HBJ Feb 2023 issue

DEFENSE

Deltek Reveals Research on 2023 Contract Marketing Trends

Deltek recently shared business development trends that its GovWin IQ research team predictions will make the greatest impact on the U.S. federal, SLED (state, local and education), and Canadian government contracting markets in 2023.

By Ashlyn Grey - Page 6

EDUCATION

UAH College of Business Receives $100K Gift from Bryant Bank

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, announced that Bryant Bank has made a $100K gift to the UAH College of Business (COB).

By Russell Nelson - Page

19

ADDITIONAL STORIES

• Sit Down With Success: A Conversation with Bo Ryals

By Gus Wintzell • Page 3

• Jack Collison Brings International Playing Experience as Huntsville City Football Club's First Manager

By Noah Logan • Page 5

• UAH Graduate Student on Team That Finds Hidden Midsize Monster Black Hole in Dwarf Galaxy

By Jim Steele • Page 16

• Crestwood Announces First Freestanding Emergecny Room in North Alabama

By Gus Wintzell • Page 18

Applications Live for Second Annual Singing River Trail Launch Tank Business Competition

Building off the tremendous success of the first program, Launch2035 is thrilled to announce the second annual Singing River Trail Launch Tank.

Applicants with big ideas, community solutions, and emerging business endeavors may apply online now. The finale event, which is open to the public, will take place on March 20, 2023 at Athens State University.

“We are very excited to bring this marquee event to Limestone County to not only show off our community and entrepreneurial ecosystem but to highlight entrepreneurship and regional collaboration throughout North Alabama,” said Pammie Jimmar, Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce President and Singing River Trail Launch Tank event cochair.

The inaugural event, held in March 2022, received over forty applications from creators and entrepreneurs across eight different north Alabama counties.

Over $20,000 and other prizes were awarded to nine finalists. The grand prize winner, Fellows Faith Enterprises, received $5,000 in cash and E-Center coaching support, angel investor meeting and mentoring, BCA membership waived for one year, possibility of $100,000 credit line through TARCOG, HR consulting package by Spur, and Alabama Launchpad application fee waived.

Singing River Trail Launch Tank is a collaborative initiative between Singing River Trail and the Launch2035 Entrepreneurship pillar.

The program is organized by regional leadership from collaborating agencies including The Decatur/Morgan County Entrepreneurial Center, Urban Engine, The Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Athens State University, Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce, Shoals Business Incubator, and Visit North Alabama.

“The first pitch competition demonstrated the true power and potential of regionalism for people across North Alabama. The number of applicants, interesting and exciting pitches, and collaboration from different county stakeholders highlighted the fact that when we work together toward a unified goal, our entire region benefits,” said John Joseph IV, Launch2035

Entrepreneurship CoChair.

The Singing River Trail Launch Tank is open to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs of any business type but must reside within the eight counties encompassed by the Singing River Trail footprint: Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison Marshall, and Morgan counties.

“This is your chance to be part of something big and make a positive difference. Like Singing River Trail itself, the Singing River Trail Launch Tank competition offers a unique opportunity to be a part of something that we can all be proud of as we work

By Gus Wintzell /

Trail

together to make North Alabama a better place to live, work, and play,” said John Kvach, Executive Director of the Singing River Trail.

The application period is now open and will close on February 24.

To learn more and apply, visit: http://launch2035.org/launch-tank. w

Photos courtesy of Singing River

"The 2022 Singing River Trail Contestants line-up for a photo before final judging"

A Conversation with Bo Ryals

Sit Down With Success is a feature of the Huntsville Business Journal on entrepreneurs and their keys to success. To read the full story, please visit the Huntsville Business Journal Website.

From a very early age, Bo Ryals always wanted to innovate. Born and raised in Huntsville, Bo had the backdrop of a city where the success of entrepreneurs and small businesses reverberated throughout the Tennessee Valley.

After graduating from Grissom High School, Bo went on to pursue a degree in Commerce and Business Administration with a focus on Management from the University of Alabama. After college, Bo spent a few years working in Nashville before he returned to his hometown.

His experience in college, combined with his desire to simply help entrepreneurs and businesses grow, brought him back to Huntsville. In 2014, Bo co-founded Decisive Intelligence, Inc. with his wife Ashley

Ryals. Early on, Decisive Intelligence focused on helping local small and medium sized businesses with recruitment.

Would you consider yourself an entrepreneur?

Yes I would. From a very young age, I have always thought of different ways to create products or to improve them. This quality is what I think is a core element of being an entrepreneur. There is a constant desire to innovate that really has defined how I have worked over the past few years.

If I see a product I want to improve, I try my best to push myself and my ideas to the next level, which is what entrepreneurship is all about for me.

What’s your favorite thing about being a business owner?

There’s a lot of advantages to being a business owner. For one, there’s flexibility. Having the opportunity to control my day is really important to

me. If I want to throw around a football with my eldest son, I can do that before I do some work to wind down in the evening. If I want to pick up my boys from school, I can.

What advice would you give to someone considering starting their own business?

Be prepared, but don’t be afraid. Don’t focus on perfection. Perfection is not possible when it comes to owning your own business, because starting a business, innovating products, and pursuing your ideas can and will get messy. You might not ever launch if you are too focused on the “perfect” time, because there really is not ever going to be a truly perfect time.

Also, do not take no for an answer. Find ways to adapt and to innovate. If you have an idea, and it really can help people, it deserves another shot.

What would you say is the secret to your success?

By Gus Wintzell /

Babin

I am a people person. It’s always how I have operated. My secret is that I genuinely focus on people and relationships. If you genuinely care about your customers and your people, they will always take care of you.

That’s really core at Decisive Intel. We want the best for everybody, which is one of the main reasons that we started the business in the first place. Nothing happens, especially in Huntsville, without building relationships. w

Photo by Steve

President /Publisher

Subsidiary of EVENT Publishing

Todd Stephenson

Editor Gus Wintzell

Writers

Contributing Writers ………………………………………

Graphic Design

Ashlyn Grey

Marie Johnson

Noah Logan

Jenn Memolo

Alexander Duck

Scott Harbour

Dawn Suiter

Justina Simon

Website Jim Gharib

Photographers

Steve Babin

Justina Simon

Director of Sales …………………………………… Carolyn Stephenson

Distribution …………………………………………………… Glenda Mace

Huntsville Business Journal is published monthly by EVENT Publishing, PO Box 14219, Huntsville, AL 35815. For advertising information call 256.533.8078, e-mail todd@eventhuntsville.com, or visit us on the web at www.huntsvillebusinessjournal.com

For editorial information contact editor@huntsvillebusinessjournal.com

ALL CONTENTS ©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.

Jack Collison Brings International Playing Experience as Huntsville City Football Club’s First Manager

Jack Collison was officially announced as the first ever head coach for the Huntsville City Football Club (HCFC) on Wednesday, January 18th.

The former Premier League player from West Ham United was introduced at Joe Davis Stadium where the club will play its home games Collison joins HCFC after two seasons coaching Atlanta United FC 2. Before coaching Atlanta 2, Collison helped develop young talent as the head coach of the club’s U-17 Academy team.

with a plus 34 goal differential from 2019-21.

Collison began his coaching career in 2015 with Peterborough’s Academy, Peterborough, UK. In 2017, he returned to his playing club, West Ham United, where he coached the U-14, U-16 and U-18 squads through 2019.

In total, he has managed over 130 matches in his young career from the U-18 level to the USL Championship. In his coaching tenure with Atlanta United Academy, Collison’s teams amassed a 12W-0D-5L record

“I am very excited at the prospect of bringing soccer to Rocket City and building a team that really represents the community,” said Collison. “I will look to build an exciting, fast paced brand of soccer that can bring success on the pitch in Huntsville, whilst helping to develop some of the future stars for Nashville SC. My staff and I are currently hard at work to achieve these goals and can’t wait to see everyone packed inside the Joe Davis stadium supporting a team we can ALL be proud of.”

Before coaching in Atlanta, Collison enjoyed a prolific playing career, totaling 121 appearances for West Ham United in the English Premier League and also making the national squad for Wales.

After hanging up his cleats for good in 2016, he started his coaching career at West Ham United where he served as manager for the U-16 squad for two years.

When asked about the differences in managing in the UK and the United States, Collison remarked that the reputation of his playing career doesn’t translate as much in the states as it does internationally.

By Noah Logan

“Over in the UK with my playing background, I was accepted right away. Playing in the Premier League and playing with Wales carries a lot of weight there. When I first moved to Atlanta to coach there, it was almost like having to earn my stripes again because I wasn’t well known. The only way to do that was being a quality coach day in and day out. Over the years, it’s all morphed me to the point where I am now, ready to take on this incredible project.

Mike Jacobs, General Manager of HCFC and Nashville SC, commented on his excitement regarding Collison's hiring.

“When we looked at a profile of what we thought the leader of Huntsville City FC looked like, very quickly it became evident that Jack was the ideal candidate,” said Jacobs.

“His ability to help develop future first team players for Nashville SC will be a critical asset in our pro player pathway. We are very excited about Jack’s addition, and know that he will play a key role in both growing players for NSC while also managing a very competitive team on the field in Huntsville.”

Collison and HCFC will make their debut together when the inaugural season starts in spring of 2023. Season Ticket Memberships are now available at https://am.ticketmaster. com/huntsvillenextpro/buy. w

/ Photos courtesy of HCFC

“I am very excited at the prospect of bringing soccer to Rocket City and building a team that really represents the community”

“I will look to build an exciting, fast paced brand of soccer that can bring success on the pitch in Huntsville, whilst helping to develop some of the future stars for Nashville SC.”

Deltek Reveals Research on 2023 Contract Marketing Trends

Deltek recently shared business development trends that its GovWin IQ research team predictions will make the greatest impact on the U.S. federal, SLED (state, local and education), and Canadian government contracting markets in 2023.

Deltek’s GovWin IQ research team of over 150 veteran market analysts and industry experts, who receive first-hand intelligence from government decision makers, have identified themes specific to each government market.

Some of these themes, such as expected budget increases, ongoing inflation and supply chain questions, workforce issues and an increased focus on ESG (environmental, social and governance) are expected to be relevant across all markets.

The GovWin research team explored these themes in a threepart webinar series covering federal, SLED and Canadian trends and market conditions at the beginning of 2023, designed for government contractors looking to optimize their business development strategies and safeguard their business plans in an uncertain environment.

At Deltek, the mission is to deliver solutions that help customers connect and automate the project lifecycle that fuels their business. Deltek’s software and information solutions enable superior levels of project intelligence, management, and collaboration, alongside their industry-focused expertise, helps customers achieve performance that maximizes productivity and revenue. “Better software means better projects”, reads Deltek online.

Deltek helps power project success—at every stage of the project lifecycle—for over 30,000 organizations around the globe. By streamlining business development, they provide solutions that

help patrons find and win new opportunities. Through great project management and resource optimizations, once a contract has been won, Deltek’s world class capabilities allow patrons to create a good plan, optimize their resources, and manage their costs, and risks.

By finding, cultivating, and retaining top talent, people are at the center of the project life-

cycle; identifying their resources needs, finding the right talent, and developing them is key to any project-based business. By delivering through unearthing the problem areas and the opportunities, Deltek’s project-based ERP solutions enable their customers to gain the visibility and control they need to, and also, to help customers measure performance and ask the right questions to manage their business.

Kevin Plexico, Senior Vice President of Information Solutions as Deltek, is responsible for overseeing research, analysis, and specification creation for customers in the Government Contracting and Architecture, Engineering &

By Ashlyn Grey

“As the year unfolds, uncertainty will return as the political landscape shapes up under the new Congress and we see how recent increases in interest rates impact inflation.”

Construction (AEC) industries. He provides thought leadership and expert opinion to industry executives and is a recognized expert on the public sector market.

By managing the delivery of GovWin, Plexico holds the responsibility for leading the industry’s largest team of analysts focused on the government contracting industry and providing essential government market research to over 6,000 clients.

“Deltek’s GovWin IQ research team expects a strong growth year in government contracting, underpinned by the significant increase in 2023 budgets,” said Plexico. “As the year unfolds, uncertainty will return as the political

“Deltek’s GovWin IQ research team expects a strong growth year in government contracting, underpinned by the significant increase in 2023 budgets”

landscape shapes up under the new Congress and we see how recent increases in interest rates impact inflation.”

Additionally, Plexico leads Deltek’s Specification Solutions team of architects, engineers, and editorial professionals producing AEC specification content. Their efforts deliver MasterSpec® – a product of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the premier master guide construction specification content in the U.S. – as well as Product MasterSpec and SpecText.

Below are some of the top-level trends that GovWin’s research team has identified at the U.S. federal, SLED, and Canadian levels of government:

U.S. Federal Government Trends: Although inflation rates are expected to decline at least somewhat, government contractors across a wide range of industries are still experiencing challenges or recovering from a period of heavy inflation. However, federal agencies received a significant boost in funding for FY 2023 with the passage of appropriations. That is expected to drive meaningful growth in agency contract spending. Global supply chain issues, more adoption of GWAC and IDIQ contract vehicles, workforce issues, cybersecurity compliance and ESG initiatives are other market trends to watch.

SLED (State, Local and Education) Government Trends: Even though the crisis mentality of buying emergency items in 2020 is past, record high inflation driven by continued supply side constraints has affected SLED government in various ways - particularly for basic commodities. Talent and workforce issues, similar to the federal sector, are major constraints in the public sector. And the increased focus on climate/environment and diversity should continue to be highly relevant and important in 2023.

Canadian Government Trends: Public sector procurement in Can-

ada is increasingly being used to advance the protection of the environment and support sustainable development, a trend which should continue into 2023. Expanded participation in cooperative purchasing and other forms of group buying will open up more opportunities to government suppliers, and recent federal legislation will encourage Canadian governments to improve accessibility in several priority areas, including procurement.

For business owners, entrepreneurs, or first timers looking for ways to address these trends and help grow their business, the GovWin research team hosted two remaining presentations in January 2023 that explored these themes in greater details and how to address them. A webinar on SLED Contracting Trends on January 17th and the last focusing on Canadian Contracting Trends was on January 19th

The webinar held for the Top Five 2023 Trends Impacting SLED Contracting was taught by Paul Irby, Manager in Research at Deltek, and contains information on inflation, a looming recession, and stimulus funding, and how they will continue to shape the contracting landscape in 2023. Deltek’s team of veteran market analysts and industry experts have identified and unveiled the top five contracting trends which will have the greatest impact to the 2023 SLED market.

The final webinar held for Canadian Contracting Trends was taught by Brynn Bruder, Senior Research Analyst at Deltek, and Lucie Leclerc-Cowell, Associate of Tactix, and focused on cooperative purchasing, sustainability, and DEI programs, and their ability to shape the Canadian contracting landscape in 2023. w

“In these must-attend webinars, we kick off the New Year with a deep dive into these market conditions.”

Local Arts Propel the Rocket City Economy

One topic that is unlikely to spring to mind when discussing the local economy is the role of community arts and arts-based education. However, this segment of the market not only provides joy and entertainment to the denizens of the city, but also brings in dollars, which help to stimulate the local economy. Huntsville is already home to an active arts community and marketplace. Now, as the largest city in Alabama, it becomes important to keep that special flair in order to attract new residents and cultivate the city’s personality.

Performance Arts and Opportunity

Huntsville is home to many dancers, actors, and musicians. Both youth (student) performers and professional (teaching) artists are essential for successful arts programs. There are about a dozen dance schools and studios in the Huntsville-Madison area, including the Huntsville Ballet School[1]. Students who have proven themselves through the HBS program have been accepted into some of the nation’s most prestigious dance schools in New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. The Huntsville Ballet Company has an annual season of various performances throughout the year, typically held at the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall or the Dream Theatre Performing Arts Center.

Arts education also helps to build a communal identity. Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater & Academy has been a fixture of Huntsville for

over 60 years! Some of the children who attend summer camps or classes there have parents, or even grandparents, who were also “fantasy kids”. In their 2020-2021 year, Fantasy interacted with over 31,000 individuals[2] (and over 21,000 of those were youth). They also partner with the Huntsville Inner City Learning Center and Second Mile Preschool, along with other entities, to bring theater education to students who might otherwise miss out on the opportunity. That same year, they had 29 scholarship students and over 350 volunteers helping with camps, classes, and performances.

The Old Cotton Mill

It is impossible to talk about the

arts community in Huntsville without discussing Lowe Mill. This local landmark originally opened in 1901[3] for

By Alexander Duck II / Photos courtesy of Huntsville

textile production under the direction of Arthur H. Lowe, president of the New England Manufacturer’s Association. Just over a century later, it is now a massive artist collective, a local treasure, and a tourist “must see”. This renovated space features 152 separate studios and over 200 artists, selling their work and offering classes. There is also indoor and outdoor space for theatrical and musical performances, and they have not forgotten about the culinary arts, either. Lowe Mill is home to several cafes and restaurants, as well as a distillery, meadery, popsicle shop and more. There are even several galleries, which showcase local artists on a regularly rotating basis, for visitors to enjoy.

Something for Everyone

Another hallmark of Huntsville is the VBC (that is, the Von Braun Center). While it may be best known for the local hockey team, the Hunts-

Ballet Company & Fantasy Playhouse

Actors from Huntsville's famous rendition of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol line-up for a photo at the Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theatre

Huntsville's Lowe Mill, before and after. Now a well known arts hub in the city, Lowe Mill used to be a cotton textile mill.

ville Havoc, the VBC has a lineup of events and shows that is very long and very diverse. Classics, like A Christmas Carol, find their way to the stage while craft shows and other organized events will often occupy the Center’s great indoor spaces.

If that is not your speed, the Huntsville Museum of Art is located

conveniently nearby. In addition to its normal galleries and exhibits, some of which are designed specifically for children, the museum also offers a whole catalog of classes in a variety of fine arts areas. These courses are taught by local professionals.

Residents who are a little more senior might enjoy taking courses

through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute[4] (OLLI), which has a chapter locally at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). OLLI offers a diverse catalog of courses to choose from, including memoir writing, poetry, line dancing, swing dancing, tai chi, and photography.

Reputation Matters

One does not have to look far to find examples of how a city’s reputation - its personality - can be an asset to its growth and attractiveness. Nashville has long held the designation of Music City, tracing its importance to the world of musicians back over 200 years. The city is full of historical sites and events, including the famous Grand Ole Opry, America’s longest-running radio show[5]. The vast network of record labels, recording studios, music bars, and sound cafes attracts songwriters, musicians, and tourists from all over to visit or relocate to the city.

Residents of Portland, Oregon adopted the slogan “Keep Portland Weird” as a way of branding their

particular and peculiar communal identity, though the phrase likely originated from Austin, Texas. This catchline is meant to embrace and support independent businesses, local artistic expression, and a diverse cultural identity. This quirkiness extends to local events as well. The “Idiotarod” is an annual, four mile course where teams of 4 or 5, dressed in ridiculous costumes, race their decorated or modified shopping carts through the downtown area.

Conclusion

Huntsville embraces its moniker as the Rocket City and continues to build upon it. Of course there is the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and Marshall Space Flight Center, but smaller businesses, like InnerSpace Brewing Company, also lean into the engineering and aeronautic history of the city, with a more sci-fi spin. The city of Huntsville is growing rapidly and its arts community will undoubtedly continue to play a pivotal role in its expanding economy and identity. w

Erin Koshut Named Board President of International Research Park Association

Erin Koshut, Executive Director of Cummings Research Park (CRP), the second largest research park in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the world, has been named president of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) Board of Directors.

AURP is a nonprofit organization representing more than 250 research parks and innovation districts globally, as well as corporate members supporting these initiatives such as planning, building, and operations of these research communities.

Members include NC State’s Centennial Campus, Purdue Research Park, Research Park at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign, Research Triangle Park, Aggie Square at UC Davis, University of Arizona Science & Technology Parks, Sandia Science & Technology Park, University of Maryland Discovery District and Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, among others.

Since 1986, AURP has been the pioneer guiding leaders to cultivate communities of innovation at global anchor institutions such as universities, municipalities, federal labs, and corporations. AURP is a dynamic one-stop

shop network of university research park and innovation districts professionals coupled with innovation suppliers and aligned ecosystem institutions.

AURP represents the leadership of these technology developments, which are designed to promote research institute-industry relations and innovation districts, to foster innovation, and to facilitate the transfer of technology from such institutions to the private sector.

Cummings Research Park has been a member of AURP since 1987, with Erin serving on the board since 2019, previously as Secretary and Vice President before her appointment as President this year.

Her two-year term as Presi-

By Ashlyn Grey /

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce

“She has created a dynamic environment in the Park that attracts talent while propelling Huntsville to the world stage through her work with AURP. We are proud of her role with the Association this year and know she will add value and energy to the organization.”

dent officially started on January 1, 2023 and runs until December 31, 2024.

Erin will be responsible for helping set strategy and direction for the Association, focused on membership retention and engagement, financial sustainability, plus

Photos courtesy of

“Erin is a visionary leader in our community with a passion for Cummings Research Park”

“In 2017, under Erin’s leadership, CRP hosted the very successful AURP International Conference bringing together global community leaders within the Huntsville region.

diverse, equitable and inclusive programming.

“Erin is a visionary leader in our community with a passion for Cummings Research Park,” said Lucia Cape, Senior VP of Economic Development for the Huntsville/ Madison County Chamber. “She has created a dynamic environment in the Park that attracts talent while propelling Huntsville to the world stage through her work with AURP. We are proud of her role with the Association this year and know she will add value and energy to the organization.”

Cummings Research Park is the second largest research park in the country and the fourth largest in the world. It is one of the world’s leading science and technology business parks, with a mixture of Fortune 500 companies, local and international high-tech enterprises, U.S. space and defense agencies, thriving business incubators and competitive highereducation institutions.

In a recent press statement,

AUROP CEO Vickie Palmer stated how Cummings Research Park has continued to fit into the identity of AURP’s central focus.

“Research parks and innovation districts are central to fostering groundbreaking discoveries built on unique public-private partnerships. Cummings Research Park has been an active and contributing member for many years, and recipient of AURP’s 1997 Outstanding Research Park Awards of Excellence in Innovation,” stated Palmer.

Palmer continued, stating that Erin’s prior work for CRP perfectly qualified her for the new leadership role.

“In 2017, under Erin’s leadership, CRP hosted the very successful AURP International Conference bringing together global community leaders within the Huntsville region. Most recently Erin has chaired the Creating Communities of Innovation 101 program including the strategy and implementation of a digital on-demand series for those just starting the process of creating their own unique community of innovation. I am honored to serve alongside Erin in her new Association role and am confident Erin will continue to drive high-impact collaboration for our network,” Palmer concluded.

For more information, please visit www.aurp.net. w

An aerial view of Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the nation

(Credit: Marty Sellers of SellersPhoto)

The Huntsville Area Association of Realtors (HAAR) has released its monthly figures for December of 2022. The report caps off a year defined by the rapid deceleration of the market via inflation and interest rate hikes.

Nationally, pending sales have dropped by 37.8% from December of 2021, as reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This effect is blunted here in Huntsville, with a decline in pending sales of 15.6% from the previous year.

Houses on the market are staying on the market longer, up 83.3% for single-family units, up to 22 days on average. However, this pales next to the increase of days on market for townhouse units, which has exploded 400% from December 2021, up to 25 days on market up from a mere 5 days on average previously.

The national inventory of homes for sale increased by 54.7% compared to December of the previous year; however, even that increase has not fully opened the squeeze on inventory brought about with

New Year Figures Illustrate

By Marie Johnson / Photos

the pandemic, as it remains 38.2% smaller than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

Here in Huntsville, the market saw an 87.9% year-over-year

increase in inventory. However, even with that higher rate of growth, the intense continuing demand for Huntsville results in a monthly housing supply of 2.5

months, lower than the national 3.3 month figure.

The Housing Affordability Index continued to hover at 82 for single-family units, which is to say that the median household income for the market region covers only 82 percent of the cost to qualify for the median-priced home at prevailing interest rates.

Interestingly, townhouse units actually rose to 99 on the index, up from 82 in November; however, this still represents a 40.4% decrease from December of 2021, and the reality remains that even the average townhouse remains too expensive for the median household to afford in Huntsville.

The inventory has risen, and the demand for housing in Huntsville remains unmet, and yet pending sales have declined anyway.

How can this be?

The high rate of interest dilutes the buying power of each dollar, adding hundreds to mortgage pay-

courtesy

Illustrate Sluggish Market

courtesy of HAAR & Shutterstock

ments and making it difficult, if not impossible, for many to secure financing to purchase real estate.

Additionally, many wouldbe sellers are holding on to their property to wait out the freeze, keeping prices from declining too quickly. The average price of a single-family unit hovers at $327,000. This is still lower than the national average of $454,900; what remains to be seen is if the Huntsville real estate market will buck the projected price decline economists expect to see nationally over the coming year.

Taylor Marr, Deputy Chief Economist for the Seattle-based real estate firm Redfin, predicts a national decline in sales of 16% over 2023, writing that “People

will only move when they have to.”

With that said, it is unlikely that the housing market will crash 2008-style. Writing for MarketWatch, LendingTree senior economist predicted that “Home prices won’t necessarily fall everywhere, but a combination of relatively high rates and weak homebuyer demand will likely push down prices nationwide in 2023. While a 5% and 10% drop may seem steep, declines this year are unlikely to wipe out the home price gains

many houses saw over the past few years.”

As long as financing a home remains out-of-reach for many households, rent will continue to be high. According to realtor. com, the national rent average increased 3.4%, to a national average of $1,712 per month.

Here in Huntsville, the average rent stands at $1,151 per month. For the average individual in Huntsville, the yearly income is $30,854.

The average individual spends nearly half their income on rent, with many spending more depending on variations on income and rental prices.

This has ramifications across the economy, as discretionary spending is squeezed out by necessary expenditures for housing, vehicular costs, healthcare, and other such costs of living.

It is unlikely that the market will pick up much before spring, barring any unforeseen developments. The Huntsville Business Journal will continue to monitor the housing market, both nationally and here at Huntsville, and keep our readership informed. w

Data Shows Huntsville Experiencing a Surge in “Move-Ins”

2021 began what has been called “The Great Reshuffle” in American moving trends.

More than four million Americans quit their jobs in 17 of the last 19 months.

Over this same period, Americans are leaving pricey locations in exchange for more affordability, heading to destinations where the average home costs almost a quarter less than in the cities losing the most residents.

Why is this trend continuing through 2022 and where are people moving?

A new report from moveBuddha, an online source for every resource imaginable regarding moving companies and moving trends, shows that the Southeast, Alabama and Huntsville specifically are experience a historical surge regarding “move ins.”

Their data shows that remote

work is becoming a staple of American work lives.

According to their report, “Employees are demanding even more remote flexibility than they were in 2021, with 23% more employees saying they’d leave a company if they weren’t given long-term remote options. And because a labor shortage still means fewer workers available than before the pandemic, more workers can successfully negotiate working from a tropical isle (or from a city where inflation and rising interest rates hurt a little less).”

With this continued focus on remote working, more people than ever have been leaving large, urban cities as housing prices boiled over and the pandemic subsided. Where were Americans looking to move in 2022?

According to the report from

moveBuddha that uses an into-out move ration to compare moves into an area and moves out of an area, more people were looking tomove to Alabama than ever before.

MoveBuddha compiled this report using internet search data. The in-to-out ratio measures the number of searches for moves in compared to the number of searches for moves out of a given state (moves in ÷ moves out = into-out ratio).

An in-to-out ratio greater than 1 indicates higher inflow than outflow.

According to moveBuddha's analysis, using an in-to-out move ratio, the data shows that

Alabama saw in:

2021: 129 searches for moves

By Noah Logan / Graphics courtesy of moveBuddha

in for every 100 out 2022: 150 searches for moves in for every 100 out.

That is a year-over-year increase of 20% of the in-to-out ratio.

That 20% increase in move interest places Alabama at the #4 spot for highest surge in interest from movers in 2022. And while a year-over-year surge or increase indicates which cities are performing better than in years past, it doesn't paint the picture for which cities are drawing the most moves in.

By looking at the highest in-to-out move ratio the data from moveBuddha can estimate which cities have seen the most significant inflow. By this measure — Huntsville, Alabama ranks #16 in the nation for highest inflow, nationwide. w

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Announce Major Changes to Mortgage Financing

New mortgage financing policies from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are poised to shake up the housing market for 2023.

Loan Level Price Adjustments (LLPAs) are determined by a number of factors, most prominently the borrower’s credit score and debt-toincome ratio (DTI), among others.

The new policies concerning LLPAs will reduce the cost incurred for having a lower credit score. There will still be a discrepancy between lower credit and higher credit scores, just not quite so punishing of one.

These changes will come into effect for loans guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, starting on May 1, 2023. While these changes will apply to the majority of loans within the United States, there are some, such as VA loans or “jumbo

loans” from credit unions, that will be exempt from these changes. This announcement comes on the heels of a previous announcement earlier this week, which outlined changes to Fannie Mae’s automated underwriting

system. These changes include changing criteria for would-be borrowers looking to establish credit, the utilization of bank statements to determine borrowers’ income and balance trends, and an automated option for lenders to document

By Marie Johnson

nontraditional credit sources. Together with such measures as a LLPA waivers for first-time home buyers with income less than or equal to 100% of the Area Median Income, these changes are intended to facilitate underserved wouldbe borrowers by making financing more obtainable. These policies coming into effect in late spring could possibly “jump-start” the currently-sluggish housing market. Here in Huntsville, that market continues to slow, with reporting on the first week of January from the HAAR showing decreases in both pending sales and new listings by 18.7 and 18.2%, respectively.

The Huntsville Business Journal will continue to monitor the real estate market, and keep its readership apprised of new developments. w

UAH Graduate Student on Team That Finds Hidden Midsize Monster Black Hole in Dwarf Galaxy

A graduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is the lead author of a paper in The Astrophysical Journal describing the discovery of an intermediate-size black hole buried in gas and dust in a dwarf galaxy.

The discovery of the black hole of a previously undiscovered size may help provide clues about how such black holes were seeded in the very early universe.

Obscured from optical observation by heavy dust, the galaxy’s nucleus is powered by the newly discovered intermediate-class black hole, which makes up for size in its mass, says Shrey Ansh, the physics student at UAH, a part of the University of Alabama System.

Typically, galaxies have supermassive black holes at their centers and astronomers can observe them as the surrounding gas and dust fall into them.

Shrey collaborated with principal investigator (PI) Dr. Chien-Ting Chen, a scientist at the University Space Research Association Science and Technology Institute (USRA STI) and a NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) researcher; Dr. Doug Swartz, a USRA STI principal scientist and MSFC researcher; and others internationally to achieve a multiwavelength analysis of the dwarf Seyfert-2 galaxy J144013+024744.

“This is one of the first heavily obscured intermediate-mass black holes found in a dwarf galaxy,” says Shrey, who’s originally from India.

Though scientists may call it intermediate, there’s nothing midsized about this monster black hole, which contains 160,000 times the mass of the sun, except its size relative to

smaller or larger ones. More massive than typical stellar-mass black holes that are only a few times the mass of the sun, it is smaller in size than the million to billion solar-mass supermassive black holes often found in galaxies.

Dwarf galaxies are thought to have undergone fewer galaxy mergers so they may serve as a type of fossil record of the very early universe that can inform scientists about how supermassive black holes came into existence in the first place, says Dr. Chen, the PI.

“We suspected that this dwarf galaxy could have a dust-obscured black hole based on its multi-wavelength properties,” Shrey says. “The amount of obscuring column density that we found could imply

that a torus-like geometry found in supermassive black holes could extend into intermediate mass black hole class.”

A torus geometry means that the dust and gases surrounding the black hole are doughnut-shaped, so the view toward the accreting black hole might be blocked or obscured. High-energy photons such as Xrays can still penetrate through the intervening dust. Obscured supermassive black holes are fairly common, but it was unclear whether the intermediate-mass black holes in dwarf galaxies are surrounded by a similar structure.

Researchers utilized NASA's Spitzer Observatory to find the target based on its emission-line signature. Then they targeted the dwarf galaxy for X-ray spectral analysis with NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), which has its science operations at the California Institute of Technology and is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

By Jim Steele / Photos courtesy of UAH

“The research is also important because past surveys might have missed hidden intermediatemass black holes, yet our research showed that such populations might exist”

“The extracted X-ray spectrum was fitted with physical and phenomenological models and a Bayesian analysis was performed to estimate the column density posterior, which revealed that this particular system hosts a very heavily obscured black hole,” Shrey says.

The research opens the possibility of finding more obscured intermediate-mass black hole candidates, he says.

“The research is also important because past surveys might have missed hidden intermediate-mass black holes, yet our research showed that such populations might exist,” Shrey says.

“It is important for measuring the fraction of dwarf galaxies with an intermediate mass black hole in the center, which may shed light on the big puzzle of formation of supermassive black holes in early universe,” Shrey says.

Dr. Chen says that the confirmation of the dust obscured monster in J1440 should give investigators a better idea about how and where to look for more of these objects by combining hard X-ray and mid-infrared emission line observations.

“Although Spitzer is no longer operating, it's got an even more powerful successor in the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST),” Dr. Chen says. “Combining JWST, NuSTAR and NASA's future hard X-ray missions, we should be able to find more of these tiny monsters lurking in our cosmic neighborhood, and get closer to having a complete census of the black hole population in dwarf galaxies.” w

“This is one of the first heavily obscured intermediate-mass black holes found in a dwarf galaxy”

“We suspected that this dwarf galaxy could have a dust-obscured black hole based on its multiwavelength properties”

Aerobotix Receives Special Recognition as Lockheed Martin Supplier

Huntsville based robotics integrator Aerobotix has again received an award that signifies their importance to Lockheed Martin’s space division. Lockheed Martin presented the company with its 2022 Suppler Recognition Award for Ease of Doing Business at its supplier conference.

“We’re honored to accept this award from Lockheed Martin as one of their top suppliers,” said Keenan Simmons, Aerobotix senior project engineer. “Aerobotix is known for delivering innovative robotic solutions to the aerospace and defense industries. The Ease of Doing Business Award recognizes that our team is also great to work with, providing outstanding customer support.”

Aerobotix has been a Lockheed Martin supplier for the past 17 years, providing robotics and automation support to LM divisions including

By Noah Logan

Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, and Space. This is the second time in three years that Aerobotix has been presented with an aw¬ard from Lockheed Martin. In 2020, Aerobotix was acknowledged as an Outstanding Small Business from its fire control division.

“Though we’re technically a small business, Aerobotix takes pride in being able to make a big impact on projects for Lockheed Martin and other global companies,” added Simmons.

Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, Aerobotix has been a leader in robotic solutions for the aerospace and defense industries for years. The company specializes in the creation of automated robotic solutions for highvalue, high-precision components, aircraft and vehicles. Aerobotix has more than 130 robotic systems installed in the U.S. and abroad. w

Aerobotix Senior Project Engineer Keenan Simmons holding the 2022 Lockheed Martin Supplier Recognition Award for Ease of Doing Business

“Aerobotix is known for delivering innovative robotic solutions to the aerospace and defense industries. The Ease of Doing Business Award recognizes that our team is also great to work with, providing outstanding customer support.”

/ Photos courtesy of Aerobotix

Crestwood Announces First Freestanding Emergency Room in North Alabama

The Alabama State Health Planning & Development Agency awarded Crestwood Medical Center a Certificate of Need to build a freestanding emergency department (FSED) in the Harvest community.

The Crestwood Medical Center ER – Harvest will be located at the corner of Highway 53 and Burwell Road and will provide emergency services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Once opened, the Crestwood Medical Center ER – Harvest will be the first freestanding emergency department in North Alabama and will bring emergency services closer to residents of one of the fastest growing communities in the state and will reduce patient wait-times at other emergency departments.

The facility will offer the same services as the emergency department at Crestwood Medical Center in Huntsville.

“The leaders of this community have an incredible vision for the future of this area and we are honored to be a part of this rapid growth. Currently, residents depend on the heroic efforts of volunteer fire departments and local emergency medical services (EMS) for emergency healthcare. We are committed to bringing more access to healthcare services that the residents need and deserve,” said Crestwood Medical Center

By Gus Wintzell /

“We are committed to bringing more access to healthcare services that the residents need and deserve”

Emergency physicians, registered nurses, and other patient care professionals will staff the ER. Similar to any hospital emergency department, the new Crestwood ER will be equipped to treat patients with illnesses and injuries that require a higher level of care than urgent care facilities offer.

The 11,047 square foot facility will have 10 private patient rooms with radiology and lab services on site as well as a helicopter pad for patient transfer as appropriate. Many emergency services can be effectively managed at a freestanding emergency department without the need for transfer to a traditional hospital setting.

If a higher level of care is required, a patient can be transported quickly to Crestwood Medical Center or the facility of their choice.

Doster Construction Company has been retained for the project. Construction will begin soon and is expected to be completed in 2024. w

Photos courtesy of Crestwood

“The leaders of this community have an incredible vision for the future of this area and we are honored to be a part of this rapid growth.”

CEO Matthew Banks in a public statement.

UAH College of Business Receives $100K Gift from Bryant Bank

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, announced that Bryant Bank has made a $100K gift to the UAH College of Business (COB). This gift marks the second installment of a $1.5 million commitment to the College, one of the largest gifts ever made to the COB. This disbursement will be followed by an additional 13 annual payments in the same amount through 2035.

“We are incredibly grateful to Ken Watson and the Bryant Bank team for their leadership in building a bright future for our community and their continued commitment to helping UAH students thrive,” says Dr. Jason Greene, Dean of the UAH COB. “They are an outstanding partner with us in our mission to launch the careers of our students.”

This continuing pledge will go to support the Bryant Bank UAH Business Scholarships, a non-endowed fund designed to benefit College of Business students. Annual distributions from the fund shall be used for one or more scholarships awarded to undergraduate students pursuing degrees in the College of Business. Entering freshman students must have a minimum high school cumulative GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.

Existing or transfer students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for college-level coursework. Preference shall be given to students based on each of the following: students with unmet financial need; students who are from Alabama communities served by Bryant Bank; and students who are graduates of the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering.

“We are proud to have the opportunity to support UAH and its College of Business,” says Bryant Bank President, Ken Watson. “As economic development continues to fuel the growth in our community, the need for a well-educated and qualified workforce will remain a major focus. UAH’s College of Business will provide clear pathways for not only academic accomplishment, but also occupational fulfillment. Bryant Bank

is a community-focused business, and we believe this monetary support will provide necessary resources to pro-

mote the development of our future workforce.”

Qualifying students receive awards of $2,500, $5,000 or $7,500, and the larger of these awards are given to students with a demonstrated greater need and who are also receiving less financial support from other UAH scholarships or grants. Scholarship award recipients are selected by the University's Financial Aid Committee.

“Bryant Bank's ongoing support of UAH business students has a tremendous impact on the students, their families, and our community,”

By Russell Nelson / Photos courtesy of Michael Mercier of UAH

Dr. Greene says. “Their gift supports scholarships that help students access an outstanding business education in areas such as accounting, finance, marketing and cybersecurity.”

Each scholarship will be in force for one year. Recipients may be eligible for an additional year up to a maximum of four years, or until degree requirements have been met, whichever is shorter, as long as the recipient maintains full-time enrollment and continues to make satisfactory progress toward a degree with a minimum GPA of at least a 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. A scholarship award may, in addition to paying the cost of the recipient's tuition, fees and books, also pay other academicrelated expenses. Each scholarship recipient is known as a “Bryant Bank UAH Business Scholar.”

This year’s scholarship recipients include: (Information Systems) Savannah Booker, Jessica Dupin, Malik Jefferson, Daniel Kelly, Sedric Langford, William Mote, Christina Straw and Zachary Swann; (Marketing) Melissa Brown, Daisy Hernandez, Minh Ly and Elise Walker; Shaqiang, Kit Lang and Isaac Priego, Finance; (Accounting) Greta Downing and Ryleigh Murphy, Management; and Kayla Keller, Anna Lam and Samantha Laynard.

Bryant Bank’s contributions to UAH are supporting numerous additional University programs and organizations.

“Bryant Bank’s contributions to the University include the establishment of the Bryant Bank UAH Excellence in Nursing Scholarship,” says Mallie Hale, UAH Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of UAH Foundation. “This scholarship provides support to students in the Early Promotion into UAH Nursing Program (EPNP). Such a scholarship attracts skilled nurses to Huntsville, the state of Alabama and beyond.”

Bryant Bank has made a continuing gift of $25,000 to UAH Charger Athletics as well, a commitment that supports 14 Men's and Women's athletics programs. w

Pictured L to R: Emma Banks, UAH Lancer; Dr. Jason Greene, UAH Dean of the College of Business; Ken Watson, Bryant Bank President; Dr. Charles L. Karr, UAH President; Mallie Hale, UAH Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of UAH Foundation; Dr. Helen Lien, UAH Senior Development Officer; Maggie Maxime, UAH Lancer.

Picture L to R: Dr. Jason Greene, Dr. Charles L. Karr and Ken Watson at the event held in the Student Services Building (SSB)

“We are incredibly grateful to Ken Watson and the Bryant Bank team for their leadership in building a bright future for our community and their continued commitment to helping UAH students thrive”

Boeing Opens New Huntsville Electronic Center of Excellence

On Monday, January 23, Boeing hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the 9,000 sq. ft. expansion of the Huntsville Electronics Center of Excellence.

The center produces essential hardware that connects the smallest components in some of the largest Boeing Defense, Space & Security systems with the highest standards of quality and reliability.

This state-of-the-art electronics fabrication capability comprises a team of electrical engineers and technicians who manufacture, maintain and modify circuit boards for various Boeing programs, including the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) seeker, International Space Station (ISS), Space Launch System (SLS), F-15 fighter and P-8A Poseidon.

At the event, Boeing awarded a $150,000 grant to the AUM Charitable Foundation’s Pathway 2 Success program, which works to empower low-income, female high school students with the workforce development skills and resources that will set them up for success.

Each student in the program has the opportunity to receive a $2000 scholarship. They are given a new laptop, a personal mentor, individualized ACT tutoring, job shadowing experiences, and 11 life skill classes that address gaps in skill sets that are not covered in the traditional classroom. w

determination it takes for entrepreneurs to create a business out of an idea.

The Awards have celebrated the hard work and inspiring stories of many outstanding North Alabama entrepreneurs doing great things in our community. Remarkable entrepreneurs are equally driven by their “why” as they are by their motivation to succeed.

Since 2016, The Entrepreneur Awards has celebrated the compelling stories of these individuals and their successes.

The award presentation is returning in-person this year at the Stovehouse on Friday, February 24th. For more information, please visit catalystcenter.org. w

The Catalyst Center for Business and Entrepreneurship to Host 8th Annual Entrepreneur Awards

The 8th Annual Entrepreneur Awards honor the skill, courage, and

Innovate Alabama Opens Second Round of Grant Funding to Benefit Local Entrepreneurs

Innovate Alabama opened applications for the second round of the Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant Program on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Alabamabased recipients of Phase I and Phase II Federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants are eligible to apply for up to $250,000 in supplemental funding.

The program supports Alabama entrepreneurs and innovators, particularly underrepresented groups, such as women, minority and rural founders. In addition, the disbursement of funding will advance Alabama’s economy by driving research and commercialization, developing exportable products and services and spurring high-wage job opportunities.

In July 2022, Innovate Alabama launched the inaugural Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant Program, awarding over $4.5 million in supplemental funding to 30 grant recipients in six Alabama cities to support the growth of their small businesses. After a successful first round of funding, the organization looks forward to helping more innovators grow roots in Alabama

in 2023 and beyond.

“Thanks to the Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant, our team has had the opportunity to invest in resources that help grow our business and the state’s collaborative and expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Dr. Karim Budhwani, CerFlux CEO and co-founder, and first round grant recipient.

Eligible applicants must have had an active Phase I or Phase II SBIR or STTR grant on July 1, 2021, or later. Phase I recipients are eligible to apply for 50% of their award up to $100,000, and Phase II recipients are eligible to apply for 50% of their award up to $250,000. Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant Program awards are non-dilutive, meaning businesses receive the money without giving up shares of their company.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 17, 2023. Award notifications for the second round of funding begin in March.

Later this year, Innovate Alabama plans to open applications for the third round of grant funding.

To learn more and apply, visit innovatealabama.org/programs. w

“The new Event Center at Alabama A&M is a tremendous asset for their university and our community,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.

“We look forward to this being the first of many events in the venue that will make an economic impact throughout our community and our partners at A&M as they continue to build championship athletic programs.”

The championships are set for March 7-10, starting with four men’s quarterfinals on Tuesday, with four women’s quarterfinals on Wednesday. The semifinals for both men and women are set for Thursday, with the championship games on Friday evening.

“Thanks to the efforts of everyone in Huntsville, we are excited to bring our men’s and women’s basketball championships to the Alabama A&M Event Center,” said Dean Myrick, Commissioner of the ACCC. “This is a great opportunity for our studentathletes to play in a top-notch venue that will elevate our championship experience to new heights.”

For Alabama A&M, the championships are an opportunity to introduce the University and basketball programs to the top junior college prospects in the state of Alabama.

of a Research & Development Facility at Redstone Arsenal leased to a global defense contractor in Huntsville, Alabama.

JLL represented the seller, AGC Equity Partners, in the sale to FD Stonewater STAR Fund.

The property was completed in 2020 as a build-to-suit for one of the world’s largest defense contractors. The building contains office, laboratory, research & development and manufacturing space.

Among the building’s many features includes accredited secure labs and information processing space. In addition, the property has an expansion capacity of more than 50,000 square feet.

The facility is situated within Cummings Research Park, which hosts the world’s fourth largest concentration of aerospace, technology and research and development users, and thrives due to its relationship with the U.S. Army and Department of Defense.

Additionally, the property is located at the gate of Redstone Arsenal, the largest concentration of military leadership outside of Washington, D.C., serving as a DoD and Federal “Center of Excellence” for integration, research, development, testing and evaluation of major programs and systems.

$153.9M Responsive Strategic Sourcing for Services (RS3) Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) Program Management Office Engineering Services Task Order. PM FLRAA is a Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program and the Army's #3 modernization priority.

The Torch team will provide expertise to provide Systems Engineering, Air Vehicle and Integration, Test and Evaluation, Mission Systems, Production and Quality Engineering, and Sustaining Engineering.

The work to be completed by the Torch team has a 5-year period of performance and will be completed at Redstone Arsenal, AL; "We are excited to have been awarded the RS3 Task Order, cementing our commitment as a Prime contractor to PM FLRAA, the Program Executive Office (PEO) for Aviation, and the entire Army Aviation enterprise," Torch President John Watson said. "We look forward to providing exceptional technical expertise with proven Aviation development experience in support of the FLRAA development program." w

Huntsville Set to Host ACCC Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships at AAMU Event Center

Build it and they will come.

The freshly finished Alabama A&M University Event Center has been selected to host the 2023 Alabama Community College Conference men’s and women’s basketball championships – bringing the top eight teams in the state to battle for a spot in the National Junior College Athletic Association championships.

Thanks to a partnership with A&M, Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Huntsville Sports Commission, and the City of Huntsville, the ACCC will hold its annual championship in a neutral site for the first time.

“We are proud to be a partner in hosting the ACCC championships at the Event Center,” said Dr. Paul Bryant, AAMU Director of Athletics. “This new facility continues to open doors for our institution and builds on our programs’ momentum as we welcome the student-athletes from across the state to compete for the championship.”

Visit the ACCC website to purchase tickets and get more information about the championships at acccathletics.com. w

The region boasts the second highest concentration of engineers nationally and is among the fastest growing STEM employment centers.

“Investors are taking greater notice of the Huntsville market which has been the net beneficiary of tremendous growth in recent years. This growth has largely been spurred by the missioncritical government installations and activities that take place here that has translated into exceptional demand for the expansion of facilities and services,” said JLL Managing Director Jason DeWitt in a recent statement. w

United Community Banks Completes Merger with Huntsville’s Progress Financial

In May 2022, United Community Bank, Inc. (United) announced the acquisition of Progress Financial Corporation (Progress) in an all-stock transaction with an aggregate value of approximately $271.5 million.

As of last week, United announced that the merger was completed.

In this transaction, Progress’s bank subsidiary, Progress Bank and Trust, was merged into United’s bank subsidiary, United Community Bank. Progress will now operate under the United brand.

JLL Capital Markets Closes Sale on Redstone Research and Development Facility

Torch Wins $153.9M FLRAA Engineering Services Task Order

Torch Technologies announced that the company was awarded the

Lynn Harton, Chairman and CEO of United, expressed his excitement over the completed merger in a recent press statement.

“We are very pleased and grateful to be able to welcome this group of talented bankers to the United team. Progress has a culture much like ours

JLL Capital Markets announced that it has closed the single-tenant sale

with a commitment to community engagement, customer service, and the employee experience.”

David Nast, Founding Director, CEO, and President of Progress, echoed these sentiments.

“We are excited to be joining United, where we can continue with our founding principles and dedication to community service and relationship banking. We have growth opportunities, including many from new offices and markets added over the past two years, that we know will accelerate with United.

“Our partnership provides us the immediate benefit of being able to better serve our customers with a larger balance sheet and expanded products and services. I am proud to be a part of the United team and look forward to leading the Alabama and Florida Panhandle markets,” Nast concluded.

Progress is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama and operates a 14-branch network in Alabama markets including Birmingham, Daphne, Decatur, Florence and Tuscaloosa; and on the Florida Panhandle from Destin to Panama City.

Progress has organically built a valuable franchise with a focus on providing excellent service and growing deep customer relationships in its fastgrowing southeastern markets.

As of September 30, 2022, Progress reported total assets of $1.7 billion, total loans of $1.4 billion, and total deposits of $1.5 billion.

Piper Sandler & Co. acted as financial advisor to United, and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP served as United’s legal advisor. Stephens Inc. served as financial advisor to Progress, and Maynard Cooper & Gale, PC served as Progress’ legal advisor. w

called ZMYM3 with neurodevelopmental disorders, thanks to genetic matchmaking service.

Dr. Greg Cooper and his lab members identified a genetic variant in a patient from Alabama with neurodevelopmental symptoms in 2018. His team then identified a variant in the gene ZMYM3. After submitting that information to the genetic matchmaking service, GeneMatcher, Susan Hiatt, PhD, a senior scientist in the Cooper lab received email correspondence from at least 30 different international researchers over the next four years. The researchers found variants in the same gene in patients with similar clinical characteristics.

“What began as one patient from Alabama slowly grew into a cohort of several dozen patients from across the globe,” Hiatt said. “It was not always a linear increase, though. The cohort went through many periods of growth and waning as we received a few cases through GeneMatcher that seemed like they fit our story, only to learn later that they were likely benign variants.”

The international collaboration returned home to HudsonAlpha, as members of Dr. Rick Myers’ lab performed experiments to see how the variants affected ZMYM3’s ability to bind DNA. These experiments provided the framework for testing mutations through future studies.

“We believe our study moves the field of diagnostic genomics forward by presenting several case studies that might help geneticists diagnose more of their patients who are waiting for an answer,” Hiatt said. w

Project with the goal of developing and testing a completely passive (no dials, switches, or moving parts) hearing protector with non-linear attenuation for military and other markets. This “nonlinear” hearing protector provides near zero attenuation for low-level sounds such as conversations and overwhelming attenuation of high-level noise such as guns, blast explosives, or even loud concerts. This is in contrast to most traditional hearing protection products with one level of sound attenuation.

Such hearing protection is optimal for the warfighter, providing increased safety due to full situational awareness in low-sound situations (somebody approaching, the cocking of a gun, verbal commands/warnings, whispering, etc.) while providing high noise protection when needed during gun, artillery, or blast events. Licensing the technology to Altus Brands will accelerate the launch of the technology to non-military markets which can similarly benefit such as law enforcement officers, hunters, concertgoers, factory or building site workers, etc.

“This product was tested at US

Army and USAF facilities with very good results. It provided industry-best protection for loud impulse noises while providing near-zero attenuation for regular low-sound operations. This is truly a product that can be used in any environment where high noise protection is necessary but the ability to hear clear low-level sounds is desired; all in a completely passive design.”, said Keith Sedberry, Director at CFD Research.

“We are excited to start our partnership with Altus Brands, a specialized provider of hearing protection and hunting products. After several years of R&D it is rewarding to see our innovations reach the market and make a difference in the lives of our soldiers and other end users,” said Sameer Singhal, CFD Research’s President & CEO.

“We are looking forward to integrating CFD Research’s hearing protection technology into our product line”, said Gary Lemanski, CEO of Altus Brands. “The significant performance advantages offered by this product open up new applications and markets for us.” w

HudsonAlpha Researchers Detect New Gene Variation Thanks to a Matchmaking Service

Researchers at HudsonAlpha linked a genetic variation in a gene

CFD Research Licenses Advanced Hearing Protector Technology to Altus Brands

The CFD Research Corporation has signed an exclusive licensing agreement for its advanced hearing protector technology with Altus Brands.

This new hearing protector was developed as part of a DARPA SBIR

RECOGNITION RECOGNITION

Women's Foundation of Alabama Names New Chief Operating Officer

Women’s Foundation of Alabama, the state’s only philanthropic organization focused on the economic advancement of women, announced the growth of its leadership by appointing LaShundra Pinkard as Chief Operating Officer.

A key member of the executive management team, Pinkard will partner with the CEO to lead forward-thinking operational strategy and optimize performance across the Foundation.

“Strong institutions win. But being a strong, adaptable organization extends beyond having a transformational mission. It’s about preparing for the future and reinforcing the Foundation’s infrastructure to ensure we can accelerate opportunities for women in perpetuity,” said Melanie R. Bridgeforth, President and CEO of Women’s Foundation of Alabama.

“Like any well-established corporation, non-profits are businesses – we’re just in the ‘work of good’. In appointing a COO of LaShundra’s caliber, Women’s Foundation of Alabama is fulfilling our promise to be impactful stewards of organizational resources, systems, and, most importantly, the public’s trust.”

As Chief Operating Officer, LaShundra Pinkard will work closely with Bridgeforth to manage organizational health, oversee execution of the strategic plan, and lead lean transformation as the Foundation embarks upon its second year of statewide growth. Fueled by decades of business strategy, finance, HR, facility management, and IT knowledge, Pinkard will also build new operating models that elevate processes, resources, and tools that set Women’s Foundation of Alabama on a trajectory for long-range success.

“Not only am I honored to join an organization that is shaping the lives and landscape for women across our state, I’m eager to nurture the next bold iteration of Women’s Foundation of Alabama – a chapter powered by smart growth and systems-level thinking,” said Pinkard.

Cheri Wilson Joins Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville as Development Officer

The Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville announced the addition of Cheri Wilson as Development Officer. Wilson’s appointment follows a banner year as the organization received over $14.7 million in charitable donations and granted over $11 million on behalf of their donors and programs.

“I am thrilled and deeply grateful for the opportunity to join the dedicated team and mission of the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville. I look forward to working in collaboration with our generous Community Partners to further the work of empowering people and investing in our community’s needs,” Wilson shared.

Wilson will leverage her experience as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) to foster community engagement and collaborative partnerships to enhance investment in the Community Foundation’s key projects and programs and further their positive impact on quality of life across the region.

Most recently, Wilson served as Executive Director of Advancement for Oakwood University to identify, engage, and steward donors to develop and strengthen donor relationships and advance the University’s mission through philanthropy.

“Cheri Wilson brings a wealth of experience - cultivated over years of serving our community well - to her role as Development Officer. At the Community Foundation, we strive to be the trusted leader in strategic generosity, and Cheri will be an incredible resource to our corporate donors who want to do more good in this place we all call home,” said Melissa Thompson, CAP®, CEO/President of the Community Foundation

Retired Lieutenant General Thurgood to Join BlueHalo Board of Advisors

BlueHalo announced that retired United States Army Lieutenant General L. Neil Thurgood has joined the company’s Board of Advisors.

In this role, Thurgood will advise various strategic initiatives to advance BlueHalo’s position as the new alternative prime in the defense and national security market.

Throughout over 37 years of distinguished military service, Thurgood has strengthened industry partnerships and fostered collaboration and innovation, leading to the rapid development of strategic capabilities and advancing Army modernization priorities.

Most recently, Thurgood served as the Director for Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space and Rapid Acquisition and the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. His efforts to rapidly develop, prototype, test, and field technologies have been integral to getting mission-critical capabilities into the hands of warfighters.

“Neil Thurgood has devoted his career to maintaining our Nation’s technological superiority through innovation and delivering soldier-centered solutions to our warfighters,” said BlueHalo Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Moneymaker.

In a recent public statement, Thurgood explained how his most recent appointment fits with his personal and professional goals.

“I have spent my career focused on providing soldiers the tools and resources they need to complete their mission successfully and return home safely. Serving in a new capacity, I still wake up every day with that same desire to support our soldiers,” said Thurgood.