30 minute read
By Kimberly Ballard
from HBJ Jul 2021
After 20 Years, Toyota Motor Plant Still Growing, Still Producing, Still Hiring, & Still Investing
By Kimberly Ballard / Photos courtesy of Toyota Motor Manufacturing
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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.
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 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
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.
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
Church Street Wine Shoppe Celebrates Relocation with Australian Wine Debut
By Kimberly Ballard / Photos by Steve Babin
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 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
Whatagreatidea! Iconic Hamburger Chain Moves into the Tennessee Valley
By Mike Easterling / Photos/Rendering courtesy of Whataburger
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 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 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 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
By Kimberly Ballard / Photo courtesy of MT3 Properties
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 highspeed 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 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
Is Hampton Cove the Next Boom Location?
By Alan Clemons / Photo by Alan Clemons
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
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.
“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 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
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 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
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.
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
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
