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NEWSROOM
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Economic Development News
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Chamber News
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| Announcements |
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Huntsville Ranked #1 City In 2009 By Kiplinger’s
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Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle celebrates Huntsville's top ranking.
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Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/
Madison County Board Chair Irma Tuder shares the announcement of our #1 ranking at a special announcement at the Chamber.
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At a time when the Huntsville/Madison County community has received nearly unprecedented rankings and recognition for its job growth, technology creation, and quality of life, along comes its most lofty ranking yet Kiplinger’s Personal Finance #1 city in the U.S. in 2009.
Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board Chair Irma Tuder said the ranking is more good news in the community’s on-going workforce recruitment and targeted industry recruitment efforts.
“This ranking illustrates what we have been saying about our community for a long time, that Huntsville is truly a smart place to live, work and play,” Tuder said. “This is a tremendous honor for everyone here and Kiplinger’s reporter Jane Clark indicated that she not only found Huntsville to be an excellent place for high-tech job growth, but also for its intellectual and entrepreneurial energy.”
The reporter visited Huntsville for several days in April and met with a number of local officials, including Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and visited several attractions and businesses, including the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville Botanical Garden as well as taking tours of Cummings Research Park, Redstone Arsenal and the historic Twickenham district in Huntsville.
“In just a few days, the reporter was able to quickly see and feel what makes our community so unique,” said Tuder. “As we recruit people to our community to fill our many high-tech jobs, a ranking like this is a wonderful image enhancement tool for us. We will use this information in all of our recruiting efforts and we hope and believe it will be a catalyst for people to take a more in-depth look at our community as a possible place to start or advance their careers.”
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle praised the magazine as well.
“I’d like to thank Kiplinger’s Personal Finance for recognizing Huntsville’s diverse work force and dynamic economy in this year’s rankings. This number one ranking highlights the strength of our entire community and gives another example of why Huntsville remains the bright and shining star of Alabama. We’re very proud of our community and thankful to Kiplinger’s for highlighting our story.” Continue »
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Mayor Battle Delivers State of the City
The jobs Huntsville will gain from BRAC 2005 will lift the city out of the nationwide recession before the rest of the country, according to Huntsville Mayor Tommy. 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 more than 1,200 people in the Von Braun Center North Hall.
Battle discussed some of the challenges and opportunities he sees coming in the near future. Battle’s speech focused on the need for cooperation among Huntsville, Madison and Madison County government, especially for road projects. Battle mentioned that three road projects that need to be completed are shared by all of Madison County.
“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. He said that workforce is one of the most important issues facing the community.
“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.
Battle said he believes the jobs Huntsville will gain from BRAC 2005 will “get us [Huntsville] out of the recession a year ahead of the rest of the county.”
At the time of his speech, Battle had been in office for a little more than 40 days, but he told the audience he has learned many lessons on the job.
“As mayor, you have to make decisions based on what is going to give you the best bang for your buck so that the community can go forward and be successful,”
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.”
Battle answered questions from the audience at the end of his speech. In addition to Huntsville and Madison getting new mayors, the fifth congressional district elected a new congressional representative, Parker Griffith. When asked about working with a new congressman, Battle said that he plans to continue to work with Congressman-elect Griffith as he has in the past while they served on numerous boards together.
“I will work with him to bring back to Huntsville what we deserve,” he said.
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Outstanding Chamber Volunteers Honored
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Emissary of the Year Lisa Lane
of Savvy Gifts, Inc.
More photos »
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The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County recently held its annual Holiday Appreciation Luncheon for its volunteers the Ambassadors and Emissaries and awarded its star performers. Ambassadors and Emissaries represent the Chamber at all events such as ribbon cuttings and act as a welcoming committee for those new to the business community.
This year's “Emissary of the Year” was Lisa Lane, Savvy Gifts. Honorable Mentions were Terry Dumer, Woodall and Hoggle Insurance, and Jeff Olson, Computer Troubleshooters.
“Ambassador of the Year” was Nansi Clark, Holiday Inn Downtown. Honorable Mentions were Tom Ray, Look Outdoor Advertising, Jackie Robbins, Business Interiors, and Rebecca Billings, NETWORx.
“Team of the Year” was Sandy Bottoms
Phil Riddick, Bill Poole Realty team leader. Team members included 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; Laura Voorhies, Digium, Inc.; Rebecca Billings, NETWORx (T&W Operations, LLC); John Morgan, Mac Resource
2008 was a busy year for the Chamber’s volunteers. There were 547 volunteers who helped cut the ribbon on 111 businesses, helped raise more than $1.4 million during the Total Resource Campaign, helped with 40 Chamber events and reached out to nearly half of the Chamber’s membership.
“The Chamber has accomplished a lot this year and we could not have done it without all of you,” Loren Traylor, vice president for investor relations for the Chamber, said.
To become involved in these programs, contact Donna McCrary at 535-2027 or dmccrary@hsvchamber.org
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Forbes Ranks Madison County the Country’s Best Place to Live to Weather the Economy
November 26, 2008 - According to Forbes magazine, well-priced homes, enviable job growth and proximity to vibrant cities made Madison County the top choice in its list of good 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 under four percent, property taxes at a 50 state low and this 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 (CRP), the nation’s second largest research and development park, is located outside the gates of Redstone Arsenal and employs more than 25,000 people. Other primary industries include: life sciences, information technology, and advanced manufacturing.
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Annual Outing Well Attended at Ditto Landing
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More than 350 people attended the 2008 Annual Outing at Ditto Landing.
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General Jim Myles talking to the band members of Madison Mountaintop Band.
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Patti Holmes (left) and Dreama Russell of CapitalSouth Bank.
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October 15, 2008 - The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County recently hosted its 2008 Annual Outing at the Ditto Landing Pavilion overlooking the Tennessee River. The Annual Outing brings together the key business, military, NASA and elected leaders in a casual setting to celebrate the community’s relationship with critical federal partners. A brief program featured remarks from Redstone/AMCOM Commander, Major General Jim Myles and Deputy Marshall Space Flight Center Director Robert Lightfoot. Larry Capps, chair of the Chamber’s military affairs committee, was the master of ceremonies. NASA’s 50th “birthday” was also marked with a birthday cake bearing the NASA logo.
The weather for this Outing was perfect and the sunset spectacular as everyone dined on fresh Gulf seafood. The crowd also enjoyed great bluegrass music from the Madison Mountaintop Band, featuring Alabama State Rep. Mike Ball. More 350 Chamber members and guests mingled on the crisp autumn night.
“The Annual Outing has been a favorite Chamber event for many years and we look forward to celebrating the contributions of our NASA and Military communities for many years to come,” said Mike Ward, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County vice president of governmental affairs.
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19 Madison County Companies Make the Inc. 5,000
October 15, 2008 - Madison County’s economy has managed to stay strong during these tumultuous economic times. This is evident by the fact that Madison County had 19 companies make the Inc. 5,000 list of the fastest growing private companies.
“We appreciate any and all recognition we as a community receive, but none is more indicative of the spirit of our drive and goal orientation than the number and quality of companies from our area that are recognized as the fastest growing in the United States. In attempting to gauge the future, there are leading indicators and trailing indicators. This is a leading indicator,” Don Nalley, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County vice chair for economic development said. “And this list certainly supports the hope that our pipeline is staying full.”
Companies making the list were:
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689
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Alatec |
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1,088
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Wolde Flooring |
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1,294
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Qualis |
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1,501
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Freedom Information Systems |
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1,506
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MaxVision |
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1,531
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Brown Precision |
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1,703
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Torch Technologies |
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1,737
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Gray Research, Inc. |
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2,221
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Inline Electric Supply |
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2,254
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Future Research Corp. |
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2,758
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DeciBel Research |
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3,186
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Intuitive Research and Technology |
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3,712
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Optical Sciences Corporation |
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3,971
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Advanced Federal Services |
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4,066
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Radiance Technologies |
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4,310
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U.S. Diagnostics |
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4,392
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Bevilacqua Research |
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4,230
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ERC |
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4,675
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STI Electronics |
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4,817
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Southern Construction & Design |
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Chamber Hosts International Visitors
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Members of the Open World Program from Russia visited the Chamber.
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October 1, 2008 - The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County was active in September. In addition to the many economic development projects and ribbon cutting events that occurred, several representatives from foreign countries visited the community to get a better understanding of Huntsville's economic development activities and opportunities.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s top U.S. representative visited Huntsville recently to learn about the many industries that are driving the Huntsville economy. Margaret Fong, Hong Kong commissioner for economic and trade affairs, received a community overview from the Chamber.
Fong said that biotechnology industry is a good match for businesses in Hong Kong. The Huntsville-based HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Research is a great example of Huntsville’s growing biotech industry.
“Huntsville is a diverse community, both socially and economically, which makes it more inviting to international business. In fact, Huntsville is home to more than 50 foreign-based companies. It is always a pleasure to show off Huntsville to high-ranking foreign dignitaries, such as Commissioner Fong, who can in turn relate to others Huntsville’s role as a dynamic technology center in the U.S.,” said Ethan Hadley, Chamber of Commerce vice president of economic development. Continue »
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Fall Chamber Golf Classic a Hole-in-One
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There were more than 160 golfers participating in this year’s Fall Chamber Golf Classic held at the Links at Redstone. Plans are being made for a Spring Chamber Golf Classic.
(Photo by J. Hanshaw Photography) |
October 1, 2008 - On a perfect golf day, with temperatures in the 70s, more than 160 golfers participated in the 2nd Annual Fall Chamber Golf Classic. Presenting sponsor, CenturyTel, ordered the fine weather and food was provided by The Links at Redstone. This year, golfers were surprised by a visit from Spike McRoy, PGA golfer and Huntsville native. The funds raised from this tournament go toward increasing the economic development opportunities for our community.
“We are a community that is always open for business and with your help, we have the ability to always answer our phones,” said Ron Poteat, Chamber vice chair for research and information services. Continue »
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Huntsville Ranked Fifth Best Performing City in the Country
Technology-Based Metros Top 2008 Best-Performing Cities Index
September 17, 2008 - The sun continues to shine on Huntsville regarding national recognition and rankings. The latest recognition shows Huntsville being named the fifth best performing city in the country in the Milken Institute/Greenstreet Real Estate Partners 2008 Best-Performing Cities Index. Huntsville was ranked 16th in the U.S. in 2007.
Don Nalley, the Chamber’s vice chair for economic development and the director of Beason & Nalley, said he was excited to see Huntsville’s continued economic growth being recognized nationally.
“All in our community that work so hard to improve the economy and in general the lives of our citizens should be thrilled with the 2008 Milken Best-Performing Cities Index,” Nalley said. “The fact that Huntsville is listed fifth in this 2008 study is a major improvement from our 16 ranking in 2007 and our 28 ranking in 2005.” Continue »
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Huntsville Recognized as one of 100 Best Communities for Young People
September 17, 2008 - America’s Promise Alliance recently named Huntsville part of the “100 Best Communities for Young People.” Members of Hands On Greater Huntsville will travel to Washington, D.C. to accept the award.
“The 100 Best National Forum is a very special event because it allows us to honor those communities across the country that exemplify what it means to care and support our young people,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, president and CEO of America’s Promise Alliance.
First held in 2005, “100 Best” is a bi-annual competition held by the Alliance to recognize the efforts of cities and towns that make young people a top priority. To learn more about the “100 Best Communities for Young People”, visit www.americaspromise.org/100best.
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| LESCO: one of Black Enterprise’s Top 100, Industrial Service
Logistics & Environmental Support Services Corporation (LESCO), an ISO 9001:2000 certified company and leader in providing total logistics solutions, has made Black Enterprise magazine's B.E. Top 100Industrial Service Companies list. The listing is featured in the June 2008 issue of Black Enterprise magazine. LESCO has the honor of being featured in the B.E. Top 100 since 2004.
“We are excited to be listed once again among the finest Industrial Service Companies,” said Chief Executive Officer Anita Williams. “LESCO is committed to providing total logistics solutions, and being selected for such a prestigious listing as the B.E. Top 100 confirms our success.” Recently Williams was honored as a finalist as an Entrepreneur of the Year and LESCo as a finalist in the Business Service division at the Chamber's Small Business Awards Ceremony
LESCO, an African-American, women-owned business, provides total logistics solutions, information technology, and program management to the Federal Government. LESCO has highly qualified resources around the world to include Iraq, Germany, and Kuwait. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama.
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| Two Local Hospitals Recognized for Quality of Care
Crestwood Medical Center and Huntsville Hospital were both recently recognized for providing outstanding care to the region.
Crestwood Medical Center was recently ranked second in the state and ninth nationally for infection prevention performance based on Cardinal Health’s new benchmarking tool from MedMined services. Cardinal Health is a global provider of products and services that improve the safety and productivity of health care. This new benchmarking tool allows hospitals to compare risk-adjusted infection rates in each unit of a hospital to peer units in similar hospitals to help identify best practices and areas needing improvement.
Huntsville Hospital, the region’s largest not-for-profit hospital, was featured in the July 21-28 edition of U.S. News & World Report. Huntsville Hospital received national recognition by earning the 2008 Triple Performance Achievement Award for quality care in Coronary Artery Disease, heart failure and stroke, through the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines program. Huntsville Hospital is the only facility in the state and one of only 30 in the country to receive this level of achievement in all three areas.
“At Crestwood, infection prevention is a top priority and we take great measures to ensure that our patients receive safe and effective medical treatment with a reduced risk of acquiring a health care-associated infection during their stay,” said Barbara Bush, R.N., CIC.
“Our greatest reward is serving our patients,” said Huntsville Hospital CEO David Spillers. “That’s why we’re committed to turning treatment guidelines into lifelines.”
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Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Partners with UAHuntsville
Sept. 3 - Officials with The University of Alabama in Huntsville and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Inc. (PWR) have signed a formal agreement to forge a stronger research collaboration.
UAHuntsville President David Williams and PWR President James Maser signed a Research Collaboration Protocol agreement under which cooperative activities and projects will be undertaken to leverage and strengthen the research, education, innovation and strategic missions of the two organizations.
“These types of industry-university collaborations are going to be playing an increasingly important role in creating innovation in a number of areas science engineering, business and technology transfer,” said Dr. Williams. “The research and development activities of PWR are closely aligned with those of the university, thus giving us the confidence that this partnership will be of tremendous benefit to both organizations. Continue »
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The Entrepreneur Strikes Back
23rd Annual Small Business Awards
News Release (PDF) »
Aug. 21, 2008 - Honoring those organizations and individuals that are helping the community continue to thrive and prosper, the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County recently held its annual tribute to the area’s small businesses, while honoring non-profit organizations, the young professional of the year and the entrepreneur of the year. The 2008 awards featured a record 93 nominations, 18 of which were finalists.According to Elizabeth Morard, the Chamber’s vice chair for small business and the president/CEO of Qualis Corporation, the number of nominees is a clear indicator of the success of small business in Huntsville and the strength of the Huntsville economy. “The awards event is an inspiring showcase of the caliber of talent and contributions of area small businesses to the community.”
Evans Quinlivan, chairman of the Chamber’s board of directors and the Northeast Alabama market executive with RBC Bank, praised all of the winners and nominees for the impact they have had on the Huntsville/Madison County community.
“All of you in this room are helping our community grow and succeed at nearly unprecedented levels, and while only a select few will be honored, you are all the envy of many other communities,” Quinlivan said.
2008 Small Business Award Finalists and Winners
Personal Services
Nesin Therapy Services, P.C. - Winner
Average to Art, Inc.
Eagle Collision Center, Inc.
Business Services
AZ Technology
T & W Operations, LLC -- Winner
LESCO
Technology
System, Studies and Simulation, Inc. (S3) - Winner
Digium, Inc.
Gleason Research Associates, Inc.
Non-profit
The Volunteer Center of Madison County
The Land Trust of Huntsville & North Alabama Winner
Kids to Love Foundation
Young Professional of the Year
Olly Orton Smith Barney
Jay E. Town Madison County’s District Attorney’s Office
Allison Gillespie Trefry Huntsville Museum of Art -- Winner
Entrepreneur of the Year
Jan Smith, System Studies & Simulation, Inc. (S3) - Winner
Anita Williams, LESCO
Andy Bevilacqua, Bevilacqua Research Corporation
The event, presented by Redstone Federal Credit Union, featured hosts Bob Ludwig, publisher for The Huntsville Times and 2004 Executive of the Year winner and 3-D Research Founder Lisa Williams.
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Gov. Riley Applauds Huntsville/Madison County Economic Growth at Update 2008
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Gov. Bob Riley recently gave the Alabama Update sponsored by Dynetics.
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Aug. 20, 2008 - Gov. Bob Riley gave the 2008 Alabama Update hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County in front of nearly 1,200 people in the Von Braun Center North Hall. Riley said the area continues to lead the state in economic development and said he was confident that success would continue. Riley attributed Huntsville’s diverse industry and willingness to work with foreign-owned companies as keys to the resiliency of the Huntsville economy.
Evans Quinlivan, Chamber board chair, opened the event by addressing the crowd of business leaders, community leaders and elected officials. He said the size of the crowd was a sign of Huntsville’s success.
“The number of tickets sold for this event can be seen as a measurement of customer satisfaction,” Quinlivan said.
Gov. Riley first addressed the audience by saying how much he enjoys coming to Huntsville and hearing the good news surrounding the industries in Huntsville and Madison County.
“Of everything that I do every year, I always look forward to coming to Huntsville. Huntsville is like an oasis in the state. I don’t know of any other place where 1,000 people would show up to a Chamber of Commerce event.” Continue »
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Huntsville ranked 5th Best Mid-Sized City in the Country to Do Business
Aug. 5, 2008 - Inc.com recently ranked Huntsville as the fifth best mid-sized city in the country to do business. The 2008 report sees Huntsville increasing its position 16 spots from last year’s ranking of 21.
While many of last year’s top ranking cities have been struggling with the housing market and economy, Huntsville has shown growth in business. The new ranking is a testament to the resiliency of the Huntsville/Madison County market.
One reason is the continued growth and success of small businesses in the community, according to Elizabeth Morard, president/CEO of Qualis Corporation and vice chair of small business for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Alabama.
“An entrepreneur seeking to start a business in the Huntsville area is certainly at an advantage when it comes to locating in an environment which nurtures small business success,” Morard said. “The strong local economy provides a population demographic which is attractive to the business owner who is hiring talented employees or seeking consumers. Additionally, the significant presence of defense and civilian government agencies and industry offers a wide array of opportunities for small businesses. Entrepreneurs have available to them assistance such as training and education programs, mentoring and networking opportunities and the Chamber’s small business office that facilitates access to these resources and is dedicated to helping small businesses succeed.”
Huntsville also saw a higher ranking than last year as an overall top location to do business. This year Huntsville jumped 47 spots to number 32. Other communities of interest included Atlanta (85), Nashville (97), Birmingham (206) and Chattanooga (209).
Inc.com compiled the list by analyzing job growth and momentum shifts. The authors of the report indicated that the locations selected may be the best places for entrepreneurs to relocate or expand to increase business.
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Fort Bragg Delegation Visits Huntsville to Learn About BRAC Regionalism
Aug. 5, 2008 - A delegation from North Carolina recently visited Huntsville to understand how the Base Realignment and Closure Act affects a community and how to best adapt to the changes that BRAC brings regarding jobs, workforce opportunities and economic impact. An overarching theme of the meeting ultimately concerned regionalism and cooperation.
Joe Ritch, who chairs the Tennessee Valley BRAC Commission, said the visit provided an excellent opportunity to compare notes on how each community is working the BRAC process.
“It is a compliment to our area that the people from North Carolina and Ft. Bragg recognize the success we've had in BRAC and in particular our efforts in regionalization. It is important that BRAC-gaining communities meet and exchange ideas as we aggressively attempt to successfully implement this BRAC as well as prepare for future BRACs,” Ritch said. “While the missions of Ft. Bragg and Redstone are very different, the exchange of ideas is important in our efforts to assist the Department of the Army and the Department of Defense in this very complex process.” Continue »
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| The delegation participated in panel discussions about BRAC and its impact on Huntsville. Presentations also discussed the importance of regionalism and coordination. |
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Chamber Receives National Award for Communications Excellence
Aug. 5, 2008 - The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County recently won a national award for communications excellence based on its 2007 Total Resource Campaign (ChamberOpoly) and an honorable mention for its 2007 Asmartplace.com campaign.
The awards, presented by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), marks the 24th year the organization has presented its annual award for communications excellence. Entries receiving an Award for Excellence surpass the fundamental standards and criteria for communications excellence.
“It was a great honor to be recognized as having one of the best TRC campaigns in the country,” said Loren Traylor, vice president of investor relations for the Chamber. “It truly is a team effort from our volunteers to the staff who make it happen this award signifies that attention to the details is what separates good from great.” Continue »
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Outstanding Volunteers Honored
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Marianne Windham, Emissary Council chair, presents the Emissary of the Quarter Award to Jeff Olson, Computer Troubleshooters
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July 22, 2008 - The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s Ambassador and Emissary Councils are an integral part of the services offered to member businesses. The program benefits both the volunteers who comprise these councils, and companies who benefit from the volunteer activities provided by this elite group of Chamber volunteers. Ambassadors represent and promote the Chamber during special events, meetings and exclusive member-only functions. Emissaries serve as liaisons between the members and the Chamber. They also help promote opportunities and activities while serving as advocates of the Chamber to its membership. It is a time commitment not all Chamber members can make. In fact, this year’s council is comprised of only 90 volunteers from our business base of more than 2,300 members. These volunteers are then broken up into teams to facilitate networking among Ambassadors.
Each month, an individual Ambassador and a team who went beyond the call of duty in attending functions and welcoming new members are recognized. The June Ambassador of the Month was Nansi Clark with Holiday Inn Downtown and the Ambassador of the Month Team for June was The Parrot Heads with Jean Mulcahy serving as team captain. Jeff Olson was recognized as the Emissary of the Quarter for his outstanding commitment.
“Nansi and Jeff always bring smiles and a positive, welcoming attitude to any event they attend. They both have a way of making everyone feel special,” said Donna McCrary, Ambassador Coordinator.
The Chamber would like to thank the outstanding group of volunteers for their support.
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Col. John Olshefski Bids Farewell
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Col. John Olshefski
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July 8, 2008 - After three years as the Redstone Arsenal Garrison Commander, Col. John Olshefski will officially leave his post on July 29 and be replaced by Col. Robert M. Pastorelli. Olshefski was recognized for his community contributions at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s June Board of Directors’ meeting. Olshefski gave high praise to the business community and leadership.
“When I arrived in this community, I didn’t even know how to spell Chamber,” said Olshefski. “Now, I know I am one of your best sales people. I can sell this community. I got it. This is just a great community and I never intended to stay here. Now this is our home and we can’t imagine ever leaving here.”
Olshefski was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army at The Citadel in July 1980. After a two-year stint as a civilian working for Honeywell, Inc. in Phoenix, Ariz., and serving in the Arizona National Guard, he decided to join the active Army in August 1982.
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Chamber’s Entrepreneur of the Year Keeps Striking Back
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| Bob Baron, president and CEO of Baron Services, Inc., shown above speaking at a recent grand opening event for an expansion at Baron Services, was honored as one of seven executives by Ernst & Young with the Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Alabama/Georgia/Tennessee region. |
July 8, 2008 - Through the years, Baron Services has been able to use new technology to more precisely and quickly determine weather events and who will be affected. However as president and CEO of Baron Services, Bob Baron has yet to develop a system to accurately track the awards he and his company keep winning.
On June 26, Baron was given yet another award for his outstanding leadership and business acumen when he was honored as one of seven executives by Ernst & Young with the Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Alabama/Georgia/Tennessee region. This group of exceptional entrepreneurs was selected by an independent judging panel made up of regional business, academic and community leaders. The winners were revealed at a gala event held at the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta. Continue »
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Huntsville Named “Cybercity,” Makes List of Cities with Highest Concentrations of High-tech Workers
June 24, 2008 - According to the American Electronics Association’s (AeA) Cybercities 2008: An Overview of the High-Technology Industry in the Nation’s Top 60 Cities report, Huntsville has one of the highest concentrations of high-tech workers in the nation. Huntsville was recently mentioned in a NetworkWorld article about this report. To view the report, please visit www.aeanet.org/publications/idjj_cc2008_sample.asp. To view the NetworkWorld article, please visit www.networkworld.com/community/node/29227. |
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| TRC Brings It Home
June 24, 2008 - This year’s TRC Campaign came to a dramatic end on June 18 with Top Slugger honors being awarded for the fourth year in a row to Carrie McCrillis with Kelly Services. Carrie led an all-star roster of 91 volunteers divided into 14 teams that raised over $1.4 million to support economic development efforts for our community. A League of Their Own, led by McCrillis and Marianne Windham, pulled in the World Series Championship by raising over $342,000. Other awards went to Joe Knoch with Air Essentials, Top Rookie and Terry Dumer with Woodall & Hoggle Insurance, Most Valuable Player given for her efforts in mentoring several new volunteers. This year’s campaign set many records including the number of companies that participated, which included over 400 chamber members.

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2008 Economic Development Summit Provides Snapshot of Community Growth
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| Dr. O’Neal Smitherman speaks to the crowd at the 2008 Economic Development Summit. |
June 17, 2008 - The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County held its 3rd annual Economic Development Summit, presented by Turner Universal, at the Huntsville Marriott on June 10 to a crowd of more than 100 business leaders. The Summit is an opportunity for the Chamber to give an update to investors on the Huntsville Regional Economic Growth Initiative (HREGI).
“Our community continues to enjoy nearly unparalleled economic growth. We know that Huntsville/Madison County continues to lead the state in announced jobs. We have led this category in 15 of the last 18 years. That is sustained, measurable growth,” said Evans Quinlivan, chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors.
Quinlivan also noted that the Huntsville/Madison County community has one of the most favorable economies of any community in the country in a state that is considered to have the best economic outlook of any state in the country. Continue »
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Huntsville Ranks in Top 10 Places to Live
May 28, 2008 - Huntsville was recently listed in the Relocate-America Top 10 Best Places to Live in 2008 list. The list is in its tenth year, and it ranks communities by giving consideration to statistics, as well as feedback from people who live, work and play there. Residents nominate and give testimonies about their communities, and research is done based on education, employment, economy, crime, parks, recreation and housing. To view this accolade or to see other communities that made the list, please visit http://top100.relocate-america.com
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Chamber D.C. Trip Packs Big Punch
2008 Washington DC trip ranks as one of country’s top five Chamber trips to Capital City.
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| U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer |
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U.S. Speaker of the House,
Nancy Pelosi More photos » |
May 28, 2008 - More than 180 community leaders from North Alabama recently spent close to three days in Washington D.C. meeting with key government and military officials and discussing critical issues facing the North Alabama region, making the community visit one of the largest in the country. The 2008 trip included meetings with some of the most powerful figures in the nation’s Capital, including Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
The first full day featured presentations from the administration, space policy experts, military Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) planners, updates on the nation’s changing energy needs with the Department of Energy, national workforce strategists, and the acting administrator of the Federal Highway Administration. Dr. Larry Sabato, the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia, provided insightful predictions for the presidential and congressional elections at a luncheon on the first meeting day. Dr. Sabato is "probably the most quoted college professor in the land," according to the Wall Street Journal and Fox News Channel calls him “America's favorite political scientist.”
Members of the Alabama congressional delegation were honored at the Monday evening reception in the Russell Senate Office Building in the ornate Caucus Room. The reception featured a tribute to Congressman Bud Cramer by the other members of the delegation and Chamber representatives.
Tuesday morning began with a breakfast on “the Hill” with Alabama’s U.S. Senators and several of their colleagues. Senator Jeff Sessions addressed the gathering and introduced presentations from Senators Thad Cochran and Mitch McConnell followed by Sen. Richard Shelby who introduced Senators Barbara Mikulski, Ted Stevens and Daniele Inouye.
Tuesday afternoon sessions in the Rayburn House Office Building included remarks by Congressmen Cramer and Aderholt and presentations from Speaker Pelosi, and Congressmen John Murtha, C.W. Bill Young, and Silvestre Reyes. Additional speakers Monday morning included the Federal Highway Authority Chief Counsel Marcus J. Lemon and the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, Dean G. Popps. Pelosi discussed the emerging trend of public-private partnerships as how the nation’s infrastructure needs will be met in the future, saying “it has been said that public-private partnerships offer the greatest economic development opportunity in the history of the country,” something of particular importance given the Huntsville/Madison County community’s emphasis on creating more road infrastructure.
Chamber members are encouraged to make plans to attend the 2009 Washington Update. Details regarding the trip will be available in the coming weeks.
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Huntsville Featured in National Home Builders Magazine

May 28, 2008 - Huntsville was recently recognized in an article by “Professional Builder” magazine for its strong housing market. The articles notes that BRAC is expected to bring 4,700 jobs to Redstone Arsenal, which will create many more jobs in our region. This means new homes will be needed, which is very good news for local builders. John Allen, president of the Huntsville/Madison County Builders Association, and Joe Murphy, a local builder, were interviewed.
The article also credits Huntsville’s low unemployment, low mortgage rates, and high housing demand, and it takes into account job growth, population growth, and economic development. The four other communities featured were Beaumont-Port Arthur, Tex.; Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Penn.-N.J.; Salt Lake City; and the New Orleans area.
To read the article, please click here. »
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Companies Named ‘Best Places to Work’ in Huntsville/Madison County
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Charlie Kettle, president of First Commercial Bank and vice chair of investor relations for the Chamber receives a plaque from Bob Baron, President and CEO of Baron Services. First Commercial Bank was the presenting sponsor of the Best Places to Work awards luncheon on April 22.
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April 29, 2008 - Fifteen companies were selected as the “Best Places to Work” in Huntsville/Madison County at an awards luncheon Tuesday, April 22. The event, held at the Westin, was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, the North Alabama Society for Human Resource Management and the National Children’s Advocacy Center. The host organizations worked with volunteers to create the event, presented by First Commercial Bank, to unveil Huntsville/Madison County’s outstanding employers whose benefits, policies and practices are among the region’s best. More than 100 businesses were initially nominated for the award.
Winners were based solely on a survey completed by employees and were selected in three categories: organizations with between 25 and 74 employees; organizations with between 75 and 249 employees and employers with 250 employees or more. Continue »
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Shelby Addresses Chamber Membership in Record Turnout
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| U.S. Senator Richard Shelby talks with Hundley Batts, Sr., member of the Industrial Development Board and former Chamber Chair at a reception following the Chamber’s Washington Update Breakfast with Senator Shelby, sponsored by The Boeing Company. |
April 15, 2008 - The Huntsville/Madison County community should continue to grow and prosper, even at a time where communities across the nation are facing an economic downturn, according to U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa).Shelby gave his update to about 1,300 business and community leaders and residents at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s recent “Washington Update Breakfast”, sponsored by The Boeing Company, at the Von Braun Center North Hall.
Shelby said that although NASA centers are struggling somewhat as the space agency transitions out of the space shuttle program into the Ares work, Huntsville’s Marshall Space Flight Center would continue to be in a good position. Likewise, he indicated that all of Redstone Arsenal, which is gaining thousands of new jobs thanks to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act, is poised to continue its growth.
The turnout for Shelby’s speech in Huntsville is annually the highest turnout of any of his speeches in any community in the state.
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ADO Opens North Alabama Office to Capitalize on Aerospace and Defense Market
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| Bruce Anderson |
April 1, 2008 - Hoping to capitalize on the Huntsville/Madison County aerospace and defense industry that already employs more than 44,000 workers, the Alabama Development Office is opening a new satellite office in Huntsville.At a press conference held at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Davidson Center for Space Exploration, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and ADO Director Neal Wade announced that recently retired NASA employee Bruce Anderson would head the office. Continue »
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Huntsville Listed in 100 Best Places to Live and Launch 2008
April 1, 2008 - Huntsville has been ranked as one of the 100 best places in America to live and launch a small business, according to Fortune Small Business magazine. Huntsville placed #86 in the magazine’s first-ever list of the 100 best places in America to live and launch a small business.
Fortune Small Business ranked metropolitan areas by a combination of business friendliness and lifestyle offerings. The criteria for ranking included housing prices, schools, cultural and recreational attractions, quality of labor force, taxes and regulatory climate. Fortune Small Business acknowledged Huntsville as a strong engineering and technology hub, saying that “Huntsville transformed from a sleepy North Alabama agricultural town to a space-age destination.”
Complete List »
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