HBJ May 2021

Keeping you informed and inspired.

VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 5

May 2021

ENTREPRENEUR COVER STORY

Being a Philanthropist is as Easy as Give256

Earning the well-deserved honor of the 2021 Nonprofit Entrepreneur of the Year, that’s exactly what Amy Roark has accomplished.

By Lori J. Connors - Page 6

DEVELOPMENT

Joe Davis Stadium Renovation: DEVELOPMENT New Ballgames for Old Ballpark

The outfield walls are coming down and earth is being moved as the city has started the renovation of Joe Davis Stadium from primarily a baseball park to a multi-use venue.

By Mike Easterling - Page 18

ADDITIONAL STORIES • David Nast of Progress Bank: Chase Your Dreams and Work as Hard as You Can

By Kimberly Ballard • Page 5

• Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Brailynn Camile Granville is Simply Ausome!

By Lori J. Connors • Page 7

• HudsonAlpha Scientists Study GeneSequencing Plants for Potential Biofuel

By Lori J. Connors • Page 14

Page 12

• Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Dispute Heading to Trial

By Noah Logan • Page 16

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HUNTSVILLE

BUSINESS JOURNAL Vol 4, Issue 5 May 2021 600 Boulevard South Suite 104 Huntsville, AL 35802

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

ADVERTORIAL

Bridge Outs & Preferred Equity

“In our current time of Crisis Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain”

By Gary Williams Rothschild Capital Solutions

Preferred Equity v. Mezzanine Financing

Risk is an inherent and inevitable aspect of any real estate investment.

But the devolution of that abstract risk into very real losses, exposure, and liability is not, even in the most highly leveraged and speculative transactions. Let’s Talk RE Preferred Equity Senior Living Facilities.

The advantages of our approach are crystallized in the preferred equity strategy at the heart of the RCS 35/65 Fund. We designed the fund to lower the cost of financing by developing a term and establishing a CMT rate structure that allows stabilization to occur.

Early in my career, one of my mentors told me that all investment and transaction risks arise from three elements: • Not knowing and/or understanding what you are doing • Failing to plan for the unseen • Entering a transaction without a thoughtful risk mitigation or exit strategy That indispensable wisdom has informed all strategies and investment vehicles we develop at Rothschild. It is what forms the foundation of our core philosophical belief that understanding the nature of the risks presented by a given opportunity is a prerequisite to evaluating the likelihood of a lucrative return on investment. It is also indispensable to constructing the guardrails that can minimize the impact of known – and sometimes unforeseeable - risks. We accomplish this through extensive fundamental research combined with thorough, insightful, and actionable analysis of that information.

There are two primary vehicles for achieving very high leverage on large commercial projects: mezzanine loans and preferred equity investments.

When part of the financing for substantial development projects, both

May 2021

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Rothschild Capital Solutions www.rothchildcapital.com mezzanine loans and preferred equity are stacked on top of large construction loans or permanent loans to obtain loan-to-cost ratios as high as 90% of project development cost subject to due diligence.

Preferred equity allows sponsors, developers, and other commercial real estate entrepreneurs to preserve capital, ownership, and control with a cost-effective alternative to utilizing advancement of project equity from JVEP's and other capital investment providers.

While both vehicles are designed to accomplish the same thing, how each does so is quite distinct. Unlike mezzanine financing, the lender in a preferred equity investment obtains equity in the LLC that owns the construction project with the promise of a preferred return. If the LLC’s management fails to pay the preferred investor the promised return, the investor has the right and ability to oust existing management and the current members lose their voting rights, as well as any rights to dividends or the distribution of any profits.

TOP 20%

Common Equity 10-20% return

MIDDLE 20%

Preferred Equity 6-12% return

FIRST 60%

Debt 4-8% return

This is representative of a general real estate deal. Actual values vary from one deal to the next.

including: • Interest on the invested funds is to be paid monthly, regardless of cash flow or other factors.

• The total investment amount is to be repaid upon the maturity date • In addition to a default rate with interest and other penalties, the borrowers lose their ownership and management interests.

RCS Equity Real Estate Investment Model The preferred equity real estate investment structure we deploy at RCS involves investing in the borrowing entity at a level junior to the development debt lender but senior to the borrowers’ equity investments. The preferred equity investment is secured and packaged into a single-asset EJV pursuant to a new formula and streamlined documentation that eliminates all threats of violating the senior lender’s loan agreement.

These threats can arise from the possibility of the preferred equity investor’s potential assumption of controlling ownership and management in the borrower. RCS legal team has developed a workable solution that avoids complications in the event of a defaulttriggered transfer of ownership to the preferred equity investors.

COMMON EQUITY

RCS

PREFERRED EQUITY MEZZANINE DEBT SENIOR DEBT

Preferred Equity Structuring Another distinction between the two investments is that unlike mezzanine or subordinate loans, preferred equity investments are typically documented in the organizational documents of the borrowing entity and structured as a third-party investment in the entity by the lender.

In exchange for their capital infusion, preferred equity investors receive interest directly on the property’s cash flow and/or indirectly through a preferred priority return. The investment documentation will usually contain provisions considered to be very harsh to the borrower,

Senior 50/65

This new and innovative model developed by Gary Williams is unlike the more traditional approach to preferred equity transactions shown in the image above, offering much higher leverage ratios on the capital stack. This unique blended structure combines elements of private equity, mezzanine debt, and investment finance to provide a stable yet lucrative real estate investment mechanism as an alternative to traditional financing.

Rothschild Capital Solutions Rain Makers of The Capital Markets

Rothschild Capital Solutions Group-708-540-1711 Rothschild Capital Group of Illinois Williams | shelton@rothchildcapital.com Shelton or Williams Partner Midwest & Southeast Huntsville Office: Office Park South • 600 Boulevard South SE, Suite 105 • Huntsville, AL 35802

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

Subsidiary of EVENT Publishing

President /Publisher................................................................ Todd Stephenson Editor .......................................................................................... Bud McLaughlin Writers.........................................................................................Kimberly Ballard

Alan Clemons

Lori J. Connors

Mike Easterling

Noah Logan Graphic Design ............................................................................. Justina Simon Website................................................................................................ Jim Gharib Photographers...................................................................................Steve Babin

Kimberly Ballard

Justina Simon Director of Sales ................................................................. Carolyn Stephenson Account Executives.....................................................................Michelle Epling

Noah Logan 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 ©2021. 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.

May 2021

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SIT DOWN WITH SUCCESS

David Nast of Progress Bank: Chase Your Dreams and Work as Hard as You Can “Sitdown with Success” highlights local entrepreneurs and their accomplishments. This month’s feature is David Nast, a founder of Progress Bank. For the complete interview, visit huntsvillebusinessjournal.com.

You started Progress Bank during the midst of the Financial Crisis of 2007-2008. How did that happen?

It’s an important part of our story.

We opened the bank in February 2008.

The financial crisis was just beginning to show but it got worse the latter part of 2008, 2009 and 2010, but there’s good news in that.

We started organizing the bank and raising money to get the bank started in 2007. I think there were 40 or 50 of us who had Federal Bank charters in 2008 but it slowly dropped off in 2009 to just a handful, and then literally, for a decade from 2010 to 2020, there were hardly any new banks being chartered.

Business start-ups and entrepreneurs are known for taking risks, but …

At that time, there were no banks headquartered in Huntsville. That is the original reason for starting Progress Bank. We saw an opportunity there.

If you think back at that time, there was a lot of disruption in the banking industry in Alabama.

Also, if you remember that crisis was created by the housing industry and there were a lot of mortgage issues and a lot of construction and development centered around housing.

In 2008, 2009 and 2010, you could see where the problems were, so we were able to avoid some of those problems and focus on what we needed to do to be successful.

Was it hard?

Oh, raising $31 million in capital was unquestionably the most timeconsuming and the hardest part!

Think about it this way. You’re sitting at $20 million, and you've committed to the FDIC and the state banking department that you’re going to raise $30 million.

So, you wake up in the middle of night and think, where am I going to get $10 million?

We had to have the right people, we had to have all our systems in place, and we had to be ready to open the company.

All our shareholders and initial investors were Huntsville and Decatur people. We raised right at $31 million to capitalize the bank and basically started at Ground Zero.

Would you start a bank right now?

Right now, no I wouldn't do it again. It’s an enormous amount of work and I’m too old, but if today was 13 years ago, then sure, I probably would.

What advice would you have for

By Kimberly Ballard / Photo by Steve Babin

somebody starting a new business?

My advice for starting any company is to believe in yourself and make sure you have a good solid plan.

Make sure you have great people because there's no way one person can do it all. No one can know everything, so hire people that are better at certain things than you are. w

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

ENTREPRENEUR

Being a Philanthropist is as Easy as Give256 One of the standout traits of an entrepreneur is the ability to develop creative new solutions to longstanding issues. Earning the well-deserved honor of the 2021 Nonprofit Entrepreneur of the Year, that’s exactly what Amy Roark has accomplished.

“With a good idea and a lot of work, there’s no limit to what you can create,” said Roark, CEO of Give256. “Our motto is: ‘Together We Can Do More’.”

Roark’s vision has been to encourage philanthropic giving through a collective merging of resources. The spirit of giving and making one’s community a better place – these are valuable lessons Roark learned from her parents, Bill and Brenda.

Simply put, Give256 is a giving circle. The concept behind a giving circle is that individuals join to pool small financial contributions, which make a much bigger impact than one individual could do by themselves.

For her work, Roark was named the Catalyst Center’s Non-Profit Entrepreneur of the Year.

“Our goal is to increase philanthropy with people who otherwise might not have realized that it was something they could do,” said Roark. “When I think of philanthropy, I think of huge donations, contributions that only a small sector of the population is capable of.”

Give256 requires a membership donation of $256 a year, which comes to about $22 a month. It may not seem like much, but the dollars add up to make a big difference.

As part of membership, members vote in the annual grant cycle. Once a local nonprofit is chosen, Give256 donates the pooled money to the selected organization. In Give256’s first two grant cycles, it has awarded more than $25,000 in grants.

“This is our third year; we’re about do our third round of donations,” said Roark. “It’s been really impactful because we have about 50 members, but we’re able

to give out about $15,000 with each person giving $256. It’s able to make a much bigger impact than an individual donation.”

Roark learned about the giving circle concept while on a Leadership Huntsville retreat in Louisville.

“Louisville had a giving circle,” said Roark. “I thought, ‘it seems so basic, we should be doing this.’”

When Roark returned to Huntsville, she didn’t see anything similar to a giving circle, so she reached out to the Community Foundation.

“I wasn’t sure – handling other people’s money and becoming a non-profit, there are a lot of steps in that,” said Roark. “I was able to partner with the Community Foundation. They were an important alliance we made right out of the gate. They make all our donations tax deductible, handled our funds so they are invested, and we have an endowment.”

The Community Foundation introduced Roark to concept of endowment: 25 percent of the annual donation goes to the endowment fund.

“With growth over time, we’ll be able to give even more with the interest that we earn off the endowment,” Roark said. “If there was to be a big need, we could potentially give a larger donation

somewhere down the line.

“Give256 wouldn’t exist without the Community Foundation who immediately gave us a way when we had the will. They have continued

By Lori J. Connors / Photo by Steve Babin to support us and have helped really make Give256 grow and be successful.”

Roark wants to spread the word that philanthropy is something anyone can do. She hopes to inspire philanthropic giving, especially in younger generations. Although Roark first began her mission by approaching the young professional community, membership is open to adults of all ages.

Roark’s sister and Give256 cofounder, Kaitlyn Roark has been integral in the formation of the organization.

“When I told her that I had an idea to help our community, her first response was ‘what can I do to help?’” said Roark. “From that first conversation, she has brought a perspective that’s continuously made it better.”

To learn more, visit Give256.org w

May 2021

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ENTREPRENEUR

Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Brailynn Camille Granville is Simply Ausome!

Nine year-old Brailynn Granville began her entrepreneurial journey by jumping on the bed.

According to her mother, Brittnie, the genesis of the Ausome Kid began with Brailynn using the bed as a trampoline, something she was not allowed to be doing.

Wearing a cape and jumping with reckless abandon, Brailynn exclaimed to her mom, “look, I’m a superhero!”

The superhero idea illuminated the seed of creative insight. Once it took root, it continued to grow.

With this inspiration, Brittnie transformed Brailynn and her creative ideas into the superheroine, The Ausome Kid. Brailynn’s childhood has been filled with its share of challenges. At the age of 3, her Aunt Karen, a K-12 educator, noticed that Brailynn was not meeting the typical milestones for a child her age. What appeared to be developmental issues led to Brailynn’s diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The ASD diagnosis was only the tip of the iceberg. Brailynn also has multiple Sensory Processing Disorders, a language disorder, and Sleep Onset Association Disorder.

SPD is demonstrated by negative responses to things like fabrics, food textures, and lighting. With SOAD, Brailynn never gets sleepy and can function like sunshine with zero hours of sleep.

To better understand Brailynn and address her needs, Brittnie painstakingly researched ASD and the associated disorders. To help Brailynn feel more connected with her peers and to help develop her coordination, Brittnie came up a strategy for Brailynn to participate in activities such as T-ball and dance. Dance happens to be Brailynn’s most favorite activity, and she participates in a variety of dance styles and techniques.

As the Ausome Kid, Brailynn carries the message to kids that

autism is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, The Ausome Kid’s superpower is being autistic, and as she flies all over the globe, she educates others about neurodiversity and the importance of treating others kindly.

Brailynn’s superheroine vision was inspired by her favorite TV show.

In the show, the characters travel around the world, sharing their international experiences with others.

After an episode about France, Brailynn begged her mother take her on a trip to Paris.

Brittnie has provided a healthy dose of positivity by transforming Brailynn’s experiences, ideas, and imagination into the written word.

These stories have developed into a book series called, “The Adventures of the Ausome Kid”. These short stories shine a light on the world of neurodiversity.

The first book is based on the family’s 2019 visit to Paris.

Brailynn’s reactions to the Parisian sights, sounds, and flavors are the basis of the story.

In addition to autism awareness, the books are also filled with information about other countries and cultures, and lessons on how to treat others with kindness, dignity, and respect.

Brailynn’s entrepreneurial adventures include The Ausome Kid Inc., a nonprofit organization which serves to empower and support children with autism, educate the community on awareness and inclusion, while providing resources to impacted families.

For more information, visit www.theausomekid.com. w

By Lori J. Connors / Photo by Steve Babin

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

DEVELOPMENT

The Range, The Foundry to Forge a New look for Huntsville’s Westside While Huntsville’s sustained growth continues to be much celebrated, there have been only a handful of events in the past 30 years that have significantly changed the face of the city.

A new multiuse commercial and residential development by The Beach Company along Huntsville’s western gateway at Governors Drive and 14th Street will change the face of Huntsville.

The Charleston, S.C.-based developers’ have begun building a three-story, 49,000 square foot commercial office and studio space known as The Range; and a multiuse residential building, The Foundry.

“The first place I came to that was recognizable as Huntsville was here along Governors Drive – a no-tell motel on the left side, and the Black Forest Lounge on the right side. I remember thinking, what have I gotten into here?”

The Foundry consists of 271 multi-family flats and 14 townhomes.

Also, part of the development are more than 4,300 square feet of mixed use live/work units, and 51 stacked flats; 5,500 square feet of retail space, with an additional 676 parking spaces.

Pictured from L to R: Danny Yancey, founder/CEO Stovehouse Inc., JC Darby, Beach Company development manager for The Foundry/The Range, John Darby, president and CEO of The Beach Co., Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle

Located within walking distance of the Stovehouse and Campus 805, The Range and The Foundry will replace an aging and somewhat blighted section of Governors Drive to create a safe, walkable neighborhood that is convenient to I-565, unique in its design and concept and connected by luxury housing, high-end retail, restaurants, and commercial workspace.

Due to an earlier rain that made the site itself too muddy to ceremoniously displace the first shovels of dirt, The Beach Company relocated the groundbreaking event to the Stovehouse. It was in part Stovehouse owners Danny and Patti Yancey who encouraged The Beach

Company to build the Range and Foundry in this part of town.

Mayor Tommy Battle

By Kimberly Ballard / Photos by Steve Babin, The Beach Co. humorously reflected on his first impression of Huntsville when he arrived here in 1980.

“I-565 was not there so you entered the city on Highway 20,” he said. “The first place I came to that was recognizable as Huntsville was here along Governors Drive – a notell motel on the left side, and the Black Forest Lounge on the right side. I remember thinking, what have I gotten into here?

“But for any of us who have been here a long time, when you look at this site today, you get a flavor of the community. Sixty percent of us come from somewhere else. We come here and bring some good ideas from other areas where we have visited, and we try to keep out bad ideas we have seen in other areas. But as we do that, we change the face of this community. This development will

May 2021

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DEVELOPMENT

change the face of our community one more time.”

“I met Danny Yancey in 2019 and what he and Patti have done with the Stovehouse is amazing,” said John Darby, president and CEO of The Beach Co. The Beach Company has been around for 75 years and has invested in over 20 communities across the Southeast. This is the firm’s first project in Huntsville, and Darby said building partnerships is a big part of their strategy. He then pulled a surprise out of his pocket.

“Every city should have a Danny and Patti Yancey,” he said. “When we enter a market, we like to contribute to that market, so today we are making a contribution to Patti’s Liberty Learning Foundation.”

The presentation met with huge cheers all around. The Liberty Learning Foundation helps to provide civic education programs and live experiences to teach, inspire and empower the Next Great Americans.

Darby said not only does their research show Huntsville to be a dynamic market that checks off all the boxes like job growth and wage growth, but the city is the topic of conversation back in Charleston.

“Last week, a group of CEOs in Charleston got together to talk about how to bring innovative companies to the Charleston area,” he said. “We

talked about ways to do that for the first ten minutes of the meeting and the final 50 minutes we discussed Huntsville, Alabama.”

Battle showed his enthusiasm not just for The Beach Company’s investment in Huntsville, but for the long-term vision of improving Governors Drive in that part of town.

“David Martin had a vison of a Blue Plate restaurant out here,” he said. “Randy Schrimsher had a vision to do Campus 805. Then Danny and Patti came to me and said they wanted to do something with the Martin Stove property, and I said, ‘Really?’

“You look at the Stovehouse, go to Lowe Mill and see one of the largest artists’ studios in the U.S. located in an old mill building.

“Then you look at what is happening here and now with The Range and The Foundry – we can see the beat of our city change. The face of our city change.

“We thank you for your vision for an image of uniqueness, and to help us do what we have always done – look outside the box,” said Battle.

Crunkleton & Associates will handle the commercial leasing space for The Range; Brasfield & Gorrie is the general contractor for The Range; and Wieland Builds is the contractor for The Foundry. w

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

HEALTHCARE

HudsonAlpha Researchers Help Pinpoint Medication Side Effects Each year, prescribed pharmaceuticals benefit millions of people. This usually results in an improved quality of life, as in the case of arthritis medications or insulin, for example.

Prescription drugs can also save lives, many times over. Cardiac, statins, and anti-coagulating medications often mean the difference between life or death.

Yet, despite the benefits, a medication that works well for one individual might be totally ineffective for someone else. In a worst-case scenario, certain medications can cause severe side effects, or they might even prove to be lethal.

Is there a way to bypass risky side effects or lack of efficacy in prescribed medications? Can the unwelcome, outside chance of a severe reaction be averted? If so, how?

Age, lifestyle, and health are all influencing factors in an individual’s response to drugs. However, genes play a significant role in that overall response. As part of the growing field of precision medicine, pharmacogenomics analyzes how genomes can influence an individual’s response to prescribed medications.

Until recently, drugs have been developed with a “one size fits all” approach. However, genes provide key blueprints for producing certain proteins in the body. By studying these genes, health care can be customized, with treatments and medications tailored to the individual.

“There’s a lot of interest in pharmacogenomics because it’s a fairly straightforward genetic test that can inform people about what drugs they may be taking they’re not metabolizing and that there may be better alternatives that they could take,” said Dr. Devin Absher, director of Genomic Health at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. “Genetic tests benefit the patient; they also benefit the

One good example is statin medications.

“There are people getting these tests back and finding out they’re on a statin that they metabolize either too rapidly or not rapidly enough,” said Absher. “You can change Dr. Devin Absher, director of Genomic Health at dosing, or you can move to HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology statins that don’t have the same side effects, based on genetics.”

Progress in the field of “What’s changed recently is pharmacogenomics is promising. that we’ve have established Sometime soon, pharmacogenomics something called the will be a major component of routine

HudsonAlpha Health Alliance and that’s a program designed help outside groups to get access to HudsonAlpha expertise.”

health system and the employer who might be insuring that employee.”

“One of our missions is genomic health, it’s one of our four mission areas. We’ve been in the space of providing genetic testing to all sorts of people and groups for many years,” said Absher. “What’s changed recently is that we’ve have established something called the HudsonAlpha Health Alliance and that’s a program designed help outside groups to get access to HudsonAlpha expertise.”

Genomic testing in conjunction with drug therapies is still in its infancy. However, the field is quickly gaining traction.

There are more than 200 drugs on the market that have label information regarding pharmacogenomic biomarkers measurable or identifiable genetic information that can be used to individually tailor the use of a drug.

By Lori J. Connors / Photo Courtesy HudsonAlpha

medical care.

“I think that it’s already happening,” said Absher. “In the ideal future, everybody will have had a lot of genetic testing done before they ever are prescribed a medication. And one of the benefits of getting these genetic tests is that it can form your healthcare for years to come. Even drugs you’re not on now but might be on later in life.

“There’s a real long-term benefit to an individual and to a population, to an employee group, or to a health system by integrating genetics into their health care.” w

May 2021

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EDUCATION

HudsonAlpha Intern Sophie Guo Driven to Learn About Genetics Sophie Guo, a sophomore at MIT, was faced with the unenviable position that many college students found themselves in at the height of the pandemic. Campuses and dormitories were closed; classes were hastily shunted to online learning platforms.

The Madison native decided to come home.

“I was at a loss of what to do and wanted to get more hands-on learning, rather than just from a textbook,” said Guo. At the time, research scientists at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology were looking for ways to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. The researchers collaborated with New York University to discover a way to conduct largescale antibody screenings.

“We needed to use a machine that could perform a very sophisticated technique called localized surface plasmon resonance,” said Dr. Matthew Kneusel, a senior scientist at HudsonAlpha Myers Lab. “NYU's machines were not accessible at the time because of the pandemic.”

Guo, as a student at James Clemens High School, had gained valuable hands-on experience. During that time, she had worked with a professor at UAH whose lab had built a similar machine.

So, Guo was brought on board to run the equipment at HudsonAlpha.

After demonstrating exceptional

scientific reasoning during the NYU project, Guo was hired on as an intern in the Myers Lab. When Guo began her six-month internship, she was interested in gaining experimental, “wet lab” research experience. Under the mentorship of Kneusel, the pair worked together on an ongoing project that involves the production and regulation of protein in cells.

The overarching goal of the project is to develop a technology to find potential drug targets for diseases, such as cancer and brain degenerative disorders, which involve changes in gene regulation.

Finding the answers in gene regulation is crucial to unlocking the mystery of disease. Researchers hope

to develop technology that will allow them to look at a specific single spot in the genome to examine how proteins interact and “read” the differences between normal and diseased cells.

“The problem with gene regulation, is that it’s a very complicated system that we’re still learning a lot about,” said Kneusel.

“We don’t know exactly all of the components that are involved in making a particular gene product or how a cell knows exactly how much of that protein to make.

“Sophie and I are developing a method and technology to figure out just that.”

During her internship, Guo produced a significant amount of valuable and high-quality data to the project, which has the potential to become a commercial product. Her work demonstrates

By Lori J. Connors / Photos Courtesy of HudsonAlpha

“Working at HudsonAlpha, I learned a whole new set of skills that I had previously not learned nor experienced” the importance of internships and workforce development programs at HudsonAlpha and how it can lead to great strides in scientific innovation.

“Working at HudsonAlpha, I learned a whole new set of skills that I had previously not learned nor experienced,” said Guo. “Sophie did an absolutely excellent job,” said Kneusel. “She’s really, truly a wonderfully gifted scientist and experimentalist.

“She is a very good example of a young driven person in science that will have a long and illustrious career ahead of her.” w

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER COVER

Telehealth Services Getti from Patients a

By Kimber

Prior to COVID-19, some were, and some were not; but since the coronavirus pandemic, almost the entire medical field has engaged in some form of telehealth services.

According to a report at the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 1,629,000 telehealth encounters occurred in the first three months of 2020, compared with approximately 1,084,000 telehealth encounters during the same period in 2019. That is an increase of 50 percent.

In week 13 of the analysis, telehealth visits increased 154 percent compared to 2019 and emergency department visits in the last three weeks of March 2020 decreased significantly.

Ironically, 93 percent of those telehealth encounters were for conditions other than COVID-19, but those encounters increased from

“We are big believers in telehealth,…"

5.5 percent to 16.2 percent during the last three weeks March 2020.

A whopping 69 percent of those telehealth patients were managed from home.

The Madison Crossings senior

living community opening this summer will provide telehealth services for its residents.

Jesse Marinko, founder and CEO of Phoenix Senior Living, the company that will be managing operations at Madison Crossings, said that when they did their models, they were not thinking about coronavirus.

“We are big believers in

telehealth, and we think telemedicine would be an assistance to nurses and can be done effectively without forcing nurse practitioners or physicians to leave their environment, while at the same time, reducing the need for our residents to leave our community,” Marinko said.

“We were just thinking about how we could not have our seniors leave the community if they don’t want to, and obviously with the global pandemic, it was a natural benefit that we had.”

Residents can keep their own doctors, although Marinko said his company will partner with local doctors at Madison Crossings if an adult child seeks a new physician or specialist for their loved one.

“Because of partner practices, some doctors prefer to just come to our community and see the resident

May 2021

13

STORY STORY

ing a Clean Bill of Health and Physicians

rly Ballard

Dr. Jill Howard

“Since COVID, we have been doing quite a bit of telehealth and we like it” within our onsite doctor’s office,” he said. “It’s a mixed bag. Most general physicians are fine with telehealth, although sometimes specialists prefer to lay hands and eyes on the patient.”

He said nurse practitioners have a different regimen from doctors, but telehealth is still in the early stages of adoption among doctors and medical physicians.

Gail Prentice, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner at Huntsville Hospital’s Physician Care at Madison, said they had discussed offering telehealth services prior to COVID-19, but had not made the transition.

“Since COVID, we have been doing quite a bit of telehealth and we like it,” she said. “It keeps patients safe at home and they get a one-on-one conversation with us and I think they really like it, so we plan to continue offering it.

“We go over their medications

and their medical history. If the patient has had lab work done, we do follow-ups to go over their numbers. We can prescribe medications and talk about any symptoms they are having.”

Prentice said a lot of older patients are not comfortable with Zoom; some are more familiar with Facetime because many of them have it on their phone but by far they are more comfortable with a phone consultation.

“Any hands-on assessments however require a visual connection,” said Prentice.

By far, the most modern approach or, perhaps it would be better described as a renewed old approach to telehealth service offerings, is that of Dr. Jill Howard at Sweet Home Telehealth & Primary Care.

Howard is a doctor of nursing practice, a little higher than a nurse practitioner. She worked in an array of urgent care and primary care facilities.

“We opened in November 2020 after I was seeing long lines of people, standing out in the cold wanting to have COVID testing done or needing refills for their medicines,” she said.

“I thought, there's got to be a better way to do this and keep people safe so they're not spreading any infection or acquiring any either.”

Not only does Sweet Home offer telehealth services and act as a tele-doc to refill prescriptions, but Howard does inhome COVID-19

“We want to keep you as safe as possible, so I took the telehealth service concept and put a spin on it. The doctor comes to you and that is what our patients like the best about our service” testing and makes house calls.

“We want to keep you as safe as possible, so I took the telehealth service concept and put a spin on it. The doctor comes to you and that is what our patients like the best about our service,” she said.

“We do antigen testing, antibody testing and everything your normal primary care doctors office can do, including urine analysis, testing for pregnancy, testing for Strep, flu, mono. And we do injectables for medicines and prescribe medicines, so you don’t have to leave your house.”

Howard agrees with Prentice that many of the older generation are used to seeing their doctor in

person, so when it comes to the technology aspect, they are shy about their information going over the Internet.

“You have to look at what your patient population is wanting and make those changes in order to still stay relevant, so that's why I took telehealth and said, okay, if the person does not want to do a telehealth session, if they really want to see me, I can come to their house,” she said.

“I see telehealth and even coming to your home, lasting a long time and it will grow in popularity.”

There are several other telehealth platforms available as well.

“Many physicians like Doctor on Demand,” said Marinko from Madison Crossings. “Most patients already have access to Facetime or Zoom, but we provide an open source platform that meets the physician’s needs.

“All types of teleconferencing have been widely adopted because of COVID and I don’t think it is going away. In fact, it is changing how offices work.” w

14

Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

ENTERTAINMENT

HudsonAlpha Scientists Study Gene-Sequencing Plants for Potential Biofuel It’s no secret that the world’s petroleum-based resources are finite.

At some point, our reliance on fossil fuel as an energy source will need to be replaced by something more viable.

In response to this evergrowing dilemma, the scientists at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology have been looking into plant genomes – particularly switchgrass, as an important biofuel source.

Since the Human Genome Project, the researchers at HudsonAlpha have become adept at sequencing some of the most complicated genomes. Although the completion of the first human genome was a monumental accomplishment, plant genomes are far more complex.

Humans have two copies of every chromosome, whereas plants possess anywhere from four to ten copies or even more - of each chromosome.

Plants have more variants per chromosome pair and those variants are very repetitive.

The HudsonAlpha Genome Sequencing Center, led by HudsonAlpha Faculty Investigators Dr. Jane Grimwood and Jeremy Schmutz, are experts at generating complex plant genomes. As of this year, they have sequenced reference genomes for more than 175 plants.

Using next-generation and thirdgeneration sequencing technologies, Grimwood and Schmutz’s team is part of a multinational cohort of researchers that have been studying the switchgrass genome for over ten years.

Results from their research were published in the January 2021 issue of Nature. The article describes findings that would not have otherwise been possible without the presence of a high-quality genome assembly.

What exactly is switchgrass?

Switchgrass is a native North American plant that spans from the

East Coast to the Rocky Mountains, to Canada, and down into southern Mexico.

The Department of Energy has designated switchgrass a promising candidate for biofuel, a renewable fuel that is produced from the biomass of plants. As a perennial, switchgrass can be harvested for biomass for years after it’s been planted. Switchgrass also can grow on suboptimal land, requiring very little resource input.

Switchgrass is classified an allotetraploid. This means that two different diploid species joined together to produce a single lineage, while retaining copies of the parental genes. The four sets of every gene in the genome are then split into two subgenomes that come from each of the parental species.

Plants observed from the northern region are generally smaller.

Despite their size, the northern species can better withstand the cold. The southern variety are large and produce significant biomass, however, they lack the resilience to

survive the northern winter climate.

By utilizing the best of both traits, scientists hope to develop a hardier variety that produces large amounts of biomass and can also withstand the cold.

Schmutz and senior scientist Dr. John Lovell worked on the switchgrass genome at HudsonAlpha while collaborators from the University of Texas lab set out on a cross-country mission, collecting switchgrass from all over the region.

The team then planted diversity sets at over ten different research gardens – spanning eight states and roughly 1,100 miles.

Using Version 5 of the switchgrass genome, the research team analyzed the genomes of 732 diverse switchgrass plants from the research gardens to map out switchgrass adaptations, linking the

By Lori J. Connors / Photo Courtesy of HudsonAlpha

traits to underlying genetics.

Along with the new reference genome, the knowledge allows for researchers to map regions of the switchgrass genome that are associated with climate adaptation and fitness.

“The complexity of plant genomes has been a major barrier to developing genetic resources to accelerate effective molecular breeding,” said Lovell. “Genetic models are useful for gaining a foundational understanding of biology. However, to accelerate breeding, we need to find genetic variants that are associated with yield in crop species.

“Now we can develop genome resources for nearly any species, allowing us to study them directly without the need for a less complex model.” w

May 2021

15

MILITARY

Sikorsky Debuts S-97 Raider in Redstone Arsenal Demonstration It is faster. It is more maneuverable.

It can go farther. It is more agile, more reliable, and has a higher survivability rate than any rotorcraft available today.

Those advanced military capabilities were on full display when the transformational Sikorsky S-97 Raider light-attack scout helicopter made its debut in a Future Vertical Lift Flight demonstration at the Redstone Army Airfield on Redstone Arsenal.

FVL is the Army’s call to replace all military helicopters with nextgeneration rotorcraft.

Built specifically for the Army for missions on the modern battlefield, the S-97 is Sikorsky’s answer to the capability gap left by the OH-58D Kiowa. The company entered the Raider into the Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft competition.

The demonstration was part of a two-day visit to Redstone Arsenal to put the company’s proprietary X2 Technology on display.

“Since the first Black Hawk took to the skies in the 1970s, to when our teams broke helicopter speed records with X2 Technology in 2010, we have been working with our Army partners to develop and deliver lowrisk, transformational, affordable and sustainable aircraft to support the warfighters’ missions,” said Sikorsky President Paul Lemmo. “We’ve been at this, the X2, for about 12 years, so what you see today is mature …. This is the first of what we believe will be many times our X2 Future Vertical Lift aircraft will fly at Redstone.”

Lemmo said the compound coaxial rotor helicopter with a pusher propeller is not just for speed, but for maneuverability of which has never been seen in a traditional helicopter.

Jay Macklin, director of FVL Business development for Sikorsky, said, “What is important about this technology is that it is our (Sikorsky’s) entry into future attack reconnaissance aircraft competition for the Army.

“We developed this technology, and we are very excited to show it off to the Army, to show what we think

this aircraft can do for the aviators of the future.”

Indeed, the demonstration did not disappoint as the Army audience watched the S-97 fly low and fast, expertly executing crisp, tight, quick maneuvers.

“We believe Raider-like speed will be one of the keys to success on future multidomain operations to include decrease time traversing the battlefield, reduced threat exposure, and enhanced lifesaving capability in a medivac role,” said Sikorsky sales manager Mike Mudd, who narrated the demonstration.

It then executed a low G pushover maneuver positioning for a diving fire gun run at about a 30-degree nose low attitude. The crew used the prop’s reverse thrust aerodynamic breaking to slow the aircraft, a technique that allows the crew more time to act to fire and accurately place rounds on target, something no other helicopter can do.

According to Mudd, the demonstration builds on Sikorsky’s continued development of X2

technology begun in 2008.

“We want you to see first hand, what the future, with an emphasis on ‘future’ of Army aviation can be… from precise low speed handling in an objective area, to level body acceleration and seamless transitioning to the highest speed flight,” said Mudd.

“In the past two years, Raider has continuously progressed to an expanded envelope of 210 knots, 60-degree angle bank, 15-degree pullups while entering that 60-degree angle bank, cyber flight to 35 knots, and closing in on a total of 100 flight hours.”

He said the helicopter is compact with a 34-foot rotor diameter and has a flexible cabin for a wide range of operational uses that include combat configured troops, additional fuel, retractable landing gear, and air launch effects capability. It also has a widespread growth margin for the future in terms of speed, range, and payload.

One of the Raider’s pilots, former Marine and a longtime Sikorsky test

By Kimberly Ballard / Photos by Steve Babin pilot Christiaan Corry, spoke about the aircraft’s safety.

“If you look at the machine, you’ll notice that it has this uncharacteristic set of rotor blades stacked one on top of the other,” he said. “It has this tail rotor blade that is no longer a tail rotor. It is just a propulsor now.

“One of the biggest safety enhancements we made is that there is no longer a need for a tail rotor. All the equalization of forces happens right above the airframe where the rotor blades are spinning in opposite directions. You only need a tail rotor to offset the spinning of a single rotor helicopter, so we got rid of it and were able to put all the thrust into the backend of the machine.

“As a result, that is no longer a flight critical component. If you watch war films where the helicopter takes a shot to the tail and spins tragically to ground, that is not a thing with this machine.

“Straight off the top, that would be my number one answer to the aircraft’s safety features.”

Sikorsky’s facility in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville houses about 100 employees dedicated to supporting Future Vertical Lift, Army Black Hawk helicopters and other military aviation programs.

Sikorsky’s simulator is also in Huntsville and consists of a full cockpit with a wrap-around dome for out-the-window visuals which can be updated as the system matures. In addition to the basic flying, the cockpit simulates sensors, weapons, and a variety of tactical environments. The high-fidelity simulator has welcomed Army aviators, soldiers and leaders at tradeshows and special events around the U.S. since 2018.

In addition, Sikorsky and Boeing have developed a Defiant X simulator, which is permanently located at the Sikorsky Huntsville facility. The Defiant X simulator will allow Army aviators, Solider and leaders to experience the unique flight characteristics provided by X2 Technology as well as experiencing the mission system approach to the FLRAA mission. w

16

Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

GOVERNMENT

Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Dispute Heading to Trial SCOTTSBORO The 2 ½ -yearcourtroom battle involving the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant is going to last a while longer.

U.S. District Judge Liles Burke has denied motions of summary from the Tennessee Valley Authority and Nuclear Development LLC after each side presented oral arguments in February. No trial date has been set.

In his order, Burke cited disputes of material fact and concluded that case could not be decided a matter of law.

This latest update comes almost five years after an agreement to sell the twin-reactor nuclear plant near Scottsboro, was negotiated between the TVA and real estate developer Franklin Haney and his company, Nuclear Development.

Since Haney agreed to pay $111 million for the plant in 2016, the deal has been met with constant roadblocks, adding to the plant’s complicated history.

The deal was initially met with enthusiasm from all parties involved.

“Today marks the first step of an exciting new journey for the people of Alabama and Tennessee …,” Haney said of the deal. “This project will bring new life to the region by creating thousands of jobs while providing assured access to reliable, affordable, zero-emission energy."

Since then, TVA and Nuclear Development have accused each other of breach of contract, negligence and more. The largest issue remaining is a disagreement between the two sides over

construction permits for the plant that must be issued by the NRC. A day before the closing date outlined in the original deal, Nov. 14, 2018, TVA sent a letter to Nuclear Development informing them they would not be completing the sale due to Nuclear Development failing to secure all the necessary permits required by the Atomic Energy Act. TVA attorney Matthew Lembke said moving forward with the sale would have been “illegal” and this all stems due to Nuclear Development’s lack of diligence.

However, those representing Nuclear Development said they believed every obligation had been met on their end.

Company attorney Larry Blust responded to TVA’s letter with one of his own.

“Nuclear Development has complied with all of its requirements under the Agreement,” he wrote. “It is TVA that has not.”

They said TVA brought up the

issue regarding the permits just six days before the original closing date and that these permits should not void the sale.

In April 2019, the agency responsible for the permits responded

By Noah Logan / Photos by Steve Babin

to Nuclear Development’s permit application and said, “Supplemental information is necessary to enable the staff to make an independent assessment.”

Nuclear Development has already paid more than $30 million of the total costs.

After TVA refused the sale, Haney responded by suing the federal authority for breach of contract. TVA sought to have the lawsuit dismissed entirely but this motion was denied in May 2019.

In his 17-page opinion, Judge Burke said, “Nuclear Development has sufficiently stated a claim for breach of contract, and the court simply does not have enough information before it to determine the question of whether the remedy of specific performance would violate federal law.” w

May 2021

17

RETAIL

Dollar General Opening State’s First DGX in Huntsville It’s not unusual for Huntsville to be at the cutting edge. The first in its class. A prime location.

That trend continues with the recent announcement of Dollar General opening its new concept convenience store downtown.

The new DGX store at the Greene Street parking deck will be the first in the state.

According to the company, DGX stores offer a smaller retail footprint and is designed to meet the needs of customers living, working and visiting vibrant metropolitan centers.

There are DGX stores in Nashville, Chattanooga, Indianapolis, Orlando, Raleigh, Philadelphia, and Cleveland.

While the overall size may be smaller, Dan Nieser, senior

vice president of real estate and development, said DGX stores will be adequately equipped to handle the higher volume of customers provided by metropolitan centers.

“We are excited for the opportunity to serve downtown communities and city-dwellers with the essentials they need in a convenient, easy-to-shop format,” Nieser said. “We look forward to the opportunity to serve metropolitan customers in exciting downtown living environments with value and convenience on quality products.

“We seek to help customers save money on the things they need so that they have funds left over to spend on the items they want.”

Along with coffee stations and fresh produce, DGX will also

an assortment of grab-and-go sandwiches and salads. These are in addition to products associated with standard Dollar Generals such as home cleaning supplies, health

By Noah Logan

and beauty products, dome décor, electronics, seasonal products pet supplies and more.

The store is expected to open this spring. w

18

Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

SPORTS / RECREATION

Joe Davis Stadium Renovation: New Ballgames for Old Ballpark The outfield walls are coming down and earth is being moved as the city has started the renovation of Joe Davis Stadium from primarily a baseball park to a multi-use venue.

If construction isn’t delayed, the former site of the Double-A baseball Huntsville Stars will once again host high school football, that is if school administrators choose to use the reimagined stadium that will certainly host soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and ultimate frisbee.

The playing field will have space for a regulation soccer layout with the city hoping to lure a minor league professional team.

“Our goal is to have the construction complete by early fall 2022 so we can host at least some of the 2022 high school football season,’’ City Administrator John Hamilton said. “Options on day-today management are being explored now and will be determined in the near future.’’

Mark Russell, the executive director of the Huntsville Sports Commission, said he sees several choices for the day-to-day operations of the stadium.

“There are, I think, several different options,’’ he said. “One is to have a private operator, one is to have the city do it and one is, I don’t think the school system would seriously be considered, but that could be an option.

“Probably really two choices. To have a private, for-profit operator running some events out of there or to have a city manager kind of like they did with Joe Davis Stadium. I’m not making that decision, people have just asked me what I thought.’’

Plans call for the seating to be reduced from 10,000 to a cozier

6,800. The new design will feature new fences and updated roofing, restrooms, locker rooms, concessions, offices and press box.

The skyboxes will be removed, and there will be stands where the old right-field wall was with its back toward the Parkway.

The remodeling is estimated to cost $8 million.

Joe Davis Stadium, named after Huntsville’s late, longtime mayor, was considered a jewel of the Southern League when it opened to house the Oakland A’s-affiliated Stars in 1985.

But in just 20 years, other league cities built venues that surpassed Joe D and it fell into need of repair.

The Stars, then affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers, left town following the 2014 season for Biloxi, Miss.

“There are a lot of the stadiums being reused and it was I think it's more of a seeing a need in the community that there needed to be a

small-type stadium,’’ Russell said. “If they were able to get a team to play there consistently, as for the economic impact, I'm sure it would cover whatever costs put into it.’’

A professional soccer team seems to be high on the wish list to become

By Mike Easterling / Photos by Steve Babin

a regular tenant.

“That's what I would expect,’’ Russell said. “Again, I'm not the decision-maker but I suspect our community is right for minor-league soccer. I don't know what the official term is but a pro soccer team.’’ w

May 2021

19

SPORTS / RECREATION

City Garners a ‘10’ from SEC; Future Championships Possible Host cities and venues generally have a year to prepare for the Southeastern Conference Gymnastics Championships.

This year, the Von Braun Center had barely two months to prepare for the event after it was pulled from New Orleans because that city was deemed a COVID-19 hotspot. Alabama won the title with a late surge to edge three-time reigning champion LSU on March 20.

The championships weren’t held in 2020 because of the pandemic.

The event received rave reviews from beginning to end, leaving those closely associated in awe of how quickly the VBC and the city was able to pull it off in such a short amount of time.

“The support from the city, from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, from the Von Braun Center, the sports commission, all of those partners did a phenomenal job,’’ said Tiffany Daniels, a former basketball player at Georgia who serves the SEC as an associate commissioner and senior women’s administrator.

Despite having less seating capacity than previous championship sites New Orleans, Birmingham, Nashville and St. Louis, the support and ensuing reception among participants perhaps make the VBC’s Propst Arena a possible destination for future SEC championships.

“I do think that the city will certainly be under consideration,’’ Daniels said.

Tickets, limited because of the pandemic and pod seating, went fast.

The 6,000-seat Propst Arena could only accommodate 2,200 seated spectators.

“A great indicator (of support and interest) is the day that we were able to place tickets on sale, obviously due to the pandemic we had limited capacity in the venue, but the tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. and a little bit after lunch we were completely sold out,’’ Daniels said.

“That is a credit to not only the energy and passion that the region has around gymnastics, but also the efforts that were put forward by our partners in Huntsville to publicize

the event to make sure that we were best positioned to do well.’’

The consensus was the arena would have sold as many tickets as were made available.

Samantha Nielsen, marketing and public relations manager at the VBC, said her group and the HuntsvilleMadison County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Huntsville Sports Commission “were all in agreement that we would have sold out full capacity’’ if allowed.

The 2021 championships were scheduled for New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center, but the Big Easy was ruled out and the SEC went searching for an alternative.

David Knight of marketing firm Knight Eady, which has a close working relationship with the VBC, Sports Commission and the Convention and Visitors Bureau, heard about the relocation and quickly put the city and SEC in touch.

It didn’t hurt that Knight worked in the SEC office for nine years with gymnastics being one sport he was closely associated.

“We made it a priority to have gymnastics as one of our kinds of events or sports that we would conduct as a company,’’ he said prior to the championships. “So, the exciting thing about it is we’re hosting elite gymnastics in Huntsville.’’

The SEC quickly made the decision to visit Huntsville to assess the possibility of bringing the event

to the VBC once New Orleans was deemed unfit.

“We found out that they were looking for another location about a week prior to the SEC group doing a site visit here,’’ Nielsen said. “So, in a week’s time our team at the VBC, Huntsville-Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sports Commission and the City of Huntsville all came together. We got the hotels on board.

“We did a site visit with the SEC so that we could offer that we were all very excited and just tried to really show that the Huntsville community understood the importance of hosting an event like that in our community.

“I think within the next day or two they confirmed they were in fact relocating the event to Huntsville, and then we had roughly six weeks to get everything ready for the championships.’’

While many hands were key to pulling off the relocation, which Daniels said was decided by a committee, it was Knight who was the spearhead.

“David is a former colleague of mine here at the conference office,’’ Daniels said. “We’re very familiar with their work. When we found out that we were going to have to shift, we identified where we’d held the championship prior to coming to (visit) Huntsville as well as places that had expressed some interest.

“I do recall maybe six years ago

By Mike Easterling / Photo by Huntsville Sports Commission

visiting the Von Braun Center and thinking about gymnastics during that visit. And David Knight and his team do a phenomenal job from a support standpoint pulling all the pieces together, getting the right parties to the table to talk through bringing events such as this.’’

The teams were treated to atmosphere-building upon arrival.

The squads were scheduled to arrive at different times in case the weather was bad. Not only that, but each team’s bus pulled inside the VBC’s South Hall where a wall lined with big screen TVs played individual and team highlights from the season as athletes yelled and cheered.

The South Hall also served as a dressing room area with a “bubble’’ in place to follow pandemic protocols.

Nielsen said it wasn’t easy getting prepared in a short amount of time, but said the VBC staff and crew are accustomed to quick turnarounds such as hosting a hockey game one night and a concert the next.

“As you can imagine it was very difficult,’’ she said, “but we have a great team here on staff who are used to dealing with large-scale events and working a lot of hours to turn the facility. It was interesting, and there were a lot of things we had to work through, but we came through it and it was a great event for everybody.’’

Mark McCarter, the CVB convention sales manager who is also an author and former distinguished sportswriter, said, “It was amazing to transform the VBC into a place that was as cool and spectacular as any other championship venue I’ve ever been to.’’

McCarter said Roots Woodruff, an associate athletic director at Alabama, told him the SEC should bring the championships back to Huntsville every “five or six years.’’

“Everything I kept hearing from the gymnasts to coaches to people in the conference was just how thrilled they were with how everything happened,’’ McCarter said. “To be considered to be on (the championship site) rotation with a smaller arena says a heck of a lot.’’ w

20

Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

TRAVEL / LEISURE

American Airlines Service to Miami Opens Gateway to the Tropics As Americans are beginning to return to the skies once again, beaches are among the most popular destinations.

And Huntsville travelers will be able to hit the sunny shores of south Florida with American Airlines addition of nonstop service from Huntsville International Airport to Miami.

The new service runs June 5 to Aug. 15 from HSV to Miami International Airport. Travelers can start making reservations Monday, April 19.

Not only is Miami a vacationing hub for Huntsville, but the new Saturday flight provides residents with one-stop access to destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America.

“We’re excited to add Saturday seasonal service between Huntsville

and our Miami hub, complementing existing service to Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Washington-Reagan,” said Brain Znotins, American’s vice president of Network Planning.

While the program is just through Aug. 15, there are high hopes that the service is well-received and American will re-evaluate whether to keep it long term, according to Barbie Peek, director of Business Development at the airport.

“The Miami market is a great addition in order to provide our region more air service options,” said Peek. “American sees potential in Huntsville’s market, and we are glad they chose to expand their presence at HSV. Now is the time to book your next great adventure.”

Airport officials recognize the benefits of the added service and are

quick to point out that continued growth will require the support of the community.

“We are very pleased that American made the decision to add Miami service to the Huntsville market and we know that our customers will appreciate this new non-stop destination and will utilize

By Kimberly Ballard

this service,” said Rick Tucker, CEO, Huntsville International Airport.

The new direct Saturday-only flights leave HSV at 6:30 a.m. and arrive in Miami at 9:15 a.m. The return flight leaves Miami at 8:15 p.m. and arrives back in Huntsville at 9:31 p.m. w

May 2021

21

OPINION

Small Businesses, Rural Alabama Need Fast, Reliable Internet Access When the pandemic reached Alabama a year ago, a lot of businesses and schools and office workers simply moved online. It wasn’t always perfect – “You’re on mute” – but having a good internet connection let a lot of businesses avoid closing. It allowed our children to keep learning and a lot of people to keep working.

If they lived in the right ZIP code.

Here in the third decade of the 21st century, when the phones in our pockets are smarter than the computers that guided the astronauts to the surface of the moon, there are pockets of Alabama without broadband internet, and that’s unacceptable.

“Broadband” is fast, alwayson internet. Washington says it’s a minimum download speed of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speed of 3 Mbps. According to the FCC, you need 1 Mbps to check email, 6 Mbps to join a video conference and 10 Mbps to download

files without it taking all afternoon.

Broadband lets everyone in the workplace do all that at once.

According to Broadband Now, a consumer research site, 88.6% of Alabamians have access to wired broadband, but that means the rest – about 475,000 people, mostly in rural communities – don’t, and there’s at least one county where the fastest average internet speed

is just 0.16 Mbps. To put that in perspective, Birmingham’s average download speed is 103.2 Mbps.

Without broadband, without fast, reliable and affordable internet, a small business can’t compete, and a community can’t hope to attract new jobs.

That’s why my association, the National Federation of Independent Business, supports Senate Bill 215, legislation that would create an Alabama Digital Expansion Authority. Under the bill, the authority would come up with a statewide connectivity plan and promote the expansion of broadband networks throughout the state – particularly in rural and underserved areas.

The bill passed the Alabama

By Rosemary Elebash

Senate in March on a vote of 32-0 and is awaiting action in the House.

Companies looking to expand need broadband the same way businesses in the past needed rivers, rail and roads; they’re not going to locate someplace if they can’t connect with their customers. And as far as local businesses are concerned, broadband is just as important as having a telephone. Broadband allows them to reach customers in other towns and across the country and even across the world.

SB 215 is essential to ensuring the economic vibrancy of our small business community. That’s why we’re urging the Alabama House to pass SB 215 and make it easier for broadband to reach every corner of the state.

Rosemary Elebash is the Alabama director of the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization. w

22

Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

BRIEFCASE

Torch Technologies Named ESOP Company of the Year for Second Time Huntsville-based Torch Technologies has been named the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) company of the year by the New South Chapter of the ESOP Association. It is the second time the employeeowned technology services and solutions company has been honored. Torch was recognized as the 2021 recipient of the

award at the virtual New South Chapter Spring Conference after also receiving the award in 2018.

The New South Chapter is one of 18 chapters of The ESOP Association that provides educational services and resources to member companies in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

Torch will represent the New South Chapter in the upcoming national award competition for National ESOP Company of the Year at the association’s national conference in Washington, D.C. “We are thrilled to be recognized as the ESOP Company of the Year representing the five Southeastern states of the New South Chapter,” Torch President and CEO John Watson saId. “When Torch became 100% employee owned in 2011, we

committed to creating a unique employee ownership culture.

“Our team always says ‘it’s about all of us’ and our recognition by the New South Chapter for a second time is a true testament to the fact that it truly is about all of us when employee owners work together for the good of the company, the community, and one another.” w

Masks Still Mandatory at Huntsville International Airport Huntsville

International

Airport will continue to uphold a mandatory mask policy despite the state of Alabama lifting its mask mandate.

The state mandate, which Gov. Kay Ivey allowed to expire April 9, requires people to wear masks in public whenever they are within 6 feet of someone else from a different household.

President Biden’s Executive Order on promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel went into effect Feb. 2, 2021 and does not end in conjunction with the state of Alabama’s mandate. The executive order requires travelers to wear face masks when they are in airports, bus and rail stations, as well as while on passenger aircraft, public transportation, passenger railroads, and overthe-road buses operating on

May 2021

23

BRIEFCASE

scheduled fixed-routes.

“The airport’s policy will extend beyond April 9 and be upheld as long as a federal law requires the airport to do so”, said Barbie Peek, Director of Business Development at Huntsville International Airport.

“We want to remind the flying public that just because masks aren’t mandatory elsewhere, they should still be prepared to wear them at the airport due to federal law.”

The federal face mask requirement extends to the nation’s domestic network of airports; passengers and crewmembers flying aboard airplanes operated by domestic and foreign air carriers with inbound flights to U.S. ports of entry; and surface transportation modes, such as passenger rail, bus systems, and over-the-road bus companies.

Passengers without a mask may be denied entry, boarding, or continued transport. Failure to comply with the mask requirement can result in civil penalties. w

for City Premises released April 8.

In accordance with Battle’s protocols, city buildings will require employees and guests inside the facility to wear face masks until further notice.

Disposable masks will be provided upon request.

For guests attending concerts at the VBC’s outdoor stage 3rd Rock, facial coverings will not be required, but are highly encouraged, the VBC said.

The VBC follows recommended protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Alabama State Health Department, the International Association of Venue Managers, ServSafe, and local city entities. Precautionary measures to maintain and monitor building cleanliness for guests and employees through increased cleaning and sanitizing procedures will continue, as well as social distancing protocols, the release said.

Additionally, signs are placed throughout the VBC, along with sanitize stations. w

Von Braun Center Continues Face Mask Requirements

BancorpSouth, Cadence Announce Merger

While Alabama’s statewide mask mandate expired April 9, the Von Braun Center will continue requiring facial coverings in the facility per Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle’s Face Covering Protocols

BancorpSouth and Cadence banks have agreed to a merger, it was announced. The all-stock deal will have a total market value of more than $6 billion, according to a news release.

BancorpSouth is based in

Tupelo, Miss., and Cadence is headquartered in Houston.

The new company will operate as Cadence Bank with dual headquarters in Tupelo and Houston. They also have branches in Huntsville. It was not disclosed what will happen to the branches.

The merger is expected to close late this fall. w

Alabama Association of Nonprofits Names Executive Director The Alabama Association of Nonprofits has named Danielle A. Dunbar as executive director, the board of directors announced.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Alabama Association of Nonprofits,” she said. “It is energizing to serve an organization that exists to sharpen nonprofits so that our industry can make life

better in Alabama. Working with Alabama nonprofits that positively impact Alabama families every day will be a gift.”

The membership-based organization serves the state’s growing nonprofit sector.

The Alabama Association of Nonprofits was founded in 1996 under its former name of the Nonprofit Resource Center of Alabama.

Dunbar previously served The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Alabama for 13 years. She was director of Development and Marketing at Camp McDowell to manage the diocese’s largest capital campaign that doubled the facilities at McDowell.

“We are excited that Danielle will be joining the organization as its next Executive Director, and we look forward to supporting Danielle as she takes our organization to new heights,” said board Chair Clay Vandiver, president and CEO of the United Way of Madison County. “Danielle is a Georgia native, but fell in love with Alabama while attending Auburn University. Danielle will continue AAN’s mission of advocating for all nonprofits in our state as we serve and support our nonprofit members." w

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