Attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for 2025, including 17 Huntsville attorneys
32 nationally ranked and 260 metropolitan ranked practice areas in Best Law Firms® for 2025, including 19 metropolitan rankings for Huntsville
Named a Law360 “Practice Group of the Year” for Government Contracts for 2024
Attorneys and 48 practice areas listed in Chambers USA for 2024, including 10 attorneys and 6 practice areas ranked nationally
Named the U.S. “Law Firm of the Year” for Construction Law in Best Law Firms® , 2025 edition
For 155 years, Bradley has been growing to serve our clients better. With more than 700 attorneys and 13 offices strategically located across our footprint, we provide business clients at home and around the world with a full suite of legal services in dozens of industries and practice areas. Our clients rely on us for innovative solutions, dependable responsiveness, and a deep commitment to success.
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 the Chamber at 256-535-2000 or send an email to membership@hsvchamber.org
Aflac - Ashley Patton Team
Agility Technical Solutions
Alliant Insurance Services
American Cabinets Incorporated
Bay Town Burger Co. / Mo’Bay Beignet Co. Huntsville
Bite Me Cupcakery
Booming Hot Pot & Grill
Brother’s Pizza & Wings
C & B Linen
Chick-Fil-A University Drive
Cinnaholic Madison
Covenant Training Center
Cut The Line Mobile Concession Stand LLC
Dream Theatre
Dynamis, Inc.
General Informatics
Home Outlet
Hounds Town
Infinity Labs
Jessam at Hays Farm
Jomo’s Power Equipment
Kona Grill
Magnolia Trace Retirement Community
Marketing For a Good Cause
Mashburn Outdoor
Mayfair Church of Christ
Meritage Homes
Organizing Huntsville
Real Property Management
Rocket City
Reason, Inc.
Regency Retirement Village of Huntsville
RPR Strategies
Taylor Properties Alabama, LLC
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
Alabama Endoscopy Center
American Health Imaging
Around the Curtain Children’s Theatre
AVIAN, LLC
BEST Digital
Blinds and Borders
Boardwalk at Research Park
Charity Plumbing Croux
Del Chuco Cocina Y Cantina
FLS Translation & Interpreting
Gone For Good Huntsville
Hair Queen Beauty
HSG, LLC
Huntsville Estate Planning Lawyer LLC
Huntsville-Madison County 9-1-1 System
Information Sciences and Consulting, Inc.
Judge Government Services
La Famiglia Vineyards & Winery
Martin Marietta
Mountain High Outfitters - Clift Farms
PrecisionMD Wellness and Weight Loss
Preferred Roofing
PZI Group
Renewal Salon
Risk Mitigation Consulting
RNGD Builders, LLC
Rocket Waste Inc.
Southern Environmental Control
Southern Valley Radon Services LLC
TRU Esthetics by M.B
Vista at Councill Square
Vivum.ai
Wilks and Associates
■ 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
COUNCIL
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE
For more information, contact
Bill Penney Toyota/Mitsubishi ■ BlueHalo ■ COPT Defense Properties
Crestwood Medical Center ■ Leidos ■ Lockheed Martin Corporation
Raytheon, An RTX Business ■ SAIC ■ Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.
Torch Technologies ■ Yulista
Five Stones Research Corporation ■ Huntsville Coca-Cola ■ Intrepid
Landers McLarty Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram ■ Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne P.C.
Parsons ■ S3, Inc. ■ Sealy Management Company, Inc.
SportsMED Orthopaedic Surgery & Spine Center ■ Synovus
The Westmoreland Company ■ Turner Construction Company
Ability Plus, Inc. ■ Amazon ■ Anglin Reichmann Armstrong, P.C. ■ ASRC Federal ■ Baron Weather, Inc. ■ BASF Corporation ■ BL Harbert International, LLC ■ Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP ■ Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC ■ Canvas, Inc. ■ CFD Research Corporation ■ Colliers International ■ First Horizon ■ Freedom Real Estate & Capital, LLC ■ Goodwyn Mills Cawood, LLC ■ Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. ■ Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3) ■ Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation ■ IronMountain Solutions ■ Keel Point, LLC ■ Leonardo Electronics US Inc. ■ LSINC Corporation ■ Marsh McLennan Agency ■ Pearce Construction Company ■ Radiance Technologies, Inc. ■ RE/MAX Alliance, The Pugh Group ■ 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
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. ■ FITE Building Company ■ Garver, LLC ■ GTEC ■ Hexagon US Federal ■ Higginbotham Insurance ■ Hiley Automotive Group ■ Huntsville Botanical Garden ■ Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau ■ Industrial Properties of the South ■ Investor’s Resource ■ L3Harris Technologies ■ Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) ■ MSB Analytics, Inc. ■ nLogic, LLC ■ Outpost Technologies, Inc. ■ PALCO ■ Phoenix ■ PROJECTXYZ, Inc. ■ QTEC Aerospace ■ Renasant Bank ■ RJ Young Company ■ Rosenblum Realty, Inc. ■ S&ME, Inc. ■ Savant Wealth Management ■ Schoel ■ Shee Atiká Enterprises, LLC ■ Signalink, Inc. ■ Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. ■ Textron Inc. ■ The Lioce Group, Inc. ■ Titomic ■ Transcend, The Fearless Company ■ Troy7, Inc. ■ Truist Bank ■ TTL, Inc. ■ ValleyMLS.com ■ Valor Communities ■ Van Valkenburgh & Wilkinson Properties, Inc. ■ Vision Excellence Company ■ Volkert, Inc. ■ Warren Averett, LLC
April 27–29, 2025
We had 200 people join us for our annual Washington D.C. Trip this year – our largest crowd to date! Thanks to all who attended and spent time helping underscore the issues in our Federal Agenda that are important to the Tennessee Valley. Thank you also to our elected leaders for meeting with us.
Mission: To prepare, develop, and promote our community for economic growth.
(see staff listing on page 34)
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.
L-R: Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison County Commission
Chairman Mac McCutcheon, and Madison Mayor Paul Finley
editorial staff
publisher Chip Cherry, CCE
editor Claire Aiello, IOM
editorial designer Kristi Sherrard
contributing writers
Kayla Brown COL Erin Eike
Lyndsay Ferguson
Kris McBride
advertising
Kristy Drake kdrake@hsvchamber.org
Lakeysha Brown lbrown@hsvchamber.org
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.
Dear Chamber Investors, Community Leaders, and Friends:
I have shared in earlier letters my thoughts on the “Secret Sauce of our Success.” The cover story of this issue focuses on the foundation of our success – leaders who focus on how all the parts (cities, counties, region & state) are stronger and benefit when we work together to improve the whole (region).
It’s important to have pride in where we live. However, the reality is that we are all interconnected. The quality of place is measured by the collective assets of the region. We all know of areas that have not realized their full potential. Most of the underperforming areas have one thing in common – the political subdivisions are only concerned with their success and don’t focus on the success of their region. I am proud to live in a community where our leadership embraces the belief that we all rise and fall together – that through collaboration we can accomplish great things. That’s something we should celebrate and never take for granted!
Building on the attributes of the foundations of success, I’d like to congratulate all the companies and organizations that participated in the Best Places to Work® Program. Those of us who have participated in 360 Assessments know how hard it is to process some of the feedback we receive. We also understand how much we can grow if we accept and process the feedback effectively. The Best Places to Work process is essentially a 360 Assessment for organizations that provides the management team with information to enhance their respective organizations. Well done to all those who engaged in the process, and congratulations to this year’s winners and members of the Best Places to Work® Hall of Fame!
Thank you to all those who have served or are serving our Country as a member of the Armed Services. A special thank you to those who make their service possible – their families. And a very special appreciation to the Gold Star Families whose loved ones gave their lives in service to our Country. As we celebrate the Army’s 250th Birthday, let’s all be mindful of the sacrifice of those who have made our freedom possible.
I wish you and your family a joyful summer, and I look forward to seeing you at a Chamber event soon!
Chip Cherry, CCE President & CEO Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER
Executive Committee & Board of Directors 2025
Jeff Samz , Board Chair – Huntsville Hospital Health System
Jami Peyton, Chair-Elect, Economic Development – Canvas
Sameer Singhal , Immediate Past Chair – CFD Research Corporation
Ron Poteat , Board Chair, Chamber Foundation
Ronnie Chronister, Secretary/Treasurer – Lockheed Martin Corporation
Dr. Karockas Watkins, Vice Chair, Economic Development –Ability Plus, Inc. & Vision Excellence Company
Michael Cox , Vice Chair, Economic Inclusion – Raytheon, An RTX Business
Dave Cook , Vice Chair, Government & Public Affairs – Torch Technologies
Wes Kelley, Vice Chair, HREGI – Huntsville Utilities
Brett Crain, Vice Chair, Image Development & Communications –Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc.
Beth Sippel , Vice Chair, Investor Relations – Synovus
Angie Sandritter, Vice Chair, Small Business – RippleWorx
Jeff Gronberg, Liaison, Redstone Regional Alliance – deciBel Research, Inc.
Chrystal Morgan, Chair-Appointed – The Boeing Company
Lynn Troy, Chair-Appointed – Troy7, Inc.
Srinath Yedla, Chair-Appointed – Yedla Management Company
Graham Burgess, Legal Counsel – Maynard Nexsen
Mayor Tommy Battle, Ex-officio Member – City of Huntsville
Mayor Paul Finley, Ex-officio Member – City of Madison
Chairman Mac McCutcheon, Ex-officio Member – Madison County Commission
Chip Cherry, CCE , President & CEO, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
Jenny Askins , Touronimo
Blake Bentley, SportsMED Orthopedic Surgery & Spine Center
Terri Bentley, Redstone Federal Credit Union
David Bier, Anglin Reichmann Armstrong, P.C.
Penny Billings , Cadence Bank
Jason Blount , Keel Point, LLC
Mark Brazeal , Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM)
Frank Caprio, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Mitch Coley, Robins & Morton
Katie Comer, Meta Platforms, Inc.
Greg Fortier, SAIC
Owen Franklin , Blue Summit Supplies
Greg Gaddy, Five Stones Research Corporation
Megan Wilson Green , Blue Origin Manufacturing, LLC
Greg Hall , COPT Defense Properties
Scott Hall , Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.
Fathia Hardy, UAH Office of Professional and Continuing Education
Ginger Harper, First Horizon
Josh Herren , Yulista
Clayton Hinchman , Ignite Fueling Innovation
Lee Holland , Freedom Real Estate and Capital, LLC
Jim Holtkamp, ServisFirst Bank
Laura Huckabee-Jennings , Transcend, The Fearless Company
Hank Isenberg , IronMountain Solutions
Michelle Jordan , TARCOG
Sean Kelly, Regions Bank
Tim King , Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI)
Clint Kirkland , United Community Bank
Rich Kretzschmar, Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3)
James Lackey, Davidson
Todd May, KBR
Matt Meko, Booz Allen Hamilton
Stephanie Mell , ChurchStreet Family Businesses
Carey Miller, Deloitte LLP
Collin Orcutt , Schoel
Zack Penney, Bill Penney Toyota/Mitsubishi
Dr. Annie Saylor, Simulation Technologies, Inc. (SimTech)
Julie Schumacher, KODA Technologies Inc.
Vergenia Shelton , Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation
Henry Thornton , Meta Platforms, Inc.
Gary Tucker, Huntsville Coca-Cola
Mike Watkins , Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama
CLAIRE AIELLO
Site Selection magazine released its annual Mac Conway Awards on May 1 for economic development, and we’re excited to share that our team at the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber was recognized! Significant recent projects include SpaceFactory, Titomic, Total Quality Logistics, and GE Aviation Systems.
“This past year has brought exciting opportunities in all of our targeted industries,” said Lucia Cape, senior vice president of Economic Development & Workforce. “We are especially excited about growth in our life sciences sector with the announcement of Glaukos Corporation’s investment in Cummings Research Park as well as activity with our music initiatives and much more.”
The award is named after Site Selection Founder McKinley “Mac” Conway.
In April, STI Electronics in Madison held a company celebration with L3 Harris Technologies to mark the major milestone of producing 1,000,000 state-of-the-art night vision goggles for the U.S. military.
The event was attended by company leaders, employees, Congressman Dale Strong, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, and others. They remarked on the teamwork, craftsmanship, and dedication by the STI team to produce the technology. “Our U.S. warfighters own the night due to the work done here at STI,” said Congressman Strong.
STI is now focused on their next milestone – 2 million goggles!
Two Huntsville companies were among five honored by Gov. Kay Ivey on May 7 for their international success. S 3 and SEA Wire and Cable were both presented with the 2025 Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards during a ceremony at the State Capitol.
“These exporters are proving that Alabama businesses can compete – and win – on the global stage,” said Gov. Ivey. “As they grow their international presence, they’re also creating jobs and opportunity here at home. Their success sends a powerful message: Alabama is open for business and ready to lead.”
S 3 CEO Jan Smith accepted the award (center in above photo). Her company provides programmatic, technical, maintenance and advanced flight training services to the U.S. military and its allied and partner nations. It has operations in over 26 global locations.
SEA Wire and Cable is a recognized leader in the distribution of military and aerospace wire, cable and harnessing products, serving major defense contractors like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, as well as countless partners across more than a dozen top export markets. Chase Layton, the company’s COO, accepted the award.
On April 25, Drake State Community and Technical College hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Leidos Advanced Training Complex. This 50,000-square-foot facility on Drake State’s campus supports education and training for the aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries. The training complex houses in-demand training programs, including precision machining and welding. It also features dedicated space for additive manufacturing, mechatronics, electrical technology, engineering design, and more, as well as lab spaces, classrooms, and offices for instructors and administration. Additionally, the complex will serve as home to a new cohort of Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) students, an apprenticeship-style program that Drake State started in 2024.
On April 28, a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, carrying the first mission for Amazon’s Project Kuiper. Kuiper is a subsidiary of Amazon and is deploying a new batch of satellites to low Earth orbit to offer broadband internet access to unserved and underserved communities worldwide. On this first mission, 27 satellites were set on their way. Amazon is working to meet a deadline set by the Federal Communications Commission, which expects the company to have 1,618 Kuiper satellites in orbit by July 2026.
Construction is now complete on a large new sculpture on the lawn of Huntsville Hospital along Governors Drive. “Moon Gate” soars an impressive 21 feet tall and 25 feet wide and connects the Medical District with Arts Huntsville’s popular downtown Public Art Trail.
“Moon Gate” is the vision and creation of Huntsville artist Glenn Dasher. The King family commissioned the art in memory and recognition of the late Olin B. King, founder of SCI Systems, Inc. Dasher’s art incorporates limestone columns salvaged from the old Parkway City Mall that was demolished in 2002 and combines them with stainless steel pieces.
“These wonderful columns reminded me of an old city,” Dasher shared. “They became my starting point for telling the story about this remarkable place, its people, and the unique events that sent humans into space, to the Moon, and beyond.”
Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis, Inc. (Cepeda) is a woman-owned, Veteran-owned, minority-owned, and HUBZone-certified small business headquartered in the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s Invention to Innovation Center (I2C).
Coming off a win in last year’s Small Business Awards in the Engineering/Defense Business of the Year category, Cepeda has established itself as a leading provider of software and hardware engineering, systems integration, program management, and process improvement solutions. Their customer base includes Department of Defense, NASA, and commercial clients such as Lockheed Martin.
The company announced in April they won a $38.76 million contract to support and enhance Research & Development and Engineering activities at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. This is one of multiple awards on which the team is hard at work. In addition to their work in the technical field, the team also can be found supporting organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or area schools.
They currently have a few job openings on their website at cepedasystems.com.
– Kayla Brown
The nation’s second largest research park, Cummings Research Park, is known for many things – space, technology, defense, and much more. However, the research park offers much more for employees and locals that can elevate plans outside of work. CravingCRP is a video series started by the Chamber’s Kayla Brown and features various restaurants and experiences you can find within the park. Season 1 featured a list of restaurants found in MidCity District and Bridge Street Town Centre. Season 2, which is currently airing, has expanded the reach beyond restaurants and has added “experiences” to the list. Below are some of the already aired topics from the second season. The rest will feature places like The Orion Amphitheater, Main Event, Top Golf, High Point Climbing & Fitness, Tupelo Honey, and The Westin.
The Camp is the cornerstone of MidCity District, found immediately to the right when entering from Highway 72. This location offers coffee and cocktails from the Greenroom, food from Tamarind Island Grille, and live entertainment from their in-house stage.
Most locals are familiar with the Arts & Entertainment district in downtown Huntsville, but many aren’t aware that there are two similar districts located inside Cummings Research Park. Both Bridge Street and MidCity offer the opportunity for people to carry their alcoholic beverages outdoors (in a purple cup) while walking the area. Purple cups are distributed by most bars/restaurants in both districts.
What’s the best way to top off a delicious dinner at Bridge Street? Dessert, of course! Bridge Street Town Centre is home to several dessert-focused establishments including places like The Chocolate Crocodile, Bite Me Cupcakery, and Le Macaron French Pastries.
At Mauldin & Jenkins, we do more than provide tax, assurance, and advisory services we help businesses navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and achieve long-term success. With expertise in business valuations, litigation support, and strategic decision-making, our team is equipped to guide you through today’s evolving financial and regulatory landscape.
Whether you need help with tax planning, compliance, or financial strategy, we are committed to being your trusted partner every step of the way.
Small businesses are where ideas that change everything are born. At Synovus, we provide tailored solutions to meet your needs with certainty and build a foundation for growth. Whether you’re ready to launch a new venture or take your business to the next level, we can help you get there.
Q: Where are you from and what brought you to Huntsville?
I was a U.S. Air Force “brat” with my father serving for 20 years. I followed in his footsteps and served 27 years in the Air Force, living all over the world. I was born in Tampa, FL, and although I didn’t live there afterward, my parents retired there so I call it my hometown. After retiring from the military and working on missile defense programs, many companies and programs were in Huntsville, and I moved to the city to continue to support our nation’s missile defense.
Q: What should we know about Raytheon and the work you do?
Raytheon is one of the businesses that make up RTX, the world’s largest aerospace and defense company. The other two businesses are Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney. Raytheon is a leading provider of defense solutions to help the U.S. government, its allies and partners defend their national sovereignty and ensure their security. We make some of the most combat-proven and trusted defense systems in the world, including the Patriot missile defense system, and AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles, and the Standard Missile family of interceptors.
Q: What are some of the investments your company has made in Huntsville recently that you are most proud of?
I am most proud of the investments our company makes in the community. Last year, RTX provided $300,000 in grants to community partners and allocated $200,000 to the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE). This comes on the heels of a $4 million investment to ASCTE between 2019 and 2023. We also invested $150 million to expand and upgrade our Redstone Raytheon Missile Integration Factory (RRMIF) to increase its production capacity and footprint by about 50 percent. This will create an additional 185 new jobs in Huntsville. This facility is the final integration point for many missile programs for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Navy, and other DoD and allied customers, handling nine variants of the Standard Missile family, including Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-6, and will accommodate additional defense programs.
Q: You’re a U.S. Air Force Veteran! What does it mean to you to continue to support the warfighter through your current role?
I am proud of my Air Force service and working in Air Force and Joint jobs, providing capability to the warfighter and support to allies around the world. Being able to continue to provide support to the warfighter and protect our troops, allies and in fact, our families, keep me coming to work for Raytheon!
Q: What does your company get from its membership in the Huntsville/ Madison County Chamber, and your support as an investor?
RTX continues to support and be an active member of the Huntsville-Madison County community. HREGI and the Chamber give us the opportunity to network and build relationships with businesses in and outside of our normal aerospace and defense orbit. HREGI shows our commitment to helping to grow our community and serve its people.
A Black Dagger short-range ballistic missile target, designed to fly a ballistic flight path and demonstrate defensive protection capability, launches from Fort Wingate, New Mexico, Dec. 6. The flight served as a search track to test the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor system. The SMDC Targets Team here at Redstone Arsenal manages the Black Dagger program.
Terry Bauer and Bryan Wheelock, both range control officers with the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site Operations Center in Huntsville, Alabama, man their stations in the Huntsville Mission Control Center, Sept. 10, 2024. ROC-H personnel remotely operate key instrumentation systems and the RTS range located on Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands.
The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command Technical Center’s Spatially Enhanced Communication Tracking Reconnaissance and Engagements system provides distributed aperture research for application to varying Army missions.
This year’s annual Huntsville/Madison County Armed Forces Celebration includes several events that commemorate our Army’s 250th Birthday. Not only does the Army fuel our community’s economic engine, but our relationship with the Army has become part of our community’s identity. There’s a feeling in Huntsville/Madison County that our Army is not “the Army”, but it’s “OUR Army.”
Huntsville’s relationship with our Army began in 1941 as Huntsville Arsenal was established for chemical storage and manufacturing. Fast forward through Dr. Wernher von Braun’s team, ballistic missile development, the beginnings of NASA, a couple of Base Realignment and Closures (BRAC), and Redstone Arsenal is now a Federal Center of Excellence that is home to over 65 tenant organizations. Our community has a history of providing strong support for our Army. In fact, it’s hard to find a relationship as strong as the one between our community and Redstone Arsenal.
As Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, Alabama (North), my mission is to strengthen the relationship between our Army and our community, focusing on the priorities set for me by the Secretary of the Army. What an honor it is to serve as CASA in this pro-Army community, where I’ve witnessed the strength of that relationship for decades! As our Army starts its next 250 years, I believe corporate
infrastructure, and workforce are three areas where our community must continue to deliver.
Local industry, widely recognized for excellence in defense and aerospace, will need to continue to innovate. With the rapidly changing battlefield we’ve seen in recent world conflicts, the need for speed, capacity, flexibility, and quality are essential to meeting our Army’s needs. Bringing companies that have not traditionally served the defense market into the fold can bring new technology and ideas, expand needed capacity and enhance flexibility.
Infrastructure is another essential component of support to our Army. Community and Army leaders have long worked together to make sure our roads support those who work on Redstone, to establish partnerships for electricity and other utilities, and to develop ventures like Redstone Gateway. Good schools are particularly important to attracting the talent Redstone needs to Huntsville. Non-governmental support is important too. Doctors who accept TRICARE insurance, enough hotel rooms to support Government travelers, and availability of housing for Redstone’s workforce are other types of support that will affect Redstone’s expansion.
Many of America’s youth don’t have an awareness of the wide variety of career paths offered by Army service - and less than a quarter qualify to serve in our Army. The challenges we face as a nation require great leaders, and Army service provides our young people a wealth of opportunity. While recruiting numbers have shown significant improvement lately, encouraging our best and brightest to serve is one of the best things we can do for our Army. Service in uniform is not the only way to serve, however. A top-notch Department of the Army Civilian workforce, as well as contractor employees, will be key to not only Redstone’s success but our community’s success. Encouraging interest in STEM, providing early work experiences, and intentionally growing a workforce that promotes excellence will determine our future.
Moving into the next 250 years, our Army will need continued support from every part of our community, whether it is preparing our children to enter the workforce, establishing a new partnership to provide a new capability, or developing a new technology. As always, there will be challenges, but Huntsville/Madison County has a strong history of supporting our Army. We know how to work together to make things happen.
– Kris McBride Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (North)
Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park (CRP) is the second-largest science and technology research park in the U.S., home to 320 companies and 26,500 people involved in technology research and development.
by CLAIRE AIELLO
When it comes to regional growth, the Huntsville/Madison/Madison County government leaders all share the same set of priorities. Having a common agenda makes this region incredibly more effective in everything that it does.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, and Madison County Commission Chairman Mac McCutcheon are together often – it is part of the nature of our communities being so closely connected. We had the opportunity to speak with them during our 2025 Washington DC Trip in late April as we met with our federal elected leaders to push for support for projects back home. These include critical infrastructure improvements as we address local growth.
continued on page 20
“One voice is a louder voice when everyone is on the same page, and you can, in turn, give that direction to whatever entity you’re trying to work with to make something positive happen for the community,” said Finley. “It speaks loudly. It gives authority, and it takes away any ambiguity that may be there, which in turn has worked really well for us for years.”
“The whole idea behind one voice is that, yes, it’s heard better, but it’s also – there’s no chatter outside the lines,” added Battle. “Everybody has the same goals, same idea, and same emphasis that they want to put on projects that make for a better Madison, a better Huntsville, a better Madison County.”
With growth comes challenges, and infrastructure tops the list of priorities for this growing region. Maintaining our high quality of life is essential to our continued growth. Roads are always top of the list as we address current growth and prepare for what could be on the horizon.
“One of the things I think about is how we can continue to be supportive of our Congressional delegation,” shared McCutcheon. “What do we need to be doing to make sure we’re prepared, for example, for Space Command if that option comes to us, as a local government. We know the federal side is doing their part. From a local government perspective, we are certainly communicating with each other and with Redstone Arsenal to make sure the rollout happens smoothly.”
Our communities haven’t always been on the same page. Mayor Battle and Mayor Finley came into office at the same time in 2008. One of their first acts of business was to “bury the hatchet” (pictured below) – between Huntsville and Madison, literally. They did so on January 31, 2009, when Mike Gillespie was the chairman of the Madison County Commission.
Battle is now in his fifth consecutive term, and Finley is in his third term, taking a break from public office from 2012-2016 to focus on his family. Finley decided to run again in 2016 and was elected, then re-elected in 2020.
Chairman McCutcheon is the newest member of the trio but is a lifelong Madison County resident and served our area as a state legislator from 2006-2022, including as House Speaker the last six of those years.
Gov. Ivey appointed him to the chairman’s role in January 2023 after former Chairman Dale Strong was elected to Congress. McCutcheon was officially elected to the position in November 2024.
“I’ve always had a great deal of respect for these gentlemen (Battle
and Finley),” said McCutcheon. “They were in local government before I was in local government. And then when I did get involved in state government, I began to see the value of what they brought to the table as leaders in their community.”
During his time in the state legislature and as House Speaker (pictured left), he saw what happened when other communities make an ‘ask’ of the state but aren’t on the same page.
“Local governments would come to Montgomery, and they’d want to go and see the governor or visit our Department of Transportation about needs that they had within their communities,” McCutcheon recalled. “Many times, they would come by my office and ask me to go over with them to show support for their efforts, whatever projects they were working on.”
However, he could sense dissension. Some would be territorial with each other, not united as they asked for help with issues back home.
“When you look at infrastructure projects or applying for grants, all the things that many times we try to bring dollars back to our communities [for], it’s important that we all work together so that we are unified in our mission and especially in economic growth,” McCutcheon said.
This region has faced its share of natural and manmade challenges, but these were also times where each government could show support for one another. In 2009-10, there was heightened concern about H1N1 during flu season. On February 5, 2010, there was a shooting at Discovery Middle School, followed by a shooting on UAH’s campus the very next week. Not long afterward came a super outbreak of tornadoes through our state on April 27, 2011. In all, 62 tornadoes struck Alabama that day, including two EF5s.
“Our guys were all tied down to the tornado areas, and the county provided sheriff’s patrol and sheriff’s protection for the road for everything outside of the tornado areas where our guys were tied up,” Battle recalled. “You know, you forget about all the things that we have been through, which have really been kind of extraordinary events that would affect the public safety and your ability to live in our communities. Everybody helped everybody else. All those events put us together and tested our mettle to see if we could, you know, come through as a community, and we were able to, because we work well together.”
This spirit of collaboration also ties into economic development for the region.
“Our community has benefited greatly from the approach and tone set by our senior elected leaders. Their focus on ‘what is good for the whole benefits all the parts’ is something we should celebrate and not take for granted,” said Chip Cherry, president & CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. “There are many examples of communities that would rather see their neighbors fail, rather than the region succeed. Not here – we join forces to address issues and pursue opportunities that position us for success. Our community is a special place, due in large part to stellar servant leaders.”
Likewise, presenting a unified front when our communities travel to Montgomery and Washington DC makes an incredible difference in how our delegation is received.
“The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber trips to DC and Montgomery are by far the largest of any Chamber in Alabama due in large part to the cooperation of our local government leaders,” said Mike Ward, Chamber senior vice president of Government & Public Affairs. “Having all three of these leaders seated at the head table for our Chamber Update events sends a powerful message about their cohesion.”
Mayor Finley will wrap up his term this fall. He is not seeking re-election in the August municipal races. We asked him what accomplishments he is most proud of, as he finishes his time in office.
“Any road project that’s out there, I would claim as one that I’m re -
ally happy about,” Finley shared. “I’m also very happy to be a part of the team that continued to keep the school system as strong as it has been. We found the funding for James Clemens High School in my first term, working with the school system, working with the state, getting the qualified school construction bond money.”
He is also proud that Madison residents supported a school property tax measure in 2008 by a 73 percent margin. Additionally, Finley said he is proud of securing Madison Hospital, which is critical to higher quality of life for residents. Another item he celebrates is landing Toyota Field and the Rocket City Trash Pandas!
“The Trash Pandas are the anchor for that 500 acres, and it was really the only opportunity we had at that level to fill it up with something of quality that could generate the revenue that we needed,” Finley shared. “That has helped us in a lot of ways. And then you go
back to the friendship piece of that and the trust piece of that, I don’t know if we would have had the Trash Pandas if we didn’t have the friendship that we had to be able to just share information.”
Battle agrees.
“It was the right thing to do. I was really glad with them building the AA baseball stadium there, that freed up our money to be able to go and do John Hunt Park improvements and Joe Davis Stadium for soccer, the Orion Amphitheater, and some of the other projects that we had on the books that were all quality-of-life projects,” said Battle.
“I had better negotiating power [for baseball], let’s just put it that way,” Finley added. He acknowledges there are some who fought hard for ‘Madison’ to be in the team’s name.
“We recognized the naming power of ‘Rocket City’ in front of the Trash Panda moniker,” added Finley. “Letting the region claim the Trash Pandas as their AA team has led to huge success in merchandise sales. The bottom line is, when the money comes in, it’s paying off for our community at large.”
Battle expressed the end result of cooperation is that everyone benefits. “We have goals that we have to meet for the community’s
sake, and those goals can’t be done district by district within the city,” he shared. “They can’t be done district by district within Madison. They can’t be done by county commission district by district. It’s got to be a combining of the whole. And if we can all pull together in that same direction, then we can achieve some of those great goals that make our community a better place. That’s the bottom line, is that it makes the whole community a better place, not just one segment, but the whole community.”
And it’s not just about the trio’s professional relationship. At the end of the day, they’re friends, and that makes a difference. “When my wife Eula died, two of the first people to call me were Mac and Paul. They said, ‘what can we do?’ We work together well, but we’re also a family, and that is very special,” said Battle.
“For me to be part of this group with them now, I bring that respect,” said McCutcheon. “And it’s like Tommy said, we are friends, and I know I can trust them if I have a need, and if I need to call somebody, I can always call them. I know they have my back, and we’ll work together.”
– Claire Aiello
If you drive through Huntsville, you’ll notice there’s no shortage of construction work in the area. In a growing city like ours, companies like Ridgeline Construction Roofing & Exteriors are critical to the success of new developments and buildings. As the Small Business Award winner in 2024 for Construction Company of the Year, we are proud to share their work and their story.
Ridgeline Construction is a family-owned and operated roofing and exteriors contractor for residential and commercial spaces in Florida and Alabama. The company is operated by husband-and-wife duo, Lauren and Terry Marsh. After leaving her career as a homemaker and dance teacher, Lauren became the president of Ridgeline. Following an extensive list of certifications and licenses, she has now made the company a Certified Minority Woman-Owned Business with locations in Huntsville, Spanish Fort, Pensacola, and Tampa.
According to Marsh, she and her husband have worked hard to grow the brand and business in a way that is recognizable to others. She added, “I think when you do that, you show that you care about your reputation and when you care about your reputation, you’re going to do a really good job.”
Marsh said learning how to succeed in her business comes from a network of other experienced business professionals whom she has met through various Chamber events. Winning a Small Business Award is just one example of that symbolic power.
“The recognition from your peers in your own community is huge for us,” she said. “I think it shows that as a business we’re committed to our community, and we’re here to stay.”
– Kayla Brown
We have a wonderful team at the Chamber, and several people celebrate remarkable anniversaries this year. We wanted to take this opportunity to share some special words about each of them.
Joe Watson , facility operations lead, marked 20 years at the Chamber on February 21. He takes care of our building, from making sure the plumbing works and the elevator is repaired, to ensuring ground crews take care of the landscaping. If we need 10 tables and 80 chairs set up for an event in the auditorium, Joe is our guy!
Hiroko Sedensky is our web designer and has worked here for more than two decades. In fact, she will celebrate 25 years on July 3! Hiroko handles our website, eblasts, and serves as our in-house photographer. She is friendly to all and always has a bright smile to share.
right direction in terms of managing the budget, and she oversees IT support as well. We sure love Mary!
Mary McNairy will celebrate 15 years on our team August 16. She is our vice president of Finance & Administration and oversees seven team members who manage events, accounting, facilities, and our front office. Mary also keeps the ship steered in the
Erin Koshut , executive director of Cummings Research Park (CRP), will celebrate 10 years on our team July 6. She oversees activities in the Park and works with companies to support their growth and development. Whether it’s planning an announcement for Blue Origin or supporting Auburn University Research Center with an expansion, Erin is extremely knowledgeable on all aspects of CRP. She is also our head planner for the U.S. Paracyling events that happen here!
Finally, we want to share that Kristy Drake will celebrate 10 years on our team August 25. She is our vice president of Investor Relations, overseeing our HREGI program and ChamberON sponsorship campaign. She also leads our Membership team. Kristy is professional and runs a tight ship! She is a dedicated colleague and brings fun and creativity to her role.
Congratulations to each of our team members celebrating special anniversaries in 2025!
We are pleased to share this year’s winners for the Best Places to Work® Awards! The winners were announced during a luncheon on May 13 in the VBC Saturn Ballroom, and we also introduced a new awards category for companies that support health and wellness. Companies win based on results from employee surveys, and many also use this employee feedback to improve. Results are tabulated by Quantum Workplace and were kept confidential prior to the event. Special thanks to Presenting Sponsor, Synovus!
A special congratulations to IronMountain Solutions, who became the fourth company to be inducted in our Best Places to Work® Hall of Fame. They join Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI), and PeopleTec. The Hall of Fame launched in 2021 and is bestowed to companies who have won for 10 or more years.
– Claire Aiello
[25-50 EMPLOYEES]
[51-100 EMPLOYEES]
Best Places to Work HALL OF FAME Companies (L-R) –Tim King, Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI); Hank Isenberg, IronMountain Solutions; Terry Jennings, PeopleTec, Inc.; and Rey Almodóvar, Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation
H2L Solutions is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business that provides specialized capabilities in cybersecurity, NIST RMF support, and related information assurance services and solutions. They primarily serve the Department of Defense, federal government, and commercial customers around the world. Their experience spans across the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space, the Ground Vehicle Systems Center, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Aside from their extensive work in the contracting world, you might be familiar with H2L Solutions because of their recognizable logo – which includes a red helmet. The logo has a backstory that symbolizes strength and protection. According to their website, the helmet symbolizes the unwavering defense that represents the security H2L Solutions provides its clients. Then, the eagle on the front of the helmet brings the story together, representing freedom and the ability to rise above challenges. It is a reminder that true freedom is only possible through strong, reliable security.
“A company’s true strength lies in its core values – guiding every decision from the boardroom to the front lines,” said Jonathan Hard, CEO of H2L Solutions. “When values drive action, success follows.”
Learn more about the company at h2lsolutions.com
– Kayla Brown
The College of Business at Athens State University offers over a dozen undergraduate degrees and six graduate degrees, designed to help you succeed in today’s dynamic business world. Whether you’re interested in Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, or specialized fields like Health Care Management or Small Business/Entrepreneurship, we have a program to match your career goals. With day, evening, and online classes, you can earn your degree at your own pace while balancing work and life.
Convenient – offered 100% online
Affordable – nationwide best value
Supportive – our expert faculty are with you every step of the way
Many employers offer tuition reimbursement, making your education even more affordable. At Athens State, it isn’t how you began your education that matters, it’s how you finish.
Intrepid is a prime contractor that supports the Department of Defense, including the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, and the Missile Defense Agency. With more than $2 billion in task orders over the last 23 years, the company, which emerged from a joint venture many years ago, is known for its fearless approach. Hence the name, Intrepid.
The company got its new beginning at the height of the financial crisis in 2009. According to their website, at the time of the acquisition, one of the bankers stated that the president of the company must be “fearless to undertake a deal of this size in this environment.” Since then, the company has grown with over $137 million in revenues and over 250 employees (numbers from 2020).
The company is now located off Explorer Boulevard in Cummings Research Park. Their website provides interesting information like the percentage of which generations are employed – 3.5 percent are Gen Z, 33.82 percent are Millennial, 42.86 percent are Gen X, and 19.53 percent are Baby Boomers. More than a quarter of their employees are U.S. Veterans.
As the winner of our Engineering/Defense Business of the Year (Large) for 2024, we are excited to hear more about the future of Intrepid and how this dynamic company will continue its legacy here in Huntsville. If you or someone you know is interested in working at Intrepid, you can find job openings here: intrepid.llc/job-postings
– Kayla Brown
We want to remind you to use our Small Business Resources page on our website, hsvchamber.org. Mouse over ‘Small Business’ in the top navigation and click ‘Resources.’
We update this page frequently with information to help your company, and we cover a variety of topics, including:
■ Accelerators
■ Civic Engagement
■ Defense Contracting
■ Doing Business With
■ Education
■ Financing
■ Human Resources
■ Incubators
■ Licensing
■ Networking
■ Pitch Competitions
■ Taxes
■ Training
■ Workforce
… and much more! Some of these resources are offered by the Chamber and others are offered by different organizations in our community. Our goal is to share all of these with you so you can find ones that are best suited for your needs. If you know of a resource we should add, there is a link on the page to send information to us.
– Claire Aiello
The ASmartPlace® Guiding Stars program connects newcomers with local experts, helping them settle in and thrive. Passionate residents share insights on everything from hidden gems to social events, fostering a sense of belonging. Employers, we encourage you to remind your new hires that our Guiding Stars can offer invaluable support beyond the workplace, easing transitions and building community connections.
If you’re new to Huntsville, check out our Guiding Stars at stars.asmartplace.com and fill out a form to get connected. Let’s keep Huntsville welcoming!
Throughout this year’s Initiatives magazines, we’ll introduce you to our Guiding Stars .
Alli’s lived the “Army brat” life and knows how challenging it can be to move to a new city. As a musician/business owner in Huntsville, she has been blessed to network with all types of people and believes it has helped her grow as a person and in the community. She’s a laid-back multi-tasker and pet mom to Monica (dog) and Bitty (cat).... who are way too spoiled!
Interests: Arts & Culture, Craft Beer, Dining, Downtown Entertainment, Entertainment, Golf, Hiking, Kayaking, Parks
Joe is a native of Huntsville and graduated from Grissom High in 1995. He’s been a fitness business owner for 15 years. He enjoys exercising, reading, working with kids, writing, hanging out with his wife, and watching his son play college basketball.
Interests: Adult Sports League, Books & Reading, Connecting with Nature, Craft Beer, Dogs & Dog Parks, Drawing, Painting, & Art, Fitness, Hiking, K-12 Athletics, Religious Life, Youth Sports
Mareca has always enjoyed hosting, entertaining, and creating a space for people to enjoy life together! She loves trying new food with a nice glass of wine or local beer, but never before grace. She’s a proud native living her best life in the Rocket City.
Interests: Community Development, Cooking, Craft Beer, Dining, Downtown Entertainment, Entertainment, Fitness, Religious Life, Yoga
COUNTY CHAMBER
Executive Staff
Chip Cherry, CCE, president & CEO
Staci Sellers , director, governance support & special projects
Economic Development // CRP // Talent Initiatives
Lucia Cape , CCE, senior vice president
Erin Koshut , executive director, Cummings Research Park
Lyndsay Ferguson , vice president, talent initiatives
Ken Smith , senior economic development director
Annie Davis , director, talent initiatives
Beth Zinn , program manager, Driving Possibilities™
Finance & Administration // Events
Mary McNairy, IOM, AACE, vice president
Joe Watson , facility operations lead
Kim Weeks accounting specialist – receivables
Dionne Scales , accounting & HR specialist
Diana Baccus , CMP, director, event management
Laura Carr, event specialist
Stefanie Smoot , resource desk coordinator
Government & Public Affairs
Mike Ward , CCE, senior vice president
Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative (HREGI)
Kristy Drake IOM, vice president, investor relations
Investor Relations // Membership
Kristy Drake , IOM, vice president, investor relations
Lakeysha Brown director, membership & engagement
Richard Bigoney, membership account executive
Cindy Wood , membership account executive
Hailey Anderson , membership retention specialist
Image Development & Communications
Claire Aiello , IOM, vice president
Kristi Sherrard , creative director
Kayla Brown , director, strategic communications
Hiroko Sedensky, web designer
Small Business // Economic Inclusion
Ashley Engles-Ross
We are excited to mark 65 years of Marshall Space Flight Center this year, and our community is proud to help commemorate this important milestone.
Marshall’s 65’s Birthday Bash is planned for Saturday, July 19 at The Orion Amphitheater from 12 to 5 p.m. This is a free event with fun activities for the whole family. The summer celebration will mark 65 years of innovation and exploration for the Huntsville and north Alabama communities. Many local businesses that support Marshall will have demonstration booths onhand for you to enjoy. If your company is interested in participating, please contact Taylor Goodwin: taylor.goodwin@ nasa.gov
July 25:
Huntsville City Football Club to host Space Night at Joe Davis Stadium
August 1:
Rocket City Trash Pandas to host Space Night at Toyota Field
