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| Announcements |
Boeing to Move Missile Defense Division Headquarters to Huntsville
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Boeing’s office in Cummings Research Park
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The Boeing Company will relocate the headquarters for its Missile Defense Systems (MDS) division from Arlington, Va., to the company's facilities in Huntsville, effective immediately. The move will ensure MDS remains aligned with its government customers, while adding to Boeing's presence in the Huntsville community.
Initially, Boeing will shift division management and support functions, such as Human Resources and Finance, to Huntsville, and will evaluate moving other employees currently working on MDS programs in Arlington. Between 40 and 50 positions may be transferred by the end of this year.
"Huntsville is a leader in the aerospace industry, and Boeing is proud of its 47-year partnership with this community, which now includes work on defense, space and commercial programs," said Greg Hyslop, vice president and general manager for Boeing Missile Defense Systems. "Our customers have been locating more of their personnel and operations in this community, so now is the right time for us to center our missile defense business here as well. We want to remain close to our customers and the vital national-security programs Boeing employees support."
In addition, "Boeing already has 3,200 highly skilled employees and numerous program partners in Alabama," said Hyslop. "Bringing our missile defense headquarters to Boeing's Huntsville site demonstrates the importance of those operations to Boeing, both now and in the future."
Boeing is the largest aerospace company in Alabama and one of the state's largest employers. Current company operations in Huntsville include the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program and other missile defense work, such as the Arrow system and the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 seeker, as well as work associated with Ares I, the International Space Station, Future Combat Systems, Avenger, SBInet, and engineering for the 787 and the P-8A Poseidon.
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Economic Growth Report Released at Chamber Summit
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Charlie Kettle, left, the Chamber’s vice chair for economic development, moderates a panel with Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.
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Attendees at the Chamber’s Annual Economic Development Summit were presented with the new Economic Growth Report.
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The national economy should start healing by the second quarter of 2010, according to a representative of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Julius Weyman, regional executive for the Birmingham Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, was the featured speaker at the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s 2009 Economic Development Summit, presented by Verizon Wireless. Weyman said that while most of Alabama had catching up with the rest of the country in terms of the recession, the Huntsville/Madison County area continued to be a leader.
“I talk to a lot of groups in a lot of places and I Google the cities before I arrive to get some background. Have you ever Googled Huntsville? It’s fun. I don’t get to see the kinds of positive news that you get here very often. It goes on and on. Huntsville continues to be a bright spot for the state.” He also thanked Bobby Bradley and Tom Stanton, the Huntsville representatives who serve on the board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank.
The Economic Development Summit is held for the Chamber’s HREGI Investors to announce the latest economic growth report. The 2009 Summit not only featured a keynote address from Julius Weyman of the Fed, but also included a first-ever for the event—a panel discussion with Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley and Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie.
The panel of civic leaders focused on the role teamwork and cooperation play in economic development as well as the explosion of growth attributed to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 2005 recommendations set to be completed in the next three years. Continue »
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Two Huntsville Business Leaders Recognized as Finalists for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year 2009 awards for Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee
Ernst & Young announced two Huntsville entrepreneurs as finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Alabama/Georgia/Tennessee region. This group of outstanding entrepreneurs was selected by an independent judging panel. The winners will be revealed at a gala event in June held in Atlanta. The finalists from Huntsville were Elizabeth Morard of Qualis Corporation and Bill Roark of Torch Technologies.
“Entrepreneurs contribute so much to our economy and the fabric of this nation,” said Joseph A. King, Partner, and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Program Director for Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. “These finalists help our region create jobs, while encouraging community growth, development and innovation. We are pleased to honor them.”
Regional award winners will be eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009 national awards. Winners in numerous national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.
During the past four years, Huntsville has produced two regional winners, Sharon Morgan, Morgan Research Corp. and Bob Baron, Baron Services.
This year, the Entrepreneur of the Year awards program celebrates its 23rd anniversary. The program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 135 cities in 50 countries throughout the world. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
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Volunteers Driving in the Fast Lane for
Third Lap of TRC
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Volunteers with the Total Resource Campaign continue to set a record pace with sponsorships and investments into the community.
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Dozens of Huntsville area business leaders are volunteering to help the community win the race for economic growth. The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County kicked-off its fifth annual Total Resource Campaign (TRC) on April 23 and recently completed the third lap of the “Race for the Championship”. The TRC is an eight-week, all-volunteer effort to enlist new members, generate sponsorships, sell advertising in publications and on websites, and raise awareness of the Chamber throughout the region.
Many of the Chamber’s publications, events and programs are available for sponsorship with varying benefits through the Chamber’s TRC that takes place from April through June.
“Our volunteers continue to outpace themselves. This year, we are headed for a record breaking campaign,” said Harry Waugh, TRC Campaign Chair and senior vice president for Regions Bank.
The all-volunteer campaign is driven by more than 100 people — including many new “rookie” volunteers. Continue »
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HudsonAlpha Investigator Develops Rapid Response Swine Flu Test
Diatherix Laboratories to make test available to physicians
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Dr. Jian Han is the creator of a rapid response test capable of discerning Swine Flu (H1N1) from more forms of the common flu and other illnesses.
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Dr. Jian Han, faculty investigator at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, has completed development of a rapid response, molecular-level test for swine flu (H1N1)ent strain of the H1N1 family of the influenza virus. The test, which can confirm swine flu in less than six hours, will be incorporated into a viral respiratory panel made available by Diatherix Laboratories. The panel will detect the current strain of swine flu, as well as Influenza A, Influenza B and other viruses.
Because of the potential for the current strain of virus to mutate, Han, who holds both M.D. and Ph.D. degrees, included four swine flu targets in the diagnostic tool. “So even if there is some molecular-level mutation and one or two targets are rendered useless, we still have other targets that will provide a correct answer,” said Han.
The proprietary technology used in the Diatherix panel is called Target Enriched Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (Tem-PCR). Tem-PCR, originally developed by Han, has the capability to identify multiple pathogens, both viral and bacterial. This technology can test for multiple genetic targets at one time and is the only rapid molecular test that can subtype multiple viral and bacterial strains in a single test. Continue »
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Port of Huntsville Honors Senator Richard Shelby During Air Cargo Facility Grand Opening
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Port of Huntsville The Port of Huntsville’s new 90,000 square-foot, $7 million air cargo facility.
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The Port of Huntsville recently honored U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby during a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate its newest air cargo facility.Construction of the 90,000-square-foot facility began in May 2008 and totaled more than $7 million. The facility, which was constructed by Decatur-based Fite Building Company, Inc., features a 5,250-square-foot cold storage area and 20-foot by 70-foot double bay doors. The new development will almost double in size the current 100,000-square-foot Air Cargo South facility where global Swiss freight forwarder, Panalpina, has resided since 1990. Another 100,000-square-foot air cargo building houses several carriers and freight forwarders, including UPS Supply Chain Solutions, UPS, WestWind Inc. and Fed Ex.
According to Rick Tucker, executive director, Port of Huntsville, “Senator Shelby has been a tremendous advocate of the Port of Huntsville for many years and has worked tirelessly to help secure funding that has enabled our operations to continue to grow and work toward our mission of providing quality multi-modal transportation services to a diverse regional customer base and stimulating the economic growth and development of the Tennessee Valley region.” Continue »
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Outstanding Chamber Volunteer Recognized
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Chamber Ambassador of the Year Nansi Clark of Holiday Inn-Downtown presents Ambassador of the Month Award to Joe Knoch of Air Essentials
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The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County awarded Joe Knoch the April Ambassador of the Month Award at a recent luncheon catered by Covington’s. Knoch was recognized for his outstanding service in support of welcoming new members to the community and attending Chamber events. “Joe is everywhere and he is great to work with,” said Donna McCrary, Chamber investor relations specialist.
In the midst of Chamber members and guests networking and enjoying complimentary lunch, Knoch and his team the Parrot Heads were presented the volunteer awards for their significant volunteer contribution and commitment to the Chamber and its membership.
Knoch, an employee of Air Essentials, has been a contributing member of the Ambassador program for more than two years. Initially joining the Chamber, Knoch’s involvement continued to grow over the years including serving as a volunteer for the TRC past two years and being awarded the 2008 “Rookie of the Year”.
The Ambassador of the Month award honors a Chamber Ambassador for exemplary volunteer service within the Chamber and is based upon the level of volunteer contributions that the volunteer has made and the degree to which the general membership has benefited. Many factors are examined in the review process such as number of hours volunteered, events attended, special achievements and overall impact of the volunteer’s involvement and service.
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