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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.

District 5 City Council Member William Culver (second from left) joins executives from enGenius in cutting the ribbon on their new office in Cummings Research Park.

enGenius, an Atlanta-based IT company recently held a ribbon cutting for its new office in Cummings Research Park.The company 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 United States Geological Survey and the Center 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.

Huntsville's District 5 City Council Member Will Culver welcomed enGenius into its new building by speaking on behalf of Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “I want to welcome you and let you know that this is the hub of my district and I look forward to working with you to make the city of Huntsville a better place for all people,” Culver said. Continue »

WestWind Technologies recently held a ground breaking for its new 64,000-square-foot facility in Jetplex Industrial Park.

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 in 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, COO of WestWind Technologies. Continue »

The Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County recently elected the 2009 Executive Committee. Chamber President/CEO Brian Hilson welcomed the Executive Committee and applauded their commitment to the community.

“One distinguishing aspect of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, and in fact our greater community, is leadership. Strongly committed, visionary community leaders who are willing to involve themselves directly in developing the future of Huntsville/Madison by serving on the Chamber board is a key to our success. We have been fortunate over the years to have always had a strong board of directors, and 2009 is no exception. A list of our 2009 board reads like a 'who’s who' of community leaders," said Brian Hilson, President/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County.

This committee represents the diverse backgrounds and interests of this community and represents key business sectors and organizations, all of which share the Chamber’s common goal of improving the quality of life of the community they serve by stimulating prosperity and the growth of our economy.

"We are so pleased to have great leaders like Irma Tuder, the founder and chair of Analytical Services, serving as our 2009 Chamber chair," Hilson said. Continue »

A group of Alabama Legislators and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle see an example of the work being performed in Huntsville on the Ares project.

The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Legislative Visit brought nearly 50 of Alabama’s legislators to Huntsville recently to tell Huntsville’s story to the state’s leaders and outline the challenges and opportunities Huntsville will face as the final BRAC moves are implemented. This was the first time the Chamber has hosted such an event in nine years.

The weekend in Huntsville included tours of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and a Blackhawk helicopter tour of Redstone Arsenal

Among the Legislators present were Seth Hammett, Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Hinton Mitchem and Chair of the House Finance and Taxation Committee Senator Rodger Bedford.

“We must tell our story to this important group of state leaders if we hope to enlist their support,” said Mike Ward, the Chamber's vice president of governmental affairs. “This visit was an important part of our on-going efforts to communicate the growth that this region is experiencing and the ways that the State’s support will be critical to sustain our growth.”

Key volunteers leading this effort included Linda Maynor, the Chamber’s vice chair for governmental affairs and Todd Slyman, chair of the Chamber’s state government committee.

The robotics complex, created by Riley, 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.

“This state-of-the-art complex will make Alabama the nation’s leader in robotics research and development,” Riley said. “The benefits will be remarkable for our economy, for our workforce and for our future.”

“This is truly an exciting project and these seven industry representatives who accepted the appointment will be a huge asset to the launch of the robotics complex service,” Castile. Continue »

As a part of this award and on behalf of Torch Technologies, The Principal Financial Group presented a contribution to Honor Flight Tennessee Valley, as Torch’s selected charitable organization.

“We’re very honored to be named one of The Principal 10 Best Companies,” said Scott Parker, chief administrative officer at Torch Technologies. “We feel that hiring, retention, productivity and customer satisfaction are all linked together. If our customers are satisfied, it allows us to keep growing, and we can keep providing those benefits for our employees. It comes full circle.”

The Principal Financial Group sponsors the national program, which is now in its seventh year. This award honors growing companies for their commitment to their employees’ financial security.

Torch also was recently awarded “Large IT Company of the Year” by the Alabama Information Technology Association.

David Hutchison

Hutchison and his staff of project managers work through a combination of efforts identifying prospects to grow and broaden Alabama’s industry base. His staff markets Alabama to the world identifying companies who could have an expansion project in the Southeast over the next three to five years. The department works closely with economic development allies throughout the state, including local representatives at the Chamber and in the city and county, facilitating a cooperative effort to recruit domestic and foreign based companies.

“I am always comfortable bringing projects to Huntsville/Madison County,” said Hutchison. He went on to explain that his office is working diligently to recruit projects that focus on bio and solar fuel development. Hutchison also said that in 2009, ADO will be focusing on expanding its existing industry base and will be surveying companies already established in the state to find out how ADO and its staff can help them and if ADO lived up to promises it may have made to companies in the past. During the past seven years, Huntsville/Madison County has accounted for more than 66 percent of announced new and expanding jobs in the state.

For more information, contact Brittany Taylor at btaylor@hsvchamber.org or by phone at 256.535.2051.

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