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new chamber members HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER
If you want to make a valuable investment in your business and the community, the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber is the place to start. Contact Crystal Baker, Membership Retention Specialist: 256-535-2039 or cbaker@hsvchamber.org.
Joined in October Joined in September Allison Chappell - Next Home Kel Mitchell Atrenne Computing Solutions, LLC Austin Peay State University - College of STEM Barberia Barbershop Beers and Associates, LLC Beyond Rockets LLC Big Oh’s Cooking at Home Boundary Title & Escrow, LLC Carrabba’s Italian Grill Croux Edward Jones Investments - Palmer Road First Choice Real Estate Gaylor Electric, Inc. Get Premier Green Harris Firm, LLC Job Impulse, Inc Just Love Coffee Cafe Lockwood & Associates, Inc. Metropolitan Disc Jockey Services, LLC Mitchell Plastics Moxie Marketing Solutions, LLC Network Innovations US Government One Generation Away Rogers Group, Inc. sbLiftOff Staples #1280 - North Memorial Parkway The Abercrombie Group - Capstone Realty The Foundation Coffee House The OPUS Foundation The Uplift Effect Coaching and Consulting, LLC The Venue at Oak Place Valbridge Property Advisors Vanguard Commercial Flooring
Aero Engineering Support Group Inc. Amplify Marketing Solutions Aviles Brothers Landscaping, LLC Condado Tacos / Downtown Huntsville Courtyard Marriott Huntsville DJ GetBuck LLC Dreamland BBQ Huntsville Fortis Rose Engineering, LLC Huntsville Marriott at the Space & Rocket Center Integrated Solutions for Systems Inc Jones Lang LaSalle Brokerage, Inc. (JLL) K9 Outlook LLC Kona Grill Lowe’s Outlet Store MailPro Michael Hatcher & Associates, Inc. Odyssey Systems QS Professionals The Vessel T-Mobile - Winchester Road WaterWalk Huntsville Westway Enterprises, LLC White Lyon Media
Become a Chamber Member In addition to investing in the economic growth of the entire region, as a Chamber member, you receive a variety of important benefits: ■ Build business relationships, create partnerships, and grow your business ■ Listing in the online Membership Directory ■ Specially designed professional development programs to grow your talent and strengthen your business ■ Brand exposure through the Chamber’s multimedia platforms to fellow member companies and the region’s business community ■ Priority communications to keep you updated on the latest business news and information impacting your business
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initiatives dec 2023
A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
hregi investors HUNTSVILLE REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH INITIATIVE
DEVELOPMENT PARTNER
AS OF NOVEMBER 13, 2023
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Bill Penney Toyota/Mitsubishi ■ BlueHalo COPT Defense Properties ■ Crestwood Medical Center ■ Dynetics, Inc. Lockheed Martin Corporation ■ Raytheon, An RTX Business ■ SAIC
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. ■ Torch Technologies ■ Yulista
CHAMBER TRUSTEES Five Stones Research Corporation ■ Intrepid ■ KBR Landers McLarty Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram ■ Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne P.C. Parsons ■ S3, Inc. ■ Science and Engineering Services, LLC (SES) Sealy Management Company, Inc. ■ SportsMED Orthopaedic Surgery & Spine Center
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE
Synovus ■ The Westmoreland Company
PROGRESS PARTNERS Ability Plus, Inc. ■ Aerojet Rocketdyne, An L3Harris Technologies Company ■ Amazon ■ Anglin Reichmann Armstrong, P.C. ■ ASRC Federal ■ Baron Weather, Inc. ■ BASF Corporation ■ BL Harbert International, LLC ■ Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP ■ Brown Precision, Inc. ■ Canvas, Inc. ■ CFD Research Corporation ■ Colliers International ■ First Horizon ■ Freedom Real Estate & Capital, LLC ■ Goodwyn Mills Cawood, LLC ■ Huntsville/Madison County Builders Association ■ Huntsville Tractor & Equipment,
REGIONAL PARTNERS
Inc. ■ Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3) ■ Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation ■ IronMountain Solutions ■ Keel Point, LLC ■ Leonardo Electronics US Inc. ■ LSINC Corporation ■ Marsh & McLennan Agency, locally known as J. Smith Lanier & Co. ■ The Orthopaedic Center (TOC) ■ Pearce Construction Company ■ Radiance Technologies, Inc. ■ RE/MAX Alliance ■ Robins & Morton ■ ServisFirst Bank ■ SMX ■ SouthState Bank ■ Steak-Out (Rosie’s Restaurants, Inc., & Right Way Restaurants, Inc.) ■ United Community Bank ■ Venturi, LLC ■ Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP ■ Woody Anderson Ford
LEADERSHIP FORUM
PROGRESS INVESTORS Accenture Federal Services ■ Air Essentials, Inc. ■ Alpha Beta Technologies, Inc. ■ Averbuch Realty / Enterprises ■ Avion Solutions ■ Bailey-Harris Construction ■ BRPH Architects-Engineers, Inc. ■ Bryant Bank ■ Cadence Bank ■ CB&S Bank ■ Century Automotive ■ Convergint ■ Corvid Technologies LLC ■ deciBel Research, Inc. ■ Deloitte LLP ■ DESE Research, Inc. ■ Express Employment Professionals ■ FITE Building Company ■ FLS Translation & Interpreting ■ Fountain, Parker, Harbarger & Associates, LLC ■ Garver, LLC ■ GTEC ■ Hexagon US Federal ■ HEMSI ■ Hiley Automotive Group ■ Huntsville Botanical Garden ■ Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau ■ Industrial Properties of the South ■ InterFuze Corporation ■ Investor’s Resource ■ L3Harris ■ The Lioce Group, Inc. ■ MSB Analytics, Inc. ■ nLogic, LLC ■ PALCO ■ Phoenix ■ PROJECTXYZ, Inc. ■ QTEC Aerospace ■ Quadrus Corporation ■ Renasant Bank ■ RJ Young Company ■ Rosenblum Realty, Inc. ■ S&ME, Inc. ■ Schoel Engineering Company, Inc. ■ Shee Atiká Enterprises, LLC ■ Signalink, Inc. ■ Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. ■ Textron Inc. ■ Transcend, The Fearless Company ■ Troy7, Inc. ■ Truist Bank ■ TTL, Inc. ■ ValleyMLS.com ■ Valor Communities ■ Van Valkenburgh & Wilkinson Properties, Inc. ■ Volkert, Inc. ■ Warren Averett, LLC ■ Wilmer & Lee, P.A.
For more information, contact Kristy Drake, Vice President, Investor Relations: 256-535-2036 or kdrake@hsvchamber.org.
A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
dec 2023 initiatives
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We’re invested in YOU.
BIBANK.COM MEMBER FDIC
table of contents INITIATIVES MAGAZINE – DEC 2023
Mission: To prepare, develop, and promote our community for economic growth.
HSVchamber.org
COVER STORY:
(see staff listing on page 30)
BEST PLACES TO WORK®
Chamber members: You are encouraged to contribute ideas for our publications. Please send items to comms@hsvchamber.org. The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber maintains editorial control.
Kicking Off the Next Competition
pages 16–21 JEFF WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
editorial staff publisher Chip Cherry, CCE editor Claire Aiello editorial designer Kristi Sherrard contributing writers
Kayla Brown Annie Davis Deborah Storey Mike Ward, CCE
advertising Kristy Drake kdrake@hsvchamber.org
feature stories 10
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS | includes Discovery Life Sciences, Navistar, and more
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50 YEARS & 500M CATALYSTS | BASF continues making history
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NEW TAX PREP | Overtime Exemption: Changes for 2024
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HREGI INVESTOR PROFILE | Evan Wagner with Avion Solutions
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MUSIC VIBES | Rocking out in the Rocket City
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RIVERBANK DESTINATION | Ditto Landing announces major renovation project
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AND THE WINNERS ARE | 2023 Small Business Awards in pictures
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PARENTS + WORKFORCE | Partners announce new funding to support childcare initiatives
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SKYLAB | Celebrating the 50th Anniversary
Lakeysha Brown lbrown@hsvchamber.org
HUNTSVILLE MADISON COUNTY ALABAMA Military, space, telecommunications, biotechnology, diversified manufacturing, and a variety of emerging specialties provide challenging work in delightful surroundings. The area enjoys a favorable cost of living and quality of life. Mountains, lakes, woodlands, and the Tennessee River accommodate numerous recreational activities. A temperate climate enhances the season for outdoor sports, including worldclass golf, hiking, biking, and fishing. Major concerts, Broadway and symphony performances, extensive permanent collections, and traveling exhibitions contribute to a wonderful way of life.
more for you 4
NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS | BECOMING A MEMBER
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HREGI INVESTORS
8
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT | BOARD LISTING
15
COMMUNITY PROFILE
26
ATTN: SMALL BUSINESSES | Tell us what programming you want + Upcoming events
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CHAMBER WORKFORCE EVENTS | ASmartPlace on the Road & College Career Fair
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CHAMBER STAFF | ASSOCIATED ORGS
Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, Inc. 225 Church St NW, Huntsville, AL 35801 • 256-535-2000
A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
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a message from chip cherry HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER
HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER
Executive Committee & Board of Directors 2023 Executive Committee Lynn Troy, Board Chair – Troy7, Inc. Sameer Singhal, Chair-Elect – CFD Research Corporation Greg Brown, Immediate Past Chair – Brown Precision, Inc. Ron Poteat, Board Chair, Chamber Foundation Wayne Sisco, Secretary/Treasurer – Redstone Federal Credit Union Jeff Samz, Vice Chair, Economic Development & Workforce – Huntsville Hospital
Dear Chamber Investors, Community Leaders, and Friends: Nominations are open for Best Places to Work®. The program allows you to gain valuable insights into how your Team Members view the workplace and the impact your policies are having on morale – insights that provide management with a unique perspective on changes they can make to create a more dynamic and effective organization. I encourage you to learn more about how participating in this program can help you build an even more effective organization. A great first step is to read our cover story, starting on page 16. The Rocket City has a significant foothold in the automotive world. Did you know that the catalytic converter was invented here 50 years ago and that the BASF facility here is the largest catalytic manufacturing facility in the U.S.? They have produced 500 million catalytic converters, and here’s a fun fact – 40% of the vehicles in America have a catalytic converter made in Huntsville. It’s hard to believe that five years ago, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) broke ground on their new facility. To date they have produced over 243,000 vehicles and are well on their way to the target production rate of 300,000 vehicles a year. Toyota Alabama is on track to produce a record number of engines this year: 800,000. Approximately a third of Toyota vehicles on the road in the U.S. have an engine made in Huntsville. To date, they have produced over 9.5 million engines here in the Rocket City. These examples provide some insight into the role our community plays in the automotive sector. I have written many times about the special place that Small Business has in my heart. It is truly the heart and soul of our community. I remember when I was young, I would go with my Dad to find a gift for my Mom. Many of those gifts were purchased from small businesses. We had a great time talking while driving from store to store in search of the perfect gift. That’s a memory that you can’t create shopping online. So, make the time to get out and visit our community’s Small Businesses in search of your perfect gift. I reflect often on how blessed we are to live in this wonderful community. On behalf of our volunteer leadership, the Chamber Staff Team, and my family, I wish you and your family a wonderful Holiday Season and a prosperous New Year! I look forward to seeing you at a Chamber event soon.
Chip Cherry, CCE President & CEO Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
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Michelle Jordan, Vice Chair, Economic Inclusion & Diversity – TARCOG Ronnie Chronister, Vice Chair, Government & Public Affairs – Lockheed Martin Corporation
Beth Sippel, Vice Chair, HREGI – Synovus Blake Bentley, Vice Chair, Investor Relations – SportsMED Jason Puckett, Vice Chair, Marketing & Communications – Toyota Alabama
Dr. Karockas Watkins, Vice Chair, Small Business – Ability Plus, Inc. Jeff Gronberg, Liaison, Redstone Regional Alliance – deciBel Research, Inc. Brett Crain, Chair-Appointed – Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. Jami Peyton, Chair-Appointed – Canvas, Inc. John Watson, Chair-Appointed – Torch Technologies Mayor Tommy Battle, Ex-officio Member – City of Huntsville Mayor Paul Finley, Ex-officio Member – City of Madison Chm. Mac McCutcheon, Ex-officio Member – Madison Co. Commission Chip Cherry, CCE, President & CEO, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
Elected board Ted Baudendistel, InterFuze Corporation David Bier, Anglin Reichmann Armstrong, P.C. Penny Billings, Cadence Bank Jason Blount, Keel Point, LLC Mark Brazeal, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) Thomas Busby, SouthState Bank Katie Comer, Meta Platforms, Inc. Michael Cox, Raytheon, An RTX Business Dr. Patti Dare, Davidson Melissa Davis, MTA, Inc. Tyler Evans, Aerojet Rocketdyne, An L3Harris Technologies Company Kevin Fernandez, L2 Mindset Greg Fortier, SAIC Owen Franklin, Blue Summit Supplies Dr. Greg Gaddy, Five Stones Research Corporation Greg Hall, Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) Scott Hall, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. Ginger Harper, First Horizon Josh Herren, Yulista Tharon Honeycutt, MSB Analytics, Inc. Laura Huckabee-Jennings, Transcend, The Fearless Company Lincoln Hudson, Frontier Technology, Inc. Tyce Hudson, Freedom Real Estate and Capital, LLC Hank Isenberg, IronMountain Solutions Sean Kelly, Regions Bank Tim King, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) Clint Kirkland, United Community Bank Rich Kretzschmar, Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3) James Lackey, Parsons Todd May, KBR Bob McCaleb, Northrop Grumman Corporation Chrystal Morgan, The Boeing Company Collin Orcutt, Schoel Engineering Company, Inc. Alana Parker, Rocket City Drywall & Supply, Inc. Zack Penney, Bill Penney Toyota/Mitsubishi Sharné Rice, U.S. Army Alicia Ryan, LSINC Corporation Charlie Sealy, Sealy Management Company, Inc. Mitch Stevison, Mercury Systems, Inc. Nilmini Thompson, Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. Mark Vaporis, Intrepid Mike Watkins, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
Make an
Appointment to start living better. Better living starts with taking good care of yourself. At Crestwood Medical Group, our healthcare providers take the time to identify your health risks and can help you prioritize good health. Regular checkups and age-appropriate screenings are important to be healthy now – and to stay well in the future. With same-day appointments and online scheduling, we make it easy to make an appointment right now. You can even see us from the comfort of home via telehealth. Put your health first and start living better right now. Make an appointment at CrestwoodPrimaryCare.com or call (888) 280-2438.
community highlights COMPILED BY CLAIRE AIELLO
Alabama A&M University reports record enrollment
Wicks Family Garden now open at Huntsville Botanical Garden
Alabama A&M University has seen a 10 percent increase in students from last year, putting the school at its largest enrollment in history. According to the University, 6,633 students are enrolled for the fall semester, with 2,002 freshmen and 2,567 total new students, the largest incoming class in the school’s 148-year history. “As the reputation of our university continues to grow and the return on investment is proven by our students and alumni, we expect to attract more talented students to The Hill,” AAMU President Dr. Daniel K. Wims said. “This is an exciting milestone as we march Wims toward our 150th anniversary in 2025.” AAMU also welcomed 105 students through a new partnership with Huntsville City Schools this fall, where students are dually enrolled with both HCS and AAMU.
The Children’s garden area at Huntsville Botanical Garden is now officially named the Wicks Family Garden, after a ribbon cutting ceremony was held on October 17. Mike and Christine Wicks made a generous $2 million donation on behalf of the Wicks Family Foundation.
Discovery Life Sciences opens new Global HQ at HudsonAlpha On October 11, Discovery Life Sciences marked its grand opening on the campus of HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. The new 93,000-square-foot facility will act as the global headquarters and increase HudsonAlpha’s multi-billion dollar economic impact on the state of Alabama. Gov. Kay Ivey was in attendance along with HudsonAlpha co-founder Jim Hudson, Madison County Commission Chairman Mac McCutcheon, and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.
There’s plenty to see at the Garden throughout the year! This month, check out the beautiful Galaxy of Lights nightly through December 31. Visit hsvbg.org/galaxy for more information.
Historic Huntsville Museum named to Reconstruction Era National Network
The new facility in Cummings Research Park combines Discovery’s biospecimen products and ancillary services to researchers focused on oncology, hematology and immunology research. The company provides primary tissues and cells matched with clinical information scientists need to better validate their research so new drugs can reach a patient’s bedside more quickly.
Hundreds Attend ReLaunch Job Fair Our recent ReLaunch Job Fair on October 24 brought in more than 200 people to meet with dozens of companies about new opportunities. Thank you to First Baptist Church of Huntsville for hosting us! Many job seekers met with company representatives and participated in interviews on-site. We look forward to having another ReLaunch event in the spring.
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A representative of the National Park Service visited Huntsville on October 27 to announce the Historic Huntsville Museum and Harrison Brothers building are now listed to the highly prestigious Reconstruction Era National Historic Network. The Historic Huntsville Museum is dedicated space in Harrison Brothers Hardware that showcases Huntsville history. The Historic Huntsville Foundation (HHF) owns and operates Harrison Brothers. Managed by the National Park Service, the Network connects sites across the nation that provide education, interpretation and research related to the period of Reconstruction, when 4 million formerly enslaved Americans could first exercise their rights as citizens following the abolition of slavery. The Harrison Brothers Building and Historic Huntsville Museum qualify for listing to the Network for two reasons. First, the Foundation’s history exhibition, “Brick by Brick: The Legacy of Henderson and Daniel Brandon,” documents the Brandon family, who were noted Reconstruction era leaders. Second, Daniel Brandon’s masonry firm constructed the Harrison Brothers building in 1902. “Securing a spot on the Network also connects the Historic Huntsville Museum, Harrison Brothers Hardware and the City of Huntsville to a federally funded program that promotes heritage tourism across the United States,” said Donna Castellano, HHF executive director. “There are 101 historic sites listed to the Network. The Historic Huntsville Museum is only the second site in Alabama listed to the Reconstruction Era Network and the first historic site in north Alabama to be affiliated with the National Park Service.” A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
Navistar marks start of production for S13 Integrated Powertrain On October 18, Navistar announced the start of production on the new International® S13 Integrated Powertrain at the company’s production facility in Huntsville. This system marks the final combustion product platform that Navistar will develop as the company transitions towards zero-emissions vehicles. Navistar recently completed a 110,000-sq.-ft. expansion of the Huntsville Powertrain Plant to support the production of the new S13 Integrated Powertrain components. With the addition, the now 410,000-sq.-ft. facility has transitioned from a single assembly line to two – one for the T14 Transmission and one for the S13 Engine – along with the incorporation of three major machining lines. “Navistar is one of those great companies that makes Huntsville go,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “We’re proud that the integrated powertrain is produced in Huntsville and that Navistar has been a strong partner and one of our long-term corporate citizens.” Overall, Navistar has invested more than $200 million in the Huntsville plant, which was established in 2008 and employs more than 230 skilled workers in the area.
Kids to Love Starting Equine Therapy Program Kids to Love is adding an Equine Therapy Program at Davidson Farms in Ardmore, and trauma therapists are being trained to add equine therapy to their suite of services. “The children we serve have all experienced trauma in some form. They are often untrusting and have limited coping skills or emotional awareness. This is where equine therapy comes in,” said Jenni Akins, LMSW, Kids to Love clinical director and trauma & equine therapist. “We can heal children as they learn to build trust and their self-esteem, reduce their anxiety and depression, improve social skills and impulse control while also being in the presence of an animal that is patient, forgiving and willing to give as much as they are given. It is truly a beautiful thing.” Sessions are expected to start in early 2024. The equine therapy will be housed at The Damson Family Barn, named to honor a donation by Deke and Danielle Damson. The services will be offered to the girls living at Davidson Farms and in the cottages, as well as to all children in the area living in foster care.
A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
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50 Years & 500M Catalysts BASF continues making history
O
n October 25, BASF marked two major local milestones. First – 50 years in business in the Rocket City – reason enough to celebrate – and second, 500 million catalysts made at the Huntsville plant! “Since the Huntsville site’s inception in 1973, we’ve continuously invested in innovative processes and equipment to help our customers reduce air pollution and we’ve continuously invested in our most important asset – our people,” said Ray Weed, Huntsville site director. “Our 50th anniversary and the production of our 500 millionth catalyst represent more than just numbers, they symbolize the unwavering dedication and hard work of our teams through the years.” Here’s a fact you may not know: the catalytic converter was invented in Huntsville. The first iteration appeared in 1975-model cars, and that breakthrough invention is used in all vehicles with an internal combustion engine to convert hazardous compounds into naturally occurring ones such as carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen, reducing air pollution. To date, BASF catalysts have eliminated billions of tons of air pollutants. In addition, BASF’s catalysts are found in almost half a billion cars and trucks worldwide. At the celebration, company managers took a moment to recog-
L-R: Greg Canfield, Alabama Secretary of Commerce; Melissa Matejek, BASF Vice President, Global Key Accounts, Mobile Emissions Catalysts; Terry Howell, 44-year employee of the Huntsville facility; Ray Weed, BASF Huntsville Site Director; Jan Oldenburg, BASF Vice President, Operations, Mobile Emissions Catalysts.
nize Terry Howell, who has worked at the Huntsville facility since 1979. The local team now has more than 700 employees and contractors. “Our Huntsville site is a crucial part of our global production network,” said Jan Oldenburg, vice president, Global Operations, ECMS Mobile Emissions Catalysts. “Since the world’s first catalyst was produced 50 years ago, the site has made a significant impact in making the air we breathe cleaner. I am very proud of the Huntsville site. The milestone we are celebrating today is only possible because of our dedicated team.”
PRODUCTS AT YOUR SERVICE At ServisFirst Bank, all our products and services were designed with you in mind. Your personal banker will work with you to find the right, competitive solutions to fit your needs and vision of success. Downtown Banking Center 401 Meridian Street, Suite 100 Huntsville, AL 35801 256.722.7800
Research Park Banking Center 1267 Enterprise Way, Suite A Huntsville, AL 35806 256.722.7880 www.servisfirstbank.com
ATLANTA • BIRMINGHAM • CHARLESTON • CHARLOTTE • DOTHAN • HUNTSVILLE • MOBILE • MONTGOMERY • NASHVILLE • NORTHWEST FLORIDA VIRGINIA BEACH • WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA • WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender
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A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
READY TO TAKE FLIGHT?
OUR SERVICES
Promotional Products
New Tax Prep
Overtime Exemption: Changes for 2024
H
eads up, HR teams… starting January 1, changes are coming for your full-time employees who are paid hourly wages. If a person works more than 40 hours in a given week, those overtime hours are excluded from gross income and therefore exempt from Alabama state income tax. Tied with this exemption are employer reporting requirements to the Alabama Department of Revenue. Employers are required to report the total aggregate amount of overtime paid and the total number employees who received overtime pay.
Employers are required to report to ALDOR in two ways: ■ A one-time report which includes the aggregate amount of overtime paid during 2023 along with the number of fulltime hourly employees who received the pay. ■ A monthly/quarterly report of the same data requirement beginning with the 2024 tax year tied to the employer’s reporting of withholding tax. WHO must report to ALDOR? ■ All employers that are required to withhold Alabama tax from the wages of their employees. WHAT overtime qualifies as exempt? ■ Overtime pay received beginning on or after January 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. ■ Amounts received by a full-time hourly wage paid employee as compensation for work performed in excess of 40 hours in a week.
Check the Alabama Department of Revenue’s website for more guidance:
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A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
POPULATION
Madison County
City of Huntsville
City of Madison
Huntsville Metro Area
community profile HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER
2010 Census
334,811
180,105
42,938
417,593
2022 Census
403,565
221,933
59,785
514,465
% Growth
20.5%
23.2%
39.2%
23.2%
HOUSEHOLDS & INCOME # of Households
166,454
95,683
21,357
206,490
Avg. Household Income
$109,789
$104,769
$123,831
$109,146
Per Capita Income
$45,934
$45,810
$48,070
$44,601
As of November 2023
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov), American Community Survey Estimates
Top 15 Employers: Huntsville & Madison County U.S. Army/Redstone Arsenal* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,000 * Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,160 NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000 Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,500 The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,048 Huntsville City Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000 Dynetics, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,946 SAIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,746 City of Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,589 Madison County Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,389 Northrop Grumman Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,266 University of Alabama in Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,979 Polaris Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,932 Toyota Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,800 Lockheed Martin Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,685 Source: Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
*includes on-site contractors
Aerospace & Defense Huntsville/Madison County is home to the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center which combine to drive a thriving aerospace and defense technology industry. Currently, 44,000 people work at Redstone Arsenal and NASA, managing some of the country’s most important and sophisticated technology programs.
Research & Technology Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park (CRP) has earned a reputation as a global leader in technology development. The second-largest science and technology research park in the U.S., CRP is home to 320 companies and 26,500 people involved in technology research and development.
For more information, visit:
hsvchamber.org
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Important Dates Nominations Open: December 1, 2023 Nominations Close: February 9, 2024 Employee Surveys: January 22 – March 8 Awards Luncheon: May 14, 2024
KICKING OFF THE NEXT COMPETITION
BY DEBORAH STOREY
We are excited to announce the start of the 2024 Best Places to Work® Awards! The nomination period opened December 1, and we encourage you to participate. Whether you’ve participated in the Best Places to Work program in the past, or you’re new this year, you will find that the feedback you receive just by participating will help you grow the trust, respect, purpose, and community that is your corporate culture. Through survey research, Best Places to Work (conducted by a third-party) gives you a glimpse into what your employees love about where they work, and what they would like to see improved. Best Places to Work is: ■ A great recruiting tool: 91% of job candidates evaluate an employer’s brand before applying. ■ Supports retention: employees who are highly engaged are 1.8 times more likely to say they will be working at their current organization a year from now. ■ Nominate a company today by going to hsvchamber.org to fill out the form, linked on our homepage.
continued on page 18
A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
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continued from page 17
Get there with a dedicated partner. Get there with Synovus.
Let’s hear from our Hall of Famers! It’s impressive enough for a company to win Best Places to Work, but to win over and over means its leaders care a great deal what employees think, and work diligently to make long-lasting improvements. Three companies in Huntsville are in the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber’s Best Places to Work® Hall of Fame. Here’s how they stay there.
PeopleTec At PeopleTec, Inc., managers listen closely to what employees have to say in the surveys associated with the Best Places to Work process, said CEO and co-founder Terry Jennings. It gives them a way to express opinions, “contributing significantly to our commitment to providing a ‘PeopleFirst’ environment and exceptional resources for our workforce,” she added. Jennings said the BP2W process supports creating a positive, inclusive and supportive work environment “that results in dedicated employees who are empowered to provide exceptional service to our customers.”
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In closely reviewing comments and feedback from the company’s 572 employee-owners, leadership focuses on “areas where we excel and those where we can make improvements. “This aligns with our commitment to earning and keeping our employees’ trust and votes of confidence,” Jennings said. “PeopleTec provides top-tier benefits and an exceptional workplace culture where the best and brightest want to work,” said Jennings. “Fostering a positive work environment for our employee-owners is essential as it enables them to consistently deliver high-quality services to our customers,” she added. “Our overarching goals are to prioritize our people and support our customers and the Warfighter.” Appropriately, given its name, the company has what it calls a “people first” approach. That sets the standard for how employees are treated, and those employees in turn support customers, the community, and ultimately, our men and women in uniform. Clearly PeopleTec is doing something right. Its historical average retention rate is 92 percent – particularly significant in a business environment where vacancies go unfilled and employers are frustrated by lack of applicants. “Team PeopleTec” employees enjoy not only a stock ownership plan and top-tier benefits, but satisfaction in knowing that their contributions play a role in shaping the company’s future, leaders A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
say. “Our ‘Technology Always’ culture helps us recruit and retain the best and brightest,” said company President and co-founder Doug Scalf. Their “technical ladder” includes designations of Technical Triad and Technical Fellows “to provide career upward mobility options and are attractive for a large portion of our employee-owners.” In internal surveys, a staggering 100 percent of employees called it a great place to work. A few employee quotes: ■ “Affordable health insurance premiums with amazing coverage to take care of employees and their families.” ■ “Great education opportunities. PeopleTec provides employee-owners career growth support and options.” ■ “There is a reason why PeopleTec continually receives awards for the Best Place to Work because it is truly that. The family-like atmosphere, benefits, compensation and morale are like no other place I have ever worked. Everyone truly cares about the well-being of each other, and it shows. Being an employee-owned company, everyone is valued equally, which is another great benefit!”
MTSI Modern Technology Solutions, Inc., considers the Best Places to Work process integral in continuing to keep employees happy. “It is very important to us as it not only validates our employee-first cultural environment but also provides key feedback on the areas for improvement,” said Bobby Argraves, director of Human Resources. MTSI’s commitment to aligning company core values and decision making is a key to the company’s growth and success, Argraves said. The Best Places process “ensures we address culture quality escapes and/or adjust corporate processes, benefits and employee engagement to meet ever-changing employee needs,” he added. MTSI has been recognized in Best Places in each of the category size standards they fit into since 2009, he said. MTSI has almost 2,000 employees and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. That validates what they are doing, but doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. MTSI employees are proud of the BPTW designation, he said. The status “drives positive cultural momentum” throughout management and staff, said Gordon Fogg of the AMD Engineering Business Unit. The recognition also helps attract great employees, and therefore great teams. “They bring an esprit de corps to the workforce that drives a more positive work environment,” Fogg said. The recognition also serves as a “key discriminator” in terms of “competition in the high-end defense engineering sector,” Fogg
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noted. “The government understands that when they team with MTSI, they get a highly capable company with an exceptionally high retention rate committed to solving the customers’ most challenging problems.” It’s crucial for employees to enjoy their workplace because it directly impacts their overall well-being and job satisfaction, Fogg said. “When employees genuinely like where they work, they are more motivated, engaged and productive.” That fosters creativity, collaboration and loyalty, “ultimately leading to a thriving business and a strong community in Huntsville/Madison County,” Fogg said.
A company survey elicited the following comments from employees: ■ “MTSI goes to great lengths to encourage employee development on both a professional and personal level, and that they are both seen and genuinely cared for as individuals.” ■ “MTSI is a company where I see my hard work support critical missions for our nation’s security.” ■ “This is the company military Veterans stick with – great mission, fantastic people.”
INTUITIVE At Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation (INTUITIVE®), the Best Places to Work process provides employee feedback and information for leaders to “continue to build a trusting relationship,” said Melissa DeVore, senior vice president of Employee Experience. Just the fact that they have a management position devoted to the “employee experience” speaks volumes. “We are able to gain more insight into the engagement of our employees and to identify areas for enhancement,” said DeVore. “The feedback also confirms what we are doing right as a company.” Leadership appreciates being recognized, “but the results of the survey are what we really focus on,” she said. “This process provides the opportunity for a very comprehensive employee engagement survey.” Leaders review the results and read every comment, she said, and use the information to determine engagement and cultural focuses for the year. Management lets the company’s roughly 560 employees know that they address any issues revealed as part of the BP2W process. “We care about the results of the survey,” DeVore said. “We are listening and taking action related to those results.” Creating an environment where employees are happy is “the right thing to do,” she said. “When employees like what they are doing and feel valued, they will be engaged in the mission and vision of the company.” Employees are the company’s best brand ambassadors, she noted. “If your employees are loyal, engaged and enjoy coming to work that is the best branding and recruiting for talent that you can ask for,” DeVore said. INTUITIVE focuses on engagement, providing challenging work, professional development, and company events for networking across the organization as well as a platform to connect employees with like interests outside of work hours, DeVore said. She quoted
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co-founder and Board Chair Harold Brewer, who says “what’s good for employees is good for business.” Employee feedback seems to support that attitude. A sampling: ■ “INTUITIVE goes above and beyond to ensure the welfare and well-being of our employees taking care to do what is possible to grow, support and expand each employee.” ■ “This is an organization where people are prioritized, and people come first. The senior leadership has created a culture where the employee feels valued and has a voice.” ■ “Personal growth/development and a healthy work/life balance are high priorities for our leadership. I believe while they plan future growth and expansion for the company, these two factors weigh heavily within their decision-making process.”
INTUITIVE was the first company inducted in the Best Places to Work® Hall of Fame in 2022. MTSI and PeopleTec were inducted in 2023. All three companies won the award for 10 consecutive years, and although they are not eligible to compete for three years after being inducted, they must continue to participate in the employee engagement survey in order to remain in the Hall of Fame. – Deborah Storey
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INVESTOR PROFILE
Evan Wagner President & CEO, Avion Solutions, Inc.
Tell us about Avion Solutions. Avion Solutions is a 100% Employee-Owned engineering and logistics services company headquartered in Huntsville, AL. We provide expertise in aerospace engineering, airworthiness, logistics, program management, and model-based systems engineering to multiple DoD customers.
Avion Solutions is a repeat winner for Best Places to Work®. What have you learned from the process? The Best Places to Work competition provides a way for the Avion management team to measure our performance in the eyes of our Employee-Owners. Every year we are able to look at feedback from the Best Places to Work survey and see issues that resonate with our employee-owners, as well as areas where we can improve.
What do you like most about the Huntsville community? While Huntsville continues to grow, one of the things I like most about our city is that it continues to feel like a “small town” community. Companies work together toward the common goals of supporting the Warfighter and supporting our local community. Businesses provide significant support, both financial and through volunteer efforts, to local nonprofits who are supporting families living in the margins. And all of this is enabled through the strong leadership of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce and other great organizations like Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville.
What have you gained from being a HREGI Investor? Avion has been a part of the Huntsville/Madison County community for over 25 years, and we believe that it is our responsibility to promote the continued economic empowerment of the community. Being a HREGI investor supports that objective by allowing us to get connected with other businesses in the area and help create an environment that allows businesses to grow and thrive.
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Music Vibes
Rocking out in the Rocket City
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or many decades, Huntsville has been known as the Rocket City, and for good reason. Our long history of supporting space exploration put us on the map and eventually helped our region grow to what it is today. However, as much as we love this recognition, it’s time to showcase yet another piece of the Huntsville pie. In 2022, the City of Huntsville appointed Matt Mandrella as the City’s official Music Officer. In his role, he collaborates with the Huntsville Music Board to nurture the City’s growing music industry. Over the last year, the Huntsville Music Office hit the ground running with a lineup of several new projects and even a special announcement. In October, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle announced at his State of the City Address that Huntsville was working to claim a new music festival – one that could potentially bring national attention to our community. The two-day music festival will feature internationally acclaimed artists to play at John Hunt Park. The City has inked a three-year partnership agreement with C3 Presents, and the festival could kick off as early as September of 2024, bringing in an estimated 30,000 music fans. C3 Presents will manage all festival production. The company is one of the world’s largest festival producers, and has run events such as the Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo. In addition to the large-scale announcement, our community also hosted the global Music Cities Convention at the Von Braun Center in October. The three-day event featured panels about the national music ecosystem and how to apply it to workforce and economic development. This operation has helped build a line of communication and knowledge to our peer cities in other states like Texas, Georgia, and Arkansas and around the world.
“Huntsville’s music initiative is an investment in quality of life, which directly impacts our ability to recruit and retain talent, but it is also an economic development engine,” said Lucia Cape, senior VP of Economic Development for the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. “A thriving music ecosystem includes not only the artists but the technicians, retailers, producers, educators, and venues that host live music. Enhancing Huntsville’s music economy is a smart move to support the ‘creative class’ across all industries.” Moving forward, the city is working towards spreading the word about our music growth across the nation. A new Music Ambassador Program was recently introduced and has Mandrella and his team excited to continue advocating for the Huntsville music scene. You can learn more about this program and the ongoing work the Huntsville Music Office is doing at huntsvillemusic.com. – Kayla Brown
Riverbank Destination
Ditto Landing announces major renovation project
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onstruction should begin by spring on a $10 million renovation of Ditto Landing’s State Docks Building, bringing a brand new event space and entertainment venue for south Huntsville.
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Madison County District Five Commissioner Phil Riddick called it a legacy project at the October 16 announcement. “We are excited to introduce this ambitious project, a transformative initiative aimed at revitalizing an existing 2.5-acre space into a vibrant outdoor destination,” Riddick said. The development will support new music events, recreation, and leisure use. Visitors can rent the event space for weddings, family reunions, conferences, and other large gatherings. “We are grateful for the opportunity to highlight Huntsville’s home at the midpoint of the Tennessee River,” said Brandi Quick, executive director of the Huntsville-Madison County Marina and Port Authority. Once completed, the venue will seat up to 600 occupants for a banquet event, with tables and chairs, or space for 1,000 occupants for a seated concert or conference or up to 1,500 occupants for a gathering of a standing-only event. Riddick said the renovations should be finished by the fall/winter of 2025. dec 2023 initiatives
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Victoria Jones
L-R: Keel Point’s Robert Mayes accepting the Presenting Sponsor plaque from Dr. Karockas Watkins, the Chamber Vice Chair for Small Business.
The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber honored local small businesses and individuals during the 38th Annual Small Business Awards Gala, held at the Von Braun Center Saturn Ballroom on September 28. We host this event to recognize the outstanding work businesses and individuals are doing in our community. Scoring and judging was handled by the Plano, Texas Chamber of Commerce. Since our gala took place during Huntsville Music Month, we were pleased to showcase a live performance by Huntsville singer/songwriter Victoria Jones to start the show. She also co-hosted the event with Matt Mandrella, Huntsville Music Officer.
Congratulations to this year’s winners! AWARD PHOTOS BY JEFF WHITE PHOTOGRAPHER
Victoria Jones Matt Mandrella
Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award winner Susan Wagner, Huntsville Botanical Garden (center), is shown with additional award presenters Dr. Timothy Mantz, Dean of Business at Alabama A&M University (left), and Dr. Jason Greene, Dean of the College of Business at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (right).
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And the Award Goes to... (clockwise from top left) Emerging Business of the Year – 106 Jefferson Huntsville Downtown, Curio by Hilton Construction Company of the Year – Bret Slaton Homes Young Professional of the Year – Terica Pope, Huntsville Housing Authority Minority-Owned Business of the Year – Mb Solutions Health / Social Services Business of the Year – Alabama Colon and Gastro Nonprofit of the Year – Village of Promise
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AWARD PHOTOS BY JEFF WHITE PHOTOGRAPHER
Engineering/Defense Business of the Year awards: Small Category: TriVector Services (top left), Medium Category: HigherEchelon (top right), and Large Category: Trideum Corporation (lower left) Woman-Owned Business of the Year: OTC (lower right)
What programming would you like to see from the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber’s Small Business Office in 2024?
Small Business Events HUNT SVILLE /MADISON COUNT Y CHAMBER DECEMBER 12
C-SUITE SPEAKER SERIES 9–10:30 AM | Chamber Auditorium
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Guest Speaker: Angela Sandritter co-founder and CEO of RippleWorx
DECEMBER 14
WBC LUNCHEON 11:30 AM–1 PM | Chamber Auditorium Guest Speaker: Jody Singer director, Marshall Space Flight Center (retired)
DECEMBER 18
MAXIMIZING FIRST-LINE LEADERS PART 3: One-on-one’s & performance appraisals
Your feedback is important as we discuss new ways to serve you and help you grow your business. 26
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9–10:30 AM | AMIIC Facilitator: Lana Barshinger n A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
Professional/Technical Services Business of the Year: Red Sage Communications (top left) Hospitality Services Business of the Year: Pizzelle’s Confections (right) Veteran-Owned Business of the Year: Offset Strategic Services (left)
AWARD PHOTOS BY JEFF WHITE PHOTOGRAPHER
Arts & Recreation Business of the Year: Von Braun Center (below)
LET’S THRIVE TOGETHER This holiday season, we are thankful for those of you who have trusted us to partner alongside you this year, as well as the individuals and organizations that build up this community we call home. Thank you for trusting us with your professional services; but most importantly, thank you for letting us be a part of your life, vision and community. Happy Holidays!
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he Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville and the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber announced three new grant-funded initiatives targeted at addressing increased capacity for childcare in Huntsville on October 23. The first two initiatives, funded by the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville’s Women’s Philanthropy Society (WPS), will benefit the Huntsville Housing Authority’s Childcare Project and the Heart of the Valley YMCA’s Pathways to Solutions programs, which both address the critical shortage of trained childcare workers and childcare openings. This year the members of the WPS selected economic empowerment as the focus area for their annual high impact grants, and during their spring Community Conversation, childcare was identified as the top priority. The third initiative, supported by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will support collaborative efforts in training and education for family childcare providers. In partnership with TOOTRiS, this initiative will provide training, licensing support, and upgraded materials and equipment, which will offer higher quality care. This project aims to improve the quality and availability of childcare in Huntsville by creating new in-home family childcare programs and enhancing existing ones. In the Huntsville/Madison County region, there are currently over 10,000 children in the region who are in need of childcare services, and only 6,000 licensed childcare spaces available. The TVA grant will help the Chamber to address this critical need by providing funding and resources to support the development of new childcare facilities and micro-enterprises. “We are thrilled to receive this grant from TVA and to partner with TOOTRiS to expand childcare in the Huntsville community,” said Lyndsay Ferguson, vice president of Workforce at the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. “This program will not only help to meet the growing demand for childcare services, but also provide opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to start their own childcare businesses and contribute to the economic growth of our community.” – Kayla Brown
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ASmartPlace on the Road 2023 visits to Auburn, Rocky Top
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SmartPlace has been on the road this fall! On October 18, ASmartPlace and a group of dynamic area employers traveled to Auburn University to visit with students pursuing full-time opportunities, co-op positions, and internships in the Rocket City. Employers represented a variety of industries, including aerospace and defense, engineering and technology, business and finance, architecture, manufacturing, and other professional services. Students and company representatives also connected through a joint networking lunch. On November 2, ASmartPlace took a second group of employers to Knoxville, Tennessee to share career opportunities with students at the University of Tennessee. These students, pursuing degrees across different majors and fields of study, also learned about post-graduate opportunities in the Rocket City. Employers represented several different industries, including aerospace and defense, engineering and technology, business and finance, government, and education. – Annie Davis
Building Huntsville and North Alabama for 40 years At Robins & Morton, we unite decades of experience with innovative construction methods to deliver exceptional results. We build safely and with integrity, committed to exceeding our clients’ expectations and leaving a lasting, positive impact on the communities where we live and work. Together, we’re building something great.
On December 12, college students will have the opportunity to connect right here in Huntsville. Huntsville: ASmartPlace College Career Fair will provide career opportunities for college students who are local to the Huntsville area or those who attend out-of-area schools and may be home for the holidays. This event, in partnership with local universities and local alumni groups representing colleges around the region, offers students the opportunity to visit with employers offering full-time roles, co-op positions, and internships in the Rocket City. The College Career Fair will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 12 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. All student job seekers must be currently enrolled in or have recently graduated from college to attend. All majors/industries are welcome, as employers will represent a variety of industries. The event is free to all student job seekers. Register on hsvchamber.org. We understand some students may still be away at school for finals. Parents or other family members are welcome to attend on the student’s behalf. We ask that you please register or sign in at the door. – Annie Davis A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION
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his year, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has celebrated 50 years since the launch of Skylab and MSFC’s leadership role supporting the development and sustainment of America’s space stations. On May 14, 1973, the U.S. launched our first space station, Skylab, into orbit, using the third stage of a Saturn IVB rocket that was converted into an orbiting laboratory and habitation module. MSFC Director, Dr. Wernher von Braun, first put pen to paper to draft a model of this plan in 1964. Skylab was occupied by three crews for successive missions of 28, 56 and 84 days, testing the human body’s ability to adapt to long term space habitation and conducting space science experiments. The Skylab 3 mission (the second crewed mission) launched on July 28 and included longtime Huntsville resident, Owen Garriott. Original plans for Skylab called for the station to remain in space after the final mission, for up to 10 years, possibly to be visited by the Shuttle fleet. But unexpectedly high solar activity foiled the plan, and on July 11, 1979, the station deorbited. Following Skylab, the U.S. flew the Spacelab research module on 22 Space Shuttle missions, from 1986 – 1999. This lab provided limited duration space science experiment opportunities before another, long-term facility could be built and launched. The first modules of the International Space Station (ISS) currently orbiting the earth, once every 90 seconds, launched in 1998. All U.S. components of the ISS were fabricated at MSFC as were the critical life support systems that provide oxygen and recycled water to the crew. NASA is planning to deorbit the ISS in 2030 and hopes to utilize commercial space stations to continue its work in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Many companies are leveraging MSFC expertise and facilities in life support system development and structural component testing, as NASA shifts to commercial space stations. – Mike Ward, cce
50 years