• Initiate Chamber economic development envoys volunteer program.
• Conduct 120 local member calls each year to achieve expansion by local employers.
• Recognize local employer successes/achievements.
• Emphasize the critical role of small business to our economy.
• Develop and market a summary of resources, services, and assets that can help the growth of existing small business.
• Identify entrepreneurial venture opportunities and support efforts.
• Partner with local research universities to promote regional technology-based reputation.
• Support the growth of university research capabilities.
• Grow and preserve the Huntsville region’s existing economic base, business climate and business culture.
  
  

Recruit Targeted Businesses

• Regionalism – Develop and implement a strategy of regional partnership in pursuit of economic development opportunities.
  
  
• Continue the marketing campaign for business location consultants and update each February.
  
  
• Implement a strong prospect generation plan updated
  by January of each year.
  
  
• Maintain our Huntsville Regional Economic Development website to increase business relocation and expansion project interest and opportunities.
  
  
• Update business plan to market our research and industrial parks, coordinating with other business and industrial properties, beginning in January of each year.
  
  
• Work in partnership with local, state and federal elected officials to facilitate business development.
  
  
• Engage universities and colleges in the Chamber’s mission of economic development.
  
  

Grow the Community’s Defense & Space
Industries & Assets

• Help protect and grow the roles and missions of local federal activities.
  
  
• Work with members of the congressional delegation, Tennessee Valley communities and affected military operations to successfully implement BRAC 2005 Redstone realignments.
  
  
• Position Redstone Arsenal as critical to the Department of Defense’s transformation initiatives by leveraging existing capabilities and competencies, and by building on that baseline with new and related activities for the future.
  
  
• Leverage NASA Marshall Space Flight Center people and facilities to expand the roles and missions of the Center in the execution of the space exploration vision.
  
  
• Position our community as a key resource and/or location for the new federal Department of Homeland Security’s office of science and technology assessment.
  
  
• Develop an annual Chamber of Commerce federal agenda which details the community’s space and defense priorities as determined by a national government committee. Formally present the federal agenda to the congressional delegation.
  
  

Support efforts to ensure there is adequate quality and quantity of workforce to meet employer needs

• Assist local companies in attracting employees with needed skills to live and work in the Huntsville area. Market the community as “A Smart Place” to live, to work and to play.
  
  
• Support the expansion of young professionals in Huntsville/ Madison County that will aid in recruiting and retaining this demographic sector.
  
  
• Continue the Chamber’s comprehensive workforce development program to ensure a steady pipeline of workers for our community’s high-growth careers.
  
  
• Continue to support Tennessee Valley BRAC workforce efforts.
  
  
• Support the expansion of the available technology workforce.
  
  

Enhance the Community’s Image

• Complete and implement a full image promotion strategy updated in May annually.
  
  
• Conduct annual survey with targeted prospect groups to determine perception of key aspects of the Huntsville region.
  
  
• Increase frequency of inclusion of Huntsville in industry studies of technology-based communities.
  
  
• Review branding to ensure that it accurately reflects
  community strengths.
  
  

Develop the Community’s Capacity for New & Sustained Economic Growth

• Maintain a model for optimum year-by-year funding of economic development programs and activities through both public and private sources. Compare the Chamber’s funding model with economic development programs in peer cities.
  
  
• Develop a Chamber endowment as a long-term solution to fund the economic development responsibilities of the Chamber.
  
  
• Integrate key elements of the HREGI Investment Strategy into the annual Chamber program of work and
  budget to be approved by the Chamber board of directors.
  
  
• Work with local, state, regional and federal economic development allies to develop and communicate a partnership for political advocacy.
  
  
• Act as a conduit of information, facilitation, and accountability for those identified tasks that are assigned to Partners.
  
  
• Work to maintain a constant state of review and evaluation of our community’s infrastructure (land availability, transportation, education, healthcare, etc.) to ensure readiness and responsiveness for successful economic development. Priority issues should be addressed through the Chamber’s annual federal and state agendas and/or any appropriate government officials.
  
  

Be Accountable to Our Investors

• Collect relevant financial, commercial and industrial real estate and demographic data for the Huntsville/Madison County region and identified benchmark cities. Those data will be updated annually in July.
  
  
• Create an average net new job growth of 2,500 new jobs per year in our targeted industry sectors for a five-year total of 12,500 jobs. Announce a minimum of 400 new primary jobs each year from new employers. Announce a minimum of 2,100 high profile jobs from expanding employers.
  
  
• Demonstrate per capita income growth trend line sufficient to result in Huntsville leading peer cities within 10 years (by 2015).
  
  
• Demonstrate metro product growth trend line sufficient to result in leading our peer cities within 10 years (by 2015).
  
  
• Demonstrate commercial capital investment growth trend line sufficient to achieve $150 million a year in 5 years (by 2010). Measure by increases in property tax revenues.
  
  
• Increase industrial and technology-based capital investment to $150 million per year in the region.
  
  
• Conduct 120 local member calls each year and achieve 12 announced expansion plans by local employers each year.
  
  
• Create a balanced industry mix which consists of primary target business sectors for new and expanding companies, as identified in the WDG study, including: aerospace and defense, distribution and logistics, life sciences and administrative offices.
  
  
• Create a scorecard of the trended data listed above for report to the board of directors and the HREGI Investors, and conduct periodic review meetings with the board and investors.
  
  
• Measure workforce growth rate as it compares to the number of new jobs announced.
  
  
• Measure population growth rate against other technology-based cities.
  
  
• Measure employment growth rate against other technology-based cities.
  
  
• Develop an integrated investors accountability and communications plan to be updated the first quarter of each year.