Initiatives magazine, June 2014 by Huntsville/Madison County Chamber

Initiatives June 2014

June 2014 Initiatives

Welcome New Chamber Members Joined in April 2014 4M Research, Inc.

Joined in March 2014

Addx Corporation

Acopia Home Loans ActionCOACH AFLAC - Julie Griffith

American Heart Association Best Western Plus - Madison - Huntsville Hotel

AGM Consulting Services Bear Defense Services Below the Radar BrewHouse Bodycote Brooks & Collier EPSCO Staffing G & K Services Hawthorne at the Ridge Apartments Ingenuity, Inc. Inspire & Achieve Corporation Jewish Federation of Huntsville & N. Alabama, Inc. Moe’s Southwest Grill The Office Breakroom & Bar Paradigm Investment Group, LLC - Hardee’s (#1369; #1475; #2743; #564; #5655; #5658; #5749; #5787; #712) RiahRose Home for Children, Inc. Rice Box Sci-Quest, Hands-On Science Center Solution by Resolution Tom Ray Vape South, LLC

ComForCare Huntsville Dickey’s Barbecue Pit (Hoffy LLC) Diehl Automotive Specialists Greater Academic Principles, Inc. I Love Juice Bar JXC Consulting Group Judge Linda Coats K & M Glass Co., Inc. KIHOMAC Legacy Homes Little Orange Fish Corporation Marvin Engineering Co., Inc. NTS Huntsville Operation Ortiz Consulting & Educational Services Pho 89 Practical Energetics Research, LLC RadioShack Corporation Ready YoUrself For the Future (RUFF) Right at Home Southern Tile & Stone Restoration Tavisso.com Thompson Gray Incorporated The University of Alabama System

If you want to make a valuable investment in your business and the community, the Chamber is the place to start. Contact Donna McCrary, Membership Retention Manager: 256-535-2027 or dmccrary@hsvchamber.org. Initiatives June 2014

Thanks to Our Investors Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

Development Partner ($250,000+ 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 Regions Bank Tennessee Valley Authority Leadership Forum ($25,000+ annually) ADTRAN, Inc. The Boeing Company BBVA Compass City of Madison Emerson Network Power - Avocent Lockheed Martin Corporation Madison County Commission Redstone Federal Credit Union

Executive Council ($15,000+ annually) BB&T CINRAM Crestwood Medical Center Intergraph Corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation PNC Bank Qualitest Pharmaceuticals SAIC SES - Science and Engineering Services, LLC 4

June 2014 Initiatives

Chamber Trustees ($10,000+ annually) AEgis Technologies Group Aerojet Rocketdyne Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. DynCorp International Dynetics, Inc. First Commercial Bank Intuitive Research and Technology Corp.

Progress Partners

Jerry Damson, Inc. L-3 Communications Corp. – Huntsville Ops Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne P.C PARSONS Raytheon Company SportsMed Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. Wyle CAS Group

($5,000+ annually)

Ability Plus ASRC Federal Analytical Services A-P-T Research, Inc. Baron Services, Inc. BASF Corporation Beason & Nalley, Inc. The Bentley Automotive Group Bill Penney Toyota-Mitsubishi BlueCreek Investment Partners Cadence Bank Clearview Cancer Institute Coates Transportation Group Colliers International Connected Logistics Consolidated Construction Company Corporate Office Properties Trust Davidson Technologies Deloitte LLP ERC, Inc. Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc.

Huntsville-Madison County Builders Association iBERIABANK IronMountain Solutions J. Smith Lanier & Co. Kudzu Productions, Inc. LEAN Frog Business Solutions, Inc. MJLM Engineering & Technical Services MTS, Inc. The Orthopaedic Center Progress Bank QinetiQ North America Radiance Technologies, Inc. Rosie’s Restaurants, Inc., & Right Way Restaurants, Inc. (DBA Steak Out) SELEX Galileo Inc. Torch Technologies Turner Construction U.S. Space and Rocket Center WAFF-TV Woody Anderson Ford

Progress Investors ($2,500+ annually) Alpha Beta Technologies, Inc. Anglin Reichmann Snellgrove & Armstrong, PC Averbuch Realty Co., Inc. – Scott Averbuch Aviagen, Inc. BancorpSouth Brown Precision, Inc. Bryant Bank CB&S Bank Century Automotive CFD Research Corporation Coast Personnel Services deciBel Research Decisive Analytics Corporation DESE Research, Inc. Digium, Inc. Ducommun Miltec First Financial Group Wealth Management Fite Building Company, Inc. FLS, Inc. dba Foreign Language Services Fountain, Parker, Harbarger 4SITE, Inc. G. W. Jones & Sons Consulting Engineers GATR Technologies Halsey Foodservice HEMSI Hiley Cars Huntsville Huntsville Botanical Garden Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. Investor’s Resource/Raymond James Joseph Decosimo and Company, LLC KPS Group Leadership Huntsville/Madison County, Inc. The Lioce Group, Inc. MacAulay-Brown, Inc. (MacB) Moog, Inc. National Bank of Commerce North Alabama Multiple Listing Service PALCO Telecom Service, Inc. PeopleTec, Inc. PFM Group PHOENIX PROJECTXYZ, Inc. QTEC, Inc. Qualis Corporation Renasant Bank RJ Young ServisFirst Bank Sierra Lobo, Inc. Sigmatech, Inc. Spencer Companies Incorporated Synapse Wireless, Inc. Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. URS Corporation Wesfam Restaurants, Inc. DBA Burger King West Huntsville Land Co., Inc. WHNT-TV

Initiatives June 2014

June 2014 Initiatives

initiatives

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

june 2014 on the cover

embodies the “live, work, play” model pages 17-20

features Welcome Back AUSA Economic Development Highlights

including NTS Huntsville Operation, Calhoun Community College, J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, Verizon, Davidson Technologies, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Ala.

Courtesy of The Arts Council

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.

10 12

Awards & Accolades 2 2 Wendy Kirk New VP 2 3 Small Business Awards in the Spotlight 26, 30 Non-Profit Center Stage 2 8 2014 Best Places to Work® 3 2 Government Affairs Trips in pictures 3 4

Courtesy of Huntsville Botanical Garden

developments

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 NW, Huntsville, AL 35801 main line: 256.535.2000 fax: 256.535.2015

3 4 8 9 16 21 25

editorial staff

Publisher Chip Cherry, cce Executive Editor Patricia C. McCarter

Editorial Designer Kristi Sherrard Contributing Writers Johanna Jean-Jacques and Patricia C. McCarter

www.asmartplace.com

Photography Chamber of Commerce staff, publications/archive, or Shutterstock 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 Chris Soren Alabama Media Group csoren@al.com

online www.HSVchamber.org fyi

New Chamber Members HREGI Investors Listing Chamber Board Listing Wonders of Dubai Trip Community Profile Chamber Staff Listing Small Business Lenders Summit

Initiatives June 2014

Chamber of Commerce

Executive Committee and Board of Directors 2014 Executive Committee

A Message from Chip Cherry Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: Having grown up in a military community and now having the honor to reside in a community with a rich heritage of supporting our men and women in the armed forces, I welcome the opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices of the few that ensure the many can enjoy the rights and liberties envisioned by the founders of this country. Memorial Day is a reminder that we should pause to remember those who have given their lives to protect our liberties and to honor those who have served and are serving. It also provides an opportunity to show our appreciation to those who support the warfighters – the civil servants. On behalf of our membership, volunteer leadership and staff, I say thank you to all who are serving, have served, and to the families who support them. And I offer a special thank you to those families enduring the loss of a loved one that died while serving. Spring has been a good time for accolades for several of our Members, including Intuitive Research and Technology being recognized as one of the top places in the country for millennials and the Army Materiel Command’s Small Business Program being recognized with a top Army award. Also, thanks to the efforts of dedicated teachers and administrators with the Huntsville City Schools, we are now going to be a little greener with the location of GreenPower USA Foundation to our community. And there is much more good news in this issue to include the list and photos of the 2014 Best Places to Work winners. I am excited to welcome Wendy Kirk as our new Vice President of Member Engagement. You may know Wendy from her work with the United Way. She brings a wealth of experience to the Chamber, and we look forward to her becoming a member of our team.

Chip Cherry, CCE

President & CEO Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

June 2014 Initiatives

Robert Mayes, Chair, BlueCreek Investment Partners Rey Almodóvar, Chair-elect, INTUITIVE Ron Poteat, Immediate Past Chair, Regions Bank Tommy Beason, Chamber Foundation Chair, Consultant Joe Newberry, Secretary/Treasurer, Redstone Federal Credit Union Rose Allen, Vice Chair - Economic Development, Booz Allen Hamilton Mark Curran, Vice Chair - Government Affairs, L-3 Communications Gary Bolton, Vice Chair - Membership, ADTRAN Danny Windham, Vice Chair - Member Engagement, Digium Greg Brown, Vice Chair - Workforce & Industry Relations, Brown Precision Kim Lewis, Vice Chair - Small Business & Events, PROJECTXYZ Everett Brooks, Vice Chair - Image Development & Communications, AEgis Technologies Group

Mayor Tommy Battle, Chair-Appointed, City of Huntsville Penny Billings, Chair-Appointed, BancorpSouth David Spillers, Chair-Appointed, Huntsville Hospital Chairman Dale Strong, Chair-Appointed, Madison County Commission Mayor Troy Trulock, Chair-Appointed, City of Madison Dr. Casey Wardynski, Chair-Appointed, Huntsville City Schools Chip Cherry, President & CEO, Chamber of Commerce Elected Board Dr. Robert Altenkirch, The University of Alabama in Huntsville Bob Baron, Baron Services Dr. Marc Bendickson, Dynetics Miranda Bouldin, LogiCore Greg Bragg, Consolidated Construction Company Janet Brown, Belk Micah Bullard, Turner Construction Kevin Byrnes, Raytheon Company Kevin Campbell, Northrop Grumman Corporation Frank Caprio, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Dorothy Davidson, Davidson Technologies Gene Goldman, Aerojet Rocketdyne Jeff Gronberg, deciBel Research John Gully, SAIC Natalie Hasley, Bama Jammer Steve Hassell, Emerson Network Power Avocent Tharon Honeycutt, MSB Analytics Dr. Pam Hudson, Crestwood Medical Center Dr. Andrew Hugine, Alabama A&M University Tony Jones, The Boeing Company Jeremiah Knight, JXC Consulting Group Rich Marsden, Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne Janice Migliore, PALCO Telecom Service Jim Owens, FirstBank George Prueitt, Wyle CAS Group Tom Ray, Consultant Jim Rogers, Lockheed Martin Corporation Alicia Ryan, LSINC Dr. Gurmej Sandhu, Sigmatech Charlie Sealy, Sealy Management Company Andrew Shambarger, BB&T Crystal Shell, WILL Technology E.J. Sinclair, SES - Science and Engineering Services Dr. Ashok Singhal, CFD Research Corporation Todd Slyman, Village of Providence Mike Stanfield, Ducommun Cynthia Streams, Domino’s Pizza (Valley Pizza) Nilmini Thompson, Systems Products and Solutions

The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County presents a business networking venture to discover the

OCTOBER 18-25, 2014 from $2,849 air and land eight days, six nights including hotels, meals, day trips and airfare from Huntsville International Airport

Business opportunities abound in Dubai. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) represents a major market for U.S. exports and serves as an important regional hub for American companies conducting business throughout the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. The UAE has overtaken Saudi Arabia as the largest market for American products in the Middle East. For the first half of 2013, American exports to the UAE have increased by an additional 25%, with leading export sectors being aerospace and defense equipment, computers and electronic equipment, and transportation and infrastructure related goods and services.

For more details and reservations, contact: Christy Nalley, Finance Director, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County cnalley@hsvchamber.org â&#x20AC;˘ 256-535-2010 For optional Business to Business Appointments through the U.S. Embassy in Dubai, contact: Anne Burkett, Executive Director, NAITA aburkett@madisoncountyal.gov â&#x20AC;˘ 256-532-3505 (There will be an extra charge for arrangement of business appointments.)

Initiatives June 2014

Welcome Back AUSA Symposium to Return to Huntsville in 2015

hen local civic and business leaders learned that the Association of the United States Army would be holding its 2014 Winter Symposium and Exposition at the Von Braun Center, they stepped up to help the local AUSA Chapter put on the best conference possible. The 2014 event set an AUSA symposium attendance record with more than 6,400 attendees, which was four times larger than the 2013 event held in Fort Lauderdale. All of that hard work – from elected officials to military leaders to service organization volunteers – paid off quickly. Within a month of the 2014 conference, national AUSA officers announced that the symposium would come back to Huntsville March 31-April 2, 2015. Association of the United States Army President (Ret.) Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan said that the proximity to the Army Material Command and other major command/agency headquarters would allow the organization to again maximize its military, civilian and industry attendance “during this period of constrained budgets and limited resources.” “This will be a superb opportunity for their professional development while remaining very cost effective,” Sullivan said. Added AUSA Vice President (Ret.) Lt. Gen. Roger G. Thompson Jr., “Huntsville is the ideal location for this AUSA and Army event. It is a win, win, win, win, win situation. The enthusiasm from the first time has been off the charts, enabling AUSA to provide an outstanding quality platform.” The Redstone-Huntsville Chapter – which has won the top chapter designation worldwide for years – contributed greatly to the success of the 2014 symposium, and the organization is looking for additional members. AUSA membership is one of the best ways for companies to support soldiers, soldiers’ families and military civilians. An annual Corporate Membership is $150. To learn more, go to

An annual Corporate Membership (2 designees) is $150. The Redstone-Huntsville Chapter of AUSA invites you to join us: www.ausa.

www.ausa.org/membership/corporate/Pages/default.aspx

org/membership/corporate/Pages/default.aspx

AUSA serves as the “Voice for the Army.” An AUSA membership is one of the best ways for your company to support soldiers, soldiers’ families, and our military civilians. What does a membership do for you? At the national level, it:

The Redstone-Huntsville Chapter is a proud member of the Chamber of Commerce, and is once again AUSA’s worldwide Best Chapter.

June 2014 Initiatives

• Increases your company’s visibility in the military market. • Allows your firm to designate 2 to 10 individual memberships, depending on the membership level selected. • Enables designees to attend the AUSA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., including the special corporate member reception and luncheon recognizing your corporate support of the Army. In our community, the Redstone-Huntsville Chapter offers: • Low cost advertising in the quarterly newsletter, The Salute. • Special invitations to local chapter events: Education Forums, Updates for Industry, membership meetings, Army updates and special events. • Ability to participate in AUSA symposium activities (e.g., Annual and Winter Symposiums), including Chapter receptions and events. • Special opportunities to hear from Team Redstone leadership. • Ability to participate in local support activities for Army soldiers, families, civilians: Ordway Award Breakfast, Veteran’s Day activities, veteran recognition events (e.g., Vietnam Veteran’s Welcome Home), Operation Christmas Bear, ROTC/ JROTC Awards, Retiree Appreciation Day, military appreciation events (Chargers, Stars, Havoc games), Department of the Army Civilian (DAC) Leadership Summit, Family of the Year Award ceremony, DAC of the Year Awards Dinner. • Sponsorship opportunities for AUSA events. • Notice of relevant military announcements, events, and activities.

• Patricia McCarter

Initiatives June 2014

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

National Technical Systems (NTS) Acquires Wyle Labs Wyle Laboratories, Inc., - a leading provider of testing and engineering services – has been acquired by National Technical Systems, Inc., an affiliate of Aurora Capital Group, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm. This acquisition results in NTS becoming the largest independent testing laboratory in North America. The local facility will be renamed NTS Huntsville. “Through this acquisition, we will enhance the testing capabilities we are able to offer to existing customers and grow our business base in Huntsville and across the southeast,” said Keith Wilson, Wyle Laboratories Test and Engineering East facility vice president. “NTS has a solid reputation in many of the same industries we currently serve, such as nuclear power, aerospace, defense and transportation to name just a few, and is the right partner for us… “From toaster ovens, voting machines, space vehicles, nuclear safety services and everything in between, NTS Huntsville operations will continue to provide exemplary services to all of our customers we serve.” According to Wilson, the NTS Huntsville facility will continue to provide the same high quality services that it has for more than 60 years. He expects the core management team and staff will remain in place. At the ribbon cutting ceremony on March 19, Chamber Board Chair Elect Rey Almodóvar said, “And a little known fact is that at one time the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval was not given until items were tested in the test kitchen located at this very facility! NTS inherits that proud legacy and tradition, and we are so thrilled to welcome this truly phenomenal organization to our community.” Derek Coppinger, NTS senior vice president/chief sales

and marketing officer, said, “I am extremely pleased and proud to see this transaction come to fruition. Huntsville has been a market that we have been interested in for the past few years because of its proximity to Redstone Arsenal, NASA and the aerospace and defense industry in Huntsville.

L-R: Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Wyle Labs’ Keith Wilson, Chamber Chair-Elect Rey Almodóvar, NTS Senior Vice President Derek Coppinger, Congressman Mo Brooks, Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong and Madison Mayor Troy Trulock.

Calhoun Receives Cybersecurity Grant Calhoun Community College won a $172,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education for the college’s new “Meeting the Needs of Cybersecurity Technicians” program, announced on March 12. According to the grant proposal, the award will be used for developing a laboratory environment with the latest equipment and software conducive to hands-on-training and research opportunities, enabling students to become Cybersecurity Professionals. With the addition of a state-of-the art training facility, Calhoun will increase interest and retention in the CIS program while preparing students for professional careers in the field of cybersecurity. At least 80 students – 40 each semester – are to be trained using the new equipment. CIS faculty members Nisheeth Agarwal, Charlene Nixon and Niania Patnayakuni worked with the grants office to develop the proposal. “Calhoun will be the first community college in the state to have a cybersecurity lab of this magnitude,” said Agarwal, Chair of the Huntsville CIS Department. “Our students will be able to receive certification as Certified Ethical Hackers, Certified Mobile Examiners and Computer Hacking Forensic Investigators.” Fall 2013 enrollment in CIS courses at the Huntsville campus is 335, representing a 35 percent increase from fall of 2012. Calhoun projects that these numbers will continue to increase at an exceeding rate in direct correlation with job demand in the field of cybersecurity and competitive programs offered at the College. • 12

June 2014 Initiatives

“In addition, it offers us the opportunity to expand our business to customers across the southeast. This acquisition will allow NTS and our employees to continue to grow and excel as the preeminent independent testing and engineering services organization in North America.” •

Drake State, SES Form Mechatronics Collaborative J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College has joined with local manufacturer Science Engineering Services (SES) to form a mechatronics program named the North Alabama Manufacturing Technology Education Collaborative. The program aims to capitalize on the education and training capacity of the college, working in concert with its manufacturing industry partners to produce multi-skilled manufacturing technicians for employment in north Alabama industries. SES, which has three locations, bases its home manufacturing operations in an 800,000-square-foot facility on Dunlop Boulevard, as well as two hangars at Huntsville International Airport. Drake State students in the program will be eligible for paid apprenticeship jobs for 16 hours a week while attending classes. The NAMTEC program has also developed a manufacturing technology academy for high school students and also provides transitional support for veterans seeking entry into the manufacturing industry, according to Drake State. A pipeline of veterans entering the program has already been established. •

~ continued on page 14

Verizon to Hire 300 at Huntsville Headquarters Technology leader Verizon Wireless announced plans to hire more than 400 full-time employees in Alabama this year, with about 300 of those locating at the company’s state headquarters in Huntsville. “When successful companies are able to expand and create more jobs, Alabamians have an opportunity for a better future,” Gov. Robert Bentley said. “Alabama’s relationship with Verizon is strong, and I look forward to a continued partnership with the company.” Gov. Bentley joined Verizon officials, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong for the jobs announce- L-R: Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong, Huntsville Mayor ment at the Old House Chamber at the Alabama Tommy Battle, Gov. Robert Bentley at Verizon announcement in MontState Capitol. gomery. Verizon said that more than 300 of the available Alabama positions are for customer service-related workers in Huntsville, where the company operates its South Area Call Center. Verizon also said it is filling retail positions in the Huntsville region, including Decatur, Madison, Florence, Guntersville and Cullman. It also is hiring people in Birmingham and Dothan, mostly in retail sales. “At Verizon, we know the incredible talent available throughout the state of Alabama, and we are committed to offering a thriving work environment in which employees can learn, grow and use their talents and skills to contribute to the success of our dynamic business,” said Jonathan LeCompte, president of the Georgia/Alabama region for Verizon Wireless. Verizon employs more than 1,600 people across Alabama and more than 176,000 people company-wide. It opened the Huntsville call center and state headquarters in Thornton Research Park seven years ago. “The city of Huntsville has enjoyed a long, thriving partnership with Verizon, and these new jobs will further bolster our economy and bring new people to our wonderful city, which is consistently named as one of the best cities to live and work,” Huntsville Mayor Battle said. •

Davidson Technologies Cuts Ribbon on New Building Davidson Technologies now has another 25,000 square feet in which to perform its business of missiles, aerospace, cyber and intelligence. The building is connected to the company’s original Cummings Research Park 27,000-square-foot building by an atrium. Corporate President/CEO Dorothy Davidson said there is room to add another 94 to 100 employees. Davidson already employs more than 250 technical and administrative professionals in its corporate office in Cummings Research Park as well as sites in Colorado Springs; Fort Greely, Alaska; and Washington D.C. The company’s core competencies include system engineering and analysis, test and evaluation, cyber and information assurance, modeling and simulation and software development. Nearly 100 people were in attendance on May 14 when the ribbon was cut on the building by Davidson, Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Director Jim Byard, Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong and Huntsville City Administrator John Hamilton. Officials cut ribbon on new Davidson building Davidson Technologies has been part of the Huntsville community since 1996 when it was founded by the late Dr. Julian Davidson. His pioneering contributions to missile defense systems helped make Davidson Technologies a company with a reputation for excellence and integrity. After Dr. Davidson’s death in 2013, his wife Dorothy stepped in as president and CEO. She came to Davidson Technologies following a successful engineering and business career that led her from the Pentagon to Europe and back to America. • Initiatives June 2014

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS continued from page 13

12 UAH Researchers Get $500,000 in Infrastructure Research Funds Twelve faculty and research staff have been awarded a total of $508,123 in infrastructure improvement awards by the University of Alabama in Huntsville Office of the Vice President for Research. “I am pleased to announce the award of 12 infrastructure improvement awards to faculty and research staff,” said Dr. Ray Vaughn, UAH vice president for research, who thanks the university’s researchers for supporting and growing its research program. “This brings the total investment by OVPR in UAH faculty and staff to well over $1 million this year.” A total of 25 proposals were received and were reviewed by a panel of eight individuals representing UAH colleges, research centers and the Faculty Senate. The 12 researchers awarded, their departments and their projects are: • Dr. Luis Cruz-Vera, Biological Science: Differential Centrifugation: A Method to isolate cellular components for detail studies on gene expression and macromolecular structures; • Dr. Lingze Duan, Physics: Precise Control of Optical Field in Femtosecond Laser Pulses; • Dr. Jacob Heerkuisen, Space Science: CSPAR Cluster Access Upgrade; • Dr. D.K. Hollingsworth, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering: Computational Study of Heat Transfer due to Sliding Bubbles in a Mini-Channel; • Dr. Kevin Knupp, Atmospheric Science: Infrastructure Improvements for the UAH Mobile Integrated Profiling System; • Dr. Udaysankar Nair, Atmospheric Science: Micro Sensor Systems Laboratory (MSSL) - Harnessing Machine-to-Machine Technology for Environmental Research and Applications; • Dr. Jodi Price, Psychology: Giving New Life to the Lifelong Learning Lab; • Dr. Seyed Sadeghi, Physics: Single molecule/ nanoparticle imaging and spectroscopy system for investigation of fundamental science and applications of nanoparticles; • Dr. Derrick Smith, Education: Establishment of the STEM-VI Mathematics Research Laboratory Infrastructure; • Dr. Kunning Xu, Propulsion Research Center: Microwave Turning and Diagnostic Equipment to Enable Microwave Plasma and Combustion Research; • Dr. Hongyu Zhou, Civil Engineering: Establishing the Infrastructure Hazard Mitigation and Intelligent Materials Laboratory for Interactive Research on Civil Structures and Infrastructural Materials; • Dr. Feng Zhu, Computer Science: An Infrastructure for Cybersecurity and Privacy Research in the Post-PC era. • 14

June 2014 Initiatives

VA Breaks Ground on New Outpatient Clinic

Dignitaries break ground on new VA clinic. The official groundbreaking for the new VA Outpatient Clinic in Huntsville was held April 17, but the red clay ground had been broken, churned and leveled for weeks. The new 47,800-squarefoot, $39.5 million clinic is set to open by mid-2015, on Markaview Road near Butler High School and the Clearview Cancer Institute. The VA predicts that 15,000 veterans will be seen each year in the new clinic, which will consolidate the agency’s smaller, community-based clinics in Huntsville, Madison and Decatur under one roof. Services will include primary care, mental health, audiology, optometry, radiology and an onsite pharmacy. “It is my hope that each and every veteran who will walk through the doors of this wonderful new clinic finds it to be a place of serenity — a place where they find comfort and compassion to help heal their mind, body and spirit,” said Chamber Chair Robert Mayes, who served as emcee for the event. Congressman Mo Brooks shared a humorous story about his father – a World War II veteran – needing the assistance of Army medical attention when he was accidentally shot by a fellow soldier who was celebrating on VE Day with a luger he had picked up in Germany. But Brooks was serious when he referred to the

sacrifices that the future patients of the new clinic have made. “Your kind of spirit gave birth to a nation, and that kind of spirit is what we see in our veterans today,” Brooks said, adding that the veterans deserve more accessible and affordable health care. The keynote speaker was Thomas C. Smith III, director of the Birmingham VA Medical Center. He thanked Alabama’s U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions for their assistance in obtaining support for the new clinic. “Everything we are doing here is about improving the care and services we provide to America’s heroes,” Smith said. “Today has been in the planning stages for more than five years. We first started identifying new clinic sites when it became evident that our veteran population was growing at a rapid pace. Today truly is a milestone we have been looking forward to for quite some time.” Smith also referenced another aspect of medical care that will make life easier for veterans, which is “telehealth,” that “allows our Veterans to remotely see specialists at other VA facilities from here in Huntsville for their healthcare needs without traveling large distances.” •

Chamber’s Diamond named Huntsville’s Business Relations Officer Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle appointed Harrison Diamond as the City of Huntsville’s new business relations officer. Diamond will serve as the Mayor’s liaison to the business community and he will assist Shane Davis, the City’s Urban Development Director, with economic development projects. This includes working with the Mayor’s GEO, Cyber, Energy and Bio Tech initiatives. Diamond previously served as director of existing business/project manager at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. His strong working relationship with the Mayor’s administration and experience with complex economic projects made him a leading candidate for the new position. “We are excited to have Harrison come over to us from our friends at the Chamber of Commerce,” said Mayor Battle. “Harrison’s experience at the Chamber and his involvement in our industrial recruitDiamond ment projects will be an asset to our team.” Diamond holds a master’s degree in public affairs from The University of Huntsville and a bachelor’s in communication and information sciences from the University of Alabama. He began work with the City on June 1. •

~ compiled by Patricia McCarter

City Kicks Off bigpicturehuntsville.com Campaign The City of Huntsville has launched an 18-month comprehensive master planning initiative and has asked its citizens to get involved. “This is the first time in more than 40 years that the City has attempted such a widespread effort,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “We have a wonderful city, but we also recognize that our community is changing, whether it is through economic, demographic, sustainability or environmental concerns, we know we must adapt to a changing landscape. That means being proactive and not reactive in our planning.” About 300 people attend the city’s kickoff event on May 6, when Dennis Madsen, the City of Huntsville’s Long-Range Urban Planner, explained his intent. “We have been working for months pulling data and trying to better understand the various aspects and needs of our community, and this includes our strengths, challenges and desires,” said Madsen. “We begin by presenting our data and follow up with break-out sessions for citizen engagement. Citizens can expect monthly opportunities to meet and join the conversation, and we will be hosting experts from across the nation to guide the discussion.” Some of the topics the comprehensive master plan will address over the coming months include plans for neighborhood redevelopment, parks and greenways, transportation, and quality of life. “I hope each and every citizen will join us in this important endeavor,” said Mayor Battle. “We will lay out more of our planning process at the kickoff on Tuesday evening, and we look forward to working together with our community as we shape Huntsville for a bright future.” For input, go to bigpicturehuntsville.com •

Toyota Launches Education-toWork Program with Calhoun Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama has partnered to launch a new education-to-work initiative with Calhoun Community College. The Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) program is designed as an innovative manufacturing degree that will span five semesters of classroom instruction while providing paid, hands-on experience at world-class manufacturing facilities. Students will earn enough pay (starting at $13.55 per hour) to cover their educational expenses and the opportunity to graduate with an associate’s degree debt free. “Skilled technician is currently the No. 1 unfilled job opening in the U.S., according to the National Association of Manufacturers,” said Toyota Alabama President Jim Bolte. “As technology increases, so does the need for skilled technicians at our facility. The AMT program will create and maintain a qualified pipeline of skilled technicians by preparing students to be fully job ready for a multi-skilled maintenance position at the end of a two year program.” Apply at www.calhoun.edu/amt. The first group of AMT students will begin the work portion of the program in June and classes at Calhoun will begin in August. •

Initiatives June 2014

TOP 10 EMPLOYERS Population

Madison County

City of Huntsville

2010 Census

334,811

180,105

42,938

417,593

2012 Census

343,080

183,076

44,402

430,734

% Growth

City of Huntsville Madison Metro Area

2.5% 1.6% 3.4% 3.1%

130,791

Avg. Household Income $76,967 Per Capita Income

$30,845

Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,129 NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000 Huntsville City Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,079 The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,600 Madison County Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,389

Households & Income # of Households

Redstone Arsenal* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,500*

75,912

15,986

162,405

$69,008 $112,273

$74,407

$29,530

$29,550

$40,481

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov), 2012 American Community Survey

SAIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,229 City of Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,206 The University of Alabama in Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,675 ADTRAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,522 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 37,500 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 leader in technology development. The second-largest science and

For more information, visit:

technology park in the U.S., Cummings Research Park is home to more

www.HSVchamber.org

development.

June 2014 Initiatives

than 300 companies and 29,000 people involved in technology research and

“We are one of the smallest downtowns in the country to get this urban prototype, which shows you that Publix believes our downtown is a very strong market.” Chad Emerson, Downtown Huntsville, Inc.

Initiatives June 2014

untsville markets itself as “A Smart Place to Live, Work and Play.” The new, nearly 12-acre Twickenham Square is all of that, rolled up into one condensed downtown center. The $100 million development, which began construction in late 2012, is nearing completion, and the results are sure to add a new vendible component as the city continues to market itself for economic development. First to open was Homewood Suites, a four-story, 110-room extended stay hotel, developed by Opelika-based PHD Hotels. Guests began staying in early March, and the hotel reports staying busy with business clients, as well as family who are visiting patients in Huntsville Hospital across Gallatin Street from Twickenham Square. Even though it’s located in a compressed area, it still has room for an outdoor pool. Next to open in Twickenham Square was a 33,500-square-foot Publix in May, a slightly smaller grocery store than its usual offerings. “We are one of the smallest downtowns in the country to get this urban prototype, which shows you that Publix believes our downtown is a very strong market,” Downtown Huntsville Inc. CEO Chad Emerson told al.com at the grand opening. “Publix doesn’t build these downtown prototypes just anywhere. Typically, they limit them to where they have a strong level of confidence of success.” The next big opening was Artisan Apartments on June 1, which addresses what has long been seen as a big need to downtown Huntsville: Modern but affordable housing for young professionals and those who work in the city center. continued on page 20

June 2014 Initiatives

Q&A WITH CHAD EMERSON When addressing downtown revitalization, you’ve got to have a conversation with Chad Emerson, CEO of Downtown Huntsville, Inc. This non-profit entity seeks to develop and market downtown as a viable place to work, live, play, shop, eat and explore. Q: You’ve been here for almost a year. What was your mission when you came here, and how much of that has been achieved so far?

Our first goal was to “re-introduce” downtown to many Huntsvillians and others nearby. We have such amazing assets in downtown that for a variety of reasons weren’t fully known to many people. Our efforts to generate large crowds at events like the Street Food Gatherings have really helped people see downtown in a new light. Q: Which Downtown Huntsville, Inc. events/ developments seem to intrigue people most?

The Street Food Gatherings and the L.I.T. Light + Innovation + Technology light show have been two of the most popular. The key is that they have been “free to attend”, while at the same time creating an atmosphere where people want to stay around and eat, drink and shop in the city center. Q: What cool new things are on Downtown Huntsville Inc.’s horizon?

The Downtown Open will be June 13-22 and will be a free, temporary 20-hole putt-putt course all around the Courthouse Square. Local businesses are designing themed holes that everyone can enjoy. Just bring your putter, and we’ll supply the golf balls. Also, the Sounds of Summer series will include free jam sessions every Thursday on the Square beginning in June, along with signature Grotto Lights Concerts in Big Spring Park East every Second Saturday. Plus, NASA Day on the Square is planned for June 21, and we will have Street Food Gatherings every third Friday of the month. It’s going to be an exciting summer in the city center! Q: What’s been the attitude of most people you’ve encountered when you tell them of your goal to improve the vitality of downtown Huntsville?

It’s been very positive. People like to gather in fun settings with friends and family. Our goal has been to create unique opportunities for doing so and people seem to really be responding well. • Initiatives June 2014

“The demand for an upscale living option in historic downtown Huntsville is incredible, and the response to Artisan has been very encouraging,” said Sam Yeager, a native Hunstvillian and principal with Bristol Development Group. “I believe this is the spearhead of a renaissance in downtown Huntsville, and it’s a point of pride for me to be involved with a project making such a positive impact on my hometown.” Bristol has developed 157 one-bedroom and 89 two-bedroom apartments, with lease prices ranging from $899 to $1,350 per month. Six one-bedroom apartment configurations offer smart floor-plan options from 566 to 880 square feet in size, and nine two-bedroom layouts are available from 960 to 1,290 square feet. Yeager said while Artisan is perfect for young professionals, it is also ideal for empty nesters or anyone looking for a no-maintenance lifestyle with all the amenities of a luxury community. Gourmet kitchens include stainless steel appliances and custom cabinetry with granite countertops, and the open floor plans feature nine-foot ceilings and large patios or balconies. Other amenities include an outdoor saltwater pool, a poolside kitchen and fireplace, a state-of-the-art fitness center with iPod docking stations, a social lounge and java bar. “Everything we do is focused on making our communities great places to live, and we’re continually refining the details based on resident feedback,” Yeager said. “At Artisan, that means electronic access control, interior corridors with elevator service and a controlled-access parking garage with plenty of space.” Apartment leasing is reportedly going strong. Huntsville Hospital has already announced its plans for the second and third floors of the office tower that anchors a corner of the development. CEO David Spillers said the hospital will relocate its clinical laboratory - one of the largest hospital-based labs in the U.S. - to that floor. The move will more than double the square footage of the lab and free up space inside the hospital to expand the surgical department. A 180-foot elevated, enclosed walkway connects the new office tower to Huntsville Hospital’s main public parking deck. So far, three restaurants with international flair – Taco Mama, Mei Wei and Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill – have announced that they will soon be tenants at Twickenham Square. They will feature outdoor patio areas. An upscale full-service nail salon called Beaute Nail Spa is set to open in one of the retail spaces in the fall, and several other retail spots remain available with developers marketing the sites to retailers, service providers and restaurants. As well as providing a desirable place to live, work and play, Twickenham Square is adding to the city’s coffers. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle has estimated that the development will generate $2.3 million a year in property, sales and liquor and lodging taxes, plus $1.6 million in one-time sales taxes on construction materials. • Patricia McCarter

June 2014 Initiatives

Twickenham Square, continued from page 18 –

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

STA F F Chip Cherry, CCE, president & CEO Amy Locke, executive assistant Heather Lindsey, resource desk coordinator

Economic Development Lucia Cape, vice president, economic development John Southerland, Cummings Research Park director | project manager

Ken Smith, research & information services director Elizabeth Saba, economic development specialist Karessa Acosta, economic development assistant

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

Government & Public Affairs Mike Ward, senior vice president, government & public affairs

Tina Leopold, government & public affairs assistant

Finance & Administration Christy Nalley, finance & administration director Jamie Gallien, IT manager Mary McNairy, accounting specialist | human resources

Lori Warner, accounting specialist Joe Watson, facilities supervisor

Membership Wendy Kirk, vice president, member engagement Donna McCrary, membership retention manager Robert Ivory, membership services assistant

Small Business & Events Pammie Jimmar, small business & events director Alexandra Gonzalez, event coordinator Beverly Pike, small business coordinator

Associated Organizations The Community Foundation of Huntsville/ Madison County (communityfoundationhsv.org) The Schools Foundation (theschoolsfoundation.org) WBCNA (www.wbcna.org)

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

www.HSVchamber.org Initiatives June 2014

A wards &

A ccolades

~ compiled by Patricia McCarter

INTUITIVE Tops the List of Great Places for Millennials to Work Just stack the new award atop the growing pile of accolades received by Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation. Among all the other national applause given to INTUITIVE ® recently, the company now holds the title of the No. 1 Great Workplace for Millennials, as determined by the Great Rated! Workplace research site. To put that in context, Google came in at No. 5. In recent months, INTUITIVE ® has also been named No. 2 on the “Best Small & Medium Workplaces,” as presented by Fortune Magazine. In the past two years, it has been in the Top Ten Best Employers for Veterans on the Military Times Edge list. Locally, INTUITIVE ® has received the Chamber’s Best Places to Work (large division) for all seven years the Chamber has held the contest, and it is the only company to do so. Staff members Jennifer Veal and Joe Heiman have been named Most Valuable Employees in that contest the past two years. “Since its founding, 15 Years ago, INTUITIVE ® has evolved and carefully established itself as a leading aerospace, engineering and analysis company not only in the North Alabama area but nationally,” said CEO Rey Almodóvar. “Our biggest source of pride is the many and consistent accolades we receive as a result of our employees’ input. We consider our workforce to be our most precious and valuable asset and the most important component of our success. “Consequently, we constantly evaluate our programs to ensure we meet our employees’ evolving needs. INTUITIVE ® has become a brand name synonymous with simply the best place to launch a career, grow professionally and do business with.” Thousands of entries across of the country were submitted for the “Millennials” list, and out of those, 191 companies were identified as having cultures with a good fit for the youngest generation of the U.S. workforce. “We are fortunate to have extremely talented Millennials at INTUITIVE ® and honored that they rated us so highly on the surveys,” said President Harold Brewer. “Some of our company’s most innovative ideas have been generated by our millennial-age workforce. We strive to give them interesting projects and in return they deliver topnotch quality work.” Companies appearing on the list have been selected based on 22

June 2014 Initiatives

the average Trust Index survey scores from employees younger than 35 years of age. Those appearing on the list have a minimum of 50 millennial-aged employees. From the website: “Millennials at the technology services firm have a life outside of work: 98% say the company encourages them to balance work with their personal lives, thanks to an onsite fitness center, fully-paid medical coverage and unlimited tuition reimbursement. And though Millennials are often viewed as being ultra-casual, the young employees at Intuitive say they value its “best dressed” code, since it demands professionalism. One employee commented, ‘I enjoy working with each member of my team, all the way up through management. There is a great sense of family, everyone truly cares, and I believe that each person at Intuitive is cheering for me to be successful.’ “ •

AMC Small Business Program Earns Top Award Under Secretary of the Army Brad R. Carson presents Nancy Small with the Small Business Utilization Award for Maj. Gen. Darrell K. Williams at the Secretary of the Army Awards at the Pentagon on May 5. The U.S. Army Materiel Command Small Business Program was recognized in the 2014 Secretary of the Army awards ceremony at the Pentagon May 5. AMC’s Small Business Program exceeded its overall annual goal in Fiscal Year 2013, obligating almost half of the dollars the U.S. Army spends on small businesses, or about $8.3 billion of the Army’s $17.3 billion expenditure. Nancy Small, AMC’s Small Business Program director, accepted the award on behalf of the command’s former chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Darrell K. Williams, who has since moved to the 1st Sustainment Command in Kuwait. The program, headquartered in Huntsville, also exceeded goals set for the Small Disadvantaged Business Program, with $3.5 billion awarded; the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program, which achieved $1.2 billion in awards; and the WomenOwned Small Business Program with $1.4 billion in awards. •

continued on page 24

Wendy Kirk Chamber’s New VP

he former United Way of Madison County President/CEO Wendy Kirk is now the Vice President of Member Engagement at the Chamber of Commerce. Kirk spent four years at the United Way, first as chief operating officer and then as the top executive. She is already familiar with the Chamber, as she has served as an ex-officio member on the board of directors for almost two years. “We are excited to have Wendy join our team,” said Chamber President/CEO Chip Cherry. “She brings with her a wealth of experience which will be valuable as we strive to grow our membership and seek ways to serve our existing members more effectively.” Kirk has a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s in business administration from Arkansas State. She also earned a Certification in Volunteer Management from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She said she’s enjoyed getting to know Huntsville and Madison County, and she is impressed by the educated workforce here, “working on some of the most unique projects the world has ever seen.” “I am excited to learn more about the daily work that our citizens are involved in and how I can assist them through the efforts of the Chamber,” she said. Wendy and her husband, Todd – who served 22 years in the Army – have two children, Katelyn (24) and Jacob (16), and one grandchild, Lilly. She serves on the board of the Greater Huntsville Rotary Club and is a graduate of Leadership Huntsville/Madison County Class 24. Kirk is a Jonesboro, Ark., native, where she was the executive director of United Way of Northeast Arkansas. •

Initiatives June 2014

Awards & Accolades, continued from page 23 –

Oakwood Wins $25,000 Campus Pride Grant from Home Depot Oakwood University is one of three HBCUs that won a $25,000 Campus Pride Grant in The Home Depot’s 2014 RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL Campus Improvement Grant Program. Results were announced on the nationally-syndicated radio program “The Tom Joyner Morning Show”. Oakwood’s win will allow the university to re-seed the softball and soccer fields behind the Ashby Gymnasium, as well as install sprinkler systems. According to the competition rules, Oakwood was selected because of a combination of the social media activity and voting score. The three applicants with the highest votes and most social media activity were awarded with the Campus Pride Grants. In 2013, Oakwood won the Tier 1 grant of $50,000 for the construction of an outdoor pavilion. “We thank everyone who voted, tweeted and posted images on Facebook that allowed us to win this grant,” said George Johnson Jr., integrated marketing & public relations director at Oakwood University. “Truly the network that Oakwood has developed helped us to win. We wouldn’t have been able to do this alone with just the amount of people we have here on our campus.” •

Launchpad Awards $35,000 to UAH Search Engine Developers Dr. Philip Kovacs, left, and Dr. Ryan Weber are the UAH developers of Complexity Engine

An Internet search engine developed specifically for use in schools by two University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) professors has received $35,000 from Alabama Launchpad, the largest award received in this round. Complexity Engine was conceived by Dr. Philip Kovacs, an associate professor of education who is collaborating in its development with Dr. Ryan Weber, an assistant professor of English. Complexity Engine uses a sophisticated algorithm to search websites for content and delivers customized and age-appropriate reading materials to users. “This means we’ll be ready to sell Version 1, hopefully within 90 days,” said Dr. Kovacs. “The Launchpad money is awesome, but the entire experience and the feedback we got from really successful industry leaders from throughout the state is what is really valuable. We just learned a lot in the past few months.” Eight teams at Alabama Launchpad competed for a total of $100,000 in awards. The award matched the amount Dr. Kovacs and Dr. Weber had requested for further development. Complexity Engine previously received a $10,000 development grant from the UAH Charger Innovation Fund. “Ryan and Philip did a great Launchpad presentation,” said Kannan Grant, director of UAH’s Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC). “It was a compelling case.” Alabama Launchpad is a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama to promote, reward and increase the pipeline of highgrowth, innovative ventures that have the potential to grow and thrive in the state. June 2014 Initiatives

The professors have worked for four years developing Complexity Engine and worked closely with OTC on the financial elements for the Launchpad competition, Grant said. “We did the financial analysis, and based on their needs, we determined they needed about $35,000 to get to the stage where they could start deriving revenue,” Grant said. OTC also did marketing research on the demand for the product and a pricing model. The search engine promises to give teachers, parents and students an efficient, affordable way to promote reading. Teachers and administrators can set parameters for the search results and the reading experience can be either student self-directed or guided by the teacher. •

Huntsville to be the Headquarters of GreenPower USA Foundation Team members and teacher Mike Evans, in white hat, watch as Greenpower technicians look over the Huntsville car. Huntsville will become the home of “Greenpower USA,” the first international extension of the Greenpower United Kingdom Education Trust, a highly engaging and inspirational design-build-race competition for students. The announcement in early May complimented a keynote address at the Siemens Solid Edge University in Atlanta delivered by Karsten Newbury, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Siemens’ Mainstream Engineering Software. (Siemens Electronics is a partner in the Greenpower enterprise.) Huntsville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski said, “The formation of Greenpower USA will provide many innovative learning opportunities to students, both in Huntsville and across the United States.” The Greenpower Education Trust sponsors the competition, which requires students, with help from teachers and industry mentors, to design, build, and race electric cars. Each team is given the same specified motor, batteries, and strict set of regulations to follow. Students must utilize their science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills to dream, design, fabricate and test a competitionworthy vehicle before racing it against other schools’ Greenpower cars. Last year, high school students from the Huntsville City School District became the first team from the United States to ever compete in a Greenpower race in the United Kingdom. Team USA, as they were known, won honors as “Best Newcomer” and captured the “Siemens Innovator Award”. The student team will compete again this fall at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in Chichester, West Sussex in the United Kingdom. Superintendent Wardynski will coordinate the launch of the Greenpower Challenge in the United States with the completion of regulation compliant race-tracks at three schools in Huntsville. The efforts will make Huntsville, Alabama an ideal host city for state, regional, national and international Greenpower events. •

Initiatives June 2014

2013 Small Business Award Winner: Small Businesses with 51-350 Employees Category

SPOTLIGHT ON

A-P-T Research, Inc. A-P-T Research won the Chamber’s 2013 Small Business Award in the Small Businesses with 51-350 employees category. Here’s an interview with A-P-T Research Founder/President Tom Pfitzer. A brief history of the founder and company... In 1969 I graduated from the University of Chattanooga with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. I graduated with a master’s in industrial engineering (system safety) from Texas A&M two years later. I established A-P-T in 1990 to provide engineering and support services in range safety, test planning, system engineering, system safety, vehicle testing, risk evaluations and uncertainty analysis. I assisted in founding the Safety Engineering and Analysis Center (SEAC) in 2004 as a division of A-P-T Research, Inc. As an APT division, the SEAC supports independent studies and risk assessments with special capabilities on range safety, system safety and explosives safety. I am currently an active member in Safety Professional Societies and a frequent speaker. Q. What does A-P-T Research do? A: The acronym A-P-T stands for Analysis, Planning and Test. These are our corporate areas of expertise. A-P-T Research seeks to provide products and services especially well-suited to our customers’ need. A-P-T is a systems engineering analysis company that provides engineering services in a variety of disciplines including systems risk assessment and analysis, test planning, range safety, system safety software, explosives safety, system safety, industrial quality and engineering, quality assurance, mission assurance, IV&V, software development and modeling and related areas. A-P-T currently supports approximately 40 government agencies. Q: What are your corporate goals for the next 10 years?

Photos by Lauren Tomasella Photography

Above: Tom Pfitzer receiving his award from Steven Hill of AEgis Technologies Group, the 2012 Small Business of the Year (51-350 Employees category). Below: A-P-T staff.

June 2014 Initiatives

A: We want to grow the business of A-P-T into a stable mid-sized company of 200-500 employees with national recognition in our discipline areas while maintaining A-P-T as an enjoyable place to work, with mutual support and respect, open communication, gratifying work and high employee satisfaction. We want to continue to have a reputation for excellence as a prime contractor on large IDIQ contracts for products and engineering services, expand A-P-T’s reputation as a source of expertise and center of excellence for safety engineering within government, industry and internationally. We want to expand our technical and geographical business base by acquisition of businesses with capacity in related areas or alternatively in new areas where our existing capability would be synergistic.

Above: Tom Pfitzer receiving his finalist plaque from Kim Lewis, 2013 Vice Chair for Small Business & Events. We look to magnify A-P-T’s reputation as a source of expertise in quality and mission assurance and diversify into areas related to our core disciplines with both government and industry customers. We wish to maintain and improve open and effective communication at all levels with all customers, and we seek income and profit balanced with expenses at levels to continue achieving our goals of stability and steady growth. Q: What does it mean to you, both personally and professionally, to receive this award? A: In 2001 A-P-T won this award in the smaller (under 50) category. That win proved to be a significant boost for our company reputation. It was noticed by the Huntsville community, which includes many customers as well as other companies who became teammates. It served as a springboard for recruiting and gaining positions on winning teams as well as enhancing our opportunity to offer services as a prime contractor. This experience taught us that winning this prestigious local award has affects that are long term. Similarly, winning in the over 50 category has provided us both short term and long term gratification. The winning itself is a cause célèbre with an afterglow of local nature that lasts for the year. We intend to use this as a stepping stone for future success. Q: How has being active in the Chamber helped you? A: The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County is unique in that it serves the largest government contracting community outside of D.C. As such, the chamber aggressively seeks and shares information relating to contracting in our community. This information is useful to the success of any small business. It is essential for individual careers as well as growing small businesses to remain active in the Chamber’s activities. Of particular value is the networking via the Chamber of Commerce. A-P-T has made numerous business and customer connections as well as teaming connections via the Chamber. This has had substantial career benefit to A-P-T and numerous A-P-T employees. • Initiatives June 2014

AIDS Action Coalition: Working to Decrease the Spread of AIDS in North Alabama

Cynthia Harrison offers an AIDS swab test.

Heath Nicholas provides social work services to a client. 28

June 2014 Initiatives

Adriel Johnson provides prevention counseling.

ollowing the inspiration of the 1988 founders who were helping friends diagnosed with the disease by providing dinner and financial assistance, the AIDS Action Coalition is continuing to provide state-ofthe art service to its clients in North Alabama. “It all came out of needs,” said Mary Elizabeth Marr, the CEO of AAC, which works to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS in 12 north Alabama counties. This clinic has been able to see thousands of patients for testing, education and medical treatment. The clinic has an open door policy and is always ready to see patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Director of Clinical Services, Mary Rozier-Hachen, who came as a nursing student about 14 years ago, is impressed with the growth of the clinic. She said, “Initially we were just funded to address HIV, but now we have more funding and expanded services. We can look into diabetes, high blood pressure, substance abuse and mental health and even prescribe medication for it.” In addition to stopping the spread of HIV, another major goal is to suppress the virus in each client. By doing this, the virally suppressed individual is virtually unable to infect another person. The national average of the viral load suppression is about 25 percent, but officials with AAC said they have more than tripled that. “We recognize that having a positive HIV result is not the death sentence that it used to be,” said Keri Klaus, ACC community relations specialist. Telemedicine is one of the most recent additions to the AAC, allowing physicians to treat patients who are a great distance away. This allows the patient and physician to be connected visually and audibly.

The AIDS Action Coalition’s Dining With Friends Dessert Reception is scheduled for Saturday, June 14, 7 p.m. at Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment. For its “SWEET” 16th anniversary, attendees will be transported into the magical world of Willy Wonka. This immersive event will feature live music, dancing, over the top chocolate factory decorations, Wonka-themed hors d’oeuvres and desserts, and specialty drinks. Golden tickets are available at diningwithfriends.org and at the door as space allows. AAC has realized that the best way to treat an individual who has been infected is to provide holistic care. With the help of government and private funding, ACC has been able to add a housing assistance program. “Housing is healthcare,” Marr said. “Individuals need to be stable in order to remain consistent with treatment. An alarming statistic is that 10 percent of the homeless population is HIV/AIDS positive, and a lot of it is a lack of access to care and education.” The organization spends a lot of time targeting the most at-risk groups, African American women and men. They target education and testing. They offer weekly counseling sessions for individuals and groups. They are constantly looking for and making themselves available to come and speak to groups who need to be informed, and all of their education initiatives are age appropriate. Administering 3,000 tests a year is a great achievement for the AAC. The test takes about 20 minutes and they do it for free. Currently, they operate between three separate buildings. They have plans to consolidate to one location to better serve the population. AAC is constantly looking for donors to help continue fulfilling their mission to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Pleased with the help they have received thus far, they still have a long way to go to reach a place where they can offer the care that they believe their clients deserve. Marr has heard many times over that, “The hardest thing to do is to walk through that door.” Once people have come to AAC they quickly realize that no one is there to judge and the staff make it their business to assist, not only in the physical health of the individual, but in many other areas of their lives. • Johanna Jean-Jacques Initiatives June 2014

2013 Small Business Award Winner: Government Contracting Category

SPOTLIGHT ON

PPT Solutions, Inc. PPT Solutions won the Chamber’s 2013 Small Business Award in the Government Contracting category. Here’s an interview with PPT’s Founder/CEO/President Jim Reeb.

A brief history of the founder... I have a bachelor’s of science in electrical engineering from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and a master’s of science in software engineering from Monmouth College, West Long Branch, New Jersey. I began my career as a U.S. Army intern graduating from the School of Engineering and Logistics (Red River Army Depot) and continuing on to the Software Engineering Center at Fort Monmouth, and then on to Redstone Arsenal’s Software Engineering Directorate. In 1998, I transitioned from the government to the private sector and became a government contractor serving as a program manager for a contract that provided the government with software engineering services. In October 2005, I started PPT Solutions, Inc. with the following mission in mind: Provide the best people, processes, and technology to customers – ensuring all elements are working together to achieve optimum performance. Q. What does PPT Solutions do?

Photos by Lauren Tomasella Photography

Above: Jim Reeb receiving his award from Sandra Cummings of Cummings Aerospace, the 2012 Small Business of the Year in the Government Contracting Category. Below: PPT Solutions staff.

A: PPT provides software engineering and information technology services primarily for the U.S. Department of Defense in the following areas: systems/software engineering; verification and test; information systems management and business process engineering. Specific service areas include: software development; mobile application development; aviation airworthiness and safety analysis; independent software verification and validation; software test and evaluation; enterprise architecture development; knowledge management; information assurance; system integration; configuration management; and software engineering best practices training. Our overall mission is to provide the best people, processes, and technology to customers – ensuring all elements are working together to achieve optimum performance. In the summer 2013, PPT released a commercially available product called scoodóvo. By utilizing today’s technologies – the internet, mobile applications and social media – scoodóvo is the platform that will give teachers an automated and easy way to reach the greater community of parents and volunteers about the needs for the classroom.

June 2014 Initiatives

Above: Jim Reeb receiving his finalist plaque from Kim Lewis, 2013 Vice Chair for Small Business & Events. Q. What are your corporate goals for the next 10 years? A: PPT envisions being commonly recognized as a leading systems and software engineering support services company in the Southeastern U.S. Our goal is to grow PPT with an engineering and information technology focus for federal government, state government and commercial aerospace organizations. PPT’s strategy to grow includes several key elements: keep existing work, identify key people, further define key processes, implement key technology, identify new customers and pursue new work. The foundation of this strategy lies within the meaning behind PPT “people, process, and technology” and our tag line “working together for optimum performance”. Q: What does it mean to you, both personally and professionally, to receive this award? A: Personally, it is humbling to win this award. I never fully expected to be a winning recipient. To learn that our peers believed in PPT enough to nominate us for the Small Business Award was affirmation that the decision to start and grow a business in the Huntsville/Madison County community was the right choice. Professionally, winning this award has opened up many conversations with individuals and organizations who, prior to us winning this award, had no knowledge of PPT or our capabilities. It has been, and continues to be, gratifying to share our capabilities and our desire to support our community through jobs and philanthropic opportunities. Q: How has being active in the Chamber helped you? A: Being an active member in the Chamber and taking advantage of the many services offered has facilitated significant positive business relationships. It has afforded opportunities to experience venues that I might not have otherwise explored. I can clearly and confidently say the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County has provided great value for me, for my company and for our staff. I can’t imagine doing business in the Huntsville/ Madison community without taking advantage of all the Chamber has to offer.” • Initiatives June 2014

2014 Best Places to Work® MICRO (10 to 20 employees) Decisive Analytics Corporation EnVention, LLC USi, LLC SMALL (21 to 35 employees) Five Stones Research Corporation QTEC, Inc. Troy 7, Inc.

Congratulations!

MEDIUM (36 to 149 employees) Brockwell Technologies, Inc. Willbrook Solutions, Inc. Embassy Suites Hotel & Spa

Best Places to Work, Most Valuable Employees in Huntsville/Madison County

LARGE (150 employees and up) PeopleTec, Inc. Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI)

irst Commercial Bank sponsored a luncheon on May 20 to unveil Huntsville/Madison County’s 12 outstanding employers and 12 most valuable employees. Winners were based solely and exclusively on a survey completed by employees. More than 300 area businesses were nominated by their employees for the 2014 Best Places to Work® awards, and more than 6,000 workers were nominated as Most Valuable Employees. The awards are the result of a partnership between the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and the North Alabama Society for Human Resource Management (NASHRM). The survey guaranteed complete anonymity, providing employees the ability to answer questions without hesitation. Quantum, which specializes in measuring workplace satisfaction, administered the survey and tabulated the results. “The significance of this speaks volumes. For one, this is truly a quantitative analysis,” said Kim Lewis, the Chamber’s vice chair for Small Business and the president of PROJECTXYZ, Inc. “These awards are based on real survey results from the employees, validating the efforts that the winning organizations put into creating a positive and growth-oriented environment for their employees.” •

2014 Most Valuable Employees MICRO (10 to 20 employees) Debbie Baugh, Snelling Staffing Services Bridget Leary, ADS Security Kathy Davis, Still Serving Veterans SMALL (21 to 35 employees) Heinrich DuBose-Schmitt, nouSystems, Inc. Brooke Grossheim, Good Samaritan Hospice of Madison

Linda Smith, Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis, Inc.

MEDIUM (36 to 149 employees) Wendy Graves, Brockwell Technologies, Inc. Joy Palmer, Embassy Suites Hotel & Spa Melissa Cain, System Dynamics

Lauren Tomasella Photography

International, Inc.

2014 Most Valuable Employees, Best Places to Work® Awards 32

June 2014 Initiatives

LARGE (150 employees and up) Kathy Cagle, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI)

Susie Vaughn, PeopleTec, Inc. Joe Heiman, Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation

2014 Best Places to Work® WINNERS

MICRO (10-20 employees) L-R: Tina Barnes and David Ramsden, EnVention, LLC; Leslie and Clayton Hinchman, USi, LLC; Amy King, Decisive Analytics Corporation; Chamber 2014 Board Chair Robert Mayes.

2014 Best Places to Work® WINNERS

SMALL (21-35 employees) L-R: Chamber Vice Chair of Small Business & Events Kim Lewis; Joni Green, Five Stones Research Corporation; John Troy, Troy 7, Inc.; Kathryn Broad, QTEC, Inc.; Chamber 2014 Board Chair Robert Mayes.

2014 Best Places to Work® WINNERS

MEDIUM (36-149 employees) L-R: Chamber Vice Chair of Small Business & Events Kim Lewis; Imran Hussain, Embassy Suites Hotel & Spa; Lawana Brockwell, Brockwell Technologies, Inc. (BTI); Bonita Phillips, Willbrook Solutions, Inc.; Chamber 2014 Board Chair Robert Mayes.

2014 Best Places to Work® WINNERS

Photos by Lauren Tomasella Photography

LARGE (150+ employees) L-R: Chamber Vice Chair of Small Business & Events Kim Lewis; Rey Almodóvar, Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation; Tim King, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI); Terry Jennings, PeopleTec, Inc.; Chamber 2014 Board Chair Robert Mayes.

Initiatives June 2014

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

2014 Montgomery AL Trip

TOP OF PAGE (L-R): REP. MIKE HUBBARD, GOV. ROBERT BENTLEY AND DR. MARK HEINRICH. ABOVE (L-R): GUEST SPEAKERS: BCA’S BILLY CANARY AND DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION’S JOHN COOPER.

ABOVE (L-R): ATTENDEES; TONY JONES AND LT. GOV. KAY IVEY; STATE REP. PHIL WILLIAMS WITH ATTENDEES. BELOW (L-R): CHAMBER BOARD CHAIR ROBERT MAYES; NASA’S PATRICK SCHEUERMANN; GREG CANFIELD

June 2014 Initiatives

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

2014 Washington DC Trip

TOP OF PAGE (L-R): SEN. RICHARD SHELBY, SEN. JEFF SESSIONS, SEN. JOHN THUNE. ABOVE: ATTENDEES REPRESENTING THE CHAMBERS OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY AND DECATUR/MORGAN COUNTY

ABOVE (L-R): CAITLIN CODELLA, APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION’S DAN NEFF, THOMAS B. FORDHAM INSTITUTE’S MICHAEL BRICKMAN. BELOW (L-R): REP. MO BROOKS, SEN. BARBARA MIKULSKI, REP. ROBERT ADERHOLT.

Initiatives June 2014

PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Birmingham, AL Permit #40

Sunday, Aug. 3

Tuesday, Aug. 5

Thursday, Aug. 7

4 p.m. - Joe Davis Stadium

7 p.m. – VBC Concert Hall

PURPLE HEART DAY - Special Awards

Huntsville Stars Game

U.S. Army Soldier Show

Military Appreciation

(general public) FREE Soldier Show tickets available*:

8:30 a.m. - The Links at Redstone AUSA Golf Tournament

Monday, Aug. 4

7/22 – John J. Pershing Community Welcome Center, Bldg 3443

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Contact: Eric Post – eapost@hotmail.com

9-10 a.m. - Veterans Memorial

Proclamation Signing Ceremony OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – FREE Contact: Tina Leopold – tleopold@hsvchamber.org Alternate location: Chamber of Commerce, 225 Church Street

Contact: MWR Ticket Office – 256-876-4531

7/22 – Chamber of Commerce

Friday, Aug. 8

Contact: Tina Leopold – tleopold@hsvchamber.org

U.S. Space & Rocket Center

“Red Tail” F-16 Dedication

Wednesday, Aug. 6 Noon – VBC North Hall

6-9 p.m. - Big Spring Park

Armed Forces Salute Luncheon

Concert in the Park

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Contact: Tina Leopold – tleopold@hsvchamber.org

Multiple configurations of the AMC Band to perform followed by fireworks (weather

7 p.m. - Kiwanis Sportsplex Game 2 – Team Redstone vs. Senior All Stars Softball

permitting)

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – FREE ADMISSION Contact: Amy Mayfield – amayfield@artshuntsville.org Alternate location: VBC South Hall

5:30 p.m. - Kiwanis Sportsplex Game 1 – Community Leadership vs. Senior All Stars Softball

7 p.m. – VBC Concert Hall

U.S. Army Soldier Show

BOTH OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – FREE

(general public)

ARMED FORCES WEEK schedule is subject to change. For updates, additional information or sponsor listing, please visit www.HSVchamber.org or email/phone the contact listed per event or

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June 2014 Initiatives

HONOR

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STRENGTH

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DUTY

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DEDICATION

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EXCELLENCE

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VALOR

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COMMITMENT

#AFCW2014

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