Huntsville Student Talks Internships, Biotechnology in New Book

When Martha Greer Walker started her internship in July of last year at the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology (HudsonAlpha), she was still exploring future career options and was looking to answer some major questions about what the biotechnology field could do for young professionals.

Like many other high school students, she was looking at the current job market and weighing her options for what she wanted to pursue in college.

Little did she know that this experience would eventually lead to her first book.

Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, Martha Greer was never a stranger to the demands of the ever-changing job market of the U.S. economy. Huntsville is home to various manufacturing hubs, an ever-growing top tier medical system, and the second largest research park in the nation.

With these industries comes thousands of specialized jobs, all that offer very distinct and singular experiences. In this way, Huntsville’s job market paints a very detailed and colorful picture.

But, for many high-school students, this picture can sometimes be overwhelming.

“The focus for my book came from this idea. New jobs are created every year, jobs that sometimes have never been seen or needed beforehand. I wanted to look into one of these new growing fields that I think will have a major impact on our economy, and help answer some of the tougher questions that my peers might have about them. One of these major fields that really surprised me was biotechnology,” said Walker.

A high school senior at St. Paul’s Boarding School in Concord, New Hampshire, Martha Greer became interested in the field of biotechnology and was really surprised about the lack of knowledge and exposure that many high school students have regarding the growing field.

In her book What The Heck Is

BioTech?, Martha dives into the biotechnology industry, defining what it means for the current job-market, and highlighting key jobs that are growing within the field.

Biotechnology is a field of science that combines biology and technology to create new products, processes, and applications. It involves the use of living organisms or their parts to develop new products or improve existing ones. The field encompasses a wide range of techniques and technology, including engineering, fermentation, and tissue culture.

Biotechnology as an industry has applications in many areas, including medicine, agriculture, food science, and environmental science, all of which Martha Greer discusses in What The Heck Is BioTech?

“Biotech really is a rapidly growing field with huge potential for many young professionals to not only produce a career, but to improve health and well-being. I believe that it will have a huge impact on the United States, if not already, and should be talked about much more as a career option for many prospective students,” said Walker. Research from her book came from interviews with HudsonAlpha employees and scientists, as well as with the more than 50 start-up companies hosted on HudsonAlpha’s campus.

HudsonAlpha touts a 152 acre campus on Cummings Research Park, and has quickly become a cornerstone for business start-ups and entrepreneurs in the Huntsville area.

By: Gus Wintzell / Photos courtesy of Martha Greer Walker

Celebrating 15 years of successful growth this year, HudsonAlpha reported a $3.2 billion economic impact in the state of Alabama.

“The book leans heavily on the expertise that Huntsville already has from HudsonAlpha. I was inspired during my internship to take advantage of the resources that were right in front of me, and I felt like HudsonAlpha, with their non-profit and educational focus, was a perfect fit to answer some of my larger questions as a student and young professional,” said Walker.

In an interview with the Huntsville Business Journal, Martha Greer was asked to discuss her inspiration for the book, citing her internship with HudsonAlpha as a fundamental aspect of her work.

“During my internship, I noticed that there was not really a ton of information on internships within the biotech field, and even less on the professions that can come afterward. In my opinion, when younger students hear about biotechnology, it is just this opaque term that really never gets defined, but that is a huge field… I wanted younger people like myself to be aware of the growing opportunities within the field,” said Walker.

In the same interview, Martha Greer also stressed that the book was not only for high school and college students, but also was a must read for parents as well.

“I came into the book focusing on younger students, but it is the parents of these students that really know their kids more than anyone. Parents can help guide and influence their kids as they prepare to think about future careers. In a way, this book is as important to parents as it is for their kids,” she said.

“But, at the end of the day, regardless of the audience, this book is a resource that anyone can pull from,” Martha Greer concluded.

What The Heck Is BioTech? is available via Kindle or paperback at www. amazon.com. The Kindle version can be purchased for $2.99 and the paperback version for $13.95. w

Huntsville’s Century Automotive Goes Green

Century Automotive has committed to doing their part to help keep Huntsville and the Earth clean by installing solar panels on all buildings and committing to 60% solar power across the entire campus.

“Huntsville is a beautiful place and as leaders in our business community, it is our honor to serve as stewards to our environmental prosperity. Consistent with our mission statement ‘We Care’, installing solar panels was a very easy decision to make,” said Century Automotive in a recent press statement.

The panels were to be installed starting on March 6, 2023, with Century Automotive sharing that “the entire team is excited for it.”

“It is just the right thing to do, and the time is now. We want to do everything we can to reduce our footprint,” said Tracy Jones, President of Century Automotive Group.

Century hopes to serve as an example in the business community by not only treating their customers and community like gold, but the planet as well.

“Huntsville, Cullman, Florence, and the surrounding communities have helped us grow into the prominent family of dealerships we are today. We'll never forget what customers like you have done for us. In fact, we like to give back to the community however we can, whenever we can. We've made a special effort to get to know the businesses and nonprofit groups in Madison County and beyond. In our business, there's nothing so important as building relationships on both a personal and communitywide level,” said a representative of Century Automotive. w

WellStone Gains Former Downtown Huntsville, Inc. Attraction

North Alabama’s leading mental healthcare provider, WellStone, is host to a repurposed pop-up park, as of Friday, March 10 at 2 p.m.

Turner Construction Company, who originally constructed the park in partnership with Nola|VanPeursem Architects, recently moved the park from its downtown location to its new home on WellStone’s Huntsville campus—just in time for warmer spring weather. The park provides an area of respite on the grounds and an opportunity for employees to step outside as their schedules allow, supporting the very thing the organization’s mission is centered on – mental health.

According to research reported by Healthline in 2022, just a few minutes outside is proven to reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure and heart rate, increase vitamin D, improve sleep quality and duration, improve cognition and creativity, and improve relationships.

“It’s a great concept,” said Jeremy Blair, WellStone CEO. “It’s a fun feature to have on campus and we’ve already seen employees outside enjoying the park. We’re glad we had the space for it and thank Turner for thinking of us.”

For the past ten years, Downtown Huntsville, Inc. (DHI) has facilitated the installation of pop-up parks throughout the area. Sponsored by local businesses, these miniature parks have converted parking spaces into places for visitors to sit, swing, and play. DHI leadership recently decided to remove the parks from the city’s center. Some companies, like Turner, have chosen to repurpose the parks by donating them to other organizations. WellStone’s new pop-up park is located in a greenspace area behind the main building. It features four swings and two benches.

WellStone is North Alabama's largest and most comprehensive behavioral healthcare provider, housing 70 programs and operating in 12 different facilities across the region. WellStone treats children, adolescents and adults who face mental illness, substance abuse and a broad range of obstacles to health and well-being. For more information about how WellStone is connecting the community to health and well-being, visit www. wellstone.com. w

Paul Curcio, executive editor of InvestmentNews.

Bridgeworth currently has offices in both Birmingham and Huntsville. w

Bridgeworth Garners #1 Spot on 2023 Best Places to Work Ranking

Bridgeworth Wealth Management has been named as a 2023 Best Places to Work for Financial Advisers by InvestmentNews.

Bridgeworth was chosen as one of this year’s top 75 firms based on employer and employee surveys delving into everything from company culture, benefits, career paths and more. It is the fifth consecutive year that the company has earned this honor, and has been ranked #1 overallfor companies with over 50 employees in 2023, a distinct honor Bridgeworth also received in 2021.

“Of all the awards and recognition Bridgeworth has earned, I am most proud of this one,” said DeLynn Zell, CFP®, Founder and CEO. “Bridgeworth remains a best place to work because of the incredible people working here giving 100% to our clients and each other.”

InvestmentNews partnered with Best Companies Group, an independent research firm specializing in identifying great places to work, to compile the survey and recognition program.

“Every year, InvestmentNews is proud to profile those who prioritize taking care of their own. We applaud this year’s Best Firms for Advisors winners for investing in their most precious resource: their people.” said

NASA Awards $217M Contract to Huntsville’s PCI Productions

PCI Productions, LLC, a media production company owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, has been selected by NASA to manage a critically important contract, valued at up to $217 million, in communication services for all its’ agency centers.

The contract will exponentially expand the creation and dissemination of practical and appropriate NASA information to the public as well as to other agencies. The effort, which is both technically sophisticated and massive in scope, will be coordinated out of PCI Productions office in Huntsville, Alabama.

“We are extremely proud that NASA has selected one of our Tribal-owned companies to do this very important work,” said Poarch’s Chairwoman and CEO Stephanie A. Bryan. “Alabama has benefited greatly from NASA’s presence here, and having a home-grown Alabama company as the lead in such a large communications contract will be beneficial economically to the Huntsville community and people across our State.”

PCI Productions, along with Mori Associates, Abacus Technology Corporation and Alutiiq Career Ventures, will comprise the core team of companies providing the expanded communication services, which begin June 1, 2023. w prietary technology and secure future Phase III SBIRs." w

U. S. Space Force Orbital Prime Awards $1.7 Million Contract to Orbital Assembly in Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research Award

Orbital Assembly has been awarded a $1.7 million contract from the United States Space Force to develop rapidly deployable On Orbit structural technologies to support many types of electronic equipment.

The United States Space Force is a separate and distinct branch of the armed services, organized under the Department of the Air Force.

In the Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Award, Orbital Assembly will develop an efficient, lightweight structure to support solar panels, large power, and communications antenna arrays as well as other space infrastructure functions.

"This SBIR Award is a strong validation of OAs place in the On Orbit Servicing Assembly and Manufacturing sector by the U.S. Space Force," said Rhonda Stevenson, chief executive officer of Orbital Assembly. "Robust, sustainable in-space infrastructure is a national strategic imperative and energy transmission will be an essential component for space stations, commercial and defense applications. This is a great opportunity for us to advance on orbit systems, commercialize our pro-

Launch 2035 Announces Launch Tank Business Competition Winners

On Monday, March 20, eight finalists of the Singing River Trail Launch Tank by Launch 2035 presented their "big ideas" at Athens State University in front of a panel of judges.

These eight local entrepreneurs were chosen from over 40 applicants. They will presented their ideas at Athen State on Monday, with each competing for a variety of prizes.

The Singing River Trail Launch Tank is a "Shark Tank" style event offering prizes and recognition to talented entrepreneurs from eight North Alabama counties. This event aims to highlight regional opportunities and encourage entrepreneurship in the area.

“The Singing River Trail has been a regional project that has inspired a region to work together,” said Launch Tank 2022 Grand Prize Winners, Mike and Meeka Fellows. “We bought into that spirit and vision when we applied for Launch Tank, and it was the best decision we made. The support we’ve received from people like Launch 2035’s John Joseph and Toni Eber- hart have been essential to building our business, and as for the Singing River Trail… we’re all in!”

The eight finalists that participated on Monday included:

• Mimi Little - Be Gathered Rentals

• Zenovia Stephens - Black Kids Adventures, Inc

• Jonathan Fowler - Fow Wow Designs

• Courtney Greene - Greene Books LLC

• Larry Donelson - InTerra, LLC

• Emile Hughes - Ride Resorts Benefit, LLC

• Chris Soileau - River Elf, LLC

• Nathan Tucker & Ash Moorer

- Rocket City Electric Bike Rentals, LLC

More than $20,000 and other prizes were awarded to the finalists and the Rocket City Electric Bike Rentals went home with the grand prize. w ear and balance issues. The company began operations earlier this year with four employees.

TheraVista Health recently launched a platform that digitizes traditional vestibular exercises into fun and engaging tablet-based games. The treatment program is customized and managed by the patient's therapist and allows for remote therapeutic monitoring and reimbursement.

“TheraVista Health is a new option for vestibular rehabilitation," said Scott Frederick, TheraVista Health CEO.

"Our platform brings the benefits of traditional vestibular therapy into the digital age, making it more convenient and engaging for patients, and more efficient for therapists. We believe this will greatly improve patient outcomes and make vestibular therapy more accessible to those who need it."

Frederick said the technology was developed as part of a National Institute of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project with the goal of making vestibular therapy more accessible and engaging for patients, while also providing a tool for therapists to track progress and optimize treatment plans.

CFD Research and OtherLeft Ventures Launch TheraVista Health

Huntsville’s CFD Research Corporation and Nashville’s OtherLeft Ventures started a new digital health company, TheraVista Health Inc.

The new corporation is based in Nashville and provides a remote monitoring platform for rehabilitation patients who are affected by inner

“We are excited to start our partnership with OtherLeft Ventures, a venture studio program specialized in B2B Healthcare Software,” said Sameer Singhal, CFD Research’s President & CEO. “After several years of research and development, it is rewarding to see our innovations reach the market and make a difference in the lives of physical therapy patients through the formation of TheraVista Health.” w

Poarch Band of Creek Indians’ Stephanie Bryan Recognized as ‘CEO of the Year’

Business Alabama has awarded Stephanie Bryan, Chair and CEO of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, with its first ever CEO of the Year award.

Hundreds attended the Birmingham luncheon where Business Alabama held its inaugural awards event honoring the best in business around the state. In bestowing Bryan with its first ever CEO of the Year award, Business Alabama specifically cited the success Bryan has had leading a variety of businesses across the state.

Chairwoman Bryan thanked Business Alabama for the award.

“No business is successful without a great team of employees, and at Poarch we are blessed to have wonderful people who work hard and believe in what we are trying to do for the state. I am honored to receive this award, and I promise to continue to do what I can to create good jobs and have well-run businesses that create a positive economic impact in our state,” Bryan stated.

Other nominees within the CEO of the Year category included Josh Carpenter, CEO of Southern Research in Birmingham; Mark Crosswhite, former CEO of Alabama Power in Birmingham; Bill Roark, founder and CEO of Starfish Holdings in Huntsville; and Tim Vines, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.

ServisFirst Bank Huntsville

Announces New Assistant Vice President and New Branch Operations Manager

ServisFirst Bank announced the promotion of Elizabeth Jacobus to Assistant Vice President, Commercial Banking Officer, and Drew Jones to Branch Operations Manager, Bank Officer for the ServisFirst Bank Huntsville region.

Elizabeth Jacobus has been promoted to Assistant Vice President, Commercial Banking Officer of the ServisFirst Huntsville region. Joining the team as an intern in October of 2016, Jacobus accepted a full-time Credit Analyst position after graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH) in May of 2017 with a BSBA in Finance.

While working full-time, she completed her MBA at UAH in December 2018. Jacobus was then promoted to Assistant Relationship Manager in 2019 and Commercial Banking Officer in 2021.

Drew Jones has been promoted to Branch Operations Manager, Bank Officer of the ServisFirst Bank Huntsville Research Park Office. Jones has been a member of the ServisFirst team since joining as an intern in 2016. Upon graduating in 2017, Jones was hired full-time and has since taken on various positions within ServisFirst Bank, including Client Service Representative, Loan Administrator, and Branch Operations Supervisor.

Her financial education, work experience and excellent client service have helped prepare her to take on this new role of Branch Operations Manager of the Research Park team.

Eric Moore Promoted to Partner at Patterson + Sheridan

Eric Moore has been promoted to partner at the intellectual property and technology law firm Patterson + Sheridan LLP. Moore will be working in Huntsville and Dallas for the firm. He has worked within the computer science discipline for more than a decade, first entering the field as a developer of military software.

“It is an honor to be named partner at Patterson + Sheridan. I look forward to growing my practice in the artificial intelligence and machine learning space, mentoring the future of patent law and supporting the firm’s clients in emerging technologies,” said Moore.

Moore has drafted and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications related to complex computer technologies, including machine learning, virtual computing, user interfaces, semiconductor technologies and telecommunications.

He often helps clients identify patentable subject matter through “invention mining” sessions which translate ideas into viable applications. He also applies his legal skills and technical background to assist in dispute resolution including patent litigation.

Before joining the law firm, he was a patent examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Moore holds a B.S. degree in computer science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and a J.D. from the Ave Maria School of Law.

C Spire Moves CFO Ben Pace to Birmingham Office to Chart Growth in Alabama

C Spire’s CFO Ben Pace is moving to the company’s Birmingham, Alabama office to pilot continued growth and expansion for the diversified telecommunications and technology services firm across the state. Pace previously worked in C Spire’s Ridgeland, Mississippi headquarters for the past 23 years.

The move comes in the midst of a $500 million investment in fiber infrastructure and network enhancements in Alabama to provide ultra-fast broadband internet access for consumers and other advanced voice and data services to businesses.

“We have a long-standing commitment to Alabama, and are expanding our services across the state, bringing ultra-fast fiber to rural communities, encouraging private sector broadband investment and leveraging existing resources to residents and businesses,” said Hu Meena, president and CEO of C Spire. “To lead our continued growth, we felt it important to have an executive from the C-suite working in our Birmingham office. Ben will be a great catalyst and visionary in the marketplace.”

C Spire's broadband network now provides ultra-fast, all-fiber services to more than 200,000 homes and business in Alabama and Mississippi after continuing to expand its broadband internet availability in the marketplace.

Pace joined C Spire in 2000 and is responsible for all accounting and financial functions of the company, including capital financing, mergers and acquisitions and strategic planning.

“I am eager to work alongside my colleagues, state and local officials, businesses and residents to advance technologies that will enhance the quality of life across Alabama,” Pace said. “We are steadfast in our investment in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee to improve the economic future for the next generation.”