLC Amanda Howard Axios Solutions, Inc. BID Designs, Inc. Brockwell Technologies, Inc. Casa Designs, LLC Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis, Inc. Cline-Morin Associates Inc. Cummings Aerospace Digium, Inc. Diversified Business Solutions Dominion Salon & Spa enGenius Consulting Group, Inc. FASTSIGNS of Huntsville Five Stones Research Corporation Flint River Animal Hospital

Foliage Design Systems Foreign Language Services, Inc. GaN Corporation H.G. Peake Company Hawk Enterprises, LLC Huntsville Radio Service, Inc. Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3) Iroquoi Systems, Inc. KAYA Associates, Inc. LEAN Frog Business Solutions, Inc. LESCO MTS NETWORx of Huntsville nLogic, Inc. PeopleTec, Inc. Pinnacle Solutions, Inc. Salon Allure, Inc. Sentar, Inc. Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. The PINNIX Group, Inc. Trideum Corporation Venturi, Inc. Yorktown Systems Group, Inc.

Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award Donna Coleman Joni Green Cynthia Hart Byron Headrick

Michael Alvarez Ben Bayless, Jr. Beverly Boylan

Steve Hill Amanda Howard Jonn Kim Caroline Myers

Nilmini Thompson Tim Thornton Michael Wicks

Non-Profit of the Year ALS Association - Alabama Chapter AUVSI Pathfinder Chapter Better Business Bureau The CARE Center Christmas Charities Year Round Community Ballet Association

HEALS, Inc. International Services Council of Alabama, Inc. Kids to Love Foundation National Children’s Advocacy Center Therapy Partners, Inc.

Young Professional of the Year Karessa Acosta Drew Battle Regina Burnett Angelo Coleman Ashley Dinges Violet Edwards 24

August 2012 Initiatives

Chad Gardner Larkin Grant Ginger Harper Catherine Hereford Amanda Howard Travis Jackson

Rebecca Jarrell John Jeffery Sarah Lauren Kattos Sherrie Leeman Lindsey Maples Tony McGinnis

Christina Nickey Cindi Peters-Tanner Brian Trefry Anna Claire Vollers Andrea Williams

Foster Perry, Director of UAH Small Business Development Center, said Huntsville, Madison and Madison County provide a culture that is unique to many cities. He works in unison with the Chamber of Commerce, BizTech technology incubator and the WBCNA to bring programs and consulting services to those who need them. “It is extraordinary, really, how people in this community are willing to help others find success in business, without requiring credit or expecting any success of their own from it,” Perry said. On the technology side, the Chamber works with BizTech, the Huntsville Association of Small Businesses in Advanced Technology (HASBAT), and with the SBA to help qualify companies for funding under the Regional Innovation Cluster Initiative for Advanced Defense Technologies (ADTs).

Small Business as an Engine for Economic Growth When Forbes named Huntsville one of the Top 20 Leading Metros for Business in 2011, it was confirmation that Huntsville’s aggressive approach to economic development and job growth provided a friendly environment for small business of all kinds. Starting a small business is a risk. The Chamber helps start-up companies find useful information about taxes, business licensing and small business loans. They offer advice, training and consulting services to help entrepreneurs succeed. According to Jimmar, “We have a diverse membership that consists of companies in defense and aerospace; health and wellness; business professional services from industries such as construction, beauty and luxury services, wholesale and retail, hospitality, manufacturing, technology, biomedical / life sciences, and more.” In fact, of the 19,982 resident companies located in Madison County, 7,225 of them are self-employed businesses, and 10,637 of them have only two to nine employees. Jimmar added, “You cannot discount the economic engine that is small business. In addition to the Fortune 500 companies located here, 89 percent of small business residing in Huntsville employs 40,626 people.” (YourEconomy.org, 2009 data). “We love our business community, and we want to encourage them to continue to have a positive and strong impact on the economy, schools and community,” Bouldin said. “The Small Business Awards are our way of recognizing achievements and allowing these businesses to have their time to shine in recognition knowing that we appreciate their efforts.”

The 27th Annual Small Business Awards Celebration It all culminates in what the Chamber of Commerce considers its premier event – the annual Small Business Awards, to be held at the VBC on the evening of Aug. 30. It is the crème de la crème and the coup de grace, all wrapped up this year in a Hawaiian theme called “A Business Paradise,” presented by Regions Bank. Bouldin also sees it as an incentive to young companies: “If you are an ambitious young company, the Small Business of the Year award gives you something to aspire to.” “Getting ready for the SBA ceremony each year requires lots of planning, and it is very exciting,” Bouldin said. “We hold a number of meetings to discuss the logistics, from agenda, design, theme, hosts, and food, to pictures and overall fun.” In the past, the themes for the Small Business Awards have varied from action movies to magic show to black tie, but this year’s celebration is taking a novel twist towards the tropical. Attendees are strongly encouraged to wear their Hawaiian-print shirts or sundresses and flip flops. “Each year we try to make this event better than the previous one by incorporating more fun, excitement and a thrill in how we announce the winners. We know this is a special and exciting time for both the nominees and the winners,” said Bouldin. Nominees for the Leadership Award and the YPOY must submit detailed profiles. Company submissions must meet very strict standards: The nominee must have started the company or is currently the CEO/President of that company, which must consist of 350 or less employees and have been operational for a minimum of two years. The company must be licensed in Madison County and be in good standing with both the Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau. Other considerations include the financial state of the company. Community involvement is essential. Final selections are made by a panel of CPAs who blindly judge based on the documentation, without knowledge of the names of the nominees. “The selection process is highly sanitized and based purely on merit and not on popularity or politics,” Jimmar said. The panel awards three places in three company categories. Nominees know they are finalists, but do not know they have won until the winners are announced. • Kimberly Ballard

Validation of “Radical Idea” Receiving Russell Brown Executive Leadership Award helped Gierow see he made solid business choices

or years, Paul Gierow – then a mid-level executive at SRS Technologies – shared with his mentor an idea of starting a new company so he could design and produce inflatable antennas that could easily go into war zones and natural disasters, unlike traditional satellite dishes. Finally, one day his trusted, respected colleague – Lonnie McMillian of ADTRAN and HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology fame – told Gierow he’d talked about his dream long enough. It was time for him to go out and make it happen. So he did. That was seven years ago, and Gierow has surpassed his initial dream. GATR Technologies has gone from a one-man show that he set up in a corner of a wholesale flower shop to having his own space, 42 employees and millions of dollars in contracts. And at last year’s Small Business Awards, he was surprised to receive the esteemed Russell Brown Executive Leadership Award. GATR was also chosen as the winner of the Non-Government Contractor Technology Award. “It was amazing to win the first award,” Gierow said. “But with the Executive Leadership award, it really made me feel justified to start this company and grow it, instead of just sitting out there with a fairly radical idea. “When you are contemplating leaving a good job, and you’ve got a great assistant and a great graphic artist and lots of support, and then you’re just going out there on your own, it can be kind of scary.” But excellent leaders have excellent vision, and that’s what the Russell Brown Executive Leadership Award seeks to reward. The award is named for the late business/civic leader who co-founded the Huntsville-based DP Associates, an information technology company. GATR also has been on the Inc. 500/5000 list for the past three years. Fairly quickly into GATR’s existence, Gierow was presented the opportunity to see just how well his product worked. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Gierow and his brother-in-law took their inflatable antenna into coastal Mississippi. They hooked up a computer lab that enabled hurricane victims to communicate with their families and file FEMA paperwork online. “Since then, we have supported disaster assistance around the world, as well as being deployed with the country’s most elite fighting force, the U.S. Special Operations Command,” Gierow said. “Receiving this leadership award was a moment in time that we could say, ‘Yes! We did it!’ And the next moment, we were looking at how to take it to the next level.” • Patricia McCarter Initiatives August 2012

OsteoStrong No Pain and Plenty of Gain with New Huntsville Company

steoStrong is one of the newest companies driven by innovative biomedical technology to arrive in Huntsville, and it is providing a unique therapy that can change the lives of people suffering from osteoporosis or acute back pain. Using a single piece of equipment designed by biomedical engineer Dr. John Jaquish, OsteoStrong has perfected a way to safely apply targeted pressure to all ends of the bone to naturally stimulate bone density growth. The treatment is also designed for people who want to increase their strength without the use of drugs. OsteoStrong founder and president, Kyle Zagrodzky, spent the past two decades in the health club industry. He said statistics consistently show that about 12 percent of Americans will have a gym membership in their lifetime and many of those won’t use it as much as they should. “I wanted to pull the trigger on a new concept for the fitness industry, but I couldn’t get excited about it, knowing those stats haven’t altered much in 20 years,” he said. That changed when he met Jaquish. “Within 48 hours, my paradigm had dramatically shifted,” he said. “I thought I had seen everything related to the fitness industry, including new equipment, but this was a significant breakthrough that would affect a huge segment of the population who would never join a health club, but who needed help.” The human body loses about 4 to 5 percent of its bone density per year after age 30, he said. That can result in back pain, joint pain, loss of flexibility, loss of joint motion, pinched nerves, and bad posture, he said. And with the loss of bone comes weakness. Zagrodzky said it is been known for 26

August 2012 Initiatives

some time that by increasing pressure on the bones, the body produces more calcium, which stimulates bone growth. The problem was how to direct the right amount of pressure to the bones to get them to start growing again. Too often, typical exercise such as weight-lifting or aerobics did not result in the right amount of pressure required to reverse bone loss. “What OsteoStrong does is safely add just enough pressure to your bone, providing a neurological stimulus that puts your bones back into growth mode, naturally increasing bone density,” Zagrodzky said. OsteoStrong therapy consists of one visit per week for five minutes with no sweat or pain during or after your session. The company guarantees 50 percent increase in strength in one year, or bring about a complete reversal of bone loss in that time. “In truth, we do better than our guarantee because whether you are age 15 or 96, we actually double your strength in that time,” Zagrodzky said. OsteoStrong is located at 1015 Airport Road on the second floor. Visit their website at osteostrong.me. • Kimberly Ballard

Initiatives August 2012

To Our Chamber Members: A strong public education system with high student achievement and appropriate facilities is critical to economic development. As the economic development agency for Huntsville/Madison County, the Chamber of Commerce is committed to ensuring that our public schools have the resources they need to be successful. In 2011 the Chamber formed an Education Committee to support the school systems in Madison County and hold them accountable for student achievement. Likewise, we must also hold the business community accountable in its support for the resources the schools need. One of the first activities of the Education Committee was engagement on the process for selecting a new superintendent for Huntsville City Schools, which resulted in the hiring of Dr. Casey Wardynski. The Chamber has worked closely with Dr. Wardynski and his team to understand his vision for Huntsville City Schools, and we are convinced that with continued support from the community, Huntsville will have a world-class education system. Last month the Huntsville City Council voted to put a 6.5 mil school ad valorem tax renewal on the Aug 28 ballot. Passage of this renewal, which would otherwise expire in 2015, is critical to the continued funding of Huntsville City Schools. This is not a tax increase or a new tax. It is a renewal of an existing tax that has generated more than $153 million for Huntsville City Schools over the past 11 years. The Chamber has supported school funding efforts in the past. Six years ago, the Chamber supported a half-cent sales tax increase for education, and our support for adequate local funding has only become stronger under the leadership of Dr. Wardynski. It is imperative that the current tax base is, at the very least, maintained to allow for the improvements we expect and are working with our school systems to achieve. The Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Committee and Board of Directors have given their approval for the Chamber to take a public position in favor of this tax renewal.

Jim Bolte

Chip Cherry, CCE

Don Nalley

2012 Chair of the Board

President & CEO

2012 Education Committee Chair

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 28

225 Church Street / Huntsville, AL 35801 / 256.535.2000 / fax 256.535.2015 www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com August 2012 Initiatives

Dollars for Schools Meeting Held to Explain BRAC Education Funding Changes

n 2010 the Alabama legislature passed a law that made allowances for bond funding for school systems that were impacted by growth from the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). Some provisions in the law proved to be difficult to verify, so the legislature amended the law during the 2012 session to make it easier for school systems to access the funds. The process has yet to be finalized, but the law makes available $175 million in bonds to the 15 school systems affected by BRAC. In July the Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee hosted a meeting to update superintendents on the amendments. Held at the new Redstone Gateway, just outside Gate 9 of Redstone Arsenal, the meeting was opened by Sen. Arthur Orr, a sponsor of the original bill, on behalf of the legislative delegation from North Alabama. He welcomed State continued on page 30

Initiatives August 2012

Dollars for Schools, continued from page 29 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Board of Education District 8 representative Mary Scott Hunter and Redstone Arsenal Garrison Commander Col. John Hamilton and called on them to speak as well. Other Orr legislators at the meeting were Sen. Bill Holtzclaw, Rep. Ed Henry, Rep. Jim Patterson, Rep. Howard Sanderford, and Rep. Dan Williams. Representatives from 14 of the 15 eligible school systems were present. Sponsored by Rep. Mac McCutcheon, the new law amends three key elements of the original legislation. First, the requirement for an increase in sales or property tax in the city or county applying for the funds was eliminated. Second, the baseline date for calculation of new jobs was changed from Jan. 1, 2010, to Jan. 1, 2006 to better capture all the BRAC transfers. And McCutcheon third, the number of new jobs that must be verified before the bonds are issued was lowered from 7,000 to 4,700. While the number of new jobs associated with the 2005 BRAC will likely be higher, collection of the information from private companies was identified as an obstacle to verification. The new threshold of 4,700 more closely reflects the actual number of BRAC jobs transferred to Redstone Arsenal, and verification of this number can be obtained through the Redstone Garrison without contacting individual companies.

Systems Eligible for BRAC Bond Funds Albertville City

Arab City

Athens City

Boaz City

Decatur City

Guntersville City

Hartselle City

Huntsville City

Jackson County

Limestone City

Madison City

Madison County

Marshall County

Morgan County

Scottsboro City The bond money will be available for construction and renovation and must be matched dollar for dollar with other funding. â&#x20AC;˘ Lucia Cape 30

August 2012 Initiatives

NASA Selects Proposals For Space Launch System Advanced Booster

ASA has selected six proposals to improve the affordability, reliability and performance of an advanced booster for the Space Launch System (SLS). The awardees will develop engineering demonstrations and risk reduction concepts for SLS, a heavy-lift rocket that will provide an entirely new capability for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit. Proposals selected for contract negotiations are: • Subscale Composite Tank Set: Northrop Grumman

Systems Corporation Aerospace Systems • Full-Scale Combustion Stability Demonstration: Aerojet General Corporation • F-1 Engine Risk Reduction Task: Dynetics, Inc. • Main Propulsion System Risk Reduction Task: Dynetics, Inc. • Structures Risk Reduction Task: Dynetics, Inc. • Integrated Booster Static Test: ATK Launch Systems, Inc. “The initial SLS heavy-lift rocket begins with the proven hardware, technology and capabilities we have today and will evolve over time to a more capable launch vehicle through competitive opportunities,” said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “While the SLS team is making swift progress on the initial configuration and building a solid baseline, we also are looking ahead to enhance and upgrade future configurations of the heavy lift vehicle. We want to build a system that will be upgradable and used for decades.”

Astronaut T.J. Creamer, State Rep. Howard Sanderford and State Sen. Bill Holtzclaw look at a model of the Space Launch System at Space Day in Montgomery. Designed to be flexible for launching spacecraft – including NASA’s Orion multipurpose vehicle – for crew and cargo missions, SLS will enable NASA to meet the president’s goal of sending humans to an asteroid by 2025 and to Mars in the 2030s. The initial SLS configuration will use two five-segment solid rocket boosters similar to the solid rocket boosters that helped power the space shuttle to orbit. The evolved SLS vehicle will require an advanced booster with significant increase in thrust from any existing U.S. liquid or solid boosters. Individual awards will vary with a total NASA investment of as much as $200 million. “We are building a new national capability to carry astronauts and science experiments beyond Earth orbit to new destinations in space,” said Todd May, SLS program manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. “Our industry partners have presented a variety of options for reducing risk

while increasing performance and affordability, and we’re looking forward to seeing their innovative ideas come to life.” The proposal selections are the first step in the NASA Research Announcement procurement process. The second step, the formal contract award, will follow after further negotiations between NASA and selected organizations. All funded efforts will demonstrate and examine advanced booster concepts and hardware demonstrations during a 30-month period. This risk mitigation acquisition precedes the follow-on design, development, testing and evaluation competition for the SLS advanced booster currently planned for 2015. The first test flight of NASA’s Space Launch System, which will feature a configuration for a 77-ton (70-metric-ton) lift capacity, is scheduled for 2017. As SLS evolves, a two-stage launch vehicle configuration will provide a lift capability of 143 tons (130 metric tons).

Initiatives August 2012

Opportunity Definitely Works Total Resource Campaign Exceeds 2012-13 Goal

TRC volunteers celebrate yet another goal-shattering campaign by surpassing this year’s goal by nearly $200,000 for a grand total of $1,135,535 in contracts sold. Top producers for this year’s campaign were Joe Knoch, Carrie McCrillis and Lee Lester.

August 2012 Initiatives

olunteers with the Chamber’s Total Resource Campaign just keep working harder and harder. For the 2012-13 campaign, volunteers raised $1,135,535, which surpassed the $950,000 goal by nearly $200,000. “I would like to tell the whole world how proud I am of the 2012 Team TRC,” said Chamber Small Business Director Pammie Jimmar. “This year’s campaign was led by Joe Green and his team of over achievers. We are so fortunate to have such a dedicated team of volunteers. I always refer to them as the ‘extended sales force’ of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County.” The campaign – with the theme “Opportunity Works” – kicked off in late April, and Green the finale was held on June 21. At that time, the volunteers who raised the most revenue and secured the most trades were announced. Lee Lester, vice president of Regions Bank, was awarded the top volunteer, raising more than $70,000. Carrie McCrillis, global client manager for Kelly Services, captured second place while Joe Knoch, owner/president of Air Essentials, Inc., finished in third place. The winning team, Special Ops, raised more than $240,000 and was captained by Stephen Hall of Bradley Hall Arant Boult Cummings LLP and Leslie McGill with First Commercial Bank. The remaining members of Special Ops are Carrie McCrillis, Loren Traylor,

Marianne Windham, Jeremy Smith, Frank Caprio and Wendy Babcock. Eight team captains marshalled the services of about 50 TRC volunteers, who contacted members about investing in the campaigns. There were 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. When TRC volunteers sell sponsorships during the campaign, it allows the Chamber of Commerce to provide members first class networking events, governmental updates and training to retain and grow their business by engaging with other members. “When you see one of the 2012 Team TRC members, please tell them thank you,” Jimmar said. “They did an amazing job.” • Patricia McCarter

Initiatives August 2012

Timeless Art in Motion Community Ballet Association Offers ‘Pointe of Excellence’ Swan Lake Act II: Huntsville Ballet Company’s new, carefully reconstructed ballet by Rachel Butler after the Petipa/Ivanov choreography.

August 2012 Initiatives

hen Loyd Tygett established Community Ballet Association (CBA) in 1964, the mission was to entertain, educate, inspire and engage audiences through the powerful vehicle of dance. Now, almost 50 years later, it is safe to say that the mission has not only been realized, it continues to thrive. Operating under the umbrella of CBA, Huntsville Ballet Company and Huntsville Ballet School are both receiving national attention. Under artistic director Phillip Otto the company reaches well over 20,000 people seasonally with classical, neoclassical, 20th Century masterworks and new works created especially for Huntsville audiences by some of the country’s most recognized choreographers. In addition, CBA brings in international touring companies each year. Huntsville Ballet School Director, Rachel Butler, focuses on providing the highest caliber of training available in Alabama as well as providing many opportunities for students to work with and learn from world renowned choreographers, master teachers and guest artists. HBS students are being accepted into the School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet School, Boston Ballet School and many more. HBS has also been chosen as the site for national auditions for several ballet schools, which draws dancers from all surrounding states. The newest addition to CBA is Discover Dance, an outreach program developed by Otto. Now in its fifth year, it provides fourth and fifth graders in city schools with free

Huntsville Ballet Company Unplugged stepped back in time to World War II with a visit to the Stage Door Canteen, choreographed by Phillip Otto, HBC Artistic Director.

weekly dance classes, culminating with the students performing onstage prior to HBC’s Spring Performance. As a non-profit arts organization, the challenges to survive are many; however, as Otto states, “A strong arts program adds to the quality of life in any city, and our goal is to continue to be a vibrant part of Huntsville’s culture. We remain strongly committed to being ‘A Pointe of Excellence’ in North Alabama for a long time to come.” • Staff Reports

Initiatives August 2012

Sharing the Wealth Locally The Community Foundation Provides Charitable Vision L-R: Melissa Thompson, Kim Arnold and Lynne Berry

August 2012 Initiatives

he Community Foundation of Huntsville/Madison County, which works to increase local charitable giving, has relocated to the first floor of the Chamber of Commerce building. The foundation has set up more than $8 million in charitable donor-advised funds and nonprofit funds. It has distributed – on behalf of its donors – more than $1 million to nonprofits, universities, schools and churches. Most of the money has stayed in this community. “As the Chamber is the economic hub for our community, the Community Foundation is the charitable hub,” said Foundation Executive Director Lynne Berry. “The Chamber provides the economic vision, leadership and support for the Huntsville/Madison County area, and

the Community Foundation provides the charitable vision, leadership and support. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are so happy to be co-located so that we can work more closely with the Chamber to strengthen our community.â&#x20AC;? The foundation educates donors about the tax benefits of giving and provides options with tax advantages, such as donoradvised funds. The foundation can send donations on behalf of donors to any church, non-profit, or government entity in the nation but may not influence donors on their choice of recipient. They can provide detailed information on all non-profits located within Huntsville and Madison County. The minimum amount necessary to establish a donor advised fund is $10,000. These funds are typically used by those who have had a windfall, like selling a business or selling stock, who want to set aside money to give to charity over time. Companies may also set up donor advised funds, avoiding the cost of establishing their own non-profit entity. The company determines where donations from their fund will be made. The Foundation also holds and invests money for non-profit organizations, currently managing fourteen such funds. The foundation has three part-time staffers: Executive director Lynne Berry, financial administrator Kim Arnold and community relations director Melissa Thompson. For more information, contact The Community Foundation of Huntsville/ Madison County at (256) 535-2065, P.O. Box 332, Huntsville, Alabama 35804, info@communityfoundationhsv.org. â&#x20AC;˘

Initiatives August 2012

June 11-17, 2012 Photos from the Armed Forces Week Concert, Proclamation Signing, Salute Luncheon, U.S. Army Soldier Show and the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team.

August 2012 Initiatives

The Huntsville/Madison County community found numerous ways to celebrate the sacrifices of the military during its annual Armed Forces Week, observed June 11-17. Among scheduled events were a proclamation signing, Concert in the Park (which was moved to the VBC due to rain), birthday cake cutting at the Redstone Arsenal parade grounds, golf tournament, fireworks, two presentations of the Soldier Show, a luncheon, and – brand new to Huntsville – heated competition between the Wounded Warriors Amputee Softball Team and local teams. The annual observance is co-hosted among the local chapter of the Association of the United States Army, the City of Huntsville and the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. It was something of a homecoming for Maj. Gen. Lynn Collyar, who assumed command of Redstone Arsenal and the Aviation and Missile Command on June 1. “I’m really the one that is honored here today, getting to speak on behalf of all of you,” Collyar, a 1975 graduate of Huntsville High School, said to the hundreds of military personnel and community leaders at the luncheon on June 13. “What we’re doing this week represents all of you.” •

Initiatives August 2012

August 2012 Initiatives

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

2 0 1 2 STA FF Executive Staff Chip Cherry, CCE, president & CEO Tammy Gregory, executive assistant Ashley Shady, resource desk coordinator

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:

WBC Quarterly Forum Luncheon

Economic Development Ethan Hadley, VP, economic development Lucia Cape, VP, workforce & industry relations

Members share ideas at the Women’s Business Council Quarterly Luncheon in May, which featured Lori King-Taylor with Eagle Collision, recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Award.

John Southerland, director, Cummings Research Park | project manager

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

Communications

Photo by J. Hanshaw Photography

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

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

Business After Hours presented by Cumulus Media; hosted by scsworx

A good time was had by all at the June Business After Hours at scsworx on County Line Road in Madison.

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

Breakfast & Biz presented by Verizon Wireless

Chamber members have the chance for intense networking sessions over bacon and eggs at the June Breakfast and Biz.

Associated Organizations The Community Foundation (communityfoundationhsv.org)

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

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.

Initiatives August 2012

August 2012 Initiatives

Initiatives August 2012

August 2012 Initiatives