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| Announcements |
TRC is Rounding Third and Heading Home
 TRC 2008 kicked off in May with a goal of raising more than $1.2 million in new members, sponsorships and advertising. More than 90 volunteers worked to meet and surpass this goal. With only hours to go, this year’s campaign will close on Wednesday as will the opportunity to sponsor some key chamber events. Last week’s Top Producer was John Baggette, Sirote & Permutt attorney and the Rocket City All-Stars continue to lead our 14 team league!
“We don’t want to end the season 9-1,” said Joe Green, Rocket City All-Stars team captain. “We are continuing to call on companies to make sure they have the events they need to market their companies effectively,” he added. For more information about sponsoring events, please contact Loren Traylor at Ltraylor@hsvchamber.org.
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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. |
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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AEgis Breaks Ground for New Modeling, Simulation & Microsystems Technologies Facility in Cummings Research Park
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| From left to right: Evans Quinlivan, John Blue, Robbie Farquhar, Steve Hill and Bill Waite. |
AEgis Technologies Group Inc. officially broke ground on the site of its new 50,000 square-foot headquarters facility in Cummings Research Park on June 6. AEgis, a leading provider of modeling, simulation and microsystems technologies, currently employs 175 professionals and researchers in Huntsville with plans to grow to 250 by 2010.
“This is a proud day for all of us,” said AEgis President and co-founder Bill Waite. “At AEgis, our vision is to lead the world in modeling and simulation.”
“AEgis Technologies Group is an internationally recognized leader in providing advanced modeling and simulation capabilities in this community’s targeted industry recruitment areas of aerospace and defense, automotive, and biomedical, to name a few,” said Chamber Board Chairman Evans Quinlivan. “So this is a great occasion to celebrate a company that provides excellent services that support the areas of business that serve as this community’s economic foundation. Many of you may not know that Huntsville is becoming known as one of the premier centers for modeling and simulation technology – and that is in great part thanks to companies like AEgis and to the incredible talent of the people who work here,” said Quinlivan. Continue »
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Oak Ridge Leaders to Open New Office to Explore Joint Ventures and Partnerships
Congressmen Zach Wamp and Bud Cramer lead announcement at 2008 Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit
 Top leaders from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) recently announced their plan to join together to open a new “Oak Ridge-Huntsville Partnership Office” in Huntsville this summer to explore more joint ventures and projects between both public and private partners in Oak Ridge and Huntsville.
The announcement was acknowledged and applauded by Congressman Zach Wamp (R-TN) during the Tennessee Valley Corridor’s National Technology Summit hosted by Congressman Bud Cramer (D-AL) in Huntsville.
“This new office will be jointly funded and supported by Oak Ridge’s Department of Energy facilities and will function as a clearinghouse for organizations like NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the major commands at the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal, the Army Corp of Engineers, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and dozens of other public and private organizations in the Huntsville area. The purpose is to explore more cooperative projects with major institutions in Huntsville and Oak Ridge and with other DOE and NNSA programs across the country,” said Thom Mason, director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Continue »
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Grand Opening Celebration to be Held for Apple Authorized Training Center
 Mac Resource, Alabama’s largest Apple Computer dealer, will host the Grand Opening of their new Apple authorized training center on Tuesday, June 24 at 11 a.m. Mac Resource will celebrate with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception at the new training center located at 6485 University Drive. The ribbon cutting and reception are open to the public. Continue » |
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| Have You Networked Lately?
Business After Hours and Breakfast and Biz are two of the Chamber’s largest networking events, allowing Chamber members access to more than 250 business professionals.
Business after Hours is held eight times a year in the evening. Generally held at a member’s location, it attracts approximately 250-500 business professionals and features heavy hors d'oeuvres, beverages (beer, wine and soft drinks), and fun giveaways.
Registration is open for the July 15 Business After Hours sponsored by 4Site, Inc. and McCurry Real Estate, and will be held from 5 - 7 p.m. at Main Street South Shopping Village. Attendees are encouraged to bring as many business cards as possible to exchange with other participants.
B&B is a structured networking event with a hearty breakfast that features speakers and door prizes, and provides networking opportunities for members and new employees of existing member businesses. Described as “speed dating” for businesses, Breakfast & Biz provides allotted time with attendees.
For more information, please contact Alinka C. Johnson at 256-535-2051.
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Workforce Coalition to Meet
 Huntsville/Madison County is a leading example of community-centered workforce development. Join these efforts on July 8 to recap the successes of the Chamber’s Workforce Coalition and see and hear how these efforts compare nationally. Special guests are Rick Stephens, senior vice president for human resources and administration for The Boeing Company, and Elane Scott, co-founder with Stephens of Birth2Work. The cost is $20 per person and includes lunch served by Clementine’s in the Chamber auditorium. Please register by July 1. For more information, please contact Mitzi Floyd at (256) 535-2089 or mfloyd@hsvchamber.org |
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Huntsville on the Road Travels to Auburn
 Join other Huntsville/Madison County companies at two upcoming Auburn University career fairs. A non-technical career fair will be held September 29, and a technical career fair will be October 1. There are interview days scheduled after each fair. These fairs are both sponsored through Auburn Career Services. Visit their website at www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/undergrad_studies/career. Continue » |
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| Terrell Stewart, PTAC procurement consultant |
New Procurement Technical Assistance Center Counselor Provides Free Services
The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, the Institute of Commerce (IOC) and the Alabama Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) program, recently announced the addition of a full-time counselor dedicated to the PTAC program in the Huntsville area. Terrell Stewart, PTAC procurement consultant, provides free government contract counseling and assistance to large and small businesses. His office is located on the second floor of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. Continue » |
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Women’s Business Council Partners with Women’s Business Center
The Women's Business Council (WBC) is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Women's Business Center of North Alabama (WBCNA) to provide business coaching for women who may need advice or assistance with their business.
The WBC was created to foster, promote and advance women-owned businesses in the Huntsville/Madison County area. The WBC is funded through the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and serves as one of the Chamber's Small Business Committees. Continue »
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Women Honoring Women Nominations Now Being Accepted
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 Women Honoring Women celebration. The WEDC Foundation presents the 7th annual Women Honoring Women event scheduled for September 18. Continue » |
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INTUITIVE Ranked in Hispanic Magazine
 Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation (INTUITIVE) was recently selected for the Hispanic Business 500 Directory of the largest Hispanic-owned companies in the United States. INTUITIVE ranked 305th among all Hispanic owned businesses in the U.S. The Hispanic Business 500 Directory is an elite list featured in the June 2008 issue of HISPANIC BUSINESS magazine. INTUITIVE has been listed on the Hispanic Business 500 Directory since its first year of eligibility in 2004. Continue » |
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BancorpSouth Bank Receives Top Ranking
 BancorpSouth Bank ranked highest in the Southeast region in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM. The syndicated study ranks financial institutions based on customer surveys and feedback on transactions, account statements, account initiation/product offerings, convenience, fees and problem resolution.
With an overall score of 782 points, BancorpSouth performed above the Southeast region average in all ranked categories and reported below-average problem incidence. In addition, the bank receives high rankings for transactions. Continue »
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 Huntsville Young Professionals Organization Celebrates Fourth Birthday
Huntsville Young Professionals (HYP) is throwing an 80s-style birthday bash to celebrate four years of connecting young professionals in the Huntsville area. HYP’s ‘Remember the 80s’ 4th Birthday Bash will be held Thursday, June 19, from 7 - 10 p.m. at Crossroads in downtown Huntsville. Continue » |
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UCP of Huntsville recognized by Computerworld Honors Program
 United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley, Inc. was recently recognized by the Computerworld Honors Program as a Laureate Award recipient in the non-profit category for utilizing technology to better the world.
More than 3,000 nominees worldwide submitted case studies to the 2008 Computerworld Honors Program, of which 50 finalists were selected to represent 10 categories. These finalists, as well as the 10 organizations selected as first among their peers within each category, were presented with 21st Century Achievement Awards during the 20th annual Laureates Medal Ceremony and Gala Awards Evening on June 2 in Washington, D.C.
UCP was chosen as one of five finalists in the non-profit category for its implementation of Adtran's NetVanta 1335 Multiservice Access Router and NetVanta 150 Wireless Access Points (WAPs) at the new UCP Technology and Training Center in Huntsville. UCP's Technology Assistance for Special Consumers (T.A.S.C.) program formed a partnership with Adtran to be the first organization to use the new technology. Continue »
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 Alabama A&M Seeks Mentors
Success for many of us would not be realized without a concerned individual who reached out and gave a helping hand. The Office of Retention and Academic Support at Alabama A&M University is seeking support in fostering academic and professional excellence for students. Applications for mentees and mentors are now being accepted through the university’s Changing Lanes: Mentoring for Fall 2008 program. For more information, please visit http://www2.aamu.edu/changinglanes/default_files/page0004.htm.
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 CRP Featured in Two Statewide Magazines
Business Alabama and Technology Alabama magazines will feature Cummings Research Park in their upcoming issues. Look for the August issue of Business Alabama and the Fall Issue of Technology Alabama. Business Alabama has had a statewide readership for 22 years and offers company leaders a proven way to deliver their message. Technology Alabama is a comprehensive source of information on the high-tech business community and covers a broad spectrum of technology sectors that impact Alabama. It not only has a statewide readership but it is also distributed nationwide to select companies that have an interest in emerging technologies and Alabama. Huntsville generates much interest in the high-tech world. Special advertising incentives are being offered for Chamber members. Please contact Kayron Maner for more information via email at kmaner@pmtpublishing.com or via phone at 256-714-4896.
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 Drake Offers Entrepreneurial Resources to Community
Drake State Technical College is offering students and the community two options to learn about entrepreneurship. Potential entrepreneurs can receive one-on-one consulting with entrepreneurial consultant and Women’s Business Center of North Alabama president, Joanne Randolph or enroll in the national entrepreneurial program FastTrac, which will be offered starting June 19.
Randolph will provide free personal consultations regarding business practices in the areas of finance, marketing, and business planning on the Drake campus. Continue »
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