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The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County will conduct its annual Wage Survey beginning Jan. 26, with a deadline to submit company input by Feb. 13.

Results will be published in mid-March as a hard copy or CD. The survey is open to companies that are Chamber members. For more information about the Wage Survey, contact Amy Locke, alocke@hsvchamber.org, or Steve Finnell, stevef@hsvchamber.org.

Members of the small business community attended a forum on the Small Business Administration’s pending changes and review of small business size standards. The forum will be available on the Chamber’s website Jan. 21.

“Participants were able to walk away with helpful information including instructions on providing feedback on proposed size standard changes and how these responses could potentially impact decisions,” said Jenni Jeffers, director of small business/membership services for the Chamber.

More than 50 businesses of varying in size and sectors were represented at the forum. Because the matter discussed at the event is critical to all small business, the Chamber is making this forum available on its website. To view the forum, visit www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/chamber/programs/small_biz/seminar_011309.html.

“The information viewers will find on the site includes several presentations from the forum, links to critical SBA sites and other miscellaneous documents relating to the size standard changes,” Jeffers said.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle joins Lisa Thomason in cutting the ribbon on New Horizon Computer Leaning Centers’ new facility in Huntsville. (click photo to enlarge)

Charlie Kettle, vice chair of economic development of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors said the Huntsville/Madison County community has a great need for trained IT workers. “Living in a high technology community, we have a greater need for business and IT training than ever before, and today we are proud to celebrate with New Horizons and help the company grow its business,” Kettle said. Continue »

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognized Hawk Enterprises for its participation in the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Hawk Enterprises will be one of only two companies in Huntsville to have earned this recognition and will be nineteenth in Alabama.

SHARP is a program in which OSHA recognizes small business employers who operate an exemplary safety and health management system.

“It is truly a great honor for all of us here at Hawk Enterprises to be recognized by OSHA and Safe State as being a company worthy of receiving the SHARP Certification,” said Bill Tripp, president of Hawk Enterprises.

Acceptance into SHARP by OSHA is an achievement of status as a model for worksite safety and health, and upon receipt of SHARP recognition, Hawk will be exempt from programmed inspections during the period that the company’s SHARP certification is valid.

“Safety is an ‘all hands’ effort and should not be ‘just words’ on posters and policy statements, but real actions and attitudes practiced by all,” said Tripp.

Photo courtesy of Hawk Enterprises (click photo to enlarge)

Researchers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville set a record in fiscal year 2008 by winning more than $84.6 million in research contracts and grants, an increase of more than 16 percent over the previous record set in FY 2006.

"These numbers show that research is what UAHuntsville is known for. This is our nationally-ranked team," said Dr. John Christy, interim vice president for research at UAHuntsville. "It is a credit to our research faculty and staff, to the quality of the research we do at UAH and to the leadership provided by former vice president Ron Greenwood over the past ten years."

UAHuntsville researchers won more than 1,400 contracts and grants during the fiscal year in areas ranging from English as a second language to cosmology, rocket propulsion, air pollution and computer programming. UAHuntsville has more than $208 million in active research and service contracts. Many contracts and grants stretch over multiple years. Continue »

The Small Business Administration has lowered the 504 loan rates to 5.72% for 20 years and 5.07% for 10 years. The 504 Program provides growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets such as land and buildings.

20-year Debentures:
Debenture Rate: 5.72%
Comparable Treasury Market Rate: 2.566%
Spread Over Treasury: +3.154%
Debenture Pool: $270,464,000 (474 loans)

10-year Debentures:
Debenture Rate: 5.07%
Comparable Treasury Market Rate: 1.762%
Spread Over Treasury: +3.308%
Debenture Pool: $12,907,000 (32 loans)

Proceeds from 504 loans must be used for fixed asset projects such as: purchasing land and improvements, including existing buildings, grading, street improvements, utilities, parking lots and landscaping; construction of new facilities, or modernizing, renovating or converting existing facilities; or purchasing long-term machinery and equipment.

The 504 Program cannot be used for working capital or inventory, consolidating or repaying debt, or refinancing.