Keeping you informed and inspired. VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 7
July 2021
ENTREPRENEUR
Pressing on Through Pandemic, Marvinia Adams Named Catalyst Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year
COVER STORY
Marvinia Adams, owner of Martinizing drycleaning and this year’s Catalyst Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year award winner, has plenty of reasons to celebrate.
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By Lori J. Connors - Page 5
DEVELOPMENT
Is Hampton Cove the DEVELOPMENT Next Boom Location?
More than 30 years after the announcement of Hampton Cove’s residential development and the nationally acclaimed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, retail development has been slow to materialize from Brownsboro to Owens Cross Roads along U.S. 431. By Alan Clemons - Page 21
ADDITIONAL STORIES • Sit Down With Success: Ashok Singhal, Founder and Chairman of CFD Research Corp. By Kimberly Ballard • Page 3
• HudsonAlpha Scientists Identify Genes Involved in Chemotherapy Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer By Lori J. Connors • Page 6
• After 20 Years, Toyota Motor Plant Still Growing, Still Producing, Still Hiring, & Still Investing By Kimberly Ballard • Page 16
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HUNTSVILLE
BUSINESS JOURNAL Vol 4, Issue 7 July 2021 600 Boulevard South Suite 104 Huntsville, AL 35802
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
RETAIL
C-Store Master Robotic Distribution Warehouse in Huntsville is One of a Kind C-Store Master’s automated warehouse is a fast-growing work in progress. With completion slated for late fall, the $12 million facility will feature state-of-the-art robotic technology, thanks to its partnership with Geek+. This high-tech capacity enhancement will distinguish the C-Store Master facility as the only one of its kind in the United States. One first sees the disrupted red clay surrounding the construction site on Mastin Lake Road – just off Jordan Lane, an obvious sign of progress. The building’s foundation and structural framework are up; they will soon be followed by the addition of the walls and roof. The last phase of construction will be the electrical and plumbing, then, finally, the robotic installation. Once complete, more than 70 robots will be working to enhance automation efficiency, bringing accuracy to 99.99%. “C-Store Master’s robots will increase their productivity by three to four times,” said Rick DeFiesta, Geek+
director of business development and partnership. “We’re proud to partner with their team on this efficiency to help provide even quicker service for their customers.” The warehouse has also created 40 jobs for the human workforce. As a Huntsville-based regional distributor of convenience store merchandise, C-Store Master outgrew its location at 3100 University Drive in less than three years. Once completed, the 120,000-square-feet facility will more than triple its current capacity. C-Store Master serves retailers in the Southeast, covering Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Most stores are within a four- to five-hour radius, which is something that makes the Huntsville warehouse location even more desirable. Specializing in tobacco and beverages, C-Store Master serves more than 2,000 independent c-stores and more than 4,000 chain stores throughout the Southeast, including more than 3,000 Circle K locations
with in-stock availability for more than 97 percent of products; all orders are delivered on a next-day basis. C-Store Master makes it cost effective and convenient by effectively managing their clients’ inventory. For the convenient business, there's no risk in owning inventory. Despite an upcharge where the business pays more for the product, it also can easily return the excess stock. For example, clients usually do not want to carry excess seasonal-specific products. “It's a consignment business,” said Chief Operating Officer Sharan Kalva. “C-Store Master puts products in a store, but it owns the inventory. The retailer is responsible for the shrinkage, but they do not own that inventory until the moment they sell it. “Once they sell it, they pay us. Whatever is not sold, we take it back.” Along with Kalva, the C-Store Master management team includes CEO Satish Kalva and business partner Sandip Patel. “Huntsville is the perfect place
By Lori J. Connors / Photo by Steve Babin
for our work because of its booming business environment and central location to the entire Southeast,” said Kalva. “We believe this cutting-edge warehouse, paired with our innovative software, will continue to set us apart from our competitors.” For more info, visit www. cstoremaster.com. u
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SIT DOWN WITH SUCCESS
Ashok Singhal, Founder and Chairman of CFD Research Corp. Sitdown with Success is a feature of the Huntsville Business Journal on entrepreneurs and their keys to success. This month’s subject is Ashok Singhal, founder and chairman of CFD Research Corp. For the complete interview, visit huntsvillebusinessjournal.com. According to textbooks, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) uses complex computer algorithms for modeling and simulating the flow of fluids, gases, heat, and electric currents to make technological advances. Ashok Singhal started CFD Research in the basement of his home in Huntsville in 1987. Today, in addition to their headquarters located in Cummings Research Park, Singhal’s company just broke ground on a 13,265 square-foot laboratory that will expand their research and development capabilities in the areas of biomedical and energy, while providing new space to support growth in electronics, virology, and biomechanics. What is it like to start a company in the basement of your home? In the beginning, we were very poor.
We had one idea and one IBM clone computer that cost $1,000. We could have used hundreds of computers, but we couldn’t afford them. Two things happened in the basement. My son Sameer (now the company CEO) made our first business sign that said CFD Research Corporation using a dot matrix printer and he hung it on the wall. In 1987, you bought everything from Service Merchandise because it was moderately priced. We bought these furniture kits and Sameer and his twin brother formed an assembly line to put together the office furniture. It was free labor. Did you ever expect it to get this big? Yes, and so much more. We’re not done yet. In my head it was always the case. Even though we are computer nerds computational dynamics is a hardcore science for computer simulations, but I always wanted to expand the company to do more than fluid simulations, structural controls, and everything
multidisciplinary; but I always wanted to do experiments. What would you say is the secret to your success? Sangeeta, my wife is the true secret to the success of this company, and I mean every word of it, honestly. Not only did she write all my proposals for many years, but she took on other responsibilities for her crazy scientist husband. She allowed me to start the business with two 10-year-old boys and no medical insurance. As we, in her words, continued to go crazy from one field to another field to another, she understood the passion and her resolution allowed me to sleep peacefully through it all. What have been your biggest challenges? My biggest challenge in the business overall is championing new technologies, breaking the barriers whereby people don’t believe you. That is very challenging. How do you handle being in a business most people don’t understand? When I started the company in 1987, I never spelled out the words
By Kimberly Ballard / Photo by Steve Babin
Computational Fluid Dynamics. Those who know what it is will appreciate it. Those who don’t know what it is, won’t get it and it won’t matter anyway. To solve the problem, you’re saying you have a shot at looking at things objectively and coming up with some ideas - some of them may work, some of them may not work, but you’re here to test them experimentally through computer simulation, and to explore possibilities not allowed in the conventional world. The first thing you have to do is open your mind. It is a rare entity, common sense. It takes persistence and patience, patience, patience, and more patience. u
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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......................................................................... 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.
July 2021
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ENTREPRENEUR
Pressing on Through Pandemic, Marvinia Adams Named Catalyst Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year Marvinia Adams, owner of Martinizing dry-cleaning and this year’s Catalyst Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year award winner, has plenty of reasons to celebrate. After taking over the local drycleaning franchise in June 2019, Adams recently passed the two-year mark. In any other given year, this would be noteworthy, but during one of the most daunting times in modern history, it has been quite a feat. With nearly everyone working from home during the pandemic, dry cleaning was not a much-needed service. Martinizing took a huge hit. Almost overnight, Adams shifted gears from counter service to route service. At first, sales were down 94%, then steadied at 75% below target for several months. Eventually, it leveled out at 40%. It took until April 2021 for the business to get back to pre-pandemic sales numbers. It took a combination of faith and patience for Adams to weather the storm. “Last year was unique, it was challenging,” said Adams. “I needed to have a lot of patience to ride out the moment. It was very frustrating. The hardest thing was the unknown, things kept changing all the time. I knew that I wasn’t in it alone. My spirituality kept me going.” Adams has always had a heart
for service, especially to her country. Having enough credits to graduate high school early, Adams left school and enlisted in the Army at just 17 years old. After her four-year stint with the Army, Adams went on to spend another seven years with the National Guard. With 11 years in service to her country under her belt, Adams stepped out of the fatigues and entered the world of contracting as a military civilian. Originally based in Columbia, S.C., Adams has held a variety of contracting positions with the Department of Defense, the Army, the Corps of Engineers, and ACC. In 2015, Adams relocated to the “mecca for contracting jobs” - Redstone Arsenal. Her family stayed behind.
Every other weekend, Adams made the six-hour drive back home. It was in 2016, when the unthinkable happened – her husband was diagnosed with cancer. He soldiered on for 15 months before succumbing to the disease. As a widow, Adams found herself in the position of “What next?” Enterpreneurship a way of life Adams and her husband had been bitten early on by the entrepreneur bug. They had started two businesses, a lawn care service and Nhance Revolutionary Wood Renewal, which was mainly her husband’s business. “As an entrepreneur, you never want a 9-5,” said Adams. To that end, she researched various entrepreneurial avenues. “I looked at a whole lot of things,” she said. Then, her daughter reminded her of her early dreams of owning a laundromat. Since there was a much better return on investment for a drycleaning service than there was for a laundromat, Adams seriously began looking into dry-cleaning businesses. She wasn’t sure whether she would ultimately land in Columbia or remain in Huntsville. She decided to take root wherever there was a dry cleaner that was ready to sell their franchise. One thing Adams noticed was that none of Huntsville area dry cleaners offered pickup and delivery services, something that was a plus in favor for her.
By Lori Connors / Photos by Steve Babin
When 5 Points Dry Cleaners was for sale, Adams jumped at the opportunity and acquired its three locations: Pratt Avenue and Providence Main in Huntsville and, in Madison, at the corner of Shelton Road and Madison Boulevard. Community service valued The Catalyst Center places a high value on community service and Adams was also recognized for her involvement with several local organizations, including the Women’s Economic Development Council, the Huntsville-Madison Chamber of Commerce, Tennessee Valley Networking, Pathway2Success, and Heals for Real. “As a contracting professional, I knew of the Catalyst,” said Adams. “I got involved with the Catalyst and their training workshops. A friend saw the award and nominated me and I got to pick the category. “I selected ‘Veteran’ to honor my late husband, as well as my own 11 years in the military.” Adams, a mother to three – a 31-year-old stepson, a 29-year-old daughter and a 25-year-old son – said service is important to her. “Martinizing Dry Cleaning prides itself on customer service,” she said. “It’s how we differentiate ourselves from other dry cleaners. “Service has been the story of my public sector career and I’ve made it one with my business.” u
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY
HudsonAlpha Scientists Identify Genes Involved in Chemotherapy Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer Imagine a world where science can unlock the mystery of cancer cells that are fighting against the very drugs used to combat its spread. HudsonAlpha Faculty Investigator Dr. Sara Cooper and her team, in collaboration with the Myers Lab, are focused on discovering genetic bases for chemotherapy resistance in pancreatic cancer to help identify treatment options. Pancreatic ductal carcinoma, also known as pancreatic adenocarcinoma, is the most common type of pancreatic cancer. PDAC accounts for more than 90% of pancreatic cancer diagnoses. It is frequently diagnosed in its late stages because symptoms are often vague, mimicking less serious illnesses. For these patients, chemotherapy and radiation are usually their sole course of treatment. PDAC is also one of the most lethal cancers, with an average of less than 10% survival rate after five years. This low survival rate can partly be
attributed to chemotherapy resistance. Cooper and her lab recently published a paper in BMC Cancer that describes the results of the study, which identified genes involved in resistance to chemotherapy. Using CRISPR DNA editing, Cooper and her team of Emily Gordon, Drew Hardigan, and Ryne Ramaker applied this technology to activate and knock out genes in the pancreatic cancer cell lines.
Four CRISPR activation and knockout screens were performed. These screens were used to identify genes that could alter sensitivity to the four most common chemotherapies used to treat pancreatic cancer. Widespread closed chromatin has been previously associated with poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients and was one of the most consistent mechanisms of drug resistance identified in the screens. Activation of chromatin remodeling pathways, which is the dynamic modification of tightly wound DNA from its closed state to an open state, allows access to the machinery necessary to turn genes on. The team then focused on a gene that codes for an enzyme called histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) that is involved in chromatin remodeling.
By Lori J. Connors / Photo courtesy of HudsonAlpha
High expression of HDAC1 is also associated with poor patient prognosis in pancreatic cancer. By overexpressing HDAC1 in cell lines, the team discovered that it regulated genes that are part of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, a pathway known to be involved in multidrug resistance. By predicting a patient’s response to treatment, a physician can avoid administering a medication that has the potential to be ineffective. For example, if a patient’s tumor expressed high levels of a gene implicated in gemcitabine resistance, then the doctor could prescribe a different treatment regimen. “The ultimate goal in cancer treatment is to prescribe patients a treatment that will work to eliminate their cancer with minimal side effects,” said Cooper. “Now that we have narrowed in on HDAC1 and its involvement in drug resistance, we hope to look at all the genes that are regulated by HDAC1 to see if one or a small subset of them are driving the resistance.” u
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
AEROSPACE
MSFC Director Pleased with Fiscal Year 2021 NASA Budget With the release of President Biden’s fiscal year 2021 appropriation, NASA's budget increased 3 percent to $23.3 billion, with most of the additional funding allocated to its human exploration directorate. Although the increase is short of the Trump Administration's $25.2 billion aimed at landing astronauts on the moon in 2024, Marshall Space Flight Center Director Jody Singer said she is pleased with the bipartisan approach on moon to Mars. Singer also said the request provides NASA with the resources to continue the Marshall Center's four main areas of focus: Traveling through and to space with an emphasis on cheating gravity; living and working in space, concentrating on the work performed here in Huntsville on the International Space Station and its commercial crew; understanding our world and beyond centered on the technology needed in the science world; and supporting agency mission operations, including science and information technology. Singer has been on a whirlwind tour in the weeks leading up to the budget rollout speaking to the 2021 Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit, and to the Army Additive Manufacturing Summit in Auburn. She met with congressional representatives at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans where she updated U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, who is on the Senate Appropriations Committee, about the Marshall Center's work with the Artemis I four-stage hardware. And she went to NASA headquarters in Washington to meet with new NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Associate Administrator Robert Cabana concerning the 2021 budget rollout. “We have a very diverse engineering workforce that supports all areas in human exploration, science technology and information technology and that is a critical part of the budget,” said Singer.
“Marshall Space Flight Center will be moving to stage II in the NASA framework, which is our return to working onsite. Over 75 percent of us have been working from home … which means we were only turning on mission critical work (during COVID), but we can now turn on more work as people need to be onsite to do their jobs. “Despite these setbacks, we are still seeing a lot of progress, especially since we delivered the Artemis I’s 4-stage hardware to Kennedy Space Flight Center. While both teams here in Huntsville and the teams at Kennedy are excited, there is still plenty of work to do on the Artemis II, Artemis III, and Artemis IV hardware being Block 1B in the budget.
According to NASA Authorization Act of 2010, the goal of expanding permanent human presence beyond low-Earth orbit requires the development of the Orion crew capsule and the heavylift Space Launch System. Orion will return to Earth at the end of each Artemis mission to be reused. The SLS, however, is an expendable rocket designed to carry Orion into space and set it on its initial trajectory. The SLS could potentially be used for other missions involving heavy payloads or requiring high thrust. But to do this, it is designed to be upgraded in stages known as Block 1, Block 1B, and Block 2. NASA is developing Block 1B to replace the Block 1 upper stage and funding it is a major component of
By Kimberly Ballard / Photos/Graphics courtesy of Marshall Space Flight Center the four Artemis missions. Artemis I is being processed at the Vertical Assembly Building at Kennedy and assembly begins this week. Singer said it will take two to three weeks to get it fully integrated and stacked, but it is still slated to launch by year’s end. “We have delivered our hardware and we’re ready to go,” said Singer. “This will be a significant event this year, and then continued cadence.” Also in the budget is the Human Landing System Program and Marshall is the designated program lead for the project. Three contractors - SpaceX, Blue Origin and Dynetics - presented their configurations for the first Artemis launch and landing on the moon some time in 2024. SpaceX was selected, but Blue Origin and Dynetics protested NASA’s decision to the Government Accountability Office. While that puts the program in a pause over the summer while the GAO adjudicates it, Singer said it will not stop MSFC from moving forward with a parallel contract for sustained services. “We are supposed to be getting a reading on the protests in the early August timeframe, but in the meantime, we are working a contract for sustained services that is really the foundation that will set all the different systems we get on the surface of the moon,” she said. “It is the ability to deliver multiple systems to the surface of the moon, and that is very critical.” In the budgetary area of Understanding Our World and Beyond with a focus on the science and technology world, Singer said
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AEROSPACE
MSFC’s payload operations is continuing to work 24/7/365. “We now have seven astronauts and cosmonauts who have completed the largest and longest duration crew mission in this outpost, and there has been a record amount of activity,” Singer said. “But we’ve had a lot of science going on to deliver on one of MSFC’s upcoming missions - the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer experiment, looking at the dark holes in our universe. We look forward to that being launched later this year or early next year.” According to NASA, their partnership with Italy's space agency paves the way for the IXPE breakthrough mission to explore some of the most turbulent and extreme environments in our universe, from the hottest, messiest star factories to violent jets screaming away from monster black holes. Singer said the 2021 budget also includes STEM engagement activity including the recent Student Launch Competition and a virtual version of
the annual NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. And the budget supports a team of 106 summer interns who will work at MSFC through August. “These people are really a pipeline and a feeder for our future workforce,” Singer said. “Sustained funding and sustained progress. Our legacy is our people, but to keep a legacy for our people, you have to have pipelines of engagement. “We need to make sure we have the right skills, the right workforce, and the ability to attract and retain a good diverse workforce, and the Huntsville community does that. “But specific to MSFC, we must have a federal budget that supports us on SLS and the evolution of
SLS, landing services, a habitat, a transportation habitat, environmental life controls systems, and that brings about a lot of the technologies we need to go not only to the moon, but on to Mars. “Sustained services are critical to this and the continued work we do on payload operations, on the ISS, and not just the ISS. It also applies
to us moving towards deep habitat systems and a continuous turning on of the next systems needed to explore the surface of the moon and to go on to Mars. “And these involve additive manufacturing, nuclear propulsion systems, and a lot of technology maturation. We have all of that here in the Huntsville community.” u
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
EDUCATION
Bob Jones Alum Candice Storey Lee Opening ‘Dores to Finance When Bob Jones High School’s Candice Storey signed a basketball scholarship with Vanderbilt University, she figured to move on from Nashville once her eligibility was exhausted and her degree was secured. After all, relocating was a way of life as a military family member. She attended 12 schools before entering the ninth grade with the Patriots. “I had moved so much that when I came to Nashville, I think my initial thought was I’ll be here for four years and then I’ll head back home because like every four or five years or so that’s what we did, we moved,’’ she said. It didn’t turn out that way. Storey Lee has called Nashville home since she arrived in 1996, joining the athletic department in various positions after her playing days plagued by knee injuries were over. She’s earned three degrees from Vanderbilt, including a master’s and a doctorate in higher education administration, and is also making history. In early February 2020, she was named the school’s first female athletic director as well as the first black woman to hold that position at a Southeastern Conference school. That was on an interim basis. She was later named to the job full-time on May 21, 2020. In addition to her AD role, Storey Lee also holds the title of vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs. “Instead (of moving on), I pleasantly found a place where I could put down my own roots and it just felt perfect, it feels perfect, and in so many ways’’ said Storey Lee, who had risen to associate AD in 2016 on her way to the top job. “I'm not far from my (parents, retired in Madison). I am in a city that I love, I get to be at my alma mater and it's just like it's a dream come true and, no, I did not imagine that would be the case.’’ When Storey Lee was named AD she joined Virginia’s Carla Williams as the only two black women running athletic departments at Power Five
schools. That number grew to three when Nina Duke was recently named AD at Duke. Storey Lee has been busy since moving into her role. She made head coaching changes in football and women’s basketball and the pandemic began shortly before she took over. She said navigating the virus to keep student-athletes safe has been her biggest challenge, so far. Though a longtime Commodore, she also felt some pressure of the unknown. “When you’re inheriting a role, you’re just trying to find your footing and be your authentic self and learn the environment,’’ she said. “I know that that may sound silly, being that I've been at Vanderbilt so long, but I was really intentional about not stepping into the role and assuming that I knew everything I needed to.’’ As a player, Storey Lee earned SEC All-Academic honors and earned four basketball letters but it took six years to get them. She redshirted as a freshman and, during her redshirt senior season, she had another in a string of knee injuries and sat out Then-Vandy Coach Jim Foster, and the school successfully petitioned the NCAA for a sixth season. When his former player was named AD, he told the Nashville Ledger she was more than capable of handling problems with aging facilities and dwindling attendance. “If there is, in fact, turmoil and if, in fact, there are problems that need to be solved, the perfect person is now in position to start doing that,” Foster said. Those issues have been addressed. Vanderbilt’s first-of-its-kind for the university Vandy United Fund was announced in March -- a $300 million commitment to upgrade facilities and operations. The school has already earmarked $100 million for the project and $100 million has been raised through donors. The Commodores are renovating existing facilities, building new ones
and “adding resources for all of our teams,’’ Storey Lee said. Among the upgrades are a Football Operations Center, with
By Mike Easterling / Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt University soon-to-be renovated locker rooms; an indoor football practice field; a Sports Performance Center added to an expanded McGuin Center; a Basketball Operations Center and upgraded amenities at sports venues for the fans. The football locker rooms should be ready for this season and other projects are expected to begin early in 2022. Vanderbilt is unique in that it’s the lone SEC private school. It is also its smallest and the only one in a major city. It’s also the highest rated academic institution in the league and among the tops nationally. Storey Lee says those things, along with the economic infusion, make Vandy an attractive option. “I was attracted to Vanderbilt because I thought it offered the best of both worlds,’’ she said. “And I still think that, right?’’u
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EDUCATION
Spur and AMIIC Team Up to Roll Out WorkbasED for High School Interns Looking for an internship? There’s an app for that. This coming school year, area high school students will have the opportunity to participate in paid internships with local businesses. Spur has recently partnered with the local non-profit Advanced Manufacturing Innovation & Integration Center to roll out workbasED, a work-based learning and internship program geared toward local high school seniors. Spur and AMIIC will be working with Huntsville City Schools, Madison City Schools, and Madison County Schools, along with bringing industry partners on board. WorkbasED is scheduled to roll out in early August. WorkbasED, powered by Spur, promises to be North Alabama’s most collaborative work-based learning initiative to date. Collaborators will combine an academic and workforce preparedness curriculum with technical training. This helps to better prepare students for relevant, hands-on experience. The Spur-AMIIC partnership will provide students with the chance to connect with employers. It also will serve to provide workplace partners with an opportunity to shape the future of their workforce. “We’re working together to create a talent pipeline for employers across industries geared toward direct employment after high school graduation,” said Christy Beck, Spur’s senior workforce strategist. “WorkbasED works for students, too. Our student interns receive hands-on work experience and pre-employment soft skills training that leaves a lasting impression upon their employment candidacy as they prepare to enter the workforce.” WorkbasED supports a range of disciplines and industries including engineering and manufacturing. Additionally, workbasED’s
onboarding platform powered by Spur facilitates the delivery of prerequisite workforce preparedness modules, such as business professionalism, communication skills, workplace etiquette, and more. The application process, onboarding, and training modules will all be delivered seamlessly by Spur. All that’s required is the desire, interest, and a smartphone. “With Spur, a worker can apply (via the app) and pass an initial screening in less than 15 minutes,” said Sonia Robinson, Spur’s CEO. “Once they pass e-Verify, they will receive an employee handbook, and they can pick up a job – instantly. It’s a seamless experience for all parties involved.” “Building a predictable workforce pipeline is a community effort and workbasED brings all stakeholders together, including our students, where meaningful conversations around career development, simulated work experiences, and financial literacy are taking place,” said John Schmitt, executive director of AMIIC. “The program is complemented by Spur’s proprietary software which provides an end-to-end user experience from the time students apply to payday.” “The main goal is to engage high school seniors, to engage them in the community.” said Robinson. “We want them here and we want to support them.” Workplaces interested in providing paid work-based learning positions to high school seniors are invited to join workbasED’s waiting list. Interested workplaces
are encouraged to join the waiting list by July 1 to prepare for fall student intern placement. In August, workbasED will work with schools and workplaces to begin filling paid internships positions. “We can’t start early enough,” said Schmitt. “There’s a major need to connect students to relevant and engaging workforce internships. We also need to analyze the barriers to access, we to need to lower the burden of administration.” Students are encouraged to
By Lori J. Connors
speak with their school counselor or career tech program director to discuss the opportunity. Fall internship opportunities will be posted and open to student applicants in August. For more information: Students https://www. workbasedworks.com/ Prospective Employers - https:// www.workbasedworks.com/i-am-aworkplace Spur - https://spurstaffing.com AMIIC - https://amiic.us. u
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COVER COVER S
Developers of Former ‘Energized’ by City’s ‘S
By Kimber For the last several years, rumors about plans to develop the former site of the Coca-Cola bottling plant downtown flew through Huntsville. Now, the city and a developer can put those rumors to rest. Last month, the City Council unanimously approved plans for a $325 million mixed-use development on the 13-acre property on Clinton Avenue across from the Von Braun Center. The approval is just the first step in a partnership between Huntsville and New York City-based Rocket Development Partners. Huntsville will contribute $18 million toward the project, but not until the Rocket Development team has started and/ or completed its commitments. Rocket Development Partners is a joint venture between Essex Capital Partners and AscendAmerica. “Our team is energized by Huntsville’s growth, and we are excited to support Mayor Tommy Battle’s master plan with a transformative downtown project that will meet the city’s rising needs and serve as an engine to the future of city building on a national scale,” said Essex Capital CEO Mitchell Rutter. “Mayor Battle is committed to smart growth and we’re grateful to him, his team and community partners for creating a city where people and businesses of all backgrounds can
thrive.” The first phase would include 26,000 square feet of retail space, 40,000 square feet of office space, a 100-room hotel and multifamily housing. Also included is an 800-space, multilevel parking garage, open space and a surface parking lot. General site work would be completed by July 2022, followed by the start of construction on the multifamily buildings, retail space, and surface parking lot. Hotel construction is anticipated to wrap up in June 2025, while office spaces and the parking garage would be completed by September 2025. Rutter and Dan Shields, president
and founder of AscendAmerica, said they believe Huntsville is on a fast track to becoming Alabama's biggest city with a downtown master plan that envisions bringing a unique mix of residential, retail, office, and entertainment to meet the demands of pedestrians, public transit, streetscaping and connectivity with the Von Braun Center. Because the new project is within an Opportunity Zone, Rocket Development is investing in a distressed area to help spur economic growth and job creation. Rutter and Shields see the project as helping to create a vibrant live, work, play atmosphere downtown, while expanding the local economy for decades to come. “Our team looks forward to playing a role in Huntsville’s next phase of growth with this mixed-use
development,” said Rutter. “There is a lot of work to do ahead but we expect to announce more details about the project in the coming weeks.” In a presentation to the City Council last month, Shane Davis, Huntsville’s director of Urban & Economic Development, estimated the city’s return on investment would be $25.4 million over a 10-year period. The plant, officially called Big Springs Bottling, closed in 2012 and was demolished two years later. “This is a great opportunity to turn vacant property into new and unique places for people to eat, shop, stay the night and live,” Battle said. “It’s an exciting project that will attract citizens and visitors alike, which will benefit Huntsville for years to come.” Davis said the project would be a mixed-use development completed in multiple phases. The overall design of the first phase is expected to wrap up this summer, according to the city. As part of the development agreement, Rocket Development Partners would be responsible for all construction and donate property to the city for right-of-way and easements. It would also provide a 50-year lease agreement to Huntsville for 400 spaces within the 800-space garage. The developer would also be responsible for all upkeep and maintenance of the garage, the city said. “Huntsville is blessed with triangulating factors: job growth with good wages, population growth, and the leadership team,”
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STORY STORY
r Coca-Cola Plant Site Smart Growth’ Strategy
rly Ballard Rutter said. “They have a long-term Huntsville vision. That long-term plan, which includes the Von Braun Center expansion, renovation of Pinhook Creek, greenways and bikeways, is geared to accelerate the growth of downtown.” Rutter said his company has retained Huntsville architect Paul Matheny and Urban Design Associates, who developed the city’s long-term plan. For its part, the city would be responsible for completing downtown streetscape improvements along Clinton and Holmes avenues and Monroe Street. The city said it would also vacate the Pollard Street right of way that bisects the property. Huntsville would be required to
build a road connecting Clinton and Holmes avenues that would parallel Pinhook Creek and the proposed downtown Riverwalk project. The city began working the project in late 2019. Because of the size and scope of the development, Davis said, it took time to put it together in a correct format that would provide long-term quality to the Central Business District. He said it has been “critically important” to ensure the redevelopment of the property complements the adjacent public venues and is built to a quality standard. “I believe being able to keep the project moving forward and the committed private investment
says a lot about the strength of the Huntsville economy,” Davis said. “Creating of thousands of new jobs and our commitment on infrastructure investments continue
to pay dividends in new private investments. “We are confident this trend will continue in downtown and across all parts of Huntsville.” u
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
SPORTS / RECREATION
Along with ‘Rocket City’, ‘Championship City’ Has Nice Ring to It Green Bay took on the nickname "Titletown" in the wake of the Packers’ early NFL success. "City of Champions" has been adopted by the likes of Boston and Pittsburgh. Now comes, perhaps, the Championship City? While Huntsville will always be known as the Rocket City, the recent attraction of championship-caliber events has led to unprecedented sports tourism dollars in the area this year to the tune of more than $10 million. And we're barely halfway through 2021! There have been the Korn Ferry Golf Tour’s Huntsville Championship, the Southeastern Conference Gymnastics Championship, the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Beach Volleyball Championships, the U.S. Paralympics Cycling Open and the Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball Championship.
“In addition to the events we have scheduled, we are developing our relationships with collegiate conferences and the AHSAA to host more of their championship and special events” In 2021 those events joined existing ones unfolding in the Huntsville area such as the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s soccer state championships. Among the events the city was to host are the United States Tennis Association’s 3.0-4.0 State Championships last month at the Huntsville Tennis Center, the recent Alabama Junior Golf Association’s Huntsville Open at Huntsville Country Club and the USA Swimming Futures Championships July 28-31 at the Aquatic Center, “In addition to the events we have scheduled, we are developing our relationships with collegiate conferences and the AHSAA to host
more of their championship and special events,” said Mark Russell, director of the Huntsville Sports Commission. “Huntsville has excellent facilities including the Von Braun Center, Huntsville Aquatics Center, John Hunt Park Cross Country Course, Sand Volleyball Complex, Soccer Complex and the underconstruction Joe Davis Stadium. All are championship quality and provide a great setting for competition.’’ Russell and Mark McCarter, the convention sales manager at the Huntsville-Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said teamwork in various offices have led to sports tourism growth. “It’s just a testament to city leaders, elected officials that have led the way to build facilities where we can still easily host these events (when others couldn’t),’’ McCarter said. According to Russell, one main target moving forward is college basketball. “We feel that with the development around the VBC, we will be an ideal city to host a conference basketball championship in the near future,’’ he said. “It’s time for us to think big and compete with any city for these signature events.’’ Before the beach volleyball
championships, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said, “Like the spirited and dedicated top-tier athletes who will compete in the Rocket City,
By Mike Easterling
we are going above and beyond by providing world-class facilities and hospitality. “We want everyone to know Huntsville is where champions come to play.” Madison Mayor Paul Finley, whose city is the home of the Minor League Baseball Rocket City Trash Pandas and Toyota Field, emphasized unity is the key to success to hosting the big events. The SWAC moved its baseball tournament to Madison this year from its long run in the New Orleans area. . “We’re stronger when we work together,” he said. “We’re going to get all the events we can. This community continues to be set up for success.’’ u
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
AUTOMOTIVE
After 20 Years, Toyota Motor Plant Still Growing, Still Producing, Still Hiring, & Still Investing Flashback to 2001 when Toyota announced it had selected a 200-acre site in north Huntsville for its newest engine plant in North America. By 2003, it was to be Toyota’s first plant outside of Japan to manufacture V8 engines with an annual production capacity of 120,000 units. It announced a $220 million investment and bringing 350 jobs to Alabama.
“Toyota’s continued investment in Toyota Alabama shows confidence in our ability to produce quality engines for North American operations” Twenty years later, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama is one of the largest Toyota engine plants in the world producing. The facility produces one-third of all Toyota engines in North America, and is a critical part of Toyota’s supply chain operations. The plant is also the only Toyota plant that produces all four engine types for the automaker. Production has increased to approximately 3,000 engines per day for the RAV4, Corolla, Tacoma, Sequoia, Highlander, Sienna and Tundra. And by the end of this year 2021, it will have the capacity to produce 900,000 engines per year.
“Toyota’s continued investment in Toyota Alabama shows confidence in our ability to produce quality engines for North American operations,” said Jason Puckett, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama. “Plants are selected for engine production based on safety, quality, productivity, cost competitiveness and geographic proximity to the vehicle plant.” Toyota Alabama announced it will produce the 69-horsepower, 2.0-liter Dynamic Force Engine for the new 2022 Corolla Crossover for Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, enabling the all-new model to achieve high-quality performance.
“We are a zero-landfill plant and have won the Toyota North America awards for outstanding energy and water management for 13 consecutive years” Famous for its “just in time” production, every Toyota engine produced here goes directly into a new Toyota vehicle. The plant has been through five building expansions. The latest in 2019 was a $288-million-dollar investment for 4-cylinder and V6 engine lines
By Kimberly Ballard / Photos courtesy of Toyota Motor Manufacturing
that expanded production capacity by about 35 percent and added 450 jobs totaling more than $1.2 billion dollars in operations. “By building vehicles and engines where we sell, we support local suppliers and economies, increase our overall investment, protect ourselves from currency fluctuations and, most importantly, build ever-better vehicles for our customers,” Puckett said. Toyota Alabama supplies engines for Toyota assembly plants across North America, including assembly plants in Mississippi, Texas, Indiana, Canada, and Mexico. Puckett said the Huntsville plant is the first to be a model sustainable plant, reflecting their commitment to providing environmentally sound solutions. “We are a zero-landfill plant and have won the Toyota North America awards for outstanding energy and water management for 13 consecutive years,” he said. “We are also the recipient of the EPA Energy Star Challenge and recently added a 3.3-acre solar array, which will reduce CO2 emissions at the plant by 1,732 metric tons annually.” Since the plant’s opening in 2003, employment has grown from 300 to more than 1,400 employees. If interested in joining the Toyota team, visit and apply at www.toyotamanufacturingjobs. com/al-production. u
July 2021
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AUTOMOTIVE
The Apollo and Discovery Lines at Mazda Toyota Getting Ready to Roll Just months from being 100 percent complete, the $2.3 billion Mazda Toyota Manufacturing plant begins its first phase of production this fall on its namesake Apollo line, producing the all-new Toyota Corolla Cross - the first vehicle produced at MTM here in Huntsville. Soon after, the signature phase II Discovery line will begin producing a new but as yet unnamed Mazda product. Both are new-to-market SUVs. The sprawling 3.7 million square foot facility - a joint venture between Mazda Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation - sits on 2,400 acres and stretches to the size of 75 football fields, all under one roof. In August 2020 during the COVID pandemic, MTM announced an additional $830 million investment in the facility, bringing the total to $2.311 billion. It will produce up to 300,000 vehicles a year, evenly split between Mazda and Toyota products. The decision about which vehicles MTM will produce is made by each parent company, either Mazda or Toyota, based on overall business operations and strategic plans. Production will start on the Corolla Cross later this year. Team members continue to train in preparation for that start of production, although no exact date for the start of production has been announced. Toyota is surrounded by 17 partners such as YKTA, DNUS, Carter Logistics, TBAKI and Vuteq, which produce everything from the seats to the glass. “We created a team name Team ONE – which stands for ‘On-site, Near-site, Everyone,’” said Jessica Luther, specialist at MTM. “We could not produce a single car at MTM without the support of our Team ONE partners. The name is included on our uniform shirts to
remind us daily of the teamwork and collaboration amongst so many talented team members. “There are many individuals across different companies, but we are all a Team ONE family.” On-Site Partners Include YKTA, Carter Logistics, Nippon Express, Green Metals, Inc., Madison Metal Processing, Mazda, DNUS, Vuteq, Toyota Logistic Services, Sanoh America, Inc., and Magnolia Automotive Services, LLC. Near-Site Partners include Tbaki, Systems Automotive Interiors Alabama, Penstone (Ishizaki Honten), Toyota Boshuko, D-V, and Aldez. The plant employs 1,800 team members and is in the middle of a two-year phased initial hiring process that began in December 2020 and will continue to ramp up through 2022 as the facility adds
a second shift for each production line. At full production, MTM will employ up to 4,000 people – approximately 3,000 of whom will be members of the production team. However, once the initial workforce is hired, career opportunities will resume as needed in phases over a two-year period to meet the plant’s demands. According to Luther, human resources is expecting to evaluate between 40,000 and 50,000 job applications and they expect to face challenges finding people with automotive OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) experience. For that reason, they are highly dependent on partnerships with the Alabama Industrial Development Training and the Robotics Technology Park. They also have
By Kimberly Ballard
an apprenticeship program through Alabama F.A.M.E. (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education) and a partnership with Advanced Manufacturing Technician Program that includes a two-year technical Associate degree to help find and develop skills among local applicants. MTM participated in Virtual Job Fair activities hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber throughout the pandemic, but according to Luther, they did not replace their standard hiring process. “We will continue to take part in those opportunities, especially to engage potential employees who may be unlikely to attend in-person career fairs for reasons like proximity or flexibility of schedule,” she said. “While MTM did temporarily pause hiring for our production team members at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we used that pause to implement additional safety measures that allowed us to return to in-person interviews and hands-on assessments, which is an important part of our selection process.” Applicants can apply online at mazdatoyota.com, after which they will be asked to complete an online assessment for manufacturing. Luther said they are looking for what they are calling an “industrial athlete” in what could be a threemonth process for candidates. “Going through our Day of Work at our Assessment Center, potential team members will have hands-on examples of the job processes they’ll be doing,” she said. “Our future team members can really experience what working on our production team is like. “Our applicants do not need a manufacturing background to be successful at MTM; In fact, we’ve seen whole families (wife, husband, and daughter – even twin brothers) come through our selection process.” u
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
FOOD / DINING
Church Street Wine Shoppe Celebrates Relocation with Australian Wine Debut Huntsville is a city of “firsts” and now the Rocket City has joined a “vintage” crowd with the U.S. debut of Greenock Estate Australian wines. The occasion marked the grand relocation of the Church Street Wine Shoppe on Gates for one of Huntsville’s most endangered historic homes – the Humphreys-Rodgers House at 102 Gates Street in downtown Huntsville. Selected as Wine of the Year at the 2021 London Wine Competition, Levrier by Jo Irvine 2015 Anubis Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia was literally the toast of Huntsville as guests and city officials joined local restaurateurs Stephanie and Matthew Mell at the ribbon cutting. “We could not be more excited and honored that the Rocket City, Huntsville, Alabama, is the launch for this wine in the U.S.,” said Stephanie Mell. “When COVID hit, many wineries had to adjust. China imposed large tariffs on Australian wines which all but stopped export of Australian wine into China. “Wineries needed to act quickly and Greenock Estate, who makes wine in the Barossa and Eden valleys, was looking for solutions. When we tasted this wine, we fell in love.” Bjeorn Lanwer, founder and CEO at BevServ, lives in Huntsville. He represents international wineries in U.S. markets and one of their clients is female winemaker, Joanna Irvine. He set up a Zoom call with the Mells. “We hatched a plan to launch Greenock Estate wines in the United States at Church Street Wine Shoppe,” Mell said. “We are so excited to be chosen to introduce these wines into the USA. It is an honor to be the U.S. ambassadors for this amazing wine, and we know they could’ve chosen anyone, in any town and any state, so for them to trust us with their wine is truly humbling.” According to Lanwer, Greenock Winery is a small Australian winery that has been around about 70 years. “One of the things that make it so special is that the fruit comes from vines that are more than 100-yearsold,” said Lanwer. “All of their wines are very balanced and go really well in restaurants because they do not
overpower the food. “Australians are fond of barbecue, as are American southerners. These wines are a good match with barbecue, and an easy choice for a restaurant.” Mell said when she and her husband started Church Street Wine Shoppe seven years ago, they had no idea where it would take them. “We never dreamed we would be standing in front of this landmark Humphreys-Rodgers House, a structure that is only still here because this community came together to save it – twice,” she said. “We cannot be happier you did so, and we are excited to be the caretakers of this Huntsville gem.” The historic building will also be headquarters for the Church Street Family Group and its premier sit-down wine club. In addition to The Church Street Wine Shoppe, Tapas & Italian Restaurant & Bottle Shoppe; the Church Street Family includes Purveyor and Pourhouse, both at Stovehouse; Catacomb, an underground speakeasy
downtown; and SeaSalt, an urban Oyster Bar. “Our motto is that when you walk into any one of our businesses, you feel like you’re walking into our home, to be treated as family. Now we stand here in front of a real house, at a real home …” Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle reminded everyone how the Humphreys-Rodgers House, built in 1848, has almost been demolished twice. Currently on the Register of Historic Houses, it almost met its first fate in 1971 when the Von Braun Center was constructed across the street from the Coca-Cola bottling plant. “Thank you for taking this building and making it into something that is productive in our community,” said Battle. “Many people don’t remember that this building was called the CocaCola building because it was moved over here from the old Coca-Cola site in 1991. “This makes downtown a very
By Kimberly Ballard / Photos by Steve Babin
special place; it adds some retail activity to the downtown area … but it also adds to what makes us a cool destination and a great place to come to. It is why people want to move to Huntsville … a retail wine shop and restaurant in downtown Huntsville located in an old historic house. “Out here under the big old trees, you can have wine tastings, you can have fun here. This is the living room of your community.” Mell said the Church Street Wine Shoppe on Gates will have a full-service restaurant serving lunch, dinner and eventually brunch. Judy Ryals, president and CEO of the Huntsville-Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said she and her staff can’t wait to promote it. “I really believe this is going to be an amazing new venue for Huntsville,” said Ryals. “We want to encourage everyone to stay downtown and enjoy yourselves. There are so many options in the downtown area, which is just terrific, and we really look forward to what the Mells bring to our community.” Lucia Cape, vice president of Economic Development with the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce, said, “I am proud to be here today and glad to say Church Street Family is a Chamber member. They enable us to continue to grow the economy and recruit companies and people here – people who become their customers. It helps with our quality of life and helps make Huntsville an overall great place to live, work, and play. “Plus … they are hiring!” she said. “You talk about what a unique community we have,” said Battle. “I started out the day today with the reopening of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center … and the reopening of Space Camp; then at lunchtime, we went out to Dynetics and Leidos where we talked about their having the largest electronic beam welder in the Western Hemisphere. “Now, here at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, we are opening a retail shop that sells wine. I have one big question for all of you – why aren’t all of you at work?” u
July 2021
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FOOD / DINING
Whatagreatidea! Iconic Hamburger Chain Moves into the Tennessee Valley An iconic Texas hamburger eatery is spreading out in north Alabama as part of a recent expansion push, largely into the Southeast. Whataburger, which opened a restaurant May 10 on Beltline Road in Decatur, broke ground on construction of a store in South Huntsville about a week later and plans to start building in Madison this summer.
“The economic impact of bringing more than 100 jobs to our city will be substantial for our community members and provide further opportunities for success.’’ The Huntsville site is at 11701 South Memorial Parkway across the street from Walmart and will operate 24 hours a day all week. “The Tennessee Valley area is the right location for Whataburger,’’ said Claire Aiello, the Huntsville/ Madison County Chamber of Commerce vice president of marketing and communications. “We here in Huntsville could not be more pleased about the company’s arrival. “The economic impact of bringing more than 100 jobs to our city will be substantial for our community members and provide further opportunities for success.’’ The South Huntsville restaurant is scheduled to open in the fall.
“I have to extend an especially big thanks to the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce for welcoming Whataburger into the community with open arms and celebrating with us (at the groundbreaking),’’ said Jeff Simpson, the regional director of operations for Whataburger. “Whataburger is proud to serve Alabama and grow across the state with a total of 19 restaurants and counting.’’ Whataburger was founded as one restaurant in 1950 in Corpus Christi, Texas, with the emphasis on big burgers. The company is now headquartered in San Antonio with more than 850 locations in 14 states While its burgers (reportedly available in 36,864 customized ways) and fries (with spicy ketchup) are still favorites, the menu has grown. In a break from the past, Whataburger has opened to
franchising with Caleb Easton holding the position as operating partner in Huntsville. In another departure, while keeping the signature orange and white colors and recognizable Flying W, new and, eventually, old stores will get
By Mike Easterling / Photos/Rendering courtesy of Whataburger
updated looks outside and in with varying options. Apparently, Whataburger and Marvel Comics’ Wonder Woman fans argue over which came first as far as the W. The rockers Weezer came way late with a similar logo, but who cares? The band is cool. Meanwhile, hiring for managers at the Huntsville restaurant is ongoing. Hiring for team leaders and members will begin in September, but anyone interested can apply now at whataburger.com/careers. “What we found in South Huntsville is the combination of the military facility, the fact that there are neighborhoods growing out here, this corridor is a strong travel corridor,’’ Simpson said. “Those all fit with who we are, we saw this as a perfect site for us for our first Huntsville location.” u
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
DEVELOPMENT
Multimillion-Dollar Residential Investment in NE Madison County Underway NEW MARKET -- The grand re-opening of the Swan House Event Center kicked off a multimilliondollar residential development in northeast Madison County. MT3 Properties, led by Alabama A&M University alums Michael and Chala Ford, renovated the Swan House into a multi-event venue with a 3,000 square-foot ballroom and total leasing space of some 5,000 square feet. The Swan House, off Winchester Road, is part of the larger $14 million Winchester Place residential development over the next three years. In addition to the Swan House, Winchester Place includes The Cabins at Winchester Place, and the planned Apartments at Winchester Place. According to Michael Ford, the 10 cabins at 103 Hillcrest Court will be renovated into two-bedroom, two-bath residential cabin-style homes. Each unit will include high-
speed Internet access, state-of-the-art amenities, and advanced security, including cameras. The Apartments at Winchester Place will include 80 two-bedroom, two-bath apartments, and will be available by the end of this year. “We are building a community we can all be proud of at Winchester Place,” said Michael Ford. “New Market is my home, born and raised. Now it’s time to give back and reinvest in it. “Our homes and their prospective tenants will be chosen purposefully
and methodically. Our rigorous property selection process is based on long-term investment standards. We believe the key to successful property management is a complete, long-term commitment to both our property and our tenant selection process.” Ford has a bachelor's degree in finance from A&M, and a MBA in accounting and international business from Florida Metropolitan University. He is corporate vice president of Global Real Estate and Security at the Microsoft Corp. Chala Ford has a bachelor's degree in telecommunication from AA&M and, after 25 years working in television programming and the advertising industry, she brings a strong background in communications and
By Kimberly Ballard / Photo courtesy of MT3 Properties
customer service to the couple’s real estate development company and Swan House. Chala said Swan House has been known primarily as a wedding venue, but they expect to host other events, too. “Swan House is more than a wedding venue,” she said. “We can accommodate almost any type of event. It's a place where friends and family can enjoy memorable moments together; the perfect place to make your vision a reality; and we celebrate all stages of life, from birthdays to graduation parties, reunions, weddings, baby showers, anniversaries, and more.” The Fords said they started MT3 Properties to buy and hold incomeproducing real estate. However, they expect their company to fill a void in the greater Huntsville rental housing market by providing clean, well-cared-for rental homes. u
July 2021
ADVERTORIAL
DEVELOPMENT
Is Hampton Cove the Next Boom Location? More than 30 years after the announcement of Hampton Cove’s residential development and the nationally acclaimed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, retail development has been slow to materialize from Brownsboro to Owens Cross Roads along U.S. 431. Growth of residential homes continues to expand south of Sutton Road between U.S. 431 and Old Big Cove Road, and on Old Highway 431 toward Gurley. Anchor retailers include Walmart, Lowe’s and Publix. Veteran retailers include Hampton Cove Auto Center, China Cook, Buenavista Mexican Cantina, Carson’s and Tortora’s. Piecemeal retail development exists, such as Tire Discounters on Sutton Road, an expansion of Hampton Cove Animal Hospital and addition of Wendy’s fast-food restaurant. More homes are being developed by Breland Homes, just south of the Flint River, in one of several developments between Hampton Cove and Owens Cross Roads. The highly traveled highway connecting Huntsville to Guntersville sees thousands of vehicles daily. According to the Alabama Department of Transportation statistics, traffic counts range from about 27,600 in Brownsboro at the base of Monte Sano to more than 29,000 just north of the Hampton Cove intersection of U.S. 431, Sutton Road going over Blevins Gap into Jones Valley and Old Highway 431 that goes to Gurley. Daily traffic count averages south of that intersection range from about 22,400 to 10,600 at Hobbs Island Road in New Hope. So what’s keeping the area from landing a major retail development or national names — think Chili’s, Krispy Kreme, or Starbucks — like those going up elsewhere, or upscale builds like in downtown Huntsville or Jones Valley? Obviously the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into a lot of plans. Online ordering for food, apparel and other products has surged and become the norm for many, too.
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“As retailers and restaurants look at Hampton Cove as a market, they see lovely neighborhoods, churches, schools, parks and recreational facilities, and few employers.” “Both changes have influenced retail, and retail has paused in many ways to determine its best course forward. Retail is not “going away,” but it is changing and will always be with us,” said D. Scott McLain with Coldwell Banker Commercial McLain Real Estate. “As we consider this issue, it is important to know that in the United States we have about 23 square feet of existing retail space per person. This compares to under five square feet per person in the United Kingdom, France, and other countries. “We here are significantly either over-retailed or under-demolished.” McLain pointed to lack of large employers in the area that contribute to a lower daytime population. Huntsville for decades has been and will be a commuter city. Hampton Cove is proof, with thousands leaving daily for jobs downtown, in Research Park or on Redstone Arsenal. “Employers give support to retail and restaurants during the daytime, as well as after work,” McLain said. “As retailers and restaurants look at
By Alan Clemons / Photo by Alan Clemons
Hampton Cove as a market, they see lovely neighborhoods, churches, schools, parks and recreational facilities, and few employers. “Retailers and restaurants have many requirements, and they want to ensure that their facilities will be fully supported by a broad range
of customers.” Several large tracts are available on U.S. 431 between Hampton Cove and Monte Sano, and also south. Carson’s, China Cook, Buenavista Mexican Cantina and Tortora’s draw steady, repeat customers. Summer is busy with baseball and softball along with golfers seeking refreshments after a round at the RTJ courses. Other retailers stay hopping throughout the year. Is more needed or wanted? A brew pub such as Straight to Ale or Green Bus, or a complex similar to Stovehouse or Campus 805? Upscale retail shops? Time will tell. “As employers start to locate facilities in the Hampton Cove area, restaurants and retailers will see brighter opportunities of a fully diverse suburban market,” McLain said, “and not simply a lovely residential neighborhood area.” u
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
BRIEFCASE
trust, while also giving them access to additional talent across the globe and a broad range of innovative solutions to help them achieve their goals.” u
Dentons Launches Combination with Sirote in Alabama Dentons has launched its combination with Alabama law firm Sirote & Permutt., the company announced. The merger was announced last December. Dentons said the combination with Sirote builds on the momentum of its series of combinations dedicated to advancing the first national US law firm. Dentons Sirote has offices in Alabama — Huntsville, Birmingham, Mobile, the Shoals, and Tuscaloosa – among its 44 U.S. locations and 204 offices in 81 countries. “Dentons shares our passion for providing superior legal service to clients,” said Todd Carlisle, president of Dentons Sirote. “This combination allows our clients in Alabama to continue to work with the Sirote lawyers they know and
Hicks Named Bank Independent Assistant VP Sales Amanda Hicks has joined Bank Independent as assistant vice president sales officer at the Huntsville Downtown Square location. Hicks brings more than 15 years of banking experience to Bank Independent with a focused strength in commercial lending. A graduate of Athens State, Hicks will develop financial strategies tailored to meet customers’ specific lending needs. “I’m excited to offer commercial lending solutions to clients in the Huntsville market,” she said. “As a
commercial lender at Bank Independent, I’m focused on the unique needs of the borrower. Whether a customer wants to start or grow their business, hire additional employees, purchase equipment or expand space, I can help tailor and secure a loan to meet their requirements.” The Huntsville Downtown Square sales office is at 123 North Side Square. “As Huntsville continues to grow and expand, so do the needs and requirements of customers,” said Tim Sinleton, area president for Madison County. “We are committed to attracting and hiring high quality team members like Amanda who give us the ability to meet that demand and better serve our customers’ lending needs.” u
Geist Named Executive Director of First Stop Jennifer Geist has been named
executive director of First Stop, the nonprofit organization to help aid Huntsville’s homeless population. She succeeds Tim Davis, First Stop’s executive director since 2019 who is retiring. Davis will remain on the Board of Directors. “We’re excited and fortunate to have Jennifer lead First Stop,” said Paul Pradat, president of the Board of Directors. “She has a passion for working with the homeless, and her proven track record of leadership, along with the relationships she’s established in the Huntsville community over the last several years make her the perfect fit for First Stop at this critical time.” Geist brings more than 25 years of experience in employee and community engagement, public relations, program development, and corporate leadership. Most recently, she’s held leadership positions at The Salvation Army of Huntsville & Madison County and the Downtown Rescue Mission. She has also worked in employee engagement and development for Teledyne Brown Engineering. Geist has a master’s in behavior analysis and therapy from Southern Illinois University and a
ADVERTORIAL
Luis Mendoza Brings Multicultural Experience to Huntsville Area After establishing himself as a power agent in Mexico and along the American west coast, Luis Mendoza is expanding and bringing his services as an independent brokerage agent to the Huntsville area. For those in the area who are looking to diversify their assets, the bi-national and bi-cultural deal maker, who has already won awards with Century 21 for various deals across the United States, can provide many different services that increase liquidity. And while Luis Mendoza may be new to the area, his vast experience in Mexico, San Diego and Las Vegas has helped him leverage his experience and natural ability to nurture relationships into multiple successful businesses which transcend borders. “My network allows me to work nationally and globally in both residential and commercial real estate. We are more diverse than some of our competitors,” he explained. “Plus, we always strive to be ahead of the market. I have this saying that you need to buy your coats in the summer because otherwise you’ll pay more in the winter. When assessing the risk of something you might not need right now, but we identify if it is a good investment for the future. It might not be the best two or three investment, but it could a great seven-year investment.” Mendoza looks at the current housing market as a vehicle to get the United States out of the pandemicinduced recession and says the Huntsville and Madison area provides a great opportunity to do just that. “I just love the opportunity of growth that Huntsville and Madison both provide,” said Mendoza, whose wife is a third-generation citizen of Decatur. “I also like the diversity the area offers. Many people might not know that about Alabama but the diversity here is great. I have two agents relocating to start our company here and I didn’t even ask them to do that. They realized what we have going on and said they want to be a part of what we’re doing here.” One service that Mendoza’s company provides is his MoveAbility program that will purchase houses from people attempting to sell upfront, and in turn negate any debt they owe on the house. “You want to sell your house at the peak but where do you go? We have a program, that will buy the house, liquidate the mortgage, and rent you the house while you search for new houses going forward,” he explained about the program. An example he gave was someone selling a $100,000 house that they owe $40,000 on. Mendoza’s MoveAbility program will pay 75 percent or $75,000 upfront and then rent out the house to the sellers. The sellers no longer have a mortgage debt and will be in a better position going forward with a non contingent offer on the property. The remaining 25 percent is paid when the seller finds their dream home, Mendoza added. For more information on all the services Luis offers and his current listings in the Huntsville area, everything about him and his company can be found on his website mendozarealtygroup.com.
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BRIEFCASE
bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She was a consultant for First Stop in 2020 to help implement a client enrichment program focused on providing education, mentoring and support. “It’s been a pleasure getting to know the First Stop staff and operations over the last year,” said Jennifer. “First Stop is a wonderful organization that not only provides services to the homeless, but exists to assist clients out of homelessness and into permanent housing. That’s why I’m here, and I’m excited to get to work. u
Crestwood Medical Center Appoints Strickland and White to Board of Trustees Crestwood Medical Center recently announced that Dr. Warren Strickland and Bobby White have been appointed to the Crestwood Medical Center Board of Trustees. Each were named to a three-year term. Strickland is an interventional cardiologist with Huntsville Cardiovascular Clinic and White is the general manager of Woody Anderson Ford in Huntsville. “We are delighted and honored to have these gentlemen join our board," said Board Chairman Mike Gillespie. "Dr. Strickland is a highly regarded physician leader in our community and will bring invaluable guidance to us as we continue our efforts to provide quality care to patients. "Mr. White is a native of our community and served our country in the U S. Marine Corps. His tremendous business acumen and knowledge of our community will be beneficial as we further our mission to providing exceptional care and service excellence to those who seek us for their health care needs.” The Board of Trustees at Crestwood Medical Center consists of local community leaders and physicians on its medical staff. The board is Mike Gillespie, Chair; Tommy Beason, Vice-Chair; Penny Billings; Dr. Darla Cowart; Leta Demaoribus; Dr. Todd Foreman, Chief of Staff; Dr. Jeff Garber; Dr. Pam Hudson, CEO; Dr. Eric Janssen; Kim Lewis; Dr. Patrick O’Neill; Dr. Fay Raines; Dr. Brian
Roberts; Dr. Smita Shah; Dr. Warren Strickland; Bobby White. u
Roberts Named Associate Broker for NAI Chase Commercial Real Estate NAI Chase Commercial announced David L. Roberts has accepted a position as associate broker with the Huntsville office. He will be responsible for investment analysis, sales, acquisition and disposition, tenant services, valuation consulting, consulting service and client representation in Huntsville and surrounding markets. “We’re excited about Dave joining our team and broadening the level of services offered to our clients,” said Douglas A. McCullough, executive vice president of NAI Chase Commercial. “His vast experience work with city leaders and his appraisal background will certainly enable NAI Chase Commercial to reach new levels”, Roberts was director of the property negotiations, acquisitions, sales, property relocation, tenant services and leasing administration for the City of Los Angeles. u
HudsonAlpha’s Scott Ross Named Alabama CIO of the Year Scott Ross, director of information technology for HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnolgy, has been named the Alabama Chief Information Officer of the Year by Alabama CIO – an organization that helps chief information officers (CIOs) maximize their leadership effectiveness, create value, reduce risk and share success. The honor came at the annual Alabama CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Awards. Ross won in the nonprofit/ public sector category. Ross has more than 15 years of technology experience across defense and commercial sectors. He leads the
RECOGNITION
Bhagyesha Darji Accepts Position as Assistant Controller with NAI Chase Commercial Bhagyesha Darji has accepted a position as Assistant Controller with NAI Chase Commercial’s Huntsville office. Darji will be responsible for providing highlevel support to the controller to manage accounting and financial activities for clients as well as upper management, while working with the controller and president to create internal controls and policies. “We are thrilled to have Bhagyesha join our NAI Chase team” said Charles Grelier Jr., president of NAI Chase Commercial. “Bhagyesha will help us to continue providing excellent accounting and property management services to our clients, tenants, and vendors. Bhagyesha has in-depth knowledge and experience with NAI Chase, having worked on so many of our projects when previously working with Warren Averitt.” Darji previously worked in public accounting as a tax accountant. She worked on corporate and personal tax returns, as well as financial planning for clients. operations and strategy of technology and cybersecurity to help further the missions of HudsonAlpha. He earned his BS in Information Systems Management from Auburn University, and is a member of the Alabama CIO Association and Certified Information Systems Security Professional. “Being a part of HudsonAlpha’s nonprofit mission and learning from the leaders of our Institute is the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Ross. “Leading our talented IT organization and extending our shared love for technology to help solve the complex problems of genomics is a level of professional fulfillment that I’m so fortunate to have achieved.” u
TVA Names Regional VPs for East, South Regions Two TVA managers have been named regional vice presidents to help
lead TVA’s new approach to building strong partnerships as it serves the people of the Tennessee Valley, the agency announced Thursday. Jared Mitchem has been named Regional Vice President for TVA’s South region, which encompasses TVA’s service area in North Alabama. Carol Eimers has been named Regional Vice President for TVA’s East region, covering East Tennessee and TVA’s service area in North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. Mitchem has broad experience across TVA, including leadership roles in Economic Development and Pricing & Contracts and most recently in the Office of General Counsel. A native of Alabama, Mitchem holds a J.D. from University of Alabama School of Law and a B.S. from the University of South Alabama. “I will be focused on making sure the people of Alabama get maximum benefit from the Valley Public Power Model. Low-cost, reliable, cleaner electricity powers the region, but the TVA model provides unique value that enriches the region in so many other ways,” said Mitchem. “It’s good to be coming home in a role that will truly engage with my community.” Mitchem will transition into the role in mid-July and will be based in TVA’s Huntsville office. u
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL