Keeping you informed and inspired. November 2026
VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 11
TRANSPORTATION
ALDOT Director: Meeting the State's Highway Needs is a Balancing Act
COVER STORY
John Cooper, the director of the Alabama Department of Transportation, was to the point in stressing the importance of good roads and highways in a way that anyone can relate. By Bud McLaughlin - Page 5
REAL ESTATE
Is Huntsville's Apartment Boom Coming to an End?
While construction of new apartment buildings has exploded in the Rocket City in recent years, that growth is slowing – which means renters are likely to see rising housing costs. By Kara Coleman Fields - Page 16
ADDITIONAL STORIES • Huntsville, Colorado Springs
Bury Space Command Hatchet; Join Forces on Golden Dome By Bud McLaughlin • Page 6
Photo credit: iStock
• Are More Data Centers Coming to North Alabama? What Local Leaders are Saying By Katie Holt • Page 8
Sponsored by:
• Energy Efficient Model Home a Work of Partnership and Collaboration By Bud McLaughlin • Page 18
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HUNTSVILLE
BUSINESS JOURNAL Vol 9, Issue 11 November 2026 600 Boulevard South Suite 104 Huntsville, AL 35802
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
ACCOLADES
Huntsville Honored as ‘Secret Sauce Community’at Heartland Summit What’s Huntsville’s “secret sauce?” According to Mayor Tommy Battle, it’s building relationships across all levels of government and industry. And that is what helped the Rocket City earn recognition as a Secret Sauce Community, according to Heartland Forward. The Bentonville, Ark.-based thinkand-do tank honored three cities — Huntsville; Grand Rapids, Mich.; and Oklahoma City — as Secret Sauce Communities. "It's all about collaboration, and collaboration is just about making new friends," Battle said. "We work with everybody." The recognition came during the recent Heartland Summit, which showcased each city’s distinct and innovative approaches to economic growth, community development and cultural vitality.
“The Rocket City is in excellent company to be featured with Grand Rapids and Oklahoma City, and this gives us a great opportunity to learn from one another as we continuously work to make improvements.” “I was honored to participate in the Heartland Summit and to represent Huntsville,” said Chip Cherry, president and CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. “The Rocket City is in excellent company to be featured with Grand Rapids and Oklahoma City, and this gives us a great opportunity to learn from one another as we continuously work to make improvements.” The three cities have the right ingredients to thrive, the organization said. “Heartland Summit is about bringing people together around the momentum we're seeing across the heartland and turning that into ac-
Pictured L to R: David Holt, mayor of Oklahoma City; Poppy Harlow, moderator; David Van Andel, chairman & CEO, Van Andel Institute; and Chip Cherry, president & CEO, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. (Photo courtesy Heartland Summit)
“That's the bigger story of the heartland right now. This region isn't waiting for America's economic future to happen. We're building it." tion,” said Krista Cupp, executive director of the Heartland Summit and executive vice president of partnerships and events at Heartland Forward. “We selected Huntsville, Grand Rapids and Oklahoma City as this year's Secret Sauce cities because each has found its own formula for creating opportunity and building a more competitive economy while staying rooted in the people and culture that make it unique momentum.” The Rocket City anchors its economy in aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing and ranks among the fastest-growing metros in the country. The city's pipeline is fed by strong engineering programs and steady in-migration, giving it one of the highest concentrations of engineering per capita nationally. “Chip Cherry, David Van Andel and Mayor David Holt shared what's working in their communities and what others across the heartland can learn from it,”
Cupp said. “That's the bigger story of the heartland right now. This region isn't waiting for America's economic future to happen. We're
By: Bud McLaughlin / Photo courtesy of Heartland Summit
building it.” Heartland Forward is a nonprofit, policy think-and-do tank that turns ideas into action for states and local communities. Its mission is to accelerate economic growth, change the narrative about the middle of the country and generate $500 million of economic impact to the heartland by 2030. This is accomplished through applied research, community-driven programs, policy and convenings — focusing on regional competitiveness, talent pipeline and health and wellness. The Heartland Summit was cofounded by Olivia and Tom Walton and Steuart Walton in 2018 to kickstart economic growth and help change the narrative about the middle of the country. The Summit is a forum for conversation about shared challenges, creating positive action and strengthening connections. w
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November 2026
SIT DOWN WITH SUCCESS
A Conversation with Committee of 100 CEO John Allen on Collaboration and Shunning Complacency A Huntsville native and longtime business owner, John Allen has spent much of his career helping shape the community he calls home. As CEO of the Huntsville Committee of 100, Allen brings his private-sector experience to civic leadership, working alongside business and community leaders to address challenges and plan for the region’s future. What did the business world teach you that has proven especially useful in civic leadership? I was a custom builder for high-end residential projects. One lesson I learned is that it takes a lot of people to get things done, over 230 to build a home for instance, and it's not just one person that is more important than the other. In civic leadership, it's about listening, learning, and gaining the perspective of many people to move big ideas forward in the community, all similar to building a house. The takeaway is, everybody's impor-
tant and has a place. Certainly, from a building perspective, if the foundation's not right, the framing's not going to be right, and the roof's not going to be right. If you start right then you will end right. The lesson for me is that no one is more important than anybody else. This approach helps our organization, through the work of our members and our mission, to make our community a better place. What was the biggest adjustment when you moved from business into full-time civic leadership? In a small business, you control your direction, strategic planning, and what you want to accomplish. You make all the decisions. Civic leadership isn't about one entity making all the decisions. It's about collaboration and understanding the perspectives of many people, not just one group, to assist in making the right decisions. Having a broad understanding of the overall community allows you to work on
civic challenges that take a long time to address. In a small business, you can move pretty quickly. In the civic world that we're in, things sometimes don't move as quickly as you may want. What is your definition of success? I'm a Huntsville native. I grew up here. From this executive position, it's been fascinating to see the growth, how we got here, not only the opportunities that have been created but also the challenges we face. Personally, my definition of success since I began in this role in 2017 has always been: Do the best I can, with my skillset, professional background, and community knowledge, to make our community better today than it was yesterday through the work of our members and our mission. The work of the Committee of 100 is long term. It's not tomorrow's challenges but tomorrow's challenges plus 10 years. It takes persistence to be successful and as an organization, this trait is in our DNA.
By: Katie Holt / Photo courtesy of Olivia Reed Photography
Community building takes time and it is in the nature of our work. Every organization, no matter if you're in a nonprofit, city, municipality, or country, change is inevitable, especially in the world we live in today. You have to be nimble and be willing to open up the aperture of your perspective to be successful.
Sit Down With Success is a feature of the Huntsville Business Journal on entrepreneurs and their keys to success. To read the full story, please visit the Huntsville Business Journal website. w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
Subsidiary of EVENT Publishing
President /Publisher………………………………Todd Stephenson Editor………………………………………………………Sarah Zupko Writers………………………………………… Kara Coleman Fields Katie Holt Noah Logan Bud McLaughlin Haley Walden Contributing Writer………………………… Ambrosia Patterson Graphic Design ……………………………………… Justina Simon Amy Pearson Website………………………………………………… Justina Simon Photographers………………………………………… Steve Babin Justina Simon Director of Sales …………………………… Carolyn Stephenson Distribution…………………………………………… Glenda 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 ©2026. 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 2026
TRANSPORTATION
ALDOT Director: Meeting the State’s Highway Needs is a Balancing Act John Cooper, the director of the Alabama Department of Transportation, was to the point in stressing the importance of good roads and highways in a way that anyone can relate. “I think it is important for the quality of life in Alabama,” he said. “Miss Maude needs to be able to drive to church and the grocery store and not be upset. “Transportation is literally what makes the world go.” Cooper was the feature speaker at the recent Launch North Alabama Regional Transportation Summit at the Huntsville Marriott. Launch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping strengthen the North Alabama region through entrepreneurship, land use, and workforce initiatives. Created in 2014, the organization is united by the belief that the region’s prosperity depends on North Alabama counties working and planning together, committed to fostering regional economic growth and an enviable quality of life for its residents. The summit featured panel discussions on the impacts of transportation through trails, aviation, transit, logistics, tourism, and economic development. Cooper said transportation is a quality of life issue that’s not as easy as just helping Miss Maude go to church. He said it’s a balancing act of
meeting the road needs of the state, cities and counties. “It is difficult to balance the needs of people trying to get to work in Huntsville with trying to get to work in the Shoals,” he said. “That story is the same for cities around Huntsville - you’re trying to help people from all around Huntsville get to Huntsville to work. “We have to solve the issue of how we place priorities.” Cooper said the road system is divided into three groups - urban, suburban and rural. “An example of an urban road is U.S. 431 through Huntsville,” he said. “The same road is also suburban and Highway 69 is rural. “We have to decide who to spend money on and which roads: 3,000 vehicles per day versus 80,000 per day. The rural road is just as important to the county resident as the urban road is to the city people.” To help the smaller and rural communities maintain their roads, Cooper said he asked the Legislature to include money for small roads in the state’s Rebuild Alabama program
which funds local road and bridge improvements across all 67 counties using state gas tax revenues. “There are 460 municipalities in the state, less than 50 have more than 10,000 people,” he said. “If you look at a city, if (people) aren’t buying groceries and paying taxes, the city’s budget doesn’t work. “You have no prayer to keep your streets in repair.” To help the small municipalities address their repair needs, Cooper said the state established the Rebuild Alabama grant program and, “for $100,000, you can have a
By: Bud McLaughlin / Photo by Bud McLaughlin
$450,000 project.” “The Rebuild grant program has been our biggest success.” Meanwhile, Cooper downplayed some motorists’ hopes of the state building and improving interstates, highways and interchanges. “When you have gas stations and cafes on the direct access, it’s impossible (to improve interchanges),” he said. “If you’re going to have a regional answer, somebody’s going to have to give a little bit.” Cooper leaves office in January but “somebody has got to deal with these problems.” “The questions in so many areas is one thing in Morgan County is another thing in Chilton County,” he said. “We as a society have this challenge. What are we willing to pay for it? “It’s important we decide as a society what we want.” w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
DEFENSE
Huntsville, Colorado Springs Bury Space Command Hatchet; Join Forces on Golden Dome In what could be called a “Space Command kumbaya,” elected and business leaders of Colorado Springs and Huntsville came together Monday, Oct. 5 to celebrate a new period of cooperation ending years of rancor and even litigation. Highlighting a slate of meetings and discussions at the Davidson Technologies headquarters in Redstone Gateway was Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, who was a guest and keynote speaker. Over the past year he has led a relocation of the command’s headquarters. With family in Madison County and Colorado Springs, Whiting is uniquely suited to reinforce the commonalities between the two communities and celebrate their shared commitment to national defense. During the gathering, Whiting cited the movie classic “Enemy Mine” and showed the movie trailer as he described the new relationship between the cities who fought over relocating the command headquarters from Colorado Springs to Huntsville. “Unexpected allies are the best allies,” he said. “America’s Olympic City and America’s Rocket City are both militarily friendly and are top 10 in this list and that list. “They have extended incredible support to the men and women of U.S. Space Command through our ongoing headquarters relocation, helping ensure continued mission continuity and focus as we establish a footprint in Huntsville.” Whiting said the command is on track to complete its move to Redstone Arsenal by the end of 2032; there are 167 personnel at Redstone with a goal of 200 at the end of this year. “We’re moving at full speed to make Redstone Arsenal the home of Space Command headquarters,” he said. The discussions focused on how the missile defense expertise centered in Huntsville and the operational capabilities concentrated in Colorado Springs can sup-
port the deployment of next-generation missile warning, tracking, commandand-control, and interceptor systems. “The success of Golden Dome will ultimately be measured by the nation’s ability to field new capabilities at speed and scale,” said Chip Cherry, president and CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. “With Huntsville’s and Colorado Springs’ central role in space and missile defense operations, our two regions are uniquely positioned to help support the next generation of homeland defense systems. “We are in a new period of cooperation. We’re all going to win together.” As Golden Dome moves toward demonstration and deployment, Huntsville and Colorado Springs are expected
to play significant roles in supporting the defense shield. Huntsville is home to the U.S. Army Materiel Command, Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, the Space Development Agency’s South Satellite Control Center, Portfolio Executive Fires and other defense organizations as well as NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Colorado Springs is home to the U.S. Space Force’s Combat Forces Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, U.S. Air Force Academy, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, entities to contribute to missile warning, tracking and command-and-control functions. Together, the two regions host key military, technical and industrial capabilities relevant to the development of a layered homeland missile defense shield, the officials said. “The challenges facing our nation are too challenging for one agency or community to work alone,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “We’re working on a great partnership…We’re looking forward to what we can accomplish together.” Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade
By: Bud McLaughlin / Photo courtesy of Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
said while there is an air of cooperation, the two cities will still compete for businesses and government programs. But they share a common goal. “We can compete without contempt,” he said. “Competition and collaboration are not mutually exclusive. “The mission of defending America must come first. America needs us both.” In April, Battle was part of a Huntsville-area contingent at the annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. Mobolade reflected on meeting with Battle during a reception and how it reinforced the cooperation over competition between the cities. “He told me ‘Mayor, don’t worry, we’re going to take care of your people’,” Mobolade said. “Those words meant more to me … “At that moment, we weren’t two mayors; we were two Americans. That was civility.” Including Davidson Technologies, more than 70 aerospace and defense companies maintain operations in Colorado Springs and Huntsville, reflecting the increasingly integrated defenseindustrial base supporting U.S. missile defense efforts. Companies including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, have secured positions under SHIELD, one of the contracting vehicles supporting development of the Golden Dome missile defense architecture. The Colorado Springs-Huntsville mission highlights the expanding link between space operations, missile defense and advanced defense manufacturing as the United States strengthens its homeland defense architecture. While each region brings unique strengths, leaders involved in the effort stress that collaboration across the defense enterprise is essential to addressing emerging national security challenges and deploying next-generation missile defense systems. “We are grateful for the novel formation of this twin-city partnership and optimistic that it will continue serving our nation’s critical defense interests as space becomes an increasingly contested domain,” Whiting said. “New York may be the city that never sleeps; your cities make sure America sleeps safely.” w
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November 2026
DEFENSE
Raytheon Awarded $6.3B Contract; Missiles to Be Built in Huntsville By: Bud McLaughlin / Photos courtesy of Raytheon
To help the “urgent replenishment” of the nation's missile supply, Raytheon has secured a five-year contract to produce Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors. The $6.3 billion contract, with two additional option years, provides long-term production stability for critical missile defense capability, the defense contractor said. “This award underscores Raytheon's commitment to increasing production of critical munitions, ensuring our customers have the defensive capabilities they need, when they need them,” said Raytheon President Phil Jasper. “SM-3 Block IB has proven its relevance in combat and this contract helps ensure we can replenish inventories and keep pace with the evolving threats the U.S. Navy, Missile Defense Agency and their partners face around the world.” Production will be primarily completed at Raytheon's facilities in Huntsville and Tucson. The completion date is Oct. 31, 2034. Raytheon has made significant investments to expand capacity and accelerate production of critical munitions, including a $115 million expansion of its Huntsville site. The 26,000 square-foot expansion of its Redstone Raytheon Missile Integration Facility will increase its integration and delivery capacity by more than 50% and grow the company's footprint in the state to more
than 2,200 employees. “This expansion marks an important step in our ability to deliver more missiles to our customers faster, and our investment here demonstrates our commitment to making that a reality,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “With this significant expansion complete, we are well-positioned to help our customers stay ahead of emerging threats and strengthen the nation's defense posture.” Since its opening in 2012, the Redstone Raytheon facility has become a cornerstone of the company's missile production and integration capabilities, including nine variants of the Standard Missile family and other advanced weapon systems. The contract award, which is part of the recent landmark agreements between Raytheon and the Department of Defense, supports urgent replenishment of missile defense inventory that has been used in combat and remains central to protecting U.S. forces, allies and critical infrastructure. SM‑3 IB is a ship‑ and land‑based missile defense interceptor designed to defeat short‑ to intermediate‑range ballistic missiles during the midcourse phase of flight. It was first used in combat in 2024 and is an integral part of the Navy's extended-range air and missile defense together with SM-3 IIA and the rest of the Standard Missile family. w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
TECHNOLOGY
Are More Data Centers Coming to North Alabama? What Local Leaders are Saying Few development issues are currently as hotly debated as data centers. In North Alabama, questions are intensifying as Huntsville and surrounding communities continue expanding both residentially and commercially. A Gallup poll conducted in March of this year states that 70 percent of Americans are either somewhat or strongly opposed to data center construction in their local area. In Madison County, Alabama, state Sen. Sam Givhan said a recent poll he conducted found that 55 percent of respondents in his district opposed additional data center development. The Huntsville Business Journal spoke with elected officials, residents, and utility representatives about the current and future roles of data centers in North Alabama. Data centers in North Alabama North Alabama is home to two hyperscale data centers built by Meta and Google. Meta’s campus is in north Huntsville near Toney. The company is contracted with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for its electricity needs and is a Huntsville Utilities water customer. In June 2022, Meta announced plans to add two buildings, bringing the campus to nearly 3.5 million square feet. Google’s hyperscale data center is in Jackson County in the Bridgeport area near the Tennessee state line. Located at the former TVA Widows Creek coal plant property, the facility also receives electricity through the TVA system. In June, Google announced it plans to expand this location by $1.5 billion in 2026 and 2027. At the time of publication, the Huntsville Business Journal was unable to confirm Google’s water source. Smaller data centers in the region include facilities operated by Simple
By: Katie Holt
Graphic by Katie Holt
Helix, DC BLOX, and Scipio Technologies. In Huntsville, Huntsville Utilities Director of External Affairs Joe Gehrdes compared Meta’s water usage with that of another common type of commercial customer. “They use about as much as a big retailer might use,” Gehrdes said. Gehrdes said Meta pays according to the applicable customer classification. “They are a water customer, but they're like any other water customer in their rate class. They do not consume massive quantities of water,” Gehrdes explained. The long-term picture remains difficult to predict because data center equipment and cooling methods keep evolving.
Gehrdes said he recently attended a presentation about data centers where the speaker said technology is changing so rapidly his presentation will be outdated in 30 days. TVA aims to protect customers As data center demand increases, TVA is taking steps to prevent the cost of serving data centers from being shifted to residential customers and other businesses. In August 2026, TVA’s board approved a new rate structure specifically for data centers effective October 1. Data centers are expected to pay approximately 10 percent more for power, with the increase phased in over three years. New or expanding data centers requiring more than five megawatts must also pay a capacity commitment
charge (CCC). Clarissa McClain, Senior Strategic Communicator, TVA, said the charge allows TVA to collect money before investing in the generation and transmission infrastructure needed to serve a project. “This fee is collected proactively to minimize financial risk for all ratepayers. The capacity commitment charge is about $1.5 million per megawatt,” McClain said. McClain said the policy is intended to keep other customers from paying for infrastructure built for a data center, particularly if the project does not use all the electricity it requested or does not move forward. McClain also said the CCC allows TVA to interrupt data center operations to protect grid reliability while infrastructure updates are completed. Where does this leave the future of data centers in North Alabama? Local leaders weigh in Huntsville City Council President Jennie Robinson said the city should set standards for resource use and community impacts before considering another hyperscale project. “Honestly, the one hyperscale data center we currently have in Huntsville is plenty. Any future proposal should be evaluated under a formal city policy addressing locaPhoto credit: Keely Finnegan
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November 2026
TECHNOLOGY
tion, power and water consumption, noise, infrastructure costs, environmental effects, job creation, and the overall benefit to residents,” Robinson said. District 4 City Council Member Bill Kling took a more definitive position on additional development. “I am opposed, lock, stock, and barrel, to any additional data centers coming into the city of Huntsville. Period,” Kling said. Kling said he favors discouraging new projects rather than imposing a temporary pause for further study. “I'm not particularly interested in a two-year moratorium to study it. Don't want to study it. We're done. We got our energy. Legally, I don't know if we can prevent them, but we don't have to give them any inducements. We don't have to give them any support,” Kling said. Kling said the city should determine what restrictions are legally available. “I would certainly encourage the city attorney's office to investigate and make sure that we're doing everything we can to discourage them within the law,” Kling said. Looking ahead to the 2027 legislative session, Givhan said he expects lawmakers to consider additional data center legislation, particularly changes to the state tax incentives offered to qualifying projects. “It's clear now that they want to come whether they get the incentives or not. So why should we give them incentives? From a tax standpoint, I don't see any reason to do that,” Givhan said. Givhan said broader restrictions are less likely to gain legislative approval. Instead, he said lawmakers could consider development standards for projects proposed in more rural areas. “I think there is some discussion about out in the county where they don't have zoning, that there might be minimum acreage requirements,” Givhan said. Calls for transparency and a pause Empowering Women’s Causes, a local nonpartisan group, co-sponsored an August public meeting with Robinson and Little to discuss the
Meta data center in Huntsville specifically. As of September 16, Empowering Women’s Causes President Lynn Anderson said Robinson had promised her a work session to discuss the Meta data center but has yet to schedule one. Anderson described the organization’s objective and concerns. “We want a moratorium on any new data centers. This technology will be obsolete in less than 20 years. The parts that go into the data center have less than a 10-year life cycle. The anti-corrosive chemicals used in the cooling process are going where?” Anderson said. Anderson said her group would like to see Huntsville City Council, Huntsville Utilities, Henry Thornton, Meta's Community Engagement Manager, and Mayor Tommy Battle at the work session. “We feel there has been no accountability or transparency about this specific data center. We want to know about what phase this development is in now. Were taxpayer dollars used to entice them to come here?” Anderson said. State Rep. Marilyn Lands, Huntsville, also supports temporarily pausing new projects while officials evaluate their implications. “I think at a minimum we do need some kind of a temporary moratorium so that we can just better understand what's happening,” Lands said. Lands also pointed to recently enacted legislation requiring Public Service Commission review of certain electricity contracts involving large data centers as an initial safeguard. “I do think that the bill we passed last session that requires the Alabama Public Service Commission review of electricity contracts for these very large data centers is a good first step, but I do think we're going to have to go further,” Lands said. As demand for data centers increases, so will calls for greater transparency, stronger safeguards, and a clearer understanding of what these facilities mean for their surrounding communities. w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Manufacturing Institute, Alabama Community College System Partner to Deploy AI Skills Training With the aim of preparing the future workforce to meet the demands of manufacturing and artificial intelligence, the Manufacturing Institute and the Alabama Community College System signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bring the institute’s AI Skills for Manufacturing Training Suite to community colleges across Alabama.
“The signing of this MOU comes at a pivotal moment for technical education and industrial growth in Alabama,” The agreement was signed on Sept. 28 in a ceremony at Calhoun Community College. The institute is the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. “The signing of this MOU comes at a pivotal moment for technical education and industrial growth in Alabama,” said Keith Phillips, deputy chancellor of Workforce & Economic Development and the Alabama Training Network. “Our community colleges exist to connect Alabamians with high-wage, high-skill careers that keep our state’s economy moving forward. Adopting the MI’s AI Skills for Manufacturing Training Suite ensures our curriculum moves at the speed of modern industry. “Equipping our students with hands-on AI fluency gives our local employers the competitive workforce they need to lead.” The partnership marks a significant expansion in Alabama’s manufacturing workforce training pipeline, giving community college students direct access to skills and training to develop AI fluency for practical manufacturing applications. As part of the statewide rollout, the AI Skills for Manufacturing Training Suite introduces no-cost, shop-floorfocused instruction – including the
Carolyn Lee, president & executive Director of the Manufacturing Institute, and Keith Phillips, deputy chancellor of Workforce & Economic Development ACCS, sign a Memorandum of Understanding during the Training for the Future event at Calhoun Community College.
“Equipping our students with hands-on AI fluency gives our local employers the competitive workforce they need to lead.” newly launched AI Fundamentals for Manufacturing courses. AI is changing manufacturing, and employers and educators need to ensure workers have the fundamental skills to use it effectively. “At the Manufacturing Institute, we build and strengthen the manufacturing workforce of today and tomorrow by developing the skills manufacturers need, working with industry and educators to deliver world-best training that makes workers ready for the shop floor on Day 1,” said Manufacturing Institute President Carolyn Lee. “By formalizing this new statewide AI skills partnership with the Alabama Community College System, we are rapidly expanding access to critical skills so every frontline manufacturing worker has the tools to thrive as manufacturers continue to adopt AI into their operations.” Following the MOU signing, leadership and guests toured Calhoun's Rocket City FAME chapter facility, the first FAME chapter in the nation
to complete FAME USA’s Quality Assurance accreditation process. “Hosting today’s signing and
By: Bud McLaughlin / Photos courtesy of Manufacturing Institute
showcasing our Rocket City FAME students in action highlights the real impact of industry-aligned education,” said Calhoun Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Aletta Williamson. “The Manufacturing Institute’s meticulous work in developing cutting-edge workforce programs has opened incredible doors for technical education. Seeing our students engage with these new AI tools, master intelligent systems and gain the confidence to lead on the factory floor is truly inspiring.” Manufacturing makes up nearly 13% of Alabama’s workforce, the fifth highest among all 50 states. The statewide deployment across the community college system begins immediately, providing Alabama manufacturers and incoming students with direct access to the new AI training suite. w
November 2026
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
COVER S
What's Driving Hunts Developers Reveal Lo
By: K For North Alabama residents, Huntsville's rapid growth has brought welcome additions of national retailers, restaurants, and shopping destinations. But as new developments continue to emerge across the city, older shopping centers are also finding opportunities to reinvent themselves. From downtown Huntsville to the city's northern and southern corridors, developers are responding to population growth, shifting consumer preferences and increased interest from national retailers. As a third-generation member of the family-owned Samples Properties, Alex Samples, agent and Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), has witnessed firsthand the transformation of Huntsville's commercial real estate market. According to Samples, the city's traditional retail corridors remain attractive, but some of the greatest opportunities lie beyond them, in areas outside Athens, Meridianville, and other surrounding communities. “You've got your main traffic corridors where retailers are trying to be. But some of our greatest opportunities are in our tertiary markets,” Samples said. Major developments and growing residential areas such as Clift Farm along Highway 72, Hays Farm in
South Huntsville, Town Madison, and MidCity continue to attract retailers and restaurants. The arrival of additional national retailers also reflects Huntsville's changing position in the commercial real estate market. “We are seeing different vigor from national retailers because they saw us as a secondary market for the longest time,” Samples said. Historically, Huntsville competed with larger regional markets such as Nashville and Birmingham for retailers' attention. However, sustained population growth, employment opportunities and residential development have helped bring increased interest from national chains. Among the city's most significant retail developments is the planned North Village Town Center at Memorial Parkway and the Northern Bypass. The $240 million project, anchored by Target and Home Depot, is expected to bring more than 600,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space to North Huntsville. The development represents a major investment in an area that Samples said lacked retail options in the past. “North Huntsville and South Huntsville have been historically underserved,” Samples said. He also pointed to continued growth along Winchester Road, the Greenbrier
Photo courtesy of Bloom Render
and Mooresville Road areas, and other developing corridors. Elsewhere, Stadium Commons near Joe Davis Stadium is taking shape as a destination combining restaurants, shopping, and gathering spaces. New opportunities for older shopping centers While new developments are expanding Huntsville's retail footprint, developers are also looking at opportunities within the city's existing shopping centers. MidCity District, developed on the former Madison Square Mall property, offers one of the city's most recognizable examples of retail redevelopment. The transformation of the former mall site into a mixed-use district illustrates how aging retail properties can be reimagined. Samples said existing propPhoto credir: iStock erties can remain competitive
through strategic improvements, including building system upgrades, facade renovations and better use of available land. “Being strategic with what you're doing with any excess land around there can really help with giving people an economical option,” Samples said. That affordability can be particularly important for locally owned retailers and restaurants. “Some of the most successful retail operations are homegrown. It gives it a sense of place,” Samples said. One example is the Village on Whitesburg, located near the intersection of Whitesburg Drive and Airport Road. Samples pointed to improvements to the shopping center's appearance, parking and tenant mix as an example of how an older property can be repositioned. “That was an older building that just needed a little bit of love. The ownership reaped the benefits, the community reaped the benefits, and I think the tenancy did as well,” Samples said.
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November 2026
STORY
sville's Retail Growth? ocal Areas to Watch
Katie Holt
However, not every aging shopping center presents the same opportunity. Samples said the condition of a property, its location and the willingness of ownership to invest in improvements can all influence its potential for redevelopment. Samples noted rising land prices, construction expenses, and interest rates have also made delivering new retail space increasingly challenging, particularly when developers must balance project costs with rents that local businesses can afford. Established destinations continue to attract retailers While newer developments are changing Huntsville's retail landscape, established shopping destinations are continuing to attract new businesses. Bridge Street Town Centre, which opened in November 2007, was acquired by Tanger in 2023. Since the acquisition, Bridge Street has continued to attract new stores, including L.L.Bean, LEGO, and Rowan, demonstrating continued interest in established retail destinations.
Huntsville also welcomed Alabama's first IKEA in February 2026 at University Place Shopping Center along University Drive, bringing another major national brand to the market. Rather than building a traditional large-format store, IKEA entered Huntsville through a smaller-format location in an existing shopping center, highlighting another way established companies can accommodate changing retail concepts. Outside investors see promise in Downtown Huntsville Huntsville's growth has also attracted developers from outside Alabama who see opportunities for continued investment. Mitch Rutter, CEO of New York-based Essex Capital and co-developer of Front Row alongside Daniel Shields, said
his company identified Huntsville after studying the growth patterns of cities such as Nashville, Denver, Atlanta, and Austin. The company examined population growth, income, education levels, and economic diversification to identify markets positioned for long-term growth. “Huntsville came up really showing all of these metrics with tremendous growth, but also with diversification… away from defense,” Rutter said. Rutter also pointed to the city's willingness to work with developers as a factor in the company's decision to invest. “Huntsville had the reputation of being a development-friendly city where the city itself, in order to spur its own growth plan, was very, very helpful in working with developers,” Rutter said. Front Row, located across from the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville, marries a walkable environment with retail, residential and office space. The development includes 545 residential units, approximately 40,000 square feet of Class A office space and 47,000 square feet of retail space. Four prominent locations are intended for food and beverage tenants, with additional space available for retail, wellness, and other concepts. Rutter said the project was designed around the expectations of residents relocating from larger metropolitan areas.
“It's clear that Huntsville and the downtown area had reached a point where it was ready for a live, work, play environment at a high level that would address the expectations of all of the people coming in from other cities that were living in a particular quality of apartment,” Rutter said. According to Rutter, prospective tenants from cities in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Texas are reconsidering Huntsville because of downtown's ongoing development, including Front Row and improvements surrounding the Von Braun Center. The planned Riverwalk connections, pedestrian bridge, nearby hotels, and Von Braun Center expansion are also expected to increase activity in the area. Although Rutter was not yet able to announce specific retail tenants, he said the development is attracting businesses that might not otherwise have considered opening in Huntsville. For both local developers and outside investors, Huntsville's retail market presents opportunities to meet growing demand while creating destinations that serve the surrounding community. “The good thing about Huntsville right now is we're not just responding to the growth anymore from a retail perspective. I think we're helping shape it a little bit more,” Samples said. w Photo credir: iStock
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Colliers Report Shows Huntsville’s Office Market ‘Fundamentally Healthy’ Things are looking “golden” for the city’s office market, according to a commercial real estate expert. With the U.S. Space Command moving to Redstone Arsenal and associated work on Golden Dome and drones, “companies are being more aggressive to being here to defend the world,” said Kyle Collins, senior vice president and principal at Colliers | Huntsville. Huntsville’s office market continues to benefit from one of the strongest economic foundations in the Southeast, supported by sustained population growth, a highly educated workforce, and expanding defense, aerospace, and technology sectors, according to Colliers’ most recent report on the Huntsville office market. “In regards to office space and the economy in general, we are in the golden years,” Collins said. “In the last seven to 10 years, we have become a target for investors.” The city’s population has grown nearly 16% over the past five years, driven by significant employment investments, including the relocation of Space Command, the expansion of the FBI at Redstone Arsenal, and continued growth throughout Cummings Research Park, the report said. “Redstone Gateway is tailoring construction with the needs of the market,” Collins said. Major employers such as NASA, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Toyota, GE Aerospace, and the U.S. Army remain key drivers of long-term office demand, while the region’s low 2.34% unemployment rate and 2.25% real GDP growth underscore Huntsville’s economic resilience.
The office market remains fundamentally healthy despite recent new supply. “There’s a ton of activity,” Collins said. “We’re all busy.” Vacancy stands at 10.4%, increasing only slightly over the past year after approximately 230,000 square feet of new deliveries and 173,000 square feet of net absorption. With only 221,000 square feet of office space under construction, the development pipeline has effectively slowed, allowing the market time to absorb recently completed inventory while limiting future competitive supply. “The impediment to new construction is pricing,” Collins said. Collins does foresee growth in local office construction over the next decade. “Over the next five to 10 years, I see more in (Cummings) Research Park,” he said. “At some time, we are going to see it grow west - out to Madison and beyond.” Asking rents have climbed to an average of $22.30 per square foot,
reflecting 1.7% annual growth, and vacancy is forecast to decline to 9.7% by year-end as continued job creation and corporate investment support future leasing activity, the report said. Companies are also urging their employees to return to the office after teleworking from home since the CO-
By: Bud McLaughlin / Photos courtesy of Colliers | Huntsville
VID pandemic in 2020-21. “It’s kind of trickling back,” Collins said. “Returnto-office is becoming more prevalent. They would like for their employees to be less remote.” Overall, Huntsville remains one of the Southeast’s strongest long-term office markets, backed by a diversified economy and a robust pipeline of employment growth. Collins compared Huntsville’s office growth outlook to Nashville of a few years ago. “About 25 years ago, there wasn’t anything between here and Franklin on I-65, just the shopping mall,” he said. “Now, there are offices nearly as far south as Columbia. “You’re going to see Huntsville, at some time in the future, like Nashville. It’s on the radar.” w
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Boston-based Investment Firm Acquires By: Bud McLaughlin / Photo by Marianne Higgins Facility in Jetplex Industrial Park Huntsville’s aerospace and defense ecosystem continues to be a magnet for business. The latest business to be drawn to the Rocket City is Davis Management, a Boston-based real estate investment, development, and management firm. Davis recently acquired an 80,000 square-foot, industrial research and development facility on Wall-Triana Highway, across from the International Intermodal Center. “We are excited to expand Davis’ national portfolio of advanced manufacturing and research and development real estate with this acquisition in Huntsville,” said Brendan Richards, Davis vice president of investments. “2865 Wall Triana Highway combines specialized building infrastructure with proximity to Huntsville International Airport, Redstone Arsenal and the broader aerospace and defense ecosystem in the region.” The property was acquired from Huntsville investment firm Paragon
Capital; EOS Defense Systems is a tenant. Davis said the transaction expands its investment activity in Huntsville, following an affiliate’s acquisition of 355 Quality Circle this year, and reflects the firm’s continued focus on aerospace and defense, as well as research and development real estate. “Huntsville’s concentration of federal agencies and aerospace, defense, and technology companies was an important
consideration in evaluating this investment,” said Sean Coffey, managing director of investments. “The property’s location and specialized infrastructure align with the types of assets we are investing in within these sectors.” The building includes 3,000 amps of three-phase power, 26-foot clear heights, a 15-ton gantry crane, oversized drive-in access and heavy floor loads capable of supporting large vehicles, according to a news release. The site also includes more than three acres of additional land that may accommodate future development for advanced manufacturing and research and development users seeking space
in the Jetplex. “2865 Wall Triana has been a strong strategic investment for Paragon Capital, and we are proud of the role the property plays in supporting Huntsville’s aerospace and defense ecosystem,” said Paragon President Chad Fielder. “Davis brings significant institutional experience and resources to the property, and we believe they are well positioned to build upon its long-term potential.” Davis is a vertically integrated real estate investment, development and management firm. Paragon Capital is a privately held investment company focused on the acquisition, ownership, development and strategic management of commercial real estate and other investment opportunities. The company’s real estate portfolio has included industrial, advanced manufacturing and commercial properties serving businesses throughout the Huntsville market. w
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Is Huntsville’s Apartment Boom Coming to an End? While construction of new apartment buildings has exploded in the Rocket City in recent years, that growth is slowing – which means renters are likely to see rising housing costs. “It really gets down to supply and demand,” said David Wilson, director of mixed-use assets for real estate development firm RCP Companies. “Right now, it’s still a very competitive time in the market, and there are a lot of properties that are still in their initial lease-up period.” A lease-up period is the time when a new or recently renovated property hits the market and tries to fill up with new tenants until it reaches stabilization; a property is generally considered stable when at least 90% of its units are occupied. To attract new tenants so they can fill the building and generate reliable income from rent payments, property management companies often offer incentives, such as reduced or free rent for a certain period of time. Prospective tenants may want to sign their leases soon if they hope to capitalize on those incentives in Huntsville. Because the number of new apartments being built and delivered locally isn’t as high as it was a couple of years ago – and therefore there’s less competition – Wilson believes that Huntsville renters can expect to see less robust offers from apartment buildings looking to attract new tenants and occupy units in the near future. “With the strong demand that we’re having in the market, there’s a lot more demand than there are units being delivered. So that supply and demand equation results in occupancies rising,” he said. “And as occupancies rise, the rental rates will start to increase. And we’re already starting to see that. The operators of the properties, the owners, the managers and so forth, will begin to pare back the concessions. So instead of offering three months free, they’ll
offer two months free, and then eventually they’ll go to one month free.” The Huntsville Business Journal requested data from the City of Huntsville about how many apartments have been built in the city limits during the past few years. According to this data, 2024 saw a massive explosion of new apartments. The city issued certificates of occupancy for 5,211 individual apartment units that year, continuing an upward trajectory from 3,451 in 2023 and 2,545 in 2022. However, after 2024’s peak, Huntsville issued COs for 3,737 apartment units in 2025. As of Aug. 31, the 2026 number is 802 units. Huntsville has certainly seen a population surge in recent years; in July 2025, the city estimated that 249,102 people called the Rocket City home – nearly a 16% increase since the 2020 census. And according to an email from Kelly Schrimsher, director of communication for the city, single-family home growth has remained steady during the apartment boom. So what exactly drove the wave of new apartment construction?
“We had a massive supply wave that got triggered by extremely low interest rates, a very tight housing market – we were undersupplied for a couple of years. It was very difficult to buy a house,” Wilson said. “Occupancies for apartments were 97, 98%-plus. Rent growth was occurring at a national record-setting pace of 7 or 8% a year consistently, year after year. That was just rocket fuel on the multi-family market here. So that attracted lots of developers.” This phenomenon wasn’t unique to Huntsville. According to the research organization Urban Institute, the U.S. added more multi-family housing between 2021 and 2025 than any other span of time in more than 30 years. But the higher-thannormal increase in new housing, coupled with Huntsville’s rapid population growth, meant noticeable changes happened in a short amount of time here. “We had a temporary oversupply added, and we’re working our way out of it,” Wilson said. He predicts Huntsville will see a “normal, balanced market” by mid 2027. “We’ll have very few new apart-
By: Kara Coleman Fields / Photo by Kara Coleman Fields
ments coming to the market, which is great news,” he added. “So I think we’ll have strong demand, a limited supply, and that will trigger strong rent growth. So rental rates will be rising, I think, pretty rapidly. And the specials and concessions will start to decline.” While the prospect of missing out on promotions isn’t necessarily good news for tenants, these rent specials aren’t the only reason people choose to live where they do; location and personal recommendations still carry weight. Jonathan Maahs said the apartment complex off Airport Road where he rents was recommended to him by a coworker. Sara Beth Barnett, who rents an apartment downtown, said she was drawn to the walkable neighborhood when she moved there from Madison in 2020. “It’s still very walkable, and they keep adding more restaurants and businesses. So really during the weekends, I rarely ever get in my car. It’s really nice,” Barnett said. Schrimsher, the director of communication for Huntsville, wrote in an email that the city expects apartment development will return to normal levels over the next few years – at least for a while. “Huntsville experienced a similar boom in apartments in the mid-1980s, and for the next 30 years the City averaged between 2-3 new complexes per year,” she wrote. “Given that Huntsville is in much better shape economically now than it was in the 80s, we probably won’t have to wait another 30 years for the next housing boom to happen.” w
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Home Buyers Face Rising Interest Rates, but Increased Local Inventory
By: Kara Coleman Fields / Photo courtesy of iStock
offers and contracts going above asking price. There are many tactics there to help navigate interest rates and closing costs for a buyer. It’s all about having a great loan officer and realtor to help educate you on the process.” In August, the median sales price for single-family homes in Madison County rose 4.4% to $346,835, and the median sales price for townhouses and condos rose 16% to $290,000, according to the HAAR report. Nationwide, spring and summer generally tend to be more active for home sales than fall and winter, but Lehofer says this isn’t necessarily the case locally. “Huntsville and the greater North Alabama area does not follow your typical trend like the rest of the country,” she says. “While spring and summer do tend to be busier traditionally, we do not see a sudden drop off in activity in the fall and
winter here. With the growth of many businesses moving into our area, the need for housing options will still continue to be higher than other parts of the country.” Year over year, the number of new listings for single-family homes in Madison County is up 1.8%, while new listings for townhouses and condos dropped 21.4%. Pending townhouse and condo sales dropped 69.2% locally year over year but remain fairly steady for singlefamily homes, with only a 0.9% drop. The number of homes for sale in the area is up year over year, with a 9.5% increase in available single-family homes and a 15.1% increase in available townhouses and condos. Huntsville continues to see growth, not only in population but also in physical space. During its Sept. 24 regular meeting, the Huntsville City Council voted to annex 236.58 acres of land in Limestone County known as LeCriox Farms, which sits west of Greenbrier Parkway and south of Huntsville Brownsferry Road. The city says construction of single-family homes is planned for the site. w
Prospective Madison County homebuyers may have a lot of options from which to choose as the summer draws to a close, but rising mortgage rates could make some potential buyers nervous in the midst of continued inflation. According to the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors’ (HAAR) Weekly Market Activity Report dated for the week ending Sept. 19, 2026, new listings of single-family homes increased to 170 locally, bringing the inventory to 2,266. Townhouse and condo inventory in Madison County increased to 198, despite new listings of these home types dropping to 11. In September, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose above 7% for the first time since January 2025. Freddie Mac reports that 30-year fixed-rate mortgages in the U.S. averaged 7.03% as of Sept. 24 – up from 6.95% a week earlier and up from 6.30% a year earlier. And rates continue to rise; on Oct. 1, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage in the U.S. jumped to 7.28%. Haleigh Lehofer, The Nerdy Real-
tor, is an associate broker with Weichert, Realtors – The Space Place in Huntsville. “Many buyers can feel some hesitation to purchase with higher interest rates,” she explains. “However, when we do see the rates come back down, all of those other buyers who were waiting for a rate drop come back to the market. “When this happens with a sudden increase of new purchasers, we see a rise in demand which can result in multiple
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Energy Efficient Model Home a Work of Partnership and Collaboration “A small house with a big message.” It was an apt description by Doug Brazier, Drake State Community and Technical College’s dean of workforce development, during an Oct. 15 celebration of a partnership among the college, the North Alabama Homebuilding Academy, and Nexus Energy Center. The event recognized the students who renovated a model tiny house, showcased the completed project, and highlighted the group effort. “Every board, every nail, every screw was by our students,” Brazier said. “Through our partnership with the North Alabama Homebuilding Academy, it became a hands-on classroom where students developed technical skills, gained real-world experience, and contributed to a completed project they can be proud of. “This shows what collaboration looks like in the community.” The North Alabama Homebuilding Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit trade school in Huntsville that provides free, hands-on, short-term training for individuals seeking to enter the residential construction industry. The house was refurbished through a $12,000 grant from Nexus Energy Center and will serve as a mobile demonstration unit promoting energy-efficiency practices across North Alabama. “It’s a new breath of life for this home,” said Ruchi Singhal,
founder and executive director of Nexus Energy Center. Nexus is a 501( c)(3) non-profit that builds smarter energy communities in Alabama through education, conservation, and renewable initiatives. “We love collaborating and creating solutions,” said State Sen. Sam Givhan. “Anything we can do for energy efficiency; every little bit helps.” Givhan (R-Huntsville) was joined at the event by State Reps. Rex Reynolds and Ritchie Whorton who backed legislation to support weatherization and the project. “Partnerships bring solutions,” said Reynolds (R-Huntsville), chair of the Ways and Means General Fund Committee. “We passed legislation to aid nonprofits in getting involved
in weatherization.” The project also demonstrates how education, industry, and nonprofit organizations can collaborate to provide workforce training. “It’s so important what they do,” said Whorton (R-Owens Cross Roads). “Training is so important. We should have done this type of training 30 or 40 years ago.” When the students complete the house, they earn more than job training - they gain credits toward degrees or certifications. “There is a credit for the students and a chance for a tuition waiver,” said Audreanna McDonald, Drake State director of adult education. “This partnership and collaboration
By: Bud McLaughlin / Photos by Bud McLaughlin
also attest to the quality of students at Drake.” The academy, which hosted the event, will maintain the house and display it throughout the area. “This project was built on collaboration,” said academy Executive Director Dr. Tommy Davis. “Nexus Energy Center provided the funding, Drake State provided the training environment, and students completed the work. The result is a resource that supports both workforce development and community education. “It is a recognition that a rising tide lifts all boats.” w
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Tennessee Tech offers in-state tuition for Huntsville-area students For students who want to go to college out-of-state, Tennessee Tech is looking for you. For parents who don’t want their students to go too far away, Tennessee Tech is looking for you. For those who are looking for a college education without breaking the bank, Tennessee Tech is looking for you. Starting next fall, Tennessee Tech is offering in-state tuition rates to students from north Alabama, a savings of more than $2,000 per semester. University officials said the program is part of a broader effort to build on the university's growing enrollment, which reached its highest level in more than a decade this semester. The decision was approved by Tech’s Board of Trustees at its meeting last week. “The Huntsville area – with its vibrant defense, information technology and advanced manufacturing industries – is a natural fit for Tennessee Tech’s STEM-infused academics and commitment to hands-on learning,” said Director of Admissions Jacob Cutshall. “We have a strong alumni base in the area, and many of them now have students of their own who are looking at their college options and wanting to follow in their parents’ footsteps. “Plus, at less than a three-hour drive away, we’re the perfect distance for students wanting to explore somewhere new while staying just close enough to their hometown.” The in-state tuition rates will apply to students in Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison and Morgan counties. With more than 200 Tech alumni who have worked for NASA, university officials cited the Marshall Space Flight Center as a reason to expand
Tech’s footprint into the region. Among the alums are former astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who serves on the university’s Board of Trustees. The decision comes amid a flurry of new developments for Tech. The university recently completed a nearly $60 million renovation of its football stadium this fall, and its NCAA Division I teams have joined the prestigious Southern Conference. The university was recently named to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best National Universities” list for the 12th straight year and named the No. 1 public university in Tennessee by Money.com. Tech has also launched in-demand academic programs, including nuclear engineering in 2024 and artificial intelligence this year. Next fall, Tech will debut a bachelor of architecture degree. Altogether, the university offers more than 265 programs of study. Tech also offers guaranteed scholarships ranging in value from $3,000 to $10,000 per year to students who meet minimum GPA and standardized test score requirements through its Presidential Scholars program. w
HSV Launches West Aviation Development with $2 Million Federal Investment Huntsville International Airport (HSV) and regional leaders gathered on Sept. 24 to ceremonially launch Phase I of the West Aviation development, marking the start of a project aimed at expanding the airport’s aerospace and economic infrastructure. “North Alabama is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, and we need the infrastructure to match that growth.” said Congressman Dale Strong. “This investment will help Huntsville International Airport expand its footprint, strengthen critical aerospace and defense supply
chains, and attract high-value jobs to our community. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I’ll continue working to bring federal resources home to North Alabama and keep our district at the forefront of America’s aviation, aerospace, and defense industry.” The project received $2 million in federal funding through the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The funding will support transportation and infrastructure improvements associated with the West Aviation development. The $2 million allocation will fund the initial land development phase to the west of West Runway 18R/36L. This foundational work positions HSV to recruit top-tier aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) companies, expanding the airport's capacity to serve defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing sectors. Long-term plans for the West Aviation development mirror HSV's busy cargo complex on the East Runway 18L36R, incorporating dedicated hangar space and a directaccess taxiway ramp. "This funding not only drives development to our west but aligns with the City of Huntsville's strategy to deliver essential infrastructure, including the planned relocation of County Line Road that supports our community’s long-term industrial growth." said Butch Roberts, CEO of Huntsville International Airport. "Securing these funds allows us to build our capacity to attract high-value aircraft maintenance and overhaul operations, and create new, skilled jobs right here in our community. We are grateful to Congressman Strong for his dedicated leadership and commitment to advancing our region's transportation network." The expansion reinforces North Alabama's standing as a premier national hub for aerospace and defense logistics, laying the groundwork for future commercial and industrial growth. w
Huntsville Hospital’s Safety Efforts Earn National Recognition Huntsville Hospital Health System’s Safety, Security & Parking team was named the 2026 Outstanding Security Team by the U.S. Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs), earning national recognition for its work to improve safety across the health system. The award was presented Sunday, Sept. 13, during Global Security Exchange in Atlanta. HH Health was recognized among an impressive group of 2026 U.S. OSPA winners representing organizations including Amazon Worldwide Operations Security, GardaWorld Security, Jacobs, Piedmont Healthcare and University of Michigan Health System. Judges praised the HH Health team’s leadership and innovation in healthcare security, including its workplace violence prevention efforts, systemwide de-escalation training, wearable duress technology for clinicians and Alabama’s first hospital-based Security K-9 program. “This award is special because it shows that the work happening here at HH Health stands alongside some of the best security programs in the country,” said Brett Bramlett, director of Safety, Security & Parking for HH Health. “But our goal has never been to win awards. It’s about keeping people as safe as possible and continuously looking for ways to improve. This recognition belongs to our entire team and to the leaders across HH Health who have supported and invested in these programs.” That work has produced measurable results. Over the past three years, HH Health has: • Reduced workplace violence incidents by 28.3% • Reduced workplace violence in the Emergency Department by 46% following implementation of the Security K-9 program • Decreased disorderly conduct among visitors by 26% follow-
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ing implementation of a visitor management system • Trained more than 11,000 employees in de-escalation techniques designed to help prevent incidents before they occur “This national recognition reflects what we see every day — a Security team that is constantly looking for better ways to protect our patients, visitors and employees,” said Arin Zapf, chief nursing officer for Huntsville Hospital. “Safety isn’t separate from patient care. It’s part of patient care. Their partnership allows our caregivers to focus on providing compassionate, high-quality care while knowing they have a highly trained team supporting them. We are incredibly proud of what they have accomplished.” The honor follows the team’s 2025 International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety Lindberg Bell Award, which recognized HH Health for excellence in healthcare security. The U.S. OSPA win also advances HH Health to the 2026 Global OSPAs, where winners from regional OSPA programs around the world will be considered for international recognition. The Global OSPAs will be held virtually in January 2027. For the Security team, the work continues. Two additional Security K-9 teams will soon begin training. Officers are receiving additional training for interactions involving behavioral health patients, and the department continues to evaluate new safety technology and opportunities to expand its security command center. “We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, but we’re not finished,” Bramlett said. “There will always be another opportunity to learn, another tool to evaluate and another way we can better protect our patients, visitors and employees.” w
Aum Foundation Receives $60,000 Grant to Expand Pathway 2 Success Program The Aum Foundation has received a $60,000 Community Grant from the Taco Bell Foundation to expand its Pathway 2 Success program for young women across North Alabama. The Huntsville-based nonprofit was selected as a 2026 Community Grant recipient for the second consecutive year. The funding will support mentorship, college and career readiness, financial literacy, career exploration and other educational resources for under-resourced young women. “This grant will allow us to expand opportunities and resources available to the young women we serve, helping them build the confidence, skills and support system they need to pursue higher education and successful careers,” said Alka Bhargav, founder of Aum Foundation. “We’re grateful to the Taco Bell Foundation and local Taco Bell partners for believing in our mission and investing in the potential of the next generation.” The grant comes as the Taco Bell Foundation announced a record $32 million in Community Grants for 2026, supporting 700 nonprofit organizations nationwide. According to the foundation, the number of nonprofit partners receiving funding increased 40% from the previous year. The Community Grants program is funded in part through donations from Taco Bell customers who choose to round up their order totals. Local Taco Bell franchisees nominate organizations in their communities for grants. Aum Foundation was nominated by a local Taco Bell franchisee for its work supporting young women through education, mentorship and career-readiness programs. “When you think about how this started, with fans giving a little extra at checkout, it’s incredible to see that
generosity grow into $32 million for organizations serving young people across the country,” said Morgan Tabor, executive director of the Taco Bell Foundation. “What I love most about Community Grants is how local they are. Taco Bell franchisees know these organizations, they believe in their work, and together we’re helping more young people see just how much is possible for their futures.” The $60,000 grant will allow Aum Foundation to expand Pathway 2 Success and provide its services to more young women in North Alabama. w
Bank Independent Stadium Opens at the University of North Alabama The University of North Alabama celebrated a historic milestone with
the opening of Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independent Stadium, bringing to life a vision for an on-campus stadium nearly 50 years in the making. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, Sept. 18, the North Alabama Lions took the field Saturday, Sept. 19, for the first football game ever played the North Alabama Lions took the field Saturday for the first football game ever played on UNA’s campus. Nearly 12,000 students, alumni and fans filled the stadium and surrounding campus as UNA defeated Alcorn State 38–20 in its inaugural game. Davis Architects served as architect for Bank Independent Stadium, with HPM serving as program manager and owner’s representative. The team also included Ampere as sports consultant and Fite Building Company as general contractor for the football stadium package. Together with the University of North Alabama and the broader consultant team, the project partners helped transform
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a nearly 50-year vision for an oncampus stadium into a new home for Lion Athletics and a gathering place for the greater Shoals community. “September 19th was a special day for the University of North Alabama and the entire Shoals community. From the moment the gates opened to Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independent Stadium, you could feel the excitement and pride throughout,” said Ryan Adams, Director of Athletic Facilities and Events, UNA. “The incredible support from the community, fans, alumni, students, athletes, and local businesses showed just how meaningful this new facility is to the area. Seeing everyone come together to celebrate the opening made the day about much more than a game—it was a celebration of the community and the opportunities this field will create for future generations. The success and energy of opening day showed that Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independent Stadium is not just a new place to play, but a place where the university and community can come together to create lasting memories.” w
UAH-led Alabama Shield 2026 Exercise Puts Drone Technology to the Test in Realistic Disaster Scenarios When disaster strikes, every minute matters, and the right information can mean the difference between uncertainty and action. To meet these challenges, the University of Alabama in Huntsville hosted Alabama Shield 2026, the first exercise of its kind in Alabama. The statewide disaster response exercise was designed to help participants from a wide variety of emergency management organizations strengthen Alabama’s ability to use drone technology to aid during complex emergencies.
Led by the UAH Rotorcraft Systems Engineering & Simulation Center (RSESC) at the UAH Huntsville UAS and Counter-UAS Test Range, the event provided participants with hands-on experience using UAS in realistic disaster-response scenarios, including search and rescue, damage assessment, HAZMAT reconnaissance, infrastructure inspection, mission planning and airspace deconfliction. “Alabama Shield 2026 was a success, particularly for a first-year exercise,” said Justin Kumor, principal research engineer with the UAH RSESC. “The event brought together a broad mix of partners, including federal agencies, state emergency management organizations, local public safety organizations, first responders, academia, industry partners and UAS subject matter experts.” The event gave participants an opportunity to move beyond classroom instruction and put UAS capabilities into practice in an environment designed to replicate the operational challenges of a real disaster. Participants logged approximately 20 live flight hours during the exercise, providing opportunities to develop real-world operational skills with unmanned systems. “What stood out most was how quickly participants moved from instruction to execution,” Kumor said. “The hands-on scenarios reinforced a central value of UAS in disaster response: giving first responders better information before sending personnel into potentially dangerous areas.” The program was structured as a progression from instruction to increasingly complex field operations. The first day focused on classroom instruction and operational concepts, while on the second day participants worked through hands-on training lanes and platform familiarization. The event culminated with a live exercise in which teams planned missions, operated through an Emergency Operations Center, coordinated with other agencies and responded to changing scenario conditions. Participants used UAS to address a range of challenges they might encounter during an actual emergency, including a tornado-based disaster
scenario. “In tornado or severe-weather responses, damaged infrastructure, blocked roads, hazardous materials and limited visibility can make it difficult for incident commanders to quickly understand the scope of an emergency,” Kumor said. “UAS can provide a rapid means of assessing conditions and helping officials prioritize personnel and resources.” The training included searchand-rescue mapping, confined and obstacle-rich flight operations, area assessment, mission planning with a command center, simulated powerline inspection and UAS proficiency tasks. During the live exercise, teams responded to increasingly complex scenarios involving a missing-person search, a downed aircraft and missing pilot, HAZMAT reconnaissance and an airspace intrusion and deconfliction event. “Alabama Shield demonstrated that unmanned systems can improve disaster response in three key ways,” Kumor said. “Helping teams locate people, hazards and access routes faster; providing command staff with better information for decision-making; and reducing risk to responders by allowing remote assessment before personnel enter potentially dangerous areas.” The activities also showed that effective UAS integration is about more than the aircraft itself. “The biggest lesson is that successful UAS integration is not just about the aircraft; it is about communication, coordination and getting usable information to decision-makers quickly,” Kumor said. “The aircraft performed well, and participants were engaged, but the exercise showed that the real challenge is ensuring the right information reaches the right person at the right time, and in a format they can act on. “The overall takeaway is that UAS teams need to be integrated into emergency operations from the beginning, not treated as an add-on capability.” Beyond the technical training, Alabama Shield helped establish relationships among organizations that could be called upon to work together during a future emergency.
“Disasters do not wait for agencies to figure out how to work together,” Kumor said. “Alabama Shield allowed these organizations to build trust, understand each other’s capabilities and identify gaps in a controlled training environment. Just as importantly, the exercise gives UAH a real-world environment to advance its research by testing concepts alongside the emergency management and public safety professionals who would use them during an actual disaster. “That connection lets UAH move research beyond theory and develop practical tools, procedures and best practices that directly support responders in the field.” UAH researchers and partners envision the gathering as a recurring exercise that can continue to strengthen disaster preparedness and UAS integration across Alabama and the region. “Looking ahead, by bringing together the people, technology and expertise needed to respond to disasters, Alabama Shield demonstrates UAH’s role in advancing solutions to real-world challenges while strengthening partnerships across the state,” Kumor said. w
Local Entrepreneur Makes $1.5 Million Gift to UAH Engineering The College of Engineering at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) was an important part of Mike Wicks’ education and career. Wicks, who received his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from UAH in 1993, has donated $1.5 million to the university’s new Raymond B. Jones Engineering Building. The gift will name the building’s multipurpose room the Wicks Family Innovation Hall. “UAH is such a treasure and an asset in this community,” Wicks says. “It has so many tentacles that reach
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into the community and enrich everybody’s lives. For me personally, UAH made a profound difference in my education and my career, and it just seemed like a natural thing to give back.” UAH is a part of The University of Alabama (UA) System, and the UA System Board of Trustees voted to approve the gift at its annual meeting Sept. 11 in Tuscaloosa. The multi-purpose room is the building’s largest room, and it will be the most utilized. It can serve as a classroom or be subdivided into two smaller rooms. It can also be transformed into spaces for meetings and events. The building’s name is another reason Wicks wanted to contribute. It honors the memory of Ray Jones, longtime business and community leader and past chairman of the UAH Foundation – and for Wicks, a Huntsville native, an old family friend. “Mr. Ray and (his wife) Libby Jones have been in my life since I was a toddler. I’ve enjoyed lifelong relationships with them, their children and their grandchildren.” Wicks’ affinity for engineering appeared in childhood, too. As a kid, he disassembled his bike to figure out how it worked before putting it back together. Maybe it’s inherited: His great-great-grandfather, William Lafayette Quick, built the Quick Monoplane that’s hanging in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Davidson Center. “With my curiosity to solve problems, engineering was just a natural fit. Engineering provides so many basic skills to address some tough problems.” Wicks came to UAH after receiving his bachelor’s at Auburn University and starting his career with the U.S. Army Missile Command. “The education here at UAH is fantastic, but on top of that, you get professors who have real-world experience. Some of them are coming from their aerospace and defense jobs to teach at night. They bring realworld examples and ways to apply them into what we’re learning in the classroom. They just bring it to life.” Along with UAH’s inspiring academics, Wicks appreciates the human
connections he found. “Most of my classmates were working at aerospace and defense industries. They became some of my lifelong friends and colleagues. The network that you build among the professors and the students here is just as valuable as the education.” His son and daughter-in-law, Chandler Wicks and Chelsea Lavish Wicks, both graduated from UAH’s engineering program in 2013 and have their own successful careers in Huntsville. For nearly 45 years, first as an Army civilian and then as a private contractor for the Department of Defense, Wicks combined his education, network and experience to provide innovative engineering and technical services. He founded several successful engineering and technical service firms, including Summit Research Corp. and Integration Innovation Inc. (i3), boosting Huntsville’s workforce reputation while solving military engineering challenges. Along the way, he earned a reputation for philanthropic commitment through the i3 Cares Foundation and the Wicks Family Foundation, formed with his wife, Christine. The Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame recognized his many accomplishments by inducting him into its 2023 class. Outside of engineering, Wicks discovered another set of hard problems that could benefit from his technical and program management skills. “I had cancer 15 years ago, and I remember wondering if there’s a better way to treat cancer in this country. I started looking at immunotherapies, and then my son-in-law found this company that was in the early stages of preclinical research and development.” He joined Houston-based Diakonos Oncology in 2022 as its CEO, leading the company’s development of state-of-the-art cancer immunotherapies. The researchers’ focus is about as hard as it gets: refractory melanoma, pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma brain tumor. Their progress is promising. “I thought, I’ve got a little fire left in the belly. I wanted to get involved
in something aside from aerospace and defense, but again, a hard problem. Everybody’s been touched by cancer in some way – whether a friend or family member. Philosophically, if you can make a tangible difference in people’s lives while you’re making a living, that’s a good thing, truly a worthwhile pursuit.” And with his gift to the UAH College of Engineering, Wicks will help ensure a strong pipeline of good engineers to keep solving tough problems. w
Huntsville International Airport receives $1.9M grant for snow preparedness facility It’s never too early to prepare for winter weather and Huntsville International Airport took a major step to keep its runways clear from ice and snow. The airport was recently awarded a $1.9 million grant to build a storage facility for the airport’s winter weather snow-removal equipment fleet. The award came from the Alabama Department of Transportation as part of the Alabama Airport Improvement Funding Program. “Maintaining our airside infrastructure and operational readiness is vital to supporting the rapid growth of our region,” said Airport CEO Butch Roberts. “This $1.9 million ALDOT grant allows us to build a protective facility for our essential ice and snow removal fleet and ensures that our crews can respond to weather events and airfield needs with efficiency. “We deeply appreciate the steadfast advocacy of Alabama Rep. Rex Reynolds and our state partners at ALDOT for supporting HSV’s longterm operations.” The project will house and safeguard heavy operational assets including specialized airfield snow removal vehicles, runway sweepers, and ground maintenance equipment. While the structure will protect high-dollar equipment from weather
exposure, it will also provide ample space and amenities to permit airport personnel to better access and maintain the equipment and support removal operations during a winter weather event. The 10,800-square-foot, preengineered metal building will have three drive-through bays for the airport’s snow removal equipment with a location for holding deicing chemicals. Once begun, the project is expected to take six months to complete. This investment reflects the cooperation between local aviation officials and ALDOT as they work together to enhance North Alabama’s logistics network. “If Alabama is going to stay competitive for future economic development, we must ensure our airport keeps pace with our growth,” said State Rep. Rex Reynolds, House Ways and Means General Fund chairman. “Aviation plays a direct role in driving commerce to our state, and securing high-paying jobs across the Southeast and nationally depends on having the transportation infrastructure to support that expansion.” w
EOS Next-gen Slinger C-UAS System to Begin Huntsville Production Next Year With a target of shorter lead times and lower costs, EOS Defense Systems USA is expanding production at its Huntsville facility for the next generation of Slinger, the company’s flagship counter-drone Remote Weapon System. The product is in the final stages of development with upgrades focused on autonomy to meet the current threat, the company said in a news release. Production will begin next year. “The need for affordable, effective counter-drone capability is visible across the U.S. force today,” said CEO
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Shawn Baerlocher. “Our customers need a solution now, built on timelines rapid and flexible enough to match the threat on the modern battlefield.” The next-generation Slinger brings critical technology improvements designed to meet an evolving drone threat, including enhanced sensing and autonomous kill chain functionality built to operate at scale, the release said. Selectable autonomy is central to the upgrade, recognizing that threats on the modern battlefield move too fast for the decision cycle of a standard system or human operator. Like the current Slinger, it is fully stabilized to engage while on the move and defeats drones and ground threats from a single weapon station without reconfiguration. Producing the system in Huntsville will shorten supply chains, improve lead times, and lower costs for EOS’ US and allied customers. EOS has built Remote Weapon
Systems since the 1990s, and its systems are operationally proven and deployed by militaries across Australia, the Middle East, North America, Europe and Southeast Asia, with more than 3,500 delivered worldwide. Headquartered in Huntsville, EOS provides precision Remote Weapon Systems for counter-UAS (CUAS), ground-to-ground, force protection, and marine missions on all platforms. With roots in space, EOS has spent more than 40 years designing and building precision optical systems that deliver millimeter-level accuracy, from low Earth orbit to cislunar space. w
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