(L to R) Mayor Loretta Spencer; Sheila Brown, founder and CEO of QuantiTech, Inc.; Damian Bianca, president of QuantiTech, Inc.; and Don Nalley, vice chair of economic development of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County prepare to cut the ribbon in front of onlookers during QuantiTech’s ribbon cutting ceremony on April 18.

QuantiTech, a minority woman-owned government services contractor, specializes in providing a variety of engineering solutions, services and tools for Department of Defense clients, including the U.S. Army’s Aviation and Missile Command; the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office (PEO) for Aviation and the Missile Defense Agency. The company was incorporated in 1991 with one employee, currently has 31 employees, and plans to expand to 50 employees by the end of the year. It expanded to larger office space in the Technology Pointe office complex at 7027 Old Madison Pike. Continue »

Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Henry Obering

The six story VB III building, called the “crowning jewel in the entire Von Braun Complex” by MDA’s Director, Lt Gen Henry Obering, will provide continuity of operations and mission as the Agency responds to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision. Continue »

A standing room crowd of elected officials, scientists, researchers, residents and community leaders heard from Riley, founder Jim Hudson, HudsonAlpha director Dr. Rick Myers, Dr. Neil Lamb and other elected officials and scientists about the importance this center has in the world in finding ways to treat or cure human diseases currently considered untreatable.

The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is housed in a state-of-the-art, 270,000 square-foot facility located in the Cummings Research Park, the nation’s second largest research and technology park. HudsonAlpha has a three-fold mission of genomic research, economic development and educational outreach.

Don Nalley (center), the Chamber’s vice chair for economic development, presents a plaque to Gleason Research and Associates CEO Dr. Robert Yates (left) and GRA President Chuck Vessels.

“GRA tripled in size the last two years and added many new customers requiring special security measures,” stated Dr. Bob Yates, CEO, “necessitating the new facility.” Continue »

Carina Technology just completed its office move to Cummings Research Park. Carina employees in Huntsville develop software and hardware products for the U.S. utility industry in Huntsville, manufacture those products in Huntsville and deploy them across Alabama and the entire U.S. At left, Carina Technology President/CEO Jay Newkirk accepts a plaque commemorating the grand opening event from Chamber Board Chair Evans Quinlivan.

“Carina is a technology-based company in a technology-based community, so it is only natural that the company be located in one of the leading technology parks in the country,” said Evans Quinlivan, chairman of the Chamber Board of Directors.

“We are excited about being in Research Park selling into the commercial market place,” said Jay Newkirk, president and CEO of Carina Technology, Inc. “Carina is quite a story and a humbling one. We develop our software and hardware products here, manufacture it here, and deploy it in Alabama and across the nation. Huntsville is uniquely capable of providing the resources we need including talented people and a supportive community. We are focused and anticipate significant growth over the next few years.”

Huntsville led the state and was fourth overall, trailing only McAllen-Edinburg, Mission, Texas; Johnson City-Bristol-Kingsport, Tenn.; and Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, Miss. However, the article also stated that no mid-market made a bigger jump over the past five years than Huntsville.

The economic growth in the state was also noted in Montgomery, which finished ninth, and Mobile, which finished 10th, but, like Huntsville, has moved up the list over the past few years.

“In fact, other than Huntsville, Ala., Mobile may be the second-hottest mid market in the entire South over the past three years,” the article states.

“Premier Professional Systems continues to enhance its great reputation to Department of Defense clients in worldwide logistics support, field maintenance and software engineering services for the military,” said Evans Quinlivan, chairman of the Chamber Board of Directors. “I know this is a proud day for the founders and for the great employees at Premier Professional Systems.”

From left, Jim McCamy, representing U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer; Premier Professional Systems co-founder and Executive Vice President Riley Henderson III; Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer; PPS founder and CEO Jannifer Henderson; and LaFreeda Jordan, representing U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, all celebrate the growth of Premier Professional Systems and its brand new facility in Cummings Research Park.

Dr. Wanda Austin thanks the Chamber and attendees at a special reception held the night before the organization's grand opening ceremony at its new office in Huntsville.

“The Aerospace Corporation is a very unique and dynamic organization whose history of excellence in this nation’s missile and space program is a match for our community, a community so steeped in this nation’s missile and space programs,” said Evans Quinlivan, chairman of the Chamber Board of Directors.
"We are excited about opening an office in Huntsville, which has such a rich history in space innovation and technology advances," said Dr. Wanda Austin, president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation. "The Missile Defense Agency is one of The Aerospace Corporation's principal customers, and we look forward to helping them achieve their mission objectives and assisting other organizations and agencies in the areas that are involved in the national space program."

Chamber Board Chair-Elect Irma Tuder congratulates Madison County CapitalSouth Bank President Richard Perdue on opening the bank’s new Madison facility.

Irma Tuder, chair-elect for the Chamber’s board of directors, said the bank’s growth is symbolic of the community’s economic growth and that she honored the bank that “has been responsible for a great deal of the economic development successes in the city of Huntsville, the city of Madison, and Madison County.”