Three Leaders, One Community - Huntsville/Madison County ...

Three Leaders, One Community 

Partnering to Advance Madison County 

Cover story on page 20 

1 

Initiatives February 2009

2 February 2009 Initiatives

3 


Development Partner 

($250,000+ invested annually: public sector) 

Chamber Trustees ($10,000 - $24,999 invested annually) 

Avocent Corporation 

Beason & Nalley, Inc. 

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama 

Booz Allen Hamilton 

Camber Corporation 

CINRAM, Inc. 

COLSA Corporation 

Continental AG 

Huntsville Area Association of Realtors 

Huntsville/Madison County 

Builders Association, Inc. 

Intergraph Corporation 

Intuitive Research & Technology 

Corporation 

L3 Communications 

Lamar Outdoor Advertising 

Look Outdoor Advertising 

Northrop Grumman 

Parsons Corporation 

SPARTA, Inc. 

SportsMED Orthopaedic Surgery & 

Spine Center 

Development Council 

(Up to $125,000 invested annually: public sector) 

Huntsville Utilities 

Madison County Commission 

Tennessee Valley Authority 

Huntsville Hospital 

City of Madison 

Huntsville-Madison County 

Airport Authority 

Chairman’s Council 

($50,000+ invested: private sector) 

Toyota Motor Manufacturing 

Alabama, Inc. 

Regions Bank 

President’s Circle 

($25,000 - $49,999 invested annually) 

ADTRAN 

AT&T 

The Boeing Company 

Colonial Bank 

Compass Bank 

Crestwood Medical Center 

DeltaCom 

The Huntsville Times 

Lockheed Martin 

Redstone Federal Credit Union 

SAIC 

Wachovia Bank, N.A. 

Progress Partners ($5,000 - $9,999 invested annually) 

AEgis Technologies 

Analytical Services, Inc. 

Applied Data Trends, Inc. 

BAE Systems 

BASF Catalysts LLC 

Bryant Bank 

CapitalSouth Bank 

Coldwell Banker/McLain Real Estate 

Colonial Properties 

Consolidated Construction 

Dynetics 

Enfinger Steele Development, Inc. 

ERC, Incorporated 

First Commercial Bank 

HiWAAY Internet Services 

J. Smith Lanier & Co. 

Jerry Damson Honda Acura 

Keystone Foods Corporation 

Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne 

LG Electronics Alabama, Inc. 

M. B. Kahn Construction Co., Inc. 

Progress Investors ($2,500 - $4,999 invested annually) 

4SITE, Incorporated 

Applied Geo Technologies 

Averbuch Realty / Averbuch Enterprises 

BancorpSouth 

Baron Services 

Belzon 

BFA Systems 

Bill Penney Toyota 

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings 

Brown Precision 

Century Automotive 

Chapman Sisson Architects 

Cintas Corporation 

Currie Systems 

DESE Research, Inc. 

DHS Systems 

Digital Fusion 

DRS Technologies, Inc. 

Fountain Parker Harbarger & Associates 

Fuqua & Partners 

Garber Construction Co., Inc. 

General Dynamics 

Gray Research, Inc. 

The Heritage Club 

Maynard Cooper & Gale, P.C. 

NAI Chase Commercial Realty 

Navistar Diesel of Alabama 

The Orthopaedic Center 

Parker Hannifin Corporation 

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. 

RBC Bank 

Samples Properties 

Sirote & Permutt, P.C. 

SL1-Inc 

SOUTHBank 

Stanley Associates 

Superior Bank 

The Surgery Center of Huntsville 

System Studies and Simulation, Inc. 

Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. 

Turner Universal Construction 

WAFF-TV 

Wilmer & Lee, P.A. 

Yellowbook 

Anonymous 

Huntsville Tractor & Equipment, Inc. 

Jacobs 

JH Partners Architecture & Interiors 

Kelly Services 

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. 

Kudzu Productions 

Lamb Commercial Services, Inc. 

North Alabama Gas District 

Oak Ridge Partnership Office 

Progress Bank 

QTEC 

Qualis Corporation 

Radiance Technologies, Inc. 

ServisFirst Bank 

SESI 

Torch Technologies 

Weichert Realtors – The Executive Group 

Wesfam Restaurants, Inc. – Burger King 

Qinetic N.A., Systems Engineering Group 

WHNT-19 

Wilson Lumber 

Woodland Homes of Huntsville 

Woody Anderson Ford 


5 



initiatives 

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 

Photo by Classic Air Works, © Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 

cover story 

Three Leaders, 

One Community 

Partnering to Advance 

Madison County 

Page 20 

february 2009 

Cover photo by J Hanshaw Photography 

Huntsville/Madison County, Alabama is located in the middle of the southeastern 

United States, with more than four million people within a 100- 

mile radius. The Huntsville community is the economic hub of the northern 

Alabama/southern Tennessee region. Huntsville/Madison County’s economy 

is one of the strongest in the South, 

with low unemployment, strong job growth 

and income levels leading the region. Business 

growth and investment from U.S. and 

international companies have made it one 

of the country’s top “hot spots” for growing 

a business and raising a family. 

features 

Economic Development Highlights 12 

including Key Engineering, enGenius, WestWind 

Technologies, Camber Corporation, The Spine & 

Neuro Center, The Boeing Company, UAHuntsville, 

Calhoun Community College and Stanley Associates 

Torch on a Tear! 19 

Legislative Visit 2008 24 

Foreign-Based Firms Add Diversity 30 

More Than a Helping Hand 33 

developments 

HREGI Investors 4 

Chamber Board Listing 8 

Community Profile 10 

Chamber Staff Listing 13 

HREGI Testimonial: Deltacom 26 

2009 Executive Committee 36 

2009 Board of Directors 37 

Courtesy of Huntsville Symphony Orchestra 

editorial staff 

Publisher 

Executive Editor 

Brian Hilson 

John Southerland 

mission 

The mission of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County 

is to prepare, develop and promote our community for economic growth. 

Editorial Designer 

Contributing Writers 

Kristi Sherrard 

Rick Davis, Harrison Diamond, 

Ethan Hadley, John Southerland, 

Loren Traylor, and Mike Ward 

contact 

Chamber of Commerce of 

Huntsville/Madison County 

225 Church Street 

Huntsville, AL 35801 

256.535.2000 

on the web 

www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com 

www.aSmartPlace.com 

Photography 

Advertising Sales 

Chamber of Commerce 

staff & publications (if not credited) 

Becky Fentress 

The Huntsville Times 

7 



Board of Directors and 

Executive Committee 2009 

Executive Committee 

Dear Chamber of Commerce Investors, Community Leaders and Friends: 

The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County is pleased to present to our 

members, investors, friends and residents of the greater Huntsville/Madison County area 

this first edition of Initiatives for 2009. This edition is important because it emphasizes 

some of the core values that make our community and local economy strong and 

progressive. Communities which are consistently successful in economic development 

maintain a growth strategy and a commitment to community preparation and 

marketing, which, in turn, make the community distinguishable from other competing 

cities. The essential ingredient, however, which must be in place before anything else 

matters, is leadership. Huntsville/Madison County has been fortunate to have visionary 

and committed leaders at all levels for many years. This is true of our elected officials, 

and it is true of key community organizations, especially the Chamber of Commerce of 

Huntsville/Madison County. 

This edition of Initiatives introduces an exciting partnership of our top local elected 

leaders. Pictured on the front cover are Madison County Commission Chairman Mike 

Gillespie, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison Mayor Paul Finley. Their 

commitment to work closely together for the benefit of our greater community is 

exciting, and no doubt will help lead to a stronger economy and quality of life for all 

of our citizens. 

This Initiatives also introduces the Chamber’s 2009 Executive Committee and Board 

of Directors. Evans Quinlivan, Senior Market Executive of RBC Bank, served as the 

Chamber’s Chair of the Board in both 2007 and 2008. Under Evans’ leadership, 

Huntsville/Madison County made significant economic development achievements, 

continuing to rank higher among America’s best cities to live, work and do business. 

Evans also led the Chamber of Commerce to becoming a stronger and more focused 

organization. Evans has turned the Chair’s gavel over to Irma Tuder, Chair and Founder 

of Analytical Services, Inc. We are excited to have someone of Irma’s caliber leading 

our organization in 2009. 

The Chamber thanks Evans for his tremendous leadership over the past two years, and 

we welcome Irma into her new position as our Board Chair. With exceptional leaders 

in all key positions and organizations, Huntsville/Madison County’s best days truly 

do lie ahead. 

Brian Hilson 

President & CEO 


Irma Tuder, Chair, Analytical Services 

Don Nalley, Chair-Elect, Beason & Nalley 

Evans Quinlivan, Immediate Past Chair, RBC Bank 

Tommy Beason, Chamber Foundation Chair, retired 

Jan Smith, Secretary/Treasurer, System Studies and Simulation 

Charlie Kettle, Vice Chair - Economic Development, First Commercial Bank 

Linda Maynor, Vice Chair - Governmental Affairs, Maynard, Cooper & Gale 

Ron Poteat, Vice Chair - Investor Relations, Regions Bank 

Joe Alexander, Vice Chair - Workforce, Camber Corporation 

Beth Martin, Vice Chair - Small Business, RBC Bank 

Jeremiah Knight, Vice Chair - Research & Info. Services, Verizon Wireless 

Elizabeth Morard, Vice Chair - Image Development, Qualis Corporation 

Mayor Tommy Battle, Chair-Appointed, City of Huntsville 

Jim Bolte, Chair-Appointed, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama 

Chairman Mike Gillespie, Chair-Appointed, Madison Co. Commission 

Joe Ritch, Chair-Appointed, Sirote & Permutt 

Brian Hilson, President/CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison Co. 

Elected Board 

Cynthia Achorn, Analytical Services 

Clayton Bass, Huntsville Museum of Art 

Penny Billings, BancorpSouth 

Frank Caprio, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings 

Derrick Copeland, Applied Data Trends 

Elizabeth Dotts, Public FA 

Tracy Doughty, Huntsville Hospital 

John Eagan, Wachovia Bank 

Joe Fadool, Continental AG 

Kerry Fehrenbach, Intergraph Corporation 

Ron Gray, Gray Research 

Jeff Hamilton, The Orthopaedic Center 

Tom Hancock, Booz Allen Hamilton 

John Holly, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Tharon Honeycutt, MSB Analytics 

Dr. Pam Hudson, Crestwood Medical Center 

Dr. Robert Jennings 

Tony Jones, The Boeing Company 

Frederick Lanier, J. Smith Lanier & Co. 

Frank Libutti 

John McMullan, Colonial Bank 

Dan Montgomery, Northrop Grumman 

Caroline Myers, Foreign Language Services 

Joe Newberry, Redstone Federal Credit Union 

Tony Palumbo, Raytheon Company 

Pete Schofield, SPARTA 

Crystal Shell, WILL Technology 

Todd Slyman, Village of Providence 

Keith Smith, SAIC 

Dr. O’Neal Smitherman, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology 

David Spillers, Huntsville Hospital 

Tom Stanton, ADTRAN 

Sandra Steele, Enfinger Steele Development 

Al Sullivan, ABT 

Dr. Dave Williams, UAHuntsville 

John Wilmer, Wilmer & Lee 

Danny Windham, Digium 

Dr. Ernie Wu, ERC 


9 


community profile 

Madison City of City of Huntsville 

Population County Huntsville Madison Metro Area 

2000 Census 276,700 158,216 29,329 342,376 

Current Estimate* 312,734 171,327 38,275 386,632 

Households & Income 

# of Households 121,186 69,229 13,875 147,283 

Avg. Household Income $69,882 $65,558 $85,820 $67,466 

Per Capita Income $28,209 $28,316 $32,180 $26,874 

*July 2008 

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov), 

2007 American Community Survey 

TOP 10 EMPLOYERS 

Redstone Arsenal* ..................................... 25,373 

NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center* ........................ 7,177 

Huntsville Hospital System ................................. 5,126 

The Boeing Company .................................... 3,200 

Huntsville City Schools ................................... 3,000 

CINRAM, Inc. ......................................... 2,861 

Sanmina-SCI .......................................... 2,500 

Intergraph Corporation ................................... 2,450 

City of Huntsville ....................................... 2,199 

Madison County Schools. ................................. 2,150 

Source: Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County *includes onsite 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 32,000 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 

For more 

information visit: 

HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com 

Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park has earned a reputation as a global 

leader in technology development. The second-largest science and technology 

park in the U.S., Cummings Research Park is home to more than 285 

companies and 25,000 people involved in technology research and development. 


11 


ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS 

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY 

Forbes ranks Madison 

County the country’s 

Best Place to Live to 

Weather the Economy 

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battles giving his State of the City Address last December to more than 1,200 attendees. 

Mayor Battle: BRAC job growth will pull 

Huntsville out of recession ahead of schedule 

The jobs Huntsville will gain from the 2005 Base Realignment 

and Closure Act will lift the city out of the nationwide recession 

before the rest of the country, according to Huntsville Mayor Tommy 

Battle. Battle recently gave his first State of the City address, 

hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison 

County and presented by Northrop Grumman, to a sold out crowd 

of more than 1,200 at the Von Braun Center North Hall. 

Battle discussed some of the challenges and opportunities 

he sees coming in the near future and also focused on the 

need for cooperation among Huntsville, Madison and Madison 

County government, especially as it relates to community road 

projects. 

“I recently spoke with Gov. Bob Riley down in Montgomery 

about Huntsville’s roads. After I had spoken with him, 

[Madison Mayor] Paul Finley spoke with transportation administrators. 

We are presenting the same message to Montgomery,” 

Battle said. “We [Huntsville and Madison] have got to ask 

for more help from our governor and our legislators.” 

Battle also spoke about workforce challenges facing the 

community and the critical requirement to fill available high 

technology jobs. 

“How workforce development works is by selling your community, 

but not just Huntsville, but also Athens and Madison. 

People will come here for jobs, but we want them to stay,” 

Battle said. 

He also issued a task to the audience. “Every one of us 

needs to ask how we can make our community better. We have 

a job to do and that is to do better.” • 

Well-priced homes, enviable job growth and proximity to vibrant 

cities made Madison County the top choice in the United 

States in the Forbes list of best places to live in recessionary 

times. 

In compiling the list, the writers at Forbes looked at three 

factors in communities located within the U.S.: affordability, 

property taxes and job growth. 

With the local unemployment rate less than four percent, 

property taxes the lowest in the country and the Huntsville/ 

Madison County community accounting for more than 66 

percent of new and expanding jobs in Alabama over the past 

seven years, Madison County was a likely choice for the list’s 

top spot. 

“Local economic development leaders have made recruiting 

a diverse business base a primary strategic goal for growing 

the economic base in this community,” said Don Nalley, 

vice chair of economic development of the Chamber of Commerce 

of Huntsville/Madison County. “As a result, Huntsville/ 

Madison County has experienced two decades of record job 

growth,” he added. 

Huntsville/Madison County is home to more than 300 

defense and aerospace engineering and technology companies 

and more than 50 percent of the jobs in Madison 

County are related to these industries. Cummings Research 

Park, the nation’s second largest research and development 

park, employs more than 25,000. Other primary industries 

include: life sciences, information technology, and advanced 

manufacturing. • 

Decatur-based engineering firm expands into the Huntsville market 

Key Engineering, an engineering firm based in Decatur, 

recently held a ribbon cutting for the company’s new 

office in Huntsville. 

“Despite an economic downturn that is negatively impacting 

communities across our nation right now, our community 

continues to enjoy tremendous economic growth 

from companies that are either expanding or relocating 

here or are just opening their doors for business,” said 

Evans Quinlivan, chairman of the Board of Director for the 

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. 

The company specializes in facility and process work 

to include mechanical, piping, machine design, electrical, 

automation, instrumentation process and IT network. 

Key is one of the few local consulting firms that 

offer in-house civil and structural engineering services. 

Key Engineering president Hafeez Butt praised the 

Huntsville community and economy. Butt has more than 

25 years experience in project management, interoffice 

and field coordination, structural analysis and design of 

steel and concrete structures for various chemical, cement 

and fossil power plants. He prides himself and his company 

having a consistent record of accomplishment for 

completing projects on schedule and under budget. 

“We are really excited to be in Huntsville. I have been 

watching Huntsville grow for years now. I expect our company 

to continue to grow with it,” Butt said. 

The company has already done work for the City of 

Huntsville and local developers. • 

Evans Quinlivan, right, presented a plaque to Key Engineering 

President Hafeez Butt to commemorate their expansion. 

Economic Development Highlights continued on page 14 



of Huntsville/Madison County 

Staff 2009 

Brian Hilson, president & CEO 

John Southerland, communications director 

Laura Kendrick, executive assistant 

Kristi Sherrard, 

publications/graphic design specialist 

Economic Development 

Ethan Hadley, VP, economic development 

Steve Finnell, director, industrial development/ 

existing industry 

Rick Davis, director, Cummings Research Park 

Amy Locke, industrial development/existing 

industry assistant 

Harrison Diamond, economic development 

coordinator 

Governmental Affairs 

Mike Ward, VP, governmental affairs 

Tina Leopold, governmental affairs assistant 

Workforce 

Lucia Cape, VP, workforce 

Mark Brown, director, workforce recruitment 

Mitzi Floyd, workforce coordinator 

Investor Relations 

Loren Traylor, VP, investor relations 

Jenni Jeffers, director, 

small business/membership services 

Terrie Ledbetter, membership sales representative 

Donna McCrary, investor relations specialist 

Brittany Taylor, events coordinator 

Research & Information Services 

Ken Smith, director, research & information services 

Hiroko Sedensky, information services specialist 

Judith Short, information services assistant 

Betty Dalton, resource desk coordinator 

Finance & Administration 

Christy Nalley, director, finance & administration 

Desman Holt, IT manager 

Debbie Olivares, accounting specialist 

Cassie Scott, accounting specialist 

Joe Watson, facilities supervisor 

Associated Organizations 

Leadership Huntsville/Madison County 

Small Business Development Center 

Alabama A&M University, UAHuntsville 

WBCNA (Women’s Business Center of North Alabama) 


225 Church Street, Huntsville, AL 35801 

phone 256-535-2000 / fax 256-535-2015 

www.HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com 

13 



continued from page 12 

Atlanta-based IT company expands Huntsville operations 

enGenius, an Atlanta-based information technology (IT) 

company recently expanded its operations in Huntsville to 

serve a growing list of clients in the Huntsville/Madison 

County area. The company held a ribbon cutting ceremony 

to open its new office in Cummings Research Park. 

enGenius specializes in computer software engineering, 

systems engineering, IT infrastructure and project management 

for such clients as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 

Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey 

and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Evans Quinlivan, chairman of the board of directors of 

the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, 

praised the company’s growth. “We are honored to be here 

today to celebrate the expansion of yet another company 

in Cummings Research Park. Companies like enGenius are 

perfect examples of why the second largest research park in 

the country continues to thrive,” Quinlivan said. 

Keith Zook, vice president for Huntsville operations, 

then addressed the audience consisting of employees of 

enGenius and representatives from Alabama’s Congressional 

delegation. 

“This is a special occasion for the enGenius family. Over 

the past 20 years I have had the good fortune to work in 

several research park facilities and am thrilled to call this 

research park home once again,” Zook said. 

Zook said that the new facility will provide an “exceptional 

workspace” for the company’s employees and that 

the facility will allow the company to expand and further 

grow in Huntsville. The move into the new facility came 

about after a contract was awarded by the Army Corps of 

Engineers to enGenius. The contract expanded operations 

beyond the capacity of its existing Huntsville office. 

Ed Blalack, enGenius President, said of the Huntsville 

community, “enGenius is proud to begin this new chapter 

in our corporate history today in Cummings Research Park 

and with the support of this community where the sky is 

not the limit.” 

14 February 2009 Initiatives 

S.P. Reddy, enGenius founder, took the opportunity 

to give his perspective on business. “Leadership is about 

shaping expectations and management is about delivering 

expectations. Our office management here has done a fantastic 

job in hiring quality people and providing quality services 

to our clients,” Reddy said. “What is fascinating about 

business is not the physical engineering, but the financial 

architecture. The basic business strategy is to dream big and 

make the dream a reality and that requires the ability to 

think laterally and work to execute excellence,” he added. 

Reddy closed his comments by announcing a scholarship 

fund in Huntsville and Madison County. “It is my hope 

that this scholarship ties into the Chamber’s motto of the 

Sky is not the limit.” •

Stanley Associates Opens New Facility in Huntsville 

Stanley Associates recently held a ribbon cutting for its new 

facility in Cummings Research Park. 

Stanley is a provider of information technology (IT) services 

and solutions to U.S. defense and federal civilian government 

agencies. Headquartered in Arlington, Va., Stanley 

has more than 4,700 employees at more than 100 locations 

in the U.S. and worldwide. 

“The Huntsville economy and the community at large remains 

a benchmark of success in this time of economic uncertainty 

and companies like Stanley remind us all that Huntsville 

really is a smart place to live, work and play,” said Don Nalley, 

vice chair of economic development of the Chamber of Commerce 

of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors. 

“Not only is Stanley continuing to grow in Huntsville, 

they are also contributing to the overall growth of this community 

by investing in the Huntsville Regional Economic 

Growth Initiative (HREGI). As Progress Partners, Stanley has 

made a great investment in the future of our region and we 

thank them for it,” Nalley added. 

Chris Torti, Senior Vice President of Stanley’s Technical 

Programs Group, stated his pleasure with the direction Stanley 

is taking in Huntsville. “The past year has been phenomenal. 

Our customers come back time and time again. I can’t 

tell you how proud I am,” Torti said. 

The company won several accolades over its years in business. 

In 2005, Stanley was named the mid-sized Government 

Contractor of the Year by the Northern Virginia Government 

Contractors Council, the Professional Services Council, and 

Washington Technology. In 2007 and 2008, Stanley was 

recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the “100 Best 

Companies to Work For.” • 


15 




WestWind Technologies breaks ground on new aircraft facility 

WestWind Technologies recently broke ground on a new 

64,000-square-foot facility in Jetplex Industrial Park known 

as the Huntsville Aircraft Modification and Integration Center. 

The facility represents an investment estimated at about 

$14 million. The facility will be WestWind’s second facility 

in Huntsville. 

WestWind was founded in 1999 and moved to Huntsville 

in 2000 as an aircraft parts manufacturer. The new facility will 

serve as an expansion of services for the company’s military 

and commercial aviation clients. The facility was specifically 

designed around every helicopter located on Redstone Arsenal. 

WestWind’s new facility was made possible by a completely 

privately funded venture. 

“The new facility marks a new level of service for this region,” 

said Roger Messik, chief operating officer of WestWind. 

“This is absolutely a great project. We have enjoyed a fruitful 

relationship with WestWind over the years and they have 

served an integral part of the Jetplex community,” said Jeff 

Sikes, Chairman of the Huntsville Airport Authority. 

Both Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison Mayor 

Paul Finley were on hand to give congratulatory remarks and 

comments about the event. 

“What happened with WestWind is a culmination of a big 

dream. The city of Huntsville looks for companies with longrange 

plans such as WestWind,” said Battle. 

Finley talked about the importance of partnerships in doing 

business as well as the importance of partnerships in civic matters. 

“I have worked with WestWind in the past and I can tell 

you how innovative they were looking for partners,” said Finley. 

“It doesn’t surprise me at all that this has occurred.” • 

New Mountain Capital 

acquires Camber 

Camber Corporation recently announced that New Mountain 

Partners III, L.P., a private equity fund sponsored by New Mountain 

Capital, L.L.C., is making a majority investment in Camber. 

The Camber senior management team will remain in place. 

New Mountain identified Camber through its long-standing, 

proactive focus on the federal services sector. 

Walter Batson, Camber founder, president and CEO, said, 

“We are very enthusiastic to be entering into this partnership 

with New Mountain today. New Mountain’s previous success 

with federal service-related companies such as Apptis, Inc., and 

Deltek, Inc., and the firm’s proven skill as a business builder will 

help our company grow even faster and enhance our service 

offerings. New Mountain and management’s mutual goal is to 

add significant value to Camber while preserving the culture that 

underlies Camber’s success to date.” 

Alok Singh, managing director of New Mountain, stated, 

“Camber has demonstrated very rapid sales and earnings 

growth consistently since its founding and over the last five 

years. We believe Camber has opportunities for significant continuing 

growth in the years ahead, and we are very impressed 

with the quality and accomplishments of the Camber management 

team.” • 

$37 million Governors 

Medical Tower opens 

with ribbon cutting for 

first major tenant 

Governors Medical Tower, a four-story medical facility, recently 

celebrated its opening with the ribbon cutting of the building’s 

first major tenant, The Spine & Neuro Center. 

The 124,500-square-foot tower opened to patients in 

November with the relocation of The Spine & Neuro Center 

from Rand Avenue. The $37 million building’s most notable 

feature, its curving glass façade, offers energy efficient windows 

to conserve power. 

Patients and physicians have convenient access to Huntsville 

Hospital via a new pedestrian sky bridge located on the 

second floor. An attached parking deck with more than 460 

parking spaces will provide convenient entry for patients. Governors 

Medical Tower is expected to generate $225,000 in 

annual property taxes for the City of Huntsville. • 


Boeing grant to UAHuntsville will expand M&S education, workforce 

The Boeing Company recently provided a $100,000 grant 

to support education and workforce development activities 

at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Boeing Advanced 

Systems’ Analysis, Modeling, Simulation and Experimentation 

(AMSE) organization is sponsoring the grant effort. 

Boeing executives furnished the education grant to the 

Center for Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis (CMSA) to develop 

advanced degree programs as well as enhance the university’s 

participation in a professional certification program. 

The company is also supporting the programs by providing 

financial reimbursement to company employees who choose 

to enhance their M&S skills through the programs. 

The grant will be used to support two activities, according 

to CMSA Director Dr. Mikel Petty. One is curriculum design 

and course content development for planned M&S graduate 

degree programs. Those degree programs, if approved at the 

state level, will offer M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in M&S and 

will be the first such program in Alabama. According to Petty, 

the second activity is participation in the process of updating 

and enhancing the Certified Modeling and Simulation Professional 

program, which is an examination-based professional 

certification process that is gaining wide acceptance in the 

M&S community. 

“Boeing’s generous grant will enable a more substantial 

effort that will ultimately benefit M&S workforce development,” 

said Petty. 

“Boeing has a growing need for highly qualified modeling 

and simulation practitioners,” said Guy Higgins, Boeing vice 

president of AMSE. “By partnering with academia, we can 

play a role in ensuring that the next generation of modeling 

and simulation professionals has the skills it needs to be successful.” 

UAHuntsville President Dave Williams said Boeing’s grant 

strengthens the community’s modeling and simulation capabilities. 

“Huntsville is a leader worldwide in modeling and 

simulation, and Boeing’s support to enhance our educational 

programs will further distinguish our region and state in this 

emerging field,” Dr. Williams said. “The university’s existing 

research in M&S, combined with advanced academic degree 

programs in this critical technology, will provide our students 

with a tremendous learning advantage.” 

UAHuntsville will also collaborate with M&S community 

efforts including the M&S Body of Knowledge project 

and the Modeling and Simulation Professional Certification 

Commission – programs established to identify what M&S 

professionals need to know, and how to measure their understanding 

and ability to apply their knowledge. • 

UAHuntsville President Dave Williams, left, talks to Boeing 

executives Bill Tucker and Tony Jones. 


17 




~ highlights compiled by John Southerland & Harrison Diamond 

Calhoun officially breaks ground on Robotics Technology Park 

A robot hands Gov. Bob Riley a shovel for the groundbreaking of the new Robotics Technology Park across from the Decatur campus of 

Calhoun Community College. Riley said he believes the park will make Alabama an international leader in workforce development. 

Courtesy of the Governor’s Office 

Ground was officially broken on the first stage of the Alabama 

Robotics Technology Park located across from the Decatur campus 

of Calhoun Community College. The Park is a collaborative 

effort among the state of Alabama, the two-year college system, 

AIDT and robotics industry leaders. 

Dr. Marilyn Beck, Calhoun Community College president, 

opened the event by explaining the importance of the new 

facility for the state. “This event shows Alabama as a leader 

in workforce development nationally and internationally,” she 

said. 

Gov. Bob Riley was the featured speaker for the groundbreaking. 

Riley said the creation of the robotics park is vitally 

important to the state. 

“I can’t think of another project in my administration that I 

am more excited about,” Riley said. “We are going through a 

tough economic time that most adults have never seen before. 

But if we are going to continue to have the same economic 

success we have had over the past years, we are going to have 

to stay on the cutting edge of technology.” 

Riley said that Alabama’s “work ethic” would no longer be 

good enough to move the state ahead. It would take programs 

like the robotics park to push Alabama ahead of the rest of the 

country and perhaps the world. “I want Alabama to do what 

no other state has done—take workforce development to an 

international level.” 

Riley pointed out that Alabama is doing slightly better in 

terms of unemployment and said the state is experiencing a 

rate of about five percent unemployment compared to most 

other states having unemployment rates between seven and 

eight percent. 

“The national economy will have an impact on Alabama, 

but we have to realize that at the end of it we have to have 

training ready.” 

He mentioned that Alabama has developed industry training 

facilities in Mobile (maritime industrial training) and Ozark 

(aviation industrial training). Riley says the robotics facility will 

allow all the industries in the state to benefit. 

The governor ended his speech by saying the robotics park 

will be one of the many ways Alabama will not only be an 

economic development leader in the south, but in the country. 

Riley also recently appointed seven industry representatives 

to the board that will help direct the complex. The seven 

will join the governor, Dr. Marilyn Beck and AIDT Director Ed 

Castile on the board. 

The robotics complex will consist of three separate facilities, 

each targeted to meet a specific industry need, and will 

provide training for 450 or more people each year in robotics. 

Robotics Complex Executive Board members include: Jim 

Bolte, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama; Brian Buckner, 

Alabama Cullman Yutaka Technologies; Nancy Jan Davis, Jacobs 

Engineering; Ralph Malone, Triana Metal Fabrication; David 

Minor, Topre Corporation; Jason Putman, Pro-Air Services; 

and Joe Sparks, Booz Allen Hamilton. • 


Torch on a Tear! 

Company Growth, Employment Practices Ignite Awards, Honors 

In a year that some companies may want to 

forget, 2008 is one that Torch Technologies 

will always remember. As one of Huntsville’s 

fastest rising corporate stars, Torch capped a 

memorable 2008 with its annual employee 

holiday reception and on hand to help Torch 

employees celebrate was Dennis Long, vice 

president of Principal Financial Group of Des 

Moines, Iowa. Long was there to personally 

greet Torch employees and to tell them that 

their company was named one of the nation’s 

Top 10 Employers for Financial Security. 

“It was special for a number of reasons,” 

said Torch President and Chief Executive Officer 

Bill Roark. “We were a bit of an odd duck 

in the top 10. We were the only aerospace and 

defense contractor, and the only company in 

the Southeast to be included. The others were 

primarily financial institutions and insurance 

companies.” 

“We agreed to participate in the competition 

because Principal does such a rigorous 

job of examining your benefits package. They 

had hundreds of applicants and those were then 

whittled down to 30. When we found out we 

were in the top 30, we were pretty excited, because 

we knew it was a great way to benchmark 

our company against the best in the country,” 

said Scott Parker, Torch Chief Operating Officer. 

In its news release touting Torch as 

a role model for employers everywhere, 

Principal said “Torch Technologies 

understands that benefits 

are more than a cost, they are an 

investment in a company’s greatest 

asset, its employees. We are proud 

to showcase Torch as an exceptional 

role model.” 

The recognition by Principal validates the 

baseline strategy devised by Roark and cofounder 

Don Holder, both former Nichols Research 

Corporation employees, who opened 

Torch in 2002. Torch currently employs more 

than 170 people in Huntsville, reflecting consistent 

growth of better than 30 percent per year 

over that period. And more than 70 percent of 

those employees own stock in the company. 

“We wanted to create a company that was 

employee owned and employee focused,” 

Roark said. “When the employees are the owners 

of the company, it’s a great investment 

for them and your customers.” 

As a precursor to the Principal 

award, Torch also was named as 

one of Huntsville’s Best Places to 

Work for 2008, winning the medium-size 

category in the Chamber’s 

annual competition for local 

companies. 

Finally, Torch captured the Large 

Business of the Year Award by the Alabama 

Information Technology Association, becoming 

the third straight Huntsville-based company 

to win the award after Intergraph in 2007 

and Analytical Services in 2006. 

“It was a very good year,” Roark said. “We’re 

excited about the future.” 

• Rick Davis 

19 


Three Leaders, One Community 

Partnering to Advance Madison County 

As elected officials representing interests that often complement but occasionally conflict with 

the other communities, new Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, new Madison Mayor Paul Finley 

and returning Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie have publicly stated their 

intent to work together for a common good that benefits all of Madison County. The three 

officials recently met at the Chamber for a question and answer session to discuss some of 

the challenges each face in their respective communities and collectively in Madison County, 

as well as how they plan to resolve any conflicts or differences that may arise. 

Why is it so important for the three 

different communities to work 

together and cooperatively 

Mayor Finley: I think it is important for 

our communities to work together because 

one, we are all in Madison County and two, 

Madison and Huntsville touch on almost all 

sides. In this day and age when we are trying 

to stretch a dollar in the best possible 

way, working together allows us to make a 

bigger impact. Many people living in Madison 

work in Huntsville or on the Arsenal. 

And from a roads standpoint, the connector 

roads that tie the community together make 

an impact in people’s lives. 

Chairman Gillespie: Teamwork is what 

this community is built on. The more we 

work together, the better it’s going to be for 

the community at large. BRAC didn’t happen 

because Huntsville, Madison and Madison 

County worked against each other. We have 

never been successful because we worked 

against each other. It is because we had coordination 

and teamwork and the more we 

have that the more successful we will be. 

Mayor Battle: We have to get back to a 

sense of community. We are all in one community. 

When the Secretary of the Army was 

here, he asked if our schools could handle 

the influx of BRAC. He wasn’t asking if Madison 

City Schools or Madison County Schools 

or Huntsville City Schools could handle it, 

he was talking about our community. When 

BRAC people come down here, they don’t 

delineate between Huntsville or Madison or 

Madison County. 

Each of you has different 

challenges – how do you represent 

your interest without conflict with 

another community 

L-R: Madison Mayor 

Paul Finley, Madison 

County Commission 

Chair Mike Gillespie, 

and Huntsville Mayor 

Tommy Battle discuss 

challenges ahead for 

the community and 

how much will depend 

on communication 

Chairman Gillespie: Communication. We 

talk to each other. We actually like each other 

and regardless of that fact, it is vital to our 

communities that we stay in contact with each 

other and communicate regularly. 

Mayor Finley: The more we communicate, 

the better our relationships are. We are going 

to have disagreements, but we talk to each 

other and we work them out. You work the 

plan you have. Sometimes you work the city 

of Madison, which is what our needs are but 

there are several plans that go across boundaries 

and that is where we can make a difference 

by communicating. 


Mayor Battle: A prime example is when we 

went to Montgomery to talk about our road 

plans. Paul knew what I said and I knew what 

Paul said. Paul has an emphasis on County 

Line Road. I have an emphasis on North Parkway. 

Mike has an emphasis on Winchester 

Road. We all have our number one priority. 

We come together on our number two priority 

Martin and Zierdt Road, which is on a portion 

of all of our property. We all work together to 

make sure it becomes a reality. In regards to the 

jail issue, we had a transition group meeting

Photos by J Hanshaw Photography 

on the jail the other day with several elected 

officials. It was a great feeling to know that everyone 

is in there to make sure it works. 

Where do you see the community 

going, and how we will get there 

County and other partners that work with the 

Chamber, particularly as they relate to economic 

development, to continue to make this 

community the greatest community around. 

We continue to lead economic development, 

we continue to drive the budget for the state, 

and the vision is that we have to have more 

state participation in what we do. They have 

to be a stronger partner. 

Mayor Battle: I want to see a thriving 

downtown for the city of Huntsville, like to 

see expanded biotech industries and sustainable 

industries that have a huge future on 

the national scene. I would also love to see 

us maintain and even improve our quality of 

life, which is what makes people come from 

Virginia to here and realize they save two 

hours of their life every day not being on the 

road stuck in traffic. Quality of life is one of 

the most important things that we offer and 

we have to maintain that. 

What are the biggest challenges 

facing all three communities over 

the next year 

Mayor Battle: Our challenges go back to 

funding. You have to think, for their tax dollar, 

the citizens of Huntsville and Madison 

County get a lot. We have stretched that dollar 

almost to the breaking point but we try 

to return the best investment we can to the 

citizens. That is our job and that is our biggest 

challenge to continue doing that on the 

budgets we have. 

Mayor Finley: It is funding. That is both 

funding for our school system and roads. 

With the growth that we have had, it is critical 

that we have a second high school and 

in turn, that will have a big impact on our 

community and obviously the funding for 

roads. 

Chairman Gillespie: General (Jim) Myles 

said that he defined relationships, really 

good relationships, not by how high you 

can high-five each other when things are 

going great, but by how close you come together 

when things are not so great. I think 

that is significant. We love to celebrate our 

successes, but in order to get there we have 

some challenges along the way and it all 

comes down to coordination and communication 

and the relationships we have built 

along the way to work through whatever issues 

face us. 

We hear a lot about infrastructure 

challenges facing our community. 

Are we going to be ready for the 

population boom associated 

with BRAC and other economic 

development opportunities next 

year and over the next few years 

How can the state help us 

Chairman Gillespie: If you look at the 

history of this community, we have never 

gone out and recruited an industry or a family 

that we were not ready for. I think we are 

continued on page 22 

Mayor Finley: My vision for the future is 

to enhance and improve the quality of life for 

every resident of not only Madison but for 

the entire Tennessee Valley. What do I see 10 

years from now I see one major metropolitan 

area with Athens, Decatur, Madison and 

Huntsville all coming together. We have to 

plan for that in our growth not only for the 

east and to the north but as we grow to the 

west and work together for BRAC and the future 

of BRAC. 

Chairman Gillespie: Forbes just talked about 

Madison County being the best place to ride 

out the recession. I don’t look at it like we are 

riding out anything. We continue to compete 

with other communities like we always have. I 

don’t see anything slowing down. Led by the 

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison 

21 


The three leaders have quickly developed a working relationship. All three realize the importance of cooperation, especially in regards 

to attaining funds for roads and other infrastructure needs. 

Photo by J Hanshaw Photography 

Three Leaders, continued from page 21 – 

doing the same thing now. We recently got a 

grant to study and plan for the challenges the 

communities will face regarding BRAC. We 

are addressing all those challenges and are 

identifying all of them and then it all boils 


down to funding. We have all these great 

opportunities, but we have to have funding 

which goes back to state help. 

Mayor Battle: There is some education 

we have to do with the state to explain what 

the emphasis is with this BRAC. I still don’t 

think they are completely aware. This is the 

biggest economic development project to 

hit this area and the state of Alabama. They 

have not contributed to our success with 

BRAC like they have with other economic 

development projects. We are continually 

looking at the dollars sent down to Montgomery 

in highway funds and we have 

traditionally received much less than we 

have sent down. There comes a time when 

we have to educate and start working with 

future administrations as well. It’s not reinventing 

the wheel it is just doing it more. If 

all of us sing from the same sheet of music 

and sing in the same tune, we will be able to 

get what is needed for the community. 

Mayor Finley: It all goes back to vision. 

I think people want to know that you see 

where you need to get to and have the game 

plan to get there. Working together and going 

down to Montgomery with an aligned, 

documented message on where we need 

help with roads that is consistent across the 

board will make a huge impact too.

Chairman Gillespie, left, and Maj. Gen. 

Jim Myles talking at the State of the City 

reception held in December. Mayors Finley 

and Battle and Chairman Gillespie plan 

to work together for the incoming growth 

associated with BRAC. All three believe that 

cooperation among the different entities 

is the only way for the area to address the 

challenges and opportunities facing the 

community when all BRAC jobs are 

relocated here by 2011. 

What are you doing to 

increase state awareness of the 

infrastructure challenges we face 

Mayor Finley: Both Tommy and I have 

been down to Montgomery talking with the 

Alabama Department of Transportation and 

Governor Riley with a consistent message. 

Each city has their own needs and the county 

has its own needs. We talk consistently. 

We would eventually like to go down to 

Montgomery together and up to D.C. with 

the same message. 

Chairman Gillespie: Continue to support 

the Chamber of Commerce and its message. 

We have Governor Riley for two more years 

and I’m not sure there is any money left that 

he can give. Our challenge is to let whoever 

is elected know that spending money 

in Huntsville, Madison County and North 

Alabama is the only investment that is going 

to make the state money. The more they 

give us the more they are going to get back. 

We know that when we go into an office in 

Washington and Montgomery, someone is 

leaving asking for the same things we are. 

Our story is different, in that it truly is an investment 

in our community that they are going 

to get a return bigger than anyone else. 

Mayor Battle: We just recently had our 

legislative weekend. Most of the functions 

were designed to get our story to the legislators. 

I met with all the legislators from this 

area one-on-one for two reasons: a) to get 

to know them and b) to tell them our story 

and see what their vision is for our area. I 

am getting ready to go to Washington D.C. 

again for the incentives package. It’s a continuing 

process, which means you need to 

be on the road. • 

23 


Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Seth Hammett, left, talks with 

Jim Hudson, founder of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. 


Community Calls for Support 

During Weekend Visit from State Delegation 

At critical moments in Huntsville and 

Madison County’s growth historically, 

state government has made key infrastructure 

investments to sustain the region and 

make future growth possible. As the region 

faces its next wave of growth, state support 

will once again be critical to help build the 

necessary local physical and intellectual infrastructure. 

To ensure that state political leaders understand 

the current growth challenges facing 

the Huntsville/Madison County community, 

the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ 

Madison County recently led an effort to host 

the entire Alabama Legislature and members 

of the governor’s cabinet for a weekend-long 

series of tours and briefings. Heading up the 

volunteer committee organizing the effort was 

the Chamber’s vice chair for governmental 

affairs Linda Maynor and state government 

committee chair Todd Slyman. 

“As evidenced by many of the comments we 

received during and after the visit, the legislators 

can hear about the opportunities and needs of 

our area, but until they were able to visit and 

experience what is actually happening here, 

they truly did not have an understanding of 

the great opportunities or the challenges we 

face in attempting to continue the growth we 

have experienced,” Slyman said. 

“It is important for us to help the legislators 

understand that with the opportunities 

we have and continue to pursue also come 

many challenges in which we need assistance 

in order to help our area and the state continue 

to prosper.” 

Huntsville/Madison County has experienced 

several major waves of growth in the 

last century. Currently, the region is on the 

verge of its fifth, and perhaps largest, wave 

of growth. In just the last four years, government 

and industry have announced plans 

to create 21,000 more new jobs in Madison 

County. Some of these jobs have already been 

filled, but many won’t be until 2010-2011 

when more than 3,000 of the 4,700 jobs associated 

with the 2005 Base Realignment and 

Closure (BRAC) are consolidated at Redstone 

Arsenal. These jobs will in turn create additional 

induced or indirect jobs, leading to an 

ultimate impact of tens-of-thousands more 

people living in the Tennessee Valley region. 

Previous periods of growth have each 

brought their own unique set of challenges 

and opportunities. In the 1950s, housing 

was a critical issue. In the early 1960s infrastructure 

improvements included new water, 

gas, electric, and sewer systems and hundreds 

of new classrooms (for seven straight 

years, from 1957 to 1963, the city of Huntsville 

averaged building one new school room 

per week). 

Today’s infrastructure and workforce challenges 

are no less daunting. “We face some 

keen challenges. Keeping our available work- 

Photo by J Hanshaw Photography

force in step with the growth in jobs will be 

difficult,” said Chamber Chair Irma Tuder. 

“We know that we will need to recruit people 

from all across this country. We will also need 

to educate our kids so that they can help us 

meet this demand for smart workers.” 

“Keeping up with the infrastructure requirements 

will also be challenging. We need 

the state’s help to keep up with our growth,” 

Tuder added. 

The legislative visit included presentations 

from Lt. Gen. Kevin Campbell, Maj. Gen. 

Jim Myles and Marshall Space Flight Center 

Deputy Director Robert Lightfoot at a Friday 

evening dinner at the U.S. Space & Rocket 

Center. The following day’s activities included 

tours of Redstone Arsenal where attendees 

and saw demonstrations of NASA technologies 

and the U.S. Army helicopter and missile 

systems managed on the Arsenal. 

“We were able to give the Legislature a 

complete drive through and aerial view of 

our City, Redstone Arsenal and NASA and 

explain some of the infrastructure issues we 

are facing with BRAC coming to Huntsville,” 

event chair Linda Maynor said. “We also had 


Above: Members of the Alabama 

Legislature get some “hands-on” 

time with the Army’s Avenger 

anti-air craft system. 

At right: The Legislative visit 

included a Blackhawk helicopter 

tour over Redstone Arsenal and 

several areas of Madison County 

experience significant growth. 

Courtesy of Redstone Arsenal 

25 


strength in 

numbers 

connects business 

prospects 

“ 

Home to DeltaCom’s 

corporate headquarters and 

many of its employees and 

customers, we are committed 

to the growth and prosperity 

of the Huntsville and Madison 

County community and the 

people who help it flourish.” 

L-R: David Harwell & Randy Curran 

For a list of investors, 

DeltaCom, Inc. 

see page 4 or visit: 

HREGI Investor since 1995 

HuntsvilleAlabamaUSA.com 


27 


Legislative Visit, continued from page 25 – 

Above (l-r), State representative Howard Sanderford and 

his wife Dot enjoy the hands-on experiment at the Hudson- 

Alpha Institute. At right, legislators and guests gather 

in the HudsonAlpha atrium. Below (l-r), Senator Roger 

Bedford and his wife Maudie extract strawberry DNA. 

Photos by J Hanshaw Photography 

the opportunity to showcase some of our tourist 

attractions such as the Space & Rocket Center, 

Davidson Center, Botanical Garden, and 

Constitution Village as well as businesses in 

Research Park and the biotech research going 

on at the Hudson Alpha Institute. It was good 

for them to actually see some of the things the 

State has invested in.” 

Key issues discussed during the visit included 

roads, workforce and future biotechnology 

opportunities. 

“Our Chamber of Commerce is dedicated 

to the economic development of Huntsville 


Legislators are briefed prior to test firing a Javelin missile on Redstone’s Test Area 1 missile range. 

and Madison County. The legislature plays 

a pivotal role shaping the environment that 

makes that possible,” Chamber Past Chair 

Evans Quinlivan said. “The truth is that we 

need state support every bit as much as we 

need support from Washington, D.C. Success 

on one front would not be possible if it 

wasn’t for the support of the other.” 

“We hope the visit gave the legislators 

an honest appreciation for how much we 

need the state’s partnership to help us to address 

some of this area’s opportunities and 

challenges. Ultimately, our success will pay 

Courtesy of Redstone Arsenal

tremendous benefits to the entire state,” 

Quinlivan added. 

“We were especially pleased to be able to 

share the vision and work of the HudsonAlpha 

Institute for Biotechnology with the 

legislative group,” said Dan Montgomery of 

Northrop Grumman, one of the key sponsors 

of the legislative weekend. 

Opened this past April, the Institute 

joins Alabama’s life sciences industry as a 

new kind of partner, specializing in genomics 

research and reaching out to academia 

statewide and renowned scientists worldwide. 

“Equally important is the exchange 

between scientists and entrepreneurs that 

is facilitated by the very architecture of the 

HudsonAlpha Institute,” Montgomery added. 

The legislative visit included a reception 

at HudsonAlpha and tours and demonstrations 

of the technologies unfolding at this 

world-class facility. 

“I have talked with many of the legislators 

since their visit to Huntsville and their 

comments have been extremely positive,” 

Maynor indicated. 

Huntsville is not alone in hosting such 

events for the members of the legislature. 

Both Mobile and Birmingham have previously 

hosted similar events to make the 

legislators aware of local issues of concern. 

Follow-up activities are being planned for 

2009. 

• Mike Ward 

Legislators were encouraged to bring their family members 

with them for the weekend’s events. 

Photo by Winsome Vagabond Photography 

29 


Foreign-based Firms 

Add Diversity to Community and Economy 

The Germans first put Huntsville on the map 

as a major hub for science and technology 

with the help of Dr. Wernher von Braun and his 

rocket team, but other countries such as Japan, 

Canada, Korea and England are further enhancing 

Huntsville’s reputation as the place to be for 

research and advanced manufacturing. 

For those not tracking the numbers, it might 

be a surprise to learn that there are now more 

than 50 foreign-based companies with operations 

in Huntsville. These 50 companies represent 

14 countries and an array of business and 

industry sectors. Together, Huntsville’s foreignbased 

employers provide jobs for more than 

9,000 area residents. 

“We want diversification in ownership and 

industry and yet want to maintain some focus 

to maximize on the efficiency of our workforce 

and continue to build a great place to live, 

work and play. No community can do that 

with homegrown companies alone,” Don Nalley, 

chair-elect of the Chamber 

of Commerce of Huntsville/ 

Madison County Board of Directors, 

said. “Foreign-based 

companies are part of that mix 

as diversification and stability 

Nalley components of any growthoriented 

community. Our foreign-owned companies 

have been great neighbors; they fit well 

in the Huntsville/Madison County melting pot 

and we’re glad to have them.” 

For would-be players in the aerospace and 

defense industries from countries allied with 

the United States, often the first hurdle to clear 

is acquiring an established storefront with existing 

government customers and a qualified 

workforce. 

Notable foreign aerospace and defense companies 

that have planted flags in Huntsville in 

recent years, either through the purchase of 

Huntsville-based companies or domestic firms 

that have operations in Huntsville, include BAE 

Systems, QinetiQ and Cobham, all from England, 

which purchased Mevatech, Westar and 

Sparta, respectively. 

England is not the only country seeing the 

value in Huntsville’s aerospace and defense 

market. Kuwaiti-owned Agility Defense and 

Government Services acquired Taos Industries. 

Finmeccanica, the leader in Italian aerospace 

and defense as well as the European leader 

in satellite and space services, recently purchased 

DRS Technologies to enter the Huntsville 

market. 

Aerospace and defense are not the only 

industries gaining international attention. 

Netherlands-based Qiagen N.V. and Eurand 

N.V. now own Huntsville-based Genaco Biomedical 

Products, Inc. and SourceCF (both 

were part of the first dozen companies in the 

Associates Wing of the HudsonAlpha Institute 

for Biotechnology), respectively. 

Not all foreign-based companies come here 

through acquisition. The Chamber is constantly 

pursuing new companies to establish 

new operations in Huntsville/Madison County. 

The Chamber’s efforts of attracting “greenfield” 

projects have resulted in several large 

foreign companies moving to Huntsville. 

At least one of these companies has made 

Huntsville not only its first home in Alabama, 

but its first home in the United States. In 

1981, Korea’s Lucky Goldstar Company was 

shopping for the location of its first manufacturing 

facility in the U.S. Thanks to concerted 

efforts of the Chamber, the Huntsville-Madison 

County Airport Authority, the Alabama 

Development Office, and all of their local and 

state partners, the company now known as LG 

Electronics selected Huntsville. 

Today, LG occupies 450,000 square feet in 

five buildings on a 19-acre campus and employs 

more than 1,200 people. LG Huntsville 

serves as the company’s North 

American Customer Service 

Headquarters from its stateof-the-art 

call center and refurbishes 

cell phones on the 

factory floor, among other 

Kim 

activities. 

“Huntsville is attractive to foreign-based 

companies for its cost of living, concentration 

of engineering professionals and the ease of doing 

business in the area,” Simon Kim, President 

of LG Electronics, Alabama, said. “Huntsville is 

a relatively safe area and a bit of a hidden gem. 

Many people, when asked about Alabama, 

think about traditional southern stereotypes, 

however, if people come and give Huntsville 

an honest visit, they will see a difference compared 

to other areas in the south.” 

Three of Huntsville’s largest manufacturing 

employers are foreign-based. One such 


manufacturer, Cinram of Canada, has 2,400 

full-time employees who produce DVDs and 

CDs for the entire North American market. 

Many people across the U.S., Canada and 

Mexico who are watching a blockbuster movie 

at home may not be aware they are enjoying a 

made-in-Huntsville product. 

The Chamber and its partners in economic 

development also led an aggressive pursuit 

to lure one of the world’s leading automobile 

manufacturers to the Tennessee Valley. When 

Toyota was looking for its first engine manufacturing 

facility outside of Japan, the automotive 

giant looked to the very place that put 

America into space and a man on the moon to 

build its engines. Toyota now employs more 

than 1,000 people at its V-8 and V-6 engine 

manufacturing facility in North Huntsville Industrial 

Park. 

Alabama has quickly become a major force 

in the automotive industry because of foreign 

companies who manufacture about 800,000 

vehicles making Alabama the fifth largest 

manufacturing state. (Less than a decade ago, 

the state had not produced a single vehicle, 

except NASA’s lunar rover.) With the “Detroit 

Three” struggling, foreign automotive leaders 

and parts manufacturers have found a new 

home in Alabama. 

Continental AG of Germany manufactures 

DVD navigation and engine control systems 

for the automotive industry. Continental came 

to Huntsville in 2007 when it purchased Siemens 

VDO which had previously purchased 

the former Chrysler electronics facility that 

began as a contractor to NASA during the 

Apollo program. Continental employs 1,500 

people at its Huntsville facility in Jetplex Industrial 

Park. 

Foreign-based investors are a significant 

contributor to Huntsville/Madison County’s 

strong and diverse economy and community, 

and provide credence for this area’s optimistic 

outlook for the future. 

At the Chamber’s 2008 

Alabama Update, Gov. Bob 

Riley pointed to Huntsville’s 

diversity of industry and its 

inclusive welcome to foreign 

Riley companies as reasons why the 

Huntsville economy has remained resilient. 

“Huntsville has embraced a diverse economy 

more than anyone else. In this changing 

world, we can either embrace the change or 

retreat. You [Huntsville] reach out to the world 

like no other place in the South,” Riley said. 

• Ethan Hadley & Harrison Diamond 

31 



More Than a Helping Hand 

Volunteers Critical in Helping Chamber’s Economic Development Mission 

Employees of the Chamber of Commerce 

of Huntsville/Madison County know 

that it takes more than just a staff of 27 to 

create a prosperous business community. 

Consequently, the Chamber as an institution 

has cultivated and developed a group 

of volunteers to serve its existing business 

community while simultaneously building 

upon local and regional partnerships. Business 

leaders serve in many different capacities 

at the Chamber to include serving on 

the board of directors, the executive committee, 

or one of the more than 30 different 

committees or councils that were developed 

to meet specific business objectives. Some of 

the milestones this community has reached 

with the help of these volunteers and many 

others in the community include: 

• More than 22,000 announced jobs from new and 

expanding industry 

• More than $1.3 billion in new capital investment. 

• More than 2,300 members reached weekly 

These achievements are possible because 

of the cooperation and partnership of many 

in the region. But, perhaps most importantly, 

these results are a direct outcome of the 

efforts put forth from the volunteers who 

support the mission of the Chamber in preparing, 

developing and promoting the community 

for economic growth. Two of these 

volunteer committees, the Ambassador Program 

and the Emissary Council, use a trained 

cadre to welcome and educate new and existing 

members about the services available 

through the Chamber. 

The Ambassador Program focuses on 

welcoming new and expanding companies 

and attending ribbon cuttings and groundbreakings. 

By splitting into teams responsible 

for attending events for each month, 

they are able to more effectively reach companies 

while allowing participants to balance 

these activities with their business responsibilities. 


Lisa Lane 

Savvy Gifts, Inc. 

2008 Emissary of the Year 

Nansi Clark 

Holiday Inn Downtown 

2008 Ambassador of the Year 

33 


continued from page 33 – 

The Sandy Bottoms team claimed the 2008 

“Top Team” title. Phil Riddick, Bill Poole Realty, 

led this team and was joined by Paul 

Reutter, Vulcan Heating & Air Conditioning 

Services; Philip Bifulco, Information Understructures, 

Inc.; Phil Thames, Intermission 

Massage and Neuromuscular Therapy; Brad 

Cardwell, Merrill Lynch; Tom Ray, Look Outdoor 

Advertising; Rebecca Billings, NetwoRx; 

and John Morgan, Mac Resource. 

The 2008 Ambassador of the Year was 

Nansi Clark, Holiday Inn Downtown. Clark 

only recently joined the volunteer ranks and 

took the past 12 months to really learn about 

the community and the impact the Chamber 

has on its growth. 

“My boss recommended that I get involved 

with the Chamber and I have enjoyed every 

minute of it. I have even begun mentoring 

others to help them get the most out of the 

program,” Clark said. “My business has grown 

because of the relationships I have built by volunteering 

with the Chamber,” added Clark. 

The Emissary Council focuses on educating 

current members about ways to get involved 

with the Chamber. These volunteers focus 

their efforts getting existing members information 

about Chamber services and encouraging 

member engagement that will help their 

businesses grow. Lisa Lane, Savvy Gifts, was 

selected as the 2008 Emissary of the Year. 

“I often explain to companies that the best 

way to get something out of the Chamber is 

to put something in to it. Through my activities, 

I have been able to foster relationships 

that have helped me both professionally and 

personally,” Lane said. “I enjoy getting out and 

helping the community grow. That’s my favorite 

part of being involved with the Chamber. 

And, it’s a lot of fun,” she added. 

Both programs create increased membership 

value to Chamber volunteers and the companies 

they touch. Volunteers also learn more 

about the Chamber and the Huntsville/Madison 

County community through monthly meetings. 

In learning how to help other companies, they 

also are able to learn how to help themselves. 

It takes a committed group of staff to develop 

a strong scope of work. However, it 

takes an even stronger group of dedicated 

volunteers to help put successful programs in 

place and continue to make this community a 

smart place to live, work and play. For more 

information on becoming an Ambassador, 

please contact Donna McCrary at 535-2027 

or dmccrary@hsvchamber.org. 

• Loren Traylor 


35 


CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: 2009 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

Irma Tuder 

founder & board chair 

Analytical Services, Inc. 

Chair 

Don Nalley 

director 


Chair-elect 

Evans Quinlivan 

NE Ala. market executive 

RBC Bank 

Immediate Past Chair 

I am thrilled to welcome to our Chamber’s 2009 Executive 

Committee and Board a group of business leaders who deeply 

value the importance of helping our community continue to 

grow and thrive and who strongly believe in the mission of 

your Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. 

We will follow the vision of those who have come before us 

by continuing to execute our strategic plan to ensure value 

and benefit to our HREGI investors while preparing, developing 

and promoting our community for economic growth. 

Tommy Beason 


(retired) 


Foundation Chair 

Jan Smith 

president & CEO 

System Studies & 

Simulation, Inc. 

Secretary/Treasurer 

Charlie Kettle 

president 

First Commercial Bank 

Vice Chair, 

Economic Development 

Linda Maynor 

government relations 

Maynard, Cooper & Gale 

Vice Chair, 

Governmental Affairs 

Ron Poteat 

N. Ala. area executive 

Regions Bank 

Vice Chair, 

Investor Relations 

Joe Alexander 

president 

Camber Corporation 

Vice Chair, 

Workforce 

Beth Martin 

vice president, private 

banking, RBC Bank 

Vice Chair, 

Small Business 

Jeremiah Knight 

director, customer service 

Verizon Wireless 

Vice Chair, Research & 

Information Services 

Elizabeth Morard 


Qualis Corporation 

Vice Chair, 

Image Development 

Tommy Battle 

mayor 

City of Huntsville 

Chair-Appointed 

Jim Bolte 

senior vice president 

Toyota Motor 

Manufacturing Alabama 


Mike Gillespie 

chairman, Madison 

County Commission 


Joe Ritch 

partner 

Sirote & Permutt, P.C. 


Brian Hilson 



of Huntsville/ 

Madison County 


CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: 2009 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Cynthia Achorn 

Analytical 

Services, Inc. 

Clayton Bass 

Huntsville 

Museum of Art 

Penny Billings 

BancorpSouth 

Frank Caprio 

Bradley Arant Boult 

Cummings, LLP 

Derrick Copeland 

Applied Data 

Trends, Inc. 

Elizabeth Dotts 

Public FA, Inc. 

Tracy Doughty 


John Eagan 

Wachovia Bank, N.A. 

Joe Fadool 

Continental AG 

Kerry Fehrenbach 

Intergraph 

Corporation 

Ron Gray 

Gray Research, Inc. 

Jeff Hamilton 

The Orthopaedic 

Center 

Tom Hancock 

Booz Allen Hamilton 

John Holly 

Lockheed Martin 

Corporation 

Tharon Honeycutt 

MSB Analytics, Inc. 

Dr. Pam Hudson 

Crestwood Medical 

Center 

Dr. Robert Jennings 

Tony Jones 

The Boeing Company 

Frederick Lanier 

J. Smith Lanier & Co. 

Frank Libutti 

John McMullan 

Colonial Bank 

Dan Montgomery 

Northrop Grumman 

Corporation 

Caroline Myers 

Foreign Language 

Services, Inc. 

Joe Newberry 

Redstone Federal 

Credit Union 

Tony Palumbo 

Raytheon Company 

Pete Schofield 

SPARTA, Inc. 

Crystal Shell 

WILL Technology, Inc. 

Todd Slyman 

Village of Providence 

Keith Smith 

SAIC 

Dr. O’Neal Smitherman 

HudsonAlpha Institute 

for Biotechnology 

David Spillers 


Tom Stanton 

ADTRAN 

Sandra Steele 

Enfinger Steele 

Development, Inc. 

Al Sullivan 

ABT, Inc. 

Dr. Dave Williams 

UAHuntsville 

John Wilmer 

Wilmer & Lee, P.A. 

Danny Windham 

Digium, Inc. 

Dr. Ernie Wu 

ERC, Inc. 

37 



39

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