Keeping you informed and inspired. VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 5
November 2018
VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS
COVER STORY
Retailers Dreaming of a “Black”Christmas Supposedly, on the day after Thanksgiving, shoppersare so full of turkey and dressing, and so weary of nonstop football, that they can’t wait to go out and blow some dough on heavily discounted merchandise. Page 8
Why Huntsville’s Business Emvironment Embraces Veterans
Civilians may have to search Huntsville out on a map, but in the Army, Huntsville is a well-known destination for retiring veterans who want to do business with the government. By Kimberly Ballard • Page 3
EDUCATION
With New Propst Center, HudsonAlpha’s Mission Continues
Brightly colored beads in clear containers of various sizes and shapes represent more than 5 million learners who have experienced a HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (HAIB) educational outreach opportunity. By Lori J. Connors • Page 12
ADDITIONAL STORIES • Talkin Trash (Pandas) and Black Friday By Bud McLaughlin • P2
• Midway Through The Mission: Making Huntsville a Gig City By Kimberly Ballard • P5
• The Dessert Fork: Tasty Goodies Made From Scratch By Wendy Reeves • P7
• Low Fares Done Right By Lori J. Connors • P13
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HUNTSVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL
Vol 1, Issue 5 November 2018
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Talkin’ Trash (Pandas) and Black Friday They were the darling of latenight talk shows and a viral sensation. And, this month, will be one of the most popular items purchased in this area. Of course, we’re talkin’ Rocket City Trash Pandas. Last month the logo and team colors were unveiled in a pyrotechnic celebration. T-shirts and caps sold like they were going out of style… though they are actually in style. On Nov. 12, the Trash Pandas Emporium opens in Bridge Street Town Center and, chances are, it will be a very popular shopping spot this holiday season. Ralph Nelson, managing partner of BallCorps, said the team’s popularity is worldwide. “We’ve had calls and emails from all around the country and even the world for merchandise,” he said. “And Brandiose (a branding partner of Minor League Baseball) knew it would
be popular.” “The Rocket City Trash Pandas launch received more engagement and more national attention than any launch in Minor League Baseball history,” said Brandiose’s Jason Klein. “Fans are going to love seeing the experience come to life over the next year.” Brandiose designed the logo, with input from local staff. Nelson said the red, white and blue color scheme is a salute to this area’s military and space heritage. Speaking of our military heritage, in this month of thanksgiving, we can’t overlook some folks who deserve to be thanked as well. On Nov. 11, we salute our military veterans who served and are serving our country, so we can be thankful, as well as safe and secure. We have dozens of small businesses that are owned by veterans who, once again, continue to serve. Also this month is the infamous “Black Friday,” the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season. It was thought to be called “Black Friday” because it was the day of so many sales, merchants and retailers would be able to wind up in the black
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financially for the rest of the year. However, Kimberly Ballard’s centerpiece story clears the air on that issue. And, in the midst of all that, there is a day that is just as important, nay, more important to the local economy: Small Business Saturday. In this issue of the Huntsville Business Journal – a small business in its own right – we introduce our readers to those veterans and small business owners who take the personal and financial risks to work for themselves. Though small businesses, they are the backbone of the local economy. The money stays here; it doesn’t go to a corporate headquarters across the country or around the world. No matter where you turn, there is a small business owner waiting to greet you with a smile - not forced, either - and offering personal service because he or she wants to and is proud to serve you. (Bud McLaughlin is editor of the Huntsville Business Journal. Every Wednesday at 6:30 a.m., he joins host Fred Holland on WTKI-FM 105.3 and 1450 AM.)
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Publisher/President ……… Todd Stephenson Editor ………………………… Bud McLaughlin Writers………………………… Kimberly Ballard Lori J. Connors Wendy Reeves Graphic Design ………………… Justina Simon Website……………………………… Scott Seeley Photographers…………………… Steve Babin Kimberly Ballard Marianne Higgins Jeff White Director of Sales ……… Carolyn Stephenson Distribution………………………… Victor Mace Huntsville Business Journal is published monthly by EVENT Publishing, PO Box 14219, Huntsville, AL 35815. For advertising information call 256.533.8078, e-mail todd@eventhuntsville.com, or visit us on the web at www.huntsvillebusinessjournal.com. For editorial information contact editor@huntsvillebusinessjournal.com ALL CONTENTS ©2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION OR USE IN WHOLE OR IN PART OF THE CONTENTS WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER IS PROHIBITED. HUNTSVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF EVENT PUBLISHING. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. UNSOLICITED PHOTOGRAPHS OR ARTICLES ARE SUBMITTED AT THE RISK OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER OR AUTHOR. EVENT PUBLISHING ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR THE RETURN OF ANY UNSOLICITED MATERIALS AND MAY USE THEM AT ITS DISCRETION.
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November 2018
3
VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS
Why Huntsville’s Business Environment Embraces Veterans In 1992, Rosalyn Thompson-Blackwell and Roderick Herron met during 14 weeks of Officers Training at Fort Benning, Ga. Thompson-Blackwell, now president and CEO of Huntsville’s Mb Solutions, had worked as a project manager and acquisitions officer in the Army. She was stationed in Colorado Springs and often traveled to Huntsville on temporary duty because her brother was stationed at Redstone Arsenal. When she retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Army after 24 years of service, Thompson-Blackwell knew she wanted to start a business that supplied services to the Department of Defense. There was no hesitation about where she would go when the time was right. Initially, Thompson-Blackwell went to work for People-Tec, a Huntsville DoD contractor which specializes in diversified engineering, modeling and simulation, cybersecurity, rapid prototyping, and program support. “I knew I needed to learn how to do business with the Army. I had received programmatic and engineering services, and I knew the military structure and the acquisition process,” Thompson-Blackwell said. “What I didn’t know was the business from the contractor’s perspective. “People-Tec mentored me even though they knew I wanted to go into business for myself. They were excellent at showing me how to cost out contracts and how to manage contracts. They gave me the pieces I needed to solidify it for me. I knew I could go out and do it on my own.” For Herron, a planned short tour turned into a career. “When I went into the Army, it was only for three years,” said Herron, executive vice president of Mb Solutions. “I had my college business degree, but I was deeply in debt, so the Army was the quickest means for paying it off. “Twenty-six years later, you could say I found my greater purpose.” When he retired, also as a lieutenant colonel, Herron said he made a career decision based on Redstone Arsenal being the closest military installation to his hometown of Grenada, Miss. “I didn’t know much about it, but it had always been a dream of mine to do something in the business spectrum, and I wanted to go into business in Huntsville” Herron said. Huntsville Known as Pentagon South “For active duty Army and veterans, Huntsville is known as the Pentagon South,” said Rich McAdams, president of Ignite, a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business government contractor headquartered here in Huntsville. “There are 70 federal entities on Redstone Arsenal and so much Army acquisition work is done (there), it is said that if an Army soldier writes it, shoots it, eats it, drinks it, or consumes it in any way, the Army Materiel Command in Huntsville buys it.” Civilians may have to search Huntsville out on a map, but in the Army, Huntsville is a well-known destination for retiring veterans who want to do business with the government. “AMC is one of only a half dozen four-star commands in the Army and they buy everything from food, water, clothing and fuel, to helicopters, missiles, bullets, and rifles for the Army,” said McAdams. “If the homeland is attacked, the missiles used to shoot them down are here on Redstone Arsenal.
“They have an annual budget of $147 billion a year, so you can see why Huntsville is so well-known and highly regarded all across the Army, among veterans, and especially those interested in doing business with the government or the military.” The Challenges of Starting a Veteran-owned Business In 2016, Thompson-Blackwell and Herron opened Mb Solutions. “It’s not as easy as it may seem,” said Herron. “It takes a lot of work, a lot of knowledge, the right connections, and you have to count your blessings because sometimes the difference between success and failure is luck!” There is a service available to help provide the “luck.” “We call it procurement-ready, said Mary Jane Fleming, procurement advisor and VA Certified Verification Advisor at the Small Business Development Center and Procurement Technical Assistance Center. “If you want to do business with the government or team up with large companies or even small companies, we help you understand all the business processes that include making certain you are properly registered as a government contractor, know your legal entity options, help with business plans, ensure you are adequately insured, and that you understand the Department of Labor rules and regulations.
“If a company owner is a vet or services disabled vet, we help get their business verified so they can do business with the VA, Army or NASA. PTAC helps veterans with government-related questions, contract management, how to apply for HUB Zone certifications or the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) certification, which is a nine-year business development plan for minority business owners.” Thompson-Blackwell acknowledged there were early struggles but learned from the process. “We went through a lot of growing pains, but we used it to our advantage,” she said. “That whole first year we didn’t have any business, and no contracts, but this is where I think a military background is so important.
By Kimberly Ballard
We used that time to set up operating procedures, write policies, and set up an accounting system. “Every bit of that time has paid off. We were able to get certifications we would need very quickly and to build the foundations of the company. We didn’t waste any of that time.” According to Foster Perry, director of the SBDC, “This is a military town; veterans own a lot of businesses here and they hire a lot of veterans. The military has its own culture, so if they can bring someone in who knows that culture, it is a benefit.” Veterans Bring a Special Skill Set “I admit up front I am biased when it comes to veterans,” said Ignite’s McAdams. “I am a vet; my dad is a vet; but I am biased for business reasons. Vets make great employees. “At a very young age in the Army, you are given a lot of responsibility. At 26 years old, you can have 100 people working for you and be responsible for over $100 million worth of equipment. When I was 26, I was an M1 platoon leader, number two in command of a tank company, and then maintenance officer for an M1 Battalion in Desert Storm responsible for maintenance and upkeep on 300 or so vehicle armored battalion. I wasn’t turning a wrench – I was a manager, but you wouldn’t get that kind of responsibility for many years in the private sector.” McAdams said it is the same for a 22-year-old’s oneterm enlistment. “You might be a section leader in charge of five or six other soldiers or a squad leader in charge of 10 or Advertorial 11 other soldiers, and if you are in Afghanistan, you are going door-to-door looking for bad guys and making life or death decisions that affect his soldiers,” he said. “He may not have the academic training of a 22-yearold counterpart out of college, but he’s got maturity and judgement way beyond that of a college peer.” Herron and Thompson-Blackwell agree. “I retired out of Space and Missile Defense (SMD) and Rosalyn retired out of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA),” says Herron. “We were both successful military officers and we bring a military work ethic and knowledge base to the table. “I think once you have done 24 to 26 years of service, it becomes part of who you are. That service spirit is embedded in you, and you still want to be part of it in some way. Providing support to the government is like being a part of something bigger than you.” “We have been on the other side and have a passion for what we do,” said Thompson-Blackwell. “We know the needs of the kids – the soldiers who are still out there on the front lines. If I can provide something to make their life easier or that could save one American child’s life, it’s worthwhile.” Thompson-Blackwell and Herron both say that, upon leaving the military, most veterans don’t know their own worth, but they bring a tremendous work ethic. “Sometimes you have to tell them to go home from work,” Herron said with a chuckle. “In the Army, you work until you finish. In the private sector, you have to remind them you can’t afford to pay them the extra hours they put in naturally in the military. “They are used to the suck, the pressures of the job, and a veteran can walk through it because they aren’t in Afghanistan getting shot at!” To, McAdams, that is a key hiring point. “If I have two candidates, all things equal, but one is a veteran, I will hire the vet in a heartbeat because of their work ethic, their maturity and their judgement.”
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS
Black Patch Distillery Offers a Special Salute to the Military By Lori J. Connors It takes a special kind of operation to be a successful distillery. Or, in the case of Leslie Hinchman, it takes special ops. Hinchman, who served with the Army’s special ops forces, is the CEO and president of Black Patch Distillery. The Black Patch recognizes those who have served - Special Ops uniforms do not display rank or personal identifiers, only two patches: the American flag and a black patch, which, on its underside provides key identification. In 2008, after being severely injured in a night raid, Hinchman’s black patch was his sole means of identification. Black Patch Distillery is a family-owned business endeavor: Clayton’s wife, Leslie, is company president; his sister, Kimberly Mendez is the general manager; and Clayton’s stepfather, Gary Cooper is the master distiller. Cooper developed a fascination for the distilling process during his days in Houston, Texas, working as a polymer chemist. First, he began with brewing beer, then went on to perfect the art of distilling spirits. Simply put: “I wanted to make something good, something that I’d like to drink.” Black Patch has four spirits on the market. “The bourbon and rye whiskeys are very mellow. We use a two-year, accelerated aging process,” Cooper said. “These spirits start out in 53-gallon barrels, then are transferred into smaller, 10-gallon barrels.” There’s also the 100 percent blue agave, which is much smoother than your average Mexican tequila. However, the best seller is Heat, a cinnamon-infused whiskey. After perfecting his recipe for cinnamon candy, Cooper developed a process where the candy easily dissolves into the whiskey, providing a clear and spicy finish. Although distribution beyond the distillery is still somewhat limited, both the bourbon and blue agave are carried in ABC stores. The Black Patch logo design is significant. A warfighter helmet represents hardworking people who help shape the community—such as the military and first responders. Spears cross in the front to signify the fight against new challenges and obstacles. At the bottom, is “08”, the year Hinchman lost his leg in combat. The slogan, “Earn Every Drop,” is a testament to Cooper’s hard work. “We have a good, steady product,” he said. “So, over the next five years, I’m really hoping this takes off, grows regionally, and expands to the 50 states.” For information, visit www.blackpatchdistilling.com.
November 2018
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TECHNOLOGY
Midway Through the MISSION: Making HUNTSVILLE a GIG CITY By Kimberly Ballard
Huntsville has never been the kind of place to wait around for technology to make its way here. Sure, in many ways, Huntsville is still a traditional Southern city with long, hot, sultry summers and a penchant for football rivalries and ice-cold beer.
But make no mistake – Huntsville’s pluck and grit is writ in rocket flames. Never mistake a slow way of talking for short-sighted vision. That was made clear back in 2012 when Google Fiber sent out its initial call to cities across the nation, interested in partnering with the technology giant to build a high-tech fiber network worthy of bringing gigabit internet service and Voice-over IP telephone services to the Tennessee Valley. When all the entrants, including Huntsville, were thrown into the hat and a select few cities were chosen, Huntsville wasn’t among them. Oh well. If in 1956, the Redstone Testing Center had given up the first time a missile disintegrated on a test stand, Malawi may have put men into space before Huntsville! According to Lauren Johannesmeyer, city manager for Google Fiber, Huntsville city leaders know something about executing a mission and Harrison Diamond, then the director of project management at the Huntsville/Madison Chamber of Commerce, was on a mission. “I remember back as early as 2013, Harrison (now the business relations officer for the City of Huntsville), had a vision for what a gig city looks like,” said Johannesmeyer. “Between the Chamber of Commerce, Huntsville, and Huntsville Utilities, they basically said, ‘We’re going to
build the network anyway’. “Once that was established, Google Fiber came back and said, ‘If you are going to build it anyway, can we lease it from you?’” That initiative makes Huntsville a one-of-a-kind model for Google Fiber, the only city in the country where a utility company is constructing the network rather than Google Fiber. “Huntsville may be the first, but we won’t be the last to make this investment,” said Joe Gerhdes, director of communications and public relations for Huntsville Utilities. “Huntsville has drawn the interest of utility companies in many cities across the country who are looking at doing the same. They are watching to see how successful we are.” Rings & Huts Huntsville Utilities is just short of midway through the build and right on schedule. Construction consists of a fiber ring that encircles Huntsville to make it easy to branch service off into neighborhoods. The ring is divided into six fiber huts off which Huntsville Utilities connects the local Google Fiber network into the Internet backbone and the worldwide web. “Huntsville Utilities manages and maintains the core ring that wraps around the City, and Google Fiber owns and manages the network from the point of access at the street, up to the customers house or business,” Johannesmeyer said. “Right now, in terms of serviceable areas for us, there is what I call a pizza slice-shaped section in north Huntsville. It was our very first opening on May 23, 2017. “We also have all of Big Cove and Hampton Cove from Dug Hill Road to Cecil Ashburn Drive, and we are opening areas in south Huntsville near Mountain Gap and Challenger schools.” Gerhdes added, “We started with
the Chase Hut north of Winchester Road to Pulaski Pike because the Chase area power distribution center in northeast Huntsville was a great place to start. “Big Cove and Hampton Cove are finished, and we are currently working on the Farley Hut in south Huntsville.” He said the Triana Hut will service most of the core of downtown Huntsville including Blossomwood, and the utility is readying the 911 Hut near the Madison County 911 Center and Wynn Drive. The final construct will be the Jetport Hut at the western edge of Huntsville. The entire fiber network project is scheduled for completion in 2020. Everyone Benefits From Improved Infrastructure “This undertaking has been great for Huntsville, but it has also been great for telecoms and cable providers, too, because it has significantly improved the infrastructure under which all of these providers offer services,” Gerhdes said. “They too can now offer a better, more affordable service to their customers.” Construction is always subject to change with many variables impacting schedules, but Google Fiber’s current contract with Huntsville Utilities is to service addresses they turn over to them as the ring expands within the Huntsville city limits. The lease agreement is not exclusive so other companies can lease out fiber on that ring as well. In terms of what Google Fiber has to offer customers, its services include 100 MB or 1,000 MB (gigabit) fast residential internet options; traditional television services with 220+ channels that can be combined with their internet offering and Wi-Fi extenders; and a Voice-over IP (VoIP) phone service solution that uses the internet rather than traditional hard-
wired landlines. Currently service to multifamily units (apartment complexes and condominiums) is minimal but, ideally, Google Fiber wants to service as many people as possible so, as the ring grows, so will Google Fiber access. “We also offer small and medium-size business gig packages with really cool extras businesses need to be successful,” said Johannesmeyer. Community Involvement Vital She said community involvement is vital to promoting digital inclusion initiatives and education that provide groups and individuals with access to information and communication technologies. Google Fiber’s Community Impact Team works with local nonprofits to promote digital inclusion throughout the Tennessee Valley. One of those enterprises is the Digital Inclusion Fund, created at the Community Foundation with sponsorship funding from Google Fiber to make Internet access and digital education available to residents currently without access to those resources. More than $100,000 in grant money was given to high-impact programs in North Alabama this past year.
“Ours is a very innovative model and we applaud Huntsville Utilities for their leadership,” said Johannesmeyer. While the mission to make Huntsville a Gig City cannot yet be stamped “accomplished” - it is certainly in full rattle-battle! To find out if Google Fiber is available in your neighborhood or business location, visit https://fiber. google.com/cities/huntsville/. You may also submit your email address to be notified when it is available.
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
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November 2018
7
SMALL BUSINESS
The Dessert Fork: Tasty Goodies Made from Scratch By Wendy Reeves Using cake as a canvas with frostings as her medium, Pauline McFarlin’s artistic creations are always sweet, inspired and oneof-a-kind. More people will soon have an opportunity to experience McFarlin’s made from scratch baked goods at her new shop set to open Nov. 7 — The Dessert Fork, 107 Brookridge Drive, in the Medical Park Station shopping area off U.S. 72 in Madison. An open house and ribbon cutting are scheduled between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. “People will come here for something to eat out of the case, ready made,” McFarlin said. That will include brownies, lemon bars, cookies, gourmet caramel dipped apples, and pies, to name a few. Then, there will be off the menu seasonal or exotic items from time to time. “I may decide to do a bread pudding one day or I may wake up and want to poach some pears,” McFarlin said. “There will always be the possibility of a surprise in store when you come here.”
She knows she has to have to have people’s favorites, but also offer some variety. “There are two types of people,” McFarlin said. “There are those who love what they love and they always get the same thing. Then, there are those who always want to try something new. Now that she has an established bakery, more people will get to know McFarlin’s specialty — artisan cakes. She will have a small staff to help with baking, but decorating cakes is McFarlin’s passion. “I like cakes that give me a challenge,” she said. “If you’re looking for simple and plain, I’m not your girl. I can do it, but I like to tell a story through the cake and make it really special.” Getting a custom cake from McFarlin is not as simple as filling out a piece of paper with cake and icing type. She likes to get to know the person or situation. For example, one of her most memorable cakes involved a photographer who was celebrating her 40th birthday.
McFarlin said she had the client provide a picture of her camera and send her four of her all-time favorite photographs. The result was a square cake topped with a smaller cake, which was crafted into a replica of the camera. The four photos were place around the bottom layer, connected by a sugar string that resembled a darkroom string with each of the four photos hanging off it. There was a groom’s cake that looked like piano keys. A 21st birthday party cake that looked like a gift box and featured a martini glass filled with Jell-O. She’s made a Mine craft cake. And a baby shower cake that featured a map with pinpoints marking the baby’s geographic heritage, complete with a baby on an airplane over Alabama carrying a banner saying “Hello, World!” “I don’t like to do the same thing twice,” McFarlin said. “I’ve done it one time when someone saw a cake on my website that they really wanted but that doesn’t happen too often.” To McFarlin, each cake as individual as the person. “I like to interact with them, I take a lot of time to get to know them and what they want,” she says. “A lot of
times, after they receive the cake they are so happy they give me hugs and we have a relationship that was built with the common thing being cake. “This is what I do. Cake is my canvas.” Over the past 10 years, McFarlin went from baking cakes for church gatherings, which led to church members asking her to bake a cake for their family’s different special occasions. It got to be a regular thing. She wants The Dessert Fork to be a nostalgic place to create fond memories. “People used to bake a lot and enjoy eating something made from scratch,” she said. “Here, they can have a seat with a friend in a place with a happy atmosphere … a good, feel good place.” So out of all of the delicious treats coming from the oven, what is McFarlin’s favorite? “Believe it or not, I’m a pie person,” McFarlin said. “Apple pie is my favorite.”
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
COVER
Retailers Dreaming o
Written by Kimberly Ballard •
For years economists have pushed the idea that “Black Friday” is the first day of the year in which retailers operating all year “in the red” and at a loss, use the Christmas buying season to turn a profit putting them “in the black.” Supposedly on the day after Thanksgiving, shoppers are so full of turkey and dressing, and so weary of nonstop football, they can’t wait to blow some dough on heavily discounted merchandise. The History Channel, however, says this is a myth. According to the cable TV channel, Black Friday got its name in the 1950s from the Philadelphia police who used the term “Black Friday” to refer to post-Thanksgiving chaos when thousands of suburban shoppers flooded into the city to shop, causing the police to work extra-long shifts to deal with crowds and traffic. This not-so-holly-jolly story also included battling shoplifters who took advantage of the bedlam. So much for good tidings. That Black Friday is the single largest retail sales day of the year, however, rings true. According to the American Marketing Association based on statistics from Adobe Analytics, U.S. retailers
Courtesy Getty Images iStock.com
earned a record $7.9 billion on Black Friday, Nov. 24, 2017, an increase of nearly 18 percent from 2016. “Cyber Monday” 2017 added another $6.6 billion in internet sales, making it the largest online shopping day in history. Those sales figures also pushed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s net worth past $100 billion on the day after Thanksgiving, 2017. This bump in Black Friday spending does not, as many people believe, bode poorly for brick and mortar retail shopping. Retail research firm ShopperTrak says store traffic declined less than 1 percent on Black Friday 2017, a significantly lesser decline than projected. In 2018, the National Retail Federation projects holiday retail sales in November and December — excluding automobiles, gasoline and restaurants — will increase between 4.3 and 4.8 percent over 2017 for a total of $720.89 billion. Here Comes Santa Claus Janet Brown, Manager for Belk at Bridge Street confirms that Black Friday is the biggest retail sales day of year, but that truth comes with a little enticement. “We open at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and are open until 1 a.m.,” Brown said. “Then we open again at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. The first 200 people in line Thursday receive a gift card in denominations of anywhere from $5 to one prize of $500 at every Belk store. On Friday, the first 100 customers in line receive
Annie & Gigi Granger shopping at Belk
gift cards. Belk as a company is giving away $1,000,000 in gift cards to customers who stand in line.” Belk will hold Santafest in the children’s department Nov. 10 featuring arts and crafts as well as, of course, pictures with Santa. The retailer will also have a toy store that officials hope will fill the gap left by the departure of Toys ‘R Us; and they welcome choral groups to sing while people shop. The store will offer refreshments and goodies throughout the holidays and during the official tree lighting event on the Bridge Street promenade. “We are not doing these things to compete with online sales and to bring people into the store,” says Brown. “Belk has always held these special activities to add a festive atmosphere to our stores during the Christmas season.” All I Want for Christmas Tiffani Spengler, manager of Alabama Outdoor in Jones Valley, said they notice a big uptick starting on Black Friday, but they see it as the kickoff for the rest of the busy season ahead. “We sell a lot of gift items, but we have a whole lot of visitors who want
to see what we have available, measure their options, and get ideas,” she said. “They may or may not buy on Black Friday, but we see a steady stream of people who return to make purchases all the way up to Christmas. “Everyone gets the same experience whether you know what you are looking for like a Patagonia sweater or rock-climbing gear; or whether you are looking for a gift for someone who loves hiking and camping, but you aren’t sure what to get them,” said Spengler. “We can show you how to pack a backpack, explain the difference between buying a sleeping bag and a sleeping pad, help you dress in layers, so you stay warm for a threeday camping trip; or help you prepare for a vacation to Iceland.” Apparel is their most popular holiday items because Alabama Outdoors promotes functionality and fashion. Jackets, pullovers, fleece and down layered clothing that protects against the elements, hats, scarves, neck warmers, blankets, and socks are all gift favorites. I’ll Be Home for Christmas “Shoppers are on a mission, especially when looking for gifts for Christmas,” said Dr. Ana Byrne, own-
November 2018
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STORY
of a “Black” Christmas
• Photography by Steve Babin
er of The Little Green Store on Monte Sano Mountain and the new holiday shop in downtown Huntsville. “They are on a mission to find something interesting, looking for one-of-a-kind, handmade pieces, local artwork, and finely crafted décor. The new store downtown is a challenge because most or our merchandise is individual artistic pieces.” Will they be doing anything different for Black Friday? “Our goal is always to make people feel happy, welcome, and
comfortable while they are here, and we always work hard at that,” Byrne said. “If it is cold, I have hot chocolate for them to drink; if it is hot, I have cold water for them to drink. We wrap everything you buy as a gift and deliver if you need help getting it home. “We hold art shows, open houses, and participate in Under the Christmas Tree, activities that keep people seeing what’s new and gives them a chance to meet the artists,” she said. “We carry a lot of holiday items like handmade tree ornaments, ceramics, and Raku Nativities. Our customers are loyal and we have fun with them. We know their taste enough to say, ‘We have something new you are going to love – take a look at this’.” Santa Baby Fatemeh Nazarieh and Donny Maleknia of Donny’s Diamond Gallery admits the Christmas holidays are the busiest time of the year for jewelers, but they offer several advantages for people looking for a more relaxing shopping experience on Black Friday. “Located along the Parkway, no matter how busy we are, there are no
Chris Gregory of Roosevelt & Co Gentlemans’ Supply with Ana Byrne of The Little Green Store
problems finding a parking place, no parking garages, we have easy access with no traffic coming in and out, and we have hot drinks, cookies, and candy for you to enjoy while you shop. It is all part of creating a festive atmosphere for shopping,” said Nazarieh. “The trends in jewelry among younger customers are custom designs, especially in engagement rings. They want something that is theirs alone and of course custom designs is Donny’s specialty.” Their holiday kickoff came earlier than Black Friday this year with a gem show in late October featuring David Artinian, the Gem Hunter. “Colored gems and stones are growing in popularity. We specialize in diamonds, but this is the second year David Artinian has done a show with us. People buy the stones and it takes four to six weeks to design a jewelry piece that showcases the stone, just in time for Christmas,” Nazarieh said. “We also have plenty of preset diamonds and gems in our showcases too, so we have something for everyone and in all price ranges.” O Tannenbaum Opening at 9 a.m. on Black Friday Pat and Roger Schwerman’s Christmas Tree Plantation in Lacey’s Spring provides the perfect family holiday experience. Roger grew up on a large farm in Kansas. He and his wife Pat bought the fully operational Christmas Tree farm in 2002, shortly after 9/11. Being in the Pentagon on that day, Roger wanted to get away for some peace and quiet, so he came back and “bought the farm,”
so to speak. “We don’t sell trees, we sell tradition,” said Schwerman. “I had people stop by and plead with me, sometimes almost threaten me – ‘I’ve been coming to this Christ-
mas tree plantation for 30 years for my Christmas trees and I want that to continue. You cannot get rid of the trees!’” he said with a laugh. He and Pat had no intention to do so. Their 70-acre Christmas tree plantation has Virginia pine, white pine, leland cypress and deodar cedars and is only open on weekends from Black Friday through Dec. 24. There are also horses, cows, baby goats, and chickens for the kids to pet and feed. There are antique tractors to enjoy, a country gift shop, a Santa Claus on site, and a train for the little kids to ride. Pat Schwerman said families carry out an old tradition of cutting their own Christmas trees. “When you arrive, we provide you with a saw and a measuring stick. You can pick out any tree on the farm you want. We have ‘elves’ to help you if you need any,” she said. “If you cut a live tree on the day after Thanksgiving and put it in a bucket of water when you get home, it will still be fresh after Christmas. “A previously cut tree is dead and drying out when you buy it. That is why families get together and enjoy the experience of choosing their own tree.”
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
SMALL BUSINESS
Record-Setting Night for Madison Chamber Best in Business Awards By Kimberly Ballard
It was a record-setting night for the annual Madison Chamber of Commerce Best in Business Awards. This year’s event was held at the Insanity Complex Entertainment Center and, according to Pam Honeycutt, executive director of the Chamber, it was the biggest awards program ever. “We had more than 400 attendees and a record number of nominees this year, giving the judges a real challenge to select the winners,” she said. “The Best in Business Awards are a celebration of the amazing contributions our local businesses are making to grow and strengthen our community.” More than 50 local businesses were nominated in eight categories. The winners were II XCL Strength & Conditioning for Health & Wellness; Lee Company for Home & Living; Nesin Therapy Services for Medical Practice; and Blue Pants Brewery for Food Service. Alexander’s Martial Arts (Health & Wellness); Insanity Complex (Home & Living); Compass Physical Therapy (Medical Practice); and Lawlers Barbecue (Food Service) were finalists. Deborah Ward of Inside-Out Ministries won the Community Servant of the Year and Sarah Sledge of Madison Public Library was the finalist. HomeFit Consulting won Start-up Business of the Year, with Legacy Chapel Funeral Home and Crematory as the finalist. Louis Breland of Breland Companies won Excellence in Leadership & Service with Rachel Brown of Rachel Brown Homes the finalist. Hogan Family YMCA won Nonprofit of the Year; Compass Physical Therapy took Small Business of the Year, and The Riley Center won Best Business of the Year. Finalists in those respective categories were the Downtown Rescue Mission, Inside-Out Ministries, and Kids to Love. Teresa Croley of iHeartMedia won Ambassador of the Year. Known for being inspirational and uplifting, the featured speaker was Dr. Karockas Watkins, CEO/President/Executive Director of Ability Plus. Good Samaritan Hospice was the event’s presenting sponsor and Capital Management Services was the trophy sponsor. The evening started with a cocktail party sponsored by Progress Bank, and the winners and their guests were treated to a VIP champagne reception sponsored by IberiaBank after the program.
Business Matchmaker: Speed-Dating for Government Contractors By Kimberly Ballard They’ve got the time and money and could be a match made in … well, Huntsville. It was the 10th annual Business Matchmaker where companies, business entities and government agencies swapped information to help each other be successful. The Small Business Development Center and Procurement Technical Assistance Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville hosted the event last month at the Jackson Center in Cummings Research Park. Small businesses statewide were able to connect with purchasing and procurement representatives from large enterprise companies like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin; government agencies such as the Missile Defense Agency and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center; as well as state and local entities such as Huntsville Utilities and the City of Huntsville. Mary Jane Fleming, procurement advisor at the SBDC/PTAC, said Business Matchmaker is a rare networking opportunity in which small Alabama companies have a one-on-one sit-down with the people who make the purchasing decisions. “We laughingly call it speed dating, but it is really controlled networking,” said Fleming. “We help companies do their homework because getting government contracts is a lot like applying for a job. You really need to understand what the company buys, how they buy it, and who they are currently buying it from, before you meet with them.” More than 100 Alabama companies and about 60 large business entities participated this year. Each of the potential contractors prepared 12-minute presentations on how they can meet the needs of agencies and prime contractors by providing detailed information concerning their capabilities, technology, and services. The SBDC/PTAC then matched up five or six companies with a prime contractor or larger entity and scheduled a ‘gatekeeper’ meeting between those who were the best fit for helping those companies meet their goals. “In spite of how it may appear, growing a small government contracting business is not easy to do,” said Fleming. “It is competitive, and you really have to understand business development and how to build relationships. If no one knows who you are, it’s not going to be easy, so companies must get out and network and attend every event they can. “Business Matchmaker is one of the most important networking events we have every year and it has been very successful for contractors and large businesses alike.”
November 2018
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SMALL BUSINESS
UNCORKED: Wine Shop & Tasting Room a Toast to Success By Lori J. Connors For the past 26 years, Saranne Riccio has been in the wine business: a distributor, a sommelier, and teaching wine classes to the uninitiated. She had visions of owning her very own place someday. And, four months ago, those dreams were realized when Uncorked: Wine Shop & Tasting Room opened for business. Located in the heart of Providence Main, Uncorked is attractively appointed with a small bar that seats six, a cozy couch and comfy chairs. The walls are adorned with the works of local artists. Recently, the works of Joe Hendrickson were featured, accompanied by an artist’s reception. Riccio’s secret to her success lies in her simple philosophy.
“Wine doesn’t have to be intimidating. With a price range from $6.99-$200/bottle, there’s a price point for everyone,” she said. “There are several wines for $20 and under that are great bang for the buck.”
Wine tasting bar at Uncorked in Providence
For wines by the glass, Riccio offers what she refers to as a “Built in Personal Flight,” a selection of 16 featured wines, either as a two-pour, or as a six-pour flight. Riccio and her staff are highly responsive to their customers. “There’s no point in directing someone with a $20 price point into the $200 bottle selections; if someone wants buy a higher end wine, don’t take them to the lower priced varieties,” she said. “Once their spending range is established, we can then find out what their preferences are, what do they like? “Once we know this, we can help the customer navigate through the wines.” Along with a variety of wines to suit any budget, there are tasty tidbits, such as Mama’s cheese straws, Arabella’s dilled onions, candied jalapenos, and pepper jelly, Belle Chevre goat cheeses, and Pizzelle’s chocolates. Adding these delightful goodies to a great bottle of wine would make a tasty gift basket. The holidays, and the associated parties will be here before you know
it. Uncorked can help customers with parties for up to 50 people. A $300 facility rental fee allows guests to savor the Uncorked after-hours ambience from 7:30-9:30pm. For an additional fee, there’s a wide assortment of wines and charcuterie that can be tailored to any taste or budget. What are Riccio’s plans for future growth? “To make people more aware of our presence, to be that ‘go-to’ place for people to learn about wines,” she said. “... helping to educate people about wines to the extent that they want to learn, and doubling the varieties of our ‘by the glass’ wine selections.” Uncorked Wine Shop & Tasting Room 485 Providence Main, Suite 101 Huntsville, AL 35806 (256) 970-4717 uncorkedprovidence@gmail.com
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
EDUCATION
With New Propst Center, HudsonAlpha’s Mission Continues By Wendy Reeves Brightly colored beads in clear containers of various sizes and shapes represent more than 5 million learners who have experienced a HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (HAIB) educational outreach opportunity. The display covering the past
10 years sits on the second floor of the new Paul Propst Center, which opened in September. The education team, headed by Dr. Neil Lamb, has reached students, educators, clinical professionals, patients and members of the public who participated in internships, teacher training workshops, public seminars, clinical training and digital downloads for educational games like iCell and Touching Triton, said Carter Wells, HudsonAlpha vice president of economic development. The display is more than a creative display of numbers as it represents one of the four missions set forth by founders Jim Hudson and Lonnie McMillian before the HAIB opened its doors 10 years ago. It represents how far HAIB has come with the opening of its fourth facility on the campus. The pair set out to create a center to conduct genomics-based research to improve human health and well being; implement genomic medicine, spark economic development; and
provide educational outreach to nurture the next generation of biotech researchers and entrepreneurs, as well as to create a biotech literate public. The education outreach team has three new learning labs, office and collaboration space spread across two floors in the new facility. Dr. Rick Myers, president and science director at HudsonAlpha, said the new space will allow the education team to increase its teaching opportunities. Many learners who have experienced HudsonAlpha’s hands-on classroom activities, or participated in summer camps or internship programs are now a part of the HudsonAlpha workforce, or working in life science research institutes or companies across the country. The Propst Center consists of 105,000 square feet housing about 150 tenants. The new building was funded by a $20 million state grant, and a donation by Huntsville businessman and philanthropist William “Bill” Propst Jr. The building is named for his father, a North Alabama minister. On the second floor, those small, colorful beads are just one small example of what has transpired at the growing campus during its first 10 years. Those accomplishments lead
to the construction of the new Propst Center, which looks and feels similar to the main building, where companies such as Conversant Bio started growing. The company, which recently merged with four others to become Discovery Life Sciences, provides researchers around the world with hyper-annotated tissue samples in order to conduct informed, cutting edge investigations into many of today’s most problematic diseases. “There was a lot more open space here when we started, and we started to take small bites of the apple here and there and we finally ran out of space,” said Luke Doirons, co-founder of Conversant Bio, and vice president of sales and marketing for DLS. “We feel both fortunate to be a part of HudsonAlpha and the Huntsville community. I’m from here and love it here but we could have started our
company anywhere. “What we didn’t realize is how this community would embrace us … and how well this vision would work out.” Other HudsonAlpha associate companies in the Propst Center include Microarrays, Alimetrix and iRepertoire, along with HudsonAlpha Software Development and Informatics (SDI), which develops software to analyze and interpret genomic and clinical datasets and works to identify and understand the genetic underpinnings of diseases. “We’re a lot farther along than I ever expected and I’m a fairly optimistic person,” Myers said. “But this synergy that happens here on our campus … we call it our ecosystem with 800 people on our campus, there’s lots of interaction … and I didn’t anticipate how powerful it would be.”
November 2018
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TRAVEL
‘LOW FARES DONE RIGHT’: Frontier Airlines Arrives in Huntsville By Lori J. Connors
Boasting its “Low Fares Done Right” slogan, Frontier Airlines recently kicked off its service at Huntsville International Airport with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and festivities. The first jet to arrive at Huntsville International was “Sunny, the Collared Lizard.” Seeing the colorful, lizardly likeness on the plane’s tail, it was hard for customers not to smile.
However, clever design concepts aside, what really sets Frontier Airlines apart is its flexibility. In addition to “a la carte” options, Frontier which features direct flights to Denver and Orlando - offers a low-priced bundle that includes refundability, waived change fees, priority boarding, and the best available seating, along with choices, such as a carry-on bag, and check-in baggage. “Frontier is always looking for ways to make travel easier and more affordable,” said Jonathan Freed, Frontier’s director of corporate communications. “... our reimagined frequent flier program with family-friendly benefits and attainable elite status, as well as our reduced change fees – free if you make changes more than 90 days before you fly – are examples of what we mean when we say ‘Low Fares Done Right.’ ” Frontier’s Airbus A320 planes, part of the youngest fleet in the industry, are looking for more places to go. In addition to Denver and Orlando, Frontier plans to expand its service to other cities
across its network. With nearly 200 new planes on order, Frontier is planning its growth to deliver on the mission of providing affordable travel across America. “This partnership fills a void in our market and provides our leisure and business travelers with more options for a lower price,” said Rick Tucker, executive director of Huntsville International Airport. “Couple that stability and structure with our region’s track record of supporting low cost carriers and it’s a recipe for success. Our customers appreciate convenience and we know they will support this service by flying local from Huntsville International Airport on Frontier Airlines.” Denver-based Frontier serves more than 100 cities in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. In 2015, Frontier received the Federal Aviation Administration’s Diamond Award for maintenance excellence. FlyFrontier.com
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
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November 2018
15
MARKETING
Rebranded Organization
Provides a ‘Catalyst’ to Start a Business By Lori J. Connors The Catalyst Center for Business & Entrepreneurship serves as a driver for economic growth and job creation in north Alabama by lending its expertise to small business owners at every stage of business development. By providing quality programming, business coaching, and networking opportunities, The Catalyst offers entrepreneurs and startups the tools they need successfully manage their businesses. Originally founded in 2003 as the Women’s Business Center of North Alabama (WBCNA), the organization rebranded itself in 2017 as The Catalyst to better represent its services and mission. “We’ve grown to be more than just a woman’s business center,” said Katie Williams, project manager. “The Catalyst has multiple projects under one umbrella, all with a different focus.”
Zone Accelerator Project serves as a one-stop resource for HUBZone companies to grow, share resources and market their capabilities to prime businesses and government agencies. NASCENT: The North Alabama Support for Critical Economic Needs and Training Project provides training and support services for entrepreneurs in rural counties across Northern Alabama. HOPE2 for Winston County: The Catalyst’s most recent project initiative. HOPE2 assists with business services in economically disadvantaged communities in west Alabama. Partnered with Valley Innovation Alliance, small business start-ups and entrepreneurs receive much-needed tech assistance and coaching. BAM: A business microloan, focuses on giving entrepreneurs and small
Those projects include: WBC: The Women’s Business Center Project serves as a principal source of information and resources; offering in-depth business coaching, entrepreneurial training, small business development and networking opportunities to help women start, expand and successfully manage their businesses. TechRich: The Technology Regional Innovation Cluster Project provides services to government contractors, innovative, and technology companies. The Catalyst assists in locating, filtering and facilitating business opportunities by encouraging collaboration, innovation, technology transfer, commercialization and contracting opportunities among technology businesses. HUBZone Accelerator: The HUB-
business start ups essential financial resources to keep them on track, helping them to take their business to the next level. This program is a partnership between Redstone Federal Credit Union, Neighborhood Solutions, and The Catalyst. Says Williams, “We’ve seen a big gap between business startups and banks, where there’s a need for financial resources, yet no past performance data available to qualify for business loans.” The Catalyst offers a variety of business-focused workshops, seminars, and networking events. In partnership with RFCU, they host a series of business seminars in the Atrium on the Wynn Drive campus. For more information, visit www. catalystcenter.org and www.redfcu.org/ seminars.
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101 Monroe Street NE | Huntsville, AL 35801
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
Double the Points. Double the Rewards. Earn double points on all purchases made using your Redstone Visa® Business credit card, now through December 31, 2018. Better yet, earn triple points Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Use your points for Cashback, gift cards, travel, or make a charitable donation. It’s up to you!
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256-327-1104 | redfcu.org At least one owner of the business must be, or become, a member of RFCU , or be in our field of membership in order to obtain a business loan. Must be eligible for membership and open a share savings account to join RFCU. A $5 minimum deposit is required to open a share savings account and must be maintained in a share savings account at all times. In addition, a business share account must be opened in the business name in order to obtain a loan. All loans subject to credit approval. RFCU is an Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. Other restrictions may apply. Limited time offer for Visa Business cards only. Offer valid on qualifying net purchases posted to the account from November 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018. Qualifying net purchases defined as purchases, less merchandise returned for credits. One-time bonus points will be applied to your MyChoice Rewards within 45 days after the promotion expires. To be eligible for the bonus points, the credit card account must remain open. Other restrictions may apply. See credit card agreement for additional information for terms and conditions about your credit card account. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa International Services Association. ®
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This credit union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. Hsv.Business.Journal_Q4CCBusiness_10.375x6.25_.indd 1
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