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| Announcements |
Col. John Olshefski Bids Farewell
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Col. John Olshefski
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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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FPMI Solutions Opens New Contact Center Operation
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| Front row, from left: Terry Hatfield, representing Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer; FPMI President/CEO Joe Saparano and Chamber Chair Evans Quinlivan cut the ribbon on FPMI Solutions’ new contact center. Also participating in the ribbon cutting from FPMI were, back row, from left: Rodney Hyatt, Toi Garth, Leslie Yarbrough, Sandra Richardson, Barry Prokop and Cathy Christa. |
FPMI Solutions recently expanded its operation to accommodate a new contact center to support the Department of Homeland Security. The company celebrated its growth with a ribbon cutting ceremony held Thursday, June 26.
“FPMI has enjoyed remarkable success and growth in all of its business lines, which include contact center services, human capital services and training services, and the company has provided excellent support of more than 30 other Federal agencies, including the U.S. Army and the Transportation Security Administration, as well as commercial clients,” said Chamber Board Chairman Evans Quinlivan, who served as master of ceremonies at the event. “With this new facility, FPMI will continue its unparalleled contact center support for the Department of Homeland Security.”
“I’m very proud to have this ribbon cutting ceremony today. We intend to continue to grow, and I’m looking forward to that growth,” said Joseph Saponaro, president & CEO of FPMI. “I do appreciate all the employees who work so hard.” Continue »
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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. |
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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| Business After Hours Scheduled July 15 at Main Street Shopping Village
 Chamber members are encouraged to attend the July 15 Business After Hours, which will be held in the Main Street Shopping Village from 5-7 p.m.
Participants will be able to visit the sponsoring stores for fun giveaways, heavy hors d'oeuvres, and beverages (beer, wine and soft drinks). This event is presented by 4Site, Inc., McCurry Real Estate and the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County.
Attendees should remember to bring as many business cards as possible for networking as well as to enter in the sponsoring stores giveaways. At registration, participants will receive a postcard with a list of all the sponsoring stores. Once all the stores have been visited and the postcard has been returned with all the appropriate initials, participants will be entered into a grand prize drawing.
The participating stores are: 4Site, Inc., McCurry Real Estate, Radiant Day Spa, Thrivent Financial—Kelly Moise, Alabama ReBath, Farmers Insurance, Moselys Technical Services, Inc., Sabghi’s Jewelry, The Masters, Sullins Eye Care, Bookout Photography, Donatos, D & L Bistro, Super Suppers, and Main Street Café’/Deli.
To attend this event register online at www.huntsvillealabamausa.com. For questions or more information, please contact Alinka C. Johnson at 256-535-2051.
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U.S. Space & Rocket Center to Host Reunion Weekend
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson joins astronauts, artist as special guests
 The U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) will host a Reunion Weekend on July 18-19, 2008, including the Fifth Annual Saturn/Apollo Reunion and the Second Annual SPACE CAMP Hall of Fame Dinner. Special guests include Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium, astronaut Story Musgrave, and artist Paul Calle, member of the NASA Fine Art Program. Dr. Tyson and Dr. Musgrave will autograph copies of their books, which will be sold in the USSRC gift shops on Friday afternoon, and Mr. Calle will sign copies of his prints on Saturday. For more information on book signings, visit www.spacecamp.com/reunionweekend. Continue »
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| J’s Special Occasion Breaks Ground on Events Center
J’s Special Occasions recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for their 14,000-square foot events center, which will feature a 4,500-sq. ft ballroom, an arbor, a pond with a bridge, and beautiful green space on seven acres of land. The facility, which will be located at the corner of Hollow and Meridian Streets, will also house a chapel so that weddings and receptions can be held at the same location. Owners Archie and Debra Jefferson envision the center as a place for weddings, banquets, conferences, proms, art shows, and fundraisers. The facility will also include an industrial kitchen.
“On the north end of Huntsville, we don’t have a facility like this, so me and Mrs. Jefferson decided to build one,” said Jefferson. “We’re just going on faith; the good Lord has been good to us.”
The Jeffersons expect the facility to be completed by the end of the year. They also own an equipment rental company called J’s Special Occasion Rentals, which will move its offices to the new facility.
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| Archie Jefferson, Owner of J’s Special Occasions, speaks to the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new events center. |
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Junior Achievement Selects a New President
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Leah Amos
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The Junior Achievement of Northern Alabama (JANA) board and staff recently announced their new President, Leah Amos. Amos has been in the JA family for several years, moving to Huntsville from Dallas, where she was the education manager for Junior Achievement of Dallas. In Dallas, she managed volunteers, schools, relationships with multiple companies, advocacy groups and oversaw the Capital One/Junior Achievement Mobile Finance Park pilot program. Amos’s background also includes experience at the United Way in Dallas and a congressional office. She has a B.A. in political science and English and writing from McMurry University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Continue » |
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"Huntsville/Madison County 101" Fair for NASA Summer Students
 The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County will host a community fair for the more than 100 NASA summer students currently in the city. The fair will be held on July 22 at ADTRAN from 1-4 p.m. The students are currently enrolled at more than 50 universities across the country and are working for Marshall Space Flight Center this summer. The purpose is to showcase Huntsville/Madison County as a smart place to live, work and play, with hopes that the students would make the city their home upon graduation.The cost of an exhibitor booth is $100 and is restricted to companies focusing on the following fields: Aerospace Engineering, Astronomy/Astrophysics, Biology/Biotech/Biomed, Business Administration/Management, Chemical Engineering/Chemistry, Computer Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, GIS, Industrial Technology/Systems Engineering, Materials Science/Engineering, Math/Applied Math, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Science/Engineering, Physics and Science. Booth setup starts at noon, and the students will begin arriving at 1:30 p.m. To register, please click here.
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Chamber Fall Ball Golf Tournament Scheduled September 26
 All members of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County are invited to tee off for the 2nd Annual Fall Chamber Golf Classic, presented by CenturyTel at The Links on Redstone Friday, Sept. 26. The golf outing provides an excellent opportunity for business leaders to network with other Chamber members and potential business associates in a fun, relaxed atmosphere, according to Loren Traylor, vice president of investor relations for the Chamber.
The four-man scramble tournament tees off with a shot-gun start and includes a hole-in-one contest sponsored by Mercedes Benz of Huntsville. The event features a continental breakfast, lunch and beverages available throughout the day and is a guaranteed sell-out. To register, please contact Loren Traylor at ltraylor@hsvchamber.org.
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Camp Hope: A Day of Fun and Healing for Grieving Children
 Hospice of the Valley and Community Bereavement Center will be providing Camp Hope for any child who is experiencing grief due to the death of a loved one. This will be the 13th year that Camp Hope has been offered by Hospice of the Valley. The one-day camp is filled with activities that teach healthy ways of coping with grief. The children will have opportunities to express their feelings and to memorialize their loved ones through art, crafts, music and drama. Camp Hope also offers parents and caregivers informational sessions throughout the day that are designed to help with issues of childhood grief, parenting and child safety. Continue » |
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23rd Annual Bowl-A-Thon to Raise Money for JANA
 The 23rd Annual Bowl-A-Thon, benefiting Junior Achievement of North Alabama, will be Aug. 23-24. Bowling shifts will be 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday and at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is a $12 non-refundable registration fee which includes a designer t-shirt, door prize ticket and bowling expenses. Bowling Centers include Madison Bowling Center, Parkway Lanes, Plamor Lanes, and Redstone Lanes. Please contact Nancy Haragan at 256-533-4661 by July 11 to register a team.This fundraising event offers bowling, prizes, music and camaraderie at state-of-the-art bowling centers and is a great team building event for companies. Each team consists of four bowlers playing three games using the no-tap format. Funds raised through sponsorships, pledges and donations during the Bowl-A-Thon constitute a substantial and important source of funds for JA’s educational programs.
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