Initiatives magazine, June 2015

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welcome new chamber members Joined in March 2015 1-800 Radiator & AC of Huntsville 1st Family Mortgage Co. Alabama Center For Sustainable Energy AMRO Fabricating, Inc. AXION Corp.

BAE Systems The Boot Pizzeria (Renaissance Style, LLC) Carmike Cinemas Valley Bend 18 + IMAX Compliance Specialists, Inc. Final Finish, Inc. Fleetcare of America, Inc. Furniture Factory Bar & Grill HighTower Twickenham Home Helpers & Direct Link, LLC Inland Real Estate Corporation Mesa Associates, Inc. Nextiva Pet Depot Powernet America, Inc. Restoring Bodies Fitness & Nutrition Services The Russell Group, LLC Safe-T-Shelter (Aqua Marine Enterprises) Sangiacomo Presses Traymore Properties, LLC

If you want to make a valuable investment in your business and the community, the Chamber is the place to start.

Contact Donna McCrary, Membership Retention Manager: 256-535-2027 or dmccrary@hsvchamber.org.

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initiatives june 2015

Joined in April 2015 4D Mommies - Huntsville AD4! Group, LLC Advance Sign and Lighting, LLC Affordable Signs & Banners Another Broken Egg Cafe - Madison Apartment Finder Book My Group, LLC The Bottle Chick-Fil-A at South Parkway D.R. Horton - America’s Builders Harris Home for Children JJ’s Treats Legacy Christian University Martinson & Beason, PC MBA Engineers, Inc. MELALEUCA - Donald R. Johnson Mirror Image Hair Salon Outback Steakhouse Papa John’s - Team PJ United Physioworks, Sports and Wellness, Inc. Pieology Pizza Precision Door Service of Huntsville Premiere Dental, Inc. Pressed4Print.com RadioBro Corporation Sagamore Home Mortgage Shades Snead Hydraulics & Repair Southern Light Studio Turf Tamer, Inc. Westway Development Services, LLC

C HAM B ER OF COMMERC E OF H U N T SV I L L E / M A D I SON CO U N T Y

Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative Development Partner

Development Council

Chairman’s Council

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

LEADERSHIP FORUM

Huntsville Hospital Madison County Commission Regions Bank Tennessee Valley Authority

ADTRAN, Inc. The Boeing Company City of Madison Emerson Network Power - Avocent Redstone Federal Credit Union Remington Outdoor Company

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BB&T

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BBVA Compass

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CINRAM

Lockheed Martin Corporation

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Crestwood Medical Center

Port of Huntsville

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Intergraph Corporation

Qualitest Pharmaceuticals

SES - Science and Engineering Services, LLC

CHAMBER TRUSTEES AEgis Technologies Group • Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama • Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. • DynCorp International Dynetics, Inc. • First Commercial Bank • Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation L-3 Communications Corporation – Huntsville Operations • Landers McLarty Corporation • Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne P.C. Northrop Grumman Corporation • PARSONS • Raytheon Company • Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.

PROGRESS PARTNERS Ability Plus • ASRC Federal Analytical Services • Baron Services, Inc. • BASF Corporation • Beason & Nalley, Inc. BlueCreek Investment Partners • Cadence Bank • Coates Transportation Group • Colliers International • Connected Logistics Consolidated Construction Company • Davidson Technologies, Inc. • Huntsville-Madison County Builders Association • iBERIABANK IronMountain Solutions • LEAN Frog Business Solutions, Inc. • Logicore • MJLM Engineering & Technical Services • MTS, Inc. The Orthopaedic Center • Progress Bank • Radiance Technologies • Rosie’s Restaurants, Inc., & Right Way Restaurants, Inc. (Steak Out) SELEX Galileo Inc. • Torch Technologies • Turner • Vencore, Inc.

PROGRESS INVESTORS 4SITE, Inc. • AECOM • Amanda Howard Real Estate • Anglin Reichmann Snellgrove & Armstrong, PC • Averbuch Realty Co., Inc. – Scott Averbuch Aviagen, Inc. • BancorpSouth • Brown Precision, Inc. • Bryant Bank • CB&S Bank • Century Automotive • CFD Research Corporation Coast Personnel Services • deciBel Research • Decisive Analytics Corporation • Deloitte LLP • DESE Research, Inc. Fite Building Company, Inc. • Foreign Language Services • Fountain, Parker, Harbarger • HEMSI • Huntsville Botanical Garden Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau • Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. • Investor’s Resource/Raymond James The Lioce Group, Inc. • Littlejohn Engineering Associates, Inc. • North Alabama Multiple Listing Service • PeopleTec, Inc. • PHOENIX PROJECTXYZ, Inc. • Public Financial Management, Inc. • Qualis Corporation • Renasant Bank • RJ Young • ServisFirst Bank Sierra Lobo, Inc. • Sigmatech, Inc. • Synapse Wireless, Inc. • Systems Products and Solutions, Inc. • West Huntsville Land Co., Inc. june 2015 initiatives

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The Chamber has launched a new annual sponsorship campaign called ChamberON. Make a valuable investment in your business and community today, Please contact Donna McCrary at 256-535-2027 or dmccrary@hsvchamber.org

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

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coverstory

UAH: Focus on Research

18 24 12 11 26 20

bestplacestowork速 biosciencenews economicdevelopmenthighlights educationupdate government&publicaffairs smallbusinesstrends 4 5 8 10 25 28

Welcome New Chamber Members HREGI Investors Message from the President | Board of Directors Community Profile Chamber Staff | Associated Organizations Armed Forces Celebration

editorial staff publisher

Chip Cherry, CCE executive editor

Carrie Rice editorial designer

Kristi Sherrard contributing writers

Elizabeth Fleming Hannah Wallace Mike Ward Will West contributing photographers

The mission of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County is to prepare, develop and promote our community for economic growth.

www.HSVchamber.org

(additional contact information on page 25)

Submissions for editorial content are not accepted. Information in this and other Chamber publications is at the discretion of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County. Advertising inquiries go through AL.com (contact at right).

Glenn Baeske Michael Mercier advertising sales

Jason Shervey email: jshervey@al.com

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Chamber of Commerce

Executive Committee and Board of Directors 2015 Executive Committee Rey Almodóvar, Chair, INTUITIVE Rose Allen, Chair-elect, Booz Allen Hamilton Robert Mayes, Imm. Past Chair, BlueCreek Investment Partners Ron Poteat, Chamber Foundation Chair, Regions Bank Cynthia Streams, Secretary/Treasurer, Domino’s Pizza (Valley Pizza) Joe Newberry, Vice Chair - Economic Development & Industry Relations, Redstone Federal Credit Union

A Message from

Chip Cherry

Jim Rogers, Vice Chair - Gov. & Public Affairs, Lockheed Martin Gary Bolton, Vice Chair - Membership, ADTRAN Emily Lauder, Vice Chair - Workforce & Education, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama

Tharon Honeycutt, Vice Chair - Small Business & Events, MSB Analytics

Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: Sacrifice and service of the few for the benefit of the many is one of the hallmarks of those who serve this country as members of the armed forces. These men and women are supported in their roles by families and friends who support them, who mourn them, and in other cases help them heal. We owe a debt to all of them that we will never be able to repay.

Less than 1 percent of U.S. citizens serve our country as a member of the armed services.

From 1775 to today, more than 1.1 million men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our way of life. More than 1.4 million service members have been wounded while on active duty. With increased roles of the Reserves and National Guard units over the past decade or so, coupled with the continued engagement of civilians and contractors, there have been tremendous sacrifices made by families who carry on while their loved ones are away serving this great nation.

The Chamber and this community will support our annual Armed Forces Celebration June 21-27, and I encourage you to join us for one of the many events planned during that week. We are honored to be able to celebrate the contributions made by our men and women in uniform, the civilian servants that support them, our veterans and their families – I hope you will join us! Visit our website for a full list of Armed Forces Celebration events: www.hsvchamber.org.

I cannot close this letter without including a very special congratulations to the Grissom High School Cyber Security Team that won the CyberPatriot VII National Finals Competition in Washington, D.C. The “Grissom CyberSloths” were up against 24 of the very best cyber security teams in the country – and impressed not just the other student competitors, but also the professional advisors as well.

This issue is full of interesting news. I hope you enjoy reading it, and I look forward to seeing you at a Chamber event soon!

Chip Cherry, CCE President & CEO Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

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Kim Lewis, Vice Chair - Marketing & Communications, PROJECTXYZ Penny Billings, Vice Chair - Member Engagement, BancorpSouth Mayor Tommy Battle, Chair-Appointed, City of Huntsville Mark Curran, Chair-Appointed, L-3 Communications Corp. - HSV Ops Trip Ferguson, Chair-Appointed, Remington Outdoor Company Chairman Dale Strong, Chair-Appointed, Madison County Commission

Mayor Troy Trulock, Chair-Appointed, City of Madison Danny Windham, Chair-Appointed, Digium Chip Cherry, President & CEO, Chamber of Commerce

Elected Board Dr. Robert Altenkirch, University of Alabama in Huntsville Bob Baron, Baron Services Dr. Marc Bendickson, Dynetics Miranda Bouldin, LogiCore Greg Bragg, Consolidated Construction Company Greg Brown, Brown Precision Janet Brown, Belk Micah Bullard, Turner Construction Kevin Byrnes, Raytheon Company Kevin Campbell, Northrop Grumman Corporation Frank Caprio, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Michael Cox, PARSONS Angel Crespo, Raytheon Redstone Missile Integration Facility Dorothy Davidson, Davidson Technologies Gene Goldman, Aerojet Rocketdyne Jeff Gronberg, deciBel Research Mike Gullion, SCI Technology – a Sanmina company John Gully, SAIC Jan Hess, Teledyne Brown Engineering Steve Hill, AEgis Technologies Group Dr. Pam Hudson, Crestwood Medical Center Dr. Andrew Hugine, Alabama A&M University Hank Isenberg, IronMountain Solutions Jeremiah Knight, JXC Consulting Group Janice Migliore, PALCO Telecom Service Johnny Van Osborne, J. Smith Lanier & Co. Jim Owens, FirstBank Alicia Ryan, LSINC Dr. Gurmej Sandhu, Sigmatech Charlie Sealy, Sealy Management Company Crystal Shell, WILL Technology E.J. Sinclair, SES - Science and Engineering Services Dr. Ashok Singhal, CFD Research Corporation David Spillers, Huntsville Hospital Mike Stanfield, Ducommun Miltec Nilmini Thompson, Systems Products and Solutions Tim Thornton, nLogic Ken Tucker, The Boeing Company Frank Williams, Landers McLarty Dodge Chrysler Jeep

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OUR NAME IS OUR MISSION.

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communityprofile Madison City of County Huntsville

Population

City of Huntsville Madison Metro Area

Top Ten Employers Redstone Arsenal* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,500* Huntsville Hospital System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,129

2010 Census

334,811

180,105

42,938

417,593

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000

2013 Census

346,892

186,416

46,168

435,737

Huntsville City Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,079

3.6% 3.5% 7.5% 4.3%

The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,600

% Growth

Madison County Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,389

Households & Income # of Households

137,072

79,539

16,667

169,951

Avg. Household Income $78,462

$67,697

$106,973

$75,740

Per Capita Income

$29,399

$39,409

$30,197

$31,477

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov), 2013 American Community Survey

SAIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,229 City of Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,206 The University of Alabama in Huntsville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,675 ADTRAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,522 Source: Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County *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. More than 37,500 people work at Redstone Arsenal and NASA managing some of the country’s most important and sophisticated technology programs including missiles, aviation and space exploration.

Research & Technology Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park has earned a reputation as a global leader in technology development. The second-largest science and

For more information, visit:

technology park in the U.S., Cummings Research Park is home to more

www.HSVchamber.org

development.

than 300 companies and 29,000 people involved in technology research and

WEALTH MANAGEMENT WITH SMART SERVICE. THAT’S PROGRESS.

A Division of Progress Bank www.myprogressbank.com

201 Williams Avenue 10

initiatives june 2015

Huntsville, AL 35801-4250

256.319.3657

educationupdate

The “Honesty Gap”

Alabama among the most “honest” on student proficiency

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eing competitive in today’s economy requires that our students develop higher-level literacy, problem solving, communication and collaboration skills – all based on content-rich standards and curriculum adopted by our school districts. These are required skills for high school graduates to be college and career ready.

Alabama has not always been able to claim the title of “honest” with regard to student proficiency, but Alabama is now ranked as one of the most “honest” states in the nation, according to a new report by Achieve, a national education advocacy nonprofit. Credit goes to the full implementation of the Alabama College and Career Ready Standards coupled with meaningful student assessments through ACT Aspire.

Achieve released their report, Proficient v. Prepared: Disparities Between State Tests and The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). This report underscores the importance of having a high-quality state assessment that accurately measures student preparedness and administering tests that align with college and career ready standards.

Frequently, states’ testing and reporting processes yielded different results than the data reported by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). More than half of all states had a 30-point or more discrepancy between the percentage of students they reported as proficient and the number of students who met national proficiency benchmarks. Under our previous standards and using our old state-specific Alabama Reading and Math Test (ARMT), the number of students we reported as proficient exceeded the NAEP findings by 57 percentage points in fourth-grade reading and in eighth grade math. Now, the number of Alabama students reported as proficient exceeded the NAEP findings by 7 percentage points in fourth-grade reading and by 9 points in eighth grade math last year (2013/2014).

Alabama policymakers and education leaders led this effort by taking the difficult steps to address the “Honesty Gap” head on.

First, Alabama instituted new standards that are more rigorous and consistent across states. Second, Alabama is using ACT Aspire tests so that parents, students, and educators will have a nationally normed measure of student development – a requirement for addressing performance.

“We are encouraged by this report,” said Dr. Tommy Bice, Alabama State Superintendent of Education. “It reassures us that the decisions we have made to raise the bar, challenge our students and use a more honest assessment system has put Alabama on the right path toward improving education for all students. We know that our students can work hard and achieve at high levels, and now we can say confidently we’ve set the bar to where it should be to prepare them for success in life after high school.”

“The public should feel confident in our approach to be transparent and honest with our students’ families,” said Mary Scott Hunter, State Board of Education Member. “For too long, and for a variety of reasons, we were not honest with ourselves. It is near im-

4th Grade Reading (2013-2014)

8th Grade Math (2013-2014)

4th Grade Reading (2012-2013)

8th Grade Math (2012-2013)

possible to improve unless you honestly know where you are. Now, we can continue to improve and focus on the expectations we have set for our students.”

In the past, Alabama teachers were just as much a victim of these discrepancies as families. Standards and assessments that did not set and measure rigorous expectations could not identify students who were struggling with basic concepts year after year. With poor metrics to identify where students needed help, educators were left with limited tools to guide their instruction. The ACT Aspire offers honest feedback for students as they plan for their future.

Educators across Alabama, including Madison County, see the impact that high standards and meaningful assessments have had on student achievement. Nina Putt, Laying the Foundation Lead Math Teacher with Huntsville City Schools, shared, “The increased rigor, attention to precision, and push for a deeper understanding has helped our students think beyond the task of memorization.” Alabama has conquered the difficult task of resetting our definition of proficiency.

By raising expectations and holding schools and students accountable to them, we will ensure that more graduates are on a path to succeed.

Dr. Dee Fowler, Superintendent of Madison City Schools, shared “We believe that with accountability comes responsibility. Our entire school community has embraced the responsibility of preparing our students to be global learners and well prepared for the work force or additional educational opportunities. High expectations and high performance are the hallmarks of our community.”

Other states have taken similar steps and have experienced the positive results. To learn more, visit www.HonestyGap.org.

• Elizabeth

Fleming, The Schools Foundation june 2015 initiatives

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economicdevelopmenthighlights Former Madison County Chairman Mike Gillespie to Lead Master Planning Process for Cummings Research Park Mike Gillespie has been hired by the Chamber as a contractor to lead the master planning process for Cummings Research Park. Gillespie is very familiar with CRP and Huntsville/Madison County having served 32 years as chairman of the Madison County Commission.

Gillespie will work with the CRP Board of Directors, the CRP Advisory Council, the Chamber and the City of Huntsville to develop a starting point for a consulting firm to focus on physical characteristics and marketing for the nation’s second-largest research park. A final product is expected by the end of 2015.

“During my 32 years serving the community as chairman of the Madison County Commission, I spent a great deal of time working with the Mayor and the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce on numerous economic development Gillespie projects,” Gillespie said. “I am excited to be working again with Mayor Battle and the Chamber on this critically important project to develop a plan for the future of Cummings Research Park. CRP has been, and will continue to be, one of the most important assets in North Alabama’s economic future.”

CRP was zoned a research park in 1962 and the current master plan is more than 30 years old. With more than 300 companies and 26,000 employees, CRP is one of the top economic engines for Huntsville/Madison County.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle is confident that Gillespie will be an outstanding leader for this important community project.

“In this innovation economy, our CRP community continues to look for new and creative ways to connect bright minds with research and opportunity. I can think of no better person to lead that process than Mike Gillespie. His decades of leadership experience and depth of knowledge about the layers of smart economic development make him the ideal candidate to help Huntsville envision a CRP for decades to come,” Mayor Battle said.

Charlie Grainger, Chairman of the CRP Board of Directors said, “Mike appreciates how we became the nation’s second largest research park and brings a wealth of knowledge to the economic development process.” And Richard Crunkleton, lead of the CRP Master Plan Advisory Council, added, “Mike and the Mayor’s Advisory Council have been working to complete the research that identifies challenges and recommends solutions to restore Cummings Research Park for its mission to ‘Transform Research Into Business Success.’”

SES recognized as Boeing Aerospace Support Supplier of the Year

The Boeing Company recognized Science and Engineering Services, LLC (SES) as Supplier of the Year in the Aerospace Support category. SES is headquartered in Huntsville and was selected from among more than 13,000 Boeing suppliers in 47 countries. As a small business in the Huntsville area, this is a significant achievement for the company and our community.

In January, SES was notified that it had been selected as one of 548 companies to receive the Boeing Performance Excellence Award. Beyond that, achieving the Supplier of the Year designation further acknowledges superior cost, schedule and

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performance, and labels SES as best of the best in the business.

“Our success in 2014 was due in large part to the strong performance of our supply chain,” said Kent Fisher, Boeing’s leader for Supplier Management. “We are facing an increasingly competitive landscape across all our businesses. To continue to lead the market we need supplier partners like SES who understand the importance of creating a sustainable competitive advantage with products, services and support that meet or exceed the expectations of our customers.”

Selection for Supplier of the Year was based on stringent performance criteria for quality, delivery performance, cost, environmental initiatives, customer service and technical expertise. Over the past four years, SES has completed the depopulation of components from AH-64 airframes, repairing over 131 airframes, inspecting, repairing, and returning to service over 115,000 components per TM/ IETM standards, and kitted and shipped components per customer instructions.

Everyone at SES is honored to be a part of Team Apache and proud to receive such a prestigious award from Boeing. SES CEO E.J. Sinclair said, “This award is indicative of the incredible professionalism, quality and commitment of our workforce in support of Boeing and the AH-64 depopulation program. We are truly humbled by this recognition as Aerospace Support Supplier of the Year from one of our great OEM partners. We look forward to maintaining our company-wide commitment to deliver product and program excellence to our customers.”

SES specializes in highly complex aircraft modification, systems integration, repair and overhaul, and maintenance services for government and commercial aviation.

Aetos Systems Chief Named SBA Small Business Person of the Year for Alabama The U.S. Small Business Administration named Donna Coleman, President and CEO of Aetos Systems, the 2015 Alabama Small Business Person of the Year.

“I am very honored to have been selected as the Alabama Small Business Person of the Year and proud to be the voice of representation for all small business across the state of Alabama in this capacity, Coleman said. “There are many types of awards given each year, but awards that are received as a result of nominations from your peers, or in this case awards from the SBA, is validation that we are succeeding and being recognized for contributing to the economic growth of our communities.”

Coleman added that because the nomination and selection review process of this award is very detailed and looks at all Coleman aspects of the business – from the company business plan and management structure, through financial health and growth status – the award brings with it a highlight to Aetos’ corporate credibility.

“As a Government contractor, our customers place a great deal of emphasis on past performance when making contract award selections for new business opportunities. Being selected for this award by the Small Business Administration demonstrates to our customers that we have the corporate sustainability to successfully execute on future contracts and is a testament to our success and past performance as a company,” Coleman said.

The competition was extremely keen across the state for this prestigious award. The SBA noted that outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners like Donna represent the backbone of our economy. According to the SBA, small businesses created nearly 2 million of the roughly 3 million private-sector jobs in 2014 and more than 7 million of the 11 million jobs created during our economic recovery have been generated by startups and small enterprises.

In 2014, Aetos was named as a 2014 Small Business of the Year Winner by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. Congratulations, Donna, to you and the entire Aetos team for jobs well done!

Northrop Grumman, UAH strengthen partnership to bolster area workforce Northrop Grumman Corp. and The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) announced a formal expansion of their existing relationship to foster education, research and recruitment with a key goal to bolster the Huntsville area workforce.

“The development of a technologically focused workforce is critical for UAH,

Michael Mercier/UAH

continued on page 22

Mark Thornton, left, director of Northrop Grumman Information Systems, talks with Dr. Robert Altenkirch, UAH president, shortly before the two announce a stronger partnership between their organizations.

it’s critical for Northrop Grumman, and it’s critical for Huntsville,” said Dr. Robert Altenkirch, UAH president. Altenkirch noted that 1 in 10 of Northrop Grumman’s local employees holds a UAH degree.

The new initiative strengthens the partnership between UAH and Northrop Grumman on a diverse set of initiatives in support of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

“Our university has long been a leader in promoting STEM education – not just in Huntsville, but across all of Alabama,” Altenkirch said.

He thanked the company for its financial support for the Alabama Science and Engineering Fair, the UAH Human Exploration Rover, UAH senior design projects in mechanical and aerospace engineering and also electrical and computer engineering, and for its support of UAH engineering diversity organizations and the UAH integrated product team that helps develop team building.

Northrop Grumman is a world-class global security company providing innovative systems and products, particularly in unmanned, cyber and logistics to government and commercial customers, according to the company’s website. Future areas of collaboration between UAH and Northrop Grumman may include cyber, systems engineering, and modeling and simulation.

UAH’s existing strengths include five research programs ranked among the top 20 in the nation – computer science, business, atmospheric science, astronomy, and includes aeronautical and astronautical engineering research, which UAH ranks fourth in the nation, according to National Science Foundation data.

Dr. Altenkirch noted that from an academic standpoint, UAH is rated a Tier 1 national university by U.S. News & World Report and the 101st best public university in America. UAH has been designated as very competitive by Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, one of only two in the state of Alabama.

UAH’s latest class of freshmen scored an average of 27.6 on their ACT, among the highest among public universities in Alabama, Dr. Altenkirch said, and many students attend the university because of the quality education and career opportunities in the local community.

“We look forward to increasing the interaction between our two organizations to advance Huntsville’s intellectual development,” Dr. Altenkirch said.

Mark Thornton, director of Northrop Grumman Information Systems and a UAH alumnus, said Northrup Grumman is enthused about furthering its relationship with the university.

“The University of Alabama in Huntsville is a pioneer in science, math, engineering, space and in the STEM areas,” Thornton said. “For decades, we have collaborated together on various projects. We look forward to capturing the imagination of the students at this university and bringing them into our company. We would like to have that talent in our organization.” june 2015 initiatives

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Cover image: A hexagonally segmented aluminum paraboloid mirror, ~11” in diameter, diamond turned at UAH-CAO.

UAH: Focus on Research Research Centers

H

ave you ever had an “eye-opening” experience? You know the one…afterward, you feel like your head is swirling but you can’t wait to tell someone about it? I experience “eye opening” phenomenons about once a week since I moved to the Huntsville area – so much so that I’ve been keeping a list of these experiences. One such “eye opening” experience has leapt into first place on my list and it came during my recent tour of the University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH) research facilities. Dr. Ray Vaughn and his staff at the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development took members of the Chamber, our board, and staff on a tour of the facilities. We all walked away with a greater appreciation of the work and educational opportunities at UAH. The contributions that UAH makes not only to the Huntsville area but to the world are truly remarkable. I wanted to share with you a bit of what we learned on our tour.

First up was the Reliability and Failure Analysis Lab (RFAL) which houses millions of dollars’ worth of equipment in its laboratories to provide commercial and government clients reliability testing and research to improve the life cycle of their products.

Some examples of product testing include drop testing, temperature changes, and corrosion. RFAL also has begun working with Remington since their operations in Huntsville have commenced.

Next up was UAH’s Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center (RSESC) which gives students the ability to actually help solve problems presented by today’s advanced technology and mission requirements – specializing in hardware and software systems engineering and integration. Students get handson experience delivering cutting-edge engineering and simulation technology for government and commercial clients including the Secretary of Defense, NASA, PEO Aviation, AMRDEC, Redstone Test Center and the commercial industry. The RSESC lab proudly

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blend innovation with collaboration displays several drones ranging in size from a battery-controlled car to a large dog. Do not let the drones fool you; RSESC’s capabilities far exceed that of drones. The center RSESC works with the Boeing Huntsville Design Center so students gain real world experience in rotorcraft design and engineering.

After the RSESC we were off to UAH’s Johnson Research Center, where staged out front was a trailer outfitted with elaborate controls and a rocket. The Johnson Research Center is one of the University’s Propulsion Research Center’s laboratories. The Propulsion Research Center (PRC) is known for shooting off rockets, but there is a lot more research conducted in the field of propulsion.

Other competencies include energy systems, fusion propulsion, plasmas and combustion, computational modeling, propellants and energetics, and propulsion system control and simulation. Located within the Johnson Research Center, the PRC is able to perform research on propulsion using a high pressure spray laboratory, fully-instrumented test stand, and a vacuum chamber. Coming soon to the Johnson Research Center will be a supersonic wind tunnel that will study shock wave interactions relevant to supersonic aircraft propulsion. As the human race begins to explore deeper into space, the PRC’s research will be taking off! (pun intended) The Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) takes reaching for the stars to a whole new meaning. CSPAR’s research explores the role plasma plays within natural environments throughout the universe. Some of the topics that CSPAR studies are cosmic and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, solar wind, and energetic particles. CSPAR has partnered with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the Universities Space Research Association to form the Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Team. The team

by Will West

Above: A sample of metal and plastic optical parts produced by diamond turning at UAH-CAO. Opposite page: A trapezoidal metal mirror, with a nearly 800mm diagonal, being formed on the UAH-CAO Zeeko polisher.

continued on page 16 june 2015 initiatives

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Michael Mercier/UAH

UAH: Focus on Research, from page 15

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initiatives june 2015

uses the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to study black holes, gamma-ray bursts, and other exotic astrophysical objects. When a gamma ray burst occurs (about once a day), an alert is sent down from the telescope through several channels and sent directly to the Huntsville Fermi team. CSPAR’s research will continue to help humans better understand what the entire universe holds.

In order for visitors to understand the type of research the UAH Severe Weather Institute and Radar & Lightning Laboratories (SWIRLL) conducts, one only has to take one look at the building’s vortex-styled staircase. The new $7 million, state-of-the-art facility is a fantastic addition to the UAH campus as well as the Huntsville community. SWIRLL provides students and faculty the ability to monitor severe weather, track lightning strikes, release weather balloons directly from campus, or take mobile research instruments and vehicles directly out into the field. While we were touring the facility, Dr. Kevin Knupp and his teams from the Department of Atmospheric Science were readying their mobile units for a multi-agency field campaign out in Kansas this June where they will research severe weather of large thunderstorm complexes over the Great Plains at night. Starting in February 2016, the UAH SWIRLL team will host a longer-term, multi-agency field campaign. This campaign, known as VORTEX-SE, will further investigate the unique features of tornadoes in the Southeast. What incredible opportunities these students have here at UAH! With the threat of severe weather in the area, the research that comes from SWIRLL can be used to improve detection of severe weather and ultimately save lives right here in the Tennessee Valley and throughout the nation and the world.

Next up was touring a UAH facility located on Redstone Arsenal – and this was one cool place. The Aerophysics Research Center (ARC) is home to UAH’s four, two-Stage Light Gas Guns (LGG) and the three terawatt Charger-1 Pulsed Power machine. Yes, that’s right. For example, UAH’s largest Light Gas Gun (just picture a giant rifle barrel 75 ft. long), is used to support the research of hypervelocity impact and hypervelocity flight in the Earth’s atmosphere by launching projectiles up to 6 inches in diameter and masses of 20 pounds or more. By selecting the appropriate Light Gas Gun, the ARC also can vary projectile parameters such as mass (.01 - 20 pounds), study multiple different materials, velocities (a few hundred to 15,000 feet per second or around 20 times the speed of sound), and impact orientation as needed to fit the needs of its customers. The Redstone facility also is home to the Charger-1 Pulsed Power machine, which is a repurposed nuclear weapons effects simulator. The Charger-1 works by generating large amounts of electrical energy and directing the energy to a small target. The research conducted using the Charger-1 is to direct the energy to use for propulsion. Charger-1 will do fundamental research on fusion propulsion, which holds promise for human piloted Mars missions.

We capped things off with an optical tour. When you are making and measuring optical components at accuracies of a fraction of a wavelength (more than a thousand times thinner than a human hair), the slightest bump or shake can seriously impact the results.

That is why the design of the Optics Building at UAH, home of the Center for Applied Optics (CAO), is so remarkable. The labs within the four-story building are isolated from the offices and elevators so that vibrations barely affect them – it is literally a building

within a building. Under the leadership of Dr. Robert Lindquist, the CAO and its experienced staff help advance optical science and engineering research and development in support of high technology, educational, industrial and government interests and requirements. The CAO building contains machines and equipment that you see in popular science fiction movies. One of the more remarkable machines within the facility is the CAO’s Nanotech 250 UPL diamond turning machine. This machine is an extremely accurate and smooth lathe capable of producing optical surfaces of extraordinary quality in many metals, polymers, ceramics and crystalline materials up to nearly 300mm in diameter. So from concept to design, fabrication, testing and integration, the CAO provides stateof-the-art solutions in optics and photonics.

This was one phenomenal tour of the incredible UAH research facilities, and I was only able to share with you a fraction of what we learned. But one thing stood out for all of us – the most amazing aspects of all the research conducted at UAH is that students are involved in ALL of the research activities. This is truly a research university. The Huntsville workforce has been known to be highly educated and skilled, and UAH plays a significant role in that. Dr. Vaughn said it best when he said, “UAH is such an incredible applied university. Our students learn in a highly collaborative environment and get to do tangible, real world work while they are here.” For more information on UAH’s research please visit www.uah.edu/research.

•

Will West

Above: A non-rotationally symmetric optical mirror being diamond turned at UAH-CAO. Opposite page: Working with the two-stage light gas gun in the Astrophysics Research Center on Redstone Arsenal are Paul Henderson and Tony Wasmanski loading and Mark Zweiner, Tony Doll, Ken Jernigan and Mitch Fleming along the barrel and breech.

Here is where one barber chair turned into four turned into a buzzcut empire.

Being a master of clippers doesn’t make one a master of SBA loans and employee benefits. Which is why it’s good to have Synovus on your side. We’re right down the street with some pretty snazzy hairdos and everything a small business needs to grow into a big one. synovus.com/businessbanking

SE RV I N G YOU LO C A LLY A S

256.551.3300 | fcb-hsv.com

Banking products are provided by Synovus Bank, Member FDIC. Divisions of Synovus Bank operate under multiple trade names across the Southeast.

june 2015 initiatives

17

2015 Best Places to Work®

micro small medium Best Places to Work® is an annual event for members of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. The event is the exclamation point to a prestigious community honor – when we present our Best Places to Work® awards to the “best of the best” businesses in the Tennessee Valley.

Employees are the key to the success of any business and all of these companies have good reason to be proud. Winners of the Best Places to Work® awards are selected based on the input from their employees, and our Most Valuable Employee make their organizations better while inspiring their co-workers.

For the 8th year in a row, the Chamber has recognized the Best Places to Work® and Most Valuable Employee awards. Categories for both the Best Places to Work® awards, and our Most Valuable Employee awards are: “micro” for companies with 10-20 employees, “small” for companies with 21-35 employees, “medium” for 36149 employees, and “large” for companies with 150+ employees.

large

R2C Support Services EnVention, LLC LEAN Frog Business Solutions, Inc. Decisive Analytics Corporation Nesin Therapy Services Troy 7, Inc. Canvas, Inc. Five Stones Research Corporation Victory Solutions, Inc. Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation PeopleTec, Inc.

2015 Most Valuable Employees

micro small medium large

Mark Alley (USi, LLC) Debbie Baugh (Snelling Staffing Services) Victoria Gonzalez (Adams Homes) Amy King (Decisive Analytics Corporation) Linda Smith (Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis) Casey Fritz (MSB Analytics, Inc.) Mike Anderson (PENTA Research Incorporated) Denise Armstrong (ServisFirst Bank) - not pictured Melissa Jennings (Mitchell Industrial Contractors) Jennifer Veal (INTUITIVE) Susie Vaughn (PeopleTec, Inc.) Kathy Cagle (Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.)

Support the missions of Redstone

BY LOCATING on REDSTONE PROXIMITY

|

VISIBILITY

|

EFFICIENCY

Redstone Gateway is the premier location for defense contractors seeking immediate access to NASA and other customers on Redstone Arsenal.

The new 468-acre, masterplanned business park is located just outside Gate 9 of Redstone, right off I-565 at Research Park Blvd.

COPT’s expertise in building mission critical facilities that are operationally efficient will ensure your specialized needs are met in order to advance your mission at Redstone.

www.redstonegateway.us Derrick Boegner SVP, Asset Management / Leasing Corporate Office Properties Trust 256.895.9820 | derrick.boegner@copt.com

Redstone Gateway is a joint venture development of COPT and Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC.

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initiatives june 2015

bestplacestowork®

R2C Support Services

EnVention, LLC

LEAN Frog Business Solutions, Inc.

Decisive Analytics Corporation

Nesin Therapy Services

Troy 7, Inc.

Canvas, Inc.

Five Stones Research Corporation

Victory Solutions, Inc.

Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.

Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation

PeopleTec, Inc.

MVEs – micro category

MVEs – small category

MVEs – medium category

MVEs – large category

most valuable employees

For the Best Places to Work® and the Most Valuable Employee (MVE), there were three winners in each category, and they are not ranked – all carry equal rating.

june 2015 initiatives

19

smallbusinesstrends

Home Sweet Home

A premier full-service veterinary campus that Fido will love

F

lint River Animal Hospital (FRAH) at 1009 Homer Nance Road in Huntsville is unusually quiet and virtually odorless for it to be a very busy animal hospital. With the addition of Flint River Bed ’n Biscuit (BnB), their new, state-of-the-art technology, boarding, grooming and daycare facility, pets and pet owners are sure to be given an unforgettable experience.

With just one look around the hospital and the new BnB facility, FRAH’s emphasis on cleanliness is clear. Building manager Mike Lowe said they installed custom-built air purification units throughout the entire campus to achieve a clean and healthy environment. High performance air purification technologies are used to supply air sterilization for bacteria, virus and infectious diseases. In fact, no other veterinary facility, anywhere, uses this technology.

In addition to their hi-tech air purification systems, they have two washing machines and dryers, and stainless steel food preparation stations. Plus, they installed a new vent-less commercial restaurant dishwasher that cleans and sterilizes food bowls in just 90 seconds.

www.irtc-hq.com

WHERE

INNOVATION FINDS

FREEDOM TO EXCEL

Believe. Inspire. Deliver.

ENGINEERING TECHNICAL SERVICES ANALYTICAL SUPPORT

IT’S...INTUITIVE 20

initiatives june 2015

“We’ve designed our facility to have efficient work flow, and to mitigate the typical sound and smell often prevalent in pet care and boarding facilities,” Lowe said. “These technologies make it easier and efficient for our staff to perform housekeeping duties.”

The BnB also has a central pressure washer and vacuum system with outlets strategically placed throughout the facility so staff can easily plug into the pressurized water or vacuum systems from rooms and hallways, making cleaning quick and easy.

The facility also has a separate bathing room and grooming salon with professional groomers.

The customization does not end there. Dog kennels (or boarding rooms) are typically manufactured to standard 3x6 foot dimensions. However, with more clients wanting to house their family’s multiple dogs together in a single unit and for clients with very large breed dogs, Lowe asked the manufacturers to develop larger kennels – 4’x8’.

“Most boarding facilities try to put as many kennels in a space as possible, whereas, FRAH went beyond the norm with consideration of pet needs and consumer concerns,” Lowe said.

For Lease

Retail and Office Space in Huntsville, AL For Lease For Lease For Lease Retail and Office RetailSpace and Office S Retail and Office Space in Huntsville, ALHuntsville, in AL in Huntsville, AL

Featured Listings Featured Listings Featured Listings Featured Listings Bradford Center

Bailey Cove Shopping Center For Lease For Lease Huntsville, Alabama 35802 Retail and Office S Dr. Kevin Lowe, DVM, has always had a heart for caring for animals.

Retail andCenter Office Space Bradford Bailey CoveCenter Shop Bradford Center Bailey Cove inShopping Huntsville, AL in Huntsville, AL 35805 Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville, Alabama 3 BUILDING SFBradford BUILDING SF Center Bailey Cove Shopping Center 102,000 59,000 Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35802 Huntsville, Alabama 35805

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For Lease ForSpace Lease FRAH’s huge acre-plus outdoor play yard also separates FRAH Office For and Lease For LeaseRetail Retail and Office Space from many other facilities. Dogs have supervised outdoor group in Huntsville, AL Corporate Park Executive Park South Retail and Office Space Bradford Bailey Cove Shop RetailCove andCenter Office Space Bradford Center Bailey Shopping Center in Huntsville, AL Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Corporate Huntsville, Alabama 35805 play as much as possible which teaches them how to play safely in Huntsville, AL Park Executive Park 3 Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville, Alabama in Huntsville, AL 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35802 CorporateHuntsville, Park Alabama Executive Park South 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 3 and have fun with other dogs.

For Lease 55,000 BUILDING SFCorporate BUILDING SF Park Executive Park 35805 South 185,000 BUILDING SF BUILDING SF 102,000 Huntsville, 35805 Huntsville, Alabama BUILDING SF BUILDING SF 102,000 Alabama 59,000 “We have had many owners say that when they picked up their Retail and Office Space BUILDING SF BUILDING SF Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35805 185,000 in Huntsville, AL -AVAILABLE AVAILABLE SF BUILDING AVAILABLE SF Lease AVAILABLE SF SF55,000 1,880SF - 6,900 1,125 dog after boarding or daycare, their dogs are happy,AVAILABLE tired and - 19,000 BUILDING SF1,512 SF 7,000 - 19,000 AVAILABLE SF 7,000For 185,000 2,and 100 Retail Office Space AVAILABLE SF AVAILABLE SF BUILDING SF BUILDING SF 1,880 6,900 1, 185,000 55,000 ready for an evening meal and an early bed time for a good night’s in Huntsville, AL AVAILABLE SF AVAILABLE SF - 6,900 global network of 1,125 - 1,512 NAI Global is the single, largest,1,880 most powerful sleep. The daycare dogs are up early and eager to go back to the AVAILABLE SF real1,880 AVAILABLE 1,125 - 1,512 Global the single,firms. largest, mostSF powerful global netw owner-operated commercialNAI estate-is6,900 brokerage BnB for another fun day playing with their dog buddies,” said Dr. owner-operated commercial real estate brokerage firms.

NAI Global is the single, largest, most powerful global network of Kevin Lowe, FRAH practice owner.

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For more information This new technology only adds to the innovative design of the owner-operated commercial real estate brokerage firms.

Bradford Center Bailey Cove Shopping Center For more 256 503-6088 James Lomax 5-year old FRAH. The hospital itself is an all-digital, integrated Bradford Center Bailey Cove Shopping Cente James Lomax Bradford Center Bailey Cove Shopping CenterShopping tel 256 539 1686 Alabama Huntsville, 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35802 Bradford Center Bailey Cove Center lomaxj@chasecommercial.com For more informatio Corporate Park Executive Park tel 256 539 1686 Corporate Park Executive Park South Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35802 www.chasecommercial.com state-of-the-art facility. Their wide range of comprehensive pet lomaxj@chasec For more informatio Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35802 Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35802 503-603 James Lomax 256 Huntsville, 35805 Huntsville, Alabama www.chasecommercial.com Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama Alabama 35805 BUILDING SF256 539 1686 BUILDING SF CoveJames 102,000 59,000 Lomax Bradford Center Bailey Shopping Center256 503-60 health care includes exams, dental care, digital X-ray,Huntsville, ultrasound, tel lomaxj@chasecommercial.co BUILDING SF BUILDING SF BUILDING SFBUILDINGwww.chasecommercial.com BUILDING SF BUILDING 102,000 59,000 tel 256 539 1686 SF SF Huntsville, Alabama 35805 102,000 Huntsville, Alabama 35802 102,000 59,000 SF 59,00 BUILDING BUILDING lomaxj@chasecommercial.co 185,000 surgical laser soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, as well as an inBUILDING SF BUILDING SF SF AVAILABLE 185,000 55,000 AVAILABLE SF SERVICES, SF 7,000 19,000 2, 100 COMMERCIAL REAL www.chasecommercial.com ESTATE WORLDWIDE. Center Bailey Cove Center COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES, WORLDWIDE. AVAILABLE SF AVAILABLE AVAILABLE SF 7,000Bradford -SF 19,000 2, 1SF00 Shopping 7,000 19,000 2,11,0 house pharmacy and diagnostic laboratory for internalAVAILABLE medicine.SF BUILDING SF SF BUILDING 102,000 59,000 AVAILABLE AVAILABLE SF AVAILABLE SF AVAILABLE 1,880 6,900 7,000 19,000 2, Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35802 100 SF AVAILABLE SF AVAILABLE SF 1,880 6,900 1,125 1,512 FRAH has three full time veterinarians and 40 employees, and COMMERCIAL REAL SERVICES, WORLDWIDE.AVAILABLE SF AVAILABLE SF ESTATE 7,000 - 19,000 2,100 BUILDINGREAL SF ESTATE SERVICES, BUILDING SF COMMERCIAL WORLDWIDE. 102,000 59,000global netw visiting board certified surgeons scheduled for extremely complex NAI Global is the single, of largest, most powerful NAI Global is the single, largest, most powerful global network owner-operated commercial AVAILABLE AVAILABLE real SF estate brokerage surgeries.

7,000 - 19,000 2,100 firms. owner-operated commercial realSF estate brokerage firms.

Exam rooms are equipped with monitors for showing clients For more their pet’s X-rays and diagnostic ultrasound images, educational For more information James Lomax James Lomax 256 503-6088 video clips, and recent research with an online Diagnostic ImagCorporate Park telExecutive Park South lomaxj@chasec 256 539 1686Executive Corporate Park Park South 256 539 1686 Corporate Parklomaxj@chasecommercial.com Executive Park South www.chasecommercial.com ing Atlas (DIA). In addition, the pet’s personalized tel report cardCorporate is Alabama Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Park35805 Executive Park South Corporate Park Executive Park South 35805 www.chasecommercial.com Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville,Huntsville, Alabama Alabama 35805 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35805 reviewed with the pet owner at every exam. These tools highlight Huntsville, Alabama 35805 BUILDING SF BUILDING SF 185,000 55,000 BUILDING SF BUILDING SF 185,000 55,000 Corporate Park Executive ParkSFSouth FRAH’s emphasis on client education for pet wellness, preventaBUILDING BUILDING 185,000 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES, WORLDWIDE. BUILDING SF SF BUILDING SF 185,000 55,000 55,00 BUILDING SF BUILDING SF 185,000 55,000 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES, WORLDWIDE. Huntsville, Alabama 35805 Huntsville, Alabama 35805 AVAILABLE SF AVAILABLE SF tive healthcare, and treatment follow-up.

1,880 6,900 1,125 1,512 AVAILABLE SF AVAILABLE SF 1,880 - 6,900 SF SF 1,125 -AVAILABLE 1,512 AVAILABLE AVAILABLE AVAILABLE SF- 1,512 1,880 - 6,900 1,125 - 1,512 1,880 - 6,900 1,125 - 1,51 SF AVAILABLE SF SFSF 1,125 1,880 - 6,900 SF BUILDING “We consider the pet owner a partner on our FRAH AnimalAVAILABLEBUILDING 185,000 55,000 islargest, the single, largest, most powerful global network of is theGlobal single, most global network of global Care Team. The owner is the primary care giver overNAI theGlobal life ofNAI NAI GlobalSF is thepowerful single, -largest, most powerful AVAILABLE AVAILABLE SF network 1,880 6,900 1,125 of - 1,512 NAI Global is the single, largest, most powerful global owner-operated commercial real estate brokerage firms. owner-operated commercial real estate brokerage firms. is the single, largest, most global network of network of commercial realpowerful estate brokerage firms. their pet and the more educated the owner is, the better overallNAI Globalowner-operated owner-operated commercial real estate brokerage firms. owner-operated commercial real estate brokerage firms.

NAI Global is the single, largest, most powerful global network of care the pet gets at home,” said Dr. Lowe. owner-operated commercialFor real more estate brokerage firms. information more information For For more information So exemplary is the FRAH that the campus is a 2015 Merit For256 more informati 503-6088 James Lomax 256For 503-6088 James Lomax James 256 503-6088 Lomax more information Award winner in the Veterinary Economics HospitaltelDesign tel 256 539 1686 256 539Com1686 James Lomax lomaxj@chasecommercial.com tel 256 539 1686 lomaxj@chasecommercial.com more256 information lomaxj@chasecommercial.com 503-6088256 503-60 James For Lomax www.chasecommercial.com tel 256 539 1686 petition, cited for innovative application technology.www.chasecommercial.com www.chasecommercial.com lomaxj@chasecommercial.c 256 503-6088 James Lomax tel 256 539 1686 lomaxj@chasecommercial.com telwww.chasecommercial.com 256 539 1686 lomaxj@chasecommercial.com www.chasecommercial.com FRAH’s commitment to emerging technologies speaks to their www.chasecommercial.com COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES, WORLDWIDE. mission to go above and beyond on being a premier full service COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES, WORLDWIDE. COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES, WORLDWIDE. veterinary campus in the region.

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES, WORLDWIDE. COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATEWORLDWIDE. SERVICES, WORLDWIDE. For more information, visit flintriveranimalhospital.com.

Featured Listings Featured Listings

Featured Listings Featured Listings Featured Listings Featured Listings Featured Listings Featured Listings

NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IS MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGE

NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS IS MADELISTING AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE BY INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJE OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, ANDOR OFIMPLIED, ANY SPECIAL CONDITIONSIMPOSED OUR PRINCIPALS NO WARRANTIES OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANYPRIOR TO BE SALE, IMPLIED. OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANY TO BE IMPLIED.

NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IS MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, C

OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED BY OUR PRINCIPALS NO WARR NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IS MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, C OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANY TO BE IMPLIED. OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED BY OUR PRINCIPALS NO WARR OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANY TO BE IMPLIED.

NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IS MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJ NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IS MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED TOFINANCING, ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGE OF PRICE, RENTALHEREIN, OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE,SUBJECT LEASE OR OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED

BY OUR PRINCIPALS NO WARRANTIES ORNOTICE, REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANY TO BE IMPLIED.

OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANY TO BE IMPLIED.

NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IS MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGE

OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED BY OUR PRINCIPALS NO WARRANTIES

•

NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IS MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGE OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADEISASMADE TO THE OF THE PROPERTY OR INFORMATION ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANY BE IMPLIED. NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ASCONDITION TO THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTAINED HEREIN, ANDTOTHE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGE OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED BY OUR PRINCIPALS NO WARRANTIES OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, CONTAINED LEASE ORTHEREIN FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED BY OUR PRINCIPALS NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANYOR HAZARDS ARE TO BE IMPLIED. NO WARRANTY REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS ORANY IMPLIED, IS MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR ARE MADE AS EXPRESS TO THE OFIS THE PROPERTY OR ANY THEREIN ARE ANY TO HEREIN, BECONTAINED IMPLIED. NO WARRANTY ORCONDITION REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS IS HAZARDS MADE ASOF TOCONTAINED THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION AND THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGE NO REPRESENTATIONS WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, OR IMPLIED, MADE ASOR TOIMPLIED, THE ACCURACY THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ANDHEREIN, THE SAME IS SUBMITTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGE OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED BY OUR PRINCIPALS NO WA PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHER CONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED BY OUR PRINCIPALS NO WARRANTIES OF PRICE, RENTAL OR OTHEROFCONDITIONS, PRIOR SALE, LEASE OR FINANCING, OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE, AND OF ANY SPECIAL LISTING CONDITIONSIMPOSED BY OUR PRINCIPALS NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANY TO BE IMPLIED. OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANY TO BE IMPLIED. OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR ANY HAZARDS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ANY TO BE IMPLIED.

Hannah Wallace

june 2015 initiatives

21

economicdevelopmenthighlights Aviagen Opens New, Larger Office Headquarters in Huntsville

Aviagen, the world’s leading poultry breeding company, today announced plans to move its world headquarters from its current location in Huntsville to a larger 27,000-square-foot office building in Huntsville.

The move to new offices will enable Aviagen’s corporate staff to continue to grow as the company expands worldwide, and offers more flexibility for customer visits and meetings. The new headquarters is approximately 42 percent larger than Aviagen’s current offices. Aviagen moved into its current facility 20 years ago when the company employed approximately 1,000 people. Today, Aviagen has more than 3,600 employees worldwide.

The new building has more conference and meeting room space, which will enable Aviagen to host multiple and larger customer visits to its headquarters. The new building also boasts a modern fibre based network infrastructure, with faster internet connections, essential for day-to-day business transactions and to serve a geographically dispersed workforce. The new location is closer to Huntsville

International Airport, as well as hotels, additional offsite meeting spaces, and a variety of restaurants, making it convenient to host customers and partners.

“As demand for Aviagen brands increases and as we expand our footprint worldwide, we’ve found ourselves outgrowing our previous headquarters and needing more space to accommodate our needs today and years from now,” said Kevin McDaniel, President at Aviagen North America. “This is a perfect time for us to make this move, as we had several options available to us within the Huntsville commercial real estate market. The result is a headquarters facility that allows us to operate more efficiently, host customers and partners more easily, and better tend to customer needs as they evolve.”

Aviagen develops pedigree lines for the production of broiler chickens under the Arbor Acres, Indian River, and Ross brand names. The company is based in Huntsville with a number of wholly-owned operations across the United Kingdom, Europe, Turkey, Latin America, India, Australia, New Zealand and the USA and joint ventures in Asia. Aviagen employs approximately 3,600 people globally and has a distribution network serving customers in more than 130 countries. For further information please visit www.aviagen.com.

GaN and Lean Frog Honored with Blue Ribbon Small Business Awards from U.S. Chamber The U.S. Chamber of Commerce named two local companies as winners in its 2015 Blue Ribbon Small Business Awards®, an annual program that recognizes companies for their success and innovation and for their contributions to economic growth and free enterprise.

GaN (Geeks and Nerds) and Lean Frog – both of Huntsville – were selected from a record number of applicants from communities across the nation for demonstrating exceptional business practices in areas including strategic plan-

MAXIMUM BENEFIT FOR YOUR BUSINESS’ INNOVATIONS Doesn’t your business deserve credit for your efforts to improve products and processes? We think so. Many businesses assume they don’t qualify for R&D credits. With over $10 billion in state and federal R&D credits claimed annually, if you have invested time and money in developing new techniques, improving processes or innovating in other ways, it’s worth checking to see if you’re eligible for the credit.

To find out if your company qualifies, contact Jared Sharp at 256-713-2658.

R&D CREDITS Alabama l Florida l Georgia

22

initiatives june 2015

economic development highlights compiled by Carrie Rice ning, employee development, community involvement, and customer service.

Winners were selected for their demonstrated success, innovation, and contributions to economic growth and free enterprise.

“We are thankful for the opportunity to use our expertise and talents every day doing what we love – improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public schools and thus improving the outcomes for generations of students. The LEAN Frog team is honored to be recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for our work,” said LEAN Frog President and Co-founder Byron Headrick.

GaN CEO Jonn Kim said, “We are proud to be included in the Top 100 Small Businesses in the United States, and honored to join a prestigious group of award winners. While our customer base may vary, our focus never wavers. We believe in providing our customers with the most excellent services, most innovative products, and most exceptional quality that any company can provide. Innovation Integrated! is not just our motto, it’s our defining characteristic.”

Congratulations to these two outstanding companies!

DynCorp International opens its door of their new DynAviation Group headquarters

Jim Myles, DynCorp International senior vice president, DynAviation, cuts a ribbon for the new DynAviation headquarters. He is joined by Mayor Tommy Battle, DynCorp’s Jim Geisler and Chamber president and CEO, Chip Cherry.

The offices at Bridge Street in Huntsville have a new tenant – DynAviation Group – but most their work won’t fit in their new office space at 310 Bridge Street, Suite 400, because what they do here is on a global scale.

“DynCorp International has been a proud member of the Huntsville community since 2007,” said James Myles, DynAviation senior vice president, DynCorp International. “We are excited to settle into our new space and continue to work closely with our customers, both locally and around the world.”

“In these new headquarters, I am confident our DynAviation Group will continue to succeed – building on DI’s heritage as a renowned aviation support services provider,” said Jim Geisler, DynCorp International chief executive officer.

The facility contains more than 17,000 square feet of office space and is now home to more than 50 DI team members. DI’s DynAviation Group offers full-spectrum aerospace, aviation and air operations solutions worldwide, including operations, maintenance and sustainment of more than 200 aircraft types in dozens of countries.

DynCorp International is a leading global services provider offering unique, tailored solutions for an ever-changing world. Built on more than six decades of experience as a trusted partner to commercial, government and military customers, DI provides sophisticated aviation, logistics, training, intelligence and operational solutions wherever we are needed. DynCorp International is headquartered in McLean, Va.

ADTRAN Connects with Schools to Help Drive Digital Education Initiative ADTRAN®, Inc., a leading provider of next-generation networking solutions, recently announced its vision for the connected classroom that will allow students to compete more effectively in today’s data-driven economy. With a national program that touches public, private, charter, parochial and higher education institutions, ADTRAN is bringing education networks together with solutions that enable schools, administrators, teachers and students to connect, communicate and

learn in ways they have never done before.

Technology is creating a paradigm shift in today’s classroom. As the country moves from an industrial to digital-based economic society, schools and teachers are adjusting their curriculums to better prepare students for careers in a globally connected economy. Tablets aren’t merely replacing books, paper and pens.

They are fundamentally changing the way teachers and students interact. When students aren’t encumbered by slow bandwidth or outdated Wi-Fi networks, the possibility for more spontaneous, thoughtful learning emerges.

“ADTRAN has been a catalyst of change in our schools. Technology is an integral part of our curriculum and empowers the teachers and staff to engage with students in a much more dynamic fashion. ADTRAN is enabling us to create an environment where students are inspired to learn and we know they will be well prepared for careers in a technology driven world,” said Matt Massey, superintendent of Madison County School District, Alabama.

ADTRAN is driving this trend in school districts across the country with Fiber-tothe-Home (FTTH) solutions that enable Gigabit connectivity to the schools and cloud wireless solutions that empower students and teachers with mobile access to applications and teaching resources. Through its Enabling Communities, Connecting Lives program, ADTRAN is helping service providers deliver Gigabit broadband services that provide the ultra-fast connectivity that makes collaboration, media-rich learning and online video instruction a standard part of the education experience. Classroom connectivity based on ADTRAN’s flexible Bluesocket Wi-Fi, ProCloud service and NetVanta-powered network infrastructure is also helping teachers create a more engaged classroom environment with online learning tools and testing assessments.

“At ADTRAN, our goal is to provide the technology to enable a fully connected world. In the classroom, this means the power to communicate is available to everyone, everywhere and at any time. The impact of a ubiquitous communication network for America’s education system provides us with the vision to develop dynamic solutions that allow both teachers and students the opportunity to reach their fullest potential,” said Gary Bolton, vice president of global marketing at ADTRAN. “We are committed to bringing the world together and providing today’s students with the skill set they need to be successful in today’s economy.”

ADTRAN’s Enabling Communities, Connecting Lives program showcases how innovative communication technologies are being used in communities across the country to support economic growth and development. Education plays a central role in this movement. ADTRAN’s world-class Gigabit broadband, Wi-Fi, switching and Cloud service offerings are empowering administrators, teachers and students to create a dynamic learning environment that fosters a passion for learning.

For more information on ADTRAN educational and public sector solutions and state programs, please visit www.adtran.com/sled.

ServisFirst Bank Promotes First Vice President and Branch Officer ServisFirst Bank, a subsidiary of ServisFirst Bancshares (NASDAQ: SFBS), announces the promotion of Jim Holtkamp to First Vice President, Commercial Banking and Misty Hall to Branch Officer (Research Park Banking Center).

Jim Holtkamp, First Vice President, Commercial Banking previously serving as Vice President, Commercial Banking for the past four years, was recently promoted to First Vice President, Commercial Banking for ServisFirst Bank. With more than 13 years in the banking industry, Holtkamp will continue to serve Holtkamp the needs of commercial banking clients throughout North Alabama and South Tennessee. A Huntsville native, Holtkamp graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He is also a graduate of the Alabama Banking School, Huntsville/Madison connect Program and Leadership Management Academy. Holtkamp is currently a Board Member on the Susanna Wesley Early Education Ministry at Huntsville United Methodist Church.

Misty Hall, Branch Officer, Research Park Banking Center previously serving as Vault Teller, Customer Services Representative and most recently Branch Manager for the past seven years, was recently promoted to Branch Officer for the Research Hall Park Banking Center. With more than 12 years of banking experience, Hall will continue to provide customers with quality banking services. june 2015 initiatives 23

biosciencenews

compiled by Carrie Rice

Major Growth Phase for HudsonAlpha These past few months have seen a flourish of activity at HudsonAlpha with several exciting announcements.

HudsonAlpha has appointed renowned clinical genomics expert Howard Jacob, Ph.D., as Executive Vice President for Medical Genomics and Chief Medical Genomics Officer. Jacob’s 25 years of genetic sequencing experience bolsters HudsonAlpha’s roster of expert researchers and supports the Institute’s mission to bridge laboratory discoveries to medical improvements for patients. Jacob brings specific expertise in using clinical genomics to discover undiagnosed disorders.

“I am very pleased to be joining HudsonAlpha’s strong faculty of genomics researchers to advance the Institute’s mission of creating a healthier, more sustainable world through genomics,” said Jacob. “I believe strongly in the work HudsonAlpha has done and see great potential to harness the technology and expertise within the Institute to deliver better treatments and more preventative medicines for patients.”

Jacob brings his core team with him to HudsonAlpha. This team was the first in the world to use genomic sequencing to save a child’s life by identifying a single gene mutation that led to the disease diagnosis and a successful course of treatment. The team also diagnosed several other genetic diseases by sequencing more than 500 children’s genomes. He and his team have reduced the genome sequencing interpretation process time from two weeks to four hours, and eventually we want to analyze and interpret a whole human genome sequence in 10 minutes or less to make the technology truly scalable.

“Howard Jacob is an established leader, and I am honored to welcome him to the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and the state of Alabama,” Governor Robert Bentley said. “The clinical genomics initiatives will continue to propel HudsonAlpha forward to treat some of the most debilitating diseases.”

“HudsonAlpha has always been dedicated to developing the talent and technology that make genomic advances possible,” said HudsonAlpha co-founder

James R. Hudson Jr. “Adding Howard and his team to our impressive group of genomics experts and GSL capabilities speaks to our commitment to creating an unprecedented synergy that we believe will help define the future of genomic medicine, not only in Alabama, but globally.”

HudsonAlpha also announced that it will establish the HudsonAlpha Center for Personal Genomics – an institute to bring power of personalized medicine directly to physicians and patients. The Center will be able to perform whole genome sequencing for higher quality patient care.

While great strides have been made in genomics and in the use of genetic information in the diagnosis and management of many diseases, there is still much to learn about our DNA. By combining the highest quality genomic sequencing technology under the direction of Shawn Levy, Ph.D., a dedicated bioinformatics and analysis team, and the addition of clinical genomics expert Howard Jacob, Ph.D., HudsonAlpha has in place the expertise and equipment to accelerate this process and create more preventative treatments and medicines.

“HudsonAlpha is committed to bridging the gap between research results and clinical impacts to benefit human health,” said Rick Myers, HudsonAlpha president and science director. “The technology, performance, utility and acceptance of clinical whole genome sequencing have all advanced to a point where it is now a viable and impactful effort. We are delighted to make this capability available to physicians.”

The HudsonAlpha Center for Personal Genomics will offer whole genome sequencing for compelling medical reasons under the care and guidance of a physician. The cost for sequencing and initial interpretation for an individual genome will start at $2,800.

The most common use of genomic information is in the characterization of cancer or in the investigation of unknown disease that appear to have a strong genetic component. Another reason to consider personal genomic testing is if a disease with a potential genetic component is present in other family members.

For more information, visit www.hudsonalpha.org.

Auburn University Office of Professional and Continuing Education Huntsville Initiative Whether your organization is a small business, the headquarters of an international rm, or something in between, Auburn University’s professional development programs provide rst-class opportunities for growth and learning.

Programs Areas Include: - Leadership Development Programs - Training for Human Resource Professionals (CP & SCP Test Prep Classes coming Fall 2015) - Management and Productivity Programs

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To learn more, or join our e-mail list, visit AUBURN EDU OPCE HSV .

Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.

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THIS IS EXPERTISE. THIS IS OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS AUBURN.

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

STA F F

Chip Cherry, CCE, president & CEO Amy Locke, executive assistant Lauren Isbell, resource desk coordinator

Economic Development & Industry Relations Lucia Cape, vice president Ken Smith, research & information services director Will West, economic development specialist | project manager Emma Williams, industry relations specialist Karessa Acosta, economic development assistant

Workforce & Education Lucia Cape, vice president

Marketing & Communications Carrie Rice, director Kristi Sherrard, graphic designer Hiroko Sedensky, web designer

Government & Public Affiars Mike Ward, senior vice president Tina Leopold, assistant

Finance & Administration Christy Nalley, director Jamie Gallien, IT manager Mary McNairy, accounting specialist | human resources Lori Warner, accounting specialist Joe Watson, facilities supervisor

Membership Wendy Kirk, vice president, member engagement Donna McCrary, membership retention manager Tiffany Jordan, membership representative Tina Blankenship, membership representative

Small Business & Events Pammie Jimmar, director Alexandra Gonzalez, event coordinator Beverly Pike, small business coordinator

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 225 Church Street NW, Huntsville, AL 35801 phone 256-535-2000 | fax 256-535-2015

www.HSVchamber.org

LanierFord.com | 256-535-1100

Associated Organizations

Litigation | Businesses | Governments Individuals | Non-Profits communityfoundationhsv.org

No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.

theschoolsfoundation.org june 2015 initiatives

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government&publicaffairs

Current Issues

Incentives, education, BRAC and space flight among topics State Update As this is being written, the Alabama Regular Session was heading into its final 10 meeting days (sessions are limited to 30 meeting days and 105 calendar days). About 1,100 bills had been introduced and 125 had become law. If this session is similar to other sessions, about 1,800 bills will be introduced by the end of the session, half of which are statewide bills. Of those statewide measures, about 10 percent will become law.

The Chamber conducted our 2015 Montgomery Trip on April 7-8 and 85 people joined us for this year’s event. On April 7, we hosted a reception that included a large number of Alabama Legislators, the Governor, the Lt. Governor, and quite a few Cabinet members and other key leaders (Supreme Court Justices, etc.).

Wednesday featured meetings with the Speaker of the Alabama House Mike Hubbard; Rep. Mac McCutcheon; Sen. Arthur Orr; Alabama School Superintendent Tommy Bice; Two Year School Chancellor Mark Henrich; ALDOT Director John Cooper; Dept. of Commerce Deputy Director Angela Till, and Governor Bentley. Thanks to State Government Committee Co-Chairs Ken Tucker and Joe Vallely, and to government affairs vice chair Jim Rogers and Chamber Board Chair Rey Almodóvar for their leadership on the trip.

Issues dominating the discussion during this year’s trip included the successful early passage of critical economic development incentive legislation and the looming cuts to State services if efforts to increase tax revenues to fully fund the operations of State Government are unsuccessful. At press time, it was unclear how the legislature would respond to the request to increase taxes, but various proposals from the House and Senate were surfacing with time quickly running out.

On the education legislative front–efforts to repeal Alabama’s involvement in the common core education standards continued.

The Huntsville community has helped to lead the fight to retain the Alabama’s College and Career Ready Standards.

During the same week of the Chamber’s Montgomery Trip, the legislature also recognized Aerospace Week in Montgomery.

Aerospace week events included presentations from industry to increase awareness of the aerospace capabilities in the state and to quantify the economic impact of the industry on the State.

MSFC Director Patrick Scheuermann and astronaut Scott Tingle also made presentations to the House and Senate and met with the Governor. Such outreach efforts are important to help build State support NASA and our aerospace industry.

Lastly on the State scene, Governor Bentley was headed to Huntsville on May 13th for his annual Alabama Update address to the Chamber membership. We were expecting nearly 800 people to attend that event.

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BRAC Update The Department of Defense (DoD) renewed its request for another round of BRAC this year, as it has for the last few years. Congress so far has balked, but the issue seems to be gaining some ground.

It still seems unlikely that Congress would approve another round of BRAC for 2017, but a BRAC round in 2019 seems more probable. Our elected officials in Montgomery and D.C. have opposed BRAC efforts almost reflexively, but there’s a growing realization among our leadership that BRAC represents greater opportunities than risks. The Chamber has been encouraging our elected leaders to keep an open mind about this issue. The Anniston and Ft. Rucker communities would also support another round of BRAC. The Huntsville community has been proactive in developing our battle plan for the next BRAC round.

The DoD call for another BRAC is being driven in part by the Budget Control Act spending limits and sequestration, which kicks-in if Congress doesn’t pass a spending plan that conforms to the BCA limits. Sequestration is much more dangerous to our community than BRAC.

Washington Update The Chamber held our annual Washington, D.C. Trip April 19–21.

This trip is one of the top three Chamber trips in the U.S., with 180 people registered to attend this year’s trip. This years’ trip included perhaps our strongest line up of speakers and featured Michael O’Hanlon with the Brookings Institute; Robert Lightfoot with NASA; Knight Kiplinger, editor of the Kiplinger Newsletter; and meetings with our Congressional Delegation and a large number of other Senators and Congressmen, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Barbara Mikulski. Thanks to National Government Committee Co-Chairs Kevin Byrnes and Gene Goldman, and to government affairs vice Chairman Jim Rogers and Chamber Board Chair Rey Almodóvar for their leadership on the trip.

The top issue on our Federal Agenda this year is Human Space Flight and Exploration and the Space Launch System (SLS). Our Congressional delegation is fighting to accelerate development of the upper stage to get to the 130 metric ton lift capability by 2018.

Building a SLS vehicle with that lift capacity will take additional funding in the 2016 appropriation bills.

Other key issues included in the Agenda include support for Missile Defense; Army Aviation S&T; Biosciences; Cyber Security and Supply Chain Risk Management; local road projects and opposition to EPA’s proposed ozone rules.

• Mike Ward

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PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Birmingham, AL Permit #40

Monday, June 22 Proclamation Signing Ceremony 9 a.m. • Veterans Memorial, downtown Huntsville (weather location: Chamber of Commerce, 225 Church St NW) Free - Open to the public • Questions? Contact Tina Leopold at tleopold@hsvchamber.org Concert in the Park 6:30-9 p.m. • Big Spring Park, downtown Huntsville (weather location: VBC South Hall) • Free - Open to the public AMC bands • Plaque presentations • Fireworks presented by Remington Outdoor Company (weather permitting)

Tuesday, June 23 – U.S. Army Soldier Show 7 p.m. • VBC Concert Hall (general public - limited number of tickets available) FREE Soldier Show tickets available June 15 at the CAC Center (Redstone Arsenal) and the Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, June 24 Armed Forces Celebration Luncheon – Noon • VBC North Hall • presented by S3 PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Contact: Tina Leopold at tleopold@hsvchamber.org U.S. Army Soldier Show – 7 p.m. • VBC Concert Hall (see listing above for details)

Thursday, June 25 Prost! – Ein Toast to the Armed Forces!

An Authentic German Biergarten under the Saturn V at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center 4:30 p.m. until • Proceeds to benefit Veteran Support Organizations AMC’s Rock Band, Raw Materiel, in Concert 6-8 p.m. • Huntsville Botanical Garden, Boeing-Toyota Amphitheatre Free to active duty and retired military and their families.

Friday, June 26 Softball Games – Team Redstone, AUSA & Huntsville/Madison Co. Leadership Metro Kiwanis Sportsplex Field #2 at 3590 Patton Road • Free - Open to the public Game 1 - First pitch: 5 p.m. • Game 2 - First pitch: 7 p.m.

Also during AFC, free or discounted admissions to attractions for active or retired military I.D. card holders (and military families) are offered by: Huntsville Museum of Art; U.S. Space & Rocket Center; Burritt on the Mountain; EarlyWorks Museum Complex; Sci-Quest, Hands-on Science Center and Huntsville Botanical Garden.

Schedule is subject to change. For updates: bit.ly/AFC-2015

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