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Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle celebrates Huntsville's top ranking.

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/ Madison County Board Chair Irma Tuder shares the announcement of our #1 ranking at a special announcement at the Chamber.

Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board Chair Irma Tuder said the ranking is more good news in the community’s on-going workforce recruitment and targeted industry recruitment efforts.

“This ranking illustrates what we have been saying about our community for a long time, that Huntsville is truly a smart place to live, work and play,” Tuder said. “This is a tremendous honor for everyone here – and Kiplinger’s reporter Jane Clark indicated that she not only found Huntsville to be an excellent place for high-tech job growth, but also for its intellectual and entrepreneurial energy.”

The reporter visited Huntsville for several days in April and met with a number of local officials, including Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and visited several attractions and businesses, including the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville Botanical Garden as well as taking tours of Cummings Research Park, Redstone Arsenal and the historic Twickenham district in Huntsville.

“In just a few days, the reporter was able to quickly see and feel what makes our community so unique,” said Tuder. “As we recruit people to our community to fill our many high-tech jobs, a ranking like this is a wonderful image enhancement tool for us. We will use this information in all of our recruiting efforts and we hope and believe it will be a catalyst for people to take a more in-depth look at our community as a possible place to start or advance their careers.”

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle praised the magazine as well.

“I’d like to thank Kiplinger’s Personal Finance for recognizing Huntsville’s diverse work force and dynamic economy in this year’s rankings. This number one ranking highlights the strength of our entire community and gives another example of why Huntsville remains the bright and shining star of Alabama. We’re very proud of our community and thankful to Kiplinger’s for highlighting our story.” Continue »

The company was in the running for the honor after it was named a regional finalist.

Intuitive is an engineering firm that provides management, technical and engineering services to the Department of Defense and to commercial industry. The small disadvantaged and 8(a)-certified business has contracts ranging from small 8(a) contracts to contracts in excess of $140 million with multiple subcontractors.

"We are truly honored to be recognized by the SBA with this prestigious award," said Harold Brewer, president of Intuitive. "This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our talented employees and the support of our Army customers.”

“Helping small businesses get their fair share of federal contracts is one of the most important responsibilities of the SBA,” said Administrator Karen G. Mills. “For a small company, these contracts can be that critical next step for establishing themselves in the marketplace, growing their businesses and creating jobs. And, at the same time, our federal agencies get the benefit of working with top-notch, creative and dedicated companies. It's a win-win for small business and the taxpayers.”

Daryl Sargent, vice president for programs at Draper Laboratory, and Don Nalley, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors.

Draper, headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., has played an important role in every human spaceflight program since Apollo, including the Space Shuttle and Space Station, and today is working on the Ares-1 crew launch vehicle and other elements of Project Constellation.

Darryl Sargent, vice president for programs at Draper Laboratory, said opening operations in Huntsville was an important move for the lab because of the work at Redstone Arsenal.

“With the opportunity to work directly with Marshall on the Ares-1, the Laboratory made a strategic decision to open an office in Huntsville. It seems particularly appropriate that we are opening this office just as the nation prepares to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing in July,” said Sargent. “We are proud to be part of the community of scientists and engineers that develop our nation’s space systems and provide the technology for our nation’s defense. We are looking forward to contributing our ideas and technologies to the needs of Marshall Space Flight Center, the Army, and MDA here in Huntsville.”

Don Nalley, Chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, welcomed the Draper to the community.

“I am proud to say that Draper Laboratory is enhancing our community’s image as a leading technology area – where innovation, entrepreneurship and technology have met and continue to forge our future. We are defined in many ways by the technology and the genius of those who helped put America into space and man on the moon,” Nalley said. We are so fortunate to have become a research and development hub for technology. And today we officially add to that legacy with the growth of Draper Laboratory.”

Mayor Tommy Battle said Huntsville is a great fit for the lab.

“We are very excited to have you here. This city is made for R&D and made for technology. This city is a great fit for Draper,” Battle said. “And we look forward to helping you grow and become an even bigger part of the community.”

Brian Hilson, Chamber President/CEO addressed the TRC volunteers and thanked them for their efforts in helping to raise funds to support ongoing economic development activities.

The race for "Top Producer" is heating up. But, Carrie McCrillis, Kelly Services, is still in the lead with more than $75,000 raised to date. Last week, Michelle Omenski with Exit Realty was recognized as Top Rookie and Lee Lester with Regions Bank was crowned the Top Producer for the week. For the fifth week in a row, the top team remained Bandit and the Dames of Thunder.

The race is on its final laps and Chamber members only have 25 days left to reserve sponsorships. For more information on how your business can use our tools to better market itself, please contact Donna McCrary at 535-2027 or dmccrary@hsvchamber.org.

The awards are designed to recognize the state’s top manufacturers for their accomplishments and for creating a better quality of life for Alabama’s citizens. They also provide a marketing advantage for manufacturers that receive them.

“Given today’s competitive and uncertain financial environment, manufacturers need a way to distinguish their companies from others in the marketplace more than ever,” said David Mixson, administrator of the Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Awards for the Alabama Technology Network. “Being a Manufacturer of the Year award winner may make the difference in whether a customer purchases your product or someone else’s.”

Additionally, manufacturer awards serve as independent endorsements of a company’s strength and quality. “The applications that are submitted are evaluated by independent judges,” Mixson added. “Your marketing messages can say all day long that you’re a great company with a great product, but if you get that endorsement from an outside source, that can only help your company’s credibility in the marketplace. That recognition may also be the tipping point resulting in you getting the sale versus the competition.”

Awards are given in three categories based on the firm’s revenues and number of employees: Small Manufacturers, 1 – 99 employees; Medium Manufacturers, 100-399 employees; and Large Manufacturers, 400 or more employees. An Emerging Manufacturer of the Year Award may also be presented to a company that has been in operation for five or fewer years and has demonstrated superior performance.

The charter members of the Huntsville's Best Award are: (in alphabetical order)

• Accurate Printing
• ADS Security
• Air Essentials
• Brooks Lock & Key
• Candy & The Divas
• Comcast
• Continental Roofing
• Cost Cutters
• Daniel’s Photography
• Fountain, Parker, & Harbarger & associates
• Holiday Inn Downtown Huntsville
• Huntsville Stars
• Joe Demos/State Farm
• Mosquito Nix
• New York Life
• OSBO

For more information about how you can be named Huntsville's Best, please contact:
Darlene Saal
The Business Card Holder
Office (256) 880-6655
Cell (256) 683-3171
www.thebusinesscardholder.com

Chamber President/CEO Brian Hilson was the recipient of the Samuel Ullman Award at the recent Japan-America Society of Alabama (JASA) Annual Dinner in Birmingham recently.

Hilda Lockhart, international trade division manager for the Alabama Development Office (ADO), presented the award to Hilson. "Brian has been the linchpin for Japanese investment in North Alabama," Lockhart said to the crowd of more than 150 people. Lockhart further acknowledged that Hilson has been very involved in assuring the success of these investments and has helped ADO for many years. “Brian has meant so much to this program over the years. His leadership, organization and participation is a primary reason why we are all here tonight. He has been such an integral part of the success and development of this organization and in furthering our wonderful relationship with Japan,” she noted.

The award was named in honor of Samuel Ullman who lived most of his 84 years in Birmingham, Alabama. Late in his life, Ullman wrote a poem, "Youth." More than 20 years after Ullman's death, General Douglas MacArthur displayed a framed copy of "Youth" on his office wall at General Headquarters in Tokyo. Japanese came to know and admire the poem through MacArthur. "Youth" has since come to symbolize the business, cultural and educational ties between Japan and Alabama.

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