Keeping you informed and inspired. June 2022
VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 6
ACCOLADES COVER STORY
City of Huntsville Named Best Place to Live by U.S. News & World Report
Mayor Tommy Battle woke up to a pleasant surprise on Tuesday morning: at 6:30 AM, he learned that the City of Huntsville has taken the crown as the 2022-2023 best place to live in the United States according to a recent ranking by U.S. News & World Report. By Dawn Suiter - Page 2
ENTERTAINMENT
Local Feature Films Dark Entities and God of Dreams Exhibit Changing Film Industry in Huntsville
For much of its history, most movies or films produced in Huntsville were either very small or educational in nature. Katherine Johnson, Executive Director of Sheepshed Entertainment, elaborated on this in a recent interview with the Huntsville Business Journal. By Noah Logan - Page 14
ADDITIONAL STORIES • Kohler Company Adds New Warehouse to Huntsville Facilities By Mike Easterling • Page 5
• Space Command’s Relocation Moves One Step Closer After DoD Report By Mike Easterling • Page 11
• ChurchStreet Family Debuts New Wines while Continuing to Build on Its Brand By Lori J. Connors • Page 20
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HUNTSVILLE
BUSINESS JOURNAL Vol 5, Issue 6 June 2022 600 Boulevard South Suite 104 Huntsville, AL 35802
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
ACCOLADES
City of Huntsville Named Best Place to Live by U.S. News & World Report Mayor Tommy Battle woke up to a pleasant surprise on the morning of Tuesday, May 17, when he learned that the City of Huntsville had taken the crown as the 2022-2023 best place to live in the United States according to a recent ranking by U.S. News & World Report. A U.S. News analysis of 150 large metropolitan areas in the U.S. ranked cities based on factors including job market, housing affordability, quality of life, desirability, and net migration. Huntsville’s recent rise to the top has been rapid, leapfrogging the city over last year’s first and second-place winners Boulder, CO and Raleigh-Durham, NC. In a last-minute press conference held in City Hall, Mayor Battle and Huntsville Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee member and past chair Jeff Gronberg made the official announcement. Battle stated that this accomplishment was the result of “a group effort of a lot of people working hard year after year to get us to this place where we are the number one city in the United States of America according to U.S. News & World Report, and it’s something that we’re very proud of.” Battle said that this achievement is the validation of the plans and strategies put into place by all of the groups working together over the past 10-14 years. “Each area had their role to play and everybody played their role very, very well. The culmination of it is today.” “We are the Star of Alabama for a reason,” Battle stated. “As more people discover what makes us the South’s best-kept secret, we take pride in our diverse community’s strength and authenticity. Rankings like these affirm our commitment to continuing to provide a healthy, thriving economy without losing our identity, while also welcoming new citizens and businesses with open arms. Great things are happening in Huntsville!” “On behalf of the members and the staff of the Chamber of Com-
merce, we are incredibly excited about what this means to us from the economic development standpoint and from the workforce development standpoint…it’s been a very long road that we’ve traveled and it’s been a very strategic one in which we positioned Huntsville to be a center of excellence and to make sure that we had everything covered from a worklive-play standpoint,” Gronberg said. Gronberg credited not only Mayor Battle, but also the local and regional governments for their role in propelling Huntsville to the top and having the vision to put the elements in place that enabled this achievement. “As the mayor has said many times before, we are now the largest city in Alabama but that’s never what we’ve strived to be. What we’ve strived to be is the best city that we can be, and I think that this recognition really kind of points to that,” he continued. “As we continue to look forward and we continue to grow, this type of recognition is going to be a tremendous asset as we continue to retain and to recruit workers into Huntsville.” Gronberg stated that the City is underpinned by the work done at Redstone Arsenal, which he referred to as “the jewel of what we have here.” “From an aerospace and defense standpoint, we continue to try to
bring great talent into the city and things like this are going to help tremendously,” he added. In addition, he said that the Chamber and the local governments have been working continuously to ensure that the city has a “full and robust economy,” not
By Dawn Suiter
just in the military-aerospace sector but also in advanced manufacturing, the life sciences, big data, and more that allow the region to have a broad base of support across the entire economic spectrum. Gronberg noted that “it’s kind of neat that it actually was announced basically the same week that the Orion Amphitheater was opened… the investments that we’ve made in infrastructure, in work and play environments, all of these things contribute to this.” In his closing remarks, Battle acknowledged Huntsville’s community-mindedness as another contributing factor: “That’s the magic of Huntsville, is that we have people who care about others, who care about others on a big scale and work every day to make sure that we have a better community tomorrow than we have today.” w
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SIT DOWN WITH SUCCESS
Building Bridges and Turning Ideas Into Reality: A Conversation with Alicia Ryan of LSINC “Sitdown with Success” spotlights local entrepreneurs who describe their successes and failures, with tips for upcoming business owners. For the full-length interview, visit huntsvillebusinessjournal.com. Huntsville is renowned for its innovators in both business and technology. Under the leadership of founder and CEO Alicia Ryan, LSINC, located at 490 Discovery Drive NW in Cummings Research Park, is one of those game changers. Ryan initially worked as a consultant in the defense arena in Virginia, and following a two year hiatus after moving to Huntsville for her husband’s job she decided to start her own business dedicated to helping senior leaders in tech industries develop
better business strategies. What drew your attention to the need for a business like this? When I decided to go back to work I had a master’s in organizational leadership and my entire career was a strategist helping people [figure out] where to take technologies and things like that. That wasn’t a job here–in Huntsville you’re either an engineer or something else, you know…a couple people asked me to put up a shingle…we had a $500-$600,000 backlog within six months. So it was not a planned thing…I did it because I had to. LSINC now offers a broad range of services and solutions. How do you manage this kind of diversity in a manner that ensures consistent overall quality?
With a really good leadership team. I mean, I’m a very firm believer in surrounding myself with people who are smarter than me, and they are. I’ve got a phenomenal Chief Technology Officer who’s now got dozens of patents under him and manages all the engineers. I’ve got a gentleman who runs all of the government side with a whole slew of leaders under him, and I’ve just got a great team. I don’t do it–I hopefully orchestrate it. How do you foster a positive corporate culture? Truth and honesty, and allowing for creativity. What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting their own business? It’s hard. It’s very hard. I think
By Dawn Suiter / Photo by Steve Babin
you have to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons…I mean, it’s a lot of hardship and you gotta want to do it for the people, not for the money. It doesn’t work if you worry about money. Money comes and goes…if you don’t do it for the right reasons you won’t stick in there. Know what your reasons are and stick to them. w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
Subsidiary of EVENT Publishing
President /Publisher……………………………………………… Todd Stephenson Editor …………………………………………………………………… Gus Wintzell Writers………………………………………………………………… Alan Clemons Lori J. Connors Mike Easterling Marie Johnson Noah Logan Dawn Suiter Contributing Writer…………………………………………………… John Kvach Graphic Design ……………………………………………………… Justina Simon Website……………………………………………………………………… Jim Gharib Photographers………………………………………………………… Steve Babin Justina Simon Director of Sales ……………………………………………… Carolyn Stephenson Account Executives…………………………………………………… Noah Logan Marilyn Pinchock 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.
June 2022
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MANUFACTURING
Kohler Company Adds New Warehouse to Huntsville Facilties The city of Kohler in America’s Dairyland – Wisconsin – is known for its cheese and beer. But in the city of Kohler, it’s also home to a well-known name in kitchen and bath products. And golf. Kohler Co., founded in 1873 in its namesake city in the Badger State, is owner/operator of two five-star hospitality and golf resort destinations in Kohler and golf ’s birthplace at St. Andrews, Scotland. Kohler’s Whistling Straits golf course hosted the 43rd Ryder Cup in 2021. But Kohler’s calling card is the local company’s products that line shelves worldwide. Tuesday, May 10, it expanded its footprint in the Tennessee Valley. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the completion of what Kohler billed as a “state-of-theart’’ warehouse in Huntsville that will house STERLING Vikrell bath and shower fixtures.
The building was erected near Kohler’s existing manufacturing plant off Wall Triana Highway at 176 Cochran Road, which according to Kohler produces STERLING Vikrell products that are popular among the nation’s top single-family homebuilders, home improvement retailers, and a vast number of multi-family developers, plumbers, and remodelers. “In the past, our business has been constrained by a lack of warehouse storage, which challenged us in providing the level of consistent quick delivery our customers expect,” said Norb Schmidt, senior vice president-Kitchen & Bath Operations.
“The new warehouse and enhanced stocking strategy will greatly reduce lead times and improve delivery efficiency. We are pleased to expand our presence in Huntsville and Madison County and contribute to the local economy.’’ The warehouse totals 546,000 square feet. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included Kohler Co. CEO David Kohler, and Senior Vice President-HR, Stewardship & Sustainability Laura Kohler. Also present were Kohler associates, representatives of design-build contractor Burns & McDonnell and local officials including mayors Tommy Battle of Huntsville and Paul Finley of
By Mike Easterling / Photos courtesy of Kohler Company
Madson along with Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong. In a press release, Kohler said it has more than 50 manufacturing locations worldwide. The company is a global leader in the design, innovation and manufacture of kitchen and bath products; luxury cabinetry, tile and lighting; engines, generators and clean energy solutions. The company also develops solutions to address pressing issues, such as clean water and sanitation, for underserved communities around the world to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations. For more details, visit kohlercompany.com. w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
AEROSPACE
Blue Origin’s Overhaul of Historic NASA Test Stand Presented Challenge Longtime city residents will recognize the thundering sounds and the shaking of area structures when NASA’s historic 4670 Test Stand at Marshall Space Flight Center is once again ready to play a key role in the country’s space exploration. The 300-foot tall stand, first employed in 1965 to support the Apollo program’s Saturn V rocket and later in service for the Space Shuttle and RD-180 Atlas rockets into the coming decades, has been inactive since 1998. But 4670 will once again roar to life when Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’s space rocket venture, completes a refurbishment project of the stand through a deal with NASA. Boosters have been tested at MSFC as America gets ready to return to the Moon and beyond. But the rockets that will do the heavy lifting – BE-3U and BE-4 – have yet to be fired at 4670.
David Helderman, a Purdue University alum and aerospace engineer, is director of Alabama Test Operations for Blue Origin and leads the Test Stand 4670 Project. He said the BE-3U and BE-4 engines, which will support both Blue Origin’s New Glenn and United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan space flight vehicles, are on schedule for testing later this year. “The Saturn V was a seven-and-ahalf million pounds of thrust that was tested on the test stand, so that definitely shook windows and everything a long distance away,’’ Helderman said. “Then in the eighties, the space shuttle main engines and RD-180 were an order of magnitude much more powerful. “So that’s kind of what people often remember from the ’80s and ’90s. When we get into testing the BE-4 we’ll be at five hundred-and-fiftythousand pounds of thrust. So it’ll be loud and people will hear it, but it
won’t be near as loud as the Saturn V was back in the 60s.’’ Bob Smith, president of Blue
By Mike Easterling / Photos courtesy of NASA/Blue Origin
Origin, previously promised the company would “provide for the refurbishment, restoration and modernization of this piece of American history – and bring the sounds of rocket engines firing back to Huntsville.’’ Getting the stand back into shape is no small task. “The challenge that we’ve had is just dealing with the age of the test stand,’’ Helderman said. “Some parts of the test stand haven’t aged as well as others. We found some corroded steel and things like that that we’ve had to go into in-depth evaluation and then the re-
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AEROSPACE
pair or replacing in some cases some of those corroded steel members and things like that. “So by and large our biggest challenge was just dealing with the age
of the test stand and bringing it up to current standards and modernizing it.’’ According to Helderman, the 4670 team has embraced the history of the test stand since the start of the project. “One of the coolest things about this whole project is the history,’’ he said. “We love that we’re building our history on history. It’s a cool, long history of America’s Space Program. “I can tell you that the team out here, we love the history that goes with a test. And one of the big attractions for people to come work out here is being able to be a part of that history and carry on that legacy.’’ The BE-4 is the engine that engineers and explorers envision taking men, and women, to an eventual trip to the Red Planet and more. “This is the rocket that’s going to enable our vision of millions of peo-
ple living and working in space,’’ Helderman said. “That’s kind of the building block. It’s the first step of that situation that allows us to get a lot of things into space. “It’ll allow us to build a space station like an orbital reef and will allow us to put people back on the moon. It will enable many many things beyond that fundamentally. It’s the heavy lift vehicle that’s going to allow us to put all sorts of things in space, which will open up space to generations to come and many things we haven’t even thought of yet.’’ Helderman wouldn’t hesitate to live in space, or on Mars. “If I had the chance I would def-
initely go into space and I would I would live in pretty much anywhere in space as long as it was habitable,’’ he said. w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
AEROSPACE
Third Time’s the Charm: Boeing Starliner Heads to ISS After two failed previous attempts, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft successfully entered orbit on Thursday night after separating from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. An excited crowd gathered in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s exhibition hall for the viewing event. Prior to the countdown, guests explored the USSRC’s newest exhibit, “Planet Pioneers,” before settling in to watch the launch. Robert La Branche, Special Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer of the USSRC, acted as emcee for the event. During his remarks, La Branche noted that the OFT-2 marks the 675th launch of the ULA Atlas rocket and the 375th to launch from Cape Canaveral. As the Atlas rocket lifted off, the Huntsville audience erupted in loud cheers, followed by another with the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) separation milestone. Although two of Starliner’s thrusters didn’t fire as expected during the spacecraft’s orbital insertion burn and a backup failed after 25 seconds, redundancy failsafes kicked in, allowing
Starliner to complete the crucial burn without incident. The Starliner Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is the second uncrewed flight of the Starliner that will demonstrate the spacecraft’s human transportation capabilities. This test flight is the last major step before the Atlas V and Boeing’s Starliner capsule take American
astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Built in Decatur, the Atlas V Starliner configuration was modified specifically for the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft and does not include a standard payload fairing. Instead, the Starliner’s insulated surfaces take the place of the fairing to protect the uncrewed spacecraft during ascent. While this mission is uncrewed, it does contain a special passenger: “Rosie the Rocketeer,” Boeing’s first anthropometric test device. During OFT-1, Rosie was outfitted with 15 sensors to collect data on what astronauts will experience during crewed flights on Starliner. For OFT-2, spacecraft data ports previously connected to Rosie’s 15 body sensors will be used to collect data from sensors placed along the seat pallet, or the infrastructure that holds all crew seats in place. This test run will enable Starliner to maintain a proper center of gravity during ascent, docking, undocking, and landing. The Starliner spacecraft is scheduled
By Dawn Suiter / Photos courtesy of NASA/Joel Kowsky to dock to the ISS at 6:10 a.m. CST on Friday, May 20. The crew of Expedition 67 will open Starliner’s hatch about 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, May 21. Starliner is scheduled to depart the Space Station on Wednesday, May 25 and will land in the desert in the western U.S. Starliner carries with it over 500 lbs. of NASA cargo and crew supplies and will return to Earth with nearly 600 lbs. of cargo, including reusable Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) tanks that provide breathable air to station crew members. The tanks will be refurbished and returned to the station on a future flight. “I am so proud of the NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance teams who have worked so hard to see Starliner on its way to the International Space Station,” said NASA administrator Bill Nelson. “Through adversity, our teams have continued to innovate for the benefit of our nation and all of humanity. I look forward to a successful end-to-end test of the Starliner spacecraft, which will enable missions with astronauts aboard.” w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
DEFENSE
Huntsville Based Aerobotix Reaches 40th Installation for Missile Manufacturers with More to Come The Huntsville based robotic solutions and metrology company Aerobotix reached a significant landmark in its service to the missile manufacturing industry. On May 18, the company installed its 40th robotic system for the United States Defense Department. Over the course of recent months, Aerobotix has delivered robotic systems to support surge production at several missile manufacturing sites for various defense contractors. These robotic systems are supporting interceptor, cruise, air-to-air and hypersonic missile production on multiple levels. “Automation is often the smartest strategy when defense contractors really need to increase production,” said Ricky Schwartz, Principal Engineer at Aerobotix. “Contractors are realizing it’s time to ‘tech up.’ That’s
why we’ve now installed 40 robotic systems for U.S. missile manufacturing and are already on our way to No. 50.” His prediction to reach their 50th instillation could come sooner than expected given the increase in federal spending towards missile defense. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is seeking $9.6 billion in 2023 to expand defenses against increasingly complex missile threats. The MDA requested $8.9 billion in 2022, but received an additional $1.5 billion from Congress for a
total of $10.4 billion. Congress has now increased funding for the MDA for two years in a row, arguing that the agency hasn’t requested sufficient funds for it to meet the requirements of the National Defense Strategy. Industrial-grade robots integrated by Aerobotix are capable of providing more than 10 years of operation, or 60,000 hours, before major failure. This level of durability ensures contractors a strong return on investment and gives investors confidence that they can
By Noah Logan
answer the call for more product. Aerobotix robots also remove human workers from dangerous or difficult manufacturing environments, making the work environments safer. Aerobotix is actively working with these defense contractors to identify missile manufacturing processes that are best suited to the automation their installations provide. “Recent demand has focused around the automation of testing, scanning and quality operations,” explained Schwartz. “We’re able to transform these manual – and sometimes even subjective – inspections into fully-automated processes that just crank out products. Our robots can perform a perfect inspection every time and record the data so that the customer then has a digital twin of the missile.” w
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DEFENSE
Space Command’s Relocation Moves One Step Closer After DoD Report The decision to bring the U.S. Space Command, and with it Space Force, is getting closer to reality. A newly-released report from the Department of Defense (DoD) released a report confirming an investigation into the decision to relocate the country’s space headquarters from Colorado to Huntsville was proper. This comes despite objections from delegates representing several states who suggested the move was politically motivated. The Pentagon’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a statement asserting that the decision to move SPACECOM’s headquarters to the Rocket City was justified. While DoD validated the move based on watchdog reports, a second investigation into the decision by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that the choice of Huntsville was not politically motivated has not been disclosed. However, local and state officials are convinced the current report practically makes the move official. “This review confirmed what we knew all along,’’ Madison County Commision Chairman Dale Strong said in a statement. “The process for making this selection was fair and considered many factors – and at the end of that process Redstone Arsenal was always the clear winner for Space Command Headquarters. I hope we can now stop the second guessing and begin the real work to establish this new command here at Redstone.”
The decision to move SPACECOM from Colorado Springs to Huntsville was muddied when thenPersident Donald Trump said on a radio show that he “single-handedly’’ approved moving the space headquarters to Huntsville. The statement didn’t align with reports DoD and Air Force officials. “Space Force, I sent to Alabama,” Trump claimed in August, 2021. “I hope you know that. [They] said they were looking for a home and I singlehandedly said, ‘Let’s go to Alabama.’ They wanted it. I said, ‘Let’s go to Alabama.’ I love Alabama.” Military officials had backed keeping SPACECOM in Colorado, but other factors led to Huntsville being selected as the agency’s new home. “We found that the process Air Force officials used to select Huntsville, Alabama, as the preferred permanent location for the U.S. Space Command headquarters (USSPACECOM HQ) complied with law and policy, and was rea-
sonable in identifying Huntsville as the preferred permanent location,” said the release from the Pentagon’s Office of Inspector General. “We determined that, overall, the basing action process directed by the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) complied with Federal law and DoD policy, and the Air Force complied with the SECDEF’s requirements for the basing action.” The DoD report, released Tuesday, included a section where the Secretary of the Air Force reviewed “the Air Force Basing Office’s analysis of the criteria of ‘Childcare,’ ‘Housing Affordability,’ and ‘Access to Military/ Veteran Support’ in the final location for U.S Space Command’s headquarters was also included, with Huntsville still remaining the preferred location. “This is good news and reaffirms what I have already known to be true: that the Air Force selected Huntsville based on merit and that Huntsville is the best place for Space Command to call home,” tweeted U.S Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Alabama). Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth applauded the report that determined the best site for headquartering SPACECOM was sound and the selection of Huntsville over other locations was justified. “For the past several years, the Alabama Military Stability Commission has worked hard to make our state the nation’s friendliest and most welcoming for active and retired
By Mike Easterling / Photos courtesy of U.S. Space Command military families alike,” Ainsworth said. “From professional licensing reciprocity to school choice options to access to well-paying, long-lasting 21st Century jobs, Alabama is continuing to fill the needs of service members and their dependents.” According to breakingdefense. com, Huntsville placed first in metrics used in different studies that suggested SPACECOM would be better suited “way down south.’’ But, while Redstone Arsenal was picked over SPACECOM’s current home at Peterson Space Force Base and four other finalists, the process might not be over. Michael Roark, OIG deputy inspector general for evaluations, told Breaking Defense that the OIG did not address the question of where SPACECOM HQ should be based; rather it reviewed the adequacy of the process vis-a-vis Defense Department and Air Force rules, and its implementation. “We do believe there are some things that need to be finalized,’’ Roark told Breaking Defense, “before the final decision is made.” If that decision is finalized as expected, construction of a new SPACECOM headquarters at Redstone Arsenal will begin in 2023 pending an environmental study. Unless the GOA investigation uncovers information to contradict the DoD report the environmental study is expected to be the last step in finalizing the relocation. w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
COVER COVER S
A Dream Realized: Huntsville Internation
By Dawn Suiter / Photos cour It’s official! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued its long-anticipated license to the Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority to operate the Huntsville International Airport (HSV) as a commercial space reentry site. The license will permit the airport to become a landing site for Sierra Space Dream Chaser vehicles returning from future NASA resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS). The Reentry Site Operator License is valid for five years. The reentry license application was submitted by Huntsville International Airport in November 2021, with FAA approval contingent upon the outcome of a lengthy evaluation process involving both environmental and safety reviews. Those reviews revealed that there will be no significant environmental impact as a result of the Dream Chaser’s use of HSV as a landing site. Criteria included air space, noise, historical preservation, wildlife, and impact to waterways within the anticipated reentry trajectory of the vehicle. The same Final Environmental Assessment findings apply to Sierra Space’s proposal to conduct up to eight reentry operations at the airport between 2023 and 2027. This accomplishment is a long time coming–the concept of a space vehicle landing site in Huntsville came about in 2014 with a consortium of public and private partners including Huntsville International Airport, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Sierra Space, RS&H, the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, the cities of Madison and Huntsville, UAH, the Military Stability Foundation, and the State of Alabama. “We are excited about this next step in landing the DreamChaser in Huntsville and for the possibilities it brings to the science, research and space communities. Going forward, Teledyne will be involved in developing DreamChaser missions that engage the engineers, scientists, researchers, and facilities in the Huntsville area,” said Reggie Spivey, VP of Space Sys-
tems at Teledyne Brown Engineering. The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber identified landing the Dream Chaser as one of three pillars of the commercial space strategy it developed in 2016. Its efforts included the sponsorship of competitions with the European Space Agency, industry and academic workshops, exhibitions at the National Space Symposium and Space Tech Expo Europe, and a panel discussion on microgravity research and development at South by Southwest (SXSW) earlier this year. “Huntsville has propelled us into another historic first for our state with the award of the commercial space vehicle reentry license for Huntsville International Airport,” said Gov. Kay Ivey. “We appreciate the collaboration exhibited by our public and private partners to make this a reality.” Mayor Battle sees great potential for scientific advancement as the result of this development: “This decision expands our science and biological experiments in space. We can send projects up and imme-
diately get results upon landing. This opens many doors for our local and national companies in their ability to efficiently conduct scientific experiments in space and react on those findings,” Battle said. Battle also noted the benefits of its proximity to local university research departments, which will now be able to immediately access experiments returning from space. Although the obtaining of the FAA license is specific to Dream Chaser, this proof of concept supports other space reentry vehicles, each of which will require additional FAA licensing.
Sierra Space has been awarded six missions by NASA to resupply the ISS via uncrewed vehicles and is pursuing the Reentry Vehicle License, which is anticipated to be submitted in June of 2022, with landings beginning as soon as next year. “This is a significant milestone for Huntsville International and for our community in the pursuit of landing a commercial space vehicle right here in Rocket City U.S.A.,” said Mark McDaniel, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Port of Huntsville/Huntsville International Airport. “That’s going to be an exciting day, not just for the Airport but for the talented and dedicated partners in this effort.” The addition of Huntsville International Airport as the newest spaceport will bring the national total to 13: Currently, the U.S. has 12 FAA-licensed commercial spaceports in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia. While it isn’t the first spaceport location in the nation, Huntsville stands out in another way: it has the unique distinction of being the first commercial airport granted an FAA license to land a commercial space vehicle. In addition, it’s one of only two reentry sites in the nation (the other is the Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) in Cape Canaveral.
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STORY STORY
nal to Be Newest Commercial Spaceport
rtesy of NASA & Sierra Space
The Dream Chaser vehicle will be carried into space as payload on a vertically-launched United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. “ULA is proud to be partnering with Sierra Space to launch Dreamchaser on our next-generation Vulcan rocket,” said Dan Caughran, Vice President, Production Operations and Supply Chain. “As the nation’s premier launch service provider with more than 145 launches with 100 percent mission success, we are honored to call Alabama home to our 1.6 million square foot manufacturing facility located in Decatur.” Because HSV does not support vertical launches, they will take place at another site such as Cape Canaveral.
The Dream Chaser will deliver up to 5,500 kilograms of pressurized and unpressurized cargo to the International Space Station (ISS), as well as offering disposal services over the open ocean via a transport vehicle that can separate from the main vehicle and burn up safely in the Earth’s atmosphere. The Dream Chaser vehicle’s reentry trajectories from orbit will be predetermined, dependent on specific missions being flown. The vehicle will reenter the Earth’s atmosphere from the south with high atmospheric overflight of the southwestern U.S. or Central American countries before landing at HSV. It will remain above 60,000 feet altitude for the majority of the overflight of
Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama before descending below 60,000 feet altitude approximately 10 to 20 miles from HSV prior to landing on the 10,006-foot-long Runway 18L/36R, circled in yellow on the aerial image of HSV. It may look something like a pareddown version of the Space Shuttle, but the Dream Chaser is in a class of its own. Like the Space Shuttle, it’s a lifting body spacecraft with a fixed-wing configuration in which the fuselage itself produces lift, acting as a wing. It is also reusable, able to fly at least 15 missions. While the Space Shuttle endured 1.7 Gs during reentry, however, the Dream Chaser has a slightly gentler atmospheric entry of 1.5 Gs and is designed for landing on a commercial runway. Also unlike the Space Shuttle, the Dream Chaser has completely autonomous launch, flight, and landing capabilities that do not require a pilot. Because Dream Chaser carries relatively safe propellant, technicians can approach it quickly after landing. The back of the plane opens, providing rapid access to cargo. This is key for science experiments meant to operate in microgravity, which need to be retrieved as soon as possible for study. According to Sierra Space representative Alex Walker, the first Dream Chaser, named Tenacity, is an autonomous, uncrewed cargo version of the spaceplane that will fulfill resupply missions to the ISS under its CRS-2 contract with NASA. A crewed version is currently in the design phase. “Our goal is to build a fleet of uncrewed and crewed Dream Chaser spaceplanes that will transport cargo and people to multiple low Earth orbit destinations, with the ability to land on any compatible commercial runway anywhere in the world,” Walker said. Huntsville’s future as a commercial spaceport rides on the shoulders of a long history of growth and development. It has undergone major renovation and expansion projects over its more than 50-year history and is the largest cargo-handling airport in Ala-
bama with services to Mexico, Europe, and Hong Kong. The FAA’s Airport Improvement Program has been instrumental in the growth of Huntsville International Airport, awarding over $135 million in grants for improvements between 2007 and 2016. In 2018, Senator Richard Shelby announced that HSV would receive a $29.1 million federal discretionary grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation to complete construction of Taxiway “C,” a 10,000 foot taxiway running parallel to Runway 18L/36R. HSV received another $10,426,057 in grant funding for additional runway, taxiway, and lighting improvements in 2019, with work completed on Taxiway “C” in November 2020. December 2021 brought the completion of a $23.5 million, 2.5-mile runway long enough to allow large cargo planes to depart and land at the airport, making it the second-longest in the Southeastern U.S. According to its 2020 Master Plan Final Technical Report, Huntsville International seeks to become a major airline hub over the next twenty years. Because the study anticipates significant increase in Huntsville air traffic in the future, the plan includes possible land acquisitions in Limestone County to the west of County Line Road, which will enable the addition of new runways and possibly a second terminal as well as the expansion of all existing runways to accommodate larger aircraft such as the Boeing 747-8. At the time of the Master Plan’s publication, “Dream Chaser landing site” was just a goal on the airport’s to-do list. Now that it’s becoming reality, its development as a commercial spaceport will open the door to new economic and scientific opportunities for the area, including not just mission support and R&D but also increased tourism to the Huntsville/ Madison area. “Our community continues to work together to accomplish incredible things, and this is another example,” stated Madison Mayor Paul Finley. w
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ENTERTAINMENT
Local Feature Films Dark Entities and God of Dreams Exhibit Changing Film Industry in Huntsville The movie and film industry might not be the first thing that comes to mind when discussing the various thriving industries that are currently shaping Huntsville. But in a city that is often defined by engineers and rocket scientists, a new wave of award winning filmmakers are ushering in a new era for the film industry. For much of its history, most movies or films produced in Huntsville were either very small or educational in nature. Katherine Johnson, Executive Director of Sheepshed Entertainment, elaborated on this in a recent interview with the Huntsville Business Journal. “In the North Alabama region, there are probably between a dozen and two dozen feature films produced a year. Almost all of them are in the horror genre because they’re financially cheaper to make,” Johnson explained. “There is a small amount of reality TV like House Hunters and we also have a lot of government training films that get made every year at the Redstone Arsenal.” She also explained that the reason places like north Georgia, with similar terrain, can get more large film productions is because other states provide many more incentives for production companies. “I’ve never worked on a feature film in Alabama ever since I lived here. Alabama does not have a good incentive program. The incentives, mostly tax breaks and kickbacks depending on the budget, are much more appealing in states like Georgia and Florida for larger productions,” she informed. Despite the lack of incentives, Sheepshed Entertainment films around 3-4 narrative projects a year in Huntsville. Their biggest project to date is an unnamed spy sitcom that is currently in post-production. Johnson made eight, thirty minute episodes during the COVID pandemic that she plans to sell to a streaming platform as a platform original. Johnson won “Best Director of a Short Film” at the 2021 International Christian Film Festival for her film
“Choice.” Sheepshead Entertainment also won “Best Fantasy Film” at the 2022 Pensacon Short Film Festival for their project, “The Center of Physical Therapy for Questing Gentlefolk.” Johnson and Sheepshed Entertainment are not the only Huntsville filmmakers to win awards for recent projects produced in the city. Johnson acknowledges this when expressing her optimism for the Huntsville feature film industry going forward. “I think it’s already growing. The people who are making marketable feature films that are of high quality and are going to festivals and theatres are on the increase. And the more
people we have locally that are able to work on either others projects, the stronger we all get as filmmakers and it benefits the industry as a whole,” Katherine explained. Huntsville native Jurian Isabelle produced his sci-fi thriller, God of Dreams, in Huntsville and is now getting ready to showcase his project in Miami after being nominated for Best Narrative Feature at the American Black Film Festival. Isabelle can win up to $2,500 if the film wins in that category and is also eligible to compete for the John Singleton Award for Best First Feature presented by Netflix, which offers a $5,000 cash prize.
By Noah Logan Photos courtesy of Brandon McLemore & Jurian Isabelle
God of Dreams is currently available for viewing on Amazon Prime. In an interview with HBJ, Isabelle explained why Huntsville’s tradition of innovation lends itself to independent filmmakers to grow and thrive. “Huntsville is a hotbed of technology and the era of innovation is constantly around us. I have traveled to other, bigger cities to shoot if I really need the location but I love shooting in Huntsville and I’ve never felt the need to leave Huntsville in order to become a filmmaker.” His words are backed up by the quality of his work. God of Dreams was received positively by prominent movie review websites such as FilmThreat. In the websites review, they write, “God of Dreams is a low-budget science-fiction indie film worthy of our support as an alternative to the big studio schlock. Isabelle managed to build a world worthy of the genre with basically no money. Isabelle produces some pretty dark and stark images in the end. His messaging is also on point. As an emerging Black filmmaker, he hits on topics of race without ever having to bring it up directly.” Another feature film that was shot
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ENTERTAINMENT
The main character of Dark Entities is played by local actress Elena Ontiveros, who also played a role in Isabelle’s God of Dreams. She offered her insight on what it was like to shoot two feature films in Huntsville and her thoughts on the industry’s future in the city. “My experiences Picture from L to R: Brandon McLemore - Writer/Director, Warren filming both Dark McLemore - Director of Photography, Hailey Beard - production assistant Entities and God of and set in Huntsville, Dark Entities, Dreams were far more professional than one would ever expect coming is set to premier at Bridge Street’s from Huntsville, AL. Even though I Cinemark Theatres at the end of May. was filming two films that were comDirected by Brandon McLemore, Dark Entities is a Supernatural thrill- plicated in the sense that one was a er set in Huntsville, Alabama in 1977. horror film, and one was a dystopian It follows three siblings who, after a sci-fi film, the atmosphere on both tragic accident, move into the mys- sets was well coordinated and safe, which was huge considering both terious home they inherited. They were filmed during the pandemic,” discover the house holds dark secrets Ontiveros explained. that seek to threaten everything they She continued, “Dark Entities hold dear. Tickets are on sale now for the premiere at Bridge Street on Sat- was a blast because it was all local actors that you’ve seen in local shows urday, May 28th.
Picture from L to R: Jenni Wood, actress playing Doctor MacNeil, Elena Ontiveros actress playing Vera Winters, Hailey Beard - production assistant, Brandon McLemore - Writer/Director
filming a horror film with all practical stunts. It was a small, well bonded cast, which is very important since the film centers around a family and their experiences in a haunted house.” When asked her view on the film industry as a whole in Huntsville, Ontiveros echoed the same opti-
mism that Katherine Johnson shared. “The Huntsville film industry is always growing and evolving. Every single day, I discover a new group in Huntsville that is filming short films, series, or feature films. Huntsville is filled with ambitious creatives who are ready to put it on the map, and I believe we will.” w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
ENTERTAINMENT
All Roads Lead to Huntsville: The Orion Amphitheater Welcome to The Orion Amphitheater: community members, area visitors, and especially lovers of high caliber live music. In 2018, when the venue group (tvg) met with Mayor Tommy Battle and City Administrator John Hamilton, as part of the submittal process for public applications for a new entertainment venue, the trajectory was yet to be determined. In review of the past four years, it has been quite an interesting ride in laying the groundwork for The Orion Amphitheater. Once the plans were finalized and sketched out, the path was obstructed by a worldwide pandemic, a globally shared experience. That road is now in the rearview mirror. What lies ahead is cause for celebration, with many amazing live music events to be part of Huntsville’s new future. As grounds crew members added the final touches in preparation for The First Waltz, the weather was nothing short of spectacular, despite the
temperature quickly creeping up into the 90s by midday. By the time the show began, there was a gentle breeze and the temperature dropped just enough to make it a pleasantly memorable concert-going experience. The ceremonial ribbon cutting officially served as the official kickoff to the big weekend. Along with Ben Lovett, CEO for tvg, and Ryan Murphy, General Manager for The Orion, there was an enthusiastic cadre of
media professionals on hand, along with board members, members of the Chamber, local stakeholders, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and City Administrator John Hamilton. The First Waltz signifies the grand opening weekend for The Orion. Three days filled with live music and featuring some of the best of the best in local, regional, and national performing artists. Performers include Emmylou Harris, Jason Isbill and the
By Lori J. Connors Photos by Lori J. Connors 400 Unit, along with many others. The Huntsville Classic, featuring Jake Owen served as a pre-test. By all accounts, The Classic, Huntsville Hospital’s annual signature fundraiser was a resounding success. The enthusiastic turnout helped to build groundswell and momentum for The First Waltz weekend. What has been said before and is now part of public record continues to resonate with Lovett. And it was worth reiterating. “We worked for about 6 months in 2018 to kind of explain why we would be the right people standing in front of you here today,” said Lovett. “For all of us who have spent many years in the music industry working as promoters, venue managers, festival organizers, artist management, and artists we have found ourselves here. With this unique exhilarating agility to work all of the community that’s hungry to make their mark in the word of culture.” w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
BANKING / FINANCIAL
United Community Bank Acquires Huntsville’s Progress Bank After 14 successful years of banking within and around the Huntsville community, Progress Financial Corporation announced recently that the bank was officially acquired by United Community Bank. This merger agreement, where United will acquire Progress, was executed in an all-stock transaction with an aggregate value of approximately $271.5 million, or $23.52 per share of Progress common stock, based on United’s closing stock price of $30.55 as of May 3, 2022. Progress Bank, founded and headquartered in Huntsville, has a total of 14 locations spread across both Alabama and Florida, including Birmingham, Daphne, and Tuscaloosa in Alabama and Destin, Panama City, and Santa Rosa Beach along the Florida Panhandle. Each location is strategically focused on a high-growth market located in the southeast. As of late March of this year, Progress Bank had total assets of around $1.9 billion, total loans of $1.3 billion, and total deposits of $1.7 billion. Apart from traditional banking services, Progress Bank also offers expert wealth management and private banking through Progress Financial Services, a division of Progress Bank, which holds around
David Nast, President and CEO Progress Bank / Photo by Steve Babin
By Gus Wintzell Photo courtesy of Progress Bank
“The merger represents a market expansion play; there will be little to no overlap with employees and Progress will be able to retain the same faces that have served the Huntsville community for more than a decade,”
$1.2 billion in assets. Currently, United’s total assets are around $24.4 billion with 189 offices in five states. With the merger, United’s overall assets will increase to $26.3 billion, with around 200 offices in seven states. Led by President and CEO David Nast, Progress Bank has been an active member within the community of Huntsville and a major part of Huntsville’s growing economy over the past few years. In an interview with the Huntsville Business Journal, Nast confirmed that Progress Bank leadership will be easily integrated throughout the merger process. “We are very positive about United’s approach about integrating all of our people. The majority of the senior management team will stay on board, and continue to run important markets for the bank. What this does is creates opportunities more than anything,” said Nast. United brings a geographic model of leadership to their markets. What this means is that Nast will shift to acting as a State President of Alabama, including the Florida panhandle locations. In the same interview with the Huntsville Business Journal, United Community Bank CEO Lynn Harton urged customers to understand that little responsibility will change with this geographic model.
“It’s just how we do things here at United. It has worked for us in the past, and will benefit both Progress bank customers and employees greatly,” Harton added. In a statement, Both United Community Bank and Progress Bank urged customers to continue
banking as normal. “The merger represents a market expansion play; there will be little to no overlap with employees and Progress will be able to retain the same faces that have served the Huntsville community for more than a decade,” stated Harton in an interview with the Huntsville Business journal.
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BANKING / FINANCIAL
Lynn Harton, United Community Bank CEO
According to both Harton and Nast, business will be as usual for customers in Huntsville. Progress will be able to maintain all branches, including the two under construction in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and in Panama City, Florida.
“If you look at United’s expansion, we are trying to build a great bank, and our measures of success are being a great place for great people to work and having the best customer services in any market we are active within,” “There will be no impact on customers being served,” added Nast. When asked about the reason for choosing Progress Bank, Harton argued that Huntsville’s customers and the city’s market were the key factors in United’s decision. “If you look at United’s expansion, we are trying to build a great bank, and our measures of success are being a great place for great people to work and having the best customer services in any market we are active within,” said Lynn. “What we have tried to do is put our banks within high-growth markets. To put it frankly, it’s easier to swim downstream than it is to swim upstream. And so, we looked first at the markets in Huntsville, Bir-
mingham, and the [Florida] Panhandle. Second, it was the culture. United simply shares a lot of the same banking culture as Progress.” Nast agreed, stating that because the culture and goals of the two banks aligned so well, the transition would be easy from both of the banks’ point of view, as well as for the customers in Huntsville. “The Banks’ cultures are very similar,” said Nast. “None of our lines of business will go away. And, what’s most important is that the transition will be easy on our employees. We believe that, to take care of our customers, we need to take care of the employees. These are the faces that are working with Huntsivlle customers and Huntsville businesses.” “Simply put, customers bank with people,” Harton agreed. Apart from familiar faces, the merger also provides added benefits for Huntsville customers. According to Harton, one of the best added bonuses comes from their partnership model used during consultation on the commercial side of banking. Apart from Huntsville customers utilizing the same employees and bank representatives that they have used for years, United offers the ability to add a subject-matter-expert on whatever line of business is being covered. In this way, Progress Bank will offer Huntsville customers the same bankers, and the same experience, with the added bonus to more integrated expertise. The merger agreement was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both Progress and United, with the merger expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022. For more information, or to contact your local Progress team with any questions regarding the merger announcement, please visit https:// www.myprogressbank.com/ w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
FOOD / DINING
ChurchStreet Family Debuts New Wines While Continuing to Build on its Brand As the husband-and-wife driving force behind the ChurchStreet Family Hospitality Group, Matthew and Stephanie Mell truly have the gift. Every dining concept that the dynamic duo presents to the area has been golden, thus providing a solid boost to Huntsville’s assortment of quality dining options. With a buffet platter filled with a host of uniquely distinct dining and beverage ventures, it is no surprise that there is intention behind every ChurchStreet Family concept. From the select menu items to the structural design and interiors of the buildings, it’s well-thought out, well-designed, and it carries with it personal meaning and historical significance. Even the promotional pieces and the eye-grabbing logos created by graphic designer extraordinaire Adriane Van Kirk; all of it succinctly captures each venue’s distinct vibe, saying it all without saying a word. That alone,
By Lori J Connors Photos by Lori J. Connors
“It is an honor to be the US Ambassadors for this exciting Australian wine, knowing they could’ve chosen anyone in the US to represent their brand and they chose us is humbling, we do not take this trust lightly.”
is pure genius. It all began in 2014, with the Mell’s first venture, ChurchStreet Wine Bar & Bottle Shoppe in downtown Huntsville. ChurchStreet Wine Bar boasts a comprehensive inventory of over 1,000 wines from all over the world, including brands that are not available anywhere else. The walls are
filled with bottles of wine and amazing art, and for the past eight years, it has been the go-to for its selection of wines, beers, and tapas bar. Because of ChurchStreet Wine Bar’s reputation for its seemingly infinite and exclusive selections of wines, along with its proven trackrecord for successfully introducing
and launching new wines, they were recently selected by Australian wine producer’ A Grower’s Touch to debut their wines for the very first time ever in the United States. The rollout dovetailed with the grand opening of ChurchStreet Wine Bar & Bottle Shoppe’s second location in Providence Main. “We were so excited to be chosen to introduce A Grower’s Touch wine,” said the Mells. “It is an honor
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FOOD / DINING
Stephanie Mell, owner of ChurchStreet Wine Bar & Bottle Shoppe
to be the US Ambassadors for this exciting Australian wine, knowing they could’ve chosen anyone in the US to represent their brand and they chose us is humbling, we do not take this trust lightly.” Established in 1997, A Growers Touch focuses on the production of more traditional varietals. To epitomize their slogan, “Birthed from the Earth & Raised by Hand,” the label art on the bottles are photos of the hands of the growers that were involved in producing the wines. And then there were eight. Like facets on a diamond, each concept is unique. Along with the two Church-
Street Wine Bar & Bottle Shoppes, there’s Purveyor, offering the ultimate in bourbon, steak, and fine dining experiences and PourHouse at the Stovehouse, a corner-free, comfortably swanky bar in the round. Mazzara’s Vinoteca offers authentically traditional Italian fare - all in an enchantingly renovated historical building on Gates Avenue. Catacomb435 is their underground speakeasy concept that harkens to the Prohibition era. Generating an aura of danger and mystery, Catacomb435 requires a reservation and is accessible by password only. Sea Salt urban Oyster bar
on Clinton Avenue brings the beach to the downtown area by serving up fresh oysters and an assortment of other seafood. Along with a wide variety of cocktails, Sea Salt also has 24 beers on tap. The ChurchStreet Family’s newest gem is Famous Eleanors. As a
concept housed within Rocket Republic in downtown Huntsville, the restaurant’s name is a loving nod to all the famous women associated with rocket science, space, and aviation who just happened to be named Eleanor. It’s also the name of Matthew Mell’s grandmother. w
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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL
SMALL BUSINESS
Location, Location, Location: Starting Your Small Business This is part of a multi-part series that will help prospective entrepreneurs to develop the tools they need for a successful business venture. Additional stories in the series can be read on the Huntsville Business Journal website. Now that you have your roadmap established for starting your new business, it’s time for the next step: pinning your future business’s location on the map. As any commercial real estate broker can tell you, location is critical, and this is especially true for a small business. Although this is an exciting component of starting a business, there are a number of factors to consider during this stage of the process. If you already have a place in mind, it’s important to determine whether that particular location is suited to your business. Questions to ask include: • Do the demographics of this location match my target market? • Does this location match my business brand? In other words, will my business feel like it belongs or will it seem out of place in the surrounding environment? • How do the costs of operating a business in this location compare to other locations in the area? • What are the local zoning ordinances of this location? • What is the tax environment like for this particular location?
• Are there any special local or federal government incentives available for locating my business in a certain place? For example, you may qualify for preferential access to federal procurement opportunities under the Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program. • Will there be sufficient parking for my needs?
• Will this location be easy for my vendors, suppliers, and customers to access? • Does this location offer specific features I need, such as a drivethrough window, great signage, a discreet location, etc.? • Is this a safe location to do business? According to developer and Commercial Real Estate Broker D.
By Dawn Suiter
Scott McLain, CCIM of Coldwell Banker Commercial McLain Real Estate, a competent commercial broker will help a person or company with all of these questions. McLain stated that while the City of Huntsville can provide information on zoning, flood conditions, traffic access, and a few other governmental matters, “the other issues are market based, and someone that works in the market and understands the business and market is best able to help ensure a good decision.” According to McLain, this information is diverse and specific to the particular user. Because of the unique nature of each case, therefore, it is important to provide as much information as possible in order to take full advantage of professional expertise. “Conveying to an expert all the criteria of the business is needed to empower that expert to make recommendations. The expert needs to ask these questions, understand the business and needs, and then find solutions in the marketplace,” McLain explained. Once you’ve found the right location for your business, it’s time to start thinking about another critical question: what legal structure will be best for your new company? We’ll cover this in the next installment of our guide to starting a successful small business. w
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RECOGNITIONS Local Wealth Manager Named to 2022 Forbes Best-in-State, Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Lists Forbes recently announced that Shari Burnum, CEO of Investor’s Resource located in Madison, has been recognized on both the Forbes Best-inState Wealth Advisors and the Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors in the state of Alabama. The Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors awards help to level the playing field between states with large, affluent populations and others, such as Alabama, that do not. When comparing the online lists of these two award categories, the Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State award is an even smaller list of women than the Best-in-State. “It is an honor to be validated for business and personal excellence. Forbes states that their methodology includes both the number of assets managed by an advisor and qualitative factors such as quality client relationships and business practices,” says Shari Burnum, CEO of Investor’s Resource. For Burnum, these awards also help her stand out in a field often dominated by male advisors. “To be a female advisor in a male-dominated field and be recognized by Forbes is quite an honor. None of this would be possible without our Investor’s Resource local team and our relentless commitment to meeting the lifetime changing needs of our clients,” says Burnum. For more information, please contact Shari Burnum at shari@invresource.com
ServisFirst Bank Huntsville Announces Newest Senior Vice President, Private Banking Officer ServisFirst Bank, a subsidiary of ServisFirst Bancshares, has announced the promotion of DeLynn Gower to Senior Vice President, Private Banking Officer for ServisFirst Bank Huntsville. Prior to the announcement, Gower has worked with ServisFirst Bank for around sixteen years, where she served as the Client Service Representative, Assistant Branch Manager, and a few key positions within the Private Banking Department. “DeLynn has worked for ServisFirst Bank since we started our Huntsville bank in 2006 as part of our original retail group,” states Andy Kattos, ServisFirst Bank Huntsville Executive Vice President and Regional CEO. “She has consistently demonstrated a superior work ethic combined with an abundance of talent and experience. DeLynn has always had a positive attitude and works well with her teammates including working jointly on prospective and existing clients with our commercial banking officers.” Overall, Gower brings twenty-five years of banking experience to her new role as Senior Vice President, Private Banking Officer. Gower is also very adjective within the Huntsville community, such as with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild and the Madison County Medical Society’s Practice Managers Roundtable. She is also a member of Women in Defense and a graduate of Leadership Huntsville Class 29. For more information regarding DeLynn Gower as Senior Vice President, Private Banking Officer for ServisFirst Bank Huntsville, please contact Krista Conlin, Krista@KCProjects.net. For more about ServisFirst Bank, please visit www.servisfirstbank.com
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